Official Site

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 02, 2005

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)

September 26, 2005

Rita search, rescue complete in Louisiana

CAMERON, Louisiana (CNN) -- Search and rescue operations have been completed in the hard-hit southwestern part of Louisiana, said the top U.S. military commander for hurricane relief in the state.

CAMERON, Louisiana (CNN) -- Search and rescue operations have been completed in the hard-hit southwestern part of Louisiana, said the top U.S. military commander for hurricane relief in the state.

Lt. Gen. Russel Honore said the next step in the disaster relief operation would be to set up a military-style tent city in Lake Charles, Louisiana, so the local government could reestablish its operations.

Though less destructive than Hurricane Katrina, Rita caused extensive damage when it roared ashore Saturday morning near the Texas-Louisiana border with 120 mph winds. (Watch latest video of Louisiana devastation -- 2:35)

Much of the hurricane-hit areas had been evacuated ahead of the storm, preventing a high death toll, although a Rita-spawned tornado killed one person in Mississippi, and a Texas man died from a falling tree. (City-by-city impact)

New insured losses estimates range from $2.5 billion to $7 billion. (Full story)

The area near Houston, Texas, which is home to facilities that process a quarter of the U.S. fuel supply suffered "a glancing blow at worst," from Rita, Gov. Rick Perry said.

New Orleans repopulation to begin
In New Orleans, residents and business owners in certain neighborhoods will be allowed back into the city starting Monday morning "to inspect and begin cleanup of their properties," Mayor Ray Nagin announced.

Rita pushed water over city levees by about 2 feet -- levees that had been provisionally repaired by sandbags after Katrina's damage.

Worst hit was the Lower 9th Ward, the first section of New Orleans inundated by Katrina. (Watch: '9th Ward will be dry again within a week' -- 3:32)

Residents and business proprietors of the Algiers neighborhood will be allowed to return Monday, Nagin said in a written statement. Business proprietors also will be allowed back to the French Quarter, Uptown and the Central Business District.

Other areas of the city remain off limits "until further notice."

"With Hurricane Rita behind us, the task at hand is to bring New Orleans back," Nagin said. "We want people to return and help us rebuild the city. However, we want everyone to assess the risks and make an informed decision about re-entry plans."

"You are entering the City of New Orleans at your own risk," Nagin said. Returnees were told to be self-sufficient, to bring in sufficient water and food.

Bush focuses on energy
After visiting the hurricane-hit region during the weekend, President Bush was scheduled to be briefed Monday on the nation's fuel status at the Energy Department. Bush is scheduled to make remarks after the briefing, at 10:55 a.m. ET. (Full story)

Coast Guard Vice Adm. Thad Allen said no deaths related to Rita had been reported in Louisiana, and Perry reported no direct, storm-related deaths in his state.

But a Rita-spawned tornado killed one person in Mississippi, and 24 people died Friday when a bus carrying nursing home residents caught fire and was riddled by explosions on Interstate 45 south of Dallas.

More than 925,000 customers in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi are without electricity as a result of Hurricanes Rita and Katrina, officials said.

Cameron, Creole and Lake Charles, Louisiana, all were hard-hit by Rita. (Watch Gen. Russel Honore tour damage in Cameron, Louisiana -- 2:36)

In the parish seat of Cameron, 90 percent of homes were destroyed, Richard said. (See video on Cameron residents' resilience -- 2:18)

In Creole, 70 percent of residences were destroyed, with little more than the courthouse and an elementary school still standing, according to Richard.

Water in Lake Charles was receding Sunday, revealing buildings smashed to bits.

"The lake has risen higher than I've ever seen in my lifetime," said Lake Charles Mayor Randy Roach. But, he added, "Everyone who wanted to got out." (See video of hard-hit area in Rita's aftermath -- 2:29)

Farther west, in Port Arthur and Sabine Pass, Texas, officials were conducting house-to-house searches for victims or survivors, Port Arthur Mayor Oscar Ortiz said. He said two refineries appeared to be leaking gasoline. Boats and ships were tossed onto roadways by Rita's storm surge, and oil rigs ripped loose from their moorings had drifted ashore, he said.

Steady return to Texas
Rita's approach prompted the evacuation of more than 3 million people from the Louisiana coast westward to the Texas cities of Houston and Galveston, triggering 15- to 20-hour traffic jams on some Texas roads.

But residents of the Texas Gulf Coast made a steady return to their homes Sunday, with authorities encouraging workers in key industries -- such as oil refineries and gasoline stations -- to return as quickly as possible. (Watch Houston residents begin to return -- 1:20)

But Perry said others who are safe and have food should "stay put."

"Don't come back into southeast Texas today," said Perry, who went on a helicopter tour of damaged areas on Sunday.

In Houston, officials divided the city into quadrants and asked residents to return to each section one at a time, beginning with the northwest. But there is no penalty for ignoring that request.

The top elected official in Brazoria County rejected that plan.

"I am not going to wait for our neighbors to the north to get home and take a nap before I ask our good people to come home," Judge John Willy said in a statement.

Posted by admin at 03:29 PM | Comments (0)

September 19, 2005

Hey, TV: Enough with the reality shows

NEW YORK (AP) -- In the eyes of viewers, reality television is not only a misnamed genre. It's a format wearing out its welcome.

Four out of five Americans say they think too many reality shows are on the air, according to an AP-TV Guide poll. Only 4 percent of respondents said there were not enough.

NEW YORK (AP) -- In the eyes of viewers, reality television is not only a misnamed genre. It's a format wearing out its welcome.

Four out of five Americans say they think too many reality shows are on the air, according to an AP-TV Guide poll. Only 4 percent of respondents said there were not enough.

