Sportsosphere

Mark Ingram Wins the Heisman Trophy

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST

Alabama's star running Mark Ingram has won the coveted Heisman Trophy. He is the son of former NFL wide receiver Mark Ingram, Sr. You can see Ingram's career stats here. Mark Ingram averaged over 100 yards per game in 2009. Ingram is the first Crimson Tide player to wind the Heisman.

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Bobby Bowden Retiring From Football

Sat, 5 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST

80-year-old Florida State coach Bobby Bowden is retiring. He spent 34 years as the coach of the Seminoles. Bobby Bowden says, "Nothing lasts for ever, does it. But I've had some wonderful years here at Florida State." The Seminoles were only 6-6 this year, which is not a good season for the school that is used to winning.

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Andrew Bailey Named Americal League Rookie of the Year

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST

Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Andrew Bailey was voted the American League Rookie of the Year. Andrew Bailey had 26 saves and an ERA of 1.84 according to his stats. The AP says no other American League rookie pitcher had more than 2 saves. Take a look:

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Yankees Return to the World Series

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 21:00:00 EST

The Yankees beat the Angles 5-2 to return to the World Series. It's been a six year drought for the Yankees of not being in the World Series. For most baseball teams a six year drought would be nothing but for Yankee fans it has probably felt like a long time. Write-ups of game six can be found at the New York Times, Newsday and the Daily Fix.

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2010 Winter Olympics Torch Relay Begins

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST

The 2010 Winter Olympics torch relay began this week with a ceremony at Olympia in Greece. The relay will last 106 days and will eventually end in Vancouver, the host of the 2010 Winter Olympics. It was pretty cool how a parabolic mirror was used to use the Sun's ray to light the torch. Take a look:

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Rush Limbaugh Dropped by Group Seeking Rams Purchase

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 21:00:00 EST

There will be no NFL team for Rush Limbaugh. The AP says the conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh has been dumped by a group that was seeking to buy the St. Louis Rams. St. Louis Blues chairman Dave Checketts says Limbaugh was dropped from the group he heads because he had become a complication. Rush Limbaugh was once briefly a sports ommentator but quit following controversial racial remarks.

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Golf, Rugby Return to the Olympics in 2016

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 17:05:00 EST

NPR reports that golf and rugby will be added as Olympic sports at the 2016 Olympic in Rio de Janeiro. Golf was last an olympic sport in 1904 and Rugby was last played at the olympics in 1924.

Both were reinstated for the 2016 and 2020 games after a vote Friday by the International Olympic Committee.

The vote also was a victory for Jacques Rogge, the IOC president who was re-elected to a final four-year term hours earlier. The 67-year-old Belgian, the president since 2001, was the only candidate.

"Time will show your decision [on the new sports] was very wise," Rogge said.

Each sport received majority support in separate votes after leading athletes and officials from both camps gave presentations, including a taped video message from Woods and other top pros. Woods has indicated he would play in the Olympics if golf were accepted for 2016.

It should be interesting. Both of the very different sports were strongly approved. Tiger Woods says he will golf for a medal in 2016.

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Sweden's Mats Sundin Retires From the NHL

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:00:00 EST

Sweden's Mats Sundin announced Wednesday that he is retiring after the NHL career after a lengthy two decade career. He retires with many accomplishments but no Stanley Cup. He spent his last season with the Vancouver Canucks. You can see his career stats here. Mats Sundin is 38.

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Caroline Wozniacki Ousts Oudin in U.S. Open Quarterfinals

Wed, 9 Sep 2009 18:00:00 EST

Melanie Oudin couldn't make it past the U.S. Open quarterfinals but she shouldn be very happy with her U.S. Open performance since she surprised everyone by beating Elena Dementieva, Maria Sharapova and Nadia Petrova. As SI notes, Oudin's career may just be starting. Oudin said that Wozniacki made her play a lot of defense and hit a lot of balls.

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Brett Favre to Play For Minnesota Vikings

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 21:00:00 EST

Everyone thought it was not going to happen but ESPN reports that Brett Favre has agreed to play a season with the Minnesota Vikings.

"I felt I did everything I possibly could do to get where I need to be," Favre said at his introductory news conference Tuesday. "You're 39, your arm may not feel like it did at 21. But the pieces are in place that you don't have to do that much and I agree with that.

"If they were willing to take that chance, I was, too."

Favre says he doesn't want to look back and say "what if" years from now Favre said, ""I don't know how I'll feel a year from now, five years from now, but I didn't want to say what if."

It should make for a very exciting NFL season.

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Usain Bolts Breaks His Own Record

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 18:00:00 EST

Amazingly fast sprinter Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt has broken his own 100 meter record at the World Championships in Berlin. He ran the 100-meter dash in just 9.58 seconds. Take a look:

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Michael Vick Signs With Eagles

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 18:00:00 EST

Michael Vick will return in an Eagles uniform after serving an 18-month sentence for running a dogfighting ring. It was just a couple weeks ago when Vick was reinistated by the NFL. Vick signed a 1-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles for $1.6 million.

