Stage 7 was the first stage in the mountains, and the longest stage of the Tour de France, but when the riders had crossed the finish line seven time American champion Lance Armstrong was in third place just behind Alberto Contador and Italian rider Rinaldo Nocentini (team AG2R La Mondiale) who was in yellow and the lead.
Nocentini was part of an early breakaway and managed to stay in front long enough to win the yellow jersey.
Rockie Frenchman Brice Feillu (team Agritubel) won the stage on the power of his last 5K breakaway from the summit making him the star of the day and perhaps a new rising star in professional cycling.
It was the final 10 kilometer climb of stage 7 where team Astana stamped its authority on the race by controlling the stage as Alberto Contador broke free of the chase pack in the last kilometer to gain precious seconds on Armstrong who stayed back in the chase.
Top Stage 7 Results:
1 Brice Feillu (Agritubel)
2 Christophe Kern (Cofidis)
3 Johannes Fröhlinger (Milram)
4 Rinaldo Nocentini (AG2R La Mondiale)
Egoi Martínez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Quick Step
Iván Gutiérrez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
Alberto Contador (Spa) Astana 3:26
Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence-Lotto 3:48
GC Standings after Stage 7:
* 1. Rinaldo Nocentini Ag2r-La Mondiale in 25:44:32
* 2. Alberto Contador Astana in 25:44:38
* 3. Lance Armstrong Astana in 25:44:40 at 00:08
* 4. Levi Leipheimer Astana in 25:45:11 at 00:39
* 5. Bradley Wiggins Garmin - Slipstream in 25:45:18 at 00:46
* 6. Andréas KlÖden Astana in 25:45:26 at 00:54
* 7. Tony Martin Team Columbia - Htc in 25:45:32 at 01:00
* 8. Christian Vande Velde Garmin - Slipstream in 25:45:56 at 01:24
* 9. Andy Schleck Team Saxo Bank in 25:46:21 at 01:49
* 10. Vincenzo Nibali Liquigas in 25:46:26 at 01:54
* 11. Jérôme Pineau Quick Step in 25:46:42 at 02:10
* 12. Maxime Monfort Team Columbia - Htc in 25:46:53 at 02:21
* 13. Frank Schleck Team Saxo Bank in 25:46:57 at 02:25
* 14. Roman Kreuziger Liquigas in 25:47:12 at 02:40
* 15. Carlos Sastre Cervelo TestTeam in 25:47:24 at 02:52
* 16. Johannes FrÖhlinger Team Milram in 25:47:26 at 02:54
* 17. Franco Pellizotti Liquigas in 25:47:35 at 03:03
* 18. Cadel Evans Silence - Lotto in 25:47:39 at 03:07
* 19. Egoi Martinez Euskaltel - Euskadi in 25:47:42 at 03:10
* 20. Kim Kirchen Team Columbia - Htc in 25:47:48 at 03:16
Tour de France 2009 stage 7 results and standings put Contador ahead of Armstrong by 2 seconds
11.7.09
Thunder announces Home Run Derby details
(Trenton, NJ)- The Trenton Thunder, Double-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, announced the participants and other details for the Yankees-Steiner Collectibles Home Run Derby that will take place prior to the Eastern League All-Star Game on July 15th in Trenton, NJ.
The Home Run Derby will begin at approximately 4:45 PM and will feature Past, Present and Future sluggers. Participants will include Eastern League All-Stars, local High School All-Stars and a former Major Leaguer.
