CFL Playoff Pick 'Em, Final Standings: The favourites rule the day and we have our winner.

posted by DrJohnEvans to fantasy at 05:06 PM - 4 comments

Red Sox Hire Bobby Valentine as Manager: The Boston Red Sox have hired Bobby Valentine to succeed Terry Francona as manager. Valentine, 61, managed the Texas Rangers, New York Mets and Chiba Lotte Marines. In 15 years as a Major League manager his teams never finished higher in the division than second, but his 2000 Mets team reached the World Series. Tommy Lasorda's take: "They won't be drinking beer and eating chicken in clubhouse again, I guarantee you that."

posted by rcade to baseball at 09:33 AM - 12 comments

SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 9 comments

Gay World Series Settles with Banned Bisexuals: A gay softball organization has agreed to pay three players who were disqualified from its 2008 Gay Softball World Series because of their perceived heterosexuality. Stephen Apilado, Laron Charles and John Russ filed the federal lawsuit against the North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance last year, claiming they had been discriminated against because they were bisexual. The men were questioned by a committee and judged to be insufficiently gay.

posted by rcade to baseball at 03:34 PM - 21 comments

Warner to Tebow: A Little Less Jesus, Please: The last NFL quarterback famous for his professions of Christian faith, former Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner, would like to see Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow cut down the number of references to Jesus Christ. "I'd tell him, 'Put down the boldness in regards to the words, and keep living the way you're living,'" Warner said. "The greatest impact you can have on people is never what you say, but how you live. When you speak and represent the person of Jesus Christ in all actions of your life, people are drawn to that. You set the standard with your actions. The words can come after."

posted by rcade to football at 09:59 AM - 62 comments

Jaguars Fire Jack Del Rio, Team Sold: The Jacksonville Jaguars have fired head coach Jack Del Rio after nine seasons and announced the sale of the team to Illinois auto parts magnate Shahid Khan, who previously tried to buy the St. Louis Rams. Despite only winning one playoff game over that span, never winning a division title and not having a winning season since 2007, Del Rio was one of the longest-tenured head coaches in the NFL. Defensive coordinator Mel Tucker takes over as interim head coach. "The Jaguars were better off jettisoning Del Rio now instead of putting the fan base through weeks of waiting for the ax to fall," writes Florida Times-Union columnist Gene Frenette. Departing owner Wayne Weaver claimed that Khan will keep the team in Jacksonville, but said there's no guarantee in writing.

posted by NoMich to football at 09:39 AM - 17 comments

Agent: Drogba Likely to Leave Chelsea: Rejecting an offer of a one-year extension, Chelsea striker Didier Drogba is likely to leave the club when his contract expires next summer and will consider offers from all over the world -- including the U.S., said his agent. "Once you are well into your thirties you have to go to a club where you can be certain you'll be able to pay your bills," said agent Thierno Seydi. Drogba's currently subsisting on $187,000 a week.

posted by rcade to soccer at 08:55 AM - 3 comments

SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 10 comments

TV Station Apologizes for Airing Buccaneer Penis: A Tampa television station has apologized for airing a locker room interview that included background penis after Sunday's Tampa Bay Buccaneers game. As Bucs tackle Donald Penn was being interviewed, a nude player's yard marker was shown for a few seconds as he dressed. Josh Johnson? George Johnson? E.J. Biggers? It's definitely not Derek Hardman.

posted by rcade to football at 02:28 PM - 13 comments

Third-String QB Leads Texans to Win: After backup quarterback Matt Leinart broke his collarbone being driven into the turf, rookie third stringer T.J. Yates filled in for the Houston Texans in a 20-13 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Yates, a fifth-round draft pick out of North Carolina, had never suited up for a game before Sunday. He was 8-of-15 for 70 yards and drove the team to a field goal. In other games, the Patriots pasted the Eagles, the Broncos edged the Chargers in the final minutes of OT and the Jets came back over the Bills.

