Tim Tebow and Taylor Swift spotted on dinner date

Could a dinner date between Tim Tebow and Taylor Swift be the beginning of a budding romance?

The NFL quarterback and country songbird were spotted having dinner together Monday night at Toscanova Italian restaurant in Century City, according to Page Six of the New York Post.

Eat your heart out Kim Kardashian.

"After dinner, he walked her out," a source told the website Clevvertv, who added that it was unknown if the get-together was a date.  "The he walked back in to join two other people.  I think they may both have been with their agents."

If Tebow and Swift start dating, it could be a match made in heaven.  Both of them have strong Christian roots and religious values.

Tebow is known for praying on the football field and quoting the scriptures at interviews; while Swift had a Christian rock band open for her on her last tour.

The 22-year-old Swift has been linked with actor Jake Gyllenhall, 31, and singer John Mayer, 34, in the past.  She recently denied dating Zac Efron, her co-star in the animated film "The Lorax."

Tebow, meanwhile, has rubbing shoulders with a lot of Hollywood big shots like Tom Cruise since showing up at the Vanity Fair Oscar party on Sunday night.

Swift was seen chatting up the Denver Broncos quarterback at the pre-Oscar William Morris Endeavor Bash.

Even if the new face of the NFL and country music's sweetheart never become the next great power couple, maybe Swift will still write a song about it.

Forget Linsanity; Nets have Lopez-apalooza

In only his third game back from surgery for a broken foot, Brook Lopez blew up for 38 points and led the New Jersey Nets to an upset win over the defending champion Dallas Mavericks, 93-92.

While all the talk was about Deron Williams and speculation that he would return to his hometown of Dallas, it was Lopez who made the loudest statement.

At the same time, Lopez has increased his own trade value.

The Nets center scored 21 points in the first half and hit the winning free-throws with 42.4 seconds remaining in the game.

The Mav's Jason Terry made a slashing gesture against his throat to get the Dallas crowd pumped up, but Lopez hit both free throws.

"Lopez was a monster tonight," said Williams.  "He carried us from the start of the game and it makes a difference."

If Williams was auditioning for the Mavericks, he got a slight case of stage fright.

The Nets All-Star finished the night with 12 points on 2-for-15 shooting, but still had 12 assists.

"I've said it all season, when we get him back we become a different team and you saw a lot of that tonight," he added.

Jason Kidd, who led the Nets to two NBA Championship series, missed two potential game-winning shots for Dallas in the final seconds of the game.

The Nets have now won three tough road games in a row— in Chicago, New York and Dallas— and appear to be making a run at the playoffs.

"I had to get back in and find my place.  I didn't want to be that monkey wrench coming back and mess up their flow," said Lopez.  "These guys have been playing great on the road and so we just wanted to continue to do that tonight."

Maybe a "donny-Brook" will break out for the big guy's services.

Taxpayers footing $750,000 soccer field at Gitmo

While the U.S. deficit increases to record numbers and the country is making cuts to its national defense budget, the Pentagon has said it is restoring soccer at Guantanamo Bay by completing a 28,000-square foot "super-rec" space that includes a field surrounded by a gravel running track with shaded areas in the corners at the taxpayer's cost of $750,000.

After Camp 4—an open-aired, communal-detention center— at Gitmo was closed and the inmates were moved to an indoor facility called Camp 6, the detainees lost a small patch of turf where the accused terrorists played soccer— or football as they call it.

There will be half-sized indoor and outdoor facilities available for recreation.

Now the detainees can once again play the glorious game for up to a maximum of 20 hours a day.

The prisoners will be able to reach the field through covered walkways— that the military is calling "habitat trails"— without the aid of an escort.

The project— which was signed off on in April 2011—  is expected to be completed by this spring.

Graffiti artists give Linsanity a tribute

Jeremy Lin has been painting the city of New York orange and blue for weeks and now— in their interpretation of Linsanity— a crew of graffiti artists have spray-painted a larger-than-life size image of the New York Knicks point guard on the brick wall outside an East Village building.

Who knew a religious, Harvard-educated out-of-towner could garner such street cred in New York.

The East Second Street mural is just a couple of stops on the F-line away from his brother's Lower East Side apartment where Lin famously crashed on a couch before his phenomenal rise to stardom and fame.

In a little over two hours, Wilfredo (Bio) Feliciano and three other members of his Bronx-based Tats Cru spray-painted the image of Lin holding up a big blue earth over his head with basketball seams sewn into the globe.  He looks like the mythic Atlas in a No. 17 Knicks uniform with three pigeons in astronaut helmets circling in the celestial background.

The graffiti crew went through a dozen cans of Rustoleum during the painting of the colorful tribute.  Passersby recognized the Knicks sensation and shouted "Linsanity!" as they walked by.

The artists used a photo of Lin shouting in celebration to capture the features of his face in their portrayal of the popular player.

The mural was commissioned by online culture magazine Animalnewyork for several thousand dollars and will be up for at least a month.

"We figured Atlas was the perfect kind of symbol for this myth," said an editor at Animalnewyork.  "We've tasked him with not only carrying the Knicks, but New York City too."

Knicks fans are hoping Lin's heroics last longer than the mural.

Minor league team marking Titanic anniversary by allowing women and children in first

April 15, 2012 is the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic and what better way to mark the disaster than having a baseball promotion to commemorate the occasion with a "women and children first" gimmick.

The Potomac Nationals (a Single-A Washington Nationals affiliate in the Carolina League) are celebrating the milestone date by allowing women and children into the ballpark 15 minutes before the men.

Should the special treatment make the attendees feel like kings of the world or give them a sinking feeling?

According to a promotional e-mail— outlining highlights of the upcoming P-Nats season— sent to the media on Monday, the Potomac Nationals will hold the very special promotion on April 15, 100 years to the day that the passenger liner struck an iceberg on its maiden voyage and slipped to the ocean floor taking 1,517 lives with it.

One could only hope there is less of a panic at the gates of G. Richard Pfitzer Stadium than on board the ship that fateful night— when cowardly men reportedly shoved the women and children aside to get their own butts into a lifeboat.

"The promotion is still a work in progress," said Nationals general manager Josh Olerud.  "We've been talking about different things we'll be doing during the game, and we'll be adding things as we dig up more facts about the Titanic.  It's our way of commemorating something that was a big part of our history, and obviously a tragedy of huge proportions."

Isn't a promotion like this trivializing the horror of the Titanic.  The only promotions that come to mind when I hear about this idea are the Chicago White Sox's "Disco Demolition Night" and  the Cleveland Indians "10-cent Beer Night"— both disastrous ideas in their own right and in hindsight.

Maybe history will repeat itself and men will dress up as women— like some men on the Titanic— to get into the game 15 minutes early and the band will play on even if the P-Nats are going down 23-0 to the Lynchburg Hillcats.

Mullet Nights are bad enough and the "business-in-the-front, party-in-the-back" hairstyles have been called fashion disasters but file this Titanic promotion under 'What are they thinking?'

Is Jolie'ing the new Tebowing?

A couple of days after the Oscars and people aren't talking about "The Artist," Billy Crystal's comeback or how another Billy Beane project didn't win the big one.  No way.  The talk is about Angelina Jolie's leg.

When the star stuck her leg through the slit of her gown, she got more than some hearts going, she set off the the latest stampede of photo bombing and posing in... well... weeks.

