Michael Phelps on The Huffington Post

Dr. Jim Taylor: What Makes the Great Ones Great?

2009-12-02T10:50:37Z

So what do Tom Brady, LeBron James, Serena Williams, Tiger Woods, Usain Bolt, Annika Sorenstam, Michael Phelps, Lance Armstrong, and Lisa Leslie have that you don't?

This question has been on the minds of many people of late with the recent publication of Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers and Daniel Coyle's The Talent Code. If you have read these books, you might conclude that greatness has little to do with innate abilities -- intelligence or inborn physical capabilities -- and everything to do with motivation and circumstance. However, both authors are missing the obvious, particularly as it relates to sports: all of the mental strength and opportunity in the world won't help if you're not physically capable of performing at the highest level of sport. A teenage boy may have the best hook shot on Earth, but if he has only 5' 10" genes, he will not be posting up in the NBA. As the former Utah Jazz coach Frank Layden noted, "You can't teach height."

But, of course, innate physical ability isn't enough either. History is littered with "can't miss" kids who, well, missed -- "Did someone say Ryan Leaf?" Yes, you can get pretty far without it, but to be truly great, you must have it all: physiological gifts, opportunity, and finally, the psychological capabilities to take full advantage of them. If you look at these three contributors to performance, you really only have control over the last one: your mind.

In my work with athletes, I've been able to identify the five most important psychological qualities that distinguish the Wayne Gretzkys and the Candace Parkers from the rest of us.

Drive

The problem with superstar athletes is that you see the final result -- greatness -- but not all of the hours they put in on the court, field, track, or road. Whether you call it motivation, determination, or commitment, the great ones have it in spades. They just work as hard as they possibly can. And that drive is usually propelled by intense passion for their sport; they just love playing the game. Maria Sharapova, for all her seemingly natural talent, was the first on the court and the last off when she was a kid.

Confidence

I'm not talking arrogance, cockiness, or 'tude (Do you hear me, TO?). I'm talking about a deep and resilient belief in the great ones' ability to achieve their goals. They just know they will succeed even though they don't always. Back in the '80s, there was a poster of Michael Jordan taking a last second shot. The caption read something like: "I was given the ball 27 times with ten seconds left in the game and the winning shot in my hands...and I missed." That didn't stop him from wanting the ball and taking the shot. MJ believed he would make the next shot.

Calm

It's obvious, the great ones know how to handle pressure; they stay cool, calm, and collected when others around them are freaking out. Imagine taking an exam or giving a work presentation in front of 80,000 people who are letting you know in no uncertain terms they want you to fail. Remember "The Drive" by the 49ers against the Bengals in Super Bowl XXIII in 1989? The Niners, down 16-13, had 3:10 to move the ball 92 yards to win the game. Quarterback Joe Montana looked at his teammates in the huddle, smiled, and asked if anyone had noticed John Candy in the stands, ESPN reported. Everyone laughed, the pressure was taken down a notch, and Montana completed what was perhaps the most famous of his 31 fourth-quarter comebacks in an NFL game. Montana definitely earned his nickname, Joe Cool.

Focus

You can see it in eyes of great athletes, like laser beams locked onto whatever they need to concentrate on to get the job done. They are totally focused, blocking out distractions, whether competitors, expectations, fans, nerves, conditions, past mistakes, or future results. Can anyone focus better than Tiger? In big tournament after tournament, against the best golfers in the world, when everyone expects him to win, Tiger puts his head down, his eyes on the ball and the ball in the cup.

Emotions

Ah, emotions: the last and most misunderstood piece of the athletic greatness puzzle. Emotions impact the great ones in obvious and surprising ways. First, what emotions come to mind when you think of Peyton Manning? Probably none. Ahead or behind, the guy is as stoic as Socrates. It's as if he's had his emotions (and his personality; sorry Peyton) surgically removed. He is an emotional master.

Then, there's John McEnroe. Now wait a minute, I know what you're thinking: "You can't be serious!!" He seems like the antithesis of Peyton Manning - and an emotional basket case. Yet, he too mastered his emotions on the tennis court, using them to fire himself up and unnerve his opponent. Remember all of those times when he seemed to emotionally lose it over a bad call or raged against an umpire or himself. Did you ever notice what happened after he settled down? He usually won.

Michael Phelps Shirtless, Swimming & Placing Second (PHOTOS)

2009-11-13T19:41:37Z

Michael Phelps is gearing up for a weekend showdown with Paul Biedermann at the World Cup in Berlin. Biedermann beat Phelps in the 200 freestyle in August.

Earlier this week Phelps placed second at the Short Course World Championships in the 200 IM in Stockholm and didn't even final in other events.

