Australian Open RESULTS: MEGA MATCH

Novak Djokovic 2012 Austrialian Open Champion

There were no losers in the epic men's championship in Australia today. Two champions of the sport gave their ALL in an unrelenting battle that lasted just 7 minutes shy of SIX HOURS, setting a record for the longest final in Open history.

Novak Djokovic edged out Rafael Nadal in a 5-set barnburner that brought the roof down in Melbourne.

We've never seen anything like it - EVER - and we've been watching for the better part of over 30 years. It was a mind-blowing contest, a match for the fucking ages. Nothing has ever come close to the sheer physical battle and test of willpower that these two men gave us today. NOTHING.

It was such a long match that in the end both men were left in utter shock. They were on the very edge of collapse, needing chairs to sit in for the ceremony, both in danger of not even being conscious for the trophies! In our opinion, Novak and Rafa desperately needed medical attention and stood just long enough to receive the trophies.

There were no jubilant victory dances today. No, Novak Djokovic was left barely able to stand as he took his award and he and Rafa gave very brief statements before probably pitching headfirst into stretchers for a host of medical treatments.

It was truly the most epic match of all time and we watched every single second.

The first set led to a Rafa Nadal lead, as he nabbed it 7-5. Novak took it from there with an easy next 2 set lead 6-3, 6-5.

That's when just 5 points shy of the win, over 4 hours in, Rafa got fired up to win the 4th set and force a 5th.

Novak and Rafa were hitting rallies that would put other players to shame, each demonstrating why they are number one and two in the world, while in the midst of their 5th hour on the court. Lesser men would have collapsed but these champs braved the humidity and heat of Melbourne, the brief rainstorm that swept inside before the delay of the roof closure, and the bugs and crazy ass loud birds of Australia dropping feathers all over the place at one point to give the world the best tennis match in the history of the sport.

No losers today. These guys are the real deal.
Hats off and a twenty-one gun salute for Novak and Rafael,
two of the most tired champs you'll ever see.

Australian Open - Men's Update

Novak overcomes and perseveres against 4th seed Andy Murray

We haven't posted many updates on the Australian Open this year because quite frankly there hasn't been any earth shattering news or major barn burners until the semis.

Yesterday the world was treated to the 10th Grand Slam match between #2 and #3 seeds, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.

Rafa prevails as a downcast Roger stands and stares

Honestly, for the first time in years, it seemed that Roger had the advantage going into the match with Rafa looking slightly hobbled by a knee injury.

Alas, No.

It went 4 sets with the feisty fucking Spaniard winning again (that's 8 of 10, for those keeping count). Rafa is one tough bastard. Just look at him up there rocking a lime green shirt and royal blue headband!

Today was another treat as #1 Novak Djokovic played #4 Andy Murray.

Would Andy Murray finally break the streak and win to advance to finals? Could he?

Fuck no. The poor kid just cannot seal the deal, even with an obviously off-his-game Novak huffing and puffing away - breathing through his nose!

For those of you who missed the interview the other day with Novak and Jim Courier that breathing through the nose thing will always be hilarious! As Novak correctly pointed out to a red-faced Courier (who just worded the question wrongly), humans are supposed to breathe through their nose.

So Murray is back off to Scotland and it's a Rafael Nadal - Novak Djokovic final!!!!!

Murray grits and grins but cannot win

News Article

Joe Pater-NO

Joe Paterno may have been deified in life and more so in death, but that does not excuse what he failed to do.

We cannot be resolute enough in this statement: Joe Paterno was only a football coach and he was an pedophiles enabler.

Through his direct inaction, and that of Penn State as well, children were anally raped repeatedly and god only knows what else FOR OVER TEN YEARS.

To elevate this guy as a god and a hero is beyond comprehension.

Sure, Joe was a good guy. But all that ended 10 years ago when he turned his back on responsibility and sided with a child molester.

It is BECAUSE Joe was "a good guy" that this is especially reprehensible. Child rapists are sick in the head, to put it simply, and that is the excuse given for their crimes. Enablers face a different problem. They are the good guys that for some reason - denial, greed, stupidity, whathaveyou - do nothing. And through that nothingness basically condone or let happen the continued molestation of innocent kids.

