Rich Rod and Washing Cars

Michael Rosenberg of the Detroit Free Press does not believe new Michigan football coach Rich Rodriguez is a man of his word... "We now know Rodriguez to be a serial job-shopper. His agent, Mike Brown, had pitched Rodriguez’s services to Alabama, Arkansas and Louisiana State in recent years before pursuing Michigan." ...

Michael Rosenberg

Mitch Albom of the Detroit Free Press says good-bye to Tiger Stadium as the wrecking ball starts to take down the grand stadium... "There was a small hole in her body. But she will break and crumble much more in the weeks to come. She was born in 1912. Death is inevitable now." ...

Mitch Albom

Phil Sheridan of the Philadelphia News writes that the Sixers scored big with the signing of Elton Brand... "This was a grand slam for the Sixers. They went into this free-agency period with carefully created space under the salary cap." ...

Phil Sheridan

Jay Mariotti of the Chicago Sun-Times writes that the Cubs will go as far as Carlos Zambrano will take them... "But make no mistake, the newcomer is merely the yin to the yang of Carlos Zambrano, who always will be considered the pitching savior in any ongoing World Series scenario. On a team of heavenly salaries and huge expectations, Zambrano is the crackling fire, the heart and soul on which this season's giddy conviction is based." ...

Jay Mariotti

Brian Doogan of ESPN.com writes about heavyweight champ Wladimir Klitschko and his battle to be recognized as a true champ... "Even against such moribund opposition, Klitschko has struggled to rule with an iron fist -- explaining why so many of the doubters remain." ...

Brian Doogan

Our friend over at The Zone Blitz loves to show the terrific 32 second video of Jessica Simpson washing the General Lee...but the original car washing babe piece came from the movie Cool Hand Luke...George Kennedy's reaction as a woman thirsty chain gang member in this 3 minute clip is funny...the blond with the jugs is not bad either...

Please go away Jesse

Will someone please tell me why Jeese Jackson is still around?...he is a bumbling idiot racist who preaches one thing, then does something completely different...he is FAKE...his time has come and gone....he is a relic of 20 plus years ago....Jesse needs to just GO AWAY!!!...if not, will someone please cut HIS nuts off!!

Is She Hot? - C-Rod

Like a firecracker going off, the hottest news this weekend was about the impending divorce between Alex Rodriguez and his wife Cynthia....she has been on the cover of all the New York newspapers....so what the heck, I have to ask my readers what they think of C-Rod now that she is on the market again...

My thoughts - she is not some knock-out babe....she does have some major cans as evident in the photo on the left...she is reported to be 34-years-old...let's put it this way, she is not the hottest woman that I have seen, but she is not bad...this leads to the question:

Do you think Cynthia Rodriguez is hot?

Leave your comments

All-Star Blunder

With the annual All-Star Game is also the annual questioning of players who should have or should not have made the team....It is common practice that the manager of the team usually takes care of players from his own team - which is understandable...I have no problem there...but how in the hell can American League manager Terry Francona justify in putting catcher Jason Varitek on the team?....

Varitek is batting .215!!!!...yes, that is .215, not .315!!!...I like Varitek...he is a good defensive catcher, but come on Terry Francona!!!!...that bonehead move cost someone more deserving to be a part of the team, like Jermaine Dye, Mike Mussina, Evan Longoria, B.J. Upton, or Jose Guillen...

Sorry, but bad move Francona....

Random Thoughts

Another "small market" team has made a move to try and win the World Series...the Milwaukee Brewers went out and traded/rented C.C. Sabathia...I thought only the New Yorks, Bostons, and Chicagos made those type of moves for a player of that magnitude?...small market baseball is alive and well...

I am a New York Yankees fan but if the Yankees don't make the playoffs, I am pulling for the Tampa Rays...Tampa's improvement this year gives hope to teams like the Orioles, Pirates, Reds, and Royals...if the Rays can win the A.L. East, then anything is possible when your management team makes smart baseball decisions and uses its luxury tax money to improve the organization...

If Tampa makes the playoffs, they will be tough to beat in that bandbox of a domed stadium...

Well, PTI's Michael Wilbon was right that Roger Federer would not win Wimbledon, but he was way off base when he made the statement that Federer is "done"...it's inevitable that Rafa Nadal will become the number 1 tennis player...but Federer showed that he is still capable of winning a Grand Slam event...

Most NFL teams go with the theory of having a two back offense...I am just surprised that no one has signed former Seattle running back Shaun Alexander...Alexander's better days are behind him, but you mean he cannot make it as a back-up for some team?...I think he would fit nicely with the Cleveland Browns subbing for Jamal Lewis...I think Alexander can still carry the ball 5-10 times a game and be effective...

Has anyone seen the new Nutrisystem commercial with Jillian Barberie-Reynolds?...she claims that she lost 40 pounds...that may be so, but I think she also added some weight to her chest too...her chest looks huge in those commercials...

I can't believe that she married Burt Reynolds?...

NBA Draft Thoughts
The two basketball players who made a mistake coming out early have to be Kosta Koufos of Ohio State and Chris Douglas-Roberts of Memphis...Koufos was selected 23rd overall by Utah even though he was predicted to go in the top 15...with more experience, which he would have gotten at Ohio State, Koufos would have been a top 10 pick in a year or two...

I have no idea why CDR left Memphis?...this kid was a first team All-American but he slid all the way into the second round at 39th overall to New Jersey...whoever advised him to leave early made a mistake...

The best "value" pick was by Sacramento taking Patrick Ewing Jr in the second round at 43rd overall...I am not saying Junior is going to be like Papa...but it seemed liek Georgetown always played better whenever Junior was on the floor...I could see him being one of those guys who can do a little of everything including being a defensive stopper...

Finally, with the All-Star Game coming up next week, I found the old theme song from "This Week in Baseball"....hearing this reminds me of Saturday mornings in the early 1980s and Mel Allen....sit back and enjoy...

Who is Matt LaPorta?

The Cleveland Indians traded C.C. Sabathia to Milwaukee for their top prospect Matt LaPorta and two other minor leaguers...LaPorta played collegiate baseball for Florida...here is the lowdown on LaPorta...

Matt LaPorta

Sunday Stories

Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe writes how Pedro Martinez's career may be on the decline... "The former Red Sox ace says he's healthy, and if the Mets are to turn their horror show of a first half into a prosperous second half, Martínez is aware he must be a huge part of it." ...