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Sports Illustrated Launches iPhone App

Tue, 4 Aug 2009 21:00:00 EST

TechCrunch reports that Sports Illustrated has partnered with Azuki systems to launch a swimsuit iPhone app. The app is billed as the "World's Sexiest App." It costs $2.99 and can be found here on iTunes. Below is a promotional video about the iPhone app.

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No Brett Farve This Year

Sat, 1 Aug 2009 21:00:00 EST

The Vikings wanted Brett Farve but they won't get him. He won't be playing this eyar. Farve came out of retirement and played for the New York Jets last year and started 8 in 3 but then the Jets lost the last four of five. Perhaps his retirement is permanent this time.

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Bud Selig Considering Lifting Pete Rose's Suspension

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 18:00:00 EST

The New York Daily News reports reports that Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig is considering lifting Pete Rose's lifetime suspension from baseball. If the suspension was lifted than Pete Rose could get in the Hall of Fame. The article also says that Hank Aaron recently said in an interview that he would like to see Pete Rose in the Hall of Fame.

The tip-off that Selig may now be inclined to pardon baseball's all-time hit king was Hank Aaron's seemingly impromptu interview session with a small group of reporters in the lobby of the Otesaga Hotel on Saturday. In declaring for the first time that he would want an asterisk put on the achievements of any steroid cheats elected to the Hall of Fame, Aaron brought up Rose, who, in August of 1989, was given a lifetime ban for gambling on baseball, saying: "I would like to see Pete in. He belongs there."

It is no secret that Selig considers Aaron one of his closest friends and values his opinions over perhaps all others. It was also learned by the Daily News that in a meeting of the Hall of Fame's board of directors at the Otesaga later on Saturday, two of Rose's former teammates on the board, vice chairman Joe Morgan and Frank Robinson, also expressed their hope that Selig would see fit to reinstate Rose.

Pete Rose's lifetime stats can be found here. He had .303 lifetime batting average. His official website is peterose.com. The official Hall of Fame website can be found here.

Photo: PeteRose.com

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Magic Johnson and Kobe Brant Give Michael Jackson Tributes

Tue, 7 Jul 2009 15:43:00 EST

NBA players Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant gave a tribute to Michael Jackson at the Michael Jackson Memorial Service. Magic Johnson says he and Michael Jackson became friends years ago. You can also see clips of performances by Mariah Carey, Usher and Jermaine Jackson. Michael Jackson's daughter Paris also gave an emotional farewell

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Yao Ming's Serious Foot Injury

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:45:00 EST

Houston Rockets star Yao Ming could miss next season because of a foot injury. Hopefully, Ming's injury will not be career-ending as some have suggested. One analyst in this ESPN video clip says the idea that he would be done playing basketball is a little overstated. Take a look:

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Usain Bolt Runs 100 Meters in 9.77 Seconds

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 13:50:00 EST

Sprinter Usain Bolt ran to victory in a 100-meter race in 9.77 seconds in Ostrava, Czech Republic. The AP says a 4.7 mph tail wind helped out Usain Bolt. Obviously, the tail wind would have helped out the other runners too. Usain Bolt holds the 100-meter world record with a 9.69 second sprint.

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Lakers Win Another NBA Title

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:40:00 EST

The Los Angeles Lakers are the NBA Champs. The Lakers went on a 16-0 run in the first half for an easy 99-86 win in Game 5 Sunday night. They defeated Orlando in just five games. It was the 15th title for the L.A. Lakers but the first in seven years.

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Derek Fisher Makes Up For Kobe Bryant's Awful Shooting

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 06:00:00 EST

Derek Fisher hit a pair of clutch three-point shots - one in regulation and another in overtime - to help the L.A. Lakers beat the Orlando Magic in Game 4 for the series. It put L.A. up 3-1 in the series. Fischer's threes made up for Kobe Bryant's miserable shooting performance to win the game. Kobe was awful - he missed 21 of 31 shots. Take a look:

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New York Mets Caught in Swine Flu Scare

Tue, 2 Jun 2009 15:00:00 EST

Newsday reports that swine flu fears have struck the New York Mets. Newsday says Mets players have briefed about exposure to the novel h1n1 virus. An SNY producer the travels with the team has been diagnosed with flu.

With Carlos Beltran kept out of a third straight game because of what the team is calling a stomach virus, and John Maine showing only slight improvement, trainer Ray Ramirez addressed the team before yesterday's game. Ramirez briefed the players on the developments involving the sick producer, who regularly travels on the team's chartered plane, and told them what to look out for. The producer returned to New York Tuesday afternoon.

"It has not been confirmed as swine flu, but it definitely is a case of the flu," assistant general manager John Ricco said. "We've been told it's not a type of illness that's transmitted through the air. It's something more with droplets, shaking hands or sneezing, so we're not too worried.

