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ekansekans's blog: "df"

created on 10/29/2012  |  http://fubar.com/df/b351055

It was one of the greatest achievements in the history of Canadian sports. On September 24, 1988, Ben Johnson thrilled the country by winning gold in the mens 100 metre sprint at the Olympic Games in Seoul. Not only did he win the race but he shattered the world record, taking the gold in a jaw-dropping 9.79 seconds. He became just the second Canadian to win Olympic gold in the event, flying past arch-rival Carl Lewis right out of the blocks en route to the historic gold. Of course - in the end - the moment proved too good to be true. Three days later, Johnson tested positive for steroids - surrendering the gold to Lewis and forever erasing his name from the record books. Johnson initially pled his innocence, but later admitted to steroid use in 1989 as his coach Charlie Francis claimed that the sprinter was doping for years prior. He entered the race in Seoul as the world record-holder with time of 9.83 at the 1987 World Championships in Rome. And the International Association of Athletics Federations wiped out that record as a result of Johnsons admission that we was also doping at that meet. The race in Seoul is seeing a renaissance of sorts thanks to 9.79*. The film takes a look at the Final 24 years later in the context of information released since that changes the narrative that was once perceived as a cheating Johnson blowing away a clean field. Carl Lewis finished the race second with a time of 9.97, but was awarded gold after Johnsons disqualification. However, a 2003 Sports Illustrated report revealed that Lewis had tested positive for banned substances in Olympic qualifying. He was excused on the basis of "inadvertent use" and allowed to compete in the Games. Lewis has since admitted to failing the tests, but in a 2003 Guardian interview quipped that everyone got the same treatment. Linford Christie - who won silver in Seoul and later won gold at Barcelona in 1992 - also tested positive for banned stimulants after the 1988 final, but was let off the hook by the International Olympic Committee, according to a BBC report in 2009. He later received a two-year ban in 1999 for use of performance enhancing drugs. Others were linked to doping in the months and years following the Seoul Olympics as well. Eventual fourth-place finisher Dennis Mitchell got a two-year doping ban from the IAAF in 1998. Desai Williams - who was awarded sixth - was implicated, though never proven guilty of doping alongside fellow countryman Johnson in the famed Dubin Inquiry. Of the top five finishers in the Seoul race, only one sprinter emerged with a clean record in the end: eventual bronze medalist Calvin Smith. And it was Smiths record of 9.93 that Johnson had broken in Rome.  Smith has since gone on record that he should have won the gold medal in light of information released in the following years. In a 1996 interview with South Africas Mail & Guardian, Johnson shed light on what he perceived to be one of the dirtiest races in Olympic history. "Yes, I was taking steroids," he said in the interview, "but so were others on the starting line that day." Twenty-four years after that infamous race, how does history - or, more importantly, Canada - see Ben Johnson? Wiped out alongside the gold and world record in Seoul was the legacy of one of the most successful Canadian athletes of the 1980s. And Johnson was not entirely stripped of an otherwise-impressive trophy case: The Lou Marsh Trophy and Lionel Conacher Award, Associated Press Athlete of the Year, the Order of Canada, bronze medals in the Olympic 100 metres and 4x100 relay at the 1984 Olympics, five Commonwealth Games medals from 1982 and 1986 (including two gold from the latter) and more. In Seoul, Johnson shattered his previous record by four-tenths of a second and won the race by a staggering 0.18 seconds.  To put that result into perspective, the 100m world record would not reach 9.79 until 1999 when American sprinter Maurice Greene broke Donovan Baileys Atlanta mark of 9.84. Usain Bolts dominant Olympic performances in Beijing and London were by victory margins of 0.20 and 0.12 respectively. In the end, Johnson - the fastest man in a field of mostly unclean sprinters - could simply have been made an example of for an unbelievable performance. History has proven that Johnson was not the only sprinter in that race getting an added boost but what that means to Johnsons legacy and the perception of a dominant performer in a historically unclean era is a question that will always be tempered by the disappointment of Canadian fans at the time and the subsequent embarrassment caused by the scandal. Johnson has been considered many things over the years: A hero, a cheat, a scapegoat, a product of his sport and more. And all of those images will be stirred in 9.79* - for better or for worse. TSN wants your views on how the 1988 scandal is viewed today. In light of the revelations of widespread drug use in sports since 1988, how would you describe Johnson now? Do you think performance enhancing drugs should be accepted as part of competitive sports? Wholesale Jerseys Supply . Cole Hamels, who signed a $144 million deal two days ago, had the worst control of his career. Wholesale Jerseys China . Lucio, who has only been at Juventus for a month, twisted his right ankle in Fridays session and underwent medical tests on Saturday. http://pavansukhdev.org/wholesalejerseys.html . Zeeman won the 1,850-metre event in seven minutes 24.29 seconds. The Cambridge, Ont., native also won bronze at the world under-23 championships earlier this year.PITTSBURGH -- Ben Roethlisberger doesnt think he and Pittsburgh Steelers offensive