Andy Murray Win US Open 2012 VS Novak Djokovic Full match Highlights

Denver Broncos Defeat Pittsburgh Steelers, 31-19

CLICK HERE Denver Broncos vs Pittsburgh Steelers, 31-19



CLICK HERE Denver Broncos vs Pittsburgh Steelers, 31-19

The four-time MVP coming off four neck surgeries completed 19 of 26 passes for 253 yards and two touchdowns.

He got a big assist from another free agent, cornerback Tracy Porter, whose 43-yard interception return of Ben Roethlisberger's pass with 2 minutes left sealed the win.

Manning, jettisoned by the Indianapolis Colts in March after missing all of last season with a nerve injury that weakened his throwing arm, hit Demaryius Thomas with a 71-yard touchdown toss for his first score as a Bronco. It was his 400th career TD toss.

49ers' defense stuffs Green Bay, 30-22

Minutes after the 49ers made a season-opening statement with a 30-22 win over the Packers on Sunday, San Francisco defensive coordinator Vic Fangio resembled a man whose team had lost.
After coaching from upstairs, the grim-faced 53-year-old sat slumped on the back of a golf cart, which was ferrying him, general manager Trent Baalke and offensive coordinator Greg Roman under the stands at Lambeau Field to a celebratory locker room. So why, exactly, did Fangio appear so deflated after his defense had capped a virtuoso performance by stopping Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers on a last-minute, potentially game-tying drive?
"At the end there when you're going through that, it's like you're being drowned and someone just pulled you out of the water," Fangio said. "You're just laying there. It's like, 'Thank God you're alive.' "
With that, Fangio offered a big smile. He clearly felt very much alive after the 49ers, thanks to a dominating defensive effort, had killed a series of streaks: San Francisco ended an eight-game losing skid at Lambeau Field that dated to 1990, snapped Green Bay's 13-game home winning streak and held high-powered Green Bay under 24 points at Lambeau for the first time since 2010.
After last year's 13-3 season ended in the NFC Championship Game, the 49ers were viewed by many as Super Bowl contenders. And Sunday's road win, over a team that went 15-1 last year, should win over remaining skeptics.
"I think we have a team to be reckoned with," cornerback Tarell Brown said. "I think we have a team that's on the borderline of being a great team."
Jim Harbaugh's mantra is, "The team, the team and the team," and Sunday's victory was an all-around effort.
The defense? The 49ers dropped extra defenders into coverage against the pass-happy Packers, who ranked fifth in NFL history with 540 points last year. The tradeoff was that San Francisco was outnumbered up front and routinely took one of their best defensive players, inside linebacker Patrick Willis, out when they used six defensive backs.
Regardless, the 49ers still stuffed the run - Green Bay running back Cedric Benson had 18 yards on nine carries - and harassed Rodgers. They collected three sacks and five hits on the reigning NFL MVP, who scrambled five times for 27 yards under duress. After three quarters, the Packers, who scored two offensive touchdowns, trailed 23-7.
"That was big time," safety Dashon Goldson said of the defensive game plan. "Being able to keep box light and still stop the run? There's a lot of things you can do on back end which will help defend against the passing game. And our front did its job very well."
Meanwhile, as the Packers ended five of their first six drives with punts, the 49ers' offense scored on five straight possessions (three field goals and two touchdowns) after a game-opening three-and-out.


Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/49ers/article/49ers-defense-stuffs-Green-Bay-30-22-3851872.php#ixzz263NCUbBY

Bryan brothers win US Open, set Grand Slam record

NEW YORK — At age 34, the Bryan brothers posed with the trophy with Bob's infant daughter and chatted about Mike's upcoming wedding.

They've now set the Open-era Grand Slam title record, but the pair doesn't plan to stop adding to that total anytime soon.

The American twins won the U.S. Open men's doubles final in straight sets Friday for a 12th Grand Slam championship. They had been tied with Australian greats Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde for the most in the Open era, which started in 1968.

"We looked up to the Woodies, and to steal all their records is unbelievable because we idolize those guys," Mike said. "They're one of the reasons we play doubles."

The Bryans, seeded No. 2, beat Leander Paes and Radek Stepanek 6-3, 6-4 without facing a break point.

In the third round, they were two points from losing the match in a second-set tiebreaker when Bob pulled off a between-the-legs trick shot — and they went on to win in three sets. After needing two tiebreakers in the quarterfinals to move on, the Bryans won their last two matches with little hassle.

Last month, they achieved their biggest goal of 2012 by winning their first Olympic gold medals at the London Games.

"It did take pressure off," Mike said. "We talked about it before each match. We're like, 'Let's swing free. We have the gold.' We came into this probably a little fatigued and just running on adrenaline from the Olympics. We could see the finish line."

Bob was passing around his medal after Friday's match, convinced it's a good luck charm. Golfer Sergio Garcia wore it during the tennis tournament in Cincinnati last month, then promptly posted his first PGA Tour victory in four years.

The brothers plan to stick around long enough to defend their title in Rio in 2016. That leaves plenty of opportunities to pad their Grand Slam record.

"Hopefully we can snag a couple a year, one or two," Mike said. "We got one this year. You do the math."

They had been stuck on 11 since 2011 Wimbledon, losing to Paes and Stepanek in this year's Australian Open final.

"We had a rough 12 months," Bob said. "We took a lot of lumps, but now that's all forgotten. It's sweeter than ever."

The Bryans also tied the Open-era record with their fourth U.S. Open championship, matching Bob Lutz and Stan Smith. They had been in danger of finishing a year without a major title for the first time since '04.

"Still would have been a good year because we have the Olympics," Mike said. "But we wanted to keep the streak alive of eight years with a Slam."

Next on the list of goals: the Davis Cup match against Spain.

Paes, from India, and Stepanek, from the Czech Republic, were seeded fifth. They were under pressure on their serves the entire match and saved 10 of 12 break points, but one break in each set was plenty for the Bryans. The brothers combined to get in 79 percent of their first serves, and even when they didn't, they won 73 percent of points on their second serves.

Mike isn't the sentimental type, insisting he hasn't cried since high school — he thought the Olympic medal ceremony might bring the tears but even that failed to work. So he and Bob weren't going to offer too many deep thoughts about this latest milestone.

At least one member of the family is relishing it, though.

"My dad gets a real kick out of the records," Bob said. "He has a spreadsheet on his computer. I'm sure he's updating it right now."

2012 MTV VMA Performances Highlights

Drake is up for Video of the Year ("Take Care"), Best Male Video, Best Hip-Hop Video, Best Art Direction and Best Cinematography (this is a serious award show!). He's up against Chris Brown for Best Male Video, which is only interesting because members of the duo's respective entourages threw bottles of liquor at each other in a much ballyhooed New York nightclub brawl.

Other artists vying for Video of the Year: Katy Perry ("Wide Awake"), Rihanna (solo, for "We Found Love"), M.I.A. ("Bad Girls") and the meme-ready Gotye ("Somebody That I Used To Know"). Best New Artist is another hot category, and Frank Ocean (for "Swim Good"), Fun ("We Are Young," with Janelle Monae), Carly Rae Jepsen ("Call Me Maybe"), One Direction ("What Makes You Beautiful") and The Wanted ("Glad You Came"). Why songs are associated with the Best New Artist category? We're not sure either.

Among the performers expected at the event: Rihanna, who debuted a short new 'do hours at rehearsals, Nicki Minaj, Green Day (Billie Joe Armstrong hospitalization notwithstanding), Lil Wayne, Alicia Keys, Pink, Frank Ocean, One Direction and Taylor Swift. Should be a pop-tastic night.

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Much more!

Kevin Winter, Getty Images

Kevin Winter, Getty Images

Kevin Winter, Getty Images

Kevin Winter, Getty Images

Kevin Winter, Getty Images

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Kevin Winter, Getty Images

Kevin Winter, Getty Images

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Kevin Winter (2), Getty Images

Christopher Polk, Getty Images

Kevin Winter, Getty Images

Kevin Winter / Christopher Polk, Getty Images

Iowa Air Show Crash Kills Pilot

Glenn Smith left a lucrative job at a Dallas-area technology firm for an early retirement of restoring Soviet fighter jets and flying to exhibitions across the country.