"The symptoms we've been told have been marked by generally high fever, joint aches, and fatigue. It comes on you rather quickly - not something that comes on in a slow fashion. These symptoms are not consistent at all with what Carlos Beltran and John Maine have at the present time. Our players are being informed that this has happened, and if they are at present with any of the symptoms to let our trainer know."

The New York Times also has an article about the swine flu and the Mets players. Swine flu has killed at least 21 people in the U.S. including five people in New York City. There have been over 10,000 confirmed cases in the U.S. You can find links to swine flu resources here.

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New Orleans Gets 2013 Super Bowl

Tue, 19 May 2009 17:50:00 EST

The Super Bowl will be played in New Orleans in 2013. The League blog reports that Superdome has been repaired. They are ready for another Super Bowl game.

The storm damaged the Superdome and left the future of the New Orleans Saints in doubt. But the Superdome has been repaired, the Saints have stayed and now the city is getting back football's biggest game.

"It's a great day for our community," Saints owner Tom Benson said.

The team recently agreed with the state on a lease to keep the Saints playing at the Superdome through the 2025 season.

New Orleans beat out Miami and Glendale, Arizona for Super Bowl host.

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Former Oklahoma, NBA Star Wayman Tisdale Dies at Age 44

Fri, 15 May 2009 22:00:00 EST

Former Oklahoma star and NBA player Wayman Tisdale has died at age 44 after a two-year fight with cancer. Wayman Tisdale also became an accomplished jazz musician after his NBA career. Wayman Tisdale's NBA stats can be found here. Obits can be found here, here, here and here.

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2009 Sports Webby Award Nominees

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 21:00:00 EST

These sites were nominated for a Webby award in the sports category.

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Boston's Jacoby Ellbsbury Steals Home

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 16:00:00 EST

Boston's Jacoby Ellbsbury managed to steal home in a 4-1 win Sunday over the Yankees. AP Baseball Writer Ben Walker says stealing home is a very rare play that happens only once or twice a season on average.

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Gary Sheffield Joins 500 Home Run Club

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:00:00 EST

New York Mets outfielder Gary Sheffield becomes the 25th player in major league history to hit 500 career home runs. You can see Sheffield's stats here.

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Cleveland State Upsets Wake Forest

Sat, 21 Mar 2009 17:00:00 EST

13th-seeded Cleveland State beat No. 4 seed Wake Forest, 84-69, in a Midwest Regional game Friday night. Wake Forest was held over ten points below its scoring average of 81 points per game by Cleveland State's defense. Most of the cinderalla teams don't make it past the next round after a major upset so we shall see what becomes of Cleveland State. It was the biggest upset of the tournament so far. All of the #1 teams have advanced so far.

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Baseball Cards Become Virtual Worlds

Sat, 28 Feb 2009 21:00:00 EST

It was inevitable that virtual worlds for sports would launch. Through Upper Deck's new sports-themed virtual world at UpperDeckU.com, kids can go online and create their own personalized avatars with league-licensed merchandise. Eventually basecall card virtual worlds and virtual worlds launched by video game companies could collide.

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Athletes and Ballparks Lose Sponsorships

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 18:00:00 EST

Tiger Woods has lost Buick. Other athletes have felt the economic pinch as well as sponsors look to cut costs. The auto companies and financial giants are looking to cut athlete and ballpark sponsorships. Some events have even been canceled because of a lack of sponsors. The article also says player salaries are likely to come down primarily for the players who are not huge stars. Take a look:

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Man Pretends to be Yankee Pitcher Joba Chamberlain

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 15:00:00 EST

A New Jersey man has pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct for pretending he was New York Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain. The man pretended to be the ball player and even signed autographed, chatted with women and scored freebies. He does look a lot like the baseball player. Take a look:

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Why the Cardinals are in the Super Bowl

Sat, 31 Jan 2009 18:00:00 EST

AP Pro Football Writer Barry Wilner discusses the keys to the Cardinals' victory Philadelphia Eagles. Wilner says no one could cover Larry Fitzgerald. Arizona will take a weak 9-7 record into Super Bowl XLIII to face Pittsburgh, which is 12-4. There's a comparison of the teams here on Yahoo.

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Coach Unapologetic For 100-0 Win

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 18:00:00 EST

The coach of a 100-0 win in a high school basketball game was fired. USA Today reports that the winning coach has been criticized for the incredibly lopsided score.

Grimes, who has been criticized for letting the game get so far out of hand, made it clear in the e-mail Sunday to the newspaper that he does not agree with his school's assessment.

"In response to the statement posted on The Covenant School website, I do not agree with the apology or the notion that the Covenant School girls basketball team should feel embarrassed or ashamed," Grimes wrote in the e-mail to USA TODAY. "We played the game as it was meant to be played. My values and my beliefs would not allow me to run up the score on any opponent, and it will not allow me to apologize for a wide-margin victory when my girls played with honor and integrity."

