Long distance runner Caster Semenya was ordered to take a gender test

I was extremely disturbed by the story I read that information regarding Caster Semenya, an 18-year-old track and field sensation from South Africa, was leaked claiming she was a hermaphrodite. The World Track and Field Federation requested the South African Track and Field Federation force Semenya to take a gender test, after they became suspicious of the large amount of time she shaved off her 800-meter and 1,500-meter runs in a short period at the World Championships, as well as her athletic build. She won the 800-meter run in 1 minute, 55.45 seconds, 2.45 seconds ahead of the second place finisher.

After tests were conducted the Australian media came out with leaked information they said they obtained that showed Semenya had an above average amount of testosterone and no ovaries or womb. Obviously, this would give her an unfair advantage over other women and puts cheating in the forefront of people’s minds.

International Association of Athletics Federations, who conducted the tests, have refused to confirm or deny the reports, only saying the tests are inconclusive at this point. IAAF spokesman Nick Davies said the tests are a medical issue, not a cheating issue, and will address the results as so. But such leaked information has been so damaging to Semenya that she has gone into hiding and cancelled any appearances or interviews. She pulled out of the 1,500 final and has gone into trauma counselling. Her family claimed no knowledge of her gender being anything other than female.

“I wish they would leave my daughter alone. She is my little girl. I raised her and I have never doubted her gender. She is a woman and I can repeat that a million times,” Jacob Semenya, Semenya’s father, told a Sowetan newspaper.

South African politicians have made their disgust known at the way the situation has been handled, and said should Semenya be faced with any repercussions such as a ban from track and field or a strip of the medal, a “third world war” would ensue.

Quite Frankly, I have to agree. What the media and athletic bodies have done to this poor girl is astonishing. Whether the leaked results are true or not is beside the point. This is an 18-year-old young girl that has been exploited all over the world, through no fault of her own. It’s because of careless selfish institutions that this girl is in “trauma counselling”.

This is an issue that should have been handled out of the public eye. It definitely shouldn’t have happened at a world championships. Many South African politicians have blamed the South African Athletics body for not foreseeing this issue sooner. They have called the governing body “cold and callous” for acting solely in pursuit of medals, letting her compete like they didn’t notice anything may be an issue. If the World Track and Field Federation took issue with Semenya’s feminity, surely the South African Track and Field Federation had to have raised some eyebrows. This could have saved Semenya a lot of embarrassment. By testing her or talking about the issue with her sooner, they could have saved the World Track and Field Federation from making this their business putting it on a global spectrum.

I’m not sure I disagree that these tests should have been carried out, as anything that could give an athlete an unfair advantage over another should be looked at under a closer eye. But the way this was handled has probably scarred this poor girl for life. I wouldn’t doubt if she never competed in track and field again. Not only has her hard work and training been compromised but now her personal reputation has been damaged forever.

Not only should the South African Athletic Federation be blamed for their negligence in protecting Semenya, but the Austrialian media should also be disgusted with their actions violating this girl’s privacy in pursuit of breaking news. Haven’t they heard of sensitivity? Of protecting someone’s privacy? The fact that she is an 18-year-old college student should have been enough for the Australian media to step back and act humanly. Seriously, what was gained by publishing that story?

Once tests are more conclusive and the IAAF has decided what to do with results, then the media then could have reported the story. Sometimes, people need to realize that athletes are human beings just like the rest of us.

I really feel for Semenya, and only hope that she can bounce back from this exploitation. As a female athlete I always hate to see other female athletes under scrutiny. I only hope she isn’t stripped of any of her medals or banned from competing.

And among the Illinois High School Association’s new rules is a beat down on possible steroid use, one of only four states in the nation that has a policy on steroids.

While Illinois implemented a random drug test to around 700 athletes throughout the state starting in 2008 only before post-season competition, the state will now have year-round drug testing and increase the number tests to 1,000.

Last year, 10 of the 648 athletes tested came up positive, but those were eventually cleared by the medical examiners office. Still, Governor Pat Quinn passed a law Aug. 7 ffor a tougher policy to focus on performance-enhancing drugs.

