Hank Aaron, NFL Combine and Thursday's B/R Swagger Buzz

Hank Aaron and the NFL combine are just a couple of the big names and events filling the Swagger headlines today. 

Aaron is making an appearance on The Late Show, the NFL Combine is getting underway (grab your cones and stopwatches!) and there are plenty of other headlines in the realm of sports and pop culture. 

We'll be breaking down all of the day's big news surrounding the point where sports and pop culture join together like peanut butter and bananas, with the kind of analysis you can't get anywhere else. 

So let's synchronize our stopwatches and get rolling, shall we?

Hank Aaron: Letterman Interview Proves Once Again Why Hank's Baseball's Best

Baseball legend (and one of the greatest players of all time) Hank Aaron made an appearance onThe Late Show with David Letterman last night, and one of the game's greatest ambassadors was clearly at the top of his game once again. 

Aaron came on the trade stories, anecdotes and one-liners with one of late-night televisions's legends, and as always, was the epitome of grace  and class with Letterman. 

While most of the interview was shooting the breeze and swapping stories, there was a moment where Hank took people by surprise. 

Letterman asked him about his thoughts on the game today, and Aaron told the host he felt like the game took too long now, echoing the sentiments of millions of Americans in this country. 

"I don't know how we fix it," Aaron said, "But we have to figure something out."

Hank has long been the greatest ambassador the game of baseball has, and the reasons why were on full display Wednesday night. He was open, funny, gregarious and every bit the charismatic figure who has been charming the pants off of America since his playing days. Aaron battled racism every day in the majors, and while that fight left many former players bitter, you wouldn't know it from talking to him. 

He handles all of that with a class and dignity seldom seen in today's sports world. 

I hope you're taking notes, Mr. Bonds. This is how you're supposed to act after you retire.

Tim Floyd: Former Bulls, USC Head Coach Goes Ballistic Vs. ECU

It's been a rough few years for Tim Floyd. Since being one of the hot commodities in basketball in the late 90's, things have really come off the rails for the former Iowa State head coach. He flopped with the Bulls, during a historically bad run in the early 2000s, was fired by the Hornets in 2005, and brought heavy sanctions to USC during his three-year stint with the school. 

Now back at UTEP, where he began his career, Floyd made headlines again last night with an ejection right out of the pages of sports' biggest hotheads. 

The coach was unhappy with a call early in the second half of the Miners' clash with East Carolina, and let the ref know about it. He peels his coat off in anger, and whips it around before firing it onto a chair. 

The ref quickly gives him a technical foul, which sets Floyd off. For the next minute solid, he's in the ref's ear, letting him know about his displeasure with the call. So, the ref (shockingly) fires a second technical at the head coach, who immediately gets in his face, despite the efforts of his assistant coaches and even his players, to stop him. 

Floyd appears ready to slug the official, when a police officer steps in and tells the coach to get off the court. Faced with the threat of tazing, Floyd finally consents. 

But the ref wasn't done yet, assessing a pair of technicals to head assistant coach Phil Johnson as he's preparing to take over coaching duties. 

When asked about the fouls, Floyd pulls a classic Bobby Knight, feigning innocence. 

"I think it was a coaching box violation," said Floyd, who had not received a technical foul this season. "I had my big toe out of the box, received a warning, turned my back and walked to the bench and got a technical. I'd never seen him (the official who issued all the technicals) before and I don't know who he is. I've always earned my technicals and I didn't feel like I earned it."

However, there was still plenty of basketball to be played, and UTEP struggled without their top two coaches, falling 83-76.

NBA Trade Rumors: Is LaLa Vasquez The Force Behind Carmelo Trade?

As the NBA trade deadline creeps slowly closer, rumors continue to swirl around one of the NBA's biggest blockbuster trades of all time. 

When Carmelo Anthony was sent to the New York Knicks for four players and three draft picks, it was the conclusion many foresaw months ago. After all, Anthony had been itching to leave the Denver Nuggets for quite some time now, and had frequently named the Knicks as the only team he wanted to be traded to. 

But why the Knicks? Anthony himself has claimed it's because he wanted to "Play for a champion", but the fact is, the Nuggets had gotten closer to the NBA Finals in the last decade than the Knicks had, so that doesn't make much sense at all. 

One theory being bandied about involves WAG LaLa Vasquez. The former MTV vixen turned NBA WAG has mentioned being unhappy in Denver on her VH1 reality show, and has been known to exert some control over Carmelo over the years. 

Could Vasquez have forced her husband to demand a trade to New York, in the hopes of jumpstarting her career? 

Carmelo has long expressed admiration for the Knicks, so it's unlikely that Vasquez was the only thing pushing him towards New York City. But it's hard to argue that she had no role in the decision to head to the Knicks.

NFL Combine: How The NFL Could Spice Up The Combine

Scott Boehm/Getty Images

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 2: Coaches evaluate players during the NFL Scouting Combine presented by Under Armour at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 2, 2010 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Scott Boehm/Getty Images)

The 2011 NFL Combine is set to get underway Thursday, as coaches and general managers from around football are giving interviews today. 

