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Ron Artest Memory Loss: Concussion Left Laker Asleep, Confused

2009-12-30T04:09:41Z

Artest said his wife, Kimsha, found him asleep outside their home and that he didn't know who she was. Artest said his wife had to explain to him that the Lakers had played a game Friday at Staples Center.

Artest said the first person he texted was teammate Kobe Bryant. He said he informed Bryant that he couldn't remember anything and that he was going to the hospital.

Sports Gambling: Best And Worst Teams Of The Decade

2009-12-29T23:21:41Z

Not everyone lost money the first 10 years of the century, especially wise guys who consistently bet the farm on the decade's most generous cash cows. But those cash cows were far out-numbered by teams that excelled in sending bettors toward bankroll-ruptcy. Here's a look at the best and worst bets of the decade.

Best: Los Angeles Angels
Only seven baseball teams produced a profit this decade. The Angels were by far the best bet. A $100 player who bet on the Angels every game the past 10 seasons made $10,888.

Biggest Upsets Of The Decade (PHOTOS)

2009-12-29T02:27:05Z

As the decade comes to a close, we've looked back and put together some of the greatest upsets in the sports world since 2000. Did we miss anything? Email us at sports@huffingtonpost.com. And be sure to check out our list of the most dominant performances of the decade.

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Baron Davis' Buzzer Beater Downs Celtics (VIDEO)

2009-12-28T09:40:35Z

The Boston Celtics went into last night's game against the Los Angeles Clippers riding a nine-game winning streak. The Clippers, meanwhile, entered the game with a paltry 12-17 record. But when they found themselves tied at 90 with one second remaining, Baron Davis was determined not to let the game reach overtime.

After receiving an inbounds pass, Davis promptly turned around and fired off a fallaway jumper to seal the victory as the buzzer sounded. The Clippers trailed by three with under ten seconds to play, but Rasual Butler hit a crucial three with 8.5 seconds remaining in regulation and Rajon Rondo missed a pair of free throws for the Celtics. Coincidentally, the Clippers helped the other team in Los Angeles, as well. With the Celtics loss, the Lakers hold sole possession of the best record in the NBA.

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Most Dominant Sports Performances Of The Decade (PHOTOS)

2009-12-28T03:00:13Z

With the decade coming to a close, we've looked back at the most dominant sports performances since 2000. Check out our top contenders below, and email us with people we missed: sports@huffingtonpost.com.

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Ron Artest Injury: Were Stairs, Box Really Involved?

2009-12-26T16:30:29Z

The AP reports that Lakers forward Ron Artest did not travel to Sacramento for tonight's game against the Kings due to an injury suffered at home. According to the team's statement, Artest tripped over a box and fell down a flight of stairs at home last night. (UPDATE: The Team later said he suffered a concussion.)

While no reports contradicting Artest's account have yet emerged, there is a well-established history of athletes changing their story over time. In 2002, Giants second baseman Jeff Kent claimed he injured himself while washing his truck, but, in the words of his own GM at the time, Kent's account was contradicted by "mounting evidence from all sorts of eyewitnesses that says he fell off a motorcycle popping wheelies."

In 2000, Marlins reliever Dan Miceli said he was hurt in a bar fight concerning his wife. "They took their swings, and I took mine," he said at the time. Just two days later, Miceli confessed that he was actually hurt in a domestic dispute with his brother. He defended his lie with the bulletproof argument that "it's not like I'm out there killing people, smoking drugs or raping women or anything like that."

In a humorous case, Rockies infielder Clint Barmes claimed he broke his collarbone carrying groceries, but later said that he was hauling deer meat when the injury occurred. This didn't stop people from speculating that an ATV ride earlier in the day was the real source of the injury.

Most recently, what initially appeared to some as a simple car accident involving Tiger Woods quickly burgeoned into a massive scandal, complete with 11 alleged mistresses, ranging from porn stars (NSFW pictures) to a 48-year-old "cougar."

Most Gruesome Sports Injuries

2009-12-26T12:49:43Z

Athletes are always putting themselves and their bodies on the line in the name of pride, glory and victory, but sometimes their bodies breakdown. Or, in some cases, they suffer terribly gruesome injuries at the hands of others.

Gilbert Arenas' Guns Kept In Locker: Firearms Were Unloaded

2009-12-25T02:00:13Z

Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas stored unloaded firearms in a container in his locker, according to the team, and the NBA is looking into the situation.

