Sports Pros(e)

Hope Solo and Ron Artest will dance with the stars, Arsenal is sorry they put you through that, A Cubs fan falls all over the place and the slow-motion replay gets its moment in the sun

2011-08-30T10:56:37Z

Ron Artest and Hope Solo now have something in common besides their mutual love of defense.

The duo will represent the sports world on the new season of "Dancing With the Stars," which revealed its cast of aspiring twinkle-toes Monday night.

Solo and Artest join an eclectic group of famous people who hope to jive, shimmy and tango their way to the coveted Mirrorball Trophy. Some of the more interesting names who will put on their dancing shoes for season 13 include Nancy Grace, Chaz Bono and Kristin Cavallari.

As goalkeeper for the U.S. Women's soccer team, Solo won her way into American hearts by leading her team to the World Cup final in July.

Artest, on the other hand, has been hard at work trying to win back the public after his role in a 2004 riot during a basketball game in Detroit. Fans planning to vote for Artest may have to be willing to adapt, however. The Los Angeles Lakers swingman's application to legally change his name to Metta World Peace was held up yesterday due to outstanding traffic warrants.

]]> Forgive us

Arsenal has pledged to give supporters who traveled to Old Trafford to see the club's 8-2 drubbing at the hands of Manchester United free tickets to a future Premier League match.

About 3,000 fans made the 400-mile round trip to witness Sunday's blowout -- the most lopsided Arsenal loss since 1896 -- in person. Club manager Arsene Wenger also issued an apology to all fans for the woeful performance.

Here's hoping this idea catches on stateside.

Free falling

This Cubs fan had a hard time staying off the playing field during this weekend's series in Milwaukee. Like, a really hard time.

Slingin' Sammy

The Oklahoma Sooners will unveil a new statue of Sam Bradford in Heisman Park on Wednesday. The current St. Louis Rams quarterback will stand alongside fellow Heisman winners Billy Vessels, Steve Owens, Billy Sims and Jason White.

The statue will be 10-feet tall and weigh 1,200 pounds. The real Sam Bradford, who won't be attendance for the ceremony, is much smaller.

It's bad to be ...

This woman. A foul fly down the third-base side during Monday night's New York Yankees-Baltimore Orioles game turned into an opportunity for a gratuitous slow-motion replay. Ouch.

Andy Samberg is every tennis player you've ever loved, the Cy-Hawk trophy is no more, Blake Griffin is funny, Todd Haley is hip and Brad Penny is lucky

2011-08-24T11:03:33Z

"Saturday Night Live" star Andy Samberg recently impersonated several tennis stars from the past 30 years in a photo shoot for New York Times Magazine. The results were just fantastic.

The funnyman recreated iconic images of John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Andre Agassi and a few others with accurate, yet humorous style.
]]> Award audible

When the new rivalry trophy for Iowa State and Iowa was revealed last week, it was widely panned as unsightly and robustly lame.

Those critical voices have been heard. The much-maligned Cy-Hawk trophy is no more, the schools and the Iowa Corn Growers Association announced yesterday.

The proposed design featured a family huddled around a bushel of corn, which is sort of an odd design for a football trophy -- something even the state's governor, Terry Branstad, pointed out.

The corn-growing group's CEO said that a temporary trophy will be awarded to the winner of the Sept. 10 game between the two teams and fans will have an opportunity to suggest a design for a permanent replacement.

LOL

Blake Griffin has found something to do while he waits for the NBA labor situation to be resolved.

The Los Angeles Clippers forward is interning at Funny Or Die, the comedy website founded by Will Farrell and Adam McKay. Griffin showed up for the first day of his three-day internship at the company's offices on Monday. The human dunk machine will write, edit, shoot and appear in comedic shorts.

Griffin's acting chops, of course, were on display at ESPN's ESPY Awards in July, so he's not a total newbie. And he certainly seems to be sincere in his interest in art of laughter.

''I'll go see a bad comedy over a good action movie any day,'' Griffin said.

Cool coach?

