Danica Patrick

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NASCAR Nationwide Series at Montreal Wrapup

Since 2007, Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve has played host to the only Canadian stop for NASCAR’s three national touring series. This year’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race featured the usual hodgepodge of established stars, up-and-comers and road course ringers. Of course, Canada was well-represented with the likes of 1997 Formula One World Drivers’ Champion Jacques Villeneuve, Alex Tagliani, Ron Fellows, Patrick Carpentier and Andrew Ranger leading a Canadian contingent of 10 drivers.

So who took the checkered flag? We have a race recap, analysis, results and driver comments after the jump. Continue reading →

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The Humanoids: The Long and Short of It

On this week’s Humanoids, it’s more bang for your buck. Not quite the usual nine targets but as much written about them as if it was nine. It’s been an interesting last seven days in Canada. We threw the biggest party in the history of the world and we even held the Olympics out in Vancouver. Heroes were born, legacies were crafted, and the podium was owned. And after the great Canadian coming out party, it’s back to the status quo. We Canadians will move on with our quiet, self-deprecating lives while the rest of the world ignores us. But for this week, let’s hold onto the fun we’ve had for the last couple of weeks and look back. Continue reading →

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The Humanoids: Let The Games Begin

Yes, it’s that time of the bi-year again. It’s time for another Olympic Games. After months of hype, it’s time to light the torch. And it couldn’t come a moment too soon. After all, the sooner the torch is lit, the sooner we can get the real show on the road. The Road to Vancouver (as the broadcasters have called it) haven’t really whetted my appetite. I just want to get this thing started. With all the World Championships, X Games and various international events, the Olympics seem to have lost some of their uniqueness. After all, I consider a snowboarding gold in the X Games more prestigious than an Olympic gold. However, when national pride comes into play, that changes all the rules. Continue reading →

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The Humanoids: Loose Ends

The theme behind this week’s Humanoids is tying up loose ends. Or at least that’s generally the idea.  Everyone has loose ends that need tying up at some time or other. Most of my subjects of ridicule had some loose end that is being tied up or just coming to light. I know that I have some loose ends that need tying up. Actually, I can’t find enough time to tie up all of my loose ends. Despite their public loose ends being tied up, that’s probably just the tip of the iceberg for my victims.

Just a reminder that The Lowdown radio show returns next Tuesday at 6:30 PM on 94.9 FM in London, ON, and on CHRWradio.com. It’s going to be a fun half-hour of laughs and excitement that you don’t want to miss. We’ll have the downloadable versions of the show online around 7:00 PM including the first ever Lowdown Extra broadcast. Continue reading →

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Wednesday Link-Off: Jumping Ship

caroline-wozniacki-1Continuing our US Open hotties series, here is Caroline Wozniacki. If anyone can end Oudin’s run, it has to be her.

Danica Patrick may be running the IRL full-time next year but she’s looking at switching to NASCAR sooner rather than later. (ESPN)

Speaking of jumping ship, David Beckham might be bailing on the LA Galaxy and AC Milan to become an investor in the Montreal Impact’s bid to join the MLS. (Globe & Mail)

Michael Wilbon of Washington Post and Pardon The Interruption fame has jumping on the internet bandwagon. Now, he’s writing a blog for the Post. (The Big Lead)

After the jump, Emeril brings the BAM to Vegas, the story behind @shitmydadsays, and the funniest MMA knockout in history. Continue reading →

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The Humanoids: Slow Week

I can’t remember the last time I wrote a Humanoids column right up to the final few minutes before noon. I’m used to editing up until that point but not actually writing at the last minute. That’s what happens when you have a decidedly slow week. I couldn’t tell you if anything interesting happened this week besides Shaq running around in a pink speedo on network TV. Not that I would call that interesting as much as disturbing. Anyway, it’s probably a good thing that not much is happening this week. We’re coming up on the last week of summer and people should be on holiday so there shouldn’t be much news. This time of year and Christmas are two times of year that I won’t mind having to scramble for stories because nobody wants anything to happen then. Except for the media. They’ll make a mountain out of a mole hill if it gets them ratings. Actually, we could call that the theme for this week. It seems most of my subjects in this week’s column have been victimized by mountaineering.

