Succes 2011: Lanny Morgan, jazz living legend

Lanny Morgan (b. March 30, 1934, Des Moines, Iowa) is an American jazz alto saxophonist chiefly active on the West Coast jazz scene.
Morgan was raised in Los Angeles. In the 1950s he played with Charlie Barnet, Si Zentner, Terry Gibbs, and Bob Florence, then did a stint in the U.S. military, for which reason he had to turn down an offer to play in the orchestra of Stan Kenton. From 1960-65 he played in Maynard Ferguson's orchestra; after a few years in New York City he returned to Los Angeles in 1969, where he played frequently in the studios, was a member of Supersax, and played in the big bands of Bill Berry, Bob Florence, and Bill Holman.
Countless critics and fans agree-in the U.S. and especially elsewhere-accounting for many repeat tours of the U.K. where he has been a frequent frontliner with British musicians.

As a leader of his own group and a solo performer, he has been on the scene here and abroad since 1960, playing every major jazz club and festival that exists and guesting as soloist/clinician at colleges and universities in nearly every state of the union.

Morgan first came to prominence in New York, as the young lead alto for Maynard Ferguson's Big Band of the sixties, as well as the MF Sextet of the same era, and clubbing with his own group in the Big Apple.
His signature sound has endured from his early years with Ferguson through decades in a career that has spanned an A-Z list of involvement with everyone notable in the recent history of jazz—Supersax, Bill Holman, Frank Capp’s Juggernaut, to name a few.

A significant endorsement of his earned respect was the prestigious guest spot in a 2004 program titled “Bird Lives,” a tribute to revered alto saxman Charlie Parker.

The program spotlighted Morgan in a performance with members of the Pasadena Symphony, reproducing the famous recording of “Charlie Parker with Strings,” and in a quartet setting, playing famous Parker tunes.

The most recent Morgan-led recording, "6" The Lanny Morgan Sextet, documents several of many Morgan-penned originals, “just waiting for the right opportunity to ‘go on record,’” he said. "6" features "the old master" (so-named by Hong Kong Press) with Bob Summers (trumpet), Doug Webb (tenor sax), Tom Ranier (piano), Chuck Berghofer (bass) and Steve Schaeffer (drums), fellow old masters -- some older than others, but all masters in their own right.

His other CDs include a project for Fresh Sound Records, A Suite for Yardbird, Lanny Morgan interprets the compositions of Charlie Parker; Pacific Standard (Contemporary), The Lanny Morgan Quartet (VSOP) and It’s About Time (Quicksilver Records QSCD2024, Palo Alto Jazz Masters).

Overall, credits include TV, movie soundtracks, more than 100 albums, regular guest appearances at major world festivals. Appearances at nearly 100 colleges and high schools coast-to-coast inspired “Lanny’s Licks,” a book for beginning jazz improv students (Rheuben Publications). And, he has been an instructor for several years at Idyllwild Jazz Camp.

Succes 2011: Gary Player aka Black Knight, one of the greatest players in the history of golf. Inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974. Has won 165 tournaments on six continents over six decades.

Gary Player is a South African professional golfer. With his nine major championship victories, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of golf. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974. Player has won 165 tournaments on six continents over six decades.

Player was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. He has logged more than 15 million miles in travel, which is claimed to be more than any other athlete. Nicknamed the Black Knight, Mr. Fitness, and the International Ambassador of Golf, Player is also a renowned golf course architect with more than 300 design projects throughout the world. He has also written several golf books.

His business interests are represented by Black Knight International, which includes Gary Player Design, Player Real Estate, and Black Knight Enterprises, aspects of which include licensing, events, publishing, wine, apparel and memorabilia.

The Gary Player Stud Farm has received worldwide acclaim for breeding top thoroughbred race horses, including 1994 Epsom Derby entry Broadway Flyer. He operates The Player Foundation, which has a primary objective of promoting underprivileged education around the world.

In 1983, The Player Foundation established the Blair Atholl Schools in Johannesburg, South Africa, which has educational facilities for more than 500 students from kindergarten through eighth grade. In 2008 it celebrated its 25th Anniversary with charity golf events in London, Palm Beach, Shanghai and Cape Town, bringing its total of funds raised to over US $35 million.

Player is one of the most successful golfers in the history of the sport, ranking third (behind Roberto de Vicenzo and Sam Snead) in total professional wins, with at least 166, and tied for fourth in major championship victories with nine. Along with Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus he is often referred to as one of "The Big Three" golfers of his era – from the late 1950s through the late 1970s – when golf boomed in the United States and around the world, greatly encouraged by expanded television coverage. Along with Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, he is one of only five players to win golf’s "career Grand Slam". He completed the Grand Slam in 1965 at the age of twenty-nine. Player was the second multi-time majors winner from South Africa, following Bobby Locke, then was

Player played regularly on the U.S. based PGA Tour from the late 1950s. He led the money list in 1961, and went on to accumulate 24 career titles. He also played an exceptionally busy schedule all over the world, and he has been called the world's most traveled athlete, clocking up more than 15 million miles. He has more victories than anyone else in the South African Open (13) and the Australian Open (7). He held the record for most victories in the World Match Play Championship, with five wins, from 1973 until 1991 when this feat was equaled by Seve Ballesteros, finally losing his share of the record in 2004, when Ernie Els won the event for a sixth time. Player was ever-present in the top ten of Mark McCormack's world golf rankings from their inception in 1968 until 1981; he was ranked second on those rankings in 1969, 1970 and 1972, each time behind Jack Nicklaus, and had those rankings been based on just the most recent two seasons (like their modern counterpart), Player would have been number one several times.

