Ok, Julie was getting sick of me having Jennifer Aniston on my journal, so I changed it to something she likes.  :)

John and Denise were partying hard last night!  We had fun.  Went to some club that was pretty cool.  Julie and I had a good time.  :)

Like a 454
With the 4 on the floor
Deuce coupe coming at you
Avoiding the capture
Fall from stop and drop
Than we ready to rock
And city of steel
Catch me crusin down the block
Whenever days are difficult
Im out on my own
Driving 86 Jetta
Hoping that I could do better
But my car keeps me humble
In the concrete jungle
Despite the wear and tear
It seems to always get me there

133. I Heart Huckabees

134. Garden State 

135. What the Bleep Do We Know

136. Gone In 60 Seconds

The boys......

Having fun at our last barbeque way back when. :)

Buddies hanging out over the summer.  Sorry it took so long to get this picture developed.  I kinda forgot about this roll of film until Julie said something about it.  My bad, yo. :)

Going over to Julie's tonight to do some studying and maybe watch a movie or something.  Gotta do something about dinner first, though.

Gonna see The Aviator tonight with Julie, Brad, Jill and Caleb. :)

Went out and saw Assault on Precinct 13 last night.  I liked it.  Although, Laurence Fishbourne is awesome.

If I want some beer
I dont want to hear
About how I missed the show
Because I drink to slow
So pass me the beer bong
It wont take very long
For me to put down
This torpedo to the ground
-- NOFX

I'm hoping to see some really good commercials tonight.  Television keep me amused!

Jamie, Chris, Dana and Steve with plenty of liquor to go around!

Valentine's was awesome.  Julie had a really good time, I think.  I know I had a good time!  She seemed to really like her present, which was cool.  We went out to dinner at this cool Italian place, so I think that was kinda romantic.

I think I'm starting to get a cold now, though.  My throat is feeling pretty scratchy.  Hopefully I can control this thing before I get too badly off.

Don't have anything to do this afternoon, so I'm gonna watch U-571.

"You're the skipper now. And the skipper always knows what to do whether he does or not." - Chief Klough in U-571

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A diner at a Wendy's fast food restaurant in San Jose, California, found a human finger in a bowl of chili prepared by the chain, local officials said on Wednesday.

"This individual apparently did take a spoonful, did have a finger in their mouth and then, you know, spit it out and recognized it," said Ben Gale, director of the department of environmental health for Santa Clara County. "Then they had some kind of emotional reaction and vomited."

Local officials launched an investigation after the incident on Tuesday night and the medical examiner determined on Wednesday that the object was a human finger.

Officials are trying to determine if the finger came in the raw materials Wendy's used to prepare the chili, Gale said.

Wendy's International Inc. corporate office did not immediately return a call for comment. Wendy's is the third-largest hamburger chain.

Went to a job fair on Friday.  Hopefully someone will hire me.

I'm posting a picture of my car because I love it so much.  :)

Nate getting jiggy with it on the beach:

I could kick myself right now!  I'm in a fantasy baseball league, and I have Dmitri Young on my team.  For those of you who know something about baseball, you can see how this is a good thing.  If you don't, however, let me take a brief moment to explain it to you.  On opening day, Dmitri Young hit not one, not two, but three home runs! 

So right about now, you're probably thinking alright Billy, way to go!  That's great for you team!   And it is, or at least it would be, if it weren't for the fact that I had Dmitri Young on the bench!  Oh, I thought I was gonna die when I checked my lineup and saw that I've had him on the bench since the season started!  So now I'm in second to last place, when I could easily be one of the top teams!  Damn!

Now he could face a murder charge.

The teen, whose name was not released, was arrested Wednesday for investigation of murder and was being held at Antelope Valley Juvenile Hall as authorities prepared to take the case to prosecutors.

He is suspected of killing spectator Jeremy Rourke, 15, after the Tuesday night game.

Despite the fight, the boys had no history of problems, said Tony Trevino, coach of the opposing Dodgers.

"That's what's so shocking and so appalling," he said. "What happened? What did we miss as a community? What did we miss as parents."

A friend outside the Rourke home said the family had no immediate comment about the attack in the desert city about 40 miles northeast of Los Angeles.

The suspect was the starting pitcher when his team was beaten for the first time in eight games by the Dodgers, a team that went into the game with a 1-6 record.

Deputies declined to provide further details of the attack.

Ryan Gosporra, 15, said the incident began when his friend Rourke cut in front of the suspect in the snack bar line. Neither he nor Trevino saw the attack that occurred after the last game of the night with about 40 people at the field.

But Trevino, 50, said witnesses told him the two boys teased each other before the suspect pulled a bat from his bag and hit Rourke in the knees, then the head.

Earlier, the suspect had appeared upset about the game but nothing seemed out of the ordinary, said Trevino, a retired rehabilitation therapist. The boy was known for being competitive but did not have a reputation for being violent, he said.

Rourke was white and the suspect is black, but "racism had nothing to do with it," Trevino said. "This is a behavior problem not a racial problem."

After the attack, Trevino saw the suspect standing against a fence with his parents. "He looked scared. He was in shock," the coach said.

Other onlookers said the 13-year-old seemed dazed after the incident.

"He just didn't realize it, it just happened and before you know it and then like I say, I told him, 'What did you do, why did you do that?'" parent Sam Cordova told Fox 11 News.

"I could see it in his eyes that it was starting to sink in, oh my gosh, what did I do?" Cordova said.

The Palmdale Pony League field has a sign recruiting boys 5 to 14 and encouraging parents to "Protect Our Nation's Youth."

Parent Jorge Morey, 37, said he was stunned that the attack occurred in such a respectable league.

"It's a real family atmosphere. That's what I like about it," he said.

League officials said play would be suspended at the field for several days.

"We're really in a state of shock over this whole thing," league President Ken Curtis said. Rourke had been a junior umpire and his father is a past president of the league.

A memorial was held at Highland High School, where Rourke attended classes. Students shared memories, and a bundle of pink and black balloons was released.

"He's just a funny kid. He liked to make people smile," Gosporra said. "You could be in the worst mood and he would make you laugh."

How can this be? I just read that the New York Yankees are trying to finalize plans to get a new stadium, which they hope to start building in 2006 so they can play in it in 2009. But Yankee Stadium is a classic!

What is your name?  Billy

Are you named after anyone?  My dad

What's your screename? DaMan

Would you name a child of yours after you? Sure, let's keep up the tradition

If you were born a member of the opposite sex what would your name be?  Uhhhh...Christine

If you could switch names with a friend who would it be?  Caleb?

Are there any mispronounciations/typos that ppl do w/ your name constantly? It's pretty hard to screw up Billy.

Would you drop your last name if you became famous?  No.



Basics

Your gender: Male

Straight/Gay/Bi: Straight.

Single? No

Birthdate:  August 5, 1983

Your age: 21

Age you act: 21

Age you wish you were: 21's fine by me

Your height: 6'1"

Eye color: Blue

Happy with it? Love it

Hair color: Brown

Happy with it?  Yeah

Lefty/righty/ambidextrous: Righty

Your family:  Good people, caring, loving, supportive

Have any pets? 1 dog Sprocket

Whats your job?  Movie theater.  Currently looking for a good job

Piercings? Nope

Tattoos? Nope

Obsessions? Julie

Addictions? Julie

Do you speak another language? A little Spanish

Have a favorite quote? Not really.

Do you have a webpage?  I'm in the process


Deep Thoughts About Life and You in it

Do you live in the moment? I think so

Do you consider yourself tolerant of others? Yeah

Do you have any secrets? Yeah

Do you hate yourself? No

Do you like your handwriting? I guess

Do you have any bad habits? Procrastinating

If a movie was made about your life, what would it be called? Billy's Great Adventure

What's your biggest fear?  Dying

Can you sing? Not well

Do you ever pretend to be someone else just to look cool? No

Are you a loner? No

What are your #1 priorities in life? Right now, get a good job

If you were another person, would you be friends with you? Yeah

Are you a daredevil? Depends

Is there anything you fear or hate about yourself? Uh, no

Are you passive or agressive? Depends on the situation

Do you have a journal? This would be it

What is your greatest strength and weakness? Strength- Athletic  Weakness- Procrastinate

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? Not put things off as much

Do you think you are emotionally strong? Yes

Is there anything you regret doing/not doing in life? I want to travel all over the world

Do you think life has been good so far? Yeah

What is the most important lesson you've learned from life?  Don't give up

What do you like the most about your body?  Muscles

And least?  Feet

Do you think you are good looking?  Yeah

Are you confident?  Yes

What is the fictional character you are most like?  The Hulk

Are you perceived wrongly?  No


Do You...


Smoke?  No

Do drugs? No

Read the newspaper? Yes

Pray? Sometimes

Go to church? Yes

Talk to strangers who IM you? Yeah

Sleep with stuffed animals? No

Take walks in the rain? Sometimes

Talk to people even though you hate them?  Only if I have to

Drive? Yes

Like to drive fast? Yes


Would or Have You Ever?


Liked your voice?  Sure

Hurt yourself? Not on purpose

Been out of the country? No

Eaten something that made other people sick? No

Been in love?  Yes

Done drugs? No

Gone skinny dipping? Yes

Had a medical emergency? No

Had surgery? No

Ran away from home? No

Played strip poker? Yes

Gotten beaten up? No

Beaten someone up? No

Been picked on? No

Been on stage? Yes

Slept outdoors? Yes

Thought about suicide? No

Pulled an all nighter?  Of course, I'm in college

If yes, what is your record?  5?

