Categories
NBA General

Around the Rim: They All Look Like a Bunch of Girlie Men, Right?



I just pop random pills!

1. What’s Wrong With Kids These Days?
Kobe Bryant’s smack to Marko Jaric’s head didn’t result in a win for the Lakers against the Timberwolves, and it probably cost Los Angeles their game against Milwaukee last night. That’s because David Stern suspended Bryant for the game against the Bucks, stripping the Lakers of his 29.2 points per game average as Milwaukee rolled to an easy 110-90 victory. Lex Luthor, er, Charlie Villanueva torched the Zen Master’s decimated lineup for 26 points on 10 of 12 shooting.

While Bryant kept quiet about the incident, Jaric came out and actually supported Bryant’s behavior. “I haven’t seen the replay, but if you ask me what I thought about the play when it happened, I don’t think he did it intentionally, and I don’t think players should be suspended for things that happen unintentionally,” Jaric told ESPN.com. First Tyler Hansborough says Gerald Henderson smashing his nose into his face was accidental, and now Jaric calls Bryant’s cheap shot unintentional? It’s getting kinda hard to blame the sucker punchers when the sucker punchees condone getting their craniums cracked.

2. $5 Million Bargain
Dwight Howard’s 18 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks per game has earned him a lot of recognition this year, but he’s not going to receive his most valuable award until this summer when he becomes a free agent. Orlando is expected to offer Howard a deal which would generate the young All-Star $87.5 million over the next five years. The first year of the deal would be worth approximately $14.5 million and increase to about $20.5 million. That’s about a $10 million raise from his current salary of $4.8 million. Howard is obviously the future of the franchise and he might be the future of the league. At 6-11 and 265 pounds, Howard has one of the most chiseled bodies in all the league and he can perform feats that smaller players only dream about. Once the Magic begin giving Howard a superstar’s share of the shots, he’s only averaging 11 attempts per game, he’s going to truly become an unstoppable force on both ends of the court.

3. Dropping Bombs
After smoking virtually every team in the NBA this year, the Suns nearly dropped the ball against one of the weakest teams in the league. In fact, it took a career-high 32 points from Leandro Barbosa off the bench and an extra five minutes for the Suns could put away the Bobcats, 115-106. Phoenix’s previous five games against the Cats were won by an average of 15.8 points. Barbosa nailed seven of the team’s 19 treys which was just one shy of the franchise record. Raja Bell threw in five triples of his own in the contest to help offset some of 44 points that Adam Morrison and Gerald Wallace teamed up for. It probably wasn’t the kind of win Phoenix was expecting before the game, but winning eight out of nine games is still pretty good, regardless of the competition.

Wednesday’s Player of the Day: LeBron James @ Detroit 51 min, 41 pts (FG: 17-31, 3FG: 1-3, FT: 6-8), 7 reb, 8 ast, 3 stl, 1 blk

Thursday’s Game to Watch: San Antonio (43-18) @ Sacramento (28-32) Thanks to a ten game win streak, the Spurs have quietly moved ahead of Utah for the third best record in the league. It took a while, but SA has regained their trademark defense (league best 89.8 points against) that led them to three championships in seven years. Tim Duncan appears to be completely healthy for the first time in a long time which is bad news for opposing defenders. The Kings have won five of their last six games and sit just one game behind the Clippers for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. It will be interesting to see just how long the Kings can maintain their current high level of play without starter Ron Artest who was dismissed from the team on Monday.

Buzzer Beater: One of the league’s most admirable citizens over the past decade has been Lindsey Hunter, but being a good guy doesn’t get anyone out of a positive drug test. But it’s probably not what you think; it’s not weed, it’s not cocaine or steroids. No, Hunter proved that he was indeed a good guy by getting busted for phentermine, a pill commonly used by his wife for weight loss. Hunter’s airtight explanation for popping his partner’s pills was simply that “we do that at our house.” But regardless of reason, the little pill is going to cost Hunter a lot of money. $205,000 over a 10 game suspension to be exact. But it’s worth it; have you seen how trim he looks?

Categories
MLB General

Go ahead and keep taking HGH


Dr. Don Catlin, the scientist who MLB hired to develop a urine screening test to discover HGH told the Denver Post that a reliable test for HGH might never be developed. MLB banned HGH recently but doesn’t test for it because the drug policy only allows urine testing because blood testing is “an invasion of privacy”. The NFL players union also does not allow blood testing.

So basically, you can take HGH all you want without getting caught unless you do something stupid like having a boatload of it in your house when federal agents raid it.

As for the drug test, we are very suspicious of everyone so we can’t help but think maybe the Dr. Catlin has already discovered a test for HGH and is planting this information with the Denver Post so that athletes who are cheating will continue to do so. Then, just as they think they’re getting away with it… bam… all of the sudden the drug test is the next day and includes a urine test for HGH. And when the results get back, a lot of minor leaguers will be getting their call up to the show.

Links:
[Denver Post]: Test for HGH may be fiction

Categories
Boxing

March 8 in sports history: Ali goes down!


