SB Nation User Blog: Axion

2008 Canoe Polo World Championships

Axion — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 20:10:58 -0000

2008 Canoe Polo World Championships

Welcome, Uncommon Sportsfans, to the 2008 Canoe Polo World Championships. You've never heard of Canoe Polo? Well, let me get you up to speed. It's basically water polo in a canoe, but with raised goals. Dissimilar from Marco Polo, expensive equipment is required.

Why don't we let these fine folks explain it better than I ever could:

So you're all aboard, right? Want to form a team and compete for the world title? Well set a date for next year because this year's world title event is already taking place in that craziest of crazy outdoor arenas... Edmonton, Alberta, Canada!

photos stolen from richard-berry.com | full slideshow here

Good luck to our competitors! Results to come after the event concludes this Sunday, July 27th.

Poll

Canoe Polo, would you do it?

Thatcher gives up slam, sent down: Following a 9-5 loss to Cincinnati, the Padres optioned left-h...

Axion — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:22:59 -0000

Thatcher gives up slam, sent down: Following a 9-5 loss to Cincinnati, the Padres optioned left-hander Joe Thatcher to Portland. Thatcher gave up five hits and retired only two batters in the seventh inning, which included Adam Dunn's grand slam. Thatcher had an 8.42 ERA in four stints with the Padres this season. San Diego will make a move Thursday to fill the roster spot.

via Sportsline.com

Melky Cabrera, you are not Manny Ramirez. The degree of difficulty here is far less, and you stil...

Axion — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 16:22:49 -0000

Melky Cabrera, you are not Manny Ramirez. The degree of difficulty here is far less, and you still botched it. An hero, now.

Cubs fined for overpaying Oceanside's Matt Cerda.

Axion — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 21:58:57 -0000

Cubs fined for overpaying Oceanside's Matt Cerda.

Well, ok, they were fined for having a draft pick take the field before an approved agreement was in place, but "further discipline might be warranted."
-via the four letter

A bunch of nuts run 125km thru Alberta with a custom-minted coin, call it Death Race

Axion — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 21:25:07 -0000

Death Race brings brave souls to Alberta

This coming August 2 and 3 is the ninth North Face Canadian Death Race. From the article:

The Death Race plays on the Greek myth of Charon, the ferryman who ushered the souls of the dead across the river Styx and into Hades for a fee of one gold coin per soul.

Oh. Well that's kind of a letdown. What about this coin?

Each of the 1,000 or so entrants will receive a specially minted coin they must take with them as they make their way through the rugged mountain terrain surrounding Grande Cache.

Racers must have their coin to cross the Smoky River near the end of their trek. Losing the coin means instant disqualification.

You don't say? What is the penalty for disqualification? Is it... death? I'd guess not. They've got a juicy hook to this story, though:

One of the earliest winners of the gruelling, 125-kilometre running race was former Edmonton resident Nik Southwell. He had his eyes on the prize, but Southwell forgot to take in enough food and fluids along the way, says Dale Tuck, one of the event's founders.

Instead of dropping out, Southwell persevered and won the men's solo race, collapsing at the finish line. His kidneys shut down and he was rushed to hospital and put on dialysis.

Won the race, but losing the game...

Supposedly the net elevation gain is more than 5,180 metres and the total elevation change is 6,500 feet. (pause while I do some Canadian math) That's 3.2 and 4.04 Earth miles, respectively!

The team names are pretty tame by uncommon sports standards, nothing nearly as good as OTL:

Death Race teams have a habit of giving themselves colourful names. The list of teams entered for this year's race includes Fat, Old and Slow; Stupid is as Stupid Does 1; Wheezing Flatlanders; The Bunion Sisters; Four Hags and a Troll; and This is Gonna Hurt Tomorrow!

Did you know that Canadians like to use extra u's? Me euither.

If you're interested in festivities, there is a weekend party called Deathfest "featuring children's entertainment." Now if I were to ask you, "Hey, there's a party going on called Deathfest that includes children's entertainment: Guess which country?", would you have ever picked Canada?

Also at Deathfest, "Canadian blues-rock legend David Wilcox and country artists Doc Walker and The Road Hammers."

lol wut? Canada has country music?

-via canada.com

Marion Jones is sorry about 'roiding and the check-fraud scam.

Axion — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 20:10:39 -0000

Marion Jones is sorry about 'roiding and the check-fraud scam.

Asks Bush for sentence commutation. via- washingtonpost.com

Durham Athletic Park, which gained national prominence with the movie "Bull Durham," follows the lead of Susan Sarandon

Axion — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 19:35:18 -0000

Durham Athletic Park, which gained national prominence with the movie "Bull Durham," follows the lead of Susan Sarandon

-via wral.com and fark.com

So busted: This guy Googled "bull penis"

Axion — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 19:16:57 -0000

So busted: This guy Googled "bull penis"

Oh, and he found this. The Chinese want to win so bad, they're eating bull penis.

Former NFL running back faces trial on charges of raping girl, 12 -via lohud.com Dude you are jus...

Axion — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 19:07:32 -0000

Former NFL running back faces trial on charges of raping girl, 12 -via lohud.com
Dude you are just all F'ed up...

Rowr! Hiss! Other cat fight noises! Danica and Milka go at it.

Axion — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 22:04:38 -0000

Rowr! Hiss! Other cat fight noises! Danica and Milka go at it.

We're gonna need a slow-motion replay of this, guys. -via msnbc. Also this guy is annoyed by her.