2008 Page 11 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Passing The Torch: Buenos Aires, You're Up
The beleaguered Olympic Torch is in Argentina today, where protesters in Buenos Aires say that they will be out in force, but will not try to snuff out the flame (wink, wink). Of course, crossing the Chinese government is one thing; but when you anger the McDonald's Corporation (pictured right), you...

Bang The Gong Slowly; Olympic Torch A No-Show In SF
San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom didn't exactly win friends and influence people on Wednesday when he decided to play an elaborate game of Hide the Salami with the Olympic Torch. The relay's only North American stop was scheduled to be a happy, glorious people's jog from AT&T Park, down the waterfr...

It's Olympic Torch Relay Eve!
I love a good protest as much as the next person, but it seems that the bar has been set impossibly high for my home team, San Francisco. The Olympic Torch Relay makes its only North American appearance here on Wednesday, and because this is San Francisco, the world is expecting a protest on a grand...

Olympic Torch Relay Proceeding Smoothly So Far
The Olympic Torch passed through London and Paris on Sunday and earlier today, and was only snuffed out a few times by protesters: Once with a fire extinguisher. There were near riots and close to a hundred arrests. You know, I'm starting to suspect that some people don't like the Olympic Torch....

I'm Going To The Olympic Torch Relay ... What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors recently announced the route that the Olympic Torch will take through The City this coming Tuesday; a waterfront jaunt beginning at AT&T Park's McCovey Cove and ending at Justin Herman Plaza. Since I'm going to be in that neck of the woods anyway, I'm going to ...

Your AL Central "Preview"
All right, well, the season has supposedly started, though rain on Opening Day has to be some sort of cruel trick from God. So let's wrap up the last division....

Your NL East "Preview"
As mentioned in New York Magazine this week, the Mets have a promotional flyer that says "It's Time For A Little Revenge." As NY Mag pointed out ... hey, you're the ones who choked....

Your NL West "Preview"
Question: Anybody else buy the MLB Extra Innings package? They're eventually gonna update that schedule with games, right? Our cable system is still showing nothing ... and the season starts Monday, doggone it!...

China Has Addressed Our Pooping Needs
Breaking news in the Beijing Olympics controversy: They're fixing the toilets. I've prayed for this day (dabs at eye with hankie). It makes sense. The Chinese government realized that if it wants the Olympics to run efficiently, then it needs to address this pressing issue. Simply put, American athl...

Your NL Central "Preview"
OK, now before you start hollering, no, we did not pick the Cardinals to win the division. And yes, that's the first time that's happened since we started this here site....

Your AL West "Preview"
Well, this is kind of cheating, considering the Oakland A's already played this morning, and lost, but we hope that having 1/162 of the season over already won't make you distrust our predictions any more than you already do....

Your AL East "Preview"
The baseball season officially kicks off tomorrow, though no one will really think of baseball as happening until next Monday. (Or maybe that Braves-Nationals game on Sunday night.) So we figured this would be the last week to actually start previewing each division. So we're gonna hit one a day, s...

Um, Maybe We Should Just Skip The Olympic Torch This Time
Well, that didn't take long. They were still flicking the cigarette lighter in preparation of lighting the Olympic Torch today in Greece when a protester crashed the ceremony, with what looks like a pirate flag. A rousing start on the 84-day journey in which the torch will pass through several locat...

Kevin Smith Keeps The Draft Updates Coming
We've been very much enjoying Central Florida running back (and draft prospect) Kevin Smith's YouTube updates on what's been going on during his draft workouts and combines. He doesn't mean to toot his own horn, but … TOOT TOOT!...

Introducing The Deadspin Beijing Bureau
The Olympics begin in August, and they're in China, so, you know, it should be a rather fascinating world event, if you're into fascinating world events. And we are proud to announce that we have our own Deadspin Beijing Bureau, our own trio of correspondents living in China and reporting on everyt...

The China Olympics Should Only Involve Lions
How exciting are the Olympics going to be? Well, to entertain folks at the Chinese Zoo, lions are riding on the backs of horses. Only Barbaro could withstand such attacks....

The Heavy-Hearted Pro Bowl Starts Now
So, that'll be it for me today. Please enjoy the Pro Bowl festivities. Remember to pour a Pina Colada out to pay tribute to fallen soldier Sean Taylor....

It's Election Day, And We Will Make No Giants Analogies
Because we are Americans, and this is what we like to call a "democracy," you all should get out and vote today. We have some friends who, if they live in states that have closed primaries, don't vote because they "don't like to be labeled." Hey, who likes to be labeled? We want to vote....

Super Bowl Pants Party: Patriots Vs. Giants
After a week of drivel so repetitive that we were reduced to writing this, we finally land, inevitably, on the game itself. Whew. That took forever....

NFC Championship Pants Party: Packers Vs. Giants
Eli Manning against Brett Favre. The debate about the relative attributes of these two quarterbacks has raged for a generation. At last, it will be settled on the field....