posted by rcade to football at 11:23 AM - 4 comments

Iran Spanks Soccer Players Over Butt Pat: Iran's football association imposed suspensions and $30,000 fines on two Iranian soccer players accused of celebrating a goal in an "immoral" manner. Last month, Persepolis defender Mohammed Nosrati patted the butt of teammate Sheys Rezaei while celebrating a goal in a nationally televised match. The patter Nosrati gets 10 months suspension and the patted Rezaei 20 months.

posted by rcade to soccer at 10:41 AM - 11 comments

SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 14 comments

BC Lions are 2011 Grey Cup Champions: Travis Lulay and the B.C. Lions hoisted the trophy for the 6th time in franchise history in a way nobody would have foreseen 3 months ago. The Lions quarterback put the ball in the hands of sophomore Andrew Harris and Kierrie Johnson, each of whom responded with t.d.'s, and veteran Arland Bruce, who came alive in the second half. Bruce's 4th-quarter t.d., which came just after Lulay nearly gifted a touchdown to a Bombers defender was pivotal. It gave B.C. just enough for a 34-23 win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before 54,313 fans. Lulay was named the game's M.V.P., Harris was voted top Canadian.

posted by tommytrump to football at 10:48 PM - 1 comment

Syracuse Coach's Wife Told Accuser: I Know He Molested You: A taped phone call of Laurie Fine, the wife of longtime Syracuse basketball associate head coach Bernie Fine, indicates that she believed him guilty of molesting one of his accusers. The 2002 call was with Bobby Davis, a former Syracuse ball boy who said the abuse began when he was in seventh grade. Davis recorded it without her knowledge and played it for ESPN. "I know everything that went on," Fine told Davis. "Bernie is also in denial. I think that he did the things he did, but he's somehow through his own mental telepathy has erased them out of his mind." ESPN was first given the tape in 2003, but the network said it "did not report Davis' accusations, or report the contents of the tape, because no one else would corroborate his story." The call also includes Laurie Fine's admission to having a sexual relationship with Davis when he was an 18-year-old high school senior.

posted by rcade to basketball at 12:54 PM - 44 comments

The Hoser's NFL Picks, 2011 Week 12: NFL picks that are gearing up for haiku week next week!

posted by wfrazerjr to football at 11:12 AM - 5 comments

Wales Manager Gary Speed Found Dead: Cheshire police confirm that Speed, who was the first player to make 500 appearances in England's Premier League and added 85 appearances for his country, was found dead in his home. The Football Association of Wales have stated that Speed took his own life.

posted by Mr Bismarck to soccer at 09:06 AM - 4 comments

SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 3 comments

Grey Cup legends duke it out at alumni luncheon: Old Grey Cup scars die hard. Evidently, some never do.
At Friday's annual CFL alumni luncheon a Grey Cup week staple featuring legends of the game two 73-year-old icons reprised a 48-year-old feud, leaving attendees gaping in disbelief. Joe Kapp, the storied quarterback of the 1960s B.C. Lions and, later, the Minnesota Vikings, and former Hamilton Tiger-Cats defensive lineman Angelo Mosca who has made a second career out of a villainous reputation scrapped on stage after Kapp repeatedly waved flowers in Mosca's face and Mosca swatted him with his cane.

posted by tommytrump to football at 12:39 PM - 6 comments

NBA Labor Deal Reached: The NBA will be back on Christmas Day, pending approval of a tentative settlement of the lockout. The season will be 66 games long. The deal includes a tougher luxury tax and increases minimum team salary from 75 percent to 90 percent. "You never can be sure, with how a new system will work. But we feel ultimately it will give fans in every community hope that their team can compete for championships," said deputy commissioner Adam Silver.

posted by rcade to basketballl at 08:50 AM - 10 comments

SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 3 comments

Bankrupt Power Balance Owes Kobe Bryant $400,000: The makers of the Power Balance Wrist Band, a $30 rubber band with a Mylar hologram to "optimize energy flow" touted to improve athletic performance, filed for bankruptcy in January after agreeing to a $57 million class-action settlement and admitting there's no scientific basis for its product claims. The company owes celebrity endorsers Kobe Bryant ($400,000), Blake Griffin ($20,000) and skateboarder Ryan Sheckler ($25,000). It also owes the Sacramento Kings $100,000 after the team reached a deal to rename its arena Power Balance Pavilion.

