ESPN Spikes LeBron James Party Story: A story about LeBron James partying at a Las Vegas nightclub was taken off the ESPN Los Angeles site shortly after publication. The story by Arash Markazi, reprinted elsewhere, describes a party held after James' Miami signing that included "apparently nude" women in bathtubs, go-go dancers and a flying male waiter on a wire delivering endless bottles of Ace of Spades champagne. "I wish they'd have one of the girls with no panties do that instead of the guy," said James, who was paid "six figures" to host the three-day party.

posted by rcade to basketball at 02:34 PM - 0 comments

Timberwolves President: Beasley 'Smoked Too Much Marijuana': Minnesota Timberwolves President David Kahn told a local radio station why the team's new power forward Michael Beasley was worth acquiring despite some off-court stuff. "He's a very young and immature kid who smoked too much marijuana and has told me that he's not smoking anymore, and I told him that I would trust him as long as that was the case."

posted by rcade to basketball at 01:41 PM - 2 comments

Australian Cruiserweight Bout Sparks Fix Investigation: An IBO Cruiserweight fight in Australia last week ended with Paul Briggs knocked out at the start of the first round by a punch that didn't appear to land. See the video. Opponent Danny Green was livid in a post-fight interview but later backed off his remarks. A retired Supreme Court judge is investigating whether it was fixed.

posted by rcade to boxing at 10:03 AM - 3 comments

Lorenzen Wright's Body Reportedly Found in Memphis: Memphis homicide investigators arrived at the scene where the body of former NBA player and University of Memphis star Lorenzen Wright was reportedly found with multiple gunshot wounds on Wednesday.

posted by BornIcon to basketball at 07:22 AM - 4 comments

SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 6 comments

Max Talbot: 'Ovechkin is a douche': So much for political correctness. Max Talbot thinks Ovechkin Is a douch This was a interview on a Pittsburgh radio station. Max tells his true feelings.

posted by Debo270 to hockey at 10:43 PM - 6 comments

The Most-Hated Teams of All-Time: and part 2. Pretty US-centric, but some fond memories all the same.

posted by yerfatma to general at 01:13 PM - 25 comments

Chris Matthews: NBA Teams 'Carry White Players': In a discussion of affirmative action on MSNBC's Hardball last night, host Chris Matthews said that "I think a lot of NBA teams carry white players." Eugene Robinson objected with the retort that "Steve Nash was the MVP three years in a row," while Pat Buchanan responded "Larry Bird got where he was because he was the best!"

posted by rcade to basketball at 12:08 PM - 32 comments

The Greatest Ultimate Frisbee Catch You've Ever Seen: When the Seattle Sockeye played Boston Ironside at the ultimate flying disc world championships this year, Sockeye Andrew Fleming made an incredible highlight catch. Deadspin's snark brigade notwithstanding, it's a completely bitchin' grab.

posted by rcade to other at 11:51 AM - 6 comments

Adiós Diego: Despite a stellar record of 8 wins and 7 loses in his two years in charge of La Albiceleste, the Argentine Football Association has shown Diego Maradona the backhand of god and told him to suck it and keep on sucking it (possibly NSFW). It seems all because the prima(Mara)dona refused to change any of his staff, stating "if they touch a hair of one of my guys, even if it's the masseur or the kitman, I'm going."

posted by terrapin to soccer at 08:38 AM - 4 comments

SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 11 comments

T.O to become a Bengal: And it seems that nobody is more excited about it than Ochocinco. He signed a one year deal worth $2 M guaranteed money and $2 M in possible incentives.

posted by tahoemoj to football at 07:42 PM - 19 comments

Former Oakland Raiders All-Pro Safety Jack Tatum Dies: Jack Tatum, Former Oakland Raider Safety Dies at 61 years of age

posted by yzelda4045 to football at 03:18 PM - 7 comments

'Dear Tiger... I thought you'd like some good news': John Novosel, founder of Tour Tempo writes an open letter to Tiger Woods on Golf.com explaining that virtually all tour golfers have the same tempo: a 3-to-1 elapsed-time ratio of backswing to forward swing, measured to impact. he uses frames of TV footage to measure each aspect: 'I clocked you at a perfect 21/7 in the second round, when you nearly aced the par-4 18th. I had you at 24/8 on several other shots, which is how you swung a decade ago when you were winning tournaments by Oosthuizen-like margins.' Bobby Jones was a languid 27/9, Ernie Els in his prime was a 24/8, and Jack Nicklaus was a brisk 21/7. No mention of Charles Berkley.

