Underage Sex Settlement Rears Ugly Head Again for Knicks’ Eddy Curry

Nearly a decade removed from being considered one of the best high school basketball players in the country and becoming the fourth overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls, the life of New York Knicks center Eddy Curry continues its downward spiral into the abyss of unfulfilled promise.

According to NYDailyNews.com, a Chicago judge has issued an arrest warrant for Curry after learning the troubled Knicks big man hasn’t paid approximately $200,000 of a $660,000 settlement for having sex with an underage girl. The warrant is the second that has been issued for Curry’s arrest since June.

The payout resulted from a 2001 case in which an 18-year-old Curry was sued for engaging in sexual relations with a 14-year-old girl. Curry agreed to the settlement in 2007.

However, when it was discovered that he still had about a third of the settlement balance left to pay almost two months ago, a judge issued the first arrest warrant, which was revoked when Curry signed a new agreement to resolve the matter.

This is only one in a litany of problems that has plagued the enigmatic Curry since 2007, when he averaged career highs in points (19.6), rebounds (7.1) and minutes played per game (34.9) for the Knickerbockers.

In January of 2009 alone, Curry was sued for sexual harassment by his former chauffeur, David Kuchinsky, while having to contend with the shocking murder of his ex-girlfriend, Nova Henry, and their nine-month-old daughter, Ava.

And despite an annual salary of $10.5 million, Curry is deeply in debt, including being significantly behind in payments on a Chicago mansion that is in foreclosure.

To add injury to insult, the 6’11” Curry has played only four games in the past two seasons due to conditioning challenges and a problematic right knee.

This is the enormous weight, no pun intended, which the 27-year-old husband and father of five has to carry on a daily basis.

So for every Kobe Bryant and LeBron James there are hundreds of stories that are being written or have been written about players in the National Basketball Association who gradually fade into anonymity by squandering their respective fortunes and talent; all due to their emotional, mental and spiritual unpreparedness for the pressures that come with fame and wealth.

Unfortunately, Eddy Curry is one of those stories that is still being written. Therefore, amidst all the criticism he receives for not living up to his basketball promise, it should never be forgotten that beneath the surface beats the frail heart of a young man who’s still trying to find his way in life.

Click here to read the original article on Examiner.com, which includes relevant links and a special video presentation featuring Eddy Curry.

By RMM with No comments

Send in the Links (7/30/2010)

-> Major League Baseball Does Not Approve of Brian Wilson's Brightly Colored Shoes (Out of Bounds)
-> Novak Djokovic Is A Lover, Not A Fighter (Unathletic)
-> Maybe, Daunte Culpepper Should Have Gone To The Las Vegas Locos (Sportress of Blogitude)
-> Ron Artest Interviews Ron Artest (That NBA Lottery Pick)
-> Albert Haynesworth Fails Another Conditioning Test (No Guts, No Glory)

Today's Moment of Awesome: Who are the Jacksonville Panthers?!?



(Courtesy of Sports Crackle Pop)

By Ben Chew with No comments

Miami Heat Fan Ejected Wearing Lebron James Heat Jersey to Cleveland Indians Game

You would think people in Ohio would have calmed down regarding the whole Lebron James moving to Miami thing.

Well, I guess we were wrong. During last night's Cleveland Indians game versus the New York Yankees, a Miami Heat fan decided to show his pride by wearing a Lebron James Miami Heat jersey.

You can guess what happened next,





Cleveland fans are still bitter about Lebron, I didn't see that one coming.

(Courtesy of No Guts, No Glory)

By Ben Chew with No comments

Soccer Fever Down Since The World Cup

Soccer reached its highest interest in the United States during the middle of the 2010 World Cup.

When the red, white and navy blue jerseys drew a 1-1 tie with England at Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg, South Africa on Saturday, June 12th 2010, 17 million viewers tuned in to watch the match on ABC.

That total was topped on the final game that the United States would eventually play in the 2010 World Cup as 19.4 million viewers went on to watch Ghana beat the Americans in overtime by a score of 2-1.

The statistics of the viewership in the United States appears to illustrate how soccer has become a hit in America similarly to how other nations love and watch soccer themselves.

Despite the high ratings, the love and the popularity of the sport appears have returned to what it once was since the end of the World Cup. Soccer still has a long road ahead to reach the pedestal that sport is placed on by other countries.

Soccer has a variety of reasons for its lack of popularity among sports that are popular and being played in America. The sport is lacking in a variety of dimensions necessary to become a signature sport in America similar to what baseball, basketball and football are now.

First Dimension: Soccer Stars In Other Countries Are Gods. Soccer Stars In America Are Mere Mortals.

In every continent, soccer athletes are prominent and followed with god-like awe by the nation they were born in.

South America is filled with countries who have numerous stars, such as Brazil (who have Ronaldinho, Robinho and Kaka) and Argentina (who has superstar midfielder Lionel Messi). European countries are filled with stars, such as Portugal, who has probably the most popular soccer star in Cristiano Ronaldo, and England, who have Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard.

Countries in Africa have household names like Ivory Coast does with Didier Drogba and Cameroon does with Samuel Eto’o. The Asian nation also has countries with soccer stars such as South Korean Midfielder Park Ji Sung and Japanese Midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura.

These players are prominent among the upper echelon of players who are worldwide superstars and are extremely popular for their own countries.

As American footballers go, they are not even popular in their own countries.

Current stars like Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey, and Oguchi Onyewu, have become prominent in the United States because of their participation in the World Cup. Despite being involved in the cup, their popularity has diminished since the conclusion of the tournament.

Their popularity and ability of staying on the radar as superstar athletes in America are pedestrian when compared to sports gods like Lebron James, Tom Brady, Derek Jeter and Tiger Woods.

Second Dimension: Soccer’s low scores and statistics is not what America is used to seeing.

When most soccer matches are shown, sometimes the audience spends ninety minutes watching players running up and down the field only to end up seeing a tie. This concept is foreign to America in regards to enjoying sporting events.

When it comes to expectations Americans have of their sports superstars, it’s statistics and high scores.

America loves people who can put up high numbers. Whether it’s hitting homeruns like Alex Rodriguez, putting up a triple double like Rajon Rondo, or throwing deep touchdowns like Drew Brees, the public is in awe of seeing their superstars with mind-boggling stats and putting points on the board.

For soccer to rise in popularity, America must be able to accept the fact that in soccer, statistics mean nothing.

According to the FIFA.com website, four players tied for the most goals in the tournament with only five goals. Between superstars Ronaldo, Rooney, and Messi, they have played in a combined total of 13 matches but only have one goal between them.

While not scoring is acceptable to nations outside of the United States with their soccer superstars, America would have difficulty going to games and watching all of the best players not score.

Third Dimension: Major League Soccer has many barriers to overcome to become prominent in the United States and the World.

The professional soccer league in America has come a long way from where it first started in 1996.

The league was actually losing attendance in its first years and had trouble being profitable. Although MLS has improved their attendance records and increased the number of teams in the league, the league has a long way to go from becoming what the NBA, MLB and NFL is in America.

One of the biggest reasons is the lack of popular players in the league. Within the list of the top 50 players in the World Cup (according to ESPN.com), only one player is in the American professional sports league (Donovan) and he is ranked at number 50. The other 49 players play in more challenging leagues outside of the United States.

Until elite talent joins the MLS, the league will continue to have difficulty marketing their limited talent.

Along with the inadequate talent comes the limit of dramatic rivalries and moments that define a league. For all the professional leagues to grow in America, the most necessary ingredient to have after talent is drama.

