The Next NFLer/Celebrity Couple?

Perez Hilton reported that Chicago Bears quarterback was spotted making out with "The Hills" star Kristin Cavallari yesterday in Chicago. It's not shocking to see the resemblance Cavallari has to the girls Cut "dated" at Vandy. Nothing ever changes...

Best Shot Ever

The U.S. Open tennis tournament began yesterday with the favorites leading the pack. The highlight of the day was this shot by Roger Federer after a long rally with Brian Dabul of Argentina. Check out the video here. Federer, of course, easily closed out the match for the win.

College Football Starts this Week!

If you didn't grow up in a college football town or attend a university with a serious college football program, you likely never followed the madness that is college football. So for the old fans out there and those new to the game, college football kicks off this Thursday, September 2nd. Here are some predictions for the season:

• Ohio State, Alabama (the defending champs), and Florida are the teams most likely to grab the two spots in the BCS Championship game in January.
• Boise State better make a run for the title or lose a few games and disappear. No one wants to keep hearing about them not getting their chance to win it all.
• USC may be a bit off the radar this season after suffering sanctions by the NCAA prohibiting them from attending a bowl game. Thank god - dont we all need a break from the USC hoopla?
• The Heisman Trophy (most outstanding player award) is completely up for grabs with no clear favorite.

Michael Jordan Bribe to Son Exposed on Twitter

Michael Jordan's 19 year old son, Marcus Jordan, was so stupid as to tweet about a night out in Vegas at MGM Resorts International. Marcus Jordan tweeted that "[l]ast night was stupid...35K at Haze. Totals 50K something for the whole day." This cocky tweet has led to an investigation into MGM's involvement in permitting a minor to drink and/or gamble in its facilities in violation of Nevada laws.

Unfortunately, Michael Jordan was not too far from the debauchery, as his son was in Vegas for his dad's fantasy basketball camp. And we all know who footed the bill for Marcus while in Vegas. Clearly, bribing your children still works, but now parents need to beware of twitter and caution their kids on exposing their indiscretions - and I mean the parents indiscretions as well.

Phelps and the Ladies

TMZ reported that Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps was flirting and hitting on his quasi girlfriend, Miss California USA Nicole Johnson, in Maui this weekend.

If Phelps has got game to attract this girl, maybe he deserves another gold medal.

Where is the Man in Manny?

Manny Ramirez, slugger and left fielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers, has been acquired by the Chicago White Sox. The White Sox will be responsible for the $3.825 million left on Ramirez's contract. Ramirez will meet the White Sox in Cleveland for a game against the Indians tonight.

The Dodgers are happy to unload the remainder of the contract of the disappointing and expensive Ramirez. In Ramirez's last game as a Dodger, he failed to start and was ultimately ejected for arguing over a call with an umpire. Classy, right? Here is a guy who makes a $100,000 a day and he can't even manage to make it through a game! The White Sox will surely have their hands full managing Ramirez during their battle for a playoff spot.

Moreover, with all of the McCourt divorce drama over in Los Angeles (the McCourts, the owners of the Dodgers, are in an ugly divorce battle which includes a dispute over control of the team), it would have truly helped the organization to dump Ramirez awhile back and pocket that daily $100,000. Again, an additional sign of mismanagement by the organization due to the divorce hoopla - the Dodgers will have a real hole to dig out from in the future that even Rihanna's high-profile romance with player Matt Kemp cannot solve.

Maybe Ramirez is the lucky one to get out of LA and avoid more divorce repercussions? But, he should have left on a good note - one that showed some respect to the team that believed in him and paid him for it. It is Ramirez who will be looking for a new contract next year and with his childish behavior he is sure to lose some zeros on his next deal, unless he can fix his attitude and hit the ball out of the park.

SPORTSGIRL Vacation

Sorry readers, but Sportsgirl is out of commission this week. Check back in next week for some new posts!

Thanks for your understanding!

Good Shabbos to Amare

Gotta wish the new found Jew and New York Knick, Amare Stoudamire a good shabbos. The NY Post is reporting that Amare is upping the ante on his practice of Judaism with Jewish studies and keeping kosher! Yep, you heard that right. He recently ate at Prime Grill, a kosher steakhouse in midtown Manhattan, received a blessing from a Rabbi, and even stuck to fish and veggies at hotspot The Lion in the west village.

Amare must be getting some good nachas from all those Jewish New Yorkers for his new behavior. Yet he did just get a Star of David tattoo.....uh, not so kosher.

