When It Hits Close to Home

Floating around Facebook today, I noticed that one of my former high school's football players just became a father. As I gave my congratulations, I started thinking about our run-ins in those hallways. To be honest, I didn't like him that much. Yeah, he played an important position on the squad and yeah, he made sure that everyone knew it, but I can only remember him by the rumors I used to hear.

The obvious: he used to get his share of high school gut. Girls used to stare him down in the hallway like they weren't going to see him again. I never caught the vapors for dude because his behavior was enough of a turn-off. But as I started to recollect on a lot of my high school memories, I remembered something: There were a lot of players rumored to be daddies.

I don't know if that was a standard high school rumor but for some reason, I would always hear of some girl at some school who had player X's baby. Maybe we expected that to happen to someone, somewhere.

I mean, let's be real ... high school kids are having sex **gasp**. And let's also be real with this fact: certain dudes use football to their advantage to get some ass. I could name you at least ten dudes from my high school squad that I was crushing over. There's something about that jersey that makes girls throw their morals out the window.

So what would make a football player stop using that jersey to his advantage in college? In the pros? It ain't like these dudes just figured this out. It starts early.

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Dear Mrs. Kobe Bryant

Or should I call you Vanessa? In the past couple of years, it seems like you've become Kobe's accessory ...but that's not the reason why I write this ...

Yesterday, I heard you lashed out on a reporter who talked about your family. And while I applaud you for defending your children (they don't deserve to get caught up in this mess), I am a tad bit concerned that you've been taking your role as Mrs. Kobe Bryant a tad bit far. Apparently, this isn't the only time you've done this. I'm surprised that you haven't grown a thicker skin since, you know, you're not the most liked person in the world and probably never will be.

Look at you ... you're the wife of one of the best, if not the best, NBA player in the game. Haters will hate. But honestly, a good percentage of people out here don't like you. They never liked you and probably never will. People labeled you a gold digger because you met Kobe while you were still in high school, yet you were doing music videos on the side, and it's rumored (and somewhat confirmed) that Kobe's parents didn't/don't like you. I could also get into the fact that some people had an issue with you not being Black, but that's a societal problem and a way bigger issue itself.

Obviously, I know you're pissed about The Dirty report about K.O.B.E. and a former Laker cheerleader having an affair. We know you've been through this before and you're still by your husband, which is commendable. But I have to ask you: When Bryant bought that ginormous ring for you after his little incident, did you ever think that may be his ticket to do it again? It ain't like Kobe can't afford to buy you something bigger. That ring was nothing, trust me. Also, it doesn't help that your marriage appears to be some sort of a publicity stunt. The Bryant family shots appear like clockwork during the season.

Everything I just said has been said about you or towards you. People will always have something greasy to say about you. Honestly, you need to (wo)man up and deal with it. I hope you didn't think this shit would be easy? You've been dealing with this crap since 2004. At one point, you need to say "I'm Kobe's wife and the mother of two beautiful girls ... that's worth more than what any A,B,C, or D website can say about me, husband and my children." You're grown, so you can take a hit. But if someone goes at your kids, get hood. I would.

Your happiness comes first. If you're honestly happy in this situation, say "F*** the world" -- to yourself, of course -- and keep it moving. But the fact that you keep lashing out on people says that, internally, shit ain't cool. I hope you find happiness, with or without Kobe.

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When An Athlete Mimics a 14 Year Old on Myspace ...

(Note: It kinda hurts me to have to do this, but it needs to be done.)

Like every other person, I have a MySpace account. I got on the MySpace train a little bit late, in most part because I saw MySpace turn into a kiddie domain for pedophiles.

So it hurts me to see my favorite NBA player "model" on MySpace.

*cries a slight tear for Joe Johnson*

Mind you -- as I proceed to out myself -- I do have a crush on Joe, so initially I didn't have a problem with these photos. But in the larger scheme of things, they do make him seem conceited, especially when I know he isn't.

*Click thumbnails to enlarge*

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LF: K.O.B.E.

I'll get back to the task at hand tomorrow, but , in the meantime, I recently landed on a goldmine.

During the 2000 All-Star Game Weekend in Oakland, CA, Kobe Bryant performed his [/sarcasm]hit[/sarcasm] single "K.O.B.E", featuring Tyra Banks, at the NBA Team-Up celebration.

It's even more sad to say that Tyra did worse than Kobe. SMH.