For the MLB, it's the Yankees vs. Red Sox rivalry. The rise of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson in the NBA created the rivalry of the Celtics vs. the Lakers. The NFL was able to become prominent because of Joe Montana and his ability to lead San Francisco with a last minute touchdown to win their first super bowl.

Without talent and dramatic moments, the MLS will struggle to make soccer prominent in the United States.

By Norcal JW with No comments

DJ Steve Porter, "Press Hop 2"

Previously on Outside the Boxscore, we featured a clip of DJ Steve Porter remixing some very famous sports press conference and interviews.

Well, he is back with some help from ESPN SportsNation with the second installment called, "Press Hop 2" featuring Tiger Woods, Lebron James, and ESPN's Michelle Beadle.

Enjoy!

By Ben Chew with No comments

Pittsburgh Penguins Field Goal Practice, Wait What?!?

When the NHL announced that the 2011 Winter Classic would be held in Pittsburgh between the Penguins and the Washington Capitals, this was the best opportunity for a little cross-promotion.

So, some of members of the Pittsburgh Penguins including Sidney Crosby and Max Talbot did some field goal practice by shooting pucks off ramps.

The below videos show how they did from 40 yards/50 yards/and finally, 70 yards.

By Ben Chew with No comments

Ring My Bell, Chris Bosh!

Usually when I wake up to check the day on Wall Street, there are usually a bunch of executives standing around the podium to ring the bell.

Today was a little different as Miami Thrice member, Chris Bosh, and some executives from the After Schools All-Star program were given the opportunity to ring the bell.



(Courtesy of That NBA Lottery Pick)

By Ben Chew with No comments

Atlanta Falcons "Rise Up" Commercial with Samuel L Jackson

In our current society that we live in, there is only man that make anything instantly more entertaining and that man is actor Samuel L Jackson.

Recently the Atlanta Falcons tabbed him for an advertisement in which he leads a chorus of Falcons faithful to, "Rise Up".



I was just waiting for him to say, "It'll get ya drunk!"

(Courtesy of With Leather)

By Ben Chew with No comments

Madden 2011 Super Bowl Celebration - Virtual Obama Welcomes You to the White House

Back in the day, I remember playing sports video games on SNES/Atari/Playstation and being content with a simple picture of a trophy to solidify my virtual championship.

Madden 2011 has decided to blow that out of the water by stepping up their Super Bowl celebration in franchise mode by dropping in a victory parade, Gus Johnson commentating your gridiron brilliance, and Virtual Barack Obama welcoming you to the White House.



Sadly, the Shalahi's weren't included as well.

By Ben Chew with 2 comments

Albert Pujols vs. Denis Leary, Winner: Albert Pujols

During last night's edition of "The Late Show with David Letterman", Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols was one of the guests.

After his interview, Dave and company moved outside Ed Sullivan Theatre for Albert to take a little batting practice against actor and "Rescue Me" star, Denis Leary.

By Ben Chew with No comments

Matt Garza Gets No-Hittery On Us

So far 2010 has been dubbed, "The Year of the Pitcher" in Major League Baseball and last night proved that title is still going strong.

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Matt Garza threw a no-hitter against the Detroit Tigers making it the 5th no-hitter in the Major Leagues this season and the first in Tampa Bay history.

In case you missed it, here the highlights from that affair.

UPDATE: MLB took down the YouTube Clip but here is the link to the MLB media video: Click here for the video highlights of Matt Garza's no-hitter

(Courtesy of The Big Lead)

By Ben Chew with No comments

Chad OchoCinco Grows Tired on "The Ultimate Catch"

After getting back from a rather long weekend, I got to sit down and watch another classic episode of Chad Ochocinco's reality dating show called, "The Ultimate Catch".

So Chad decides to take two of his lovely ladies to Las Vegas for their elimination date but even Chad Ochocinco needs his beauty sleep, so he falls asleep on the private jet taking them to Las Vegas.



(Courtesy of Gawker.TV)

By Ben Chew with 1 comment

Arena's Football Big Man With Football Touchdown, Adam Tadisch Style

It's been awhile since I have talked about the Arena Football League but very thankfully, someone decided to post this amazing clip of Cleveland Gladiators offensive lineman, Adam Tadisch scoring a touchdown.

Essentially, if you wanna see five broken tackles by a 300-pounder, this is the video for you.



Finally, something to make Cleveland forget about Lebron.

(Courtesy of SI Hot Clicks)

By Ben Chew with No comments

What If Other “Superfriends” Joined Forces Past And Present In Sports?

Now that South Beach has formed a new delegation with “King James” (Lebron James), “The Flash” (Dwayne Wade) and “CB4” (Chris Bosh), the NBA will see just what can be accomplished by Miami Heat’s “Superfriends” in Miami.

But, what other creation of super powers would have been interesting to watch in basketball in the past? Or better yet, what about in regards to other sports and their superstar athletes both past and present?

Here are some possible ideas of what other superstar formations would have been interesting to see in their sport and time period:


Football: Present Day


Quarterback: Peyton Manning; Running Back: Chris Johnson; Wide Receiver: Larry Fitzgerald


Having these three on a team would make any Defensive Coordinator be a no-show on Sunday.

Manning is the best quarterback at dissecting a defense and analyzing what they are going to do. If any defense decides to sit back and cover the pass, Manning can hand it off to last season’s 2,000 yard running back Johnson. If any team decides to load the box and try to keep Johnson in check, Manning can just put up in the air and have Fitzgerald win one-on-one battles all game long.

The solution against this offense is simple, pick your poison and hope that the other option doesn’t kill you.


Baseball: Present Day


Hitting: Ichiro Suzuki, Miguel Cabrera, Albert Pujols
Pitching: Ubaldo Jimenez, David Price, Tim Lincecum


Any manager would love to have these six players at their disposal.

Ichiro is the best lead off hitter and, probably, the best defense outfielder in baseball. He can hit and run while throwing out any player who decides to try and advance a base on him. Cabrera is the most dangerous hitter in the league right now and might have a shot at winning the Triple Crown. In each of his nine seasons in the big leagues, Pujols has at least 30 HRs, 100 RBIs, and a batting average over .300. He’s on pace to do the same this season.

Add a rotation with Jimenez (who has been virtually unhittable this season with only one loss at this point), Price (who appears to be the best pitcher in the American league this year) and Lincecum (back-to-back CY Young awards in 2008 and 2009), and no one will be able to score on this team.

Basketball: Past

Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson


There’s been the talked about trio of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird already, so they will be excused (despite those three being probably the best trio that could ever team up in basketball).

But spin time backwards even farther in time when there was no three point line and post players dominated the league. Russell alone won eleven titles in thirteen seasons, while Chamberlain won two in his fourteen year career. Having both players on the same team would simply be unfair.

Add in the mix “The Big O”, who was the only player ever to average a triple double in a season and quite possibly the best combo guard of all time, and each team they face would forfeit every game.


Football: Past


Quarterback: Dan Marino; Wide Receiver: Jerry Rice; Running Back: Barry Sanders


All three players are arguably the best at their position and would form the greatest football team if they played together.

Marino’s claim to the title of best quarterback can be seen in his career statistics. If not for “Mr. Iron Man”, Brett Favre, Marino would be the all-time leader in passing yards, completions and touchdowns. On the other hand, Rice owns all receiver categories with the most receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns. Sanders was a human blur on the field and could have led any statistical running category he wanted if he didn’t retire after 10 NFL seasons.

