Well done:

Here’s some recent video of Jared Allen at the Mall of America, shot by C.J., gossip columnist for the MINNEAPOLIS STAR-TRIBUNE.

C.J. narration: “(I’m) at the Mall of America with Jared Allen, a walking entertainment industry whether he’s shooting video for his colorful FSN segment or chewing me out for shooting video of his girlfriend who doesn’t like being photographed.” Read more…

After Minnesota escaped with a 33-31 win over Baltimore yesterday, Ravens rookie Tackle Michael Oher said this to the BALTIMORE SUN about his opposite in the game, maniacal Vikings Defensive End Jared Allen: “There is nothing really special about him … I think he found out I’m an OK player. Guy makes like $100 million. I think I did all right.”

For the game against Oher, Allen registered a sack and six tackles, but the Ravens rung up 448 total yards, including 385 by quarterback Joe Flacco, on 28-43 passing. So I suppose Oher’s reaction was somewhat understandable - especially considering all the pass attempts by the Ravens.

Interestingly enough though, on Jay Glazer’s After Party @ Foxsports.com this morning, Allen’s own view wasn’t too congruent with my well-measured assessment.

I know. Stunning.

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Whatta 48 hours for Fox Sports football reporter Jay Glazer!

(Fox Radio host: ‘Deaf, dumb, blind person knows Glazer source is Vikes’ Allen’)

Tuesday, he broke the news that a certain SbB-embargoed QB would sign with the Vikings. Later that day, Michael Strahan announced on Fox Sports Radio that Glazer will be his presenter at his future Pro Football Hall of Fame ceremony. Wednesday, Glazer went on Miami sports radio and said he was so upset at ESPN for marginalizing his breaking stories that he was ready to throw hands with his competitors in Bristol.

That brings us to today, and I’ve got yet another wrinkle to Glazer’s reportage on #4.

Earlier this week, I was listening to one of my favorite shows on radio, hosted by Petros Papadakis and Matt “Money” Smith on Fox Sports Radio here in L.A.. Like all other sports radio hosts this week, the duo was burdened with once again having to pick at the rotting Favre-to-the-Upper-Midwest carcass. But during their analysis, Papadakis steered the topic off the well-worn road and presented a more intriguing question: Who was the Vikings’ lockerroom snitch who sold out Favre’s sign to Glazer? Read more…

Let’s be honest with ourselves: the Penguins are done. Sure, technically all Detroit did on Sunday night was hold home ice advantage with their 3-1 win over Pittsburgh in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals, the same score as Game 1. But their 2-0 lead pretty much feels insurmountable - does anyone feel like the Penguins can take four of the next five games against the Red Wings? Didn’t think so.

Especially since the Red Wings and their old, tired legs, were able to outhustle, outskate and just plain outplay the Penguins 24 hours after Game 1, a made-for-TV contrivance that was supposed to be their downfall. Pittsburgh’s Big Two of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have combined for one goal in the first two games, half as many as Detroit’s Justin Abdelkader, who was playing minor-league hockey in May. And both of his goals have been beauties, including his singlehanded effort last night:

The bottom line for Pittsburgh is simple: when their main goal scorers are being held in check, and their goaltending is soft, they are going to lose. It doesn’t matter how much revenge they want, or if Evgeni Malkin tries to start fights to fire the team up - Detroit is just the better team (and doing this without Pavel Datsyuk, mind you).

Speaking of Malkin’s fisticuffs: despite picking up an instigator penalty at the end of Game 2, which should be an automatic one-game suspension, the NHL has decided that Malkin will be on the ice when the serious returns to Pittsburgh. Think the league wants to avoid a sweep?

OK, remember how Texas beat Boston College 3-2 in 25 innings Friday night-slash-Saturday morning in an NCAA baseball tournament game? Well, their following opponents were Army, and while the game ended in nine innings, it was just as dramatic as the BC contest. The Longhorns scored eight times in the ninth inning for a 14-10 win, including a walk-off grand slam by Preston Clark. Check out the highlights here:

With the win, Texas advances to the Super Regional, where they will play TCU in a Best-of-Three series that will likely come down to the final pitch of Game Three. Seriously, guys, it’s OK just to win a 5-1 snoozer every once in a while. (Or if you are Florida State, a 37-6 snoozer.)

Finally, congratulations for Jamie Moyer for getting his 250th career win yesterday, a 4-2 Phillies win over the Nationals. (And really, shouldn’t that could as half a win?) The achievements of the 46-year-old goes to show that not being able to throw hard enough to break glass isn’t a prerequisite to being successful. And it also shows that if you are a lefty with a durable arm, even a 4.23 career ERA can’t keep you from reaching some big milestones.