Gone one day without food?  No

Talked on the phone all night?  No

Slept together with the opposite sex w/o actually having sex? Yes

Slept all day?  Not ALL day, but a lot

Killed someone? No

Made out with a stranger?  No

Had sex with a stranger?  No

Thought you're going crazy?  No

Kissed the same sex?  No

Done anything sexual with the same sex?  No!

Been betrayed?  No

Had a dream that came true? Not that I can think of

Broken the law?  Speeding?

Met a famous person?  No :(

Have you ever killed an animal by accident?  No

On purpose? No

Told a secret you swore you wouldn't tell?  I don't think I have.  I'm pretty reliable and all

Stolen anything?  From my sister

Been on radio/tv?  Radio

Been in a mosh-pit?  No

Had a nervous breakdown?  No

Bungee jumped?  No

Had a dream that kept coming back?  Yes


Beliefs


Belive in life on other planets?  I guess there could be

Miracles?  Sure

Astrology?  No

Magic? No, but it's cool to watch anyway

God?  Yes

Satan?  No

Santa? Not anymore :(

Ghosts?  No

Luck? Not really

Love at first sight?  Yeah

Yin and yang (that good can't exist w/o bad)?  Never thought about it....I think good could exist without bad

Witches? No

Easter bunny?  No

Believe its possible to remain faithful forever? Yes

Believe there's a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow? No

Do you wish on stars? No

Friends


Do you have any gay/lesbian friends? Not that I know of.  Not openly, anyway.  I think I'd know if they were.

Who is your best friend? Mike

Who's the one person that knows most about you? Julie

What's the best advice that anyone has ever given to you?  Don't give up

Your favourite inside joke?  Can't think of one right now

Thing you're picked on most about?  Flipping channels

Who's your longest known friend? Mike

Funniest? Joey

Sweetest? Julie

Closest? Mike

Weirdest? They are all weird ;)

Smartest? Colin

Ditziest? Monica

Friends you miss being close to the most?  Joey

Last person you talked to online? Julie

Who do you talk to most online? Julie

Who are you on the phone with most? Julie

Who do you trust most? Julie

Who listens to your problems? Julie

Who do you fight most with? No one

Who's the nicest? They're all nice, or I wouldn't be friends with them

Who's the most outgoing? Travis

Who's the best singer? Nick

Who's on your shit-list? No one

Who's the loudest friend? Brad

Do you trust others easily? Yes

Who's house were you last at? Jay's

Name one person who's arms you feel safe in: Julie


Love and All That


Do you consider love a mistake? No

Turn-off? Girls who hate their bodies

What's the last present someone gave you? A watch

Are you in love? Yes

Do you consider your significant other hot? Hell yeah!


Who Was the Last Person...


That haunted you? No one

You wanted to kill? No one

That you laughed at? My brother

That laughed at you? I don't know

That turned you on? Julie

You went shopping with? Julie

That broke your heart? Stephanie

To disappoint you? I don't remember

To ask you out? Julie :)

To make you cry? I don't remember

To brighten up your day? Jullie

That you thought about? Julie

You saw a movie with? Julie

You talked to on the phone? Julie

You talked to through IM/ICQ? Julie

You saw? Adam

You lost? Stephanie


Right This Moment...


What are you wearing right now? Jeans and a sweatshirt

What are you worried about right now? Finals, getting a job

What book are you reading? The DaVinci Code....good book!

What's on your mouse pad? Its just blue

Use 5 words to describe how you're feeling: Hungry, stressed, tired, bored, horny

Are you bored? I just said that

Are you tired? Just said that too

Are you talking to anyone online? Mike

Are you talking to anyone on the phone? Not at the moment

Are you lonely or content? Content

Are you listening to music? Yeah, Limp Bizkit

Spent the day with Ted, Ryan, and Jon (pictured) trying to stay as cool as possible.  We're having an impromptu bbq at Ryan's apartment tonight.  Should be lots of fun.  Hopefully we'll get a good crowd.  It's perfect weather for a bbq.

Guess who's back? haha
I used to be broke, confused..no joke
Got used, smoked dope, paid dues
Refused to give up quick,
Now theres 10 million motherfuckers on my dick
So what, say how, say who
Fuck what, fuck me, fuck you
Come clean, you know I will
Drink a fifth of Jim Beam and still stand still uh
I'm the illest fool
Cooler than the water in a swimmin' pool
Fly like a seagul, kickin' like a mule
More jams than a beetle from Liverpool
I deliver fool
Now who the fuck are you?
I'm Kid motherfuckin' Rock from the old school
Got more money, than Matchbox 20
Get more ass than Mark McGrath

They say I'm cocky, and I say What?
It aint braggin' motherfucker if ya back it up
They say I'm cocky, and I say What?
It aint braggin' motherfucker if ya back it up

I'm from the outskirts of Detroit rock city
A shirts, cadilacs, big titties
Skinny models you can keep those
I like big corn fed mid western hoes
Dont you know? Talk fast, pimp slow
Show up to black ties in t-shirts and slippers
Sippin' liquor, fuck models, love strippers
Known as the big tipper with the big dipper
I got queens holdin' keys to my slipper
Fuck a real good girl, I got the baddest bitch in the world

They say I'm cocky, and I say What?
It aint braggin' motherfucker if ya back it up
They say I'm cocky, and I say What?
It aint braggin' motherfucker if ya back it up

You think you got it good in Hollywood
I got acres of land laid back in the woods
Holdin' shares, cool like Fonzy
Rollin' Lake St. Clair in my 40 ft. donzy
You got a Bently? Wow!
I got jets with web bars and trucks with gold plows
Bitch bow when I pimp through
For the Kid the Rock the red, white and blue
Who knew the Kid would be
Everything from old George Jones to Jay Z
Baby I'm sick of gettin ripped off
So pissed 'bout to be pissed off
Mackin' me cause you know I'm paid
That's why I'm clapin' my gardners and fuckin' my maids
Nevermind my age but if we're takin' number
15 million sold motherfucker

They say I'm cocky, and I say What?
It aint braggin' motherfucker if ya back it up
They say I'm cocky, and I say What?
It aint braggin' motherfucker if ya back it up

Cocky, and I say What?
It aint braggin' motherfucker if ya back it up
They say I'm cocky, and I say What?
It aint braggin' motherfucker if ya back it up

Kid Rock

About to eat dinner with the fam, then I'm off to pick up Julie and we're going to go see War of the Worlds.

This is my car.

Had a baseball game yesterday.  We won 7-5.  I had a triple down the third baseline.  It was awesome.

My man Ben out on the mound

I called Julie this morning before I went to work.  I think I woke her up, and I felt kinda bad about that, but I wanted to get together with her and watch a movie tonight, and I wanted to ask her before she made plans to do something.

She couldn't have been too terribly mad though, because she said yes.  She's coming over tonight, and we're going to watch Psycho.  Believe it or not, neither of us has seen it...ever.

Getting together with DJ tonight.  We're going to watch Porky's, a movie which (much to his horror) I have never seen.

I had a baseball game on Sunday, which we won.  I got a nice double. :)

This is awesome.  Work's going by way faster than I thought it would.  Thank God.

Tonight I'm taking Julie out to eat at Baisi Thai.  Never been there, but a guy at work recommended it.  I'll have to let him know what we think of the place.  It's on the 6th floor of Bloomingdales, evidently. 

I just won two tickets to the O.A.R. concert on August 20th.  Sweet! I'm taking Julie.

Wow, haven't updated in a long-ass time.  Ok, the O.A.R. concert was pretty cool.  Nothing beats a free concert.  Well, few things beat a free concert. ;)

Work's been pretty decent.  Not much to report there.  I need a vacation.  I want to go somewhere really cool.  Foreign.

The Chicago Cubs traded veteran Todd Hollandsworth to the Atlanta Braves for two minor league pitchers, Todd Blackford and Angelo Burrows.

What were they thinking?????????????????

The Giants made the announcement during the seventh inning of their 5-2 loss to the Cubs on Saturday and then flashed the news on the center-field scoreboard at SBC Park to the vocal approval from a sellout crowd of 42,013.

"I'm excited," Bonds told MLB.com. "It's been a long haul. About a month ago, I really didn't think I would make it back this year. Now let's see what happens."

The third-leading all-time home run hitter is expected to be back in the Giants' starting lineup against the San Diego Padres 225 days after the first of three surgeries this year on his right knee.

"It'll be a return to normalcy," Giants president Larry Baer said. "Fans here are used to seeing the Giants with Barry Bonds in the lineup. We know that some day that will end, but we weren't planning for that to happen this year. We planned this year for Barry to play."

Bonds' return appeared imminent when he told MLB.com on Friday night that he was "real close" to playing again.

"I think Monday is going to be the day," Bonds said at the time.

The Padres, who play a three-game series at SBC Park next week, enter play on Sunday leading the Giants by seven games in the National League West.

Bonds took the day off Saturday from his workout schedule after five consecutive days on the baseball field. He'll pick it up again on Sunday and prepare to play for the first time since Oct. 3, the final game of the 2004 season. Thus, he will resume his pursuit of Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron for the all-time homer record. Bonds is at 703, 11 behind Ruth's 714 and 52 away from Aaron's 755.

Bonds has been under the care of Dr. Lewis Yocum, the Angels' orthopedic specialist, and physical therapist Clive Brewster since June 24, most of that time spent at the Kerlan-Jobe Clinic in Los Angeles.

He said he was ultimately cleared to return to the active 40-man roster during a conversation with Yocum on Saturday afternoon, as the Giants lost for the fourth time in their last six games.

"Dr. Yocum just said I could go if I feel up to it," Bonds said. "And I feel up to it."