Having all three on the same side would have been a nightmare for any opponent.


Baseball: Past


Hitting: Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Frank Robinson
Pitching: Bob Gibson, Juan Marichal, Sandy Koufax


The idea of having these players on the same team would be a dream come true for any baseball squad.

Aaron was regarded as the home run king for many decades and could hit the ball out of any ballpark. Mays was one of the greatest all around players who could hit for power, hit for average, run, throw and catch. Robinson was a great hitter as well and that was shown when he won the Triple Crown in 1966.

On the other side, having this rotation would be even more dominant. Gibson had an overbearing look on his face whenever he stepped on the mound and won over 250 games with over 3,000 strikeouts. Marichal was just as good with more wins than any pitcher during the 1960s (that includes Gibson and Koufax). Koufax had outstanding numbers (165 wins and 2,396 strikeouts) and would have had even better numbers if his career wasn’t cut short due to arthritis.

By Norcal JW with 1 comment

Fantasy Drafthelp: Football Wild Cards

NOTE: “Wild Card” players are the ones with the widest variance of opinion on our FDH “experts’” draft board. As such, they are the hardest ones to predict where they will go in your drafts, because their draft slot can only be guessed by knowing which fantasy magazine or website is being used to assess them.

QB: Jason Campbell, Matt Leinart, Kyle Orton, Carson Palmer, Alex Smith, Matthew Stafford

RB: Jahvid Best, Ahmad Bradshaw, Michael Bush, Justin Forsett, Arian Foster, Thomas Jones, Montario Hardesty, Laurence Maroney, Kevin Smith, LenDale White

WR: Donnie Avery, Antonio Bryant, Chris Chambers, Jericho Cotchery, Josh Cribbs, Early Doucet, Julian Edelman, Malcom Floyd, Devery Henderson, Devin Hester, Vincent Jackson, Terrell Owens, Eddie Royal, Chaz Schilens, Wes Welker, Roy E Williams

TE: John Carlson, Jermaine Gresham

K: Matt Bryant, Dan Carpenter, Jay Feely, Jason Hanson, Garrett Hartley, Matt Prater, Jeff Reed

D/ST: Buffalo, Chicago, Cincinnati, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Indianapolis, Miami, Minnesota, New England, Tennessee

By Rick Morris with No comments

Fantasy Drafthelp: Football Overvalued/Undervalued

NOTE: Our Overvalued and Undervalued players are rated as such by comparing where they came in on the FDH draft board versus the “experts’” draft board (an average of our leading peers in the industry).

Overvalued QB: Jay Cutler, Alex Smith, Vince Young
Undervalued QB: Matt Leinart, Carson Palmer

Overvalued RB: Fred Jackson, Jonathan Stewart
Undervalued RB: Matt Forte, Steve Slaton

Overvalued WR: Dez Bryant, Jericho Cotchery, Lee Evans, TJ Houshmandzadeh, Calvin Johnson, Percy Harvin, Jeremy Maclin, Mohammad Massaquoi
Undervalued WR: Kenny Britt, Antonio Bryant, Malcom Floyd, Pierre Garson, Devery Henderson, Robert Meachem, Mike Wallace, Wes Welker

Overvalued TE: none
Undervalued TE: Jermaine Gresham

Overvalued K: Kris Brown, Robbie Gould, Adam Vinatieri
Undervalued K: none

Overvalued D/ST: New Orleans
Undervalued D/ST: none

By Rick Morris with No comments

Induction of George Steinbrenner into Hall of Fame would be act of hypocrisy

Following the sudden and tragic death of New York Yankees principal owner and managing partner George Steinbrenner, reaction poured in from all walks of life about the impact he had on the most valuable brand in baseball and the game itself.

And as baseball legends congregate in Cooperstown, New York for Sunday’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony, fond memories of ‘The Boss’ evoked strong opinions about his potential entry into the national pastime’s hallowed halls.

According to NYDailyNews.com, for Steinbrenner to get into the Hall of Fame, he would have to be put on the ballot that is judged by the Hall's own Board of Directors. There were two previous opportunities for Steinbrenner to be placed on that ballot, but he didn’t make it either time. However, it is certain that the next opportunity for Steinbrenner to be placed on the ballot will receive overwhelming support from Hall of Fame members.

"He changed the whole complexion of the game with free agency and the way he opened up his wallet," former New York Mets catcher Gary Carter said. "Other owners were reluctant to see free agency get as big as it did, but George was not that way. If I were given the chance to vote for him, I would."

Despite playing for a hated rival during Steinbrenner’s early years as the Yankees owner, former Boston Red Sox catcher Carlton Fisk was equally effusive in his praise for ‘The Boss’.

"He deserves to be here," Fisk said. "There aren't many owners, if any, who've had the impact that George has had on the game of baseball. Whatever way you view it, good or bad, he was very influential and such a powerful guy in the game."

But what of Steinbrenner’s indiscretions which earned him two suspensions from Major League Baseball? Will they conveniently be swept under the rug for Steinbrenner’s posthumous induction into the Hall of Fame?

In 1974, Steinbrenner pleaded guilty to making illegal contributions to President Richard Nixon's re-election campaign and to a felony charge of obstruction of justice. He was personally fined $15,000 and his company was assessed an additional fine of $20,000. On November 27, Commissioner Bowie Kuhn suspended Steinbrenner for two years, but later reduced it to fifteen months.

Sixteen years later, on July 30, 1990, Steinbrenner received a lifetime ban from baseball from Commissioner Fay Vincent after he paid a gambler named Howie Spira $40,000 to dig up "dirt" on Dave Winfield, who had sued the Yankees for failing to pay Winfield’s foundation a sum of $300,000, a guaranteed stipulation in his contract. However, Steinbrenner was reinstated in 1993.

So if Steinbrenner is inducted into Cooperstown then it can be safely assumed that his ‘sins’ were less egregious than Pete Rose gambling on baseball and the numerous players who have taken or been suspected of taking performance-enhancing drugs (PED’s) in recent years.

Rose, the MLB’s all-time hits leader and a 17-time All-Star, has been on baseball’s permanently ineligible list since 1989; which has prevented the Cincinnati Reds from formally retiring his #14 jersey and, more significantly, has precluded his induction into the Hall of Fame in spite of two previous applications for reinstatement that were never acted upon by Fay Vincent in 1992 and Bud Selig in 1997.

The ban came as the direct result of an investigation launched by Commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti that provided evidence Rose had placed bets on baseball games; although “no evidence was discovered that Rose bet against the Reds” while manager of the team from 1984-1989.

Concurrently, the case of active and former players connected to PED’s must also be taken into consideration. Players like former St. Louis Cardinals slugger Mark McGwire, who although hitting 583 home runs and making 12 All-Star appearances, has not been elected to the Hall of Fame since his first year of eligibility in 2007.

Would it be truly fair and just to continue to exclude Mark McGwire and Pete Rose from the Hall of Fame while inducting a baseball owner, deceased or not, whose actions resulted in a two-year suspension and a lifetime ban from the game?

It is incumbent on the Baseball Writers Association of America and the Hall of Fame Board of Directors to decide one way or the other because a Steinbrenner induction would only compound the hypocrisy of his two reinstatements and cast a shadow over the influence the Yankees brand has on baseball politics.

Click here to read the original article on Examiner.com, which includes relevant links and a special video presentation on the National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum.

By RMM with No comments

FDH Lounge: Midseason motorsports update - NASCAR

The biggest story of the year in NASCAR concerns the man at the top of the season’s leaderboard – a Chase qualifier from 2006 to 2008 who tumbled to 19th last year.