Also, what made Paterno so great in others eyes?

We've heard he donated to the school and especially to the library and scholarship programs. And? He was grossly overpaid and from students tuition's no less, so why shouldn't he give back? What is so fucking awesome about that? The alumni are hit every quarter with donation appeals and they give back a lot more collectively than Paterno. So what is the big deal about the library he built? It was the school's money anyway - THEY PAID HIM OUT OF STUDENT TUITION MONEY. This hero-worship is misguided.

They also said he "made men" and was a great influence. Gee! Really? Considering his position at the school, it seems the least he could do was be nice to people without telling every one to fuck off. He visited broken players in the hospital, too. WOW! Really? How special he was. For doing the bare minimum. He was their coach after all and part of a extensive Penn State PR program, do you really think he'd let players languish in hospitals without stopping in once a week? That was his JOB.

We just don't get it.

We're thankfully not alone although we're the minority.

Here's what a Pedophile Survivors Group has to say:

"The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests said Monday that ignoring what it called Paterno's "egregious wrongdoing" is insensitive to victims of molestation.

"And publicly honoring Paterno sends precisely the wrong message to others who have or may hide child sex crimes -- if you achieve enough professionally, we'll overlook your role in enabling, ignoring or concealing heinous crimes against kids," the group said."

Amen, brothers.

And in Joe Pa's own words: “I didn’t know exactly how to handle it and I was afraid to do something that might jeopardize what the university procedure was,” he said. “So I backed away. I never heard of, of, rape and a man."

Yeah, he didn't mention the victims much. He was too worried about the school.

And this brings up another point.

Joe Paterno was in charge of college-aged football players. Yes, college-aged but still STUDENTS. Did he have training in anti-bullying control? Did he have training in dealing with abuse victims? Did he even understand school protocol detailing such things?

These are the issues Penn State has to deal with immediately. Call or write Penn State and demand that the teachers, coaches and staff there have this kind of training and understand school protocol.

Our Open Letter to Serena Williams

ewwwww...fuck that!

From a recent article with Serena Williams,
"I just want to be able to do other things that I’m doing and expand on that. I think that helps keep my motivation up … I don’t love tennis today, but I’m here. I can’t live without it.

It’s not that I’ve fallen out of love with it. I’ve actually never liked sports and I never understood how I became an athlete,” Williams continued.

I don’t like working out, I don’t like anything physical. If it involves sitting down or shopping, I’m excellent at it."

An Open Letter to Miss Serena Williams,

We can't stand you. Retire already, you skanky, mean-spirited, cold-hearted, fugly bitch. How dare you make fun of the sport that earned you millions. You are ungrateful and a disgustingly self-centered, shallow and stupid human being.

You have your father to thank for making you the athlete that you hate being so much. How can you even wonder how that happened? You were there weren't you? You are so fucking dim-witted and thoughtless that it's ridiculous how fucking stupid you really are.

We are so not sorry about your ankle. In fact, we are elated we won't have to watch you at the Aussie Open. Have a fun trip home and stay there!

Love,
The Omni Report

News Article

GQ's Ace of the Year - Novak Djokovic

Novak is our favorite tennis player

Our boy Novak Djokovic (joke-o-vich) has really come into his own having had the best year of his life in 2011.

GQ has named Novak it's Ace of the Year long with Justin Timberlake and Jimmy Fallon as Showmen of the Year, and Gary Oldman as Icon of the Year.

This year alone, Novak was a one man wrecking machine on court. He won 42 matches IN A ROW, won 10 titles and 3 Grand Slams. It was the Year of the Joker.

We've been cheering for Novak for years now so it's really awesome to see him rise to the top of the sport. He is the total package. Witty, clever and charming as a person and a phenom on the court. We never get sick of watching him.

GQ's article has this to say about the young talented Serbian:

“The most electrifying thing about watching Djokovic, the quality that pulls in a casual viewer, is that even while playing at the highest level ever attained in his sport, some piece of his mind seems still to be functioning on the normal human plane. He has not turned his back on lesser life-forms, in the manner of a Michael Jordan, and vanished into a rat tunnel of competitive rage. He places another shot improbably—yet certainly—inside the line. He turns away and pumps his fist, not in abandon but with a sort of narrow-eyed, thoughtful glee. It’s as if he’s as awed as we are by what he can get away with.”