Bonds began working out with the team on Monday in Los Angeles after a week of taking batting practice in a cage. Since then, he has felt no adverse effects from being back on a baseball field.

On Friday, Bonds had a standout round of batting practice, clanking baseballs against empty bleachers all over the far reaches of the ballpark. He then did some hard sprinting in the outfield with Giants trainers Harvey Shields and Greg Oliver, who both work with Bonds on a day-to-day basis.

Through Sunday, the 41-year-old Bonds will have missed all 142 Giants games this season, by far the most of his 20-year career.

Bonds missed 60 games in 1998 because of surgery on his right elbow and that same right knee.

Manager Felipe Alou said after the game that he hadn't had much time to digest the news that his top left-handed slugger would be available the final 20 games of the season. He learned of it on the scoreboard with the rest of SBC Park crowd.

"[Sunday] will be the day to make some plans," Alou said.

Neither Alou nor Bonds know how many innings he'll be available to play. Bonds said he also doesn't know if he'll be available for consecutive games at this point, either. The Giants have only one off-day during the final three weeks of the season, a travel day on Sept. 19, before they open a 10-game trip to Washington, D.C., Colorado and San Diego.

"Everything is up in the air," Bonds said. "One day leads to the next day, you know what I mean?"

Clearly, Bonds, who played in a team-high 147 games a year ago, won't be starting day games after night games or on days when the turf is slippery.

"If there's any rain, I won't be playing," he said. "I don't think anyone wants that, particularly me."

Despite hobbling on injured knees the final six weeks of last season, Bonds had one of the best years of his career, leading the National League with a .362 batting average. He added 45 homers, 101 RBIs, scored 129 runs and shattered his own records with 232 walks, 120 of them intentional. Consider that this season, the Padres' Brian Giles leads the Majors with 105 walks.

In addition, Bonds' .609 on-base percentage was the best for a single season in baseball history, while his slugging percentage of .812 was the fourth best behind the all-time leading .863 he recorded during the 2001 season, the year he broke Mark McGwire's record and hit 73 home runs.

Since the end of last season, Bonds has had operations four times to repair his knees, beginning with a procedure to scrape debris from beneath his left kneecap on Oct. 12.

He then had surgery to remove meniscus from the problematic right knee on Jan. 31 and March 17. After a serious bacterial infection set in that threatened the very existence of his lower right leg, Bonds had surgery again on May 2 to eradicate that infection. About seven weeks later he was sent to Los Angeles on a rehab assignment that netted the positive result of his return this season.

"I thank Clive and Yocum," Bonds said. "Clive, especially, who was there every single day. With their support and effort it paid off, and I'm here."

Too bad Zach Duke is injured.  He's a great young pitcher.

Hurricanes have a way of affecting people all over the country, not just where they land.  Rita appears headed for heart of fuel industry.

Once again, Lindsay Lohan has crashed her car.  This time around, it was reported that the crash took place after lunch.  This can't be true, however, because as we all know, Lindsay Lohan doesn't eat.

So what was she really doing before she crashed?

PORTLAND, Ore. - A Nike Inc. corporate jet carrying seven people developed landing gear problems shortly after takeoff Monday but then made a safe emergency landing.

The Gulfstream jet touched down at 12:11 p.m. at Hillsboro airport, the same airport where it had taken off bound for Toronto around five hours earlier. The right main landing gear on the jet had become stuck shortly after takeoff but was successfully unstuck and extended after the crew consulted with Gulfsteam.

Neither Nike co-founder Phil Knight nor any sports stars were on board, a Federal Aviation Administration spokesman said. But a Nike official who spoke on condition of anonymity said Nike President and CEO William D. Perez was among those on board.

Vada Manager, a Nike spokesman, said those on board the Gulfstream V were three senior executives, a fourth Nike employee and three crew members. Nike is the world’s largest athletic shoe and clothing company.

The plane was a Gulfstream V, a small top-end jet sold mainly to wealthy travelers and corporate executives. The right landing gear of the jet failed to fully retract after taking off, according to airport officials.

The pilot circled the Portland airport to burn fuel to reduce the risk of fire when the plane lands.

Earlier, an aviation official said that the jet could go to a nearby regional airport to try and jog the landing gear by making “touch-and-go” passes on the runway.

“They may try to go to Hillsboro airport to try and jar down the landing gear,” said Allen Kenitzer, a spokesman with the Federal Aviation Administration. Hillsboro is near Beaverton, Oregon, a Portland suburb where Nike is headquartered.

The jet experienced landing gear difficulties after takeoff from Hillsboro, Oregon at approximately 6 a.m. today, NBC News reported.

In September, a JetBlue Airbus A320 airliner with 146 people aboard made an emergency landing at Los Angeles International Airport with a crippled nose gear. There were no serious injuries.

Nike shares were down 1.5 percent at $86.33 on the New York Stock Exchange.

The Nike jet had been en route headed to Toronto.

I love Thanksgiving so much.  Family, football, and food.  Really really great food.  Can't wait for that pumpkin pie.

The Bears are looking pretty good right about now.  With their win today over Tampa Bay, they're 8-3 and first in their division.  Not only that, but they've won 7 games in a row.  Division champs?  I think they will be.

Farnsworth's agent informed the Braves that the right-hander would not return to Atlanta as its closer, instead signing with the Yankees to serve as Mariano Rivera's setup man.

"We wanted him as our closer," Braves general manager John Schuerholz told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "We offered a three-year deal and were prepared to stay engaged in the negotiations, but we were told that he had decided to go to New York as a setup guy."

Farnsworth will ink a three-year deal worth about $17 million and take over the role that Tom Gordon has filled for the past two years. Gordon, who is also a free agent, is currently being pursued by several teams, including the Phillies and Indians.

If the Yankees sign Farnsworth before Dec. 7 -- or if they wait until after that date and Atlanta offers him arbitration -- they will owe the Braves a first-round draft pick as compensation.

Farnsworth, who turns 30 in April, went 1-1 with 16 saves for the Tigers and Braves last season, posting a 2.19 ERA. He struck out 87 batters in 70 innings, holding opponents to a .180 average in 72 appearances.

Social Life: You dont have one, your always busy
doing anything and everything that doesnt
involve having people around you because you
see them as inferior, and who knows? Youre
probably right

Love Life: You see relationships as being very
important and will have a few serious ones
throughout your life, and will settle down in a
loving, caring relationship

Work Life: You will probably go through quite a few
jobs in your life, such as working in game
stores etc

What people think of you: Youre cool, your laid
back, your someone who theyd like to be if they
werent busy having a social life and working in
a proper job, you no, a lazy game playing slob

What will you be like in the Future?
brought to you by Quizilla

The Rangers have traded second baseman Alfonso Soriano to the Nationals in exchange for three players. The Rangers will get outfielders Brad Wilkerson and Terrmel Sledge, as well as Class AA right-hander Armando Galarraga in the deal.

His father, Ken Griffey Sr., will be the first-base coach for the U.S. team during the 16-team tournament, to be played from March 3-20. The elder Griffey is a special consultant to Reds general manager Dan O'Brien.

Griffey Jr.'s decision was announced Tuesday by the Reds. Cincinnati outfielder Adam Dunn (U.S.), shortstop Felipe Lopez (Puerto Rico), outfielder Wily Mo Pena (Dominican Republic) and catcher Javier Valentin (Puerto Rico) previously committed to play.

Hute said the players' participation has not been formalized, but that both players had been contacted and said "they would think about it."

I don't know much about Ramirez, but I'm pretty certain Garciaparra is going to say no.  He seems like the kind of guy who really embraces America, and I think he'd follow Alex Rodriguez and sit out the World Baseball Classic before he played for another team.

I signed up for a men's hockey league.  This should be lots of fun.  It's been four years since I've played, but this isn't super-competitive so I should be fine.

I'm hoping some of my friends might join.  Hint hint guys.  :)

Isn't my phone just the coolest?  :)

A report in Friday's Chicago Tribune indicated that the recently renovated Soldier Field simply isn't big enough to host an Olympics.

It's 61,500 seats makes it the second smallest National Football League stadium in the nation.

According to the published report, the mayor has his eye on a bid for the 2016 Olympics and a new dome would be able to seat 80,000 people. It's estimated that it would cost of up to $1 billion to build.

The new stadium in Chicago would be domed, a feature required for Olympics and the Super Bowl.

The new stadium could also be a lure for a second Chicago pro football team, the paper said.

Josh can handle it:

Tim doesn't quite get the hang of it:

Sampson died Sunday in a car accident in Los Angeles, said Linda Johnson, one of his five sisters.

Sampson, a third-round pick in the 1983 draft, appeared in 59 games - starting 10 - for the Broncos between 1983-86. He finished his career with 66 catches for 1,014 yards and eight touchdowns.

He was a member of the 1986 team that advanced to the Super Bowl.

On Dec. 11, 1983, Sampson caught the first of three fourth-quarter touchdown passes as Elway led the Broncos to a 21-19 victory over the Baltimore Colts after trailing 19-0 at the start of the quarter.

After his NFL career, Sampson worked with underprivileged children at places that included the Roundup Fellowship home in Denver and the Compton School District in Los Angeles, Johnson said.

Survivors include his sisters, and wife Aundrea Evans-Sampson, who lives in Denver.

RICHMOND, Va. (Jan. 3) - A musician, his wife and two young daughters were found slain in their burning home, reportedly bound with tape and with their throats slashed.

Police said Tuesday it did not appear anything was stolen from the home where the bodies of Bryan and Kathryn Harvey and their daughters, Stella, 9, and Ruby, 4, were found Sunday afternoon.

