Sports Fan Talks

Kate Upton SI Swimsuit Cover Girl

2012-02-13T21:01:00.000-05:00

19-year-old model Kate Upton is on the cover of the 2012 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue. Upton, 5 feet 10, was born in Michigan but raised in Florida. Her hometown is Melbourne, on the state's east coast. The 2012 magazine cover is her second time appearing in the annual SI issue that's the equivalent of the Super Bowl for models. Last year, when Irina Shayk was on the cover, Upton was chosen as rookie of the year. She wears a tiny red-and-brown, sparkle-covered string bikini, "That was one of the first photos from the first shoot," she said in a telephone interview before the big reveal. "It was my favorite swimsuit, I felt sexy in it but confident." "I have had a great year," she said. "For me, this is groundbreaking." Christie Brinkley and Elle Macpherson are among the now celebrity models who previously had this gig. Upton said, "I am so glad to be in their company."

NBA To Honor Earl Lloyd The First Black

2012-02-11T19:44:00.000-05:00

Earl Lloyd was drafted in the seventh round, was one of three blacks to play in the NBA in 1950. His debut was a couple of days before two other African-Americans who helped integrate the NBA. Chuck Cooper of the Boston Celtics, the first black draftee; and Nat Clifton of the New York Knicks, the first black to sign a league contract. He played well enough to earn a roster spot and break the color barrier in a league that had only three black players in 1950 and now features the highest percentage of African-American athletes in any of the major professional leagues. "Before the game, I was terrified," recalled Lloyd, who scored six points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Capitols in a 78-70 loss to the Rochester Royals on Oct. 31, 1950. "I had a fear of disappointing the people who depended on me. Luckily, letting people down was not a part of my DNA. I'm glad I was part of something that helped pave the way for others." The NBA has increased its number of black players to 78 percent, according to the league's racial and gender report last year. About 83 percent of the players in the league are people of color. Lloyd said some of his favorite players to watch are LeBron James and Dwyane Wade of the Heat. He personally met James a couple years ago, but has yet to meet Wade. "They might be too busy with the game to come and see me," he said with a chuckle. "I've met LeBron before but hopefully if Dwyane slows down for a moment and decides to give me a high five, I'll be sure to return the favor." The 6-foot-5 Lloyd had his best season in 1955, averaging 10.2 points and 7.7 rebounds for Syracuse, which beat Fort Wayne for the NBA title. He and Jim Tucker became the first blacks to play on an NBA championship team. Lloyd played in more than 560 NBA games in the league and became known for his defensive prowess. In eight seasons, he averaged 8.4 points and 6.4 rebounds. "I'm blessed to still have my health," said Lloyd, who also became the Detroit Pistons first black coach in 1971. "I know that there are a lot of people who didn't make it to 61 years of age. So for me to be around this long and still get some recognition." "The league has come a long way," he said. "I'm happy that Chuck, Nat and myself helped pave the way for others." As part of Black History Month, the 83 year old Hall of Famer will be honored for his breakthrough at halftime of the Atlanta Hawks-Miami Heat game on Sunday. The former West Virginia State standout along with six other African-Americans will be recognized at all Hawks home games this month.

Ali Attends Dundee's Funeral

2012-02-10T18:42:00.000-05:00

Muhammad Ali attends Hall of Fame boxing trainer Angelo Dundee's funeral service Friday. The former heavyweight champion entered the Countryside Christian Center through an entrance not visible to the public. He was seated in the front row in front of the casket and a stage lined with flowers, pictures, a painting, and a pair of red boxing gloves sitting on a stool. Ali's wife, Lonnie, spoke on behalf of her husband, who has Parkinson's disease. "He used to call us all the time and say it doesn't cost nothing to be nice. It was like his mantra," she said. "Whenever we saw Angelo there was a smile of his face. He was always a happy guy." "When you think about the beauty of Angelo, when you think about the personalities that he had to coach and train, I actually have to start with Muhammad," Lonnie Ali said. "Muhammad's not an easy person when it comes to boxing because Muhammad thought he knew how to train himself. He had that ego. But Angelo somehow realized that the best way to make Muhammad great was to get out of his way, to let him do his thing. He really didn't have to coach him. He just had to come in and do the little things Angelo was able to do that with each and every one of his fighters." Dundee helped mold Ali into a world champion, and Ali was among several hundred people at the 80-minute service. Best known for being Ali's corner man for most of the former heavyweight champion's career, Dundee was a brilliant motivator who trained 14 other world champions, including Sugar Ray Leonard, George Foreman, Carmen Basilio and Jose Napoles. With the native of south Philadelphia in his corner, Ali became the first to win the heavyweight title three times. Dundee began working with Leonard late in Ali's career and trained him for many of the former welterweight champion's biggest fights, too. Dundee joined Foreman in 1994 to help him become the oldest heavyweight champion at age 45. Dundee's career, which led to his induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1992, spanned six decades. He last got together with Ali for The Greatest's 70th birthday party last month in Louisville, Ky., a visit that Dundee's son said meant a lot to his father.

