Bucky Lasek and Rickie Fowler Prepare for X-Games
Hotties are about to take over the X Games in Los Angeles this weekend, but it’s the RallyCross debut on Sunday that has us excited.
The Global RallyCross Championship consists of five wheel-to-wheel RallyCross races, all featuring an X Games-style 70-foot gap jump.
Although we don’t really know much about Rallycross, we are enjoying the mini-exodus of action-sports stars getting behind the wheel. To wit, 14-time XG skateboard medalist Bucky Lasek who will be making his X Games RallyCross debut on Sunday.
Earlier this week, Lasek was joined by PGA Tour babe Rickie Fowler at the Subaru PUMA Global Rallycross Team Testing Day. Continue reading
PUMA® Presents Riddim + Run Benefiting Soles4Souls
PUMA® Presents Riddim + Run Benefiting Soles4Souls
This Wednesday, Oct 12, PUMA is hosting their Riddim + Run event to benefit Soles4Souls, a non-profit that collects gently worn shoes and provides them to those in need.
The event will bring the flavor of Jamaica to LA with Island inspired décor and refreshments to play homage to FAAS, PUMA’s Jamaican inspired running collection.
A DJ set will be provided Josh Madden and special performance by acclaimed DJ and Producer, Diplo… celebrities expected: Chris Evans (“Captain America”), Nicole Richie, Taryn Manning (“Hawaii 5-O”), Ashley Benson (“Pretty Little Liars”), Pia Toscano (“American Idol”), Tyler Posey (“Teen Wolf”), Matt Dallas (“Kyle XY”), Mike O’Malley (Glee), Josh Wolf (Comedian – “Chelsea Lately”), Meagan Good (“Jumping the Broom”), John Conway, Sam Endicott and Anthony Burulcich (Musicians – The Bravery), Manish Dayal (90210), Diplo (Musician), Josh Madden (DJ), Joel and Benji Madden (Musicians), Pete Wentz (Musician), Samantha Ronson (DJ), Adam Pally (“Happy Endings”), Cara Castronuova (The Biggest Loser), Baseball Player Johnny Damon, Soccer Stars Natasha Kai and Leslie Osborne, The IT Boys, and more. Continue reading
Usain Bolt Adopts a Cheetah
Usain Bolt Adopts a Cheetah
Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus): An atypical member of the cat family capable of reaching speeds between 112 and 120km/h (70 and 75mph) and covering distances up to 460m (1,500ft), and has the ability to accelerate from 0 to 103km/h (64mph) in three seconds, faster than most racecars….recent studies confirm the cheetah’s status as the fastest land animal, just as recent historical events have confirmed Usain Bolt as the world’s fastest man.
Usain Bolt took a four-day visit to Kenya to assist in the launch of a Foundation and to adopt a baby cheetah named “Lighting Bolt.” Bolt has agreed to sponsor the three-month-old male cheetah as part of an effort to boost Kenyan conservation efforts of its famous wildlife, whose survival is threatened by trophy hunting, climate change and human encroachment. The world record-holder paid $13,700 to formally adopt the precious cub, with the money going to the Kenya Wildlife Service…Bolt will also pay $3,000 a year to care for Lighting Bolt, who will be raised at an animal orphanage in Nairobi. Lighting Bolt is among three cubs rescued by KWS officials after their mother abandoned them in a game park.
Besides the adoption of Lighting Bolt, Usain was in Kenya to help launch the Zeitz Foundation, a foundation that seeks to promote innovative and holistic approaches that enhance economic, social and environmental sustainability. Bolt made the rounds in Kenya with Colin Jackson, a former 110-meter hurdles Olympic champion, and Jochen Zeitz, the chief executive of athletic gear manufacturer Puma-who made the visit to launch his charity’s campaign to preserve ecosystems.
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) conserves and manages Kenya’s wildlife for the Kenyan people and the world. The challenges facing wildlife and biodiversity conservation in Kenya are many and varied. They include climate change, habitat degradation and loss, forest depletion, tourism market volatility, human wildlife conflict brought on by population growth and changing land use habits of communities that co-exist with wildlife as well as wildlife crime.
