Ever wanted to spend the night with a professional athlete? Now you can dress like you did!

(Cal Ripken, Jr. in his new home uniform)

An apparel company called SportRobe is offering morningwear and all-day unemployed wear emblazoned with the names, numbers and logos of your favorite sports stars.

Now you, too, can rise up in support of your team while rising up for a new day. Choices include Don Mattingly, George Brett, Chad Pennington (who’s usually lying down - on the turf), Stephon Marbury (who’s sleepwalking through the nightmare of another season with the Knicks), and may more.

These 100% cotton creature comforts can be yours for only $200-$250, plus tax & shipping.

Scott Boras, apparently with some time off after not having to sweat ARod’s negotiations with the Yankees, is now loading up for salary arbitration cases. One of his clients is Rick Ankiel, who finished last season with an astonishing flourish but has since been tainted by his admission of taking HGH and being named in the Mitchell Report.

Nevertheless, the ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH reports that Boras, who “has a bunker of computers loaded with nearly 130 years of statistical history and 35 staffers dedicated to prepping arbitration cases,” is ready to haul out the hyperbole for the real-life Roy Hobbs.

Boras gives the P-D a taste of his dress rehearsal, if Ankiel does indeed go to arbitration: “You have a player whose contributions came first as a pitcher, then as a position player. The last player you’re really talking about is Babe Ruth.”

Ridiculous. Everyone knows Ruth spent a lot more time at the plate than Ankiel has (we know, lame).

The PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE reports on the effect a handy, new 10 percent tax on alcohol will have on local sports fans.

A 12-ounce beer at a Pens game was $5.25, but since the new county-wide tax kicked in, that beer is now $6.

But wait, that isn’t a 10 percent increase, it’s actually 14%.

Read more…

BOSTONIST has the exciting news today that Red Sox first baseman “Kevin Youkilis has signed up to market a new energy drink entitled … SlumpBuster.’” We love the (pantless?) can:

BEV NET has confirmation that indeed, the venture is a real one: “Red Sox Gold Glove first baseman Kevin Youkilis has teamed up with California based MBSB Holdings, LLC to produce a new energy drink geared towards sports fans and athletes. SlumpBuster, a term widely recognized by athletes and fans, will be launched in the 1st quarter of ‘08 with hopes of being the official energy drink of locker rooms and stadium concession stands worldwide.”

And there’s even more exciting news about Youkilis’ involvement.

Read more…

AWFUL ANNOUNCING hungers at the news of a new line of gourmet popcorn flavors - featuring Troy Aikman & Joe Buck!

The Dale & Thomas Popcorn Company have pegged the Fox Sports commentators to help shill their newest kerneled creations - Aikman’s Halftime Chili & Sour Cream and Buck’s Dark Fudge DrizzleCorn with Praline Almonds.

You know, we never thought we’d see the day when the words “Joe Buck” and “Dark Fudge DrizzleCorn” would be seen together, much less for a snack product.

Read more…

You may be aware that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have not yet sold out their home playoff game this Sunday against the New York Giants. Most people are blaming the non-sellout on the Bucs’ policy of not selling tickets to non-Florida residents. But we might have the real reason, that is, the price the remaining seats are going for.

According to Ticketmaster, the only seats remaining for the game are priced between $350-545 … each.

So apparently there aren’t too many Florida residents (the Bucs are not selling tix to non-Florida residents) willing to pay over $1K to see two teams that have as much chance to make the Super Bowl as the other (Pittsburgh) Buccos and (San Francisco) Giants.

Rob Heverling, News Director at KARK-TV in Arkansas, backpedals faster than a Razorback cornerback with an apology about the station’s coverage of the Darren McFadden Caddygate story.

The statement is really about including sports agent Mike Conley in the story, who completely denied being involved with Darren McFadden, let alone helping McFadden acquire a Cadillac Escalade.

Heverling: “In our story we cited sources that claimed sports agent Mike Conley assisted Darren McFadden and/or members of his family to acquire the Escalade. Shortly after reporting this story we were able to reach Mike Conley who made it very clear he was in no way involved in the McFadden/Escalade story. Mr. Conley also made it clear that he is not representing McFadden and that at this time he is not yet a certified football agent.”

KARK apparently reported in its Thursday’s 5p.m newscast that Conley might be linked in some fashion to McFadden (he isn’t).

More Heverling: “We have already personally apologized to Mike Conley for our poor standards of reporting. And we want to publicly apologize to Mr. Conley for any distress he has experienced.”

Sounds as though someone got threatened with a lawsuit of some sort, else there’s no way KARK would be begging for forgiveness in this case.