Canada Cops Women’s Ice Hockey Gold in Vancouver Olympics

Vancouver, British Columbia – Canada leaned on its offensive and defensive game as well as a lift from a boisterous and raucous fans in upending the United States 2-0 to weave their continuous dominance of the sport. The crowd was in pandemonium as the home fans wave their flags, ring their cowbells and cheered loudly for the Canadian team. The one-two punch of Marie-Philip Poulin provided another gritty display of offensive skills as she come up with another sterling performance, while  Shannon Szabados foiled enemy field goal at will. Providing the scoring threats in the game, the fiery Poulin scored the only two goals of the game, and teamed up with her defensive sentinel teammate Shannon Szabados who intercepted 28 United States field goal attempts. The Canadians were seen upbeat and fired up for the game thanks to their ever-supportive fans that gave them the boost and wild cheers they need.

Szbados said, “I looked in the stands and saw a sign that said, ‘Proud to be a Canadian,’ and that’s what I am today.”

The Canadian team was unbeaten in women’s ice hockey since 1998, a streak that stretches to 15 wins, including an 18-0 drubbing of Slovakia in the  opener of the Winter Olympics.

In earlier battle for the bronze medal, Finland pulled out a tough 3-2 win over Nordic neighbor Sweden in overtime. The triumph posted by the Finnish team is their first medal in ice hockey since winning the last medal at the 1998 Nagano Women’s Olympic.

Mayweather’s Friend James Toney Predicts Pacquiao Will Win Via Knockout

Like Manny Pacquiao who is a World Champion in multiple division, the four division world champion James  “The Lights Out” Toney, says many Pacquiao will win against Floyd Mayweather, if the two squares off in the ring.

Toney who won four different world titles (middle weight, super middleweight, cruiserweight and heavy weight), give Mayweather a shot in the arm as the March 13 Mega fight between Pacquiao and Mayweather didn’t push through over the Mayweather’s demand for random Olympic Style blood testing procedure which is not really required in professional boxing.

“I love Floyd and I’m glad he is doing what he’s doing. But if you claim to be the best fighter in the world pound-for-pound fight! Don’t make excuses. According to Toney amid the accusations thrown by Mayweather’s camp which is deemed unfair and unfounded by the majority of boxing fans and writers. He said Pacquiao is one of those elite boxers, who are capable of amassing titles at different titles at different weight divisions.

“Pacquiao’s opting to knock Floyd out, Floyd’s my man, Floyd’s know it but I’m going to call it like I see it,” Toney said whilst added, “The things is this, do you know what a rabbit does when it gets backed in the corner? It faints and that’s what Floyd’s doing.”

Young Lions of Chess Dominates Aerofloat Open in Russia

The young guns in chess have their guns a blazing as their cusp for greatness come to fore as they dominated the ninth edition of Aerofloat Open in Moscow, Russia which is one of the strongest chess tournament in the world.

Teenager Viet bet in GM Le Quang Liem bested a field that boasts of 73 Grandmasters and 7 International Masters by scoring 7 points in nine rounds to become this year’s champion. The 19-year old Quang Liem  also won the the trophy in similarly tough Moscow Open.  Another young stalwart in chess, Anton Korobov checked in at a decent third place with 6.5 points, folowed by Nguyen Ngoc Troung Son (Vietnam), Zhou Jianchao (China) and Russians Alexander Motylev and Boris Grachiev.

Filipino chess sensation won the trophy as the best junior in the tournament.

Filipino American Guard to Beef Up RP Gilas Team

Another talented recruit is set to bolster the Smart Gilas Philippine Basketball Team. Chris Lutz, the promising Filipino American guard from US NCAA Division I school Marshall University will join the team in May this year.

After the NCAA tournament, the 6 foot 3 Lutz will fly to the Philippines. Lutz is currently playing for the also-run Thundering Herd, which has piled up a 20-7 win loss slate and in contention for a berth in the US NCAA Tournament proper.

Smart Gilas manager Frankie Lim said, “Smart Gilas is wishing for him but he’ll only join the team on April or right after the US NCAA.”

Now on his fourth year in Marshall University, Lutz is averaging 8.6 points, 1.9 rebounds and an assist and a steal in 27 games. Lutz is also known to be threat in the three-point area. Smart Gilas is set to train in Sydney, Canberra and Perth in Australia this March 12, then to Serbia from March 26 to the first few weeks of April. Lutz will join the team and finally given to display his feisty basketball skills in April 22 to 30 when the team travels to Las Vegas.

Canada Wins Gold in Ice Dance in Vancouver Olympics

The Canadian pair of Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir pulled out stunning reversal by upending their favored Russian to bag the Olympic Gold medal in ice dance. The bitter loss for the Russians marks only the third time that a Russian duet failed to win the ice dance since this sport was included as an Olympic sports in 1976.

“I’ll probably wear it in the shower,” the elated Moir said and added, “I’m not going to take it off all week.”

The reigning world champion’s tandem of Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabelin, could only finish third as Americans finish ahead of them at second place. The American pair of Merly Davis and Charlie White took the silver medal, to help the United States’ hike its overall medal output to 25, which already matched its record harvest in 2006 for medals won at a Winter Olympics away from home turf. The Americans are cinched to break that since its women’s team is assured of at least a silver finish in women’s hockey.

