ow Page 822 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Court-Ordered Community Service With Big Van Vader: More Wrestler Run-Ins
Inspired by the saga of "Wrestling Superstar Virgil," we continue with readers' encounters with the titans of the squared circle. If you've had your own run-in with wrestlers past or present, e-mail us, subject line "Virgilbag."...

Better Know An Umpire: Joe West
Welcome to Better Know An Umpire, an effort to educate ourselves on the human elements who have ultimate decision-making power over some 2,500 Major League Baseball games a year. (All cumulative statistics are through the 2011 season, unless otherwise stated.)...

Better Know An Umpire: Hunter Wendelstedt
Welcome to Better Know An Umpire, an effort to educate ourselves on the human elements who have ultimate decision-making power over some 2,500 Major League Baseball games a year. (All cumulative statistics are through the 2011 season, unless otherwise stated.)...

Bristolmetrics: Amid College Football Chaos, ESPN Reports On Which Games Will Be Seen On ESPN
When last we met, Roger Clemens was the most important defendent, the NBA ended but continued to dominate, and Rick Reilly continued to lift his own material. What would this week bring? ...

Congratulations, You Are Chris Broussard's Source
Perpetual late-comer Chris Broussard hasn't had a good evening with his "sources." Earlier this evening, he was comically slow on the news that Deron Williams had re-upped with the Brooklyn Nets to the tune of five years and $100 million. How did we know Williams had agreed to stay with the Nets? W...

The Joe Johnson Trade Doesn't Yet Mean Anything For The Nets
The Nets have spent the last 48 hours either assembling a superteam that will contend immediately for a championship, or ruining their first half-decade in Brooklyn. Since last night, the team finalized a deal with the Atlanta Hawks to send just under a third of their roster south in order to acquir...

Better Know An Umpire: John Hirschbeck
Welcome to Better Know An Umpire, an effort to educate ourselves on the human elements who have ultimate decision-making power over some 2,500 Major League Baseball games a year. (All cumulative statistics are through the 2011 season, unless otherwise stated.)...

Better Know An Umpire: CB Bucknor
Welcome to Better Know An Umpire, an effort to educate ourselves on the human elements who have ultimate decision-making power over some 2,500 Major League Baseball games a year. (All cumulative statistics are through the 2011 season, unless otherwise stated.)...

Here's How You Score On A Bunt With The Bases Empty
Softball's been eliminated from the Olympics (mostly because the U.S. is too good at it) which makes the World Cup Of Softball the sport's premier international event. Last night's 3-0 championship win over Australia continued to prove American dominance in softball, and no play demonstrates it m...

Better Know An Umpire: Tim McClelland
Welcome to Better Know An Umpire, an effort to educate ourselves on the human elements who have ultimate decision-making power over some 2,500 Major League Baseball games a year. (All cumulative statistics are through the 2011 season, unless otherwise stated.)...

White Sox Bribing Fans To Vote Jake Peavy To The All-Star Team
It's time again for the stumpin' and campaignin' of the All-Star Game Final Vote, which I reluctantly capitalize since it's not a particularly creative branding (No "Plus One?" Or "Let's Get The Japanese Fans On Our Mailing Lists?"), and it's not particularly final, since most of these guys will get...

How To Burp Like A World Champ In 5 Steps, Featuring Competitive Eater And Burping World Champ Tim Janus
The results from the 2011 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest tell us that Tim "Eater X" Janus is the third-best hot-dog eater in the world. He owns world records for speed-eating burritos, sushi, and ramen noodles....

Why Do We Have Sideline Reporters? The Original Sideline Reporter Says The Job Is "Just Nonsense"
With Erin Andrews moving to Fox, now's a good time to revisit this 2009 interview with television's first sideline reporter, Jim Lampley. Originally published July 28, 2009....

Runner Shoved Mascot (Who May Have Been A 14-Year-Old Girl) After Winning Race
His name is Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad and he won gold in the 3,000 meter steeplechase at the European athletics championship held in Helsinki. After crossing the finish line he stalked over to some tiny mascot, slapped something out of its hands and shoved it out of the way. Information provided...

MLB Announces Starting Lineups For 83rd All-Star Game, Fans Everywhere Pissed
The MLB announced the starters for this year's midsummer exhibition-game-that-is-not-really-an-exhibition-game-because-home-field-advantage-is-inexplicably-awarded-to-the-league-that-wins-this-exhibition-game. That means it's time for everyone to gripe about how Player X should have been a starter ...

Dwight Howard Claims The Magic Blackmailed Him, Is A Crazy Person
Last night, Dwight Howard re-requested a trade to the Brooklyn Nets. Rumors connecting Howard with the Nets have been swirling for months, so this was not exactly breaking news. What is breaking news is Howard's claim that he feels he was "blackmailed" by the team....

The Royals Gave Up A Run On A Hit That Started Off Closer To The On-Deck Circle Than The Pitcher's Mound
It's been a rough existence for the Kansas City Royals. Sure they had some fun times there in the 80's, but really, on the whole, it's been kind of a mess. So, you can't be too surprised if you're a Royals fan and see this in the 5th inning of the first game of a day-night doubleheader with the Twi...

Who Are Golf's "Invisible Man" Guys?
A bizarre scene is unfolding at today's third round action at the AT&T National. After violent storms uprooted several trees (including a 75 foot tree falling across the fairway on 14) and delayed play, the course has been overrun by thousands of "Invisible Man" guys....

Denver Brewery Makes Clown Question Bro Beer, Bryce Harper Suggests Donating Proceeds To Fund For Daughter Of Slain Officer
Fine, so it was someone in Bryce Harper's stable of handlers, but still, it's a nice sentiment. "That's a clown question, bro" has taken on a life of it's own and a Denver brewery named a beer using the famous retort to join in on all the fun just as Harper was in town to play the Rockies....

Four-Team Trade Sends Lamar Odom To The Clippers, ESPN Searching For New Picture Of Tadija Dragićević
The Mavericks sent disgruntled power forward/Kardashian sweetheart to the Los Angeles Clippers in a deal including four teams. The Clippers sent Mo Williams to the Utah Jazz who in turn received the draft rights to Shan Foster from the Mavericks. Dallas received the draft rights to Tadija Dragićevi...