Apparently Pat Robertson is one of the strongest men in the world...

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) - Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson says he has leg-pressed 2,000 pounds, but some say he'd be in a pretty tough spot if he tried.

The "700 Club" host's feat of strength is recounted on the Web site of his Christian Broadcasting Network, in a posting headlined "How Pat Robertson Leg Pressed 2,000 Pounds."

According to the CBN Web site, Robertson worked his way up to lifting a ton with the help of his physician, who is not named. The posting does not say when the lift occurred, but a CBN spokeswoman released photos to The Associated Press that she said showed Robertson lifting 2,000 pounds in 2003, when Robertson was 73. He is now 76.

The Web posting said two men loaded the leg-press machine with 2,000 pounds "and then let it down on Mr. Robertson, who pushed it up one rep and let it go back down again." The Web site said several people witnessed the event, and shows video of Robertson leg-pressing what appears to be 1,000 pounds.

Clay Travis of CBS SportsLine.com called the 2,000-pound assertion impossible in a column this week, writing that the leg-press record for football players at Florida State University is 665 pounds less.

"Where in the world did Robertson even find a machine that could hold 2,000 pounds at one time?" Travis asked.

Andy Zucker, a strength-training coach at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, said leg presses of more than 1,000 pounds represent "a Herculean effort, and 2,000 pounds is a whole other story."

"If he was able to lift that much weight, I take my hat off to him, but the numbers suggest that people who lift that much weight are few and far between," Zucker said. "One would have to see what type of leg press it was on and under what parameters it was done."

CBN spokeswoman Angell Vasko said Friday that Robertson was not available for comment because he was "out of pocket" for the long holiday weekend.

Vasko said she has not seen Robertson leg-press 2,000 pounds but that it's not "a huge shocker" that he could.

"Pat is so healthy," she said. "This is something he trained for over an extended period of time. He lives a very healthy, regimented life."

One of the photos Vasko released had a digital date stamp of 1994, although she said Robertson performed the leg press in 2003. Vasko said that perhaps the date was not set properly on the camera.

The CBN Web site attributes Robertson's energy in part to "his age-defying protein shake." The site offers a recipe for the shake, which contains ingredients such as soy protein isolate, whey protein isolate, flaxseed oil and apple cider vinegar. (Taken from APNews)

I saw this story last night on Anderson Cooper's 360 Slamma Jamma Dunk Show on CNN. At first I though "Oh great Pat's at it again; what did he say now". But from the looks of things Pat is a muscle head as well as a televangelist. Who knew? A man of God who can leg press 2,000 pounds??!!! Move over King David, Samson step aside because Pat "I can leg press 2,000 pounds" is in the house!!!

On Anderson's show he had some guy on who was introduced as "Mr. Natural Something Something Something". He was going to leg press 1,000 pounds 10 times. Okay, so he did it. Ten times. 1,000 pounds. On cable TV. It was impressive, though I don't think he brought the weight low enough on the machine. I think he could've gone lower. But whatever.

So Pat has some pictures of his alledged feat. I don't buy it for many reasons. He's over 70 years old trying to leg press over a thousand pounds?! Plus, in the picture above he's got his hands on his knees/lower quads, which means he's cheating. If anyone has ever done leg presses before the cardinal sin is to cheat by using your arms to help your legs push the weight. C'mon Pat!! You'd be disqualified on that alone!

Now don't get me wrong I'm not trying to rain on Pat's parade for trying to be healthy with his protein shakes and leg presses. But if you're going to make some amazing claims you better be ready to back it up. I hardly think Pat has done that. I want an independent organization to weigh the weights. I want someone to check the machine he's using (I don't know of too many leg press machines that can hold that much weight). I want his hands tied behind his back. And he has to take the weight down to a predetermined mark before bringing back up. I want ESPN to be there. Pat, don't just give us pictures and obscure, vague press releases from your people. I want cold hard facts.

Finally, I think Pat does this because he doesn't want the public to forget about him. He wants people to watch the 700 Club. He needs the exposure. I mean hmmmm it is May. It is sweeps month for TV right (at least I think it is; but does that apply for just broadcast TV)? I don't know. I just think it's a huge scam.

Why Russ Springer Deserves His Suspension...

Major League Baseball has issued the following discipline stemming from incidents that occurred in the May 16th game between the San Francisco Giants and the Houston Astros at Houston's Minute Maid Park. Bob Watson, Vice President of On-Field Operations for Major League Baseball, made the announcement. Houston pitcher Russ Springer has been suspended for four games and fined an undisclosed amount for intentionally throwing multiple pitches at San Francisco's Barry Bonds during the top of the fifth inning. Unless appealed, Springer's suspension is scheduled to begin tonight, when the Astros are scheduled to host the Texas Rangers. If appealed, his suspension will be held in abeyance until the process is complete. In addition, Astros manager Phil Garner has been suspended for one game and fined an undisclosed amount for the intentional actions of Springer after warnings had been issued to him earlier during Bonds' at-bat. Garner is scheduled to serve his suspension on Monday, May 22nd, when Houston is scheduled to play at Washington. (MLB.com).

