14 June 2009
The Demands Of The Few Versus Rights Of the Many
20/06/2009 05:03
I read with interest
a letter in the Wednesday Gazette from a local
mother calling upon the St. Albert Chamber of
Commerce to make the Farmer’s Market both an
indoor event and a nut free event at
that.
( You can tell
which letter easily. It’s the one where she
starts out complaining how the “July” sun at
the first Farmers Market in June burned her
child from lack of shade. How that one got by
the letters editor is anyone’s guess, but I
digress.)
Pardon me? Here we go again with a person with a child with a single allergy wanting the rest of the world to change due to her issues.
When will people who have children with allergies stop preying upon the rest of us to change our ways? It’s their problem, not ours and if anyone should change, it should be themselves to protect their child.
In short if you don’t like what is going on at a public event, stay the hell away from the event instead of trying to make thousands of others dance to your particular tune.
It is neither reasonable nor in many cases even possible for any group or organization to ensure there will be no nuts at a given function. I mean gimme a break folks. Any kid could have a chocolate bar, candies or whatever in his pocket with nuts as part of the content.
To hold us all hostage to an individual problem is just wrong and I for one am tired of the demands of the few that inconvenience thousands of us.
Remember it was one mother and child who held 60,000 seats hostage in Commonwealth stadium to ban peanuts, a tradition at outdoor games. Enough already.
And as for making it an indoor event, this site has long advocated removing the market from downtown and putting it in $ervu$ Place where there is parking available. It makes nothing but sense, but we seem to be in short supply of that particular commodity in St. Albert lately.
*End rant*
Pardon me? Here we go again with a person with a child with a single allergy wanting the rest of the world to change due to her issues.
When will people who have children with allergies stop preying upon the rest of us to change our ways? It’s their problem, not ours and if anyone should change, it should be themselves to protect their child.
In short if you don’t like what is going on at a public event, stay the hell away from the event instead of trying to make thousands of others dance to your particular tune.
It is neither reasonable nor in many cases even possible for any group or organization to ensure there will be no nuts at a given function. I mean gimme a break folks. Any kid could have a chocolate bar, candies or whatever in his pocket with nuts as part of the content.
To hold us all hostage to an individual problem is just wrong and I for one am tired of the demands of the few that inconvenience thousands of us.
Remember it was one mother and child who held 60,000 seats hostage in Commonwealth stadium to ban peanuts, a tradition at outdoor games. Enough already.
And as for making it an indoor event, this site has long advocated removing the market from downtown and putting it in $ervu$ Place where there is parking available. It makes nothing but sense, but we seem to be in short supply of that particular commodity in St. Albert lately.
*End rant*
Lucky Schoolboy Finds Seven Leaf Clover
20/06/2009 05:03
A nine-year-old boy
is hoping for some luck, after finding a rare
seven leaf clover.
Alastair Barnes discovered the unusual clover at Coombe Bissett nature reserve, near Salisbury, Wilts while out walking his dog with his father Jonathan.
Clovers occasionally have leaves with four leaflets, instead of the usual three - these are considered lucky, while five and six leaf clovers are considered even more unusual.
Alastair has placed the clover in a book to protect it from damage and in the hope it will bring him some good luck.
"I was really hoping to find a four leaf clover when I spotted one with seven leaves," he said.
"I was amazed and I immediately shouted to my dad, 'daddy daddy, I've found a seven leaf cover.'
"He didn't believe me at first but then he came over and had a look for himself.
"I picked it and took it home. It was amazing to find something so rare - I was so happy."
Sue Tatman, from the Wildlife Trust said: "This is an extremely unusual find.
"It just goes to show it is always worth keeping your eyes peeled when you are outside, as nature is full of surprises."
According to tradition, four-leaf clovers bring good luck to their finders, especially if found accidentally.
Each leaflet is said to represent something - the first is for hope, the second faith, the third love, and the fourth luck.
Another Irish legend tells that the three leaf clover, or "Shamrock", was what Saint Patrick used to represent the Holy Trinity.
SINC SAYS:
Now if he can find an 11 leaf clover to go with it, he can hit the craps table.
Man Thrown Out Of His Own Cave . . .
20/06/2009 05:03
Hilaire Purbrick, 45,
has inhabited the seven-foot cave he dug on his
plot and dined off the land for the past 16
years.
But after having the dwelling checked by the fire brigade, Brighton and Hove City Council decided it did not have enough exits and sought an injunction banning him from entering it.
Mr Purbrick ignored the order and continued to live in the cave, but was pulled back into court on Tuesday when a judge granted the council a possession order which will allow him to be formally evicted and banned indefinitely from the site.
Mr Purbrick now plans to take his fight to the European Court of Human Rights, claiming his right to a private life and freedom has been breached by the order.
"I am still living there and intend to continue to do so," he said. "I know lots of people in this town who live in houses with only one door with no fire exit."
The keen gardener has a history of overcoming legal challenges to his earthy home.
In 1999, town hall authorities threatened to remove him, claiming he was running an illegal vegetable shop.
But Mr Purbick won a reprieve after claiming his site "was hardly a Sainsbury's" and he only had one customer – a pregnant woman who bought his sprouts.
The following year he successfully fought an eviction order after complaints he was keeping chickens and bees without permission.
Granting the possession order at Brighton County Court, Judge Jonathan Simpkiss said there were legitimate health and safety concerns that the cave could collapse.
"The council considers this was a danger to life. They have a responsibility to the public," he said.
Mr Purbrick's decision to appeal to the European courts was made after the judge refused leave to appeal in a UK court, saying it was a "hopeless cause of trying to resist the inevitable".
SINC SAYS:
Sounds to me like there is another administration and council controlled by Robbing Hood And His Merry Band Of Men.
Free Drinks... If You Abuse Bar Staff
20/06/2009 05:03
Cheers - here's to
calling
bar staff
b*****ds
A Spanish bar is encouraging clients to insult its staff and offering free drinks for original or hilarious abuse.
"When you come in after work, you can say swear at them and call them b*****d or imbecile," said client Antonio Ossa, who told state news agency EFE the promotion by the "Casa Pocho" bar in the southern town of Cullera near Valencia seemed like a good idea to him.
SINC SAYS:
I know a couple of guys at the local who’ve been doing this for years. Got them banned though here.
A Spanish bar is encouraging clients to insult its staff and offering free drinks for original or hilarious abuse.
"When you come in after work, you can say swear at them and call them b*****d or imbecile," said client Antonio Ossa, who told state news agency EFE the promotion by the "Casa Pocho" bar in the southern town of Cullera near Valencia seemed like a good idea to him.
SINC SAYS:
I know a couple of guys at the local who’ve been doing this for years. Got them banned though here.
Nude Hiking Buffs Prepare For Summer
20/06/2009 05:03
Ready to shed as
solstice
nearsHAGERSTOWN, Md. (AP) -- Every year on the first day of summer, a few outdoor enthusiasts nationwide expose virtually all of themselves to insects, scrapes and thorns for the pleasure of bonding with nature au naturel.
They call it Naked Hiking Day.
"There's no way to explain it until you experience it," said Andrew Williams, 28, a machinist from Warren, Pa., who first hiked naked six or seven years ago. "It's not about being lewd and crude and all that. It's just enjoyment."
This year, the summer solstice falls on a weekend - this Sunday. Father's Day.
Hikers who prefer clothes are not happy.
Rangers and police warn that people caught outdoors in the altogether could be charged with indecent exposure. Managers of the Appalachian Trail, where the tradition is sometimes observed by those trekking from Georgia to Maine, also discourage nudity.
"It's just rude," said Brian King, spokesman for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy in Harpers Ferry, W.Va. "People are out there hiking with their kids and families, and there are Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts."
Law enforcement authorities say they see so few nude hikers, even on Naked Hiking Day, that they don't consider it a big problem.
SINC SAYS:
So, if you go out in the woods tomorrow, watch out for bares.
PETA Wishes Obama Hadn't Swatted That Fly
20/06/2009 05:03
WASHINGTON — The
group People for the Ethical Treatment of
Animals wants the flyswatter in chief to try
taking a more humane attitude the next time
he's bedeviled by a fly in the White
House.PETA is sending President Barack Obama a Katcha Bug Humane Bug Catcher, a device that allows users to trap a house fly and then release it outside.
"We support compassion even for the most curious, smallest and least sympathetic animals," PETA spokesman Bruce Friedrich said Wednesday. "We believe that people, where they can be compassionate, should be, for all animals."
During an interview for CNBC at the White House on Tuesday, a fly intruded on Obama's conversation with correspondent John Harwood.
"Get out of here," the president told the pesky insect. When it didn't, he waited for the fly to settle, put his hand up and then smacked it dead.
"Now, where were we?" Obama asked Harwood. Then he added: "That was pretty impressive, wasn't it? I got the sucker."
Friedrich said that PETA was pleased with Obama's voting record in the Senate on behalf of animal rights and noted that he has been outspoken against animal abuses.
Still, "swatting a fly on TV indicates he's not perfect," Friedrich said, "and we're happy to say that we wish he hadn't."
Deputy press secretary Josh Earnest said the White House has no comment on the matter.
SINC SAYS:
While the White House has no comment, I do. The people from PETA are jerks and with this revelation, add idiots to their description.
Coach Hall: ‘Enjoyed Every Moment Of It’
20/06/2009 05:02
New Esks coach Richie Hall thrilled with start against his old team
It is possible the winner of a "coach-for-a-day" contest would radiate more pure joy over his or her good fortune than Eskimos head man Richie Hall did following his first-ever CFL game in that role.
It's just hard to imagine.
Hall approaches life with an open spirit and a boyish sense of wonder that might seem at odds with the discipline, focus and fierce competitive drive his profession demands.
But it's all part of the package with the 48-year-old Hall, a fact that becomes apparent once you spend even a little time with him.
The day after the Eskimos dismissed the Saskatchewan Roughriders, his former team, 45-12 in the first pre-season game for both clubs, Hall shared his feelings about his "first time."
"I enjoyed every moment of it," Hall said. "Not so much the game, but before the game, just standing out there and looking up in the stands and just going into my own little world.
"I'm a head coach and I can't believe this. I'm serious."
Hall was smiling, of course, thinking about "my folks and the people who supported me and helped me.
"I felt proud. I felt proud to have an Edmonton Eskimos jersey on.
"It was pretty awesome, pre-season game or no pre-season game. During the press conference on Tuesday, it came to my mind that (game night) was exactly six months ago to the day I was hired for the head-coaching job.
"And here we were playing our very first game (with me) as a head coach, against my former team. I thought that was pretty amazing."
Hall took it all in: entering the field of play for the first time ever through that inflatable Eskimos helmet; heeding advice from veteran equipment manager Dwayne Mandrusiak to have rain gear handy in case the weather turned; even the teasing from his players to really THROW out the challenge flag, when that opportunity came.
It all added up to a "surreal" experience.
More from the Edmonton Journal.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
Initially, I wasn’t a believer, but I think the Eskimos are going to do really well with Richie Hall as Head Coach this year.
Mike Weir Two Back Of Glover At U.S. Open
20/06/2009 05:02
When the weather finally cleared on Friday, Mike Weir was waiting and more than ready at the U.S. Open at Bethpage Black.
After leading the pack with a 6-under 64 in his first round earlier in the day, Weir is two shots behind leader Lucas Glover with second round play suspended due to darkness. The Bright's Grove, Ontario native was at 2-over through the front nine when play was halted.
Calgary's Stephen Ames was playing in a group with Weir and shot a first round 4-over 74 but gained all those shots back on the first nine of his second round. Amateur Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, BC is at 1-under on the back nine of his second round while compatriot Andrew Parr of London, Ontario fired an opening round 74 and will begin his second round on Saturday.
Weir's first round was nearly spotless, making eight birdies and nine pars during the afternoon round. The only blemish on his scorecard was a double-bogey six on the par-4 15th hole.
The first-round 64 from the Canadian was the lowest U.S. Open score ever posted at Bethpage Black, and just the 13th 64 ever shot in Open history. It's the first time a player has shot 64 at the U.S. Open since Vijay Singh did it at Olympia Fields in 2003.
Tiger Woods completed his opening round early on Friday and the defending champion made double bogey on 15, as well as bogies on 16 and 18 to finish with a 4-over 74. He will begin his second on Saturday morning. After an opening round of 69, Phil Mickelson is at 1-under through 10 holes in his second round.
Many golfers are not scheduled to begin their second rounds until Saturday when there is an 80% chance of rain.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
Those golfers who did not have to start until today definitely had an advantage over those who had to play in the pouring rain and abominable conditions yesterday.
Russians Haul In Hardware
20/06/2009 05:02
Capitals superstar Ovechkin takes home trio of trophies as Red Wings' Datsyuk, Penguins' Malkin snag two apiece
Alexander Ovechkin and Pavel Datsyuk led a Russian assault on the podium at the NHL Awards and will be leaving Las Vegas with armloads of hardware and winning smiles.
Ovechkin copped the Hart Trophy as the league's most valuable player to his team in a vote of hockey writers and the Lester B. Pearson as most outstanding player in a vote of his peers, while Datsyuk waltzed off with the Selke Trophy as best defensive forward and the Lady Byng Trophy as the league's most gentlemanly and sportsmanlike player.
"It's pretty important when people and players give you this. I don't want to stop. I want to be the best next year," said Ovechkin, the Washington left winger who easily outpolled countrymen Datsyuk and Evgeni Malkin for both the Hart and Pearson. It was a repeat Hart win for Ovechkin, the fourth straight Lady Byng for Datsyuk and his second Selke. It was a big night worthy of celebration.
"It's six actually the Russians win. That's pretty big for our country," said Ovechkin, who also collected the Rocket Richard Trophy for his 56 goals while Malkin took the Art Ross for his 113 regular season points.
You could argue that it's actually lucky seven for the Russian troika, given that Malkin took the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the playoffs moments after his Penguins won the Stanley Cup over Detroit.
On Thursday, Ovechkin earned 115 first-place votes in balloting for the Hart while Malkin was second with only 12 and Datsyuk got only four. Yet there were some observers who figured it would be a close vote, since Malkin led all point-getters during the regular season. Ovechkin admitted he wasn't sure he could repeat, given his competition.
"Of course I'm not sure. How can you be sure?" Voters were doubtless swayed by his style and sniping, as well as the fact Malkin has Sidney Crosby as his running mate in Pittsburgh. Ovechkin would obviously trade the Hart, Pearson and Rocket Richard for the mug Malkin carried around the ice in Detroit.
"Personal stats is good, personal awards is good, I just want to win one award, Stanley Cup," continued Ovechkin, who has embraced Las Vegas in style. He won some money playing poker on Wednesday and arrived at Thursday's Awards show, held at the Palms Casino, with two dancing girls on his arms.
He had plans for a post-awards celebration, too.
"Go to pool. Couple beers. It's OK." Ovechkin is the first back-to-back winner of the Hart since Dominik Hasek of the Sabres turned the trick in 1997 and '98. He showed some emotion in his first appearance on- stage to accept the Pearson.
More from the Edmonton Journal.
Oilers captain Moreau receives King Clancy Memorial Trophy.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
Congrats to all the award winners. I wonder what Don Cherry thinks of the ‘Ruskie Sweep’?
Eskimos’ Ground Game Encouraging
20/06/2009 05:02
Potential exhibited for solid complement for passing attack
If one pre-season game is any indication, the Edmonton Eskimos offence could provide a real rush for its demanding fans this season.
Eskimos runners scooted for a healthy 227 yards in Wednesday's 45-12 shellacking of the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
For a team that's lethal with quarterback Ricky Ray manning the passing game, a dangerous ground game anchored by newly acquired running back Jesse Lumsden could cause even more fits for CFL defences this season.
Eskimos head coach Richie Hall credited his offensive line for the success of the ground game on Wednesday, which was statistically better than anything last year's Eskies put together.
"My hat goes off to our offensive line," Hall said on Thursday. "They controlled the line of scrimmage, whether it was run or pass. That's what we want to get them to do. If you're able to control the line of scrimmage, it forces the defence to defend the whole playbook."
Using the whole playbook is something that rookie Ciatrick Fason thinks will make the team tough to contend with this season.
"When you've got a guy like Ricky, or all of the other quarterbacks, they can spread the field and that makes it easier for us," said the six-foot-one, 220-pound running back, who ran for a game-high 84 yards on 10 carries and had a touchdown on Wednesday night.
"Once we start pounding the defence, that makes it that much harder on them. They don't know whether to stack the box or just stay in their regular defence. It's real good to have a great quarterback and a great running game behind it."
Fason and fellow import running back Arkee Whitlock (six carries for 40 yards) were both impressive, according to Hall.
"When you look at Ciatrick, he's a kind of a bigger kind of bruising back. When you look at Whitlock, he's a little ... I don't know if he's as quick as (Stefan) Logan was in B.C., but he's that kind of back.
"He can make you miss. You can be standing right there and he's right around you. They have contrasting styles but they're both suited for the CFL, and what it does (is) it gives our team some flexibility and some alternatives just because of the attributes they bring."
Lumsden, who found the end zone once on Wednesday as part of his 64-yard effort on six carries, was optimistic about the possibilities.
"I think that whenever you have a strong rushing attack and a strong passing attack, it makes it very hard for defences to defend," he said. "If you have the ability to spread the ball out north and south and in the air, there's a lot of good things that can happen from that. We just have to make sure we stay consistent and work hard."
Before anyone gets ahead of themselves, the Eskimos know that the success they had came in one game -- one pre-season game, at that.
"I take it as I went in, and I had some ideas of what I wanted to do, and what I wanted to get done, and I did those things," Lumsden said.
"It doesn't matter who we play. I prepare the same for every opponent and my main focus is getting some continuity with the offence and the offensive line and making sure my reads are sharp and that my feet were in the right place at the right time. That's what I wanted to do and that's what I felt like I accomplished."
"Again, it's only one game," Hall said. "But you can only go on one game because that's all we've played. We were able to run the ball effectively, therefore it makes (the defence) a little softer, because you're dominating the line of scrimmage."
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
After the Danny Maciocia era as a coach, believe me it’s going to be great to have a running game again.
Mr. Hockey Comes To Defence Of ‘Sid The Kid’
20/06/2009 05:02
TORONTO - Mr. Hockey says people should cut Sid The Kid some slack.
Hockey legend Gordie Howe doesn't believe Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby intentionally failed to shake hands with some Detroit players after Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final.
Howe said Crosby's natural shyness combined with getting caught up in the emotion of winning an NHL championship resulted in Crosby getting in line to shake hands after some Red Wings had left the ice.
"He got caught up," Howe said Thursday after serving as the Queen's Plate honorary drawmaster at Woodbine Racetrack. "He will mature.
"He's a good kid."
During a chaotic post-game scene on the crowded Joe Louis Arena ice following Pittsburgh's 2-1 victory, Crosby was ushered to several live television interviews, hugged some teammates and was presented the Stanley Cup by commissioner Gary Bettman.
Crosby was celebrating when Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom, assistant Kris Draper and some other key Red Wings went to their dressing room. Crosby did get into line to shake hands with Detroit players, including head coach Mike Babcock and goalie Chris Osgood.
Afterwards, Draper ripped Crosby, accusing him of snubbing Lidstrom during post-game handshakes.
But Howe, 81, defended Crosby, saying the Penguins superstar is really very shy. In fact, during a recent visit with Crosby, Howe added the Pittsburgh captain didn't say a word.
"He's too damn shy," Howe said. "He never said a word, never blinked.
"During the five minutes I talked to him I basically said, `Don't let anything bother you, just keep on the right road. You're on the right road and you're doing a hell of a lot of good jobs and good luck.' He just stared at me, turned around and walked away."
And that brought a smile to Howe's face.
"I just grinned and said, `That takes me back to the days where I used to hide,"' Howe said. "That's because I was afraid I might say something wrong.
"I was the same way. I'd go into the washroom and take about a half-hour shower and they (reporters) would get sick of waiting and leave. I was afraid of saying something wrong and I think he's in that same situation, he doesn't know what to say, what is right and what is wrong?"'
