Volkswagen announces the 2010 Jetta TDI Cup driver lineup
25 Drivers Ready To Compete For The Series Championship Starting April 23, 2010
Volkswagen is proud to announce the names of the 25 drivers who will compete in the 2010 Jetta TDI® Cup. The Volkswagen-operated spec racing series, now entering its third season, will take the green flag on its SCCA Pro Racing-sanctioned events beginning April 23 at Virginia International Raceway.
The drivers selected to compete in the 2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup include:
Rafael Navarro IV – Temecula, CA
Arie Ouimet – Plymouth, MA
Chris Wehrheim – Norcross, GA
JJ Tomlinson – Park City, UT
Justine Jackson – Kingston, Jamaica
Jarvis Gennari – Boca Raton, FL
Mike Mineo-Nardacci – East Hills, NY
Jenna Wagner – Bristol, VA
Nate Norenberg – Plymouth, MN
JD Mobley – Castle Rock, CO
Andrew Cordeiro – Woodbridge, ON
Jake Thompson – Calgary, AB
Colin Thompson – Perkasie, PA
Michael Hogg – Vancouver, BC
Kevin Gleason – Johnstown, PA
Taylor Tzouanakis – Wauconda, IL
Wyatt Gooden – Gates Mills, OH
Brian Whitmire – Baton Rouge, LA
AJ Severino – Hamilton, NJ
Andrew Novich – Novato, CA
Taylor Broekemeier – Fort Collins, CO
AJ Nealey – Edgewater, MD
Ryan Ellis – Ashburn, VA
Juan Pablo Delgado – Orizaba, Mexico
Juan Pablo Sierra Lendle – Puebla, Mexico
Earlier this week in Las Vegas, NV, Volkswagen welcomed driver candidates from throughout North America for three days of in-depth testing and analysis. All drivers were evaluated through a variety of on- and off-track scenarios to establish skill level, potential, and overall ability. Following a collection of driving activities, physical fitness tests, media training, and an in-depth sponsorship workshop from Townsend Bell, who finished 4th in the 2009 Indianapolis 500 (www.townsendbell.com), the final 25 drivers were chosen.
“Our third year for the Jetta TDI Cup is already shaping up to be the best one yet,” said Clark Campbell, Motorsport Manager, Volkswagen of America, Inc. “We were given the extremely difficult task of selecting only 25 drivers from a such diverse group of individuals who, honestly, all deserve the chance to compete. With 18 new drivers and 7 more returning from last season, the field is undoubtedly set for top-notch competition and racing excitement.”
Drivers will race in ten Jetta TDI Cup events spanning seven road courses in the United States and Mexico in identical, factory-prepared and maintained Jetta TDIs running on clean diesel fuel. The series Champion will win $100,000 toward career development support from Volkswagen, while every driver who competes in the series will earn a Pro Racing license from SCCA at the finish of the season.
The Jetta TDI Cup racecar is powered by a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder TDI clean diesel engine mated to a six-speed, Direct Shift Gearbox® (DSG®) dual-clutch automatic transmission. The car is only slightly modified from stock through the addition of race tires, suspension, brakes, and safety equipment.
2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Schedule
Round 1 & 2 April 23 – 25 Virginia International Raceway (Alton, VA)
Round 3 May 9 New Jersey Motorsports Park (Millville, NJ)
Round 4 June 5 – 6 Miller Motorsports Park (Tooele, UT)
Round 5 July 18 – 20 Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (Lexington, OH)
Round 6 July 30 – Aug. 1 Autobahn Country Club (Joliet, IL)
Round 7 & 8 Aug. 20 – 22 Road America (Elkhart Lake, WI)
Round 9 & 10 Sept. 24 – 26 Autodromo AMOZOC (Puebla, Mexico)
To learn more about the 2010 Jetta TDI Cup, visit www.volkswagenjettacup.com.
Philadelphia University’s legendary men’s basketball coach Herb Magee poised for 900th career win
Coach Magee on track to pass Bobby Knight’s record of 902 NCAA wins
Philadelphia University men’s basketball coach Herb Magee, renowned as a coach, player and “shot doc” to top NBA stars, is poised to win his 900th NCAA career win, cementing his reputation as one of the top NCAA coaches of all time.
