Taylor Swift gets VIP treatment at Notre Dame game

For her first trip to a Notre Dame football game, Taylor Swift had one somewhat unthinkable request for a world-famous pop star: She wanted to sit with her brother in the student section. Fearless, indeed. Notre Dame officials thought the better of that, however, and Swift watched from the sideline during the Irish’s 23-12 season-opening victory over Purdue. Her younger brother, Austin, is a freshman at the school and she showed up replete with Notre Dame visor and pullover for the day. The visit wasn’t an extended one. Swift flew in Saturday morning and, immediately after the game, a car backed into the tunnel and she was whisked into it and out of the stadium. — Chicago Tribune

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September 5, 2010, 4:05 am

NFL legend golfs in bare feet with beer

Former QB Jim McMahon golfed in his bare feet wearing a crazy hat and sunglasses with a beer at the 1985 Super Bowl Champion Chicago Bears golf outing. . . and he’s a really good golfer. He could be prickly at times back in the day, but is mellow now.” — Chicago Sun-Times

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September 2, 2010, 8:25 am

Tiger Woods stops during move to pet pretty brunette’s puppy

Where’s a caddy when Tiger Woods needs one? The randy golfer could have used a little assistance moving into his new digs on Hudson St. A source tells us Woods kept a super-low profile while carting boxes and golf clubs himself into the building from a double-parked BMW up the street around 8 p.m. Sunday. Tiger did take a break from his boxes – to stop and pet our pretty brunette source’s pup, which she was walking on the sidewalk. Of course. — NY Daily News

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September 1, 2010, 8:26 am

UFC’s Dana White follows President Reagan, Malcolm X with honor

Dana White, the President of the Ultimate Fighting Championship organization, will follow in the footsteps of US Presidents, British Prime Ministers and heavyweights from the political, scientific and sporting arenas when he addresses Oxford University’s famed Oxford Union Society on October 13th, 2010. Founded in the 11th Century, Oxford University is the oldest surviving seat of learning in the English-speaking world. The Oxford Union was formed by Oxford University students in 1823 as a “haven for free speech during an age noted for University repression” and boasts a guest speaker tradition second to none. Previous speakers at the Union include former British Prime Ministers, former US Presidents Carter, Nixon and Reagan, over a dozen heads of state from around the world, including the Queen of England, such notables as US Civil Rights activist Malcolm X, US Attorney General Bobby Kennedy, cosmologist Stephen Hawking, biologist Richard Dawkins, theoretical physicist Albert Einstein, and popular icons such as Pierce Brosnan, Clint Eastwood and Martin Sheen. — UFC

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September 1, 2010, 1:05 am

Source: Jay Mariotti won’t return to ATH

Jay Mariotti is done as a panelist on “Around the Horn,” according to a TV mole who knows his E-S-P-N’s.

Mariotti is off the air following his arrest for felony domestic violence in Los Angeles. He allegedly got into a physical altercation with his girlfriend in their Venice Beach apartment and was booked on felony charges.

Mariotti won’t return to the popular ESPN yap fest, my source says.

He was also trying out for a future regular show on 710 ESPN in LA, I’m told that’s not going to happen now either. In addition, AOL Fanhouse suspended Mariotti

The boys in Bristol haven’t made any official announcement on Mariotti’s situation. I’ve yet to talk with anyone on, or off the record who has positive things to say about him.

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August 31, 2010, 6:01 am

14-year-old Brazilian girl who at 6ft 9in cannot fit on bus

It’s hard standing out from the crowd when you are a teenager but few schoolchildren can claim to be more visible than Elisany Silva. The 14-year-old measures an unbelievable 6ft 9in tall, making her one of the biggest teenagers in the world. The pretty youngster is believed to be suffering from a rare disease which has caused her extreme growth. However, its exact nature has not been determined because her parents cannot afford to pay for doctors to investigate further. Speaking from her home in the Brazilian Amazon state of Para, Elisany told a local television station how she was unable to go to school because she could not sit properly on the bus.  — Daily Mail (U.K.)

