del Page 253 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

The First Sideline Reporter: "All Of This Was Just Nonsense"
The sideline reporter was young and attractive and more or less an open appeal to the lower enthusiasms of sports fans. The year was 1974. Jim Lampley was here to tell America about mascots and homecoming queens....

And Here Are The Three Men Who (Allegedly) Beat The 22-Year-Old To Death In A Parking Lot During The Phillies Game
On Saturday there was a silly dust-up at McFadden's (a bar at CBP), which spilled out onto the parking lot and one young man was beaten to death for God knows what. These are the men who (allegedly) killed him....

Michael Vick Is Back In Business (Sorta)
NFL.com just posted this cryptic statement: "The NFL has reinstated Michael Vick on a conditional basis. The former Falcons QB will be considered for full reinstatement and to play in regular-season games by Week 6." Um. Okay?...

And Now For A Minute Of Actual Sports
Roy Halladay is not a member of the Phillies ... yet. The Toronto Blue Jays' demands of executive bathroom privileges proved too steep for the Philadelphia bigwigs....

Suddenly, Everyone Cares About Delaware Again
The NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB and NCAA—what no UFL?—have joined forces to sue Delaware in the hopes of stopping their new state gambling law. Delaware can't have this one thing? They don't ask for much! [ESPN/USA Today]...

The One Where Everyone Talks About That Thing That Everyone's Talking About
We get a massive amount of tips in our inbox each week. Some are pretty interesting, but don't get published for one reason or another....

The NFL Draft Goes After <i>Grey's Anatomy</i>'s Territory
The excruciatingly long NFL Draft will expand to three days in 2010, with the first round airing Thursday, the most-watched night of television. Roger Goodell against Meredith Grey, the lead in CSI and Liz Lemon? That's a dealbreaker, ladies. [PFT]...

Does ESPN's "Do Not Report" Policy Make Any Sense?
Still not a peep from ESPN on Ben Roethlisberger's legal troubles—and once again no Blog Buzz on SportsCenter—so as long as Big Ben keeps his mouth shut they're standing behind their decision to not stand behind this story....

Michael Vick Is Free!
The ankle bracelet is off, folks! Having served his debt to society—give or take a few years of probation—Michael Vick is officially a free man. As long as your definition of "free" does not include playing football professionally....

In That Other Golf Tournament This Weekend...
Tony Romo, fresh off a breakup with his biggest fan, storms out to the lead of another celebrity get-together, while Charles Barkley is not in last. Who needs Hank Haney when you've got the modified Stableford system? [GOLF]...

The One With The Half-Naked Woman Selling A Dale Murphy Pennant
We get a massive amount of tips in our inbox each week. Some are pretty interesting, but don't get published for one reason or another....

Hockey Game At Fenway Park To Be Wicked Cold
Bruins officially announce that they will host the Flyers in Fenway Park for next year's Winter Classic, but they'll really have to fling it to get a puck over the Green Monster. [Herald]...

Pedro Martinez: Philadelphia Phillies
Level of excitement had this happened in 2004: 9. Level of excitement in 2009: 4. Still? Number of red Martinez jersey-shirts sold at Modell's over the weekend?: 8,016 [Cherry Hill Courier Post/PHOTO: EveryJoe]...

America's Sideline Chin Bruise
If you can bear to look, here's the visual evidence of the vicious attack on Erin Andrews' chin. It looks like she'll be okay, but how will we ever heal the scars on the nation's psyche? [Right Field Bleachers]...

Delaware Blue Hen Gets Stabby, Arrested
The University of Delaware's top wide receiver was arrested for a stabbing, except he was the stabbee. Except maybe he wasn't. Unless he was the stabber. It's complicated. Let's go down the rabbit hole....

Yeah, But You Still Have To Live In Pennsylvania
Quaker staters, use your hand to shield your eyes from your three championship trophies, together for the first time. And take your other hand out of your pants. [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]...

The Erin Andrews Chin Incident: A Reconstruction
What really happened on that fateful night when America's Sideline Princess was viciously attacked by flying baseballs? Just how bad were her injuries? Where was the ball boy/girl for protection? Why is there no video evidence? What are they hiding?!...

The One Where Jay Mariotti Shows Off His Formidable Lady-Killing Technique
We get a massive amount of tips in our inbox each week. Some are pretty interesting, but don't get published for one reason or another....

Here's Erin Andrews Getting Angry At Someone For Pulling On Her Cords (ALSO NOT A EUPHEMISM)
This is quite a sustained grouchy face. This is also the last footage of America's Sideline Princess with her chin still intact. [YouTube]...

ERIN ANDREWS HIT BY FOUL BALL GOES TO HOSPITAL WITH CHIN BRUISE (NOT A EUPHEMISM) BUT SHE'S OKAY (UPDATE!)
Gentlemen, brace yourselves: From TMZ: "Andrews — who serves as a sideline reporter for ESPN — was struck in the chin by a foul ball hit by New York Mets player Alex Cora during the 4th inning."...