FAMU hazing death declared homicide

The medical examiner has ruled the death of Florida A&M student Robert Champion a homicide, raising the punitive stakes for who is ultimately found responsible for his death.

Champion, a drum major for the FAMU Marching 100 band, died shortly after the band's performance at the Orlando Classic football game between the Rattlers and Bethune Cookman University. The medical examiner said Champion, 26, suffered multiple blunt trauma blows, resulting in his death. It wasn't long before his death was linked to a hazing incident, setting the stage for a blame game that has put the university in the national spotlight.

As a recent graduate of FAMU's School of Journalism & Graphic Communication, it's sad to see the university thrust in the limelight for negative reasons. But more importantly, it's worse to observe how poorly FAMU has handled the aftermath of Champion's death.

That the actions leading to his death even happened is condemnable, which is exactly what just about everyone who's weighed in on the issue has done. Hazing has never been the right thing to do, but it has remained the unspoken rite of passage in many organizations.

Four drum majors were dismissed by the university for their alleged involvement in Champion's death. The Famuan, the school newspaper has identified three of the four. Band director Julian White was also fired, although his termination was scheduled to become effective at the end of the band's season. Following Florida governor Rick Scott's announcement of a task force to investigate the death, White's termination and the students dismissal were rescinded.

Last year, I covered the Marching 100 for a package story that ran in FAMU's Homecoming Special. I met, though never interviewed or talked directly with, two of the drum majors dismissed: Jonathan Boyce, now the head drum major, and Shawn Turner. I don't recall seeing Ricki Willis, the third identified student. Neither Boyce, nor Turner, struck me as killers, which is exactly what whoever's found guilty could be branded.

Amid the PR circus enveloping this case– the students and White's dismissal, the revelation of more hazing incidents within the band, alleged financial misappropriation of band-related funds, Gov. Scott's call for FAMU President James Ammons resignation, students' protests in front of Scott's residence and the Board of Trustees division over Ammons future as president– very little has been done to address this problem of hazing.

Hazing has been a cultural staple in organizations for decades, and despite a Florida law making it a felony, fraternities continue to engage in the act. That is the scary part. That Champion, who as a drum major was one of the band's leaders, submitted to the physical torture speaks volumes on how deep-rooted the culture is. The fact that the Marching 100, and I suspect other organizations on the campus, continued this tradition after a similar incident involving a fraternity pledge garnered national attention and led to the conviction and expulsion of several students in 2005, is a testament that it will take more than the loss of lives to end this practice.

Ammons announced a zero tolerance for hazing in the wake of Champion's death, yet White said when he dismissed 26 students for hazing two weeks before the Orlando Classic, and supported a recommendation for their dismissal from the school, the university ignored it. Considering the 2005 hazing of Marcus Jones, a Kappa Alpha Psi pledge, which led to expulsion and conviction of several students within the fraternity, it's hard pressed to not point a finger at the FAMU administration for its terrible handling of White's decision, and even poorer handling of Champion's death.

It's not enough for Ammons and the BOT to fire everyone of authority within the band and suspend the band's activities. That means nothing to the Champion family and to the general public watching to see what the university would do to address the problem. FAMU needs to establish itself as a symbol of anti-hazing. And so far it's failing to do so. Students marching in support of Ammons when they should be marching against anti-hazing is disgraceful. But when you think about the fact that many of those students could likely be victims of hazing through their various organizations, it speaks volumes about the lack of sensitivity for the Champion family.

It could be months before this case is settled and charges are brought against anyone. Normal life will eventually resume on FAMU's campus, but not for the Champions. They entrusted their son to the care of FAMU and it's world renowned marching band. In return, they got his corpse and now have to contend with the fact that their son was bludgeoned to death by members of his other family: the FAMU community.

Back from hiatus

Judging from my last post, it's certainly been a while since I've been here. It wasn't intentional. I have been working on my graduate project, which is a documentary on the lack of blacks in soccer in the United States. I've gotten a lot of positive feedback about the subject matter and will share it with you once my defense is officially over.

Just because I haven't recorded an entry in a long time doesn't mean I haven't been keeping up with what's been going on in sports, and a lot has happened. Another major college sports program (Syracuse basketball) has been hit with sexual abuse allegations. The NBA player reshuffle is in major frenzy as teams hustle to lock up key players before the Christmas Day start of the shortened season.

But one major story that hits close to home is the ongoing investigation over the death of a Florida A&M University Marching 100 band player. Robert Champion III, a 26-year-old drum major died hours after the band had performed at the Orlando Classic. The apparent cause has been linked to hazing, which has set off a firestorm of who bears the responsibility for his death. In the next few days, I'll share my thoughts on the issue as a graduate of FAMU.

It was my birthday on Dec. 8, and as a gift to myself I finally got to attend a Robin Thicke concert on Dec. 7. I'll share some of the videos and pictures I shot at the concert. The end of the year is fast approaching, but I still have a few things to share before the end of the year.

Stay tuned.

**Update** on Penn State sexual abuse

Joe Paterno, longtime coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions, was fired yesterday by the university's board of trustees for his role in covering up the alleged sexual abuse by his former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky. University President Graham Spanier tendered his resignation rather than face termination.

Mike McQueary, the graduate assistant who witnessed Sandusky performing anal sex on a boy of about 11 years, was not fired and was set to coach in Saturday's game. However, latest reports from the team say McQueary, the wide receivers coach, will not attend the game.

Click on, if you are interested in reading the Grand Jury report on eight victims stories involving sexual acts Sandusky performed or tried to perform on them.

**I should warn that some of the acts are of extremely graphic nature, however, I think people should be aware of some of the behavior sexual predators employ to lower their victims' defenses. So please read with caution.

Penn State continues to drop the ball in this sex scandal

Few days ago, I was blogging about a sexual harassment issue within the ESPN enterprise. Little did I know the U.S. would be rocked by a far worse sexual scandal involving the highly regarded Penn State University. Well, at least it used to be highly regarded until this mess officials at the school have created by turning a blind eye to an egregious crime.

I am enraged that such a thing was accommodated by the school for nearly a decade after it was first reported to officials. Penn State is losing more respect as a university with each hour that passes without the announcement of current coach Joe Paterno being fired. He should not even be allowed to retire, he should be fired effectively. However, the university's board of trustees are sitting on Paterno's decision to play out the season and retire at the end? They continue to empower Paterno even after the revelation that he was aware of the alleged sexual abuse between his defensive coordinator and several underaged boys? The school first announced that Paterno would give a press conference, but would only address football-related questions, not the scandal. When word of the backlash got back to the school, the press conference was canceled. Why on earth would anyone be interested in anything but the abuse allegations? Since then, there has been no public address from Paterno except to announce he plans on coaching the remainder of the season? Way to send the message that football continues to be your priority, instead of a moral obligation to the victims of these heinous crimes and their families.

