Month: August 2008 (Page 16 of 50)

      News Flash: It’s easy for athletes to get laid in the Olympic Village

      August 22, 2008 /

      Former Olympic athlete Matthew Syed shared a startlingly revelation with Times Online: Apparently all of these hot, well-conditioned Olympic athletes are having no issues getting laid.

      This sex fest was not limited to Barcelona: the same thing happened in Sydney in 2000, my second Olympics as an athlete, and is happening right here in Beijing, where this time I’m a commentator. I spoke to an Aussie table tennis player this week to check out the village vibe and he launched into the breathless patter common to any Olympic debutant: “It is unbelievable in there; everyone is totally crazy once they are out of their competitions. God knows what it is going to be like this weekend. It is like a world within a world.” A British runner (anonymous again: athletes are not supposed to talk to journalists unaccompanied by a PR type, least of all about sex) said: “The swimmers finished earlier in the week and it was like there was an eruption.”

      But let us get back to all the sex going down in the village. One possible explanation centres on the fact that Olympic athletes have to display an unnatural (and, it has to be said, wholly unhealthy) level of self-discipline in the build-up to big competitions. How else is this going to manifest itself than with a volcanic release of pent-up hedonism? It is a common sight to see recently knocked-out athletes gorging on Magnums and McDonald’s, swilling alcohol and, of course, shagging like crazy. Sometimes all three at the same time. Yet this can be only a part of the explanation because most of the athletes I know are as up for it before and during competition as they are in the immediate aftermath. It is as if sportsmen and women have a higher base level of sexual energy. But why? Can it be that one of the underlying drivers of sporting greatness is also the very thing that produces an overactive sex drive?

      I begged, I begged my parents to get me into swimming when I was younger!

      General Sports, Swimming, The Olympics

      Favorite sports movie fat kids

      August 22, 2008 /

      JoeSportsFan.com paid a hilarious tribute to the top seven sports movie fat kids of all-time.

      2. Ham, The Sandlot

      He’s one of the greatest trash-talkers in sports movie history, even if he was doing so against fellow ten-year olds. He also became the first person in baseball history to hit a home run, the one against the rich club team, that actually traveled backwards off the bat. If you haven’t seen Sandlot recently or in the neighborhood of 200 times, I apologize for such an obscure reference. But it’s true.

      If you don’t like the “Great Hambino,” you don’t like America.

      By the way, while searching for Ham Porter YouTube clips, I stumbled upon this video, which is freaking outstanding. Anyone who has seen the movie “300” will appreciate it.

      General Sports, Video

      Shawne Merriman has ligament damage in knee – Chargers’ GM not happy

      August 22, 2008 /

      The San Diego Union-Tribune is reporting that Chargers’ linebacker Shawne Merriman has ligment damage in his left knee and might miss the entire season if he opts for surgery.

      “It’s finding out what do I need to fix, what I need to do,” Merriman said by phone. “If it’s left up to me, I want to play football. I can’t stand sitting out.”

      Merriman’s options for fixing what he said was a torn posterior cruciate ligament (among other issues) in his left knee range from doing nothing to having a surgery that would delay the start of his season to undergoing reconstructive surgery that would keep him out all season.

      On a semi-related note, the Tribune also noted that Chargers’ GM A.J. Smith isn’t too pleased with Merriman’s activities off the field.

      Asked yesterday how he felt about Merriman’s latest venture, wherein the linebacker will fly from San Diego to Los Angeles after practice each Thursday and tape a show about the NFL on Fox Sports Net, Smith said this:

      “My feeling about any of his off-the-field activities will be between me and Shawne. Shawne has many, many activities off the field, and that’s his business, along with his agents, marketing people, publicist and business partners. My only hope is that he remembers his high-level football performance is what drives his off-the-field attraction.”

      Smith should be reminded that these players have lives off the football field. While it’s true Merriman is being paid millions of dollars to play football, it’s still only a job. If he wants to pursue other things off the field, it should be nobody’s business but his own.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      Top 25 Questions for 2008 College Football Season

      August 22, 2008 /

      FOX Sports.com complied 25 questions facing teams heading into the 2008 College Football Season. Below is the top two; click the link above to see all top 25.