The latest craze is called Jolie'ing.

Jolie's sexy red carpet stance has the Internet lighting up with people imitating (mocking?) her pose in everything from gowns to bed sheets.

Jolie'ing is carrying on the relatively new tradition of planking, Tebowing and all that stuff with Linsanity.

Just put your left hand on your hip, right hand slung down at your side and your right leg seductively thrust forward (preferably naked) and you are Jolie'ing.

Digitally altered Jolie leg-bombings of American icons like the Statue of Liberty, George Washington crossing the Delaware and Jeremy Lin are all the rage.

There is even a new website Angelina Jolie'ing where you can submit your own Jolie'ing shots.

The fad might have started when "The Descendants" co-writer Jim Rash got to the Oscar podium for his Academy Award and struck the Jolie pose.  I don't think Jolie was laughing.

Jolie's awkward stance has launched an lot of sites devoted to her right leg.  One Twitter handle — AngiesRightLeg— has almost 15,000 followers.

I don't know if Jolie'ing will catch on in sports like Tebowing— the thought of a Ray Lewis, head atilt, with a hand on his hip is a pretty scary image— for more than one reason.

Packers Donald Driver joins "Dancing with the Stars"

Donald Driver might be known for his end zone dances after scoring a touchdown for the Green Bay Packers, but now it's his chance to show if he can pull the same moves on the dance floor.

Driver— the Packers all-time leading receiver— was one of 12 "celebrities" picked to appear on season 14 of "Dancing with the Stars."

Driver was matched up with New Zealand beauty Peta Murgatroyd to compete against the likes of 67-year-old Gladys Knight (minus the Pips), Little House's Melissa Gilbert, Urkel (Jaleel White) and a bunch of C-list stars.

Host Robin Roberts introduced the smiling Driver to the Los Angeles crowd by saying, "You...Super Bowl champion you."

Driver's pairing with the Murgatroyd (her second season on DWTS)  makes them a front-runner.  NFL stars have done pretty good on the show in the past and Martina Navratilova is the only other athlete competing this season.

A lot of people were hoping Victor Cruz might appear on the ABC show, but the New York Giants salsa dancing receiver made it clear— even with the urging of his mom—that he wouldn't appear on the show for at least for a couple of seasons.

No word on if Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers will let Driver use his "Discount Double Check" moves.

Babe Ruth jersey expected to fetch at least $1 million at auction

A Babe Ruth jersey— the oldest known existing uniform top worn by the New York Yankees legendary slugger— is going on the auction block and is expected to fetch at least $1 million according to experts.


The Bambino's 1920 uniform could even challenge the auction record for one piece of baseball memorabilia, set by the Honus Wagner trading card that went for $2.8 million in 2007, according to the New York Post.

The jersey, once worn by the The Babe when he was just a baseball rookie, is going on the block next month and apparently there is not a mustard stain to be seen.

"We've been in this business for 30 years, and this is simply the finest piece we've ever handled,' said Dan Imler, managing director of SCP Auctions in Laguna Nigel, Calif.  "We could be in business for another 30 years and never handle another piece like this."

SCP did not release the jersey's current owner.

The online auction will start on April 30 and conclude on May 19.  That gives fans plenty of time to save up and own a piece of baseball history.

The Yankees gray road uniform was worn by The Sultan of Swat during his first season when the Yankees players didn't wear numbers on the uniforms, so the jersey is identified as George Herman Ruth's by the "RUTH G.H." stitched into the inside collar.

The rare uniform has appeared before.  It was enclosed inside a glass case at the the Babe Ruth Birthplace Museum in Baltimore between 2004 and 2009.

Lee Westwood lands ball inside woman's shirt

Lee Westwood's errant tee shot on the 13th hole yesterday at the Match Play Championship somehow ended up inside the polo shirt of a woman standing in the gallery.

The gray-haired woman inexplicably apologized to Westwood for his shank before he got to drop the ball after the lady shook the little hunchback out from behind on her own.

I'm sure there would have been a lot more ball-removing volunteers if that Titlelist had landed inside the blouse of let's say... a Kate Upton.

Last week, a ball hit by Phil Mickelson at the Northern Trust Open landed inside the shorts of a male spectator.  Mickelson gave the jubilant man a signed glove but dropped a different ball.

Yesterday's shot was wasn't nearly as nasty.

Minka Kelly trading Jeter's Yankees cap for a Fez

It sounds like Derek Jeter won't need an extra toothbrush in his St. Petersburg mansion during spring training this year.  The New York Daily News reported that the New York Yankees former squeeze Minka Kelly was spotted being squired around a Hollywood club by Wilmer Valderrama— better known as the character Fez on "That '70's Show."

Sources told the Daily News that, on Saturday night, Valderrama exited Beacher's Madhouse to escort Kelly and her friend inside the club.

The 32-year-old Valderrama— who besides the sit-com is mostly known for being a Hollywood Lothario last seen dating 19-year-old Demi Lovato— stayed by the side of Kelly all night.

The source reported that the pair was careful about not appearing too affectionate in the celebrity hangout.

Kelly— whose "Charlie's Angels" series was cancelled after a few episodes last season— was spotted in Paris with the Yankees shortstop this winter after they reportedly broke up.  They haven't been seen together since.

Jeter is currently at the Yankees spring training camp in Tampa.

A friend of Valderrama's told the Daily News said the actor and Kelly "are getting to know each other" right now.

Ben & Jerry's apologizes for using fortune cookies in 'Lin-Sanity' flavor

A Boston branch of Ben & Jerry's has apologized for offering a frozen yogurt flavor— that was inspired by NBA sensation Jeremy Lin and "listed fortune cookie pieces" as an ingredient— because there were a few complaints that it played on Asian stereotypes.

"Taste The Lin-Sanity"— a flavor offered for a limited time at the Vermont chain's Harvard Square location— replaced the fortune cookie bits with a waffle cookie served on the side after what the shop's general manager called "a bit of a backlash."

"On behalf of Ben & Jerry's Boston Scoop Shops, we offer a heartfelt apology if anyone was offended by our handmade Linsanity flavor that we offered at out Harvard Square location," the local company said yesterday on its @Ben.JerryBoston Twitter account.

The popular new flavor—which was only sold at the one location— sold out over the weekend.  Lin played his college ball at Harvard University.

"We are proud and honored to have Jeremy Lin hail from one of our fine, local universities and we are huge sports fans," said statement from the Ben & Jerry's Boston group.  "We were swept up in the nationwide Linsanity momentum.  Our intention was to create a flavor to honor Jeremy Lin's accomplishments and his meteoric rise in the NBA, and recognize that he was a local Harvard graduate.  We try to demonstrate our commitment as a Boston-based, value-led business & if we failed in this instance we offer our sincere apologies."

While everything from All-Star weekends to ice cream companies try to cash in on the Linsanity craze, it sounds like people are getting a little too sensitive about the Taiwanese-American's heritage.

The apology sounded awfully similar to the one made by ESPN after the network posted a headline and aired a word many consider offensive to Asians.  Those gaffes led to a suspension and a firing.

Funny thing is fortune cookies are rarely served in China and the after dinner treats are only mostly common in Chinese restaurants in the U.S..  They're as American as apple pie— or Jeremy Lin.

The politically-correct chain also said the pieces of cookie— mixed in with the frozen yogurt and lychee honey swirls— became soggy.

There was no exp-LIN-ation for that.

