From Star.
Wonder what excuse will this pair give now. Having beaten the Danish pair twice and now loss to them in home ground. Not a good thing. Lucky they lost in 3 sets...if in straight sets...even malu.
This tournament is the first one of the year and our Malaysian pair is rank among the top 3 of the world...lost in second round.
This is an important year...with the Thomas Cup and Olimpic around the corner. This two better buck up. They are running out of excuses. They better improve in the next tournament.
The mind game is very important.
Badminton: Koo-Tan lose to Danes
VETERANS Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah and Chan Chong Ming-Chew Choon Eng advanced to the quarter-finals of the Malaysian Open badminton championships but the celebrations were muted following the shocking exit of defending champions Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong at the Putra Stadium in Bukit Jalil last night.
The signs were already there when the world number one pair struggled to beat third-ranked Indonesians Hendra Gunawan-Joko Riyadi in their opening match on Wednesday.
And their worst fears came true when they crashed 19-21, 21-18, 16-21 to former world champions Lars Paaske-Jonas Rasmussen of Denmark in the second round.
This is the second successive time that they have failed to make it past the early rounds of a Super Series tournament. Kien Keat-Boon Heong lost to Taiwan’s Tsai Chia-hsin-Hu Chung-shien in the second round of the China Open last November.
This time, Boon Heong proved to be the weak link and it was no surprise to see the Danish pair going on to claim victory in 59 minutes.
Kien Keat had to run all over the court to do most of the work and the Danish pair, world champions in 2003, capitalised on it by targeting Boon Heong in the rubber game.
Boon Heong committed numerous unforced errors in the rubber game to allow the veteran Danish pair to come back from 11-14 down and seal victory.
Kien Keat-Boon Heong had beaten the Danish pair twice before and yesterday’s defeat in their home Open was painful indeed, especially when they had high hopes of making a good start to their campaign for the year.
Despite the unexpected early defeat, doubles coach Rexy Mainaky chose not to blast the Malaysian pair for their poor display, saying “they are still the main hope for the Beijing Olympics in August”.
“This defeat in the Malaysian Open should not be used as the only yardstick to judge them.
“Our priority is still the Olympics and I believe they are good for the title there,” said Rexy, who also pleaded for support for the pair.
“We have to understand that no athlete can stay on the winning trail all the time. The pair have been performing well for some time and it’s more important for them to learn from this and come back stronger.”
Malaysia’s hopes now rest on the shoulders of Tan Fook-Wan Wah and Chong Ming-Choon Eng.
Tan Fook-Wan Wah, winners in 2004, overcame fellow Malaysians Tan Bin Shen-Ong Soon Hock 19-21, 21-18, 21-18 and will face Paaske-Rasmussen next.
Chong Ming-Choon Eng, who had to play their way from the qualifying rounds, continued with their impressive run by reaching the last eight when they scored a 21-13, 13-21, 21-14 win over world No 26 Chia-hsin-Chung-shien.
Showing posts with label Sports. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sports. Show all posts
Friday, January 18, 2008
Monday, November 26, 2007
Congratulations to Wong Mew Choo
Congratulations for being the first Malaysian Women player to win the China Open. She has done Malaysia and her self proud by doing so. Keep it up...stay fit and focus. 2008 is an important year. By beating the Chinese players, she will have the confidence to do it again.
From the Star.
Mew Choo claims historic win for Malaysia in China Open
By RAJES PAUL
PETALING JAYA: Wong Mew Choo pulled off the greatest achievement for Malaysian women's badminton by claiming one of the most difficult titles on the international circuit, the China Open, in Guangzhou yesterday.
And the 24-year-old Mew Choo chalked up the historic win in superb style – beating world number one and two-time world champion Xie Xingfang of China 21-16, 8-21, 21-17 in a 62-minute final that saw the Malaysian staging a spectacular comback to win the rubber game.
It was Mew Choo's first-ever Open title since she made her debut on the international senior stage five years ago.
She now holds the honour of being the first Malaysian women and only the second non-China player to win a women's singles title on Chinese territory since the country first staged their Open tournament in 1986.
Wong Mew Choo made it into the Malaysian badminton annals by winning her first major international title in grand style at the China Open in Guangzhou yesterday. En route to the singles title she packed off the top Chinese women shuttlers.
The only other player who has beaten the seemingly invincible Chinese at their home ground was South Korean Bang Soo-hyun, who pulled off the feat in 1994 before going on to claim the Olympic gold medal in Atlanta two years later.
In fact, Mew Choo is now the first Malaysian woman in three decades to nail a major title for the country. And for the world number eight, it all seemed like a dream.
“I just cannot believe it. I have never ever won an Open title before and I have ended the drought in China. This is incredible ... I am so happy right now,” said Mew Choo in a telephone interview from Guangzhou yesterday.
“The hopes are usually on the men to win titles for the country but I am glad that I have done it for the women.”
En route to the title, Mew Choo eliminated four China players and China-born Pi Hongyan, who now plays for France.
Mew Choo knocked out reigning world champion Zhu Lin in the quarter-finals and upstaged 2004 Athens Olympic champion Zhang Ning in the semi-finals.
“I came here with a target to reach the quarter-finals. I knew I had a fighting chance against Hongyan (the world number five). But beating Zhu Lin for the first time gave me confidence,” she said.
“Then, I defeated Zhang Ning for the first time after losing seven times to her. I kept asking myself, is it all really happening?
“After reaching the final, I was bent on winning the title. I have beaten Xingfang once (at the World Championships) but many thought that I was lucky to win it. Today, I proved that the win was no fluke. She had the crowd behind her but I never gave up even though I lost terribly in the second game.”
Mew Choo put up a solid show to win the first game but a fired up Xingfang rebounded with a 21-8 win in the next game.
Xingfang appear to be cruising to victory when she surged ahead to 8-3 in the decider but Mew Choo clawed back to claim the crown.
With the win, Mew Choo is now assured of a place in the eight-player Super Series Finals. She was lying in ninth spot in the rankings going into the China Open.
Mew Choo said that the win had also boosted her challenge in the Beijing Olympics next August.
“I do not have to worry about making the cut for the Olympics if I continue playing like this. In fact, this win has given me a lot of confidence. Now, I know that I can challenge for an Olympic medal.
“However, I do not want to be overly excited. I will be competing in the Hong Kong Open next week and I hope to reach the last eight.”
Said national coach Wong Tat Meng of Mew Choo's success: “What more I can say? Mew Choo has made us all very proud today. She has given a new image to Malaysian women's badminton.”
From the Star.
Mew Choo claims historic win for Malaysia in China Open
By RAJES PAUL
PETALING JAYA: Wong Mew Choo pulled off the greatest achievement for Malaysian women's badminton by claiming one of the most difficult titles on the international circuit, the China Open, in Guangzhou yesterday.
And the 24-year-old Mew Choo chalked up the historic win in superb style – beating world number one and two-time world champion Xie Xingfang of China 21-16, 8-21, 21-17 in a 62-minute final that saw the Malaysian staging a spectacular comback to win the rubber game.
It was Mew Choo's first-ever Open title since she made her debut on the international senior stage five years ago.
She now holds the honour of being the first Malaysian women and only the second non-China player to win a women's singles title on Chinese territory since the country first staged their Open tournament in 1986.
Wong Mew Choo made it into the Malaysian badminton annals by winning her first major international title in grand style at the China Open in Guangzhou yesterday. En route to the singles title she packed off the top Chinese women shuttlers.
The only other player who has beaten the seemingly invincible Chinese at their home ground was South Korean Bang Soo-hyun, who pulled off the feat in 1994 before going on to claim the Olympic gold medal in Atlanta two years later.
In fact, Mew Choo is now the first Malaysian woman in three decades to nail a major title for the country. And for the world number eight, it all seemed like a dream.
“I just cannot believe it. I have never ever won an Open title before and I have ended the drought in China. This is incredible ... I am so happy right now,” said Mew Choo in a telephone interview from Guangzhou yesterday.
“The hopes are usually on the men to win titles for the country but I am glad that I have done it for the women.”
En route to the title, Mew Choo eliminated four China players and China-born Pi Hongyan, who now plays for France.
Mew Choo knocked out reigning world champion Zhu Lin in the quarter-finals and upstaged 2004 Athens Olympic champion Zhang Ning in the semi-finals.
“I came here with a target to reach the quarter-finals. I knew I had a fighting chance against Hongyan (the world number five). But beating Zhu Lin for the first time gave me confidence,” she said.
“Then, I defeated Zhang Ning for the first time after losing seven times to her. I kept asking myself, is it all really happening?
“After reaching the final, I was bent on winning the title. I have beaten Xingfang once (at the World Championships) but many thought that I was lucky to win it. Today, I proved that the win was no fluke. She had the crowd behind her but I never gave up even though I lost terribly in the second game.”
Mew Choo put up a solid show to win the first game but a fired up Xingfang rebounded with a 21-8 win in the next game.
Xingfang appear to be cruising to victory when she surged ahead to 8-3 in the decider but Mew Choo clawed back to claim the crown.
With the win, Mew Choo is now assured of a place in the eight-player Super Series Finals. She was lying in ninth spot in the rankings going into the China Open.
Mew Choo said that the win had also boosted her challenge in the Beijing Olympics next August.
