Dominique Dawes has aged well.
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Saturday, August 4, 2012
Dominique Dawes Was in London to Watch Gabby Douglas Win Gold, Everyone Was Happy
Dominique Dawes has aged well.
Friday, August 3, 2012
McIlroy regaining form, confidence
AKRON, Ohio - A week ago, Rory McIlroy was hanging out in London in Olympic Village.
This week, he's been eating dinner at TGI Friday's off an Ohio highway.
The change in scenery -- and culture -- means McIlroy is back to business, and over his last 27 or so holes at the Bridgestone Invitational, business has been good.
The world's third-ranked golfer has been far from perfect through two days at Firestone Country Club, but McIlroy feels he's not far off from regaining top form after a shaky early part of the summer. He came into this tournament looking to turn things around and carry that over into a crowded but important final stretch of the 2012 season.
"Obviously it would be nice to tee it up every week and be in contention, but it's just not going to happen," McIlroy said. "It was happening there for a while, and it was nice, and my game just sort of went off for a few weeks. The last few weeks I've just been trying to get it back to where it was and feel like I'm definitely getting closer to that."
After a rough start, it's shown on his first two scorecards at the Bridgestone.
McIlroy was 3-over after four holes Thursday. He played bogey-free golf from there and rallied back to even par for the day.
On Friday, an early bogey and a double-bogey just after the turn didn't stop him from posting a three-under 67.
"I don't like that double-bogey on the card but I recovered pretty well," McIlroy said. "Going out there and making six birdies today was nice. I'm trying to keep improving, keep improving on my score.
"Everything with my game is pretty good. I'm driving the ball a lot better. I'm a lot more confident with the driver. I've been giving myself a lot of good wedge shots, and I'm hitting them well."
The 23-year-old McIlroy went through a stretch of three straight missed cuts in June, finished seventh at the St. Jude Classic and then missed the cut at the U.S. Open. He was tied for tenth at the Irish Open and faded to finish in a tie for 60th two weeks ago at the British Open.
McIlroy took a few days away from the game after the British Open-- he watched and visited girlfriend and tennis star Caroline Wozniacki at the Olympics -- and he flew to Ohio early this week to make sure he put in plenty of time on the range here, at a course he likes and a tournament he thinks can be a launching pad.
"This is the start of a very busy stretch for basically all the guys that are playing in the States these two weeks, and then FedExCup, and then obviously the Ryder Cup, as well," McIlroy said. "It's a busy run, but it'll be nice to play well and get into a good bit of form and try and make a run. There's a few things to play for, obviously, two big weeks coming up, and then concentrate on the FedExCup and try and do well in that, and then obviously try to go into the Ryder Cup playing as well as possible.
"It's a very good stretch coming up, and I'm looking forward to it."
McIlroy came very close to entering the weekend at Firestone at five-under after he missed makeable putts on two of his final three holes Friday.
"I'm just happy I'm giving myself chances," McIlroy said. "Those two putts didn't drop but I hit them where I wanted to. You live with that sometimes."
McIlroy is in prime position for his third straight top-10 finish here at Firestone -- he tied for sixth last year and tied for ninth in 2010 -- and likes how he's hitting his driver, especially, as he heads to the weekend and to next week's PGA Championship at Kiawah Island Resort.
"I wish I was a little closer to the lead (Jim Furyk is at 11-under) but I'm happy with the way I've played past the start," McIlroy said. "I'll take a lot of positives into the weekend and going forward."
This week, he's been eating dinner at TGI Friday's off an Ohio highway.
The change in scenery -- and culture -- means McIlroy is back to business, and over his last 27 or so holes at the Bridgestone Invitational, business has been good.
The world's third-ranked golfer has been far from perfect through two days at Firestone Country Club, but McIlroy feels he's not far off from regaining top form after a shaky early part of the summer. He came into this tournament looking to turn things around and carry that over into a crowded but important final stretch of the 2012 season.
