Categories
MLB General

MLB loses its erection


Ahhh the last time we’ll be able to make a baseball ED joke and post a picture of Raffy Palmeiro. Viagra is ending its five-year-old endorsement deal with Major League Baseball. The overwhelming reason is that changes in pharmacy guidelines meant that drug companies couldn’t advertise in prime-time anymore and that took away most of the value of the deal. However, the leagues have also been growing increasinly wary of advertising sexual dysfunction drugs in a family friendly atmosphere.


Sports properties saw dollar signs, and there was a land rush,” said Michael Neuman, CEO and founder of Amplify Sports and Entertainment, New York, who had worked on marketing programs for a variety of pharmaceutical brands from Pfizer, Amgen and GlaxoSmithKline. “But when you had ads talking about four-hour erections during NFL games, people from ownership on down started questioning the association.

Links:
[Sports Business Journal]: (Subscription) ED era wanes as Viagra exits MLB deal

Categories
College Basketball

New School Bracketology


Every year sports dorks from around the country can’t wait for the selection show to end so that they can run over to their X-Box and meticulously enter the entire field into their favorite NCAA hoops game and fill out their brackets according to the random crap that the simulations spit out. Kinda sounds like the BCS. But regardless, the game has pull when it comes to some office pools so here are the results from NCAA March Madness 07 and College Hoops 2K7.

In March Madness 07, No. 2 Wisconsin defeated No. 3 seed Pittsburgh, 90-72, on the left side of the bracket to set up a championship game against No. 4 Texas after the Longhorns defeated No. 1 seed Ohio State, 76-73, in a battle of freshman phenoms. In the final game, Kevin Durant’s 27.5 point per game average throughout the tournament was simply too much for the Badgers to overcome as Texas takes the title with an 87-64 victory.

2K7 comes up with a totally different scenario. Their Final Four consist of Maryland, Kansas, North Carolina and Texas A&M. In the semis, No. 4 Maryland upsets the top seeded Jayhawks by three, 64-61, while North Carolina narrowly avoided the third seed Aggies, 77-73. In the end, the Tarheels cut down the nets as Tyler Hansbrough led North Carolina to an 83-80 victory over the Terps.

Wonder how far George Mason made it in March Madness 06?

Links:

[IGN.com]: MARCH MADNESS PREDICTIONS

Categories
College Basketball

Odds and Ends: A true American hero



Who runs a $22 office pool?

Michigan state representative Kim Meltzer wants to decriminalize NCAA tournament pools because “what makes March Madness unique is that all kinds of people and sports fans of all levels fill out their brackets and enjoy the tournament. It’s a crime we consider that a crime, and I want to change it.”

Bravo Kim! Bravo! Any pool that’s $20 or less would be legal. Although nobody ever gets prosecuted over an office pool, it shouldn’t be illegal to throw your money away to the guy who just moved here from Bangladesh and is picking teams based on mascots. Hell, the office pool is probably the only chance sports geeks get a chance to talk to that cute girl in marketing. God Bless America and the bracket!

In other news…

[Sign On San Diego]: Adonal Foyle is now free to make fun of Canadians

[WrestleZone]: When your false teeth come flying out during a match, you might want to stop wrestling

[Nashville City Paper]: Even Pacman Jones knows he’s in a heap of trouble

[The Offside]: Sometimes you just gotta check the ol’ undercarriage

[The Big Lead]: Bill Belichick won’t have to testify for banging Sharon Shenocca

[10,000 Takes]: Yeah but where are the strippers?

And finally, we hope you signed up for March Madness On Demand cause it’s gonna be crazy this Thursday. Here’s a list of the announcer schedules. Sadly, one of the most intriguing Cinderalla matchups (Butler/ODU) has Kevin Harlan on the mic.

Categories
College Basketball

So You’re Telling Me There’s A Chance

We’re all degenerate gamblers at heart, so what better time to cut loose and let your inner Pete Rose come out than March Madness. After all, who doesn’t love to place a bet on a Cinderella school? Usually, they’ll get bounced in the first or second round but, hope was given to small schools across the country when the March magic carried George Mason all the way to the Final Four in last year’s tournament. Not too shabby considering that they opened the tourney with 400 to 1 odds.

Here are some of the lines for this year’s tournament, starting with the favorites to win it all.

#1 Seeds: Florida 7/2, Kansas 4/1, North Carolina 5/1, Ohio St. 6/1

#2 Seeds: Georgetown 8/1, UCLA 9/1, Wisconsin 15/1, Memphis 20/1,

Notables: Texas A&M 10/1, Texas 12/1, Maryland 25/1, Pittsburgh 25/1, Butler 35/1, Oregon 35/1, Washington St. 35/1, Arizona 40/1, Louisville 40/1, S. Illinois 40/1,Virginia Tech 45/1, Duke 50/1

Long Shots: Texas Tech 125/1, BYU 150/1, Gonzaga 150/1, Arkansas 200/1, Illinois 200/1, Purdue 200/1, Stanford 200/1

Don’t see any action that you like? Well, your odds are still better than trying to fill out a perfect bracket, 9,223,372,036,854,775,808 to 1, but the payoff isn’t nearly as good.