“I do not have to worry about making the cut for the Olympics if I continue playing like this. In fact, this win has given me a lot of confidence. Now, I know that I can challenge for an Olympic medal.
“However, I do not want to be overly excited. I will be competing in the Hong Kong Open next week and I hope to reach the last eight.”
Said national coach Wong Tat Meng of Mew Choo's success: “What more I can say? Mew Choo has made us all very proud today. She has given a new image to Malaysian women's badminton.”
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Euro 2008 - England vs Russia
Today England faces Russia (home ground) in a must win game in order to advance to Euro 2008. The last time they met (1 or 2 months ago) was in England and the match was won by England (3-0).
The score line may indicate it was an easy game but it was not. Russia may have play bad that day but they did not give up without a fight. England team is on the alert. Although there are some set backs, some key players are injured. But if they performed like they did against Estonia...i think England will have a chance.
Play with heart and not with ego, do not be let astray by mind games..i.e simply get yellow or red cards.
All the best England.
ESPN
Three hours after delivering a Churchillian battle speech, England coach Steve McClaren was forced into a damage limitation exercise after skipper John Terry was all but ruled out of tomorrow's crucial European Championship qualifier with Russia.
In calling for heroics and inspiration, McClaren might as well have been pointing to his captain, who was addressing a different audience at exactly the same time at the Kempinski Hotel.
But the words, delivered in the shadow of Red Square and the Kremlin, where so many intriguing plots have been played out over the years, were undermined almost immediately as news of Terry's injury filtered out.
'John Terry is almost certainly ruled out of tomorrow's match,' said McClaren in a statement issued from the Luzhniki Stadium.
'His knee locked towards the end of training and he could not complete the session.'
While the decision to replace Terry with Sol Campbell, the skipper's deputy during Saturday's 3-0 win over Estonia at Wembley is easy enough, the damage to morale by the unwanted development could run far deeper.
McClaren had expected to be without Terry from the moment he initially injured his knee on Wednesday, feeling 24 hours later the Chelsea man 'had no chance'.
However, the problem eased sufficiently over the weekend for Terry to convince McClaren he could make the trip and the England coach confirmed in his pre-injury briefing the 27-year-old would play provided he suffered no further reaction.
The note of caution has proved painfully prophetic, leaving Terry to contemplate the possibility of an operation in what has been a bad week for Chelsea on the England front given Ashley Cole will miss tomorrow's encounter after being stretchered off against Estonia with a nasty-looking ankle injury.
It means Campbell will now be required to step in and do something that has proved beyond the veteran Portsmouth defender since January, namely play two full games in the space of five days.
At least the 33-year-old has some recent international match practice behind him now after ending his 15-month England exile at the weekend.
But with Joleon Lescott expected to make his first senior start at left-back in place of Cole, it does place added strain on a defence which could end up being the best form of attack as England chase the win which would seal a place in Austria and Switzerland next summer.
What it does not do is diminish in any way the requirements McClaren laid out for his team as they bid to build on the feelgood factor generated by their rugby union counterparts' recent World Cup heroics in France.
'We will have to be organised, we will have to be disciplined and we will have to be in control individually and collectively,' McClaren said.
'And the key thing is the inspiration, the commitment, the attitude and the leadership.
'We need one of the performances we saw at the weekend from the rugby team, the kind of performance we have seen from many an England football team in recent years; Istanbul and Rome come to mind.
'We need heroes out. The players know the importance. They know what is required. They have to deliver that.'
For all the unwanted reshuffling caused by Terry's absence, almost uniquely, McClaren is in the happy position of being the least pressurised of the two managers.
While victory would take England through, a draw would leave Russia in the unenviable position of needing to beat Israel in Tel Aviv and then hope Croatia can defeat McClaren's side at Wembley on the same night as they dispose on Andorra on home soil in their final game.
It is a healthy situation for the visitors and one that could hardly have been envisaged when England were lambasted by their own fans as they laboured against Andorra six short months ago.
Five straight 3-0 wins have sorted that problem out, although McClaren insisted he was never that concerned.
'Four or five games ago, so many people doubted we would be in this position,' he observed.
'But I always said the last five games would be critical.
'We have put ourselves in pole position. We have come here knowing a draw is a good result but we are coming here to win. Our performances in recent games bode well. Russia have to worry about us, not the other way round. They are the ones who have to win.
'But if we are to go on and do well ourselves, we have to deal with these situations.
'If we can't come through matches like this and get a result, we won't go anywhere.'
The score line may indicate it was an easy game but it was not. Russia may have play bad that day but they did not give up without a fight. England team is on the alert. Although there are some set backs, some key players are injured. But if they performed like they did against Estonia...i think England will have a chance.
Play with heart and not with ego, do not be let astray by mind games..i.e simply get yellow or red cards.
All the best England.
ESPN
Three hours after delivering a Churchillian battle speech, England coach Steve McClaren was forced into a damage limitation exercise after skipper John Terry was all but ruled out of tomorrow's crucial European Championship qualifier with Russia.
In calling for heroics and inspiration, McClaren might as well have been pointing to his captain, who was addressing a different audience at exactly the same time at the Kempinski Hotel.
But the words, delivered in the shadow of Red Square and the Kremlin, where so many intriguing plots have been played out over the years, were undermined almost immediately as news of Terry's injury filtered out.
'John Terry is almost certainly ruled out of tomorrow's match,' said McClaren in a statement issued from the Luzhniki Stadium.
'His knee locked towards the end of training and he could not complete the session.'
While the decision to replace Terry with Sol Campbell, the skipper's deputy during Saturday's 3-0 win over Estonia at Wembley is easy enough, the damage to morale by the unwanted development could run far deeper.
McClaren had expected to be without Terry from the moment he initially injured his knee on Wednesday, feeling 24 hours later the Chelsea man 'had no chance'.
However, the problem eased sufficiently over the weekend for Terry to convince McClaren he could make the trip and the England coach confirmed in his pre-injury briefing the 27-year-old would play provided he suffered no further reaction.
The note of caution has proved painfully prophetic, leaving Terry to contemplate the possibility of an operation in what has been a bad week for Chelsea on the England front given Ashley Cole will miss tomorrow's encounter after being stretchered off against Estonia with a nasty-looking ankle injury.
It means Campbell will now be required to step in and do something that has proved beyond the veteran Portsmouth defender since January, namely play two full games in the space of five days.
At least the 33-year-old has some recent international match practice behind him now after ending his 15-month England exile at the weekend.
But with Joleon Lescott expected to make his first senior start at left-back in place of Cole, it does place added strain on a defence which could end up being the best form of attack as England chase the win which would seal a place in Austria and Switzerland next summer.
What it does not do is diminish in any way the requirements McClaren laid out for his team as they bid to build on the feelgood factor generated by their rugby union counterparts' recent World Cup heroics in France.
'We will have to be organised, we will have to be disciplined and we will have to be in control individually and collectively,' McClaren said.
'And the key thing is the inspiration, the commitment, the attitude and the leadership.
'We need one of the performances we saw at the weekend from the rugby team, the kind of performance we have seen from many an England football team in recent years; Istanbul and Rome come to mind.
'We need heroes out. The players know the importance. They know what is required. They have to deliver that.'
For all the unwanted reshuffling caused by Terry's absence, almost uniquely, McClaren is in the happy position of being the least pressurised of the two managers.
While victory would take England through, a draw would leave Russia in the unenviable position of needing to beat Israel in Tel Aviv and then hope Croatia can defeat McClaren's side at Wembley on the same night as they dispose on Andorra on home soil in their final game.
It is a healthy situation for the visitors and one that could hardly have been envisaged when England were lambasted by their own fans as they laboured against Andorra six short months ago.
Five straight 3-0 wins have sorted that problem out, although McClaren insisted he was never that concerned.
'Four or five games ago, so many people doubted we would be in this position,' he observed.
'But I always said the last five games would be critical.
'We have put ourselves in pole position. We have come here knowing a draw is a good result but we are coming here to win. Our performances in recent games bode well. Russia have to worry about us, not the other way round. They are the ones who have to win.
'But if we are to go on and do well ourselves, we have to deal with these situations.
'If we can't come through matches like this and get a result, we won't go anywhere.'
Michelle Wie...
It has not being a good year for young lady golfer Michelle Wie (18 years old). Beside injury problems, also had PR (public relation) problems and now a person hired to managed her, resigned..after less then a year.
Her golf season for the year is over. She should continue her college life and regain her love for the golf and be prepare for next year. She has got the talent but who ever has been pushing her to compete with the men's (PGA tour)....have to rethink again.
Let her play LPGA and win some competitions first like Paula Creamer and Morgan Pressel. Even Brazilan Korean Angela Park (19 years old)is having a good year. Might even be rookie of the year.
Let the love of the game flow into her again. And forget about this year. And also forget about playing at the men's tour. Win tournaments and win back the fans. Otherwise she will only be another child phenom...whose potential was never realise because of ......interference.
She is fast lossing support from fans. Even the latest Sam sung tournament, she was not meant to be there if it was based on her performance this year. If not because early this year the sponsors already gave her an 'automatic' spot.
NOTE: Out of 20 players, she got 19th placing.
Prior to the tournament they offer it to Annika Sorenstam
(also not having a good year) but she decline...She said the slot should be given to 'deserving' players.
That is what i call sportsmanship. Hats off to you Ms Annika.
