Wednesday, April 27, 2011
MLB: Dodgers’ Andre Ethier Sets April Hit-Streak Record
Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Andre Ethier established a new major league record for the month of April by extending his hitting streak to 23 games with a first-inning, RBI double off Florida Marlins right-hander Chris Volstad in his team’s 4-2 loss.
Ethier broke the record held by former Dodgers manager Joe Torre, who hit in 22 consecutive games in April 1971 for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Through that hit, Ethier had hit .412 (35-for-85) during his streak. The streak also is the longest of such length by a Dodgers player since Paul Lo Duca hit in 25 consecutive games from May 17-June 18, 2003.
Tony Jackson covers the Dodgers for ESPNLosAngeles.com.
Follow Tony Jackson on Twitter: @dodgerscribe
Another NFL Player Stabbed!
Detroit police say Denver Broncos defensive end Jason Hunter has been stabbed and taken to a local hospital.
Officer Dan Donakowski says Hunter was stabbed Wednesday, but didn’t have any additional information, including where the incident took place, who was responsible and Hunter’s condition. The hospital wasn’t disclosed.
The Broncos released a statement Wednesday saying they were aware of the report of Hunter’s stabbing and were in the process of gathering more information.
“Our thoughts are with Jason, and we are hopeful he makes a quick recovery,” the team said. “Out of respect for his privacy, we will not have additional comment on the matter at this time.”
Hunter is a five-year pro who also has played for the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers.
The stabbing comes only days after police in Florida said Miami Dolphins wide receiver Brandon Marshall, a former Bronco, was stabbed with a kitchen knife by his wife.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
NBA Playoffs: Celtics beat Knicks 96-93 in Game 2
NBA Playoffs: Magic beat Hawks 88-82 in Game 2
Wiz Khalifa vs. Kanye West?
Monday, April 18, 2011
Happy Birthday Hud 6!! Rest in Peace!!
Happy birhday Hud 6! We lost you in October but your memory will live on forever! For those that don’t know, Hud was an original member of Harlem World, and a huge staple on the club and party scene on the entire east coast. Miss Info recants some great memories of Hud in this post. Hud was an amazing guy and was taken from us way too soon!! Shout out to his brother Mikey aka Young 6. Hold your head! And if you’re in Harlem tonight, there will be a candle lit vigil for him at his mural at 143rd and Lenox at 8pm. Hit the jump for a gallery of pics of Hud, and be tuned in tonight on Funk Flex as his 2 long time friends Cam and Vado stop by!
NBA Playoffs: Thunder Kevin Durant scored 41 pts in Game 1 win over Nuggets
Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook did most of the damage for the Oklahoma City Thunder. One of Kendrick Perkins’ only two baskets may get most of the attention.
Durant scored 41 points, Westbrook added 31 and Perkins provided the go-ahead basket on a controversial tip-in as the Thunder pulled out a 107-103 win against the Denver Nuggets on Sunday night in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.
Westbrook’s jumper from the right side caromed off the rim and Perkins was credited for the tip-in with 1:06 remaining to put Oklahoma City up 102-101. Several Nuggets looked for it to be waved off as basket interference, and coach George Karl insisted after the game: “Obviously it was goaltending.”
It won’t go down that way, and the Thunder will take a 1-0 lead into Game 2 Wednesday night in Oklahoma City.
“There’s a lot of calls that would have probably got questioned tonight, so it ain’t just that one. So, we’re going to keep playing,” Perkins said. “It happens. The game, that’s how it is.
“At the end of the day, we’ve just got to move on.”
The Thunder leaned heavily on their two All-Stars, who both scored more than they did in any of the Thunder’s six games last postseason.
WRITTEN BY STATS LLC and The Associated Press & FULL STORY HERE
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Friday, April 15, 2011
NBA: Phil Jackson & Lakers fined $75K Each 04.15.11
The NBA has fined Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson $75,000 for making unauthorized public comments about collective bargaining, according to sources close to the situation.
The Lakers also separately were fined $75,000, sources said.
The league has not yet publicly announced either penalty, but has notified teams of the punishments, sources said, entering NBA Board of Governors meetings in New York through Friday, during which labor negotiations with the NBA Players Association are expected to be a prominent topic.
Thursday is the second straight day the Lakers were hit with a hefty fine. On Wednesday, Lakers star Kobe Bryant was docked $100,000 for directing a gay slur at veteran referee Bennie Adams.
It’s believed that Jackson drew the ire of the league with his comments to Lakers beat writers during a sitdown last week in Portland, when the 65-year-old spoke openly about the widely expected lockout and how it factored into his decision to repeatedly state that he’s retiring from coaching at season’s end.
