Football isn’t all the two players have in common, though. The Kansas State quarterback, like Tebow, is also deeply religious. He’s so religious in fact, that he had his first kiss on his wedding day according to Dennis Dodd from CBS Sports.

Klein made a pact with himself at 14 years old that he would not even share a peck until his wedding day. He kept that promise to himself when he and his wife finally kissed on July 21. That’s not the only unusual part of Klein and his wife, former-Kansas State basketball player, Shalin Spani‘s relationship. They never had a formal date until they were engaged.

Klein said that God told him that he would marry Spani, the daughter of former Kansas State and Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Gary Spani. Spani said she heard a voice in her head saying the same thing about Klein.

Klein is the No. 1 reason the Wildcats are 8-0 and serious contenders for a National Title. He’s has already run for 16 touchdowns this season on 122 carries for 634 yards. Klein’s also completing 70.9 percent of his passes for 1630 yards, 12 touchdowns and two interceptions. On top of carrying the team on his arm and legs, he’s also a serious Heisman contender.

Though Klein’s size, throwing ability, running ability and winning percentage is similar to Tebow, we still may not see him drafted in the first round like Tebow was. If anything, the Jets’ backup quarterback may deter teams from drafting Klein too high. He may not be the distraction that Tebow is, but if the NFL can’t trust Tebow as a starting quarterback, why would they trust his clone?

Photo via Twitter/@DScottFritchen

Photo of the Night

It’s official, The Rock is the biggest person on Earth.

Photo via Twitter/@TheRock

Quote of the Night

“Don’t quote me on that … I know you will.”
–Lakers head coach Mike Brown on claims that Dwight Howard sinks 81 percent of his free throws at practice. Yeah, sure Mike, and 81 percent of statistics are made up on the spot.

Tweet of the Night

Canadians miss hockey so much they’re booing kids. At least they haven’t booed Santa Claus yet. Canada: 1, Philadelphia: 0.

A kid at my moms school dressed up as Gary Bettman and he was booed. By adults. #CanadianHalloween

— marissa eansor (@missy2916) October 31, 2012

Video of the Night

If the NHL doesn’t solve its lockout soon, the Canadiens could lose defenseman P.K. Subban to a new career as a weatherman.

Football isn't all the two players have in common, though. The Kansas State quarterback, like Tebow, is also deeply religious. He's so religious in fact, that he had his first kiss on his wedding day according to Dennis Dodd from CBS Sports.

Klein made a pact with himself at 14 years old that he would not even share a peck until his wedding day. He kept that promise to himself when he and his wife finally kissed on July 21. That's not the only unusual part of Klein and his wife, former-Kansas State basketball player, Shalin Spani's relationship. They never had a formal date until they were engaged.

Klein said that God told him that he would marry Spani, the daughter of former Kansas State and Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Gary Spani. Spani said she heard a voice in her head saying the same thing about Klein.

Klein is the No. 1 reason the Wildcats are 8-0 and serious contenders for a National Title. He's has already run for 16 touchdowns this season on 122 carries for 634 yards. Klein's also completing 70.9 percent of his passes for 1630 yards, 12 touchdowns and two interceptions. On top of carrying the team on his arm and legs, he's also a serious Heisman contender.

Though Klein's size, throwing ability, running ability and winning percentage is similar to Tebow, we still may not see him drafted in the first round like Tebow was. If anything, the Jets' backup quarterback may deter teams from drafting Klein too high. He may not be the distraction that Tebow is, but if the NFL can't trust Tebow as a starting quarterback, why would they trust his clone?

Photo via Twitter/@DScottFritchen

Photo of the Night

It's official, The Rock is the biggest person on Earth.

Photo via Twitter/@TheRock

Quote of the Night

"Don't quote me on that … I know you will."
–Lakers head coach Mike Brown on claims that Dwight Howard sinks 81 percent of his free throws at practice. Yeah, sure Mike, and 81 percent of statistics are made up on the spot.

Tweet of the Night

Canadians miss hockey so much they're booing kids. At least they haven't booed Santa Claus yet. Canada: 1, Philadelphia: 0.