ESPN
The losses for Michelle Wie keep piling up even though her LPGA Tour season is over. The latest came Monday when her agent resigned after less than a year on the job.
Story
Greg Nared, a former Nike business manager whom the William Morris Agency hired a year ago to manage Wie, resigned as vice president of golf. His announcement came one day after Wie finished 19th in a 20-player field at the Samsung World Championship.
"After careful consideration for my future, I have resigned effective immediately," Nared said in a statement e-mailed to The Associated Press. "I'm very grateful to the William Morris Agency for the opportunity to work with world-class athletes. It has been an invaluable experience and I'll forever cherish [it]."
Nared declined to elaborate when contacted before flying home to Oregon. Jill Smoller, to whom Nared reported at William Morris, did not immediately return a call.
"While we are sorry that Greg will no longer be handling the road management of Michelle, we wish to thank him for his work and wish him the best going forward," Jesse Derris, a spokesman for the Wie family, said in a statement. "The core group of agents handling Michelle's business relationships remains intact, as it has from day one of her professional career."
Wie, a Stanford freshman who celebrated her 18th birthday Thursday, played her eighth and final LPGA event at Samsung. She ended her season with a 76.7 scoring average, broke par only twice, failed to record a single round in the 60s and made only two cuts (with a 20-player field, Samsung did not have a cut).
Wie turned pro in October 2005 and was managed by Ross Berlin, a former PGA Tour executive hired by the William Morris Agency as Wie's agent.
Berlin had disagreements with Wie's parents on her schedule, particularly in late 2006 when Wie was taken out of her senior year at Punahou School in Honolulu to play a European Tour men's event in Switzerland, then the following week outside Pittsburgh on the PGA Tour at the 84 Lumber Classic. She finished last in both events.
Berlin resigned after the Samsung last year and returned to the tour. He was replaced by Nared, a former Maryland basketball player who had been a constant presence around Wie when he worked at Nike and was well-liked by the teenager and her family. Wie signed endorsement deals with Nike and Sony when she turned pro.
Nared quietly endured the heavy criticism that followed Wie during her most tumultuous year.
He was the in middle of her biggest controversy at the Ginn Tribute in South Carolina in the spring, conferring with her on the 16th tee moments before she withdrew. Wie was 14 over par through 16 holes when she quit, and it appeared as though she was trying to avoid the LPGA's "Rule 88," in which nonmembers are ineligible for one year if they shoot 88 or higher.
Wie then showed up at Bulle Rock two days later to practice for the McDonald's LPGA Championship, and Annika Sorenstam harshly denounced the move as disrespectful.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Her golf season for the year is over. She should continue her college life and regain her love for the golf and be prepare for next year. She has got the talent but who ever has been pushing her to compete with the men's (PGA tour)....have to rethink again.
Let her play LPGA and win some competitions first like Paula Creamer and Morgan Pressel. Even Brazilan Korean Angela Park (19 years old)is having a good year. Might even be rookie of the year.
Let the love of the game flow into her again. And forget about this year. And also forget about playing at the men's tour. Win tournaments and win back the fans. Otherwise she will only be another child phenom...whose potential was never realise because of ......interference.
She is fast lossing support from fans. Even the latest Sam sung tournament, she was not meant to be there if it was based on her performance this year. If not because early this year the sponsors already gave her an 'automatic' spot.
NOTE: Out of 20 players, she got 19th placing.
Prior to the tournament they offer it to Annika Sorenstam
(also not having a good year) but she decline...She said the slot should be given to 'deserving' players.
That is what i call sportsmanship. Hats off to you Ms Annika.
ESPN
The losses for Michelle Wie keep piling up even though her LPGA Tour season is over. The latest came Monday when her agent resigned after less than a year on the job.
Story
Greg Nared, a former Nike business manager whom the William Morris Agency hired a year ago to manage Wie, resigned as vice president of golf. His announcement came one day after Wie finished 19th in a 20-player field at the Samsung World Championship.
"After careful consideration for my future, I have resigned effective immediately," Nared said in a statement e-mailed to The Associated Press. "I'm very grateful to the William Morris Agency for the opportunity to work with world-class athletes. It has been an invaluable experience and I'll forever cherish [it]."
Nared declined to elaborate when contacted before flying home to Oregon. Jill Smoller, to whom Nared reported at William Morris, did not immediately return a call.
"While we are sorry that Greg will no longer be handling the road management of Michelle, we wish to thank him for his work and wish him the best going forward," Jesse Derris, a spokesman for the Wie family, said in a statement. "The core group of agents handling Michelle's business relationships remains intact, as it has from day one of her professional career."
Wie, a Stanford freshman who celebrated her 18th birthday Thursday, played her eighth and final LPGA event at Samsung. She ended her season with a 76.7 scoring average, broke par only twice, failed to record a single round in the 60s and made only two cuts (with a 20-player field, Samsung did not have a cut).
Wie turned pro in October 2005 and was managed by Ross Berlin, a former PGA Tour executive hired by the William Morris Agency as Wie's agent.
Berlin had disagreements with Wie's parents on her schedule, particularly in late 2006 when Wie was taken out of her senior year at Punahou School in Honolulu to play a European Tour men's event in Switzerland, then the following week outside Pittsburgh on the PGA Tour at the 84 Lumber Classic. She finished last in both events.
Berlin resigned after the Samsung last year and returned to the tour. He was replaced by Nared, a former Maryland basketball player who had been a constant presence around Wie when he worked at Nike and was well-liked by the teenager and her family. Wie signed endorsement deals with Nike and Sony when she turned pro.
Nared quietly endured the heavy criticism that followed Wie during her most tumultuous year.
He was the in middle of her biggest controversy at the Ginn Tribute in South Carolina in the spring, conferring with her on the 16th tee moments before she withdrew. Wie was 14 over par through 16 holes when she quit, and it appeared as though she was trying to avoid the LPGA's "Rule 88," in which nonmembers are ineligible for one year if they shoot 88 or higher.
Wie then showed up at Bulle Rock two days later to practice for the McDonald's LPGA Championship, and Annika Sorenstam harshly denounced the move as disrespectful.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Friday, October 5, 2007
Fall from Grace....
Got this from CNN.
Report: Jones admits steroids use.
AP) -- Marion Jones admitted using steroids before the 2000 Olympics in a recent letter to close family and friends, The Washington Post reported Thursday.
In a reported letter to family and friends, Jones said she's used a drug called "the clear" for two years.
Jones, a triple gold medalist in Sydney, said she took "the clear" for two years, beginning in 1999, and that she got it from former coach Trevor Graham, the newspaper reported. Graham told her it was flaxseed oil.
"The clear" is a performance-enhancing drug linked to BALCO, the lab at the center of the steroids scandal in professional sports.
Until now, Jones had steadfastly denied she ever took any kind of performance-enhancing drugs.
Jones is scheduled to appear in U.S. Southern District Court on Friday to plead guilty to charges in connection with her steroid use, a federal law enforcement source told The Associated Press. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing, and would not provide specific details about the plea.
"I want to apologize for all of this," the Post reported, quoting a person who received a copy of Jones' letter and read it to the paper. "I am sorry for disappointing you all in so many ways."
In her letter, Jones said she'd used performance-enhancing drugs until she stopped training with Graham at the end of 2002. She said she lied when federal agents questioned her in 2003, panicking when they presented her with a sample of "the clear," which she recognized as the substance Graham had given her.
"Red flags should have been raised when he told me not to tell anyone," the Post reported, quoting the letter.
No one answered the door at Jones' Austin home Thursday evening, and a message left by the AP for a phone number registered to her husband, Obadele Thompson, was not immediately returned.
"It's funky, because you wanted to believe she was clean," said Jon Drummond, a gold medalist in the 400 relay in Sydney. "It's like that old saying, 'Cheaters never win.' So no matter how glorious or glamorous things look, you'll get caught and pay a price for it.
"It caught me by total surprise," he added. "It's a shock. I thought it was a closed case. It doesn't help track and field at all, except maybe by letting the world know, people always get to the bottom of things. We shouldn't be afraid of the truth, but it's sad it came to this."
The admission could cost Jones the five medals she won at the Sydney Olympics. Though she fell short of her goal of winning five gold medals, she came away with three and two bronzes and was one of the games' biggest stars.
But her career has been tarnished by doping allegations since then. She was one of several athletes, including home run king Barry Bonds, to testify before a San Francisco federal grand jury investigating the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative.
According to grand jury transcripts obtained by the San Francisco Chronicle, Bonds said he thought two substances given to him by trainer Greg Anderson were flaxseed oil and an arthritic balm. Authorities suspect those items were actually "the clear" and "the cream," two performance-enhancing drugs linked to BALCO.
Jones' former boyfriend Tim Montgomery, also testified before the grand jury, and was given a two-year ban for doping in late 2005.
In December 2004, the International Olympic Committee opened an investigation into doping allegations against Jones. And last year, a Jones urine sample tested positive for the performance-enhancing drug EPO but she was cleared when a backup sample tested negative.
Jones sued BALCO founder Victor Conte in 2004 for $25 million after he told a national television news program that the sprinter used designer steroids, human growth hormone and other illegal performance enhancers before and during the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.
Conte said he taught Jones how to inject human growth hormone during a track meet in 2001. He said he also held conference calls with Jones and Graham where the three of them discussed Jones' "doping" regimen.