Few people believe there's much reality in reality TV: a total of 82 percent said the shows are either "totally made up" or "mostly distorted."

"They pick the personality types to fit a role. I don't think it's really real," said Brenda Sobol, a 42-year-old homemaker from Susanville, California. "It's kind of bogus. I think they pretty much know what the outcomes are going to be or they wouldn't do the programs."

The poll also found:

Half of Americans believe there are too many crime shows on television. The longtime staple of TV dramas has proliferated with the success of franchises such as "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" and "Law & Order."

Of all the new shows introduced last year, "CSI: New York" has the most people looking forward to its return. "Desperate Housewives," twice as popular with women as it is with men, came in second.

People watch more TV as they get older. The median number of hours that people over 65 say they watch is 14.7 per week. For those 18 to 34 -- young people that TV advertisers are desperate to reach -- it's nine hours.

Television's new season officially begins next week, a relief to viewers after a lackluster summer. Broadcast networks threw many new reality shows on the air. Between angry chefs, Tommy Lee's college escapades and a rock band searching for a new singer, the only one to catch on was ABC's "Dancing With the Stars."

Starting primarily with the CBS game "Survivor" and encompassing pop culture favorites like "The Osbournes," "reality" is a TV genre that has grown to rival sitcoms and dramas. It doesn't hurt that most are cheap to produce.

'Anyone can do it'
The poll results could be daunting news for Martha Stewart, who joins Donald Trump with her own edition of "The Apprentice" on NBC next week.

"You can get a reality show about anything," said Michael Russell, a 27-year-old construction worker from Cleveland who admits to getting a charge out of Bravo's "Being Bobby Brown." "Anyone can do it."

Joseph Passmore, 66, a retired computer systems analyst from Oklahoma City, said he enjoys "Survivor." But there's little real about it, he said.

"I think most of them are fake," he said. "Even 'Survivor,' they just show you the parts they want you to see and it's been messed with too much. They have too much -- what do you call it? -- editorial control."

The saving grace for TV producers is that even a belief these shows are fake or distorted doesn't necessarily mean they won't watch. Sixty-eight percent of viewers said it didn't matter, or only mattered a little, whether the shows were truthful or not.

Viewers may also be having their fill of talk shows. The AP-TV Guide poll found 56 percent of Americans saying there were too many.

And the fact that half of the viewers said there were too many crime shows could be an early warning for TV programmers: The genre's success has only encouraged them to make more and, based on previews, they're getting more gruesome than ever this season.

"It's like they're harping on it," Russell said. "There's so much crime going on around the neighborhood and around the world, it's like they're glorifying it."

He'd like to see more uplifting programs, like ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition."

The elderly are more likely to say there are too many crime shows, according to the poll. Given the way advertisers seek youth, that's not an audience programmers are likely to listen to that much.

The poll of 1,002 adults was taken September 6-8 and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. It was conducted by Ipsos, an international polling firm.

Posted by admin at 06:43 PM | Comments (0)

September 17, 2005

Lance Armstrong rules out comeback; too busy clearing his name

CHICAGO (AP) - Lance Armstrong won't be getting back on his bike after all.
After recent hints he might return to the Tour de France next summer to "yank the chains" of the French, the seven-time champion said Thursday that defending his reputation against allegations of doping during his 1999 win had soured any thoughts of returning to the event he dominated.

CHICAGO (AP) - Lance Armstrong won't be getting back on his bike after all.

After recent hints he might return to the Tour de France next summer to "yank the chains" of the French, the seven-time champion said Thursday that defending his reputation against allegations of doping during his 1999 win had soured any thoughts of returning to the event he dominated.
"I'm sick of this," Armstrong said during a late-afternoon conference call.

"Sitting here today, dealing with all this stuff again, knowing if I were to go back, there's no way I could get a fair shake - on the roadside, in doping control, or the labs," he said.

A moment later, Armstrong added, "I think it's better that way. I'm happy with the way my career went and ended and I'm not coming back."

Armstrong spoke with reporters hours after a nasty tug of war broke out between the bosses of the international cycling union and the World Anti-Doping Agency over who leaked documents used by the French newspaper L'Equipe to accuse him of using performance-enhancing drugs.

During a 45-minute question-answer session, the cyclist and his handlers left little doubt whom they believed was responsible: WADA chief Dick Pound.

It was the Canadian Pound who set off another round of charges and counter-charges earlier Thursday by accusing cycling union boss Hein Verbruggen of supplying documents used by a French newspaper to charge that Armstrong used the blood-boosting drug EPO during his first tour win in 1999.

Armstrong, who has repeatedly denied ever using banned drugs, said he was the victim of a "witch hunt" after the report came out last month in L'Equipe, France's leading sports daily.

Armstrong said he was concerned Pound might be seeking revenge for an open letter he sent to newspapers and the WADA chief several years ago, defending his sport against the widely held notion that cycling was rife with performance-enhancing drugs.

"I was not trying to say that Dick was bad guy or a crook," Armstrong said of his letter, "but I might want to say that today. ... He's trying to divert attention from the serious ethical issues involving WADA and himself."

His agent and attorney went even further, accusing Pound of smearing Armstrong in public without conclusive proof or due process. They also said Pound had a hand in ensuring that an identifying code was included with the results of tests for EPO conducted by a French lab on Armstrong's urine samples six years after they were taken.

If true, that would violate WADA's own protocol requiring that any tests be done strictly for purposes of research.

Calls seeking comment from Pound at both his WADA office and home in Montreal were not immediately returned Thursday.

Earlier Thursday, Pound said he received a letter from Verbruggen acknowledging the cycling union, known as UCI, had provided L'Equipe's reporter with forms indicating Armstrong had doped during his first Tour victory.

