NEWS FLASH: BARRY BONDS IS A TOOL

What do you mean you already knew that? Well, crap…we thought it was breaking news.

According the Associated Press, as Barry Bonds nears his record 756th home run, he's stockpiling quite a collection of souvenirs -- bats, balls, helmets and spikes, pieces of baseball history – stuff that might end up in the Hall of Fame, or in Bonds’ case on E-bay….

Interesting, no? According the USA Today in his storied career, Bonds has bee paid $167.5 million. Guess those “supplements” are expensive.

"I'm not worried about the Hall," the San Francisco slugger said during a recent homer drought. "I take care of me."

Around 35,000 artifacts are shown and stored at the shrine, and about a dozen pertain to Bonds. There is a bat from his rookie year and cleats from him becoming the first player in the 400-homer/400-steal club. The most prized items, the ones that fans would really want to see, are missing. Nothing directly from Bonds to highlight his 500th home run. Ditto for homers 714 and 715, when he tied and passed Babe Ruth. Same for anything tied to him topping Mark McGwire's single-season total of 70.

Bonds has been generous with teammates and opponents. He recently signed a guitar that Giants pitcher Barry Zito gave to charity and autographed a bat for Houston's Craig Biggio. He's also given some of his own things to charity.

Whether that memorabilia shows up on his personal Web site or in Cooperstown remains to be seen. He opted out of Major League Baseball's licensing agreement before the 2004 season, and some of his gear is auctioned off on MLB's Web site -- on Monday, bidding topped $10,000 for a Bonds-signed Giants jersey.

The Hall is independent of MLB and the word "steroid" does not appear inside the shrine.

Duke head coach Mike Krsjcbnvngjdfjkg9ski was said to be furious over this news. “Why doesn’t the media leave Barry Bonds alone?” said Krakdjfhvnbm3ski. “He’s a natural leader, a nice man, a family man and I’d welcome him here at Duke as a role model to our student athletes.”

At that point some Krsxcbvhgnb9ski stoolie came up and whispered something in the coach’s ear.

“Ohhhh, Barry Bonds,” said a surprised Krzchfhbhfrt6ski, “I thought you were talking about Harry Bonds who is the president of the District 12 United Steelworkers Union in Albuquerque, New Mexico…Now, Barry Bonds, he’s a butt-head, and I should know!”

DUKE GETS BACK LOST SEASON

The NCAA has granted Duke's request for an extra year of eligibility for its men's lacrosse players following last year’s self-inflicted fiasco. Things that make you go: Hmmm…

The decision affects 33 players who were not seniors during the 2006 season, and it grants them a fifth year of eligibility regardless of whether they play at Duke or another school. The announcement Wednesday came just two days after the Blue Devils lost to Johns Hopkins by a goal in the NCAA championship game for the second time in three seasons.

"These individuals were involved in an unusual circumstance that we believe warrants providing them the opportunity to complete their four years of competition," said Jennifer Strawley, NCAA director of student-athlete reinstatement and membership services.

Word was that Duke received permission from all other ACC lacrosse schools before applying for the extra year of eligibility. None the less, the dam is already leaking. Virginia coach Dom Starsia, whose Cavaliers won the national championship in 2006, was unhappy with the decision, said, "Everybody in the lacrosse world was embarrassed by what happened. But it almost feels now as if nobody's really paying for this thing. I would've been the first to say that Reade Seligmann and Collin Finnerty probably deserved another year. But I'm not sure that everybody involved here should be painted with the same broad brush.”

"Most of these wounds seem to be self-inflicted at Duke. I'm not sure if the institution has kind of held itself accountable for everything that happened," he added.

Duh…

PICTURE OF THE DAY

DEAR RANGE ROVER: LOSE THE DUKE BLUE. Toly Hansbrough (UNC 2024) asked a pertinent question recently. While driving around town in his grandfather’s car, he asked his mother “Who do your parents (his grandparents) pull for?” “Pull for,” of course, being a nice southernism.

His mother reminded him that his granddad was a Tar Heel, so they pull for UNC.

To which five-year-old wise-guy retorts, “So, why is his car Duke blue?”

Good question.

