http://www.yardbarker.com/users/TheSportsGod Recent Yardbarker Articles: TheSportsGod en-us Well, here they are. Those soft-bellied, big-boned beauties the Florida Marlins organization hopes will put more butts in the seats this season. I guess laughing at the expense of overweight dancers is better than laughing at the expense of a fire-sale squad. Sun, 13 Apr 2008 14:00:59 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/236369 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/236369 "Encarnacion has struck out three of his last five ABs... He hasn't hit the ball out of the infield... He had a terrible spring training... TAKE HIM OUT OF THE GAME! ... This guy is NOT a clutch hitter... He's not a clutch player." Next pitch....Gone. Game over. Reds win. Gotta love that. Thu, 03 Apr 2008 20:32:54 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/227892 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/227892 Moises Alou to AP reporter... "Everywhere I play, even now, people still yell, 'Bartman! Bartman!' I feel really bad for the kid...I wouldn't have caught it, anyway." We know Cubs fans will never forget, but are they ready to forgive Steve-O. All the guy wanted was a game ball from the NLCS. Tue, 01 Apr 2008 16:02:18 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/226096 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/226096 "One Chelsea insider claimed Drogba visits the club shop up to 10 times a week and on one occasion walked out of the store with 40 shirts priced at approximately £45 each, setting him back £1,800." Maybe this guy's learned how to have a second job from the likes of Barry Bonds and Pete Rose. I hope we don't find some mysterious person selling tons of signed Drogba jerseys on eBay for 100 bucks a piece. Wed, 12 Mar 2008 01:36:50 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/192142 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/192142 "Singles who thrill to the sounds of big engines and the sight of racing cars can log on to www.MeetMeAtTheRaces.com, the first dating website dedicated to racing and romance – just in time for the February start of the NASCAR racing season." Direct quote, I kid you not!!! Tue, 19 Feb 2008 02:56:07 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/150795 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/150795 Sir Charles is at it again. But whether it's $400,000 or $100,000, what's the big deal? He made at least $30 million in the NBA, a few millions more in endorsements and is probably doing just fine with his part-time gig with TNT. Even if the guy has gambled away $10 million (he's probably exaggerating), he's got plenty more to burn. Sure he could use some GA sessions, but Sir Charles is a smart guy. He invested a lot of money and as long as he stays busy enough as an analyst, he won't go bankrupt. Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:35:55 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/140958 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/140958 The former NBA sharpshooter went to his wife's Miami home to confront her about having too many men over. And sure enough, he finds a guy hiding in her closet. After a punch to the face, a choke hold, and a DJ Jazzy Jeff body toss, Rice is arrested for battery. Read some of his wife's past comments to the media during Glen's playing days. What a piece of work! Sat, 12 Jan 2008 00:31:28 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/68719 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/68719 Originally, I commended the A's eccentric GM for having the balls to trade a Cy Young candidate just entering his prime. Now I wonder if he's gone too far. Unloading an All-Star caliber player like Nick Swisher, a fan favorite in Northern California, is definitely cause for concern, particularly from a financial standpoint. Even when the A's were perennial AL West contenders, attendance was sparse. Who knows what those figures would have looked like without Giambi, Tejada, Zito, Mulder, and Hudson. Now the team is bad and its two biggest stars are gone. The limited budget Beane has to work just got more limited. I respect Billy for his resilience and stubbornness to hold strong to the Moneyball philosophy. However, too much change can lead to complete disinterest. Take the Florida Marlins for example. The Wayne Hyzenga fire sale philosophy has done severe, possibly irreversible damage to the local fan base in South Florida. The Marlins-Nationals game last summer that drew 200 people was not a fluke; it was growing trend that should serve as a lesson to owners and GMs who mistakingly believe a high turnover leads to a quick turnaround. Be careful, Billy. For your sake, I hope at least one of the 9 prospects you got for Haren and Swish can make an immediate impact and stick around long enough to become popular. Winning with no-names is impressive, but unfortunately not as beneficial to the whole organization as being somewhat competitive with star power. Fri, 04 Jan 2008 08:03:52 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/59632 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/59632 OK, so this is not sports related unless you categorize it as "wrestling" or "MMA." Lord knows I would have pulled out every fight technique imaginable if a 350 lb. cat sank its teeth into my neck. I feel for the teenage victim and his family, but when you cage a killing machine for public display stuff like this is bound to happen. Not every Tiger can be tamed. Just ask Roy. Make that Siegfried. Fri, 28 Dec 2007 00:37:05 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/54280 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/54280 Hold on there, Moneyball haters. Looks like Billy Beane took some 5-hour energy and is back making more deals than Howie Mandel. Who else is crazy enough to trade a 28-year old Cy Young candidate for unproven talent? As a Giants fan, I wish Brian Sabean would grow a pair of cagones and at least make an attempt at inspiring hope in fans across the bay. "Upside" is my least favorite word in the dictionary. That being said, 2 of the 6 prospects the A's got from the Diamondbacks are were very high on Beane's list (OF Carlos Gonzalez is rated the D-Backs' #1 minor league prospect by Scout.com and Brett Anderson, an imposing 6'4" 220 lb. 