Mark McGuire of the ALBANY TIMES-UNION has this line today about the curious celebrity of Anna Kournikova: “Kournikova’s career remains a prominent example of how sports, sex and celebrity congeal into the oleo that is entertainment in Deadspin Nation.”

(Forget cheese, in Deadspin Nation, it’s all about free government mustard)

I know, there’s nothing more scintillating than a rehash of Kournikova’s breast size pseudo celebrity (Mark, 2001 called, they want their XM radio back.)

More interesting is that’s the first time I’ve seen or heard a main media member use the phrase “Deadspin Nation.” Actually, that’s the first I’ve heard of it altogether (tho I’m sure Shanoff’s already got it copyrighted and trademarked).

So what does a Deadspin Nation entail? I’m not really sure, besides of course Mattoon adding “The Home Of Will Leitch!” to the city’s interstate welcome sign, Buzz Bissinger being fitted for a monitoring anklet, and Ron Zook manning central command of Operation Iraqi Freedom (”you’re doing a great job, Zookie Zooker!“).

Additionally, you can count on the Executive Branch of Deadspin Nation being quartered here.

Tom Hoffarth of the L.A. DAILY NEWS reports that ESPN Radio in L.A. (KSPN-AM) is already trying to buy out the contract of afternoon host Dave Dameshek. As some of you may know, I appeared often on the show Dameshek replaced eight months ago, which featured longtime SoCal sports radio mainstays Steve Mason and John Ireland. When Dameshek was brought on last year, KSPN let Ireland go and moved Mason to middays.

(SoCal sports guy John Ireland is back on KSPN-AM with Steve Mason)

Dameshek’s show, according to Hoffarth, lost half of Mason & Ireland’s audience in the Arbitron Ratings in mere months. So KSPN officials have brought Ireland back and reunited him with Mason on a midday show - and are in the process of attempting to part ways with Dameshek, who has $400,000 in ESPN commits left on the final two years of his deal.

World’s most irrelevant jobs:

1) Construction site security guard
2) TSA liquid carry-on enforcement official
3) Budget controller, California State Legislature
4) Baltimore Orioles beat reporter

(Run, Forest, Run!)

You know the latter is bad when the highlight of your 2008 season reporting is a piece about a grounds crew member. Thanks Pete! Read more…

The LONDON DAILY MAIL has a recent photo of the stunning transformation of Anna Kournikova, taken in Miami at a fashion show:

The suddenly busty Kournikova has long fought off rumors of an eating disorder thanks to her oft-emaciated appearance in recent years. Here’s a pic of her in 2005:

Yes, that’s the same woman. That’s the biggest boob growth I’ve seen since I started monitoring Red Sox home attendance figures after 2004.

And for the record, Anna claims her transformation isn’t the result of a boob job or any other artificial enhancement.

Next up for Anna? Giving career advice to Dara Torres. Read more…

• The NEW YORK TIMES volleys up the tale of one obsessive AVP fan.

• SIGNAL TO NOISE serves up SPORTS ILLUSTRATED’s lead tennis writer defending Justin Gimelstob’s little anti-Anna Kournikova rant.

• ESPN’s Pedro Gomez discovers the stadium that hosted Sunday’s Euro 2008 final also once hosted Jewish inmates as a World War II Nazi prison.

• PRO FOOTBALL TALK can’t stand the new Chiefs’ stadium policy, and you won’t stand for it, either.

Read more…

One final fond farewell to Will Leitch, and a hearty welcome to A.J. Daulerio.

• Boston Celtics star Paul Pierce shows up on Jimmy Kimmel’s show in style - by coming on stage while riding in a wheelchair.

• Justin Gimelstob, tell us how you really feel about Anna Kournikova.

• Darrell Arthur did a lot of traveling Thursday night without ever leaving Madison Square Garden.

• The inspiration for Alla Kudryavtseva’s big upset over Maria Sharapova: “I don’t like her outfit.”

• Are the Cubs looking to get the “L” (flag) out of Wrigley Field?

Read more…

Most casual observers remember Justin Gimelstob as a fairly ordinary ATP tour member and currently know him as a contributor to SPORTS ILLUSTRATED’S web site, writing his “Gimel Takes All” column. Well, let’s just say the current member of the ATP’s board of directors doesn’t think too highly of some of the players on the women’s tour.

(Gimelstob definitely kisses the nets at Wimbledon with that mouth.)

The UK’s DAILY MAIL reveals that Gimelstob unleashed some rather coarse language towards several players in a radio interview, calling Tatiana Golovin and Alize Cornet “sexpots”, but reserving his maximum vitriol towards Anna Kournikova, using the famed B-word. He also served up some more choice bon mots towards the Russian, whom he trained with as a junior.

Some digging by yours truly revealed the interview was in Washington, D.C., with WJFK-FM’s Junkies on June 18th, which has been archived for posterity, thankfully.

Host: “[Kournikova] already knows she’s playing you on the 23rd?”
Gimelstob: “Probably. She might not even be smart enough to read the schedule.”
Read more…

Last Friday, Darren Rovell tried to answer the musical question, “When will Michelle Wie win?” He listed her recent mild successes (making cuts, qualifying for the Women’s U.S. Open, not accidentally shooting her eye out, etc.) while pointing out that she still hasn’t won a damned thing except $10m in endorsements. That sounds full of win to us.

However, Mr. Rovell, we have a bone to pick with you, sir. We have much respect for your work at CNBC, but we note you actually asked a different question in your Friday piece: “Will Wie Live Up To Endorsements?” We’re fairly certain these are two entirely different topics.
Read more…

Guess there are some Boston baseball beauties that can knock your sox off.

• Avery Johnson now has time to attend all those Josh Howard parties.

Will Mark D’Antoni also be available for appearances?

• Some grouchy media dinosaurs use Bob Costas’ HBO show to growl about the sports blogosphere.

• But they don’t understand the true power of the Internet, as in the case of a small-college football player using YouTube to get himself drafted by the Eagles.

• Maria Sharapova finally meets Anna Kournikova - about 3-5 years too late for most of the media to care.

• Sisters are doing it for themselves - especially when it comes to softball sportsmanship.

Read more…

Moscow’s PRAVDA reports that amazingly, until last month Anna Kournikova and Maria Sharapova had never met.

(Happier, hotter times)

Then again, since Anna hasn’t played competitively in years, and is apparently “jealous” of Maria, we suppose it shouldn’t be that big a surprise.

Anna is terribly jealous of Maria’s incredible earnings (about $18 million a year), whereas Anna herself does not make much on advertising anymore. Nevertheless, it seemed that the girls were glad to see each other.

Pic of the two together after the jump.
Read more…

Danica Patrick silenced critics who said she was just a pretty face by becoming the first woman to win an IndyCar race when she took home the title at the Japan 300. Presumably, she did so with a shirt on and with both hands on the wheel instead of one touching her left breast.

I’ll skip the “rubbin’ is racin’” jokes for now and take you to the details of the race from THE PRESS ASSOCATION. Read more…

Not satisfied that she has sullied the sports world or fueled the imaginations of males aged 13-85 enough, Anna Kournikova today is a triathlete. Sort of.

Well, maybe she’s not quite entirely a triathlete. This if for charity, so I’ll go easy, but it sounds like she only did the running part (four miles). At least that’s what I glean from the plans laid out on KOURNIKOVA.COM, your one-stop news source: Read more…