"The Jewish Jordan" 10 Years Later

Ten years ago, an Orthodox high school basketball player in Baltimore named Tamir Goodman burst on to the scene and was nicknamed the "Jewish Jordan." Sports Illustrated, ESPN and 60 Minutes all ran feature stories on the illustrious high school player and in a much publicized announcement, Goodman committed to the University of Maryland. He never became a Terrapin though as there were some major issues with UM's scheduling. A good amount of Maryland's practices and games were on Friday nights and Saturdays which are against the rules of Orthodox Judaism. Maryland could not accommodate Goodman and he would not compromise his religion for basketball. Goodman headed to Towson University where he had a tough time on and off the court, ultimately leaving school after his sophomore year. Goodman bounced around the Israeli basketball leagues for a while and then served in the Israeli Defense Force where he suffered a major knee injury. After months of intense physical therapy, Goodman returned to the court. Now 26, Goodman is currently playing alongside former USC Trojan Davon Jefferson with the Haifa Heat.

Check out this great NBC Washington D.C. feature on the "Jewish Jordan."

Want Some Bulls Bling?

What a rough day yesterday for Idris Elba look-a-like Randy Brown! Fired from his assistant coach position with the Sacramento Kings, WBBM Chicago reported that the former Bull guard is not only bankrupt, but must also auction his three NBA Championship rings. Auctioneer David West said that bidding will begin May 19 at $19,000 and expects each of the rings will be bought for at least $75,000. Image via First Cuts

Obama vs. Lady Huskies

The White House Youtube stream posted a video clip of President Obama playing a friendly game of P.I.G. with UConn's Lady Husky basketball squad. Obama hosted the 2009 women's NCAA tourney champs on Monday and got a few friendly rolls in this backyard shoot-out. Nice form Mr. President!

(via The Dagger)

No Go on Vick Reality Show?

ProFootballTalk reports that in a recent interview with Dan Patrick, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said that talks of a Michael Vick reality show aren’t accurate. We posted a few weeks back regarding the reality show for the imprisoned former Falcons QB.

The practical concern is control over the content. The folks who choose the footage that airs don’t care about the image of the subject of a reality show — the folks who choose the footage simply want to score big ratings. So a reality show would likely not be a ShamWow-style infomercial.

The word is that Vick's people are still pitching a documentary-style feature, but only if they have full control over the subjects and the presentation.

Vick will be released from a federal prison in Kansas on May 20 and will serve the rest of his sentence in home confinement. He will live in the Hampton, Va., home with his fiancee and two of his children while working a 40-hour-per week job at a construction company.

Paulus to Husk Corn?

Now that the NFL draft has come and gone and not a single team took a chance on former Duke point guard Greg Paulus, the wannabe quarterback is continuing his college tour. HuskersIllustrated.com reports that Paulus will visit Nebraska today. Is anyone else over this story? GP should just pick a school already as spring practice is winding down for most squads. If he's going to have a shot at starting at QB next year for a team, he needs to get settled down already. He really should just forget about football and either play basketball in Europe or follow in Lee Melchionni's footsteps and work for Arn Tellem at Wasserman Media Group.

McFarlane Toys To Release Football Action Figures

McFarlane Toys has announced their newest sports line, "Sports Picks College Football figures." The Phoenix-based brand plans to release six action figures in August of current NFL stars in their college uniforms.

According to Michael Smith of Sports Business Journal, McFarlane Toys has worked through The Collegiate Licensing Company, an IMG company, to license its 2009 College Football line. McFarlane has licenses with the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL and has been "producing action figures of professional athletes for more than a decade, but never before has the company tapped the college market."

The six players that will have a college-themed action figure are:
TOM BRADY -- The University of Michigan Wolverines
RAY LEWIS -- University of Miami Hurricanes
PEYTON MANNING -- University of Tennessee Volunteers
ADRIAN PETERSON -- The University of Oklahoma Sooners
HINES WARD -- University of Georgia Bulldogs
JaMARCUS RUSSELL -- Louisiana State University Tigers

Under Armour Recalls Cups...Ouch!

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission yesterday announced a voluntary recall of all Under Armour athletic cups due to "reports of cups breaking, including an injury involving cuts and bruising." Ouch!

The Commission says UA cups can break if hit, posing a risk of serious injury hazard to athletes. Consumers are urged to immediately stop using the athletic cup and contact Under Armour for a product voucher. CNBC's Darren Rovell reported that "in the first 30 minutes of trading, UA shares were down about four percent."

Not Flagrant?

In OT of last night's Celtics-Bulls battle, Brad Miller was on his way to a game-tying layup with 2 seconds left when Rajon Rondo smacked the Bulls center square in the face. Rondo made no attempt to defend the ball and surprisingly no flagrant foul was called. The bloody and dazed Miller missed his two free throws (the 2nd he missed intentionally) and the Bulls fell 106-104. Rondo's foul could have surely been a flagrant 1 and maybe even a flagrant 2. I understand that this is playoff basketball and it's extremely hard to call a flagrant in the closing seconds, but this was pretty blatant. Rondo didn't event try to plead his case after he clocked Miller in the grill.

Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro obviously disagreed with the call: "You have to go for the basketball and he didn't come near the basketball, he hit the face. I thought it was a flagrant. I agree it's a playoff foul, but it's still a flagrant and you have to call it."

