opstangs all american

Video: LeBron knocks a kid over while throwing one down

2011-07-01T17:35:00.000-07:00

All LeBron James(notes) does in the clip you're about to see is what most of us have done whether we're playing hoops (or, in this case, "21" or "Knockout") against our kids, or those who are on the JV, or those who are a few grades below us, or even those who were in our own age group when we were kids. We all know the game, but at some point, someone's bound to get knocked on their bottom.

Usually, though, that person doesn't get knocked over by LeBron James while playing a game of thunder at a basketball camp. So, big ups, kid; assuming you can get up after taking a hit from LBJ. And thanks for bringing the ha-ha, young man, while LeBron tries to make up for all those missed 3-pointers.

Here's the scene (40 seconds in):

Three Strikes And You’re Out: Dana White Says He Is Done with Nate Marquardt

2011-07-01T17:26:00.000-07:00

The saga now simply known as “Nate-Gate,” surrounding Nate Marquardt’s removal from UFC on Versus 4 and his subsequent firing by UFC president Dana White, has not only cost him a job, but now he’s been black-balled by the organization.

With fans outpouring for Marquardt to get a second chance after he revealed the nature of the hormone replacement therapy that boosted his testosterone to unacceptable levels by athletic commission standards, White took the time to expand on why he will not be back in the UFC again.

He explained that bringing Marquardt back wouldn’t simply be a second chance, it’s more like three strikes and you’re out.

“To me this is his fourth chance; this would be a fourth chance,” White told MMAWeekly.com on Thursday. “He tested positive before, then apparently he was on suspension with New Jersey because his levels were high, then he comes into (Pittsburgh) and he doesn’t pass his medicals. Now you tell me is that fourth chance or is that a second chance? Sounds like a fourth chance to me.”

The previous positive test that White spoke about stems from a UFC fight in 2005 when, after a win over Ivan Salaverry, Marquardt tested positive for nandrolone metabolite, an anabolic steroid.

Marquardt categorically denied the charges, saying that the substance came from an over-the-counter supplement, but was suspended for five months by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

White admits that Marquardt is well liked among fight fans and by everyone inside the UFC, but it doesn’t mask the fact that he did something wrong and he deserved to be punished for it.

“Nate’s a nice guy, he’s a real sweet, nice, humble guy, but the facts are the facts,” said White. “It’s easier to go after a guy like Josh Barnett, you know what I mean? He’s just callous and rude and a dick, so it’s easier when he does it to just go, you know what? (Expletive) Josh Barnett. The difference is Nate’s such a sweet, nice guy with the same results.”

White also points to the timeline for when he was notified about Marquardt’s standing with the commission that led to his eventual firing. The UFC president says that employees within Zuffa who deal with medicals were notified about Marquardt’s situation, but he was never personally involved in the dealings until two days before weigh-ins for the UFC on Versus 4 event.

UFC president Dana White
MMAWeekly.com

“I literally didn’t know that till Thursday, but the people in my organization did. The people who handle the medicals and things like that. I was pretty upset about it when I found out about it on Thursday. If I would have known earlier, I would have made sure it was taken care of differently,” White stated.

Whether the outcry and pleads for Marquardt to be reinstated are loud or soft, White was emphatic in saying that he has fought his last fight in the UFC

UFC broadcaster Joe Rogan to host “Fear Factor” relaunch on NBC

2011-07-01T17:23:00.000-07:00

Joe Rogan is returning to the "Fear Factor" set.

The UFC color commentator, who hosted "Fear Factor" from 2001 to 2006, has signed on for a relaunch of the show, network executives recently announced.

Eight new episodes of the show will be produced beginning next month and are expected to debut on NBC in September.

Additional episodes could be ordered depending on the ratings. NBC decided to do the relaunch after reruns scored surprisingly strong ratings on NBCUniversal's Chiller cable station.

"Fear Factor" is a stunt/dare reality game show that usually featured six to eight contestants on each show. The show initially ran from 2001 to 2006.

A total of 142 episodes were produced during that first run, which was known for mental and physical challenges. But it became most popular (and a bit controversial) for things such as having cast members eat insects and other unsavory fare, as well as sometimes-dangerous, nerve-wracking and stomach-churning stunts.

The format is expected to remain largely the same with the relaunch, but the stunts are expected to be amped up. Additionally, unlike early seasons of the show, contestants will compete in pairs rather than as individuals.

Rogan, 43, also is an actor and standup comedian who first joined the UFC's broadcasting team in 1997 at UFC 12. He's since become one of MMA's most recognizable personalities

Benson up for return to Bengals?

2011-07-01T17:21:00.000-07:00

Free-agent running back Cedric Benson(notes) has surprised a few folks by showing up at player workouts thrown by his former Cincinnati Bengals teammates this offseason and it's sounding like he might be ready to return to the Bengals next season.

