Why You Never Date A Pornstar

Jenna Jameson suddenly started tweeting Thursday about the UFC's Tito Ortiz, her on-and-off boyfriend and father of her twin boys. He claimed he nearly beat her to death in February, and claimed he used drugs and cheated drug tests from the UFC. She even posted pics of the drugs Tito was supposedly taking. Who would've guessed a professional fighter and a peeler couldn't get along?

My ex took my poor children away from me for NO reason. He did drugs and faked drug tests for UFC. I all my time with my babies, he partied
— Jenna Jameson (@jennajameson) May 30, 2013

Here is more drugs Tito kept prior to fights... Scared me and scared my kids. I won't lie for him anymore twitter.com/jennajameson/s…
— Jenna Jameson (@jennajameson) May 30, 2013

I laugh at the fake ass drama he is creating. I watched his crazy drug use and have proof
— Jenna Jameson (@jennajameson) May 31, 2013

@jennajameson on twitter.

Jean-Luc Picard Just Ate Pizza For The First Time

Sir Patrick Stewart tweeted a picture of himself eating a slice of pizza for the first time Wednesday - at age 72. Give him credit: he waited to get the real stuff instead of trying that replicator shit.

My first ever pizza "slice". Please note: the authentic NY fold. twitter.com/SirPatStew/sta…
— Patrick Stewart (@SirPatStew) May 29, 2013

@SirPatStew on twitter.

Did The NCAA Have A Hand In Rutgers' AD Problem?

The Newark Star-Ledger now reports the co-chair of Rutgers' search committee, Kate Sweeney, called the NCAA and asked if they had a list of names who could be Rutger's first female Athletic Director. The office gave her a list, which included Julie Hermann, and even spoke to the outside firm hired to search for candidates. According to sources, Sweeney herself campaigned for Hermann as the committee narrowed the search down to three. Sweeney also defended Hermann when news broke of allegations of player abuse at Tennessee and firing an assistant for getting pregnant. Tuesday, the New York Times reported Hermann fired a female Louisville track coach for filing a sexual harassment claim with HR in 2008. Hermann has denied the allegations, and even claims to not remember being in the wedding of the assistant she fired, which you can see in the video.


Read more at The Newark Star-Ledger.

POV Of A Kings Fan

Taken with a GoPro Cam during Tuesday night's Game 7.

Remember When MTV Was Hip With The Kids?

Well, this is MTV's Bill Flanagan, telling you kids you don't understand how things work. Video courtesy CBS Sunday Morning.

NJ Politicians Demand More Firings And The Old Rutgers AD Back

News broke yesterday that Rutgers new Athletic Director Julie Hermann was accused of abusing her players and firing an assistant for being pregnant during her tenure as Tennessee's volleyball coach. Now, two state Senators and the Speaker of the Assembly are weighing in. Not only do they want Hermann fired, they want President Robert L. Barchi out as well, and they want Tim Pernetti brought back as AD. Senator Ray J. Lesniak defended Pernetti, saying “Look, would I have done things differently? Yes; but I’m a maverick. He was in a situation and followed legal procedures laid out before him. And because (Barchi) didn’t have the courage to stand up, he was made a scapegoat." Speaker Sheila Oliver commented on how "the questionable decision-making at this program so heavily funded by taxpayers continues to astound me."
Chris Christie said he'll wait and talk to Rutgers officials before commenting publicly.
Read more at Deadspin.

It's Official: Robbie Rogers First Openly Gay Player In A Major US Sport

Rogers subbed in the 77th minute of Sunday night's game vs Seattle Sounders FC. Sorry, Collins: you snooze, you lose.

Video courtesy LA Galaxy.

 

Rutgers Got Problems - Again

Rutgers just hired new Athletic Director Julie Hermann after having to fire Tim Pernetti for failing to investigate the abusive actions of now-fired basketball coach Mike Rice. Unfortunately, stories concerning Hermann's time as Tennessee's women's volleyball coach have surfaced, and they're not pretty.
Apparently, Hermann's players complained about her abusive coaching style, which involved pitting players against each other and calling them "whores, alcoholics and learning disabled." When the players wrote a letter listing their grievances, Hermann said "I choose not to coach you guys" and walked out.
Another incident involved former assistant Ginger Hineline, who had Hermann as her bridesmaid. During the wedding, Hermann looked into the videographer's camera and said, "I hope it's good tonight, because I know you've been waiting for a while, but I hope it's not too good, because I don't want you to come back February with any surprises, you know, the office and all, and it would be hard to have a baby in there." It sounds like a joke, until Hineline did become pregnant, and Hermann then fired her.
Despite the players' letter being read in a meeting with Hermann's bosses and the Hineline incident resulting in a discrimination case settlement, no one on Rutgers' 26-person search committee asked about the two incidents during interviews. Basically, they failed to investigate, and are back in the news...again.
Read more at Deadspin.