St. John's scores basket for Notre Dame; But still upsets No. 20 Fighting Irish

St. John's is starting to play its best basketball of the season and— despite scoring a basket for the visiting team— held off a frenetic come-back by Notre Dame to post its first victory over a ranked team this season.

Even if the Red Storm wasn't perfect for 40 minutes, they definitely played their best first half in 2012.

The Red Storm won their third straight game by shocking the 20th-ranked Fighting Irish, 61-58, in Madison Square Garden on Saturday afternoon.

St. John's (13-16, 6-10) had lost 10 consecutive games against ranked opponents this season when— with three minutes to go and a 56-52 lead— a missed shot by Notre Dame's Pat Connaughton was inadvertently tipped in by St. John's Sir'Dominic Pointer to close the gap to two points.

It looked like another Red Storm collapse was inevitable.

Notre Dame's Jack Cooley was credited with the score, but replays showed he never even touched the ball— it was all Pointer.

It was a bucket that the Red Storm couldn't afford to give the visiting team.  St. John's went more than five minutes without scoring a field goal and were up only 57-56 with 44 seconds left after Notre Dame scored on an inbounds pass.

Notre Dame (20-9, 12-4) stormed back from a double-digit deficit and had momentum on its side.  Only Amir Garret's drive through traffic in the lane with no time on the shot clock and only 8.9 seconds left  saved the game for the Johnnies.  Garret's runner clinched the victory and snapped the Fighting Irish's nine-game win streak.

Notre dame's Alex Dragevich missed a long three-point shot at the end of the game.

Moe Harkless— the freshman phenom— finished with 22 points  and nine rebounds.  D'Angelo Harrison had 15 points and Garret had 11.  Cooley and Scott Martin finished with 18 apiece for the Irish.

Both coaching staffs sported blue bow ties to help raise awareness of prostate cancer.  St. John's head coach Steve Lavin is still recovering from surgery for the disease.

Car attempts dunk over Blake Griffin in Kia commercial

It seems like Blake Griffin has famously dunked over almost everyone in the NBA from Kendrick Perkins to to whole New Jersey Nets team.  He even did a commercial for Kia where he dunked over one of their automobiles.

Now the car manufacturer has teamed up with Funny or Die and produced an ad where a Kia Optima is supposed to dunk over the Los Angeles Clippers forward.

Actor Jeff Goldblum appears in the spoof-like ad as a "Dunkologist"— the scientist who designs the stunt to test his theory.  He is really a "theoretical physicist" but changes his title because "it doesn't quite  have the ring to it."

The plan is for the car to race up a ramp at full speed, pass "over Blake" then release a ball into the net.   As you can guess, things go awry.

The ubiquitous Griffin is a spokesman for so many products including Subway and Nike.  His Kia ads are already funny for their subtlety odd sense of humor.

Griffin is slowly becoming the new Peyton Manning of Madison Avenue.  Could Saturday Night Live be next?


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Ex-Met Lenny Dykstra granted permission to attend Gary Carter's funeral

Former New York Mets star Lenny Dykstra will be permitted to attend the funeral of teammate Gary Carter after he "begged" a judge to let him go.

The disgraced and broke Dykstra, who is under house arrest in Los Angeles on allegations of bankruptcy fraud and embezzlement, filed papers with a judge earlier this week in an attempt to attend Carter's funeral, according to TMZ.com.

The judge allowed Dykstra's request to cross state lines to attend the memorial service in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. at 7 p.m. on Friday night.

Carter died last Thursday after a long battle with brain cancer.  He was 57.

Nicknamed "Nails" because of his tough style of play, Dykstra played alongside Carter on the Mets from 1985-89.  The were integral parts of the Mets during that charismatic team's miraculous '86 World Championship title run.

 It was Carter's two-out single in the 10th inning of Game 6 of the World Series against the Boston Red Sox that ignited a rally and forced a Game 7.

Dykstra is out on bail for charges he sold or destroyed items under jurisdiction of bankruptcy court.

In addition to Dykstra, some of Carter's former Mets teammates expected to attend the funeral are: Keith Hernandez, Wally Backman, Howard Johnson, Roger McDowell, Darryl Strawberry, Sid Fernandez and Bob Ojeda.

Spike and Mayweather hug it out courtside

Boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr.— who tweeted derogatory comments about New York Knicks phenom Jeremy Lin being over-hyped because he was Asian— was spotted courtside making nice with the team's No. 1 fan Spike Lee last night in Miami.

Mayweather approached the Knicks fanatic during New York's 102-88 loss to the Miami Heat and the two shook hands, chatted and appeared to bury the hatchet.

Lee held a grudge against Mayweather because earlier this month the welterweight champ criticized— via Twitter— all of the attention Lin was getting based solely on his race.

"Jeremy Lin is a good player, but all the hype is because he's Asian," tweeted Mayweather.  "Black players do what he does every night and don't get the same praise."

Lee took offense to the comment and immediately tweeted back .

"Floyd Mayweather I Hope You Watched Jeremy Hit The Gamewinning 3 Pointer With .005 Seconds Left.Our Guy Can BALL PLAIN AND SIMPLE.RECOGNIZE."

After last night's meeting, it looked like there was a truce.

"Floyd Mayweather And I Had A Great Conversation Courtside," Lee tweeted after the game.  "We're MAD COOL.ALL    LOVE.2Brotha's.YA-DIG."

Meanwhile, another huge Lin fan— and Mayweather's biggest rival— Manny Pacquiao was a little bummed out that he didn't get to see the Knicks player while he was in New York this week.

"It's too bad that I didn't get a chance to watch the game," said the welterweight at a press conference promoting his June 9 fight against Tim Bradley.  "He's a good basketball player.  I'm proud of him because he's from Asia."

Lin is actually from Palo Alto, Calif. but his parents are from Taiwan.

Pacquiao has also been the target of some of Mayweather's anti-Asian rants in the past.

Mayweather had the last laugh for now— after Lin was held to 1-of-11 shooting while turning the ball over eight times last night— but he will be headed to the cLINk in June for a domestic violence conviction.

Freddie Roach: Pacquiao will get Bradley in late rounds

The New York media was hoping for something controversial to happen at the Manny Pacquiao-Tim Bradley press conference in Manhattan Thursday afternoon and nothing happened— again.

No slaps to the face or spit in the eye for these two fighters.  Not even an overturned desert dish at the Hudson River catering hall— just plain old respect.

For reporters looking for something to spice up the upcoming June 9 world welterweight title fight in Las Vegas it seemed more like vanilla pudding.

The fighters complimented each other from the dais then stood face-to-face and smiled.

It was a repeat of the civilized press conference they held two days earlier in Beverly Hills— where the most excitement was when Pacquiao snatched a photographer's camera and took snapshots of his opponent.

Maybe the only thing that can motivate Pacquiao these days is Floyd Mayweather Jr..

Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach had a better explanation and said his fighter "has changed."


 "Manny has really found God," he said.

"No more gambling, no more drinking, no more nothing," he said.

Asked if he was concerned that Pacquiao didn't finish off any of his opponents over his last four fights and Pacquiao's new-found pacifism could affect his bout with Bradley, Roach didn't sound worried.

"Yeah.  He could have definitely knocked out two, but didn't want to hurt them," said Roach.  "He's a compassionate person.  He won't embarrass them, but I tell him every fight to get a knock out so there won't be any questions asked."

