Dew Tour Athlete Wakes from Coma

SALISBURY, MD - Dew Tour athlete Jay Eggleston was left unconscious after a fall in the BMX Vert competition at the Pantech Open in Ocean City last weekend.

Eggleston, 37, hit his head on the flat bottom of the ramp on Saturday, according to a statement from the Athlete Recovery Fund, a group that provides support to professional athletes who are injured participating in BMX, FMX and skateboarding.

He was taken to Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury, where he remained in a coma until regaining consciousness on Tuesday. He has since responded to doctor's commands, according to updates posted online from family members.

Yesterday, a spokesperson for the hospital said Eggleston is in fair condition.

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Dew Tour Sets Attendance Record in Ocean City

OCEAN CITY, MD — The Dew Tour’s inaugural stop in Ocean City saw the highest attendance numbers of any of the tour’s events since its first in 2005, and it is being touted as a resounding success by resort and tour officials.

An estimated 73,000 people came through the Pantech Open’s Boardwalk entrance during the four-day-long event, setting an attendance record, and Demoflush statistics — culled from the number of times toilets are flushed in town — estimate a figure of more than 320,000 were in town during the weekend, a 7 percent increase over last year’s corresponding dates.

“We really couldn’t have been happier with the event, and that’s a sentiment from everbody involved,” said Dew Tour General Manager Chris Prybylo. “It was just packed from start to finish, and we certainly had great success with everything we were able to control.”

from the Wilmington News-Journal

Experts Call This One of Cleanest Tours Ever

PARIS - With a doping case still hanging over 2010 champion Alberto Contador, this year's Tour de France is being lauded by anti-doping experts as perhaps one of the cleanest in recent years.

The Tour has had just one positive test — Russian rider Alexander Kolobnev quit the race after testing positive for a banned masking agent.

There was only one positive last year as well, and that was Contador's.

The three-week race ended Sunday with Australia's Cadel Evans winning the title for the first time. All the test results aren't in yet, and it would be premature to make final conclusions.

"Let's wait and see. The remaining analysis of the samples collected over the last few days will be performed next week," Bruno Genevois, president of French anti-doping agency ALFD told The Associated Press on Sunday. "We will asses everything together with the UCI later."

But officials sensed a change this year.

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Economic Impact of DEW Tour

The question any number of people are asking as the Dew Tour competition heats up in downtown Ocean City is what kind of economic impact this national-scale event will generate.

The short answer is more than most people realize. It is expected to net the city at least $6 million worth of advertising spots, attract a minimum of 10,000 tourists and garner hours of live television coverage, according to Chris Prybylo, vice president of events with Alli, Alliance of Action Sports, the company organizing the four-day Pantech Open.

When the Dew Tour was in Baltimore in 2008, more than 52,500 fans packed Camden Yards parking lot. It generated approximately $10 million in economic impact. During the inaugural year, 2005, the event drew more than 55,000 fans.

A professional skateboarder prepares to drop into the vert ramp during practice Wednesday.On July 11, workers begin building a vertical ramp, skateboard bowl and a BMX park, along with a festival village just north of the pier for the action sports competitions.

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Beer Company Will Come To Rescue Of Man Who Caught Derek Jeter's 3,000th Hit

The saga of the NY Yankees fan who caught — and then gave back — the baseball Derek Jeter knocked out of the park for hit number 3,000 continues. First, the team rewarded the fan with memorabilia and luxury box tickets for the rest of the season. Then came reports that he could be on the hook for thousands of dollars in taxes for the freebies. Today he got some potentially good news, as the folks at Miller High Life say they'll foot the bill for any potential tax liability the guy might have.

"Miller High Life believes you should be rewarded for doing the right thing, not penalized," a possibly drunk rep for the beer tells ESPN.

Some tax experts have warned that the 23-year-old fan could end up owing anywhere from $5,000 to $14,000 in taxes if the IRS declares the freebies as extra income. Others have said the team only needs to classify the seats and swag as gifts and he'll be off the hook.

Tax Cat is currently sleeping so we can't ask him, but we know there are some tax experts reading this. If the fan does get hit with the tax bill and Miller decides to pay, could the IRS still consider the Miller money as additional income?

Christian Lopez will have tax help [ESPN]

from Chris Morran @ The Consumerist

Michael Vick Back With Nike Endorsement Deal

After cutting ties with quarterback Michael Vick in 2007 following his involvement in a dogfighting ring, the shoe giant has apparently decided that Vick's on-field performance has restored his good name enough to re-enlist him with an endorsement deal.

USA Today reports Vick, who served 21 months in prison for his crimes, has accepted free Nike equipment since 2009, when he returned to the NFL, and has signed a smattering of endorsement deals since then.

Said Nike in a statement:

"Michael acknowledges his past mistakes. We do not condone those actions, but we support the positive changes he has made to better himself off the field.”

