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Julia Mancuso may have played second fiddle to Lindsey Vonn a few days ago but she is not second fiddle in the looks department. This US ski bunny is another solid USA Olympian who won gold in 2006 in the giant slalom and this year she has two silvers so far in the combined and downhill.She still has a couple more events to add to her total in Vancouver.  Her nickname is Super Jules and you have probably seen that little Tiara she has been wearing. Her coach originally gave he a tiara as good luck in 2005 and it has stuck with her ever since. Oh, and if her being an Olympic skier isn’t cool enough for you she also is into music and plays the ukulele. Take a look at one of America’s finest and eat your heart out Canada:

So yeah she brings it. She likes to ski, party, and play music. That is a triple threat in my book. Shenot only models lingerie she has her own line of lingerie called “Kiss My Tiara” and once said “I think underwear is my calling. You can be feminine and fast.” So yes there is no doubt I’d Hit That Shit!

“If Canada wants to “Own the Podium,” it might need to buy it from the United States“….

Yahoo Sports hit the nail on the head right there. Yesterday the USA broke their Winter medal one day count by posting 6 medals (3 gold). It was fun watching Lindsey Vonn(check out her I’d Hit That if you missed it) win the downhill, and Shani Davis take the gold in speed skating, but the highlight was watching live coverage of Shaun White school the world on the half pipe.

It is amazing how much higher he gets then everyone else out there. This is his second run which was his “victory lap”. If you missed it you should check it out it is sick. The last trick is pretty crazy and even Tony Hawk was excited to see it.

Watch it now before NBC pulls it

USA USA USA!
We now lead the medal count at 14 for the record Canada has 6

If you don’t know who Lindsey Vonn is now just wait a few weeks for the Olympics as this ski bunny will become a house hold name if things go as planned. Anna Kournikova she is not this as this queen of the downhill has an abundance of talent to match her easy on the eyes looks. She is 25 and probably the best American Alpine skier we have ever had. She has won the women’s World Cup overall championship in back to back years (08 & 09) leading up to he run at the upcoming Vancouver Olympics. She is starting her media blitz by making headlines because of her current Sports Illustrated cover in which she is in the “bent over” position. No not the one you are thinking about…. she is in her ski suit as she would be going down the slope. Anyway lets take a look at the goods!:

Well what more do you want she is cute, sexy and athletic as hell. Only one small thing she is married, but that is just a minor detail when it comes to drooling. Anyway if you needed one more reason to get excited about the Olympics I hope I gave you one. I know I’ll be rooting for Lindsey. Give em hell for the good ole U S of A!

As many of you have most likely heard this is they final year for Baseball and Softball in the Olympic games. Some folks site anti american sentiment as the reasoning behind the dropping of the sports, but that is hard to prove. The Olympic Governing committee states that until the worlds best athletes can compete they do not want it part of the Olympics. Obviously with the Summer Olympics falling in the dead heat of Summer the Boys of Summer a busy playing ball. Making millions of dollars and fulfilling their obligation to teams that pay them millions of dollars. It is possible that if MLB can figure out a way to take a week or two off (an extended all star break later in the year has been suggested) the Olympic committee would look at possibly accepeting the games again in 2016.

What would our team look like this year if we were sending out best to the plate to compete? Who would we send to represent the Red White & Blue? When you first think of baseball maybe your first thoughts are well the sport is dominated by latin american players and many of the top players are really not from the US? If you think that I’m hear to say in the words of Lee Corso …. not so fast my friend (college football starts in one week!).

You can have 24 players on your roster and here is who i think the US should send and why. Before we jump into the roster let me say that i took not only their performance this year into consideration but some of their history. I’ll get into that a bit more as i defend my picks.

First Lets take a look at the infield starters:

Catcher Brian McCann- Atlanta Braves

I’m giving Brian the nod behind the plate because he plays the game the right way and puts up great numbers. I have read articles comparing his style of heads up play to the late Thurmon Munson. High regard for anybody working behind the plate. I am sure i could find a better defensive guy but McCann is no slouch.  As for with the bat he has an OPS of  904, BA 295, and has also slapped in 21 HR’s. Joe Mauer is the only other option offering the leadership, defensive skills, and confidence with the bat to give him a run for his money. I ultimately chose to give McCann the nod because he may not hit for as high of an average but he has more power and if you saw the game that he got a concussion from Shane Victorino you know this guy has balls of steel and that is the kind of field general behind the plate you want. Mac Can play Catcher for team USA any day in my book.

