WIMBLEDON, England — With Wimbledon devolving into a fashion contest, former champion Lindsay Davenport’s retro getup may have trumped all other outfits.
Her sleeveless white top and pleated skirt were very 1980s, and the wrap on her right leg — with bandages extending from mid-thigh to mid-calf — looked like something out of the British Museum.
Playing her first match at Wimbledon since 2005, Davenport whacked enough winners to compensate for a sore knee Tuesday, and she hobbled past Renata Voracova, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3.
Moving more comfortably into the second round were Maria Sharapova and her new all-white, tuxedo-style outfit, which prompted 13 fashion-related questions at her post-match news conference. Other winners in straight sets included defending champion Venus Williams, Rafael Nadal and Andy Roddick on a second successive mild, dry day at the All England Club.
While photographers focused on Sharapova’s ensemble, and Roddick poked fun at Roger Federer’s opening-day sweater, Davenport resorted to tactics that had her winning ugly. Back on the women’s tour after a hiatus to have her first child, the 1999 Wimbledon champion showed she still possesses the grass-court game to beat anyone — even on one leg.
“I wouldn’t come here if I didn’t think I would do really well,” Davenport said.
Idle for two months after sitting out the clay-court season, Davenport feared rust would be a problem in the opening round. But she was troubled more by a sore knee that has bothered her in recent weeks.
Playing on Court No. 2 — the “Graveyard of Champions” — Davenport held a match point in the 10th game of the second set but failed to convert it. Before the final set began, she required treatment from a trainer, who probed and stretched her knee, then sprayed and wrapped her right thigh. During a changeover three games later, more tape was applied to the knee.
“Some days it feels OK, and other days it is a problem,” Davenport said. “In the latter stages of the second set, I definitely felt like it was getting worse. I didn’t feel great in the third.”
Limited mobility wasn’t really a problem, however, because Davenport has compensated for that her whole career. She went for a big shot at every opportunity, eager to end points quickly, and often did by swatting a winner.
She had help: Voracova double-faulted to fall behind, 5-3, in the final set. Davenport lost the first point of the next game, then ripped an ace, a service winner, another ace and another service winner for the victory. She looked to the sky in relief and limped off the court.
Seeded only 25th, Davenport proudly noted she hasn’t lost before the quarterfinals at Wimbledon since 1997.
“I’ve had some of my greatest memories here,” she said. “What started off as a Grand Slam that I probably liked the least definitely turned into one I liked the most in the latter part of my career.”
In other action, Jelena Jankovic, Richard Gasquet, and James Blake all advanced to the second round.
Jesse Levine, a qualifier from Boca Raton, Fla., in his first Wimbledon main draw, also advanced with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 win against fellow American Donald Young.
Other American first-round losers were Wayne Odesnik, John Isner, Mardy Fish, and Vania King.
The highest-seeded player eliminated was No. 4 Nikolay Davydenko, who lost, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4, to Benjamin Becker.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Marquez takes the long route in Pacquiao chase
MANILA, Philippines—Far from the glare of the next Manny Pacquiao blockbuster bout, Juan Manuel Marquez sits, plotting his way back into the ring opposite the Filipino ring sensation.
Spurned by Pacquiao for an immediate third fight, Juan Manuel Marquez has decided to take the circuitous route back to the top, by first taking on Joel Casamayor in October.
The Mexican, from whom Pacquiao wrested the World Boxing Council super featherweight crown on March 15, is bent on chasing the Filipino ring icon at the lightweight division.
Marquez will be fighting Casamayor, an aging lightweight, on Oct. 11 to improve his chances for another crack at Pacquiao, who’s gunning for David Diaz’s WBC lightweight belt on June 28 in Las Vegas.
The Marquez-Casamayor showdown, a brainchild of Golden Boy Promotions which handles both fighters, was reported by Michael Marley of Boxingconfidential on Tuesday.
Marquez, who went to the extent of going to the Philippines just to coax Pacquiao to another battle, believes a decisive victory over the 36-year-old Casamayor will put him back in the long queue of Pacquiao challengers.
For now, however, Marquez isn’t on Pacquiao’s radar.
The three-time world champion is deep in training at the Wild Card Gym in his bid to become the first Asian to hold world titles in four divisions.
Reports emanating from the Hollywood facility owned by celebrated trainer Freddie Roach indicate that Pacquiao is back in form, just seven pounds off the 135-pound limit.
As always, Pacquiao is working out like a man possessed.
Though he’s a 3-1 favorite to beat Diaz in their pay-per-view bout, Pacquiao is taking no chances against his fellow southpaw and Top Rank stablemate.
Roach, basing his judgment on how Pacquiao has been training so far, sees Diaz welded to the canvas late in the bout.
“David Diaz is in for a rough evening in this meeting of vaunted sluggers and Manny will send him to dreamland only to awaken when gas prices goes interminably down,” Roach told Hermie Rivera of Philboxing on Monday (Tuesday in Manila).
Roach has predicted that the knockout won’t occur in the early stages of the 12-round pay-per-view showdown between noted sluggers.
“The end will come in the late rounds,” Roach said during a break in Pacquiao’s training at his Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, Los Angeles.
But Diaz’s strategy could nullify Roach’s bold prediction.
Based on Diaz’s pronouncements on his Chicago Sun-Times diary, the Mexican-American champion intends to go toe-to-toe with the WBC super featherweight titlist right at the start.
“It’s going to be a real throwback type of fight,” said Diaz, who opened training camp two weeks ahead of Pacquiao. Roy Luarca
Spurned by Pacquiao for an immediate third fight, Juan Manuel Marquez has decided to take the circuitous route back to the top, by first taking on Joel Casamayor in October.
The Mexican, from whom Pacquiao wrested the World Boxing Council super featherweight crown on March 15, is bent on chasing the Filipino ring icon at the lightweight division.
Marquez will be fighting Casamayor, an aging lightweight, on Oct. 11 to improve his chances for another crack at Pacquiao, who’s gunning for David Diaz’s WBC lightweight belt on June 28 in Las Vegas.
The Marquez-Casamayor showdown, a brainchild of Golden Boy Promotions which handles both fighters, was reported by Michael Marley of Boxingconfidential on Tuesday.
Marquez, who went to the extent of going to the Philippines just to coax Pacquiao to another battle, believes a decisive victory over the 36-year-old Casamayor will put him back in the long queue of Pacquiao challengers.
For now, however, Marquez isn’t on Pacquiao’s radar.
The three-time world champion is deep in training at the Wild Card Gym in his bid to become the first Asian to hold world titles in four divisions.
Reports emanating from the Hollywood facility owned by celebrated trainer Freddie Roach indicate that Pacquiao is back in form, just seven pounds off the 135-pound limit.
As always, Pacquiao is working out like a man possessed.
Though he’s a 3-1 favorite to beat Diaz in their pay-per-view bout, Pacquiao is taking no chances against his fellow southpaw and Top Rank stablemate.
Roach, basing his judgment on how Pacquiao has been training so far, sees Diaz welded to the canvas late in the bout.
“David Diaz is in for a rough evening in this meeting of vaunted sluggers and Manny will send him to dreamland only to awaken when gas prices goes interminably down,” Roach told Hermie Rivera of Philboxing on Monday (Tuesday in Manila).
Roach has predicted that the knockout won’t occur in the early stages of the 12-round pay-per-view showdown between noted sluggers.
“The end will come in the late rounds,” Roach said during a break in Pacquiao’s training at his Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, Los Angeles.
But Diaz’s strategy could nullify Roach’s bold prediction.
Based on Diaz’s pronouncements on his Chicago Sun-Times diary, the Mexican-American champion intends to go toe-to-toe with the WBC super featherweight titlist right at the start.
“It’s going to be a real throwback type of fight,” said Diaz, who opened training camp two weeks ahead of Pacquiao. Roy Luarca
Coldplay Cruises To No. 1 On The Billboard 200
Katie Hasty, N.Y.
As expected, Coldplay tops The Billboard 200 with "Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends," which shifted a whopping 721,000 first-week U.S. copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan.The Capitol effort sold nearly as many copies as the band's other chart-topper, 2005's "X&Y," which moved 737,000. Only one other rock band has had a 700,000-plus week since the release of that effort. Last November, the Eagles' "Long Road Out of Eden" began at No. 1 with 711,000.With the million-plus debut of Lil Wayne's "Tha Carter III" last week, this marks only the second time the chart has seen back-to-back debuts of more than 700,000 since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking data in 1991. The first time it happened was way back in the summer of 2000, when Britney Spears' "Oops! I Did It Again" (1,319,000) was followed by Eminem's "The Marshall Mathers LP" (1,760,000).Forty percent of "Viva La Vida" sales, 288,000 copies, were digital downloads, making it the biggest sales frame ever registered for a digital album. It surpasses the previous record, set earlier this year when Jack Johnson's "Sleep Through the Static" (139,000).With a 69% sales decrease, "Tha Carter III" (Cash Money/Universal) slips 1-2 with 309,000 units.
The soundtrack to the Disney Channel film "Camp Rock," featuring the Jonas Brothers, debuts at No. 3 with 188,000. The movie premiered on June 20 and averaged 8.9 million total viewers according to Nielsen, making it the network's second-most-watched original movie after 2007's "High School Musical 2."The multi-label "Now 28" compilation continues its decline 3-4 with 81,000 (39%), while Plies' "Definition of Real" (Big Gates/Slip-N-Slide) falls 2-5 with 68,000 (-68%). Selling 65,000, Usher's LaFace/Zomba set "Here I Stand" descends 5-6 with a 36% sales decrease. Flying up the chart 124-7, Rihanna's "Good Girl Gone Bad" (SRP/Def Jam) experiences a 930% sales jump to 63,000; a re-issue of the 2007 album hit shelves with three additional tracks. Disturbed's former chart-topping Warner Bros. set "Indestructible" declines 4-8 with 59,000 (-42%).Capitol pop newcomer Katy Perry has a No. 9 start with her debut album, "One of the Boys," which sold 47,000. The single "I Kissed a Girl" has been climbing its way up the Hot 100 and sits currently at the No. 2 spot, behind Coldplay's "Viva La Vida."The Offspring's first album in five years, "Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace" (Columbia), debuts at No. 10 with 46,000. The veteran rock act's 2003 album "Splinter" peaked at No. 30. Metal mainstay Judas Priest's "Nostradamus" (Epic) begins at No. 11 with 42,000, the highest charting album of the band's career. Its previous best came with 2005's "Angel of Retribution" at No. 13.Blood Raw's first album for Def Jam, "CTE Presents: My Life: The True Testimony," debuts at No. 30 with 17,000, and rapper 2 Pistols' debut "Death Before Dishonor" (J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League) bows at No. 33 with 16,000. Indie rock act Wolf Parade earns its highest chart position with "At Mount Zoomer" (Sub Pop), moving 13,000 to open at No. 46.Album sales are down 10.6% from last week's sum at 8.30 million units, and are down 6.7% compared to the same week last year. With 196.98 million units sold this year so far, sales are down 10.9% overall compared to last year.