This great performance was out-shined by another performance that weekend. Thank God.

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I Guess It's Pedophile Month ... Thanks Karl and R. Kelly

There is nothing funny about pedophilia at all. I'm just mad that the Philadelphia-area has had a string of these type of incidents in the past couple of months.

A former Montgomery County high school swim coach was arrested yesterday for soliciting sex for money from a 15-year-old female student.

Michael Dolan, 29, of Ambler, who worked at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School, has been charged with criminal solicitation to commit involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, and related offenses, said Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman.

"He will not be coaching again at Plymouth Whitemarsh or any other school in the area," said Ferman.

She said Whitemarsh Township police began an investigation after a 9th-grade girl whom Dolan knew from school told her parents she had received a spate of unsolicited, sexually explicit text messages.

The first message was sent on April 24 at 2:30 a.m. and messages continued for several days, said Ferman, adding that the girl did not know who was sending them. The messages included references to providing oral sex for money and arranging to meet in a park for sex, Ferman said.

Former Montco swim coach accused of soliciting sex [Philadelphia Inquirer]

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Damn, I Guess I Spoke Too Soon …

Two weeks ago, I wrote a blog somewhat apologizing to Kobe Bryant for finding him guilty in the court of public opinion for his dropped rape case in 2003. Like a lot of people, I had a personal grudge against Kobe that impacted how I viewed his decisions. I came to realize that Kobe isn’t that bad of a guy.

But according to The Dirty, Kobe still has some work to do.

My real dilemma with this story came with The Dirty itself. As you all should know, The Dirty landed in infamy for their exposure of Matt Leinart and the underage- girls-with-liquor story earlier this year. The blog post led to Arizona sports columnists blasting Leinart for his “lack of maturity” and “loss of determination”.

While I, like others, found some humor in those photos, I also found some humility in them. Leinart is a 25-year-old guy. What 20-something doesn’t like to party with drunk girls? The photos made him look human. But when Braylon Edwards, during the now-infamous Costas Now Buzz vs. Leitch segment, said that athletes now have to watch what they do in fear of being blasted on the internet, one question quickly popped in my mind: Shouldn’t athletes do that regardless?

Obviously, no athlete wants to go to a club thinking “I can’t get wasted; Deadspin might out me tomorrow” but human beings themselves have the right, the will and the need to be careful. Regardless whether TMZ or The Dirty is creeping in the backdoor, an athlete should be making decisions with the one tool God gave us all: common sense.

Common sense tells you not to drink and drive. Common sense tells you to not “make love in the club” or do the “two-finger split at an industry party”, and common sense should really tell you not to risk your sexual health over some two-bit trollop.

Every time an athlete makes a mistake, the first thing they say is, “I’m human and human makes mistakes.” Athletes want to be treated as human beings but they tend to treat themselves as “super-human”. Internally, they feel they can do anything, say anything without consequences (and that’s a whole ‘nother story in itself).

It becomes a problem when someone consciously makes the same mistake over and over or they never own up to their original mistake. It takes a real person to admit they messed up.

Human beings face the consequences for their actions everyday. So if athletes want to be treated like human beings, they need to start treating themselves as human beings. Make conscious decisions and if you don’t and get caught, brush the photos off, admit to yourself that you f*cked up and keep it moving.

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LF: There Really Isn't Any Excuse ...

...not to use protection ...

Even Marlo can smash the chick who's setting him up with a rubber on ... got to love The Wire

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Birth Damage Control ...?

Courtesy of the Chicago Bears, Briggs went out and saved face did some community-service.

CHICAGO – Lance Briggs threw out the ceremonial first pitch and sang “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” during the seventh inning stretch of the Cubs-Pirates game Friday. But the Bears linebacker wasn’t the only one who enjoyed a once-in-a-lifetime experience at Wrigley Field.

Briggs brought 11 children from Boys Hope Girls Hope of Illinois with him to the ballpark, taking them on the field before the game and then later up to a private suite to watch the action.

Founded in 1977, Boys Hope Girls Hope is a privately funded, non-profit, multi-denominational organization that provides at-risk children with a stable home, positive parenting, high quality education and the support they need to reach their full potential. Many of the kids come from home environments marked by drug abuse, poverty or neglect.

Lance Briggs fires the ceremonial first pitch before Friday's Cubs-Pirates game at Wrigley Field.

