Gibbs, Riding Off into the Sunset, Replaced by Rookie HC Zorn

With the start of NFL training camps, MuscleSport Mag will bring you a team-by-team breakdown of all 32 clubs vying for the Lombardi Trophy on February 1, 2009 in Tampa Bay. We will start with the NFC East and work our way around the league.

Coming off an emotional playoff run last season and a coaching change, the Washington Redskins may take a step back in order to take two or more forward. The team ame together after the tragic death of Sean Taylor when no one would have faulted them for playing out the string.

Jim Zorn comes in from Seattle to replace the retired legend, Joe Gibbs. Shoes that will be extremely difficult to fill, no doubt. The former southpaw signal-caller finds himself in a tough division housing the Super Bowl champion Giants, division winning Dallas Cowboys, and a Philadelphia Eagles team hungry for a strong rebound after a down year.

Another new face in town will be Jason Taylor, who tangoed his way under Bill Parcells’ skin and out of Miami. While his talent cannot be questioned, the same can’t be said for his dedication. Continue Reading »

Giants, the Team to Beat, Ring in the New Year

2008 NEW YORK GIANTS PREVIEW

This time, they won’t be able to take anyone by surprise. The entire league will be on the lookout for the Giants, and - if they know what’s good for them – emulate what they did in Super Bowl XLII to defeat the high-flying New England Patriots. Facing the task of replacing a veteran leader two years in a row, Big Blue will look to make Michael Strahan’s absence as inconspicuous as Tike Barber’s.

Playing in the extremely tough NFC East, the regular season will not be a cakewalk, but an overall weaker conference should allow the Giants to qualify for the playoffs easily. Eli Manning made all the doubters swallow their words and pride with a postseason full of magic, while head coach Tom Coughlin reaped the benefits of a championship after being raked over the New York coals. Continue Reading »

ESPN (No) Personality Can’t Stay Away from Being A Rabble Rouser, Even After Being Sacked from Most Jobs

When you’re a one-trick pony, there should be no surprise that a lesson is never learned. Take Stephen A. Smith, for example. At one point in his career, he was writing for The Philadelphia Inquirer, and had his own radio and television show. All three have blown up in his face, and no matter what spin he may want to put on it, his controversial ways sealed his fate.

Smith has an uncanny ability to rub people the wrong way with his pro-African American views on everything in the sports world. Someone can be proud of their race and heritage, but when you’re supposedly doing your job - which calls for objectiveness - leave those ideas home. No one reading about a sports organization wants to hear which player is best black athlete. The old saying, “You root for laundry,” means just that - fans don’t care if the player is white, black, hispanic or other. We’re into the team because we grew up with them and cheer for the players wearing that jersey.

Because Smith turns off the majority of the audience - if you need me to spell it out, the white part of the audience - his ratings were not up to par and thus the reason for “Quite Frankly” bouncing around the schedule before being dropped a year and a half later. While the man knows his business, he loses a lot of his credibility by harping on social issues that have no correlation. A prime example is his latest “Up Front” column in the August 25 issue of ‘ESPN The Magazine.’ Calling himself an “angry black man” who has “no desire to be PC,” Smith sounds as if he were standing on a small platform in Times Square instead of sitting in front of a computer. Continue Reading »

Injuries to Surprising First Place Tampa, Bombers’ OF & DH Moves Opens Up Spot for Slugger

When Barry Bonds grabbed the microphone last Saturday night during the Giants’ celebration of their former outfielders, his statement of “I haven’t retired, thank you,” should have been listened to intently as an offer for his services. The dog days of August are upon us and the races are getting tighter. With the July 31 non-waiver trading deadline behind us, it will be extremely difficult to obtain a potent bat to pad the line-up.

That is if you’re not looking at Barry Bonds as a short-term project. Down in Tampa Bay, the Rays are enjoying their finest season and current hold a three game lead over Boston in the AL East. But they have recently went through some injuries, including outfielder Carl Crawford and closer Troy Percival, two losses that may hurt them down the stretch. The Yankees are in third place and trail both the Red Sox (6.5 games) and Twins (3.5 games) in the wild card race.

It may be now or never for the Bronx Bombers, who today dumped Richie Sexson and sent down outfielder Melky Cabrera. They need to make up a lot of ground fast and their offense has been a problem all summer long. Losing Jorge Posada and Hideki Matsui for long stretches definitely made a negative impact, and a veteran bat that can reach that short right field porch at Yankee Stadium would give them a solid boost, perhaps enough to make a legitimate playoff run in the last season of the original - well, almost original - Yankee Stadium. Continue Reading »

An Unlikely Target Votes in Mandatory Provisional Suspensions

First, golf was talking about getting tough on steroids, which seemed ludicrous enough. But now another sport you wouldn’t think of when talking banned substances has taken steps towards punishing players who look for that extra edge. The International Tennis Federation voted in an anti-doping code that was necessary for compliance for inclusion in the Olympics.

