FAIL:Reporting Live from Las Vegas on Michael Jackson

New Rocket Jermaine Taylor DUNK mix

From UCF to Houston - Jermaine Taylor

1 day 'til draft, more videos..yummy hamburger!!

The Spurs & Wizards both got better with pretty significant trades completed on Tuesday.
If the NBA became a 4-on-4 competition, the Spurs foursome of Parker, Ginobili, Richard Jefferson and Duncan sure would be fun to watch. They did create a bit of a hole in the middle with Oberto, Thomas and Bowen going to Milwaukee for Jefferson, since only Duncan and the totally unproven Ian Mahinmi are bigs remaining. They could re-sign Drew Gooden or maybe re-acquire Oberto to get bigger, but while they increased their talent base, they still don't matchup well with the Lakers, which is what all teams in the West still need to measure up to.

Washington has almost guaranteed they will be the league's most-improved team next year. Adding Randy Foye and Mike Miller from Minnesota in exchange for three players they have no use for (along with the 5th pick), puts them into the playoffs for sure. While all hopes are predicated on health, Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison are all all-star caliber players and Miller and Foye can both put the ball in the basket. They should finish no worse than 5th in the East if healthy.
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I've given a lot of thought to the decision Cecil Cooper made not calling for Pudge Rodriguez to sacrifice the runners over from 1st (Berkman) and 2nd (Tejada) in the 9th inning with the Astros down 2-1. It can be argued either way, it's hard to really blame Cooper for that decision, as he explained after the game, though, I do have some questions.

I think he properly assessed what Pudge can and can't do, so calling for him to sacrifice doesn't bring with it a high likelihood of success. That's really on Pudge though, not Coop. While I agree that Pudge is an "RBI guy", he is 4th on the team, but that is really no excuse for a 37-year old catcher hitting .249 not being skilled enough to be asked to bunt.

On to Coop's assessment that Matsui is not an RBI guy. If you get a successful sacrifice bunt then a single ties the game, possibly wins the game. By "RBI guy" I assume that means essentially a good hitter w/ extra-base pop. But when runners on third, there is no longer a need for an "RBI guy", but quite simply just a guy who can get a run home from third with less than two outs. They might even walk Matsui to set up the double play. I'd still take my chances at that point over what happened.

Truthfully the blame lies with Ed Wade, Tal Smith and ultimately owner Drayton McLane. How much longer do they think it is acceptable to have not one, but two backup outfielders who aren't even hitting .200? Two guys, Erstad and Michaels, both of whom have been poor defensive players this year are basically automatic outs and the season is nearly half over. That is inexcusable. A minor-leaguer making $400K can do that - and don't try to tell me they don't have anybody. It's nearly impossible to perform more poorly at the plate than Erstad and Michaels. Combined they have stepped to the plate 149 times - they have 22 hits!!!!!!!! They've hitting .158. When you throw in Jason Smith's 0-25 season and Matt Kata's 4-22, the 4 most often used bench players area combined 26-186, that's a .140 average. The Astros pitchers are hitting .144 this year. Experience and track record at this point must be cast aside, these guys are not helping the team at all.
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What do you get when you win the US Open? An invite to Letterman to mock yourself via the Top Ten List.

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I showed you the Carl's Jr ad plugging their latest burger creation with the lovely Padma Lakshmi a couple of weeks ago. Now reality celeb Audrina Patridge gets her chance to make you hot about a heaping helping of meat...and fruit.

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Rockets trade, Videos-Carano, Bikini, T.O., Iverson Rap

Think the Rockets will get into the draft? Think they need to? Yes and likely yes.
They still need to get younger and more athletic, it would be fantastic if they added someone with an obvious skill, a shooter like Wayne Ellington or a playmaker like one of the countless point guard available in the lottery.
It would be tough to part with Landry, Scola or Brooks or some combination of those players - whomever is drafted would need to immediately step in and take those minutes. Not just that, but they'd have to give you more than the departed or it'd be pretty tough to argue that the team is an improved product.
GM Daryl Morey is unafraid to shake things up, with still no guarantees that either Ron Artest or Von Wafer will be back, not to mention the ongoing uncertainty with Tracy McGrady, Morey isn't just going to sit back and hope things work out.

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Anything you can do, I can do better. Cyborg chokes out MMA host, Carano does the same on Fox's Sports Science. Although technically Carano did it first as this is old episode.

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Uncoached is a pretty good go-to blog for something different. Here a post titled The Best Bikini Scenes in Mainstream Movies. Enjoy, hope all the videos work.

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With Leather also is a 4 times daily stop in the blogosphere. Here's Joanna Krupa dropped profanity after profanity on her partner Terrell Owens as they perform on the new edition of "The Superstars." (NSFW obviously)

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This made it's way around the blogosphere at warp speed this morning. Thought I'd already posted it, but anyway. Enjoy AI, Jim Mora and other assorted classic sports rants. DJ Steve Foster, we thank you.