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that Benson has seen the team's new playbook and is liking that it has more running plays, something that was downplayed last season. He also told the paper that he feels good about quarterbacks Jordan Palmer(notes) and Andy Dalton(notes): "The quarterbacks have the playbook down comfortable and are calling plays fast," Benson said, the Enquirer reports. "It's good to see them competing and working hard."

Benson sounded most like he was ready to return to the Bengals when he predicted that he would be more vocal this coming season: "I've been very passive the last three years, almost because I've had to," Benson told the paper. "I'm not saying I'm a totally different person or I'd be crazy vocal or anything like that. I would be a little bit more expressive. I work hard and am passionate about it. I want the guys I'm playing with to be the same way."

Titans RB Johnson ready to hold out

2011-07-01T17:16:00.000-07:00

Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson has endured 100 days of an NFL lockout. But once the league and players finally come to an agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement, Johnson is ready to lock himself out.

Last season, the team got him into camp by adding $1.5 million to his $500,000 salary. NFL.com reports that Johnson "is preparing for a much more prolonged holdout if need be and remains committed to joining the game's highest-paid running backs."

Johnson is set to earn $800,000 this season. "Johnson has talked in the past about wanting to join the ranks of those garnering $30 million in guaranteed money, and if the free-agent money begins flying around in a furious manner post-lockout, don't expect his desire to wane," the site reports

Nike re-signs Vick to endorsement deal

2011-07-01T17:04:00.000-07:00

NEW YORK (AP)—Nike re-signed Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick(notes) to an endorsement deal Friday, nearly four years after dropping him amid his legal troubles.

Nike, which signed Vick as a rookie in 2001, terminated his contract in August 2007 after he filed a plea agreement admitting his involvement in a dogfighting ring. Vick spent 21 months in prison

Terms of the deal were not released.

“Michael acknowledges his past mistakes,” Nike said in a statement. “We do not condone those actions, but we support the positive changes he has made to better himself off the field.”

Vick was voted The Associated Press Comeback Player of the Year after missing two seasons and playing sparingly in 2009.

“Michael is committed to working with Nike and wants to utilize his platform as a professional athlete to have a positive impact on our youth,” said Andrew Stroth, the Chicago-based attorney who negotiated the deal for Vick.

Nike and Vick initially renewed their relationship in 2009, when the company announced it had “agreed to supply product” to the quarterback, who was not under contract. Nike has similar agreements with several athletes with whom they don’t have endorsement deals.

Vick signed a one-year contract with the Eagles in March, a few weeks after being designated as the team’s franchise player. He led the Eagles to a 10-6 record and the NFC East title after replacing an injured Kevin Kolb(notes) in Week 1.

Despite missing three games with an injury, Vick re-established himself as one of the most exciting players in the NFL. He set career highs with 3,018 yards passing, 21 touchdown passes, nine touchdowns rushing, a 62.6 completion percentage and a 100.2 passer rating

Cheick Kongo"s knock out of the Year vs Pat Barry

2011-06-27T15:21:00.000-07:00

PITTSBURGH – French striker Cheick Kongo (16-6-2 MMA, 9-4-1 UFC) had not competed in the octagon since an October 2010, but he made a triumphant return on Sunday.

The towering Frenchman returned to action against fellow striker Pat Barry (6-3 MMA, 3-3 UFC) in the main event of UFC on Versus 4, which took place at CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh.

In the night's Versus-televised main event, Kongo survived being hurt by Barry's heavy punches on multiple occasions and shockingly landed a devastating right hand that sent Barry crashing to the canvas. Post-fight, Kongo spoke to MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) about the "Knockout of the Night" performance

"What gave me the ability to come back was maybe the agility stuff," said Kongo, who earned a $50,000 "KO of the Night" award for the first-round stoppage. "Maybe I'm able to receive more shots than (other) people, and that's the difference I have between the others."

After Nate Marquardt failed to gain medical clearance for his scheduled fight with Rick Story, the event needed a new headliner. Kongo, a would-be co-main-event fighter who was promoted to the headlining spot on the eve of the event, seized the opportunity that was given to him.

"That kind of news always makes you excited and scared because you don't want to disappoint the people and the fans," said Kongo, who was seconds away from being on the raw end of a TKO stoppage. "Everything changes. You've got more pressure, and you say, 'OK, it's going to be good, and I'm going to have a good performance tonight, and it's going to be exciting.' So, I'm very happy, very happy."

While Kongo enjoys the highlight-reel victory, it came at a price. After Kongo delivered the vicious uppercut knockout, Barry lay dazed on the mat for a few uncomfortable moments.

The five-year UFC vet admits he doesn't enjoy hurting his opponents. But for him, pleasing the fans with an exciting performance is something to take pride in.

"I feel sorry for Pat," Kongo said. "It's never easy to knock out or hurt people. It's a fight. It's a business for me. It's a sport, and it's a business. I'm going to keep going with my team the best way that I can, and for me, it's a good thing.

"The people are happy, and they enjoyed the fight."

