Bleacher Report - Articles by Tony Arnoldine

Kurt Angle On Shortlist To Appear On Upcoming "Dancing with the Stars" Series

Tony Arnoldine — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 19:28:00 -0400

I told you back in May that Kurt Angle had been contacted about being a contestant on the upcoming season of ABC's "Dancing with the Stars." Now it looks like Angle is getting closer to appearing on the show.

The UK Sun, via The Orlando Sentinel's Between the Ropes blog, is reporting that the former WWE and current TNA wrestler and Olympic gold medalist is on the shortlist of potential contestants for the ninth season of the show, which begins airing September 21.

The cast will be revealed on the August 17 edition of "Good Morning America," which also airs on ABC. If selected, Angle would be the second pro wrestling personality to appear on the show, with the first being Stacy Keibler who finished in third place during the show's second season.

Hulk Hogan Reaches Divorce Settlement

Tony Arnoldine — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 12:20:00 -0400

After months of name-calling through the media, drug accusations and other disparaging comments, Hulk Hogan and his now ex-wife Linda Bollea reached a divorce settlement earlier today in a Tampa court. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Hulk Hogan said during today's proceedings that he had considered asking Bubba the Love Sponge for a radio job and Linda Bollea said she is a "out-of-work actress," although I can't recall a single thing she's acted in, unless you count the "Hogan Knows Best" or "Brooke Knows Best" reality shows.

Everyone was so happy that a settlement had been reached that even the opposing lawyers hugged each other following today's hearing.

(Hat tip to Rajah.com for breaking the story.)

Report: Bobcats, Hornets close to Chandler-for-Okafor swap

Tony Arnoldine — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 20:25:00 -0400

ESPN's Marc Stein is reporting that the Hornets and Bobcats are close to completing a trade that would send Tyson Chandler to Charlotte in exchange for Emeka Okafor.

The salaries of each player are within $1.1 million of each other, but Chandler's has only one year remaining while Okafor is on the books for another four. This is a sharp reversal from the earlier belief that the New Orleans front office wanted to cut contracts and make salary cap room.

From a basketball standpoint, I'm not sure if this is that great of a trade for the Hornets. Both Chandler and Okafor are the same age and Okafor is largely viewed as an underachiever. Chandler, though, is injury prone and Okafor may improve when teamed with an outstanding point guard like Chris Paul.

For the Bobcats, the move will help them create salary cap space heading into the ever-discussed "Summer of 2010." It isn't yet known if other players will be included in the deal, but Chandler and Okafor are the two main pieces being discussed.

Nets and Celtics considering swap involving "Big Baby" Davis?

Tony Arnoldine — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 13:28:00 -0400

That's the hot rumor around the interwebs this afternoon. Paul Raymond of My Sports Rumors says that plenty of Bostonians are gossiping about a possible deal that would send Glen "Big Baby" Davis to the Nets in exchange for Yi Jianlian.

While that deal is incredibly one-sided in the Nets' favor, it makes sense for Boston since they don't really need an inside banger with Rasheed Wallace joining the fray. While 'Sheed can step out and hit the three, the Celtics wouldn't mind adding another big who could shoot. Plus they don't want to lose Davis and get nothing in return, which is what they fear could happen if New Jersey offers him a deal Boston can't match.

"Big Baby" makes plenty of sense for the rebuilding Nets. He's young and could be a tough post presence to add with Brook Lopez. Davis made a big splash in the postseason and certainly improved his value.

President Obama will Throw Ceremonial First Pitch at All-Star Game

Tony Arnoldine — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 22:38:00 -0400

Barack Obama will become just the fourth US President to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at an All-Star Game on Jul. 14 in St. Louis. It will also be the first time he throws out the opening pitch as President.

The three other presidents to toss out the first pitch were John F. Kennedy in Washington in 1962, Richard Nixon in Washington in 1970, and Gerald Ford in 1976 in Philadelphia.

Obama had previously turned down similar offers for Opening Day ceremonies this year in Chicago and Washington, and he more recently turned down the invite for this Saturday's Civil Rights game between the Reds and White Sox in Cincinnati.

It won't be the first time he's thrown out a first pitch, though, as he did that as a US Senator in 2005 when the White Sox hosted the Angels in the ALCS.

Wizards and T'Wolves Trade

Tony Arnoldine — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 21:54:00 -0400

Apparently that earlier trade of Richard Jefferson to the Spurs was an indication of more deals to come. ESPN is reporting that the Wizards are close to trading their first round pick (fifth overall) in Thursday's NBA Draft to the Timberwolves in exchange for Randy Foye and Mike Miller. Minnesota would receive Oleksiy Pecherov, Etan Thomas and Darius Songaila as well as the fifth pick.

