Magnolia Tribune
This article was produced by Magnolia Tribune staff.
Big Brown trainer withdraws from Congressional hearing, claiming illness
http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/horse/news/story?id=3451326
WASHINGTON -- Big Brown's trainer appears to be a late scratch for Thursday's House hearing on the safety of thoroughbred racing, removing the most anticipated witness from Congress' latest look at sports and steroids.
Rick Dutrow said Wednesday he has had a virus for several days and did not feel well enough to travel.
"I would go in a minute, but I just don't feel well," Dutrow said in a telephone interview. "To go down there when I'm not on top of my game would not be right."
The Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection had been looking forward to hearing from the trainer known for his candor and for methods that were brought into question after his star horse's stunning last-place finish at this month's Belmont Stakes.
Dutrow said he used a legal steroid on Big Brown -- although the last dose was given in April -- and the horse also ran the race on a quarter crack in the left front hoof in a failed attempt to become the first Triple Crown winner in 30 years.
"I'm sorry he's not here," said Rep. Ed Whitfield of Kentucky, the subcommittee's ranking Republican. "We had a lot of questions for him."
The hearing will go on, with much to discuss. An Associated Press survey last week found that thoroughbred racetracks reported more than three horse deaths a day in 2007 and 5,000 since 2003. The impetus for the hearing came when Eight Belles broke down at the Kentucky Derby last month and was euthanized on the track, well before the travails of Big Brown at the Belmont.
ESPN.com
6/18/08
Tiger’s absence will reverberate throughout golf world
http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/columns/story?columnist=sobel_jason&id=3450888
Tiger Woods is the greatest thing to happen to golf in a long, long time. And he isn't.
Before jabbing a 3-iron through the computer screen, bear with me. Ever since Woods burst onto the scene a dozen years ago, there's been some sentiment that the professional game can't survive at its most-elite levels without its top-ranked player in the mix -- and there's something to that notion. Although Woods competes in about one-third of all PGA Tour events each year, those without him in the fold often are considered second-class citizens, which in essence creates a division on the annual schedule.
With Wednesday's news that Woods will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing surgery on his ACL while also rehabilitating a double stress fracture of his left tibia, the golf world will find out whether any of those players not named Woods can move the needle both in terms of TV ratings and attendance at events.
Look, golf has been around since the first Scotsman put stick to ball back in 1456. The first major championship was held in 1860, and the sport developed plenty of history before Woods' pro debut in 1996.
ESPN.com
6/18/08
LSU will beat North Carolina Thursday
http://bayoubengalsblog.blogspot.com/2008/06/lsu-will-beat-north-carolina-thursday.html
OMAHA, Neb. - Wednesday is day seven of LSU's trip to Omaha. The Tigers got here Thursday night. They went to Rosenblatt Stadium Friday afternoon, looked around, practiced, had dinner and went through the opening ceremonies. On Saturday, they watched a few innings of the College World Series opener between Stanford and Florida State and then practiced at their off-Rosenblatt home of Creighton University.
They've been to various steak houses. They went to the zoo on Wednesday after an extremely loose practice in which coach Paul Mainieri spent most of his time on the phone or doing interviews. They've lost a game, and they've won a game. The game they won - 6-5 over Rice Tuesday night with four runs in the bottom of the ninth, including a walk-off, three-run double by Blake Dean - was like so many they've won this season. It was particularly similar to the 5-4 win over South Carolina to start the Southeastern Conference Tournament last month. LSU trailed that game 4-0 going into the bottom of the ninth and scored four to tie before winning it in the 10th on a walk-off home run by Dean.
So, LSU is now at home in Rosenblatt and its surroundings. The novelty of the trip is over. The steaks are great, but some of the guys are considering lighter fare like chicken.
It's time to just play baseball. The seventh-seeded Tigers (49-18-1) play second-seeded North Carolina (52-13) at 6 p.m. Thursday in an elimination game. LSU lost to North Carolina 8-4 on Sunday as Tar Heel ace Alex White handcuffed the Tigers as well as any pitcher since LSU embarked on its 23-0 run in mid-April. White will not be pitching Thursday.
Bayou Bengals Blog
6/18/08
