Dog almost run over by cyclists during Stage 2 of Tour de France (VIDEO)

As if Saturday's near disaster at the finish line of the Tour de France wasn't enough — when a dopey bus driver got the rig stuck — wasn't enough, there was another close call on the road during Stage 2 of the cycling event. On Sunday a dog was narrowly missed by a pack of competitors as they rounded a village road a couple of kilometers from the finish.

The little white pup managed to escape the arms of its owner right before the peloton of bikes came around a bend.  The dog avoided taking down about two dozen cyclists by darting to the side of the road just before they peddled by.

The dog days of summer. Pardon. Les canicules de l'ete.

Royals fan makes amazing backwards catch

A Royals fan made what might be the best catch of the day — on or off the field — and didn't even lose his KC cap.

Surrounded by a sea of Twins fans at Target Field Sunday, this guy tumbles backwards over a row of seats and is still able to catch the foul ball before coming up none-for-the-worse.

Hats off to the amazing grab.

Golfer fires caddie during U.S. Open, swaps him for boyfriend

Women's golf ... welcome to reality TV.

In what has to be one of the most Kardashian moves ever seen in sports, golfer Jessica Korda fired her caddie during the middle of the third round of the U.S. Women's Open, and replaced him with her boyfriend, Johnny DelPrete.

DelPrete looks kind of skittish about screwing up her approach at first glance — given that a four-over stretch over her last four holes dropped her from the top five to two-over and may have prompted the switch from her first-string bag holder, Jason Gilroyed — but we understand.

"Johnny, grab the bag, let's go," Korda reportedly demanded during the caddie switch. Words Johnny has probably heard before — especially during shopping trips to the mall.

Korda, 20, said she never fired a caddie mid-round before — don't worry Jessica, you're never too old to be bratty— but they had some disagreements over the first nine, and claims she wasn't in the right mind play well.

"I care about Jason a lot," said  Korda after her round. "That's just how things happen in life."

It's fair to laugh a little, but the situation's got to be genuinely weird for Korda, whose entire family is at this U.S. Women's Open: Her 14-year-old sister, Nelly, made the cut, and their dad, 1998 Australian Open champion Petr Korda, is on her bag this week. 

Still, it sounds like someone just got gilroyed. 

Big crash, chaos after bus blocks finish line during Stage 1 of Tour de France

There were a couple of wild scenes during Stage 1 of the Tour de France after one racer went down and took out a few dozen more cyclists with him but not before a cycling team bus got stuck at the finish line —almost shortening the race by two miles.

Call it The Armstong Curse.

With the peloton going at more than 40mph, Omega Pharma-Quickstep's Tony Martin appeared to buckle suddenly, and as his bike jumped and skipped and then slipped from under him several riders were sent flying into the melee.




Right before the crash, the cycling team bus crashed into the banner overhanging the finish line of the first stage of the race in Porto Vecchio, Corsica on Saturday. With the bus briefly stuck and blocking the finish line, organizers reportedly considering cutting short the first stage of the race.

The Orica GreenEdge team bus didn't have enough clearance as it attempted to pass through the finish gate ahead of the cyclists and became lodged. According to USA Today Sports, officials deflated the tires in order to move the bus.

Tour de France officials were willing to shorten the opening stage by two miles if the bus would have remained stuck, per the Associated Press.

Because of the confusion, everyone was given the same finishing time as the winner, the German Marcel Kittel.

At both incidents, loud cursing can be heard in languages you've never heard before.

Nets looking to add openly-gay Collins to roster: Report

The Brooklyn Nets keep finding ways to keep their locker room interesting — and complicated. And the next potential Nets move might not be blockbusting but it would be trailblazing.

After announcing an NBA-rocking trade — to become official July 10 — that will bring seasoned veterans Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to the Barclays Center, a source confirmed Friday that the Nets' organization has discussed signing free-agent center Jason Collins, the first openly gay male basketball player.

The 34-year-old Collins, who revealed his sexuality in a Sports Illustrated article last spring, is no stranger to the Nets' organization. He was teammates with Nets coach Jason Kidd for seven seasons in New Jersey, where they both played under current Brooklyn assistant Lawrence Frank.

Although the Nets may not need another big man, Collins' "name was brought up," said a well-connected source.

Collins, who advanced to two finals with the Nets, has bounced around the league as a backup since leaving New Jersey. He played last season with Garnett and Pierce in Boston, but was released before joining the Wizards.

Although the Nets have interest in Collins, there isn't much room on the roster for another physical presence in the paint. Not only did the Nets draft Duke center Mason Plumlee on Thursday, their blockbuster trade evolved Friday morning so that they are keeping bruising forward Reggie Evans and dealing swingman MarShon Brooks to the Celtics, a source said.

Collins has not played since announcing he was gay in April, so the next time he steps on the court will be a front-page event. And for the Nets, who have been making headlines lately by hiring Kidd and completing the trade for Garnett and Pierce, it's a chance to represent a different kind of Brooklyn — which is home to a large gay and lesbian community.