“A lot of these kids have never been out to see a baseball game like this in person,” Briggs said. “To come out here on the field is real special for not only them but for me too.”

Briggs was touched while watching a short video about the kids from Boys Hope Girls Hope en route to the game. The organization is unique in that it places children in non-institutional, family-like homes staffed with live-in residential counselors, supports children financially and emotionally through college and beyond and is funded exclusively through private donations.

[Source]

Imagine if he could do as much for his children as the Boys and Girls club does for the community.

Briggs gives at-risk kids an experience of a lifetime [Chicago Bears Official Website]

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Torii Williams Earns Himself a Cookie

Seriously, he does ...

Williams, 21, was charged Wednesday with conversion in connection to a shoplifting incident last week at a Lafayette grocery store.


He is scheduled for an initial hearing June 9 in Tippecanoe Superior Court for the misdemeanor. He is accused of stealing condoms May 7.[Source]

You know what, I can't even be mad at this. It's a tad bit funny because this incident gets him suspended indefinitely from the Boilermakers team and not driving while drunk...

Williams pleaded guilty in December to misdemeanor operating a vehicle while intoxicated, with a blood-alcohol content of 0.08 percent or more, from a March 2007 arrest. He was sentenced to 364 days of unsupervised probation.

Next time, I hope he and his homeboys invest in a bulk pack.

Senior safety suspended from Boilers [Indianapolis Star]

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My God People ... Ever Heard of Birth Control? Shit ....

I swear, I'm about to have a Keith Olbermann moment over this shit ...

Chicago Bears linebacker Lance Briggs is close to settling a high-profile paternity claim filed against him, but his baby mama drama may just be starting.

In court Wednesday, Briggs' ex-girlfriend Brittini Tribbett, 21, again pleaded for Briggs to provide adequate emotional and financial support for their baby girl, while another pregnant woman stood by, listening to talk of how she's set to deliver a Briggs baby.

Briggs, 27, wasn't in court. He is living in Arizona with yet another woman who recently gave birth to another daughter of Briggs, those involved in the case alleged. [Source]

What the hell is wrong with people, really? First of all, to possibly have three chicks pregnant is not only disrespectful towards these women but to every woman walking this planet. I don't get it, what possesses someone to do this? Dude's hard-headed. Any man who drops his seed in any girl without thinking needs to be dealt with.

There is so much bullshit coming from both sides, it's ridiculous ... but I have more a beef with the baby mothers ...

Where's the self-respect? Where's the self-worth? Where's the idea of protecting yourself? So what if you don't produce a baby... you could possibly produce the clap. This ain't the 50s people. Pregnancy is not the only casualty of the raw. There are too many sexually transmitted infections out here for anyone to be dropping their seed in people like this.

Briggs is disrespecting each chick by getting the other one pregnant. Fuck a check. A check won't make them feel better for what he's done. Briggs played all of these chicks for fools. They would be bullshitting if they said that they didn't know about each other. Yeah, they want him to take responsibility for his children, but why didn't they responsibility for themselves?

This is why I do this blog. I do it because people need to be aware of the possible consequences of making poor decisions. Is the Magic Johnson situation that far gone that people seem to forget about the risks. Damn, respect yourself. If you don't, you might end up with an infection that antibiotics can't solve.

*jumps off soapbox*

Baby mamas bear down on Briggs [Chicago Sun-Times]

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Athletes and Procreation Featured on Deadspin!

Sorry for the lack in posting. School is actively harassing me like it should.

Anyway, A&P was featured on the Goliath sports blog Deadspin. Thanks to Daulerio for the hook-up :)

Examining The Procreation Habits of the Modern Day Athlete For Fun [Deadspin]

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Shawn Kemp Jr. Highlight Reel

Searching around Youtube, found this gem. Shawn Kemp Jr., one of the results of Shawn Kemp Sr.'s many sperm dumps, last season at Cherokee High School.

I can't even front, dude looks like he's going to be a beast. You see a lot of his father in his moves.

After the jump, bonus video of Kemp and Gary Payton talking about the possible move of the Sonics to Oklahoma City. Kemp looks like he's doing alright for himself (Thank God).