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Todd Haley doesn't exactly ooze street cred, but his recent appearance at a Lil Wayne concert might help him in that department.

Haley called Wayne's Monday night performance at the Sprint Center a "great show." The outspoken coach promised to attend one of the rapper's concert after the team used one of his songs during a pregame hype video last year.

Haley and cornerback Brandon Flowers got some love from the sports-crazy entertainer via Twitter.

"KC was krrrazeeee!!! Props to Tech 9 and the KC Chiefs Coach Haley and # 24 B. Flowers for the luv! I had fun tonight," Wayne microblogged.

Nate the Imitate

Detroit Lions wide receiver Nate Burleson did a LeBron James-inspired touchdown celebration in a preseason game against the Cleveland Browns. The home crowd didn't exactly go wild for that one. You do have to wonder, however, just how long celebrations like this will be relevant.

It's good to be ...

Brad Penny. The Detroit Tigers pitcher improved his record to 9-9 with a win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night, but, well, who cares? The important thing is that he's engaged to Karina Smirnoff. The "Dancing With the Stars" stalwart is easy on the eyes and nimble on her feet.

Joe Maddon is ready for some football, Like a moth to a Matt Holliday, The incredible headless running back, Preseason football breeds violence and Joe Namath likes cheerleaders

2011-08-23T10:45:55Z

Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon has football on the brain.

After his team beat the Seattle Mariners on a walk-off grand slam from Johnny Damon Sunday, the skipper donned a Tampa Bay Buccaneers helmet and spoke a modified version of football-speak.

Among the highlights here are Maddon referring to the Mariners as "the Seahawks" and a mid-question swig from a Gatorade bottle.

Maddon's bit earned him a thank-you text from Bucs coach Raheem Morris, who's been known to sport Rays gear.
]]> Ear-y

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Matt Holliday had to be lifted in the eighth inning of Monday night's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers after a moth flew into his right ear and got stuck. Yes, that can happen, it turns out. Simply horrifying.

Team trainers placed Holliday in a dark room, hoping that the pest would flee the dark, warm comfort of the slugger's ear canal. This turned out to be a fruitless attempt when it was discovered the moth had flown into the orifice headfirst. After what's being reported as a "lengthy" ordeal, the situation was resolved with tweezers.

Holliday was given the moth, which was still alive when it was extricated, as a memento.

Headless horseman of the apocalypse

Phillip Tanner turned in the play of the presason Sunday night, even though it didn't officially happen.

The Dallas Cowboys running back scampered for a 23-yard touchdown against the San Diego Chargers after his helmet was ripped off by a defender at the line of scrimmage. Unfortunately for Tanner, play is whistled dead this year when a ball-carrier loses his headgear. Safety first, you know? Plus, there was an illegal motion penalty that would have negated the play anyway.

It's still impressive, however, considering that the Bolts defense was still giving 100 percent on the play.

Fake games, real violence

San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York has an interesting theory on how to curb fan violence in the wake of a shooting that marred a weekend game between his club and the Oakland Raiders.

"I think when you have a preseason game, when you don't have your regular-season ticket holders coming to a game, I think that plays a big factor into it," York said. "I think that's another reason why the NFL is looking at, you know, trying to revamp the preseason schedule."

Discuss amongst yourselves.

It's good to be ...

Joe Namath.

During Sunday night's soggy preseason game between the New York Jets and Cincinnati Bengals, the Hall of Fame quarterback tweeted what we're all thinking.

"Gotta love wet cheerleaders," Broadway Joe microblogged.

Namath, as you'll recall, has never been shy about his opinion, especially when it comes to matters of the heart.

NASCAR gets its 'Jerry Springer' moment, Calvin Borel gets arrested, Fan makes incredible grab, A fake Brett Favre returns to haunt Green Bay, A very unlikely triple play, and Kim Kardashian marries Kris Humphries

2011-08-22T10:06:09Z

Things got heated during Saturday's NAPA 200 in Montreal. They got really heated and, well, sort of weird after the race.