"It's certainly better than Utah or other communities that are not as cosmopolitan," said sports marketing expert Marc Ganis, adding that such a move could help the Nets win over Brooklyn residents who remain angry about the way the Barclays Center was imposed on the neighborhood.

"It is a demonstration that the Nets are a socially progressive organization. To people who opposed it (the Barclays Center) it could be a relevant factor."

J.R. Smith's Twitter tease to fans: 'Fun while it lasted'

J.R. Smith — with his New York Knicks status loosely in one hand and his iPhone tight in the other — caused a commotion among Knicks fans when he tweeted, "It was fun while it lasted," Friday afternoon.

Was the Knicks free-agent guard announcing his departure from the team less than 24 hours after the Knicks drafted Tim Hardaway Jr., a similar player? Or was Smith — who is well-known for  his outrageous tweets off the court— just teasing the Knicks faithful.

While only Smith knows for sure, the NBA's 2013 Sixth Man of the Year tweeted again soon after denying that the initial comment had anything to do with basketball.

“What y’all talking bout?” Smith wrote. “I’m talking bout the talk the cab driver an I just had!”

It was fun while it lasted...
— JR Smith (@TheRealJRSmith) June 28, 2013

What y'all talking bout? I'm talking bout the talk the cab driver an I just had! #FunnyDude
— JR Smith (@TheRealJRSmith) June 28, 2013

It wouldn't be the first time a tweet caused a commotion for Smith. Last year he was fined $25,000 by the NBA for posting a lewd naked photo of a woman and even pop star Rihanna, once a reported love interest, called him out on Instagram for partying too hard during the 2013 playoffs.

The Knicks, who have “early Bird rights” on Smith, only can offer him as much as $5.4 million per year. Teams under the cap — such as the Bucks, a rumored landing spot — can offer him more.

The 27-year-old Smith had a great regular season, averaging 18.1 points per game, but struggled mightily in the playoffs, averaging just 14.3 per contest on 33 percent shooting.

Swimming baby already looks like a future champion

This little baby looks like she's taken a liking to the water at a very early age and a video of the mini- Missy Franklin doing laps in a pool already has over 50,000 hits.

The 16-month old Elizabeth — with the encouraging "go go go" of her mother — paddles around the pool in her one-piece Pampers. Even after she says "I'm done," the water baby impressively swims across it again and later laps it with one breath.

The trusting little toddler's video may get some helicopter parents hotter than their lattes but the kid actually seems to enjoy the pool.

Although her diving needs a little work maybe we'll see little Elizabeth breaking breaststroke records in 2028.

Go go go.

Lance Armstrong: 'Impossible' to win Tour de France without doping

Lance Armstrong  came back on Friday to haunt the 100th edition of cycling’s showcase race the Tour de France, by telling the French newspaper Le Monde he would never have won without doping.

Armstrong’s interview with the publication was surprising on many levels, not least because of his long-antagonistic relationship with the respected French daily that first reported in 1999 that corticosteroids were found in the American’s urine as he was riding his way to the first of his seven Tour wins. In response, Armstrong complained he was being persecuted by “vulture journalism, desperate journalism.”

In Friday's interview — published in French — Armstrong claimed that it was “impossible” to win the Tour without doping when he was racing. Armstrong already told television talk show host Oprah Winfrey when he finally confessed this January that doping was just “part of the job” of being a pro cyclist.

Not one  to shy away from the limelight or minimize his cheating, Armstrong told Le Monde he still considers himself the record-holder for Tour victories, even though all seven of his titles were stripped from him last year for doping. He also said his life has been ruined by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency investigation that exposed as lies his years of denials that he and his teammates doped, according to The Associated Press.

The interview was the latest blast from cycling’s doping-tainted recent history to tarnish the 100-year-old race.

Previously, Armstrong’s former rival on French roads, 1997 Tour winner Jan Ullrich, confessed to blood-doping for the first time with a Spanish doctor. French media also reported that a Senate investigation into the effectiveness of anti-doping controls pieced together evidence of drug use at the 1998 Tour by Laurent Jalabert, a former star of the race now turned broadcaster.

The banned hormone erythropoietin, or EPO, wasn’t detectable by cycling’s doping controls until 2001 and so was widely abused because it prompts the body to produce oxygen-carrying red blood cells, giving a big performance boost to endurance athletes.

Armstrong was clearly talking about his own era, rather than the Tour today. Le Monde reported that he was responding to the question: “When you raced, was it possible to perform without doping?”

“That depends on which races you wanted to win. The Tour de France? No. Impossible to win without doping. Because the Tour is a test of endurance where oxygen is decisive,” Le Monde quoted Armstrong as saying.

Some subsequent media reports about Le Monde’s interview concluded that Armstrong was saying doping is still necessary now, rather than when he was winning the Tour from 1999-2005. That suggestion provoked dismay from current riders, race organizers and the sport’s governing body, the International Cycling Union or UCI.