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Pudge passes Pudge; Can't Miss Vids

Pudge passes Pudge...Ivan Rodriguez will pass Carlton Fisk for the top spot in games caught among catchers tonight. I asked the question last night - Is Rodriguez the most decorated non-pitcher to ever put on an Astros uniform?
He's been an All-Star 14 times, he's won 13 Gold Gloves. He's a former league MVP, a postseason MVP and a World Series champion. He's a career .300 hitter and he ranks at the top or near the top in basically every major statistical category among catchers.
Bagwell, Biggio, Joe Morgan, Jeff Kent, Carlos Beltran, Cesar Cedeno, Jose Cruz, Lance Berkman - all either all-time Astros greats or Hall of Fame caliber players, or both, yet none are more decorated than Pudge, right?
He homered last night - the lone run in the 'Stros 6-1 defeat - in the city where he began his major league career as a 19 year old. It would be nice if his contributions tonight in the record breaker were part of a winning effort.
By the way, the Rangers clinched the Silver Boot with their 4th win in 4 tries in the season series.
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NBA 2009-2010 Championship Odds - thanks bodog
Los Angeles Lakers...... 9/4
Cleveland Cavaliers.......3/1
Boston Celtics..............9/2
Orlando Magic..............15/2
Denver Nuggets.............12/1
Houston Rockets............15/1
San Antonio Spurs..........16/1
Portland Trailblazers.......18/1
Utah Jazz.....................20/1
New Orleans Hornets......35/1
Dallas Mavericks............40/1
Detroit Pistons...............45/1
Atlanta Hawks...............50/1
Chicago Bulls................50/1
Miami Heat...................50/1
Phoenix Suns................50/1
Philadelphia 76ers.........60/1
New Jersey Nets...........75/1
New York Knicks...........75/1
Washington Wizards......75/1
Charlotte Bobcats.........100/1
Golden State Warriors...100/1
Indiana Pacers.............100/1
Los Angeles Clippers.....100/1
Milwaukee Bucks..........100/1
Oklahoma City Thunder..100/1
Sacramento Kings.........100/1
Toronto Raptors............100/1
Minnesota Timberwolves.125/1
Memphis Grizzlies.........150/1
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Can't Miss Vids
Who better to take you on a tour of brand new Cowboys Stadium than Martellus Bennett via Marty B TV.

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Remember this date, 15 years ago today...

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You may have heard about the boxing match...err MMA match b/w boxer Ray Mercer and former UFC Champ Tim Sylvia. The match was brief, Mercer gave some very intelligent quotes afterward. Enjoy.

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Gina Carano & Cris Cyborg-Santos will get inside the octagon and produce the most watched match in women's MMA history. Here's an interview with Cyborg. It's blah-blah-blah for the 1st 5 minutes --- then she puts the interviewer to sleep.

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Videos; JVG & Rex vs. Orlovsky, plus Artest

With the news that Rex Grossman will be a Texan, many are wondering what the difference b/w Grossman and Orlovsky. Let's go to youtube for the answer. When you google Rex Grossman and this is the first result.

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google Dan Orlovsky and you get this.

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Steve Nash - the NBA Finals correspondent for David Letterman. Wait 'til the 2:30 minute mark. It's worth it. Nash catches up with JVG.

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Jeff Van Gundy takes some heat here for his "sleepy" appearance from the goofballs at college humor.

Watch Jeff Van Gundys Face and more funny videos on CollegeHumor

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Ron Artest's latest video blog from hiphopgame.com. Tries to tell the media that the door to him signing in Detroit (if he doesn't re-sign in Houston) is not closed.

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NBA Finals. David Anderson String Dance Fitness

They was so much backlash over the perception that the NBA was doing all they could to make it a Kobe-LeBron NBA finals. The Nike puppet campaign and everything else seemed to turn everyone against the matchup and when Orlando topped the Cavs some seemed to revel in the fact that the "master plan" had been messed up.

Careful what you wish for, since now we're one game into the NBA finals and few think the Magic will make this series competitive. It's been a great postseason from the Celtics-Bulls 7-game marathon series to the Rockets battling the Lakers through 7 games, the last 4 of which were played without Yao Ming. The Magic winning back-to-back series against the Celts and Cavs, without home court advantage in either. Not to mention a seemingly never-ending supply of great games and unbelievable game winning shots.

Orlando has been very resilient so far, but they are no facing their toughest team. The real problem is the same is not true for the Lakers. They are not facing their toughest foe. Both Houston and Denver, in my opinion, are tougher match-ups for the Lakers. But we'll see. Hopefully Sunday night's game in LA is not the last game there this season.
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David Anderson has been the funniest Texans player ever since he was drafted in 2006. Here's one more legendary reason why.

