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      Japanese snowboarder banned from opening ceremonies because of clothes

      February 13, 2010 /

      Japanese snowboarder Kazuhiro Kokubo, who is expected to contend for a medal in the 2010 Winter Olympics, was banned from the welcoming ceremony in Vancouver after Japanese Olympic Committee officials weren’t pleased with his dress attire.

      From Yahoo! Sports:

      With his sagging pants, untucked shirt, and loosened tie, Kokubo looked like any sloppily dressed 21-year-old. But that’s not going to fly. According to one Japanese Olympic Committee official, “It is not the way the Japanese delegation should dress themselves while taxpayers’ money is spent on them.” Uh-oh.

      Kokubo, who is expected to contend for a medal, was banned from a welcoming ceremony in Vancouver after there were complaints about his clothes. The snowboarder followed that up by saying the Olympics are “just another snowboarding event,” and that they are “nothing special.” Uh-oh again.

      When I first read this, my thought was who cares? He’s a 21-year-old snowboard – how else do you expect him to dress?

      But after giving it more thought, it’s nice to see that the Japanese Olympic Committee is taking this seriously. The Olympics are not only about competing for your country, but also representing it both in and out of events. How hard is it to wear your suit the right way when you’re out in public? Especially when taxpayers are footing your bill to compete.

      Trey Kerby of Yahoo! Sports put it best in the above article:

      The anti-authority stance permeates snowboarding, but there are certain times when you have to play nice. One of those times is the Olympics. Your country is paying for you to represent them. You get the chance of a lifetime to do something hardly anyone else gets to do. And it’s all free. Pretty sweet deal. So just go with the flow.

      Well said.

      The Olympics, Video

      Mistress says Tiger owes her an apology

      February 13, 2010 /

      One of Tiger Woods’ many mistresses says that the golfer owes her an apology.

      From the Orlando Sentinel:

      “I would like an apology and to wonder why, if he did have all these other women, why he was so insistent on me staying?” Los Angeles cocktail waitress Jamie Grubbs tells KTLA. “Why put me through that if I didn’t mean anything?”

      Is she serious? Did she actually believe that Woods was banging her on the side and not seeing other women at the same time? He’s Tiger freaking Woods – if he was cheating on his wife with one woman, chances are there were others.

      I hope that this is just her attempt to get some publicity, because if she seriously is looking for an individual apology from Tiger than she’ll be waiting a long time. I can see the press conference now:

      Media: “Tiger, Jamie Grubbs is seeking an apology for the way you treated her. Do you have anything to say?”

      Tiger Woods: “Who?”

      Media: “Jamie Grubbs? She’s a Los Angeles cocktail waitress?”

      Woods: “Hmm. I’m usually nice to cocktail waitresses…usually tip them 15 percent.”

      Media: “No Tiger, this was one of your mistresses: Jaime Grubbs.”

      Woods: “Not ringing a bell.”


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      Golf

      Unsafe luge track to reopen with raised wall

      February 13, 2010 /

      On Friday, Georgian luge athlete Nodar Kumaritashvili crashed and was killed after taking a dangerous turn during a practice run at the Whistler track. The track was immediately closed, but now the International Luge Federation is saying training will resume this weekend after proper adjustments are made to the turn in question. The Vancouver Organizing Committee will reportedly raise the turn’s outside wall and alter its ice profile.

      From The Vancouver Sun:

      Vanoc released a statement saying both the BC Coroners Service and FIL officials had investigated the accident. The federation concluded Kumaritashvili failed to make a correction once he entered the final curve and slammed into the pillar.

      “It appears after a routine run, the athlete came late out of curve 15 and did not compensate properly to make correct entrance into curve 16,” the FIL said. ” This resulted in a late entrance into curve 16 and although the athlete worked to correct the problem he eventually lost control of the sled resulting in the tragic accident.

      “The technical officials of the FIL were able to retrace the path of the athlete and concluded there was no indication that the accident was caused by deficiencies in the track.”

      This, to me, sounds like the FIL is subtly blaming the athlete for his death. They aren’t being crude about it, but the federation certainly isn’t taking any responsibility.

      Also, there must be some “deficiencies in the track” if the VANOC is modifying the track after this tragic accident. In retrospect, I’m sure we’re all wondering why proper precautions weren’t made beforehand. Given the years of preparation, how did this happen? Why wasn’t the wall higher in the first place? Why weren’t those steel poles padded? Did those poles have to be so close to the track?


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      News, The Olympics

      Roger Goodell given contract extension

      February 13, 2010 /

      With his contract due to expire in September, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has been given a new five-year deal that would extend his term through 2015.

      From ESPN.com:

      The NFL said a year ago that Goodell voluntarily took a cut of 20 to 25 percent, and that he and other league executives were freezing their salaries for 2009. That announcement was made at the same time the league announced it cut 169 jobs through buyouts, layoffs and other staff reductions, a drop of just over 15 percent of a work force that had been 1,100.

      The tax return for the year ending last March 31 showed Goodell made $9,759,000, of which $2.9 million was salary and $6.55 million bonus and incentive compensation.

      Next season, the last in the current agreement, is on track to be played without a salary cap. NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith said last week the union views the chance of a lockout as a “14” on a scale of 1-to-10. That would end a streak of labor peace since the 1987 strike led to the cancellation of 14 games and three weeks of play with replacement players.

      I couldn’t imagine going through an entire year without professional football. Hopefully the greedy owners and greedy player’s union can come together on a deal that will pay both greedy parties what their greedy little minds think is fair.

      Oh, and good for Goodell. He’s done some great things for the league (especially in terms of instituting stricter punishment for off-field misconduct) and here’s hoping he does everything in his power to get the owners and player’s union to agree on a new CBA deal.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      NFL

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