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October 31, 2005
Sara Foster
This Malibu native got her big break with a prime role in The Big Bounce opposite Owen Wilson, and plays a member of an elite group of secret agents (who happen to be hotties dressed in schoolgirl outfits) in the upcoming action comedy, D.E.B.S.
Sara Foster
Where you've seen her:
This Malibu native got her big break with a prime role in The Big Bounce opposite Owen Wilson, and plays a member of an elite group of secret agents (who happen to be hotties dressed in schoolgirl outfits) in the upcoming action comedy, D.E.B.S.
Club kid:
"I went through a phase of going out a lot. I started getting into clubs when I was 15. I had fun, but I got it out of my system. That’s not to say I’m a nun…"
Free minutes:
"Part of my problem was that I gave my number out so much when I was young because I didn’t know how to say no. I gave my number out to anyone who asked for it."
Booty call:
"Every situation is relative, and sex is what you make of it. I don’t think it’s overrated at all!"
Posted by admin at 03:58 PM | Comments (0)
Jerry Lee Lewis Rocks Johnny Cash Tribute
BETH HARRIS - Associated Press Writer - LOS ANGELES
Jerry Lee Lewis stole the show from Norah Jones and Kid Rock when the musicians performed at a taping of a Johnny Cash tribute.
Lewis teamed with Kid Rock on the Cash classic "I Walk the Line." An upcoming biopic that goes by a similar name and stars Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon will be released in theaters Nov. 18.
BETH HARRIS
Associated Press Writer
LOS ANGELES
Jerry Lee Lewis stole the show from Norah Jones and Kid Rock when the musicians performed at a taping of a Johnny Cash tribute.
Lewis teamed with Kid Rock on the Cash classic "I Walk the Line." An upcoming biopic that goes by a similar name and stars Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon will be released in theaters Nov. 18. advertisement
Lewis later returned to the stage of the Pantages Theater in Hollywood, where the performances were taped Tuesday night for "I Walk the Line: A Night for Johnny Cash," airing Nov. 16 on CBS.
Waiting for stagehands to make adjustments, a few fans yelled out to Lewis to perform his hit "Great Balls of Fire."
"I know what you'd like to hear. I know what I'd like to do," said the 70-year-old singer. "They got me down for a little bit lower key."
To entertain the restless crowd, Lewis started in on "Will the Circle Be Unbroken." After a few verses, the stage crew cut him off and the audience booed.
It was just a false start, though. Once the cameras were ready, Lewis played the entire song, with the crowd on its feet, clapping and singing along.
"I guess that was a take," Lewis said, smiling.
Jones was accompanied by Phoenix on guitar as she sang "Home of the Blues." Kris Kristofferson and Jones sang "Guess Things Happen That Way."
Shooter Jennings and his mother, Jessi Colter, who was married to Waylon Jennings, teamed up for a rollicking version of "Jackson." Other performers tackling Cash tunes were Martina McBride, Allison Krauss and Dwight Yoakam.
Also on the show are Sheryl Crow, Coldplay, U2, Brad Paisley and Montgomery Gentry.
It's the second time the network has organized a music special tied to a major movie. CBS also promoted Jamie Foxx's Oscar-winning portrayal of Ray Charles with a star-studded tribute show.
Posted by admin at 03:40 PM | Comments (0)
Brehaut feeds off positive vibes at Innisbrook, leads at Chrysler
PALM HARBOR, Fla. (AP) - When last seen at Innisbrook, Jeff Brehaut was an emotional wreck until making a slippery four-foot birdie putt on the last hole that made his road back to the PGA Tour much easier.
One year later, Brehaut was still making big putts Thursday in the Chrysler Championship - five birdies, one eagle and a momentum-saving par - that carried him to a 6-under 65 and a two-shot lead as he kept alive his hopes of getting into the Masters or even the Tour Championship.
One year later, Brehaut was still making big putts Thursday in the Chrysler Championship - five birdies, one eagle and a momentum-saving par - that carried him to a 6-under 65 and a two-shot lead as he kept alive his hopes of getting into the Masters or even the Tour Championship.
Charles Howell III did little to hurt his chances of getting to East Lake next week for the season-ending Tour Championship. Coming into the tournament at No. 30 on the money list, he took advantage of the par 5s and kept bogeys off his card for a 4-under 67.
Retief Goosen had a tap-in eagle to start his round and had a two-putt birdie on the par-5 11th set up by a two-iron from a tight lie that soared high into the air from 257 yards, a shot not many players at Innisbrook can hit. He also wound up with a 67, joined by Ryder Cup captain Tom Lehman, Ben Crane and Dean Wilson.
Lucas Glover, coming off his first victory last week at Disney, and Davis Love III were among those at 68.
Mike Weir of Bright's Grove, Ont., opened with a 72.
Brehaut might not be here this week without that clutch putt a year ago.
He was 152nd on the money list when he showed up at Innisbrook, his 11th consecutive tournament in a desperate bid to keep his card. All he could hope for late Sunday afternoon was to finish in the top 150 so he could at least go straight to the final stage of Q-school. It came down to a four-foot putt that was downhill and broke sharply to the right.
"Probably the fastest putt on the course," he recalled.
Making the putt allowed him to skip the second stage of qualifying school, and Brehaut used that time to win the Callaway Invitational at Pebble Beach. That sent him to Q-school with newfound confidence, and he got his card back.
The 42-year-old Brehaut, perennially on the bubble, for the first time has no worries. He is 61st on the money list thanks to a strong summer, and now can entertain thoughts of some big rewards at the end of the year.
"This is an important week to move back up," he said.
He remains determined, proof of that coming Wednesday during his final day of practice. He thought he had his swing sorted out, but when he stopped for lunch, he started hitting it awful. While doing laundry that evening, he rushed back out to the range at twilight to find his swing, and then put in an extra hour Thursday morning.
"It's tough to play good golf when you're searching," he said.
But it helps to make putts, and Brehaut made four of them beyond 20 feet.
Howell figures there are worse places to be than 30th on the money list. He was 33rd last year - only the top 30 get into the Tour Championship - played indifferently on the weekend and missed out. The big difference this year is he his playing some of his best golf of the year.
He finished fifth in Las Vegas to move from 42nd to 30th, then tied for 15th at Disney to remain at No. 30. In his last two tournaments, Howell is 35 under par.
There's little chance of low scoring at Innisbrook, a clever course that some players rate the best in Florida on the PGA Tour because of its subtle changes in elevation, tree-lined fairways and firm greens.
"This golf course is hard, and it's made a little harder because we're coming from two tournaments where you can make a lot of birdies," Howell said.
Howell helped himself by not making bogeys, holing a six-footer to save par on the 17th.
It was plenty tough for Vijay Singh, at No. 2 the highest-ranked player in the Chrysler Championship. He missed the cut last week at Disney, and appeared to be hanging around until the final three holes. He hit into the water on the 16th and took double bogey, three-putted for bogey on the 17th and missed the 18th green for another bogey.
That put him at 74 and in a tie for 103rd place. The last time Singh missed the cut in back-to-back tournaments was in 2001 at the Canadian Open and Pennsylvania Open.
Lehman still hasn't given up the idea he can play himself onto the Ryder Cup team next year, although he said he would have to win and consider himself one of the best 12 Americans before he gave up the captaincy.
For now, his goal is to get back to the Tour Championship for the first time in four years.
"It would be nice to get back in that group," he said.
Divots: Dudley Hart withdrew in the middle of his round because of recurring back problems. Others who withdrew were Pat Perez and Thomas Levet of France, who did not cite an injury, but it was fairly clear by looking at their cards. Both had a 78. ... Jason Bohn, who is about $2,500 US behind Howell and No. 31 on the money list, opened with a 75. Peter Lonard is 32nd on the money list and shot 68.
Posted by admin at 03:34 PM | Comments (0)
October 30, 2005
Basketball transactions
Movements in the world of basketball Thursday:
National Basketball Association
NBA-Suspended Utah C Robert Whaley two games without pay for punching Los Angeles C Adam Parada in an Oct. 25 game.
Movements in the world of basketball Thursday:
National Basketball Association
NBA-Suspended Utah C Robert Whaley two games without pay for punching Los Angeles C Adam Parada in an Oct. 25 game.
ATLANTA HAWKS-Waived G Anthony Grundy and F Ajani Williams.
BOSTON CELTICS-Waived C Curtis Borchardt.
CHARLOTTE BOBCATS-Release F Antonio Meeking.
CHICAGO BULLS-Waived F Randy Holcomb.
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS-Waived C Deji Akindele, F Justin Davis and G Ray Young.
INDIANA PACERS-Waived F Damone Brown and G Jimmie Hunter.
LOS ANGELES LAKERS-Waived G Tony Bobbitt and C Adam Parada.
MILWAUKEE BUCKS-Waived G Andre Barrett and F Tommy Smith.
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES-Waived G Lionel Chalmers, G John Lucas and F Ryan Humphrey.
NEW JERSEY NETS-Waived G Derrick Zimmerman.
NEW ORLEANS HORNETS-Waived G Alex Garcia.
PHOENIX SUNS-Exercised their option on the contracts of G Leandro Barbosa and G Boris Diaw. Waived G Anthony Lever-Pedroza.
TORONTO RAPTORS-Released G Corey Williams and C Toree Morris.
UTAH JAZZ-Waived C James Lang and F Spencer Nelson.
WASHINGTON WIZARDS-Exercised their option on the contract of G-F Jarvis Hayes, for the 2006-07 season. Released F Hiram Fuller and G Billy Thomas.
American Basketball Association
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA LEGENDS-Signed G LaMarque Ward.
Continental Basketball Association
CBA-Named Dennis Truax director of operations, effective Nov. 1.
Posted by admin at 03:26 PM | Comments (0)
Jarhead Coming soon!
In Theatres: November 4, 2005
Jarhead
Jarhead
In Theatres: November 4, 2005
Film Information:
Genre: Drama
Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Jamie Foxx, Peter Sarsgaard, Lucas Black, with Chris Cooper
Directed By: Sam Mendes
Writer: William Broyles, Jr.
Based on the Book by: Anthony Swofford
Producers: Doug Wick, Lucy Fisher
Synopsis:
Jake Gyllenhaal (The Day After Tomorrow, Moonlight Mile), Jamie Foxx (Ray, Collateral) and Peter Sarsgaard (Kinsey, Boys Don't Cry) star in Universal Pictures' Jarhead, the adaptation of Marine Anthony Swofford's bracing memoir that took readers into his disorienting firsthand experience in the Gulf War. Jarhead is directed by Academy Award® winner Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Road to Perdition) and the producers are Oscar® winner Doug Wick (Gladiator) and Lucy Fisher (upcoming Memoirs of a Geisha), partners in Red Wagon Entertainment. The screenplay is by William Broyles, Jr. (Cast Away, Apollo 13).