Nick Cafardo

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reviews the Brewers latest offer to the Indians for C.C. Sabathia...

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Kevin Kernan of the New York Post writes how Alex Rodriguez took time from his hectic week to spend time with a cancer patient... " . . . the Yankee slugger deftly made his way through a wall of media camped on his Park Avenue doorstep. He had a promise to keep. He had to get John Challis to the game." ...

Kevin Kernan

Autograph collector Ray Robinson reviews his collection after 75 years... "Recently, as I looked over my 75-year-old scrapbook, its yellowed, crumbling pages fatigued by time passing, I realized that my collection revealed a singular cultural footnote: it seemed that most of the players, regardless of status in the game, signed with their nicknames, not their given names." ...

Ray Robinson

Ben Shpigel of The New York Times writes how the Phillies Jimmy Rollins sees himself in the Mets Jose Reyes... "Rollins says he loves watching Reyes play, and it is easy to see why. In Reyes, Rollins sees a younger, faster version of himself — a switch-hitting dynamo, right down to their shared initials, spot in the lineup and division." ...

Ben Shpigel

Mike Downey of the Chicago Tribune writes about the White Sox young hot second baseman known as the Cuban Missle... "Ramirez is (at least) 10 years younger than Contreras, but they did play together in Cuba for a couple of years. Younger players there all looked up to Contreras, he says. He was someone they all wanted to be like." ...

Mike Downey

Pete Grathoff of the Kansas City Star writes about finding the sweet spot on a tennis racket... "Graphite-based rackets are stronger and faster than their wooden counterparts. That equates to faster serves, which seems obvious enough." ...

Pete Grathoff

In honor of the Wimbledon final today...enjoy a five minute video of the classic 1980 championship match between Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe...

The Williams Sisters - Two Classy Women

The Williams Sisters - class act all the way...let's be frank, some people don't like the Williams sisters because they are black....others do not like them because years ago their father made a few racist comments....

Today older sister Venus beat younger sister Serena to win her fifth Wimbledon crown...three hours later, they teamed together to steamroll their opponents in winning the women's doubles title...they are both tough tennis players who are deadly on the grass surface of Wimbledon...but it is off the court that impresses me more...they are quality role models for both African-American and white youth...

You never hear neither sister linked to issues or problems...a mugshot?...both sisters are more interested in fashion and clothes than to have a photo is an orange jumpsuit...they are not mouthy nor arrogant...neither live their lives in the tabloids like Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears, Whitney Houston, etc., etc.,...for instance, Spears, who is around the sisters age, gets more press for acting like a whore...she is a mother of two young children, and instead of being a "mom," she is getting out of cars with no panties and shaving her head at the spur of the moment...

And I undestand why some do not like Richard Williams, their father...he is outspoken and off-base with some of his comments...but he did a helluva job in raising these two women...they could have easily been consumed to the street life of Compton while growing up...but he made sure they stayed clear of trouble...think about it, two African-American girls from Compton are class women in the tennis world...so yes, it is possible to make it in this world if you have the right guidance...

Now that his daughters no longer need his guidance, maybe he should offer it to Brit or Lindsay?...it seems like they need some no-nonsense guidance...

Rafa or Fed?

For the last month, Roger Federer has heard the talk "he's done," "his better days are behind him," "Nadal is the man to beat at Wimbledon"...after getting trashed at the French Open finals less than 5 weeks ago, Federer has a chance to shut up all his critics including Pardon the Interuption (PTI) co-host Michael Wilbon, who may have been his harshest critic....Wilbon flat out stated that Federer is "done" and questioned if he would ever win another major because of the mental beating he took at Roland Garros (6-1, 6-3, 6-0)...

Yes, Sunday's Wimbledon championship match between Federer and Nadal is a watershed moment in the current tennis world...Nadal needs this win to show the world that he is more than just the greatest clay court tennis player in the world...a win on grass, which is Federer's favorite surface, would mark a historic shift in tennis indicating that Nadal is now the best player in the world...

Over the years, critics have been waiting for Federer to fall...American Andy Roddick was supposed to overtake Federer only to never live up to the hype...James Blake?...the guy has never made it to the finals in any major....all the European wannabes were supposed to take over only to end up losing to each other...

In the end, Nadal has been a thorn in Federer's side of late...Rafa owns the overall series record 11-6...however, that number is very deceiving because Nadal is 9-1 all-time against Fed on clay surfaces...in all other surfaces, Federer has a 5-2 mark...

Sunday should be a great match...these two met for the Wimbledon crown the last two years....in 2006 Federer won 6-0, 7-6, 6-7, 6-3 and last year he took Rafa in a tough five setter 7-6, 4-6, 7-6, 2-6, 6-2...

My prediction - Nadal will give Federer a tough battle, but in the end, Federer will make his critics eat their words by winning in four tough sets...

Happy Birthday Boss!

July 4th is not only the birthday of this great country, but also the birthday of George Michael Steinbrenner III - THE BOSS

Steinbrenner was born on July 4, 1930 in Rocky River, Ohio...

HAPPY 78th BIRTHDAY BOSS!!!

God Bless America and God Bless The Boss!

American League All-Star Team

This was an odd year in picking my American League All-Stars....for instance, I felt there was not a credible back-up for A-Rod at third base while there were at least four-five players I could have had on the roster at second base....I had Joe Crede at third for a few seconds, then decided to drop him after noticing he has 15 errors this season....what the heck, I went with the rookie Longoria from Tampa instead....I had some tough choices for the final few spots...C.C. Sabathia or Dice K?....what about B.J. Upton?....Placido Polanco or Howie Kendrick?...Ervin Santana??....Felix Hernandez??...believe it or not, I have only 1 Tiger compared to 5 Rangers and 2 Royals....anyway, here is my 2008 American League All-Star team...