A kid at my moms school dressed up as Gary Bettman and he was booed. By adults. #CanadianHalloween

— marissa eansor (@missy2916) October 31, 2012

Video of the Night

If the NHL doesn't solve its lockout soon, the Canadiens could lose defenseman P.K. Subban to a new career as a weatherman.

Ray Allen

Allen-Hopson told TMZ that she still cares for her son's former teammates like they're her own children.

"I love the guys. They’ve been in our home. They’ve been in Ray's home," said Allen-Hopson. "If they came to my home tomorrow, if they wanted me to cook for them, I
would because they are all our sons."

Ray's mom thinks that once the smoke clears on this new-found feud, Allen and the current Celtics can still be friends. The Celtics' actions since Allen decided to sign with the Heat suggest otherwise. Rondo won't refer to Allen by name, instead calling him, "No. 20." Garnett claims to not have Allen's number anymore and Pierce said he was surprised by the decision to join the Heat.

Allen tapped Garnett's shoulder on Tuesday night when the Heat's new guard entered Miami's home opener, but Garnett ignored Allen's friendly interaction, staring him down in return. Allen and his new Miami teammates won the first battle between the two teams, beating Boston 120-107 in their season opener.

Allen had 19 points in his first game with the Heat, going 5-7 from the field and 2-3 on three-point shots. Allen didn't start, but played 31 minutes against the Celtics.

Photo of the Night

Nice exclamation point guys.

Photo via Twitter/@MySportsLegion

Quote of the Night

"You go as the game develops. You try to run or pass based some on what
you think you can do and some on what they're doing. If they're doing a
good job of stopping the run over and over, we're going to try and move
the ball in another fashion. If we're running the ball well, we'll
continue to run the ball."

–Chiefs offensive coordinator Brian Daboll trying to explain why Jamaal Charles received just eight touches against the Raiders. Maybe he should have just said, "We're going for the No. 1 pick in the 2013 draft

Tweet of the Night

Bill Simmons states the obvious about the Celtics' disappointing season opener.

Celts on pace to give up 130+ points in this game. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that needs to improve going forward.

— Bill Simmons (@sportsguy33) October 31, 2012

Video of the Night

Did David Stern think the Celtics-Heat game was being held in New Orleans? In the year 2005?

Dubbed “The Duel at Jinsha Lake,” the event was more than just a golf match, but a spectacle designed to raise the game’s profile in the reason. According to The Associated Press, stunt planes performed overhead while a fleet of Rolls Royce cars drove the players to the course, where helicopters, Aston Martins and Maseratis were displayed for sale — complete with showgirls.

The golf itself may have been almost secondary, but, for the record, McIlroy bested the elder Woods by one stroke, shooting a 5-under 67. Likewise, both players competed the day before, as Woods finished a PGA Tour event in Malaysia, while Mcllroy finished second in a European Tour event in Shanghai.

The result of the match, however, had nothing to do with each player’s appearance fee.

Although McIlroy came out on top, he earned $1 million compared to Woods’ $2 million, underscoring the fact that Woods’ brand still remains relatively strong in spite of his Thanksgiving 2009 career turning point. It’s just a bit strange to see the winner come $1 million short of the runner-up.

Photo of the Night

Stay classy, Giants fans. Isn’t San Francisco supposed to be more sophisticated than your average college football tailgate?

Quote of the Night

“I think Mark [Sanchez] gives us the best chance to win, that’s how I feel.”
–New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan saying something that’s probably only technically true, considering his backup QB is Tim Tebow

Tweet of the Night

Are you sure London is ready for an NFL team?

Funny shot of Robert Kraft & London Mayor Boris Johnson: twitpic.com/b8jzkq #PatsInLondon

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) October 29, 2012

Video of the Night

Monday marks the 10th anniversary of one of the NFL’s all-time great moments. Take it away, Herm Edwards.

Throughout his career, Manning has been one of the most-endorsed athletes in sports, not only lending his name to products but also proving he's an adept actor. So, in his continuing effort to set up his life post-football, the Super Bowl champion announced that he bought 21 Papa John's pizza franchises in the Denver area Friday, according to The Associated Press.