Bryan Harvey, 49, was a member of a local band called NrG Krysys and was a former guitarist and singer for House of Freaks, which released five albums on three labels between 1987 and 1995.

A family friend said 39-year-old Kathryn Harvey was the half-sister of Steven Culp, who played Rex Van De Kamp on "Desperate Housewives," according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. She was co-owner of a Richmond toy and gift shop.

Police are investigating the case as a homicide and arson, city police spokeswoman Cynthia Price said. Police did not disclose the cause of death but the newspaper, citing police sources, said the family members were bound with tape and had their throats cut.

Investigators said the Harveys had invited friends to the house for a New Year's Day party on Sunday afternoon. A family friend who arrived with his daughter walked inside and was immediately engulfed in smoke.

"I yelled out, and no one answered, so I figured they all must be on a walk or something," said Johnny Hott, a bandmate from House of Freaks. He then shouted for a neighbor to call 911.

Police were trying to determine exactly when the family was slain and what was used to start the fire. They had not identified any suspects or a possible motive, police spokeswoman Kirsten Nelson said Tuesday.

1. Learn to work the toilet seat: You're a big girl. If it's up, put it down. We need it up, you need it down. You don't hear us bitching about you leaving it down.
2. Don't cut your hair. Ever. Long hair is always more attractive than short hair. One of the big reasons guys fear getting married is that married women always cut their hair, and by then you're stuck with her.
3. If something we said can be interpreted two ways, and one of the ways makes you sad or angry, we meant the other one.
4. If you ask a question you don't want an answer to, expect an answer you don't want to hear. Come to us with a problem only if you want help solving it. That's what we do. Sympathy is what your girlfriends are for.
5. Don't ask us what we're thinking about unless you are prepared to discuss such topics as navel lint, the shotgun formation, or monster trucks. Sometimes, he's not thinking about you. Live with it. He's never thinking about "The Relationship."
6. The relationship is never going to be like it was the first two months we were going out. Get over it. And quit whining to your girlfriends.
7. Get rid of your cat. And no, it's not different, it's just like every other cat.
8. Dogs are better than cats.
9. Sunday = Sports. It's like the full moon or the changing of the tides. Let it be.
10. Shopping is NOT a sport. And no, we are never going to think of it that way.
11. Whenever possible, please say whatever you have to say during commercials.
12. When we have to go somewhere, absolutely anything you wear is fine. Really.
13. You have enough clothes.
14. You have too many shoes. Most guys own three pairs of shoes - tops. What makes you think we'd be any good at choosing which pair, out of thirty, would look good with your dress?
15. Your brother is an idiot.
16. Don't make us guess. Ask for what you want. Let us be clear on this one: Subtle hints do not work! Strong hints do not work! Obvious hints do not work! Just say it!
17. No, he doesn't know what day it is. He never will. Mark birthdays and anniversaries on a calendar. We don't remember dates. Remind us frequently before hand. Birthdays, Valentines, and Anniversaries are not quests to see if we can find the perfect present yet again!
18. Share the bathroom and closet.
19. Crying is blackmail. Use it if you must, but don't expect us to like it.
20. You can either ask us to do something or tell us how you want it done. Not both. If you already know best how to do it, just do it yourself.
21. A headache that lasts for 17 months is a problem. See a doctor.
22. Nothing says 'I love you' like sex in the morning.
23. Foreign films are best left to foreigners.
24. Check your oil.
25. Anything we said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an argument. In fact, all comments become null and void after 7 days.
26. Christopher Columbus didn't need directions, and neither do we.
27. If you think you're fat, you probably are. Don't ask us.
28. Yes, pissing standing up is more difficult than peeing from point blank range. We're bound to miss sometimes.
29. Yes and No are perfectly acceptable answers to almost every question.
30. Don't fake it. We'd rather be ineffective than deceived.
31. If you don't dress like the Victoria's Secret girls, don't expect us to act like soap opera guys.
32. Let us ogle. If we don't look at other women, how can we know how pretty you are? Besides, we are going to look anyway; it's genetic.
33. Don't rub the lamp if you don't want the genie to come out.
34. You can either ask us to do something OR tell us how you want it done-not both.
35. Women wearing Wonder bras and low-cut blouses lose their right to complain about having their boobs stared at.
36. ALL men see in only 16 colors, like Windows default settings. Peach, for example, is a fruit, not a color. Pumpkin is also a fruit. We have no idea what mauve is.
37. If it itches, it will be scratched. We do that.
38. We are not mind readers and we never will be. Our lack of mind-reading ability is not proof of how little we care about you.
39. If we ask what is wrong and you say "nothing," we will act like nothing's wrong. We know you are lying, but it is just not worth the hassle.
40. It is neither in your best interest or ours to take the quiz together. No, it doesn't matter which quiz.
41. BEER is as exciting for us as handbags are for you.

Ron Artest may be on the move, finally.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that the Indiana Pacers were close to dealing Artest to the Clippers for Corey Maggette. The newspaper's source? Atlanta Hawks forward Al Harrington, who used to play for the Pacers.

Harrington told the paper that he heard from people in Indiana that the trade was close to being finalized. That would finally end the turbulent era of Artest in Indiana.

"Yeah, that would get it out of the water and off the Internet and all that nonsense," Harrington told the J-C. "But I've known for a couple of weeks now that nothing was going to happen with me. [Hawks general manager Billy Knight] told me that if there was going to be anything done he'd let me know. So it's been off of my mind for a while now."

One of the NBA’s greatest talents, Artest also is one of the league’s most mercurial personalities.  The 26-year-old was placed on the inactive list by the Pacers earlier this month and was subsequently fined $10,000 by the league for publicly requesting a trade. Artest missed the bulk of last season after being suspended in November for attacking fans in the stands in Detroit.

Harrington told the J-C that he expects Artest to make whatever team he joins dangerous.

"Any team with a sane Ron Artest is going to be tough to deal with," Harrington said. "Any team with he's on with his mind right, is going to the playoffs and is going to make some noise. So it'll be good for Ron and for the Clippers."

Artest told the Indianapolis Star that he wasn't sure what to think of the rumors.

"You hear about them, but you never know what's true," he said. "I'm just waiting to find out which team I'll be playing for."

In late December, Pacers president Larry Bird went public with comments that he felt “betrayed” and “disappointed” by his All-Star forward, and that Artest had to be traded.

“I think enough is enough,” Bird told the Indianapolis Star.  “I think Ronnie will do fine, but not here.”

“I don’t know if this is the right wording, but I felt betrayed,” Bird said.  “We’re disappointed.  Things happen, maybe it’s a good thing.  He’s a very talented player.  I always liked working with him and how he went about things on the basketball court.  He’s a top-12 player in the league, but we’re in a situation where we have to move on.”

Pacers CEO and president Donnie Walsh told the Rocky Mountain News that 10 teams were still in the running for Artest and will "narrow it down in the next couple of days."

The Rocky Mountain News also cited a source saying that the Nuggets were among the top three candidates to get Artest, and another is the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Just as the brash World Cup champion skier decided to skip this weekend's events to rest up for the Turin Games and get away from media scrutiny, Miller suggested in an interview with Rolling Stone that Barry Bonds and Lance Armstrong took performance-enhancing drugs.

"Right now, if you want to cheat, you can: Barry Bonds and those guys are just knowingly cheating, but there's all sorts of loopholes," he told the magazine." If you say it has to be 'knowingly,' you do what Lance (Armstrong) and all those guys do, where every morning their doctor gives them a box of pills and they don't ask anything, they just take the pills."

Bonds' agent, Jeff Borris, declined to respond to Miller's comments. Telephone and email messages left with Armstrong representatives were not immediately returned Thursday.

U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association spokesman Tom Kelly said the organization had no response.

Miller, who competed in 136 straight World Cup races and last missed a race in March 2002, will skip the downhill and super-G this weekend. The U.S. Ski Team hopes Miller's short vacation, during which he plans to rest and play golf with younger brother Chelone, will help him focus before next month's Olympics.

"It might be a good way for him to ground himself a bit," U.S. speed coach John McBride said. "I think it's great he's with his brother. Not only getting away from the sports but putting everything in perspective."

Chelone Miller suffered severe head injuries in a motorcycle crash three months ago in New Hampshire.

Miller, who loathes excessive media attention, has been the object of intense scrutiny all season - much of it brought on by candid comments made to the press. In the Rolling Stone interview, which hits newsstands Friday, Miller reiterates his disdain for the current state of drug testing.

"The drug-regulation system is a weird, bad system, and all I'm asking is that we talk about it," he said.

Bonds told a federal grand jury in 2003 that he used substances given to him by a trainer who was later indicted in a steroid-distribution ring, but said he didn't know they were steroids, according to a newspaper report. Armstrong has long been dogged by doping rumors, including a French newspaper's claims to have evidence, but the seven-time Tour de France winner has always maintained that he is clean and has never tested positive.

Miller told Rolling Stone that he's worried someone will try and frame him for substance abuse. In October, he infuriated officials by calling for liberalized doping, and was fined last month for refusing to take a routine boot test after a World Cup slalom race.

Miller made more headlines by suggesting in an interview with "60 Minutes" that he had raced while under the influence of alcohol.

He apologized for those comments in Wengen, Switzerland, but was fined the following day for completing a slalom despite straddling a gate. That night, Miller skipped the mandatory bib draw ceremony in the town square, prompting officials to give him a later start number for the next day's downhill.

Though he still shows signs of greatness, Miller hasn't enjoyed the same success as last season when he became the first American to win the overall World Cup title in 22 years.