Starting Lineup
Catcher - Joe Mauer, Twins - The Natural just keeps getting better....
First Base - Justin Morneau, Twins - about a month ago this looked like a lock for Youkilis, but Morneau has turned it on of late...
Second Base - Ian Kinsler, Rangers - I could have went with Polanco, Kendrick, or Roberts here, but Kinsler is quietly having an MVP like year in Texas...
Third Base - Alex Rodriguez, Yankees - Alex is down in homers but at the top in batting average...
Shortstop - Derek Jeter, Yankees - how can you not put the greatest Yankee since Mickey Mantle in the starting lineup of the All-Star Game to be played at Yankee Stadium?....
Outfield - Manny Ramirez, Red Sox - Manny is just Manny - another solid year...
Outfield - Josh Hamilton, Rangers - this kid is freakin amazing....to start an All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium - who would have thunk it just a few years ago?...
Outfield - Ichiro, Mariners - a down year for Ichiro is a career year for some...
Designated hitter - Milton Bradley, Rangers - forget Big Papi, Bradley is having a monster year....yeh, we all know he is a head case, but the guy is deserving...
Starting pitcher - Cliff Lee, Indians - even though I feel he will come back to earth, I have to admit, he has had a strong first half....

Reserves
Catcher - Dioneer Navarro, Rays
First Base - Kevin Youkilis, Red Sox
Second Base - Brian Roberts, Orioles
Second Base - Howie Kendrick, Angels
Third base - Evan Longoria, Rays
Shortstop - Michael Young, Rangers
Outfield - Carlos Quentin, White Sox
Outfield - Vlad Guerrero, Angels
Outfield - Magglio Ordonez, Tigers
Outfield - Jose Guillen, Royals

Pitchers
Starter - Joe Saunders, Angels (L)
Starter - Vicente Padilla, Rangers (R)
Starter - Justin Duchscherer, Athletics (R)
Starter - C.C. Sabathia, Indians (L)
Starter - Scott Kazmir, Rays (L)
Reliever - B.J. Ryan, Blue Jays (L)
Reliever - Mariano Rivera, Yankees (R)
Reliever - Jonathan Papelbon, Red Sox (R)
Reliever - Bobby Jenks, White Sox (R)
Reliever - Joakim Soria, Royals (R)
Reliever - Joe Nathan, Twins (R)
Reliever - Francisco Rodriguez, Angels (R)

National League All-Star Team

The National League was difficult to select because of the depth at all the infield positions....First base was incredibly tough to select....Berkman was my starter - that was not the problem....but I had Adrian Gonzalez, Albert Pujols, Connor Jackson, Derek Lee, James Loney, and Prince Fielder to choose from as the reserves....at shortstop I had to leave somone like Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Theriot off the team....catcher was another difficult position....I could have easily went with both Molina brothers....interestingly, the outfield was slim pickings...besides Matt Holliday, there is no other stud outfielder....

Starting Lineup
Catcher - Bengie Molina, Giants - it's time that one of the Molina brothers get to start an All-Star Game...
First base - Lance Berkman, Astros - Berkman stands out among the boatload of talent at first base...
Second base - Chase Utley, Phillies - Uggla or Utley - flip a coin....
Third base - Chipper Jones, Braves - this dude was over .400 most of the first two months...
Shortstop - Jose Reyes, Mets - he gets slammed a lot by the media, but he does have nice numbers...
Outfield - Ryan Braun, Brewers - 7 out of 10 baseball fans don't even know who this guy is...
Outfield - Matt Holliday, Rockies - the best outfielder in the N.L....
Outfield - Kosuke Fukodome, Cubs - this guy is one of the real deals from Japan...
Designated hitter - Dan Uggla, Marlins - Uggla lost the coin flip at second base....so he starts at D.H....
Starting pitcher - Tim Lincecum, Giants - this hard thrower has lost only 1 game this year....

Reserves
Catcher - Russell Martin, Dodgers
First base - Connor Jackson, Diamondbacks
First base - Adrian Gonzalez, Padres
Second base - Garrett Atkins, Rockies
Third base - Aramis Ramirez, Cubs
Shortstop - Cristian Guzman, Nationals
Shortstop - Hanley Ramirez, Marlins
Outfield - Nate McLouth, Pirates
Outfield - Pat Burrell, Phillies
Outfield - Randy Winn, Giants

Pitchers
Starter - Cole Hamels, Phillies (L)
Starter - Edinson Volquez, Reds (R)
Starter - Ben Sheets, Brewers (R)
Starter - Brandon Webb, Diamondbacks (R)
Starter - Ryan Dempster, Cubs (R)
Reliever - Brian Fuentes, Rockies (L)
Reliever - Billy Wagner, Mets (L)
Reliever - Brandon Lyon, Diamondbacks (R)
Reliever - Brad Lidge, Phillies (R)
Reliever - Kerry Wood, Cubs (R)

Is She Hot Special Edition - Britney Spears

Okay, we all know the story and saga of Britney Spears...it seems like light years when she was that naughty school girl in her video... she took the nation by storm...then there was her relationship with Justin and her image of this good girl who had a naughty side...after her break-up with Justin, the bottom fell out...then began all her troubles and marriages and kids and drama, etc., etc., etc.,..yes, Spears was once the hottest thing out there...but is she still hot?...

My thoughts - to start with, she is still only 27-years-old...honestly, if she wasn't so messed up, the photo of her at the top is not bad...too many times the media portrays hot women as having to be rail thin...if Spears wasn't a whack job, she could have shown women, and especially teenage girls that a woman does not have to be anorexic in order to be sexy....but of course, that message was completely lost because of who Spears is....is she trailer trash - yes....is she a whack job - yes....but she still has some hotness to her...so this leads to the question:

Do you think Britney Spears is still hot?

Leave your comments

The Face of College Football

ESPN.com is running a poll in which the fans can vote for the "Faces of College Football"....you are able to vote for only four former players out of a list of 21....the list is as follows:

Sammy Baugh, Jim Brown, Reggie Bush, Dick Butkus, Earl Campbell, Glenn Davis, Tony Dorsett, Tommie Frazier, Red Grange, Archie Griffin, Tom Harmon, Bo Jackson, Bronko Nagurski, Johnny Rodgers, Barry Sanders, Roger Staubach, Jim Thorpe, Doak Walker, Herschel Walker, Charles Woodson, Vince Young...

On June 22, with 22,463 votes cast, the top four were: Frazier (36.7%), Rodgers (28.0%), H. Walker (25.2%), Jackson (20.1%)...six days later, on June 28, with 132,287 votes cast, the top four were: Frazier (43.0%), Rodgers (39.6%), Griffin (35.2%), Thorpe (13.0%)...