As always, thanks for reading. Delinda@athlebrities.com
Will Ferrell Hosts Cancer for College Golf Classic
WILL FERRELL GOES RON BURGUNDY AT EVENT
Craig Pollard, a local golf entrepreneur, cancer survivor, double amputee, and a USC fraternity pal of Ferrell’s, founded Cancer for College…and I can’t believe a year has gone by since the last Cancer for College Golf Classic and fundraiser. This years’ event was held at the Country Club of Rancho Bernardo and proved to be an overwhelming success, raising more than $250,000 for cancer survivors.
Ferrell addressed the media wearing black/white checkered shorts, an ‘Army Man’ t-shirt, and a pair of gold Pumas. I actually hadn’t noticed they were Pumas until I asked him when the Nike Air Force Ferrell’s were going to be released. “No, not Nike. Nike’s bad.” He said before explaining the science behind the gold kicks, “They were actually built for me from scientists at NASA, so I can actually levitate for 30 seconds at a height of 15 to 20 feet. I don’t know how that will help me with my golf, but that’s just a cool trick.”
Another cool trick Ferrell has performed is helping the event grow from a little known backyard fundraiser, into one of the premier charity events in San Diego. It’s taken the local news this long to catch on and thankfully someone had the gumption to ask Ferrell how Ron Burgundy would cover the event.
“It is a glorrrious day,” said Ferrell as Burgundy, “here in beautiful Son Diego, we’ve got a record turn out, I thought there’d be more media here frankly, for someone of my stature, in fact, I’ll have to say as I look out into the face of the media here, you guys look like a bunch of idiots compared to when I was in the news game. Have some class, some dignity. I don’t see anyone wearing a suit. I don’t smell any cologne”
After the funny man had the media warmed up, he got serious about his support for the event. “For all of the things Craig has been through kind of physically and emotionally, he’s probably one of the most upbeat, positive people you can ever be around,” Ferrell said. “He just epitomizes . . . perseverance. The fact that he’s so involved in helping others when he could easily sit back and say, ‘Woe is me,’ he never does that. He’s just kind of a shining example to everyone who meets him of the power of being positive and having a great outlook on life.”
Two of Ferrell’s playing partners, Emil and William, were excited about taking part in the event. “We expect to be slightly above par even though it’s a scramble,” Emil said as he proudly sported the same black/white shorts as Ferrell, “Will (Ferrell) keeps us in the game.” William was curiously out of uniform and dressed in a military jumpsuit, instead of the shorts. “I wanna support our troops right now in Iraq,” he explained, “You know, sport the jumpsuit and give a little preview for tonight’s bidding.” William won the jumpsuit at last years auction. ”They’ll be some great items up for bids tonight, and, its all for the kids!”
One interesting addition to this years Cancer for College event was golf professional Chance Manning. Manning gave out tips to those who rolled through the 2nd hole. Emil and William were the first to celebrate the appearance of Chance. “If anyone can help, its Chance” Emil said “I don’t know who else to turn to?”
All in all everyone involved with Cancer for College was moved by the spirit of Craig Pollard, and the support of Will Ferrell. Ferrell has generously donated more than one check to Pollards foundation. “His loyalty has been phenomenal,” Pollard said. “Those two commercials that he did for the Super Bowl – all that money went to the charity. Budweiser paid him $250,000, Proctor and Gamble $500,000.”
Also gotta give shout out to BogeyPro for once again providing the humors tee-box signs along the course…they did a great job of keeping the golfers smiling despite the brutal heat.
Photos from the event available here and on my ‘Event Photos’ page.
Also, look for my coverage of the event on Look to the Stars.
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As always, thanks for reading.