Jarhead (the self-imposed moniker of the Marines) follows "Swoff" (Gyllenhaal), a third-generation enlistee, from a sobering stint in boot camp to active duty, sporting a sniper's rifle and a hundred-pound ruck on his back through Middle East deserts with no cover from intolerable heat or from Iraqi soldiers, always potentially just over the next horizon. Swoff and his fellow Marines sustain themselves with sardonic humanity and wicked comedy on blazing desert fields in a country they don't understand against an enemy they can't see for a cause they don't fully fathom. Foxx portrays Sergeant Sykes, a Marine lifer who heads up Swofford's scout/sniper platoon, while Sarsgaard is Swoff's friend and mentor, Troy, a die-hard member of STA - their elite Marine Unit.
An irreverent and true account of a war that was antiseptically packaged a decade ago, Jarhead is laced with dark wit, honest inquisition and episodes that are at once surreal and poignant, tragic and absurd.
Posted by admin at 03:12 PM | Comments (0)
October 29, 2005
DIRTY DOZEN
DIRTY DOZEN: The top six and bottom six teams based on current level of play:
1. Indianapolis (7-0). A week off, then on to Foxborough.
2. Pittsburgh (4-2). The Bengals found out who runs the division.
3. Philadelphia (4-2). The NFC's best despite everything.
4. Jacksonville (4-2). Solid team, soft schedule.
5. Washington (4-2). Brunell and Moss give offence punch. But don't get carried away.
6. New York Giants (4-2). In honour of the Duke.
27. Baltimore (2-4) and New York Jets (2-5). Jets are down three QBs; the Ravens are down a QB and two defensive MVPs.
28. New Orleans (2-5). Play their first game in Louisiana on Sunday.
29. Tennessee (2-5). Too young.
30. Cleveland (2-4). Might be Texans' first victim.
31. Houston (0-6). Respectable first half against Colts moves them up.
32. San Francisco (1-5). Last even if they win.
(AP) - A few years ago, after a game in Dallas, Wellington Mara had to catch a plane to an NFL owners' meeting while the rest of the New York Giants flew home on their charter.
DAVE GOLDBERG
Team officials, fearing Mara would be late if he waited for the team bus, called for a car to get their owner to the airport. A stretch limo showed up. "I'm not taking that," Mara said. "Go ahead, it's here, just take it," he was told.
"I don't need one of those," grumped Mara, who waited for the team and barely made his flight.
That was typical of the the Giants' longtime owner, who died Tuesday at the age of 89, the patriarch of the NFL and a man whose commitment to revenue sharing more than 40 years ago is the most important reason it is America's premier sports league.
In a "look at me" era, even among owners, he put himself last. His family, his religion, his players and Giants fans were 1-2-3-4 in whatever order you'd care to put them.
"In a way, it was the Marine ethic," said Ernie Accorsi, the Giants general manager. "You know the rules? It's the officers who eat last. He would always consider himself last."
Somewhere, Mara is probably smiling in his shy (and sly) way about all the praise heaped upon him over the last few days, especially kind words from the likes of Daniel Snyder, Jerry Jones and George Steinbrenner, whose ownership style was the antithesis of his.
Talk to anyone who met him for the first time and the reaction was always a surprised "He's so humble, so gentle, so friendly."
Absolutely.
From a distance, Mara seemed on a pedestal somewhere between George Washington and Vince Lombardi. In reality, he shunned celebrity, even scorned it. It was that real smile and a wry sense of humour that made him truly unique for a man of wealth and power.
When he stood up at owners meetings, a normally raucous room would turn silent and his counsel was almost always heeded. Yet he left the room inconspicuously, while others (Jones most often) headed for the television cameras.
Twenty years ago, Mara, Art Modell, Dan Rooney, Tex Schramm and others sat with Pete Rozelle in a federal courtroom almost every day during the USFL's lawsuit against the league.
It was a tense time. Donald Trump, another man whose persona was the antithesis of Mara's, was trying to force a merger of the spring league and the NFL, hoping to collect billions in the process. Worse, the NFL had a long losing streak in court and its lawyers, including Paul Tagliabue, were worried.
One morning, the USFL's witness was Howard Cosell, who had, for reasons long forgotten, turned on Rozelle. He carried on to the point that Frank Rothman, the NFL's lead lawyer, finally sat down and let him ramble about the 1969 New York Jets, Muhammad Ali, and other Cosell favorites.
At the lunch break, Mara came up to a reporter, flashed his sly smile, and whispered: "Who's that guy doing a parody of Howard Cosell?"
The NFL finally won by losing. The jury found it had violated antitrust law, but fined it only $1 US, trebled to $3. The USFL went out of business and the Giants got a huge benefit - four ex-USFL players helped them win their first Super Bowl the next year, and they traded their rights to another, Gary Zimmerman, for draft picks they turned into players who helped them win again in 1990.
Mara, of course, was delighted with the victories in court and on the field. He was a competitor and suffered for nearly two decades as the front man for a losing team, the man who sat and watched planes fly over his stadium trailing banners with messages like: "Fifteen years of lousy football . . . We've had enough."
Mara cared about the fans then, regularly answering even the most hostile letters. And it was the fans who were in his thoughts when he made major decisions.
Two years ago, a team that entered the season hoping to challenge for a Super Bowl berth collapsed in the second half of the season. The last straw was a game against Buffalo that began with a full stadium that was three-quarters empty by the fourth quarter of a 24-7 loss.
It was then he decided to fire Jim Fassel, a coach who a few years earlier had taken the team to the Super Bowl, and only a year before had earned a hearty though private endorsement from the owner. "The message comes across loud and clear," Mara said of the fan exodus. "All it tells me is that we need to improve the product."
And how many sports owners are loved by their players?
Mara was, in part because he was at practice almost every day, always congratulated them after wins and losses, and considered himself more a football man than a businessman although, unlike some, he never got involved Xs and Os.
And he was always there in a crisis.
During a period from the late 1970s to the mid '80s, an unlikely number of Giants contracted cancer: Doug Kotar, Dan Lloyd, John Tuggle, Karl Nelson and the retired Spider Lockhart. Mara made sure the team paid for their treatment, hired limousines to transport them to hospitals and pushed for studies to ensure that nothing in the ground or air near his stadium in the New Jersey Meadowlands was contributing to the statistical anomaly of cancer in young athletes.
The current player who clicked with him, surprisingly, was Jeremy Shockey, the tight end whose sometimes outrageous behaviour seemed the antithesis of Mara's strict moral code. And Shockey was one of his favourites.
While all the other players called him "Mr. Mara," Shockey addressed him by his nickname, "Duke."
So it wasn't surprising that Shockey, along with running back Tiki Barber, was invited by the family to Mara's home the day before he died to pay their last respects on behalf of the players.
Yes, Mara had a major role in making the NFL what it is. But it tells as much about the man that he also cared about anonymous Giants fans, a rare trait in these days when fans are just a vehicle for turning a buck.
He was the classiest of class acts.
DIRTY DOZEN: The top six and bottom six teams based on current level of play:
1. Indianapolis (7-0). A week off, then on to Foxborough.
2. Pittsburgh (4-2). The Bengals found out who runs the division.
3. Philadelphia (4-2). The NFC's best despite everything.
4. Jacksonville (4-2). Solid team, soft schedule.
5. Washington (4-2). Brunell and Moss give offence punch. But don't get carried away.
6. New York Giants (4-2). In honour of the Duke.
27. Baltimore (2-4) and New York Jets (2-5). Jets are down three QBs; the Ravens are down a QB and two defensive MVPs.
28. New Orleans (2-5). Play their first game in Louisiana on Sunday.
29. Tennessee (2-5). Too young.
30. Cleveland (2-4). Might be Texans' first victim.
31. Houston (0-6). Respectable first half against Colts moves them up.
32. San Francisco (1-5). Last even if they win.
Posted by admin at 03:05 PM | Comments (0)
October 28, 2005
Crowd heaps abuse on Todd Bertuzzi as Avalanche bury Canucks 6-2
DENVER (CP) - After a night of feeling the wrath of a boisterous crowd, Vancouver Canucks forward Todd Bertuzzi was in no mood to seek forgiveness.
A noisy crowd heaped abuse on Bertuzzi in his return to the Pepsi Centre while the Colorado Avalanche buried the Canucks 6-2 on Thursday night. Looking weary and edgy, Bertuzzi rolled his eyes when asked if the Colorado fans would ever forgive him for his hit that may have ended Steve Moore's career, and did he care if they did. "It is what it is," Bertuzzi said curtly. "Read into it. Is is what it is. What am I going to do about it?"
It was Bertuzzi's first game in Denver since his March 8, 2004, punch from behind that broke bones in Moore's neck. Moore's hockey career remains in doubt because of post-concussion symptoms.
DENVER (CP) - After a night of feeling the wrath of a boisterous crowd, Vancouver Canucks forward Todd Bertuzzi was in no mood to seek forgiveness.
A noisy crowd heaped abuse on Bertuzzi in his return to the Pepsi Centre while the Colorado Avalanche buried the Canucks 6-2 on Thursday night. Looking weary and edgy, Bertuzzi rolled his eyes when asked if the Colorado fans would ever forgive him for his hit that may have ended Steve Moore's career, and did he care if they did. "It is what it is," Bertuzzi said curtly. "Read into it. Is is what it is. What am I going to do about it?"
It was Bertuzzi's first game in Denver since his March 8, 2004, punch from behind that broke bones in Moore's neck. Moore's hockey career remains in doubt because of post-concussion symptoms.
The Canucks were flat and played without emotion for 40 minutes before outshooting the Avalanche 23-0 in the third period. After looking uninspired for the first two periods, Bertuzzi had three good scoring chances in the third when the Canucks were down by four goals.
"It's a little late when the game is out of hand," said Bertuzzi, who finished the night at minus-2. "I had the chances. I just couldn't put them in."
Pierre Turgeon scored twice for Colorado, once on the power play, and Milan Hejduk collected his 200th career goal as the Avs steamrolled over the Canucks. The win was the third in four games for the Avalanche, who improved to 5-4-1.
A thunderous chorus of boos rained down on Bertuzzi like a monsoon every time the big Canuck forward stepped on the ice. There were chants of "Bertuzzi sucks" as the final seconds ticked off the clock.
Bertuzzi refused to say if the hostile reception bothered him. He admitted to being frustrated over the way the Canucks surrendered the game.
"I'm frustrated we didn't get the two points," said Bertuzzi, who picked up his seventh assist of the season on Ryan Kesler's third-period goal.
"The two points were the key here tonight.