It's an unwritten rule that when you are by a wide margin and will sail to a clear victory you put in the second and third string. It's not illegal or anything but it is considered a little tacky to run up the score. However, if the second and third string come in and play hard and they continue scoring then there isn't much that can be done. You can't tell third stringers they can't play or try to score. It is a competition as well as a game and it lasts until time runs out. If they want to prevent they should just have some rule in high school basketball like where if you get down by 50 points then you automatically lose the game.

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Harlem Globetrotters to Wear Special Jerseys on January 20th

Sat, 17 Jan 2009 18:00:00 EST

The Harlem Globetrotters have announced that each of their players will wear special No. 44 jerseys during their games on Tuesday, Jan. 20, to honor the incoming President-elect (and noted basketball fan) Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States, on his inauguration day in Washington, D.C. The Globetrotters have also made special jerseys and inaugural balls, which are pictured above. Every Globetrotter player will wear the team's iconic red, white and blue jerseys, all bearing the number 44, during the team's tour stops in Reno, Nev., and Terre Haute, Ind., to honor the historic occasion of the first African-American presidency in the nation's history.

"This inauguration marks a landmark moment in our nation's cultural history, and we felt compelled to honor the historic occasion in our own small way," said Globetrotters CEO Kurt Schneider. "As global ambassadors of goodwill for more than eight decades, the Globetrotters have been first-hand witnesses to the power that basketball possesses in its ability to bridge cultures and break down barriers, and the President-elect seems to understand this as much as any Chief Executive this nation has ever had."

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Cristiano Ronaldo: FIFA Player of the Year

Thu, 15 Jan 2009 18:00:00 EST

Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo has become the second Portuguese winner of FIFA's Player of Year award.

"This is not the end," Ronaldo told reporters last night after collecting the award from Brazilian legend Pele at a ceremony in Zurich. "I want to be back next year to win it again. It's my ambition that has brought me here and I will remain ambitious."

The 23-year-old topped a poll of national team coaches and captains, with Argentina forward Lionel Messi coming second. Liverpool's Spanish striker Fernando Torres was third, ahead of last year's Brazilian winner, Kaka of AC Milan. Messi's Barcelona teammate Xavi of Spain was fifth.

Ronaldo is the second Portuguese winner of FIFA's award following Luis Figo in 2001. He was also voted soccer's best player in an October poll of more than 50,000 footballers by FIFPro, the worldwide players union.

Cristiano's career stats can be found here. His Manchester United page is located here.

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Chicago Cubs Sign Bradley

Sat, 10 Jan 2009 18:00:00 EST

The Chicago Cubs have signed Milton Bradley to a 3-year, $30 million deal reports Sports Illustrated. Bradley will give the cubs a switch-hitter which they desperately needed in their batting lineup.

Adding Bradley was one of the top priorities this offseason for the Cubs, who got swept out of the playoffs for the second straight year after a lineup loaded with right-handers struggled against the Los Angeles Dodgers. A switch-hitter, Bradley batted .321 with 22 homers for Texas while leading the American League with a .436 on-base percentage. He made the All-Star team while serving primarily as a designated hitter.

In Chicago, he'll fill the Cubs' need for a left-handed bat in the middle of the order and will be used mostly in right field even though he has played 100 games in the field just once -- in 2004 with the Dodgers. The Cubs will likely spell him with Kosuke Fukudome, who also will platoon with Reed Johnson in center. Fukudome was in right field last season.

You can see Bradley's stats here and here. See also Tribune Hard Ball and this article which has Bradley's own thoughts about playing for the Cubs.

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Cristiano Ronaldo Wrecks Ferrari

Fri, 9 Jan 2009 15:00:00 EST

Young soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo recently crashed and wrecked his Ferrari. Ronaldo is okay and he passed a breathalizer. Ronaldo has several other sports car so it isn't a big set back for the star and he was lucky to escape unhurt.

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Detroit Lions Fail to Win a Game

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 21:00:00 EST

The Detroit Lions are the worst NFL team ever. They finished the season 0-16 with a loss on Sunday to the Green Bay Sunday, 31-21. This was an incredibly awful season for the Lions to say the very least.

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John Tavares's Puck-Juggling Goal

Sun, 28 Dec 2008 15:00:00 EST

John Tavares's managed to juggle the puck and get it into the goal during Canada's exhibition game against Slovakia. Sportsnet.ca has a quote from Tavares about his puck-juggling score.

"I was just trying to put the puck in the net and I felt that was the right thing to do," Tavares said. "I had some hand-eye co-ordination and put it in."

(via Yahoo Sports)

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MMA Fighter Justin Levens and Wife Found Dead

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 18:00:00 EST

Mixed martial arts fighter Justin Levens and his wife were found shot to death in a Laguna Niguel, California condominium. The AP reports below that authorities say it was possibly a murder-suicide. ABC News also here cites police as saying Levens was probably the shooter. Levens was known as the Executioner in the arena of mixed-martial arts.

