Categories
MLB General

The Full Count: Yankees keep breaking their toys


1. Showing his potential: Yankees rookie Phillip Hughes was marvelous in his second start. Unfortunately, he’s now just another injured Yankees starter. Hughes had a no-hitter going through 6.1 innings before suffering a hamstring injury that will keep him out 4-6 weeks. He finally showed his great potential after a rocky first start, but now New York will have to find yet another body to put on the mound. The Yankees carried a team no-hitter through until the eighth inning, when the Rangers got their only two hits of the game. But by that point, the game was over, and the Yanks blew Texas away 10-1. Offensively, Alex Rodriguez, Jorge Posada, and Robinson Cano each had at least three hits to carry the team.

2. The Central Goes Through Cleveland: Some people didn’t expect anything out of the Indians in the preseason, others thought they would win the division title. So far, the latter group looks right. The Indians lead baseball’s toughest division by 1.5 games after a 12-4 rout of the Blue Jays. The offense took over in this one, as Travis Hafner and Jhonny Peralta homered, with Peralta driving in 5 runs. Trot Nixon had 3 runs and 3 RBIs, and Victor Martinez drove in two as well. AJ Burnett was the main victim on the Blue Jays’ pitching staff. He allowed 7 runs after a dominant previous start against the Yankees. For the Indians, CC Sabathia improved to 4-0 on the year. Cleveland is 6-0 in Sabathia’s six starts.

3. Back and Forth: Though the AL Central may have better teams, the NL West is just as competitive. Four of the division’s five teams are within two games of the lead, which is currently held by the Dodgers. LA beat the Diamondbacks 2-1 to snap their 6-game winning streak. Pinch-hitter Olmedo Saenz hit a game-winning RBI single in that contest. The San Diego Padres have slumped a little lately, but they’re right in the thick of things after a 3-1 win over Washington. Starter Chris Young pitched 8 scoreless innings for the win in his best game of the year. In the division’s other game, the Rockies topped the Giants 9-7 thanks to a terrible start by Russ Ortiz.

Player of the Day: Matt Holiday, Rockies: 3-5, HR (4), 4 RBIs in 9-7 win over the Giants. Holliday is second in the league to Derrek Lee with a .395 batting average.

Categories
Chicago Bears

Odds and Ends: Chicago journalist finally realizes how awesome G-reg is


You remember Lovie Smith don’t you? He’s part of the historic duo of coaches who met in the Super Bowl last year. No, not cause they’re black but because they’re two good Christian Coaches. And with the league’s new emphasis on personal conduct, it shouldn’t come as any surprise that the Bears are drafting folks with high character. Take for example, Greg Olsen. Greg penned this little ditty about his views on women:


Chillin’ on the 7th flo’, I gotta let these chickens know
Big Greg is in the house, and I’m fittin’ to make these hoes choke
On my balls, on my dick, then I bust a nut, quick
On her face, on her chest, stick my dick between her breasts
Come on, fellas, let’s get weird, stick ya dick up in her ear
While I’m laughin’ at these guys, a second nut all in her eyes

What is this lady complaining about? That certainly isn’t any more offensive than JJ Redick’s poety and no one wrote an article about him. If you wanna hear the whole song, head on over to Flash Warner.

And in other news…

[Can’t Stop the Bleeding]: KTKR producer fired after the fake Iverson interview stunt

[WBRS]: Vlade Divac accused of selling counterfeit crap

[Inside Bay Area]: Barkley: “I’ve never been to Sausalito. They got a team over there?”

[STLToday.com]: Couple claims Josh Hancock was drunk off his ass day of accident and refused a cab

And finally, two random stories and a video. First, via Fark, comes a hilarious headline from WSOC TV:”Royals To Get A Taste Of Angels’ Colon”. That’s just wrong. Second, what the f is wrong with Boy George? And third, check out this hilarious video of members of Chelsea answering “who is the best looking person on your team?”

Categories
NBA General

NBA is looking for more dorks



so.. uh.. now what?

David Stern and Company doesn’t just want the NBA in all four corners of the world, they are also unleashing it into the virtual world of Second Life. Second Life is a online world where you can be just as bored as you are in real life, except maybe you get to have sex with a 300 lb man posing as a woman. The NBA thinks this is a excellent location to promote their product.


Bringing the NBA to the virtual world provides us with a new and innovative platform to reach our fans and the millions of residents in Second Life,” said Stern. “The NBA Headquarters creates an interactive worldwide community where fans can come together, engage with our game, and most importantly, share in their passion for the NBA.”

“The NBA is a sports innovator, being the first professional sports league to unveil a comprehensive headquarters in a virtual world,” said Sibley Verbeck, CEO, The Electric Sheep Company. “The NBA is engaging its fan community at a whole new level, and bringing fans together from around the world.

In the NBA Second Life headquarters, you can get access to video highlights, have you picture taken with the Larry O’Brien Trophy, and walk along a special path highlighting the 50 Greatest NBA Players of all time. But that’s not all folks, you can also buy team jerseys that you can put on your character in the game. Wow. How awesome. Where do we sign up?

