Just Another Day for Lolo Jones

Lolo Jones says she's not going to change a thing.  A  day after another disappointment at the Olympics, the 30-year-old Jones told The Associated Press she has no plans to retire and would like to still be hurdling at the Rio Games in 2016.

"Last night, Gail Devers called me and said she was ... 37 when she got her last medal," Jones said of the two-time Olympic 100-meter champion. Jones is backed by big-name sponsors and has appeared on magazine covers, including a recent issue of "Time." Her charisma and childhood narrative – her family once lived in a church basement in Iowa – only add to a story that has made her one of the most marketable and high-profile athletes on the U.S. Olympic team. But she hasn't won much when the stakes are the highest.

She finished fourth in the 100-meter hurdles Tuesday, 0.10 seconds behind bronze medalist Kellie Wells. At Beijing four years ago, Jones came in as the favorite and was leading the final when she hit the ninth of 10 hurdles and wound up seventh. She has no Olympic or world outdoor championship medals, and has been criticized in some places for occupying a prominent spot in her sport's limited spotlight despite the less-than-perfect results. But she makes no apologies.

"The Olympics are only once every four years so you have to take advantage of all your opportunities, both to be an inspiration to people and help support your sponsors who help you," she said. "I don't regret doing any stories or being in magazines. For me, it was a chance to do things like get tips on eating healthy and working out to people.  "It was hard work and if it made an impact on anyone in a positive way then I wouldn't change it."

Kirani James Wins First Ever Gold For Grenada

19-year-old Kirani James won the first ever gold medal for the island of Grenada, as he stormed to the finish line recording a personal best of 43.94 seconds, well clear of fellow teenager Luguelin Santos in second. Lalonde Gordon of Trinidad and Tobago too the bronze.

James said: "It means a lot. Grenada will be going crazy right now." Since 2008, James has won Commonwealth Youth gold, World Youth gold, the World Juniors, World Championships and now the Olympics.

With this display, he becomes the eighth fastest man in history over one lap. This is a new generation of 400m men. In an event traditionally dominated by the United States, not a single American made the final.

Silver medallist Santos of the Dominican Republic is just 18 years old, while only one man in the field - the Bahamas's Chris Brown - is over 24. Brown, fourth in Beijing and in two previous world finals, was once again just a place off the podium. 

But it was James, just as it was in Daegu a year ago, who is the talk of this event. He already has a street in the Grenadian capital of St George named after him. Having carried his country's flag into the opening ceremony, he can expect a hero's reception when he returns home.

The future of the event may also be his. Michael Johnson's incredible world record of 43.18 secs has stood for 13 years. While that remains well out of James's reach for now, his own talent and the competition engendered by his youthful rivals could one day see him do what few thought possible and break that Beamonesque mark.

Coach Andy Reid Plans To Return For Preseason Opener

As the entire Eagles family grieves the sudden death of Garrett Reid, the 29-year-old son of coach Andy Reid, the team is practiced on Sunday afternoon, at Andy Reid’s request.

Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com has more details regarding the aftermath of the tragic events, which the team will feel directly and powerfully because Garrett Reid died in his training-camp dorm room.  He had been assisting strength and conditioning coach Barry Rubin. Frank separately reports via Twitter than owner Jeffrey Lurie said Reid plans to return to the team by Thursday, when the Eagles host the Steelers in the preseason opener.

Garrett Reid often was present on the sidelines at training camp.  Per Frank, Garrett Reid also had helped out recently with the Temple football team, where brother Britt Reid is a graduate assistant coach and brother Spencer is a redshirt freshman running back.

The strong connection between Reid’s family and the Eagles family has added even more emotion to Sunday’s events.  Frank writes that, after G.M. Howie Roseman told the media that Garrett Reid had died, Roseman “broke down sobbing.”

“My deepest sympathy for one of the greatest men on earth,” Eagles head athletic trainer Rick Burkholder said via Twitter.  “My heart bleeds for you, Andy Reid.”

Commissioner Roger Goodell also expressed his condolences.  “We are deeply saddened by the news about Garrett Reid,” Goodell said in a statement released on Twitter.  “Our thoughts and prayers are with Andy, Tammy and their family.  We will support them and the Eagles in any way we can through this difficult time.”

These will be difficult days for the Eagles and for the Reid family.  Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with everyone affected by the passing of Garrett Reid.

Adam Scott's Big Meltdown On Sunday At The Open

Adam Scott reckons Tiger Woods’ former caddie can help him fend off a final-day charge from the American superstar at The Open.

The Aussie has a four-shot lead going into today’s final round but insists he will cope with the nerves of trying to close out his first Major with the advice of experienced bagman Steve Williams.

The Kiwi caddie had an acrimonious split with Woods last year and has made some controversial comments about the former world No.1

But now Scott – who leads Graeme McDowell and Brandt Snedeker by four with Tiger a shot further back in fourth place – reckons his caddie will be key to keeping him on the path to a famous victory today.

Scott said: “It’s a benefit to have a guy like Steve on the bag. We’re getting on really well out there and he believes in the way I’m going about my business.