Howe -- whose wife Colleen died in March at age 76 of Pick's disease, a degenerative brain disorder -- also remembers superstar Wayne Gretzky initially being very shy.
"The first time I met Wayne Gretzky . . . he never said anything back," Howe said. "The second time, we couldn't shut him up.
"It's just kids. We all have to learn."
As for Crosby's ability as a hockey player, Howe said there's plenty to be impressed with.
"I'm not going to say he knows everything, but he's getting there fast," Howe said. "A couple more years if he stays healthy, who knows?"
Howe said during his glory days with the Red Wings in the 1950s and '60s, the rivalries between teams were very intense, to the point where it was hard to shake hands after a series ended.
"When we had it you lined up at the blue-line and just banged hands," he said. "You're punching them in the nose and five minutes later you're going to shake his hand?
"To hell with that. Maybe they shouldn't even have the players out there."
The Detroit-Pittsburgh final was an exciting one which saw the Penguins rally to capture the Stanley Cup by winning the final two games of the series. But Howe says he didn't see it.
"Since I retired I've had to work," he said with a chuckle.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
We could all do much worse than listening to Mr. Hockey in this case. He knows of what he speaks.
Talks Underway To Bring Winter Classic To Calgary
20/06/2009 05:02
CALGARY - It's true. The Calgary Flames are in talks about hosting an outdoor game on New Year's Day.
"I have heard discussions," said John Haverstock, manager of McMahon Stadium — the host venue for the event. "I guess it's a possibility, but to say it's close to reality is not correct. It's just so far been discussions.
"I think it would be very cool for the city. Logistically, it's possible. We had an artificial-ice surface at McMahon before at the closing ceremonies for the 1988 Olympics. So it can be done."
Flames owner Harley Hotchkiss, too, confirmed that the idea is being batted around.
"I heard there have been discussions," said Hotchkiss. "We would be an obvious choice. But I haven't heard anything (concrete)."
Flames president Ken King is aware of reports, too, that his team is making plans to host the 2010 Winter Classic.
That it would be the second of two outdoor games that day in the National Hockey League. The 2010 Winter Classic will be the third straight year the NHL has held the event, although this would be the first double-header edition.
But King, reached late Thursday night, refused to confirm any of it.
At the same time, he didn't discount its possibility.
"If that were to take place," said King, "we'd be thrilled to be involved."
If the Flames' plans are approved, the McMahon crew will be hopping — first, the 2009 Grey Cup in late November; then the outdoor shinny match just scant weeks later.
Any practical problems with that?
"Only for the mental health of my staff," said Haverstock. "Obviously the Grey Cup is a very big event, but this is do-able."
According to one league source, the Flames would likely draw a Canadian opponent.
The earlier game that day would feature the Boston Bruins, operating out of Fenway Park, against either the Washington Capitals or the Philadelphia Flyers.
In 2003, the Edmonton Oilers hosted the Montreal Canadiens at Commonwealth Stadium. That marked the first outdoor match.
Since then, there have been two other fresh-air faceoffs — in 2008, when the the Buffalo Sabres welcomed the Pittsburgh Penguins to Ralph Wilson Stadium; last season, when the Chicago Blackhawks and the Detroit Red Wings squared off at Wrigley Field.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
Trust Calgary to be about ten years behind Edmonton, as usual. Zzzzzzzzzzz . . .
Kane Thinks She Can Win Canadian Open In Calgary
20/06/2009 05:02
CALGARY - The silver cup that goes to the victor of the Canadian Women's Open looks like the Stanley Cup to Lorie Kane.
The LPGA veteran from Charlottetown couldn't avoid the sight of it Thursday. The trophy perched on a table in front of her as she discussed her chances of winning it at the US$2.75 million CN Canadian Women's Open at Priddis Greens Golf and Country Club.
"It's means the world," Kane said. "It's something I would very much like to have and I know I have the ability to get it."
The Canadian Open returns to Priddis from Aug. 31 to Sept. 6 after a 10-year absence and will be broadcast on CBC. The tournament offers the tour's biggest prize purse outside the U.S. Open and Evian Masters.
World No. 1 Lorena Ochoa of Mexico, 1999 champ Karrie Webb Australia, two-time champ Meg Mallon and rising stars Michelle Wie, Morgan Pressel, Natalie Gulbis and Taiwan's Yani Tsgeng are among those confirmed to play in it, as is Katherine Hull of Australia who won at the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club last year.
Kane and Alena Sharp from Hamilton, Ont., are currently the only full-time Canadians on the tour, although Canadians can get in via qualifying and sponsors exemptions.
Angela Buzminski of Oshawa, Ont., and Samantha Richdale of Kelowna, B.C., have both won a tournament on the Futures Tournament this season.
The LPGA Tour lost three tournaments this year because the global economy has affected sponsorships. Prize money has dropped about $5 million.
So a big purse like the Canadian Open, which is well above the tour average of $1.7 million, is a magnet for the world's top players. Tournament director Sean Van Kesteren expects to have the Top 50 in the field.
Not too many tournaments, men or women, can say that, he said.
Kane, 44, may feel she has the game to win it, but her 2009 is off to a rough start as she's made just three of nine cuts and is ranked 123rd. She hasn't had a Top 10 finish since 2007.
More from Canadian Press.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
It would be really nice to see a Canadian, like Lorie Kane, win the CN Canadian Women’s Open in Calgary in September, but I doubt it’s going to happen.
Lawsuit: Developer Duped 19 NHLers Of Millions
20/06/2009 05:02
NEW YORK -- A golf resort developer duped nearly two dozen NHL players out of US$25 million, blowing the money on gratuitous parties that were attended by former Yankees players Roger Clemens and Reggie Jackson, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday.
The New York Post reported in Friday's edition that 19 former and current NHL players filed suit against Ken Jowdy, alleging they invested the money with the Las Vegas-based golf-course mogul to develop two luxury resorts in Mexico -- a project they say is seven years behind schedule.
Instead, according to the players, Jowdy squandered the money on "lavish parties" to impress the likes of Clemens, Jackson and banned hits king Pete Rose, among others, who Jowdy hoped would eventually buy real estate in the planned resorts.
The lawsuit seeks the return of the $25 million they invested and $15 million in damages.
Former New York Rangers and Islanders defenceman Bryan Berard and one-time Islanders captain Michael Peca were hit the hardest, each losing $700,000 in the deal, according to the filing in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
"It's particularly uncomfortable for all," Berard told the Post. "He's taken our money without telling us, and it's supposedly all gone."
Other players involved in the alleged scam include: Chris Simon, who played for both the Rangers and Islanders; former Rangers Greg deVries, Steve Rucchin and Rem Murray; former New Jersey Devil Turner Stevenson; and Sergei Gonchar of the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
I’ve got some resort land in Florida that I’d like to sell these guys too.
Top Ten Reasons Why Golf Is Better Than Sex . . .
19/06/2009 02:00
#10... A below par performance is considered damn good.
#09... You can stop in the middle and have a cheeseburger and a couple of beers.
#08... It's much easier to find the sweet spot.
#07... Foursomes are encouraged.
#06... You can still make money doing it as a senior.
#05... Three times a day is possible.
#04... Your partner doesn't hire a lawyer if you play with someone else.
#03... If you live in the south, you can do it almost every day.
#02... You don't have to cuddle with your partner when you're finished.
And the NUMBER ONE reason why golf is better than sex . . .
#01... When your equipment gets old you can replace it!
Wrapped Up In Bacon
19/06/2009 02:00
We're hog wild for
this fatty meat, but is the trend more smoke
than
sizzle?The Maple Syrup Glazed Bacon at downtown's Suite & Tender is one of the most popular dishes on the menu, according to chef and owner Kelley Jones (K.C. Alfred / Union-Tribune)
Back in 2000, the popular HBO series “Sex and the City” launched a cupcake craze with the main character's devotion to New York's Magnolia Bakery.
Like a contagious
sugar rush, shops dedicated to the
single-serving sweets started to dot U.S.
cities like liberally applied sprinkles. The
virtues of cupcakes – comforting thoughts of
mom and home, their egalitarian nature –
were trumpeted from coast to coast. That
wave had yet to truly dissipate when the
next one took hold, self-serve frozen
yogurt. And so it goes on and on, the
cyclical pattern that makes a particular
food the sudden darling of the dining world.
Now it is bacon that has that satisfying sizzle, and bloggers, foodies, restaurants and chefs across the country, including in San Diego, cannot get enough of the fatty, crispy not-just-for-breakfast-anymore treat.
The rise of bacon has become a cultural phenomenon. Wikipedia has an entire page dedicated to the topic of recent “bacon mania.” Now, there are special camps and retreats for bacon lovers where they can get together to discuss all things sliced from the sides, belly or back of a pig. Need the perfect push-up? Try the bacon bra.
“It's sinfully delicious, and it's really fun when you start wrapping stuff in bacon,” said Corey James, “Chief Baconographer” at bacon news Web site Bacon Today, which launched in June of last year and reports more than 100,000 unique visitors per month.
Fry up a batch here.
SINC SAYS:
I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love bacon. ‘Cept for a few Muslim friends that is.
Now it is bacon that has that satisfying sizzle, and bloggers, foodies, restaurants and chefs across the country, including in San Diego, cannot get enough of the fatty, crispy not-just-for-breakfast-anymore treat.
The rise of bacon has become a cultural phenomenon. Wikipedia has an entire page dedicated to the topic of recent “bacon mania.” Now, there are special camps and retreats for bacon lovers where they can get together to discuss all things sliced from the sides, belly or back of a pig. Need the perfect push-up? Try the bacon bra.
“It's sinfully delicious, and it's really fun when you start wrapping stuff in bacon,” said Corey James, “Chief Baconographer” at bacon news Web site Bacon Today, which launched in June of last year and reports more than 100,000 unique visitors per month.
Fry up a batch here.
SINC SAYS:
I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love bacon. ‘Cept for a few Muslim friends that is.
Have A Brit Pension Due?
19/06/2009 02:00
Don,
Could you mention this bit about British Pensioners please?
Anon
St. Albert
SINC SAYS:
Consider it done, Anon.
Could you mention this bit about British Pensioners please?
Anon
St. Albert
SINC SAYS:
Consider it done, Anon.
Another Old Friend Checks In . . .
19/06/2009 02:00
Hi
Don,
Congratulations on your first year. I check out your site every day now. That is a great clip of Louis Armstrong and Danny Kaye, glad you shared it.
I'll give you a call, Mel and I have a idea and we think we need to ask an expert for advice.
Talk to you soon.
Kelly
(In Entwistle)
SINC SAYS:
Shucks Kelly, I’m no expert, but I do try to help folks when I can. Provided it’s a Mac, that is. I know zero about PCs. But in the meantime, sit back and enjoy this little number by Louis Armstrong and his pal Bing Crosby.
Congratulations on your first year. I check out your site every day now. That is a great clip of Louis Armstrong and Danny Kaye, glad you shared it.
I'll give you a call, Mel and I have a idea and we think we need to ask an expert for advice.
Talk to you soon.
Kelly
(In Entwistle)
SINC SAYS:
Shucks Kelly, I’m no expert, but I do try to help folks when I can. Provided it’s a Mac, that is. I know zero about PCs. But in the meantime, sit back and enjoy this little number by Louis Armstrong and his pal Bing Crosby.
Hef Just Keeps On Truckin’
19/06/2009 01:59
Hugh Hefner has been
blessed with three new very gorgeous blonde
beauties — two of which are
twins.
But despite his
romantic relationship with 19-year-olds
Karissa and Kristina Shannon, the men’s
magazine mogul admitted at the recent Playmate
of the Year party at The Palms in Sin City
that he still can’t really tell them apart.
"I have one little trick, one has a little mark," Hef said, motioning to his neck. "Other than that, I don’t know."
The 83-year-old — who is no doubt living a life beyond most male’s wildest dreams — is also getting ready to see his trials and tribulations on the big screen in an upcoming Brett Ratner flick. And who does Hef want to play him?
"Robert Downey Jr. and I have talked about it, it’s a very real possibility," Hef added. "Downey’s a marvelous actor, I would be honored."
SINC SAYS:
I hear that Hef single handedly keeps the Pfizer stock so high.
"I have one little trick, one has a little mark," Hef said, motioning to his neck. "Other than that, I don’t know."
The 83-year-old — who is no doubt living a life beyond most male’s wildest dreams — is also getting ready to see his trials and tribulations on the big screen in an upcoming Brett Ratner flick. And who does Hef want to play him?
"Robert Downey Jr. and I have talked about it, it’s a very real possibility," Hef added. "Downey’s a marvelous actor, I would be honored."
SINC SAYS:
I hear that Hef single handedly keeps the Pfizer stock so high.
Strange Orange Lights Baffle Britons
19/06/2009 01:59
Clusters
of orange lights that have been illuminating the
night sky across Britain and Holland are baffling
onlookers, the Daily Mail reported Thursday.
These strange clusters of orange lights have been baffling onlookers across Britain. Witnesses have said the UFOs dart in between one another in perfect formation. These cell phone images were snapped by an onlooker in Birmingham, England, last week.
There are different explanations for the lights, which one man said he captured on his cell phone. An ex-military official told the Daily Mail that the lights were dropped by jets to simulate the path of a missile in order to test the warship's radar systems. But a woman in Lincoln, England -- where some lights were spotted -- said they were nothing more than Chinese lanterns that had been set off at her wedding reception.
Still others said the glowing orbs were an armada of invading UFOs, a theory that elicits scoffs from some experts.
One man who saw the lights on May 27 described them this way:
"They were traveling 15 at a time and every six minutes more seemed to be coming over the horizon. They were not planes. They were not balloons. Each one was the size of a building," said guesthouse owner Auberon Hedgecoe of Huntingdon, England.
The sightings even prompted military officials to check their logs for aircraft activity. But an air force spokesman for a nearby base said it was closed when the last activity was sighted.
SINC SAYS:
They're out there, aren't they? I knew it!
These strange clusters of orange lights have been baffling onlookers across Britain. Witnesses have said the UFOs dart in between one another in perfect formation. These cell phone images were snapped by an onlooker in Birmingham, England, last week.
There are different explanations for the lights, which one man said he captured on his cell phone. An ex-military official told the Daily Mail that the lights were dropped by jets to simulate the path of a missile in order to test the warship's radar systems. But a woman in Lincoln, England -- where some lights were spotted -- said they were nothing more than Chinese lanterns that had been set off at her wedding reception.
Still others said the glowing orbs were an armada of invading UFOs, a theory that elicits scoffs from some experts.
One man who saw the lights on May 27 described them this way:
"They were traveling 15 at a time and every six minutes more seemed to be coming over the horizon. They were not planes. They were not balloons. Each one was the size of a building," said guesthouse owner Auberon Hedgecoe of Huntingdon, England.
The sightings even prompted military officials to check their logs for aircraft activity. But an air force spokesman for a nearby base said it was closed when the last activity was sighted.
SINC SAYS:
They're out there, aren't they? I knew it!
Ewww! Seattle Gum Wall A Top Germy Attraction
19/06/2009 01:59
SEATTLE
-- A Seattle landmark has landed on a dubious list as
one of the world's top five germiest
attractions.
The 'gum wall' outside the Market Theater at Pike Place Market comes in at number two on the list released by TripAdvisor.
Starting in the 1990s, people would stick their gum on the wall as they waited for tickets.
The wall was scraped clean twice, but people couldn't seem to stop sticking their gum up and down the wall, and now it's a tourist attraction.
Ireland's Blarney Stone, which is kissed by up to 400,000 visitors each year, topped the list of unsanitary vacation stops.
SINC SAYS:
I hate gum chewers who leave their sordid remains on the underside of restaurant tables. Ewww is right!
The 'gum wall' outside the Market Theater at Pike Place Market comes in at number two on the list released by TripAdvisor.
Starting in the 1990s, people would stick their gum on the wall as they waited for tickets.
The wall was scraped clean twice, but people couldn't seem to stop sticking their gum up and down the wall, and now it's a tourist attraction.
Ireland's Blarney Stone, which is kissed by up to 400,000 visitors each year, topped the list of unsanitary vacation stops.
SINC SAYS:
I hate gum chewers who leave their sordid remains on the underside of restaurant tables. Ewww is right!
Eskimos' Rookie Quarterbacks May Be Keepers
19/06/2009 01:59
Zabransky, Ricard among impressive Eskimos newcomers
Jared Zabransky, Ciatrick Fason, Arkee Whitlock, Mark Restelli, Lester Ricard and Bobby Keyes all made early impressions in battles for positions on the Edmonton Eskimos roster.
Jesse Lumsden and Jason Maas then chimed in late as the Green and Gold ran roughshod over the Saskatchewan Roughriders 45-12 in Canadian Football League pre-season openers for both teams.
Zabransky, the rookie quarterback out of Boise State, completed 10 of 14 passes -- including five straight at one point -- for 109 yards and a touchdown in Wednesday night's victory before 34,793 fans at Commonwealth Stadium.
Throwing mainly off of rollouts, Zabransky kept the Riders defence off balance for most of the first half, staking the Esks to an 11-3 lead midway through the second quarter.
Zabransky scrambled for 20 yards, then two plays later found Efrem Hill for a five-yard touchdown pass at 7:26 of the second quarter to give the hosts the eight-point advantage.
"He looked good, especially when he took off. He was getting his legs underneath him and he felt comfortable," head coach Richie Hall said of Zabransky, his starting pivot on the night. "The more reps he got in, the more he felt comfortable and then he allowed his natural abilities to take over."
Zabransky, who has a shoulder that still isn't 100 per cent, connected on 10 of 14 passes before coming out of the game after his TD strike.
"Things started going for me. I started seeing the field better, it started to slow down. That's all it was, getting a feel for everything," said Zabransky. "In this league, a quarterback that can move his feet, throw on the run, exploit the defence with his feet, can do a lot of damage. I think I'm going to be a guy that's going to do that."
His replacement, Ricard, started slowly (three-of-six) before finding Kevin Challenger for a 13-yard TD 1:10 into the third quarter to make it 21-10. It was set up by a Chris Ciezki fumble recovery on the opening kickoff and a 14-yard run by Fason.
Fason then upped the lead to 28-10 four minutes later on a two-yard TD scamper. He added runs of 36 and five yards on the same drive, which also included a 42-yard Ricard completion to Jason Barnes.
Fason finished with 10 carries for 84 yards and the score, while Whitlock -- who started the game with carries of 10 and five yards, respectively, on the opening two plays -- had six runs for 40 yards.
Other highlights included Restelli's three tackles and an interception.
"He did a good job," said Hall, who won in his first game as a head coach.
"He had a pick, and when you look at those two linebackers, him and T.A. (Tumbo Abanikanda), they are a pretty good set battling at the (weakside) spot. They're two guys you're going to have hard time keeping off your roster.
"We say read slow, react fast and he was reacting fast," Hall added of Restelli.
More from the Edmonton Journal.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
From what I heard last night, the Esks coaching staff is going to have a lot of tough decisions to make in terms of who they keep and who they release.
Rain Suspends U.S. Open, Parr Leads At 1-Under
19/06/2009 01:59
The first round of the 109th U.S. Open at Bethpage Black has been suspended by rain until Friday morning.
Just 78 of the 156 players in the field were able to tee off on Thursday under poor playing conditions.
Rain began early on Thursday morning but the field played through it until about 10:15am et, when officials halted play. As rains got heavier, the greens were becoming waterlogged and course maintenance crews were unable to keep them playable.
After a delay of nearly four hours, the decision to call off play for the day was made just prior to 2pm et. The first round will resume on Friday morning at 7:30am et.
Andrew Parr of London, ON, a 26-year old member of the Canadian Tour, birdied his first hole of the day and has a share of the lead at 1-under par through 3 holes, along with Jeff Brehaut, Johan Edfors, and Ryan Spears.
