Beef Bowl Heimlich

As part of the Rose Bowl festivities, the Oregon Ducks and Wisconsin Badgers will compete in the annual "Beef Bowl" at Lawry’s the Prime Rib in Beverly Hills. The Ducks feasted last night and offensive lineman Mark Asper earned MVP of the night.

While the team was eating, a man at a nearby table was chocking. After one man unsuccessfully tried the Heimlich maneuver, Asper, an Eagle Scout, stepped up and helped him cough up the meat.

Ironically, the man he saved is the father of an Oregon student. The victim strangely had this to say after the incident:

“Mr. Asper came and did a proper Heimlich bearhug and I coughed the meat up. The posts that say he saved my life are exaggerating. But he did a nice thing and did it well, and I’m quite grateful. Not a big deal.”

One would think he'd be a little more appreciative of the gesture.

"They'd take away my merit badges and my Eagle Scout card, you know," Asper said. "My brother's a doctor so I joke I should be in the medical field anyway."

CP3 Sheets All Over LA

Sheets Brand Energy Strips has put up 13 billboards in Los Angeles featuring Clippers G Chris Paul, who is one of the founding partners in the company along with Heat F LeBron James, Knicks F Amar'e Stoudemire and Ravens RB Ray Rice.

The creepy billboard features an image of CP3 with Sheets Energy Strip on his tongue and the copy, "The New Way To Do Energy."

Pierre's X-Mas TD

In one of the best touchdown celebrations of the season, Saints running back Pierre Thomas extended his Christmas giving by putting a bow on the football after scoring in the first quarter last night against the Falcons. After presenting the ball to his mom, Thomas received a 15-yard penalty.

USC to gain control of Coliseum

The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Commission is expected to agree on terms today to hand over day-to-day control of the publicly owned stadium to USC.

According to ESPNLA, commission president David Israel will hold a special meeting today to discuss and vote on the matter. USC will likely obtain the master lease to the stadium in late March or early April.

This comes after commission members earlier this year said that they would be unable to keep their promise to USC to make $50M in improvements.

After gaining control of the Coliseum, USC officials say they will begin plans to return the Coliseum to the condition that made it the home of two Olympic Games and two Super Bowls. It is also being discussed as a temporary facility for an NFL team if the NFL decides to return to Los Angeles.

Ward Makes Cameo in "The Dark Knight Rises" Trailer

Back in August, we reported that Steelers players and fans filmed a scene for one of the most anticipated movie of 2012, Christopher Nolan's final Batman installment, "The Dark Knight Rises."

The movie's latest trailer has been making the rounds on the Internet and Hines Ward has a pretty extensive cameo. The receiver appears near the end of the two-minute preview as a player on the fictitious Gotham Rogues. In the clip, Ward catches a pass and runs for a long touchdown, with the field behind him imploding. What's most surprising isn't that villain Bane blows up Heinz Field, but that the 35-year-old Ward outruns the destruction.

Check out the awesome trailer below. "The Dark Knight Rises" hits theaters July 20, 2012.

SNL Jinx for Tebow?

It seems as if Broncos QB Tim Tebow was double jinxed this week as he not only appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated (for the second time in a month), but he was the subject of a hilarious "Saturday Night Live" skit the night before the Broncos fell to the Patriots 41-23.

In the SNL kit, Jason Sudeikis played Jesus and stopped by the Broncos locker room following their victory over the Bears last week. Taran Killam played Tim Tebow.

"Moneyball" is Golden

Nominations for the Golden Globe Awards were announced this morning, and "Moneyball" earned four major categories nods including best motion picture drama.

Brad Pitt was nominated for best actor in a motion picture drama for his portrayal of A's GM Billy Beane and Jonah Hill was nominated for best supporting actor in a motion picture for his Paul DePodesta-inspired character, Peter Brand.

Aaron Sorkin was also nominated for his screenplay adapted from Michael Lewis' bestseller that chronicled Billy Beane and the Athletics' small ball approach to building a winning team.

The Golden Globes will be broadcast live on NBC Jan. 15.

Sony has re-released "Moneyball" into theaters and click here to find showtimes near you.

Brees Hits Up Sesame

Drew Brees recently took time out of his record-pace NFL season to film an episode of Sesame Street in which the Saints QB teaches Elmo the word "measure."

Football stat gurus are measuring Brees' passing yards this season as he is on pace to break Dan Marino record of 5,084 yards set in 1984.

Brees might not be the only QB to break Marino's record though. He leads the hunt at 4,368 yards, but Tom Brady (4,273) and Aaron Rodgers (4,125) are close behind.

But will these teams continue to toss the pigskin around as the season winds down and they've secured playoff positions?

Kids will be able to measure Brees' teaching skills on his "Sesame Street" episode which airs Thursday on PBS Kids. Here is a sneak peek.

RGIII's Top Ten List

As part of his post-Heisman trophy media tour, Robert Griffin III read the top 10 list on the "Late Show with David Letterman" earlier this week.

