Yeah, Tiger Woods apparently loaned Lindsey Vonn his plane. So? Wouldn’t you?
Lindsey Vonn boards Tiger Woods' plane. (Via TMZ)
By now you've probably heard that Tiger Woods allegedly sent his plane to help Lindsey Vonn get home following her injury during the world championships in Austria. TMZ snapped Vonn boarding the plane, and other outlets, including the Swedish newspaper Blick (as cited by Ski Racing Magazine)
also reported that the plane was Woods'. While planes are indeed
trackable and identifiable by their tail numbers, Woods' plane is
private and therefore does not register its travels, and as you can see
above, there's no plane number visible in that photo.
Woods and Vonn have been the subject of plenty of rumors; Woods'
story you know, and Vonn finalized her divorce in January. So there you
go. However, Woods has made no public statement on the matter, and Vonn
actually released a statement trying to shut down the rumors:
"Lindsey is currently in the midst of the World Cup season in
Europe," the statement read. "Her focus is solely on competing and on
defending her titles and thus she will not participate in any
speculation surrounding her personal life at this time."
Woods isn't scheduled to play again for several weeks. We're certain
that he'll be forthcoming about his private life at his next press
conference.
Mali 3-1 Ghana: Eagles stun Black Stars to win Afcon bronze
Mali 3-1 Ghana: Eagles stun Black Stars to win Afcon bronze
Mali won bronze at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, defeating Ghana 3-1 in the third place playoff on Saturday in Port Elizabeth.
It was a rather quiet beginning to the game and a diving header from Samassa was enough to give Mali a halftime lead before Keita added another soon after the break. Mubarak Wakaso missed a penalty before Ghana grabbed a consolation through Kwadwo Asamoah. Sigamary Diarra added a third for Mali late on in the game as the Eagles managed another podium finish.
The game started in a calm mood with the Ghanaians getting the better of the early stages as the Eagles took some time to settle. The Black Stars, however, failed to provide any real threats to Daouda Diakite’s goal despite Mali’s sluggish start.
Mali finally settled down and got itself in the game but struggled to open up the Ghanaian defense, managing to do so only once in the first 15 minutes when Samassa managed to draw a good save out of Fatau Dauda. Ghana also managed to test Diakite once in the opening quarter of an hour, with the Malian stopper having to get down quickly to save Christian Atsu’s snap shot after good work by Solomon Asante down the right.
Mali got the opening goal soon after that chance as Samassa dove in to head home a well-placed Adama Tamboura cross past goalkeeper Dauda. The Ghanaians went up the other end almost immediately but Asamoah, who won the Fair Play Award in the match, could only find the side net.
Wakaso’s effort a few minutes later was on target but Diakite was on hand to produce a good save to keep the Eagles in the lead. The game leveled out after that chance but neither team managed to trouble the opposing goalkeeper until a beautifully weighted pass found goal scorer Samassa but the forward’s chip hit the post. A few minutes later Keita wasted a good chance to add to Mali’s lead poking his effort wide after the Ghanaian defense had allowed a long ball to run through to him.
The second half started well for Ghana as substitute Jonathan Mensah got on the end of a good free kick from Wakaso, heading narrowly wide. The Black Stars were made to rue the missed chance as Keita added to Mali’s lead with a neat side foot finish past Dauda after Ousmane Coulibaly’s cut back from the right.
Wakaso was handed a chance to half the deficit a few minutes later as Salif Coulibaly was adjudged to have handled the ball in the box despite replays showing that the ball actually came off his chest. Wakaso skied his effort from the spot, however, to keep the scores level. Diakite was called upon a few minutes later to save a goal bound free-kick from Asamoah Gyan. Not long after that Dauda was the keeper under pressure as he had to react quickly to tip Keita’s cross over the bar.
Diakite had a nervy moment a few minutes later as he struggled to hold on to a cross, but Gyan and Wakaso could not capitalize on his error. Again Mali went up the other end almost immediately and Keita looked to have increased the Eagle’s lead when he slotted the ball past Dauda, but he was adjudged to have been in an offside position.
Mali looked to be seeing the result out until the 82nd minute when Asamoah halved the deficit. A hopeful shot from distance from the Juventus midfielder sneaked past Diakite who had clearly misjudged the flight of the ball. Ghana went looking for the equalizer but were punished on the counter attack as Sigamary Diarra added a third for the Eagles on the counter attack.
Mali managed to see out the result to achieve a podium finish for the second tournament running. For the Black Stars, however, the tournament ends in disappointment as many expected a better finish from them.
It was a rather quiet beginning to the game and a diving header from Samassa was enough to give Mali a halftime lead before Keita added another soon after the break. Mubarak Wakaso missed a penalty before Ghana grabbed a consolation through Kwadwo Asamoah. Sigamary Diarra added a third for Mali late on in the game as the Eagles managed another podium finish.
The game started in a calm mood with the Ghanaians getting the better of the early stages as the Eagles took some time to settle. The Black Stars, however, failed to provide any real threats to Daouda Diakite’s goal despite Mali’s sluggish start.
Mali finally settled down and got itself in the game but struggled to open up the Ghanaian defense, managing to do so only once in the first 15 minutes when Samassa managed to draw a good save out of Fatau Dauda. Ghana also managed to test Diakite once in the opening quarter of an hour, with the Malian stopper having to get down quickly to save Christian Atsu’s snap shot after good work by Solomon Asante down the right.
Mali got the opening goal soon after that chance as Samassa dove in to head home a well-placed Adama Tamboura cross past goalkeeper Dauda. The Ghanaians went up the other end almost immediately but Asamoah, who won the Fair Play Award in the match, could only find the side net.
