The Truth Is The Arrogance.

Monday, 21 August 2017
KL apologises over flag blunder


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PETALING JAYA: Kuala Lumpur has apologised to Jakarta over the Indonesian flag blunder in the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games souvenir booklet.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman said Malaysia regretted the error made by the Malaysian Organising Committee (Masoc) for the upside down publication of the republic’s flag in the booklet.

“On behalf of the Malaysian Government, we would like to extend our apology to the government and the people of the Republic of Indonesia,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Malaysia, he said, places importance on its close relations with Indonesia, more so as this year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment diplomatic relations with the republic.

In Jakarta, President Joko Widodo has called on all parties not to blow the issue out of proportion.

An online media yesterday quoted the Indonesian president as saying that although the matter was regrettable, people in the country should not overplay the issue.

“Don’t exaggerate it,” he said, as quoted by Detik.com.

He said the Malaysian Govern­ment, however, should formally apologise to Indonesia.

“We wait for an official apology from the Malaysian Government, as it concerns the pride and nationalistic spirit of our Indonesian people,” he said.

Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, the Masoc chairman, has also apologised to Indonesia over the error.

Yesterday, he met and handed over a letter of apology to his counterpart Imam Nahrawi at a hotel.

The two ministers then shook hands in front of a packed media conference.

Khairy, while offering his public apology, expressed his regret over the matter and was quick to admit that it was a “big mistake”.

“On behalf of Masoc, I have apologised to my counterpart Bapak Imam and here I would also like to say sorry to all the Indonesians over this mistake.

“It’s a big mistake but unintentional and it happened due to our carelessness,” he said.

Imam accepted the apology from Khairy, whom he regarded as a very close friend, and hopes that the issue will not repeated.

“I will bring this apology forward to President Jokowi to decide on our next step. But I hope this matter has served as a lesson for everyone and will not be repeated in the future,” he said.

(Source)

	Chargers safety Dexter McCoil returns an interception 99 yards for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter against the Saints at StubHub Center. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

t was nearly the end of the first quarter at StubHub Center when, standing on a concourse overlooking the field, I ran into a fan who had not yet been to his seat.

He had not been stuck in traffic. He had not been slowed by security. He was not avoiding a section of drunks.

No, from the moment Clarence Perkins walked into the stadium for a preseason game between the Chargers and New Orleans Saints, he was so struck by the view, he couldn’t sit down.

“For 40 minutes I’ve just been standing here,” he said. “I’m just shocked at how close I am.”

Down below, it appeared the Chargers and Saints were playing on an HD flat-screen TV, only it was real.

You could see every gesture, feel every hit, sense every motion, hear every kick. The pregame fireworks smoke fills your face. The officials’ whistles buzz your ears. You don’t need replays. You don’t need binoculars.

It’s that shocking, and that close, and with it, the Chargers have finally landed a real shot in their self-proclaimed “Fight for L.A.”

After my first visit to their three-year temporary home Sunday, I can safely claim that, for an NFL viewing experience, StubHub Center kicks the concrete out of the Coliseum.

It is completely lacking in the Coliseum’s majesty, totally devoid of its tradition, and only partially filled with fans. It will be absent the inspiring roar, the ancient chill, and everything that is so throwback cool to our city’s venerable sporting palace. With the Coliseum’s legacy personified on Saturdays by longtime fans who have lovingly turned it into a second home, it will forever be the perfect place to watch a USC football game.

Stars sit as Chargers fall to Saints 13-7 in exhibition at StubHub Center
But, goodness, StubHub Center is just a much, much better place to watch a pro football game.

“Compared to the Coliseum, this place is a paradise,” said Matt Wheeler, 56, a contractor who drove down from San Fernando to see this gem for himself. “This is as good a place to watch football as I’ve ever been.”

The Chargers have rightfully taken a lot of heat for failing to sell out the stadium’s roughly 27,000 seats for either of their first two preseason games. They are beginning their inaugural Los Angeles season without the legacy or institutional love that belongs to their rival Rams. Even their television ticker abbreviation — does the “LAC” remind you of anything? — seems to reinforce their debut as the No. 2 team in town.