Patrick Carpentier's crew chief, Jerry Baxter, sought out Steve Wallace after Wallace spun out Carpentier while attempting to go three-wide during a turn. When he found him, he did something quite unexpected.

Yep, Baxter reached into Wallace's car and pulled his hair.

"Only girls pull hair," Wallace said after making sure his follicles were OK.
]]> Jockey pinched

Three-time Kentucky Derby winner Calvin Borel is due later today in an Indiana courtroom in connection with a drunk driving charge in Evansville.

Borel's agent said the jockey had a blood-alcohol level slightly above the state's .08 limit when police pulled him over Saturday night as he entered the parking lot of the motel where he was staying.

The 44-year-old rode horses to the winner's circle in 2007, 2008 and 2010.

Give that man a contract

We've seen fans catch foul balls in their gloves, their caps, their empty beer cups and their not-so-empty beer cups. Heck, we've even seen them catch them while holding the most precious of cargo, a human baby. But maybe, just maybe, this is the best grab in the stands we've ever seen.

A Braves supporter got legitimate air while executing a jaw-dropping one-handed grab in a recent game at Turner Field. And now he's famous on the Internet. Dreams do come true.

Make it stop

And now for another chapter in the Brett Favre saga. What, you thought it was over?

Apparently an impersonator has been pressing the flesh around the Green Bay area, wearing the No. 4 jersey made famous by the gunslinger and signing autographs for those precious few people in the market for a faux Favre signature.

The man has made appearances at Packers practice and at a handful of sports bars around town. An owner of one establishment graced by the look-alike said the spurious individual "keeps his head down so you can't get that good of a look at him."

Heady play

Minor league outfielder Logan Schafer used his head to start an unconventional triple play for the Nashville Sounds in a game against the Omaha Storm Chasers.

Schafer turned and chased a Clint Robinson smash to deep center field, reached up and deflected the ball, which then hit his head. Somehow, he was able to corral it with a wild stab and throw it back toward the infield -- where the befuddled baserunners were stuck in no man's land.

"I felt like I didn't have enough time to turn around and I reached up my glove," the triple-play-turner said. "[The ball] went straight up, hit me in the head and I tried to scoop it up. It was a whole lot of luck and it was pretty crazy."

It's good to be ...

Kris Humphries. The New Jersey Nets forward inked reality starlet Kim Kardashian to a lifetime contract Saturday night in a made-for-television wedding ceremony shrouded in secrecy. The Kardashian klan is now 40 percent of the way to an NBA starting five. For those of you not up on your reality roster moves, Los Angeles Lakers' Lamar Odom is married to Kim's sister, Khloe.

In addition to eternal love, Humphries is reportedly very excited that the nuptials were a money-making endeavor.

Sources tell our Bill Zwecker that the Nets big man loves the attention that comes with being part of a high-profile power couple, which is apparently nothing like the rush of the crowd at a professional basketball game.

Love, money and copious amounts of media attention? Some guys have it all, huh?

Georgetown brawls in China, Soccer fans will throw everything, You're going to need a bigger glove and a tribute to 'Swingers'

2011-08-18T12:04:13Z

Georgetown's trip to China turned into a full-fledged international incident when a brawl broke out between the Hoyas and Bayi Rockets Wednesday night.

The melee was highlighted by players exchanging punches, chairs being thrown and spectators peppering Georgetown with water bottles, according to the Washington Post's Gene Wang, who was covering the exhibition game.

The ugliness was immediately preceeded by a hard foul on the Hoyas' senior guard Jason Clarke by the Rockets' Hu Ke.

Coach John Thompson III pulled his team off the floor for good after the melee and fled the arena.

"Tonight, two great teams played a very competitive game that unfortunately ended after heated exchanges with both teams," Thompson said in a statement. "We sincerely regret that this situation occurred. We remain grateful for the opportunity our student-athletes are having to engage in a sport they love here in China, while strengthening their understanding of a nation we respect and admire at Georgetown University."]]> Gross

Three soccer fans accused of tossing urine and feces during a match have been hit with a three-year ban in all German soccer stadiums. The FC Cologne-backing trio allegedly tossed the waste at Shalke supporters during a 5-1 away loss in Gelsenkirche. According to FC Cologne's website, a three-year ban is the maximum penalty allowed.