Robbie Rogers Could Upstage Jason Collins

Before Jason Collins came out in Sports Illustrated, MLS footballer Robbie Rogers came out in February, but retired saying he didn't think he could play soccer openly gay. Well, he's changed his mind, and his rights have been traded from the Chicago Fire to LA Galaxy. He's also scheduled to be on the 18-man roster for Sunday's game against Seattle Sounders FC, but it's unlikely he'll play so soon. There's also a chance he could return to the US National Team if his performance is good enough. But it's possible Rogers could become the first openly gay man to play in a professional US league before Jason Collins.
It also makes for an interesting thought: with NBA preseason almost 4 months away, and with every other sport either being active or starting by the time the next NBA season tips off, it's possible someone from every other professional men's sport could play openly gay before Jason Collins even signs with a new team.
Read more at Pro Soccer Talk.

College Sports Dossier: Mike Goodson

Mike Goodson was recruited to Texas A&M by Stan Eggen and Lee Fobbs (Rivals), and even though Texas A&M has wiped his bio, CBS Sports listed him as an Agriculture and Life Sciences major.
On May 22, Mike Goodson pleaded not guilty to drug possession, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a loaded gun, unlawful possession of a handgun and possession of hollow-point bullets (USA Today). Goodson was a passenger in a car stopped on Interstate 80 in New Jersey; the State Trooper said he discovered a bag of marijuana and a .45 caliber handgun loaded with hollow point bullets in his pockets. Goodson claims neither was his, and was so intoxicated he had to be hospitalized.
Gig'em, Aggies!
Image courtesy americanfootball.wikia.com.

Even College Baseball Players Know How To Have Fun

OK, so Cincinnati finished 24-32 and failed to make the Big East Tournament by finishing 9th. But they're winners. They're winners.

Golf Is All Upset About Belly Putting

The USGA and The Royal and Ancient Golf Club have announced starting in 2016, players may no longer anchor their putter to their body (a.k.a. belly putting). The rule does not ban the actual long putters, only the act itself. The USGA and R&A are all upset because they think it doesn't fit the traditional way of golf. But the American PGA, and many golfers and pros, don't like the ban. Not only do they believe belly putting is not cheating, they think banning it will drive amateurs away from the game of golf. The PGA has always followed the R&A and USGA's rules, but there is talk of bifurcation: the PGA and USGA having two sets of rules. That means the rules of belly putting would differ between the four majors, and international tournaments like the Ryder Cup could alternate rules back and forth with the host organizations.

Read more at ESPN.com.

Doctor Who's Showrunner Thanks Fans For Not Spoiling Ending

Steven Moffat, mostly known for Coupling, Sherlock, and Jekyll, has run the BBC's tent-pole franchise since 2010. Sunday, he took to writing a thank-you letter to fans who learned the ending to last Saturday's season finale early:

"Well that was all a bit Keystone Cops, wasn't it? Our biggest surprise, our most secret episode, a revelation about the Doctor that changes everything ...
... and we'd have got away with it too, if we hadn't accidentally sent Blu-ray copies of Name Of The Doctor to 210 Doctor Who fans in America. Security-wise, that's not GOOD, is it? I mean, it's not top-notch; it's hard to defend as professional-level, hard-line secrecy.
My favourite fact is that they're Blu-Rays. Listen, we don't just leak any old rubbish, we leak in high-def – 1080p or nothing, that's us. Every last pixel in beautifully rendered detail. It's like getting caught extra naked.
But here's the thing. Never mind us blundering fools, check out the fans. Two hundred and ten of them, with the top-secret episode within their grasp – and because we asked nicely, they didn't breathe a word. Not one. Even Doctor Who websites have been closing their comments sections, just in case anyone blurts. I'm gobsmacked. I'm impressed. Actually, I'm humbled. And we are all very grateful.
Now you might be thinking, what does all this matter? It's a plot development in the mad old fantasy world of Doctor Who, why is that important? Well of course, it's not important, and in the scheme of things, it doesn't matter at all. Just as it doesn't matter when you're telling a joke, and some idiot shouts out the punchline before you finish. It's irritating, that's all. It's bad manners.
Well, no bad manners here! Two hundred and ten Doctor Who fans kept the secret, and many, many more fans helped. I wish I could send you all flowers, but I don't know where you live (and, given our record, you really shouldn't be sharing private information with us). So instead, if we can get our act together – and I forgive you for thinking that's a big if – there will be a little video treat released on the Doctor Who site later tonight."

So there you go, the man in charge thanks the fans for being good sports. Makes bickering George Lucas and Star Wars fanboys look like real a-holes, don't it?