"I'm not pleased with our effort. In the first two periods, we stayed back on our heels and let them come to us. That was the game there, in the first two periods."
Centre Brendan Morrison said the Canucks weren't surprised by crowd's disdain for Bertuzzi.
"We knew it was going to be like this," said Morrison. "We just didn't compete early on."
Vancouver captain Markus Naslund said the Canucks weren't distracted by the undercurrents surrounding the game.
"That wasn't the reason we played terrible," said Naslund.
"I really don't have the answer why we came out like that."
Ian Laperriere and Steve Konowalchuk also scored for Colorado, who snapped Vancouver's six-game win streak. Andrew Brunette had three assists and John-Michael Liles a pair.
Henrik Sedin also scored for Vancouver who dropped to 8-2-1.
For the first 40 minutes Bertuzzi often seemed to skate on the edge of the play. He didn't seem interested in being physical or parking himself in front of the Avs net.
The Avalanche players seemed to take delight in unloading on Bertuzzi.
In the first period Ossi Vaananen rammed him into the boards with a hit that shook the glass. In the second period the crowd screamed with joy when Rob Blake put a shoulder into Bertuzzi, dumping him onto the ice.
"Hey, we play professional sports. There's so much emotion," said Avs forward Brad May, a former Canuck. "This was a great place to be tonight as an athlete. Booing. Cheering. Sometimes it's bad, sometimes it's great. It was just good to get a win."
Many in the crowd of 18,007 sent Bertuzzi not-so-settle messages.
Four fans wore black-white stripped prison uniforms and held up cardboard jail bars. At the other end of the rink another group sported neck braces.
During the pre-game skate two men in orange overalls - one with 'Bertuzzi county jail' written on the back - stood by the glass near the Canuck goal. Every time Bertuzzi skated by they heckled him.
"I don't know if the reaction played a large role in the outcome," Canucks centre Trevor Linden said. "We knew it was going to be like this. It was no secret."
Bertuzzi's hit on Moore resulted in a 17-month suspension. He also was charged in Vancouver and later pleaded guilty to assault causing bodily harm. He received a conditional discharge.
There were Bertuzzi fans at the game.
Nicole Horning, of Saskatoon, showed up wearing a Bertuzzi jersey. She waved a Canuck flag at the glass until a security guard asked her to put it away.
Bad blood had boiled between the Canucks and Avs prior to Bertuzzi's attack on Moore.
In an earlier game Moore had caught Naslund with his head down and delivered a hit that left the Canuck captain with a concussion. There was no penalty called on the play.
The Canucks and Avalanche play again in Denver on Saturday night in a game shown on Hockey Night in Canada.
"We have to regroup and have a hard practice tomorrow and get ourselves prepared," said Bertuzzi. "We're a team that bounces back pretty good and we expect that Saturday."
Notes: - During the morning skate Morrison came onto the ice wearing a fuzzy black wig he'd bought at a costume store the night before. Morrison said he wanted to lighten up the practice . . . In the previous six games the Canucks were 12-for-53 on the power play . . . Richard Park came into Denver scoreless in six games.
Posted by admin at 03:01 PM | Comments (0)
October 22, 2005
Donna Feldman – Not Just A Trophy Girl
Donna Feldman is one of those women who make men walk into columns as they gaze at her walking past. Embarrassing for sure, downright dangerous if your girlfriend or wife catches you staring at her.
With her long legs, full lips, flowing hair and piercing dark eyes, Donna has an exotic look that keeps people guessing.
“My parents are originally from Israel, and my background is Russian/Polish/Lithuanian,” she said. “I get asked almost every day where I'm from. Lately, I'm Brazilian for some reason.”
Donna Feldman – Not Just A Trophy Girl
By Ezsportsonline
Donna Feldman is one of those women who make men walk into columns as they gaze at her walking past. Embarrassing for sure, downright dangerous if your girlfriend or wife catches you staring at her.
With her long legs, full lips, flowing hair and piercing dark eyes, Donna has an exotic look that keeps people guessing.
“My parents are originally from Israel, and my background is Russian/Polish/Lithuanian,” she said. “I get asked almost every day where I'm from. Lately, I'm Brazilian for some reason.”
She would surely fit in with the hottest thong-clad siren on the beaches of Rio de Janeiro, although her heart belongs in Southern California, where she handed the stars their gold statuettes at the 2005 Academy Awards.
“I was born and raised here and still live in the same area I grew up in. It's very rare for people in the industry to actually grow up here. California weather really spoils you. I can't see myself living anywhere else. What else can you ask for? Beautiful weather, the beach when you want it, a desert nearby, great restaurants, entertainment, etc. I love it. If I were a guy, a top reason to visit California would be for the beautiful women. That's just the cherry on top!”
Geography also allows Donna to capitalize on opportunities in the entertainment industry. She is now shooting episodes of a game show on NBC called “Deal or No Deal” where she is the spokes model and co-host. Look out Vanna!
Some might recognize Donna from international TV commercials or videos for Justin Timberlake and Sugar Ray. She also just completed shooting a music video as the lead girl in a Dwight Yoakam video, recently shot for the retailer Rampage clothing, did a Movietickets.com commercial spot, and is set to do a multiple-page page feature in Maxim's Belgium edition. She already earned a spot in Maxim’s annual “Hot 100” list.
Her acting career is taking off as well. Donna has appeared on “The Young and The Restless” and “The Bold and The Beautiful”. Producers are tossing scripts at her, hoping she’ll take a bite at their movie projects.
“I am looking for exposure and potential career opportunities in the entertainment/tv industry by appearing in Ezsportsonline,” she said. “The fan mail I got from Maxim was ridiculous, so I can only imagine what will happen this time around.”
Ezsportsonline wanted to know whatever we could about this star-in-the-making…
Ezsportsonline: What’s the sexiest thing you’ve ever done?
Donna: Let’s just say it involved music by Prince and not much clothing.
Ezsportsonline: At 5’10” tall, you are a little intimidating. Ever date a short guy?
Donna: I have casually dated tall or even very tall men, but for some reason, almost every boyfriend I've had has been a couple inches shorter than me. I've noticed that most short men have a thing for tall women. What do you think? Why is that?
Ezsportsonline: Um… Maybe because their eyes come up to your chest level? I don’t know. What do you wear when you want to feel sexy?
Donna: I wear really lacy beautiful lingerie. Sometimes I'm in a cute girlie mood where I wear little cotton panties and a wife beater, and other times, I just want to feel the soft sheets all around me so I'll sleep naked.
Ezsportsonline: Do you like a gentleman lover or a naughty boy?
Donna: I think a combination of both -- a guy who is a gentleman but still has a very good imagination. I think great sex is about chemistry and not being afraid to ask for what you want. What’s the point of having sex if you’re not enjoying it? It’s all about communicating about what you want or what you prefer.
Ezsportsonline: What will I find playing on your CD player when the candles are lit and you’re sharing a romantic moment with a boyfriend?
Donna: Sade, Maxwell, D'angelo, Buddah Bar. I love dim lighting, candles and some nice music.
Ezsportsonline: What kind of guy has a shot at getting to ‘hear your CD collection’?
Donna: The typical guy I'm really attracted to is not always the guy that I have a relationship with. I look for much more than looks in a relationship. Of course, I like a guy that dresses well, has a nice smile, etc., but I love a guy that is honest, appreciative, supportive of me and my career, and knows how to make me laugh.
Ezsportsonline: What’s the best way for an Average Joe to hook up with you? Or are you picky when it comes to the kind of men you give the time of day to?
Donna: The best way is to treat me like a buddy. When a guy doesn’t use lines or try to make moves but is confident and funny, listens well, and is a friend, that sometimes gets my attention more than any tall, hot model guy. To build confidence around women, act like we are your guy friends. Tease a girl, make fun of her. Treat her like a buddy.
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October 21, 2005
NFL Announces Dolphins-Chiefs Game Moved To Friday; Game To Be Shown Live In Local Markets
To watch Dolphins Enterprises CEO Joe Bailey's press conference announcing the game change.
For a transcript of CEO Joe Bailey's press conference announcing the game change.
To accommodate the South Florida community in preparing to deal with the approach of Hurricane Wilma, the Miami Dolphins' home game against the Kansas City Chiefs has been rescheduled for Friday, October 21 at 7:00 p.m. ET at Dolphins Stadium, the NFL announced in conjunction with both teams and local authorities. The game originally was scheduled to be played on Sunday, October 23, at 1:00 p.m. ET.
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To accommodate the South Florida community in preparing to deal with the approach of Hurricane Wilma, the Miami Dolphins' home game against the Kansas City Chiefs has been rescheduled for Friday, October 21 at 7:00 p.m. ET at Dolphins Stadium, the NFL announced in conjunction with both teams and local authorities. The game originally was scheduled to be played on Sunday, October 23, at 1:00 p.m. ET.
CBS will televise the game live to the Miami and Kansas City primary and secondary markets, which are WFOR/Miami, WPEC/West Palm and WINK/Ft. Myers in the Dolphins’ area and KCTV/Kansas City and WIBW/Topeka in the Chiefs’ territory.
For customers of Sirius Satellite Radio, the game will be available live on Friday at 7:00 p.m. ET on Channel 121 for the Kansas City Chiefs’ radio broadcast and Channel 131 for the Miami Dolphins’ broadcast.
On MiamiDolphins.com, fans can follow Miami Dolphins GameDay Live, or listen to the local radio broadcast of the game via the Field Pass subscription service (NFL.com/fieldpass). [Field Pass is available on a seven-day free trial basis for first-time subscribers.]
A delayed-telecast of the Dolphins-Chiefs game will be shown nationally on NFL Network on Sunday, October 23, at a time to be determined.
Moving the game to Friday will enable emergency personnel and others in the South Florida community to focus on preparing for the approach of Hurricane Wilma.
As previously announced, the schedule of the Hall of Fame celebration that was planned over the coming days has also been changed. The Dan Marino Ring Presentation Ceremony has been moved to halftime of the Dolphins-Atlanta Falcons game to be played on November 6 at 1:00 p.m. In addition, the team’s Orange Carpet Gala to honor all of the Club’s Hall of Famers, which was scheduled for this Saturday, has been moved to Saturday, November 5, at 7:00 p.m. Finally, the Miami Dolphins Hall of Fame Exhibition, featuring the busts of all nine Dolphins Hall of Famers, will be open From Wednesday, October 26 – Saturday, November 5.
“As in the past, we recognize unusual circumstances and will address them appropriately on a case-by-case basis,” said Dolphins Enterprises CEO Joe Bailey.
