Hugging Harold Reynolds

UFC 100 Preview

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 17:27:00 +0000

Special to HHR from Brook "Heavy Hands" Taylor

If you spent any time in the last week on-line or watching cable television you’ve seen a UFC 100 ad. Or, if you happen to be the purveyor of Sports by Brooks, you did everything in your power to bring down the Pay-Per-View juggernaut, all the while haranguing a Comcast representative to make sure the fights were sure to be broadcast at the residence of one Sour B. Puss because this is the PPV event to end all. As a long time UFC fan, I spent my week watching past fights, debating the importance of skill versus strength and reveling in the notion that a sport that was all but dead 8 years ago has become the most exciting regularly occurring spectacle since MJ left us last week. As UFC 100 approaches, fight fans around the world pontificate on the past, present and future, all the while knowing that the historic card represents significant implications for the hear and now.

Dan Henderson vs. Michael Bisping

Henderson vs. Bisping carries the weight of the most recent Ultimate Fighter reality show and the familiar battle of the U.S. vs. the U.K. Aside from that, the intrigue wears thin. Hendo is a former PRIDE champion and all around American badass with nothing to prove. The UK golden boy, Bisping, comes in riding a 3-fight win streak against questionable middleweight competition. If the Brit can shock the world, he becomes the next lamb sent to the slaughter against middleweight champion Anderson Silva. If Hendo does what most knows he can and out battles the cocky cockney, he simply disappoints the masses of soccer hooligans that have celebrated Bisping’s arrival since he was declared the face of UK MMA. (If you’ve seen the weathered mugs on the UK MMA circuit, then you know it could have been worse.) Look for Henderson to drop his chin and batter the Brit for three rounds, making a statement that American wrestlers that can brawl are still the toughest SOB’s around. Hendo via Unanimous Decision.

Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre vs. Thiago Alves

With all the hype and hysteria focused on the heavyweight match-up, many have overlooked the fact that Georges St. Pierre is facing his 15th top-10 welterweight challenger in 20 career fights. No champion has fought the same level of consistent competition and won. Thiago “The Pitbull” Alves is unquestionably the #1 contender having dismantled Karo Parysian, Matt Hughes and Josh Koscheck en route to earning the title shot. The Pitbull is a massive specimen with a stand up game that rivals fighters at light heavyweight and gave the best wrestlers, judokas and strikers in the division serious fits. GSP always enters the octagon with a customized gameplan and expect Saturday to be no different. Alves’ advantages, his size and power, will work in GSP’s favor as he will nullify them both with at least an entire first round of wrestling dominance. In the second round, Alves will be expecting more of the same, but GSP will look to use his range and out strike the younger challenger just long enough to find his take down and put Alves on his back. Once they are on the ground, GSP will look to punish the Brailian while looking for him to make a mistake and capitalize with a slick submission. Georges St. Pierre via 2nd round submission.

Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir

Finally, WWE phenom Brock Lesnar will enter the cage for the his 5th career fight as a significant favorite against Frank Mir, the former UFC champ. Mir showed markedly improved stand up in his last fight, TKO’ing the seemingly invincible legend Antonio Minataruo Nogueira. Since their first fight in early 2008 in which Mir was able to catch Brock in a slow developing knee bar, Mir has been trying to convince anyone who will listen that he is the more well-rounded and more dynamic fighter. However, the odds makers aren’t buying it and have declared that Lesnar will be too much to handle come Saturday night. Lesnar has had two fights to Mir’s one since their last encounter and in that time, Lesnar spent 3 round dismantling the very experienced Heath Herring (a physical doppelganger to Mir) and also bludgeoned the legend Randy Couture during a 2 round drubbing. The Herring fight showed us that Lesnar can easily handle similarly imposing size and the Couture fight showed us that he can best strategy with raw power. Put those two fights together along with Lesnar’s unrelenting work ethic, and you have a seriously overmatched Mir. Expect Lesnar to come out with a similar game plan to the first fight. Having taken a few good shots during the Couture fight, Lesnar will be confident enough in his stand up to trade with Mir until he can land that huge 4 XL fist right and drop Mir to the mat. If Mir is dazed enough for Lesnar’s liking, he’ll drop down into a dominant ground position and stay there until the former champ is finished. Lesnar via 1st round TKO.

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From The D.C. Bureau: David Cone: Don't Jerk With Sonia

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:04:00 +0000

If you were going before the US Senate for a possible lifetime appointment as a Supreme Court Justice, who better to have on your character witness list other than David Cone?

Here are a couple of things to look for on the day Cone-y shows up.

At what distance will Capitol Hill's notoriously promiscuous interns be restrained from Mr. Cone's presence?

“Last week three other women brought an $8.1 million suit against Mets pitcher David Cone, charging him with various sexual outrages, including masturbating in front of one of them in the Shea Stadium bullpen in 1989. This woman says that as she left the bullpen Cone told her, "You're a big baby. You're not invited to showtime anymore." Cone and his accused teammates deny the allegations. In angry support, 31 Mets players have declared they will no longer speak to the media.” (Time)

Which Senator will ask for a box of autographed baseballs?

“Cone is routinely called a leader of the Yankees. One of his boredom-breaking practical jokes has become legendary: Cone told a clubhouse kid to take a cardboard box to one of Cone's friends on a visiting team and ask the player to autograph the baseballs inside. When the player opened the box, he found not baseballs but a pile of Cone's crap.” (NY Mag)

Does Cone-y know any G-rated Sotomayor Stories?