Other states to have a similar program are New Jersey, Texas and Florida.
Texas has the nations largest program and has tested 45,000 athletes since February of 2008.

But while these programs have yet to find very many positive results-Texas found just 19 positive tests according to Bureau News- these four high schools should be commended for including steroid testing in their rules, and other states should follow.

While the tests show steroids have yet to find their place in high school athletics, the chance always exists. Someone who works for a highs school told me recently that one of their athletes was under suspicion of steroid use by some of the coaches. Apparently, he increased his body size in a very short amount of time. That state he lives in has no mandatory steroid testing, so in that case what do you do? You cannot accuse an athlete based on suspicion.

High school-aged athletes are at the age when they grow into the athletes they will become later in their careers. Varsity athletes are probably playing at the most competitive level they have to that point in their lives. Those who go on to play in college will only build off of the platform they have built since high school.

And because high school is where athletes learn about sportsmanship and morality involved in sports, these impressionable teenagers need to learn that steroids have no place in organized sport. This is the age they need to be deterred from this horrendous practice.

Schools pour so much money into their varsity athletics programs and in turn the program makes money back for the schools. Thus, it should be ensured that no foreign substances are being introduced into the game that may throw the competition off. Communities treat high school sports, especially bigger ones like football, like big-ticket events, so they should handle steroids the way college and professional sports do.

We all see how much trouble professional athletes are getting in for being busted for using steroids, so the younger kids understand the risks involved with steroids, the less likely they are to use them later in their careers. High school is the perfect age to do it. Yes, it may seem a little accusatory to make 18-year-olds take a steroid test, but maybe if these tests deter a new generation of athletes from using steroids as they grow into professional, testing will become obsolete.

And he did it without the input from the city council or the people.

After Daley suspected Chicago may be falling behind in the bid race due to Madrid, Tokyo and Rio de Janero already promising a full financial guarantee, he decided to jump right in and go all out.

What this means is should the Games produce severe cost-overruns or the city doesn’t get as much money from private sectors as it originally planned, taxpayers may be expected to help make up that cost. That, however, should only happen in an extreme case, said the bid committee.

So far, a $2.2 billion government insurance plan has been promised if things go south. Only if more money is needed will the city tap into $500 million guarantee promised by the city council, and another $500 million after that. But that’s only if needed after sponsorship and private businesses sectors don’t do their financial jobs. Daley has promised an insurance policy to mitigate the worry that taxpayers will foot any of the bill. Still, the possibility is there.

“When the mayor said he was prepared to sign the host-city agreement as is, he said it with the knowledge that by the time we are required to sign it, we will have solidified this private extra insurance,” Daley’s spokeswoman Jacquelyn Heard said to the Chicago Tribune. “The mayor would not even think about going back to the taxpayers to finance the Olympics.”

So, lets say for the heck of it that Daley is right and taxpayers never outright end up paying for the city to host the Games. But what they will be paying for, and what the bid committee has failed to tell them is that they will be paying for the tickets.

I found an interesting article in the Chicago Sun-Times that said tickets are expected to balloon as high as $1,645 for the Opening Ceremony, not counting an amusement tax, due to the large amount of money it will take to produce the games. So you’re telling me officials are shoving it down residents throats that the Olympics will be good for the city, and then these residents won’t even be able to afford to attend the events? I guess that is what Daley meant in the bid book when he said much of the revenue would be coming from “ticket taxes.”Other high-ticket events are expected to go for around $500 dollars and spectators can be expected to pay higher public transportation events as well.

As much as Daley wants to say taxpayers won’t be out money, we’ve got to get serious. History has shown residents and the city are often tapped out of their resources by the end of the games.

The Montreal games in 1976 took decades to pay off while the 2012 games in London that were supposed to cost around $4.9 billion has already inflated to an estimated cost of $13 billion – and that number is sure to rise. These numbers will show a project like this is just too big to know the actual cost until the transformation has taken place.

Well whatever it is spent on, it looks like Chicagoans will have to dish out tons of dough if Chicago hosts the 2016 games.

But that is where the wrench has been thrown into this whole money game.

On Aug. 28, the IOC has pledged to cover budget deficit of the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver due to the economic downturn.