Roach claims Pacquiao hasn't lost any of his killer instinct in the ring and will bring it when necessary.

"Bradley is not the type to be your friend in there," he said.

"Bradley comes out aggressive.  It's going to be a fast start," said Roach.  "He doesn't know how hard Manny punches and once he feels that power— we'll get him.  It will take a while to break this guy down."

Yankees sign—you heard it right— Burt Reynolds

The New York Yankees signed a player named— get this— Burt Reynolds.

No, not the mustachioed actor from such films as Deliverance, The Longest Yard and the Smokey and the Bandit series.

According to the YES Network, this Burt Reynolds might not have any relation to the movie star, but has a strong bloodline— he is reportedly the cousin of Yankees star second baseman Robinson Cano.

Last season, the 23-year-old Reynolds batted .232 with 13 homeruns, 36 RBI's and 11 stolen bases for the Newark Bears of the Can-Am Baseball Association.

The third baseman/outfielder was originally a 30th round pick of the Washington Nationals in 2006 and is a native of San Pedro de Marcoris, Dominican Republic.  He spent three years in the Tampa Bay minor-league system before going to the independent Can-Am.

The 2011 Bears were managed by former-Yankee outfielder Tim Raines and had a couple of familiar names from the Yankees past in the lineup including Tim Raines Jr. and Todd Gossage, the youngest son of Hall of Fame closer Rich "Goose" Gossage.

It might have been nice to have the actor Reynolds— the world's biggest box office draw for most of the '70's— hanging around Yankees spring training.

The Yankees haven't had a good mustache on the team since the days of Don Mattingly.

Lin unlikely to make U.S. Olympic team; China is waiting

Will Jeremy Lin be playing on the U.S. Olympic basketball team in this summer's London Games?  Don't count on it.

Jerry Colangelo— the current director of USA Basketball— said Lin was "a great story for the NBA, for the Knicks, for this young man and what he's accomplished in such a short period of time."

The key word is "short."

The longtime sports executive also added," The players who already have time invested in the system have equity built up."

Could Colangelo be making the same mistake that big-time colleges and NBA teams did when they let Lin fly under their radar in the past?

In three weeks, Lin has made plenty of athletic directors, general mangers and coaches look back at how they missed out on giving the point guard his shot.

Vintage 1894 football card found in farmhouse; Player resembles Peyton Manning

The oldest known football card ever seen was found by a man cleaning out a Kentwood, Mich. farmhouse and headed to the trash until he decided to take it to a sports card dealer.

Good thing.  The vintage 1894 card— considered the "Holy Grail" of football cards— bears the likeness of Harvard's John Dunlop and was appraised at a value of  $10,000.

The card is labeled "Anonymous" because it doesn't bear Dunlop's name but the sepia-toned headshot does have a strange resemblance to Peyton Manning.

Could it be?  It feels like that whole saga between the Indianapolis Colts quarterback and team owner Jim Irsay started about 118 years ago too.

                                                             

The unidentified man found the rare card— along with 35 other cards of mostly boxers including one of the all-time greats John Sullivan— in an old notebook while emptying out the home after a death in the family.

Experts said the vintage card was issued by the Mayo Tobacco Works of Richmond, Virginia and is part  of a set considered to be the first and rarest collection of football cards ever printed.

All of the cards will be submitted for auction.

Manning's status is still in the air.

Sports Illustrated doesn't stop the Linsanity

For the second week in a row, Jeremy Lin will grace the cover of Sports Illustrated— the first New York athlete to ever achieve that honor.

Joe Namath, Derek Jeter or Eli Manning never did it.

It's hard to believe all of all the phenomenal New York sports stars who join those three champions on that  list: Mantle, Reed, Gooden, Rivera, Messier, L.T. and Ewing.

Now comes Lin with two covers during his three week old legacy.

The story of the undrafted benchwarmer, bouncing around the NBA, sleeping on his brother's couch and waiting for his shot has been played out to almost exhaustion.

Now the overachieving and humble Lin has an apartment at the Trump Tower in White Plains and is planning on renting a place in Manhattan's ritzy W Hotel— just for home games.

There are even odds on who he will be dating.  By the way Kim Kardashian is still the odds-on-favorite at 4-1 with Jennifer Aniston pulling up the rear at 25-1.

Baron Davis tweets: Gesture was a kiss; not smoking a joint

Baron Davis wanted to clear the air after a photo of the New York Knicks backup point guard appeared on numerous websites which characterized him as simulating smoking a joint to celebrate making his first basket in a Knicks uniform during Tuesday night's game against the New Jersey Nets.

The photo— taken from the MSG Network— showed Baron putting his fingertips to his mouth like he was toking on a roach after he sunk a three-point shot.

Davis tweeted and his agent Todd Ramasar confirmed to The New York Post that the point guard was just blowing a kiss.

Last night, Jeremy Lin's new backup tweeted, "To clear up rumors, I was kissing my hands after I shot the 3 last night.  Kissing the 3 was all I was doing.  Stop fishing and hating plz."

Ramasar said he was angry that the gesture was taken out of context.

"He wasn't making gestures of smoking," said Ramasar.  "Baron was making gestures of blowing kisses on his three.  That's ridiculous anyone would insinuate he was making smoking gestures."

It does look like he is imitating one of those chefs drawn on a pizza box and saying, "Hey!  That's a good shot."

 Baron was making his Knicks debut and came off the bench for 10 minutes during the 100-92 loss.

He was playing his first NBA game since April with the Cleveland Cavaliers and finished with three points, one assist and a turnover.

The NBA did not comment.

Yankees David Robertson thinks Mariano Rivera 'might Brett Favre us'

David Robertson sounded a little skeptical after the New York Yankees closer-in-waiting was asked if he believes Mariano Rivera will hand over the position after this season.   Earlier this week, Rivera— the future Hall-of-Famer— said he made an "irrevocable" decision regarding his future but wasn't ready to reveal it.

Most pundits think the 42-year-old Rivera is ready to pack it in— all except the man with most to gain, Robertson— Rivera's presumed successor.

"He may have hinted, but you never know.  He could Brett Favre us," Robertson said on Tuesday morning before the Yankees' second pitchers and catchers workout of spring training.

Rivera— the all-time saves leader— sounded like he would call it a career after the 2012 season.

"Decisions like that are always hard.  Always," Rivera said on Monday.  "[It] involves what you do, it involves what you have done for 22 years, you know?"

"But at the same time, they have to be made."

Linsanity package up for auction; current bid is $31,388

Auction houses are cashing in on the rise of Jeremy Lin and today is the final day fans can place bids on a Linsane package deal which includes four tickets to Wednesday's game against the Atlanta Hawks, the jersey Lin wore when he scored 38 points as the Knicks beat the Lakers on Feb. 10 and a meet-and-greet with the NBA's newest star after the game.

Bidding at Madison Square Garden's charity operation, The Garden of Dreams Foundation, are up to $31,388, according to the New York Post.

No skinfLINts allowed.

It might prove to be a good Lin-vestment.  A five-day auction for tickets and a grip-and-grin with Lin last week went for a measly $5,700 and Lin's D-League Erie Bayhawks #17 jersey is selling for almost $4,000 on eBay.  Bidding started at $1,500.

Better hurry, the value of anything Lin are rising as fast as his stardom.

So come on down to Crazy Dolan's.  Our prices are Linsaaaane!