Tiger Woods, playing in a group with reigning major winners Angel Cabrera and Padraig Harrington, is 1-over par through six holes. Woods was even through four before encountering difficulty at the par-4 5th hole. After hitting his tee shot into the deep rough, the world's top-ranked player eventually hit into a bunker and later missed a bogey putt to end up with a double-bogey six.
But Woods recovered on the next hole, where he made a 12-foot birdie putt on the par-4 6th to get back to 1-over par.
Canadians Mike Weir and Stephen Ames, along with amateur Nick Taylor, all originally had afternoon tee times and did not begin their first rounds.
With half of the field still to tee off, the second round of the tournament is unlikely to be completed until Saturday.
The weather forecast for Friday calls for better conditions, but there is expected to be a threat of rain in the area for the entire weekend.
Phil Mickelson wins hearts as he tries to win U.S. Open with wife Amy facing breast cancer.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
For at least a half hour before they suspended play yesterday morning, the course was unplayable. It would have been easier to swim on some of those greens rather than putt on them. That the USGA let play go on as long as they did was, in itself, absolutely ridiculous – they should completely wash-out round one and start over.
Ricky Ray: ‘It’s Going To Be Tough’
19/06/2009 01:59
At least half of the 13 players with a catch Wednesday won't make roster
It's pre-season, but here's a certainty -- in 2009, the Eskimos will receive. And receive. And receive.
In Wednesday's 45-12 drubbing of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, 13 Eskimos caught balls from three different quarterbacks -- none of them named Ricky Ray -- for a total of 306 yards and three touchdowns.
This on a night when a four-pack of Eskimos running backs rushed for a collective 228 yards, three more yards than the club's best game all last season, coincidentally also against Saskatchewan last Aug. 21.
It is pre-season. When the regular season starts against Winnipeg on July 2, six, maybe seven receivers will be on the game-day roster.
Of all the positions on the pre-season depth chart, none is thicker with evident talent than receiver. Nowhere will the final decisions about who stays and who goes be more difficult, and perhaps more painful.
And Edmonton general manager Danny Maciocia and head coach Richie Hall can't stop smiling in delicious anguish.
"Oh yeah," Hall said of finding criteria to decide among newcomers Willie Thornton, Efrem Hill, Jason Barnes, Alan Turner, Jamaica Rector, Kevin Wuthrich, et al.
"But you've got to. The reality is that we can't keep all of them, but their job is to go out there and to continue to make our job tough.
"This game is part of the evaluation. You (also) look at what they do in practice and see how things pan out. We still have another pre-season game (Tuesday) against B.C. and on the 25th we have to make some decisions.
"But they're good decisions because we feel that whatever group of receivers we end up with, we're going to feel pretty good because they're all very talented."
The posse of pass-catchers also includes incumbents Kamau Peterson, Fred Stamps, Maurice Mann, Andrew Nowacki and Kevin Challenger, but that doesn't mean all of them will be around when the final cuts are made, either.
Ray, the club's franchise player and the league's best passer, was also smiling after the first glimpse of what these receivers can do in live action.
"It's going to be tough," Ray said of the upcoming decisions.
More from the Edmonton Journal.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
The Esks also have an excellent “crop” of receivers to chose from this year. It’s amazing what a scouting department can do for you, isn’t it?
If You’re Forced To Pick, You May As Well Pick Tiger
19/06/2009 01:59
Why, the readers ask, do you always pick Tiger Woods to win?
Anyone can do that, they say. Show some originality.
Well, it's like this:
- Form -- He won on the PGA Tour the last time he teed it up, at Memorial two weeks ago.
- Familiarity -- He is unfazed by majors, having won 14 of them, including last year's U.S. Open, on one leg.
- Horses for Courses -- He won the last time the Open was played on the Black Course at Bethpage State Park.
- Conditions -- It is going to be a long, wet slog here this week on a course that favors length off the tee and an ability to hit recovery shots, both Tiger strengths.
"The fairways are much softer than what we faced in '02," he said, in his pre-tournament media session.
"It's not going to (dry out) this year. The golf course is playing long. They moved the tees back. And I don't feel like I've gotten any shorter since 2002, but man, I'm just wearing out my long irons."
Tiger with a long iron in his hand, versus just about anyone else? Not a hard choice.
But even if all that weren't true, the assignment isn't to place a bet. We're not talking odds or point spreads.
There is no such thing as a lock in golf, or any other sport. But it is logical -- if asked to pick one man against a field of 155 other players -- to go with the one whose game doesn't have to be clicking on all cylinders in order for him to win. The one who, if he drives it in the rough more than he'd like, can still get it up and down often enough. The one who, at the end of each hole, has the comfort of being as great a clutch putter as the man whose records he is inexorably chasing down: Jack Nicklaus.
"Obviously, it's not the green complexes this week, certainly it's not Oakmont, or Winged Foot," he said. "But from tee to green, this golf course is all you want.
"With the weather coming in here this week, it's only going to get longer and harder, so you have to get the ball in play.
"And if you put the ball on the greens, you'll have a lot of good chances at birdies because the greens are relatively flat. "
Tiger's comeback from knee surgery has been a mixed bag, and it is no sure thing -- despite the dramatic charge to victory at Memorial -- that he has all facets of the game finely tuned.
Nor will he be the crowd favourite here. That will be Phil Mickelson, who won New York fans over in 2002 with a late charge that fell just short, was still their man at Shinnecock in 2004 and Winged Foot in 2006, and now is made even more sympathetic by the battle his wife Amy is waging against breast cancer.
More from the Edmonton Journal.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
I know who I’m picking this week, folks.
Twins Seek ‘Identical’ 12-Year, $63 Million Contracts
19/06/2009 01:59
It appears that the Vancouver Canucks will have to break the bank if they want to hold on to the Sedin brothers.
According to a report on Swedish website expressen.se, Daniel and Henrik Sedin are looking for identical 12-year contracts worth $63 million each, comparable to the 12-year, $73 million deal that fellow countryman Henrik Zetterberg signed with the Detroit Red Wings.
While the twins enjoyed solid seasons with the Canucks last year, co-leading the team in scoring with 82 points each while each adding 10 points during the Canucks' playoff run, they have yet to reach the same level as Zetterberg who captured the Conn Smythe trophy last season while leading his Red Wings to the Stanley Cup.
The brother's have expressed an interest in remaining in Vancouver, while the Canucks' have stated that it is a priority to re-sign the twins, however it is believed that a $63 million price tag is much more than general manager Mike Gillis would be willing to spend.
According to the article on expressen.se, neither the Sedin's, nor their agent J.P. Barry would comment on the report.
The brother's each earned $3.75 million this past season and are scheduled to become unrestricted free-agents July 1st.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
Why doesn’t anything about this story, or the twins for that matter, surprise me folks?
Guy Lafleur Given Fine, Suspended Sentence
19/06/2009 01:59
MONTREAL -- Hockey legend Guy Lafleur will have a criminal record after being fined $100 and given a one-year-suspended sentence.
The former Montreal Canadiens sniper has also been ordered to donate $10,000 to charity after being convicted last month of giving contradictory evidence at his son's bail hearing in 2007.
Lafleur initially said his son always respected a court-ordered curfew but he told a subsequent court hearing he drove him to a hotel twice for intimate encounters with his 16-year-old girlfriend.
Lafleur was stoic as Quebec court Judge Claude Parent read the ruling in a Montreal courtroom this afternoon.
Parent said he couldn't conclude Lafleur acted deliberately but added that didn't justify or excuse his actions.
Lafleur is appealing the guilty verdict handed down on May 1.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
Being the “demi-God” he is in Quebec, I am not surprised at all at this sentence for Lafleur.
Disgraced NBA Ref Donaghy Leaves Prison
19/06/2009 01:59
Former NBA referee Tim Donaghy arrived at a Tampa halfway house on Wednesday from a federal prison camp in the Florida panhandle to serve the rest of his 15-month sentence in a gambling scandal.
A New York judge sentenced Donaghy last year after the referee said he took thousands of dollars from a professional gambler in exchange for inside tips on NBA games -- including games he worked. Donaghy said he was a gambling addict.
He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in wire fraud and transmitting betting information through interstate commerce in the tips-for-payoffs scheme. Donaghy started serving his sentence in September and is scheduled for release in October.
Donaghy has begun working on a tell-all memoir about his 13-year career in the NBA while he's been in prison.
He plans to detail his involvement with underworld figures in the betting scandal, disclose how he would pick winning teams and discuss the relationship that players, coaches and referees have with each other.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
If Donaghy is serious about following through with his plan to detail his involvement with underworld figures in the betting scandal, it wouldn’t surprise me if he turns up dead under suspicious circumstances at some point.
Knee Injury May Keep Nadal From Wimbledon
19/06/2009 01:58
LONDON -- Rafael Nadal looked hampered by his injured knees during a 6-4, 6-3 loss to Lleyton Hewitt in an exhibition Thursday, and will decide Friday if he can defend his Wimbledon title.
Nadal played without tape on his knees but frequently appeared a step slow on the grass court at Hurlingham Club.
This was Nadal's first match since his loss to Robin Soderling in the fourth round of the French Open. He pulled out of last week's grass-court tournament at Queen's Club to rest his knees.
Nadal looked increasingly frustrated against the hard-serving Hewitt, repeatedly failing to get to balls he normally reaches and struggling with unforced backhand errors. He frequently muttered to himself in Spanish after missed shots and often had to rely on his top-spin forehand to escape trouble.
He did not speak to reporters, but uncle and coach Toni Nadal said it was still uncertain whether he can play at Wimbledon, which starts Monday.
Nadal plays another match Friday against Stanislas Wawrinka. Toni Nadal said the top-ranked player will decide after that. When pressed about Wimbledon, the coach did not sound optimistic.
"If it's me, I'm (flying) to Mallorca," he said, referring to the island where Nadal grew up.
Nadal has struggled with knee problems for months and missed last year's Davis Cup final after he was diagnosed with tendinitis in November.
Toni Nadal said his nephew's main problem is bending properly, and wearing some kind of support wouldn't help. He said Nadal has been receiving treatment during his week in London, but "it's not enough."
In the other singles match Thursday at the small private club by the River Thames, Tomas Berdych beat Marat Safin 7-6 (7), 6-4.
Hewitt challenged Nadal from the start, forcing the Spaniard to save two break points in the first game before holding serve. The former top-ranked Australian then managed to break at love for a 3-2 lead after three unforced errors from Nadal. Hewitt held his next service game at love behind a barrage of aces.
Nadal had his first break point in the first game of the second set, but Hewitt saved it with a service winner. Nadal set up another break point at 2-2 with a good forehand volley, but Hewitt made a forehand winner down the line before holding.
Hewitt then broke again for a 4-3 lead after Nadal sent a forehand long, and the Australian converted his second match point after Nadal sent a lunging backhand long.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
Nadal’s misfortune may, once again, open the door for Roger Federer and his date with destiny.
Accolades Continue For mybirdie.ca
18/06/2009 05:12
"Today marks the
366th day that mybirdie.ca has been
continuously published. In other words, it is
our first anniversary as an independent stand
alone web
site."
Happy Anniversary, Don.
This is quite an accomplishment given the amount of
material on the Internet.
Kudos,
Marc
(In St. John’s, NL.)
---------------------------
Don,
Congratulations on one full year of your site being a news site for your readers.
While not everyone will agree with everyone's opinion or everyone's interpretation of a news item, we must all defend the freedom to communicate to others how we each see news and views.
Don, 117,000 Canadians have given their lives in the past 100 years to allow all of us to have the freedoms we enjoy, and that list is longer than most in the world.
I thank you for providing readers your site and congratulate you for the year of perseverance and hard work to get the website to where it is.
You have averaged 350 hits a day in recent months and as such it is an indication of the interest in what you provide.
Keep up the good work.
Regards,
Mayor Nolan Crouse
City of St. Albert
SINC SAYS:
Mr. Mayor, we actually averaged 428 hits per day in year one, but the past month has been well over 500 per day. But who’s counting?
Danny Kaye and Louis Armstrong
18/06/2009 05:12
Tough Customer Won't End Siege Of Castle
18/06/2009 05:11
It was after midnight
when Ariel Wade rolled into the drive-through
at the 24-hour White Castle, one block from the
State Capitol.
Wade rolled away
"madder than fish grease" after the staff
refused to hand over any burgers.
The reason: She was riding in an electric mobility scooter. The drive-throughs are for licensed motor vehicles only. White Castle says it's a safety measure that's standard in the industry, to keep pedestrians from getting creamed by cars.
But Wade, who uses the scooter because of degenerative arthritis in her back, says the policy discriminates against people who don't or can't drive. The White Castle dining room closed at 11 p.m., so she had no choice but to order her Slyders in the drive-through.
Complimentary burgers and consoling words from the district manager the next day haven't stopped Wade from taking her gripe to a law firm that advocates for the disabled. Her drive-through dispute now could test a relatively uncharted area of disability law.
"You can try to butter me up all you want to. Free meals ain't going to work," said Wade, 37. "I want to make sure they don't discriminate against another person."
The Minnesota Disability Law Center is weighing whether to take on Wade's case, said Justin Page, a staff attorney. It's an "unsettled" area of law, with few cases testing the issue, he said. But on first glance, the policy strikes Page as inconsistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
"I would argue if you're open 24 hours, you need to be accessible and provide accessibility 24 hours," Page said.
SINC SAYS:
Is it just me or do ya think she maybe doesn’t need any more burgers?
The reason: She was riding in an electric mobility scooter. The drive-throughs are for licensed motor vehicles only. White Castle says it's a safety measure that's standard in the industry, to keep pedestrians from getting creamed by cars.
But Wade, who uses the scooter because of degenerative arthritis in her back, says the policy discriminates against people who don't or can't drive. The White Castle dining room closed at 11 p.m., so she had no choice but to order her Slyders in the drive-through.
Complimentary burgers and consoling words from the district manager the next day haven't stopped Wade from taking her gripe to a law firm that advocates for the disabled. Her drive-through dispute now could test a relatively uncharted area of disability law.
"You can try to butter me up all you want to. Free meals ain't going to work," said Wade, 37. "I want to make sure they don't discriminate against another person."
The Minnesota Disability Law Center is weighing whether to take on Wade's case, said Justin Page, a staff attorney. It's an "unsettled" area of law, with few cases testing the issue, he said. But on first glance, the policy strikes Page as inconsistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
"I would argue if you're open 24 hours, you need to be accessible and provide accessibility 24 hours," Page said.
SINC SAYS:
Is it just me or do ya think she maybe doesn’t need any more burgers?
School Bans Bananas Because One Teacher Has Allergy
18/06/2009 05:11
Yes, we have no
bananas:
Stoke Damerel
Primary School in Plymouth, where the fruit
has been banned for two years because a staff
member has a life-threatening allergy to them
Nutritious and delicious, bananas are a lunchbox favourite. But they have been banned from a primary school because a teacher is allergic to them.
The school has forbidden pupils to eat bananas because a female staff member suffers from the rare and potentially lethal condition 'latex fruit syndrome'.
Any contact with the fruit could result in anaphylactic shock - which in extreme cases can cause collapse or even death.
The ban, introduced two years ago at Stoke Damerel Primary School in Plymouth, has divided parents.
'When it was first brought in we couldn't believe it,' said Mary Williams, 54, as she dropped her grandchild at the school. 'Banning bananas because a member of staff - not even a pupil - is allergic is ridiculous.
'A lot of us feel this is a massive overreaction.'
But another parent said: 'It does seem a little silly, but then if it was my child who was allergic I would be relieved that they would not be in danger.'
Latex fruit syndrome is related to latex allergy. Experts say up to 50 per cent of those allergic to natural rubber latex are also sensitive to fruits, particularly bananas.
A spokesman for the school said the ban would be lifted in September when the affected teacher is leaving the school.
She added: 'These are very unusual circumstances but the school community has been supportive and understanding over the last two years.'
SINC SAYS:
Wouldn’t it be a lot easier on everyone involved to simply ban the teacher?
Nutritious and delicious, bananas are a lunchbox favourite. But they have been banned from a primary school because a teacher is allergic to them.
The school has forbidden pupils to eat bananas because a female staff member suffers from the rare and potentially lethal condition 'latex fruit syndrome'.
Any contact with the fruit could result in anaphylactic shock - which in extreme cases can cause collapse or even death.
The ban, introduced two years ago at Stoke Damerel Primary School in Plymouth, has divided parents.
'When it was first brought in we couldn't believe it,' said Mary Williams, 54, as she dropped her grandchild at the school. 'Banning bananas because a member of staff - not even a pupil - is allergic is ridiculous.
'A lot of us feel this is a massive overreaction.'
But another parent said: 'It does seem a little silly, but then if it was my child who was allergic I would be relieved that they would not be in danger.'
Latex fruit syndrome is related to latex allergy. Experts say up to 50 per cent of those allergic to natural rubber latex are also sensitive to fruits, particularly bananas.
A spokesman for the school said the ban would be lifted in September when the affected teacher is leaving the school.
She added: 'These are very unusual circumstances but the school community has been supportive and understanding over the last two years.'
SINC SAYS:
Wouldn’t it be a lot easier on everyone involved to simply ban the teacher?
Busty Barmaid Prepares For Topless Skydive
18/06/2009 05:11
Charlotte will take
the
plunge on August
1
Busty barmaid Charlotte Robinson is gearing up for a skydive with a difference.
The 24-year-old, from Catterall in Garstang, will jump 14,000ft from a Turbine Porter aircraft – topless.
The bubbly mother-of-one will be strapped to the front of an instructor and will freefall at more than 120mph before the parachute opens. She is hoping the jump, at the Black Knights Parachute Centre, Hillam Lane, Cockerham, will raise hundreds of pounds for the North West Air Ambulance.
She said: "I don't know if I'll hurt myself – I might do because I'm a 36GG.
"I saw the sign three weeks ago on the side of the A6 in Lancaster and I don't know how the topless part came about. I'm just a bit mental really and definitely outgoing."
Charlotte, who has a seven-year-old son called Zac, will take the plunge on Saturday, August 1.
She said: "I'm a bit nervous. The only other thing I've done is a bungee jump when I was about 12. But I do like to live on the edge."
A spokesman for the Black Knights Parachute Centre said: "We've had girls previously that are raising money for charity.
"There's not a lot for anyone to see – the only people that will see anything are the people in the aircraft."
SINC SAYS:
This is one of those stories that makes me ask, why?
Busty barmaid Charlotte Robinson is gearing up for a skydive with a difference.
The 24-year-old, from Catterall in Garstang, will jump 14,000ft from a Turbine Porter aircraft – topless.
The bubbly mother-of-one will be strapped to the front of an instructor and will freefall at more than 120mph before the parachute opens. She is hoping the jump, at the Black Knights Parachute Centre, Hillam Lane, Cockerham, will raise hundreds of pounds for the North West Air Ambulance.
She said: "I don't know if I'll hurt myself – I might do because I'm a 36GG.
"I saw the sign three weeks ago on the side of the A6 in Lancaster and I don't know how the topless part came about. I'm just a bit mental really and definitely outgoing."
Charlotte, who has a seven-year-old son called Zac, will take the plunge on Saturday, August 1.
She said: "I'm a bit nervous. The only other thing I've done is a bungee jump when I was about 12. But I do like to live on the edge."
A spokesman for the Black Knights Parachute Centre said: "We've had girls previously that are raising money for charity.
"There's not a lot for anyone to see – the only people that will see anything are the people in the aircraft."
SINC SAYS:
This is one of those stories that makes me ask, why?
Montana To Hold Lying Contest
18/06/2009 05:11
BUTTE, Montana - A
Montana festival is to feature what organizers
term "a unique event in tribute to the culture
of the American West" - a lying
contest.Contestants at the National Folk Festival contest in Butte next month will compete for a trophy. Each contestant will be allowed a set amount of time and the number of contestants will be limited.
Contest organizers say the event is for amateur liars only: No lawyers, politicians, patent medicine salesmen or motivational speakers need apply.
SINC SAYS:
Yep, that list sounds about right.