"Mr. Verbruggen told us that he showed all the forms of Mr. Armstrong to L'Equipe and that he even gave the journalist a copy of one of the documents," Pound said during a conference call from Montreal.

"I don't understand why they're not stepping up to that and saying, 'Well, I guess we do know how the name got public, we made it possible,"' he said.

But Armstrong said that he himself had authorized releasing the forms to L'Equipe. He said the request from the newspaper was to check whether the UCI had granted him any medical exemptions during competition, not to find out if the numerical code used by race official to identify Armstrong matched the one attached to the urine samples.

Last Friday, the UCI said it had not received enough information to make a judgment on the doping accusations.

It also criticized L'Equipe for targeting Armstrong and Pound for making public statements on the "likely guilt of the athlete" without knowing all the facts.

Pound countered by saying, "It's ... quite clear the only way there could have been a match between the code numbers and a particular athlete was on the basis of information supplied by the UCI."

He then questioned the UCI's willingness to fully investigate L'Equipe's accusations and wondered whether the cycling body was merely looking for a "scapegoat."

If so, Armstrong suggested Pound should look in a mirror.

"Is Dick Pound a vindictive person and somebody who holds grudges?" he said. "Perhaps."

Posted by admin at 04:53 PM | Comments (0)

September 16, 2005

Britney gives birth to baby boy

LOS ANGELES, California -- Pop princess Britney Spears is said to be getting her first taste of motherhood after reportedly giving birth to a baby boy.

The singer underwent a caesarean at Santa Monica's UCLA Medical Center, near Los Angeles, according to the magazine US Weekly and television show "Access Hollywood."

LOS ANGELES, California -- Pop princess Britney Spears is said to be getting her first taste of motherhood after reportedly giving birth to a baby boy.

The singer underwent a caesarean at Santa Monica's UCLA Medical Center, near Los Angeles, according to the magazine US Weekly and television show "Access Hollywood."

Britney, 23, and her husband Kevin Federline announced the pregnancy in April.

Reports suggest that they will call the baby either London Preston or Preston Michael. Her top name for a girl was Addison Shye.

It is the first child for Britney, while Kevin, 27, has two young children -- Kori, three, and one-year-old Kaleb -- with ex-girlfriend, Shar Jackson.

Last month, the singer revealed: "I have a feeling I'm going to have an operation. I don't know why but I hope so.

"My mom said giving birth was the most excruciating thing she's ever gone through in her life. So if a caesarian doesn't happen, I'll be like, 'Epidural, please.' "

The star, who has sold more than 60 million albums, has made no secret of her wish to start a family and has said she can see herself as a mother.

Shortly after tying the knot in a private ceremony last September, she announced she would be taking a break from music to enjoy married life and focus on motherhood.

"I've had a career since I was 16, have traveled around the world and back and even kissed Madonna," she wrote on her Web site.

"The only thing I haven't done so far is experience the closest thing to God and that's having a baby. I can't wait."

Britney hosted a Moroccan-themed baby shower at her Malibu home last month.

Presents included a white wrought-iron bassinet from her mother, Lynne, a car seat, a stroller, an infant bathtub and lots of stuffed animals.

Posted by admin at 06:38 PM | Comments (0)

September 05, 2005

Pat Answers--Babbling to Babs:

Pat Answers--Babbling to Babs: In the wake of Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston's divorce becoming final, all the mags have amped up the Brangelina speculation machine. Romance, reproduction, remarriage--what's up?

Pat Answers--Babbling to Babs: In the wake of Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston's divorce becoming final, all the mags have amped up the Brangelina speculation machine. Romance, reproduction, remarriage--what's up? Well, the National Enquirer's spies report that Brad has secretly enlisted the help of superflack Pat Kingsley who, you'll recall, handled Tom Cruise for years--before Cruise jumped the couch. The mag's source says Flackula's hypnotic publicity powers have already helped her orchestrate an exclusive Brad and Angie TV visit to Barbara Walters this fall, where they'll talk about "love, life...and the kids they'll raise as man and wife." Set the TiVo now!

Posted by admin at 04:31 PM | Comments (0)

September 02, 2005

See Where the Stars Sound Off on Frozen Burritos, Dog Chandeliers and Capra-esque Porn

See Where the Stars Sound Off on Frozen Burritos, Dog Chandeliers and Capra-esque Porn
Wil Wheaton will not be mentioned in this article. It's not that we don't love his blog (we do!), it's just that a dozen star-scribbled journals rank higher on our must-read list than the one maintained by a former USS Enterprise ensign. And each is just as real, quirky and endearing as Wheaton's. Well, except Gwyneth's, but we'll get to that.

Where the Stars Sound Off on Frozen Burritos, Dog Chandeliers and Capra-esque Porn
Wil Wheaton will not be mentioned in this article. It's not that we don't love his blog (we do!), it's just that a dozen star-scribbled journals rank higher on our must-read list than the one maintained by a former USS Enterprise ensign. And each is just as real, quirky and endearing as Wheaton's. Well, except Gwyneth's, but we'll get to that.

Her Space: "Diary"

Her Thing:
Pictures, pictures, pictures! And not just the usual on-the-red-carpet stuff, although those are definitely here. The prizes, though, are the random, here's a closeup of my dog ("My little luca pizzaroni"), here's me on Regis and Kelly (literally, a shot of a hotel TV screen), here's my bustline on the set of my sitcom.
Why You Must Read It: In between the pictures, Anderson rants about tabloids, notes Elvira as an influence and (before the posts were removed) gushes about how she and Lee are "not back together. We just love each other!"

Why You Might Hate Yourself After:
No matter how hard you look, you won't find the posts about Tommy, their Hawaiian family vacation and how they're absolutely, positively not getting remarried.