Mark Zuckerberg faces Linsanity from behind Knicks bench

Facebook founder and Internet billionaire Mark Zuckerberg poked his face into the crowd at Madison Square Garden and checked on the status of another former-Harvard student and current NBA sensation Jeremy Lin.

The social-media giant sat directly behind the Knicks bench— not suprisingly— during Sunday afternoon's nationally-televised game between the New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks.

Zuckerberg had to like what he saw after the Knicks beat the defending champions 104-97 in front of a sold-out crowd.

Photos of the 27-year-old gazillionaire began popping up on Twitter during the first quarter after an ABC camera panned the Knicks bench and Zuckerberg's smiling face was front and center on the screen.

Lin's status as a legend continued to grow.  He poured in a team-high 28 points and handed out 14 assists yesterday.

The media mogul— and Harvard dropout— could easily afford the prime seats.  Hell, Zuckerberg could buy the whole team by dipping two fingers into his petty cash budget alone.  Come to think of it,  there wouldn't be a descending peep from a single Knicks fan if he did.  Now that would be Linsane.

Zuckerberg now calls Palo Alto, Calif.  his home and — coincidentally— it is Lin's hometown as well.

Lin attended Harvard from 2006-07 and from 2009-10 while Zuckerberg left Harvard for the west coast in 2004, so the two youthful phenoms' paths have probably never crossed before.

There was no comment from Zuckerberg after the game.

Rex Chapman makes racially-charged joke about Lin on Twitter

While some of the puns about Jeremy Lin are quite creative and pretty funny, some people still don't know when they cross the line.  A couple of ESPN employees learned that lesson the hard way over the weekend.

Now, former University of Kentucky star and NBA player Rex Chapman made what many would call a racially insensitive joke about the New York Knicks pickup of J.R. Smith being a good move because he "played in China."


According to the New York Daily News, Chapman— who played 12 years in the NBA with the Hornets, Bullets, Heat and Suns—shared his thoughts via Twitter on the Knicks acquisition of Smith— who played in China during the NBA lockout— and joined the Knicks for the first time yesterday:

"I say J.R. is such a great pick-up 4 the #Lins only because he's been playing the past six-mo's in China.  So easy now for him to recognize his PG."

Chapman made the comments after the Knicks 104-97 win over the defending NBA champs the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday.

Unless you have been living under a rock— or depended on the MSG Network for Knick games— Lin is Taiwanese-American and the first one to play in the NBA.

But Chapman didn't stop there, according to the Daily News.

User @Mars_Pow tweeted to Chapman, whose official account is @rexchapman, 'c'mon Rex, you know you are going to upset some people with that tweet.'

Chapman acted like it was no big deal.

He replied, "I'll let you know when I give a sh-t."

Lin's race has been publicly brought into the equation by a lot of people including boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. and numerous reporters.  Broadcasters are being spoofed on Saturday Night Life for using racially-insensitive material about the Knicks point guard.

Through it all, Lin— the national sensation— has been taking it all in stride.

"They've apologized and so from my end, I don't care anymore," said Lin about the ESPN gaffes.  "You have to learn to forgive, and I don't even think that was intentional."

There are more important things for Lin to worry about than comments from a faded NBA player like Chapman.

Man gets hit in groin by Phil Mickelson ball and gets signed glove

An errant tee shot by Phil Mickelson at the Northern Trust Open soared into the gallery and bounced up the shorts of one of the spectators.

After Mickelson's ball played clacker on the man's pair of Titleists, the golfer signed one of his gloves and handed it to the giddy soprano.

I don't what's more disturbing about this video clip— the injured man jumping around like a teenage Justin Bieber fan or the home boy kneeling down and pointing at the camera like some country club gangsta.

The guy looks street— with the cap pulled down over his forehead and the soul-patch on his chin— until you see the argyle sweater vest. Yo! Represent homes.

The Bloods, the Crips and the Yups.

Mickelson was tied for the lead when he got the banana-ball on the 15th hole.

He was overheard telling the officials, after they told him to take the ball and make a drop, "I ain't touching that damn thing."

St. John's beats UCLA to snap 4-game losing streak

D'Angelo Harrison scored 22 points and Phil Greene made a huge rebound with 6.5 seconds to play but it was Sir' Dominic Pointer's crowd-pleasing dunk that set the tone as St. John's defeated UCLA 66-63 on Saturday  at Madison Square Garden.

Pointer's dunk with 13:16 left seem to invigorate the Red Storm and got the home crowd into the game.

"Climbing the imaginary ladder" as CBS announcer Ian Eagle called Pointer's jam.

St. John's (11-16) snapped a four game losing streak and the win might be called sweet revenge for last year's loss at UCLA.  The California school was Red Storm head coach Steve Lavin's former team.

ESPN apologizes for racist Jeremy Lin headline

ESPN is apologizing for using what many consider a racist slur in a headline after Jeremy Lin and the New York Knicks had their seven game win streak ended by the New Orleans Hornets on Friday night.

The headline "Ch--k in the Armor" was posted for about 30 minutes on its mobile website before being pulled down by the network.  The headline was seen on phones and tablet computers a few hours after the loss.

A statement from ESPN today read: "Last night, ESPN.com's mobile web site posted an offensive headline referencing Jeremy Lin at 2:30 am ET.  The headline was removed at 3:03 am ET.  We are conducting a complete review of our cross-platform editorial procedures and are determining appropriate disciplinary action to ensure this does not happen again.  We regret and apologize for this mistake."

Lin is the NBA's first American of Chinese or Taiwanese descent and his mercurial rise— after an unheralded start to his pro career— has been the top sports story over the past two weeks.

The Knicks point guard's stellar play has sparked what has been called Linsanity.  His name has been used in numerous puns and fans have created websites devoted to making up new words using his surname.

It is not the first time ESPN has used the offensive term.  After the Knicks beat Sacramento on Wednesday, an anchor used the phrase to ask Walt Frazier if there was any signs of weakness in the point guard's game.

An ESPN spokesman said the network apologized on-air for the ESPN News faux pas. He said the network would not apologize  on air for the website headline, though they did apologize on their Twitter feed and through statement to the media.

Victoria's Secret models invade A-Rod's Miami mansion

Three bikini-clad Victoria's Secret models were spotted hanging around Alex Rodriguez's Miami mansion.  Too bad the New York Yankees third baseman wasn't at home.

A-Rod was out of town while Victoria's Secret used the slugger's $24 million spread for a pre-arranged photo shoot on Thursday, according to the New York Daily News.

While the scantily-clad women strutted around A-Rod's home in high-heels, the Yankees slugger was seen with his girlfriend Torrie Wilson in New York City.

Michael Bay— the famed film director behind the "Transformers" series and other over-the-top blockbusters—  was the photographer shooting the sexy lineup.

The sexy "Angels" looked quite comfortable lounging around A-Rod's patio in between takes.

The beachfront home was just finished last year and has a private dock, pool and spectacular views of the Atlantic Ocean.

It looks like like the views around A-Rod's pool on Thursday were pretty good good too.

While the names of the models— Candice Swanepool, Behati Prinsloo, and Doutzen Kroes— may not evoke the images of Ruth, DiMaggio and Mantle— they'll do.

Dereck Chisora slaps heavyweight champ Vitali Klitschko during weigh-in

Dereck Chisora, a British heavyweight contender, probably thought he wasn't getting enough respect from WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko before their title fight in Munich, Germany this Saturday.

