Homework #16, Due Friday, September 25th!

Read the following sidebars about the Jets. Explain in 4-7 sentences why each article is a local story, not covered nationally.

Watch highlights of the game here -- be sure to search videos by team and look for the Jets.

See you in class!

-Mr. Donohue

COACH EXPECTS BRETT TO PLAY
By STEVE SERBY

Eric Mangini said he is confident Brett Favre's Iron Man streak will continue Sunday against the Cardinals.

"Brett usually plays," Mangini said on a conference call. "I would anticipate the same."

Favre rolled his soon-to-be 39-year-old left ankle in the third quarter of the Jets' 48-29 loss to the Chargers in San Diego on Monday night and was rehabbing last night following more tests. Mangini was asked how much of his optimism was based on Favre's legendary toughness - 256 consecutive starts - and how much was him knowing the severity of the injury.

"I think it's elements of both," Mangini said. "I think if there's any way he can play, he'll definitely play."


Eric Mangini: Onside good call

BY OHM Youngmisuk
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Tuesday, September 23rd 2008, 8:30 PM

Eric Mangini did not second-guess his decision to attempt an onside kick early in the second quarter down 17-14 against San Diego.

"In that situation, I would definitely do it again," Mangini said on his conference call Tuesday night. "We had six players over there. Outside the numbers they had one. We had two blockers for their one player, and we didn't execute as well as we should have, but in terms of sheer numbers, it was a really good situation.

"I thought the kick was excellent," Mangini continued. "The look was right, felt good about the kick, it was the right time in the game in terms of momentum. After looking on tape, I would do the same thing again."

The onside attempt backfired as the ball went through Wallace Wright's hands and San Diego recovered before eventually scoring five plays later to go up 24-14 en route to a 48-29 win.

This isn't the first time Mangini has called a surprise onside kick and failed. In a 10-0 loss to the Bears in 2006, Mangini attempted an ill-fated onside kick to start the second half.

HW #15, Due Thursday, September 24th!

For Thursday, read the Mariano Rivera sidebar story. Explain why you think a newspaper chose this as a sidebar piece to the main story. (5-7 sentences).

See you in class!

-Mr. Donohue

Mariano Rivera honored to close out era at Yankee Stadium
BY ROGER RUBIN
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Mariano Rivera woke up Sunday wishing for a ninth-inning lead. Sunday night, he got what he wanted and gave Yankee fans the ending they wanted so badly to see. The Yankees' closer ran in from the bullpen to the strains of "Enter Sandman," then shut down the Orioles with a perfect ninth inning to close out the Bombers' win in the final game at Yankee Stadium.

"This time I didn't know how to control my adrenaline," Rivera said, standing on the mound after the team's victory lap. "It was too much. It was overwhelming."

Rivera said he was sad that he would never pitch again from that mound where he has enjoyed so many historic moments. And when asked if he wanted to take some of the dirt home for a memento, he smiled wide and said: "I'm going to. I'm going to get a bucket."

On Thursday, Joe Girardi said he thought the only appropriate way to close the Stadium would be with Rivera pitching the ninth, but Sunday night Rivera conceded he wouldn't have wanted to do so in a loss.

"A lot of great moments for me happened right here so it had to be (a) winning situation only," Rivera said. "I didn't want to if we were losing. I wanted to be the last guy to stand on this mound. ... I can't believe I will never pitch on this mound."

Rivera knew that there was no way to predict how the game would unfold or how he would feel when it was over. It turned out neither the game nor its aftermath disappointed.

"I have experienced World Series, I have experienced All-Star Games, you name it," he said, "but this is something special. We wanted to do it for the fans of New York, the best fans in baseball. We definitely needed to do it for them and I was glad we were able to do it."

Rivera got groundouts to shortstop and second base before inducing Brian Roberts' game-ending grounder to Cody Ransom at first base. Ransom handed him the ball, but Rivera said he will not keep it.

"This ball is going to the people who deserve it," he said. "It's going to the Steinbrenner family and Mr. George. He gave me this opportunity, to wear this uniform. The least I can do is give this ball to him."

HW #14, Due Wednesday, September 24th!

For Wednesday, finish your free throw contest game story. That's 250-300 words typed or neatly hand-written.

See you in class!

-Mr. Donohue

Homework #13, Due Tuesday, September 23rd!

Read the article below about team USA's gold medal game. Can you tell the writer's opinion at any one (1) point?

Also, be sure to work on your game stories about the free throw shoot out.

See you in class!

-Mr. Donohue


USA Basketball Returns to the Top

By PETE THAMEL

BEIJING — With their elbows locked, smiles iridescent and extreme image makeover complete, the United States men’s basketball players took their final step into Olympic lore in the most appropriate way — together.

They pulled one another up to the gold medal podium on Sunday after a 118-107 victory over Spain in an old-fashioned shootout that could long resonate as a standard for international play. After hammering their opponents by an average of 30.2 points through their first seven games, the Americans outlasted the Spaniards in their first wire-to-wire test of the Olympics, a game as aesthetically pleasing as it was entertaining.

The United States never trailed in the second half but did not officially put Spain away until Dwyane Wade, unofficially the best player in these Olympics, drilled a 3-pointer with 2 minutes 2 seconds remaining.

Wade, who led the team with 27 points, stayed in that spot for a second and posed with his hands on his hips and a cocksure grin. If there was ever a night for the Americans to show off a bit, this was it: They had completed their long journey back from a disappointing bronze medal at the 2004 Athens Games.

Carmelo Anthony, a veteran of Team USA, said the squad had put “American basketball where it’s supposed to be — on the top of the world.”

After embarrassing the United States on and off the court in Athens, this so-called Redeem Team lived up to its moniker with vigor. The players guarded as if their meals depended on it, shared the ball as if they were starring in “Hoosiers” and made not even a wisp of trouble off the court.

Their performance here validated the formula of USA Basketball’s managing director, Jerry Colangelo, who had dozens of the country’s best players commit to the program for three years. The players’ defensive zeal and camaraderie were a testament to just how far the Americans had come from the petulant and selfish group in 2004.

“The fact that we had this team for three years was the telling difference in this game,” Colangelo said. “It was a great game. It was a pressure game from the get-go, and we never cracked. The fact that we were together for this period of time was the difference.”

They needed that resolve as Spain stayed in the game with a flurry of Juan Carlos Navarro teardrops, Pau Gasol lobs and Rudy Fernandez 3-pointers. Fernandez finished with 22 points and Gasol added 21 after looking soft in Spain’s 37-point loss to the Americans during pool play.

But the Spanish team settled for silver and also inherited the title as the most controversial basketball team of these Games. Spanish players posed for a picture in a newspaper advertisement that the International Olympic Committee deemed “clearly inappropriate,” because they had pulled the skin behind their eyes in a gesture that many felt mocked Asians.

They were also relentlessly whiny during this game, throwing a towel on the court to protest a non-call and earning two technical fouls in the final minute. Ricky Rubio, the 17-year-old point guard sensation, kicked a chair in protest of a non-call and later earned one of the technical fouls. In the end, Gasol complimented the Americans for coming together.

“They gave a better feeling of a team,” he said.

And afterward, the Americans had a chance to tell everyone about it as a team. Just as they planned to walk up on the podium with their arms locked, the entire team showed up at a news conference designed to accommodate no more than six people.