Yet spend five minutes at StubHub and realize, this stadium can be their great equalizer.

It was one thing to hear Chargers and AEG officials spend the last six months bragging about the uniqueness of bringing the NFL here. It’s quite another, however, to see a game for yourself.

From virtually everywhere in this Carson soccer stadium, you really do feel like you’re standing on the shoulder pads of the football players. Penalties are immediately understood. Formations are quickly recognized. When the Chargers’ Isaiah Burse zig-zagged for a 17-yard punt return Sunday during the team’s 13-7 loss to the Saints, you could almost feel every juke.

Attendance at NFL games has been decreasing in recent years because it’s a better game on television. That truth is turned on its head here, where TV cannot match the charge of feeling like a dude is being tackled at your feet.

Drive has always outweighed size for Chargers' Desmond King
“It’s really surreal,’’ admitted Doug Frankel, a lifelong Chargers fan from San Diego who bought season tickets. “It’s probably going to be underwhelming for the NFL, but it’s great for the fans.”

The NFL opinion makers are already grumbling. I’ve heard complaints about this feeling like a small-college football venue unworthy of the league’s 70,000-seat majesty. But it works exactly because it feels like a small-college football venue, and not just because it doesn’t require 20 minutes to climb to your seat.

Unlike the ancient tight quarters of the Coliseum, StubHub Center also features wide concourses dotted with picnic tables and umbrellas. The tables are surrounded by so many different food options, it could be a weekly Taste of LA. The best part of the concourses is that whenever you decide to step into the stadium area, the football game is right in your face.

“I actually feel like I’m on the field with them,” said Perkins, 27, a Los Angeles P.E. teacher. “I’ve never felt so close to the actual game.”

Perkins echoed many people’s feelings about the Coliseum, which creaked last year under the weight of restless Rams fans, who often fled early out of discomfort or boredom.

“I love the Coliseum because it’s the Coliseum,” Perkins said. “But this experience tops it twofold.”

On Sunday there was more fodder to mock the slow-starting Chargers franchise. Attendance was only 21,197, a second consecutive week of questionable support even during the dumb exhibition season. There is also reason to wonder if the average fan can ever experience this place, as it has the highest average ticket price in the league at $192.

But stripped down to its basics, their new home is one of the best combinations of sports and venue in this city, something that was loudly reinforced when the Chargers scored their only touchdown.

It came early in the fourth quarter on a 99-yard interception return by Dexter McCoil. As he picked his way through the Saints offense, the crowd gasped with every swerve and sway, as if he were running directly down their aisle. When he crossed the goal line, many fans seemed to hop when he leaped, as if he had just scored among them.

(Source)

	Gymnast Aly Raisman believes it’s time for USA Gymnastics to get more involved and make some changes.

Six-time Olympic medalist Aly Raisman fiercely spoke out against USA Gymnastics for what she believes is a failure to address a major sexual abuse scandal.

“I feel like there’s a lot of articles about it, but nobody has said, ‘This is horrible, this is what we’re doing to change,'” Raisman told the Associated Press.

Former national team doctor Larry Nassar, who served in the position for 29 years, is at the center of the scandal. He’s being sued by more than 125 women who allege he sexually assaulted them when he was supposed to be treating them. Nassar is already in prison on child pornography charges and still faces criminal sexual conduct charges.

From AP:

USA Gymnastics launched an independent review of its policies in the wake of the allegations against Nassar and reporting by the Indianapolis Star that highlighted chronic mishandling of abuse allegations against coaches and staff at some of its more than 3,500 clubs across the country.
Raisman, who most recently won gold in Rio at the 2016 Olympics, is calling for major change.

”Everyone is important. It doesn’t matter if you’re the Olympic champion or you’re an 8-year-old that goes to gymnastics in Ohio, or wherever you are in the U.S. Every single kid is important and I want USA Gymnastics to do a better job with that,” the 23-year-old said.