      1. Is Ohio State really on target for a third straight shot at a national title?
      Start getting used to the notion of the Buckeyes being favored to return to the BCS Championship game, looking for redemption after losing badly to Florida and LSU in back-to-back tries. Ohio State is absolutely loaded with talent and has a massive scarlet and gray chip on its shoulder. A consensus favorite in the Big Ten, the Bucks will get tested in the league, but gets their best chance to quiet critics with a Sept. 13 trip to USC. Without nitpicking, it’s hard to find a glaring weakness other than the national perception. Now all Ohio State has to do is get back to another title game and close the deal this time.

      2. How will Georgia manage a nasty schedule and a year-long target on its chest?
      As far back as last November, Georgia was being considered a presumptive favorite for the 2009 BCS championship. Back then, the Dawgs were too young and having too much fun to think about expectations. This fall, they’re going to hear about it from fans and the media every single day. While there’s certainly enough talent to come through, the Bulldogs will have to prove they can handle an immense amount of pressure and scrutiny, while navigating a slate that includes trips to South Carolina, Arizona State, LSU and Auburn, visits from Alabama and Tennessee, and one titanic game with Florida in Jacksonville.

      If the Buckeyes beat (I hesitate to use the word “upset” because the programs are 2-3 in the polls) USC, they should be on easy street the rest of the year. The Big Ten is a joke, even though Wisconsin is a solid program. The Badgers are incredibly beat up (especially on the defensive line) for this early in the season and even though they’re OSU’s biggest threat in the conference, the Buckeyes still have the better talent.

      And it’s going to be hard for Georgia to stay atop the polls all season. Not only do they have a brutal schedule, but also the offensive line is largely inexperienced and it might take time for the unit to gel with two ’07 starters switching positions. The Bulldogs are loaded with talent, but they’ve got a minefield ahead of them playing in the SEC.

      College Football

      Fantasy Football Update: 8/21

      August 21, 2008 /

      This is an addendum to the Fantasy Football Preview published on Bullz-Eye.com.

      The tough thing about publishing fantasy football rankings in early August is that the game is fluid and things are continually changing as injuries occur, depth charts are modified and camp battles won. In an effort to keep our readers on top of things, here are several players that are rising or falling as the training camps progress.

      RISING

      Chris Johnson, RB, Titans
      Johnson says that he wants to be rookie of the year, so the kid has high aspirations. He’s slated right now to the “lightning” to LenDale White’s “thunder,” but White has never been one of Jeff Fisher’s favorites, so the team might just give Johnson as big of a role as he can handle. I doubt he takes over the job, but it sure looks like a RBBC is forming in Nashville.

      Chris Perry, RB, Bengals
      Perry has been having a strong preseason and, given Rudi Johnson’s lingering injury problems, he has been tentatively given the starting job. This could be a motivational tactic aimed towards Rudi, and Perry has had injury issues of his own throughout his career, but right now he looks like a nice gamble in the late-middle rounds.

      Larry Johnson, RB, Chiefs
      LJ has looked good thus far and seems to be back on track. The big question is if Brodie Croyle is capable of keeping opposing secondaries honest. With his foot looking like it’s completely healed, Johnson has become a solid pick in the early second round.

      Phillip Rivers, QB, Chargers
      Rivers reportedly looks terrific in camp and has improved his strength and reaction time. Now that Antonio Gates is back in action, Rivers has all of his weapons in place.

      Ray Rice, RB, Ravens
      Willis McGahee has a sore knee and his (lack of a) work ethic has him on the outs with the team. Rice has been a nice surprise in camp and could work his way into the starting role if the team decided to part ways with McGahee (or if he can’t go because of the knee). At the very least, he’s a must-handcuff for McGahee owners.

      Wes Welker, WR, Patriots
      That mysterious ailment that kept Welker out of practice turned out to be a groin injury. He says he’s 100%, so there’s no reason to think that he won’t be able to finish in the top 15 in PPR leagues. He’s a nice pick in the fourth round.

      Ted Ginn, WR, Dolphins
      Chad Pennington gives the team a bona fide NFL QB (though the team hasn’t given him the job yet), so look for Ginn and WR2 Derek Hagan to do a little better than we might have expected before the trade. Ginn is a second-year WR with a lot of talent, so he’s a breakout candidate and is an interesting pick once the rounds hit double digits.