This is the third straight year and fifth time in the last five seasons that the Dolphins have had to change a contest’s date, time or venue for a variety of reasons
Since 1992, the Dolphins have had to alter the date, time or venue of a game six previous times, with this being the seventh, and the Dolphins are 3-3 in such games. Last year, they dropped a 17-7 decision to the Tennessee Titans on Saturday, September 11, at Pro Player Stadium, in a game originally scheduled to be played on Sunday, September 12, but was moved up a day because of the threat of Hurricane Ivan. The Dolphins also lost a 13-3 contest to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, September 26, 2005. That game was moved from a 1:00 p.m. kickoff to a 8:30 p.m. kickoff because of Hurricane Jeanne.
Posted by admin at 02:38 PM | Comments (0)
October 20, 2005
Schedule week 7 NFL
| WEEK 7 | ||||||||
| Sunday, Oct. 23 | ||||||||
| GAME | TIME | DIRECTV® | Sirius Radio | |||||
| AWAY | HOME | |||||||
| Detroit at Cleveland | 1:00 p.m. | 709 | 125 | 126 | ||||
| Green Bay at Minnesota | 1:00 p.m. | 710 | 127 | 110 | ||||
| Indianapolis at Houston | 1:00 p.m. | 705 | 121 | 131 | ||||
| Kansas City at Miami | 1:00 p.m. | 706 | 144 | 145 | ||||
| New Orleans at St. Louis | 1:00 p.m. | 711 | 147 | 181 | ||||
| Pittsburgh at Cincinnati | 1:00 p.m. | 704 | 111 | 117 | ||||
| San Diego at Philadelphia | 1:00 p.m. | 707 | 123 | 107 | ||||
| San Francisco at Washington | 1:00 p.m. | 712 | 146 | 119 | ||||
| Dallas at Seattle | 4:05 p.m. | 708 | 144 | 143 | ||||
| Baltimore at Chicago | 4:15 p.m. | 714 | 117 | 110 | ||||
| Buffalo at Oakland | 4:15 p.m. | 716 | 123 | 125 | ||||
| Denver at N.Y. Giants | 4:15 p.m. | 715 | ||||||
| Tennessee at Arizona | 4:15 p.m. | 713 | 146 | |||||
| Monday, Oct. 24 | ||||||||
| GAME | TIME | DIRECTV® | Sirius Radio | |||||
| AWAY | HOME | |||||||
| N.Y. Jets at Atlanta | 9:00 p.m. | 125 | 124 | |||||
| Open date: Carolina, Jacksonville, New England, Tampa Bay | ||||||||
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October 19, 2005
Alexander, Tomlinson first players with 10 rushing TDs in five straight seasons
SEATTLE (AP) - Seattle Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander joined LaDainian Tomlinson as the first players in NFL history to rush for 10 or more touchdowns in five consecutive seasons Sunday.
Alexander had two rushing touchdowns in the first quarter against Houston, bringing his season total to 10. He scored on a 4-yard run with 8:12 left in the quarter and added a five-yard TD run. He had nine carries for 52 yards in the first quarter.
SEATTLE (AP) - Seattle Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander joined LaDainian Tomlinson as the first players in NFL history to rush for 10 or more touchdowns in five consecutive seasons Sunday.
Alexander had two rushing touchdowns in the first quarter against Houston, bringing his season total to 10. He scored on a 4-yard run with 8:12 left in the quarter and added a five-yard TD run. He had nine carries for 52 yards in the first quarter.
Tomlinson had a sevens-yard TD run in the first quarter of San Diego's 27-14 win over Oakland. Tomlinson also became the seventh player in NFL history to run, catch and throw a touchdown in the same game - he caught a 35-yard TD from Drew Brees and threw a four-yard pass to Justin Peelle.
Last season, Alexander and Tomlinson joined Earl Campbell, Eric Dickerson and Walter Payton as the only players to rush for 10 TDs in four consecutive seasons.
Posted by admin at 03:18 PM | Comments (0)
Oakland receiver Randy Moss injures groin, three Panthers also get hurt
(AP) - Oakland receiver Randy Moss injured his groin and bruised his ribs in a 27-14 loss to San Diego on Sunday when he crashed hard to the ground after trying to make a leaping catch.
Moss was hurt late in the first quarter when Kerry Collins underthrew him on a deep pass. Moss leaped in between two defenders before falling awkwardly to the ground. Moss was attended to by trainers and limped off the field. He played only one more play the rest of the game, finishing with no catches.
(AP) - Oakland receiver Randy Moss injured his groin and bruised his ribs in a 27-14 loss to San Diego on Sunday when he crashed hard to the ground after trying to make a leaping catch.
Moss was hurt late in the first quarter when Kerry Collins underthrew him on a deep pass. Moss leaped in between two defenders before falling awkwardly to the ground. Moss was attended to by trainers and limped off the field. He played only one more play the rest of the game, finishing with no catches.
He underwent X-rays, and Raiders coach Norv Turner didn't know what Moss' status would be for next week's game against Buffalo.
"He got hit pretty good, so he was in pain," Turner said.
In Detroit, quarterback Jake Delhomme, linebacker Dan Morgan and defensive end Julius Peppers all were hurt in the Panthers' 21-20 victory over the Lions.
Delhomme was shaken up and left the game in the fourth quarter, Morgan hurt his shoulder early in the second half and Peppers injured a hand and returned later in the game. Coach John Fox said Delhomme's injury wasn't serious.
Bucs quarterback Brian Griese sprained a knee and left Tampa Bay's 27-13 win over Miami. He was later taken to a hospital for tests. Dolphins DE Jason Taylor missed part of the first quarter with a foot injury, but was able to return. Tampa Bay running back Carnell "Cadillac" Williams missed his second straight game with a sprained left foot.
Baltimore safety Ed Reed, the 2003 defensive player of the year, left the Ravens' 16-3 win over Cleveland with a sprained ankle. Ravens fullback Ovie Mughelli and wide receiver Mark Clayton also left with ankle injuries. Cleveland's LB Nick Speegle sustained an ankle injury.
Butch Hannah, the umpire knocked down by a blow from Tampa Bay's Ronde Barber last week, sprained a knee ligament in the game and will be out three-to-four weeks.
In Dallas, Cowboys receiver Patrick Crayton left the locker room with a cast on his right foot, and coach Bill Parcells said the ankle may be broken. Cowboys running back Julius Jones (ankle) was inactive.
Cincinnati receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh missed a second straight game because of a hand injury when he was deactivated against Tennessee. Titans receiver Drew Bennett dislocated his thumb, and defensive tackle Randy Starks sprained his right ankle in the game.
In Pittsburgh, Steelers WR Hines Ward (hamstring) and Jaguars running back Fred Taylor (sprained ankle) were inactive. Ward had played in 116 consecutive games since his rookie season. Steelers cornerback Deshea Townsend injured a hamstring.
Jets centre Kevin Mawae injured his elbow against Buffalo, and coach Herman Edwards said Mawae will have X-rays to determine the extent of the injury. Cornerback Ty Law was also hampered all day with back and groin problems. Backup CB Derrick Strait (mild concussion) and backup S Oliver Celestin (knee) also were hurt but returned to the game.
Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey left early in the third quarter against New England when the sore left hamstring that kept him out of the last two games flared up.
In Seattle, the Houston Texans lost starting offensive guard Zach Wiegert and linebacker Kailee Wong in the first seven minutes against the Seahawks. Dom Capers said Wong may have suffered a season-ending torn patella tendon in his right knee.
Wiegert injured his right ankle on Houston's first possession, and Wong hurt his right knee on a 21-yard run by Seattle's Shaun Alexander. The Texans were already without starting defensive end Gary Walker and wide receiver Andre Johnson, both inactive.
Seahawks fullback Mack Strong left the game late in the first half with a chest bruise and a right shoulder stinger, but said he was held out for precautionary reasons and should be ready to play next week.
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October 18, 2005
A long way from home, White Sox fans celebrate in the rain
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) - The rain kept falling and the White Sox fans stayed put.
JANIE MCCAULEY
"We're not leaving!" We're not leaving!" "Four more wins! Four more wins!" These Chicago South Siders had been waiting far too long for the White Sox to reach the World Series to be deterred by bad weather or their 2,500-mile trip home from Angel Stadium. When they finally began making their way out more than an hour after Chicago wrapped up the AL championship series in five games with a 6-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels, the White Sox fans chanted and danced all the way out.
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) - The rain kept falling and the White Sox fans stayed put.
JANIE MCCAULEY
"We're not leaving!" We're not leaving!" "Four more wins! Four more wins!" These Chicago South Siders had been waiting far too long for the White Sox to reach the World Series to be deterred by bad weather or their 2,500-mile trip home from Angel Stadium. When they finally began making their way out more than an hour after Chicago wrapped up the AL championship series in five games with a 6-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels, the White Sox fans chanted and danced all the way out.
"It finally puts us above the Cubs, because they've been getting all the credit," said bench coach Harold Baines, who played more than 13 of his 22 seasons with the White Sox.
Manager Ozzie Guillen had a few words for Chicago fans everywhere as they celebrate the club's first trip to the World Series in 46 years:
"Enjoy it. Enjoy it. Have a great time," Guillen said. "Don't get too crazy in the street. Be careful. I know people are going wild right now. ... Feel proud about this team. Feel proud about what we did. I know what we want to do, but I think Chicago fans should feel real proud."
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LINEUP SHAKE-UP: Mike Scioscia shook up his lineup for Game 5 to try to give the Angels some much-needed punch against Chicago's sensational starting pitchers.
The Los Angeles manager replaced Steve Finley in center field, moving Garret Anderson from left to center and starting Juan Rivera in left. Rookie Casey Kotchman was the designated hitter, and Scioscia even considered moving Chone Figgins out of the leadoff spot.
The moves didn't sit well with Finley, though the 40-year-old outfielder batted just .150 (3-for-20) with one RBI and six strikeouts this post-season.
"Not happy. That's all I can say about it," Finley said before the game at Angel Stadium, where it rained lightly in the hours leading up to first pitch and the game started 14 minutes late.
"I don't make the decisions," he said. "I really wanted to play today. I don't make the lineups. I'm not happy. I'm not playing. Hopefully I can do something during the game to help us win."
Finley strained his right shoulder in June and missed 18 games. He had one of the worst seasons of his career - if not the worst - hitting .222 with 12 homers and 54 RBIs in 112 games. He spent a stint on the bench late in the season.
"The shoulder is everything - the whole year," he said regarding his poor season. "Look what's happening to Vlady right now. I'm fine right now, my swing is fine right now. I've hit some line drives."
Scioscia sought a more defensive-oriented lineup and wanted to take some pressure off Vladimir Guerrero, Anderson and Darin Erstad.
"I don't know if it's going to spark us or not, but it's going to take some pressure off some guys in the middle where if they haven't swung it gives us trouble," Scioscia said. "It gives us a little deeper lineup, and offensively it can help us."
