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5414. alistairConnor - 3/17/2007 6:13:52 PM Yes!
And converted it too! 5415. alistairConnor - 3/17/2007 6:25:22 PM Oh of course England could whitewash Wales by 50 points or so, in which case they win the 6 Nations...
But I think not. We shall see. Ought to be the best of the three matches, the Welsh can be great or awful. 5416. alistairConnor - 3/17/2007 11:57:44 PM We're down to the last overs of the Pakistan/Ireland cricket match....
And Ireland are going to win it!!!!
Unfrigginbelievable. 5417. alistairConnor - 3/18/2007 12:03:40 AM Yes Ireland have won...
In the process, knocking Pakistan, who had been one of the favourites, out of the World Cup!
This is some sort of compensation for not winning the Six Nations. Happy St Patrick's day indeed! 5418. jexster - 3/18/2007 3:26:01 AM 
5419. alistairConnor - 3/18/2007 7:43:21 PM Coda to the Six Nations rugby championship :
The last match was England-Wales. The Welsh have lost all their other matches, and desperately wanted to avoid the humiliation of the "wooden spoon", prize for sixth place. The English wanting to confirm their renaissance, and to position themselves to convincingly defend their title in this autumn's World Cup in France.
Wales 27 - England 18. I'm in love. 5420. alistairConnor - 3/18/2007 10:04:12 PM None of the above has any bearing on who will win the World Cup.
It's New Zealand. Barring nuclear war or something.
Just looking at the match schedule. I really must take the girls to see one of the games.
Possibilities :
In Lyon :
Australia Japan
Argentina Georgia
New Zealand Repechage 1 (Tonga I think)
In Saint Etienne :
Scotland Repechage 1 (Uruguay or Portugal!)
Samoa USA
Scotland Italy
These last two are perhaps the most interesting, in terms of being fairly even matches.
Yes, I think Samoa-USA could be a fun match to see. 5421. alistairconnor - 3/22/2007 11:03:37 AM Ooh boy the Subcons take their cricket seriously!
As you will remember, the other day, Ireland (Ireland!) beat Pakistan (Pakistan!), knocking them out of the World Cup.
The captain promptly retired from one-day cricket. People were burning effigies in the streets of Karachi.
That night, the Pakistan coach, well-loved Englishman Bob Woolmer, died. He has a history of diabetes and heart problems, but still the rumours flew.
And it seems likely that he was murdered... 5422. alistairConnor - 3/24/2007 1:06:44 AM  Sri Lanka send India packing
There are four teams from the Subcontinent at the World Cup in the Caribbean : The big boys, Pakistan and India. Middle-sized Sri Lanka. And little Bangladesh.
Pakistan have already been humbled, and sent home, by Ireland (Ireland!). India were beaten, unexpectedly, by Bangladesh. Meaning that they had to beat Sri Lanka to continue to the next round...
... and they didn't. So they'll be off home too then.
But please, no more deaths...
India's coach, Australian Greg Chapple, must be feeling uneasy.
Jamaican police have taken DNA samples from the entire Pakistan team, and
they are investigating the possibility that match-fixing was a motive for the murder of Pakistan's coach.
Sounds like a good subject for Agatha Christie... Eleven suspects...
5423. jexster - 3/28/2007 7:54:55 PM I have a 19 year old nephew with a form of autism. His younger brother, 12, is a Little League superstar pitcher. No 1 nephew played his first Game in the Fort Bend County Dream League Saturday. His younger brother was an "Angel in the Outfield" (little league "coaches" of Dream Leaguers)
They met Roger Clemens last weekend on Opening Day
From the H'Town Chronicle
Dreams come true for special athletes
By LEEN LARICCI
Steve Schoppa believes every child should have the chance to play baseball. He believes every child, no matter what his physical capabilities, has a dream to run to first base. He decided to make some dreams come true.
First Colony Little League opened up Field 1 last Saturday, and for Saturdays for the rest of the season, so the Challenger League boys and girls can fulfill their dreams.
Fifty-four Dream League athletes sported their uniforms at the opening ceremonies Saturday night. Jack Krueger, a sixth-grade Down syndrome
pupil from First Colony Middle School, was the catcher for the opening pitch of the 2007 season. The pitcher was Roger Clemens of the Houston
Astros.