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When A Random Athlete Gets A Celebrity's Sister Pregnant: The Case of Daniel Smith and Solange Knowles

Daniel Smith was a college football player at Texas Southern University/University of Idaho/Los Angeles Pierce College. Solange Knowles is the younger sister of R&B diva Beyonce. What happens when the two get together? A baby, a shotgun wedding, video cameos, baby bumps, divorce and drama. After the jump, the epic story of Daniel Smith and Solange Knowles.

Where can you start? The two met when Solange was 13, at a party. Smith is originally from Houston, Texas, where he was high school teammates with Vince Young. The Knowles clan also hails from Houston.

Solange was pregnant with Smith's child when she was 17, Smith 20. Rumors flew and circulated about the two, and lo and behold there was a shotgun wedding. Their son, Daniel Jr, was born in October 2004. Solange and Daniel Sr. were married in February 2004. Do the math.

In the beginning, things were pretty peachy. Smith even made a cameo appearance in Destiny's Child video for Soldier (the most ignorant song I've ever heard--Ciara), with a very pregnant Solange -- peep the two together at the 3:30 mark-- back in 2004. (Smith is on the left in the screencap below

Destiny's ft T.I. & Lil' Wayne - Soldier
Uploaded by miss-mary

Smith also pursued his NFL dreams as well. He was picked up as a rookie free-agent with the Carolina Panthers in 2006, out of the University of Idaho (Coincidently, Solange is now rumored to be dating current Carolina Panther Julius Peppers). Smith was later cut during training camp.

The couple divorced in 2006, with Solange saying to Essence Magazine:

Well, I am no longer married, but I think it’s very important not to dish details. We are friends and we coparent our son. When he gets older I don’t want him to read anything about me saying anything about his father or vice versa. When there’s a child involved I think the less information given is best. [Source]

What can be said about this situation? Well, what happened to Solange and Daniel isn't new. Many girls on the cusp of adulthood who become pregnant are forced to marry the fathers of their children. It so happens that she is the sister of the famous star. These two knew each other for five years; they were childhood sweethearts. There was something deeper within their situation that only they would know. We can only hope that others learn from their situation. Teenage love can be a dangerous thing.

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Trojan Brand Offers Free Condom Samples

The Trojan Pledge: "I pledge to embrace and advocate for the use of condoms, as a proven way to reduce the risk of unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections and as an essential part of living a sexually healthy lifestyle."

Condoms should be common sense but some athletes haven't seemed to get the clue yet. If they know that they're only going to hit it once, CVS, Rite Aid or Walgreens isn't going to kill. (And you have the option to order condoms online ... ain't that something)

Do yourself, your partners, and both of your future partners a favor and protect yourself.

Click here for your free sample

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All You Have Are Hoop Dreams

Yesterday, I took time out to watch Hoop Dreams, the 1994 documentary about inner-city Chicago high school basketball players and their road to the big dream -- playing in the NBA. The movie will touch your heart yet piss you off, especially regarding the treatment of these young boys by people who obviously don't give a damn about these boys' well-beings.

Watching it for the second time, I realized that both boys, Arthur Agee, a public-high school player who failed in the private system, and William "Willy" Gates, the heavily-recruited guard, were fathers -- or going to be -- before they went to college.

Obviously there are socio-economical reasons for why this happens. But when you have the responsibility of a child and all you've ever been taught is that basketball is your only way out, you put more pressure on yourself and you fail. Both Agee and Gates didn't end up where they wanted to be.

All you have are the hoop dreams; basketball becomes your life, your only way out. A player like Kobe had options, alot of these dudes don't. Think about the psychological effect it has on a teenager. All of these boys' worths are measured by basketball. When Agee couldn't make it at St. Joseph's High School, the prep school of Isiah Thomas, and failed at playing basketball off of their standards, he was left on the wayside. Why? Because they knew they could go back in the 'hood and recruit some boy off the playground to take his place. Plus, these "recruiters" sale these kids a 'dream', a 'dream' to play in the NBA.

Even Gates, in the movie, said that playing basketball became more of a job. Well, when a baby comes into the players, you need to use that job to take care of your family. These kids were promised so many things, but ended up with nothing but a "hoop dream"

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Happy Mothers Day!

I could go on and on about how messed up it is for mothers and the whole nine, but I won't.

So, to celebrate Mothers Day, I must salute my favorite TV mom: Sophia Petrillo (Golden Girls)

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Sex Education Needs A New Angle ...