Phelps wore the old style bathing suit, just shorts, about to become regulation again. No more full body speed suits, as they've been banned starting next year.

Below are a few pics from the meet, including his face when he lost.

Lise Waring: Colorado's Black Bears: Coming to a Dumpster Near You

2009-11-11T15:08:38Z

The nature of the tight box canyon that cradles Telluride, Colorado, means that it's only a few blocks to the edge of civilization. From my bedroom, I hear coyotes howl. Elk graze on the valley floor right next to the bike path. And black bears wander through town in search of snacks -- especially at this time of year.

By mid-November, most black bears in Colorado settle in for a 200-day nap, which means they are consuming 20,000 calories per day before bedtime. To add perspective, Olympian Michael Phelps allegedly ate 12,000 each day to win eight gold medals in Beijing. If calories are as intangible to you as the value of the Icelandic Krona, here -- according to olympics.fanhouse.com and various other web circulations -- is the breakdown of Phelps' daily diet: three fried-egg sandwiches with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, fried onions and mayonnaise; two cups of coffee; one five-egg omelet; one bowl of grits; three slices of French toast topped with powdered sugar; three chocolate-chip pancakes; two large ham and cheese sandwiches with mayo on white bread; two pounds of enriched pasta; an entire pizza; and multiple energy drinks that pack 1,000 calories each. Most of us mortals consume roughly 2,000 calories per day. Bears almost double Phelps' mighty menu.

Unlike Phelps, a black bear's diet is 90 percent vegetarian. The climate in southwest Colorado is arid, and to my eye, the woods are not exactly a cornucopia. Wild raspberries grow to the size of my smallest fingernail. Currant bushes never seem burdened by too many berries, and how many calories do a few bugs really pack? It seems like bleak foraging out there. I don't know how a bear finds 20,000 calories in the woods every day. And, actually, some bears don't. Instead, they lumber into town to feast from trashcans, homes and restaurants.

The result, sadly, is a "two strikes" policy, enforced by Department of Wildlife officials, that advocates relocating a bear after its first infraction and killing it the second time it's caught breaking into garbage cans or homes. The local solution is that our alley trash bins are reinforced with locking mechanisms. When the first locking containers were introduced in Telluride in the early 1990s, bears learned to tip them over and sit upon them, squashing the lid so their marauding paws could explore the epicurean delights within. It was quite a show: Come morning, scattered trashcans littered the alleys like ten pins. Our municipal laws now enforce compliance with a second or third-generation model of locking polycart that is far more complicated. So far, the bears seem to find it impenetrable.

As long as we're diligent about locking up the trash -- and the doors to our houses -- this system works pretty well. To my knowledge, no bears were put down here this summer. Bears in other Colorado mountain towns, however, weren't as lucky. Aspen seemed to have the most problems: Bears entered numerous homes and raided refrigerators, broke into a restaurant's outdoor freezer (the owner finally installed an electrified doormat in front of the freezer as a deterrent) and had encounters with locals, some of which resulted in human injury. In the nearby town of Ouray, a bear killed a woman who, it turned out, had been feeding wildlife through her backyard fence for quite some time.

It's an age-old problem. Anyone who lives too close to a neighbor has likely experienced an unpleasant interaction. Bears, however, are neighbors of a different beast -- literally. The problem is complicated, but we humans should shoulder most of the blame. Our edibles are ripe for the taking. If I were a bear faced with scavenging in the woods or gorging in town, I'd be hightailing it to a dumpster. Robert Frost wrote "good fences make good neighbors." More fences, in a loose interpretation, are in fact part of the solution: Clearly, we need to prevent bears from habituating to human food by making access impossible.

It's soon time for the bears to bed down, and the problem will be temporarily solved. But come spring, Colorado's black bears will awaken from dreams of French toast, pizza, pasta, grits and ham sandwiches. They'll be hungrier than Michael Phelps, and we mustn't let them swim in our dumpsters.

The 7 Most Ridiculous Athlete Diets (PHOTOS)

2009-11-11T12:31:27Z

Many athletes devote themselves to strict diets, but some are more peculiar than others. From candy to Mountain Dew to McDonald's, we've compiled the strangest of the strange.

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Len Berman: Top 5 Sports Stories

2009-11-11T10:49:59Z

Happy Wednesday everyone, here's my Top 5 for November 11, 2009 from
www.ThatsSports.com.

1. Quick Hits

After all the botched umpire calls, baseball general managers don't
bother to discuss expanding the use of instant replay at their annual
meeting. I would have used replay to determine fair or foul down the
lines.

Don't you love the experts who proclaimed that Derek Jeter was among
the worst shortstops? Overrated, limited range. Yesterday he won the
Gold Glove for fielding.