Minnesota would own the fifth and sixth picks in the draft if the deal is completed. ESPN's Andy Katz claims they will not try to package those picks together to move up, even though they apparently covet Spain's Ricky Rubio.

The deal would give Washington a very formidable offense, especially in the Eastern Conference. Gilbert Arenas will be healthy this season and Caron Butler showed that he can be an elite player last year in Agent Zero's absence. Miller would give the team a serious perimeter threat, as would Foye, if he can stay healthy.

Shaquille O'Neal Congratulates Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers via Twitter

Tony Arnoldine — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:41:00 -0400

Twitter is becoming a source for instant news. Here is Shaquille O'Neal's priceless congratulatory statement to Kobe Bryant on his Twitter page:

"Congratulations Kobe, u deserve it. You played great. Enjoy it my man enjoy it. And I know what yur sayin rt now "Shaq how my ass taste""

Shaq needs to do some spell-checking, but he did post that from his "ShaqBerry," and I'm sure his thumbs are pretty large for those small keys.

He also had this to say about his former coach Phil Jackson:

"Congrats to you to Phil Jackson. When the general doesn't panic the troops don't panic. You are the greatest now."

And regarding Pau Gasol:

"Congrats in spanish pau gasol, muchas gracias pappacito"

Vince McMahon Confronts "Stan Kroenke" in WWE Raw Video

Tony Arnoldine — Tue, 26 May 2009 18:17:00 -0400

This was really a pathetic attempt at milking until the publicity's nipples were dry. Vince McMahon had promised to confront Stan Kroenke following the whole "Denver Debacle" and he did that last night on WWE's Monday Night Raw—well, sort of.

As you would have guessed, it was a lookalike of Stan Kroenke. WWE even had lookalikes of Jack Nicholson, David Stern and Jerry Buss in the front row. Take a look.

How old are you, Vince? Seven? Kroenke's real name is Enos, so of course that led to the inevitable, sophomoric "Enos sounds like anus" jokes and even a few penis references. Very classy, Vince.

Milton Bradley Has No Excuse for Poor Performance This Year

Tony Arnoldine — Mon, 25 May 2009 12:30:00 -0400

Milton Bradley has been off to a pretty rough start in his first year with the Chicago Cubs, but he has a reason for why he is only hitting .188 with four home runs and nine RBI.

It's not his fault, of course, According to Bradley. He says umpires are widening the strike zone when he hits as a way of getting back for him for arguing with an umpire a month ago.

"Unfortunately, I just think it's a lot of 'Oh, you did this to my colleague,' or 'We're going to get him any time we can," Bradley told the Chicago Tribune. "As soon as he gets two strikes, we're going to call whatever and see what he does. Let's try to ruin Milton Bradley."

Sounds logical, right? No, no it doesn't.

It's just like the kid who always fails in high school and then says it's because the teacher hates him, not because he didn't do any work and never came to class.

Bradley has been involved in incident after incident, including more famous ones where he tore his ACL after arguing with an ump and then last year when he tried to confront a Royals announcer in the booth after a game.

Giants Receiving Corps Could Be in Trouble in 2009

Tony Arnoldine — Tue, 19 May 2009 19:50:36 -0400

With the offseason departures of Amani Toomer and Plaxico Burress, this is the first time in many years the Giants do not have an experienced veteran receiver on the squad. Steve Smith enters the season as the most tested of the wideouts, which means it’s an open competition for the remaining spots.

Smith will likely not be the number one receiver as he is better suited in his current role, going underneath the defense and being a sort of “safety valve” for Eli Manning to look to.

Ramses Barden, Hakeem Nicks, Mario Manningham and Sinorice Moss are the unproven members of this group and will be expected to carry much of the load. Although Manningham and Moss are not rookies, neither has seen much time on the field in their short careers.

David Tyree and Domenik Hixon could see time out wide, but they are better suited as special teams players. For the sake of this discussion, it’s a five man race.

It certainly is a lot of pressure to put on Nicks and Barden to come in right away and fill in for Toomer and Burress, which is why the Giants may use a “wide receiver by committee” situation like we’ve seen many teams do with their running backs.

By rotating in five men at three spots, all the players will be fresh, which could lead to matchup problems for the defense. The Giants are also likely to use Kevin Boss and Travis Beckum in the passing game, making it even harder for opposing defensive coordinators to figure out.

The biggest question for the Giants is, “Will it work?”

A lot of that will depend on the running game. If Ahmad Bradshaw can replicate the production of Derrick Ward and Brandon Jacobs plays like he is capable, there won’t be as much pressure on the inexperienced receiving corps. But if not, things could go south in a hurry for the G-Men.