Oscar Robertson: Heat Need Center

2012-02-09T17:44:00.000-05:00

Robertson says, "I want LeBron to win. It felt like the whole country was against him last year. But I've always said this, To win championships, you need to have a center who can get you 12 points, 10 rebounds,” Robertson told the Miami Herald. “The Heat don't have that." By Robertson’s theory, the Oklahoma City Thunder, which own the NBA’s best record, can’t win the title either, unless Kendrick Perkins finds a solution to his struggles. Perkins' numbers are well off Robertson's 12 and 10 benchmarks, and Michael Jordan won multiple championships without a center having those stats. Robertson also believe the best players of his era would have beaten the 1992 Dream Team, which won gold at the Barcelona Olympics. "If we would have put myself and Jerry (West) in the backcourt, with Wilt (Chamberlain) and Bill (Russell) inside with Elgin Baylor, they never would have beat us,” Robertson said, according to The Herald. “How could they?"

Ricky Williams Hangs Them Up

2012-02-07T15:14:00.001-05:00

Running back Ricky Williams has informed Baltimore Ravens officials he is retiring, according to a league source. Williams broke into the NFL in 1999 with the New Orleans Saints, who took him fifth overall. The Saints traded eight draft picks to the Washington Redskins in order to move up and select Williams in that draft. The Saints sent each of their six picks in the 1999 draft, as well as first- and third-round picks in the 2000 draft, to the Redskins. After four seasons with the Saints, Williams was dealt to Miami in exchange for first- and fourth-round picks in the 2002 draft, as well as a conditional pick that ended up as a first-rounder when Williams ran for more than 1,500 yards in his first season with the Dolphins. Williams led the NFL in 2002 with 1,853 yards rushing with the Dolphins and made the Pro Bowl that season. He was suspended for the entire 2006 season for his fourth failure of the league's substance abuse policy. He retired previously before the 2004 season when facing a four-game suspension for violating the league's drug policy. He returned in 2005. Williams last week said he was in good shape and was excited for next season. "My body feels good and I know I'm going to train hard and so I'm excited about next year," Williams told the team's official site last week. "I've grown a lot, kind of falling into a new role and a new city and a new organization, and I've gotten better. And like everyone else, I feel like I have something to build on for next year." "Thank you all, but this ain't it, I'm gonna do something really special. 'Be you and change the world,' " Williams tweeted Tuesday.

Peyton Manning Speaks Out

2012-01-24T19:44:00.001-05:00

Peyton Manning still wants to play football. In an interview that appeared Tuesday in The Indianapolis Star, “It’s 20 degrees, it’s snowing, the building is absolutely empty except when you see coaches cleaning out their offices,” Manning said. “I guess it’s the reality of the football world, just not something I’ve had to deal with very often. But I’m in there every day, so I have to sit there and see it. Everybody’s being evaluated and I’m no different. It’s not the best environment. “It’s unfortunate because so many of them have been such a big part of so many big wins here, and this is so … sudden,” Manning added. “Their keys didn’t work the next day. There’s no other way to do it? I don’t know. That’s hard to see, all these people leaving. And I may be behind them. Who knows?” Actor Rob Lowe, who wrote Manning was expected to announce his retirement last week. Manning said, “I never thought `Sodapop Curtis’ would announce my retirement,” he said, referring to Lowe’s character in the 1983 movie “The Outsiders.” “I always thought I would be the one to announce it.” New general manger Ryan Grigson inferred the decision about paying Manning a $28 million bonus in March or letting him become a free agent would be made by team owner Jim Irsay. “Whatever happens,” Manning said. “I can’t give you a prediction because Jim (Irsay) and I will sit down at some point and he’ll get a feel for where I am and I’ll get a sense of what direction he wants to go. Right now, I have no idea.” Irsay has repeatedly said he that Manning’s health, not money, will dictate the Colts’ decision, and he didn’t appear to back away from that with his latest Twitter post. “Knowing medical situation last yr. n still paying $26,000,000.00 to #18, I’ve no regrets. It was right thing2do,” Irsay tweeted, explaining he was not upset about it. Manning said he has not met with Irsay to find out the Colts’ thoughts. “That’s going to happen at some point, but we haven’t had that conversation yet because we really don’t need to have that conversation yet,” Manning said.