"Obviously it would be nice to tee it up every week and be in contention, but it's just not going to happen," McIlroy said. "It was happening there for a while, and it was nice, and my game just sort of went off for a few weeks. The last few weeks I've just been trying to get it back to where it was and feel like I'm definitely getting closer to that."
After a rough start, it's shown on his first two scorecards at the Bridgestone.
McIlroy was 3-over after four holes Thursday. He played bogey-free golf from there and rallied back to even par for the day.
On Friday, an early bogey and a double-bogey just after the turn didn't stop him from posting a three-under 67.
"I don't like that double-bogey on the card but I recovered pretty well," McIlroy said. "Going out there and making six birdies today was nice. I'm trying to keep improving, keep improving on my score.
"Everything with my game is pretty good. I'm driving the ball a lot better. I'm a lot more confident with the driver. I've been giving myself a lot of good wedge shots, and I'm hitting them well."
The 23-year-old McIlroy went through a stretch of three straight missed cuts in June, finished seventh at the St. Jude Classic and then missed the cut at the U.S. Open. He was tied for tenth at the Irish Open and faded to finish in a tie for 60th two weeks ago at the British Open.
McIlroy took a few days away from the game after the British Open-- he watched and visited girlfriend and tennis star Caroline Wozniacki at the Olympics -- and he flew to Ohio early this week to make sure he put in plenty of time on the range here, at a course he likes and a tournament he thinks can be a launching pad.
"This is the start of a very busy stretch for basically all the guys that are playing in the States these two weeks, and then FedExCup, and then obviously the Ryder Cup, as well," McIlroy said. "It's a busy run, but it'll be nice to play well and get into a good bit of form and try and make a run. There's a few things to play for, obviously, two big weeks coming up, and then concentrate on the FedExCup and try and do well in that, and then obviously try to go into the Ryder Cup playing as well as possible.
"It's a very good stretch coming up, and I'm looking forward to it."
McIlroy came very close to entering the weekend at Firestone at five-under after he missed makeable putts on two of his final three holes Friday.
"I'm just happy I'm giving myself chances," McIlroy said. "Those two putts didn't drop but I hit them where I wanted to. You live with that sometimes."
McIlroy is in prime position for his third straight top-10 finish here at Firestone -- he tied for sixth last year and tied for ninth in 2010 -- and likes how he's hitting his driver, especially, as he heads to the weekend and to next week's PGA Championship at Kiawah Island Resort.
"I wish I was a little closer to the lead (Jim Furyk is at 11-under) but I'm happy with the way I've played past the start," McIlroy said. "I'll take a lot of positives into the weekend and going forward."
Source: http://network.yardbarker.com/golf/article_external/mcilroy_regaining_form_confidence/11371276
Earnhardt Jr. takes over Cup lead
Jimmie Johnson won the Brickyard 400 on Sunday, but Dale Earnhardt Jr. took over the NASCAR Sprint Cup points lead.
Earnhardt, who trailed Matt Kenseth by 16 points entering the race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, capitalized on the misfortune of Matt Kenseth, who was collected in an accident on Lap 132 after Trevor Bayne collided with Joey Logano.
Kenseth finished 35th while Earnhardt posted a fourth-place finish -- his best career showing at Indianapolis. Earnhardt now leads the standings by 14 points over Kenseth. It's the first time Earnhardt has led the points since October 2004.
"If you run in the top five and the top 10 enough you'll get enough points," Earnhardt said. "But we'd like to win more races. I know our fans would like us to win more races, too. We're working real hard. I'm happy with our result today. Happy for Hendrick Motorsports and the No. 48 shop. Everybody has to be happy with what happened today. All the cars ran pretty good, but we'd like to win more races.
"We worked hard. We tried to do the best we could. We didn't have as fast a car as Jimmie or a couple of those other guys, but we finished as best as we could have. We were a little bit better than (Greg) Biffle at the end, but he had the track position on us and I just couldn't get to him."
Kyle Busch finished second, followed by Biffle, Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon to give Hendrick Motorsports three cars in the top five.
