When it comes to forming a national soccer team, conventional wisdom would suggest that the very best players would get their names on that roster. Not so in the United Kingdom. Gordon Farquhar of the BBC explains the incredibly esoteric debate over who gets to play on the "British" Olympic soccer team.

Rohullah Nikpai is known for fighting in Afghanistan, but not the sort of fighting you're used to hearing about out of his war torn country. Nikpai is a young Taekwondo master who became the pride of his nation by winning a bronze medal in the sport at 2008's Beijing Olympics. And in 2012, Nikpai wants to bring his country home the gold. Our partners at the BBC bring us his story. 

Swimming is one way to beat the heat – but it can be dangerous for those who don't have a basic knowledge of how to handle themselves in the water. Olympic swimmer Cullen Jones knows this all too well: When he was five years old he almost drowned at an amusement park. This summer the gold medalist has been traveling around the country with the USA Swimming Foundation in a six-city tour called "Make a Splash with Cullen Jones." At each stop Jones meets with community leaders and teaches basic water safety to parents and children.

Which creatures have just one eye and are made from drops of steel? Wenlock and Mandeville, the 2012 Olympics mascots, unveiled earlier this week in London. They are magical, androgynous figures, fashioned from materials used to build London's Olympic stadium.

• NFL TAKEOUT: The NFL draft starts tonight in New York City, and sports contributor Ibrahim Abdul-Matin has all the rumors swirling around the event. The St. Louis Rams have the first overall pick, so we talk to one of their fans, Justin Stine, lead blogger of Ramblin' Fan, to find out who who he hopes will be their choice.
• OLYMPIC TAKOUT: The Olympic world lost one of its most influential leaders yesterday, former I.O.C. President Juan Antonio Samaranch. We're joined by Jere Longman, New York Times sports reporter, who tells us more about the influential figure in the Olympic world.

Ibrahim Abdul-Matin recaps what can only be described as a classic hockey game between Canada and Team USA as they both battled for Olympic gold. In overtime, Canada clenched the gold and made the host nation proud. Meanwhile, a roster of exciting college basketball games filled the weekend back on U.S. soil.

New York Times reporter Eric Dash normally covers the fast-paced world of Wall Street, banking and finance.  But he recently discovered that Wall Street isn't only interested in cut-throat trading and rising markets. Wall Street has been captivated by Olympic curling.

• New York Times Olympics editor Jason Stallman joins us for a look ahead to the women's figure skating long program and helps us tally up the total number of medals won by the U.S.

• MONEY TAKEOUT: New York Times finance reporter Louise Story reports on how credit-default swaps are pushing Greece even closer to the edge of financial ruin.
• OLYMPICS TAKEOUT: Jason Stallman, Olympics editor for The New York Times joins us from Vancouver to talk about the Women's figure skating finals and explains why one Canadian curler has to wear wigs before venturing out.
• RESPONSES TAKEOUT: Yesterday we aired a segment on whether it's OK to eat food past it's expiry date and the federal government's plan to bring broadband to rural America. We take a look at some of the responses we got from listeners to both those stories.

• WASHINGTON TAKEOUT:  Will the president's health care summit be a bipartisan love-fest or more of the same legislative gridlock? Takeaway Washington correspondent Todd Zwillich brings us a preview.
• OLYMPICS TAKEOUT: Team USA suffered a big shock yesterday when Lindsey Vonn crashed out of the Grand Slalom. Jason Stallman, Olympics editor for The New York Times talks to us about this race and the Men's Hockey competition.
• SPORTS TAKEOUT: After a five-month investigation, the NCAA has alleged that the University of Michigan's football program committed major violations. Takeaway sports contributor Ibrahim Abdul-Matin joins us with the backstory.

• CONGRESS TAKEOUT:   Some lawmakers may be facing a conflict of interest as they go toe to toe with Toyota executives.  Communications director for the Center for Responsive Politics, Dave Levinthal, says many of these lawmakers are stockholders in Toyota.
• OLYMPICS PREVIEW: Jason Stallman, reporting on the Winter Olympics for The New York Times, has the latest from Vancouver and looks ahead to Lindsey Vonn's upcoming race.
• SUPREME COURT: Supreme Court correspondent for The New York Times, Adam Liptak, explains the Court's latest decision that police may now ad lib the Miranda Rights.

