Deadspin: animals

Manhunt For Iditarod Dog On The Lam [Animals]

Barry Petchesky — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 23:00:00 EST

Fans, fellow mushers, and the "Iditarod Air Force" are looking for three-year-old Whitey, a sled dog who went missing from his team. He's probably just holding out for a new contract. [Iditarodblogs.com]

Detroit Lion Meets Real Lions To Raise Lion Awareness, Taunt Lions With Lions Helmet [Nfl]

David Matthews — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:15:30 EST

Today in animal news, Detroit Lions linebacker Zack Follet went to California's Cat Haven to visit with some real lions and create a video that will make you feel very, very stoned.

Jokes about other athletes meeting team namesakes go below.

Cat Haven Lions cage [Vimeo, via]

This Dog Likes Racing Dirt Bikes [Animals]

Barry Petchesky — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 12:45:00 EST

Well, I wouldn't say "likes racing" them, so much as "clings to the handlebars frozen in terror as his owner races them."

That's motocross racer Mike Schelin in the photo, but you don't care about him. You care about Opee the 8-year-old Australian shepherd, who rides shotty for every single one of Schelin's offroad races, including the prestigious Baja 500.

It started when Schelin took Opee for runs in the desert, the dog running behind his bike. But Schelin felt bad for making him so long that he invited him to sit on the tank. He hasn't left since.

Opee has a helmet, goggles, neck brace, inflatable vest, backpack, water supply and several jerseys. He's also got his American Motorcycle Association card, so he can legally race. And he can do more than just race: they were among the top half of finishers in the Baja 500.

When we come up to a jump, I tell him to set it up and he will drop down and give me more of a view," Schelin said. If they're at the bottom of a cliff or big hill and there's too much weight, he just tells Opee to get off and meet him at the top.

And did I mention Opee also works as a search and rescue dog, and visits children in hospitals? This dog is pretty much better and more successful than all of us, in every way.

Opee the off-roading Australian shepherd struts his stuff [LA Times]

Dog Show? More Like The Gun Show [Animals]

Barry Petchesky — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 18:30:00 EST

In a first, they'll be testing Iditarod participants (mushers) for drugs and alcohol. This is useless until a dependable test for Purina Beneful is developed. [Fairbanks Daily News-Miner]

Begun, The Hockey Playing Ice Bear War Has [Bears]

Dashiell Bennett — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:55:41 EDT

A Russian circus manager was mauled to death by a bear wearing hockey skates. First, Anchorage, then Fairbanks, now Kyrgyzstan? The angry sports bears are officially out to get us. This won't end well for humanity. [BBC]

Awesome Videos Of Animals Playing Sports [Pointless Video Gallery]

Dashiell Bennett — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 17:00:00 EDT

Animals are just like us....except they're not. That's why it's hilarious when they act like humans. Seriously, what are they thinking!? Here's a completely random collection of adorable animals adorably playing human sports. Because it's Saturday and you love it....

A Dog playing Hoops!

A Cat that Alley Oops (and blocks shots)!

A Dog playing Pool!

A Horse playing Soccer!

Rats playing Basketball!

The famous Skateboarding Bulldog!

Puppies that Pick and Roll!

A Elephant with Football Skills!

A Dog who plays Golf (with a doll)!

A Cat playing Chess!

And my personal favorite ... Bears playing Hockey!

Jeter Listens To Critics, Dies In A Fire [Animals]

Dashiell Bennett — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 09:25:31 EDT

Jeter, a five-year-old Great Pyrenees dog, saved his owners' life by alerting them to a fire (so clutch!), but then needlessly ran back into the burning home and perished. Well, his range always was an issue. [Dayton Daily News]

Thank God For Crack [Florida Gators]

MJD — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 15:20:00 EST

I bet you saw that headline and thought this post was about Michael Irvin, didn't you? But it's not. It's a story about an alligator and a crackead, and just in case things don't go the Gators' way later on today, I'd like to present you this story, where the gator did win. At least for a little while.

It doesn't have much of a connection to sports, but it is somewhat amusing. In Florida, a naked man with a crack problem decided to make his way through twenty yards of brush and bushes to take a swim in the waist-high muddy water of Lake Parker. It's not the kind of place where you'll find a lifeguard on duty. You will find alligators, though. Ill-tempered alligators who do not like crack users.

When police eventually showed up (and you can listen to the 911 call of a concerned citizen), they engaged in a "tug of war" with the gator, and after about 30 seconds of a struggle, the gator let him go. Despite one arm being nearly severed, the other broken, and large bites on his ass and thighs, the officer described the crackhead as being "oddly calm." If that's not an endorsement for crack use, then I don't know what it is.

So, yeah... best of luck, Gators.

Hear the 911 tape: 'Help, a gator's got me!' screams naked man on crack [Sun-Sentinel.com]