Jerry Sandusky faces multiple sexual abuse charges on boys

If you've somehow missed the biggest news in American sports right now, and certainly one of the biggest news nationwide, former Penn State defensive coach Jerry Sandusky was arrested and charged with 40 counts of sexual misconduct including indecent assault of a minor under 16. The allegations occupy a 15-year period between 1994-2009. Some of the alleged victims are as young as 10. Sandusky is an adoptive father of six kids, who along with his wife, started The Second Mile foundation to help at-risk children. However, he's now accused of taking advantage of these children. Authorities allege there were likely much earlier instances of abuse and details, which went unreported. And now it makes me wonder if he preyed on his own adopted children.

Several grand jury reports have been released alleging many incidents including the following:

The first reported incident involved a boy of about 11 or 12, who revealed physical contact with Sandusky during overnight stays at Sandusky's home. The boy's mother reported the sexual assault allegations to his high school, and Sandusky was banned from the child's school district in Clinton County.

Another accuser, now 27, testified that Sandusky initiated contact with a "soap battle" in the shower that led to multiple instances of involuntary sexual intercourse and indecent assault at Sandusky's hands. The accuser said he traveled to charity functions and Penn State games with Sandusky. But when he resisted the coach's advances, Sandusky threatened to send him home from the 1999 Alamo Bowl.

Another child, a boy between ages 11 to 13, was seen by a janitor pinned against a wall while Sandusky performed oral sex on him in fall 2000.

And in 2002, then-graduate assistant Mike McQueary, now a wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator, saw Sandusky sexually assault a naked boy, of about 10 years old, in a team locker room shower.

Now this is where the blame game begins. Prosecutors say McQueary reported what he saw to Paterno, who immediately told athletic director Tim Curley and Gary Schultz, the school's senior vice president for business and finance. By this time, Sandusky had retired as defensive coordinator (in 1999,) but was still allowed to use the Nittany Lions' facilities to host foundation events. Penn State's decision was to ban Sandusky from hosting youth camps on the campus, however reports are he continued to host events on Penn State's satellite campus in Erie, Pa. Curley and Schultz are now facing charges for lying to cover up the incident, instead of reporting to the authorities. If you're interested in what their responses to the charges are, you can read more here. McQueary and Paterno, despite being aware of the incident, never followed up on the outcome.

Tim Curley

Gary Schultz

As it stands, there are calls for even the university's president Graham Spanier to resign or face being fired.

Here's portions of Paterno's retirement statement, which he announced today.

"I am absolutely devastated by the developments in this case. I grieve for the children and their families, and I pray for their comfort and relief. I have decided to announce my retirement effective at the end of this season. At this moment the Board of Trustees should not spend a single minute discussing my status. They have far more important matters to address. I want to make this as easy for them as I possibly can. This is a tragedy. It is one of the great sorrows of my life. With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more. My goals now are to keep my commitments to my players and staff and finish the season with dignity and determination. And then I will spend the rest of my life doing everything I can to help this university."

Penn State coach Joe Paterno

Your goal now is football? Really? In hindsight, you would do things differently, however, you currently choose to focus on coaching your team through the remainder of the season? Would he still take the same stance if one of those boys was his son? You accepted the university's decision to ban him from coming on the main campus, but it's OK to go somewhere else to sexually assault boys?

In 2009, I joined the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization in Virginia. The organization focuses on pairing at-risk children with mentors, who could guide them to become responsible adults. That is essentially what Sandusky signed up for. These children are not necessarily poor kids who are desperate for monetary gifts. They are children who may be products of broken homes or who have been exposed to the kind of lifestyle that could lead to a life of crime. These children look to their mentors to give them the positive guidance that would lead to a productive future. My little sister wasn't my blood, yet I worried that at 11, she had a Myspace account. I repeatedly cautioned her against the dangers of falling prey to a sexual predator online. To hear that a man, who's a father of six, would take advantage of children under his care is appalling.

Which is why I'm disgusted that Paterno and McQueary, as of this moment, are still scheduled to coach Saturday's game; to continue to be representatives of Penn State. The university has already lost respect for not handling this case years ago and preventing the abuse of many more victims. But allowing Paterno to go out on his own terms sends the message that they care more about their legendary coach of 46 years than of the abused victims.

Thrilla in Manila revisited

If you haven't seen the documentary Thrilla in Manila, you have to. HBO's 90-minute documentation of the historic final fight between two of the greatest boxers in history, Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, is worth the watch. Released in 2008, the documentary is presented from Frazier's perspective, and doesn't include any direct interviews from Ali beyond archival footage from 1969-1975, when the trilogy of fights were hosted after Ali's boxing license had been restored. Still, with commentary from the Ali camp, including his ringside doctor and Manila liaison, this is a pretty good account of their series of fights.

What everyone should easily remember is that Ali won that fight and has since been referred to as the "greatest boxer of all time." What many may have forgotten is how Ali's hunger for maximum publicity, beginning with the first fight, drove a wedge between the one-time friends. Frazier would never get the kind of fame or money that Ali was awarded, and at the time of the documentary was living in a shabby apartment on top of his boxing gym located in one of Philadelphia's poorest neighborhoods. To get a more in-depth or accurate synopsis of the documentary, you can go here.

Joe Frazier's only win against Muhammad Ali came in the first of their three fights.

I'm more enthralled by the courage and resolve of the two fighters on that day. When you watch highlights from the fight, it's clear why boxing was the biggest sport during that period. It was a period when the best wanted to go against each other. Frazier not only lobbied emphatically for Ali's license to be restored, he assisted Ali financially and helped stage some of the earlier publicized friction between the two (before Ali's 'Uncle Tom' and 'gorilla' taunts resulted in a broken friendship.) It's a far cry from today when the two biggest fighters currently in the sport, Manny Pacquaio and Floyd Mayweather, cannot come to terms to stage arguably the biggest fight since Thrilla. I was captivated by Ali and Frazier's ability to go toe-to-toe for 15 rounds of pure boxing; each taking explosive jabs and combos at each other unlike today's style of dancing around the ring for two of the three minutes allotted for a maximum 12 rounds.

By the time Frazier's corner threw in the towel at the start of the 15th round of the Thrilla fight, both fighters were barely standing upright. I feel like Ali's body had taken more beating of the two by the end; just as some–and I mean just some–of the analysts who called that fight had suggested. But Frazier's face, notably his right eye, had suffered the most external damage. We'll come to find out later that Frazier had been fighting with a partially blinded left eye for most of his major fights, and could barely see once his right eye was shut from swelling. It explains why though he appeared to be the more agile of the two, Frazier couldn't evade Ali's punches. He couldn't see. That alone was the reason his camp threw in the towel on the final round.