He died Saturday when his nearly 30-year-old training plane nosedived during an air show in eastern Iowa and crashed into a field, authorities said. Spectators watched the 59-year-old Smith's plane erupt into flames, followed by a cloud of gray smoke. Nobody on the ground was hurt.

Smith had been flying in formation with other members of the HopperFlight team at the Quad-City Air Show in Davenport.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash. Senior air safety investigator Aaron Sauer said Sunday that a preliminary report on the crash is expected within a week, but a final report will likely take several months.

He said inspectors would examine the few remaining pieces of the plane, as well as Smith's autopsy and toxicology reports.

Smith did not make a mayday call or suggest any sign of distress before the crash, according to Sauer and Randy Ball, a good friend of Smith's.

Ball said Smith was a meticulous flier who would map every step of a flight plan beforehand.

"They practiced the day before and everything went fine," Ball said.

Smith was a longtime technology entrepreneur whose company was acquired by Tyler Technologies, a Dallas-based company that develops software for local schools and government clients, in 1998. He remained an executive at Tyler until 2006, the company said in a statement.

So You Think You Can Dance,' Top 8 Perform, 2 Eliminated: TV Recap

Tonight, two dancers will be booted. Tiffany, Will, Lindsay, Chehon, Witney, Cole, Eliana, and Cyrus. Because the show is still two hours long, they have to fluff it out with little personal montages.

Each dancer is dancing twice, but not every dance gets commentary from the judges.

Tiffany is from Florida and she likes water. Then she does a contemporary solo to a Glee song. It’s fine, adept, but I don’t feel a terrific connection.

Witney is dancing with tWitch to a hip-hop routine. Witney’s hair is distracting me. Nigel says it has urban attitude, which is a surprise from an 18-year-old from Utah. Mary said it was fantastic and she was everything. Jesse said it was brilliant, even in horrendous diaper pant costumes.

Will says he was the class clown and dance helped him find purpose. Then he does a short solo without commentary.

Cole and Alison are paired together and Cole is a sadistic man and Alison wants his heart. Didn’t he play a cruel guy a couple weeks ago. Is this his thing? Jesse sends more love to choreographer Sonya and says Cole was insane. Mary loved the lifts and says it was stunning but a little creepy. Nigel says Cole brings the power and is really unique.

Lindsay used to dance at her mom’s studio with her sisters. Lindsay then does a flamenco-style solo that is my favorite so far tonight.

Eliana is paired with Brian for a quick-step, where she feels she’s being ignored as part of the routine. Mary said she thought the quick step would throw Eliana a curve ball, but she excelled and did a great job in the rotations. Jesse says it’s been amazing to watch her transformation.

Chehon says it was amazing that his parents let him to go to the Royal School of Ballet and it’s hard for his parents. His soaring solo brings everyone to their feet. Awwh, he’s all emotional because his mom is watching. It’s nice.

Lindsay and all-star Alex do a jazz routine. Nigel says he didn’t feel the sexual tension and tells them they need layers. Mary says she agrees – the dancing was good but the chemistry wasn’t there.

Will is with all-star Lauren in a hip-hop routine where Will is in a lot of pain and Lauren is helping him out. A lot of jumping on a couch is involved. Mary loved the routine and says it was perfectly precise. Jesse says he’s a super adorable puppy and it was nice to see him more serious.

Cole says he started martial arts because he was socially awkward and found a way to incorporate that into dance. And then he does a pretty cool solo.

Witney said her dad doesn’t like to see her in her skimpy ballroom costumes. She does a nice solo too. No one is completely falling down tonight.

Last year’s winner, Melanie Moore, is paired with one of this year’s favorites, Cyrus for a jazz routine. Jesse says Cyrus held his own against Melanie. Nigel said the personality of the couple grabs everyone. Mary says she’s constantly in awe that Cyrus does so well when he hasn’t been trained.

Chehon gets paired with all-star Anya for a tango and feels lost. The walks, in particular, are challenging, he said. Mary said there was something really special about the dance and it was her favorite number tonight. Nigel said all his strengths came into play here.

Cyrus talks about how his dad died when he was 10 and his mom was his big support before his solo.

Tiffany does the last solo to “The Power of Love” by Celine Dion which already annoys me because Laura Branigan sang it better. Jesse says the partner work was insane. Mary says Tiffany was extraordinary and it was her best performance of the season. Nigel said it was fantastic and she’s a great performer while being humble.

Judging: Eliana and Tiffany are safe. Witney and Lindsay are at the bottom.

Cyrus and Chehon are safe. Will and Cole are at the bottom.

Final picks: The judges pick Witney and Cole to stay and Lindsay and Will to go.

Next week: Oh get on with it already. And isn’t it weird to keep comparing Will to various dogs?

Liverpool vs Manchester City 2-2 Goal | 26/08/2012

Liverpool Vs Manchester City 2-2 All Highlights And Goals 26-8-2012 HD
Manchester City Vs Liverpool 2-2 All Highlights And Goals 26-8-2012 HD
Liverpool Vs Manchester City 2-2 All Highlights And Goals 26-8-2012 HD
Manchester City Vs Liverpool 2-2 All Highlights And Goals 26-8-2012 HD
Tevez, Skrtel, Suarez, Toure Goals HD

Liverpool dominated for large spells with 17-year-old striker Raheem Sterling impressing on his first league start and Joe Allen looking composed on his home debut.
Mario Balotelli partnered Tevez up front for City on his first start since being sent off at Arsenal last April - and on a ground where he was dismissed last year - but despite looking focused, had a quiet game.
Liverpool showed early intent as captain Steven Gerrard twice stabbed low long-range shots wide in the opening three minutes.
Yet the game had hardly started when Liverpool were forced to make a change as Lucas, who missed most of last season with a knee injury, hobbled off after four minutes.
City had their first attempt on goal when Aleksandar Kolarov fired a free-kick straight at Jose Reina before Pablo Zabaleta launched a counter-attack with a fine tackle on Fabio Borini. Tevez took up the attack but his cross found no-one.

Chelsea Vs Newcastle 2-0 All Highlights And Goals 25-8-2012 HD

The attacking pair scored a goal each, with Hazard handing the Blues the lead from the penalty spot after Torres had been fouled by Vurnon Anita.

The Spaniard then found the top corner from 18 yards with a shot struck sweetly with the outside of his boot after his new teammate had laid the ball off with a neat back-heel.

Newcastle improved after the break but chances remained few and far between, with Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse kept largely at bay as Roberto Di Matteo's side returned to the top of the Premier League table.

The Blues introduced new signings Cesar Azpilicueta and Victor Moses to the Stamford Bridge faithful before kick-off but once the whistle had been blown all eyes, once again, were on Hazard.

The Belgian was the brightest light of a muted opening quarter of an hour and as Torres grew into the game Chelsea began to ask more questions of the Newcastle defense.

Anita's transition to English football, unfortunately for Newcastle, was not to be quite as smooth as Hazard's and when Torres skipped into the box the Dutch midfielder caught him on the knee with a wild swing of his left boot.

The referee, Phil Dowd, pointed to the spot and Hazard, needing only a short run-up, coolly swept the resulting penalty into the bottom corner to Tim Krul's right.

Chelsea kept a firm grip on the first half thereafter. Cisse and Ba plugged away in attack at the other end while Hatem Ben Arfa hinted sporadically that he could be a threat, but Chelsea coped comfortably even in the absence of John Terry.

Di Matteo's team remained patient and gave Newcastle a mountain to climb on the stroke of halftime. Unsurprisingly, Hazard was involved again, and his combinations with Torres are giving Chelsea fans reason to be increasingly cheerful.

The duo will combine for more goals after this one but not many will be of better quality. Hazard received the striker's pass on the edge of the box and, turning away from goal, completed the one-two by back-heeling into his path. Torres was left with little space in which to maneuver but instinctively struck a shot with the outside of his boot that flew into the top corner.

Newcastle's chances of playing its way back into the game after the break appeared remote, though Ben Arfa engineered enough space to shoot narrowly wide from the edge of the box and Ba saw a shot from a tight angle saved.

The Magpies did have more of a share of possession, however, although Torres' counter-attacking runs continued to prove dangerous and Coloccini, Santon and Anita all needed to either cut out through passes or halt the 28-year-old's progress in their half.

With his side unable to create anything meaningful in open play, Alan Pardew turned to substitute and set-piece specialist Ryan Taylor shortly after the hour mark and the change very nearly – and perhaps should have – paid dividends. The full back curled in a superb free-kick from the left that Cisse could only head over the bar from point blank range.