The Wizards issued a statement Thursday night saying there was no ammunition in the locked container, and Arenas and the team have notified authorities and the league.

Sports Stadium Boom Adds To Municipal Woes As Revenue Plunges

2009-12-25T01:33:38Z

From New Jersey to Ohio to Arizona, the stadiums were sold as a key to redevelopment and as the only way to retain sports franchises. But the deals that were used to persuade taxpayers to finance their construction have in many cases backfired, the result of overly optimistic revenue assumptions and the recession.

Ray Allen Twitter Trouble: Dirty Tweet Alarms Followers

2009-12-24T18:17:50Z

Ray Allen is the latest NBA player to experience Twitter trouble. Last night an erotic tweet appeared from him, seemingly out of nowhere. It read: "I'm getting there. When you masturbate think about my tongue or your cl*t and switching back and forth from my d**k to my tongue." The tweet was later deleted, and 14 minutes after it was posted another tweet showed up, this time apologizing and claiming that he was not responsible: "I'm sorry my acct was hacked into. I need to changey tweet handle." He then changed from @sugarray20 to @greenrayn20. Scroll down to see a NSFW screengrab of the dirty tweet.

It is unclear whether he was genuinely hacked or if he unintentionally made public what was meant to be a private message. Interestingly, many of Allen's authentic tweets and the allegedly malicious message were sent from the Twitter client Echofon, but it would not be difficult for a hacker to use that client as well.

After claiming his account was hijacked, Allen added that "i hope that it was amusing to people but im either gonna change my password or stop tweeting altogether."

Last week, Bucks rookie Brandon Jennings was fined $7,500 for tweeting too soon after a game ended. A day before Jennings was fined, a Buffalo Bills linebacker trashed a new teammate on Twitter, and Rangers reliever C.J. Wilson tweeted that he was "borderline offended" by a trade offer for him. Last month, Bill Simmons of ESPN.com was punished after posting a pair of negative tweets about two radio hosts who are affiliated with the company. Scroll down to see a screen shot of the erotic tweet.

Sports Deaths Of 2009 (PHOTOS)

2009-12-24T11:33:08Z

(SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTOS)

(AP) Sports in 2009 looked down the barrel of a gun.

From Tennessee to Georgia to Nicaragua, gunfire crackled in July. The causes differed -- a romance gone wrong, a robbery botched, a self-inflicted wound -- but the outcome did not. A gun was the weapon of choice, and all were dead: a former star quarterback and two ex-boxing champions.

Steve McNair was dozing on his sofa in his Nashville condo one weekend when his 20-year-old girlfriend shot him four times. McNair was married with four sons. Police say the woman, Sahel Kazemi, was "spinning out of control" and suspected McNair was seeing someone else. The carnage did not end there. Kazemi turned the semiautomatic pistol on herself.

McNair was 36 and had left the NFL a year earlier. He spent 13 seasons in the league and was the heart of the Tennessee Titans. His closing drive in the 23-16 loss to St. Louis in the 2000 Super Bowl was one of the most riveting finishes in the history of the title game. He was a Pro Bowl player four times. He shared the MVP award in 2003. McNair was fierce on the field and generous off it.

"I'm going to miss you, No. 9," Titans coach Jeff Fisher said.

Vernon Forrest grew up in Georgia and fought in the 1992 Olympics with Oscar De La Hoya. He became a three-time champion and was the first to beat Shane Mosley. His manager said he was at a gas station when approached for money. Atlanta police said the 38-year-old boxer exchanged gunfire with two robbery suspects and was shot several times in the back. In a sport where bravado rules, Forrest had been known for his modesty and keeping the volume low.

"I viewed Vernon as a great competitor in the ring and an even greater man outside the ring," De La Hoya said.

Weeks earlier, Alexis Arguello was found dead at his home in Managua, the city where he was elected mayor a year earlier. Investigators said a single gunshot wound to the chest pointed to suicide. Arguello was dead at 57 after a career in which he galvanized boxing fans. He won titles in three divisions. His two bouts with Aaron Pryor in the early 1980s were pulsating, brawling tests of will.

"Those were great fights we had," Pryor said. "This was a great champion."

Boxing is brutal every year, but especially so this time. In July, former champion Arturo Gatti died at 37 at a Brazilian resort. Police initially suspected his wife but later determined Gatti hanged himself. Months later, in a grisly parallel, Darren Sutherland, who won a boxing bronze medal for Ireland at the Beijing Olympics, was found hanged at his home.