      Ricky Williams, RB, Dolphins
      Williams has looked so good thus far that there were actually rumors that the team was thinking about moving the oft-injured Ronnie Brown before the season. The coaching staff has squashed that rumor, but it does look like Williams has earned a bigger than average role for a backup RB, and should be one of the first backups selected on draft day. He might even begin the season as a starter.

      Michael Turner, RB, Falcons
      “The Burner” has looked great in the preseason and some folks are thinking that maybe the Falcons’ running game won’t be that bad. The fact that Atlanta is likely to be playing from behind a majority of the time is still a concern, but Turner looks like he’s ready for prime time. I’d be happy to take him in the fourth round.

      Nate Burleson, WR, Seahawks
      Somebody has to catch passes in Seattle, and right now Burleson is the best the Seahawks have. He’s been a fantasy tease for a few years now, but he’s an interesting pick in the late-middle rounds.

      Jonathan Stewart, RB, Panthers
      Stewart appears to be healthy and will get an opportunity to run with the first team in the Panthers’ next preseason game. The team is clearly down on DeAngelo Williams, so if Stewart can get his power game going, he may be the main back early in the season.

      Antonio Gates, TE, Chargers
      Gates has finally been cleared to return to practice, so he should be good to go for week 1. This news solidifies his standing in that top tier of TEs along with Jason Witten, Tony Gonzalez and Kellen Winslow.

      Steve Slaton, RB, Texans
      The feature back job in Houston is up for grabs, and Slaton has been the most impressive thus far in camp. Ahman Green is hurt and Chris Brown will probably assume the #1 role until he gets injured. Slaton is probably too small for full time duty in the NFL, but he could turn into a decent spot starter, which isn’t bad for a guy available late in fantasy drafts.

      FALLING

      Bobby Engram, WR, Seahawks
      Engram has a shoulder injury that is going to keep him out until at least week 5. He has gone from a savvy pick in the 8th round, to a savvy pick in the 11th or 12th. Remember, he’s 35, so there’s no guarantee that he is going to heal quickly.

      Peyton Manning, QB, Colts
      Manning still is sidelined with a knee injury and the team is saying that they hope to have him back for the season opener. I wouldn’t get too worried about Peyton, but I wouldn’t take him in the second round either. Tony Romo and Drew Brees are safer bets right now at QB.

      Rudi Johnson, RB, Bengals
      Johnson has been battling a sore hamstring. As a result, he has lost his starting job and has gone from an interesting mid-round pick to a late round flier.

      Matt Hasselbeck, QB, Seahawks
      He lost Bobby Engram to injury and now he has a sore back. Hass is still worth a pick in the 8th or 9th, but I’d much rather have Jay Cutler or Donovan McNabb.

      Ronnie Brown, RB, Dolphins
      Brown is recovering from knee surgery and now has an injured thumb. To make matters worse, Ricky Williams is looking good, so it seems like Brown could open the season as a backup. That makes his fourth-round ADP look ridiculous.

      Willis McGahee, RB, Ravens
      Head coach John Harbaugh says that McGahee is the starter when he’s ready to go, but the rumblings from Baltimore paint a bleaker picture. They say that McGahee’s poor work ethic has him in the doghouse and Ray Rice keeps vying for the starting job. I’d still grab McGahee in the fourth, but only after guys like Brandon Jacobs, Earnest Graham and Thomas Jones are off the board.

      Chad Johnson, WR, Bengals
      It’s all about the dislocated shoulder. The team says he’ll be fine, but they also indicated that the injury was a big part of the decision to re-sign Chris Henry. Johnson should be okay, but I don’t think I’d draft him before Plaxico Burress, Wes Welker or Anquan Boldin until we know he’s good to go.

      Kevin Curtis, WR, Eagles
      Curtis is going to miss about half the season with a sports hernia injury. Obviously, his stock should take a huge hit, and he isn’t worth anything but a late-round flier with the thinking that he might be back to help during the late-season push.

      Ahman Green, RB, Texans
      I thought this was a horrible contract when the Texans first signed Green and now it looks even worse. Green is hurt again and he might just get cut if he can’t get it together. Stay away, stay far away.

      Fantasy Football, NFL, Rumors & Gossip

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