Kevin Harvick has rebounded in stunning fashion and has rounded out his game to levels unforeseen by just about anyone. For example, he did not average a Top-20 finish on restrictor plate tracks in ’09, but won the Bud Shootout and also the July Daytona race this year. His name was not among those widely speculated as those having a decent chance to dethrone four-time defending champ Jimmie Johnson, but he has established himself on that short list with a fury as the top driver at present.

Elsewhere on the landscape …

^ Jeff Gordon (second at present), Jimmie Johnson (third), Denny Hamlin (fourth), Kurt Busch (fifth), Kyle Busch (sixth), Matt Kenseth (eighth), Tony Stewart (ninth), Carl Edwards (tenth), Greg Biffle (eleventh) and Clint Bowyer (twelfth) are all in position to qualify for the Chase as was expected by most observers. Kyle in particular is putting the fluky 13th-place finish of 2009 behind him strongly. Jeff Burton (seventh after a 17th place finish in ’09) and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (13th after a 25th place finish in ’09) are also sitting in Chase contention at present with decent comeback campaigns. Lil’ E still has a current winless streak of more than two years; however, his recent Nationwide series win at Daytona is expected to deliver momentum to he and his team. We shall see.

^ Of the other drivers widely expected to be in contention for the Chase, Mark Martin is in 14th place and won’t need to run too much better than he has thus far to edge into the qualifying. Ryan Newman and Kasey Kahne are positioned not far behind him. Brian Vickers’ blood clots sadly cut short his campaign and took him out of contention altogether. Juan Pablo Montoya has been a huge disappointment, following his breakthrough finish of eighth in 2009 with a plunge back to 21st at present.

^ As expected, David Reutimann, phenom Joey Logano and Martin Truex, Jr. are on the absolute periphery of Chase contention at the moment. They are joined at that level by surprise Daytona 500 winner Jamie McMurray, who predictably was not able to sustain that early level of success.

^ AJ Allmendinger and Sam Hornish, Jr. continue their fitful transitions from open-wheel racing and each has to be eyeballing what would be significantly greener pastures back in IndyCar right about now.

NASCAR chairman Brian France has indicated that the series is considering tweaking the Chase rules for 2011 to try to ensure that more drivers are in strong contention leading up to the final races. This would of course dilute the effect of strong racing all throughout the Chase, which is the exact element that has allowed Johnson to more or less coast to the title at the very end frequently through the course of his four consecutive victories. Such a modification would be reminiscent of the creation of the Chase in the first place, when Matt Kenseth floated through the 2003 season with only one win but claimed the title anyway and led series officials to believe that a playoff format was necessary. Unsurprisingly, Johnson thinks little of the proposed changes, which would cause the championship to be decided over a smaller sample size over the last month or so. He likes the system just the way it is – and why wouldn’t he?

By Rick Morris with No comments

FDH Lounge: Midseason Motorsports Update - IndyCar

The IndyCar series, in its second year of reunion under a common banner after almost a decade-and-a-half of ruinous internecine warfare, is regaining some of its momentum with a spirited points chase among many talented drivers. While the exodus to NASCAR has not been reversed to the necessary amount yet, the circuit is regaining its footing with an enthralling chase involving many top drivers.

^ Australian Will Power, whose previous best finishes had been sixth in 2006 and fourth in 2007 under the old Champ Car banner, has had his breakthrough year as a part of Team Penske and currently leads all drivers.

^ Dario Franchitti, who captured his second Indianapolis 500 crown this year, won his second consecutive IndyCar series title last year (with his disastrous and ill-advised ’08 stint in NASCAR in-between) and is hot on the heels of a third straight championship with his current second-place status.

^ Scott Dixon has finished the last four seasons in the top four in points – the last three first or second, highlighted by a 2008 championship – and is keeping his “dependable threat” streak alive into this year with a third-place standing at present.

^ In a comparable vein to Dixon, Ryan Briscoe finished fifth and third, respectively, in his past two seasons – the first two with Penske – and is in fourth at the moment.

^ One of the most accomplished, and quite possibly the most famous, driver on the circuit, Helio Castroneves, continues to run strong in pursuit of his elusive first series championship. Since 2002 with Penske, he has never placed lower than sixth (and has placed lower than fourth only twice), yet has not come any closer to the top than his 2002 and 2008 runner-up finishes. Presently, he is in sixth place. In some ways, with his three Indy 500 titles, his career has been the opposite of Mario Andretti, who managed a single Indy 500 win but was a four-time series champion.

^ Also conversely to Helio, Tony Kanaan is probably the best active racer never to win at Indy, but did capture the series title in 2004 and only spent a single season outside of the top four between 2003-2008 (and only a single season outside of the top three between 2004-2008). His sixth-place finish in 2009 and seventh-place standing at present raise questions about whether he can return to the top amidst the deeper field of today, though.

^ Dan Wheldon, who peaked (at least thus far) with a win at Indy and for the series title both in 2005, ended the run he began in 2004 with no series finishes outside the top four in 2008. Like Kanaan, he fell off in 2009, to tenth place and is in ninth at current.

^ The Marco Andretti treadmill continues on, with the streak he has been on since the start of his IndyCar career in 2006 of finishing between seventh and 11th currently intact with a tenth-place record.

^ Danica Patrick, splitting her time with the NASCAR Nationwide Series, hasn’t been a factor in eleventh place, but given that she’s only placed as high as fifth once (last year), the hype exceeding her production is nothing new.

The Penske and Ganassi teams continue to dominate, with occasional resistance from Andretti. The races have been exciting, but have suffered from the same “if a tree falls in the forest and nobody hears it, does it make a sound?” sensation suffered by the NHL – which also has most of its national broadcasts on the sparsely-carried Versus network.

The series has healed some remaining wounds from the sport’s longtime civil war as longtime IRL honcho Tony George – probably more responsible for the state of affairs than any other individual – resigned from the board of directors in January. And the legacies of both the road-dominated Champ Car and the oval-dominated IRL are both being celebrated as IndyCar is awarding a trophy named for AJ Foyt to the racer who tallies the most points on ovals this year and the award named for Mario Andretti will go to the equivalent road-track racer.

By Rick Morris with No comments

Send in the Links (7/23/2010)

-> It's Time to Play NBA Free Agency Price is Right! (That NBA Lottery Pick)
-> Les Miles States the Obvious (SportsbyBrooks)
-> Heisman Winner Mark Ingram, Another Heisman Revokee? (No Guts, No Glory)
-> Miles Austin and Kim Kardashian take in a Lady Gaga Concert (Black Sports Online)
-> YouTube and NBA Summer League Sensation Jeremy Lin Signs with the Golden State Warriors (The Harvard Crimson)

Today's Moment of Awesome: International Soccer Brawl With Reporters



(Courtesy of Sportress of Blogitude)

By Ben Chew with No comments

The 10 Most Valuable Sports Franchises in the World

In retrospect, with the 2010 FIFA World Cup in the books, there is absolutely no questioning the influence and the power the sport of soccer has both nationally and, on a larger scale, internationally; a fact further evidenced when teams are ranked according to value across all sports.

On Wednesday, Forbes.com released its list of the world’s fifty most valuable sports franchises and the Manchester United Football Club of the English Premier League led the way with an estimated value of $1.83 billion; and with 139 million core fans and 333 million followers worldwide, it’s not hard to see why the Red Devils produce a revenue stream of approximately $459 million for the Glazer family.