The sport also lost Ingemar Johansson at 76. The Swede jolted boxing by knocking out Floyd Patterson to win the heavyweight title in 1959. Greg Page, another heavyweight champ, died at 50 of complications from a brain injury during a 2001 fight. Jose Torres, the inspirational light heavyweight champ from Puerto Rico who became a writer, died at 72.

Baseball could fill a lineup card with its departed from 2009: On the mound, Nick Adenhart, Mark Fidrych, Carl Willey and Tom Sturdivant throw to Johnny Blanchard behind the plate. George Kell, Whitey Lockman and Woodie Held make the plays in the infield, while "Old Reliable" Tommy Henrich roams the outfield with Dom DiMaggio and Dusty Rhodes. Herman Franks, Preston Gomez and Danny Ozark direct the moves from the dugout, with Carl Pohlad watching from the owner's box.

Carl Pohlad

And Harry Kalas announces from the booth that the ball is "outta here!"

The promise of youth resonated with the deaths of Adenhart and Fidrych, days apart in April. Fidrych brought a burst of life to the game. He was Rookie of the Year in 1976 for the Tigers, talking to the ball and smoothing the mound with his hands. Nothing was the same after that season, injuries exacting a toll. He died at 54, suffocated in an accident while working under a dump truck in Massachusetts.

Adenhart was a 22-year-old rookie for the Angels, having finally made it to the big leagues. Hours after throwing six scoreless innings, he was killed in a car crash. His death became a rallying point for his teammates all the way to the postseason, his jersey with the team every day.

"It makes you take into consideration that not every day is promised," Angels pitcher Jared Weaver said. "And you have to go out there, every out, and give it everything you have."

Chicago Bulls fans had a rough day on Feb. 26. They learned of the deaths of former coach and broadcaster Johnny Kerr at 76 and Norm Van Lier, 61, one of NBA's best defensive players in the 1970s.

Randy Smith, a blindingly fast guard, died at 60. Marvin Webster, the shot-blocking "Human Eraser," was gone at 56. College basketball coach Kay Yow's gallant fight with cancer was over at 66. The NBA said goodbye to two owners: Bill Davidson of the Pistons and Abe Pollin of the Wizards, whose name he changed from the Bullets because of the ties to violence.

Kay Yow

Bill Davidson

Abe Pollin

Wayman Tisdale, the former Oklahoma All-American who spent a dozen years in the NBA before shifting rhythms and becoming a jazz musician, died at 44.

"He was the nicest man in the world with the biggest heart and an even bigger smile," former Pacers teammate Reggie Miller said.

In football, Jack Kemp, the star Buffalo Bills quarterback who went on to a life in national politics, died at 73. Doc Blanchard, the 1945 Heisman Trophy winner and Army's Mr. Inside, was 84. Lou Saban had one of the fullest resumes in sports - the longtime NFL and college coach and New York Yankees president died at 87.

Jack Kemp

The Detroit Lions mourned former coach Monte Clark, 72, and Hall of Fame lineman Lou Creekmur, 82. Forest Evashevski, the former Michigan star who coached Iowa to two Rose Bowl victories in the 1950s, was 91. Dante Lavelli, the receiver who helped the Cleveland Browns build a post-World War II dynasty, was 85.

Jasper Howard and Chris Henry didn't see old age. Howard, a 20-year-old cornerback for Connecticut, was stabbed during a fight outside a school dance. Henry, the Cincinnati Bengals receiver, died at 26 near the year's end, falling from a pickup truck during what police said was a dispute with his fiancee.

NCAA president Myles Brand, who tried to contain the "arms race" in college sports but might be best remembered for firing Bob Knight while at Indiana, died of pancreatic cancer at 67.

Tennis lost a giant in Jack Kramer at 88. He won Wimbledon in 1947 and the forerunner of the U.S. Open in 1946 and '47. He went on to promote the sport for more than a half century, an industry unto himself.

In horse racing, Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel died at 68, running his stables while concealing his cancer from most of his colleagues. The race also ended for two Kentucky Derby winners: Alysheba (1987) and Lil E. Tee (1992).

Reggie Fleming, who played a gritty 12 seasons in the NHL, died at 73. The New York Times reported he had had brain damage stemming from repeated head trauma, linking hockey for the first time to a condition usually found in boxers.