Ryan Bertrand flashed a vicious 20-yard shot past Krul's far post, with a corner awarded despite the Dutchman's claims to the contrary, and Ba should have done better when he shot too close to Cech from 12 yards after miscuing his initial effort.

Man United beats Fulham 3-2 in Premier League

Manchester United and Fulham locked up at Old Trafford Aug. 25 with the Red Devils earning an early-season victory by a score of 3-2. This victory marked United's 10th straight home victory over Fulham.

Fulham would score first on the legs of Damien Duff in the very first minute of the match, but Man U would soon show what big-money spending can do for a team on the pitch.

The team would answer Fulham's goal with one by huge transfer-window acquisition Robin van Persie in the ninth minute and never looked back.

The Red Devils would control the pace of the match throughout the rest of the first half and into the second, with another two goals scored in the first 45 minutes of play.

Fulham would hold off their opponents for 25 minutes after RVP's goal, with United challenging them early and often. The Fulham defense ultimately couldn't hold off the Devils' attack, however, with Shinji Kagawa scoring in the 35th minute and Rafael adding to the score in 41st.

Kagawa's goal was what opened up the scoring gates, with Man U putting together two impressive offensive possessions before Rafael added goal No. 3 to his team's count.

Fulham's attack did show flashes of brilliance throughout the contest, even after losing the lead. The London-based club posted promising possessions in the 43rd minute that ended with a shot off the opposition's crossbar and in the 64th where the team's pressure led to an own goal by Man U's Nemanja Vidic.

Ultimately, Fulham would show signs of life after Vidic's own goal, but Man U buckled down and made sure the home fans witnessed a victory in the end.

Unfortunately, the victory did not come without bad news. Superstar Wayne Rooney suffered a huge gash in his leg due to inadvertent contact with one of Fulham's players.

So You Think You Can Dance' recap: Bang Bang

Eighteen-year-old Latin dancer Witney Carson and Season 1 winner Nick Lazzarini played sexy ghosts in a jazz routine Mary called "smoldering." Nigel said, "You were even sexy when you were breathing. You could go all the way."

Cole Horibe, 26-year-old karate master, danced a cha-cha with Season 3's Anya Garnis. Though Cole "normally has fantastic lines," said Nigel, he struggled with his first Latin dance. "You need more pressure in the balls of your feet," recommended Mary. "I can't put you on the 'hot tamale train,' " she said.

Latin dancer Lindsay Arnold, 18, and All-Star Jakob Karr from Season 8 played with light (and showed off their svelte silhouettes) in a Broadway routine. Though the talented Jakob could have overshadowed Lindsay, she held her own. "Magnificent, yet again," said Nigel. Mary told Lindsay she was "on the 'hot tamale train,'" and Benjamin said the dance had "fireworks."

Contemporary dancer Will Thomas, 19, was a snake charmer with a flute, while Kathryn McCormick from Season 6 (and Step Up 4) was the snake in a playful Bollywood routine. Will was "chaming, unique and engaging," said Benjamin, while also maintaining "amazing control," said Mary. "You're one of the most likable guys on the show," she added.

Animator Cyrus "Glitch" Spencer, 22, took on contemporary — a genre way outside of his comfort zone — with Jaimie Goodwin from Season 3. The emotional dance (and fantastic lighting) won over the judges. "Dancing isn't about pointing your feet," said Nigel, defending Cyrus from viewers who complained the untrained dancer was too inexperienced to compete. (However, Nigel made no mention of Dareian Kujawa, the fantastic dancer who was kicked off because of his flat feet last week.) Benjamin said to Cyrus, "You have raw energy" and was "so compelling."

Chehon Wespi-Tschopp, 23, is a ballet dancer, but loosened up to dance hip-hop with Lauren Gottlieb from Season 3. Nigel thanked the choreographer "for taking the stick out of" Chehon, who the judges often complain looks too "trained." Mary said the performance could have been "a little more funky," but was a good step in the right direction for Chehon. Benjamin enjoyed the "spontaneous"-looking number.

Nineteen-year-old George Lawrence II, a contemporary dancer, danced a Broadway number with Season 2's Allison Holker. Benjamin thought George "attacked every step with a vengeance," and all three judges agreed George has "amazing technique." However, Nigel thought George's performance, which was supposed to be raunchy, was "a little immature." He added, "I didn't believe the character."

Ballerina Eliana Girard, 22, and Alex Wong from Season 7 got a standing ovation from the judges for their slowed-down contemporary performance. "You are proving to be my favorite girl this year," said Nigel. Benjamin said, "Your performance was driven by so much passion." "By far my favorite routine tonight," said Mary.

Jazz dancer Audrey Case, 18, and Stephen "tWitch" Boss from Season 4 were vampires emerging from a casket in a funky, comical number. Though Mary thought Audrey was eye-catching, Benjamin "thought it was a little bit unfair" to be paired with tWitch, one ofSYTYCD's best-ever hip-hop dancers. "I wanted more from you," he told Audrey.

After all the dancers performed, the bottom four were revealed:

Witney, who had one of the judges' favorite routines last week; Chehon, Witney's partner in that routine; Audrey, who got lukewarm reviews last week; and George, who got extremely positive feedback last week. All four performed solos for survival.

After a performance from Benjamin's L.A. Dance Project, two were sent home.

Nigel, who said the judges "were not unanimous this evening," saved Witney and — because he "takes our breath away" — Chehon.

Prince Harry Caught Partying Naked in Las Vegas (VIDEO)

  The prince hit up several exclusive pool parties over the weekend (with Ryan Lochte, no less) and was seen chatting with plenty of bikini-clad fans. But the party moved inside on Friday night, TMZ reports exclusively, where Prince Harry brought a large group back to his VIP suite for a game of strip billiards -- and got totally naked. WARNING: The photos below contain near full-frontal nudity and may not be safe for viewing at work. In the leaked photos obtained by TMZ, Prince Harry (or a pale redhead man who looks a lot like him) appears cupping his crotch and tackling another billiards player sans clothes. The only thing he seems to be wearing, in fact, is a pendant necklace, the same one he wore later to the pool on Saturday. According to TMZ, a royal rep said, "We have no comment to make on the photos at this time." Behind the scenes over in London, we can imagine some serious freak-outs. Back in April, the media was quick to note that Pippa Middleton's gun scandal would be a headache for the royal family. But an actual heir to the throne caught with his pants (and everything else) off? We're guessing Queen Elizabeth II will be none too pleased...

WWE SummerSlam 2012 Match Full Video Results

Three SummerSlam match results have already featured championships up for grabs. In the special live streaming pre-show online, a new United States Champion was crowned when Antonio Cesaro defeated Santino Marella. Cesaro had assistance from his WWE diva girlfriend Aksana, who managed to distract Santino from the apron enough to allow her man to get the win. The duo celebrated in the ring with a cellphone after the win.

Two other championship matches went down during the main Pay-Per-View. In one, current Intercontinental Champion The Miz, defended his title against Rey Mysterio. Miz managed to toss Rey into the top turnbuckle face first, before hitting his finisher, the Skullcrushing Finale. Miz remains the champion as he will soon be promoting his upcoming movie.

Another champion managed to defend his title as Sheamus put the World Heavyweight Title on the line against Alberto Del Rio. This math saw some controversy in the finish. As Ricardo Rodriguez got pulled into the ring, he tried to assist Del Rio by tossing his shoe over to him. However it was The Celtic Warrior who got the shoe and used it to clock Del Rio with the referee distracted. Moments later, Sheamus hit the Irish Curse for the pinfall, and despite Del Rio getting a leg on the bottom rope, the referee missed it. Sheamus remained champion with Del Rio fuming over the finish.

Other matches on the night saw Daniel Bryan steal a win versus Kane by rolling him into a small package pinfall to counter a tombstone piledriver, and Chris Jericho putting Dolph Ziggler into Walls of Jericho to make him tap out. With all of those matches finished, it leaves the main events including Triple H battling Brock Lesnar in a highly-anticipated fight, as well as CM Punk defending the WWE title in a Triple Threat match.

WWE's 2012 SummerSlam results will be shown on Pay-Per-View via cable, satellite or live streaming internet feed until 11PM EST.