“It was really about the fact that there’s going to be a lockout,” Jackson told the small gathering of traveling beat reporters April 7 at a Portland hotel. “It’s the perfect time to help the organization cover a gap if there’s a lockout. My staff, all those guys who work with me. All those things played into it. I felt like an obligation.”
“Who knows what the NBA is going to look like next year?” Jackson continued. “It’s going to take on a whole different proportion. How long is it going to last? I think there are some people who are pretty convinced there’s not going to be a year next year.”
Senior writer Marc Stein covers the NBA for ESPN.com.
Follow Marc Stein on Twitter: @stein_line_HQ
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Wu-Tang Announce UK Tour With Yelawolf
All memers of the Wu and even DJ Semtex as the tour’s resident DJ will be packing their stuff and hitting the road for a 5-city tour of the UK. Shady Records signee will join them for all but the first one. Sounds pretty cool! Dates above. Hopefully you’re in the area and can check them out!
Gay Basketball League -- We Want Kobe!!!
Kobe Bryant's presence has been requested at a gay and lesbian basketball league in L.A. -- where league officials want the Lakers star to PROVE his support for the LGBT community by showing up for a game.
TMZ spoke with a rep for the Lambda League -- who tells TMZ, "We have seen Kobe's apology and hope that it's sincere. If he really wants to show us he means it he'll come to our next league game."
And get this -- Lambda reps tell us if Kobe takes them up on the offer ... they'll comp his tickets.
NBA: Pistons Charlie Villanueva suspended 5 games for Cavs incident
Villanueva attempted to get at Cleveland’s bench and had to be restrained by teammates and security personnel. He left the floor, then twice attempted to enter the Cavs’ locker room.
Villanueva served the first game of the suspension Wednesday night in Detroit’s season finale in Philadelphia. The remaining four games will be served next season.
Cleveland coach Byron Scott was asked if he felt the suspension was appropriate.
“How much does he make?” Scott said Wednesday night before the Cavs played Washington in their season finale. “It might be a pretty good little chunk. I didn’t know it was going to be that many games. But the fact that you’re running toward the locker room and going into the locker room of the opposing team, obviously they are gong to hit you pretty hard. I still don’t understand what he was doing. Only Charlie knows.”
-AP
NBA: Bulls clinch No. 1 seed & home-court
The Chicago Bulls had just wrapped up their best regular season sinceMichael Jordan and Scottie Pippen collected their final championship, and Derrick Rose was in no mood to celebrate.
He’ll save it for later.
Kyle Korver came up big down the stretch to finish with 19 points, Rose scored 15 and the Bulls won their ninth straight, beating the New Jersey Nets 97-92 in the final playoff tuneup on Wednesday.
“I’m happy, I’m definitely happy,” Rose said. “I wouldn’t like to be on a losing team, but what’s the point of celebrating now when you can get knocked out in the playoffs?”
The Bulls earned home-court advantage throughout the playoffs later Wednesday with San Antonio’s 106-103 loss to Phoenix. Had the Bulls and Spurs tied for the best record, a random drawing would have decided the overall No. 1 seed because all the tiebreakers were even.
The Bulls led by as much as 13 in the second quarter and were up seven at the half, but found themselves trailing 68-58 after the Nets scored 15 straight midway through the third. They responded by running off 10 in a row to close the period and pulled this one out in the end, with Korver scoring seven in the final four minutes.
Rasual Butler scored 10, including the go-ahead 3-pointer in the final minute, and the Bulls got 50 points from their bench on a night when the starters spent much of the fourth quarter on the bench.
Rose was just 5-of-13 from the field. Luol Deng scored 11. Joakim Noah finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds as the Bulls finished 62-20, equaling their best showing since the 1997-98 championship season. That also put Tom Thibodeau in a tie with Paul Westphal of the 1992-93 Phoenix Suns for the most wins by a first-year coach.
“I’m happy for our team,” he said. “I think they made a serious commitment. They played hard, and they played for each other.”
WRITTEN BY STATS LLC and The Associated Press & FULL STORY HERE
NBA: Lakers win in OT over Kings & Earn No. 2 Seed
Sacramento Kings fans made it feel like old times. Then, so did Kobe Bryant.
Bryant’s tying 3-pointer with 4.8 seconds left in regulation forced overtime, and the Los Angeles Lakers regrouped to hand the Kings a 116-108 loss Wednesday night in what might have been the last game ever in California’s capital city.
“I told Phil it’s fitting it’s going to end this way,” Bryant said after sharing a laugh with Lakers coach Phil Jackson.
When the final buzzer sounded, thousands of fans refused to leave their seats, doing everything they could to protest the franchise’s possible move to Anaheim. Some cried, others took pictures. But all cheered in one, booming voice: “Here we stay! Here we stay!”