"Jones has never taken banned performance enhancing drugs," the sprinter alleged in her defamation lawsuit. "Jones took and passed over 160 separate drug tests, including five different drug tests at the 2000 Olympics."
The pair settled the lawsuit in 2005 for an undisclosed amount.
"It cost me a lot of money to defend myself," Conte said Thursday. "But I told the truth then, and I'm telling it now."
Jones' former coach Graham helped launch the government's steroid probe in 2003 when he mailed a vial of "the clear" -- previously undetectable -- to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. He was indicted in the BALCO case last November on three counts of lying to federal agents. He has pleaded not guilty, and a trial is set for Nov. 26.
A woman who answered the phone at Graham's home in Raleigh, North Carolina, declined to identify herself, but said Graham was not home before refusing to answer any other questions. There was no answer at the door of Graham's north Raleigh home on Thursday.
USA Track & Field was not aware of Jones' letter nor any pending legal action, CEO Craig Masback said.
"Anything that exposes the truth about drug use in sport is good for ensuring the integrity of sport," Masback said. "Any use of performance-enhancing substances is a tragedy for the athlete, their teammates, friends, family and the sport. We await any further developments on this matter."
Messages left for USADA; the U.S. Olympic Committee; World Anti-Doping Agency Dick Pound; and Jones' former agent, Charles Wells, were not immediately returned. The AP also left messages with Dan Pfaff, another of Jones' former coaches.
The Post also reported that, in her letter, Jones said she lied about a $25,000 check given to her by Montgomery, who pleaded guilty in New York in April as part of a criminal scheme to cash millions of dollars worth of stolen or forged checks. He has yet to be sentenced.
Wells, Jones' longtime agent, pleaded guilty to bank fraud in March in connection with the case. He acknowledged depositing two of the bad checks, worth $1.1 million. In May, Jones' former coach, the Olympian Steve Riddick, was convicted of conspiracy, bank fraud and money laundering after a jury found he had also cashed some of the checks.
Bank records indicated Jones had received a $25,000 check from one of the alleged conspirators -- Nathaniel Alexander who shared office space with Riddick and also was convicted. The check never cleared, according to records, and Jones was never charged.
Prosecutors said Montgomery got thousands of dollars in "commission" for cashing the bad checks.
"Once again, I panicked," the Post reported, quoting Jones' letter. "I did not want my name associated with this mess. I wanted to stay as far away as possible."
In her prime, Jones was one of track's first female millionaires, typically earning between $70,000 and $80,000 a race, plus at least another $1 million from race bonuses and endorsement deals.
In 2000-01, she competed in 21 international events, including the Sydney Olympics, where she won five medals -- three gold.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
Report: Jones admits steroids use.
AP) -- Marion Jones admitted using steroids before the 2000 Olympics in a recent letter to close family and friends, The Washington Post reported Thursday.
In a reported letter to family and friends, Jones said she's used a drug called "the clear" for two years.
Jones, a triple gold medalist in Sydney, said she took "the clear" for two years, beginning in 1999, and that she got it from former coach Trevor Graham, the newspaper reported. Graham told her it was flaxseed oil.
"The clear" is a performance-enhancing drug linked to BALCO, the lab at the center of the steroids scandal in professional sports.
Until now, Jones had steadfastly denied she ever took any kind of performance-enhancing drugs.
Jones is scheduled to appear in U.S. Southern District Court on Friday to plead guilty to charges in connection with her steroid use, a federal law enforcement source told The Associated Press. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing, and would not provide specific details about the plea.
"I want to apologize for all of this," the Post reported, quoting a person who received a copy of Jones' letter and read it to the paper. "I am sorry for disappointing you all in so many ways."
In her letter, Jones said she'd used performance-enhancing drugs until she stopped training with Graham at the end of 2002. She said she lied when federal agents questioned her in 2003, panicking when they presented her with a sample of "the clear," which she recognized as the substance Graham had given her.
"Red flags should have been raised when he told me not to tell anyone," the Post reported, quoting the letter.
No one answered the door at Jones' Austin home Thursday evening, and a message left by the AP for a phone number registered to her husband, Obadele Thompson, was not immediately returned.
"It's funky, because you wanted to believe she was clean," said Jon Drummond, a gold medalist in the 400 relay in Sydney. "It's like that old saying, 'Cheaters never win.' So no matter how glorious or glamorous things look, you'll get caught and pay a price for it.
"It caught me by total surprise," he added. "It's a shock. I thought it was a closed case. It doesn't help track and field at all, except maybe by letting the world know, people always get to the bottom of things. We shouldn't be afraid of the truth, but it's sad it came to this."
The admission could cost Jones the five medals she won at the Sydney Olympics. Though she fell short of her goal of winning five gold medals, she came away with three and two bronzes and was one of the games' biggest stars.
But her career has been tarnished by doping allegations since then. She was one of several athletes, including home run king Barry Bonds, to testify before a San Francisco federal grand jury investigating the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative.
According to grand jury transcripts obtained by the San Francisco Chronicle, Bonds said he thought two substances given to him by trainer Greg Anderson were flaxseed oil and an arthritic balm. Authorities suspect those items were actually "the clear" and "the cream," two performance-enhancing drugs linked to BALCO.
Jones' former boyfriend Tim Montgomery, also testified before the grand jury, and was given a two-year ban for doping in late 2005.
In December 2004, the International Olympic Committee opened an investigation into doping allegations against Jones. And last year, a Jones urine sample tested positive for the performance-enhancing drug EPO but she was cleared when a backup sample tested negative.
Jones sued BALCO founder Victor Conte in 2004 for $25 million after he told a national television news program that the sprinter used designer steroids, human growth hormone and other illegal performance enhancers before and during the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.
Conte said he taught Jones how to inject human growth hormone during a track meet in 2001. He said he also held conference calls with Jones and Graham where the three of them discussed Jones' "doping" regimen.
"Jones has never taken banned performance enhancing drugs," the sprinter alleged in her defamation lawsuit. "Jones took and passed over 160 separate drug tests, including five different drug tests at the 2000 Olympics."
The pair settled the lawsuit in 2005 for an undisclosed amount.
"It cost me a lot of money to defend myself," Conte said Thursday. "But I told the truth then, and I'm telling it now."
Jones' former coach Graham helped launch the government's steroid probe in 2003 when he mailed a vial of "the clear" -- previously undetectable -- to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. He was indicted in the BALCO case last November on three counts of lying to federal agents. He has pleaded not guilty, and a trial is set for Nov. 26.
A woman who answered the phone at Graham's home in Raleigh, North Carolina, declined to identify herself, but said Graham was not home before refusing to answer any other questions. There was no answer at the door of Graham's north Raleigh home on Thursday.
USA Track & Field was not aware of Jones' letter nor any pending legal action, CEO Craig Masback said.
"Anything that exposes the truth about drug use in sport is good for ensuring the integrity of sport," Masback said. "Any use of performance-enhancing substances is a tragedy for the athlete, their teammates, friends, family and the sport. We await any further developments on this matter."
Messages left for USADA; the U.S. Olympic Committee; World Anti-Doping Agency Dick Pound; and Jones' former agent, Charles Wells, were not immediately returned. The AP also left messages with Dan Pfaff, another of Jones' former coaches.
The Post also reported that, in her letter, Jones said she lied about a $25,000 check given to her by Montgomery, who pleaded guilty in New York in April as part of a criminal scheme to cash millions of dollars worth of stolen or forged checks. He has yet to be sentenced.
Wells, Jones' longtime agent, pleaded guilty to bank fraud in March in connection with the case. He acknowledged depositing two of the bad checks, worth $1.1 million. In May, Jones' former coach, the Olympian Steve Riddick, was convicted of conspiracy, bank fraud and money laundering after a jury found he had also cashed some of the checks.
Bank records indicated Jones had received a $25,000 check from one of the alleged conspirators -- Nathaniel Alexander who shared office space with Riddick and also was convicted. The check never cleared, according to records, and Jones was never charged.
Prosecutors said Montgomery got thousands of dollars in "commission" for cashing the bad checks.
"Once again, I panicked," the Post reported, quoting Jones' letter. "I did not want my name associated with this mess. I wanted to stay as far away as possible."
In her prime, Jones was one of track's first female millionaires, typically earning between $70,000 and $80,000 a race, plus at least another $1 million from race bonuses and endorsement deals.
In 2000-01, she competed in 21 international events, including the Sydney Olympics, where she won five medals -- three gold.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Congratulation to Lee Chong Wei
Congratulations to Lee Chong Wei for winning the Japan open and beating top players too. It was good of him to 'move on' after the world championship in KL. May he maintain this form in the Taiwan Open. He can play the game, just need to toughen up his mental game and stay focus. But kudos to him for bouncing back. Hope the doubles pair can do the same.
17/09/07, 13:35:51
By RAJES PAUL
PETALING JAYA: National number one Lee Chong Wei restored his pride by winning the Japan Open title for the first time in sensational fashion in Tokyo yesterday.
In contrast to his disastrous performances in the World Championships last month, a rejuvenated Chong Wei dished out a classy show to beat Indonesian superstar Taufik Hidayat 22-20, 19-21, 21-19 in the men's singles final. The match saw brilliant performances from both players in the 65-minute battle.
National number one Lee Chong Wei
It was Chong Wei's second win over Taufik this year. The first was in the semi-finals of the China Masters in July and then, it was the first time too in two years that he had beaten the Olympic champion.