Schoppa, as well as Donna and Al Danto, began organizing what they call the "Dream League" in November. They had no idea the community would
support the league with such open arms.
Schoppa said he and Al Danto discussed the idea at a Little League baseball game, wondering if they would get any support.
"We needed to raise at least $5,000 to pay the entry fee for the kids, hopefully uniforms and possibly a trophy at the end of the season,"
Schoppa said. "Word spread like wildfire."
Schoppa intended this first year to be small, just organizational. He was hoping to at least get 48 players for four teams. After he enrolled
54 immediately, he had to start turning them away.
To help the athletes play the game, to give them direction on which way to run, or how to throw the ball, each athlete has an "Angel in the
Outfield"
Schoppa said it was a hope to have at least one Angel, a high school student volunteering time, to help each player. But, each athlete ended
up having two Angels.
Parent Karen Brown, watching her 7-year-old autistic son, Ross, play in the opening game, said it was the most thrilling event for the both of them.
"I can't even express what this feeling is," Brown said. "The kids in this area have so many opportunities. The athletes involved in this
league are finally getting the same opportunity. They actually feel like they fit in."
Ross told his mom he likes the Angels. "They are very helpful," the Colony Bend pupil said after meeting his angels.
The Dream League is open to ages 5 through 17, involving all special-needs children.
"We do have a lot of autistic kids this year," Schoppa, 52, said. "We don't have any children in wheelchairs this year."
The Dream League teams — Astros, Cardinals, Yankees and Rangers — will play baseball every Saturday morning on Field 1. Every child will be
able to bat. Every player will be able to score. Players can hit the ball off a tee or have a coach pitch to them. An umpire is present to
make the game true and an announcer is calling all the plays.
Players, coaches, Angels and fans were able to see what Schoppa wanted the players to have.
"I just want to see the smiles on these players' faces when they are able to hit that ball and run to first base" he said. "These children are not disabled. We don't want them to be classified as disabled."
Brown said she believes it's a beautiful commitment to the children.
"They come here and they feel like they belong," she said. "It's all positive. It's all good."
Ross was nervous when he first took the field. He told his mom he thinks maybe he should watch his brother, Trey, 11, play one more game before he's ready to play.
Krueger could not stop smiling as Clemens was speaking to the Dream League in center field.
His baseball glove now says "Nice Catch" and is autographed by Clemens.
"Every child should be able to play baseball," Schoppa said."This league is making that dream come true for a lot of children."
5424. wonkers2 - 3/28/2007 11:32:10 PM Cap'n Dirty sez, "Anybody up fer a fast sail on San Francisco Bay?" Fast Sail 5425. jexster - 3/28/2007 11:34:38 PM Nah..not today..there's little wind..that' a summer sail 5426. arkymalarky - 3/29/2007 1:07:52 AM Very neat for your nephews, Jex! Congratulations! 5427. jexster - 3/30/2007 1:32:18 AM Opening Day - Fort Bend County Little League
 5428. jexster - 3/30/2007 1:34:17 AM 
5429. wonkers2 - 3/31/2007 11:11:49 PM Cricket Crazy 5430. wabbit - 4/2/2007 1:10:30 AM  Michael Phelps equaled the most hallowed mark in swimming, winning his seventh gold medal at the world championships Sunday night with his fifth world record. Phelps smashed his own standard in the 400-meter individual medley by 2.04 seconds, becoming the most successful swimmer ever at the worlds. The 21-year-old American joined countryman Mark Spitz as the only swimmers to win that many golds at a major international meet. Of course, Spitz' achievement came on the sport's grandest stage -- the Olympics. Phelps hopes to equal the feat or go one better at next year's Beijing Games.
5431. wabbit - 4/2/2007 1:10:51 AM  Morgan Pressel became the youngest major champion in LPGA Tour history Sunday with a game well beyond her 18 years, closing with a 3-under 69 at the Kraft Nabisco Championship as everyone around her self-destructed. Pressel played her final 24 holes over Mission Hills without a bogey, finishing the round with a 10-foot birdie putt that looked as though it would be only good enough for second place. Then came a shocking collapse from Suzann Pettersen, the latest and most significant on a sun-baked afternoon in the desert. Pettersen, a fiery 25-year-old from Norway, had a four-shot lead with four holes to play when she started hitting tee shots into the ankle deep rough and missing putts on the crusty greens. She went bogey-double bogey-bogey to fall one shot behind, and needing a birdie on the par-5 18th, she hit wedge some 25 feet beyond the hole and missed the putt.