We think the most electrifying thing about watching Novak play is just watching Novak play. What a piece of work is man*.

Novak or Nole as we call him, has just been cast in his first Hollywood action movie! Yes! Look for Nole in a cameo scene with Jason Statham in Expendables 2, currently filming in Bulgaria.

Read the article and watch the GQ VIDEO:
News Article

*"What a piece of work is a man, how noble in reason, how
infinite in faculties, in form and moving how express and
admirable, in action how like an angel, in apprehension how like
a god!
Hamlet

Cavendish Sets Sights on Olympic Gold

Cavendish is having the best year ever

It seems all the news is coming out of London today.....

Mark "The Missile" Cavendish has Olympic Gold on his mind these days. He is coming off the best Tour De France of his career which he immediately followed up with Road Race Champion, the first Brit to do so in 46 YEARS.

His chances are as good as they are ever going to get and we wouldn't bet against him. Especially since the 2012 Olympics are on his turf.

However, it will be gruelling. The Olympic cyclists call date is just 6 days after The Tour ends. 6 days! Mon Dieu!

The father-to-be is in super high spirits and is hopeful that he can take the gold. First though, his supermodel girlfriend is due very soon and Mark says:‘It’s the most exciting news I’ve had all year, and that includes what I’ve done in cycling.’

Awwww.

News Article

Roger Routs Rafa at World Tour

Roger reminds everyone that he's still a contender

There was a time, not just a couple of years ago, when Roger Federer won every match he was in. Every. One.

Hailed as The Greatest Tennis Player of All Time, he was on course to break every record and cement his already lustrous career into infinity.

Then a guy named Rafael Nadal entered the scene. A young punk from Spain, Nadal had the guts, the skill and the balls to kick Roger's ass from one side of the court to another. To this day Rafa has won 17 of the 26 times they've met.

The Roger Federer - Rafael Nadal rivalry is/was one of the greatest in ALL sports. But in tennis it is already the stuff of legend.

Roger is now ranked 4th in the world behind #1 Novak Djokivic, #2 Rafa Nadal and #3 Andy Freaking Murray.

However, last night, Roger absolutely and totally schooled Nadal in less than an hour winning 6-3, 6-0 at the O2 in London.

It was Rafa's worst defeat since 2008. To put the point on it, check this out: Roger had 28 outright winners to Rafa's 4.

Federer will be in the Barclays ATP World Tour Semi Finals this Saturday. Rafa will be doing supermodels on his yacht.


News Article

L.A. Galaxy Win MLS Championship

David Beckham delivers a Championship to LA

Love him or hate him, the boy can play fucking soccer almost better than anyone in the world. He is in the elite upper-eschelon of the sport and there are only a handful up there with him.

Sunday night in Los Angeles, MLS team Galaxy, won their first Championship. They owe it all to Beckham who went balls out for a trophy.

It was a rough start for the Englishman, when he moved his famous family to California to compete in the US MLS. David was injured and it was a slow recovery but at the 5 year mark, with his contract at an end, he delivered the goods.

News Article

The Sick and UnHappy Valley

Penn State has rightly forced Joe Paterno out of his gilded office. Like a Catholic Bishop, Joe Pa ignored the child for the "good" of the church or in this case college.

We've never worshipped at the altar of the Nittany Lion, so we can say here without any deep regret or remorse, that Joe Paterno has proved himself to be a despicable human being.

Far more than the hideousness that is Sandusky, the molester.

Why?

Easy.

Sandusky is a pedophile. Meaning, there is something mentally ill or ill-wired in his brain. He is, of course, still responsible for his heinous behaviour. But, it can be explained away that he's a sick motherfucker and deserves to rot in prison for his crimes.

What's Coach Paterno's excuse? Or assistant Mike McQueary's? Or president Graham B. Spanier's? athletic director Tim Curley's? Or vice president Gary Schultz's?

Why did none of these men immediately call 911?

The same reason Catholic Bishops don't call 911 when they learn of a pedophile priest. To protect the institution over the welfare of the child.