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Oklahoma's Sam Bradford Wins Heisman

Sun, 14 Dec 2008 18:40:00 EST

6'4", 218-pound Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford has become the second sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy and the fifth player from Oklahoma. Bradford's stats can be found here on ESPN. See Heisman.com for Heisman Tropy history.

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Greg Maddux Retires From Baseball

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 18:00:00 EST

Greg Maddux finished with the Dodgers but had his most memorable seasons with the Atlanta Braves and first started his career as a Chicago Cub. Maddux recorded 355 wins in his terrific pitching career. Maddux was also a Four-time Cy Young Award winner. He's a lock to enter the Hall of Fame. You can see his career stats here.

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Sean Avery Suspended Over Elisha Cuthbert Comments

Wed, 3 Dec 2008 14:00:00 EST

Sean Avery, who plays for the Dallas Stars, has been suspended indefinitely for referring to his ex, Elisha Cuthbert, as "sloppy seconds." Elisha Cuthbert is now dating a hockey player who plays for a rival team, the Calgary Flames. Us Magazine says the Dallas Stars owner supports the NHL's decision.

"I completely support the league's decision to suspend Sean Avery," Stars owner Tom Hicks said in a statement. "Had the league not have suspended him, the Dallas Stars would have. This organization will not tolerate such behavior, especially from a member of our hockey team. We hold our team to a higher standard and will continue to do so."

Avery signed a four-year, $15.5 million deal with the Stars last summer. He previously played for the New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings and Detroit Red Wings before that.

Below is the video where Avery said the line he likely now regrets in a practice session ahead of a game against Calgary - the team Cuthbert's new boyfriend plays for. His exact words were, "I just want to comment on how it's become like a common thing in the NHL for guys to fall in love with my sloppy seconds. I don't know what that's about. Enjoy the game tonight." (via TMZ)

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Lebron James to the Knicks in 2010?

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 18:00:00 EST

Will Lebron James join the New York Knicks? The Post's Marc Berman says the Knicks are going to have to win in order to be able to sign James in 2010. A couple articles on the idea here and here. Cleveland is also going to be tempting Lebron James to by surrounding him with talent.

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Michael Jordan Versus CEO John Rogers

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 18:00:00 EST

In this video clip Ariel Investments CEO and Chairman John Rogers takes on basketball legend Michael Jordan in a game of one-on-one. It's too bad we don't get to watch Jordan on the NBA court anymore.

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Charles Barkley Talks Best NBA Players

Mon, 3 Nov 2008 18:00:00 EST

MarketWatch's Jon Friedman talks basketball with Charles Barkley. Some of the current players Barkley likes include Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan. Barkley also says Kevin McHale is the best player he's ever played against. You can see McHale's stats here. The teams Barkley likes for the championship this year are the Boston Celtics and the L.A. Lakers. He says San Antonio is too old.

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LFL Tryouts Begin in Seattle

Wed, 8 Oct 2008 18:00:00 EST

Yes, there really is a LFL or Lingerie Football League. What started out as a Super Bowl halftime gimmick is expanding into 10 teams. The CNN clip below shows try-outs for the Lingerie Football League begin in Seattle. Seattle's team will be called "The Mist."

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Cowboys Endzone and Harlem Globetrotters in Neiman Marcus Christmas Book

Tue, 7 Oct 2008 16:40:00 EST

Neiman Marcus is offering to put an entire Dallas Cowboys endzone in your yard for $500,000 in its annual Christmas Book.

You can put 530 square yards of sporting history into your own backyard: An entire Cowboys Texas Stadium end zone. Our exclusive package also includes the VIP treatment for the last regular season Cowboys game in Texas Stadium. Your crew gets pre-game photos in your zone with Jerry Jones, a luxury suite for the game, a once-in-a-lifetime post-game tailgate party (with the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders) on your soon-to-be new backyard, autographed memorabilia from Cowboys legends, and a VIP package to attend the opening of the new stadium in 2009. The Jerry Jones family and Cowboys organization will generously donate the entire purchase price to The Salvation Army. A limited edition of 380 framed 26" x 36" collages with a touchable section of end zone is also available.

They are also offering a chance to play with the Harlem Globetrotters joining stars like Scooter Christensen and Special K Daley on court. The exclusive gift package includes a personalized official uniform, guaranteed playing time in a U.S. 2008-09 season game, introduction as a special guest, and insider access to the team. That package retails for $110,000.

You can read more about the luxurious goodies in this year's Christmas Book here on ShoppingBlog.com.

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Seth Petruzelli Defeats Kimbo Slice

Mon, 6 Oct 2008 15:00:00 EST

ESPN reports on how Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson wound up losing an EliteXC fight to relatively unknown Seth Petruzelli. Petruzelli filled in for Ken Shamrock who was deemed unfit to fight at the last minute because of a cut above his left eye.

Minutes before the doors opened and fans started pouring into the arena, Slice's original opponent, Ken Shamrock, was deemed unfit to fight. He sustained a nasty cut above his left eye during a practice session earlier in the day.