After an eight-month layoff due to back and shoulder injuries, Kongo isn't sure what the remainder of 2011 has in store for him. But he does plan on racking up victories and climbing the ladder in the heavyweight division now that he's returned to full health.

"The thing is just surviving," Kongo said. "This sport is tough – keeping my smile, my teeth, and staying in good shape. We'll see later, but I have no plans about the rest of the future. The thing is just survive, get more wins, and see if I have the chance to fight again. And that's good."

The best-paid Benchwarmers in Sports

2011-06-19T13:32:00.000-07:00

Albert Haynesworth seemed to represent everything sports free agency was about. After starring at the University of Tennessee, the fierce defensive lineman was picked in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft by the local Tennessee Titans. After seven productive seasons, which included All-Pro honors in 2007 and 2008, he had earned the right, at age 28, to cash in big.

The free-spending Washington Redskins obliged, inking Haynesworth to a seven-year, $100 million contract before the 2009 season, a deal that included a $21 million bonus for 2010. But that 2010 season, his second in Washington, is when Haynesworth’s problems really began. He skipped minicamp, clashed with coach Mike Shanahan, who dogged him for being out of shape, and ultimately played in just eight games (starting none), registering just 2.5 quarterback sacks before a suspension in early December ended his season altogether

Disappointment for Redskins fans, and a classic management misstep for the team: dead money. It’s been a problem in sports for the better part of three decades, since the free agency era led to players winning bigger slices of the financial pie. While few would argue with players pocketing their fair share – after all, they are the show – sports free agency has never been about pure pay for performance. Service time counts as much as talent, skewing higher pay toward veterans. An older player often winds up with a lengthy contract that runs past his prime. General managers operate under enormous pressure to show fans they’re willing to spend for a winner. It adds up to many teams taking risks that lead to big money is exchange for not so great play or, worse, little play at all.

The Redskins got hit with $24 million (salary and bonus) in dead money with Haynesworth in 2010, more than any player for any team in sports. Not far behind Haynesworth: Milwaukee Bucks guard Michael Redd ($18.3 million; 10 games), Dallas Mavericks forward Peja Stojakovic ($15 million; under 19 minutes a game for 33 games) and Seattle Mariners outfielder Milton Bradley ($13 million; 28 games before being released in May).

We compiled our dead money list by looking for high-salary players ($3 million and up) who logged minimal playing time in the just-completed (or about to be completed) 2010-11 NFL, NBA and NHL seasons, and the first third of the current 2011 Major League Baseball season. One caveat: we generally cut slack for injured players, concentrating on those whose performance led their coaches to play them sparingly. But perpetually hurt players are fair game: at some point a player needs to show he can stay on the field. Hence we included Indians designated hitter Travis Hafner, who hasn’t had 400 at bats in a season since 2007. Hafner has played in just 32 of 59 games this year while making $13 million.

No league doles out more dead money than the NBA, a salary cap-driven enterprise that leads to teams offering contracts based more on available cap space than on any true rational analysis of a player’s worth. Of the $332 million we found in dead money across the four leagues in 2010-11 (the total from adding up those $3 million and up contracts for players spending the bulk of their time on the bench), $127 million, or 38 percent, comes from the NBA. Unlike, say, Major League Baseball, where GMs often make payroll by sprinkling several low-paid young players on the roster alongside expensive stars, NBA rosters are littered with expensive part timers. Redd and Stojakovic may be understandable – both are onetime stars who have simply slowed down in recent years.

But how to explain $7.3 million for the Nets’ Dan Gadzuric, who’s averaged 15 minutes a game during a nine-year career? There are many like him around the league who didn’t quite make the overall top 10, including Charlotte’s Joel Przybilla (about 18 minutes and two points a game the last two seasons for $7.4 million per) and the Lakers’ Luke Walton (zero starts, nine minutes a game over the past two years; $5.3 million). No wonder David Stern is adamant about changing the system.

The top five:

1. Albert Haynesworth, Washington Redskins
2. Michael Redd, Milwaukee Bucks
3. Peja Stojakovic, Dallas Mavericks
4. Milton Bradley, Seattle Mariners
5. Travis Hafner, Cleveland Indians

BDL Interview: Jason Terry on retired jerseys, ‘elite status’ and Obama vs. Cuban

2011-06-19T13:28:00.000-07:00

Jason Terry(notes) is really, really enjoying being an NBA champion
This should come as no shock to anyone who's followed his 12-year professional career. (If you haven't been, do yourself a favor and check out this great GQ.com guest spot by SLAM Editor-at-Large Lang Whitaker, which offers up 11 things you might not know about the Dallas Mavericks' second scoring option.) JET's always been a talkative, gregarious dude, and he's always seemed to perform best late in games, when the spotlight shines the brightest. His outsized personality has long made him an excellent fit next to the typically reserved, lower-register brilliance of Dirk Nowitzki(notes), as good a complement at the post-game presser as he is in the pick-and-pop.