Down 3-2 now, watch out for the notoriously "crafty" Miller in game 6 on Thursday. "I understand hard fouls. But when you get hit in the mouth over the shoulders, that stuff just gets old after a while. We've got another game. We'll strap it on and see what happens."

Stafford's Fashion Makeover

In case you missed ESPN's "E:60" last night, Maria Sharapova tried to give Matthew Stafford a fashion makeover before a recent ESPN the Magazine cover shoot. It is actually pretty entertaining to watch the beautiful tennis star give the Lions #1 pick a few fashion tips. We can all relate to Stafford as he is noticeably uncomfortable in the barber's chair. Check out this clip.

"There is no chic in me"

Weir Shows Off "Poker Face" in Magical Performance

U.S. figure skater Johnny Weir gave an electrifying performance last week at "Festa On Ice 2009" in Goyang City, Korea. Described as "sensual and passionate," Weir picked the perfect song for this mind blowing display of athleticism. I don't speak Korean, but can only assume the commentators are describing him as a cross between Adam Lambert and Jimmy MacElroy.

(via Pop Culture Hot List)

HBO Picks Cincy For "Hard Knocks"

Cincinnati Enquirer reported earlier today and ProFootballTalk just confirmed that HBO has indeed selected the Bengals for the next season of "Hard Knocks." The show will document the troubled team during training camp as they prepare for the 2009 NFL season.

A cast featuring Chad Ochocinco, Tank Johnson, Chris Henry along with newcomers Andre Smith and Rey Maualuga will definitely be entertaining! I can't wait to see who will be this year's Danny Amendola.

Sneak Peak at 2010 NFL Draft

It is never too early to look at next year's NFL Draft. News broke this morning that the 2010 draft might actually move to a Thursday prime time slot. According to Dallas Morning News, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said that the league is "discussing the possibility of staging the first round of the 2010 draft on a Thursday evening, the second and third rounds Friday evening and the final four rounds Saturday." Bad move by the NFL. This would ruin the entire draft weekend experience and surely decrease ratings for ESPN and NFL Network.

I'm not going to make a crazy prediction a la ESPN's Todd McShay (a year ago he predicted USC DT Fili Moala would go #1...Indy selected him in the 2nd rd, #56 overall). Here are a few top 2010 draft prospects to keep your eyes on next fall:

Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford
USC S Taylor Mays
Oklahoma DT Gerald McCoy
Ole Miss DE Greg Hardy
Tennessee S Eric Berry
Illinois WR Arrelious Benn
Florida CB Joe Haden
Nebraska DT Ndamukong Suh
Oklahoma St. WR Dez Bryant
Oklahoma TE Jermaine Gresham
Alabama DT Terrence Cody
Cal RB Jahvid Best
Florida ILB Brandon Spikes
USF OLB/DE George Selvie
Alabama ILB Rolando McClain

Florida QB/TE/RB Tim Tebow

Manning vs. Williams In Oreo Challenge

Lost in NFL Draft and NBA Playoffs coverage this weekend was the always competitive Oreo Double Stuf Racing League. The Williams Sisters and Manning Brothers continued their sibling rivalry in the Oreo arena, but this time as celebrity coaches.

Over the weekend, the siblings helped two teams of finalists hone their twisting, licking and dunking skills. The Williams and Manning crews hosted a training session and the two teams competed head-to-head in a lick-off, with the winner earning $10,000 from Oreo. Check out the highlights.

Manning Brothers, Williams Sisters Take New Role As Coach in DSRL - Funny video clips are a click away

Stafford's Top 10 List

#1 draft pick Matthew Stafford is taking his amazing personality on the late night talk show circuit. Prior to the draft he put on an accuracy clinic on "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" and last night he read the top 10 list on "Late Show with David Letterman." NY Jets' new QB1 Mark Sanchez might have been a more exciting guest as Stafford is stiff as a board. Try not to fall asleep during this clip...at least he made one good Jessica Simpson joke.

(via First Cuts)

Iverson Wasn't The Answer For Detroit

During game 4 of the Cavs-Pistons game yesterday, ABC featured a very interesting comparison between Nuggets guard Chauncey Billups and Pistons guard Allen Iverson. The two stars were traded for each other this season and had opposite impacts on their respective new squads. Billups is tearing it up for Denver and Iverson didn't even play a minute in Detroit's short playoff stint. I don't think Cleveland would have embarrassed Detroit in a 4-game sweep if Big Shot Billups was still in Motown...

(Image via Ball Don't Lie)

Condon/Dogra Dominate Draft

As expected, CAA Sports dominated the NFL Draft as the two-headed monster of Tom Condon and Ben Dogra had 9 clients selected in first round, beating their 2008 record of six. Matthew Stafford, Jason Smith, Darrius Heyward-Bey, Knowshon Moreno, Brian Orakpo, Malcolm Jenkins, Brian Cushing, Josh Freeman, and Jeremy Maclin are all reped by the CAA duo. What's so crazy about this year is that these 9 draft picks were all taken between 1-19. According to the Sports Business Daily, "this is the sixth-straight draft that Dogra has at least tied for the most first-round picks."

Athletes First had a very impressive weekend as well with 5 first rounders of their own. David Dunn & Co. represent Mark Sanchez, B.J. Raji, Clay Matthews, Donald Brown, and Eric Wood.