Manchester United’s fellow international football club, Real Madrid ($1.32 billion), the most successful team in Spanish football and voted by FIFA as the most successful club in the 20th century, came in sixth on the list due largely in part to generating $225 million annually from broadcasting fees, the most in sports.

The Arsenal Football Club ($1.18 billion), the only team to have completed an English Premier League season unbeaten, was the third football club to rank in the top ten, finishing eighth on the list. The Gunners’ $102 million operating income was second to Manchester United among English Premier League teams in 2009.

Domestically speaking, American football rules the roost as National Football League teams accounted for 50% of the top ten and more than half of the top fifty with the Dallas Cowboys ($1.65 billion) leading the way, ranking second overall; no doubt due to the new Cowboys Stadium landing the 2010 NBA All-Star Game, Super Bowl XLV in 2011 and the 2014 NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four.

The only Major League Baseball team to make the list, not surprisingly, were the New York Yankees ($1.60 billion), who ranked third on the list and owe a huge debt of gratitude to their recently deceased front office patriarch, George Steinbrenner, for taking one of the most valuable brands in sports to the next level with an unparalled commitment to winning and the creation of the YES Network.

Although the Yankees were the only baseball club to crack the top ten, they weren’t the only the New York team to rank among the fifty most valuable franchises in sports.

The New York Giants ($1.18 billion), who are close to selling out season tickets for the new Giants Stadium, and the New York Jets ($1.17 billion) were the seventh and ninth most valuable teams in the world respectively. The New York Mets ($858 million) ranked #38 after inking a 20-year, $400 million stadium naming rights deal with Citigroup in 2006.

Conspicuous by their absences from the top forty were teams from the National Basketball Association and the National Hockey League. In fact, the only NBA teams to appear in the top fifty were the Los Angeles Lakers ($607 million) and the New York Knicks ($586 million) at #49 and #50 respectively, while no NHL team appeared in the top fifty.

Including the teams in the top ten, 36 NFL teams made the top fifty. The next closest sport was international football/soccer with six teams. The national pastime featured four teams in the top fifty.

Here are the ten most valuable sports franchises in the world according to Forbes:

1. Manchester United Football Club, soccer ($1.83 billion)
2. Dallas Cowboys, football ($1.65 billion)
3. New York Yankees, baseball ($1.60 billion)
4. Washington Redskins, football ($1.55 billion)
5. New England Patriots, football ($1.36 billion)
6. Real Madrid Football Club, soccer ($1.32 billion)
7. New York Giants, football ($1.18 billion)
8. Arsenal Football Club, soccer ($1.18 billion)
9. New York Jets, football ($1.17 billion)
10. Houston Texans, football ($1.15 billion)

Click here to read the original article on Examiner.com, which includes relevant links and a special video presentation featuring the ten most valuable sports franchises in the world today.

By RMM with 1 comment

ESPN's John Kruk Talks To Denny's Chickens

Personally, I thought that I have seen it all on the interwebs but I guess even I can be wrong.

Recently, ESPN Baseball Tonight analyst John Kruk did a viral video for Denny's, "The Chicken Show" which had him interviewed by Denny's mascots, "The Chickens".



(Courtesy of NESW Sports)

By Ben Chew with No comments

America's 10 Favorite Sports Stars

With five World Series Championships, eleven All-Star appearances and, arguably, the most clean cut image in professional sports today under his belt, it’s not difficult to see why New York Yankees captain Derek Jeter is viewed as the most marketable player in Major League Baseball according to a survey of baseball media, corporate brand managers and marketing executives. And when baseball fans and sports fans alike were invited to weigh in on the subject, the results for Jeter were equally impressive.

According to a Harris Interactive poll of 2,227 adults surveyed online between June 14 and June 21, 2010, Jeter is America’s third Favorite Sports Star and the country’s Favorite MLB Star. The four-time Gold Glove Award winner moved up two spots from the fifth position he held last year and was the only baseball player to appear in the top ten of America’s Favorite Sports Stars.

Despite his personal life coming under tremendous scrutiny after the revelation of multiple marital infidelities, professional golfer Tiger Woods finished tied for the top spot with Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant. The five-time NBA Champion moved up three places from the 2009 poll to end up in a dead-heat with Woods, who was the country’s undisputed favorite sports star since 2006.

Exactly 40% of the poll’s top five and top ten consisted of players from the National Football League and all of them are those slotted at the quarterback position.

Minnesota Vikings signal caller Brett Favre and Indianapolis Colts field general Peyton Manning, the losing quarterback in Super Bowl XLIV, rounded out the top five by finishing 4th and 5th respectively.

Meanwhile, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, the Super Bowl XLIV Most Valuable Player, finished just ahead of NASCAR’s Dale Earnhardt, Jr. in the 8th and 9th spots respectively.

The National Basketball Association was represented by Miami Heat small forward LeBron James, who dropped three places to the 6th spot, and Charlotte Bobcats majority owner Michael Jordan who, although retired since 2003, came in 7th after finishing second last year.

The complete listing of America’s Favorite Sports Stars for 2010 is as follows:

1. Tiger Woods (PGA)
1. Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers (NBA)
3. Derek Jeter, New York Yankees (MLB)
4. Brett Favre, Minnesota Vikings (NFL)
5. Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts (NFL)
6. LeBron James, Miami Heat (NBA)
7. Michael Jordan (NBA)
8. Tom Brady, New England Patriots (NFL)
9. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints (NFL)
10. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (NASCAR)

Ultimately though, enough can’t be said about Derek Jeter and what he has meant to the New York Yankee organization and the game of baseball. Since 1996, Jeter has unselfishly produced year in and year out on the field while exhibiting behavior off it that never casts him in a negative light.

This begs the question is Jeter the last of a dying breed in a day and age where individuality and self-promotion is king?

Click here to read the original article on Examiner.com, which includes relevant links and a special video presentation featuring Derek Jeter.

By RMM with 1 comment

Reality Not A Good Look For Athletes

On the field, athletes are viewed by the public like gods. Men with superhero-like bodies making incredible ESPN highlight reel moments that regular people could only dream of doing. When the prime time cameras are on for game days, athletes rise to the occasion to become bigger-than-life icons in American society.

But what happens when those cameras shine on athletes off the field? What happens when the uniforms are off and they become the human beings they really are?

For Chad Ochocinco and Terrell “T.O.” Owens, that aspect of reality is now viewable to the public.

Both men are the signature stars for the VH1 television channel on Sunday nights with their reality programs. Ochocinco tries to find love in his tournament-style, dating show called “Ochocinco: The Ultimate Catch” and Owens has cameras following him on a daily basis in “The T.O. Show”.

With both players’ personal lives on public display through reality television, the biggest question is what will become of their god-like aura. By being in reality television, their shows are not benefiting their larger-than-life persona created on the field, but damaging them.

In “Ochocinco: The Ultimate Catch”, sixteen women are strategically placed in a bracket tournament similar to the sweet sixteen of NCAA’s March Madness. They are rated number one from his most favorite to number sixteen who is his least favorite as they compete to win him over.

This show has all the same characteristics as every other dating reality television show

Scantily clad women with make-up plastered all over their face and surgically altered bodies who degrade, insult and berate one another to win the approval of an egotistical pig of a man who views the woman as objects instead of human beings. Many of these men are usually unknown to the public or men who, prior to the show are known for treating women in such manner.

Although Ochocinco is known for feeding his huge ego, this concept was created on the field as an athlete. With this show, the superstar now joins the ranks of men in dating reality shows, which is to say that he views women as objects and not human beings.

