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5648. iiibbb - 7/7/2007 5:27:40 PM Le Tour starts today. I'm excited even though I'm still pissed about last year.
Regarding Landis, at the end of the day I'm more sure that the French Lab should be shut down, than Landis is guilty, and both may be true. 5649. wabbit - 7/7/2007 11:41:16 PM  Winning Wimbledon never gets old. Venus Williams giggled as she clutched the championship trophy against her chest, threw back her head and whooped at the sky. Williams won tennis' most prestigious tournament for the fourth time Saturday, beating surprising finalist Marion Bartoli 6-4, 6-1. It was Williams' sixth Grand Slam title, and her first since winning Wimbledon in 2005. She was also the champion at the All England Club in 2000 and 2001. At No. 31, Williams became the lowest-ranked women's winner in Wimbledon history. Plagued in recent years by injuries that sent her ranking sliding, she rediscovered her championship form this week on the surface that always seems to inspire her best efforts.
Not as great a match as I had hoped. Novak Djokovic tried to grin and bear it against the relentless Rafael Nadal with a bad toe plus a bothersome lower back, not to mention sheer exhaustion from playing on a sixth consecutive day thanks to rain interruptions. He also stopped during his 2006 French Open quarterfinal against Nadal, and lost in three sets to the Spaniard in this year's semifinals at Roland Garros. Nadal, of course, has won three French Opens in a row, something no one had done since Borg. Now, like his rival Roger Federer, Nadal is chasing Borg again, trying to become the first man to win at Roland Garros and the All England Club in the same year since the Swede did it every year from 1978-80. But Federer stands in Nadal's way, just as Nadal stands in Federer's.
Federer beat No. 12 Richard Gasquet of France 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 in a semifinal that was competitive for a set. Here's how relaxed Federer was against Gasquet, a 21-year-old playing in his first Grand Slam semifinal. In addition to taking time to enjoy Bjorn Borg's presence, Federer also glanced at the scoreboard during changeovers, keeping track of what was happening in Nadal-Djokovic. Federer is so talented on the court and so universally well-liked off it that Borg said Saturday he wouldn't mind seeing the Swiss star equal his 1976-80 reign at Wimbledon.
5650. wabbit - 7/7/2007 11:42:16 PM  Under a cloud of doping and suspicion that threatens all of cycling, Switzerland's Fabian Cancellara won the prologue of Le Tour de France as the sport's premier event began Saturday with heavy security and a distinct British accent. Cancellara, the world time-trial champion who also won the Tour prologue in 2004, completed the 4.9-mile race through downtown London in 8 minutes, 50 seconds. He is strictly a time-trial rider and is not expected to compete for the overall title in the three-week race. Andreas Kloeden of Germany was 13 seconds behind in second place, followed by George Hincapie of the United States, 23 seconds behind the leader. Britain's Bradley Wiggins, looking to bring the home fans a victory, was fourth. Stuart O'Grady of Australia took a spill after hitting a straw barrier coming out of a turn, losing time as he hopped on a new bike that was delivered from a trailing support car.
The race started two years to the day since suicide bombers killed 52 people on London's public transit network and as the country confronts a new wave of terrorism. At least 4,500 officers from London's Metropolitan Police provided security, along with officers from other forces and a small unit of the French gendarmerie. The last time the Tour came to Britain was in 1994, when an estimated 2 million people crowded the route.
Saturday's ride began a 2,120-mile trek that will feature six mountain hikes, three summit finishes and two individual time trials. Route map - Route, stage by stage
5651. wabbit - 7/8/2007 12:07:27 AM Time check. 5652. alistairConnor - 7/8/2007 12:16:10 AM Starting on Wednesday I'll be cycling in south-east France. I'll be well gone before the Tour gets down there, by that time I'll be in England, I'm just trying to plan a cycling holiday there for me and the girls. The most obvious option is National Cycle Route 1, which starts at Dover and goes all the way to the Shetlands... we won't be doing that, we've only got a week. 5653. wabbit - 7/8/2007 7:09:16 PM  Australia's Robbie McEwen crashed over his handlebars with 12 miles left, got back on his bike and mustered the grit to win the first stage of the Tour de France on Sunday in a mad-dash sprint. With his wrist aching and right knee cut, McEwen persevered in the English countryside during cycling's showpiece event. It was a tough, gallant performance and, for a day at least, showed the better side of a sport reeling from a string of doping investigations, admissions and scandals during the last year. This was McEwen's 12th stage win at the Tour. He finished in 4 hours, 39 minutes, 1 second on a mostly flat 126-mile route to Canterbury that favored sprinters. Norway's Thor Hushovd was second and Belgium's Tom Boonen was third among the 181 cyclists who had the same time as McEwen.
