In closing.....

Over the past 3 months I've collected stories about events and news in sports. Like I promised I steered away from the mainstream sports and focused more on other sports. Sports like soccer, tennis, NASCAR, horse racing and a variety of Olympic sports. Along with stories I collected I used other sources and technologies to enhance my blog such as an RSS feed, Twitter and Facebook widgets, a video bar and a Twitter feed. I also compiled a list of other blogs that could relate to the sports I discussed that my readers could access more stories from. I learned much about technology during this whole blogging process. I used many hyperlinks to connect the things I was saying in my posts to outside sources. I hoped this would make my posts more credible and I also thought it would help readers learn more about what I was discussing if they didn't really understand.


images.businessweek.com's picture of NASCAR.
A sport I really didn't understand before my blog


a twitter widget

I also learned a lot about technology from my blog. Having never used a blog before I really didn't understand how to embed videos and I wasn't very good at pulling pictures, videos and newspaper stories together to compile a post. I considered myself a journalist but I never considered myself a web journalist, or what you could call a 21st century journalist. Though I can gather evidence and write stories well that could be used by a newspaper print I couldn't use technology online to connect things the way this blog helped me. I now feel more confident in being able to use the Internet and connect different sites for credibility. Though I've had fun writing this blog it's been very challenging and keeping up with it on a day to day basis has been extremely difficult. Blogging and bloggers are journalists and I believe we're going to start to see a more dramatic shift in the way the news is received. Bloggers will become the new media and may begin to earn just as much money as in office journalists. We'll have to wait and see what happens with blogs, blogging and the Internet in general. It's been fun but for now I'd like to close my blog with one last story and even though I'm dying to write a post on the upcoming Cavaliers/Heat game where he-who-must-not-be-named will be returning to the city of Cleveland I promised I wouldn't. I will end with a man whose year has been maybe more exciting than #23's, Tiger Woods.

Blogger has taught me much about technology.

Over a year ago the sporting world was flipped upside-down when we learned about Tiger Woods and his infamous sex scandal. After being the golden boy of Nike, Tiger Woods shocked the world by revealing that he had a "sex addiction" and had had numerous affairs with women while married. The world has spent the last year waiting for different information to unfold on this story and we heard, from many women, the tales of his affairs and the crumble of his marriage. After a years worth of stories, press conferences, tears, rehab, emotional games of golf and what Tiger calls "his greatest year of personal growth away from golf", Tiger Woods will have his chance to regain his No. 1 golf ranking at the Chevron World Challenge this Thursday. The Chicago Tribune wrote that Tiger will tee off against 18 other golfers at Sherwood Country Club while golf's current No. 1 Lee Westwood will tee off in South Africa at the Nedbank Golf Challenge . If Tiger finishes well at Chevron and Westwood finishes outside of the top 2 at Nedbank Tiger will gain his No. 1 ranking back. If Tiger does not win the Chevron Challenge it will be his first win less year since he was a junior. Though it's been an emotional year for Woods I'm sure many of golf's faithful fans are hoping to see Tiger back at full swing. 

It's been a while since fans have seen this Tiger  

 
Westwood must finish outside of the Top 2 for Tiger

  to claim the No. 1 spot.

Tiger Woods reflects on the year. The associated press:

Another blog that might interest you is Kaleb's Blog, a blog on the NC State Wolfpack (my college!)

Happy Sporting!!

Portugal upsets World Cup Champion Spain

Spain's men's national team played a friendly against an improved Portugal national team Wednesday night in Lisbon where the Portuguese dominated the 2010 World Cup Champions with a 4-0 victory. This loss for Spain is the worst loss they have suffered since 1963 when Scotland defeated them 6-2. Surprisingly the Spaniards have only won three out of the last six games since the World Cup, and against the sub par teams of Liechtenstein, Lithuania and Scotland, and have allowed 12 goals in only four games! It's very unexpected from a team that months ago had the world at their feet at the World Cup in South Africa. This loss especially comes to a surprise with Spain's superstar forwards David Villa and Fernando Torres who have scored a combined total of 71 goals and excellent defense man Sergio Ramos. These players played no where close to their performance at the World Cup. Portugal's versatility up front made the Spanish defense suffer. With three different scorers in Carlos Martins, Helder Postiga and Hugo Almeida Portugal was able to keep Spain's defense busy the entire 90 minute game, scoring first in the 45th minute and scoring consecutively throughout the rest of the match. ESPN covered the match and said it was a great moral win for the Portuguese national team who were defeated by Spain in the second round of the World Cup and forced to go home early.