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August 31, 2010, 2:41 am

Bears not allowed to display Walter Payton statue

A Bears spokesman said the team had original plans to immortalize George Halas and Walter Payton with statues at Soldier Field, but were rebuffed by the Chicago Park District. The Payton family says their plan to finance and donate a statue of the Hall of Fame running back to the city of Chicago remains a work in progress. – Chicago Tribune

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August 30, 2010, 6:30 am

Mets lunchboxes feature players accused of sexual assault, domestic assault

The Mets gave away lunchboxes at Sunday night’s game featuring pictures of players. On one side is Santana, who this past week was sued in a civil court in Florida by a woman who has accused him of sexual assault. On the other side is K-Rod, who was taken away from Citi Field in handcuffs after being charged with assault. — NY Daily News

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August 16, 2010, 8:24 am

Broncos Tebow listens to country, Frank Sinatra or Christian music to get hyped

Broncos QB Tim Tebow said Thursday he’ll have to work to control his emotions before his first pro game, even though he knows this one doesn’t count. “I’m a pretty amped-up person and get hyped pretty easily, so I’ve always had to really try to stay calm before the storm and not get overhyped or too excited,” Tebow said. “Most people listen to some type of music to get them going. I honestly listen to either soft country, Frank Sinatra, Christian, (Christian artist) Chris Tomlin, something like that. Usually calm music, just to try to relax. It’s hard for me, but I try.” — Denver Post

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August 13, 2010, 8:26 am

UFC star complains about working nights for movie

UFC legend Randy Couture said he lived like a vampire while shooting “The Expendables” with a cast that includes Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis and California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. “We were working nights for nine straight weeks in New Orleans. Six days a week, 12, 14 hours a day,” he said during a red carpet interview Wednesday night prior to the Las Vegas premiere of the film at Planet Hollywood Resort. That schedule was the biggest challenge, said Couture, no stranger to grueling workouts. The film was his eighth and he’s hoping to keep his acting career on the upswing as his cage fighting days wind down. He’s turned down several film offers this summer “that I was serious about.” It’s all about “making the right decisions,” he said. – Las Vegas Review-Journal

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August 12, 2010, 8:41 am

Clippervention is the new hit of the summer

One of the few TV shows I regularly watch is Intervention on A&E. Now its not a sports show, but normally has some great drama.

Now this hit TV show has inspired a new Michael Ferraro and company spoof spin off, “Clippervention,” Its something I could have used years ago…  Sit back and laugh your booty off.

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August 10, 2010, 8:04 am

Kiwi athlete banned 10-years for X rated stunt

One of New Zealand’s leading bowlers is fighting to stay in the sport after he exposed himself at an Easter tournament in Gisborne. David File admits he “flopped out my old fella” when he returned from the toilet to illustrate to his losing fours team that they were “playing like dicks” on the middle day of the Easter Burton Cup tournament at Kahutia Bowling Club. The 43-year-old Gisborne painter told The Dominion Post last night that he regretted his actions and maintained few saw his act and no one was offended at the time. But Bowls Gisborne East Coast took the matter into its own hands and hammered the former New Zealand representative with a 10-year ban. “You don’t even get that for murder these days,” File said. “I didn’t hurt anybody. I just made a dick of myself. I’ve been around bowls quite a while, I’ve seen a lot of punishments for various misdemeanours and I have never seen anything like this for a lot more serious offences.” File is talking to a lawyer and plans to appeal to Bowls New Zealand. If the ban stands, he cannot step on to the premises of any New Zealand club for 10 years. – Stuff.co.nz
Hat Tip: Goran Paladin, D’Arcy Waldegrave from Radio Sports.

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August 9, 2010, 6:28 pm

NFL exhibition games beat tennis, golf in TV ratings

Given that many players in NFL preseason games will never play in the league, you might assume not many viewers tune in except fans focused on their hometown teams. You’d be wrong. Nationally, NFL exhibitions draw some of the summer’s biggest TV ratings — suggesting the league’s jerseys might be the most-powerful wardrobes in TV. Last season’s highest rated exhibition game was the Bears-Broncos on NBC that got a 6.5 rating, higher than the final round of this years U.S. Open, British Open final round and Wimbledon men’s singles final. – USA Today

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August 6, 2010, 4:50 am

U.S. government looking for cash, might regulate internet sports gambling

Sponsored by Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) — chairman of the House Financial Services Committee — HR 2267 is a bill designed to establish federal oversight of an online gambling industry that currently resides in murky legal waters for U.S. players. It passed overwhelmingly 41-22 via committee vote last week, advancing the legislation to the House floor, where it hopefully will be voted on before the end of the 2010 session. If it gets that far, it will be the deepest penetration of online gaming law at the federal level in history. “The good news is this is significant progress,” said Michael Waxman of the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative. “Last week’s vote showed the bi-partisan support is there.” HR 2267 has the potential to open an enormous revenue stream in an era where cash is badly needed at all levels of government. — San Antonio Express-News