Prince Fielder Signs With Tigers

2012-01-24T19:06:00.000-05:00

First baseman Prince Fielder and the Detroit Tigers agreed Tuesday on a nine-year, $214 million contract. Detroit boldly stepped up in the Fielder sweepstakes after the recent knee injury to star Victor Martinez. A week ago, the Tigers announced that the designated hitter could miss the entire season after tearing his left ACL during offseason conditioning. The Tigers won their division by 15 games before losing in the AL championship series to Texas. His father, Cecil, became a big league star when he returned to the majors from Japan and hit 51 home runs with Detroit in 1990. With Cabrera and Fielder, Detroit will begin this season with two players under age 30 with at least 200 career homers. According to STATS LLC, that’s happened only once before. The 1961 season, the Milwaukee Braves featured 29-year-old Eddie Matthews (338 homers) and 27-year-old Hank Aaron (219). The slugger hit .299 with 38 home runs and 120 RBIs last season. He is a three-time All-Star and was the MVP of last year’s event in Phoenix. Fielder has averaged 40 homers and 113 RBIs over the past five years. He’s also been among the most durable players in the majors, appearing in at least 157 games in each of the last six seasons. The deal is the fourth $200 million contract in baseball history, following Alex Rodriguez’s $275 million, 10-year contract with the New York Yankees, A-Rod’s $252 million, 10-year deal with Texas and Albert Pujols’ $240 million, 10-year contract last month with the Los Angeles Angels. Fielder’s $23.78 million average salary is behind only A-Rod ($27.5 million), Ryan Howard ($25 million), and Cliff Lee and Pujols ($24 million each). Victor Martinez is in the second year of a $50 million, four-year contract. The Tigers signed ace Justin Verlander to a five-year deal in early 2010, then added Martinez and standout reliever Joaquin Benoit last offseason. The Tigers figure to enter the 2012 season as favorites to repeat in the division—with an eye on winning the franchise’s first World Series since 1984.

Eddie Curry Returns

2012-01-20T13:23:00.001-05:00

In desperate need of help to resume his career, Curry returned to his hometown of Chicago to work with trainer Tim Grover. The Heat became intrigued last March and brought Curry to Miami for a workout, but he still weighed close to 350. After the lockout ended, he signed a one-year, veteran’s minimum deal paying him $1.3 million for this season. Curry on the first day of the Heat's training camp this season, says he's since lost about another 35 pounds. Curry began training camp weighing around 330 pounds. A hip injury delayed his debut even further, but he was able to lose another 35 pounds. Now 29, Curry said he’s in his best shape since he was drafted. “I worked hard this offseason,” Curry said. “I got hurt in training camp, but I guess it was a blessing in disguise because I got to get with the strength-and-conditioning staff and medical staff and really get right. I’m feeling good. This is the lightest I’ve been in a long, long time.” Curry could give the Heat some needed size – provided he can stay in shape and stay on the court. “I just want to see him healthy,” Dwyane Wade said. “He’s a very talented guy. When healthy, there are not many people that can do what he can do. He’s been doing a good job with our staff of working his tail off to give himself a shot to get on the floor. We’re excited about the opportunity.” Curry is focusing only on the future and is confident he can still revive his career. “Afterwards, if everything goes how I want it to go and how we want it to go, maybe I’ll look back and say, ‘Wow, that was pretty crazy,’ ” he said. “Right now I’m looking at it as, I worked my tail off and I deserve to be out there, and I will be out there and make an impact.” Curry had been sidelined for more than two years with weight and conditioning problems that, at their worst, pushed the 6-foot-10 center to close to 400 pounds. He last played on Dec. 17, 2009, until Thursday. “It was humbling, I guess, sitting back not playing, wanting to be there for one reason or another and not being able to be out there,” Curry said recently. “I look at it as a second chance and an opportunity to right this ship.” In Thursday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers, he totaled six points and three rebounds in six minutes.

Terrell Owens In Hell

2012-01-19T10:26:00.002-05:00

In a GQ story by Nancy Hass, Terrell Owens blames the media for not giving him a chance to rehab his injury, blames agent Drew Rosenhaus for not protecting him from a bad business arrangement, and perhaps most surprisingly, blames a former team captain for his issues with former Philadelphia teammate Donovan McNabb. Owens tells GQ Trotter read through an apology written by the team's media relations staff, and arrived at the portion regarding McNabb, who threw for 357 yards, but was picked off three times. Owens claims Trotter ripped off the bottom portion of the page and told Owens he didn't owe McNabb a thing. "This is the team leader we're talking about," Owens tells GQ. "He told me not to do it." Trotter calls Owens' account inaccurate, telling the magazine he was the one insisting Owens apologize. He concedes his only mistake in calling McNabb out was one of timing, admitting "I might not have said or done things at exactly the right moment." "To say I regret anything would be a slap to my grandmother's face," Owens says, referring to the woman who raised him. Described in the GQ piece as a "caged cat" living in a spacious 1,800-square foot Los Angeles apartment, Owens remains on an island. He claims to be broke despite making at least $80 million during his playing days. He says he's never been diagnosed as clinically depressed but he's been "real down." "I don't have no friends, I don't want no friends," Owens says. "That's how I feel." Owens is convinced that it's not his talent that keeps teams from calling, but a reputation cast onto him by the reporters he often held hostage. "I think people change, but the media, they never allowed me to change," Owens says. "They never allowed me to be a better person." When people text him to ask where he is, he replies back, "I'm in hell." You can read the rest of the interview on GQ.com.

