The Links: Perfection & Dan Patrick to Host NBC Hockey Studio

Brooklyn Decker to start the week..... R.I.P. Kevin Correia's little brother...... Dallas Braden's grandmother is awesome..... Joe Mauer returns after missing time with a heel injury..... When flopping goes wrong..... The Kimbo Slice-UFC experiment if mercifully over...... LeBron Who? Rondo is the MVP of the Celtics-Cavaliers series...... 'Iron Man 2' destroyed the box office...... Betty White boosts SNL ratings..... Tiger Woods withdraws from The Players Championship

Everything you need to know about Dallas Braden's perfect game (SB Nation)

Alex Rodriguez reacts to Dallas Braden's perfect game (ESPN NY)

A Chinese man who spent nearly 10 years in prison was set free after his supposed victim was found alive (BBC)

Everything you need to know about the NHL (Pokecheck)

How the mighty have fallen: Dan Patrick (Puck the Media)

Cal could be playing their games at AT&T Park by next year (Dr. Saturday)

After a disappointing show against Orlando, with Atlanta change direction with their coach? (Fanhouse)

Steve Nash: "Cut me Mick." (The Big Lead)

Sami Salo's ruptured testicle has a Twitter and Facebook account

Announcer slip up (Fire Andy Reid Now!)

The Links

Mila Kunis.... It's about time Obama uses his brain, regarding the detainee photos-he doesn't know what risk he puts our troops in if he did release them..... Bye, Bye Shanna Moekler.... Capitals fall apart in game 7 against the Penguins.... The Nuggets are headed to the Conference Finals

Eagles and Sheldon Brown finally meet (PFT)

Typical Boston fans, panicking already (Mass Hysteria)

Aussie Rugby has an orgy problem (With Leather)

Saving the NHL (The Big Picture)

Elijah Dukes is easily rattled (Bay Area Sports Guy)

That-a-boy Jon Stewart (The National Conversation)

A look at Pablo Sandoval (SF Chronicle)

A Hall of Fame for fans? (LA Times)

Pete Rose says A-Roid shouldn't be cheated out of the hall of fame (Daily News)

Nuggets fans have been looking forward to the Nuggets advancing for a long time (Denver Post)

Are People Really on A-Rod's Side?

With today's release of "The Many lives of Alex Rodriguez" the author Selena Roberts has been taking a verbal pounding from a lot of people.

Jason Whitlcock wrote this column, criticizing Roberts for her book about A-Rod. He compared her to Al Sharpton and called her an 'Hardcore Feminist' on both the Dan Patrick Show and Jim Rome Show. Whitlock's interview with Patrick can be found here. Take a listen for yourself.

He has said that he doesn't trust her, because of her hard stance against the three men accused of rape in the Duke Lacrosse case. She never apologized after the three players were found guilty of nothing. But again, there were a lot people against the three players who never apologized for their stances against the players.

He called her book nothing but a 'celebrity gossip' book. Take the A-Rod book for what it is. An unauthorized autobiography.

I will still withhold my judgement until I read the book.

But I do have to question the anonymous sources. This book is filled with people who has made some serious accusations against A-Rod by people who won't put their name to it. People who do not put their names to quotes almost never can be trusted. Especially in a book that rips on a high-profile personality. They could have an axe to grind against the person and they could make up some serious accusations about that person.

Like I said, I will withhold judgement until I read the book. But I do have a questions for you. Do you trust Selena Roberts' reporting? And will you read this book? And are you sympathetic to A-Rod's case?

A-Rod's Book Not Exactly Flying Off the Shelves

Selena Roberts much publicized book about Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez hasn't exactly been flying off the shelves in New York. According a New York Post writer who visited four bookstores in the New York area, the sales of, "The Many Lives Of Alex Rodriguez" is seeing some slow sales so far.