One thing that the Democrats and Republicans can Agree on: Roger Clemens is a Liar

Yesterday, a federal grand jury indicted Roger Clemens for lying to Congress about his use of performance enhancing drugs ("PED"). Clemens, also known as the "Rocket," was an all-star pitcher in the MLB from 1984-2007, who played for the Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, and Houston Astros. The Rocket won a record seven Cy Young Awards (the best pitcher award) and is one of only four pitchers to have over 4,000 strikeouts in his career.

The indictment is based upon statements Clemens made during a hearing before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in 2008 regarding his PED use, where Clemens and his former trainer Brian McNamee contradicted each other numerous times. McNamee insists on having injected Clemens with steroids and HGH upon Clemens' instruction and since the hearing has presented Congress with damning evidence including syringes containing steroids. (The Washington Post reported that those syringes contained not only steroids, but also Clemens' DNA.) Some of Clemens' former teammates have even corroborated McNamee's story. Clemens is likely to face a jury trial in the upcoming year and if convicted, will probably face over one year in jail.

Clemens will have an uphill battle fighting this indictment and hopefully he has the evidence to back up his innocence. His constant and outspoken denial of PED use (including a tweet just after the indictment) reveal that he is in for a long fight.

Yet, the real issue here to me is why the hell Congress is wasting its time and resources investigating MLB PED use? Isn't the economic hole our country is in a much more important battle for our Congress to focus on then that of MLB steroid use? Why isn't MLB and Commissioner Bud Selig taking on this fight on behalf of the league instead of leaving it to Congress to fight on his behalf? (To his credit, Selig did initiate some of the steroid investigation with the Mitchell Report, but only after he ignored PED usage for years and has since turned the responsibility over to Congress.)

Call me crazy, but our Congress' priorities are out of whack: a baseball player lying about steroid use takes a backseat to our economy and the implications of the recession.

Lingerie Football = Tough Chicks

It was recently reported that the Lingerie Football League ("LFL") is back up and running this season, and will have a 30 minute highlight show on MTV2 every Friday night recapping the plays of the week. The LFL is a women's tackle football league where the sexy players wear nothing but lingerie, helmets, and shoulder pads, and the teams have names like San Diego Seduction and Philadelphia Passion. Sounds like a recipe for success, right?

Well, the concept started only in 2004 as counter programming for the Superbowl halftime show, and is now in its second year of a full fledged league. (If it wasn't for Mike Ditka, a partial owner of the league, who knows where the LFL would be today?) The LFL is still probably in the red, but there is hope for major success, as evidenced by the MTV2 contract.

At first glance, this league may appear to be a degrading spectacle of women prancing around in their underwear, but I implore you to dig deeper. Here are gorgeous women making a living (or at least a meager paycheck) in minimal clothing, but they are freaking tough. Just check out this video on their website. Men may be watching the LFL just to see hot chicks beat each other up, but so what? The women that play are legitimate entertainers and must love the game, in order to be so willing to break a nail, or even worse, pop an implant.

Tune in to MTV2 on September 3, 11 p.m. est. Your boys will drool and if you cant appreciate a good touchdown, then you are just jealous.

Wade and Union Getting Frisky in front of the Kids?

Beautiful Gabrielle Union, girlfriend of Dwayne Wade, the now sidekick to Lebron James' Miami Heat, has won the lawsuit filed against her by Wade's ex-wife. Wade's ex-wife filed suit against Union for conducting in sexual foreplay with Wade in front of the ex-couple's children. Wade and Union denied the allegations and fortunately for them, the judge dismissed the case.

But, the judge only dismissed the case on a formality - improper jurisdiction (meaning, that the ex-wife did not bring the suit in the proper court). Therefore, the merits of the ex-wife's claim were never heard.

So, is Union really getting too frisky in front of Wade's kids? The jury is still out on that one, but for the time being, Union and Wade are in the clear of any legal sanctions. Yet, dealing with Wade's crazy ex-wife is going to be enough of a punishment for years to come, as they battle raising Wade's children. Cheers to Union for loving her man so much that she is willing to put up with his ex-wife's drama. Or does she really just need a boost to her career?

The Blood is Good for Eli Manning

Last night in the Giants/Jets matchup, Giants quarterback Eli Manning took a good shot to his face. The hit caused a three inch laceration leading to 12 stitches. Eli did not return to the game, but says that he is fine.

Eli may feel physically "fine," but he should be pretty disappointed with his performance last night. To begin with, the cause of the laceration was Eli's miscommunication with his runningback. (To Eli's credit, he took the blame for the confusion.) His excuse that this is preseason and these things happen, is unacceptable for a Superbowl quarterback. More importantly, Eli was only 4/8 with his passes and his second and third string quarterbacks, Jim Sorgi and Rhett Bohmar, got to put on a show with new receiver Victor Cruz. Hopefully, Eli will start to feel the pressure from his backups and pick up his game and intensity.