“At some point tomorrow I’m sure there’s going to be a time when I’m going to lean on his experience.

And he’s going to have some great advice on how to tackle a certain situation. He’s such a positive guy and that can rub off on a player as well. It’s an advantage to have Steve as my caddie.

“I have a pretty good record when I’m leading so I should be confident going into tomorrow.

“I just need to do the same stuff I’ve been doing. That has been effective so far and it shouldn’t really change just because it’s Sunday.

“Obviously there are nerves because there’s a finishing line out there somewhere. But throughout my career somehow I’ve been able to handle that situation fairly well most of the time.”

The Official Olympic Badminton Draw Released Today

The draw the badminton competition was held at the Main Press Centre in the Olympic Park earlier today.  In the women's singles draw, world champion and number one seed Wang Yihan of China will face the unseeded Michelle Li of Canada in her opening match of the Games.

In the men's singles, Olympic champion and number two seed Lin Dan of China will face unseeded Scott Evans of Ireland in his first match of the competition. Number one seed Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia will play Finland's Ville Lang, who progressed to the third round at Beijing 2008.

Third seed Chen Long of China drew Boonsak Ponsana of Thailand, who is in good form after winning the Singapore Open in June, while number four seed, China's Chen Jin, will play Przemyslaw Wacha of Poland. In the mixed doubles, top seeds Zhang Nan and Zhao Yunlei of China will face Great Britain's medal hopefuls Chris Adcock and Imogen Bankier in the group stage of the tournament.

Adcock and Bankier were runners-up to Zhang and Zhao at the 2011 world championships at Wembley Arena, but the British pair have since beaten their Chinese opponents twice in three meetings. 

In the men's doubles, the Beijing 2008 Olympic silver medallists, four-times world champions and number one seeds Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng of China, should progress to the knockout stage after they were drawn with pairings from Australia, Chinese Taipei and Germany.

On the other side of the draw, number two seeds Chung Jae Sung and Lee Yong Dae of Korea will feature alongside 2005 world champions Howard Bach and Tony Gunawan of the USA, Malaysian battlers Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong, and Japan's Naoki Kawamae and Shoji Sato.

In the women's doubles, China will be seeking their fifth consecutive Olympic title from their top pairing, world champions and number one seeds Wang Xiaoli and Yu Yang.

Ernie Els Takes British Open By Storm

Ten years from his last victory Ernie Els stunned his colleagues and golf insiders to win the coveted 141st Open championship.  The 42-year-old South African, same age as last year's winner Darren Clarke, triumphed after Adam Scott suffered a nightmare collapse over Royal Lytham's closing stretch.

Scott who was chasing his first major, looked all set to become the first Australian to hold the Claret Jug aloft since Greg Norman in 1993 when he led by four shots with only four holes to play. But he bogeyed them all and Els, having made a 15-foot birdie putt on the final green 20 minutes earlier, suddenly found himself with a fourth major title without even having to go into a play-off. As Nick Faldo said: "Well done Ernie Els but Adam Scott is going to be scarred for life." Els said: "I'm just all numb at the moment. He's a great friend of mine. Obviously we both wanted to win very badly for different reasons and I really feel for him.

"It's the nature of the beast. That's why we are out here. You win, you lose and it was my time. "I was hoping at best play-off. When I was on the 17th green he was on the 16th tee and, as we all know, it's not the hardest hole."

Scott, whose caddie Steve Williams won 13 majors with Tiger Woods, had allowed the gap to come down to two by failing to get up and down from a bunker on the 15th. He then three-putted the next and while playing the 17th would certainly have heard the roar - the loudest of the week - for Els's last green putt for a 68 and seven-under-par aggregate of 273.

The "Big Easy", second at Lytham in 1996 and third in 2001, almost resigned himself to another near-miss. But things were about to change far more than he anticipated. Scott pulled his approach into the rough, and when he drove into more sand down the last and had to hack out, Els had one hand on the trophy.

His Presidents Cup team-mate played a superb third to eight feet, but the par putt to force extra holes was pulled wide and that was that. Having stood 11 under earlier in the day, he signed for a 75 and six under.

Woods, who also finished poorly in addition to taking a triple bogey, tied for third with fellow American Brandt Snedeker three shots further back, while Scott's playing partner Graeme McDowell ended up fifth with world number one Luke Donald.

In his winner's speech Els told the crowd: "I had a lot of support this week. But you guys have got to ask yourselves the question were you just being nice to me or did you actually believe I could win?".  In true Ernie El style, he gave a big shout out to Nelson Mandela during his search, saluting the former South African leader for his contribution to sports in South Africa

Many thought his best days were long behind him and he did not even qualify for The Masters in April. Scott retained his composure admirably but must have been devastated inside.

"I'm pretty disappointed," he said. "I had it in my hands and managed to hit a poor shot at each of the closing four holes. "I'm very, very disappointed, but I played so beautifully for most of the week I certainly should not let this get me down. "Surprisingly I was incredibly calm and I still am. I thought I could roll that last putt in, but I didn't and that's golf."