Le Tour de France news
5654. wabbit - 7/8/2007 7:09:36 PM  Roger Federer won his fifth consecutive Wimbledon title Sunday, beating nemesis Rafael Nadal in a five-set epic and taking his place in tennis history beside Bjorn Borg. The top-ranked Swiss player was pushed to the limit in a Grand Slam final for the first time, but he held on to win 7-6 (7), 4-6, 7-6 (3), 2-6, 6-2 for his 11th major title. Federer is the first man to win five straight titles at the All England Club since Borg did it from 1976-80. The Swede watched the match from the Royal Box with other past champions, and applauded as Federer fell to the ground after an overhead smash on match point.
"It was such a close match," Federer said. "I told Rafa at the net he deserved it as well. I'm the lucky one today." Federer beat Nadal for only the fifth time in 13 meetings. The Spaniard has defeated Federer in the past two French Open finals to spoil his bid to complete a career Grand Slam.
Federer stretched his record grass-court winning streak to 53 and his Wimbledon winning streak to 34. He is now tied for third on the career list with Borg and Rod Laver at 11 major titles, trailing Pete Sampras' 14 and Roy Emerson's 12.
Wimbledon
5655. alistairConnor - 7/10/2007 6:16:54 PM Great stage today!
Longest of the Tour - 236 km - and the SLOWEST in ten years! That's what's great about it. The guys have got sore legs, and they have worked out that they aren't going to make it through the three weeks at 50 km/h, without... whatever it was they aren't taking this year.
This is the clearest indication so far that dope is on the decline.
Oh and Cancellara pulled off a great move, beat the sprinters with panache! 5656. iiibbb - 7/10/2007 6:34:22 PM Great stage today. 5657. jexster - 7/10/2007 6:55:59 PM Went by the Moscone Centers yesterday where they're holding All-Star Game Fan Fest in Moscone West. I can't recall ever seeing Downtown SF so crowded. Of course little of this is "new money" to the City - most people come from the Bay Area and are just spending the same entertainment $$ they would have spent elsewhere. Still the downtown businesses must have been pleased but for the life of me I can't figure out why anyone would stand in line with literally thousands to pay 22 bucks to move shoulder to shoulder through four floors of baseball whatevers.... 5658. wabbit - 7/11/2007 2:45:04 PM  On a night of tricky hops, Ichiro Suzuki and the American League also bounced back to win. Instead of a Barry Bonds splash shot, the defining hit at Tuesday's All-Star game was Suzuki's inside-the-park home run, the first in the game's history. Suzuki lined a go-ahead, two-run drive off the right-field wall in the fifth inning, Carl Crawford and Victor Martinez later hit conventional shots and the Americans made it 10 straight over the Nationals, holding on for a 5-4 victory.
After Alfonso Soriano's two-out, two-run homer in the ninth that made it 5-4, the NL loaded the bases on three walks before Angels closer Francisco Rodriguez retired Aaron Rowand on a routine fly to right for a save.
Willie Mays, Bonds' godfather, was honored with a touching tribute before the game. In the Say Hey Kid's day, the NL ruled All-Star games but not anymore. The AL closed to 40-36-2 and improved to 5-0 since the All-Star winner received homefield advantage in the World Series. In a decade of dominance, the notorious 2002 tie at Milwaukee was all that interrupted the AL's run. The only longer streak was when the NL took 11 in a row from 1972-82.
5659. iiibbb - 7/12/2007 7:41:02 PM I'm bummed for Vino today. Kloden may be out as well. Not a good day for Astana.
Levi is looking good. 5660. robertjayb - 7/17/2007 9:43:56 PM Gotta love those Aussies...
BRISBANE, Australia — Rugby player Ben Czislowski kept competing for more than three months despite the headaches that started after a clash with an opponent.
