My favorite wrestler of the past decade and my favorite sports columnist of all time meet in Bill Simmons’ latest podcast, featuring “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels. You can find the audio interview on Simmons’ landing page at ESPN.com or you can download it right here (here’s an iTunes link too!). I’ve already downloaded it and I can’t wait to listen to it when I get home. It’s like seriously wrecking my mind — Shawn Michaels and Bill Simmons!!!
The Hiroshima Carp’s Masato Akamatsu made one of the most ridiculous catches in baseball history. Robbing the Yokohama Baystar’s Shuichi Murata of a home run, Akamatsu scaled the wall in a way that…well really, you have to see this for yourself. I’m going to watch this video several times today just to marvel at Akamatsu’s brilliance. Amazing.
Days after Bob Sheppard, the voice of the New York Yankees, passed away, longtime Yankees owner George Steinbrenner has died of a heart attack. He was 80-years old. The most famous and controversial sports owner in America, Steinbrenner changed the way sports franchises operated and viewed free agency. He paved the way for sports teams to have their own networks and spread their brands on a global level. While he had numerous clashes with Major League Baseball, numerous players, and countless competitors in his decades-long run as Yankees owner, the one things he was always about was winning.
Above is a video of one of my favorite Yankees, Paul O’Neill, talking about the late George Steinbrenner.
Last week LeBron James pulled off one of the most thorough heel turns in the history of heel turns. He went from a basketball player that was loved by some and liked by most to one of the most hated people in the NBA. One of Bill Simmons’ readers compared it to Hulk Hogan’s heel turn at Bash at the Beach ’96. It’s a funny analogy, but it totally works. James’ heel turn is so unbelievable that it could pass for a WWE storyline. I’m pretty sure halfway through the season, Pat Riley is going to take out Erik Spoelstra with a steel chair, spray paint his back, and take over as head coach.
Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, the World Cup finals, Jesse Jackson accusing Dan Gilbert of seeing LeBron James as a “runaway slave”, or BP’s efforts in the Gulf of Mexico, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.
Last week LeBron James pulled off one of the most thorough heel turns in the history of heel turns. He went from a basketball player that was loved by some and liked by most to one of the most hated people in the NBA. One of Bill Simmons’ readers compared it to Hulk Hogan’s heel turn at Bash at the Beach ’96. It’s a funny analogy, but it totally works. James’ heel turn is so unbelievable that it could pass for a WWE storyline. I’m pretty sure halfway through the season, Pat Riley is going to take out Erik Spoelstra with a steel chair, spray paint his back, and take over as head coach.
What are some of your favorite heel turns? Whether they’re from WWE shows, sports, videogame storylines, or real life, betrayals are powerful things. From Cain betraying Abel to LeBron betraying his hometown franchise, I want to know what some of your favorite heel turns in history are.
Longtime New York Yankee public address announcer Bob Sheppard passed away today at 99. He was the voice of Yankee Stadium since 1951, announcing legends like Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, and Phil Rizzuto. He announced games until 2007, introducing fans to current Yankee greats like Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera. Jeter still uses a recording of Sheppard’s voice for his at-bats.
While most stadium announcers for most sports use an in-your-face style, the Yankees stayed with Sheppard’s classic announcing for decades. He added a classy and dignified air to Yankee Stadium. I’ve attended dozens of games with Sheppard on the mic. I haven’t been back to New York for baseball season in years. It’s definitely going to be weird going to a Yankee game and not hearing his voice. I hope that Jeter will continue to use Sheppard for his at-bats. I definitely want to catch a game before he retires and to hear the “Voice of the Yankees” one more time.
There have been so many Yankee legends over the years and so many of them have been introduced by Bob Sheppard. He became such an integral part of Yankee games and Yankee history that he ended becoming a legend himself. Rest in peace Bob Sheppard. You will be missed.
People are torn about LeBron James announcing his “big decision” on a one-hour special on ESPN. Some feel that it’s a brilliant move that takes advantage of modern media. Others feel that it’s a disgustingly egotistical move, despite the advertising proceeds going to charity. Should a player with seven years of NBA experience and zero championship rings be making that big a deal of himself?
Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, the American Idol tour failing to sell tickets, Bobbi Eden’s World Cup oral sex challenge, or Stumptown’s Guatemala Finca El Injerto, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.
People are torn about LeBron James announcing his “big decision” on a one-hour television-special on ESPN. Some feel that it’s a brilliant move that takes advantage of modern media. Others feel that it’s a disgustingly egotistical move, despite the advertising proceeds going to charity. Should a player with seven years of NBA experience and zero championship rings be making that big a deal of himself?
Then there’s Kevin Durant, who gave James’ detractors another talking point by announcing his sizable contract extension with a simple Twitter post. Yeah, the situations are very different, but the contrast can’t be denied.
Personally, I think LeBron is making himself look like a knob; making a spectacle out of his employment decision seems callous when so many Americans can’t find jobs. How do you feel about ESPN’s LeBron James Free Agency Summer Spectacular? Is it sheer genius or a dick move?
The awesomely awesome voice-over-IP service Skype is celebrating World Cup football by offering free calls to dozens of countries. The amount of free minutes depends on the country. Here’s the entire list:
Head to Skype’s blog to sign up for these promotional rates. Now excuse me as I call several random numbers in Ghana and Slovenia…just because I can (for free)!
If you’ve been watching World Cup football then you’re surely familiar with the extremely annoying noise of the vuvuzela. This South African stadium horn is responsible for that annoying buzz in the background of every World Cup match. Thankfully, this cute YouTube video pokes fun at the phenomenon by combining it with The Lord of the Rings movies. Depending on how much World Cup you’ve watched, you’ll find anywhere from amusing to hilarious.
It sounds like a really bad joke — Snoop Dogg, David Beckham, Jay Baruchel, and Noel Gallagher walk into the Mos Eisley cantina (Star Wars)…. Ha! It’s actually a very cool commercial by Adidas that features several famous athletes, musicians, and actors. I saw it over the weekend and wanted to share it with you.
ESPN.com’s Jon Robinson just served up this hot rumor: Michael Jordan is going to be the cover athlete for 2K Sports’ NBA 2K11
While rumors pegged LeBron James, Derrick Rose and even Tyreke Evans as favorites to appear on the cover of NBA 2K11, multiple sources have told ESPN that the company has gone in a completely different direction, signing basketball legend Michael Jordan as its new spokesman.
Going with Jordan would be an interesting move. Older gamers would love it, but I wonder how relevant Jordan is to younger gamers. Wouldn’t NBA players like the aforementioned James, Kobe Bryant, and Dwyane Wade be more relevant? Even though I’m a longtime Detroit Pistons fan and despise “Air” Jordan, seeing him on game box in 2010 would be pretty cool.
What do you guys and dolls think of Michael Jordan possibly being the cover athlete for NBA 2K11?