When Dropping Out of High School Makes Sense

Last night, just seconds before the signing deadline, the Washington Nationals signed their first round pick Bryce Harper to a five year $9.9 million deal. (This is the second year in a row that the Nationals have signed a first round pick at the last minute. Stephen Strasburg was in that situation last year and has already become a phenom.) Harper is only 17 years old and has just received the highest paying contract for a non-pitcher coming out of the draft (that is not a free agent).

Harper has been a star in the making for years, and was even on the cover of Sports Illustrated at the age of 16. In order to be eligible for the draft as early as possible, Harper chose to drop out of high-school (though he got his GED) and enter junior college. According to MLB rules, a player is eligible for the draft if he has graduated from high school and has not yet entered college or junior college, or if he has entered junior college. (A player may also be drafted from a regular four year college, but only if he is 21 years of age and has completed his junior year.) So, Harper therefore avoided waiting until high school graduation to enter the draft and got the benefit of some junior college experience.

Yes, these MLB rules are ridiculous, but Harper, and his agent Scott Boras, made them work. As a 17 year old Harper is now a multi-millionaire and will have to find a cool teenage way to spend that kind of dough.

Tune in Tonight:

NY G-I-A-N-T-S vs. NY Jets

8 p.m. EST. on ESPN

It is a preseason game, but see the only two teams in football to share a stadium battle it out. (Plus, the new stadium is definitely worth checking out.) You all know who I am rooting for!

Comical Protesters

The Washington Nationals pulled off a win yesterday against the Arizona Diamondbacks with a score of 5-3. Young superstar pitcher Stephen Strasburg led the way through five innings and then retired after a game delay due to protesters running out onto the field.

These protesters gave us all a good laugh, especially seeing that chick take down the security guard, but did they succeed in their mission?

Keep Your Head in the Game

Yesterday, Martin Kraymer won the PGA Championship in a playoff. (He was tied with another player at the end of play, so they were subject to a three hole playoff to determine the winner.) Good for Kramer, but his win was overshadowed by the controversial call on Dustin Johnson.

Johnson was ahead by one stroke going into the 18th hole. After hitting a poor first shot, he was stuck in a "bunker" (a.k.a. a sand pit). Yet, this was no ordinary bunker: it was totally out of the way and one that spectators were continuously walking through. While hitting out of the bunker, Johnson let his club rest on the ground, which is against the rules. Upon finishing the hole, which would have led him to a three way playoff scenario, Johnson was informed that he had suffered a two stroke penalty due to grounding his club, and was therefore knocked out of the playoffs.

This decision was met by disgust from the other golfers and fans, but the bottom line is that a rule is a rule. True, this bunker was inconspicuous and there were 1200 bunkers on the course, but Johnson should have known better. He is a professional and knowing the rules is part of his job.

This is just another example of how golf is a mentally strenuous game. Even these basic rules can somehow escape an expert in the middle of play. At the end of a round, a golfer must not only swing on point, but also keep his head in the game. Unfortunately, Johnson was unable to do so - his mental weakness was only exacerbated by his admission that he failed to read the rule book.

When is Parcells going to B*tch Slap Brandon Marshall?

Brandon Marshall, the new hot shot receiver signed by the Miami Dolphins (formerly on the Denver Broncos), is set on playing in the NBA should there be an NFL lockout in 2011. (A lockout will occur if the players and the teams are unable to agree on a new collective bargaining agreement, a deal that governs the league as a whole.) Marshall told Adam Schefter that he believes that there will be a lockout and if so, he will need to get a job so his "first team would be the Nuggets and [his] second team will be the Heat."

What is Marshall talking about? Aside from the fact that even his own coach thinks he has no ups to play in the NBA, why would Marshall feel it appropriate to discuss the certainty of a lockout and his future NBA career in 2011 when Schefter is interviewing him for his minutes of fame with the Dolphins in 2010?

Marshall's quarterback, Chad Henne, was sitting beside him during the interview and didn't even seem to flinch. Marshall then implied that Henne should become a professional bowler should there be a lockout - Henne then played along! And the bowling talk was all triggered by a bowling outing arranged by the team earlier in the week.

Where is Bill Parcells, the "Big Tuna" executive of the Miami Dolphins, with the history of intense discipline? Has he lost his edge since being with the NY Giants? Everyone expects Marshall to be a loose canon (especially with his history of being a spoiled brat in Denver), but isn't that what Parcells is there to prevent?