Posted by admin at 04:37 PM | Comments (0)

August 28, 2005

Injuries take toll on women as No. 1 ranking up for grabs in U.S. Open

NEW YORK (AP) - Women's tennis and the NFL have one thing in common: injuries galore. Tennis seems a tame game compared with football's violence, but there's no shortage of aches among the women trooping into the U.S. Open on Monday with their bandages and painkillers, physical therapists and chiropractors.

NEW YORK (AP) - Women's tennis and the NFL have one thing in common: injuries galore. Tennis seems a tame game compared with football's violence, but there's no shortage of aches among the women trooping into the U.S. Open on Monday with their bandages and painkillers, physical therapists and chiropractors.

Kim Clijsters, one of the few top players completely healthy at the moment, has been sizzling this summer and is favoured to win her first Grand Slam championship after racking up her tour-leading sixth title. She's rated a better bet than No. 1 seed Maria Sharapova (returning from a strained chest muscle) and the woman set to reclaim the No. 1 spot in the WTA Tour rankings on Monday, Lindsay Davenport (returning from a back injury).
Yet Clijsters, all of 22, spoke Sunday of retiring in two years because of the toll tennis has taken on her body. She's weary of injuries and worried about how they will affect her life away from tennis in the future.

Her most serious problem last year was a torn tendon in her left wrist, which led to surgery and cost her most of the season, as well as the start of this year. She made a strong comeback when she returned to the tour in February, despite a knee injury in May.

"I know how my body is feeling now and that, for me, is the main reason," Clijsters said of her thoughts of retirement. "For the next two years ... I'll just have to look after my body, make sure I have massages every day, do my knee exercises, my shoulder exercises and my core exercises. There's so much. I need to do all those things if I want to be able to play as well as I have been. That's why, after the U.S. Open, I'm going to have a long break ... just to make sure that everything is right again and that I recover well."

Retirement plans can, of course, change.

Davenport, 29, spoke last year about retiring. She, too, was having enough of foot and back injuries, among others, along with repeated rehabs. But she got a second wind in her career, finished last year No. 1 and has occupied the top spot most of this year, albeit without winning a Grand Slam title since the Australian in 2000. She's come close twice this year, reaching the finals of the Australian and Wimbledon.

"A couple of wins there (on the WTA Tour) gave me a lot of confidence to keep going, and I've kind of sustained that confidence," she said. "I work way harder now than at any point in my career, off the court, and I feel like that, all of a sudden, came into play quite a bit. I enjoy it more now. I don't know if that's because I came to the realization that I might be without it soon, or came to the realization that I better enjoy the last few years, however long they last."

Clijsters' fellow Belgian, Justine Henin-Hardenne, 23, is not thinking quite yet about retirement but certainly can empathize with her about all the health issues. A blood virus kept Henin-Hardenne off the court much of last year, a right knee fracture during practice in December delayed her return to court until March, then a right hip flexor strain set her back in April.

Amazingly, she overcame all that to win the French Open in June, though a right hamstring injury in July hampered her again.

"I'm much better," she said Sunday. "It's been hard to come back again after an injury in the last couple of weeks. It hasn't been once, not twice, but three times in a year.

"I'm not probably going to play as much as I did the last few years because I need to stay healthy for a couple of more years. I want to play for a long time. I'm not going to retire in two or three years, for sure."

Serena and Venus Williams have had more than their share of injuries the past few years but both will playing in Arthur Ashe Stadium on Monday. Tournament officials want to feature the former two-time champions, seeded eighth and 10th, respectively, early on - since they could clash in the fourth round.

French Open champion Rafael Nadal of Spain, seeded No. 2 in the men's draw behind Wimbledon champ Roger Federer, also will play on the main stadium court during the afternoon. The night belongs to Sharapova and Andre Agassi.

Federer, Andy Roddick and Davenport play their first matches on Tuesday.

Fifth-seeded Marat Safin, the 2000 champion, withdrew Sunday due to an ongoing problem with his left knee. He handed Federer one of his three losses this year, in the semifinals of the Australian Open, en route to winning the event.

Safin's place in the draw will be taken by lucky loser Bjorn Phau of Germany.

Posted by admin at 03:20 PM | Comments (0)

August 18, 2005

Ageless Allen throws three touchdowns as Argos beat Eskimos 22-18

EDMONTON (CP) - Damon Allen tossed three touchdown passes as the Toronto Argonauts won 22-18 Saturday, handing the Edmonton Eskimos their first home loss of the season.
After a scoreless opening quarter, Allen found slotback Robert Baker, who ran untouched 90 yards down the sidelines for an touchdown on the Argonauts' first possession of the second quarter.
After Allen hit Arland Bruce for an 89-yard score down the left sidelines in the third quarter, the Eskimos fumbled the kickoff and Argos wide receiver Tony Miles scored 2:09 later off Allen's six-yard pass. Allen was limping noticeably on his bruised right ankle following the play.

EDMONTON (CP) - Damon Allen tossed three touchdown passes as the Toronto Argonauts won 22-18 Saturday, handing the Edmonton Eskimos their first home loss of the season.
After a scoreless opening quarter, Allen found slotback Robert Baker, who ran untouched 90 yards down the sidelines for an touchdown on the Argonauts' first possession of the second quarter.
After Allen hit Arland Bruce for an 89-yard score down the left sidelines in the third quarter, the Eskimos fumbled the kickoff and Argos wide receiver Tony Miles scored 2:09 later off Allen's six-yard pass. Allen was limping noticeably on his bruised right ankle following the play.

