Ochocincos Giving Suga

Chad Ochocinco of the Cincinnati Bengals may be "The Ultimate Catch," but his cereal line, Ochocincos, has a bit more sex appeal. A toll-free phone number is listed on the cereal box as a contact number for Feed the Children, but when a family tried to contact the charity it got a risque sounding woman asking for a credit card.

The cereal is being pulled from the shelves and the manufacturers are fixing the problem. Yet, Ochcocinco made sure to advise his fans on Twitter to "[s]tart your day with a lil suga!" I bet they were all hoping he was the one giving the suga...

Lebron Pulls the Race Card

Last night on CNN, Lebron James claimed that the backlash he suffered with his move to Miami was due to race. James stated when asked whether race played a role that "I think so at times . . . It's always, you know, a race factor." What? Did he really say that?

Shockingly there are some statistics to support James' claim. For example, James' Q Score, the score that measures popularity, dropped significantly with non-blacks and remained about the same with blacks. I am not sure that this really proves anything, but James' agent agreed and then quickly shifted the conversation on CNN.

Clearly a touchy subject (and a potential PR nightmare), but is it really appropriate for James to pull the race card when he independently made "The Decision" he knew would piss people off? Seems to me that race only played a role in Lebron's race out of Ohio.

Blame it on the Meat

Alberto Contador, the next Lance Armstrong and 2010 Tour de France champion, has just tested positive for a banned substance. The two positive samples were taken from the cyclist in July during the Tour de France. Contador claims that he is innocent, because the substance came from some meat that he ate during the race. The authorities are still investigating the incident, but Contador is subject to a two year suspension and having his Tour de France title stripped.

There have been endless excuses provided by athletes over the years for testing positive for banned substances, but never before have I heard the meat excuse. Nonetheless, experts agree that the small amount of the substance in his urine would not have provided any advantage. Plus, since it is taking a long time for Contador to be sanctioned, it is likely that the agency is buying the meat excuse.

Costly Lesson

Remember way back when in August, when Dallas Cowboys rookie, Dez Bryant, refused to take part in the standard hazing routine of carrying veteran Roy Williams' pads? Well, Williams finally got his payback.

Williams organized a dinner with Bryant and the offensive team at a steakhouse on Monday night. Yet, when Bryant arrived at the restaurant the defensive team was also in attendance. The players ordered everything on the menu and even took bottles of wine home with them. And guess who was stuck with the bill - Bryant. Bryant had no choice but to pay the astronomical tab of $54, 896.

Even though Bryant received a guaranteed $8.3 million in his rookie contract and could easily pick up the tab, it would have been a lot smarter to just carry WIlliams' pads.

Rachel Alexandra Retires

Rachel Alexandra, the 2009 Horse of the Year, retired from racing yesterday after her owners felt that she no longer could live up to her 2009 form. Rachel Alexandra won all eight of her starts in 2009 and even beat males in three of those races. She has earned over $3 million in earnings in her short career.

Rachel Alexandra is a filly, still under five years old, and already beyond her prime. Her owners have decided to allow her to retire and live on their farm, most likely because she was recently selected to mate with Curlin, the Horse of the Year in 2007 and 2008. Watch out for those foals - bound to be worth plenty with double the horsepower.

It doesn't appear to be much different than the lives of many of our female friends...have a short successful career and then retire to pop out the babies. Would be nice to bring in $3 mil though before calling it quits.

BCS Ignores the Little Guy

College football does not have a playoff system leading to a championship game. Instead, there is a panel of football "experts" called the BCS, that get together and rank the college teams and ultimately decide which teams head to bowl games and the coveted championship bowl game.

The BCS primarily considers the schedules of all NCAA teams to determine who has the best record after playing the best competition. The problem with this analysis is that it punishes those football teams that are unable to join the best football conferences, such as the SEC, where teams are forced to play against their conference opponents. Therefore, a vicious cycle is created where the outsiders can't get good competition, because they cannot play within the other conferences and the teams in the tough conferences are forced to continuously play good teams in their conference, hurting their records.

So the BCS contends that that you are only as good as who you play against - bogus! This is like saying that an aspiring artist in NYC is better than one in Idaho, because the NYC artist gets more exposure within tougher competition. It is possible that the NYC artist is superior to the one in Idaho, but there is no way to know that without having the two artists face off against one another. (This is why we depend on shows like Project Runway and Top Chef to assist middle of nowhere talent get a fair chance!)

Case and point is the football team at Boise State. Boise State has a weak schedule since it is not in a major football conference. To combat their critics, the school suped up its schedule this year with some heavy hitters, but it still has a much inferior schedule to those teams in the SEC or Big Ten, for example. Boise State currently is ranked number 2 in the BCS rankings, but only because Texas (previously ranked number 2) had an embarrassing loss to UCLA this past weekend. Unfortunately, even with a win, Boise State should drop in the rankings this weekend behind teams like Oklahoma or Oregon. In addition to having to win all its games, Boise State needs to pray for other teams to lose in order for a chance at the national championship title, because within the BCS system, Boise State's wins will never have an equal value to those of the schools in tougher conferences.

Boise State should hope for Alabama. the defending champs and current number 1 seed, to run the table and all others to lose two-three games. Then Boise State may finally have a chance to compete for a title, and against the best, the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Discipline Wins Games

The Chicago Bears took out the Green Bay Packers last night in a last second field goal. Despite the win, the Packers clearly dominated, but lost the game due to penalties. The Packers committed a record 18 penalties for a loss of 152 yards!! And two of these penalties were especially costly, one nullifying a Packers touchdown and another nullifying a Packer interception.