“If he’s saying things like he doesn’t think that it’s possible to win the Tour clean, then he should be quiet — because it is possible,” said American rider Tejay van Garderen of the BMC team.

Asked later by The Associated Press to clarify his comments, Armstrong said on Twitter that he was talking about the period from 1999-2005. He indicated that doping might not be necessary now.

On Friday, a number of Tour de France riders hit back at Armstrong dismissing the claims by the shamed American cyclist, saying his remarks hurt their credibility.

Nerlens Noel's vow to teams that passed on him: 'I'll make them pay'

Nerlens Noel had every reason to believe he would be the first pick of the 2013 NBA Draft but, after he was slowly passed over by a couple of teams, it was apparent the 6-11 big man would become the focus of the night for all the wrong reasons—and that includes being traded.

After five picks in Thursday nights' NBA draft — with a camera continually directed on the young man's perplexed face —  the Kentucky star finally heard his name when the New Orleans Pelicans selected him with the sixth pick.

When the snubbed Noel realized he'd be teaming up with last year's No. 1 pick, Anthony Davis, he found a reason to force a smile. "I'm just happy to be with the Pelicans," said the semi-enthusiastic Noel.

Before you could say Twin Towers, that consolation was over.

The Pelicans dealt Noel and a 2014 first-round draft pick to the Philadelphia 76ers for Jrue Holiday and this year's 42nd pick.

Which is why Noel will have one goal when takes the court next season.

"I'm going to make them pay," Noel said of the teams that passed on him.

The Sixers took a big chance on Thursday when they traded their best player to land Noel, but if he makes good on his promise, it will be well worth it. Noel has the potential to be one of the most athletic centers in the league. His combination of speed, size, and athleticism could make him a franchise changing player if he can return from his ACL injury to be the player he was at Kentucky.

Noel will have every chance to make good on his word. The Sixers traded their franchise player to get Noel, effectively handing the team to him. When he's healthy, he'll start, and he'll be the focal point of the team.

Now Noel has to be true to his word and prove those teams wrong.

Hernandez wore cryptic t-shirt, posed with fan hours after alleged murder says prosecutor

Aaron Hernandez's expression and message on his t-shirt don't exactly fit the profile of a man who allegedly murdered someone only a few hours before this chilling photo was taken. But, according to prosecutors in the case, they say it does.

The photo of former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez was snapped at a Marshall's in Massachusetts on June 15th, the day after the shooting death of former semi-pro football player Odin Lloyd —whom Hernandez has been charged with murdering in cold blood, reports TMZ.

And speaking of cold blood, check out Hernandez' interesting choice of t-shirt for the leisurely trip to the store.  It reads "Hot Handed Cold Blooded."

Hernandez was seen shopping with his fiancee at the time of the photo. His 8-month-old daughter also came along.

As TMZ has reported, Hernandez' lawyer tried to paint the ex-NFL star as an upstanding citizen and family man while arguing that Hernandez deserved bail. 

The judge didn't buy it and ordered Hernandez to remain in custody while he awaits trial.

First-round draft pick Lucas 'Bebe' Nogueira's hair a big hit with fans

The Boston Celtics selected Brazilian big man Lucas "Bebe" Nogueira with the 16th pick of the 2013 NBA Draft Thursday night at Barclays Center.  The 20-year-old project with burgeoning offensive skills and giant NBA dreams also comes with something else pretty big —his hair.

While it sounds like the Celtics won't keep him — Yahoo!'s Adrian Wojnarowski reports that the pick will go from Boston to Dallas to Atlanta  — but there are many people who believe Nogueira has what it takes.

But that wasn't the big deal last night.  The real story was Nogueira's head of hair, and how he floated a Celtics hat on top of it when he met NBA commissioner David Stern at the podium. The carefully balanced cap resulted in a classic introduction to the NBA.

At least Andrew Bynum probably approves.

Mario Williams pokes fun at Aaron Hernandez on Instagram page

Buffalo Bills defensive end Mario Williams had a little fun with with the sordid Aaron Hernandez murder saga by using the accused tight end's image in a mocked up Instagram for the violent video game Grand Theft Auto

In the digitally-altered image, Hernandez’s face is imposed on the body of a cartoon, tattooed thug sitting on the hood of a car and holding a gun. The logo in the top right reads “Grand Theft New England.”

Hernandez was charged with murder and five other charges Wednesday in the alleged execution-style slaying of Lloyd. The former New England Patriots tight end — he was cut by the team shortly after his arrest — was denied bail Thursday, because he could be a suspect in another murder case from last year.

Ironically, Williams has photos of himself on Instagram holding guns – and those are no parodies of his division rival Hernandez.

Williams was in the news earlier this NFL offseason for saying defensive coordinator Mike Pettine, formerly of the Jets, "always" told players to "kill" opponents. A few days later, he backed off those remarks and said Pettine didn’t use the phrase "kill them."

