Author: Vin

Vin is a Philly boy who shouldn't be invited into your house because he'll judge you on your book and music collection. He owns Dawkins, Utley, Iverson, and Lindros jerseys, which is all you really need to know about him. He can be reached at [email protected].

Categories
Chicago Cubs

Odds and Ends: Kerry Wood’s evil hot tub


Kerry Wood makes an early bid for the upcoming “Dumbest Non-Playing Injury” list we’ve been meaning to do on Sportscolumn blog. Wood is out for a few days after slipping and landing on his stomach and chest getting out of a hot tub. It’s gonna be that type of season, Cubbies fans.

In other news…

[Flash Warner]: Why Isn’t Hardaway In Rehab Yet?

[Can’t Stop the Bleeding]: Kenny Smith on John Amaechi

[WBRS Sports Blog]: Handicapping The Entire All-Star Weekend

[James Mirtle]: Analysis of Forsberg to Nashville

[Jeff Little]: Looking at past McDonald’s All Americans (1991-1995)

[DC Sports Blog]: Yeah… this isn’t representative of Sixers fans

Categories
Boston Red Sox

Dice-K’s Japanese beer commercial and the Feds

We know that Dice-K mania is about to get underway real soon with pitchers and catchers reporting but this is a little ridiculous. The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau in Washington, D.C is looking into whether a Matsuzaka commercial for a Japanese beer aired in Japan might merit some punitive action.


Our jurisdiction runs to false and misleading ads,” said Resnick, who pointed to a 1995 ruling that says the bureau would consider unacceptable any ad “which depicts any individual (famous athlete or otherwise) consuming or about to consume an alcoholic beverage prior to or during an athletic activity or event,” or an ad that states that drinking alcohol “will enhance athletic prowess, performance at athletic activities or events, health or conditioning.

Did we mention that this ad only aired in Japan? MLB International said they sanctioned the spots and the use of the Red Sox trademark but are a little concerned. Maybe what they should be concerned about isn’t whether Dice-K is drinking a beer on camera (very impressively we might add) but whether drinking Asahi Super Dry is making him fat.

Here’s the commercial. As Tim Hardaway would say, there are more important things to worry about than Japanese beer commercials. We should be more concerned about President (George) Bush and all the people dying in Iraq.

Links:
[AdFreak]: U.S. looking at D-Mat’s beer commercials
[Reason.com]: Feds Continue to Assert World Jurisdiction

[Boston Herald]: Trouble brewing for Dice: Pitchman’s beer ad catches flak

Categories
NFL General

Does Michael Irvin have some unemployment in him?


Maybe that comment Michael Irvin made in December about Tony Romo having “some brothers in that line somwhere” finally caught up with him. According to the NY Post:


One industry source believes the decision has already been made, and that some at the network view the outspoken Irvin as a ticking time bomb, ready to explode into a public-relations nightmare.

ESPN did not confirm or deny the report, but issued a statement, saying: “We are currently in the process of discussing studio assignments for next season.”
There is speculation that newly retired Bill Parcells could end up at the network, but there is no indication that a deal is imminent.

Upgrading from Michael Irvin to Bill Parcells is like upgrading from Kyle Boller to Steve McNair. It won’t nearly be as fun to watch in a Titanic sort of way but at least it won’t make you cringe every 5 minutes.

What exactly will Irvin do if he’s fired from ESPN? Maybe he can team up with Bryant Gumble for the NFL Network broadcasts and make that the biggest pig fuck in the history of sports broadcasting.

Links:
[NY Post]: JD SINGIN’ THE BLUES AS GARDEN RETURN NEARS
[The Fanhouse]: Michael Irvin Could Have A lot More Time to Do Illegal Stuff

Categories
Golf

Golf and gambling… so happy together



Owww my arm

Whether it’s nassau, skins, wolf or flying camel…wait, scratch that last one… golf is a game that is so much better when there’s a little money at stake. So… welcome to the World Series of Golf.

Here’s how it works. The buy in is $10,000. In each round, a player plays against those in his group of 5 or 6. Each hole starts with an ante. After each golf shot, a player can stand, bet, or fold. The objective is to take all the other players’ money from your group and advance to the next round. Theoretically, you could knock everyone in your group out playing one hole. The final “table” is a group of six playing for $450,000 in prize money. The winner takes home $250,000.

This tourney is open to amateurs only but anyone who wins loses their amateur status so there will be no repeat champions. This rule makes it a little hard to get any kind of momentum as viewers won’t be able to pick favorites and villains year after year. Unless of course the same amateur loses every year and goes kicking and screaming like Phil Helmuth. Hmmmm… that could be an easy way to get famous even if you suck at golf. NBC has signed on to air the tournament.

We’ll be watching for it in May but what we’re really looking forward to is the World Series of Flip Cup. Now, why can’t that be on NBC?