So when it comes down to it, you don't have to be the best team to win, you just need to be disciplined to avoid penalties and not lose it for yourself. Case and point - the Chicago Bears: the only NFC team to remain undefeated after week 3.

Fidel Castro's Olive Branch

Apparently, Fidel Castro is getting smarter with age. The Wall Street Journal reports that Castro, the controversial Cuban leader, is attempting to get the United States to drop its travel ban to Cuba in order to spark the struggling Cuban economy. And one way with which Castro attempts to boost his government is by exploiting Cuban baseball players in the MLB.

ESPN Deportes reports that Castro is considering allowing his Cuban baseball phenoms to enter the MLB. (Cuba is known for some great baseball so it would definietly boost the MLB.) Yet, nothing is quite as it seems with Castro - and the same is true here as indicated by the conditions Castro would impose on the Cuban players. The most startling is the requirement that the Cuban government would automatically take 40% of the MLB players' salaries for government use. Crazy, right? Cuban baseballers are supposed to make big MLB dollars with hard work to then support Castro's Cohiba addiction!

True, it is unlikely that the MLB or even the US would permit such an arrangement, but compromise of some kind may be on the horizon as Cuba's economy could use a boost and lifting the embargo is the way to do it.

Wizards Implement Midnight Madness

The Washington Wizards, an NBA team, are implementing the first midnight madness event in the league. The idea is that training camp starts tomorrow and to get fans excited, the team is inviting them to party at midnight tonight at George Mason University where the team will show off its superstar draft pick John Wall. The event is free for fans and a free chicken sandwich and coffee is thrown in for the first couple hundred psycho fans to arrive.

I get that owner Ted Leonsis needs to do anything and everything to get the Wizards back on its feet, especially after combating the PR nightmare of superstar player Gilbert Arenas bringing major guns into the locker room last season, but I am not sure dry chicken sandwiches and bitter coffee are going to do it. Leonsis better hope that Wall steals the show and brings some fire back to this franchise.

Monday Night Football: Cutler v. Rodgers

I have known Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler for some time now, since we both attended the fine Vanderbilt University. Jay is a good guy, but when I drafted him in my fantasy football league, I did not think that I was getting a tier 1 NFL quarterback (no offense Jay ;)). Yet, Jay has started off the season with the best passer rating in the league!!! And, he has of course carried my fantasy team through these last few weeks.

But tonight, Jay will face quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers (and coincidentally my fantasy opponent for the week has Aaron Rodgers on his lineup). The Bears were swept by the Packers last season and Jay had four interceptions in one of the games. Jay should be hungry for this rematch and confident, since the Bears are a stronger team right now with the Packers injury list growing.

The two quarterbacks seem to admire each other, which may not last for long since this game could be indicative of a face off of the next round of top quarterbacks (the Peyton Mannings and Tom Bradys wont be here forever). Think Hilary Duff v. Lindsay Lohan or Christina Aguilera v. Britney Spears. And since we know how those battles turned out, the best advice here for Cutler, is to stay consistent and on track.

Tune in tonight 8:30 p.m. on ESPN for the showdown.

Chargers Devastating Pride

The San Diego Chargers had a 4 p.m. deadline yesterday to trade wide receiver Vincent Jackson. Yet, Chargers general manager A.J. Smith failed to make a trade for Jackson with the Minnesota Vikings (who subsequently signed Hank Baskett), because Smith believed that the draft picks offered in exchange were insufficient.

So here is where this leaves everyone: The Vikings settled for Baskett, a second tier receiver to Jackson. Jackson is stuck on the Chargers' exempt list where he is likely to sit out the entire 2010 sesason. And, the Chargers are forced to keep Jackson around (even when they will never let him back on the field) instead of having the opportunity to boost the team with some great draft picks in 2011.

Smith is known for letting his pride get in the way of trades, as seen with the draft and subsequent trade of Eli Manning several years ago. It's time San Diego fans stand up and challenge his ways, because there is no denying the Chargers continue to disappoint. Soon enough the Chargers are going to start to resemble the greedy ways of David Caruso and Terrence Howard - you hold out long enough and let your pride get in the way, you end up leaving the red carpet for basic cable.

Heating Up in Minnesota

Even with the return of the almighty Brett Favre, the Minnesota Vikings have disappointed this season with a 0-2 start. Clearly, there are an abundance of issues with this squad, but to remedy the loss of the teams top two wide receivers, Minnesota has signed Hank Baskett to the purple and yellow.

Baskett should really be called Mr. Kendra since his NFL career has been completely overshadowed by his wife's boobs. Hopefully, however, he can perform and steal some spotlight in Minnesota. He may not only be able to help the team, but also save Favre's reputation by providing him an outlet on the field in which to go out with a bang. And if not, at least Minnesota fans will get a good laugh from Kendra!

Beckham's Prostitute Tells All

Check out my post on Sportsgrid!

New York State of Mind

Joe Torre may always be remembered as the legendary manager for the New York Yankees despite starting his reign there as "Clueless Joe." Torre led the Yankees to the post season in each of his 12 seasons with the team. Torre left the Yankees in 2007 after being an offered what he felt to be an insulting contract extension, and instead moved to Los Angeles to manage the Dodgers.

Well we all know what happened out west - the McCourts. The owners have driven the team into the ground leaving Torre with few resources with which to run the team. Torre has since decided to step down at the end of the 2010 season.