Ali won the brutal final fight between the two, sealing his place as boxing's greatest

"Would you have been willing to risk your life for that final round?" documentarian John Dower asked Frazier in an on-camera interview for the film. "Yes!" was Frazier's response, which he gave even before Dower was done asking. And I don't doubt that for a second. Frazier's trainer Eddie Futch was quoted as saying years after the fight that he had watched eight fighters die in a ring in his lifetime and didn't want to watch a ninth. Many have said Ali was set to win the fight based on punches landed regardless, unless he was knocked out. Some even speculated that Ali was also considering throwing in the towel, especially since he fell to the mat after the fight was ended. We may never know what Ali's strategy for the last round of his greatest fight would have been. Not that it matters now.

Sadly, both boxers continued to fight instead of ending their career on that iconic fight. Ali now struggles with Parkinson's disease. Both fighters endured years of friction, particularly from Frazier toward Ali because the former felt he never got a real apology. In 2001, Ali apologized in a story published in the New York Times, saying he regretted many of the words he called Frazier and had done it merely for publicity. Sadly, Frazier never did leave down some of those words. Being called an Uncle Tom, even though of the two, he was actually the one who had worked since he was a kid. And even though Ali had associated himself with the white supremacist group known as the Ku Klux Klan.

I assume HBO is re-airing the documentary now in light of the news that Frazier, 67, is battling liver cancer. BBC has reported that Ali, 69, has offered his prayer and support to his old friend. Many Frazier fans have offered their livers for a possible transplant to keep him alive, which I only hope will happen. But thanks to documentaries like this, sports fans like me get to relive historical matches, games and fights that we never could have witnessed.

**Update**

Unfortunately, Frazier passed away late Monday night from complications from his battle with liver cancer. R.I.P. Smokin' Joe!

Ex-ESPN employee involved in masturbating scandal

I met Keith Clinkscales in 2005 or 2006 while I was a student at Florida State University, taking my journalism classes at Florida A&M University. I don't remember the specifics, but I recall being extremely excited that my professor and mentor Joe Ritchie had invited me to a small group meeting with an ESPN executive, which was aimed at encouraging budding sports journalists.

Five or six years later and Clinkscales now joins the ranks of an increasing number of ESPN employees involved in sex scandals. Unlike the likes of MLB analyst Steve Phillips, who engaged in a sexual affair with a network production assistant turned stalker, or NFL analyst Jeremy Green, who was busted for child pornography and drug charges, Clinkscales is accused of not only physical assault on a fellow employee but also masturbating in an airplane to another employee. That employee? None other than Erin Andrews, the notably sexy college football sideline reporter. Can Andrews' tenure at ESPN get any more plagued? You may remember she was unknowingly taped in the nude through the peephole of her hotel room by a stalker. And as if that wasn't creepy enough, now an alleged masturbating incident by a vice president within her workplace?

Photo illustration of Keith Clinkscales and Erin Andrews courtesy Deadspin

Thanks to the editorial team at Deadspin, the website known for breaking the Brett Favre sexting scandal involving former FSU Cowgirl Jenn Sterger, the public is now aware of a defamation lawsuit by Clinkscales against the woman he believes leaked the unreported and unpublished masturbating event to the site. I won't go into the details of this story, you can read it here. But I will point out that according to the article, Andrews confirmed the incident happened, but didn't want to report it for fear of losing her job especially in the wake of her very public nude video.

Clinkscales, innocent or not,  has been plagued by negative incidents despite his brilliant works. At Vibe magazine, where he worked before ESPN, there were allegations of intimidation on the magazine's staff. At ESPN, he's credited with discovering ESPN anchor Sage Steele and writer/contributor Jemele Hill. He was also behind some of the network's successful creations like its 30 for 30 documentary series and the magazine's Body issue, which I believe was created to mirror the success of Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit edition. So it's definitely a red flag that he would leave the network's successful content development section, which he headed, to become an independent producer. Even more telling is ESPN's decision to close the division in the wake of his departure.

When Clinkscales, also a FAMU alum, left that boardroom after speaking to my group, I wished he had taken note of me. I wished he had seen the potential in me, as he did with Steele and Hill, and tabbed me as a future star. But as this allegation surfaces and his track record as an executive emerges, maybe it's not so bad that I wasn't discovered by him.

So what say you? You think Clinkscales is innocent or guilty? Meanwhile, you can find more about ESPN's sex scandals, including NBA moderator Mike Tirico's, here.

My meeting with Barack Obama...

...never happened. But I came close last Friday. How close? Well, a door stood between me and the Oval Office, which, at the time of my visit, was occupied by President Obama. He was probably preoccupied with working to pass an executive order on drug shortages in the U.S., while I was hoping he'd pop his head out so I can ask him all sorts of sports-related questions. Alas, I didn't get my wish, but it was a memorable experience all the same.

I was part of a group of students from Florida A&M University (the No. 1 historically black college & university in the U.S.) who were invited to the White House to learn about career opportunities within the White House office of communications. We also visited Capitol Hill to hear about similar opportunities within other branches in government. Thanks to FAMU alum Quintin Haynes, the associate director of finance operations at the White House, and Kevin Lewis, White House director of African American media, we got a rare opportunity to hear from White House Press Secretary Jay Carney and his deputy Josh Earnest.

Jay Carney imitating the Rattler strike.

Growing up in Nigeria, I was never interested in politics. If you know anything about Nigerian politics, you know it is a dirty game where "no holds barred" is the only rule applied. If you need some context as to how different the political game is between the U.S. and Nigeria, then you only need refer to the case of U.S. Rep William Jefferson of Louisiana, who was convicted for corruption charges involving a number of shady dealings with several African countries. Among his cohorts was then-Vice President of Nigeria Abubakar Atiku, who was never investigated in Nigeria for his role in this criminal act. Ironically, one of the people we met on the Hill was Jefferson's former press secretary Melanie Roussell, now the Democratic National Party's press secretary. Roussell, a FAMU alum as well, was very genuine in her recollection of how difficult that period was her, job-wise, and for Jefferson, who wanted more focus to be placed on the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana. Along with other officials at the Hill and White House, she convinced me that a career in U.S. politics could be beneficial and rewarding.

With White House officials. FAMU connections indicated by the strike.

The trip wasn't all work, though I wouldn't totally classify a White House visit as work. We stopped by the newly dedicated Martin Luther King Memorial. We were scheduled to cover its original unveiling, but missed out on the opportunity thanks to Hurricane Irene, which forced its postponement. If you haven't visited this national monument yet, you should. There's something serene about this place. And you never know who you may meet there. I ran into noted black historian Henry Louis Gates, who was also visiting for the first time.