Links:

[Bodog]: ODDS TO WIN 2007 NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

Categories
Boxing

Life KO’s Tapia Again


Johnny Tapia has been through hell in his life. His five world championship titles might seem like a blessing, but they are outnumbered by the amount of times that he has been declared clinically dead (6). Now, Tapia faces death once again as he lies in an Albuquerque hospital bed in critical condition after apparently overdosing on cocaine. Just two weeks ago, Tapia won a majority decision in what many believed would be his last fight. But it was clear then that the fighter had not gotten over his past demons.


Every day, I’m doing good. But if I want to go drink right now, I can,” Tapia said. “Nobody tells me what I can do or what I want to do. I’m trying to do for my family and myself, but if I want to go party, I’ll party.’

You would think that Tapia would have been scared straight by this point, but if six brushes with death won’t do the trick then number seven will probably prove to be fruitless as well. Should Tapia pull through his life threatening ordeal, he will still have to face being charged with possession of a controlled substance. But getting processed on drug charges is as routine to him as getting his hands taped up. It’s just time consuming.

Links:

[ABQJournal.com]: 5-TIME WORLD CHAMPION JOHNNY TAPIA APPARENTLY OVERDOSES ON COCAINE

Categories
College Basketball

Why didn’t Drexel and Syracuse get into the tourney? Money


We’ve heard a lot of theories of the selection committee setting up matches not because of relative strength of teams but because of possible second round matchups that would be phenomenal for TV ratings. Gonzaga – UCLA anyone? Well, this is the first we’ve heard of the reasoning why teams like Syracuse and Drexel didn’t get in this year.


Two years ago, the NCAA bought – that’s right, the organization spent more than $50 million to purchase – the National Invitation Tournament. The other tournament, March Not-So-Madness, had gone along very nicely for years by hosting the NCAA’s rejects in a separate-but-unequal shadow tournament.

Now the NCAA owns it. Now the NCAA has incentive to make sure some attractive teams are available for the NIT field. The committee can’t get away with sending Wisconsin and Pittsburgh to the NIT – even Dick Vitale would figure that scam out – but it can send a few big programs from a few big markets.

Drexel and Syracuse, Kansas State and Florida State. They will draw nice crowds and decent TV ratings to their NIT games.

As if Drexel and Syracuse fans aren’t pissed enough. Now they find out that they didn’t make the tourney cause they are too good… for TV ratings anyway.

Links:
[Philly.com]: Phil Sheridan | Enough unfair exclusions: Add teams

Categories
Arizona Cardinals

Trick Play Catches Anderson Off Guard


Looks like Richie Anderson is giving George O’Leary a run for his money when it comes to holding down a job. That’s because less than two months since being hired as the Arizona Cardinals wide receivers coach, Anderson was fired by the organization after being arrested on Monday in Phoenix when he fell for the old cop dressed as a ho trick. Anderson was charged with solicitation of prostitution which is a Class 1 misdemeanor in Arizona and could result in up to six months in prison and a $2,500 fine for the 13 year NFL vet.


I gathered a lot of information over the weekend, and I’ve talked with Richie a couple of times,” coach Ken Whisenhunt said Monday night. “I just felt like at this point, it was in the best interest of Richie and the team that we went this direction.

That’s probably a good decision coach. We don’t think you want to be following the Mike Price road to success, now do you?

Links:

[AZCentral.com]: CARDS FIRE ASSISTANT AFTER ARREST
[The Jets Blog]: The Grass Isn’t Always Greener . . .

Categories
High School Sports

Dear wrestling champ, please keep your fingers out of my rectum


High school wrestling always gets a bad rap… partly because two sweaty dudes grappling with each other sends up the red rainbow flag like you wouldn’t believe. However, we wrestled in high school and we’re not gay (except for that one time with Tim Hardaway in the Heat locker room). Still, when a story like this comes out, it doesn’t do anyone any good.

A 17-year-old state wrestling champ named Jerome Hunt has been accused by 6 former Parker High School wrestlers that he either raped them or tried to rape them with his fingers. However, his lawyer says that the “penetration” was a result of legitimate wrestling moves known as “skinning” and the “butt drag”. Listen, there are no legitimate wrestling moves that involve a finger actually in the rectum. NONE. Well, there is the “hold and sodomize” move but that’s only allowed in overtime… and in prison.

The victims said that the attacks happened before practice, on the team bus or at a wrestling camp. Now Hunt might be as dedicated as Louden Swain but “practicing” skinning and butt dragging on the team bus is a little too much. One victim said Hunt also kissed him so at least he’s a gentleman. You don’t just go penetrating people without a smooch.

Links:
[Fox News]: South Dakota High School Wrestlers Testify They Were Raped by Teammate
[Comedy Central]: Fingerbang

Categories
New York Knicks

New York Knicks: 4 more years of mediocrity!



