Oprah Winfrey was recently named by Forbes as #1 on the Celebrity 100 list. Her net worth is reported at $2.8 billion. Obviously she’s ambitious, resilient, smart – so are a lot of other celebrities. But Oprah has a unique way of connecting with people (her guests and audience) that gets celebrities like Lance Armstrong to confess publicly. What does she do? She connects and influences others through the use of powerful questions. …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Forbes Latest
By Leigh Steinberg, Contributor The agreement by Milwaukee Brewer former National League Most Valuable Player Ryan Braun to agree to a negotiated penalty of a 65 game suspension for violation of the steroid policy is discouraging at many levels. It seemed only yesterday that Braun stood in front of cameras and promised the public and his fans that he was completely innocent of such charges and it was all a miscarriage of justice. He followed in the footsteps of such iconic figures as Tour de’France Champion cyclist Lance Armstrong and Olympic sprinter Marion Jones who vehemently denied repeatedly that they had used performance enhancing substances. This continues the pattern of shattering public trust in the credibility of athletes. Young people look to them as role models and they have been exposed as liars. …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Forbes Latest
Chris Froome won the 100th Tour de France on Sunday and immediately vowed that his victory wouldn’t be stripped for doping as Lance Armstrong’s were. …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox World News
Australian Richie Porte was back at his climbing best as Sky team leader Chris Froome came under attack at the Tour de France where a late crash incident threatened his grip on the race.
Team Sky leader Froome started and finished the day still leading Dutchman Bauke Mollema and Spaniard Alberto Contador by 4min 14sec and 4:25 respectively.
But had it not been for Porte, the Kenyan-born Briton could have been counting the cost of a disastrous eighth day in the yellow jersey.
On the 9.5 km climb to the Col de Manse, whose summit is 11.5 km from the finish, Froome came under attack from Contador and his Czech teammate Roman Kreuziger as Portuguese rider Rui Costa rode solo towards the stage 16 win.
Porte, however, countered every time to bring his team leader level and despite dropping back momentarily after yet another Contador/Kreuziger assault, the Tasmanian dug deep to rejoin the group ahead of the winding, dangerous descent into Gap.
“It gave me a lot of confidence, and a huge morale boost having Richie Porte there,” said Froome.
“It was quite an active final climb… he literally must have covered about ten attacks from Kreuziger and the other guys who were moving, (Alejandro) Valverde, (Joaquim) Rodriguez.”
While Froome weathered the storm on the way up, he almost came a cropper on the descent.
The descent into Gap, which is surrounded by mountains, is famous for a 2003 incident in which Lance Armstrong, who was in hot pursuit of Joseba Beloki, had to ride through a field to avoid hitting the fallen Spaniard, who broke his hip.
Since Contador’s efforts on the climb proved futile, he decided on some dangerous tactics on the twisting, 11.5 km descent to the finish.
However that approach almost led to disaster.
He misjudged a tight right-hand bend and came off his bike, with Froome just missing the Spaniard.
Froome, who left the road and had to unclip from one of his pedals, eventually rallied to rejoin a small group and came over the finish line alongside Contador.
But the scare prompted the Kenyan-born Briton to hit out at what he labelled “desperate” tactics by Contador’s team.
“I personally feel that some teams are starting to get desperate now and are taking uncalculated risks,” said Froome, who has held the race lead since winning stage eight at Ax-Trois-Domains in the Pyrenees.
“It seemed that Kreuziger and Contador were taking it in turns to come from the back with a bit of acceleration and try to force a small gap on the descent, hoping that we’d lay off and give them a bit more space.
“On this particular corner, Contador just came through fairly quickly and he struggled to hold on to his bike, to keep control of it, and he crashed just in front of me.
“If you ask me, it was dangerous for Alberto to do that. There was no need for it.”
Contador has so far been dominated by Froome in the high mountain stages of the race, forcing him to take every possible opportunity to close his deficit before …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox World News
By The Huffington Post News Editors
AUSTIN, Texas — Disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong has sold his Austin estate to an oil-and-gas rights agent.
