The SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE writes up about Raiders player Jarrod Cooper - who could be seen as the anti-Michael Vick.

Cooper has been volunteering at the Oakland Animal Shelter, helping care for abused animals. Since he’s with the Raiders, you’d assume his visits were part of some mandated community service. But Cooper comes on his own accord, as a animal lover who wants to do his part for our four-legged friends.

And it was steroids that brought him to his dogged work.

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Ron Hunter doesn’t have to worry about sneaker deals, as the college basketball coach recently went barefoot for a game.

The INDIANAPOLIS STAR bounces over news of Hunter, the IUPUI coach who decided to go shoeless for the Jaguars’ Summit League contest against Oakland. Hunter’s stunt was done to raise awareness for Samaritan’s Feet, an organization aimed at providing footwear for those less fortunate.

Through his long-term efforts, the coach was hoping to eventually collect 40,000 pairs, with many going to African children. By game time, he already reached his goal - and then some.

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AROD GIVES 1% OUT OF $368,000 RAISED FOR CHARITY: Selena Roberts of the NEW YORK TIMES has a piece today on the burgeoning financial empire of Alex Rodriguez, who turns out to be quite the landlord (he owns 16 apt. complexes) and charitable giver.

Roberts characterizes everyone’s favorite muscular she-male lover as “an obsessive pursuer of cold, hard numbers on and off the bases, with serially disingenuous nods to his ever-challenged image.“More: “(Rodriguez) isn’t exactly a slumlord … he has become a landlord caricature among dwellers who hold him accountable for, say, the stack of molding mattresses by the dumpster at Newport Villas (in Tampa)”

Rodriguez recently doubled late fees to $100 on his $600 per-month units, we guess to make up for the $12M he’s lost in the value of his properties in Tampa alone (oops!).

On the charity front, Roberts chronicles ARod’s donations to his charitable foundation, something called the AROD Family Foundation. While he has earned almost $200M since 1997, in “eight years of available documents, [his] donations averaged $30,000 a year and gifts distributed to the community averaged $13,000 a year.”

The best part: In year’s he cleared over $25M in salary alone, Rodriguez did not contribute more than $5,500 in 2002 to the foundation, and in 2006 the foundation “did not give away more than $5,090 despite a fund-raiser that collected $368,000.“

RIVAL SCHOOL SHOWS HEART IN HELPING CHEERLEADER: When is a football defeat not such a big deal? When your opponent helps out one of your hospitalized cheerleaders:

The WILMINGTON (OH) NEWS-JOURNAL reports that Coldwater defeated Clinton-Massie 63-14 in Ohio high school playoff action. But before the game, Coldwater showed their warm hearts, as the Cavaliers presented a $15,000 check to the family of Savana Coffman.The 15-year-old Clinton-Massie cheerleader has been in the hospital since November 14, when she underwent a heart transplant. Learning that Savana’s family had no insurance, Coldwater students helped raise thousands of dollars to pay for her medical expenses.

The CINCINNATI ENQUIRER adds that Savana’s mother, Tabby, also received the same transplant over a dozen years ago.

With this show of generosity, hearts are beating strong for mother, daughter, and the Coldwater community.

To learn more about Savana’s condition or to donate, visit her Savana Smiles website.

JOHNSON GENEROSITY JUMPS JIMMIE TO NEXTEL CUP TITLE: Instant karma’s gonna get you, Jimmie Johnson.

We earlier wrote how the NASCAR racer and SoCal native would be donating his Atlanta race winnings to the Red Cross in order to help California wildfire victims.Since his generous guarantee, Johnson has now won 4 straight races, including Sunday’s Checker Auto Parts 500 in Phoenix.

The victory helped Johnson open an 86-point lead over Jeff Gordon in the Nextel Cup standing. Barring a collapse or cool collision, Jimmie should be able to clinch his second consecutive championship next Sunday in Miami.Paying it forward seems to be paying off for JJ. Dy-no-mite!

BECKS SCORES FOR WILDFIRE VICTIMS IN CHARITY MATCH: Although the MLS season is over, David Beckham did get to play in one more soccer match - for charity:

The ASSOCIATED PRESS reports Becks scored 2 goals and had 3 assists as the L.A. Galaxy beat Hollywood United F.C. 10-4 on Sunday.The match at the Home Depot Center in Carson was a benefit for victims of the recent southern California wildfires, raising more than $90,000 for the cause.

Hollywood United was led by actor-slash-goalie Anthony LaPaglia, star of CBS’s “Without a Trace”. Other players who hit the pitch for H.U.F.C. included Def Leppard guitarist Viv Campbell, Galaxy GM Alexi Lalas, and Jim Rome fan Eric Wylanda.

With a writers strike currently hitting Hollywood, LaPaglia should have more time to work on his game.Maybe Anthony can arrange a match between the Writers’ Guild and the studios - winner gets a new contract written to their demands.

JJ DY-NO-MITE TO DONATE WINNINGS TO CA. FIRE VICTIMS: Jimmie Johnson will be burning rubber this weekend to help victims burned by the California wildfires:

The NASCAR driver and El Cajon, CA, native will donate his winnings from Sunday’s Pep Boys Auto 500 to the American Red Cross. Money from the Atlanta race will go toward the California Wildfire Relief Fund.And whatever the Johnson takes in, car sponsor Lowe’s and Speedway Motorsports will match the same amount in donations to the Red Cross.

It’s not as generous as free tacos for all, but it’s a start.