It's Monday. Let's see what's happening....
************************************************
Today is Aunt and Uncle Day.
************************************************
Changes at
Hockey Night In Canada.
2010 Free Agent
Blog.
************************************************
A woman suspected of robbing two California banks was arrested by police in Davis, California, when she discovered she'd locked herself out of her getaway car.
************************************************
The Calgary
Stampede.
Check out
Riderville.com for the latest on "Canada's (And Clearwater, Florida's) Team."
************************************************
Today is All or Nothing Day.
************************************************
Today in Sports History:1939 - Yankee catcher Bill Dickey hits 3 consecutive HRs.
1948 - Leo Durocher returns to Ebbets Field as manager of New York Giants.
1952 - Mickey Mantle hits his 1st grand-slam home run.
1962 - Milwaukee Brave Warren Spahn sets record of 31 home runs by a pitcher.
1991 - CFL assumes ownership of Ottawa Rough Riders
1992 - Nolan Ryan records 23rd consecutive season with at least 100 strike outs.
************************************************
Today is the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
************************************************
Reid Brignac's 3-run home run in the second inning was the difference yesterday, as the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Cleveland Indians 4-2, in front of 13,410 at Progressive Field in Cleveland.
Michael Brantley scored on Carlos Santana's sacrifice fly, giving Cleveland a 1-0 lead after one. With two outs in the top of the second, with Willy Aybar and John Jaso on base, Brignac's 6th homer of the season put Tampa Bay on top 3-1. The Indians got one back in their half of the second, when Travis Hafner scored on a fielder's choice. In the fifth, Jason Bartlett scored on Carl Crawford's sacrifice fly, and the Rays went on fron there for the 4-2 win.
Wade Davis got the win for Tampa Bay, allowing 2 runs on 7 hits, with 4 strike outs and 1 walk. He's now 8-9. Rafael Soriano notched his 26th save of the season. Justin Masterson took the loss for Cleveland, allowing 4 runs, 3 earned, on 5 hits, with 5 strike outs and 2 walks. He's now 3-9.
The Rays are now 59-38 and are 3 games behind the Yankees in the A.L. East. They also lead the A.L. Wild Card chase. Tampa Bay begins their longest home stand of the season tonight, 11 games, with the first of a four-game set against Detroit, to be followed by three against the Yankees and four against Minnesota. You can follow the Rays on 620AM WDAE and the
Rays Radio Network. All games through Friday, September 3rd, can be seen on Sun Sports. The Monday, July 26th game with Detroit will air on ESPN, the Sunday, August 1st game will be on TBS, and the Saturday August 14th game against Detroit will be on FOX.
************************************************
On this day in 1956, the Italian liner Andrea Doria collides with the Swedish liner Stockholm shortly before midnight, sinking 12 hours later. 52 of the more 1,600 people aboard were killed. One of its lifeboats was found on a New York beach in 1981.
************************************************
The Yankees lead the A.L. East by 3 games over Tampa Bay and 8 over Boston. Toronto is 13 back and Baltimore is 31 games behind.
In the A.L. Central, Chicago leads Minnesota by 1 game and Minnesota by 2, while Kansas City is 11 1/2 behind and Cleveland is 12 1/2 games off the pace.
Out in the (not-so)wild A.L. West, Texas leads the Angels by 7 games, Oakland is 7 1/2 back and Seattle trails by 19.
In the N.L. East, Atlanta leads Philadelphia by 5 games, the Mets are 7 1/2 behind, Florida is 8 back and Washington(First in war, first in peace and last in the N.L. East) trails by 15 1/2.
In the N.L. Central, St. Louis leads by 1/2 game over Cincinnati, Milwaukee is 8 1/2 behind and the Cubs trail by 10, Houston is 14 1/2 behind, and Pittsburgh(heading towards their 18th consecutive losing season) is 20 1/2 games off the pace.
San Diego leads the N.L. West by 3 games over San Francisco(The Giants lead the N.L. Wild Card chase), by 6 over Colorado, 7 1/2 over the Dodgers and 22 over Arizona.
************************************************
You'll spend 37,000 hours inside a car. Aren't you glad you've got a radio in there?
************************************************
The San Francisco Giants kept pace with San Diego in the N.L. West yesterday, beating the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-2 in 10 innings.