For that reason alone, Paterno is worse than a jack ass, he's a scumbag. Pure and simple. Whatever reasons he had to sit back and do nothing do not matter.

And to boot, this pedophile Sandusky ran a CHILDREN'S Charity. AND ALL OF THE ABOVE KNEW. THEY KNEW!.

End of story. These men knew that Sandusky had a history of harming boys and let him continue to prey on other victims and they did it without care.

How very Roman Catholic of them.

Its disgusting. As far as we are concerned this is like a criminal syndicate or something. A pedophile ring.

What good friends they were to Sandusky. They gave him a beautiful severance package with parking passes and a lifetime office in the building with other young people everywhere. They let him go and run his charity, dealing daily with even younger people. All potential victims. But hey!, they forced him to retire. Wasn't that enough? Not even close.

What lousy, despicable, enablers and sad excuses for human beings they are.

They are not Penn State.

The Nittany Lion cries for itself, its history and all the good and great people that distinguished University has turned out over the years.

But it will never cry for men that turned their backs on the children and enabled the rapist. Never.

And we don't cry for them either. In fact, we spit on them. We don't care how great a coach Paterno was, or how great a president Spanier was, or why McQueary called his father instead of 911. We.Just.Don't.Care.

The bottom line is that nothing was done to put Sandusky behind bars. And hey, maybe it's all the DA's fault that Sandusky didn't go to prison earlier, but once again we point out:

Sandusky ran a children's charity and the Penn State "Boys Club" did nothing.

Nothing to stop it.

News Article

Referee Attacked by ENTIRE team for Call

An Iranian soccer ref was attacked by the ENTIRE fucking TEAM and then the CROWD JOINED IN after he gave a yellow card at a match the other day.

He barely escaped after some officials rushed out to help get him off the field.

Watch the craziness unfold here:




News Article

Nittany Liars

Who? What? Where? Joe's suddenly clueless

The news coming out of Penn State gets more and more hideous every second. And it's got beloved coach Joe Paterno facing a firing squad. His job is literally on the line.

As is should be. Joe's gotta go. He's claiming he didn't know the details of what exactly happened. Not good enough.

Rush Limbaugh is arguing today that the press cannot wait to vilify 'ole Joe Pa fast enough. "Joe Paterno, up until now, has had something that very few people in this country die with -- and that's an impeccable reputation.

But that's gone now, and the media is going to see to it, and this is all part of a nation in decline."

Oh really, Rush? We thought the Decline of Western Civilization had something to do with YOU in all honesty. But it's really just the media, huh?

The bottom line is that Joe Paterno didn't go all red in the face calling this pedophile out and because of that it's implied that he was somehow complicit or has little moral standing on the issue.

We think the real problem is that all Joe can think of is football. The entire time the informant was blowing the whistle on this pedophile, Joe was just probably zoned out thinking of what players he was going to use in the next game. And that is what's irreversibly ruined his reputation, Rush. Not the media.

But the fact that Joe's old and he should have retired years ago anyway, doesn't change anything.

The bottom line is that there are men out there now dealing with what that pedophile did to them as kids. How about the poor 10 year old who had his rape WITNESSED and REPORTED and nothing was done? How did that kid feel?

We bet it's worse than Joe feels now.

We have no sympathy for Penn State, Joe Paterno or any of the adults who failed to report these crimes to the cops. In fact, we'd like to punch each one of them in the face for letting little defenseless boys get raped on campus or anywhere. Period.

News Article

R.I.P Smokin' Joe

Former Heavyweight Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist Smokin' Joe Frazier passed away last night. He was a Philadelphia icon and he will be missed by all of Philadelphia and beyond.

Don King, the Thrilla in Manila promoter, put out a moving statement this morning:

"Frazier was "the embodiment of what a great heavyweight champion and person should be. Not only was he a great fighter but also a great man. He lived as he fought with courage and commitment at a time when African-Americans in all spheres of life were engaged in a struggle for emancipation and respect," King said of Frazier. "Smokin' Joe brought honor, dignity and pride for his people, the AMERICAN people, and brought the nation together as only sports can do.""

George Forman tweeted this: "Good night Joe Frazier. I love you dear friend."

Philadelphia's fictional boxer, Rocky Balboa, was totally based on Smokin' Joe, right down to the slaughterhouse slabs of meat that Rocky worked out on as Joe worked in such a shop back in the day.