(Photo by TarDog Productions)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 2

FIRST NO UMBRELLA, NOW NO UNDERGARMENTS. Actress Ashley Judd sits next to the track with her dog as her husband, Dario Franchitti, driver of the Canadian Club Andretti Green Racing Dallara Honda, poses for a photo during the Official Borg Warner Trophy presentation for winning the 91st running of the Indianapolis 500.

"But I didn't know I was going to be photographed, giggle, giggle..."

Poor dog.

(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 3

THOSE CZECHS, THEY'RE FRUGAL. No, you aren't seeing double. That's Czech player Nicole Vaidisova in what appears to be the same dress in her match versus Swiss player Emmanuelle Gagliardi on 29 May and against Uzbek player Akgul Amanmuradova during their French Tennis Open second round match at Roland Garros on 30 May.

Do you think it got washed? Could Reebok pony up two dresses? Is orange her favorite color? Are Dreamsicles her favorite food? So many important tennis questions, and so little time.




(Photos by Francois Guillot/AFP/Getty Images adn Thomas Cox/AFP/Getty Images)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 4

AND WE WONDER WHY WIMBELDON WANTS THEM TO WEAR WHITE? Marat Safin of Russia kicks the ball in his match against Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia during the Men's Singles 2nd round match on day four of the French Open at Roland Garros. Safin obviously chose the outfit so he could play in a Chartreuse League soccer match later that day.

(Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

WE BRAKE FOR LACROSSE

Amidst all the racing on the holiday weekend, the lacrosse season came to a close. The NCAA Division I Championship Game is in the books, and Johns Hopkins (13-4) held on to defeat Duke (17-3), 12-11, on Monday in front of 48,443 fans at M&T Bank Stadium on Monday. It was a record crowd for the game. Johns Hopkins built a 10-4 halftime lead, and fought off a strong second half comeback by the Blue Devils to win their ninth national championship.

No Hollywood ending for Duke…

The Virginia women's lacrosse team needed the biggest comeback in the history of the tourney to get to the finals. They then scored 13 goals on Northwestern, more than twice their average goals allowed, and more than any other team has scored on the `Cats in 2007, but the Cavaliers still fell 15-13 in the NCAA Championship final. The two-goal deficit was also the closest any other team has come against the Wildcats in the final 21 games of the season. Virginia (19-4) had eight different players score goals.

The Wahoo girls went to Chippendale’s Baltimore to drown their sorrows. There were no arrests.

The Northwestern girls went to the Lewis Edgerton Smoot Memorial Library.

The little girl at left went home disappointed, but proud of her Hoos.

THROW THE BUMS OUT!

John Feinstein, a Duke grad, has some strong words for Duke Prez Broadbent and AD Alleva in today's Washington Post. Glad you’re catching up, John…He makes some very good points.

Perhaps he has a new book in the making: A Good University Spoiled or a Stripper On The Brink?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/28/AR2007052800929.html

…and then there is the Duke school paper, The Chronicle, with an editorial titled “A Familiar Face, A New Vision,” that starts out like this:
“Fire Coach K. Just kidding. Kind of.Basically, here's what I'm saying: Coach K has gotten too big. He's too important. Too good at what he does. It's not good for him, it's not good for the University and it's not good for college athletics.So he needs a bigger job. Like Athletic Director.It has gotten to the point where no one in all of college basketball or on all of Duke's campus can tell Mike Krzyzewski he's wrong. Coach K has created his own fiefdom, and he is judge, jury and executioner. He is immune to criticism.”

http://media.www.dukechronicle.com/media/storage/paper884/news/2007/04/24/Column/A.Familiar.Face.A.New.Vision-2876758.shtml

PICTURE OF THE DAY

OOPS! Cars crash due to a tire coming off of the car of Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet, during the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 on May 27, 2007 at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina.

No doubt, somebody said "S***FIRE!"

(Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images for NASCAR)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 2

THIS IS THE VIEW, GET USED TO IT. This is what the rest of field in the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix had to look at...Fernando Alonso of Spain and his McLaren Mercedes on the way to finishing first.

(Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 3

TELL US WE'RE WRONG. Renault Managing director Flavio Briatore and his girlfriend Elisabetta Gregoraci are pictured in the pits of the Monaco racetrack before the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix. Now if Flavio is a Renault mechanic, and not the managing director, is Elisabetta within 100 feet of him?

Didn't think so...

Nice name -- Flavio.

(Photo by BORIS HORVAT/AFP/Getty Images)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 4

NICE WEATHER. Dario Franchitti of Scotland won a disappointing (not for him!) rain delayed-shortened Indy 500. Maybe he can take some of the $1,645,233 top prize and buy his bride, Ashley Judd, an umbrella?

(Photo by AFP/Jeff Haynes)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 5

I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT TO WEAR TO START THE INDY 500. Track owner Mari George, a multi-millionaire who appears on national television each year to say the famous "Ladies and Gentlemen, start your engines," couldn't decide what to wear for the momentus occasion. So she settled for white jeans and a blue shirt.

Can you say "fashion maven."

Jeez...

PICTURE OF THE DAY 6

OK, WE GET THE GREEN JACKET at the Masters's, but the plaid jacket at the U.S. Crowne Plaza Invitational? South African Rory Sabbatini (C) dropped a 15-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to win the tournamet. After they gave him the jacket, they also gave him a fancy Texas rodeo-style belt buckle. Nice, Rory, NICE!

(Photo by AFP/Getty Images/Brian Bahr)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 7

AND FINALLY, IT'S NOT A GREAT RACE WEEKEND without the Running of the Urinals. This probably happens at Indy or at the NASCAR race at Charlotte. Probably not so much at Monaco. But, this particular photo and the attached You Tube video is from this year's Preakness. Seems as you aren't a man unless you run across the top of 100 port-a-jons while the folks in line chuck beers at you...It looks like fun, except for wasting those $6.50 beers...

Check out the video...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=9n8xMAh29rc

ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA

Ok, who knew?

It should not come as a surprise that the college SIDs (Sports Information Directors) have an association -- The College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). These folks choose the Academic All-America teams in 12 programs: football, women's volleyball, men's soccer, women's soccer, men's basketball, women's basketball, baseball, softball, men's track & field/cross country, women's track & field/cross country, men's at-large and women's at-large. A first team, second team and third team are selected in both the University (Division I and I-AA) and College (Division II, III and NAIA) Divisions. Football consists of just first and second teams.

The are also “At-Large” selections for kids who participate in things like women's bowling, women's crew, fencing, field hockey, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, rifle, skiing, swimming, tennis, water polo and men's wrestling. So they’ve got women’s bowling, but not women’s wrestling? What up?

To be nominated, the student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.20 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) for his/her career. No athlete is eligible until he/she has reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at his/her current institution (thus, true freshmen, red-shirt freshmen and ineligible transfers are not eligible).

They do this for the whole country and then they break it down into 8 districts. The ACC, save for BC, is in District 3.

THE ACC ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICANS

CoSIDA and ESPN The Magazine just announced the “At-Large” teams and the ACC was very well represented. Of the 40 kids on the team, 21 are from ACC schools. The SEC has 2, maybe 3. For a complete list of these and others, visit http://www.cosida.com/allamerica/aaaselections.asp.

There are also individual teams for individual sports. So, there is an Academic All-American basketball team for 2006-2007. Number of ACC schools represented? That would be ZERO. Here’s where the nerd geek hoopsters hail from: Cornell, Butler, Iowa, Florida, Western Michigan, Belmont, Southern, North Dakota, Harvard (duh!), Coastal Carolina, Elon, Bowling Green, Wisconsin-Green Bay and Eastern Washington.

Now when they break it down into districts, it’s a completely different story. Number of ACC Schools represented? Absolutely NONE!


Otherwise of note: Lee Humphrey, the sharpshooter from Florida and Justin Baker from Springfield who goes to the University of Mary Washington (Fighting Typists).

Conversly, there are 7 kids from ACC schools on the District 3 Academic All-American football team…

And that is why the ACC is the GREATEST basketball conference EVER.

Any questions?

I'M A BLOGGER, I KNOW STUFF

Centro Universitario Incarnate Word?
Sports team name?
Anybody?