”What people don’t realize is that this doctor was a doctor for 29 years. Whether or not he did it to a gymnast, they still knew him. Even if he didn’t do it to you, it’s still the trauma and the anxiety of wondering what could have happened. I think that needs to be addressed. These girls, they should be comfortable going to USA Gymnastics and saying: ‘I need help, I want therapy. I need this.”’

USA Gymnastics was quick to respond to Raisman’s criticism, saying the organization is “taking the issue head-on” and wants to work with Raisman on athlete safety.

Raisman spoke out after she and the “Fierce Five” were inducted into the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame on Saturday.

(Source)

Receiver Anquan Boldin abruptly announces his retirement to focus on his humanitarian work just under two weeks after signing with the Buffalo Bills.

FILE- In this Oct. 9, 2016, file photo, Detroit Lions wide receiver Anquan Boldin (80) rushes against the Philadelphia Eagles during an NFL football game at Ford Field in Detroit. Boldin abruptly announced his retirement just under two weeks after signing with the Buffalo Bills. General manager Brandon Beane made it official Sunday, Aug. 20, 2017, by saying the team respects Boldin's decision to retire. (AP Photo/Rick Osentoski, File) THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Receiver Anquan Boldin is abruptly giving up on football to pursue his humanitarian and charitable work just under two weeks after signing with the Buffalo Bills.

Boldin released a statement on Sunday night shortly after informing the Bills of his decision.

"Football has afforded me a platform throughout my career to have a greater impact on my humanitarian work," Boldin. "At this time, I feel drawn to make the larger fight for human rights a priority. My life's purpose is bigger than football."

He added that football brings together people of different races and religions to strive toward one shared goal, and how important it is to not let your fellow man down.

Boldin, the NFL's 2015 Walter Payton Man of the Year, oversees the south Florida-based Q81 Foundation, which offers educational support for under-privileged children.

Bills general manager Brandon Beane said the team respects Boldin's decision to retire.

"We appreciate the time he gave us over the past two weeks," Beane said. "He is one of the best receivers to play this game and we wish him and his family all the best moving forward."

Boldin's decision came as a complete surprise, especially after he talked about building on his legacy entering his 15th season and being open to serving as a mentor for Buffalo's young group of receivers. Though he was non-committal about his future beyond this year, Boldin was intent on playing this season upon signing a one-year contract with a base salary of $1.75 million on Aug. 7.

"At this point in your career, you can't get too far ahead of yourself, so I just take it a year at a time," he had said. "Once I'm committed, I'm all in."

The Bills, however, aren't the same team he joined. Only four days after Boldin signed, Buffalo traded its top receiving threat in Sammy Watkins to the Los Angeles Rams for cornerback E.J. Gaines as part of two blockbuster deals on Aug. 11. In a separate trade, the Bills acquired receiver Jordan Matthews from Philadelphia for starting cornerback Ronald Darby.

The Bills also acquired second- and third-round draft picks in an indication the team is more intent on building through next year's draft.

Though surprised by the moves, Boldin insisted at the time that Watkins' presence had little to do with him signing with Buffalo.

"For me, I would've loved to have played alongside of Sammy, but that wasn't the reason I signed here," Boldin had signed. "The reason I signed here is the guys who are still here. I believe in coach Sean (McDermott) and what he's doing and the direction this organization is heading in."

McDermott is a first-time coach who spent the past six seasons as the Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator. He was hired in January to replace Rex Ryan, who was fired in the final week of last season.

Boldin ranks in the top four among active receivers with 1,076 catches, 13,779 yards receiving and 82 touchdowns receiving.

He appeared in just one preseason game for Buffalo, and finished with one catch for 5 yards in a 20-16 loss to Philadelphia on Thursday night.

Boldin spent last season with Detroit, where he had 67 catches for 584 yards and eight touchdowns in 16 games. The former Florida State star spent his first seven NFL seasons with Arizona, then played three years with Baltimore and three with San Francisco. He helped the Ravens win the Super Bowl in February 2013.

The Bills are in a sudden state of disarray at the receiver position three weeks before the season opens, and in the midst of a 17-year playoff drought — the longest active streak in North America's four professional sports.

