Doesn't sound good for Kobe Bryant.: Trying to mislead the police. Physical trauma around the vaginal area. Visible signs of physical injury. Are opinions on Sportsfilter changing? If Kobe goes to jail would this be the most unexpected, astounding fall from grace in sports history? Will Bryant be able to play at all this year? What would the media circus be like?

posted by Mike McD to basketball at 04:50 PM - 45 comments

Moving Day! By 4 pm EST, the MLB trade deadline will have come and gone. This, to me, is one of the most exciting days all season long. There are a lot of players rumored to be available and as I write this, a few deals have been unofficially announced on local Boston radio (Freddy Sanchez to PIT for Suppan and Brandon Lyon??) I'm so nervous, I can't stand it.

posted by jerseygirl to baseball at 01:39 PM - 29 comments

A-Rod willing to consider a trade.: Rangers shortstop ‘not happy’ with team’s struggles, three years into his 10-year, $252 million dollar contract. A good sign of competitive desire, or whine of the week?

posted by dusted to baseball at 12:40 AM - 30 comments

The dollars and (non)sense of English pro soccer.: Forty financial facts from Deloitte & Touche's report on the 2001-02 season. Lots of goodies, sports economists and business geeks, go nuts!

posted by worldcup2002 to soccer at 11:31 PM - 19 comments

Newsflash : In breaking news today, the manager for heart throb, hockey groupie, and and sometimes tennis player, Anna Kournikova, announced her recent failures may contribute to her earlier retirement from the sport that brought worldwide recognition. A nagging back injury is the named culprit.

posted by garfield to tennis at 12:01 PM - 22 comments

Phil was right.: Remember when Mickelson woke the sleeping Tiger with his "inferior equipment" remark back in February? Maybe Woods has come to agree; he is switching from his Nike driver back to his old Titleist driver. (Course, it didn't help him against Sergio and Phil last night, eh? Anybody watch?)

posted by msacheson to golf at 03:12 PM - 22 comments

The magic of Man U: explored as New Jersey gets ready for Thursday's game between Man U and Juventus.

posted by dales15 to soccer at 01:54 PM - 21 comments

Theo Fleury just vowed to return to the NHL. Mario’s almost definitely playing for the Pens next year. And now there’s talk of Mark Messier playing out the rest of his days in Edmonton. Sort of reads like a "Where are they Now?" list for former all-stars, except for some reason they’re still here. For God’s sake guys, just hang ‘em up!

posted by Samsonov14 to hockey at 11:01 AM - 14 comments

Quentin Tarantino to Newcastle for 15mil pounds?: In the crazy pre-season transfer ... Oh, I'm just kidding. It looks like the producers of "Pulp Fiction" are going to make a movie called "Goal!" (genius!) in Newcastle (glamor!). It's a "kind of Rocky meets 8 Mile" (pure gold, baby!) that tells of a Latin American's struggle to fit into his new English club (genuine original!). Quentin may or may not direct. Looks like they're cashing in on the success of recent movies like Bend it like Beckham and Shaolin Soccer. This is even more hilarious than it sounds because it's true. Check out the casting ideas and put up some of your own.

posted by worldcup2002 to soccer at 09:53 AM - 4 comments

Another list of the greatest: sports movies of all-time. Top 5-Rocky, Raging Bull, Bull Durham, Hoosiers, Caddyshack.

posted by dales15 to general at 10:00 PM - 22 comments

Nude Motorcycle Rally,: sponsored by the so-new-there's-no-web-site North American Nude Bikers club, which is not affiliated with the North American Nude Motorcycle Riders Association. "And the number one reason to join NANMRA...1. Recruiting new members is a great excuse to get naked chicks on your bike!" Also not affiliated with the Gumball Rally.

posted by kirkaracha to other at 08:41 PM - 4 comments

How not to prepare for your new season in the EPL: lose 2-1 to South Africa's top team, and whine about the rough play? Get into a fight (hmm, sounds familiar) and lose 4-2 to a First Division team? Or even better, let in 3 goals in the first 17 minutes and get trashed 6-1 by a non-League team? Wow, we're seeing some real losers here. Are Spurs, Leeds and Wolves signaling their fortunes this season with these misadventures?

posted by worldcup2002 to soccer at 04:51 PM - 17 comments

Bob Hope's dead: and the sporting media trys in earnest to jump on the news bandwagon - even with headlines like this. A case of celebration, or hubris? Besides, I get all my celebrity news from si.com.

posted by WeedyMcSmokey to culture at 12:57 PM - 12 comments

FOXSports and The Sporting News websites to merge.: I hope they don't use the wretched flash interface that's on the FOXSports website. The Sporting News has been a decent ESPN.com alternative for the last few years, I hope they don't ruin it.

posted by corpse to general at 12:38 PM - 3 comments

Writing in the Orlando Sentinel, Norman Chad suggests that horse racing is on its last legs. "Frankly, I think Ferdinand's a better metaphor for the sport at the moment than Seabiscuit."

posted by rcade to other at 11:30 AM - 20 comments

Online soccer highlights: to be offered by UEFA from September.

posted by walrus to soccer at 08:14 AM - 6 comments

It seems as though someone should post a link regarding Lance Armstrong's fifth straight Tour de France win. I guess that someone is me.

