The Miscellaneous Sports Thread

[szmik]

They hit their own players 

[Liep]

Serbia - Denmark is on and no one has been injured by objects thrown from the stands yet. 7 - 8 and there's 3 minutes left of the first half.

[Liep]

The live update feed I'm following is using a lot of exclamation marks, so I assume it's exciting. 10 - 12.

[Liep]

To quote the newspapers: "JAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"

[Jacob]

I enjoyed how Politiken used the metaphor of cleaning a toilet to describe the victory.

[Liep]

Wozniacki released a single... it's probably on the top 10 list of worst songs I've ever heard.

http://in.news.yahoo.com/video/other-10107917/caroline-wozniacki-oxygen-28829588.html

[Liep]

Just heard on the radio that Andy Schleck is out of this year's Tour. What a waste of talent that guy has been so far.

Maybe I should root for Wiggins this year.. go Brits!

[Syt]

Old news but THW Kiel won the men's handball triple: championship, national cup, champions league. :schleswig-holstein:

[Octavian]

Wozniacki released a single... it's probably on the top 10 list of worst songs I've ever heard.

http://in.news.yahoo.com/video/other-10107917/caroline-wozniacki-oxygen-28829588.html

That's got to be a joke!

WTF!!!!!!

For the record she's Polish!

[Liep]

And then the only guy who didn't dope himself apparently doped himself. Surprise. Surprise.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/armstrong-charged-with-doping-by-usada

Seven-time Tour de France winner banned from competitions

Lance Armstrong has been formally charged with doping by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) according to the Washington Post. The seven-time Tour de France winner has been banned from competition effective immediately, including triathlons which he has been racing since he retired from pro road cycling in 2011.

The Washington Post reported on a copy of a 15-page letter sent to Lance Armstrong by USADA on Tuesday. In it, the agency alleged that some of Armstrong's blood samples from 2009 and 2010 were "fully consistent with blood manipulation including EPO use and/or blood transfusions."

Armstrong has never tested positive in any doping tests.

The news comes after the US federal government ended an investigation into doping allegations abruptly in February. The nearly two-year grand jury investigation was closed with no charges brought.  The Food and Drug Adminstration's Jeff Novitzky had headed the investigation.  Armstrong had welcomed the end of federal investigation earlier this year.

The Washington Post reported that Armstrong's attorney Robert D. Luskin called USADA's latest allegations a product of "malice and spite" on behalf of USADA, which for years has been seeking information on whether Armstrong doped. He pointed to all of Armstrong's passed drug tests and said the letter was a result of a conspiracy against Armstrong since several teams and riders are mentioned, but his client is the only one charged.

USADA has been conducting its own investigation separate from that done by the federal government. USADA has the authority to suspend dopers from competition in Olympic sports and it can take back awards, but it cannot press criminal charges.

The letter accuses not only Armstrong, but also five associates, including three doctors and team manager Johan Bruyneel. It says that they "engaged in a massive doping conspiracy from 1998-2011" and cites the testimony of more than 10 cyclists. Michele Ferrari is one of the named doctors.

In its letter, USADA says Armstrong used EPO, blood transfusions, testosterone, corticosteroids and masking agents as well as distributed them and administered them to others.

Luskin reported that USADA had invited Armstrong to meet last week, but Armstrong chose not to do so.

USADA had previously said it would obtain information from the US Attorney's federal investigation once its case had closed.  "Unlike the U.S. Attorney, USADA's job is to protect clean sport rather than enforce specific criminal laws," Tygart had said in a statement.

Armstrong responds

On his website on Wednesday, Armstrong issued a statement in response to the USADA letter and allegations.

"I have been notified that USADA, an organization largely funded by taxpayer dollars but governed only by self-written rules, intends to again dredge up discredited allegations dating back more than 16 years to prevent me from competing as a triathlete and try and strip me of the seven Tour de France victories I earned. These are the very same charges and the same witnesses that the Justice Department chose not to pursue after a two-year investigation. These charges are baseless, motivated by spite and advanced through testimony bought and paid for by promises of anonymity and immunity. Although USADA alleges a wide-ranging conspiracy extended over more than 16 years, I am the only athlete it has chosen to charge. USADA's malice, its methods, its star-chamber practices, and its decision to punish first and adjudicate later all are at odds with our ideals of fairness and fair play.

"I have never doped, and, unlike many of my accusers, I have competed as an endurance athlete for 25 years with no spike in performance, passed more than 500 drug tests and never failed one. That USADA ignores this fundamental distinction and charges me instead of the admitted dopers says far more about USADA, its lack of fairness and this vendetta than it does about my guilt or innocence."

[Liep]

Someone should tell Armstrong that all doping agencies operate only by self-written rules. I also like his excuse that those scienceguys that accuse him haven't competed on the top level and so don't know shit.

[Syt]

Yo, Liep, you had subscribed to NFL Game Pass last year, right? How was it? Was it only for live games? Or could you also watch the games after the fact?

[Liep]

Yo, Liep, you had subscribed to NFL Game Pass last year, right? How was it? Was it only for live games? Or could you also watch the games after the fact?

All games, also after they were played. I'm pretty sure all weeks were available, but it could've been just three weeks back or something.

[Liep]

Also, if you plan on getting it I had better results using internet explorer. Firefox sometimes went to low quality for no reason.

[Syt]

Ok, thanks for the heads up.

I've cancelled my TV subscription, and the only thing I felt I might be missing was the NFL coverage (though I may miss College Game Day, too, as it was a nice thing to leave running on Saturday afternoons). That way I have at least the games covered if not the pre-game/half-time shows (was ESPN, anyways).