I don’t know about you, but I started my sex education in 5th grade. Yes, 5th grade. It was the whole “Once a month, you bleed out of your girls parts” and “This is what happens to boys when they get ‘excited’” type stuff. We watched a woman give birth, vagina viewpoint and all, and gagged our hearts out. It single-handedly made me not want to get pregnant, f*** an epidural.

The whole point of Sex Education in junior high and high school was to scare the s*** out of you … and for a minute, it worked. But everything gets thrown out of the window when emotions get involved. Syphilis what?

I bring this up after a conversation I had with a best friend of mine. We both admitted to putting ourselves in the some really messed up situations as teenagers because of a boy. All of the fear that was instilled in us by our parents and the public school system went on hiatus. You didn’t realize the danger you just put yourself in until AFTER it’s over.

Sex education teaches you how to deal with these issues as teenagers as if that’s the worse time to get yourself caught up. They fail to realize something: Your consequences are greater when you mess up later. We’re not adding liquor, money, arrogance into the picture until later. That is why athletes seem to get themselves into trouble. They never had to factor in getting stuff thrown at them by people who seem to care, especially when their emotions are twisted.

That’s why, when you see a young dude get caught up in a situation, you feel some sort of pity for him. He wasn’t thinking with his head, he was thinking with his penis. And at 20, they are virtually the same thing. The opportunity to get into some drama is greater.

I’m not saying that people should get a pass for acting a damn fool, but when you’re taught fear and not responsibility, worse things can – and will – happen.

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Is The "Down-Ass Chick" Dead in Sports?

See if this sounds familiar: You and your girlfriend/boyfriend are parting ways to attend separate colleges in the fall. You've ignored the idea of breaking up with this person, both of you saying. "We can make this work. I'll call. I'll visit on the weekends." You part ways thinking that everything is going to be okay.

Things are cool for the three weeks until you notice some fine-ass dude/chick giving you eye in the cafeteria. He or she is finer, smarter, cuter, flier ... whatever, he or she has your shorty beat by miles. You go to party, you see him or her. You walk to class 5 minutes early to "accidentally" bump into that person. You want that person. Temptation is a bitch. You have to break up with your boo, or you'll do something stupid.

You will never tell him or her the true reason why it's over. All you'll say: "This long-distance thing isn't working." The real reason: I didn't know that better people existed until I went to college.

This is real and all to common. It also happens to athletes. Look at Dwyane Wade ...

While reading about Dwyane Wade and his little situation being put on blast, I became bothered by it. Not because Dwyane was messing with hookers or doing other scandalous shit (what's new?), but because he never had to. Dwyane married his high school sweetheart, Siohvaughn, and everything seem peachy. There were people who said that he could do better, which he ignored. Siohvaughn was with him before the fame and before the money.

But where is he? Miami. After winning the NBA championship in 2006, women and trappers (they are two different breeds) ran towards him. He was caught, he was done ... it was over. The idea of the "down-ass chick" was dead.

For those unfamiliar, the "down-ass chick" is the one person that stayed with you when you were struggling and would stay if you fell flat again. She was there before the fame, the money and the success. She genuinely loves you and cares about you. That's why, if you did cheat on the account of being a man and, hypothetically, had a child on the way, you stayed with her, regardless of how good that other chick looks in front of your people.

That concept in sports is dead. The Juanitas are gone. The Tawannas, the Allen Iverson types, are gone. The Cookies, the wives of a Magic Johnson, especially, are gone. It's either two things: One, women don't put up with being second-fiddle or two, these athletes realize that they are playing themselves if the even try to commit. I think it's a combination of both.

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High School Coach Charged with Touching Teenage Girl

Pedophile Week continues.

The head freshman football coach at Woodrow Wilson High School in Camden has been indicted on charges he fondled a 15-year-old Camden girl on Dec. 14 after offering her a ride home from an evening basketball game.

Anthony Granger, 45, of Cherry Hill, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child and aggravated criminal sexual contact.

Jason Laughlin, spokesman for the Camden County prosecutor, said Granger allegedly offered the victim and two other teenage girls a lift and gave the girl his cell phone so that she could inform her mother.

An hour later, after Granger dropped off the other girls, he began to assault the girl, Laughlin said. The mother then called on Granger's phone to locate her daughter, the spokesman said. [Source]

Athletes (and coaches) not only make babies, but they like to mess with them too. Disgusting.