For "Discussion" purposes: Does anyone think he'll take it next year?

posted by Luke to other at 12:49 PM - 16 comments

An 18-year-old American Legion baseball pitcher in Montana was struck and killed by a batted ball Friday, becoming at least the 18th player to die in that manner since 1991.

posted by rcade to baseball at 10:58 AM - 9 comments

The Internet is reshaping Bryant Story.: Interesting story from the LA Times about the impact of the internet and how the mainstream media quotes uncomfirmed sources as evidence. I think it's pretty alarming how much stuff a simple google search turns up.

posted by usfbull to culture at 01:56 PM - 2 comments

Twins Fan: - Dick Ericson, superintendent of the Metrodome from the late 80s to early 90s, has admitted to manipulating the ventilation system in an effort to help the Twins win.

posted by mrbula to baseball at 11:52 AM - 6 comments

Seabiscuit...the movie: Hope to catch the Seabiscuit movie today. If you haven't read the book, do so. It's some story, hard to believe that it's non-fiction.

posted by cg1001a to general at 11:18 AM - 3 comments

That's why we love baseball.: Can't beat this. Yanks vs Red Sox. Pedro against the Boomer. Blown save, Mariano. Kim loses to Yankees, again.

posted by cg1001a to baseball at 09:55 AM - 13 comments

Indoor lacrosse team relocates: to California. I didn't know the game was big in California, or really any place besides upstate New York, Long Island, NY Hudson Valley, Jersey and Maryland; but with this move California has two pro indoor teams.

posted by dales15 to other at 03:34 PM - 8 comments

Decision to be reached soon on Redskins: trademark dispute. The Skins lost in a hearing before the Trademark Board a few years ago as the mark was found to be disparaging to Native Americans. Even if the ruling is adverse to the team, I wouldn't expect any changes as this will appealed to the circuit and ultimately the Supreme Court.

posted by dales15 to football at 03:05 PM - 3 comments

"Within six months ... Perugia can be the first club in the world to have a woman play in the top division with the men.": So says Perugia's chairman, Luciano Gaucci, who also recently signed Gaddafi's son as a midfielder. OK, Mr Gaucci knows how to get in the news. But, will he actually get a player? Who do you think it should be (he said someone in Europe, but not Italian) and why?

posted by worldcup2002 to soccer at 02:51 PM - 5 comments

Friday Fun!: I appreciate cricket might be a bit too sophisticated for the Yanks among us, but this online version is very cool. Top score on the leaderboard is 426, top score in my kitchen is 82.

posted by Fat Buddha to other at 02:33 PM - 42 comments

What's the going rate to buy your way out of the doghouse? Four. Million. Dollars. Boy, doesn't that make my flowers and handwritten note look paltry by comparison? But then again, my indiscretions look paltry by comparison...

posted by vito90 to basketball at 09:48 AM - 24 comments

The legend of DoggieBiscuit: After his career as a stud horse was over in Japan, 1986 Kentucky Derby winner Ferdinand appears to have ended up as pet food.

posted by rcade to other at 07:17 AM - 10 comments

I thought domes were supposed to prevent this sort of thing? Last night there was a rain delay at the Skydome. So the dome itself isn't to blame but rather it was that the retractable roof was open and could not be closed in time. Oops. (Time for Toronto fans to reminisce about the fog delay and the Attack of the Aphids)

posted by gspm to baseball at 04:42 AM - 5 comments

Jan. 3, 1973: The Lamb breaks the seventh seal, the Angel blows the seventh trumpet, earthquakes ravage the globe, California sinks into the Pacific, the sun disappears from the sky, the moon runs crimson, zombies roam the earth and Steinbrenner buys the Yankees.

Happy 100th birthday, New York Yankees. A history by Jim Caple.

posted by msacheson to baseball at 08:12 PM - 3 comments

Nandrolone: rears its illegal head again today this time stinging Patrick Nilson, brother of Florida Panther winger Marcus Nilson, with the possibility of losing his contract and being barred for two years from the Swedish premier ice hockey division. I can't for the life of me remember the last time the NHL punished a player for 'roids, which the players obviously use given the NHLPA's aggressive push to limit drug testing for the Salt Lake games until after the Playoffs. I'd use a more recent example, but there aren't any, and please correct me if I'm wrong. Does the NHL even have a policy for performance enhancers, and if so, is it as stringent as the MLB that openly lets folk go through puberty-type muscle growth at age 33? I guess I don't have point other than being irked by the lack of regulation and the acceptance of obvious 'roid results despite the homogenized moniker.

posted by garfield to culture at 05:11 PM - 12 comments

What's wrong with Big Dog? : I've watched Glen Robinson for nine years now and I like the way he plays. He's got a lethal mid range game, the kind of game announcers are always lamenting has dissappeared from the NBA. He shoots free throws well, he gets a couple of boards, and he's good for a block every once in a while. But why doesn't he seem to help his teams? This is a guy who was drafted before J. Kidd and G. Hill. Has he turned out to be a better pick than Grant Hill?

posted by Mike McD to basketball at 03:05 PM - 11 comments

Toyota to procure : the naming rights for Houston's new arena for the Rockets. The first car company to get in the naming rights business.

posted by dales15 to basketball at 08:46 AM - 30 comments

Portland stadium rejects free Wi-Fi because "Hmph. We didn't build it.": The utter cluelessness of the official response smacks of typical corporate ham-handed handling. Anyway, forget the PR repercussions. What cool things would you be doing w/ your laptop or PDA (or other cool gadgets) if your ballpark had Wi-Fi? (via boingboing.net)

posted by worldcup2002 to other at 11:21 PM - 7 comments

There may no longer be any gentlemen in NASCAR racing, but there are plenty in the Tour de France.

posted by rcade to general at 03:28 PM - 15 comments

Step 1: Find athlete with previously untainted image that gets into legal trouble.
Step 2: Print up merchandise cashing in on controversy and press.
Step 3: Profit!