Here are highlights from the game provided by Youtube:




Worldcorrespondents.com shows a Portugal player
winning a ball from Spain in their 4-0 victory.


The win for Portugal against Spain also brings an interesting spin behind this battle between Portugal and Spain involving the bidding of the location of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. The FIFA ethics committee began an investigation of the two nations when it was rumored in an English press that the two nations had conspired to vote for each other so that both countries could have the World Cup in their respected country. There was not enough sufficient evidence to hold either country responsible leaving Spain and Portugal in the running for the 2018 World Cup along with England, Russia, Belgium, and Holland. These two countries  hope that together they can bring the World Cup, if not two World Cups, to Europe and their countries.

caughtoffside.com shows the world and slogan of FIFA.
The FIFA committee has a big decision to make about the
location of the 2018 World Cup.

Manny Pacquiao makes boxing history!

Spanning from 1932-1981 Sugar Ray Robinson, Muhammad Ali, Henry Armstrong, and Joe Louis were known as the best boxers in history but in 2010 Manny Pacquiao accomplished something that has set him in boxing history as one of the greatest fighters of all time. On Saturday, November 13th Pacquiao fought welterweight titlist Antonio Margarito for the Jr. Middleweight Championship of the world and won.What's the big deal about that? Pacquiao's victory made him the first boxer in history to win ten championship titles in eight different weight divisions.


Pacquiao gets weighed before the fight.

Over Pacquiao's career he's won titles at 112, 122, 126,130,135,140, 147, and 154 pounds, spanning his weight class from Flyweight to Jr. Middleweight. He was named Fighter of the Decade for the 2000's by the Boxing Writers Association of America, who also named him Fighter of the Year for 2006,2008 and 2009. Pacquiao's record currently stands at 52 wins, with 38 knockouts and 14 decisions, only 3 losses and 2 draws. Though Pacquiao boasts an incredible record and awards to go with it, it was the way in which he won his last fight that has boxing fans all over the world in awe of this man.

Pacquiao fought Margarito in a contracted fight at 150 lbs, but at Friday night's weigh in Pacquiao only weighed in at about 145 lbs and only pick up three more pounds to fill him out to 148 against 165 lb Margarito on fight night. The weight difference wasn't the only staggering statistic against Pacquiao. Margarito also held a 4½-inch height advantage and 6-inch reach advantage over Pacquiao. Though Margarito looked to be at a physical advantage Pacquiao seemed to be favored to win the fight. In which Pacquiao did, winning every round of the 12 round fight. Pacquiao threw 1,069 punches connecting on 474 of them, an impressive 44% connection percentage, and threw 713 power shots connecting on 411, for a 58% connection percentage. Marganto, who boasts a 38-7 record with 27 knockouts, fought hard and refused to quit even in the final rounds of the fight when both of his eyes had almost swollen completely shut. Marganto was taken to the hospital after the fight and underwent surgery for a fractured orbital bone in his face. Pacquiao won with honor and dignity, saying after the fight that he asked the referee to call it numerous times during the fight stating that he "didn't want to damage him permanently. That's not what boxing is about." All of this information can be found at ESPN's article on Pacquiao and the fight.



The differences show in the two fighters.

ESPN weighs in on Pacquiao's fight with Margarito and his upcoming fights:




Pacquiao has only one more contender to fight that would solidify him as the best fighter in the world currently. Floyd Mayweather, the closest "pound-for-pound" fighter to Pacquiao, declined fighting Pacquiao in Saturday's match which was given to Margarito instead. No fight has been set for these two boxers so boxing fans can only wait with anticipation to these two fighters duke it out for the title of world's greatest boxer.