Effective on January 1, 2009, the rules will be more flexible for suspensions, and what was described by the ITF as “increased flexibility of sanctions.” This another prime example of trying to get the ‘one up’ and show the public that an organization - in this case all of tennis’ governing bodies - is not going to have the necessity of its own Mitchell Report. The specter of steroids even lurks over the tennis court, albeit it for real or just for show.

Mr. & Mrs. Jones Beach USA Contest to be Held Next Weekend

Jones Beach on Long Island is known for the hot women that frequent it during the summer months. Across the sand of every field located there, every day is a sizzler. But on Sunday, August 24, the stage will take the place of the sand when bodybuilding and weight lifting legend Dan Lurie will bring a little bit of California to New York with the Mr. & Mrs. Jones Beach USA Bodybuilding Competition (www.jonesbeachusa.com).

Classes are Men’s Bodybuilding (short, medium, tall); Women’s Bodybuilding (short, tall); Master’s Bodybuilding (40 and over, 50 and over) and the Beach Body Contest, which will bring the same beauty and intensity as fitness and figure competitions. Continue Reading »

Olympian Asafa Powell Volunteers for Anti-Doping Testing Program; Complains About It Later

The only line you really need to read in this entire fiasco was that Asafa Powell of Jamaica made this stunning accusation during a news conference promoting his shoe sponsor.

Now that we have established the motive, the star runner stood on his soapbox and claimed that although he was one of 10 track and field athletes to volunteer for an anti-doping testing program, Powell feels that the International Association of Athletics Federation have overstepped their boundaries. Since arriving in Beijing on August 1, Powell has been tested four times and now is claiming, “They are taking so much blood, I am going to be very weak before the final of the 100 meters,” he said in the AP report. Continue Reading »

Former East German Olympic Shot-Putter Claims Gear Forced Sex Change Operation

Just when you think you’ve heard it all, something like this pops up. The former Heidi Krieger, who was crowned the 1986 European Women’s Shot-Put Champion, has made a public statement that being ‘tricked’ into taking steroids caused her to go through physical and emotional problems, which resulted in a 1997 sex change operation.

As told to CNN, the now-Andreas Krieger said, “I felt much more attracted to women and just felt like a man. But I knew I was not lesbian.”

Krieger further stated that her coaches told her that the oral Turinabol tablets were vitamins, and she is dismissing her awards as “doping medals.” Continue Reading »

Thailand Liquid Test & Deca Seized by Customs

Close, but no cigar. Over 150 bottles of liquid testosterone and Deca Durabolin nearly made it through Australian Customs, but the shipment was intercepted by the Dick Tracy’s of the Outback. A clever attempt on masking the steroids in bottles shipped from Thailand marked “Gay Lube Oil” was thwarted, and the quote from a Customs official didn’t seem to come out as planned.“They might think we won’t examine it because…it’s a bit yucky or whatever,” Richard Janeczko told reporters.

With the recent crack downs on performance-enhancing drugs, dealers have taken smuggling to the next level, and this is a prime example of that. What was once only expected from cocaine and heroin seizures, steroids have become a huge underground business, raking in millions of dollars.

Operations such as last years “Raw Deal” has put the war on steroids in the forefront, and seizures similar to the one in Australia may become commonplace.

Big Blue Looks to Avoid Super Bowl Hangover

With the start of NFL training camps, MuscleSport Mag will bring you a team-by-team breakdown of all 32 clubs vying for the Lombardi Trophy on February 1, 2009 in Tampa Bay. We will start with the NFC East and work our way around the league.

This time, they won’t be able to sneak up on anyone. The Patriots are still shaking their heads that the Giants were able to defeat them in Super Bowl XLII. No one saw that coming, even the Giants themselves.

The team did fine in the post-Tiki Barber era, and will have to become acclimated with losing another steady veteran with the retirement of Michael Strahan. Both may have been controversial, but brought it to the field every Sunday. Strahan will be more difficult to replace than Barber was.

Eli Manning won the respect that he longed for, and may have gained the confidence to put him in the upper echelons of NFL quarterbacks. The offense will be similar to last year’s, the only major difference being tight end Jeremy Shockey’s absence. With the team surviving the stretch run with rookie Kevin Boss, general manager Jerry Reese felt comfortable moving the Pro Bowler to New Orleans in exchange for draft choices. Continue Reading »