With 896 wins, Magee could win game number 900 as soon as Saturday, Feb. 13, a home game against Bloomfield College.
Just three wins after that, Magee will best Bobby Knight’s NCAA record of 902 wins and become the top men’s basketball coach with all games coached in the NCAA.
A Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame nominee and Pennsylvania and Philadelphia Sports Hall of Famer, Magee has had an extraordinary career during his 50 seasons as a player and coach at Philadelphia University.
Magee became the number one all-time Division II men’s basketball coach in NCAA history on February 1, 2007, when he earned win 829 in a heart-stopping double-overtime win against Wilmington College to break the mark previously held by Winston-Salem State’s Clarence “Big House” Gaines.
Continuing his record-breaking success, last season Magee passed former Kentucky Coach Adolph Rupp’s NCAA record of 877 wins and former North Carolina coach Dean Smith’s NCAA record of 879 career wins.
In just his third year of coaching, Magee led the Rams to a 1970 NCAA National Championship, and has taken his team to the NCAA Tournament 24 times
At 68, Magee is still at the top of his game and respected throughout the basketball world as perhaps the greatest shooting coach of all time. Just ask Charles Barkley, Malik Rose, Sebastian Telfair and Jameer Nelson, among those who have sought the “shot doc” out to improve their jump shots. Or talk to his friends and colleagues in the tight-knit Philly coaching community, people like Villanova’s Jay Wright, Temple’s Fran Dunphy and St. Joe’s Phil Martelli.
Magee also is a highly respected coaching mentor, and many of his former assistants and players have gone on to top coaching jobs, including Pat Chambers at Boston University, Sean Kearney at Holy Cross and Steve Donohue at Cornell.
Sure, he’s had opportunities to move to DI and NBA teams, but Magee has chosen to stay close to his family and hometown of Philadelphia. Having lost both his parents by age 13, this 5’10″ kid from West Philadelphia was a playground legend during the time of Earl Monroe, Wali Jones and Walt Hazzard, and starred at famed West Catholic High along with lifetime friends and future coaches Jim Lynam and Jim Boyle.
After his playing days, he was drafted by the Celtics, but instead chose to make his mark as a coach, becoming head coach at his alma mater in 1966. Remarkably, Magee has won more than 1,100 games with the Rams, including his years as a player and coach.
A two-time All-America selection at what was then Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science, Magee ended his college career as the Rams’ top scorer and today remains the team’s third all-time high scorer with 2,235 career points — an extraordinary achievement in the era before the three-point shot.
Herb Magee is a Philly legend who exemplifies the tenacity and hometown loyalty of every Philadelphia fan. Considering Magee’s career as a coach and player, his contributions to basketball and his dedication to his student athletes, well, these are remarkable achievements by a man who continues to rewrite basketball history.
Source: Philadelphia University
A Youth Soccer Tournament visible from Outer Space kicks off in July
The first international youth soccer tournament in Beijing reveals details today.
The tournament, named The Great Wall Cup of Beijing will be hosted by the Beijing Municipal Sports Administration, and undertaken by the Beijing Football Association, the Olympic Sports Center and China Sports Tour. In the first year of the event, the committee will invite teams from all over the world, both boys and girls, in the age categories 14, 16, and 18, as well as eight local teams. The event is considered to be the first ever international youth soccer tournament of this scale to be held in Beijing. International clubs and teams are welcome to register now.
The current status of Chinese soccer teams is unusual, according to Sports Minister Mr. Liu Peng, who states, “The shortage of reserve talent is the key reason for its low level.” The government has already realized the problem and started to focus on youth development. Promoting the international youth soccer tournament is a way to give local youngsters opportunities to communicate and practice with international teams so they can improve their technique and social skills.