Using the slower low-tech bathing suit, Michael Phelps fails to
qualify for 2 of the 3 finals at a Stockholm swim meet.

2. Crime and Punishment

Former top ranked tennis player Marat Safin says Andre Agassi should
give back the trophies and money he won by winning Grand Slam
tournaments after failing a drug test and lying about it. The tennis
people let Andre Agassi slide when he said, oops I didn't mean to do
it. Then again these same people bought Richard Gasquet's story that
he flunked a drug test because he kissed a girl who had been using
cocaine. And we know all about Serena Williams' slap on the wrist for
her behavior at the U.S. Open. If I ever break the rules, I want
tennis people as my judge and jury!

3. Role Models

On this Veterans Day, Top 5 subscriber Bill V. an Air Force veteran,
offers this poignant thought: "The Yankees championship parade up the
Canyon of Heroes on lower Broadway attracted thousands. It's a shame
that if the real heroes marched up that same canyon today very few
would come."

4. The Miracle on Ice

When I asked yesterday about which moment I might have ranked #1 in
my new kids' book The Greatest Moments in Sports, many of you correctly
guessed The Miracle on Ice. (Sorry no prizes.) I loved subscriber Phil
G.'s story.

"On that night in 1980 I was at MSG. Sha Na Na opened for Jay and the
Americans. The scoreboard kept giving updates and when they posted the
final score the place went nuts. Jay came out, did his opening song,
then said 'We haven't done this next song in years, but we just
decided to add it today because WE BEAT THOSE F***ING RUSSIANS!' They
then launched into a spirited version of "Only in America" and you can
imagine the reaction."

I guess Jay Black summed up so "eloquently" what most Americans were
thinking.

5. Code of Conduct

A New Mexico women's soccer player has been banned after punching,
kicking, and pulling the hair of a BYU player on the field. A girls
high school game in Rhode Island also degenerated into hair pulling
and brawling. That was tame compared with Australia. At a soccer game
there, police were called to quell a disturbance among the fans.
Nothing new in soccer. But some of the fans were wielding spears and
axes. What started it all? When one of the players was awarded a free
kick. They have a cheer in Australia that goes "Aussie, Aussie,
Aussie, Oy, Oy, Oy."
They've got the oy part right.

Happy Birthday: Former Masters and U.S. Open champion Fuzzy Zoeller.
58.
Bonus Birthday: Actor Leonardo DiCaprio. 35.

Today in Sports: Now we're having fun. The New York Knicks played
their first game at the old Madison Square Garden. (Yes they lost.)
1946.

Bonus Event: On this date, the 11th hour, the 11th month, the 11th
day World War I effectively ended. 1918.
President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11th to be Armistice
Day. In 1954 President Eisenhower signed a bill honoring all veterans.

Michael Phelps Fails To Qualify For 100-Meter Butterfly Finals

2009-11-11T09:24:20Z

STOCKHOLM — Michael Phelps finished second in the 200-meter medley final at the short-course World Cup on Wednesday, struggling in the old-style swimsuit that will become standard next year.

Phelps, who won a record eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, clocked 1 minute 53.93 seconds. He was more than two seconds behind South Africa's Darian Townsend, who won in 1:51.79.

Michael Phelps MISSES 2 Of 3 Finals At Stockholm World Cup Meet

2009-11-10T10:10:27Z

STOCKHOLM — Sporting a beard and an old-style swimsuit, Michael Phelps finished third in the 100-meter medley at a World Cup short-course meet after missing out on two other finals Tuesday.

Phelps, who won a record eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, swam the medley final in 52.14 seconds. South Africa's Gerhard Zandberg won in 51.77.

Aging Olympians Denounce High-Tech Swimsuits As Cheating

2009-11-03T11:44:44Z

By making new suits with polyurethane and neoprene, materials more buoyant and less porous than traditional spandex, swimsuit companies touched off the biggest flap since East German athletes started bulking up on steroids. The fight has spread beyond the world's elite swimmers, who wrangled over the new attire this past summer.

David Sirota: Lance Armstrong, Michael Phelps -- and What They Say About Our Idiotic Drug Policies

2009-10-23T12:04:52Z

Lance Armstrong and Michael Phelps are probably the only two athletes that we can safely call real-life, modern-day Supermen. Their physical achievements are unmatched -- and they have both become international megastars because of that.

Unfortunately, though, the public treatment of these two icons, while similar in many respects, has diverged when the two have come into contact with drugs. One has been treated like a pariah, another has been financially rewarded -- and, as my new newspaper column shows, the double standard is a powerful commentary on our nation's absurd narcotics policy.