Richie’s Ready For Head Coaching Debut
18/06/2009 05:11
Longtime assistant gets to make game calls on sidelines
As much as tonight's pre-season opener is an audition for the Edmonton Eskimos, it is also a dry-run of sorts for new head coach Richie Hall and his staff.
"Hopefully, I go down on the sideline instead of up into the press box," said Hall, a veteran of 15 Canadian Football League seasons as an assistant coach and/or defensive co-ordinator with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
"It is (a rehearsal). You can prepare and prepare and prepare, but you never know until you go through the game because (training camp) is not a game situation regarding anything from throwing out the flag to challenge calls, to making a decision on accepting or declining a penalty, or time management.
"It's not only a pre-season game for the players, but a pre-season game for the staff, because this is the first time we've been together and under the gun." That Hall and Co. make their debut against the Riders -- a team he also played for from 1988 to '91, prior to coaching -- makes it that much more intriguing.
"It should be exciting, very exciting," he said. "To me, first and foremost, it's an opponent, and it happens to be Saskatchewan.
"If you were to write a script, you couldn't have designed it any better for myself ... . What better way to start out for myself as a head coach than against a team that you've been with for so long; a team that has given me the opportunity to be here today." But don't be fooled. That patented Hall niceness and brimming smile will be replaced by a ferociousness come kickoff at Commonwealth Stadium. He will be as demanding on his players as he was on himself (he was a four-time CFL West Divi-sion all-star defensive back during his nine seasons with the Calgary Stampeders and Saskatchewan).
"Needless to say, I am very truly excited for this opportunity," he said with a smile, once again.
"But I think we have to keep things in perspective. The game is about the players. It's about Edmonton and Saskatchewan and it's a pre-season game -- even though both teams are going out there to win. It's also a time to evaluate our football team and evaluate the personnel on both teams." It will be a strange feeling, just the same, as Hall steps on to the lush grass surface for the first time as a head coach.
He has plenty of support, though, especially from his immediate boss, general manager Danny Maciocia, who he replaces as head coach.
"Just be yourself. Go out and have a good time," Maciocia said, when asked what he would offer as advice.
"Be yourself. Let your coaches coach and let your players play. His biggest challenge may be the pre-game.
More from the Edmonton Journal.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
Look at it this way, folks – could Richie Hall be a worse Head Coach than Danny Maciocia if he made a concerted effort at it? I think not.
Danica’s Lips Sealed About Series Move
18/06/2009 05:11
Patrick intent on doing best she can in IndyCar this season before even thinking about possible shift to NASCAR
If Danica Patrick is shifting gears next season, she's not saying. Not yet anyway.
What she did say is that she is open to all avenues right now -- which means a move to NASCAR remains a possibility.
The reigning queen of the Indy Car circuit is in the final year of her contract with Andretti Green. She has hired IMG to negotiate her contract, and it should be noted that the president of the sports management company, George Pyne, was the chief operating officer of NASCAR.
"NASCAR has so many viewers and so many partners. There are lots of options inside and outside the car. So there's reasons (why drivers make the move). And it looks like fun," Patrick said in a conference call Tuesday.
"It's kind of like the Indy 500 every weekend. That's a lot of fun as a driver to be part of something important, and something people want to watch.
"I just want to know what my options are and who's really serious ... We're just collecting information at this point," she continued. "The most important thing is to put myself in a situation where I can win as many races as possible and run up front and be in that competitive situation.
"After that, there has to be thoughts to the brand side and being able to make the most of myself as an athlete and as an endorser of products and ... gaining exposure so that in due time I'm able to explore other things outside of racing."
Patrick will race in Des Moines, Iowa, on Sunday after which the series moves to Richmond, Va., Watkins Glen, N.Y., Toronto and then Edmonton on July 26.
The final race of the season is Oct. 10 in Homestead, Fla.
"I hope to have a good Christmas and know what I'm doing next year. That would be the worst-case scenario," she said. "I want to do well this year. I want to do well in the series. I want to finish as high as possible. I want to win as many races as I can, so I don't want to do anything that would take away from that."
The dynamo finished third at the Indy 500 last month, the best finish posted by a woman on the famed track. She heads into this weekend's race ranked fifth with five straight top-six finishes.
Last year, she took the checkered flag in Japan, becoming the first woman to win a major open wheel race.
"You have a million times more joy turning a good lap on a road course than an oval," said Patrick.
"On the road courses (like Edmonton), you're racing against yourself most of the time. On the ovals, you're racing against everyone else. So I look forward to getting to some road courses and having those moments."
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
No matter what Danica decides to do in October, I guess we’ll be seeing her in Edmonton for the Edmonton Indy on July 26.
All Business Inside The White Lines
18/06/2009 05:11
Roughriders turned Eskimos eager to face former teammates
Edmonton Eskimos fans likely will not see a lot of veterans on the field tonight, at least not for a lengthy period of time.
But they will witness their first look at the new Saskatchewan recruits in Eskimos colours going full bore in the pre-season opener.
Maurice Lloyd, Kitwana Jones and Scott Gordon bring with them veteran savvy, a ferocious brand of football and familiarity with what is now head coach Richie Hall's defence (albeit with a twist). It's ironic that the first taste they get as new members of the Eskimos is against their former teammates -- the nasty Roughriders of Saskatchewan.
"I have a lot of emotions going into this game. I'm anxious and at the same time I kind of have mixed feelings about going against the boys," said Jones. "But I'm ready to go.
"This is the name of the game, this is a business. There is no guarantee that you're going to wear the same colour for your football career. So I'm with the Eskimos.
"I'm ready to go against these Riders and I'm going to go hard." Eskimos fans wouldn't want it any other way, especially when the Green and White venture to town.
"I can't wait," said Jones, who came over in a trade, while the other two signed as free agents. "It's going to be awkward, but hey, that's the name of the game. I'm wearing a different green now, green and yellow not green and white." The same goes for Lloyd, who takes command of a revamped defence.
"To tell you the truth, I don't have any thoughts and feelings. I never have any thoughts and feelings before a game. It's the day of the game that I have thoughts and feelings," stressed a very serious Lloyd.
"The Riders are just another team to me. I have no grief against them. I have no hard feelings towards them. It's business, but my thing is they're not my teammates anymore. They're friends outside the white lines, but when we step inside the white lines, it's all business." Lloyd definitely had his game face on and Esks fans will be happy to know it will be there for quite some time.
"You have to know how to turn on your on/off switch. My on switch has been on since I signed Feb. 16 and it won't stop until the end of November," Lloyd insisted. "It will be full on (Wednesday). How long I play for (tonight against Saskatchewan) I do not know, but as long as I'm playing you're going to get everything Mo Lloyd brings on the field." Gordon, the eldest of the trio at 32, was the most lighthearted of the bunch, but like the others, was excited about the chance to face his former teammates.
"I'm going to be talking trash to Darian Durant," laughed Gordon.
"I'm going to have fun with it, but if I get a chance to make a hit ... I expect them to come at me. I'm not going to let up and I don't expect you to let up. That's the game of football." But make no mistake, there will be plenty of kibitzing to go with the clashing.
"Maybe I'll say a few things, get in their heads. I expect them to be talking trash to me. Yeah, this should be a lot of fun," smiled Gordon.
POINT AFTER: Hall is not expected to dress starting quarterback Ricky Ray, who will likely sit out the entire game as the Eskimos focus on the No. 3 spot, a battle between Lester Ricard and Jared Zabransky. One of the two will start. Others not expected to play are OL Greg Wojt and Garrick Jones, LB/DB Lenny Williams, FB Mathieu Bertrand, DL Jim Davis, DBs Bradley Robinson and Jason Goss and SB Dante Luciani.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
Frankly, I can’t wait to see Mo Lloyd smoke Darian Durant – or Steven Jyles – or Juan Joseph.
‘Tired Of Beating Up On Each Other’
18/06/2009 05:11
Running back Whitlock eager to show coaches what he's capable of against a real opposition
It's show time and, for some, it might be their one and only opportunity to shine.
When the Edmonton Eskimos take to Commonwealth Stadium tonight to open their pre-season, there will be those who step to the forefront in their search for work in the Canadian Football League.
But a miserable performance against the visiting Saskatchewan Roughriders (7 p.m. kickoff, 630 CHED) might put that same recruit on the first flight out of town come Thursday.
Running back prospect Arkee Whitlock can hardly wait to get his chance.
"I'm not sure what the exact rotation will be," said Whitlock, who desperately wants to get his hands on the ball. "But I'm pretty sure I'll get my share, at least enough to get some film in and prove what I'm capable of.
"I'm hoping I'll get my fair share and go out and perform and play some football. All of us are tired of beating up on each other. It's time to have an opponent.
"It's finally a chance to show what we can do against an opponent. I'm excited and I'm trying to stay calm," added the five-foot-10, 210-pound Southern Illinois product, who has come on of late.
Moving to the Canadian game has been an adjustment for the 25-year-old, who spent some time with the National Football League's Minnesota Vikings and San Francisco 49ers.
"I'm improving, but I believe I can still be a lot better," insisted the speedster, who hopes to take advantage of the wider Canadian field, starting tonight.
"The field is the running back's advantage. It gives me more space, more room to make plays."
But Whitlock is not alone. The return of Canadian offensive lineman Joe McGrath may open up an import spot on offence and that could ultimately mean room for a Whitlock or Ciatrick Fason as depth at running back.
A lot of battles are being fought for spots on the Green and Gold roster. Here are a few key areas to watch:
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
For a list of a few players to keep an eye on, click here.
Phelps Secures First Endorsement Since Suspension
18/06/2009 05:11
American swimmer Michael Phelps has secured his first endorsement since a photo of the Olympic athlete smoking a marijuana pipe was published in January.
H2O Audio, a provider of waterproof headphones and MP3 player accessories, announced Tuesday a multi-year partnership with Phelps, who won a record eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Summer Games.
"Michael embodies our vision and commitment to excellence, and reinforces our dedication to improving the training experience with music anywhere, anytime," said Kristian Rauhala, founder and CEO of H2O Audio, in a release.
"We are a young company of athletes for athletes, and our relationship with Michael will undoubtedly benefit our technology, product performance and design," Rauhala said.
Phelps is already featured using the H2O Audio products in a video on the company's website.
While most financial backers stuck by the swimmer following his three-month suspension from the pool, Phelps did lose one major sponsorship deal with Kellogg's cereal.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
Michael Phelps is very, very lucky the only endorsement he lost was for Kellogg’s Corn Flakes.
CFL Season Preview: Setting The Stage For 2009
18/06/2009 05:11
It seems like only yesterday that CFL Commissioner Mark Cohon was presenting the Grey Cup to the Calgary Stampeders at a jam-packed Olympic Stadium in Montreal.
Yet, here we are on the eve of another CFL season, that magical time of year when every team is undefeated with dreams that this could be the year.
Three new head coaches will make their CFL debuts this year, secure in the knowledge that last year's Grey Cup teams were led by rookie head coaches. Calgary's John Hufnagel and Montreal's Marc Trestman silenced all the critics that put a premium on experience as they led their teams to the ultimate game.
After years as the defensive architect in Regina, Richie Hall finally gets his chance as a head coach with the Edmonton Eskimos. With Ricky Ray at quarterback, free agent signing Jesse Lumsden at running back and Hall's proven defensive scheme, there is reason for optimism in the City of Champions.
Mike Kelly returns from Edmonton to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, where he has completely dismantled a team that disappointed many last year. Coming off a Grey Cup loss in 2007, much was expected but little was delivered last season. As a result, the Bombers offensive coordinator from 1992-96 was brought back to make changes and, needless to say, program sales should be brisk as Winnipeg fans get to know all the new faces.
And Bart Andrus heads north from the Tennessee Titans with great expectations in Toronto. Last season was a nightmare for the Argonauts as head coach Rich Stubler created a quarterback controversy and the defence got old real quick. But Andrus has been compared to Trestman, which bodes well in the Ontario capital.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
For more of TSN’s pre-season preview of the CFL, click here.
Donors Help Los Angeles Pay For Lakers’ Parade
18/06/2009 05:11
LOS ANGELES -- Private donors have agreed to cover nearly US$1 million in taxpayer costs for a parade honouring the NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers.
The costs for police, traffic control and other services for Wednesday's parade were still being calculated, but they were expected to run a bit under $1 million, said Julie Wong, an aide to City Council President Eric Garcetti.
"There are donors who are making contributions that will, in the aggregate, cover the expected costs of the parade," Wong said.
She didn't have the names of the donors but they were expected to be released at an afternoon news conference.
The prospect of the cash-strapped city having to cover the bill had drawn strong criticism.
Employee unions had objected to public spending on the parade at a time when Los Angeles is contemplating layoffs to close a more than $500-million budget gap.
Appeals for private funding were made by the mayor and other city officials, the Lakers and the head of the company that owns the team's arena. The Lakers and AEG, which owns Staples Center, earlier had agreed to cover another $1 million in costs.
The head of the city's police union said Tuesday he was pleased no city funding would be used.
"At a time of financial crisis, when employees are being furloughed and services are being reduced or eliminated, it's good to see our city leaders being accountable to the public," Los Angeles Police Protective League president Paul M. Weber said in a statement.
"By securing private funding for the celebration, they have shown that they know how to set the right priorities -- while still celebrating the Lakers' outstanding achievement -- in these tough economic times."
A motion introduced at Tuesday's City Council meeting calls for discussion of the city's actual parade costs at a meeting next week.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
If City of St. Albert administration (or, as SINC calls them - Robbing Hood And His Merry Band Of Men) and Council keep spending taxpayer dollars like drunken sailors, St. Albert will soon find itself in the very same position as Los Angeles.
Mickelson Hopes To Win U.S. Open For Ailing Wife
18/06/2009 05:11
FARMINGDALE, N.Y. -- Phil Mickelson has arrived at the U.S. Open with a series of text messages and notes from wife Amy, who is home preparing to fight breast cancer.
She wants him to return with the U.S. Open trophy.
Mickelson only decided to return to Bethpage Black two weeks ago after disclosing that his wife has been diagnosed with cancer. He was runner-up to Tiger Woods in 2002, and already has tied the U.S. Open record with four second-place finishes.
"She has left me a number of notes, texts, cards, hints that she would like a silver trophy in her hospital room," Mickelson said Wednesday. "I'm going to try to accommodate that."
She will have surgery July 1.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
It’s going to be a very tough row to hoe for Mickelson this week at Bethpage Black. In SWIVEL HIPS’ humble opinion, he just has way too much on his mind to win this week, but if he could pull it off, it would be one helluva story, wouldn’t it?
Kind Words From Readers Continue To Pour In
17/06/2009 04:20
Happy Anniversary
"mybirdie" and thanks for all the great
writing!
Your page is always so entertaining and interesting, and even though we're not a part of the St. Albert community, we have loved ones there who are.
I'm always pleased to have highlights from your pages shared with me by my cousin Velvet and your articles always bring a smile to my face (Kingsford the Piglet is my all-time favorite!)
All the best for many more years of great stories!
Lori and Greg Ferens
Ingonish, Nova Scotia
----------------------------
Sinc,
Congratulations to you as mybirdie.ca soars into its second year.
Along with Mr. BC of Calgary, I've had occasion to witness the time, effort, care and diligence you bring to creating enjoyment for others each day. It's a daunting task to maintain such a pace day in and day out for an extended time - and in the absence of financial reward, it's got to be a labor of love.
Good on ya!
I'm happy to be one of your original and biggest fans.
O.R.
(In Nipawin)
--------------------------
Don,
A huge congratulations on the first anniversary of your site - I've become so accustomed to reading it daily, I can hardly remember when it wasn't there.
I only read Saint City News for your column so this is MUCH better and we really do appreciate the hours of work you put into it.
It's great to have a forum when ordinary people can express their opinions without censorship along with heaps of humour and great interest stories.
Keep up the great work!!
Shirley and Grahame Allen
St. Albert
------------------------
Hi Don,
I LOVE mybirdie.ca.
I read it every day without fail and have told a lot of people about it.
Have a great day!!
Sharon
(In Edmonton)
------------------------
Don,
I read your site every morning, even before my e-mail, so congratulations . . . often it’s the only way to find out what is going on in town.
Elke Blodgett
St. Albert
More About Trees In St. Albert
17/06/2009 04:20
Don,
We get heat every year for chopping trees down and I do not know of ONE way to communicate it so we do it through press releases, stories, mail box stuffing's, city lights and of course I send it to you.
In the mean time keep up the good work.
Wow what great photos you have on your site!
Regards,
Mayor Nolan Crouse
City of St. Albert
SINC SAYS:
In an exchange with the mayor yesterday, he passed along some very interesting information regarding the number of trees in the city. I have included it below for readers information.
Street Trees:
Condition / Quantity / Percent
Healthy trees / 35,397 / 93.6
Unhealthy trees / 1,243 / 3.3
Dead trees / 92 / 0.2
Stump trees / 410 / 1.1
Missing trees / 686 / 1.8
Total street trees / 37,829 / 100
Park Trees:
Condition / Quantity / Percent
Healthy / 12,249 / 91.7
Unhealthy / 751 / 5.6
Dead / 51 / 0.4
Stump / 306 / 2.3
Total park trees / 13,357 / 100
TOTAL CITY TREES = 51, 186
Readers Trees In Full Bloom . . .
17/06/2009 04:20
Taxpayer Backlash Against High Recycle Fees
17/06/2009 04:20
Hi
Don
Welcome back from holidays and congratulations on your one year anniversary...its been quite a year. Here's looking forward to next year and many more!
Next Tuesday is the regular meeting of the St. Albert Taxpayers association, 7pm, June 23, St. Albert Community League Hall, 17 Perron Street. We'll be talking about several issues including recyclying and our completed 3 year strategic plan will be presented for approval. We'll send it out formally after that meeting.
Also, given the July introduction of blue bag, and our look at the data the city has provided on costs, we thought it appropriate to present a different assessment of their numbers in the attached letter.
Lynda Flannery
President
St. Albert Taxpayers Association
Recycle costs: Taxpayer Backlash
I was recently called by a taxpayer who, along with several others he knew, was very concerned about the new recycling costs. Not surprisingly, they currently recycle and can do so for less cost than the city is going to charge. They are concerned about tax and utility increases and the burden it places on them. Their solution: withhold the recycling portion of their utility bills. Unfortunately, unless a significant portion of users were willing to do the same, they city is not going to listen. Also, most communities around us have curbside recycling. And increasing recycling and decreasing the amount of garbage going to landfill, is a good objective.
The St. Albert Taxpayers Association concerns include the costs of recycling. City administration said to Council they are among the cheapest provider. However what wasn't said is that many of the other cities already offer more including yard waste pickup . St. Albert's own waste management report says the 2008 average cost per household of providing services was $12.85/month. Now it will cost an extra $5.50 per month for blue bag, for a total of $18.35 per month, and we still have to drop off our yard waste. When we looked at the comparators offered at Council and in the Sonnevera report, we saw:
So when we add the St. Albert cost estimates for yard waste planned for 2012, it shows that if we provided the same service as these comparators do now, we would be tied for most expensive provider.
In addition, the city has big plans to do full organics (kitchen waste) in 2012 for an extra $4.50 monthly^. This fits in with administrations mantra to provide gold plated services and facilities. This would bring our average monthly waste costs to $26.45 including a total recycling increase of $13.60 or $163.20 per year. The taxpayer of St. Albert cannot afford these types of expenditures and we want Council to rethink the next steps of this initiative. If you are concerned, please come to our next meeting, 7pm, June 23rd, St. Albert Community League Hall, 17 Perron Street, St. Albert or e-mail me at flannie@shaw.ca
SINC SAYS:
Is there anything this council and administration can do without ripping off taxpayers?
Welcome back from holidays and congratulations on your one year anniversary...its been quite a year. Here's looking forward to next year and many more!
Next Tuesday is the regular meeting of the St. Albert Taxpayers association, 7pm, June 23, St. Albert Community League Hall, 17 Perron Street. We'll be talking about several issues including recyclying and our completed 3 year strategic plan will be presented for approval. We'll send it out formally after that meeting.