posted by rcade to general at 12:40 PM - 9 comments

SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle

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

Suh Ejected for Stomping on Opponent: Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh was ejected from Thursday's 27-15 loss to Green Bay for stepping on Packers offensive lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith after pushing his head into the ground three times. Suh denied any of it was intentional: "The man upstairs knows what I did."

posted by rcade to football at 10:20 PM - 29 comments

American Samoa Gets First-Ever Soccer Win: After 30 straight defeats that stretched over nearly two decades, the American protectorate of Samoa has won its first international soccer match ever -- a 2-1 victory over Tonga. "Maybe we have a chance to do something special here beyond this one game, but let's enjoy this one right now," said coach Thomas Rongen, a former top man at D.C United. American Samoa will no longer have a FIFA ranking of dead last with Andorra, Montserrat, Samoa and San Marino.

posted by rcade to soccer at 11:13 AM - 6 comments

CFL Pick 'Em, Grey Cup Edition: It's best against best! Book your flight, join the party, and make your picks inside.

posted by DrJohnEvans to fantasy at 10:45 AM - 13 comments

SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 3 comments

Report: Urban Meyer to Coach Ohio State: Former Florida coach Urban Meyer will sign a seven-year, $40 million deal to coach Ohio State, unnamed sources told Orlando TV station WKMG. A day earlier the Gainesville Sun quoted Meyer as saying he had not been interviewed, but his comments sounded receptive to the possibility: "I've found that it is possible to have balance between your job and your family, that there are coaches out there who are doing it. ... I'm in a good place right now mentally and physically. So if something happens with Ohio State, I'll have a decision to make."

posted by NoMich to football at 10:13 AM - 7 comments

SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 9 comments

Ryan Braun wins NL MVP award: For just the fourth time ever and the first time in 22 years, the Milwaukee Brewers can claim the league's most valuable player. Leftfielder Ryan Braun was named the top player in the National League by the Baseball Writers' Association of America, beating out Los Angeles Dodgers centerfielder Matt Kemp, who finished second. Braun earned 20 of 32 first-place votes and finished second on the other 12 ballots en route to a total of 388 points. Kemp, who made a run at the triple crown for a Dodgers team that finished third in the NL West, received 10 first-place votes and 332 points in all.

posted by tommytrump to baseball at 03:53 PM - 6 comments

Plummer to Tebow: A Little Less Jesus, Please: Former Denver Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer would like to see current quarterback Tim Tebow cut down the number of references to Jesus Christ. "I think that when he accepts the fact that we know that he loves Jesus Christ, then I think I'll like him a little better," Plummer said on Phoenix sports radio station XTRA Sports 910. "I don't hate him because of that, I just would rather not have to hear that every single time he takes a good snap or makes a good handoff."

posted by rcade to football at 02:09 PM - 31 comments

Intruder Defrosts Lobster of White Sox GM: An intruder broke into the home of Chicago White Sox general manager Kenny Williams, put on his clothes, wore his 2005 World Series ring, drank his beer, cooked a pizza, surfed the Internet and defrosted a lobster, police allege. Wayne L. Field III, 51, was arrested after allegedly returning to the home and peering into a window. He was still wearing the clothes and ring.

posted by rcade to baseball at 12:15 PM - 3 comments

The Kid is back: Understand that it will take a little time. Sidney Crosby hadn't played in a game in nearly 11 months until Monday night, so it's inevitable that he'll need a little time to scrape the rust off his game. In his return, he shook that rust off with a 2 goal/ 4 pt night in 16 min of ice time.

posted by Debo270 to hockey at 09:09 AM - 7 comments

SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 0 comments

Tigers' Justin Verlander wins AL MVP : Justin Verlander is the American League's Most Valuable Player -- the first starting pitcher to win the award in 25 years. The Detroit Tigers right-hander beat out runner-up Jacoby Ellsbury of Boston and third-place Jose Bautista of Toronto. Verlander received 13 of the 28 first-place votes in the balloting by the Baseball Writers Association of America. He was left off of one voter's ballot. Bautista got five first-place votes. Ellsbury had four.