I find the lot of this very disturbing.

posted by Ufez Jones to culture at 01:05 PM - 15 comments

Into the deep.: Meet Tanya Streeter, who on Monday broke the world-free diving record (for men and women) by diving 400 feet deep and ascending using only flippers in a total of three minutes and thirty-eight seconds. She is still a little tired after Monday's dive, which saw her heart rate slow to 15 beats per minute, her lungs compress to the size of scrunched-up plastic bags and her blood cease circulation around her extremities. That's one hardcore woman.

posted by Ufez Jones to extreme at 12:26 PM - 5 comments

As wacky trades go ...: this is a big dog. I like the instability of the NBA, for some reason, and this four-way deal would be quite a shake-up for each of the teams involved. Who do you think would benefit the most, and as a sidenote — what's your favorite trade of all-time? Not necessarily the best, just the one that brought you the most joy.

posted by wfrazerjr to basketball at 11:44 AM - 17 comments

Turns out, it is all about the money: Of course this topic has come up before but I think deserves fresh discussion after Gilbert Arenas took an extra $5M (over six years) to sign with the Wizards instead of his hometown Clippers. Apparently he thinks the dollars will make up for Stackhouse not actually sharing the ball with him. We also have news that the Yankees will be the only baseball team required to cough up for the new luxury tax--it will cost them $10.8 million, which is more than the Expos total payroll IIRC. "No other team is above the threshold of $117 million."

posted by billsaysthis to culture at 11:38 AM - 5 comments

"Harder, Daddy, harder'' : I suppose being ass-slapped on the radio isn't very empowering, but its more empowered than not being heard on the radio, right? Not to diss the lib movement, and maybe there is a point for little girls not to hear about their hero/role model getting spanked, but this seems over-the-top/way-far-right to me.

posted by garfield to culture at 10:07 AM - 10 comments

Isle-cicle: found 14 years later in the Austrian Alps. He never made the big club, was going to coach in Dundee, but never made it there. Is ice hockey a big deal in Dundee? And do the curlers get pissy about the pucks, the sticks and the nets?

posted by garfield to hockey at 09:23 AM - 9 comments

Women. Wood. Water.: Stumbled upon the Women's Boom Run on ABC/ESPN's broadcast of this weekend's ESPN Great Outdoor Games this Sunday. All those other, erm, rural games I could take or leave, but this was a new sport for me: Two women running from one dock to another and back, by sprinting over one of two parallel "tracks" comprising eight logs laid end to end over a waterway. I would have fallen over at the first log, but these women were running non-stop from end to end. Power, balance, beauty. My new favorite sport.

posted by worldcup2002 to other at 01:13 AM - 5 comments

Do we do professional athletes any favors...: ...by allowing them to lead such a coddled existence? This SI writer thinks so, in a time when athletes seem to be able to get away with all manner of stuff that would land any "normal" citizen in jail (Latrell Sprewell, for one).

posted by Jaquandor to culture at 06:37 PM - 14 comments

Cancer must be pretty much under control and transplants have become routine, right? .. that is .. if the Mayo Clinic is researching the "Yips". Opening paragraph of the background of the study: "Every year, on greens across America and throughout the world, golfers confront a problem with major consequences – the YIPS. This affliction can make average players quit, good ones lose confidence, and great ones lose sleep."

"Relax? How can anybody relax? You have to grip the club, don’t you?" -Ben Hogan

posted by msacheson to golf at 06:24 PM - 0 comments

Europe and Latin America conquer the US!: For the next two-plus weeks, premier Euro and Latin American clubs will be touring the US, playing exhibition matches to the delight of local and expatriate fans. Manchester Utd (England), Celtic (Scotland), Juventus, AC Milan (both Italy), Barcelona (Spain), Club America (Mexico's richest and most successful club) and Boca Juniors (Argentina, the club where Maradona gained his fame) will play in Boston, Cleveland, DC, East Rutherford, LA, Philly and Seattle. I'll be watching Juve v Barca and Man U v Club America at billsaysthis's house. (Yay!) How about you?

posted by worldcup2002 to soccer at 01:04 PM - 53 comments

The road to Calvary: is how some describe the tribulations of Le Tour. Christ knows how you would describe Tyler Hamilton, nutter, perhaps. How he has managed to even drag himself onto his bike, never mind compete, with a broken collar bone, defies belief. Martin Grainger once finished a game for Blues with a broken leg, but he is too thick to notice such a thing. Hamiltons bravery (stupidity?) is of a different order altogether. Meanwhile, the race continues apace and is the most exciting since Le Mond took on Fignon.

posted by Fat Buddha to extreme at 05:27 PM - 12 comments

When we say 'Open', we mean 'Open'...: From Kent, Ohio to Kent, UK: Ben Curtis won the Open Championship at Royal St George's in Sandwich, stunning the golf world. The first first-time entrant to win the competition since Tom Watson in Carnoustie, Curtis proved himself a worthy winner by being the only competitor to finish the tournament under par. What's more amazing is that he'd only ever played at a links course once before, and held his nerve while the big names buckled under the pressure and the course. So much to talk about: was this a demonstration of 'golf the way it should be', on a tough links course carved out by the elements rather than designed on a PC? Did the world's top golfers under-prepare by seeking out big bucks on very different courses? Is this the start of a rise to prominence for Curtis, or just a flash in the pan?