Please hear me out. I'm not trying to call attention to Barry Bonds at all in this blog. I'm a little shocked and frankly upset at how Russ Springer just went after a batter. It's one thing to pitch around someone, or get behind in the count and then just decide to walk him. But Springer's actions on this past Tuesday evening definitely looked like it was an intent to injure.

The first pitched ball in the at-bat to Bonds nearly hit in the high hip/buttocks area. However, due to the speed of the pitch (most likely a breaking ball) Bonds was able to get out of the way. The next pitch was low and inside nearly getting Bonds on the left foot (again he was able to get out of the way). The third pitch was again inside, this time higher near the San Francisco lettering on Bonds' uniform. The pitch was close enough to hit the knob of Bonds' bat. Pitch four. Inside. High. Bonds couldn't avoid it. He turned his shoulder and took the pitch (allegedly clocked at 92 MPH) on the upper right shoulder.

Now the good stuff. After the first pitch in the at-bat Springer was warned by the plate umpire, and also received a nice staredown from Bonds. After the fourth pitch in the at-bat Springer was ejected for throwing at Bonds.

More good stuff, and here's the stuff I can't understand. Why would and why do fans cheer when players get hurt, or something bad happens to them? This is exactly what happened to Bonds. Yes, Bonds is the source of much controversy for "unknowingly" taking steroids and being very close to tying and overtaking Babe Ruth's all-time home run record. But to cheer when he gets hit? What if he got hit in the head? What is the motivation behind such behavior? It happened again when Rasheed Wallace turned his ankle during the Pistons/Cavs playoff game. Yes, Rasheed opened his mouth and made a guarantee that the Cavs wouldn't win again on their home floor drawing the ire of Cavs fans all over the place. But does that mean that you cheer when he's injured?

So the fan says or thinks (speculation of course) I can do whatever I want. I paid my ticket and I'm allowed to boo or curse or do whatever I want to spur my team on to victory. That may be the case. But what does it say about you as a fan? Of course your able to do what you want within reason at a sporting event. However, I think that it shows a lack of class that you can't show some concern for someone who may be injured.

Now on to Russ. My question to you is what were you thinking? If you wanted to walk him (Bonds) then walk him. It was the top of the fifth inning and the score was 11-3 Giants. You can't tell me Russ that you were missing your spots. You were trying to hit him. You could've missed way outside, you could've talked it over with Mike Matheny and did an intentional walk. But the way you went about the whole at-bat was so blatant. I actually credit Bonds with showing restraint and not saying something to Springer or escalating the situation by doing something to provoke him (Springer) or his Astro teammates.

So that's all I really have to say. Springer deserves his suspension. It doesn't matter if he threw at Bonds or another batter (though the fact that it was Bonds makes the whole situation bigger).

Oh and I'm still not a witness.

Jonathan

I Love Mice...

So our property has been breached. Call the NSA, CIA, SWAT teams, Jackie Chan, Charles Bronson (for you old schoolers)...

Apparently the house has been infiltrated by the Meeces. No, not mice. Meeces. For months I've heard the pitter-patter of small rodent feet, but I could never find the point of entry or their dens (or whatever you call them). After some closer inspection I found that they were using the vast duct work in our house to plot their underhanded schemes. BUT as all rodent criminals do they leave a trail that can get them caught.

Last Saturday I was up to my usual chores and one of them involves getting our pool and spa water checked. Upon reaching our basement to get the spa water sample I noticed a small furry creature scurrying around on the floor. With my attention now turned towards the floor I also noticed two other meeces, both of which had passed on into meece eternity.

I toyed with the living meece for a while, chasing it back and forth across the floor. I tried to vacuum it up with the wet/dry vac but the thought of it being sucked into household cleaning oblivion was a little too harsh to fathom. So I left the basement and let the sucker live for a little bit longer...

Fast forward to this past Thursday evening. After dinner with the 'rents my mom noticed that little rodent scampering around the kitchen. I quickly cornered the little varmint between the water cooler and the heating vents that line our fireplace. Finally!! The meece's time had come. I was about to smoteth thee with the right, and left hand as well as left and right elbow strikes followed by an arm bar and then finish things off with a rear naked choke hold. Ummm yeah...the meece had other ideas...

With my left leg blocking a possible escape route near the water cooler, I tried to grab the little Mickey. Again more ideas by the meece...It jumped over my leg and found some temporary shelter underneath our dishwasher. Curses...

But take heart (I'm sure that you have) I had a fullproof plan to end this rodent tyranny. I decided to let some traps do the talking (umm catching rather). The trap of choice is the one with the really sticky substance with some seeds on top that tricks the meeces into walking right on the stickum while trying to get a midnight snack.

Sure enough Friday morning we got our boy (or girl, or it, or whatever). Still alive, but very stuck was the meece. It struggled for freedom but to no avail. My orders from the 'rents were to get rid of the captured varmint. But in an odd way. "Don't throw it away, wait until it dies and then get rid of it." What the dang is the difference? Who knows...

So I took the meece with the trap put it in a plastic garbage bag, tied it up and put it outside. Eventually it would die. I haven't gotten it and thrown it away yet. It's Sunday. 7:18pm. Think the meece is still alive? Hmmm. My dad asked me today after church if I was using this meece as an example for all future meeces who try and enter our home. No not really, but actually that's not a bad idea... Is PETA gonna come after me? Eh...Who cares...