Michael Vick To Have Stiff Home Confinement Restrictions Upon Release

Tony Arnoldine — Mon, 18 May 2009 22:40:00 -0400

Michael Vick is set to be released from prison this week. He will then be on home confinement for the next two months while finishing his 23-month sentence for his role in a dogfighting operation.

Vick will be allowed to leave the home to work his $10 per hour construction job for W.M. Jordan Co.

He will also be given about five hours per week of time for other court-approved activities, which usually include religious services, doctor's appointments, and probation meetings.

Another condition of Vick's release? He will never again be able to own a dog.

Vick will wear an electronic monitoring device and will be in the house with only his fiancee and their children for the rest of the time.

Sure, it's strict, but it's better than prison. The showers will probably be a lot less scary.

Brett Favre Continues To Tarnish His Already-Diminished Legacy

Tony Arnoldine — Mon, 18 May 2009 22:33:00 -0400

The latest news regarding Brett Favreas—you've almost certainly heard—is that the "gunslinger" will most likely undergo surgery this week to repair his partially torn biceps, which would allow him to return to the NFL after six to eight weeks of recovery. Favre is scheduled to meet with Dr. James Andrews tomorrow. Sure, there's a chance that he just wants to fix his arm, so that he can push the lawnmower a little easier. But it's Brett Favre, after all.

This seems like another step in the direction of Favre being a Minnesota Viking this season. It also is one more move that makes the soon-to-be-40-year-old look like a selfish diva. He wants retribution on the Packers for moving on after he had told them he was retired.

He meant it that time, or so he said. He had his tearful retirement press conference and then came back, forced his way out of Green Bay and to the Jets. Then he almost single-handedly knocked "Gang Green" out of playoff contention.

Favre then did his usual interviews, saying he really was done this time, that he just wanted to ride his tractor and wear his Wranglers. But then Favre got the itch, as he always does this time of year, and wants one more go.

Really, is this necessary? This reminds me of the old boxer who always says he has it in him to fight one more fight, and then goes out and gets completely embarrassed. Likely, that will be what happens to Favre.

Bodybuilders Flee Event in Netherlands When Drug Testers Show Up

Tony Arnoldine — Mon, 18 May 2009 21:08:00 -0400

Bodybuilders have used many tricks to pass and avoid drug tests throughout the years. Their latest effort; just running away.

When drug testers showed up at the Belgian championships, the contestants fled the stage.

"They must have felt safe out there," doping official Hans Cooman told the Associated Press on Monday.

But Cooman and two colleagues got the necessary papers to check the tournament in the Netherlands. And when they identified themselves just before the event—with the 20 bodybuilders weighing in and preparing themselves—the testers drew quite a response.

The bodybuilders got up and left, preferring to quit rather than submit to doping tests. Some grabbed their gear and headed straight out the door.

"They must have been flabbergasted," Cooman said.

If scurrying away like ants isn't an admission of guilt, then I don't know what is.

Tony Kornheiser Will be Replaced by Jon Gruden in MNF Booth

Tony Arnoldine — Mon, 18 May 2009 20:51:00 -0400

I am one of the few people that didn't mind Tony Kornheiser as a broadcaster in the Monday Night Football booth. In fact, I like him a lot more than Ron Jaworski, but to each his own.

Kornheiser has decided to step down from his announcing gig because he suffers from the same phobia as John Madden, although not nearly as bad. TK doesn't like to fly either.

Gruden will go directly from the sidelines to the press box and it does seem a bit strange that ESPN is going to again throw someone with no experience into their biggest broadcast.

Gruden shouldn't do a bad job, though, and has been known to give some memorable soundbites as a coach.

The execs at ESPN are hoping he does the same in the booth.

Gruden and Jaws will undoubtedly turn the broadcast into a football lesson each week, a complete change from the presentation of Tony Kornheiser.

Giants Look To Dominate with Defense in 2009: A Big Blue Season Preview

Tony Arnoldine — Wed, 13 May 2009 22:49:57 -0400

The prevalent thought in the NFL is that you can’t win a championship without a star receiver. The Giants are hoping to do it anyway in 2009, just like the Ravens did in 2000—with defense.

Ironically enough, the Giants lost to those Ravens in Super Bowl XXXV.

The loss of Plaxico Burress is certainly a blow to the Giants, but they will try to make up for the production he gave them with an ensemble cast. New additions Hakeem Nicks and Ramses Barden will join Steve Smith, Mario Manningham, Domenik Hixon, and Sinorice Moss in an open competition at the wide receiver position.

Barden is a 6’6" rookie out of Cal Poly who will undoubtedly replace Burress as the Giants’ goal line threat, a place where Plaxico was the unquestioned target. Barden has shown in his collegiate career that the fade route is one of his favorites and the one-handed catch is in his repertoire.