"It's a smart investment now and will be long after I'm done playing football," Manning said.

That same day, Papa John's announced it had extended its deal to continue being the NFL's "official pizza."

Chief marketing officer Andrew Varga echoed Manning's sentiments,noting that Manning is "the kind of partner we're looking for, not only in marketing but in business."

Who knows what past business skills Manning brings to the table, but it sure can't hurt in moving those pies. The Broncos quarterback has already starred in Papa John's commercials in the past and is set to unveil a new one this Sunday while Denver takes on New Orleans.

"The pizza category is fun. Our founder has fun when he gets into the
commercials," Varga said. "You throw Peyton into that mix with the NFL
platform, and it makes it easy to execute lighthearted commercials that
are very much in character for both."

As of press time, there was no word on Manning's favorite pizza toppings.

Photo of the Night

Seriously, how much does Norris Cole resemble Kid from Kid 'n Play?

Quote of the Night

"Like I told the board of governors, I anticipate saving a lot of money going forward."
–Oft-fined Mavericks owner Mark Cuban giving his two cents on NBA commissioner David Stern's imminent retirement

Tweet of the Night

But the Barclays Center is already rusty. … Oh, wait, we just got the joke.

It's too bad #Sandy is bringing all that rain. It would be a shame if the @barclayscenter rusted… #Brooklyn

— Eric Stangel (@EricStangel) October 27, 2012

Video of the Night

This video was posted three weeks ago, but until Deadspin discovered it Friday, it was relatively unknown. Best kept secret in the history of viral videos?

So maybe Detroit Free Press columnist Jeff Seidel is just jealous?

In a hacky column printed on Tuesday, Seidel's byline was attached to a headline which reads "OK, I'll say it, San Francisco is a strange baseball town." His main arguments as to why San Francisco is so atypical? Well, the food, and … mostly just the food.

"AT&T Park isn't a baseball stadium," writes Seidel. "It's an exotic food court that happens to have a baseball field."

Among his "arguments", Seidel lists the cuisine at AT&T — fried calamari, wine, sweet potato fries, crab sandwiches and margaritas. He also notes that the stadium has a Build-a-Bear Workshop in the outfield, and Christmas lights adorning palm trees outside the gates.

But perhaps the most bizarre hangup Seidel has is in regards to the giant glove and slide beyond left field. He seems particularly perturbed that there's a kid's slide out there.

Why is that weird? Because Detroit's Comerica Park actually has a carousel in the outfield.

Whatever your feeling on AT&T Park's alternative cuisine, they still sell hot dogs and beer, and there are plenty of fans who still rely on those old stand-bys. But why not take advantage of some of the local options, and appeal to a wider audience? Baseball food can't be a little progressive, too?

Deadspin laid into Seidel, using the word "idiot" any number of times to describe the column. We won't go that far, but we will suggest that, perhaps, Seidel should attend more than one game before using his soapbox to share his opinions.

Photo of the Night

Did Tim Lincecum appear in Dazed and Confused? Were him and Wiley Wiggins separated at birth?

Photo via Twitter/@MyManDK

Quote of the Night

"I'd like to think I did an adequate job. But one of the things I did best was provide a successor."
–David Stern saying something many NBA fans are sure to agree with

Tweet of the Night

Now let's make it happen.

America. RT @dsmithshowWho wins a foot race between Fielder, Sandoval and Cabrera?

— Eric Stangel (@EricStangel) October 26, 2012

Video of the Night

If only there were style points in tennis.

Granted, Suh alread had a reputation around the league as being a "dirty" player, an idea reinforced by the fact that he was flagged for nine personal fouls through his first two seasons — the most in the league over that period. Although his hit on Cutler appeared to be relatively clean, the end result of it — seeing Cutler go down to the turf face first — certainly hasn't helped Suh's case.

However, according to Forbes, America doesn't seem particularly sympathetic toward either player involved.

In a list published by the online version of the magazine on Tuesday, Cutler and Suh were named the "least-liked players" in the NFL. According to an article, Nielsen collaborated on a poll with E-Poll Market Research, and then scored players based on the percentages of people who "liked" them.