Lucky for Miami fans that they now have an unstoppable NBA team, because it looks like the unfocused and rowdy Dolphins will torture them with a long long season.

Highlights from HBO's "Hard Knocks"

The NY Jets may still have a lot to prove out on the field this season, but on camera, the team is a success. HBO Sports' show "Hard Knocks" premiered last night at the Jets training camp. This is the sixth season of the show, but the first to shine a spotlight on the Jets (a different team is chosen each season). The show chronicles the team during training camp and preseason to reveal the team's prospects for the season, but also the personalities that fuel its success or failure. Here are some highlights from last night's episode:

• Head coach, Rex Ryan, stole the show. This coach loves the f-bomb, eats everything in sight, and wears only high top black converse shoes. Yet, the players love him because he is tough and "talks like they do." Ryan wants to win, and is inspiring his players to make it happen.
• General Manager, Mike Tannenbaum, struggles with Darrelle Revis' holdout. (Revis is arguably the best defender in the league - he plays cornerback - and is refusing to report to camp unless his contract is renegotiated for more money.) Tannenbaum seems defeated by the negotiations, but the team stays positive saying that they do not need Revis to win. Uh, yeah right - Revis would bring the Jets' defense to a completely different level.
• Quarterback Mark Sanchez looked damn fine, as usual. Hopefully he will get some more airtime in the weeks to come. He also proved that he has great hands - odd that he is getting paid to throw the ball instead.
• Legend Joe Namath also shows up to give some pointers. He wins over the QB's, with his antics and reputation for having a good time, but it is really his daughter (who accompanied him) that must have won over most of the players. I am not sure who she thinks she is, but she showed up to an NFL training camp, where women are basically banned, in the shortest booty shorts. Guess she got her five minutes of fame. (She needed that after being arrested early this year for possession of marijuana with intent to sell and possession of liquor by a minor.)

Definitely put this show on your TiVo - HBO, Wednesday, 10 p.m. Your boys will be hooked and you will for sure get some good laughs.

Will the MLB make an Example out of Rodriguez?

For years, the professional leagues have failed to take a hard stance on domestic abuse incidents with their players. Instead, the leagues seem to focus on the illegalities of steroids, marijuana, and, oh yeah, dog fighting. Well, after last night's arrest of New York Mets player Francisco Rodriguez, maybe the tides have turned (yet, I wouldn't bet on it).

Last night, Rodriguez was arrested and charged with assault after injuring his father-in-law in an altercation at Citi Field. Rodriguez was immediately charged with third degree assault, because this incident falls within the domestic violence laws of NY state, which permit the state to impose assault charges in a domestic violence situation regardless of whether the victim chooses to press charges.

The cause of the fight is still unknown. Rodriguez did not play in the Mets loss, so the incident likely involves a personal issue.

Rodriguez has a history of confrontations with various individuals in the league, yet none reaching the level of this altercation with his father-in-law and none resulting in any type of sanction. Although, this situation does not involve a typical domestic abuse altercation, as Rodriguez's wife was not involved, it is important to see how the MLB and the Mets respond.

Cush's Word Likely Not Stronger Than Oak

Remember Frank Cushman (played by Jerry O'Connell) in "Jerry Maguire?" The stud quarterback slated to go #1 in the NFL draft who originally agreed to be represented by Jerry Maguire only to later back out to go with Jerry's rival? Whose father claimed his word was "stronger than oak?" Well, that weasel of a character reminds me of Brian Cushing of the Houston Texans. Aside from the apparent "Cush" reference, the two are both liars.

Cushing recently failed an NFL drug test and blamed the results on "overtrained athlete syndrome." Yea, you read that right. Cushing is using this ridiculous syndrome as a defense in his appeal of a four-game suspension imposed by the Commissioner. This is the best he could come up with? This syndrome is apparently "real," but has never been successfully used as a defense for a steroid violation.

If Cushing really is a victim of the NFL steroid program then I apologize, yet I find that quite hard to believe. Cushing would be much better off taking the suspension like a man and apologizing, instead of relying on a bullshit sounding syndrome.

Lebron Hires a Meshugana Rabbi

I recently reported that Amare Stoudamire, a basketball player with the New York Knicks, had discovered that he was actually jewish. Well, today, TMZ reports that Lebron James has hired a Rabbi - Rabbi Yishayahu Yosef Pinto: "Rabbi to the Business Stars." Lebron hired Pinto to provide spiritual guidance during a merchandising meeting that took place today in NY. Lebron reportedly paid Pinto over six figures for the meeting!