Vancouver’s Olympic Committee is short about $37 million of its $1.75 billion budget due to a decrease in sponsorship contracts and lower TV revenues. The IOC has played a part in that, securing only 9 of 11 promised international sponsors.

The IOC hasn’t said how much it will contribute yet, but will do so for the first time in Olympic history.

VANOC released a statement on the issue, stressing the help from the IOC is not intended as a complete bailout.

“The IOC is not guaranteeing to cover all outstanding costs or to ensure there is no deficit at the end of the games,” the statement said. “The IOC’s support to help mitigate a possible deficit has a limit. It does not and is not intended to replace the responsibility of the organizing committee and its partners and other entities in respect of their obligations to stage the games.”

But, questions still remain for me as to what this will mean for Chicago’s bid.

Does this mean the IOC will continue to “bail” out cities, or will this promise only be offered as long as the economy as in a deflated state? Will the IOC attempt to offer any money to Chicago, or even London for that matter, to help them with their deficits and make it easier on the city to put these Games on? Maybe contribute funds to take the pressure off taxpayers, should it come to that? And if so, where will it get that money in this economic nightmare we are living in?

For many residents of host cities, it all comes down to money. Those who don’t want the Games don’t want them because they don’t want to be shelling out thousands or seeing money spent that could go to help areas of concern in the city.

If money weren’t an issue, I know a whole lot of people who would support the bid 100 percent. While I’ve always loved the Olympics, I think money still stands in the way of my decision to fully support the Games. I would love to go to Olympic events and cheer for my home country right in my backyard. I would love all the publicity Chicago will get form the rest of the world. But I’m not sure about the lingering hole of financial debt that could remain over Chicago in the aftermath.

I guess we have to wait and see how the whole money game will play out should Chicago win the bid. It will be a money game to see if the city ends up in debt and how much, and who will play the game to get it out of debt. And it will be interesting to watch it all play out. I think the financial standpoint will be the ultimate deciding factor in who will be announced Oct. 2 as the winner to host the 2016 Games.

Where do you stand on whether or not Chicago should host the Games?

Jose Contreras Banished To The Bullpen

Usually, I can’t stand anything that comes out of Ozzie Guillen’s mouth. Bashing just about every team and every ballpark who has ever given his team trouble, usually anything he has to say is not worth listening to.

But I was struck by something he said the other day. In the downturn of a season for pitcher Jose Contreras, Guillen finally rid him of his starting position and banished him to the bullpen. In Contreras’ last outing he lasted just 2 2/3 innings and allowed six earned runs. He was 1-5 in his last eight starts and allowed 26 earned runs in that time span. So, Ozzie finally got real that if he wanted to turn his team’s season around, major changes would have to be made.

“You keep pushing and hoping for him, and nothing works. We are not in position right now where we can use guys and hope they get it done. I think enough is enough,” he said Monday after a 12-8 loss to the Red Sox.

“I feel for him, but our job is to win games.”

I love this quote from Ozzie because it means he is finally facing the music that he is going to have to rely on someone new other than Contreras. He loves the guy and wanted him to get the job done, but he couldn’t, and he is moving on.

Contreras is a veteran of the team who the Sox were hoping to get a few more good seasons out of before the end of his career. In Contreras’ absence, the team is hoping that means Jake Peavy can enter the lineup and give a much needed spark to the pitching staff. Under producing vets? Sounds familiar. Oh yea, the train wreck that has been Alfonso Soriano.

As much as I hate to admit it, Lou Pinella could learn something from Ozzie.

Soriano returned to the lineup Wednesday after being sidelined with a sore knee since Friday. And he returns to the lineup in the middle of a .162, homerless four RBI and a .183 on-base percentage August.

And he is a veteran who Lou has continued to work with and be patient with this season. As of lately, he has been quoted as saying his patience only goes so far. “Invariably, you have to start hitting at some point.”

But on Aug. 24, Lou continued to say the thing I hate to hear him say. “I said that I was going to have to play my veteran players,” Piniella was quoted as saying in the Chicago Tribune. “They’re going to have to get it done. I’ll get [the kids] in as much as I can, but I’m going to lean as much as I can on our veteran players here and see what they can do and how far we can go.”