With the win, Chong Wei becomes the second player under the charge of Misbun Sidek to win the Japan Open after Mohd Roslin Hashim in 2001.
By claiming the Japan Open title, Chong Wei has nailed the first of his “Big Four” on the international stage. He also wants to be the champion in the World Championships, Olympics and the All-England.
“This victory makes up for all the pain and agony that I went through after my defeat at the world championships,” said Chong Wei in a telephone interview.
Chong Wei carried Malaysia's great hope to end a 30-year wait for a world title but he went down in a most uncharacteristic fashion to Indonesian Sony Dwi Kuncoro in the third round.
“It was very important for me to get back on my feet after the world championships. All my hard work has paid off,” he said.
“This time, there was no disturbance from anyone and I was really focused on the tasks at hand. I had a tough draw and I played every match with determination to prove to myself that I am still a good player. At this moment, I just feel very, very satisfied.”
The win yesterday certainly did not come easy for the world number four. After losing the first game narrowly, the unseeded Taufik made a spectacular comeback, winning eight consecutive points to take a 17-15 lead before going on to force a rubber.
In the decider, Chong Wei bounced back strongly to take a 19-13 lead but Taufik looked as though he would spoil the party for Malaysian. But Chong Wei pressed home the advantage.
“Taufik just did not want to give up. I did not want to come this far and lose. Fortunately, I held on for a victory. It feels good to win my third title this year (after the Indonesian and the Philippines Opens),” said Chong Wei, who won US$16,000 for his efforts.
Misbun was pleased with Chong Wei's overall performances and he wants the player to ride on the success.
“We cannot predict when and how Taufik will attack but Chong Wei did well to retrieve many of the tricky shots. Chong Wei was strong in the head and handled the tense situation well. This will see him going far in future tournament,” said Misbun.
“I am not telling that he is superior right now but he had indicated here that he is still a true fighter. No many can make a quick rebound from a debacle such as one in the world championships. But I am glad, Chong Wei has come out of it.”
Chong Wei next tournament is the Taiwan Open, which begins on Wednesday in Taipeh.
Courtesy of The Star
17/09/07, 13:35:51
By RAJES PAUL
PETALING JAYA: National number one Lee Chong Wei restored his pride by winning the Japan Open title for the first time in sensational fashion in Tokyo yesterday.
In contrast to his disastrous performances in the World Championships last month, a rejuvenated Chong Wei dished out a classy show to beat Indonesian superstar Taufik Hidayat 22-20, 19-21, 21-19 in the men's singles final. The match saw brilliant performances from both players in the 65-minute battle.
National number one Lee Chong Wei
It was Chong Wei's second win over Taufik this year. The first was in the semi-finals of the China Masters in July and then, it was the first time too in two years that he had beaten the Olympic champion.
With the win, Chong Wei becomes the second player under the charge of Misbun Sidek to win the Japan Open after Mohd Roslin Hashim in 2001.
By claiming the Japan Open title, Chong Wei has nailed the first of his “Big Four” on the international stage. He also wants to be the champion in the World Championships, Olympics and the All-England.
“This victory makes up for all the pain and agony that I went through after my defeat at the world championships,” said Chong Wei in a telephone interview.
Chong Wei carried Malaysia's great hope to end a 30-year wait for a world title but he went down in a most uncharacteristic fashion to Indonesian Sony Dwi Kuncoro in the third round.
“It was very important for me to get back on my feet after the world championships. All my hard work has paid off,” he said.
“This time, there was no disturbance from anyone and I was really focused on the tasks at hand. I had a tough draw and I played every match with determination to prove to myself that I am still a good player. At this moment, I just feel very, very satisfied.”
The win yesterday certainly did not come easy for the world number four. After losing the first game narrowly, the unseeded Taufik made a spectacular comeback, winning eight consecutive points to take a 17-15 lead before going on to force a rubber.
In the decider, Chong Wei bounced back strongly to take a 19-13 lead but Taufik looked as though he would spoil the party for Malaysian. But Chong Wei pressed home the advantage.
“Taufik just did not want to give up. I did not want to come this far and lose. Fortunately, I held on for a victory. It feels good to win my third title this year (after the Indonesian and the Philippines Opens),” said Chong Wei, who won US$16,000 for his efforts.
Misbun was pleased with Chong Wei's overall performances and he wants the player to ride on the success.
“We cannot predict when and how Taufik will attack but Chong Wei did well to retrieve many of the tricky shots. Chong Wei was strong in the head and handled the tense situation well. This will see him going far in future tournament,” said Misbun.
“I am not telling that he is superior right now but he had indicated here that he is still a true fighter. No many can make a quick rebound from a debacle such as one in the world championships. But I am glad, Chong Wei has come out of it.”
Chong Wei next tournament is the Taiwan Open, which begins on Wednesday in Taipeh.
Courtesy of The Star
Friday, September 14, 2007
Another set back for badminton players.
By the time i post this, i wonder if Lee Chong Wei had make it to the Semis at the on going Japan Open.
COME ON PLAYERS!!! PLAY WELL AGAIN. LOSE, LOSE IN 3 Games and not straight sets. Don;t give up...fight till the end. Like Nicol David and our national bowlers. Be like Tiger Woods, whose mental game is so strong that on final days, most players faulter under pressure just because he is playing with them.
Chong Wei the only Malaysian left in the fray
By RAJES PAUL
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei reached the quarter-finals of the Japan Open badminton championships in Tokyo yesterday but our men’s doubles suffered their worst ever results this year when none cleared the early rounds.
The 25-year-old Chong Wei, determined to make up for his poor showing in the World Championships at home last month, battled for 51 minutes to beat Singaporean Ronald Susilo 19-21, 21-8, 21-10.
Chong Wei, the only Malaysian left in the fray after the second day of action, will take on China’s Chen Jin in today’s quarter-finals.
Nusa Mahsuri’s Mohd Roslin Hashim and Yeoh Kay Bin crashed out in contrasting fashions yesterday.
Roslin gave a fighting performance before bowing out 11-21, 21-18, 11-21 to top seed and reigning world champion Lin Dan of China while Kay Bin went down at 11-21, 16-21 to Olympic champion Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia.
It was, however, a good day for South Korean Park Sung-hwan, Hong Kong’s Chan Yan Kit and Indonesian Simon Santoso. They pulled off upset wins over Denmark’s Kenneth Jonasssen, China’s Chen Yu and Thailand’s Boonsak Ponsana respectively.
The biggest letdown were the Malaysian men’s doubles players.
Good show: South Korea’s Park Sung-hwan and Hong Kong’s Chan Yan Kit (inset) scored upset wins over higher-ranked shuttlers – Kenneth Jonassen and Chen Yu respectively – in the Japan Open yesterday.
With the shock defeats of Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong and Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah yesterday, Malaysia failed to have at least one pair in the quarter-finals for the first time in an Open tournament this year.
The second-seeded Kien Keat-Boon Heong went down 19-21, 19-21 to Indonesians Alven Yulianto-Luluk Hadiyanto. It was their first defeat to the Indons.
Seasoned campaigners Tan Fook-Wan Wah, who were Malaysia’s top performers at last month’s world meet, fell 18-21, 16-21 to Indonesian-born Hendra Kurniawan Saputra-Hendra Wijaya of Singapore.
It was a double blow for Wan Wah as he aggravated an injury to his right knee.
National chief coach Yap Kim Hock played down the doubles wipe-out.
“It is a setback for us that none made it to the quarter-finals. We do not want to be too worried with the results of only one tournament,” said Kim Hock in a telephone interview from Tokyo. “Besides, there were other upsets too. Our goal is the Beijing Olympics and I am confident our players will get back on the right track.”
In the women’s singles, Wong Mew Choo failed to reproduce the form that saw her beat Xie Xingfang of China in the third round of the world meet. Yesterday, she lost 9-21, 15-21.
COME ON PLAYERS!!! PLAY WELL AGAIN. LOSE, LOSE IN 3 Games and not straight sets. Don;t give up...fight till the end. Like Nicol David and our national bowlers. Be like Tiger Woods, whose mental game is so strong that on final days, most players faulter under pressure just because he is playing with them.
Chong Wei the only Malaysian left in the fray
By RAJES PAUL
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei reached the quarter-finals of the Japan Open badminton championships in Tokyo yesterday but our men’s doubles suffered their worst ever results this year when none cleared the early rounds.
The 25-year-old Chong Wei, determined to make up for his poor showing in the World Championships at home last month, battled for 51 minutes to beat Singaporean Ronald Susilo 19-21, 21-8, 21-10.
Chong Wei, the only Malaysian left in the fray after the second day of action, will take on China’s Chen Jin in today’s quarter-finals.
Nusa Mahsuri’s Mohd Roslin Hashim and Yeoh Kay Bin crashed out in contrasting fashions yesterday.
Roslin gave a fighting performance before bowing out 11-21, 21-18, 11-21 to top seed and reigning world champion Lin Dan of China while Kay Bin went down at 11-21, 16-21 to Olympic champion Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia.
It was, however, a good day for South Korean Park Sung-hwan, Hong Kong’s Chan Yan Kit and Indonesian Simon Santoso. They pulled off upset wins over Denmark’s Kenneth Jonasssen, China’s Chen Yu and Thailand’s Boonsak Ponsana respectively.