Why do we as a country encourage the consumption of drugs that are far more harmful than some of the drugs we outright criminalize? Why do we shun even private consumption of the safer drug, but promote -- and financially reward -- the public promotion of the dangerous one?

Why, in short, do we ignore scientific fact in our drug policies?

These are tough questions that Phelps and Armstrong raise in their Tale of Two Supermen -- questions that I try to answer with the help of this important book, which I strongly suggest you read (after, of course, you check out my column today).

Len Berman: Top 5 Sports Stories

2009-10-15T11:47:18Z

Happy Thursday everyone, here's my Top 5 for October 15, 2009 from
www.LenBermanSports.com.

1. Quick Hits

The race for the pennant. Game 1 for the National League
Championship is tonight. Phillies @ Dodgers. 8:07pm ET. TBS.

It was only a matter of time. The group trying to buy the St. Louis
Rams dropped Rush Limbaugh as a potential partner.

It was only a matter of time II. Binghamton basketball coach Kevin
Broadus was placed on paid leave. We don't have enough space to
recount all the problems involved in that program.

2. Like-ly Candidates

Who are America's most likeable celebrities? In a national survey,
of the top 33, only two athletes made the list. Michael Phelps was
ranked 2nd (behind American Idol judge Randy Jackson) and Alex
Rodriguez ranked 19th. Both interesting choices. Both suffered "black
eyes" in the media. Phelps with his bong picture, A-Rod with steroids.
More interesting, A-Rod also scored well in believability and
sincerity. So while we skeptics scoffed at his "cousin injected me
with something" story, America apparently bought it. How about that?

3. Upon Further Review

Yesterday's item about Hiroshima and Nagasaki wanting to stage an
Olympics brought much comment. Those two cities had A-bombs dropped on
them, and I thought it ironic that they would capitalize on that. Top
5 subscriber J.G. (a television director) emailed to say:

I did a
Marathon in Hiroshima years ago, and I would hesitate in any way to
make light of the City of Peace that they have established. The
stories that are told and the memories of agony that can still be seen
at the Dome are something that will haunt you forever. The entire city
has become one of the world's leading centers for the promotion of
world peace. Everyone should go there to remember and never forget.

My sincere thanks for that perspective, J.G.

4. R.I. P Captain

The great wrestling showman Captain Lou Albano passed away yesterday
at the age of 76. My favorite Captain Lou moment? His "rendition" of
the National Anthem. It was a "Spanning the World" classic. Thanks for
the memories, Lou.

5. Down by Contact

Here's how you know maybe football isn't your sport. A 7-year-old
boy was playing football in his backyard in Wintersville, Ohio when he
was tackled by a deer. Honest. The kid wasn't seriously hurt, but the
Detroit Lions have called about the deer's eligibility. They could pay
him big bucks. Lots of doe...

Happy Birthday: Orioles hall of fame pitcher Jim Palmer. 64.

Bonus Birthday: Schlemeel, schlemazel, Laverne on Laverne and
Shirley, Actress/Director Penny Marshall. 67.

Today in Sports: Ron Swoboda made his incredible World Series catch.
1969. And "The Great One" Wayne Gretzky surpassed Gordie Howe as the
all time NHL Scorer. 1989. Both are featured in my new kids book "The
Greatest Moments in Sports: coming out next month. Yet another
shameless plug!

Bonus Event: Lucy, I'm home. I Love Lucy debuts on CBS. 1951.

Mike Hegedus: USA Wins Olympic Naivete Gold; Media Leads Off, Obama Runs Anchor

2009-10-03T16:02:40Z

The next Olympic Games are still a few months off, the Winter fest in Canada in 2010, but the good ole USA has already won it's first gold medal. In the naivete competition we are the Usain Bolt of nations.

Following Rio's selection as the host of the 2016 Summer Games, the outpouring of "shock and awe" in the U.S., as one American pundit put it, was tsunami-like. In fact, the reportage of Chicago's "defeat" surpassed that of an actual tsunami in the Samoan Islands. Roll that DVR of nightly newscasts from Fox to CNN to MSNBC to any of the three "majors" and that's what you're going to see.

"My goodness what happened?" an earnest Charlie Gibson asked. "Chicago was the favorite," said Katie and Brian.

Really? Says who? You? And they're off and running!

Turns out the Olympics and the politics that go with them have been a particularly favorite topic of mine. My first Olympic 'experience' came in 1960, and my professional reporting on them began in the early 1970s. Remember the Denver Winter Olympics in 1976? Go ahead; look it up. For over 30 years I've either reported on or attended the Olympic Games. I've watched as East German women with a distinct five o'clock shadow have put the shot farther than most of their "male" competitors. I've teared up a little when the USA hockey team beat Russia in Lake Placid, and I've watched in awe as John Carlos and Tommie Smith raised their fists in defiance. Can I tell you a secret? Chicago was never the favorite, even if Oprah thought it was.