He was the only player in the 20th century to win the British Open in three different decades. His first win, as a 23-year-old in 1959 at Muirfield, came after he double-bogeyed the last hole, and broke down in tears thinking he had lost his chance, but none of the remaining players on the course could match the clubhouse lead he had set. In 1974, he became one of the few golfers in history to win two major championships in the same season. Player last won the U.S. Masters in 1978, when he started seven strokes behind the leaders entering the final round, and won by one shot with birdies at seven of the last 10 holes for a back nine 30 and a final round 64. One week later, Player came from seven strokes back in the final round to win the Tournament of Champions. In 1984, at the age of 48, Player nearly became the oldest ever major champion, finishing just behind Lee Trevino at the PGA Championship. And in gusty winds at the 1998 Masters, he became the oldest golfer ever to make to the cut, breaking the 25-year-old record set by Sam Snead. Player credited this feat to his dedication to the concept of diet, health, practise and golf fitness.

Being South African, Player never played in the Ryder Cup in which American and European golfers compete against each other. Regarding the event, Player remarked, "The things I have seen in the Ryder Cup have disappointed me. You are hearing about hatred and war." He was no longer an eligible player when the Presidents Cup was established to give international players the opportunity to compete in a similar event, but he was non-playing captain of the International Team for the Presidents Cup in 2003, which was held on a course he designed, The Links at Fancourt, in George, South Africa. After 2003 ended in a tie, he was reappointed as captain for the 2005 Presidents Cup, and his team lost to the Americans 15.5 to 18.5. Both Player and Jack Nicklaus were appointed to captain their respective teams again in 2007 in Canada; the United States won.

In 2000 he was voted "Sportsman of the Century" in South Africa. In 1966, Gary Player was awarded the Bob Jones Award, the highest honor given by the United States Golf Association in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974. The "Gary Player – A Global Journey" exhibition was launched by the Hall of Fame as of March, 2006.

In 2000, Player was ranked as the eighth greatest golfer of all time by Golf Digest magazine.

In 2002, Player was voted as the second greatest global golfer of all time by a panel of international media, golf magazines and fellow professionals conducted by the leading Golf Asia Magazine.

On 10 April 2009, he played for the last time in The Masters, where he was playing for his record 52nd time. He was the last of The Big Three (Nicklaus, Player & Palmer) to retire from this tournament, a testament to his longevity.

On 23 July 2009, at the age of 73, Player competed in the Senior British Open Championship at Sunningdale Golf Club, 53 years after capturing his maiden European Tour victory at the Berkshire venue.

Succes 2011: Heike Daute Drechsler, one of the most successful female long jumpers of all time. Two times world champion. The only woman who has won two Olympic gold medals in the long jump

Heike Gabriela Drechsler née Daute (born 16 December 1964 in Gera, Thuringia, then East Germany) is a German track and field athlete. She is one of the most successful female long jumpers of all time and also had several successes in sprint disciplines.

She is the only woman who has won two Olympic gold medals in the long jump (1992 and 2000). She also won two World Championships in the long jump (1983 and 1993), as well as gold medals in the long jump and the 200 m sprint in the World Indoor Championships 1987. In addition, she had numerous successes in European and German championships.

Drechsler's greatest rival in the long jump was Jackie Joyner-Kersee, with whom she was also very good friends.

In 1986, Drechsler twice equalled Marita Koch's 200 metres sprint world record and set two long jump world records and equalled one in 1985 and 1986. As of 2000[update], she had more than four hundred long jump competitions with results over seven meters, more than any other female athlete.

As teenager she was active in the Free German Youth (FDJ) and in 1984 she was elected to the Volkskammer of East Germany.

Several German websites, including her own, claim that Heike Drechsler was voted "Athlete of the Century" in 1999 by the IAAF. This is not quite correct: she was put on the "shortlist" but the award was given to Fanny Blankers-Koen.

World records

Long Jump:
1983: 7.14 meters Bratislava / (Juniors)
1985: 7.44 meters Berlin
1986: 7.45 meters Tallinn
1986: 7.45 meters Dresden
In 1992 Heike Drechsler jumped 7.63 m at altitude in Sestriere Italy with a 2.1 m / sec. wind, over the allowable. That jump is 11 cm longer than the current world record. Her personal best under legal conditions was 7.48 set in Neubrandenburg July 9, 1994, which is still the #4 jump of all time.[1]
200-meter run:
1986: 21.71 seconds Jena
1986: 21.71 seconds Stuttgart
Heptathlon:
1981: 5891 Points (Junior)

Succes 2011: Steffi Nerius, the javelin throw reigning World Champion

Steffi Nerius (born 1 July 1972 in Bergen auf Rügen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern) is a German athlete competing in the javelin throw. She won silver at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens and is the reigning World Champion; she is also a three-time bronze medalist at that level.

Initially playing volleyball in school, she was too short for a career in this sport and switched to athletics instead. She was taught javelin throw by her mother, a former javelin thrower. Her first international success was a third place at the 1991 Junior's European Championships.

Her first major gold medal came at the 2006 European Athletics Championships in Gothenburg. From 2003 to 2006 she won four consecutive national championships.

Her personal best throw is 68.34 metres, achieved on 31 August 2008 in Elstal. This ranks her second among German javelin throwers, behind Christina Obergföll. The throw also marked a world's best for javelin throwers elder than 35.

