Daly, the well known NBA coach – Dead at 78
Associated Press – Source
1987 file photo: Chuck Daly, head coach of the Detroit Pistons
DETROIT — Chuck Daly, who coached the original Dream Team to the Olympic gold medal in 1992 after winning back-to-back NBA championships with the Detroit Pistons, died at age 78 Saturday morning, the Pistons said.
He was renowned for his ability to create harmony out of diverse personalities at all levels of the game, whether they were Ivy Leaguers at Pennsylvania, Dream Teamers Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley, or Pistons as dissimilar as Dennis Rodman and Joe Dumars.
"It's a players' league. They allow you to coach them or they don't," Daly once said. "Once they stop allowing you to coach, you're on your way out."
For the whole article [click Here]
Posted in Sports. Tags: Basketball, blog, blogging, Blogroll, Chuck Daly, Daly, NBA, News, Sports Celebrities. 3 Comments »
Skiier Caught Dangling Bare-Bottomed on Lift
January 7, 2009 — flagranny2
Associated Press – Foxnews.com
The picture says it all !!!!….flagranny2
There must be an easier way to get on a ski lift??
VAIL, Colo. — The guy who ended up dangling upside down from a ski lift with his bare bottom whistling in the wind probably doesn't want to hear any "ski bum" jokes. Vail Resorts said the 48-year-old man wasn't injured and was rescued after about seven minutes. His name hasn't been released.
Resort officials have said only that the man was trying getting on the Blue Ski Basin lift on New Year's Day. They haven't said what went wrong.
Resort workers stopped the lift, backed it up about 10 or 12 feet and rescued the man.
Bystanders snapped photos and posted them the Internet, showing a man who looks to be hanging by one ski boot, his ski pants and underwear apparently snagged in the chair and reaching no farther than his knees.
Vail spokeswoman Liz Biebl confirmed the photos on one site were in fact the victim.
Posted in blog, blogging, Blogroll, General, general information, Humor, Miscellaneous, News, random, Sports, strange but true, Uncategorized, unusual. Tags: snow skiing. Leave a Comment »
Fisherman Sets Record, Catches 844-pound Shark Off Florida Panhandle
October 15, 2007 — flagranny2
Remember hearing about the "big one" that got away, well here is the "big one" that didn't get away. Be sure to check out the other picture with the mouth open. I'd definitely say a case of poor dental care…. lol
DESTIN, Fla. — Six friends went to a fishing tournament looking to catch some grouper. They caught an 844-pound shark instead.
The fight by Adlee Bruner and friends to pull the 11-foot mako shark onto the boat from the Gulf of Mexico took more than an hour on Saturday. But when they made it back to land, it was a record for the decades-old Destin Fishing Rodeo. "It was tense," Bruner, 47, said about the fight to land the shark, which has a mouthful of huge, fearsome teeth. "I've fished for 40 years. I've never see one that big."Bruner and his fishing buddies were on a 52-foot charter boat with Capt. Robert Hill, about 70 miles southwest of this beach city in the Florida Panhandle.
The fishermen first noticed the big mako because it kept eating grouper and scamp they had hooked.
"It was like 'Jaws,"' Hill said.
Hill hooked a two-foot amberine on as bait and tossed it out. The shark eventually hit it.
After the long fight, the shark was gaffed and eventually gave up after its tail was roped. But even then, the men could not get the big shark in the boat. They tied it to the stern with three ropes and made the four-hour trip back to land.
The shark was hoisted at the rodeo before a big crowd. It tipped the scale at 844.4 pounds.
After it was gutted, the mako still weighed 638 pounds, breaking the tournament's previous shark division record by 338 pounds.
Posted in fishing, fishing tournament-Florida, Gulf of Mexico, random, Sports, sports-fishing. 1 Comment »
NFL Suspends Michael Vick Indefinitely, Without Pay
August 25, 2007 — flagranny2
Fox News – No matter how nuanced his confession for involvement in dogfighting, Michael Vick got no leniency Friday from the NFL.Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended the Atlanta Falcons quarterback indefinitely without pay, just hours after Vick filed a plea agreement that portrayed him as less involved than three co-defendants and guilty mainly of poor judgment for associating with them.
Vick acknowledged bankrolling gambling on the dogfights, but denied placing bets himself or taking any of the winnings. He admitted that dogs not worthy of the pit were killed "as a result of the collective efforts" of himself and two co-defendants.
