Archive for June 20th, 2007
Continue Reading June 20th, 2007
Oh, it’s so close now, friends … As you know, our serious, debilitating man crush on Rick Ankiel makes it nearly impossible for us to have even the slightest bit of perspective on him. Every time we think about him, we want to give him a Harold Reynolds. We still wear the jersey every time we play softball. And we wrote 2,500 words on him for the new book. We’re a little obsessed.
And any minute now … he’s gonna be in the major leagues. He’s currently hitting .286 with a league-leading 19 homers — he hit three in one game over the weekend — in Memphis, and he’d be up already if the Cardinals wouldn’t be forced to keep him on the big league roster the rest of the season. When he eventually does make it up, the Busch Stadium roar for him will rival what it sounded like when the Cardinals won the World Series last year … and we’re not even kidding.
Rick Ankiel Is Out Of Options [The Fanhouse]
Some might have doubted him, but we always had faith. He’s going to be here so soon. Excuse our erection.
Return Of Rick [Doberman On The Diamond]
(And yes: This is what the top of our television looks like:)
Continue Reading June 20th, 2007
So much for Pac Man Jones just being an innocent bystander in that strip club shooting … he’s been formally charged with two counts of felony coercion.
Charges were also filed against two other people involved in the incident. Sadia Morrison was charged with one count of felony assault with a deadly weapon, one count of felony battery wtih a deadly weapon, one count of felony coercion, one count of felony coercion with use of a deadly weapon and one count of burglary.
This isn’t going to turn out well, we don’t think.
Pacman Charged Las Vegas Shooting [NewsChannel5]
You Know, You Think You Know A Guy [Deadspin]
Continue Reading June 20th, 2007
All told, we think we gave Mike and Mike too hard of a time on the whole spelling bee thing. They weren’t so bad; maybe they toned down the schtick for ABC. Anyway, as part of ESPN’s plan to have Mike Greenberg (the gay one) and Mike Golic (the fat one) broadcasting every event that Berman and Tirico haven’t already snatched up, they’re gonna be the backup team on “Monday Night Football” this year. That means they’re going to be announcing that 49ers-Buzzsaw game that starts at 10:15 ET opening Monday night. They’re gonna team up with Mike Ditka.
Greenberg and Golic, co-hosts of ESPN Radio’s Mike & Mike in the Morning simulcast on ESPN2, are rising stars at home base in Bristol, Conn. Their 7-year-old radio show has expanded to 310 affiliates nationwide. The duo became ESPN’s top commentators for the Arena Football League in March and will call ArenaBowl XXI in New Orleans on July 29. Although he praises Tirico, Kornheiser and Jaworski, Greenberg says he would eventually like a shot at the MNF job defined by Howard Cosell, his broadcast idol growing up in New York.
If they’re real men, they’ll be up for their 6 a.m. show the next morning. No rest, gentlemen! By the way, somewhere, Joe Theismann silently weeps, likely while wearing eyeblack and primping.
ESPN Tabs Greenberg, Golic For MNF [USA Today]
And Your Monday Night Football JV Team Is … [Awful Announcing]
(UPDATE: Kissing Suzy Kolber has a nice take on this.)
Continue Reading June 20th, 2007
Six months ago, Football Outsiders told the tale of “Leaf: An Almost True Story,” a mock-documentary about Ryan Leaf. Apparently, the movie has progressed a bit since then: It looks like it’s going to be “released” in October.
[Filmmaker Tim] Carr, 30, wrote and directs the film and also plays Leaf. The film is tentatively titled “Leaf: An Almost True Story” and is scheduled for an October release. Carr describes it as a pseudo-documentary. Carr even got in touch with Leaf, now an assistant football coach and head golf coach at West Texas A&M. Though Leaf wasn’t enthusiastic about the idea, Carr said, he didn’t try to talk him out of it, either.
“Once I convinced him that this wasn’t just going to be a hatchet job, he didn’t seem to mind me telling his story,” Carr said. “And he really has gotten his life together, so he has a different perspective on things now.” Carr got some former players to play themselves, including Hugh Douglas of the Eagles.
You can find the movie’s trailer right here. We are still awaiting the Andre Wadsworth documentary.