Czislowski was playing for Brisbane team Wynnum during the April 1 incident involving Tweed Heads forward Matt Austin. He had a head wound stitched up afterward, the Australian Associated Press reported today.
Czislowski later suffered an eye infection and complained of lethargy and shooting pains in his head.
Then last week, his doctor found a tooth imbedded in Czislowski's head.
"I can laugh about it now, but the doctor told me it could have been serious, with teeth carrying germs," Czislowski said.
"I've got the tooth at home, sitting on the bedside table," he said. "If he (Austin) wants it back he can have it. I'm keeping it at the moment as proof that it actually happened."
5661. robertjayb - 7/18/2007 4:45:01 PM Geezers denied javelin throw...
MILAN (Reuters) - Italian officials said Tuesday that javelin throwing would be kept away from the track during the Masters athletics world championships in September, which will include competitors up to 90 years old.
French long jumper Salim Sdiri was speared by a flying javelin during the Golden League meeting in Rome Friday after Finnish thrower Tero Pitkamaki slipped at the end of his run-up.
5662. wabbit - 7/18/2007 5:43:46 PM
It was Friday the 13th, after all. 5663. wabbit - 7/18/2007 5:56:38 PM The indictment handed down Tuesday against Falcons quarterback Michael Vick and three others describes in detail how they procured a property in Virginia for the purpose of staging dogfights, bought dogs and then fought them there, and in several other states, over a 6-year period. With at least three cooperating witnesses providing the details, federal authorities compiled a detailed case that traces the birth and rise of Bad Newz Kennels.
But not a single line in the 18-page indictment will generate more rage toward Vick and the others charged -- Purnell A. Peace, Quanis L. Phillips and Tony Taylor -- than a sentence near the end. It reads: "In or about April of 2007, Peace, Phillips and Vick executed approximately eight dogs that did not perform well in 'testing' sessions at 1915 Moonlight Road by various methods, including hanging, drowning and slamming at least one dog's body to the ground."...
The saddest thing is there are kids all over the country who will see these guys and think what they did is cool.5664. wabbit - 7/18/2007 6:09:34 PM  Cedric Vasseur became the first French rider to win this year at the Tour de France, sprinting to victory in the 10th stage Wednesday. Vasseur, who rides for the Quick Step team, narrowly outsprinted four other cyclists in a breakaway group to cross in 5 hours, 20 minutes, 24 seconds. It was his first win at cycling's biggest race since 1997. Vasseur beat Sandy Casar of France by inches across the finish line, while Swiss rider Michael Albasini was third in the 142.6-mile stage from Tallard to Marseille. Casar, Albasini and two other riders finished in the same time. Vasseur, who turns 37 in August, said this will be his last year in the sport.
T-Mobile rider Patrik Sinkewitz tested positive for high levels of testosterone before the Tour de France, but competed in the race until a crash forced him to drop out. Sinkewitz was tested June 8, a month before the start of the Tour, and the A sample came back positive, the German cycling federation said Wednesday. Sinkewitz participated in the Tour, which began in London on July 7, but dropped out after crashing into a spectator after stage 8 on Sunday. He has been provisionally suspended by his team, T-Mobile spokesman Stefan Wagner said. Sinkewitz has five days to decide whether to request a B sample test. If that also comes back positive, he faces a possible ban. He also would be fired by his team and have to pay back his annual salary.
Le Tour de France news
5665. jexster - 7/21/2007 6:27:18 PM Barry Mania!
San Francisco City Hall is bathed in orange light and a Giants flag flutters above the mayor's balcony to mark the run-up to Barry Bonds' 756th career homer 5666. jexster - 7/21/2007 11:19:48 PM Who said it was like Vietnam!
BAGHDAD, Iraq — Police danced at checkpoints and gunmen fired their weapons in celebration Saturday as thousands of jubilant Iraqis poured into the streets of Baghdad after their national soccer team's 2-0 victory over Vietnam in a quarterfinal match of the Asia Cup in Bangkok 5667. wonkers2 - 7/23/2007 4:38:49 AM Carnage on day one of Express 27 Nationals on San Francisco Bay.
(Not sure how the picture of the house (not mine) got into the act! And I'm not smart enough to remove it!)
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