Sports Briefs Feb. 10, 2010
Football is America’s favorite sport again
Baseball may be the national pastime, but for the 26th consecutive year, Americans have voted football their favorite sport. The annual survey, conducted by Harris Poll, saw 35 percent of respondents call professional football their favorite sport. In second place was baseball (16 percent), followed by college football (12 percent). Next up were auto racing (nine percent), men’s professional basketball (five percent), professional hockey and men’s golf (tied at four percent) and men’s college basketball (three percent). Other responses (two percent or less) included soccer, boxing, horse racing, swimming, bowling track and field and tennis. According to Netscape, auto racing is most popular with both older people (aged 50-64) and those with a high-school education or less, and college football is most popular with recent college graduates.
Gainey steps down
The run is over for a former Montreal Canadiens’ legend. General manager Bob Gainey stepped down earlier this week after serving as the Habs’ GM since 2003. According to TSN, the Canadiens had a record of 241-176-46-7 during Gainey’s tenure in the front office. Gainey cited his unwillingness to commit to four or five more years on the job as one of the reasons for his departure. He will stay on in an advisor’s role for the time being. Pierre Gauthier will be Gainey’s replacement, and will take the job, effective immediately. Gainey spent his entire 16-year NHL career with the Canadiens, serving as captain for eight years and winning five Stanley Cups.
Celebrities to carry torch in Vancouver
With the 2010 Winter Olympics just a couple of weeks away, the Vancouver Olympic Committee is rolling out the big guns to carry the Olympic torch down the home stretch. According to CTV, the torch has gone on a more-than 45,000 kilometer journey across the country, reportedly the longest torch relay in Olympic history, and now just has a few days left. Celebrities expected to have a part in the torch relay in the coming days include California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, NBA star Steve Nash, singer Michael Buble and Walter Gretzky (father of Wayne).
Patrick to race at Daytona
Having already turned the IndyCar series on its head, Danica Patrick will take her sizable media following and her driving skills to NASCAR on Saturday when she races in the Daytona 500. According to ESPN.com, Patrick’s decision is being supported by some and questioned by others. Some in the industry are saying that Daytona isn’t the best track for an inexperienced driver to race on, adding that Patrick isn’t used to the restrictor plate racing necessary for success at Daytona. Patrick herself was encouraged by her stock car racing debut on Saturday, when she finished sixth in an ARCA race. Patrick, who has become as well-known for her looks as for her driving, will be racing a car sponsored by GoDaddy.com, the same company she often represents in television commercials.
Dominican Republic wins Caribbean title
The Dominican Republic has been sending talented players to Major League Baseball for decades, but now the island nation has a title to call their own after winning the Leones del Escogido, a Domincan Winter League team, won the Caribbean Series with a 7-4 triumph over Venezuela’s Leones del Caracas this past weekend. The Dominican Republic finished the tournament with a record of 5-1, just ahead of Mayaguez, a Puerto Rican team that finished 4-2. The Dominican team featured a plethora of current and former MLB players, including manager Felipe Alou, general manager Moises Alou, current Cincinnati Red Juan Francisco and current New York Met Fernando Martinez, among others. The tournament has been held nearly every year since 1949.
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