'THE EDGE' (COMING SOON!!) |
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TIM DONAGHY GAME 3 SUNS-SPURS TIPS APPRECIATED!!! |
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TOP STORIES - JULY 26, 2007 Get your NFL football tickets now at TickCo. They have all team Cardinals tickets, Cowboys tickets, Packers tickets, Colts tickets, Patriots tickets, Titans tickets and more. Get your Super Bowl tickets here! 2007 FANTASY FOOTBALL IS HERE: Get KACSPORTS exclusive 2007 quartback rankings now!!!  RASMUSSEN FORCED TO MUCK HAND!!! Tour de France leader Michael Rasmussen was removed from the three-week race by his team after winning Stage 16, the most damaging blow yet in cycling's doping-tainted premier event. The expulsion is said to been ordered by the team sponsor, and was linked to 'incorrect' information that Rasmussen gave to the team director over his whereabouts last month. Rasmussen missed random drug tests May 8 and June 28, saying he was in Mexico. But a former rider told a radio station that he had seen Rasmussen in Italy in mid-June. Says a Tour director 'We cannot say that Rasmussen cheated, but his flippancy and his lies on his whereabouts had become unbearable'. It wasn't immediately clear whether the 104-year-old race ever had lost its leader in such fashion so close to the finish, although it certainly had not happened recently. EXTRA SECURITY CALLED IN FOR IAN JOHNSON WEDDING: You may recall the Boise St. running back scoring on the final play of the Fiesta Bowl, then proposing to cheerleader Chrissy Popadics (see Idaho Statesman photo at right) during a national TV interview minutes later. The two are to get married this Saturday in Boise. But not everyone is happy, as Ian has disclosed that he's had to hire extra security due to a number of threats he has gotten over the inter-racial wedding. Johnson says he has received phone calls, 30 letters and even personal threats from people who objected to his plans to marry Popadics. Johnson adds that the situation is sad because he figures that the ones making threats are the same people who cheer him on the football field. In another development, the NCAA is making sure that the couple does not receive any extravagent wedding gifts, espcially from boosters - and the bride and her family falls under that umbrella as well. Coaches and staff members can give gifts, but only if they do the same for everyone else on the team who gets married.DEI BUYS OUT GINN RACING: A bizarre couple of months has resulted in what was thought to be an operation being built up to compete with the big boys to being swallowed up by one of the big boys. It's expected to be announced today that Ginn Racing will now be merged with DEI, with DEI eventually moving it's operations to a faciltiy that was being built for Ginn. Mark Martin is expected to be driving the #01 under the DEI banner starting this Sunday at Indianapolis, just last week Ginn had hired Joe Gibbs developmental driver Aric Almirola to split time with Martin in the #01 car. Also, the owners points for the #14 car previously driven by Sterling Marlin (who is clearly not happy about being released last week) will now be transferred to the #15 of Paul Menard, who will now automatically qualify every week since the #14 was in the top-35 in points. The #13 previously driven by Joe Nemechek is officially contracted under the merger. The other big loser in the deal is Cup rookie Regan Smith, who had been sharing time with Martin in the #01. When Marlin and Nemechek were fired last week it was said that Regan would become a full-time driver in the #14 - with the latest development however he is now probably on the outside looking in. The only possibility would be Regan taking over the #8 next year, but I think DEI will be looking for a little-higher profile driver for that gig. MOST NCAA CONFERENCES DO NOT PERFORM BACKGROUND CHECKS: The ACC and Big Ten have done background checks on game officials, the ACC's includes those officiating football as well as men's and women's basketball. Screening is done by an arm of the NFL's security force, which also helps certify officials for NCAA championships and bowl games. However many conferences do not have such systems in place, but that is expected to change in light of the ongoing NBA scandal. MORE PROBLEMS IN TOUR DE FRANCE: Yet another smudge on the event Wednesday after word came down that an unidentified rider had been kicked out after testing positive for testosterone. This comes just one day after Alexandre Vinokourov and his Astana team were disqualified because after a positive test for a banned blood transfusion. Also, dozens of Tour de France riders demonstrated their anger over the doping scandals by staging a silent protest at the start of Stage 16. The pack of riders split into two groups: those who took the started at the normal time, including controversial race leader Michael Rasmussen (who is now being