Boldin was supposed to fill a top-three spot alongside Matthews and rookie second-round draft pick Zay Jones.

Matthews, however, is listed as week to week after chipping a bone in his sternum during his first practice after being traded. He began light workouts on Sunday, and is on track to be ready for the season opener against the New York Jets.

Free-agent addition Rod Streater's status is more uncertain after hurting his left toe against Philadelphia. McDermott said the medical staff is still evaluating Streater's injury and wouldn't rule out the possibility of surgery.

That leaves Andre Holmes and Philly Brown now competing for an increased role in an offense headed by quarterback Tyrod Taylor.

(Source)

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the opinions of WrestlingInc or its staff

Last year's SummerSlam I thought was one of the worst WWE PPVs in recent years. The main reason I thought that was that the show was supper long and had a very disappointing main event. While SummerSlam 2017 was far from a perfect show; they corrected their two biggest mistakes from the previous year. They had a ton of matches on the show, but the pacing was as good as they possibly could do it; very few backstage segments, none of the matches felt like they lasted too long, and it ended right around 11 p.m. Some of the undercard matches had rushed finishes, but that is a fair price to pay because the show was pretty easy to watch.
The main event also was certainly not disappointing; it lived up to its potential and then some. The WWE Championship certainly did not, but some of the undercard matches were good to make sure the show never completely got off the rails. I'd also like to point out that Corey Graves was fantastic for the entire show; one of the best commentary jobs I can remember anyone doing. Graves comes across as intelligent, aggressive in the right way, has a knack for finding the little points in matches that help sell the action and also has some great one-liners; he's terrific.

Braun Strowman vs Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns vs Braun Strowman: ****1/4

The opening to this match was fantastic, just a bunch of crazy spots and guys hitting big moves. It was a lot like a Pro Wrestling Guerilla match where the guys are just doing dives and huge highspots; excpet it was a bunch of 300lb dudes slamming each other through stuff. I think they hit a home run because they completed the checklist of objectives you would have for this match. They gave the fans something to remember in the main event and the best match was indeed the final match on the card. They gave Brock Lesnar another big title defense, Strowman got over big time and nobody really looked bad in the match; even Reigns who took the pinfall.

While Lesnar got the glory spot of coming back from the dead and retaining the championship; the real star of the match was Strowman. Strowman has just been a revelation this year; I never expected him to be in this position and he deserves a ton of credit. It is a combination of him improving in the ring and WWE really committing themselves to getting him over as a monster. Strowman never looks weak and the only times he loses is when he is completely worn down by a bunch of men. I don't know if he can be a long-term babyface champion, but he has earned a shot to carry the company. The fans in New York loved him and I know Vince has said in the past that the New York crowd has a lot of influence on who is pushed in WWE.


Jinder Mahal vs Shinsuke Nakamura: *1/2

Ugh, another PPV and another listless Mahal title defense. I don't really hate Mahal; his presentation is good and he scowls a lot, but while he has been WWE Champion; the world title matches just don't feel exciting. It doesn't help that all of his defenses have the same finish every time. The Singh Brothers distract the babyface, Mahal hits his finisher and gets the pinfall. It is repetitive, creative and it SUCKS. The crowd doesn't even hate it at this point--his victory got almost no reaction; like the fans are just numb to the ineptitude of his matches.

Outside of the finish the match was nothing special. Nakamura's entrance was great and made him look special; only of course to lose in the same way everyone else loses to Mahal; which made him look like just another guy at this point. The promo they aired before the match was bizarre since it made Mahal look like a total babyface and a legit national hero to his people. I thought at the very least this match would have a good crowd since they legitimately like Nakamura and dislike Mahal, but they were pretty quiet for most of the match after popping huge for Nakamura's entrance.