It also makes him basically the perfect guy for a public relations team to have on-call in the aftermath of a championship. Given the opportunity to fill a sound vacuum, JET will; given the opportunity to fill airtime, blank notebooks and audio recorders of media members eager to hear how the Mavs beat the Miami Heat to win the first NBA championship in franchise history, he will.

He'll gladly talk to just about anyone. Even us.

BDL caught up with JET via telephone on Friday afternoon to get a snapshot of what it's like in the hours and days after reaching the top of the mountain. Despite a scratchy, Tom Waits-y voice, Terry hung with us, talking about the experience of winning and reaching what he called "elite status." We also discussed his decision to auction off his Game 6 kicks for charity, recent rumblings that he wants the Mavericks to retire his number 31 after he hangs 'em up, finding the perfect pick-up opponent for the leader of the free world, and more.

***

Congratulations, Jason — it's been a heck of a few days for you, I'd imagine.

Oh, unbelievable. My voice is one sign of what I'm going through right now, but it's an unreal feeling, man. A tremendous blessing.

Well, you've been puffing on cigars of late, and that can hurt your voice a bit, I understand. You were going pretty good with those around 11 yesterday.

(laughs) No question. Not only the cigars, but all the playing, all the yelling — not only throughout the playoffs [and] the final game, but then yesterday, the parade in front of all those fans … an unreal feeling, man. You definitely feel like a rock star. You can honestly wake up, every day for the rest of your life, and say you are a champion.

At the celebration yesterday, you touched on the Mavericks' past. You said, "Brad Davis, [Rolando] Blackman, move over, there's some new jerseys coming to town," referring to the only two Mavericks to have their numbers retired. Most fans would say Dirk is an obvious choice for that kind of honor, but if I'm somebody who doesn't follow the game that closely, explain to me: Why does Jason Terry belong in that conversation? What have you brought to the Mavericks over the years that you feel puts you in that same kind of category?

Well, first of all, I've bought into the community — you know, I've really embraced Dallas as my own. It really feels like home. The fans, they've taken a liking to me — a genuine care for everything I do, all the hard work, all the energy I put into going out and making it real for them. You know, I'm always available; I'll sign every autograph. So it's more of a tribute to them than for me.

To see my jersey go up there … a guy that has sacrificed so much by coming to Dallas and over the years, all the hard work we put in to try to be champions, and then to be the only point guard to take their team to the Finals in '05-'06, but to finally get there this year and win it? Sixth Man of the Year two years ago — [and] should've been the last three years? (laughs) You know what? I'm very humble, I'm a hungry guy, but sometimes you got to toot your own horn. And if it means telling them, "Move over, Ro, move over, Brad Davis," then that's what you got to do.

Just to follow up on that: You got your jersey retired at Franklin, back in high school. You had a phenomenal career at Arizona, but there have been some issues with having your jersey retired there. What would mean more to you moving forward — the opportunity to be recognized for your college career at Arizona, where you won a national title and earned All-American honors, or in Dallas, with what you've meant to that franchise?

Well, first of all, I've stepped into elite status now as a professional athlete. I've won in high school — a championship, two of 'em. College — the national championship in '97. A gold medal at the Goodwill Games. And now, an NBA championship. So right there in itself, I mean, I don't care what happens; I'm really a champion. College would be great — you know, obviously, my career at Arizona, I love those people — but to do it right here in Dallas, man, it would be phenomenal. Phenomenal.

You've got this charity auction that you're working on — tell me a little bit more about that and how some of our readers might be able to get involved.

Well, you know, two or three weeks ago, my shoe — not my face — was on the cover of Sports Illustrated …

That had to hurt you, by the way, that it was your shoe and not your face. That had to hurt your heart a little bit. Don't lie

I know. But knowing that nobody in the world wears those high socks and nobody else wears the coolest shoe in America, the Reebok Zig Slash … nobody has those ones. Those were custom-made by myself. So I knew it was me, even if everybody else might not have.

But anyway, we wanted to give the fans a piece of history. You know, to be able to do what I did in Game 6 — 27 points in a closeout fashion, to win the world championship — we wanted to make it special for the fans and for the great people in the community. So all the proceeds from the auction will go to the Jason Terry Foundation and you know what, it's just been unbelievable what Reebok has done. They came up with the idea. [Fans] can go to Reebok.com, bid on it and get your piece of Mavericks history from the NBA Finals.

Obviously, it's been a whirlwind few days since Sunday night. You've had a fantastic career and you've been looking forward to the opportunity to grab this brass ring for so long — what's been the most surprising thing about the aftermath of becoming a champion? I'm sure you've thought about it a million different ways, but has anything caught you by surprise over the course of the past week?

The surprise to me is just that the feeling hasn't really set in yet. You know, when I won in college in '97, instantly — right after that game, when you win — the crowd goes crazy, they rush the court and you know right then, at the moment. But we were in Miami. You think everyone will jump up and down, jump on the net, cut the nets down, but it really wasn't like that. So I don't know if it'll be when I meet [President Barack] Obama later on this fall or when I get my ring at the ceremony that the feelings will finally set in.