First Base Lance Berkman Houston Astro’s

Massive Massive Massive numbers gets Berkman the nod here. He is a capable defensive first baseman. Don’t get me wrong no one is confusing him for Keith Hernandez out there but he is also no Jason Giambi either. Maybe your first thoughts were for Prince Fielder or Ryan Howard but Berk Daddy is flat out dominating everyone this year at first base. He is by far and away the best choice to help bring home the gold for the americans. Berkman has a 1.028 OPS, batting 329, jimmy jackin 25 HR’s, and has thrown in 15 stolen bases for good measure. He has power, surprising speed, hits for average, and plays solid defense. This is a guy that can sit in the heart of our order and drill the ball all day.

Second Baseman Chase Utley Philadelphia Phillies

Okay this was the first position I agonized over. I thought it was really close between Utley and Ian Kinsler of the Rangers. Utley gives you a little more power Kinsler gives you a bit more speed to go along with decent power. Kinsler also hits for a better average. In the end i went with Utley because i’ve seen him perform for a couple more years and know he had a horrible slump after the allstar break. In the end Utley is the guy i want out there. Not to take anything away from Kinsler, but Utley is a gamer who plays good 2 bag, has an OPS of  922, has jacked 30HR’s, batting 283, and can steal a base if we need him to (10 bags). I went back and forth on this but ended up picking Utley to get the start.

Short Stop Derek Jeter New York Yankees

This was the most difficult decision to make. When you look at the short stop position the top choices are not the Americans. With guys like Hanley Ramirez and Jose Reyes out there they are a couple of the best in the game. The americans have a couple good blue collar options though in Michael Young and Derek Jeter. These guys stats are very similar. Jeter has a .769 compared to Young’s .753.  Jeter is batting .298 and Young is batting .287. Jeter has 9 Hr’s Young has 8. They each also have only single digit stolen bases but run the pads well. I give the edge in defense to Young. They are both very clutch hitters. Michael Young has been a key contributor to the past two AL all star victories while Derek Jeter plays big in the big games he has been an all star & world series MVP. Some might have gone wiht Young because of the better Defense but here I’m taking the Captain because no matter what anyone says he does have that little “it” about him. That thing you can’t measure. That desire to win coupled by the confidence to deliver in the clutch. His stats may not carry the team but his never give in attitude and hard play may help in ways you don’t measure with stats. Call it bull shit if you want but listen to the guy talk and you can hear it in his voice.

Third Base Alex Rodriguez New York Yankees

Let me say this i’m not really an Arod fan, but when the guy steps between the lines he is money. In my opinion it is between him, david wright, or chipper jones to represent the US at the third bag and you have to give the nod to one of the greatest baseball players ever to play the game still playing in his prime. He is having a little bit of an off year but his numbers still surpass his contemporaries with the exception of chipper jones. Arod has 28 HRs, batting 310, has a robust OPS of 986 and plays gold glove third base. Oh and one of the few members of the 40/40 club arod can still run if you need him to having already stolen 16 bags this year. Say what you want but in 1928 you would not have question putting Babe Ruth in the OF and you don’t question putting Arod on this team now. I am concerned with his inadequate big game play, but with talent like this you roll the dice. He is the best at his position no matter what country or team he plays for.

Lets take a peak at our starting outfielders now:

Left Field Matt Holliday Colorado Rockies

The only other hitter on this team this year who may have better numbers is going to be the first baseman Lance Berkman. Matt Holliday has been something special for three years in a row and this guy will help lead us to the promise land.  His OPS is a huge 1.028, he is batting .344, he has 24 home runs, and he has stolen 20 bases. He plays a solid left field and he will be a cog that will step into the heart of the line up. He can drive in runs or start rallies himself. The guy is a flat out ball player. Plus Coors field does not inflate stats as much as it used to and you don’t bat .344 because you only hit good at home. I love this guy he was a no brainer.