They complimented Spain’s valiant play but talked about how their shared experience of the past three years had allowed them to fend off every Spanish run.

The United States shot 60 percent from the field. Aside from Wade’s late 3-pointer, Kobe Bryant came through with numerous clutch fourth-quarter shots. After Spain had cut the lead to 2 points in the fourth quarter and forced Coach Mike Krzyzewski to call a timeout, Bryant hit a shot that started a 12-2 run. He later made a 3-pointer to boost the lead to 8 with 3:10 remaining, putting his finger over his lips to quiet the crowd.

“Everybody wants to talk about N.B.A. players being selfish and arrogant and being individuals,” Bryant said. “Well, what you saw today was a team bonded together, facing adversity and coming out of here with a big win.”

The victory appears to portend well for USA Basketball. Although Krzyzewski is not likely to return as head coach, Bryant is one of five core players — Chris Bosh, Chris Paul, Deron Williams and Dwight Howard are the others — who said they would gladly return to play in London in 2012. LeBron James, Anthony and Wade said they would consider it when they must decide.

“I think it’s important to play for the national team now,” the assistant coach Jim Boeheim said. “I think that’s what Jerry wanted to do. That was the whole goal.”
The other goal was to end up atop the podium. Along they way, they contributed to an instant classic of a game.

“It’s going to elevate the image of basketball worldwide,” Colangelo said. “It was one of the great games of all-time in Olympic history. The quality and caliber of player in this championship game was extraordinary. The bar has been raised, and it’s going to be even better next time around.”

Homework #12, Due Monday, September 22nd!

For Monday, read the article below about Jason Kidd and USA men's basketball team. Explain if you think it is a "good article" in 5-7 sentences. Remember to consider all of the elements of journalism we have discussed.

See you in class!

-Mr. Donohue


Kidd Guides U.S. Past Argentina and Into Final

By PETE THAMEL

BEIJING — In the United States basketball team’s Olympic waltz through Asia, Jason

Kidd has essentially been a ceremonial starter and spare part. The early insertions of the back-up Chris Paul have served as a metaphoric passing of the torch from one generation’s great point guard to the next.

But on Friday, with the United States finally finding itself in a competitive game, against Argentina in the Olympic semifinals, Kidd showed the value of having an old sage around.

The 101-81 American victory came only after the 35-year-old Kidd took control of the halftime locker room, then dissected Argentina’s zone in a 12-4 run to start the third quarter. Perhaps more important, in a game filled with loose elbows and lips, Kidd brought the poise needed to settle his teammates.

“This is why I’m here, to keep everyone’s composure,” Kidd said. “Those other games were dress rehearsals; these are the ones that count.”

The Americans will play Spain, which it beat by 37 points in pool play, for the gold medal on Sunday. Spain beat Lithuania, 91-86, in the other semifinal behind a scintillating fourth-quarter performance by the 17-year-old point guard Ricky Rubio.

In the first real drama this American team has seen this tournament, it was the older Kidd settling down his younger teammates.

Argentina played most of the game without the star guard Manu Ginóbili; he left in the first quarter with an apparent left ankle injury and did not return. But Kidd’s presence was needed because the veteran forward Luis Scola elbowed his way to a game-high 28 points, and the Americans led by just 9 at halftime. That is when Kidd told each starter exactly where he needed them to be for the start of the second half.

Argentina’s zone had lulled the United States into settling for too many 3-pointers, and the lead shrank from 18 points to 6 in the second quarter. But thanks to Kidd’s passing, Dwight Howard got two easy shots in the lane early in the third quarter, including a ferocious dunk.

Aside from spacing and spots, the other result of Kidd’s halftime speech was to encourage LeBron James to be a bit more selfish. James drove to the basket and buried a 3-pointer as the United States went on its run to start the second half.

Kidd might have only attempted six shots in the United States’ seven victories here, but his work has not been lost on Coach Mike Krzyzewski. He went directly to Kidd in the postgame locker room to congratulate him on his savvy performance.

“He played his best game,” Krzyzewski said. “That third quarter, especially the start of the second half, was critical for the win. I think Jason was the primary guy making that happen.”

Kidd’s presence transcended the stat sheet. After Carlos Delfino hit Howard in the post for an intentional foul at the 7:03 mark of the third quarter, Carmelo Anthony went to Howard’s defense. Kidd immediately intervened, pushing Anthony so hard he nearly drove him from the key to halfcourt.

“Their game plan was to try to get in our heads tonight,” Anthony said. He added: “I’m glad we kept our composure tonight. It could have got ugly out there.”

But Kidd would not let it happen. His role in Friday’s game highlighted how well constructed this team was. In 2004, when the Americans spiraled to a bronze, neither of the team’s starting guards, Stephon Marbury or Allen Iverson, had the ability to corral and regroup the team.

“If you would have put this game back in 2004, maybe it’s a different outcome just because of maturity level and what’s at stake,” Kidd said.

Throughout this run, Kidd has enjoyed his role as the wise old man among his young and supremely talented teammates. And when credit came his way, he deftly deflected it.

“I picked the right horses,” he said of his teammates. “It’s a great honor to be a part of this team. At 35, this is my last go-around. To say that I can play for a gold medal and play with this group of guys, it’s unbelievable.”

The moshing in the post and chatter on the perimeter gave this contest the intensity of a gold medal game. And it might be remembered as that because the Spanish looked impotent on offense against the American pressure in their first matchup.

“I feel sorry for them,” said guard Deron Williams, referring to the Spanish team.

“We’re going to be ready. If you think we’ve played hard these past seven games, wait until Sunday.”

Scola, who dominated in the interior, gave Spain a simple game plan against the Americans.

“They jump higher, they run faster and they’re stronger,” Scola said. “You’ve got to play ugly.”

And if it gets ugly for the Americans on Sunday, expect the crafty Kidd, whose skills are more cerebral than physical, to be there to bail them out.

HW #11, Due Friday September 19th!

For Friday, read the article below about the USA men's basketball team and explain if you think it is a "good article" in 5-7 sentences. Remember to consider all of the elements of journalism we have discussed.

See you in class!

-Mr. Donohue

U.S. Men’s Basketball Team Shows How Far It Has Come

BEIJING — If there was a bellwether game to determine just how much the United States men’s basketball team had progressed since the 2004 Athens Olympics, none in these Games offered a better opportunity than Thursday’s matchup against Greece.

Since its meltdown in Athens, the team has gone 21-1. That loss came to Greece in the semifinals of the 2006 world championship in Japan and forced the United States to settle for a bronze.

The American players were giddy when Greece ended up in their pool for the Olympics, and they backed up their talk with a 92-69 flogging that clinched a spot in the medal round.

“We’re 10 times better,” LeBron James said when asked to compare this team to 2006.
Kobe Bryant and Chris Bosh each scored 18 points to lead the United States, with Dwyane Wade adding 17 points, 6 steals and 5 assists in another show-stealing performance.

The United States made Greece look like just another overmatched opponent, hammering transition dunks seemingly at will and toying with Greece to the point where Jason Kidd attempted to throw an alley-oop off the backboard midway through the third quarter.