Michael Jordan Gives Kobe Nod

2012-01-18T09:54:00.000-05:00

Michael Jordan told author Roland Lazenby that he believes only Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant is deserving of gaining comparisons to him, according to Lazenby’s Twitter-feed. Bryant works harder than everyone else, and he's been good for long enough, that he may eventually top Jordan's longevity. Lazenby, who is currently working on a book about the Chicago Bulls legend, also tweeted that Jordan is Kobe’s ultimate competition and that Jordan enjoys watching Bryant.

Colts Fire Caldwell

2012-01-17T15:16:00.001-05:00

The Indianapolis Colts have fired coach Jim Caldwell. The team announced the decision Tuesday. Caldwell just finished his third and worst season as head coach of the Colts, who suffered a 2-14 finish, without injured quarterback Peyton Manning. The day after the season ended, owner Jim Irsay fired team vice chairman Bill Polian and Polian's son, Chris, Indy's general manager. Caldwell opened his career by winning his first 14 games, the most in NFL history by a rookie head coach, and leading Indianapolis to the Super Bowl. Won an AFC South title in his second season, and is 26-22 in his three seasons.

USA Basketball Candidates

2012-01-16T14:20:00.000-05:00

USA Basketball said on Monday, that LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard are among the 20 players who will compete for selection for the U.S. men’s basketball Olympic team. Eight members of the 2008 gold medal team from Beijing and 10 members of the squad that captured the 2010 world title in Turkey, were also included. The official 12-man roster for the July 27-Aug. 12 Olympics in London will be announced later this year so performance during the current NBA season can be evaluated. Team hopefuls are, LaMarcus Aldridge (Portland), Carmelo Anthony (New York Knicks), Chauncey Billups (Los Angeles Clippers), Chris Bosh (Miami), Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers), Tyson Chandler (New York Knicks), Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City), Rudy Gay (Memphis), Eric Gordon (New Orleans), Blake Griffin (Los Angeles Clippers), Dwight Howard (Orlando), Andre Iguodala (Philadelphia), LeBron James (Miami), Kevin Love (Minnesota), Lamar Odom (Dallas), Chris Paul (Los Angeles Clippers), Derrick Rose (Chicago), Dwyane Wade (Miami), Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City), Deron Williams (New Jersey). Blake Griffin, and LaMarcus Aldridge did not play in either the Beijing Olympics or 2010 world championship.

NFL Records Set or Tied In 2011

2012-01-15T10:52:00.000-05:00

The 2011 NFL season had 32 records set, and had 2 teams setting records.