Jets Fly Sanchez & Co. In Style

New York Jets QB Mark Sanchez has earned some serious free flyer miles the past week. He was in NYC last week for a few pre-draft events/interviews and flew to LA Saturday morning in time to here his name called at #5 by the Jets. Saturday afternoon he flew back to the Big Apple to be formally introduced as the Jets' QB of the future. This time, however he rolled deep and his new employer picked up the tab. TMZ reports that the Jets spent $13,488 to fly Mark and five other family members first class on Saturday night. Woody Johnson & Co. also paid for a business class seat and two coach tickets for Mark's crew. I guess in the scheme of things $13k isn't a big deal, as they Jets will be paying their new QB1 well over $50 million (last year's #5 pick Glenn Dorsey signed a 5-year, $51 million contract). Hopefully the Rams' plane ticket for Sanchez was a refundable fare. New York sport fans will see Sanchez's arm for the first time tonight when #6 throws out the first pitch at the Mets-Marlins game.

Notable Free Agent Signings

One of my favorite parts of the NFL Draft is seeing where popular college stars signs after all 256 picks have been made. Draft analysts often say that being an undrafted FA is a better situation than being drafted in the 7th round, as the player can chose which team he signs with. Tony Romo is the perfect example as he had about 10 teams to chose from after being undrafted out of Eastern Illinois in 2003. He was able to chose a nice QB situation in Dallas where he had the opportunity to compete for playing time.

Here are a few notable free agent signings to keep an eye on:

Kannsas St. DE Ian Campbell: St. Louis Rams

Texas WR Quan Cosby: Cincinnati Bengals (How awkward were those Erin Andrews/Bill Cosby interviews???)

Misouri QB Chase Daniel: Washington Redskins
Texas Tech QB Graham Harrell: Cleveland Browns

Michigan State QB Brian Hoyer: New England Patriots

Boise St. RB Ian Johnson: Minnesota Vikings

Purdue RB Kory Sheets: San Francisco 49ers

Union College LB (formerly of Louisville and Miami) LB Willie Williams: Green Bay Packers

Alabama QB John Parker Wilson: Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta's Other QB On "Family Guy"

ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported throughout draft weekend that the Atlanta Falcons were looking to trade imprisoned quarterback Michael Vick for a late round pick. Although they couldn't unload the dog-fighter, Fox's "Family Guy" did include Vick in draft weekend. Check out this clip from last night's episode

(via Shutdown Corner)

Need Draft Updates? Follow These Folks...

ESPN: http://twitter.com/espn
ESPN NFL: http://twitter.com/espnnfl
Merril Hodge: http://twitter.com/merrilhoge
Chris Mortenson: http://twitter.com/Mort2u

Sports Illustrated: http://twitter.com/SI_24Seven
Peter King: http://twitter.com/SI_PeterKing
Jim Trotter: http://twitter.com/SI_JimTrotter
Don Banks: http://twitter.com/DonBanks
Arash Markazi: http://twitter.com/ArashMarkazi

NFL Network: http://twitter.com/nfl
Rich Eisen: http://twitter.com/richeisen
Jamie Dukes: http://twitter.com/jamiedukes

Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival Kicks Off Tonight

The Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival opens tonight with an ESPN-sponsored panel discussion regarding ESPN Films' new “30 for 30” series. This new program will consist of 30, 1-hour films by 30 different filmmakers, exploring a sports story from the last 30 years. Spike Lee, Barbara Kopple and Steve Nash are a few of the names attached to "30 for 30."

Lee's Kobe Bryant documentary, "Kobe Doin' Work" debuts tomorrow night and will air on ESPN May 16th. Check out this New York Times article on the Kobe doc.

Here are the six other films being shown during the festival:
“A Matter of Size,” Sharon Maymon & Erez Tadmor
“Love the Beast,” Eric Bana
“Racing Dreams,” Marshall Curry
“Rudo y Cursi,” Carlos Cuaron
“The Swimsuit Issue,” Mans Herngren
“Team Qatar,” Liz Mermin

Rep Your NBA Brotherhood with adidas

adidas launched their "Rep Your Brotherhood" contest today that will crown the biggest NBA fan and give away a trip to the Finals. The contest is pretty simple: Take a photo of yourself in NBA gear along with a description which demonstrates passion for your team. If your entry gets the most votes, you win a trip for two to the Finals! The key to winning this contest is promoting your own entry. On the adidas site, you can create a widget featuring your entry and post it on social networking pages, blogs and websites.

NFL Draft via Twitter

As most of my followers know, the NFL Draft is by far my favorite event of the year. From the top selections to the compensatory picks, I'm obsessed with the entire process. What’s going to make this year so special is the social media aspect of draft weekend. Platforms like Twitter and Facebook will give fans unlimited access to information and up-to-the-second updates. I will defintely be refreshing my Twitter page every few minutes to stay in the loop. It will be very interesting to see how the ESPN and NFL Network use Twitter to enhance their TV coverage. Producers could easily follow reports online and update their on-air talent during the broadcasts.

Everyone from football reporters to draft prospects will be using Twitter during the draft, relaying insight and updates to fans. Even NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will be "tweeting" in between picks. The NFL has also set up a Twitter stream that will be updated throughout the draft from inside Radio City Music Hall. The league has created a Facebook widget where fans can keep up with news, info, and videos during the draft and will be updated each time a player is picked.