Germany was shaken by the suicide of Robert Enke, the 32-year-old national goalkeeper who stepped in front of a train. Toni Sailer, the mighty Austrian skier who won three gold medals at the 1956 Olympics, died at 73.

This year also marked the last swings for Jerry Sacharski at 93. He was the architect of T-ball, introducing baseball to millions of kids. Sacharski also taught public school in Michigan and coached high school baseball.

"Everything that he did," son Will Sacharski said, "the purpose was to teach something."

___

Contributing to this report were Associated Press Writers Lucas L. Johnson II in Nashville, Tenn.; Jonathan Landrum Jr. in Atlanta; Filadelfo Aleman in Managua, Nicarauga; and James Prichard in Albion, Mich.

Shannon Brown Naked VIDEO: Laker Filmed Nude

2009-12-24T04:13:24Z

Fresh off the heels of Oakland Raiders lineman Tommy Kelly exposing himself to CBS viewers on Sunday comes this clip of Lakers guard Shannon Brown putting on an even more revealing performance. During a post-game interview with Derek Fisher, the Fox Sports camera captured too wide of a field of vision, giving viewers an unobstructed view of Brown's nude body. Joining Shannon Brown and Tommy Kelly in the trifecta of recent professional athletic rear-end exposure is Devin Hester of the Chicago Bears, who flashed a national television audience last month. Scroll down for video.

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Joe Favorito: Everyday "Rudy"'s Find Ways to Inspire and Remind All About the Value of Sports

2009-12-23T11:56:53Z

Kei Harris should be either on his way to prison or dead. Kei is a young man who was abused by his step father during his childhood and is a student at La Joya Community High School in Avondale, AZ. Evan Lawson has struggled with weight problems and ridicule from his peers during his early years at Minot High School in Minot, North Dakota. Bobby Keeney witnessed the unspeakable tragedy of seeing his young sister killed in an accident at a very young age, and then struggled with learning disabilities in school in Tuckerton, New Jersey. Kyle Muka has exemplified amazing leadership skills despite being undersized at Pioneer Valley High School in Northfield, Massachusetts. And that's just a few of the stories. A new reality show? Well its not a show, but it is certainly reality. They are some of the national semi-finalists for the first ever High School "Rudy" Awards.

Most know the "Rudy" story. A person who overcame great odds to achieve his goals, and achieve them through athletics. It is such a poignant story not just because of this time of year, but because in this TMZ obsessed world perhaps many have forgotten about why people play team sports. Not for the NFL, but for the core values that are attached and the life lessons that can be learned.

So a few weeks ago, as Michael Ingram accepted the Heisman trophy, the finalists for the High School "Rudy" Awards were announced. They are a group of real life overachievers who deserve a bow. In addition to those mentioned, the "Rudy" honorees come from all over the country, all walks of life, and all have amazing stories of how they have overcome great challenges to play high school football. A $10,000 academic scholarship and the inaugural RUDY Award goes to the winner, with $5,000 scholarships going to each runner-up. The selection committee included Jim Mora Sr., former Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints Head Coach; Andrea Kremer, NBC Football Sideline Reporter; Shaun Alexander, former Seattle Seahawks running back and NFL MVP; Drew Bledsoe, former New England Patriots quarterback and four time Pro Bowl selection; Jenn Brown, Inside the NFL Special Correspondent / ESPN GameDay Correspondent; Mike Smith, the 7th all-time winningest High School Football Coach in America; and Andy Beal, President CBS MaxPreps, Inc.

These kids never had to be the stars, but they inspired and led by example and made indelible imprints on all those who they touched. The award and the program is in its early stages, and naturally started with football, given the ties to the awards namesake and the sport. If the right brand support can be found, the ability to take the "Rudy" to other sports is a natural. It celebrates all that is good about competition at its base level, and hopefully with media support can grow beyond its first year. It is also very interesting that the awards come along at a time when interest in high school sports is at a premium. ESPN has launched its series of local stations covering high schools, MSG Network in New York has launched MSG Varsity, and others will soon follow. The "Rudy Awards" could be a great fit for any programming partner, locally, regionally and eventually nationally.

The fact that the award finalists are announced on Heisman Weekend should also not be lost. As the finalists paraded through New York and across CBS for college football's most coveted individual award, the "Rudy's" remain at home watching and enjoying. While the Heisman does involve both character and athletic ability, the "Rudy's" are all about character, with the biggest ability being inspirational. Are there parallels and potential connections between the two in the future? Perhaps. Are there awards already existing with similar platforms like the Arete Awards, shown on CBS every fall? Yes. But from a branding standpoint the casual sports fan and marketer understands what "Rudy" is, and the stories that follow make it a natural for those looking for a platform that transcend sport. There may be one Heisman winner, but the "Rudy" award could create a much bigger local footprint at a time when sports are becoming more and more local.