Argos defensive lineman Robert England also had an interception and sacked Edmonton quarterback Ricky Ray, who threw a pair of interceptions and dealt with a collapsing pocket throughout the night. But the 25-year-old pivot came to life in the fourth quarter with a two-yard scoring plunge and 18-yard touchdown pass to Trevor Gaylor.

Still, Edmonton (5-3) fell to 3-1 at home before 38,927 at Commonwealth Stadium. Toronto improved to 5-3.

The slow-moving first half was no gem. The second quarter featured a badly executed fake punt by the Argos Noel Prefontaine deep in their own end, a poorly thrown Ricky Ray pass on the following possession that fell into England's arms, and a missed 40-yard field goal from Sean Fleming with no time left for a 7-1 Argos lead at the half.

England also stuffed an Edmonton drive late in the third quarter following a seven-yard sack on Ray, who also threw an interception to Argos cornerback Jordan Younger midway through the fourth quarter that sent many of the home fans home.

The Eskimos opened the second-half with a 14-play, 66-yard drive that took 7:18 off

the clock but could only produce a 19-yard Fleming field goal.

Eskimos linebacker Steven Marsh had an open interception on Allen in the third quarter but couldn't hold onto the ball.

The national CBC television broadcast featured only crowd sounds and some detail from the local radio play-by-play crew due to the employee lockout.

Allen, a 42-year-old grandfather who has played 21 CFL seasons and is the defending Grey Cup MVP, entered the game as the Argos rushing leader with 33 carries for 178 yards.

Notes: Edmonton re-signed defensive back Donny Brady, 31, to a two-year contract extension this week. . . . Patrick Kabongo, a 325-pound converted offensive lineman, started at right guard after just three months in his new position. . . . Non-import kicker Hayden Epstein, a former Minnesota Viking and Jacksonville Jaguar, was added to Edmonton's practice roster this week. . . . Allen was also voted the 1993 Grey Cup MVP following Edmonton's 33-23 win over Winnipeg.

Posted by admin at 03:16 PM | Comments (0)

August 15, 2005

Rafael Nadal beats Andre Agassi 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 in Rogers Cup tennis final

MONTREAL (CP) - Neither Andre Agassi's legend nor a quick hardcourt could stop dynamic teenager Rafael Nadal.
Nadal won a battle of generations Sunday with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 victory over Andre Agassi at the $2.45-million US Rogers Cup at Uniprix Stadium. It was the top-seeded Spaniard's first career win on a hardcourt, his third victory in a row and his ATP-tour-leading ninth tournament win of the year. His eight previous wins, including the French Open, were on slower clay courts.

Nadal won a battle of generations Sunday with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 victory over Andre Agassi at the $2.45-million US Rogers Cup at Uniprix Stadium. It was the top-seeded Spaniard's first career win on a hardcourt, his third victory in a row and his ATP-tour-leading ninth tournament win of the year. His eight previous wins, including the French Open, were on slower clay courts.
"I don't want to think about it because I always want to stay the same," Nadal said of his breakthrough season and the consensus opinion that he will be the sports' next superstar.

"I only want to think about next week. I'm happy I've won a grand slam, three Masters Series and five (other) tournaments, but I can't think about that now. I'll think about it at the end of the year."

The 19-year-old Nadal's mystifying left-handed shotmaking got the better of the 35-year-old Agassi, who was missing the lines with his winners in a baseline battle interrupted 58 minutes after the first set by rain.

"It's easy to see why he's won so many matches," said Agassi. "He's just a great mover on the court and he gets good power from stretched positions, so you're never sure if you have control of a point.

"His serve was more awkward than I anticipated. If you don't get a good return, he immediately gets on the offence. That's the sign of a great player."

After the loss Agassi withdrew from the Cincinnati Masters, which starts Monday. Agassi is a three-time champion of the event.

Nadal, who has a 16-match winning streak, won $400,000 while Agassi pocketed $200,000.

No. 4 Agassi, who was coming off a win in Los Angeles two weeks ago, ended a 10-match winning run.

It was the first meeting between Nadal and Agassi, who has won 60 tournaments, including eight grand slams, in his 19-year career.

While Nadal had shown before he's a good hardcourt player, he silenced skeptics who doubted he could win on the quicker surface. In his previous hardcourt final this year, he lost to world No. 1 Roger Federer in Miami in March, despite leading 2-0 in sets and 4-1 in the third set.

This win should be a boost going into the U.S. Open on hardcourts later this month.

"It's very important," said Nadal. "I know I can play good on hard because I had good scores this year.

"But I've got confidence now. I hope to play at the same level next week because it's good for the confidence - for the U.S. Open especially."

Nadal reached, passed or threatened a string of milestones with the win.

His tour-leading 65 match wins this year is second best ever by a teenager to Boris Becker's 69 in 1986. The last teenager to win the Canadian tournament was Michael Chang in 1990, when he was 18.

Agassi's last loss to a teenaged player in a final was in 1990, when he was beaten by a 19-year-old Pete Sampras.

And Nadal has the most wins by a teenager since Agassi won 63 in 1988. His ninth tournament victory tied Mats Wilander in 1983 as the most by a player under 20.

Nadal began the year ranked 51st by the ATP and has climbed to No. 2 with nine victories - one more than Federer.

Even the popular Spaniard, decked out for the beach in three-quarter length white pants, a sleeveless shirt and a bandanna, had to fight for favour from the 11,400 fans at Uniprix Stadium against the revered Agassi, who won the Canadian event in 1992, 1994 and 1995.

Even after Agassi lost, the crowd chanted his name until he stood up and waved and he then got a standing ovation.

The two had some spectacular rallies, with Nadal repeatedly running down cross-court shots that looked impossible to reach.

Nadal had lost only one of 53 service games in the tournament going into the final, and held nine more times before Agassi broke his medium-speed but precisely placed serve in the final game of the second set.