We don’t really get virtual worlds. Basically you sit in your mom’s basement all day and night interacting with other losers doing the same thing. Hmmm… actually that sounds exactly like sports blogging.

Links:
[NBA.com]: NBA Headquarters Unveiled in Second Life

Categories
MLB General

Waiting for the other shoe to drop


What is the opposite of “redacted”? Whatever it is, a whole bunch of MLB players are sweating it out. The New York Daily News published a 31 page affidavit that detailed the investigation into the steroid and performance enhancing drug network of ex-Mets batboy Kirk Radomski. The names have been redacted from the document but could be revealed in the future as the investigation continues.

If you scroll to section 24 (page 15), the document reads:


A review of the deposits made into these accounts indicated numerous significant deposits from current and former MLB players as well as some individuals affiliated with MLB players. This financial activity is consistent with information that the source told agents the MLB contact had related about Radomski’s prevalence with distributing drugs to a wide range of MLB players.

The document then lists 23 deposits between 5/12/03 and 3/12/05. It’s hard to tell how many names are on this list because there could be duplicates, but unless someone is using a hell of alot of nandrolone and other PEDs, it’s safe to say that a lot of major leaguers are going to be exposed.

There’s a lot more coverage of this story over at Steroid Nation. And here’s an excellent article by Gwen Knapp over at the Chronicle on this topic.

Categories
All Other Sports

Barbaro needs to die already… oh wait


We don’t hate the whole Barbaro thing as much as the guys over as Deadspin but we do think it’s really silly. The latest Barbaro news? The field at the Kentucky Derby this year will be racing against the ghost of Barbaro past. If the winner of the Derby wins by more than 6 1/2 lengths (the margin of Barbaro’s victory), the winning trainer, jockey, owner, and a charity will each received 25% of a $1M bonus.


It’s certainly creative, it’s certainly fun and it has something for the horsemen, which we always want to embrace,” Churchill Downs president and chief executive Robert Evans said at a news conference. “What’s really cool is it will force us to remember Barbaro.

Force us to remember Barbaro? I think the media is doing a thorough enough job of that. It is impossible to read a single story on the Kentucky Derby without hearing about Barbaro. Look, it was a sad story. We pulled for Barbaro to make it through surgery. But when he was euthanized, that was the end of that story. Why is Barbaro’s death that important? Because he was a pretty horse? Please. There’s less public remembrance of athletes who died last year.

Links:
[ Cincy Post]: Sponsor offers $1M bonus

Categories
General Sports

Who knew Rich Eisen was such a stud?


We’ve always liked Rich Eisen — he’s funny, goofy, and compared to his counterparts over at ESPN, he’s actually enjoyable. But we never really thought of Eisen as a ladies man. Still, when you’re getting emails from one of the hottest anchorwomen in Philly, you’re doing ok for yourself.

According to the NY Post, Alycia Lane sent a bunch of emails to Rich Eisen including some with photos of herself in a bikini. Unfortunately, she sent it to an email account that Rich shares with his wife. Doh! Eisen’s wife, Suzy Shuster, was not pleased and fired off a response to Lane:


Boy, do you look amazing in a bikini . . . congrats! Whatever you’re doing, (Pilates? yoga?) keep doing it – it’s working for you. Anyway, sorry but those seven e-mails you sent to my husband, Rich, well, oops, they came to the e-mail address we both use from time to time, but no worries, I’ll forward the beach shots as well as the ones of you dancing with your friends on to his main address. Do you have it?

Good for you Suzy! But remember, next time Suzy, don’t just reply to the email, cc us at [email protected]. We need to verify that Alycia Lane does in fact look amazing in a bikini.

We imagine Rich couldn’t have come out of it unscathed. Maybe he can interview various NY Giants for marital tips.

Links:
[Page Six]: BIKIN-E-MAILS RATTLE TV WIFE

Categories
MLB General

The Full Count: Fun with April Numbers


1. Random Projections: April is now over and some ridiculous stats are in the books. If everything went just like it did in April:

– Alex Rodriguez would hit 99 homers and 239 RBIs.
– Josh Beckett would go 31-0.
– Francisco Cordero and Jose Valverde would each have 65 saves.
– Matt Holliday would have 262 hits.
– Jose Reyes would steal 115 bases.
– Kelly Johnson would have more walks than Barry Bonds.
– Bonds would hit 58 homers in only 429 at-bats.
– Vicente Padilla would go 0-24.

2. Complete Dominance: Only three starts after a 10-inning complete game, Roy Halladay was back in domination mode against the Rangers. He threw a complete-game, allowed just one run, and struck out 8. The Blue Jays gave Halladay plenty of support for the win, and now he’s 4-0. If there’s anything this Cy Young candidate has to be concerned about, it’s lasting through the season: he’s thrown 100 or more pitches in five of his six starts. After the 6-1 win, the Jays are 13-12 and in second place in the AL East.

3. Another Webb Gem: Defending Cy Young winner Brandon Webb was shaky his first three starts, but now he’s settled down into his usual dominant self. His last three outings have all been quality starts, including a 7-inning, one-run effort on Monday. Webb, backed by the Diamondbacks’ offense, helped the team move into first place as they beat the Dodgers. The 9-1 rout featured hits from nine players and RBIs from seven. Chris Young hit two homers as Dodgers starter Randy Wolf had another tough outing.

