8:45 PM We always hear about Cuban baseball players defecting to the U.S., but Cuban umpires? The AP reports that Nelson Diazarrived in Miami on Sunday with his wife & two daughters. He was to work the 2009 WBC, but Cuban officials said they "didn't trust him".
8:30 PM La Salle University has reached a settlement to pay the family of former football player Preston Plevretes $7.5 million for medical care. Plevretes suffered a serious brain injury during a 2005 game. La Salle dropped its football program in 2007.
8:15 PM Florida Panthers defenseman Keith Ballard demonstrates his disgust at allowing an Atlanta Thrashers goal by swinging his stick at the goalpost - only to take out goalie teammate Tomas Voukon. Voukon had to leave the ice on a stretcher. (H/T Litter Box Cats)
JOE SPORTS FAN eyes this eye protection aficionado rocking two pairs of Rec Specs.
George Brett was a coke head? BUGS AND CRANKS notes that ESPN’s Rob Neyer thought the coverage of the 25-year anniversary of the “Pine Tar Game” was a great time to suggest that Brett, who he calls “one of the hardest partiers in the midwest,” used cocaine.
THE BIG LEAD gives us the scoop that U.S. Olympic track star Lolo Jones may be stealing from Chad Johnson’s playbook.
AWFUL ANNOUNCING informs us that the real star of last night’s MLS All-Star game was ESPN’s Rob Stone and his sidekick “Bitchy the Hawk.” Video after the jump. Read more…