As expected, Coldplay tops The Billboard 200 with "Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends," which shifted a whopping 721,000 first-week U.S. copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan.The Capitol effort sold nearly as many copies as the band's other chart-topper, 2005's "X&Y," which moved 737,000. Only one other rock band has had a 700,000-plus week since the release of that effort. Last November, the Eagles' "Long Road Out of Eden" began at No. 1 with 711,000.With the million-plus debut of Lil Wayne's "Tha Carter III" last week, this marks only the second time the chart has seen back-to-back debuts of more than 700,000 since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking data in 1991. The first time it happened was way back in the summer of 2000, when Britney Spears' "Oops! I Did It Again" (1,319,000) was followed by Eminem's "The Marshall Mathers LP" (1,760,000).Forty percent of "Viva La Vida" sales, 288,000 copies, were digital downloads, making it the biggest sales frame ever registered for a digital album. It surpasses the previous record, set earlier this year when Jack Johnson's "Sleep Through the Static" (139,000).With a 69% sales decrease, "Tha Carter III" (Cash Money/Universal) slips 1-2 with 309,000 units.
The soundtrack to the Disney Channel film "Camp Rock," featuring the Jonas Brothers, debuts at No. 3 with 188,000. The movie premiered on June 20 and averaged 8.9 million total viewers according to Nielsen, making it the network's second-most-watched original movie after 2007's "High School Musical 2."The multi-label "Now 28" compilation continues its decline 3-4 with 81,000 (39%), while Plies' "Definition of Real" (Big Gates/Slip-N-Slide) falls 2-5 with 68,000 (-68%). Selling 65,000, Usher's LaFace/Zomba set "Here I Stand" descends 5-6 with a 36% sales decrease. Flying up the chart 124-7, Rihanna's "Good Girl Gone Bad" (SRP/Def Jam) experiences a 930% sales jump to 63,000; a re-issue of the 2007 album hit shelves with three additional tracks. Disturbed's former chart-topping Warner Bros. set "Indestructible" declines 4-8 with 59,000 (-42%).Capitol pop newcomer Katy Perry has a No. 9 start with her debut album, "One of the Boys," which sold 47,000. The single "I Kissed a Girl" has been climbing its way up the Hot 100 and sits currently at the No. 2 spot, behind Coldplay's "Viva La Vida."The Offspring's first album in five years, "Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace" (Columbia), debuts at No. 10 with 46,000. The veteran rock act's 2003 album "Splinter" peaked at No. 30. Metal mainstay Judas Priest's "Nostradamus" (Epic) begins at No. 11 with 42,000, the highest charting album of the band's career. Its previous best came with 2005's "Angel of Retribution" at No. 13.Blood Raw's first album for Def Jam, "CTE Presents: My Life: The True Testimony," debuts at No. 30 with 17,000, and rapper 2 Pistols' debut "Death Before Dishonor" (J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League) bows at No. 33 with 16,000. Indie rock act Wolf Parade earns its highest chart position with "At Mount Zoomer" (Sub Pop), moving 13,000 to open at No. 46.Album sales are down 10.6% from last week's sum at 8.30 million units, and are down 6.7% compared to the same week last year. With 196.98 million units sold this year so far, sales are down 10.9% overall compared to last year.
Kanye, UGK Head BET Awards Winners' Circle
Gail Mitchell, L.A.
New school and old school hip-hop both shared the wealth as Kanye West and UGK earned two awards each at the BET Awards last night (June 24) at Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium.Alicia Keys, Chris Brown, The Dream and Missy Elliott were among the additional music winners during the annual ceremony.West displayed his magnanimous side when he brought platinum-debuting colleague Lil Wayne to the stage while accepting the statuette for best male hip-hop artist."This is my fiercest competition," said West, who is equally well-known for his outbursts over not winning industry awards. "Congratulations on selling 1 million ... and they say hip-hop is dead." West also took home the best collaboration award for "Good Life" featuring T-Pain.UGK claimed honors for best group and video of the year for "International Player's Anthem (I Choose You)" featuring OutKast. Backstage, UGK member Bun B described the video shoot as one of the "best days I'll remember for the rest of my life." Accompanied by deceased member Pimp C's widow, he also talked about the duo's chart success with its last project, the 2007 double album "Underground Kingz." Noted Bun B, "If you keep it real, people will come out and support."
Keys' win as best female R&B artist was paralleled by Missy Elliott's as best female hip-hop artist. Brown was named best male R&B artist, while Marvin Sapp claimed best gospel artist. And the current songwriter/producer-turned-artist trend came full circle with the-Dream being awarded best new artist.Hosted by comedian D.L. Hughley, BET Awards '08 was packed with high-energy performances. Opening the proceedings was Usher with "Love in This Club." One of the evening's "oh-wow" moments was Keys accompanying girl group faves SWV, En Vogue and TLC on several of their hits. Also turning in captivating performances were Lil Wayne, Ne-Yo, Rihanna, T-Pain, Keyshia Cole, Chris Brown, Nelly and Marvin Sapp.Returning to the national stage for the first time in five years, singer Maxwell joined Jill Scott in a moving tribute to lifetime achievement honoree Al Green. Green, in turn, brought the house to its feet with a riveting performance of "Let's Stay Together" and "Love and Happiness." Industry icon and social activist Quincy Jones was presented with the humanitarian award.
New school and old school hip-hop both shared the wealth as Kanye West and UGK earned two awards each at the BET Awards last night (June 24) at Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium.Alicia Keys, Chris Brown, The Dream and Missy Elliott were among the additional music winners during the annual ceremony.West displayed his magnanimous side when he brought platinum-debuting colleague Lil Wayne to the stage while accepting the statuette for best male hip-hop artist."This is my fiercest competition," said West, who is equally well-known for his outbursts over not winning industry awards. "Congratulations on selling 1 million ... and they say hip-hop is dead." West also took home the best collaboration award for "Good Life" featuring T-Pain.UGK claimed honors for best group and video of the year for "International Player's Anthem (I Choose You)" featuring OutKast. Backstage, UGK member Bun B described the video shoot as one of the "best days I'll remember for the rest of my life." Accompanied by deceased member Pimp C's widow, he also talked about the duo's chart success with its last project, the 2007 double album "Underground Kingz." Noted Bun B, "If you keep it real, people will come out and support."
Keys' win as best female R&B artist was paralleled by Missy Elliott's as best female hip-hop artist. Brown was named best male R&B artist, while Marvin Sapp claimed best gospel artist. And the current songwriter/producer-turned-artist trend came full circle with the-Dream being awarded best new artist.Hosted by comedian D.L. Hughley, BET Awards '08 was packed with high-energy performances. Opening the proceedings was Usher with "Love in This Club." One of the evening's "oh-wow" moments was Keys accompanying girl group faves SWV, En Vogue and TLC on several of their hits. Also turning in captivating performances were Lil Wayne, Ne-Yo, Rihanna, T-Pain, Keyshia Cole, Chris Brown, Nelly and Marvin Sapp.Returning to the national stage for the first time in five years, singer Maxwell joined Jill Scott in a moving tribute to lifetime achievement honoree Al Green. Green, in turn, brought the house to its feet with a riveting performance of "Let's Stay Together" and "Love and Happiness." Industry icon and social activist Quincy Jones was presented with the humanitarian award.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Djokovic moves through after hiccup
LONDON - Third seed Novak Djokovic moved safely through to the second round of Wimbledon on Monday, beating German journeyman Michael Berrer 7-5 2-6 6-3 6-0.
The Serb edged a tight first set, breaking the Berrer serve at 6-5 only to lose five games in a row in the second set as Berrer briefly threatened a first-day shock.
Australian Open winner Djokovic, seeded to play five-times champion Roger Federer in the semi-finals this year, quickly regained control with some classy tennis.
After taking the third set with a single break of serve he swept through the fourth in style against his flagging opponent to set up an eyecatching second round with former world number one Marat Safin.
"I had ups and downs throughout the match, but I managed to get in control of the match towards the end," the 21-year-old self-confessed perfectionist told reporters. "Especially in the fourth set, I was happy with my performance."
Djokovic's last outing on grass was a final of extraordinary quality against world number two Rafael Nadal at Queen's Club in the run-up to Wimbledon.
World number 91 Berrer provided a different sort of test and while his play never approached the levels he managed in losing to Nadal, Djokovic said he was generally pleased with his start and felt he could go a long way in the tournament.
"I'm a perfectionist, so I want everything to be 100 percent," he said. "Of course, that's not possible. Sometimes I just lose my focus and I get frustrated. That second set was not a good picture of my game.
"I was trying to get used to the conditions. It's quite different if you are one of the first players to get on the Centre Court and feel the grass.
"The first couple of rounds you just need to get used to the conditions and go step by step. I feel like I can go a long way but, still, you need to take it slowly."
Djokovic reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon last year when he retired with blisters against Nadal and despite winning this year's Australian Open says that the Spaniard and Federer are still in a league of their own.
"They've been very dominant in the last four or five years," he said. "Mentally they are two of the strongest players in the world, the two best players in the world.
"I'm one of the players behind who are trying to keep up."
The Serb edged a tight first set, breaking the Berrer serve at 6-5 only to lose five games in a row in the second set as Berrer briefly threatened a first-day shock.
Australian Open winner Djokovic, seeded to play five-times champion Roger Federer in the semi-finals this year, quickly regained control with some classy tennis.
After taking the third set with a single break of serve he swept through the fourth in style against his flagging opponent to set up an eyecatching second round with former world number one Marat Safin.
"I had ups and downs throughout the match, but I managed to get in control of the match towards the end," the 21-year-old self-confessed perfectionist told reporters. "Especially in the fourth set, I was happy with my performance."
Djokovic's last outing on grass was a final of extraordinary quality against world number two Rafael Nadal at Queen's Club in the run-up to Wimbledon.
World number 91 Berrer provided a different sort of test and while his play never approached the levels he managed in losing to Nadal, Djokovic said he was generally pleased with his start and felt he could go a long way in the tournament.
"I'm a perfectionist, so I want everything to be 100 percent," he said. "Of course, that's not possible. Sometimes I just lose my focus and I get frustrated. That second set was not a good picture of my game.
"I was trying to get used to the conditions. It's quite different if you are one of the first players to get on the Centre Court and feel the grass.
"The first couple of rounds you just need to get used to the conditions and go step by step. I feel like I can go a long way but, still, you need to take it slowly."
Djokovic reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon last year when he retired with blisters against Nadal and despite winning this year's Australian Open says that the Spaniard and Federer are still in a league of their own.
"They've been very dominant in the last four or five years," he said. "Mentally they are two of the strongest players in the world, the two best players in the world.
"I'm one of the players behind who are trying to keep up."
Four women's Olympic gymnastics berths are still up for grabs
PHILADELPHIA — A few weeks ago, gymnast Chellsie Memmel bought herself a Coach purse and an iPod in honor of the 20th birthday she celebrated Monday.
What Memmel really wanted was an automatic Olympic berth from the U.S. Olympic trials that concluded Sunday. But only the top two all-arounders were guaranteed spots, and they went to champion Shawn Johnson and runner-up Nastia Liukin.
"I was always hoping," Memmel said Monday.
Memmel and nine others will vie for the four remaining openings at a selection camp July 16-20 near Houston. Memmel of West Allis, Wis., was third in all-around at the trials, followed by Samantha Peszek of McCordsville, Ind. Both are front-runners to make the team, as is Alicia Sacramone of Winchester, Mass., one of the country's best on vault and floor exercise.