Nate Robinson Wins NBA Third Slam Dunk Title

Nate Robinson of the New York Knicks squeaked past rookie yet a tough nut to crack De Mar De Rozan to become the first three-time winner of NBA Slam Dunk Contest, by ruling this year’s weekend Slam Dunk Contest. Robinson won by a hairline edge over his foe as he captured 51% of the fan vote in the contest.

De Rozan made it to the final round by virtue of a perfect score of 50 on his second dunk of the first round.

Robinson provided the Coup ‘d Grace by throwing the ball on the backboard grabbing and turning it in mid air to slam down a two-handed backward dunk.

Robinson celebrates his sweet triumph by taking pair of silver and pompoms from a cheerleader from the Dallas Cowboys that joined him on court for his last dunk.

Ski Jumper from Switzerland Wins First Gold, Tragic Death Greets Vancouver Winter Olympics

The first gold medal up for grab in the Vancouver Winter Olympics, was annexed by Swiss Simon Annana, who captured the normal hill ski jump over Poland’s Adan Malysz and Austria’s Gregor Schierenzaver. In 5,000 men’s speed skating, Sven Kramer of the Netherland’s took the title in 6 minutes 14.60 seconds, to set a new Olympic record and ahead of Lee Seung–Hoon of South Korea (second) and Ivan Skobrev (third). Other gold medallist includes South Korea’s Lee Jung-Su who won the 1,500 meter short track speed skating, and Slovakia’s Anastasiya Kuzmina who pulled off surprising win in the backbreaking 7.5 km. Biathlon event. Luge Training resumes despite the tragic death of Georgia’s Nadar Kumaritashvili, with the mood somber, where improvements were made to the track to avoid another tragedy

East Triumphs Over the West in NBA All Star Game

The Eastern Conference won by skin of their teeth by edging out the equally star studded Western Conference side 141-139 in NBA-All Star Game before a record crowd in Dallas Texas.

Dwayne Wade was at his old fiery form as he collected 28 points and snatched the elusive MVP honors game, which was witnessed by 108,713 at the Cowboys Stadium.

Chris Bosh sealed the win as he converted crucial free throws for the East with five seconds remaining. Carmelo Anthony’s three-point attempt could’ve give the West the victory but his game-winning attempt came up short.

The prolific Cavalier guard LeBron James said, “To be in front of 108,000 fans, that was not a false number. You could look up in the stands, and there was not a seat open.”

The crowd was booing at Wade’s free throws but sill the Miami spitfirish point guard nailed his shots with the clock winding down to just 12.7 seconds, to help the East team surge ahead by two points. Hometown favorite Dirk Nowitzki converted a quick two points to tie the game, but the pair of free throws converted by Bosh in the dying minutes sealed the win.

Wade’s MVP conquest is a reminiscent of his MVP performance in their successful championship game against Dallas in 2006. 

Wade said, “I’ve had a little luck in Dallas. Of course 2006, is very, very memorable, something I dreamed of doing for a long time, winning the championship and I am lucky enough to win the MVP there.”

Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson Will Miss the NBA All-Star Game

All roads trek to Texas as Dallas will host the NBA All-Star Game, but minus two legitimate superstars in Kobe Bryant and Allen Iverson.

Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers and Allen Iverson of the Philadelphia 76ers., will not play in the mid-season extravaganza that gathers best players prominent players rookies or veterans, the best and electrifying dunkers and deadly sharpshooters which is expected to be watched by a record-setting 90,000 fans, at the Cowboys Stadium.

Jason Kidd of the host Dallas Mavericks is handpicked by the NBA Commissioner David Stern to replace Bryant to man the guard position in the Western Conference.

Bryant missed the last three games because of an ankle sprain. New York Knick upstart David lee was picked by Stern to play for the Eastern Conference team. Iverson was sidetracked for the last five games for the last five games for the Sixers because of her daughter who is experiencing illness.

Philippine Team Places Second in World Team Pool Cup

The Philippines golden run was put into a halt as it bowed to Britain 1-4 in the finals of the First World Team Pool Cup Championships held in Hanover, Germany to place 2^nd overall.

The British team composed of reigning World 9-ball championship Daryl Peach, 2008 World 10-Ball Titlist Darren Appleton, Karl Boyes, Mark Gray and Imram Majid, stamped their class over the favored Filipinos to capture the top prize of $100,00.

The Philippine team  consisting  of World 9-Ball and 8-Ball Champion Renato “Volcano” Alcano, former world number 1 Dennis Orcollo, two-time national titlist Lee Van Corteza, Antonio Lining, Warren Kiamco and Marlon Manalo took home the runner-up purse worth $50,000.

Greece and Russia, who were eliminated in the semis got $30,000 each in the World Pool Billiard Association tournament which lured pool sharks from 48 different countries.

The Filipinos won the first game which is the 8-Ball Scotch doubles 6-1, but the Britons bounced back to take the second game of the Scotch doubles by an identical score of 6-1.

The Britons swept the 9-ball game with Gray winning over Lining 8-2, Boyes nipping Corteza and Appleton cruising to a 7-1 triumph over his Filipino opponent in the second 10-ball game. Alcano was leading against Peach in the first 10-ball gae but action was halted after Appleton clinches the match for the Brits by taking the second 10-ball game.

Filipinos made it to the finals by beating Britain II, Czech Republic, Norway, Poland, and Russia to set up a championship match with the British team.

The Britons path to the finals includes victories over Norway, Israel, Germany, China and Greece. The Britons lost to Sweden but managed to get back in the thick of things by posting consecutive wins over Israel, Germany, China and Greece.