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August 5, 2010, 8:35 am

Yanks security guard gets handshake, autographed bat for A-Rod’s 600th HR ball

The Yankees discovered their most loyal employee yesterday, and it is not Derek Jeter. It is security guard Frankie Babilonia, who is in his second season with the club.
The 23-year-old scaled the netting at Monument Park in the first inning to retrieve Alex Rodriguez’s 600th home run ball, then happily gave it to his supervisor.
After the Yankees’ 5-1 win over the Blue Jays, A-Rod was thrilled to be presented with the milestone baseball. Babilonia received a handshake and an autographed bat from Rodriguez, who became only the seventh player to hit 600 home runs. He had no thoughts of keeping the ball, which could have sold for $100,000.  — NY Post

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August 5, 2010, 8:25 am

Lakers Lamar Odom has picked out baby name with Khloe Kardashian

Khloe Kardashian isn’t pregnant – yet!- but she and husband Lamar Odom already have a baby name picked out. “Boy, it would be Luke Joseph. The girl is on her,” Odom, 30, told UsMagazine.com at the Power Balance Goes All-In For A Cure event at Drai’s Hollywood Tuesday. He admits they’re trying to get pregnant: “When you’re married you’re supposed to try for kids.” When will it happen? “As soon as possible, I would think. I still want to be young when my kids are young.” He is dad to Destiny, 12, and Lamar Jr., 8, with ex girlfriend Liza Morales. Khloe, 25, will make a good mom, he says: “She’s got an incredible relationship with her two younger sisters. She has maternal instincts.  If she can take care of me, she can take care of a baby.” — Us Weekly

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August 5, 2010, 7:55 am

Sports radio reporter lands on TV

Beto Duran, local Los Angeles beat reporter for 710 ESPN, has landed a guest spot on “First Take” this morning on ESPN 2 from the company headquarters in sleepy Bristol, Connecticut. Duran, regularly covers the Dodgers, Angels, Lakers and USC beats.  A little birdie tells me this is a TV tryout for Beto. — Twitter

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August 5, 2010, 7:38 am

Women fight at kindergarten graduation over Lakers Facebook comment

Prosecutors filed misdemeanor charges against two women whose argument reportedly sparked a brawl during a kindergarten graduation ceremony in June. Queiona Burt, 31, of Victorville and Marina Ruth Vargas, 29, of Hesperia were charged with interference with peaceful conduct on campus and unlawful acts committed at school grounds, according to court records. If convicted, they could face up to six months in jail on the former count and up to 90 days in jail or a $400 fine on the latter count. The two women got into an argument on June 23 at Puesta del Sol Elementary in Victorville over a Facebook comment about the Los Angeles Lakers, according to Burt. It developed into a physical fight and several men jumped in, turning the incident into a brawl. — Victorville Daily Press

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August 5, 2010, 6:36 am

British engineers design car fueled by human excrement

A car powered by methane gas has been created by a team of British engineers. The vehicle named the ‘Bio-Bug’ is run reliably on biogas, which is produced from human waste at sewage works across the country. Excrement flushed down the toilets of just 70 homes is enough to power the pioneering VW Beetle car for 10,000 miles – the equivalent of one average motoring year. — Daily Mail

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August 5, 2010, 12:43 am

MLB team drafted “Bachelorette” winner

The winner of Monday’s “Bachelorette,” Roberto Martinez, was a 21st-round draft pick of the Rockies in 2001 out of high school. He didn’t sign, pitching instead at the University of Tampa.  — Denver Post