1. Most points in the Kickoff Game, single team: 42, Green Bay (vs. New Orleans, September 8, 2011)
2. Most points in the Kickoff Game, total: 76, Green Bay (42) and New Orleans (34) — September 8, 2011
3. Longest kick return (tie): 108 yards, Randall Cobb (Green Bay vs. New Orleans — September 8, 2011)
4. Longest field goal (tie): 63 yards, Sebastian Janikowski (Oakland vs. Denver — September 12, 2011)
5. Most combined passing yards in a single game, broken twice: 933, Tom Brady (New England, 517) and Chad Henne (Miami, 416) — September 12, 2011 1,000, Matthew Stafford (Detroit, 520) and Matt Flynn (Green Bay, 480) — January 1, 2012
6. Most yards thrown by a rookie quarterback in his first game: 422, Cam Newton (Carolina vs. Arizona)
7. Most passing yards, rookie, season: 4,051, Cam Newton, Carolina
8. Most yards thrown by a quarterback, first two games of the season, broken twice: 854 yards, Cam Newton (September 18, 2011), Carolina, stands as record for a rookie 940 yards, Tom Brady (September 18, 2011), New England Patriots
9.Most consecutive second-half drives to end in touchdowns: 5, Buffalo (vs. Oakland, September 18, 2011)
10. Largest point margin prior to a successful comeback in consecutive games, modern era, broken twice: 18, Buffalo (18 vs. Oakland, 21 vs. New England) 20, Detroit (20 vs. Minnesota, 24 vs. Dallas)
11. Most field goals of 50 or more yards, single game (tied twice): 3, Sebastian Janikowski, Oakland (54, 55, and 50; vs. Houston, October 9, 2011) 3, Josh Scobee, Jacksonville (54, 54, and 51; vs. Ravens, October 24, 2011)
12. Highest net punting average for a season: 43.99 yards, Andy Lee, San Francisco
13. Longest game-winning punt return touchdown in overtime: 99 yards, Patrick Peterson, Arizona (vs. St. Louis, November 6, 2011)
14. Most punt returns in a season for touchdown (tied): 4, Patrick Peterson, Arizona
15. Most punt return yards by a rookie in a season: 699, Patrick Peterson, Arizona
16. Most field goals in a season: 44, David Akers, San Francisco
17. Most points in a season without a touchdown: 165, kicker David Akers, San Francisco
18. Most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in a season: 14, Cam Newton, Carolina
19. Most passing yards in a season: 5,476, Drew Brees, New Orleans
20. Fewest turnovers in a season (tied): 10, San Francisco
21. Most all purpose yards in a season: 2,696, Darren Sproles, New Orleans
22. Most receiving yards by a tight end in a season, broken twice: 1310, (Jimmy Graham, New Orleans vs. Panthers) 1327, (Rob Gronkowski, New England vs. Bills)
23. Most games, 300+ yards passing, season: 13, Drew Brees, New Orleans
24. Most consecutive 300+ yards passing games: 7, Drew Brees, New Orleans
25. Punt return touchdowns, career: 12, Devin Hester, Chicago
26. Most consecutive games, 100+ passer rating, season: 12, Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay
27. Highest passer rating, season: 122.5, Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay
28. Most field goals of 50 or more yards, season, all teams: 90
29. Highest completion percentage (individual), season: 71.2, Drew Brees, New Orleans
30. Longest pass completion (tied twice): 99, Tom Brady, New England Patriots (vs. Miami, September 12, 2011) 99, Eli Manning, New York Giants (vs. New York Jets, December 24, 2011)
31. Most consecutive games, 2+ touchdown passes (tied): 13, Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay
32. Most times finished first: 23, New York Giants
The 2011 Saints broke many offensive records on January 1, 2012:
1. Most net yardage of offense in a season: 7,474
2. Most net yards passing: 5,347
3. Most completions: 472
4. Highest completion percentage (team) for the season: 71.3
5. Fewest fumbles in a season: 6
6. Most first downs for the season: 416
7. Most passing first downs in a season: 280
8. Most kick-offs resulting in a touchback, season: 62
9. Highest third down conversion percentage: 57.9%
The 2011 Raiders also broke a few records:
1. Most penalties, season: 163
2. Most yards penalized, season: 1,358

Jeff Fisher To Coach Rams

2012-01-13T23:31:00.000-05:00

The Rams landed Jeff Fisher for their vacant head coaching job. The team said Friday it was finalizing a deal to hire the veteran coach who sat out the 2011 season after 17 years in Tennessee. Fisher interviewed twice with the Rams, once in Denver with owner Stan Kroenke and again in St. Louis when he toured facilities and met with quarterback Sam Bradford. Bradford was the No. 1 overall pick in 2010 and is considered a franchise player despite an injury plagued 2011. The Rams have the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft and a favorable salary-cap situation. Fisher gets a team with a recent history of losing. The Rams have totaled just 15 victories the last five seasons under Scott Linehan, interim coach Jim Haslett and Spagnuolo. His years in Tennessee included a Super Bowl appearance against the Rams in 2000, Tennessee fell 1 yard shy of forcing overtime in a 23-16 loss. The Titans won three division titles and made six playoff appearances under Fisher, who stepped down a year ago as the league’s longest-tenured coach, saying he needed a break.

Kobe More Intense Than LeBron

2012-01-13T23:02:00.000-05:00

Lakers coach Mike Brown said Kobe Bryant is far more intense than LeBron James. “There’s just a different feel to the two guys,” Brown said…. “LeBron is a guy who is still learning and still growing, and the reality of it is that being down there with Dwyane Wade has helped him,” Brown said. “They’re different personalities. LeBron, he’s a guy who likes to laugh and joke. He knows obviously there’s a time to be serious, but he’s youthful. “Kobe is not as much. Kobe’s more serious-minded and so on and so forth. But Kobe knows how to have fun in his own way, too.”

