Ivan Basso joins Discovery Team
I recently got a two week trial for Sports Business Daily, which is an excellent read but at $200 for three months, it’s definitely out of my price range. Anyways, they report that Ivan Basso has joined the Discovery Team. He was one of many cyclists to be disqualified from this past summer’s Tour de France because of doping suspicions. Like other cyclists named, he was cleared and has since signed with a new team. Basso is an excellent cyclist and with a strong team behind him, I could definitely see the Discovery Team returning to the top of the sport. I just think it sucks that Basso missed out on a tour when he had a strong chance to win and now his name will always be tainted, even though they didn’t find any evidence to support the claim.
Steelers 28, Dolphins 17
The Pittsburgh Steelers started their season off right with the opening night kickoff celebrating their 2006 Super Bowl victory. I only saw the first and last quarters as I had a meeting in between, but the Dolphins didn’t look too hot during the parts I saw. Miami quarterback Daunte Culpepper threw two interceptions last night and completed 18 of 37 throws for 262 yards. Miami running back Ronnie Brown rushed for two touchdowns and also fumbled the ball once.
With Steelers QB Ben Rothlisberger out due to an emergency appendectomy, Charlie Batch took control of the offense throwing three touchdown passes and no interceptions although he did fumble the ball once. All in all, I think he performed better than a lot of people expected.
Final Score: Steelers 28, Dolphins 17 [Game Stats]
Marion Jones is cleared
Sprinter Marion Jones’ B sample has come back negative for the EPO banned substance that had previously appeared in the A sample. It’s a relief to me that someone’s B sample has cleared that individual’s name although I think that they just shouldn’t release information until both samples have been tested…
“I am absolutely ecstatic,” Jones said in a statement released by her lawyers. “I have always maintained that I have never ever taken performance enhancing drugs, and I am pleased that a scientific process has now demonstrated that fact.”
“I believe there are issues with that test,” said Howard Jacobs, another Jones attorney who has defended several athletes on doping charges. “It’s a difficult test. From what I saw on the ‘A’ sample, it was questionable as to whether it should’ve been called a positive. I can’t say I was shocked that the ‘B’ came back negative based on what the ‘A’ looked like.” As he has in the doping case involving Tour de France winner Floyd Landis, Jacobs derided the leaking of positive tests. Doping cases aren’t supposed to be made public until they are resolved, but most are reported once a positive “A” test is confirmed.
“This is perfect illustration of why this new trend of leaking ‘A’ positives is a horrible thing,” Jacobs said. “This whole thing should have happened anonymously. Marion should’ve been able to keep competing and no one should have known about it.”
Cincinnati lead 34-7 at half
The Cincinnati Bengals are beating the Green Bay Packers, 34-7, in a Monday night preseason football game. At the end of the first half, quarterback Carson Palmer threw three touchdowns and his knee held up. Tonight’s game was his first back from his ACL/MCL and kneecap dislocation back in January when the Bengals lost to the Steelers. His performance tonight will let the team know if he can handle the season opener on September 10th.
“Just getting the rust off felt good,” Palmer said in a third quarter interview (he was pulled at the end of the first). “It felt good to know that my knee can withstand the big hit…that’s when you know you can be confident in your knee.”
My therapists and fellow PT patients will probably be very happy and I’ll be hearing all about the game tomorrow when I’m in Cincinnati for my strength test, wish me luck!
More positive drug tests with sprinters
As if it wasn’t bad enough that sprinter Justin Gatlin failed his drug test, more of coach Trevor Graham’s athletes have tested positive. Gatlin actually “escaped” a lifetime ban by agreeing to cooperate with the investigation and Graham has been banned from U.S. Olympic Committee training facilities. In fact, Nike has terminated their contract with Graham.
Sprinter LaTasha Jenkins tested positive for the anabolic steroid nandrolone in July, a source familiar with the results told The Associated Press on Thursday. Only the “A” test has been conducted, said the source, who asked not to be identified because the results have not officially been made public.
The test was done in July by the International Association of Athletics Federations in Europe. If the second “B” test is positive, Jenkins could face a minimum two-year ban from competition.
After many many years of competition in the pros, Marion Jones has finally tested positive. Can’t say I’m surprised - her ex boyfriend and the father of her child had both already failed drug tests. Her “B” sample will be tested sometime this week.
The “A” sample from the June 23 test was positive for the banned endurance-enhancer EPO. If the second test is positive, the five-time Olympic medalist could face a minimum two-year ban from the sport.
“I don’t expect we’ll have the results right away,” said attorney Howard Jacobs. “It will probably take a couple of weeks.”
Dogged by doping suspicions for several years, Jones vehemently has denied ever using performance-enhancing drugs.
The June 23 positive test came after her victory in the 100 meters at the nationals in Indianapolis, her 14th U.S. title but first since 2002.
Landis’ father-in-law commits suicide
As if Floyd Landis’ past month hasn’t been enough of a rollercoaster, his father-in-law committed suicide on Tuesday in San Diego.
“The Landis family is devastated by the news of David’s death,” said Michael Henson, a spokesman for Floyd Landis. “They loved him dearly and they miss him. They hope that their privacy is respected in this time of mourning.”
Police said Witt, of La Mesa, California, was discovered at 3:05 p.m. (6:05 p.m. EDT/2205 GMT) in a parking structure in the North Park section of San Diego. He was rushed to the hospital but died of the single gunshot wound about 7 hours after he was found.
So what has happened since Landis won the 2006 Tour de France by 59 seconds? Well…he tested positive for synthetic testosterone, got fired from his cycling team, was unofficially stripped of his TdF title, and his former team (Phonak) has since disbanded and is no more.