"The final selection camp is Olympic trials," Memmel said.
Memmel said she and her coach, father Andy, set up a training plan to peak at the right time as she rebounded from career-threatening shoulder surgery two years ago. "It wasn't (national) championships," she said. "It isn't trials. It will be the final selection camp."
The final team slot is a toss-up, but Jana Bieger of Coconut Creek, Fla., built a strong case in the finals. "It's definitely close," she said. Bieger, a 2006 world silver medalist in all-around, will be up against 2007 world team members Ivana Hong and Shayla Worley and alternate Bridget Sloan.
It was up to women's team coordinator Martha Karolyi to decide if she wanted to guarantee more spots at the trials, and Karolyi said no way. "Probably if it would be up to me, I wouldn't like to name nobody just because I like to select the team at a closer date because that shows us what kind of competition shape they are (in) just before we will leave for the Games," Karolyi said late Sunday.
USA Gymnastics President Steve Penny was asked if calling the event "trials" was misleading to fans since an Olympic team wasn't named. "No," Penny said. "That's what happened (Sunday). Two athletes were named based on their performance."
The federation used the same format for the 2004 Games.
Soccer team named:
The U.S. women's soccer team's slow changing of the guard continued Monday when coach Pia Sundhage named her 18-player Olympic roster. Abby Wambach, Christie Rampone, Aly Wagner and Kate Markgraf are the most experienced players on the roster, all with more than 100 national team appearances. They are among the nine players on the team who won a gold medal in the 2004 Games.
Defender Rachel Buehler, midfielder Tobin Heath and forward Amy Rodriguez, all of whom had scant senior-level international experience before Sundhage took charge, will play in their first major international tournament.
Defender Heather Mitts, who missed the World Cup with a knee injury, is the only other player on the team who did not make the trip to China last year.
Contributing: Olivia Branco and Beau Dure
What Memmel really wanted was an automatic Olympic berth from the U.S. Olympic trials that concluded Sunday. But only the top two all-arounders were guaranteed spots, and they went to champion Shawn Johnson and runner-up Nastia Liukin.
"I was always hoping," Memmel said Monday.
Memmel and nine others will vie for the four remaining openings at a selection camp July 16-20 near Houston. Memmel of West Allis, Wis., was third in all-around at the trials, followed by Samantha Peszek of McCordsville, Ind. Both are front-runners to make the team, as is Alicia Sacramone of Winchester, Mass., one of the country's best on vault and floor exercise.
"The final selection camp is Olympic trials," Memmel said.
Memmel said she and her coach, father Andy, set up a training plan to peak at the right time as she rebounded from career-threatening shoulder surgery two years ago. "It wasn't (national) championships," she said. "It isn't trials. It will be the final selection camp."
The final team slot is a toss-up, but Jana Bieger of Coconut Creek, Fla., built a strong case in the finals. "It's definitely close," she said. Bieger, a 2006 world silver medalist in all-around, will be up against 2007 world team members Ivana Hong and Shayla Worley and alternate Bridget Sloan.
It was up to women's team coordinator Martha Karolyi to decide if she wanted to guarantee more spots at the trials, and Karolyi said no way. "Probably if it would be up to me, I wouldn't like to name nobody just because I like to select the team at a closer date because that shows us what kind of competition shape they are (in) just before we will leave for the Games," Karolyi said late Sunday.
USA Gymnastics President Steve Penny was asked if calling the event "trials" was misleading to fans since an Olympic team wasn't named. "No," Penny said. "That's what happened (Sunday). Two athletes were named based on their performance."
The federation used the same format for the 2004 Games.
Soccer team named:
The U.S. women's soccer team's slow changing of the guard continued Monday when coach Pia Sundhage named her 18-player Olympic roster. Abby Wambach, Christie Rampone, Aly Wagner and Kate Markgraf are the most experienced players on the roster, all with more than 100 national team appearances. They are among the nine players on the team who won a gold medal in the 2004 Games.
Defender Rachel Buehler, midfielder Tobin Heath and forward Amy Rodriguez, all of whom had scant senior-level international experience before Sundhage took charge, will play in their first major international tournament.
Defender Heather Mitts, who missed the World Cup with a knee injury, is the only other player on the team who did not make the trip to China last year.
Contributing: Olivia Branco and Beau Dure
Six Questions: The Jonas Brothers
Ann Donahue
"Look at him!" shrieks the 11-year-old girl in the shocking pink tutu and stripy tights, as Joe Jonas executes a Marty McFly knee slide across London's O2 Arena stage. "He's well lush."For British tweens right now, "well lush" (rough translation: "My, what an attractive young man") is perhaps the ultimate compliment. Trouble is, at a time when much of the old British pop infrastructure ("Top of the Pops," Saturday morning kids' TV, Smash Hits magazine) has been axed, there's been a distinct lack of pop hunks upon whom to bestow the epithet. Which is why much of Avril Lavigne's crowd of 20,000-odd primped-up "punk" princesses are reacting to the opening band like they've just taken hormones.Homemade banners flutter in the front rows and deafening high-pitched squeals fill the arena every time Nick, Joe or Kevin Jonas venture anywhere near the front of the enormous stage."Mum, I need the toilet," Miss Tutu and Tights' kid sister demands."You'll have to wait," Mum snaps, with a scary glint in her eye. "I'm enjoying this."And when you've got the Mums hooked, you're really in business.
"It really is a little frightening," Hollywood Records GM Abbey Konowitch says. "We've seen them in shows where they shouldn't be this good yet, where they shouldn't be this big yet."But they are.The Jonas Brothers took time off from making little girls' hearts pitter-patter to chat with Billboard about touring in Europe, the film "Camp Rock," their new album titled "A Little Bit Longer," and more.Right now you're on tour in Europe, opening for Avril Lavigne. How are the European fans treating you?Joe: The show at the O2 Arena was amazing last night. We've been hearing so much about it since we came here last time, so we were definitely ready to go and play it. The response was amazing. What was so cool was that it's all still fresh and new ‹ it's nice to meet the new fans...it seems like one by one there's a few more people showing up at the venues, and few more people waiting outside of the hotel. It's really cool and really exciting. It's really fun and we're looking forward to the rest of the concerts.Kevin: We are driving through the streets of London and we're on our way to Dublin tonight. We're going to keep blogging everywhere we go!Are you gearing up for the premiere of "Camp Rock"?Kevin: "Camp Rock" was an amazing experience. We were definitely so pumped that we had the opportunity to do a movie for the first time ‹we were blown away by that. We have a week until the premiere, we're counting down the days now. For us, it was really exciting and being together on that film.It's kind of just how our careers have always gone, and it's worked out pretty well for us so far.And you've formed kind of a cool professional partnership with your "Camp Rock" co-star, Demi Lovato.Nick: Working with Demi was incredible. She's a great actress and an amazing singer. We really connected. We knew that she was going to be making a record, so we brought her out on the road for a week on our Look Me In They Eyes tour this past spring, and basically wrote about 10 songs with her. And then right before we left for Europe we went into the studio for a week co-producing those songs with John Fields. It was incredible. Being able to co-produce was really cool and definitely something we'll be doing a lot more of.Tell us about the recording of your new album "A Little Bit Longer"?Nick: The writing of the record started when we were shooting "Camp Rock" up in Canada. We had about 10-15 songs that we wanted to record, but we didn't have any time that we could schedule in the studio. We met with our managers and we said ŒWhere can we record these songs, because we're going to be so busy?' So what we did is they retrofitted a Gibson guitar bus to be a studio, and they brought it out and our producer John Fields started working on the road. We did that for about two weeks on the bus, and then we went into the studio for about a week after that for a couple last things, and then the record was done back in January.And then in 2009, you guys get your own 3D movie from the folks that did the "Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus Best of Both Worlds" concert film.Kevin: We're absolutely excited. Filming a movie in 3D is going to be an incredible experience, [especially] having it be a live concert performance.We're always really excited about sharing our lives with our fans, and the fact we can do that through the Disney Channel, our little reality shorts, our YouTube videos, whatever it is. But of course now to go on this grand scale of doing a movie, it's just going to be phenomenal.What have you been doing in your spare time on tour?Joe: When we have downtime, we'll go golfing or we'll chat with friends. The music over here is so amazing. We're always in the CD store, buying things.The new Zutons record it just came out here -- and it's unbelievable. We're going to promote it up. It's just an unbelievable record.
"Look at him!" shrieks the 11-year-old girl in the shocking pink tutu and stripy tights, as Joe Jonas executes a Marty McFly knee slide across London's O2 Arena stage. "He's well lush."For British tweens right now, "well lush" (rough translation: "My, what an attractive young man") is perhaps the ultimate compliment. Trouble is, at a time when much of the old British pop infrastructure ("Top of the Pops," Saturday morning kids' TV, Smash Hits magazine) has been axed, there's been a distinct lack of pop hunks upon whom to bestow the epithet. Which is why much of Avril Lavigne's crowd of 20,000-odd primped-up "punk" princesses are reacting to the opening band like they've just taken hormones.Homemade banners flutter in the front rows and deafening high-pitched squeals fill the arena every time Nick, Joe or Kevin Jonas venture anywhere near the front of the enormous stage."Mum, I need the toilet," Miss Tutu and Tights' kid sister demands."You'll have to wait," Mum snaps, with a scary glint in her eye. "I'm enjoying this."And when you've got the Mums hooked, you're really in business.
"It really is a little frightening," Hollywood Records GM Abbey Konowitch says. "We've seen them in shows where they shouldn't be this good yet, where they shouldn't be this big yet."But they are.The Jonas Brothers took time off from making little girls' hearts pitter-patter to chat with Billboard about touring in Europe, the film "Camp Rock," their new album titled "A Little Bit Longer," and more.Right now you're on tour in Europe, opening for Avril Lavigne. How are the European fans treating you?Joe: The show at the O2 Arena was amazing last night. We've been hearing so much about it since we came here last time, so we were definitely ready to go and play it. The response was amazing. What was so cool was that it's all still fresh and new ‹ it's nice to meet the new fans...it seems like one by one there's a few more people showing up at the venues, and few more people waiting outside of the hotel. It's really cool and really exciting. It's really fun and we're looking forward to the rest of the concerts.Kevin: We are driving through the streets of London and we're on our way to Dublin tonight. We're going to keep blogging everywhere we go!Are you gearing up for the premiere of "Camp Rock"?Kevin: "Camp Rock" was an amazing experience. We were definitely so pumped that we had the opportunity to do a movie for the first time ‹we were blown away by that. We have a week until the premiere, we're counting down the days now. For us, it was really exciting and being together on that film.It's kind of just how our careers have always gone, and it's worked out pretty well for us so far.And you've formed kind of a cool professional partnership with your "Camp Rock" co-star, Demi Lovato.Nick: Working with Demi was incredible. She's a great actress and an amazing singer. We really connected. We knew that she was going to be making a record, so we brought her out on the road for a week on our Look Me In They Eyes tour this past spring, and basically wrote about 10 songs with her. And then right before we left for Europe we went into the studio for a week co-producing those songs with John Fields. It was incredible. Being able to co-produce was really cool and definitely something we'll be doing a lot more of.Tell us about the recording of your new album "A Little Bit Longer"?Nick: The writing of the record started when we were shooting "Camp Rock" up in Canada. We had about 10-15 songs that we wanted to record, but we didn't have any time that we could schedule in the studio. We met with our managers and we said ŒWhere can we record these songs, because we're going to be so busy?' So what we did is they retrofitted a Gibson guitar bus to be a studio, and they brought it out and our producer John Fields started working on the road. We did that for about two weeks on the bus, and then we went into the studio for about a week after that for a couple last things, and then the record was done back in January.And then in 2009, you guys get your own 3D movie from the folks that did the "Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus Best of Both Worlds" concert film.Kevin: We're absolutely excited. Filming a movie in 3D is going to be an incredible experience, [especially] having it be a live concert performance.We're always really excited about sharing our lives with our fans, and the fact we can do that through the Disney Channel, our little reality shorts, our YouTube videos, whatever it is. But of course now to go on this grand scale of doing a movie, it's just going to be phenomenal.What have you been doing in your spare time on tour?Joe: When we have downtime, we'll go golfing or we'll chat with friends. The music over here is so amazing. We're always in the CD store, buying things.The new Zutons record it just came out here -- and it's unbelievable. We're going to promote it up. It's just an unbelievable record.