The Giants' running game should be strong this year, despite the loss of Derrick Ward in free agency to the Tampa Bay Bucs. New York re-signed Brandon Jacobs in the offseason and still have Ahmad Bradshaw, who will be asked to carry more of the load this year. The G-Men also drafted Andre Brown, a pass-catching running back out of North Carolina State, and will expect him to come out of the backfield and be a target for Eli Manning.

There will be no shortage of offensive weapons for the Giants. Returning tight end Kevin Boss was a threat at tight end in 2008, catching 33 passes for six touchdowns. He is joined by Travis Beckum, a rookie from Wisconsin, who will play half back in a changing offensive scheme for Big Blue.

New York’s offensive line is regarded as one of the best in the league and will prove it in 2009. The usual cast of characters is back, including Shaun O’Hara, Chris Snee, Rich Seubert, Kareem McKenzie, and David Diehl. They will be joined by rookie Will Beatty of UConn, who has impressed the Giants in their offseason rookie camp.

Without a doubt the Giants' main strength is on defense. Aside from the free agent acquisitions of Chris Canty and Rocky Bernard on the defensive line and Michael Boley at linebacker, the Giants will also welcome back defensive end Osi Umenyiora, who missed the 2008 season due to injury.

Add Umenyiora, Canty, and Bernard with fellow linemen Justin Tuck, Mathias Kiwanuka, Barry Cofield, and Fred Robbins, and you’ve got a fast, athletic, and forceful defensive line.

The linebacker position was one of the weaknesses for Big Blue last season, but now Boley will give them depth and flexibility. He can rush the passer with speed but has shown an ability to cover as well. He joins Antonio Pierce, Danny Clark, Gerris Wilkinson, Bryan Kehl, and rookie Clint Sintim.

Sam Madison and Sammie Knight were released in the offseason, but frankly it was hard to tell they were even on the 2008 roster thanks to injuries and inconsistent play. Corey Webster and Aaron Ross are quickly emerging as a dynamic duo at cornerback and will only get better. Kenny Phillips and Michael Johnson will start again at safety and should stay true to their 2008 form.

The Giants are in one of the toughest divisions in football but should be at the top once again. The Redskins added Albert Haynesworth but all the drama surrounding Jason Campbell could bring them down. The Cowboys should be good with Terrell Owens finally gone, but may repeat their typical “fall-flat” routine at the end of the year.

The Eagles improved, acquiring half of the Patriots' defensive backfield and drafting Jeremy Maclin, but can we expect a healthy Brian Westbrook all season and Donovan McNabb to play at the level he did last year?

EA and NCAA Being Sued for Using Player Likenesses in Video Games

Tony Arnoldine — Sun, 10 May 2009 15:13:00 -0400

College sports games don't feature the names of players but other than that, the players are exact replicas of their real-life counterparts. That's what former Arizona State and Nebraska quarterback Sam Keller is contending in a class-action lawsuit against EA Sports and the NCAA.

From CNBC's Darren Rovell:

Keller says that the NCAA and its licensing arm, Collegiate Licensing Company, have approved the use of players names and likenesses.

"With rare exception, virtually every real-life Division I football or basketball player in the NCAA has a corresponding player in Electronic Arts' games with the same jersey number, and virtually identical height, weight, build, and home state. In addition, Electronic Arts matches the player's skin tone, hair color, and often even a player's hair style, although this last characteristic can be highly variable over even a single season."

Keller then introduces GameRosters.com, which I have known about for years. The company has files of each school's roster, which can be uploaded into the game.

"Once uploaded," the suit says, "the default jerseys in the game that contain only players' numbers are replaced with jerseys that contain both the player's actual name and actual number and in-game announcers then refer to players by their real names."

Keller is exactly right here and I'm surprised it has taken this long for someone to come forward to try and stop it. Obviously the big stars of the NCAA that make it in the NFL won't say anything because they are rich, but Keller needs money and attention, since he didn't really do much in college.

Besides, if there is no intent by EA to capture the players' likenesses, as they say, then why do the announcers say the names of each player once you've uploaded them?

I'm sure EA could make the case that it's so that people at home can create themselves, but are there that many people buying the game with last names like Reynaud and Heyward-Bey?

Video: Nick Swisher Pitching for the Yankees in Blowout Loss to Rays

Tony Arnoldine — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 01:53:00 -0400

A lot of videos and Yankees stuff so far this morning, but it's newsworthy so here we go again. Nick Swisher was brought in for the eighth inning of last night's blowout loss to the Rays and even recorded a strikeout.

