Chinese golf course to feature green in giant bowl of noodles
Got To Have A Windmill
An astonishing fantasy course opening next year in China will bring the whimsy of miniature golf to the real game.
Players on the Mission Hill Fantasy Course will have to hit shots into winds from massive fans, over terra cotta warriors and through a waterfall. There are holes dedicated to pandas, fairways that include Mayan ruins and a green that’s set in a massive bowl of noodles.
It’s all real. Players will use real clubs on real turf with true greens. The course will be part of China’s top golfing resort, which boasts 12 other courses, including the top-rated track in the country.
Hole 4 is suppose to be hit from tee boxes that are designed like Mayan stepped pyramids. The fairway is littered with replicas of Mayan ruins.
Hole 14 has a model of the Great Wall of China runs along the left side and in back of the hole.
The showstopper is Hole 16 though which the green is at the center of an 85-meter wide bowl of noodles, complete with 70-meter long chopstocks dangling on the side. Course architect Brian Curley says the green is the same size as the famous one at Sawgrass.
WTF: Ryan O’Byrne
Looks Like Birthed Second Kneecap
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Ryan O’Byrne blocked a shot with his knee Tuesday against the San Jose Sharks and the result was not a pretty sight.O’Byrne tweeted a picture of his knee the day after and the damage was evident.
UFC’s new ring girl Carly Baker
Carly Baker introduces herself as the new European UFC ring girl with this photoshoot for Zoo Magazine.
Andy Roddick sues cancer charity
Only Prize Andy Ever Won
Andy Roddick is suing a children’s cancer charity for failing to pay him $100,000 after he agreed to play in a tennis tournament.
The retired tennis star is suing the Miracle Match Foundation for failure to pay him a $100,000 after playing in a charity match and doing a meet-and-greet last September. The suit says the foundation sent Roddick two $50,000 checks before the September event. Both allegedly bounced.
If the filing is accurate, Roddick agreed to perform a service for a specific amount of money, then performed the service and received no money. That’s simple breach of contract.
Things get even murkier when you read more about the charity. The IRS revoked Miracle Match’s non-profit status in 2010 after it filed its 2004 financial statement six years late. A Michigan television station reported last year that Miracle Match had a $377,000 negative balance for 2004 and donated less than $4,000 to “sick kids/family.” No money was given to cancer research.
A website for the Miracle Match Foundation says the charity charter was approved last year, giving it tax-exempt status.
The organization put on three events last year, featuring players including Pete Sampras, Chris Evert, Mats Wilander, Todd Martin and Roddick. At the moment, there are no upcoming events listed on the site.
Carl Pistorius also facing homicide charge
So So Weird
The murder case involving Olympic star Oscar Pistorius took another unexpected turn Sunday with the news that his older brother, Carl, is himself facing charges for the death of a woman in a traffic accident.
Carl Pistorius faces a charge of unlawful, negligent killing for a 2008 road death, `’in which a woman motorcyclist sadly lost her life,” Kenneth Oldwage, the Pistorius family lawyer said on Sunday. The accident happened in Vanderbijlpark, south of Johannesburg. The charge of `’culpable homicide” was dropped and then reinstated and will be challenged in court, the lawyer told The Associated Press.
It is the second time someone associated with the Pistorius case has been found to face a serious charge that has been dropped and then reinstated. It was revealed that the chief police investigator in the case is facing charges of seven counts of attempted murder for shooting at a vehicle with seven passengers. Following the revelations, Hilton Botha was removed from the Pistorius investigation and a new chief detective was appointed on Thursday.
To drop and then reinstate charges is “not uncommon in South African criminal law.
50 Cent tried to take Erin Andrews to the Candy Shop
Most people at the Daytona 500 will have their eyes focused on Danica Patrick, it looks like 50 Cent had his set on planting a kiss on Erin Andrews
Floyd Mayweather gets his face on the $1000 bill
Money
Now that Floyd Mayweather has officially signed with Showtime boxing, the fine folks that run the station decided to present the boxer with a cake of a $1000 bill with his face on it.
U.S. team loses luge equipment
Have You Seen Me
Some of the U.S. luge team’s sleds went slip-sliding away down a Pennsylvania road. Now USA Luge is trying to get them back, and needs the public’s help.
Team marketing director Gordy Sheer said Thursday he was returning to his hotel after working at an eastern Pennsylvania ski resort last week when five sleds fell out the back of the truck. They were gone by the time he realized what had happened.
State police said a man in a black truck was seen picking up the sleds and driving off with them. Sheer, a 1998 Olympic silver medalist in doubles, said he doesn’t think the man had any criminal intent, but simply found the sleds and decided to hold on to them.
The training sleds cost $400 to $600 a piece.