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August 4, 2010, 6:24 pm

EA Sports Shortens Madden Game

Making a pass at an audience that’s too busy to play games, EA Sports will structure this year’s Madden NFL blitz around a new product attribute: brevity. An old Madden game could take more than an hour, presenting a major barrier to play, but games on Madden NFL 11 can take less than a half hour. A new feature called GameFlow also reduces the potential number of plays from 350 to one, which is automatically selected. The shorter, simpler play is just one option, but since EA Sports sees time and complexity as an issue for some fans, those attributes will be underscored in one phase of a campaign for the title. The campaign, via Heat, will hit around the game’s Aug. 10 release date. TV ads will show a father and son telling mom they’re taking the dog for a walk and then putting the dog on a treadmill, while they play Madden NFL. Message: The game only takes about the same time it does to walk the dog. Other ads will also center on the time-saving theme, presented in the phrase “Plan accordingly.” — Brand Week

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August 4, 2010, 9:22 am

Blackhawks star taking Stanley Cup to Niagara Falls

Blackhawks star Patrick Kane has special plans for the his trip with the Cup. “I am going to take it up to Niagara Falls and try to get some pictures,” said Kane, who grew up in Buffalo, N.Y. “It is going to be really cool with Niagara Falls in the background.”

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August 3, 2010, 8:27 am

Dodger games to get better looking

The Dodgers season appears to be slipping into the Pacific Ocean, but at least the crowd will start looking better.

Scott Podsednik, picked up in a trade from the Kansas City Royals last week, is married to Lisa Dergen. She was Playboy’s Playmate of the Month in July 1998.

Dergen. flying into Los Angeles Tuesday, is expected to be at Dodger Stadium for game two against the Padres according to moles.

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August 2, 2010, 8:31 pm

Hollywood kills “Anchorman” sequel, over international audiences

When director Adam McKay pitched a sequel to his 2004 hit movie “Anchorman,” he thought it would be a no-brainer for Hollywood. The $20 million comedy, starring Steve Carell and Will Ferrell, grossed more than $90 million at the box office. But only $5 million of that came from ticket sales abroad. Viacom Inc.’s Paramount Pictures nixed the sequel this spring, fearing the comedy’s uniquely American brand of humor wouldn’t play abroad. “At the end of the day, the economics of the business have changed—there is so much more pressure to play globally, and we couldn’t fight that,” says Mr. McKay. … “We need to make movies that have the ability to break out internationally,” says Rob Moore, vice chairman of Paramount Pictures. “That’s the only way to make the economic puzzle of film production work today.” — Wall Street Journal

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August 2, 2010, 2:25 pm

Cowboys star eyes second career as NASCAR driver

Cowboys cornerback Terence Newman was introduced to NASCAR when he went to Texas Motor Speedway for a race after his rookie season. He was hooked. “I became an instant redneck out there, and I’m not poking fun at anybody when I say that,” Newman said. Newman thinks he might want to try racing for his next career when he’s done with football. “I want to drive,” Newman said. “I might need to get behind the wheel and see what I’ve got. Test my skills.” — Fort Worth Star-Telegram

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August 2, 2010, 9:33 am

Kenny Chesney music video on SportsCenter?

In the increasingly muddled stew of sport and show biz, ESPN will air a four-minute Kenny Chesney music video during its 11 a.m. ET SportsCenter today. The band Switchfoot played for staffers last week at ESPN’s Connecticut offices in thanks for its music being used in ESPN highlight packages.  — USA Today

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August 2, 2010, 8:05 am

Lasorda gives old friend a radio ribbing

Former Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda gave old friend Don Logan a good-natured ribbing during a radio interview Friday on ESPN affiliate KWWN-AM 1100. Lasorda said Logan, a longtime executive with the Las Vegas 51s, the Dodgers’ former Class AAA affiliate, was going on and on about Logan, who was being honored at the station’s radiothon cancer benefit as “Sportsman of the Year.” Logan is “so generous,” said Lasorda, “he wanted to give $25,000 to the family of the unknown soldier.” – Las Vegas Review-Journal

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August 1, 2010, 7:55 am

Marketing company spends $3,000 on negative LeBron billboard

LeBron James had to expect to take heat for sticking it to the people of Ohio. James can enjoy “South Beach,” he also has something to look forward to when he returns to Akron. A marketing company in Ohio spent $3,000 to put up a negative billboard less than two miles away from the FORMER king of the NBA’s mansion. WEWS 5 in Cleveland has the story:

A billboard says “Welcome Home LeBron,” but there is a big red ‘X’ over home.  The second line poses a question: “How does it feel to be a sidekick?,”  a reference to James’ decision to join Dwayne Wade on the Miami Heat.  Sidekick is underlined in red.  The message then ends with “Go Cleveland!” in gold letters. The Omada Group, a marketing company in Akron, paid $3,000 for the billboard, which is on Route 18 eastbound between I-71 and I-77, about two miles from James’ estate in Bath.