I'm sure some radio talking heads will be all fired up about Swisher laughing and smiling when the team was down by ten runs. As I mentioned in my earlier Nick Swisher-Brett Favre post, though, what are you supposed to do? It's a game and there are 162 of them in a season. You're bound to lay some eggs and when a position player is called on to pitch, I don't think anyone is really taking it that seriously.

Sorry the video isn't in English, but it's the best I could do at this early morning hour.

Mark "The Bird" Fidrych Found Dead at Age 54

Tony Arnoldine — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 18:21:00 -0400

What a terrible day in the sporting world. Following the news of Harry Kalas' death comes word that Mark "The Bird" Fidrych was found dead in an apparent accident at his farm in Northborough, Massachusetts.

A family friend found Fidrych at about 2:30 pm underneath his truck that he had apparently been working on, he was 54 years old.

Fidrych was the 1976 AL Rookie of the Year for the Detroit Tigers, going 19-9 with a 2.34 ERA and pitching 24 complete games. He got hurt during the following year's spring training, and the injuries would continue to mount, forcing him to retire after only playing in parts of five seasons.

"The Bird" was an eccentric pitcher who became well-known for his antics on the mound. He would talk to the ball, smooth the mound dirt while on his hands and knees before each inning, and was full of energy.

Although he only had one truly successful season, if you ever saw him play, Fidrych was one of those people you couldn't forget.

Florida International Close to Destroying Program by Hiring Isiah Thomas

Tony Arnoldine — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 17:26:00 -0400

Isiah Thomas—the former head coach and GM of the New York Knicks, the man who ruined the Continental Basketball Association, who was charged with sexually harassing a colleague, who overdosed on sleeping pills to the point where he needed an ambulance then tried to blame it on his daughter, who almost single-handily wiped away whatever pride was left of the Knicks organization—is close to getting another head coaching job.

Florida International University and Thomas are close to a deal that would make him the basketball team's head man. According to sources, the pact could be announced as early as Wednesday.

This job would, of course, be a bit of a step down for Thomas, who also coached the Indiana Pacers in the NBA. But one thing is widely agreed upon about Thomas—and that is his knack for discovering young talent. During his tenure as an NBA GM, he drafted Marcus Camby, Tracy McGrady, Nate Robinson, and David Lee.

Thomas would be the highest-profile coach in the Sun Belt Conference and that will probably help bring in recruits. The guy does know basketball, as much as Knicks fans hate to admit, and he isn't a horrible coach when given some decent talent.

One thing that makes it even better for FIU: You're not allowed to trade players in college hoops.

Mets set to open Citi Field tonight against Padres

Tony Arnoldine — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 17:09:00 -0400

The New York Mets will open their new stadium, Citi Field, tonight at 7:10 p.m. EST when they host the San Diego Padres. The festivities will begin with Tom Seaver throwing out the ceremonial first pitch to Mike Piazza, and the Broadway cast of "West Side Story" will sing the national anthem.

The Mets have chosen the cast of "West Side Story" because the play opened in 1957, which was the final year the Dodgers and Giants played in New York.

This coincides with the rest of Citi Field, which is a tribute more to the two teams that moved to California than to the Mets themselves.

The game will also be shown live in Rockefeller Center at SNY's studios and on the video board above the "Good Morning America" studio in Times Square. The Empire State Building will also join the fun, as it will be illuminated in Mets blue and orange.

Phillies Broadcaster Harry Kalas Dies at Age 73

Tony Arnoldine — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 15:01:00 -0400

Sad news in the world of sports media as Harry Kalas passed away today at the age of 73. Kalas passed out in the broadcast booth of Washington's Nationals Park earlier today while preparing for this afternoon's Phillies-Nats game. He was found at about 12:30pm and was rushed to the hospital only to be pronounced dead at 1:20pm. The cause of death has yet to be determined.

Kalas had been broadcasting Phillies games since 1971 and was also well-known for his work as a voice-over narrator for NFL Films. Before joining the Phillies, he broadcasted Houston Astros games from 1965-1970.

Below is the last out of the 2008 World Series, as called by Harry Kalas.

Byron Leftwich Returns to Florida, Signs Two-Year Deal with Bucs

Tony Arnoldine — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 14:42:00 -0400

Desperate for a living, breathing, human quarterback, the Bucs have agreed to a two-year deal with Byron Leftwich, formerly of the Jaguars, Falcons, and Steelers. Leftwich will "compete" for the starting gig with Luke McCown, Brian Griese, and Josh Johnson, but certainly seems like an odds-on favorite to win the job.

I say that not because Leftwich is particularly talented, but because the other options are so bad. While Leftwich played well in five games for the Steelers in place of Ben Roethlisberger last season, he only threw for 303 yards, so it isn't exactly like he was rocketing the ball all around the field.

He handed the ball off a lot with the Steelers, which is also something he'll do a lot of in Tampa Bay with their depth at running back.