Earlier this year, Williams also sued an ex-fiancee to recover an $785,000 engagement ring setting off a Twitter war and slew of embarrassing text messages.

Wimbledon roof has its own Twitter account

Its seems like everyone has a Twitter account these days and that includes the Wimbledon Roof over Centre Court.

After three days of dry weather, showers caused the first rain delay at the championships on Thursday and organizers decided to shut the retractable roof over the fabled court, with last year's runner-up Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland leading Mathilde Johansson of France 6-1, 4-2.

While damp play continued on some other courts, the roof took to Twitter and boasted about the perfectly dry conditions inside.

Don't worry about the rain everyone, I've got it covered. Just sit back and enjoy the tennis... #protectiveroof
— Wimbledon Roof (@WimbledonRoof) June 27, 2013

The retractable roof was installed on Centre Court in 2009, to help alleviate the perennial rain delays that often plague the tournament.

But nobody likes a braggart.

Derek Jeter's rumored girlfriend shows off more than she says in magazine article

It sounds like Derek Jeter has gone from CAT scans to catwalks as he finishes rehabbing his left ankle and gets ready to return to the New York Yankees roster.

Jeter's rumored new lady, Hannah Davis, is heating up the latest issue of Ocean Drive Magazine.

The "Sports Illustrated" swimsuit model has been spotted getting cozy with the Yankee captain and she is now making a splash in the magazine's summer issue. But when asked about her relationship with the ballplayer, the stunning 23-year-old remains coy. "I would rather go to a Yankees game than a Mets game," she said. "That's my final answer."

Davis might be enough to keep even old Jeets down in Florida this summer.

Prosecutors looking at piece of blue bubble gum as evidence Hernandez murdered Odin Lloyd

A piece of chewed bubblegum be an important piece of evidence linking New England Patriots star Aaron Hernandez to the murder of Odin Lloyd in an abandoned industrial park, prosecutors claimed Wednesday.

Hernandez was charged yesterday with shooting Lloyd five times in what was described as an "orchestrated execution" at the unused park just minutes from his mansion in North Attleboro, Massachusetts.

Yesterday at a hearing in Attleboro District Court prosecutors said that on the night of the murder, Hernandez stopped at a gas station and bought gas, cigarettes and crucially a packet of blue cotton candy-flavored Bubblicious bubble gum.

Assistant District Attorney William McCauley told the court that the following morning, Hernandez returned the rental car to the hire company and exchanged it for a new vehicle.

The returned car was subsequently cleaned at the rental company where police went through the dumpster and discovered a bullet shell casing next to which was a chewed piece of blue cotton candy Bubblicious bubble gum.

The casing, for a .45 caliber handgun, is understood to match those found at the scene of the crime.

McCauley said that surveillance video from Hernandez's own home security cameras show two friends arriving at his $1.3 million mansion with the three of them leaving at approximately 1:12 a.m., with Hernandez at the wheel.

After stopping at the gas station, Hernandez is said to have driven to nearby Dorchester where he picked up Lloyd.

Apparently, Lloyd had misgivings about the meeting and sent text messages to his family. 

"Did you see who I am with?" he asked. Then he responded, cryptically, "NFL," the prosecutor said.

Mobile phone records show that the last time Lloyd used his phone was to text his sister at around 3:23am.

He added the foreboding line, "Just so you know."

At the moment the text was sent, Hernandez's car was caught on camera going down a gravel road to the industrial area where Lloyd's body was found before returning four minutes later, at 3:27 a.m.

Aaron Rodgers doesn't take kindly to being confused for murder suspect Aaron Hernandez

Aaron Rodgers took to his Twitter account after he was confused for accused murderer Aaron Hernandez during a live segment on ESPN Wednesday. Reporter Jeremy Schaap referred to Aaron Hernandez as Aaron Rodgers during a breaking newscast.

Rodgers' dismayed tweet:

Not funny ESPN
— Aaron Rodgers (@AaronRodgers12) June 27, 2013

Reportedly, it was Rodgers' first tweet in five days. So it doesn't seem like Rodgers saw Schaap's mistake happen live, though. The slip up happened around 4:15 p.m. ET and Rodgers didn't tweet about it until over five hours later.

As soon as Rodgers did tweet about it, though, Schaap was quick to respond about his mental lapse:

@AaronRodgers12 funny, no. But I did correct myself, right then, which of course the clip does not include.
— Jeremy Schaap (@JeremySchaap) June 27, 2013

You'll be glad to know everything is all well and fine in the NFL once again

Trending 'Hernandezing' craze becomes the new Tebowing

Aaron Hernandez's arrest at his home by police Wednesday has already launched a disturbing new meme called "Hernandezing."

The New England Patriots tight end was led out of his house in handcuffs — with his hands awkwardly handcuffed under under a white T-shirt — and the odd armless look has spawned another Internet craze.  The trend might be in poor taste considering that Hernandez was picked up on the charge of murdering 27-year-old Odin Lloyd.

