Ben Johnson

BARCELONA, Spain -- He will line up for his morning heat, and every movement will be watched by thousands of spectators. When he explodes across the finish line, his time will be analyzed, his straining face and muscular torso flashed across the world via television.Ben Johnson is back.Four years after his fall from grace, the Canadian sprinter will return to the Summer Olympics during tomorrow morning's heats of the men's 100-meter dash.He is no longer the overwhelming favorite, the most feared runner of his generation.

Cabrera in command Again commanding all three of his pitches, including his changeup, Daniel Cabrera dominated the New York Mets' regulars for three innings, striking out four, walking none and allowing only one hit in the Orioles' 8-7 victory yesterday at Tradition Field in Port St. Lucie, Fla. In helping the Orioles stretch their exhibition unbeaten streak to seven games, Cabrera threw 23 of his 36 pitches for strikes. The 25-year-old right-hander has struck out six, allowed two hits and walked none in two exhibition starts spanning five innings.

Although he settled for second place Friday, Ben Johnson was hopeful about his prospects after coming off a 28-month absence from competition. Johnson, in his first race since he was found using steroids at the Seoul Olympics, was nipped at the wire by American Daron Council in the 50 meters in the season's first Grand Prix meeting."

In 1989, just one year after Ben Johnson ran to steroids infamy in the Olympic Games, Gary Wadler co-authored a critically acclaimed book on drugs in sports. Performance-enhancing drugs, Wadler decided in the mid-80s, were spiraling out of control. His answer was Drugs and the Athlete, a two-year project written with Brian Hainline that became the international handbook -- appearing in English, Japanese and French -- for dealing with drug abuse in sports. "It was Ben Johnson that probably opened the eyes of the world to the dimensions of doping," said Wadler, a medical professor at New York University and a board member of the World Anti-Doping Agency.

Ben Johnson to retire after 1992 OlympicsBen Johnson, in the midst of his return to track and field, said yesterday that he will quit the sport after next year's Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.The sprinter has targeted three races for victory: the 60-meter final at the indoor world championships in Seville, Spain, Saturday; the 100-meter at the world championships in Tokyo in the summer; and the Olympic 100-meter final in Barcelona."After that I will finish with track and field," the 29-year-old Canadian said.

Ben Johnson pleads guilty to assaultBen Johnson, the Canadian sprinter stripped of an Olympic gold medal and a world record for steroid use, pleaded guilty in court yesterday in Toronto to assaulting former teammate Cheryl Thibedeau.Johnson, 29, was placed on 16 months' probation and ordered to perform 75 hours of community service.Pro basketballDarrell Griffith, one of the NBA's all-time leading three-point shooters, was put on waivers by the Utah Jazz.Griffith has spent his entire 11-year career with the Jazz, the team that drafted him as the second overall pick out of Louisville in 1980.

Pickings look pretty slim throughout the day but pick up late tonight, when TBS airs one of the greatest comedies of the 1970s. See if it reminds you of your college days."

BARCELONA, Spain -- Ben Johnson is in the starting blocks, which was once like saying Willie Mays is up to bat. He looks good. His head is shaved. He's wearing a gold necklace you could use as a belt. We know Johnson can't run anymore. So that's not the question. The question is: Can he still pose?In the pre-scandal days, when he could do both, Johnson had a body you could teach anatomy from. Talk about rippling muscles. When this guy flexed his arm, it looked like the tide was coming in.When Big Ben walked into a room, Schwarzenegger would think twice before he took off his shirt.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- As he prepared to face the Virginia team coached by his professional mentor and brother-in-law, Dom Starsia, Brown lacrosse coach Peter Lasagna had one fervent but completely impossible wish."

Cabrera in command Again commanding all three of his pitches, including his changeup, Daniel Cabrera dominated the New York Mets' regulars for three innings, striking out four, walking none and allowing only one hit in the Orioles' 8-7 victory yesterday at Tradition Field in Port St. Lucie, Fla. In helping the Orioles stretch their exhibition unbeaten streak to seven games, Cabrera threw 23 of his 36 pitches for strikes. The 25-year-old right-hander has struck out six, allowed two hits and walked none in two exhibition starts spanning five innings.

Pickings look pretty slim throughout the day but pick up late tonight, when TBS airs one of the greatest comedies of the 1970s. See if it reminds you of your college days."