Adam Scott held off defending champion Stuart Appleby in the Houston Open on Sunday, saving par with a 50-foot putt on the 72nd hole after hitting his tee shot into the water. Scott shot a 6-under 66 to finish at 17 under, three strokes ahead of Appleby and third-round leader Bubba Watson. Playing together, Scott led Appleby by one stroke as they stood on the 18th tee, but Scott pulled his tee shot into the pond that lines the left side of the 488-yard hole, the course's most difficult. Appleby drove into the fairway bunker, then immediately gave Scott a reprieve by hitting his approach into the water near the green. Scott took his drop, hit his approach safely away from the water, then holed the par-saving putt. He pumped his fist, Tiger Woods-style, after the ball disappeared and the crowd roared. Appleby had a double bogey to finish with a 69. Watson birdied the last hole for a 72. Scott became the sixth Australian to win the event, joining Appleby, Bruce Devlin, Bruce Crampton, David Graham and Robert Allenby. Appleby and Crampton have won it twice and the eight victories by Australians are the most in any U.S. tour event. Only the British Open (9) has had more champions from Down Under.
5432. wabbit - 4/2/2007 1:11:09 AM  Novak Djokovic whacked the tournament's final shot for a winner, then collapsed on his back, sprawled at the baseline. Djokovic rose to embrace his opponent and climbed into the stands to hug his parents. He returned to the court and threw his shirt and racket to the cheering crowd. The kid plays with flair and celebrates the same way. Djokovic succeeded where Roger Federer failed, beating qualifier Guillermo Canas 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 Sunday to win the Sony Ericsson Open. Canas upset the top-ranked Federer twice last month, including in the fourth round Tuesday. But the 29-year-old Argentine's relentless baseline game failed to faze the 19-year-old Djokovic, who dominated with his versatile shotmaking and held every service game. Seeded 10th, Djokovic will improve to a career-high No. 7 in the rankings Monday. With his first ATP Masters Series title, the slender Serb became the youngest men's champion in the tournament's 23-year history. Djokovic won every set he played -- the first time the Key Biscayne men's champion has done that since Ivan Lendl in 1989.
5433. wabbit - 4/2/2007 1:11:31 AM 
The world’s richest race was supposed to be a showdown between brothers on their home racetrack Saturday. Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, had the undefeated Discreet Cat while Sheik Hamdan had America’s 2006 Horse of the Year, Invasor. The brothers showed up, but only one of their horses did. While Discreet Cat broke last and stayed there for most of the mile-and-a-quarter route, Invasor proved that he was the most dominant horse on the planet with a two-length victory in the $6 million Dubai World Cup that was as emphatic as it appeared effortless. Exactly 360 days ago on this racetrack, Invasor lost his only race in 11 starts to Discreet Cat in the U.A.E. Derby. Invasor, the son of Candy Stripes, responded by running off with five consecutive Grade I victories, including the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
There was no need for a photograph to identify the winner this time. Scat Daddy pulled away in the stretch for a one-and-a-quarter-length victory over Notional in the $1 million Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park on Saturday. With the victory he became one of the leading contenders for the Kentucky Derby in five weeks. In the Fountain of Youth Stakes four weeks ago, Scat Daddy beat Stormello by a nose in a photo finish. This time there was no doubt as Scat Daddy won for the fifth time in eight starts for the trainer Todd Pletcher, who won five races on the Gulfstream card. Stormello, who was sent cross-country by the trainer Bill Currin to avenge the tough defeat, finished fourth after setting the early pace. Scat Daddy will not race again until the Derby on May 5, and will try to duplicate Barbaro’s feat of sweeping the Florida Derby and the Kentucky Derby. Until Barbaro, the last horse to win the Kentucky Derby after a layoff of five weeks or more was Needles in 1956. Ridden for the first time by Edgar Prado, who had six winners on the day, Scat Daddy moved into the lead on the turn for home and was never seriously threatened. Notional, winner of the Risen Star in his last start, made a brief run but was no match for Scat Daddy, the 3-year-old colt owned by James Scatuorchio and Michael Tabor.
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