Bosh Tells GQ Wade is Closer

2012-01-13T22:42:00.000-05:00

Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh was interviewed by GQ’s Mark Anthony Green: GQ: Quick hypothetical, toes aside: Let’s say the game was tied. 10 seconds left. You had 30 points, LeBron’s got 30, and Wade’s got 30. You got the same amount of rebounds, same amount of assists—having the same great game. Who takes the shot at the end to either win or loose the game. Chris Bosh: [immediately] Dwyane. GQ: Why? Chris Bosh: Because of his success in the past, given what he’s done. He’s a champ. He’s an MVP, and he’s hit a bunch of last-second shots. That’s the time you have to put pride aside a little bit, and do what’s best for the team. He’s quickest, and he’s gonna get a shot off. He relishes those moments. Wade is the worst outside shooter of the “big three,” but he is the fastest, and he does seem to have the most confidence in late-game situations. he has already made a game winning shot this season, while James cost his team the game with a bad foul on Chauncey Billups and some missed free throws at the end of regulation on Wednesday night.

Romeo Crennel KC Head Coach

2012-01-09T19:01:00.000-05:00

The Chiefs announced Monday that Romeo Crennel was the official replacement for the fired Todd Haley, removing the interim tag. Going 2-1 and stunning then-undefeated Green Bay as Kansas City’s interim head coach was more than gratification for Romeo Crennel. “The three games had a lot to do with where we arrived at this decision,” general manager Scott Pioli said. “Some of the things we saw was a great deal of accountability and consistency. There was also a different energy to the football team. A lot of it had to do with those last three games.” He was always considered the front-runner to replace Haley, even though Pioli said he interviewed “more than half a dozen” candidates. The 64-year-old Crennel is often called a “players’ coach”, “I’m not exactly sure what a player’s coach is,” Crennel said. “Sometimes I think players think that a coach who is on their side is a player’s coach, who always rules in favor of them may be a players’ coach. I know that’s not always the case with me. I think that basically, I’m a good guy. And I think this is what players appreciate—players appreciate honesty. Players appreciate you telling them like it is. They don’t always want to hear it. But that’s what they appreciate. I try to tell them what I believe, what I feel and how I think it should be done.” He was fired after four years as head coach in Cleveland with a 24-40 record.

Barry Larkin Hall of Famer

2012-01-09T17:59:00.000-05:00

Barry Larkin was elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame on Monday,and he will be inducted July 22 in Cooperstown along with the late Ron Santo, elected last month by the Veterans Committee. The former Cincinnati Reds shortstop was chosen on 495 of 573 ballots (86 percent) in voting announced by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, well above the necessary 75 percent. Larkin was on the ballot for the third time after falling 75 votes short last year. Playing from 1986-04—all with his hometown Reds—Larkin hit .295 with 198 home runs, 960 RBIs, 2,340 hits and 379 stolen bases. A 12-time All-Star, he won the 1995 NL MVP award, three Gold Gloves and the 1990 World Series. In 1996, he became the first shortstop to have 30 homers and 30 steals in a season. “I am so humbled by the experience and so excited about being the newest member of the Hall of Fame,” Larkin said on a conference call. Larkin got 52 percent when he appeared on the ballot for the first time in 2010. He received the largest single-year percentage increase to gain election since 1948, when pitcher Herb Pennock was elected with 77.7 percent, a year after finishing with 53.4 percent. “That was really surprising. I don’t know how things changed,” Larkin said.

Hank Haney Writes Book About Tiger

2012-01-09T01:47:00.002-05:00

Hank Haney has written a book, "The Big Miss", about the six years he spent as Tiger Woods’ swing coach. “I get asked all the time about Tiger, what it was like to work with him,” Haney said in a telephone interview. “I felt like I had a front row seat to golf history. It just kind of chronicles a little bit of what I went through, what I dealt with, how I coached and the observations I made.” Haney began working with Woods at the Bay Hill Invitational in 2004, and ended a month after the 2010 Masters. Most of the people involved with Woods have signed a nondisclosure agreement. Haney said he signed no such thing—“I didn’t even have a contract,” he said—although he said the book was not intended to “take jabs at anyone.” Haney was asked whether he thought Woods will like it. “If he reads it, I don’t think it will be a book that bothers him. It’s hard to say,” Haney said. “Anybody who reads it will think it’s interesting, very fair and honest, and that’s what I wanted to do. I was on that job for six years. There were 110 days a year I was with him. I stayed at his house for close to 30 days a year. You make a lot of observations.” “The period of time that I dealt with Tiger was much more unique, in terms of having the scandal, Torrey Pines with the broken leg at the U.S. Open, other things, too,” Haney said. “It was a totally different time.” As for the serial adultery, Haney said he didn’t know about it and doesn’t delve into that chapter of Woods’ life in the book, except for his return from the scandal after going nearly five months without competition. “It’s something you can’t NOT talk about it,” Haney said. “My last tournament was the Masters, and that was his first tournament back from the scandal. I didn’t know anything about the girls. That’s not something I could specifically comment on. Everything I comment on is what I observed and the facts I knew. I didn’t know anything about that. “But I did know about how he interacted with me about that, what my observations were and other areas in terms of how I dealt with and the aftermath.” Haney said he knew all along he would be writing a book. Haney said he hasn’t seen the finished product, but “we’re very close.” “It was an incredible opportunity,” Haney said. “We had a great run and I enjoyed it, but a lot of things happened in six years that made it feel a little longer. I had a lot of great observations from being in the position I was in.”