• FINANCIAL TAKEOUT:   The New York Times Wall Street and finance reporter Louise Story joins us with analysis of some of the important economic indicators that came out yesterday.  
• OLYMPICS TAKEOUT: Jason Stallman, Olympics editor for The New York Times brings us the latest sports drama from Vancouver.
• LISTENER TAKEOUT: Our listeners respond to legislative gridlock, saying that the government is only partially to blame and that the American media is just as guilty.

• TOYOTA: A congressional panel says Toyota consistently and wrongly dismissed the possibility that an electronic problem in some of its cars caused unintended acceleration. Kate Linebaugh covers the auto industry for the Wall Street Journal.
• OLYMPICS: New York Times Olympics editor Jason Stallman assesses the last night's ice dancing competition and previews today's men's giant slalom ski race.
• BUSINESS: New York Times finance reporter Louise Story tells us how Wal-Mart may start selling movies over the internet. It begins with the purchase of a Silicon Valley start-up called Vudu.

• MONEY: A federal judge has finally approved a 150 million-dollar settlement between the S.E.C. and Bank of America. New York Times finance reporter Louise Story explains the case.
• OLYMPICS: New York Times Olympics editor Jason Stallman looks ahead to one of the most popular events of the Olympic games: women's figure skating
• LISTENERS: Yesterday, we began our series chronicling America's feelings about Washington's seemingly stalled legislative process. Through emails, web posts and telephone messages our listeners prove America is truly a "Frustration Nation."

• BUSINESS:  Our partner, The New York Times is looking at the lasting negative effects of the recession in a series called "The New Poor." Times finance contributor Louise Story describes the series and the effects of long-term unemployment on Americans.
• OLYMPICS: New York Times reporter, Jason Stallman, previews the Olympic ice dancing finals, the semi-finals in women's hockey, and freestyle skiing aerials.
• ANIMAL PROTECTION: There is a new bill in the works in California that could treat people who abuse animals like sex offenders. New York Times reporter, Jesse McKinley, explains how animal abusers could soon be listed in an online registry.

The U.S. Figure Skating Organization has a name for the increased interest in the sport they get every four years: They call it "The Olympic Buzz," and it's linked to the media exposure skating gets during the Winter Olympics. Takeaway correspondent Femi Oke goes in search of the 2010 "Olympic Buzz" at one of the most famous ice rinks in the world: Wollman Skating Rink in New York's Central Park.

• WASHINGTON TAKEOUT: An update from Time Magazine Washington correspondent Jay Newton-Small on legislation President Obama just introduced that would crack down on insurance companies. It's the first time the president has introduced legislation in the health care debate.
• OLYMPICS TAKEOUT: From Vancouver, New York Times reporter, Jason Stallman recaps the Olympics weekend, including the U.S.- Canada hockey team and Bode Miller's gold performance in the super combined.
• LISTENER RESPONSE: All weekend our listeners called in with their nominations for the top sports movies for people who hate sports. We hear some of your favorites.

• AUSTIN PLANE CRASH: Joseph Andrew Stack allegedly flew his small plane into an IRS building in Austin, Texas after confessing on his website in a rambling screed against the U.S. government. Ian Crawford, news editor for KUT in Austin, Tex. brings us the latest.
• OLYMPICS: We preview a sport that many people didn't know existed: The Skeleton. New York Times Olympics editor Jason Stallman explains.

• MONEY: Yesterday, the Federal Reserve raised the interest rate it charges on short-term emergency loans to banks, a sign that the Fed is exiting from measures they put in place during the financial crisis. New York Times finance reporter Louise Story fills us in on how this rate hike will affect regular Americans.
• SPORTS: Takeaway sports contributor Ibrahim Abdul-Matin tells us about the highly anticipated Tiger Woods press conference. Woods may not have the answers we're looking for.
• OLYMPICS: New York Times Olympics editor Jason Stallman joins us with the latest news from Vancouver, including a full report on men's figure skating.

• DEBT TAKEOUT: President Obama is expected to sign an executive order today, setting up a bipartisan commission to examine ways to reduce our soaring deficit. Walter Alarcon, a staff writer for The Hill, joins us with a look at a bitterly divided Congress.
• FINANCE TAKEOUT: New York Times finance reporter Louise Story tells us why federal and state authorities are going after companies that try to pass off regular employees as private contractors.
• OLYMPICS TAKEOUT: Freelance sports writer Dan Friedell joins us with some thoughts on how the Vancouver Olympics differ from the games in Beijing. He says the 2008 Games was a well-oiled machine, while the 2010 Games has seen glitch after glitch. You may be surprised which one Dan thinks is more fun.