Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 1217 of 1503)

Did Favre have deal with Vikings?

According to several online sources including FOX Sports.com and the Associated Press, the Green Bay Packers have filed tampering charges against their divisional rival Minnesota Vikings, alleging the team made contact in efforts to try and sign Brett Favre.

The sources believe that the Vikings and Favre might have already had a deal in place when he asked the Packers for his release early last week.

“They feel like Favre had something (in place), and that’s why he was so anxious to get his release all of a sudden,” the person said.

The person said the league already has reviewed evidence provided by the Packers, and team officials believe a league examination of telephone records would indicate more than “normal contact” between Favre and Vikings offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell, a former Green Bay assistant. According to the person, Packers officials also believe the contact began before Favre and his agent, Bus Cook, formally asked the Packers to release him.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league had no comment on the report. Cook did not return a telephone message left by The Associated Press earlier Wednesday.

Talk about adding another log to the fire. Of course this is all still speculation at this point, but lets continue speculating. Could you imagine the outrage in Green Bay if Favre was talking to the Vikings? He’s a legend in Green Bay – why would he want to tarnish his namesake just to get back on the field? Strike a deal with Carolina, Tampa or Washington if you’re going to do something like that. Not Minnesota.

When a promotional campaign goes wrong

You know when the bomb squad has to be called to a television station that a promotional campaign didn’t go over very well.

The San Antonio Spurs’ coyote played a small role in a promotional campaign that went terrible wrong. Here’s the bizarre story:

How stupid. How did the promotion coordinators think the employees at the television station would act? Oh hey, there’s a cake with what appears to be wires coming out of it – anyone got a knife?

That damn Spurs’ Coyote is always up to no good.

Report: Receipts show Clemens received shipment of HGH

The New York Daily News reports convicted steroid distributor Kirk Radomski handed over shipping receipts to federal investigators that proves Roger Clemens received HGH to his home in 2002 or 2003.

According to sources with close knowledge of the investigation, Radomski has discovered shipping receipts for a package of two kits of human growth hormone that he sent in late 2002 or 2003 to Clemens at the pitcher’s palatial mansion in Houston. Radomski is believed to have also provided the government with new information and receipts for drug shipments to other players.

Radomski, who received a five-year probation sentence in February after cooperating with government investigators, recently informed the feds about the materials. The Justice Department is continuing its investigation in New York as well as in Texas and Florida.

The Clemens package was addressed to William Roger Clemens, in care of Brian McNamee, according to the sources, who said that McNamee did not sign for the package.

According to the sources, the timing of the shipment to Clemens’ home coincides roughly with the dates when Clemens’ wife, Debbie, used human growth hormone in preparation for her participation in a pictorial in the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue. They also expect the evidence to corroborate McNamee’s claims that Clemens was behind his wife’s use and was present when McNamee injected her just after the drugs arrived at the couple’s home.

Clemens, you lying rat bastard – you, your wife and Brian McNamee had a HGH-menage a trois so just confess already. It’s a little hard to believe that you had your wife doing HGH for a photo shoot, yet you passed on the opportunity to use it to help you get an edge on the mound.

The good, bad and ugly from an exciting All-Star Game

For anyone that stayed up past 1:30 ET watching the All-Star Game, you certainly got a treat. The game was absolutely thrilling and it had a little of everything for fans. Here’s a look at the good, bad and ugly from the American League’s 4-3 victory in 15 innings.

The Good

J.D. Drew continues his tear
There hasn’t been a more valuable player to the Boston Red Sox since David Ortiz went on the DL with an injured wrist than J.D. Drew. He showed just how valuable he was Tuesday night as well, blasting a two-run dinger off Reds’ starter Edinson Volquez that tied the game 2-2 in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Terry Francona’s handling of Scott Kazmir
Francona deserves a ton of praise for how he resisted using Kazmir until he absolutely had to in the 15th inning. Kazmir – who by the way, plays for the Red Sox’s chief competition right now in the AL East – threw over 100 pitches Sunday for the Rays. With a chance to host the World Series on the line, Francona could have justifiably used Kazmir more than he did, but honored the Rays’ request now to overuse their young pitcher and the BoSox’ manager complied. Now that’s doing the honorable thing.