“Try Darryl Strawberry, who's known Cone since 1987 and played beside him in the hell-raising Mets days, and there's that same playful smirk. "Naw, man," Strawberry says with a rumbling laugh. "Not many of the stories about Coney are G-rated." (NY Mag)

Exclusive:

In an HHR exclusive, this intrepid HHR correspondent approached Judge Sotomayor to get her reaction to Cone's appearance on her witness list "Yeah," she said with a smile and a shrug, "I party."

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Pennsylvania: State of Champions

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 14:40:00 +0000

"It's the first time the trophies have been on display together."

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

Three trophies marking three recent titles won by Pennsylvania teams were on display together, for the first time, today at the Capitol: the tall, silvery Stanley Cup, won by the Penguins last month; the silvery football of the Vince Lombardi trophy, won by the Steelers in February; and the gold-colored Major League Baseball World Series trophy, won by the Philadelphia Phillies in October

UPDATE 11:40 AM

One little problem pointed out by @davelozo: "Gov. Ed Rendell. Not a reliable source."

Does this not count as "together?"

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Cadillac Mescallade: The Superstars Actually Entertaining

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:19:00 +0000

The athlete-celebrity game show - "The Superstars" - airing this summer on Tuesday nights (8pm ET) on ABC got some recent publicity when Terrell Owens was completely dressed down by teammate Joanna Krupa during a failed attempt at the obstacle course. Thanks to some injuries to other participants the duo of Owens-Krupa was given new life and they-- I'm surprised to say-- have been fun to watch. T.O. is easily the best athlete on this program, and Krupa is no slouch in her own right. If you get a chance, please check out T.O.'s run through the obstacle course from last night's show, he completely destroyed it and Jeff Kent in the process.

The other teams are fun to watch as well. Lisa Leslie surprisingly struggled at shooting hoops, while Bode Miller has proved to be a decent athlete off the slopes. Announcer John Saunders can make things a little ridiculous at times as he tries to hype up the mundane moments, but credit Saunders with putting a new spin on how to say MTV Rock N' Jock legend Dan Cortese's name. I think everyone was set with Cor-tease or even Cor-tez for the last twenty years, but Saunders has tipped us off to Cor-tay-zay, giving a whole new sound to the reality TV show veteran.

Other highlights include "Big Shot Bob" Robert Horry from the NBA and Baywatch alum David Charvet. Unfortunately, Kent and his partner Ali Landry were eliminated last night. Landry was a true highlight of the program. But you can judge for yourself. For more info on the teams, check it out here.

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Separated at Birth: Try a Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 21:45:00 +0000

Subbing on PTI today, Dan LeBatard is systematically eating himself into Artie Lange.

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The King of Pop and the Sports Figures He Inspired

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:48:00 +0000

In a few hours, hundreds of thousands of dillusional idol worshipers will descend upon the Staples Center in LA to pay homage to recently deceased pop cultural wackadoo Michael Jackson.

Over the years, several athletes have paid their own respects to King of Pop in their own unique and special ways. Today, we look back at some of those tributes.

Frank Drebbin, Moonwalker

Byron "Beat It" Houston

Bruce "Man in the Mirror" Jenner

Ray "Smooth Criminal" Lewis

Billie Jean King is Not My Lover

Donovan "Thriller" McNabb

"Iron" Mike Jackson

Heee Heeee...Oowww

Play Him Off, Ron Artest...

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Separated at Birth: Sunshine on Martina's Shoulders

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:38:00 +0000

"Let me tell you another funny story, New Jack. Back in '74 the great Charlie Rich was named country musician of the year. Then, in '75 he had to hand the award off to the new winner. And you know who that was? Mr. Sunshine on my GD shoulders, John Denver. Can you believe it? Replaced by John F-N Denver. Well I'll be dammed if Mr. Rich didn't pull out his cigarette lighter right there and light that award on fire in front of everyone."

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Video: Obama Thanks Russians for Giving DC Ovechkin

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 12:41:00 +0000

From Politico:

President Obama addressing the commencement ceremonies at Moscow's New Economic School: "As a resident of Washington, D.C., I continue to benefit from the contributions of Russians — specifically, from Alexander Ovechkin. We're very pleased to have him in Washington, D.C."

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Scrub Receiver Finally Marries Hef's Leftovers

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:06:00 +0000

Determined not to have their first child grow up a bastard, pregnant ex-Girl Next Door Kendra Wilkinson married Eagles wideout Hank "Why Doesn't Andy Throw Him the Fade Route in the Red Zone" Baskett on June 27.

This week's US Weekly has a plethora of official wedding photos, and the lovely couple even graces the cover.

The pair have come a long way since the exhibitionist's September 2008 MySpace denial of their relationship:

yaaaa trick yaaaaaa
Current mood: aroused

hiiiiii just wanna let yall know that i am not engaged! if i was id be very happy though n i wouldnt hide it..hahahahaha!!!!! rumors are sooooooooo fuckin funny. yaa trickk yaaaaaa lololol!! Love is a beautiful thing n i think the world needs more of it. lol..

In the most shocking turn of events, however, video evidence suggests that, despite prior rumors that Kendra's ex Hugh Hefner would be giving away the bride, it appears that "honor" instead went to the Playmate's brother Collin.

All in all it seems the newlyweds are determined to do things the proper, traditional way, and we at HHR wish them all the best in what will no doubt be a long, loving, fulfilling marriage.