booed at every turn), and those who protested by hanging back, causing a 13-minute delay. And in case that wasn't enough, officials announced that at least one small explosive device was detonated along the day's route, which nosed into northern Spain. Spanish media said the blast(s) were preceded by a call in the name of a Basque separatist group. TOP BREWERS PROSPECT BUSTED FOR STEROIDS: Catcher Angel Salome suspended 50 games for violating the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program for a first-time offense. Ranked by Baseball America as the #11 prospect in the Brewers' system, Salome was batting .318 with 53 RBI in 68 games in high-A ball. As an additional punishment, Salome is being sent home by the organization for two weeks. In other Brewers news, Bill Hall is expected off the disabled list Wednesday, which may result in a pink slip for pitcher Grant Ball Four - who earned that name modification after a pair of leadoff walks led to his undoing earlier in the week.  BONDS EX-MISTRESS TO BARE ALL IN PLAYBOY: And he thought the questions during BP last weekend were over the top. While Barry's sodrid march towards #756 reaches it's climax, word comes that former mistress Kimberly Bell is to bare all in more ways in all in a Playboy feature due to hit newstands October 1. Bell testified before a grand jury that Bonds told her of his steroid use in 2000 and that he implied he started taking PED's in response to his jealousy over Mark McGwire's 1998 season. Bell also testified that Bonds gave her $80,000 in cash to buy a house, the proceeds of which allegedly came from autograph proceeds that authorities are investigating as going unreported to the IRS. In a brief phone interview Monday, Bell gave what could be a small taste of the Playboy article saying 'If I had more self-esteem when I was younger, I wouldn't have been caught up with such a rotten man.'VICK TOLD TO STAY OUT OF CAMP: As Nancy Grace said last week, Michael Vick's $130 million contract is about to literally go down the crapper. NFL commish Roger Goodell has ordered Michael Vick to stay away when the Falcons convene training camp this week. In a statement, Goodell said 'While it is for the criminal justice system to determine your guilt or innocence, it is my responsibility as commissioner to determine whether your conduct, even if not criminal, nonetheless violated league policies' MILWAUKEE AREA COPS CRACK DOWN ON POKER: The only market up to this point I've known to crack down on 'free-roll' type poker to this extent is Salt Lake City. Now it looks like Milwaukee is putting the kabosh on the poker scene. What typically happens is that tournaments are held with prizes ranging from jackets to autographed footballs to die-cast race cars awarded. 'Buy-in' at one establishment is to buy a $5 gift card, which can be used for food or beverage. In another poker operation that rotates among establishments, players don't have to pay, but buying food or drink earns a 2,000 chip bonus to a starting stack of 10,000. At the end of the season, the 'finals' are held with a winner getting a trip to Vegas. But now local law enforcement is cracking down, saying holding card games with prizes of any type (even a can of pop) being illegal. One establishment was even cautioned against 'ranking players', in other words a winner can be 'barely acknowledged'. One tournament held as a fund-raiser for a local sheriff's department was even warned. Local tournament organizers maintain that the laws are vague and not clear, with one vowing 'we're still going to go what we do'. That operation plans on holding it's finals this weekend, along with another tourney where an Iphone is to be rewarded - might be a good idea to keep a low profile now that this is out in the media.  HORRIFIC TRAGEDY - MINOR LEAGUE COACH DEAD AFTER BEING STRUCK BY LINER: Tulsa Drillers coach Mike Coolbaugh, 35, pronounced dead less than an hour after being hit either in the forehead or side of the head while coaching first base in a game Sunday night. A minor league veteran, Coolbaugh played for 15 teams during his career and amassed 258 home runs and 1,007 RBI. Coolbaugh finally made the show with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2001 and wound up playing in 44 MLB games with the Brewers and Cardinals. Older brother Scott Coolbaugh also had a four-year major league career in the early 1990's. It is believed that only one on-field fatality has occurred in the history of Major League Baseball, no such stats are available for the minor leagues. One has to wonder if the incident (as what happened in hockey a few years back) will result in base coaches wearing helmets or even extra catchfencing to protect fans down the base lines. Mike Coolbaugh was hired as a coach by the Colorado Rockies AA affiliate just ten days earlier. Coolbaugh was married with two kids, with a third expected in October. JSONLINE story after