Entries from January 2008 ↓
January 12th, 2008 — Football - Pro
This guy just does not get it.
OJ bail revocation details Here is the motion for bail revocation (pdf)
According to the motion, “Defendant [O.J. Simpson] attempted to dissuade a co-defendant from testifying and cooperating with law enforcement. Defendant directed his bail bondsman to contact co-defendant Clarence Stewart to give him a message from the defendant.”
This guy thinks he is untouchable. Unreal.
Most likely he was out looking for the “real killers” and must have become so outraged he could not find one, he lashed out at innocents.
“Hey Miguel [Pereira, the bail bondsman], it’s me - I just want C.J. to know that the whole thing all the time he was tellin’ me that sh*t, ya know, I hope he was telling me the truth. Don’t be tryin’ to change the [expletives] now, [more expletives] but I’m tired of this sh*t. Fed up with mother [expletive] changing what they told me. All right?”
Wow! USC must be proud of this alumni.
Oh yeah he is a deadbeat also.
Simpson has reportedly not paid Pereira the more than $18,000 he owes him. Nevada law requires a defendant to post 15-percent of the total bond.
Welcome home OJ. Oh, here are some pics to remind you of your new home.
sleep tight
yes it’s cold during the winter
it’s cozy
No Bruno Maglis here. Custom tailoring? Nope.
This says it all:
I’m sooooo stooooopid.
Tags: oj, o j simpson, ron goldman, nicole simpson, muder, las vegas, los angeles, robbery
January 11th, 2008 — Surf
January 11th, 2008 — Olympics
You think the US Gov is tough on airlines? Try this:
China “warns” airlines to be on time.
BEIJING (Reuters) - China has vowed tough punishments on airlines to ensure that chronically late aircraft run smoothly for the 2008 Olympic Games, state media reported.
Airlines that fail punctuality standards from July through September at Beijing and other major cities would have their offending flight routes suspended for that quarter, the official Xinhua news agency said late on Thursday.
No doubt some will end up with some time in some not so nice place. If China would open up it’s market they would not need to make threats.
Tags: china, olympics, airlines
January 11th, 2008 — Baseball - Pro
Dodgers SB Jeff Kent told the LA Times that if baseball really wants to stop the abuse of drugs, then everyone should be drug tested. Amen to that. The operative word being “if”.
“Why not have blood tests? If ultimately you want a clean game, then it needs to happen.
“They ought to be testing for drugs in the playoffs, too. They [MLB] never do that.”
Interesting that MLB never tests in the playoffs.
Interesting that Clemens thinks we believe his bs plea about being innocent. Could be that McNamee stayed at a Holiday Inn Express and fooled them all into juicing.
Meanwhile the “parties” — how ironic — are discussing testing policy for MLB.
Days away from a scheduled congressional hearing on steroids, top officials from Major League Baseball and its union quietly opened discussions this week regarding recommendations for a tougher drug-testing policy spelled out in last month’s Mitchell report on steroids use in baseball, according to a source familiar with those talks.
The talks began Tuesday and are ongoing, according to the source, and included MLB President Robert DuPuy and Rob Manfred, baseball’s executive vice president for labor relations, plus Michael Weiner, the union’s general counsel.
Sounds like some CYA. Robert DuPuy is well versed in the ways of the Congress. He has testified previously on Capital Hill. This was over a deal that most fans felt was a “screw you” type of deal.
No doubt the case of Marion Jones is weighing heavily on everyone in sports’ minds. Marion Jones was given 6 months for perjury — for some reason the AP keeps calling it lying — about her drug use and a check kiting scheme.
U.S. District Judge Kenneth Karas said he gave her the maximum under her plea deal to send a message to athletes who have abused drugs and overlooked the values of “hard work, dedication, teamwork and sportsmanship.”
Maybe these players need to get a reality check like Jones?
“I ask you to be as merciful as a human being can be,” said Jones, who cried on her husband’s shoulder after she was sentenced.
You should have thought about your kids before you started your disgraceful behavior. The Judge got it right.
“Athletes in society have an elevated status, they entertain, they inspire, and perhaps, most important, they serve as role models,” Karas said.
Now we need to have the Baseball fools take some heat.
Tags: marion jones, steroids, roger clemens, baseball, court, brian mcnamee
January 11th, 2008 — Horse Racing
The 4th day of the Keeneland Sales saw the YTY Gross drop, as did average price. Overall the Median price is up 25% YTY.
