the Canadian Oly

"This is a lot harder than Beijing, I can tell you that right from the get-go. Troy Aikman Cowboys Jersey ." Coming from Mike Brown, those words are almost unthinkable. Four years ago in China, the breaststroke swimmer missed out on his first Olympic medal by 0.09 seconds. He still cant remember his post-race interviews, and he doesnt remember getting out of the Beijing pool. All he remembers is lying down on a massage table, pulling a towel over his head and feeling the tears stream down his face. He had missed out on an Olympic medal by less than the blink of an eye, and nothing had ever felt worse. Until Thursday night, at the Canadian Olympic swimming trials in Montreal. "When I touched the wall I knew exactly where I finished," Brown said, speaking through tears, of the mens 200-metre breaststroke final. The event is his specialty, and he had begun the race as its second-seeded entry. "I could see Scotty (Dickens) on the left side of me, I could see Jason (Block) on the right side of me and I knew I was third at the very best." Brown was, in fact, fourth. He had finished his race in two minutes, 14.95 seconds -- more than three seconds outside of the Olympic qualifying standard. That Brown will not race at the London 2012 Olympic Games is heartbreaking, but for the two-time Olympian it is even more excruciating that he cannot explain why. "To be six seconds off my Canadian record, that is inexcusable for me, unexplainable for me. "I am just so baffled on how it went down. I wasnt more nervous than I was before. I was nervous, of course, but I am always nervous before races and that is a good thing for me. I swim my best when I am nervous. I was excited to race, I was ready to go. I had a bunch of friends and family there." Brown, of Perth, Ont., retired after his 2008 disappointment in Beijing. It took the spark of home Olympics -- the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver -- to lure the Olympian-turned-realtor back to the pool. Although other swimmers also fallen short in their recent comeback attempts, including Australias  -- Australias Ian Thorpe among them -- Brown felt he had the tools to succeed in his return bid. For starters, unlike Thorpe, Brown had only taken 15 months off from swimming. Australias five-time Olympic champion sat out for four years. Brown also returned to the pool with two years ahead of him to return to swimming shape."It was definitely long enough, I was ready," Brown said. "The Olympic drive came back . . . September through December were the best four months I have ever trained or raced in my career. "I was on track and I still think I am on track." Brown turned heads with surprisingly quick times at Novembers Canada Cup in Toronto, when he finished first in the 200m breaststroke in 2:13.83. This week in Montreal, following a full training cycle with taper, Brown says he should have been even faster. "I have never been more confused in my career," Brown said. "I have been on the national team for a decade now and there is no other way to explain it (except) that I am confused. "How I went faster (at the Canada Cup) and slower now is something I have never done in my career, ever. I have always been able to excel and really perform when it matters, perform when it counts in the highest pressure situations. I never caved before and I dont really want to say Ive caved tonight." Brown is also not prepared to say whether this weeks races have been his last. It is too early, he says, even to say whether he will watch his teammates compete at the London 2012 Olympic Games. "(This scenario) never, ever crossed my mind." Nate Livings Jersey . It kind of breaks up the week for me and sets the stage for the upcoming week. Cheap Bob Lilly Jersey . Sean Monahan scored two goals, including the overtime winner, as the Flames snapped a two-game losing skid with a 2-1 victory over the Oilers in a game between two of the NHLs current lesser lights.Last year Winnipeg got their new stadium, next year they are getting the Grey Cup. Mark Cohon, Commissioner of the CFL, officially announced today the 103rd Grey Cup will be played at Investors Group Field in 2015. "What better way to showcase our modern league than to bring our biggest game to stunning Investors Group Field, one of the new stadiums that are home to todays CFL?" said Cohon. "And I cant think of a better way to celebrrate Canada than to bring our fans together from across the country, not just to mark one of our grandest traditions, but to celebrate what is a very bright future, in one of Canadian footballs proudest homes. J.J. Wilcox Cowboys Jersey. ." The game will be played on November 29, 2015. Manitobas capital last hosted the big game in 2006 when the B.C. Lions defeated the Montreal Alouettes 25-14. This seasons Grey Cup will be held at BC Place. ' ' '