The Giants' Buster Posey doubled home Aubrey Huff in the first for a 1-0 lead. Arizona took the lead 2-1 in the second, when Barry Enright doubled home Gerardo Parra and Augie Ojeda. Huff singled home Edgar Renteria in the fifth to tie the game 2-2, then Eli Whiteside scored on Ishikawa's two-out single in the 10th, giving San Francisco the 3-2 win.
Sergio Romo picked up the win for the Giants, allowing 2 hits with 2 strike outs in one inning's work, to even his record at 3-3. Brian Wilson pitched a perfect 10th with one strike out, to record his 29th save of the season. Esmerling Vasquez took the loss for the Diamondbacks, allowing 1 run on 2 hits with 1 walk in one inning of work. He's now 1-3.
San Francisco, 56-43 and 3 games behind division-leading San Diego, opens up a seven-game home stand tonight, with 4 games against Florida and 3 against the Dodgers. The Giants have a big 3-game series at home against San Diego coming up August 13th through 15th. Next Saturday's game with the Dodgers airs on FOX, with the Sunday game against the Dodgers showing on ESPN.
************************************************
Museum officials in New Zealand have begun slowly thawing a crate of Scotch whiskey, which had been frozen in Antarctic ice for more than 100 years. Discovered in 2006, the hooch was abandoned by British explorer Ernest Shackleton during his 1908 Antarctic expedition.
************************************************
From http://www.indycar.comEDMONTON, Alberta – Scott Dixon was surprised, Helio Castroneves was steaming and Will Power continues to lead the IZOD IndyCar Series championship standings though he was thwarted again in seeking his third consecutive victory.
That capsulizes the Honda Indy Edmonton at City Centre Airport, where the podium finishers on stage were subdued while Castroneves was animated on pit lane. But it's far from the entire story.
Dixon prevailed in the 95-lap race on the 1.973-mile, 14-turn circuit courtesy of a black flag issued to race leader Castroneves for blocking on Lap 93.
Castroneves and Will Power entered Turn 1 side by side following a restart, with Castroneves hitting the apex a car length ahead. As Dixon slipped past Power into second, race chief steward Brian Barnhart immediately called Castroneves for blocking his Team Penske teammate.
“Helio had the inside line,” Power said. “I tried to go around the outside, sort of got pushed wide, and Scott got through. I would say a black flag is a pretty harsh penalty, but it is what it is. It was just one of those racing things. When you’re leading on the last restart you want to keep the lead.”
The call was radioed to the No. 3 car, but Castroneves didn't heed the drive-thru pit lane penalty. Following the race, he received a 20-second penalty, which placed him at the end of the lead lap (10th). A black flag cannot be appealed, according to Indy Racing League rules.
“I never moved my line,” Castroneves said a few minutes after the checkered flag. “I actually did move him outside. When you go side by side like that with your teammate and they just take it away from you, it’s just absurd.”
Castroneves, who was issued a blocking penalty late in the 2008 race on the streets of Belle Isle that allowed Justin Wilson to take the point and eventually the victory, three hours after the decision issued this statement:
“Obviously, I disagree with the decisions made by the race officials on the last restart in today’s race, but there is no excuse for my actions after the checkered flag," said Castroneves, who confronted three IZOD IndyCar Series officials, including grabbing one by the collar. "I apologize to my team, our sponsors, the fans and the entire IZOD IndyCar Series community for my behavior. My actions were totally wrong and I acted inappropriately to some people who are my friends and people I respect very much. Obviously, I am a very emotional person and today I let my emotions get the better of me and I’m very sorry for that.”
The following rules were applied:
Rule 9.3 (B) A driver must not alter his/her racing line based on the actions of pursuing Drivers or use an abnormal racing line to inhibit or prevent passing. Blocking will result in a minimum of a black flag “drive through” penalty.
Rule 7.1 (B) (4) (C) (4) The senior official shall determine the type and length of any black flag. The penalized car shall proceed to pit lane as directed by Officials and may return to the Race only upon the declaration of Officials. In the case of the Driver Violating the Rules, no work may be performed on a Car during the execution of a black flag penalty. Should any such work occur, the conditions of the penalty are unfilled and the penalty procedure must be executed again in its entirety on a subsequent lap. The penalty may not be protested and/or appealed.
Rule 9.2 (A) Race Procedure Penalties are a result of a on Track conduct and are generally imposed during on Track activity. If the imposition of a penalty is near or at the end of on Track activity and Driver/Car does not fulfill it, the Senior Official may reposition the Driver/Car in the posting of results or apply the penalty to subsequent on Track activity to reflect the fulfillment of the penalty. The penalty including without limitation any repositioning in a posting is non-protestable and/or appealable.
