When a good buddy of mine was in town this weekend he requested I get some more nature and outdoors-y stories out on the blog. Ask, and ye shall receive.
The quality of the video is stellar and maybe it’s just easy to say from here, but most of those rapids don’t seem all that hard to navigate. It looks fun as hell, certainly, but that hard? I dunno…
Also, “Take the Power Back” came out in 1992. Sigh. I feel old…
When I was in middle school I was friends with the skater kids, although I was not one myself. I’m not so good with the skateboard — although I can rollerblade like nobodies business… sigh.
I never owned a pair of Airwalks, considering buying them akin to becoming a full-on poseur, which I think we all know I’m not. Being a high-powered blogger though, occasionally offers come along to try out new items to pass along to you, my loyal readers. I was approached regarding Airwalk’s new line, from streetstyle icon jeffstaple and asked if I would check them out. Hey, I like free stuff, so I did it, poseur-dom be damned. Besides, I’m in my mid 20s, I’m not threatened by skater kids anymore…
Now, I’m a fiercely loyal person, when I finally switched back to sneakers after 4+ years of Birkenstocks only — I know, I know, I’m the fucking COOLEST! — I opted for New Balances and haven’t looked back. For the last 6 years whenever I’ve bought new shoes, they’ve been NBs, hell, I even always buy them in the same store!
These new Airwalks though are totally boss. They’re comfortable as hell, look super styling and I’ve already received compliments on them from 2 girls. So, eat it world!
I picked the “Heaven” a “California-inspired casual slip-on,” and they’ve proved their mettle already. One of my bigger disappointments though is that they aren’t making a guys version of these totally ridiculously awesome hi-tops. Girls only for now. Sigh. I’m also pissed that these shoes weren’t available for me to get, because they’re totally sick and I want them, and definitely would have chosen them instead.
Fortunately, these shoes are available as of yesterday exclusively at Payless stores nationwide for $30-$50 so, run out and get yours today. There will also be some special, limited-edition versions that will be released later in the fall so, I guess keep an eye out?
I could never sit through a full NASCAR race, I’ve tried, I just value my brain too much to put it through such an awful experience. However, I can ALWAYS enjoy a short video clip of a big crash. After all, it’s just human nature to want to watch a near-disaster happen. Here’s Sam Hornish Jr. — whoever that is — getting run into the same tire wall that we saw yesterday and then get slammed into by Jeff Gordon and Jeff Burton as Hornish comes across the track. Neat!
Everyone walked away from the crash without injury. Sigh.
Caught July 29, by Michelle V. Larsen-Williams of Pingree, Idaho, this rainbow trout is a record, coming in at 34.25 inches long, with a girth of 22.25 inches and weighing just more than 20 pounds. Dinner is served.
[Yahoo!]
Canadian swimming coach Cecil Russell has had a long circuitous route towards being reinstated by the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport. Unfortunately, Russell’s latest appeal was denied, with an adjudicator upholding the lifetime ban that Russell received in 1997 for being involved in a steroid trafficking ring.
In 1999, Russell applied for reinstatement for the first time. He was denied. A year later Russell became involved in another drug smuggling ring, getting arrested and spending 4 years in a Spanish prison for his part in an ecstasy ring.
Despite his misdeeds, there has been no evidence that Russell ever gave ANY of his swimmers drugs.
That said, Russell has also admitted during the murder trial of a former “associate” that he helped burn and dispose the body. Which makes him a VERY versatile swimming coach. That doesn’t seem to bother the Canadians though, who are instead much more concerned with the fact that Russell has been working as a “personal trainer” at the Dolphins Swim Club in Ontario.
Under his ban, Russell is not allowed to do that. Paul Melia, president and CEO of the CCES feels very strongly about this:
“I continue to wonder what parents are thinking when they knowingly disregard the ban imposed on Mr. Russell and expose their children to this potential harm. I have to ask myself whether for some parents chasing success is more important than playing by the rules?”
HE CHOPPED UP A BODY AND BURNED IT and your concern is that he’s breaking some SWIMMING rules?!!!!? I am flabbergasted.
In denying his latest reinstatement bid, adjudicator Graeme Mew wrote in his decision that:
This is not a decision about whether or not Mr. Russell is a good coach. Rather, I have to decide whether there are ‘exceptional circumstances’ which warrant his reinstatement. In my opinion, the sands having shifted since more evidence has emerged, Mr. Russell has failed, on a balance of probabilities, to discharge his onus of establishing that the conditions for reinstatement are met at this time.