HR DERBY PARTICIPANTS
Brian Dopirak: Brian Dopirak leads the Eastern League in home runs with 19. The Crystal Beach, Florida native has appeared in 85 games for the Fisher Cats in 2009 and has a .313 batting average with 68 RBI which also leads the Eastern League. The first baseman was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the second round of the 2002 June draft. He was released by Chicago after the 2007 season and signed a free agent contract with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Jorge Vazquez: Jorge Vazquez is ranked 8th in the Eastern League with 12 home runs. The Culiacan, Mexico native has appeared in 52 games for the Trenton Thunder this season and has batted .332 with a team leading 51 RBI and a team high .584 slugging percentage. Vazquez also appeared in five games for Mexico in the 2009 World Baseball Classic and batted .294 with one home run and five RBI. Prior to the 2009 season, the first baseman spent 10 seasons in the Mexican League and sported a .321 career batting average in 627 games with 151 home runs and 491 RBI.
Rene Tosoni: Rene Tosoni is tied for 11th in the Eastern League with 10 home runs. The Toronto, Ontario native has appeared in 81 games for the New Britain Rock Cats and leads the team in home runs, games played, walks (36), runs scored (45), slugging percentage (.483), and RBI (49). Tosoni was drafted by the Twins in the 36th round of the 2005 June draft. The outfielder will also appear in the XM All Star Futures Game on July 13th at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.
Michael Taylor: Michael Taylor is ranked 4th in the Eastern League with 15 home runs. The Apopka, Florida native is the No. 6 ranked prospect and "Best Power Hitter" in the Phillies Minor League System according to Baseball America. The outfielder has appeared in 82 games for Reading this season and he leads the team in batting average (.336), home runs, RBI (64) and hits (102). Taylor was selected by the Phillies in the 5th round of the 2007 draft out of Stanford University.
Brennan Boesch: Brennan Boesch is ranked 2nd in the Eastern League with 17 home runs. The Santa Monica, California native has appeared in 81 games for the Erie Sea Wolves this season and leads the team in home runs, RBI (56) and hits (83). The outfielder was selected by the Tigers in the 3rd Round of the 2006 June draft out of the University of California at Berkeley.
Nick Weglarz: Nick Weglarz is tied for 6th in the Eastern League with 13 home runs. The Stevensville, Ohio native has appeared in 82 games for the Akron Aeros this season and leads the team in RBI (58). The outfielder is the No. 3 ranked prospect in the Indians Minor League System according to Baseball America. He was selected by the Indians in the 3rd round of the 2005 June draft.
Frank Menechino: Frank Menechino is the Trenton Thunder hitting coach. He played in the majors from 1999-2005 for the Oakland Athletics and Toronto Blue Jays. He played second base, shortstop, third base and designated hitter. In his 7 year Major League career he hit a total of 36 HR and drove in 149 runs. Menechino played in the 1996 Double A All-Star game at Waterfront Park.
Mark Zagunis: Mark Zagunis just completed his sophomore season at Holy Cross High School in Delran, NJ. In 24 games this season, Mark batted .524 with 33 hits, 7 doubles, 2 triples, and 7 home runs (3rd in Burlington County Scholastic League). Zagunis homered at Waterfront Park on Sunday, May 17 in the Burlington County Scholastic League Championship against Delran High School.
Mike Fassl: Mike Fassl is a rising senior at New Egypt High School in New Eygpt, NJ. The catcher played in all 24 of his team's games during his freshman and sophomore years before being limited to just 9 games last season with an ACL injury. In his 57 game high school career, he has 5 HR, 49 RBI and a .344 batting average. He has participated in the Trenton Thunder Showcase and Blue Grey Classic at Waterfront Park.
Michael Jackson's Misery
There is a belief around the world that rich and famous equals happiness. Unfortunately, in real life that is seldom the case. A case in point is Michael Jackson, who spent years and millions of dollars, running away from his pain of his father. By all accounts, his father was extremely abusive. He turned his family into a moneymaking proposition. Even after his son's death his father's main concern was to promote his new record label.
Michael Jackson spent his entire life trying to become the opposite of his father. His father was known to sleep with many different women; Michael Jackson became asexual. In an effort to avoid looking like his father he spent tens of thousands of dollars on cosmetic surgery. To run away from the blackness of his father he became white. He went so far as to have three children that had none of his father's blood inside of them.