Shockingly, Herschel dropped from 25.2% all the way to 7.4% and Bo went from 20.1% to 5.7%...Griffin rose from 19.6% to 35.2%...the benefactor of Herschel and Bo dropping was Thorpe who practically stayed even 13.7% to 13.0%...

Obviously, the Nebraska and Ohio State fans pumped up the numbers for Frazier, Rodgers, and Griffin...

When choosing my four, I broke it down into various eras - the early years, the mid years, and the current years...here are my four selections:
1. Herschel Walker (photo - right) - the greatest college player that I have ever seen...he was a beast...to me, Walker was the best in any era...
2. Roger Staubach - to represent the mid years, I went with Staubach who was a Heisman winner and made Navy a force...
3. Red Grange (photo - left) - to represent the early years, the Ghost was everything to college football...
4. Vince Young - to represent the current years, Vince was a one man wrecking crew his final two years at Texas...he took the position of quarterback and raised it to another level with his arm and legs...

Sunday Stories

Dave Anderson of The New York Times writes how the Baseball Hall of Fame made a change to Jackie Robinson's Hall of Fame plaque... "When Jackie Robinson was on the Hall of Fame ballot in 1962, he requested that the voters among the Baseball Writers Association of America judge him only as a player. He didn’t want his social significance as the modern major leagues’ first black player to be considered. Vote for him — or don’t vote for him — on his merits as a player, as all the other Hall of Famers from Babe Ruth and Cy Young had been measured." ...

Dave Anderson

Gary Carter Saga
Billy Witz of The New York Times writes about former N.Y. Met Gary Carter and how Carter explodes at Witz when talking about managing in The Show.... "It is clear now, some 25 minutes into an interview, that he is agitated. Then he is asked if he has any regrets about the radio interview he did last month in which he campaigned for a job Randolph still held. Carter protests that he was simply responding to a question: Would he be interested in managing the Mets? But actually he did more than that, saying in the interview that he had already contacted the Mets. He is then asked if he violated etiquette." ...

Billy Witz

T.J. Simers of the Los Angeles Times also writes about Carter...throughout the article, Carter's arrogance increases... "He loves the Mets, but they don't seem to think much of him. A few years back, he managed one of their minor league teams and won, a year later did it again and won a title, but then he didn't go along with the plan -- the one that had him advancing to yet another minor league post." ...

T.J. Simers

Other stories
Joe Lapointe of The New York Times writes how the balance of power has shifted back to the pitchers in MLB... "This season’s top pitchers have not equaled the élan of their predecessors from 1968, but their craft seems to be on the rise. Dave Duncan can sense it." ...

Joe Lapointe

Bill Livingston of The Plain Dealer writes how the NBA needs to make a change when college players are eligible... "A two-year minimum, with the age limit at 20, would be more in keeping with NFL eligibility rules (three years of college) and would curtail the NBA's sabotage of its own farm system. It would also give more stability to college programs." ...

Bill Livingston

Joseph Duarte of the Houston Chronicle writes about other famous baseball spats after the recent Shawn Chacon incident... "There have been fights involving teammates or players against managers. But few can remember when a confrontation between a player and general manager went beyond an exchange of words and turned volatile." ...

Joseph Duarte

Albert Breer and Barry Horn of the Dallas Morning News writes about former Cowboys receiver Frank Clarke and his new job as a nanny... "Once upon a time, the nanny was the most prolific receiver in Cowboys history. He was fast, smart and determined to prove wrong critics of his toughness. He joined a ragtag expansion team in 1960 and was the last original Cowboy to retire. The NFL Championship Game of 1967, the storied Ice Bowl, was his final game." ...

Albert Breer and Barry Horn

Carol Slezak of the Chicago Sun-Times writes about Bulls first round pick Derrick Rose... "The Englewood community where Rose grew up has more than its share of poverty and all that comes with it: gangs, drugs, violence and despair. But Rose's mom, Brenda, kept all her kids in line. And Rose's three older brothers -- Dwayne, Reggie and Allan -- made sure to keep him in line. When Rose's special talent became clear, the brothers kept the sharks away, allowing him to concentrate on basketball." ...

Carol Slezak

Uga VI Dies

By JEFFRY SCOTT
The Atlanta Journal-ConstitutionPublished on: 06/28/08

The University of Georgia's beloved and Churchillian English bulldog mascot Uga VI died peacefully Friday night in Savannah of congestive heart failure after serving nine years on the Bulldog sidelines as the school's winningest mascot.
Uga VI, owned by Savannah attorney Frank W. "Sonny" Seiler, was the biggest in the line of six solid white English bulldogs to serve as UGA's mascot since Uga I became a Georgia football game fixture in 1956.
"He was a good one," Seiler said in a prepared statement. "What can I say? He had a marvelous record. He was a very strong and healthy dog. He was the biggest of all the dogs, and he had the biggest heart. It just played out."
Damon Evans, UGA director of athletics, bestowed the highest praise on the beast that he could Saturday, in a statement:
"Uga VI was a damn good mascot and a damn good dog," said Evans.
With the passing of one Uga there's always speculation which bulldog is heir to the throne, which comes with a few perks, including an air-conditioned dog house, travel by Delta Airlines to away games, celebrityhood (Uga V was on the cover of Sports Illustrated in 1997 as the nation's best mascot) and a fanbase that's paparazzi-like in its obsession.
"People pet him so much his head gets sore," Seiler once said of his line of Ugas. "He's like a politician who shakes too many hands."
Seiler said Saturday that the "lineage is taken care of" and would be announced by Seilers and the UGA athletic association later.
Uga VI will be buried in a marble vault in the Southwest corner of Sanford Stadium with his ancestors in private ceremonies expected to be held early next week.
There had been speculation earlier this year that the 2007 season might have been Uga VI's last as a mascot because of his age. He would have turned 10 on July 22.
Seiler said in a statement Saturday he noticed Uga VI was breathing heavily shortly after Seiler arrived home from work Friday evening. He was taken to Dr. Stanley Lester, the family's veterinarian, who consulted with Dr. Bruce Hollett at UGA's College of Veterinary Medicine.
"I noticed a little congestion in his throat, which usually is not cause for alarm," said Seiler in the release. "I gave him a bath, which he always loved, to cool him off. After that, I called Dr. Lester, whose office is about a four-minute drive from our house.
"His heart just played out. He suffered no pain and died peacefully."
UGA president Michael F. Adams said in a statement Uga VI will be "missed and remembered by UGA alumni and friends everywhere."
During his reign as mascot, the UGA football team compiled a record of 87 wins and 27 losses, captured the 2002 and 2005 Southeastern Conference championships, and won six of eight bowl games, surpassing Uga IV's record of 77-24-4.
By far the biggest of the Ugas — he weighed 65 pounds, more than twenty pound heavier than his father — his full name was pretty hefty, too: "Uga V's Whatchagot Loran?"
— AJC staff writer Chip Towers contributed to this story.