The performance rekindled memories of some of the dominant American Olympic teams of yesteryear. While the Greeks and other countries caught up to the United States in the last decade through better Olympic systems and more cohesive teams, this victory reminded the world that superior talent and athleticism can disrupt the best organizations.

The United States forced 25 turnovers and outscored Greece by 28-4 off the turnovers. The Americans’ best moments in this tournament have been with Wade and Bosh, who both come off the bench, on the floor.

Greece ran 42 of its trademark pick-and-rolls in the teams’ 2006 matchup. On Thursday, it did not get half of that number, with the activity of Wade on the perimeter and Bosh inside keying a disruptive defense.

“That’s our identity, no doubt,” Wade said of the United States’ suffocating defense. “We’re not going to win if we don’t play defense the way we did tonight.”

For all the changes, both in structure and attitude, that USA Basketball has made in reinventing itself since the last Olympics, the most glaring can be seen by glancing at the box score. Consider that the dysfunctional duo of Allen Iverson and Stephon Marbury started at guard in the 2004 Olympics and the starting backcourt for the Greece loss in 2006 was Kirk Hinrich and Joe Johnson.

Kidd and Bryant started at guard Thursday. And while Kidd’s starting has become something of a ceremonial gesture in these Olympics, that is still a gargantuan backcourt upgrade.

After looking sloppy and uninspired at times in its first two games, the United States played its best game of these Olympics. The United States led by 19 at halftime and rendered the second half a formality.

“They had big motivation,” Nikolaos Zisis of Greece said. “They lost to a small country overseas.”

Bosh blocked Vasileios Spanoulis’s 3-point shot as time expired in the first half and spiked the ball to celebrate as the horn sounded. The scene summed up a half in which the United States dominated the Greeks with overwhelming physical superiority and a well-executed defensive game plan.

The United States ran off a succession of fast-break baskets, many off Greek turnovers. The prettiest came when Wade stripped a Greek player, sprinted to his left to save the loose ball and in the same motion tossed a perfect lob pass to Bryant for a dunk.

“Until you get on the court with us, you can’t understand how fast we are as a team,” James said.

Wade entered the game as the team’s leading scorer and dazzled again. He has been the United States’ best player in these Olympics, a surprise considering how he endured an injury-plagued and unproductive N.B.A. season.

“He trained and trained and trained to get ready for these Olympics,” James said. “And he’s shown how good he is.”

Greece has no current N.B.A. players, but the team is considered the Hoosiers of the Adriatic for how well it plays together. Still, it is difficult to run a succinct offense that starts 30 feet from the basket, and that is what the American defense forced Greece to do. The United States harassed and hounded the Greeks so relentlessly that few Greek possessions had the flow that proper execution requires.

“U.S.A. forced us to make a lot of turnovers and got easy baskets,” Coach Panagiotis Giannakis said, summing up the game’s most prominent story line.

The United States plays Spain, the second-most talented team in the Olympics, on Saturday. The Spanish have Pau Gasol at center and a trove of talented and N.B.A.-caliber guards like Juan Carlos Navarro, Rudy Fernández and José Calderón. The game will serve as a bigger challenge and another touchstone in the development of this American team.

“This is a good team we beat tonight,” Wade said. “We had to come out and prove to ourselves we got better. And we did.”

HW #10, Due Wednesday, September 16th!

For Wednesday, read "Eight For Phelps". Rewrite the lead to this story and come up with 3-5 interview questions for Phelps.

See you in class!

-Mr. Donohue


EIGHT FOR PHELPS
By KAREN CROUSE

BEIJING — With the help of his teammates on Sunday, Michael Phelps surpassed Mark Spitz, 36 years after Spitz’s record haul of seven gold medals at the Munich Games. The United States won the 4x100-meter medley relay in 3:29.34, a world record, for Phelps’ eighth gold medal of the Beijing Games.

Phelps swam the third — the butterfly — leg of the relay. His teammates were Aaron Peirsol (backstroke), Brendan Hansen (breaststroke) and Jason Lezak (freestyle). Australia took silver and Japan the Bronze.

How fabulous was Phelps’s feat? At Sunday’s start, Phelps would have ranked fourth in gold medals, ahead of all but 14 countries in the medal count. Every time Phelps dived into the water for a final here, the ripples extended into every corner of the Water Cube. On Friday, Andrew Lauterstein of Australia won the bronze medal in the 100 butterfly. Standing on the medals podium alongside Phelps, Lauterstein said he was thrilled to have had a cameo role in this recording of history.

Phelps had won his seventh gold medal on Saturday in dramatic fashion in the 100-meter butterfly, by out-touching Serbia’s Milorad Cavic.

Phelps was timed in 50.58, a personal best and an Olympic record. Cavic, a California-Berkeley graduate, was one-hundredth of a second behind. Phelps had caught Spitz by a whisker, tying Spitz’s record haul from the 1972 Munich Games and earning a $1 million bonus from Speedo, one of his sponsors.

With the win, he tied Spitz’s record of seven gold medals in one Olympics. His first six golds were all world records, but No. 7 came down to grit.

About two hours after the 100-meter butterfly, NBC’s Bob Costas interviewed Spitz, via satellite from Detroit, and Phelps, who was still poolside. Spitz said he had wondered what he would say at this monumental time.

“The word that comes to mind is epic,” Spitz said. “What you did tonight was epic, and it was epic for the whole world to see how great you really are.

“I never thought for one moment that you were out of that race,” he added. “That is a tribute to your greatness.”

Spitz went on to talk about role models, and how he admires Phelps not only for his swimming abilities, but also for the type of person he is.

“You weren’t born when I did what I did, and I’m sure I was a part of your inspiration, and I take that as a full compliment,” Spitz said. “They say that you judge one’s character by the company you keep, and I’m certainly happy to keep company with you.”

Phelps responded with admiration for Spitz, the man whose record he has been chasing for several years. In Athens four years ago, Phelps won six golds and two bronzes.

“There have been so many greats who have come before me, and what Mark did is still amazing,” he said. “It’s a very hard thing to accomplish. I think it shows whatever you put your mind to, you really can accomplish.

“When Mark won seven, he put his mind to something and he did everything he could to get there, and it’s the same thing with me.”

Homework # 9, Due Tuesday, September 16th!

Read "Phelps wins 7th gold" and come up with 4-7 questions you would ask Phelps after his victory.

See you in class!

-Mr. Donohue

Phelps Wins 7th Gold With 0.01 to Spare

By KAREN CROUSE

BEIJING — After 3,200 meters and 16 races, Michael Phelps’s pursuit of Mark Spitz came down to a single stroke. With five meters to go in the 100-meter butterfly final Saturday morning, Phelps realized he had misjudged the finish.

He had two choices: glide to the wall, kicking like crazy, or take an extra, awkward half-stroke. To his left, Milorad Cavic was having the race of his life. Phelps, who was seventh at the turn, had no room for error.

Most swimmers would have impulsively chosen to glide, but Phelps proved by the slimmest of margins what sets him apart. Following his instincts, he took an alligator-arm stroke and touched the wall. Cavic, a California-born Serb, hit the timing pad in full glide.

Both swimmers spun around and stared at the video screen. In the moment it took the scoreboard to unscramble the results, the tension inside the National Aquatics Center was palpable.