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All in the Family

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:05:00 +0000

Lots of schools like to talk about being “a family.” But the athletic department at the University of Oklahoma is taking the family atmosphere to whole new levels.

OU’s front office

Last season, everyone knew about sisters Courtney and Ashley Paris (the daughters of three-time Super Bowl champion Bubba Paris) playing for Coach Sherri Coale and the OU women’s basketball team. But that’s just the start of the family sports connections. Also suiting up for the Lady Sooners were Whitney Hand (daughter of former major league pitcher Rich Hand) Abi Olajuwon (daughter of Basketball Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon) and Carlee Roethlisberger (sister of Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger).

Father/Daughter Day

Photos courtesy New York Times

But the family connection doesn’t end at basketball—in recent weeks, OU has announced two new coaching hires with family sports connections. Ryan Hybl was recently named Oklahoma’s new golf coach. Hybl is the brother of former OU QB Nate Hybl.

Your trivia for the day: Nate Hybl is the only athlete in NCAA history to win two national championships with two different schools in two different sports (1999 golf at Georgia and 2000 football at Oklahoma).

Days later, OU Athletic Director Dave Castiglione announced the hiring of John Roddick, the brother of tennis star Andy Roddick, as OU’s new men’s tennis coach.

So what does all of this mean? Nothing, really. But it gives us a good excuse to post a picture of Coach Roddick’s sister-in-law.

No word yet on Brooklyn Decker’s role with the team.

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Separated at Birth: A Fair and Balanced Moose

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:34:00 +0000

Today I stumbled upon Fox News and temporarily thought Daryl Johnston became a daytime cable news anchor under the stage name "Trace Gallagher." When Gallagher went 20 seconds without mentioning his relationship with Troy Aikman and/or Emmitt Smith, I quickly realized I was mistaken.

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5 reasons MLB should show people running onto the field

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:41:00 +0000

This weekend, while unpacking my life from boxes, I caught the Braves and Sox on TBS.

In the ninth, a fan ran onto the field and the few minutes of hijinx seemed to delight the crowd. Sure it was a real drama (and could have been a momentum) killer for Braves with the Sox down one run with two out but once the dude was caught it was back to baseball business.

During the melee, the announcers reminded us that they "don't show this sort of thing on television."

Well why the Frank White not? I know they claim it will just encourage others fans to attempt it. Bull. Just because I see some drunk make a fool of himself in front of enourmous crowd doesn't mean I'll attempt the same. I'll save my drunk gate crashing for weddings and bat mitzvahs.

MLB should show fans running onto the field. Here is why:

1) The guy usually gets jacked up by security- If I don't see the whole thing go down, I'm assuming the guy runs around like a jackass, finally gets caught by his shirt tale, security grabs his arms and gingerly escorts him off the field. In reality, the fella usually gets his rear-end handed to him, forced to the ground, cuffed, and pulled off the field like a kid at the mall who just knocked over an entire shelf of Yankee Candles. If people see how brutal the guy is treated, it will make even the punchiest drunk think twice.

2) It's free entertainment- This is what drives me nuts; they won't show the jackass running around second base with his pants falling down but they will show fan and player reaction to the whole situation. That is like going to the movies and facing the crowd. It's torture. We are invested in viewing the game just like the fan's in attendance. We should get the whole show. It's also free entertainment for the fans. It's much more enjoyable than those annoying between innings quizes. Oh, that's how many people are in attendance and also paid way to much money to see this overpaid group of hacks. Good to know.

3) Public ridicule- When Joe Drunk gets to work on Monday and coworkers asks "How was your weekend?" he probably won't divulge he was locked in the clink getting grab-assed by a bunch of seedy fellas. If you put the fence jumpers face on TV, his punishment will go way beyond a night on a cot. He could lose his job, an embarassed girlfriend and his dignity. Especially if he gets his ass handed to him by a bunch of rent-a-fuzz.

4) People love drunks- Fail pics. YouTube vids. ESPN roasts. Think of the countless hours of entertainment too much booze brings into our lives. If you told me that a Sunday game between the Pirates and Reds had the possibility of at least three drunken fans storming the field I'd watch from first pitch to final out. It makes a boring game at least tolerable. Add drunk players and the Buckos might finally sell out!

5) To justify announcer's salaries- Honestly, I could go an entire televised game without a peep from the booth but I'd take the TV off mute if these jokers had to do play-by-play of some guy getting chased around the field for five minutes. Most of them mail it in every broadcast anyway. Make them earn their paycheck. I'd love to listen to McCarver say things like "To avoid getting caught, a person must 'run faster' than security. What do I mean by 'run faster'?" Joe Morgan would probably tell a story about a guy rushing the field at a game he wasn't even alive for. Think of the possibilities.

Chris Illuminati is a jackass. Read more of his stuff here.

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The Curious Case of Jay Mariotti: Blogger Bashing Is Bad Journalism

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:35:00 +0000

This debate/story just won't die. And I know, I'm only keeping it on life-support.

Journalists want it both ways. They decry the rise of blogs, criticize the "liberties" taken with truth by bloggers, bemoan the medium's unprofessional nature, and mock its authors while touting their j-school degrees and years cutting their teeth in the newsrooms of no-name papers.

Jay Mariotti, a blogger himself on a big-name platform built into a powerhouse by none other than a blogger, is the latest multi-platform rambler in the vein of the Bissingers and Rosenthals of the world to jump into the blogger vs. journalist war of words, albeit weeks late.