Another big issue is the idea that he needs to have a show featuring himself as the centerpiece for women who want him.

While most men would surely love to change places with the Bengals wide receiver, the idea of women throwing themselves at a superstar athlete is usually a normal occurrence. The fact that he allows this to occur on reality television for his enjoyment negatively portrays him as the stereotypical athlete who is happy to use women for his own pleasure.

While Ochocinco’s show stars him and the sixteen women that fight for his love, “The T.O. Show” really has one person and one focus: Owens.

Since the start of the show last year, the cameras have followed Owens as he deals with issues in his personal life and joins the Buffalo Bills in 2009. The second season began in the middle of July starting from the end of his 2009 campaign with the Bills.

“The T.O. Show” has a few problems that hurts his image. The biggest issue is that the show feeds into the stigma that Owens is not only narcissistic playing football, but in life as well.

Like Ochocinco in his show, Owens talks about how he wants to find love someday all in hopes that the audience will have sympathy for him. The sympathy becomes invalid as he deals with his mixed feelings and numerous problems with his ex fiancée, ex girlfriend and a Victoria’s Secret model. All this occurs after he hooks up with the realtor who shows him his new Los Angeles home.

The other issue with his show is that it falls in the same genre as other reality shows similar to his own.

Shows like “Laguna Beach” and “Jersey Shore” all feature bland, uncharismatic people whom all think highly and care only for themselves. The only way many of these stars are popular is not through acting, but reality programming. These shows, and the people in them, are popular because the public likes to watch them act foolish and see how far they are willing to sell themselves to stay in the public eye.

“The T.O. Show” is virtually showcased to the public in the same fashion. Owens has always dealt with being foolish and self-centered on the field, but the show reinforces the validity of that stigma off the field.

For both Owens and Ochocinco, these shows may damage their image, but that is not a concern for both stars.

The negative stereotypes of reality stars as vain, self-absorbed divas are concepts that made both players who they are today on the field and will fuel them off the field with reality television as well. Both stars are pioneering the next frontier in reality television that many other athletes will most likely look to get into for years to come.

If that’s the case, they better prepare for the reality that their image may never look the same again.

By Norcal JW with No comments

Sports Reporter Crushes Kid On Skate Ramp

Just when you thought it was safe for your kids to attend a skateboarding camp, a news reporter comes along and cruses them.

Tampa's Fox 13's own Charley Belcher was doing a report on a kid's skateboarding camp and went to go get the hippie-looking leader of the camp named, "Wizard" for an interview.

Only problem, Charley is not the fleetest of human beings.



(Courtesy of Sportress of Blogitude)

By Ben Chew with No comments

Who Are The Ten Most Marketable Players in Major League Baseball?

As stated in a previous article, New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter is the most beloved New York professional athlete of this generation and now there is even more compelling evidence to justify this claim.

According to Street & Smith’s SportsBusiness Daily, in an exclusive survey of media personalities and sports business executives, Jeter was the unanimous choice as the most marketable player in Major League Baseball.

The survey, conducted by SportsBusiness Daily, was distributed to corporate brand managers, marketing and branding executives, agencies and baseball media, who were asked to list, in order, the top five most marketable players in MLB. Points were awarded on a five-point scale, with a player awarded five points for a first-place vote, four points for second place, etc.

With no other player receiving more than three votes for the top position, Jeter earned an overwhelming 80% of first-place votes and was included on 47 of 49 ballots. St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols, who appeared on 39 ballots, finished a distant second, receiving only two first-place votes.

Although recently finishing in the top ten of the most disliked people in sports, Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez ended up ninth on the list, receiving one first-place vote, finishing right behind his Queens counterpart, New York Mets third baseman David Wright, who didn’t garner any first-place votes.

Also noteworthy is Washington Nationals phenom Stephen Strasburg receiving three first-place votes, second behind Jeter, to finish fourth in the survey after less than two months in the big leagues. A clear indication that the 21-year-old is well on his way to becoming baseball’s next biggest superstar.

For the Yankees captain, this was the third year he topped the list as baseball’s most marketable player, earning the same honor in 2003 and 2005.

"Derek is so marketable due to his likability, passion, hard work, leadership and most of all, his humility,” Premier Partnerships President & CEO Randy Bernstein said. “He is a proven champion and has led his one and only team to multiple championships while also building up exceptional Hall of Fame statistics."

At the age of 36 and having just played in his 11th All-Star Game, it is crystal clear that Jeter is at the tail end of his career; so Yankees fans and baseball fans would be best served to appreciate him while they still can because a player of Jeter’s talent and stature comes along once in a lifetime.

Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle and George M. Steinbrenner, III would certainly be proud of how Jeter has represented himself and the New York Yankee organization.

Here is the complete listing of MLB’s most marketable players for 2010:

1. Derek Jeter, New York Yankees
2. Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals
3. Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins
4. Stephen Strasburg, Washington Nationals
5. Ryan Howard, Philadelphia Phillies
6. Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays
7. Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants
8. David Wright, New York Mets
9. Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees
10. Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red Sox; Torii Hunter, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Click here to read the original article on Examiner.com, which includes relevant links and a special video presentation featuring Derek Jeter.

Credit SportsBusiness Daily

By RMM with 1 comment

Michael Jordan's Opinion on Miami Thrice, "I Never Would Have Called Magic or Larry"

One person that we didn't hear from regarding the Lebron James to Miami Heat saga was one, Michael Jordan.

Jordan was in Lake Tahoe for the American Century celebrity golf tournament and was asked about Lebron James and the super-duper mega team in Miami by NBC Sports, Jimmy Roberts.



So, I guess that counts as a sorta diss?

(Courtesy of You Been Blinded)

By Ben Chew with No comments

The Reflecting Skin

It's been done to death at this point, but perhaps the last word is always most forthcoming.  Eh.  More LeBron.  Sorry, ya he(a)rd.  Over the weekend, whilst playing golf, the NBA's preeminent G.O.A.T. Michael Jordan (if you didn't know) muttered something about never, eeeeeeeeeeever doing what LeBron did.  LeBron decided to take his talents to Miami (if you didn't know).  Charles Barkley couldn't resist piping up and chiming in.  It's like LeBron is a nice, juicy sausage and Charles is the slavering lips of today's media.

Okay, Sir Charles is kind of our patron saint here at OtB, and for all my protracted absences, I still remember that.  Still, I have a hard time not taking him to task for these comments:

"Let me just tell you this," Barkley said. "Mike and I are in 100 percent agreement on this. If you're the two-time defending NBA MVP, you don't leave anywhere. They come to you. That's ridiculous.

"I like LeBron. He's a great player. But I don't think in the history of sports you can find a two-time defending MVP leaving to go play with other people."

Excuse me?  Ex-cuuuuuuuse me?  Vickie Guerrero excuse me!?!?  Sure, Charles isn't a two-time defending MVP of the NBA and never was, but he was a one-time, defending all-star game MVP who was then traded from Philadelphia to Phoenix.  Then, he was a one-time, though not defending, league MVP who was traded from a title-less Phoenix team to Houston.  Let me see.  Who was on that Houston team?  Oh yeah, only all time great Clyde Drexler and perhaps the man owning the most beautiful post game ever and two-time champ as alpha-dawg Hakeem Olajuwon.  I'm not saying much.  I'm just saying these stars aligning all "of a sudden"?  There's a precedence, and Charles should know that.  I seem to recall Scottie Pippen bringing his oversized contract through Houston at some point too...