posted by tommytrump to baseball at 03:49 PM - 34 comments

Get ready for Minnesota High School Hockey (video): The 2011-12 MN H.S. season is set to begin later this week. It will culminate in March when class AA and class A Champions are crowned. The video does a great job of capturing what it is like to play in the state tourney at St. Paul's the Excel Energy Center in front of 18,000 people. More than 3,000 boys will participate during the regualr season. 38 of them will come out the other end as Champions.

posted by NormsAndNedums to hockey at 01:50 PM - 3 comments

Jay Cutler Breaks Thumb in Bears Win: Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler broke the thumb of his throwing hand during the team's 31-20 victory over the San Diego Chargers Sunday. Cutler was trying to make a tackle during Chargers cornerback Antoine Cason's interception return in the fourth quarter and is expected to miss 6-8 weeks. The 7-3 Bears now turn to Caleb Hanie, who has 14 regular season passes to his credit. In other Sunday games, Green Bay beat Tampa Bay to go 10-0, San Francisco routed Arizona for their eighth straight win and Detroit came back over Carolina.

posted by rcade to football at 10:36 AM - 10 comments

LA Galaxy Win MLS Cup: Landon Donovan scored in the 72nd minute on a pass from Robbie Keane, sending the L.A. Galaxy to a 1-0 win in the MLS Cup over Houston Dynamo. David Beckham, whose pass to Keane helped set up the goal, may leave now that his five-year contract has ended. "A lot of people said if we didn't win tonight it would have been an unsuccessful five years," he said. "It's nice to keep a few people quiet."

posted by rcade to soccer at 09:57 AM - 3 comments

SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle

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

Woods Leads U.S. to Presidents Cup Win: Tiger Woods beat Aaron Badderly 4&3, giving the U.S. the 18th point it needed to clinch the Presidents Cup. "It feels good," said Woods, bouncing back from a biggest-ever loss in round one. "I hoped it wouldn't come down to my point."

posted by rcade to golf at 11:02 AM - 5 comments

The Hoser's NFL Picks, 2011 Week 11: NFL picks that have still never seen any of the Lord of the Rings movies.

posted by wfrazerjr to football at 10:38 AM - 8 comments

SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 3 comments

Ron Washington's Speech Before World Series Game 7: Earlier this month, audio leaked of Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington giving a pre-game speech to the team before game 7 of the World Series. A day after the Rangers lost game 6 after twice being one strike from the championship, Wash told the team, "Now we found out how tough it is to win a World Series. ... We can play this motherfucking game. ... We know we can beat those cocksuckers." An employee secretly recorded the speech and shared it with somebody who leaked it to JoeSportsFan.Com. Those cocksuckers won, 6-2.

posted by rcade to baseball at 08:14 AM - 10 comments

SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 5 comments

CFL Playoff Pick 'Em, Division Finals Edition: Welp, that was some old-fashioned barn-burnin', weren't it? Grab a hose and make your picks inside.

posted by DrJohnEvans to fantasy at 02:10 PM - 11 comments

An angry sportswriter's King James Bible: Just over a year ago, ESPN aired The Decision, that ill-fated hour-long special in which NBA star LeBron James bailed on his seven-year professional relationship with the Cleveland Cavaliers. For lifelong Cleveland fan Scott Raab, that moment was personal.

posted by BornIcon to basketball at 10:40 AM - 4 comments

Oklahoma State Women's Coaches Die in Plane Crash: Oklahoma State University women's basketball coach Kurt Budke and assistant coach Miranda Serna were killed with two others in a plane crash Thursday while on a recruiting trip in Arkansas. Just 10 years ago, two male OSU basketball players and eight others affiliated with the team died in a plane crash outside Denver.

posted by rcade to basketball at 10:01 AM - 5 comments

WTFinland: Last year Minnesota Wild prospect Mikael Granlund turned heads with his Floorball-style (or "lacross-style" for the uninitiated) goal during Finland's semifinal game against Russia in the World Championships. Mikael's younger brother Markus notched a similar goal today (via MetaFilter).

