Shower Discipline: Tennessee coach Derek Dooley treats the players like small children, as well as the media. Vols players apparently had a “clinic” on proper shower technique after an outbreak of staph infections. "We had, I told them, the worst shower discipline of any team I've ever been around. So we talked a little bit about application of soap to the rag and making sure you hit all your body. You know, you can neglect it trying to cut corners, and it shows in how you practice and elsewhere. I'm hoping we show some improvement in that." [GoVolsXtra](61)
A study conducted by the University of Florida, unsurprisingly, shows an apparently strong correlation between college football and binge drinking. Researchers took data from “home game” Saturdays, ordinary Saturdays in “a university town with a successful NCAA Division I program.” They found that the town averaged around 12 arrests on normal Saturdays and holidays, but the number shot up to 70 arrests on a college football game day and that the arrests occurred closer to the stadium. Read the rest of this entry »
Saints vs. Vikings: Here's what Saints' coach Sean Payton told his defense about Brett Favre before last season's NFC Championship game - "If you keep hitting him (on Sunday) he'll make a mistake. If we keep putting pressure on him (Sunday night) he'll start being careful, he'll start doing anything he can to avoid getting hit and he'll make a mistake. I promise you, if we hit him for four quarters, he'll turn into that old man who's scared of the rain." They left Favre black and blue. Hopefully, the Saints will do the same tonight. [NOLA] (114)
College Basketball is still about 11 weeks away, but if you’re jonesing for some hoops … this video will do the trick. Tell your employer you’ll need the next 15 minutes to yourself, because this video’s captivating. DeMarcus Cousins gets put on a poster at 39, former SI cover boy Chris Porter is 21st, Darvin Ham shattering a backboard checks in at 8, and Melvin Levitt’s filthy follow-dunk is No. 3. We won’t spoil No. 1, but you’re obviously very familiar with it. Bill Raftery? [via Ballin in a Habit]
My name is Jason Lisk and I am a recovering footballholic. I have been mostly clean for 137 days, but that’s about to change. I’ve been writing at the pro-football-reference blog for the last several years, so for the 98.3% of you who have never read the p-f-r blog, have a tolerance for math, and loads of free time because you are under house arrest, check it out. Read the rest of this entry »
Matt Barnes: The hot-tempered small forward who played with the Magic last year but signed with the Lakers this offseason, was arrested yesterday afternoon in Sacramento on felony domestic violence charges. According to the Sacramento Bee, "After speaking to Barnes and the woman, deputies determined that the two had been in a physical confrontation and Barnes had prevented the woman from talking to 911 operators. Curran said dispatchers heard the sound of a struggle in the background on the brief open line until it was disconnected. Both parties had visible injuries but Barnes was determined to be the primary aggressor, Curran said." After the arrest, Barnes tweeted. Then, he told a TV reporter, "I was the victim, but got arrested." (43)
Aside from Christmas and Thanksgiving, opening night in the NFL might be the only other day of the year where every dude truly gets along with their peers and finds the patience in their heart to act cordial to complete pricks. I even gave the person seated next to me my newspaper as I left the subway this morning. Yes, the NFL – excuse me, The National Football League – has become that damn special. Given that throbbing truth, today’s edition of Yardwork will have a splash of pigskin talk.Read the rest of this entry »
Señor Berman: Wildly popular ESPN personality Chris Berman has sprouted a mustache. Every hipster in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, along with guys like Carl Pavano and the great John Axford must have woken up in tears this morning. Suddenly, the mustache craze has come to a screeching halt. Let's hope it's a fake. And if it is, it doesn't hold a candle to the bushy vag tickler Patrick Dempsey sported in Loverboy. [Screengrab via] (90)
Saints-Vikings season opener tonight means a short day of school in New Orleans. Gotta avoid traffic jams. And pregame festivities trump classes, obviously. [NOLA]