London Olympics 2012 Closing Cermony -- Videos

The London Olympics closed with a tuneful and star-studded celebration Sunday night that highlighted the city and its people, music and culture.
Sixteen days after the queen (not really) leapt from a helicopter over Olympic Stadium and Paul McCartney led the crowd in a singalong to open the games, the party was back on in front of 80,000 people.
"Let us in let us in!" the British rower Anna Watkins tweeted as the athletes waited to enter the stadium in the first hour.
You could hardly blame the gold medalist.
The Who headlined the ceremony, but weren't the only big-name talent in the building.
Sharing the bill were The Kinks' Ray Davies, Annie Lennox, the Pet Shop Boys, surviving members of Queen, the Spice Girls, George Michael, Fatboy Slim and Liam Gallagher's band Beady Eye. The comedians Russell Brand and Eric Idle had parts.
All the hallmarks of a closing ceremony were there, including set pieces and pyrotechnics and a Summer Games handoff to the first South American city ever to host an Olympics, Rio de Janeiro.
Athletes entered as a group instead of country by country like in the opening ceremony and the spectacle ran shorter than the one that kicked off London's record-setting third Olympics hosting gig on July 27.
That ceremony played out in the shadow of Beijing's standard-setter four years ago, and stood up just fine. But while it highlighted accomplishments of key British figures and the British people, the closing ceremony paid homage to London and all its quirks.
A day in the life of the city from early-morning rush hour to sunset was dramatized by the physical theater group Stomp playing iconic London landmarks like they were instruments above a set covered in newspaper print.
An actor playing Winston Churchill popped out of Big Ben like a jack-in-the- box and gestured toward the royal box. Queen Elizabeth wasn't in attendance, but Prince Henry sat next to IOC president Jacques Rogge, who presided over his last Olympics.
"You have showed the world the best of British hospitality," Rogge later told the crowd. "These were a happy and glorious games."
The ceremony was a concert.
Davies performed the anthemic Kinks song "Waterloo Sunset" -- an ode to London that proved perfectly wistful.
"Dirty old river, must you keep rolling/Flowing into the night," the song begins. "People so busy, makes me feel dizzy/Taxi light shines so bright."
It goes on: "But I don't need no friends/As long as I gaze on Waterloo sunset I am in paradise."
Later, a choir sang John Lennon's "Imagine" as 101 puzzle fragments formed a likeness of the late singer-songwriter on the stadium floor.

USA Basketball Defeats Spain [107 - 100]To Win Gold Medal At London Olympic

There may still be no doubt of that after the Americans 107-100 victory at North Greenwich Arena, but Team USA's second consecutive gold medal game win over Spain was hardly a leisurely ride down the adjacent River Thames. The Americans led by one at the half, trailed briefly in the third quarter and never really had a comfortable margin.

As good as Spain is with Pau Gasol, Marc Gasol, Rudy Fernandez, Juan Carlos Navarro and Serge Ibaka - all either current or former NBA players - when the U.S. replaces All-Star with All-Star, it wears down an opponent. It might be possible to stop one star. But to stop one after another after another?

The U.S. has won 14 of the 16 gold-medal games in which it has played and is now 130-5 in Olympic games. The U.S. has now won 17 consecutive Olympics games and furthered distanced itself from the bronze-medal debacle at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Not coincidentally, the U.S. turnaround in this decade began when Jerry Colangelo took over as USA Basketball's chairman in 2005, stabilizing the program by naming Mike Krzyzewski coach and securing long-term commitment from the USA's best NBA players.

The ability of James, Chris Paul and Deron Williams to create open shots for themselves and others, namely Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony and Kobe Bryant - made it near impossible for an opponent to stop the U.S. from scoring.

While the rest of the world has closed the gap in 20 years since the 1992 Dream Team at the Barcelona, James, Bryant, Anthony, Durant, Deron Williams, Chris Paul and the rest ensured the world lags behind. With Colangelo's leadership, the U.S. is in outstanding shape headed into the 2014 World Cup in Spain and the 2016 Rio Olympics, especially given the tentative plan not to make the competition 23-and-under for Rio.

FIBA secretary general Patrick Baumann said, "It would probably be premature right now …… to make any changes in the Olympic program.

"The feeling is that we will not be proposing an under-23 for 2016."

That sounds good to NBA players, such as Bryant, James and Durant, who have bought in to the USA Basketball do not want to see an age limit.

Earlier Sunday, Russia beat Argentina 81-77 for the bronze medal. It was the Russians' first Olympic basketball medal since 1988 when the Soviet Union won gold. That was the last Olympics before professional basketball players were allowed to compete.

UFC 150 - Main Event PPV Fight Video

UFC 150 is set to take place on Saturday from the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colo., and while the entire card is certainly enticing to any fan of mixed martial arts, there are a few fights that reside above the rest and deserve the "can't-miss" label.

It simply isn't possible for UFC to put on an event in which every single fight is great, but Saturday's card appears to be very deep and should keep fans entertained throughout the night. The top of the card is especially good and could very easily produce several Fight of the Night candidates.

Here are the three best potential UFC 150 fights that you won't want to miss on Saturday night.

U.S. women's basketball wins fifth straight gold

LONDON -- With smiles on their faces and gold medals hanging from their necks, Diana Taurasi gathered Tamika Catchings and Sue Bird together late Saturday night at North Greenwich Arena.

The three shook hands.

Who knows what time and upcoming talent will do to the pact the players made to return for a fourth Olympics at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games? But this much is as clear and convincing as the U.S. women's basketball team's 86-50 victory over France: What a run it is.

"I usually don't get very emotional when we win," Taurasi said. "But for some reason when I was walking through the arena afterward it hit me: 'You know this might be my last. It also might not be.' But after three of them, they're really hard, even if you win by 30.

"The whole process is really difficult to try to get 12 really good players to buy into one thing. It takes a lot of effort and sacrifice. But in the end, we succeeded."

Indeed, the most dominant program at these Games posted its 41st straight Olympic triumph and collected an unprecedented fifth straight gold medal. Fittingly, all 12 players scored, a testament to the depth that defined this 8-0 run with an average margin of victory of 34.3 points.

The 36-point victory marked the largest margin for a gold-medal game in Olympic history.

Candace Parker's 21 points and 11 rebounds led the balanced offensive effort, and swarming defense forced France into 28% shooting with 21 turnovers. Captain Celine Dumerc, who helped lead France to its first-ever basketball medal, managed just two-for-10 shooting and often couldn't even initiate offense due to harassing defense from Taurasi and company.

Parker was dominant in the second quarter, scoring 11 points, including a run of six straight that featured a coast-to-coast drive and a nifty finger roll to close.

"Candace was huge," Bird said.

Parker averaged 10.5 points, one of four players to score in double figures in these Olympics. Taurasi's 12.4 points-per-game average led.

And when it ended, emotion washed over all.

"It does feel different," Taurasi said. "As you get older, maybe you reflect a little more on everything you had to overcome to get you here. I looked back at all the things I've been through — good, bad, personal, on the court. And it was a good feeling."

With 11 points, Bird also reached double figures. She will be 35 when the Rio Games arrive.

"For me, Dee [Taurasi] and Catch [Catchings], it's pretty special to experience this three different times," she said. "They're great players. They're great people. It's been a good ride.

"We had a handshake. I don't know what handshakes mean. Ask me in three years. It'll depend on how I feel. There's so much talent in the U.S. There might be some little point guard who comes up and kicks my butt."

Taurasi will be 34 for the 2016 Games. Catchings, the oldest player on this team, will be 37.

"Each experience has been so different," Catchings said. "First, I had role models I had with Dawn [Staley],Lisa [Leslie] and Sheryl [Swoopes], and then the second time I got a little more responsibility, and then this year stepping into a leadership role and trying to help the younger players. It just builds off our legacy and the players and teams that came before us and are still to come."

Taurasi, as is her nature, wouldn't let go. Granted, the program remains in capable hands. This year's team got huge contributions from the 26-year-old Parker, the 23-year-old Maya Moore and the 23-year-old Tina Charles.

Video - Usain Bolt, Jamaica Win 4x100-Meter Relay Gold Medal, Set World Record

Usain Bolt put an exclamation point on his performance at the London Olympics with another gold medal and another world record.