The biggest letdown were the Malaysian men’s doubles players.
Good show: South Korea’s Park Sung-hwan and Hong Kong’s Chan Yan Kit (inset) scored upset wins over higher-ranked shuttlers – Kenneth Jonassen and Chen Yu respectively – in the Japan Open yesterday.
With the shock defeats of Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong and Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah yesterday, Malaysia failed to have at least one pair in the quarter-finals for the first time in an Open tournament this year.
The second-seeded Kien Keat-Boon Heong went down 19-21, 19-21 to Indonesians Alven Yulianto-Luluk Hadiyanto. It was their first defeat to the Indons.
Seasoned campaigners Tan Fook-Wan Wah, who were Malaysia’s top performers at last month’s world meet, fell 18-21, 16-21 to Indonesian-born Hendra Kurniawan Saputra-Hendra Wijaya of Singapore.
It was a double blow for Wan Wah as he aggravated an injury to his right knee.
National chief coach Yap Kim Hock played down the doubles wipe-out.
“It is a setback for us that none made it to the quarter-finals. We do not want to be too worried with the results of only one tournament,” said Kim Hock in a telephone interview from Tokyo. “Besides, there were other upsets too. Our goal is the Beijing Olympics and I am confident our players will get back on the right track.”
In the women’s singles, Wong Mew Choo failed to reproduce the form that saw her beat Xie Xingfang of China in the third round of the world meet. Yesterday, she lost 9-21, 15-21.
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Congratulation to England
Being a coach for England Football is not easy. Hopefully this win will let them qualify for Euro 2008.
Steve McClaren has pointed to England's best performance of his difficult time in charge and warned his players not to drop below those standards in future.
Goals from Shaun Wright-Phillips, Michael Owen and Micah Richards guided the Three Lions to a 3-0 romp over Israel at Wembley which has significantly increased their chances of reaching Euro 2008 next summer.
A similar performance against Russia at the same venue on Wednesday would leave England tantalisingly close to booking their place at the finals in Austria and Switzerland.
But McClaren realises his team are yet to prove they are capable of maintaining such a high level of performance on a consistent basis. And he has left them in no doubt once is not enough.
'Yes, it is absolutely right. That performance sets the bar. It is not just the score; I would take taken one-nil. It is the fact that we had a lot of injuries, yet players have stepped in and done the job.
'Given the pressure beforehand and the fact it was our most important game so far, one we had to win, then yes, it probably was my best result as coach.
'And all of a sudden, we have competition for places, which has to be healthy.'
Under the circumstances, with Wayne Rooney, David Beckham, Frank Lampard and Owen Hargreaves among the key men to miss out, McClaren could hardly have expected any more from his team.
They dominated from start to finish and, in Wright-Phillips, Emile Heskey and Gareth Barry boasted a trio who carried England's challenge despite rarely having had the opportunity to operate regularly on the international stage.
All that may change now, with Heskey and Barry, three and an incredible seven years after their previous competitive starts for England, under serious consideration for Wednesday's equally crucial encounter even though more established alternatives in Peter Crouch and Hargreaves are available.
Wright-Phillips can be more certain of his place.
The little winger has spent so long in the wilderness following his £21million move to Chelsea two years ago.
But, first for club and now with his country, Wright-Phillips is showing signs of recapturing the form which made him an international in the first place during his time at Manchester City.
He may not have the crossing accuracy of Beckham but the 26-year-old Londoner offers a rare ability to run at defenders at pace and maintain his balance. As Israel found to their cost, it is a skill which cannot easily be contained.
'Shaun is a nightmare to defend against when he is playing like that,' said McClaren. 'He has pace and power and works so hard for the team. He is so strong too.
'There are times when it looks like he is going to lose the ball but then he fights to get it back.'
Wright-Phillips' goal, a well-taken first-time effort after he had sprung Israel's offside trap perfectly to reach Joe Cole's angled cross was what McClaren described as 'the icing on the cake'.
Take out Owen and Steven Gerrard and it is not abundantly clear who is going to score England's goals.
Now, an answer may be at hand. And, while McClaren felt his team could have been far more clinical yesterday, he declared himself satisfied with the outcome - providing England have left a few in reserve.
'The goal was a key thing for Shaun because, while we knew we would get crosses in, we wondered who would get the goals from midfield if Steven Gerrard did not get them,' said McClaren.
'In a sense we followed on from the Germany game last month because we created a lot of chances and did not score as many times as we might have done.
'Hopefully, we are saving a couple for Wednesday.'
Other than the booing which greeted David Bentley's entrance and the Blackburn man's every touch thereafter, a legacy of the debutant's decision to snub under-21 duty with England at this summer's European Championships, there was barely a negative for McClaren to reflect on.
However, in confirming a 'hope' that Hargreaves would recover from his thigh injury in time to be considered for the Russia clash, the England coach did reveal Lampard is unlikely to have progressed enough from a similar problem to come under consideration.
'From what we have seen, Frank is going to struggle,' he said.
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=461512&cc=4716
Steve McClaren has pointed to England's best performance of his difficult time in charge and warned his players not to drop below those standards in future.
Goals from Shaun Wright-Phillips, Michael Owen and Micah Richards guided the Three Lions to a 3-0 romp over Israel at Wembley which has significantly increased their chances of reaching Euro 2008 next summer.
A similar performance against Russia at the same venue on Wednesday would leave England tantalisingly close to booking their place at the finals in Austria and Switzerland.
But McClaren realises his team are yet to prove they are capable of maintaining such a high level of performance on a consistent basis. And he has left them in no doubt once is not enough.
'Yes, it is absolutely right. That performance sets the bar. It is not just the score; I would take taken one-nil. It is the fact that we had a lot of injuries, yet players have stepped in and done the job.
'Given the pressure beforehand and the fact it was our most important game so far, one we had to win, then yes, it probably was my best result as coach.
'And all of a sudden, we have competition for places, which has to be healthy.'
Under the circumstances, with Wayne Rooney, David Beckham, Frank Lampard and Owen Hargreaves among the key men to miss out, McClaren could hardly have expected any more from his team.
They dominated from start to finish and, in Wright-Phillips, Emile Heskey and Gareth Barry boasted a trio who carried England's challenge despite rarely having had the opportunity to operate regularly on the international stage.
All that may change now, with Heskey and Barry, three and an incredible seven years after their previous competitive starts for England, under serious consideration for Wednesday's equally crucial encounter even though more established alternatives in Peter Crouch and Hargreaves are available.
Wright-Phillips can be more certain of his place.
The little winger has spent so long in the wilderness following his £21million move to Chelsea two years ago.
But, first for club and now with his country, Wright-Phillips is showing signs of recapturing the form which made him an international in the first place during his time at Manchester City.
He may not have the crossing accuracy of Beckham but the 26-year-old Londoner offers a rare ability to run at defenders at pace and maintain his balance. As Israel found to their cost, it is a skill which cannot easily be contained.
'Shaun is a nightmare to defend against when he is playing like that,' said McClaren. 'He has pace and power and works so hard for the team. He is so strong too.
'There are times when it looks like he is going to lose the ball but then he fights to get it back.'
Wright-Phillips' goal, a well-taken first-time effort after he had sprung Israel's offside trap perfectly to reach Joe Cole's angled cross was what McClaren described as 'the icing on the cake'.
Take out Owen and Steven Gerrard and it is not abundantly clear who is going to score England's goals.
Now, an answer may be at hand. And, while McClaren felt his team could have been far more clinical yesterday, he declared himself satisfied with the outcome - providing England have left a few in reserve.
'The goal was a key thing for Shaun because, while we knew we would get crosses in, we wondered who would get the goals from midfield if Steven Gerrard did not get them,' said McClaren.
'In a sense we followed on from the Germany game last month because we created a lot of chances and did not score as many times as we might have done.
'Hopefully, we are saving a couple for Wednesday.'
Other than the booing which greeted David Bentley's entrance and the Blackburn man's every touch thereafter, a legacy of the debutant's decision to snub under-21 duty with England at this summer's European Championships, there was barely a negative for McClaren to reflect on.
However, in confirming a 'hope' that Hargreaves would recover from his thigh injury in time to be considered for the Russia clash, the England coach did reveal Lampard is unlikely to have progressed enough from a similar problem to come under consideration.
'From what we have seen, Frank is going to struggle,' he said.
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=461512&cc=4716
Congratulations to Justine Henin
This post is dedicated to our badminton players who did not do well in this year's world championship.
I respect people especially sportsmen or women who overcome problems and emerge top in their game or sports they play. For our country it is our squash queen Ms David. She was down after the commonwealth games but since then she has not look back.
Same goes to Justine Henin for winning the Women's US open 2007. On route beat the Williams sisters. In the final she beat (trashed) Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-1, 6-3.
Season comes full circle for Henin
NEW YORK -- If Justine Henin had taken time last week to fill out one of those stress tests found in pop culture magazines -- the ones that assign point totals to dramatic events in your life over the past year -- she would have been off the charts.
Henin began 2007 as No. 1 in the world, with one of the most admired tactical games in tennis, but all was not well beneath the brim of her businesslike ball cap.
Her marriage was on the rocks, and she hadn't spoken to most of her immediate family in seven years. Although Henin had five Grand Slam wins under her belt, her fellow players and much of the public and the media perceived her as frosty and criticized her for withdrawing from big matches when she didn't feel exactly right.