posted by etagloh to golf at 03:28 PM - 8 comments

Baseball fans hopping on the field to attack umpires or base coaches are wusses. Protesters that disrupt the Tour de France are soft. How about running onto the track duing a Formula 1 race? Hardcore! Extreme! Stupidity!

posted by gspm to extreme at 01:17 PM - 15 comments

Scottie returns to the Bulls:

Scottie Pippen has come to his senses and returns home to Chicago. According to ESPN, Pippen received a 2 year, $10 million deal. Even though Jordan won't be there, Pippen should be able to step up and lead the struggling, young Bulls. With over 18000 career points, he should add a nice dimension to the Bulls rebuilding process.

posted by meanie to basketball at 08:38 AM - 9 comments

The Anaheim Mighty Ducks have lost Paul Kariya (and Adam Oates) but have added Vaclav Prospal and, now, Sergei Fedorov. So, do these gains mean they at least come out even over this offseason?

posted by gspm to hockey at 12:35 PM - 14 comments

Kobe gets charged.: To be honest, this surprises me. I didn't expect there to be any real evidence, especially in something that would seem to be so he-said-she-said. I, for one, would love to know some details about what allegedly happened, and what evidence there is. I'm a Laker-hater and NBA-hater who tends to think that 99% of the basketball population are thugs or idiots, but Kobe actually seemed to be in that 1% minority. In any event, does the simple fact that he was charged affect the trial results in any way? I'm sure that public opinion probably has him guilty after this, and finding a jury who hasn't heard about this might be a bit tough...

posted by Bernreuther to basketball at 04:20 PM - 41 comments

Nike's buyout of Converse: angering some individuals who view Nike as corporate giant with evil labor practices while Converse was quasi counter-culture outlet. Since Nike says they are not going to change design process or even corporate structure (and their history with previous buyout followed the same practice), I really don't see what they are bitching about.

posted by dales15 to culture at 01:36 PM - 17 comments

The NCAA has announced it's 88th official championship: Women's bowling. This article actually has a lot of interesting information about emerging sports and what they have to do to be official.

posted by Ufez Jones to other at 11:12 AM - 7 comments

Griffey Out for the year.: See you next year kid.

posted by corpse to baseball at 08:55 AM - 7 comments

Impotence drugs and sports go hand in hand. : Thanks to a snippet on the makers of Levitra, the newest challenger to Viagra, signing a sponsorship with the NFL, I stumbled upon this Ad Age article that lists the pro sports and which impotence drug they are sponsored by. Eli Lilly + ICOS/CIALIS = PGA; Bayer + GlaxoSmithKline/LEVITRA = NFL; Pfizer/VIAGRA = MLB, Nascar. What about the NBA? MLS? Every sport needs to get on the hard-on drug bandwagon! There's a story in here somewhere ...

posted by worldcup2002 to other at 01:37 AM - 23 comments

Big Worm comeback?: ESPN is reporting that Dennis Rodman wants to make a comeback at the age of 42, saying that "All the great players in the league finished their careers on a high note, and a good note. That's the way I should do my last hurrah." My inside sources (a co-worker) say that the Kings are interested.

posted by Ufez Jones to basketball at 10:20 AM - 11 comments

Giving up the riches ...: to get into the trenches. This is an old story, but Pat Tillman and his brother were honored with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the ESPYs last night for leaving professional sports to enlist in the Army. Simeon Rice said at the time it was no big deal. Your thoughts?

posted by wfrazerjr to culture at 08:19 AM - 7 comments

Bonds takes aim at the Sultan of Swat...: "As a left- handed hitter, I wiped [Ruth] out. That’s it. And in the baseball world, Babe Ruth is everything, right? I got his slugging percentage and I’ll take his home runs and that’s it. Don’t talk about him no more."

posted by vito90 to baseball at 08:12 AM - 18 comments

So Disturbing, So Frightening, So Amusing: This was discussed on Jim Rome yesterday and Las Vegas news did a report last week. I have been hit by a paintball through clothes so cannot imagine the pain of getting hit naked...

posted by dales15 to culture at 12:59 PM - 34 comments

Trifecta (or anti-hat-trick, whichever you prefer).: U.S. Goalie Tim Howard signs with Man U, making three USians playing keeper in the EPL. Are the Red Devils desperate to copy the success of Friedel and Keller or is Howard really a good gamble?

posted by Ufez Jones to soccer at 11:42 AM - 17 comments

"I hope I can do a better job than Mr. Bettman," : Me too Bobby, me too. Rule changes (no red line, Olympic-sized rink, automatic icing, penalty shots for certain obstruction infractions), affordability, and dinosaurs on skates. It could work. Or it could just force the NHLPA's hand.

posted by garfield to hockey at 09:42 AM - 13 comments

Tony Boselli is expected to announce his retirement this week from the Houston Texans, a team he has never played for because of injury.

posted by rcade to football at 07:56 AM - 4 comments

The AL wins the All-Star game: Blah blah blah. The AL won this exhibition. The teams that were picked were quite misrepresented in terms of "stars". Jayson Stark of ESPN wrote an article on the difference Internet voting makes. For example, Gary Sheffield got only 273,488 votes at the baseball parks, where he ended up with 1,259,790 votes total (a 986,302 difference, by far the largest vote difference) Individuals like Torii Hunter were not voted in because lack of Internet votes.