Also, given the July introduction of blue bag, and our look at the data the city has provided on costs, we thought it appropriate to present a different assessment of their numbers in the attached letter.
Lynda Flannery
President
St. Albert Taxpayers Association
Recycle costs: Taxpayer Backlash
I was recently called by a taxpayer who, along with several others he knew, was very concerned about the new recycling costs. Not surprisingly, they currently recycle and can do so for less cost than the city is going to charge. They are concerned about tax and utility increases and the burden it places on them. Their solution: withhold the recycling portion of their utility bills. Unfortunately, unless a significant portion of users were willing to do the same, they city is not going to listen. Also, most communities around us have curbside recycling. And increasing recycling and decreasing the amount of garbage going to landfill, is a good objective.
The St. Albert Taxpayers Association concerns include the costs of recycling. City administration said to Council they are among the cheapest provider. However what wasn't said is that many of the other cities already offer more including yard waste pickup . St. Albert's own waste management report says the 2008 average cost per household of providing services was $12.85/month. Now it will cost an extra $5.50 per month for blue bag, for a total of $18.35 per month, and we still have to drop off our yard waste. When we looked at the comparators offered at Council and in the Sonnevera report, we saw:
So when we add the St. Albert cost estimates for yard waste planned for 2012, it shows that if we provided the same service as these comparators do now, we would be tied for most expensive provider.
In addition, the city has big plans to do full organics (kitchen waste) in 2012 for an extra $4.50 monthly^. This fits in with administrations mantra to provide gold plated services and facilities. This would bring our average monthly waste costs to $26.45 including a total recycling increase of $13.60 or $163.20 per year. The taxpayer of St. Albert cannot afford these types of expenditures and we want Council to rethink the next steps of this initiative. If you are concerned, please come to our next meeting, 7pm, June 23rd, St. Albert Community League Hall, 17 Perron Street, St. Albert or e-mail me at flannie@shaw.ca
SINC SAYS:
Is there anything this council and administration can do without ripping off taxpayers?
Tenant Finds Two-Way Mirror In Shower
17/06/2009 04:20
Visible From
Maintenance
ClosetDENVER -- Tenants in a Montrose apartment complex say they were shocked when they discovered a two-way mirror in their shower.
Jim Waters told the Montrose Daily Press it was strange to see a mirror in the shower of his basement unit at 1001 N. First St. "Our assumption was maybe it was a shaving mirror," Waters told the Press.
When Waters investigated, he found it was in fact a two-way mirror with a perfect view of the shower from a maintenance closet.
The closet exits directly to the outside and had a combination lock on the door.
"You can see everything from the top of the spigot to where the bathtub nozzle is. You can definitely see everything in the shower there," Waters told the Press. "It was just a viewing window into the shower."
Waters, who lives with two female roommates, said he contacted police who are investigating.
The three deiced to move out. On moving day, one of the female tenants said they noticed one of the mirrors in her bedroom looked darker than the others.
"She was like, 'no way,' but, sure enough," Waters told the Press. Waters said he found a 6-inch hole in the drywall behind the mirror. It provided a clear view of the bed.
Waters said he contacted the police again. The officer told him there isn't much they can do because they didn't catch anyone peeking through the mirror.
All three tenants received full refunds from the property manager and have moved to a different residence.
SINC SAYS:
The length some people will go to get their jollies is incredible, although length is not something we talk about in my case.
Nude, Mona Lisa-Like Painting Surfaces
17/06/2009 04:20
Documents suggest
work at least
based on similar
work by da
Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci may have painted his famous Mona Lisa in a number of styles — including nude. This painting, which features many parallels to the original Mona Lisa, was attributed to Leonardo da Vinci at purchase in 1845. But it may just be based on one of the artist's now-lost works.
Leonardo da Vinci, in a Renaissance version of Mad Magazine, may have painted his famous Mona Lisa in a number of ways, including nude. Now, a painting has surfaced that looks much like the original, sparking debate over just how far the master took his iconic painting.
The newly revealed painting, hidden for almost a century within the wood wall of a private library, shows a portrait of a half-naked woman with clear links to the famous (and clothed) Mona Lisa.
The work, which documents suggest was at least based on never-seen similar work by da Vinci, is now on exhibit at the Museo Ideale in the Tuscan town of Vinci, where da Vinci was born in 1452.
The lady in the portrait does not exactly resemble the original Mona Lisa, but there is little doubt it has parallels with the painting hanging at the Louvre museum in Paris.
"The frontal look, the position of the hands, the spatial conception of the landscape, with columns at the sides, show a clear link with the Mona Lisa's iconographic theme," Alessandro Vezzosi, director of the museum, told Discovery News.
The naked portrait once belonged to Napoleon's uncle, Cardinal Joseph Fesch (1763-1839) and was ensconced within the wood walls of Fesch's private library for nearly a century, before trading more hands within the Napoleon family.
SINC SAYS:
Ah, so he did paint her naked after all.
Leonardo da Vinci may have painted his famous Mona Lisa in a number of styles — including nude. This painting, which features many parallels to the original Mona Lisa, was attributed to Leonardo da Vinci at purchase in 1845. But it may just be based on one of the artist's now-lost works.
Leonardo da Vinci, in a Renaissance version of Mad Magazine, may have painted his famous Mona Lisa in a number of ways, including nude. Now, a painting has surfaced that looks much like the original, sparking debate over just how far the master took his iconic painting.
The newly revealed painting, hidden for almost a century within the wood wall of a private library, shows a portrait of a half-naked woman with clear links to the famous (and clothed) Mona Lisa.
The work, which documents suggest was at least based on never-seen similar work by da Vinci, is now on exhibit at the Museo Ideale in the Tuscan town of Vinci, where da Vinci was born in 1452.
The lady in the portrait does not exactly resemble the original Mona Lisa, but there is little doubt it has parallels with the painting hanging at the Louvre museum in Paris.
"The frontal look, the position of the hands, the spatial conception of the landscape, with columns at the sides, show a clear link with the Mona Lisa's iconographic theme," Alessandro Vezzosi, director of the museum, told Discovery News.
The naked portrait once belonged to Napoleon's uncle, Cardinal Joseph Fesch (1763-1839) and was ensconced within the wood walls of Fesch's private library for nearly a century, before trading more hands within the Napoleon family.
SINC SAYS:
Ah, so he did paint her naked after all.
Mysterious Rain Of Tadpoles Hits Shizuoka, Hiroshima
17/06/2009 04:20
Yet more tadpoles
that appear to have fallen out of the sky have
been found, continuing a string of incidents
that began in Ishikawa Prefecture in early
June.Some 40 desiccated frogs and tadpoles were found at the tennis court of a girls' junior high and high school in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, early Saturday morning by biology teacher Yuji Ota. Most of the amphibians were crushed, perhaps by the fall to earth, but a few remained intact and still smelled raw.
According to Ota, there is a pond on the school grounds that is frequented by herons, which "eat tadpoles, and may have regurgitated them when in the air."
Meanwhile, a 60-year-old housewife in Miyoshi, Hiroshima Prefecture, discovered 13 tadpoles and one frog in about a 20 meter span in a parking lot neighboring her garden on Monday morning.
SINC SAYS:
I thought it only rained fish? Frogs are a new one on me.
Esks' QB Recruits Ready For First Test
17/06/2009 04:20
Zabransky, Ricard will step into pocket Wednesday to show their stuff against Roughriders
The quarterback recruits, working in the long shadows cast by starter Ricky Ray and backup Jason Maas, will step into the spotlight on Wednesday.
Jared Zabransky and Lester Ricard will get the bulk of the action when the Saskatchewan Roughriders drop into Commonwealth Stadium for the Edmonton Eskimos' first pre-season contest.
"We'll get a chance to see them under the lights," said coach Richie Hall. "There's no more workshops and tutoring. It will be test day.
"Ricky and Jason have had good camps, and we want to get them in at some point in time, but the main focus is on the other two guys because that's a decision we have to make."
Both Zabransky and Ricard are new to the Canadian Football League, and both know there are four quarterbacks in training camp but just three spots on the roster.
"You definitely want to go out and show what you can do," Zabransky said after Monday's session, "but I need to handle my business -- and that's going out and doing my job.
"You start getting caught up in all that other stuff, it takes your concentration off the things you need to be focused on."
After trying to catch on with the Houston Texans and then the Pittsburgh Steelers, Zabransky, a product of Boise State, signed on with the Eskimos in the spring.
Ricard went from Tulane to the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent. After spending the 2007 season on the practice roster, he signed with the Carolina Panthers and got into one pre-season contest.
"I'm just going to go out and play. With the wide-open offence, I have an opportunity to showcase my ability," he said. "The coaches have given us equal reps (at practice) and given us a chance to be successful and I have done pretty well with the opportunity I've been given.
"But for me, the game has always been slower than practice. It should be fun, and I don't really care who goes in first, whether it's Jared or me. We'll both play and I think we'll both be successful.
"He might be a little faster," Ricard continued. "I might have a stronger arm, but we're both competitive and I think we'll both put up a lot of points."
Following Wednesday's game, the Eskimos will play the B.C. Lions in Vancouver next Tuesday and then open the season on July 2 against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Commonwealth Stadium.
More from the Edmonton Journal.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
The Eskimos have a good crop of recruits at the quarterback position, as they have at all positions this year. For the first time in a long time, there is reason for optimism in Eskie-land.
Judge Rejects Balsillie’s Bid To Buy Coyotes
17/06/2009 04:20
BlackBerry billionaire plans to appeal denied relocation request
Jim Balsillie's dream to Make it Seven suffered a serious setback on Monday.
Balsillie's bid to buy the bankrupt Phoenix Coyotes and move them to Hamilton -- giving Canada its seventh NHL franchise -- was blocked by a U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Judge Redfield T. Baum announced Monday evening he will not be authorizing a relocation request.
Baum said there was no precedent to authorize a relocation and noted the tight deadlines as Balsillie's bid expires at the end of the month.
"Simply put, the court does not think there is sufficient time (14 days) for all of these issues to be fairly presented to the court given that deadline," Baum wrote in the ruling obtained by the National Post.
"In making that statement, the court recognizes the diligent efforts and hard work by all parties and their attorneys, including all attorneys' professionalism under trying circumstances, in presenting their respective positions to the court regarding the motion. Thus the motion is denied, without prejudice."
The decision means the team's June 22 auction has been cancelled.
Despite the ruling, Balsillie, the co-chief executive officer of BlackBerry maker Research In Motion, has not given up hope. Bill Walker, spokesman for PSE Sports and Entertainment Media -- the company Balsillie formed to buy the Coyotes -- said Balsillie still wants to work with the NHL to find a solution to the contentious issue of a relocation fee.
"We look forward to hearing from the NHL soon on its view of our relocation application and an appropriate relocation fee, so as to allow the court to determine if that fee is reasonable," Walker said in a news release. "We still think there is enough time for the NHL to approve Mr. Balsillie's application and move the team to Hamilton by September. The court invited mediation on these issues and Mr. Balsillie is willing to participate in such mediation if the NHL is also willing to do so."
Balsillie made a $212.5-million US offer to buy the team from Jerry Moyes via bankruptcy protection on May 5 on the condition he could move the team to Hamilton. Moyes claims the team has lost $300 million over the past 13 seasons.
The NHL challenged the legitimacy of both the bankruptcy filing itself and the plan to move the team away from Phoenix. The league maintains the franchise is viable and has lined up four potential ownership groups willing to keep the team in Arizona, including Toronto Argonauts co-owners Howard Sokolowski and David Cynamon; Jerry Reinsdorf, who owns the Chicago White Sox baseball team and the National
Basketball Association's Chicago Bulls; businessman John Breslow, a Coyotes minority owner; and a Phoenix businessman who requested anonymity.
The NHL has vowed to continue to fund the Coyotes until a new buyer is found.
More from the Edmonton Journal.
Balsillie won't give up on quest to bring NHL to Hamilton.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
This little ‘tiff’ is all about power and control, folks. Where else is the NHL going to find someone stupid enough, with $200 million or so dollars to blow, who is willing to keep the team in Phoenix and lose their shirt year after year after year? Short answer – they’re not.
Willie Amos Jumps Into Action
17/06/2009 04:20
Newly acquired defensive back has a special skill
Learning the ropes is nothing new for Willie Amos, a soft-spoken newcomer in the Edmonton Eskimos defensive backfield.
Before he earned a scholarship to the University of Nebraska, long before he signed as a free agent with the Chicago Bears only to be rerouted to the Hamburg Sea Devils of NFL Europe, he was jumping rope.
He jumped in his neighborhood in Sweetwater, Texas, jumped all the way to the world championships in 1999, and now he's jumped from Winnipeg to Edmonton.
Acquired from the Blue Bombers during the weekend in exchange for import offensive lineman Thaddeus Coleman, Amos gives Edmonton more experience to offset several injured defenders on the sidelines.
He landed in town on Monday, just in time to catch the tail end of practice. He watched drills with position coach Stacy Hairston, shook hands with head coach Richie Hall and, by today, will be in jersey No. 3 on the corner, preparing for Wednesday's Canadian Football League pre-season game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
"We had three veterans who sat out today and, if they can't play, what do you have left? How young do you want to go? You want to put somebody in who's played the (CFL) game," said Hall. "I remember watching tape of him last year and, even though he's tall, he's very sound fundamentally. He has all the skills you want a DB to have. Then he brings that six-foot-one frame."
"It's a new area, a new place," said Amos, who had a black i-Jump hoodie on his back and dreadlocks twisting down his head.
"I don't know the city, the town. I don't know anybody here except for a few players who were in Winnipeg last year. It's all new again.
"I do like the (CFL) game though. The game is so fast and, without many teams, it makes the competition stiffer."
Born in Sweetwater, about 21/2 hours west of Dallas, Amos wasn't drawn to football, but when he picked up the pigskin in high school, he ended up running for 3,824 yards and 37 touchdowns -- the kind of numbers that naturally put college recruiters on his doorstep.
Amos committed to the Cornhuskers and, in his sophomore season, started in seven games, including the Rose Bowl, and was ranked among the Big 12 leaders with four interceptions.
After missing the 2002 season because of a knee injury, he returned and eventually found himself playing as a wideout. In 2004, his senior year, he caught two touchdowns in his offensive debut against Western Illinois.
He was on the honor roll, a member of the citizenship team, and never without a rope. He has competed internationally, laying claim to a title at the 1999 world championships, and these days, routinely incorporates jumping in his warm-up.
Last year, Amos jumped on board with the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Manitoba, and travelled around the province as the honorary Jump Rope for Heart coach.
"I was training kids, motivating them to be active. Obesity is a crazy issue right now," he said. "I showed them to think outside the box. I've even taught teachers how to teach.
The man who answers to Famous Amos or Willie (Bob) Beamon said football is a way for him to express "my God-given talent," but jumping rope has been a big part of his life.
"I started in the fourth grade and it's taken me all over the world."
Amos played 11 games with the Bombers last season, recording 52 defensive tackles, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and an interception. He led the team with seven knockdowns, and continued to jump.
In school, he learned how to do handstands, pushups and backflips while jumping -- a pastime that kept him from drugs and the kind of choices his older brother made.
Amos was just 11 when Tyrone was found guilty of attempted voluntary manslaughter for shooting the mother of his infant daughter. Willie kept jumping. He would even play a football game on a Friday night, then spend the weekend at a jump competition.
"I went to camps, taught all over the state of Texas, the United States ... started a jump rope business.
It's a lot of fun," he said. "I'm passionate about jump rope, but football is important to me, too."
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
This is another very good trade for the Eskimos.
CFL: Braley Lending Argos Money, No Wrongdoing
17/06/2009 04:20
The Canadian Football league, along with B.C. Lions owner David Braley and Toronto Argonauts co-owners David Cynamon and Howard Sokolowski have issued a joint statement addressing allegations in a Globe and Mail article that reports Braley is a part owner of the Argonauts.
According to a report in the Globe Braley secretly fronted Cynamon and Sokolowski half of the $2 million franchise fee to purchase the Toronto Argonauts out of bankruptcy in 2003 and continued to lend the team money.
The Globe also reports that Braley's actions occured without the knowledge of then CFL commissioner Tom Wright nor current commissioner Mark Cohon.
Cohon addressed the allegations in a statement released by the league on Tuesday, clearing Braley from any wrongdoing.
"Our league is an important Canadian icon, and our fans have every right to expect our governors to do two things: compete with everything they've got on the field, and work together in the best interests of the league, off the field. I have been informed that British Columbia Lions owner David Braley provided financial assistance to Toronto Argonaut owners Howard Sokolowski and David Cynamon, as they sought to strengthen our league by strengthening a storied franchise in our largest city. There has been no suggestion, nor is there any evidence, that this financial transaction had any effect whatsoever on the competitive integrity of our game. There is every indication that all three of these gentlemen acted, and continue to act, out of love for the Canadian Football League and respect for its fans. There has also been no breach of the league's Constitution or its bylaws. However, there is clearly a need for improved transparency in such matters. And I intend to work with our Board of Governors to revise our rules so that such financial transactions, no matter how well intended, must be shared with the Commissioner and all governors. I am confident that our teams are competing with everything they've got on the field, and our governors are working in the best interests of our league, off the field. I want our procedures strengthened to ensure perception always matches reality in this regard."
In the same statement, Sokolowski and Cynamon admitted to money being loaned by Braley, but denied any wrong doing or that Braley was in fact a part owner of the team.
"To encourage the purchase of the Toronto Argonauts during a very difficult time in the team's history, David Braley offered financial assistance to us to make the transaction more attractive. This did not breach the league's Constitution or its bylaws. David Braley is not an owner of the Toronto Argonauts and has never been an owner of the Toronto Argonauts nor has he directed in any way the team's operations. David Braley is a staunch supporter of the CFL and has only ever acted to protect the league's best interests."
Similarly, Braley confirmed that he had lent money to the two prospective Argonauts owners but denied that he had any ownership interest in the team.
"I am a passionate supporter of our country and those things which make it unique and strong, including the Canadian Football League. For that reason, at a difficult time in the history of the Toronto Argonauts, I offered Howard Sokolowski and David Cynamon financial assistance. While I am always willing to share my business advice and counsel with any of my fellow governors, I have never directed the operations of the Toronto Argonauts, and I have certainly never been an owner of the Toronto Argonauts."
More from TSN.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
Wow. What a tangled web we weave . . .
Football Dream Takes A Detour
17/06/2009 04:20
Rector has gone from tiny Texas town to NFL to Edmonton
From Friday-night high-school hero in a tiny Texas town to punt return dynamo for the Dallas Cowboys; Jamaica Rector lived the dream.
It feels like yesterday. But it has already been three years.
"Growing up, I just loved to play, man. I loved to play any sport. When it was football, I loved to catch balls. That was it. To be able to play for the Dallas Cowboys and to be at home, it was a dream come true. I couldn't have asked for anything better than that, man."
The 27-year-old surely could have asked for more. He got into one game with America's team before getting injured, two more with the Arizona Cardinals before getting released, and there is no counting on an encore.
So Rector is in Edmonton, competing for a job as a slotback with the Eskimos, because the dream doesn't always follow the script you write as an athletically gifted kid in the dusty north central Texas town of Celeste, population 817, according to the 2000 census.
"You know, just the way the coin flipped, I got an ankle sprain that took me out," he said Monday.
"I've been fighting to get back ever since. It doesn't hurt that bad, really. You played. You played for an NFL team. That's an accomplishment. Nobody can take that away from me. I did that. I'm just going to keep on truckin' and see what happens next."
More from the Edmonton Journal.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
From all reports, Rector has been very impressive at this year’s Eskimos’ camp.
Longshots And Dreamers Join Tiger At U.S. Open
17/06/2009 04:20
FARMINGDALE, N.Y. -- Tiger Woods held the putter with only his left hand as he rapped a 60-foot putt across the practice green. Then he hit another putt with his right hand, a third putt with both hands in conventional style.
He asked for the wedge to try a variety of shots out of sticky grass, searching for the best approach.