“Chinese young players have little chance to play against foreign teams,” says Mr. Yang Junsheng, the president of the Beijing Football Association, “That is the reason why we fully support this event. We hope this tournament can serve as a kind of festival for all young players who participate in it. We sincerely hope this event will also draw more public attention to youth soccer. The Great Wall Cup of Beijing is not only a platform for Chinese youngsters to learn and experience the most advanced soccer skills, but also a window to show Beijing and China to the young generation of the world. We sincerely hope that through the Great Wall Cup, not only can Chinese players learn from other teams, but also first time visitors can have the opportunity to learn the spirit of the city, to experience the culture, the people and the fun.” By using the top sports facilities in Beijing and promoting a combination of culture, sports and travel, the tournament will satisfy participants and make them feel fulfilled by taking part in the one-week event.
Beijing, as a dynastic city, has become a preferred place to host popular international sports events, especially after the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. However, a youth soccer tournament has never been hosted there before. Inspired by the successes and great impact of the youth soccer tournaments in Europe, such as the Gothia Cup and Norway Cup, the Great Wall cup is trying to attract boys and girls from all over the world who love this amazing sport, offering them the opportunity to spend a week to enjoy the tournament and experience something unique. “Beijing has become an international city; it has already hosted several big-name events drawing public awareness, yet we do not have any youth sporting events. The Beijing Football Association sincerely hopes to take this opportunity to make the Great Wall Cull of Beijing a symbol of the Post-Olympics Beijing,” Mr. Yang explained.
One highlight of the one-week program of the Great Wall Cup of Beijing is called ChinaTouch. ChinaTouch is a workshop that provides foreign players the opportunity to learn and experience Chinese culture and art. The workshop will be held in the hotel lobby all week so every participant can take part. “Teams can learn basic Chinese, calligraphy, and practice kung fu with our kung fu master,” says Shine Liu, the managing director of China Sports Tour. “We arranged this workshop to allow international teams to experience something new and unique. It is easier to learn and make new friends in a happy atmosphere.”
Mr. Shine Liu also explained more details of the event: “Not only do we want to add fun and cultural elements to this tournament, but we are also trying to create more opportunities for talented players professionally, and that is why we have the ‘Meet the Future Star’ event. Professional coaches, scouts and sports agents from China and other Asian countries will be invited to observe the games, they will pick the players they like, and we will help them to arrange a face-to-face conversation so that they can better get to know each other, and to see if there is any possibility of future cooperation.” Besides these activities already mentioned, a grand opening ceremony, a closing banquet, and a Leaders’ Party will be held during the week.
Teams will also have a selection of sightseeing opportunities. They will get the chance to take a one-day trip to the famous Great Wall, visit the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square, the Drum and Bell Tower, the Bird’s Nest, the Water Cube, take a tour of old Beijing Hutongs and enjoy a lakeside dinner.
“Inviting international teams to join the Great Wall Cup will make this the biggest international youth soccer event in China ever,” states Mr. Shine Liu, “We feel really honored and excited to be the organization exclusively authorized to promote the tournament internationally.” Back in the late 90s, a youth tournament named “The Four Asia Tigers” was considered to be the most influential youth soccer event in China. Mr. Shine Liu commented, “Unfortunately, the Four Asia Tiger tournament only lasted around three years, and it was Asia-wide only.”
The 2010 Great Wall Cup of Beijing will be held from July 25th-31st at the Beijing Olympic Sports Center Football Park, just across the street from the Bird’s Nest. This tournament will become an annual event in the future and aim to be one of the biggest international sports events in Beijing along with the China Open and the Italian Super Cup.
The Great Wall Cup of Beijing is now looking to cooperate with all kinds of organizations and companies worldwide. Sponsorship packages are also available for companies who want to use this as a platform to introduce their brand and products to China and the world. “The tournament welcomes companies and organizations to join the Great Wall Cup of Beijing together with the teams. With the Beijing Football Association’s support, taking part in the event will definitely help companies to open a window to the Chinese market,” Mr. Shine Liu revealed, “As an international event that is supported and organized by the Beijing Municipal Sports Administration and the Beijing Football Association, media exposure will be inconceivable. Newspaper, portal website and TV media will come in great numbers to report on the tournament and the stories behind it. We believe we will give our sponsors and partners a great return. By participating in this exciting event, companies will not only increase their brand awareness in China, but also build a solid foundation with potential business partners in China. The organizing committee has been talking to Chinese portal websites, national TV stations and influential newspapers. They have all showed great interest in the Great Wall Cup and would like to broadcast, interview and report on it because this is the very first international youth soccer tournament in China, and all media know the importance and significant meaning of the event.”