They’re going to have to get it done? But they aren’t, so what now? What is the point of putting Sori back in the lineup, with a nagging injury and all? Whats more, that means benching Jake Fox and high-flying outfielder Sam Fuld and who have been stellar in his absense.

On Sunday, Jake Fox was in the lineup for Soriano and went 4-for-4 with a HR and two RBI. And Fuld has been an all-star in the outfield in almost all of his outings  and has made catches to keep his team close that Soriano never could have caught. He keeps his team in the game and is great on the basepaths.

Now I know people are not sold Fuld can get it done at the plate as he has yet to produce an RBI, but enough is enough, and how much longer can you wait to see if the veterans will start playing if you are hanging on to playoff hopes? With 30-something games left in the season, the time is NOW to make some changes to the lineup. Why not mix it up and play the young guys, because it’s not like we have that much to lose. Pinella said he is going to “see how far they can go” riding on their vets, but its not looking too good.

I know the Cubs have got $16 million riding on Soriano’s season, but if we want to win, were just going to have to face the music that we signed him for that much in the first place and bench the money.

Lou, take a hint from Ozzie that its time to go in a new direction, and bench these so called valued veterans. You have to admit, these new guys provide a spark for the team. This is the thing out of Ozzie’s mouth I’d like to see Lou follow.

Heather O’Reilly was able to deflect a header off teammate Natasha Kai into the net to give her team the victory. It was quite the story for this first season as Sky Blue made the playoffs by one point and who went through two coaches before finally naming Cristie Rampone player-coach for the final two games.Once in last place they beat the Sol who were the hands down favorite to win the league. The Sol had been in first place the entire season and were led by Marta, arguably the best women’s soccer player in the world.

Now that the season is over however, the focus shifts from who won the championship to what can be taken from the first season to improve it for the future.

The league was so desperately trying to shed the shadow of the fallen WUSA, which folded in 2003 after 5 years because of taking the wrong approach to starting a sports league. With one season down, I can say with confidence the WPS has shed the negative light of its predecessor and will be around for a while. Here is why:

1. A Modest Approach-The WUSA tried to put way too many eggs in one basket. Trying to jump on the success of the 1999 Women’s World Cup team, it was over confident and investors threw so much money in, paying players way too much and expecting the league to be golden from day one. Instead, the WPS has investors slowly giving in $2-$3 million a year with a minimum three-year commitment. These investors know its going to take at least a few years to really see a profit.

“We want to keep our eye on the ball managing the operating expenses and not overspend beyond how big the business is in the early years, whereas the WUSA really invested quite heavily, about $100 million, thinking the business would be as big as the [1999] Women’s World Cup was. They weren’t going to have those type of returns and it wasn’t sustainable,” WPS Commissioner Tonya Antonucci told Soccer Fanhouse of the approach.

Teams are also focusing on local partnerships and local sponsors. The local dealings give teams more control of their revenues than the WUSA did who focused on national sponsors only. The WPS did however secure some huge national sponsors, such as Puma and the Coast Guard.

“We think our model’s working, despite a tough economy. We have new investors that believe in our model and our approach. They believe in our product and our fanbase. We have money in the bank from both [expansion franchises] Philadelphia and Atlanta,” she said.

2. The Internet-Not the WUSA’s fault by any means, but the WPS is lucky to live in a time dominated by social media. This is the first league born into the digital age, and it is milking that fact for all its worth. Each team is doing most all of its marketing online. Advertising contests, giveaways, ticket specials and discussion forums, any information you are looking for about a team you can find online. And, it gives the WPS a prime method to advertise to the tween girl generation it is really look to reach out to. Best of all, it is free marketing, and money is something scarce in the WPS. What was even cooler for the league was most games were available over live webcast, bringing the games to fans in a unique way no matter what market they lived in.

3. Big name, talented players-The WPS has really been trying to make this league the prime women’s soccer league in the world. And it has been able to do so by grabbing players like Marta of Brazil, Eriko Arakawa or Japan, and many others from around the world. With the greatest players in the world playing here, fans are treated to truly amazing soccer. Not only do we get to watch members of team USA we all know and love, but we get to see those players they compete with on the international circuit. The WUSA had the 1999 USWNT members, but other minor league and college athletes no one really heard of. Quite frankly, it was boring soccer.

