• Shaq will be lacing ‘em up with LeBron on a more continual basis, as the Big Cactus becomes the newest member of the Cavaliers.

• Rodney Harrison is sick of the whole Brett Favre brouhaha, too.

• Boston sure loves their Rajon Rondo - well, everyone except Celtics GM Danny Ainge.

• An Oklahoma mom is sentenced to 5 years in prison for attacking a high school cheerleading coach with a stun gun.

• Your next tennis hottie to shed some clothing for a magazine shoot: Belarusian babe Victoria Azarenka.

Read more…

Tensions had been brewing for some time, but the war between Jon Stewart and the baseball fans of Philadelphia officially got underway on Thursday at approximately 11:14 p.m. EST. Ironically, it was during a segment on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” in which the host was attempting to lampoon North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il, that things got out of hand and went all NL East. Instead of Li’l Kim, Stewart ended up poking Phillie Nation with a long, pointed stick.

Stewart, an unabashed New York Mets fan, used the premise of North Korea’s recent missile attack threat on the U.S. on the Fourth of July lob his Philly bomb. He pointed out that such an attack on such a date would hardly be noticed in the U.S., where everything would be exploding anyway. And before you knew it, he was calling Philadelphians as*****s. Ha. Full transcript and video below.

Read more…

• Major League Baseball without steroids is like porn without the silicone.

Just don’t blog about the subject with Raul Ibanez.

• Rodney Harrison doesn’t like how the NFL has become “soft and pansy“.

• A Fox News morning show lambasts MTV for Bruno’s ass-ault on Eminem - then does a segment with a Fox reporter doing basically the same thing to a lingerie football player.

• Tim Floyd takes off from the Trojans. What, and leave the Song Girls?

• Soon-to-be newlyweds Kendra Wilkinson & Eagles WR Hank Baskett are expecting a baby. On the other side of the spectrum, Barry Bonds’ wife demands a divorce.

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The NEW YORK TIMES projects news that ESPN is looking to broaden its broadcasting brilliance to the big screen.

The Worldwide Leader is focused on collaborating with Walt Disney Studios and Creative Artists Agency to produce & distribute sports-themed theatrical releases in the next few years. And the network is already making cinematic strides by hiring 30 filmmakers to produce one-hour mini-movies, set to start showing on the small screen in September 2009.

As the bigwigs try to brainstorm for feature film ideas, Mike Bianchi of the ORLANDO SENTINEL proposes remaking a Disney family favorite - featuring the ESPN Primetime Players. Read more…

Someone better spread out some tarp for Scott Spiezio’s new jail cell.

• Jon Stewart, comedic television star & collegiate soccer stud:

• Cubs owner Sam Zell chews on selling naming rights to Wrigley Field.

• The Atlantic City Surf is willing to take a big gamble on Cecil Fielder.

• Tim Tebow is voting for none of the above.

• Billy Wagner gets mad at Michigan players giving it the ol’ college try.

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HUGGING HAROLD REYNOLDS passes along this week’s edition of “Before They Were Famous”. Previous to hosting the Academy Awards and delighting “Daily Show” viewers, Jon Stewart was a college soccer stud:

(Hey, Jon - nice hair!)

The comedic star spent his formative years in the mid ’80s on the pitch for William & Mary. In fact, the men’s soccer squad continues to give out the “Liebo“, an award named after Stewart (born Jonathan Stuart Liebowitz) that recognizes the team’s funniest player.

Hell, who needs an Oscar, when you can have a Liebo on your mantelpiece!