After the first day of the SEC Championships, Georgia has two men in the top-5 of the decathlon andone Lady Bulldog in the womens heptathlon, Lucie Ondraschkova, who currently sits in eighth place.

Ondraschkova began her day with a season-best in the 100-meter hurdles, where she clocked a 14.35, just .06 seconds behind her personal record.

WAYNE NORTON

The time had the Opava, Czech Republic native finishing eighth.

By the end of the day, however, Ondraschkova hadachieved a personal record in a separate event.

Ondraschkova finished the 200-meter dash in 25.56 seconds, also placing eighth.

The two eighth-place finishes came outside of a seventh place finish in the high jump and a sixth place finish in the shot put.

The 36 feet, 7.50 inch shot put was the second best of her career.

Ondraschkovas totals leave her with 3,083 total points, 372 pointsbehind Arkansas junior Makeba Alcide, who holds first place.

Lucie had some good things happen and a couple struggles, said Bulldog multi-events coach Petros Kyprianou. She started off with a strong 100 hurdles and ended with the best 200 time of her career. The thing about Lucie is that she is a gamer.

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Georgia’s track team finds early success in decathlon, heptathlon in SEC Championships

Fri, 11 May 16:29:00 2012

With the kind of timing publishers must dread, this month sees the release of Colin Shindler's latest memoir.

The author sold an awful lot of copies of his earlier tale, "Manchester United Ruined My Life", which was released well over a decade ago. It was a book which suggested that, in its rapacious, commercially-driven quest for monopoly, the Old Trafford operation was driving much of the joy out of football.

As a City supporter, Shindler might be expected to think that. But his tome was nicely argued, fluent and funny and found plenty who agreed with its critique of the rapacious red menace and all it stood for.

About time, you might think, for Shindler to cheer up a little. After all, this Sunday a City captain is poised to lift the English championship for only the second time in his lifetime. A championship title, moreover, which has been won at the glorious expense of the Salford beast. Just the right timing to publish a celebration of all things sky blue, you might think. Except Shindler's latest is called "Manchester City Ruined My Life."

In it he laments all the things that City have lost in their relentless pursuit of supremacy. Not just that old, traditional, comical ability to shoot themselves in the foot, but the sense of community, the sense of shared value, the sense that the players on the park are representing the regulars in the stand. The idea that they are all in it together.

What City always were, Shindler argues, was different from United. Now, he believes, that in their unrelenting desire to best their neighbours, they have become everything he loathed about the reds. In short they have ceased to be a football club and become a sporting corporation.

Quite what Shindler would have made of the revelation in the Telegraph this week that City had spent close to a billion pounds in pursuit of the prize is too late to include in his book. But not even United, the old buyers of trophies, can come close to that sort of outlay. Nor, with a bunch of parasitical American owners to satisfy, are they likely to in future.

And how Shindler must have winced when he watched television coverage of the Manc derby the other week. On the advertising hoardings around the Etihad pitch were not the usual commercial messages for Bet Fred or Carling lager. What there were instead were ads for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, holidays in the Emirates and the endless number of destinations offered by Etihad airlines.

What City, the cosy, oddball, local institution Shindler once loved, have become is something of a different order altogether. They have become the promotional vehicle for an entire nation.

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Premier League - Jim White: Has success come at a cost for City?

ARROYO GRANDE The Paso Robles High School swim team topped of an amazing 2012 season with peak performances at the Pac 7 League Championships this past weekend in Arroyo Grande as the Bearcats amassed 83 personal records over the course of three days of preliminaries and finals.

Nearly every swimmer on the team, J.V. and varsity included, earned a spot among the top 16 finishers at prelims to qualify for the league finals meet.

At the league finals, the varsity girls' medley relay team of Ryan Springer, Kylie Pugh, Sierra Mosely and Zoe Zepp kicked off the day with a CIF consideration time to finish fourth.

"The success was extremely contagious," PRHS swim coach Jennifer Brown said.