Clearly, judaism is becoming the new fad. But who does Rabbi Pinto think he is, charging six figures for a few hours of his time? That does not sound too righteous to me - more like a rip off. This Rabbi Pinto is some kind of "meshugana," especially since he only speaks Hebrew and could not even converse with Lebron or the merchandising execs. Fortunately for Lebron, with all the money that he is making, he does not need to realize that he can get jewish spiritual guidance free of charge.

Missing the World Cup?

If so, then lucky for you! Tonight tune in to ESPN2 at 8 p.m., to see the US men's soccer team face Brazil in an international friendly (meaning, the game does not count). Even though the game has no competitive significance, it will enable the US soccer program to get a feel for where it stands in international competition. Plus, for all you real estate gurus out there, the game is being played in the new Meadowlands stadium (Jets/Giants stadium) so you will have a chance to check out its design before football season.

Tina Thompson - She Knows How to Score

Tina Thompson of the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks, broke the all-time scoring record in the league (previously held by Lisa Leslie) by scoring 23 points in the Sparks' loss to the San Antonio Silver Stars. (Thompson has scored a total, thus far, of 6,273 points in her WNBA career.)

Mechelle Voepel of ESPN praised Thompson's accomplishment by comparing her to the actress Laura Linney. Voepel believes that like Linney, Thompson has always been incredible at her craft, but has never gotten the attention she deserved. (Linney has definitely had her fair share of amazing performances, but has never won an Academy Award.) Voepel claims that Thompson has been stuck in the shadow of players like Lisa Leslie and Diana Taurasi, but that like Linney, Thompson just wants to play well and win, regardless of the attention.

Sad to say, Thompson does not need to worry about missing out on any WNBA attention, because the league is clearly not getting any. People rarely know what the WNBA is, let alone, pay attention to any of its players. Thompson recently joined the Sparks, because her previous team the Houston Comets folded! Even a major sports guru, Darren Rovell tweeted, "Tina Thompson became the all-time leading WNBA scorer tonight. Is it bad I had to look up who she was?"

Congrats to Thompson, but unfortunately, few care. I hope she can instead take pride and solace in the fact that her record may actually survive, since the WNBA's future is in jeopardy.

Tiger, Get your Shit Together

Tiger Woods has never known failure in professional golf. He has dominated the field since he became a pro in the 1990s, and has held the #1 ranking consecutively since 2005. But this past weekend at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational tournament, Tiger played his worst round of golf ever as a pro, finishing 18 over par. When discussing his poor performance, all Woods could say was that "'[i]t's been a long year."

Uh, Tiger, no shit its been a long year. Your wife found out you were cheating on her with multiple women, you crashed your car, you are losing $100+ million in a divorce, your sponsors are dropping like flies, and your golf game has gone down the tube. Not to mention that the public's view into your sexual indiscretions has not been pleasant - couldn't you have gone for some classier more attractive women?

Despite your "long year" Tiger, we still watch you play golf and dread a Ryder Cup (a golf tournament between the best in the US versus the best in Europe) without you in it. There is no doubt that there is a lot wrong with you after what has been exposed this year, but is there something wrong with us for wanting you to come back and succeed? Why do we continue to root for you - the golf superstar that managed to lie to his fans and more importantly, his family, about who he really is?

Remember that frat brother or sorority sister who was always the life of the party? He or she was the center of attention - the first to get on the dance floor, take a shot, or wear a crazy costume. Your pledge class would have really suffered if he/she was not there to make the moment. Yet, you always managed to keep you distance from this individual on an everyday basis since this boisterous personality did not transfer well to life outside the party. Maybe he/she was too loud, too obnoxious, or too outspoken when there wasn't an occasion to make a scene. But you never wanted to throw a party without he/she being in attendance - you looked the other way at the individual's everyday indiscretions, because they were too critical for the success of the social scene.

This is our Tiger. We look down upon him in our everyday lives, but he is too critical for our love of golf to ignore. Moreover, golf needs him, because he is the best. There is nothing wrong with us for wanting Tiger back, we simply want to watch the best (and of course take down those Europeans in the Ryder Cup).

However, Tiger must perform - he cannot blame his poor swings and misdirected putts on his world outside golf as the two worlds must not collide. Tiger must continue to be the life of the golf party ('cause let's be honest, golf without him would be just too damn boring), while keeping his personal life separate. Sure, golf is a mental game, but so what? We as fans should not be forced to evaluate Tiger's golf through the events of his personal life. Tiger needs to get his shit together - whatever it takes - or he may lose another thing this year, the support of his fans. We all have challenges in our everyday lives, yet we succeed by not allowing them to effect other challenges in which we strive to be the best.

Football is Back!