Next week the Sprint Cup tour returns to Pocono Raceway, where Earnhardt both qualified and finished eighth on June 10.
But Junior was more focused on his team's effort in the Brickyard.
"We're pretty pleased. We'd like to have won the race, but one of our teammates was able to do that," Earnhardt said. "So we're happy for the entire organization. We're working really hard. We're getting close. We're competitive every week.
"We've persevered all year. We've done good work. It's a bit of a confidence booster, something I'm proud of cause we've worked hard all year and have something to show for it."
After the race, team owner Rick Hendrick said over the radio, "Good run today, points leader."
Earnhardt credited the leadership of crew chief Steve Letarte for helping turn around the No. 88. Between the quality of the cars and Letarte's positive attitude, Earnhardt said the entire team "feeds off of" the crew chief.
Letarte said it's "anticlimactic" that the team is leading the points at this point still believes it's a feather in their cap.
"I'm excited to see Dale on top of the standings," Letarte said. "He's put in a tremendous effort -- and the guys on the team have. Hendrick engines -- we've run every lap this year -- that means a lot to us.
"We just want to win more races. There are six more races before the Chase. This was a brand-new car, we have a brand-new car at Bristol -- we have a lot of new cars. We pride ourselves in the whole 48/88 building. We feel we can continue to improve our equipment so we build new cars when we can. Just head down and digging. We have a lot of work to do still."
For Junior, that means contemplating the Chase for the Sprint Cup. And the competitor in him hopes to go head-to-head against the strongest challenger in the series -- teammate Jimmie Johnson.
"We would actually rather us two to fight for the championship at the end knowing one of us is going to get it for the company," Earnhardt said. "If I could line that up right now, I would. That is how I'd have it."
Earnhardt, who trailed Matt Kenseth by 16 points entering the race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, capitalized on the misfortune of Matt Kenseth, who was collected in an accident on Lap 132 after Trevor Bayne collided with Joey Logano.
Kenseth finished 35th while Earnhardt posted a fourth-place finish -- his best career showing at Indianapolis. Earnhardt now leads the standings by 14 points over Kenseth. It's the first time Earnhardt has led the points since October 2004.
"If you run in the top five and the top 10 enough you'll get enough points," Earnhardt said. "But we'd like to win more races. I know our fans would like us to win more races, too. We're working real hard. I'm happy with our result today. Happy for Hendrick Motorsports and the No. 48 shop. Everybody has to be happy with what happened today. All the cars ran pretty good, but we'd like to win more races.
"We worked hard. We tried to do the best we could. We didn't have as fast a car as Jimmie or a couple of those other guys, but we finished as best as we could have. We were a little bit better than (Greg) Biffle at the end, but he had the track position on us and I just couldn't get to him."
Kyle Busch finished second, followed by Biffle, Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon to give Hendrick Motorsports three cars in the top five.
Next week the Sprint Cup tour returns to Pocono Raceway, where Earnhardt both qualified and finished eighth on June 10.
But Junior was more focused on his team's effort in the Brickyard.
"We're pretty pleased. We'd like to have won the race, but one of our teammates was able to do that," Earnhardt said. "So we're happy for the entire organization. We're working really hard. We're getting close. We're competitive every week.
"We've persevered all year. We've done good work. It's a bit of a confidence booster, something I'm proud of cause we've worked hard all year and have something to show for it."
After the race, team owner Rick Hendrick said over the radio, "Good run today, points leader."
Earnhardt credited the leadership of crew chief Steve Letarte for helping turn around the No. 88. Between the quality of the cars and Letarte's positive attitude, Earnhardt said the entire team "feeds off of" the crew chief.
Letarte said it's "anticlimactic" that the team is leading the points at this point still believes it's a feather in their cap.
"I'm excited to see Dale on top of the standings," Letarte said. "He's put in a tremendous effort -- and the guys on the team have. Hendrick engines -- we've run every lap this year -- that means a lot to us.