Of course, the reasons for each player being so disliked are completely different. As we already mentioned, Suh is perceived as a "dirty" player who makes unsafe hits, while Cutler has gotten a reputation as a "whiner" over the course of his career (see our quote below).

On the flip side of the poll, the NFL's most popular players include Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu and — surely enough — New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski.

Obviously, the scientific basis of this poll can be called into question, but it does seem to confirm some trends. Fans tend to like workman-like players and positive attitudes, and dislike entitled players who complain. Also, people seem to universally dislike the Dallas Cowboys.

So, despite the controversy over Monday's Suh-Cutler hit, don't expect anyone to shed a tear for that pair any time soon.

Photo of the Night

Gregor Blanco gets a face full of grass … and loves the taste.

Photo via Twitter/Major League Baseball

Quote of the Night

"If you want to compare him to someone because of his demeanor, compare him to Jay Cutler.
There are a lot of guys who whine and moan. Cam's not biting anybody's
head off or pushing his linemen. He's just disgruntled, and not handling
losing well, because, think about it, he basically didn't lose in
college."
–Warren Moon, alleging that the criticism of Panthers quarterback Cam Newton has a racist tone.

Tweet(s) of the Night

This was tweeted out after Pablo Sandoval's second home run:

BREAKING: Kate Upton is now dating Pablo Sandoval. #WorldSeries

— Richard Deitsch (@richarddeitsch) October 25, 2012

And this one was after the third home run:

BREAKING: Kate Upton is now engaged to Pablo Sandoval.

— Richard Deitsch (@richarddeitsch) October 25, 2012

Video of the Night

Comedian Kevin Pollak sure has some interesting connections to the Giants.

Granted, there are reasons for that. Football is perhaps the most physically demanding of all sports and, unlike say hockey, which can be adapted to non-checking rules, unless a move to flag football is made, contact is an intrinsic park of the sport. Thus, risking serious injury in an exhibition game doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

That's why, according to The Associated Press, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and the league are considering just dropping the game altogether if the level of play doesn't improve.

"If we cannot accomplish that kind of standard [of high play], I am
inclined to not play it," Goodell said. "It is really tough to force
competition, and after a long season, to ask those guys to go out and
play at the same level they played is really tough."

In this scenario, the league would continue to pick opposing Pro Bowl teams, but the game itself just wouldn't happen. The players would get some level of recognition, but not be forced to put themselves at risk.

In all fairness, this move would seem to be a no-brainer if Goodell is true to his word about player safety being a priority. Then again, with Goodell advancing the idea of an 18-game season and reportedly fighting the idea of having concussion experts on the sidelines at all NFL games, the league's actual dedication to that cause can be thoroughly questioned.

Once again, it's the same old impasse: does the NFL really believe player safety comes first? Or does its true loyalty lie with the almighty dollar?

Photo of the Night

Separated at birth?

Photo via Twitter/@A_Dodger_fan

Quote of the Night

"He told me he was pitching Game 1 and I said 'OK.'"
–Jim Leyland, apparently taking orders from ace Justin Verlander

Tweet of the Night

We are indeed closing in on Dec. 21.

Delmon Young and Marco Scutaro: LCS MVPs. The end times are truly upon us.

— Jon Tayler (@JATayler) October 23, 2012

Video of the Night

This security guard has clearly been taking tackling lessons from Ndamukong Suh.

West Virginia and USC games may receive higher ratings in the Kansas City market as Chiefs fans pine over college quarterbacks Geno Smith and Matt Barkley, two possible top five draft picks in 2013.

If the Cassel era is truly over in Kansas City, a disappointing run has come to an end. Cassel has a 19-25 record as the Chiefs starter with a 57.3 completion percentage, 8,903 yards, 58 touchdowns, 41 interceptions and a 78.2 quarterback rating. It appears that the players and coaching around Cassel in New England truly gave him a boost during his best year in the NFL — 2008.

The Chiefs gave up the 34th overall selection in the 2009 draft for Cassel and then gave him a six-year, $62.7 million contract. The Patriots wound up drafting Patrick Chung with that pick.

