The Links

Kristin Bell to start the morning..... A terrible Patriots Day for the Red Sox...... The Sweating Man is returning to Duke..... Lance Berkman may be returning to the Astros soon...... Fred Hill is no longer the Rutgers basketball coach..... Christina Hendricks makes me swoon...... Can we stop celebrifying mistresses?...... Sharon Osbourne will recycle her breast implants...... Dana White is taking a lot of pleasure from the Strikeforce debacle Saturday night

There are some idiots writing for the Denver Post and they're not named Woody Paige (Fear The Fin)

Who will start in place of Kevin Garnett during game 2 for the Celtics? (Celtics Blog)

Joakim Noah doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut (Fanhouse)

If a sex scandal can't draw in younger viewers to The Masters, what can? (Sports Business Journal)

Cause for concern for the Cavs? (News-Herald)

The Jazz aren't going away despite the circumstances (Salt Lake City Tribune)

Ryan Miller is the only one pulling his weight for the Sabres (Buffalo News)

It's time for Notre Dame to join the Big Ten (Columbus Dispatch)

Is Toby Gerhart being overlooked in the draft because he's white? (Yahoo Sports)

Now this is a tailgate party (The 700 Level)



LeBron James made a poster out of James Johnson last night (Outside the Boxscore)

I Hope Eri Yoshida Is In For Some Culture Shock

Eri Yoshida is the 18-year-old female pitcher from Japan who studied the art of the knuckleball from Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield. Yoshida signed a contract to play baseball in the Golden Baseball League, an independent league with teams in California, Arizona, Canada and Mexico. Yoshida specifically signed with the Chico Outlaws. Welcome to culture shock, Ms. Yoshida.

It has to be difficult for anyone to move away from your home into a new area that your not familiar with. Now imagine growing up in a foreign country and moving to a different country that speaks a different language. Now imagine moving away from a foreign country to a small farm town in Northern California. Now imagine if you move to this small farm town and find out that it's actually a big party town.

That's exactly what Chico, California is, a big party town. I grew up in the area, I know. The college in the town, Chico State University, is routinely ranked in Playboy's top 10 of college party schools. This is the same town where people in the summer go to the Sacramento River and float on inner-tubes down the river drinking beer all day.

This doesn't even add into the fact that Chico is in the middle of nowhere. Once you leave town there is nothing but Almond orchards and rice checks. Your in the middle of an agricultural mecca where it takes forever to travel to the next major city. It take 3 to 3 1/2 hours just to get to San Francisco from Chico. It takes an hour and a half just to get to Sacramento.

Now imagine being Ms. Yoshida who is coming from Kawasaki, Japan the ninth most populated city in Japan. So yeah it's going to be quite a culture shock for this young lady. She does though sound like she's up to the task.

"I am grateful for this opportunity to pitch for the Chico Outlaws," Yoshida told the AP. "This is a dream come true for me and I hope I can contribute to the team and help them win and also to continue to improve as a pro baseball player."

I wish her luck. I hope she has a great time in Chico and doesn't get caught up in the craziness on The Esplanade. Hey! Maybe she will visit the Bidwell Mansion and the Sierra Nevada Brewery?

Female knuckler Yoshida to Play in Minors (MLB.com)

Jose Offerman Needs Anger Management

Remember Jose Offerman? If you don't, let's go over his resume. Offerman played for 15 seasons in the MLB for the Dodgers, Royals, Red Sox, Mariners, Twins, Phillies, and Mets. He played his last MLB game back in 2005 for the Mets. Offerman's life and baseball career would take a weird turn.

Offerman was playing for an Independent League baseball team back in 2007, when he went bat sh*t crazy. Offerman was hit by a pitch and charged the mound. Sounds normal right? Except Offerman charged the pitcher swinging his bat. After the melee was over, Offerman hit catcher John Nathans in the head with the bat giving him a concussion and effectively ending his career. Offerman was suspended by the league and charged with second degree assault charges. Offerman was given two years probation for this incident. If you thought that would be the last time you heard the name Jose Offerman, you would be wrong.

The same guy who hit another player with a bat, is now in trouble for punching an umpire. Hey at least he didn't use a bat this time, right? Here's the recap from the AP.

"SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — Former major league all-star Jose Offerman threw a punch at an umpire during an argument in a Dominican winter league game Saturday night, the second time in 2½ years that he's attacked someone on a baseball field.

Offerman, manager of the Licey Tigers, appeared to hit first base umpire Daniel Rayburn in the face or neck with his fist during a heated discussion in a game against the Cibao Giants. Rayburn fell to the ground.

Offerman was detained by stadium security and taken to a police station to wait until the end of the game to see if Rayburn would press charges.

The Giants were winning 6-0 in the third inning of the final game of the winter league semifinal playoff series when plate umpire Jason Bradley ejected catcher Ronny Paulino for arguing balls and strikes.

Offerman came onto the field to talk to Bradley, but ended up arguing with Rayburn."

What? He hit the wrong umpire? He hit the guy who was trying to restore calm and resume the game? Needless to say Jose Offerman is in desperate need of anger management.

Former all-star detained after punching an umpire in the Dominican (AP)

The Links

Miranda Kerr is a nice way to start the mourning.... Mark this down as we have heard this before: A Detroit Lions QB looking good in practice..... Plaxico had a bad day yesterday.... A great feature on Talk Magazine.... Obama joker posters are popping up in Los Angeles.... NBA player vs. Porn Star to see who can get more Twitter followers.... How idiotic is this 'cash for clunkers' program?

Dusty Baker has done it again. He's burned out yet another pitcher's arm (Cincinnati Enquirer)

Lack of planning, not injuries doom the Mets (NY Post)

Meet the new race contributor at MSNBC (Fire Andy Reid Now!)