At this point last year, Miller had six wins and four other podium finishes. So far this season, he has one victory and four other top-three finishes. Adding to the frustration, Miller has only completed two of seven slaloms.

"We haven't had the slalom training needed to get his equipment tested and his knee is a bit of an issue," McBride said.

Miller is currently fourth in the overall standings and trails overall leader Benjamin Raich by 264 points. Raich has 952 points, followed by Michael Walchhofer with 704 and Daron Rahlves with 689.

"The whole thing with (the TV interview) bothered him. I think maybe a little time off will help him gain perspective on the whole thing and why he does it and how important it is to him. What he's capable of achieving," McBride said. "Right now the important thing is for him to come into the Olympics on top of his game."

Miller plans to compete in all five events at the Olympics and is expected to race in Chamonix, France, on Feb. 3-4 - the final World Cup men's race before the Turin Games.

Once again, Natasha Lyonne is a wanted woman for all the wrong reasons.

The onetime American Pie star, who has publicly fallen on hard times in recent years, has yet another warrant out for her arrest, after she failed to appear at a court date Friday, the New York Post reports.

Lyonne is facing a number of charges, including her alleged threat to sexually molest her former neighbor's dog during a 2004 altercation. She is also charged with criminal mischief, harassment and trespassing.

Friday's hearing was rescheduled after the actress missed court dates earlier in the week. Last Monday, her lawyer explained to the judge that "an emergency has come up," but confessed that he did not know what the emergency was.

The latest absence marks the fourth time Lyonne has missed a court date and the third time a bench warrant has been issued for her arrest.

The most recent warrant against the troubled actress was cleared up after it was revealed she spent most of the summer being treated at a New York hospital for hepatitis C, a heart infection and a collapsed lung.

Per the Post, the actress was also receiving methadone, a drug commonly used to combat heroin addiction. A source familiar with the case told the newspaper that Lyonne's arms were covered with needle tracks at the time she was admitted to the hospital.

Lyonne reportedly entered the hospital following a stint at a psychiatric facility. Before that, she was believed to be living on the street, according to the Post.

"I'm crying actually. It's terrible, you know. It's my little girl," Lyonne's father, Aaron Braunstein, told Access Hollywood at the time. "It's a terrible tragedy, but she's going to get better. We're praying for her, and she's a tough girl."

The actress recovered sufficiently to leave the hospital, but has apparently returned to her prior address of whereabouts unknown.

During last night's Grammy's, Kelly Clarkson thanked Jesus, God, the radio, her fans and her mother but not American Idol. Why should she? It's not like they plucked her from obscurity and made her a star.

Oh wait.

Fans of No. 5 Gonzaga have been asked to stop yelling "Brokeback Mountain" at opposing players.

The reference to the recent movie about homosexual cowboys was chanted by some fans during Monday's game against Saint Mary's, and is apparently intended to suggest an opposing player is gay.

The chants were the subject of several classroom discussions over the past week, and the faculty advisers for the Kennel Club booster group urged students this week to avoid "inappropriate chants" during the Bulldogs' Saturday game against Stanford, which was nationally televised on ESPN.

"We implore the students of the Kennel Club to show the nation this weekend what makes Gonzaga different," Kennel Club advisers David Lindsay and Aaron Hill wrote in a letter in the student newspaper, the Bulletin.

"We challenge the students of the Kennel Club to exhibit the class, the creativeness and the competitive drive that has become a foundation of this great university."

Mark Alfino, a professor of philosophy at Gonzaga, said the matter had been widely discussed by faculty and students.

"Many faculty members have brought up the discussion in their classes," he said. "They find none of the students have been comfortable with the chant, and that's a good sign."

Ryan Olson, the president of Helping Educate Regarding Orientation, a gay-straight alliance on campus, said the chants are just the latest incident that shows GU is struggling to make gays and lesbians welcome on campus.

In a letter to the Bulletin, the HERO membership wrote, "This is not even remotely the first time that Kennel Club chanters have chanted homophobic phrases at basketball games."

"A lot of people in the Kennel Club say it wasn't them" that chanted "Brokeback Mountain," Olson said. "But there's something to be said about apathy as well. Students didn't stop people from saying it."

In Friday's Bulletin, senior Callie Monroe wrote a column calling the chants a case of "outright discrimination."

"Imagine yourself as a homosexual individual in the midst of your peers, classmates and friends during this 'Brokeback Mountain' cheer," Monroe wrote. "I simply do not understand how a student body claiming to live by Jesuit principles of acceptance and respect for all can allow an incident like this to happen and remain silent."

Jennifer Lopez and her husband Marc Anthony’s recent interest in baby supplies has confused the tabloids for weeks now. Though Jennifer and Marc have both gone on shopping sprees for little ones, Jennifer is looking just as fit as ever. If the actress/singer is pregnant, she’s doing quite a good job of covering it up. But a source for Star magazine is suggesting that Lopez’s recent purchases may be for an adopted child, not a biological one.

“She's been trying to get pregnant with Marc's baby for the last year with no luck,” says the source. “The older she gets, the more the deck is stacked against her having her own biological children." And it can’t help that Jennifer’s ex-fiancé, Ben Affleck recently became a father with his new wife, Jennifer Garner. Garner gave birth in December to daughter, Violet.

Another insider said that Jennifer has been inspired by other celebrities - like Meg Ryan and Angelina Jolie - who have chosen to adopt. "I think J.Lo would love to adopt a Puerto Rican baby, so the child can share its heritage with her and Marc," the source told Star.

The men's slalom was Bode Miller's last chance to win a medal in Torino.  So you'd think he'd actually try.  But no, because that would be just too hard for Bode.

Miller, the World Cup overall champion a year ago, will leave the Italian Alps without a medal. He finished his lackluster Olympics by straddling a gate just a few seconds into his run, then skied off the course and raised his arms in mock excitement.

Miller, who has been a local nightlife fixture throughout the games, told The Associated Press he was content with his experience.

"As far as my own personal involvement, I would not change anything. I had an awesome Olympics," Miller told AP sports columnist Jim Litke in an interview. "My preparation certainly could have been different, but I'm not a guy who looks back."

Nice to see that Grant Hill is still getting it done.

PORTLAND, Maine -- Alice Evans and Grace Needleman need a new date for the prom.

Boston general manager Theo Epstein won't be escorting the Cape Elizabeth High School seniors, who recently went to the Red Sox spring training complex with two handwritten signs, one that read: "Will you go to prom with me?"

After Epstein took a break and talked to the girls, the potential of a prom date was written about in newspapers and featured on radio and TV, including ESPN.

But the 32-year-old Esptein is bowing out, Glenn Geffner, vice president of media relations for the Red Sox, told the Portland Press Herald.

"Theo appreciates the support, but of course he will not be attending. We were all surprised to see the media coverage this good-natured exchange generated," Geffner wrote in an e-mail Thursday.

The girls met Epstein on Sunday in Fort Myers, Fla., during a vacation with Needleman's family.

"This all was taken in fun," said Grace's father, Richard Needleman. "These kids know he is not coming up here."

Second baseman Pokey Reese's contract was terminated Sunday by the Florida Marlins, who said they were disappointed not to receive an explanation regarding his abrupt departure from spring training.

Reese went home following a workout Wednesday without notifying the Marlins. They later heard twice from his agent, but not directly from Reese, general manager Larry Beinfest said.

"I think that the 72 hours that have passed is more than a reasonable amount of time for him to offer some explanation for his unexcused absence," Beinfest said. "We still do not have that explanation, and we're moving on."

The 32-year-old infielder has coped with a succession of tragedies, including the death of his fiancee 13 years ago. His agent, Mike Nicotera, said Reese went home to deal with personal issues.

"Pokey is fine," Nicotera said. "He's with family. When personal feelings are involved, it's very difficult to put a timetable on the resolution of those."

Nicotera said he hoped Reese would play again. The agent spoke shortly before the Marlins released Reese and didn't return subsequent phone calls seeking comment.

It was unclear whether Reese was in his native Columbia, S.C., or in Charlotte, N.C., where he also has family.

"The expectations of this organization [are] that as a professional you'd have the courtesy to at least notify us why he left," Beinfest said. "If he was a young player maybe without any experience, you may have a little bit different tack, but this guy's been around. We're extremely disappointed."

Reese, a two-time Gold Glove winner, spent all of last season on the disabled list with Seattle following shoulder surgery. He signed with Florida in December for $800,000, and was to be one of the best-paid, most experienced players for the young, cost-conscious Marlins.

"It's disappointing," manager Joe Girardi said. "He fit that role that we needed really well, with a lot of experience and a lot of knowledge of playing the position."

With Reese's departure, the front-runner for the second base job becomes rookie Dan Uggla, who hit .297 with 21 home runs last year for Double-A Tennessee -- but also committed 25 errors. A trade for a veteran is a possibility, Beinfest said.

"As normal, we'll be in touch with our scouts and start to gather information," he said. "I wouldn't rule out anything, but is it a dire need today? The answer is no."

John Flaherty, who spent most of his career as a back-up catcher, although he did start sometimes, announced yesterday that he is retiring.  He had a pretty good career.

Here he is on the left, with Jason Varitek:

San Diego Padres pitcher Doug Brocail, who is only 38 years old, had heart surgery this morning.  Pretty shocking, when you think about it.

Earlier in the week, Brocail had complained of chest tightness that radiated into both arms. He already was being treated for an abscessed tooth and asthma.

Dr. Harry Albers ordered a stress test, which came back abnormal.