Just ask the kids who are on the list and those around them if they are worthy. You will get quite a number of inspiring answers.

Joel Przybilla Injury VIDEO: Blazer Injures Knee

2009-12-23T09:56:45Z

Just weeks after losing promising center Greg Oden to a season-ending knee injury, the Portland Trail Blazers have seen another center suffer a gruesome injury to his knee as well. During the first quarter of last night's game at Dallas, center Joel Przybilla landed on his right leg after trying to grab an offensive rebound. Przybilla ruptured his right patella tendon and suffered a dislocated patella, and Joe Freeman of the Oregonian writes that the center is out indefinitely. Despite the injury, the Blazers beat the Mavericks 85-81.

Przybilla suffered one of two grim injuries on the basketball court last night. In Seattle, Texas A&M guard Derrick Roland fractured two bones in his leg and caused his teammates to visibly recoil in horror after landing awkwardly in the second half.

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Will Caveliers Look Like Champs Against Lakers On Xmas?

2009-12-22T17:25:50Z

(Text from AP)
Just in time for Christmas, here comes the matchup that was on the NBA's wish list in June.

The Kobe Bryant-LeBron James showdown didn't pan out last season, but now it arrives in Hollywood with the addition of basketball's biggest supporting actor: Shaquille O'Neal, formerly Bryant's teammate, now James' sidekick.

Michael Jordan Lawsuit: Jordan Sues Two Grocery Chains

2009-12-22T10:57:29Z

Bringing a tough offense to protect his brand, Michael Jordan is suing Chicago's two big grocery chains -- Jewel and Dominick's -- for allegedly using his name and his number 23 to sell steaks and other goods without his permission.

Daniel Adler: What Do Professional Athletes Have in Common With Bankers?

2009-12-21T23:28:33Z

Today, we will examine two industries. Neither produces a tangible product. Both have close ties to the government and receive billions of dollars in government assistance. Both pay their top performers millions of dollars.

Wall Street firms such as AIG, which received $90 billion in government funds, and sports teams such as the Dallas Cowboys, who received roughly $325 million to build the monument to excess that is Cowboys Stadium, have more in common than being run by white males. Employees in both industries reap huge benefits due to government assistance.

Recently, Goldman Sachs has come under fire for paying lucrative year-end bonuses to their employees. They plan to pay $16.7 billion, an average of $700,000 per employee. Of course, this comes not many months after the US government, by way of AIG, paid Goldman $12.9 billion. Predictably, there has been much populist outrage and Goldman has taken steps to quell public anger and (far more worrisome to them) government regulation. Goldman should not be expected to spurn the government funds, but it seems quite inappropriate for the government to clean up someone else's (in this case, AIG's) mess. The government is essentially funding those high salaries. Why is a company that receives billions in government support paying their top employees far more than the usual rate for labor in other industries?

In the sports world, let us consider the example of the Cowboys. This season, they opened what may be the most impressive stadium in history. To pay for the $1.2 billion palace, they received $325 million in government funds. Last season, the Cowboys spent $146 million on players. Why is a company that receives hundreds of millions in government support paying their top employees far more than the usual rate for labor in other industries?

The Cowboys are not the only team to receive government funding for their stadium. The Yankees and Mets each opened new stadiums this year and received plenty of government assistance; through some creative bond financing, the Yankees will save $787 million and the Mets $513 million. The New York teams ranked first and second in total payroll last season. The savings on the stadium and high spending on players is not necessarily directly connected, but it is certain the Cowboys, Yankees, and Mets were not exactly in dire need of government money.

It's not just the high spending clubs that receive government subsidies for their stadiums. In an article in the Journal of Economic Perspectives, Siegfried and Zimbalist state that during the 1990s, $21.7 billion was spent (or planned to be spent) on 95 stadiums in the four major sports (MLB, NFL, NBA, and NHL). Of this massive figure, roughly two thirds came from public funds. Without government funding for stadiums, payrolls across the league could not be nearly as high as they are today.