Phelps was timed in 50.58, a personal best and an Olympic record. Cavic, a California-Berkeley graduate, was one-hundredth of a second behind. Phelps had caught Spitz by a whisker. It was his seventh gold medal, tying Spitz’s record haul from the 1972 Munich Games and earning him a $1 million bonus from Speedo, one of his sponsors.

“I’m really at a loss for words,” Phelps said. “I’m excited. I just don’t know what to say.”

Serbian swimming officials had plenty to say, protesting the result. Officials from FINA, the sport’s international governing body, broke down the video to the 10-thousandth of a second, then upheld Phelps’s victory. “It’s very clear that the Serbian swimmer touched second after Michael Phelps,” the FINA referee Ben Ekumbo said.

FINA’s executive director, Cornel Marculescu, said the Serbian team was then given the chance to watch the footage themselves and did not choose to take their protest to the second and final level by seeking recourse from a jury of appeal.

The race awakened echoes of the men’s 100 butterfly final in 1988 when another Berkeley product, Matt Biondi, lost a late lead and the gold, by the same wafer-thin margin, to Anthony Nesty of Suriname.

Cavic, 24, described it as “the most devastating loss you can have at the Olympics.” He added: “People will be bringing this up for years. They’ll say, ‘You won this race.’ ”

He was just getting warmed up. “If we got to do this again,” he said, “I would win it.”

Cavic will never be confused with a shrinking violet. Before this week, his claim to fame was getting himself barred from the European championships for wearing a T-shirt on the medal stand that read, “Kosovo is Serbia.”

On Friday, after posting the fastest time in the semifinals, a 50.92, Cavic said it would be good for the sport if Phelps was thwarted in his bid for eight gold medals. Phelps’s coach, Bob Bowman, read Cavic’s quote Saturday morning and debated whether to share the comment with Phelps.

He had a flashback to the Athens Games in 2004, when Phelps’s margin of victory over Ian Crocker had been four-hundredths of a second. This race also figured to be tight, as only 35-hundredths of a second separated the top four qualifiers. Bowman decided to play the quote card.

“When Bob told me, I was like, O.K,” Phelps said. “When people say things like that, it fires me up more than anything.”

When will swimmers learn not to take pokes at Phelps? Before the 4x100 freestyle relay final on Monday, Fred Bousquet of France talked trash about the Americans. The United States team got the last word, with Phelps setting an American record in his leadoff leg and Jason Lezak reeling in the Frenchman Alain Bernard in the final meter.

The Americans’ margin of victory in that race was eight-hundredths of a second, which seemed almost cushy compared to Saturday’s finish. Phelps has won every which way this week — by large margins in the 400-meter individual medley, 200 freestyle and the 200 individual medley and by standing on the deck in the 4x100 and 4x200 freestyle relays. He even won the 200 butterfly with his goggles filled with water.

It boggled Phelps’s mind to think he had won back-to-back Olympic golds in the 100 butterfly by a total margin of five-hundredths of a second. “I guess my two finishes over the last four years have been pretty good,” he said.

Cavic was left to wonder if he should have shaved his knuckles. After his warm-up, Cavic said his coach, Mike Bottom, came to him with a pair of clippers and shaved the hairs behind his neck, as if he knew Cavic was going to be neck-to-neck with Phelps. “Everything counts,” Cavic said, “but again, with one hundredth of a second it’s something you can’t show.”

For the first time in these Games, Phelps failed to set a world record in a final, falling 18-hundredths of a second shy of the three-year-old mark held by Crocker, who was fourth in 51.13. On this day, touching out Cavic and drawing even with Spitz was plenty good enough.

“It seems like every day I’m in a dream world,” Phelps said. “Sometimes you have to pinch yourself to see if it’s real.”

In a joint interview on NBC, Spitz told Phelps, “What you did tonight was epic,” adding later, “I never thought for one moment you were out of that race.”
During Phelps’s news conference after the race, a reporter said to him: “Obviously you are the king. I’m sure you’re going to have eight medals. What’s your next dream?”

The woman was speaking accented English, but the 23-year-old Phelps looked as if something had been lost in translation. He never counts his victories before they are won, not even when his eighth gold is riding on Sunday’s 4x100 medley relay, which the Americans have never lost at a non-boycotted Olympics.

“It’s not over yet,” said Phelps, who will swim third in the relay, on the butterfly leg. “I really think the Australian team looks great for the relay. It’s going to be a great race.”

Phelps loves the chase. If he passes Spitz, he will not rest long. There is always another goal to go after.

HW # 8, Due Monday, September 15th!

For Monday, read the Michael Phelps article below. Pull the 5Ws and H from story, create an inverted pyramid, write a new lead for the story and a new headline.

Steps for writing a lead and for writing a headline are in the post below this one.

See you in class!

-Mr. Donohue

Lezak, Not Phelps, Puts On a Show

By KAREN CROUSE

BEIJING — Would Michael Phelps’s bid for eight gold medals in the Beijing Games dissolve in a pool at the Water Cube on Monday? The answer was a resounding No.
Not over Jason Lezak’s 32-year-old body.

Lezak, swimming the anchor leg of the United States’ 4x100-meter freestyle relay, hit the water a half-second after Alain Bernard of France, who came into the race as the world-record holder in the 100-meter freestyle.

“I knew I was going to have to swim out of my mind,” Lezak said, adding, “I had more adrenaline going than I’ve ever had in my life.”

Dragging off Bernard, who was hugging the lane line that separated them, Lezak made up ground, but with 25 meters remaining it appeared as if he would run out of pool. Trailing Bernard by half a body length, Lezak put his head down and surged to the wall.

A three-time Olympian, Lezak had been in this predicament before. He anchored the American 4x100 relay teams at the 2000 and 2004 Olympics that came up short. This time, he was part of a photo finish.

When the water settled, the giant video scoreboard showed that Lezak had out-touched Bernard by 0.08 of a second. Phelps’s pursuit of Mark Spitz’s record of seven swimming gold medals in one Olympics remained alive with a little help from his mates. Lezak’s split of 46.06 seconds was the fastest anchor leg ever, by 0.73, and his personal best by over 1.2 seconds.

“His last 50 meters were absolutely incredible,” Phelps said. “He had a perfect finish.”

After Lezak touched, Phelps, who swam the first leg, raised his arms and let out a primal scream. Garrett Weber-Gale, who swam second, came up from behind him and swallowed him in a hug.

The United States was timed in 3 minutes 8.24 seconds, shattering by nearly four seconds the world record that its B team had set the previous night. France won the silver in 3:08.32. Australia, benefiting from a world-record setting lead-off swim of 47.24 from Eamon Sullivan, was third.

Bernard, who in a matter of minutes lost the 100 world record to Sullivan and the relay gold to Lezak, was bereft. He broke down in tears in the pool and later in the mixed zone.

His teammate, Frederick Bousquet, who split a blistering 46.63 on the third leg, said, “We believed in the gold medal until the end.” He added, “The touch made the difference and experience overcame talent.”

Though not well-known outside of swimming circles, Lezak, a native Southern Californian, has a reputation in USA Swimming for being the Mariano Rivera of sprinters. “Jason is the most phenomenal closer I’ve ever seen in my life,” said Cullen Jones, who swam the third leg.