4. Smaller Venues-While the WUSA tried to play and draw crowds like it did in the Rose Bowl that magical day in 1999, the WPS is more realistic and has made its homes at colleges like Santa Clara and soccer-specific stadiums like Toyota Park in Bridgeview in communities that already have a big soccer draw. This way, the 4,500 average WPS games attract make for a more intimate atmosphere, and it costs less to run a stadium of that size. “It was a great base from which we can build going into year two,” Antonucci said in her State of the League Address before the championship. St. Louis sold out its final home game, and the Chicago Red Stars had an attendance of 8,000 in its final home game against the Sol. Quite a good sign of things to come.

5. The Playoffs-The WPS has a unique playoff system that rewards season play, and also saves the league a lot of money. The first place team after the regular season automatically makes the ‘ship and secures home field advantage. The third and fourth place teams play, and the winner plays at the second place team’s home field. The winner of that game goes to the first place team’s home field (L.A.). This way, there is less paying for traveling, and the best teams have the best chance of winning it all. With a playoff system like this, the playoffs are short and sweet and will allow a more exciting season as teams compete to secure that first place spot and home field advantage. Plus, its just one more thing that makes the WPS stand out.

6. Target demographic- While the WUSA focused solely on families with young bright eyed girls who watched the women’s world cup for its biggest fan base, the WPS is trying to not only hold those fans but also to bring in men and fans of the MLS and USNT soccer. One way it is doing that is by the channels it is televising its games on. While the WUSA put its games on channels like PAX, the use of Fox Soccer Channel and Comcast Sports Net by the WPS attracted fans at a much broader level who are already inclined to tune into those channels. There were also partnerships between the MLS in certain markets with double headers in DC and Los Angeles, and there are ticket selling partnerships in place between the leagues as well. On a more grassroots level, supporters sections like Section 8 for the Chicago Fire and Local 134 for the Red Stars were in conjunction and provided a lot of cross over fans and support. With that support, it seemed to make it more acceptable for men to root for teams like the Red Stars. Teams need this support from fans of all types in order to sustain a true soccer fan base.

I really enjoyed watching and following the WPS this season. Here is to hoping for a long and successful lifespan.

Watch Tonya Antonucci’s State of the League Address here.

At first it seems kind of cool to get an inside look at the training facility. There was even the option for fans watching across the country to tweet back and forth right on the same screen.

So then I see over the stream Ochocinco talking to a weight instructor and explaining to him why someone is holding a computer in his face. The instructor then proceeds to tell him he is not allowed to videotape his workout. And, that’s that.

I just have to laugh at this situation. If NFL teams are getting overly testy about players twittering at team functions, what makes Ochocinco think he is allowed to do a live stream of his workout over the Internet? Oh yea, its Ochocinco. Apparently he is exempt from any team rules.  You can even hear players laughing at him on the video when they see him walking around with that camera. They are thinking the exact same thing as me.

We’ll see if his overly ambitious tweets and online obsession will ever cost him sanctions by the team. What’s next, is he going to have his own show on VH1 like T.O.? Maybe Ochocinco should be focusing on the upcoming season, not his followers in twitterland. So far, he’s been having a good preseason, even stealing the spotlight Thursday against the Patriots when he kicked for an extra point to win the game. There are already enough eyes on you as it is, stop creating more distractions for yourself.

Nice try, Chad, but no. Just do your workouts.

Click here to see the failed attempt.

D2- The Knuckle Puck

You tried the knucklepuck as a kid. Don’t lie to me. The only problem was, it didn’t do the same thing as it did in the movie. What a disappointment.

The actual effectiveness of said knucklepuck aside, the way it was pulled out in the championship game in D2 was nothing short of absurd.

The kid is disguised as the goalie, skates out to the center ice, then unleashes the knucklepuck for the score. The only problem is, there’s a solid 17 seconds between when he reveals himself and when he shoots.