posted by rcade to hockey at 09:59 AM - 2 comments

Syracuse puts Fine on leave after police inquiry: Just two weeks after Penn State was rocked by a child sex-abuse scandal, Syracuse Chancellor Nancy Cantor says the school will not turn a blind eye to child molesting allegations against longtime assistant basketball coach Bernie Fine.

posted by BornIcon to basketball at 09:02 AM - 5 comments

SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 4 comments

Chicago Cubs Hire Dale Sveum as Manager: Milwaukee Brewers hitting coach Dale Sveum, 47, has been hired as the new manager of the Chicago Cubs. Sveum also has Boston ties, having served as a third base coach for the franchise.

posted by rcade to baseball at 04:18 PM - 3 comments

Sepp Blatter is at it again: The head of FIFA has sparked huge controversy (especially in England) with ill-judged comments that minimize the extent and impact of racism in soccer. With his previous gaffes about homosexuality and women's football, it's a wonder that anyone is surprised.

posted by geneparmesan to soccer at 10:51 AM - 5 comments

London Rippers getting ripped: If the London Rippers were looking for attention, well, they got it - a swarm of criticsm for the name of the city's newest professional baseball team.

posted by NoMich to baseball at 10:00 AM - 21 comments

New Mexico Hires Ex-Irish Coach Davie: New Mexico has hired Bob Davie to coach its football program, 10 years after he was fired as Notre Dame's head coach after five seasons. Davie, 57, led the Irish to a disappointing 35-25 record and an 0-3 bowl record after succeeding Lou Holtz. He's been working as a college football TV analyst for ESPN and ABC. "The best candidate for the job was a guy who'd been off the sidelines since 2001? A coach who had a losing record in two of his final 3 years? A guy who's record in bowl games is 0-3?" asks J.P. Murietta of New Mexico TV station KOB.

posted by rcade to football at 09:14 AM - 7 comments

Woods, Stricker Destroyed in Presidents Cup: Facing Adam Scott and K.J. Choi, Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker didn't make a birdie, didn't win a hole and were done after 12 holes -- matching the record for the biggest loss in Presidents Cup history. Woods shook hands with jilted caddie Steve Williams -- now serving as Scott's bagman -- at the first tee and was gracious in his comments: "I know he probably looks at it differently than I do, but, hey, life goes forward. I'm very happy with what we did in our career together."

posted by rcade to golf at 08:56 AM - 3 comments

SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 27 comments

Astros OK Move to American League: Houston Astros owner Jim Crane, newly approved by the league, is backing the team's move to the American League West in exchange for a $70 million discount off his $680 million purchase price of the team. Former owner Drayton McLane and the league will split the cost of the discount. The move gives Major League Baseball six five-team divisions beginning in 2013 and means there will be interleague play throughout the season.

posted by rcade to baseball at 03:06 PM - 11 comments

Teen Killed by Puck During Hockey Game: Edmonton minor hockey player Kyle Fundytus, 16, died Sunday after he was hit in the throat by a puck during a midget double-A game the night before in Edmonton. Fundytus was wearing a neck guard, which are mandatory in all minor hockey in Canada.

posted by rcade to Hockey at 06:57 AM - 5 comments

SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 0 comments

Bob Costas Asks Sandusky About Penn State Abuse Scandal : On Monday evening, Jerry Sandusky broke his silence. Facing 40 counts of sexual abuse against eight boys over a 15-year span, the former Penn State defensive coach granted an exclusive interview with Bob Costas on NBC's "Rock Center." Despite conceding that he showered with these boys, Sandusky maintains his innocence.

posted by BornIcon to football at 09:47 AM - 63 comments

SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 15 comments

An Offensive Survey!: Buffalo (Wyo.) High football coach Pat Lynch resigned his position after he offered a questionnaire to his players so they could easily explain the reason of any hurt feelings in the locker room. Reason for filing this report (Check box): "I am a queer", "I have woman like hormones", "I am a little bitch". Also, please provide the name of the "real man who hurt your sensitive little feelings" and your own "girly-man signature". Now that he has resigned, he can continue to focus his efforts as a, wait for it...... Guidance Counselor, yep.