Rather than paraphrase his latest column on the subject, lets take a look at it in its entirty and inject some truths behind his innuendo.

Steroid Guessing Is Bad Journalism
Posted Jun 29, 2009 11:12PM By Jay Mariotti

I am one of the fortunate ones. Twelve months a year, I'm paid to dispense information and opinions on a major Web site read by millions, not to mention a major TV network watched by millions. I don't have to STRRRRRETTTTCCH THE TRUTH or make something up to be noticed as a columnist.

Show of hands by the bloggers out there. Tell the truth. How many exaggerate for the sheer purpose of garnering attention (like, say, a commentator on Around the Horn)? How many of Jay's millions of readers and viewers would lose a wink of sleep if Mariotti were today relieved of his duties at AOL and/or the Four Letter?

But in this changing media sphere, where everybody and his pet tarantula has a blog, many do have to compromise facts and fair play to turn heads and maintain some sort of living. And in the sports end of that sphere, the easiest path is to take liberties with the steroids crisis and randomly drop names of so-called users based on nothing more than unfounded speculation, whim and guesswork.

Rather, it's almost suggested that bloggers take the tact that Jay's counterparts in the industry did between 1998 and 2007: bury your head in the sand. I challenge Mariotti to provide one name "randomly" dropped by bloggers.

For all the fine work done by legitimate journalists who continue to uncover the smut in what inarguably is sport's biggest scandal ever -- T.J. Quinn, Mark Fainaru-Wada and Selena Roberts among them -- the sports writing business is rife with too many reckless idiots who don't hesitate to publish or post a name without the slightest bit of corroboration.

Talk about "name-dropping." Speaking of "reckless idiots," let's look at one of those "legitimate journalists" that Jay praises, Selena Roberts.

Michael David Smith, a highly respected blogger at Mariotti's online home, wrote last year, "Two Years Later, Selena Roberts Still Can't Admit She Was Wrong About Duke Lacross."

Sports columnist Selena Roberts is a gifted writer who usually sounds just the right notes in writing about the way sports intersects with issues like race, class, politics and the law. But she was dead wrong about the Duke lacrosse case. Roberts wrote a terrible column on March 31, 2006 that centered around this 20-word paragraph: "But why is it so hard to gather the facts? Why is any whisper of a detail akin to snitching?"

Roberts' thesis was that the Duke lacrosse players were banding together to protect the rapists in their midst. Of course, as we now know, it wasn't so hard to gather the facts in the Duke lacrosse case -- the facts were right there, out in the open, but a corrupt prosecutor named Mike Nifong (the only person who went to jail for the Duke lacrosse case) was so eager to twist the facts to his own political advantage that he would have sent three innocent men to prison had the attorney general not taken the case out of his hands.

...

But while Roberts got the story wrong in March of 2006, that can be understood -- it was a complex story, one that most members of the media got wrong. What is harder to understand is Roberts' continuing refusal to admit she was wrong, nearly two years after the fact.

Yes, given the staggering bulk of guilty names and relentless flurry of new information, we all wonder to ourselves if every major leaguer who has played since 1995 used steroids. But that doesn't mean anyone has the right, legally or ethically, to start speculating for public consumption just because he has a functioning computer, a miniscule niche in cyberspace or a column in the dying newspaper industry. The methods of dissemination may have changed, but journalistic standards suddenly shouldn't go to hell.

Here lies the main crux of this column and why I feel so angry and perplexed by the whole issue in general. Like Rosenthal and Buzz before him, Mariotti implores bloggers to uphold the journalistic standards he implies they should have. In doing so, Mariotti is alluding to the idea that bloggers are, in fact, journalists and members of the media- these same individuals he taunts as "wreckless idiots" and stretchers of truth.

Let's lay it on the table then. Jay, are you willing to accept and treat members of the new media as your peers, uphold them the same rights, encourage your contacts in leagues, news outlets and with teams to treat them equally and fairly as they would any old-school hack, and only then reserve judgment as to whether or not they meet your industry's self-identified standards?

If you know an athlete who uses steroids, convince us that it's true with corroborated material.

If not, please keep it to yourself.

Again, I ask you to give us an example of a player and or athlete "unfairly" and definitively accused by a blogger.

The irresponsibility began three years ago when blogger Will Leitch wrote on a Web site that he had "80 percent'' faith in a source who said a Kansas City-based strength and conditioning coach was one of the redacted names in the Jason Grimsley report. "Does (the trainer's) name sound familiar?'' Leitch wrote. "If it doesn't, he -- and we assure you, this gives us no pleasure to write this -- has been Albert Pujols' personal trainer since before Pujols was drafted by the Cardinals in the 13th round of the 1999 draft.'' A photo of Pujols was included in the blog item.

Here's the problem: The trainer's name wasn't found anywhere in the report, meaning Leitch smeared the trainer and Pujols in one inaccurate swoop based on an "80 percent'' certainty rate. I think we learn in our 11th-grade journalism class, if not out of the womb, that it's irresponsible to tell a potentially damaging story if you're not entirely certain it's true. Eighty percent may as well be zero percent. The mess was exacerbated by MSNBC's Keith Olbermann, who ran with the story and caused a national feeding frenzy, and not until Pujols threatened legal action did a shamed, humiliated Leitch emerge with a correction titled, "A Deeply Regrettable Wrong,'' apologizing to the trainer in the process.