So while the boxers were face-to-face at the weigh-in on Friday, the challenger slapped Klitschko across the face with his right hand.

Klitschko was stunned but did not retaliate.

FULL VIDEO

After Chisora— wearing a Union Jack bandana like a bandit's mask— was dragged away by officials and handlers, the champ— behind a red mark on his face—stared down Chisora and didn't mince words.

"I am going to hit back on Saturday," he said.  "He will get his beating."

Klitschko vowed to teach Chisora some proper British manners in the fight.

"He is from Great Britain," said Klitschko, " But he's lacking in appropriate manners."

Pacquiao to meet J-Lin at Madison Square Garden

Plans are in the works for Manny Pacquiao and Jeremy Lin to meet up Wednesday in New York— a day before the boxer's press conference to announce his match against Timothy Bradley in Las Vegas on June 9.

Pacquiao— an unabashed basketball fan— is in the U.S. to fulfill a healthy dose of commitments but has found time to meet with Lin at Madison Square Garden before the Knicks game against the Atlanta Hawks.

Call it Pac-Mania meets Linsanity.

The WBO welterweight champ is a basketball fanatic and it comes as no surprise to know that Pacquiao and his rival Floyd Mayweather Jr. are in different corners when it comes to the Knicks phenom.

Mayweather said the Asian-American Lin is overhyped because of his race; while Pacquiao— a national treasure in the Philippines— considers Lin a hero and wants to shake his hand.

Knicks still looking for more Linsanity puns

It looks like the New York Knicks are still looking for more clever Jeremy Lin puns to help milk the cash cow that has become known as Linsanity.

An ad running this week on Craigslist purports that the team still needs more Lin word-plays to put on tee-shirts, hats, sweatshirts and even bLINg— including keychains.

The headline at the top of the ad plainly says: "The New York Knicks need more Jeremy Lin puns."

The ad in part reads: "New York Knicks are seeking copywriter to provide as many Jeremy Lin-related puns as possible... Puns will be used on billboards and in-game Jumbotron."

Just keep those lame jokes rolLIN' in folks.

The Chinese-American point guard has led the Knicks to seven straight victories and has the city at a fever pitch.  Stores can't keep anything with the name Lin on it in stock.

According to the ad, a few of the Lin-associated words and phrases which already made the Madison Square Garden cut are Pure AdrenaLIN, I'm allLIN and Just ChilLIN.

I thought we reached the end of the line when David Letterman used LINtercourse in his Top Ten list the other night.

Now, even CLINt Eastwood and Bellybutton LINt have made it into the Lin vernacular.

It seems like every nickname and pun surrounding Lin has already been used and there is no end in sight for Linsanity.  Oh wait.  When does Carmelo Anthony come back?

The ad didn't specify if the words couldn't be biLINgual.  How about "Better than a bLINtz?"

Great Super Bowl commercial America didn't see

 Budweiser filmed a beer commercial for Super Bowl XLVI— which was only aired in Canada— starring the unsung members of two recreational hockey teams whose late-night game was crashed by flash mob-style scene.

The two Port Credit, Ontario amateur hockey teams were told that the cameras surrounding their empty ice rink were only being used to film a documentary about recreational league hockey and the unsuspecting players should just go about their usual game.

About eight minutes into the game— with only a single man sitting in the stands— 550 extras, including announcers, mascots, and hot women with painted bellies— stormed the rink carrying banners and cheering for the stunned players.

While the surprised members of the Generals and Amigos looked on from the ice, "fans" filled the tiny arena in an attempt giving the weekend warriors a taste of what it's like to be a pro and actually play in front of a crowd.

Mike Tyson drops air bomb during halftime interview

It's not exactly the most shocking slip of the tongue in the history of celebrity interviews, but you might call Mike Tyson's on-air s---bomb during the New York Knicks halftime show a case of temporary Linsanity.

The former heavyweight champion was being interviewed by MSG Network's Jill Martin at the Knicks-Kings game when he let the four-letter word fly.

Asked by Martin what was the "dumbest money ever spent in his life," Tyson replied:  "Anything I ever had.  Anything I ever had was dumb," before laughing and blurting out "There was some dumb s---."

Tyson, who seemed to catch his verbal gaffe, sheepishly put his hand to the side of his head and moved on.

Other tidbits we found out about Tyson were that he is the proud owner of between 2,500-3,000 pigeons and thinks his hidden talent is singing but will only warble a tune for money.

One of the last questions Martin asked Iron Mike is if he had one life do-over what would it be?

"That ear thing was pretty heavy," he said referring to taking a bite out of Evander Holyfield's ear during their 1997 fight.  "I wish I could do that one over."

""You'd take that back?" asked Martin.

"Yeah," Tyson said.  "At least not his ear."

Knicks No. 17 jerseys not Lin-gering on store racks

As Linsanity continues to sweep New York— and drive up prices for New York Knicks tickets and Jeremy Lin jerseys— one woman spent $1,200 on 60 T-shirts with her favorite player's name emblazoned on the back to send back to friends in Taiwan.

A New York Post reporter caught up with Eva Kuo at a Times Square sporting goods store hoarding the valuable booty bearing the name Lin on the back.

Stores are reportedly so low on anything with Lin's name on it, they have resorted getting rush deliveries to stock their shelves.

"I love Jeremy Lin," Kuo said.

Wouldn't it be cheaper to have her friends just get them over in Taiwan?  That's where they are made anyway.

NBA looking to add Jeremy Lin to All-Star Weekend

The NBA is giving serious thought to finding a way to get the season's biggest story down to its All-Star Weekend festivities in Orlando.

The idea of adding Jeremy Lin to the All-Star roster may be a hard sell considering the New York Knicks sensation has only five career starts; but it sounds like the league will somehow find a way to bring Linsanity to the party.

According to the New York Daily News, the NBA is trying to maximize the attention Lin is receiving and bringing the Knicks point guard down to the All-Star weekend is a no-brainer.

According to the Daily News source, the NBA is hoping to add Lin to its NBA All-Star lineup by having him participate in the Haier Shooting stars competition during All-Star Saturday night.  The competition features one current NBA player, one current WNBA player and one TNT on-air talent and legend on each team.

While it may hard to swallow the thought of a player who was cut by two teams and sitting on the Knicks bench just two weeks ago playing alongside Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Derrick Rose, the NBA knows the underdog Lin is too big a money-maker to keep away.

Pek-ingsanity replaces Linsanity in Madison Square Garden

A tiny petite Pekingese was the big winner at the 136th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show last night.  The tiny breed with a  smushed-in face surrounded by a mop of fur won Best in Show at Madison Square Garden.

Malachy took the top prize after he beat out 2,077 pure-bred canines from 185 different breeds.

"I'm still in shock.  It's the thrill of a lifetime," said David Fitzpatrick, the dog's handler and one of his owners.

The little pooch beat out big dogs like a Dalmatian, Doberman Pinscher, Irish Setter, Kerry Blue Terrier, German Shepherd, and a wire-haired Dachshund to get the title.

Jeter gets caught up in Knicks Linsanity

Derek Jeter is in Tampa busy with pre-spring training workouts and claims he hasn't watched the New York Knicks much lately except for "some highlights"— but even New York City's biggest sports icon over the past 15 years expressed amazement at the Jeremy Lin phenomenon sweeping the city and the NBA.