Woodrow Wilson Coach indicted on charges of fondling teen [Philadelphia Inquirer]

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Darren McFadden Updates His Paternity Situation

During this past April's NFL Draft Weekend, Darren McFadden visited Cipha Sounds in the studio to talk about the draft and his expectations for the future. He also updated his little paternity situation.

So, McFadden is the proud father of two kids and was proven NOT to be the father of the third. Still, it's two different mothers and a grotesque amount of child support. And he's only 20? He better slow his roll.

Part two, which includes a reference to The Trap and the pull-out method, after the jump ...

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The Brett Favre Theory starring Tom Brady and his baby...

I'm going to make this clear from the get-go: I don't like Tom Brady. Last year, I called for his head on another blog. He's overrated ... he needs to be humbled. Quite frankly, I wish he'd disappear. But since he isn't, his baby-mama issue needs to be addressed. Especially since no one possesses the balls or ovaries to do it.

So far, the athletes mentioned on this blog in its short history, Darren McFadden, Kobe Bryant, Stephon Marbury, have been scolded for their off-the-field philandering. I wasn't the first and will not be the last. But the one person that's getting away with having a baby out of wedlock is Tom Brady.

He didn't do anything different from what Shawn Kemp does on a bi-annual basis. It's not a race issue because Matt Leinart's prostate was set on fire by the media when word came out about his illegitimate child.

Here's the back story:

Brady, who just turned 30, dated Moynahan for nearly three years. Often during the couple's courtship, Moynahan made it clear she'd like to have children. Brady, a three-time Super Bowl champ who grew up in northern California, was not so explicit about his interest in having a family.

In February, a few days after the New York Post first reported the pregnancy, Brady's agent, Don Yee, issued a statement saying his client was "excited" about becoming a dad. Since then, the star QB has been mostly mum on the subject, and Yee didn't return a phone call yesterday.

Not long after the couple's breakup, which was announced in mid-December, Brady began dating Gisele Bundchen, the world's richest supermodel and the former girlfriend of actor Leonardo DiCaprio. Since the end of last football season, Brady and his Brazilian beauty have been photographed at fashion events in London, Milan, and Versailles. The two are also routinely snapped strolling hand-in-hand down the streets of New York, where both have plush apartments. [Source]

So how does Tom Brady get away with this? Simple ... its the Brett Favre Theory

Brett Favre is the most slurped-on quarterback on league history. Dude used to be a pill-punisher and an alcoholic. But by the way people cling to him, you wouldn't know it.

You wouldn't know any of this about Tom Brady because he's never called out about it. He's the Teflon Don when it comes to criticism in the NFL. Now, if Tom takes care of his responsibilities ... cool, whatever. But what Tom did is no different from what any of these other bad dudes do: he slept with someone unprotected and had a baby. Point. Break. Period. It wouldn't be fair to go at one person if you can't go at them all.

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LF: I'm Just Saying ...

LeBron James on Boston's defense:

That physical style doesn't work so well on James, who handles pressure well because of all his experience with double-teams. He has the ability to sense where the defenders are coming from and, at 6-foot-8, he often can see over them to find an open man. As he said, "If they double-team me, it won't be something I haven't seen before. It may have caught Joe [Johnson] off guard, but it won't catch me off guard." [Source]

Bron Bron's Game 1 stat line: 12 points on 2-for-18 shooting

Mind you, Boston didn't start double-teaming Joe until Game 5.

His point totals: 21 (6-11), 15 (4-13) and 16 (5-17)

Once again, I'm just saying

(Honestly, this is a reason for me to talk some s***. You know I stan for Joe Johnson.)

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Say It Ain't So, Dr. J?

I've never been so hurt reading an article in my short life. But after reading Philadelphia Magazine's 2003 story on Julius Erving, infidelity, out-of-wedlock babies and drug addictions appear to be even more of a damn shame.

Julius Erving Doesn't Want to be a Hero Anymore [Philadelphia Magazine]

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Tuesday Links

Thank God that I was raised an Eagles fan.

The Top 12 Sports Fandoms That Double as Child Abuse [Epic Carnival]

More of Tuesday's links after the jump ...

Speaking of children (babies) and sports ... Bugs and Cranks unearthed a gem [Bugs and Cranks]
Comments on Malone Pedophile-gate 2008 [Armchair GM]
....and another one [Crazy Days and Nights]

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It’s Time to Admit We Were All Wrong

I thought Kobe Bryant was done. He allegedly raped a hotel employee cheated on his wife, lost many of his endorsements, and became public enemy number one for snitching on Shaq. Five years later, Bryant restored his image and now is the model husband and father. How were we all wrong?