Running the anchor leg in the men's 4x100-meter relay, Bolt helped the Jamaican team win the gold medal in 36.84 seconds, a new world record. Just days after declaring himself "the greatest athlete to live," the charismatic 25-year-old sprinter went back to work bolstering his argument.

Bolt received the baton from teammate Yohan Blake and then left behind Ryan Bailey of the United States to reach the finish line ahead of the field. The United States won the silver in 37.04 seconds, a new national record. Canada finished the race third but was disqualified, giving the bronze to Trinidad and Tobago.


Nesta Carter ran the opening leg for Jamaica, followed by Michael Frater. Neither sprinter had previously competed during the London Games. The two runners who next carried the baton for Jamaica, however, have made frequent appearances on the medal stand: Blake and Bolt.

Blake finished runner-up to Bolt in the 100 meters and 200 meters before running up behind him during the relay with the baton. After a clean transition, Bolt blew open what had been a tight race between the U.S. runners and Jamaica.

"I knew it was over when I saw Yohan [Blake] catching Tyson Gay," Bolt told reporters after the race. "I knew it was over because I knew [Ryan] Bailey could not outrun me on the straight."

Mexico vs Brazil [2-1] Full Match Highlights I Mexico Wins Soccer Gold Medal

Mexico’s performances have improved throughout the tournament, and El Tri seems to be peaking at just the right time. Unfortunately, standout striker Giovani Dos Santos will miss the final with a leg strain, which will make winning that little bit harder. Still, of all the 16 teams, Mexico alone looks like it could upset Brazil’s quest for gold.

Oribe Peralta and Marco Fabian will likely start up front, while Miguel Ponce could fit the bill as Dos Santos’ replacement. Like Brazil, Mexico is also looking for its first gold medal at soccer and has beaten Brazil in two other finals­ the 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup and the Under-17 World Championship in 2005.

And then there’s Brazil. The team has everything you’d fear from previous teams–a wobbly goalkeeper (Gabriel replaced Rafael Cabral on the eve of the tournament and looks like a kid who’s won a “keep goal for Brazil” contest), and some suspect defending has left the Brazilians needing to win games simply by scoring more goals than they concede.

And they have bagged three goals per game.

This game is a huge test for Brazil. The squad will form the nucleus of Brazil’s World Cup team in 2014, a tournament they’ll be both hosting and expected to win. Manolo Menezes also knows that a win today will give him some breathing space from the press and public. Lose, and the prospect of a pink slip increases.

“We all know that we need to win the gold,” Menezes said. “Brazil has to win every tournament it plays, it needs to win every match it plays, even if it’s a friendly. And this time even more because it’s it’s something the nation has never won before.” (That first scoop of muesli is on us.)

Brazil’s players have also been at the forefront of a sluggish European transfer window ­ Lucas Moura has snubbed Manchester for the lights of Paris and the petrodollars of Paris St. Germain, Oscar has joined Chelsea, while the leading scorer, Leandro Damaio, and the aptly-named Hulk are also the subjects of intense transfer speculation. The big prize remains Neymar, who has the pick of the world’s clubs waiting for him, should he choose to leave home.

U.S. Women's 4x100-Meter Relay Team Win Gold

Tianna Madison, 200-meter champion Allyson Felix and Bianca Knight gave the U.S. a big lead heading into the anchor leg by Jeter, who already owned a silver medal from the 100 and a bronze from the 200 in London.

Their final time cut more than a half-second off the old record of 41.37 run by East Germany in 1985.

Jamaica won the silver medal Friday in a national record of 41.41 seconds, with 100 champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Sherone Simpson, Veronica Campbell-Brown and Kerron Stewart bringing the baton around.

The bronze went to the Ukraine in 42.04.

With Knight approaching for the final handoff, Jeter took nine strides, reached her hand back and took a perfect exchange. Jeter was staring at the clock as she covered the final 10 meters and used the stick in her left hand to make sure everyone else also had their eyes trained on the bright orange numbers on the trackside clock.

Afterward, the quartet of champions paused to watch a replay of their record performance on the scoreboard at 80,000-seat Olympic Stadium. When Jeter was shown crossing the finish line, Knight punched the air.

The perfect trip around the track ended a string of disappointments for the U.S. in the event. At Beijing four years ago, the Americans didn't even reach the final because Torri Edwards and Lauryn Williams bobbled the last exchange in the semifinals.

That marked the first time since 1948 that the U.S. wasn't involved in the women's 4x100 medal race at the Summer Games.

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Carmelita Jeter and Allyson Felix have been battling head-to-head throughout the 2012 Olympics, but on Friday the two best American runners were able to put their substantial talents together in leading the United States to a gold medal in the women's 4x100-meter relay race in world record time, finishing in 40.82 seconds. The team blew past the previous record of 41.35, set by East Germany in 1985.

Jeter has the overall medal lead on Felix at these Games, winning a silver in the 100-meter dash and bronze in the 200 meters. She added a third to that collection thanks to Team USA's impressive run today.

What Felix has lacked in overall success—which is a relative term since she now has two medals—she has made up for in wins. Unlike Jeter, she already had a gold medal to wrap around her neck thanks to a victory in the 200-meter race on Wednesday.

Team USA entered the race as one of the favorites to medal, especially after posting the fastest time in qualifying at 41.64 seconds. That was nearly seven-tenths of a second better than Trinidad and Tobago in the first heat.

Granted, there are a lot of teams that will pull up late as long as they know they qualified for the finals, but that is still an impressive margin of victory under any circumstances.

This is sweet redemption for the Americans. Four years ago, Team USA didn't even make it to the finals of this event after being disqualified in the first round.

All it took was four years, and a new collection of talent, but the United States was able to find itself with a medal in the 4x100-meter relay once again.

1 United States 40.82
2 Jamaica 41.41
3 Ukraine 42.04
4 Nigeria 42.64
5 Germany 42.67
6 Netherlands 42.70
7 Brazil 42.91
8 Trinidad and Tobago DNF

Mariana Pajon Wins BMX Gold Medal 2012 London Olympics

Mariana Pajon, Colombia's flag bearer at the opening ceremony, earned her country their first gold medal of the London Games when she thundered to victory in the women's BMX event on Friday.

Pajon, who had dominated her three semi-final runs in awe-inspiring fashion, led the eight-rider strong field after the first bend and never looked back.

New Zealand's Sarah Walker took silver and Dutchwoman Laura Smulders claimed bronze while local hope Shanaze Reade settled for sixth.

She finished just behind Caroline Buchanan of Australia, the BMX time trial world champion.

Pajon, who blew kisses to the capacity crowd, told reporters: "I can't believe it.

"It's like a dream come true. I've been trying to win this my whole life. I just wanted go out of the gate and win it. It's unbelievable."

On a very tricky course, Pajon once again used her explosive start to take the early lead, which proved unassailable for her rivals.

"I have tried so hard for it and I just did it," she said. "I won the three motos (runs) and the final. I felt really strong, I had really good gates and that's it. I really had fun on it. I have to wake up tomorrow and realise what I have just won."

Manteo Mitchell U.S. 4x400M Runner Finishes Olympic Relay After Breaking Leg

Manteo Mitchell heard the POP! and knew it wasn't good. "It felt like somebody literally just snapped my leg in half," he said.

The American sprinter had 200 meters to go in the first leg of the 4x400-meter relay preliminaries Thursday and a decision to make: keep running or stop and lose the race. To him, it was never much of a choice.

He finished the lap and limped to the side to watch the Americans finish the race and qualify easily for the final. A few hours later, doctors confirmed what he suspected: He had run the last half-lap with a broken left fibula.

"I heard it and I felt it," Mitchell told The Associated Press. "But I figured it's what almost any person would've done in that situation."

Mitchell finished his heat in a more-than-respectable 46.1 seconds, and the United States tied the Bahamas in the second heat in 2 minutes, 58.87 seconds – the fastest time ever run in the first round of the relay at the Olympics.

The 25-year-old sprinter from Cullowhee, N.C., said he was diagnosed with a complete break of the left fibula – but it was not a compound fracture and the bone is expected to heal on its own in four to six weeks.

He knew what the stakes were when he lined up to run the first leg of his first Olympics. The Americans have won gold in the last eight long relays they've entered at the Olympics.

"Even though track is an individual sport, you've got three guys depending on you, the whole world watching you," Mitchell said. "You don't want to let anyone down."

