Yankees Already Cheating

"On Thursday, during the Yankees' opener against the Detroit Tigers, reporter Keith Olbermann tweeted that, "The Yankees have a man in the seats who indicates to their on-deck batter what kind of pitch was just thrown," along with a photo. The photo is of Yankees baseball operations coaching assistant Brett Weber, who was relaying pitch speed to the on-deck batter. Pitch speed is displayed prominently in every ballpark, but players were relying on Weber's readings.

Major League Baseball prohibits team staff from communicating pitch information to batters by hand signals (NESN)."

Cashman was contacted by the MLB that this is not allowed. Apparently the scoreboard wasn't working, so this was their way of working around it. Problem is the Tigers didn't get the same information. Is it a big deal? No, not really, but I put in the same light as A-Rod slapping at the ball, or calling "I got it" while a player is trying to catch a pop out. It's just bad form, and another case of the Yankees being no good cheaters.

New York Knicks Cheating

Knicks director of East Coast scouting Rodney Heard coordinated and conducted the sessions, three players who were involved in some of the workouts told Yahoo! Sports – including one May 2007 session that resulted in a devastating knee injury to Kansas All-American Brandon Rush(notes). A tear of the anterior cruciate ligament in Rush’s right knee forced him to withdraw from the 2007 draft and required surgery plus six months of rehabilitation.

In addition to the Rush session – which was an apparent violation of NBA bylaws forbidding teams from working out players before the annual predraft camp – Heard may have broken more rules by conducting predraft workouts with additional players during restricted time periods in 2007 and for excessive sessions in 2009 and 2010.

• League sources with knowledge of the workouts said Heard trained forward Wilson Chandler(notes) for multiple weeks before the 2007 predraft camp. The Knicks went on to draft Chandler with the 23rd overall pick that year.

• DePaul’s Dar Tucker said Heard led two-a-day workouts for him and other players for multiple days before the 2009 draft. NBA rules limit teams to two total workouts spaced three days apart.

• Heard also helped oversee multiple workouts in 2010 for a group of players including Baylor’s Ekpe Udoh(notes) and Notre Dame’s Tory Jackson(notes), said Jackson and a college coach who was present at the sessions. The workouts also are an apparent violation of NBA rules limiting the time teams may spend with players before each draft. more

Sorry for the long copy and paste job, but this could kill the already foolish Knicks. They already traded away a lot of future picks and I believe the punishment from David Stern will ultimately lead to taking away more picks from them.

Tiger a Shrewed Business Man

The jokes have been written about this being the most expensive car accident ever. A 164 dollar ticket, 3,200 in damage to the Caddy plus untold millions in divorce settlements and child support. The guy is rumored to be worth up to a billion and he's only now entering the peak of his earning years. The fees he will generate over the next decade in golf course designs and sponsorships are astronomical. A net worth of a billion might be low balling things.

Now the news comes out that Tiger's reputation as a hound (first revealed in a 1997 GQ article) held serve all the way through his 2004 wedding and the births of a couple of children, his net worth had been expected to drop considerably - to a cool 500 million. Not so fast.

See, in 2004 when he married the Swedish nanny, he got her to sign a prenup. No surprise there, lots of rich people do it. The jaw dropping part is the amount Elin would be entitled to should they actually divorce. Answer? Nothing if the marriage fell apart before 10 years and if it lasted longer than that only 20 million. In 2004, Tiger was worth hundreds of millions yet he convinced her to settle for a mere 20 million and even then, only after 10 years.

According to the Daily Beast, things have changed a little bit.

In a statement Wednesday, Tiger said, “I have let my family down and I regret those transgressions with all of my heart.” Words are evidently not enough to mollify Elin: The Daily Beast has learned the details of what it’s costing Tiger to keep his marriage intact. A lawyer familiar with the hastily conducted negotiations of the past 72 hours said that as of Wednesday evening Elin has been offered a $5 million payment immediately if she agrees to stay—and her prenuptial agreement is being revised to give her up to an additional $55 million.

To collect the revised 75 million, Elin needs to stick it out for another 2 years. The vesting period cut short by 3 years. Even then this is a steal for Woods. On the face of it all, this looks more like a business arrangement then a marriage. All these terms in conditions read like an incentive laden baseball contract. And given these new details, it is not really surprising to learn of Woods' unfaithful ways. He wasn't cheating on his loving wife, he was lining up future business partners.

ESPN's Steve Phillips Takes Break After Affair

"ESPN baseball analyst Steve Phillips acknowledges having an affair with an assistant at the cable network, and has taken a leave of absence during the playoffs. Phillips says in a statement released by ESPN Wednesday that he's sorry to have "put his family and colleagues through this." ESPN has granted Phillips' request for time off, and has taken unspecified disciplinary action. Police say 22-year-old ESPN production assistant Brooke Hundley called Phillips' wife in August after he broke off the affair and sent her a letter graphically describing their relationship. Phillips says he will not press charges. The status of the police investigation was unclear Wednesday. ESPN says Hundley is still working for the network (FoxNews)."

I like Steve Phillips a lot, and I really couldn't care less that he was slamming some 22 year old production assistant. It sounds like she really had no reason to bring Phillips wife into this, other then to ruin him. In the end, you shouldn't cheat on your wife, but I watch ESPN for entertainment, not morals.

Phillips you'll be missed.


If you want to read the letter CLICK HERE


And here is a pic of her...

Student Gets 7 Years For Changing Grades

"Former Florida A&M University student Marcus Barrington was sentenced Monday to seven years in federal prison for his involvement in a March grade change scandal. Barrington’s accomplices, Lawrence Secrease and Christopher Jacquette, pleaded guilty and are currently serving their 22-month sentence. This brings an end to Barrington’s sentencing schedule, which has been delayed several times (FoxNews)."

Not that changing grades isn't a big deal, but 7 fucking years seems like an extremely harsh punishment. I don't know the whole story, but I just don't see why this is such a big deal. It seems like something where they would just rip up your diploma and send you on your way, but instead this kids life is realy over....

Tejada Tipping Pitches?

"A report in the New York Times says that series of events on the field led several players to believe Tejada had been helping friends on opposing teams by tipping off pitches and by allowing balls they hit to get past him occasionally during games with lopsided scores (Sportsline)."

To me this is worse then any steroid allegation. This is direct cheating to the game. I can't pass judgement yet, because I don't have any proof to back it up other then this New York Times article. Tejada denies it...

"I've never tipped pitches," Tejada said. "I love this game and that's not the way I play it. I'm a proud player. I would never do such a thing."

I really hope he is telling the trust, but I have to admit I wonder at times. Similar allegations were made at A-Rod, so maybe this happens more then we think. Once again, I really hope this is all false...