Floyd Mayweather, Pacquiao's man to beat.

Super Star Athlete Retires.....

When humans are three-years-old we're just learning how to walk, talk and identify objects around the house but three-year-old American thoroughbred race horse Super Saver has the prestigous 2010 Kentucky Derby Championship Title to put on his mantle. After winning the Derby in May Super Saver and his jockey Calvin Borel, who won his third Derby title in four years with Super Saver's victory, went on to race in the Preakness Stakes. Saver finished eighth in the Preakness race making him the most recent horse to not win the Triple Crown. The Triple Crown has not been reached since 1978's Affirmed.


Super Saver leads the race

After losses in both the Peakness Stakes and the Haskell Invitational Super Saver had a full ventenary exam, which revealed that he had bruising and inflamation in all four of his cannon bones. According to ABC News the colt would have an anticipated full recovery but owners and trainers felt that there would be a slight risk Saver would not return to the same form. ESPN said instead of racing Super Saver would become a stud horse, a stallion that is kept for breeding, but no stud fee has been set yet. Saver retires with $1,889,766 earned from 3 wins in 10 starts with two second-place finishes and one third to his name. Though fans may be disappointed in Saver sitting the sidelines, owners and trainers think he has "nothing more to prove". Hopefully he'll breed champions that will take down the Triple Crown.

Video of Super Saver and jockey Calvin Borel winning the 2010 Kentucky Derby:

Tennis witnesses change in U.S. Davis Cup Captain

After serving 10 years as tennis's U.S. Davis Cup Captain Patrick McEnroe has stepped down. McEnroe, the 38th captain of the Davis Cup, will be replaced by 1990's Davis Cup star, Jim Courier. For non-tennis followers, the Davis Cup is an international team event in men's tennis run by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) .  The United States has had the most tournament wins, with 32 victories, and most finishes as runner-up, with 29 times. Spain won the Davis Cup last year so the resignation of McEnroe may be Courier's chance to bring the Davis Cup back to the U.S. as captain.


McEnroe (left) will leave the Davis Cup Captain role to Courier (right)

The New York Times story on the captain change showed both player's respect for McEnroe and the excitement of Courier's arrival. Players like Andre Agassi called Courier “an inspired choice.” ESPN also ran the captain change story where Andy Roddick, 2003 U.S. Open Champion, tweeted: "jim courier new davis cup captain.... great choice!" In the same article Agassi also said "Jim has the experience, integrity and focus needed to bring the U.S. Davis Cup to new heights. I know firsthand that a man with Jim's credentials as a warrior and a champion will bring out the best in our players and our fans." Agassi is referring to Courier's excellence and dominance of the tennis world.  Courier won four Grand Slam singles titles and he holds the record for being the youngest person to have reached the finals of all four Grand Slam singles tournaments. In the Davis Cup alone Courier helped lead the U.S. to titles twice in '92 and '95. Courier holds a 13-1 record in Davis Cup championship play. With these kind of credentials and this kind of confidence from players, that Courier hopes will commit themselves to the 2011 Davis Cup Championship, Courier and the U.S. team look positive to come out of the championship with gold.

Top U.S. players Roddick (left) and Agassi (Right) are excited about
Courier as new Davis Cup Captain

NASCAR drivers take foot off pedal and put into sneakers

Being from the North (the great city of Canton, OH and home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame) I was very unaware of the Southen love of NASCAR. Not many people from my hometown watched NASCAR or knew anything about it. There was only one NASCAR lover that I knew of and he showed his support in his everyday wear of his beat-up Rusty Wallace hat while the rest of us stuck to the current status of King James and crew. My first step on my semi-southern school I quickly began to notice the extreme differences of the South and the North. Not only was there an extreme increase in sundresses, cowboy boots, pick-up trucks and camouflage there was also the sudden appearance of NASCAR fans. Students everywhere were wearing clothing, carrying backpacks, and talking about this sport that I had relatively no knowledge of.
Though I didn't know much about it I knew one thing was for sure when it came to NASCAR, the main concept involved people driving race cars that are traveling at a very fast speed around a track. First one to the finish won. Sounded a lot like track to me but with cars instead of humans. I began following NASCAR a little and learned a little bit about the sport. My initial discovery of NASCAR disproved my theory of track and NASCAR being similar. I didn't find as many "fit" guys as I expected to and began to question the validity of NASCAR as a "sport".

