Jeter is glad Clemens beat the rap

Roger Clemens may have lost a few fans— and Hall of Fame votes— while battling a variety of steroid-related charges over the past few years but some of his former New York Yankees teammates are glad the whole saga is over and still on the Clemens bandwagon— including Derek Jeter.

After Clemens was found no guilty on Monday of lying to and obstructing Congress, Jeter said he was pleased with the result.

"I think it means a lot for him, first and foremost," said the Yankees shortstop. "That's the important thing.  I think it's great for the game that we can stop talking about it now, you know what I mean?  This is something that's been going on for a long time.  I'm glad it's over with.  I'm pretty sure baseball fans will be happy it's over with."

Jeter— who chooses his words as carefully as his pitches added," There was a lot of speculation.  You always have to be careful not to rush to judgement."

While Jeter was forthright in his remarks, his teammate Andy Pettitte— whose testimony likely helped Clemens with his acquittal— wasn't so chatty.

"I don't even care to talk about it," said Pettitte— who pitched with Clemens in New York and with the Houston Astros.

Alex Rodriguez— an admitted steroid user— had nothing to say on the matter and the Yankees third baseman actually ran past reporters at the end of batting practice to avoid them.

Jeter sounds like he still thinks Clemens is bound for the Hall of Fame.

"That's how you look at his career," said the Yankees Captain.  "He was someone that I enjoyed competing against, I enjoyed playing with. He's going to go down as one of the greatest pitchers of all time."

Wes Welker gets into scuffle at Aspen bachelor party

New England Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker and several of his pals got into a fight with security guards as he was preparing for his upcoming Aspen, Colo. wedding.

Welker and six of his friends— at an unofficial bachelor party—  scuffled with the security guards when they tried to enter the Patron tequila-sponsored  "Summerology" event Friday night, according to Page Six of The New York Post.

Sources said Welker had to be "physically restrained" after he strolled into the gala at the restaurant Above the Salt with his crew and tried to rush in without checking in with the party staffers.

After security tackled the group, witnesses said the Pro-Bowl NFL star and his posse still wouldn't cooperate and demanded to be let in to the event— which is party of the weekend's 30th annual Aspen Food & Wine Classic.

"Security tried to subdue the group" when a brawl almost broke out, reports Page Six.  "Security then physically restrained  [Welker] and his group to break everything up.

Welker and his boys weren't arrested but police had threatened to do so.  "Security calmed them down and kicked them off the property," the source said.

Aspen police confirmed there was a record of a "lecture and release" incident at the restaurant Friday night, but couldn't confirm if it was Welker's group.

Despite the brouhaha, Welker and his friends continued their own version of "The Hangover" by attending festival events and posting photos on his Twitter account.

The NFL star is in Aspen preparing to marry his fiancee, Anna Burns, a model who was crowned Miss Hooters International 2005.

Earlier in the weekend, Welker tweeted: "Getting married in 6 days and fired up about the reception.  Marrying the most beautiful girl in the world."

Niether Welker, the Patriots or Patron got back to Page Six.

Maybe if the restaurant had Gisele Bundchen working security at the door, Welker would have been better mannered.

Bobcats hire St. John's assistant Mike Dunlap as head coach

The Charlotte Bobcats have hired St. John's assistant coach Mike Dunlap to be their new head coach according to the The Charlotte Observer.

Dunlap, 54, is the former Denver Nuggets assistant who was acting head coach at St. John's last season while Steve Lavin recovered from prostate surgery.

Sources told the newspaper that Dunlap was offered the job, after interviewing in Charlotte with owner Michael Jordan, vice-chairman Curtis Polk, president of basketball operations Rod Higgins and general manager Rich Cho.  Dunlap accepted the offer.

The sources spoke on the condition of anonymity Monday because Dunlap's hire isn't official — yet.  The choice comes as a bit of a surprise because  Dunlap was not one of the team's three finalists and rejoined  the picture late.  The team had trimmed the list down to former Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan, Indiana Pacers assistant Brian Shaw and Los Angeles Lakers assistant Quin Snyder.

Dunlap was one of 10 candidates interviewed since the Bobcats began their search May 8.  He will replace Paul Silas, who was not given a new contract following last season's dismal 7-59 record.