Center Field Grady Sizemore Cleveland Indians

I wanted to make sure the team had a true center field to track down balls and play the field well so i’m going with Sizemore. Okay his 267 average leaves much to be desired but his 381 OB% shows he knows how to take a walk. His OPS is a nice 898. He also hits leadoff and has already stolen 30 bases while hitting 28 home runs. A 30/30 season seems immanent, and he may even be able to make a 40/40 push if he got hot. He is coming into his prime and looks like he is only going to get better.

Right Field Josh Hamilton Texas Rangers

Rounding out our all american outfield is the guy who had the all american comeback Josh Hamilton. If you had a pulse and follow baseball at all you know this guy. He is the guy everyone remembers from the Home Run Derby this year. The guy that was out of baseball for some ridiculous amount of time like three years battling for his life from drug addiction only to come back and compete and dominate on the highest level. You think this guy won’t be pumped to lead his team to the gold? He might just put the team on his back and try to carry it. He is very athletic and i have no doubt he will do fine in right field. Oh and as for his stats how about 922 OPS, batting 304, with 29 home runs, not to mention his 115 RBI’s. Put guys on base in front of him and he flat out rakes! This guy is the All American and could not be left off this team.

Now the Starting Pitchers. Most teams bring 4 guys to be in their “rotation” as starters for the game so her are the 4 starters to lead the USA to Gold!

Roy Halladay Toronto Blue Jays

Doc Halladay is a bulldog on the mound and he makes sure he finishes. He has some crazy number of complete games over the past 5 years including 8 this year which in this day and age is quite a high number for august.  Roy has been consistently great and is outstanding this year that is why we are going to run him out there as the number one. A nice 2.64 ERA and a WHIP of 1.04 make the decision even easier. Couple that with the fact that he is facing the AL east lineups and to me there is no denying this is the guy we give the ball to on day one. Oh and by the way Doc did bring home a nice little Cy Young trophy a few years back to prove that when he is on his game he does dominate.

CC Sabathia Milwaukee Brewers

The Hefty Lefty. I want to bring Sabathia into the game here because he is a power pitcher and a lefty and i think him following Doc would be good for the rotation. Big CC brings his 2.99 ERA & 1.16 WHIP coupled with his propencity to make bats miss as proven by his 192 k’s thus far this year make him a dominant man on the mound. This is not the first year he has dominated either CC took home the Cy Young last year.

Brandon Webb Arizona Diamondbacks

All this guy does is win and put up great numbers. Stats thus far this year ERA of 285 and a whip of 1.11. He continues to be one of the best pitchers in baseball. He won the Cy Young award in 2006 and was in the discussion in 2007 and will be in it again this year. It does not get much better then Brandon on the mound.

Jake Peavy San Diego Padres

Rounding out our rotation we’ll take another guy that is a power pitcher. He has spent some time injured this year so his K’s are not where they would be but he has 135 k’s in 139 innings and is sporting a cool 2.84 ERA with a whip of 1.16.  The 2007 Cy Young award winner has everything he needs to dominate a team on any given day and considering he is our fourth starter i’m feeling pretty good.

Okay those are the starters so who will fill out the bench and the bullpen? Well needless to say we have some good players left to choose from.

Position Player Bench

C- Joe Mauer Minnesota Twins

As mentioned early in the article McCann and Joe are similar and both would give our team a good chance to win. You have to take two catchers with you in case of an injury so Joe is the logical choice. Not to mention he is a steady bat off the bench if you need a hit.

First Baseman Ryan Howard Philadelphia Phillies

I went back and forth between Howard, Teixeira, and Youkilis. They all have their pros and cons. Youk gets on base more and can play 1st and 3rd in case of an injury, Tex is better defensively and hits for good average as well as some power. I ended up landing with Howard because i wanted the team to have a Power bat on the bench if they needed it. Not that Tex does not have power Howard just puts a little more fear in a pitcher coming off the bench. Tough decision here the nice thing is we could not go wrong with any of them.