Incredible Video

I will admit that I stole this video from The Zone Blitz...I am not a big Jessica Simpson fan, but this video clip of her is freakin incredible!!!!...I got a nosebleed watching it the first time...

Jordana Spiro - Is She Hot?

Last week I was flipping through the channels and came across TBS' My Boys starring Jordana Spiro...I never heard of her, but she is not bad looking...she plays a sportswriter who hangs out with men all the time...actually, she hangs out with losers...

P.J. Franklin
Spiro, who is Jewish, is 31-years-old and does not have much of a resume...she was born and raised in New York City...she studied acting in London...

Before landing the role as P.J. Franklin, she made guest appearances on various shows such as Cold Case, JAG, Beverly Hills 90210, etc.

My thoughts - let's cut to the chase...she is never mentioned with the hot women of today...she is like the girl that all the guys know, but don't consider, or even think about, hitting on because she is "one of the guys"...she was probably a tomboy growing up...she's more comfy in jeans and a baseball cap...in the end, all the guys kick themselves why none of them ever hooked up with her...she does have a dash of that Drew Barrymore thing going on...in the end, I vote "yes" that she is hot!!!...and highly under-rated...so this leads to the questions:

Do you think Jordana Spiro is hot?

If so, why doesn't she get the publicity?

Am I missing something?

Leave your comments

Remembering Len Bias

It's that time of year when the NBA Draft rolls around, people also stop to remember the life of Len Bias...ESPN.com has a solid story about Bias and the aftermath of his death....also, is a clip of Bias and what he meant to a lot of people...Bias' death should never have happened, but because of one mistake - doing cocaine to celebrate being drafted by the Boston Celtics - he died...it's not worth it...for those too young to remember, Bias was an amazing basketball player...he was Jordan-like...he would have been a difference maker in the NBA...hopefully his legacy and the mistake he made can be a difference maker in life...

Len Bias

Look who is in the basement?
The standings in the A.L. Central on June 26, 2008
Chicago - 42-35 .545
Minnesota - 42-36 .538
Detroit - 37-40 .481
Kansas City - 36-43 .456
Cleveland - 35-43 .449

A New Blogger

A friend of mine has entered the blogosphere...this new blog focuses on the NFL and nothing but the NFL....it is called The Zone Blitz....show the rookie some love and visit his site today...this newcomer will now force me to up the ante on my blog because I know he will bring the heat with good stuff...welcome my friend!...

With George Carlin's passing all I have heard about was his skit "The Seven Words You Cannot Say on TV"...well, I googled it and found Carlin's exact words from that skit: "You know the 7, don't you, that you can't say on television? "Shit, Piss, Fuck, Cunt, CockSucker, MotherFucker, and Tits" Those are the heavy seven. Those are the ones that'll infect your soul,curve your spine, and keep the country from winning the war. "Shit, Piss, Fuck, Cunt, CockSucker, MotherFucker, and Tits" Wow! ...and Tits doesn't even belong on the list. That is such a friendly sounding word. It sounds like a nickname, right? "Hey, Tits, come here, man. Hey Tits, meet Toots. Toots, Tits. Tits, Toots." It sounds like a snack, doesn't it?"

If you ask me, I don't think Shit, Piss nor Tits are that bad...I could come up with at least five others words that I could put in place of those three...

I am so sick of these Alltel commercials that have Chad, from Alltel, and four other morons who represent other cellphone companies...

I read an interesting tidbit in Tuesday's New York Post...Pete Vecsey reported that one big time player in this year's NBA Draft smokes more weed than "both Cheech and Chong" put together....

I will miss Barry Melrose on ESPN...he was a good hockey analyst, yet he was able to laugh at himself and joke around...

Shaq made a bad move in ripping Kobe in that rap video...even though The Diesel said it was all a joke, he needs to move on and forget about Kobe - even if he was indeed just messing around...

Most have read or heard about those 17 high school girls from Gloucester who made a pact and all got pregnant...now some "experts" are blaming the movie "Juno" and Jamie Lee Spears for making teen pregnancy a "cool thing"...these girls did not get knocked up because of Juno or Spears...they got knocked up because they are little whores...these girls needed to be responsible...it is not like they are some elementary school students who did not know any better...

NBA Draft and Take Me Out to the Ballgame

Would you make this trade?...

As the NBA Draft nears, the talk around the league, for some time now, is that Miami trading the second overall pick and Dwayne Wade to Chicago for the first overall pick and two other players (more than likely Kirk Hinrich and Ben Gordon or Luol Deng)...Heat G.M. Pat Riley is supposedly hot-to-trot for Memphis point guard Derrick Rose...if he stays at the 2 spot, Riley will be forced to take Michael Beasley from Kansas State...

My thoughts - The Bulls would be crazy not to make this move...Wade, who is also a native of Chicago, is an All-Star caliber player...plus they would still get the second overall pick in Michael Beasley who will be a stud scorer and rebounder in the NBA...the Heat would have Rose and Shawn Marion to build around....personally, if I was Riley, I would stay at number 2, take Beasley, then have a lineup of Wade, Beasley, and Marion....

Your thoughts?...

Other tidbit
"Take Me Out to the Ballgame" is 100 years old this year...Andrew Druckenbrod of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has a nice article about this history of this great song...

Andrew Druckenbrod

Here are the words
'Take Me Out to the Ball Game'
Verse: Katie Casey was baseball mad
Had the fever and had it bad.
Just to root for the hometown crew
Ev'ry sou Katie blew.

On a Saturday, her young beau
Called to see if she'd like to go
To see a show, but Miss Kate said,
"No, I'll tell you what you can do."

Chorus: Take me out to the ball game,
Take me out with the crowd.
Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack,
I don't care if I ever get back.
Let me root, root, root for the home team,
If they don't win it's a shame.
For it's one, two, three strikes you're out
At the old ball game

Curt Schilling - Hall of Fame or Not?

