• YARDBARKER is styling with Greg Oden, as the injured NBA rookie gabs with Jim Rome about his new ‘do:

• YOU BEEN BLINDED can’t wait to play “Grand Theft Auto: John Madden“.

• LAIST takes Tony Kornheiser to task for being such a bitch about bloggers.

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Earlier this week, Charles Barkley talked to Jim Rome about how much he lost betting on the Super Bowl this year. Barkley claimed that he changed his bet to the Patriots because he was swayed by the “experts” at ESPN. Here’s part of the exchange - found by The 700 LEVEL, via THE BIG LEAD:

So everyone assumes Barkley lost $400K on the bet. But in an interview last week with Dan Le Batard on WAXY-AM in Miami, Barkley makes it clear he did not lose $400K (audio link after the jump). Read more…

This week Anaheim Ducks defenseman Chris Pronger guested on Jim Rome’s radio show. Pronger recounted his playing days with the Edmonton Oilers, and makes his departure from the city sound like an escape from Saigon.

Excerpt: “Yeah, there’s obviously a few things that didn’t set well with me, for instance, taking the furniture that I had in my house and burning it, and having a ‘Burn Chris Pronger’s Furniture Day,’ that really did sit well with me very much. They burned my kid’s crib and things like that. When you hear stories like that it doesn’t sit well. But having said that, you know, I’ve turned the page. It would be nice to see them turn the page, but I doubt that’s gonna happen any time soon.”

Jim Rome’s response: “To go into my house and get my furniture out and to burn it and to burn my kids crib — that’s messed up. No matter how badly you think he wronged you, or the team, or whatever happened, to burn a guy’s child’s crib! I mean, that’s messed up.”

As you might expect, Pronger’s rather vague comments have Edmontonians a little roiled and many in Alberta want more specifics from the former Oiler defenseman.

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EVEL KNIEVEL MAKES ONE LAST JUMP INTO THE HEAVENS: Evel Knievel has made his last great jump into the afterlife, as the legendary daredevil passed away Friday at his Florida home:

The ASSOCIATED PRESS reports the 69-year-old Knievel had trouble breathing and died before an ambulance could reach him at his Clearwater condominium.Knievel was a staple of ’70s culture - bedecked in his red, white & blue cape & helmet, as he jumped over buses and Snake River Canyon to the amusement of millions.

But his health had deteriorated in recent years, as he suffered from diabetes and pulmonary fibrosis, and underwent a liver transplant in 1999.

Just a couple days before, Knievel had settled a lawsuit with Kanye West over his image appearing in the rapper’s video for “Touch the Sky“.Evel also had his moments during appearances on the Jim Rome show. In May 2002, Rome asked Knievel why he did the 1974 Snake River Canyon jump, knowing he had a 50-50 chance to survive. Evel responded, “Do you know who the hell I am?”

And in 2003, Knievel admitted that he owned a diamond- encrusted cane that doubled as a flask for Wild Turkey.

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.

JERRY JONES IS REALLY PISSED ROMO DIDN’T INVITE HIM: PEOPLE reports on how Tony Romo spent his bye weekend - by hanging with Britney Spears and actress Allie Sims in Hollywood.

Romo has been “friends” with Sims for a long time - a lot longer than people know - and he came to L.A. to see her over the weekend. Sims also happens to be pals with Spears, so we’re sure Romo was very, very happy to be seen with her.Spears and Sims initially met up with Romo (he’s huge in L.A., don’t you remember his days with the AFL Avengers?) at L.A. restaurant Ketchup, which is partially-owned by Jim Rome.

Excerpt: “Alli was meeting up with Tony and his friends at Ketchup and Britney wanted to come along. Tony and Alli have been good friends. They’ve known each other for a little over a year.”

We’re sure Carrie Underwood would be interested to find that out.

The trio eventually ended up at Matt Leinart and John David Booty’s favorite H’wood hot spot, Les Deux, “where they hung out for a friendly low-key night upstairs.” Spears was “sitting with her friends and Tony. Everyone was just hanging out. Brit was upbeat, really seemed fine.“

ADDING “D” ONTO “FIRE” FOR ANNOUNCER ERIC WYNALDA: Give soccer broadcaster Eric Wynalda his due, he’s very, very consistent.

After proclaiming during an interview that “Jim