With Henry Louis Gates at the MLK Memorial

The gigantic sculpture of Civil Rights Leader Martin Luther King Jr.

Overall, I enjoyed this trip immensely. I didn't get to talk sports or play basketball with President Obama, but I left with a valuable experience worth savoring for years. Meanwhile, I'm encouraging total honesty here. For those of you who've known me and know about my passion for sports, can you envision a career in politics for me?

White House Press Room

My experience with Osgood-Schlatter's disease

I was 9 or 10, in my first year (7th grade) of boarding high school in Nigeria, when I developed a sharp pain in my knees whenever I knelt or crouched down. I really don't remember how long I had been experiencing this pain, but soon my knees developed a protruding knot, the size of a nickel. Still, I didn't think much of it, especially since there wasn't anything health officials at my school could do. In boarding school, we self-medicated most times. It was either that or you trekked to the health center, otherwise called the "sick bay," to get some pain medication and folic acid. The school never seemed to run out of folic acid. Besides, I thought the pain was a result of the countless punishment I endured for testing the likes of the older students or my teachers.

On my school's track team. Bottom row, third from left.

Me (right) with a friend, soon after winning the best female athlete in my 5th year (11th grade).

I was still experiencing the pain when I went home for a school break, so I mentioned it to my mom, who is a nurse. Before I knew it I was whisked away to the hospital for tests. "You have athlete's knees," the doctor told me in my mom's presence. I don't remember what he said about its cause or any treatment or cure, but he said it was something I developed from my endless physical activities as a multi-sport athlete. Thus began my torturous journey in boarding school, where kneeling, the simplest form of punishment you could wish to receive, became my worst. Anything that required stooping or kneeling for long periods felt like a death sentence at the time.

My swollen knee.

Over the years, I forgot about my diagnosis and embraced my swollen knees as normal. I actually felt a thing of pride when I spotted athletes (ex-NBAer Rasheed Wallace is one) with knot-size swollen knees. Recently I mentioned the diagnosis as I reminisced on my high school's Facebook page, and was asked what exactly athlete's knees was by a former track teammate. I didn't know. I'd been satisfied with the doctor's diagnosis that it never occurred to me that there might be another name for it.

So nearly two decades since I walked out of the doctor's, I took to Google to find out if the disease really did exist. Turns out it does. I have Osgood-Schlatter's disease. With a name like that, it's no wonder my doctor gave me a much simpler name, which hints to who is mostly diagnosed with the injury. According to information I found in my short research, Osgood Schlatter's disease is a very common cause of knee pain in children and young athletes usually between the ages of 10 and 15. It occurs due to a period of rapid growth, combined with a high level of sporting activity. These changes result in a pulling force from the patella tendon, on to the tibial tuberosity (bony protrusion at the top of the shin). This area then becomes inflamed, painful and swollen. This is frequent in younger people due to the remaining softness in their bones (from childhood). It is seen more often in children involved with running and jumping activities, which put a much greater strain on the patella tendon. It's likely caused by excess strain on the quadriceps.

Osgood-Schlatter's disease

Gael Monfils with his taped knees

At its worst, the pain from the inflammation can cause professional athletes like French tennis player Gael Monfils to pull out of major tournaments. Fortunately, it didn't affect my competitive career, which ended after high school. But while the pain ceases over the years for some, mine has remained; though not as intensely as once was. The only suggested treatment is taping the knees down to reduce swelling or icing it after competition. Now before the messages come pouring in, there's no cause for alarm. My normal life isn't altered by this in anyway. It's just nice to finally understand what I've been experiencing all these years.

IndyCar driver Dan Wheldon dies after race collision

The sports world was rocked today with the unfortunate death of IndyCar driver Dan Wheldon. Wheldon, 33, was involved in a 15-car crash at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway earlier today. The collision occurred after just 11 laps of the IndyCar Series Season finale.

Dan Wheldon

Wheldon of Emberton, England, was this year's Indianapolis 500 winner and the IndyCar Series champion in 2005. He was competing in only his third IndyCar race this season, vying for a $5 million bonus for drivers who had not fully competed in the series this year.

Photo of crash by Jennifer Stewart/US Presswire

The race was called off following the announcement of his death, but drivers were allowed to complete a five-lap tribute in salute of the driver.

Dewey Bozella boxing **update**

Dewey Bozella is 1-0 in his professional boxing career. The 52-year-old defeated Larry Hopkins, a 30-year-old who has never won a professional fight in his five attempts. Bozella won the four-round fight in unanimous decision, which was promoted by Golden Boy promotions. The Associated Press reported that Hopkins lost multiple points for spitting our his mouthpiece six times in the final round; a sign of exhaustion. Bozella's condition, however, remained up to par.

Prior to his fight, Bozella received a call from President Barack Obama, who expressed his support for the boxer and his inspirational story. If you're interested in listening to the phone conversation, click here.

Congratulations to Dewey Bozella, whose fairytale story, post prison, continues.

Young boxer dies, aged fighter makes debut

Sometimes when boxers like Floyd Mayweather laugh their way to a $25 million purse for four rounds of boxing, you forget how tough and dangerous the sport can be. The death of South African boxer Anele Makhwelo serves as a reminder of the brutal reality of boxing.

Makhwelo, 22, died four days after being rushed to the hospital mid-fight. The promising young boxer complained of leg cramps at the end of the ninth round of a national flyweight title bout. By the start of the 10th round, his condition had worsened forcing him to concede the fight. Makhwelo was rushed to the hospital for brain surgery, but died four days after undergoing two surgeries and slipping into a coma.

I am a huge fan of boxing, but it's impossible to feign ignorance to the dangers of the sport. Makhwelo is not the first boxer to die from complications stemming from a ringside beating, and sadly, he probably won't be the last. Which is why I'm concerned about 52-year-old boxer Dewey Bozella, who's set to make his pro ringside debut Saturday. Bozella rose to national prominence after being honored with the 2011 ESPY's Arthur Ashe Courage Award, for his positive outlook despite serving 26 years in prison on a wrongful conviction for murdering a 92-year-old woman.

Dewey Bozella

Bozella's one wish post release was to get an opportunity to score a professional fight, and he's finally getting his wish fighting as an undercard for the Benard Hopkins-Chad Dawson fight in Los Angeles. Bozella looks great physically, especially for his age. But I'm concerned that he may compromise his health at the expense of fulfilling his wish. He is set to fight Larry Hopkins, who, though 0-3 in pro fights, is 22 years younger than Bozella. To add to the uncertainty of Bozella's fight readiness, he failed an initial evaluation by the California State Athletic Commission on Aug. 24 to be licensed to fight in the state. By early September, he started working out with Bernard Hopkins and by Sept. 29, passed a subsequent test to become licensed.