Curt Schilling may be done...YES!!!...as a Yankees fans, I hate Schilling with a passion...he is an arrogant prick...even though I despise the guy, that does not jade my view of him as a pitcher...Schilling was one of the best pitchers of his era...he was a better big game pitcher than Roger Clemens...he was a tough guy...but he is not a Hall of Famer...

On Baseball Tonight, Peter Gammons brought up the question if Schilling would make the Hall...Gammons never gave his thoughts on the topic...Schilling racked up some impressive numbers over the years...however, in my opinion, they are not Hall of Fame worthy...if Schilling should make the Hall, that would open the doors for many quality pitchers such as David Wells, David Cone, Jack Morris, Orel Hershiser, and Ron Guidry among others...let's take a look at their numbers...

Curt Schilling
216-146
3 time 20-game winner
6 All-Star Games
3 World Series titles
10-2 in post-season
1993 NLCS MVP
2001 World Series co-MVP

David Wells
239-157
1 time 20-game winner
3 All-Star Games
3 World Series titles
1998 ALCS MVP
1 Perfect Game

David Cone
194-126
2 time 20-game winner
5 All-Star Games
5 World Series titles
1 Cy Young
1 Perfect Game

Jack Morris
254-186
3 time 20-game winner
5 All-Star Games
3 World Series titles
6-1 post-season
1 No-hitter

Orel Hershiser
204-150
1 time 20-game winner
3 All-Star Games
1 World Series title
1988 NLCS MVP
1988 World Series MVP
1 Cy Young
59 consecutive scoreless innings

Ron Guidry
170-91
3 time 20-game winner
4 All-Star Games
2 World Series titles
1 Cy Young
25-3 mark in 1978

So when perusing the above stats, although impressive as Schilling's numbers are, there are other pitchers who are just as impressive who will never make Cooperstown...so my advice to Schilling is to head back to Arizona, keep working on his blog, and shove that bloody sock where the sun does not shine...

Sunday Stories

Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe writes who will be moving as the baseball trading season is open... "They (Phillies) would also be in on a No. 1 such as C.C. Sabathia if the Indians are serious about peddling him or Erik Bedard if the Mariners rip things apart. They are also taking a good look at A.J. Burnett, who has an opt-out, as well as Bronson Arroyo and Derek Lowe. The official said the Phillies see this year as a prime opportunity to make it to the World Series." ...
Nick Cafardo

Vincent Mallozzi of The New York Times writes about a person who sells cars to the stars... "Macky Dancy has made it his business to get the signatures of professional athletes — in triplicate. Dancy, who was born in Memphis and grew up in Brooklyn rooting for the Yankees, the Knicks and the Giants, sells luxury cars to athletes and entertainers." ...
Vincent Mallozzi

Erin Hicks of the Daily News writes about her try-out for the Nets dance team... "But when I heard the Nets basketball team was holding auditions for the 2008-09 dance team I thought: "Sure, I'll give it a go. Can't be that hard. All I have to do is flip my hair and shake my hips. Easy deal." Wrong. So wrong." ...
Erin Hicks

George Solomon of the Washington Post writes how the Washington Nationals are going to honor the late sports journalist Shirley Povich today... "For the next 27 years, Povich doggedly lobbied and wrote columns in hopes of helping to return baseball to the city he moved to in 1922 and lived in until his death in 1998." ...
George Solomon

With the NBA Draft on Thursday, the Chicago Sun-Times sports staff give their thoughts on who the Bulls should take with the number one pick...
Chicago Sun-Times

Greg Couch of the Chicago Sun-Times writes how Ozzie Guillen has choked this weekend in the series with the Cubs... "It's a little too easy to say Guillen blew both games. But he did. It's a little too easy to say that a manager who won a World Series is choking under the pressure of playing the big, bad Cubs, but he is. But it is not too simple to say that the Cubs are exposing the Sox for their flaws. That's exactly what's happening." ...
Greg Couch

K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune writes about Michael Beasley's background... "Beasley grew up without a father figure under the watchful eye of his mother, Fatima Smith, who worked numerous jobs to support him and his siblings." ...
Jay Mariotti

Chuck Culpepper, special to the Los Angeles Times, writes about Roger Federer and the upcoming Wimbledon... "Even as tennis intellectuals whisper his empire's crumbling, the world's No. 1 player had the gall to turn up Saturday on the outside Court No. 10 for practice, looking sublime as ever, attracting a small crowd on the barren grounds of the All England Club two days before the action. After his hitting session under the usual grim sky, he stopped repeatedly to pose for photographs, even waiting alongside one child as her mother spent epochs adjusting the camera." ...
Chuck Culpepper

Paul Coro of the Arizona Central writes about new Phoenix Suns head coach Terry Porter... "After playing 17 seasons in the NBA and coaching for five, Porter may feel blessed to get a second crack at being a head coach but nobody who crossed his life's path will tell you he has not earned it or deserved it. They just didn't expect it." ...
Paul Coro

My U.S. Olympic Team

The U.S. men's Olympic basketball team will be announced on Monday...Duke head basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski will be the Olympic coach....if I had to assemble the U.S. team, I would not load it with NBA All-Stars and egos...the international game is quite different than the NBA because it relies on outside shooting....here is who I would want....

Starting Five
Forward - LeBron James - James (photo) is the best player in the game...he is a must...he has an open invitation for the Olympic team for the rest of his career...
Forward - Carmelo Anthony - Anthony has played exceptionally well in international competition...he may be the best player on the team....
Center - Dwight Howard - big men do not have a major impact in the international game but every team needs at least one stud in the middle....Howard is the best young big man in the game....
Point guard - Jason Kidd - Kidd has never lost a game in international play....he is a bigger point guard who can rebound too....Kidd does not have to score....he understands his role....
Shooting guard - Kobe Bryant - Kobe (photo) is the second best player in the game....

Bench
Forward - Shane Battier - Battier is a defensive stopper who has the ability to hit the 3 ball...plus he played for Coach K at Duke and undestands his system....
Forward - Richard Hamilton - Rip is one of the NBA's better 3-point shooters....he is another outside threat....give me shooters!!!!....
Point guard - Deron Williams - Williams is a true point guard who is big enough not to get muscled....
Shooting guard - Dwayne Wade - he is the 6th man on this team...his role is to be like Vinnie Johnson was with the Pistons - the Microwave....he needs to heat it up when he comes in....
Shooting guard - Michael Redd - the U.S. can always use another outside shooter and Redd fits that bill....