With news of his free agency, Torre has NYC back on his mind, yet this time with the NY Mets. The Mets are in the dumps and need a manager to get them back on track. Torre has said that he is "curious" about the position, but it is unclear if the Mets will be willing to pay the big bucks and whether an old settled veteran rather than a motivated rookie manager would be the right fit.

Nonetheless, it was recently reported that Torre never sold his house in Westchester leading his fans to believe that he has always intended to return to the Big Apple. Maybe he never intended to leave or his wife wears the pants in the relationship and just wasn't able to give up, or even rent out, her mansion outside the big city.

Its Karma!

"http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/9821565/new-orleans-saints-san/new-orleans-saints-san.jpg?size=234&imageId=9821565" border="0" width="234" title="New Orleans Saints v San Francisco 49ers" height="156" oncontextmenu="return false;" ondrag="return false;" onmousedown="return false;" alt="SAN FRANCISCO - SEPTEMBER 20: Reggie Bush of the New Orleans Saints lies on the ground injured against the San Francisco 49ers during an NFL game at Candlestick Park on September 20, 2010 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)">

In case you are just joining us, Reggie Bush has been the focus of an embarrassing NCAA investigation into illegal practices as a college athlete while playing football at USC. The NCAA ruled him ineligible during the 2005 season for improperly accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars and has since punished USC with tough sanctions for allowing the conduct to occur. Reggie Bush even forfeited his Heisman Trophy from 2005 due to the allegations.

Well, just when you thought Bush was going to move on from this and focus on his NFL career he broke his fibula last night in the New Orleans Saints win against the San Francisco 49ers. Bush is expected to miss the next 6 weeks of play.

So on one hand I can't help but think, finally! Its time Bush suffers from his actions five years ago, because we all know that although his pride is hurt, he has escaped any real sanction by the NCAA by being a success in the NFL making millions and winning a Superbowl. Yet, with more introspection it is clear that the Saints are the ones, just like USC, that is going to suffer from this incident. Sure, Reggie won't be able to play for a few weeks, but he is still going to get his paycheck. It is the Saints that have counted on Reggie to run the ball and help them win games. Now he is out. This time it wasn't Reggie's fault, but its still a loss for the Saints.

Damn Tinted Windows

Braylon Edwards, a wide receiver for the NY Jets, got to spend the night in jail last night for drunk driving. (He was driving with a BAC double the legal limit.) Yet, the idiot was pulled over for heavily tinted windows (and maybe a bit of erratic driving). The worst part about this incident is the fact that the NFL has a Player Protect program, which protects players from driving drunk by providing free rides home.

I guess showing off his Range Rover and tinted windows at 5 a.m. in NYC was worth a trip to the slammer, fines, risking the lives of others, and a possible suspension from the league. At least Edwards has his priorities in check.

Denver's Curse

Maybe its the altitude or just a plain curse on the NFL's Denver Broncos, but yet another Bronco lost his life yesterday. Wide receiver, Kenny McKinley, was found dead in his home yesterday by authorities. Police believe the incident to be a suicide. McKinley was only 23 years old.

The Broncos coped with the tragic killing of Darrent Williams due to a drive by shooting in 2007 and then the shocking death of running back Damien Nash who died playing in a charity basketball game three months later.

Hopefully the team can stay strong and move past this tragedy, which is just adding to a Denver curse that is starting to resemble that of the Kennedy family...

Lots of luck at Michigan State

Late Saturday night, Michigan State football pulled out a win at the last second against Notre Dame, with a faked field goal attempt turned into a touchdown. Michigan State had the opportunity to tie the game in overtime with a long field goal. However, instead of risking the field goal with their inexperienced kicker, the team faked the field goal and instead passed the ball to a receiver for a touchdown to win the game! And this was only the team's first piece of luck that night....

Seconds after the touchdown, the replay showed that the touchdown should not have counted, because the play started too late and Michigan State should have been penalized instead. Officials claim that the play started on time and no penalty was warranted. Regardless the officials' calls are part of the game - piece of luck number two!

Then, after winning the game on such a balsy call, Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio suffered a mild heart attack and was rushed to the hospital for surgery. Fortunatley, the most important piece of luck came third, as Dantonio is expected to have a quick and easy recovery.

Hope for Dog Fighting Felons

Our favorite convict, dog fighting felon Michael Vick, got his first NFL start yesterday with the Philadelphia Eagles after getting out of the slammer. Vick led the Eagles to victory against the Detroit Lions completing 21 of 34 passes with two touchdowns and 37 rushing yards. Despite the win and solid starting preformance, Vick will relinquish his starting spot to first string quarterback Kevin Kolb next week who will be returning from an injury. That being said, it won't take much for Kolb to be back on the bench, since coach Andy Reid sure would be comfortable with Vick in the pocket.

I guess there is hope for all dog fighters out there....Maybe guys who shoot themselves have a comeback chance after all too? Hopefully, we will see Plaxico Burress back in blue real soon - we all know that the Giants sure do need him.

Dodgers Downfall

For those of you in the dark, the juiciest divorce scandal of the year is that of the McCourts, the family that owns the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team. Despite the fact that the team made the playoffs four times in the six seasons the team was run by the McCourts, the divorce proceedings have revealed that the family squandered hundreds of millions of dollars from the team in order to live a lavish lifestyle. Moreover, the divorce proceedings continued to punish the team this season by hindering the management's ability to attract, sign, and pay much needed players.

Jamie McCourt, the now ex-wife of Frank, is claiming that she deserves control of the team upon the divorce. Frank thinks otherwise, of course.