Click here to read Vick's plea agreement.
Goodell wasn't moved and didn't bother to wait until Monday, when U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson will formally accept the plea and set a sentencing date likely to land Vick in prison for one to five years.
The commissioner said Vick's admitted conduct was "not only illegal but also cruel and reprehensible." Even if he didn't personally place bets, Goodell said, "your actions in funding the betting and your association with illegal gambling both violate the terms of your NFL player contract and expose you to corrupting influences in derogation of one of the most fundamental responsibilities of an NFL player."
"Vick did not gamble by placing side bets on any of the fights. Vick did not receive any of the proceeds of the purses that were won by Bad Newz Kennels," the court document said.
According to the statement, Vick also was involved with the others in killing six to eight dogs that did not perform well in testing sessions last April. The dogs were executed by drowning or hanging.
"Vick agrees and stipulates that these dogs all died as a result of the collective efforts" of Vick, Phillips and Peace, the statement said.
The above is an excerpt taken from the full story which you can follow here
Posted in animal cruelty, Atlanta Falcons, Dog fighting, Football, Michael Vick, pit bulls, Sports, Vick. 1 Comment »
Michael Vick Signs Plea Deal, Admits to Business Involving Dogfighting
Fox News -Atlanta Falcons star Michael Vick signed a plea deal Friday, admitting to dogfighting allegations that include promoting a business enterprise that involves gambling.
The plea agreement says the business enterprise involves sponsoring and transporting dogs in dogfighting operations.
Vick agrees that the 'Bad Newz Kennels' business enterprise involved gambling activities in violation of laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, according to the plea agreement.
Vick knew dogs that did not perform well were being killed in the summer of 2002, but he did not kill any dogs, according to the plea agreement.
Last April, Vick and two co-defendants tested the fighting skills of dogs and the three agreed to kill six to eight dogs that did not perform well. All were killed by various methods that included hanging and drowning.
The Atlanta Falcons quarterback is scheduled to formally enter his plea Monday in U.S. District Court.
Meanwhile, the NFL quarterback's father asked his son to give up dogfighting, or to at least put property used in the venture in the names of others to avoid being implicated, a report in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution said. [ Full Story ]
Posted in Atlanta Falcons, breaking news, Dogfighting, Football, gambling, News, NFL, Sports. 2 Comments »
Michael Vick's Co-Defendant Pleads Guilty in Dogfighting Case
RICHMOND, Va. As expected, this morning Tony Taylor, a co-defendant in the Michael Vick's dogfighting case, pleaded guilty to 2 charges. 1) conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activities, and 2) conspiring to sponsor a dog in an animal fighting venture. [Full Story]
[In my own words…Apparently this gives him the right to not having his sentence increased regardless of his testimony during the trial but does not assure him of no sentence at all. He has not been granted or promised no prison term at all so he had nothing to lose by pleading guilty.
Some are saying he has "flipped on Vick" or "his homies sellout" and now the NAACP gets involved. Is this really a race issue? The charges are about committing a crime and does not speak to a specific race.
I believe innocent until proven guilty but there is NO WAY this a race issue but a case about "etreme animal abuse". flagranny2]
Posted in animal cruelty, Atlanta Falcons, Dog fighting, Football, Michael Vick, Sports. Leave a Comment »
Michael Vick Update: Co-defendant doesn't want trial
I'm thinking that maybe prison alone might be too lenient. Why not let the animals have their day and make it a law that anyone charged and convicted of cruelty to animals that part of their sentence mandates they are to spend X amount of time alone in a prison courtyard with X number of prison/police dogs that have been trained to attack.
The amount of time and the number of dogs would be left to the courts to be based on the nature of the crime and maybe with the help of Animal Rights orgnizations.
Of course we know this is not even a reality but somehow it would be nice if the animals could have their say in court. It is beyond me to think that anyone could treat any animal with such cruelty let alone call it a sport.
Taylor to have plea agreement hearing on Monday
RICHMOND, Va. — One of Michael Vick's co-defendants doesn't want to wait for trial.
Tony Taylor, a witness in the case and facing charges of "conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activities ("Travel Act")", and to "sponsor a dog in an animal fighting venture, in violation of federal law."
If convicted on the Travel Act portion of the conspiracy charge, Taylor, and each defendant, face a statutory maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and full restitution. If convicted on the animal fighting venture portion of the conspiracy charge, each defendant faces one year in prison, a $100,000 fine, or both.