Joe's Olympic Gold medal was chopped into 11 pieces by a jeweler so he could give a piece to each one of his children. All 11 of them.

Ali-Frazier-Forman formed a triumvirate of Boxing Glory that encompassed a Golden Age that America or the sport will likely never see again.

Philly Daily News Article

Let's Hear it for "The Missile!"

Ok class. Pop Quiz.
You have 5 seconds to answer the following question: Who is currently the Best British Athlete? And the words Andy Murray better not cross your lips!

1
2
3
4
5

Have it?

MARK CAVENDISH, that's who.

Mark "The Missile" Cavendish, who fresh off his Green Jersey (for fastest sprinter or racer) at the Tour De France, JUST WON the Title and Rainbow Jersey as World Road Cycling Champion in Copenhagen.

"A performance like that has never been seen before - it was mind-blowing."

"This is the pinnacle,” he (Cavendish) said. “This is what we’ve all been working for. As a British citizen, the Olympics is a big thing. But as a professional cyclist, you can’t get bigger than winning the rainbow jersey.

"I always said when I was younger that I wanted to be world champion. I can’t win the yellow jersey in the Tour de France. For me, this jersey signifies the biggest thing I can get.”

As he has done throughout his career, Cavendish was quick to attribute his success to the strength of the team behind him, with the likes of Bradley Wiggins, David Millar and Geraint Thomas throwing all their efforts into seeing him to the finish.

Performance director Dave Brailsford was overjoyed after a week that saw Britain top the medal table at the championships with two gold, two silvers and two bronze.

“I’ve watched world championships for many, many years and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a team dominate from start to finish like a British team did today,” he said.

“They made their intentions very clear right from the very start. The turn that Bradley Wiggins did at the end was mind-blowing.”

Oh! We can hear Phil Liggett calling it now...It must have been glorious.

It's a HUGE win for Britain who has been putting all of its love behind Andy "Chokeartist" Murray and golfer Rory McIlroy.

As David Millar put it: “The UK needs to understand he’s the country’s greatest athlete,” said Millar. “He is probably the greatest sprinter in the history of cycling.”

You can feel the frustration in Millar’s comment, which stems from Britain’s lukewarm enthusiasm for cycling."

Well, England would be still be crowing about David Henman if it wouldn't be so laughable. Still, England's heart and soul is with its footballers so cycling takes a distant 6th seat behind squash of all the stupid things.

We celebrate for Britain and Mark Cavendish who is a highlight in the Tour. He really is something to watch during the final sprints. He can hide in plain sight, pop out of nowhere and cycle like the fucking devil to stage victory after stage victory. He rocks.

Cavendish celebrates his win

Telegraph News Article

BBC News Article

Next up? The 2011 edition of Paris-Tours on Sunday October 9.

Slater wins 47th Surfing Competition

Slater celebrating with tradional Tahitian garb

The most famously skilled surfer in the world, Kelly Slater, won his 47th competition, The Billabong Prop Tahiti, yesterday.

The surf was unbelievably challenging for the competition with swells so big they actually called off the entire thing for an entire day. That is unheard of in a sport that craves the giant waves.

Kelly's victory was all the more thrilling with a finale showdown between him and Owen Wright "that left Wright disappointed".

Here are the highlights of the final day:




News Article

ESPN News Article

Drink Like a Bruin

Boston Bruins player Zdeno Chara drinks
from the Stanley Cup as team mate Shawn Thornton drinks
straight from the world's most expensive bottle of champagne

If you are a Boston Bruin and you win the Stanley Cup, what is the first thing you do to celebrate?

Apparently, the answer is: Run up a $156,700 bar tab! That's right. Just SIX of the Bruins ran a mind blowing $156,700.000 beer/wine/champagne tab at the MGM Grand in Mashantucket, Connecticut on Saturday night.



To say they had a good time is a fucking understatement.

Did they have the Stanley Cup with them? YES.
Did they dance with their shirts off on top of the bar, Coyote Ugly style? YES.
With half naked girls? YES.
Did they order the world's most expensive champagne? YES
A $100,000 bottle of Ace of Spades Midas Champagne? OH HELL YES. THEY SURE DID.