Bobblehead to the head

In other soccer-fans-throwing-stuff news, Sporting Kansas City goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen was hit in the head with a bobblehead doll during a game against the Portland Timbers Wednesday night. The Danish keeper lay on the pitch for four minutes but was deemed to be OK by medical staff.

That's a pretty rough way to treat the home goalie, especially considering he had a shutout for 80 minutes and oversaw a 3-1 victory.

Big glove

Yankees pitcher Luis Ayala had some fun during batting practice Wednesday by shagging fly balls with a ridiculously large glove. As you can see, it took some getting used to.

And finally ...

Ex-Blackhawk Jeremy Roenick re-enacted this timeless scene from "Swingers" where Wayne Gretzky's head bleeds.

Michael Vick opens up to GQ, Tony Romo plays hide-and-seek, Real Madrid and Barcelona fight, Tiger Woods tips, Barack Obama crushes Rajon Rondo's confidence and Candice Crawford shines

2011-08-18T09:46:52Z

Potential controversy lurks when Michael Vick speaks. Even more so when he's speaking about the dogfighting conviction that cost him two years in jail.

So it's no surprise that some of his comments made in a GQ article are raising eyebrows.

"[The media is] writing as if everyone feels that way and has the same opinions they do," Vick told the magazine. "But when I go out in public, it's all positive, so that's obviously not true ... You got the family dog and the white picket fence, and you just think that's all there is. Some of us had to grow up in poverty-stricken urban neighborhoods, and we just had to adapt to our environment. I know that it's wrong. But people act like it's some crazy thing they never heard of. They don't know."

After his release from prison, Vick was fiercely contrite about his actions, but this particular interview reveals a slightly different attitude.

"For a while, it was all 'Scold Mike Vick, scold Mike Vick, just talk bad about him, like he's not a person,'" he told GQ. "It's almost as if everyone wanted to hate me. But what have I done to anybody? It was something that happened, and it was people trying to make some money."

And then there's his desire to own a dog once again.

"I miss dogs, man," Vick said. "I always had a family pet, always had a dog growing up. It was almost equivalent to the prison sentence, having something taken away from me for three years. I want a dog just for the sake of my kids, but also me. I miss my companions."
]]> Getting chippy

Tiger Woods has a new No. 1 ranking, but it's not exactly one he's going to like. The golfer tops a list of worst celebrity tippers put together by the Miami New Times. Woods' ability to tip is apparently hampered by a habit of not carrying cash around. That's cause and effect right there.

LeBron James is the only other sports figure on the tightwad list, coming in at No. 4.

The most surprising name to show up, however, has to be Rachael Ray.

When in Romo

Tony Romo's bachelor party included a game of hide-and-seek with 14 or 15 of his friends in a West Virginia cabin. This video will give you all the details you need on this development, plus many, many more. Romo and his buddies were looking for a alcohol-free game and settled on the childhood staple, which they played in pitch-black conditions.

The Dallas Cowboys quarterback is taking some heat for opening up about this unusual bachelor party twist, but Romo shouldn't sweat it too much. After all, he married Candice Crawford on May 28. It's good to be Tony Romo.

Neat feet

In Spain, Real Madrid and Barcelona compete in the Supercopa, a preseason event that is, oh, about 30,332 times more competitive than any preseason NFL game. The second leg of the home-and-home yesterday did not disappoint.

Seriously, the match had everything. Alternating goals by the world's best players. A late game-winner by its absolute best, Lionel Messi. The debut of Cesc Fabregas with his boyhood club. Tremendous color commentary from Ray Hudson (Google him). Oh, and a brawl that featured Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho giving Barcelona coach Tito Villanova a face-full of his hand -- something that bordered on a wet willy.

