Druggie Thanou Excluded from Beijing Games She won't be missed.

Paula: "Flagstaff was a turning point. I had just read something before going out for my run and I started crying so much while I was running that I had to stop and sit down." - Paula Radcliffe talking about the 2004 Olympics and the 2008 Games.
*Story on Wejo Pacing Paula to World Record in Chicago Is Up on Spikes Magazine It's a nice new UK/IAAF magazine/website. Wejo was shocked to see he wore a Breathe Right strip.

Peter Coe, Seb's Father, Dies Seb had delayed his trip to the Olympics to spend more time with his dad and then his dad died shortly after he left.
*Seb Was a Hell of an Athlete but he Had a Hell of a Coach

Andrew Baddeley Getting a Lot of Attention in Britain In the land of Coe, Cram and Ovett, 1,500m prospects are taken seriously.

More British News: Kelly Sotherton Speaks Out Against Rival and Drug Cheat Lyudmila Blonska

8/8/08 Dazzling Opening Ceremonies Kick Off Beijing Olympics A reader abroad wrote us saying, "I thought it was mind blowing ... it's like China is saying: 'We are the next power' ... I'm telling you, it was the most amazing visual display I have ever seen on television. And I'm not even watching on an HD or anything. London must be shitting their pants because that was unbeatable. It was amazing ... It just went on for 4 straight hours." We agree.
*America's a Great Country "For the rest of us, who have generally eaten well, felt safe and experienced total hopelessness only in sad movies, (Lopez) Lomong is a gift. He lights up the room again and puts a Band-Aid on the cynicism. If you are a writer, you want to tell his story, even if dozens have preceded you. You want to tell it better, to grip the reader just in case your predecessors haven't. And then you sit in the audience on the morning of the opening ceremony and realize you need do nothing more than listen and take notes, because Lomong is telling it to you, for you, and better than ever before ... We have a world full of politicians and diplomatic spinners and we have only one Lopez Lomong. Too bad it isn't the other way around."
-LA Times columnists Bill Dwyre writing on Lopez Lomong
*Washington Post Editorial by Thomas Boswell on Lopez Lomong
*Message board thread on the amazing opening ceremony

Good Doping News: USA Today Blogger Training for Marine Corps Marathon Says Smog Isn't That Bad, Running Isn't Too Hard

NY Times Talks About Internet Viewers Already Getting Around NBCs Lack of Live Coverage