But Nadal didn't collapse. Instead, he became more aggressive on court and broke a faltering Agassi for 2-1 and 4-1 leads in the final set.

"In every match you have important points," said Nadal. "If you stay tough mentally, you can win those points.

"After the rain stopped, he changed his strategy. He put his backhand on my backhand always. He surprised me. I needed to play a little more aggressive to try for the victory and I did that."

It was Nadal's fourth final of the year in a Masters Series event - the nine tournaments ranked just below grand slams in prize money and importance - and his third win.

It was the first time Agassi has lost after reaching a Masters Series final since Miami in 1998, ending an eight-match winning run.

The 16-year age gap between finalists was the largest since 1979, when 35-year-old Tom Okker beat 19-year-old Per Hjertquist in Tel Aviv.

Nadal, coming off wins at Bastad and Stuttgart, has not lost since falling to Gilles Muller of France in the second round at Wimbledon.

Nadal was beaten in the first round by Lleyton Hewitt in his Rogers Cup debut last year in Toronto. He is the first Spaniard to win since Manuel Orestes in 1975.

It may have helped Nadal that Federer did not play the Rogers Cup due to injury and that hardcourt aces Andy Roddick and Lleyton Hewitt were knocked out in the first round.

Nadal is 10-2 in finals in his career, with both losses on hardcourts, but his record on hardcourts is strong - 31-16 in his career and 16-4 this year. He just plays more on clay, where his record is 74-12.

Both players plan to play this week in Cincinnati, although Agassi said it will depend on how he feels on Monday morning after a tough week of tennis.

No. 1 seeds who have reached finals are now 20-0 on the ATP tour this year.

In the doubles final, fourth-seeded Wayne Black and Kevin Ullyett of Zimbabwe beat Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram of Israel 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-0. Black and Ullyett split $99,300 while Erlich and Ram got $51,650.

Organizers announced that 172,683 spectators watched the week-long tournament, breaking the record of 166,442 at the women's Rogers Cup in Montreal in 2004.

Posted by admin at 02:29 PM | Comments (0)

August 09, 2005

Agassi wins while Henman, Niemeyer ousted in first round of Rogers Cup

MONTREAL (CP) - American star Andre Agassi thrilled appreciative fans Monday by winning his opening match Monday evening at the $2.45 million US Rogers Cup tournament, while Tim Henman and Canadians Phillip Bester and Frederic Niemeyer were ousted.
Agassi, the 35-year-old three-time champion survived a couple of service breaks in the opening set to beat Alberto Martin of Spain 6-4, 6-2.

Agassi, the 35-year-old three-time champion survived a couple of service breaks in the opening set to beat Alberto Martin of Spain 6-4, 6-2.
"I came out here tonight a little bit nervous," Agassi told the near-capacity crowd, before thanking them for their enthusiastic support.

The oldest player in men's tennis finessed his way from the baseline with steady groundstrokes, capitalizing on mistakes by his 26-year-old opponent. The No. 4 seed and seventh-ranked player in the world hopes to capture his 61st career title this week and boost his earnings above $30 million US.

Agassi's next opponent is Jonas Bjorkman of Sweden, 33, who easily beat American Vincent Spadea in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2.

Asked about taking on another "old timer," Agassi said Bjorkman won't be easy despite his having to qualify for the tourney.

"I'm the best over-30 player, so it doesn't matter," he joked.

Agassi hopes injections he's received for a sciatic nerve in his lower back will keep him on the court through the summer season.

Veteran British tennis player Tim Henman's game continued to struggle as the 10th seed lost to Dominik Hrbaty of Slovakia, 27, in three sets, 3-6, 7-5, 6-1.

Henman, 30, used his usual combination of tough serves and finessed net play in the first set. But a lapse in the second set continued through the third, frustrating Henman, who shot a ball into the stands upon being broken to trail 1-3.

"It's frustrating," he said. "I haven't played that much tennis and that many matches."

Another seeded player to lose was Fernando Gonzalez of Chile. The 16th seed lost to Max Mirnyi of Belarus 6-7 (5), 4-6.

Joining Henman and Gonzalez on the sidelines were 16-year-old Bester of North Vancouver, B.C., and Niemeyer of Deauville, Que.

Bester fell to Ricardo Mello of Brazil 4-6, 2-6. Hometown crowd support wasn't enough to help Niemeyer, 29, against Nikolay Davydenko of Russia. The fifth seed won 6-2, 6-1.

First-round action will resume Tuesday with Frank Dancevic of Niagara Falls, Ont., and Toronto's Rob Steckley vying to keep Canadian hopes alive.

Niemeyer was disappointed with the result after working so hard to prepare for the match.

"I followed my game plan," Niemeyer told reporters. "I tried to make some changes but everytime he had an answer."

Despite losing in what is likely to be his last singles match in Montreal, Niemeyer said he isn't looking back in sadness.

"If it's my last opportunity, I don't leave with any regrets."

While Niemeyer's career is waning, Bester's is just beginning. But his big serves in the opening game of the match couldn't carry the 978-ranked player in the world to victory against the 56th-ranked southpaw.

"It was a very good learning experience, and I'm very happy I got the opportunity to place here," Bester said following the match.

"It feels good that I didn't go out there and get blown off the court," said the 2004 Under-18 national junior outdoor champion.

Bester recently earned his first professional points at an event in Granby, Que. But he admitted to being nervous Monday, often overhitting balls.

"It was hard to sleep last night," he said. "Just the excitement, adrenaline."

Bester, who trains at the Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Florida, plans to enter the Junior U.S. Open and eventually play for Canada in Davis Cup.

Montreal-born Greg Rusedski, who plays for Britain, was broken a couple of times in the opening set before rallying to a 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-3 win over Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland.