"We found a large abnormality on the front wall of the heart, a blockage," Albers said. "He wasn't getting significant blood to the heart under stress."

Brocail was admitted to Boswell Memorial Hospital in nearby Sun City. Doctors found a 99-percent blockage of the left anterior descending artery, one of three coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart.

After the angioplasty, in which a balloon is inserted to open the artery, a stent was inserted to assure the artery remains open.

Brocail is expected to remain in the hospital for three or four days and could resume exercising in two weeks.

Congratulations for Japan, who definitely deserved to win the World Baseball Classic.

Jeff Bagwell announced Saturday that he's going on the disabled list and will have surgery to remove bone spurs from his shoulder as "a last resort" to see if he can play again, his agent, Barry Axelrod, told ESPN.com Saturday morning.

Bagwell won't use the word, "retire," at his press conference Saturday afternoon. But if it turns out he can't play anymore, he"s "OK with that," Axelrod said.

"Jeff has gotten to a point mentally where he's been through a lot of pain over the last four years," Axelrod said. "He's been through a lot of struggles with not being able to play up to the standards he set for himself and, recently, some criticism about how he was a shell of his self. All that was painful. So he's gotten to the point where if he can't play, he's OK with it right now. He's not happy with it. But he's OK with it."

Bagwell was told by his surgeon, Dr. James Andrews, that he has numerous degenerative bone spurs in his shoulder that need to be removed, Axelrod said. But doctors were concerned that removing them during his previous shoulder surgery could cause problems that would slow or prevent his recovery.

Now, however, Bagwell has nothing to lose. So "the next alternative, and the last resort, is to take the bone spurs out and see if it relieves the pain," Axelrod said.

Bagwell had said he wanted to play every day for the next week to see how he feels. But after removing himself from the last two games in which he played first base, he finally came to the conclusion that he couldn't play "right now," Axelrod said.

"We talked two or three days ago, and he talked about how he was letting people down," Axelrod said. "I said, 'Who do you think you're letting down? Your wife? Your kids? Me? Your teammates?' I said, 'No one has tried harder to do what you can do under difficult circumstances. So no one is going to feel you've let them down.'

"But Jeff talked about how the other infielders, when they were warming up before innings, had all moved to the inside of the grass so he wouldn't have to throw the ball so far across the infield. And he said, 'That's not what I want.' We've said all along that all Jeff wanted was a chance to show what he could or couldn't do -- on the field. He didn't want doctors or insurance companies to say that. He wanted that chance. And at least the Astros gave him that chance."

Over the last couple of years, as Bagwell's shoulder problems have worsened, the Astros have talked about the possibility of bringing him into the organization in a non-playing capacity. Axelrod said Bagwell is open to that if it turns out he can't play anymore.

"Needless to say, there haven't been discussions of that in detail," Axelrod said, "because our position has always been that Jeff was trying to be a player. But it has been discussed in the past, even as far back as [four years ago] when we were doing the contract -- that they want him to be involved for his lifetime as an Astro, much like Nolan Ryan is involved.

"Right now, we're just waiting for the air to clear a little bit. But Jeff has been an Astros for his whole life. He's a quality baseball guy. But more than that, he's a quality guy. So I think he'd be an asset to the organization, certainly. And he's 38 years old. He's not going to want to sit on his behind and play golf every day. I think he'll want to be involved somehow."

--Jayson Stark

Baseball isn't the only organization investigating Barry Bonds.

CNN reported Thursday that the federal government is investigating whether Bonds committed perjury during his grand jury testimony in the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative case in 2003.

Multiple sources told CNN that a federal grand jury has been hearing evidence for more than a month about whether Bonds perjured himself during his Dec. 4, 2003, testimony.

Meanwhile, baseball star Rafael Palmeiro will not be prosecuted on perjury charges after lawmakers said there isn't enough evidence to prove he lied when he told Congress under oath that he had "never used steroids" -- six weeks before failing a steroid test.

The investigation did not conclude whether the former Baltimore Orioles slugger had actually ever used performance-enhancing substances prior to his testimony before the House Government Reform Committee.

"We couldn't find any evidence of steroid use prior to his testimony," Chairman Tom Davis, R-Va., said in releasing a 44-page report. "That's not a finding of innocence, but it's a finding that we could not substantiate perjury."

Barry Bonds' personal trainer has been subpoenaed to testify before the federal grand jury investigating whether the San Francisco Giants' slugger committed perjury, according to media reports Tuesday night.

The San Jose Mercury News reported on its Web site that a spokeswoman for Greg Anderson's attorney confirmed that the trainer and BALCO coconspirator had received the subpoena.

The Mercury News, citing an unidentified source close to the investigation, also reported that former Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative vice president James Valente was subpoenaed. The San Francisco Chronicle also reported the two men had been subpoenaed to testify.

A phone message left with Anderson's attorney and an e-mail to Valente's attorney were not immediately answered. Bonds declined to comment on the reports Tuesday night.

Mets minor-league pitcher Yusaku Iriki was suspended for 50 games Friday after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance, making him the first player to be penalized under Major League Baseball's toughened steroid rules.

The 33-year-old Iriki agreed to a one-year, $750,000 deal with the Mets in January after spending his entire career in Japan. He was playing at Triple-A Norfolk this season and was on the Mets' 40-man roster.

Iriki was 1-2 with a 3.74 ERA in four starts at Norfolk. He had not been in the majors.

Last year, Iriki would have received a 10-day penalty under MLB's drug rules. During the offseason, owners and players agreed to increase the penalties to 50 games for a first offense, 100 games for a second and a lifetime ban for a third.

"The Mets are obviously disappointed that a member of our organization has tested positive. The Mets are fully supportive of Major League Baseball's joint drug policy," the team said in a statement.

There have been 10 players suspended this season under the minor-league program, including an Arizona pitching prospect for 100 games.

Iriki was 35-35 with three saves and a 3.73 ERA in 212 games during eight seasons in Japan. The right-hander was an All-Star in 2001.

Back in December, the Boston Red Sox traded catcher Doug Mirabelli to the San Diego Padres for second baseman Mark Loretta.  Mirabelli didn't play a whole lot, since Jason Varitek was their main catcher, but he was the main catcher for pitcher Tim Wakefield.

And now he's back in Boston. 

The Boston Red Sox have finalized a trade to obtain Mirabelli from the Padres in exchange for catcher Josh Bard, minor-league pitcher Cla Meredith and cash

General Motors will stop selling the Hummer H1, the hulking military-derived SUV that launched the company’s successful Hummer brand, this year.

GM will continue to sell the H2 and H3 SUVs that accounted for more than 99% of Hummer’s total sales last year. H1 production should end in June.

Despite prices starting at $130,000, high fuel consumption and minimal comfort and amenities, the H1 became a status symbol driven by rich and famous customers like actor-politician Arnold Schwarnezegger.

GM began selling H1s in 2000, using the truck’s militaristic looks and extreme offroad ability to launch its successful Hummer brand. AM General, which manufactures the military Humvee, the H1 and H2, began selling H1s to retail customers in 1992.

The two companies have sold a total of about 12,000 H1s since 1992.

AM General is converting the H1 assembly line to produce the similar-looking military Humvees. It does not expect the H1’s demise to cost any jobs at its Mishawaka, Indiana, plant.

A uniform worn by Joe DiMaggio in his final World Series sold for $195,500 Saturday during the second day of an auction of his memorabilia.

The pinstriped flannel home uniform was won by an anonymous bidder. DiMaggio wore the jersey during the 1951 World Series, when the Yankees defeated the New York Giants.

According to Hunt Auctions Inc., the matching pants -- while worn during the 1951 season -- couldn't be verified as being used in the World Series. DiMaggio retired after winning the championship, turning his spot in center field over to Mickey Mantle.

On Friday, the first day of the two-day auction, DiMaggio's 1947 Most Valuable Player award was sold for $281,750 to the owner of a midtown Manhattan collectibles shop. Pete Siegel, who owns Gotta Have It! Collectibles, said he hoped to pick up more DiMaggio items before the auction ends.

In all, more than 1,000 DiMaggio items went on the auction block. All sale prices included a 15 percent buyer's premium.

A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital in Hollywood, Fla.

Played ball yesterday, which was awesome.  It's finally starting to feel like summer, it's great.

It's nice to see Tom Glavine doing well, pitching like he did in some of his better years in Atlanta. 

Glavine carried a perfect game into the sixth inning before allowing a hit, pitched 7 2/3 strong innings and led the Mets to a 7-4 victory over the Florida Marlins.

Cleveland Indians pitcher Scott Sauerbeck was arrested early Tuesday after he and a woman fled from his vehicle and were found hiding behind bushes, police said.

Koby Clemens will be playing with his famous father on Tuesday night. But he won't be behind the plate.

Contrary to earlier published reports, Koby Clemens said, he'll be playing third when his dad, Roger Clemens, takes the mound for the Class A Lexington Legends, the Houston Chronicle reported.

Roger Clemens' start on Tuesday is his first rehab assignment to prepare him for a return to the Houston Astros later this month. Clemens signed a one-year, $22 million contract with the Astros on June 1.

"To get everybody right, I'm not catching him," the younger Clemens, who was drafted by the Astros last year, told the Chronicle. "I'll be playing third base. Everybody's been calling my phone saying 'You're catching now?' I say 'I have no idea what you're talking about.'"

The confusion may have started when the younger Clemens caught his father's bullpen session on Thursday, which he has done before.

"He only does that because I asked him to get back there [Thursday], and he did a few times at home to get me loose," Roger Clemens said. "He likes third base and he likes hitting. I think he likes the outfield, too, but that remains to be seen."