Still, he will have a decent offense around him and it might be enough to make him look like a decent quarterback. Hey, he's better than the other choices Tampa has at this stage in the offseason

An Easter Basket Full of Links From the Sports Blogosphere

Tony Arnoldine — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 00:14:00 -0400

—Police had to use a stun gun on Bills defensive back Donte Whitner while trying to control a crowd outside a Cleveland nightclub. Whitner was arrested and jailed for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. He was later released and hasn't been charged.

—Harvey Bars of Tirico Suave has a compelling argument against Auto-Play videos on websites, such as the ones we're now bombarded with at ESPN.com.

—Darren Rovell of CNBC's Sports Biz explains Ultimate Frisbee—one of the dumbest games in the history of the world, in my opinion—is on the rise. He says there were 4.9 million "competitive" Frisbee players in 2008.

—CC Sabathia bounced back from Monday's poor performance, pitching a gem in seven and two-thirds innings in Kansas City, allowing zero runs and striking out six. Not bad for a "$161 million bust."

—Duane Winn tells us 10 things that will happen in the 2009 NFL season. My favorite part? "Just because his initials are JC doesn't mean that Jay Cutler is the Bears' savior."

—A review of HBO's documentary "Thrilla in Manila" from Fang's Bites.

Pro Wrestler Andrew "Test" Martin Died of Painkiller Overdose

Tony Arnoldine — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 20:30:00 -0400

Hillsbrough County Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Vernard Adams has ruled the death of former WWE and TNA wrestler Andrew Martin an accidental overdose on Oxycodone, the active ingredient in the painkiller OxyContin.

"Test," as he was known in the ring, had a history of alcohol and substance abuse, but had recently completed a rehab program funded by the WWE, even though he wasn't working for the company at the time.

Oxycodone was also linked to the death of actor Heath Ledger, as well as other professional wrestlers.

Unfortunately, stories like these are becoming far too common in the world of "sports entertainment."

Angels Rookie Pitcher Nick Adenhart Killed in Car Crash

Tony Arnoldine — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 12:18:00 -0400

Truly sad news out of Major League Baseball this morning.

ESPN.com is reporting that rookie pitcher Nick Adenhart, who had just made his fourth big league start last night, was killed in a car crash early Thursday morning.

The driver of a red minivan blew through a red light and struck the Mitsubishi that Adenhart was traveling in. Two other passengers were killed and another was seriously injured.

The 22-year-old starting pitcher went six innings for the Angels Wednesday night, allowing no runs and seven hits, while striking out five.

The crash happened just hours after the game. The driver of the minivan responsible for the deaths tried to run from the scene but was arrested about a mile away.

Jason Taylor can't stomach the idea of playing for the Jets

Tony Arnoldine — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 19:13:00 -0400

Jason Taylor spent the first 11 seasons of his career as a Miami Dolphin, hating the New York Jets and the New England Patriots. He has warmed to the idea of playing for the Pats, mostly because of the nice things team owner Robert Kraft said about him.

The thought of playing for the Jets? Taylor is still pretty cool to that notion.

"It'd be very, very, very difficult. Very difficult," Taylor said while taking a break from a free, two-day football camp for local boys and girls. "But at the end of the day, if you can't find a job anywhere else and the Jets call, I guess you've got to retire or go play."

"But the Jets are the Jets," Taylor said with a beaming smile. "I've had a lot of history saying bad things about Jets fans. The fireman hat guy [Fireman Ed] and all of the people in New York that are Jets fans are not the ones that are working on Wall Street. I've said all of those things. So I've got to leave it at that."

(Quote via ESPN.com)

MLB Offseason Busts: Relax, It's Only Been a Few Games

Tony Arnoldine — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 17:02:00 -0400

According to many of the media pundits and some of my fellow bloggers, CC Sabathia is a huge bust, Tim Lincecum is suffering the "sophomore jinx," and Johan Santana is going to win every game he pitches this season.

Slow down, everyone.

If you're not supposed to get too worked up about Spring Training games, then why should you put a lot of stock into games that are played just a few days after?

The Yankees aren't going to go 0-162, Lincecum isn't going to be terrible, and the Mets aren't going to win every single game. Let's be realistic.

WrestleMania XXV Recap and Thoughts

Tony Arnoldine — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 23:38:00 -0400

Unfortunately the bout to unify the Tag Team Titles was a dark match because I think the two teams could have put on a nice show. In a bit of a surprise, Carlito and Primo defeated Miz and Morrison.

We probably haven't seen the last of this feud, unless WWE decides to push Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase and gives them a run at the new champs.