Countless media outlets will be tweeting throughout the draft. Check out a few essential pages to follow below:

ESPN: http://twitter.com/espn
ESPN NFL: http://twitter.com/espnnfl
Merril Hodge: http://twitter.com/merrilhoge
Chris Mortenson: http://twitter.com/Mort2u

Sports Illustrated: http://twitter.com/SI_24Seven
Peter King: http://twitter.com/SI_PeterKing
Jim Trotter: http://twitter.com/SI_JimTrotter
Arash Markazi: http://twitter.com/ArashMarkazi

NFL Network: http://twitter.com/nfl
Rich Eisen: http://twitter.com/richeisen
Jamie Dukes: http://twitter.com/jamiedukes

Obama Again Calls For NCAA Playoff

President Obama hosted the National Champ Florida Gators yesterday and again called for a NCAA playoff:

"I don't want to stir up controversy. You guys are the national champions -- I'm not backing off the fact we need a playoff system. But I have every confidence that you guys could have beat anybody else. And so we'll see how that plays itself out."

Obama congratulated the team, coach Urban Meyer and quarterback Tim Tebow. The Prez also gave a special shout-out to unheralded player OL Marcus Gilbert, whose father Jeff was the first Secret Service on Obama's detail two years ago.

Girl Throws Perfect Game Vs. Boys

A cool story out of New Jersey. 12-year-old girl Mackenzie Brown pitched a perfect game the other day versus an all-boys squad in her Bayonne Little League. Little League Baseball in Williamsport, Pa., estimates that only 50-60 perfect games occur each year, but this is believed to be the first thrown by a female. She retired all 18 boys she faced on Tuesday. Brown will throw out the first pitch at Citi Field on Saturday when the New York Mets play the Washington Nationals.

Check out some local TV coverage

(via Morning Jolt)

Madden 10 Coverboys

The Larry Fitzgerald/Troy Polamalu rumor from earlier this month was indeed true. EA Sports officially announced this morning that the two long-haired stars will grace the cover of Madden 10. This is the first time in the game's 21-year history that two athletes share the cover. Madden 10 will hit stores August 14th. According to Pasta Padre, Fitzgerald will appear on Jimmy Fallon's show tonight and play the video game.

Nash's "SuperBADge"

Steve Nash ("A Finger Licking Production") directs Shaquille O'Neal, Alando Tucker and other Suns teammates in a new short film entitled "SuperBADge." Check out the teaser below and for full video visit Suns.com TV

Looking for Athletes on Twitter?

Interested in following your favorite athletes on Twitter? SportsFan Live this week launched AthleteTweets.com, a site that hosts more than 130 athlete Twitter feeds. You can read the athletes status updates without signing up with Twitter or click directly to their specific page. Athlete feeds include Lance Armstrong, Dwight Howard, LeBron James, Michael Phelps and Serena Williams.

Tough Shoe Market for '09 NBA Rookie Class

Sonny Vaccaro, former head of basketball marketing for Nike and Adidas, predicted last week that none of this year’s NBA draft picks would get a seven-figure-year shoe deal. Liz Mullen explored Vaccaro's prediction in this week's Sports Business Journal.

The market for shoe deals for the NBA rookies is the worst I have ever seen it," Vaccaro said. “In the economic atmosphere we are in and the projected notoriety of the high draft picks, I would be really surprised if anyone got a million-plus-a-year shoe deal.”

If Vaccaro's prediction comes true, the 2009 draft class would be the first since 1995 to not have a million dollar shoe deal. Besides the obvious sports marketing budget cuts from brands like Nike, Reebok and adidas, Vaccaro is also critical of the personalities in this year's class.

"There really aren’t any high-profile young basketball players this year. By that, I don’t mean they aren’t any good, but they are just not high profile. North Carolina had, indisputably, the best college team in America. But the best kids on that team will not go in the top five picks in the draft.”

Many scouts have claimed this year's class is especially weak compared to '08. Blake Griffin, Ricky Rubio, James Harden and Jordan Hill are a few of the top prospects in this year's draft but at this point, none seem worthy of a huge shoe deal. Those guys really can't compare to high-profile players like Derrick Rose, Michael Beasley and OJ Mayo from last year.

NFL rookies will surely feel the same economic squeeze on their upcoming cleat deals. Stafford and Sanchez should sign decent contracts with Nike or Reebok (very similar to Ryan/Flacco in '08) and I'm sure Crabtree's marketing agent Mike Orstein will get him some shoe cash (He signed Reggie Bush with adidas in 2006). I wouldn't be surprised if Under Armour signs Crabtree, as he wore their product at Texas Tech. Outisde of those three players, I don't see a top prospect signing a big shoe deal this year.

Top H.S. Junior To Skip Senior Year For Euro Trip

Pete Thamel of New York Times reports that high school junior Jeremy Tyler will skip his senior year to play professionally in Europe. Crazy move for the 6' 11'' junior, as he won't be eligible for the NBA draft until 2011.

“Nowadays people look to college for more off-the-court stuff versus being in the gym and getting better. If you’re really focused on getting better, you go play pro somewhere. Pro guys will get you way better than playing against college guys.”

I guess Tyler hasn't learned from Brandon Jennings' experience abroad. Check out my post from last month detailing BJ's rough year in Italy. Jennings strongly advises players to head to college rather than tough it out in Europe for a year.

Of course Sonny Vaccaro, who advised Jennings, is now involved with the Tyler family (Who else is excited to see Gandolfini play Vaccaro in HBO's "Camp") He thinks Tyler will pull a six-figure salary in Spain next year and develop into a 10-time All-Star.