In a sense, Michael Jackson was an incredibly lonely man still dealing with the scars of his growing up years, still trying to handle the internal pain of a young terrified child put in a place of being the breadwinner for the entire family. In the final analysis, Michael Jackson failed. He became rich and famous worldwide, but he never became whole. He never dealt with the pain given to him by his father.
Michael Jackson created a world of make-believe, filled with animals, strange behavior, dysfunctional friends and family in a place called Neverland ranch. He may have been the king of pop, but he was full of scars and pain. Any questions or comments email Dr H. Christian Gunderson at drgunderson@hotmail.com
Michael Jackson, the Memorial and the Aftermath
9.7.09
Well, it's over, I think. I hope. Sort of. The memorial for Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, the man who beat a pedophilia rap, the androgynous Michael, is finally concluded as most of his body should be laid to rest at Forest Lawn Cemetery.
As grotesque as it sounds, MJ's brain will not yet be interred pending further examination by the L.A. coroner to determine the cause of death. Adding to the strangeness, there's a report as of this writing that the whereabouts of the rest of his body is unknown.
You couldn't make this stuff up if you tried.
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I caught a bit of Tuesday's festivities on the news since they were impossible to avoid. And it really did seem more a festival than a wake, except for the very touching, tearful remarks of his young daughter, Paris Michael Jackson.
The eleven year old was evidently heartbroken at her loss, yet braved the thousands at the Staples Center to express her sorrow. Some believe she was forced to speak at the end of the services, exploited as one more element of "a macabre circus. That British observation went on to add that the glitzy superficiality was all "a reminder of why Michael Jackson became [and died] a deeply unhappy, lonely man living an utterly bizarre existence," a comment few American media would dare make.
It also established a "world record . . . for the most people wearing sunglasses indoors."
Nevertheless, coerced or not, anyone not moved by the child's few words and sincere grief either has no soul or has no heart.
Neither Jackson's son, nor his dad or mom, spoke although a host of others-family, friends, and sycophantic, parasitic hangers on-did step to the stage to voice their feelings in speeches and songs over the passing of the King.
Included were, of all people, Al Sharpton, Magic Johnson, and one of the few Whites granted stage time, Jacko's former girl buddy, Brooke Shields.
It's a fine line treaded at times such as these when to criticize any newly deceased is deemed beneath low and rotten. However, to heap praise on a failed human being and pretend he was not deeply flawed is patently hypocritical and false.
Obviously, not all concur on that failure or his flaws and it was a memorial, after all, an occasion to laud the dead although some of the praise seemed just a tad excessive.
One of the bereaved toasted Wacko Jacko as "the greatest entertainer of all time," apparently forgetting Elvis, Sinatra, and the Beatles as well as what must have been awesome stars in ancient Babylonia and Sumeria.
However, that's quibbling for Michael Jackson was definitely the greatest entertainer of the last generation even if some would argue for Bart Simpson.
All that aside, did Jackson's obsequies really merit the worldwide attention and publicity it was accorded?
It has been called America's answer to Britain's reaction to the death of Lady Diana, another extreme over-reaction which occurred coincidentally with the passing of Mother Theresa, a true international heroine.
The latter was virtually ignored by the media and the world. There's just so much space in the print media and limited television time. Besides, Lady Di had a larger fan club.
For those thirsting for a play-by-play, almost minute-by-minute account of the Staples' event, immediately followed by the arrival of a literal circus, see this other Brit article: http://bit.ly/EBicN.
For those interested in reality, most Americans think the whole thing was farcically over the top.
One unofficial poll by the Washington Times, which tends to be more objective than those other Times in New York and Los Angeles, reported some 93% of respondents felt it was overdone while 1% thought it was underdone: http://bit.ly/13V0pR.