To his credit, Shamrock wanted the fight with Slice to go on. The two had sparred verbally for days and were eager to settle their differences. A shoving incident during the weigh-in served to intensify the situation.

But Florida State Athletic Commission officials refused to let Shamrock step in the cage. This sent ProElite representatives scrambling to save the card and, essentially, their league.

ProElite quickly turned to Petruzelli, who was scheduled to face Aaron Rosa in a non-televised light heavyweight bout. Petruzelli had fought as a heavyweight in the past and immediately seized the opportunity.

The KO happened nearly right after the match started as Kimbo was overwhelmed by his opponent. Here's a video from YouTube. There's also a video with the ESPN story. A few more stories here, here, here, here and here.

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Upper Deck Vice President Sports Cards 2008

Fri, 3 Oct 2008 17:05:00 EST

Upper Deck released the above Vice Presidential Predictor trading cards that show caricatures of Senator Joe Biden and Governor Sarah Palin. The cards were inside the company's latest baseball release.

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Jeff Gordon Unveils New Vehicle

Thu, 2 Oct 2008 15:40:00 EST

Jeff Gordon reveals a new Chevy Impala vehicle. The car contains some black in the back with flames. DuPont is the sponsor.

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Yankee Stadium Closes After Eight Decades

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 18:00:00 EST

Yankee Stadium is closing its doors after eight decades of serving Yankee fans. USA Today offers a look back at the memories and the old stadium in this article. Another way to remember a baseball stadium is to build it with Legos.

For information on the new Yankee stadium try here, here, here and here.

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Lance Armstrong is Coming Out of Retirement

Sun, 21 Sep 2008 15:00:00 EST

Seven time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong is coming out of retirement. You can see Lance's video statement about his unretirement here on livestrong.com. The Pleasant Morning Buzz says Lance is coming out of retirement to help in the fight against cancer.

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Hurricane Ike Damages Reliant Stadium

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 18:00:00 EST

Hurricane Ike damaged the roof of Houston's Reliant Stadium when it came through Houston earlier this week. The official website for Reliant Stadium can be found here. The damage resulted in the postponement of a Texans-Ravens game.

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Kid Banned From Youth Baseball For Pitching Too Fast

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 18:00:00 EST

Jericho Scott's parents are upset that the Youth Baseball League decided to ban him from the pitching. They claim his 40 mph fastball is too fast for the league but the poor 9-year-old kid wants to play. It's cool to be that much better than your peers but it is sad to not be able to play. Maggie Rodriguez reports in this video from CBS. Fox News, ESPN and the New York Times have all covered the Jericho's story. There's also a Wikipedia entry.

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Tom Brady is Out and Matt Cassel is In For the Patriots

Mon, 8 Sep 2008 18:00:00 EST

New England Patriots star quarterback Tom Brady is out for the season with a left knee injury. He will be needing surgery to repair his knee injury. The Patriots said Monday that Brady is being placed on injured reserve. Below is a video of the Patriots press conference from the Associated Press.

The Sporting News writes that Matt Cassel (stats | bio) will be the starting quarterback when the Patriots face the Jets and Brett Favre this Sunday. Some more coverage of the shocking injury and the dramatically changed season for the patriots can be found at wcbstv, New York Times, TSN, Fox Sprots, Fanhouse, Cover Awards, CBC.ca, Patriots Gab, Projo Pats, South Coast Response, PatriotsBlog.net, Bumpshack, Best Week Ever, Our Patriots Blog and New York Daily News.

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Marion Jones Released From Prison

Sat, 6 Sep 2008 17:00:00 EST

Former medal winning U.S. track and field star Marion Jones was released from prison Friday after serving a six-month sentence. She was sentenced earlier this year about lying to federal invesigators about using performance-enhancing substances at the Olympic games. Jones denied using steroids for years before finally admitting using them. Marion Jones says it was an "incredibly stupid thing to do" and says she is fully responsible for her actions.

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Christiano Ronaldo Eager to Play

Tue, 2 Sep 2008 16:00:00 EST

European footballer of the year Christiano Ronaldo talks to CNN's Pedro Pinto about returning to football (soccer) from his operation. Ronaldo recently confirmed he would be staying with Manchester United for at least one more season. He said he will do his best to win games and score goals. His profile on the Manchester website can be found here.

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Killer Kowalski Dies

Mon, 1 Sep 2008 08:00:00 EST

World Wrestling Entertainment has reported the passing of WWE Hall of Famer Walter "Killer" Kowalski. Kowalski, who was an in-demand performer in the 1950's and '60's, was a former WWWF (World Wide Wrestling Federation) Tag Team Champion in the late-1970's. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 1996. He was instrumental in the training of many WWE Superstars, including current WWE Champion Triple H.

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MLB Allows Instant Replay on Homers

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 18:00:00 EST

Major League Baseball umpires are going to be allowed to use instant replay technology on home run calls. It seems like a wise move. Home runs are important and limiting instant replays to homers should not increase game time length too much.