Yet, regardless of what happens in the proceedings and which spouse ends up with the team, the fans and Angelenos are sick of the McCourts. The public perception of a money grubbing family is a PR nightmare and one that the family may not escape when this fight is over, regardless of who takes ownership. Even former Dodgers owner Peter O'Malley has spoken out against the McCourts and is pleading for new ownership or someone to care for the team as he did.

The McCourts are not letting go of their troubled franchise and will continue to ignore its needs until their own selfish disputes are resolved. But if they do not hurry, they may lose the team forever, because an uprising is being fueled by their greed.

What to Watch this Weekend

Here are the football match ups to check out this weekend:

College:

• #6 Texas v. Texas Tech: Texas always has the edge here, but the in-state rivalry will have the fans roaring and players charged up. At least we know that there will be great barbecue and cold beer had by all.
• #9 Iowa v. #24 Arizona: This is the best match up of the week with two inter-conference ranked teams battling it out. Who you rooting for - the corn fed cow tipping white boys or players with fake green cards?

NFL:

• NY Giants v. Indianapolis Colts: This game pits brother, Peyton Manning, against brother, Eli Manning. The Colts have the edge, but the sibling rivalry will take on a life of its own.
• Baltimore Ravens v. Cincinnati Bengals: Maybe T.O. and Ochocinco can finally turn the Bengals into their superstar show after failing to make an impression in their loss to New England last week. Nonetheless, these division rivals got it out for each other so expect a great game.

WNBA Champs!

The Seattle Storm claimed the league title last night with a win in Game 3 over the Atlanta Dream. It was a championship sweep with Atlanta failing to get even one win in the series. To Atlanta's credit, there was a total margin of 8 points between the teams in all three games combined!!!

Troubles in Florida

Coach Urban Meyer of the University of Florida's men's football team has finally had enough. A fifth player has been arrested this season and is facing felony charges. (This is the 30th arrest during Meyer's tenure as head coach.) Chris Rainey, a wide receiver, was arrested for aggravated stalking and is indefinitely suspended from the team. Meyer commented that "[p]eople make stupid mistakes, that's something we need to correct."

At least at UF this season, it is clear that the football program is out of control. The players egos have been boosted up to the point where they believe that they can do anything and get away with it. And the coaches have failed to bring the players back to earth. Meyer needs to get a better hold on his team, or they will continue to drop like flies and their bowl hopes will disappear.

Maybe the team was better off with jesus loving Tim Tebow at the helm?

An Expensive 24 minutes

The NBA Houston Rockets' big man, Yao Ming, will play a maximum of 24 minutes in each game this season. (A full game is 48 minutes long, consisting of 12 minute quarters.) Ming injured his foot two seasons ago, requiring foot surgery that kept him out all of last season. Ming's surgeon is demanding that Ming limit his playing time if he wants his foot to make it through the playoffs. In addition to limiting his minutes, Ming's surgeon is also recommending that Ming take further precautions, such as skip the second of back-to-back games.

Quite an expensive injury for the Rockets, considering they are paying Ming about $17 million for his occasional 24 minute efforts this season. I guess, they are lucky to have those minutes at all - because without Ming their playoff hopes are in serious jeopardy.

Watch Tonight

Tonight check out Game 3 of the WNBA finals on ESPN2 at 8 p.m. The Seattle Storm can clinch the title tonight with a win, since they are up 2-0 in the best of 5 series. Note that their last two wins have been by a total of 5 points! The Atlanta Dream is not far behind in their play so look for them to get hungry and get the win tonight.

Howard's Problems with the Baby Mama

Dwight Howard, NBA player for the Orlando Magic, is suing his baby's mama, Royce Reed, for violating a gag order. Howard claims that Reed has leaked stories about him 11 times in violation of the order and estimates his damages to be $500,500,000!! Reed's attorneys deny any violation of the order, arguing that the leaked stories do not fall within the terms of the agreement.

What does Howard expect? Reed is a hustler, but her spot on VH1's "Basketball Wives" ain't bringing in the cash. The best result for Howard with this legal nonsense is a judge to give Reed a little slap on the wrist.

Brady, A Bit Egotistical?

When discussing the New England Patriots first road game this weekend at the Meadowlands (vs. NY Jets), quarterback Tom Brady said:

"The road environment is very different than our friendly home crowd, who when I looked up, half the stadium was gone when we were up 21 points early fourth quarter, which I wasn't so happy about. . . I don't think the Jets fans leave early. They are going to be loud the whole game. Communication is always an issue."

Sure, do-no-wrong Brady was, in part, discussing the communication of his offense on the field when playing in a loud Jets crowd, but he also was expressing his disappointment with his fans for leaving the stadium in the fourth quarter this past weekend when the team was up 21 points over the Cincinnati Bengals. Since when does Brady feel so entitled that the Patriots' tickets holders should be staying to watch every minute of the game? Brady, you are just our entertainment. Your fans have their own lives and sometimes that means missing a few minutes of your world to avoid a few hours in post-game traffic.

We Hate Lebron

Think you are popular? Well, the Q Scores reveal who takes "most popular" and who, well, doesn't.

In this year's rankings of athletes, Lebron James saw his rating take a huge hit. It is true, we the public, hate him. He abandoned his home in Cleveland to stack a team in Miami. He lacked all loyalty and "The Decision" just hurt his PR image. Truth is, we all love a winner, so if Lebron can lead Miami to a championships then his Q score will surely rise again.