The reasons are not difficult to figure out. All it takes is a quick understanding of how the International Olympic Committee votes, who the 100 IOC voters are, and which way the international wind is blowing. It is a political competition, not a sporting one. It is a game of intrigue, and one that is more or less corruptible if you know how to play it. One of the few times a U.S. city actually tried to compete was with the Salt Lake City bid. They won the Games, and ended up with officials going to jail. We can also blame that effort for the ascendency of Mitt Romney. Take that anyway you like.

Following the SLC bidding debacle, the IOC reformed its rules, but there was no washing away the bad taste it had in its mouth from the pounding the American press and Congress gave it in the aftermath. I could go on, but you can find this all out for yourself if you're interested. And that's the point. Why didn't Charlie, and Katie and Brian and all those other folks know it? Because either they didn't bother to look, or they didn't want to know. Naivete. It's so much more fun to buy the hype than it is to explore the reality.

Which brings us to the President. A couple of things first. Whether he goes to Denmark or not, Chicago is not going to win. So in a "damned if he does, damned if he doesn't" scenario, he went. Made a quick speech, kissed his wife and went on to other, some would say, more important things. No worries. Second, you should know for purposes of this piece that Barack Obama was not my first choice for President. I've dressed left my entire life; the first political discussions I can remember are listening to my father try to explain the policies of Adlai Stevenson and why there were good for America.

But experience has taught me through the terms of now ten Presidents that what really counts is what gets done, not which party does it. So while thrilled with the elegance, thoughtfulness, clarity and apparent honesty of Barack Obama, I was looking for someone whom I thought could get things done in Washington D.C. I do not have the luxury of as many years as I once did to hope change happens, and after wandering in the political wasteland as a country for the last decade I was yearning for action. LBJ can pick his dog up by the ears for all I care, as long as he gets the Civil Rights Act passed and signed. You catch my drift?

My candidate did not win the nomination and in the "pick one or the other" world of American Democracy, we, the people, selected the best man available for the job. He won big. He has a majority in Congress, even if the final piece is a comedian from Minnesota, so let's get something done. He's the favorite! He's going to change things! He's from Chicago and you know they're going to have the Olympics! Oh.

As noble as the desire is for reaching across the aisle and bi-partisanship it's simply time to make things happen. As Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican, of South Carolina said, "We lost, and there are consequences." And no matter what those "nattering nabobs of negativism" like Limbaugh, Beck, and O'Reilly like to think or say, or how many of their ilk can be stuffed in that right turning only clown car, and no matter how virulent those incessant forwarded emails are from your relatives regarding every move Obama makes or doesn't make, and no matter how it might look, I say if you have a hammer, use it. And in that is likely the President's biggest test. Can he control his own toolbox? Can he get Pelosi and Reid to deliver? You honestly believe in a public option for health care, Mr. President? Make it happen. Grab your dog by the ears. Go to Iran in a bold gesture. But let's not be naive. The Olympic oath is a wonderful thing, but do you remember the oath or do you remember Michael Phelps?

Oh, one suggestion for Chicago if it ever decides to bid again. Have Oprah block off a street in Copenhagen and give everybody in the audience a new car. Of course, only invite the IOC.

Len Berman: Top 5 Sports Stories

2009-09-18T17:28:41Z

TGIF everyone, here's my Top 5 for September 18, 2009 from www.LenBermanSports.com

1. Quick Hits

Double dribble. The lead negotiator for the NBA refs says a lockout of referees is unavoidable. The NBA pres-season begins in 2 weeks.

Roger Federer was fined $1,500 for cursing at the chair umpire during the U.S. Open final.

The Cowboys will debut their new stadium Sunday night against the Giants. Since their40-million dollar TV screens were hung too low over the field, there's a chance "do-overs" will be called if they interfere with punts.

2. The Way of the World

How crazy has it become for celebs? A front page New York Times story yesterday talked about Florida Quarterback Tim Tebow. He was approached by a woman at Radio Shack to take a picture. But the instant before her mother snapped the pic, the woman tried to take off her shirt. Give me a break. Is everyone looking for their Michael Phelps gotcha moment? Do athletes have to live like monks in today's society? Kinda sucks.

3. Nailed

Another sign of the times. I feel a twinge of sadness that Lenny Dykstra is putting his 1986 Mets World Series ring on the auction block. Of course he's the one who plunged head-first into his financial mess. Mets fans still feel a special glow about that magical World Series win. In today's sports world everything is up for sale. Even memories.

