John Madden blasts Will Ferrell for playing in MLB spring training games

When Will Ferrell took the field for ten teams during an MLB spring training day stunt which benefited cancer research, most people found it to be a harmless diversion from what are normally considered warmup games.

Not so Hall of Fame NFL coach and legendary broadcaster John Madden who thought the actor should keep his sports comedy on screen and off the diamond.

The daylong stunt was part of a new HBO special from Funny Or Die — which is dedicated to the fight against cancer. Ferrell suited up for ten teams — including Madden's hometown Oakland Athletics — and played all nine positions during games in the Cactus League in Arizona on Thursday.

When Madden was asked about the stunt, he said it showed a "lack of respect."

The 78-year-old Madden called in to KCBS before Ferrell took the field with the A's to discuss the stunt.

"I hate it," he said.

"That's a lack of respect for the game and for what players have to do to get where they are."

In addition to the A's, Ferrell "played" for the Mariners, Angels, Cubs, D'Backs, Reds, White Sox, Giants, Dodgers and Padres. 

The Super Bowl-winning coach further explained that when he was coaching in Oakland, Golden State Warriors superstar Rick Barry said he wanted to practice with the Raiders during training camp.

Madden claimed he instructed his players to flatten the NBA star. 

"I'm in training camp in Santa Rosa. Rick Barry comes walking by and he was playing for the Warriors at that time," said Madden. "He was a friend of Al Davis' and he said he was going to go in and suit up and go out on the field and practice, to fool Al. 

"I swear this is true," claimed Madden. 

"Jack Tatum and George Atkinson walked by and I said, 'Look, if this guy comes out on the field, he's live bait and I want you to go after him the way you would go after any other player that plays on another team.'"

After Ferrell's duties on the field, his spring training statistics were posted on baseball-reference.com.

Welcome, Will Ferrell to the @mlb pantheon. http://t.co/HfM5F3wlF4 @CFCcharity pic.twitter.com/TB4EIcPihN
— Baseball Reference (@baseball_ref) March 13, 2015

Ferrell is listed 11 times under the March 12, 2015, transactions section of baseball reference. 

Among the notable listings for John William Ferrell (Manimal) are: Traded to Chicago Cubs for a washing machine; Traded to Arizona Diamondbacks for a Churro Dog and D-Bat Dog; and claimed off waivers by Cincinnati Reds, Norm MacDonald released.

He's listed as becoming arbitration eligible in 2018 and can file for free agency in 2021. 

Kris Humphries disses Kanye West in 'Funny or Die' video

Kris Humphries is taking advantage of being voted the most hated player in the NBA and getting a poke at Kanye West at the same time.

West, who is dating Humphries ex-wife of 72 days Kim Kardashian, released a song saying he would have his pal Jay-Z drop Humphries from the New Jersey Nets and generally raps about how Humphries got in the new couple's way. DJ's started playing the song every time Humphries entered a nightclub and the big lug just sat back and took it.

Now, the Brooklyn Nets forward appears in a new "Funny or Die" video and take his own potshots at the rapper.  In the R-rated clip, marketing executives try to convince Humphries to channel his inner d-bag as a way to money.

The execs try to convince Humphries to "think Artest, Lambeer and Rodman" as a player fans "just hate."  He even wears West's pompous shutter glasses and pork-pie hat to bring on the hatred and is told his NBA player's face will be printed on toilet paper, urinal cakes and punching bags.



Humphries has paid his dues.  You have to give him some credit for withstanding that brain-numbing reality show with the Kardashian clan and the din of boos in every arena the Nets played. And he is a pretty decent baller.  At least now he's in on the joke.

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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