P.S. Every single word in the posts above is true, except the part about St. Joe’s being in Borat’s home town…but, you knew that.

PICTURE OF THE DAY

ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICAN Allison Sismey of the Dikenson State University Rodeo Team. Who doesn't love North Dakota?

PICTURE OF THE DAY 2

NICE WORK, IF YOU CAN GET IT…Finnish Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen drives ahead of Brazilian Honda driver Rubens Barrichello at the Monaco racetrack in Monte Carlo, during the second practise session of the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix.

(Note to self: Win lottery, go to Monaco Grand Prix, take friends and lots of cash.)

(Photo by BORIS HORVAT/AFP/Getty Images)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 3

YOU KNOW IT’S A SNAZZY NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN THEY DON’T HAVE WRECKERS. German Toyota driver Ralf Schumacher's car is lifted by a crane after crashing at the Monaco racetrack in Monte Carlo, during the second practise session on Tuesday. We suppose they use helicopters instead of busses as well?

(Photo by BERTRAND GUAY/AFP/Getty Images)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 4

DEADSPIN, GOLF CART, CLIFF. Need we say more? Do yourself a favor and just click on both links.

http://deadspin.com/sports/caddyshack-dvd-extras/the-real-tragedy-is-that-my-cell-phone-was-in-there-262773.php

http://deadspin.com/sports/chuckles-the-clown/somewhere-out-there-theres-an-elephant-with-your-name-on-it-263132.php

CSI: MIAMI

The family of slain Miami Hurricanes player Bryan Pata will get $2 million from the insurance companies of the apartment complex where he was murdered, family attorneys said yesterday.

Pata was fatally shot outside the Colony Apartment in Kendall, Fla., on Nov. 7. The apartment complex did not provide the 24-hour security it had advertised, and several outdoor lights were obscured or not working, particularly where the shooting took place, said the family's attorneys.

Pata's parents will receive two $1 million payouts, the full policy limit from both of the complex's insurance companies. The crime remains unsolved.

Relatives said Pata had promised to help financially support his family once he signed an NFL contract.

OOPS, OUR BAD...

Duke has asked the NCAA to give another year of eligibility to members of last year's men's lacrosse team, a year after the university chose to cancel the 2006 season. Duke spokesman Art Chase said the university filed the request with the NCAA earlier this month. No timetable has been set for a decision.

What he said: "The extraordinary circumstances that happened last spring and the developments from last spring until recently when the kids were exonerated were a real unique situation," Duke athletics director Joe Alleva said in a statement. "We felt it was only fair to try to get a year of eligibility back for those kids who lost last season."

What he meant: "Damn, we f***ed this up. Hey NCAA, a little help?"

In other news, anonymous sources at Duke tell us that next week the school will ask the NCAA to appoint fired Duke lacrosse head coach Mike Pressley as head coach of the team of his choice (other than Duke) competing in the NCAA Lacrosse Final Four. According to Alleva, "We felt it was only fair to try and get a decent job back for the coach we s***-canned for no reason."

GOOD THINKING

Georgetown's Roy Hibbert and Jeff Green both made the right choices in their respective decisions to stay at school and turn professional. Green won't get much better and he's projected to be a lottery pick. The 7-2 Hibbert, who was known as "Big Stiff" when he entered school, has improved each year. Hibbert was projected to be drafted somewhere in the 8 to 15 range this year, but the experts say another top notch season in the Big East next year could move him up to lottery money. Hibbert played extremely well in the NCAA tourney so look for good things from him in 2007-08.

PICTURE OF THE DAY

ATHLETES AND THEIR CHILDREN ARE TAKING OVER THE WORLD, PART 1...Just one night after multiple Olympic medal winner Apollo Ohno won the coveted top prize on Dancing With The Stars, Jordin Sparks, the daughter of ex-New York Giant cornerback Felipe Sparks, cashed the $1 million ticket on American Idol. How about sticking to sports, and leaving the other stuff to us mere mortals?

Apparently you already know this since almost 154,439,703 people watched both shows on Tuesday and Wednesday night.

PICTURE OF THE DAY 2

SAYING THE RIGHT THING...It actually can be done in sports! Here are Andy Roddick's comments about his obviously air brushed/photo shopped picture on the cover of Men's Health.