* 9th (60.20 m) at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia
* 4th (64.84 m) at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney
* 5th (62.08 m) at the 2001 World Championships
* 2nd (64.09 m) at the 2002 European Championships
* 3rd (62.70 m) at the 2003 World Championships

* 2nd (65.82 m) at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens
* 3rd (61.16 m) at the 2004 IAAF World Athletics Final
* 3rd (65.96 m) at the 2005 World Championships
* 2nd (66.35 m) at the 2005 IAAF World Athletics Final
* 1st (65.82 m) at the 2006 European Championships
* 2nd (65.06 m) at the 2006 IAAF World Athletics Final
* 3rd (64.42 m) at the 2007 World Championships
* 2nd (64.90 m) at the 2007 IAAF World Athletics Final
* 5th (65.29 m) at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing
* 3rd (62.78 m) at the 2008 IAAF World Athletics Final
* 1st (67.30 m) at the 2009 World Championships

Succes 2011: Yaroslava Shvedova, winner of the 2010 Wimbledon and US Open Ladies' Doubles tennis titles

Yaroslava Vyacheslavovna Shvedova (Russian: Яросла́ва Вячесла́вовна Шве́дова, born 12 September 1987 in Moscow) is a Kazakhstani professional tennis player of Russian descent.

She has achieved a career high ranking of No. 29 as of 21 June 2010. She has won 1 WTA singles title, 3 ITF Women's Circuit singles titles and 3 doubles titles, including the 2010 Wimbledon and US Open Ladies' Doubles titles. She was taught tennis at the age of six by her father who is currently her coach. She has made one Grand Slam singles quarterfinal, at the 2010 French Open.
2007–2008

In February 2007, she unexpectedly reached the final of the Sony Ericsson International, beating homecrowd favourite and No.2 seed Sania Mirza in the quarterfinals, 6–7 (2–7), 6–4, 6–4. In the final, she defeated top-seeded defending champion Mara Santangelo 6–4, 6–4, to win her first WTA Tour title.[3][4] This win caused her to be in the top 100 for the first time, at 78.

At the 2007 Miami Masters, she came through qualifying and impressively recorded her first-ever top 20 win over future number one Ana Ivanović in the second round, beating her 7–5, 6–4. Tathiana Garbin beat her 4–6, 6–3, 6–2 in the third round.

In August 2008, she won an ITF title in Monterrey, Mexico, defeating Magdaléna Rybáriková in the final 6–4, 6–1. Just over a week later, she won through the qualifying rounds for 2008 US Open, but lost to Agnieszka Radwańska in the first round 4–6, 2–6.

2009

In 2009, Shvedova qualified for the main draw of Roland Garros, defeating Americans Shenay Perry in the first qualifying round 6–4, 6–4 and Angela Haynes, 6–1, 6–2 in the second qualifying round. She then beat Elena Baltacha 6–2, 6–2 in the final qualifying round to enter the main draw. She beat Kaia Kanepi in the first round and advanced to the third round after defeating Arantxa Rus, also a qualifier, in the second. There she lost in a close 3rd round match to former number one Maria Sharapova, returning from a long-lasting shoulder injury and then ranked 102, 6–1, 3–6, 4–6.

At the 2009 Wimbledon Championships in the first round she faced Romanian Monica Niculescu and demolished her 6–1, 6–0, but lost 6–3, 2–6, 4–6 to American teenager Melanie Oudin in the second. At the 2009 U.S. Open, Shvedova pulled off the biggest win of her career by beating then No. 5 Jelena Janković 6–3, 6–7(4), 7–6(6), in a match where she saved two match points.

2010

Shvedova experienced a good run at the 2010 Sony Ericsson Open in Miami. She gained direct entry into the main draw and won a tight first round match against wildcard Ajla Tomljanović 6–7(1), 7–6(3), 7–5. She then defeated 23rd seed Sabine Lisicki in the second round after she retired whilst trailing 3–6, 1–0. In the third round, Shvedova advanced against unseeded Andrea Petkovic by winning another close match 6–0, 5–7, 7–5. She fell to 6th seed Agnieszka Radwańska 6–1, 6–4 in the fourth round.

At the 2010 Barcelona Ladies Open Shvedova defeated Anabel Medina Garrigues 6–1, 6–4 in the first round before upsetting 4th seed Maria Kirilenko 4–6, 6–2, 6–2 in the second round. Next, she defeated Iveta Benešová 6–4, 6–4, before falling to eventual tournament and 2010 French Open champion Francesca Schiavone in the semifinals.

Shvedova enjoyed arguably her best career result at the 2010 French Open. There, she advanced to the quarterfinals in the Women's Singles competition. Shvedova defeated 8th seed Agnieszka Radwańska, avenging her loss to her in Miami, en route to the quarters. As the last unseeded player in the tournament, Shvedova was defeated by 4th seed Jelena Janković in the quarterfinal, 7–5, 6–4. In mixed doubles, Shvedova partnered with Julian Knowle of Austria to reach the final, beating doubles legends Cara Black and Leander Paes, the second seeds, along the way. They fell 4–6, 7–6(5), [11–9] in a nailbighting final to sixth seeds Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia and Nenad Zimonjić of Serbia.

At the 2010 Wimbledon Championships, Shvedova entered the Women's Doubles competition unseeded with partner Vania King. The two began playing together at the start of the grass court season two weeks before, and were only in their third event together. In a stunning string of upsets, Shvedova and King won the tournament, beating Elena Vesnina and Vera Zvonareva 7–6(6), 6–2 in the final. The pairing they beat in the final beat Serena and Venus Williams in the quarterfinals, and Zvonareva lost in the women's singles final.

Both Shvedova and King continued their good form onto the hard courts of the 2010 US Open, being seeded 6th, the team continued to win match after match before taking a spot in their second consecutive Grand Slam final, this time facing Liezel Huber and Nadia Petrova. King and Shvedova won 2–6, 6–4, 7–6(4) after the match was played over two days due to heavy rainfall.

Succes 2011: Robert F. Curl Jr, laureat al Premiului Nobel pentru Chimie (1996). A Superstar of Science

Robert Floyd Curl, Jr. (born August 23, 1933) the son of a Methodist Minister is a graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School in San Antonio, Texas and is an emeritus professor of chemistry at Rice University.