He said he slipped on the stairs a few days ago in the athletes village but didn't think much of it. Training went well and he felt good when he lined up to kick things off for the Americans. He said he was feeling great, as well, when he looked at the clock while approaching the 200-meter mark, somewhere in the high-20 or low-21-second range.

Usain Bolt Wins Gold In 200 Meters Final

Bolt's countryman and training partner, Yohan Blake, gave it his best shot. But, in the end, Bolt remains the guest of honor on the track at the London Olympics just as was in 2008 at the Beijing Games.

Running the 200 meters in a blistering 19.32 seconds, the 25-year-old Jamaican track star won his second consecutive gold medal in the event. Blake won the silver, crossing in 19.44 seconds, with the bronze going to Warren Weir, also of Jamaica, in a time of 19.84 seconds.

"It's what I came here to do," Bolt said after winning the 200 meters, via The New York Times. "I'm now a legend. I'm also the greatest athlete to live."

Bolt is the first man to win two Olympic titles in the 200. He's also the first man to twice sweep the 100 and the 200. And he's been telling us all week that he was going to pull it off.

CLICK HERE for complete results from 200m final

After repeating as gold medalist in the 100 meters, Bolt let everyone know, including Blake, that he'd be taking the 200 as well.

"I've told Yohan Blake that 200 meters will be different, because that's my signature event," Bolt told reporters after winning his first gold medal at the London Olympics. "I'm not going to let him beat me again. I've said that to him already."

Real Madrid Vs Ac Milan 5-1 All Highlights

Real Madrid Vs Ac Milan 5-1 All Highlights And Goals 8-8-2012 HD real madrid-milan 5-1 real madrid 5-1 ac milan ac milan vs real madrid 1-5 milan-real madrid cf 1-5 ac milan 1-5 real madrid cristiano ronaldo goals di maria goal

Allyson Felix Wins Gold In 200M

Denied twice on the world's biggest stage, Felix won the Olympic gold medal she's been yearning for, taking the 200 meters Wednesday night to fill in the last, and biggest, hole in her otherwise stellar resume.

Felix won the race in 21.88 seconds, topping Jamaica's Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who won the 100 four nights earlier, by .21 seconds. American Carmelita Jeter added bronze to go with her silver in the 100 meters.

One more spot back was Jamaica's Veronica Campbell-Brown, who defeated Felix in the Athens and Beijing Games and was trying to become the first woman to win the same individual track and field event in three consecutive Olympics.

Instead, the Americans were the ones celebrating three straight.

Felix's win was quickly followed by Aries Merritt's victory in the 110 hurdles and Brittney Reese's long jump title.

Felix won easily, leaving nothing to chance - or a coin flip - as she burst ahead of Fraser-Pryce with 40 meters to go.

May-Walsh get their perfect ending, a third gold medal

Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh did the impossible Wednesday at the beach volleyball venue. It wasn't that they won their third consecutive Olympic gold medal after splitting up, getting injured and having two babies (Walsh was responsible for that).
That's all quite impressive, but that's not their truly remarkable achievement of these Games. No, that would be something far grander, cutting to the very essence of their sport, to be remembered long after they have hung up their bikinis:

These two made us take beach volleyball seriously.
n the last match they said they'll ever play together, May-Treanor and Walsh won that third gold medal when they defeated fellow Americans Jennifer Kessy and April Ross 21-16, 21-16 at beautiful Horse Guards Parade.

They end their Olympic run with a 21-0 record, stretching from Athens in 2004 through Beijing in 2008 to, finally, London.

Even Michael Phelps lost a race or two in his Olympic career. Not these two.

Beach volleyball players look to be having too much fun to be working as hard as other Olympic athletes, but talk to a couple of the foes vanquished by the greatest Olympic beach volleyball duo ever and it's interesting how quickly real, raw sport intrudes in the conversation.

"They really squashed us," Ross said.

"They are the best team of all time," Kessy added. "It doesn't feel too bad being second to them right now. I don't even know if they made any mistakes."

A few moments later, May-Treanor and Walsh came along to meet with news reporters and were told that Kessy had said they were basically perfect.

"You could tell us that on our best day, and we'd still disagree," May-Treanor said.

"Yeah," Walsh said, looking at her partner, "but what would you say, like truly? I'd give me a B."

"Like a B-plus," May-Treanor said.

"She played amazing," Walsh said. "That's why it's a great partnership."

USA Aly Raisman Wins Olympic Gold In Gymnastics Floor Exercise

Raisman won gold with her gorgeous floor exercise routine and bronze on balance beam Tuesday while the rest of the Americans came up empty-handed.

Miami’s Danell Leyva finished fifth on high bar, behind gymnasts whose routines were even more gravity-defying than his.

“We just didn’t have the stuff those crazy, amazing guys had,” Leyva said. “When I saw my score, I knew it wouldn’t be enough.”

Epke Zonderland of the Netherlands won the first Dutch gold medal in gymnastics since 1928 with a 16.533-point routine that had a start value seven-tenths of a point higher than Leyva’s. Silver medalist Fabian Hambuchen of Germany and bronze medalist Zou Kai of China also incorporated more difficulty in their maneuvers than the Americans and hit them all in a display of virtuosity that had fans inside North Greenwich Arena roaring their approval. Leyva’s score was 15.833 and Jonathan Horton (15.466) of Houston finished sixth.

Leyva won the sole medal for the U.S. men, capturing bronze with his dramatic comeback in the all-around event Tuesday.

“We just have to go home and get stronger,” Leyva said. “Before you get to the Olympics all you think about is gold, gold, gold. I’m extremely happy with my bronze because of the way I won it. But I’m not satisfied.”

Nor were the men happy with their fifth-place team finish, especially after they had placed third at world championships. But Horton said with Leyva and John Orozco still reaching for their prime, the United States should be able to convert its potential in the coming years.

“We had a young team that experienced the Olympic Games,” said Horton, who won two medals in 2008. “Mistakes were made, but we had to learn from this. I think we’ve awakened a sleeping giant because the U.S. can be a giant in this sport.”

The American women proved they are the team to beat with the team title and Gabby Douglas’ all-around gold — a double that was a first for the U.S. women. They nicknamed themselves the “Fierce Five” in a nod to the last U.S. team to win Olympic team gold, the “Magnificent Seven” of 1996.

Then Raisman finished with a red, white and blue flourish. Her floor routine was so clean she mopped up her erring opposition, and that included teammate Jordyn Wieber, the reigning world champion who was expected to dominate the podium in London. But Wieber didn’t qualify for the all-around final, scoring fewer points than Douglas and Raisman. Then, during her chance at individual gold on floor, she stepped out of bounds and flubbed a landing on her first two tumbling passes and had to settle for seventh place.

She frowned afterward at her 14.5 score and shouted, “Go, Aly!”

Raisman sprang across the floor with impressive height and snap. She mixed in clever dance moves and concluded with a thunderous run and perfectly timed, graceful split jump.

As Raisman came off the floor, Mihai Brestyan — her coach at his suburban Boston gym — pumped his arms and lifted her in a hug. Wieber patted her on the back.

“I felt like I had nothing to lose,” she said. “It was going to be my last memory of London, so I wanted to make it count and enjoy it.”

The five gymnasts who followed couldn’t match her 15.6 score. When Sandra Izbasa of Romania crash-landed, the usually ultra-composed Raisman knew she had won and broke into a big smile.

“It was definitely the best floor routine that I’ve ever done,” Raisman said. “It was the best feeling ever. That’s what you work for your whole life.”

Raisman won the first Olympic gold for an American woman. She finished fourth in all-around, missing a medal in a tiebreaker with Russia’s Aliya Mustafina. But on Tuesday a ruling in her favor enabled her to bump Romania’s Catalina Ponor from third to fourth on balance beam.

After Raisman’s initial score of 14.966 was shown, U.S. team coordinator Martha Karolyi and husband Bela requested a video review. Judges added a tenth to her difficulty, which tied her with Ponor, but Raisman got third on the basis of her higher execution score.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/08/07/2938872/aly-raisman-closes-strong-for.html#storylink=cpy

Taoufik Makhloufi wins men's 1,500 meters Gold Medal 2012 London Olympics

Taoufik Makhloufi of Algeria wins Olympic gold medal in men's 1,500 meters. Algeria's Taoufik Makhloufi claimed gold in the men's 1,500 meters Tuesday at the London Games, while Leonel Manzano of the United States won silver with a strong kick to the finish line.