The Billboard Q&A: Neil Young
Wes Orshoski
In the spring of 2006, Neil Young was just a year removed from a near-fatal aneurysm when he became so enraged with the war in Iraq that he quickly wrote, recorded and released the protest album "Living With War." Not two months after its release, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young launched their Freedom of Speech tour, during which unwitting fans expecting the band's sweeter side were greeted instead with its serrated edge.During a three-hour-plus concert, the band played nearly all of "Living With War" and many of the political anthems on which its legend was built, like "Ohio," "Military Madness" and "Find the Cost of Freedom." Despite CSN&Y's anti-establishment roots, the move angered some fans, while inspiring others.The forthcoming documentary "CSNY: Deja Vu" charts that friction, portraying fans who saluted the group's efforts and those who felt betrayed by them, while also introducing viewers to Iraqi War vets who are now protesting the war as musicians, politicians and social workers. Directed by longtime film buff Young (who uses the alias/nickname Bernard Shakey) and due in theaters July 25, the doc blends concert and behind-the-scenes footage with short news features created by ABC correspondent Mike Cerre.Billboard caught up with the 62-year-old Young recently at a small, rustic restaurant south of San Francisco, in an area surrounded by redwood trees. Just a few minute's drive from the ranch he's lived on for more than 30 years, the restaurant would be familiar to hardcore fans, as it was featured in the "Unknown Legend" video and on the "Greendale" DVD.With his alternative-fuel equipped 1982 Mercedes parked in front, on this day Young was particularly excited, as Democratic Congressman Dennis Kucinich introduced impeachment articles seeking the removal of President George Bush. Young spoke from behind a pair of dark sunglasses, the conversation often drifting toward his passion for finding alternatives to fossil fuels for automobiles, which, he notes, "is bigger than a song."
In the spring of 2006, Neil Young was just a year removed from a near-fatal aneurysm when he became so enraged with the war in Iraq that he quickly wrote, recorded and released the protest album "Living With War." Not two months after its release, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young launched their Freedom of Speech tour, during which unwitting fans expecting the band's sweeter side were greeted instead with its serrated edge.During a three-hour-plus concert, the band played nearly all of "Living With War" and many of the political anthems on which its legend was built, like "Ohio," "Military Madness" and "Find the Cost of Freedom." Despite CSN&Y's anti-establishment roots, the move angered some fans, while inspiring others.The forthcoming documentary "CSNY: Deja Vu" charts that friction, portraying fans who saluted the group's efforts and those who felt betrayed by them, while also introducing viewers to Iraqi War vets who are now protesting the war as musicians, politicians and social workers. Directed by longtime film buff Young (who uses the alias/nickname Bernard Shakey) and due in theaters July 25, the doc blends concert and behind-the-scenes footage with short news features created by ABC correspondent Mike Cerre.Billboard caught up with the 62-year-old Young recently at a small, rustic restaurant south of San Francisco, in an area surrounded by redwood trees. Just a few minute's drive from the ranch he's lived on for more than 30 years, the restaurant would be familiar to hardcore fans, as it was featured in the "Unknown Legend" video and on the "Greendale" DVD.With his alternative-fuel equipped 1982 Mercedes parked in front, on this day Young was particularly excited, as Democratic Congressman Dennis Kucinich introduced impeachment articles seeking the removal of President George Bush. Young spoke from behind a pair of dark sunglasses, the conversation often drifting toward his passion for finding alternatives to fossil fuels for automobiles, which, he notes, "is bigger than a song."
Monday, June 23, 2008
Bryant, James to lead US team
CHICAGO (AP) -- MVP Kobe Bryant will be heading to his first Olympics, and he'll have LeBron James and Dwyane Wade with him.
They will lead a U.S. Olympic basketball team that was announced Monday and hopes to capture the gold medal in Beijing in August after a third-place showing in Athens four years ago. They'll have plenty of help.
Carmelo Anthony and Jason Kidd were among the 12 players placed on the squad. They were joined by Tayshaun Prince, Carlos Boozer, Chris Bosh, Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, Michael Redd and Deron Williams.
"It was a very difficult selection process," USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo said during a news conference. "When you have as many outstanding players as we have in this country -- to select a group of 12 is obviously going to leave out a number of outstanding people."
The team was selected without a tryout. It will have a minicamp this week in Las Vegas and meet there July 20-25 to train and play an exhibition against Canada before heading overseas. The Americans open Olympic play against China on Aug. 10.
Although the Americans captured the gold at the Sydney Games in 2000, they no longer dominate international play as they once did. The talent gap has narrowed and many top NBA players have chosen to not play for the national team in recent years.
Now, the U.S. team appears loaded. Then again, the Americans went 5-3 in Athens and lost for the first time since NBA players started competing in 1992 even though they had James, Anthony, Wade and Tim Duncan. That group got routed by Puerto Rico before losing to Lithuania and Argentina, but this one is confident it will take the gold.
"It's really the world's game. We think we're the best at playing that game," said coach Mike Krzyzewski, warning that "unless we show the respect to the rest of the world that it is the world's game" there will be no gold medal.
Wade and Anthony said they didn't know what to expect when they went to Athens.
"I've always seen greatness in the Olympics, but that was never one of my dreams," Wade said. "I never really expected to be on the Olympic team, especially in my first year. I didn't have a clue what I was getting into. ... Now, we respect the game so much. We respect the team basketball that they play internationally so much."
Anthony saw the 2004 Games as a chance to "have some of the best workouts in the summer time with the best players in the world" and went there thinking "the USA is supposed to win everything."
"Going through that experience really helped me to learn the international game," Anthony said.
He's part of a deep team that includes one of the best shooters (Redd) and defensive players (Prince). There are role players and scorers, including the two biggest.
Bryant just won his first MVP and led the Los Angeles Lakers to the finals. James averaged 30.0 points -- just enough to beat Bryant for the scoring title.
Those two along with Anthony, Kidd and Dwight Howard started for a team that went unbeaten in the Olympic qualifying tournament last year. Eight of the 12 players headed to Beijing played on that team and six played in the 2006 world championships.
"We're a team already," Krzyzewski said. "The thing that this program has done is ... provide continuity and relationships. ... We'll hit the ground running."
Phoenix forward Amare Stoudemire withdrew from Olympic consideration, apparently concerned about pushing his body too hard after knee surgery in 2005 and 2006. So did Detroit's Chauncey Billups, who would have had a tough time making the team given the depth in the backcourt.
Wade's season ended in March because of a sore left knee that had been bothering him since surgery in 2007. He started working out in his hometown Chicago in May, and James and Paul joined him to help sharpen his game. Colangelo visited recently and left convinced the 6-foot-4 guard was healthy.
"This was to see how far along he had come in his rehab," Colangelo said. "That was the whole thing. Plus, I had a little conversation I wanted to have with him. We took care of that. I watched him work. I saw him do a few things in terms of explosiveness that showed me that he was pretty much back."
Trainer Tim Grover has been working out with Wade. Colanagelo said Grover assured him the Miami Heat star will completely ready when the team gathers in Las Vegas next month.
"I feel great," Wade said.
And even better with a gold medal dangling from his neck.
They will lead a U.S. Olympic basketball team that was announced Monday and hopes to capture the gold medal in Beijing in August after a third-place showing in Athens four years ago. They'll have plenty of help.
Carmelo Anthony and Jason Kidd were among the 12 players placed on the squad. They were joined by Tayshaun Prince, Carlos Boozer, Chris Bosh, Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, Michael Redd and Deron Williams.
"It was a very difficult selection process," USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo said during a news conference. "When you have as many outstanding players as we have in this country -- to select a group of 12 is obviously going to leave out a number of outstanding people."
The team was selected without a tryout. It will have a minicamp this week in Las Vegas and meet there July 20-25 to train and play an exhibition against Canada before heading overseas. The Americans open Olympic play against China on Aug. 10.
Although the Americans captured the gold at the Sydney Games in 2000, they no longer dominate international play as they once did. The talent gap has narrowed and many top NBA players have chosen to not play for the national team in recent years.
Now, the U.S. team appears loaded. Then again, the Americans went 5-3 in Athens and lost for the first time since NBA players started competing in 1992 even though they had James, Anthony, Wade and Tim Duncan. That group got routed by Puerto Rico before losing to Lithuania and Argentina, but this one is confident it will take the gold.
"It's really the world's game. We think we're the best at playing that game," said coach Mike Krzyzewski, warning that "unless we show the respect to the rest of the world that it is the world's game" there will be no gold medal.
Wade and Anthony said they didn't know what to expect when they went to Athens.
"I've always seen greatness in the Olympics, but that was never one of my dreams," Wade said. "I never really expected to be on the Olympic team, especially in my first year. I didn't have a clue what I was getting into. ... Now, we respect the game so much. We respect the team basketball that they play internationally so much."
Anthony saw the 2004 Games as a chance to "have some of the best workouts in the summer time with the best players in the world" and went there thinking "the USA is supposed to win everything."
"Going through that experience really helped me to learn the international game," Anthony said.
He's part of a deep team that includes one of the best shooters (Redd) and defensive players (Prince). There are role players and scorers, including the two biggest.
Bryant just won his first MVP and led the Los Angeles Lakers to the finals. James averaged 30.0 points -- just enough to beat Bryant for the scoring title.
Those two along with Anthony, Kidd and Dwight Howard started for a team that went unbeaten in the Olympic qualifying tournament last year. Eight of the 12 players headed to Beijing played on that team and six played in the 2006 world championships.
"We're a team already," Krzyzewski said. "The thing that this program has done is ... provide continuity and relationships. ... We'll hit the ground running."
Phoenix forward Amare Stoudemire withdrew from Olympic consideration, apparently concerned about pushing his body too hard after knee surgery in 2005 and 2006. So did Detroit's Chauncey Billups, who would have had a tough time making the team given the depth in the backcourt.
Wade's season ended in March because of a sore left knee that had been bothering him since surgery in 2007. He started working out in his hometown Chicago in May, and James and Paul joined him to help sharpen his game. Colangelo visited recently and left convinced the 6-foot-4 guard was healthy.
"This was to see how far along he had come in his rehab," Colangelo said. "That was the whole thing. Plus, I had a little conversation I wanted to have with him. We took care of that. I watched him work. I saw him do a few things in terms of explosiveness that showed me that he was pretty much back."