Michael Young’s deja vu
Was Michael Young born to produce game-winning hits in the All-Star Game or what?

Ichiro and Nate McLouth’s arms
Even though it appeared Albert Pujols got under the tag at second, Ichiro’s throw from right field to gun down the Cards’ first basemen was a freaking rocket. And McLouth’s laser to nail Dioner Navarro to push the game into extra innings was money, too. (Credit has to go out to catcher Russell Martin’s glove work on McLouth’s throw, as well.)

Miguel Tejada
How rejuvenated to Tejada look last night? If it weren’t for Billy Wagner giving up the tying run in the bottom of the eighth (more on that later), Tejada might have been the game’s MVP for being a one-man show in the top of the eighth to give the NL a 3-2 lead.

Aaron Cook at the NL defense in the 10th
After two-straight errors by Marlins’ second basemen Dan Uggla (more on that later) and an intentional walk, Rockies’ starter Aaron Cook loaded the bases for the AL in the bottom of the 10th. Somehow, Cook and the NL defense got three straight groundouts to nail to runners at home before Justin Morneau grounded out to end the inning. Craziness.

The Bad

The AL almost ran out of pitchers
While Francona deserves praise for his classy move with Kazmir, it’s a wonder what the hell he would have done once Kazmir reached the designated pitch count that Francona had set for him before the game. Who would have Francona thrown if the game extended longer? So once again, there was an issue with not having enough players. How does the league remedy something like this? Expand the rosters? Make a rule that players can re-enter? By all accounts, Francona is rather lucky that the AL won it when they did, because he was about to be Old Mother Hubbard and he didn’t even have Rick Vaughn in the cupboard.

Clint Hurdle’s decision to pull Brian Wilson
With the NL leading 3-2 in the bottom of the eighth, Giant’s closer Brian Wilson came in throwing absolute gas. After getting Carlos Quentin to fly out to center, Wilson battled Carlos Guillen to a full count before striking him out. Then NL manager Clint Hurdle replaced Wilson with Billy Wagner, who eventually gave up the game-tying double to Rays’ rookie Evan Longoria. Granted, Hurdle probably wanted to give Wagner his moment at Yankee Stadium and Wilson had just pitched over the weekend, but still – he should have let Wilson close the door on the AL in the eighth.

Billy Wagner
One out – that’s it. All he had to do was get one freaking out and he probably would have been replaced in the ninth.

Sheryl Crow
I don’t know if it was the broadcast or the acoustics, but Crow was rough signing the National Anthem. Put down the freaking guitar and just sing, please.

The Ugly

Dan Uggla
Poor Dan Uggla. He’s really had a fantastic season to date, but he was absolutely brutal in the field Tuesday night, recording an All-Star record three errors. (His Marlin teammate Hanley Ramirez had an error too, giving the Florida middle infield four boots on the night.) Uggla is lucky his two errors in the 10th and one in the 13th didn’t cost the NL the game early. And I don’t care what Joe Buck says – Uggla’s mishandling of the ball in the 13th was correctly ruled an error. It was a bad hop, but Uggla still played it like he had thumbs for fingers and a monkey trying to hump his leg.

The domination continues: AL tops NL 4-3 in wild All-Star Game

In arguably the most exciting All-Star Game in the modern era, the American League once again prevailed over their National counterparts, 4-3 in 15 innings Tuesday night. The AL has not lost an All-Star Game since 1996 and will host the World Series yet again.

Here’s great video of highlights from the game, set to Metallica’s “Enter Sandman.”

The game was absolutely incredible and had it all – great pitching, home runs, multiple plays at the plate and enough drama to compete with a soap opera. The game certainly didn’t disappoint this year.

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