Dunlap— who has spent most of his career at the college level— worked for Lute Olsen in Arizona and essentially ran the St. John's program last season while Steve Lavin observed from off the court.  Early in his career he was an assistant at USC and Iowa.

His only NBA experience was two seasons in the NBA with the Nuggets working under head coach George Karl in 2007-08.  The Nuggets compiled a 95-69 record during his tenure and made two playoff appearances.

Karl had nothing but praise for his former assistant earlier this year on the St. John's athletic department website.

"Mike Dunlap absolutely elevates every player and team he comes in contact with," said Karl.  "He takes you from a good to great.  Name every top-level, elite coach in the game— the only difference between Mike and them is their addresses. . . There is absolutely no one better."

Word is that Dunlap impressed the Bobcats front office with his high energy and collaborative approach.  Also, he wants to run an up-tempo offense and attacking defense that figures to fit in with the young team's personality.

Dunlap will be the Bobcats fifth coach in its nine-year history.

Jenny McCarthy sent nude photo meant for Brian Urlacher to her dentist

"That's one set of gums," Jenny McCarthy's shocked dentist was probably thinking after the actress accidentally sent a nude photo of herself instead of a picture of her kid's infected mouth to his office.

The former Playboy playmate— who has bared all for the magazine— was saving the sexy photo for her boyfriend Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher, McCarthy said on "The Wendy Williams Show" but mistakenly sent it to the dentist.

Sounds like the blonde beauty went from Da Bears to just Duh.

The naked shot ended up at her son's dentist office after the 10-year old woke up with an abscess in his mouth and McCarthy panicked and called him.  The dentist asked her to send photos of her son Evan's gums on a cell phone when she had the mix up.

"It's horrific to remember," said the 39-year old McCarthy.  "So I'm taking a picture of it and I'm sending it to the dentist and I sent him a nude on accident!  I swear to God!"

"The dentist is like, 80 years old.  I literally screamed at the top of my lungs," she added.

The old dentist was expecting pictures of bi-cusps but got C-cups instead.

Tebow draws inspiration from 'Braveheart'

Tim Tebow spoke in front of 26,000 people at a Father's Day service for Shadow Mountain Community Church at San Diego's Qualcomm Stadium on Sunday and revealed his father instilled the core values in his son by using the film "Braveheart" as a guide.

The New York Jets quarterback told the crowd how his father, Bob, used the lifelong values reflected in Mel Gibson's portrayal of William Wallace as his inspiration.  Tebow paid tribute to his father— who was not at the sermon— by recalling his first viewing of the violent Academy Award winning film with the uplifting message.

"It had the biggest impact on my life because every time I would go to practice from then on out, I would think of what my father said to me: 'Do I really love what I'm doing?  Am I passionate about it? And am I willing to sacrifice more than anybody else?'," Tebow told the crowd what he learned from his favorite movie.

The last time Tebow appeared in Qualcomm stadium, he led the Denver Broncos to a heartbreaking overtime victory over the San Diego Chargers last November.  The home town fans seemed to put the loss behind them by cheering and shaking Tebow's hand after the sermon.

"It feels really good to get an applause in this stadium," Tebow said.  "It's never happened before."

Mix a Scottish rebel with a little Tony Robbins and you get Tim Tebow.

Give me the strength to die well!

LeBron gives headband to grateful fan

While leaving the court after last night's Game 3 victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Miami Heat star, LeBron James, made one young lady's night more memorable by giving her his sweaty headband.

After the 91-85 win, James handed the white terry-cloth head gear to the swooning young woman who clutched the souvenir to her chest before putting it around her head.

James wasn't so giving to the Thunder.  He finished the game with 29 points and 14 rebounds to give his team a 2-1 lead in the NBA Finals.

Jon Barry is not well liked in Miami

A spectator with good timing and bad handwriting jumped behind the postgame crew at AmericanAirlines Arena— after the Heat defeated the Thunder— and held up a handwritten "Jon Barry Sucks" sign with Barry sitting right there on live television.

While Magic Johnson was droning on about the 91-85 win, a young man held up the crudely made sign for a few seconds before security made him stop and leave the area.



It looks like Barry didn't see the sign but he would have probably had a hard time reading the chicken-scratch comment if he did.