Kobe Sits With Coach Brown

2012-01-03T17:26:00.000-05:00

Bryant, playing with a torn lunotriquetral ligament in his right (shooting) wrist that he suffered during the preseason, started off the season averaging 27.8 points on 48.1 percent shooting through the Lakers' first four games but had difficulty with his accuracy over the weekend. He averaged just 16.5 points on 12-for-46 shooting (26.1 percent) in a back-to-back against the Nuggets that the Lakers split 1-1, and was guarded by Arron Afflalo, who is one of the best in the NBA at guarding the jump shot. Despite these reasons for his poor shooting performances, Lakers coach Mike Brown and Bryant huddled together on the team plane and reviewed the game tape during the flight back to Los Angeles. When asked about this, Kobe stated, "I normally (watch tape on the plane), but watching it with the head coach is different," Bryant said. "I really enjoyed it because you get a chance to digest things, process things, go over things, talk about adjustments in terms or personnel and who to put on what spot on the floor and all that kind of stuff." Coach Brown said he had watched cut-ups of a game tape with LeBron James when he coached the Cleveland Cavaliers, but never watched a full game tape all the way through with his superstar.

Kobe's Wife Files For Divorce

2012-01-02T17:59:00.000-05:00

Vanessa Bryant is filing for divorce, after 10 years of marriage to NBA superstar Kobe Bryant. Vanessa who was often seen in the tunnel, with the couple's two daughters, waiting for Kobe and greeting him always with kisses. While Documents allege "irreconcilable differences," as the reason for the divorce, it is reported in the "celebrity news, " that his infidelity was the cause of the break up. It is also alleged that no prenuptial agreement was ever enforced. The hoop star is worth an estimated $450 million. The strain of the situation has been evident, he seldom smiles as he had in previous years. Unlike Tiger Woods, Kobe can't take the year off. He must play through all of this, compounded with a damaged wrist, turns this shortened NBA season into a long drawn out one. Good Luck to both parties, and especially the girls. In 2003, Bryant was accused of sexual assault after having sex with a hotel employee in Colorado. In September 2004, prosecutors dropped the case after his accuser refused to testify. A civil suit was later filed and settled out of court.

Cam Newton Shatters Stereotype

2011-12-29T16:25:00.000-05:00

Cam Newton has broken a rookie record that no one would have ever believed would be broken by a "black quarterback". After 15 games, Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton has broken Peyton Manning’s National Football League record for the most passing yards in a season with 3,739 yards yards. Cam was heavily stereotyped as being a running quarterback, and his passing ability had been questioned by the "experts". They were right about his ability to run with the ball, for he also set a record in the running game. He broke Steve Grogan's 35-year-old NFL record for rushing touchdowns in a season by a quarterback with 13. Cam also set a rookie record for total touchdowns when he recorded his 30th against the Houston Texans. Newton has thrown 20 TD passes and has 14 rushing touchdowns in his rookie season. Cam is the first rookie to rush for 10 touchdowns and to pass for 10 touchdowns. With his performance this year, Cam has shattered the stereotypes placed on the black quarterback, and has kicked opened the door for others. Robert Griffin III will definitely benefit from Cam's performance, in the up coming NFL draft. NFL teams will no longer hesitate to draft a multi-talented black quarterbacks, and many teams will be trading up to get such talent. Mike Vick opened the door last year with his play, but Cam has kicked the door down.

Tim Tebo vs. Black Quarterback

2011-12-15T13:28:00.000-05:00

Why has Tim Tebo been able to succeed when many similar black quarterbacks have failed? It is not his religious belief, but the fact that defenses have clearly under estimated his athletic ability. Watching him for the first time, against Chicago, made me so bored that I had to turn away. Only to turn back to see the unthinkable happening, Denver gets a late touchdown, Marion Barber makes typical blunder by not running out of bounds, which he did quite a bit in Dallas, late in games. Then, Barber made his late game fumble, something he also did regularly with Dallas. Now, onto the field trots Tebo, and the first thing I notice is that when he runs with the ball, the defense seems to be a half step slow. Then, I noticed that receivers appear to be wide open, and he finally hits them. Then, defensive players start missing tackles, reminding me of the years of the prevent defense. Which is a sure way to prevent a win, and allow a team to comeback. This game reminded me of an throwback football game. Many black quarterbacks have or had better athletic ability than Tebo, but they did not typically win. This is the major difference with Tebo and other similar black quarterbacks. Sure there were some winning black quarterbacks, but they were able to pass the ball. So, from what I saw, it seems that Tebo is more lucky than blessed, and that his luck is sure to run out.