In 1971: Joe Frazier handed Muhammed Ali his first professional defeat in a 15 round decision at Madison Square Garden. It was the first of three classic matches between the rivals, and it was the first time in history that a fight featured two undefeated champs (Ali was stripped of his title for refusing to go to Vietnam). It was simply dubbed “The Fight of the Century.” It lived up to its billing, as the two battled into the fifteenth round. Referee Al Mercante later claimed that Ali (who predicted he would knock Frazier out in the sixth) gave away many rounds. Most who watched, however, found that it was hard for Ali to “give away” rounds when he was being mercilessly pounded in the corner by Frazier, who sent Ali to the canvas in the fifteenth. Ali survived the knockout, but Frazier won comfortably on all three cards. The fight was one of the most hyped events in sports history, with over 700 press credentials awarded (and another 500 turned down). There were even some celebrities who couldn’t get good seats, but Frank Sinatra smartly got the best seat in the house, snapping pictures on the ringside apron as a photographer for Life Magazine.

In 2004: The National Hockey League officially erased any doubts about its “The U.S. media only talks about hockey when something bad happens” status with one of its ugliest incidents in years. Wanting revenge for a hit by the Colorado Avalanche’s Steve Moore which knocked out star player Markus Naslund three weeks before, Vancouver Canucks forward Todd Bertuzzi came up to Moore from behind and punched him on the side of the head. Moore was knocked out immediately, and he fell face first to the ice. It didn’t help that all 245 lbs. of Bertuzzi fell right on top of him. It didn’t help any more when three other players piled on top of them. Moore suffered a broken neck, a concussion and severe lacerations on his face. Three days later, Bertuzzi was suspended for the rest of the season (including the playoffs) and would not be reinstated until after the lockout in 2005. The atmosphere in Vancouver’s GM Place was ugly that night, as the Canucks vowed to get even with Moore (who did fight earlier in the game). But, as Rogers Sportsnet announcer Jim Hughson said, “the score settling has gone too far.” Bertuzzi later plead guilty to assault and received probation. Moore has also attempted to sue Bertuzzi for over $15 million in lost wages and damages and has still not played a game since.

Categories
General Sports

Vote for March’s Woman We Love

Well folks, now that Poppy Montgomery has been added to the list of women we love, it’s time to pick the next one. Here are 7 nominees for this month.

– Adrianne Palicki from Friday Night Lights

– Christina Ricci
– Grace Park from Battlestar Galactica
– Linda Cardellini from Freaks and Geeks

– Malia Jones from general hotness
– Minka Kelly from Friday Night Lights

– Naomi Watts

Vote Now

Categories
NFL General

OJ Simpson is Anna Nicole’s baby daddy?

OJ Simpson thinks he might be the father of Anna Nicole’s baby Dannielynn but actually doesn’t want it to be his because he’s afraid that Fred Goldman (the guy who owns OJ at this point) will try to seize her money. OJ is kidding right? We think so but anyone who can convince himself he didn’t kill two people can convince himself anything.


The double-murder acquittee “said he was throwing his hat into the ring,” Norm Pardo told Page Six. Pardo is the videographer who amassed 70 hours of footage of Simpson from 2000 to 2005. “He said he knew Anna Nicole pretty well, and he said he had slow-moving sperm, and he might be the father.” Simpson and Smith were castmates in “Naked Gun 331/3: The Final Insult” (1994), and Anna Nicole was certainly O.J.’s type.

Do we really need to put acquittee? Can’t we just replace “acquittee” with “er”? Anyway, the quote makes no sense. Somehow having slow-moving sperm would be the key to knocking up Anna Nicole Smith? Or maybe OJ had sex with her waaaay before Danielynn was born and thinks his sperm just took a while to eventually get there.

Finally, check out the pic we cobbled of OJ and his alleged baby daughter. See the resemblance? Yeah, neither do we. This reminds us of the Chinese couple that had a black baby — they named it Someting Wong.

Links:
[Page Six]: O.J. A SMITH DAD CANDIDATE

Categories
Soccer

Inter Milan – Valencia brawl video

Well, it looks like we’ve found the soccer version of Carmelo Anthony. Notice how he sucker punches an opposing player and then runs away like a little bitch.

(via The Offside)

Links:
[BBC Sport]: Uefa charges Inter and Valencia

Categories
MLB General

Yeah and Michael Vick smokes only medicinal marijuana


A report came out that John Rocker was among the names on the client list for the pharmacy in Orlando that was busted last week for distributing steroids over the internet. That news suprised about no one and the general reaction was “well, that explains a lot”. But we find he defense pretty amusing.


That was a growth hormone that was prescribed by a doctor in relation to his rotator cuff surgery in 2003, so I don’t really think there is anything to the story,” Debi Curzio, Rocker’s publicist, told the Daily News for a story on the newspaper’s Web site Tuesday night.

First off, how much does it suck to be John Rocker’s publicist. Second, the excuse that he took it for medicinal purposes is laughable. A lot of people we know with shoulder surgery didn’t take HGH afterward. Finally, if you’re John Rocker, why even bother trying to repair or spin your image. You are in the Bigoted Athlete Hall of Fame. Nothing you do is gonna make anyone think less of you. Just go the Romo route and milk the roid rage persona for all it’s worth.