Back in 2003, when the logistics of the rape case surfaced – you know, White girl, Black athlete – and the public found him guilty on all counts, many wondered whether Kobe would either a) get out of this jam O.J. style or b) become a prison-yard point guard. We didn’t want to believe that Kobe, a sex symbol and all-star athlete, would have to go to extreme means to get some. It’s Kobe, for goodness sakes.

But in reality, people were waiting for Kobe to go down for something. For one, he doesn’t fit the typical “Hoop Dreams” model: He wasn’t born into poverty, where playground ball grabbed the attention of a Sonny Vaccaro-type, who recruited you to play at (insert Catholic prep school name), where basketball became your savior and you became a big star and a beacon of hope to all the kiddies in the hood who urge to mimic your life.

Kobe grew up in Lower Merion, a high-end area near Philadelphia. Philadelphia refuses to claim him. He didn’t have it rough like many of the ballers in the league today. He seemed to receive all of the breaks, all of the glory and all of the attention. He rode his last name. We don’t have the time or the patience to rehash the drama about his wife, Vanessa.

That’s why, early in his career, you saw Kobe trying to grab into this “hood” side, to show people that he was “down”. It failed. He’s the league’s bastard child. That’s why we wanted him convicted of any crime; hopefully, it would humble him.

But yet, we’re the ones that are humbled. So with that, I apologize for finding him guilty of rape in the court of public opinion. I still don’t like the guy, though.

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Monday Links

Every day, I'll try to post some links of interest. Some are sports related, some not but hey, it's my blog so I can do what I want (no LeBron)

Master P, come get your son. This is sad. USC cheerleaders better watch their panties.

More links after the jump ...

Denzel and son at yesterday's Lakers-Jazz game [Young, Black, and Fabulous]
The Robert Kellys of Pro Sports!?!? [AverageBro]
Clemens "apologizes" for his pedophile moment among other things [Yahoo! Sports]
This study has to be flawed. I had it bad as the youngest child [MSNBC]

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LeBron James at Home with the Fam ...

Check out Bron Bron playing around with his son Bryce Maximus.


My thoughts after the jump ...

As much as I can't stand LeBron on the court -- and at the podium -- crying like a baby, it was nice to see a different side of him. It was also great to see an athlete still together with his children's mother. Bron's doing the right thing so props are dude.

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LF: California Soul...

Like a sound you hear/That lingers in your ear/But you can't forget/From sundown to sunset.../It's all in the air/You hear it everywhere/No matter what you do/It's gonna get a hold on you...

Damn you, Dockers. Thank you Youtube...

After the jump, the full song...

Marlena Shaw - California Soul

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What In The Statutory Rape Hell ...

... is going on here?! This shit makes me want to puke.

Demetrius Bell, a seventh-round draft pick of the Buffalo Bills, found out post-high school graduation that NBA legend Karl Malone was his father. Malone denies Bell as his child and Bell doesn't care to know his father. Fair right? Hell f***ing no, especially since Malone, who was 19 at the time, got Bell's mother pregnant when she was 13.

Bell is the son of Malone, but the Mailman had no role in Bell’s success except passing along athletic genes.

The two have had very little contact during Bell’s life. His mother, Gloria Bell, reportedly was only 13 years old and Malone a college sophomore at Louisiana Tech when Demetrius was born. Malone might have served jail time had her family asked the district attorney to file criminal charges.

Bell didn’t even know Malone was his father until after graduating from high school. When they finally met, Malone told the 18-year-old Bell it was too late to be his father, and that Bell would have to “earn his money on his own.”

In a 1998 story in the Salt Lake (Utah) Tribune, Gloria Bell said, “Demetrius is ashamed that his dad doesn’t claim him. But I’ve told him it is not his fault.” [Source]

Thirteen. What in the flying f**k was going on? Seriously, wasn't that statutory rape? He could have done time.

I'm appalled. Not because Malone fathered an illegitimate child -- I mean, damn ... this is Athletes AND Procreation -- but because he was 19. A damn adult. She was barely a teenager. I know a lot of thirteen-year-olds who look grown as hell but there is absolutely no justifiable reason to go all R. Kelly on some little girl. Do we not have any decency? This s*** ain't normal. It's sick.