19-year-old LSP, is #3). It's way too early to tell who got the better end of the stick. But once thing is clear--Beane has regained that arrogant confidence and swagger other GMs despise. Here's what I mean. [...The Diamondbacks were in what Beane called "aggressive" discussions regarding Haren all along. "They were absolutely prepared from the start and were willing to talk about a number of young players," Beane said. "We talked about almost everybody in their organization at some point in the process...I don't think I'm ever going to concede anything...We need to get back to the point where we put together a club that has a chance at a long, sustained run," Beane said, pointing to the 1999 season. "This trade was the first major step toward doing that."] Sat, 15 Dec 2007 17:09:26 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/44522 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/44522 Who does that? He didn't even address his team in person. Instead, he left a four-sentence note in the players locker room before Wednesday's practice. I know the letter's been posted already, but here it is once again. "Atlanta Falcons players: Out of my respect for you, I am letting you know that, with a heavy heart, I resigned today as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. This decision was not easy, but it was made in the best interests of me and my family. While my desire would have been to finish out what has been a difficult season for us all, circumstances did not allow me to do so. I appreciate your hard work and wish you the best. Sincerely, Bobby Petrino." Wed, 12 Dec 2007 21:33:40 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/43080 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/43080 I know this has already been posted, but I just couldn't help myself. We all know how Gilbert Arenas loves to speak his mind. And that's great for us sports fans and the media. But I'm surprised he threw a guy like Andre Iguodala, a fellow Zona Wildcat, under the bus for simply negotiating a better contract. They weren't in Tuscon at the same time, but still. The guy will say whatever, whenever, wherever, about whoever. He also goes off on Luol Deng, Emeka Okafor, Anderson Varejao, Latrell Sprewell, Joe Smith, Devin Harris, and Samaki Walker. I guess he already has enough friends. Here's what he says about Iguodala. "...Same thing with Iguodala. I know after A.I. left, you were supposed to be that No. 1 guy, but, the way he plays the game, he doesn't have that. He's not that type of player. He's a second guy. An assistant coach told me a great story about him. When he was in Arizona, he said he was like 9-for-11 from the field and he apologized to the team for shooting 11 shots. From that day on, I just called him Scottie Pippen. He's a Scottie Pippen type of player. A great, overall player. He's your glue player. You need a superstar and then you need him. So $12 million is good for you. Nothing more and nothing less. Be happy with the $12 million..." Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:53:22 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/42609 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/42609 The Sean Taylor incident is part of a growing trend among sports celebrities. Just ask Antione Walker, Eddie Curry, and Dunta Robinson, all of whom were robbed at gunpoint over the summer. Why are athletes targets? Simple. They no longer live under the radar. In the past 15 years, salaries have exploded and many pro athletes have upgraded their standards of living to ridiculous extremes. Before, a large portion of well-paid athletes in the big four (MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL) managed to blend in with other wealthy, fast-paced working professionals by living downtown in convenient luxury condos or penthouse apartments. But more and more athletes are moving into outlandish mansions in the suburbs with pimped-out rides in the driveway. Can't say I blame them for wanting spacious homes in quiet communities outside the city to raise families or just get away from crowds. But if not careful or more discreet, pro athletes put themselves in serious danger of jealous lunatics out to get their share. You don't hear about Hollywood celebrities getting burglarized (the Nicholas Cage robbery is the only instance I can ever remember) because they all live in guarded, gated communities with a hundred cameras and alarms. Until all pro athletes invest in top-of-the-line home security systems or hire armed guards, they will be vulnerable to burglar attacks. It's common knowledge that NFL players are rarely home during the season and quiet suburban homes become "dream jobs" during such time for advantageous criminals. Unfortunately for Sean, he was home and paid dearly. It is too early to tell why Sean Taylor was the victim here. He made a couple mistakes with the law in the past, but so have a lot of young impressionable pro athletes too immature to handle making millions of dollars. An early report indicates that the suspect shot Taylor and left without robbing him. Also, a kitchen knife was apparently left on his bed. But the facts of the case are still up in the air. It could have been an ex-girlfriend, a vengeful ex-posse, a professional thief or just a jealous neighbor. Tue, 27 Nov 2007 10:38:17 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/38841 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/38841 ...a 168 mph speeding ticket in a $200,000 EU sports car. Olympique Lyon and Czech National star Milan Baros took his Ferrari out for a little spin the other day, accompanied by some gorgeous 6' Espirit supermodel. After picking up a bottle of '75 Cabernet and a carton of cigarettes at the store, he got carried away by his rat tail blowing in the wind on the drive home and the rest is history. Wed, 07 Nov 2007 02:23:23 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/34838 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/34838 I'm sure many of you saw Keyshawn interview Chad on ESPN the other night. Here is the classic part when the ex-NFL wideout puts the current Bengal on the defensive, calling his game "an act." Tue, 23 Oct 2007 19:40:17 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/32514 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/32514