Here's what Henin did. She let things fly, both on and off the court. This was her Year of Living Interestingly, the season she got on the plane and understood there would be turbulence and decided she wouldn't let it unnerve her.
This was the year she began to do what her longtime coach and mentor Carlos Rodriguez has been urging her to do for a long time. She dropped some of her reserve and let people get a glimpse of her passion for the sport as well as her skill.
The results -- well, the results have been "magical," as Henin said after winning her second U.S. Open on Saturday night with a 6-1, 6-3 whitewashing of Russia's No. 4 Svetlana Kuznetsova.
"At the beginning of the year, we really asked ourselves where we were going -- we talked about a year of transition," she told French-speaking reporters, referring to the winning combination she has with Rodriguez, who has coached her for 11 years.
Henin, 25, of Belgium, called this championship -- which came after defeating Serena and Venus Williams back-to-back in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds -- her most satisfying Slam.
"There aren't many women who could do that here in New York," she said with quiet conviction. She did it without dropping a set, as was the case in May when she captured her third straight French Open title.
She has reached at least the semifinal round of every tournament she has played since the middle of last season, and she's healthy. Henin actually knocked wood when she said this might be the first season she gets through without injury.
Nothing has diverted Henin -- not divorce, not being diagnosed with a sudden onset of chronic asthma in March, not an emotional reconciliation with her family a few weeks before the French Open spurred by an older brother's near-fatal car accident, not the stunning upset pudgy French wonder Marion Bartoli handed her in the Wimbledon semifinals, not the fact that announcer Dick Enberg inadvertently addressed her as "Henin-Hardenne" -- her now-defunct married name -- during the trophy ceremony.
"No, I don't care about that," she said, flashing the smile that has been a standard all season. "I heard it, but that was OK."
Rodriguez told reporters he felt Henin had finally come out from behind the wall she'd constructed to try to hide any frailty from fans or competitors. "She understands, 'I am a human being, and human beings can have failures,'" he said.
Henin readily admitted the change. "I could feel a big difference this time in the States when I came here," she said. "People were coming much more easily to me. I think I look more open. I look [like] myself. I can be a funny person. You know, people that really know me, I love spending time with people that I love. I'm a normal person.
" … I think that people really start to really know me a little bit better, and it's been a big difference in my life the last few months."
Not that she doesn't have small lapses. Serving for the match, Henin was distracted briefly by a spectator who let out a war whoop between her first and second serves. She committed a double fault, one of seven she logged for the night.
Henin didn't necessarily play her absolute best tennis against Kuznetsova, but she didn't have to. The amiable Russian, who still wields a powerful forehand but is somewhat thicker around the middle than when she won the Open in 2004, played the same kind of uninspired, error-plagued tennis she got away with in a sloppy semifinal win over Anna Chakvetadze.
Kuznetsova stared straight ahead, obviously gutted, as she waited for her runner-up trophy, and she apologized to the crowd for not bringing her A-game.
Henin, by contrast, sprinted up into the stands to hug Rodriguez, and thanked him publicly even though he would prefer she didn't.
Asked why he thought their relationship had lasted so long, the animated Spaniard responded, "It doesn't surprise me. I'm surprised the players can change [coaches] so often. I can't work like this. I have to know the person."
Clearly, Henin is grateful to Rodriguez because, as the one person who gave her some continuity all these years, he knows her well enough to bring down the hammer.
He has asked her to come forward. To come forward in the technical sense -- lashing angled volleys that are her only chance of consistently beating bigger, stronger players -- and in the personal sense, in which she needed to work through her issues the way she tries to read a match in progress.
"I said to her, 'Try to have the courage to solve your problems -- only you, nobody else, not even me,'" Rodriguez said. "What advice can I give her? I'm a married man with two kids, 20 years older than her. She did this herself. … She has taught me as much as I've taught her."
Maybe Henin can be an example for other athletes. Personalities, even the ones on most public display, don't have to be set in stone. Change is possible, the same way a baseliner can start going to the net.
Henin is still No. 1 and has a good chance to end 2007 there, but she's actually in a very different place from where she started in January. We've all known for a long time that she would move mountains to win a match. We just didn't know she'd try to reach a personal peak and wave to us when she got to the top.
Bonnie D. Ford is a frequent contributor who is covering the U.S. Open for ESPN.com.
http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/tennis/usopen07/news/story?id=3010076
I respect people especially sportsmen or women who overcome problems and emerge top in their game or sports they play. For our country it is our squash queen Ms David. She was down after the commonwealth games but since then she has not look back.
Same goes to Justine Henin for winning the Women's US open 2007. On route beat the Williams sisters. In the final she beat (trashed) Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-1, 6-3.
Season comes full circle for Henin
NEW YORK -- If Justine Henin had taken time last week to fill out one of those stress tests found in pop culture magazines -- the ones that assign point totals to dramatic events in your life over the past year -- she would have been off the charts.
Henin began 2007 as No. 1 in the world, with one of the most admired tactical games in tennis, but all was not well beneath the brim of her businesslike ball cap.
Her marriage was on the rocks, and she hadn't spoken to most of her immediate family in seven years. Although Henin had five Grand Slam wins under her belt, her fellow players and much of the public and the media perceived her as frosty and criticized her for withdrawing from big matches when she didn't feel exactly right.
Here's what Henin did. She let things fly, both on and off the court. This was her Year of Living Interestingly, the season she got on the plane and understood there would be turbulence and decided she wouldn't let it unnerve her.
This was the year she began to do what her longtime coach and mentor Carlos Rodriguez has been urging her to do for a long time. She dropped some of her reserve and let people get a glimpse of her passion for the sport as well as her skill.
The results -- well, the results have been "magical," as Henin said after winning her second U.S. Open on Saturday night with a 6-1, 6-3 whitewashing of Russia's No. 4 Svetlana Kuznetsova.
"At the beginning of the year, we really asked ourselves where we were going -- we talked about a year of transition," she told French-speaking reporters, referring to the winning combination she has with Rodriguez, who has coached her for 11 years.
Henin, 25, of Belgium, called this championship -- which came after defeating Serena and Venus Williams back-to-back in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds -- her most satisfying Slam.
"There aren't many women who could do that here in New York," she said with quiet conviction. She did it without dropping a set, as was the case in May when she captured her third straight French Open title.
She has reached at least the semifinal round of every tournament she has played since the middle of last season, and she's healthy. Henin actually knocked wood when she said this might be the first season she gets through without injury.
Nothing has diverted Henin -- not divorce, not being diagnosed with a sudden onset of chronic asthma in March, not an emotional reconciliation with her family a few weeks before the French Open spurred by an older brother's near-fatal car accident, not the stunning upset pudgy French wonder Marion Bartoli handed her in the Wimbledon semifinals, not the fact that announcer Dick Enberg inadvertently addressed her as "Henin-Hardenne" -- her now-defunct married name -- during the trophy ceremony.
"No, I don't care about that," she said, flashing the smile that has been a standard all season. "I heard it, but that was OK."
Rodriguez told reporters he felt Henin had finally come out from behind the wall she'd constructed to try to hide any frailty from fans or competitors. "She understands, 'I am a human being, and human beings can have failures,'" he said.
Henin readily admitted the change. "I could feel a big difference this time in the States when I came here," she said. "People were coming much more easily to me. I think I look more open. I look [like] myself. I can be a funny person. You know, people that really know me, I love spending time with people that I love. I'm a normal person.
" … I think that people really start to really know me a little bit better, and it's been a big difference in my life the last few months."
Not that she doesn't have small lapses. Serving for the match, Henin was distracted briefly by a spectator who let out a war whoop between her first and second serves. She committed a double fault, one of seven she logged for the night.
Henin didn't necessarily play her absolute best tennis against Kuznetsova, but she didn't have to. The amiable Russian, who still wields a powerful forehand but is somewhat thicker around the middle than when she won the Open in 2004, played the same kind of uninspired, error-plagued tennis she got away with in a sloppy semifinal win over Anna Chakvetadze.
Kuznetsova stared straight ahead, obviously gutted, as she waited for her runner-up trophy, and she apologized to the crowd for not bringing her A-game.
Henin, by contrast, sprinted up into the stands to hug Rodriguez, and thanked him publicly even though he would prefer she didn't.
Asked why he thought their relationship had lasted so long, the animated Spaniard responded, "It doesn't surprise me. I'm surprised the players can change [coaches] so often. I can't work like this. I have to know the person."
Clearly, Henin is grateful to Rodriguez because, as the one person who gave her some continuity all these years, he knows her well enough to bring down the hammer.
He has asked her to come forward. To come forward in the technical sense -- lashing angled volleys that are her only chance of consistently beating bigger, stronger players -- and in the personal sense, in which she needed to work through her issues the way she tries to read a match in progress.
"I said to her, 'Try to have the courage to solve your problems -- only you, nobody else, not even me,'" Rodriguez said. "What advice can I give her? I'm a married man with two kids, 20 years older than her. She did this herself. … She has taught me as much as I've taught her."
Maybe Henin can be an example for other athletes. Personalities, even the ones on most public display, don't have to be set in stone. Change is possible, the same way a baseliner can start going to the net.
Henin is still No. 1 and has a good chance to end 2007 there, but she's actually in a very different place from where she started in January. We've all known for a long time that she would move mountains to win a match. We just didn't know she'd try to reach a personal peak and wave to us when she got to the top.