posted by JJ to golf at 10:51 AM - 8 comments

Challenger for Best Goal Celebration Ever?: After Orri Halldor Bjornsson scored a late penalty goal to put Stjarnan over Fylkir 2-1 in Iceland's top flight of soccer, he began a choreographed routine that pays homage to the nation's love of fishing. See the video.

posted by JJ to soccer at 10:42 AM - 10 comments

Nolan Ryan: was pretty good.

posted by yerfatma to baseball at 09:29 AM - 1 comment

SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 8 comments

Matt Garza gets Rays first no-hitter: He is the first pitcher to no-hit the Tigers since 1990. Garza faced only 27 batters, with a walk in the 2nd the only blemish. He also threw 6 Ks on 120 pitches...

posted by MeatSaber to baseball at 09:53 PM - 9 comments

The Disgusting Truth About Stadium Food: An ESPN survey of 107 food concessions at U.S. pro sports venues finds that 28 percent have been cited for at least one "critical" or "major" health violation. "Mold in ice machines at six stands at Miller Park in Milwaukee," ESPN reports. "A cockroach crawling over a soda dispenser in a private club at Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh. Food service workers repeatedly ignoring orders to wash their hands at a stand at Detroit's Ford Field." Yum!

posted by rcade to general at 07:15 PM - 19 comments

Angels Trade for Starter Dan Haren: The Los Angeles Angels have acquired starting pitcher Dan Haren from the Arizona Diamondbacks. Haren, a three-time All Star, was acquired for pitcher Joe Saunders, minor league pitchers Rafael Rodriguez and Patrick Corbin and a player to be named later.

posted by rcade to baseball at 06:04 PM - 0 comments

Ravens Rookie Kindle Injures Head in Fall: Sergio Kindle, the top pick of the Baltimore Ravens in the 2010 draft, suffered a a head injury tumbling down stairs Thursday and is missing the start of the team's training camp. Kindle, 23, was visiting a house in Austin when he reportedly fell down two flights of stairs.

posted by rcade to football at 04:50 PM - 1 comment

Cowboys WR Dez Bryant defies rookie tradition, refuses to carry Roy Williams' shoulder pads: Dallas Cowboys rookie WR Dez Bryant wants no part of the rookie tradition that calls for him to carry veteran players' pads during training camp. And that isn't sitting well with veteran Cowboys WR Roy Williams.

posted by BornIcon to football at 10:08 AM - 26 comments

Canadian Calls 911 to Report Winnipeg Jets Missing: A 33-year-old Lundar, Manitoba, man called 911 repeatedly to report the theft of the Winnipeg Jets and demand that the Mounties get them back. "He began the conversation by saying he wanted the Jets back. He was quite upset about it," a source told the Winnipeg Free Press. "He had apparently been drinking." (In related news, the effort to bring the NHL back to Winnipeg continues.)

posted by rcade to hockey at 09:45 AM - 4 comments

SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 24 comments

Lane Kiffin Makes Another Friend in Tennessee: USC Coach Lane Kiffin broke protocol when he hired Kennedy Pola away from the Tennessee Titans this week, Titans coach Jeff Fisher said. "I am very disappointed in the lack of professionalism on behalf of Lane, to call me and leave me a voice mail after Kennedy had informed me he had taken the job," he said.

posted by rcade to football at 06:55 PM - 4 comments

Jim Thorpe's Son Sues Jim Thorpe, Pa., for Jim Thorpe's Corpse: The 72-year-old son of Jim Thorpe is suing the town of Jim Thorpe, Pa., to get his fathers remains for burial on Indian land. Thorpe, who was a 1912 Olympic gold medalist, Hall of Fame football player and Major League Baseball player, died in 1953. His wife Patricia made a deal with the towns of Mauch Chunk and East Mauch Chunk that they could have him if they built a monument and adopted his name for a merged town. Jack Thorpe waited for his stepmother and three half-sisters to die before pressing the issue. "I want to put him where he wanted to be," he said.

posted by rcade to general at 05:24 PM - 1 comment

Underwater Photographer Wes Skiles Dies During Dive: Renowned underwater photographer Wes Skiles died Wednesday while undertaking a "routine filming dive" off West Palm Beach, Fla. He was 52. His personal site contains examples of his work. One of his shots of Bahama's Blue Holes appears on the cover of this month's National Geographic along with a online gallery. "He was very enthusiastic about the sport, worried about conservation and did documentaries on the river, and had a great love for the water," said longtime friend Rick Crawford. "Every picture you see of him, he is working with his camera with a big smile."