In Quinn, the Chiefs are inserting a former 22nd overall pick who has put up a far worse career than his Chiefs predecessor. The Notre Dame product has managed just a 3-10 record in five seasons, with a 52.9 completion percentage, 10 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Quinn didn't fare much better than Cassel in his lone 2012 start, losing to the Buccaneers in Week 6 38-10.

The Chiefs mess of a season rides on the shoulders of far more than just their quarterbacks. Ineptitude abounds within the organization starting with general manager Scott Pioli and trailing down to head coach/defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel, offensive coordinator Brian Daboll and quarterbacks coach Jim Zorn. All are to blame for this Chiefs season, and all may be trying to find work in 2013.

If the Chiefs truly do acquire the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 draft, or even a top five pick, fans will be rewarded with either Barkley or Smith, both of whom are heads and shoulders above Cassel, who never quite found his way in Kansas City, making poor decisions and lacking prime accuracy.

Neither Barkley or Smith are quite the prospects that Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin III were in 2012, but both are accurate quarterbacks, who should be primed to start as rookies in the NFL. It's amazing that just weeks ago, the Chiefs were looked at as a contender in the AFC West, and now their hopes ride on Quinn. Pioli is surely hoping that some of the NFL's parity starts swinging their way.

Photo of the Night

No, Saints' head coach Sean Payton isn't dressed as Ben Stiller's character in There's Something About Mary for Halloween, he actually, seriously got braces.

Photo via Twitter/@HBaudier

Quote of the Night

"I don't watch SportsCenter. They have guys like Skip Bayless. One day he's your friend. The next day he says you're an idiot."

– Saints wide receiver Joe Morgan on why he won't be watching his unbelievable catch from Sunday on ESPN.

Tweet of the Night

Don't mess with Packers wide receiver Greg Jennings, you may have trouble getting home from work.

This what I do o people who try to prank me. Got Cha James Jones89 twitter.com/GregJennings/s…

— Greg Jennings (@GregJennings) October 22, 2012

Video of the Night

These idiots got really heated over the Jets-Patriots game and proceeded to fight in the Gillette Stadium stands.

The (very) general consensus was that the evidence against Simpson was so overwhelming that it was an unmitigated failure that he wasn't sent to jail for the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman.

Now, it would seem, the shoe — or should we say, glove — is on the other limb.

Simpson is in jail right now in Nevada for a totally unrelated crime — he was, in fact, later found financially liable for the deaths of Brown and Goldman — related to armed robbery and kidnapping charges while trying to get personal memorabilia back from a Las Vegas dealer. The soonest Simpson could see parole is 2017.

However, according to The Associated Press, Clark County District Court judge Linda Marie Bell has agreed to hear questioning by Simpson's current lawyer that essentially argues that the former football star's defense team in the 2008 robbery trial was so incompetent that Simpson should be granted a new trial.

"[Simpson trial lawyer Yale] Galanter was motivated by his own interests, which caused him to
materially limit Simpson's legal representation," the appeal says.
"Galanter remained on the case until rehearing was denied and denied
Simpson the opportunity to raise this issue."

Moreover, the appeal claims that Galanter actually encouraged Simpson to confront the memorabilia dealers — the incident in question — and told him it was perfectly legal.

So, who knows what Simpson's legal future holds, but one thing is for sure: The court of public opinion (whether it be sympathetic or otherwise) has long since made up its mind.

Photo via Facebook/O.J. Simpson

Photo of the Night

These Tigers fans are out of hand.

Quote of the Night

"The commissioner of
the NFL recently distributed a memo to all 32 NFL teams regarding the
alleged bounty program that contained blatant lies about me, thereby
adding me to the list of men who reputations and character have been
irreparably damaged by the shoddy, careless, shameful so-called
investigation behind this sham proceeding."
–Jimmy Kennedy, refusing to mince words

Tweet of the Night

Looking good, boys.

S/O to @stevanridley got the whole crew swaggin in the jumpsuits! HaHa! Yess! instagr.am/p/Q91vPqzbOF/

— Shane Vereen (@ShaneVereen34) October 19, 2012

Video of the Night

Eat your heart out, Charlie Moore.