There is even a new site called Hernandezing.com which is posting photos of various people mimicking the pose in white tees and dour expressions.

Who ever thought one day we'd happily be saying Bring back Tebowing.

Riderless horse 'wins' sixth-race at Belmont (VIDEO)

A determined mare bucked her jockey at the starting gate Wednesday and still managed to win the race without the burden of the tiny man and his forceful hand on her back.

Six-year-old Downtown Hottie broke free of her whip-holding rider during the sixth race at Belmont Park and the liberated lady still managed to gallop to victory.

The racetrack's "official results," listed her as having not finished the race and a filly named "Wholelottashakin" won with a final time of 1:35 but we all know who the real winner in this video is.

A-Rod planning to return and retire to collect full salary before MLB suspension hits: Report

If you think Brian Cashman erupted after hearing Alex Rodriguez's tweet about getting the "green light to play games again!" on Tuesday, wait until the New York Yankees general manager finds out why A-Rod might be so eager to return.

According to The New York Daily News, sources close to the ongoing drama surrounding the scandalized Yankee third baseman, Rodriguez and his advisers are so concerned that Major League Baseball’s drug enforcers are so close to suspending him that they have sped up the timetable for A-Rod to return to game action.

Once he’s back playing in rehab games, the sources say, he could then claim he is physically unable to perform because of the serious hip injury he is recovering from, “retire” from the game, and still collect the full amount of his salary — $114 million over the next five years.

The Daily News quoted sources about the alleged plan for Rodriguez to cash out:

“It’s all about him getting his money and not losing it to suspension,” one source close to the situation told the Daily News. “He knows he’s never going to the Hall of Fame. All that’s left for him is to make sure he gets his money — all of it.”

One way to do that is for Rodriguez to return to game action, find he can no longer perform up to his standards, then retire before he’s hit with a suspension without pay. A player who retires because he is physically unable to perform, even if he’s later suspended, would still get the full amount of his contract.

Albert Belle suffered a similar hip injury that ended his career in 2001, and he was forced to go on a series of 60-day disabled lists in order to collect the remainder of his contract.

Now, a player who is deemed physically unable to perform is allowed by baseball to retire and still collect his money.

Sources told the Daily News they believe MLB will try to suspend Rodriguez, no matter his status. If he is given a lifetime ban, he would not be able to re-enter the game in any capacity.

 “It’s not going to have any effect on what or when MLB does something,” said a baseball source.

The Yankees, who are currently paying Rodriguez’s $28 million 2013 salary, could conceivably then try to collect insurance on the remainder of the contract, as the Orioles did with Belle.

After it was reported on Sunday that Rodriguez had been given medical clearance to begin playing in rehab games on July 1 as long as the Yankees felt he was ready to do so. Cashman began disputing that claim, saying only that the Yankees and their team of doctors, trainers and ultimately, Cashman, can clear Rodriguez for game action.

Then on Tuesday night, after A-Rod made the infamous tweet that Dr. Bryan Kelly, who performed hip surgery on A-Rod in January “gave me the best news — the green light to play games again!” and posting a weekend photo of himself with Kelly.

When the news reached Cashman, he blew up in an interview, saying, “You know what? When the Yankees want to announce something, we will. Alex should just shut the f--- up. That’s it. I’m going to call Alex now.”

Can't wait to hear what choice words he has for A-Rod when he finds out R&R suddenly means Return and Retire — with full pay.

Cleveland Browns rookie charged with attempted murder

Ausar Walcott, a former New Jersey high school football star and recent Cleveland Browns signee, was charged Tuesday with attempted murder for allegedly punching a man outside a bar in Passaic, N.J.,  reported North Jersey.com.

The victim, Derrick Jones, 24, of New York City, remained hospitalized Tuesday in critical condition at Harlem Hospital Center in Manhattan, Passaic Police Detective Andrew White said.

The Browns issued a brief statement Tuesday saying the team was "aware of the situation."

While at the University of Virginia, Walcott was briefly suspended from the football team after he was arrested and charged with assault after a fight near James Madison University,the Washington Post reported. The charges were dropped.

The 23-year-old Walcott was a standout player at Hackensack High School.

Patriots release Aaron Hernandez after arrest

The New England Patriots have announced the release of tight end Aaron Hernandez following his arrest in the investigation of a homicide last week in North Attleboro, Mass.

The New England Patriots issued the following statement: “A young man was murdered last week and we extend our sympathies to the family and friends who mourn his loss. Words cannot express the disappointment we feel knowing that one of our players was arrested as a result of this investigation. We realize that law enforcement investigations into this matter are ongoing. We support their efforts and respect the process. At this time, we believe this transaction is simply the right thing to do.”

The Patriots star was marched out of his Massachusetts mansion in handcuffs and arrested today by police 11 days after the body of his friend was found dead in an industrial park near his home.