“It’s significant because it shows the curiosity for the American player just refusing to accept what he’s told he has to do,” Vaccaro said. “We’re getting closer to the European reality of a professional at a young age. Basically, Jeremy Tyler is saying, ‘Why do I have to go to high school?’ ”

Five Years Since Tillman Tragedy

Five years ago today, former Arizona Cardinals safety Pat Tillman died in Afghanistan while serving as a U.S. Army Ranger. The ultimate American hero, Tillman was so moved by the events of 9/11 that he turned down a multi-million dollar contract to join the U.S. Military. Pat and his brother Kevin enlisted in 2002 and served tours in Iraq during "Operation Iraqi Freedom" in 2003 and in Afghanistan during "Operation Enduring Freedom" in 2004.

Although the horrible circumstances of his death and ultimate cover up by the U.S. Army, Tillman's memory lives on through his family and The Pat Tillman Foundation. The organization's mission is to carry forward Tilman's legacy by inspiring people to make positive changes in themselves and in the world around them.

Below is a nice tribute video from 2004:

Lions Have Curry Deal Just In Case...

Let the draft excitement begin! Tom Kowalski of MLive.com reports that the Detroit Lions have a contract in place with Aaron Curry in case they can't reach an agreement with their No. 1 target, Matthew Stafford.

If the Lions can't sign Stafford by Friday, they will move forward with their Curry deal and take the Wake Forest LB #1 on Saturday. Smart move by Detroit to cover their bases before the craziness of draft Friday. Historically, teams sign the #1 pick prior to the draft.

Kowalski believes that Stafford's agent, Tom Condon, will eventually agree to a deal with the Lions but probably won't do it until it gets closer to the Friday deadline. "The price of the contract can only go up in the final hours so Condon will likely push the issue as far as he feels he has something to gain."

Since Condon also reps Jason Smith, I wonder if he has another deal in the works in case Detroit doesn't offer his QB client enough cash. He must want to keep CAA at the top of the draft as opposed to Curry's Octagon.

Stay tuned!

Curry Would Take Less To Be #1

According to USAToday.com, Wake Forest LB Aaron Curry said he's more than happy to accept a "below-market deal" if it means the Lions would select him #1.

The Lions are still negotiating this week with the agents for Curry, Matthew Stafford and Jason Smith, as they want to sign a deal before the draft.

On Pat Kirwan's Sirius NFL radio show yesterday, Curry said he would sign a deal worth less than the $30 million Jake Long got last year.

Dollars aside, I still think Detroit should take Curry or Smith. Combining the Wake Forest LB with Ernie Sims and Julian Peterson would transform Detroit's D.

The Lions won't be able to protect Stafford for quite some time, but by selecting Smith they will have a future Pro Bowl left tackle. I'd give the slimmed-down Culpepper one more shot and either look for a QB at #20 (Josh Freeman), or hold off until next year's draft (Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy, Tim Tebow).

"If Curry is willing to go low on a contract figure, he might be able to edge out Stafford, who's projected by many analysts as the likely pick but who would probably want more than $30 million guaranteed."

Curry has been lobbying directly with Detroits GM:

"I’ve actually been able to exchange text messages with Mr. Mayhew himself, just discussing the whole situation," Curry said. "He gave me some birthday wishes on my birthday and we talked about just how things would be if me, (and Lions linebackers) Ernie Sims and Julian Peterson were together in one room, just to be able to go out there and wreak havoc.
"I told him I look forward to talking to him very soon."

Madden Cover Finalists

Although we posted a few weeks ago regarding the Larry Fitzgerald/Troy Polamalu Madden 10 rumor, EA has yet to formally announce this year's coverboy.

The cover will be unveiled this Friday and FanHouse reports that the 9 finalists include:

Troy Polamalu, safety, Pittsburgh Steelers

Peyton Manning, QB, Indianapolis Colts
Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona Cardinals
Matt Cassel, QB, Kansas City Chiefs

DeMarcus Ware, LB, Dallas Cowboys

Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers

Brandon Jacobs, RB, New York Giants

Adrian Peterson, RB, Minnesota Vikings

Ed Reed, Safety, Baltimore Ravens

Who is your pick???

DRose R.O.Y.

Chicago Tribune reports that Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose will finally be announced as the NBA's 2009 Rookie of the Year. The team is holding a press conference at 3 p.m. ET to announce the news.

So glad I predicted a Rose ROY season way back in the fall!

Rose averaged 16.8 points per game (second to the Memphis Grizzlies' O.J. Mayo among rookies). Rose led all rookies in assists with 6.3 per game and in minutes played with 37 per game. Rose also is the only rookie starting on a playoff team.

Check out highlights of his 36 point, 11 assist playoff debut vs, Boston on Saturday.

LT Voted Off DWTS

One of my favorite athletes of all-time, Lawrence Taylor, was voted off ABC's “Dancing With the Stars” last night. Although I haven't been watching the show, LT has a special place in my heart. One of my athletic heroes growing up, I will never forget when friends and I met the former Giant linebacker in Miami a few years ago.

Co-host Tom Bergeron told Taylor, “You’re the worst actor we’ve ever had on this show. You’re the happiest guy to go home to get back to the golf course.”

LT is a pretty decent thespian Tom...

