The shirtless drinking photos of Titans quarterback Vince Young have been circulating around the internet for the past 12 hours, with all sorts of questions as to what in the name of all that is Nelly is going on here. The photos, allegedly sent from a tipster who saw Young swigging and jigging at some sort of shirts-optional party in Texas, were first featured on the blogxilla site.
Either way, Vince seems much more interested in glug-glugging the tequilla bottle than anything else.
Calls to Tennessee Titans rep Robbie Bohrens (you know, why not?) were not returned. I’ll just insert his exasperated “no comment” right here for now, pending some kind of official statement that they have no reason to make anyway. (UPDATE: Titans did return a call. They gave a “no comment” that was not that exasperated.)
Boston Herald Patriots beat writer John Tomase promised an apology — and an explanation — after it was revealed that his February 2 story about the Pats taping the Rams’ walkthrough before Super Bowl XXXVI wasn’t true. (The tape failed to materialize and never existed.) Boy, did he ever come through.
In what has to be one of the lengthiest mea culpas in journalism history, Tomase painstakingly revisits his process in putting the story together and then comes to the forgone conclusion that his main source had essentially pulled the story from deep inside their smoking rectum and handed it over to him.
What can you say to all of those Pats fans and Herald readers who’ve been vituperatively protesting the piece since it first ran? Well this:
What happens from here? I intend to continue covering the Patriots to the best of my abilities, and that means pursuing every storyline, good or bad. I have relationships to mend within the organization and with my readers. The process of regaining your trust will not be an easy one.
At the end of the day, I’m human, and humans make mistakes. Mine happened to be very significant and very public, and it’s something that will always be with me.
I’m confident it will make me a better reporter. Last year, Patriots safety Rodney Harrison [stats] pulled me aside to discuss a story he believed had unfairly attacked him. He felt it had gotten personal and wanted me to put myself in his shoes.
I thought I knew where he was coming from, but in reality I didn’t. Now I do. This perspective will only help moving forward.
I take immense pride in what I do and the paper I work for. I truly believe it’s a privilege to serve as a link between the fans and their team.
On Feb. 2, I let you all down. Today I hope to begin the long road back.
Based on the 250+ comments that have been written so far in reaction to the story, he’s still got a few thousand miles to go on that road. We’ll see how long Tomase can deal with comments like these after each story he writes: “Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah….didn’t even bother reading, Tomase. It’s probably chock-full of BS anyway. “
The NBA Closer is written by Matt McHale, who’s going to just start flopping, hacking and thugging people from behind in his pickup league. If anybody says anything, he can just tell them that he’s playing “championship basketball.” When he’s not figuring out new ways to sweep the leg, he can be found working on his shiv at Basketbawful. Enjoy!
They are who we thought they were. Faced with a must-win situation at home, the San Antonio Spurs did what they always seem to do: They used flawless execution, ruthless efficiency, and a third quarter flopstravaganza to turn a close game into a 99-80 route. But of course winning wasn’t enough for Robert Horry.
With 10:11 left in the fourth and the Spurs leading by 21, Cheap Shot Rob aimed a hard — and illegal — pick right into the meaty goodness of David West’s injured back. And just like last season when he thugged Steve Nash, San Antonio got the optimum payoff: Horry got tagged with a simple offensive foul and David West got carried out in a body bag. (OK, OK, he just writhed on the floor a few minutes until a couple trainers helped him limp and shuffle back to the locker room. But the body bag thing sounded a lot cooler, didn’t it?)
The Spurs won thanks to big games from Manu Ginobili (25 points, 9-for-15) and Tim Duncan (20 points, 15 rebounds, 6 assists), a three-point barrage from Ginobili (6-for-9) and Ime Udoka (3-for-3), and a cluster of critical offensive fouls drawn by the flop-a-riffic acting skills of Duncan and Bruce Bowen, who sold charges the way a used car salesman might stick you with a rusty lemon that won’t even get you home from the lot. But don’t take my word for it … watch for yourself:
Was there some home cookin’ involved? Well, let me put it this way: During that third quarter flop-a-palooza, Paul got called for his third and fourth fouls and West got called for his second and third, all in about a minute. Then, a few minutes later, West picked up his fourth. Next thing you know, the Spurs were leading by 15 and the game was pretty much over. But I’m sure it was all just a big coincidence.
