Media:ESPN Triple Covering Michael Vick: If you want to know what's going on in that Cubs-Brewers-Cardinals NL Central race, you're out of luck. If you want to know about NFL roster cuts, you're out of luck. If you want to see Little League World Series highlights, you're out of luck.
Keith Olbermann's NBC Commentary on Michael Vick a Big Disappointment: He proceeds to name other NFL players (Pacman Jones, Lawrence Phillips, Ray Lewis, Leonard Little) whose misdeeds haven't generated the kind of public outrage that Vick's misdeeds have, conveniently forgetting to mention that none of those players are anywhere near as famous as Vick.
Harry Caray and Steve Stone Celebrate With a Nice Cold Product Placement: You think there's too much money spent on sports marketing these days? I'm guessing Budweiser paid a pretty sum to have Stone not only hold a can of Budweiser but also take special care to display the label for the camera, wear a Budweiser wind breaker and make a show out of taking a swig and sharing it with Caray.
Michael Vick Backs Out of Tom Joyner Show: Joyner says he's still confident he'll eventually land an interview with Vick, adding, "He will talk to black America. He knows where his support is coming from."
MLB:
MLB to Ignore the Gangbanger Demographic: It's the right thing to do, but I still find it hard to believe this was the first time the higher-ups at MLB learned New Era was selling hats with gang-related symbolism. As I pointed out last week, this is at least the second time that New Era has been called out for this.
Mr. Met Hauled Away By Security: Their mascot was hauled away by Citizens Bank Park security, albeit playfully, after trying to lead a hostile Philly crowd in song while the Mets were getting squashed.
Notable Injuries:
Randy Couture Finished Off Gabriel Gonzaga Despite a Broken Arm: I wrote early in the third round, "Gonzaga lands a solid high kick! I'm amazed that Couture didn't go down." Now we learn that although Gonzaga's high kick didn't knock Couture down, it did break his arm.
UFC 74 Video: Babalu Won't Let Go After David Heath Taps Out: Babalu should be kicked out of UFC for this. Mixed martial arts will never become a mainstream sport if its athletes can't abide by a rule as fundamental as letting go of a hold when the opponent taps out.
Antonio Puerto's Horrifying Collapse: We warn you that though lacking gore, the video below is still quite disturbing in that it features a perfectly healthy athlete in top condition collapsing unconscious for no discernible reason.
NFL:
At Federal Couthouse, More People Cheer Michael Vick Than Jeer Him: What exactly are these people saying? That if a person can run fast with a football in his hand, he shouldn't face the consequences of the crimes he commits? Vick just became a convicted felon.
DeAngelo Hall Sends Chad Johnson a Message: In His Hair: And in case you can't read it in the photo, the trash talk, shaved in Hall's hair, says, "I Own U 85," referencing Johnson's jersey number. Johnson has a long history of talking trash with the cornerbacks who cover him, and Hall has been one of the more vocal cornerbacks in talking back to him.
Lance Briggs' Lamborghini Goes Fast, but Stops at Red Lights: Nilay tells us the driver was going really, really fast, but that he wasn't accomplishing anything by going so fast on city streets. In fact, Nilay, driving a 13-year-old car with more than 200,000 miles on it, caught up to him every time they hit a red light.
NHL:Cuthbert and Avery Split Up: Quite frankly, I'm shocked. It was only last month in New York that Cuthbert made an appearance on MTV's Total Request Live with a hockey stick in tow. What could have gone so wrong, so fast?
The New Ice Bowl Takes Advantage of the BCS Vacuum: With the advent of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS), all of the biggest and most important games get played after January 1st. And with all of the attention directed at just one game to decide the national title, the BCS couldn't help but devalue every other single bowl game.
NBA:
Kobe Bryant, World's Top Defender: Barbosa certainly noticed a difference. From ESPN.com:
"He don't guard like that in the NBA, but he did tonight and I was impressed," Barbosa told ESPN.com. "He came to guard me, and that was good practice for me. I learned a lot of things the way he was guarding me."To put things in perspective: this is the Brazilian Blur. The fastest guy in the NBA, and nearly unstoppable if he gets any room to accelerate.
NCAA Football:
SEC Recruiting Not Quite as Shiny in August: Remember this next February when the SEC signs half of the top 25 classes: these are fictional constructs that will never hit campus. Schools hardest hit are Auburn, who lost a whopping 10 of 30 recruits including four four-stars, South Carolina (seven recruits), and Tennessee (five).