That's why, even though I abhor LeBron James, I can never be on Team Deshawn Stevenson. Dude provided brandy and penis to a fourteen-year-old girl back in 2001.

The 20-year-old Stevenson surrendered to police Tuesday night and was charged with statutory rape. He was released on $5,000 bail. According to court records, Stevenson admitted to the girl's mother in a tape-recorded telephone call that he had sex with her daughter.

Stevenson, a backup guard who went directly to the NBA from high school last year, is charged along with former high school teammate DeShawn Anderson, 19. A hearing was set for July 6.

The girl told police the two and another former teammate took her and a 15-year-old girl to a motel June 6 after buying a bottle of brandy.

According to the report, both girls said they got drunk on alcohol served by Stevenson. The 14-year-old said she had consensual sex with Stevenson and later passed out, while the 15-year-old said she had consensual sex with Anderson, the report said. Also in the room at the time was Richard Millsap, a former high school teammate of Stevenson and Anderson, whom the 15-year-old said did not participate in the sex.

Everyone left the motel together and the girls were dropped off at the 15-year-old's house. The 14-year-old's mother, who was worried because her daughter was late, found her at her friend's house and picked her up. The mother called police after her daughter told her what had happened.

The mother later confronted Stevenson in a telephone call that was recorded, the police report said, and Stevenson admitted he had sex with the woman's daughter and said Anderson had sex with the other girl. Stevenson also admitted providing the alcohol.

The 14-year-old and her family have known Stevenson and Anderson for four years. [Source]

I guess it's a Utah Jazz thing ...

Dad Karl Malone a footnote in Demetrius Bell's life [The Buffalo News]
Recorded conversation [CNNSI]

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LF: Are All Athletes’ Wives This Socially Delusional?

Note One: Yes, I know this is a sports blog and yes, there is nothing masculine about The View but in an attempt to build this blog back up, I figured I'd start with something. No person has pissed me off lately ... actually one has (post on him soon)

Note Two: I'm working on a new blog called The Tampon (yes, The Tampon), which will be an all-around jog on sports. Coming soon dammit ...

Of course not … Elisabeth Hasselbeck doesn’t really help the cause though.

On my off days, I try to catch The View, ABC’s show dedicated to today’s stay-at-home Mom waiting for the news and All My Children to come on women. While the show now seems like an estrogen-overloaded version of the Lou Dobbs report (politics, politics and politics), it does solicit some of the most unintentional comedy in the form of Elisabeth Hasselbeck.

Elisabeth is the wife of Tim Hasselbeck, the NFL vagabond QB from Boston College, where the couple met. Her entry into society: Survivor. That exquisite resume allowed her to replace Lisa Ling (can you say downgrade?)

This chick slays me with her Republican ass. I mean, she tries so hard to make a solid opinion on politics but somewhere it gets lost in the weird-ass mannerisms and three-year-old-about-to-have-a-temper-tantrum face. You should see when Whoopi, Sherri and Joy get on her. She looks like she about to piss on herself.

I give her credit for not backing down, especially during this President cycle of Obama-Wright-Obama vs. Billary nonsense. She feels how she feels and no one can change that, which I respect. It’s just her execution lacks a little uumph. There are millions of people who believe what she does – scary, isn’t it? – but they can get their points across so well, that you eventually let them go. You can’t let the shit she says slide, especially when she makes it really easy to attack her.

Funny thing is: She's claims she not a Republican. According to her Wiki:

Hasselbeck has said that she calls herself neither a conservative nor a liberal. Her parents had an independent political stance, never telling their children for whom they voted. She has stated that the term "conservative" does not define her as a person.^[12] She opposes gay marriage but has said that she supports civil unions; a feeling that would often clash with that of former The View co-host Rosie O'Donnell. [Source]

Bulls***. She voted for Bush and supports McCain, spoke at the Republican National Convention in 2004, and guest hosted on Fox News. Be real here. While I was happy that she stood up to Rosie O' Donnell , the Elisabeth of the Left when she was on the View, about her views on the War, I find it hard to believe that she defines herself as an "neither liberal or conservative," especially since she plays the latter on The View with open arms.

Honestly and truthfully, I hope she realizes that she’s getting played by ABC. But until then, I’ll enjoy the soda-spitting hilarity she ensues.

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