"…little did I know I have 22 inch guns and a disappearing birth mark on my right arm. I saw the cover for the first time when I landed after Rome...it was pretty funny...I walked by the newsstand in the airport and did a total double take ...I can barely figure out how to work the red-eye tool on my digital camera...whoever did this has mad skills...Maybe Rafael Nadal wants his arms back?..."


Good stuff.

PICTURE OF THE DAY 3

BLIMEY, CRAP! AC Milan defeated Liverpool 2-1 in the Champions League final Wednesday, behind two goals by Filippo Inzaghi for its seventh European Cup title. The game was seen on TV by 200 million people in 113 nations. By games end, 198,100,002 of those people were asleep. Of those remaining awake, only 3 of them were sober, and one of them died of old age during the second half.

After the game the premier soccer league unveiled their new slogan for 2008: "Goals? Who Needs 'Em?"

PICTURE OF THE DAY 4

HOOLIGANS RETIRE. Terry Last, DJ5 and Stephen Hickmott, three of the top superhooligans in England and members of Liverpool's ‘Nutty Crew,' hold a press conference to announce their retirement. "I'm done with the bloody youngsters," said DJ5, "Besides, once you've carved up an opposing bloke with a razor and tossed from a moving train, there's not much left to do...Besides, I'm tired of coming home from the stadium with blood on my head."

Insiders from SuperhooliganInsiders.com say pressure from other groups such as ‘Inter City Firm' (ICF) of West Ham United, the ‘Service Crew' of Leeds, and ‘Gooners' of Arsenal, the ‘Bushwhackers' of Millwall, the ‘Baby Squad' of Leicester and the ‘Headhunters' of Chelsea caused the three superstars of soccer bad boys to pack it in.

VICK APPLIES FOR FINAL YEAR OF ELGIBILITY

Embattled Atlanta Falcons' quarterback Michael Vick has sent an appeal to the NCAA requesting reinstatement of his final year of eligibility. Sources close to TAH say he is seeking to return to Virginia Tech, the scene of his greatest triumphs.

At the NFL draft Vick told Commissioner Roger Goodell that he was going to “change.” Following the latest controversy, Vick has decided that the best way to accomplish this it to return to Blacksburg and “start over.”

The photo at left shows super Hokie Brian Scheulen and head coach Frank Beamer at the exact moment this news was related to Hokie Nation at the recent Orange and Maroon tour event in Fauquier County two weeks ago.

NFL’S COMMISH TO PLAYERS: SHUT UP ALREADY

Today, we have a classic case of what is reported and what’s not. The Redskins had a FanFest in Virginia Beach last weekend, and some comments made by Clinton Portis re: Michael Vick have gotten a lot of air time.

What you have heard: In a WAVY-TV interview, Portis said that if the Atlanta Falcons quarterback is charged and convicted of being involved in a dog fighting operation, then authorities would be "putting him behind bars for no reason."

"I don't know if he was fighting dogs or not," Portis said. "But it's his property; it's his dogs. If that's what he wants to do, do it." Portis said dog fighting is a "prevalent" part of life. Portis, a native of Laurel, Mississippi, added: "I know a lot of back roads that got a dog fight if you want to go see it.” Sound familiar?

What you didn’t hear/see was the rest of the quote: “But they're not bothering those people because those people are not big names. I'm sure there's some police got some dogs that are fighting them, some judges got dogs and everything else." "Politicians," added Chris Samuels, who found it hard to keep from giggling while Portis was talking. "Presidents," added Portis with a laugh.

"Then I think he got cheated. ... You're putting him behind bars for no reason — over a dog fight." "Haven't you seen Animal Planet?" Samuels added with a giggle.

Of course shortly thereafter all parties were in full reverse. Portis apologized, the Redskins apologized and the NFL realeased a statement saying the Commish was embarrassed for Portis…

Another item left unreported is the comment made by Samuels, who was reportedly trying desperately not to laugh during the Portis interview -- “I think we may have just gotten ourselves into a mess…” You see, O-Lineman really are the smartest guys in the NFL.

