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| ROOKIE RYAN HUNTER REAY IN BEST FINISH OF HIS CAREER 8.11.03 memo menos Rookie CART driver RYAN HUNTER REAY started the race in 2nd position at the Mid-Ohio Grand Prix, and when it was all over 92 laps later, he finished in 3rd, the best result of his short career. Two PLAYER-FORSYTHE drivers finished ahead of him, the first time that team closed with a one-two finish. PAUL TRACY, with his 6th victory on the circuit this year, won the race for the first time after finishing second 4 times previously. Teammate PATRICK CARPENTER finished second. TRACY holds a 20 point lead over BRUNO JUNQEIRA in the overall standings. JUNQUEIRA was knocked out of the race in the 12th lap by ORIEL SERVIA, who tried an ill advised pass in a crowded curve, early in the action. REAY’S best finishes prior to this were 7th in Long Beach in April and 6th in Vancouver in July. He is 14th in the overall standings. |
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On a hot Wednesday afternoon in Hollywood, elite athletes across all sports categories gathered at the home of the Academy Awards to honor their athletic achievements in the last year at the 11th Annual ESPY Awards. Fans were treated to sights of the hottest names in sports all dressed up in their best gear. Some familiar faces from film and television also attended the kudos fest.  Movie star, Jamie Foxx hosted the event. SERENA WILLIAMS won her first two ESPY Awards, the Anaheim Angels won best team, Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ JON GRUDEN won best coach and LANCE ARMSTRONG was named best male athlete.  The event included an appearance by LE BRON JAMES, the phenom high school b-baller who signed with the CLEVELAND CAVALIERS, and already boasts endorsements approaching $100 million without even taking a shot as a professional. JAMES was reluctant to talk to the press, and zoomed by on the red carpet. CARMELLO ANTHONY, who vaulted for the NBA after leading Sryacuse to the NCAA title in his freshman year, won BEST COLLEGE ATHLETE, and did do media in the pressroom. Anthony revealed that all the hype surrounding fellow rookie James has helped relieve some of his media pressures. Anthony said, “it makes my transition a little bit easier, not a lot but a little bit easier.” Instead of worrying about the press Anthony works on keeping his body right, improving his conditioning and practicing  basketball “all day, every day.”The show included highlights from the year, a new theme song and music video to match, “LET’S GET WILD”, some provocative gowns sported by SERNEA WILLIAMS-she designed it herself, and presenter LARA FLYNN BOYLE-she borrowed it from a friend now that she is unemployed, and some pretty funny stuff from host FOXX, and even funnier stuff form presenter GEORGE LOPEZ backstage.. When asked where she will keep her awards Ms. Williams said, “I have two, so I’ll keep one in Florida and one in L.A.” The  tennis star will be back in Hollywood to test her prowess as an actress. She has already appeared on “My Wife and Kids”. Now, she is on board to appear in “Street Time” and will play a character totally opposite her own feminine personality. She will play a parolee and former gang member.George Lopez had the press howling during his time on the hot seat. He played baseball as a child but his grandparents didn’t allow him to play football because they thought he’d get hurt. He said, “when Mexicans get that big, 340 pounds and 6’5”, we have to become Mariachis so [his grandmother] knew that instead of the NFL I had a future as entertainment at the El Torito.” He also confessed he likes golf and plays “just to piss white people off.” NBA fans recognized Flynn-Boyle not  from her role on ABC’s “The Practice” but for her courtside seat alongside the most-well known Laker fan at Staples Center. Naturally, she was asked about the Lakers off-season acquisitions KARL MALONE and GARY PAYTON. She responded, “ I don’t know. I’m a little worried. I was a Bulls fan at first. So, we were really happy when the mailman didn’t deliver on time in Chicago. Quite frankly, Gary Payton, the same thing. I know him going back to the Bulls. It is exciting to bring in people that PHIL JACKSON is aware of. At the same time, I do worry about age. And I’m allowed to say that, I’m an actress and they say the same thing about me.” But the big moment of the night was when KOBE showed his face, along with wife VANESSA at the awards show. BRYANT had originally been slated as a presenter, but the events in his personal life caused the producers to pull him from the lineup. There was speculation KOBE wouldn’t attend, pending the decision by Colorado officials as to whether he would be charged criminally in the alleged sexual assault that occurred June 30th on a trip KOBE made to have arthroscopic surgery on his knee.KOBE and VANESSA bypassed the red carpet, and did not allow themselves to be within visual reach of the press. Security for the after-party, which originated at the Kodak  Theater complex, and then moved on to a swanky hotel nearby, was tight. KOBE seemed to be enjoying himself, as the cameras caught his reaction to the show on several occasions.The images were in direct contrast to his tearful press conference just 2 short days later from Staples, where KOBE asked for support and forgiveness for his guilty act of “adultery”, but not “rape”. The images of KOBE from the ESPY’S might indeed be the last time we see KOBE smiling and chillin’ for quite some time. |
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