He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1996 for the discovery of fullerene (with the late Richard Smalley, also of Rice University, and Harold Kroto of the University of Sussex).


Born in Alice, Texas, United States, Curl received a B.A. from Rice Institute in 1954 and a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1957.

Professor Curl's current research interests involve physical chemistry, developing DNA genotyping and sequencing instrumentation, and creating quantum cascade laser-based mid-infrared trace gas monitoring instrumentation.

Curl often attended the German table at Hanszen College at Rice University. However, he is more known in the residential college life at Rice University for being the first master of Lovett College.

Succes 2011: Astronaut Guion Bluford, the first African American in space

Guion “Guy” Bluford, Jr. (born November 22, 1942), is an engineer, retired Colonel from the United States Air Force and a former NASA Astronaut. He participated in four Space Shuttle flights between 1983 and 1992. In 1983, as a member of the crew of the space shuttle Challenger on mission STS-8, Bluford became the first African American in space, and the second person of African ancestry, after the Cuban cosmonaut Arnaldo Tamayo Méndez.

Bluford was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of Guion (a mechanical engineer) and Lolita (a special education teacher), and graduated from Overbrook High School. He received a B.S. in aerospace engineering from the Pennsylvania State University in 1964, an M.S. in aerospace engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) in 1974, a Ph.D. in aerospace engineering with a minor in laser physics, again from AFIT, in 1978, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Houston–Clear Lake in 1987. He married Linda Tull in 1964 and had two sons,Guion III and James.


Bluford attended pilot training at Williams Air Force Base, and received his pilot wings in January 1966. He then went to F-4C combat crew training in Arizona and Florida and was assigned to the 557th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam. He flew 144 combat missions, 65 of which were over North Vietnam.

In July 1967, he was assigned to the 3,630th Flying Training Wing, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, as a T-38A instructor pilot. He served as a standardization/evaluation officer and as an assistant flight commander. In early 1971, he attended Squadron Officers School and returned as an executive support officer to the Deputy Commander of Operations and as School Secretary for the Wing.

In August 1972, he entered the Air Force Institute of Technology residency school at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Upon graduating in 1974 with his master's degree, he was assigned to the Air Force Flight Dynamics Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, as a staff development engineer. He served as deputy for advanced concepts for the Aeromechanics Division and as branch chief of the Aerodynamics and Airframe Branch in the Laboratory. Bluford has written and presented several scientific papers in the area of computational fluid dynamics. He has logged over 5,200 hours of jet flight time in the T-33, T-37, T-38, F-4C, U-2/TR-1|, and F-5A/B, including 1,300 hours as a T-38 instructor pilot. He also has an FAA commercial pilot license. Member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity.

Bluford became a NASA astronaut in August 1979. His technical assignments have included working with Space Station operations, the Remote Manipulator System (RMS), Spacelab systems and experiments, Space Shuttle systems, payload safety issues and verifying flight software in the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory (SAIL) and in the Flight Systems Laboratory (FSL). Bluford was a mission specialist on STS-8, STS-61-A, STS-39, and STS-53.

Bluford's first mission was STS-8, which launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on August 30, 1983. This was the third flight for the Orbiter Challenger and the first mission with a night launch and night landing. During the mission, the STS-8 crew deployed the Indian National Satellite (INSAT-1B); operated the Canadian-built RMS with the Payload Flight Test Article (PFTA); operated the Continuous Flow Electrophoresis System (CFES) with live cell samples; conducted medical measurements to understand biophysiological effects of space flight; and activated four "Getaway Special" canisters. STS-8 completed 98 orbits of the Earth in 145 hours before landing at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on September 5, 1983.

Bluford then served on the crew of STS-61-A, the German D-1 Spacelab mission, which launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on October 30, 1985. This mission was the first to carry eight crew members, the largest crew to fly in space and included three European payload specialists. This was the first dedicated Spacelab mission under the direction of the German Aerospace Research Establishment (DFVLR) and the first U.S. mission in which payload control was transferred to a foreign country (German Space Operations Center, Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany).

During the mission, the Global Low Orbiting Message Relay Satellite (GLOMR) was deployed from a "Getaway Special" (GAS) container, and 76 experiments were performed in Spacelab in such fields as fluid physics, materials processing, life sciences, and navigation. After completing 111 orbits of the Earth in 169 hours, Challenger landed at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on November 6, 1985.

Bluford also served on the crew of STS-39, which launched from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on April 28, 1991, aboard the Orbiter Discovery. The crew gathered aurora, Earth-limb, celestial, and Shuttle environment data with the AFP-675 payload. This payload consisted of the Cryogenic Infrared Radiance Instrumentation for Shuttle (CIRRIS-1A) experiment, Far Ultraviolet Camera experiment (FAR UV), the Uniformly Redundant Array (URA), the Quadrupole Ion Neutral Mass Spectrometer (QINMS), and the Horizon Ultraviolet Program (HUP) experiment.

The crew also deployed and retrieved the SPAS-II which carried the Infrared Background Signature Survey (IBSS) experiment. The crew also operated the Space Test Payload-1 (STP-1) and deployed a classified payload from the Multi-Purpose Experiment Canister (MPEC). After completing 134 orbits of the Earth and 199 hours in space, Discovery landed at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on May 6, 1991.

More recently, Bluford served on the crew of STS-53 which launched from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on December 2, 1992. The crew of five deployed the classified Department of Defense payload DOD-1 and then performed several Military-Man-in-Space and NASA experiments. After completing 115 orbits of the Earth in 175 hours, Discovery landed at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on December 9, 1992.

With the completion of his fourth flight, Bluford has logged over 688 hours in space.