The Money in the Bank match had some nice spots but WWE went the predictable rout with CM Punk winning again. The crowd clearly wanted Christian to take home the briefcase but Vince McMahon's obvious disdain for "Captain Charisma" wouldn't allow that.

Shelton Benjamin's dive off the ladder onto the group of wrestlers on the outside may have been the highlight of this match, with Kofi Kingston pulling some nice moves as well.

Then came the Kid Rock concert, which seemed like it put the fans to sleep. The rapper-turned-rocker-turned-country crooner performed songs from a decade ago, followed by some of his newer material. At the end of his routine the divas came to the ring for the 25-Diva "Ms. WrestleMania" battle royal.

The announcing was pretty putrid for this one and they didn't showcase, or really even mention, any of the returning ladies like Tammy Sytch, Torrie Wilson, or Molly Holly.

Victoria had a nice run in the battle royal, but it was won by Santino Marella, dressed as a woman and claiming to be a twin sister of Marella's named "Santina." It was logical to make this the comedic bout of the night.

Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat was more than impressive in the ring as he carried the legends in the elimination handicapped tag match. Roddy Piper looked absolutely pathetic, at one point getting caught in the ropes—which wasn't planned—and looking like a beached whale.

Jimmy Snuka wasn't any better and, wisely, those two men got knocked out early. Jericho and Steamboat put on a pretty decent show with Jericho finally getting the pin, then calling out Mickey Rourke.

The star of "The Wrestler" came into the ring and, after dragging out the showdown way too long, connected with a punch to Jericho's face, knocking him down and out of the ring. Then "friends" Ric Flair and Rourke embraced and showboated around the ring.

The brother v. brother grudge match was up next and had all the hardcore spots one would expect. It ended with Matt Hardy connecting with a "Twist of Fate" on Jeff with his head wedged in an open chair. A nice finishing move to end a good match. This feud is likely far from over.

In a bit of a twist it was Rey Mysterio defeating JBL in 21 seconds, after JBL had been boasting he would win in dominating fashion. JBL then grabbed the mic and screamed, "I Quit!" It was rumored that he would retire, but I thought it would end a little differently.
Next up was, without a doubt, the match of the night. Shawn Michaels was lowered from above the entranceway, wearing all white, while The Undertaker rose up from below. Oh, the symbolism.

The crowd was rocking for this one and the two veterans put on an absolute show in a match that could easily be the match of the year. There was one scary spot where Undertaker dove over the top rope to the outside and almost broke his neck.

The crowd even started a "This is Awesome" chant. It ended with a great spot. Michaels tried a moonsault with Undertaker catching him and delivering a Tombstone piledriver after many near-three-counts.

John Cena, Edge, and Big Show had to be thinking, "Great, we get to follow that."

They delivered a decent match, nonetheless, with Cena scoring the pinfall on Big Show after hoisting Show and Edge on his shoulders at the same time, giving Show the "Attitude Adjustment" and then giving one to Edge on top of Big Show. It was the likely finish but I was hoping for a bit of a swerve here.

I have to be honest. The final match between Randy Orton and Triple H was pathetic. The crowd was out of it and it was the typical slow, boring, snoozefest that we've come to expect from Trips.

In an illogical finish, Triple H used the sledgehammer with the ref knocked out, then delivered a series of punches, followed by a "Pedigree" to get the win. Isn't that how the heel usually wins? I thought WWE creative really botched this one.

After three months of building up Orton as a mighty heel who couldn't be stopped, Triple H pretty much had his way with "The Legend Killer." Vince, Stephanie, and Shane McMahon didn't come to ringside, nor did Rhodes or DiBiase.

This was just a poor, poor job of booking. I know WWE likes to have the show end with a babyface getting the win, with the pyro going nuts, and all that. But that was just weak. The crowd cheered at the end, mostly happy that it was over.

In all, it was a good WrestleMania and most of that credit goes to 'Taker and HBK for delivering a match that exceeded high expectations.

From a booking standpoint, though, this was a pretty "cookie cutter" show with all the obvious finishes happening and faces walking out with all the titles.

That will conclude the wrestling portion of this blog. We now return you to your regularly scheduled sports blogging.

WrestleMania XXV Preview and Predictions

Tony Arnoldine — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 15:41:00 -0400

I know, I know, wrestling isn't a real sport. We've been through this before.

But I am a wrestling "smark," I watch it just like I would watch "Scrubs," "Entourage" or "Flight of the Conchords."

In that regard, wondering if J.D. and Elliot could get back together on "Scrubs" is the same thing as wondering if Randy Orton will win the World Title from Triple H tonight.

Having gotten that out of the way, here's a look at tonight's WrestleMania card, emanating from Reliant Stadium in Houston. The event should be a good thing economically for the city that was hit hard by Hurricane Ike last fall.