"We just want to win more races. There are six more races before the Chase. This was a brand-new car, we have a brand-new car at Bristol -- we have a lot of new cars. We pride ourselves in the whole 48/88 building. We feel we can continue to improve our equipment so we build new cars when we can. Just head down and digging. We have a lot of work to do still."
For Junior, that means contemplating the Chase for the Sprint Cup. And the competitor in him hopes to go head-to-head against the strongest challenger in the series -- teammate Jimmie Johnson.
"We would actually rather us two to fight for the championship at the end knowing one of us is going to get it for the company," Earnhardt said. "If I could line that up right now, I would. That is how I'd have it."
Source: http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/earnhardt_jr_takes_over_cup_lead/11327482
DeAngelo Hall admits that he?s not a great cornerback
Humility is not a word that is often associated with Redskins CB DeAngelo Hall. From his pro introduction with the Atlanta Falcons to his brief stint with the Oakland Raiders and up until this very moment, Hall has been one of the cockiest players in the NFL. Please click the link below to read this feature
Subban unhappy with Canadiens' contract offers
Negotiations between the Canadiens and defenseman P.K. Subban have hit a roadblock. Subban, the last remaining unsigned restricted free agent, has made it clear that he won't entertain an offer sheet from another team, but he and his agent, Don Meehan, haven't been happy with the Canadiens' offers to date. The Canadiens have reportedly offered Subban a two-year deal worth a total of $5.5 million. The deal is exactly the same as the one Subban's good friend, goaltender Carey Price, signed before the 2010-11 season. Last month, Price cashed in with a six-year deal worth $39 million. The Canadiens followed a similar route with Max Pacioretty after his entry-level deal expired. He signed a two-year deal worth $1.625 million a season and is in line for a lucrative deal next summer if he continues to put up good numbers. The Canadiens' offer represents a considerable increase over the $875,000 Subban has been earning on an entry-level deal, but it's believe...
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Chicago White Sox: Homestand Filled with Dangerous Opponents
The Chicago White Sox settle into a nine-game homestand following living out of their suitcases since the All-Star break. Despite being the visitors in 16 of the last 19 games, Chicago returns to U.S. Cellular Field on top of the AL Central by 2.5 games.
It doesn't get any easier for the White Sox, even in familiar surroundings.
Opening and closing the home stand are the American League's two wild-card leaders. The Los Angeles Angels face Chicago in the first game of a weekend series Friday night. Oakland is in town next weekend.
Both the Angels and A's are coming off series losses to Texas and Toronto, respectively. Los Angeles is sending recent pickup Zack Greinke to the mound Friday, followed by Ervin Santana and Dan Haren. The White Sox run out Philip Humber, Gavin Floyd and Francisco Liriano needing repeat performances of their previous starts.
Sandwiched between Los Angeles and Oakland is a three-game set with Kansas City. The Royals have plummeted to the bottom of the division but just swept the Indians. Chicago has split the six games between the two clubs.
Sure, the visitors from the West Coast have to be dealt with, but the Royals have proven a pesky opponent. The White Sox lost 11 of 18 meetings with Kansas City a season ago and have to beat a weaker division rival in order to stay ahead of Detroit.
Chicago swept the Twins in its last home appearance and have taken seven of their last 10 games. The White Sox have scrambled back to the top of the heap after being unseated by a sweep at the hands of the Tigers two weeks ago.
Chris Sale is scheduled to start the second game of the Royals series on Tuesday. If his arm benefits from a 10-day rest and the rest of the staff turn in solid starts, we can expect Chicago to build on their 27-22 home record.
NBA Summer League: Festus Ezeli's Huge Putback Slam
 | Golden State Warriors rookie Festus Ezeli cleans up Harrison Barnes' miss with the monstrous putback dunk during a summer league game against the Hornets. | From: NBA Views: 36095   185 ratings |
| Time: 00:14 | More in Sports |
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvHWbnhV8UY&feature=youtube_gdata
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