Woods knows all the drills.
This is his 15th straight year playing in the U.S. Open, and his third attempt this decade at joining an elite group as back-to-back champions in the so-called toughest test in golf.
Woods is the overwhelming favourite at Bethpage Black, where he won by three shots in 2002 as the only player to finish under par. The challenge figures to come from a familiar cast, whether it's Padraig Harrington or Phil Mickelson, Geoff Ogilvy or Jim Furyk.
What gives the U.S. Open its charm, however, are the long shots.
Ogilvy finished warming up on the range and walked past players he had never seen. One of them was Scott Lewis, a 20-year-old amateur still trying to get over the shock of playing in his first U.S. Open.
Lewis just finished his sophomore year at the University of California-Santa Barbara, where his best finish this year was a tie for seventh in the Wyoming Desert Invitational. An alternate from sectional qualifying, he didn't learn he was in the U.S. Open until Friday. Before he could blink, he had an audience like never before.
"People are watching me hit balls," he said. "First time that's ever happened."
Stranger still was walking to the range and hearing someone ask for an autograph. He kept right on walking until his father, who is caddying for him, realized no one else was around and tapped his son on the shoulder to sign.
Another first.
On the far end of the range was Clinton Jensen, a 34-year-old father of two young girls who quit golf for a couple of years until he realized he couldn't stay away. He is playing the Tar Heel Tour and wants to try Q-school again this fall, hopeful this time he can get past the second stage for the first time.
"I just couldn't stay away," Jensen said.
For every Woods, Mickelson and Harrington who are trying to add to their collection of majors, there are players like Lewis, Jensen and 19-year-old David Erdy who are simply happy to be at Bethpage Black.
More from Canadian Press.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
Whatever you do, don’t bet against Tiger Woods at this week’s U.S. Open at Bethpage Black.
Wie, Gulbis Fail To Qualify For U.S. Women’s Open
17/06/2009 04:20
ROCKVILLE, Md. -- Michelle Wie has failed to qualify for the U.S. Women's Open.
Wie shot a 74 in the second round of qualifying Monday, and missed by one shot.
The 19-year-old from Hawaii was competing for 30 spots at Woodmont Country Club, where most LPGA Tour players went the day after the LPGA Championship.
It will be the first major Wie has missed this year.
Wie has played in the U.S. Women's Open every year since she was 13. She had to qualify last year and then missed the cut at Interlachen.
Also failing to qualify were Natalie Gulbis and 18-year-old rookie Vicky Hurst.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
This is really unfortunate, folks. At this point, the women’s tour (LPGA) needs all the big-name help in its tournament fields that it can get.
Garcia To Replace Immelman At Telus Skins Game
17/06/2009 04:19
QUEBEC -- One of the world's top players is going to make a relief appearance at next week's Telus World Skins Game.
Sergio Garcia will replace Trevor Immelman, who has tendinitis in his wrist. Garcia is the fourth-ranked player in the world.
He'll be joined next Monday and Tuesday at La Tempete by Canada's Mike Weir, Geoff Ogilvy, Fred Couples and Ian Poulter.
The Canadian skins game will be played directly after this week's U.S. Open.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
And the Skins’ sponsors are wondering why interest in the Skins Game is petering out? Weir, Ogilvy, Couples, Poulter and Garcia? Yawn . . .
Bloomin' Good Pictures From Our Readers
16/06/2009 06:07
Long time reader and contributor Alison Glass sent
along these shots from her back yard. Have pictures
to share? Send them to mybirdie@telus.net.
Narcissis
Evans Cherry Blossoms
Kind Words From Our Readers . . .
16/06/2009 06:01
Hey Sinc,
Congratulations on the first anniversary of mybirdie.ca!
It probably wouldn't have happened if Saint City News hadn't stopped running yer column way back when. A classic example of being handed lemons and making lemonade.
Great work!!
BC
(In Calgary)
-------------------------
Happy First Anniversary.
I can't imagine how much time you have to spend on your site each day. I do enjoy it so keep up the good work!
Best,
Joyce
(In London, ON.)
--------------------------
These Yellow and White Flowers seem to be VERY popular in our city!
Baaaaahahhahahahaah!
(Congrats on your year Anniversary SINC!)
Kim
(In Calgary)
---------------------------
Congratulations to Mr. Don Sinclair... A marvel in journalism!!
Integrity, humour and passion!!
I, for one, so appreciate all the hard work and extraordinary efforts that go into the mybirdie.ca site!
Happy First Anniversary and may there be many more to follow!
Velvet Martin
St. Albert
------------------------
Congratulations, Don, on your entertaining Website's first year of publication.
I check it out every day and I always enjoy it.
You're the only guy in town likely to get answers to questions like this one: Where in the hell did all the trees downtown go?
Best regards,
David J Climenhaga
St. Albert Diary
City Gears Up For Tree Replacements In Downtown
City and Chamber work together to determine tree species. The City is making final preparations for tree replacement operations that will take place in the downtown through the month of June. Kiwi Nurseries, a Spruce Grove-area grower and retailer of trees, shrubs and evergreens, will begin work the week of June 15 to replace over 119 dead or dying Ash trees in the downtown area. Over 600 Ash trees died in St. Albert in 2008 due to an infestation of cottony psyllid.
“We’ve been having infestation problems with Ash trees for three years,” explained Glenn Tompolski, Director of the City’s Public Works Department. “While not much can be done to stop these trees from becoming infested, we can choose other species for replacements, which are currently known to grow strong and remain healthy.”
The City’s Public Works department, together with the St. Albert Chamber of Commerce, chose the tree species that will replace the Ash trees. Through these consultations, two species, Brandon Elm and Autumn Blaze Maple trees were chosen.
“We were pleased to be a part of the process that will see the downtown trees replaced,” said Joe Becigneul, 2009 Chair of the St. Albert Chamber of Commerce. “It was important to choose species that work well in the downtown business environment, ensuring attractive streetscapes while also maximizing the visibility of the storefronts.”
The replacement operations will begin the week of June 15 and are anticipated to be complete by mid-July. These operations will take place on off hours, primarily on Sundays and other weekdays after 6 p.m. This will minimize as much impact as possible for businesses and the variety of events taking place.
Congratulations on the first anniversary of mybirdie.ca!
It probably wouldn't have happened if Saint City News hadn't stopped running yer column way back when. A classic example of being handed lemons and making lemonade.
Great work!!
BC
(In Calgary)
-------------------------
Happy First Anniversary.
I can't imagine how much time you have to spend on your site each day. I do enjoy it so keep up the good work!
Best,
Joyce
(In London, ON.)
--------------------------
These Yellow and White Flowers seem to be VERY popular in our city!
Baaaaahahhahahahaah!
(Congrats on your year Anniversary SINC!)
Kim
(In Calgary)
---------------------------
Congratulations to Mr. Don Sinclair... A marvel in journalism!!
Integrity, humour and passion!!
I, for one, so appreciate all the hard work and extraordinary efforts that go into the mybirdie.ca site!
Happy First Anniversary and may there be many more to follow!
Velvet Martin
St. Albert
------------------------
Congratulations, Don, on your entertaining Website's first year of publication.
I check it out every day and I always enjoy it.
You're the only guy in town likely to get answers to questions like this one: Where in the hell did all the trees downtown go?
Best regards,
David J Climenhaga
St. Albert Diary
SINC
SAYS:
Here you go David.
Yer welcome.
City Gears Up For Tree Replacements In Downtown
City and Chamber work together to determine tree species. The City is making final preparations for tree replacement operations that will take place in the downtown through the month of June. Kiwi Nurseries, a Spruce Grove-area grower and retailer of trees, shrubs and evergreens, will begin work the week of June 15 to replace over 119 dead or dying Ash trees in the downtown area. Over 600 Ash trees died in St. Albert in 2008 due to an infestation of cottony psyllid.
“We’ve been having infestation problems with Ash trees for three years,” explained Glenn Tompolski, Director of the City’s Public Works Department. “While not much can be done to stop these trees from becoming infested, we can choose other species for replacements, which are currently known to grow strong and remain healthy.”
The City’s Public Works department, together with the St. Albert Chamber of Commerce, chose the tree species that will replace the Ash trees. Through these consultations, two species, Brandon Elm and Autumn Blaze Maple trees were chosen.
“We were pleased to be a part of the process that will see the downtown trees replaced,” said Joe Becigneul, 2009 Chair of the St. Albert Chamber of Commerce. “It was important to choose species that work well in the downtown business environment, ensuring attractive streetscapes while also maximizing the visibility of the storefronts.”
The replacement operations will begin the week of June 15 and are anticipated to be complete by mid-July. These operations will take place on off hours, primarily on Sundays and other weekdays after 6 p.m. This will minimize as much impact as possible for businesses and the variety of events taking place.
Post Pecked By Peckish Pecker
16/06/2009 06:00
A BIRD-BRAINED
woodpecker mistakes a concrete lamp-post for a
tree.
The animal stunned twitchers by landing on the pillar while hunting for food and nesting sites in the village of Cawood, North Yorkshire.
Luckily it decided against having a nibble - and a sore pecker!
SINC SAYS:
Don’tcha just love these stories I did out of the British press?
Bill Would Turn Down Volume On TV Ads
16/06/2009 05:58
WASHINGTON --
Congress soon might mute screaming TV-ad
announcers who press viewers to "buy now!" --
if broadcasters don't beat the lawmakers to the
volume
button.Under a proposal to be taken up today, the Federal Communications Commission would limit ad volumes to the average decibels of the TV show during which they appear.
Currently, TV ads can't be louder than the loudest peak in a show, said David Perry, the chairman of the broadcast production committee of the American Association of Advertising Agencies in New York. Ads often seem louder to viewers, he added, because a program's volume peak rarely comes just before an ad.
"Every time the ads came on they blew me out of my seat," said Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., who introduced the bill last June. "It really turns you off, makes you think, 'I'll be damned if I give them any of my money.' "
She's a member of the House Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet, which will consider the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act, aka CALM. It has 63 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives and two in the Senate.
Broadcasters say they have their own plan to lower TV ad volume, which could take effect within a couple of months. The switch to digital TV on Friday, they say, also could help by enabling advertisers to use a wider range of sounds, instead of relying on pure volume to get attention.
Dan Jaffe, the executive vice president for government relations of the New
York-based Association of National Advertisers, said that advertising and broadcasting industry leaders knew that loud commercials annoyed customers because they'd received numerous complaints.
To resolve them, broadcasters and advertisers want to set their own standards, in which a commercial would be "loud enough that a reasonable person can hear it, but not so loud you can hear it in Mongolia," Jaffe said. "Our members don't want to offend viewers."
Eshoo concedes that her bill isn't as high a priority as, say, health care or war funding, but she's confident that it will pass.
"People practically throw their arms around me when they hear about it," she said.
However, an aide to Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., who introduced the bill in the Senate last year, said Wicker wouldn't reintroduce the bill because he was working with broadcasters to hold down the volume.
"The senator is monitoring the progress being made and will consider reintroducing legislation if the industry cannot fix the problem on its own," Wicker's spokesman, Jahan Wilcox, said in an e-mail.
Perry, the ad agency association's spokesman on the matter, agreed that broadcasters should set their own loudness standards.
"Congress will inevitably make it more messy than it needs to be," he said. "It's like going after a fly with a pistol."
Britain set similar restrictions on loud ads last year.
SINC SAYS:
A bill like this can’t come soon enough to Canada to tone down the ridiculous levels of TV commercials. The worst offender in Edmonton you ask? Why it’s CFRN-TV, the CTV affiliate.
Buffalo Turd Eating Contest Not For Faint Of Heart
16/06/2009 05:52
Brave eaters bellied up to the table for a unique contest in Mapleton today. As part of Town and Country Days in Mapleton, contestants had to eat as many buffalo turds as possible in two minutes. Buffalo Turds are a spicy mini smoked sausage, with cream cheese and jalapeno pepper wrapped in bacon, and you can only get them at Token Barbecue in Mapleton. The winner put down eleven in two minutes to claim the title of Buffalo Turd eating champion.
SINC SAYS:
I keep tellin’ ya folks, we don’t make this stuff up.
Lightning Bolt Heats Up BBQ
16/06/2009 05:46
A LIGHTNING bolt left
a man with burns to his arm when it struck a
fork he was using to prod sausages on a
barbecue.Unlucky Eric Brocklebank spent two days in hospital recovering after he was caught in a violent electrical storm.
Eric, 64, an air cadet chief, had been with a group of youngsters at an RAF display in Digby, Lincs.
Speaking from his home in Nether Langwith, near Worksop, Notts, Eric said: "It was like an implosion inside my body.
"There was so much pressure inside of me and I couldn't see properly. I could just make out the faint outline of people heading my way.
"The first thing I remember properly is waking up on my back with my clothes cut off. I feel very lucky to be alive.
"It came in through my arm, which is burnt, then it must have gone down through my body and out through my feet."
He added: "I was told the only thing I could say as I was drifting in and out of consciousness was 'sausages'."
SINC SAYS:
Um, an electrical storm you say? And he was out in it BBQing? Some people just tempt fate, don’t they?
Strange Buildings Of The World . . .
16/06/2009 05:40
Erwin Wurm: House Attack - Viena , Austria
Wooden Gagster House - Archangelsk , Russia
Ripley's Building - Ontario , Canada
Rules Of The Universe . . .
16/06/2009 05:39
Never lick a steak
knife.
The most destructive force in the universe is gossip.
You will never find anybody who can give you a clear and compelling reason why we observe daylight savings time.
You should never say anything to a woman that even remotely suggests that you think she's pregnant unless you can see an actual baby emerging from her at that moment.
The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status, or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside, we ALL believe that we are above average drivers.
Your friends love you anyway.
Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic.
How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are?
Tristan Jackson Back For More Runbacks
16/06/2009 05:35
Jackson returns with more speed to burn
Many happy returns.
That's exactly what Tristan Jackson is looking for, not to mention his special-teams coach, Noel Thorpe.
The Edmonton Eskimos return specialist has looked even faster this year than last, an excellent rookie campaign in which he found the end zone four times off returns.
"I think one of the things for Tristan is he is now a second-year player, versus being a rookie. He's seeing the holes better than he did last year," said Thorpe, who is also assistant head coach.
"Last year was an adjustment period for him, getting used to the large field, the wider field and the speed of the game.
"Another year under his belt and he's that much better."
Which could be scary for opposing special-teams units.
In 2008, the diminutive five-foot-eight, 185-pound product of Central Arkansas scored three times off punt returns, including a 78-yard gallop against Montreal in the late stages of the Eastern final loss to the Alouettes.
In that game he amassed 151 yards and the touchdown on eight punt returns, and added 91 yards on five kickoff returns. On the season, he totalled 79 punt returns for 809 yards (tops in the CFL) and had 35 kick returns for 839 yards and one major score.
He earned CFL special-teams player of the week honours three times and also recorded a two-touchdown game against the Toronto Argonauts, one off a punt return and the other off an interception.
Jackson has speed to burn and appears even quicker in hitting the holes so far during training camp.
"I've toned down, I'm a little leaner in the muscle. I hit the wall a little bit last year and coach has brought in a lot of guys who are going to be good blockers for me this year," said Jackson, one of the most polite and respectful 23-year-olds you'll find, who also carries high expectations.
"Yes, sir. I feel like I have to work that much harder this year to meet those expectations. But the guys in front of me (creating the holes) are amazing, even better than they were last year."
More from the Edmonton Journal.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
If Tristan Jackson is returning with even more speed to burn than he had last year, I can hardly wait to see the Eskimos’ kick return game this year.
Kobe Gets His
16/06/2009 05:34
Lakers star earns fourth NBA title, first without Shaq as teammate
Kobe Bryant has the title he needed most -- the one without Shaq.
Bryant's seven-year chase of a coveted NBA championship is over.
He's got his fourth, and Los Angeles coach Phil Jackson his record 10th, a ring for each finger. One year after failing in the final, Bryant and the Lakers have redemption, and all the rewards that go with it.
They earned their 15th title on Sunday night as Bryant scored 30 points, and Pau Gasol added 14 and 15 rebounds, in a 99-86 win in Game 5 over the Orlando Magic, who ran out of comebacks.
It took longer than Bryant expected, but he has stepped out of former teammate Shaquille O'Neal's enormous shadow -- at last.
His fourth championship secured, a strong case can be made for Bryant being the league's best player since Michael Jordan retired.
Nothing was going to stop Bryant, who spent the post-season scowling, snarling, baring his teeth and all but breathing fire at anything in his path. For weeks, the all-star has worn his game face, and only when the victory was his in the final seconds did the playoff MVP allow himself to smile.
After the final horn, he leaped into the air and was quickly engulfed by his teammates, who bounced around the floor of Amway Arena. Bryant then gave a long, heartfelt hug and shared a few words with Jackson before sweeping up his daughters, both wearing gold Lakers dresses, into his arms.
Bryant had come up short twice in the finals before, in 2004 with O'Neal against the Detroit Pistons, and again last season against the Celtics in the renewal of the league's best rivalry. The Lakers were beaten in six games, losing the finale in Boston by 39 points, a humiliating beatdown that Bryant and his teammates had trouble shaking.
They went to training camp with one goal in mind. This was going to be their season, and except for a few minor missteps, it was.
"It's so tough to win championships," Bryant said. "We started over from scratch. Here we are again. This really feels like a dream."
After beating the Utah Jazz in the first round, Los Angeles was forced to go seven games against the Houston Rockets, who lost centre Yao Ming to an injury. The Lakers then dispatched the Denver Nuggets in six games, setting up a matchup with the Magic, who made their first visit to the finals since O'Neal took them there in 1995.
Orlando will be haunted by moments in a series that swung on a few plays and had two overtime games.
More from the Edmonton Journal.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
Congrats to Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Spruce Grove Fans Turn Out For Scrimmage
16/06/2009 05:34
A change of scenery and a refreshing pace greeted Edmonton Eskimos players, coaches and fans on Sunday.
The team took Day 8 of training camp on the road to Spruce Grove, where roughly 300 fans appreciated a controlled scrimmage at West District Park.
"Their receivers are pretty impressive. The new guys they picked up have looked really good," said 20-year-old fan Ben Millichamp, rattling off the names of Alan Turner, Jamaica Rector and Willie Thornton among the rookie receiving corps who have shown the lifetime Esks fan a little something so far.
"The defence is looking pretty good, too. They're flying around out there. Mo Lloyd -- I can't even explain how excited I am that he's on our team now," Millichamp said of the new middle linebacker. "Everyone's talking about the signing of Jesse Lumsden, but to me, Lloyd was the biggest signing in free agency.
"And I think we literally went from a team with the least Canadian depth in the league to one of the strongest. I think (Danny) Maciocia is doing a wonderful job as a general manager."
Millichamp, who wore a Jason Tucker jersey as he stood near the stands, can't wait for the CFL season to arrive.
The players are even more anxious and seemed delighted to get into a controlled scrimmage scenario.
"This was fun. The change of scenery created some excitement. We treated it like a game in various aspects, like our pre-game rehearsal and they started to get juiced up," said head coach Richie Hall.
"It was funny. Driving out here on the bus, it felt like high school. It's a great facility, we had great weather, and we had a very productive practice.
"It's twofold. It's good for the team in respect to the players, in that it's a different scenery. But it's also a great opportunity to get out into the community.
"We are a community-owned team, the community supports us, and we want to be able to support the community and be accessible to the community. A day like today and next Sunday (in St. Albert) is a win-win for the Eskimos and the city of Edmonton."
More from the Edmonton Journal.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
The Eskimos will practice in St. Albert next Sunday (June 21) at Riel Recreation Park. The practice goes from 1:00 – 3:30 p.m., with an autograph session afterward until 4:00 p.m.
Canadians Hot On Phelps’ Heels
16/06/2009 05:33
Hayden upsets American superstar in sprint specialty one day after Cochrane comes close in 400 freestyle
Canada's Brent Hayden beat Michael Phelps, swimming's gold standard, if not exactly its golden boy, on Sunday night.