Lions Fans Order Extra Curry

Detroit Free Press reports that at the unveiling of the team's new logo yesterday, Lions fans chanted for Detroit to select Wake Forest LB Aaron Curry with the first overall pick in Saturday's NFL draft. Fans also yelled for the team not to draft Georgia QB Matthew Stafford.

Lions president Tom Lewand gave no indication the Lions would take their advice:

"I think what's important for us is that we listen to our scouts and our coaches and the people who have done the work and watched the tape on these guys, whether they're quarterbacks or defensive linemen or offensive linemen," Lewand said. "We've had people who know the game of football watching every game of their collegiate careers, doing a lot of work behind the scenes off the field -- the comprehensive evaluations necessary to give us the best chance to make the right pick for our organization."

Lions GM Martin Mayhew did say today that the chances are very good Detroit will have a deal done with the No. 1 pick before the NFL draft. Most likely the pick will be Stafford, but there is still is a small chance that the Lions go with Baylor OT Jason Smith. The two players have the same agent, so this week's pre-draft negotiations should be interesting.

"Pacman" Bobblehead Night

Manny Pacquiao will throw out the first pitch tonight at the Padres-Giants game as part of "Filipino Heritage Night" at AT&T Park. In addition, fans will receive this Pacquiao bobblehead doll.

The G-men have received a good amount of positive publicity in regards to their "ethnic marketing." CNBC's Darren Rovell gave the team major props today on his blog:

"The best part about the promotion is that Giants executives have found out that on cultural nights like these, they get a higher percentage of people that have never been to AT&T Park in its nine years of existence. So it's not only about cashing in on tonight's game, it's also about providing an experience that hopefully can generate some new fans."

USC's Band of Brothers

Cavs Playoff Promo

The Cavs are quickly becoming the most entertaining team in the NBA. Check out their new playoff promo video that Hot Clicks posted this morning. It doesn't get interesting until a minute in, but keep watching all the way till the end. There is a tender moment between Anderson Varejao and Delonte West. They guys are actually pretty decent actors.

(via Hot Clicks)

Paulus Won't Be A Wolverine

GoBlueWolverine.com is reporting that Duke point guard Greg Paulus will not play football for Michigan. A story on the DetroitNews.com also says the Wolverines have not offered Paulus a scholarship.

If he received a waiver from the NCAA, Paulus would have one season of eligibility. He visited Michigan's spring practice last week to meet with coach Rich Rodriguez and also worked out for the Green Bay Packers.

With the NFL Draft just days away it is unlikely Paulus gets selected. Keep an eye out for undrafted free agent signings immediately following the draft though.

'09 NBA Draft Just Got Interesting

ESPN's Chad Ford reported last night that Spanish PG Ricky Rubio will officially enter the 2009 NBA Draft. Rubio signed with agent Dan Fegan and has until June 15 to withdraw his name from the draft. Compared to everyone from Pete Maravich to Steve Nash, Rubio is predicted as the #2 prospect in this year's draft (behind Blake Griffin).

Rubio is currently the starting PG for DKV Joventut in Spain and is considered the best young international player in the world. The 6-foot-4, 180-pound point guard from Barcelona has been a starter in the top European basketball league since he was 16.

Check out a few highlights:

(Great music!)

Early Look At NCAA Football 10 Cover Athletes

EA Sports officially announces this week the cover athletes for NCAA Football 10 and here is a sneak peak at 3 of the 4 covers.

PlayStation 2: Texas defensive end Brian Orakpo

PlayStation 3: Utah QB Brian Johnson

PlayStation Portable: USC QB Mark Sanchez

The word is that Michael Crabtree will grace cover of the 360 version. First Cuts posted first looks this morning via PastaPadre.

Byrnes Launches Organic Clothing Line

One of my favorite MLBers, Eric Byrnes, recently launched his own "organic clothing line." On last night's episode of FOX Sports Arizona's "The Eric Byrnes Show," the DBacks' LF gives viewers a sneak peak at “Byrnt Organics.”

“It’s very casual, it’s very comforting. It’s going to be jeans, t-shirts, hoodies, some collared shirts. Everything is going to be the softest cotton and the most comfortable thing you’ve ever put on

Check out some of Byrnes' new threads in this clip:

From Viking to Olympian?

After taking two years off from the "shot-put scene," Minnesota Vikings DE Brian Robison has his eyes set on the Olympics after finishing first at a recent Minnesota track meet. Star-Tribune detailed Robison's dominating performance.

"I want to make the 2012 Olympics [in London]," said Robison, whose career-best mark of 68 feet, 4 ¼ inches earned fourth place at the 2006 USA Track & Field Outdoor Championships. "The Olympics have always been a goal for me. Football came first, and that's the way it will always go. But I want to give this a shot."

Robison had quite a fan club at Friday's track meet. Vikings defensive line coach Karl Dunbar and teammates Tarvaris Jackson, Jimmy Kennedy and Benny Sapp all were in attendance. A former Longhorn, Robison still holds the University of Texas shot-put record (68-3 ¾).

ESPNDB.com Goes Live

ESPNDB.com went live over the weekend and is focusing coverage on the NFL Draft (about 500 pages’ worth). For more info on the site check out my post from Friday.

NBA To Promote Summer Movies During Playoffs

According to John Lombardo of Sports Business Journal, the NBA has signed agreements with film studios to promote four summer movies during the NBA playoffs. Each round of the playoffs will have a different movie promotion.

