Media Watch:
Bill Belichick Speaks to Players, Players Speak to Media: I'm guessing this is going to end badly for the Pats. Maybe the players had an idea of what was going on, maybe they didn't. It doesn't really matter -- Belichick's the guy making the decisions.
NFL:Vince Wilfork on Cheating Allegations: 'It's Time to Move On': Maybe New England's public relations dude should call his counterpart in the Falcons front office for some advice on how to deal with off-field distractions, because this will probably get worse.
Hines Ward Joins the Party: 'Oh, Yeah, Patriots Knew the Plays': Cornerback Deshea Townsend also had suspicions during that game, but wouldn't identify the play in question (something about not wanting to sleep with the fished). And then there's this, from former Steelers running backs coach, Dick Hoak.
Playoffs Show No Secret Advantage for Pats: Overall, it's hard to see any pattern of stolen signals giving New England a second half advantage. The Patriots scored more points in the second half in eight of these 14 games, had just as many games where they were sacked more often in the second half than less (a team knowing the signals should be able to pick up the blitz) and piled up more yardage in the second half of only eight of the 14 games.
Ron Rivera-Rex Grossman War of Words: Chargers Think Rex Is a Mental Midget: Chargers linebackers coach Ron Rivera spent last season as the Bears' defensive coordinator. So when the Chargers played the Bears, what special insight did Rivera give his new team about his old team? According to linebacker Matt Wilhelm, the insight was "that Rex was kind of a mental midget, so you can get into his head."
Jon Gruden Stole Signs in the Super Bowl -- That Was OK, Bill Belichick Is Different: Gruden had previously coached the Raiders, and the Raiders were continuing to run the offense Gruden ran in Oakland. So Gruden taught his Buccaneers defense everything the Raiders did offensively, including audible calls. That's a form of sign stealing. But it's a legal form of sign stealing.
NFL Head of Officials on Todd Heap Offensive Pass Interference: 'I Don't Like It': That's a rather shocking admission, for the boss of all the NFL referees to go on national TV (at least, if you consider NFL Network national TV) and say that a key play was botched like that.
NCAA Football:
Industrious Prankster Sneaks Onto Notre Dame Sideline Dressed as a Priest: What's more, the sham reverend posted a six minute video of his exploits on YouTube, which was quickly removed and buried before bloggers could get their grubby hands on it. Shame.
Golf:The Debriefing: I Would Like It if Someone Hit Rory Sabbatini in the Face With a 7-Iron: In fairness ... maybe I'd feel the same way if I was in a competition where I thought I was pretty good, but there was someone way better than me, and he could beat me by putting forth only 75% of my effort. Maybe I'd feel that way ... if I also felt like being a giant skirtbag.
New Dad Tiger Woods Taking Long Vacation: Jim Furyk will replace Woods in the four-man field at the Grand Slam. No offense to Furyk, but that is terrible news to the PGA of America, which suffers a huge decline in fan interest without Woods there.
MLB:
Danny Glover, Friend of the Beer Vendors: What will unionizing the concession workers cost the Blue Jays? Well, the Air Canada Centre, home of the Raptors and Maple Leafs, pay their workers $13.50 an hour compared to the $8.50 an hour workers earn at the Rogers Centre. Over the course of 81 home games, that's some serious coin.
Eric Byrnes Is a Madman: While I can appreciate Eric's desire to feel free and easy, playing without a cup is just plain unsafe. Please, Eric -- won't you think of your hypothetical children?
Marlins Entertain 76,000 Empty Seats and 375 Fans for Tropical Chicken: Forget the announced attendance of 10,121 for the Marlins-Nationals game at Dolphin Stadium. When Byung-Hyun Kim threw the first pitch, 375 spectators could be seen.
NBA:Isiah Allegedly 'Don't Give A [Expletive] About These White People': The New York Daily News details some of the lleged unsavory remarks Zeke made to Browne Sanders in their work-related discourse.
The Knicks Are Sleazy: Nervous Knicks star Stephon Marbury took the stand today in the explosive $10 million sex-harassment suit that's rocking the Garden and admitted he lured one of the female accuser's subordinates into his car.
Knicks Sleazy? Marbury Still Breezy: After Marbury finished testifying, he rode down 23 floors in a crowded elevator, saying to no one in particular: "Money makes you do crazy things, man." Then he left the courthouse, smiling and singing a song out loud. When pressed to divulge more about his relationship with the intern, he instead commented cheerfully on a reporter's shoes.
Seattle's Politicians Can't Keep a Straight Face: Why does everyone involved insist on continuing to stab Sonics fans in the heart? This isn't a game, this isn't for laughs. A 40-year local business with millions of regional customers is about to be ripped away, and you're messing around with knowingly useless stands of solidarity?