Final Two
These final two spots are my luxury spots....
Point guard - Chris Paul - I would feel better with 3 quality true point guards on this team....with Kidd in his mid-30s, he is prone to injury....point guard play is important in the Olympics....
Center/forward - Kevin Garnett - Garnett can play either the 3, 4, or 5 spot....he is the NBA Defensive Player of the Year who can also score if needed....his versatility makes him a must...

BRING IT ON WORLD!!!!

Cleveland Cavaliers - Which logo do you like?

Today starts a new feature on Stiles Points called "Which Logo Do You Like"...over the years sports franchises have changed their logos for various reasons: to market new items or just to make a change...now you, the reader, can select which logo you like the best...

Today we start with the Cleveland Cavaliers...the Cavs have had four logos...their colors started with wine and gold, then moved to blue and orange, then to black and powder blue, now back to wine, gold, and blue....here are your choices...


Logo 1 - 1971-83

This was the logo during the Miracle at Richfield era when the Cavs sported the names of Chones, Bingo, Cleamons, Campy, Nate, etc.





Logo 2 - 1984 - 94
When this logo came out, the lowly Cavs just made the playoffs and almost beat the Larry Bird Boston Celtics...the Cavs were led by World B. Free, Edgar Jones, and Roy Hinson....a few years later the Cavs were for real with Price, Daugherty, Ehlo, Nance, and Hot Rod....



Logo 3 - 1995 - 03
This logo was designed by a marketing firm in order to boost sales at the new Gund Arena...the Cavs struggled while wearing this....the names of Shawn Kemp and Andre Miller were probably the best players under this regime..




Logo 4 - 2004 - present
The Cavs changed their entire image once they got LeBron...much of their fan base wanted the old wine and gold as the primary colors....management settled on this...



My thoughts - I am old-school all the way...I would go with the original Cavs logo...their current logo and uniforms are okay, but I would go back to the true wine and gold unis from the 1970s...those were sweet!!!!....

I also liked the orange and blue logo and unis....maybe because the Cavs were a solid "team" back then instead of having one mega-superstar and a bunch of lugnuts for teammates like they do now....

Logo 3 sucks!!!....when management starts asking marketing "experts" to design a logo and uniform, that is when you know they are out of touch with their fans....

So my pick is Logo 1.....your thoughts???

Note - I will be in Cincinnati the next two days -- the blog will resume of Friday...

Diane Neal - Is She Hot?

Sticking with the Law and Order theme, is Diane Neal hot?...Neal replaced Stephanie March as District Attorney on the show...

Casey Novak
Neal was born in November 1976 making her 32-years-old...she has kind of a strange background...she was born in Virginia then moved to Colorado when she was young...she went into pre-med only to drop that and become a model...she then dumped that career and studied archaeology in Israel...then she got into figure skating...

To top that off, she got engaged after dating someone for just two weeks...after seven years of engagement, they did finally get married...

In 2003 Neal got her break on Law and Order SVU as District Attorney Casey Novak...interestingly, Neal appeared, as another character, on 1 Law and Order SVU episode in 2001 as a female rapist...

After six years on SVU, Neal decided to leave the show after the 2008 season...maybe she was wanting to rekindle that figure skating career?... (as a side note, the show's braintrust is not bringing Stephanie March back as D.A. Alex Cabot)...

My thoughts - Honestly, I am surprised that she is only 32-years-old...she looks older on SVU...I thought she was about 38 or 39...she looks good in some episodes while on others she looks haggard...she does have nice legs...but overall, I would not rate her as hot...however, if I saw her in a bar, I would buy her a drink and let the chips fall where they fall...so this leads to the questions:

Do you think Diane Neal is hot?

If so, why doesn't she get the publicity?

Am I missing something?

Leave your comments

Sunday Stories

Tim Russert
Mark Leibovich of The New York Times writes about the impact within the Beltway of Tim Russert's death... "News of the “Meet the Press” host’s death moved entirely too fast, in that unnerving way that these things do in the viral media world, but especially here — the cycle of rumor to “did you hear?” to confirmation (“it’s online”) to disbelief lasted a matter of minutes. Riders on the D.C. Metro stared into their BlackBerrys, and every politician with access to e-mail was issuing statements, from the president on down." ...

Mark Leibovich

A team of reporters from the Buffalo News write about native son Tim Russert... "Yet those who knew him will remember Russert differently, as a man who not only remade the art of the television interview, but who lived every day in the spirit of kindness that he found in the city and the church he loved so much." ...

Buffalo News

Katie Couric of CBS News writes a special column in the New York Daily News about former colleague Tim Russert... "He never forgot where he came from. In his heart, he was a kid from Buffalo who made it to the big time - but never got "too big for his britches," as my mother would say. I think he used his Dad, Big Russ, to take the temperature of the country. And I remember how he used to call him to ask questions and get feedback." ...

Katie Couric

Celtics-Lakers
Maria Cramer of the Boston Globe writes how the Boston police are readying themselves for a Celtics championship... "For police, these victories have not meant throwing back pints of beer with friends, but suiting up in riot gear, grabbing a baton, and praying the city stays quiet. Tonight, as the Celtics try to become the next New England team to win a championship, many in the Boston Police Department are watching yet again with an anguishing mixture of excitement and dread. They don't want the Celtics to lose, but they're not sure they want them to win either." ...

Maria Cramer

Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times writes how the Lakers don't have a home court advantage because of too many celebrities who know nothing about the game... "But during a postseason when home-court advantage reached historic levels, it's important to note that Boston has it in shamrocks, and the Lakers only barely." ...

Bill Plaschke

Other news
Emilie Deutsch of The New York Times writes about the day the late-Jim McKay interviewed Fidel Castro... "The two sat and faced each other, Castro’s interpreter sitting just off-camera. It was a striking tableau — two men in their 60s, one a sports journalist in coat and tie, the other a Communist dictator in uniform, raised in different cultures but both educated by Jesuits and able to find a common ground in sport." ...

Emilie Deutsch

The Associated Press story reports on the death of former NBC sports announcer Charlie Jones... "Jones started at ABC in 1960, the year the AFL made its debut. He moved to NBC in 1965, remaining with that network until 1997." ...