Looking for the latest radio update from Lowdown HQ? Well, I’ve taped most of my review of NCAA Football 10 for the season premiere on September 15th. I’m also planning on using the game for something very Western related. Maybe they’ll run it on the Saturday after the show too. Jackie and I are also going to do a tour of London for the frosh during the season premiere. The last time we did a tour for the frosh, I got killed when parts of the then under construction Campus Rec Centre fell on me. I hope it goes better this time. And remember kids: I may have been killed but I got better, you might not. Continue reading →

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The Humanoids: Don’t Hate The Player… Or Do Hate The Player

You know what the hardest part of blogging is? It’s coming up with a good title. It has to explain the post to anyone browsing on a search engine but it also has to make a potential reader click on the link to it. That is if your blog posts are actually listed. That would be the other thing that’s hard about blog writing. I’m used to writing and performing on live radio. I figure that means that a lot of my passive attacks and pseudo-sarcastic remarks don’t work as well in print as they do with my amateur radio voice. That doesn’t mean that I won’t try. This week I try to the tune of over 2300 words. Not Bill Simmons long but it’s a good start for someone that Jay Mariotti would characterize as having no life and living in my parents’ basement. Still, writing 2300 words on the blog is easier than writing that much for a university term paper.

Anyway, it’s been a tough week in the world of sports for a lot of folk. Usually we’re gliding our way into the dog days of summer and are just praying for the start of football or hockey or meaningful baseball games. Instead, we have all sorts of stories popping up. It’s a blogger’s dream… And ESPN’s nightmare. Among other folks. Continue reading →

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Sunday Link-Off: Drop The Puck

katy-perry-complex2Welcome to the first ever Sunday linkdump on The Lowdown Blog. To your right is Katy Perry who has been featured in the old Weekend Link-Off series.

While the UWO Students’ Council is throwing fees at Mustang Athletics, students at NCAA colleges in the USA aren’t so willing to throw cash on to a fire. (New York Times) See UWO, this is what happens when you elect a president who would rather be homecoming queen than president.

If you’ve been keeping up with the Phoenix Coyotes soap opera, you know that The Great One will be out over $9 million if the team isn’t sold for enough money. Turns out that there are a lot of people that could be short money including the Boy Scouts. (Globe and Mail)

Speaking of hockey, what happens to the hats that are thrown to celebrate a hat trick. (Puck Daddy) True story: I was at a Soo Greyhounds game where a Soo player got a hat trick. One guy threw his hat on the ice. A linesman picked up the hat and gave it to a game staff member who gave it back to the guy that threw it.

After the jump, more links and don’t call the WWE Champion “fragile”. Continue reading →

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Wednesday Link-Off: Twitterific

09_danica-patrick_8Another week, another linkdump.  To celebrate the beginning of Indy 500 practice, here’s Danica Patrick.  You might have heard of her.  After the jump, a guy in a sweater learns not to mess with Larry Merchant when he’s conducting an interview.

All sorts of coaches, managers, owners, and players are on Twitter.  Hell, even NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is on Twitter.  Some sports leagues even have twittering policies.  Or would it be tweeting policies? (USA Today)  Did I mention that I’m on twitter at twitter.com/TheSteveMurray.  And did I mention you can subscribe to The Lowdown Blog news feed by clicking here?

Speaking of Twitter, it turns out that it’s more of a fleeting thing for folks that sign up for it.  Mind you, I’d like a 40% retention rate for visitors over here. (CBC)

Since we’re talking so much about Twitter, here’s your one stop shop for Twitter updates from sports personalities. (AthleteTweets.com)

This could be the greatest blog in the history of Canada. (Don Cherry Jacket Watch)

Grapes may condone hockey fights but I’m not sure what he’d think of softball brawls. (Busted Coverage)

Some athlete’s would be better than others for a night on the town.  Amazingly, I think this bunch could make things end worse than my last night out.  By worse, I mean the tab. (Fat Pickled)

An interview with the guy responsible for the seemingly endless playbooks in the Madden NFL video games. (Sports Prose)

As shocking as it seems, we missed Star Wars Day on Monday.  To make up for the lack of geektacular goodness, here’s Geek Tyrant’s best Star Wars stories of the last year. (GeekTyrant)

My business school education tells me that laying someone off is best done on Wednesdays.  Firing a reporter while he’s at the game might be pushing it, though. (The Big Lead)

The internet may be ending soon… again.  Plan accordingly. (Times Online)

Some blogs and blog writers are getting book deals and are actually getting paid for it.  How I envy them. (New York Times) Continue reading →