Former major-league umpire Eric Gregg was fighting for his life Monday, a day after a stroke that left him with little hope of any significant recovery, his son said.

"I think we're running out of time right now," Kevin Gregg said.

The 55-year-old Gregg, who spent his career trying to overcome weight problems that saw him reach almost 400 pounds, was in critical condition at Lankenau Hospital.

"Physically, his body is with us. The brain is almost gone," Kevin Gregg said. "The damage to the brain is so severe, we're just waiting to see how long he can fight. We're still waiting to see if it's two hours or two days.

"The family has come to grips that we're going to lose this one eventually," he said.

Kevin Gregg said his father complained to family members on Sunday morning at his home in Ardmore, Pa., that he couldn't feel anything on his left side.

Gregg was among 22 umpires who lost their jobs in 1999 when their labor plan of mass resignations backfired.

Recognized for his large frame and large strike zone, he worked the 1989 World Series, four championship series, two division series and one All-Star Game.

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Jason Grimsley told federal investigators he used illegal performance-enhancing drugs, according to court documents unsealed late Tuesday.

Thirteen agents searched Grimsley's house in Scottsdale, Ariz., for six hours Tuesday, according to Internal Revenue Service agent Mark Lessler, who would not say what they found.

In seeking a judge's permission for the search, investigators who cracked the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative steroid scandal said Grimsley initially cooperated in the probe. He withdrew his assistance in April, but not before he allegedly made "extensive statements" about illegal drug use, "for the purpose of performance enhancement," according to the court documents.

IRS agent Jeff Novitsky told the federal judge that investigators wanted to search the right-hander's house for "any and all records showing contact or relationship with any and all amateur or professional athletes, athletic coaches or athletic trainers" regarding illicit drug use and purchases.

According to Novitsky, Grimsley told him the names of other players he believed were using, but the names of those players were blacked out of the court records.

Bad news for Gary Sheffield and the New York Yankees...he'll be out until September because of surgery for a torn ligament and dislocated tendon in his left wrist.

Of course, this is the Yankees we're talking about.  They'll probably land a big trade later in the year for a big-name outfielder.  It's nice to have money.

On a night when Barry Bonds hit home run number 717, the more exciting story for me was Steve Finley's 300th home run.  With the blast, Finley joined the elite 300-300 club, marked by hitting 300 home runs and stealing 300 bases. 

Congratulations Steve!

It's about time the Atlanta Braves won a game!  After losing ten straight games, they really needed a win.  This is the Braves we're talking about!  They're not supposed to lose that many games, especially not consecutively.  Too bad it took them 11 innings to get the win last night.

Barry Bonds' personal trainer refused to testify Thursday to the federal grand jury investigating the slugger for perjury and could be sent back to prison.

Greg Anderson, who served three months in prison after pleading guilty last year for his role in the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative steroid scandal, could be sent back to prison if found in contempt of court for refusing to testify.

A hearing will be held next Wednesday, and Judge William Alsup said he would rule next week on whether Anderson should be found in contempt.

Carlos Zambrano, a PITCHER, hit another homerun?  Wow.  :)

I love watching David Ortiz bat, especially in the home run derby where he can just crush balls.  Wow, Ryan Howard is really putting on a show right now.

Baseball commissioner Bud Selig criticized Red Sox slugger Manny Ramirez for opting out of the All-Star game to rest.

Selig told reporters before the game on Tuesday that Ramirez should have come to Pittsburgh to participate in the festivities, even if he didn't want to play because of a sore knee.

"Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but if you are voted on the team, it's a privilege," Selig said. "You ought to be here. He's the only person who did not participate this year. Everybody else has been here and has been terrific."

There's been a lot of talk about IRL driver Ed Carpenter's comment regarding Danica Patrick.  He said:

“I think Danica’s pretty aggressive in our cars.  I mean, you know especially if you catch her at the right time of the month, she might be trading plenty of paint out there.  But I think she’ll hold her own. Who’s she’s going to drive for is hard to say. I don’t think she’s leaving, so we’ll see.”

Carpenter later told The Associated Press he didn’t mean to be disrespectful of Patrick by using a female stereotype.  He said he was trying to make the point that Patrick is competitive and already proven as a capable driver.

Maybe it's just because I'm a guy, but I don't think this is offensive.  But I'd love to hear your opinions.

Here we go again.  Mark Prior is back on the disabled list with a strained left oblique muscle.

He got hurt while taking batting practice last Saturday in Milwaukee. Prior, who began the season on the disabled list with a sore shoulder, came off it June 18 and went 0-4 in four starts with a 7.71 ERA. He was scratched from his start last Sunday.

Pop Star Justin Timberlake has opened up about his drug use in the Observer Music Monthly magazine.

The singer, who is currently in the UK to promote his second album, admitted that he has taken drugs in private and is careful not to be caught on camera.

"The drugs that I do have been done in my own private time," he told the Observer Music Monthly magazine. "I've never been arrested - though that's not to say that I won't. I've done way too many drugs already. I've already inhaled and I've already - who knows?"

"Some drugs haven't been legalised because it will ruin the other drugs, like nicotine and tobacco," he insisted. "Nicotine is more addictive than heroin. I'll leave the preaching to the preachers - my grandfather is a preacher - but I believe that you don't do anything to excess.

"They always say too much of a good thing could be a bad thing. I try to live my life in a well-rounded manner. We all make mistakes."

Timberlake refused to admit which drugs he has taken - explaining that he does not wish to "fuel the fire."

He added, "I'm just like everyone else - I get completely plastered, I've done my fair share of drugs and been caught places with my pants down. It's just that I make sure there are no cameras around."

Mariano Rivera became just the fourth reliever in Major League Baseball history to record 400 saves in his career with a two-inning save Sunday against the White Sox. He is the all-time American League saves leader. Only Lee Smith (478), Trevor Hoffman (460) and John Franco (424) have more saves than Rivera.

Rivera is the only member of the 400-save club to record all of his saves with one club. Hoffman recorded the first two saves of his career with the Marlins in 1993, prior to a midseason trade to San Diego, where he recorded the remaining 458 (and counting) saves, which stands as the most saves overall with any one club. Smith's career total (divided amongst seven clubs) is highlighted with 180 saves with the Cubs and 160 as a Cardinal. Franco's career total was split between the Mets (276 with the club) and Reds.

"He's probably the most dominating closer this game has ever seen," said Jason Giambi, who also played with Dennis Eckersley, who finished his career with 390 saves.

"It seems like year after year he just gets the job done," Giambi said. "You get that feeling when he comes out and the song starts playing that the game is over."

Rivera's 34 postseason saves are the most in Major League history. The eight-time All-Star was named the World Series MVP in 1999 and American League Championship Series MVP in 2003. The Yankees' have won four World Series with Rivera coming out of the bullpen.

"He's somebody that we never take for granted," Derek Jeter said. "The reason why we've been successful for a number of years is he's a guy who really shortens games."

John Jordan "Buck" O'Neil, who played baseball during an era of segregation.  Tonight he will play for the Kansas City T-Bones, who signed him to a one-day contract.

Did I mention that Buck O'Nel is now 94 years old?  This will likely make him the oldest professional baseball player. He would surpass 83-year-old Jim Eriotes, who struck out in a minor league game in South Dakota earlier this month, by more than a decade.

"I imagine the bat's a little heavier than that club I've been swinging," said O'Neil, who maintains he can still shoot his age in golf. "It's been a long time since I've picked up a bat."

Nobody disputes that O'Neil's involvement in the game borders on a gimmick. But his supporters hope it also provides a boost in their quest to get him into Cooperstown.

In May, a special 12-member panel did not choose O'Neil for the Hall of Fame, though it did vote in 17 people from the Negro Leagues and pre-Negro Leagues eras.

New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez became the youngest player to reach 450 home runs when he hit one Friday night against the Toronto Blue Jays.

The three-run homer in the third inning off A.J. Burnett was also Rodriguez's 2000th hit.

Rodriguez, who turns 31 next Thursday, is the eighth player to get his 2,000th hit before his 31st birthday.

The milestones come at a time when Rodriguez has struggled. He committed his team-leading 17th error in Thursday's loss to Toronto.

Ken Griffey Jr. was the previous youngest to reach 450. He was 31 years, 261 days old when he did it Aug. 9, 2001.

A couple were driving to a church to get married. On the way, they got into a car accident and died. When they arrive in heaven, they see St. Peter at the gate. They ask him if he could arrange it so they could marry in heaven.

St. Peter tells them that he'll do his best to work on it for them.

Three months pass by and the couple hear nothing. They bump into St. Peter and ask him about the marriage.

He says, "I'm still working on it."

Two years pass by and no marriage.

St. Peter again assures them that he's working on it.

Finally after twenty long years, St. Peter comes running with a priest and tells the couple it's time for their wedding.

The couple marry and live happily for a while. But after a few months the couple go and find St. Peter and tell him things are not working out, and that they want to get a divorce.

"Can you arrange it for us?" they ask.

St. Peter replies, "Are you kidding?!! It took me twenty years to find a priest up here. How am I gonna find you a lawyer?"

New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez has been receiving a lot of negative attention lately, which I don't agree with.  Yes, he makes an obscene amount of money, much more than anyone else on the team.  This year, he's pulling in $25,680,727.  That's more money than I could even dream of. 

New York fans are intense.  They expect their players to come through in the clutch, something Rodriguez has had trouble with.  Every time he makes an error, the New York fans question his commitment, his concentration, his desire to win.  They think he's too soft, too much of a nice guy.