Lebron James shared the athletes hate 'em category with Tiger Woods, Michael Vick, Terrell Ownes, Chad Ochocinco, and Kobe Bryant.

Reggie Bush Forfeits Heisman

Without being mandated by the Heisman Trophy Trust, Reggie Bush voluntarily forfeited his Heisman trophy for being found ineligible in the 2005 season for NCAA violations. Bush is the first Heisman recipient in its 75 year history to forfeit his trophy.

Bush's forfeiture of the award is the first step in the right direction. He is now able to end the drama surrounding this situation and start to rebuild his image and focus on his NFL career. In doing so, he also relieved the Heisman Trophy Trust of having to make the decision as to whether to strip him of the award, which would have received a more controversial reaction.

At the end of the day this is just a PR stunt, as Bush sure did benefit tremendously from this award in 2005 and beyond (he not only took it from runner-up Vince Young, but also scored the cover of EA sports video game in 2007 which sure raked in the big bucks). Kinda feels like a grade school teacher coercing a child to return a half eaten candy bar he stole from a classmate....yet, I doubt there is a much of a lesson here for Bush to learn since the consequences are coming 5 years after the fact when he already has a huge NFL contract and a Superbowl ring.

Hot Reporter was a Distraction for the Jets Offense

Ines Sainz, a good looking Azteca Reporter, was at the NY Jets practice on Saturday to do a story on Mark Sanchez. Yet, while at the facility the players apparently threw footballs her way and made deragatory comments about her. Apparently, she was so big of a distraction the Jets were unable to get their offense together for their game against the Ravens. The owner of the Jets has sinced apologized to Sainz and the NFL is investigating the matter.

Its quite unfortunate that in 2010 a female sports reporter is still faced with this behavior. Check out this opinion piece by Jenni Carlson on female sports reporters in a man's world. Although the discrimination has lessened over the years, boys are still boys and need to grow up.

Ricky Hatton Comeback Unlikely

Should rumors of british boxing champ Ricky Hatton's comeback be put to rest? A British newspaper just recently released photos and videos of Hatton snorting lines of cocaine at a hotel. This is very Kate Moss like, isn't it??? Hatton has apparently been very depressed, especially since losing his fight last May to Manny Pacquiao. This depression has led to excessive drinking and now serious drug use. The disturbed boxing champ has entered rehab, but a comeback seems quite unlikely.

NFL Week 1 Recap

Here is what you need to know about NFL week 1. And read up, because it will be the talk of the week going into week 2. (Yes, the next 6 months will be consumed with NFL news week to week.)

• Upsets Galore Set the Tone for the new Season: First, the glitz and glamour Dallas Cowboys fell to old rival Washington Redskins. The 'Skins defense looked tough and put the C'boys in their place. The Seattle Seahawks tore apart the San Francisco 49ers who were projected to win their division. (I guess Pete Carroll, the Seahawks' new coach, escaped his violations at USC for bigger and better things.) Lastly of note, the Kansas City Chiefs took down QB Phillip Rivers and the San Diego Chargers last night in MNF. The heavy rain that beat down during the game seemed to make the Chargers slip all over the field, while the Chiefs got faster and used their speed to pull out the win.
• Peyton Manning and his Indianapolis Colts fell to the Houston Texans. Not an upset, because the Texans are actually really really good this year, but notable, because Peyton always knows how to take his team to a win and this is the first time he has lost to the Texans.
• The Detroit Lions almost had a win against the not-so-good-looking Chicago Bears, but a last minute touchdown was taken back due to a rule technicality. Maybe a bad rule, but the Lions violated it and therefore lost the game. Yet, the upside is that they looked pretty decent and may actually win some games this season, despite losing their star quarterback to an injury that may last a few weeks.
• Michael Vick, yes that dog fighting machine, is back in the mix. After the Philadelphia Eagles starting QB, Kevin Kolb, suffered a concussion in the game, Vick took over. Despite the loss, Vick looked solid and may just have regained a starting spot.
• Hard Knocks for the NY Jets: The Jets probably enjoyed the Hollywood scene a bit too much during preseason, because their offense was just not up to speed yesterday in their loss against the Baltimore Ravens. Maybe the hard knocks the Ravens defense gave to Jets QB Mark Sanchez, are just what he needs to get his game back.

One I Just Couldn't Ignore

Big-time boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. was recently arrested for grand larceny. Sounds odd for a guy that makes millions to be convicted of stealing (there can only be so many Winona Ryders out there), so now that the police report is out, it is all becoming crystal clear.

Apparently, Mayweather attacked his 10 year old son and his baby's mama, Josie Harris, after finding text messages on her phone from Chicago Bulls player C.J. Watson whom Harris admitted to be currently "dating." The report alleges that Mayweather threatened to kill Harris and Watson as he beat up Harris in front of his son. Harris was later taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

The larceny charge, however, stems from Mayweather leaving Harris's home with her iphone! Interesting that Mayweather had the forethought to take the phone as evidence of the text messages from Watson. Seems to me that he could have used some of this foresight to keep from beating Harris altogether!

Note: The picture of Mayweather is his mug shot from the incident. He looks a bit too put together and giddy, don't you think? I guess beating his baby's momma is just like another day in the ring for him. Sick.

Tune in Tonight!

Lots more sports to see tonight. Here are some highlights to be sure to tune into:

• The U.S. Open Men's Finals, which were rained out yesterday, will be played today at 4 p.m. est. on CBS. See Rafael Nadal face Novak Djokovic for a career Grand Slam (winning all major tournaments).
• NY Jets v. Baltimore Ravens in the first Monday Night Football Game of the season! Tune in at 7:00 p.m. est. to ESPN as this will be a great physical match-up. Plus, you know who else will be watching? Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy, the real life couple who adopted football player Michael Oher, as depicted in the movie "The Blind Side." Oher is an offensive tackle for the Ravens. Can't miss "Big Mike!"