Scott was on the verge of becoming the sport's 10th successive first-time winner in the majors, but while that has now ended another run goes on - Els is the 16th different winner in a row.

Now with two Opens to go with his two US Opens, his front nine contained bogeys at the second and ninth and not a single birdie. That left him six back, but he hauled himself back into things with birdies at the 10th, 12th and 14th to set up the remarkable climax.

McDowell was always playing catch-up and could not recover from bogeys at the second and sixth, the second of those seeing him take two in the same bunker that gave Woods so many problems. The 14-major champion - still to add to that tally since the 2008 US Open - almost hit himself as his first attempt to escape came back off at him.

Officials checked the video to make sure there was no contact, but he then had to play his next crouched on the grass way above the ball. He did wonderfully well not to leave it in again, but the ball shot across the green off the face and from there he triple-bogeyed to fall seven behind.

It was the first time he had dropped three shots on one hole in a major since he lost his opening drive at Sandwich in 2003. The real killer blow for McDowell came with a six on the reachable long next - he lost his second in the bushes - that put him six adrift.

Woods and Els were up into joint second at that point, but the former found bunkers on the 14th, 15th and 16th and that ended his hopes. For Els it was a different story. A very different story. An unbelievable one, in fact.

Tour de France Cyclist Remy Di Gregorio Arrested

A French cyclist competing in the prestigious Tour de France race has been arrested, a national police official said Tuesday.  The cyclist named, is Remy Di Gregorio, a member of the Cofidis professional cycling team, and said two other people were detained in Di Gregorio's hometown of Marseille in connection with the case.  Di Gregorio is being questioned in police custody but has not yet been charged, according to the national police official, who has been briefed in detail on the matter.

Police raided the hotel where some members of the Cofidis team were staying in Bourg-en-Bresse, in eastern France, Tuesday morning, he said. Cofidis said on its website that Di Gregorio, 26, had been suspended, but did not say why.  The investigating judge in the case is Annaick Le Goff, who is a judge for the health division, the official with the National Gendarmerie said.  Tuesday's arrest was made in a joint operation with the division of public health of the Marseille Gendarmerie, he said.

Di Gregorio is currently ranked 35 out of 178 competitors, according to the Tour de France website, trailing British cyclist Bradley Wiggins, who holds the lead by just over 18 minutes ahead of Wednesday's resumption of the competition. Tuesday was the first rest day for the riders taking part in the world's best-known cycling race, which began June 30. In the course of the race, which consists of a short time trial prologue followed by 20 longer stages, the cyclists will cover 3,497 kilometers (2,173 miles), including grueling mountain climbs, before they cross the finish line in Paris July 22.

Di Gregorio joined the Cofidis team this year, having previously competed with the Astana professional cycling team, which is backed by Kazakhstan. He came in 78th in the Tour de France in 2010 and 59th in 2008, and has won three stages in the eight years he's been competing in the race.

Spanish cyclist Alberto Contador was part of the Astana team when he won the Tour de France in 2010. He was later stripped of the title and banned from competing for two years by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, after failing a drug test.  The issue of alleged doping in professional cycling was thrust into the spotlight last month, when the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency accused U.S. cyclist Lance Armstrong of using performance-enhancing drugs.   Armstrong, who denies the allegations, faces a lifetime ban and could be stripped of his seven Tour de France victories if found guilty by the USADA. He won the Tour each year from 1999 to 2005

Paralympic Torch 24-hour Relay Launches Countdown To London Games

As the countdwon to the London 2012 Paralympic Games begins,  the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) has announced highlights from the Paralympic Torch 24-hour Relay route and 50 of the key sporting events that will feature during the Games.  The Paralympic Motto, “Spirit in Motion,” represents the strong will of every Paralympian and implies that the IPC is an organization on the move.  Seb Coe, LOCOG Chair, said: “With just 50 days to go these highlights serve as a great taster for the Paralympic Games. I’m looking forward to crowds coming out to line the streets and cheer on the inspirational teams of Torchbearers, and as the Paralympic Games get set to amaze us all I am delighted that we still have some great tickets to give everyone the chance to be there.”

Stoke Mandeville is today welcoming the Olympic Torch Relay, but in 50 days time Stoke Mandeville Stadium will be the venue for the official Paralympic Flame Lighting Ceremony on 28 August. Four flames from London, Belfast, Cardiff and Edinburgh will be united to form the Paralympic Flame which will be taken on a 24-hour overnight relay to the Paralympic Opening Ceremony at the Olympic Stadium on 29 August.

The 24-hour relay - presented by BT, Lloyds TSB and Sainsbury’s - will see the Paralympic Flame carried 87 miles by 580 inspirational Torchbearers, working in teams of five, from Stoke Mandeville  to London. It will travel through some of the communities of Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire, before visiting all six host boroughs and a number of internationally recognizable London landmarks. From the iconic Abbey Road crossing in the north-west of the city to historic Greenwich in the south-east, the Flame will come right through the heart of London.