A reputable Web company would have fired him on the spot. Unfortunately, Leitch worked for a company that enjoyed the attention and allowed him to spew more lies about people. He profited from his fraudulence by writing a book read by a few of his blogging buddies.

Here's the rub. While Leitch is widely praised as the poster boy of the sports blogosphere, he couldn't be a further example of your typical blogger. Rather, Leitch's educational background and career more closely reflect that of yours, Mr. Mariotti. He is YOUR peer, not mine. A former editor at his college paper, he is/was a contributing editor at New York, and a contributor to The New York Times, GQ, Fast Company and Slate, and prior to that book you referenced, had already been twice published. The fact that he is deemed a blogger because he founded Deadspin is akin to you being deemed a blogger because you opine at FanHouse.

What he did was open the door to the Jerod Morrises of the world. A few weeks ago, Morris speculated on his obscure baseball blog that Raul Ibanez, who is enjoying a career season with the Philadelphia Phillies, might be on steroids. In a post headlined, "The Curious Case of Raul Ibanez: Steroid Speculation Perhaps Unfair, but Great Start in 2009 Raising Eyebrows,'' Morris proceeds to do what he suggests himself is unfair and indicts Ibanez. "Any aging hitter who puts up numbers this much better than his career averages is going to immediately generate suspicion that the numbers aren't natural, that perhaps he is under the influence of some sort of performance enhancer ...,'' he wrote. "Maybe the 37-year-old Ibanez trained differently this offseason with the pressure of joining the Phillies' great lineup and is in the best shape he's ever been in. And maybe that training included ... Well, you know where that one was going, but I'd prefer to leave it as unstated speculation."

Unstated? No, Jerod, you left nothing for conjecture.

June 16, 2009, Jay Mariotti at FanHouse:

At least three times, maybe more, I've asked Sammy Sosa if he ever has used steroids. Each time, he testily answered no, once stating that the only performance-enhancing substance he took was a "Flintstone vitamin." He had this goofy, cartoonish way about him that made you want to believe him, even though deep down, as someone who noticed that his head and upper body were swelled disproportionately to human reality, I knew he was as stone-cold guilty as any of them.

Now, at last, the other syringe seems to have fallen. In a development that will shock no one but the lying, denial-ridden Sosa himself, baseball's sixth-leading home run slugger of all-time reportedly is on the list of 104 players who tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug in 2003. Assuming the New York Times report is correct, it means Sosa becomes the latest in a staggeringly prominent line of fallen, cheating, juiced-up heroes who have turned the game's steroids debacle into pro sports' biggest scandal ever.

Pot, meet Kettle.

...Predictably, another blog -- Hugging Harold Reynolds, if you can believe it -- linked the piece to its Twitter feed, and Morris instantly became the hottest potato in the sports blogosphere.

We re-tweeted it because it was well-written, researched and thought-provoking piece on a topic every average fan chats about with his buddies - be it on a fantasy message board or on a sports bar stool.

Quite impressively, Ibanez, whose only sin might have been playing in Seattle-based obscurity for too long, responded with a robust stance of self-defense that rightfully focused on the lack of proof. All Morris had was two-plus months of Ibanez numbers -- .312 batting average, 22 home runs and 59 RBI until he went on the disabled list for a strained left groin -- that obviously trump his career power averages of 23 homers and 95 RBI.

He responded because he was put on the spot by a beat writer looking to fill a page, a beat reporter who (more than anyone else) is responsible for blowing up the story, and, in turn, making the Ibanez ordeal a national controversy.

"I'll come after people who defame or slander me," Ibanez raged to the Philadelphia Inquirer. "It's pathetic and disgusting. There should be some accountability for people who put that out there. Unfortunately, I understand the environment we're in and the events that have led us to this era of speculation. At the same time, you can't just walk down the street and accuse somebody of being a thief because they didn't have a nice car yesterday and they do today. You can't say that guy is a thief." When asked if he has used steroids, Ibanez flatly said no. "You can have my urine, my hair, my blood, my stool -- anything you can test," he said. "I'll give you back every dime I've ever made (if a test is positive). I'll put that up against the jobs of anyone who writes this stuff. Make them accountable. There should be more credibility than some 42-year-old blogger typing in his mother's basement. It demeans everything you've done with one stroke of the pen. Nobody is above the testing policy. We've seen that.

Total over-reaction to a piece he in likelihood hadn't even read at the time. While denouncing unfounded claims (not unlike bloggers categorizing elderly hitters having career years in the steroid era), Ibanez lumps bloggers into one, widely-repeated category of basement-dwelling 40-somethings.

"It's unfair because this should be about how hard work, determination and desire trumps chemicals and shortcuts. That should be the message: desire, character, work ethic. But some guy who doesn't know me -- one idiot -- says something like this. They should be held accountable. It's cowardly.''

While Morris tried (unsuccessfully) to contact his subject, to my knowledge, Ibanez made no effort to directly address his accuser. Rather, he chooses to hide behind the paper and media that "writes this stuff."

Predictably, Morris made a fool of himself during a panel discussion on ESPN's Outside The Lines. Like many bloggers, he came off as someone who hasn't been properly trained to grasp libel law. Of course, the Internet is the Wild, Wild West and doesn't punish abusers for libeling people.