1st Round: X-Men Origins: Wolverine
2nd Round: Angels and Demons
Conference Finals: Land of the Lost
NBA Finals: Year One

Each of the four spots will include NBA game footage in the movie promotion.

Barkley Chokes in Bread Challenge

Chris Webber challenged Charles Barkley last night on "Inside The NBA" to the impossible task of eating a slice of bread in under 30 seconds. At least it was for charity...

(via NESW Sports)

Henson Weighs In On Paulus

Detroit Lion QB Drew Henson knows exactly what Greg Paulus is going through these days. Henson is a freakish athlete who after one year as QB1 at Michigan, left school to sign a multi-million dollar contract with the Yankees. He bounced around the minor leagues for four years and in 2004 gave up on baseball and returned to football. After a few stops around the NFL as a backup, he has found a "home" in Detroit. His situation might change however once the Lions select Matt Stafford with the #1 pick.

With the news that after four years of playing basketball, Greg Paulus is looking to get back behind center, Henson offered some sage advice. He gave some insight to the Detroit News:

“There’s two difficult things: Moving up a level, to begin with, and then just the muscle memory that it takes to be consistent,” Henson said. “When you take time off, that’s the first thing that you try to get back. So I’d say it took me 12-16 months to really feel like, mechanically, I was consistent day-to-day.”

LeBron's "More Than a Game" Trailer

Lost in the exciting start to the NBA playoffs was news that the trailer for "More Than a Game" launched online. This documentary, directed by Kristopher Belman, follows Lebron James and his childhood friends from their grade school days playing AAU ball to winning a high school national championship. "More Than a Game" focuses on how each player overcame his own adversaries in order to form an unstoppable brotherhood and basketball squad. The film premiered last fall at the Toronto International Film Festival and will hit theaters on October 2.

(Thanks ST)

ESPN To Launch Sports Info Site

In the next few days, ESPN will launch a “pre-beta” version of ESPNDB.com, a new sports information website. According to David Goetzl of MediaPost.com, this site will serve as a sports encyclopedia-archive-statistical compendium.” Although there is no confirmed date for an official launch, ESPNDB.com will initially focus on next weekend's NFL Draft. The site will employ two editorial staff writers but will also feature user-generated aspects a la Wikipedia.

"Wikipedia has experienced tremendous growth over the last five years," says Jim Noel, the vice president who oversees ESPNDB. "We believe that we can offer a better, more definitive, more credible resource for finding facts and figures and information than anybody else."

ESPN's Stats & Information group will be heavily involved in this new site, contributing player profiles, statistical packages and other data.

LeBron "LeFunky" James and the boys

Ball Don't Lie just posted this amazing new Cavs wallpaper.
Who is your favorite Cav?

Stafford Solidifies #1 Pick on Fallon

#1 draft pick-to-be, Matthew Stafford put on throwing exhibition last night on "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon." At the end of his segment, Stafford took part in “football skeet shooting” and went 3 for 4 hitting plates. Jim Schwartz was for sure drooling over his future QB1.

“They’re saying if you are the first pick you make over $30 million,” Fallon said. “Yeah, hopefully", Stafford said, “that’d be a nice little payday.”


(via Shutdown Corner)

Motorola's "Aura of Beckham"

Today's Sports Business Daily features Motorola's new global ad campaign, "Aura of Beckham." According to Ed Kemp of Brand Republic, this campaign promotes the company's new luxury Aura handset and is designed to "show the balance between the design and function of the human form vs. mechanical devices by revealing their inner power and beauty." Beckham appears as half-human and half-robot "Terminator" character. The global advertising campaign is set for launch worldwide at the end of April.

Check out this very strange clip:

KG To Support C's From Sidelines

I know the news is focusing on KG being out for the playoffs, but he's actually still going to play a big role for the team. He has shifted his focus to leading the Celtics from the sidelines and rallying the fans. On Saturday he'll get all 19,000 fan at the Garden into green "Boston is a Brotherhood" shirts to bolster support for the C's.

MLB Launches Game for iPhone

MLBAM (Major League Baseball Advanced Media) yesterday released "MLB World Series 2009," a new videogame for the iPhone and iTouch. Developed by MLB's interactive group, "MLB World Series 2009," is believed to be the first video game created in-house by an U.S. sports league. According to Eric Fisher of Sports Business Journal, the game uses the device’s accelerometer to aim pitches and time swings. It features all 30 teams and ballpark renderings of Wrigley Field, Yankee Stadium, Fenway Park and Citizens Bank Park. "MLB World Series 2009,"carries a one-time $7.99 fee.

Bulls Not Ruling Out KG Return

"Kevin could say all of a sudden he feels better and wants to play 20 minutes," Chicago coach Vinny Del Negro said. "We'll prepare for both ways just to cover our bases. That's the smart thing to do.

The big news in the NBA world yesterday was Celtics coach Doc Rivers declaring Kevin Garnett most likely out for the entire playoffs. However, Boston's first round opponent isn't ruling out a KG recovery. Bulls coaching staff has been preparing their team just in case Garnett makes an appearance. KC Johnson of the Chicago Tribune explored the KG injury in his column today. Will the defending champs really be without their most important player?

"I'm not buying that," Bulls forward John Salmons said. "I'll believe that when I see it." Derrick Rose added: "Knowing him, he would play if his leg was broken. We still have to think he's going to play."