Associated Press

Jay Mariotti of the Chicago Sun-Times writes about Tiger Woods incredible finish during the third round of the U.S. Open... "When all of us wondered if the leg might collapse and the ambulance would whisk him away to DQ land -- and I don't mean Dairy Queen -- he simply ignored the pain. And resumed being Tiger, the greatest and gutsiest of them all." ...

Jay Mariotti

Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer writes about Browns head coach Romeo Crennel - the father... "Fortunately for Crennel, he inherited not only his dad's regimented, military side, but his mom's sweet, nurturing side. His late father Joseph, affectionately known as Sarge to his five children and the rest of the kids in their neighborhood, retired as a first sergeant after 26 years of service. His late mother, Mary, was a devoted homemaker who ruled with a big heart while Joe was overseas." ...

Mary Kay Cabot

Harvey Araton of The New York Times writes how winning the Super Bowl has not changed Eli Manning... "“I tried not to do anything too different in the off-season,” Manning said. “Just because you win the Super Bowl doesn’t mean you do more stuff. I tried to do the same charity events and work with the people I have sponsorships with. I might have been in the newspapers more, but it was about the same. I really didn’t do anything unusual.” ...

Harvey Araton

Mark Snyder of the Detroit Free-Press writes how the Michigan quarterback competition is heating up... "(Steven Threet) The thing that stands out to me the most is how comfortable everybody's getting. There's not as much confusion with what route we're supposed to run or always lining up in the right formation. It's starting to click a little bit better." ...

Mark Snyder

James Walker of ESPN.com writes how the NFL now has its rookies learn about the history of the game... "This offseason, the NFL is sending every incoming player for a special tour of the Hall of Fame. Former Dallas Cowboys receiver and 2007 Hall of Fame inductee Michael Irvin came up with the idea last summer to increase rookies' awareness and help them recognize the value of their opportunity." ..."

James Walker

Finally, I want to wish all dads a HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!!

Tim Russert - A Fair Journalist is Gone

Most Americans like to discuss who is the best at a certain profession...in the NBA, is it Kobe or LeBron?...in the NFL, is it Peyton, Brady, or LaDainian?...but when it came to political journalism, Tim Russert of NBC News was flat out THE BEST...end of story!...

The nation lost a good journalist who was fair - which is often hard to find these days...Russert's climb to become the best in the business is a true American Dream...he was a kid from Buffalo who's parents were just average working class people...but while growing up, he learned a lot of lessons from his parents, most notably his dad, Big Russ, who is still alive...that work ethic helped him rise to become the best...

One of the main reasons I watch NBC News is because of Russert...no matter what I was doing, whenever he came on the air, I would stop to listen...he was "the man" inside the Beltway and I knew he was not slanting his reporting to favor a Republican or Democrat...

What I liked most about Russert was that he was not some handsome, plastic journalist...he was a bit overweight, his hair was always messed a tad, and he had a face not for television...but he always had a smile on his face...he seemed like a nice fella...his co-workers stated that he would talk to anyone no matter who they were or what their job was...that is something that many people lack in today's society...Russert did not think he was better than anyone else...

Russert was also a huge sports fan...he was often seen as Washington Nationals, Wizards, or Redskins games, even though he loved his Buffalo Bills...a few years ago, I was fortunate to get Russert's autograph on a baseball...I have collected almost 200 autographed baseballs, and he has always been one of my top five...

He became NBC News' Washington Bureau Chief at the young age of 34...and today, at the age of 58-years-old, he died...the one person I cannot get out of my mind is his dad Big Russ...about 4 years ago, Russert wrote a book about his dad, who is in his mid-80s and still lives in Buffalo...I cannot imagine the grief Big Russ is feeling -- losing a son -- just two days before Father's Day...

God Bless Tim Russert and his family...

Georgia vs. Miami Preview

Saturday - 7:00 p.m. EST

Georgia Bulldogs (41-23-1) vs. Miami Hurricanes (52-9)
Both rosters are loaded with studs...five players were drafted in the first round of the recent baseball draft...The U had Yonder Alonso (firstbase, Reds); Jemile Weeks (secondbase, Athletics) and Carlos Gutierrez (pitcher, Twins) while the Dawgs had Gordon Beckham (shortstop, White Sox) and Joshua Fields (pitcher, Mariners)...Alonso was drafted 7th overall and Beckham eighth...three more Hurricane players were selected between rounds 2-4...

Beckham showed why he is one of the top players in the country as he led Georgia (.401, 26 homers, 72 RBI, 17 SB)...pitching has been the Dawgs weakness as their best starter has an ERA of 4.25...

Miami may not have that one superstud like Beckham, but they are flat out loaded...Alonso and Weeks both hit .367 for the year...Alonso clubbed 71 homrs while Weeks hit 11 homers and had 21 stolen bases...outfielder Blake Tekotte was close behind with (.357, 11 hr, 47 RBI, 26 SB)...the Hurricanes' ace is Chris Hernandez who went 11-0 with a 2.62 ERA and gave up only 3 homers all year...Carlos Gutierrez is the closer with 13 saves...

Florida State - Stanford Preview

Saturday - 2:00 p.m.

Stanford Cardinal (40-22-2) vs. Florida State Seminoles (54-12)
The Seminoles have one of the best prospects in catcher Buster Posey. He was selected fifth overall in last week's baseball draft by the San Francisco Giants. The Cardinal catcher, Jason Castro, was not far behind as he was taken 10th overall by the Houston Astros.

Stanford has more players drafted in the first four rounds than did Florida State. Stanford left-handed pitcher Jeremy Bleich was selected in the supplemental first round by the Yankees. In round 3, 2nd baseman Cord Phelps was snatched by the Indians and in round 4, outfielder Sean Ratliff went to the Mets.

Ratliff leads the Cardinal with 21 homers. Castro and Phelps are the leading hitters at .379 and .349 respectively. Bleich is 3-2 with an 0.92 ERA. Jeffrey Inman and Erik Davis lead the team with 7 wins each.

Even though Stanford has a bevy of stars, Buster Posey is a beast. He batted .460 with 26 homers and 92 RBIs. The Seminoles have speed in Jack Rye, Tony Delmonico, and Tyler Holt. On the mound, Matt Fairel (12-2) and Ryan Strauss (10-1) are the leaders.