Oscar Pistorius investigator also faces attempted murder charges
Noose Getting Tight
The lead investigator in the murder case against Oscar Pistorius faces attempted murder charges himself over a 2011 shooting, police said Thursday.
The prosecution said they were unaware of the charges against the detective when they put him on the stand in court to explain why Pistorius should not be given bail.
Police Brig. Neville Malila told The Associated Press that detective Hilton Botha – who gave testimony in the Pistorius bail hearing on Wednesday – is scheduled to appear in court in May on seven counts of attempted murder. The charges relate to an incident in October 2011, when Botha and two other police officers fired shots at a minibus, Malila said.
Malila said police learned Wednesday, the same day that Botha appeared in court to oppose Pistorius’ bail application, that the charges against Botha and the two others had been reinstated by the Director of Public Prosecutions. They were initially dropped following the shooting incident.
Malila said police were waiting for details from the Botha case file from the prosecutor.
Medupe Simasiku, the spokesman for the prosecutors charging Pistorius with premeditated murder, said he couldn’t say how the charges against Botha would affect their case against Pistorius.
It was clear they could undermine it, however.
“The (Pistorius) prosecutors were not aware of those charges (against Botha),” Simasiku, of the National Prosecution Agency, said. “We are calling up the information so we can get the details of the case. From there we can take action and see if we remove him from the investigation or if he stays.”
On Wednesday, the prosecution case against Pistorius began to unravel with revelations of a series of police blunders and Botha’s admission that authorities have no evidence challenging the double-amputee Olympic athlete’s claim he killed his girlfriend accidentally.
Nike & Oakley drop Oscar Pistorius
Tink Tink
Nike and Oakley, two American companies that were sponsors of Oscar Pistorius, have cut ties with the South African Olympic hero in the wake of charges that he murdered his girlfriend.
The 26-year-old double amputee Paralympic champion known as “Blade Runner” became an inspiration to millions when he competed on carbon-fibre running blades against able-bodied athletes in the London Olympics last year.
But Pistorius now faces a charge of premeditated murder in the shooting of his 29-year-old girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp. If convicted, he would likely receive a life sentence behind bars.
Pistorius earned millions of dollars in endorsements, but the shocking murder charge that stunned the world saw billboards featuring his image being taken down soon after the news broke as sponsors backed away from him.
“Nike has no plans for Oscar Pistorius in upcoming campaigns,” a spokesperson for the sporting goods manufacture.
Sunglasses maker Oakley ended its contract with Pistorius as well.
“In light of the recent allegations, Oakley is suspending its contract with Oscar Pistorius, effective immediately,” the company said in a statement.
Harlem Shake costs hockey team playoff game
Officials suspended the Nyack-Tappan Zee squad in Rockland County, N.Y., from the playoffs for its locker-room Harlem Shake. The team finished the regular season 11-7-1 and was seeded 10th in the playoffs.
Couple killed in 23rd country of round-the-world cycling trip
RIP
A British couple on a round-the-world cycling tour was killed in a road crash in Thailand. Peter Root and Mary Thompson, both artists aged 34 from Guernsey in the Channel Islands, set off on a global adventure in July 2011 and had cycled through Europe, the Middle East and China. But the couple died on Sunday when they were run over by the driver of a pick-up truck while riding their bicycles on a road 70 miles east of Bangkok in Phanom Sarakham, Chachoengsao.
They met 14 years ago at a college and during their trip, the couple documented their experiences on a website called Two on Four Wheels.They had cycled through Europe and a number of danger areas including Iran and Afghanistan.
Thailand is well known for its perilous roads, with more than 13,000 killed and almost 1million injured each year in accidents.A Foreign & Commonwealth Office spokesman said: ‘We are aware of the deaths of two British nationals in Thailand and we are providing consular assistance.’
UFC ring girl continues to holds round cards up when fight is over
A ring girl by the name of Kristina at a small UFC event in New England had the unfortunate mistake of holding up a second round sign after one of the fighters lay unconscious on the ground due to a knockout. Sad thing is this is her second time committing this mistake.
Oscar Pistorius shoots & kills girlfriend
Tragedy
Paralympian Oscar Pistorius was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of murder after the fatal shooting of a woman in his home The victim is believed to be Pistorius model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
Pistorius allegedly shot his girlfriend inside his home four times believing she was a burglar. One report says Pistorius girlfriend had come in early to surprise him on Valentine’s Day.
Steenkamp sent this tweet on Wednesday:
“What do you have up your sleeve for your love tomorrow??? #getexcited #ValentinesDay”
Steenkamp was named one of the 100 Sexiest Women in the World two years in a row by FHM, for whom she modeled.
Lt. Col. Katlego Mogale told The Associated Press that officers found a 9-mm pistol at the scene. Police spokesperson Captain Sarah Mcirca also confirmed that the victim was shot in the arm and the head.