Hernandez, who was led by detectives out of his home in handcuffs wearing a T-shirt and gym shorts, was placed in a police car by detectives and driven away in front of dozens of reporters and other police officers around 8:45 a.m.

The charges against him are unclear but, as it has reported, he had not been ruled out as a suspect in the killing of semi-pro football player Odin Lloyd, 27, who was found shot dead June 17.

Ichiro outshines fellow countrymen with walk-off home run

It was a game that probably generated more buzz across the Pacific than A-Rod's ill-advised tweet did over here earlier in the day. Overseas, it was being billed as the two best Japanese-born pitchers in MLB dueling each other for mound supremacy Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium. But in the end, it was an old reliable outfielder who stole the spotlight from his countrymen.

Neither the New York Yankees' Hiroki Kuroda or the Texas Rangers' Yu Darvish owned each other last night— although they both pitched solid games. And when it was all said and done,  it was Ichiro Suzuki's walk-off solo home run that really reigned supreme.

Suzuki hit the game-winner off Rangers reliever Tanner Scheppers with two out in the ninth inning to give the Yankees a 4-3 victory in front of over 41,000 out in the Bronx.




It was only Ichiro's second walk-off homer in his illustrious career.  The other one coming Sept. 18, 2009 against the Yankees Mariano Rivera— who was the beneficiary of Ichiro's well-known but rarely used power. Mo picked up his first win of the season.

After the Yankees first walk-off this season, Ichiro was happy he and his fellow Japanese players didn't disappoint.

"I just gave it all I had," he said through an interpreter. "I can't say I was trying to end the game there, but I am happy how it ended up."

Michael Wilbon makes 'incredible, humble' boast about his manhood

On Tuesday's "Pardon the Interruption," the discussion between hosts Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser featured a "Word" segment about 77-year-old golfing great Gary Player posing nude in the 2013 edition of ESPN's "The Body Issue."

The PTI team talked about Player's 1,000 sit-ups-per day workout regime and but then delved into the wrinkly side of nude septuagenarians. Kornheiser admitted that both hosts have seen enough "naked old men in country club steam rooms" to know — despite working out— it's still not a pretty sight.

Wilbon claimed the tastefully shot photo spreads are usually not all nude and Player would probably be partially covered.

"He'll probably have a hybrid or something blocking him out," said Wilbon before mentioning, "Some of us might need a driver." The subtle boast cracked up his co-host and announcer Tony Reali.

"Wilbon, what an incredible, humble brag," joked Kornheiser about needing the larger club.

Thank the sports gods that the word wood wasn't tossed around.

Coach's house gets toilet papered after Blackhawks' Stanley Cup win

After the Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup back in 2010, fans responded by toilet papering head coach Joel Quenneville's house in celebration. After all, it was the team's first title in 49 years.

Monday night, after the Blackhawks' stunning victory over the Boston Bruins to win the Lord Stanley again, Chicago supporters showed their appreciation once again by TP'ing the coach's home.

That’s a photo of Quenneville’s house via Paul Pabst, the producer for “The Dan Patrick Show.”

Ellie, a Blackhawks fan, tweeted that her friend is a neighbor of Quenneville’s and helped drape his house in Charmin while proudly posting photos of her own TP hanging skills.

Vandalism like this usually calls for a hosing down by the homeowner but Coach Q even came out and signed autographs for his giddy neighbors.

Coach Q signing autographs for the neighbors. pic.twitter.com/JXgrVr8Xru
— Paul Pabst (@PaulPabst) June 25, 2013

Matador gets rear-ended by a bull's horns

This is one bull that knows how to get its point across.  A bullfighter's apprentice was frighteningly gored in the rear end and lifted into the air by his horned challenger in Madrid on Sunday.

Rafael Cerro, a rising star in the controversial "sport" of bullfighting, was wounded while taking on his first bull of the night at the Las Ventas ring.

Amazingly, the 23-year-old matador — making a comeback after being gored in the stomach two months ago —walked away with just a sore butt and a bruised ego.

The doomed bull, unfortunately, was probably not so lucky.

Players can't catch stray cat at minor league game

Minor league teams are well-known for their outrageous and sometimes outlandish promotions on the field to draw fans through the gates.  And sometimes, there's a happenstance that is more fun than what was on the agenda.

That's what occurred when a stray cat got loose during Sunday's Hillsboro Hops-Everett AquaSox Class A game.  Players had trouble outsmarting and outrunning the rogue feline in its efforts to escape capture.

This black and white kitty didn't leave without reversing roles and playing cat and mouse with the players for a while.

Nerlens Noel needs help picking out NBA Draft Day outfit

The hoop dreams of NBA Draft Day can sometimes turn into recurring nightmares for a lot of the young draftees when they look back at the ill-fitting fashion disasters they chose to wear on their big day.

As in the tradition of high school portraits and senior prom poses, these fashion statements can come back to haunt you forever in pictures and on film.  So it only makes sense to take care with what you wear.