Last year’s Day Four had two horses that combined for over $2million in sales. It wasn’t like that was going to happen again this year. The top horse for the day was around $500K.
Wednesday saw a decline YTY. Moving into Book 2 means a drop in quality, they say. The “best” horses usually go in the first two days which this year had double digit increases in total receipts and gross. It’s possible that the buyers were just worn out from all that bidding.
The not-sold numbers were in the same area as last year — about 20% — however on Wednesday it was about 3 points hire, and about 2 points . Seems the market is feeling the pinch of the psychological
The sky rocketing prices of the top horses, while headline grabbing, are not where the vast majority of horse races are at. The astronomical prices were driving unrealistic expectations, which hurts the industry. Median price going up means prices are rising across the board.
Even better is that horse racing may be returning to China (mainland). This is huge, as the Chinese love to gamble
Mainland China authorities are reportedly paving the way for the reintroduction of horse racing with legal betting, with the city of Wuhan to host a test run after the Beijing Olympics.
Yes, no doubt it’s a show piece for the Olympics, but it’s a start. It’s tough for the Chinese to ignore racing as Sha Tin is racing daily in Hong Kong.
Unfortunately the NY State Governor Eliot Spitzer is ignoring his failure last year to reach an agreement on the franchise. Spitzer is hell bent on racing taxes, and fees on anything and everything. Sadly liberals like Spitzer think that businesses are an endless supply of money. Typical of clueless government employees and elected officials. They just don’t get it.
Overall though horse racing looks like it is due for another great year. It’s post time.
Tags: eliot spitzer, horse racing, sha tin, keeneland, kentucky derby, belmont stakes, del mar, hollywood park
January 10th, 2008 — obits
Another great man has passed. Sir Edmund Hillary has passed away.
Sir Edmund and wife
Explorer and first man to climb Mount Everest was considered a hero by many.
Sir Edmund, who conquered the world’s highest mountain in 1953 alongside Nepal’s Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, had been suffering health problems since April after he suffered a fall whilst in Nepal.
The New Zealander regarded himself as an average beekeeper but was widely regarded as one of the 20th century’s greatest adventurers. He was equally admired for his humility and unaffected manner.
After returning from the summit, which he scaled just days before the coronation of Elizabeth II, the matter-of-fact climber greeted a fellow expedition member with the now-infamous phrase: “Well, George, we’ve knocked the bastard off.”
An amazing accomplishment even today; at the time it was a heroic achievement. We don’t have enough men like Hillary around anymore.
“In some ways I believe I epitomise the average New Zealander: I have modest abilities, I combine these with a good deal of determination, and I rather like to succeed.”
Hillary also went to the South Pole. He continued to travel until early in 2007, when health forced him to stop. Sadly most people today are taught to fail instead of achieve. We need to get back to the belief that people are meant to achieve great things.
The Hillary Step
NEWS ITEMS:
Time - In Hillary and Tenzings Footsteps
TVNZ - timeline for Sir Edmund Hillary
TVNZ - Mount Everest Facts
Academy of Achievement - Hillary Bio
Scholastic - My Story: I was the first to conquer Everest
MSN Encarta - Hillary Bio
NZEDGE - Hillary article
Everest News - tracking the moutain and those who challenge it
Nova (PBS) - The way to the Summit
Michelle Malkin — Hillary and her claim to fame — it’s sad that some are so desprerate for attention that they will say or do anything to achieve it.
Tags: edmund hillary, sir edmund hillary, everest, mount everest, sherpa, tenzing norgay
January 10th, 2008 — Football - College
The college football season is effectively over. Now begins the bitching season. That wondrous time when everyone who “knows better” complains about those that “run the show”; badly as most see it.
All around, most are not happy. The only people happy are the Bowl owners, the ‘fat cats’ that attend the games in private boxes ferried by limos, and the Conference ‘bean counters’. That is about 5000 people, ’round about. The rest of the football world is unsatisfied, filled with anger bordering on bitter resentment.
The Problem
This years BCS was particularly unsatisfying. The so-called National Champ had 2 losses; most would say backed into the title game and did not deserve to be there. Several teams, that many think should play for the Title didn’t even get a consideration. One team, Missouri was not even in a BCS bowl even though they were a better team than at least 2 of the teams that did make a BCS bowl game.
Georgia also stands out there. They were motivated in their game and were lucky enough to field an opponent not used to “big time ball”. Nothing against Hawaii, they were overwhelmed by their surroundings, under-facilitated (still are), and up against a team with lots — in their mind — to prove. Oh, did I mention that the Bulldogs didn’t even with their division much less their conference? Yet many will argue that they were playing the best of any team at the end of the year.