When you get the opportunity to meet the president, will you be looking to get out on the court with him at any point?

You know what? I'm going to put that on somebody else. I'mma let my teammate handle it. None other than Mark Cuban's gonna challenge the president of the United States to a one-on-one game. He and Mark Cuban at the White House.

That would be very interesting, no doubt about it. There was quite a bit of attention paid to the tattoo that you got of the Larry O'Brien Trophy prior to the season; it became a topic of conversation over the past couple of weeks. As you go through the photos from after Game 6 and during the celebration and parade yesterday, it becomes clear that you've been showing it off quite a bit. Basically, there's been a lot of flexing going on.

Has there been any soreness stemming from the flexing? Have you been doing anything to keep the biceps loose? Heat? Ice?

(laughs) Man, nothing could hurt this arm at this point, with this feeling. You know what? I told 'em before the series — I was blatantly honest. I said, "This thing will hurt worse if I have to take it off than it did putting it on." We knew what was at stake, man, and I loved every moment of it, and again, God is good. There was a reason that I put this thing on in preseason — and it wasn't right before the Finals, this was in preseason — and the reason was my faith in this team
Yahoo Sports

Odd photo starts internet uproar over LeBron’s nonexistent sixth toe

2011-06-12T18:06:00.000-07:00

About two hours before Sunday's Game 6 of the NBA Finals, a photo (pictured above) began to circulate of LeBron James(notes) in the Miami Heat locker room getting himself set to take on the Mavericks before Thursday night's Game 5. James has been at the center of virtually every major NBA news story of the past week, but the uproar over this photo didn't revolve around his pre-game habits. Instead, everyone thought it'd been revealed that LeBron has a sixth toe on his right foot.

To be fair, the photo did suggest that this was the case. It was enough to get J.E. Skeets of The Basketball Jones to post. Andy Hutchins countered with a bit of detective work, all of which proved inconclusive. Thankfully, Matt Moore, in Miami to cover the Finals for CBSSports.com, helped provide some closure by counting LeBron's toes in the flesh and informing everyone that he has five on his right foot.

It appears that the photo in question only showed LeBron's swollen feet, a trick of the light, or a very successful guerrilla marketing tie-in by the NBA and the producers of "X-Men: First Class." Either way, the craziness surrounding this story helped prove that any story involving LeBron James can be blown out of proportion. (For one thing, sixth toes are not that uncommon: NFL great Deion Sanders has one on his left foot.) Earlier Sunday, I suggested that stories about James are becoming more like fodder for supermarket tabloids. I just never thought the most likely publication would be Weekly World News.

After the jump check out a photo that proves the five-toe reality from the 2007 NBA PEnjoy Game 6 between the Mavericks and Heat. It's an exciting moment for the league with tons of fascinating storylines, none of which involve extraneous digitslayoffs (via Skeets at TBJ).

In the Moment: Rampage Jackson

2011-05-31T00:12:00.000-07:00

In the Moment: Rampage Jackson

2011-05-25T19:31:00.000-07:00

CSAC votes 4-1 against Sonnen, indefinite suspension upheld

2011-05-18T22:06:00.000-07:00

In an effort to regain his license to fight, Chael Sonnen testified today in front of the California State Athletic Commission in Los Angeles. He was asked questions about prior testimony in his positive steroid test case from UFC 117 and his recent real estate scam run-in with the feds in Oregon. Sonnen even mentioned the fact that he's been offered a slot on the UFC's reality show "The Ultimate Fighter," and said if even he wasn't licensed the commission is effectively retiring him.

Apparently, he couldn't do a thing to alter the commission's stance. The commission voted 4-1 in favor of keeping his license in suspended status.

With the help of ESPN.com's Josh Gross and MMAjunkie's Steven Marrocco, Cage Potato recapped some of the major moments of the hearing:

- Sonnen did his best to shift blame about his testosterone therapy statements, saying Matt Lindland informed him that he was cleared for TRT in Nevada and California. Sonnen admitted that he never had a conversation with the NSAC's Keith Kizer about it, and never intended to make it sound like he did.

- Kizer testified that he had a conversation with Matt Lindland in 2008 about a therapeutic use exemption, but Sonnen's name wasn't brought up specifically. Kizer pointed out a false statement in a previous declaration from Sonnen, in which he said that the NSAC told him not to declare testosterone injections in his pre-fight medical questionnaire.

- Sonnen became emotional while giving testimony about his fighting career. His eyes welled up as he discussed the opportunities he'd be missing out on if he wasn't re-licensed, including a "once in a lifetime" coaching gig on The Ultimate Fighter, which could lead to a title shot if he beat his rival coach (Michael Bisping). "If I don't get my license today I'm effectively retired," Sonnen said. "That came from the boss, Dana White…I worked for this chance my whole life. I don't want to retire today."
So there's a chance Sonnen could get re-licensed elsewhere outside of California, but that doesn't mean his status would change in Nevada. Why is Nevada important? That's where TUF is taped.