4. Friday Mailbag

Serena Williams drew much comment. Said M.L. "While I don't condone what Serena did, I'm also VERY sick of the "I'm sorry" society we've created... I'm sorry I did steroids, I'm sorry I staged dogfights, I'm sorry I shot myself in the leg.... I'm actually glad Serena didn't say I'm sorry."

And D.P. wrote: "You'd think Ms. Williams could've at least learned the NAME of the line judge while issuing her various half-hearted apologies?"

Despite his accomplishments and how he's handled the spotlight, not everyone is a Derek Jeter fan. D.S writes: "I have long been annoyed by the absolute love affair the New York and national news media has with him - a love affair that has inflated the perception of how good a player Jeter is.... if he played his entire career in a place like Kansas City or Milwaukee, he would barely register on anyone's radar screen."

The vote was about 50-50 on my proposal that the games should have been canceled back in 2001 after 9/11 and not merely postponed like rainouts. B.G. had a good compromise: "I think those games should've been made up, with all profits donated to the victims and their families."

With runner Caster Semenya reportedly having male and female organs, R.R. writes: "She's already taking up new sports. in fact, she won a mixed tennis tournament last week -- by herself."
And E.M. asks "can she now participate in biathlons?"
Editor's note: Depends on his/her skiing and shooting skills.

5. Fans of the Week

I know you are more used to cynicism than corniness in the Top 5, but my fans of the week are Steve Monforto and his 3-year old daughter Emily. Steve is the Phillies fan who caught a foul ball, gave it to Emily, who threw it back onto the field. Steve then gave her a big hug as the world went "aww." They've since been given autographed baseballs and jerseys. After a week of crappy behavior in tennis and music, we needed a feel good story to end the week. Thanks Steve and Emily.

Happy Birthday: Cyclist Lance Armstrong. 38.
Bonus Birthday: Former teen idol Frankie Avalon. 70.

Today in Sports: Joe Louis knocks out Tami Mauriello in the first round at Yankee Stadium to retain his heavyweight title. 1946.
Bonus Event: A horse raced a locomotive in a 9 mile race in Baltimore, and the horse won! 1830.

Shirtless Celebrity Men: Who Has The Best Chest? (PHOTOS, POLL)

2009-09-17T08:07:34Z

Summer may be winding to a close, but that doesn't mean there needs to be less shirtlessness among celebrity men. From sports to movies to politics - whose bare chest do you want to see more of? You decide. And who did we forget? Leave suggestions in the comments and we'll add the best.

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Len Berman: Top 5 Sports Stories

2009-08-21T10:23:49Z

TGIF everyone, here's my Top 5 for August 21, 2009 from www.LenBermanSports.com

1. Quick Hits

Here we go again. The Yankees begin a 3-game series tonight in Boston. The Yankees lead the Red Sox by 6 1/2 games.

The Mets have spent the least of any team on their draft choices. You have to wonder if Bernie Madoff had something to do with that?

Another lightning bolt. Jamaica's Usain Bolt sets a world record in the 200 meters. 19.19 seconds. Earlier this week he set the 100 meter world record at 9.58 seconds.

2. Paying the Price

Plaxico Burress had no choice but to plead guilty for shooting himself in the leg. He agreed to a 2-year sentence rather than face a minimum mandatory 3 1/2 year term. The Philadelphia Eagles must be counting the days until his release.

3. Snake Oil Salesmen

It never changes in college sports. The coaches are creeps, and the kids pay the price. They don't come more charming than Rick Pitino and John Calipari. They parlayed their slickness into marquee jobs, fame and fortune. And now Pitino has "character issues" at Louisville, and
Calipari sets some kind of record. Both at U-Mass and Memphis, NCAA violations wipe out stellar seasons. He's since moved on to Kentucky. But hey, they win basketball games, so to their employers "no harm, no foul." Nice guys finish last, the sleazy ones get re-hired elsewhere with pay raises.

4. Friday Mailbag

I guess Tiger Woods didn't generate lots of sympathy last Sunday. D.J. writes: "Boo hoo - Tiger lost. Tired of his histrionics on the golf course. Nicklaus and Palmer need to have a talk with him about being gracious." And from J.R. "The baby tiger cub prancing around throwing tantrums is so old and tiring. We get it. He is a great player but a complete and total self-absorbed a**h*** as a human being." Editor's Note: Your membership in the Tiger Woods fan club is hereby rescinded.

C.F. makes a great point about Michael Vick: "The NIMBY' rule, not in my backyard. Most people think it's a good idea to give Vick a second chance, etc., but the people in Philly, who are now stuck with him, aren't at all thrilled. In short, there's general approval for his return to the NFL, but not on my team."

As for Rick Pitino, N.K. twitters to @lenbermansports "Pitino has a section on his website called 'Restaurant Review'? Looks like he took down the content." Editor's Note: The joint was clearly too expensive.