Next up, the varsity boy's medley relay team of Morgan Moore, Tyler Zepp, Collin Moore and J Young also earned CIF consideration as they crushed their time from prelims by six seconds to finish fifth overall.

"From there, the whole team just kept building momentum throughout the meet," Brown said.

The varsity Bearcat girls finished third as a team, an improvement from last year's sixth place finish.The varsity boys finished fourth to better last year's finish of fifth place.The PRHS swimmers also improved upon their CIF qualifying times from last season.In 2011, the Bearcats had two events qualify for CIF consideration, compared to the current season with 11 CIF consideration times, plus two CIF automatic times.

"It is truly astounding how many swimmers achieved their life-time best performances at League Finals," Brown said. "Coach Mara put together a perfect seasonal training plan that paid off, with swimmers reaching their peak at the exact right time."

Varsity girls

The top eight finals performances for the Bearcats in the varsity girls division came from Ryan Springer, Amanda Oliver, Sierra Mosely and Zoe Zepp.Springer eclipsed a five-year-old PAC 7 league record in the girls' 100 freestyle with a time of 54.28, but finished second to Teagan Griffith of San Luis Obispo.Springer was league champion in the girls 50 freestyle with a time of 24.92 and she earned CIF automatic qualifying times in both of her events.

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Swimming to success - Bearcat boys, girls amass 83 personal records

SAN FRANCISCO In revealing his support for same-sex marriage, President Barack Obama attributed his change in thinking to a series of key conversations and experiences. Talking to members of his staff and gay service members in committed relationships made it more difficult to justify why they should not have the right to marry, he said.

Just as influential in his thinking, according to Obama, were dinnertime conversations with his 13- and 10-year-old daughters, who have friends with two mothers or two fathers.

"It wouldnt dawn on them that somehow their friends parents would be treated differently," the president said. "It doesnt make sense to them and, frankly, thats the kind of thing that prompts a change in perspective."

While separating the personal from the political is impossible in the presidents case, others who have moved in the same direction on the issue say they immediately recognized themselves in Obamas remarks. Once comfortably opposed, they found their views shifting as a result of sometimes uncomfortable dialogues taking place at churches, workplaces, soccer fields and statehouses.

"I had the same conversation with my daughter," New York Assemblywoman Sandra Galef, a Democrat representing the Manhattan suburbs in Westchester County. "My daughter told me, Mom, youre old fashioned. What difference does it make if people love each other? Everyone should have their rights. She really just totally disagreed with her mom."

Galef, 72, credits those talks with moving her from voting in 2009 against a bill that would have legalized same-sex unions in the state to voting for a similar bill two years later.

"My daughter, I think, really opened my eyes to the fact that I grew up in a different age and just made it so clear that I wasnt thinking like a more modern person on this topic," she said. "When the president said this, I could just relate to myself having gone through the whole scenario."

Before Obama became the first sitting president to endorse marriage rights for same-sex couples, other politicians had attributed changes of heart on the issue to having gay people leading comfortably conventional lives in their worlds. The leader of the Iowa Senate, Mike Gronstal, held back a constitutional amendment that would have banned gay marriage in his state in 2009 after his daughter changed his mind on the subject. Former Vice President Dick Cheney and San Diego Mayor Jerry Saunders also came out for same-sex marriage after learning their daughters were lesbians.

Gay rights activists have recognized for decades that having a close friend or family member who is gay was a powerful predictor of how Americans felt about gay rights issues. Now that marriage is high on the movements wish list, they have become even more convinced that sharing stories and common experiences will be key to its success.

"Pretty much everybody these days knows someone who is gay or lesbian, but it is knowing them well, or well enough to have a real conversation about why marriage matters to them, that moves people forward," Marc Solomon, the national campaign manager for Freedom to Marry, a New York-based group that advocates for same-sex marriage and actively encourages gay people to initiate discussions on the topic.

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Personal ties can change gay marriage attitudes

The Hockey News columnist Ken Campbell has a question why isnt Alex Ovechkin being lionized for sacrificing personal success for team success the way Steve Yzerman was in Detroit?