"I've seen some highlights," Jeter said yesterday at the Yankees minor league complex.  "It's always fun  anytime there is a new athlete, especially in New York, it's pretty exciting.  He brought some excitement to the Knicks."

Jeter must have been laughing on the inside after he was asked if he ever saw anything like the Knicks point guard sensation who—  a benchwarmer only two weeks ago— is now Madison Square Garden's Va-Lin-tine to Knicks fans.

The New York Yankees shortstop may not have ever crashed on a teammate's couch, but he's no stranger to media frenzies himself.  Jeter has been making highlight reels since 1996 and his quest for 3,000 hits last summer had the whole city watching his every move.

"There's a lot of excitement with that team, Carmelo [Anthony] coming over, now you have [Lin]," he said.  "I'm not a basketball expert but I do know he has added a lot of excitement to that team, which is good.  I think sports in general are a lot more fun when you have a team from New York that is doing well."

Derek Jeter should know.

Teammate tweets photo of J-Lin's famous couch for bidding

It's the sofa that launched the career of New York Knicks sensation Jeremy Lin and could be coming to a living room near you.

Lin's teammate Landry Fields tweeted a photo of the brown velour couch that the Knicks phenom started crashing on the night before he became a New York sports legend.

Fields tweeted a picture of the most famous sofa in the sports world and thinks it could be the ultimate accessory for any couch potato's man-cave.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the one and only couch made famous by @JLin7!," Fields tweeted Sunday afternoon.

"Let the bidding begin," he added.

Imagine hosting your friends on the couch and bragging "Jeremy Lin slept here" or " That spot on the cushion is J-Lin's drool."

The now legendary two-cushion sofa in Fields' Manhattan apartment was the resting place for Lin— the night before he jump-started the Knicks team and astounded the NBA— after he left the bench and torched the New Jersey Nets for 25 points on Feb. 4.

 Lin had been sleeping at the Lower East side apartment of his brother before being displaced and moving uptown to Fields' place.

Fields described the sled-style couch as "decent but not huge."

What is huge is Linsanity.

No. 17 has taken Madison Square Garden by storm.  The former-Harvard grad and NBA bench warmer has become a New York Knicks star by leading the team to five straight wins and playoff dreams. 

"Thank you to Landry for hosting me," Lin said after leading the Knicks— with a career-best performance— over the Nets on Saturday. "I think I might just move in with him."

I'm smelling a sit-com here.

Since getting a contract for the NBA minimum, Lin is now able to afford better digs.

The 6-foot-3 guard is shopping around for his own place and a real estate developer has even offered a one-bedroom apartment free until Lin can find a suitable place.

Knicks fans are hoping Lin buys instead of rents.  He's a free-agent after this season.

It's lights out for Clint Eastwood during Pebble Beach broadcast

While Phil Mickelson was playing lights out at the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am yesterday, there was a scary moment for Clint Eastwood in the CBS broadcast booth when one of the studio lights played out.

Announcers Jim Nance and Nick Faldo were joined int the booth by the legendary tough guy actor when the overhead light popped like a gun shot and the studio darkened.

In true Harry Callahan form, Eastwood didn't even flinch while Nance and Faldo ducked and joked afterwards.

Insert your favorite Dirty Harry movie quote here.

"Ouch," said Faldo as Eastwood sat still and smiled.

"It's like an old western here with Clint Eastwood," ad-libbed Nance.

Eastwood has been making a lot of news lately.

He is an Academy Award nominee for his film "J. Edgar" and  took a lot of heat this past week for his controversial Chrysler ad during the Super Bowl.  Now the light malfunction on national TV.

Call it the Good, the Bad and the Ugly.  See, I couldn't help it.

Cruz and Manningham Rock the Grammys

It's been quite a week for Victor Cruz.  Seven nights ago, the New York Giants upset the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis and it's been a a dance in the park for him ever since.

In the following days, Cruz finalized a new multi-million dollar contract, was in a Broadway ticker-tape parade and cut the ribbon at Lincoln Center to open Fashion Week.

Tonight, the Giants star receiver was rubbing elbows with the the music industry's top recording stars at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.  He even handed out the award for "Best Rock Performance" alongside his teammate Mario Manningham.

During the whirlwind of a week, the only constant for Cruz at all of the events was re-enacting his famous touchdown salsa dance.

Tonight, Cruz was asked to do the Latin dance once again.

Cruz and Manningham were joined on the Grammys stage with NCIS star Paula Perrette who introduced the two players to cheers and shouts of "Cruuuz" from the audience.

Perrette then told Cruz, "This is a music show.  So you need to give us a little salsa."

Cruz obliged and managed a few steps before he was cut off by the Super Bowl hero Manningham.

"OK, OK," interrupted his fellow receiver.  "Save it for the field."

The award went to the Foo Fighters for their rousing rock song "Walk."

It seemed fitting because both players walked the walk on their way to the Lombardi trophy.

Jeremy Lin prefers planking over Tebowing

In less than a week, Jeremy Lin has gone from a little used NBA bench-warmer to the biggest story in the league.  Now everyone is comparing the Harvard-grad to the NFL's sweetheart Tim Tebow after Lin guided the New York Knicks to a three-game win streak.

Lin is a self-confessed planking fan so you're more likely to catch the Knicks point guard extending body across a stiff object than getting down on one knee in reflection ala Tebowing.

Lin has been bombarded with comparisons to Tebow and admitted the Denver Broncos quarterback has been a driving force:

"Actually lot of inspiration just because he's such a polarizing figure but I think the things he says in his interviews, his approach to the game is just unbelievable and I respect him so much.  I want to be able to do some of the things that he does in terms of the amount of charity work and the non-profit work, and the way he impacts people off the field.  I think that is what is most inspiring to me about him."

The comparisons between the two are inevitable and will probably continue as long as the economics-grad piles up numbers.

There is one thing most can agree— both are oddities in their desired arenas.

Lin, the rare Asian-American to play on an NBA court and Tebow the chaste athlete on a football field.

Lin, like Tebow, is a devout Christian and leaves all of life's ups and downs in the hands of God but— aside from their overwhelming wills to win— the paths to their respective pro careers took different courses.

The Knicks player wasn't drafted and received no offers as a recruit; while Tebow was a top high school prospect,  a Heisman Trophy winner and first-round pick.

Still, the point guard with a knack for the pick-and-roll has turned himself into a nationwide sensation— much like "Tebow Mania" did a couple of months ago

While thousands of Tebow jerseys sold out before the QB even won a game, the few No. 17 Knicks jerseys were already on the clearance rack just last week.

Now retailers are scrambling to stock their shelves after the sparse Lin jerseys were snatched up and had fans resorting to making their own.

So desirable are the No. 17 jerseys right now, they are selling for $54.95— $10 more than the jerseys of Knicks stars Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony.

"Linsanity" has taken over New York City.

Tickets for tonight's game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Madison Square Garden have doubled on StubHub if you can find a seat.

Lin's feel good story is still on the opening page of what would be a nice Hollywood script.

He still has a long way to go before anyone knows if he is the real deal or just another Ken Maas.  Remember him.  Maas— as a replacement for Don Mattingly— hit 10 home-runs in his first 72 at-bats for the New York Yankees in 1990 to set a major-league record— only to fade faster than Kris Humphries' marriage.

If Lin lives up to the hype, count on him to plank rather than Tebow.

