" Though apparent to very few historians at the time, these defeats were the beginning of the decline of Europe as the center of world politics.

Though both are similar in appearance and have similar ecological roles, the New World and Old World Vultures evolved from different ancestors in different parts of the world and are not closely related.

Though Chiang had achieved status abroad as a world leader, his government deteriorated as the result of corruption and inflation.

Though Descartes could doubt his senses, his body and the world around him, he could not deny his own existence, because he was able to doubt and must exist in order to do so.

Though the FA Cup is the oldest domestic football competition in the world, its trophy is not the oldest ; that title is claimed by the Youdan Cup.

Vincent Canby of the New York Times was similarly unimpressed :" Though special-effects experts in Japan and around the world have vastly improved their craft in the last 30 years, you wouldn't know it from this film.

Though evidence suggests Heart of Darkness may be pessimistic, Joseph Conrad ’ s Darwinian world view can counter this understanding.

Though his films are predominantly set in the United States, Jarmusch has advanced the notion that he looks at America " through a foreigner's eyes ", with the intention of creating a form of world cinema that synthesizes European and Japanese film with that of Hollywood.

Though the Dienststelle Ribbentrop concerned itself with German foreign relations with every part of the world, a special emphasis was put on Anglo-German relations, as Ribbentrop knew that Hitler favoured an alliance with Britain.

Though he is a noted criminal on Earth, Luthor is revered on the alien world of Lexor, where he rediscovered the planet's lost technology and rebuilt society for its inhabitants.

Though for a time phosphates gave Nauruans one of the highest per capita incomes in the world, few other resources exist with most necessities being imported, including some fresh water from Australia.

Though Burrough's novels suggest that the Mahar realm is limited to one relatively small area of the inner world, John Eric Holmes ' authorized sequel Mahars of Pellucidar indicates there are other areas of Mahar domination.

Though the group continued to tour around the world, over a decade of living a rap superstar lifestyle was beginning to take a toll on McDaniels.

Though the Quran mentions only 24 prophets, the founder of Islam, Muhammad states that the world has seen 124, 000 prophets.

Though this example is small, real world programs are composed of many lines of code and are difficult to maintain when written in a spaghetti code fashion.

Though advised by a pro-Fatah Jordanian divisional commander to withdraw his men and headquarters to the nearby hills, Arafat refused, stating, " We want to convince the world that there are those in the Arab world who will not withdraw or flee.

Though the world is dominated by a divine power that the gods bestow in different ways on men, nothing but " darkness " lay ahead and life was sometimes frail and unsubstantial.

Though difficult and rarely performed by amateurs, pieces that demonstrate such unfamiliar idioms have found their way into the repertories of the finest semi-professional and professional choirs around the world.

Though not predominant in European affairs, Portugal did have an extensive colonial trading empire throughout the world backed by a powerful thalassocracy.

Though it is not as powerful as it once was under Louis XIV and it no longer reigns in its native country of France, it is by no means extinct, and the House of Bourbon has survived to the present-day world of republics.

Though Europe adopted woodblock printing from the Muslim world, initially for fabric, the technique of metal block printing remained unknown in Europe.

Though rooted in factual biographical details of Gull's life, Moore admitted taking substantial fictional license: for example, the real-life Gull suffered a stroke ; Moore fictionalizes this event as a theophany, with Gull seeing " Jahbulon ", a Freemasonic figure, fundamentally altering Gull's world view and indirectly leading to the murders.

Though relative peace existed in the Western world, the United States and its allies have been involved in various regional wars, such as the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, the Yugoslav wars, the Afghanistan War and the Iraq War.

Though the Islanders ' bid for a record-tying fifth championship was ended, Game Five was noted for rookie Pat LaFontaine's emergence, as he scored two third period goals in 38 seconds to cut the Oilers ' lead to 4 – 2.

Though little known, in the 60s football was banned from the school when the head coach promised alcohol to the team if they made it to the championship.

Though they lost in the championship game, it is the highest advancement by any athletic team at Monrovia High School in any state tournament.

Though Patterson has only been to the championship twice, it is a traditional playoff team.

Though they never again won the league championship, the New England Whalers were a successful team, never missing the playoffs in the WHA's history, and finishing first in its division three times.

Though life during the Depression was difficult with his mother having to work to provide for the family, and with himself having to make a three-hour daily commute by train, he was a good student, making his name at Northcote High School due to entering the school's broad jump championship and winning it easily with a jump of twenty feet and two inches, his competitors producing jumps of sixteen to seventeen feet.

Though the Millers reached the championship series, he was not retained for the 1934 season, as the Millers sought a player-manager to help the team reduce costs.

Though relatively unknown in his native Britain, Wheldon became a star in the United States after winning both the IndyCar championship and the Indy 500 in 2005 and 2011.

Though 1992 had been a heartbreaking year for Davey Allison and the Robert Yates Racing team in more ways than one, they had to be encouraged by their run for the championship.

Though he received superior financial offers from the Montreal Canadiens and New York Rangers, Hull chose to sign a two-year, $ 9 million contract with the Detroit Red Wings to pursue a second Stanley Cup championship.

Though he was not ousted from the WWF, Sammartino was then given a series of insignificant matches that were not designed to give him a shot at the championship title, and he soon left the circuit of his own accord, his career essentially ruined.

Though he scored only 11 points, he outpaced his teammate Jacques Villeneuve through most of the season, and beat him in the drivers ' championship.

Though the championship was unsanctioned in storyline, it was defended at ECW shows until Douglas was healthy, at which time Taz defeated him for the World Heavyweight Title.

Though the late season collapse ended Martin's chance at winning the championship, the success he had in 1987 caught the eye of Jack Roush, who tapped Martin to drive for him in the Sprint Cup Series for 1988.

Though starting out as the seventh man, he progressed to be the second by year's end and placed 53rd in the state championship.

Though his Michigan teams never won a national championship, in all but one season they finished ranked, and 16 times they placed in the final top ten of both major polls.

Though left off the playoff roster in favor of Greg Foster and Devean George, Rider was awarded a championship ring by the franchise.

Though Schell never won a championship Grand Prix and enjoyed life as a playboy and womanizer, he was highly respected in period ; he twice stood on the podium with a high of second in the 1958 Dutch Grand Prix, won the Caen Grand Prix of 1956, and balanced those with periodic sports car outings.

Though superstar pitcher Bob Feller failed to win either of his two starts, the Indians won the Series in six games to capture their second championship and their first since ( as well as their last to the present date ).

Though Race held the title for only a few months, losing it to Brisco in Houston, Texas in July, he became a worldwide superstar and perennial championship contender.

< small >< sup > 1 </ sup > Though this championship was almost always used and defended in the Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling promotion, there were times when it was won and defended through arrangements with other promotions.

< small >< sup > 1 </ sup > Though the promotion is no longer an NWA affiliate, it still uses the NWA initials for this championship.

Though they would lose the championship, Danbury handed the Kalamazoo Wings their only loss of the playoffs.

Though the Bacharachs played NNL teams extensively, touring the midwest each year from 1920 to 1922, they did not compete for the league championship.