I hope you are not waking up depressed this morning from the aftermath of seeing the Dallas Cowboys playing the Cincinnati Bengals last night on NBC's Sunday Night Football. I know you were planning on sitting on the couch eating fro-yo, and watching a good chick flick or funny sitcom, but your plan was ruined. Maybe you even tried to change the channel, but there was that special someone next to you who was just so overcome with joy to see football back on the screen that you didn't have the heart to do it.

Well, there is no avoiding it - football season is here! Yet, I promise you that it will be different for you this year. There will be no more mindless hours spent before the TV trying to make sense of the big men hitting each other. Sportsgirl is here this year to help keep you entertained. So tune in to my blog as the season approaches and there will be plenty to gain from tuning in to the NFL games of the week.

If I still couldn't cheer you up - remember this: it is still preseason. So you still have a few more weeks until the NFL really takes over your TV.

Instant Replay

Check out my poll to the right about instituting instant replay into soccer. Looks like the results, thus far, overwhelmingly support making instant replay part of the game. (Make sure to vote!)

Well this topic, becomes even more timely, but within the baseball context, due to the blown call in the Philadelphia Phillies and Florida Marlins game last night. Third base umpire, Bob Davidson, arguably made the worst call in baseball by calling a winning hit foul when the replay shows the ball to be fair. The call, unfortunately, cost the Marlins the game. Davidson claims that even upon watching the replay that he made the right call.

This incident may not be the best case study for instant replay in baseball, but it does raise the question. Institute instant replay or does it change the game? Let me know what you think!

Was Justice Really Served?

As an attorney I have gotten a good inside look into our country's legal system. Sadly, I have discovered that it is a disaster. My advice: avoid it at all costs.

Unfortunately, legendary Louisville men's basketball coach, Rick Pitino, was forced to go to court after sex with a 50 year old car show model, Kara Cunagin Sypher, went all wrong. The two had sex on a table in a closed Italian restaurant - yea, you heard that right - and then Sypher tried to extort Pitino.

One would think that the judgment finding Sypher guilty of extortion would be justice served for Pitino - wrong. Granted, he has escaped the rape charges Sypher filed against him as part of her extortion scheme, but only after smearing his image and putting him through a grueling year of reliving the sexual details of that night with the world.

So at the end of the day, Sypher got some fame (and despite being in jail she will come out on the other end with a book deal of some sort) and Pitino will never be revered the same way again. I mean its hard to not picture Pitino without the busted 50 year old car show model scandal coming to mind - couldn't he have done better?

Shaq to Boston

We are used to seeing Shaq battle the Boston Celtics, but now he can call himself a resident of Bean Town, or more appropriately, The City of Champions (we will see if Shaq can help the city keep that nickname). Shaq just signed a two year deal worth about $3 million with the Celtics. This is a great pick up for the Celtics, because he will help with rebounding and scoring, but more importantly, he will step in as a solid player where injuries leave holes in the team.

We need to commend Shaq, an old-fogey yet former superstar in the NBA, for being willing to accept less money and a more minor role on the team in order to play this season. But let's be honest, he felt that he needed the money (or the fame) with all that he must have loss in his divorce just six months ago.

The Jock still Beats the Nerd

Yesterday, a bankruptcy court judge ruled at auction that the Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan and his partner, Chuck Greenberg, would be the new owners of the MLB's Texas Rangers after outbidding Mark Cuban, owner of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks. The Ryan/Greenberg bid for the team was for a lesser amount than that of Cuban, but the Judge felt that the other provisions in the contract warranted awarding the team to Ryan/Greenberg. This decision will likely avoid appeal and be approved by the MLB, since Ryan was the favorite of the public and the league for ownership of the Rangers.

Ryan has had a long history with the Rangers as a player and also as the Team President beginning in 2008. He is a good choice for owner of the Rangers, but is he a clearly superior choice here to Cuban?

Cuban seemed to never have a chance with this deal, unless he majorly outbid Ryan. It seems the main reason being that he has a history of being an outspoken owner and that is incompatible with the Rangers' need for "stability" as discussed by Buster Olney on ESPN. So the issue here, is why does Cuban continue to get a bad rap as the boisterous team owner? Why do his outbursts, motivated by his desire to win, risk the stability of a team?

True, Cuban has ripped at the NBA and its refs, and cursed at players, which isn't commendable, but its only a reflection of his passion for the game. He yells because he truly feels personally involved in every play. (And I think that he ultimately needs to be involved in sports to feel "cool.") No other owner sits on the bench and travels to all away games. Don't we want every owner to feel as invested in his team's success as Cuban is with the Mavericks? Cuban has increased the Mavs winning percentage by 30% since taking ownership and has taken the team to the NBA finals for the first time in history. Clearly his boisterous nature isn't hurting the team.