Categories
NBA General

Around the Rim: Even Vegas Won’t Touch Him


1. Banished
What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but too bad for Tim Hardaway he’ll never make it to Vegas. That’s because David Stern has banned Hardaway from appearing at any NBA functions over the All-Star weekend after he publicly blasted John Ameachi and other gays for their lifestyles. You can’t blame Stern for his decision; he can’t release a loose cannon like Hardaway and trust him to properly represent the league during their annual self promotion weekend after he demonstrated zero self control on the radio. Like it or not, Hardaway will be now always been considered a homophobic, venom-spewing hate monger instead of the originator of the killer crossover.

2. In Search of Seven
A familiar face could be returning from retirement after the All-Star break. 41 year old Scottie Pippen says he is seriously considering a comeback, but he wants to play for a contender, perhaps Phoenix. Pip says that this is the best he has felt in the past five years. The last time Pippen was in the league was during the 2003-04 season when he played for a Michael Jordanless Chicago Bulls team. Well, played might be a bit of an overstatement considering that he only saw action in 23 games. No matter how old some of these guys get, they just can’t sit at home and roll in their millions like Scrooge McDuck. Guess six rings isn’t enough.

3. High Hopes and High Hoops
Dwight Howard has big ideas for his performance during Saturday’s slam dunk competition, but it seems like the league isn’t going to let them come to fruition. Howard wants the hoop to be elevated for several of his attempts, but his requests have been oddly denied. One move that Howard has been practicing in Orlando is a 360 slam with the rim set to a height of 12 feet. Another dunk that Howard has been working on is an “East Bay Funk Dunk” type maneuver between his legs with the rim set a full foot and a half higher than the regulation setting.

Thursday’s Player of the Day: Kobe Bryant vs. Cleveland 41 min, 34 pts (FG: 9-22, 3FG: 2-7, FT: 14-15), 6 reb, 5 ast, 2 stl

Buzzer Beater: The Kobe Bryant/LeBron James is becoming one of the best individual rivalries in the game today. In the past week, we’ve seen these two compete in their only pair of games this year. In the two games, Bryant scored a total of 70 points but went home as the loser both times. James, on the other hand, put up 56 points as his team walked away with a pair of closely contested victories. It’s probably not too hard to see these two hooking up in a classic Finals series one day, but it’s definitely not this year.

Categories
NBA General

Kevin Durant might not want to play for the Celtics


First there were rumors that Greg Oden might not come out of college after this season, now Kevin Durant’s father is saying he might be back at Texas next year. What is it about playing for Doc Rivers and Danny Ainge that has the #1 and #2 picks so worried? Could it be that 18 game losing streak? Or maybe it’s the prospect of playing for Memphis or the Philly that has these two potential superstars so worried.

In an interview with the Dallas Morning News, Kevin Durant’s father, Wayne Pratt hinted that Durant might need one more year to season.


There’s a chance he would come back to Texas next year. Kevin is so young. There’s not a rush for him to go to the NBA. Right now, we’re not even talking about that. We’re talking about winning the Big 12, and Kevin continuing to progress academically.

There’s certain things that Kevin has to show and do before that decision is made, and we still have some things we need to see. It’s a total thing – mentally, physically, all those things have to be intact before a decision can be made. My wife and I have pretty good jobs. There’s no rush for him to go to the NBA.

It’s a good attitude but they have regular jobs… the 2007-2008 rookie scale is $3.9M for the #1 pick for the first year and $3.5M for the #2 pick. Take the money and run, Kevin. No one will blame you.

Links:
[Dallas Morning News]: Will Durant go pro? Don’t go there
[NBPA.com]: Rookie Scale

Categories
General Sports

Odds and Ends: More on the SI Swimsuit Issue


We thought SI was trying too hard and making a mistake by putting Beyonce on the cover. Now we see they are trying to even harder with this new Swimsuit photos in 3-D business. By layering pictures, they are creating a 3-D effect. Hot models in 3-D? Sign us up! But the technology is really poorly done. All that happens is the reader just ends up with a moving blurring photograph that sucks. Stick to the basics, SI, that’s what got you $35M in ad revenue for the swimsuit issue in the first place. Check out Slate’s Intellectual History of the Swimsuit Issue. (Oh by the way, nice ipod.)

In other news…

[Charlotte.com]: Bobby Petrino gives Michael Vick more rope to hang himself responsibility

[Toronto Star]: Grey Cup naming rights to be sold

[The Big Lead]: Sacramento State Girls Know How to Party (Well, the Soccer Team Does)

[Can’t Stop the Bleeding]: Toronto still loves Vince Carter

[Knickerblogger.net]: All Star “Snubs” – An Exercise in Intellectual Laziness

And finally, we have two wrestling stories. First is a good one about a wrestler with no legs who is kicking ass in Missouri. The second… well, just watch the clip below. (We don’t know what the hell is up with the audio.)

Categories
NBA General

Around the Rim: Boston’s Marathon is Over



We goin’ Sizzler!

1. Reason for Celebration
After a franchise-record 18 consecutive losses, the Boston Celtics can finally experience the thrill of victory again. You have to give Boston some credit for winning in convincing fashion, but there’s no reason that the finger pointing can’s be directed at Milwaukee. It’s already bad enough that the Bucks have become the answer to a trivia question on Sports Jeopardy by breaking the Celtics streak of futility; however, to get blown out by 20 points in the process should be unacceptable. But it’s tough for a team lacking talent to mount a successful comeback after falling down by 13 in the first quarter. Just ask the Celtics.