Passing down Regent Street from Oxford Circus to Piccadilly Circus, the Flame will go by Westminster Abbey and Downing Street as well as Trafalgar Square – where there will be live entertainment and sport screened throughout the Paralympic Games. The Flame will cross the Thames over some of London’s most famous bridges: Lambeth Bridge, Waterloo Bridge and Tower Bridge. Tower Bridge will have a spectacular Agitos on display – the symbol of the Paralympic Games.

London 2012 organizers are encouraging over 15,000 Local Leaders to help light the way to the Paralympic Games.

In addition to the sport, the London 2012 Festival will also continue throughout the Paralympic Games showcasing world leading artists in events across the UK. On Tuesday there will be a presentation of program highlights for “Unlimited: the Revelation starts here” at the Southbank Centre in London – an unprecedented celebration of arts and culture by deaf and disabled artists.

USA Basketball Preview Show Hosted By Coach Krzyzewski On SiriusXM

Sirius XM Radio today announced that Mike Krzyzewski, head coach of the Duke University Blue Devils and the USA Basketball Men's National Team, will host a USA Basketball preview edition of his SiriusXM show on Monday, July 9 (7:00 pm ET). The two-hour episode of Basketball and Beyond with Coach K will be co-hosted by Sports Illustrated's Seth Davis and will air nationwide on Mad Dog Radio (SiriusXM channel 86), offering listeners a preview of USA Basketball's summer events. The show will feature a roundtable discussion on international basketball with USA assistant coaches, plus interviews with some of the players who will be competing this summer.
"Representing the U.S. in the Olympics is an incredible honor and one of the great thrills of my career in basketball," said Coach K. "The international game continues to grow stronger and fans will see a remarkable amount of talent displayed this summer. All of us at USA Basketball are excited for the challenge ahead and I'm looking forward to sharing that enthusiasm with our listeners on SiriusXM." 
"Basketball fans are looking forward to an exciting international competition later this month and we're thrilled to have Coach K give our listeners this special preview of the U.S. squad and the teams they'll be facing," said Scott Greenstein, SiriusXM's President and Chief Content Officer.
Krzyzewski has been involved with USA Basketball as a coach on and off since 1979, when he started out as an assistant to Bob Knight with the USA Pan American Games team that won gold. Since that time he has helped lead the U.S. to eight gold medals, two silver medals and two bronze medals. He was an assistant on the storied 1992 Olympic "Dream Team," which featured Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson,Charles Barkley, Larry Bird, Patrick Ewing and Karl Malone and won gold in Barcelona. As head coach of the USA National Team since 2006, Krzyzewski has guided the team to gold medals at the 2010 FIBA World Championships and the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
In 36 years as a head basketball coach, Coach K has built one of the most extraordinary coaching resumes in sports history. He is the all-time winningest head coach in Men's Division I basketball history with a record of 927-291. He has led Duke to four NCAA Championships (1991, 1992, 2001 and 2010),13 ACC Tournament championships and 11 Final Four appearances, and his teams consistently boast one of the best graduation rates in college basketball. Coach K has received 12 National Coach of the Year honors and was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001.
Basketball and Beyond with Coach K airs weekly during college basketball season (Wednesdays at 7:00 pm ET) on Mad Dog Radio. The show features discussions on a wide array of topical issues and showcases Krzyzewski's personal perspective on principles for life on and off the court, plus interviews with a variety of guests, including business leaders, entertainers, coaches and athletes. The show replays on SiriusXM College Sports Nation, channel 91.

Visit for more info.

Orange Bowl Committee Signs New Deal With The ACC

The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and the Orange Bowl Committee has signed a 12-year agreement that will annually feature the ACC Champion in the Discover Orange Bowl to be played on New Year’s Day at 1:00 pm beginning after the 2014 season.  The ACC now in its 60th year of competition,  has enjoyed the reputation as one of the strongest and most competitive intercollegiate conferences in the nation. Since the league’s inception in 1953, ACC schools have captured 127 national championships, including 67 in women’s competition and 60 in men’s. In addition, NCAA individual titles have gone to ACC student-athletes 145 times in men’s competition and 104 times in women’s action. 
As part of the new post-season college football arrangement recently announced by the BCS Presidential Oversight Committee, the ACC has selected the Discover Orange Bowl as its annual contract bowl partner, to serve as the home of the ACC Champion. If the ACC Champion is identified as one of the top four teams by the Bowl Championship Series selection committee, then the ACC Champion will participate in the national semifinals and a replacement team from the ACC would participate in the Discover Orange Bowl.
In addition to the partnership between the ACC and the Discover Orange Bowl, it’s anticipated that the Orange Bowl will host at least four semifinal games in the new recently announced arrangement by the BCS Presidential Oversight Committee. In the years that the Orange Bowl serves as a semifinal host, the ACC Champion would then participate in one of the three host bowls that will be established as per the direction of the BCS Presidential Oversight Committee.