Ryan is the "hometown" jock favorite and may really deserve the team. But there is no way of ignoring the cliche that the software nerd Cuban, who paid for college by collecting and selling stamps, once again got beat out by the powerhouse jock. This image was even more apparent as Ryan celebrated his win by popping champagne in the parking lot of the courthouse, while Cuban graciously accepted his loss (but realizing as a business decision he could not go higher - maybe a smart move by the dork). Could this be any more high school - the jock drinking in the parking lot with the fans surrounding him and the nerd quietly accepting defeat?

To all my NY GIANTS fans out there

I am sure you are sick of hearing about the NY J-E-T-S, JETS JETS JETS. NYC has two football teams and the GIANTS have been shafted this off-season. The sports commentators out there have basically ignored the team and failed to supply its diehard fans with any tidbits to look forward to this season, while the Jets are all the rage. So finally, today, we got word through ESPN of the on-goings at GIANTS training camp. So here are a few highlights to look out for:

• Eli Manning is connecting really well with receiver Hakeem Nicks. Hopefully, that will light a fire under Steve Smith for a good battle for the position of featured receiver.
• Its unclear whether runningback Brandon Jacobs is going to show up this season, but Ahmad Bradshaw should be strong and ready to step in as the #1.
• The Giants cornerbacks (the guys who steal the catches from the receivers and tackle them) are lookin' gooood. Aaron Ross is a star and Thomas and Webster are playing well. (I will believe it when I see it.)
• Defensive line is tough and even Keith Bulluck is moving around well despite coming off an injury. By the way, gotta give a shout out to the defensive coordinator, Perry Fewell, who is a vocal tackling machine - way to inspire our G-Men. We need to get back to the defense we are known for!

Don't rule out the G-MEN yet. The team has depth and is looking solid. A few injuries in Dallas may just put the NFC East in the palm of its hand.

Spoke too Soon

...Looks like Favre is just like the rest of the boys out there that cannot contain their sexual urges. No confirmation yet, just check out this story on Deadspin. This is truly shocking and if true, Favre's image will be strongly tainted forever.

Rumor Has It

So rumor has it that Brett Favre has indeed retired from the NFL, uh, for the third time. Yet, naturally, the sports world continues to speculate as to whether Favre has really thrown his last NFL pass since Favre has supposedly "retired" several times in the past.

Favre's boy-who-called-wolf behavior reminds me of that friend that we always make plans with, yet she continues to stand us up. After so many nights wasted waiting for this friend to no avail, most of us would give up on her and close her out of our social schedules. The NY Jets, a team Favre once "retired" from, have acted as such by pushing him out of their minds.

But the Minnesota Vikings remain optimistic and are willing to allow themselves to be fooled by Favre once again. Favre, is not like that friend who we give up on after continued disappointment. The reason, is that Favre somehow manages to erase any hard feelings on the occasions where he does appear. He has such talent, presence, and warmth as an individual and football player that he can do no wrong.

The mature and rational reaction for Favre would be to come out publicly and clearly state whether he intends to play or retire. As it is now, he has not confirmed reports of his retirement and the Minnesota Vikings are at a major disadvantage, because they are unsure of how to strategize for the upcoming season and as a result have missed out on signing some other replacement quarterbacks. (Just like our nights have been ruined waiting for our flaky friend, when we could have made plans with someone else.)

Favre has done wrong to the Vikings - yet, we know we will all forgive and forget, because we all want to cheer for Brett!

Another day passes, (6 days total) and Albert Haynesworth still has not passed his conditioning test permitting him to begin practicing with the Washington Redskins. All I have to say is PATHETIC. To prove how easy this conditioning test is, former NFL defensive end and current ESPN commentator and radio host, Mike Golic attempted the test.

Check out the video - Mike Golic

Even an over-the-hill, out of shape, similarly sized man could pass this. Clearly Haynesworth has been sitting on his ass and pigging out all off-season. No one is asking him to exercise all day and starve himself, all he has to really do is jog for like 3 minutes. Haynesworth is just another reason to poke fun at the Skins organization.

Action Sport Athletes: Stupid or Studly?

The 2010 X Games, the Olympics of action sports, took place this past week in Los Angeles. The event was loaded with lots of daring new tricks and, fortunately, few injuries of note. For example, skateboarder Jake Brown performed a backflip over a 70 foot gap to win the Skateboard Big Air event, Shaun White landed the first frontside heelflip 540 body varial in competition history (and still didn't win the event), and Travis Pastrana won the Moto X Freestyle and then landed a double backflip as part of his victory lap.

