league Page 350 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

The Nathan's 4th of July Hot Dog Eating Contest Is America
Is there anything more distinctly American than celebrating our independence by holding a contest to see who could consume the most processed meat? Photographer Erin Siegal and I ventured out to Coney Island to take it all in....

Pray For The Arena Football League
Bon Jovi and his fellow owners are working to keep the AFL afloat, even phone chatting at 7 p.m. each night, but he said chances of survival are "50-50." Also, the CFL kicks off tonight. Happy Canada Day! [Fifth Down]...

Triple-A Team Finds Tenuous Manny/Steroids Link
Manny Ramirez's time with the Albuquerque Isotopes was uneventful: four plate appearances, zero hits, one walk, and one near-riot when he left the stadium during a pregame rain delay. But some good did come of his AAA sojourn....

Dodger Lies Make Baby Jesus (And Bloggers) Cry
After all the effort I expended learning about the Inland Empire 66ers, Manny Ramirez will actually be playing his first minor league pre-post-suspension game for the Albuquerque Isotopes, forcing me to work even harder to dig up obscure Simpsons references....

Getting To Know The Inland Empire 66ers
You've probably never heard of them, but the Dodgers' Class A affiliate is about to become the hottest ticket in minor league baseball. Inland Empire just might be the first stop on the Manny Being Manny Reunion Tour....

Little League Coach Teaches Fundamentals Of Breaking And Entering
A Little League coach in Washington State was arrested for burglary after enlisting kids from his team—including his own son—to help him break into an empty shop. The haul? Overhead lights and bolts. What a mastermind....

Jim Leyritz Fans, Cancel That Flight To Newark
"Jim Leyritz won't be honored Sunday afternoon by the Newark Bears, after all. The former Yankee, who had been scheduled to appear as part of a Legends Sunday promotion by the team, will be replaced by Roy White." The power of the press! [The Star-Ledger]...

Spotted: Bud Selig At An Independent League Game In Chico
There were fireworks last night at Nettleton Stadium in Chico, Calif., and in the end, that's what it was all about. The independent league baseball game before the fireworks was just the opener, and there was certainly no encore....

Sometimes It's Good To Be A Policia
In Rome, Barca fans soaked in the victory at the Trevi Fountain and the police were on-hand in riot gear to make sure that if these two ecstatic young women started to kiss each other or disrobe, they'd be safe from bullets and billy clubs. (Courtesy WSJ's Awesomeness)...

The Faces (And Belly) Of Disappointment For Man U
We've all been there—just be glad a professional photographer wasn't around to capture your lowest moment as a sports fan. (Caption: Disappointment was clear on the faces of Manchester United fans during the final minutes of the team's game against Barcelona Wednesday.) [Photo: Alessia Pierdomenico/...

The Rehabilitation Of Jim Leyritz Continues Apace, One Minor League Promotion At A Time
Get out your autograph books, kids — it's Legends Sunday at the Newark Bears' ballpark, and guess who'll be there! Why, none other than Jim "Jimmy" Leyritz, the legend on trial for vehicular manslaughter!...

Barcelona and Manchester United Fight Over World's Remaining Marbles
I think I can say without hyperbole that for soccer nuts, today is like Christmas, Fourth of July, and the Super Bowl all rolled into one—only 100 million times bigger. It's the UEFA Champions League Final Day ... and you stupid Yanks are stuck at work!...

For The Young Self-Starter Looking For A New Challenge This Summer
Apparently all 10 teams of the Lingerie Football League are now interviewing applicants for their internship program. Goldman Sachs now has competition. [NBC Los Angeles]...

Chelsea Is Not Taking Their Champions League Defeat Well
Barcelona pulled off a miraculously late rally to win their Champions League semi-final slugfest over Chelsea yesterday, but the defeated English are having some trouble coping. At least no one has hung themselves! Yet....

Arsenal Fan Commits Suicide After Champions League Wipeout
A Kenyan soccer fan hung himself—in his Arsenal jersey—after his favorite team got thumped by Manchester United in the Champions League yesterday. That is not dealing well with defeat....

You Could Be A Heartless Corporate Giant For One Day
The Peoria Chiefs want to sell naming rights for their stadium, but there are no companies left in America with the financial security to finance such a project. So do you have $6,000?...

The Deadspin Pub Celebrates El Clasico
Barcelona is on the road to face Real Madrid in El Clasico, the marquee match on this weekend's schedule. Plus a full slate of action in the English Premier League....

The Hideki Irabu Era Is Not Over Yet
When last we heard of Japanese pitching sensation Hideki Irabu, he was drinking beer by the barrel and slugging bartenders back in his homeland. That was apparently just the warmup for his stateside comeback....

And Now A Post To Help The Romanian Travel Industry
Expect a 2,000-word column from Frank DeFord defending Simona Halep's Nabokovian innocence some time in the next couple months. NSFW-ish? [SBB]...