Campbell also has a theory:

This wouldnt have anything to do with a bias against Russians would it? Didnt think so.

We dont need to get into Ovechkins reduced ice time under Capitals coach Dale Hunter. If you still dont know the story there, just scroll PHT and youll find a few thousand posts on the topic.

But some of you might be less familiar with Yzermans career progression.

From a 2006 Sports Illustrated article, well let Red Wings GM Jim Devellano bring you up to speed.

We had some really good teams in the early 90s, but we couldnt get it done in the playoffs, said Devellano. So we brought Scotty Bowman in to get us over the hump in 1993. Up until then Stevie was a tremendous one-way player, which wed encouraged. In his early years we needed his goals and assists and, well, his glitz to sell tickets and to promote the team. Scotty didnt care about any of that. He was determined that players were going to play his way.

Sound familiar?

However, with all due respect to Campbell, thats where the comparisons stop. Because not only did Yzerman become a better two-way player, he became the best two-way player, winning the Selke Trophy in 2000.

To state the obvious, Ovechkins nowhere close to winning the Selke. He hardly sees the ice when the Capitals are trying to protect the lead, and he hasnt spent a single second killing penalties in the playoffs.

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PHT: Hold off on Ovechkin-to-Yzerman comparisons

Buy photos Anthony Redfern. (s)

DROITWICH Dolphinss Anthony Redfern produced a number of excellent swims when competing in the Midland Regional Youth Championships in Coventry.

Having set personal bests in the 100m backstroke and 100m freestyle events on the Saturday, he returned the following day to swim the 50m freestyle.

As his qualification time saw him entered behind 45 other swimmers in the 15-16 age group, hopes were just for a good swim and maybe a personal best.

Not only did he set his personal best, beating his old time by a massive 1.1 seconds, he qualified for the final in third place in a time of 26.09.

Disaster struck at the start of the final when his diving block broke, resulting in him finishing a distant last.

Once repaired, he was offered a reswim of the final and had to swim with only two other swimmers alongside him.

It was then testament to his guts and mental self control that he was able to recover and break his personal best again with a time of 25.88 which placed him fourth overall and quicker than all other 15-year-olds. His time was also a new junior club record.

The club are always on the lookout for new members, visit http://www.droitwichdophins.co.uk for more information.

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Swimming Redfern races to success

Triathletes often find themselves attracted to the allure of going long. Doing a half or full Ironman distance event seems to be a bucket list race for many who take up the sport. This isn't to say that there's anything less magical about shorter races but for most, our association with the sport is directly tied to the big race in Hawaii.

Athletes et goals. We may have taken up the sport to lose weight, improve our appearance, or simply to get healthier. But soon we realize that we enjoyed the training and started to race. Crossing the finish line for the first time opened up a new world to us; a world where we could measure our performance. We were now able to quantify our results. After all, in that first race, we set a personal record (PR) and our quest to beat that record grows stronger every time we toe the starting line.

When working with an athlete before an event, we often discuss specific time goals. While I try to discourage getting too caught up in time, I know how a triathlete thinks and there's no getting around the fact that there's a specific number on that clock that each of them wants to beat. In this case, we usually set three time goals. The first is what they would like to achieve. Given that things go relatively well, no unforeseen problems arise, and the conditions are favorable, this is a time they would be happy clocking. The next is a "perfect" race goal. This is a goal in which everything went as planned, the conditions were ideal and things just clicked perfectly. The final goal is the fall-back goal. This goal is one where things don't go as smoothly. Maybe a mechanical issue occurs or the weather is terrible and well, you're simply happy to cross the line in one piece.

However, things change when we delve into long course racing. This is especially true for athletes attempting the distance for the first time. In these cases, I stress that time isn't an issue and should be the last thing you use to measure your success. When you're out on the course for upwards of 17 hours, you have a lot of variables to deal with and obstacles to overcome.