Over or under, I'd vote for unnecessary. Likewise unneeded and inappropriate is the proposal by Rep. Sheila Jackson- Lee (D. TX) for a congressional resolution honoring Michael Jackson "forever" as a world humanitarian. As silly as that suggestion is, it will probably be passed by politicians leery of black backlash.
Recall Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.
To her credit, Jackson-Lee, in defense of the King, thought it worthwhile to remind the crowd at the Staples Center that the American Constitution holds everyone "innocent until proven guilty," alluding to the dark clouds of suspected child molestation that hung over Jackson's head for decades.
See previous articles on that topic.
In the interests of fairness on Jackson's coverage since his untimely, seemingly drug-induced death, I've attempted to provide a counterbalance, citing not just his transparent oddities but granting his achievements as an entertainer. To dismiss or forget those dark clouds is to overlook a major part of the essence of Michael Jackson.
I'm hardly alone in trying to forestall the canonization of Michael.
Rep. Peter King, a committed New York conservative who may run for Senator Kirstin Gillibrand's seat, courageously ventured into a political minefield by reflecting my viewpoints regarding MJ and his proclivities.
Rep. King called a spade a spade when he unflinchingly opined that Michael Jackson was not only a pedophile but a "lowlife" and "pervert" and contrasted his life with the lives of real American heroes, our soldiers, firemen, and cops. See the video here: http://bit.ly/pK7gL
Whether King's honesty will prove a negative for his future political success will be determined in the next election but his courage in speaking out against the tide of "glorification," as he called the Jackson phenomenon, can never be faulted.
Rep. King audaciously spoke the truth, which is something that wasn't heard above the din of the accolades at the Tuesday fete and won't be heard from other politicians. Unless they have a political death wish.
The truth shall set you free, we are told. If there's any truth to that, I sincerely hope that before he succumbed to his fame and drugs that Michael Joseph Jackson, the King of Pop, had at least a fleeting moment when he admitted and repented his sins to the King of Kings, his God.
He never admitted those sins to his hundreds of millions of fans.
For those who just couldn't get enough of the 24/7, all-Michael-Jackson coverage of the past 2 weeks, another tribute is planned for London in August. I wouldn't expect any further reference to Jackson's pedophilia, however.
LeBron Gets Dunked On, Nike Rep Allegedly Confiscates the Video
By many eyewitness accounts, there was a major two-handed dunk thrown down by Xavier's Jordan Crawford on Monday, during a pickup game at the LeBron James Skills Academy in Akron, Ohio. Not a big deal, really, because highlight-worthy dunks happen in summer pickup games all the time, especially when there's nothing at stake and the defense can at times be non-existent.
This one, however, was a big deal. And not just because the dunk in question happened on the head of LeBron James himself, but because we will likely never be able to see it -- thanks to a rep from Nike allegedly confiscating video of the incident shortly after it took place.
Nike basketball senior director Lynn Merritt confiscated tapes from two photographers – one being freelancer Ryan Miller - filming Monday night's games in which James played with the college players for the LeBron James Skills Academy.
Miller had been filming for about 15 minutes - which included footage of the high school players - and was approached almost immediately after Crawford's dunk over The King.
Presumably, the decision was made that by allowing this video to get out and appear on YouTube, it would somehow be damaging to LeBron's reputation, which is obviously something that the people of Nike don't want to have happen. But by making sure no one will ever see the clip by confiscating tapes, they honestly could not have done a worse job of handling the situation.
First of all, who cares if someone gets dunked on in some summer pickup game, even if it is the reigning MVP of the league? It's not like everyone is going all out in these things, and while a dunk like that might hype up the reputation of a relative unknown like Crawford, it's going to have an effect of absolutely zero in the way people perceive LeBron James.
Second, and likely of more importance to the folks at Nike, is the fact that this story has spread like wildfire over the internet. It's already popped up on several major sports blogs, and Twitter is blowing up on the subject, with people sending around old video clips of LeBron getting dunked on, and even making their own Nike-themed posters of the now infamous event.
