Big Weekend

So I go away for a couple of days and a whole bunch of stuff happens that I don't know about.

* One of the main issues of the weekend was the "no-hitter that wasn't." Jered Weaver of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (we'll call them the LA Angels) tossed six innings of no-hit ball against the Los Angeles Dodgers while reliever Jose Arredondo added two more no-hit innings.

The Angels lost 1-0. Two errors cost them.

The issue here is whether the Angels should get credited with a no-hitter in the record books. They didn't get credited with the no-no because it was no completed in a full 9 innings, they only pitched 8. And since the Angels were the visiting team, Arredondo or whoever the Angels might have sent out there didn't get a chance to pitch.

I am on the fence with this one. I want to call it a no-hitter, but because they only pitched eight innings is why I can't. There has been a couple situations of where this has happened, Silver King in 1890 (way, way back), Andy Hawkins in 1990, and most recently Matt Young in 1992.

Either way, it is still a pretty rare occasion, but still a big L in the win-loss column.

* Floyd Landis, aka, I'm-a-fricking-dumb-cyclist-who-thinks-it's-cool-to-cheat-during-the -biggest-bike-race-ever-and-ruin-the-reputation-of-my-sport, lost his 2006 Tour de France crown and will (again) venture into our minds as an irrelevant athlete (I can't even call him an athlete anymore.) Here's part of the story:

A three-person panel at the Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld a previous panel's decision, ruling his positive doping test during the Tour two years ago was, indeed, valid. Landis also must pay $100,000 toward the legal fees of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.

"I am saddened by today's decision," Landis said in a statement. "I am looking into my legal options and deciding on the best way to proceed."

He has 30 days to appeal to the Swiss Federal Court.

In its 58-page decision, the panel at sports' highest court said the lab that analyzed Landis' positive test results used some "less than ideal laboratory practices, but not lies, fraud, forgery or cover-ups," the way the Landis camp had alleged.

In the end, the panel saved its harshest criticism for Landis, who it said essentially tried to muddle the evidence and embarrass the French lab, and continued on that course even after the evidence was shown not to exist.

"Appelant's experts crossed the line, acting for the most part as advocates for the Appelant's cause, and not as scientists objectively assisting the Panel in the search for truth," the decision read.

The decision comes just six days before the start of the 2008 Tour. Landis won the 2006 edition after a stunning comeback in Stage 17, a rally that appears now to be fueled by synthetic testosterone.

Good. Guess that's what cheating gets ya. While I totally agree of Floyd losing his Tour title, I also hate to see this happen to the sport of cycling. I like watching the Tour for the most part and it should be interesting seeing who wins this years event.

* Spain won the UEFA EURO 2008 championship, defeating Germany. Xavi was named the best player, and boy, do the Spanish know how to party. I mean, only one person DIED and 52 arrests were made in the post game celebration.

(Edit: I can't find video, I guess you'll just have to imagine it.)

* They are tearing down Tiger Stadium today. I'm not going to get all teary about it, but it certainly is a sad day in Detroit as the stadium on the Corner is a big part of the history of Detroit sports.

Seats from the old ballpark were available to the public and I was fortunate to grab some (well, my dad was). They're sitting in my basement right now. Here's the Detroit News article on it (LINK).

That's all for now. Tomorrow (or maybe later tonight) I'll post my All-Star ballot and some other stuff so stay tuned.

T.O...Sounds Like a Steroid In Itself

As the title may point out, Dallas Cowboys' wide receiver Terrell Owens has been getting a little heated about the extra drug tests being requested by him. Now, whether he was put on the 'careful-watch' list due to the fact that he missed an earlier screening or that he has roughly 2% body fat is something that only NFL officials truly know but Owens needs to calm down.

The outspoken, hot-headed receiver said "The thing is they had already put in the reasonable cause testing program, which I didn't want to do." "I didn't want to be a part of that." Well, NO SHIT! Who in their right mind WANTS to be on the probable cause list of steroid use? Frankly, out of all of the professional athletes in our country (not just the NFL) I believe Owens should be focused on the most.

There are the obvious cases of Jose Conseco, Barry Bonds and the huge baseball 'steroid era' but they have already been outed. There shameful cheating and fake performances have already been put to shame both publicly and within their personal realm. I mean for Christ sake, Barry Bonds is close to having an asterisk(*) bestowed upon his name in the Hall of Fame if they decide to allow him in.

So, now I think they need to begin to focus on other stars of other major sports which they are rightfully doing. Guess you should have stopped staring in the mirror, slobbering over your toned pecs and answered your phone when someone along the lines of hmmm.....ROGER GOODELL pops up on your caller I.D. But hey, that's just what I would have done.

"It's just ridiculous," Owens said. "I take pride in what I do. I take pride in keeping myself healthy. ... I know what I put in my body." So, if he knows what he puts in his body he must have known that he was going to overdose last year when he took those uncalled for amount of pills. A little off topic but I had to point out that obvious remark of stupidity. Any other way you want to contradict yourself Mister Owens?

--- Z