 
NASCAR drivers burn gas around the track while some have me questioning if they can burn calories

As I began to question NASCAR and the drivers who claimed themselves athletes I discovered a different brand of NASCAR drivers who were willing to compete in car and on foot. NASCAR driver Kasey Kahne, along with his charitable organization "The Kasey Kahne Foundation",  will be hosting a 5k charity event called the Five Kahne sponsored by Bank of America for the day after the Bank of America 500 in Charlotte. The Kayne Foundation benefits underprivileged and chronically ill children. The event is to held on Sunday, October 17th, at 8 a.m. where participants will run from the Bank of America Stadium to the NASCAR Hall of Fame (Ironically and luckily the buildings are exactly a 5k apart). Along with NASCAR Sprint Cup racing sponsorships, Bank of America has pledged $1 million toward education nonprofits for Kayne's Foundation event. Kahne invited all NASCAR drivers and teams to the event and so far drivers Jimmie Johnson and Joey Logano and ESPN broadcaster Marty Smith have all agreed to compete with Kahne in the race.

Kahne's Foundation event and his car, sponsored by Budweiser

When I discovered this event on ESPN I began to reconsider my feelings on the "sport" of NASCAR. The one thought left that I had was "How in shape could a NASCAR driver who is sponsored by Budweiser be?" The validity of my opinion of NASCAR rested on this question and I only knew one way to solve the answer. I must Google "Kasey Kahne". I nervously typed the name into the search bar on Google, half expecting to be disappointed in another average joe driver, when I was pleasantly surprised. Not only is Kahne in shape, he was featured in ESPN The Magazine's "Body Issue" where ESPN featured the top bodies in all of sports. Needless to say Kahne helped me in allowing myself to deem NASCAR "sport" worthy again and his charity event on Sunday has me anxious to see how fast these NASCAR drivers will be able to shift gears on foot.

Kahne stands up for NASCAR drivers as fit athletes

From New England..... to just England.

Baseball fans may be surprised in discovering that the Boston Red Sox owners are in the process of purchasing the English Club Futbol team, Liverpool. New England Sports Ventures, which runs and operates the Red Sox, proposed sale to buy out Liverpool was approved by the Premier League on October 6th, 2010. Current Liverpool owners, American business men George N. Gillett, Jr and Tom Hicks, disapproved the takeover, claiming NESV "dramatically undervales" their club, but were ousted from the club by a board vote of 3-2. However, the takeover is far from over, the case next moves to the courts where the three other board members of Liverpool will attempt to push the sale through.


Two partners of the New England Sports Venture


Gillett Jr and Hicks face $455 million in bank loans and penalty chargers. If the courts overrule the takeover the owners have until Friday to repay the money or may be forced into financial administration, a form of bankruptcy protection applied in Premier League rules.When a team goes into financial administration they face a 9-point penalty deduction and Liverpool is toeing that line. If the courts approve the takeover Gillett Jr. and Hicks will lose $223 million on their investment in the club. Though the current owners will lose money, the NESV has pledged to clear Liverpool's debt and revamp the team which should make Liverpool fans happy. Except that it isn't. Liverpool fans have expressed unhappiness in the "Yanks" attempted takeover of the English club stating that the Americans only care about money not about their club. The next few months in court and the approaching soccer season will have Liverpool fans anxiously awaiting more positive results from the "Yank" owners.

Brits might not be as supportive to the takeover. This fan certainly isn't.