ESPN's Tony Kornheiser on Cyclists: "RUN THEM DOWN."

Yes, he really said it. Tony Kornheiser wins today's "douchebag of the day" award for last week's rant against cyclists on his ESPN sports talk radio show. Some of his comments are listed below; you can listen to the show here (11-Mar, starts @ 31:30) or read the entire transcript here. EDIT: ESPN yanked the podcast but I've uploaded the audio here http://bit.ly/bZk7Ct and the video (below) to YouTube here: http://bit.ly/tonyk2

"And they all wear...my God...with the little water bottle in the back and their stupid hats and their shiny shorts, they are the same disgusting posers that in the middle of a snow storm come out with cross country skiing on your block. Run them down.

I don't take my car and ride on the sidewalk because I understand that's not for my car. Why do these people think that these roads were built for bicycles?

They dare you to run them down. And then when you do, they get angry. What is that about?

And so you tap them. I'm not saying you kill them. I'm saying just tap them. Tap them once. If you're not rubbin', you're not racing right? So you pop them a little bit and see what happens.

...and somehow the law does not allow you to run them down.

I have a large powerful car compared to your stupid little bicycle."

Kornheiser is no stranger to controversy; just last month ESPN suspended him for two weeks after his disparaging comments about anchor Hannah Storm's wardrobe. If you ask me, these comments warrant a much stiffer penalty, perhaps even termination.

Advocating violence against any group is wrong and not something to joke about on sports talk radio. But with the number of cars on the road and the increasing prevalence of road rage towards cyclists, Kornheiser has crossed the line. I won't sit back and ignore someone who jokes around about murdering me or my friends.

Run them down? Really?

At the very least, I am submitting a complaint to ESPN management. What are you going to do?

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20 Simple Ways to Prevent and Conquer Cancer.

Twenty years ago today, the Ides of March, I stood alone by my Dad's side in a hospital room, holding his hand as cancer took his life. Jacques A. Ferry, age 59, died of Multiple Myeloma, a not-so-common cancer of the blood which will kill over 10,000 Americans this year. It's "not-so-common" because more than 550,000 Americans will die of cancer this year.

People occasionally ask me why I am so passionate about cancer causes. It started with Dad. But fourteen years later, a very close friend, British cycling champion Alaric Gayfer, lost his life to a brain tumor. And two years ago, my then-girlfriend's Mom lost her brave battle against non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. And my heart aches over the realization that there will be more.

Here are 20 easy ways you can help battle this menace.

1. Quit smoking, or help someone else quit... it's never too late.
2. Just say no to second hand smoke, it contains more than 50 cancer-causing chemicals.
3. Check yourself monthly; self-screening for skin cancer, testicular cancer and breast cancer is quick, easy and just may save your life.
4. Vote for candidates who support funding of embryonic stem-cell research.
5. Toss out your scratched teflon pans; a connection to cancer may be unproven, but why risk it?
6. Enjoy the sun responsibly; apply sun screen after 10 minutes to allow your body to soak in some vitamin D.
7. Run, walk or volunteer at a cancer-charity running event; you're preventing cancer and helping the fight at once.
8. Exercise at least 3x/week; it flushes out your colon and rids your body of cancer-causing carcinogens.
9. Consume whey protein after exercise; it speeds muscle recovery while stimulating production of cancer-fighting antioxidants.
10. Obesity causes cancer, so maintain a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 19-24. Calculate BMI here http://bmitool.com/
11. Aim for a high fiber, low fat diet: more whole grains, fruits & veggies, less sugar, salt and fat.
12. Start your day with a cup of coffee and some blueberries; both are linked to cancer prevention.
13. Boost your immune system with foods rich in vitamin C: sweet peppers, strawberries, oranges, grapefruit, guava and canteloupe.
14. Favor whole grain breads, rice, pasta and cereals over their white, processed counterparts.
15. Load up on dark, leafy greens like spinach, broccoli, kale and romaine lettuce.
16. Go with the red sauce; tomatoes help reduce cervical, ovarian and prostate cancer.
17. Garlic breath is healthy breath; eat it often, its ties to cancer prevention are strong and unchallenged.
18. Reduce your intake of fatty foods such as meat (except fish) and dairy products like milk, eggs & cheese.
19. Drink alcohol in moderation; it is linked to mouth, throat, liver and breast cancer.
20. Donate $20 to a cancer charity... support Livestrong right now at http://runagainstcancer.com

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Super Sunday 5K/10K Raises Over $16,000 for Livestrong.

Each year on March 15th, I try to reflect on what's important to me so as not to dwell on what has been taken from me.

Today, I proud reflect on the combined efforts of a dedicated race committee, dozens of volunteers, several generous sponsors and nearly 1,500 runners which made for a huge party at the Super Sunday 5K/10K and raised over $16,000 for the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

While visiting friends in Austin, TX last month, I visited Livestrong's headquarters and met Chris Brewer and CEO Doug Ulman (pictured with me above.) Chris showed me around, introduced me to Doug and made me feel like a total rock star... which he'll probably do for you too if you show up with a big check like this.

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Good News for Americans: Google Maps Adds "Bicycling" Option.

It's been a long time coming, but Google Maps has finally added "bicycling" as an option for mapping directions, a feature which bodes well for broader acceptance of cycling in the United States.

From an initial review, this exciting new feature was well worth the wait. Google has over 12,000 miles worth of cycling trails incorporated into their maps, in addition to cycling lane information and maps of cycling-friendly roads in over 150 cities.

When seeking point-to-point directions via bicycle, Google Maps suggests the flattest, most efficient route to use. Even better, Google makes it easy to modify a suggested route by simply dragging the route indicator towards the path you'd prefer to follow.

Read Google's official blog announcement here. Cyclists, please provide feedback if the suggested route is not ideal; Google has a nifty reporting widget which empowers those of us "in the know" to make this feature even better for all.

Thank you Google; this tool should get more Americans out of their cars and onto their bikes... and ultimately help make cycling in the USA safer for all of us down the road.

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