It Was Wrestling Mask Night In Anaheim

Your morning roundup for May 11, the day the pre-prom body cavity searches were called off.

• In Anaheim last night, Angels fans set a Guinness world record for most people wearing wrestling masks at the same time. For about 10 minutes in the fifth inning against the White Sox on Tuesday, about 20,000 fans — along with the broadcasters — donned the masks and casually took in the ball game. Behold absurdity. [Image via @ProductiveOuts]

• The Bulls went up on the Hawks, 3-2, after last night's 95-83 win in Chicago. Derrick Rose had 33 points and 9 assists, but Carlos Boozer and everyone else is giving credit for the victory to Taj Gibson, who came off the bench to score 11 points in the fourth quarter. No one is giving credit to Carlos Boozer for his spontaneous clothesline attempt on Josh Smith.

• The Red Wings are one step closer to becoming just the fourth team in NHL history to come back from a 3-0 series deficit after last night's 3-1 win over the Sharks in Game 6. They're now tied up at three games apiece. "We believe that we can, and that's the one thing," Detroit's Danny Cleary said after the game. "If you believe you really, really can, and you're just not kidding yourself, then you've got a chance." So the trick lies not in merely believing but in really, really, really believing. Take note, Big Baby.

• According to Forbes, the world's most influential athletes are NASCAR drivers, which is both terrifying and perfect for our fair nation. Early analysis explains that while Jimmie Johnson "isn't particularly charismatic," Americans relate to him because he seems like "the guy next door who just happens to double as the best driver on the NASCAR circuit." Read: He's pretty white.

• Mike Parker, the play-by-play voice of Oregon State athletics, admitted yesterday that yes, it was he who drunkenly attempted to eat his napkin at a West Hollywood Denny's in February and then had it captured on YouTube for perpetuity. He went on Portland's AM 860 yesterday to apologize for the embarrassment. Video to come, of course.

• Over at Slate, Luke O'Neil wonders why Planet Fitness is using its ad campaign to purposefully alienate people who love to lift things up and put them down. Turns out that "there's a lot of money in tailoring a fitness club to people who don't actually want to work out."

• What better tutor, mentor, and personal coach for Cam Newton than Brett Favre?

• Sam Smith, the longtime Chicago Bulls reporter who once dared to "blaspheme His Airness" in his book The Jordan Rules, is now, in his own words, living the "ultimate journalistic fantasy" by blogging about the Bulls, for the Bulls.

• Today we pay tribute to the late Kenneth D. Geidel, a beloved vendor for Pittsburgh's professional sports teams known, depending on the team, as the "Coke-here guy," the "Cotton Candy Man," or the "Lemonade Man." He died in Pittsburgh on Monday at the age of 64 and after over 25 years of service to the Penguins, Pirates, and Steelers. [ H/T T.J. McAloon]

• Why, of course the Cardinals scheduled a special bobblehead night to honor Tony La Russa's epic case of face shingles! [H/T Dan]

A few stories you might've missed.

Hockey Goes Gay: What happens when an NHL player like Sean Avery endorses gay marriage, and then a sports agent uses 280 characters to disagree with his stance? Somewhat-kind of progressive moments in the NHL.

ESPN Horndoggery: The tell-all ESPN book is coming out soon. Naturally, we have dirty excerpts that didn't make the cut.

A Playoff Classic: The Thunder-Grizzlies series presented us with a wonderful triple-overtime Game 5 on Monday night and into the wee hours of the morning.