Parking Lot Films [MySpace]
NFL’s Biggest Bust Coming To The Big Screen [The News Journal]
Too Deep Zone [Football Outsiders]
Continue Reading June 20th, 2007
We happily welcome Reggie Theus, mustached oiled man of mystery, back to the NBA, thanks to his new gig as head coach of the Sacramento Kings. Theus, of course, is probably more famous for his modeling and thespian work than his coaching, though he did bring New Mexico State to the NCAA tournament last year.
It does seem odd, a bit, that Theus has an NBA head coaching job with only two previous positions: the Aggies and “Hang Time.” But hey, one of our top Presidential candidates is being considered for the job because he looks presidential on a television show, so why should this be any different?
Sactown Royalty has the full scoop on the hire. He’s no Bill Musselman, but hey, who is?
Sactown Royalty
Hang Time In Sacramento [The Pig Pen]
Reggie Theus Hired By Kings [NBA.com]
Continue Reading June 20th, 2007
We hope you weren’t trying to get through to WDAE Radio on Tuesday, as various members of the Dukes family had the phone lines jammed pretty much all day. We hate when that happens. Tuesday was Fun Day for Ron Diaz and Ian Beckles over at the Ft. Lauderdale station, as an agitated Elijah Dukes called in from Phoenix with a rambling diatribe aimed at his estranged wife, NiShea Gilbert, whom he is accused of threatening. It was presumably an attempt at equal time on Dukes’ part, as Gilbert had called in to the same show a couple of hours earlier. WDAE also aired an interview with Dukes’ mother, Phyllis Dukes, later that day. Elijah:
“I know if I stayed with her I’d physically be in prison because she provoked me by hitting me. She done hit me across the head with a picture frame and everything. I hate that because I told my kids I would never go back to jail for no domestic violence.”
Of course all of this did not go over well with the Devil Rays front office, who had a meeting with Dukes later in the afternoon to discuss his radio call-in habits. Another our our favorite excerpts:
“Just like the Bible says, If you know it’s not true you don’t have to say anything and I haven’t been saying anything. But I will say something about this situation with my mom out my mouth, because everyone knows I do love my mom. And I am tough on my mom but I know for fact I never told nobody my mom smoked crack because that would be a lie on my behalf. She never told me and I never caught her.'’
We believe we saw that embroidered on a pillow once.
The Dukes WDAE interview The Big Lead.
Dukes Lets Off Steam, Defends Self In WDAE Exclusive [WDAE 620]
Angry Dukes Sounds Off [The Heater]
Continue Reading June 20th, 2007
Notes from a day in baseball:
• By Grabthar’s Hammer, By The Suns Of Warvan, You Shall Be Avenged! Bouncing back from his worst slump of the season — one loss — Josh Beckett pitched six scoreless innings and had a run-scoring double as the Red Sox beat the Braves 4-0. At a time when big-name hurlers are going down like Glass Joe, Beckett (10-1) is a true workhorse. Of course your horse doesn’t like to work in the rain; Beckett didn’t return after a 48-minute rain delay Tuesday, letting three relievers finish up a five-hitter. John Lackey of the Angels also has 10 wins. And hey, no errors for Manny Ramirez! We think we know why.
• Uncle Junior Does It Again. There are some who are rooting for Ken Griffey Jr. to get his 600th homer before Sammy Sosa does, and even though Sosa is a lot closer, it just may happen. Griffey hit his 582nd career homer and 19th of the season, leading the Reds over the Athletics 5-2. It was also Griffey’s 1,652nd career RBI, tying him with Tony Perez for 18th on the all-time list. Griffey makes his first appearance in Seattle this weekend since leaving the Mariners after the 1999 season, barring injury, of course … ow! My hair!
• And Speaking Of Corky … Sammy Sosa, playing against the Chicago Cubs for the first time in his career (technically), was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts during the Rangers’ 5-4 loss. He remained one home run short of 600.
• Your Dan Uggla Update For Today. Dan Uggla’s ninth-inning, broken-bat homer (yep) sent the Marlins to a 7-5 win over the White Sox. But Florida lost pitcher Dontrelle Willis after one inning with stiffness in his forearm.
• Make It Rain. Ryan Howard’s 451-foot homer and four RBI led the Fightn’ Phillies over the Cleveland Politcallly Incorrects, 9-6. It was Kyle Kendrick’s first major league victory, which we will now celebrate with this cake.