Links:
[Boston Herald]: Report: Rocker admits taking HGH, but for medical reasons

Categories
NBA General

Around the Rim: Playoff Picture Begins To Come Into Focus


1. One Down, 15 to Go
With a 13 point victory over the Nets, the Mavericks not only extended their current winning streak to 16 (23 straight at home), but they tied 1982-83 76ers and the 1971-72 Lakers with the fourth best record after 60 games (51-9). And while it was only a matter of time, the Mavs also became the first team in the league to clinch a playoff spot. And sitting in the front row during the game was a trophy hungry Scottie Pippen who seems more than willing to provide his services to the Mavericks during their postseason run. But how much more talent does Mark Cuban need on one roster? In last night’s game, all five starters finished with double digits in points while two more players came off the bench to score at least ten.

2. Melo Mopes as the Nuggets Nosedive
Allen Iverson seems to be happy in his new Rocky Mountain surroundings but his fellow All-Star is probably not as cheery about his current situation. Denver coach George Karl has been critical of Carmelo Anthony’s selfishness and says that he fails to play smart, team basketball. In fact, Karl is so tired of Melo’s self-centered antics that benching the league’s top scorer is the coach’s next step. As expected, Anthony has been the team’s top scorer for almost every game since returning from his 15 game suspension, but the Nuggets have only won nine of their last 21 games and are in serious jeopardy of falling out of the playoff picture. All the pieces are there but Anthony just hasn’t developed the ability to lead his team, which is exactly what Karl is desperately trying to draw out of his superstar. It would be a ballsy move by Karl, but maybe riding the pine will pain Melo to the point of maturity.

3. Yes, We’re Talking About Practice
So, what do you do when as one of the worst teams in the NBA you suddenly rip off a four game winning streak? Well, if you’re a member of the Philadelphia 76ers then you take in a game of paintball at the local field. Much like a group of ten year olds at a birthday party, the Sixers were running, jumping, diving and hiding from each other on Tuesday as they currently sit six games out of the final playoff spot. Not to be a buzzkill, but shouldn’t these guys be practicing? After all, a four game win streak doesn’t exactly cancel out the team’s 18-38 start to the season.

Tuesday’s Player of the Day: Kobe Bryant @ Minnesota 53 min, 40 pts (FG: 13-30, 3FG: 3-10, FT: 11-13), 13 reb, 8 ast, 2 stl, 3 blk

Wednesday’s Game to Watch: Cleveland (35-25) @ Detroit (37-21) It’s a division battle, a budding rivalry and a showdown between the East’s two best teams all wrapped into one. The Pistons are three games ahead of the Cavs for the conference crown but it’s Cleveland who has won three of their last four games. Nobody has been hotter than LeBron James over the past few weeks but the Pistons notorious defense could put an end to James’ streak. Detroit seems to finally be cooling down (1-2 in their last three games) after going on a run of 15 wins in the team’s first 19 games with Chris Webber. The modern day Bad Boys need to make the remainder of this season count because Chauncey Billups has said that he will consider joining the Grizzlies when he becomes a free agent in the offseason.

Buzzer Beater: Dammit! Kobe did it again, and I’m not referring to his 40 point effort. In last night’s game against the Timberwolves, Bryant delivered a blatant forearm to the head of Marko Jaric on the follow-through of a jumper with under a minute remaining in the fourth quarter. The scene was eerily similar to the one in LA about five weeks ago when Manu Ginobili took an “unintentional” elbow from the Mamba. Both the players spent significant time crumpled on the hardwood after being hit by the supposedly legitimate release. Bryant might think his cheap shot tactic is smooth, but his intent is obvious and malicious and the scenario is becoming far too frequent. Go get him Stern!

Categories
General Sports

Poppy Montgomery is February’s Woman We Love


With nearly a quarter of the votes, Poppy Montgomery wins the February Woman We Love election. (We suspect that some fan sites had a little to do with it.) In any case, it was an excellent choice. Based on the TV show, we didn’t realize that Poppy was so hot.

Here’s the mini bio from wikipedia and a couple of links.

Poppy Petal Emma Elizabeth Deveraux Donahue (born 19 June 1972 in Sydney, New South Wales) is an Australian actress.

She chose her mother’s maiden name, Montgomery, as her stage name. She left Australia at 16 to be with her then-boyfriend. They broke up, and she arrived in Hollywood at 18 carrying a copy of How to Make It In Hollywood.

She currently stars in the American television series Without a Trace. Montgomery was the “cover girl” for the May 2005 Stuff, which labelled her “TV’s Hottest Cop.” She has also appeared in Maxim, FHM and posed nude in the art magazine Black+White.

Sounds like we have to get our hands on a copy of Black+White.

–Ask Men picture gallery
–poppymontgomery.net photo gallery

–Maxim photo shoot
–random PNSFW photo

Categories
General Sports

March 7 2007 episode of Poor Man’s PTI

Welcome to another episode of Poor Man’s PTI.

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This week’s topics include:

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