posted by BoKnows to football at 12:58 AM - 15 comments

What Was Mike Smith Thinking?: The New Orleans Saints won in overtime over the Atlanta Falcons 26-23 Sunday, thanks to a bizarre call by Falcons coach Mike Smith to go for it on 4th-and-1 at their own 29 in the extra quarter. ESPN crunches the numbers, which were not in Smith's favor. "The ball was inside a half a yard and I thought we could get it," Smith said. "I did not want to give the ball back to the Saints."

posted by rcade to football at 09:36 PM - 12 comments

Tebow Completes 2 Passes in Broncons Win: Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow completed two out of eight passes for 69 yards -- one a 56-yard-touchdown to Eric Decker -- during a 17-10 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday. Tebow also ran for a seven-yard touchdown. "Winning ugly can't be illustrated any better than the way Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow does it," writes Steve Gardner of USA Today.

posted by rcade to football at 09:09 AM - 34 comments

SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle

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

Mike Matheny New Cardinals Manager: The St. Louis Cardinals have named former catcher Mike Matheny as their manager to succeed Tony La Russa. He is the second major league manager hired this offseason with no managing experience.

posted by rcade to Baseball at 08:05 PM - 3 comments

SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle

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

Miami Marlins Unveil New Uniforms: The Miami Marlins have released the uniforms they'll wear in their first season under the new name. "Overall, the look fits Miami -- it's a little garish and something you won't find anywhere else, but that's how it should be. It's also not a throwback, which fits in with the futuristic looking ballpark," writes C. Trent Rosecrans of CBS Sports.

posted by rcade to baseball at 11:50 AM - 15 comments

SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 5 comments

CFL Playoff Pick 'Em, Semi-Final Editions: It's the CFL Playoffs! A fresh start for all! Nobody even remembers what happened in the regular season, unless you have the misfortune of living in Toronto or Saskatchewan. For the rest of you, please sharpen your scoring pencils and make your picks inside.

posted by DrJohnEvans to fantasy at 01:03 PM - 15 comments

My Father Beat Me, Shaq Writes in Book: In a new book written with Jackie MacMullen, Shaquille O'Neal writes about enduring a childhood of physical abuse from his father, Phillip Harrison, a Army staff sergeant. "Physically abused him, beat the living daylights out of him at every turn," MacMullen said. "His father came home from work one night, Shaq is sitting there, he punches Shaq in the face. Shaq says, 'Well, what's that for?' [Harrison] said, 'We're going to see this guy play basketball. ... He plays in the NBA. You're messing around, you're goofing around, you're not serious about your game. This guy makes $15 million and he can't play at all. And we're going to go see him.' Punches him again and takes him to go see Jon Koncak play basketball and says, 'See, if you applied yourself, you could be in the NBA making $15 million.'"

posted by rcade to basketball at 09:41 AM - 2 comments

SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 10 comments

The Hoser's NFL Picks, Week Ten 2011: NFL picks that are beginning to look a lot like Christmas way too early.

posted by wfrazerjr to football at 09:47 AM - 5 comments

Nationals Catcher Wilson Ramos Kidnapped: Wilson Ramos, a catcher for the Washington Nationals, was kidnapped Wednesday from his family home in Valencia, Venezuela, by four armed men in a van. There's no word yet of a ransom demand. Kathe Vilera, the manager of the Tigres de Aragua team Ramos has been playing for in that country, posted on Twitter, "Lack of security in this country has no limits and nobody does anything! When will the kidnappings stop?"

posted by rcade to baseball at 09:35 AM - 2 comments

SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 3 comments

CFL Pick 'Em, Final Standings: It's over! It's all over, and no more ties. We have our winners. See how it all played out inside.

posted by DrJohnEvans to fantasy at 10:41 PM - 6 comments

Cut Basketball Player Goes on Naked Rampage: A Fresno Pacific University basketball player went on a naked rampage Monday after being cut from the team. Leonard Tyrell Young, 21, ran naked through a convenience store parking lot, tried to steal a police car, beat a police officer and police dog and withstood three Taser strikes before finally being subdued, police said.