The Combine has seen a major boost in notoriety in recent years, and is even covered wire-to-wire by the NFL Network. 

But for the average fan, there's not much to see in Indianapolis, as watching hours and hours of players running the 40-yard dash, lifting weights and jumping to hit plastic rods is not exactly compelling television. 

Is there any hope? Can the NFL make the Combine a more exciting experience for the fan? Or are they doomed to low ratings and nap-inducement status for the rest of eternity?

Fear not, Commissioner Goodell; the Swagger has come up with a few potential ideas to make the Combine a more interesting experience. 

Give Us An Obstacle Course: Every person in America loves to watch someone run through a ridiculous obstacle course. Shoot, anyone who grew up in the 1980's or 90's practically lived off of shows with obstacle courses. From "American Gladiators" to "Double Dare" to "Guts" and "Legends of the Hidden Temple", we all have fond memories of giant walls, treadmills and temple guards. So why not make players run a gauntlet of ridiculous obstacles? Just strap a helmet on their heads, strap a camera to the helmet, and you're good to go!

Turn the Wonderlic Test Into a Game Show: Call it "Who Wants to Play in the NFL?" or something like that. Bring players on in front of a live studio audience (just use the interview rooms at Lucas Oil Stadium), and have them answer the Wonderlic test's questions. You can show their projected score, you can have a live tracker to show how their draft stock rises and falls, and give fans a better look at some of the future stars of the league.

Cheerleaders: Everything's more interesting when you've got scantily clad dancers running around, cheering on the next generation of NFL superstars. Some of the players might even find a bit of motivation in the whole thing. 

David Beckham: Footballer Beckham's Wife Victoria Dodges Katie Price On a Plane

Feuds between WAGs, or even former and current WAGs, are not uncommon in the sports world. After all, when you've got an ample supply of lovely ladies out there searching for love, feelings are sure to get hurt. 

But, what allegedly happened on Wednesday between longtime football WAG Victoria Beckham, and former football WAG Katie Price is just plain ridiculous. 

According to a report in The Daily Mail, Posh Beckham was boarding a flight to Los Angeles from London, when she learned that Price was flying first class on the same flight. 

The pair have been taking part in a bit of a spat in recent years, primarily instigated and started by Price,who told reporters that looking sexier than Victoria isn't all that hard to do, among other insults. 

Remembering the length of said flight, Mrs. Beckham and her footballing husband immediately left the plane, and took a different flight home. 

While the Beckham's media relations team denies that Price was the cause of their changing flights, one has to wonder whether it truly was. 

In the end, it all seems rather petty, but then again, 11 hours is a long time to spend on a plane with someone you detest. 

Victoria Beckham: Where Does She Rank Among Rudest WAGS Ever?

English footballer David Beckham and his superstar WAG wife, Victoria, were going to be flying back to Los Angeles on Wednesday after a stint with Prince William and his fiancee, Kate Middleton. 

But, before the pair boarded the plane, they learned that Posh's former nemesis, model/ former WAG Katie Price, would be taking the same 11-hour flight. 

They immediately changed their flight home, taking a plane that they knew would be controversy free. 

Victoria's tenure as Queen of the WAGs has been marked by rumors that she can be rather rude. But where do her occasional meltdowns put her on the WAG rudeness spectrum? After all, current and former WAGs like Price, Cheryl Cole and Danielle Lloyd can be pretty diva-esque as well, giving Posh stiff competition. 

In fact, given the lack of outbursts in recent years, Victoria has seen her rudeness rating slip slowly down the spectrum of WAGs. Plus, the addition of hotheads like Lloyd to the list mean that Mrs. Beckham is being passed by younger, angrier, nastier wives and girlfriends than those she was up against before. 

In the end, Victoria falls somewhere in the middle of the WAG rudeness spectrum, given her checkered past and calmer present. She's not on the same level as Price (who loves taking potshots at anything that moves), or Lloyd (whose outbursts have earned her the wack-job designation in my book). 

Mo Williams: Cavs Guard Williams Tweets Reaction To Trade Directly To Owner

Typically in sports, owners and players have a truly fascinating relationship. Typically, they don't interact much, and while players don't hate them (unless they're Donald Sterling), they're not exactly fond of the man who signs their paycheck. 

So, when the Cleveland Cavaliers dealt point guard Mo Williams and forward Jamario Moon to the Clippers for Baron Davis and a draft pick, people weren't expecting much reaction from the player to the owner who made the trade. 

But, as seems to be the case almost all the time with Cavs owner Dan Gilbert, things weren't that simple. 

After all, Williams was the closest thing to a star Cleveland had this season, and no one was fully sure how Williams would react getting traded to a perennial doormat. 

But, fortunately for us, the point guard answered via Twitter. 

Williams went directly to the source, Gilbert's Twitter page, and posted his feelings towards the Cavaliers owner. 

What did he say?

"I love u man." 

Of all the reactions of players traded over the years, this might be the most surprising. Who says "I love you" to the guy who just dealt him away?  