The perception that Morris made a fool of himself solidifies the notion that Mariotti is writing for his counterparts, the league, the players and the teams, and not the fans. While not all feedback on J-Rod's appearance from the blogosphere was positive, the one most pointed at as looking foolish, ill-informed and out-of-touch, was Ken Rosenthal. Has Morris been sued for libel?

Yet. Meanwhile, the real professionals will keep pounding on the amateurs. "Ten years ago there was not a chance that any newspaper or magazine or any other entity would have printed such a thing,'' FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal said on OTL. "It's wrong. It's irresponsible, it's unfair, and it needs to stop."

Over the last 10 years, the publication at which Rosenthal made his bones, The Baltimore Sun, has cut 60% of its staff; and in 1999, Bonds, Sosa, McGuire, Clemens and Palmerio were heralded as national icons.

"It's not fair to make assumptions like that,'' ESPN's Jackie MacMullan said. "It's a shame anyone is questioning (Ibanez) without proof.''

Fine.

"It is unfortunate that we have an Internet circumstance where people can be inflammatory with everything they say,'' co-host Tony Kornheiser said on ESPN's 'Pardon The Interruption.'

WTF is an "Internet circumstance?"

Because the Internet is a gateway to everyone, bloggers have a place in this new media world. I've seen plenty of good ones who apply the principles that will win them credibility for years. I've also seen plenty of bad ones who have no conscience and don't belong anywhere near a keyboard. And the problem involves more than bloggers. Recently, an ancient columnist named Rick Telander suggested in the Chicago Sun-Times that Cubs shortstop Ryan Theriot's early power burst should send up red flags. "Sorry, Ryan Theriot, you're a suspect,'' he opened his column. "Forget Manny Ramirez and Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds and Jason Giambi and Mark McGwire and all the other hulking, accused performance-enhancing drug users. You, sir, all 5-11, 175 pounds of you, are doing devious things.''

Basically, Telander was no different than blogging boy Jerod Morris -- speculating based on numbers, not facts. And if he was being sarcastic, he picked the wrong topic; this one is way too sensitive. My guess is, Telander was trying too hard to get attention in a death-warmed-over newspaper.

"Boy?"

Yeah, we know. You left the Sun Times on your terms. To "compete" and abandon the dying medium.

And what was Jerry Crowe of the Los Angeles Times thinking when he wrote, "Thanks to Ramirez, Alex Rodriguez, Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, etc., fans outside St. Louis must wonder, 'Do we celebrate Albert Pujols or suspect him?' ... Pujols has batted four times with the bases loaded this season and three times has hit grand slams ... In his only other at-bat with the bases loaded, the St. Louis Cardinals slugger delivered a two-run single ... Sadly, it makes you wonder.''

Yes, unfortunately it does. And unfortunately people talk about it. So, unfortunately it's news.

Sure, we wonder. Know how many names have been leaked to me through the years? But as writers, we should not release our wonderment for public consumption unless we have full evidence of wrongdoing, as Roberts had when she broke the Rodriguez steroids story in Sports Illustrated. If Pujols and Ibanez were guilty, we'd probably find out in due time. Until then, I'll pause because we have no solid reason to presume guilt beyond the fact several of their colleagues have been guilty.

Yes or no: Did OJ do it? Did MJ molest kids?

These are desperate times in the media. But desperation should not turn us all into National Enquirer sleazes.

If you are implying that Midwest Sports Fans is sleaze, you too are basing that on nothing more that unfounded opinion.

The first thing a professor ever told me was, "Get the story right.'' That's why I was so angry a few years back when I was framed by the Sun-Times. The agent for Scott Skiles, then coach of the Chicago Bulls, had given our basketball beat writer the financial figures for Skiles' new contract. They slightly differed from the numbers run by the rival Tribune, as supplied by Bulls management. Team owner Jerry Reinsdorf, no fan of mine, ridiculously marched his lawyers into the office and demanded a correction in my column -- even though the numbers had been approved by editors and were supplied to me by an editor. (Reinsdorf actually was mad that I had been criticizing him for being a cheapskate and not signing Skiles earlier.) The paper buckled and ran multiple corrections for my column only -- but not for its own news story that published the same numbers -- which should tell you how corrupt the place was.

Woe is you. You were framed. Should have checked your sources. Trust, but verify. Which begs the question: what is "truth" and what makes you the authority on it.

So it bothers me when a writer just drops a name and doesn't face any repercussions. I'm definitely seeing an erosion in the accuracy game. We're down to, oh, about 80 percent now.

Has Jerod not faced repercussions? Has he not faced public scrutiny? Has he not stood up and acted honestly and respectfully? Has he once pointed blame (like, oh, he was framed)? He has stood by, defended, justified, debated and amended what he wrote. He doesn't hide. Nor does he or did he invite this "attention."

So tell us. What are you, Jay Mariotti? Newspaper hater? Blogger? Journalist? Renaissance man? Be it abandoning the platform which brought you success, or babbling away near-daily on ATH, you come off as one of the very things you accuse bloggers of being - a self-serving, attention seeker.

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Mike Hargrove Gets Paid $1 to Help Teach Liberal BeeJays

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:51:00 +0000

Am I the only one that couldn't help snickering at ESPN's "Where are they now" profile on former MLB skipper Mike Hargrove yesterday?

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Re-capping @jemelehill's Vodka-Induced, Un-Funny, Stereotype-Laden BET Awards Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 12:49:00 +0000

In all likelihood, sports fans, you spent last evening in the same manner as I did - not watching the BET awards.