Makhloufi won the race with a time of 3 minutes, 34.08 seconds and Manzano was .71 seconds behind for silver. Abdalaati Iguider of Morocco was next with a run of 3:35.13, beating Matthew Centrowitz of the U.S. by .04 seconds for the bronze.
All three men on the podium are first-time Olympic medalists.Centrowitz was ahead of his teammate during the final lap before Manzano stormed down the final stretch for silver.The Mexican-born and Texas-raised Manzano failed to make it to the final race four years ago in Beijing.Asbel Kiprop of Kenya, the defending Olympic and world champion, finished 12th out of 12 runners with a time of 3:43.83. New Zealand's Nick Willis, silver medalist in Beijing, placed ninth.

U.S.A vs. Canada Women's Soccer Highlights - Final Score 4-3

The first half was, in comparison to the second, fairly quiet. The USA dominated the early exchanges, although not to the level that they would have liked, but Canada took a surprising lead in the 22nd minute when Melissa Tancredi fed Christine Sinclar in the US box. Sinclair jinked past Christie Rampone and blasted the opener in at Hope Solo's near post. It was the first goal Solo had allowed in more than six hours of football.

After falling behind, the USWNT stepped up several gears, really stretching the Canadian defence, and although Erin McLoed was never really tested before the break there were a couple of close calls after headers from Abby Wambach and the impressive Alex Morgan. Goals were coming, but it took until the second half for them to arrive.

The US kept up their fast and furious pace after the interval, pushing Canada well back into their own half and keeping them on the back foot. But the inevitable goal still came as a complete surprise, because it ended up going in straight from a Megan Rapinoe corner:



That's a pretty embarrassing goal for Canada to concede, and with the mood that Rapinoe was in it probably wasn't an accident -- the defence left a gaping hole at the near post, and the winger picked it out perfectly.

But Rapinoe wasn't the only player on top form. Christine Sinclair had already scored a goal and ensured that the match didn't remain level for long, rising over the USA defence on a very high cross to power in a header off Solo's right post to make it 2-1 thirteen minutes after Rapinoe's equaliser.

And then Rapinoe did it again, taking down a cross-field pass near the edge of the penalty box before rifling home a shot that left McLeod totally helpless before bouncing off the post and barely over the line. Less than three minutes had elapsed between Sinclair pulling Canada ahead (again) and Rapinoe equalising. We wouldn't wait long until the next goal either, as Sinclair completed her hattrick with another header in the 73rd minute, beating Solo with a header that was a virtual carbon copy of her second goal.

Then things got... odd. You never see the six-second rule for goalkeepers, which is intended to prevent time-wasting, enforced. Ever. It was here, with the USA earning an indirect free kick in the 79th minute after Erin McLeod apparently held on to the ball for too long. From that free kick, the USA then earned a penalty when Rapinoe blasted a shot against Marie-Eve Nault's arm, which was covering her face. It's not entirely clear whether the free kick call or the penalty were correct, but that was hardly Wambach's concern, and the 32-year-old crashed her spot kick off the woodworkand in to make it 3-3.

Wambach had a chance to win the game for the US shortly thereafter when Alex Morgan ripped open the Canada defence and sent in a cross which took McLeod completely out of the picture only for the striker to volley well wide at the far post. Canada had their chances towards the end of the game as well -- Sophie Schmidt should probably have done better with a last-minute header that ended up directed straight at Solo.

After ninety minutes there was nothing to separate the two sides, and the match went to a thirty minutes of extra time which could probably be best described as 'exhausted'. The chances had dried up somewhat, with both sides using most of their energy in the second period, but Wambach should have done better when she managed to wriggle clear for a free header in the box, managing only a tame header to McLeod's left.

By the halfway point of the second half, Canada were running on fumes and the US were enjoying the vast majority of possession. But they couldn't break through a well-organised defence, and the game continued its seemingly inexorable march towards a penalty shootout. Heather O'Reilly managed to provide a moment of interest by wiping out Desiree Scott in the centre circle, somehow managing to avoid being called for a foul despite hyperextending the Canadian midfielder's knee and leaving her in a heap on the ground. The stretcher was called out, but, incredibly, Scott sent it away and staggered to her feet, playing on despite the obvious pain.
Canada were very nearly punished in the final minute of extra time after the ball squirted out to Morgan on the left. As she'd done all match, Morgan punched her way through the defence and then sent in a cross for Wambach. The resulting header looked lazy, but it was nearly perfectly placed, forcing McLeod into a backwards scramble before the goalkeeper's fingertips helped the shot onto the crossbar.

And then, finally, their resolve broke. Alex Morgan deserved a goal for her phenomenal efforts, and she got one right at the death. There was virtually no time left in the match when O'Reilly swung in a cross, and Morgan rose over a phalanx of white shirts to plant a header past McLeod. That dramatic goal made it 4-3 with what was essentially the last action of the game. It was high drama, and it was enough to put the USA into the final against Japan, a rematch of Japan's win in the 2011 World Cup.

Michael Phelps Finishes London Olympics Program With Gold In 4x100-Meter Medley Relay

Swimming the butterfly leg for the U.S. team in the men's 4x100-meter medley relay, Phelps has completed his program at the London Olympics -- and his swimming career -- with yet another gold medal. That makes 18 gold and 22 total medals over four career trips to the Olympics, including a pair of unprecedented individual three-peats. Having accomplished more than any other Olympian in history, the 27-year-old from Maryland is ready to walk away.

"I told myself I never want to swim when I'm 30," Phelps told reporters after his final race, making it clear that he won't be back in the pool for the 2016 Olympics. "No offense to those people who are 30, but that was something I always said to myself, and that would be in three years. I just don't want to swim for those three years."

Entering the London Olympics, the U.S. had never lost the 4x100-meter medley relay. The American team swam in the fourth lane after recording the fastest qualifying time (3:32.65). Turning over the team after that performance, the swimmers representing the U.S. in the final were among the most impressive of the London Games. Phelps swam the fly leg and was joined by Matt Grevers (who had won gold in backstroke), Nathan Adrian (who won gold in freestyle) and Brendan Hansen (who won bronze in the breaststroke). Not surprisingly, this star-studded quartet captured the gold medal, finishing in 3:29.35.

Leading off with the backstroke, Grevers staked the U.S. team to an early lead. Swimming second, Hansen swam the breaststroke but surrendered the lead to the Japanese team. The U.S. trailed only briefly, however, as Phelps grabbed first place back. In the anchor leg, Adrian extended the lead that Phelps' delivered. According to Swimming World, this was a "textile best" time for the men's 4x100-meter medley relay.

UFC Shogun" Rua vs. Brandon Vera

LOS ANGELES – Mauricio "Shogun" Rua vs. Brandon Vera was impressive, but in a different way.

Whereas the co-main event in the UFC's four-man title sweepstakes featured sudden, jaw-rattling violence, the main event of UFC on FOX 4 showcased the hearts of two men forced to climb a higher mountain, cardiovascularly speaking, than their counterparts.

In the end, Rua outlasted Vera, earning fourth-round TKO in the main event of UFC on FOX 4, which took place Saturday at Staples Center in Los Angeles and aired live on FOX.

Rua's war of attrition left the audience lacking in breath, but Lyoto Machida's co-main event knockout of Ryan Bader earned the nod from UFC president Dana White, who announced that "The Dragon" will face the winner of Jon Jones vs. Dan Henderson at UFC 151 in September.

Afterward, an exhausted Rua criticized his performance in the fight, which was scheduled for five rounds.

"I got tired from the second to the third round more than I expected," the Brazilian light heavyweight said through a translator.

Rua could hardly be blamed, though, for relying upon his energy reserves. After trading kicks with Vera early on, Rua pulled out a surprise when he took the fight to the mat. The two then engaged in a spirited grappling exchange with Rua finishing the round with strikes from top position.

But it was the second round that quickly defined the fight as a war of attrition. Rua charged with heavy punches only to meet sneaky counters from Vera in close. Vera eluded stoppages on two separate occasions, regaining his wits after taking heavy punches. As the round wore on, both men appeared to be running low on gas.

Rua found refuge again in the clinch, where he smothered Vera in the third. But when Vera escaped, Vera landed his best combinations of the fight, smacking Rua with one-twos punctuated by stiff leg kicks.