“The ACC and Discover Orange Bowl have a terrific relationship and, as we look ahead to the future of post-season college football, this will further an already beneficial partnership for both organizations,” said ACC Commissioner John Swofford. “The Discover Orange Bowl has a rich history of prestige, is located within the league’s footprint and is a great destination for our student-athletes, alumni and fans. In addition to our continued partnership, we are very pleased to be playing annually on New Year’s Day.”

“The Orange Bowl is extremely pleased to continue its relationship with the Atlantic Coast Conference,” said O. Ford Gibson, president and chair, Orange Bowl Committee. “We are looking forward to entering this new era of post-season collegiate football with a valued partner and its historically successful member institutions.”

The Discover Orange Bowl has been the home of the ACC Champion since 2006 and in the first seven years of partnership, five different ACC teams have competed. Throughout the 78 year history, nine of the current ACC institutions have played in at least one Orange Bowl.

The Orange Bowl is a 348-member, primarily-volunteer non-profit sports organization that promotes and serves the South Florida community. The Orange Bowl Festival features a year-round schedule of events culminating with the Discover Orange Bowl on January 1, 2013 and the Discover BCS National Championship on January 7, 2013. Other Orange Bowl core events include the MetroPCS Orange Bowl Basketball Classic, Orange Bowl Youth Football Alliance presented by Sports Authority, Orange Bowl International Tennis Championships, Orange Bowl Sailing Regatta Series and Orange Bowl Paddle Championships. For more information on the 2012-13 Orange Bowl Festival and its events, including promotional and volunteer opportunities through the Ambassador Program.

Formula One Racer Maria De Villota Hospitalized After Crash

Spanish Formula One test driver Maria De Villota was in hospital with facial and head injuries after her Marussia car hit a parked truck at an airfield in eastern England. The Russian-licensed team said in a statement that the 32-year-old, who was driving the MR-01 car for the first time, had just completed an installation run at Duxford when she had the accident at around 0810 GMT.

"Maria is conscious and medical assessments are ongoing," the team said after she was taken to Addenbrookes hospital in Cambridge, the region's major trauma centre.
East of England ambulance service spokesman Gary Sanderson said the driver had "sustained life-threatening injuries".

The emergency medical charity Magpas said on their website (www.magpas.org.uk) that De Villota had facial and head injuries and was stable. BBC Cambridgeshire presenter Chris Mann, who was at the Imperial War Museum-owned airfield for the straight-line test ahead of the weekend's British Grand Prix at Silverstone, said the car "inexplicably accelerated" into the back of the team's parked support truck.

"The driver's helmet was impacted on the side of the truck," he reported. "It just happened suddenly, a very shocking incident. "The car slowed down as you see happens during a grand prix, for it to then be reversed into the pits which was actually a tent. But at the last second it just suddenly accelerated again so by the time it hit the truck, it was doing 30 or 40 miles an hour."

Mann said De Villota, 32, was trapped in the car for a considerable time with emergency services attending her immediately. "It appeared to me she wasn't moving for about 10 or 15 minutes. We saw her move her hands after about a quarter of an hour and it took almost an hour for the ambulance (staff) to feel confident to take her out of the car."

The driver is the daughter of former F1 racer Emilio De Villota. She was appointed test driver of Marussia in March, making her the only woman in such a role at the time although Williams have since handed a similar development role to Suzie Wolff.  De Villota has raced in various series and tried out a Renault Formula One car in August.

Marussia's race regulars are German driver Timo Glock, who missed the last grand prix in Valencia through illness, and Frenchman Charles Pic. The British-based team, who were formerly known as Virgin Racing and have not scored a point since their F1 debut in 2010, have no reserve driver and De Villota lacks the necessary super-licence for the role.

People Versus NFL and Jerry Jones Goes To Court

Super Bowl XLV ticket holders affected by the temporary-seating fiasco at Cowboys Stadium in 2011 notified a federal court last week of plans to proceed with a class-action lawsuit against the Dallas Cowboys, owner Jerry Jones and the National Football League after mediation failed.  The attorneys for the ticket holders also filed a motion with the court Tuesday seeking a status conference to begin the case and seeking attorney fees from the NFL and other costs associated with the months-long attempt to reach a settlement outside court. The action arises when 2011 Super Bowl XLV ticket holders were denied their seats, delayed from getting to them or assigned seats with obstructed views. The lawsuit says that the NFL breached its contract with ticket holders and that the settlement offers made by the league after the game failed to fully compensate them.  The plaintiffs seek more than $5 million, not counting costs and interest, according to court documents.

Discussions with the NFL this year fell flat on its face, the ticket holders' lawyers say they believed at first that the league was "truly interested in resolving the case and engaging in good faith negotiations." According to documents filed last week. The attorneys said, however, that they later came to believe that the league delayed discovery and taking depositions for months so as to settle out of court.

The NFL has denied alleged  bad-conduct saying that the subject motion was frivolous. "The overwhelming majority of the claims were resolved more than a year ago. At the plaintiffs' counsel's request, we agreed to participate in a mediation to determine whether there was a reasonable basis to resolve what remains of the suit following our successful voluntary reimbursement program with fans. The mediation regrettably was not successful, but we acted with good faith in the process. We are disappointed the plaintiffs' attorneys would resort to filing a baseless motion."