I was however, lucky enough that plenty of folks on Twitter felt the need to keep a Simmonsian running diary, including ESPN 1st & 10 mainstay Jemele Hill.

Among other things, the show somehow became a tribute to former Phillies/Mariners/Giants/Reds/Indians/Astros/Twins/White Sox reliever Mike Jackson.

I, for one, had no idea he was so popular in the R&B community.

Nor did I have any idea just how out of touch with the BET-watching community I, in essence, am.

Take it away Jemele...

If anyone wants to explain to me what exactly that action is referring to, by all means. Whitlock?

Last night's reunion performance, New Edition's 27th in the last 10 years, surprised and pleased only Jemele Hill. Then again, she remembers fainting when an adolescent Bobby Brown would strip off his shirt and dry hump the stage.

Apparently Jamie Foxx came out looking like this:

Is that Sheila E?

Jemele finds this amusing:

Wow. Jamie Foxx came out with a Beat It jacket. I love this dude.about 13 hours ago from web
Aight, Jamie, if you're going to do the Beat It reincarnation, i'mma need you to stay on beat.about 13 hours ago from web
J Foxx has on some pants so tight I can see his butt cheeks flexinabout 13 hours ago from web
If Jamie moves a bit too quickly, he coming out of those pantsabout 13 hours ago from we
LMAO...Jamie Foxx just said his Michael Jackson pants are giving him a "camel toe." Now that's hysterical.about 13 hours ago from web

Clearly it doesn't take much to amuse Jemele Hill, and clearly Foxx fails to recognize and understand the subtle, yet distinct, differences between "camel toe" and "moose knuckle."

You people in Bristol just don't learn do you?

The real questions are:

Why does BET have an awards show?
Why does Jemele Hill have a career?
Why am I following her Twitter feed?

A larger size uh what exactly?

After marveling over Bron's snug slacks, Hill goes on to Tweet about the following people I've never heard of:

Keri Hilson
Ne-Yo
Neffei
Keke Palmer
XScape

That what she said.

If I followed this recipe but instead did so with Puerto Rican midgets and called in PRMET, I guarantee 2 things: 1. I would be deemed racist and offensive; 2. It would be more entertaining and successful than anything ever produced by BET. Bank it.

It took a fifth of vodka, but there we have it - Jemele's first and only amusing comment.

Jemele Hill, tearing down black stereotypes on Twitter since 2009.

This comment is applicable to:

A. BET's 2009 Awards Show
B. Jemele Hill's Tweetcap
C. This Post
D. All of the Above

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Knicks Grab Hill and Douglas In Draft, Rubio In Sight?

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 17:09:00 +0000

As Stuart Scott stumbled through two rounds of the NBA Draft and one first round pick referenced not the east coast or the west coast but the rarely visited mid-coast of the United States, a flurry of activity went down all throughout the day leading to one of the most anticipated drafts in some time. With the Shaq Daddy moving on to Cleveland and Vince Carter going to Orlando the stage was set for a host of moves during the actual draft. Unfortunatley, there weren't many moves left to be made outside of the usual swapping of rights that dominates most every NBA Draft.

The hometown New York Knicks were disappointed early on when the Golden State Warriors snatched Stephen Curry at the seven pick right as the Knicks were ready to go in the eight spot. When Arizona's Jordan Hill was selected, he was met with a bit of a Bronx Cheer. I think Hill has a chance to be a nice addition and the fans weren't necessarily booing Hill but booing the fact Curry was no longer available. Between the NFL Draft and Jets fans and the NBA Draft and Knicks fans, history tells us whenever the New York crowd is set on one person and that person is no longer available they would boo any man that comes down the pike.

With Hill the Knicks took the "best available player" - which is a nice move since at this point they just want quality guys. Later on they confirmed the trade with the Lakers for the 29th pick of the first round to take Florida State's Toney Douglas. Douglas is not exactly a household name in college hoops but could be a nice pick up. Another interesting move was obtaining Darko Milic for Quentin Richardson from the Memphis Grizzlies. Knicks fans are hoping this isn't the last trade with Memphis (see, Rubio, Ricky) but it's a move that is worth taking a gamble. Both players have expiring contracts after this season and Richardson has been banged up in recent seasons, while Milic, the famous bust of the Lebron/Carmelo draft might work in the Mike D'Antoni system.

Late rumors from Yahoo Sports have mentioned that the Knicks are trying to work a deal for Rubio, a player they highly coveted along with Curry in the first round but were unable to make the moves to get in position to make the picks. That is of course a to be continued.

Other thoughts on the draft...I thought Brandon Jennings might have been a nice gamble pick for the Knicks at the eight spot, but he ended up going to Milwaukee at the ten spot...James Harden seemed to surprise going high as the three pick, but OKC now is starting to build a solid core of young guys...Dick Vitale was vindicated when Tyler Hansbrough cracked the lottery at 13 to the Pacers...Vitale pretty much refuses to acknowledge players that didn't go through the college system which is always fun and makes me wish I recorded the Lebron James draft...BJ Mullens may be this year's Todd Fuller, the very tall white center that doesn't pan out, but stay tuned...Sam Young is fun to watch and could be nice in that mix on Memphis...Danny Green might be a solid bench player on a contending Cleveland team...Patrick Mills from St. Mary's goes very late in the second round, possibly a sign he should have stayed. Mills made a strong name for himself on the Australian National Team at the Beijing Olympics, but perhaps a late season injury hurt his stock...Finally shout out to New Jersey product and St. Anthony's grad Ahmad Nivins going from St. Joe's to the Dallas Mavericks. For anyone that read the Miracle of St. Anthony by Adrian Wojnarowski, Nivin was well chronicled and it's great to see his career continue to advance.