• Give Brad Childress credit for having a good sense of humor: he busted out a nifty fake wig atop his notorious chrome dome at practice, and then said that he would only wear it during the season “if it had ‘Reebok’ across the top of it.” Here’s the photographic evidence (and it still looked better than Jared Allen’s hair):



• BLACK SPORTS ONLINE wants LeBron James to “man up” and shake hands after getting knocked out of the playoffs, or come to the post-game press conference. Two things he didn’t do last night after the Magic bounced the Cavs.
• The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim rallied from a seven-run deficit in the final three innings to beat the Mariners 9-8 yesterday. Talk to Texas about it, guys.
• I’m making a list of pitchers who don’t want to go to the Chicago White Sox, and apparently every No. 1 is on the list. First it was Jake Peavy of the Padres rejecting a deal, and now the HOUSTON CHRONICLE is saying that Roy Oswalt of the Astros will exercise his veto rights to nix any deal. But I’m sure Barry Zito is still available.
• Here’s one way to break out of 0-for-18 slump: Ali Gardiner ripped a grand slam with two outs in the bottom of the last inning to lift the Florida over Alabama 6-5 to send the Gators to the College Softball World Series championship game.
• How not to win your first PGA Tour tournament: miss putts inside 10 feet on the final hole of regulation and the first hole of a playoff, and then have your approach on the second playoff hole ricochet off the pin and roll back more than 20 feet from the hole. Steve Stricker was the beneficiary of Tim Clark’s bad luck/meltdown, picking up the Crowne Plaza Invitational.
• The Orlando Magic thought they had lost All-Star point guard Jameer Nelson to injury for the season back in February, but now the ORLANDO SENTINEL is saying that the rehab for his shoulder injury is “dramatically” ahead of schedule and he might be available for the NBA Finals.
• Arkansas DT Lavunce Askew was arrested on Saturday after allegedly stealing a laptop from an apartment. His teammate Matt Marshall also stole an iPod Touch, but was not charged after he returned it to the doorstep and helped police track down Askew. See, Marshall might be a thief and a stool pigeon, but his heart is in the right place.
• World champion hurdler Jana Rawlinson was forced to confirm an embarrassing, poorly-kept secret circulating around the track world for months. Not that she’s using PEDs, but that she had breast augmentation. You would think if there’s one sport where being busty is a disadvantage, it’s hurdling. Check out some Russ Meyer-approved before and after action:



• A tough week for auto racing: two veteran drivers are killed in separate short-track racing incidents in the Midwest.

• Ex-K.C. NFLer Jared Allen hits the airwaves to share his thoughts on outgoing big Chief Carl Peterson - namely, “Good riddance!”

• As Cleveland State stuns Syracuse, Jim Boeheim stuns a microphone.

• Tony La Russa believes Mark McGwire is full of integrity. We think he’s full of a different substance.

• It’s T.O.’s party, and he can cry if he wants to - since Romo & Witten didn’t show up.

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There have been plenty of messy divorces between star players and team front offices across the NFL in recent years. Think about it: Terrell Owens and the 49ers, Willis Magahee and the Bills, Terrell Owens and the Eagles, Randy Moss and the Vikings, Keyshawn Johnson and the Buccaneers, Terrell Owens and his sanity, Randy Moss and the Raiders, Terrell Owens and his PR agent and, well, you get the point. It’s possible that none of those splits have been as messy or acrimonious as the one between all-everything defensive end Jared Allen and the Kansas City Chiefs, whose general manager, Carl Peterson, resigned amidst a dismal season on Monday. Well, Allen wasted no time in attacking his former employer, claiming that Peterson’s own bad karma had finally come back to haunt him during an appearance on The Monty Show on SPORTING NEWS RADIO. You can check out the audio right here: Jared Allen Attacks Carl Peterson

(Evidently Allen was channeling KANSAS CITY SPORTS.)

In case you didn’t catch all of that, here’s exactly what Allen said about Peterson:

Tim Montemayor: “What are your thoughts about Carl Peterson leaving the Chiefs organization?”
Jared Allen: “(laughing) Later!”
TM: “Come on, is there no love loss there?”
JA: “Absolutely not, you know what I’m saying? I believe in karma. Good things happen to good people. I’ll leave it at that.”

Ouch. Oh, but he didn’t stop there. It turns out Mr. Allen had plenty to get off his chest.

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Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jared Allen recently acquired a gigantic new tattoo that covers his back and sides with the words, “Embrace Conflict”.  The tat also features hugging skeletons and viking ships.

Allen wasn’t a member of the purple and gold in 2005, but fans will recall one ship in particular that year with some bone hugging going on with their favorite team.  Allen talks about his ink after the jump. Read more…

• FRIENDS OF THE PROGRAM knows that nothing personifies the pageantry of the Preakness like running across port-a-potties while dodging beers.

• We earlier served up the story on how Jared Allen’s KC bar would fare with the DE being traded to the Vikings. Now the KANSAS CITY STAR follows up that the ex-Chief’s establishment has closed its doors.

• BABES LOVE BASEBALL conjures up another edition of Voodoo Sabermetrics - this time starring Ken Griffey, Jr. Maybe they’ve discovered what a changed man he is.

• David Warner of AOL FANHOUSE tunes in to see that we’re one step closer to ESPN The Ocho.

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As Jared Allen settles in as a new member of the Vikings, the KANSAS CITY STAR focuses on the victim hurt most by the trading of the popular Chief:

The Kansas City bar with his name on it.

(May I tell you our drink specials this evening?)

The Jared Allen Sports Arena & Grill had just opened in K.C. last March. But now just over a month in business, the big name attached to the local eatery is no longer a hometown hero. And such a turn of events may have made co-owner & general manager Chuck Tabor lose his appetite:

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