What's more important though is that this game represents (roughly) the mid-point of the baseball season. Jayson Stark has an amazing trivia article about the midseason. Did you know that the NY Yankees had a 6890 game hitting streak (as a team) until the Astros used 6 pitchers to break it? And that Torii Hunter was ejected on his own Bobblehead night? And that the Marlins lost by 20 runs and then won by 20 runs a few days later, but it's still no feat in comparison to the 1979 Chicago Cubs who on May 17, 1979 gave up 20 runs to the Phillies and then within an hour scored 20 runs to eventually lose 23-22 to the Phillies? Enough trivia. it's a great article.

Back to the business of baseball. Go cubs.

posted by meanie to baseball at 11:31 PM - 13 comments

Dirk 'n Nash.: Hope they weren't doing anything illegal.....

posted by oliver_crunk to basketball at 11:24 PM - 7 comments

Bruce McNall has given his side on the 1988 trade that sent Wayne Gretzky from the Edmonton Oilers to his Los Angeles Kings. And you know what? Bruce insists he was not a villain that stole the Great One. Wily, yes. Bad, no.

posted by gspm to hockey at 04:43 PM - 4 comments

NY Daily News Panel of Experts: picks the all-time New York Yankee team. I have to disagree with Rizzuto over Jeter. Even assuming Rizzuto was the best shortstop in the AL for much of his career, and Jeter is only 3rd today; the shortstops of today are far superior and such an argument is moot.

posted by dales15 to baseball at 04:23 PM - 1 comment

Major College Athletic Directors: are very well compensated for their jobs. It seems AD's salaries like all those in sports have risen exponentially in recent years.

posted by dales15 to general at 02:33 PM - 1 comment

Can Jersey ever measure up?: Interesting article regarding gate failure of Newark Bears despite onfield success, new park, and exciting attractions (ricky henderson, most recently, and other former MLB stars have played there). Article also touches upon larger implications of the possibilities of success of Nets/Devils in Newark and the lack of support and community unity for those teams despite their on-field success.

posted by dales15 to general at 01:26 PM - 0 comments

Protesters stop the Tour de France temporarily: Supporters of radical farmer Jose Bove ran into the the road and block cyclists about 91 miles into today's stage. Armstrong finished about 20 minutes behind the stage winner, but still held the lead because the other tour leaders were in the same pack. FoxSports's coverage and MSNBC coverage The Tour officials ruled it a "normal race incident" meaning that shit happens. (side note:) Bove is an anti-globalization activist who protests genetically modified foods.

posted by meanie to other at 10:59 AM - 46 comments

Araceli Segarra : ......an unashamed effort to up the babe quotient. She is beautiful, intelligent, fit as a butchers dog and mad as a shithouse rat, so something for everyone. Oh, some pics.

posted by Fat Buddha to extreme at 05:35 AM - 5 comments

Ricky Henderson is back in the major leagues [reg. required].: I'm not a big baseball fan but I've loved Mr. Henderson ever since he was playing for the Oakland A's and the local television station showed footage of him excoriating a local sports reporter.

posted by rdr to baseball at 04:30 AM - 8 comments

The (other) Game of Their Lives: The writer and director who brought us Rudy and Hoosiers are teaming up again to make The Game of Their Lives, a film about the rude crew who beat England 1-0 in the 1950 World Cup. This film has some decent names lined up, Wes Bentley, Louis Mandylor, Gavin Rossdale (lead singer of Bush, Gwen's hubby).

Not to be confused with a documentary film from last year also called The Game of Their Lives, SpoFi discussion here, about North Korea's 1966 World Cup win over Italy in England.

posted by billsaysthis to soccer at 07:07 PM - 5 comments

"It's the 'Praise Jesus' discount,'' : ...and according to this reader, I'm wondering where a such a coupon can be had, can it be redeemed with other offers, what's the expiration date on that puppy, and do I get a lube job with that?

posted by garfield to culture at 01:47 PM - 14 comments

Rush Limbaugh is a big, fat ESPN Sunday NFL Countdown Commentator...

posted by vito90 to football at 12:39 PM - 19 comments

The Walrus wins ...: and it makes me wonder — who is the most out-of-shape athlete of all-time? I want to know, because whoever it is, it's probably the only gamer jersey I could fit into. Bonus points if you link to a picture.

posted by wfrazerjr to general at 08:54 AM - 11 comments

This year's toe wrestling championships.: As jase pointed out earlier. It makes you proud to be British and points out the need for a "Stupid Sports" category.

posted by squealy to extreme at 06:21 PM - 2 comments

EPL manager profiles.: ESPN Soccernet profiles the men who will lead the EPL teams this coming season (a little over a month away!). I particularly liked reading and (learning new trivia) about my Liverpool favorites, Houllier, Keegan (Man City) and Souness (Blackburn). I also liked the write-up about Henry Redknapp (Portsmouth, last season's First Div champions). Which ones did you like? What surprised you about the managers you thought you knew? Do the profiles change your perceptions of which teams you think will succeed this season? [btw, here's another appetizer for the new season: Soccernet's list of the top independent EPL fan sites - 2-4 for each team!]

posted by worldcup2002 to soccer at 10:20 PM - 8 comments

Belated Friday flash fun!: Tunnel surfing. Beat 77.

posted by Fat Buddha to extreme at 01:51 PM - 11 comments

Scott vs Kidd: Is Byron Scott really that bad a coach? Who's the best coach in the NBA, and why?

posted by cg1001a to basketball at 11:42 AM - 1 comment

After some doubt as to whether they'd get their visas cleared in time, the Iraqi archery delegation arrives in New York City for next week's World Archery Championships.