Hours before kickoff, Arlington fire officials and building inspectors declared 1,250 of the 13,000 temporary bleacher-style seats unsafe because of numerous code violations, including missing handrails and guardrails.  The city had told the Cowboys for weeks that the seat construction contractor, Seating Solutions, was behind schedule and had not provided adequate documentation in areas such as structural engineering. The league, which the Cowboys had notified about the situation days before the game, did not inform ticket holders until they had cleared security and their tickets were scanned at the stadium.

About 3,200 fans were affected. Most were accommodated, but at least 400 didn't get seats at all.  The NFL has said it satisfied its obligations to the displaced fans by offering them the prices they paid for their tickets plus all documented travel, lodging and meal expenses. About 2,800 people who were delayed getting to their seats or were relocated could receive the face value of their tickets or a ticket to a future Super Bowl.  About 475 people who did not have a seat had more options: $2,400 plus a ticket to the 2012 Super Bowl, a trip to a future Super Bowl with airfare and a four-night hotel stay, a check for $5,000 or a check for more than $5,000 with documented expenses.

Puma Ocean Racing Team Sets Sail For Galway Ireland

PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG team set out on the final leg of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12 on Sunday afternoon, departing Lorient, France, for the 550 nautical mile sprint to Galway, Ireland. PUMA’s Mar Mostro completed the 6.5 nautical mile inshore loop in second position, 30 seconds behind Team Telefónica, before heading out on the bulk of Leg 9.   The final leg  first takes the fleet 25 miles around the island of Belle Ile off the coast of France before sailing up the coast of Brittany, past the Fastnet Rock landmark and on to Galway. The leg will take the fleet approximately a day and a half to complete with arrival expected early Tuesday morning.

“As we got ready this morning, you start thinking, ‘Hey, I may never put these boots on again, I may never put this foul weather gear on again, I may never do this again,’” said skipper Ken Read. “This is an emotional leg for everybody. To complete a race like this is a big deal, and we’re about to accomplish something pretty incredible. This is a great team, a great group of people. Win, lose or draw, I’m really proud of what we’ve done.   “In all likelihood we’re fighting for second, third or fourth at this stage. Groupama would have to make a pretty spectacular mistake, and I don’t expect that, but if they do, we will be there to capitalize,” Read said. “It will be a tight-reaching drag race. In a leg of this length, there won’t be a lot of stretching out, maybe 2-3 miles and in essence it looks to be a rhumb line race. Straight to Fastnet Rock.”

The fleet can be followed live online through the live tracker. Photos and video from onboard and aerial shots will be updated during the leg and can be viewed via the Livestream tab or at. Three live video calls to PUMA’s Mar Mostro are scheduled during the leg and can be viewed on Livestream: one today, July 1 at 20:00 UTC; and tomorrow, July 2 at 09:30 UTC and 18:00 UTC. PUMA is second in the overall race standings, 25 points behind the leading Groupama Sailing Team – 225 points to 220. CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand is four points back in third place (196). After the completion of this final leg, one In-Port Race remains on the schedule: Saturday, July 7 in Galway.  The Volvo Ocean Race started on November 5 in Alicante. When the fleet arrives in the final port of Galway, the crews will have traveled approximately 39,270 nautical miles around the world, stopping at 10 ports along the way.

The PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG team is under the leadership of Read (Newport, Rhode Island, United States). Collectively, the crew has won the Around the World Race six times. The core includes: Tom Addis, Navigator (Sydney, Australia); Ryan Godfrey, Pitman (Adelaide, Australia); Kelvin Harrap, Helmsman & Inshore Tactician (Napier, New Zealand); Brad Jackson, Design Coordinator & Watch Captain (Auckland, New Zealand); Rome Kirby, Trimmer & Driver (Newport, Rhode Island, USA); Michael “Michi” Müller, Bowman (Kiel, Germany); Tony Mutter, Aerodynamics Coordinator & Watch Captain (Auckland, New Zealand); Casey Smith, Bowman (Brisbane, Australia); Jonathan “Jono” Swain, Helmsman & Trimmer (Durban, South Africa); Amory Ross, Media Crew Member (Newport, Rhode Island, USA); Kimo Worthington, General Manager (Portsmouth, Rhode Island, United States); and Tim Hacket, Shore Team Manager (Sydney, Australia).  

Tune In To SiriusXM For Breakfast At Wimbledon

Sirius XM Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI) today announced that it will offer subscribers comprehensive live coverage of The Championships, Wimbledon for 2012 from the opening day of play on Monday, June 25, through the Ladies' and Gentlemen's Singles Finals on Saturday, July 7, and Sunday, July 8.  The agreement was made in association with ESPN Radio, rightsholder to Live at Wimbledon radio broadcasts in the U.S., and The All England Lawn Tennis Club.
Live play-by-play of matches will air on weekdays on Sirius channel 93 and XM channel 206 and on weekends on ESPN Xtra, SiriusXM channel 85.  The broadcasts will also be available on the SiriusXM Internet Radio App for smartphones and other mobile devices and online at SiriusXM.com.  SiriusXM listeners will hear Live at Wimbledon, the official radio broadcast of Wimbledon.