After making the turn, Lezak said he momentarily lost the courage of his convictions. Bernard had a 0.6 of a second lead and Lezak was not sure he could reel him in. “I’m not going to lie,” he said. “The thought really crossed my mind for a split-second, ‘There’s no way.’ ”

Then he reminded himself that he was representing his country and this was the Olympics and he was not getting any younger so he had to make the most of this chance. “In five seconds I was thinking all these things,” Lezak said. “And I got a super charge.”

With his surge, Lezak kept alive Phelps’s drive to break Spitz’s record and collect a million-dollar bonus from Speedo. Asked if he would demand a cut if Phelps succeeds, Lezak grinned and joked, “We’ve already talked about that.”

Phelps, 23, was timed in 47.51 on the first leg, an American record, nearly half a second faster than he clocked at the United States Olympic trials but behind Sullivan's 47.24. Only the first relay leg can qualify for records because it comes with a traditional standing start. Phelps joined his teammates in the ready room with one lackluster morning swim behind him.

In the semifinals of the 200-meter freestyle, the second of his five individual events, Phelps never held the lead in his heat, botched his finish and qualified fourth with a time that was two seconds slower than what he clocked at the trials in July and one second slower than his target number.

“I just wanted to save as much energy as I could for the relay,” Phelps said afterward, between labored breaths.

He and his teammates knew they had to be at their absolute best if they were to hold off the world, which has gotten the best of the Americans in the past two Olympics. As thunder rumbled over the bubble-wrap ceiling of the National Aquatics Center, Phelps stepped to the blocks.

The quartet of Nathan Adrian, Jones, Ben Wildman-Tobriner and Matt Grevers gave Phelps and Co. the swimming equivalent of the pole position — Lane 4, in the middle of the pool — by qualifying first in the heats Sunday night. In the process, they gave everybody the time to shoot for, eclipsing by 0.23 of a second the world record with a clocking of 3 minutes 12.23 seconds.

The squads from France and Australia also finished under the existing record of 3:12.46, setting up a final delivered all the bang of a fireworks show.
At the United States Olympic trials in July, Lezak, Weber-Gale and Phelps posted sub-48 second swims, which until the Games had been matched this year by only two others — Bernard and Sullivan.

Lezak, Weber-Gale and Phelps sat out the preliminaries to conserve energy. In what proved to be a competition within the competition, the four Americans who did swim were essentially racing one another for the opportunity to team with Lezak, Weber-Gale and Phelps in the final.

Jones, a Bronx native who grew up in New Jersey, won the honors by clocking the fastest split, a 47.61 on the second leg. In 2006, Jones became the first African-American to break a long-course world record when he was part of the United States relay team that set the global mark that fell Sunday night.

All eyes Monday were on Phelps, but the pressure was on the French, who had never won a medal in the event and were trying to win their country’s first swimming relay gold.

In the heats, the French had rested their two fastest swimmers, Bernard, who broke the world record in the 100 freestyle twice in March, and Fabien Gilot, who has the sixth-fastest time in the world this year.

The uncertainty of the outcome was a decided departure from 1972, when Spitz counted three relays among his seven golds. In those days, United States dominance meant there was never much drama in the relays. Going into the ’72 Munich Games, the Americans had won every Olympic gold awarded in the 4x100 freestyle and medley relays and 8 of 13 in the 4x200 freestyle.

Since then, the rest of the world since has caught up to the United States, the globalization of the sport reflected most dramatically in the relays. In 2000, the Americans were upset by Australia in the 4x100 freestyle, and in 2004 they finished third behind South Africa — which returned for its defense unchanged from 2004 — and the Netherlands.

Returning the Olympic crown in the event to the United States was a high priority, Phelps said. “A couple of days ago we had a guys-only meeting where we shared some stories going back and forth about the hopes we have for this meet,” he said.

The French had made their hopes public. Their trash talking might have been their undoing; it motivated the Americans. “It fired me up more than anything else,” Phelps said.

However many more Olympic medals Phelps wins, his legacy is secure and so, now, is Lezak’s. “I just happened to have the swim of my life at the right time,” Lezak said.

Class Notes: Steps For Writing a Lead & Steps For Writing a Headline

5 Steps For Writing a Lead

Step 1
Think about how you would interest your best friend in this story if you were explaining it out loud. What's the "hook" that would grab his or her interest immediately?

Step 2
Consider the most interesting part of the story. This needs to be used up front to interest the reader in what will follow, but still worded in a way that will get immediate attention.

Step 3
Think of using an interesting fact, a question, or something humorous or provocative as your lead. Be sure you are completely familiar with your subject so that these "hooks" will more easily come to mind.

Step 4
Use active verbs as much as you can, and avoid the passive voice. Use a thesaurus if you need active synonyms for passive words.

Step 5
Keep it brief: 2 to 3 sentences, no more than 25 words. Read your lead objectively. Edit and rewrite to make it as lean as possible while still maintaining the factors that will draw in your reader.



Steps For Writing a Headline:
1) Active Verbs
2) Keep it concise (short and sweet)
3) Grab reader=s attention

HW # 6, Due Thursday, September 11th!

Read the article below about Lukin finishing second to He. Create an inverted pyramid for this article with three levels of information -- provide three pieces of information at each level.

See you in class!

-Mr. Donohue

For Liukin, Being Just as Good Is Not Good Enough to Win Gold

By JULIET MACUR

BEIJING — At first, Nastia Liukin did not realize how close she had come to yet another gold.

After performing her uneven bars routine Monday, she saw her name in second place and glanced over the scores, assuming she was at least one- or two-tenths of a point behind He Kexin of China.

But, upon closer inspection, she noticed something strange about the gymnast in first and the gymnast in second.

“Dad, I think we have the same score,” she told her father, Valeri, as she nudged him.

He answered: “Oh. Yeah.”

As the competition went on, Nastia Liukin — who won the all-around gold last Friday — wondered how she could be in second behind He, when they each had scored 16.725. After much discussion, she learned the unfortunate explanation.

Dual medals are no longer awarded in Olympic gymnastics, as they were through the 1996 Atlanta Games. A tie breaker is now used for gymnasts with the same score. In the tie-breaking formula, He was given the gold medal because she had a lower average of deductions. The margin was a whisper-thin 0.033 points.

He, who is listed as 16, but whose age has been at issue at these Olympics, won the gold. Liukin, 18, won silver, her fourth medal of these Games.

Yang Yilin of China, a 15-year-old whose age has also been questioned, won bronze, with 16.650. To be eligible for this Olympics, gymnasts must turn 16 this year. Some Chinese sports registration lists suggest that He and Yang may be as young as 14.

“I still don’t know how they broke the tie,” Liukin said after the medal ceremony. “I guess one judge liked her better.

“But, like my dad said, at the end of the day, I have the most important medal,” she said of the all-around gold. “That’s the most important thing. If it happened in the all-around, I would have been much more upset.”

Once again at the Beijing Games, the Chinese had a strong showing in gymnastics, winning three of the four gymnastics gold medals given out Monday.

Chen Yibing won the still rings, draping himself in the Chinese flag and smiling so hard his dimpled cheeks could be seen from across the arena. His teammate He Wenna won the women’s trampoline, bouncing up and down on the apparatus like a schoolgirl afterward until an official shooed her down.