 

By snagamat with No comments

FDH Lounge: Midseason Motorsports - Formula One

The most dominant racer in Formula One over the past decade – and one of the greatest open-wheel drivers in history, for that matter – returned to the track this year after three seasons away and has not come close to living up to his former greatness (ninth place at present). Of all the intriguing storylines in F1 this year, that one must be at the top of the list.

In the absence of Michael Schumacher from 2007-09, a host of top young drivers filled the void in exciting style, with perhaps the most impressive being 2008 series champion and 2007 series runner-up Lewis Hamilton, who leads the standings thus far this year.

Here’s more of the landscape at the top:

^ Jenson Button, who never tallied higher than third during the Schumacher Era (in 2004), continued to progress the past few years en route to the 2009 title and a second-place spot thus far this year.

^ Mark Webber, a journeyman all throughout his career up until last year’s breakthrough fourth-pace finish, is in third this year.

^ Sebastian Vettel, who did not hit the big time until just after Schumacher’s retirement, came in second in 2009 and is fourth thus far this year.

^ Fernando Alonso, who beat out Schumacher for the title during his last two years in the sport in 2005-06, could have told the mighty German that he was in for a rough time against this enhanced competition. He finished fifth in ’08 and fell to ninth last year, although he has rebounded back to fifth thus far this year.

^ Like Alonso, Felipe Massa had his best season at the end of Schumacher’s run, placing third in 2006. He fell back slightly to fourth in ’07, bested both of those seasons with a second-place finish in ’08, plummeted to 11th last year and has come back slightly to eighth thus far in ’10.

^ After spending five consecutive years between second and fourth place in the series from 2000-04, Rubens Barrichello has also had a rougher time against this crop in recent year – and is currently in 11th place – although he did place third in 2009. That finish certainly looks like an outlier relative to his recent seasons, though.

Schumacher does have some legitimate excuses in terms of the Mercedes equipment he has had at his disposal – an amusing reversal, some would say, from his days of dominance at Ferrari. However, given his rust and the possible effects of age, the risks that he took to his legacy upon his return appear very real at this point.

The season began in the aftermath of a serious skirmish between many of the top teams and the sport’s governing body regarding a proposed budget cap and the fairness of how it would apply to both the top teams and the ones lower on the totem pole. The differences were ultimately papered over through 2012.

In big off-track news, F1 will be reestablishing its foothold in North America – such as it is – with the return of the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal this year and the reestablished US Grand Prix, to be held for the first time since 2007 in Indianapolis. It comes to Austin, TX for the first time on a ten-year deal beginning in 2012.

By Rick Morris with 1 comment

Fantasy Drafthelp: Football Suggested League Guidelines

Many leagues start 1 QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, 1TE, 1 K and some D/ST combination. Some leagues allow the TE position to be WR or TE (in which case, only a few TEs merit any consideration) and some have a “flex” position, which is generally 1 additional RB or WR. With leagues who utilize defense, some deploy a team D/ST unit and some use individual D players. No leagues should contain less than 12 owners.

The most common scoring system is a variation of the following: 4 points per passing TD, 1 point per 25 yards passing, 1 point per passing 2-point PAT, 6 points per receiving or rushing TD, 1 point per 10 yards rushing or receiving, 2 points per rushing or receiving 2-point PAT, 2 points per “big play touchdown” (50 or more yards), 1 point per kicking PAT, 3 points per FG, with a 1-point bonus at 45 yards, a 2-point bonus at 50 yards and a 3-point bonus at 55 yards, 6 points per defensive or special teams TD, 1 point per interception, sack or fumble recovered and 2 points per safety. In leagues that award 6 points for passing TDs, QBs are worth much more.

By Rick Morris with No comments

Fantasy Drafthelp: Fantasy Football Don't Be That Guy

^ Don’t be that guy who is unprepared and whines in the mid to late rounds that everyone worth taking is already gone. They’re not; you’re just woefully unprepared.

^ Don’t be that guy who doesn’t properly understand your league’s scoring system. League setups are like snowflakes; no two are the same. Our draft board is configured to conform to a fairly basic scoring system, but your league could well have some quirks that would force you to make adaptations to our board. Be aware of them.

^ Don’t be that guy who doesn’t pay enough attention and selects players who are already off the board. It’s impolite to your leaguemates and it will invariably break your concentration when everyone howls at you and you’ve got to go back to Square One on a backup pick. To ensure that you are aware of everything that is going on during your draft, utilize a “grid” to track all teams, with the number of rounds going down the left side and the teams listed in order along the top.

^ Don’t be that guy who approaches the draft like it’s a night of epic decision-making. If you’ve done your homework, it’s not. You merely find out where you’re drafting and you “let the draft come to you.” Trust your draft board, abide by it and don’t overrule your rankings lightly. Weeks of preparation will trump minutes of frantic guessing anytime.

^ Don’t be that guy who has ironclad rules, like the weenies who always say, “I’m going to take running backs with my first two picks.” Really? No matter how picked-over they are? That’s insane. To a certain extent, this goes back to the last point about letting the draft come to you. When everyone else zigs, you zag and you’ll get value with every pick.

By Rick Morris with No comments

Is Shane Mosley The Reason Why Floyd Mayweather Balked At Fighting Manny Pacquiao Again?

When Floyd Mayweather, Jr. announced his return to the ring last May after a 21-month retirement, it was widely expected that the undefeated Mayweather would shake off the rust with 1-2 fights before a highly anticipated showdown with pound-for-pound kingpin Manny Pacquiao.

However, after handily defeating Juan Manuel Marquez and Shane Mosley within the past year, Mayweather has still not agreed to step into the ring with ‘Pac-Man’; even in the face of a deadline recently imposed by Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum.

According to ESPN.com, Arum's deadline of 3AM ET came and went Saturday morning with no response from Floyd Mayweather, Jr. or his representatives about whether he would accept the terms of a deal for a November 13 bout with Manny Pacquiao.

Therefore, Arum will begin negotiating for another fight for his top client, which would most likely be a rematch with Miguel Cotto for the WBA Super Welterweight Championship he won from Yuri Foreman on June 5 or a bout with Antonio Margarito, who remains unlicensed in the United States because of the scandal over his hand wraps before his knockout loss to Shane Mosley last year.

Although Arum did leave open the possibility for a deal to be made, it appears that the boxing public will have to wait at least another year before the ‘Fight of the Century II’ comes to fruition.

And for those looking for a reason why terms for a Mayweather-Pacquiao bout seem impossible to finalize, a likely candidate is the second round of Mayweather’s last fight with ‘Sugar’ Shane Mosley on May 1.

Despite scoring a relatively easy unanimous decision victory, Mayweather was rocked by two solid right hands from Mosley in that second stanza that caused him to hold on for dear life at one point in the round and buckled his knees at another.

Highly regarded for his uncanny ability to avoid being hit, this was the most trouble the 33-year-old Mayweather had been in since his fight with DeMarcus Corley in 2004. Inexplicably though, Mosley miserably failed to follow up on this seminal moment and virtually handed the fight to Mayweather on a silver platter by drastically lowering his punch output the rest of the way.

In Pacquiao though, Mayweather won’t have the luxury of being able to rest on his laurels because the ‘Fighting Pride of the Philippines’ will continue to launch bombs, from all different angles, that are all capable of sending him to the canvas and forever shattering Mayweather’s aura of indestructibility.

With the blood testing issue no longer an obstacle and the richest prizefight in the history of boxing on the table, what other reasons could there be for Mayweather and his camp to avoid Pacquiao like the plague?