posted by rcade to extreme at 02:56 PM - 2 comments

Shaq Remains Unsigned: Shaquille "Shaq / Diesel / Big Aristotle / Big Cactus / Big Witness / Superman / Big Agave / Big Cactus / Big Shaqtus / Big Galactus / Wilt Chamberneezy / Big Baryshnikov / Real Deal / Dr. Shaq / Shaqovic" O'Neal may have priced himself out of the NBA. He remains unsigned in search of a $8 million salary and two-year deal.

posted by rcade to basketball at 11:06 AM - 9 comments

SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 2 comments

Snooker Legend Alex 'Hurricane' Higgins dies at 61: After a long battle with throat cancer, snooker's original troubled genius was found dead in his flat in Belfast today. World champion in 1972 and 1982, Higgins was never far from controversy, on one occasion headbutting a referee. Renowned for the speed of his play and his unorthodox playing style, he was a driving force behind snooker's surge in popularity in the late 70s and early 80s in the UK [When Snooker Ruled the World, wiki, most recent interview, documentary I'm No Angel].

posted by JJ to other at 05:48 PM - 1 comment

MLB Begins Testing Minor Leaguers for HGH: Major League Baseball has begun randomly testing the blood of minor leaguers for human growth hormone. Doing the same in the majors would require players assocation approval. "HGH testing provides an example for all of our drug policies in the future," said Commissioner Bud Selig.

posted by rcade to baseball at 04:24 PM - 4 comments

Chone Figgins Brawls in Dugout with Manager: Seattle Mariners second baseman Chone Figgins was benched midgame for lack of effort Friday night, sparking a dugout brawl between him and manager Don Wakamatsu. See video. After losing 2-1 to the Boston Red Sox, the team's now 23 games under .500.

posted by rcade to baseball at 02:55 PM - 4 comments

Bill Cowher's Wife Dies of Skin Cancer: Kaye Cowher, wife of former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach and current CBS NFL analyst Bill Cowher, has died at age 54 from skin cancer. Kaye was famous before her husband was, earning one of North Carolina's first scholarships for a female athlete in the '70s. She played for North Carolina State and later for the Women's Professional Basketball League and appeared in a Wrigleys Doublemint commercial with her twin sister. More details from Charlotte. A cached story from a Steelers fan site provides more details on the Cowhers' life together.

posted by rcade to football at 10:13 AM - 17 comments

SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 1 comment

The San Jose Athletics?: On Friday, San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed released the proposed ballot language and details about the measure that would authorize the city and its redevelopment agency to push ahead with a downtown ballpark. Bud Selig and MLB do not approve, stating: "We were surprised and disappointed by the news today in San Jose about the stadium referendum. We were not part of the process and had no knowledge that a decision to proceed with the election had been made." Provided city voters give the team permission to build on city land, current A's owner Leo Wolff has said he will pay to build the $461 million stadium. "It's that simple." Some of the Oakland fans believe the move has been in the works since 2005 and that Wolff purposely drove the franchise into the ground.

posted by BoKnows to baseball at 03:32 AM - 7 comments

Three Men Hold NBA Wife At Gunpoint, Rob Home: Three masked men broke into Stephen Jackson's Charlotte-area home early Wednesday morning, holding Jackson's wife Renata at gunpoint while they robbed the residence.

posted by BornIcon to basketball at 03:12 PM - 12 comments

What's Wrong with College Basketball?: ESPN interviewed 20 high-profile college basketball coaches, promising them anonymity, and asked them to tell the truth about the problems facing their sport. The biggest concern? Agents and all the ways money is secretly being funneled to top athletes. "We don't coach anymore," one coach said. "This job isn't about coaching. It's about acquiring talent."

posted by rcade to basketball at 01:13 PM - 4 comments

Agent: Why Does Favre Have to Be Such a Drama Queen?: "Brett talked to goddamned Ed Werder at ESPN, says he needs ankle surgery. Now why did he do that? I've got Childress calling. I've got reporters calling all damn morning. Goddammit, why does he have to be such a goddamned drama queen? Play, don't play, goddamn, people are getting sick of it. I'm getting sick of it! Why does he have to talk to these people?" -- Brett Favre's agent Bus Cook

posted by rcade to football at 12:03 PM - 14 comments

Crawford Takes Pickoff Throw in the Groin: Even after he was racked by a pickoff throw Tuesday and suffered a testicular contusion, Tampa Bay Rays left fielder Carl Crawford refuses to wear a cup. "I don't think that's going to happen again," Crawford said. "It had never happened in eight years, you know what I'm saying?"

posted by rcade to baseball at 07:58 AM - 9 comments

SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 12 comments