Kotchman, a 22-year-old rookie who batted .278 with seven homers and 22 RBIs in 47 games this year, started for the second straight game. He had two hits with a double and drove in a run during Saturday's 8-2 loss.
His father, Tom, has been with the organization for 22 years as a scout and coach, and led the rookie Orem Owlz to the Pioneer League championship this season. Tom Kotchman knew when Casey was in high school and took batting practice one day in Spokane, Wash., before the elder Kotchman's Class-A Boise Hawks played the Spokane Indians that his son had a serious future.
"A scout from California with the Texas Rangers said, 'Who's that kid?"' Tom Kotchman recalled Sunday. "I said, 'He's a high school kid.' I didn't tell him he was my son. ... Other scouts said, 'You know how to evaluate everybody else but your own kid."'
Kotchman, who played 38 games for the Angels in 2004, was still available with the 13th pick of the 2001 draft, and the Angels took him.
"He told me, 'Dad, I'm going to be in the big leagues in three years,' and he ended up being right," Tom Kotchman said.
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SAME 'OL SOX: Paul Konerko woke up Sunday and everything seemed normal, despite the fact he was Chicago's offensive star in the previous two games of the ALCS.
No jitters or added anxiety with the White Sox one win from their first World Series since 1959.
"Everybody's in the clubhouse talking about fantasy football like every Sunday," Konerko said.
Guillen has always told his Chicago players that this team would stick to its formula, win or lose. That meant the pitchers would do things the same way and work through problems as they arise - same for hitting and defence.
"It's what Ozzie said from Day 1 of spring training: 'You come to play every day. Whatever it is you do, do it the same way every day,"' Konerko said. "'I don't care what you did the day before, good or bad or what the team did the day before, good or bad. You do the same every day.' And guys latched on to it, and it's worked."
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OZZIE ON A ROLL: Guillen was pumped up before Game 5 and went on a rambling discourse on a variety of subjects as he sat in the dugout with his club one victory from its first World Series since 1959.
"It's been so many years without that feeling in Chicago," he said of what it would mean for Chicago to win a ring.
Guillen reiterated he will give some thought to retiring should the White Sox win the championship. He said he expected third base coach Joey Cora to be a manager soon.
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October 15, 2005
Cheer Factor: NFL 2005 Cheerleaders
All rivalries aside, these girls of turf are great sports when it comes to lifting our spirits with some off-field photo and video action. Lets get fun and enjoy the pose! Visit http://www.maximonline.com/sports/mud_and_blood_2005/nfl_girls.asp
All rivalries aside, these girls of turf are great sports when it comes to lifting our spirits with some off-field photo and video action. Lets get fun and enjoy the pose! Visit http://www.maximonline.com/sports/mud_and_blood_2005/nfl_girls.asp
Posted by admin at 04:27 PM | Comments (0)
October 14, 2005
Basketball transactions
Movements in the world of basketball Monday:
National Basketball Association
CHICAGO BULLS-Re-signed G Jannero Pargo. Waived G Omar Cook.
SACRAMENTO KINGS-Released C Anwar Ferguson and F Dan Langhi.
Posted by admin at 04:06 PM | Comments (0)
October 13, 2005
Bengals' loss brings out Chad's frustration
CINCINNATI (AP) - First, Chad Johnson went facemask-to-facemask with Jaguars cornerbacks, talking a little trash about their efforts to stop him. Then, he went to the sideline and did a little more venting.
The Cincinnati Bengals' first loss of the season demonstrated that there's a fine line between coming off as hot stuff or a hothead.
A 23-20 loss in Jacksonville on Sunday night exposed the Bengals' shortcomings. A dozen more penalties made them the league leader in that category, and the defence gave up 4.9 yards per rush.
CINCINNATI (AP) - First, Chad Johnson went facemask-to-facemask with Jaguars cornerbacks, talking a little trash about their efforts to stop him. Then, he went to the sideline and did a little more venting.
The Cincinnati Bengals' first loss of the season demonstrated that there's a fine line between coming off as hot stuff or a hothead.
A 23-20 loss in Jacksonville on Sunday night exposed the Bengals' shortcomings. A dozen more penalties made them the league leader in that category, and the defence gave up 4.9 yards per rush.
And, as far as their Pro Bowl receiver is concerned, it showed what happens when they don't get the ball to him often enough.
Johnson did CPR on the football after his touchdown Sunday night, but finished with only five catches for 52 yards. He drew so much double coverage that Carson Palmer didn't even try to throw to him for long stretches, frustrating Johnson.
"Last night, I felt like I wished I wasn't Chad Johnson," he said Monday. "Last night, I felt like I wished I wasn't good. I had to keep from crying on the sideline because I wished I wasn't that good because I wouldn't be getting the attention I'm getting. I just want to catch the ball, that's it."
After one series, he went to the sideline and lobbied for the ball. And, he got it - along with comparisons to Terrell Owens, who berates his quarterbacks, and cousin Keyshawn Johnson, who had it out with quarterback Drew Bledsoe on the sideline Sunday.
Johnson thinks his situation is entirely different.
"It's not a selfish act," the receiver said. "Everyone considers me a game breaker. One play, I can change the entire game. All I want is the opportunity to do that. That's it. Now if you give me those opportunities and I don't get it done, I can't say nothing. When I don't get the opportunity, I've got to be able to voice myself here.
"I've done enough here to where I think I should be able to do that, for real. Think about it. I'm not a bad guy. I'm not a knucklehead. I do everything the right way."
His team did enough things wrong to be reminded of what it's like to lose. The Bengals (4-1) overcame plenty of penalties while winning their first four games, but the sloppiness finally caught up with them.
"We made a lot of mistakes," coach Marvin Lewis said Monday. "When you make a lot of mistakes, you can lose the football game. That's the way it is. We've said this before. It's medicine. It doesn't taste good, but it's good for you."
Even though they lost, the Bengals showed improvement in one aspect. During their 14-year streak without so much as a winning record, they developed a habit of imploding on the road, letting their mistakes turn into lopsided losses.
This time, they almost overcame them. The Bengals were at the Jaguars 45-yard line - one completion out of field goal range - when Palmer was stripped of the ball with 1:16 to go.
"I thought we were going to pull it out," running back Rudi Johnson said. "We're right there the whole game. We kept fighting our way back. That's a big plus for us - on the road, playing against a team like that and we were able to do some things."
Lewis also was encouraged by the way his team nearly pulled one out.
"It just tells you that we have a good football team, but we need to play good at all times or that's what's going to happen," Lewis said. "We have enough good players and a team that has some resolve."
It also has a receiver who has a resolve to get the football, and will let everyone know when it's not happening. Lewis said he had no problem with how his star handled himself during Sunday's game.
"He did a fine job last night, probably his best game that I remember where he didn't have eight to 10 catches because he hustled his tail off, he blocked," Lewis said. "So as I watched that tape this morning, I was proud of Chad Johnson for how he played."
Posted by admin at 04:02 PM | Comments (0)
October 12, 2005
Raikkonen records stunning win in Japanese Grand Prix with daring move
SUZUKA, Japan (CP) - Formula One critics often complain that there is not enough passing in Grand Prix races.
Well, there was a whole lot of passing going on at the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday and Kimi Raikkonen made his last one the best with a winning move past Giancarlo Fisichella entering the last lap.
The new and world champions, Fernando Alonso and Michael Schumacher, took turns passing each other - both on the track and in the pits.
"In the whole championship I did like two or three overtaking moves and in this race I think I did 14, and it was good," Alonso said.
SUZUKA, Japan (CP) - Formula One critics often complain that there is not enough passing in Grand Prix races.
Well, there was a whole lot of passing going on at the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday and Kimi Raikkonen made his last one the best with a winning move past Giancarlo Fisichella entering the last lap.
The new and world champions, Fernando Alonso and Michael Schumacher, took turns passing each other - both on the track and in the pits.
"In the whole championship I did like two or three overtaking moves and in this race I think I did 14, and it was good," Alonso said.
Some tried and didn't quite make it. Takuma Sato in a BAR-Honda forced Jarno Trulli's Toyota off the track and was taken out of the results when the race stewards determined it was Sato's fault.
Finally there was Raikkonen gaining his seventh victory of the season - one more than Alonso - with a daring move just as the final lap began.
He was behind Fisichella and debating which side to try to pass on.
"I was thinking which way to go because the inside is more easy to overtake," Raikkonen said. "But Fisichella was on the inside so I didn't have much choice. I went to the outside to try to go around him and luckily I made it. I was very happy."
The successful move lifted the McLaren driver from 17th on the starting grid to a stunning victory, the ninth of his career.
"I had already seen him catching me in the middle of the straight and going on the left side. I am a little bit disappointed but I did my best and it was a good day for us because we took over the lead on the constructors' championship," Fisichella said.
Renault passed McLaren to take a 176-174 lead going into the final race of the season at Shanghai next week.
Bright sun and near-cloudless skies made the race ready for some passing after rain in Saturday's qualifying marred the top drivers' qualifying laps.
Alonso, Raikkonen and Juan Pablo Montoya - who had won the last eight races between them - were in the final three rows on the grid.
The 5.807-kilometer (3.609-mile) track helped as Alonso and Raikkonen threaded their way through the field with their faster cars.
"I think the nature of the circuit seems to somehow suit this year better than other years. There was quite a big speed difference with some cars on the straight," Raikkonen said. "It makes it easier to try and overtake into the chicane and onto the main straight. I think that change to the circuit has definitely made it easier to overtake here. "
Alonso enjoyed passing Schumacher - twice.
"I was much quicker on the straight, he closed the door on the inside going into (turn) 130R, I was on the inside, flat-out, and it was really risky but as I said before there was nothing to lose today," Alonso said.
The second time was on the 33rd lap.
Montoya, winner of two of the last three races, never got a chance for passing. He slid off and crashed into the wall on the final turn of the first lap, forcing a safety car to come out for six laps.
Jacques Villeneuve of Iberville, Que., was reprimanded with a 25-second addition to his race time after officials determined he was responsible for Montoya's crash, which brought out the safety car at the end of lap one.
Villeneuve would have finished 11th, but ended up 12th with the penalty.
Fisichella took over the lead on the 13th lap after pole sitter Ralf Schumacher went in for fuel.
Raikkonen made his way through the field and was in sixth place by that time and passed Michael Schumacher by the 30th lap to go into fourth.
Ahead of him were Fisichella, Jenson Button and Mark Webber. All three pitted to give Raikkonen the lead briefly at lap 41. Raikkonen stayed out longer and went in for fuel with eight laps to go at lap 45. When he came out he was only five seconds behind Fisichella with a faster car.