The Austin American-Statesman () reports a deed of trust filed with Travis County last week showed Al Koehler obtained a $3.1 million loan to buy the property, Armstrong’s home since 2004 and the site of the Oprah Winfrey interview where he admitted his use of performance-enhancing drugs. http://bit.ly/14d3Ric
Read More…
More on Lance Armstrong
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Huffington Post
Just what is Lance Armstrong trying to prove, and to whom? …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Forbes Latest
By The Huffington Post News Editors
What if Lance Armstrong and Babe Ruth had to battle rap each other to prove who was the better athlete?
Well, the comedy duo behind the viral YouTube series Epic Rap Battles of History used their imagination to do just that in a new video.
In the clip above, “Ruth” and “Armstrong” go head to head on a range of topics, from Ruth’s body weight and smoking habit to the doping scandal that disgraced Armstrong and even the allegations Armstrong hooked up with Ashley Olsen.
By Morgan Housel, The Motley Fool
Filed under: Investing
1. The intrinsic value of the stock market as a whole increases by about 1% every six weeks. That’s what you’ll get over the long term. Everything else is noise.
2. Several academic studies have shown that those who trade the most earn the lowest returns. Remember Pascal‘s wisdom: “All man’s miseries derive from not being able to sit in a quiet room alone.”
3. The single best three-year period to own stocks was during the Great Depression. Not far behind was the three year period starting in 2009, when the economy struggled in utter ruin. The biggest returns begin when most people think the biggest losses are inevitable.
4. Economist Alfred Cowles dug through forecasts a popular analyst who “had gained a reputation for successful forecasting” made in The Wall Street Journal in the early 1900s. Among 90 predictions made over a 30-year period, exactly 45 were right and 45 were wrong. This is more common than you think.
5. There is virtually no correlation between what the economy is doing and stock market returns. According to Vanguard, rainfall is actually a better predictor of future stock returns than GDP growth. (Both explain slightly more than nothing.)
6. The Financial Times recently wrote: “In 2008, the three most admired personalities in sport were probably Tiger Woods, Lance Armstrong, and Oscar Pistorius.” Given the volume of recent insider trading charges, something similar could occur among the investing “greats.”
7. There are no investment points awarded for difficulty or complexity. Simple stocks can make outstanding investments.
8. 90% of Warren Buffett‘s success can be explained by three factors: Patience, compound interest, and time.
9. All bubbles begin with a rational idea that gets taken to an irrational extreme. That’s why so many people fall for them.
10. How long you stay invested for will likely be the single most important factor determining how well you do at investing.
11. According to Longboard Asset Management, from 1983 to 2007, 40% of stocks were unprofitable, 19% lost at least three-quarters of their value, 64% underperformed the market, and 25% were responsible for all the market‘s gains. Statistically, successful stock-picking is more about avoiding awful investments than finding good ones.
12. There were 272 automobile companies in 1909. Through consolidation and failure, three emerged on top, two of which went bankrupt. Spotting a promising trend and a winning investment are two very different things.
13. In hindsight, everyone saw the financial crisis coming. In reality, it was a fringe view before mid-2007. The next crisis will be the same (they all work like that).
14. Management fees, transaction costs, and taxes are the bane of investment returns. Thankfully you can invest in commission-free low-cost index ETFs in a tax-protected Roth IRA through Vanguard.
15. You are under no obligation to read or watch financial news. If you do, you are under no obligation to take any of it seriously.
16. Investor Dean Williams once said, “Confidence in a forecast rises with the amount of information that goes …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance
Filed under:
The ad was immediately controversial, with many critics saying that the ad implies that Woods’ past sins — he admitted to serial infidelity in 2009 — are wiped away now that he’s winning again.
But isn’t that basically true?
Tiger did indeed fall out of favor with the public after the cheating scandal hit, and as a result he lost many of his endorsement deals. But earlier this month we looked at Tiger’s newfound winning touch, and considered the fact that many other athletes have recovered from worse scandals simply by playing well. Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis, for instance, was linked to a murder and only avoided jail time by testifying against two companions. Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, meanwhile, admitted to cheating on his wife and was accused of sexual assault, though the charges were dropped.