As previously mentioned, Bozella looks to be in incredible shape, but apparently so did Makhwelo before his fight. When it comes to boxing, it's not all about the outward damage the body sustains. There's also internal and cerebral injuries to contend as well. Watching Bozella fight, and possibly win, will undoubtedly cap an already incredible story of survival and courage by him. But what happens if things go awry? I doubt his reason for fighting is financially driven because he could probably make much more money doing the speaking engagement circuit. But how far are you willing to go to fulfill a wish?

If you're interested in tuning in to see how Bozella performs, ESPN3 will broadcast the fight this Saturday.

R.I.P. to Anele Makhwelo.

NFL player called to active duty

On Dec. 6, 2008, I covered the annual Army-Navy Commander-in-Chief's football game in Philadelphia, in which running backs Eric Kettani and Shun White led the Navy Midshipmen to a 34-0 shut out of the Black Knights.

Eric Kettani

Both players were signed by the New England Patriots as undrafted free agents on May 4, 2009. But earlier today, it was reported by the New England Sports Network that Kettani, who is currently on the Patriots practice squad, would be returning to active duty on the USS Klakring frigate in Jacksonville, Fla.

I'm one for answering the call to serve, especially when you signed up for it. But I'd love to see Kettani get a shot at a career in the NFL. Running backs have such a short lifespan in the NFL and having already served two years of active duty, Kettani's window of capitalizing on his potential is closing. I'm not saying he's the next great running back, but if he was good enough to get signed by a team, he should get a chance to show his worth.

What do you think? Should he get a pass to compete from the Navy or should he honor the call to serve his country? Share your comments.

You can read my coverage of the 2008 Army-Navy game, White, Kettani carry Navy to seventh-straight win over Army for the Quantico Sentry.

Wait! No NBA season this year?

This is a real possibility.

San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker is headed to France to earn less than $2,000 monthly playing for a team of which he also serves as vice president. Any day now, the L.A. Lakers' Kobe Bryant could be headed to Italy, where he's expected to earn about $3 million playing 10 games. Just like that, what seemed like random speculation among players is turning into the real deal. The NBA is headed overseas; well at least its main stars.

The NBA has been in a lockout since July, almost immediately after ending one of the most exciting seasons in recent memory. At first, I thought that the negotiations would stall for a while as both sides jostled for position. But eventually, just like the NFL, there would be an agreement at the 11th hour to save the day. But it doesn't appear that any agreement is imminent. As of today, all preseason games have been canceled and the league is threatening to cancel the first two weeks of the season if no agreement is reached by Monday. Considering that both sides walked away from negotiations with not so much as a hint of agreement in sight, it's all but certain that the league would honor its threat.

What exactly is the reason for the breakdown? The players association is asking for 53 percent of all basketball-related money generated to go to the players. Last year, the players received 57 percent of that income. Team owners however offered 46 percent of the revenue to be shared among players, and only went up to 47 percent in talks held today. It doesn't take a math whiz to understand that both sides are nowhere near a compromise. NBA Commissioner David Sterns threw out a 50-50 split consideration to the players union, but even admitted that an equal split may not be OK'd by the team owners even if the players were to accept it.

So for basketball diehards like me, it may be time to brace the possibility that we may not have a season to look forward to this year. The last time the league had a lockout was in '99, which was eventually shortened to just 50 regular season games (normal regular season play involves 82 games.) Judging by the Twitter comments from some of the league's stars, and increased talk about players headed overseas, it may be time to put any hopes of a season to sleep. Said New York Knicks forward Amar'e Stoudemire on his Twitter handle earlier today, "Met with the NBA owners today, made no progress. We as players are a lot smarter then (sic) they think. We are prepared to boycott. #StandProud."

If you think this is about the league's highly paid stars demanding fatter paychecks, NBA insider Chris Broussard reported that the players say the deal they want would have little effect on the big name players and veterans, but will ensure that the rookies and future NBA players are not stiffed. It's unfortunate that both sides cannot reach an agreement for the good of the league's popularity and entertainment. Though the NFL's negotiations were different, the NBA could learn a thing or two from the NFL on how to close the deal in the final hour.

Meanwhile, I'd like to hear whose side of the power struggle you are on. The owners, who have to take care of the over costs of running an NBA team or the players, who sacrifice their bodies (for the most part) on the court, and without whom there will be no league? Share your thoughts.

*Mayweather-Pacquaio fight update*

ESPN's Jim Rome reported on his show today that Manny Pacquaio's camp is saying the boxer has agreed to submit to Olympic style testing if a fight against Floyd Mayweather is negotiated. For those who are unaware, previous negotiations to schedule a fight between the two fighters stalled because the Mayweather camp suspects Pacquaio has doped up for some of his fights; thus requesting the unusual Olympic testing, which isn't used in boxing. Pacquaio, on the other hand, has maintained he is completely clean, but is petrified of needles. Pacquaio offered to acquiesce to Mayweather's request if the testing is done earlier in the week of the fight; no more than two days prior. Pacquaio said he wouldn't want to give up any psychological edge to Mayweather by taking a needle the day of his fight.

I have no idea why Pacquaio's trepidation would have such an effect on him, but it isn't anyone's place to question someone's fear of anything. But it appears, Pacquaio's now ready to do whatever it takes to make this fight happen and I commend him for that. Way to step up. Now it's up to Mayweather to step up as well.

What do you think? Will there be a fight in the next year? Share your thoughts.

Yohan Blake runs second fastest 200m ever.

Once the Track & Field World Championships ended in Daegu, South Korea, interest in the sport vanished as quickly as Usain Bolt's hopes of winning the 100m in Daegu. But the season remained competitive well beyond the championships. No more was that evident than in Brussels, Belgium, for the second Diamond League event (the first was in Zurich, Switzerland) since the championships wrapped.

Usain Bolt recovered in the 100m, winning in a world-leading 9.76 seconds, but was overshadowed by his country man, training partner and the man who became the 100m World Champion in Bolt's absence, Yohan Blake. Blake blew by Walter Dix around the last stretch of curve to win the 200m in a WL time of 19.26. How fast was he going? Well Dix, no slow mo himself, was a distant second in a personal best time of 19.53s. Blake surpasses former world record holder Michael Johnson (19.32) as the second fastest man in the history of that race behind Bolt's 19.19.

The U.S. has no answers for this crop of sprinters springing up in the tiny island of Jamaica. And with the London Olympics less than a year away, and the U.S. well-documented problems with baton exchanges, it's impossible to imagine the U.S. posing a threat to the Jamaicans in the 4x100m relay. Besides Dix and a healthy Tyson Gay, there isn't much promise from anyone else to make the 100m final (Gatlin has been inconsistent since finishing second at the U.S. trials prior to Daegu.) The bigger story would be who would make the Jamaicans final squad (Asafa Powell, Nesta Carter and Michael Frater top the crowd of sprinters who would contend for the final two spots.)