Bluford left NASA in July 1993 to take the post of Vice President/General Manager, Engineering Services Division of NYMA, Greenbelt, Maryland. In May, 1997, he became Vice President of the Aerospace Sector of Federal Data Corporation and in October, 2000, became the Vice President of Microgravity R&D and Operations for the Northrop Grumman Corporation. He retired from Northrop Grumman in September, 2002 to become the President of the Aerospace Technology, an engineering consulting organization in Cleveland, Ohio.

He was inducted into the International Space Hall of Fame in 1997, and inducted into the United States Astronaut Hall of Fame in 2010.

In 2002, scholar Molefi Kete Asante listed Bluford on his list of 100 Greatest African Americans. In 2006, Bluford was recognized as a distinguished alumnus of Penn State by being selected as the Grand Marshal for his alma mater's Homecoming celebration.

Bluford, an Eagle Scout, was designated as the emissary to return the Challenger flag to Boy Scout Troop 514 of Monument, Colorado in December, 1986. On December 18 of that year, he presented the flag to the troop in a special ceremony at Falcon Air Force Base.

Cesare Prandelli, the manager of the Italy national football team

Cesare Claudio Prandelli (born 19 August 1957 in Orzinuovi, province of Brescia) is an Italian football coach and former player. He is currently the manager of the Italy national football team.

Prandelli, a midfielder, started his playing career at Cremonese in 1974. He then moved to Atalanta in 1978, and then Juventus in 1979. He played six seasons with Juventus, winning the Serie A championship three times. He returned to Atalanta in 1985, where he ended his career in 1990. In total, Prandelli played 197 Serie A matches.

Prandelli started his managing career as youth team coach for Atalanta. He coached Atalanta's youth squad with excellent results from 1990 to 1997, except for a seven-months parenthesis, from November 1993 to June 1994, in which he served as caretaker for the first team, then relegated to Serie B. After a poor 1997–98 Serie A campaign as Lecce head coach ended in a sacking in January 1998, Prandelli headed Hellas Verona for two seasons, leading the gialloblu to an immediate promotion to Serie A, and then to a very good ninth place the next year. He later spent two years with Parma, where he fully reached national glory.

Starting the 2004–05 season for AS Roma, he left the team because of personal problems involving his wife, with her being seriously ill.

Prandelli joined Fiorentina as manager in the summer of 2005. His first season in Tuscany proved to be a huge success, as Prandelli transformed Fiorentina from relegation strugglers into a team worthy of a UEFA Champions League spot, finishing the season in fourth place. Unfortunately for Fiorentina and Prandelli however, as a result of the Calciopoli match-fixing scandal, Fiorentina were stripped of their Champions League spot and started the 2006–07 season in Serie A with a 15 point deduction.

The next year, despite the points deduction, Prandelli was able to guide Fiorentina to a 6th place finish in Serie A (with the same point tally as 5th placed Palermo), securing UEFA Cup qualification for the 2007–08 season. The team did very well in the competition, losing the penalty shootout against Rangers in the semi-final. In Serie A, the team finished fourth after winning a long race against Milan, earning a ticket to participate in the UEFA Champions League. His wife died during the season, making Prandelli's efforts all the more impressive.

For his work in the 2007–08 season, Prandelli was awarded the Serie A Coach of the Year at the "Oscar del calcio" awards in early 2009. He later managed to get Fiorentina into the group phase, after defeating SK Slavia Praha in the third qualifying round, and also guided Fiorentina to another fourth place spot, this time winning competition to Genoa (who ended the season with the same points as Fiorentina, but were classified at fifth due to head-to-head results) and a second consecutive participation in the UEFA Champions League qualifying rounds. After the departure of Carlo Ancelotti, Prandelli's tenure as Fiorentina became the longest of all incumbent Serie A managers.

In 2009, Prandelli surpassed Fulvio Bernardini as the longest serving manager in Fiorentina history, and guided the viola to a historic qualification in the round of 16 of the 2009–10 UEFA Champions League, where they were controversially eliminated by Bayern Munich (who later went on to qualify to the final) through the away goals rule. However, Prandelli did not manage to repeat such successes at the domestic stage, with things being made even more complex by his key player Adrian Mutu being suspended due to doping-related issues. Fiorentina ended the 2009–10 Serie A in eleventh place, well far from the top spots of the league.

On 20 May 2010 Fiorentina confirmed that Prandelli was given permission to hold talks with Italian Football Federation president Giancarlo Abete to replace Marcello Lippi as head coach of the Italian national team after the 2010 FIFA World Cup. On 30 May, the Italian Football Federation publicly announced that Prandelli will take over from Lippi at the head of the Azzurri after the 2010 FIFA World Cup.His official debut arrived on 10 August 2010, in a friendly match against Ivory Coast at the Boleyn Ground, finishing in a 0–1 defeat.

Then, during the 2012 Euro Qualifiers, Italy came back from behind to defeat Estonia 2-1. Italy's mtach against Serbia was plagued by crowd trouble and UEFA subsequently awarded Italy a 3-0 victory, putting them in pole position of their group. On March 25. 2011, Italy recorded a 1-0 win over Slovenia to secure their spot at the top of the qualification table. Before the Slovenia game, Prandelli said: “The moment has come for us to have faith in the former greats of our football and learn from them”. “My instruction is to work, work, work and I sincerely believe in rebuilding" he continued. “I don’t think it’s incredible the huge number of talents that Slovenia are producing, nothing is incredible if you program and cultivate your ideas about football."

Succes 2011: Rafael van der Vaart (Tottenham Hotspur)

Rafael van der Vaart is a Dutch footballer who plays for English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur and the Dutch national team. His preferred position is as an attacking midfielder; he can, however, also operate in other positions, such as second striker. Van der Vaart began his career at AFC Ajax' famous youth academy and worked his way into the first team, debuting as a 17-year-old. He moved to German Bundesliga side Hamburger SV, then to Real Madrid, then on to Tottenham Hotspur on the final day of the 2010–11 Premier League summer transfer window.

