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Archive for the ‘Sports’ Category
Thursday, December 10th, 2009
 “Even the best fall down sometimes” says the chorus of the song “Collide” by Howie Day. That phrase succinctly describes what has become of today’s sports heroes as of late. We all know about Tiger Woods. Yet there’s another one bubbling right now: the fate of tennis ace Andre Agassi.
Agassi stands alone, having taken in a career boatload of titles, but now, the great man stands alone in a different way. The legendary tennis star has just released his autobiography and it has detailed everything, warts and all. The book is at the center of a swirling storm of controversy and the tennis superstar’s legacy is now in jeopardy.
The crux of the matter is about the phase in his career around 1997. In his book Open, he describes how his young self had all the promise to be great, but his life was a mess. At the lowest point of his career, he had tested positive for using crystal meth and lied about taking the drug. That same year, he would go on to win championships and the experience became a catalyst for change in his life.
Now that this episode is behind him and now retired since 2005, Agassi has had his life turned around. He is the founder of the Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation, which raised $60 million for at-risk children, as well as founded the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy in Las Vegas.
This good reputation is now under siege by his book and the public admission therein. He has since had to defend his reputation from criticism left and right. His book and his admission to the fact of cheating on a drug test was hailed as courageous by many, notably ESPN’s Rick Reilly, one of the most noted sports writers active today.
Yet others demand more than just an admission. Fact remains that he should have been suspended from the sport for using the drug, but he lied about it and avoided a lengthy ban. In that time, he would go on to win titles and achieve success that he should not have been entitled to had he told the truth in the first place. In particular, tennis great Martina Navratilova is shocked at the lies and expressed deep disappointment.
Given the backlash that the athlete has received, there is speculation that Andre Agassi may be stripped of titles that he won during this time. We have raised the question to the Predicto community: Will Andre Agassi be stripped of any titles he won by the time January 25, 2010 comes along? After nearly 1,000 votes, 58% do not believe he will be stripped of titles.
What about you? How do you feel about this? Sign up at Predicto.com and sound off today!
Tags: Andre Agassi, celebrity, community, Entertainment, game, Gossip, hot topics, Mobile, pop culture, predict, prediction, Predicto, Predicto Mobile, Predicto.com, PredictoTV, Tennis
Posted in Celeb Gossip, Sports | No Comments »
Wednesday, December 9th, 2009
 Anyone naive enough to predict that the Tiger Woods scandal would simmer down after his Thanksgiving Escalade ‘accident’ first raised suspicions has been proven to be way off the mark. Though, like many golfers, he tried to blame that one on the ‘Caddy’, in fact Tiger is in deeper rough now more than ever. Moreover, his sticky situation features nearly as many unanswered questions as it does unscrupulous lovers.
Now that he has admitted to “transgressions”, it’s no longer a question as to whether he cheated on his Swedish wife, model Elin Nordgren – it’s merely a matter of how many different affairs Woods wedged into his schedule. Right now we’ve got nearly a dozen, and as Sex Rehab’s Dr. Drew Pinsky comments, “You’ve got to wonder about addiction. That’s the process that has people doing things that don’t make sense…I would suggest that Tiger come clean.”
However, not too many of you expect Woods to open up about sex addiction anytime soon, with 62% of voting Predicto Mobile members saying no, he won’t seek rehab.
He may seek out some image rehabilitation, though, courtesy of this nation’s finest talk shows. As a matter of fact, over 10,000 Predicto members have cast their votes on whether Woods’ first TV interview will be with Oprah, Matt Lauer, Larry King or some other sympathetic host. In the meantime, it seems his silence will be par for the course. But as much as Tiger’s trying to keep a lid on the story, he muffed his very own mobile use! Us Magazine this week has “Tiger’s Titillating Texts” to Jaimee Grubbs on full display. Perhaps he should have known that the interwebs are chock full of advice on how to catch ‘sexting’ cheaters.