Instead of measuring your success by the time clock, assess your effort level. Executing your race plan as designed and how you overcame the myriad of challenges thrown in front of you throughout the day is a much more accurate measure of your day. When things don't go exactly as planned, knowing that you did your best to get past them and continue on truly becomes a badge of honor. At the end of the day, when the time clock is finally taken down and the crowds have gone home, you can rest easier knowing you set a new PR.

Jeff can be found at http://www.CayenneEnduranceSports.com on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CayenneEnduranceSports and on Twitter @CayenneTriCoach

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Measuring success in long course triathlon racing

By John Mylant - May 8, 2012 | Tickers: FCX, NEM | 0 Comments

John is a member of The Motley Fool Blog Network -- entries represent the personal opinions of our bloggers and are not formally edited.

Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc (NYSE: FCX) has struggled recently as the 3 month strike in its Grasberg gold mine in Indonesia struck hard on gold production. A recent stoppage in mid February of the same mine for a day caused fear to rise in the hearts of investors again and a reactionary selloff ensued. Presently the stock is trading at 36.40. What will it take for the stock to really move up this year?

In the second half of April, Citigroup upgraded Freemont to a buy position with a price target of $45which represents a 23% upside! What will it take to get it there? Citigroup sighted the stock's recent underperformance relative to copper, but will it be copper that lifts the stock?

Copper prices were rising the first quarter and prices are expected to rebound in 2012, as demand continues to outstrip supply for the third straight year. Credit Suisse analyst Stefan Garber predicts that copper prices may reach $9,500 per metric ton over the next 12 months. But there are problems with that price projection looming. A leading Chinese Copper smelter stated it would begin to export the metal to ease the global shortage. Copper prices fell to $8,300 a ton. And the export can carry on for a while in 2012. Copper inventories in China, the largest consumer and importer of the metal, are currently at record levels.

It does not look like copper will be a short term answer to lifting Freemont stock, at least not for the next couple quarters.

It is going to be in the Grasberg mine. If they can make it work this year, money might just pour into it and notNewmont Mining (NYSE: NEM). Newmont has a headyprice-to-earnings ratio of 65 and a low earnings-per-share of 0.73. Does this signify investor confidence or is itsigns of an over valued company? On the other hand, Freeport-McMoRan has an EPS of $4.80 and a price to earnings ratio of 7.9. Could it be that Freeport is an undervalued company?

But it looks like it is all in the gold. At the end of February they had a new labor agreement but were experiencing work interruptions in connection with its efforts to resume normal operations so the mine was again temporarily suspended. But it is doing well in restoring operations at the mine. Freemont officials expressed optimism that negotiations with the government over contract extensions to keep operating in Indonesia will eventually be satisfactorily resolved.

Gold has a good chance of going up very soon! With the new developments in European debt and recession fears, the poor U.S.economic news, and the slow down in China, it may not take much for investors to flock back to gold. This could be the catalyst Freemont needs to start on a bullish run sometime this year.

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Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold: Success is in Gold not Copper

AUSTIN, TX--(Marketwire -05/09/12)- The Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company announced today that it has partnered with Socialware, the leader in social media compliance and relationship software, to build business through social media. Penn Mutual's HTK Registered Representatives will have the opportunity to access social networks including Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter to distribute valuable content and build personal relationships with clients and prospects online.

"We are a 165-year-old company that has always been committed to evolving with changes in consumer behavior and providing our producers with the best tools and resources to conduct business," said Rob Bonsall, AVP of Interactive Services for Penn Mutual. "In addition to compliance and social media relationship technology, Socialware provides knowledge, support, education and user groups throughout the process to ensure we approach our social initiatives in a manner that effectively supports our producers."

"Because our clients are communicating through social media, producers need to interact with them there, as well," said Nick Fournaris, Regional Director for Penn Mutual's Southeastern Region. "Personal relationships are important in our industry, and the bottom line is I am glad that Penn Mutual is supporting us in our efforts to do business when and how our clients expect."