No team, I don’t care how bad they are, would take 17 seconds to react to something like that, especially when there’s suddenly no goalie.

Little Giants – Goal Line Stand

Ah, Little Giants, such an underrated sports movie.

Still, it was a kids sports movie, so that means there has to be at least one completely improbable part, prefereably near the end.

I’m going with the goal line stand. First of all, if you watch the tape (which I did), the Giants only stopped the Cowboys on three plays after a huge gain which should have resulted in a first down. So the Cowboys would have had one play left.

Ignoring that, I find it hard to believe that Spike, who looked to be about a freshman in college, got stopped by Icebox, no matter how much heart she had. That just doesn’t happen.

The most improbable part of the movie, though? That Icebox would grow up to look like this.

This may be the most awesomely bad scene in the history of cinema.

I loved this movie as a kid and I still do, but now just for the unintentional comedy. At the end of the movie, now with cool ninja skills, the two brothers play a heated game of basketball against a couple of bullies.

In a game to 10, they spot the bullies 9. Awesome. Then each play is more absurd than the last.

It starts off with a giant block that was not only physically impossible, but most likely goaltending. Then there’s a no-look, over the head shot. Then an alley-oop. Then mini Jamie Lee Curtis hits a layup while getting laid out.

The best part, though, comes at the end when Rocky ends the game by dunking from the three-point line. I love it.

Rookie of the Year – Float It

Let’s go ahead and suspend disbelief for this movie. A kid breaks his arm and when it heals the tendons are so tight that it allows him to throw 100 mph fastballs. I can buy that. Hell, I already bought that as a kid.

What I can’t buy, however, is the last part of this movie. After Henry falls and “fixes” him arm so that he can’t throw the heat anymore, he still has to get out of the inning. Of course, they couldn’t bring in a reliever or anything.

For the last batter, Henry has to face the most dangerous batter in baseball. With one strike to go and no idea what to do, he tears off the tape on his glove, only to discover that it was his mom who was the ballplayer before, not his dad. She urges him to “float it” which he does and somehow gets the strikeout.

As funny as this scene was to rewatch, I’m pretty sure the reenactment of it by these guys in the video below is even funnier.

The Karate Kid – The Crane Kick

The crane kick? Really? You’re going to fall for that in the deciding fight? Come on.

If you see someone going up like that, the last thing you’re going to do is go running at him, face exposed, begging to be kicked in.

What’s even more absurd than the kick to the face to end it (which would have been against the rules BTW), was that the guy who was a jerk the whole movie suddenly is handing Daniel-San the trophy and saying he’s alright. That was the quickest turnaround in movie history.

The Mighty Ducks – Fulton’s Slap Shot

If kids sports movies have taught us anything, it’s that every once in a while a bad team will come across a player with a ridiculous talent that nobody else has ever heard of. That player will eventually help them win a championship.

Fulton Reed was that character in The Mighty Ducks. What’s more absurd than a kid having the greatest slap shot in history is that kid practicing his slap shot in a back alley with hockey gloves and everything.

I’m sure that happens all the time. Want to find the next Wayne Gretzky? Just check the streets.

Besides Steve Guttenberg’s ridiculous attempt at a southern accent, the most absurd part of The Big Green would have to be the final penalty kick.

The general strategy for penalty kicks is to begin and end with your two best players. You want one to get you off on the right foot (so to speak) and one that will close the door guaranteed.

Instead, they decided to go with the smallest guy on the team who probably shouldn’t have been kicking in the first place. I know, I know, it adds to the drama, but come on. That’s never the guy you want deciding a championship game.

I get it. Bow Wow has these magical shoes that allow him to play like Michael Jordan. However, I don’t seem to remember Jordan doing things like playing one-on-one and throwing the ball of the backboard then jumping from beyond the free throw line to catch it and throw it down.

Just look at that picture. Check out this trailer. It doesn’t get much more absurd than that.

I don’t care what kind of magical basketball powers that kid has, I’m backing him down and schooling him in the post. He’s 4’8, tops.

Any Part In Any Air Bud Movie

Oh look, the dog has sneakers. And he can make a basket by bouncing the ball off of his nose. We should have him play basketball. Nobody will ever figure out how to guard that!