WWE Championship Match
Randy Orton v. Triple H (c)

World Heavyweight Championship Triple Threat Match
Big Show v. John Cena v. Edge (c)

Intercontinental Championship Match
Rey Mysterio v. JBL (c)

Extreme Rules Match
Matt Hardy v. Jeff Hardy

Tag Team Championship Unification Lumberjack Match
Carlito & Primo Colon (c) v. Miz and Morrison (c)

Money in the Bank Ladder Match
Kane v. Mark Henry v. Christian v. CM Punk v. Finlay v. Shelton Benjamin v. MVP v. Kofi Kingston

Gauntlet Match
Chris Jericho v. "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka & Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat w/ Ric Flair & Mickey Rourke in their corner

Mr. WrestleMania v. "The Streak"
Shawn Michaels v. The Undertaker

25-Diva Battle Royal to crown "Ms. WrestleMania"

I can't see any other resolution than Randy Orton walking out of Houston as the WWE Champ.

Triple H is close to 40 years old and has nothing to gain by winning, while putting the strap on Orton would solidify him as the top man in the company and push him towards the status of The Rock and Steve Austin.

Some kind of swerve has to happen here. This angle has been too straightforward and I wouldn't be surprised to see Vince McMahon cost Triple H the title and join Orton's "Legacy" stable.

McMahon had to remain a face for last night's Hall of Fame induction (where he was all spray-tanned up) but now all bets are off...The likely scenario has John Cena winning the Triple Threat and the title, but I could see a bit of a swerve here with Edge keeping the belt and maybe even turning face during this match.

That could set up a nice Big Show-Edge program and allow Cena to go after Orton's WWE Championship. The "thrill of the chase" angle is a popular one and allows wins the fans over.

Or could we see the shocker of all shockers, and have Cena end up turning heel tonight? The fans boo him more than any other face anyway, but I doubt the WWE creative team would risk putting their top guy on the other side of the fence.

The JBL-Mysterio match only had about a two-week buildup, hardly enough time to gain momentum. But with Mysterio beating JBL on Raw this past Monday, I see JBL winning, then announcing his retirement, then heading to the announce table to broadcast for the rest of the night in place of the recently departed Tazz.

That seems to be the conventional logic around the internet. It would fulfill his promise to do something "historic" at WrestleMania in his home state of Texas, which he has been boasting about for months know.

No one has ever wrestled and done commentary at the same 'Mania...The Matt and Jeff Hardy feud has been a little more boring than I expected, mostly because of both men's lack of microphone skills.

Either way, they are capable of putting on an entertaining match and the addition of the Extreme Rules element will probably add a few table spots and some good bumps to the action. I call a Jeff Hardy win here, perhaps putting him back in the World Title picture.

Miz and Morrison have to win the Tag Titles. They are great on the mic and hated by the fans. Miz hasn't changed much since "Real World," when people hated him just as much. This one should be a pretty good athletic exhibition.

The hopeful wrestling fan in me has Shelton Benjamin, Kofi Kingston, or Christian winning the Money in the Bank match, but conventional logic suggests it could be Kane or CM Punk.

Punk won it last year and went on to grab the World Title, but creative quickly took the strap off him because it wasn't working as they planned. I could see them giving him another shot.

I doubt Christian will take it, since all we've heard is how much Vince McMahon doesn't have faith in him as a main event guy.

The Jericho v. Legends match will probably be boring and slow, with Jericho doing much of the work to carry the contest. I could see either Rourke jumping in and punching Jericho, or Steve Austin coming down the aisle and hitting Jericho with a "Stone Cold Stunner," since he was in McMahon's original plans to wrestle Y2J.

HBK-Undertaker could be the match of the night and both men and the creative team have done a great job in building this one up.

I see 'Taker walking out of 'Mania with the streak intact at 17-0.

The 25-Diva Battle Royal will be the annual "break in the action match" but I'd like to see Trish Stratus win it (if she's even in it).

Nuggets, Bobcats and Bulls wear green uniforms to promote NBA's Green Week 2009

Tony Arnoldine — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 23:54:00 -0400

If you have been wondering why the Bulls, Bobcats and Nuggets have been wearing green uniforms during the past few days like I have, here is your answer. No, it's not that they were really late getting the memo about St. Patrick's Day. It's all part of the NBA's Green Week 2009, which includes a number of activities, with the most noticeable (by the viewer) being the green uniforms.

Members of Chicago, Charlotte and Denver will also wear socks made of 45 percent organic cotton during select home games from April 2nd - April 10th. Adidas is also outfitting players with 100 percent organic cotton shooting shirts, featuring the NBA Green logo. Other events include fundraisers, team community events and raffles.

For more information, check out the NBA's Green Week site