That little incident where the third baseman reportedly tried to hit on a woman behind the Yankees' dugout during the game notwithstanding, Rodriguez has seemed to be largely scapegoated by the team for its collective offensive struggles, yet handled it with grace. Amid being pinch hit for and otherwise left on the bench, A-Rod has said all the right things, trying to deflect attention away from himself, not expressing any public displeasure with manager Joe Girardi and generally being a good teammate when facing the media.

Even when rumors surfaced that the Yankees were talking to the Marlins about a potential trade including the much-maligned star, Rodriguez has continued to stick to his talking points. Nonetheless, New York ridding itself of Rodriguez makes perfect sense. It's not so much the money issue, but rather that they're seemingly stuck with a player who's declining at a rapid rate for another five years. Presumably, the Yankees would jump at the chance to cast off Rodriguez, even if it means eating most of his salary.

Hold everything, because A-Rod, unequivocally, says he'll be back in 2013.

"My focus is to stay here. Let's make that very, very clear," said Rodriguez, according to ESPN. "I will be
back and I have a lot to prove and I will come back on a mission."

On Thursday, Rodriguez was again left on the bench in Game 4 of the ALCS in lieu of Eric Chavez, but did end up coming into the game as a pinch hitter in the sixth inning for Raul Ibanez. He went 0-for-2 in the Yankees' elimination loss.

While it's absolutely true that Rodriguez was only a small part of an offensive unit that went into a complete and unmitigated tailspin — it's impressive, really, how everyone in the regular lineup suddenly went cold all at once — he's also representative of the kinds of players the Yankees probably want to move on from. New York simply has too many overpaid, underperforming veterans to continue along its current path, so something has to give.

So A-Rod may desperately want to stay in New York, and may be unfairly fingered in this team's collapse, but he probably shouldn't speak too soon, or in such certain terms about his future this offseason.

Like another infinitely talented star with a past P.R. problem, Rodriguez, too, could find himself soon taking his talents to South Beach.

Photo of the Night

Uhm, is Miguel Cabrera trying to see into the future? Here's a guess: the Tigers win the ALCS.

Quote of the Night

"The Union told us that they had not yet 'run the numbers.' We did."
–NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly, bluntly accusing the NHLPA of lying.

Tweet of the Night

Now that's thinking outside the box.

So A-Rod has a no-trade clause. Got it. Does he also have a no-release clause? Because that would really be something. #yankees #arod

— robneyer (@robneyer) October 19, 2012

Video of the Night

Somewhere, Joba Chamberlain is cringing.

Still reeling in the wake of his own decision to stop fighting the
United States Anti-Doping Agency's pursuit of doping and drug
trafficking charges against him in court — thereby accepting a lifetime
ban from professional cycling and effectively vacating his seven Tour
de France titles — the news has only gotten worse for the since-disgraced hero.

Again, on his own accord, Armstrong announced on Wednesday his decision to step down as chairman of the Livestrong Foundation, citing his public battles as a distraction to the organization's cancer-fighting goals. Throughout all the allegations over the years, many remained loyal to Armstrong due to his charitable work.

But wait, it gets even worse.

Nike announced Wednesday that it was severing ties with Armstrong, but will remain the official apparel company for Livestrong. Several other sponsors, including Anheuser-Busch, followed suit shortly thereafter. In fact, Nike, who had long stood by Armstrong, released a sharply worded, rather harsh statement announcing the fact.

"Due to the seemingly insurmountable evidence that Lance Armstrong
participated in doping and misled Nike for more than a decade, it is
with great sadness that we have terminated our contract with him," the statement reads. "Nike does not condone the use of illegal
performance-enhancing drugs."

It's a day of many conflicting emotions. While on the one hand, Armstrong is clearly getting his just desserts, having cheated and lied about cheating for over a decade. But on the other, Armstrong was just one of many doping in what is quite possibly the dirtiest sport in the world in terms of performance-enhancing drugs. Moreover, it's unequivocal that Armstrong's cancer-survival story and efforts in the field touched the lives of many.