Van der Vaart is well known for his technical ability, the capacity to use both feet as well as his sometimes aggressive attitude on the Football pitch. Following his performances in the Premier League in the 2010-11 season with Tottenham Hotspur, van der Vaart was nominated for the PFA Players' Player of the Year award, along with team-mate and eventual winner, Gareth Bale.
Van der Vaart was born in Heemskerk to a Dutch father and a Spanish mother from Chiclana de la Frontera, Cádiz. Before joining AFC Ajax, he played for a local club called De Kennemers based in Beverwijk. He grew up on a caravan park living a "gypsy life" and often pretended to be Romário while playing football. He watched the English Premier League as a youth. It was at the caravan park that he learned how to play football and, at the age of 10, he joined the AFC Ajax Academy. Van der Vaart has said of his upbringing, "That was the way my family lived. My father was born there and it is a lifestyle. Maybe it is not a normal lifestyle but I always liked it. I always played football on the street. It was an easy life, then I was 10 years old and went to Ajax and played there for almost 12 years."

On 31 August 2010, two hours before the transfer window closed, Tottenham Hotspur made an offer of £8 million for Van der Vaart. According to Spurs manager Harry Redknapp, an £18 million transfer to Bayern Munich had collapsed the day before and Van der Vaart had suddenly become much cheaper, although such a price reduction was later denied by Real Madrid. Due to problems with computer servers used in the transaction between Tottenham and Real Madrid, preventing the necessary paperwork from being completed, Spurs requested special dispensation from the Premier League to allow the transfer to proceed. The Premier League confirmed on 1 September that the transfer had been permitted after they gave Tottenham special dispensation due to 'technical problems'. He signed a four-year contract at White Hart Lane. It was announced that Van der Vaart would wear the number 11 shirt for Spurs.Van der Vaart later denied speculation that he had been a failure at Real Madrid, claiming that he always gave his best over the last few years for both club and country, and that he wanted to show his quality for his new club.

Van der Vaart made his Premier League debut for Spurs in a 1–1 draw against West Bromwich Albion on 11 September 2010 and his Champions League bow for the club three days later against Werder Bremen, providing an assist for Peter Crouch in a 2–2 draw. Van der Vaart scored his first Premier League goal from the penalty spot in a 3–1 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers on 18 September 2010. After starting his Spurs career by scoring three goals in four Premier League matches, and with a goal and an assist in two Champions League matches, Van der Vaart was named Goal.com World Player of the Week on 4 October 2010. He was later named Premier League Player of the Month for October. A hamstring injury kept Van der Vaart out of action for much of December, but he returned to the Tottenham side on Boxing Day, scoring twice in a 2–1 win away to Aston Villa. On April 20, van der Vaart revived Tottenham's Champions League ambitions by scoring twice to hold North London rivals Arsenal to a 3–3 draw at White Hart Lane. After losing to Manchester City and being knocked out of the Champions League race, Spurs traveled to Anfield. Van der Vaart scored from 25 yards out in a 2–0 win that put Tottenham in position to secure qualification for the Europa League.

Scarface (1983): Tony Montana, prin ochii lui Al Pacino

Scarface is a 1983 American epic crime drama movie directed by Brian De Palma, written by Oliver Stone, produced by Martin Bregman and starring Al Pacino as Tony Montana. Based on Howard Hawks' original 1932 film of the same name, the film tells the story of Tony Montana, a Cuban refugee who comes to Miami in 1980 as a result of the Mariel Boatlift, and becomes a drug cartel kingpin during the cocaine boom of the 1980s. The movie chronicles his rise to the top of Miami's cocaine empire.

The film is dedicated to Howard Hawks and Ben Hecht, the director and screenwriter of the original 1932 film, respectively.

The initial critical response to Scarface was mixed, with the film receiving criticism for its violence and graphic language. The film was widely criticized by the Cuban community in Miami, who objected to various aspects of the film, and the fact Cubans in it were compared with criminals and drug traffickers.

The film has since gathered a cult following and has become an important cultural icon (particularly in the hip-hop community), inspiring posters, clothing, and many other references. The film's grainy black and white poster is a popular decoration and is still in production; as a result of its popularity it has been parodied many times.

Tony Montana (Al Pacino), a ruthlessly violent Cuban refugee, arrives in Miami, Florida during the 1980 Mariel boatlift. He and his best friend, Manny Ribera (Steven Bauer), are sent to a refugee camp, but wealthy drug dealer Frank Lopez (Robert Loggia) arranges for them to obtain green cards in return for the assassination of a former Cuban government official. After the assassination is completed, they agree to carry out a job for Frank's henchman Omar Suarez (F. Murray Abraham), to buy cocaine from Colombian dealers. Tony, Manny, and associates Angel (Pepe Serna) and Chi Chi (Ángel Salazar) drive to the deal, which quickly goes bad. The Colombians dismember Angel with a chainsaw and are about to do the same to Tony when Manny and Chi Chi storm the apartment and kill the Colombians. Suspecting a set-up and distrusting Omar, Tony takes the money and cocaine to Frank personally. Frank likes Tony's style and hires Tony and Manny to work for him. This is when Tony first meets and develops a romantic interest in Frank's girlfriend, Elvira Hancock (Michelle Pfeiffer).

Months later, Tony visits his mother, Georgina (Míriam Colón), and younger sister, Gina (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio), of whom he is fiercely protective. Gina is excited to see him again, but his mother is disgusted by his life of crime and throws him out after refusing his money. When Tony rejoins Manny, who is waiting in the car, Manny makes an offhand comment about Gina's attractiveness, but Tony warns him to steer clear.