A desperate Rua took the fight to the ground and caught his breath before landing a few glancing shots at the end of the frame.

Battered and exhausted, Rua and Vera traded blows in the fourth before Rua landed a stiff left hand that rocked Vera. Another left hook landed clean, and a one-two dropped "The Truth." Referee Herb Dean saw enough at the 4:09 mark of the fourth round.

The two men hugged after the fight and exchanged smiles.

"I fight for my fans," Rua (21-6 MMA, 5-4 UFC) said. "My fans are my motivation."

The win puts another classic in the bank for Rua, a former light heavyweight champ who most recently was outpointed by Henderson at UFC 139. Vera (12-6 MMA, 8-6 UFC), meanwhile, goes to 1-3 with one no-contest in his past five outings, but won't be wanting of work after his gutsy performance.

Team USA Vs. Lithuania Final Score: LeBron James Saves Americans In 99-94 Win

LeBron James scored 9 of his 20 points in the final four minutes for the U.S. (4-0), which had looked nearly invincible in thrashing Nigeria 156-73 on Thursday night and breaking several records. But the Americans were reminded that the path to the gold medal is loaded with traps and Lithuania nearly sprang one.

"You want to get tested. The best teams want to be tested. We love the competition," James said. "I think we've got some of the greatest competitors in our league, in this world, so you want to have a game where you feel like you were tested, and we had that today."

Carmelo Anthony added 20 points, Kevin Durant 16 and Chris Paul added seven rebounds, six assists and four of the U.S. team's 17 steals.

Linas Kleiza scored 25 to lead Lithuania, which led by 84-82 with 5:50 to play. After the U.S. took a three-point lead, Lithuania would not go away and pulled within 87-86 on Darius Songaila's bucket with 4:12 left.

That's when James, who has already won an MVP trophy and NBA title this year, took control of the offense.

"I've been kind of doing everything else, which I'm OK with. I'm here to do all the little things, do whatever this team needs, especially from Coach K's perspective, but like I told you guys I can also score," James said. "I'm blessed and happy that I was able to make a few buckets down the stretch."
James knocked down a 3-pointer from the top of the key, and after Paul stole the inbounds pass, James took a pass down the right side and delivered one of his trademark dunks, a basket that brought the American players off the bench and seemed to restore world basketball order.

Serena Williams Beats Maria Sharapova In Final, Wins Gold Medal In Olympic

Serena Williams became only the second woman to complete a career Golden Slam, winning the most lopsided women's final in Olympic history Saturday by beating Maria Sharapova 6-0, 6-1.

The victory completed a remarkable run of domination by the No. 4-seeded Williams, who lost only 17 games in six matches en route to her first singles gold medal. She went 13-0 this summer at the All England Club, where she won her fifth Wimbledon title a month ago.

The career Golden Slam was first achieved by Steffi Graf, who did it when she won at the Olympics in 1988 after sweeping all four major titles. Williams can add the gold medal to her 14 Grand Slam singles championships, the most of any active woman.

And she's not done in London. Williams and her sister Venus, pursuing their third gold in doubles, were scheduled to play in the semifinals later Saturday.

It took the No. 3-seeded Sharapova 45 minutes to win a game, and by then she trailed 6-0, 3-0. Williams dominated with her serve and repeatedly blasted winners from the baseline, taking a big swing with almost every stroke despite gusty conditions on Centre Court.

The wind was so strong it blew the U.S. flag off its pole during the medal ceremony.

When Sharapova wasn't lunging or whiffing as the ball whizzed past, she was caught off-balance trying to block back shots at her feet. Williams finished with 10 aces, 24 winners and only seven unforced errors.

Sharapova completed a career Grand Slam in June by winning the French Open, but Williams beat her for the eighth consecutive time. The most one-sided previous women's final was in 1920, when Suzanne Lenglen of France beat Dorothy Holman of Britain 6-3, 6-0.

Top-seeded Victoria Azarenka of Belarus won the bronze by beating No. 14-seeded Maria Kirilenko of Russia 6-3, 6-4. Sharapova's loss allowed Azarenka to retain the No. 1 ranking.

Oscar Pistorius Reaches Men's 400-Meter Semifinals

Oscar Pistorius, a 25-year-old South African and probably the most celebrated track athlete at the Games this side of Usain Bolt, made his much-anticipated Olympic debut a resounding success Saturday morning, when Pistorius, the first double-amputee to compete in the Olympics, ran his 400-meter heat in 45.44 to advance to Sunday night's semifinals.
Announced to the Olympic Stadium crowd by both his name and nickname ("The Blade Runner"), Pistorius received a massive ovation from the 80,000 fans, and then ran a blistering lap around the red track, every step of it on his J-shaped carbon-fiber prostheses.
"It was just an amazing experience," Pistorius told hundreds of waiting reporters from around the world. "It's moments like this when you step back and say, 'Wow, I've been blessed by the Lord.'"
Pistorius' time was his second fastest of the year, and enabled him to finish second in his heat. He was the 16th fastest of the 24 qualifiers for the semifinals.
"It just show me my coaching staff has done a great job getting me to peak at the right time," Pistorius said.

Born without a fibula in both legs, Pistorius has been a world-class runner for several years, having qualified for the world championships last year and making it to the semifinals. Track's international governing body barred him from running against able-bodied competition early in 2008, arguing that his lightweight prostheses actually gave him a competitive advantage. The decision was overturned in May, 2008 by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which ruled that there was no credible evidence to indicated Pistorius had an unfair advantage.
Pistorius was officially named to the South African Olympic team one month ago. He will run in the 4 x 400 relay, as well.
"He motivates all of us," said Bryshon Nellum, the U.S.'s top qualifier for the semis, with a time of 45.23. "For him to continue to run against people with legs, it's unbelievable."
With a day to prepare for the Olympic semifinals, Pistorius, who was smiling so much he said his cheeks were beginning to hurt, apologized and said he had to go.

Will Ferrell calls Kristen Stewart a 'trampire' (Video)

Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson’s crumbling relationship has been on the minds of all Twilight fans, but did anyone think to ask Campaign actor, Will Ferrell, how he feels about the scandal?

Ferrell appeared on Conan to promote his newest film in which he co-stars with Hangover actor Zack Galifianakis. Ferrell appeared visibly distraught, and when Conan asked what was wrong, he explained that he was upset about the current scandal involving Pattinson and Stewart, fearing that they will break up Fox News reports.

“[Kristen Stewart] had a boyfriend, right? Robert Pattinson, he's R.Pattz,” he explained to Conan O'Brien. “And they're broken up. They're not going to get back together ever,” Conan explained, via E! News.

Ferrell, upset by Conan’s allegations, responded, “It's not going to be fine, ever. What they had was so special, you don't even know! You would never know!” He continued sobbing, “She's a trampire! That's what she is.”

And this isn’t the first time Ferrell was upset about the situation. Earlier, on MTV’s tr3s, the actor reportedly dissed Stewart saying that she “ruined Camelot” and that he would “punch her in the face” for breaking Pattinson’s heart

Michael Phelps Wins Gold In 100-Meter Butterfly

In the last individual race of his career, Phelps surged from the back of the field in the final 50 meters to claim gold in 51.21 seconds. Chad Le Clos of South Africa and Evgeny Korotyshkin of Russia finished in 51.44 seconds to tie for silver.

"I'm just happy that the last one was a win," Phelps told reporters after the race. "That's all I really wanted coming into the night."

Having also won gold in the 100-meter fly in 2004 and 2008, Phelps now has accomplished a pair of three-peats during the London 2012 Olympics. A day before winning the 100-meter fly in thrilling come-from-behind fashion, Phelps bested teammate Ryan Lochte for gold in the 200-meter individual medley. That triumph established Phelps as the first male swimmer to win the same individual event in three consecutive Olympics. With his 100-meter fly win, he's pulled the trick twice.

"He didn't have it on his goal sheet, but for me that was important," Phelps' coach Bob Bowman said of the three-peat. "I always wanted him to do three just because that was cool."

If one unprecedented treble was "cool" then what is there to say about two?

For U.S. swimmer Missy Franklin, the word that came to mind was "possible."

After breaking a world record en route to a gold medal in the women's 200-meter backstroke, the 17-year-old Franklin spoke about the impact of Phelps' success on his fellow swimmers.