Juice Bros.

Today, the New York Times reporter Michael Schmidt dropped two more names from the list of Major League Baseball players that tested positive in 2003- Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz. The two sluggers who lead the Red Sox in 2004 and 2007 to a World Series title. In a time where every team in the league had 'juicers', with managers, owners, and GMs in on it, there is no room to say that the Red Sox 2004 title should be stripped. Everyone was a cheater in this 'steroid era', these guys were just better.

Speedo Needs to Catch Up

Tuesday at the world swimming championships Michael Phelps came in second to Germany's Brian Biedermann in the 200 free. Bierdermann also snatched Phelps' world record in that event. Bierdermann used a new 'super-suit'-not made by speedo- that was more buoyant and apparently beat out Phelps' Speedo LZR.

Disgusted by swimming deregulation, Phelps' swim coach Bob Bowman said, ""I'm done with this," referring to competitions that allow swimmers to wear anything but an Evinrude. "The sport is in shambles right now, and they better do something, or they're going to lose their guy who fills these seats."
Bowman is hinting that Phelps will boycott swimming internationally until FINA makes a regulated swim suit that doesn't give swimmers an advantage.
The only thing Phelps needs to boycott is the idiot suit designers that aren't creating him a suit that propels him to victory everytime. And FINA does not need to put any kind of limit to the advancement of technology for their sport. Every sport has companies that make gear for athletes that makes them faster, safer, and agile. It's time for Speedo to make their number one endorser a suit to compete with the rest.

No Buzz for Hornets' Offseason

In an offseason with a big shift of players, with the Spurs adding Richard Jefferson, Dajuan Blair, and a healthy Manu Ginobli back, the Magic adding Vince Carter, the Cavs picking up Shaq, and the Lakers adding Ron Artest, the New Orleans Hornets haven't upgraded, they have downgraded.

Today the Hornets traded away Tyson Chandler to the Charlotte Bobcats for Emeka Okafor. Yes, that is zero-impact Emeka Okafor who stunk it up in Charlotte. They dumped their defensive stopper for an undersized power forward, role-player at best. The management in the 'Big Easy' is making it hard for Chris Paul. He is the best point guard on the planet and is trying to make it work with a fading David West and James Posey. Picking up Okafor is going to add it the mediocrity of the team and the Hornets will miss the playoffs again. What New Orleans needs is a long wingman who can score, and who more perfect for the job than free-agent Lamar Odom?

DA Wants Plax Behind Bars

Manhattan's district attorney,Robert Morgenthau, wants former New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress to serve time in jail. While at a nightclub last November, Burress shot himself in the leg with an unlicensed gun. Burress's lawyer has said Plaxico has agreed to serve a year in jail but prosecuters are pushing for two years.

Burress was charged with criminal possession of a weapon and faces up to 3 1/2 years in prison. Burress has pleaded not guilty and is free on $100,000 bail. The Giants released Burress in April.
Plaxico, I don't know what is more ridiculous about this story, the fact that you pulled out an unlicensed gun, that you shot yourself in the leg, or that your name is Plaxico.

Vick 'Conditionally Reinstated'

Early Monday afternoon NFL commissioner Roger Goodell sent Michael Vick a letter of reinstatement, granting Vick a chance to play in the league once again, but under his heavy-handed provisions. Vick was 'conditionally' reinstated- meaning that he could go to all of the team functions and practices but now games until six weeks into the season. If signed, Vick could report to training camp immediately and engage in all team activities including practices, team meetings, training camp, and he is allowed to play in the last two pre-season games- for whatever reason.

However, Goodell has suspended Vick for the the first five weeks and on the sixth week he will asses his condition and decide whether to "fully" reinstate Vick. Why suspend him for another five weeks? He has spent twenty-three months in prison, lost hundreds of millions of dollars in salary and endorsements, and ruined legacy. Is missing these first five games going to teach him a lesson Mr. Goodell? The man has paid dues to society and is still paying. He deserves to come back immediately because there have been players who have done things a lot worse and they have gotten second chances- Ray Lewis killed a man and Pacman Jones left someone paralyzed. I love Goodell's iron fist on player discipline but Vick has been through hell and needs this chance to show the world he has changed.

Young Pitchers. Old Arms

In a recent article by the New York Times, there have been studies conducted that show that kids throwing curveballs is not as stressful on the arm as thought. Since at least the 1950s, orthopedic surgeons have doomed curveballs as murderous to a young arm because the their elbows and joints are still developing. The quirky, violent motion that the elbow,wrist, and shoulder go through when thrown do put a strain on those young arms-obviously. But the reason why,now, kids are getting ligament removing surgery that used to be operated only on professional athletes is because the pitch count that is being run up on their arms. In their critical growing years, kids aren't supposed to be throwing for long amounts of time. From their parents to coaches and peers, young athletes in general are being pressured to play at an elite level, earlier. Kids are being pressured to be the best and to do whatever it takes to get better, which includes throwing harder and longer. Athletes in the Little League World Series are pitching complete games and leaving the field completely drained. Pitching at that high of a level doesn't give their arm a chance to grow or heal and what end up happening is you have a whole breeding of young pitchers who were fire-ballers in youth leagues and high school but come to the league with shredded arms.

Becks and Hecks

The L.A. Galaxy's David Beckham was fined $1000k by the MLS for confronting fans during halftime for heckling Becks. Note, these were L.A. Galaxy fans,not only Galaxy fans, but they were a rowdy group called the "LA Rioting Squad". At the start of halftime Beckham approached the group gesturing for them to come down and challenge him, yelling explitives, and making an effort to hop over some advertising fence before team security stopped him.
"At the end of the day, I play my game, whether I get booed or not doesn't matter to me," he said.
"I think it was disrespectful, some of the things that were being said and also some of the banners, but it is what it is."
The Beckham Experiment has gone tottaly awry, proving that soccer-or Beckham for that matter- doesn't have a chance in the United States.