Football Notes 8/17
Just some random NFL notes…
- Deadspin is doing NFL season previews for each team and the Detroit Lions’ preview is up here.
- Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has suffered another injury, although this time it came while on the football field and not on a motorcycle. He sprained a ligament in his right thumb.
Roethlisberger missed the last few minutes of practice Wednesday after hitting his thumb on a shoulder pad, helmet or catching it in a jersey. He suffered a ligament strain. Coach Bill Cowher said it was difficult to tell on video tape how the injury occurred.
Roethlisberger was examined before practice ended and returned for the conditioning and stretching drills that end each workout. He was held out of practice Thursday, and the team will decide Friday if he will play Saturday in the second of the Steelers’ four exhibition games.
- The Cincinnati Enquirer reported that Cincinnati Bengals’ quarterback Carson Palmer will not be playing in this Friday’s preseason game.
“I’m not going to cover anything up,” Palmer told the paper. “I’ve got nothing to hide. I’m not going out there until I’m 100 percent. And I don’t feel like I have to hide anything about that. If I was going to go out there and do something silly and try to play at 85 percent, then that’s not the best thing for me or the organization. This organization wants me to be 100 percent.”
Lewis has indicated that if Palmer does not play in any of Cincinnati’s four preseason games he will not start the regular-season opener. In that event, the starter would almost certainly be Anthony Wright, who has performed well in camp and in the preseason.
Video of an ACL Reconstruction
Dr. Angelo Colosimo is the team orthopedic surgeon for the Cincinnati Bengals and he has narrated an ACL reconstruction so if anyone is interested in seeing what goes on in one of those operations, check out the link below. He does an excellent job explaining what happens in your typical bone-patellar-bone autograft ACL Reconstruction. Oh, it only shows the inside of the knee so you don’t have to worry about seeing the incision being made, the drill going through, etc.
Clip #3 shows what a perfect medial meniscus looks like for those who have heard about that injury and are curious as to what a meniscus actually is. For anyone interested, I no longer have a medial meniscus and that is what I need a tissue transplant for in the upcoming year or two.
And yes, I’m a big nerd when it comes to knee operations. I like to watch them online for the fun of it (plus I saw them for a month shadowing an orthopedic surgeon, which was so awesome).
Lions win first exhibition game
The Detroit Lions defeated the Denver Broncos last night, 20-13. It was their first exhibition game of the season. I didn’t catch the game as I’m up north with my family and we watched the movie V for Vendetta on our only TV here.
Jon Knita will be the Lions’ starting QB and as such, he only played in one series last night. He opened the game up with a series that led to a field goal. In that series, Knita passed for 21 yards going 2 for 5.
Maurice Clarett: Walking Disaster
Former OSU tailback Maurice Clarett has given himself quite a reputation and it only seems to get worse as time goes on. Let me summarize it all for you…
- Helped OSU win the national championship in 2002 after the team went 14-0. He scored 18 touchdowns.
- Yelled at his position coach in 2002. In the same year, he got mad at OSU officials for not allowing him to fly home for a friend’s funeral and said these officials lied when they said he hadn’t filled out the proper paperwork.
- In July 2003, he was accused of getting preferential treatment from a professor, but there was never any supporting evidence found.
- He filed a false police report in September 2003 saying that he had $10,000 worth of CDs and other equipment stolen from his car. OSU then dismissed him from the team.
- The NFL requires you to be 3 years out of high school before you can be drafted. So Clarett decided to sue so he could participate in the 2004 NFL draft. He lost.
- The Denver Broncos actually drafted him 101st overall in the 2005 draft. He showed up in preseason about 20 pounds overweight (think Keith Tkachuk) and had even been drinking in the locker room. Somehow, the Broncos decided to still sign this guy to a four year contract. However in late August, he was released on waivers. No one picked him up and he was free to sign a new contract elsewhere, but no one was interested.
- Accused of robbery on New Year’s 2006 with a .45 caliber gun. He was released on a $50,000 bond. Indicted on February 10th. Pled not guilty on the 22nd. Posted $20,000 bail.
So now that I’ve caught you up, here’s what happened on August 9th, 2006…
- The police noticed an SUV making an illegal U-turn and driving erratically. The police chase didn’t end until police spikes punctured the SUV tires on the highway. The pursuit took 10 minutes with 4 police cars and a helicopter.
- It doesn’t end there. It took awhile for the police to subdue Clarett. The police’s stun guns wouldn’t work because Clarett was wearing a bulletproof vest. It wasn’t until the officers used pepper spray that they could get the former OSU tailback into handcuffs. He continued to struggle and even spat on the officers (so they put a cloth mask over his mouth). He was struck with a flashlight and restrained with hobble straps at the ankle.
- So what was inside his SUV that caused the judge to make the bond $5 million? Well…4 loaded guns including an AK-47. He also had some vodka and a hatchet. I certainly would not want to be the person that the weapons were intended for.
Prosecutors initially asked the judge to hold Clarett without bond, in part because he had been driving just a few blocks from the home of a woman scheduled to testify against him in his robbery trial, which starts Monday.
In that case, witnesses said Clarett flashed a gun and robbed them of a cell phone behind a Columbus nightclub earlier this year.
- His girlfriend recently gave birth to his premature daughter. He was also expected to play for the Mahoning Valley Hitmen of the Eastern Indoor Football League in January.
I’m just curious as to how you go from being a star tailback on the national champion team after scoring the game winning touchdown to someone with this much legal and personal trouble.