That points out why the system, as always has been is so hated. One loss early and you can recover. One loss late and forget it. Take a look at Michigan. They ended up far higher than they deserved, after starting the season with an embarrassing loss to Appalachian State.
Who is to Blame
The BCS exacerbates the issue. By attempting to create a system that made the most money while pretending to crown a champ; they did neither. Fans, Alumni, football watchers, coaches, and students are frustrated by lopsided blow outs in the “premier bowls”, and quality teams being ignored for the top bowls that could have been competitive. How can you say you have a champion when no one played their way to the finally game?
The BCS backers (big money bowl game admins, backers, and clueless ADs) point to the fact that the season determined who made it, and that there were playoffs. Not all conferences have playoffs, and those conferences fair better in the rankings. Once again playoffs were never about crowning a champ, but filling coffers. You could say the worst ADs and Conference Directors have actually helped their Conference to better poll positions. Look at the Big 10 and Pac 10. No Championship, and they play in big bowls always.
Now we have Conferences, College Presidents, and ADs attempting to pacify the angry mob with more fake playoffs. They are determined to keep the Bowl System, come hell or high water. Typical of entrenched power
So Whats the solution
In the past you could make a case for tradition, wrongly and stupidly; but you could do it. Had they ditched the bowls when the BCS started and gone straight to a playoff, the pain would have been minimal. Now it’s going to be very painful and they won’t like it. It’s going to happen, and they desperately hanging on to their power. Typical of those who time has passed by, and don’t realize it.
The conferences need to either be forced, or of their own volition decide to do what is best for the students, players, and staff. The alumni hold much sway and it must be brought to bear on College Presidents to force them to force their ADs to get on with a playoff. The NFL needs to drop it’s rule about not taking players out of high school. College should not be a training ground for the NFL. The problem is that the relationship is symbiotic. NFL gets a training program that it does not pay for, and the colleges makes tons of money with football to fund nonsense. Even better the colleges get a mention of their school on every broadcast of a NFL game. Sweet deal.
All you have to do is follow the money. The people who are getting paid, are exactly those who want the BCS. A few exceptions abound, but most of those who want are getting paid.
Tags: football, bcs, nfl, bowl games, draft, georgia, texas, florida, usc, ucla, cal, osu, uh, ut
January 9th, 2008 — Football - College
CB Prince to transfer to Mizzou
Sounds like the rats leaving the ship to me.
Others however have not lost their faith.
Linebacker Maurice Crum Jr., a captain of last year’s team, defensive end Justin Brown and cornerback Terrail Lambert have applied to the university to return next season for their final year of eligibility. While other schools redshirt players, Notre Dame players who do not participate for a season must earn their degrees and apply for permission to return for another season.
Crum was fourth on the team in tackles last season with 84. Lambert had 34 tackles and Brown made 30.
Why transfer to Mizzou? Yes it’s a good team, and they went far last year, I just don’t see the reason for it. ND gets favorable press, and a sweet TV deal that puts you on the air every damn week. Trust me, most of us DO NOT want to see ND at all, much less every week.
The only reason I can think of him transferring is he thinks he is going to get to be a running back again, as he was his Freshman year at ND. He may have to compete with a hotshot from St. Louis though, if he does go back to running the ball. Tony Temple is a Senior and is gone, so someone has to step in. Problem is, that transfers have to sit out one year. Maybe he is trading bad for worse.
Tags: mizzou, missouri, notre dame, Munir Prince, Maurice Crum, justin brown
January 9th, 2008 — Football - College
I have put the pics on the full post page so to save bandwidth. The question is simple, if you are going to play big time football which facilities do you want to play out of?
June Jones has proven that you can do great things with poor facilities. I hope he can do the same with the once proud and unfairly destroyed SMU program.
Continue reading →
January 9th, 2008 — Baseball - Pro
Oh boy. McNamee has alerted Congress to other tapes.
“They should ask for the entire tape of the interview back in December. That’s the tape they should ask for,” Earl Ward, one of McNamee’s lawyers, said Tuesday. “According to Brian, they tried to get him to recant. Brian said, look, what I told the [Mitchell and federal] investigators was the truth.”
It appears that Roger Clemens’ attorney hired two investigators and they interviewed McNamee and taped it. I am guessing that the tape is not flattering to Clemens.
So why is Clemens hiding that tape?
Tags: roger clemens, baseball, brian mcnamee, andy petit, steroids