Keith Kizer, the executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, has said repeatedly that Sonnen needs a license to coach on TUF. Sonnen confirmed during the hearing that he was offered a coaching against Michael Bisping on TUF 14. Gross reported that Sonnen needs his license re-established by June 5 to be eligible

Ochocinco’s bull ride not impressive, but action for charity is

2011-05-15T19:38:00.000-07:00

Deja Blu 1, Ochocinco 0.

After accepting a challenge from Sean Gleason, the CEO of the Professional Bull Riders' Association, the loquacious Cincinnati Bengals wideout headed down to Duluth, Ga., for the Lucas Oil Invitational to ride the beast.

Per Gleason's offer, Ochocinco received $10,000 for simply showing up and getting on the 1,500-pound bull. Had he stayed on the bucking bull for eight seconds, Ochocinco would have added a new Ford F150 pickup truck to his home garage. Ochocinco would also have been allowed to rename the bull any way he liked, and was making noises about naming the bull after Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis ("Why not name the bull Marvin Lewis, everything he says about me is #Bull[expletive] anyway," Ocho said on his Twitter account), but alas … it was not to beAlthough, according to a Tweet from Senor Ochocinco, he wound up with the truck anyway. After pledging to give the $10,000 he won to Feed the Children, several sponsors stepped up, including Ford, who will give that F-150 away in an upcoming contest among Ocho's Twitter followers.

"After watching Chad go through the two-day process, the fact that he got on the back of Deja Blu was impressive," Gleason said after the event. "Following such an inspired effort, the PBR and Ford decided to back up his promise to award the truck
"I feel good. It was fun," the unhurt Ochocinco said after he dusted himself off. "I can cross riding a bull off my bucket list. This sport doesn't get enough credit. The guys who do this week in and week out deserve the utmost respect. They should be the highest-paid athletes in sports."

It's a valid point. Dealing with Haloti Hgata is one thing, but Deja Blu might be as unblockable as Ndamukong Suh(notes).

As for Ocho, he's now crossed professional soccer and bullriding off his list. Surely, the Bengals hope the locked-out receiver will try something a bit less dangerous next time he gets the itch to try a new pastime

Hopkins-McNabb feud lingers

2011-05-15T10:32:00.000-07:00

PHILADELPHIA (AP)—NFL player Donovan McNabb’s agent has released a statement that says former middleweight boxing champion Bernard Hopkins’ insinuations about McNabb not being black enough “are dangerous and irresponsible.”

Hopkins says McNabb, the former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback, doesn’t have heart or wasn’t tough like other NFL players because he had a privileged upbringing.

McNabb and his agent Fletcher Smith decided to counterpunch with a statement Thursday.

“It perpetuates a maliciously inaccurate stereotype that insinuates those African-Americans who have access to a wider variety of resources are somehow culturally different than their brethren,” Smith said.

At a workout this week for his upcoming fight, Hopkins took time before a sparring session to rip McNabb. Referencing skin color, Hopkins said McNabb has, “got a suntan, that’s all.”

Hopkins has long claimed McNabb wasn’t the right quarterback to lead the Eagles to a Super Bowl championship because he didn’t have heart. Now, Hopkins says that’s because McNabb was raised in a modest suburb outside of Chicago, and not the gritty south side of the city. Hopkins was raised in a more rough-and-ruthless part of North Philadelphia.

Reached by phone Thursday, Hopkins refused to soften his stance on McNabb.

“Look at professional boxing. I’ve never seen a suburban boxer be successful,” Hopkins said. “There has to be something in the DNA of the person’s experience, of what they overcame, to have that grit; like, I’m going to bite down and let it happen. I just didn’t see that in him.”

Hopkins will fight Jean Pascal for the light heavyweight championship May 21 in Montreal. If the 46-year-old Hopkins wins, he’ll become the oldest boxer to win a world title.

At the end of a nearly 40-minute press session on Tuesday, Hopkins joked that with the Flyers and 76ers out of the playoffs and the Phillies’ season still months from the pennant race, he is Philadelphia’s sports “franchise.”

“With McNabb out of town, I ain’t got to worry about that no more,” Hopkins said.

Hopkins was then asked what he thought about Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, who, like Hopkins, was raised in an impoverished community and spent time in prison. Vick served 18 months in federal prison for running a dogfighting ring. Hopkins started boxing in a Pennsylvania state prison, where he served five years beginning at the age of 17.

Hopkins went on an uninterrupted seven-minute, often factually incorrect, ramble that put down McNabb and praised Vick.

“I can relate, not to what he did, but I can relate to what kind of guy inside he is that McNabb didn’t have,” Hopkins said at a local gym. “That doesn’t make McNabb a bad guy. It goes back to what we always say about upbringing.”

