Passing Shots: Olympics

Visa Commercials:

Nastia Liukin:

Michael Phelps:

Li Na:

Pacific Rim Gymnastics:

Senior Event Finals:

Charlotte Sullivan from Christchurch New Zealand only 13 years old. She is too young to be at the Olympics or World Championships for a few years still but looking forward to hopefully seeing her there in the future. Listen to Team New Zealand's story here.

Roster announced for USWNT games in Japan

April 1 at  6:30 a.m. ET vs Japan

April 3 at 7 a.m. ET vs Brazil

Both games will be live on ESPN2 and ESPN3

Torch Bearers and Olympic Kits

Andy Murray and other British tennis players will be taking part in the torch relay. 

What Andy Murray will be wearing at the Olympics.  I think it would look better with more red in the shorts or possibly just red shorts all together. 

Olympic Ticket Punched

The USWNT has qualified for the Olympics with a 3-0 win over Costa Rica in the Olympic Qualifying tournament.  The roster for the Olympic will be named July 2nd and the first game will be on July 25th. Canada also qualified for the Olympics and the US will play them in the final of the qualifying tournament Sunday at 8pm est.

The Road to London

The qualification process for the United States Women's Soccer team on Friday. The first game was a 14-0 routing of the Dominican Republic that came at a cost because of a bad tackle by and inexperienced Dominican player. Ali Krieger suffered a torn ACL and MCL in her right knee as a result of the play and it is extremely doubtful that she can return to form in time for the Olympics. The main talk after the game was how team USA was too ruthless in the amount of goals they scored. I look at it differently this was the first competitive game that they played since the World Cup final they are a team on a mission that wants everyone to know it. The second game was played at a much higher level by Team USA as well as their opponent Guatemala with the final score being thirteen goal victory. They play Mexico in the semifinals for a berth in the Olympic on Tuesday at 10:30 EST.

Dominican Republic 0 - 14 USA

1’,19’ Wambach
4’ Lloyd
6’ Buehler
17’, 31’,78’ O’Reilly
30’ Heath

47’,48’, 58’,70’,75 ’Rodriguez
64’ Cheney


USA 13 - 0 Guatemala

12’,14’ Wambach
24’ Cheney
29’ Rodriguez
33’ Lloyd
34’ Lindsey
2nd half
48’, 50’,57’, 70’, 87’Leroux
75’ Rapinoe
83’ Morgan

What I am watching Day 6

Day 6 is upon us which means we are almost half way through the tournement. Today also brings the start of Olympic Qualifying for the USWNT Soccer team you can watch that here at 10:30 EST. Now on to the tennis.


Rod Laver Arena 11 AM (7 PM est) 
  Match 1: Women's Singles - 3rd Round: Maria Kirilenko(RUS)[27] vs. Petra Kvitova(CZE)[2]
 
  Match 2: Women's Singles - 3rd Round: Angelique Kerber(GER)[30]vs. Maria Sharapova(RUS)[4]

 7 PM (3 AM est)

 Women's Singles - 3rd Round: Greta Arn(HUN) vs.Serena Williams(USA)[12]

Hisense Arena 11 AM

  Match 2: Women's Singles - 3rd Round: Vania King(USA)vs.  Ana Ivanovic(SRB)[21]

  Match 3: Women's Singles - 3rd Round: Sabine Lisicki(GER)[14]vs.  Svetlana Kuznetsova(RUS)[18]

7 PM

  Men's Singles - 3rd Round: Andy Murray(GBR)[4]vs. Michael Llodra(FRA)

Passing Shots

• Andrea Petkovic withdrew from the Australian Open with a stress fracture in her lower back. She posted on her facebook

 "Dear Petkorazzis. I am very sorry to tell you that I had to withdraw from the Australian Open with a lower back stress fracture. I'll recover now to have what you can literally call a comeback!" 

•  Wozniacki loses in Sydney. 
• USA Gymnastics will name Olympic team at Olympic Trials. This is a change of practice from team choseing procedure over the last decade. 
• Canada has qualified a full Women's Gymnastics Team at the test event.
• Spanish seeds advance in Auckland. 
• Laura Robson will face Mel Oudin in the first round of Australian Open qualifications. Here is the full draw.  
• The US Womens National Soccer team is completely at training camp after Solo, Wambach and Coach Sundhage arrived after attending the FIFA Awards. 

Passing Shots

• Sabine Lisicki, Flavia Panetta and other advance in Auckland. 
• Rafa is working hard but apparently unprepared in the adjustment to his new racket specifications. 
• Serena claims she "never actually liked sports" and prefers shopping. 
• When pop culture and the Olympic meet. The stand for Vader in the original Star Wars trilogy who was a Olympic Fencer died. 
• Record attendance at the Brisbane International. 
• Schedule of games for US Women's National Soccer team Olympic qualifying tournament.