Both athletes resumed their dominance of their respective sports, with Bryant winning two NBA championships since the charges were dropped and Lewis capping a hall-of-fame career with a Super Bowl championship. Lewis is now headed for an analyst job at ESPN; Bryant remains popular and largely kept his endorsement deals (including one with Nike).
Speaking of Tiger’s endorsement prospects earlier this month, sports marketing expert Larry McCarthy told us, “We’re extremely forgiving of [athletes] like Woods once they continue to play at the level they were at.”
Not everyone has forgiven Tiger, as this controversy makes clear. And no one would suggest that his recent string of success somehow absolves him of his personal failings.
But the fact is that athletes are ultimately judged on performance, and barring a truly career-ending scandal — Oscar Pistorius‘ murder charge or Lance Armstrong‘s admission of doping, for instance — they can always get back in our good graces by performing well on the field.
Nike probably shouldn’t have come right out and said so in their ad. And to be fair, the quote in question was initially uttered by Woods when he was asked whether he was preoccupied with his ranking.
But what Nike said was essentially correct: When it comes to sports, winning really does take care of everything.
Matt Brownell is the consumer and retail reporter for DailyFinance. You can reach him at Matt.Brownell@teamaol.com, and follow him on Twitter at @Brownellorama.
By Rich Duprey, The Motley Fool
Filed under: Investing
It’s not as if Nike is a stranger to controversy. It ran Hyperdunk ads that it ended up pulling because they were associated with violence and homophobia. It’s had TV networks pull ads featuring Olympic stars being chased by chainsaw-wielding killers. It once depicted England‘s top football player Wayne Rooney as a Christ-like figure. When it comes to advertising, Nike and controversy go together like white on rice.
So the new Nike ad featuring Tiger Woods with the tag line “Winning Takes Care of Everything” shouldn’t surprise anyone with the hubbub that has bubbled up around it.
Is Nike endorsing the golf great’s past infidelity? Was it insensitive to his ex-wife? Should Nike — or we — even care?
The sneaker maker certainly doesn’t. More than a decade ago, a then-executive was quoted as saying, “We have a history of making controversial ads, and we certainly have succeeded in that.” Controversy is what helps it sell shoes, and last year it sold $25.6 billion worth of product, an 11% increase over 2011.
According to a Forbes article earlier this year, Woods’ current contract with Nike is worth something less than the $30 million a year it paid him before the brouhaha, when it stood by him while others like Accenture, Procter & Gamble‘s Gillette, and PepsiCo‘s Gatorade severed their relationships (though Gatorade denied it was related to his infidelity; just timing, you know).
Considering Nike‘s golf business generated $726 million in fiscal 2012 and revenues were up 10% in the second quarter of this year, a bold, in-your-face campaign seems right in line with how Nike operates.
Contrast that, though, with how fast it dumped Lance Armstrong once incontrovertible proof of his doping scandal erupted. The difference, likely, is that Tiger’s troubles weren’t directly related to his performance on the links; Armstrong was winning races precisely because he cheated.
When looked at in comparison to some of its other ad campaigns, the current one really is barely worth a mention, though you can be sure Nike doesn’t mind all the free publicity.
Cat got your tongue?
PepsiCo has quenched consumers’ thirst for more than a century. But recently, the company has left shareholders craving more. With increased competition and loss of market share, many investors wonder if this global snack food and beverage giant is simply fizzling out. Are more bland results ahead for PepsiCo? In The Motley Fool’s premium report on the company, we guide you through everything you need to know about PepsiCo, including the key opportunities and threats facing the company’s future. Simply click here now to claim your copy today.
var FoolAnalyticsData = FoolAnalyticsData || []; …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance
By The Huffington Post News Editors
NEW YORK (AP) — Maybe winning doesn’t take care of everything.
Nike is causing a social media storm with its latest online ad showing a picture of Tiger Woods overlaid with a quote from him, “Winning takes care of everything.”
The ad, posted on Facebook and Twitter, is supposed to allude to the fact that the golfer recovered from career stumbles to regain his world No. 1 ranking on Monday, which he lost in October 2010. But some say it’s inappropriate in light of Woods’ past marital woes. It’s the latest controversy from the athletic giant who has recently had to cut ties with biker Lance Armstrong and runner Oscar Pistorius due to separate scandals.