4. Not slowing down: The Brewers haven’t showed any signs of decline after taking the NL Central division lead earlier this year. On Monday, they crushed the three-time defending division champion St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals were playing in their first game after pitcher Josh Hancock’s death. But usually tragic events like that make a team stronger, and that certainly wasn’t the case against the Brewers. Milwaukee won 7-1, thanks to a complete-game by Jeff Suppan, who has won four starts in a row. On offense Prince Fielder hit his 6th long ball of the year as they tagged Cards starter Kip Wells for seven runs. The 16-9 Brewers are now tied with the Braves for the best record in the National League.

Player of the Day: Roy Halladay, Blue Jays: 9 innings, one run, no walks, 8 strikeouts in a 6-1 win over Texas.

Categories
College Football

Two Michigan football players in minor drug stop


According to the Monroe News, two Wolverines were in a car that was pulled over by Michigan State Police last week.


Sources said a small amount of marijuana and tablets of Vicodin, a painkiller, were found in the car. A passenger in the car apparently told police at the scene that he had a legal prescription for the Vicodin, but it was not in his possession.

Two other people in the car had the marijuana, according to sources.

The traffic stop occurred on a midweek afternoon last week, while the three were heading south on US-23 near Ida West Rd. in Summerfield Township. The car was stopped for a traffic violation.

…
Lt. Burnside said the traffic stop and investigation were handled as they typically are. No arrests were made because the amount of marijuana in the car was small.

“They were released, not because of who they are,” Lt. Burnside said. “I can’t think of anyone going to jail based on those circumstances.

We don’t want to be accused of being false rumor mongerers but a source familiar with the situation (hey, if ESPN can use those “sources”, so can we) told us that one of the players was Mario Manningham. Well, Mario, if this recent draft has proven anything, it’s that smoking pot has no effect on your draft position so, by all means, partake. Just cut it out before Goodell gets a hold of you.

Links:
[Monroe News]: UM players implicated in traffic, drug stop

Categories
Miami Dolphins

Odds and Ends: Cam Cameron sure knows how to sell a pick

Here’s video of Dolphins coach Cam Cameron addressing Miami fans and talking about the selection of Ted Ginn Jr with the ninth pick.

Note to Cam: when your fanbase desperately wants a QB to be the next Marino, it’s best not to tell them how the guy you just took with #9 is gonna be a great punt returner.

In other news…

[Miami Herald]: Wanna get out of jury duty? Take Bill Parcells fishing

[STLSportsMag.com]: Chris Berman reminds us why he is a waste of space

[BBC Sport]: Nantes goalkeeper Nantes quits team after being threatened by fans

[Star Tribune]: Tommy Morrison tests negative for HIV (somehow)

[Reuters]: Pakistan cricket coach was poisoned then strangled

[The Consumerist]: Tips on scoring tickets to a baseball game

[Steroid Nation]: Neither Bud Selig nor Hank Aaron will be there when Bonds breaks the HR record but MC Hammer will… so he’s got that going for him.

And finally, in the tradition of TonyHomo.com by Drew Bledsoe, comes Dicegay.com: Carl Pavano’s Blog. (We suspect it’s the same guy behind both sites.) “First, though, let me give all y’all what you want: a pitch-by-pitch recap of Dice-Gay’s first start against the mighty Yankees. Pitch 1: Shitty as balls. Pitch 2-108: See pitch one.” Who knew that Carl Pavano and Herbert Kornfeld were the same person. (Hat Tip: Our Book of Scrap)

Categories
Atlanta Falcons

PETA is retarded


We’re not fans of Michael Vick around here but even we have to call bullshit on PETA’s request for Falcons owner Arthur Blank to suspend Vick pending the investigation of his involvement in a facility that trained pit bulls for dog fights.

Look, we’re not fully convinced that Vick didn’t know what was going on at a property that he claims he simply let a family member use, but we also agree with something called due process. The PETA folks wrote a letter urging Blank to suspend Vick immediately and release him if “animals on his property are found to have been neglected or used for fighting.” Sounds a bit harsh doesn’t it? Even if the animals were trained for fighting (which is utterly despicable), that isn’t a reason to release Vick. Unless he was aware of the activities taking place at that property, he really shouldn’t be held accountable. Sure it’s another black mark on his record but hardly one worthy of release.

By the way, how about Michael Vick using Suzy Kolber as his personal PR whore to tell the fans that he is going to change.


I’m taking it upon myself and giving everybody my word that things are going to get changed around. Things are going to get turned around. I have a game plan for it. … The company I keep, a lot of things (have) got to change, and I mean that from the heart.

Hey, maybe Vick will turn it all around and turn into the player he was hyped to be coming out of college. But we doubt it.

**We would like to apoligize to retarded folks everywhere for comparing them to PETA.

Links:

[Ottawa Sun]: PETA wants Vick sacked

[Lexington Dispatch]: Vick Pleads Ignorance in Dog-Fight Case
[USA Today]: Vick ‘hurting’ inside after talk with Goodell