Second Baseman Ian Kinsler Texas Rangers

Like i said earlier i could almost have flipped a coin between Kinsler and Utley so it is only logical to carry him as the back up. I like having Kinsler coming off the bench in case we need a pinch runner he has some speed he can offer as well as a steady bat. All apologies to Brandon Phillips who surely could have been a good option as well

Short Stop Michael Young Texas Rangers

Again similar with our second base situation Michael young is option 1b here. He has come up in a couple all star game to get game winning and tying hits. This is the kind of bat you want tucked away in case you need it. Quite a few Texas rangers making the team it seems!

Third Base Chipper Jones Atlatna Braves

All aboard bitches. This guy is locked and loaded and having one of the best years of his career. I’ve seen him come off the bench for the braves when he was injured and either draw the needed walk or get the hit because he is a pofessional hitter. Without a doubt a guy that you put in the game knowing he is going to make the pitcher work.

Outfield Ryan Braun Milwaulkee Brewers

Kind of nice when Braun is your fourth outfielder. He offers a little pop and can play a LF or 3b if needed. The guy hitting 300 with a 929 ops and 31 hr’s is on our bench. You have to like our chances right?

Last but not least lets meet the bullpen!

Closer Jonathon Papelbon Boston Red Sox

Since he took over the job in boston he has been lights out consistently. He has World Series experience and should be able to close the door on any close games.

Set Up Man Joe Nathan Minnesota Twins

Another guy like Pap that just keeps on closing the door time and time again. No questions that he is our second best closer we can trot out there.

Set Up Man Kerry Wood Chicago Cubs

He is new to the pen but you gotta like his stuff coming with the heater and the big curve mowing guys down for an inning. When healthy the talent has never been a question.

Set Up Man Bobby Jenks Chicago White Sox

I wanted the team to have at least four guys used to getting up in the late innings and Jenks gets the nod for the fourth spot. Over the past three years his numbers have been consistent and he has quietly been one of the better closers in the game. He is doing it again this year and will help team USA hold onto those precious leads.

Lefty Specialist and Long Relief Cole Hamels Philadelphia Phillies

It was him or Cliff Lee here. I’m sure some would say Lee should have been in the rotation with the year he has been having. I don’t doubt Lee’s stuff but this is the first year he has put it together and injuries have stayed away. I wanted a lefty in the pen and i liked that Hamels is a big k guy. I wanted someone who could come out and throw gas if they needed to. I’m sure some will disagree with Lee being left off the team but I think we will do okay with Hamels

Long Relief & The Secret Weapon Tim Lincecum San Francisco Giants

Look up stud in the dictionary and see a picture of the freak that is Tim Lincecum. This kid is Nasty. Flat out filthy nasty. By 2012 he will most likely have a cy young and be anchoring the staff. He has pitched 169 innings and has 192 k’s. A 2.60 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. He walks a few to many guys now to be dominant like the current starters but he is getting there and he strikes out enough to make up for it. This kid can flat out pitch and his mechanics are perfect for his body.

So that is the team. For me that is the team bringing home Gold. I’m sure thee are some people you could make arguments about but ultimately I like our chances with these guys. Any one have any thoughts about the picks or who they would have selected differently and why?

Women in bakini’s are good.  Hot women in bikini’s are better.  Hot women in white bikini’s winning the gold medal while playing in the rain is a simply put – a rare treat. 

Did anybody else see USA’s  Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor kick the crap out of China last night?  What a wonderful sight. 

I’ll admit…womens beach volleyball is always one of those things that any man stops and watches for a couple of minutes if they come across it while flipping channels.   However, last nights challenge warranted a much deeper look. 

Not only was the match / set good…..you could basically just sit there and watch hard nipples peaking through white bikinis all night.   Not to mention China’s women in their little red bikinis . 

I just want to say thank you to the big man upstairs.  Dumping bucket loads of rain on these women last night was a very nice thing to do.  

In case you missed it, below is an ode to the game in pictures:

If you live in America and have half of a pulse right now you realize that the biggest story going is Michael Phelps quest for Olympic History. He currently has 6 gold medals in these games and is the overall most decorated Olympian ever. He has won every event by breaking a world record. Sure some may argue that the new speedo or the dimension of the pool have been helping him break the World Record, but the fact of the matter remains he is still smoking the competition.