Before these guys get the big bucks to pick and roll in the NBA, some are left to pick and choose at the tall and big man shops.

One of the top picks in this year’s Draft looks to be Kentucky big man Nerlens Noel. And while he waits to find out which team will be drafting him, he’s currently figuring out what to wear — and the selection isn't too shabby. Which is where his Twitter followers come in. He is asking fans for their help in choosing his ensemble for the evening.

Nerlens has his choices narrowed down to three suits, pictured below. The first two looks are by Jhoanna Alba, and the third is by Roger Mischel. All three look great, but Nerlens can only rock one on draft night. Cast your vote and watch the 2013 NBA Draft on Thursday night to see what he wears.

What to wear??? Vote for @NerlensNoel3's #NBADraft Night suit! http://t.co/WmbM3mS9Vv
— NBA (@NBA) June 24, 2013

Suit No. 1: Designer – Jhoanna Alba ALBA -  The Look of Your Legacy

Suit No. 2: Designer – Jhoanna Alba ALBA -  The Look of Your Legacy

Suit No. 3: Designer – Roger Mischel

Bill Parcells admits he regrets leaving Patriots too soon

Bill Parcells isn't the kind of man to admit many (if any) regrets publicly. The former New England Patriots coach may wear his New Jersey roots on his sleeve but not so his personal feelings.

That's why it was uncharacteristic for Big Tuna to admit that he left the Patriots after their forgettable Super Bowl XXXI loss after a power struggle with owner Robert Kraft and could only watch after his protege Bill Belichick took over — after a disappointing reign under Pete Carroll — and form an NFL dynasty which surpassed even Parcells' impressive accomplishments.

"I regret leaving New England. Had we done things differently ... " Parcells told USA Today. "I had a good young team there. I hated to leave that team, because I knew what we could do.

"I was absolutely too headstrong. And he might have been a little headstrong, too. I think both Kraft and myself, retrospectively, would have done things a little differently."

The Patriots have won three Super Bowls and reached two others under Belichick, who, without the New England job available, might have remained head coach of the New York Jets for more than a day before resigning and heading to Foxborough.

Parcells' surprising revelation that he left the Patriots — against his better judgement and after the Super Bowl loss to the Packers — never to reach the glorified status he had up until that point because Kraft wouldn't give Parcells final say on building the Patriots roster.

The well -respected Parcells would go on to good but not great seasons with the Jets and Cowboys before retiring. He won just one more playoff game and one more division title in seven post-Patriots seasons, both in 1998. That Jets team gave Denver a pretty good run in the AFC championship game but came up short and Parcells never living up to loftier expectations.

It's interesting to ponder whether the Patriots would have had a similar run over the last dozen years had Parcells stuck around longer? Or if Parcells would have even wanted to draft the mostly overlooked Tom Brady if he was in charge of the Patriots in 2000.

Parcells is a Pro Football Hall of Fame coach – he's being inducted this summer – but it's impossible to say if he could have achieved what Belichick has with the Patriots. 

At least one person in this saga has regrets.

Wallenda sets sights on tightrope walking across Manhattan

As if a breathtaking tightrope walk across the Grand Canyon wasn't enough of a thrill for Nik Wallenda, now the daredevil high-wire artist wants to cross the concrete canyons of Manhattan.

After completing a gut-gripping tightrope walk across the Little Colorado River Gorge in northeastern Arizona on Sunday, Wallenda said he next wants to stroll the skies between the Empire State and Chrysler buildings — a space of some nine city blocks, reports The New York Post.

If he gets permission to walk between the two iconic Art Deco buildings above the quaint Murray Hill neighborhood below, the stroll would be 4,000 feet, more than triple the length of Sunday's stunt.

He gave no indication if he had yet made any attempt to get permission to perform the feat.

In Sunday night’s high-wire act — watched by millions live on television — the 34-year-old Wallenda walked 1,500 feet above the river gorge, part of the Navajo Nation’s reservation, without a safety harness.

He took just more than 22 minutes, pausing and crouching twice as winds whipped around him so that he could get "the rhythm out of the rope."

The event was broadcast live on the Discovery Channel.

The seventh-generation tightrope walker is part of the legendary "Flying Wallendas" circus family. He earned his seventh Guinness world record when he crossed Niagara Falls last year.

It's one way to get around those tourist-clogged sidewalks of midtown Manhattan.

Bill Cowher blindsided in Manhattan car crash

Bill Cowher took a hard hit Sunday afternoon when the Super Bowl-winning former head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers got into a car accident on Manhattan's Park Ave., hitting another vehicle that then crashed into scaffolding in the ritzy neighborhood.

Cowher, 56, was driving north on Park Ave.in his black Mercedes-Benz when a woman driving a Ford Fusion going in the same direction cut him off attempting to turn onto E. 92nd St. about 1:10 p.m., according to police and witnesses.