So, as in life so it goes in sports. There are rarely clear-cut villains, and the truth of the matter is always a little bit convoluted. Let's just hope some positives come out of this sad story.

Photo of the Night

Yes, that is indeed former secretary of state Condoleezza Rice and vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan addressing the Cleveland Browns. No word on whether or not the team plans to change its name to the "Reds."

Photo via Twitter/Alex Moe

Quote of the Night

"Do you know what I hate? I hate Twitter. I think these guys are young guys, and I think 'Tweet this, Spacebook that.'"
–Former Patriots offensive coordinator and current Penn State head coach Bill O'Brien professing that he doesn't much care for social media.

Tweet of the Night

You still need to pay for that platoon partner, however.

Alex Rodriguez likely will only hit against lefties. In a related story, Scott Hairston will seek $30 million per this winter as free agent.

— Peter Botte (@PeterBotte) October 17, 2012

Video of the Night

What does the crystal ball say, Justin?

With failed drug tests and now possible NCAA rule violations under his belt the Honey Badger should cut his ties with college football and move on to the NFL in April of 2013.

The former LSU cornerback was already one of the best players in the NCAA last season, earning consensus All-American honors, winning the SEC Defensive Player of the Year and the Chuck Bednarik Award and being named a finalist for the Heisman trophy as a true sophomore. If Mathieu had the option of leaving for the NFL after last season, he would have been a likely first- or second-round pick.

His third year out of high school has been a disaster. He was dismissed from the LSU football team after reportedly failing repeated drug tests and went to rehab rather than playing for a sub-FBS school. Mathieu chose to attend LSU as a student with hopes to still play in 2013. Now that news has come out that he possibly broke NCAA rules by allowing his image on a dance-club flyer, he might as well just write off the rest of his LSU career.

Mathieu chose wisely to take a year off from football rather than play at a lower level. He's got all of the game tape he needs to prove his craft from his freshman and sophomore years, and playing against lower competition is a lose-lose situation. You're held at a higher standard and if you struggle it looks worse and if you succeed, some will still say, "so what?"

There's a very recent case of a high-profile cornerback getting kicked out of an SEC school for drug allegations. Janoris Jenkins was dismissed from Florida after two drug-related arrests and one for assault. Jenkins was drafted with the 39th overall pick by the Rams in the 2011 draft, lower than if he had been able to stay at Florida, but still a respectable position.

Mathieu could be drafted in a similar spot, even without a year at a Division II school — Jenkins played one year at North Alabama. Mathieu can continue to train even if he can't practice, and won't learn any bad techniques playing against lower competition. Mathieu and Jenkins are different players, but similar talents. Jenkins was more known for his speed and shutdown ability outside, while Mathieu is known for his big playmaking ability, quickness and instincts.

Another year at LSU in 2013 would just mean more possibility for injuries, arrests and trouble overall. If Mathieu keeps himself clean, impresses in interviews, admits his mistakes and has a strong combine and NFL workouts, he could still find himself taken in the first two days of the draft.

Photo via Facebook/TyrannMathieu

Photo of the Night

Where's Lloyd Christmas? Jeff Daniels sang "God Bless America" at the Yankees-Tigers game Tuesday night.

Quote of the Night

"Whoever this Matt Millen guy is, I’d like to ask him if he could do
what we do every day and do what we do for 16 games a year and see if he
can hold up every game. I doubt he would. I doubt he would be able to
consistently play at a high level as [NaVorro] Bowman and I do. I really don’t
care about what this guy has to say."

–Patrick Willis on Matt Millen, who played in the NFL at the exact same position as Willis and Bowman

Tweet of the Night

A's pitcher Brett Anderson may not be pitching in the playoffs, but he hasn't lost his sense of humor. While his and everyone else's Twitter feeds were being filled with debate tweets, the lefty wanted to get in on the action.

Debate tweet…

— Brett Anderson (@BrettAnderson49) October 17, 2012

Video of the Night

Petiola Manu knees Makenzie Clark in the face during a Utah high school soccer game. Ouch.

Well, apparently that showing wasn't good enough for U.S. boss Jurgen Klinsmann.