Barnhart discussed blocking during the morning drivers meeting.
“You have plenty of options on where to put your car and we should not have any defending or blocking,” he said in the closed-door meeting. “Again, we will be visually dividing the braking point through the entry into the corner in half. You can only be on the inside half if you are attempting to pass someone. If you are on the inside half because you are under attack from someone else, it is blocking. Don’t move your car in reaction to a following car and don’t impede the progress of a car with a run on you.”
Dixon, who started third, was running third after pitting for the final time on Lap 74 along with Castroneves and Power. He said he thought that because Castroneves and Power were far right of the racing line that they would be in the marbles and he could slip past both.
“Brian always says that if you’re blocking going into any corner and you are on the right side – especially into Turn 1, you’re going to get a penalty,” said Dixon, who won for the second time this season. “We get told every week, so you could see something was going to happen.Obviously, Will had a pretty good run. The only way from stopping him was blocking. So if that's what you call it, yeah, that's blocking.
“All in all, not what I expected to happen at the end. In some ways, I knew those two, Will and Helio, were fighting pretty hard. You could see that the first time Helio passed Will. But to go that far to the right I think in Turn 1, I just continued on with the regular line where it's nice and clean and figured or hoped that they picked up a lot of debris and were going to make it tough through 1 and 2. That's kind of what happened. Pretty strange to not lead a lap and actually win the race.”
Castroneves overtook Power, the pole sitter, in Turns 1-2 of Lap 78 and recorded his fastest race lap on 79 (1 minute, 2.3139 seconds) to put a 1.5-second gap between himself and Power. It appeared that Castroneves would go on to his second victory. His first of the season – at Barber Motorsports Park in mid-April -- derailed Power’s bid for a series record-tying third consecutive victory.
But a full-course caution was called on Lap 89 after the No. 78 car driven by Simona de Silvestro ran out of fuel and pulled off course in Turn 7. Castroneves led the field into Turn 1 of the restart, with Power making a bid to regain the lead he had for 76 laps.
Power recovered to finish second -- his sixth podium of the season.Dixon’s Target Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Dario Franchitti finished third -- also his sixth podium of the season -- and Ryan Briscoe was fourth. Andretti Autosport’s Ryan Hunter-Reay finished fifth. KV Racing Technology cars finished 6-9 with Paul Tracy, Mario Moraes, E.J. Viso and Takuma Sato occupying those spots.
Power retains the series championship lead, taking a 50-point lead over Franchitti into the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio presented by Westfield Insurance on Aug. 8.
************************************************
This is Jimmy, one year ago today. Even at that tender age, he thought movies were delicious.
************************************************
The first crossing of the English Channel by a Manned Hovercraft took place on this day in 1959. The seven-ton SR.N1 developed by John Cockerell crosses from Calais to Dover.
************************************************
From http://www.nascar.comINDIANAPOLIS -- Car owner Chip Ganassi got the expected result from an unexpected source in Sunday's Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, as race winner Jamie McMurray joined one of Cup racing's most exclusive clubs.
Restarting second thanks to a two-tire call on a Lap 140 pit stop, McMurray powered his No. 1 Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Chevrolet past Kevin Harvick's No. 29 Chevy on a restart with 11 laps left and pulled away to beat Harvick to the finish line by 1.391 seconds.
McMurray gave Ganassi his first Daytona 500 win in February. In May, Dario Franchitti won the Indianapolis 500 in one of Ganassi's cars. On Sunday, Ganassi hit the unprecedented trifecta. No other car owner has won all three major races, much less in the same year.
At the same time, McMurray joined Dale Jarrett (1996) and Jimmie Johnson (2006) as the only drivers to win the Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 in the same year.
"I'm the luckiest guy on the planet," Ganassi said. "You wouldn't dare to dream this. You wouldn't dare to dream this kind of year."
The Brickyard victory, however, had a bittersweet edge to it. McMurray's teammate, Juan Montoya, tabbed as the driver more likely to finish the triple for his owner, did nothing to dispel that notion early on. Montoya led a race-high 86 laps but lost the lead when six teams -- including those of McMurray and Harvick -- opted for two tires on the Lap 140 pit stop under caution for debris. Montoya took four tires.