Certainly, there are many advantages to a city having a professional sports team, some of which are not easily measurable. How do you quantify the value of a winning team to a region? I know surly Bostonians are more pleasant after a Red Sox victory. Siegfried and Zimbalist do find that new stadiums provide an economic boost to the area around the stadium, but generally come at the expense of other forms of entertainment and nearby neighborhoods, so the funds spent do not increase the tax base.

Sports salaries are at ludicrous levels because the entire system is predicated on a large portion of team costs being covered by the government. Why do we as fans accept this transfer of taxpayer funds to players (with the owners taking a little for themselves along the way)? In the UK, the government has taken action to limit bankers' pay by taxing their bonuses at a very high rate. I am not advocating that for athletes (or bankers). However, to say that athletes are deserving of high pay because, "that's what the market supports," is a little misleading. The market for pro athletes, like most markets, is heavily impacted by government activity. As long as the government is funding some stadiums, even those teams that do pay for their own stadiums (such as the San Francisco Giants and New England Patriots) are forced to pay more for players.

In both sports and finance, salaries are artificially high due to government support. Wall Street may not get large bailouts every year, but it seems likely that salaries are higher due to repeated government actions that signal to the banks that they unlikely to fail. Neither the teams nor banks are really at fault; we cannot blame them for asking. If someone offered me billions, millions, or even tens of dollars, I would also accept. It seems ridiculous that in both industries, government funds subsidize salaries that are far higher than necessary to keep the top talent.

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Paula Duffy: Dirk Nowitzki Still in Pain After Teeth Extracted From His Arm

2009-12-21T14:58:55Z

Dirk Nowitzki of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks sat out Sunday's win over LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. He is recovering from something at once gruesome but at the same time bizarre.

Let's recap, shall we? Friday night's game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Houston Rockets was a chippy one. Five technical fouls were handed out as well one flagrant foul.

The game went to overtime and the Rockets rode Aaron Brooks' nine points to a 116-108 victory. But the highlight reel shots are all about a second quarter collision between Dirk Nowitzki's elbow and the face of Houston's Carl Landry.

Depending on which newspaper or blog you read, Landry lost parts or all of up to five teeth but they didn't land on the floor. They embedded themselves in Nowitzki's arm. Video of the incident can be seen here.

To add insult to Landry's injury--sorry, I just just had to--Nowitzki got the benefit of the referee's whistle and Landry was called for the foul. His mouth impeded Nowitzki's elbow from shooting a basket freely. I'm not kidding. Nowitzki shot free throws with his other arm. You know, the one that didn't have teeth in it. He made one of two.

Reports from the locker room were that Nowitzki wouldn't return to the game after tooth parts were extracted from him and stitches sewed it all up. Landry reportedly went to a hospital emergency room and the video shot of him being led off the court remind me of one of those True Blood characters after he/she has had a nice drink from someone's body.

Landry is no stranger to losing teeth in action. He lost one in practice from Dikembe Mutombo's elbow a while back and then again in the course of a game against Utah last season.

Landry reportedly suffered through root canal surgery and Nowitzki had his stitches re-opened so that the doctor could get back in and be certain that no tooth fragments were left in the wound. Yahoo! Sports reported that he let out a scream from the pain.

In addition to missing Sunday's game with the Cavs he might also be kept out of the Tuesday game when the Mavericks meet up with the Portland Trailblazers. The largest concern at the present time is infection.

Basketball is not supposed to be a contact sport, and when something egregious happens, flagrant fouls are called and suspensions can result. I still shake my head when I look at video of the incident and wonder what kind of power Dirk has in his arms that would not just knock teeth out of someone gums but land them under his own skin. All the while avoiding a charging foul in the process. Yikes.

Carl Landry, Dirk Nowitzki Injury VIDEO: Teeth, Blood And More

2009-12-19T02:16:02Z

Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki and Houston Rockets big man Carl Landry were injured in a gruesome collision in their game tonight. Landy cracked five teeth, received a foul and was knocked out of the game. Marc Spears of Yahoo! Sports tweeted that the Mavericks are "EXTREMELY worried about dirks deep cut with broken teeth in it."

The incident occurred early in the second quarter when the Mavericks led 27-26. Nowitzki was driving to the hoop when he collided with Landry. The Maverick ended up with "pieces of two teeth imbedded in [his] right elbow," according to ESPN's Marc Stein, who adds that 30 minutes were spent cleaning the wound. Scroll down for video.