The only non-Chinese gymnast to win a gold was Leszek Blanik, who won the vault and Poland’s first-ever gymnastics gold medal.

“I am so happy that I can bring happiness to the people of my country,” he said. “If I wasn’t able to do this, I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself.”

As it turned out, Blanik also won in a tie breaker, over Thomas Bouhail of France. Blanik seemed as confused as Liukin about how that happened, saying: “I don’t know exactly how I won. I guess it is a special rule for judges.”

That rule left Bouhail in tears.

Bruno Grandi, the president of the international gymnastics federation, or F.I.G., said the tie breakers were “very disastrous.” He said he would rather see two gold medalists when gymnasts scored the same, but the International Olympic Committee decided the rules at the Olympics.

“For me, it’s not correct,” Grandi said. “When two people arrive at the same level, why not make them both champions?

“I believe it’s correct to have two gold medals, but this is my modest opinion,” he said. “The I.O.C. is different.”

The F.I.G. still awards dual medals at its world championships, but has used the tie-breaker system since 1997 in its qualifying rounds.
The dual-medal rule of old was good to Liukin’s father.

At the 1988 Seoul Games, he won a gold medal on the high bar — and so did his Soviet teammate Vladimir Artemov. Each received a gold and shared the top spot on the podium because they had the same score.

This time, though, Valeri Liukin said he was disappointed with the outcome.

“It’s not easy for any gymnast to finish second,” he said. “It’s a human being judging. I guess that’s what it comes down to.”

Liukin said she made a small error on a release move, then had trouble with a pirouette.

Still, she stuck her landing, and He did not. To keep her balance, He crossed one foot over the other.

It was a close call for the judges, but for He, it was a surprise.

“I didn’t expect to win a gold medal because the more I want it, the more pressure I feel,” He said. “It’s more nerve-racking than competing with the whole team.”

While their scores ended up the same, He and Liukin did not look similar on the bars. He, who is 4 feet 8 inches and 73 pounds, spun around the bars and twisted her body so quickly, her routine seemed like a blur.

Liukin, a long-limbed gymnast who is 5-3 and 100 pounds, looked more balletic, as if she were performing to music only she could hear.

It was that grace, many say, that gave Liukin the edge over the small, muscled Shawn Johnson in the all-around. But on Monday, her long lines and agility could not give her the edge she needed to win.

Liukin said she thought the scoring was fair, even mentioning that she thought Yang might have been underscored. In a subjectively judged sport, outcomes like this sometimes happened, she said.

The more important thing for Liukin is that she now has four Olympic medals, as her father does. She has one more chance to better him, when she competes in the balance beam finals Tuesday.

“As soon as I leave this arena, I’m going to forget this,” Liukin said of the tie breaker turned heartbreaker.

HW #5, Due Wednesday, September, 10th!

Read the article on Women’s Olympic Gymnastics. Create an inverted pyramid for this article (three levels of information, two facts in each level).

See you in class!

-Mr. Donohue

For Liukin and Johnson, 1-2 Finish Helps Americans Reclaim the Spotlight

By JULIET MACUR

BEIJING — As the contenders for the Olympic gold medal in the women’s gymnastics individual all-around moved to their final event — the floor exercise — the crowd

Friday began competing cheers of “Go China!” and “U-S-A!”

But in the end, China would not win this gold, adding to their pile of three medals in three gymnastics events here.

As expected, the gold would be contested between two Americans: Shawn Johnson, the reigning world champion in the all-around, and Nastia Liukin. Both were spectacular on the floor exercise.

When the event was over, they hugged and waited for the scores.

And on this day, when the Americans would finally steal the spotlight from the Chinese, Liukin — not Johnson, as expected — emerged as the champion and new face of gymnastics in the United States.

Liukin, 18, from Parker, Tex., won with 63.325 points. Johnson, 16, from West Des Moines, Iowa, won silver, with 62.725. Yang Yilin of China was third, with 62.650.

With the victory, Liukin became the third American woman to win the Olympic all-around event. Mary Lou Retton won in 1984. Carly Patterson, who also trained at Liukin’s gym in Texas, won in 2004.

“I knew if I went out there today and hit my routines, I would have a good chance,” Liukin said afterward. “I just went out there and gave it all I had.”

Liukin was nearly perfect on the floor exercise, rousing the crowd with her tumbling passes and the flexibility of a prima ballerina. In her hot-pink leotard with rhinestones glittering under the lights, she was simply graceful.

Afterward, she slapped Johnson’s hand while Johnson was waiting to step onto the floor. Johnson, the little ball of power and the reigning world champion on the floor exercise, was next. By then, Johnson said, she knew she could not win.
She needed a 16.125 to overtake Liukin, but only matched Liukin’s score on the floor, 15.525. It was not enough.

“I gave my heart and soul to the competition today, but Nastia, she deserves that gold today,” Johnson said, her eyes glassy with tears. “I think everything happens for a reason, and I was destined to get the silver. I got what I deserved.”
Going into the Olympics, Liukin had been labeled as one of Johnson’s only rivals. She had been the only woman who had beaten Johnson since Johnson began competing on the senior level last year.

And when the pressure was on and the world was watching Friday, she repeated that feat.

Johnson had been nearly flawless for the past few months, making hardly any mistakes at the United States nationals, Olympic trials, then at these Olympics.
In the finals here, she had not made any big mistakes, either. But her competition was, simply, better.

“I think both of the girls are the top athletes in the world at the moment,” said Johnson’s coach, Liang Qiao. “I can only control what I can control, and I think Shawn did a great job. I told her I’m so proud of her.”

The top contenders were up first on the vault. Liukin performed a Yurchenko with one and a half twists, sticking her landing. She scored 15.025. Johnson was up next, performing a Yurchenko with two and a half twists, markedly harder than Liukin’s vault. Her score was 15.875.

The two Chinese performers — Yang Yilin and Jiang Yuyuan — also started on the vault. Yang scored 15.175. Jiang was given a 14.825 after she landed short, squarely on her backside.

After the first rotation, Steliana Nistor of Romania was in first, and Johnson in second.

Anna Pavlova of Russia was third. And way back in ninth was Liukin, but that was expected. The vault is her weakest event.

The second rotation was where she would sparkle: the uneven bars. Liukin is one of the best uneven bars performers in the world. As if gravity was not an issue, she spun and twisted and flew through the air, looking effortless. She scored a 16.650, more than a point more than Johnson.

Conversely, the uneven bars are Johnson’s weakest event. Her score was 15.275.
Yang, listed as 15 and China’s youngest gymnast, edged Liukin in the uneven bars, with a routine just as difficult. When her score of 16.725 appeared, the crowd roared.

That performance put Yang in first, with 31.90, ahead of Liukin, who was 0.25 back. Nistor was in third. Johnson was in fifth, four-tenths out of first.
The final two events would determine whether Liukin and Johnson would battle for the gold.

Liukin had gone into first place over all after the balance beam, scoring the highest on that event, 16.125.

She finished that event with 47.800 points, with Yang just 0.15 behind. Johnson was in third, six-tenths behind.

The gold medal would be decided on the floor exercise, where America’s top two gymnasts would compete. Their gymnastics couldn’t be more different.

