mb Page 423 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Roddick Rickrolls Wimbledon, And Newspapers Care
"I busted my wife on some of her crappy music. She brought up Rick Astley. I can't deny it. It's in my iPod. I bet it's in your iPod too, so shut up!" You heard the man. [The Sun, Reuters]...

UNC's Ellington Happy To Be Drafted, But Sad To Leave 19-Year-Old Philly Girlfriend
He was one of the 49 players drafted by the Timberwolves."My girlfriend goes to Drexel, so she wanted me to stay local, as did my family. I'm not upset at all, though. This is a blessing."[Philly.com]...

Jonny Flynn Is All About the 'Mid Coast'
6. Minnesota Timberwolves: Jonny Flynn, Syracuse. Minnesota is stocking up on point guards, and why not? Rubio isn't ready to come in and lead the team for 30 minutes a night, but that's Flynn's specialty....

Jim Brown: All-American, Gaylord
Your Deadcast guest this week is Hall of Famer Jim Brown (listen here). And holy shit, is that man intimidating. Except when talking about rollerskating around Venice Beach....

American Newspapers Can't Quite Afford Wimbledon Coverage
Filip Bondy reports that only eight papers — the usuals plus, uh, the S.F. Examiner? — sent tennis correspondents overseas, and some aren't even there yet. To be fair, though, that's one reporter for every 6.375 players. [Bondy via TBL]...

The Incredible Dulk Is "Splendiferously Lithe," And Other Required Reading (Update)
Simple question from an intrepid reader: "Who is Gisela Dulko and why have I never heard of her before? And by heard of, I mean seen — she just beat Sharapova in an almost happy tissue inducing match." I-Team, unite!...

The Trials of Willie, The Inflatable Dry-Humping Shark
Willie, the mighty Tiburón, is the air-assisted mascot of a popular junior soccer team in Colombia. Unfortunately, Willie's enthusiasm occasionally gets the better of him and he recently got suspended for disrespecting an opposing team. With his crotch....

Wimbledon 2009 Is Very, Very Tape-Delayed
Get those bets in, because even though Wimbledon hasn't started yet, ESPN already knows who won. Doesn't matter if one of their projected winners isn't actually playing. Just trust them. TWWL is good like that. [ESPN]...

Mama, There Goes That Man ... To Minnesota
"Multiple sources have told Pro Basketball News that Mark Jackson has emerged as the leading candidate for the [Timberwolves] position and will wind up with his first coaching gig." Some would call this a grown-man move. [Pro Basketball News]...

John Edward Brady Will Soon Have Better Looking Half-Brother Or Half-Sister To Resent
So says the nosy gossips at the Boston Herald who heard through an anonymous friend via Life & Style, that Gisele was successfully inseminated during the couple's honeymoon. Or she's just bloated. [Shutdown Corner]...

Ryan Leaf Used To Be Carried In The Arms Of Cheerleaders, Part 47
New blue blood/Great white hope, Ryan Leaf was finally captured at the US-Canada border after dodging Texas authorities for close to a month. [San Diego Tribune]...

The Great Kevin McHale Experiment Is Over In Minnesota
After 15 seasons running the Timberwolves, Kevin McHale's services will no longer be needed. (According only to Kevin Love's Twitter? Jeebus.) Man, just eight or nine more years and I think he would have had it. [Pioneer Press; SportsBank]...

Great Moments In Gambling: Cleveland Seagulls Cost Man His House
Betting on a mid-June AL Central baseball game seems like a brilliant path to financial freedom, but believe it or not, there are dangers. Like a flock of birds attacking Coco Crisp and costing you a $38,000 payday....

Detroit Just Can't Catch A Break
A Game 7 loss, a series dropped to the Pirates, now Bill Laimbeer—the greatest coach in WNBA history!—is stepping down. He will be replaced by Rick Mahorn, who will eventually be replaced by Chuck Nevitt. [Free Press]...

ESPN Ombudsperson Of Significant Interest: Don Ohlmeyer
The quest to replace ESPN's Le Anne Schreiber as the WWL's ombudsperson might be near completion if stars align: Venerable sports producer and consummate BSD Don Ohlmeyer is rumored to be the lead candidate for the position, sourcepersons say....

Everybody Pile On D.J. Mbenga
First, Rudy Gay called him "ugly", then Reggie Miller revealed on the Dan Patrick show his text to Barkley after Lakers victory: "can you believe that DJ Mbenga and Adam Morrison have rings?"...

Today Everyone Is Finally Convinced Kobe Bryant Is One Of The NBA's Greatest Despite His Shaq-Filled, Jizz Bomb Past
The Lakers still need two more games to close out the Magic, but those people who never doubted Kobe's true greatness for most of his career are filing early to get a leg up on those who did....

Book Excerpts That Don't Suck: <em>Strokes of Genius</em>
Sports Illustrated's Jon Wertheim uses the 2008 Wimbledon final to reflect on Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and their rivalry, begetting "the greatest tennis match every played," the 2008 Wimbledon Final. Buy it here, if you're feeling frisky....

New Miracle Bat Probably Illegal In This Solar System
Reebok's new Vector-O baseball bat uses special alloys (adamantium?) and speed holes to help you make the cover of Sports Illustrated for your Hulk-like home run blasts. Also doubles as a harmonica. [Uncrate]...

Ha Ha ... Tom Brady Fell Out Of A Boat
World's Fanciest Human can't even row a kayak down the Charles River without needing to be rescued from knee-deep water! What's that? Still a good-looking, supermodel-having NFL quarterback? Well....at least I didn't fall out of a boat! [Boston Herald]...