We don't seem to have a thread for so many other sports so I will post stuff here. Cavendish seems to have become a great contender for the Brits' Sports Personality of the Year. 4th stage win today, proving himself to be the best sprinter in the world. In classic English fashion, there isn't that much hype around him though.
The Great White Shark leads by 2 going into the last day @ Birkdale. Would be an incredible story if he manages to hold onto win. I wouldn't mind if Harrington defends his title either, especially given that he has been carrying injuries coming into the tournament and had almost withdrawn.
Phenomenal F1 race today. Mclaren looked to have cocked it up for Hamilton by requesting that he stay out during the safety car period when everyone else pit but he was able to put the hammer down and gain enough of a lead so that when he eventually pit he had a cushion of 16+ seconds despite only racing on for something like 9 or 10 laps following the SC. What's more is that after pitting he had to pass his teammate (relatively easy because Kovalainen didn't fight too hard) and then Massa as well as Piquet in the final 14 or 15 laps. Absolutely phenomenal driving from him. I'm abit sorry Piquet couldn't take his 1st career checkered but 2nd is nothing to sneeze at. That said, if Hamilton's legend hadn't already begun its started now. Back to back wins; 1 a pillar to post domination in trying wet conditions and the next a super dominant race that got effed up by the safety car (he was leading by something like 12 seconds when the safety car came out) and then he still won pulling off some breath-taking passes. His driving to get around Massa was sublime.
Lots of hyperbole there johno Heikki was classic Schumi-style team instructions at work and Massa just made it too easy for Hamilton to pass him. Anyways, enjoy it while it lasts. Kimi is going to win the championship in the end again
Did Hamilton not have a 12 second lead which was growing before the safety car? Did he not have to get back 3 positions in less than 15 laps in order to win? Did you even see the pass on Massa? Massa took the safe line but also the line that would allow him to exit the corner with more speed. He bottled it, but he bottled it because Hamilton pushed hard. If Lewis had broke earlier then Massa wouldn't have gone wide, even then, he used those extra 200 or so rpm to catch back up Hamilton and almost made up for it immediately. As for the pass, it sure looked like team orders but I've got 2 reasons I'm not disappointed. 1 - it wasn't team orders for 1st/2nd and it was clear that all day long Hamilton was the faster of the pair. Because of track position, I think had Hamilton pit with the safety car it would have held up Heikki a good deal taking him out of the points so it was just a matter of courtesy. If Hamilton hadn't passed Massa and Piquet I'd be less pleased with the team orders, but I think it worked out fairly... Hamilton fully deserved the win and it was a great race from him.
When did I say Lewis did not deserve the victory? His car was a second and a half faster than the fastest Ferrari. It is just that Massa's attempt at preventing Hamilton from overtaking was feeble to say the least. The Championship is setup very nicely now with McLaren having the momentum now. It is upto Kimi to show that he can be the best driver by making the package work for him rather than the other way around. Massa still can win it as long as he doesn't continue making bad mistakes during the race.
Hamilton deserved it, that's for sure, and I hated him for that. But johno, I have to disagree with your suggestion that his pass on Massa was sublime. Ide could have passed Massa the way he went into that corner. We're talking about a hairpin turn, and whoever is on the inside will carry the advantage no matter what. If Massa stayed on the inside, Hamilton would have done 2 things, stayed behind him thru the turn, on the inside, or cut out wide, and with Massa on the inside, would have been forced out wide, much like he did to Massa. Of course that would have only prolonged the inevitable. Hamilton had the quicker car and drove it better. I still don't like him tho.
Hacksaw Jim Duggan on RAW right now. Talking about retiring but The King talks him out of it. Hoooooooo!
Currently watching highlights of today's Tour de France stage on Alpe D'huez. I'm not the biggest cycling fan in the world and even if half of them are probably on drugs, I love this stage when it's on each year. Thousands of people on the mountain encouraging the riders as they absolutely bury themselves, giving their all.
I love the tour, despite all the cheats (which I try to ignore by naively imagining that it cancels out since everyone is doing out). This year, I have been forced to follow it via the tour-site; Sastre's attack today was pretty good though the Schleck brothers won't be too pleased about the end result.
I already explained why Massa went (so) wide. He was trying to keep Hamilton behind him. Lewis timed his move around Massa perfectly, getting in his mirrors just as he should have been focusing on timing when to brake and then using his pace to put the fear of the pass into Massa. Massa then decided he needed to outbrake Lewis. That's why he went so deep into the corner, his position was fine in the approach, but because Hamilton made that daring move to the inside and didn't brake early, it forced Massa's hand. I'll also add that it wasn't just that pass that made the win special. I thought the entire race was good from Lewis and he's proving himself to be the best driver in Formula one. I also don't understand the haters, but I've got my own reasons for backing him I guess.