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Nice job, Magic. NBA, Artest videos

Always a good idea to only try for the first 14 minutes of the NBA Finals. Nice going, Magic. Don't blame Jameer. Don't blame chemistry. Don't say it was the coaching. They got outworked and they got smoked. This series could be a huge letdown for a playoff season that otherwise has been sensational.

The Magic starters were a miserable 11-46 from the field. That's 24% - which got me thinking. I needed to find another statistic that would produce a 24%. I went straight to David Carr. Bingo.
His 2nd game of his NFL career, following 19-10 vs. Dallas. At San Diego in week 2, he completed 24% of his passes. He was sacked more times than he completed a pass. 6-25 against 9 sacks. It was brutal.

Back to the hoops from last night. Both Stan Van Gundy & Phil Jackson wore microphones in last night's game. Take a listen.

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Can't Miss Vids
NBA.com rolled out the best sound from this year's NBA playoffs. Yes, comedians Ron Artest and Yao Ming make an appearance. Note the first player out of the gate is LeBron - joking about how much he likes to talk.....unless he loses!!!!

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What is up with the wacky Orlando Mayor? Wagers b/w cities when battling for sports titles is normal, but this extravaganza is a bit much.

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Sorry no embedding here. Just click through this TMZ link and you can see Ron Artest --- buying HOT DOGS.
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This video is titled - Man Gets Tased, Mocks Cops, Gets Away. While not necessarily in order, that is exactly what happens. Also Man screams out for YAAAHHHHHHWWWWWEEEEEHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

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Lamar Odom is Lakers' supplier & other assorted videos

Want some good news about the Astros?
- Miguel Tejada now has a 16-game hitting streak and he's leading the NL in hitting at .362
- Felipe Paulino was outstadning last night, despite not grabbing his first win. He struck out the side in the first on just 15 pitches and was only in trouble in the 4th inning when he gave up the only 2 runs he allowed. The team won for the first time in his 7 starts, but I expect this performance to be a sign of things to come for a guy who is soon to be the Astros 3rd best starter.
- Michael Bourn continues to make progress as a leadoff hitter, table-setter, all-around disrupter. Last year his OBP was .279 as a leadoff hitter - easily the worst in the league. This year as the leadoff hitter, his OBP is .353.
- Tonight they go for a season high 4 game winning streak - tough to say if that is good or bad news.
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NFL'er Schaub now headed to Ultimate Fighter with Kimbo Slice. Read on.
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CBS Sports' Pete Prisco ranks the NFL teams based on just these 4 players - QB, Left Tackle, Pass Rusher, Cornerback - Texans come in at #16 as a team. Matt Schaub, Duane Brown, Mario Williams, Dunta Robinson. Check 'em out.
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Lamar Odom has a candy fix, and since candy is slang for cocaine. This could be taken the wrong way. I doctored up this audio for the show. But here's the ESPN piece on Odom's addiction to candy.

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You probably already know that Drayton McLane was not the owner of the Astros when they won the division title on Mike Scott's no-hitter late in the 1986 season. Wait til the :50 second mark and you should have your answer.

Now let's all head for the mountains.

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Dana White Cruising Vegas talking about the huge Brown v Faber WEC event this Saturday. Very impressed by his driving while discussing the event.

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LeBron loses; Still a winner & Can't Miss Vids - Barkley a potty mouth

So LeBron James hit one of the most memorable shots in NBA playoff history. Yet the second he decided to walk off the court following his Cavs game 6 loss and subsequent decision to skip talking to the media completely - everything about him is being questioned. Yes, there is no question the media is making too much out of this. Quite wimply, forgetting the debate over whether his actions were right or wrong, this act, followed by his comments Sunday after the loss, merely give us a larger glimpse on who LeBron James really is. You can insert your descriptive words here _______. He used the word "winner." Interesting choice.
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How about this latest (spoof) installment of the puppets...

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For those that are really bent out of shape with LeBron for not shaking hands with any Magic players before he left the court, it probably would've gone something like this...

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Now on to the Can't Miss Vids!!
Ron Artest had some things to say from his makeshift studio while he was in vacation in LA. "Rockets are the second best team in the league - would've won it all if Yao had not gotten hurt."
and much much more.

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Just because Ephraim Salaam and Chester Pitts are no longer teammates - it does not mean that they are still a huge part of Ellen Degeneres' life. Ever heard of the ABC show Wipeout? I doubt it. My daughter calls it the mudshow. Chester and Ephraim run the course, and of course they do ---wipeout. Host Jill Wagner is worth a google image search.

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Can you answer Reggie Miller's question? He asks Charles Barkley, "What's wrong with you?" - Watch to see why.

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