And surprise, surprise. The dog can catch a ball. That makes him so different from every other dog in the world. Let’s have him play football. I’m sure there are no rules against that.

I could go on, but believe it or not, it gets a little redundant.

“Will somebody cover that dog?!?!”

Click here to access the original article

Then, I heard US99, the country radio station in Chicago, talking about how the two were hanging out at the Pat Green concert at Joe’s Bar on Weed St. on Aug. 20. I didn’t know football players were capable of being country fans! I found out his favorite singer is Gary Allen and he is known to hang out backstage at his concerts.

As I’m yet undecided if I really want him to be the savior of the Bears this season, this is just one more mark that makes me lean toward yes. Good thing Cutler has another country music-loving friend on the team.

She found out she is going to be working in the Wide World of Sports! That is the coolest place I think because she will get to watch all the cool events that come through, as well as see Braves Players (who have Spring Training there) and get to hang out outside and in an overall sporty atmosphere. Hopefully, she’ll get to be involved with some of the sports down there as well! I’m guessing working at Wide World of Sports will give her some insight into the ESPN corporation as well as give her the opportunity to learn about sports organizations and meet some of the people who run the events.

I think it’s going to be a great opportunity and def think she lucked out where she got to work!

On a totally unrelated note, I also get so amazed by how many Cubs fans are at each visitors park when we travel. When I watch the games on TV, the cameras always seem to find the seas of Cubs jerseys and hats who always seem to be sitting in clumps. I’m watching the game right now, and during the seventh inning stretch I could hear loudly all the fans in the park singing “root, root, root for the CUBBIES” right on cue. It was so loud, and makes me think there have to be more Cubs fans than Dodgers fans in the park. Sounds pretty sweet.

That must be so cool to have a swarm of fans everywhere you go. Wonder what it’s like for the true home team, who might as well be playing an away game.

The Nationals selected him first overall in this year’s MLB draft and have yet to reach an agreement after agent Scott Boras continues to reject any offer the Nationals have thrown at him. It was reported the team has offered him a record breaking deal, anywhere between $14-$16 million dollars, breaking the previous draft pick record of, guess who, Mark Prior, who signed for $10.5 million.

Well, we all know Prior’s story, reminding us of the dangers of spending big on players who have yet to play a major league game.

Nats prez Stan Kasten flat out said there is a real possibility the two sides may never reach a deal.

When it was first reported of the negotiations taking place between Boras and the Nats, I was quick to blame the team if nothing got finalized. It seemed like it would be a classic Nationals move to blow the best thing to happen to them in a while. Afterall, they signed Ryan Zimmerman the day he was signed and their past draft picks in just as quick a fashion.

But if a deal doesn’t get finalized tomorrow, the real one to blame will be Scott Boras. Arguing that a player who has never played professionally is worth as much as his other superstar clients is something only Boras would do. His argument is that the value of players must be reevaluated in today’s market and worthiness of draft picks has increased since other high-paid drafts have been signed. Therefore, Strasburg’s cred must be evaluated with today’s other high-paid players.

The problem with that is he hasn’t even played a game! The way the National’s season is going Strasburg could make a case to play this year. Thus, playing professionally at $16 million dollars is in his best interest, not asking for MORE money. And, as we all know, athletic career spans are short as it is so why not take the most of your situation right now, Boras? Strasburg will have enough pressure as it is coming in to join a team that is currently 43-75. Asking for MORE money is only going to put MORE pressure on him to be the next face of the Nationals. I keep hearing people, even his mom, say it’s HIS decision. But we all know he has Boras calling and texting him everyday wispering him to keep pushing for the big bucks. If Boras and Strasburg decline the deal, he would likely be drafted by a small market team like the Royals or Pirates next season, and I’d say it’s safe to assume they won’t offer anywhere near the amount of money the Nationals would offer.

Hopefully Boras doesn’t cost Strasburg a great start to his career. It would be a shame if he had to wait until 2010 to put on a big league uniform. I’ve been hearing about him since the beginning of the baseball season, and have kept an eye on his college best 1.32 ERA and 195 strikeouts. I want to see a great end to a year for him.