Why then would Cincinnati Bengal Wide Receiver Chad “Ocho Cinco” Johnson come out and say he could beat Phelps in a swimming event?  He goes on to say:

“Where I’m from — Liberty City — I know a couple of people who can beat Michael Phelps right now. Seriously. I’m telling you. And I’m one of ‘em.”

This was all on Pardon the Interruption yesterday which I did not have the opportunity to see. I have to assume he said this in jest. I mean seriously even Ocho Cinco is not that full of himself to think he has a chance in the pool with Phelps.  Unless when he said “where i’m from” he was referring to the ocean and Chad is secretly a fish the guy gets smoked no question asked.

I would be the first in line to take my small life savings and bet it all that Phelps destroys him. Ocho Cinco mentioned he was the 3 time champion at the Liberty Pool in the interview, but I don’t care how many titles he has unless he got those titles at the Aquatic Cube in Beijing competing against the best athletes from all around the world it means nothing to me. This isn’t street ball. There are not folks out there that can compete like this.

I hope Chad was joking and I have to assume he was. If he truely believes he can out swim Phelps he has gone above and beyond the NFL’s other diva wide receivers Moss & TO and officially holds the title of biggest dumbass in the league.

I like most of the world will be watching this weekend as Phelps goes for Gold Medal number 7 & 8. I hope that after the Olympics Phelps & Ocho Cinco get together for a race in the pool. Perhaps they could sell tickets and give the money to charity. It would not be the first time Ocho Cinco did something like this a few years back he raced a horse after he proclaimed he could out run the horse. He did out run the horse, but I think his results would be different this time around!

    Over the past several weeks we have seen peaceful (and not so peaceful) protests regarding the Beijing Olympics. We, as Americans, have the right to protest, although I believe that a peaceful protest is more dignified and potent than attacking runners who carry the Olympic torch. They are, after all, engrossed in the Spirit of the Olympics. When we attack an innocent person, we ourselves are no less tactless that the ones we are protesting, right?

    I have read many articles that call for an all-out boycott of the Olympics, circa 1980 in Moscow. I believe that there is validity to this argument, we (the worlds most powerful) should make a PEACEFUL stand for the world’s weaker (Tibet and China’s oppressed). After all, our current governmental regime’s mantra is “liberating the world from tyranny”. America has taken such an aggressive stance in the Middle East, why not make a statement without armies and with a simple action…..Boycott.

    Believe me I understand the dilemma here, a complete boycott would deprive some of the world’s top athletes the chance to compete on a global stage; but a partial boycott (say boycotting the opening ceremonies) would send a subtle yet unmistakable message to the world that we hear, we understand and we will not ignore. Critics will claim that it would be the world that might need to Boycott the U.S. for our action or (mis) actions in the Middle East, to those folks I say “It’s always helpful to learn from your mistakes because then your mistakes seem worthwhile.”-Garry Marshal

    I have always been a huge fan of the Olympics. I remember watching Carl Lewis and Michael Johnson break into super-sonic speed around the track. Greg Louganis coming back and winning gold after cracking his head in the diving platform and The Dream Team’s dominance over the world in 1992. I’ve never missed an opportunity to watch the Olympics, but this year I will Boycott. I will not watch any coverage of the Olympics. It sucks, but I think it’s the right thing for me to do. Will it make a difference? Maybe only to me.

    To be honest I’ve never followed the plight of the Tibetan or Chinese people, but I feel like protesting (or Boycotting) the Olympics will bring to light the situation to educate people like me on the travesties that are occurring in China.
I hoped, although it was an empty hope, that our government would take a compassionate stance and stick up for the “little guy”, but needless to say our “leadership” has disappointed me. I really don’t think our President gets it. I read an interview that states he considers the Olympics only to be a sporting event….Really? Mr. President ever heard of Jesse Owens, Tommie Smith or John Carlos?

    The Olympics are only a “sporting event” where the entire world is watching and what we do (or don’t) speaks volumes to our character as a nation.

       As the counter in the upper right-hand corner counts…6729 hours left