When Michael Phelps got in a traffic accident, Seth wrote: "Maybe he was in a carpool lane?" Editor's Note: Puns are the strong suit of the Top 5.

Along those lines, Gary writes: "500 pound man arrested for selling bootleg CDs...did he suffer from a slipped disk?"

And J.K. caught my attention with his email "How your Top 5 helped my love life." He wrote: "In my attempt to snare the woman of my affection, I started sending her a daily morning message akin to yours. I realized how much I liked having something entertaining to read every day and maybe that could work for me if I could make myself part of her everyday routine. And it would seem as if it has. Thanks Len." Editor's note: Aw shucks.

5. TMI

For those intrigued by the South African runner who is undergoing testing to see if she is really a he. This Olympic tale bears repeating. Stella Walsh won the 100 meters representing Poland at the 1932 Olympics in L.A. When she died in 1980 her autopsy revealed male genitalia. Have a nice weekend everyone!

Happy Birthday: Two-time Heisman trophy winner Archie Griffin of Ohio State. 55.
Bonus Birthday: The Long Island Lolita herself, Amy Fisher. 35. Wilt Chamberlain would have been a young 73 today.

Today in Sports: Were there any commercials? Ted Lyons of Chicago no-hits the Red Sox at Fenway Park. Time of game: 67 minutes. 1926.

Bonus Event: Now we're talking. The first Lincoln-Douglas debate in Illinois. 1858.

Len Berman: The Top 5 Sports Stories

2009-08-17T13:45:08Z

1. Quick Hits

Y.E. Yang outduels Tiger Woods to win the PGA Championship by 3 strokes.

Double ouch. David Wright of the Mets and Dodger pitcher Hiroki Kuroda both suffered concussions Saturday. Wright was beaned and has landed on the disabled list. Kuroda was nailed in the head by a line drive.

How low can you go? Jamaica's Usain Bolt set a new world record in the 100 meters in Berlin. 9.58 seconds.

Hockey great Mark Messier is taking a front office job with the Rangers. Messier breeds success wherever he's been.

After going 0-16 last season, the Detroit Lions won their first exhibition game with a field goal as time expired. Cool.

2. Y.E. Who?

Y.E. Yang did the unthinkable, he took down the great Tiger Woods to win the PGA Championship. Was it the equivalent of the Jets beating the Colts in Super Bowl III? Villanova beating Georgetown in 1985? How about the U.S. hockey team beating the Russians in 1980? In South Korea it certainly was. Slight nitpick. Tiger could have been a tad more gracious to Yang in his news conference. His theme, I played well enough to win, I just didn't putt well enough. Maybe, but I got the feeling he was playing "not to lose" on Saturday, and it cost him.

3. Moneyball

Now that the Yankees have the best record in baseball and have blown away the AL East, the inevitable carping will start over money. The Yankees have by far the most bloated payroll in baseball, so the critics will say "sure, they bought success." Not so fast. What did they exactly buy the last 8 years? Their spending spree for years looked like "cash for clunkers." Suddenly the model works? Maybe, but buyer beware. Of the top 7 payrolls in baseball one does have a losing record. Yup, #2 in salary, #2 in New York, #4 in the NL East. (The Mets.)

4. Big Man on Campus

The Rick Pitino story gets wackier by the minute. So far, if you're scoring at home (or in a restaurant) we've had extortion, abortion and sex on a table. Throw into the mix that the woman claims Pitino paid his equipment manager to marry her to keep the whole thing hush hush. Through it all Louisville "stands by" their man. They used to call college "higher education," can it get any more low brow than at Louisville?

5. Monday Musings

Are we going to have to hear from PETA every time Michael Vick makes a move? He's back, he's acting contrite. Deal. The first snap in his very first pre-season game, Jets rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez completed a 48-yard pass. What next, a Knicks point guard completing passes too? I wonder how book sales are coming along for Rick Pitino's "Lead to Succeed: 10 Traits of Great Leadership in Business and Life?"

Happy Birthday: 4 time tennis Grand Slam champion Jim Courier. 39.

Bonus Birthday: You looking at me? Actor Robert De Niro. 66.

Today in Sports: Michael Phelps wins his record 8th gold medal at the same Olympics. That was so last year. 2008.

Bonus Event: Not a bad career move. Ringo Starr replaces Pete Best as Beatles drummer. 1962.

Michael Phelps Admits He Drank Before Car Accident

2009-08-16T07:47:17Z

Michael Phelps told police that he drank a beer about an hour and 15 minutes before he was involved in an accident last week, but alcohol wasn't the reason for the incident, according to a police source.