For some reason, I seem to be having issues with embedding videos, which I used to be able to do with ease. If anyone has solutions beyond copying and pasting the embedded info on here, please let me know. But if you're interested in watching the race, click here for it.

Mayweather vs. Ortiz. Scratch that. How 'bout Mayweather vs. Merchant?

There's no way of knowing, but I'm sure of it. Floyd Mayweather Jr. would have won the fight against Victor Ortiz Jr. last night anyway.

If you didn't happen to catch the fight because you've chosen to wait until it debuts on HBO next week, then you missed out on one of the most entertaining moments in boxing. No it had nothing to do with Mayweather's controversial knockout in the fourth round. It happened during the post fight interview with the ubiquitous Larry Merchant peppering Mayweather about the knockout, which I will get to shortly. Feeling pressured by the much older Merchant, Mayweather lashed out at his interviewer, accusing Merchant of being biased against him. Then just as suddenly, still on live TV, Mayweather expressed his wish to have HBO fire Merchant, who has been the ringside interviewer at major fights since before I was born. It doesn't end there. Amazingly, Merchant, who I've always maintained talks too slowly to still be an active ringside interviewer, didn't back down, telling Mayweather, "I wish I was 50 years younger, I'd have kicked your (rhymes with bass.)" Ashamedly, I found myself cheering for another fight just to see the embarrassing finish to the side plot.

The Merchant-Mayweather debacle could have been a publicity stunt on Mayweather's end to embrace the hostility he earned with his win, but the conclusion to the actual fight was not. So many friends have Facebooked, twitted and (insert any other social media network you can think of) their opinions about the fight, and the majority sided with Ortiz. After all, Mayweather took a cheap shot right? Wrong.

It all happened too quickly that I never noticed how far into the fourth round the fight had gone. But somewhere in the middle of that round, Ortiz had backed Mayweather into the ropes and seemed to be earning a few points, enough to possibly claim that round. Suddenly, and in one of the worst incidents of headbutting I have ever seen in a fight, Ortiz rose from his crouched stance and deliberately headbutted Mayweather. Fight was stopped and ref Joe Cortez deducted a point from Ortiz. No harm done; until he motioned for the two fighters to approach the center of the ring and touch gloves. They touched gloves and Ortiz broke away from customary behavior to extend a hug to Mayweather as well, as if to suggest his headbutting was unintentional. Yeah right. Mayweather, probably still smarting, noticed Cortez was distracted and threw a left hook that connected perfectly with Ortiz' cheekbones. And then a right that dropped Ortiz to the mat. Fight over.

I don't think people realized what had happened until the replay showed what appeared to be a cheap shot at an unsuspecting opponent. I would have loved to see the fight end in a different way, but I don't see why Mayweather should take the blame for the results. Both Ortiz and Cortez share the blame in the bizarre conclusion.

If Ortiz hadn't taken his cheap shot, the fight would never have stopped. But not only did he stop his own momentum with that stupid decision, he lost his focus. You are Ortiz. You have been preparing for a chance to rejoin the elite of the sport after suffering an embarrassing loss that almost destroyed your career a few years back. You don't fall asleep until you are in the changing room post match. You don't show any weakness or sympathy by hugging your opponent mid-fight. Merely touching the gloves would have sufficed. He got caught up in the moment of proving his silly headbutt was unintentional that he allowed one of the cunningest fighters in the sport to catch him unguarded. Protect yourself at all times; that's the fundamental rule of boxing. In one of four episodes of HBO's 24/7, chronicling the two boxers' pre-fight preparations, one of the sons of Ortiz' trainer, Danny Garcia, labeled Mayweather a dirty fighter who wins with dodgy tactics. So why wasn't Ortiz prepared to protect himself from any possible dirty tactics?

Cortez shares the blame because he broke away from what is the norm when a fight is paused. I thought he gave a slight signal to resume that may not have been noticed by most. He should have checked with the ringside and confirmed the time left in the round before urging the fighters to touch gloves. Once he realized his mistake, he took his eyes away from the most important people in that arena and focused on the wrong ones. You cannot make those types of mistakes in big fights like this one.

In the end, hate him or love him, Mayweather's winning streak continues. Thus, his despicable behavior outside the ring is sure to continue. Until he can be stopped, there's no reason why he needs to remain quiet. Undoubtedly, there's bound to be reignited talk for a Mayweather-Pacquaio fight. I just hope there can be a compromise to make this fight happen. Boxing needs this fight to happen. Otherwise, we're stuck analyzing possible fights between elder statesmen who can barely hold onto a microphone versus egomaniac boxers who talk more about how much they stand to make from a fight than actual strategy needed to win the fight.

When lives are lost...

This year marked the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks that claimed the lives of more than 3,000 people. Orchestrated by former al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, four commercial planes were hijacked in the early hours of the fateful day in 2001 and crashed into the twin World Trade Center towers in New York City, the Pentagon in D.C., and an empty field in Shanksville, Pa. (reportedly headed to either the White House or Capitol building, also in D.C.) Since then, the approach to security in the U.S. has never been the same. I still remember where I was when the attacks happened. I was woken up by my mother in time to watch the second plane smash into the second Twin Tower live while sitting in the living room of our 15th floor high-rise in Downtown Miami. I didn't personally know anyone who died on that fateful day, but like many, I will forever remember the events of that day and how it changed my life.

There were all kinds of ties between Sept. 11 and the sports world then, as there were in this year's commemoration. Tennis player Serena Williams dedicated her finals match at the 2011 U.S. Open, played on that Sunday, to the victims. New York Jets players donned navy blue T-shirts with the words "Never Forgotten" written on the back for warmups on opening night for the NFL season. But long before all the commemorations took place nationwide, in the wee hours of the morning, there was a different kind of sports tie to 9/11. Tayshana Murphy, a promising basketball star was shot to death at her Harlem apartment in New York City. Reports suggest the 18-year-old was a victim of mistaken identity, shot because she was dressed in similar clothes as a boy who was involved in an altercation with some men at a different housing project. Whatever the truth may be, Murphy's life was cut shot by an unnecessary act of violence on a day when the world mourned the victims of another unnecessary act of violence.

Incidentally, Murphy's death was exactly a week from the stabbing death of another female basketball player at Florida A&M University, where I obtained my master's in broadcast journalism. Shannon Washington died from stab wounds to her neck, allegedly caused by her girlfriend of three years Starquineshia Palmer, who was visiting Washington from Bradenton, Fla. I was a sports reporter for FAMU TV 20 and covered the women's basketball team. I never knew nor interviewed Washington, but felt connected to her somehow because of my involvement with the team. Just as I felt connected to the victims of 9/11, though I knew no one.