"The champagne, Ace of Spades Midas, is only one of six of the 30-litre bottles in existence - well, five now. Made by luxury brand Armand de Brignac and produced by Champagne house Cattier, it is the largest bottle of luxury Champagne in the world. The gold metallic bottles are crafted entirely by hand, inspired by fashion designer Andre Courreges. They are housed in a black wooden case, lined with velvet and fitted with an engraved nameplate. Each is embossed with the Champagne's royal crest."

Well, if you're going to drink alcohol directly from the Stanley Cup, it might as well be champagne that costs as much for one bottle as it does to buy and own an entire house!

And a good time was had by all!

The Boston Bruins Win Lord Stanley's Cup

The Bruins won game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals last night 4-0 in Vancouver.

Such heartbreak for the poor Canucks who desparately wanted...needed...to win last night.

With one of the best home records of the year, it was a no-go when they needed it most. Just one more game at home. Heartbreak!

New England Teams continue to rack up trophies between the Bruins, ending their 40 year drought, the Red Sox and the Patriots.

Some are saying that the phenomenal eclipse last night was what the Bruins needed to win. Read this:

"It has been claimed that Thursday’s eclipse, the longest in more than a decade, “helped” the Bruins defeat the Vancouver Canucks 4-0 to win their first cup in almost four decades.

Some observers have noted a similar turn of events occurred when the Boston Red Sox baseball team finally broke their drought in the World Series.

A total lunar eclipse occurred on October 27, 2004, when the team beat the St Louis Cardinals to sweep to their first Word Series title in 86 years.

According to reports in America, that eclipse was visible at Busch Stadium in St Louis where the Red Sox beat the Cardinals in Game 4.

The moon was also coloured red just as it was during Thursday’s eclipse."

Coincidence? Divine intervention? Either way, poor Vancouver lost. So sad.

Some upset Vancouver fans decided to riot and try and burn down their own city, instead of flying to Boston and burning them down.


In the meantime, Boston is planning a massive victory parade for Saturday. The team should be back in town in just a few hours.

Where's Your Crown, King Nothing!?

THE MAVERICKS WIN! THE MAVERICKS WIN!
THE MAVERICKS WIN!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

LeBron James LOSES!

The self-titled "king" has no crown, no glory and remains just a self-centered jackass like always.

Congrats to the ENTIRE MAVERICK TEAM and, of course, MARK CUBAN. The coolest sports owner of all time.

YAY!!

Way to go Mavs!

LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh can go suck on Dirk Nowitzki's HUGE TROPHY.

French Open: Update

Celebrate while you can Andy. Rafa awaits!

It's going to be a hell of a semi-final round. Well, almost...

Roger Federer vs. Novak Djokovic
Andy Murray vs. Rafael Nadal

That last part is where the almost fits in. There's no way...barring Rafa breaking his leg and bleeding to death from a compound fracture...that Murray will win. No. Way. In. Hell. That. Murray. Will. Win.

Also, expecting Novak to send the former God of Tennis Federer to his early retirement, we can look forward to a Rafa - Novak final.

Roger hasn't reached a final in over 16 MONTHS. Not since he married and had kids. Sorry, Merka. You are now the Yoko Ono of tennis. Or maybe it's the babies. They are Yokobabies. We guess it's hard for a guy who won every tennis tournament ever to be all ready to go like he used to when he has adorable baby twin girls on his mind. Therefore, Yokobabies. The end of a legend.

Meanwhile, Novak is gunning for several things (from the AP wire):

- The 24-year-old Serb is 41-0 in 2011, and a win over Federer would allow Djokovic to tie John McEnroe's record for best start to a season in the Open era, 42-0 in 1984

- Add in two victories for Serbia against France in the Davis Cup final in December, and Djokovic's winning streak stands at 43 overall, three shy of Guillermo Vilas' mark of 46 in a row in 1977.

- Djokovic is seeking to reach his first final in Paris; if he were to win the title, he'd be the first man since Jim Courier in 1992 to win the Australian Open and French Open in the same year.

- If he beats Federer, Djokovic will be assured of rising to No. 1 in the ATP rankings for the first time, no matter what happens in the Nadal-Murray semifinal or in Sunday's championship match.