posted by goddam to other at 08:33 PM - 8 comments

“The Tour de France has been killed by the passions it aroused”: : superb review of a Geoffrey Wheatcroft book on the history of the tour.

posted by Fat Buddha to extreme at 06:21 PM - 7 comments

Chelsea goes on shopping spree.: Flush with cash from their takeover by Russian businessman, Roman Abramovich, Chelski has GBP65m with which to buy players. They've just agreed to pay GBP6.5m to buy Geremi (on loan at Middlesborough last season) from Real Madrid (trying to pay for the Beckham bill, huh?). Their shopping list is reported to include Henry, Vieira, Rooney, Davids, and Rivaldo. I guess they can afford to splurge since their new owner has the cash to burn and they also have Champion's League revenue to look forward to next season. Will they buy their way to victory a la Real Madrid, or to ignominy a la Leeds?

posted by worldcup2002 to soccer at 01:31 PM - 10 comments

Lamest sports-ads ever.: What would you add?

posted by Ufez Jones to culture at 01:24 PM - 18 comments

Pick a state, any state, and see what they have contributed to the sports world. As for Washington, we gave you Jon Stockton, Earl Anthony, and Phil Mahre. Via the Sports Frog...

posted by vito90 to general at 11:56 AM - 19 comments

On Wednesday, Houston Astros Triple A pitcher Jonathan Johnson walked four batters and threw four wild pitches in two innings. When he hit a batter, the former first-round pick walked off the mound, left the clubhouse, and kept on walking (second item).

posted by rcade to baseball at 09:55 AM - 3 comments

And then there were four.: Malone joins the Lakers, making four sure fire hall of famers. The starting five for the boys in purple & gold will have between them nine championship rings (three each for Kobe/Shaq/Rick), three MVPs (two for Malone, one for Shaq), three Finals MVPs (Shaq), the league's soon to be all time leader in points scored, the most dominant center in Shaq, the arguably the best all around player regardless of position in Kobe. Should they even have a season next year, or just give the award ceremony and move on?

posted by jonson to basketball at 04:12 PM - 21 comments

So long, Carl. Local alt-weekly columnist bids farewell to Carl Everett (scroll down). John Gonzalez has had a fun and entertaining year with Everett, the pinnacle of which has to be one of the most bizarre interviews I've ever read.

posted by Ufez Jones to baseball at 10:17 AM - 8 comments

JKidd says he won't stay with the Nets ... unless they dump coach Byron Scott. : Sounds like he wants to stay in Jersey, though. Maybe he doesn't give San Antonio much of a shot against the retooled Lakers, either...

posted by ajax to basketball at 09:33 AM - 12 comments

Pittsburgh Pirate Assaults Sausage: Yes, you read that right, but it might not be what you think. (What were you thinking, you perve?)

You know the mascot races in Milwaukee? They're people in big, foam sausage suits? Yeah, those. A professional baseball player actually hit one of them with a bat Wednesday night. Tell me: WHY??? I gotta see this on video.

(Seriously, I hope the young woman will be well soon, and able to run/walk in the Sausage 5k Race)

posted by msacheson to baseball at 03:02 AM - 18 comments

Giant kid wrestling.: Holy crap. (Check out the picture.)

posted by worldcup2002 to other at 04:41 PM - 14 comments

Blatter: 16 Teams Max at the Top: FIFA Pres proposes a maximum of 16 teams in the top division (EPL, Serie A, La Liga) of any national league, and therefore a max of 30 club matches per regular season, which is his way to respond to complaints that too much is being demanded of top players. Since the EPL currently has 20 clubs, that would mean in one year (if and after the proposal is accepted) the three relegated clubs plus one extra would go down and no teams promoted.

Personally I don't see this happening, at least not at the 16 level. Maybe 18, which is what Germany and Italy have, but otherwise the clubs will scream at losing so many moneymaking home matches. Love it or hate it? What would be a better alternative to this problem?

posted by billsaysthis to soccer at 02:25 PM - 15 comments

New York Rangers forward Roman Lyashenko: wrote a suicide note, then apparently tried to cut his wrists before hanging himself, a Turkish police officer said Wednesday.

posted by Ufez Jones to hockey at 02:07 PM - 2 comments

Ahh, Senor, but the bull, he does not always lose...(More inside)

posted by vito90 to extreme at 08:45 AM - 16 comments

Esera Tuaolo's novelty status as a former NFL player and self-outed gay man got him an endorsement gig, writes ESPN.Com columnist Mark Kreidler. "Tuaolo may be barely recognizable to the everyday sports fan, but he has been a widely celebrated figure in gay culture for the better part of a year."

posted by rcade to culture at 08:39 AM - 4 comments

Payton chooses L.A.!: Whoo. Hoo. As a Laker fan and current Los Angeles resident, this news makes me very happy indeed. He may be 35, but he's a fantastic point guard. Now if only his shooting gaurd doesn't go to jail, and his center doesn't show up tipping the scales plus 400 (oh, and his soon to be power forward doesn't retire to the Louisiana farmland)...

posted by jonson to basketball at 04:34 PM - 15 comments

Think you know baseball?: Then have a go at Buffalo News columnist Jerry Sullivan's annual Baseball Trivia Quiz. Answers here. (Partial disclosure: I did poorly. How poorly? That's why I'm calling it "partial" disclosure.)