Penn Mutual has implemented Socialware software, which is built on the industry leading compliance platform and enables efficient creation and management of a social media presence, distributing valuable content and measuring business results. The two companies also work together on cobranded education and outreach to producers, encouraging them to embrace social media efforts and take advantage of everything Penn Mutual provides to ensure a positive outcome.

"Penn Mutual is a great example of a company that is taking all the right steps to set up their producers for success with social business," said Chad Bockius, CEO of Socialware. "Through our joint efforts, there is peace of mind with the compliance technology in place and the Penn Mutual teams are receiving all the tools necessary to drive business and create an individual presence in their markets."

To join the conversation on social business topics, visit the SocialTurns community http://www.socialturns.com/. For more insight and commentary on the effective and compliant use of social networks, please visit http://www.socialware.com.

About The Penn Mutual Life Insurance CompanySince 1847, Penn Mutual has been driven by our noble purpose to create a world of possibilities. At the heart of this purpose is the belief that life insurance is the most protective, responsible and rewarding action a person can take, and is central to a sound financial plan. The company is committed to helping families unlock life's possibilities through life insurance and annuity solutions. This is accomplished through a national network of financial professionals, who help clients make great things possible. Penn Mutual supports its field representatives with brokerage services through Hornor, Townsend & Kent, Inc., Registered Investment Advisor and wholly owned subsidiary. Member FINRA/SIPC. Visit Penn Mutual on the Internet at http://www.pennmutual.com.

About Socialware Based in Austin, Texas, Socialware provides software that allows companies to empower the workforce and employees to identify new and strengthen existing business relationships via social networks. With unmatched expertise drawn from work with more than 125 enterprise customers, Socialware is a trusted social business management partner. Socialware was named an innovative company to watch by leading analyst firm IDC. You can find out more about Socialware at http://www.socialware.com, as well as on Twitter: @Socialware. You can also read their blog: http://blog.socialware.com.

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Penn Mutual Partners With Socialware to Set Up Producers for Social Media Success

I know that in the age of the 99 percent versus the 1 percent, the word "business" can sound like a four-letter word. But the reality is that we can all learn a great deal from successful businesses. All we have to do is apply those lessons to our personal lives. (This is true no matter what your political views are.) Let's examine this to determine if you think the argument holds water.

1. Risk

The first task any business owner undertakes is to understand the risk he is taking with his business. Will I have enough sales? Will my product or service have long-term demand? And, of course, do I have enough and the right kind of insurance to run my shop?

Apply this to your own financial life before you worry about making investments. What are your risks as CEO of You INC? From a financial standpoint, there are two great risks. One is that you will not have enough money while you are alive. The other is that you won't have enough money after you are no longer alive. We'll deal with the first issue in a minute. For now, let's talk about running out of money after you pass away.

While this is often not a huge concern for single people, it's the number one headache for people with families. The quick-end solution is cheap term life insurance. But folks don't like talking about this issue for a few reasons. First, they don't like to discuss mortality. It's as if just discussing the issue brings bad luck. The other reason is because they just don't like life insurance companies or life insurance.

I understand and respect both these attitudes. But I can tell you firsthand that it's rather short sighted--and I have firsthand experience in the matter. My father had no life insurance for years. Then, shortly before he was killed in an airplane accident, he was forced to buy cheap term life insurance in order to facilitate a business transaction that he was party to. The deal didn't go through, but the insurance did.

He made one payment on his policy before his accident and if it weren't for that my siblings and I would never have been able to attend college. I am a firm believer in term life insurance if you have a family. Please make sure you have enough term life.

2. Cash Flow

I mentioned that every good business has to have enough cash flow in order to survive. You are no different. If you want to advance in life and have more financial freedom, your first order of business is cash flow. It goes without saying that you will need to track your spending and make sure you earn more than you spend. But beyond that, you need to look ahead. If you are just getting by, that isn't good enough. You need a solid financial plan.

The best financial plan for cash flow is also the simplest. Figure out what you need to save every month in order to reach your goals and save that money before you do anything else. If it means taking on a weekend job, do it. If it means working part time, get on it.

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For Financial Success, Run Your Life Like A Business