-posted by Cadillac Mescallade

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It's Not Unusual

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:45:00 +0000

In addition to having "tremendous upside" and being very "long," scouting reports indicate that UConn Center Hasheem Thabeet's name roughly tranlates to "Carlton Banks" from Tanzanian-to-English.

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Rubio to Become First Member of Menudo Ever Selected in NBA Draft

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:36:00 +0000

Barring some unforseen event, flashy Point Guard Ricky Rubio, of Puerto Rican boy band Menudo fame, is expected to become the band's first member ever taken in an NBA draft tomorrow in NYC.

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Blake Griffin is Just a Simple Caveman...

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:04:00 +0000

Your NBA draft frightens and confuses him. Because he's a caveman -- that's the way he thinks.

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Nick Jonas Upstages Ray Leonard, Meets with Frank Drebin on Capitol Hill to Discuss Diabeetus

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:50:00 +0000

Nick Jonas Meets with Sgt. Frank Drebin (nee: Lautenberg) today in DC.

Despite being an Olympic gold medalist, multi-time champ and one of the greatest boxers ever, Sugar Ray Leonard can't hold a candle to "teen heartthrob Nick Jonas of The Jonas Brothers pop group" in the eyes of DC's elite.

Leonard, Jonas and others were in DC to testify before a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on federal funding for diabetes research.

From Politico, "VIDEO: Jonas Brother electrifies Capitol Hill":

The place was jam-packed with not just teenage girls hoping to get a peek at their crush, but also the parents of teenagers hoping to bring home a picture of their child's favorite star. So powerful was Jonas' star appeal that the crowd otherwise ignored the others stars also testifying: Mary Tyler Moore and Sugar Ray Leonard.

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Martina Navratilova's Ex-Lover/Wife Calls Tennis Great a Hypocrite on Gay Rights

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:40:00 +0000

As great as Martina Navratilova was on the court, she continues to strike out on the relationship front. For the second time, Navratilova is being dragged to court by a former lover after a failed long-term relationship.

This time, however, wife Toni Layton is calling a spade a spade, nothing that Navratilova, an outspoken champion for gay rights, is hiding behind "Florida's antiquated anti same-sex laws" to prevent Layton from receiving what she feels is her fair due in the breakup.

Marti makes out she's a champion of gay rights and sees herself as an icon for the gay and lesbian community. She has publicly urged people who are gay to 'come out' and stand up for their homosexuality.'

Yet here she is, hiding behind Florida's antiquated anti same-sex laws, trying not to give me a fair deal for those eight years I was there for her at every minute of the day and night.

If I was a man, married or not, I'd be entitled to half of everything that she earned during those years together. But because I'm a woman, it seems, rather conveniently, she believes I'm entitled to next to nothing.

Marti knew that when she decided it was time to get rid of me and move on with her life. And that is why I am having to sue for a breach of our partnership.

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I'm Keith Hernandez

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:35:00 +0000

After garnering underground buzz and doing a tour of the film festival circuit, Rob Perri's short film, "I'm Keith Hernandez," has been released online for free.

From creating a more confident Joaquin Andujar to his influence on the '86 championship Mets to encouraging Don Mattingly's attraction by association, Keith Hernandez's influential mascualinity knew no bounds in the 1980s.

Needless to say, the film's widespread viewership is long overdue.

I'm Keith Hernandez from water&power on Vimeo.

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From The D.C. Bureau: Hunter Mahan Is Gonna Be Late For Work

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 17:29:00 +0000

Thanks to the rain delay at Bethpage, Hunter Mahan had to wear his Sonic Car Hop uniform to the course today. Sources confirm he's headed straight to his other job right after he finishes his round.

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A yearlong swan song in Omaha

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:10:00 +0000

Image: Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

Good friend of HHR, Eric Angevine, heads to Omaha to visit and pay homage to Rosenblatt Stadium, the College World Series' home since 1950, which will be shutting down.

Story here.

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Who's Your Daddy?

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Any ham and egg blogger can put together a list of contraceptionally-challenged athletes in honor of Fathers Day. But how many are honoring the men who have humbly embraced father-inspired nicknames?

Today we salute you, figurative fathers of sport.

Willie "Pops" Stargell
The Father of Stovepipe Baseball Caps

George "Papa Bear" Halas
The Father of the NFC Championship Trophy

Glenn "Pop" Warner
The Father of Derailing American Youth From Playing That Commie Sport Soccer

David "Big Papi" Ortiz
The Father of Esther Rolle Look-A-Likes

James Thomas "Cool Papa" Bell
The Father of White Guilt of Segregated Sports

Papi Chulo
Father of "Believe it or Not I Actually Competed at Wrestlemania"

Scott "Big Poppa Pump" Steiner
The Father of the Steiner Recliner

Dan "Big Daddy" Wilkinson
The Father of Great Wasted Nicknames

Charles "The Godfather" / "Papa Shango" Wright
The Father of the Ho Train

Shaquille "Shaq Daddy" O'Neal
The Father of Ten-Too-Many Self-Given Nicknames

Jason "Big Dady" Keep
Father of Tattoo Shenanigans

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