“Nastia has those long lines and grace, while Shawn is that little fireball constantly moving,” Bela Karolyi, the former coach of the gymnastics legends Nadia Comaneci and Mary Lou Retton, said. “They are so opposite, but their outcome and scores are just about the same.”

In the stands, a group of former gymnastics stars watched the competition. Comaneci, who won the Olympic all-around gold in 1976, predicted a victory for either Johnson or Liukin. She also commented about the Chinese gymnasts’ ages.

The ages of both Yang and Jiang have been questioned going into this Olympics. Gymnasts must turn 16 this year to qualify for the Olympics. Jiang may be as young as 14, according to a report by The New York Times that found her birth date listed on Chinese sports registration lists. One list included national identification card numbers into which birth dates are embedded.

Yang’s age is 14, according to registration lists previously posted on China’s General Administration of Sport Web site, according to a report by The Associated Press.

“It’s easier to do it when you’re young,” said Comaneci, who was 14 when she won Olympic gold at the 1976 Montreal Games.

“But how can they know so many difficult things in such a short period of time?” she said of the Chinese.

Peter Vidmar, an Olympic gold medalist for the United States, said the Chinese would not be the ones vying for gold in the all-around Friday.

He expected Liukin to win because she had looked so smooth in training. Liukin had been just 0.35 points back from Johnson in qualifying, he said, which meant she would have been in first place if she had not fallen on her uneven bars dismount.

“You could look at her and see that she was ready,” he said. “It was her time.”

HW #4, Due Tuesday, September 9th!

For Tuesday, read the Veronica Campbell-Brown article below. What are 4-6 pieces of “Main” information from this article? Be sure to choose from different parts of the article.

Jamaica’s Dominance Continues With 200-Meter Win

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

BEIJING (AP) -- It was Jamaica Night again at the Bird's Nest, this time with Veronica Campbell-Brown doing the honors, easily winning the 200 meters Thursday to cap the first sweep of all four men's and women's Olympic sprints in 20 years.
The defending Olympic champion routed Allyson Felix of the United States in 21.74 seconds to win the gold by 0.19 seconds.

Reggae music filled the stadium -- is the CD worn out yet? -- as Campbell-Brown celebrated with her country's flag, much the way Usain Bolt did with his world record-setting wins in the 100 and 200 and the way the Jamaican women did when they swept the 100.

This marked the first time one country swept all four races at an Olympics since the United States did it in 1988.

Fittingly, a few moments after Campbell-Brown's victory, Bolt accepted the gold medal he won the night before in a ceremony that was postponed a day because of protests over the second- and third-place finishers.

Jamaicans left no doubt about who's first in these races.

Campbell-Brown's blowout -- a two-body-length victory -- made her the first woman to win back-to-back 200s since 1980. No man has ever repeated in the 200. Campbell-Brown's 21.74 marked the fastest time in the women's 200 in a decade.

Felix won her second Olympic silver in this, a carbon copy of their 1-2 finish at the Athens Games. Jamaica's Kerron Stewart finished third, adding to the silver medal she won when she tied Sherone Simpson in Jamaica's sweep of the 100.

Campbell-Brown came in as the defending world champion in the 100 but shockingly failed to qualify for that race, her spot instead going to Shelly-Ann Fraser, who won it Sunday night.

It was yet another sign of the amazing depth being produced on the Caribbean island of 2.8 million people -- a country that has never had trouble producing great athletes but has often had trouble keeping them there. Campbell-Brown, in fact, trains in Florida, but still competes for her home country.

HW #3, Due Monday, September 8th!

HW #3: Read this new Bolt Article about his 200m win and find all 6 of the 5W’s and H.

See you in class!

-Mr. Donohue


Bolt Breaks World Record and Wins Gold Again

By LYNN ZINSER

BEIJING — The margin of victory seemed almost impossible. His finishing time, a sport-shattering moment. Just days after Usain Bolt electrified track and field with a world-record run for the ages in the 100 meters, he might have outdone himself in the 200.

Jamaica’s wunderkind surged so far ahead of a stellar Olympic final field Wednesday night that the final 50 meters inspired sheer awe. Running hard through the finish, Bolt not only ran 19.30, breaking the world record by two-hundredths of a second less than two hours before his 22nd birthday, but he seemed to set new parameters on what humans can achieve.

This time, unlike in the 100 meters, Bolt ran hard the entire race, clearly wanting to show what he can do when he is serious. In the 100, he essentially stopped racing with about 10 meters to go, threw out his arms and slapped his chest before he crossed the finish line. That made his time of 9.69 — .03 better than the world record — that much more astounding because it could have been even lower.

In the 200, Bolt overpowered the field in the turn, entering the straightaway with the only question left being how much would he win by and would he break the world record. That was 19.32 seconds, set by the American Michael Johnson at the 1996 Atlanta Games. Before Wednesday night, Johnson’s record run was the only performance under 19.62. Bolt’s previous personal best was 19.67.

“I didn’t think I’d see under .30 in my lifetime,” said Renaldo Nehemiah, a former gold medalist in the 100 hurdles. “He’s a freak of nature. He did it at 14 and he did it at 17. Most people aren’t surprised he did it. They might be surprised he did it here, but it was inevitable.”

Churandy Martina of Netherlands Antilles crossed the finish line second and Wallace Spearmon of the United States in third, but shortly after the three apparent medalists started a victory lap, everything behind Bolt got complicated.

First, the scoreboard showed that Spearmon had been disqualified and it was later revealed he had stepped out of his lane in the curve. That made Shawn Crawford of the United States the bronze medalist. But while the United States team filed a protest of Spearmon’s disqualification, it pointed out that it believed Martina had also run out of his lane.

Later, Martina was also disqualified, making Shawn Crawford the silver medalist with Walter Dix of the United States winning the bronze.

But the wonder over Bolt’s accomplishments were not the least bit affected by the protest of the events behind him.

“What Bolt has done, he’s made history,” Crawford said. “He added spirit to the sport. He danced for us in the introduction. He danced for us at the end. He put on a show. To me, I feel like, him and athletics is like Michael Phelps and swimming. He raised the bar for us in athletics.”

Said Kim Collins of St. Kitts and Nevis, who finished seventh in the race,” It’s ridiculous. How fast can you go before the world record can’t be broke? How fast can the human being go before there’s no more going fast?”

Homework #2, Due Thursday, September 4th!

For Thursday, read the following article about Usain Bolt and his victory in the 100m dash at the Olympics. When you are done, identify three of the 5 Ws and the H in the article (Who, What, When, Where, Why and How). Remember, all homework should be done on loose leaf with the proper heading (Name, Date, HSSM, HW #2).

See you in class.

-Mr. Donohue

Bolt Is World’s Fastest — by a Mile

By LYNN ZINSER

BEIJING — Usain Bolt celebrated his coronation as the world’s fastest man 20 meters early, throwing out his arms and thumping his chest. But he still obliterated the world record in the 100 meters Saturday night, turning his Olympic gold medal performance into a show of astounding talent.

Bolt could have run far faster than his 9.69 seconds had he run through the finish line, but he sliced 0.03 off his world record anyway. In the end, it was all about Bolt putting on a show for a crowd that has roared for him every time he steps on the track.