Sheamus and Cesaro vs Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins: ***1/2

A good match that helped pick up the show, both teams are professionals that now how to get the job done in the ring, and Rollins and Cesaro are two of the best workers in the world. The crowd liked The Shield getting together again and I wonder how long they will keep them together this time. Ambrose turning on Rollins would be the most intriguing option. Unlike a lot of the earlier matches, this match had a really exciting finish with Rollins and Cesaro combining for an awesome high spot and the crowd popping for the title change. I loved Cesaro going into the crowd and destroying the beach ball (which Graves sold really well on commentary). I know it was probably a plant, but still a great heel moment.

AJ Styles vs Kevin Owens: ***3/4

Much better match than their BattleGround encounter. They couldn't do a standard back-and-forth match because they had to work in the special guest referee angle, but they still had a good match with plenty of near-falls. One thing I liked was that they teased a lot of the expected ref-bump falls; such as McMahon pushing AJ and Owens rolling him up. Those are the predictable spots that WWE does so much that when they tease it as a near-fall it works really well. Only in wrestling can you have an angle where a professional referee screws up, so the solution to the issue is to get a referee who isn't a professional referee, to do a "better" job. This was followed up by Shane being comically bad at his job, which is going to lead to a match with Owens. I wonder who is going to be the new United States #1 contender? Perhaps Sami Zayn? Luke Harper? Corbin?

Baron Corbin vs John Cena:**

Corbin losing to Cena pretty much confirms that he has angered someone in management as he has had an absolutely rotten week; losing the Money in the Bank contract and now doing the big J-O-B to Cena in a pretty boring match. I thought that losing the MiTB contract would be a boost to Corbin because it would give his character more motivation to avenge his embarrassment, and in time that may indeed end up being the case, but right now it looks like he is slipping down the totem pole in WWE. Cena really didn't need to beat Corbin here, and Cena won in a pretty basic way; Corbin was on top early, Cena fired up and made his comeback, hit his finisher and pinned Corbin. There was nothing unusual about the match at all, it felt like a basic SmackDown match, and it was really just a stamp on Corbin's current descent down the ladder. It will be interesting to see who Corbin feuds with next and how that feud will work out for him.

Alexa Bliss vs Sasha Banks: **1/2

The match was fine, nothing outstanding and no real errors outside of the blown apron spot. Bliss isn't really a great worker but her offense looks okay because she performs everything with such confidence in the ring. Banks was good in her role and they both did some unorthodox stuff which kept the match from feeling bland and exactly like the Naomi/Natalya match. The finish came very suddenly; I thought it was funny when Corey Graves shouted "Banks hurt her shoulder, she can't get the Bank Statement locked in!" and then literally one second after that Bliss tapped out.

I'm not crazy about the title change. WWE has spent way more time on the women than any other point in their history, but they move the titles around so much that I don't really care that much about them. WWE spent some time building Bliss up, but then she lost the title to an opponent where there was little to no build. In addition, the way Banks has been booked as champion in the past, there isn't any reason to believe that Banks is going to enjoy a long reign. Bliss could easily win the title back tomorrow night on RAW.

Finn Balor vs Bray Wyatt: **1/2

Not a bad match but not one that was particularly good either. Balor's entrance was fantastic and if WWE is craving these colorful, larger than life stars, it is hard to ignore the aura of Balor during his entrances. He is so different than anyone else on the roster, and his skills in the ring and on the mic are good enough to compliment his charisma. The crowd was pretty quiet during the show up until Balor's entrance, which perked them up a bit. Getting the clean win over Wyatt was the right decision; and although the series is now tied at one match apiece, I'd kind of like to see them go their separate ways. I don't really see a long-term feud helping Balor advance that much.

Naomi vs Natalya:**

With Natalya winning the SmackDown Women's Championship, I think that sets the stage for Charlotte to return and win the title as a babyface. Recent events obviously make that a pretty easy, feel-good moment that would get Charlotte over as a babyface. Naomi was a fine champion, and WWE committed to her from a presentation stand-point, but I just don't think she is the person to carry the division as the top babyface. The match was simple, but the goal was to get Natalya over and she dominated the match, fought off Naomi's comeback, and won with her submission.