posted by Jaquandor to baseball at 05:37 PM - 16 comments

Mighty Dumb Mighty Mouse: As I feel some obligation to post bhange-related stories, this AZ airport incident is just plain, down-right, overtly, and entirely stupid on Damon's part. First, he plays for a team called the TrailBlazers. Second, Damon, along with teammate and upstanding member of the Portland community Rasheed 'The Weed' Wallace, were burned for burning one down coming back from a game. If being a Blazer and hanging with 'The Weed' aren't sufficient to learn you good, then trying to pass through post 9/11 airport security with a fatsack should do the trick. Especially considering how the war on terror and the war on drugs have become one and the same(that doesn't bode well, eh?). Silly Damon, tricks are for people who can get away with them.

posted by garfield to culture at 04:19 PM - 10 comments

How to Fix the All-Star Game,: in three easy steps! Jayson Stark has some interesting suggestions on how to make sure baseball Mid-Summer Classic doesn't, well, suck, especially now that the game is "meaningful". Yes, he wants to eliminate the "Every team is represented" rule, but he suggests something to put in its place, for instance.

posted by Jaquandor to baseball at 02:44 PM - 0 comments

Columnist critical of Dusty Baker's comments: I personally do not have issues with what he said, even if they are wrong, they play to somewhat prevailing stereotypes and the report said Baker was chuckling while speaking. But these comments reek of what Jimmy the Greek said in terms of playing up stereotypes and I can't believe this story has gotten so little attention. If a white manager had said it, I can't imagine it not being the lead story with widespread calling for his ouster.

posted by dales15 to baseball at 01:46 PM - 5 comments

Pitch Finder,: at the Register of English Football Facilities, lets you enter a town name, postcode or known facility name, and find the nearest football grounds. Developed by The Football Foundation [Flash popup].

[Doesn't work so well on the Mac. Via webmapper.net]

posted by kirkaracha to soccer at 12:36 PM - 5 comments

Liverpool "sign" Kewell.: Colour me gobsmacked.

posted by squealy to soccer at 11:13 AM - 14 comments

SpoFites United!: The Observer observes that with Abramovich's Chelsea coup, more of the EPL sides could be ripe for plucking. Would take approximately GBP15-20M to purchase, say, Aston Villa or Fullham and make a good profit at that. I know we have some Villa fanatics on board and I could switch for the right deal. What do you all say, want to 'Pool our savings and mount a bid? In semi-related news, Soccernet is reporting that Kewell will sign for LFC by tomorrow for GBP7M.

posted by billsaysthis to soccer at 11:03 AM - 23 comments

Kobe Bryant Arrested For Sexual Assault: Somewhat newsfiltery, I know. But still, a little unexpected. Who knows, certainly, if there's any truth to the allegations, but this can't help the lucrative endorsement career. I bet he's glad he sowed up the Nike deal prior to this mess.

posted by jonson to basketball at 07:57 PM - 13 comments

Sosa, Clemens, and Martinez snubbed for baseball all-star game.: Hideki Matsui, Carlos Delgado, and Albert Pojols make their debuts in Major League Baseball's midsummer classic. 29 of the 63 selections are rookies to the All Star Game, to be played July 15 at US Cellular Field (formerly new Comiskey Park) in Chicago.

posted by jasonbondshow to baseball at 07:24 PM - 10 comments

Can the Lakers make a comeback next year? If the rumors are true, it is a possibility. They're currently looking at Gary Payton. Additionally, Karl Malone has expressed interest if Payton joins the crew. The scenario would go like this: Malone signs for the veteran minimum of $1.5 million for next season, which would help the Lakers attract Payton. If all this plays out, you're looking at a possible starting line-up of Gary Payton, Kobe Bryant, Rick Fox, Karl Malone and Shaquille O'Neal, which would be pretty strong, to say the least.

posted by Luke to basketball at 10:45 PM - 4 comments

The game that's changed the way millions of men go to the toilet... : ... and is poised to sweep the globe in 2003! No-one knows when or where the sport of Peeball began. What is clear however, is that the growth of the beverage industry and the invention of the modern day urinal in 1891 sent the popularity of the once aristocratic game of Peeball soaring.
Do I smell some local SpoFi Peeball(tm) Tournies in the air? Armed with my finesse and style, I'm sure I could take out an unskilled, 'brute force' wizzer like vito90! Or perhaps an online rotisserie league over at Yahoo- with legendary Gunther Bürsht in my stable, I'd be sure to win in a cake walk!

posted by hincandenza to extreme at 03:36 PM - 5 comments

Bradley Mcgee: takes the opening prologue as Le Tour commences. Armstrong comes in 7th. Britains Millar gets a glorious 2nd.

posted by Fat Buddha to extreme at 12:26 PM - 4 comments

"For an unprecedented third straight year, rail-thin Takeru 'Tsunami' Kobayashi out-gorged the competition Friday in the Nathan's Famous hot dog eating contest, downing 44 1/2 dogs and dominating adversaries three times his size. Celebrity contestant William 'The Refrigerator' Perry was outclassed by the assembled chowhounds. The 410-pound (184-kilogram) former NFL star dropped out of the competition after just five minutes, with only four hot dogs finished."

posted by Luke to other at 10:26 AM - 11 comments

Golfer Danielle Ammaccapane, who once criticized the top female golfers for being too boring, is doing her part to change that: She allegedly bumped Michelle Wie and berated her for offending golf's persnickety etiquette gods during Friday's U.S. Women's Open.

posted by rcade to golf at 10:44 PM - 13 comments

More Friday Frolics: , although for some of us it is nearly over. This duct ball tape stuffing thingy is very hard, but it makes some pretty patterns. Hic.