Bonnie D. Ford is a frequent contributor who is covering the U.S. Open for ESPN.com.
http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/tennis/usopen07/news/story?id=3010076
Monday, August 20, 2007
Malaysia Badminton - What's next?
First time hosting the World Badminton Championship and not one player reached the finals. Before the game, everything was a ok....And now it turns out one of the players not ok with the head coach. After he lost the game (tamely), he blamed it on the head coach?
But he did say sorry the next day for the out burst. I mean come on, he is the world number 3 player. Not a low, inexperience player...how could he say such a thing? And why was this never iron on before the start of the competition? He was doing so well lately, won his matches in the Sudirman Mix team competition, he even won in Indonesia, which is the hardest place to win competition.
At least the doubles pair Tan and Koo went down fighting. But also dissapointed that they lost to lessor known players (but trained by a great double's player, Park Joo Bong). Leading 17-14, and lost.
I think the coaches need to check with them before any competition whether their 'head' is ok...i mean mental game. Look at Nicol David and Tiger Woods. Their best weapon is their mental game.
Congrats to the ladies for doing well and Chong Tan Fook and Lee Wan Wah, they finally manage to beat the Chinese pair (whom they lost a number of times) but not enough to go all the way.
I think next time, no interviews for the players. Until the competition is over baru interview..Only interview them after the competition or when they lost. Not before the competition otherwise it will be another let down. Even our Sport Minister was dissapointed.
They are supposed to be professionals, their job is to train, eat, sleep and dream badminton.
Anyway, i hope they will bounced up from this and will not let it depress them any further. They still have other competitions to compete in. Gain points for next year's Olympic
But he did say sorry the next day for the out burst. I mean come on, he is the world number 3 player. Not a low, inexperience player...how could he say such a thing? And why was this never iron on before the start of the competition? He was doing so well lately, won his matches in the Sudirman Mix team competition, he even won in Indonesia, which is the hardest place to win competition.
At least the doubles pair Tan and Koo went down fighting. But also dissapointed that they lost to lessor known players (but trained by a great double's player, Park Joo Bong). Leading 17-14, and lost.
I think the coaches need to check with them before any competition whether their 'head' is ok...i mean mental game. Look at Nicol David and Tiger Woods. Their best weapon is their mental game.
Congrats to the ladies for doing well and Chong Tan Fook and Lee Wan Wah, they finally manage to beat the Chinese pair (whom they lost a number of times) but not enough to go all the way.
I think next time, no interviews for the players. Until the competition is over baru interview..Only interview them after the competition or when they lost. Not before the competition otherwise it will be another let down. Even our Sport Minister was dissapointed.
They are supposed to be professionals, their job is to train, eat, sleep and dream badminton.
Anyway, i hope they will bounced up from this and will not let it depress them any further. They still have other competitions to compete in. Gain points for next year's Olympic
Monday, August 13, 2007
Tiger won another major, just 5 more for the all time record.
He did it again. Winning the final major (US PGA) for the year. He had won 5 times this year. No matter how many tournament he wins, if he did not win a major title in a year, he will not consider it a good year. So by winning it, he said he had a great year. It was the first major title as a father. Even his daugher wore red (his Sunday shirt).
Congratulations to Tiger Woods. The other 3 major winners of the year, did not do too good. Two of them did not even make the cut (to play in the weekend). Tiger Wood really goes to tournaments to win them. Seriously our sports men and women should learn from him. His mental game is very sharp and tough. At the moment, in Malaysia, i think only Nicol David (Squash Queen) has this kind of mental toughness.
Monday, August 6, 2007
Tiger Woods won again...
Tiger woods won again at Bridgestone for the 3rd straight year (6 wins in total). Beating Rory Sabatini by 8 strokes. Tiger started the day 1 stroke behind Rory. But at the end of the 18, hole, Tiger won by 8. Other people was playing for second.
This win brings him title number 4 for the year. A few more coming up including the final major of the year, US PGA. Hope this win will carry it over the the major tournament.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Congratulations to Iraq Football team
For the first time, Iraq football won the Asian Cup. They beat hot favourites Saudi Arabia 1-0. They overcome many hardship and i think they deserve to win. Now hopefully the people will unite like they did when they supported their football team to reclaim back their country.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/soccer/07/29/iraq.saudiarabia.ap/index.html
About 3,000 Iraqi refugees celebrated in Damascus, Syria. In Dearborn, Mich., Iraqi-Americans gathered in the streets, honking horns, sitting on car roofs and waving flags.
Jubilation over the team known as the "Lions of the Two Rivers" gave Iraqis a rare respite from the daily violence. The victorious run sent men of all ages cheering and dancing in Baghdad.
Celebratory gunfire resounded across the city and revelers poured into the streets in defiance of orders from authorities while mosques broadcast calls for the shooting to stop. Security forces enforced a vehicle ban in an effort to prevent a repeat of car bombings that killed dozens celebrating Iraq's progress to the final.
"The players have made us proud, not the greedy politicians," said Sabah Shaiyal, a 43-year-old police officer in Baghdad. "Once again, our national team has shown that there is only one, united Iraq." Notes: Qatar was announced Sunday as the host of the next Asian Cup, to be played in 2011.
I am sure many football fans in Malaysia would agree that they deserve the win..A team from a country full of sadness and tragedy can win, i hope Malaysia football team can learn a thing or two from this competition.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/soccer/07/29/iraq.saudiarabia.ap/index.html
About 3,000 Iraqi refugees celebrated in Damascus, Syria. In Dearborn, Mich., Iraqi-Americans gathered in the streets, honking horns, sitting on car roofs and waving flags.
Jubilation over the team known as the "Lions of the Two Rivers" gave Iraqis a rare respite from the daily violence. The victorious run sent men of all ages cheering and dancing in Baghdad.
Celebratory gunfire resounded across the city and revelers poured into the streets in defiance of orders from authorities while mosques broadcast calls for the shooting to stop. Security forces enforced a vehicle ban in an effort to prevent a repeat of car bombings that killed dozens celebrating Iraq's progress to the final.
"The players have made us proud, not the greedy politicians," said Sabah Shaiyal, a 43-year-old police officer in Baghdad. "Once again, our national team has shown that there is only one, united Iraq." Notes: Qatar was announced Sunday as the host of the next Asian Cup, to be played in 2011.
I am sure many football fans in Malaysia would agree that they deserve the win..A team from a country full of sadness and tragedy can win, i hope Malaysia football team can learn a thing or two from this competition.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Congratulations to Coach Rexy.
The Malaysian government gave coach Rexy and family PR status in Malaysia. It is recognition for his contribution to the Nations Badminton team. In the doubles department.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/07/27/sports/AS-SPT-BAD-Malaysia-Indonesia-Mainaky.php
The Associated PressPublished: July 27, 2007
Indonesia's Rexy Mainaky wins recognition from Malaysian government
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: Rexy Mainaky, Indonesia's former top ranked doubles star, received permanent resident status from Malaysia's government Friday — a surprise gift for helping the nation's badminton players to international success.
Home Affairs Minister Radzi Sheikh Ahmad handed Mainaky a certification card confirming his permanent resident status as a tribute to his stewardship of Malaysia's doubles pairs to numerous international victories since he started coaching here two years ago, the national news agency Bernama reported.
Mainaky said the government's decision was a "surprise."
"I had at one stage denied Malaysia from winning the men's doubles title at the (1996 Atlanta) Olympics, but now my target is to ensure Malaysia wins the title," Bernama quoted Mainaky as saying.
Mainaky said he planned to help a Malaysian doubles pair win the BWF World Championships in Kuala Lumpur next month.
During his playing days with partner his Ricky Subagia, they won all the major tournaments in the world, including an Olympic Gold medal. May the young players learn as much from him as possible, be it on court or off court. He did not let success get into his head. On court he is playing all out some time to the point of being arrogant but off the court, he is a humble person and a man of faith (he is a Christian).
Check this out : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haGgy4qeEo0
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/07/27/sports/AS-SPT-BAD-Malaysia-Indonesia-Mainaky.php
The Associated PressPublished: July 27, 2007
Indonesia's Rexy Mainaky wins recognition from Malaysian government
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: Rexy Mainaky, Indonesia's former top ranked doubles star, received permanent resident status from Malaysia's government Friday — a surprise gift for helping the nation's badminton players to international success.
Home Affairs Minister Radzi Sheikh Ahmad handed Mainaky a certification card confirming his permanent resident status as a tribute to his stewardship of Malaysia's doubles pairs to numerous international victories since he started coaching here two years ago, the national news agency Bernama reported.
Mainaky said the government's decision was a "surprise."
"I had at one stage denied Malaysia from winning the men's doubles title at the (1996 Atlanta) Olympics, but now my target is to ensure Malaysia wins the title," Bernama quoted Mainaky as saying.
Mainaky said he planned to help a Malaysian doubles pair win the BWF World Championships in Kuala Lumpur next month.
During his playing days with partner his Ricky Subagia, they won all the major tournaments in the world, including an Olympic Gold medal. May the young players learn as much from him as possible, be it on court or off court. He did not let success get into his head. On court he is playing all out some time to the point of being arrogant but off the court, he is a humble person and a man of faith (he is a Christian).
Check this out : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haGgy4qeEo0
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