The book was released yesterday. (NY Post)

The Links

Chris Mack will move up one seat to become the head coach of Xavier.... Mickey Rourke being creepy... Hasheem Thabeet wants the NBA lifestyle.... Allen Iverson has now been kicked out of the Detroit Casino's..... U.S. military is taking the Somali threats seriously.... Phil Spector was finally convicted of murder.... And Gisele back from her honeymoon

The Catholic Church isn't happy about Mel Gibson's divorce (Foxnews.com)

Andy Roddick and Brooklyn Decker are getting married this weekend in Texas (Page Six)

Erin Andrews just because (Awful Announcing)

A-Rod's new girlfriend is a "Real Housewife of New York" (Big Picture)

An ally cat invaded Citi Field last night. Could that be a sign? (Observation bubble)

Both Cole Aldrich and Sherron Collins will return to Kansas next season (KC Star)

Nick Swisher pitched last night for the Yankees. Now that isn't a good sign (Daily News)

In case you didn't notice, the Houston Astros kind of stink (Houston Chronicle)

E:60 will profile Vince McMahon and WWE (Orlando Sentinel)

Rodriguez Can't Make Up His Mind

A-Rod sure doesn't know how to make a decision. After posturing, A-Rod will finally have hip surgery to repair his torn labrum and is expected to miss 6-9 weeks of action.

He finally made a decision. It was first reported that he would have the surgery, then he wasn't going to have surgery, and now he will have surgery. And you wonder why so many people don't like this cat.

He makes decision's like a three-year-old kid. Good luck with the surgery A-Roid.

(NY Times)

Links

T.O. has been released by the Cowboys... Manny is selling his condo in Boston... Mike Anderson has done a great job at Missouri.... GM might have to file for Chapter 11 just to survive.... When the economy is down, shop Wal-Mart.... Michael Jackson to make a comeback?.... Chimp attack victim could get a face transplant.... China lost to Japan to start the WBC... Alyssa Milano is a good way to start the mourning

- Michael Strahan is a little paranoid (Awful Announcing)

- Goodyear vs. NASCAR drivers (AL.com)

- Redskins are not interested in T.O. (PFT)

- NCAA teams whose tourney bubbles have bursted (Fanhouse)

- Shaq blasted Van Gundy, video at the bottom (Arizona Republic)

- A-Rod out until May (Deadspin)

- Sports by Brooks asks you to help a girl with "aggressive" leukemia

- The Pac-10, Big Ten, and Rose Bowl holding up college football from ever getting a playoff (CBSsports.com)

- The Dodgers may have Manny, but they don't have pitching (LA Times)

- The Honda Classic brings a smile to Ernie Els (Miami Hearald)

- Chris Brown is due in court today (MTVnews.com)

- The Beatles: Rock Band will be coming out soon (USA Today)

Here is a mock video of Shaq responding to Stan Van Gundy

A-Rod Could Help Case Against Steroids

With Alex Rodriguez admission of steroid use and yesterday's apology, A-Rod could help kids in the future. He said that when he used steroids he was young and stupid. This will give A-Rod a chance to speak out in the future against steroids and the problems with using them. A-Rod has the baton now and has a loud enough voice to speak out for the issue. Maybe the baseball union will listen? (NY Times)

A-Rod's Admission Not Enough

A-Rod actually did something that makes him smarter than Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, he apologized for taking steroids. But was that enough.

Alex Rodriguez admitted to taking steroids during his three year stint with the Texas Rangers. He said that he was in a wrong place, felt pressure, felt the Texas heat, so he roided. He said that he stopped after he was traded to New York. If you believe this, then good for you. I don't.

Who's to say he didn't use steroids during his Seattle days. Seattle is close enough to the Bay Area that he could have made a call to Victor Conte and BALCO. What about his time so far in New York? He was in the same clubhouse as Clemens, Jason Giambi, and Andy Pettite.

This is what the steroid era has done to baseball. We don't know who did steroids or when they did steroids. This is why I can't take Rodriguez's word right now. He is in the club with the rest of the steroid era players.

A-Rod's teammates are sticking behind him, but there are a lot of people questioning his story.

A-Rod will continually being questioned about his steroid use for the rest of his career. If he breaks Barry Bonds home run record it will be tainted. When he is eligible for the hall of fame, he will be questioned. This is the grave A-Rod dug for himself, and he will have to lay down in it with McGwire, Bonds, and Clemens.