Trainer Tim Grover has been working out with Wade. Colanagelo said Grover assured him the Miami Heat star will completely ready when the team gathers in Las Vegas next month.
"I feel great," Wade said.
And even better with a gold medal dangling from his neck.
Comedy Legend George Carlin Dies At 71
Comedian George Carlin, a counter-culture hero famed for his routines about drugs and dirty words, died of heart failure at a Los Angeles-area hospital yesterday (June 22). He was 71.Carlin, who had a history of heart and drug-dependency problems, died at Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica at about 6 p.m. PT after being admitted earlier in the afternoon for chest pains, spokesman Jeff Abraham said.Known for his edgy, provocative material, Carlin achieved status as an anti-Establishment icon in the 1970s with stand-up bits full of drug references and a routine called "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television."A regulatory battle over a radio broadcast of the routine ultimately reached the U.S. Supreme Court. In the 1978 case, Federal Communications Commission vs. Pacifica Foundation, the top U.S. court ruled that the words cited in Carlin's routine were indecent, and that the government's broadcast regulator could ban them from being aired at times when children might be listening.Carlin's comedic sensibility often came back to a central theme: humanity is doomed. "I don't have any beliefs or allegiances. I don't believe in this country, I don't believe in religion, or a god, and I don't believe in all these man-made institutional ideas," he told Reuters in a 2001 interview.
Carlin, who wrote several books and performed in many television comedy specials, is survived by his wife, Sally Wade, and daughter Kelly Carlin McCall.
Carlin, who wrote several books and performed in many television comedy specials, is survived by his wife, Sally Wade, and daughter Kelly Carlin McCall.
Report: Amy Winehouse Has Emphysema
Amy Winehouse has early stage emphysema and her lungs have been damaged by smoking crack cocaine and cigarettes, her father said in an interview published yesterday (June 22).The Sunday Mirror quoted Mitch Winehouse as saying that Amy has an irregular heartbeat, and has been warned that she will have to wear an oxygen mask unless she stops smoking drugs."The doctors have told her if she goes back to smoking drugs, it won't just ruin her voice, it will kill her," Mitch Winehouse was quoted as saying. "There are nodules around the chest and dark marks. She has 70 percent lung capacity."The 24-year-old soul diva collapsed at her north London home last Monday after signing autographs for a group of fans and was taken to a London hospital for tests. She remained there all week.She is still scheduled to sing at a concert in London on Friday celebrating the 90th birthday of Nelson Mandela and plans to take part in the Glastonbury music festival the following day.
"When she's been inactive work-wise then that's when the problems really start. The doctors have said that medically there isn't any reason why she can't do Glastonbury," the paper quoted him as saying.He also pleaded with her drug-taking friends to stay away from her. "What hope does she have if people are taking drugs around her," he said.Chris Goodman, spokesman for Amy Winehouse, said, "If that's what Mitch says, that's what he says. It sounds right." Mitch Winehouse could not immediately be reached for comment.
"When she's been inactive work-wise then that's when the problems really start. The doctors have said that medically there isn't any reason why she can't do Glastonbury," the paper quoted him as saying.He also pleaded with her drug-taking friends to stay away from her. "What hope does she have if people are taking drugs around her," he said.Chris Goodman, spokesman for Amy Winehouse, said, "If that's what Mitch says, that's what he says. It sounds right." Mitch Winehouse could not immediately be reached for comment.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
NBA’s petty game with rogue ref backfires
LOS ANGELES – As David Stern stood surrounded near a loading dock at the Staples Center, with all the beautiful people waiting courtside, with the return of a glamour NBA Finals, the commissioner had to consider the possibility that he had delivered an invitation for Tim Donaghy to embarrass the NBA again, to usurp its starry stage.
“He picks his spots,” Stern grumbled. “This guy is dancing as fast as he can to throw as much against the wall so his sentence won’t be as hard.”
There’s a chance Donaghy’s attorney, John Lauro, had long ago chosen to release wild stories of league corruption during the Finals, but there’s a possibility, too, that the league needlessly provoked it. The NBA wanted this Donaghy circus on Tuesday night about as much they wanted the San Antonio Spurs back in the Finals.
Within the past week, the NBA filed a letter with federal probation officials calling for Donaghy to pay restitution of $1 million, a sum that the league says it invested in investigating the rogue ref. When the government asked the NBA – considered the victim of Donaghy’s crimes – for a figure on its damages, the league should’ve shown restraint and taken a pass.
Donaghy is no sympathetic figure. He’s a bad guy, but he is also a broken man who has lost his family and his career. Whatever his prison sentence, his life is in ruins. He deserves everything he gets, but make no mistake: The blood money is beneath the NBA.
Let it go. Just let it go.
So, Donaghy had one dart left for Stern before the felon’s sentencing in July, and empowered with the feds requesting the judge grant Donaghy probation over prison because of his cooperation in the prosecution of his co-conspirators, Lauro fired on the commissioner who has trashed his client’s credibility for months. What’s more, Lauro tried to provide the judge details of disclosures that the feds didn’t include in the recommendation letter.
Nevertheless, the timing seems more about exacting revenge on Stern and his league than leveraging the judge for a shorter sentence. The lawyer waited until there were suspicions of strange officiating in Game 2, until the series had moved to Los Angeles for Game 3, and let loose these sordid stories of NBA corruption, compromises and fixes.
Still, Stern is right when he says – so far, anyway – that, “Mr. Donaghy is the only one here that’s guilty of criminal activity.”
Did the league and referees conspire to get the Lakers past the Sacramento Kings and into the 2002 NBA Finals? Did Yao Ming get unfairly targeted in the 2005 playoffs at the behest of the league? Were NBA referees punished for throwing superstars out of games? Do relationships among team officials, coaches and players with refs compromise calls on the floor?
There’s a chance there’s some chards of truth on the smaller ones, but the biggies? Do you truly think league executives would expose themselves to criminal prosecution for better television ratings, better matchups?
Enough with the conspiracies, enough.
Within the NBA, there’s a belief that Donaghy was always planning to file these papers in New York on Tuesday, but the recent timing of the league’s demand of $1 million restitution makes it look like Lauro and Donaghy were furious and struck back.
For the league, the money isn’t the issue. It can find that million between the cushions of couches in its midtown Manhattan tower. For the NBA, this was a self-defeating exercise, useless. And yes, Donaghy is responsible for his felony acts, for betting on games, providing gamblers inside information and, as Stern said, “a convicted felon who really violated probably the most sacred trust in sports.” Nevertheless, Donaghy had been an employee with a pattern of disturbing behavior, whose acts should have invited a more probing league investigation into his double life.
Who has paid the price in the NBA? Who lost their job over Donaghy? Perhaps the NBA wouldn’t have had to pay $1 million for this investigation – if it did spend that much – had it gone deeper in its original probes.
From the beginning, Stern engaged in a relentless campaign to isolate the corruption to Donaghy. He cast doubts on Donaghy’s credibility with constant refrains that he’s a “convicted felon.” Stern started in the summer, calling him a “rouge, isolated official.” All along, his instincts were right: As long as the scandal was contained to this creep, the sport could survive the scandal.
As it turned out, the story never had the legs that the NBA feared. The league was still moving quietly toward Donaghy’s sentencing in mid-July, when it looks like it took a foolish risk.
Stern doesn’t need restitution out of Donaghy. He needs him out of the news, out of his life. And how many millions of dollars would the NBA have paid for that crook to be out of sight, out of mind, on a night the starry Hollywood stage at Staples should’ve belonged to Kobe Bryant?
“He picks his spots,” Stern grumbled. “This guy is dancing as fast as he can to throw as much against the wall so his sentence won’t be as hard.”
There’s a chance Donaghy’s attorney, John Lauro, had long ago chosen to release wild stories of league corruption during the Finals, but there’s a possibility, too, that the league needlessly provoked it. The NBA wanted this Donaghy circus on Tuesday night about as much they wanted the San Antonio Spurs back in the Finals.
Within the past week, the NBA filed a letter with federal probation officials calling for Donaghy to pay restitution of $1 million, a sum that the league says it invested in investigating the rogue ref. When the government asked the NBA – considered the victim of Donaghy’s crimes – for a figure on its damages, the league should’ve shown restraint and taken a pass.
Donaghy is no sympathetic figure. He’s a bad guy, but he is also a broken man who has lost his family and his career. Whatever his prison sentence, his life is in ruins. He deserves everything he gets, but make no mistake: The blood money is beneath the NBA.
Let it go. Just let it go.
So, Donaghy had one dart left for Stern before the felon’s sentencing in July, and empowered with the feds requesting the judge grant Donaghy probation over prison because of his cooperation in the prosecution of his co-conspirators, Lauro fired on the commissioner who has trashed his client’s credibility for months. What’s more, Lauro tried to provide the judge details of disclosures that the feds didn’t include in the recommendation letter.
Nevertheless, the timing seems more about exacting revenge on Stern and his league than leveraging the judge for a shorter sentence. The lawyer waited until there were suspicions of strange officiating in Game 2, until the series had moved to Los Angeles for Game 3, and let loose these sordid stories of NBA corruption, compromises and fixes.
Still, Stern is right when he says – so far, anyway – that, “Mr. Donaghy is the only one here that’s guilty of criminal activity.”
Did the league and referees conspire to get the Lakers past the Sacramento Kings and into the 2002 NBA Finals? Did Yao Ming get unfairly targeted in the 2005 playoffs at the behest of the league? Were NBA referees punished for throwing superstars out of games? Do relationships among team officials, coaches and players with refs compromise calls on the floor?
There’s a chance there’s some chards of truth on the smaller ones, but the biggies? Do you truly think league executives would expose themselves to criminal prosecution for better television ratings, better matchups?
Enough with the conspiracies, enough.
Within the NBA, there’s a belief that Donaghy was always planning to file these papers in New York on Tuesday, but the recent timing of the league’s demand of $1 million restitution makes it look like Lauro and Donaghy were furious and struck back.
For the league, the money isn’t the issue. It can find that million between the cushions of couches in its midtown Manhattan tower. For the NBA, this was a self-defeating exercise, useless. And yes, Donaghy is responsible for his felony acts, for betting on games, providing gamblers inside information and, as Stern said, “a convicted felon who really violated probably the most sacred trust in sports.” Nevertheless, Donaghy had been an employee with a pattern of disturbing behavior, whose acts should have invited a more probing league investigation into his double life.
Who has paid the price in the NBA? Who lost their job over Donaghy? Perhaps the NBA wouldn’t have had to pay $1 million for this investigation – if it did spend that much – had it gone deeper in its original probes.
From the beginning, Stern engaged in a relentless campaign to isolate the corruption to Donaghy. He cast doubts on Donaghy’s credibility with constant refrains that he’s a “convicted felon.” Stern started in the summer, calling him a “rouge, isolated official.” All along, his instincts were right: As long as the scandal was contained to this creep, the sport could survive the scandal.
As it turned out, the story never had the legs that the NBA feared. The league was still moving quietly toward Donaghy’s sentencing in mid-July, when it looks like it took a foolish risk.