Read the letter at the Guardian.

A-Hole Coaches Aren't Just For Football And Basketball Anymore

The Star Ledger has released a piece on Seton Hall softball coach Paige Smith, who's been accused of excessive punishments for choosing academics over athletics, pushing NCAA rules limits, and even cutting players for going to class. Among the allegations are kicking off a player for attending classes she was originally excused for, tearing down in front of the team two non-starting business majors who wanted to give a presentation for Johnson & Johnson, making a player run a full practice with an upper respiratory infection, making another do the team's laundry unsupervised in a hotel basement, and even shaming a player for wanting to see her Marine husband shipping off to Afghanistan.
Seton Hall, of course, has refused to comment on the allegations.
Read more at NJ.com.

Brittney Griner Told Not To Discuss Being Gay At Baylor

The former Baylor basketball star, drafted first overall by the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury, said in an Sports Illustrated article last month she was always openly gay. But in an upcoming ESPN interview, she reveals she was pressured by Baylor's coaching staff to not mention her sexuality openly. "It was a recruiting thing...The coaches thought that if it seemed like they condoned it, people wouldn't let their kids come play for Baylor." Griner has been openly gay since high school, and even told coach Kim Mulkey while she was recruiting her, and was told it would not be a problem.
Baylor is a private Baptist college, and has policies on heterosexual extramarital conduct as well as "homosexual behavior," and encourages students to consult the "Spiritual Life Office." Baylor's athletic program was the center of an infamous 2003 scandal, when then-men's coach Dave Bliss covered up multiple NCAA violations, including failed drug tests, paying players, and actually claiming a murdered player was dealing drugs to pay his tuition when it was Bliss' own money.
Read more at espnW.

Story of Stolen NASCAR Hauler Is As Weird As You'd Expect

Jennifer Jo Cobb currently races in NASCAR's Truck series for her own team, but will have trouble making Friday night's race in Charlotte. Cobb reported her truck hauler, carrying approximately $279,000 in equipment, stolen from her team's headquarters. On Wednesday, police arrested Mike Harmon, a fellow driver and owner in both the Truck and Nationwide series, and a former team manager for Cobb. After being released on bond, Harmon tweeted: "I did not take JJC hauler, there is no video of me anywhere near her shop. Today she was the windshield & I was the bug, but when we get in FEDERAL court in a couple wks there's a boulder coming" 

The problem? Cobb is currently in a lawsuit with another former business partner, David Novak, over who owns the equipment she's used the past three years. And according to said lawsuit, Cobb took the trailer from a warehouse that shares the same address as Harmon's shop. And back at Daytona, she reported a team van stolen from a parking lot, but it was repossessed by Novak who provided proof of ownership.

Read more at Sporting News and Yahoo! Sports.

Hawai'i To Keep The Rainbow

In 1974, the University of Hawai'i sports teams were named 'Rainbow Warriors" (and women the "Rainbow Wahine") as a nod to both the natives and the islands' tropical climate. But when former coach June Jones took over the football team in 2000, he mandated his team only be referred to as "Warriors." The University then allowed the other teams to choose which name: basketball, swimming, and tennis kept "Rainbow Warriors", baseball took "Rainbows", and golf and volleyball took "Warriors." Originally, the school had decided they would rename all teams "Warriors" so the teams would be the same across the board, but after public push to return to it's roots, they have decided to reset everyone to "Rainbow Warriors."

Read more at NBC's College Football Talk.

Twitter Goes Nuts Over High School Recruit

Usually, high school recruits announce their college signings in a crowded gym, on national TV, and at a table with a half-dozen hats. Basketballer Andrew Wiggins thought he'd avoid that by making a quiet announcement, to local newspaper reporter Grant Traylor, but even that wasn't enough to avoid the recruiting world:

"Traylor had 1,962 followers on Twitter two days ago. Then it was learned that he'd be the first reporter to know Wiggins' college destination, at which point his follower account ballooned to 17,800, and each 140-character burst of information was treated as breaking news. Literally everything Traylor tweeted was retweeted hundreds, if not thousands, of times."

Tuesday, Wiggins chose Kansas University over Florida State and Kentucky. You can guess how that went:

"Within minutes of the announcement, countless fans who don't spend their days pulling for KU attacked. They tweeted at Wiggins to express their disappointment by telling him they hope he does everything from 'tear his ACL' to 'die in a plane crash.' Some also wanted him to 'burn in hell' because, in their opinions, he's a 'bitch' who is 'fu--ing retarded' and a 'piece of sh-t' who should have his 'neck snapped.'"

By NBA rules, Wiggins only has to play one year, then he can declare for next year's NBA draft. Read more at CBS Sports.