posted by rcade to basketball at 07:28 PM - 8 comments

SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 7 comments

New York Times: Paterno's Exit Underway at Penn State: Joe Paterno's tenure as coach of the Penn State football team will soon be over, the New York Times reported Tuesday afternoon. Two sources told the paper that Paterno, 84, has lost the support of many Board of Trustees members over how 2002 allegations of child sex abuse by former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky were handled.

posted by rcade to football at 12:48 PM - 204 comments

SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 17 comments

Smokin' Joe has passed away.: The boxing legend passed away tonight.

posted by Drood to boxing at 12:57 AM - 7 comments

Baseball's White Rabbit: a profile of Bill Lee on Kickstarter-sponsored The Classical.

posted by yerfatma to baseball at 10:06 AM - 1 comment

The Footage the NFL Won't Show You: Wall Street Journal: "Every play during an NFL game is filmed from multiple angles in high definition. There are cameras hovering over the field, cameras lashed to the goalposts and cameras pointed at the coaches, who have to cover their mouths to call plays. But for all the footage available, and despite the $4 billion or so the NFL makes every year by selling its broadcast rights, there's some footage the league keeps hidden. If you ask the league to see the footage that was taken from on high to show the entire field and what all 22 players did on every play, the response will be emphatic. 'NO ONE gets that' ..."

posted by rcade to football at 09:56 AM - 11 comments

SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 19 comments

Smokin' Joe Fighting Cancer: Former heavyweight champion "Smokin'" Joe Frazier has liver cancer and is under hospice care. The 67-year-old boxer was diagnosed four or five weeks ago, Frazier's personal and business manager said Saturday. "We have medical experts looking into the all the options that are out there," said Frazier's manager Leslie Wolff. "There are very few."

posted by rcade to boxing at 12:45 PM - 4 comments

SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle

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

Penn State AD Charged in Child Sex Abuse Cover Up: Penn State athletic director Tim Curley and another school official are facing perjury and failing to report charges related to allegations that longtime assistant coach Jerry Sandusky sexually abused eight boys. Sandusky, who retired from Penn State in 1999 after 32 years in coaching, was indicted Friday on 40 counts after a two-year grand jury investigation. Ray Gricar, a district attorney who chose not to pursue charges against Sandusky in 1998 after allegations the coach touched a 12-year-old boy in a shower, disappeared in 2005 and was declared dead this year. Head coach Joe Paterno was not charged. Prosecutors said he reported an allegation of abuse to Curley when he first learned about it. Since retirement, Sandusky has focused his time on Second Mile, a charity he founded in 1977 that helps 200,000 kids in the state with youth camps and programs.

posted by rcade to football at 12:23 PM - 40 comments

Prep Soccer Team Punished for Doing the Bernie: The Perry Hall High School boy's soccer team in Baltimore was suspended for celebrating a playoff win by doing the Bernie, a dance inspired by the 1993 film Weekend at Bernies II. The decision has been reversed, allowing the team to continue in the playoffs. "More information continued to come in from the various communities and various stakeholders and because of that, the decision was re-analyzed," said principal George Roberts.

posted by rcade to soccer at 09:36 AM - 4 comments

SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 7 comments

Steve Williams explains why Adam Scott's victory at Bridgestone Invitational was best of his career: Asked what the celebration was all about, the 47-year-old New Zealander said: 'It was my aim to shove it right up that black a**ehole.'

posted by tommytrump to golf at 12:33 AM - 22 comments

Bob Forsch, Matty Alou Die: Pitcher Bob Forsch, who threw two no-hitters for the St. Louis Cardinals, died Thursday night at age 61, less than a week after throwing out the first pitch at game 7 of the World Series. Forsch's 163 wins for the Cardinals trails only Bob Gibson (251) and Jesse "Pop" Haines (210). Matty Alou, the 1966 National League batting champion for the Pittsburgh Pirates, also died Thursday. He was 72.

posted by rcade to baseball at 01:10 PM - 1 comment

Chris Herren Documentary Shows Power Of Leaders, Failure Of System: In ESPN Films' documentary Unguarded, the story of Chris Herren is one that shows how incapable the power structures of top-flight basketball are of helping young players in need.