GO NOLE! GO NOLE! GO NOLE!

On the women's side - IN THE BEST NEWS EVER...Li Na has sent That Bitch Sharapova HOME. We are currently celebrating Li Na as our hero for the day.

Good Riddance, Maria, you bitch.

Look for the men's semi finals tomorrow - they should be awesome!

GO NOLE!

Lance Armstrong Under Fire

Lance continues to angrily deny that he ever took performing enhancing drugs (PEDs) or ever failed a doping control test however more and more these claims are coming under fire.

At least 3 teammates have now testified UNDER OATH that they saw and or participated in taking EPO (erythropoietin - a PED) and having blood transfusions with Lance. Frankie Andreu, Floyd Landis, Tyler Hamilton and now Georgie?

The most devastating testimony - that of close confidante and Lance's right hand man, George Hincapie.

"One of those riders is Armstrong's other close teammate, George Hincapie. We're told that now, for the first time, Hincapie has testified to federal investigators that he and Armstrong supplied each other with the blood-booster EPO and discussed having used testosterone, another banned substance, during their preparation for races."

This all stems from a Federal investigation into whether or not Lance defrauded the United States government as a rider on the US Postal Team.

We think the most incriminating facts to date are that Lance, and his manager at the time, Johan Bruyneel met with Swiss Lab officials after a failed test in 2001. The meeting was arranged by the cycling federation, International Cycling Union.

This is damning if true.

Why would the ICU intervene and kibosh the failed test? MILLIONS OF DOLLARS in marketing and tourism were on the line.

No one even followed cycling before Lance hit the scene. At least not in the numbers they do now. Lance Armstrong personally has made millions of dollars off the sport and so have the sponsors, tour operators and the ICU.

With so much to lose, it seems the ICU stepped in and made the failed test, caught by the Swiss Lab prior to the Tour de Suisse in 2001, go away.

And it cost Lance roughly 125,000 dollars, made in two payments to the ICU. Once for 25,000 and another for 100,000. At lease one official has said this kind of payment to the ICU is unheard of and should have been a red flag, but as even now, people want to believe Lance. Believe in the dream. Believe that this once cancer beleaguered star has been and always has been the greatest natural athlete of his sport...sans PEDs.

We have a personal theory here. Going through all of his cancer therapy, Lance was in the hospital for weeks at a time. He was used to needles, blood transfusions and the idea that the body can handle all of this. It came as no big deal for him to shoot up PED's and then dilute or "clean" his blood with additional blood transfusions. Hell, if all this is true, then he's more of a pro at this than anyone can realize.

Bill Strickland, editor at large of Bicycling magazine, said he has evidence that Armstrong had used drugs. "I wrote a story in May for Bicycling ... that said I thought he was guilty, I knew he had doped. In the course of investigating around him, I finally found the conviction. So I've known for awhile. This is just inevitable, I think."

We're still not sure of what "evidence" he speaks of.

And the UCI denies it covered up anything.

If Lance is found guilty all hell will break loose. We cannot even imagine how it will affect his 7 Tour de France wins. Will the second place "winners" be given trophies after all these years? It boggles the mind.

Lance's vehement denials are strikingly reminiscent of Marion Jones who swore up and down and over and over again she never doped and then in a tear filled press conference admitted guilt, served time in prison and relinquished her Olympic gold medals.

It seems Lance's glass house has finally developed more than one crack. It's literally coming apart at the seams.

The Executioner's Song

Bernard "The Executioner" Hopkins won a historic boxing match last night to become the oldest person to win a Heavy Weight Championship Title.

George Forman had this to say: “I was on the edge of my seat every round. It was such an exciting fight. Bernard was the better athlete, the smarter fighter and in the better condition. Now that 46 has done it, next a 47, 48, 49 and 50 will do it” said Foreman in a media release after the fight. “I’m happy for Hopkins and I’m happy for mature athletes.”

Hopkins beat Jean Pascal and won on all 3 scorecards. The judges seeing the fight 116-112, 115-114, and 115-113.

We have no idea what that means.

The Executioner will live on to fight another day and perhaps make history again, but for now all of Philadelphia is proud of its hometown record maker.