With five laps remaining, Fisichella's lead was 3 seconds and shrinking. With only two laps left, Raikkonen moved within a few car lengths and made the winning move on the 53rd and last lap.
Raikkonen started from 17th after he was penalized 10 spots for changing engines due to a mishap in practice. He could have found himself further down the grid, but several drivers failed to post a qualifying time and started behind. Fisichella started in third place.
At the end Fisichella finished 1.6 seconds behind Raikkonen with Alonso 17.4 seconds back.
Webber, in a Williams, was fourth, with Button fifth in a BAR-Honda. David Coulthard of Red Bull was sixth, while seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher of Ferrari was seventh, ahead of his brother Ralf.
Posted by admin at 04:23 PM | Comments (0)
Miami tips off pre-season with 103-101 win over NBA champion Spurs
Miami tips off pre-season with 103-101 win over NBA champion Spurs.
Miami opened the pre-season by beating the NBA champion San Antonio Spurs 103-101 in a game added to the schedule to benefit victims of hurricane Katrina. A cheque for $1.1 million US was presented at halftime to the American Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, the Salvation Army and Feed the Poor.
"It's great to be able to do something for people," Heat coach Stan Van Gundy said.
The game drew a capacity crowd of 19,600, with many tickets donated, and the teams gave fans what they came to see: dunks by Shaquille O'Neal, breakneck drives by Dwyane Wade and plenty of firepower from the Spurs.
Miami opened the pre-season by beating the NBA champion San Antonio Spurs 103-101 in a game added to the schedule to benefit victims of hurricane Katrina. A cheque for $1.1 million US was presented at halftime to the American Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, the Salvation Army and Feed the Poor.
"It's great to be able to do something for people," Heat coach Stan Van Gundy said.
The game drew a capacity crowd of 19,600, with many tickets donated, and the teams gave fans what they came to see: dunks by Shaquille O'Neal, breakneck drives by Dwyane Wade and plenty of firepower from the Spurs.
Following a timeout with 2.4 seconds left, Heat rookie Kevin Braswell hit a layup for the winning score.
"On the bench Shaq said, 'The ball's coming to you,"' Braswell said. "With all the people in the stands, it felt great."
As officials reviewed a TV replay to make sure Braswell beat the buzzer, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich urged them to let the basket stand.
"It was a great night," Popovich said. "It was a win-win for everybody. It was really great for the people who were so unfortunate during the hurricane."
While San Antonio's lineup was unchanged from the end of last season, the game marked the debut of a revamped lineup by the Heat, who acquired three new starters after losing in the Eastern Conference final last season.
"The champions, and those who would be champions," said one spectator, Hall of Famer Julius Erving.
Wade's daredevil acrobatics, Tim Duncan's shooting touch and Alonzo Mourning's scowl were all in mid-season form. Perhaps the biggest surprise: O'Neal made his first three free throws, one a bank shot.
Despite only a week of practice and a steady stream of substitutions, both teams showed considerable offensive flair and shot better than 50 per cent.
Duncan scored 16 points, all in the first half, and added 10 rebounds in 24 minutes. Manu Ginobili had 13 points in 16 minutes.
"It felt like yesterday we were playing in the Finals," Ginobili said. "I didn't think it was so long ago. We had all the plays fresh in our minds."
Michael Finley, who spurned the Heat for the Spurs this off-season, made three of four shots.
Wade took several hard spills to earn his 18 points. He sank a 40-foot runner that banked in as the buzzer sounded to end the first half.
O'Neal had 17 points and eight rebounds in 22 minutes. New teammate Antoine Walker drove almost the entire length of the court for one layup and finished with 20 points and five steals.
"It's going to take some time to get used to each other," O'Neal said. "But I liked what I saw out there with the guys' intensity and moving the ball and playing together. That's what it takes to get it done."
Posted by admin at 04:08 PM | Comments (0)
October 11, 2005
Reed kicks field goal with six seconds left as Steelers beat Chargers 24-22
SAN DIEGO (AP) - It's a good thing the Bus is back, because now the Pittsburgh Steelers could be without Ben Roethlisberger.
Roethlisberger was helped off the field with an apparent knee injury shortly before Jeff Reed kicked a 40-yard field goal with six seconds left to give the Steelers a 24-22 win over the San Diego Chargers on Monday night. Roethlisberger thrust both fists in the air in celebration from the bench, his left leg wrapped in ice and bandages. "He laid it on the line," receiver Hines Ward said of the second-year quarterback. "He's lying there hurt on the ground, and he said to me, 'At least we're in field goal range."'
SAN DIEGO (AP) - It's a good thing the Bus is back, because now the Pittsburgh Steelers could be without Ben Roethlisberger.
Roethlisberger was helped off the field with an apparent knee injury shortly before Jeff Reed kicked a 40-yard field goal with six seconds left to give the Steelers a 24-22 win over the San Diego Chargers on Monday night. Roethlisberger thrust both fists in the air in celebration from the bench, his left leg wrapped in ice and bandages. "He laid it on the line," receiver Hines Ward said of the second-year quarterback. "He's lying there hurt on the ground, and he said to me, 'At least we're in field goal range."'
Steelers coach Bill Cowher had no information on the exact nature or severity of his QB's injury.
"It looked bad from what I saw up on the screen," Cowher said.
Trailing 22-21 in the fourth quarter, Roethlisberger moved the Steelers into San Diego territory and had completed a nine-yard pass to Antwaan Randle El when he was hit on the knee by the helmet of Chargers rookie lineman Luis Castillo.
Roethlisberger, whose knee was bent back awkwardly on the hit, was driven off the field on a cart after the final gun.
Roethlisberger was replaced by Charlie Batch, who has played only a handful of downs the last three years. Batch handed off three straight times to Jerome Bettis before Reed's kick.
The Bus carried seven times for 21 yards on the winning drive.
"I went to Charlie and said, 'Give it to me, look it all the way in, follow me as I go through, and I'll do the rest,"' said Bettis, who missed the first three games with a calf injury sustained during the exhibition season.
Roethlisberger ran for one touchdown and threw for another, and Bettis rushed for a TD in his season debut for the Steelers (3-1). San Diego (2-3) had its two-game winning streak snapped.
"I feel great, I feel fresh," Bettis said after scoring a touchdown in his season debut.
San Diego had gone ahead on LaDainian Tomlinson's two-yard run with 4:42 left. Tomlinson was stuffed on a two-point conversion attempt that would have given the Chargers a 24-21 lead.
"It's 50-50 there," Chargers quarterback Drew Brees said. "Give it to the best running back in the league or throw it to the best tight end in the league," he said, referring to Antonio Gates.
Tomlinson extended his NFL record by scoring a rushing touchdown in 17 straight games.
Stung by a loss to New England 15 days earlier and coming off their bye, the Steelers bounced back with a crisp game by Roethlisberger and the defence, which made Tomlinson and the rest of the San Diego offence look average.
Tomlinson was held to 62 yards on 18 carries. Brees threw his first interception in three games, which set up Bettis' TD run.
"That was probably the best defence I've faced as far as the run game in my career," Tomlinson said.
Roethlisberger gave the Steelers a 21-16 lead on a 16-yard pass to Heath Miller with 10:30 to go. He was impressive on the go-ahead drive, completing it in only three passes. Starting on the Pittsburgh 38, the second-year pro had completions of 33 and 13 yards to Ward before hitting Miller for the touchdown.
Roethlisberger was 17-of-26 passing for 225 yards, with no interceptions. Bettis gained 54 yards on 17 carries.
Bettis and Roethlisberger both scored in the second quarter. On third-5 from the Chargers 7, Roethlisberger lined up in the shotgun, took the snap and scrambled into the end zone.
His TD came four plays after his apparent 47-yard touchdown pass to Hines Ward was overturned after a challenge by Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer.
Bettis scored on a one-yard run. which capped a drive set up when James Harrison intercepted Brees, hurdled Tomlinson and gained 25 yards before being tripped up by Brees. An unnecessary roughness call against Chargers guard Kris Dielman added 15 yards.
San Diego pulled to 14-7 on an 11-yard scoring pass from Brees to Gates with 34 seconds left before halftime. That drive started after a 48-yard kickoff return by rookie Darren Sproles.
The Chargers had gone ahead 16-14 on Nate Kaeding's third field goal of the second half, from 41 yards with 11:41 to play. Kaeding also had field goals of 34 and 32 yards in the third quarter.
Kaeding's 32-yarder, with 3:54 left in the third, came one play after Willie Williams broke up a pass from Brees to Gates in the end zone.
Notes: San Diego had scored 12 touchdowns in 15 trips inside the opponents' 20-yard line coming in, but was held to one TD and two field goals the three times they got inside the Steelers 20. ... The game drew a Chargers record crowd of 68,537.
Posted by admin at 03:51 PM | Comments (0)
Torres scores twice as Oilers remain unbeaten with 4-2 win over Mighty Ducks
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) - The Edmonton Oilers ruined a special night for the Anaheim Mighty Ducks.
Radek Dvorak's power-play goal with 11:40 to play broke the final tie and lifted Edmonton to a 4-2 victory over the Mighty Ducks in their home opener on Monday night. Dvorak put a rebound of a shot by Chris Pronger past goalie J.S. Giguere to give the Oilers a 3-2 lead. Raffi Torres added an empty net goal, his second of the game and fourth of the season, to help the Oilers (3-0-0) remain unbeaten.
Radek Dvorak's power-play goal with 11:40 to play broke the final tie and lifted Edmonton to a 4-2 victory over the Mighty Ducks in their home opener on Monday night. Dvorak put a rebound of a shot by Chris Pronger past goalie J.S. Giguere to give the Oilers a 3-2 lead. Raffi Torres added an empty net goal, his second of the game and fourth of the season, to help the Oilers (3-0-0) remain unbeaten.
"I think everything is working well right now," Torres said. "Our penalty killing is keeping in us in the games. We're just a team right now."
While Edmonton was scoring three of its goals on the power play and ruining the home opener for the revamped Ducks franchise. Anaheim was 0-for-7 on the power play, including four opportunities in the third period.
"We need to do a better job of killing penalties and we when we get on the power play, we need to score some goals," said Anaheim captain Scott Niedermayer who was signed as a free agent in August. The addition of the Norris Trophy-winning defenceman is one of several major changes the franchise has undergone in the past five months.
Henry and Susan Samueli purchased the team from the Walt Disney Company in June. They dropped a ceremonial first puck Monday and then watched as the team initially showcased the "up-tempo" style new general manager Brian Burke has promised and that new coach Randy Carlyle had delivered in the team's first two games.
Teemu Selanne and Corey Perry scored in the first period as the Ducks outshot Edmonton 11-4 and took a 2-0 lead. Perry's goal was his first in the NHL.