There’s more they aren’t telling you – Apparently, according to the Daily Press “Virginia is a hotbed for dogfighting. There have been recent convictions in Richmond, Chesapeake and Spotsylvania. The most notorious Virginia case was of "Fat" Bill Reynolds, publisher of a dogfighting magazine, who spent 30 months in prison on federal charges of sending images of pit-bull fights across state lines.”

Ouch.

Hey, Al Groh, recruiting tip?

EXONERATED?

About a day late Michael Vick’s lawyer told him to “stop talking…” (Is his lawyer Mrs. Kat?)

Unfortunately, before he stopped there was this exchange with a Fox affiliate in Atlanta. This was originally reported by the Atlanta Constitution-Journal and ESPN with a follow up from The Daily Press (All The Vick That’s Fit To Print) in Tidewater.

“In an interview with the Fox affiliate in Atlanta, the Falcons quarterback was asked about the dogfighting controversy.

Reporter: Are you concerned at all that your image has been tarnished a little or do you feel like that reaction shows that you still have support?

Vick: Man, I still got support. Everywhere I go all around the world people still support Mike.

Vick: So, regardless of what I go through people still gonna love me, man. You know it's all good. I ain't worried about that. My job is to win football games.

Reporter: In the end, will you be exonerated?

Vick: Man, no comment."

No comment? How about: "Yes, Mike is gonna be exonerated. People all around the world still support Mike."

PICTURE OF THE DAY

BMW ORACLE THIS! This is America’s entry in the next Louis Vuiton Kohls Husqvarna Sony Dove Soap McDonalds’ Americas Cup in 2010 – The Disney Enterprises-Buena Vista Pictures Pirates of the Carribean: At World’s End Black Pearl captained by no other than Capt. Jack Sparrow.

Good luck.

Arghhhh!

PICTURE OF THE DAY 2

THEY TRY THIS EVERY YEAR, and the Thoroughbred always wins. Enough already. Yes, this took place in New Jersey.

No, it's not a race, but a loose Standardbred with a broken rein being collared by an alert outrider. There were no injuries except the trotter's ego when he got passed like he was tied to the rail.

PICTURE OF THE DAY 3

HER DADDY MUST BE PROUD. Those Florida fans...football and basketball champs and they're still a little cranky.

(Photo by Bill Frakes/SI)

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BOYS AND GIRLS

Obviously, based on the equipment or lack thereof, the difference between women’s loacrosse and men’s lacrosse is the simple fact that the men beat the living crap out of one another and the women don’t. Watch some of the Final Four this weekend, and the boys whip-up on one another pretty good…or just take a broom stick and have somebody hit your forearm with it once per minute for one hour. You’ll get the point.

Duke came back to beat UNC 19-11 to advance to the Final Four in Baltimore. At one point in the second quarter the Heels lead 8-4, but the UNC head coach said the Devils “blew us up” in the second half. The Duke and UVA women’s squads are off to the Final Four in Philly as well after winning this weekend.

PICTURE OF THE DAY

NO TRIPLE CROWN. Damn. But, it was one heck of a race. Curlin, left, nips Street Sense by a head in the $1,000,000 Preakness Stakes.

PICTURE OF THE DAY 2

THREE. COUNT 'EM, THREE women drivers in this weekend's Indy 500. Venezuelan newcomer Milka Duno, Sara Fisher and Danica Patrick. Patrick is on the fourth row, Fisher on the 21st and Duno on the 29th.

PICTURE OF THE DAY 3

WHERE'S DENNIS CONNER WHEN YOU NEED HIM? It took five days for the wheels to come off the ultimate sailing machine, billionaire Larry Ellison's America's Cup challenger BMW Oracle. On the sixth day he yanked the driver. Now the once-heralded campaign is kaput. Ellison sacked his skipper and chief executive Sunday in hopes the drastic change would reverse a downward spiral, but with Chris Dickson watching on TV and understudy Sten Mohr at the helm, the U.S. entry came up flat losing by 33 seconds to Italian Lunna Rossa.

PICTURE OF THE DAY 4

GENTLEMEN, START YOUR ENGINES. So says His Airness to the NASCAR boys at Lowe's Motor Speedway this weekend.

(Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images for NASCAR)