We don’t get much rain in Abu Dhabi. Or the UAE. But we’re supposed to get a little.
We’re about half way through the “rainy” season, with hardly a drop.

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The UAE is a country overrun by expatriates — 85 percent of a population of 7 million. But only a small fraction of them are Yanks. Probably fewer than 50,000.
So, even though I spend most of my days in a room with native English speakers … they are speaking with accents I sometimes find hard […]

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As was the case two years ago at this time, the Liverpool side Everton suddenly are rolling. As was the case two years ago, Landon Donovan is playing for Everton, on loan from the LA Galaxy, and is being given a significant portion of the credit.
Two years ago, Landon went home at the end of […]

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Mark down Luca Toni as the latest old guy to realize he can make a few bucks in the UAE. Like, say, Fabio Cannavaro, David Trezeguet and yours truly. And, as another old guy who has come to the UAE to extend his career, I say: “Well done, Luca!”
So, where in the UAE does Luca […]

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Seems like time for a list.
I’m pretty sure I’ve noted on this blog that I am among a rapidly shrinking fraction of Americans who have seen every Super Bowl. Either in person or on television.
Do the math. The first Super Bowl was played on January 15, 1967. Even if we cast a wide net and […]

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An American named Eldrick Tont Woods, generally referred to as “Tiger” … is in Abu Dhabi this week to play in the local European Tour event.
We could tell you he’s here, for the first time, because he likes visiting this part of the world, or heard that the weather here this time of year is […]

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Zinedine Zidane is remembered almost as much for headbutting Marco Materazzi of Italy in the World Cup final in 2006 as he is for his years as a great player.
But how notorious would he be … if he had headbutted the referee, instead?
A midfielder for the Al Ahli team in Dubai did just that, apparently, […]

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The weather is the No. 1 topic of discussion in the United Arab Emirates at the moment, and not for the usual reasons. Instead of this being one of the hottest places in the world … we are struggling to deal with Arctic temps. Arctic, I tell you.
Like 56 … 55 … 54 … 53 […]

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This is hardly noticed in the particularly British (or Indian) parts of the world, but basketball probably is the second-most popular game on the planet.
I know that several sports have made that claim (from volleyball to team handball to ping-pong, etc), but hoops probably is the real No. 2. Plus, a survey conducted last March […]

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I thought the noise was unbearable in that moment in time when beepers ruled the land, 20-some years ago.
They would go off in a press conference, and everyone but the perpetrator would be looking around, staring daggers at the idiot who had forgotten to turn off his beeper, which was now squawking.
Now, of course, it […]

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