posted by BornIcon to basketball at 09:56 AM - 2 comments

SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle

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

Lou Gehrig, Kurt Russell's Dad And A Home Run Bat With A Grand Story To Tell: The coolest aspect to Kurt Russell was that the bat was handed directly from Gehrig to Bing. His dad's story never changed: "The bat boy, Timmy, picked it up while Lou was circling the bases and gave it to Lou when he touched the plate. Lou carried it back to the dugout and handed it to me."

posted by gfinsf to baseball at 09:30 AM - 2 comments

SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle

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

Ex ESPN Exec Commits Premature Masturbation Allegation Litigation: Former ESPN senior vice president Keith Clinkscales -- once the highest ranking black executive at the network -- has sued another former ESPN executive in a pre-emptive move, believing that the person was talking to Deadspin about how Clinkscales allegedly masturbated on a New York-to-Los Angeles flight in front of sideline host Erin Andrews. Deadspin's A.J. Daulerio writes this afternoon, "Just to be clear: A former ESPN senior vice president is suing another former ESPN executive on the grounds that she defamed him in a story that we hadn't written yet. That we're now publishing." Deadspin passes along this claim about the flight: "At some point during the trip, Andrews saw Clinkscales masturbating in his seat, beneath his iPad. When he realized he had been caught, Andrews told Connie, Clinkscales panicked and muttered, 'You know, I'm one of your bosses.'"

posted by rcade to general at 06:31 PM - 16 comments

NHL Player Wears Blackface for Halloween: Phoenix Coyotes NHL player Raffi Torres and his wife, Gianna, dressed in blackface as rapper Jay-Z and singer Beyonce Knowles at a Halloween party, sparking outrage when a photo of the couple was shared on Twitter. "For those who forgotten their history -- and these two folks clearly did -- blackface was a type of makeup worn by vaudeville performers in the 19th century as a parody of African Americans. It was degrading then, and it is degrading now," writes Bill Plaschke.

posted by rcade to hockey at 04:41 PM - 32 comments

Former NASCAR Driver Arrested for Speed: Former NASCAR driver Jeremy Mayfield was arrested Tuesday night on drug charges and methamphetamine, dozens of guns and nearly $100,000 in stolen goods were found in his Catawba, N.C., home, police said. Mayfield was suspended from NASCAR after failing a random drug test in May 2009.

posted by rcade to auto racing at 12:18 PM - 7 comments

CFL Pick 'Em, Week 19: Guys, this is crazy. With five teams tied for first place heading into the last week of the season, it's only appropriate that we have a shocking tie for first in our little Pick 'Em. Screw your courage to the sticking-place and make your picks inside.

posted by DrJohnEvans to fantasy at 11:03 AM - 19 comments

Romanian Fan Attacks Player During Match: George Galamaz, a Romanian soccer player for Steaua Bucharest, had his cheekbone broken by a fan who ran onto the pitch and sucker punched him during a road match against Petrolul Ploiesti Sunday. After the fan Dragos Petrut Enache was attacked by several players and dragged off by security, Steaua's goalie was burned by a firework and the match was prematurely ended. Two Steaua players, defender Novak Martinovic and goalkeeper Razvan Stanca, were red carded for attacking the fan, who had been angered by a penalty call while Petrolul trailed 2-0 in the first half.

posted by rcade to soccer at 08:57 AM - 3 comments

SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 7 comments

NBA Fines Heat Owner $500,000 for Twitter Posts: The NBA has fined Miami Heat owner Micky Arison $500,000 for remarks he made on his Twitter account Friday about the lockout. After the latest breakdown in talks with players, Arison expressed his frustration in a series of tweets. In response to a fan who asked him "How's it feel to be apart of ruining the best game in the world?" Arison responded: "You are barking at the wrong owner." There's a rumored split among big- and small-market owners regarding measures to "guarantee competitive balance," ESPN reports, with Arison on the side of the bigs.

posted by rcade to basketball at 01:38 PM - 7 comments

SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle

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