Michael Phelps Involved In Car Crash

2009-08-14T07:36:52Z

BALTIMORE — A crash involving Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps was blamed on the other driver, who ran a red light, Baltimore police said Friday.

Phelps, 24, was not injured, and two passengers in his Cadillac Escalade sport utility vehicle were also unhurt. The unidentified female driver of the car that caused the crash was taken to a hospital as a precaution after saying she had neck and arm pain, authorities said. It was not immediately clear if police had ticketed her.

Michael Phelps Car Crash: Olympian Is Uninjured

2009-08-13T23:10:25Z

BALTIMORE — Michael Phelps was driving an SUV that collided with another car in Baltimore Thursday night, but the Olympic gold medal swimmer was not injured, police said.

The female driver of a Honda Accord was "shaken up" and taken to a local hospital as a precaution, police said. Two passengers in Phelps' Cadillac Escalade were not injured, said police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi.

The Best Late Night Jokes Of The Week: Michael Phelps, Sean Hannity, Jon Gosselin, And More! (VIDEO)

2009-08-08T08:15:36Z

Jimmy Fallon feared for the future of a tech savvy teen this week as the iPhone owner tracked down the gang that stole his phone using a new app, Stephen Colbert bid farewell to Sean Hannity whose ability to think died long ago, and Conan killed off Michael Phelps...well, with a little help from the man upstairs.

WATCH:

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Phelps Closes Worlds In Rome With 5th Gold Medal

2009-08-02T17:23:37Z

ROME — Michael Phelps had every reason to be satisfied after the Beijing Olympics. Yet he kept insisting there was more to do in the pool.

Clearly.

Michael Phelps Loses To Germany's Paul Biedermann: First Major Loss In 4 Years

2009-07-28T12:29:30Z

ROME — Michael Phelps has four more chances to win gold at the world swimming championships.

He's not likely to be satisfied until he gets another shot at Paul Biedermann.

Michael Phelps Is Shirtless, Winning Gold At Worlds (PHOTOS)

2009-07-27T07:50:55Z

Michael Phelps is in Italy for this week's FINA World Championships in Rome in top physical shape.

Sunday was the first day of competition, and Phelps and teammates Ryan Lochte, Matthew Grevers and Nathan Adrian won gold for the USA in the 4x100 freestyle relay.

Despite not training for months following his Olympic triumph and partaking in a little well-documented partying, Phelps looks as fit as ever. For the latest Monday swim results go here.

PHOTOS:

Phelps Off To Winning Start At World Championships

2009-07-26T17:16:18Z

ROME — Michael Phelps had an off night. His new windmill stroke just slowed him down. He left his teammates with some catching-up to do. Heck, he didn't even get a world record when about all you had to do was squeeze into one of those newfangled suits and dive in at the Foro Italico.

Yet, when it was done, Phelps found himself in that same ol' place – top of the medal stand.

Michael Phelps New Subway Ad: "Be Yourself" (VIDEO)

2009-07-07T10:27:40Z

Michael Phelps' marijuana flap has not diminished his commercial viability, if the latest Subway ad is any indication. The sandwich company stuck by Phelps even as other companies such as Kellogg's immediately moved to drop the Olympic champion after photographs of him hitting a bong became a media sensation, and now Subway is rolling out a new spot featuring Phelps entitled, maybe a touch ironically, "Be Yourself."

The AP argues that the Subway ad campaign "proves that Phelps' popularity as an endorser survived the publication of a photo showing him inhaling from a marijuana pipe last February."

The Los Angeles Times' Dan Neil writes that Phelps' accomplishments "mock the moral hysteria that traditionally rains down on marijuana" and that Phelps' appearance in the ad campaign shows that the public's view on weed has clearly changed.

Culture deconstructionists will pick the spot apart for oblique references to the scandal. Phelps' chin whiskers are kind of bro-ish, for instance. He does look a trifle baked (could be the chlorine). AdWeek's Eleftheria Parpis wrote that "you can almost hear all the blunts lighting up in support as Sly & The Family Stone's 'Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)' kicks in."

And it really is too bad that the sandwich franchise's website is subwayfreshbuzz.com.

Even so, the Phelps-bong scandal seems to have been safely put to bed, and now that it has, it's worth asking, what have we learned? The consequences to Phelps -- actually, the lack of consequences -- suggest that something bigger than mere endorsement dollars is in play. It seems Phelps has moved the weed needle.

Michael Phelps Rocks The Splash 'Stache

2009-06-16T11:15:42Z

Something we have slightly less appreciation for is Michael Phelps's mouth. Granted, it is a key and necessary part of his swimming weaponry. But we never really spent a lot of time looking at it, until that thing happened. You know what we're talking about: the mustache.