• Since it's week 1 of the NFL season there will be a double header for MNF. The second game between the San Diego Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs will kickoff at 10:15 p.m. est. on ESPN. And, for those of you sick of football, I promise this is the last NFL game of the week.

Little love for the WNBA

The WNBA finals started yesterday with the Seattle Storm taking on the Atlanta Dream. I have to admit that I only caught highlights of the game this morning as it did take a backseat to NFL Week 1, but I wish that I had seen it as it came down to a last minute shot.

Veteran star Sue Bird hit another clutch shot in this game to put the Storm up two with 2.6 seconds left on the clock. (Bird hit another buzzer beater in the conference championships to get the Storm into the WNBA finals.) The Dream had a last second shot for a chance to win or tie but the shot bounced off the rim. MVP of the game was Lauren Jackson who is a versatile "giant" out on the court, making herself a very difficult match-up for the Dream. She scored 26 points and had eight rebounds by not only using her height advantage, but also by continuously moving to get open or make room for her teammates.

Tune in Tuesday night on ESPN2 at 8pm to check out Game 2. It will be a night off from football, and the US Open will be over, so there are no excuses. It's looking to be a great series so do not miss it!

Basketball World Title goes to the U.S.A.

The U.S. Men's Basketball team won the world title yesterday by beating Turkey 81-64 in the FIBA Championships. This is the first title for the U.S. in 16 years! Uh, yea you heard that right. Isn't it embarrassing? Hasn't the U.S. been the best in basketball for like, forever?

Odd. But at least this year our team won convincingly and reclaimed the title. Kevin Durant had a record 28 points for a U.S. player in the tournament. "Coach K" (whose fulltime job is to coach the Duke Blue Devils) finally won the gold after earning bronze medals in his last two attempts as coach. Most notably, is the fact that this team was known as the U.S.'s "B-team," since superstars like Kobe Bryant and Lebron James opted not to play in the tournament. So props to our "B-team" for bringing it home when our supposed "A-team" failed to do so in the last two attempts.

And look closely - some of those players look like they ought to be in high school, so way to go!

Interrupting the Entertainment

While fans were getting their favorite beers and snacks ready for the kickoff of the NFL 2010 season, the anticipation for an escape into the world of football was interrupted by the players of the Vikings and Saints walking onto the field together with hands raised with the number 1. This act was intended to be a symbol of solidarity for the players during this period of labor negotiations with the league.

The collective bargaining agreement ("CBA"), the agreement that governs the relationship between the NFL (league and owners) and the players, is set to expire at the end of the season. (The players are part of a union that is in direct negotiations with the league.) The parties have begun negotiations and hope for a new CBA prior to the end of the season. This hope, however, is quite grim as there are many issues at play here that are far from being resolved. (And yes, all of the issues come down to money.)

The players acting in unison last night was intended to show that they are one unit working together to negotiate a new CBA. Although, this act had minimal impact, it was something that I just did not want to be bothered with as I was escaping into my football fantasy land for the night. At a time when unemployment is at crazy highs, I didn't want to be disturbed by the players' pleas for more money. Sure, both the players and the owners need to negotiate a CBA that will provide each party with what they deserve, but this discussion should not burden the fans. All the fans see are guys who make millions of dollars for a dream job complaining about money. The players need to make sure that they do not alienate their fans with these "acts of solidarity." Stay strong as a unit, but pick a different forum in which to exemplify your strength. The fans watch football for an escape and do not want to be burdened with the players' financial struggles, especially when those of the fans are much more severe.

The Perfect Couple Just Got More Perfect

Quarterback Tom Brady of the New England Patriots just signed a four year extension with the team, making him the highest paid player in the NFL. The deal is worth $72 million with $48.5 million in guaranteed money. Now the highest paid supermodel, Gisele, can boast the highest paid NFL player as a husband.

Cheers to the happy couple and enjoy the moment. Because soon enough Brady's contract will likely be topped by an extension granted to Peyton Manning, the QB of the Indianapolis Colts, when his contract is up at the end of the year.

Never in His Wildest Dreams

Just yesterday, Anna Wintour, yes, the almighty fashion god, invited new New Yorker Amare Stoudamire of the NY Knicks to NY Fashion's Night Out. What a dream invite! Although, for Amare, he probably had to ask his entourage who she was upon receiving the call. Looks like Wintour wants Amare for a Vogue cover as well. Apparently, he is getting super comfortable in his new city.

(Yet, I am not sure how Amare was able to balance attending the event with observing Rosh Hashanah. Anyway, Shana Tova Amare - looks like you are going to have a great new year!)

I Can Smell It...

NFL season 2010 is HERE! Tonight the season kicks off, YAYYYY, with the Superbowl champs New Orleans Saints facing the Minnesota Vikings. While sports fans out there consider this day as possibly the most precious of all (fortunately, it also gets the blessing of falling on Rosh Hashanah), because it kicks off the best sports season, you instead may be tuning in to get one last glimpse of Brett Favre starting another NFL season. Here are some storylines to focus on for tonight's game:

• Everyone is still asking whether Brett Favre still has it? Can he, a man in his forties and a grandpa, still star in the NFL?
• Will Reggie Bush, the runningback for the Saints be able to perform amidst all of the Heisman/USC hoopla?
• And can the Saints repeat and win another Superbowl?