The Hornets played hard, but — other than Chris Paul (21 points, 5 rebounds, 8 assists) — not well. David West managed only 10 points on 4-for-14 shooting before Horry Cobra Kai’ed him, Peja Stojakovic finished with 13, and Tyson Chandler scored 14 on 7-for-8 shooting, but he grabbed only 6 rebounds and couldn’t contain Duncan. And don’t even get me started in on the New Orleans “bench.” (Although, to be fair, Julian Wright played pretty well — 8 points on 4-for-8 shooting.)
The series is now knotted at 3-all. Game 7 is Monday. Now somebody go call a witch doctor or a faith healer or something and have them fix West’s back.
n court Wednesday, Briggs’ ex-girlfriend Brittini Tribbett, 21, again pleaded for Briggs to provide adequate emotional and financial support for their baby girl, while another pregnant woman stood by, listening to talk of how she’s set to deliver a Briggs baby.
Briggs, 27, wasn’t in court. He is living in Arizona with yet another woman who recently gave birth to another daughter of Briggs, those involved in the case alleged.
Yep, Briggs is only 27; he has so much more time with which to plant seeds. Supposedly Briggs’ lawyer is close to reaching a settlement. Sweet. Time to get back to work.
Basketbawful is here to once again bring you a double-dose of his favorite things: Boobs and basketball, not necessarily in that order. Okay, in that order.
San Antonio versus New Orleans: Game 6
Home cookin’. In case you didn’t notice, home teams are 19-1 in the second round of this year’s playoffs. Plus, neither the Hornets or Spurs have lost at home this postseason. Call me crazy, but I get the feeling that trend is likely to continue tonight…
Elimination game. The Spurs always seem to be on the other side of this situation. Just ask the Phoenix Suns. They’re pretty efficient at closing teams out. But how good are they at staying alive? And forget, there’s the little matter of…
The Curse. San Antonio may have four titles in the last nine seasons, but they’ve never won ‘em back-to-back. And in each of the Spurs’ last three title defenses - following the 1999, 2003 and 2005 seasons - they were ousted in the Western Conference Semifinals or earlier. And you know, history has a funny way of repeating itself. Unless I just pulled a reverse stat curse. Crap!
Platitudes. San Antonio Gregg Popovich said: “The bottom line is that the better team wins in a seven-game series. I’ve always said that. So whoever wins the series it will be because they’re the better team.” Note that he’s “always said that.” You think that, if his Spurs lose, he’ll actually believe it?
Strategy session, Part I. New Orleans coach Byron Scott says his team has to approach the game with the official Sense Of Urgency ™: “The best opportunity for us is really (Game 6). We’ve got to look at it that way. We’ve got a chance to close out the defending champions.”
Strategy session, Part II. Chris Paul thinks the Hornets need to do, uh, something. “When you make shots and stuff like that, it helps a lot, but we just got to find some way somehow.” Some way. Somehow. Sounds kind of easy, doesn’t it?
Chris Paul and Tim Duncan. They are the two best players, and the best players usually cast the deciding vote in playoff elimination games. Bad news for the Spurs: Tim Duncan has been having a rough series, for him anyway. Bad news for New Orleans: Chris Paul doesn’t have a lot of experience closing teams out, let alone in a hostile road game.
David West. I don’t mean to toot my own tooter, but I called it. In my Game 5 preview, I said: “His Game 4 was both forgettable and regrettable: 10 points on 4-for-15 shooting. But that might actually be good news for the Hornets, since David has developed a habit of bouncing back from bad games.” And did he ever bounce back: 38 points, 14 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 blocked shots. He was a one-man Death Star blowing up Alderan. And it was as if millions of Spurs fans suddenly cried out in terror, and were suddenly silenced. Here’s the thing, though: West’s back is hurting and he has another habit…of following up great games with not-so-great games. So don’t expect a career-night from Dave in Game 6.
Tony Parker. The Flopping Frenchman is close to setting a personal record for most times falling down and grabbing his head in one series. But he needs a seventh game to make it happen. Look, the Spurs don’t stand much of a chance of winning the title this year, but at least TP can make a little history.
Tyson Chandler. Is it too early to start calling him The Duncan Stopper? Yeah, probably. But he’s done a fantastic job shoving a cork in Timmy’s game. But - duh duh duh duuuuuuum - he has a bruised left foot. And it’s hard to imagine him running Duncan off the playoff road with a flat tire.