Stern doesn’t need restitution out of Donaghy. He needs him out of the news, out of his life. And how many millions of dollars would the NBA have paid for that crook to be out of sight, out of mind, on a night the starry Hollywood stage at Staples should’ve belonged to Kobe Bryant?
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Injury-prone Jankovic set for Ivanovic test
PARIS (Reuters) - Jelena Jankovic goes into Thursday's French Open semi-final against fellow Serb Ana Ivanovic with both form and fitness weighing heavily against her.
Second seed Ivanovic will walk on to Court Philippe Chatrier as fresh as a daisy after conceding just 20 games in her five matches so far as she seemingly walks towards a first grand slam title with total assurance.
Jankovic, meanwhile, has also not lost a set at Roland Garros but her progress has been, by comparison, tortuous.
Treated for a wrist injury in her second-round match against Marina Erakovic, she also needed medical attention on a stiff neck and shoulder in the fourth round and made a dash home to Serbia before her quarter-final triumph to receive treatment.
The pair have met six times and Jankovic has prevailed only once in Los Angeles two years ago, and Ivanovic won in straight sets in their only previous meeting on clay.
But what Jankovic lacks in fitness and previous form, she more than makes up for it in self belief.
"My dream is to become number one in the world, and now I'm very close. So I will try my best, and hopefully I can do it," said the third seed, who will replace Maria Sharapova at the top of the pile if she takes the title.
"I had troubles in the past against her, but I don't think we played on clay many times. So it's a different game and it's different circumstances, so I think it will be a completely different match. So we will see how it will goes this time.
"I really have to attack. She has some weaknesses in her game, and I really need to play good tactically to play the right shots, play the right game, and then we will see.
Justine Henin's crown as queen of Roland Garros is looking like an increasingly perfect fit for Ivanovic.
She has destroyed the opposition this fortnight, clubbing winners off both wings and appears the clear heir apparent to the now retired four-times champion from Belgium.
Both born in Belgrade 2-1/2 years apart, the two Serbs have never developed a close friendship because of their different coaching decisions, but Ivanovic is aware of her rival's strengths.
"She's a tough opponent and she defends really well. (I need to) step in and be aggressive and play my game," said Ivanovic, who also has Sharapova's top spot in her sights.
"Every match is a new match, a new experience, and I just have to keep playing like I played so far."
Second seed Ivanovic will walk on to Court Philippe Chatrier as fresh as a daisy after conceding just 20 games in her five matches so far as she seemingly walks towards a first grand slam title with total assurance.
Jankovic, meanwhile, has also not lost a set at Roland Garros but her progress has been, by comparison, tortuous.
Treated for a wrist injury in her second-round match against Marina Erakovic, she also needed medical attention on a stiff neck and shoulder in the fourth round and made a dash home to Serbia before her quarter-final triumph to receive treatment.
The pair have met six times and Jankovic has prevailed only once in Los Angeles two years ago, and Ivanovic won in straight sets in their only previous meeting on clay.
But what Jankovic lacks in fitness and previous form, she more than makes up for it in self belief.
"My dream is to become number one in the world, and now I'm very close. So I will try my best, and hopefully I can do it," said the third seed, who will replace Maria Sharapova at the top of the pile if she takes the title.
"I had troubles in the past against her, but I don't think we played on clay many times. So it's a different game and it's different circumstances, so I think it will be a completely different match. So we will see how it will goes this time.
"I really have to attack. She has some weaknesses in her game, and I really need to play good tactically to play the right shots, play the right game, and then we will see.
Justine Henin's crown as queen of Roland Garros is looking like an increasingly perfect fit for Ivanovic.
She has destroyed the opposition this fortnight, clubbing winners off both wings and appears the clear heir apparent to the now retired four-times champion from Belgium.
Both born in Belgrade 2-1/2 years apart, the two Serbs have never developed a close friendship because of their different coaching decisions, but Ivanovic is aware of her rival's strengths.
"She's a tough opponent and she defends really well. (I need to) step in and be aggressive and play my game," said Ivanovic, who also has Sharapova's top spot in her sights.
"Every match is a new match, a new experience, and I just have to keep playing like I played so far."
(1-W) Detroit Red Wings (3-2) at (2-E) Pittsburgh Penguins (2-3), 8 p.m.
The Detroit Red Wings will get another shot at clinching Lord Stanley's Cup tonight, when they visit the Pittsburgh Penguins for Game 6 of the best-of-seven finals.
The Red Wings grabbed a 3-1 series edge with a Game 4 victory in Pittsburgh, but were unable to seal the title in Monday's home test against the Penguins. Instead, Pittsburgh rallied late in regulation to send Game 5 to overtime and then won it 4-3 in the third extra period.
Petr Sykora's power play goal at the 9:57 mark of the third OT cut Pittsburgh's series deficit to 3-2 and the club can force a decisive Game 7 on Saturday in Detroit with a victory on its home ice tonight.
Marian Hossa had a goal and an assist while Maxime Talbot scored with 34.3 seconds left in the third period to tie the contest at 3-3. The Penguins won the contest despite being outshot by a whopping 58-32 margin.
In the third session, Pittsburgh was awarded a power play when Jiri Hudler was called for a high-sticking double-minor after he hit Rob Scuderi and drew blood.
On the power play, Sergei Gonchar, who had sat out the first and second overtime periods with back spasms, blasted a shot from the right point that missed the net. However, Evgeni Malkin grabbed the puck along the right side and fired a pass out to Sykora, who snapped a wrister from the right circle that hit off the left arm of Chris Osgood and squeezed into the net for the win.
Marc-Andre Fleury came up with his best game of the series thus far as he stopped 55 shots in the win for Pittsburgh, which is looking for its first Stanley Cup championship since 1992.
Darren Helm, Pavel Datsyuk and Brian Rafalski each scored a goal for the Red Wings, who are seeking their fourth Cup in the past 11 seasons. Osgood, who shut out the Pens in Games 1 and 2 at Joe Louis Arena, finished the game with 28 saves.
Henrik Zetterberg added a pair of assists in the loss and is second to Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby in playoff scoring with 25 points (12 goals, 13 assists). Crosby is leading all scorers with 26 points on six goals and 20 helpers.
The Red Wings are shooting for their fourth Stanley Cup title in the past 11 seasons and the 11th in the storied history of the franchise. Detroit won back-to-back titles in 1997 and '98 before they last hoisted the Cup in 2002.
Red Wings defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom, a native Swede, is trying to become the first European captain to lead his team to a Stanley Cup title. Lidstrom was a member of Detroit's last three Cup champion teams, but the legendary Steve Yzerman was the team captain on those squads.
Meanwhile, in order to win this series the Penguins must become the second team in NHL history to erase a 3-1 series' deficit to win the Stanley Cup. The Toronto Maple Leafs came back from a 3-0 hole to beat Detroit in the 1942 Cup finals.
Pittsburgh was the best home team in the Eastern Conference during the regular season, going 26-10-5 at the Igloo. The Pens were a perfect 9-0 at home in the playoffs before dropping Game 4 to the Red Wings.
The Red Wings were one of the best road teams in the NHL during the regular season, posting a 25-12-4 mark away from Michigan. Detroit is 6-4 as the visiting club in the playoffs.
Detroit came into this series as the favorites, having won the Presidents' Trophy as the team with the best record in the NHL during the regular season. Pittsburgh was the Atlantic Division champion and the second- seeded team in the Eastern Conference.
Both teams took impressive paths to the Cup finals this year, as the Penguins rolled through the Eastern Conference playoffs with a 12-2 record and Detroit claimed the West championship by winning 12 of 16 games. The Red Wings even set a franchise record at one point with nine consecutive victories this postseason.
Detroit defeated Nashville in six games during the opening round, swept Colorado in the following series, and beat Dallas in six tests of the conference finals.
The Penguins swept Ottawa in the first round and defeated the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers in five games during the conference semifinals and finals, respectively.
The Red Wings grabbed a 3-1 series edge with a Game 4 victory in Pittsburgh, but were unable to seal the title in Monday's home test against the Penguins. Instead, Pittsburgh rallied late in regulation to send Game 5 to overtime and then won it 4-3 in the third extra period.
Petr Sykora's power play goal at the 9:57 mark of the third OT cut Pittsburgh's series deficit to 3-2 and the club can force a decisive Game 7 on Saturday in Detroit with a victory on its home ice tonight.
Marian Hossa had a goal and an assist while Maxime Talbot scored with 34.3 seconds left in the third period to tie the contest at 3-3. The Penguins won the contest despite being outshot by a whopping 58-32 margin.
In the third session, Pittsburgh was awarded a power play when Jiri Hudler was called for a high-sticking double-minor after he hit Rob Scuderi and drew blood.
On the power play, Sergei Gonchar, who had sat out the first and second overtime periods with back spasms, blasted a shot from the right point that missed the net. However, Evgeni Malkin grabbed the puck along the right side and fired a pass out to Sykora, who snapped a wrister from the right circle that hit off the left arm of Chris Osgood and squeezed into the net for the win.
Marc-Andre Fleury came up with his best game of the series thus far as he stopped 55 shots in the win for Pittsburgh, which is looking for its first Stanley Cup championship since 1992.
Darren Helm, Pavel Datsyuk and Brian Rafalski each scored a goal for the Red Wings, who are seeking their fourth Cup in the past 11 seasons. Osgood, who shut out the Pens in Games 1 and 2 at Joe Louis Arena, finished the game with 28 saves.
Henrik Zetterberg added a pair of assists in the loss and is second to Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby in playoff scoring with 25 points (12 goals, 13 assists). Crosby is leading all scorers with 26 points on six goals and 20 helpers.
The Red Wings are shooting for their fourth Stanley Cup title in the past 11 seasons and the 11th in the storied history of the franchise. Detroit won back-to-back titles in 1997 and '98 before they last hoisted the Cup in 2002.
Red Wings defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom, a native Swede, is trying to become the first European captain to lead his team to a Stanley Cup title. Lidstrom was a member of Detroit's last three Cup champion teams, but the legendary Steve Yzerman was the team captain on those squads.
Meanwhile, in order to win this series the Penguins must become the second team in NHL history to erase a 3-1 series' deficit to win the Stanley Cup. The Toronto Maple Leafs came back from a 3-0 hole to beat Detroit in the 1942 Cup finals.
Pittsburgh was the best home team in the Eastern Conference during the regular season, going 26-10-5 at the Igloo. The Pens were a perfect 9-0 at home in the playoffs before dropping Game 4 to the Red Wings.
The Red Wings were one of the best road teams in the NHL during the regular season, posting a 25-12-4 mark away from Michigan. Detroit is 6-4 as the visiting club in the playoffs.
Detroit came into this series as the favorites, having won the Presidents' Trophy as the team with the best record in the NHL during the regular season. Pittsburgh was the Atlantic Division champion and the second- seeded team in the Eastern Conference.
Both teams took impressive paths to the Cup finals this year, as the Penguins rolled through the Eastern Conference playoffs with a 12-2 record and Detroit claimed the West championship by winning 12 of 16 games. The Red Wings even set a franchise record at one point with nine consecutive victories this postseason.
Detroit defeated Nashville in six games during the opening round, swept Colorado in the following series, and beat Dallas in six tests of the conference finals.
The Penguins swept Ottawa in the first round and defeated the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers in five games during the conference semifinals and finals, respectively.