Do you applaud Nike for giving him a second chance, or scorn the company for seemingly forgiving Vick for his past?

Nike re-signs Eagles QB Michael Vick to endorsement deal [USA Today]

from Phil Villarreal @ The Consumerist

Virginia Woman Wins Coney Island Hot Dog Eating Contest

Maryland Woman Finishes Second

In the first year Coney Island’s famous hot-dog eating contest was broken into men’s and women’s divisions, two locals vied for the title of fastest female.

Alexandria’s Sonya Thomas, known as the “Black Widow” of competitive eating, won with 40 downed dogs, earning her $10,000 and her own pink champion’s belt.

“I’m so happy!” said Thomas.

She started out neck-and-neck with second-place finisher Juliet Lee of Germantown but later pulled ahead.

“I looked over, and I said, ‘No way!’ But I have to focus myself, because I cannot keep up with her now,” Thomas said. Instead, she preserved her biggest jolt of energy for the winning end.

Lee, of Germantown, Md., ate 29½ wieners, and Stephanie Torres, of Las Cruces, N.M., downed 28½. The men’s competition was won by Joey Chestnut of San Jose, Calif.

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Clemens Ready to Fight As Perjury Trial Begins

Roger Clemens' tenacious pursuit of victory on the pitching mound is re-emerging as he enters federal court this week to fight charges he lied about using drugs.

Clemens is charged with perjury, false statements and obstruction of Congress for telling a House committee under oath that he never used performance-enhancing drugs. The record-setting pitcher who once seemed destined for the Hall of Fame now could face prison if 12 jurors agree that he lied.

The trial is scheduled to begin Wednesday and last 4-6 weeks.

Clemens' defense strategy is to try to discredit his former trainer Brian McNamee, who says he injected Clemens with steroids and human growth hormone. McNamee says he kept the needles, which will be evidence at trial. Clemens' attorneys say McNamee is a "serial liar."

from FOXNews and the Associated Press

Rutgers Is Latest College to Sell Naming Rights to Stadium

In contrast to the ubiquity of corporate-named stadiums in the NFL, the vast majority of college football stadiums have stuck with their traditional names. The dominoes may be starting to fall, though, after Rutgers sold the Rutgers Stadium naming rights to High Point Solutions for a reported $6.5 million over 10 years.

NJ.com quotes the Rutgers athletic director, noting he doesn't mention High Point Solutions by name:

"I am satisfied and excited. The climate is difficult for everybody. ... We feel really, really good about it, not only given the climate but also because we were being picky about a partner. We were trying to find someone who has the same core values and a New Jersey-based company. And in the end, we're thrilled with the results."

According to ESPN, Rutgers will be only the 15th school to play home games in a corporately-named stadium, and five of those play in NFL arenas.

Do you think college football will go the NFL soul-selling route, or will tradition continue to hold off greed?

Rutgers reaches stadium naming rights deal [NJ.com via ESPN, Newsvine]

from Phil Villarreal @ The Consumerist

Coaches Highest Paid State Employees

An analysis of Maryland state employee salaries for last year shows that the majority of the more than 1,300 workers earning as much or more than Gov. Martin O'Malley were employed by the University System of Maryland.

The Baltimore Sun analysis of employees found that the 15 highest earners worked for the university system. Former Maryland basketball coach Gary Williams was the highest-paid state employee with $2.3 million, which included a base salary of $450,869 and additional earnings from media appearances, camps and other incentives.

Former football coach Ralph Friedgen was second on the list with $1.1 million. O'Malley earned $150,000 in 2010, a figure that was topped by several of his Cabinet members.

Many of the top earners were physicians in leadership at the university.

from the Annapolis Capital

Ravens’ Ray Lewis Predicts Crime Wave If 2011 NFL Season Locked Out

While there is no question that professional football is an enormous part of American culture, what kind of role does it play in society as a whole? According to Baltimore Ravens star linebacker Ray Lewis, probably a much larger one than people realize.

On ESPN’s “Sportscenter” on Sunday night in an interview with Sal Paolantonio, Lewis — who was referred to as one of the three most influential players in the NFL, along with the Indianapolis Colts’ Peyton Manning and the New England Patriots’ Tom Brady — addressed the possibility of a canceled 2011 NFL season. The main threat according to Lewis? Pride.

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Gary Carter Diagnosed with Brain Tumor

Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter said doctors discovered four "very small" brain tumors after he had an MRI on Friday in Florida.

The 57-year-old Carter said he expects to learn more about his diagnosis when he is examined again Thursday at Duke Medical Center.

"My wife, Sandy, and our children and family thank you for your thoughts and prayers," Carter said in a release issued Saturday by the New York Mets and baseball's Hall of Fame. "We ask that you please respect our privacy as we learn more about my medical condition."

The statement did not say whether the tumors are malignant or benign.

Friends and former teammates were stunned when they heard the news.

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