Feeling the vibrations from their locker room, Kings players Tyreke Evans, Francisco Garcia, Marcus Thornton and Donte Greenereturned to the floor.
“No matter what happens,” Garcia said, grabbing the microphone, “this is always going to be our home.”
For one, perhaps final night, it was.
A standing-room only crowd packed things beyond the 17,317-seat capacity, clanking cow bells and roaring louder than they had in years. They brought handmade signs, painted their faces and cheered their loudest to will their beloved team back.
And they nearly did.
Instead, the Lakers pulled away in overtime to earn the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference playoffs, setting up a first-round series against New Orleans.
“I really feel for these fans,” Jackson said. “I’m sure it’s a sad, sad day for many.”
Thornton had 33 points and Evans added 19 to help the Kings outscore the Lakers 29-11 in the fourth quarter to rally from 20 points down. They went ahead by three until the final seconds, when Bryant delivered a shot to crush Sacramento’s hopes yet again.
WRITTEN BY STATS LLC and The Associated Press & FULL STORY HERE
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Shiest Bubz – 52 Diamonds (Music Video)
Shiest Bubz “52 diamonds” video directed by Squirrel Gang Films is the 1st joint he is dropping of his new Project “Purple IYYYEEEEE”. Shiest is a day one Smokers Club member & also the Host of The Smokers Club Tour this fall. Be on the Look out for “The Smokers Club” album he is executive producing with me as well GoodTalk – Shipes
Kobe Bryant appears on 710 ESPN to address anti-gay slur
Wednesday became a day of statements and more statements, followed by the NBA's fine and Bryant's radio interview on "Mason & Ireland" on 710 ESPN.
Bryant said he planned on talking to the gay-rights groups and also wanted to "own up" to his comments. However, he also said he would appeal the fine, one of the heaviest levied by the NBA this season. Bryant makes $302,515 per regular-season game.
NBA Commissioner David Stern called Bryant's outburst "offensive and inexcusable."
"While I'm fully aware that basketball is an emotional game, such a distasteful term should never be tolerated," Stern said in a statement. "Kobe and everyone associated with the NBA know that insensitive or derogatory comments are not acceptable and have no place in our game or society."
GLAAD applauds NBA's decision to fine Kobe Bryant $100,000 for anti-gay slur
The Human Rights Campaign, a national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, called it a "disgrace" for Bryant to "use such horribly offensive and distasteful language, especially when millions of people are watching."
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender media advocacy and anti-defamation organization, added an equally critical statement.
"Professional sports players need to set a better example for young people who use words like this on the playground and in our schools, creating a climate of intolerance and hostility," GLAAD President Jarrett Barrios said.
NBA: Kobe Bryant fined $100k for homophobic slur towards Ref!!!
The episode was caught on camera on TNT’s national telecast, prompting announcer Steve Kerr to say: “You might wanna take the cameras off of him right now, for the children watching from home.”
Bryant issued a statement Wednesday afternoon.
“What I said last night should not be taken literally,” he said. “My actions were out of frustration during the heat of the game, period. The words expressed do NOT reflect my feelings towards the gay and lesbian communities and were NOT meant to offend anyone.”
Stern strongly condemned Bryant’s words in a statement.
“While I’m fully aware that basketball is an emotional game, such a distasteful term should never be tolerated,” he said. “Accordingly, I have fined Kobe $100,000. Kobe and everyone associated with the NBA know that insensitive or derogatory comments are not acceptable and have no place in our game or society.”
The Lakers had no immediate comment on the fine but earlier Wednesday issued a statement saying: “We haven’t seen the video, so it would be inappropriate for us to comment on it.”
The Lakers are battling the Mavericks for the second seed in the West. They beat the Spurs 102-93 on Tuesday.
On Monday, the league rescinded Bryant’s 15th technical of the season. If it had stood, he would have received his 16th on Tuesday and would have been suspended for the Lakers’ season finale. If he receives another T on Wednesday, he would be suspended for the first game next season. Technical counts start over in the playoffs.
Before the NBA levied its fine, advocacy groups had condemned Bryant’s comments on Wednesday.
The Human Rights Campaign — a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization — said in a statement: “Hopefully Mr. Bryant will recognize that as a person with such fame and influence, the use of such language not only offends millions of LGBT people around the world, but also perpetuates a culture of discrimination and hate that all of us, most notably Mr. Bryant, should be working to eradicate.”
The president of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, the nation’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender media advocacy and anti-defamation organization, also put out a statement.
“Discriminatory slurs have no place on or off the court,” Jarrett Barrios said. “Professional sports players need to set a better example for young people who use words like this on the playground and in our schools, creating a climate of intolerance and hostility. The LA Lakers have a responsibility to educate their fans about why this word is unacceptable.”
-ESPN
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