These competitors sure know how to push the limits and get our hearts racing with their daring tricks, but are these individuals athletes to admire or fools risking their lives for the sport?

"Outside the Lines" on ESPN recently produced a segment called "Pushing the Limits," which explores the dangers of action sports and the competitors who risk their lives every day in events. The show highlighted Jeremy Lusk, a 24-year-old who died from head injuries sustained during a motocross event, and Stephen Murray, a new quadriplegic due to a devastating crash during a BMX Dirt Finals competition in 2007.

Murray claims that he has no regrets, that he has experienced life to the fullest, and that he gave the crowd what they love - a devastatingly entertaining crash. The other athletes profiled, including dreamy Tony Hawk and tattooed sexy Carey Hart, share a similar sentiment to Murray. These athletes live for their sport. If they do not push the limits then they lose the adrenaline they crave with each new daring trick. All have suffered traumatic injuries, yet get up and push themselves further not only for the progression of action sports, but also for their need for a rush.

Although it is quite admirable for these daredevils to want to continue to develop action sports, shouldn't there be a limit? The constant life threatening injuries are not a coincidence or a fluke occurrence; action sports are dangerous and is there really enough excitement for a new trick that is worth a human life?

These athletes cannot control their adrenaline cravings and as a result another competitor will inevitably lose his life. And most shocking, is the fact that each athlete knows that with each new trick they attempt it is their own life that may be the next one lost.

The intense need for adrenaline these competitors share is too strong to quell, because landing a double backflip in motocross or a achieving new heights in Skateboard Air events will always be of more value to the athlete than the risk of injury. So, shouldn't we, the fans, bear some of the responsibility? Let's cheer our boys on for a series of lesser risk tricks rather than one life threatening one. Or how about combination routines of tricks with multiple competitors instead of one athlete aiming for one "sick" move?

Action sports are here to stay and the crowds keep getting bigger. I, along with the rest of America (who actually tune in to action sports), "ooh" and "ahh" with the best of them when I see an exciting move, or sadly, a horrifying crash. We continue to boost the adrenaline of these apparent studs with each new trick. It is only when we dig below the surface of these athletes that we see the coward or weakling within - this is a competitor who got the fame of a great move, but did so knowing that his life was less important.

Clearly, the few seconds of a high for an action sport star satisfies his urge and makes him feel like a stud. The risk is worth it for them, but for me, no matter how cute those blue eyes are, or how sexy those tattoos look, or how that performer charm shines, no action sports star is worth my heart. A real stud would be able to manage any urge and value their life above any fame or buzz from landing a new trick.

Sloppy Seconds?

Looks like Miles Austin, yes, Kim Kardashian's new man, will be signing a deal with Under Armour. However, his deal with the company comes only after his new hot shot rookie competition, Dez Bryant, parted ways with the apparel line. Is Austin, the veteran, already getting Bryan's sloppy second endorsement deals when Bryant hasn't yet played a minute in the NFL?

Looks like it. But as of today, Austin is still the winner - he will be getting a check in the bank and he still has Kim on his arm. The truth will be told though when the season starts and the two battle it out on the field.

Show Brady the Money

Tom Brady is in the midst of a contract dispute with the New England Patriots. Brady is scheduled to make only $6.5 million this season, which is way below the market value for the two-time Super Bowl MVP. Bummer for the Pats that they were unable to make a deal with Brady last week, because he just got much more expensive.

Rookie quarterback, Sam Bradford, of the St. Louis Rams just completed his deal slated at six-years $78 million with $50 million guaranteed. This has Bradford earning about $17 million per season!!! So here we have a baby faced rookie set to earn almost three times per season more, than the studly NFL proven superstar. Just imagine your intern getting paid 3x what you are getting as a longstanding employee - I am sure that makes you cringe too.

Since the signing of Bradford's contract, Brady has been forced to up his asking price. The Pats better find the money to pay Brady, and make sure to make it big, because otherwise they are going to lose maybe the best quarterback of all-time.

Yet, in the long run, especially with the upcoming NFL labor negotiations, the NFL better get a hold on rookie contracts. Under no circumstances should a player who has never even stepped on an NFL field, be making the money these current rookie fledglings are reeling in. Proven veterans deserve a bigger piece of the NFL revenue pie. Never before has Rod Tidwell's slogan (Cuba Gooding, Jr.'s character in "Jerry Maguire"), "Show me the MONEY," rung more true.

Why Tim Tebow Needs To Shed His Jesus Robe And Show Some Leg

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