Two videos here. The first has all the goals and the second the brawl in question.

An argument could be made that this is the best rivalry in sports. And I'd agree with that argument.

Crushed by Obama

Shaquille O'Neal says that President Barack Obama is to blame for Rajon Rondo's poor shooting.

In an upcoming memoir titled "Shaq Uncut," the big man relates the tale of a fund-raiser the Boston Celtics attended with the president last season in which the First Fan joked that Ray Allen should teach Rondo how to shoot.

According to O'Neal, Rondo -- not the sharpest of shooters to begin with -- lost all confidence and slipped into a season-long slump.

This probably won't be a major campaigning point for Obama in 2012.

Why it's good to be Tony Romo

He's married to Candice Crawford.

I think that makes large in-the-dark games of hide-and-seek with 15 of your closest guy friends OK.

Crawford, who was crowned Miss Missouri in 2008, studied journalism at the University of Missouri and worked as a reporter for a Dallas television station.

She's the younger sister of actor Chace Crawford, who stars on "Gossip Girl."

Big Hurt beer is a thing; Trouble at Miami is nothing new; The Nets can go to Kim Kardashian's wedding; Can't spell 'elite' without Eli; Green Bay police are Packer-crazy

2011-08-17T14:24:20Z

White Sox fans nostalgic for the days when Frank Thomas ruled the South Side will be happy to know that they'll soon be able to reminisce over a frosty Big Hurt Beer.

The drink, which is supposed to become available in the Chicago area later this month, is, as you might expect, a heavy hitter. At 7.0 percent alcohol, the lager is described as "crisp" and "full-flavored" on the drink's website.

Thomas, of course, was recently toasted by the White Sox in the form of a life-sized statue inside U.S. Cellular Field.

Bottom's up, Big Hurt.
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Looking back

It's been a tough day for Miami fans, but this is far from the first time the program has been scrutinized in the face of allegedly nefarious goings-on. This 1995 Sports Illustrated cover story suggested that it was best if football was scrapped altogether at the university.

Keeping up

The New Jersey Nets now have permission to attend the wedding of forward Kris Humphries and reality starlet Kim Kardashian. The made-for-television nuptials are Saturday in California, but I'm sure you've had them circled on a calendar for weeks now. Players and their teams are not supposed to have contact during the lockout, but the NBA makes an exception in special cases such as a wedding.

Manning says

Eli Manning is an elite quarterback, according to Eli Manning. And he belongs in the company of Tom Brady, also according to Eli Manning.

"I consider myself in that class," Manning told host Michael Kay in a radio interview with WEPN-AM. "Tom Brady is a great quarterback, he's a great player and what you've seen with him is he's gotten better every year. He started off winning championships and I think he's a better quarterback now than what he was, in all honesty, when he was winning those championships."

For what it's worth, you'll remember Manning edged Brady's Patriots in Super Bowl XLII, along the way winning the game's MVP.

And finally ...

The Green Bay Police Department has given the OK for officers to wear badges that feature the Packers logo. Green lettering spells out "Green Bay Police" and "Super Bowl Champions XLV" on the commemorative badge. You all remember the police credo of "serve, protect and root for Aaron Rodgers," right? Officers can still opt to wear the traditional, Packer-less badges if they want to.

Delonte West applies at Home Depot; Teddy Dupay makes surprise appearance in Miami scandal; More Brady baby; What Shaquille O'Neal really wants to do is direct; Claudine Keane bringing her many talents to Los Angeles

2011-08-16T23:29:42Z

With the NBA lockout threatening a 2011-2012 season, players are being forced to confront the issue of what they'll do with all that potential free time should there be no basketball.

Delonte West apparently has a plan. The Boston Celtics guard tweeted last week that he filled out an application to work in the exciting world of home furnishing.

"It's official.. Pride 2 the side.. just filled out a application at Home Depot.. Lockout aint a game.." West micro-blogged.

West was forced to look for a domestic job after a judge put a kibosh on any potential overseas gig due to a weapons charge.