Injured KG Gives Dwight Finals Insight

Although he is out for the playoffs, Kevin Garnett offered Dwight Howard some insight into the NBA Finals experience. I have a feeling we haven't seen the last of KG this playoff season though...stay tuned!

Jeter, Tiger, Federer "Staying Alive" in New Gillette Ad

Gillette is launching a new "Staying Alive" style ad featuring Derek Jeter, Tiger Woods, Roger Federer. Darren Rovell of CNBC reports that the new spot will be unveiled at the opening of Yankee Stadium today.

The ad give guys a chance to win a free razor and will run on YouTube, Gillette.com and other channels as well as at 17 Yankees home games throughout the next month.

Paulus Confirms UM Football Opportunity

Former Duke point guard Greg Paulus was on "The Dan Patrick Show" this morning to discuss his football future. Paulus confirmed that he visited Ann Arbor the other day and that there is an opportunity for him to play at Michigan for a year. He will consider continuing his education in a masters program there and join the team as a QB. Paulus has also spoken with a Big East and another Big Ten team about being their quarterback. You can listen to the full interview here

"I did have a couple of conversations with [Duke] coach [David] Cutcliffe," Paulus said. But he didn't sound optimistic about playing football at Duke.

Is KG Playoff Run Possible?

Celtics coach Doc Rivers said this morning that there's a strong possibility that Kevin Garnett will miss the entire postseason. The defending champs would be in big trouble if KG can't go, and it would further clear Cleveland's path to the finals. The C's begin the best-of-seven first round series against the Bulls on Saturday.

"He's not going to be ready. After watching him practice, there's no way," Rivers said on WEEI-AM. "The way I saw him move today, I don't know if he'll be ready."

Is anything still possible?

Shaq Gets Payback on Sweet Lou

After Lou Amundson pranked Shaq on Tuesday by filling the Diesel's van with packing peanuts, the Suns' center vowed immediate revenge. He waged a prank wear via Twitter and yesterday afternoon with the help of a few teammates, Shaq pinned Amundson down and gave him a quick haircut. Shaq shaved off a tuft of Amundson's flowing blonde locks and gave him a racing stripe eyebrow. See photos below via Planet Orange.net

"No Flatulence" Policy for Superman

Orlando Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy has instituted a "No Flatulence" policy for Sports Illustrated cover boy Dwight Howard. Chris Ballard calls out Dwight's gas in this week's cover story.

"He (Howard) fools around at practice, during press conferences and during shootaround, where Magic coach Stan Van Gundy has had to institute a no-flatulence rule because, as forward Rashard Lewis says, 'Dwight really likes to cut the cheese.' "

The profile details everything from the contents of Dwight's pantry, to the names of the two Magic players who managed to beat Howard in a footrace. You can read the full SI article here

The Next Athlete Reality Show...Mike Vick?

James Hibberd of The Hollywood Reporter wrote today that imprisoned quarterback, Michael Vick is talking to reality TV producers about filming an unscripted program this summer. The proposed series would follow Vick starting July 20 when he is released from federal custody.

The show will focus on him trying to "make amends for his past." Sources said producers even visited Vick in prison in the hope of signing him. Vick is serving a 23-month sentence for dogfighting conspiracy.

According to Hibberd, National Geographic Channel's new show "Dogtown" documents the attempted rehabilitation of Vick's 22 pit bulls.

Sweet Lou Punks Shaq

The biggest prankster west of Brooklyn, Shaquille O'Neal, got a taste of his own medicine yesterday after practice when Sweet Lou Amundson filled the Diesel's van with packing peanuts.

This prank was in retaliation for a season full of Shaq messing with Amundson's own set of wheels. According to "Ball Don't Lie," Lou usually rides his bicycle to the U.S. Airways Center and this year Shaq had Suns' staff members hide the bike numerous times throughout the arena.

Since the prank went down yesterday, Shaq has been threatening revenge on Lou via Twitter:

THE_REAL_SHAQ: The person who makes the funniest picture of lou admunson gets a big twitter gift, its on now

Check out the video of Sweet Lou's prank:

(via Suns.com)

Bodog Picking Against Lakeshow

According to CNBC's Darren Rovell, Bodoglife.com is so sure that the Lakers won't win the NBA championship, that if Kobe and the boys bring home the trophy, they'll refund your money.

“In all my years in the business I’m not aware of any sportsbook that has ever taken a side, especially against a favorite such as this years’ Lakers to win the NBA Championship," said Bodoglife.com sportsbook manager Richard Gardner. "However, I just could not resist the temptation to take a stand, especially since the general public is betting the Lakers down to even money. The Cavs are clearly playing better basketball than the Lakers and if the Celtics can get healthy by the semifinals, they can handle the Lakers as well.”

Rovell wrote on his blog yesterday that from now until the start of the playoffs (Saturday at 3 p.m. ET), if you place a bet on any other team but the Lakers, and your team doesn't win, but the Lakers do, you're still good. You'll get your money back.

MLB's Jackie Robinson Day

Today, Major League Baseball will hold its annual Jackie Robinson Day tribute and for the first time ever, all MLB players, coaches and umpires will wear No. 42 as a tribute to the Hall of Famer.

Check out this full-page advertisement in today's USA Today. MLB and the Jackie Robinson Foundation produced this ad featuring images of Robinson and President Obama with the copy, "Before 44 There Was 42"