The Declaration
As the title suggests, "The Declaration" is in many ways about womanhood and empowerment, which is why Ashanti chose to work with producers and collaborators outside the Inc. family. On the synthy, Darkchild-produced "So Over You," Ashanti croons about getting past a former relationship, while the Jermaine Dupri-mixed "Good Good," featuring elements of Michael Jackson's "The Girl Is Mine," finds her confidently belting about her abilities to please in bed. Ashanti continues to celebrate her femininity on tracks like the sensual, Robin Thicke-assisted "Things You Make Me Do" and the bass-heavy "Girlfriend," where she teases about all the things she'd allow her love interest to do if they were a couple. Meanwhile, "Mother" is inspired by Ashanti's close bond with her own mother, and "Shine" is aimed at motivating young women.—Mariel Concepcion
Usher Scores Second Best Sales Debut Of '08
Katie Hasty, N.Y.
Four years after his "Confessions" rocked the charts, Usher returns to The Billboard 200 at No. 1 with "Here I Stand." With 433,000 U.S. copies sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan, the LaFace/Zomba album is the second biggest debut this year behind the 463,000 start of Mariah Carey's "E=MC2.""Here I Stand" was led by the single "Love in This Club" featuring Young Jeezy, which was No. 1 for three weeks on the Billboard Hot 100. Usher's "Confessions" started at the penthouse in 2004 with a whopping 1,096,000 units and spent nine weeks on top. It went on to be the year's best-seller.Coming in at No. 2 is the New Line soundtrack to the "Sex in the City" movie. The set -- which features tracks from artists as diverse as the Weepies, Jennifer Hudson, Run-D.M.C. and Nina Simone -- moved 66,000 copies. It's the highest debut for a multi-artist theatrical film soundtrack since "Get Rich or Die Tryin'" also started at No. 2 in November 2005.3 Doors Down's Universal Republic self-titled set falls 1-3 with 63,000, a 59% sales decrease. Bun-B's Rap-A-Lot/Asylum set "II Trill" is down 2-4 with 40,000 (-59%), Leona Lewis' Syco/J album "Spirit" climbs 6-5 with 39,000 (-23%) and Reprise's retrospective Frank Sinatra collection "Nothing But the Best" slips 4-6 with 37,000 (-32%). Duffy's "Rockferry" (Mercury) endures a 19% sales decrease, moving 36,000 and ascending 8-7. Carey's chart-topping Island Def Jam album "E=MC2" continues its decline 7-8 with a 20% sales decrease to 36,000. Al Green, who is also on the "Sex in the City" soundtrack, starts at No. 9 with "Lay It Down," selling 34,000. The Blue Note effort is Green's highest debut ever and his highest charting album since "I'm Still in Love with You" reached No. 4 in 1972.
Death Cab For Cutie's "Narrow Stairs" (Atlantic) rounds out the top tier, falling 5-10 with 33,000 (-36%).Only two other efforts bow inside the top 50 this week. Cyndi Lauper's "Bring Ya to the Brink" (Epic) debuts at No. 41 with 12,000. It's the singer's first U.S. pop album since 1996's "Sisters of Avalon." Fergie's "The Dutchess: The Deluxe E.P." -- which contains the four tracks tacked on to the deluxe reissue of that album -- hops on board at No. 46 with 11,000. Interscope's "The Dutchess" reissue, released last week, causes the original album to bounce back up 104-28. Album sales this week are up 0.44% from last week's sum with 7.24 million units and down 13% from the same week last year.
Four years after his "Confessions" rocked the charts, Usher returns to The Billboard 200 at No. 1 with "Here I Stand." With 433,000 U.S. copies sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan, the LaFace/Zomba album is the second biggest debut this year behind the 463,000 start of Mariah Carey's "E=MC2.""Here I Stand" was led by the single "Love in This Club" featuring Young Jeezy, which was No. 1 for three weeks on the Billboard Hot 100. Usher's "Confessions" started at the penthouse in 2004 with a whopping 1,096,000 units and spent nine weeks on top. It went on to be the year's best-seller.Coming in at No. 2 is the New Line soundtrack to the "Sex in the City" movie. The set -- which features tracks from artists as diverse as the Weepies, Jennifer Hudson, Run-D.M.C. and Nina Simone -- moved 66,000 copies. It's the highest debut for a multi-artist theatrical film soundtrack since "Get Rich or Die Tryin'" also started at No. 2 in November 2005.3 Doors Down's Universal Republic self-titled set falls 1-3 with 63,000, a 59% sales decrease. Bun-B's Rap-A-Lot/Asylum set "II Trill" is down 2-4 with 40,000 (-59%), Leona Lewis' Syco/J album "Spirit" climbs 6-5 with 39,000 (-23%) and Reprise's retrospective Frank Sinatra collection "Nothing But the Best" slips 4-6 with 37,000 (-32%). Duffy's "Rockferry" (Mercury) endures a 19% sales decrease, moving 36,000 and ascending 8-7. Carey's chart-topping Island Def Jam album "E=MC2" continues its decline 7-8 with a 20% sales decrease to 36,000. Al Green, who is also on the "Sex in the City" soundtrack, starts at No. 9 with "Lay It Down," selling 34,000. The Blue Note effort is Green's highest debut ever and his highest charting album since "I'm Still in Love with You" reached No. 4 in 1972.
Death Cab For Cutie's "Narrow Stairs" (Atlantic) rounds out the top tier, falling 5-10 with 33,000 (-36%).Only two other efforts bow inside the top 50 this week. Cyndi Lauper's "Bring Ya to the Brink" (Epic) debuts at No. 41 with 12,000. It's the singer's first U.S. pop album since 1996's "Sisters of Avalon." Fergie's "The Dutchess: The Deluxe E.P." -- which contains the four tracks tacked on to the deluxe reissue of that album -- hops on board at No. 46 with 11,000. Interscope's "The Dutchess" reissue, released last week, causes the original album to bounce back up 104-28. Album sales this week are up 0.44% from last week's sum with 7.24 million units and down 13% from the same week last year.
Monday, June 2, 2008
Ryan Briscoe gets IndyCar victory in Wisconsin
Ryan Briscoe drove through the smoke and found a little bit of redemption.
For a moment on Sunday at the Milwaukee Mile, it seemed the new Team Penske driver would wind up watching his crashed IndyCar being towed to the paddock for the fourth time in the first six races this season.
Not this time.
The 23-year-old Australian held off a late charge from Indianapolis 500 champion Scott Dixon, avoided the late-race accident - barely - and gave team owner Roger Penske his 300th racing victory.
Four laps from the end of the ABC Supply A.J. Foyt 225, the track ahead of Briscoe was enveloped in smoke and all he could do was hit the brakes hard and hope.
"A million things went through my mind when I saw all that smoke," Briscoe said. "With a couple of laps to go, I knew how to keep Dixon behind me. I think I'd have been in tears if I didn't get through."
Just ahead of the leader, pole-winner Marco Andretti and Ed Carpenter collided, sending both into the wall. Vitor Meira, the Indy 500 runner-up who crashed in qualifying on Saturday, then drove over Andretti's car, flew through the air and slammed into the concrete barrier.
Asked how close he came to hitting Meira, Briscoe replied, "I think it was less than a foot."
Somehow, though, his No. 6 Team Penske Dallara came through the melee unscathed and Briscoe was able to drive slowly to the checkered flag under caution, claiming his first IndyCar victory.
It was a major step for Briscoe just a week after an embarrassing pit lane accident in which he took out fan favorite Danica Patrick at Indy.
"The car was just magic today," Briscoe said. "We just came through the field."
And that wasn't easy, with a 26-car field, the biggest open-wheel lineup at the suburban Milwaukee track since 27 started the 1998 CART race. Sunday's race was often a high-speed traffic jam with lots of close calls.
Briscoe, who lost his ride after a season with Chip Ganassi Racing in 2005, got another chance with Penske's team this year but crashed in three of the first five races, falling to 19th in the points before Sunday's win boosted him up to eighth, 100 points behind leader Dixon.
Briscoe dedicated the win to former Penske driver Rick Mears, a four-time Indy winner who is now a consultant for the team. Mears was honored before the race on the 30th anniversary of his first win, which came on the same track.
"I can't tell you how special it is to win my first IndyCar race on the 30th anniversary of Rick's first win," Briscoe said.
"I wouldn't have won it without his advice here."
Penske said he was proud of his new driver, the 15th different winner for the team in IndyCar racing.
"I think, today, he really got the monkey off his back," the owner said. "We knew how good he was. From the standpoint of his confidence, this is exactly what he needed to break the ice."
It appeared for most of the 225-lap race that Dixon would run away to another victory, but Briscoe, who started 11th, caught the leader and passed him on lap 177. All the drivers up front made green-flag stops before the finish, but Briscoe came out of the fuel stops back out front on lap 207 and stayed there despite heavy pressure from Dixon.
Dixon, who led 147 laps to Briscoe's 36, was also happy to get through the accident without damage.
"Briscoe, you've got to give him credit," the New Zealander said. "He drove the wheels off that thing. He could really take advantage of the high line when I tried a couple of times and nearly ended up in the fence. It was the most fun I've had in a long time, to be honest."
All the top cars made it through the late crash without damage.
Two-time defending race winner Tony Kanaan finished third, followed by Dan Wheldon and Briscoe's teammate Helio Castroneves.
Asked if he could have caught Briscoe in the last few laps if the caution had not come out, Dixon shrugged.
"I think it was just going to come down to how you hit traffic," he said. "With three laps more, who knows what was going to happen."
Patrick was never in contention, finishing a lap down in ninth.
"I had some understeer issues all day," said Patrick, who earlier this season became the first woman to win an IndyCar race.
"This is where we as a team need to find out what the problem is and find a solution. On a good note, we finished the race, which we have not been able to do in the last two races."
For a moment on Sunday at the Milwaukee Mile, it seemed the new Team Penske driver would wind up watching his crashed IndyCar being towed to the paddock for the fourth time in the first six races this season.
Not this time.
The 23-year-old Australian held off a late charge from Indianapolis 500 champion Scott Dixon, avoided the late-race accident - barely - and gave team owner Roger Penske his 300th racing victory.
Four laps from the end of the ABC Supply A.J. Foyt 225, the track ahead of Briscoe was enveloped in smoke and all he could do was hit the brakes hard and hope.
"A million things went through my mind when I saw all that smoke," Briscoe said. "With a couple of laps to go, I knew how to keep Dixon behind me. I think I'd have been in tears if I didn't get through."
Just ahead of the leader, pole-winner Marco Andretti and Ed Carpenter collided, sending both into the wall. Vitor Meira, the Indy 500 runner-up who crashed in qualifying on Saturday, then drove over Andretti's car, flew through the air and slammed into the concrete barrier.
Asked how close he came to hitting Meira, Briscoe replied, "I think it was less than a foot."
Somehow, though, his No. 6 Team Penske Dallara came through the melee unscathed and Briscoe was able to drive slowly to the checkered flag under caution, claiming his first IndyCar victory.
It was a major step for Briscoe just a week after an embarrassing pit lane accident in which he took out fan favorite Danica Patrick at Indy.
"The car was just magic today," Briscoe said. "We just came through the field."
And that wasn't easy, with a 26-car field, the biggest open-wheel lineup at the suburban Milwaukee track since 27 started the 1998 CART race. Sunday's race was often a high-speed traffic jam with lots of close calls.