co-ordinator Todd Haley need to be best friends to co-exist. The quarterback, however, also knows he cant start calling Haley out when things dont go as planned, no matter how bothered the Steelers captain may get by the playcalling Its why Roethlisberger apologized to Haley, coach Mike Tomlin and owner Art Rooney II after making pointed remarks about the direction of the offence following a 27-24 overtime loss to Dallas on Sunday. "I let my frustrations jump out after a game, I dont usually do that," Roethlisberger said. "Usually, I keep it under control. I was just frustrated with myself and Ill be better at that." Roethlisberger completed 24 of 40 passes for 339 yards and two touchdowns against Dallas but also threw a critical interception on the second play of overtime that set up the game-winning field goal. Afterward he expressed disappointment in Haleys decision to stay away from the "no-huddle" offence. And he wondered why Haley didnt feature tight end Heath Miller, who had six receptions for 85 yards in the first half and just one catch for seven yards in the second. Looking back, Roethlisberger -- who took full responsibility for the loss -- figures he probably should have just kept quiet. "We do have a lot of talks behind closed doors about things, about plays, play calling," he said. "If Im doing something thats not right on the field, we have talks about everything." Coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday his franchise quarterback and Haley are on the same page. Roethlisberger agreed but allowed that doesnt mean theyre on the same sentence. "There are going to be times when you just dont see eye-to-eye," he said. "There are times when I dont see eye-to-eye with Coach Tomlin. But that doesnt mean anything, I dont think." There have been similar issues in the past with former offensive co-ordinators Ken Whisenhunt and Bruce Arians, disagreements that were overshadowed by winning. Thats not happening this season. The Steelers (7-7) have dropped four of their last five and need to win their final two games against Cincinnati (8-6) and Cleveland (5-9) to reach the playoffs. Its not exactly the position Pittsburgh expected to be in after a four-game winning streak pushed them to 6-3. Yet things havent quite been the same since a 16-13 overtime win against Kansas City on Nov. 12. Roethlisberger went down with a sprained shoulder and dislocated rib that sidelined him for three weeks and he hasnt been quite the same player in his return. Roethlisberger was completing nearly 70 per cent of his passes going into the game against the Chiefs. Over his last 2 1/2 games, his completion percentage has dipped to just 55 per cent (55 of 100) as defences have become more aggressive at pressing Pittsburghs fast but somewhat undersized wide receivers at the line of scrimmage hoping tto upset Haleys short-passing game.dddddddddddd While Roethlisbergers yardage totals have been OK thanks to an uptick in throws down the field, the efficient rhythm the Steelers played with during the first half of the season has all but disappeared. "I think maybe it started in Kansas City where they had a little bit of success, where they got in our face a little bit and disrupted the timing of our routes," Miller said. "Weve seen that in some form or variation since then." The Steelers will almost certainly see more of it on Sunday against Cincinnatis physical secondary led by cornerbacks Terence Newman, Leon Hall and Nate Clements. Pittsburgh wide receiver Mike Wallace says the key is simply winning more battles at the line of scrimmage, though a running game with a bit of a pulse and a defence that gave the offence short fields would help. Though the Steelers are first in the NFL in yards allowed, theyre 27th in takeaways with 15. As a result, just seven of Pittsburghs 58 scoring drives this season have started on the other side of midfield. Opponents, meanwhile, have started 14 of 56 scoring drives in Steelers territory. The lack of turnovers and splash plays on special teams have led to some pretty long fields for Roethlisberger and company, fields that have gotten even longer as the running game has halted. Running back Jonathan Dwyer rushed for 122 yards in a 24-17 win at Cincinnati on Oct. 21. He has 122 yards combined in Pittsburghs last four games, three of which he served as the starter. Dwyer is still listed as the starter and it appears unlikely the Steelers would turn to veteran Rashard Mendenhall, who returned to practice on Wednesday after serving a one-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team. Mendenhall declined to talk about why he failed to show up at Heinz Field for a game against San Diego two weeks ago after the Steelers decided to make him inactive, though Roethlisberger isnt quite ready to call Mendenhalls tenure over. "Hes a pretty darn good football player," Roethlisberger said. "If he can help this team win football games, well take it." And the Steelers insist theyre past the part of the season where style points matter. The offence is just 20th in the league in points scored (21.6) and is averaging 30 yards less per game than it was last year, leading the front office to not renew Arians contract and hire the sometimes combustible Haley instead. The promised fireworks have not ensued, though even if things were going smoothly, Wallace says its not like the offence would suddenly start lighting up scoreboards anyway. "Weve never just won on a weekly basis, win by 30-40 points," Wallace said. "We win by a touchdown or a field goal (and) just made the plays when they count. I think this year we havent been making as many critical plays when they count ... but weve still got a shot." ' ' ' 

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