Delinda Lombardo
delinda@athlebrities.com
Usain Bolts To Second Gold While NBA Legends Gather for Charity and Current NBA Players Lured to Europe
USAIN BOLTS THROUGH MY HEART
“We have the best coffee on the planet. We have Bob Marley. And now we have Usain Bolt. We are overjoyed and overwhelmed” – Jamaican Minister of Information, Culture, Youth & Sports Olivia Grange. Usain Bolt broke former U.S. sprinter Michael Johnson’s 12-year-old world record in the 200m, and became the first Olympian since Carl Lewis at the ‘84 L.A. Games to win both the 100m and 200m races…add a World Record to the mix and hopes for a third gold in the 4×100 relay on Friday and we got us a great story…
Bolt gave us one of the most genuine and unfiltered celebratory reactions- laying on the track, kissing it, taking off his Puma’s, smiling, infectious, worthy…so why we gotta hear negative reaction from that the president of the IOC, Jacques Rogge? “That’s not the way we perceive being a champion,” Rogge said of the Jamaican sprinter. “I have no problem with him doing a show. I think he should show more respect for his competitors and shake hands, give a tap on the shoulder to the other ones immediately after the finish and not make gestures like the one he made in the 100 meters.” Excuse my language kids- but Rogge can f*ck off. Rogge: corrupt, bought, angry and transparent. Do your research, I ain’t gonna waste any more space on his nonsense, because I think he may be the only person in the World who wasn’t jubilating alongside Bolt as he won, when he won, and while he was celebrating with an attitude we need to see more of…pure joy. Get number three Bolt, the world is watching…
Also watching are sponsor Puma and Virgin Media (U.K.). Virgin has asked Bolt to be the “face of its superfast broadband service,” according to Mark Sweney of the Manchester GUARDIAN. VM, which is set to launch a broadband product it claims will be more than twice as fast as rivals, is considering calling the product ‘Boltband.’
THANK YOU SZYMON KOLECKI
Joey Cheek, Team Darfur co-Founder, in an e-mail to the AP writes, “I would love to see even more athletes involved in speaking out about what they believe in. The problem is that even if there was an athlete that wanted to speak out on issues of human rights, he might be silenced by whatever IOC official is mediating that press event, with a bogus explanation that is my biggest problem with these Olympics: the idea that the Games are only about sport.” Cheek continued, “Every time the Chinese government has gone back on guarantees of free speech, free access for the media, and a number of the other issues, the IOC has acquiesced.” The Chinese have “done many amazing things, and for that they deserve a lot of credit.” Cheek: “However, these Games still would have been as successful without what appears to be massive suppression of any voice that the government doesn’t want heard” (AP, 8/20).
At least one athlete has ‘spoken’ out…Polish pro-Tibet activist group ‘The Other Space Foundation’ said Poland weightlifter Symon Kolecki ‘shaved his head in a gesture of solidarity with Tibetan monks’ before receiving the Silver Medal in his event. Kolecki after the medal ceremony told Polish sports magazine Sportfan, “This haircut is from this morning. I can’t directly say why I did it. It’s connected with certain things that the Olympic Charter forbids. But I will say that it’s symbolic.” Thank you Symon, but be careful…The WASHINGTON POST’s Sally Jenkins, in an online chat, wrote the Beijing Games will “go down with a terribly mixed legacy. This morning the Chinese government sentenced two women who are nearly 80 years old to a year each in reeducation camp, because they filed for permits to officially protest the destruction of their homes at an official Olympic demonstration site.”
And you ain’t gonna see any Apples in China either…Apple’s iTunes music store has been blocked in China, allegedly due to athletes listening to protest songs. It all started when more than 40 athletes downloaded “Songs for Tibet,” an album produced by U.S.-based Tibet group the Art of Peace Foundation. The foundation offered the album for free download to Olympic athletes, but China has since turned off the iTunes music store.
NBA ATHLETES: LEGENDS AND LEGENDS TO BE
“I’ve been on TNT for years, and no one’s ever asked me, ‘Who won the championship in Greece last year?’” – TNT’s Charles Barkley, on Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Heat G Dwyane Wade saying they would entertain offers to play overseas…maybe when these guys ARE playing in Europe you’ll be asked who won? Yes, our babies are jumping ship. And while I don’t expect to see Wade wearing a Greek jersey or Kobe donning an Italian one anytime soon, others are opting to play for Europeans teams. The most recent NBA players to jump the NBA ship for the Euro gold are…Former Phoenix Suns guard Gordon Giricek signed with a Turkish team…New Orleans (sixth man) guard Jannero Pargo will play in Moscow for 3.8 million…former Charlotte Bobcats guard Earl Boykins will be the highest-paid player in the Italian league…Carlos Arroyo, who played for Orlando, signed to play in Israel…Former Raptors Jorge Garbajosa and Carlos Delfino are headed for Russia, as is ex-New Jersey Nets forward Bostian Ncahbar…and Juan Carlos Navarro of the Memphis Grizzlies signed with a Barcelona team…but don’t worry about it Charles, no one is paying attention to the situation yet.