He would be following in the footsteps of Ron Artest, who applied for a job at Circuit City while he was a rookie with the Bulls.]]> Faking names

Among the interesting nuggets in the explosive Yahoo! Sports report about illicit benefits allegedly received by members of the University of Miami football team is the alias tell-all booster Nevin Shapiro would use when booking hotel rooms for player encounters with prostitutes. According to the report, rooms were typically registered under "Teddy Dupay" -- in reference to the former University of Florida point guard.

The 5-foot-9 Dupay, who helped lead the Gators to the 2000 National Championship Game, bears a resemblance with the 5-foot-5 Shapiro.

Dupay, by the way, has been on a bizarre post-basketball journey that now finds him as an advocate for the legalization of marijuana.

Broadcast Style Guy

Batting Stance Guy has range. Everyone's favorite baseball impressionist envisioned a world where all of his favorite baseball reporters were together on one broadcast. Among those getting aped: Peter Gammons, Ken Rosenthal, Buster Olney and Tim Kurkjian.

Baby Brady

Detectives from the Massachusetts Attorney General's office were dispatched to the home of David Portnoy, the Boston-based blogger who posted the nude photo of Tom Brady's 20-month-old son, and asked that the images in question be taken offline, according to the Smoking Gun. No specific reason was given for the request, with which Portnoy complied.

Pin king

Yes, I did champion a moratorium on trick-shot videos, but what I meant was basketball-related ones. Bowling is a completely different story. Don't try doing this during peak tailgating hours in the Miller Park parking lot, though.

This is just ... bad

This awesomely awkward parody video promoting rush week for University of Alabama sororities is a challenge to sit through.

The Big Director?

Shaquille O'Neal, who thrilled us in such blockbuster hits as "Kazaam" and "Steel," is jumping into the directing world. The big man is wrapping up the Filmmaking Conservatory at the New York Film Academy's branch at Universal Studios Hollywood. O'Neal recently signed with Turner Sports to become part of the "Inside the NBA" studio team with Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson. During a conference call announcing the move, O'Neal told reporters that he's always dreamed of executive-producing a television show.

It's good to be ...

Robbie Keane. The Irish striker just signed with the Los Angeles Galaxy. He'll bring wife Claudine to the left coast, joining a team that already boasts Victoria Beckham as its most famous WAG. A former Miss Ireland contestant, the footballer's wife is currently a model, not that you needed me to tell you that.

LeBron gets 'dunked on' during basketball game in China

2011-08-16T15:16:08Z

Everything LeBron James does now is news, so when a nameless player picks his pocket and dunks on him during a Nike event in China, you can expect the internet to notice and get all viral about it.

You'll remember that a similar video, showing Xavier's Jordan Crawford dunking on James, became the Zapruder film of sports videos two years ago.

To be fair, it doesn't look like James was 100 percent committed to blocking this particular dunk.

Video: Dave Stala's dizzy bat touchdown celebration

2011-08-16T12:03:49Z

Hamilton Tiger-Cats wide receiver Dave Stala is no stranger to elaborate touchdown celebrations. In fact, his hacky-sack-inspired dance last month led the Canadian Football League to revisit its end-zone guidelines.

His latest effort is an homage to the dizzy bat race. Stala had cause to spin, spin, spin after catching a 10-yard touchdown pass from Kevin Glenn during the Tiger-Cats' victory over the Toronto Argonauts Saturday night.

Admittedly, I'm a little rusty on my CFL knowledge, but it seems Stala should have plenty of dance routines in his pocket given his penchant to score. This was his league-leading seventh touchdown reception of the year.

Texas Rangers to honor Shannon Stone with a statue

2011-08-16T10:05:48Z

The Texas Rangers will honor Shannon Stone, the fan who fell to his death during a game earlier this year, with a statue.

The bronze statute will also feature Stone's six-year-old son, Cooper, who was with him at the time of his tragic fall. It's tentatively called "Rangers Fans" and will likely be placed near the home-plate entrance of Rangers Ballpark.