Wakaso’s effort a few minutes later was on target but Diakite was on hand to produce a good save to keep the Eagles in the lead. The game leveled out after that chance but neither team managed to trouble the opposing goalkeeper until a beautifully weighted pass found goal scorer Samassa but the forward’s chip hit the post. A few minutes later Keita wasted a good chance to add to Mali’s lead poking his effort wide after the Ghanaian defense had allowed a long ball to run through to him.
The second half started well for Ghana as substitute Jonathan Mensah got on the end of a good free kick from Wakaso, heading narrowly wide. The Black Stars were made to rue the missed chance as Keita added to Mali’s lead with a neat side foot finish past Dauda after Ousmane Coulibaly’s cut back from the right.
Wakaso was handed a chance to half the deficit a few minutes later as Salif Coulibaly was adjudged to have handled the ball in the box despite replays showing that the ball actually came off his chest. Wakaso skied his effort from the spot, however, to keep the scores level. Diakite was called upon a few minutes later to save a goal bound free-kick from Asamoah Gyan. Not long after that Dauda was the keeper under pressure as he had to react quickly to tip Keita’s cross over the bar.
Diakite had a nervy moment a few minutes later as he struggled to hold on to a cross, but Gyan and Wakaso could not capitalize on his error. Again Mali went up the other end almost immediately and Keita looked to have increased the Eagle’s lead when he slotted the ball past Dauda, but he was adjudged to have been in an offside position.
Mali looked to be seeing the result out until the 82nd minute when Asamoah halved the deficit. A hopeful shot from distance from the Juventus midfielder sneaked past Diakite who had clearly misjudged the flight of the ball. Ghana went looking for the equalizer but were punished on the counter attack as Sigamary Diarra added a third for the Eagles on the counter attack.
Mali managed to see out the result to achieve a podium finish for the second tournament running. For the Black Stars, however, the tournament ends in disappointment as many expected a better finish from them.
Motor racing-Money talking louder than ever in F1
LONDON, Jan 22 (Reuters) - Timo Glock's sudden exit
from Marussia has brought into sharper focus an age-old truth of Formula
One - that money makes the wheels go round - and highlighted the gulf
between cash-rich rights holders and struggling teams.
Glock was paid to drive at Marussia but the team made clear in a statement on Monday that was a luxury they could no longer afford when their survival was at stake in harsh economic circumstances.
The German had become an anomaly on a starting grid whose lower slots are increasingly being filled by drivers bringing 'budget' with them.
"The ongoing challenges facing the industry mean that we have had to take steps to secure our long-term future," said team principal John Booth in a statement.
"Tough economic conditions prevail and the commercial landscape is difficult for everyone, Formula One teams included."
Marussia, one of three 'new' teams who were encouraged into the sport in 2010 with the promise of a budget cap and favourable terms that swiftly evaporated, have the smallest budget of any current outfit.
That still translates into some $70 million a season, however, and by finishing 11th overall behind Caterham last year they missed out on millions in prize money divided among the top 10 teams.
The team made no secret when hiring Britain's Max Chilton, a Formula One rookie this season, that he would need backing to secure the drive and Glock's exit will allow them to bring in much-needed cash for the second seat as well.
Marussia are not alone there, with vacancies outstanding at Force India and Caterham as both teams assess a number of candidates who can boast both an FIA super-licence and substantial support.
The failure of Spanish-based HRT, who had Indian Narain Karthikeyan and Chinese reserve Ma Qing Hua helping to pay the bills last year before they folded, has shown how vulnerable some teams are in a sport whose revenues were expected to exceed $2 billion last year.
Against that backdrop, with none of the three new teams (Marussia, Caterham, HRT) scoring a point in three seasons and others above them also feeling the squeeze, driver decisions have focused on more than just talent and experience.
"That's the way of F1 at the moment (I) hope it will change again soon because like this it has nothing to do with sport!" Glock said on Twitter on Monday in a message to Red Bull's Australian Mark Webber that was later deleted.
Other leading drivers commiserated with the German, a veteran of 91 race starts with three podiums for Toyota.
"We know that many drivers know to arrive in Formula One they need to have sponsors, they need to have money, especially in the small teams," Ferrari's Felipe Massa said in a video chatroom on the Italian team's website.
"And honestly this is not a great thing for Formula One and maybe it is part of the commercial side."
The 'pay driver' is not a new phenomenon, and indeed some of the greatest names in Formula One fell into that category when starting out.
Austrian triple champion Niki Lauda, now a key part of the Mercedes management team, paid substantial sums to March for drives in Formula Two and Formula One in the early 1970s.
By 1974 he was racing for Ferrari and being paid handsomely for his talents.
Seven-times world champion Michael Schumacher made his debut for Jordan in 1991 after cash changed hands while Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado, Mexican Sergio Perez and Russian Vitaly Petrov have all been dubbed pay drivers.
Maldonado is now a race winner for Williams, Perez has replaced Lewis Hamilton at McLaren and Petrov's 11th place for Caterham in Brazil in November gave his team 10th in the championship and was worth many millions.
Damon Hill, the 1996 champion with Williams, is not alone in expressing concern that money may now be talking too loudly in a sport that should be an arena for the world's best drivers.
"It wouldn't work in football," he told Reuters last year. "If you wanted to play centre forward for Man United, you still have to be pretty good.
"This sport has always been complicated from that point of view and I don't know what the solution is," added the Briton, who also brought a personal sponsor with him when he joined Williams in 1993.
"There will always be a need for more money when the stakes get higher because people want to be more competitive. Everybody's a pay driver on the rungs up the ladder to F1." ($1 = 0.7510 euros)
No comments:
Post a Comment