Death-defying moto-cross ride over Skinny Ridge

A video of a man traversing a thin path on top of a mountain on a dirt bike has viewers holding their breaths for 128 seconds during the high-wire act.

The Youtube clip shows the rider— strapped with a wide angle helmet-cam— racing along the top of the slippery, snow covered "Skinny Ridges" trail in Grand Junction, Colorado—  only inches from turning into a mangled mix of man and machine.

Knobby tires reportedly equipped with studs— for added traction— help keep the rider from tumbling to a sure death hundreds of feet in the canyon below.

Cynical haters want to know how come the helmet doesn't move or why the tires aren't dirty?

All I want to know is how he turned around.

Mark Sanchez gal leads Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover race

Mark Sanchez paramour Kate Upton is the odds-on-favorite to grace the cover of the 2012 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue.

The smoking-hot Victoria's Secret model— who has been linked to the New York Jets quarterback— is the front runner for the coveted spot, according to the New York Post.

Sources told the Post's Page Six that Upton's blond, all-American looks made her a top contender even though the magazine crowned Russian lingerie model Irina Shayk, the girlfriend of soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo, its cover girl last year.

Even when Sanchez's Jets don't make the playoffs, he gets hurt and talk is swirling that the maligned quarterback might be replaced by Peyton Manning next season, he still comes out a winner.

Sanchez was spotted making late night arrivals— incognito— at Upton's Manhattan apartment last season and scooting away before morning.

The Michigan-born Upton, 19, who made her SI Swimsuit debut last year, is apparently no Rex Ryan when it comes to predicting the chances of her landing on the legendary cover.

At a ceremony to kick off the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Lincoln Center yesterday, Upton was humble about the chances of her photo gracing the cover and giving her career a gigantic boost.

"All I can say is that I'm in the issue," she coyly told the Post.  "Fingers crossed!"

Other cover girl candidates include swimsuit veteran Chrissy Teigen, the fiancee of R&B star John Legend and Russian Victoria's Secret model Anne V. who is dating singer Adam Levine.

Pulling up the rear are South African beauty Genevieve Morton and California's Alyssa Miller.  Both beauties made their Swimsuit issue debuts last year.

A source told the Post," There's no clear cut front-runner" for the cover.  "There's a lot of talk about Kate in general.  But the idea of American versus international has never been part of the [debate].  It really comes down to the best picture wins."

The issue is ready to go to press and the cover will be unveiled  Monday on "The Late Show with David Letterman."

The Post said a SI rep declined to comment.

Bradying replacing Tebowing as latest Web craze

Tom Brady's hunched over pose during the Super Bowl loss to the the New York Giants has started new Web craze by fans that could soon replace Tebowing in popularity.

Dejected after the New England Patriots upset loss to the Giants, Brady sat on the ground with his head bowed on the field at Lucas Oil Stadium.  Now that pose is being imitated around the country and Bradying is becoming the latest Internet fad.

Bradying is a lot simpler than Tebowing and less dangerous than planking.

It all started with the widely published photo of Brady on his butt with his legs splayed, hands clasped, shoulders slumped and head resting on his chest.

There are different reports of where the trend originated.  Most people agree Bradying started with a series of pictures posted on Boxden.  The post showed numerous people copying the Brady pose at various locations.

Tebowing had been the rage but Bradying already has an official website to document fans imitating the depressed quarterback.

While Tebowing celebrated the Denver Broncos quarterback's victories, Bradying was spawned by losing.

"It's a humbled position— shoulders down, head down— that's all about being humbled," said former Army anti-terror instructor Greg Hartley, an expert on body language and interrogation techniques.

Brady has remained silent about the fad he inadvertently started, but it's a sure bet his outspoken supermodel wife could end up ranting about it in public.

Call it Bundchening.

Cruz and Strahan salsa together at ceremony honoring NY Giants

This morning, an estimated 1 million fans lined the sidewalks of lower Broadway during a ticker tape parade honoring the New York Giants come-from-behind Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots.

Afterwards, at the Key to the City ceremony on the steps of City Hall, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and former Giants player Michael Strahan stood at a podium and honored all of the Giants players and staff by handing them each a ceremonial key to the city.

One of the highlights of the fete was when wide receiver and favorite target of Eli Manning, Victor Cruz, stepped to the front of the stage with the crowd's cheers of "Cruuuz" filling the air and performed some of his patented salsa dance moves with Strahan.

Cruz made the hip-shaking dance popular by doing it every time he scored a touchdown this season.

Strahan may not have had as much practice as Cruz has shaking his booty lately— he did have a sack dance years ago— but did hold his own alongside the smiling Cruz under the bright blue skies.

The confident Strahan— wearing a "GMEN" sweatshirt— actually nudged Cruz and coaxed him into dancing.

Something tells me that it won't be the last time we'll see someone grab Cruz to do the Latin dance in New York this winter.

Eli Manning on Tom Brady: "I don't know if he likes me"

Eli Manning has been racking up a lot of quotes to go with his frequent flier miles since leading his New York Giants team over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI on Sunday.

After post-game celebrations in Indianapolis, the Giants quarterback flew down to Disney World Monday morning and later up to the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City where the Super Bowl MVP appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman.

The normally uncontroversial Manning was asked by the host about his relationship with his Patriots counterpart Tom Brady.

"I don't know if he likes me," Manning said with a smirk to the supportive audience..

Manning showed up about an hour late for the taping but it was excusable since it was only a few hours before that he was riding in a parade in the Orlando, Florida theme park.

Manning walked onto the theater's stage to a standing ovation while band leader Paul Shaffer and the CBS orchestra played "We Are The Champions."

The normally quiet and reserved quarterback joked about going right to bed after the game after Letterman opened the interview by asking if it was "lights out" after the victory.

"10:30, yeah, I had a big morning," he joked.  "I had to get ready for this, so I had to get my full sleep.  I've been preparing and practicing for this."

Letterman asked Manning if his receivers ever disobeyed any of the plays he calls in the huddle.

"No.  They're trained," he laughed.  "It's like a dog."

The relaxed and confident Manning touched on everything from how happy he was for his teammates that didn't already have a Super Bowl ring to head coach Tom Coughlin's philosophies.

"It was their first Super Bowl," he said. "When you have one you have to really do it for the other guys who never had that experience."

Letterman reminded Manning about Coughlin's "frozen face" in Green Bay four years ago and asked if he was a good motivator.

"He has settled down because he has confidence in his players," he replied.  "He's big on preparation and effort and studying.  Now he knows we'll be ready."

Manning quoted the softer side of the coach's pre-game speech: " The most important thing is love.  Love of teammates is the most important thing."

The host told his guest that Eli was his favorite Manning.

"I know.  I get a Christmas gift from you every year.  I got a jacket," joked the younger Manning.  "Peyton doesn't get a jacket."

Letterman asked Manning if he is going to tease his older brother by shoving the two rings on his fingers in Peyton's face.

"No," he plainly said.

The younger Manning said he expects Peyton to play again but had no idea where it would be.

 Eli even touched on the label of "elite" that he imposed on himself during the pre-season.

"I got set up a little bit," he claimed by answering the question "Do you think you are an elite quarterback?" on a radio show.

When Letterman commented that Manning looked a lot younger than four years ago— when the Giants last won the Super Bowl— the guest out-zinged the host.

"I started shaving this past year," he joked.

Shaving or not— Eli Manning is definitely all grown up.