Superstar of the Week: Taylor Swift
On Monday, Taylor Swift announced her fourth studio release, Red, would hit stores on October 22nd. In addition, the debut single from that album, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” become available for purchase online. While official numbers will not come out until the middle of next week, early estimates are that “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” will be the biggest debut for any single in her illustrious career. According to Billboard, the single is on track for 600,000 downloads in seven days; potentially selling the most downloads ever in a single week. The current record holder for fastest selling single by a female artist is Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” which sold 448,000 in its first week while all-time record holder is Flo Rida’s “Right Round,” which sold 636,000 copies in 2009. Still, Swift would land in second place all-time if the early estimates come to fruition.
Regardless of the exact numbers for the single, this will be the biggest debut week for a single in Taylor Swift’s career. Considering the number of albums sold and successful singles released, this is a tremendous accomplishment for a young woman who continues to see her career reach new heights.
Jerk of the Week: Melky Cabrera
Earlier this week, Major League Baseball suspended San Francisco Giants outfielder Melky Cabrera 50 games after testing positive for high levels of testosterone suggesting usage of performance-enhancing drugs. At the time of his suspension, Cabrera led the National League in hits with 159 and was second in the NL with a .346 batting average. In the midst of a career year, Cabrera was leading the San Francisco Giants to a possible playoff appearance and building his stock with his contract up at the end of the season. However, Cabrera failed a pee test and is now out for the remainder of the 2012 season. This is NOT the end of the story though.
On Sunday, The New York Daily News reported that Cabrera and his associates spent $10,000 on a website for a fake product that Cabrera said he used mistakenly to cause the positive result that led to his suspension. Not only did Cabrera lie after getting caught cheating, Cabrera created an elaborate lie with false products and websites advertising said faux supplements. Now, this elaborate lie failed miserably and Major League Baseball discovered the lie within hours of Cabrera submitting it as part of his suspension appeal. But, at least he tried something sneaky and devious. If you are going to cheat the integrity of the game, you might as well go all out.
Seattle Mariners pitcher Felix Hernandez may have thrown the 23rd Perfect Game in Major League Baseball history this week. However, Melky Cabrera stole King Felix’s thunder with one of the most disappointing drug test failures in recent MLB history. It is not the failure though that steals the show; it is the ridiculous lie from Cabrera and associates that the sports world will not forget anytime soon.
Babe of the Week: Hope Solo
A Very Special Finger Wag of Shame to… Danica Patrick
I have come a long way in my opinion of Danica Patrick. Initially enamored with Patrick on the Indy Car circuit, Patrick lost me as a fan when she said that “her brand” was her first priority while winning races was second. Her jump to the cash cow that is NASCAR was the ultimate in exposure for “her brand.” Running in the Nationwide Series in 2012, Patrick has not won anything. If she did, we would all know about it as a Patrick victory would be the only thing to mirror a Dale Earnhardt, Jr. victory in terms of coverage by the media. Still, as much as I do not care for Patrick, I respect her. Anyone, male or female, who can drive a car that fast and participate in a sport that dangerous deserves respect. I still find people, especially chauvinistic pigs, who claim a woman has no business on a race track without a reason other than “because she’s a woman and women ain’t never run good in ’nem cars” to be MORONS. With that said, Patrick did nothing to eliminate the bad stereotypes surrounding women drivers at the NAPA Auto Parts 200 in Montreal on Saturday.
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| What is it with women and shoes? |
A fan threw a shoe on the track during the race. Danica Patrick, at the time, was dominating the event and was leading a line of cars when she came across the shoe. For some reason, Patrick’s female urge to have as many shoes as possible took control and she hit the lone shoe at well over 140 mph. The shoe damaged some internal parts of the car and Patrick’s Montreal dominance was over. Why, Danica, why? It was not a pretty shoe. You didn’t even have two shoes out there - just the one. Why did you have to go after the shoe? Why continue to promote that stereotype that women go crazy for shoes? Even with a potential in in your grasp, you went for the shoe. It is just disappointing, Danica. Shoes are not everything.
For the record, the above was complete sarcasm. Danica was in the wrong place at the wrong time when the shoe landed on the track. If anything, the finger wag of shame goes to the mother canucker who arrogantly tossed a shoe onto a racetrack as cars sped by at over 140 mph. I hope that the idiot guilty of this crime was apprehended and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law (which in Canada means he or she could not visit Tim Horton’s for a week). Shameful act, Canada. You all go under the bus for one shoe-tosser’s antics.
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