SiriusXM listeners will get up to 13 hours of live Wimbledon coverage daily – from 4:00 am ET through the end of each day's play – giving them access to point-by-point action of matches on both Centre Court and the outer courts, plus pre- and post-match commentary, highlights and up-to-the-moment tournament news.
Serbia's Novak Djokovic, the world's top-ranked player, will be defending his 2011 Wimbledon Gentlemen's Singles title against a field that will include Spain's Rafael Nadal, the reigning French Open Champion and a two-time winner at Wimbledon, plus Switzerland's Roger Federer, a six-time Wimbledon Champion, Great Britain's Andy Murray, France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Spain's David Ferrer and many more of the world's best.

On the Ladies' side, Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic will attempt a repeat performance as defending champion.  The women's draw will include Russia's Maria Sharapova, the world's No. 1 ranked player and reigning French Open Champion, Belarus' Victoria Azarenka, the reigning Australian Open Champion; as well as American Serena Williams, who won back-to-back Wimbledon titles in 2009 and 2010.

Sirius XM Radio Inc. is the world's largest radio broadcaster measured by revenue and has more than 22 million subscribers.  SiriusXM creates and broadcasts commercial-free music; premier sports talk and live events; news and comedy; exclusive entertainment; and the most comprehensive Latin music, sports and talk programming in radio. SiriusXM is available in vehicles from every major car company in the U.S., from retailers nationwide, and online at siriusxm.com. SiriusXM programming is also available through the SiriusXM Internet Radio App for Android, Apple, and BlackBerry smartphones and other connected devices. SiriusXM also holds a minority interest in SiriusXM Canada which has more than 2 million subscribers.

LeRoy Neiman, Painter of Olympiads, Dies at 91

LeRoy Neiman, whose brilliantly colored, impressionistic sketches of sporting events and the international high life made him one of the most popular artists in the United States, died Wednesday. He was 91.

Best known for his stunningly energetic images,was probably the most popular living artist in the United States. His art is unique. It stands alone, without any real comparison. It is an art which has become controversial because Neiman has broken the barriers of many of the most hallowed assumptions of modern art history and contemporary criticism. It is an art that is loved by millions of people throughout America and around the world. Mr. Neiman died of natural causes, according to his publicist.

Mr. Neiman’s kinetic, quickly executed paintings and drawings, many of them published in Playboy, offered his fans gaudily colored visual reports on heavyweight boxing matches, Super Bowl games and Olympic contests, as well as social panoramas like the horse races at Deauville, France, and the Cannes Film Festival. 

In this 1990 Poster Serigraph, after visiting Augusta to record in oil his own special perspective on this year's Masters, LeRoy Neiman stated unequivocally: "The Augusta National is the most beautiful golf course I've ever seen." 

This magnificent work confirms his observation. In the foreground Jack Nicklaus follows through on the tenth tee while Nick Faldo watches, flanked by Fanny, his Swedish woman caddy, and Jack's son, Jackie, holding his clubs. The artist has carefully noted Nicklaus' trimmer form, classic swing, and even his interlock grip. "Nicklaus and Faldo are the only two to ever win back-to-back Masters(as of 1990)," Neiman observed. Augusta's sweeping view allows one to take in much of this great old course at a glance.

To the left of Faldo circled by the gallery, a golfer chips on to the ninth green. Directly behind Nicklaus is the practice putting green, filled with hopefuls who practice holing out. Almost dead center in the composition, a player and a caddy make their way from the putting green to the first tee, where a yellow-shirted golfer admires his tee shot. Course officials survey the action from under green and white umbrellas. The background is dominated by an enormous oak and the stately Georgian clubhouse-- both instantly recognizable to fans of the Masters. Like the Kentucky Derby or the Indianapolis 500, the Masters is a festival, a rite of Spring. And, it is a serious, competitive sporting event. The tournament, like the serigraph, affords the viewer verdant beauty and golfing excellence. Neiman captures the pageantry as well as the athletic grace of the course in Augusta.

 

British Olympic Association Announces Addition To Team GB

The British Olympic Association (BOA), today confirmed the freestyle wrestling athlete, who will compete for Team GB at the London 2012 Olympic Games.  That athlete is no other than Olga Butkevych, who was nominated by BOA for selection to Team GB and will compete in the 55kg weight class this summer at the ExCeL, on the 9th August. The 26-year-old has an impressive international record, and claimed bronze at the European Championships in Dortmund last year. She will be looking to reproduce the form she displayed at the Olympic Test Event at the ExCeL last December, where she won the silver medal.  

On her selection to Team GB, Olga Butkevych said “I am extremely honored, and proud, to be selected to represent Team GB at London 2012. I can assure everyone I will be working extremely hard between now and the Olympic competition to be competitive, and to be in the hunt to win Britain a medal at the Games. I won silver at the Test event last year, and it would be wonderful if I can be on the podium for the real thing!