McNabb and his agent had enough. Smith detailed McNabb’s community service, his “impenetrable integrity,” and refused to apologize for how he was raised.

“Donovan’s parents are proud Americans who worked hard to give their sons the best childhood they could provide,” Smith said. “He is unapologetically proud of sacrifices they made for him. Donovan and his brother were raised to be hard-working African-American men who were taught to believe in themselves.”

Machida ends Couture’s career with real-life ‘Karate Kid’ move

2011-04-30T23:40:00.000-07:00

Randy Couture showed some guts taking on a scary fighter in his final MMA tilt. It didn't work out for the 47-year-old legend, but he got to walk out of the Octagon to a huge ovation from the crowd in Toronto and with his head held high. There may never be another fighter like Couture.

Couture took on MMA's great riddle in karate master Lyoto Machida. For six minutes, Machida confused Couture with his movement and counter-striking, then he pulled off an amazing front kick to put the former UFC light heavyweight and heavyweight champion on his back. Couture was out and referee Yves Lavigne jumped on top to save him at 1:05 of the second at UFC 129.

Machida essentially pulled off the crane kick from "The Karate Kid" and, in doing so, knocked out one of Couture's teeth.

"I think I had all my teeth the last time we had this discussion," joked Couture with UFC analyst Joe Rogan. "I felt like I was standing still out there. He's a tremendous athlete

Couture (19-11, 14-8 UFC) confirmed that he is done. He's made a pretty successful transition to acting. He was aHis impact on mixed martial arts is beyond description. After a decorated amateur wrestling career, he decided to transition to MMA when it was still very much an outlaw sport back in 1997. He was 34 at the time. During the growth years, Couture was a winner in and out of the Octagon. Along with winning five titles fights at light heavyweight and heavyweight, he did much of the media work necessary to spread the word about the legitimacy of the sport after it was purchased by Zuffa in 2001.

Machida, nearly overcome by emotion, thanked Couture for the opportunity to fight him.

"It was an honor [to fight him]. It was a dream when I was a child, I would like to fight this guy," Machida said. "He is a hero. This is the hero. Thank you so much."

Machida's amazing boot was the second front-kick knockout in the history of the UFC. The first came less than three months ago at UFC 126 when Machida's teammate Anderson Silva used a similar move to knock out Vitor Belfort.

Machida's kick was a variation of what Silva did. He faked a left kick and leapt into a right kick. Couture never saw it coming. After the fight, Machida thanked both his father and Steven Seagal for teaching him the kick. Silva also thanked the movie star following his fight. Seagal, an 80's and 90's action film star, has been working with some of the fighters from Blackhouse MMA based in Southern California. Many in and out of the game mocked on Seagal for accepting credit following Silva's win, maybe the kidding needs to subside
Randy Couture showed some guts taking on a scary fighter in his final MMA tilt. It didn't work out for the 47-year-old legend, but he got to walk out of the Octagon to a huge ovation from the crowd in Toronto and with his head held high. There may never be another fighter like Couture
cast member in Sylvester Stallone's blockbuster "The Expendables" and is part of the mix when "The Expendables 2" begins filming in September

Saints pick Mark Ingram gets emotional message from jailed dad

2011-04-30T10:09:00.000-07:00

Though Mark Ingram Sr. was watching the NFL draft from a federal prison in Alabama, he and his son, Mark Jr., shared one of the most special moments during Thursday's first round.

After the younger Ingram was selected by the New Orleans Saints with the 28th pick in the draft, he received
Ingram Sr. is in the middle of a seven-year federal sentence for laundering and bank fraud. He had additional time tacked on to his sentence after jumping bail in 2009 to watch his son, then a freshman, play in the Sugar Bowl. Hours before kickoff, Mark Sr. was apprehended in a hotel room and returned to jail. The next year, Ingram Jr. was a national champion and Heisman trophy winner at Alabama.

Related: Draft pundits weigh in on first round's winners/losers

Though the emotions behind the moment could be interpreted as contrived (Kolber was clearly trying to make Ingram Jr. cry; why couldn't the father have written his son an email directly?), the reaction of Ingram Jr. was genuine and affecting. On a night when many of the other players selected celebrated with their fathers, Ingram Jr. could only look at a BlackBerry screen to share it with his.

In 1987, Ingram Sr. was also a first-round draft pick out of Michigan State. He was taken No. 28 by the New York Giants, the same slot where his son would be selected 24 years later

What you need to know from the TUF debut

2011-03-31T14:37:00.000-07:00

"I ain't here to make friends. I ain't here to win new fans. This is strictly business for me."

The first words out of Brock Lesnar's mouth in the debut of the 13th season of "The Ultimate Fighter" were in form of the most cliche of reality TV cliches. This bodes well for the season. Read on for a recap and spoilers from the first episode of ... "The Ultimate Fighter."

Good news of the day: The fighters were pleased to find out that they did not have to win a fight to make it into the house, as was the custom in the past few seasons. What has returned is the wildcard. Less than two minutes into the show, Dana White drops his first f-bomb, saying that the UFC wants guys who are bleepin' fighters.