Tony and Omar go to Bolivia to talk with cocaine kingpin Alejandro Sosa (Paul Shenar). The tension between Tony and Omar peaks when Tony tries to negotiate unauthorized terms with Sosa. Omar leaves, but Sosa asks Tony to stay. As Tony and Sosa discuss business, Sosa discloses to Tony that Omar is a police informant. Tony then witnesses Sosa's henchmen hang Omar from a helicopter. Tony goes on record stating he never liked or trusted Omar, but vouches for Frank. As Sosa and Tony part ways with a business understanding, Sosa warns Tony never to betray him. Upon returning to Miami, Tony breaks the news about Omar to Frank, who is infuriated. Frank also is angered by Tony's unauthorized deals, which cause the end of their business relationship. Tony establishes his own operations and pursues Elvira more aggressively, eventually asking her to marry him.

At a nightclub, Tony is shaken down by a Miami detective, Mel Bernstein (Harris Yulin). He proposes to "tax" Tony on his transactions in return for police protection and information. That same night, Tony sees Gina dancing with a drug dealer. He follows the two to a restroom stall where he roughly throws the man out the bathroom and slaps Gina after she confronts him. Manny, sympathizing with Gina takes her home. On the way home Gina reveals her attraction to Manny, but he wards her off, fearful of Tony's wrath should he catch them together.

Meanwhile, back at the club, Tony is attacked and wounded by two gunmen but manages to escape, killing both of them in the process. Suspecting Frank sent Bernstein and the hitmen, Tony decides to pay Frank a visit. He asks Nick 'The Pig' to call Frank at exactly 3:00 and to inform him that the hit failed. Tony and Manny find Frank with Bernstein. The phone rings as planned, with Frank confirming his involvement by playing the call off as Elvira checking on when he'll be home. Frank begs for his life and Tony's forgiveness before Manny shoots him dead on Tony's order. Tony then shoots Bernstein killing him. Tony, having consolidated power, takes over Frank's empire, marries Elvira, and becomes incredibly wealthy, with Manny as his second-in-command. Over time, cracks in Tony's operation begin to form, as both he and Elvira become addicted to cocaine and drift apart, and Tony's increasing paranoia begins to take a toll on his friendship with Manny.

Tony is eventually charged with money laundering and tax evasion after police stage a sting operation in his house. Tony is arrested, but makes bail. Tony's lawyer lets him know there will be a huge fine and jail time. Learning of the sting, Sosa offers Tony a quid pro quo: Sosa will use his government connections to keep Tony out of jail, but Tony must fly to New York City with Sosa's henchmen Alberto to help assassinate a Bolivian journalist intent on exposing Sosa during a speech to the United Nations.

Tony arrives in NYC with Chi-chi, Ernie, and Alberto. They stake out the journalist's apartment and Alberto wires the journalists' car with a remote bomb. The next morning, upon seeing the journalist accompanied in the car by his wife and children, Tony tries to call off the operation, horrified by the idea of killing innocent bystanders. Alberto states that Sosa's explicit instructions are to tail the journalist and blow up his car in front of the United Nations building, and refuses to call off the hit. Before Alberto can detonate the bomb, Tony shoots him in the head. Furious, Sosa calls Tony later that evening, and after a heated exchange, Sosa reminds Tony of their first conversation.

Tony then sets out to find Gina, who has been missing since he left. Eventually after locating a house which Tony's mother had instructed them of the address. Tony finds Manny and Gina together, Tony kills Manny in a fit of rage, only for Gina to tell him the two had just married. Tony and his men take an extremely upset Gina back to Tony's mansion. As Tony sits in his office, snorting a huge pile of cocaine, Sosa's men surround the mansion, armed to the teeth and quietly killing Tony's guards along the way. At this point, a heavily-drugged Gina enters Tony's office and accuses Tony of wanting her for himself, before shooting him in the leg. At this point, one of Sosa's gunmen enters the room and kills Gina. Tony kills the gunman and upon seeing Gina's corpse, loses control and apologises for killing Manny, saying he loved them both. In a cocaine-fueled rage, Tony makes his last stand, using an M16 that is equipped with a grenade launcher, opens fire and kills many of Sosa's men before being finally shot in the back by the Skull, Sosa's personal assassin. His body falls off the staircase and into the fountain, floating by the statue bearing the slogan "The World is Yours".

Pavel Nedved aka "Furia Cieca". The "Blind Fury" of Juventus. Recipient of the prestigious Ballon d'Or in 2003

Pavel Nedvěd is a retired Czech football midfielder. He is one of the most successful Czech players to emerge from the newly formed Czech Republic, winning numerous accolades with Lazio and Juventus, inlcuding the last ever Cup Winners' Cup. Widely regarded as one of the finest midfielders of the modern era, he was the recipient of the prestigious Ballon d'Or in 2003, only the second Czech player to receive this honour, and the first since the break up of Czechoslovakia. Nedved was also the recipient of the 2nd Golden Foot award in 2004. Nedved was also a key member of the Czech Republic team which reached the final of Euro '96, during which he garnered much international attention. He was also later given the international captaincy. Well known for his energy and tireless runs, as well as his goal scoring ability, Nedved was nicknamed Furia Ceca ("The Czech Fury", an Italian wordplay on the phrase Furia Cieca, meaning "Blind Fury") by Juventus fans.

Nedvěd retired after the 2008–09 season after 19 years as a professional. He played 664 club games, scoring 146 goals, and was capped 91 times for the Czech Republic, scoring 18 times.