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Performance Director Shaun Morley, and the coaching team at British Wrestling, for all their support since I started representing Britain. It is thanks to their support and patience that I have achieved this honour, and I cannot begin to say how much I appreciate it.
“Wrestling is a great sport, and I hope that more and more people will realise that when competition at the Olympics gets underway. I hope that I can help it grow in the UK, and help it benefit from all the plans for an Olympic legacy that British Wrestling have been working so hard to achieve."

In addition, BOA has also confirmed that swimmer Dan Sliwinksi has withdrawn from the Team GB swimming squad due to injury, which has ruled him out of competing at the London 2012 Olympic Games.  Sliwinski had been selected to compete in the men’s 100m Breaststroke. A new athlete will be selected to Team GB for the 100m Breaststroke event following the second round of trials which take place in Sheffield from June 20-23 at the ASA National Championships.  The 22-year-old Stockport ITC swimmer suffered a shoulder tendon injury and will undergo surgery next week before beginning a three-month rehabilitation program managed by British Swimming.  Dan Sliwinski stated “It is an athlete’s worst nightmare. I have had a couple of injuries and I need to go back and rebuild the foundations. I am still young enough to think about Rio 2016, but I need to address this injury before it gets worse. “I still want to swim for as long as I am physically able to and this operation will help with that. The important thing I need to focus on now is my recovery.”

With today’s announcements, 247 athletes have officially been selected to Team GB for the London 2012 Olympic Games: 1 freestyle wrestler, 5 eventing riders, 9 sprint canoeists, 18 cyclists, 10 fencers, 10 boxers, 12 divers, 5 weightlifters, 4 modern pentathletes, 6 triathletes, 4 taekwondo athletes, 47 rowers, 4 badminton players, 11 shooting athletes, 6 table tennis players, 16 women’s hockey players, 6 archers, 6 marathon runners, 5 slalom canoeists, 16 sailors, 37 swimmers and 9 synchronised swimmers.  Team GB will compete in all 26 sports for London 2012 Olympics and is expected to consist of approximately 550 athletes.

The British Olympic Association (BOA) is the National Olympic Committee for Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Its mission is to transform British lives through the power of the Olympic values and the success of Team GB. The BOA’s role is to prepare the ‘Best of British’ athletes for, and lead them at, the summer, winter and youth Olympic Games. The BOA delivers extensive support services to Britain’s Olympic athletes and their National Governing Bodies to enhance Olympic success and is responsible for championing the Olympic values and brand in the UK. The BOA receives no funding from the lottery or government, has no political interests and is completely dependent upon fundraising income to achieve its mission. 

Coca-Cola Supports Unique Tribute to Special Olympic Athletes and Their Dads

Special Olympics is an international organization that changes lives through the power of sports, encouraging and empowering people with intellectual disabilities, promoting acceptance for all, and fostering communities of understanding and respect worldwide.

In continuing with the Special Olympics tradition, the thrill of victory, joy and fatherhood will be celebrated in Boston this weekend as the city welcomes the 2012 Special Olympics Massachusetts Summer Games.  The games will run from June 15–17, these special athletes supported by their coaches, families and dedicated volunteers - will challenge each other and themselves as they compete in aquatics, athletics, gymnastics, power lifting, tennis and volleyball. 

The opening ceremony for the 2012 Summer Games will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, June 15 at the Boston University Indoor Track and Tennis Center, 100 Ashford Street. The three-day event will take place within Harvard and Boston Universities.

In a very special tribute to dads at the ceremony, Coca-Cola will donate copies of Mark Shriver's new biography, A Good Man, in which Shriver details his personal journey to understanding and accepting his father's legacy. The biography pays tribute Mark's dad, Sargent Shriver and his wife Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who instilled within their five children the calling to serve the community.

Coca-Cola has supported the Special Olympics since 1968 and is its sole Founding Partner.  In addition to providing financial support, Coca-Cola employees across the nation have embraced the spirit of the Special Olympics by volunteering and coaching. "Coca-Cola is proud and privileged to have such an amazing history with the Special Olympics," said Harriet Tolve, Public Affairs & Communications, Coca-Cola Refreshments. "All of our country's Special Olympic Athletes offer true inspiration.  We are awed by their courage, warmed by their smiles and motivated by their determination as they push themselves to the very best of their abilities."

Founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the Special Olympics movement has grown from a few hundred athletes to more than 3.7 million athletes in over 170 countries from all regions of the world, providing year-round sports training, athletic competition and other related programs. Special Olympics now take place every day, changing the lives of people with intellectual disabilities all over the world, from community playgrounds and ball fields in every small neighborhood's backyard to World Games. Special Olympics provides people with intellectual disabilities continuing opportunities to realize their potential, develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, and experience joy and friendship.

The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world's largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands. Led by Coca-Cola, the world's most valuable brand, our Company's portfolio features 15 billion dollar brands including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply, Georgiaand Del Valle. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, ready-to-drink coffees, and juices and juice drinks. Through the world's largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy our beverages at a rate of 1.8 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, support active, healthy living, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate.