Category Archives: sport – amateur

Iraq has a women’s beach volleyball team?

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DOHA, Qatar (AP) — When Salim Al-Nabit and his friends went to see beach volleyball for the first time, they left their wives home.

Al-Nabit said he would watch the bikini-clad women, but he certainly wouldn’t want his wife to do so. He was there, he added, because it was a matter of national honor.

“We don’t see this a lot in Qatar,” Al-Nabit said. “I think most people think it is outrageous. But we accept it because it is important for our country. We want others to see us as a generous and hospitable people, willing to accept their ways, even if we don’t agree.”

Beach volleyball’s penchant for bikinis has touched off a bit of a cultural clash in this conservative Muslim city, which by hosting the Asian Games, a regional sports extravaganza, is trying to bolster its bid to bring the 2016 Summer Olympics to the Middle East.

iraq-volleyball2-art_0.jpgThe city has transformed itself in an effort to woo the Olympics. It has spent billions on infrastructure and sparkling new sports facilities, including the 50,000-seat “Aspire” stadium. …

Though 16 Muslim nations are represented at the Asian Games, only one, Iraq, is competing in women’s beach volleyball. And its team, sisters Lisa and Lida Agasi, are Christians.

Beach volleyball bikinis shake up Asian Games in Qatar – CNN.com

university football – Saskatoon loses Vanier Cup, again

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Those breaking Huskie hearts sounded so much worse in the crisp air of a minus-30-degree windchill.

The University of Saskatchewan Huskies lost their fourth Vanier Cup game in five years Saturday at Griffiths Stadium, then watched glumly as the Laval Rouge et Or — 13-8 winners — jumped madly around their host’s frozen turf.

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Laval has won three Vanier Cups in four seasons, including a 7-1 victory over Saskatchewan in 2004. The Huskies, meanwhile, are fed-up with a growing record of futility — this latest lamentable chapter playing out before a capacity Griffiths Stadium crowd of 12,567.

The loss left players and coaches teary-eyed — some reduced to sobs — and immensely frustrated.

Laval wins Vanier Cup

Too bad.

The hometown team lost in front of their own fans.

Saskatchewan loves football. A victory would have been great for the Province.

Canada 6th at World Gymnastics Championships

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mqual_canteam6162.jpgEveryone happy happy about the best ever performance of the Canadian men’s team at Worlds. It’s no fluke. These guys are good.

Five of seven team members are from Alberta.

Kyle Shewfelt added to his medal collection with a Bronze on Floor Exercise and the first Canadian female gymnast medalled at the Worlds — Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs on beam.

Details on KyleShewfelt.com

Indiana Hoser

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I, Ricky Bobby, first visited Indianapolis (pop. 2 million) in 1991 for the World Gymnastics Championships and had a great time. This time I am here representing Cirque du Soleil at the USA Diving Championships.

White River State Park and the Zoo are sprawling green spaces adjacent to IUPUI (Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis) — Dan Quayle is an alumni.

The Indiana University Natatorium is host of the Championships.

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A lovely canal system winds through the parks near the venue.

Indianapolis is home to USA Diving, USA Gymnastics and the NCAA Headquarters. More important to Hoosiers is The Brickyard, home to the Indianapolis 500. (I am in town during the Allstate 400 at The Brickyard – the NASCAR Nextel Cup.)

The days of the Klan ruling ‘Naptown’ are long gone. But Indianapolis is back on the map — like Brockway, Ogdenville, and North Haverbrook — because they have a monorail.

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It broke down during a heat wave, the day I arrived, cooking some hospital patients.

» next travelogue post on this trip – Woodward West Sport Camp

sick of doping scandals

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Gatlin Tests Positive for Testosterone

Tour de France winner Floyd Landis tests positive

Both claim to be innocent. Just like Ben Johnson. Ben was lying in 1988 though I believed him at the time.

It’s sad to see the accomplishments of fantastic athletes overshadowed by media coverage of alleged doping. The clean competitors must be plenty ticked off.

Despite what Lance Armstrong says, I believe drug use is endemic in tour cycling. There is just too much smoke for there to be no fire.

Henceforth I dismiss the Tour de France as I dismiss Olympic Weight Lifting and Olympic Sprinting. “Sports” with no more credibility than World Wrestling Entertainment.

Drugs and Cycling - The True Story

Beckie Scott

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Nope, this is not the “Nordic Nudes” calendar page.

Just a thank-you to Beckie Scott for all the great years, the 3 Olympic teams, her fantastic career.

Beckie Scott

She retired April 12, 2006, the most decorated Canadian cross-country skier in history.

Time to relax?

Not at all. She’s the World Anti-Doping Agency’s athlete committee and was recently elected as an athlete member of the International Olympic Committee.

Winter Olympics – Congratulations Canada!

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medal ceremonyCanadian Girls Kick Ass.

Congratulations to captain Cassie Campbell and the entire Canadian Women’s Ice Hockey Team. We were cheering for you from an ocean-side sports bar in Belize. There are a lot of Canadians here in the sun.

With this kind of international success, shouldn’t we start boys playing hockey in The Great White North?

And congratulations to the entire Canadian Olympic Team for the great performances in Italy. I am looking forward to the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver and the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Australia!