When you’re in a conservative city on the border of the South and the Midwest, and that city has not one but two significant college basketball programs chock full of recruits from around the country, there are bound to be cultural conflicts between the city’s traditional base and the teams that are now a significant part of the city itself. That’s exactly what’s happening in Cincinnati, and the results are getting ugly. The latest proof? Conservative radio host Bill Cunningham opined this morning that University of Cincinnati basketball players are, “poppin’ those things (illegitimate children) out like cherry pits out of one’s mouth.”

(Meet the new Don Imus: Now with even more overt racism!)

He really said it, folks - we’re not making this kind of bigoted trash up, as you can see and hear at this FAN NATION post. In fact, the entirety of Cunningham’s quote was a lot more inflammatory than that. Here it is, though you might want to brace yourself to hear every rash, racist “player” stereotype that can get thrown out about African-American athletes. You can also hear it in a video clip right after the jump. Ready? OK, here we go:

“How many illegitimate children does the UC men’s basketball team have? I heard it’s more than a half dozen.” Cunningham responded to himself, ignoring his producer’s conciliatory reply. “So there’s some hangin’ and bangin’ going on at the Shoemaker Center after the game. … [T]hey’re poppin’ those things out like cherry pits out of one’s mouth.” Cunningham openly mused.

Clearly, Cunningham has gone way beyond the bounds of reasonable comedic radio journalism. In fact, he’s gone way beyond the bounds of taste and, in our opinion, employability. Clearly, he’s forgotten Don Imus and how his “nappy-headed hos” comment went down over at Rutgers a couple of years ago.

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In case you don’t know it, SbB is based in Los Angeles and most of our writers also emanate out of the west coast.

(View from my eighth story apt. building ok maybe not)

In the aftermath of today’s 5.4, everyone, at least from what I can tell, survived to write another day. It was also a relief to know that I had my trusty Los Angeles earthquake survival kit handy, which includes a flashlight, candles, fresh water and a good book to curl up with.

It’s rather ironic that here in the shadow of Hollywood, the L.A. TIMES and DAILY NEWS employ nary a gossip. The closest thing is probably T.J. Simers, and Daulerio at DEADSPIN spots this quote from Jeff Kent in today’s T.J.: “I don’t hang out with the guys — never have. I don’t go out drinking, look at porn, have a girlfriend or get divorced — so I’m selfish.”

He doesn’t hang out with guys? And to think TMZ’s quasi-homeless camera crew has been camped outside Rage in WeHo waiting all this time for the longtime second sacker.

And Kent doesn’t look at porn, either? Perhaps that means he’s got something in common with Marlins closer Kevin Gregg when in comes to an aversion for adult entertainment.

Or at least I think he does, if the following strange sports radio exchange involving Gregg is any indication. Read more…

Looks like Kobe & Vanessa and Tony & Jess share the same travel agent.

• Stranded on a ledge in the middle of the Alps? Sports bras to the rescue!

• Adam “Don’t Call Me Pacman” Jones is praying for Don Imus.

• An Alabama teacher gets to first base, second base, third base & home with some high school baseball players.

• D-U-I! D-U-I! Carmelo Anthony gets a 2-game suspension.

• The U.S. Olympic women’s soccer team has regained Hope while sending Brianna Scurry-ing away.

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Don Imus’ foot-in-mouth disease continues to reverberate, as the target of his latest set of ill-advised and racially charged comments, Dallas Cowboys CB Adam “No Longer Pacman” Jones, has responded to the old coot’s off-hand remark about his yellow sheet yesterday.

Per the DALLAS MORNING NEWS:

“I’m truly upset about the comments,” Jones said. “Obviously Mr. Imus has problems with African-Americans. I’m upset, and I hope the station he works for handles it accordingly. I will pray for him.”

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As DEADSPIN informed us earlier to, it sounded like Don Imus was back to making racist comments about athletes. Now, Mike Florio of PRO FOOTBALL TALK gets wind of the inevitable reaction from Rev. Al Sharpton.

But we’ll all have to wait until tomorrow.

Sharpton has released a statement concerning Imus’ remarks about Adam “He’s Still Pacman To Us Because We Don’t Want To Change All Our Post Tags” Jones. During Imus’ show Monday morning, a news story was being read about Jones’ numerous run-ins with the law, when Imus asked what “color” Jones was. When told that Jones was African-American, Imus responded, “Well, there you go. Now we know.”

Of course, Al’s mad about the remark, which seems to read that Pacman’s a troublemaker because he’s black. But now the good reverend isn’t sure what to do next: Read more…

• DEADSPIN finds Don Imus trying desperately to stay in the public eye with some more off-color comments - this time about Adam “Don’t Call Me Pacman Anymore” Jones.

• PRO FOOTBALL TALK stays in step with George Martin, the ex-Giants lineman who just finished his 3,000-mile walk from New York to San Diego and raised over $2 million for 9/11 rescue workers.

• JUICED SPORTS BLOG squeezes out news that C.C. Sabathia will soon be saying sayonara to the Indians - and Cleveland’s dugout couldn’t be more relieved.

• Darren Rovell of CNBC puts his best foot forward in explaining why this year’s top NBA draft picks haven’t signed shoe deals yet.

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