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July 31, 2010, 11:23 pm

Miss Iowa visits Nationals game

Pitcher Miguel Batista and Miss Iowa USA Katherine Conners met behind home plate at Nationals Park Friday night to bury a mini-controversy over Batista’s innocent slight of Connors’ home state, according to FOX 5 DC.

Let’s flashback to Tuesday night. Nationals fans were upset that pitching phenom Stephen Strasburg was scratched from his start due to injury. His replacement, Batista, was booed when he took the mound for Strasburg. After pitching a pretty good game, Batista sympathized with fans by saying those who were expecting Miss Universe wound up getting Miss Iowa instead.

Connors says reaction to the comment in Iowa has been mixed. “A lot of people are mad about it because somebody’s talking smack about Iowa,” Connors told FOX 5 before the game. “And you do not talk smack about Iowans – they’re crazy. But other people think it’s hilarious and they’re glad that we’re putting Iowa on the map right now.”

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July 30, 2010, 11:17 pm

Sunday Night Football’s All Michaels is Mr. Prime Time Pigskin

NBC notes that Al Michaels, preparing for another season of “Sunday Night Football,” has logged nearly 2,100 hours in prime time, more than anyone else in television history. — LA Times

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July 29, 2010, 1:59 am

Heat player to ring opening bell at New York Stock Exchange

The New York Knicks missed out on signing Chris Bosh, but that doesn’t mean he won’t spend time in the city. He’s scheduled to ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday, according to his agent, Henry Thomas. He spent the past weekend in the area, too, tweeting about his relaxing time at charity events and his first polo match. — Wall Street Journal

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July 28, 2010, 8:16 am

Former NFL star to appear on “Matchmaker”

Freddie Mitchell is looking for love. Look for the former Eagles wide receiver this fall on an episode of Bravo’s “Millionaire Matchmaker,” for which he was spotted over the weekend shooting a date scene at New York hot spot lounge Polar, inside the Marcel Hotel at Gramercy. — Philadelphia Daily News

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July 27, 2010, 9:31 am

NYC hedge-fund manager gets into confrontation over NBA superstar

A hedge-fund manager involved in a battle over a beloved Manhattan wine bar got into a confrontation at East Hampton hotspot Philippe Chow over NBA superstar Chris Bosh.
Bruce Galloway was ordered out of the restaurant Friday night after a heated dispute with money manager Jimmy Green over seats at a dinner in Bosh’s honor. A witness tells Page Six that Galloway — an investor in the bar Wine and Roses on the Upper West Side who yesterday won his battle to kick out popular owner Jennifer Klein and her husband, Todd — was angry with Green, who tried to seat his friends at Bosh’s table of 35, which Galloway had also been invited to join. — NY POST

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July 27, 2010, 9:23 am

Naked photos of Dallas Cowboys player released by bitter girlfriend

Cowboys TE Martellus Bennett apparently has been cheating on his girlfriend. So she is getting him back the only way she can . . . by releasing NAKED PICS of himself that he gave to her. Lets just say, its not the best use of an iPhone. — Media Take Out

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July 27, 2010, 9:18 am

NFL turns to locker room poster to stop concussions

The National Football League is producing a poster that bluntly alerts its players to the long-term effects of concussions, using words like “depression” and “early onset of dementia” that those close to the issue described as both staggering and overdue. The poster, soon to be hung in locker rooms leaguewide, becomes by far the N.F.L.’s most definitive statement on the cognitive risks of football, which it had discredited for most of the past several years as academic studies and reports of deceased players’ brain damage mounted. The new document also warns players that repeated concussions “can change your life and your family’s life forever,” a clear nod to retired players’ wives who have spoken out on the issue, occasionally before Congress. A draft of the poster also features photographs of unnamed youngsters in various sports with the reminder, “Other athletes are watching.” — NY Times
Wanna see the poster? CLICK HERE

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July 27, 2010, 8:28 am

Jeff Van Gundy enjoys root beer

ESPN NBA announcer Jeff Van Gundy sipping root beer and doing dinner with the family at the Cask ’n Flagon. — Boston Herald

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July 27, 2010, 3:21 am