Edmonton started its rally with a deflected goal by Torres early in the second period. Marty Reasoner tied the game, on another power play, at 13:22 of the second.
"We had a couple bad breaks on the first couple of goals, and we were pretty good after that," Edmonton coach Craig McTavish said. "We came out in the second period and really took the game away from them."
Pronger assisted on Reasoner's goal, his first point with the Oilers after being acquired in a trade with St. Louis in August.
Edmonton goalie Jussi Markkanen made 31 saves.
The Oilers were playing their first game since losing veteran forward Ryan Smyth with a sprained ligament in his left knee. Smyth, who led the Oilers in scoring during the 2003-04 season, was injured in Saturday's game at Vancouver. He is out indefinitely.
Notes: Anaheim assigned F Dustin Penner to Portland of the AHL on Monday. ... Mighty Ducks D Jason Marshall made a return appearance at the Pond after being signed as free agent this summer. Marshall skated for Anaheim from 1995-2001. He picked up an assist on Perry's goal ... Singer Eddie Money sang the national anthem, and performed between the first and second periods.
Posted by admin at 03:45 PM | Comments (0)
October 06, 2005
Shannon Lea - From the military to modeling
Shannon Lea is looking for a few good men.
Although she may look like a delicate flower, Shannon is one tough cookie who has used her life experience to carve out a place in the competitive world of entertainment.
Her claim to fame was an appearance in a nude pictorial for the "Women of Worldcom" in Playboy magazine, a followup to the magazine's successful "Women of Enron" pictorial. Long before she posed for cameras or worked for the telecommunications giant, Shannon grew up in a military family with aspirations of serving herself.
Shannon Lea is looking for a few good men.
Although she may look like a delicate flower, Shannon is one tough cookie who has used her life experience to carve out a place in the competitive world of entertainment.
Her claim to fame was an appearance in a nude pictorial for the "Women of Worldcom" in Playboy magazine, a followup to the magazine's successful "Women of Enron" pictorial. Long before she posed for cameras or worked for the telecommunications giant, Shannon grew up in a military family with aspirations of serving herself.
Born in Spokane, Wash., Shannon moved with her mom to Guam. In her mid-teen years, she migrated to North Carolina, finding it quite an adjustment to live with her father, who served in the Air Force.
"In Guam, I spent most of my younger days soaking up the sun and enjoying the island life. In North Carolina, they have four seasons and their grocery stores were named Piggly Wiggly!" she recalled.
It was an admittedly difficult childhood for Shannon, who was picked on because she was different and awkward.
"I used to be the girl who got picked on, couldn't get a date, didn't go to my proms and never made the cheerleading squad. All I have to say is, thank goodness for graduation! Hell had ended, finally!"
She recently had a chance to attend a high school reunion, presenting the ultimate opportunity to gloat.
"A friend of mine said I should go but what's the point? Actually, a guy I went to high school with ended up working at Worldcom with me. He told me I was beautiful. I said, 'Hey, now. You used to pick on me!' He said, 'No offense, Shannon, but you were homely back then.'"
Posted by admin at 04:53 PM | Comments (0)
October 05, 2005
For the love of the game
Why, you might ask, would Wayne Gretzky want to subject himself to the rigors of being an NHL head coach?
Let's face it, the job of an NHL bench boss isn't easy. It's a pressure-cooker environment, demanding of both mind and body with practices, games and travel. So, why would Gretzky want to leave the owner's box of the Phoenix Coyotes to become the team's head coach?
For anyone who ever watched Gretzky play, the answer is easy.
Why, you might ask, would Wayne Gretzky want to subject himself to the rigors of being an NHL head coach?
Let's face it, the job of an NHL bench boss isn't easy. It's a pressure-cooker environment, demanding of both mind and body with practices, games and travel. So, why would Gretzky want to leave the owner's box of the Phoenix Coyotes to become the team's head coach?
For anyone who ever watched Gretzky play, the answer is easy.
Love of the game.
"I heard people say 'Why would you want to do this?' And my answer was 'Why not?' It's what I love. It's what I know," Gretzky said. "I said this earlier, Glen Sather was the best coach I had and what made him good was his confidence in what he did. I believe that I'm gonna be a good coach. It's gonna take, obviously, more games behind the bench. The more experience you get the better.
"I think it's kind of ironic that when I broke into professional hockey at 17 that I was told that I was too small, and too slow, and that I wouldn't make it to the NHL," Gretzky said. "And now, it's kind of flip-flopped. The sense is, 'Well, you can't be a good coach because you were a great athlete'. So, I don't know. I kind of think that, you know, I wasn't naturally gifted with size and speed. Everything I did in hockey I worked for and that's the way I'll be as a coach. I will work hard, prepare hard."
And after authoring the greatest career in NHL history and successfully helping Hockey Canada return to international glory at the 2002 Winter Olympics and 2004 World Cup, Gretzky wanted a more hands-on role than being an owner.
I wanted to be in the game, simple as that," Gretzky said. "Two, I wanted to feel the energy and the excitement again of competing. Being in the locker room, being with the players, I'm excited about that part of it. Yeah, it's not gonna be easy every day. Some days are gonna be tougher than other days. But, I look forward to this as a new chapter in my life. I'm really excited about it. Our team's gonna play hard, we're gonna be ready to play every night. With the new rules we have in the league now, we like our speed and our size, so I look forward to it."
The Phoenix Coyotes of 2005-06 are much different than the team that finished the 2003-04 season with a 22-36-18-6 record. Ready to make their Coyotes' debuts this season are Brett Hull, Curtis Joseph, Petr Nedved, Mike Ricci, Mike Leclerc, Sean O'Donnell, Boyd Devereaux, Denis Gauthier and Oleg Saprykin. Gretzky believes this significant transformation will move the Coyotes in the right direction.
"(GM) Mike (Barnett) and I talked about this quite a bit over the last 10 months," Gretzky said. "Last June, we went out and recruited, we feel, a pretty good hockey team. We added some speed, some character, and some talent. Yes, I'm tremendously excited to be part of this group. I think it's gonna be fun to coach this group of guys. I really look forward to sharing my knowledge of the sport and the game. I don't have to sit up top and watch. I can actually be on the ice, that's the part I'm looking forward to the most.
"I'm excited about coaching some of the players that we've recruited over the past 12 months, some of them I've played with, other guys that I know," Gretzky said. "Mike and I have had many conversations about the team and players that we've signed and players that we've recruited. I'm really excited to be back in the locker room and on the ice because that's where I love to be. I'm thrilled to, sort of, be back on the hot seat and I'm looking forward to it."
Pressure is no stranger to Gretzky, who as a player rewrote large sections of the NHL record book and took the expectations of an entire country onto his shoulders at Salt Lake City. And Gretzky said one simple way to deal with pressure, expectations and the like is to roll up your sleeves and get to work.
"Listen, there's only one way to be a coach and that's to be here all the time," he said. "That's pretty simple and basic and that part of it is exciting for me. As I've been through my career as a player, and Team Canada and now here, I don't think one person is bigger than anyone else within an organization. So the coaching staff and the associates I've put together were for a reason. They'll have a responsibility and they'll be as big a part of this as I am.
"You know, our team needs to understand pressure and the importance of winning," Gretzky said. "To be a team that's going to be watched ... and, you know, the expectations are gonna be higher. That's pressure that comes with the territory. I think it will be good for our team. It will make us a better team. So, no, I'm not worried about that and I don't think our players are. I mean, guys like Nedved, who played in New York, understand. You know, this will be good for our team. It'll be more pressure and higher expectations and I think that will be good for our team.
"We've always got work to do. But, you know, we'll do it together. I like the group of players we've brought in. You always look for changes, you always look to make the team better. But all-in-all, I kind of like what we have. You know, it's an interesting sort of a year because everyone's missed 12 months. Coming out of the gate is an important factor. Some teams will probably come out quicker than others. We're gonna make sure that our guys are ready to come out of the gate as quick as possible."
Posted by admin at 04:45 PM | Comments (0)
October 04, 2005
Heatley scores twice, adds an assist as Senators blank Canadiens 3-0
MONTREAL (CP) - The first phase of Dany Heatley's career as an Ottawa Senator is over and so far, the big winger looks like a perfect fit.
Heatley scored two goals and set up another as the Senators posted a 3-0 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday night in the final NHL pre-season match for both clubs.
Heatley, who was acquired before training camp from Atlanta for sniper Marian Hossa, ended the exhibition schedule with six goals and nine assists in seven games - second on the team to linemate Jason Spezza's 16 points.
MONTREAL (CP) - The first phase of Dany Heatley's career as an Ottawa Senator is over and so far, the big winger looks like a perfect fit.
Heatley scored two goals and set up another as the Senators posted a 3-0 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday night in the final NHL pre-season match for both clubs.
Heatley, who was acquired before training camp from Atlanta for sniper Marian Hossa, ended the exhibition schedule with six goals and nine assists in seven games - second on the team to linemate Jason Spezza's 16 points.
He will play his first regular season game as a Senator on Wednesday night when Ottawa visits Toronto.
"We both like to move the puck and shoot and it just seems to be working," Heatley said of his partnership with the gifted Spezza. "We're finding each other really well.
"But still, it's pre-season and now the real test starts."
Coach Bryan Murray said he never doubted that Heatley would excel as a Senator, despite coming back from an eye injury last season and the horrific car crash during training camp with Atlanta in 2003 in which teammate Dan Snyder was killed and Heatley badly injured.
"We never had any question marks," said Murray. "From the first day, we said he can score from in tight or from the perimeter.
"He's a quality player. Guys get beaten up - an accident or an eye injury - but the wonderful thing about the human body is that we recover, given time. He's such a young guy, you just know he'll get better and better."
The third member of the line, rookie Brandon Bochenski, also scored for Ottawa, which broke open a 1-0 game with two quick goals in the third period.
The win avenged a 6-3 loss to the Canadiens in Ottawa on Saturday night. The Senators went 7-1 in the pre-season while Montreal was 5-3.
"Now to have played them, at least we can see where we are," Montreal centre Mike Ribeiro said of the two-game set with Ottawa. "The last game, we showed up and this time, they came out hard at us.
"But at least Wednesday we'll be playing for something."
The real test begins Wednesday, when Montreal plays at Boston.
Both teams have two players left to cut - one defenceman and one forward each - on Monday.
For Montreal, the decision may come down to either of defencemen Mark Streit and Ron Hainsey and either of tough guys Raitis Ivanans and Peter Vandermeer, although coach Claude Julien hasn't ruled out keeping two enforcers.
Earlier Sunday, the Canadiens returned 18-year-old winger and crowd favourite Guillaume Latendresse to his junior team, the Drummondville Voltigeurs.