A Georgia Bulldog's Four-Year Fight With The NCAA

Offensive Lineman Kolton Houston followed his dream of signing with the Georgia Bulldogs in 2010, but was shortly ruled inelligble by the NCAA for testing positive for the anabolic steriod Nandrolone. Despite providing evidence he has not been using and that he is a victim of malpractice, he is still inelligible and has had to fight lifetime bans from the NCAA to this day.
Watch ESPN's Outside The Lines Report: Testing The Limit.

You Could Be Paying For Retired NFL Players' Medical Costs

Sally Jenkins and Rick Maese of the Washington Post have been doing a series on NFL injuries called "Do No Harm." Their latest piece looks at the cost of medical care for former NFL players, and the facts are staggering:

According to statistics, one in four will need a joint replacement, are four times more likely than the average person to develop neurological symptoms like Alzheimer's or ALS, and are five times as likely to suffer arthritis. These symptoms may not develop for a decade, but the NFL's health insurance program only last for five years after retirement. The NFL's disability board often denies claims, at a rate as high as 60%. They also are fighting at least 3,000 workers' comp claims by former players filing from labor-friendly states. California is often used because workers can file out-of-state claims, but the NFL has lobbied for a bill that would forbid those claims, which has already passed the California Assembly. If that route is closed, there could be as many as 18,000 former NFL'ers that would have to use Medicare and Social Security.

That means taxpayers would be paying for the ailing bodies of players from a tax-exempt league that's considered a 501(c)(6) nonprofit trade organization. Read more at Washington Post.

Wigan Athletic Upsets Man City To Win FA Cup

Even though they're 3 points behind Newcastle and could be relegated from the Premiership, Wigan Athletic won their first major trophy by upsetting Manchester City 1-0 in the FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium. Ben Watson scored the lone goal, a header in the 91st minute. Manchester City started the day amid rumors manager Roberto Mancini would be fired, despite winning the Premier League last season and the FA Cup the year before.
Read more at BBC Sport.

Breast Cancer Awareness Is Big Business In Sports

Major League Baseball has a recent tradition of allowing players to use pink bats on Mothers Day for breast cancer awareness. But Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports reports Louisville Slugger has paid to be the exclusive supplier of pink bats. That means players cannot use bats with any pink on them if they're made by a competitor like MaxBats. That includes players Nick Markakis and Trevor Plouffe, whose mothers are breast cancer survivors.
This comes off last year's October pinkfest in the NFL, when it was discovered only 5% of profits from breast cancer-themed merchandise actually went to charity.
Read more at Yahoo! Sports and HuffPo.

Trouser Cough Interrupts Snooker Champs

Ronnie O'Sullivan defeated Judd Trump in the Snooker World Championship semifinals Sunday in Sheffield, but he had to endure some poor bloke's beans on toast coming back on him in the crowd first. Footage courtesy BBC2.

The SEC Keeps Getting Richer

Last Thursday, ESPN and the Southeastern Conference announced the league would be getting it's own cable network, the third collegiate sports conference to do so after the Big Ten and Pac-12. What You Pay For Sports, a sports blog dedicated to financial matters in sports, broke down how much money this new channel means:

• Assuming the SEC Network charges in their region as much as the Big Ten or Pac-12, $0.80 a month per subscriber, multiplying it by the number of Pay TV customers in those 11 states (over 19 million), the SEC Network would rake in over $185m per year.
• Assuming they also charge the same rate of $0.15 outside of the Southeast, if they make as many systems as ESPNU (54 million), they could stand to make another $98m a year. Add that to the previous $185M, that's a total of $280m. (And if your system picks the channel up, you'll be paying for those fees whether or not you give a damn about the Volunteers.)
• Add to that the $205m the league gets from current partners CBS and ESPN (which has supposedly changed but ESPN won't say how much), each of the 14 SEC schools would be receiving $25M a year alone from television, second behind the Pac-12's $30m/year.

How much will the "student athletes" get out of this? The same base scholarship they've always received. None were present at Thursday's announcement, but all 14 football coaches were, with their salaries totaling over $42M.
Read more at What You Pay For Sports, and a list of SEC coaches' salaries at Saturdays Down South.

Still Not A Baseball Town?

After Josh Hamilton signed with the LA Angels this past off-season, he talked badly about his former fans, claiming Dallas wasn't "a true baseball town." Well, a month into this season, and the Rangers lead the American League in attendance, and are only fourth behind the Dodgers, Giants, and Cards. That's higher than the Yanks (6th), Phils (7th), BoSox (9th), Cubs (10th), and Rays (23rd). In other news, the Marlins are so bad, they can't even finish dead last; more people show up for them than the Indians and Mariners.
Attendance numbers from ESPN.com.