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The Beach Volleyball Dancers

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 18:00:00 EST

You probably missed this one at the Olympic games. It's cheerleaders for the beach volleyball games. The beach volleyball dancers performed before the matches and during breaks.

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How Will Phelps Capitalize on His Eight Medals?

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 21:00:00 EST

The Wall Street Journal's Chris Rhoads asks Michael Phelps about how he intends to capitalize on the Phelps brand to pursue business opportunities. He plans to take a lesson from another Michael - Michael Jordan. Phelps has already cut one deal - with Kellogs and Frost Flakes - which some say could be a mistake. It will be interesting to see if Phelps can become as huge of a brand as superstar athletes like Micheal Jordan, Tiger Woods and David Beckham. Phelps does sound very modest and very calm in all the interviews.

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Minor Sports Star in the First Internet Olympics

Sun, 17 Aug 2008 18:00:00 EST

WSJ's Loretta Chao reports that the 2008 Beijing Games is considered the first "Internet" Olympics. Because of limited television coverage, many are going to the Web to watch minority events like water polo. It is great to have expanded coverage for some of these sports. NBC can only carry so much on broadcast tv but online they can offer much more. Water polo has been one of the most popular sports.

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Michael Phelps Wins Third Gold Medal

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 22:13:00 EST

U.S. swimmer Mark Phelps is rapidly accumulating gold medals. He picked up his third today at the Water Cube reports the Chicago Tribune.

No heavy lifting, to pick up gold medal No. 3, was required this time.

Michael Phelps took away the tension almost immediately on Tuesday morning at the Water Cube, leading by the first 15 meters and then seemed to shift into cruise control, lowering his own world record in the 200-meter freestyle at the Olympics, going 1 minute 42.96 seconds.

Didn't someone by the name of Ian Thorpe used to swim this race? Phelps is three for three, all world records, including the classic of a 400 free relay on Monday morning

The medal was Phelps' ninth Olympic gold medal - tying him with Mark Spitz and Carl Lewis. You can find the bio for Mark Phelps here on NBCOlympics.com.

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Donruss Quick to Add Brett Favre Jets Trading Card

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 19:00:00 EST

It took the Packers over 30-days to resolve the Brett Favre situation but it has only taking Donruss a few days to get him on an NFL player trading card with his new team. Donruss announced that a Brett Favre New York Jets trading card will appear in the company's Playoff Absolute Memorabilia product, scheduled to reach retail stores the first week of September. They are wise to move quickly as the new Brett Favre New York Jets jersey has been flying off shelves.

The Favre card features a photo of the Brett Favre holding up his #4 NY Jets jersey at Thursday's press conference. Donruss dispatched a photographer to the event with the express purpose of creating this special card.

"Trading cards have always helped bring fans closer to the players and commemorate historic moments in sports," said Donruss Marketing /PR Director Scott Prusha. "This is one of the biggest football stories in the past decade and we are honored to bring this historic moment to collectors."

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U.S. Crushes China 101-70 in Opener

Sun, 10 Aug 2008 22:14:00 EST

The U.S. crushed China 101-70 in the highly anticipated basketball matchup. The game was close for the first half. LeBron James led the U.S. in scoring with 18. China's Yao scored 13 points.

However, with LeBron James scoring 18 points and Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard both contributing 13, the Americans eased clear of a tiring Chinese team.

More than a billion people were estimated to have seen the game on television.

US coach Mike Krzyzewski said: "More people were supposed to be watching this game than any other in basketball history, and we treated that as a great honour. Both teams responded to the magnitude of the event."

Yao, who scored 13 points, said: "It was a great game played in a fantastic atmosphere, with all the flags and cheering. Everyone was very proud."

Here's LeBron and Kobe dressing each other before the game. They did look good in those stylish Olympic duds from Ralph Lauren.

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Olympics Open in Beijing

Fri, 8 Aug 2008 21:00:00 EST

8-8-08 arrives and the Olympics began with a stunning opening display in Beijing at a building dubbed the Bird's Nest. The Associated Press calls the opening a "a stunning display of pyrotechnics and pageantry."

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Bolt Will Run 100 and 200 in Beijing

Thu, 7 Aug 2008 23:00:00 EST

Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, the world record holder in the 100 meters, will also run the 200 meters in Beijing reports the AP. Bolt broke the world record in the 100 in New York this May. Usain Bolt has been one of the most widely discussed athletes appearing at the Beijing games.

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Brett Favre Traded to the New York Jets

Thu, 7 Aug 2008 08:00:00 EST

Green Bay has traded superstar quaterback Brett Favre to the New York Jets. This is a move that is undoubtedly going to enrage a lot of Packers fans. Aaron Rodgers will now be the starting QB for the Packers as originally planned before Favre changed his mind about retiring.

The move ends a remarkably ugly split between Green Bay and one of its most beloved players, allows the Packers to move forward with new starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers and gives Favre a fresh start - although not exactly the one he wanted, as Favre's first choice was widely believed to be the Minnesota Vikings.