For Ottawa, a tough decision looms between defencemen Andrej Meszanos and Christoph Schubert. Meszanos had a strong game against Montreal, but he is easier to send to the minors because he doesn't need to clear waivers, while Schubert does.
"You have to like him," Murray said of Meszanos. "He blocked a couple of shots. He was limping on one foot and slid down and blocked another shot. He's a very competitive young guy.
The only 'but' about him is that he doesn't require waivers."
Meszaros tipped a pass to Heatley at the Ottawa blue-line and the big winger charged up the ice and beat Jose Theodore with a low shot inside the near post 5:04 into the game.
The Senators dominated the opening period, outshooting Montreal 16-8, but the Canadiens also had chances. Craig Rivet had Ottawa starter Dominik Hasek beat as he skated across the crease, but his backhand shot went off the post.
Penalty killing units on both sides shone as the middle period saw a parade to the penalty box, including a call against Hasek for playing the puck outside the new restricted zone behind the goalline.
In the third, Theodore misplayed the puck in front of his net and Heatley slid it to Bochenski for a tap-in goal on a power play at 11:53.
Spezza fed Heatley for a quick shot from the right faceoff circle that beat Theodore at 14:39.
Ray Emery took over from Hasek at 10:42 of the second period and made a smart save on Ribeiro at the doorstep nine minutes into the third.
Theodore went all the way in goal for Montreal.
Ottawa outshot Montreal 32-28 and were 8-for-8 in penalty killing before an announced crowd of 18,010.
The Canadiens rested defenceman Sheldon Souray and Francis Bouillon and forwards Chris Higgins, Steve Begin and Niklas Sundstrom.
Ottawa sat out Schubert and forwards Vaclav Varada and Brian McGratton.
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Detroit Tigers fire manager Alan Trammell after disappointing season
DETROIT (AP) - Tigers manager Alan Trammell was fired Monday after three seasons in which he failed to turn around a franchise without a winning record since 1993.
Alan Trammell, in this 2004 file photo. (AP File/Duane Burleson)
The Tigers went 71-91 this season and were 186-300 in three seasons under Trammell, a former star shortstop for Detroit. He had one year left on his contract.
DETROIT (AP) - Tigers manager Alan Trammell was fired Monday after three seasons in which he failed to turn around a franchise without a winning record since 1993.
Alan Trammell, in this 2004 file photo. (AP File/Duane Burleson)
The Tigers went 71-91 this season and were 186-300 in three seasons under Trammell, a former star shortstop for Detroit. He had one year left on his contract.
Detroit lost an AL-record 119 games in his first season as manager, then improved to 72-90 last year, the biggest turnaround in the AL since Baltimore's 33-game improvement from 1988 to 1989.
With a lineup and bullpen that seemed upgraded, the Tigers thought they had a chance to have a winning season in 2005. The Tigers were 42-44 at the all-star break and 61-62 in late August before losing 29 of their last 39 games.
"You will not find a more dedicated, hardworking and respected individual that cares more about the Tigers and his coaching staff," Tigers president Dave Dombrowski said in a statement. "However, for the Tigers to reach the next level, I feel it is appropriate to make a change at this time."
The Tigers were set back by injuries this year, but Trammell refused to point to them as an excuse. Outfielder Magglio Ordonez missed about half of the season with a hernia, and closer Troy Percival appeared in just 26 games before an elbow injury ended his season in July. Both were hailed as prized free-agent signings before the season.
"Really, I'm OK," the 47-year-old Trammell said last week. "I'm a big boy. I've been through enough that I understand how things are."
Things were much different when Trammell was a player and he helped the Tigers post 11 consecutive winning seasons from 1978-88.
As a 20-year standout in the field and at the plate, he led Detroit to a World Series championship in 1984 and the American League East title in 1987, when he narrowly was beaten out by Toronto's George Bell for AL MVP.
Trammell was a six-time all-star, four-time Gold Glove and three-time Silver Slugger shortstop.
After he retired in 1996, he was a baseball operations assistant in Detroit for two seasons and was the Tigers' hitting coach in 1999. Then, he moved near his hometown and coached with the San Diego Padres for three seasons.
The Tigers knew Trammell was the popular choice to be their 35th manager on Oct. 9, 2002, and they insisted he was also the right choice. Trammell, Al Kaline and Ty Cobb are the only players to be with the team for at least 20 seasons.
"People don't come to your games to see your manager," Dombrowski said when Trammell was hired. "I can understand why some people will feel that this was based on Alan's popularity here. But really, we could not afford to make this decision based on that, because we need to right this ship."
Posted by admin at 04:12 PM | Comments (0)
October 02, 2005
Battered McNabb steps up and passes for 369 yards as Eagles beat Chiefs 37-31
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - By the look of things, all those aches and pains were getting to Donovan McNabb. Philadelphia's first three drives yielded two punts and a blocked field goal, and the Eagles were suddenly down 17-0 in the second quarter at Kansas City.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - By the look of things, all those aches and pains were getting to Donovan McNabb. Philadelphia's first three drives yielded two punts and a blocked field goal, and the Eagles were suddenly down 17-0 in the second quarter at Kansas City.
Turns out McNabb is as good leading a comeback as he is at enduring pain.
In rallying the Eagles to a 37-31 victory over the crestfallen Chiefs, neither a painful sports hernia nor a determined Kansas City defence could stop McNabb from doing something Sunday that no other Philadelphia quarterback had before: pass for more than 300 yards in three straight games.
The Eagles (3-1) scored 28 straight points against the same defence that had nearly shut out the New York Jets a few weeks earlier on the same field.
McNabb, who was also playing with a chest bruise and a sore shin, completed 33 of 48 passes for 369 yards and three touchdowns.
"I was just doing whatever I had to help my team win," said McNabb, who was diagnosed last week with a painful strain in the lower abdomen known as a sports hernia.
"Nothing is easy in this game especially when your body is in a position where you feel like can't do what you're used to doing," he said.
Terrell Owens fuelled the comeback by consistently getting open and making 11 catches for 171 yards and a TD.
The Chiefs (2-2) closed to within six points with 1:24 left on Trent Green's 15-yard TD pass to Hall, but the Eagles recovered the onside kick.
"He didn't look like he was hurting one bit," said Chiefs defensive lineman Lionel Dalton. "He looked like the normal McNabb, one of the greatest quarterbacks in this league."
McNabb took a few pretty good whacks but nothing slowed him down.
"It felt like I tweaked it a little," he said. "Nothing major. This is just something I have to get used to. My body's reacting differently."
The Chiefs (2-2) took a 24-6 lead with 4:27 left when Dante Hall went 96 yards with a kickoff return following Sheldon Brown's 40-yard return of an interception of Trent Green.
Then Owens and McNabb awakened the defending NFC champs. After Sam Rayburn recovered a Larry Johnson fumble on the 50, McNabb hit Owens for 28 yards and then capped the quick drive with a 7-yard TD pass to the Eagles' top receiver.
"It was like they got all the momentum right there," said Chiefs guard Brian Waters. "But we just made too many mistakes, too many turnovers."
Todd France, whose first NFL field goal attempt was blocked, made good on a 44-yarder to bring the Eagles to within 24-16.
Then McNabb hit Owens twice for a total of 58 yards in a four-play, 60-yard drive capped by Mike Bartrum's 3-yard TD catch.
A two-point conversion pass to Brian Westbrook tied it 24-24 with 1:54 left in the third and hushed the sellout crowd that had become almost deafening a few minutes before.
France put the Eagles ahead 27-24 with a 37-yarder in the fourth quarter. Then Hall fumbled away the ensuing kickoff and McNabb needed just six plays to cover 25 yards, hitting L.J. Smith with a one-yard TD toss after Smith made a circus catch of a tipped ball on third and seven.
France added a 26-yard field goal with 3:22 to go.
"We couldn't knock McNabb down even though we hit him," said Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil. "What a great football player!"
Trent Green completed his first eight passes and Priest Holmes scored on a seven-yard run on Kansas City's opening possession. The next time the Chiefs got the ball, Green hit Eddie Kennison perfectly in stride for a 49-yard gain that set up Lawrence Tynes' 38-yarder.
The next sequence is one that Philadelphia's Roderick Hood would like to forget. First, he fumbled during the kickoff return and Chris Griffin recovered for Kansas City on the 27.
Six plays later, Kennison beat Hood in the end zone on an eight-yard touchdown pass.
Hall, who electrified the NFL in 2003 by returning kicks for touchdowns in four consecutive games, tied the NFL record with six kickoff returns for touchdowns.
But it's McNabb that everybody went home talking about.
"He's unbelievable, man," said Chiefs cornerback Patrick Surtain. "The second half, they got on a roll and it was like they were doing anything they wanted."
Notes: Eagles DE Jevon Kearse, held without a sack for the first three games of the season, picked up his first with just over 10 minutes left in the third quarter. ... Brown's two-interception game was the first of his career. ... The scoreboards and play clocks at Arrowhead Stadium went out for much of the second quarter. ... Chiefs rookie Dustin Colquitt got off a 62-yard punt in the third quarter, his longest of the year. ... Hicks has both of Kansas City's blocked field goals this season. ... Holmes became Kansas City's career leader in attempts from scrimmage (rushes and receptions), with 1,466. Eagles defensive tackle Paul Grasmanis re-tore his Achilles' tendon.
Posted by admin at 02:34 PM | Comments (0)
Former world cycling champion and six others charged in doping scandal
BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) - Retired former world champion Johan Museeuw and six other cyclists have been officially charged with possession of performance-enhancing drugs.
BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) - Retired former world champion Johan Museeuw and six other cyclists have been officially charged with possession of performance-enhancing drugs.
The riders are accused of possessing EPO and Aranesp but not of using the drugs because of legal technicalities, prosecutor's office spokesman Tom Janssen said Monday.
Museeuw and the other lesser-known Belgian riders will appear in court on Oct. 11.
Widely recognized as the greatest one-day cyclist of the past decade, Museeuw denies any wrongdoing.
Janssen said the riders were charged under Belgium's hormone legislation, which does not specify charges for the use of the products. "It is a purely technical thing," he said.
Apart from the seven riders, a veterinarian, a masseur and two couriers were also charged in the scandal which broke in 2003.
Veterinarian Jose Landuyt is accused of providing Museeuw with the drugs. Apart from the products allegedly found in Museeuw's possession, the prosecution also said it has extensive documentation of text messages from mobile phones Museeuw and Landuyt allegedly used to communicate.
The allegations centre on drug possession during the summer of 2003, when Museeuw was hoping to win a second world title.
Museeuw retired last year. The 39-year-old, who won the world championship in 1996, was banned for two years by the Belgian cycling federation last year for his alleged involvement in the scandal.
Posted by admin at 02:31 PM | Comments (0)