Hayden swam the 100-metre freestyle in 48.44 seconds, a meet record at the Santa Clara Grand Prix, beating Phelps, who touched in 48.87.
Hayden's time was well off Eamon Sullivan's world record of 47.05, but it's early in the season, the swimmers are in the middle of training, and any time you can knock off a man who won eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics, it adds a certain cachet to the portfolio.
"I was really excited," said the Vancouver swimmer, the 100-metre freestyle world champion in 2007. "Michael is such a great competitor, and every time I get up and race him it's such an honor.
"I just wanted to get a fast time and 48.44 is my best-ever in-season (training) time, so, of course I'm going to be excited."
Hayden's swim came one night after Victoria's Ryan Cochrane chased Phelps to the wall, finishing a close second in the men's 400-metre free in 3:48:40. Phelps, who rarely swims that event, won the race in 3:48.05. On Friday, Phelps had won the 200-metre butterfly.
The U.S. swimming superstar is coming off a three-month suspension meted out by USA Swimming after a photo of Phelps at a party with a marijuana pipe was distributed on the internet.
It was the second post-suspension swim meet for Phelps, whose presence packed the grandstand at the outdoor pool in Santa Clara. Phelps figures to sell out Montreal's Olympic Pool next weekend, where he'll compete in the Grand Prix Canada Cup/Coupe de Quebec meet.
The 2,000-seat facility already is a sellout for the Sunday, when Phelps will also swim the 100-metre free, albeit minus Hayden, who is not scheduled to compete in Montreal. On Saturday, Phelps will compete in the 100-metre butterfly.
Little wonder the sport of swimming, including Canada's resurgent swim team, sees the eight-time gold medallist from the Beijing Games as the motor that can propel it into the public imagination even in a non-Olympic year and keep it there, as much as possible, this year, next year and the year after that.
So far, so good.
On Saturday night, Phelps just held off a surging Cochrane, the Olympic 1,500-metre free bronze medalist, to win the 400-metre freestyle in 3:48.05.
"I certainly would have liked to have beaten Michael tonight," said Cochrane, whose time was 3:38.40. "It's a race that I swim on the international scene and he doesn't, so I would think I would be able to give him a strong challenge every time in this event."
He achieved that, although Cochrane is more of an 800- and 1,500 metre swimmer. Cochrane won the 1,500-metre freestyle on Sunday night in Santa Clara in a relatively pedestrian time of 15:06.70.
Anyway, in the 400-metre free he gave Phelps a scare, which had to give Cochrane a confidence boost.
Phelps is going to be a target now, which can't hurt the spectator appeal of his sport. As Phelps regains his race fitness, it will be interesting to see whether men like Hayden and Cochrane will stay with him.
Either way, the sport itself wins.
More from the Edmonton Journal.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
Congrats to Brent Hayden. It’s no easy feat beating Michael Phelps. Canada has some great swimmers. That’s almost two days in-a-row that a Canadian swimmer beat Phelps.
Champions’ Golfer Ken Green To Have Leg Amputated
16/06/2009 05:32
JACKSON, Miss. — - Champions Tour golfer Ken Green, injured in a recreational vehicle crash in Mississippi that killed his brother and girlfriend, will have his lower right leg amputated, his agent said Sunday.
Kevin Richardson said Green, from Danbury, is struggling with the "double whammy" of the deaths and his own career-threatening injuries.
"Initially they were hoping to save the leg, but as the days went on it became apparent there was too much structural damage," Richardson said in a phone interview with AP.
Richardson said doctors will remove his leg below the knee today after determining it would take two years of surgery to repair a limb that wouldn't function well before Green could walk again. He also will need a surgery to repair damage to a suborbital bone in his face. Green, 50, also has a cut about 6 inches long on the left side of his head "that's troublesome."
Green, his brother, William Y. Green of Indiantown, Fla., and his girlfriend, Jean Marie Hodgin of Greensboro, N.C., were traveling east on I-20 last Monday from Austin, Texas, where Green played in a tournament, when a tire blew out near Hickory, Miss.
The RV went off the road, down an embankment and into a large oak tree, destroying the front of the vehicle.
The Mississippi Highway Patrol said Ken Green was driving, but Richardson said Green remembers being in the back of the RV when the tire blew out.
"He was in the back and he heard a noise and felt something," Richardson said. "He got up and was in the process of walking forward, and that's all he remembers."
Green's dog, a German shepherd named Nip, also died in the accident. Green is using a goal to return to competitive golf with the help of a prosthetic limb to get through the ordeal, Richardson said.
"That is his primary, if not his single goal right now — to get back out and play golf, and God willing at a competitive level," Richardson said. "He would be the first."
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
What a tragic story. We wish Ken Green all the best and a speedy recovery.
Lennox Lewis Inducted Into Boxing Hall Of Fame
16/06/2009 05:32
CANASTOTA, N.Y. -- In a sport many view for its violence, Lennox Lewis said Sunday he wanted to be remembered for making it a "sweet science, a magical dance" as he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
"Our sport is usually looked at as a brutal, savage sport," Lennox told hundreds of fight fans gathered for the hall's 20th annual induction ceremony. "I see it as a sweet science, a magical dance.
"For me, I just wanted to live up to that, and keep the dignity and the humanistic aspect and the positiveness of it ... so that people will remember that's what I did for boxing," Lewis said.
A towering presence at six feet five and 250 pounds, Lewis displayed a nimbleness never before seen in a fighter his size. The 43-year-old learned to box growing up in Kitchener, Ont., and earned Olympic gold for Canada in 1988.
He retired in 2003 with a record of 41-2-1, including 32 KOs, and entered the hall in his first year of eligibility.
Also among the 14 inductees Sunday were American bantamweight champion Orlando Canizales and South African junior lightweight champion Brian Mitchell.
Posthumous honourees included middleweight champion William (Gorilla) Jones, welterweight champion (Mysterious) Billy Smith and middleweight champion Billy Soose in the Old-Timer Category. Nineteenth-century American heavyweight champion Tom Hyer was recognized in the Pioneer Category.
Lewis lived in England until age 12 when his family moved to Canada. He began fighting as an amateur at age 15.
Lewis said it was because of his mother that he became interested in boxing. She would host fight parties when he was growing up.
"I didn't really understand them at first," he said. "People would come over the house for the big fight.
"She would be really excited about it. I remember sitting in front of the television watching all the great fights."
In 1988, Lewis won an Olympic heavyweight gold medal, defeating American Riddick Bowe in the final.
He turned pro in 1989. After winning the European, British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles, Lewis won the vacant World Boxing Council title in 1992, stopping Toronto's Donovan (Razor) Ruddock with a second-round TKO.
He reclaimed the crown in 1997 from Oliver McCall, avenging an earlier title loss. In 2001, Lewis seized the WBC crown for the third time by knocking out Hasim Rahman in the fourth round, avenging his only other professional loss and joining Rocky Marciano and Gene Tunney as the only heavyweights to retire with no unavenged defeats.
Two of Lewis's most memorable bouts were with Evander Holyfield. The pair fought to a controversial draw in March 1999 in what was then the highest-grossing fight at Madison Square Garden. Lewis took an unanimous decision over Holyfield eight months later to win the WBA/IBF belts and unify the heavyweight championship.
"One wouldn't think a 14-year-old boy who did shadow boxing in front of the mirror imitating the Muhammad Ali shuffle would actually be on this stage. I am really humble ... this is a great honour," said Lewis, who in retirement has appeared in movies, participated in the World Series of Poker and finished fourth in the first season of NBC's Celebrity Apprentice and served as a commentator for HBO's Boxing After Dark telecasts.
More from Canadian Press.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
Lennox Lewis was one helluva heavyweight. Among the top five all-time.
Burress Gun Case Delayed Until September
16/06/2009 05:31
NEW YORK - Former New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress is negotiating with several NFL teams to return to pro football this season after a judge delayed his trial Monday on gun possession charges.
Burress made a brief appearance in court Monday, accompanied by his wife and lawyer Benjamin Brafman. Judge Felicia Mennin adjourned the case until Sept. 23.
Outside court Monday, Brafman said it was "inconceivable" that Burress would face trial on the charge before 2010, said several teams were trying to sign his client, and "physically he's in the best shape of his life. He's ready to play."
Burress' agent, Drew Rosenhaus, posted on Twitter Monday that he hopes to have a deal with an NFL team for Burress before training camp starts, and said he's confident the NFL won't have grounds to discipline Burress until after his case is processed in court.
Brafman said he didn't think the case would be resolved through a plea agreement, that prosecutors would take it to a grand jury, and that Burress would plead not guilty if the case went to trial.
"There is not a victim in this case except Plaxico Burress," he said.
Burress shot himself in the thigh Nov. 29 in a Manhattan nightclub. He was charged with criminal possession of a weapon and faces up to 3 1/2 years in prison. Burress has pleaded not guilty and is free on US$100,000 bail.
Burress caught the game-winning touchdown for the Giants in the 2008 Super Bowl. He is a free agent after the team released him April 3.
While Burress is free to sign with any team, the unresolved legal matter could make teams reluctant to add the talented player. In addition, even if he ultimately does not serve any time in jail on the weapons charge -- most first-time offenders in similar cases in New York City do not -- he could face disciplinary action by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell under the league's personal conduct policy.
But veteran six-foot-five receivers with a proven ability to stretch a defence are a valuable commodity in the NFL. The New York Jets acknowledged publicly they had contacted Rosenhaus to inquire about him before the NFL draft in April.
With the criminal case dragging on at least three more months and possibly longer, establishing Burress' value may be a challenge for interested teams.
The Giants had signed Burress to a five-year, $35 million contract extension in September. The team later withheld $1 million after the shooting and the NFL Players Association filed a grievance on Burress' behalf. A special master ruled that the Giants had to pay Burress because the money was a signing bonus he earned upon agreeing to the contract extension and could not be withheld for future conduct.
Burress has 505 career receptions for 7,845 yards and 55 touchdowns in nine seasons with the Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
Let’s hope that Plaxico Burress has been able to turn his life around and can get on with his football career.
Favre May Play Again; Confirms Talks With Vikings
16/06/2009 05:31
NEW YORK -- Brett Favre will know in several weeks whether his surgically repaired arm will allow him to come out of retirement again.
The quarterback made his first public comments since retiring from the New York Jets in February in an interview Monday night on "Joe Buck Live." He said the only team he has spoken to is the Minnesota Vikings, who would be a perfect fit because he's familiar with their offence.
The three-time NFL MVP said Dr. James Andrews performed the surgery 2 1/2 weeks ago on his throwing arm. Andrews told him he would know in 4-5 weeks if he'll be able to make all the throws he needs to.
"If it ever gets to the point it feels like it did before it started hurting, then the biggest question mark is out of the way," Favre said.
Favre said Vikings coach Brad Childress wanted him to attend Minnesota's recent organized team activities, but he declined.
"I figured there would be a media frenzy if I was there," he said. "And there would be a media frenzy if I couldn't play, if we had to say three weeks later, 'You know, his arm's just not up to par. He can't play.'
"So why not have just one media frenzy, and that be later on?"
HBO said Favre agreed in April to appear on the show at the request of Buck, the longtime baseball and football announcer. That was before his release from the Jets, which prompted Minnesota's pursuit of the NFL's career leader in touchdown passes.
Asked by Buck if he would play this season, Favre replied, "Um ... " After a pause, he said, "Maybe."
"I know people are tired of it, really," Favre said earlier of the drama that accompanies his annual waffling over retirement. "My intentions are not to -- although it's good for you -- create controversy."
The Vikings were a presumed suitor last summer when Favre renounced his retirement from the Packers and was told Green Bay was going with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback. But the Packers weren't going to let him go to their NFC North rivals, and after a messy divorce with Green Bay, Favre was shipped to the Jets.
He threw 22 touchdown passes and 22 interceptions last season. The team finished out 1-4 and missed the playoffs, as Favre was bothered by a torn biceps tendon.
The Vikings won their division without him, but have been unsettled at the sport's most important position for the past three-plus years. Quarterback continues to be viewed as one of the team's few weak spots on an otherwise talent-laden roster.
"It makes a lot of sense because the pieces are in place," Favre said.
He said he met with a Vikings trainer Sunday to go over some arm exercises as part of his rehab, but the team has not made plans to evaluate his readiness to play. Favre said his conversations with Vikings officials have been infrequent and limited.
"Nothing other than, 'Are you interested?"' he said. "And vice versa."
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
C’mon, Brett. Put the Brett Favre saga to bed once and for all, will 'ya?
mybirdie.ca Marks First Anniversary
15/06/2009 04:53
Today marks the 366th day that mybirdie.ca has been continuously published. In other words, it is our first anniversary as an independent stand alone web site.
For six months before that, we used Google’s Blogspot, but were always subject to play by their rules and we desired to set our own standards and we wanted to be able to march to the beat of our own drummer so to speak.
We ran the site in tandem with the old “Things I See, Hear And Think” spot on Blogger for nearly six weeks as a test and backup before we struck out boldly on our own. Of course the roots go back to the fall of 2001 when I first began a weekly column in the Saint City News, which continued for six years.
Our server is now located in Australia and it is a fast one indeed. The address “mybirdie.ca” is now owned and operated by Sinclair Ink Newspaper Consulting or “SINC” for short. I figured when I established the company in the mid summer of 2001 that since everyone called me SINC anyway, I might as well take advantage of the name recognition by using it as an acronym, thus the company name was born.
Over the 18 months leading up to today, there have been a few key people who without their support, this site would not exist. They know who they are and I thank them for keeping the faith when I was faltering at one point in the site’s early days.
Thanks too, to our intrepid sports reporter Swivel Hips, who chooses to remain anonymous, but continues to provide our readers with a solid sports package, gleaned from the web daily.
Make no mistake folks, it is a massive commitment to maintain a site such as this and is certainly not for the faint of heart. The thousands of hours of work that go into updating and maintaining the site is perhaps beyond the comprehension of most, and all of it at far less than minimum wage.
So too is the commitment it takes to stay the course, day after day, month after month and now year after year. I usually put in about four hours a day gathering material, editing, finding pictures, prepping pictures for use here and so on.
Earlier in the year, we made a commitment to run much larger pictures for the most part and that has been a big hit with readers to be sure. The fine tuning and tweaking of those pictures take many more hours than the small format we used to use, but I am confident it has been worth the price.
Then there is the writing to consider, as many hours are spend tapping away at the keyboard.
But best of all, there are YOUR e-mails. 4,463 of them to be exact in the past year. I answer any e-mail from a reader with a question, as I do with e-mails containing letters to this site. I try to keep the editing to a bare minimum and never change a reader's words without their permission. (Try that with the local papers.) But it is that interaction with our readers that keeps me going day after day.
Our thanks too go out to the support of our advertisers, without whose support, the site would not exist. Even as small as we are, we have to pay the bills. A special thanks to Gary Nelson over at Global Cell for his contribution during the first seven months of the formation stages.
Thanks go too, to Linda and Pat Beier of LB’s Pub for their continuing support. And Vern and Madeline Diaz of Ultimate Stair & Rail in Edmonton, long time friends. Some of the ads you see here are run free of charge for friends, neighbours and internet acquaintances, so if you require any of their products or services, please offer them some support as well.
But the biggest thanks of all goes to our readers. Many of you have made mybirdie.ca a part of your daily lives and for that we are grateful. Your support in submitting articles for publication are very much appreciated.
And speaking of our readers, we’ve grown from a local to a world site in such a short time it amazes me. Every time I check the map and the list of countries that visit here, it seems to expand and grow at a frantic rate. Of course our core readership is right here in the Edmonton area and the city of St. Albert, the reach of the site boggles my mind.
Here is a peek at the latest figures available and as you can see, our core readership is in North America, followed closely by Europe. Keep in mind that every one of those small red dots represent between 100 and 999 readers with the larger dots in the tens of thousands.
We now can boast readers in 75 countries around the world:
So happy anniversary to all of you out there and let’s hope we continue to grow over the next year like we did in the past. It hasn’t been easy becoming the best read internet spot in St. Albert, but it’s been worth every bit of the effort to build the site and the readership.
So keep those e-mails coming folks with your thoughts and concerns and your belly laughs you love to send us at mybirdie@telus.net, an address now found in the address books of too many folks to count.
And speaking of count, the reader counter is nearing 157,000 of you and growing daily. Can we get to 400,000 a year from now? I suspect we might. Stay tuned.
Oh, and one more thing. I could not do this without the love and support of my dear wife Ann. Thanks sweetie, you're a gem.
More Great Pictures From Calgary . . .
15/06/2009 04:53
Hi
Don,
I haven't got anything blooming yet this year, although it does look promising! Here's a couple from summer of
2008.
BTW... I really enjoy the pics of sculptures made of old tires you put on your site... they're really cool IMO, and sure better than lying in heap somewhere!
Best wishes,
Diane
(In Calgary)
SINC SAYS:
C'mon St. Albert, Calgary is sending in more photos than you are. There just has to be a bunch great shots out there. Get ‘em in.
I haven't got anything blooming yet this year, although it does look promising!
Here's a couple from summer of
2008.
BTW... I really enjoy the pics of sculptures made of old tires you put on your site... they're really cool IMO, and sure better than lying in heap somewhere!
Best wishes,
Diane
(In Calgary)
SINC SAYS:
C'mon St. Albert, Calgary is sending in more photos than you are. There just has to be a bunch great shots out there. Get ‘em in.
Got A Better Burger Recipe?
15/06/2009 04:53
BBQ season is upon us
and it’s time to drag out the long handled
tools and get burnin’ that meat on the
grill.I’ll bet some of our readers have some great BBQ recipes and we’d like to share them with all our readers.
Send your favourite BBQ recipe along to mybirdie@telus.net and we’ll run them here as we receive them.
OK, whose first?
In the meantime, here’s one to get you started, but be warned, these are big burgers:
THE GREATEST BURGER EVER?
YOU be the judge.
3 pounds lean ground beef
2 medium red onions, diced
Large handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 egg yolk
In a large bowl, mix together beef, onions and parsley. Add oyster sauce, ketchup and egg yolk. Mix well, kneading mixture until thoroughly combined. Divide mixture into 12 equal portions, roll each into a ball, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
When ready to cook, heat grill on high for 10 minutes with the lid closed. Alternately, heat a cast-iron grill pan or broiler pan over medium. Do not add oil to pan.
Place burgers on grill or in pan and leave for a few minutes until the edges start to color. Use a spatula to turn burgers and brown on the other side, about 5 minutes.
Turn burgers again. If grilling, move them to the side or to a cooler spot on the grill. If using a pan, reduce the heat. Let the burgers cook for another 15 minutes for well done, or to desired doneness. Serves 12.
SINC SAYS:
Got a better recipe? Send it along.
Got a better recipe? Send it along.
Fox Steals Shoes
15/06/2009 04:53
More than 120 shoes
have gone missing from homes and gardens in
Germany after a fox developed a bizarre
fetish.For more than a year, people in a small town in the western part of the country were wondering who was responsible for shoes going missing from their doorsteps and garden terraces at night.
All kinds of shoes were taken including flip-flips, workman's boots and even old slippers.
The mystery was solved when a forestry worker found the fox's den in a nearby woods filled with the stolen shoes.
The fox is believed to either be collecting the shoes as toys for her six cubs or just because she likes them.
The recovered shoes are set to be returned to their owners but the fox remains at large and is reportedly still stealing footwear.
SINC SAYS:
You have to wonder what would prompt a fox to swipe shoes, don’t you?
Boy Chosen By Dalai Lama Turns Back On Buddhist Order
15/06/2009 04:53
As a toddler, he was
put on a throne and worshipped by monks who
treated him like a
god.But the boy chosen by the Dalai Lama as a reincarnation of a spiritual leader has caused consternation – and some embarrassment – for Tibetan Buddhists by turning his back on the order that had such high hopes for him.
Instead of leading a monastic life, Osel Hita Torres now sports baggy trousers and long hair, and is more likely to quote Jimi Hendrix than Buddha.