Other winners included 15th seeded Richard Gasquet of France, who beat Mikhail Youzhny of Russia 6-3 7-6 (3); No. 11 seed Tommy Robredo of Spain was pushed to a third set against American Kevin Kim before winning 7-5, 3-6, 6-1.

Mario Ancic of Croatia won a second-set tie breaker to win his match 6-3, 7-6 (8) against Cyril Saulnier of France; Karol Beck of Slovakia beat Noam Okun of Israel 6-3, 6-2; Andrei Pavel of Romania beat Christophe Rochus of Belgium 6-1, 7-5; Olivier Rochus of Belgium beat Nicolas Mahut of France 6-3, 6-4; Eighth-seeded Mariano Puerta of Argentina outlasted Luis Horna of Peru 7-6 (7), 7-6 (3).

David Nalbandian of Argentina, a finalist to 2003 champion Andy Roddick and the ninth seed, beat Argentine countryman Juan Ignacio Chela 6-4, 6-1.

The first doubles match of the tournament saw Israelis Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram beat Stephen Huss of Australia and Wesley Moodie of South Africa 7-6 (2), 2-6, 7-6 (4).

Posted by admin at 04:55 PM | Comments (0)

August 08, 2005

Wind and crash wreak havoc in pole vault at world track championships

HELSINKI (AP) - The pole vault event at the world track and field championships was disrupted Tuesday when a Finnish vaulter's crash damaged the measuring equipment. When the event restarted, using a second pit where the equipment was intact, gusty winds hampered the vaulter's efforts, with half of the 12 qualifiers clearing only 5.45 metres. The other six cleared 5.60.

HELSINKI (AP) - The pole vault event at the world track and field championships was disrupted Tuesday when a Finnish vaulter's crash damaged the measuring equipment. When the event restarted, using a second pit where the equipment was intact, gusty winds hampered the vaulter's efforts, with half of the 12 qualifiers clearing only 5.45 metres. The other six cleared 5.60.

BOB BAUM
"The conditions all day were pretty rough," said American Brad Walker, one of those who barely made it through. "Basically a lot of us had that first attempt clearance at 5.45 metres. Then we had that standard kind of break apart. After that about an hour delay or however long it was, the wind seemed to pick up a little bit and it was very tough conditions to jump in."
The delay came after Matti Mononen of Finland, easily spotted with a strip of blue hair, came crashing down on the bar so hard that it knocked down the measuring equipment. During the delay, pole vaulting great Sergei Bubka - a member of the IAAF Council - came out to talk to meet officials as they tried to figure out what to do.

"I was just trying to help out," Bubka said. "It was unexpected and a decision had to be made quickly."

Eventually, it was decided to lower the automatic qualifying standard from 5.75 to 5.60, a height five vaulters already had cleared.

"The decision was made in the best interest of the athletes," Bubka said, "but the wind was a disaster."

Only one more made it over the bar at that height when the vaulting resumed.

"This is the first time I've seen somebody break the entire standard," said Olympic silver medallist Toby Stevenson, who withdrew with a hamstring injury. "That was unfortunate because it postponed the meet about an hour and the wind just kicked up. It would have been a different meet if that hadn't happened."

Mononen, who failed to qualify for the final, pulled a hood over his head and walked past reporters without talking.

American Nick Hysong, the 2000 Olympic gold medallist, led the qualifiers as the only one to clear 5.60 on his first try.

Bubka knows well the foibles of the pole vault in Helsinki. In the first world championships, held here in 1983, the pole vault finals lasted more than seven hours after heavy rain and strong wind forced cancellation of the qualifying round. It took 5 1/2 hours for the bar to be raised to a 5.60, with eight still in the competition. Bubka cleared 5.70 to win the first of his six world championships.

Posted by admin at 04:53 PM | Comments (0)

August 07, 2005

Playboy Icon Gets Into Bed With Reality TV

While the show includes mildly salacious shots of bosomy women on trampolines and hula-hooping -- which feel tacked on, either so viewers don't feel cheated or might have forgotten that Playboy and cleavage go together -- the debut half-hour turns out to be tame. advertisement

While the show includes mildly salacious shots of bosomy women on trampolines and hula-hooping -- which feel tacked on, either so viewers don't feel cheated or might have forgotten that Playboy and cleavage go together -- the debut half-hour turns out to be tame. advertisement

The camera travels past Hefner's bedroom door but avoids showing any hanky-panky. The most passion involved a couple of quick pecks on the lips and, at one point, Madison tucked into Hefner's bed and looking glum when a perky Wilkinson intrudes to get a movie video.

More than anything, the program is a bittersweet take on how one man's dream might be an imperfect fantasy for his women.

"I think there's two main adjectives people think when they see us: bimbo and slut," Marquardt says, with a fixed smile and giggle.

And while all the women profess to enjoy their female camaraderie, Madison lays out the hard truth (and if she's playacting for reality's sake, she does a good job).

"Do I like him having other girlfriends? No," she said. "I know I'm his No. 1 girlfriend but I think he needs to get rid of the extra girls."

The extras, however, seem intent on maintaining the status quo.

"Kendra and I are just icing on the cake," Marquardt said, adding: "I can't turn this down and go back to Lodi," a reference to her small California hometown.

"I love him. He loves me," Wilkinson firmly declares.

While "love" is a word that rarely slips from Hefner's lips, at least on camera, he insists he is deeply romantic, the result of growing up with the glossy music and Hollywood love stories of the 1930s. Those who simply tally his exploits are missing the point, he said.

"What gets the publicity is the number of relationships I've had over the years ... but the remarkable thing is I am still close to almost all of them," he said. "To live a life with a family of friends and share all that is very special."