Montoya floundered in dirty air, dropped four positions and ultimately lost control of his car and crashed on Lap 145. For the second consecutive year, the Brickyard 400 ended in heartbreak for Montoya, who led 116 of 160 laps last year only to be thwarted by a pit road speeding penalty.
Greg Biffle finished third in his No. 16 Ford, the only non-Chevrolet to qualify in the top 10. Clint Bowyer was fourth and Tony Stewart fifth. Jeff Burton, Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch, Joey Logano and Kurt Busch completed the top 10.
McMurray was concerned when Harvick passed him two laps after a restart on Lap 143.
"When Kevin got by me a few laps from the end, I thought it was over," McMurray said. "It's unreal right now. How about Chip winning the [Indianapolis] 500 and both of these big races? We're just a great team right now.
"Honestly, when Juan was leading and I was in second [before the debris caution on Lap 137] -- I'm a big believer in fate -- I thought this was how it was meant to be. I won the Daytona 500, Dario won the 500, and I thought Juan was going to win this one. I'm just shocked I won the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400 in the same year."
Harvick was philosophical. He could afford to be, having increased his Cup Series lead to 184 points on second-place Jeff Gordon, who finished 23rd.
"We took a gamble there at the end to take two tires," Harvick said. "On the first restart [Lap 143], it took off great. We were able to run Jamie down and pass him. Second restart [Lap 150], it didn't take off so great. Just got tight. He drove around the outside of me.
"I guess just the first cycle on those new right-side tires carried us through. We were just tight the whole second restart. But still -- a great day. Took a chance to try to win the race. All but capitalized on it and came up one short."
************************************************
Today in Elvis History:1958 - The Elvis Presley single "Hard-Headed Woman" hit #2 in the U.S.
1965 - Elvis Presley's version of the Orioles' "Crying in the Chapel" peaked at #3 on the pop chart.
1969 - Elvis began a month long appearance at the International Hotel in Las Vegas. It was his first live engagement in almost eight years.
************************************************
U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2010 Announced
Five-Member Class Includes Berglund, Hatcher Brothers, Nagobads, RoenickCOLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Art Berglund, Derian Hatcher, Kevin Hatcher, Dr. V. George Nagobads and Jeremy Roenick make up the United States Hockey Hall of Fame's Class of 2010, as announced today by USA Hockey. The five-member class will be enshrined into the Hall on October 21 at HSBC Arena in Buffalo, N.Y.
"These five individuals represent the very best of our sport in many different facets and their contributions have been truly extraordinary," said Ron DeGregorio, president of USA Hockey. "We look forward to their formal induction in Buffalo this October."
Art Berglund's career in international ice hockey spans portions of five decades, during which time he managed or served on the administrative staff of more than 30 U.S. teams in a variety of tournaments worldwide. In addition to his work as USA Hockey's director of national teams and international activities for 11 years, as well as the organization's senior director of international administration for nine years, Berglund previously managed the Broadmoor World Arena and worked as a National Hockey League scout. Among his many international assignments, Berglund served as the general manager of nine U.S. Men's National Teams and eight U.S. National Junior Teams, and was involved with six U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Teams. He received the NHL's prestigious Lester Patrick Award in 1992 and was inducted into the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame in 2008.
After being drafted eighth overall by the Minnesota North Stars in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft, Derian Hatcher went on to play 16 seasons in the NHL, where the defenseman appeared in 1,045 games and amassed 331 points (80-251). While his career was mainly spent with the Stars organization, first in Minnesota, then in Dallas, he also suited up for both Detroit and Philadelphia. After successfully breaking into the NHL during the 1991-92 season, Derian Hatcher enjoyed some of his best seasons in the latter part of the decade. In 1996, he was part of the U.S. team that captured the World Cup of Hockey; in 1997, he was selected to the NHL All-Star Team; in 1998, he was chosen as a member of the U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team; and in 1999, he became the first American-born captain of a Stanley Cup-winning team with Dallas.
The older brother of Derian, Kevin Hatcher spent 17 seasons as a defenseman in the NHL after being drafted 17th overall by the Washington Capitals in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft. He played 1,157 games, which included ten seasons in Washington, followed by stints in Dallas, Pittsburgh, New York (Rangers) and Carolina. A five-time NHL All-Star (1990-92, 1996-97), Kevin Hatcher totaled 677 points (227-450), tallying a career-high 79 points (34-45) during the 1992-93 season and becoming just the seventh defenseman in league history to score 30 goals in a single season. Kevin Hatcher also excelled internationally, representing the United States at the 1984 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship, 1987 and 1991 Canada Cups, the World Cup of Hockey in 1996 and the 1998 Olympic Winter Games.