Meanwhile, the one place where Woods stands to get hit hardest remains his wallet. The billionaire has yet to lose any of his seven-figure endorsements, and only 49% of Predicto Mobile members think he will. Still, the latest ‘dis’ from one of his main sponsors, Gatorade, has to give Tiger a little case of the yips. As reported by the New York Times, the famous thirst-quencher, short of cancelling their contract with the world’s greatest golfer, “announced on Tuesday that it was discontinuing its Tiger Woods Sports Drink.”
If Tiger wants to get out of this one unscathed, he’s got an awfully long way to the pin. The only bright spot in this sordid story may be the faithfulness of good ol’ mistress number one, Rachel Uchitel, who even in yet another “exclusive” dish this week in OK! magazine, talks about everything except for her relationship with Woods.
Uchitel’s all alone, though. From leading #trending topic to headline story, we’ve had two weeks of steady Tiger talk. He’s even threatening to put an early end to Levi Johnston’s fifteen minutes of fame. Ironically enough, there’s only one thing nobody’s saying much about – his golf game.
Tags: 654654, adultery, affair, cell phone, Elin Nordgren, Entertainment, Gatorade, golf, Gossip, hot topic, interview, mistress, Oprah, Predicto, PredictoMobile, Rachel Uchitel, scandal, sex addiction, sexting, texting, Tiger Woods, transgressions
Posted in Celeb Gossip, Sports | 3 Comments »
Tuesday, November 10th, 2009
 LeBron James. If that name doesn’t ring a bell, a quick walk around a sports store can quickly clue you in on who is the reigning MVP.
Ever since his rookie year in 2003, King James has been a force on the basketball court, taking the former cellar-dwelling Cavs to new heights and playing a key part in the U.S. Olympic basketball team’s gold medal win. He has earned big-name sponsorship endorsement deals with companies such as Nike and with last year’s earnings of $40.5 million, making him the third highest paid U.S. athlete today.
One thing, however, has eluded him: an NBA championship.
Few doubt he will hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy over his head one day, especially given his immense talent and physical prowess. But the title has yet to reach Cleveland. Fans expected 2009, his MVP season, to be the year he would come away with a championship ring, but the Cavs were unceremoniously trounced by the Orlando Magic en route to the NBA Finals. The team bounced back, recruiting NBA super center Shaquille O’Neal to help “win a ring for the king” and optimism was restored for the coming 2009-2010 campaign.
Following a crushing opening-day home defeat to title rivals the Boston Celtics, questions abounded if the team has enough to win it all. More questions loom as whether or not James, whose contract expires by the end of this season, will want to stay on with the Cavs.
One wonders if his loyalty to his home state of Ohio will prevail over possible big-money moves to other teams or to play for a team with enough talent to contest for an NBA title. Will LeBron stay or will he leave? Is it loyalty, money or glory that will prevail?
While this debate rages on, the Predicto Mobile community also takes the debate to the text message polls. After nearly 3,000 votes, the debate is in dead heat, with both sides neck and neck at 50%.
The fans of the Cavs believe that LeBron James has the best shot at winning a championship right where he is. Predicto player “skin10806” says “LeBron is close to getting a championship with the Cavs [and should stay] rather than going somewhere else and starting over.”
Other views on the quality of Cleveland’s team may haunt him this season and the chance to win a title elsewhere may be more tantalizing. Predicto member “capttoddE” believes he will leave, adding “LeBron has paid his dues with the Cavs. He deserves to be on a team that can go all the way.”
What do you think? Log on to Predicto.com and text in your vote today!
Tags: 654654, athlete, Cleveland Cavaliers, community, game, hot topics, LeBron James, NBA, pop culture, predict, prediction, Predicto, Predicto.com, PredictoMobile, Sports
Posted in Sports | No Comments »
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“Even the best fall down sometimes” says the chorus of the song “Collide” by Howie Day. That phrase succinctly describes what has become of today’s sports heroes as of late. We all know about Tiger Woods. Yet there’s another one bubbling right now: the fate of tennis ace Andre Agassi.
After a rain-delayed game 6, the New York Yankees finally ended their grueling series against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and clinched a spot in the 2009 World Series.
Play ball! Tonight begins Major League Baseball’s post-season as the first six of eight teams begin their quest for a World Series trophy.