Watching one of many 9/11 specials that aired this weekend, I learned about the families of victims. One wife of a firefighter who died trying to save people, talked about how her husband chose Sept. 11 as their wedding date because of the significance behind it. 9/11 makes one think of the most important number to call when in need of rescue. But what was supposed to be the couple's happiest day turned out to be her worst day as well when he was killed. Other stories included several passengers of the United 93 flight, regarded as heroes for attacking the hijackers and preventing them from hitting their original target. One thing many of the stories had in common was future plans, hopes or dreams cut shot as a result of the tragedy in the split of a few seconds. I don't know what Washington's future plan was beyond FAMU, but Murphy's dream was to get her mother out of the projects; a dream she would never get to fulfill.

Why am I sharing this? Because the deaths of these two basketball players, and the 10th anniversary of 9/11, reminded me of something I became fully aware of after the original attacks. Have an idea what you envision your future to be like, but live for today. I've been so caught up in worrying about my future (those close to me know exactly what I've been fretting about) and not living enough for today that I forgot to remember that when lives are lost, their goals, hopes and dreams, for the most part, are gone forever as well.

R.I.P. to the many lives lost on 9/11 and to deceased victims of violence.

What should matter more in sports: money or winning?

About three weeks ago, I wrote about Camerounian soccer star Samuel Eto'o's decision to leave Italian club Inter Milan for Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala; a move which was purely motivated by money. The deal made Eto'o the highest paid soccer player by more than $10 million.

Now Ghana's Asamoah Gyan is following in his fellow African's footsteps by leaving English Premiership League team Sunderland on loan to Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates. Sunderland hasn't exactly been a marquee team in the EPL, but Gyan was notably its star, leading the team with 10 goals scored in his first year. For now, the transfer is only effective for this season, but Sunderland manager Steve Bruce says he doesn't expect Gyan to return to the team.

Asamoah Gyan

At 25, Gyan is much younger– in soccer life, make that a lot–than Eto'o and had recently gained popularity following his impressive performance for the Black Stars in last year's World Cup. Gyan, despite missing a game-winning penalty that would've given the Black Stars a historic spot in the semifinals of the World Cup–a first for any African team in the history of the tournament–was Ghana's leading man. I stood less than 40 feet away from Gyan as he broke down in tears and was consoled by his teammates after Ghana lost the ensuing penalty shootout to Uruguay at Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa last July. But it was obvious that his stock was set to rise in the soccer world regardless.

His career part seemed to be headed upward when he joined Sunderland, but I can't help but question his decision to leave the most competitive league for a non-existent one. The UAE? Even Eto'o's Russian league garners mild respect in the soccer world compared to the UAE. Gyan is expected to earn about $9.5 million with Al Ain, and the projection is that the move would be converted into a permanent one. It's an almost death sentence for Gyan's career, which could conclude without being a part of any major soccer title if he retires at Al Ain. He may be able to attract attention from major teams again if he performs as well as he did in South Africa, at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. But we're a long way from June 2014 and there's no guarantee that he'd be in top form then.

I understood Eto'o's decision to go with the money because he had proven himself on the biggest stage with three Champions League titles. English player David Beckham and French national Thierry Henry made similar decisions to join the U.S. Major Soccer League when their career paths took a decline. But Gyan's is very different. Most soccer players wait a lifetime to play against the elite and some never do, but Gyan is throwing away a potential memorable career by following the money.

So the question is Gyan doing the right thing by taking advantage of his high profile to make as much money as possible or should he have put winning ahead of career earnings in his decision?

Track & Field Championships: Who or What to Watch For

As I mentioned in my previous post, the World Track & Field Championships is underway. But with little to no publicity, very few people even know about it, much else what to watch for. So here are the names or stories you should know about.

The Kenyans: Their main rivals in the distances are their East African neighbors from Ethiopia, but this country continues to dominate the long distance races. The Kenyan women already swept both the women's marathon and 10,000m on Day 1, claiming all six medals. The highlight: Edna Kiplagat winning the marathon despite being tripped by her teammate as they made a grab for water. Watch her fall here:

David Rudisha

Kiplagat made her marathon debut in 2005, finishing 10th and didn't run another until last year when she won the L.A., and then New York City marathons. Now she is a world champion at 31. It makes you wonder just how many undiscovered champions reside in this country. With the likes of 2010 T&F male athlete of the year David Rudisha yet to compete in the 800m, they could challenge the U.S. dominance at the top of the overall medal count. Rudisha broke the world record in his race twice last year and is the overwhelming favorite to win.

Walter Dix

Men's 100m: It's not really about who could win since the only things stopping Usain Bolt from meeting the finish line first are a false start or an injury mid-race. The story here is who could give him the push for second place. American Walter Dix is my pick for that spot, but there's also Jamaica's Yohan Blake. This race also has sub-plots with Jamaica's Asafa Powell, who had the world-leading time this year (9.78), out with an injury, as well as compatriot Steve Mullings and American Michael Rodgers, who were both medal contenders but tested positive for banned substances. Blake served a three-month suspension in 2009 after registering a positive test supposedly from consuming a sports drink. Also look out for former Olympic champion and world record holder Justin Gatlin of the U.S., who returned to the track this year after a four-year ban. Despite being deprived of running in European events because of his reputation as a drug cheat, he served notice with a second-place photo finish behind Dix at the U.S. Nationals. But recent revelations about sustaining frostbites in both feet two weeks ago–no toes were lost– could hurt his chances.

Men's 110m hurdles: Last year, and early this year, American David Oliver owned this race, winning 12-straight races. But he's lost some steam heading into the championships. His main rivals, China's Liu Xiang and world record holder Dayron Robles of Cuba suffered injuries last year, but have each returned to beat Oliver. All three have never raced together this season, so this should be an interesting 13 seconds of action.

LaShawn Merritt: There have been more than a good share of extraordinary explanations about positive drug tests. And then there's Merritt's. The reigning 400m Olympic and World Champion just returned from a two-year ban after testing positive for a substance, which was attributed to his use of extenze, the male organ enhancement pill, in the off-season. Unfortunately for him, by the time the season started, it hadn't cleared his system, resulting in the embarrassing revelation. At the time of this report, he just cruised to a world-leading time in the 400 despite only running one event (second-place finish) prior to the Worlds. The withdrawal of an already struggling Jeremy Wariner blew this race open, so if he's stayed true to form, Merritt could complete his comeback/redemption story.

