Week In Review: Pitino Pays $3,000 For Abortion
• Rick Pitino’s reputation has taken a huge hit, as the Louisville b-ball coach impregnated the woman who’s been trying to extort him, then paid $3,000 for the abortion.
And now Karen Sypher says her marriage to Cardinals equipment manager Tim was all just a sneaky plot by Pitino to keep an eye on her. But hey, don’t blame Rick - blame 9/11!
• The release party for the new Miami Dolphins cheerleaders bikini calendar was quite the spectacle.
• Jay Mariotti denies that he’s going to be writing for the Chicago Tribune. Can’t wait to see Jay’s debut column in the Trib on September 1st!
• Manny Ramirez gets a memorable reception from San Francisco Giants fans - the same kind of reception that Barry Bonds used to get everywhere else except in the Bay Area.
• Engaged Malibu fashion designer Ali Kay may have encouraged Reggie Miller’s unwanted advances by sending the ex-NBA star photos of herself in bed & in a bikini. At least Ali’s still pretty good at making clothes.
Tags: Ali Kay, Argentina, Barry Bonds, Bar Refaeli, Chicago Tribune, Espn, Jay Mariotti, Jeanie Buss, Jemele Hill, Karen Sypher, Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Lakers, Louisville Cardinals, Manny Ramirez, Miami Dolphins, Nastia Liukin, Nfl Cheerleaders, Phil Jackson, Reggie Miller, Rick Pitino, San Francisco Giants, Tim Sypher, Twitter
Rick Pitino Pays Woman $3,000 To Have Abortion
• Rick Pitino paid $3,000 to escape the possibility of parenthood with the woman accused of extorting him. Will Louisville keep Rick in the Cards?
• No wonder Reggie Miller has been so smitten with Ali Kay - she’s quite the fashion designer.
• The Pittsburgh Steelers show their own version of the shotgun formation.
• Kids at a Virginia basketball camp learn that Michael Vick is a wholesome, blameless creature.
• Whoever took it, please give Baron Davis’ laptop back - he has some “private images” he’d like to keep private.
Jeanie Buss Thinks PhilJax Will Linger With Lakers
I don’t particularly buy into the Phil Jackson-as-Coaching-God theory — when you’re blessed with Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and a young Shaquille O’Neal, probably the top three players of this generation, you had better win 10 NBA titles. So whether or not he stays with the Lakers holds no special interest for me. Others, as I understand it, care a whole lot.
That would include Lakers vice president Jeanie Buss, who happens to be Jackson’s longtime girlfriend. With former Lakers assistant and Jackson protege Kurt Rambis headed to the Timberwolves, Buss made a somewhat surprising observation recently on ESPN Radio in Los Angeles: Rambis’ departure could mean that Jackson could stick around in LA longer than anticipated. Read more…
Ines Sainz Makes Watching Sports Much More Fun
• Ines Sainz of TV Azteca: A sports reporter we can all get behind.
• Phil Jackson makes Jonah Hill feel super bad during game: “Next time you move around during a play, I’ll kick you the f*** out of here!”
• Ron Artest reenacts the Malice In The Palace for aspiring Chinese pop star Shin Shin. How nice nice of Ron Ron.
• British soccer club asks US firm to find a buyer for their team. Firm decides the best action is to sell the team by way of eBay.
• Manny Ramirez & David Ortiz are among those named as testing positive for PEDs in 2003.
‘Zen Master’ Dropped Effenheimers On Jonah Hill
We have a tendency to lionize certain super-successful sports figures, and perhaps rightly so. Phil Jackson must exist on a higher mental plane than you or I, since he’s the only coach to ever win as many rings as he has. Listen to all the stories about giving out books! Who gives out books? A genius, that’s who.
(Kyle Orton wants his look back, sir.)
So when Jonah Hill was on Jimmy Kimmel Live last night and telling stories about his primo seats at the Staples Center (and a Jack Nicholson he ain’t), we expected to hear about the mind-bending maxims coming from the venerable coach as he guided his team to yet another ring. We did not expect to hear the censor’s beep.
Did Artest Seal Lakers’ Deal In Shower With Kobe?
Look, many of history’s major agreements have come to fruition as the main participants were bathing. Winston Churchill convincing FDR to enact the lend-lease program (bathtub); the Missouri Compromise (steam room); signing of the Declaration of Independence (Founding Fathers nakedly cavorting in local hot spring). Now comes news that the seeds for Ron Artest’s signing with the Lakers were sewn last year as Artest joined Kobe Bryant in the shower.
It happened in 2008, following the Lakers’ Game 6 loss to the Celtics that decided the NBA Championship. Artest, who was then employed by the Sacramento Kings, had attended the game, and afterwards burst into Phil Jackson’s office — which was off limits — to tell the coach he thought he would be a good fit for his team. Then Artest made his way to the adjoining shower area, where Kobe was lathering up, and walked right in to again present his plan. Read more…
And Now, Your Moment Of Zen: Phil Officially Back
After flirting with the idea of only coaching home games (Mitch Kupchak: “Not bloody likely!”), then mulling retirement, Phil Jackson announced today that he’s returning as coach of the Lakers, full time. Apparently finished with a battery of medical tests more thorough than the ones administered to Linda Blair in “The Exorcist,” Phil The Departed is now Phil Of The Future.
This has to come as good news to Ron Artest, who won’t have to worry about explaining his special brand of crazy to a brand new coach. And to Lakers fans, who just watched Jackson win his 10th NBA title. Jackson has had a number of health problems, including a leg ailment, hip replacements and an angioplasty procedure in 2003 to open a clogged artery in his heart. But he wants one more ring: As they said in “Spinal Tap,” this goes to 11. Read more…
Who Will Phil-In For Jackson On Road For Lakers?
L.A. is all abuzz today about the prospect of Phil Jackson only coaching home games for the Lakers next season. While we haven’t got official word on who will get the gig, if you follow the Lakers like I do, you know there are some obvious candidates for the road game position.
(Handicapping - sorry Larry - some of the big names vying For Phil Jax’s Job)
As a public service, I will provide you those likely “Phil-Ins” after the jump. Read more…
Phil Jackson Cleared To Only Coach Home Games
In the wake of his Lakers’ championship and his own 10th NBA title, Phil Jackson gave an interview with Mychal Thompson and John Ireland with ESPN 710 today. Thompson decided to float an idea to Jackson that in light of his physical struggles near the end of the season, Jackson should skip the travel and only coach home games. One problem: the Lakers beat Thompson to the punch.
(Might this actually be true, finally?)
In response to Thompson’s question, Jackson responded that the Lakers had actually already greenlit the idea for Phil’s sake.