Also note, that the remainder of the NFL Week 1 games will be played on Sunday (and Monday night). Here are some of the best matchups:

• Dallas Cowboys v. Washington Redskins: classic rivalry that always draws blood. Maybe Albert Haynesworth can stop complaining and help the Skins with an upset.
• Indianapolis Colts v. Houston Texans: should be a great matchup - Peyton Manning the stud quarterback, and the Texans QB Matt Schaub looking to make his mark. The win will come from the defense as both offensive teams should get lots of points on the board.
• Baltimore Ravens v. NY Jets (Monday night game): See who really has the "Hard Knocks." The Ravens were the first team on the show and now the Jets. Both are tough so we should see some good hits and a true fight to the finish.

U.S. Open: Fashionable Party of the Week

Sports fans, socialites, and anyone looking for a good time, swarm to the U.S. Open tennis tournament in NY this time of year. Aside from it being a premiere tennis tournament, a grand slam in fact, it is a major social and business event. So even if you cannot make it east to see and be seen (and of course catch some great tennis) here are some names to look out for this week as the tournament approaches the semi-finals and finals rounds:

• For the men, Rafael Nadal has got the edge this year. He has never won at the U.S. Open and is quite hungry. He also lucked out with easier match-ups, while former multiple U.S. Open champ Roger Federer, still has a tough road ahead of him. Also, look out for Novak Djokovic who is playing consistent good tennis. Djokovic could upset a repeat Federer v. Nadal match-up.
• On the women's side of things, Venus Williams is making a comeback hoping to win the title for the first time since 2001. She will face Kim Clijsters in the semifinals, who is also playing well. Yet, don't forget No. 1 seeded Caroline Wozniacki who just toppled Maria Sharapova to get into the quarterfinals. She has never played better.

Despite the great tennis that is being showcased at the U.S. Open, the players' fashion choices are still at the forefront. (See some of the pics below.) What do you think of Williams' sequins? (I am sure a clothing line is already in the works.) Or how about the revealing outfit worn by Wozniacki? And, don't forget about the men - love or hate the tight cut off and patterned shorts worn by Gael Monfils?

Football Predictions from a Hot Tub

Check out my post on Sportsgrid!

Heisman Stripped!

Reggie Bush, currently the running back for the New Orleans Saints, will be stripped of the Heisman trophy he won while playing at USC in 2005. It has since been determined that Bush was ineligible in 2005 for accepting improper benefits as a NCAA athlete. Bush became ineligible by accepting gifts from sports marketers, such as a rent free home and limousine for his family. This is the first time in the 75 year history of the college football most valuable player award, that it has been vacated. (The Heisman Trust has decided not to give the award to the 2005 runner-up, Vince Young.)

Bush's behavior in 2005 warranted some punishment, but does the stripping of his Heisman really make him feel the pain? Sure there are additional consequences, such as the negative press, embarrassment, and removal of his image from USC's campus, but does any of this matter now that Bush has a Superbowl ring? This is like being crowned Miss America, and then having your Miss California title taken away. It is possible that Bush's breakup with Kim Kardashian was even more painful and got more press.

The real losers here are Vince Young and the other college football players who played fair. Whether this punishment for Bush is justified or not, there is no way to rewind to 2005 and let another player win the honor.

Another Break for Tiger

Today, Tiger Woods was named to the US Ryder Cup team by Captain Corey Pavin. The Ryder Cup is a golf tournament that pits the best golfers in the US versus those in Europe. The team is comprised of eight qualifiers and four captain picks. This is the first time Tiger failed to qualify for the Ryder Cup since qualifying in 1997. Pavin probably made the right call by selecting Woods as a captain pick, because Woods is still ranked no. 1 in the world in golf; yet Woods will really need to prove himself on Oct. 1-3 when the Ryder Cup takes place on European soil. (The US has never won the Cup on foreign soil.)

This totally reminds me of when you had to get your friends to pick you for their team at recess or during P.E. It was so much more about loyalty, than performance and winning. Hopefully, Tiger can pull out the win here, because much more hangs in the balance here than a fight between friends on the blacktop.

Career Moves

This weekend several significant NFL contracts were negotiated and signed. Here is the rundown:

• Quarterback Matt Leinhart was cut by the Arizona Cardinals after complaining one to many times. Yet, the Houston Texans signed him as a backup quarterback for one year. Leinhart quickly went from being the likely starter of an NFL team to the backup to a pro-bowler QB. This is like getting fired from your dream job to then go be the assistant to your replacement.
• 
  Cornerback (that's the defender that guards the guys who make the catches) Darrelle Revis finally signed a new deal with the NY Jets for fours years and $46 million. The Jets finally got this deal to happen, in time for the season to start, knowing that without Revis the Superbowl would likely be out of the cards. Thought to be a win-win for both sides, the Jets still need Revis to perform because they are on the hook for $32 million guaranteed.
• T.J. Houshmandzadeh, a wide receiver, signed a one year contract with the Baltimore Ravens for $855,000. He will also be paid an additional $6.5 million by the Seattle Seahawks this season for money that is still owed on his contract. Houshmandzadeh gets to leave a losing Seattle team to compete for a title with the Ravens, while still getting paid the big bucks by Seattle. Sounds like a good deal for the receiver. I mean, wouldn't you want to get a giant severance package to then go justify a small paycheck at a job you love?