Boat drag racing is totally bizarre and totally awesome. Souped up nitrous powered boats? Yes, please!
After 7 years of captivity, in early June, four members of China’s Muslim Uighur minority were released from Guantanamo Bay to luxurious Bermuda. They were resettled on the pink sandy shores of Bermuda because US law forbids returning prisoners to their home country if they are likely to be tortured, as these men certainly would be if remanded to China, despite US evidence showing them innocent of any crime — which didn’t stop the US from holding them…
Initially, the biggest concern for the men was finding a job, but that problem is solved. They’ve been hired on to replace some Filipino workers who suddenly left their job on the grounds-crew staff for the plush Port Royale Golf Course, home to the PGA’s Grand Slam of Golf tournament.
Wendall Brown, chairman of the board of trustees for Bermuda’s public golf courses, said that, “They have been offered a temporary position at Port Royal until the Grand Slam. There are still special projects that we need to do like cleaning up and beautifying the course … All four of them have been given a job there. It’s on a temporary basis. Two of them speak fairly good English.”
While the men hope to settle permanently on the island and raise families, the British and US governments remain in conversations regarding these mens’ futures.
[Yahoo! via Sports by Brooks]
We all know by now that I don’t care a whit about NASCAR, and if you don’t know that, know it now. That said, I can appreciate a good crash like any other honkey out there. Here’s Jason Leffler out at Watkins Glen blowing through turn 9 and putting himself into the wall.
I once crashed a car like that too…
Finland, known for it’s wife-carrying and ice-swimming competitions has, since 1999, held the World Sauna Championships wherein competitors are challenged to stay in a sauna heated to 230 degrees for as long as possible.
Drawing in 150 competitors from over 20 countries, the championship was taken this year by Finland’s own, Timo Kaukonen, who withstood the heat of the sauna for 3 minutes 46 seconds. The second place finisher, Ilkka Poeyhiae lost by 2 seconds. That HAS to burn his ass.
The initial idea for the event came when a group of men frightened other patrons at a Heinola swimming hall when they threw so much water on the sauna’s stove that it became piping hot.
“This is a wrong way to go to sauna, this is not about relaxing, this is competition,” Ossi Arvela, the head of the competition, told reporters.
If you’re a small town in the middle of the Nevada desert whose sole claim to fame is a road race determined by Guinness World Records as the “world’s fastest road race,” maybe altering the road isn’t such a great idea.
In an effort to prevent “run-off fatalities,” the Nevada Department of Transportation intends to place rumble strips on a stretch of State Route 318 in between Lund and Hiko. Sure, like saving lives is worthwhile or important…
The problem is that the Silver State Classic Challenge, a road race where the participants are given the “opportunity to go as fast as [they] want on a stretch of Nevada public highway,” takes place on that self-same 90 mile stretch of highway. The local politicians are understandably reticent, not wanting to lose out on that sweet racing money that comes in twice a year (in Ely, the town pulled in a cool $1.5 million from the race alone.)
The mayor of Ely, Nevada, Jon Hickman, recently told a local newspaper that the rumble strips would pose a safety hazard for drivers traveling up to 200 mph because ‘they’re designed for somebody who is going 70 miles per hour. If (racers) hit the strips it would throw them off a bit,’
The SSCC has been held twice a year ever since 1988 with the next one scheduled to take place on September 17-20. That means there’s still plenty of time for you to make your way there and get in the race.
As part of the advertisement campaign for the Cougar II Handicap Race at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, the always innovative race track held a Miss Cougar 2009 contest. Because just because you’re at the race track on a Wednesday doesn’t mean you can’t try and meet some mature ladies!
Last year’s race had a mere 9,213 fans in attendance but thanks to the promotion — and free admission and half-price concessions — this year’s tilt had 13,245 fans.
Among the fans in the grandstand were
Tom Wold, 29, of San Diego [who] arrived with four friends he had e-mailed about the contest. ‘I said, let’s round up all my under-30 friends and let’s get over here,’ he said, holding up his beer. ‘We want to meet the winners and console the losers.’
Rosie Goldstein, (above right) a real estate broker from Tierrasanta took home the crown and title of Miss Cougar 2009, earning a free day at the races for her and three friends. What a lame prize! For Goldstein, who describes herself as “in her 40s,” this contest was very important, after all, she defines a cougar as “a woman who’s independent, in control and not afraid to take chances.”
“I hold my head up proud,” said Goldstein, “I have never felt more beautiful than this year.”
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!
The Slanch Report 
Recent Comments