Favre was scheduled to leave Hattiesburg, Miss., Thursday morning and the Jets said he would be at a 6 p.m. EDT news conference in Cleveland, where New York plays the Browns in a preseason game later Thursday.

According to NFL.com, the Packers will receive a fourth-round draft pick in 2009. The selection would turn into a third-rounder if Favre plays in 50 percent of the plays this season, a second-rounder if he plays in 70 percent and the Jets make the playoffs, or a first-round pick if he plays in 80 percent and the Jets make it to the Super Bowl.

"I am looking forward to seeing Brett Favre in a New York Jets uniform," said Jets chairman and CEO Woody Johnson in a statement issued early Thursday. "He represents a significant addition to this franchise, and reflects our commitment to putting the best possible team on the field."

Brett Favre's destination of choice was apparently Minnesota so even he didn't get exactly what he wanted. The people happiest with this decision are likely New York Jets fans which is good for them since they usually don't have much to be happy about. The people at Snapper mowers are probably very happy as well since Snapper is a product that Favre is a spokesperson for as you can see by the photograph in this post.

Some more resources on this Favre-Jets story: SI.com, NJ.com, Newsday, Outside the Beltway, Game On, SportsbyBrooks, The Big Lead and Bleacher Report.

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100 Athletes to Watch in Beijing

Mon, 4 Aug 2008 21:00:00 EST

The opening of the Olympic Games in Beijing is getting closer and closer. Those curious about the games may want to check out Time's special piece about 100 athelets to watch in Beijing.

Listed at #1 is rising U.S. basketball star LeBron James who has promised an Olympic gold in basketball for the U.S. It's more than just a promise since any medal other than gold would be consider a massive failure for the U.S. basketball team. James will be up against Yao Ming who plays for the NBA's Houston Rockets but will be playing for his home team of China at the Olympic Games.

Another athelete to watch is China's own Liu Xiang, who suprised analysts with a victory in the 110-m hurdles in Athens. Also check out U.S. sprinter Allyson Felix, 16-year-old U.S. gymnast Shawn Johnson, Australian swimmer Stephanie Rice and China's diver Guo Jingjing. If you are interested in getting excited about the Olympics this great list from Time will help you to better know many of the possible stars of the 2008 Olympics.

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Five Iraqis to Attend Beijing Olympics

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 15:00:00 EST

Nightly News reports that a last minute decision by the IOC will allow five Iraqi Olympic team members to attend the Beijing Olympics. However, the decision came very late and as Nightly News reports some of the small Iraqi Olympic team have missed the registration date. The AFP has more details about the IOC's delayed decision.

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Beijing Olympic National Stadium From Space

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 21:00:00 EST

This satellite image captured by DigitalGlobe shows the National Stadium and Aquatics Center in Beijing. The Beijing Olympics being on August 8th, 2008. The official site for the game is en.beijing2008.cn.

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Did Japanese Cycling Event Buy Its Way Into Olympic Games?

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 21:00:00 EST

A BBC article suggests that a fast-paced Japenese cycling sports called the keirin may have bought its way into the Olympic Games.

The payments were allegedly made in the 1990s. The sport, called the keirin, was supported for inclusion into the Games by the UCI, and admitted in 1996.

The UCI and its president at the time, Hein Verbruggen, deny any wrongdoing.

The keirin is a rapid and exciting track cycling event an event where riders are initially paced around a track by a motorcycle before sprinting for the line.

It is big business in its country of origin, Japan, commanding tens of millions of dollars in gambling revenue every year.

But despite its financial clout, the one thing keirin has always lacked is an international profile.

Wikipedia's entry says Keirin began in Japan in 1948. You can read a couple articles describing the sport here and here. Despite the controversy it does look like an exciting support. You can see a video of a race in this YouTube video.

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Zoomable Panaromic View of Yankee Stadium

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 18:00:00 EST

The above photograph of Yankee Stadium from July 4th is midly interesting but wait until you zoom in on it and can see every fan and all of the players. You can see the panaromic view here on the Sport's Illustrated's website. This panoramic view of Yankee Stadium was taken by a robotic camera using GigaPan technology. The photo was shot over the course of 10 minutes and consists of 124 frames stitched together. SI says Carnegie Mellon developed the GigaPan technology last year in collaboration with NASA.

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Favre vs Packers: Neither Side is Backing Down

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:00:00 EST

The Associated Press Pro Football Writer Barry Wilner explains the dispute between Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers. Wilner thinks the standoff won't have a pleasant ending unless one side backs down. Unfortunately, it isn't clear that either side is going to backs down.

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Olympic Swimmer Natalie Coughlin

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 18:00:00 EST

The Associated Press has an interview with U.S. olympic swimmer Natalie Coughlin. We recently learned about the swimsuit she will be wearing. Coughlin says she feels really good so far and she is starting to get into the routine of camp. She also says it is overwhelming because of all the attention it gets.

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