Isiah did wonders for the CBA

Apparently Knicks owner James Dolan (the worst owner in sports) thinks that a possible 8th seed playoff berth and 5 games below .500 is evidence of Zeke “turning the team around” because he just gave Thomas a multi-year contract extension.


That isn’t what you should rely on in terms of what motivates a team,” Dolan said of the club playing for Isiah’s job. “I know some will worry the pressure will be off. Don’t worry. This team will play just as hard before this announcement as after this announcement. You can count on that.”

The players getting better, the hard work, the heart they showed, that counted more to me than the won-loss record. We wouldn’t be sitting here today if we had the same record and didn’t show we had the heart and [the young players] hadn’t developed.

If the Atlantic division wasn’t so pathetic, would the Knicks even be sniffing the playoffs? Look, in the end, Isiah Thomas might not be the worst GM/coach in sports history but does anyone really think he’s the guy to take this team to the promised land? This smells of James Dolan just wanting to give Larry Brown the finger again.

Links:

[NY Post]: EXTENSION ATTENTION

Categories
NBA General

Around the Rim: Is 17 Straight The Best You Can Do?


1. We Own You!
Not too many teams can say that they have the Mavericks number, but Golden State can. The Warriors improved to 2-0 on the season and 5-1 (4 straight) over the past two seasons after they snapped Dallas’ 17 game winning streak with a 117-100 victory in which the Mavs never led after the first quarter. Dirk Nowitzki struggled all night long to maintain his composure both on and off the court as he struggled to finish with just 13 points on 3-of-11 and managed to pick up a technical foul while sitting on the bench. But it’s hard not to get frustrated when eight different players light you up for at least 16 points a piece. What’s even worse for the defending Western Conference champs is that with the victory the Warriors are now one game behind the Clippers for the final playoff spot out west. If the season were to end with Golden State grabbing the eighth seed and Dallas remaining atop the league it would produce a best of seven series between the two. And you know Don Nelson is licking his chops at the opportunity to get even more revenge on his old boss and current enemy, Mark Cuban.

2. The NBA’s Teflon Don

No foul was called after an abnormally high elbow from Kobe Bryant caught Kyle Korver on the face during the Philadelphia/Los Angeles game on Friday night. But after reviewing the tape, the NBA decided to issue Bryant a flagrant 1 foul which is worth one point (a flagrant 2 foul is worth two points) and, as difficult as it is to comprehend, it’s only his first flagrant foul of the season. So, three players have felt the wrath of the Mamba but he only has one lousy flagrant foul point?!?! It takes at least five before David Stern starts handing out suspensions. Bryant can’t be suspended for the latest elbow because any suspension would have needed to be announced before the Lakers played in their next game which was against Dallas on Sunday. Basically, Kobe got off the hook without a scratch once again. Looks like even Bill Clinton and O.J. Simpson could learn a thing or two from No. 24.

3. JC And Kobe Would Be An Awesome Combo
It’s obvious that Phil Jackson is getting a tad depressed over the Lakers current situation but the Zen Master might be going a bit overboard with his latest comments. When asked about the team’s injuries and losses Jackson said, “The way they are playing now, it doesn’t matter who comes back. Jesus Christ could come back and we still wouldn’t have a chance because we’ve ruined the mix by not playing together.” Don’t be so sure about that Phillip, from what we hear Jesus has a pretty smooth outside jumper. Apparently it’s awfully tough for a nine time champion to suffer through a career-worst six game losing streak twice during the past 15 games. But look on the bright side Jackson; you’re still in the playoff picture and you still have Kobe Bryant at your disposal. Things could be much worse; you could be Jake “The Snake” Roberts.

Monday’s Player of the Day: Vince Carter @ Memphis 41 min, 30 pts (FG: 10-19, 3FG: 3-6, FT: 7-8), 10 reb, 5 ast, 1 stl, 1 blk

Tuesday’s Game to Watch: Utah (43-19) @ Miami (33-29) No Wade, no sweat. Well, at least when you have Shaquille O’Neal playing like he did back in the purple and gold. Shaq is averaging 23 points, 10 rebounds and four assists during the Heat’s current six game win streak. And Miami has played remarkably well at home this season where they are 21-10. But Utah is on a six game roll of their own as the Deron Williams to Carlos Boozer connection is back in full swing for the first time since Boozer returned to the team in late February. Throw in the poor man’s version of Dirk Nowitzki in Mehmet Okur and you’ve got a Utah club that is on the brink of making some serious playoff noise.

Buzzer Beater: What happened to the meaning behind the cause? In just one short month since John Amaechi came out of the closet because he hoped it would be a catalyst for intelligent discourse, he has changed his mind and decided to use his sudden new found celebrity to make a quick buck by pushing a brand of head-shaving razors. But, hey, no corporation says intelligent discourse quite like HeadBlade Inc. Amaechi is now just inches away from becoming the new Jared of Subway.