Minorities Caused Baseball's Steroids Use

2011-12-11T09:27:00.000-05:00

On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson made his major league debut, and White Americans realized the natural superior athletic ability of the minority player. Robinson stole 29 bases in 1947, to lead the National League. From 1951 to present, the American League leader in stolen bases has mostly been a minority, and from 1953 to present in the National league. In 1952 Larry Doby, hit 32 home runs to lead the American League. In 1955, Willie Mays hit 51 homers to lead the National League. From 1960-69 the National League home run king was a minority. From 1949-1959 the National league MVP had been a minority, exception 1950 and 1952. Of course, the all time base stealer, and home run king are minorities, pre-steroid era. But with steroids, it is possible for those who lack these physical abilities, to achieve them artificially. Thus, creating a Willie Mays, who had speed and power, in a lab. Thus, a Jose Canseco.

Where Have The Black Caddies Gone?

2011-12-05T19:39:00.001-05:00

In the Jim Crow era between 1876-1965, Black caddies worked most of the country clubs, private and public courses. These venues did not allow African-Americans to have membership and the only way to be involved with the game was to work service-oriented jobs like cooks or caddies. Being a caddie was a common job for African-American men from the late 1800s to 1950s. The work was less physically demanding than jobs like working in a coal mine or picking cotton. And the pay was good. For more than a century, African Americans served as caddies at the nation's leading country clubs, as well as on the PGA circuit. Some were amply rewarded for their caddying services with a share of the lucrative purses from tournament play, and a few even managed to launch careers as professional golfers. Over 20 years ago, 85% of independent caddies were black, and even 10 years ago when they comprised about 15%. Why have the numbers dwindled? Partly because many country clubs contract companies to supply their needs instead of hiring independent caddies, and with the invention of the electric golf cart in the '60s, many country clubs don't have a need to employ caddies. African Americans had to deal with Jim Crow laws, the exclusionary practices of white-dominated country clubs and golf associations, and a torrent of slights and acts of humiliation. Most blacks were relegated to caddie quarters and earned minimum wages for maximum labor. A few gained the status of caddie master--middle management in title only. Others were employed by country clubs in various domestic capacities such as cooking, cleaning, and shining shoes. In fact, under United Golf Association rules that were put in place a century ago, blacks were allowed to carry bags for white golfers but not allowed to join clubs or compete in professional or amateur tournaments. Many blacks who had the desire to compete on a professional basis were forced to hone their skills elsewhere because of institutional racism. These men, however, were more than mere servants or bag toters. They were students of the game. A good caddie could be more important to a player than his favorite club. From the caddie ranks emerged some of the finest golfers the country has ever witnessed. The exploits of such white ex-caddies as Gene Sarazen, Walter Hagen, Sam Snead, Ben Hogan, and Byron Nelson have become legend. Less known are the achievements of black ex-caddies Charlie Sifford, Ted Rhodes, and Lee Elder. In 1896, John Shippen, at the age of 16, became the first African American to play in the U.S. Open. He started out as a caddy at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Long Island, New York. Sifford would not only break barriers as the first black golfer to play on the PGA Tour but the first black golfer to win a series of professional victories, including the Greater Hartford Open in 1967. Called the Jackie Robinson of Golf, he challenged the PGA's "Caucasian only" clause and won more than $1.2 million during his career. In 1975, another former caddie, Elder, would become the first African American to play in the Masters Tournament. Black caddies have also played an integral part in the history of the Masters Tournament. At the Augusta National Golf Club, golf legend Jack Nicklaus won his first Masters in 1972 with the assist of caddie Willie Peterson. And Carl Jackson caddied for the renowned Ben Crenshaw. In fact, before Elder played in the Masters 33 years ago, African American caddies could be found working the course full-time, providing valuable knowledge and assisting the players in their efforts to win the coveted green jacket. Non-Augusta caddies couldn't participate in Masters Tournaments prior to 1983. When officials lifted the ban in 1983, golfers began to bring regular tour caddies to the Masters. That's when black caddies began to disappear. Today, only a few black caddies regularly work the PGA Tour. During the 1980s, there were twice as many black caddies than white. Today, in addition to being replaced by golf carts and not being tapped for big-money tournaments, black caddies have been displaced by outfits like the Professional Tour Caddies Association. caddying has become more prestigious among whites, younger blacks have sharply turned against it, as they have a number of other menial jobs. Arnold Palmer in the early 1970s was one of first to hire college boys as caddies. Within 15 years, it seemed like black caddies were down to one out of 10.