posted by Fat Buddha to culture at 03:25 PM - 2 comments

Friday Flash Fun.: Anybody up for a game of minigolf? Visually inventive and silly and, if I am any judge of online minigolf games, difficult.

posted by gspm to golf at 09:28 AM - 8 comments

Anyone ever heard this heckler?: As if watching my Red Sox play the lowly Devil Rays isn't punishment enough, toss in Wakefield's knuckle ball and this guy's mouth, it's all I can do to not slit my wrists. Any thoughts on guys like this, no matter what sport? If I was sitting near him, I have to think I'd ask for him to be removed.

posted by usfbull to baseball at 06:52 PM - 11 comments

To possibly nobody's suprise, the Williams sisters will be facing eachother in the Wimbledon final this Saturday. In a rematch of their French Open final, Serena Williams defeated Justine Henin-Hardenne in two sets (6-3, 6-2). Venus Williams overcame a slow start to eliminate Belgium's Kim Clijsters in three sets, creating an all-Williams final for the second successive year.

posted by Luke to tennis at 02:19 PM - 4 comments

World Wife Carrying Championships: In past competitions, Finns have awarded winners the woman's weight in beer. The Estonians, at their national championships here on June 21, gave winners the woman's weight in mineral water. One more reason to love the Finns! Then again, as one competitor said, "The Finnish wife carriers are like the Boston Red Sox . . . People root for them, but they sort of know they won't win." I love the reverse of that statement: "The Boston Red Sox have long been regarded as the Finnish wife carriers of major league baseball."

posted by jason streed to other at 01:32 PM - 4 comments

Colorado is signing both Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne. Should we even bother playing next year, or just give them the cup and start negotiating the CBA?

posted by Samsonov14 to hockey at 12:45 PM - 22 comments

Friday Flash Fun on Thursday!: Take the SpoFi's bowling, take them bowling!

posted by vito90 to other at 10:58 AM - 10 comments

Know the etymology of the word "gymnastics" or "coach"? Check yourself on this little sports vocabulary quiz.

posted by Ufez Jones to general at 10:24 AM - 10 comments

Tiger says the PGA is full of corkers ...: guys who are using illegal drivers. While Woods has hit his woods an average of one yard less this year, he's dropped from 2nd to 30th in driving distance. Should the PGA start checking every player's driver before a round, or should the players still be responsible for reporting it themselves?

posted by wfrazerjr to golf at 10:09 AM - 11 comments

Lies, damn lies, and baseball.: This book about the 1903 World Series calls it "baseball's first World Series." Once upon a time I would have taken this ignorance for granted and just muttered a little, but with the increase of interest in nineteenth-century baseball in recent years there's no excuse for it. There's even a whole book about the World Series between the National League and the American Association, played beginning in 1884 (the Providence Greys vs. the New York Metropolitans). At first I thought "well, the publisher picked a dumb title," but I looked through the book and there was no mention of the earlier series, or even the existence of the American Association. Lies, all lies!

posted by languagehat to baseball at 04:09 PM - 3 comments

Belgium versus America: | Belgian tennis is on the rise, at least for the women. Justine Henin-Hardenne and Kim Clijsters, French Open finalists, will face the William sisters in the semifinals. Remember Justine took Serena out in the semifinals of the French Open. Will it be another all-Belgian finals or an all-Williams/American finals? Women's tennis continues to get more interesting.

posted by jacknose to tennis at 12:50 PM - 2 comments

Canada, eh?: 2010 Winter Olympics to be held in Vancouver. Number of athletes testing positive for marijuana expected to skyrocket.

posted by Ufez Jones to other at 11:33 AM - 12 comments

Beckham dons the White and Black?: Getting the number of RM legend Alfredo de Stefano, DB07 transforms to the much more mellifluous (and even rhyming) DB23. But we can tell just where the photographer's main interest was...[inside]

posted by billsaysthis to soccer at 11:12 AM - 3 comments

What are the Ducks thinking?: After coming extremely close to winning it all, the Ducks decided not to make qualifying offers to renew the contracts of Paul Kariya and Adam Oates, meaning they will have to negotiate with them as unrestricted free agents, just like any other team. They claim they don't have the money, but the Ducks don't have a lot of high priced players (especially after dumping Selanne), and after their playoff run, they should have some more money, the average NHL team brings in 4 million dollars in revenue per playoff home game. They'll be giving up two brilliant passers, and one of the best faceoff men in the NHL (Oates). Regarding the claim that they don't have enough money, should revenue sharing be instituted in the league?

posted by insomnyuk to hockey at 10:10 AM - 8 comments

In honor of Carl Everett's trade to the ChiSox, here is a sampling of Carl Everett Haiku's. Everybody loves a haiku, right? via the Sports Frog

posted by vito90 to baseball at 09:52 AM - 4 comments

"Chelski"?: A Russian tycoon buys Chelsea FC from the assorted offshore companies of Ken Bates who, alas, stays on as Chairman. Apparently, Manchester United wasn't available.

posted by liam to soccer at 07:15 AM - 3 comments

Top 10 Ways to Spice Up Futbol in the U.S.: Coming soon: Ten ways to pick your teeth out of your throats you cheeky yank ragamuffins. PS WTF is "futbol"??

posted by squealy to soccer at 12:19 PM - 14 comments

BMX racing to be in the 2008 Olympics.: Would that be Radical, Dude! or Radical! Dude?

posted by gspm to other at 09:39 AM - 9 comments