Big Show vs Big Cass:*1/4

A nothing match; nothing is really clear except that WWE is high on Cass and is going to give him a lot of wins. I think Cass has done a pretty good job since his heel turn, and the crowd genuinely does give him some good heat. The only noteworthy event was Enzo stripping down, oiling himself up, and sliding through the cage, only to get murdered by Cass which made Enzo look like the biggest chump in WWE history. Big Show has the cast, which according to traditional wrestling logic, means that his punches hurt MORE than normal, not less.

Randy Orton vs Rusev: DUD (zero stars)

During the first hour or so the show was just littered with matches that had flat finishes; which was because there were 12 matches on the main card and they had to rush through some of them. Orton beating Rusev in nine seconds is the pinnacle of that; and I feel bad for Rusev who deserves better than that. Orton's 2017 has consisted of him winning the WWE Championship and retaining over Bray Wyatt in some bizarre matches, then losing to Mahal in bad matches that he never lost clean in, and then this squash of Rusev. What a crappy year.

TakeOver Brooklyn III

I was travelling this weekend and unfortunately only saw the final two matches, so I will review them here.

Drew McIntyre vs Bobby Roode: ****1/2

I thought this match was fantastic and one of the best WWE matches of the year. I've seen a lot of reviews of the match and it looks like I liked it a bit more than most; but to me it was a great PPV main event. The pacing was great, there was a good mix of offensive moves from both guys that demonstrated speed, power and athleticism. The selling was good and the crowd was hot. The finish was strong and McIntyre winning clean helped a lot, especially because it looks like he is going to be a babyface now taking on Adam Cole and reDRagon. I thought the commentary team did a good job selling the story of McIntyre having to leave WWE and coming back as a changed man, which made him feel like a bigger star.

Asuka vs Ember Moon: ***1/4

This was a lot of fun because the crowd was really hot for it. Asuka is so dominant in the ring and her attitude during the match; playing the heel but the fans cheering all the way anyway, was great. Really it doesn't make any sense for her to lose the title; they should really just do a storyline where Angle or Daniel Bryan offers her a huge contract to come up to RAW or SmackDown and starts cleaning out that division. Moon I thought made a bit of a star turn in this match even though she lost; the crowd did like her even though they were cheering hard for Asuka as well, and Moon will likely be the champion within a year.

(Source)

Okay, you might want to put your solar eclipse glasses on and sit down for this one: Scientists say a giant asteroid will pass by Earth next month, and it’s coming right for us. The good news? It’s not supposed to hit our planet. The way things are going these days, though, that would be the icing on the cake at this point, right? In any case, this asteroid is huge.

Scratch that: this asteroid is MASSIVE.
According to a press release from NASA, “Asteroid Florence, a large near-Earth asteroid, will pass safely by Earth on September 1st, 2017, at a distance of about 4.4 million miles. Florence is among the largest near-Earth asteroids that are several miles is size.” At least they gave her a gorgeous name!

Since it’s so large and it’s going to be so close — well, if 4 million miles is considered close — NASA scientists will be able to use Florence to learn everything they can about asteroids in general. The asteroid is supposed to be over three miles wide, too, so there will be plenty of opportunity to investigate it.

Paul Chodas, manager of NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), said in a statement, “While many known asteroids have passed by closer to Earth than Florence will on September 1st, all of those were estimated to be smaller. Florence is the largest asteroid to pass by our planet this close since the NASA program to detect and track near-Earth asteroids began.”

A large asteroid will pass Earth safely on Sept. 1 at about 18 times the distance between the Earth and the Moon: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/large-asteroid-to-safely-pass-earth-on-sept-1 …
6:21 AM - Aug 19, 2017
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An asteroid is nothing more than a piece of rock going around the sun. Most of the time, they fly around Mars and Jupiter, according to Space.com, and can be as small as a dust particle or as large as 583 miles wide. Just in case you were wondering: The only difference between an asteroid and a meteor is how close it gets to Earth. So good ol’ Florence is still an asteroid, since she’s not coming all that close.


What an exciting time to be alive, huh? First an eclipse, then an asteroid. What do you think is next? Aliens?

(Source)