Filed under: Advertising, Sports, Celebrities, Spending
Tiger Woods golf game is flowing again. And if he keeps it up, his endorsement dollars could start to flow again too.
Woods cruised to a two-stroke victory on Sunday at the Cadillac Championship, finishing 19-under for the tournament. It was his fifth PGA Tour win in the last year.
Five or 10 years ago, that sort of production from Woods wouldn’t have surprised anyone. But after his public meltdown and admission of infidelity in 2009, it looked like the 14-time Major champion would never be the same. After a stint in rehab to treat sex addiction, he spent the next two years winless, battling injuries and firing long-time caddy Steve Williams.
Several sponsors pulled out of their agreements with Woods, with Accenture (ACN) and General Motors (GM) dropping him outright and Gillette (PG) and TAG Heuer pulling ads featuring the golfer. By one estimate, Woods lost as much $30 million in endorsements, and with them the title of highest-paid athlete in the world. His only significant endorsement since was a 2011 deal with Rolex.
But now Tiger is winning again, and we’re more than three years removed from his sex scandal. Will the brands come knocking again?
It’s Great to Be a Winner (and Not to Be Lance Armstrong)
“There’s no doubt that he’s going to get back his endorsement power,” says Larry McCarthy, a sports marketing expert and business professor at Seton Hall University. “We’re extremely forgiving of [athletes] like Woods once they continue to play at the level they were at.”
Indeed, there’s ample precedent of athletes playing their way back into the public’s good graces after a scandal. Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis was charged with obstruction of justice in connection with a double-murder, only avoiding jail time by testifying against two of his companions; he went on to have a hall-of-fame career, picked up endorsements from Under Armour and EA Sports, and even had a road in Baltimore named after him. Meanwhile, Kobe Bryant was charged with sexual assault after an encounter with a 19-year-old employee of a Denver hotel; the charges were later dropped, though the Lakers star did admit to infidelity. He held onto most of his endorsements.
Another factor potentially working in Woods’ favor is Lance Armstrong. The seven-time Tour de France winner’s recent admission that he used performance-enhancing drugs prompted his own sponsors — including Nike (NKE), Anheuser-Busch and 24 Hour Fitness — to cut ties with the disgraced cyclist. Even if Woods doesn’t pick up any of those lost endorsements (he’s already signed on with Nike), it stands to reason that his personal struggles suddenly don’t look …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance
By Kevin Spak 
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Newser – Home
By The Huffington Post News Editors
AUSTIN, Texas — The head of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency lobbied Attorney General Eric Holder for the Justice Department to join a whistle-blower lawsuit against Lance Armstrong on the same day the cyclist confessed in an interview to performance-enhancing drug use.
USADA chief executive Travis Tygart wrote Holder on Jan. 14, urging him to join the civil case and telling Holder that “fraud and other crimes were committed” by Armstrong and other members of his former U.S. Postal Service teams.
Read More…
More on Lance Armstrong
By Marian Salzman, Contributor
Last weekend, I came across an interesting article in The New York Times about people who had Livestrong tattoos and how they felt about them now. The upshot is that most of them—at least most of the people quoted in the article—don’t have a great deal of regret. They got the tattoo to commemorate their own or a loved one’s battle with cancer, not to show their admiration for an individual athlete. And a doping scandal, no matter how damaging to Lance Armstrong’s personal brand, isn’t going to change how any of them feels about cancer. …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Forbes Latest
“We need some authenticity in the world!” Donny Deutsch declared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno a few weeks ago. “We are losing authenticity everywhere in society,” he said, citing recent fiascos involving Beyonce’s performance at the inauguration, Lance Armstrong and Manti Te’o. Is Donny right? And if so, why are brands so caught up in this struggle? Is “faking it” easier –or more difficult –than ever before? …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Forbes Latest
By John Johnson 
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Newser – Home
By Matt Cantor 
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Newser – Home
By ESPN.com news services The federal government is investigating Lance Armstrong for obstruction, witness tampering and intimidation, ABC News reported.
Source: FULL ARTICLE at ESPN Headlines
By Kevin Spak 
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Newser – Home