Roddick is being Replaced

At a lively day yesterday at the US Open, American No. 9 seed Andy Roddick (who is most famous for marrying supermodel Brooklyn Decker) lost to Janko Tipsarevic in four sets of the second round of the tournament. Roddick went out as a sour loser calling the refs "1-800-Rent-A-Ref" for making incorrect foot fault calls (a violation when your foot crosses the baseline during a serve). Upon watching the replays, it was confirmed that Roddick did commit foot faults, but with the opposite foot of that denoted by the refs. At a press conference after the game, Roddick did admit to taking his whining too far, but that was too little too late. Roddick's character was apparent throughout the match, causing him to sacrifice his focus, and lose for the second time to Tipsarevic.

Yet, an up and coming American player, 18 year old Ryan Harrison beat No. 15 Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia to advance to the second round. If Harrison can keep it up, he will be like Miley Cyrus knocking Lindsey Lohan off her pedestal! Keep an eye out for this young buck - hopefully good things to come! /

Looks Only Get You So Far

Matt Leinhart, a quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals, is in a nightmare where he has not yet woken up to realize the danger he is in. Leinhart was the stud quarterback for USC who was drafted in the first round of the NFL in 2006. Yet, upon arriving in Arizona to make his debut, he lost his starting spot to veteran Kurt Warner. Now, in 2010 Leinhart has a chance to win it back (Warner has retired) and looks to be losing it again to another young quarterback, Derek Anderson.

What is so pathetic about Leinhart is that his response to being told that he would not be starting in a preseason game, is that he is demanding an explanation from the team and moreover, motivating the team to trade him away. Does he not realize that he is letting his dream job run away from him? Leinhart is a cancer that the Cardinals are smart to dump. Yet, he is expensive - with a $2.485 million base salary this year and $7.36 million salary the next. I pitty the team that picks up that tab.

Hopefully, when Leinhart wakes up, he will realize that those good looks and charming smile will not get him through life in the NFL. The NFL requires heart and commitment. Leinhart needs to stop asking to leave, but instead study a playbook. He reminds me of that popular girl in high school who could do no wrong, yet at the 10 year reunion she is stuck in a rut with little potential. Hopefully, Leinhart can keep his dream alive and avoid waking up to his nightmare.

The US Sends an Olive Branch to Iran

The United States faced Iran in the world basketball championship yesterday. We all know who won this one right? Yes, the US dominated the game and won 88-51. The real story here, however, is no - not the tenuous relationship between the countries, but rather the fact that the US followed Iran's orders to have the dancers cover up during the game in respect of Islam. The dancers therefore wore long pants.

A few thoughts come to mind....All the dancers covered up were their legs? What about that cleavage and those midriffs? And why did the US feel compelled to respect the Iranians who in return are trying to kill us and the jews with a nuclear bomb?

Although I appreciate the olive branch the US sent to Iran by having the dancers cover their legs to respect religion, our dancers were definitely upstaged by the Brazilian ones below.

Tiger's Steps toward a New Life

If you were faced with a troubled marriage, how would you handle the repercussions? You would likely do everything to save your family, right? Like, put your career on hold (especially when money is not an object), do everything to make your spouse and kids feel special, and get help. And then you would do this over and over again until the situation was resolved.

Well, here is what Tiger Woods has done in this situation:

1. Slept with multiple women

2. Crashed his car after a fight with his wife

3. Went to rehab

4. Tried to reclaim his golf career, but sucked at it

5. Got divorced = lost hundreds of millions of dollars

5. And now, TMZ reports that Tiger has taken out a $54.5 million mortgage for a mansion in Florida, equipped with tennis courts, a fitness center, many pools, and an oxygen therapy room.

I'll give him credit for his PR team, who had him go through the motions for the public. But haven't we all witnessed him putting more rehab into his golf game then into his family? And, now he even found time to purchase a $55 million dollar home with an oxygen therapy room? I hope that the attention he has given to his kids has just been kept private, because as it looks now, his priorities have not changed: still a golf-a-holic and using the bling of a party house to get the ladies.

Cuban Pitching Phenom

The Cincinnati Reds lucked out with a Cuban minor league pitcher, Aroldis Chapman, whom the team just called up from the minor league. Chapman pitched one perfect inning in his major league debut yesterday against the Milwaukee Brewers, by throwing pitches that were just too fast to hit. He threw several pitches that clocked over 100 mph!!! Most star MLB pitchers consistently pitch in the high 80s and 90s mph. One of the fastest MLB pitchers ever, Randy Johnson, once clocked a pitch at 103 mph. Well, phenom Chapman already has that beat in the minors with a pitch of 105 mph! And just one mph can truly make a difference to a batter. Chapman will surely make a difference in the Reds' bullpen towards the end of this season.

No Special Treatment for Celebrities in NY Jails

Remember this idiot? The New York Giants star receiver, Plaxico Burress, who shot himself in the leg in a nightclub in NYC in November of 2008?

Well, he is still in prison serving his two year sentence. And just yesterday, the NY prison system denied Burress' second request for a work release. (Only 2% of work release requests are granted.) Burress is unable to reapply until June 2011 when his sentence may be up for good behavior.

Although I would love to see Burress on the field for the NY Giants this season (we all know that the team needs him), it is nice to see the prison system treat a celebrity like the rest of the public. Aren't we all sick of hearing about the Lindsay Lohans and Paris Hiltons of the world who get special treatment in our prisons and never serve their full sentences? Yet, in Burress' case, it is tough to argue that he has not learned his lesson at this point, because just suffering through the embarrassment of shooting yourself is likely tough enough.