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Kevin Garnett, Derrick Rose Star In New Adidas Ad, "Lesson In Style" (VIDEO)

2009-12-18T12:49:15Z

Boston Celtics power forward Kevin Garnett and Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose lend their presence in a new ad from Adidas, "Lesson In Style." The 60-second animated ad features Garnett and Rose talking on the phone about the different ways they have worn and continue to wear their shoes. Garnett prods Rose, saying, "Truth is, I like anything that matches my ring." Rose, however, has apparently demonstrated his style already: he was recently honored as Chicago's sexiest athlete and will appear in the January 2010 issue of GQ.

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Mikhail Prokhorov, Russian Billionaire, One Step Closer To Owning Nets

2009-12-17T16:10:05Z

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — A Russian billionaire has moved a step closer to becoming the NBA's first non-North American owner.

Mikhail Prokhorov's Onexim Sports and Entertainment Holdings and the company that owns the Nets announced on Wednesday they had completed their agreement to create a partnership that would own the NBA team and develop the Atlantic Yards project in New York.

Charles Oakley Breaks Down NBA Style: 'Barkley Is An Asshole'

2009-12-17T15:44:11Z

Charles Oakley represents the old school. Although the six-foot-nine power forward was a clotheshorse, he was also one of the hardest-nosed players ever to wear warm-ups--and he still takes suiting up seriously. "When we get a contract, that's our job," he says. "You got to come to work and be a professional--and look like a professional." In other words: You wear a suit.

Joe Favorito: Has President Obama Stopped Being a Sports Guy? Nah, He's Just Too Busy These Days...

2009-12-16T16:50:00Z

One of the smarter moves President Barack Obama used during his campaign to lure the interest of the casual voter was to introduce his athletic side and interests into his platform discussions. It started with shooting baskets with Sports Illustrated's Scott Price, while discussing his background in and affinity for basketball. He threw out a first pitch and donned his beloved White Sox cap; he played more hoops with the University of North Carolina on another primary stop, analyzed NCAA brackets, talked BCS and hit some golf balls for fun. Meanwhile Senator Hillary Clinton looked uncomfortable talking baseball, Senator McCain, despite being an avid outdoorsman, stopped in at a NASCAR event but took his private time hunting away from the cameras, and Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin regaled us as a hockey mom. None were as effective with the casual male sports fan as President Obama, and that feeling resonated with a male audience who may not have followed his campaign closely before. It made him much more "one of the guys." He shoots hoops and likes baseball and talks about it all very comfortably. Did it lure some votes? Probably. Did it detract at any point? No way.

So the election comes and goes and the President continues his sports interests ... he attends a Wizards game in a turtleneck and sits court-side, and talk of bringing a basketball court to the White House to replace the bowling alley runs rampant. Staff members are frequently seen being part of pickup games on the road. Athletes and teams make a trip to the White House a must stop during their D.C. swings, whether the President is in residence or not. Hall of Famers show up in record numbers, a new office to assist in growing Olympic sport and youth issues is announced. Talk of Opening Day for baseball and Final four predictions abound, despite all the challenges that are ongoing in the real world for the new President.

Yes there are the traditional champion's visits, but the sense of sport for this President (even with his predecessor being a former MLB owner) has never been higher. Even on the international scene, the optimism around the coming vote for the 2016 Olympics, right in the President's backyard, gives the Chicago bid a welcomed boost.

Time then moves ahead, and alas, our sporting President has moved on to bigger issues than pickup ball. Healthcare reform, the repayment of bank loans, and the war in Afghanistan rightfully dominate the agenda these days, and his most forward link to sports lately, August's trip to Copenhagen to support Chicago's Olympic bid, ended badly.

Has the President abandoned using sports as a social unifier to reach the young male who loved watching him mix it up on the court and play catch? Probably not. Using that sports platform to address the growing issue of childhood obesity in this country, will be a welcomed statement at the right time, perhaps as a part of another step in healthcare.

One prominent former athlete, (now NBC broadcaster) Tiki Barber, has made a trip or two to the White House to show his plans to use playgrounds ... the plan is called "Play Proud"... as a spot where children in inner cities can resolve conflicts and build a base for healthy play, and that could certainly factor into the administrations' plans for the future. The Office of Olympic, Paralympic and Youth Sport, announced in June, is also finding its place amongst those in DC, and could be rolled out on a larger platform as we move toward the Vancouver Olympics in February. All will find its place in time.

So has the President stopped being the "sports guy"? Nope. Will we see him dropping in on a Georgetown hoops game, or the NHL Winter Classic or the Super Bowl? Probably not soon.