Roethlisberger Facing Serious Accusation

This afternoon, Pittsburg Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger held a press conference to discuss the allegations against him claiming that he raped 31 year-old Andrea McNulty at the Harrah's Hotel in Reno, Nevada. The casino hostess claimed that the rape occured in his hotel room.
Law enforcement has said that they're not going to start a criminal investigation because of the lack of a crime scene and time that has passed. These accusations are very serious. Rape is not like a DUI or parking tickets for professional athletes-this could possibly ruin Big Ben. There is very little evidence at this point and there is no trial in place yet so I have no opinion on this but, from following his career thus far, he doesn't seem like a monster that would do this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYoLq_c1loI

Roethlis-'burger' does look like he's got beef with this girl.

When Sh*t Hits The Wall

Former NASCAR driver Jeremy Mayfield tested positive for methamphetamines in May and was suspended indefinately by NASCAR officials. Mayfield has denied his use and claims that NASCAR's drug testing is fraudulent. Although, his step-mother Lisa has come forth and testified to seeing Mayfield use methamphetamine approximately 30 times throughout the years, including at least once before a race. She said "she has personal knowledge of Mr. Mayfield using and even manufacturing methamphetamine, including his usage of methamphetamine before a race as far back as a decade ago."

"I first saw Jeremy using methamphetamine in 1998 at Jeremy's shop on Jackson Road in Mooresville, North Carolina," she said. "Jeremy cooked some of his own methamphetamine in his shop by the house until the stores took pseudoephedrine off the shelves. In addition to making methamphetamine for his own use, I am aware that Jeremy has bought methamphetamine from others."

Wow. Well, it only makes sense that a driver is using meth- three hours driving around a track at speeds up to 200 miles per hour with few breaks. Meth is known to give its users the feeling of super-human strength and stimulates the brain to keep it operating at a high level for long periods of time- the endurance that these guys need for an event.This guy is completely guilty. He is 40 years old and looks like he is in his mid-50s,another effect of meth, and the accusations against him are pretty damning.

Umps Blunder Calls for Some Proactivism

Another major league game was robbed last night after an umpire called Minnesota Twins' Michael Cuddyer out on a game-ending play at home plate. Cuddyer is seen clearly sliding under the tag but is called out, retaining the Athletic's one run lead, and giving them the win. Now,one can argue that the Twins deserve this loss because they gave up a ten run lead to leave the score 14-13 ,at any rate, this has nothing to do with the horrible officiating error. This play has stirred up talks for the Major League to add to their use of instant-replay in plays at the plate, but a lot of 'purist' baseball fans are very complacent and argue that it would ruin the tradition of the game and waste time . Look you baseball junkies-well for one- your league is the slowest when it comes to advancing its sport and no tradition would be lost but progression gained. As for the delaying of the game, please. Baseball games have fireworks after homeruns and a '7th inning stretch' where the park turns into a circus and karaoke stadium- save it fans.

But the bigger picture here is Bud Selig's reluctancy to push his sport into the 21st century by using the technology we have to call games the right way. The NBA and NFL have made the switch and games- big playoff games- have been decided with the use of instant replay. Catch up MLB, you're losing your credibility. Now Bud, after you've seen your umpires 'drop the ball' you need to pick up that camera.

When is Enough, Enough?

All professional athletes live a life where their actions are magnified due to their money, status, and influence they have because of their play on the field. In addition, many athletes take this power and turn in into a celebrity and abuse it, giving them a 'bad-boy' image and even in trouble with the law in some cases. But no other league has had its players in more severe legal cases than the NFL. Cases that involve violent and lewd behavior.
How many clubs will they go to? How many gunshots have to be fired? How many lives have to be lost? How many investigations will they undergo? How many arrests have to be made? How many trials have to be scheduled? How many suspensions have to be handed out? How many lifes have to be ruined before NFL players end their dangerous,selfish and reckless lifestyles?

Farve

On July 30 Brett Farve will give word to the Minnesota Vikings on whether or not he will be playing again. Again. Brett Farve pulled the same gag last summer after he 'retired' from the Packers in March and then dominated a whole month of news with his dramatic signing with the Jets. And after a horrid season with the Jets,he we are once again listening to Brett as he changes his mind week to week on whether he'll come back.Brett: did we not see this whole charade a exactly a year ago- you getting off the plane in Mississippi and practicing with some high school football team for the summer because you cant handle mini-camp?

While the Vikings hold his hand through the whole process.

The Lean Mean (Clean) Hitting Machine

The most hallowed record in all of sports,the homerun, has been tarnished in recent years due to the accusations steroid use- which has also made the game far less popular and turned fans away from the game completely. Baseball's biggest sluggers including Alex Rodriguez, Sammy Sosa, and Manny Ramirez and have tested positive for different kinds of human-growth hormones and anabolic steroids, and since Major Leauge Baseball instituted a testing progam the home-run numbers have gone down drastically. Attendance for ballparks is down 20 percent from last year, popularity for the game is simply bleak, and fans are looking for a savior.
There is good news: Albert Pujols is here and making fans watch again. Pujols' home-run mark is at 30 on July 1st, making for an intriguing 62 homer season watch. Pujols has told reporters that he is the one to trust,that he is not juicing, and the sporting world has seemed to believe him, being that he doesnt act or look like a typical juicer - a bulked up and moody, distant team player. With his 30 homers before the all-star break, he is on his way to breaking Roger Maris' single-season record, making for the first apparent clean slugger to break that record.