Pistorius is expected to appear in court later today. Pistorius, 26, who was born without a fibula in both legs, was the first double amputee to run in the Olympics. Nicknamed the “Blade Runner,” he was able to compete by wearing carbon fiber prosthetic blades.
A national hero in South Africa, Pistorius ran in 11 races during the 2012 Games and the Paralympics. He returned home with “two Paralympic gold medals, Paralympic silver, two world records, a Paralympic record, an Olympic individual semi-final and an Olympic final.” He was also named one of the “sexiest men alive” by People Magazine.
Michelle Jenneke’ Sports Illustrated Swimsuit video
Michelle Jenneke, who you can get to know HERE, posed for the swimsuit edition and she looked wonderful doing so. The behind the scenes shows off Jenneke during her shoot for her appearance in this years Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue.
Golfer bitten by black widow spider uses tee to drain venom
TALENT
Daniela Holmqvist of Sweden was participating in the LPGA pre-qualifier at ISPS Handa Australian Open in Yarralumla and had made it to the fourth hole without incident, but things changed quickly as she tried to hit her second shot out of the rough. She was bitten by a black widow spider on her ankle, and just seconds after swatting it away she hit the ground in pain.
Holmqvist spoke to Svensk Golf about the incident:
“When I told the local caddies in my group what had happened, they got very upset and said it was a Black Widow, and immediately started looking for their phones to call the medics,”
As no one was reacting quickly enough Holmqvist was forced to play doctor herself. She grabbed a golf tee from her pocket and cut open the wound so she could squeeze out all of the venom. A black widow bite has been known to kill a child in just around a half hour.
“A clear fluid came out, it wasn’t the prettiest thing I’ve ever done, but I had to get as much of it out of me as possible.”
When asked later that evening how she was feeling following the bite, she retorted light-heartedly.
“It still hurts, I don’t recommend getting bitten by a Black Widow.”
Team mascot gets loose & goes wild at hockey arena
The Bakersfield Condors of the ECHL learned this the hard way on that bringing a live version of your team’s mascot into the arena is not necessarily a good idea when a live Andean Condor got loose in the arena before a game against the Las Vegas Wranglers.
Reporter hit by puck & keeps working
John Giannone, who is the rinkside reporter for New York Rangers’ home broadcasts took a puck directly to the face during Thursday night’s Rangers and New York Islanders game, but that wasn’t going to keep him from returning to work just minutes later.
Ryan Lochte recreates the Nirvana “Nevermind” album cover
Smells Like Teen Spirit
Swimmer Ryan Lochte is helping ESPN in the athletes and music entertainers special by recreating the Nirvana “Nevermind” cover.
World’s largest golf tee
The Guinness Book of World Records announced on Monday that Brolin Enterprises, a company based in Casey, Ill., has the new record for the world’s largest golf tee.
The tee measures over 30 feet long and weighs approximately 6,000 pounds, surpassing the previous record holder, which was only about 27 feet long.
PGA Tour will revoke media credentials if they tweet
Shorts Are Offensive
The PGA Tour appears to be spoiling for a fight with some members of the golf press who have been using digital media to report on tournaments in real time. The Tour has long objected to play-by-play coverage by non-broadcast reporters at its tournaments, whether the reporters were sending updates via Twitter or manning live blogs in the press center. However, the Tour generally allowed live blogs and Tweets that were done away from the course, with television or radio as the primary source of information.
But on Thursday the Tour sent an e-mail to members of the media that threatened stiff penalties for journalists who send “real-time, play-by-play transmission in digital outlets,” even if those posts are sent from an offsite location. In addition to revoking the credential for the offending reporter, the Tour said it would revoke credentials for “all journalists affiliated with” that reporter’s organization.
The complete e-mail from Ty Votaw, executive vice president of communications for the Tour:
“As you know, our media regulations prohibit the use of real-time, play-by-play transmission in digital outlets. In order to enforce these regulations, beginning this year, we will revoke the on-site credentials of all journalists affiliated with outlets that post play-by-play coverage, whether those posts are originating from tournament site or otherwise.”
Serena Williams tweets picture of swollen ankle
Ouch
No wonder Serena Williams made an early exit from the Australian Open. One night after her upset loss to 19-year-old American Sloane Stephens, the tennis star tweeted a picture of a severely swollen ankle.
Blue Jackets apologize for lockout by wearing Thank You Fans jerseys
Should Have Stayed Away
The NHL is in PR mode right now trying to apologize for a lockout that ultimately has cost itself some fans and the Columbus Blue Jackets took the small jesture of wearing jerseys that read “Thank You Fans” prior to their home opener against the Detroit Red Wings.
Hockey brawl that gets out of control quickly
Over the weekend, an AHL game between the Rockford IceHogs and the Grand Rapids Griffins got out of hand after a fight at center ice turned into a bench-clearing brawl:
