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Leftovers: Wrestler's protest clearly not 'Greatest'

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  • Leftovers: Wrestler's protest clearly not 'Greatest'

    Las Vegas Review - Journal, NV

    Aug. 17, 2008
    Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

    LEFTOVERS: Wrestler's protest clearly not 'Greatest'

    In his 1975 autobiography, "The Greatest: My Own Story," Muhammad Ali
    claims he threw his boxing gold medal from the 1960 Rome Olympics --
    back when he still was known as Cassius Clay -- into the Ohio River in
    a protest of racism in his native Louisville, Ky.

    Swedish wrestler Ara Abrahamian won't get the chance to chuck his
    bronze into the Baltic Sea.

    Abrahamian was disqualified and stripped of his medal Saturday for
    dropping the prize in protest after a disputed loss at the Beijing
    Games.

    Abrahamian, 28, was punished by the International Olympic Committee
    for violating the spirit of fair play during the medal ceremony,
    becoming the fourth athlete kicked out of the Beijing Games and
    bringing the number of medals removed to three.

    Abrahamian became incensed when a disputed penalty call decided his
    semifinal match against Italian Andrea Minguzzi, who went on to win
    the gold medal in the Greco-Roman 84-kilogram division Thursday.

    During the medal ceremony, the Armenian-born Abrahamian -- who also
    lost a 2004 Olympic semifinal match on a disputed call -- took the
    bronze from around his neck and angrily dropped it on the mat as he
    walked away. He did not take part in the rest of the medal ceremony.

    The IOC executive board ruled Abrahamian's actions amounted to a
    political demonstration and a mark of disrespect to his fellow
    athletes.

    Abrahamian could always try changing his name and becoming heavyweight
    champion of the world -- it worked for "The Greatest." Ali received a
    replacement medal during the 1996 Atlanta Games, where he lit the
    Olympic torch.

    ¢ BIG D, LITTLE DRAMA --

    It seemed a can't-miss deal -- HBO's "Hard Knocks" series and the
    Dallas Cowboys -- but so far, it's no big deal at all.

    That's the way it's going down in Dallas, according to the Dallas
    Morning News' Barry Horn, who said HBO needs to start heating up the
    action or the whole show is going to turn out to be one huge
    snoozefest.

    And this is from a heavyweight-branded franchise with such built-in
    story lines as volatile receiver Terrell Owens, the heart-throbbing
    Tony Romo-Jessica Simpson duo and wheeler-dealer owner Jerry Jones?

    Sounds like a shame, so to help out, here are a couple of ideas:

    Owens descends onto the playing field just before kickoff through the
    hole in the stadium roof.

    Simpson sings the national anthem, signs a free-agent contract,
    becomes boyfriend Romo's new batterymate.

    Jones sells team to Ringling Brothers and becomes ringmaster.

    JERSEY BOYS -- About 60,000 Brett Favre No. 4 New York Jets jerseys
    are about to hit the store shelves, according to ESPN's Chris
    Mortensen, who said NFL players, in their merchandising deal, get 6
    percent from the sale of each jersey.

    REVIEW-JOURNAL WIRE SERVICES
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