When I was in high school I played on the varsity tennis team as one half of the #1 doubles seed; that means that I’m both good at tennis and play well with others. I think Russian-born and French-naturalized tennis star Tatiana Golovin — who we’ve highlighted before — should keep both those points in mind because, after seeing these photos of her, I can’t get her out of my mind-grapes.
Tatiana let’s just get together and hit some balls around, see what happens. Facebook poke me!
With the US Men’s team tie against Costa Rica it meant that the Honduran team was IN for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. The Hondurans haven’t had a successful campaign in the Cup since the 1982 tournament when they battled the host Spaniards to a tie. Because the game was of such importance to the Hondurans, they sent some radio broadcasters to the US-Costa Rica game; I don’t speak Spanish, regardless I think it’s fair to say they got a little excited when the game was over…
Probably no crime in Canada is more nefarious than the one Randy Grumbley of Ontario allegedly pulled off; he was arrested Thursday for creating a fake European hockey tournament in France and scamming dozens of Ontario teenagers out of nearly $3,500 each.
Using the alias Frances Poirier, police claim that Grumbley operated a company called Ontario Central Scouting and promised teens ages 16-21 the chance to play in a hockey tournament in Europe where professionals scouts would be in attendance. Police believe Grumbley recruited about 100 victims.
Each person paid approximately $2,800 plus travel costs but when they arrived in Colmar, France to play teams from France, Italy, Switzerland and Germany they instead discovered there was no hockey tournament or opposing teams. Jones!
Well, at least the teens got a fun trip to France right?
The Target Center opened in 1990 as the new home for the Minnesota Timberwolves, over the summer it had some renovations done, particularly on the roof. Instead of just leaving the roof as is, it has been made into the 5th largest “green” roof in the nation; it is also the first green roof to be installed on a sports arena. The 2.5 acre roof will be able to gather nearly 1 million gallons of storm water, preventing overflowing in the Mississippi River and damage to the surrounding area.
The other interesting aspect of the roof is that it will serve a second purpose, utility garden. On top of the roof will be a variety of Sedums and Minnesota prairie plants, including Columbine, Prairie Coreopsis, Wild Strawberry, Dotted Blazing-Star, and Lupine. The lupines are intended to attract Karner Blue Butterflies which are endangered and depend on the plant for survival. Not a bad way to take advantage of the space, it reminds me very much of Sim City.
When you’re nicknamed “The Great One” everyone wants to meet you, when you are a superstar in LA — even if it is in hockey — you get to meet tons of interesting celebrities. Via the Greatest Hockey Legends site comes some photos of Wayne Gretzky and some of the famous people he encountered along the way. People such as super-TV dad Alan Thicke and Rob Lowe, Penthouse Pet Carol Davies, the obligatory Gary Coleman shot and of course, Burt Reynolds. Neat!
With the Vancouver Olympics fast approaching, the Vancouver Organizing Committee released today some images of the medals that the winners will be receiving. Inspired by Canada’s ocean waves, drifting snow and mountain landscapes, the medals also feature aboriginal art and no two will be alike. Weighing between 500 and 576 grams, they are the heaviest in Olympic history.
The Committee is also working on special wool cases for the medals to allow easier transport for the athletes as in the past they have complained that the boxes they are given are unwieldy and make traveling with medals difficult. Many athletes had resorted to just carrying them in empty socks. Of course, the medals haven’t been made of all gold since the 1912 Stockholm games (which I remember as a CRAZY orgiastic party), today’s are in fact sterling silver covered with a thin coat (approx. 6 grams) of gold.
[CTV]
This junior league hockey stud is named Oliver Wahlstrom, he’s 9-years-old and plays in Maine with the Portland Junior Pirates; he’s got serious serious game. At least for one shot.
Sweet!
Scalping tickets is an’t an easy job, you need to be a quick negotiator, know how to size up your mark and be willing to take the best deal, even if it isn’t the highest price. Hamin Basim Ansar doesn’t follow that plan. Instead, while trying to scalp some tickets to John Langsett outside Landshark Stadium prior to the Jets/Dolphins game right at the same time as kickoff Ansar refused to budge on his price.
He wanted $150 per ticket while Langsett had only $100. It being kickoff already, Langsett figured it wouldn’t be a problem. So wanting his price Ansar did the only reasonable thing, he took out his pocket knife and stabbed the 24-year-old Langsett in the chest and the back of the head. The surrounding crowd saw what happened and detained Ansar until police could arrive on scene.
Langsett was airlifted to to the hospital where he was briefly treated and then released.
[Last Angry Fan]
Homecoming for John Glenn High School seemed to be a bust until the last-second field-goal attempt was blocked but never went beyond the line of scrimmage. Instead, as the Plymouth Wildcats celebrated and ran off the field, bedecked in their fabulous purple uniforms John Glenn milled about for a moment until finally one of the players grabbed the ball and untouched made his way to the endzone to win the game. Pretty sweet!
Also, I didn’t realize you could name high school’s for people still living. Where is the high school named after me? Oh what, I need to go into space and then become a senator for several decades before I get one? That’s just discrimination and I’m pissed.
Charges special teams ace Kassim Osgood is an avid twitter’er and when stuck in the hotel prior to this week’s game he took to the twitter-waves to ease his boredom.
First he tweeted this message:
I wish the game was tonite so we xan hurry up and get the heck out of here. Tired of this hotel!
Love the enthusiasm, love the desire to play, but why not find some productive way to spend your time. Read a book, learn a foreign language, write a haiku for each of your teammates perhaps.
Clearly Kassim and I are different people because instead of those activities he opted for some creative new hair-styling instead.
This Is what happens when left unattended and cooped up in a hotel all day instead of playing ball!
Someone find this man some board games stat! A few more weeks like this and he’ll be the Dennis Rodman of the NFL.
[Kassim Osgood via The JockoSphere]
A youth soccer tea in Mooresville, NC is on the verge of getting to the Junior World Cup Tournament in South Africa, a pretty awesomely huge deal for a bunch of 11-year-olds. Part of the team’s success comes from the versatility of their players, most of whom play multiple positions.
For instance, there is Elijah Clark, age 11, who alternates between forward, midfield defense and goalie, all this despite the fact that he was born without hands.
In fact, Clark was born with only one forearm bone and 2 fingers. “I used to hide behind my mom because I didn’t want people to look at me. But, I had to overcome that. I don’t care what people say about me now,” says Elijah.
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When he’s not on the field, Elijah is equally dominating in the classroom scoring a perfect 100% grade average. Several of his teammates’ parents say that Elijah can write and type better then their sons using just his elbows! Elijah’s mom, Alisha Clark said that “he’s pretty much figured everything out on his own. He’s shown US how it’s going to be…the best way for him to be independent was for him to do things. (To) do everything else that a regular person can do.”
Next weekend’s match in Washington DC will determine the Lake Norman soccer club’s fate; win and they’re headed to South Africa for the World Championships.
Count me in as a Lake Norman booster.
The Slanch Report has started an online petition asking the MLB Network to air the Dock Ellis no-hitter he threw on June 12, 1970 against the San Diego Padres. The moment was a seminal piece of baseball history and is certainly worthy of being rerun.
Please join us in this cause and sign the petition below so we can all share in this special and fantastic moment of baseball history. THANKS!
SIGN THE PETITION HERE! AND PLEASE TELL YOUR FRIENDS AND PASS THIS ALONG!
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