Teams from America, Switzerland, Australia, Mexico, Brazil, South Africa, Nigeria and Cameroon have already shown interest in coming for the 2010 Great Wall Cup of Beijing. The team registration fee will be waived for teams registering before Feb 28th, 2010. For more information, visit http://www.thegreatwallcup.com/.
MLB.com offers high def MLB.TV with full season of portability
Live baseball available on several platforms including Apple’s iPad, iPhone and iPod touch
MLB.com, the official Web site of Major League Baseball, announced that the eighth season of MLB.TV, one of the largest subscription video offerings on the Internet, is now available at http://www.mlb.tv/ with portability for the upcoming 2010 season.
In addition to the PC-based accessibility more than two million subscribers have enjoyed over the past seven seasons, fans for the first time will be able to take a complete season of 2,430 games on MLB.TV wherever they go through a variety of interactive media platforms, including the newly unveiled Apple iPad and the MLB.com At Bat 2010 app for iPhone and iPod touch mobile devices. Additional platform offerings for live streaming are expected to be announced and available to subscribers for Opening Day.
The 2010 MLB.TV media player will deliver a fleet of enhancements in a convenient, cutting-edge Adobe Flash format, offering an unparalleled live viewing experience for every out-of-market regular season game.
In addition to portability, some of the features available in 2010 MLB.TV include:
HD Quality Picture – MLB.com’s proprietary speed detection allows high-speed users to receive live high definition video at the industry standard of 720p on any size monitor.
Home and Away Feeds - Watch or listen to either the home or away teams’ broadcasts.
Live Game DVR Functionality – Pause and rewind or fast-forward live games.
Clickable Linescores – Go directly to any half-inning to watch only that portion of the game.
Multi-Game Viewing Options - Watch up to four games simultaneously.
Picture-in-Picture – Choose one game and track another or watch in-game highlights simultaneously in a secondary window.
Live Game Highlights - Real-time highlights and player stats automatically load into the media player. With one click, the clip instantly launches in a picture-in-picture window.
Player Tracker - Customize alerts to feature entire fantasy rosters or just a list of favorite players. Subscribers will be notified any time a listed player is on deck. Click the real-time alert to watch live at-bat look-ins.
Spring Training – Watch more than 150 live games from Florida and Arizona as teams prepare for the 2010 season.
Source: MLB.com
Lingerie Football League season finale set to take place at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA RIVALRY WILL FEATURE SAN DIEGO SEDUCTION VS. LOS ANGELES TEMPTATION
A different kind of “Friday Night Lights” will take center stage this Friday at the historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum as Lingerie Football League (or “LFL”) and Los Angeles Temptation officials announced today the LFL’s season finale will be played at the famed football stadium. The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum has been home to the first-ever Super Bowl, Olympics, Los Angeles Raiders, Los Angeles Rams and now Los Angeles’ newest pro football team, the Los Angeles Temptation. The LFL season finale will include a Southern California rivalry game with Playoff implications as the San Diego Seduction visit the Los Angeles Temptation. The Temptation will need a win for an opportunity to advance to Miami, Florida next week for the LFL Conference Playoffs and possibly Lingerie Bowl VII set to air Super Bowl Sunday opposite Super Bowl XLIV halftime’s show.
The inaugural season of the LFL has been incredibly successful with nearly 30% higher than projected attendance, record TV ratings, record internet traffic and 2010 expansion markets. The LFL features 10 franchise teams which include the Seattle Mist, Los Angeles Temptation, San Diego Seduction, Dallas Desire, Denver Dream, Chicago Bliss, New York Majesty, Philadelphia Passion, Tampa Breeze and Miami Caliente. LFL games include 7-on-7 full-contact tackle football played by some of America’s most beautiful and athletic women.
The Chicago Bliss and Miami Caliente of the Eastern Conference have already secured Playoff berths as has the Dallas Desire in the Western Conference. The final seed in the Western Conference has come down between the Seattle Mist and the Los Angeles Temptation.
Source: Lingerie Football League, LLC