In any case, this game of cat-and-mouse between Mayweather and Pacquiao has grown old and tired; and it’s becoming apparent that Mayweather is the mouse who is continuing to shrink before Pacquiao’s lion-like ferociousness.

There is absolutely no doubt that Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is a great fighter, but his greatness is being steadily diminished by his continuing refusal to step into the ring with the one fighter who can define his legacy.

And until he faces Pacquiao, Mayweather’s place among the pantheon of greats in the history of boxing will always be in question.

Click here to read more on boxing at Examiner.com.

By RMM with No comments

Steinbrenner’s Death Presents Opportunity for Self-Promotion by Raiders Owner Al Davis

As reported here, Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis ranked second in a Forbes Magazine poll of the most disliked people in sports. And based on his reaction to the recent death of New York Yankees principal owner and managing partner George Steinbrenner, Davis could own the top spot in 2011.

According to InsideBayArea.com, the Raiders released the following statement from Al Davis regarding the passing of George Steinbrenner:

“He was a friend and a warrior. We not only shared a birthday, but also an unyielding will to win and an unparalleled commitment to excellence.

I judge sports figures based on individual achievement, team achievement and contributions to the game. George was right up there with me at No. 1 — bright, aggressive and, most of all, not afraid.

When the Yankees were going through the lean times in the ’80s and after we beat the Redskins in the Super Bowl in Tampa, George and I would talk and I would pep him up. Later on, he did the same for me when Tampa beat us in the Super Bowl.”

So although effusive in his praise for Steinbrenner, the 81-year-old Davis’ complimentary words were inspired solely in relation to his self-inflated assessment of himself and his importance to the National Football League.

To his credit, Davis was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1992 for his contributions as the Oakland Raiders head coach (1963-1965), the Commissioner of the American Football League (1966) and the Raiders owner/general manager (1966-present).

However, to use the death of “a friend” as an opportunity to shine the spotlight on his own achievements strikes of the arrogance, boldness and brashness that embodies the image of Al Davis as a person and an NFL executive.

And, unfortunately, it appears that unlike Steinbrenner, a fellow July 4 birthday mate (Davis was born on July 4, 1929), Davis will carry this image to his grave.

Guess money can’t buy humility either.

Click here to read the original article on Examiner.com, which includes relevant links and a special video presentation featuring Al Davis and the Oakland Raiders.

By RMM with 1 comment

Send in the Links (7/16/2010)

-> New England Patriots Need Your Help to Find Vince Wilfolk's Super Bowl Ring, Someone Call Zach and Ivy! (Kissing Suzy Kolber)
-> Giant Skateboard? Awesome! Giant Skateboard Crash, Awesomer! (Out of Bounds)
-> Hey!, Aren't You That Chris Berman Guy? (NESW Sports)
-> Five Movie Characters That Should Own Sports Teams (Unathletic)
-> Popularity of World Cup Doubles MLS Fan Base to 16(Real Fake Sports)

Today's Moment of Zen: David Kahn Compares Chris Webber to Darko Milicic with Chris Webber sitting next to him.



(Courtesy of That NBA Lottery Pick)

By Ben Chew with No comments

"Hey, They're No Head-Butting At The Tour De France"

We have finally hit stage eleven of the 2010 Tour De France and the ending was something that Dennis Rodman would approve of.

Mark Renshaw of HTC-Columbia decided to give a little help to his teammate, Mark Cavendish near the finish-line of the eleventh stage.

How you may ask? Renshaw decided to heat-butt Garmin-Transition's lead man, Julian Dean, out of the lead to give Cavendish the eventual stage eleven victory.



Renshaw was ejected from the 2010 Tour De France following this altercation and he commented on his Twitter page that he believed that the ejection was harsh and was dissapointed by the disqualification.

By Ben Chew with No comments

Steve Carell Announces "His Decision" at 2010 ESPY's

Last night was a rather lackluster night in the world of sports, however at least ESPN let us watch an award show dedicated to sports in the ESPY's.

One of the more memorable clips from last night was when Steve Carell and Paul Rudd did a segment parodying Lebron James's "The Decision".



(Courtesy of That NBA Lottery Pick)

By Ben Chew with No comments

Award For Best Floppers – NBA Basketball Players Or World Cup Soccer Players?

While Jeff Bridges and Sandra Bullock won Oscars for best actor and actress in 2010, the Academy has forgotten to include another category for some of the best acting performed in other categories:

The best acting for flopping in sports.

One of the biggest issues in sports has been players trying to lead on an official into making a call that can hinder a game. These calls often require more emphasis by the person who is being fouled in order for the referee to blow his whistle. This concept of over-emphasizing a foul on another player is called flopping and has become a consistent occurrence in many sports.

While flopping is non-existent in most sports because of the inability to emphasize a foul or infraction (such as non-team sports like golf or tennis), there are a few sports where the concept of flopping is a big issue. Although most team sports like football and baseball rarely deal with this issue, the two most notorious sports that have this problem are basketball and soccer.

The 2010 World Cup was a sensational tournament that showcased some of the greatest soccer talent from around the world. Despite its great ratings and high level of skill, the tournament has also been a display of some great acting as players flop to receive calls or to run the clock. Almost every game that has been played has had a player going to the ground with a look of being in agonizing pain in hopes of receiving a free kick, a penalty kick, or for referees to flash yellow or red cards to their opponents.

A big example of flopping for an advantage was in the match-up between USA vs Ghana in the first stage of the knockout round. After Asamoah Gyan kicked in the goal to give Ghana a 2-1 lead in the first overtime, players from the team began “getting hurt” on numerous moments in both overtime periods. Along with the countless times they flopped, they would remain down with a look of agonizing pain for as long as possible so that the clock would continue to run. The end result of the game: Ghana holds on to a 2-1 win over USA. Winning the best acting performance for flopping injuries to advance in the tournament: priceless.

(Click here to watch video content of a Ghana player faking an injury during the Ghana vs USA match)

The award for best flopping isn’t instantly given to the soccer world as the sport with the best acting. The NBA is equally infamous for a number of players who try to use their acting ability to get calls against players as well. Although there are fouls called due to players running over opposing competitors to score, sometimes the whistle for a call is blown because certain players make a dramatic scene. Some players would qualify that as being smart and forcing other players to the bench for foul trouble, but others would deem their actions as a negative portrayal on the sport of basketball.

A number of key players in the NBA are directly affected by others flopping in games. Stars like Dwight Howard and Shaquille O’Neal have had to deal with opposing players acting as if they were hit hard in order to persuade the referees to blow their whistle on them. Both players are two of the biggest and most ferocious players in the game and make it difficult to differentiate if they foul their opponent or if they are acting like they are fouled.

Along with the two biggest targets of flopping in the NBA, Manu Ginobili is usually regarded as one of the most renowned floppers in the league. Throughout his eight year career in the NBA, Ginobili can be seen with his arms flailing in the air and his body flying around from the slightest contact of whoever he is guarding or being guarded by.

In a list of the top 10 all-time floppers created by ESPN writer Thomas Neumann, Ginobili was rated sixth all-time and was the highest rated active player on the list as well.



Although both basketball and soccer have issues with players flopping, both sports still have a strong appeal and competitiveness that keep the sport fair and genuine. They will always have an issue of players pretending to be fouled in order to be rewarded or put the other team at a disadvantage. Acting is just a part of both sports since they first began and will be for many years to come.

Maybe the academy will realize that and create an award for best acting in a sport. If they do, soccer and basketball players will be receiving most of those nominations.

By Norcal JW with No comments