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- As he prepared to face the Virginia team coached by his professional mentor and brother-in-law, Dom Starsia, Brown lacrosse coach Peter Lasagna had one fervent but completely impossible wish."

BARCELONA, Spain -- Ben Johnson is in the starting blocks, which was once like saying Willie Mays is up to bat. He looks good. His head is shaved. He's wearing a gold necklace you could use as a belt. We know Johnson can't run anymore. So that's not the question. The question is: Can he still pose?In the pre-scandal days, when he could do both, Johnson had a body you could teach anatomy from. Talk about rippling muscles. When this guy flexed his arm, it looked like the tide was coming in.When Big Ben walked into a room, Schwarzenegger would think twice before he took off his shirt.

BARCELONA, Spain -- He will line up for his morning heat, and every movement will be watched by thousands of spectators. When he explodes across the finish line, his time will be analyzed, his straining face and muscular torso flashed across the world via television.Ben Johnson is back.Four years after his fall from grace, the Canadian sprinter will return to the Summer Olympics during tomorrow morning's heats of the men's 100-meter dash.He is no longer the overwhelming favorite, the most feared runner of his generation.

Ben Johnson pleads guilty to assaultBen Johnson, the Canadian sprinter stripped of an Olympic gold medal and a world record for steroid use, pleaded guilty in court yesterday in Toronto to assaulting former teammate Cheryl Thibedeau.Johnson, 29, was placed on 16 months' probation and ordered to perform 75 hours of community service.Pro basketballDarrell Griffith, one of the NBA's all-time leading three-point shooters, was put on waivers by the Utah Jazz.Griffith has spent his entire 11-year career with the Jazz, the team that drafted him as the second overall pick out of Louisville in 1980.

NEW YORK -- They were at 80 meters now, and these men named Leroy Burrell and Carl Lewis were nothing more than two flashes of blue and gold dancing lightly on a track and racing into history.Burrell was ahead, but he could feel the presence of his friend, hear the voice of the legend. Later, he would say, "It was almost like someone had hit fast forward." But when the tape had run out, and the mind had cleared, the legend was still lurking on the left, still surging for the triumph.Twenty meters to go. Ten meters to go. Burrell tiring in lane four.

'My Heroes Have AlwaysBeen Cowboys'Starring Scott Glenn, Ben Johnson and Kate Capshaw.Directed by Stuart Rosenberg.Released by Goldwyn.Rated PG.**"My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys" tries so hard, but there's not a stroke in it that isn't predictable. Its heroes have always been cliches.It's a great movie for faces, if nothing else. Scott Glenn's looks as if it's hewn from rawhide that's been weathered on a fence post for a couple of decades. Ben Johnson's has the patina of a bronze shield from the Peloponnesian Wars, with a few whack-marks where Thucydides himself took a swordswipe at the holder.

In 1989, just one year after Ben Johnson ran to steroids infamy in the Olympic Games, Gary Wadler co-authored a critically acclaimed book on drugs in sports. Performance-enhancing drugs, Wadler decided in the mid-80s, were spiraling out of control. His answer was Drugs and the Athlete, a two-year project written with Brian Hainline that became the international handbook -- appearing in English, Japanese and French -- for dealing with drug abuse in sports. "It was Ben Johnson that probably opened the eyes of the world to the dimensions of doping," said Wadler, a medical professor at New York University and a board member of the World Anti-Doping Agency.

'My Heroes Have AlwaysBeen Cowboys'Starring Scott Glenn, Ben Johnson and Kate Capshaw.Directed by Stuart Rosenberg.Released by Goldwyn.Rated PG.**"My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys" tries so hard, but there's not a stroke in it that isn't predictable. Its heroes have always been cliches.It's a great movie for faces, if nothing else. Scott Glenn's looks as if it's hewn from rawhide that's been weathered on a fence post for a couple of decades. Ben Johnson's has the patina of a bronze shield from the Peloponnesian Wars, with a few whack-marks where Thucydides himself took a swordswipe at the holder.

Ben Johnson to retire after 1992 OlympicsBen Johnson, in the midst of his return to track and field, said yesterday that he will quit the sport after next year's Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.The sprinter has targeted three races for victory: the 60-meter final at the indoor world championships in Seville, Spain, Saturday; the 100-meter at the world championships in Tokyo in the summer; and the Olympic 100-meter final in Barcelona."After that I will finish with track and field," the 29-year-old Canadian said.