Apparently, Mo Williams. Way to keep it classy, Mo.

Baron Davis

Chris Trotman/Getty Images

NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 09: Baron Davis #5 of the Los Angeles Clippers on the court against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on February 9, 2011 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or

The Los Angeles Clippers announced Thursday that they were trading starting point guard Baron Davis to the Cleveland Cavaliers for their starting point guard, Mo Williams and forward Jamario Moon. 

With Davis' imminent departure for the City of Angels, we here at the Swagger pause to take a look back on what has been a rocky relationship between Clippers owner/ Bond Villain Donald Sterling and his franchise point guard. 

Earlier this season, Sterling was reported to have been heckling Davis from the stands during home games. That's right folks: the most hated owner in the NBA right now was giving the point guard he acquired the business during games. 

According to other reports, it's not the first time it's happened. Sterling and Davis have had a tense relationship since day one, but now that Baron is out of Sterling's clutches, will he leave the Staples Center with a parting shot of some sort? 

After all, Davis is not one to stay quiet when he's been wronged, and he's played nice for quite some time now. I think I can safely say we'd all have his back if he laid into his previous employer. 

It might not happen today, or tomorrow, or even next week, but you can bet that at some point before the season ends, Baron will deliver the final punch in the verbal sparring match we've all witnessed in Los Angeles. 

Jordan Green Dunk Video: Texas High School Star Jumps Over Defender On Slam

Every once in a while, a dunk seems to come out of nowhere and take the media by storm. Typically, that slam is a feat of freakish athleticism and skill, and looks pretty sweet in the video, to boot. 

Now, as the latest installment of the super dunk series, we welcome Texas high school star Jordan Green. 

Green is one of the top prospects in the country, much less in the state of Texas, and after seeing this dunk, it's clear why. 

Green and his Flower Mound High School team were taking on their rivals, Flower Mound Marcus, in the final game of the season. 

As the clock ticked down near the end of the game, Green stole the ball from a Marcus player and sped towards the basket. However, his progress was impeded by a Marcus defender, and it looked like nothing would come the play. 

Then, Green started elevating more and more. Soon he was higher than the rim, and his legs spread as he nearly leapt over the defender to deliver a storybook ending to his high school career. 

The move immediately invoked memories of Vince Carter's dunk over French center Frederic Weis, but given Green's age, it might be a more impressive feat. 

The forward will be wowing Texas A&M fans with his high-flying feats of daring do come next season, and he's sure to go down in Aggie lore, provided he delivers a few more slams like this. 

Tommy John Surgery: A Look at The Best Known Medical Procedure In History

Marc Serota/Getty Images

JUPITER, FL - FEBRUARY 16: Pitcher Adam Wainwright #50 of the St. Louis Cardinals throws during spring training at Roger Dean Stadium on February 16, 2011 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Marc Serota/Getty Images)

Another year, another big-name pitcher going under the knife. The victim this time is St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Adam Wainwright, who's set to undergo Tommy John surgery after injuring his elbow on Tuesday. 

It's a blow to the Cardinals, but we here on the Swagger are more concerned about the surgery itself. How did it go from being a simple medical procedure to becoming easily the most famous medical procedure on the planet. 

It first happened in 1974, when Dodgers pitcher Tommy John (hence the name), had a torn ligament in his elbow replaced by one from somewhere else in his body. The procedure was a rousing success, and John went on to a solid second half of his career.

Since 1974, the surgery has revitalized hundreds of big league pitching careers, and has gone from being a controversial, complex surgery to one that is in the mainstream lexicon for the rest of eternity. 

Why? It's got to be the name. Tommy John surgery is the only one known by the name of the player who first had it. 

Think about it; we don't have Curt Schilling surgery (for attaching a cadaver ligament to your ankle), or Willis McGahee surgery (to fix a knee that's turned to pasta), or Vince Carter surgery (to fix your lack of mental fortitude, and put band-aids on boo-boos). 

Only Tommy John got a surgery named for him, and because of the success rate of the procedure, both he and the surgery will go down in history forever. 

Chilean Soccer Player Uses His Opponents Arm As a Weapon Against Himself

Flopping, diving and acting are all a part of soccer more than almost any other sport on Earth. Players routinely feign or exaggerate injuries to make sure that they get fouls called, and earn valuable free kicks. 

But thanks to Bryan Carrasco, a defender on the Chilean U-20 National Team, things have reached an all-time low. 

When Chile took on Ecuador earlier this week in a match, the Ecuadorians led 1-0 in the 77th minute. On a throw-in from Ecuador's offensive third, Carrasco marked the man closest to the ball. 

Hoping to prevent a goal, the youngster grabbed his man's arm and hit himself in the face with it. To seal the deal, he fell on the ground clutching his face, as though he'd been slapped. 

Never mind that no one slaps anyone like that, ever; Carrasco's acting ranked amongst the worst ever witnessed on a football pitch. 

But, get this: the ref bought it! Carrasco earned his team a free kick. 

In the end, there's a valuable lesson to be learned here: when the going gets tough, cheat! 

Wait, that's not right at all.