What's wrong with Cole Hamels? (Daily News)

Vernon Gholston is expected to contribute a little bit more this season for the Jets (Gang Green Nation)

Do not leak news without David Stern's permission (The Dream Shake)

Top 10 minor league baseball promotions (Real Clear Sports)

Wrestling on the beach? (Wall Street Journal)

Michael Douglas' son busted for Meth (TMZ)

Auburn football headed on the right path (AL.com)

A golf course allows people to shoot geese on the course(Burn Monkey Burn) video below

Video of the Day: Through the Wall

We have all seen some crazy catches in baseball games. But the rarely do you see a player go through a wall. It has happened before, but it is still a rare site. Well it has happened again.

During a college baseball game, Kenny Burns of Rhode Island caught a ball and went through the right field wall. Watch this...


Whoever the announcer is, they need to be fired. Burns went through the right field wall, not the left field wall.

Anyways these types of catches never get old.

Also where are they playing that game? On a soccer field? Bizarre play on a bizarre looking field.

Want To Know Why the Dominican Team Lost to The Dutch

By now everyone knows the powerful Dominican Republic team lost to the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic.

And in case you didn't know, the Dominican team lost both games to the Dutch. The last game, which eliminated them from the WBC, was lost in extra innings.

Things got off to a rocky start when Miguel Tejada refused to play for the Dominican's because he didn't want to play 1St. base. Some prodding got him to play. Then Alex Rodriguez went down with an injury.

Even with the distractions though, the Dominicans and their lineup of all-stars shouldn't lose a game to the Dutch. Then it hit me. I know why they lost, Felipe Alou.

Yes Felipe Alou was the Dominican's coach for the WBC. Felipe Alou is a walking curse. Everything that can go wrong with Alou will. Let's take a look at his career.

- In 1962 the Giants faced off against the Yankees in the World Series. Alou was a starter for that team. Result: Willie McCovey hits a line drive that was caught by New York's Bobby Richardson ending the World Series with the Giants in defeat.

- In 1994, the Expos, which were managed by Alou, started the year off with the best record in the Major Leagues. Result: The league goes on strike and the World Series is canceled.

- In 1997, the Expos traded Pedro Martinez to the Red Sox. Result: Red Sox break their 86 year curse, while the Expos fans disappear and the team moves to Washington.

- In 2003, the Giants hire Alou. Result: The Giants with the leagues best record, lose to the Marlins in the Wild Card round. This did give us one of the best rants ever by Chris Russo.

- In 2004, the Giants are on the verge of winning the NL West again. All they have to do is beat their rival Dodgers for the crown. Result: The Giants collapse. Cody Ransom, yes the same Cody Ransom who is replacing A-Rod for the Yankees while he recovers from his injury, botches an easy play giving the Dodgers another batter. Then Steve Finley hits a game-winning home run to give the Dodgers the NL West and the Giants miss the playoffs.

That loss alone has sent the Giants into a tailspin. They haven't been close to reaching the playoffs since. Also the BALCO case erupts during Alou's tenure. Barry Bonds can thank him for that.

- In 2009, the Dominican's name Alou their manager. Result: They are upset by the Dutch twice in a week.

Face it, Alou is cursed. He can turn gold into a load of junk. He makes the worst in-game decisions of any manager of all-time. He doesn't know how to use a pitching staff and he doesn't wear to place batters properly in a lineup.

The Dominican's deserve what they got, when they hired Felipe Alou. Somewhere Larry Krueger is laughing right now.

The Links

Evan Rachel Wood, is a great way to start the mourning. Wood, couple of years ago, became famous when she started dating Marylin Manson. They have since broken up and she was rumored to be dating 'Wrestler' co-star Mickey Rourke. Look for her this year in Woody Allen's 'Whatever Works'.

Dominican's choked against the Dutch... L.T. and the Chargers have a new deal... Jay Cutler and the Broncos have gotten further apart... LeBron's triple-double broke the Clippers hearts

- Find the Type (Awful Announcing)

- A Manning played golf with Tiger. Guess which one? (Fanhouse)

- Weird story here. A former Patriots safety is marrying to the alleged victim in a domestic incident. (PFT)

- Ron Zook is selling his demo boat (Deadspin)

- 11 reasons why to watch Playboy golf finals (Busted Covergage)

- Like college football, college basketball and the tournament slight mid-majors (LA Times)

- DePaul and St. John's proved they belonged in the NCAA tournament (NY Times)

- Who needs the Olympics when we have the WBC (Washington Post)

- The ACC tournament just a 'Big Party' (AJC)

Rickey Thinks Rickey is the Greatest Ever

Today the writers spoke and Rickey Henderson and Jim Rice were elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

This is significant for two reasons. Rice was finally elected to the hall on his last chance on the ballot. Also the hall elected one of the biggest misogynist in the world.

Think about what Henderson's induction speech will sound like. I can just here Henderson now speaking in the third person, and this is what it might sound like:

- Rickey is the greatest player ever.

- Rickey is the greatest hitter ever.

- Rickey looks good up here doesn't he?

- Rickey doesn't take a back seat to anyone.

These could all be possible subjects Henderson talks about.

I remember a great story Tony Gwynn once told on the Jim Rome Show about Henderson. While they were teammates with the San Diego Padres, Henderson was offered a seat anywhere on the bus because he has tenure.

And Rickey quickly responded with this gem, "Ten years? What are you talking about? Rickey got 16, 17 years."

Then there is the great story of Henderson being so proud of a $1 million dollar check he framed the entire check, thus losing the interest on it.

These are just some of the great stories about Rickey Henderson, and I hope he talks about them all.

Until then, congratulations to both Henderson and Rice.