Born in the town of Cheb and raised in the nearby town Skalná, Nedvěd began his football career in his native Czechoslovakia. A football fanatic from a young age, Nedved began playing for his home team, Tatran Skalna, in 1977, aged just 5. He then moved on to Ruda Hvozda Cheb in 1985, playing just one season there, before playing for 5 years with Skoda Plzen. In 1990, Nedved arrived in Prague, his nation's capital. Nedved initially signed for Dukla Prague, but played only one season with the outfit before being snapped up by the more prestigious Sparta Prague. With Sparta, Nedved won one Czechoslovak first league and two Gambrinus liga titles, as well as one Czech Republic Football Cup. Nedved's performances at Euro 1996, including a goal in the group stage match against Italy, gained him some notoriety; despite apparently having a verbal agreement with PSV, Nedved made the move from Sparta Prague to Serie A outfit Lazio in 1996.

Having spent 5 seasons with Lazio, Nedved moved to Juventus in 2001 for a fee of €41 million as a replacement for Zinedine Zidane, who had transferred to Spain's Real Madrid the same summer. He proved to be one of the few midfielders capable of assuming the playmaking role of his French predecessor. Nedvěd played frequently in Juventus' Scudetto-winning teams of 2001–02 and 2002–03.

Nedvěd was instrumental in leading Juventus into the 2003 Champions League final against Milan, but he was forced to sit out the final because of accumulation of yellow cards, after being booked in the semi-final for tackling Real Madrid midfielder Steve McManaman. At the end of the year, he won the European Footballer of the Year award.

Following the 2005–06 season, and Juventus's relegation from Serie A due to the Calciopoli scandal, Nedvěd's future as a Juventus player was heavily discussed. After the World Cup, he dispelled those rumors by restating his desire to help Juventus regain promotion to the Serie A. However, the season was somewhat tumultuous for the Czech international. With only a one-year contract, he hinted he might retire from football altogether at the end of the season. He repeated this threat after a 5-game ban stemming from a red card on 1 December. Nevertheless, he remained with the club until the end of the season. Together fellow veterans David Trézéguet and captain Alessandro Del Piero, the three of them scored 47 of the 83 goals Juve scored in Serie B as they won promotion at the first time of asking.

During the 2007–08 season, Nedvěd played frequently for the Bianconeri, providing contributions while being Juve's first-choice left winger. However, he has not been free from controversy. Nedvěd came under negative spotlight recently for his tackle on Internazionale midfielder Luís Figo, which resulted in a broken fibula for the Portuguese player.

Nedvěd had a fair season during Juve's return, but only scored twice. During Serie A 2007–08, Nedvěd acquired a slight concussion that kept him off of the pitch for about a month. He was linked with a move to Japanese side Jubilo Iwata during the 2008–09 summer transfer window, but the rumours were quickly scotched when he committed his future to Juventus for another year after signing a new one year contract extension which would secure his services until June 2009.

Nedvěd debuted for the newly reformed Czech national team in June 1994 in a 3–1 win over the Republic of Ireland. His big break came at the UEFA Euro 1996 tournament, where he was the driving force behind the Czechs' run to the final. He continued to be a regular in midfield and captained the Czech Republic from 2000 onwards. He initially retired from the national team in 2004 following the semifinal defeat to Greece at the Euro 2004 but, after much persuasion from coach Karel Brückner and the team-mates, decided to come out of international retirement just in time for the qualification playoffs against Norway. In Nedvěd and his country's first ever World Cup match since the break-up of Czechoslovakia the Czechs impressively won 3-0 in their opening game against the United States, but suffered injuries to key players and lost their next two group matches against Ghana and eventual winners Italy, finishing third in their group. Nedvěd had several attempts at goal against Italy but they were saved by Juventus team-mate Gianluigi Buffon. Nedvěd announced his retirement permanently after the tournament and refused to reverse his decision despite calls from team-mates and former coach Karel Brückner prior to the Euro 2008.

Succes 2011: Maria Paula Silva aka "Magic Paula", one of the greatest basketball players. Member of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame

Maria Paula Gonçalves da Silva, also known as Magic Paula (reference to Magic Johnson) (born March 11, 1962 in Osvaldo Cruz, São Paulo), is a retired Brazilian basketball player.

She is considered one of the greatest players in her country, along with Hortência Marcari and Janeth Arcain. For Brazil women's national basketball team, Paula is the second biggest scorer with 723 points (behind Hortência) and holds the record for caps with 45 games, being in two Olympic Games and six World Championships.
In 2006, Paula became a member of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.
Paula begun playing basketball at the age of ten, and in 1974, was invited to join Assis Tênis Clube. One year and a half later, the team folded and Paula went to Jundiaí to play for Colégio Divino Salvador, and a few months later, was drafted for the first time by the national team despite being only fourteen. In 1988, Paula went to play in Spain, but an injured knee and difficulties of adaptation brought her back to Brazil in 1991.
In 1979, she helped her team to a fourth place at the Pan American Games, held in Puerto Rico. In 1983, Paula and the national team improved their previous Pan American performance by winning a bronze medal at the Venezuela games, and, in 1987, went yet one more step further by winning a silver medal at the 1987 Indianapolis Pan Americans.

In 1991, Paula and the Brazilian women's national basketball team won the gold medal at that year's Pan American tournament, held in Cuba, being the player which most impressed Cuban president Fidel Castro.

In 1992, Paula helped her team qualify for the Olympic Games for the first time. Brazil arrived in seventh place at the Barcelona Olympics.
In 1993, Paula went to Associação Atlética Ponte Preta, where she played along with Hortência and won the World Championship for clubs. After discussions with Hortência, Paula returned to Piracicaba.

In 1994, Paula won the women's world basketball championship in Australia, making Brazil only country other than the Soviet Union or the United States to win the title (Australia became the fourth in 2006). In 1996, she won a silver medal at the Atlanta Olympics, and retired from the national team after winning the 1997 FIBA Americas Championship for Women. She still played for clubs before retiring in 2000.

After retirement, Paula became an entrepreneur, director of the Centro Olímpico do Ibirapuera, and worked for a while in the Brazilian Ministry of Sports.