Taylor is expected to make a plea agreement at his hearing Monday morning.
Other links related to the indictment here
Read full text of the federal indictment
Posted in Atlanta Falcons, Dog fighting, Michael Vick, Sports. 3 Comments »
Wrestler Benoit – Was it "roid rage"? Updated:Benoit Death Notice Posting May Have Been Coincidence
ATLANTA — An anonymous blogger claimed Friday to be the person who posted a mysterious addition on the Wikipedia.org site that announced the death of Nancy Benoit to the world at least 13 hours before investigators in Georgia found her body, along with the bodies of her husband and son in what is believed to be a murder-suicide.
The confession said the changes to Chris Benoit's page — first reported Thursday by FOXNews.com — was coincidental, and were based on rumors and speculation.
The authenticity of the posting could not immediately be confirmed.
• Click here for the entry-modifier's "confession."
"I just can't believe what I wrote was actually the case, I've remained stunned and saddened over it," the user wrote.
Fox News 6/28/07 – Another Pro Wrestler Found Dead Days Before Benoit Murder-Suicide -Article relating to female pro wrestler Sherri Martel
WIKINEWS 6/28/07 – Death of Nancy Benoit rumour posted on Wikipedia hours prior to body being found
Fox News 6/28/07 – Chris Benoit Update: Authorities search and seized computers and medical records at office of Benoit's physician
Wrestler Christ Benoit – Was it "roid rage"? 6/27/07
Posted in Benoit, Chris Benoit, homicide, murder, Sports, steroids, wrestling. Leave a Comment »
University of Montana Cornerback Charged With Murder
PALMDALE, Calif. — A promising University of Montana cornerback was being held on $1 million bail Friday, charged with the shooting death of a man during a domestic dispute earlier this month.
Court officials said Jimmy Wilson, 20, of San Diego appeared at Antelope Valley Courthouse for an arraignment hearing but didn't enter a plea. He is scheduled to be arraigned June 21.
"Attitude is probably the best word to describe Jimmy Wilson," Montana coach Bobby Hauck said on the school's team Web site. "He's confident. He's tough, and he's an engaging young man to be around."
Wilson is charged in the June 2 death of Kevin Smoot, 29, who was shot in the upper torso as he stood in his driveway, Sheriff's Deputy Anthony Moore said. The gunman fled the scene.
Investigators later identified Wilson as a suspect, and Wilson surrendered to authorities with his attorney on Tuesday in Lancaster, Calif., which is about an hour northeast of Los Angeles, Moore said.
Officials believe Wilson was involved in an altercation between Smoot and Smoot's girlfriend, who is apparently related to the football player."It is in the California criminal courts, and we will continue to determine the facts over the course of the next few days," Jim Foley, the executive vice president of the University of Montana, told FOXNews.com. He refused to comment further.The charges have shocked his high school football coach."He was just your typical success story of what you would hope would happen for a kid in high school," said Mike Hastings, the head football coach and athletic director at Point Loma High School in San Diego.Hastings coached Wilson for four years, watching the player grow from a skinny eighth grader to becoming a first team All-Western League selection as a senior in both football and basketball.Wilson, whose given name is James Leon Wilson, is a San Diego native who came to the University of Montana right out of high school. He will be a senior this fall.Wilson is majoring in business administration at the University of Montana.
Smoot's mother, Leslie, said her son had two young children with his 27-year-old girlfriend. She did not know the relationship between Wilson and her son's girlfriend.
She said she learned the news of the arrest Wednesday, the same day she buried her son.
"My heart went out to my son, and for a young man who has just messed up his life," Leslie Smoot said. "It didn't have to happen that way."
Wilson's arrest was the latest in a string of bad news for Montana collegiate football.
On May 18, Montana State football coach Mike Kramer was fired after another of his former players was arrested. Over the past year, five former MSU players and one current MSU player have been arrested on criminal charges, including a murder charge.
"Ultimately the justice system will do its due diligence, and we'll see how it plays out," Hastings said. "I'm just really surprised that this has happened.
"I feel bad for the victim in this case and I feel bad for Jimmy because — both of them — now their lives have been changed forever," he continued. "One's gone and one is unfortunately going to be facing things that we never thought he would face."
Posted in criminal, Football, murder convictions, Sports. Leave a Comment »