But when he knocked the ball out of Kevin Millar's glove in the playoffs, he got criticized for being too mean, for cheating.  Can he do anything right?

Lets look at his stats for a moment.  They can hardly be described as poor.  In 407 at bats he's had 115 hits, 17 doubles, 1 triple, 23 home runs, 80 RBIs, and a batting average of .283.  That is very respectable.  The only place I can fault him?  His 18 errors this season.  In his first year at third base (he was originally a short stop, before switching in 2004) he had 13 errors.  Last year, he had 12.  But he also had 24 errors in 1997 while playing short stop for the Seattle Mariners, so how can you really complain now?

But don't just listen to me.  Eric Neel's article over on ESPN says everything perfectly, and it's way more in-depth.  Check it out by clicking the link.

Dell is recalling 4.1 million notebook computer batteries because they could erupt in flames, the company said today. This will be the largest safety recall in the history of the consumer electronics industry, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said.

Dell, the world’s largest PC maker, said the lithium-ion batteries were made by Sony and were installed in notebooks sold between April 2004 and July 18 of this year.

The recall raises broader questions about lithium-ion batteries, which are used in a host of devices like cellphones, portable power tools, camcorders, digital cameras and MP3 players. The potential for such batteries to catch fire has been acknowledged for years and has prompted more limited recalls in the past. But a number of recent fires involving notebook computers, some aboard planes, have brought renewed scrutiny.

Dell has reported to the safety agency that it documented six instances since December in which notebooks overheated or caught on fire. None of the incidents caused injuries or death. Dell said the problems were a result of a manufacturing defect in batteries made by Sony.

The safety agency said the batteries were not unique to Dell, meaning that other companies using Sony batteries may also have to issue recalls. Sony has sold its batteries to most of the major computer makers.

The recalled batteries were used in 2.7 million computers sold in the United States and 1.4 million sold overseas. The total is about 18 percent of Dell’s notebook production during the period in question.

Depending on how many of the batteries are still in use, the cost of the recall could exceed $300 million. Dell refused to estimate the cost, but said the recall would not materially affect its profits. Sony, which affirmed today that its batteries were responsible, said it was “financially supporting” Dell in the recall.

Dell said it would notify affected customers by mail and online, advising them to remove their current laptop batteries immediately and arranging to send replacements.

What a story!  A man traveling to Turkey with his mother and two small children had his penis pump inspected at security.  When the security guard asked what the object was, he mumbled "pump" (who wants to shout out in front of his mother that he's carrying a penis pump?) but the security guard thought he said "bomb."  Oops.

Ok, so here's how the baseball season shook out:

• The Yankees won the American League East
• The Twins won the American League Central
• The Athletics won the American League West
• The Tigers are the American League wild card team
• The Mets won the National League East
• The Cardinals won the National League Central
• The Padres won the National League West
• The Dodgers are the National League wild card team

Let the playoffs begin!

The Padres celebrate clinching the division after yesterday's game

10. Tested positive for uranium

9. Always asking fans for clean urine

8. After each win, receives congratulatory phone call from Balco founder Victor Conte

7. Name on back of his uniform is "Bonds"

6. You can find him in the club house corking himself

5. Distracts opponents by throwing out the frozen head of Ted Williams

4. Somehow got 3 RBI's during the seventh-inning stretch

3. You haven't seen someone with that much Vaseline on them since the last Paris Hilton video

2. Pete Rose called him a disgrace to the game

1. His nickname is "Needle Ass"

A man was arrested on suspicion of carrying a concealed weapon after police found him outdoors — naked — and he told them he had a tool in his rectum, authorities said.

The man was lying on a tree stump, masturbating beside a nature path, near a Bay Area Rapid Transit station Thursday, police said.

John Sheehan, 33, of Pittsburg, was initially arrested on suspicion of indecent exposure. But when asked whether he was carrying anything police should know about, Sheehan mentioned the tool, said El Cerrito Detective Cpl. Don Horgan.

"You can't get much more concealed than that," Horgan said.

Officers drew their weapons and firefighters were called to the scene. Sheehan removed a 6-inch metal awl wrapped in black electrical tape without incident.

Sheehan, who was paroled from state prison last week, was then booked into jail on suspicion of parole violations, indecent exposure and one felony count of possessing a concealed weapon.

"When you're talking about an awl or an ice pick and you're dealing with somebody who's fresh out of prison, it's a weapon. That's a stabbing instrument," Horgan said.

It was not immediately clear what Sheehan was on parole for. A person answering the phone at the jail Friday night did not know whether Sheehan had a lawyer.

Ever been working out at a gym, only to get distracted by some annoying person grunting and groaning?

Well, it's nice to see that Planet Fitness gyms will do something about it.  Planet Fitness gyms are known for their policies — one too many offending noises can get a membership revoked in the time it takes to do a sit-up. Nationwide, the chain expels roughly two members a month for various reasons, most commonly grunting and dropping weights.  The no-grunt policy is one of several eyebrow-raising rules — no bandannas, no jeans, no banging weights — that managers say are intended to make their target clientele of novice exercisers feel comfortable.

Ok, Vince Young is way better than I thought he was...and I thought he was good.  Get this, his team is down by 21 points going into the last quarter, and he leads this great comeback.  They end up beating the Giants by a field goal!  The Titans totally played balls-out.  :)

This year's lucky hall of fame nominees: 

• Harold Baines
• Albert Belle
• Dante Bichette
• Bert Blyleven
• Bobby Bonilla
• Scott Brosius
• Jay Buhner
• Ken Caminiti
• Jose Canseco
• Dave Concepcion
• Eric Davis
• Andre Dawson
• Tony Fernandez
• Steve Garvey
• Rich "Goose" Gossage
• Tony Gwynn
• Orel Hershiser
• Tommy John
• Wally Joyner
• Don Mattingly
• Mark McGwire
• Jack Morris
• Dale Murphy
• Paul O'Neill
• Dave Parker
• Jim Rice
• Cal Ripken Jr.
• Bret Saberhagen
• Lee Smith
• Alan Trammell
• Devon White
• Bobby Witt

Cowboys-Giants game was really awesome yesterday.  The Giants didn't play that well, but the ending was awesome.  Gramatica kicks a field goal with seconds left to win the game for the Cowboys.

Bill Parcells looks pretty smart for getting a new kicker.

Troy Smith won the Heisman Award.  He was definitely the favorite, being top-ranked Ohio State's quarterback and all.

Nice article about him here.

Dang, I haven't updated in forever.  Sorry, everyone.

Christmas was awesome.  My parents got me some good presents, my sister got me some good movies, my brother got me a couple good cds that I've been wanting, and my girlfriend got me some special stuff.  Life's good, I've got no complaints.

Gonna stay in tonight with Julie and watch some movies.  I think she's gonna talk me into watching The Notebook with her.  I'm a good sport.

I'm watching the Fiesta Bowl right now, one of 3 football games I watched today.  What a great day.  I'm pulling for Boise St...go underdogs!

Can they pull off an overtime win?

The Phoenix Suns are now 25-8.  They sure don't lose a lot.  I'm thinking they might just get to the NBA finals.  They'll at least get to the sem-finals.  Mark my words.

Dirk Nowitzki sure put up a good showing last night.  43 points to lead Dallas to an overtime win.  Pure magic.

Rochom P'ngieng's father says he has identified her through scars but she cannot speak any intelligible language.

P'ngieng disappeared tending buffalo in Rattanakiri province, 350km (220 miles) north-east of Phnom Penh.

Local police said she was "half-human and half-animal."  Her father says he will have DNA tests taken to prove she is his daughter.

It will be the fourth All-Star game at Yankee Stadium, which underwent an extensive renovation in the mid-1970s. The most recent summer showcase in The House That Ruth Built was in 1977, when the National League won 7-5 for the sixth of 11 consecutive victories over the American League.

The quarterback’s frustration level with his teammates has grown steadily over the last nine months, and for reasons that have nothing to do with on-field play.

“Enough is enough,” Palmer said Wednesday at the Super Bowl media center. “It’s something we’re definitely not proud of.”

“From here on out, guys just need to make better decisions,” Palmer said. “Life is about making the right decisions and moving on. The decisions they’ve made are not the right ones.”

NEW YORK (AP) -- John Amaechi is gay, and now the first NBA player to come out publicly is ready to talk about it.

Amaechi, a center who spent five seasons with four teams, is scheduled to appear on ESPN's Outside the Lines on Sunday, and his autobiography Man in the Middle, will be released Feb. 14.

"He is coming out of the closet as a gay man," Amaechi's publicist Howard Bragman said Wednesday.

NBA commissioner David Stern said a player's sexuality is not important.

"We have a very diverse league. The question at the NBA is always 'have you got game?' That's it, end of inquiry," he said.

Three years after his playing career ended, Amaechi has become the sixth professional male athlete from one of the four major American sports (NBA, MLB, NFL, NHL) to publicly discuss his homosexuality.

"I know that I have the skills," Pippen said. "I think it's sort of been on my mind the last couple of months. It's just about me going out and polishing my skills."

The five-year deal trumped any potential extension he was negotiating with Florida.

"Billy Donovan is a winner," Magic general manager Otis Smith said in a release. "We feel he is the right person to develop and maximize the talents of our players. We look forward to Billy leading us to the next level."

Donovan, who turned 42 on Wednesday, will take over a team that was 40-42 this past season and hasn't won a playoff series in 11 years.

Donovan will earn $3.5 million per year for each of the next six years, while Meyer will be paid $3.25 million per year. The deals make the two the nation's highest-paid basketball-football coaching tandem, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

The contracts will cost Florida more than $40 million through 2013.