Like all of us he just doesn't have time right now for catch. That's also probably a good thing.

Lack Of Clutch Scoring Dooms Bulls: Lakers Loss Exposes Need

2009-12-16T16:40:46Z

Once again, the Bulls tease us with a great three-quarter performance against the World Champion Lakers only to fall meekly in the fourth quarter.

Roger I. Abrams: David Stern's Misguided Musing

2009-12-16T08:51:10Z

NBA Commissioner David Stern is generally credited with having led his league out of Egypt to the Promised Land. Faced with a deteriorating business model and by hemorrhaging balance sheets, Stern resurrected an entertainment goldmine. Great stars, led by Michael Jordan, Larry Byrd and Magic Johnson, led the charge, attracting the American sports fan and his dollars. Basketball became the world's second most favorite sport after soccer. When I taught Sports Law on sabbatical in the UK, my European graduate students wanted to know whether I knew Michael Jordan personally. I assured them that he had never defeated me in a game of one-on-one. No one bothered to ask if we had ever played.

Now Commissioner Stern has floated a trial business balloon that could cement his reputation as a master of innovation. Alternatively, it could just be a significant faux pas. He suggested last week that accepting legalized gambling as a part of the NBA product was a "possibility" that "may be a huge opportunity" now that gambling no longer carries the curse of immorality. Even expressing the thought was quite a gamble.

Perhaps this was Stern's unlikely way to deal with the aftermath of the scandal involving an established NBA referee, Tim Donaghy, who admitted betting on games and supplying the mob with insider information. Since Donaghy has served his time in jail, Stern might think about appointing him to head the new gambling bureau of the NBA since he is certainly familiar with the terrain.

The problem with gambling, of course, is not its immorality. That has been clear since the Catholic Church discovered bingo and the states jumped on board with lottery games. The problem, especially when betting involves an easily understood and adjustable point spread as in basketball, is that games close to the point spread will be subject to question. While Donaghy claimed on 60 Minutes that he never shaved points and even threw a coach out of a game knowing he had money on his team, the implicit admission is that he could have affected the games had he not been so "scrupulously honest." The heart of his inside information was that he knew who was refereeing a game and he knew those referees' predilections concerning the players who would be competing. They would make calls against the complainers. No one has refuted this explosive claim, although the NBA is certainly examining the data.

Stern would respond that there is so much money already bet on professional basketball that the NBA would simply be capturing the vig that would otherwise go to the dark side. I have no doubt that the NBA could run the betting game in a safer way, much as the gambling shops in the UK protect the gambling handle and off-track betting accomplishes the same for horse racing in many places in this country.

The problem comes in confusion about the product the NBA is selling. The NBA markets wonderful athletic competition with extremely talented players who are perhaps the best athletes on the court, field or rink. The entire enterprise would fall with even one example of a game being decided on something other than the merits of play. Point shaving is as deleterious as game throwing. Moreover, fixing games need not be perfect. Donaghy said he was only correct 75% of the time, and on that basis he could have made millions.

One factor the NBA has going for it is that its players already are millionaires on their way to becoming multimillionaires. No one would confuse Lebron James' net worth with that of any member of the 1919 Chicago White Sox who were chiseled out of every penny by owner Charles Comiskey. (They were originally called the "Black Sox" because Comiskey was too cheap to launder their filthy uniforms.) No one should suggest that NBA basketballers need more pocket money that can only be supplied by nefarious interests. On the other hand, greed has always been a powerful motivator, even for the already rich, like Bernie Madoff, who continued to skim off his share of the loot long after he was comfortably rich.

Perhaps Commissioner Stern is being realistic and foresighted. Gambling is part of the game now. The only issue is who should benefit from it. Even if Stern has seen the future - the land of Canaan - and he has the legitimacy to pursue it, it is unlikely to occur. My guess is that the commissioners of the other major sports were soon on the phone to David Stern to suggest that he save his musings for his memoirs.

Baseball was almost destroyed by the gambling that corroded the sport for five decades before the Black Sox scandal hit the front page. Only a monarchical Judge Landis could save the National Pastime from itself. European soccer is now in the early stages of a game-throwing cataclysm that is likely to severely injure the beautiful game. We seem to have finally ended the steroid era, but some other scandal will likely take its place. It would be nice to have a few years of just sports. Stern's interesting "possibility" should be shelved.