Briscoe, who lost his ride after a season with Chip Ganassi Racing in 2005, got another chance with Penske's team this year but crashed in three of the first five races, falling to 19th in the points before Sunday's win boosted him up to eighth, 100 points behind leader Dixon.
Briscoe dedicated the win to former Penske driver Rick Mears, a four-time Indy winner who is now a consultant for the team. Mears was honored before the race on the 30th anniversary of his first win, which came on the same track.
"I can't tell you how special it is to win my first IndyCar race on the 30th anniversary of Rick's first win," Briscoe said.
"I wouldn't have won it without his advice here."
Penske said he was proud of his new driver, the 15th different winner for the team in IndyCar racing.
"I think, today, he really got the monkey off his back," the owner said. "We knew how good he was. From the standpoint of his confidence, this is exactly what he needed to break the ice."
It appeared for most of the 225-lap race that Dixon would run away to another victory, but Briscoe, who started 11th, caught the leader and passed him on lap 177. All the drivers up front made green-flag stops before the finish, but Briscoe came out of the fuel stops back out front on lap 207 and stayed there despite heavy pressure from Dixon.
Dixon, who led 147 laps to Briscoe's 36, was also happy to get through the accident without damage.
"Briscoe, you've got to give him credit," the New Zealander said. "He drove the wheels off that thing. He could really take advantage of the high line when I tried a couple of times and nearly ended up in the fence. It was the most fun I've had in a long time, to be honest."
All the top cars made it through the late crash without damage.
Two-time defending race winner Tony Kanaan finished third, followed by Dan Wheldon and Briscoe's teammate Helio Castroneves.
Asked if he could have caught Briscoe in the last few laps if the caution had not come out, Dixon shrugged.
"I think it was just going to come down to how you hit traffic," he said. "With three laps more, who knows what was going to happen."
Patrick was never in contention, finishing a lap down in ninth.
"I had some understeer issues all day," said Patrick, who earlier this season became the first woman to win an IndyCar race.
"This is where we as a team need to find out what the problem is and find a solution. On a good note, we finished the race, which we have not been able to do in the last two races."
Safina holds on to knock out Sharapova
Dinara Safina saved a match point before emerging as a 6-7 7-6 6-2 winner of an all-Russian catfight with world number one Maria Sharapova in the fourth round of the French Open on Monday.
The 13th seed, who had already beaten Sharapova in the last 16 at Roland Garros in 2006, will play her third grand slam quarter-final against compatriot and seventh seed Elena Dementieva.
The two arguably delivered the finest match of the women's tournament so far, with Safina, younger sister of former men's world number one Marat Safin, eventually coming out on top after two hours and 52 minutes.
Sharapova made the best start, taking the first break with a crosscourt backhand winner as Safina failed to convert her chances.
Safina finally broke on her seventh break point, which came in the eighth game, and both players held serve until the tiebreak.
The world number 14 opened up a 6-4 lead but Sharapova saved the set points by forcing her opponent into two mishit backhands and claimed the two points she needed to bag the first set after 68 minutes.
MISSING TITLE
Safina threw her racket to the ground in a show of temper reminiscent of her brother, possibly earning her the future nickname of 'Marata'.
The opening games of the second set went with serve but Sharapova broke for 4-2 with a sharp backhand winner down the line.
She held serve to go 5-2 up and it looked like Safina would bow out.
The 22-year-old from Moscow had a match point against her at 5-3 and saved it with a bold backhand winner down the line and went on to break back before forcing another tiebreak.
The Australian Open champion got off to the best start and was two points from the match, only for Safina to win five points in a row to win it 7-5, the last one when Sharapova's backhand clipped the net and bounced wide.
Although she threw away a 40-0 lead on her serve to fall behind after the first game of the decider, Safina broke back to love with both players holding serve until the sixth game, when Sharapova conceded another break by netting a forehand.
An exhausted Sharapova found herself unable to run for the ball and bowed out when she sent a forehand wide on the second match point.
The French Open remains, for at least another year, the only grand slam title missing from Sharapova's collection.
The 13th seed, who had already beaten Sharapova in the last 16 at Roland Garros in 2006, will play her third grand slam quarter-final against compatriot and seventh seed Elena Dementieva.
The two arguably delivered the finest match of the women's tournament so far, with Safina, younger sister of former men's world number one Marat Safin, eventually coming out on top after two hours and 52 minutes.
Sharapova made the best start, taking the first break with a crosscourt backhand winner as Safina failed to convert her chances.
Safina finally broke on her seventh break point, which came in the eighth game, and both players held serve until the tiebreak.
The world number 14 opened up a 6-4 lead but Sharapova saved the set points by forcing her opponent into two mishit backhands and claimed the two points she needed to bag the first set after 68 minutes.
MISSING TITLE
Safina threw her racket to the ground in a show of temper reminiscent of her brother, possibly earning her the future nickname of 'Marata'.
The opening games of the second set went with serve but Sharapova broke for 4-2 with a sharp backhand winner down the line.
She held serve to go 5-2 up and it looked like Safina would bow out.
The 22-year-old from Moscow had a match point against her at 5-3 and saved it with a bold backhand winner down the line and went on to break back before forcing another tiebreak.
The Australian Open champion got off to the best start and was two points from the match, only for Safina to win five points in a row to win it 7-5, the last one when Sharapova's backhand clipped the net and bounced wide.
Although she threw away a 40-0 lead on her serve to fall behind after the first game of the decider, Safina broke back to love with both players holding serve until the sixth game, when Sharapova conceded another break by netting a forehand.
An exhausted Sharapova found herself unable to run for the ball and bowed out when she sent a forehand wide on the second match point.
The French Open remains, for at least another year, the only grand slam title missing from Sharapova's collection.
Rock Legend Bo Diddley Dies At 79
Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.
Rock legend Bo Diddley died this morning (June 2) of heart failure in Archer, Fla., according to his spokesperson. He was 79. Diddley suffered a stroke last spring and had a heart attack last August, from which he never fully recovered.Since then, he was undergoing rehabilitation near his Florida home. A private wake will be held Friday (June 6), with a funeral service open to the public the following afternoon at 2 p.m. at Showers of Blessing Harvest Center in Gainesville, Fla. That evening, a Diddley memorial, featuring members of his touring band, will be held at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Multi-Purpose Center.Diddley's interment will be held Sunday and will be private.Born Ellas Otha Bates McDaniel on Dec. 30, 1928, in McComb, Miss., Diddley holds the distinction of being the only musician in history to have a specific musical beat, or rhythmic pattern, named after him. The "Bo Diddley beat" blends equal parts rock'n'roll rhythm and gospel shout in its "bomp, ba-bomp-bomp, bomp-bomp" pattern, which became an enduring staple of popular music. His songs, a tasteful blend of blues and R&B elements, were among the earliest true rock'n'roll recordings.Diddley was an early advocate of fuzzy, distorted guitar sounds. They perfectly complimented his frenetic songs, which played on a homemade square guitar while decked out in dark sunglasses and a black hat. Similarly, his rhythmic, boastful vocal style predated rap by several decades.
In his heyday in the '50s, Diddley recorded such seminal rock songs as "I'm a Man," "Who Do You Love?," "Mona," and "Road Runner," all of which have since become essential learning material for rock and blues bands, and have been covered by countless leading artists.Buddy Holly borrowed Diddley's beat for his hit song "Not Fade Away," and the Rolling Stones' version of that song, with its unmistakable nod to Diddley, became the band's first major British hit single.In 1983, he had a memorable cameo as a pawn shop clerk in the comedy "Trading Places," and in 1989, he was introduced to a new generation of fans when he appeared with sports star Bo Jackson in a humorous TV ad campaign for Nike athletic shoes.Although Diddley toured regularly into his late 70s, his recorded output for the past 30-plus years has been sparse, save for a late '80s live album with Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood.
Rock legend Bo Diddley died this morning (June 2) of heart failure in Archer, Fla., according to his spokesperson. He was 79. Diddley suffered a stroke last spring and had a heart attack last August, from which he never fully recovered.Since then, he was undergoing rehabilitation near his Florida home. A private wake will be held Friday (June 6), with a funeral service open to the public the following afternoon at 2 p.m. at Showers of Blessing Harvest Center in Gainesville, Fla. That evening, a Diddley memorial, featuring members of his touring band, will be held at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Multi-Purpose Center.Diddley's interment will be held Sunday and will be private.Born Ellas Otha Bates McDaniel on Dec. 30, 1928, in McComb, Miss., Diddley holds the distinction of being the only musician in history to have a specific musical beat, or rhythmic pattern, named after him. The "Bo Diddley beat" blends equal parts rock'n'roll rhythm and gospel shout in its "bomp, ba-bomp-bomp, bomp-bomp" pattern, which became an enduring staple of popular music. His songs, a tasteful blend of blues and R&B elements, were among the earliest true rock'n'roll recordings.Diddley was an early advocate of fuzzy, distorted guitar sounds. They perfectly complimented his frenetic songs, which played on a homemade square guitar while decked out in dark sunglasses and a black hat. Similarly, his rhythmic, boastful vocal style predated rap by several decades.
In his heyday in the '50s, Diddley recorded such seminal rock songs as "I'm a Man," "Who Do You Love?," "Mona," and "Road Runner," all of which have since become essential learning material for rock and blues bands, and have been covered by countless leading artists.Buddy Holly borrowed Diddley's beat for his hit song "Not Fade Away," and the Rolling Stones' version of that song, with its unmistakable nod to Diddley, became the band's first major British hit single.In 1983, he had a memorable cameo as a pawn shop clerk in the comedy "Trading Places," and in 1989, he was introduced to a new generation of fans when he appeared with sports star Bo Jackson in a humorous TV ad campaign for Nike athletic shoes.Although Diddley toured regularly into his late 70s, his recorded output for the past 30-plus years has been sparse, save for a late '80s live album with Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood.
Tori Amos Splits With Epic, Goes Indie
Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.
Tori Amos has ended her tenure with Epic Records and "has chosen the path of independence for her next work," according to her manager."As with many of her contemporaries, Tori is devising new and exciting ways of getting her music to the masses without the boundaries and limitations of the major music companies," manager John Witherspoon tells Billboard's Ask Billboard column.Amos' next album, due in spring 2009, will be "a project of new music and visuals which is being started in the summer," he says.Amos is also writing a musical for the British National Theater, "The Light Princess," and in July will unveil a graphic novel, "Comic Book Tattoo," based on her catalog.Amos recorded for Atlantic from 1992 to 2001 before signing with Epic. Her last album for that label was 2007's "American Doll Posse."
Tori Amos has ended her tenure with Epic Records and "has chosen the path of independence for her next work," according to her manager."As with many of her contemporaries, Tori is devising new and exciting ways of getting her music to the masses without the boundaries and limitations of the major music companies," manager John Witherspoon tells Billboard's Ask Billboard column.Amos' next album, due in spring 2009, will be "a project of new music and visuals which is being started in the summer," he says.Amos is also writing a musical for the British National Theater, "The Light Princess," and in July will unveil a graphic novel, "Comic Book Tattoo," based on her catalog.Amos recorded for Atlantic from 1992 to 2001 before signing with Epic. Her last album for that label was 2007's "American Doll Posse."
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