When Bolt was introduced at the start of the final, he struck a pose for the camera and smiled mischievously. He did not disappoint once the gun went off. He started strong and sailed away from the field with astonishing ease.

“I came out to make myself proud, and I did just that,” Bolt said. Of his celebration, he added: “It wasn’t planned. I wasn’t celebrating; I was excited.”
In Bolt’s wake, Richard Thompson of Trinidad and Tobago grabbed the silver, and Walter Dix of the United States took the bronze.

“It was good to be part of history,” Thompson said. “It is great for him and great for me to be right behind him. I don’t think anyone was going to compete with him when he runs like that.”

Asafa Powell, the former world-record holder who Jamaicans hoped would grace the medal podium along with Bolt, faded at the end and came in fifth, another finish far below his expectations. He did not win a medal in the 2004 Olympics, or at last year’s world championships when he held the world record.

“I was very shocked I didn’t get a medal,” Powell said. “I really wanted to medal. If I would have gotten second, I would have been happy.”

Powell said he was happy for Bolt, his fellow Jamaican.

“He’s the best,” Powell said. “There’s no stopping him. He could have been faster.”
Tyson Gay of the United States, the defending world champion in the 100 and 200, did not advance out of the semifinals, finishing fifth in his heat, 0.02 behind another American, Darvis Patton. Though Gay said his injured hamstring felt fine, he clearly seemed to struggle from having missed six weeks of training.

Gay was injured trying to qualify for the 200 in the United States Olympic trials and had not raced since.

“I don’t really have any excuses; I just didn’t make it,” Gay said.
“I’m pretty upset,” he said. “When I get back to the village it’s probably going to set in.”

Gay’s absence took one of the biggest stars out of the final, but that hardly dimmed the excitement.

Bolt had heightened the anticipation with his spectacular march through preliminary races. In the first round, he got off to a terrible start — his usual weakness — but easily caught up and slowed to a jog late in the race. He ran a 9.92 in the second round while looking around for the last half of the race.

He looked equally dominant in the semifinals and pulled ahead at 60 meters after a decent start. From there, he dialed back his effort again, looking around as he crossed the finish line in 9.85 seconds.

In the final, Bolt was clear of everyone by 50 meters, and with 20 meters to go, he threw his arms wide, looked around and even thumped his chest. As he sailed across the finish line, his nearest competitors were two strides behind him.

“I didn’t know I was going to run so fast,” Bolt said. “But I came out to be a champion, and I was.”

Thompson ran a strong race from start to finish, and Dix closed strong. It was the first final in a major international race for Thompson, who reached only the quarterfinals in the world championships in 2007.

Dix just finished his eligibility at Florida State, where he won the N.C.A.A. meet in the 200 meters and was fourth in the 100, when he ran a 10.22. His 9.91 in this race topped his personal best of 9.95 at the Olympic trials. He finished second to Gay in that race and won the 200 after Gay was injured.

Bolt will also attempt the double in the 200, the race he used to run exclusively until he began the 100 last year.

Patton, who finished eighth, said everyone was overwhelmed by Bolt.

“It’s not even close,” Patton said. “It’s everybody catching up with Usain Bolt.
He’s a legend in his own right. The guy’s a phenomenal athlete. He’s a freak of nature.”

Homework #1, Due Thursday, September 4th!

Your assignment for Thursday is to read the article below and list 3 to 5 facts that you can pull from the reading. Remember, your assignment is due on a page of loose leaf with the correct heading (Name, Date, HSSM, HW #1).

See you in class!

-Mr. Donohue

After Glimmer of Glory for China, U.S. Pulls Away

By PETE THAMEL

BEIJING — China’s basketball game with the United States on Sunday was billed as one of the seminal moments of these Olympics and one of the most important sporting events in this country’s history.

President Bush and his father watched from the stands, hundreds of millions tuned in on television and tickets were so hard to come by that even the former United States Olympic wrestling star Rulon Gardner struggled to get a seat.

But after all the camera flashes and breathless “ooooohs,” a simple reality set in: Sometimes a game can be more of an event than a contest. Both Bushes left early, Yao Ming looked winded and the United States basketball team showed the gulf that still exists between the teams in a 101-70 blowout.

The Chinese made it interesting early, using a flurry of 3-point shots and a tidal wave of emotion to play to a 29-29 tie late in the second quarter. The United States looked vulnerable for a stretch, opening the game 1 for 15 from 3-point range and playing passively against China’s zone defense. But in a decisive span of the second quarter, the United States had dunks on eight of nine field goals to turn the game into a rout.

“It’s a good win,” said Deron Williams, a reserve guard for the United States. “We won by 30 and struggled in the first half.”

Dwyane Wade led the United States with 19 points off the bench, making all seven of his field goals and all five of his free throws, and LeBron James had 18 points.

The eyes of China were fixed on Yao, and fans gasped when he dunked in warm-ups, but he struggled in his first game since February, when a stress fracture in his foot caused him to miss the end of the N.B.A. season. Yao finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds, and he shot 3 for 10 from the field.

The Chinese showed enough pluck to emerge as a contender to reach the medal round, which would be a significant milestone for a program with designs to become one of the top teams in the world within a decade.

“We’ll be more confident after tonight,” forward Zhu Fangyu said. “After all, they are the American team and we acted very tough.”

While frontcourt players like Yao and Yi Jianlian have become solid N.B.A. players, the Chinese national team must improve its backcourt to contend for a medal. China’s guards were overmatched and struggled to dribble with their left hands. No play better epitomized that than when James pinned a shot from Liu Wei against the backboard with two hands, leading to an easy breakaway dunk for Wade.

Williams says an opportunistic defense that leads to easy baskets is America’s game plan for this Olympics. “That’s our main goal,” he said. “Our defense needs to be there every night.”

Just moments after President Bush arrived amid the popping camera flashes, China was introduced to a roaring crowd. Yao led the squad out of the tunnel, and the crowd roared at his first dunk during warm-ups. Yao appreciated the intensity of the atmosphere.

“This is a personal Olympics for me,” he said. “Everyone is proud. It felt great, all the flags and people cheering. It was a great game, great atmosphere.”

As vigorously as the crowd cheered for Yao, they also gave consistent rousing ovations to the Americans.

This was a significant departure for the United States team. At the Athens Games, the players were consistently booed and branded as spoiled prima donnas as they sputtered to a bronze medal.

In China, there is a passion for the N.B.A. The Americans will not face any hostile crowds here as they attempt to win their first gold medal in international competition since 2000.

“I think we’re more known here than we are in the States, as far as fans go,” Williams said. “The fans have been wonderful here. Everywhere we go they know all our names.”

N.B.A. stars — especially Kobe Bryant — are treated with awe and reverence. Even thought Bryant struggled against China, shooting 6 of 14 from the floor and 1 of 7 from 3-point range, he was showered with cheers. James said China’s love of Bryant was indicative of the nation’s passion for basketball.

“People try to run and go through security to get to Kobe,” he said. “You better be ready.”

After a slow start that could foreshadow problems shooting over the zone defenses of more formidable teams like Spain and Greece, the United States finally looked ready. And with the United States leading, 84-50, with 6 minutes 54 seconds remaining, both Bushes headed for the exit.

They had seen and experienced enough. Midnight was rapidly approaching, and this most anticipated event had long ceased being a contest.