Instead of the fights, the fighters are put through workouts to show off their skills for Lesnar and Junior dos Santos. Lesnar has his strength and conditioning guru check on the cardio of each fighter, while dos Santos explores the "international language of fight." Dos Santos points out that he is more concerned about the fight style of each competitor, while Lesnar is more concerned about cardio.

Standouts of the day: Brock is most impressed with Len Bentley, while Shamar Bailey and Ryan McGillivray catch Junior's eye.

Ugh, that sucks of the day: Myles Jury, who also stood out, hurt his knee in practice. While he says it's fine, I've been watching this show long enough to realize that this is a bad sign.

Picks of the day: Lesnar and dos Santos head to the office to make their picks, meaning that it won't be like gym class, where each fighter will go and stand with their team. I hope it's more like cheerleading tryouts, where you read from a list that's posted outside the gym. Some cry with happiness, some cry with sadness.

Nah, Dana White just reads the fighters name from a list. Lesnar gets first pick by virtue of a coin toss. In order of how they were picked, the teams are:

Lesnar:
Len Bentley
Charles Rader
Tony Ferguson
Clay Harvison
Myles Jury
Chris Cope
Nordin Asrih

Dos Santos:
Shamar Bailey
Ryan McGillivray
Javier Torres
Ramsey Nijem
Zach Davis
Mick Bowman
Keon Caldwell

Second biggest reality TV show cliche of the day: Let's explore the house and claim rooms! The teams break up by floor, with Lesnar's team upstairs and Team dos Santos downstairs. Somehow, I still have faith that hijinx will ensue.

Saw that coming from a mile away of the day: Myles Jury has a torn ACL, and the doctor won't let him fight. Lesnar is surprisingly supportive. Jury thinks he's going to stay around and learn from the coaches while he heals. Dana White bursts that bubble and sends him home, to be replaced by Chuck O'Neil and his fantastic Boston accent.

Fight pick of the week: Dos Santos gets first fight pick, and he puts his first pick, Shemar Bailey, against Lesnar's last, Nordin Asrih.

Finding religion of the day: In an interesting oddity of matchmaking, both fighters are deeply religious. Bailey is a preacher's son, while Asrih is a German Muslim who adheres to his religion's pillar of praying five times daily. Asrih says that he feels more focused after prayer.

Fight of the Day: Nordin Asrih (Team Lesnar) vs. Shamar Bailey (Team dos Santos)

Round 1: Bailey quickly uses his strength, wrestling. He takes Asrih down and moves to side control. Asrih gets back to his feet for a second, but Bailey brings it right back down. Bailey's wrestling is fantastic, but he seems content to get the pin. It takes him much too long to figure out that it's OK. He can throw punches. Near the end of the round, he lands some big elbows, but for as long as he had control, Bailey should have done much more damage.

Round 2: Asrih starts the round with a kick, slips and falls on the ground. Bailey jumps on top of him, gets full mount and pins Asrih. However, this not being a wrestling match, no one slaps the mat and he has to continue fighting. Asrih shows some flashes when he reverses Bailey and tries for a guillotine. But the round was Bailey's. In the final minute, he gets full mount and throws strikes.

All three judges score it for Bailey, and he says after the fight that his strategy worked because he didn't want to show off everything that he could do in his first bout on the show. In his parting shot to his team, Lesnar says, "Wrestling is powerful in this sport."

Darn straight, Brock. What did you think of the first episode?

UFC In the Moment: Jon Jones - Full Episode

2011-03-27T12:52:00.000-07:00

Updated Top 10 rankings

2011-03-24T15:39:00.001-07:00

Updated Top 10 rankings

Inspired by Jones' win

2011-03-24T15:39:00.000-07:00

Inspired by Jones' win

Dan Henderson To Defend Strikeforce Title…

2011-03-24T15:38:00.001-07:00

Dan Henderson To Defend Strikeforce Title…

UFC Fight Night 24 Facebook stream includes…

2011-03-24T15:38:00.000-07:00

UFC Fight Night 24 Facebook stream includes…

Jones to appear on the ‘Tonight Show’ on Thursday night

2011-03-24T13:59:00.000-07:00

Jon Jones' latest stop on the victory tour is a trip out to Los Angeles and Jay Leno's "Tonight Show." He will appear on the famous late night show on Thursday evening at 11:35 ET/PT to talk about winning the UFC light heavyweight belt. The split in his training camp with former friend and training partner Rashad Evans will likely be discussed.

Jones is far from the first fighter to make it onto Leno's stage. Tito Ortiz, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Chuck Liddell have all appeared on the Leno show. But even putting Jones in that company is impressive. All three men have multiple title defenses, movie roles and magazine covers. Now, Jones will join them down that road of stardom that transcends MMA

UFC 128 Jones vs Rue

2011-03-20T19:30:00.000-07:00