Check out the top 10 thoughts that went through the tux'd QB's mind when he won the Heisman Trophy.

Preview of "Road to NHL Winter Classic"

HBO's new NHL reality series "24/7 Flyers/Rangers: Road to the NHL Winter Classic" premieres Wednesday night at 10 p.m. ET and to get fans excited, the network has released a 12-minute sneak peek of the first episode.

Although last year's series featured the Penguins and Capitals and highlighted the leagues two top stars, Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin, the Flyers and Rangers have a long and intense rivalry which critics believe could make for better TV.

Here are a couple of good plot points for the series:

- Four seconds into the first game that HBO filmed, Rangers' Brandon Prust got into a fight with Flyers' Zac Rinaldo. "There may not be a team in the NHL I hate more than Philadelphia," said Prust.

- Xx-Rangers star Jaromir Jagr returns to the NHL to play for the Flyers.

- Former Ranger-turned Flyer Jody Shelly said New York's Brandon Dubinsky plays like a little "weasel."

- Rangers coach John Tortorella called the ever-present HBO cameras a "pain in the ass."

Ugly Thursday Night NFL Game

For those that missed the ugly Steelers 14-3 victory over the Browns last night, here are the two best highlights:

In typical Ben Roethisberger fashion, the gritty QB thought he broke his leg on this play but returned to action and finished with 280 yards and two TDs. Big Ben is scheduled to have a MRI today and has 11 days to rest before their next game.

Linebacker James Harrison had yet another dirty hit, this time crushing Browns QB Colt McCoy. Expect a heavy fine for this helmet-to-helmet hit.

Vonn "Tebowing" on Podium

The "Tebowing" trend has extended well beyond the football field as U.S. Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn has now joined in.

The two-time gold medalist earned a victory in front of her home crowd at the World Cup Super-G in Beaver Creek, Colo. and after accepting her medial on the podium, she dropped down into the "Tebowing" pose.

Vonn wasn't mocking the Broncos quarterback though as she made sure Tebow would be OK with her podium pose, checking first with the QB's brother, Robby, who was at the event.

"I asked (Robby) if Tim would be upset if I did it," Vonn told reporters afterward. "I said that if I won in Colorado, I would do it, 'Go Broncos.' And I did it. Gotta represent."

Insane High School Penalty

Sportsmanship and especially touchdown celebrations have been a hot topic in the football world the last few weeks (see Costas, Bob).

Check out this unreal taunting penalty called on Boston Cathedral High (Mass.) quarterback Matt Owens, which cost his squad a Division 4A Super Bowl win this past weekend. Read more about the major debate over at Boston.com.

(via Hot Clicks)

Celtics Take Shots at Heat & Laker Fans

As we're only a few weeks from the start of the NBA season, teams are starting to launch marketing campaigns to promote the upcoming tip-off.

Check out the Celtics' latest promo titled, “I am a Celtic,” which highlights the great Boston fanbase and also takes some shots at their counterparts in Miami and Los Angeles.

"I am not Hollywood. I am not South Beach. I am Causeway Street."

(Alley-oop to LarryBrownSports)

Shaq is Ready for TNT Debut

Back in June, we posted on Shaquille O'Neal hanging up his hightops to join the TNT team of Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson on "Inside the NBA."

Now that the season looks like a go to tip off on Christmas Day, the network has started to officially promote their biggest free agent signing ever.

Check out the Diesel performing The Temptations' "Get Ready."

Get Ready... cuz here come's SHAQ.... Thursday Nights Just Got BIGGER...SHAQ is ready for the 2011-12 NBA season & his new job on TNT, are you? The season kicks off with 5 star-studded games on Christmas Day.

Marshawn Goes Beast Mode on Skittles

Last August, we posted on Bulls sweet-toothed PG Derrick Rose receiving a personalized Skittles machine but and after last night's Seahawks-Eagles game, it looks like Wrigley might have a new sports spokesperson.

After his first quarter touchdown run, Seattle RB Marshawn Lynch took down a few Skittles on the sidelines. Lynch finished the game with 148 yards and 2 TDs, leading the Seahawks to a 31-14 over the Eagles.

So why the in-game candy run? Lynch said that his mom used to give him the candy in high school after every touchdown and that tradition continues today.

UPDATE
According to CNBC's Darren Rovell, Skittles is offering Marshawn Lynch a 24-month free supply & a customized dispenser for his locker

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LeBron Also Mocks Plaxico

In one of their last NBA lockout "training sessions," LeBron James and Kevin Durant played a flag football game last night at the University of Akron and although there are a good amount of highlights on the YouTube, James' touchdown dance is the most intriguing.

As part of his celebration, James borrowed Steve Johnson's "Plaxico dance" and pretended to shoot himself in the leg.

Classy move for LBJ. No word if Roger Goodell or David Stern plan to send James a bill for $10k.

Wonder if on Sunday, Burress mirrors Maurice Jones-Drew's LeBron-themed powder toss touchdown celebration from a few weeks back.

Here is James' dance via ESPN's YouTube:

(Lateral to BlackSportsOnline)