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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
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