Cowher’s Mercedes hit the Fusion, which veered into scaffolding, cracking a pole and sending construction material tumbling down.

About half a dozen rescue vehicles and firetrucks showed up at the scene but nobody was hospitalized, police said.

Cowher currently works as an analyst for CBS’ “The NFL Today.” He coached the Steelers for 15 seasons, ending in 2007.

Looks like he missed that right turn out by the Meadowlands by a longshot.

Father fails to catch foul ball, and his son isn't happy about it

Check out the angry reaction from this young boy Sunday at AT&T Park after his dad tried, but failed, to catch a hard-hit foul ball during the Giants-Marlins game.

The kid in the tiny Giants jersey vented his frustration (threw a tantrum) at his old man who dropped the ball which hit him in the shoulder.  Oddly, it was the boy who was wearing a glove and missed the play.

Can anyone say Mike Rice Elementary School?

NASCAR driver has embarrassing fender-bender before start of race

NASCAR driver Paulie Harraka had one of those moments he'd probably like to forget Sunday. The embarrassing rookie mistake occurred on pit road before officially making the first Sprint Cup Series start of his career.

Harraka, making his 16th NASCAR series start, was set to start 40th on Sunday at Sonoma, just behind Alex Kennedy, who was also making his first Cup Series start. As the field made its way off of pit road to start the pace laps before the race, David Reutimann slowed to a stop in front of Kennedy. So Kennedy did the same.

Harraka didn't until it was too late and attempted to swerve to the left. That too, was futile, and he plowed into the back of Kennedy, bashing in the front of his car and damaging the rear of Kennedy's.

It was one of those annoying fender-benders that can really drive up your insurance rates.

Both cars immediately returned to pit road for repairs, and Harraka was forced to start the race without much of the front of his car because of the severity of the damage. 

Things didn't get much better for Harraka.    He had an issue between turns one and two on lap 7 and brought out the first caution of the day. He ended up completing 89 laps and finished 39th.

Golfer picks nose after sticking nice shot on green

Charley Hoffman dug in in more ways than one after landing a sweet shot on the green at the Travelers Championship Saturday.

The golfer also went digging for gold after sticking his shot near the pin — then checking it out.

It's hard not to think about "Caddyshack" after the cameras and announcers caught Hoffman pulling (picking?) a Spaulding on the fairway.

He even looks like The Smails Kid.

"Don't do it kid."

High school juniors brutally beaten in sports fan club hazing incident

During an disturbing and violent tradition, a group of Washington state high school juniors were brutally beaten and humiliated in what authorities believe to be a hazing ritual for an exclusive sports fan club.

Authorities in Snohomish County, Washington are investigating the hazing initiation, which occurred Monday night in a park near Inglemoor High School, where students with the unofficial football fan group the "Naked Viks" were beaten with golf clubs and PVC pipes.

The Naked Viks group has traditionally performed in front of the home crowd since it was founded in 1996.

Detectives told news station KIRO-TV that the blind-folded victims were led into the woods, coated with flour and maple syrup, and were urinated on during the hazing.

Graphic photographs show students covered in bruises, with angry red welts across their backs, mixed with dirt and other grime.

Student James Walvatne told the station that he, along with six other juniors, were chosen by graduating seniors to be initiated on Monday night. To him and the others, it was a high honor.

"It's just tradition," he told KIRO. "I don't think (the students) should be in trouble that could just ruin their lives," Walvatne said.

Neighbors, hearing the screams of the seven teenagers, quickly called authorities Monday night.

Snohomish County sheriff's deputies arrived to the park to find a dozen teenagers between the ages of 16 and 18.

Police said that some teens had on only shorts, and were bleeding from open wounds, KOMONews.com reports.

Some of the victims also showed signs of hypothermia, and were rushed to the hospital.

The school has since launched an investigation and has banned the Naked Viks from any school-related function.

Chris Perkins told KIRO Radio that he was one of the founding members of the Naked Viks back in 1996. "It was guys wearing half-cut white T-shirts running 'Naked Viks' on them, and acting crazy at football games," he explained.

"You hang out before the games, it was just being goofy."

Perkins said the tradition of the fan club was passed down from seniors to juniors in a handoff system, usually to students they knew through sports teams.

It is unclear what charges await the seniors of the Naked Viks, as authorities report none of the juniors who were being hazed asked the seniors to stop.

LeBron addresses haters in his Instagram video debut

Friday was the first day of the new video capabilities Instagram added. However, there had to have been quite a few users at a lost about what to do with 15 seconds of video and 13 filters. The headband-less LeBron James was certainly one of those people.

He posted his first Instagram video today in his long awaited return to social media. He starts off the clip saying, "Man, I don’t know what to say. I’m a champion." A lot of pressure considering he's the first two-time Finals MVP to use Instagram's video.

King James delivered a more succinct message in the latter half of the video: "Two time! Two rangs! That sh!t stank, don’t it! UGHH!! ”