2. I Got a Golden Ticket!
After Jason Kidd withdrew from competing in the All-Star game this Sunday, David Stern was forced to, once again, assign another player to the squad. Joe Johnson was the lucky recipient of an All-Star credential for the Vegas weekend. Johnson’s 25.1 points per game ranks as the tenth best in the league and last night Johnson lead his Hawks to victory over the Clippers by scoring a team-high 27 points. With four other players being replaced in the game, this year equals the 1996-97 game where Clyde Drexler, Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, Alonzo Mourning and Shaquille O’Neal all missed the midseason contest.

3. Bull Headed
It’s looking more and more like Pau Gasol will be shipped to Chicago. The only holdup seems to be John Paxson’s unwillingness to send Luol Deng or Ben Gordon to Memphis in exchange. But if the Bulls want to have the size and strength to bang with the big bodies from Miami and Detroit in the postseason, then Paxson will have to overcome his reluctance. The pairing of Gasol and Ben Wallace could be what elevates Chicago into the elite level, where everyone thought they would be before the season began. Paxson should try to hold on to Gordon if at all possible, but if the only way to gain Gasol is through the loss of Gordon then he is going to have to suck it up and pull the trigger.

Wednesday’s Player of the Day: Deron Williams vs. Cleveland 43 min, 33 pts (FG: 14-23, 3FG: 1-4, FT: 4-8), 6 reb, 12 ast, 2 stl

Thursday’s Game to Watch: Dallas (43-9) @ Houston (33-18) Something has to give in this game as both teams enter with excellent situational records. Dallas is an impressive 19-6 on the road, while Houston has done a good job of winning on their home floor (19-6) this year. The Rockets could really use a win over their division rivals as they are currently sitting 10 games behind the league’s best record. Tracy McGrady has led the Rockets to victories in eight of their last 10 games while the team continues to wait on the return of Yao Ming. Dallas once again holds the league’s longest active win streak by taking their past eight games.

Buzzer Beater: Derek Fisher has been in the league for 11 years and during that time he has been trusted by his teammates to take numerous big shots. Hopefully, players feel comfortable with Fisher’s ability to handle responsibility because he will take over as president of the NBA Players Union this weekend. Fisher is the current vice president of the union and will succeed Antonio Davis. This year has been turning out pretty decent for Fisher so far. In addition to the promotion, he is also an important contributor to the league’s third best team as Utah has gone 35-17 this season.

Categories
NBA General

Can Chris Rock please call Tim Hardaway?

By now everyone’s heard of Tim Hardaway’s comments on hating gay people. So we’d like to point out this bit from Chris Rock. We’ve said it before: Chris Rock is a friggin’ genius and the most important comic out there. (And on top of that, he can tell the future.) In any case, here’s what Rock had to say about gays from Bigger and Blacker:

You know what’s fucked up? Everybody gets so homophobic. People, we need to cut that shit out… ’cause everybody in this room got at least a gay cousin. Every last one of you got a gay cousin. You knew he was gay when y’all was kids. You was playing ball, he was jumping rope. He didn’t turn gay, he was gay then. He just didn’t have nobody to be gay with.

Shit, l got a gay uncle. Call him Aunt Tom. Every Christmas, he comes over with his ”friend.” See, it don’t make no sense to hate nobody. lt don’t make no sense to be a racist, sexist, or nothing, but…. lt don’t. lt doesn’t. lt don’t make no sense… ’cause whoever you hate will end up in your family. That’s right, you don’t like gays,you’re gonna have a gay son.

Now check out this clip of Hardaway when asked what if he had a gay family member. I’m sure Tim is a God fearing man. And the best thing is that God has a great sense of humor. Can’t wait for someone in Hardaway’s family to come out. Wait… does Hardaway have any kids?

(By the way, no more Tim Hardaway stories until he does something really stupid.)

Links:
[Yahoo]: Amaechi responds to Hardaway’s comments

Categories
Los Angeles Kings

SI journalist loves his hypocrisy


We love sex. We love hot chicks. We know that hot chicks and sports go hand in hand. Hell, one of our readers suggested that we do a feature on hot chicks discovered at sporting events. (send us any ideas…)

You know who else loves hot chicks? Sports Illustrated. Take a look at their photo galleries. You have “cheerleader of the week”, “college cheerleaders”, “NBA cheerleaders” and whenever there’s a big event, “women of ___”. So how is it that a guy writing a column for SI can possibly criticize the LA Kings for their billboards with a hot blonde on it for trying “to attract fans by selling sex.” Oh and on the day that the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue was released.

Shouldn’t his editor have nixed the column based on timing? It could be argued that they knew exactly what they were doing. But we doubt it. Anyway just one more SI guy without a clue. Peter King is getting more and more company.

Whatever. Here’s another photo of the too hot Elisha Cuthbert.

Links:
[Sports byBrooks]: SI COLUMNIST WRITES NHL SHOULDN’T SEX IT UP TO SELL TIX
[SI]: Desperate Kings using sex to sell tickets