Gregg Popovich. This series has been marked by adjustments, from his Hack-a-Whoever strategy, to putting Bruce Bowen on Peja Stojakovic, to moving Manu Ginobili in the starting lineup. Pops may be a first-rate, scar-faced asshat, but he’s also a ruthlessly efficient tactician. So: Does he have any special adjustments for Game 6? And: Does he have the personnel necessary to make any more adjustments?
Peja Stojakovic. I hope Peja Stojakovic spent his day off studying Houdini, because he really needs to figure out a way to escape the straightjacket Bruce Bowen has him in. I’d suggest having him drive to the hoop, but he currently has the footspeed of a crippled sea cow.
Damon Stoudamire. Sorry, Mighty Mouse. But regardless of how this game turns out, I have a feeling your championship piggyback days are numbered.
Was it really 10 years ago that the Indianapolis Colts made the fateful decision to draft Peyton Manning over Ryan Leaf in the NFL draft? To mark the occasion, Leaf is showing off his No. 16 Colts jersey — yep, one such exists — which he found while rummaging through some personal belongings recently.
Leaf tells the tale to Sports Illustrated, via Larry Brown Sports, of What Could Have Been.
It’s ironic: I had some of my storage stuff from Montana shipped down to Texas, and I ran across — I forgot I even had it — an Indianapolis Colts jersey, number 16, with LEAF on the back, that I think they had ready for draft day. I’m thinking about auctioning it off for charity. There’s no reason for me to keep it.
Of course this would not be quite as valuable as my Chicago Bears Favre jersey. Other valuable collectibles:
It’s easy to forget that the Miami Dolphins will once again have Ricky Williams in the backfield in 2008, but he’s received Bill Parcells’ support (amazing) and is rehabbed and ready to go for next season. In an interview with the Austin American Statesman, we find out that Williams, at 31, is much more focused, in great playing shape, and ready to do what he can to salvage a football “legacy” that has been marred by weed smoking and existential wackiness.
But, thankfully, we also find out that the hippie haze of one too many pulls off the hookah still lingers.
Take, for example, Williams’ thoughts about declining an invitation to attend Cedric Benson’s notorious boat party from two weeks ago:
I think if I had come down, things might have worked out a little bit differently.I find I have a calming influence on people when I’m around.
Yes, it’s pretty clear that if Williams had attended the boat party, the atmosphere would’ve been much, much different. Instead of a bumpin’, drink guzzlin’ boat jam, it would’ve been more like a floating yoga party, with jugs of pomegranate juice being passed around and sporadic yelping sessions in an attempt to communicate with sperm whales. The cops wouldn’t be anywhere near that party.
Excuse us one more time for the self-indulgence, but we are gleeful to report that our 1986 St. Louis Cardinals Strat-O-Matic team has reached the World Series. We’re a little ashamed by how much joy this has brought us, but there it is.
Bob Forsch was the NLCS MVP, and now we face the hated Yankees — Don Mattingly finally made a World Series! — in the Series starting Saturday. The manager of the Yankees is Bill Daughtry, of ESPN Radio 1050-New York. We say screw Dale Berra. In a perfect world, this would be the second of three consecutive World Series appearances for our ‘Birds … though we’re gonna actually try to win this one. Stay away, Denkinger!
Boston Herald Patriots beat writer John Tomase 
The NBA Closer is written by Matt McHale, who’s going to just start flopping, hacking and thugging people from behind in his pickup league. If anybody says anything, he can just tell them that he’s playing “championship basketball.” When he’s not figuring out new ways to sweep the leg, he can be found working on his shiv at 
You say you like the 
Was it really 10 years ago that the Indianapolis Colts made the fateful decision to draft Peyton Manning over Ryan Leaf in the NFL draft? To mark the occasion, Leaf is showing off his No. 16 Colts jersey — yep, one such exists — which he found while rummaging through some personal belongings recently.
It’s easy to forget that the Miami Dolphins will once again have Ricky Williams in the backfield in 2008, but he’s received Bill Parcells’ support (amazing) and is rehabbed and ready to go for next season. In an interview with the Austin American Statesman, we find out that Williams, at 31, is much more focused, in great playing shape, and ready to do what he can to salvage a football “legacy” that has been marred by weed smoking and existential wackiness. 
Excuse us one more time for the self-indulgence, but we are gleeful to report that our 1986 St. Louis Cardinals Strat-O-Matic team 