Daniel Morad Races to #1 at GP3

Canadian-born Daniel Morad has scored a victory at Sunday’s GP3 Race Two at Silverstone in the UK:

GMH Motorsport-backed driver Daniel Morad hit the heights at Silverstone’s British Grand Prix meeting on Sunday as he took an emphatic lights-to-flag victory in the GP3 Series’ second race of the weekend.

The Canadian-Lebanese driver’s triumph is a landmark achievement for Lebanese motorsport, marking its first major international circuit racing win. “This is a fantastic reward for the Auchi family and GMH Motorsport, who I’m very thankful to for putting their faith in me, and also my family and Status,” said Morad.

That places Daniel in 6th position at 15 points, with the top overall spot dominated by Mexico’s Esteban Gutierrez and his 36-point lead over Daniel. With 8 races left in the season, there is always a possibility that Daniel could pull himself closer to the top.

Good luck Daniel!

Daniel Morad: “To race in the GP3 Series is a fantastic opportunity for me to show what I can do, and to bring racing success for GMH Motorsport and the country of Lebanon.”

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Lebanon Chosen Over The Philippines – Olympics Qualifiers

Although the reasons haven’t been given, FIBA-Asia has decided to have Lebanon host the 2011 basketball qualifiers for the 2012 London Olympics:

Reelected Fiba-Asia president Sheikh Saud, secretary-general Dato Yeoh and deputy secretary-general Hagop Khajirian awarded the right to host the important event to the Lebanese association.
The SBP [Philippines Basketball Association] campaigned to bring the tournament to Manila not only to show Fiba-Asia that Philippine basketball is now in order, but also to give Filipinos the opportunity to witness top-level Asia basketball in action.
The champion in the 2011 championships will represent the continent in the London Olympics.

Comments left on the website seem to suggest that race had to do with the choice:

I don’t know Why middle eastern Arabs favors fellow Arab countries regarding on hosting the fiba event parang nagiging unfair ata sa east Asian countries like Sokor,China and Philippines.
Anonymous

Well, it is true that Sheikh Saud is Qatari and Hagop Khajirian is Lebanese – basically means that 2 out of the 3 heads of FIBA-Asia are from Arab countries. That is one way to look at it. But it could help that team Lebanon is 3rd in the men’s division ranking in Asia (24th rank worldwide) while the Philippines ranks 9th in the women’s division and is not present in the top 10 Asia men’s division.

Sheikh Saud bin Ali Al-Thani: Beirut to host 2011 FIBA Asia Championship

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Robbie Savage Contemplated Playing in Beirut

In an article found in the UK’s The Sun, the newspaper interviews professional footballer, Robbie Savage. Now here’s what the article had to say about his hard times in 2008:

…last season, Savage thought his career was over. He could not get into the Derby first team, was loaned out to Brighton and actually considered playing in Beirut.

At first I thought it was a joke but apparently it was true:

Robbie Savage is heading for Beirut to hold signing talks with Lebanon’s top side Al-Ansar in one of the most surprising transfers of the season.

Or maybe it wasn’t true:

Former Lebanese champions Al Ansar have denied reports suggesting midfielder Robbie Savage is about to join the Beirut-based club.

OK, so he visited Lebanon but that’s not my point. The article in The Sun continues quoting from Nigel Clough, the manager of Derby County F.C., where he has this to say:

“[Savage] has arguably been our most consistent player this season. But he was pretty down when I arrived. I think anybody who goes to Beirut must be pretty low”

Excuse me? What the hell is that supposed to mean! You manage Derby Country, that is pretty low. Let’s take a look at how well Derby has done shall we:

Derby hold several records in English football, most of them unwanted. The disastrous 2007-08 Premier League campaign saw the club equal Loughborough’s all time league record of just one win in an entire league season. They also equalled or set several Premier league records (1992-present), including Least Home Wins in a Season (1, joint with Sunderland) and Least Away Wins in a Season (0, joint with 4 other teams) and Most Defeats in a Season (28, joint with Sunderland and Ipswich Town). Records set included Fewest Points in a season (3 points for a win) with 11, Fewest Goals Scored (20) and Worst Goal Difference (-69). The club also holds the record for Most Consecutive League Games Without A Win, with 37 matches between 22 September 2007 and 13 September 2008, and the Record Defeat in an FA Cup Final, when they lost 6-0 to Bury in 1903.

I would think it was pretty low of Savage to stay with Derby.
Moral of the Day: Don’t Throw Stones at your Neighbors House, when your House is made of Glass.

Derby County's Mascot: Rammie

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Basketball History Repeat

When Lebanon first entered the FIBA Asian competitions in 1999, we were the true underdogs. Observers ignored our team believing that we were just another country that happened to make it this year to the games. But of course, we proved them wrong. Now it seems, the women might get their chance at fame:

The hopeful buzz in Lebanese basketball circles these days is “Can our girls emulate what their male counterparts have achieved?”

“Why not?” asks Omar El Turk, a regular point guard with the men’s National Team.

Here’s hoping they get the opportunity to shine.

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Blame It on Ramzan

Ramzan is to blame for Lebanon’s loss against Sri Lanka (I guess they mean Ramadan):

Lebanon coach Emile Rustom blamed the Muslim holy month of Ramzan for his side’s predicament at the Nehru Cup Ambedkar Stadium here tonight.

”The most important thing is this is the first day of Ramzan and our boys did not eat or drink. Plus we got a man sent off early and the Lankans were too athletic. It was too much for [the team],” he rued.

”The heat was too much and the boys were tired as we were playing our second match. Their players were fresh as they were playing their first match,” he added.

It seems to be more like a perfect storm: fasting, fouls and fit men brought Team Cedars down.

Update – August 25, 2009

Well now it seems that the Syrians have decided to comment on Lebanon’s excuse for losing against Sri Lanka:

“Lebanon lost to Sri Lanka and we beat Sri Lanka today.

Of course, the Syrian coach, Fajer Ebrahim, acknowledges that the “therefore statement” of Syria beating Lebanon may not hold true, he does however, take a quick stab at our fasting players:

“All our players are fasting but they played so well today. They are playing an international tournament for the first time during Ramadan under my charge. I am proud of them,” he said.

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