Few people have had such an impact on as many hockey players as Dr. V. George Nagobads. Beyond serving 34 years as the team physician for the University of Minnesota men's ice hockey program, he has worked with countless other collegiate, national and professional teams. From 1967-90, Nagobads was the physician for five U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Teams, 15 U.S. Men's National Teams, two Canada Cup teams, five U.S. National Junior Teams and the first-ever U.S. Women's National Team. He served as USA Hockey's chief medical officer from 1982-92 and was on the IIHF Medical Committee. In addition, Nagobads was the team physician for the NHL's Minnesota North Stars from 1984-92 and the Minnesota Fighting Saints of the World Hockey League from 1973-76. He was the 2003 recipient of the IIHF's Paul Loicq Award for his outstanding contributions to international hockey and will be inducted into the University of Minnesota "M" Club Hall of Fame this September.
Jeremy Roenick's 20-year NHL career included 1,216 points (513-703) in 1,363 games played after being drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks eighth overall out of high school in 1988. Roenick jumped directly into the Chicago's lineup after having just turned 19. Shortly thereafter, he registered over 100 points for three straight seasons (1991-94), helping the Blackhawks to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1992. Roenick went on to play for Phoenix, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and San Jose, while becoming a nine-time NHL All-Star and the second-highest American-born goal scorer in the history of the league. With Phoenix, Roenick became the only player in NHL history to lead his team in goals, assists, points and penalty minutes in two different seasons (1999-2000, 2000-01). An international star as well, Roenick played in two IIHF World Junior Championships (1988, 1989), both the 1991 Canada Cup and World Championship and both the 1998 and 2002 Olympic Winter Games. He was named to the World Cup of Hockey 2004 team, but had to withdraw due to health concerns.
For more detailed biographies of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2010, please visit the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame website
here.
U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame inductees are chosen on the basis of extraordinary contribution to the sport of hockey in the United States.
NOTES: Dr. V. George Nagobads was part of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team that was enshrined into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 2003 ... Only once previously have brothers been inducted to the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in the same year. It happened in 2002 when Scott and Mark Fusco were enshrined ... The U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame was founded in 1973. To date, there are 143 enshrined members in the Hall. For information on the members of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, visit the Hall's official web site at
USHockeyHallofFame.com … The U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Museum, located in Eveleth, Minn., is open daily. For hours of operation and admission prices, visit
USHockeyHallMuseum.com or call 800-443-7825.
************************************************
Coming up:Tonight --Baseball: Detroit Tigers at Tampa Bay Rays 7:10pm EDT
Baseball: Florida Marlins at San Francisco Giants 10:15pm EDT
Tuesday --Baseball: Detroit Tigers at Tampa Bay Rays 7:10pm EDT
Baseball: Florida Marlins at San Francisco Giants 10:15pm EDT
Wednesday --Baseball: Florida Marlins at San Francisco Giants 7:05pm EDT
Baseball: Detroit Tigers at Tampa Bay Rays 7:10pm EDT
Thursday --Baseball: Detroit Tigers at Tampa Bay Rays 12:10pm EDT
Baseball: Florida Marlins at San Francisco Giants 3:45pm EDT
Friday --
Baseball: New York Yankees at Tampa Bay Rays 7:10pm EDT
Baseball: Los Angeles Dodgers at San Francisco Giants 10:15pm EDT
Saturday --Baseball: Los Angeles Dodgers at San Francisco Giants 4:10pm EDT
Nascar Nationwide Series: U.S. Cellular 250 at Iowa Speedway, Newton, Iowa 7:00pm EDT
Baseball: New York Yankees at Tampa Bay Rays 7:10pm EDT
Arena Football: Orlando Predators at Tampa Bay Storm 7:30pm EDT (Final game of regular season.)
Sunday --Nascar Sprint Cup Series: Sunoco Red Cross Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway, Long Pond, Iowa 1:00pm EDT
Baseball: New York Yankees at Tampa Bay Rays 1:40pm EDT
Baseball: Los Angeles Dodgers at San Francisco Giants 8:00pm EDT
************************************************
That's it for today. See you tomorrow!