Bernard Lagat: This ageless naturalized American (formerly competed for Kenya) is still a force to reckon with at the 1500m and 5000m at 36. Lagat qualified for both events, but is opting to race in just the 5000; a smart move. He isn't looking to medal, he wants to win. And given his age, he is better off concentrating on one race alone.

Decathlon: This was shaping up to be the battle of the old versus new with two former Olympic champions, America's Bryan Clay and Czech Republic's Roman Šebrle cast as the old, and Trey Hardee and Ashton Eaton as the new. But Clay pulled out with a knee injury and Šebrle is a shadow of his former self. Still, there's much to watch for. Hardee is the defending World Champion, but Eaton is the unconventional, but slowly improving athlete who finished second to Hardee in 2009 and set the indoor world record in this event. At the time of this report, the two have traded leads, with Eaton currently at the top.

Ashton Eaton and Trey Hardee are vying for the men's decathlon title

Carmelita Jeter

Women's 100m: Another race that is unpredictable. The favorite is U.S. Carmelita Jeter who's run a world-leading 10.70 this year. Her personal best of 10.64 makes her the second fastest woman ever behind Florence Griffith-Joyner. I am a bit surprised at how quickly she climbed to the top, especially given her age. She's significantly more muscular than she's ever been at 31. My eyebrows are raised, like many others, given the notoriety of drug use in this sport. Even confessed drug cheat Marion Jones recorded a personal best of 10.65. Jeter has to be aware of the skepticism surrounding her sharp improvements, which Sports Illustrated writer Tim Layden chronicled in this article, but the only way she can brush it off is by continuously testing clean. The fact that she doesn't also dominate the 200 may actually be a good thing for her. There aren't any real contenders among her country women, but Marshevet Myers has had a great season and could sneak onto the podium. Jamaica's Veronica Campbell-Brown is an aging champion who always seems to produce her best runs at the biggest stage. She is Jeter's biggest threat. Also watch out for Jamaica's Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who was a surprise winner at the 2008 Olympic Games.

Sally Pearson, with Perdita Felicien in background

Women's 110m hurdles: The shortest hurdle races are quickly replacing the 200m as the second most dramatic event in track. Not only is the men's race stacked, but the women also have a ton of contenders. Australia's Sally Pearson is the current favorite, but thanks to Gail Devers and Lolo Jones, we've seen how a favorite can go down in a split second. Waiting to end Pearson's streak are Americans Kellie Wells, Danielle Carruthers and Dawn Harper (current Olympic champion.) Canada's Perdita Felicien and Priscilla Lopes-Schliep are former champions who could also sneak into the top three on a well-executed race. Britain's Tiffany Ofili-Porter, who until recently competed for the U.S. has also thrown herself in the mix.

Women's 200m: Another hotly contested race because three of the main contenders in the 100 will also be in this race. Add to that U.S. Shalonda Solomon and Allyson Felix, who's this race's best bet. However, she lost the Olympic final to Campbell-Brown (see above reference on Brown,) and is also taking on the difficult combination of running the 200m and 400m. She'll run six races in six days between the two events and is also entered into both relay races for the U.S.

Women's 400m: One of three women could win this race. Felix, who's won a few races this year is one. Botswana's Amantle Montsho has really established herself as the one to beat in this event. She's entering the competition with five straight wins, including wins over Felix, though Felix also beat her earlier in the season. Sanya Richards-Ross, the defending champion, struggled to get back to her 2010 form, but recorded her first sub-50 win since 2009, a 49.66 win in London earlier this August. She has the fastest time among the three women and may have returned to form just in time to regain her seat on the throne.

Amantle Montsho

Caster Semenya

Caster Semenya: Remember the then-18-year-old South African who was forced to take a gender test after winning the 800m at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin? Well she was finally cleared to run. After nearly two years of inactivity, she returned to the circuit with respectable results. Mozambique's Maria Mutola was the last African queen of this event. Semenya could be next in line.

Others: Among the names mentioned above, you should also pay attention to long jump's Brittney Reese (U.S.), high jump's Blanka Vlašić (Croatia), triple jump's Phillips Idowu (GBR), long jump's Dwight Phillips (U.S.) and the men's shot put and discus events.

Track & Field still exists

I had a conversation last night with someone who revealed he didn't know any track athlete besides Jamaica's Usain Bolt. What??? The horror! I threw the name Tyson Gay–the only man who can legitimately stop Bolt from owning the 100–at him and he admitted that he knew him as well, although not too convincingly. Back in the day, track & field greats like Jesse Owens, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Bruce Jenner, Dan O'Brien and Gail Devers were household names in sports. But as performance enhancing drugs became more immersed in the sport (you can read about Ben Johnson and the Balco scandal, which also implicated athletes in other major sports,) interest in it waned.

The preliminary rounds of the track & field championships being held in Daegu, South Korea, just got underway and there's very little publicity surrounding it in the U.S. Track & field is still a popular draw in Europe, where the world's best are still treated like rock stars, but there's no doubt about the negative impact drugs has played in its declining popularity. Even prior to the start of competition, two notable athletes have already tested positive for banned substances.

Steve Mullings

First it was Jamaica's Steve Mullings, who became an early medal contender in the 100m after a then world-leading 9.80 win at the Prefontaine Classic in Oregon in June, and an upset win over his training partner Gay at the Adidas Grand Prix in New York the following week. Barely two weeks later, Mullings tested positive for furosemide, or Lasix, a diuretic used to hide the existence of banned drugs. It's a second positive test for Mullings, who would likely get a lifetime from the sport.

American Michael Rodgers has chosen to withdraw from the championships after also testing positive for a stimulant. The sprinter's agent said he tested positive for methylhexaneamine, a stimulant present in energy drinks. Rodgers reportedly ordered vodka with an energy drink at a club last month and competed at a meet in Italy two days after. He had the choice to participate while investigations into the severity of his positive test is ingoing, but risked distracting the U.S. delegation or costing the entire relay team a medal.

Michael Rodgers

With an already depleted team, which is missing Gay and 400m Olympic champion Jeremy Wariner, Rodger's withdrawal further worsens the U.S. men's chances of taking gold at the 400m relay. He was third in the 100 at the U.S. Nationals and figured to be one of the main legs of the team's 400 relay. But the U.S. still has plenty of sprinters with realistic chances of grabbing a medal. And while the men may be struggling, the women are stacked with title hopes in the sprints. Allyson Felix, Carmelita Jeter and Sanya Richards-Ross hope to keep the Jamaicans, America's main rivals in the sprints, from owning the shorter distances. Africans, particularly the Kenyans, usually dominate the longer distances, but two women from Botswana and South Africa are proving that the continent can also produce champions in shorter distances.

In a separate post, I'll highlight my main athletes or stories to watch for. But in the mean time, do you have a favorite track & field athlete or story to share?