The series comes as Playboy Enterprises takes advantage of global markets and new technology, including online services, wireless and video on demand. Daughter Christie Hefner is in charge as chairman and CEO, while Hefner has the title of editor-in-chief.

He proudly notes that new versions of the once-flourishing Playboy clubs are due, with one planned in Las Vegas and one in China under licensing agreements. There's also the international popularity of Playboy merchandise carrying the famed bunny logo.

Maybe a change in perception is helping, with the cheesecake shots once denounced as female exploitation recast, at least by some, as female sexual empowerment. Besides, Hefner says, conservative times such as these beget sexual rebellion.

He's on a personal high, too, after coming through a 1985 stroke and separating from wife Kimberly Conrad Hefner (the couple has two sons) in 1998. Against all logic, he said, life is better than ever.

"The marriage lasted 8 1/2 years and I was faithful to it the entire time. I came out of it emotionally beat up and bruised to find that a whole generation had grown up and was waiting for me to come out and play."

Posted by admin at 05:39 PM | Comments (0)

August 01, 2005

KIDMAN IN 'INVASION'

Nicole Kidman will star in the film Invasion, a remake of the cult film classic, Invasion Of The Bodysnatchers.

Nicole Kidman is to star in Invasion, a remake of the cult horror classic 'Invasion Of The Bodysnatchers', according to Production Weekly.

Set in the 1950s the movie revolves around a glamorous woman in danger and in love with a spy. Kidman will play Carol, a woman who uncovers a conspiracy in a small town where the inhabitants' personalities appear to be changing.

Director Oliver Hirschbiegel is due to begin filming in Baltimore in October.

Synopsis: Remake of the classic 'Invasion Of The Bodysnatchers', it is set in the 1950s and revolves around a glamorous woman in danger and in love with a spy. Kidman will play Carol, a woman who uncovers a conspiracy in a small town where the inhabitants' personalities appear to be changing.

Posted by admin at 08:00 PM | Comments (0)

July 10, 2005

Report: drug-testing policy to be part of new collective bargaining agreement

TORONTO (CP) - The NHL's new collective bargaining agreement will include a stiff drug-testing policy, a league source told The Canadian Press on Tuesday.

TORONTO (CP) - The NHL's new collective bargaining agreement will include a stiff drug-testing policy, a league source told The Canadian Press on Tuesday.

The policy would see players subject to a minimum of two drug tests a year with no advance warning. A player would earn a 20-game suspension for a first-time offence, a 60-game ban for a second offence and a permanent suspension from the NHL after a third violation.
Commissioner Gary Bettman and NHLPA executive director Bob Goodenow suggested the league and union would introduce such a policy after the two appeared before a U.S. congressional hearing on steroid use last May.

Posted by admin at 04:33 PM | Comments (0)

July 04, 2005

Armstrong camp wary of backlash despite great start to Texan's farewell Tour

LA CHATAIGNERAIE, France (AP) - Six-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong began Stage 3 of his farewell race Monday, setting out on a long, flat route with the Texan looking to stay out of trouble.

LA CHATAIGNERAIE, France (AP) - Six-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong began Stage 3 of his farewell race Monday, setting out on a long, flat route with the Texan looking to stay out of trouble.
Monday's 212.5-kilometre trek from La Chataigneraie to Tours generally favours sprinters, meaning Armstrong will try and stay in the main pack away from potential crashes as the faster riders near the front jostle for position. Armstrong's team says it is wary that its great start was too good too soon in the gruelling three-week race.
Armstrong consolidated a healthy lead in Sunday's second stage, safely finishing 63rd in the main pack while 10 riders fell during the 181.5-kilometre trek from Challans to Les Essarts.

The American, going for a record seventh straight Tour victory before he retires, was second overall and led Jan Ullrich of Germany and Ivan Basso of Italy by more than a minute, with Kazakhstan rider Alexandre Vinokourov 51 seconds behind.

American George Hincapie, a vital cog in all of Armstrong's Tour wins, believed the race shouldn't be as easy as it has been in the first two days.

"The race is three weeks long, there's a long way to go," Hincapie said Sunday. "We're not that confident."

He felt Ullrich's T-Mobile team, which included Vinokourov and Andreas Kloeden, last year's runner-up, was poised for a backlash.

"They're fighters and they'll keep on fighting. There's no rest until Paris," Hincapie said.

Ullrich's ambitions for a second Tour victory were dealt a severe blow Friday when he crashed into the back of his team car during a training run, cutting his neck close to the jugular vein.

He looked demoralized during Saturday's time trial - conceding 66 seconds to Armstrong - but appeared determined again on Sunday while placing 19th just behind the front-runners in a dangerous sprint stage won by Belgian Tom Boonen.

Posted by admin at 02:41 PM | Comments (0)

May 19, 2005

STAR WARS, EPISODE 3: REVENGE OF THE SITH

STAR WARS, EPISODE 3: REVENGE OF THE SITH

Release Date: May 19, 2005

After three years of fighting in the Clone Wars, Anakin Skywalker begins his journey towards the Dark Side of the Force, putting his friendship with Obi Wan Kenobi and his marriage at risk.

Official Site

Posted by admin at 09:36 PM | Comments (0)

May 17, 2005

BRAD AND ANGELINA'S SECOND SECRET TRYST

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have had two African trysts within 13 days, proving to the world that they're madly in love with each other.

The National Enquirer revealed last week that the couple sneaked off to a secluded resort in Kenya on April 19. Now we can disclose that Brad and Angelina traveled to Morocco for a second secret escapade beginning on April 30. Their decision to lock themselves away in a hotel suite for more than 24 hours there made a mockery of their denials that they're lovers.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have had two African tr