Gonna have to disagree here. If Massa wanted to keep Lewis behind him, he wouldn't have gone wide at all. Drivers go wide around turns because they can keep their speed better. When you're driving along normally, that's what you do. When you are blocking, you don't need to go around a corner maintaining most of your speed, as long as the guy stays behind you. If Massa stayed on the inside and broke just like Hamilton did, he would have kept the lead around the hairpin. It's more that Massa is lucky to be on Ferrari than Hamilton passed him well. But not to take anything away from Hamilton, I really can't say when I've seen him drive better than that. Being able to come back from that horrible pit strategy that McLaren had him on was pure brilliance. Hate might be too strong of a word. I just don't like him much. I like seeing drivers come up thru the ranks, much like Kubica 2 seasons ago. Or possibly Vettel. Test drivers or drivers from lesser teams who make it good with those teams and then move on to the big boys. Can't say anything about his talent tho. There's no doubt he's got that in spades. But can't you imagine how much more storybook his career could be if he started out on Super Aguri or Red Bull and won a driver's championship with them, and then moved to McLaren? I think if anyone could turn a small team into a winner it would be him. The one thing that really annoys me about him is that his dad appears all over the place. Like there's a Anthony Hamilton camera quota. Seriously, you could make a drinking game out of that!
We can agree to disagree on the pass I guess. Note, he went wide not because he elected to, he couldn't turn in when he should have because he was late on the brakes. So instead of making the apex, he cornered later than usual because he was going in too hot. Had he tried to apex he'd likely have spun and lost it all together. At least we can agree that McLaren were shit with that strategy. I'm also annoyed by Hamilton's dad - I don't quite understand why F1 media panders to him. What the hell, I never saw shots of driver's dads all the time before now so why start?
Not to harp on the turn (too late), but regardless of the apex, if Massa wanted to keep Hamilton behind him he would have stayed where he was and braked. Even if he came to a dead stop, he'd be able to make the turn before Hamilton. Even Hamilton said it was poor defending. Massa is just simply a horrible driver who will be lucky to be with Ferrari next year. Hamilton's dad has truly become a joke when I watch the races. Every time we see him we can't help but laugh. The guy gets more face time than most of the drivers! I wouldn't mind if it was every so often, like the other drivers' family, (or wives/girlfriends), but it's every practice, qualifier, and race! I'll tell you this... hearing all the buzz about Singapore is really getting me going. I cannot wait to catch that race... Might even have to make it a live event at Casa del FifaRay!
shit... I've been pissed that fox has had the rights to the last 3 grand prix (good lord what is the plural?!) es... er... ahem. Before these I'd watched every qualifing session and race live on speed.
The races are enjoyable because everyone is crap, unfortunately The best team of the bunch - Astana is not even in it. CSC makes a joke of a team competition, having 5 out of the top 10 riders in peloton at all times. Today Sastre had the legs, everyone else looked dead. Unless something crazy happens tomorrow, the tour would be won on Saturday, and with Evans being the best time trialist of the bunch, he probably has the best chance to win. Hopefully todays stage would provide some excitment.
Yea, the Fox coverage has sucked since they didn't have pre-race show (altho Speed finally had it for the Germany one). What I'm annoyed with is the fact that my cable company doesn't offer SpeedHD which just rolled out a little while ago. I don't know if the Formula 1 races are broadcast in HD yet, but I remember Bernie saying something like he wanted all of them to be broadcast in HD by next year or something.
The good thing about Astana not participating is that Contador can go and win Vuelta too and do a GT grand-slam. Evans should win the yellow jersey on Sat though with so much on line, Sastre might make the TT of his life. The problem, with Evans winning for me, is that he never attacks and that is always the fun part for me.
The great sporting summer for Spain continues. Sastre "wins" the TdF. Cadel just did not have the legs today, with all the expectations and all.
You ask that now...wait til Gio Vela and ********in Margorito type!! dont be such a bitch =) Roony nuttin Ronaldo?! nuttinnnnnnnn messi nutttinnnnnnnnn country?@
Stupid d1ck... I was seriously asking what else had happened. I'm actually a bit fond of Spain when the locals aren't being racist or facist.
My Word... the boy has done it again. Absolutely fantastic race at Spa. Hamilton with a ridiculous come from behind with several lead changes at the end. Kudos to BMW for getting it right with Heidfeld. He'd have won it if there was 1 more lap left, smart move going onto the intermediates.
