NBA Players are Tough Too
Thunder forward Nick Collison needed four staples in his head to stop the bleeding during last night’s victory over the Spurs. The game also saw Russell Westbrook throw down one of the season’s best dunks and Tim Duncan laugh at Kendrick Perkins’ attempt at intimidation. The loss snapped San Antonio’s 19-game winning streak but coach Gregg Popovich appeared to be in good spirits in his in-game interview.
Really Dumb Baseball Injury of the Day
Baseball players have a knack for freak injuries — everything from Francisco Rodriguez stepping on a cactus to Hanley Ramirez cutting his finger on a dugout fan - and Carlos Gonzalez is the latest to make the list. The Rockies outfielder missed Wednesday’s game after swallowing his chewing tobacco.
The Future of Tailgating?
Still tailgating on your lawn chair while listening to a car radio? You’ll probably want to check this out.
Lovely Lady Of The Day
Jake from Stone Mountain, Ga., told me I must stop what I’m doing to check out Denise Schaefer. Good work by Jake, as Denise is worthy of the “stop everything you’re doing” command and also today’s LLOD honors.
Who Wants a Hot Dog Cocktail?
A minor-league team has created the ”Frank Collins,” which contains gin, beer, Worcestershire sauce and a hot dog spear for garnish. This may or may not be an April Fool’s Day Joke. If it is, I’m not laughing. I take my hot dogs very seriously.
Derek Jeter Does a Derek Jeter Thing
Jimmy’s crush delivered a baseball to a young fan in the stands and ignored the crazy woman in an orange shirt. In other fan interaction news, Cardinals first baseman Matt Adams lost the battle for a foul ball with a Reds fan, who promptly gave Adams the middle finger.
From the SI Vault
Manute Bol :: Getty Images
The Wizards made the playoffs for the first time since 2008 and I celebrated with a day of Bullets/Wizards pics on the SI Vault (thank you to Mr. Irrelevant for this post about it). I forget to include this great shot of Manute Bol and his go-go-Gadget legs. In October 1985, SI’s Jack McCallum profiled the Bullets rookie, who was quickly becoming one of the league’s top attractions:
“The guy is Manute Bol, the 7’7″ Dinka tribesman from the Sudan who was selected by the Bullets in the second round of the NBA draft. In just three preseason games – all victories – Bol has transcended a media sideshow. Ladies and gentlemen, The Brother From Another Planet can play. He has blocked 18 shots in 64 minutes, an average of one block every 3.6 minutes. By contrast, Utah’s Mark Eaton averaged a block every 6.2 minutes last season when he set an NBA record with 456. Clearly, what we have here is both a new dimension in defense and a full-scale happening.
By midseason, a replica of the spear that Manute once used to kill a lion back in his native Africa will be on sale at NBA concession stands, right next to the Michael Jordan and Dr. J posters. A shoe company will have completed its prototype of the Air Bol, a name that, incidentally, describes many of Manute’s baseline hook shots. NBA scouts will have traded their college guides for pith helmets – forget Chapel Hill and Westwood, it’s off to the Sudan! A thousand writers will have mined their thesauri for words to describe Bol’s 91-inch body, to which he has added 17 pounds (up to 209) since August with the help of a weightlifting program and a lot of pizza with the works. Spindly. Spiderlike. Reedy. Tubular. Otherwordly.”
Odds and Ends
Eagles guard Evan Mathis received a bonus check from the team for zero dollars and zero cents … Nick Young plans to test free agency to see if can earn more than the $1.2 million he earned this season. Hopefully more money will lead to better first dates than at a Target … Ohio State offensive line coach Ed Warinner took some jabs at Michigan and coach Brady Hoke … WrestleMania 30 is this weekend. Here’s a look at what the card was supposed to look like … Seventeen women who could replace David Letterman … Fifteen bad designs for household objects … The top five places to be a teenager.
Shots Fired
Charles Barkley appeared on Conan last night and took some shots at TNT partner Shaquille O’Neal.
Bring the Payne
Michigan State’s Adreian Payne throws down a 360-degree, double clutch jam at the college slam dunk contest. The post-dunk celebration is even better.
Magic and Bird on Letterman
David Letterman announced that he will retire in 2015. We compiled a gallery of his most notable sports guests, including Larry Bird and Magic Johnson in 2012. Part 1 is below. Here are Parts 2 and 3.
Hank Aaron Hits No. 714
Forty years ago today, Hank Aaron tied Babe Ruth’s career home-run record with this blast, the 714th of his career.