Yesterday he bemoaned the misery of a youth deprived of television, football and girls. Movies were also forbidden – except for a sanctioned screening of The Golden Child starring Eddie Murphy, about a kidnapped child lama with magical powers. "I never felt like that boy," he said.
He is now studying film in Madrid and has denounced the Buddhist order that elevated him to guru status. "They took me away from my family and stuck me in a medieval situation in which I suffered a great deal," said Torres, 24, describing how he was whisked from obscurity in Granada to a monastery in southern India. "It was like living a lie," he told the Spanish newspaper El Mundo. Despite his rebelliousness, he is still known as Lama Tenzin Osel Rinpoche and revered by the Buddhist community. A prayer for his "long life" still adorns the website of the Foundation to Preserve the Mahayana Tradition, which has 130 centres around the world. The website features a biography of the renegade guru that gushes about his peaceful, meditative countenance as a baby. In Tibetan Buddhism, a lama is one of a lineage of reincarnated spiritual leaders, the most famous of which is the Dalai Lama.
According to the foundation biography, another leader suspected Torres was the reincarnation of the recently deceased Lama Yeshe when he was only five months old. In 1986, at 14 months, his parents took him to see the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala, India. The toddler was chosen out of nine other candidates and eventually "enthroned".
At six, he was allowed to socialise only with other reincarnated souls – though for a time he said he lived next to the actor Richard Gere's cabin.
By 18, he had never seen couples kiss. His first disco experience was a shock. "I was amazed to watch everyone dance. What were all those people doing, bouncing, stuck to one another, enclosed in a box full of smoke?"
SINC SAYS:
Seems to me the Lama’s judgement is a bit off these days, isn’t it?
Speaking of BRAS . . .
15/06/2009 04:53
Police Unveil New Twist On Old Idea...
15/06/2009 04:53
The
bobby on a motorized tricycle
With its bright colours and chunky wheels, it looks like a motorbike from a giant Lego kit.
In fact, the T3 Motion could be the future of law enforcement.
The electric scooter, which has a top speed of 25mph, is designed to be cheap to use, to be friendly to the environment and, with a 9in-high raised platform, to provide a great vantage point for policing crowds.
A model with police-style blue and yellow livery (and limited to 5mph) was loaned to Sussex Police to use at the South of England Show, a three-day agricultural show in Ardingly, near Haywards Heath, which runs until tomorrow.
Sergeant Paul Marsterson said the experiment had been a success - though hampered by the sheer novelty of the vehicle.
'We tried to do a tour of the arena. However, people were so interested in it, it took us 45 minutes to get a couple of hundred metres,' he said.
'The chief constable [Martin Richards] has had a go and I mentioned to him it is perfect for Gatwick airport, both indoors and outdoors.
'It gives high visibility and it's great to be able to talk to people you might not always be able to.'
The £5,000 trike is designed by a Californian firm and has been adopted by a number of police forces in the U.S.
Three-wheeling: Sergeant Masterson stops to chat on the phone as he trials the T3
It uses changeable power modules, costs a few pence a day to run and produces zero gas emissions.
Although Sgt Masterson's trike was not equipped for use on the roads, it was fitted with headlights, brakelights, running lights and emergency lights.
A Sussex Police spokeswoman said: 'There was a road safety area at the show and the theme this year is Then And Now, so there were old police cars and other emergency services vehicles right the way through to the present.
'The trike was an example of what we could potentially have in the future.'
SINC SAYS:
I can hardly wait to read about the first high speed chase on that thing.
With its bright colours and chunky wheels, it looks like a motorbike from a giant Lego kit.
In fact, the T3 Motion could be the future of law enforcement.
The electric scooter, which has a top speed of 25mph, is designed to be cheap to use, to be friendly to the environment and, with a 9in-high raised platform, to provide a great vantage point for policing crowds.
A model with police-style blue and yellow livery (and limited to 5mph) was loaned to Sussex Police to use at the South of England Show, a three-day agricultural show in Ardingly, near Haywards Heath, which runs until tomorrow.
Sergeant Paul Marsterson said the experiment had been a success - though hampered by the sheer novelty of the vehicle.
'We tried to do a tour of the arena. However, people were so interested in it, it took us 45 minutes to get a couple of hundred metres,' he said.
'The chief constable [Martin Richards] has had a go and I mentioned to him it is perfect for Gatwick airport, both indoors and outdoors.
'It gives high visibility and it's great to be able to talk to people you might not always be able to.'
The £5,000 trike is designed by a Californian firm and has been adopted by a number of police forces in the U.S.
Three-wheeling: Sergeant Masterson stops to chat on the phone as he trials the T3
It uses changeable power modules, costs a few pence a day to run and produces zero gas emissions.
Although Sgt Masterson's trike was not equipped for use on the roads, it was fitted with headlights, brakelights, running lights and emergency lights.
A Sussex Police spokeswoman said: 'There was a road safety area at the show and the theme this year is Then And Now, so there were old police cars and other emergency services vehicles right the way through to the present.
'The trike was an example of what we could potentially have in the future.'
SINC SAYS:
I can hardly wait to read about the first high speed chase on that thing.
Ah Yes, The Bakon Mary Drink . . .
15/06/2009 04:52
Bakon Mary
• 1 oz. to 1? oz. Bakon Vodka in a Highball glass filled with ice.
• Fill glass with tomato juice
• 1 dash celery salt
• 1 dash ground black pepper
• 1 dash Tabasco
• 2-4 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
• 1/8 tsp. horseradish (pure, never creamed)
• Dash of lemon or lime juice
Garnish with a celery stalk; a skewer of olives, pickles, carrots, mushrooms, or other vegetables; or even meat or shrimp (bacon, salami, shrimp, etc.) and cheese. Pickled asparagus spears or pickled beans are also great as a garnish.
SINC SAYS:
Ewwwwwwww, yuk! Bacon flavoured vodka? You gotta be kidding.
Strange Buildings Around The World . . .
15/06/2009 04:52
Hang Nga Guesthouse a.k.a Crazy House - Vietnam
The Ufo House - Sanjhih , Taiwan
Nakagin Capsule Tower - Tokyo , Japan
The Ufo House - Sanjhih , Taiwan
Nakagin Capsule Tower - Tokyo , Japan
Gay Earns U.S. Open Spot With Win At St. Jude
15/06/2009 04:52
Memphis, TN (Sports Network) - Brian Gay fired a four-under 66 on Sunday to cruise to his second easy victory on the PGA Tour this season at the St. Jude Classic.
Gay finished at 18-under 262 and won by five strokes at the TPC Southwind.
In April, Gay crushed the field at Harbour Town Golf Links to the tune of a 10-stroke victory over Briny Baird and Luke Donald at the Heritage.
On Sunday, the margin was only five, but Gay displayed the same command when he pounded the field the week after the Masters.
While on the subject of majors, Gay's victory on Sunday earned him a spot in the field next week at the U.S. Open at Bethpage Black.
"I don't know if we'll go home or straight up there tomorrow or what," said Gay of his trip to New York. "I've got a lot of stuff with me and a lot of dirty clothes."
David Toms, a two-time winner of this championship, fired a five-under 65 and shared second place with Bryce Molder, who managed an even-par 70 on Sunday. The pair finished at 13-under 267.
John Senden (64), Paul Goydos (68) and Robert Allenby (69) tied for fourth place at minus-12.
Phil Mickelson's return to the PGA Tour didn't end well.
Mickelson, who played for the first time since announcing last month his wife Amy was battling breast cancer, struggled to a five-over 75 on Sunday. He tied for 59th place at plus-one, with, among others a returning John Daly, who came back after a six-month suspension.
But these big-name major champions couldn't stop Gay.
More from TSN.
Nordqvist wins LPGA Championship by four strokes.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
Brian Gay will not even be a factor next week at Bethpage Black. In fact, he'll be lucky to make the cut.
Eskimos' Defence Willing To Withstand The Fight
15/06/2009 04:52
Coaches preach inflicting 'sweet' mayhem on unsuspecting offences
If it's true a team takes on the personality of its coaches, then what persona will the Edmonton Eskimos project in 2009? Specifically, what will the disposition of the defence be under head coach Richie Hall and defensive co-ordinator Jim Daley? For starters, don't be fooled by Hall's ever-present smile or Daley's quiet decency.
There is diabolical menace behind Hall's twinkle-eyed warmth. At least as it concerns events out there on the field of play.
As for Daley, at training camp he has been coaching like a fiend while sporting a wide-brimmed fedora last worn by Hannibal Lector in the final scene of the Silence of the Lambs.
The mayhem he is instructing his players to inflict comes in a variety of disguises.
And the players? They can't wait to show their newly learned defensive chops against real, live opponents. They believe playing against the Eskimos defence will be an unsettling experience, if all goes according to the playbook.
The first test comes on Wednesday at Commonwealth Stadium against, as it happens, the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
"It's a sweet defence," said veteran defensive tackle Dario Romero. "We dictate what we're going to do, we don't let the offence dictate what we're going to do.
"There is a lot of different stuff, a lot of different looks that we give to the offence, one play after another. Talking to the offensive guys, they're seeing a lot of new stuff.
It keeps them more on their heels than in the past.
"I'm impressed. We've got a lot more work to do, as far as book work and getting to know our plays, but it's sweet." If the defence is meant to be unpredictable tactically, difficult for offences to read, there is one quality both Hall and Daley insist must be a constant on every play -- aggression.
More from the Edmonton Journal.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
As I’ve said before, I’m really excited about the Eskimos’ defence this year.
Battle Lines Drawn For Offensive Line Spots
15/06/2009 04:52
Kyle Koch among handful after Comiskey's job
Veterans know better than to rest on their laurels.
Nothing is guaranteed in the Canadian Football League, including contracts, so taking anything for granted is often a foolish mistake.
Cue Kyle Koch.
The retirement of guard Dan Comiskey left a gaping hole in the Edmonton Eskimos' offensive line.
The former Winnipeg Blue Bomber, who is entering his third CFL campaign, may seem the perfect fit, but he isn't about to call the spot his to win or lose, especially not after the Eskimos brought back Joe McGrath on Thursday.
"To be honest, I'm trying not to think about it. I came here with the mentality that I was going to come here and try and make the team like everybody else.
I still want to keep that mentality," said Koch, a squat six-foot-two, 320-pounder who signed as a free agent.
"Honestly, it's a day-by-day, play-by-play thing. You can't think about (crap) like that." One can never get too comfortable, even after two seasons as a backup and spot starter in Winnipeg.
An all-Canadian at McMaster University in 2005 and 2006, the 25-year-old makes absolutely no assumptions, even his consistent start at the Eskimos training camp.
"When you come out here and bust your behind for two-a-days, you've got to want it," said Koch. "I can't even put it into words how badly I want it.
"You're here killing yourself for something, not for nothing." The battle is on for the spot vacated by Comiskey.
"It's wide open," said offensive line coach Jeff Bleamer.
"That was a tough hit to take," Bleamer said about losing Comiskey. "He's been a great player, but obviously he had to make a tough personal decision.
"Once we get to a scrimmage and in a game-like situation, we'll see what happens. The thing about this group is it's probably the most fun group I have ever coached." The offensive linemen are also versatile.
Koch usually lines up at guard, but has played centre at times. The same goes for rookie Gord Hinse, who has also played tackle.
"Kyle is a blue-collar-type kid.
Obviously, he's not a giant, but he makes up for it by being good on his feet," said Bleamer. "He's a tough kid, the type of kid you like to go to the foxhole with." High draft pick Greg Wojt is also in the mix, but is currently nursing a sore knee, and then there's six-foot-eight, 310-pounder Thaddeus Coleman and six-foot-three, 319-pounder Aaron Fiacconi, who spent all of last season with the Esks.
McGrath, who rejoined the team on Friday, can play tackle or guard as well.
"It can win you a spot if you can play more than one," Koch said of the versatility factor.
But it doesn't mean he's going to get too comfortable at any point in time, especially after the late deal brought in even more competition. He's in a fight for a job and he knows it.
"If it happens, great, but if it doesn't, that happens, too," said Koch, who took the tradition of the organization into consideration when he decided to come over.
"It seems like a great place to play. The tradition in this city, with the fan support, the players that have played here and the teams that have played here -- it seems like a great place to keep playing.
"It didn't take that much to sell me on playing here. The tradition is like none other, and they probably have the best facilities in the country and they're improving on that, too."
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
With Dan Comiskey retired, the battle for jobs along the Eskimos’ offensive line should be very interesting, indeed. It’s a good thing the Esks picked this year to have 11 prospective offensive linemen come to camp.
Crosby Denies ‘Snubbing’ Red Wings After Game 7
15/06/2009 04:52
A day after being criticized by Detroit Red Wings forward Kris Draper for not shaking hands with Nicklas Lidstrom after Game 7, Sidney Crosby gave his side of the story.
"My intentions were to shake hands," Crosby told the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. "That we didn't wasn't me trying to avoid it.
"That's the last thing I'd want to do. By no means was I trying to avoid shaking the other team's hands.
"I think it's important to do that."
Crosby went on to explain to the Post Gazette that after celebrating for "three or four minutes" he joined the handshake line, which at that time only had "seven to 10" Red Wings left, with "five or six" that were leaving the ice.
Crosby also suggested that perhaps Lidstrom did not wait that long before the leaving the ice, recalling that, "I didn't feel like waiting around, either" when the Penguins lost the Stanley Cup to the Red Wings in 2008.
Kris Draper brought the handshake issue to light yesterday, when he called out Crosby to an Associated Press reporter.
"Nick was waiting and waiting, and Crosby didn't come over to shake his hand," Draper said. "That's ridiculous, especially as their captain, and make sure you write that I said that!"
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
See – I told you it wasn’t a ‘snub,’ folks.
'Gridiron Greats' Give Helping Hand To The ‘Fridge’
15/06/2009 04:52
Mike Ditka behind effort to get 'Refrigerator' on his feet again
It was Mike Ditka who turned William "Refrigerator" Perry into an international celebrity and Chicago folk hero.
And it is Mike Ditka who is helping Perry, 46, literally get back on his feet and walk again.
The coach who put the rookie defensive tackle in the Bears' backfield in 1985 has taken an active role in getting the Fridge the medical care he needs in his continuing battle with Guillain Barre Syndrome and CIDP, an offshoot of the disease that affects the nervous system.
After a stay of nearly six weeks in Aiken (S.C.) Regional Medical Center, Perry needed to be transferred to a rehabilitation center to continue his therapy. But he didn't have the money or insurance to pay for it.
After losing more than 150 pounds, Perry needed therapy to help his motor skills, hearing and speech. He also needed help walking again.
"William's problems are multiple," Ditka said. "It's not just one thing. I went out there to that autograph show in Rosemont [Feb. 26]. He must have lost a hundred pounds. That's like throwing a deck chair off the Titanic, but still, it's a lot of weight."
In stepped Ditka and Gridiron Greats, the organization that helps former NFL players in need of medical assistance. Ditka and Ken Valdiserri, the former Bears executive who recently was hired to be president of the charity, tried to get Perry transferred to the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.
More from the Chicago Tribune.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
We wish William Perry all the best as he continues to battle Guillain Barre Syndrome and CIDP. Kudos to Mike Ditka and the other 'gridiron greats' who are trying to help.
Injuries Plus Game Equals A Day Seven Break
15/06/2009 04:52
Coach wants players rested for pre-season tilt
Richie Hall took his foot off the gas pedal a tad on Saturday, cutting back Day 7 of training camp by 90 minutes.
Not that the Edmonton Eskimos are speeding through sessions. It's just that the rookie head coach is conserving some energy for his beaten-down troops, who went padless with no-hit sessions for the second time in four days.
Nicked-up bodies are piling up on the sidelines, which also had something to do with lightening up the load.
"A little bit," confirmed Hall. "But we also have our Spruce Grove situation (today). We're getting closer to game time, so we're trying to get their legs back and trying to get healthy because Wednesday night is more important than going out there full contact today." The Eskimos host the Saskatchewan Roughriders in their first Canadian Football League pre-season game at Commonwealth Stadium on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
The team's injury list continues to grow and the focus now is to slow things down.
"We've got a lot of nicks at certain positions," said veteran defensive lineman Dario Romero, one of several players who did not take part in camp Saturday.
"Thank God we have a coach who has played before and knows what we're feeling. You've got guys down and it puts an overload on other players." Romero was joined on the sidelines by the CFL's top Canadian from last season, Kamau Peterson. Neither would discuss particular hurts, but enjoyed the break.
"It's nothing serious," said Romero. "I know they want us to play in the pre-season game and run some of the new stuff, so it's just precautions." "I'm fine," said Peterson, a veteran of his ninth CFL camp. "I'll be good to go tomorrow." Is it a case of pacing yourself to get through the two weeks of two-a-days? "I don't know if you can afford to in a camp this competitive. It's a grind. That's part of what camp is, is to see who can play through stuff," said Peterson. "Who can play while on no sleep. Who can retain. That's part of the whole job audition.
"Who can play under all those circumstances." "It's been a grind, but that's what training camp is all about," admitted Hall. "You put your body through a lot, you put your mind through a lot.
"They've had a positive attitude, but they are tired. But like I told them, I never get tired of watching them run." Message received Much has been said of the talent the Eskimos bring to camp, especially at the receiving position.
Peterson chimed in on the topic on Saturday.
"This is one of the most talented groups I've been around. Especially with the amount of character guys we have. It's tough to find, at our position, a high talent level without the ego that comes with it," Peterson said.
"I don't envy the group that has to get the numbers down, in our group in particular." This and that w The Eskimos work out in Spruce Grove today for a session between 1 to 3:30 p.m. at the West District Park near the Tri-Leisure Centre.
- Kelly Malveaux was among the players sitting out, as he battled dehydration late Friday and again into Saturday.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
I hate training camp injuries – I really do. They can set the tone for an entire football season.
Als Back Diedrick Faces Sexual Assault Charge
15/06/2009 04:52
MONTREAL / Despite a sexual assault charge, running back Dahrran Diedrick remains part of the Montreal Alouettes and will continue practising daily at training camp.
"We're aware of the case, but there's not a lot to say," said Als president Larry Smith. "We'll let the process play itself out. The case is in its infancy and there will be various stages. He has to be proven to be in a (guilty) position before we judge him." A Toronto police officer confirmed a story in Saturday's Globe and Mail that Diedrick, 30, is facing legal problems. Staff Sgt. Edward Tymburski said Diedrick has been charged with sexual assault with a weapon and threatening death and assault against a woman. The alleged victim is known to Diedrick.
The incident, Tymburski said, occurred in early June. Diedrick reported to training June 6, but returned to Toronto last week for 24 hours, tending to a personal matter, the Als said at the time.
A warrant was executed against Diedrick, who was arrested and appeared in court last Tuesday before being released on bail. The case has been remanded until this week, Tymburski said.
Diedrick, six-feet and 226 pounds, is entering his fourth season with Montreal.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
I can’t see how Dahrran Diedrick will last the year with the Als, folks. Even if he is innocent, the charges themselves will be a major distraction to Diedrick and the Als that will dog them the entire season.
Michael Phelps Outduels Canada’s Ryan Cochrane
15/06/2009 04:52
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - American swimming star Michael Phelps has held off a late charge by Canada's Ryan Cochrane to win the 400-metre freestyle at the Santa Clara International Grand Prix.
Phelps cruised to an early lead, but he had to dig in over the final 100 metres to win in three minutes 48.05 seconds under sunny, windy conditions at the outdoor pool.
It was his second victory in as many races.
Cochrane, an Olympic bronze medallist from Victoria, pushed Phelps in the closing metres only to settle for second in 3:48.40. Robert Hurley of Australia was third in 3:48.49.
Phelps has rarely swum the event over the years, and he didn't advance to the 400 free final at the 2005 world championships in Montreal, a failure that still bothers him.
Wearing a long black body suit, Phelps swam in lane 7 after qualifying fourth-fastest in the morning. The 14-time Olympic gold medallist owned an easy lead until the last two laps.
That's when the chase was on.