wan Page 33 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

I Want My Money Back
Kentucky Derby favorite I Want Revenge was scratched from this afternoon's race as a precautionary measure. There is concern over an injury that could be exacerbated by making the horse run in the rain. [AP]...

The Continuing Sports Media Evolution Of Condi Rice
According to sources at HBO, at a production meeting last week, staffers were informed that former Sec. Of State Condoleezza Rice's agent had inquired about her joining Bryant Gumbel's "Real Sports" reporting team....

Yankees Blowout: Can't You Smell That Smell?
So the Yankees lost yesterday by a fat, glorious pile of runs, 18 of them to be precise. How, you might wonder, have the city's clever and fiercely original tabloids responded? With olfactory puns!...

ESPN Has Found A Replacement For Emmitt Smith...Matt Millen
While ESPN de-bloats, they wouldn't be the WWL unless they also added a big name. The biggest one so far: Matt Millen, Ex-Lions GM/Architect of Destruction, will join their Monday Night Countdown on-site team....

This Week On A Very Special 'Friday Night Lights' ...
So you've quit the high school football team, and now you want to come back. OK, well, this being Texas, you'll need to drop your pants for a rather brutal paddlin'....

Jeff George Insists He Could Still Play For The Vikings; Vike's Writer Shows Him Reality
"My suggestion is he disconnect his phone... [h]e won't answer the next time a reporter calls to ask if he thinks he should still be playing. It's time for everyone to move on." [ESPN]...

Charles Barkley Wants To Punch Rush Limbaugh
In his first interview since being released from prison on Monday, Charles Barkley talked to WIP radio in Philadelphia, where he quickly noted that Rush Limbaugh has a big ass, and needs to be punched....

Mickey Rourke Loves Being In Russia
Mickey Rourke, ever in character, at the premiere of The Wrestler in Moscow today. I don't often advocate this, but look what Mickey's doing at crotch level....

Curt Schilling Denies Cubs Rumors, Sort Of
For confusing adventures in sports blogging, take a look at this entry from Curt Schilling's 38 Pitches on Sunday, concerning rumors that he might be headed to the Chicago Cubs:...

You And I Will Soon Be Subsidizing The Pistons
So Bank of America received $25 billion in federal bailout money, and will now loan $175 million to the NBA to help struggling franchises. Seattle SuperSonics: "A little late!" [The Huffington Post]...

PETA Vs. Canada ... You Knew It Had To End This Way
See, this is where PETA miscalculated rather badly; I would have no problem clubbing a guy in a baby seal costume. In fact, I'd walk several blocks out of my way to do it....

An Entirely New Reason To Want To Leave Cleveland
Now Browns' defensive tackle Shaun Rogers wants to be traded because Eric Mangini passed him in the training room and didn't say hello. [NFL.com]...

Cheeky Bloke Blags His Way To Footie Glory
I confess that I do not know a lot about soccer. Sure, I know some of the big names and will watch the occasional match in Spanish when flipping through obscure cable channels, but I don't pick up much of the nuance and detail that captivates the die hard enthusiast. So maybe some of the more enligh...

New York HS Team Beefs Up At QB
Usually, "freak of nature" is a moniker reserved for an overly-gifted athlete with little regard for his teammates or the intricacies of game. But Ellenville (NY) High's Tony Casamento is a little bit different. Tony has to be the heaviest quarterback in America, checking in at a svelte 309 pounds. ...

Thursday Night Football Previews: Pitt at South Florida; Oregon State at Utah
Thursday night college football arrives with a televised double-header. ESPN brings us Pittsburgh at South Florida and something called the Versus Network brings us Oregon State at Utah. Like me you have no idea if you have actually have Versus and if demanded on pain of death to give ten guesses a...

BOCOG Vice President Wang Wei Wants You to Stop Bothering Him
The Olympics are in full-swing and they're in China, so, you know, it should be a rather fascinating world event, if you're into fascinating world events. And we are proud to welcome back our Deadspin Beijing Bureau, our own trio of correspondents living in China and reporting on everything they see...

Your Fourth Of July Throwgasm Breakdown
Drew Magary's Balls Deep column runs every Thursday afternoon. Except this week, due to the holiday. Drew's new book, "Men With Balls," featuring 100% new material, is available for pre-order here. You can email Drew here....

Warriors To Be Decidedly Less Whiskery In 2009
OK, it's not a lock that Baron Davis is leaving the Warriors. But by opting out of the final year of his contract — leaving $17.8 million on the table in the process — it's pretty clear that there was more to that dustup with Don Nelson in the Phoenix game than we were told. But while that may be tr...

Hank Steinbrenner Is Just Boiling Over With Ideas
Pity the poor New York media. (A group in which, it occurs to us with a start, we are about to be considered a member.) They're so wistful for the old days of George Steinbrenner that they're desperately trying to shoehorn son Hank, the slow one, into the role. It's not working....

About Last Night
What you missed while incorrectly calling "shotgun" ... • NBA: Spurs blow 20-point lead in Game 1 loss to Lakers, also lose car keys and wallet. • MLB: Everything's coming up Red Sox ... Bartolo Colon is back, and pitching well. Boston 6, Kansas City 3. • Soccer: I don't know a lot about soccer, but...