Tough day for the Americans

Thursday was a rough day for the U.S. Olympic team.

The favored women's softball team -- winners of 22 straight games and every gold medal since the sport debuted in 1996 -- lost to Japan, 3-1, in the gold medal game. Stacy Nuveman shows her disappointed in the Associated Press photo above.

Twice, the Americans had the bases loaded with one out, but failed to score. (I wonder if they got hitting tips from the Phillies.)

Ironically, the International Olympic Committee is eliminating the sport for at least the 2012 Games in London, in part because of the dominance of the Americans.

In women's water polo, the Americans were ranked No. 1 and expected to win the gold medal after taking silver in the past two Olympics. Instead, they settled for silver again after losing the gold medal to the Netherlands, 9-8, on a goal with 26 seconds to play.

On the track, the U.S. 4x100 relay teams failed to make the final because both the men's and women's teams dropped the baton. That means the Americans went 0-for-6 in the sprint events.

There was some good news. The women's soccer team beat Brazil, 1-0, in extra time to win the gold medal for the third time in the last 4 Olympics. Boyertown graduate Nicole Bernhardt is a backup goalie on the team. You can read all about her experience at her blog, "The Goal Box."

And the beach volleyball team of Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor won their second straight gold medal. The win was the 108th consecutive one for the team. For those who don't know, May-Treanor's husband, Matt, is a catcher for the Florida Marlins.

Also, the American men swept the 400-meter run

Eagles cheerleader featured in magazine

The Philadelphia Eagles organization received a great honor today.

No, they weren't named Team of the Decade, nor did they get a bye into the Super Bowl.

The honor occured off the field, and didn't involve any of the players. No, this award went to one of the cheerleaders.

In its September issue released Tuesday, Maxim magazine -- in its NFL preview -- named rookie cheerleader Janelle Stangl as one of the league's four "most gorgeous" cheerleaders.

Stangl, shown above in a photo from the Eagles, was the only member of the organization to be mentioned in the issue.

To check out the story and more, visit maximonline.com

Bad news for Eagles fans

Eagles fans received some bad news Tuesday. No, Brian Westbook isn't holding out, nor did Donovan McNabb get injured at training camp.

This time, the bad news came from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, who has instituted a new fan code of conduct. The new code is aimed at
conduct that the league said "detracts from the gameday experience."

It includes bans on:
* Behavior that is unruly, disruptive, or illegal.
* Drunkenness and signs of alcohol impairment that result in irresponsible behavior.
* Foul or abusive language or obscene gestures.
* Interference with the progress of the game, including throwing objects onto the field.
* Failing to follow instructions of stadium personnel.
* Verbal or physical harassment of fans from the opposing team.

Spectators who violate the code of conduct will be ejected from stadiums and barred from coming back -- meaning Lincoln Financial Field could get pretty empty.

Camping out for sneakers

I've heard of people camping out hours or even days in advance of obtaining concert or playoff tickets and video games and systems. But sneakers?

Early Tuesday morning, a line of people - shown in an Associated Press photo at right - were outside a footwear store in Philadelphia to get their hands on a pair of Nike Air Force 1 sneakers called Air Questo. The footwear was designed by Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson, the drummer for The Roots, a Grammy-winning hip-hop band.

According to an Associated Press story, the sneakers from Nike's 1World collection are highly sought-after by collectors who call themselves sneakerheads

The limited-edition sneakers - apparently there are only 300 for sale - are red, green and gold and sell for $225. That's right, $225.

It could be my frugal Pennsylvania Dutch ways, but I look for deals on sneakers so I can avoid paying $50, let alone $225.

Vacation all I ever wanted

I'm leaving Wednesday for a much-needed (don't know if it's deserved) vacation as I go with my family for a week to our favorite destination, Walt Disney World.

If anyone's interested in keeping up with the happenings of my trip, check out the Disney Diva blog on this Web site. My wife plans to be blogging live from the parks throughout our trip. She'll have plenty of time as we wait in line for rides, transportation, dinner, etc.

With access to a laptop, I may be posting myself. Stay tuned.

"She could pass for a dog!"

The term fat cat refers to a wealthy person who contributes to a political campaign.

But an animal shelter in New Jersey houses a real fat cat who may have had a few too many cans of Friskies.

The Camden County Animal Shelter took in a -- get this -- 44-pound feline on Saturday that was found wandering around without a collar in Voorhees, N.J. Volunteers were stunned to find a cat so large.

"She's built like a quarterback," said Deborah Wright, a shelter volunteer and current foster owner of the kitty. "I mean, how do you lose a 44-pound cat?!"

The new name for the fat cat, shown above: "Princess Chunk."

According to the Associated Press, the largest tabby on record weighed 46 pounds, 15 ounces. That cat, who lived in Australia, died in the 1980s. The Guinness World Records has since dropped the category, fearing cat owners might harm their animals in an attempt to break the record.

The cat's owner has until Saturday to reclaim her. After that, the weighty pet will be eligible for adoption.

Shelter officials hope to put Chunk on a diet.

"I'm about to put a leash on her and walk her," said Wright. "She could pass for a dog!"

Buy me some Twizzlers and Cracker Jack

Take me out to the ball game

Take me out with the crowd;

Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack...

Most everyone knows those words to "Take Me Out to The Ball Game," which was written 100 years ago this month.

But Mr. Peanut and his friends were not welcome at last Friday night's Reading Phillies game as First Energy Stadium in Reading became a "peanut-free zone."

It was Food Allergy Awareness Night at the game, so peanuts were not sold and an entire section of the stadium was reserved for fans with peanut allergies.

Watching baseball without peanuts is like watching a Thanksgiving parade without the giant balloons. Thousands of fans were denied the enjoyment of eating peanuts while watching the game. And those who were allergic to peanuts had their own section, so why did the rest of us have to suffer?

As a mild form of protest, a few of us changed the line of the song to "Buy me some Twizzlers and Cracker Jack." It just doesn't have the same ring to it, does it?