Coolbaugh made the majors in 2001. Arkansas TV news story on the incident. Radio call of incident. DONAGHY GETS PROTECTION AFTER THREATS: Embattled former NBA referee Tim Donaghy had local lawmen at his Florida home Sunday because of threatening phone calls he's received since news broke late last week that he is being investigated for betting on NBA games he worked the last two years. As you can see by the photo, Donaghy has a home fit for an NBA player, and no surprise it is for sale. Over the weekend more was being learned about Donaghy. First off, he was allegedly involved with low-level mob members, including the infamous Gambino crime family. As you might expect, many of the games Donaghy had worked over the last two years are now being looked over with a fine tooth comb. What is know is that Donaghy was not one of the more popular officials in the Association. He was the official Rasheed Wallace confronted in an arena loading dock a few years back, leading to a seven-game suspension for Rasheed. Donaghy also worked the infamous Pacers-Pistons game which ended after Ron Artest charged into the stands after a drink was thrown at him. Unfortunately, the NBA is now possibly dealing with a bigger black eye.BURN, BABY, BURN - PADRAIG SURVIVES: Dressed up like he was one of Kevin Harvick's crewman on Saturday, it appeared that Sergio Garcia would lose the dreaded 'best player never to win a major' at the British Open. But Sergio, Padraig Harrington and Andres Romero all stumbled down the stretch Sunday before Harrington outlasted Sergio in a four-hole playoff where we also found out that indeed the sun shines once in a while in Scotland. The unhearlded Romero birdied 10 holes in a remarkable round which wound up being negated by a pair of double-bogeys on the back nine. The 17th hole in particular wound up being Van De Velde-like, as Andres tried to get himself out of trouble by hitting a 2-iron. The errant shot took a wild bounce off the stone side of the burn and wound up O.B.. Harrington appeared to had blown his chance by finding the Van De Velde burn not once, but twice on 18. Needing a par to close out the win in regulation, Garcia's yippy putter let him down one more time, lipping a 10-footer. Harrington becomes the first Irishman to win the Open in 60 years, while the possibility of Steve Stricker and Mark Wilson performing a British Open/Greater Milwaukee Open double went by the boards early as Stricker fell off the pace for a final-round 74. SERGIO A WHINER??? I will not throw out the 'C' word that Johnny Miller and others throw around like candy. If anything Sergio is someone who can never seem to close the deal in the final round - and there are a few golfers in that boat. This column rips Sergio for everything from griping about the ball that hit the pin during the playoff bouncing 20 feet away to having to wait for someone to rake a bunker on the 18th hole (they must have already been thinking that Sergio was going to find it). They say Sergio once also griped about one being forced to play in the rain, saying that they would call play if Tiger were on the course. OK - quit whining already, considering all the lipped putts this was more bad beat than choke job. COPS REEL IN MARLIN: Believe it or not, Elijah Dukes actually has competition in regards to being the most troubled MLB player in the state of Florida. Pitcher Scott Olsen of the Florida Marlins was arrested early Saturday after refusing to pull over and wound up getting roughed up by the police. Olsen wound up being booked and was not released until Saturday afternoon, but not before posting a hefty $11,000 bond. It is not even the first time this week Olsen has landed in hot water, he was fresh off a two-game suspension after a confrontation with teammate Sergio Mitre. Olsen is beginning to get a nice lengthy rap sheet - Olsen received a black eye last season from his friend after a teammate considered a friend railed him. Olsen has also gotten into dugout disputes with teammate Miguel Cabrera and former manager Joe Girardi, who grabbed him by the jersey during a 'discussion'. Recently, Olsen was fined an unspecified after flipping off fans in Milwaukee. Sounds like this guys next scuffle might be in Albuquerque.FEDS CLOSING IN ON BONDS??? In a story that Brewers announcer Jim Powell was just eating up during today's broadcast, it has been announced that the grand jury that could ultimately send soon-to-be home run king Barry Bonds to jail has been extended for another six months. The feeling by those following the case is that the Feds probably have enough evidence to indict Bonds now, but would like to collect some more evidence over the next couple months just to make their case air-tight. This week marked the one-year anniversary of the grand jury investigation. The strongest indication that the case is indeed very alive is the continued incarceration of Bonds' personal trainer, Greg