Lezak Brings Home Relay Gold

Michael Phelps' quest for the record eight gold medals in this Olympics is still alive thanks to his teammates in the 4x100 relay last night, who put in a world record performance to beat France. While each of the team members, Phelps, Garrett Weber-Gale (Yid) and Cullen Jones did their part, it was the Jason Lezak (Yid) the anchor of the team, who lived up to his role and then some. All the 32 year old captain of the US men's swim team did was turn in what was the greatest swim in US history.

As they made the turn for the last 50 meters, Lezak trailed Alain Bernard, the trash talking world record holder of France by a body length and things looked dim for the Americans and Phelps dreams of eight gold medals. Lezak, hugging the lane rope and drafting off Bernard's wake began running him down and stunningly out-touched Bernard at the wall. Lezak had swum the split in 46.06 seconds, a full three-quarters of a second faster than any split in history as the team shattered the fifteen hour old world record by nearly four seconds. Lezak had swum his split by nearly two-thirds of a second faster than Bernard and well ahead of Bernard's world record of 47.50, although it won't count as a new world record for the 100.

Lezak, the old man on this team, like his teammate, Dara Torres, his elder by 9 years, may well turn out to upstage the face of these Games in Michael Phelps. At the very least, in the event that Phelps does go on to break Spitz's record and gets the eight gold records and the $1 million bonus put up by Speedo, he will owe a big chunk of it to Lezak.

UPDATE: You have to love this headline from Haaretz: Two Jews and a Black Man Help Phelps Fulfill Dream.

Jacobson Nabs Silver In US Sweep

Sada Jacobson (on the right against Zagunis) lost the final in women's saber to teammate Mariel Zagunis, winning the silver medal as part of a US sweep of the event and becoming the first Jewish athlete to medal In Beijing.

Jacobson is a veteran fencer, having won the bronze medal at Athens in 2004. Zagunis also won this event in Athens, where she became the first American in a century to win a fencing gold medal. The American women's team, consisting of the medal winners, are now the favorite to take the gold medal in the team saber event later this week.

All Stars, We Have All Stars

First, let me apologize for the interminable length between posts.  I wasn't sure that I was going to be keeping this blog at all, so I was neglectful while trying to make up my mind.  Since I still haven't made up my mind, I decided to go ahead and post this and post for a bit and see what happens.

Major League Baseball is having its All Star Game next week at Yankee Stadium since this is the last season for the House that Ruth Built before it's torn down for the House that Steinbrenner Built across the street.  The teams were announced earlier this week and three Jews, well, one full and two half-Jews, were named to the squads.  Kevin Youkilis, the Boston Red Sox first baseman will start for the American League, much to the chagrin of the Yankee faithful.  Youkilis, the "Greek God of Walks", openly identifies as Jewish.

The two half-Jews are the Milwaukee Brewers sensational outfielder Ryan Braun who will be starting for the National League.  Texas Ranger second baseman Ian Kinsler made the American League team as a reserve.  Both Braun and Kinsler have Jewish fathers, and while they may identify themselves as half-Jewish, at least in the case of Braun, don't consider themselves to be practicing Jews.  

Russia Tops Israel; Makes Fed Cup Semis

Behind Maria Sharapova, Russia blasted by Israel in the reverse singles to take their quarterfinal Fed Cup match staged in Israel today. Sharapova had little trouble with Israel's number one player, Shahar Pe'er, winning 6-1, 6-1. Pe'er could not muster any comeback against the Aussie Open champion similar to the one she staged yesterday. In the other singles match, Anna Chakvetadze beat Tzipi Obziler 6-0, 6-4 to clinch the match for Russia.

Israel, Russia 1-1 in Fed Cup Play

Israel and Russia split opening day singles matches in Fed Cup quarterfinal play today at the Ramat Hasharon Tennis Center. Maria Sharapova, playing in her first ever Fed Cup match, overwhelmed Tzipi Obziler 6-0, 6-4, while Shahar Pe'er rallied to defeat Dinara Safina 0-6, 6-2, 6-2. Reverse singles will be played on Sunday followed by the doubles match.

The sellout Israeli crowd was not your typical tennis crowd. At one point in Sharapova's match, the crowd began imitating Sharapova's grunts each time the Aussie Open champ hit the ball. It didn't seem to faze Sharapova however:

"I don't mind it," Sharapova said. "It brings out the best in me. I love the atmosphere, the crowd and their craziness. It is what we live for. I got really anxious and excited as I was close to finishing my first Fed Cup match.

An Historic Weekend in Israeli Sports

It was a week in Israeli sports that began like many others. Maccabi Tel Aviv won a EuroLeague game at Nokia Arena and looks to be on its way to a top seed in the round of 16. Half a world away, the pride of Israeli tennis, ShaharPe'er had crashed out of the Australian Open singles competition. But this was the calm before the proverbial storm as Saturday dawned bright around the globe.

The appetizer was a sparkling performance by multi-talented striker Yossi Benayoun in a game that reminded everyone exactly why the FA Cup is still a beloved tournament. In a game that saw a team of part-timers composed of bricklayers, taxi drivers and truant officers take twice take leads over Liverpool at Anfield, it took a hat trick by Benayoun to save the Premier League side's reputation, not to mention its place in the fifth round.

In a normal weekend, that would have been the highlight, however, more was to come from Down Under. The aforesaid Pe'er redeemed herself in doubles, making it to the finals, with her Belorussian partner Victoria Azarenka before falling to Alona and Kateryna Bondarenko 6-2, 1-6, 4-6.

The best was yet to come however. Israeli doubles team Andy Ram and Yoni Ehrlich met French doubles team Michael Llodra and Arnaud Clement in the men's doubles final. The Israelis won 7-5, 7-6 completing a run through the doubles bracket in which they did not drop a set, and becoming the first Israeli team to win a Grand Slam event. The pair played before a raucous crowd of Israeli supporters, replete with, and I'm quoting here, "cries of war and shouts to attack the French from the start."

It will be tennis mania in Israel this week as the conquering Aussie Open heroes arrive home accompanied by Maria Sharapova, the Australian Open Women's Singles winner, who is coming to join her Russian Fed Cup teammates ahead of this weekend's match with Israel. Shahar Pe'er will open play with a singles match against Sharapova. I doubt that Israeli tennis has ever had a more eventful eight days.