NBA LEGENDS HELPING KIDS HEAR
Last month while at Chris Webbers Bada Bling, I was fortunate to meet several NBA Legends who shared their ideas of a NBA Legends Resort that was in the works to be built. And this weekend I’m willing to bet that some of the Legends will be discussing the idea as they converge for a ‘Reunion Extravaganza’ in Puerto Rico to highlight their community outreach program. Hot Legends such as Moses Malone, Rick Barry, Chuck Person, Michael Ray Richardson and many more, wil be taking part in the group’s “Project Smile” community initiative with the Starkey Hearing Foundation…nearly 200 basketball greats will be descending on The Ritz-Carlton, San Juan Hotel, Resort & Spa in Isla Verde, Puerto Rico, on Aug. 21-24 for the anticipated National Basketball Retired Players Association (NBRPA) Legends Reunion…dear god, where’s my plane ticket?
‘Project Smile’ is a year-round program that aims to raise the spirits, bring hope, and deliver smiles to men, women and children worldwide. In partnership with the Starkey Hearing Foundation, the NBRPA will change the lives of 250 hearing impaired and underprivileged Puerto kids by providing them with hearing aids on Saturday, Aug 23 at the Teatro de la Universidad Interamericana, Rio Piedras Campus. A press ceremony will take place at 10:30 a.m. featuring Legends Earl Monroe, Spencer Haywood, Buck Williams, David Thompson, Tim Legler, Mark Eaton, Charles Smith and others. The Legends will distribute Webster’s Spanish/English Dictionaries to the children and I can’t believe I can’t find one sponsor willing to send me there…
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As always, thanks for reading.
Delinda Lombardo
delinda@athlebrities.com
Pistons Make Wish Come True; Olympic Athletes Make Dreams Come True, Carmelo Anthony Hangs with Michael Phelps, and Luke Wilson’s Silver Lining
TRENDY TUESDAY
As we sit around watching real-fake-live coverage of the Olympian-hotness, I feel it’s important to give some props to former Detroit Piston John Long and head coach Michael Curry…the two mighty-fine men spent Monday hanging out with Spencer and his buddies. Spencer was the recipient of the ‘Afternoon with the Pistons, A Wish Come True’ event…and with that off my chest, I can feel good about a bit o gratuitous Delinda style coverage of some Olympic babes….
After the Men’s US Swim Babes stunned France in the 4×100 freestyle on Monday night, Michael Phelps went on to etch his name alongside Mark Spitz and Carl Lewis as one of the “winningest Olympians ever” with his third gold medal and third world record in as many days. In winning the 200-meter freestyle Tuesday, Phelps ran his career Olympic total to nine golds…
Speaking of Phelps, seems like he and Carmelo Anthony are chill. Sweet Melon is writing an Olympic diary for the NY Times. In part, he spoke about his new buddy Michael Phelps…”I’m amazed at what he can do in that water. He’s like a shark. I’ve never seen anyone swim like that before. Swimming never caught my eyes before I saw him.” Last week, Melo licked his lips and wrote about hanging with Phelps: “I got a chance to talk with him last night at the Olympic Village. I met him before just growing up, but I hadn’t met him since he won those six gold medals in 2004. So his whole life has changed. He’s not from the same neighborhood as me, but we’ll claim him…This is my first time to really get a chance to mingle and interact with him. We talked about spots back home, but we were talking about getting out to each other’s events. He’s going to bring some golds back to Baltimore and I’m going to bring a gold back. They can have our parade together in Baltimore.”
Granted, I can’t sit still long enough to watch each and every real-fake-live-broadcast event…but I’m trying to keep an eye on several noteworthy morsels…one of which, as we all know, is a particular Tapa. Our Rafael Nadal has burned through Italian beast Potito Starace and Lleyton Hewitt as he inches his way towards gold…
Meanwhile, let’s take our eyes of Beijing for a minute and give some props to actor Luke Wilson. He, along with Swedish golf-babe Johan Edfors, have teamed up to co-design the new ‘Chrome’ line for Puma. “Johan wears the splashy stuff,” Wilson says…the two collaborated on a line to suit both the ‘extroverts’ and ‘introverts’ on the greens..sexy bold colors for Edfors and muted cardigans for Wilson. “I like the real meticulous look of guys like Sam Snead and Ben Hogan. They had their own tailors making their clothes back then,” Wilson says. For more info and some great photos of the new line, check out the LA Times.
As always, thanks for reading.
Delinda Lombardo
delinda@athlebrities.com