Anderson. The latest news turned the Giants batting practice session today into a circus, as Bonds spouted off on reporters saying 'Do I look concerned??? You guys just want more stories about me. It's unreal.I'm not discussing it. I haven't been discussing it forever and I will not discuss it. You guys are going to write your story what you're going to write. Just do that. Leave me out of it.' ANOTHER PRO WRESTLER FOUND DEAD: John Kronus, part of one of the most well-known tag teams during ECW's era, found dead at his home in New Hampshire at age 38. Kronus, whose real name was George Caiazo, was a top act in the ECW promotion run by Paul Heyman during the mid-'90s. Kronus and Perry Saturn (Perry Satullo) held the tag-team title on several occasions. Another one of Kronus's tag partners was Jerry 'New Jack' Young, who appeared on Nancy Grace Friday saying that Kronus was in the wrestling business to make sure his son had enough money to go to college. Incidentally, take one look at New Jack and you'll see that some of his spots over the years has had a bit of an effect on him. WRESTLING DEATH TOLL: It is now 62 known wrestlers who have died before age 65 since 1985. Ray 'The Crippler' Stevens and Rufus R. 'Railroad/Freight Train' Jones made it to 60 and Wahoo McDaniel lived to the ripe old age of 63.COULD BOBBY UPSTAGE BARRY??? Now sitting at 753 home runs - Barry Bonds stands poised to break baseball's most cherished record, possibly as early as when the Giants return home next week playing the Atlanta Braves. Which leads us to this possible scenario, Bonds goes opposite way and hits on to deep left-center field. A fan sitting in Row 1 goes Jeffrey Maier and reaches over the barrier to catch the ball. It should be a ground-rule double, but ump rules home run - '756' flashes on the video board while streamers and fireworks explode all over the place. Meanwhile Braves manager Bobby Cox storms out of the dugout and goes ballistic on the umps. He's run - 'HE DID IT!!! HE DID IT!!! BOBBY COX IS THE NEW ALL-TIME EJECTION LEADER NOW...' At least that would be the call if someone doesn't cut the announcers mike first. Are Hank and Bud sure that they don't want to make the trip???  NBA REF BETTING SCANDAL!?!? The FBI is investigating allegations that a veteran official bet on basketball games over the past two seasons, including games in which the as-of-yet unamed official worked. The law enforcement official says the referee is aware of the investigation and had made arrangements to surrender as early as next week to face charges.ADAM DUNN TO BREWERS REPORT GETS OUT OF CONTROL: Milwaukee radio station as well as some internet sites reported that Brewers had acquired Reds outfielder Adam Dunn - no word on whether Dunn was trying to hire Yi Jianlian's agent just in case it was true. The erroneous report got some good laughs in the Cincinnati clubhouse, but Brewers GM Doug Melvin was less than amused - saying he has spent more time deflecting the media rumors than doing actual business. Myself, I don't see the Brewers making a trade with a division rival they will be facing 12 times before the end of the season. Think something along the lines of Jermaine Dye if anything. STEROID BUST IN THE OCTOGON: Looks like every sport has taken a turn with a steroid scandal lately - first wrestling, then the Tour de France, then golf legend Gary Player reveals that he 'knows' a golfer who uses steroids. What a shocker, out of hundreds who have played the PGA or European Tour in recent years, do you actually think every single one of them were clean??? No wait - golf is all about technology. Now the emerging sport of Mixed Martial Arts has it's own steroid mess as both participants in a recent UFC lightweight title fight have tested positive. Champion Sean 'Shark' Sherk test positive for having twice the accepted level of nandrolone while opponent Hermes Franca was busted for being detected with a steroid commonly used in bodybuilding. The positive tests comes just one month after 40-year old MMA legend Royce Gracie tested positive for nandrolone after a win. Both fighters were fined $2,500 and face one-year suspensions. The other 16 particpants in the UFC 73 card in which Sherk and Franca fought were also tested and came out clean. TDF LEADER GETS WARNING LETTER: Current leader Michael Rasmussen races in 12th stage despite the disclosure that he has missed two drug tests since the beginning of May and has received a warning that he could face suspension if he misses another.YI SAYS IT'S HIS DECISION TO SNUB BUCKS: Chinese 'teen' star Yi Jianlian has broken his silence following a torrent of criticism about his refusal to play the Milwaukee Bucks, saying it was his decision alone not to report there. Chinese fans and media, as well as Houston Rockets star Yao Ming, have urged Yi to stand up for himself and make his thoughts known as the stand-off has reached 'near-embarrassing' proportions. |