Bad move, Nike. And let's not forget, this comes after an unexpected playoff exit, and a controversy about sportsmanship when LeBron didn't shake hands with the Magic players or speak to the media until two days later.
Where is Michael Jackson's brain?
WHAT killed Michael Jackson? Where's he's body being kept? And where's his brain? These are the key questions that still remain unanswered 24 hours after his moving memorial yesterday.
After the service, LAPD Chief William J. Bratton would say only, "We have to keep some secrets.”
Jackson truths emerge amid burial row
There are still so many lingering questions about Jackson's death.
What killed Michael?
Jackson's official death certificate (see it here) lists cause of death as "deferred."
Where is Michael Jackson’s body being kept?
Sources familiar with the case told the L.A. Times the singer's body was in safekeeping after being released to the family following the autopsy by the Los Angeles County coroner.
Where is Michael Jackson's brain?
Jackson's brain, or at least some of it, is still being held by investigators and would be returned to the family for burial after all the tests are completed.
“As soon as we are done with the brain, we will return it,” Ed Winter, the assistant chief coroner, said. “The last I heard, they are not burying the body yet.”
Where will he be buried?
It is still not known where Jackson will be buried. His body was transported to the memorial service on Tuesday from Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood’s “cemetery of the stars”.
Michael Jackson memorial service online full coverage
Special section: Michael Jackson Memorial Service
Photos: Stars, fans and family honour Michael Jackson at memorial service
Photos: Fans from around the world in tears as they farewell Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson children told: Nothing strange about your father
Join our Michael Jackson tribute blog
Paris and her moving tribute to daddy Michael
A-list stars farewell Michael Jackson: Full list of guests
Tribute quotes from world leaders, family, friends for Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson memorial service takes spiritual tone
How Sydney fans mourned Michael Jackson across the city
The absence of a burial has revived hopes by fans that Jackson will be laid to rest at his Neverland ranch, or be cremated and have his ashes sprinkled there.
“I have friends buried at Forest Lawn and it’s really, really peaceful, but Neverland is where he called home,” Vena Knipple, a book-keeper and fan, said.
Jackson's family may be waiting for Jackson’s brain to be released before burying him. They have reportedly filed for a burial permit with the vital records department in Los Angeles County, suggesting that the body will be interred in Los Angeles rather than Neverland, in Santa Barbara County.
Ken Ehrlich, who produced the Jackson memorial, said yesterday that the Jackson family had insisted on a church-style service - not a television show. “We were kind of mandated to bring Michael home in church,” Ehrlich said on The Early Show on CBS.
He said that he gulped when he learnt that the casket would be taken to the service. He said that Jackson’s physical presence “lifted everything” at the memorial.
The coroner is awaiting the result of toxicology tests amid reports that Jackson abused prescription drugs, including the anaesthetic propofol, which is marketed as Diprivan.
Michael Jackson to be buried brainless, coroners say brain must "harden" so tests can be completed.
Pop star Michael Jackson will be laid to rest today in a Los Angeles cemetary without his brain. Doctors investigating the cause of his death are retaining it for an undetermined period of time so they can perform further tests.
mj.jpg[The] LA coroner's office has still not completed its tests on Jackson's brain, and the singer's family have been advised that unless they wish to wait, he must be buried without it.
Jackson died from an apparent cardiac arrest on 25 June. Though his body was released the next day to relatives, his brain was not. The pop star's inert brain must "harden" for at least two weeks before doctors can conduct their neuropathology tests.
Doctors will examine Jackson's brain to help determine the cause of death, suspected of being linked to painkillers. Such examinations can also reveal unknown diseases, evidence of alcohol abuse or whether Jackson has suffered overdoses in the past.
Removing the brain is the "only way to carry out the tests" according to a source for the Mirror. "The tissue has to be examined. I can't tell you how long that is going to take."
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