"We feel that this statue will be a most fitting tribute," Rangers president Nolan Ryan said. "It will not only serve to honor Mr. Stone's memory but also recognize Rangers fans and baseball fans everywhere. I have discussed the project with Jenny Stone, and she and the Stone family will be involved in the design and creation of the statue."

The project is expected to be completed by next season.

Stone died after falling from the left-field stands while trying to catch a ball tossed by Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton on July 7. His death led to new safety protocol, including the raising of all railings, at the stadium.

Nude photos of Tom Brady's son earns blogger criticism

2011-08-12T13:39:42Z

A Boston blogger was roundly criticized and received death threats after posting a naked photo of Tom Brady's young son.

David Portnoy, who operates BarStoolSports.com, defended his decision to publish the photo of a bathing-suit-less Benjamin Brady and his mother, Gisele Bundchen, at a Costa Rican beach. The photos, taken by a paparazzo and posted on Portnoy's site, ignited a firestorm in the Boston area yesterday.

Callers flooded the phone lines of sports-talk shows to complain and many questioned if this constituted child pornography.

"It's Boston," Portnoy told NECN. "We're going to show the Gisele pictures. We saw the Brady's kid picture and basically I saw it and thought it was a funny joke. I mean really that's the nuts and bolts of it. For me it wasn't so much about the kid, it's an ongoing theme with us is that Brady is the best, Brady is God and really for us that blog was just another way to say it. It's like Brady's kid is the best, Peyton Manning's is the worst."
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The offending pictures were taken down, only to re-appear later in the day.

"Generally we have to take them down when that happens," Portnoy told the Boston Herald. "Our Web site-hosting company makes us. I put them back up actually because everyone else still has them up, too. But it's only a matter of time till they are gone again."

Soldier Michael Harlow surprises wife after first pitch

2011-08-12T11:03:18Z

A soldier gave his wife the surprise of a lifetime Friday night before a minor league baseball game.

Darla Harlow was given the honor of tossing out the first pitch at an M-Braves game. When the throw's catcher approached to give the ceremonial ball to her, she realized it was her husband, Michael Harlow.

Harlow, an army major, was returning from a nine-month stint in Afghanistan.

The team helped Michael and his daughters set up the surprise for his wife after learning they are big M-Braves fans.

"She didn't faint," the soldier-turned-catcher said. "The last time I surprised her she fainted."

Rex Grossman says the Washington Redskins will win NFC East

2011-08-11T11:14:21Z

The last quarterback to lead--or manage--the Bears to the Super Bowl has a bold prediction for this year.

Rex Grossman, now lining up under center for the Washington Redskins, thinks his team will shock the world.

"We're fine being the sleepers right now," Grossman told CSNWashington.com. "We're just waiting in the wings ready to take over the NFC East. Nobody's talking about us, it's right where we wanna be. You look at us from top to bottom out here, there's a bunch of great players. And we don't need people saying we're the best right now. But when it's all said and done, I really feel like this team's gonna win the [NFC] East."
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On the team's official Twitter feed, the ex-Bear released a statement after his bold claim became sports-talk fodder.

"I wasn't trying to make some kind of profound statement. I just really believe in this team."

Grossman also indicated that this Redskins club is every bit as good as the 2006 Bears.

Hope Solo hints at possibility of posing naked

2011-08-11T10:41:59Z

Hope Solo appears to be ready for her close-up.

The U.S. women's soccer team goalkeeper hinted at the possibility of posing naked for ESPN the Magazine on her Twitter account Tuesday.

"Being naked outside is very liberating....atleast I hope it will be @ESPN and @ESPNMAG!!! GAMETIME BABY! Ball up!" Solo teased.

The magazine's "body issue" annually features nude athletes posed in high-art fashion. Last year's participants included Serena Williams, Dwight Howard and Adrian Peterson.

Solo also tweeted this photo of her frolicking in a fountain wearing only a robe.

It's a moment many sudden soccer enthusiasts have been looking forward to since hopping on the Solo bandwagon last month.