In announcing the rosters for a slate of World Cup qualifiers, the German international made a few roster changes which raised eyebrows. One was the selection of all-time U.S. scoring leader Landon Donovan despite questionable fitness after sustaining a knee injury. However, that was secondary considering Klinsmann left Altidore off the roster in favor of MLS standouts Alan Gordon and Eddie Johnson — particularly surprising insofar as Klinsmann has repeatedly stressed his desire to see U.S. players go abroad and face stiffer competition.

Well, much like Joe Girardi when he pinch hit for Alex Rodriguez with Raul Ibanez on Wednesday night, Gordon and Johson made Klinsmann look like a genius. Johnson scored the U.S. side's only two goals of the night, one on an assist from Gordon, and the Red, White and Blue avoided an embarrassing upset on home soil to Antigua and Barbuda on Friday night.

While Altidore has played well in stints, serving as one of the few U.S. players effective in a holding forward role, it's hard to argue with the results of Klinsmann's decision. Johnson's late, stoppage-time goal provided the heroics, pushing the squad one step closer to Brazil in 2014.

Now, with one game left in scheduled qualifiers, a win over Guatemala would put the American side in the final stage of qualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Photo via Facebook/U.S. Soccer

Photo of the Night

A blast from Jayson Werth's past. It's kind of like seeing Batman without his mask on.

Photo via Twitter/@zachrymer

Quote of the Night

"They have been rewarded for forgetting, fabricating and exaggerating. Maybe they will have a better place to live, a new car,
access to more highs, but they won't change. Most of their rewards will
be very temporary."
–Jerry Sandusky blaming his victims and redefining the term "cognitive dissonance."

Tweet of the Night

We realize Clint Dempsey has had quite the international career, but we didn't want to see him get a big head about it.

Deuce Face has arrived.twitpic.com/b3i1ks

— M. (@melly2508) October 12, 2012

Video of the Night

It sure worked on Thursday, but that Orioles magic unfortunately ran out on Friday.

The MLB postseason has been pretty crazy. Beyond all the uncertainty as to who was a division winner and who was a wild card going into the last day of the regular season, the last 24 hours of the division series round alone have been rife with walkoffs and late-game heroics.

First it was Raul Ibanez hitting two home runs after coming into the game in a pinch-hitting situation Wednesday, tying the game in the bottom of the ninth inning and then giving the Yankees the win and series lead over the Orioles with a game-ending home run in the 12th. But that was just the warmup.

Later that evening, the A's overcame a two-run deficit heading into the bottom of the ninth, as Seth Smith and Coco Crisp helped deliver a win for Oakland, extending the series to a decisive Game 5 in the process. Perhaps those kind of heroics shouldn't be a surprise coming from the A's, however, given that they led Major League Baseball with 14 walkoff wins during the regular season.

And the madness continued in the first game on Thursday afternoon, as Jayson Werth took Lance Lynn deep in the bottom of the ninth to give the Nationals a 2-1 win, also extending their NLDS matchup with the Cardinals to a Game 5.

All this, of course, doesn't even count the Orioles coming back to bear the Yankees the next day. Granted, it wasn't a walkoff, but Baltimore played a pretty tight, tense game that lasted 13 innings — and gave closer Jim Johnson a chance at redemption.

This year marks the first time that there are no unnatural breaks — i.e. off days that are related to television considerations and not travel — during playoff series, and the result has been an enviable one for baseball fans. Thursday, like Sunday was yet another day that featured a full slate of four games played back-to-back-to-back-to-back, giving fans an entire day to watch baseball.

And the results have made for great, great viewing.

Photo of the Night

Hey, Miggy. You might want to watch out for that ball.

Quote of the Night

"Three-two heater. He beat me."
–Lance Lynn reflecting on his defeat at the hands of Jayson Werth.

Tweet of the Night

This postseason has been pretty surreal.

We are through the looking glass

— Daniel Duquette (@Duquette12) October 12, 2012

Video of the Night

Who says Yankees fans aren't too bright? That's your own player trying to record an out, dude.

To set the stage, the series was tied at one game apiece with A-Rod badly struggling (again) in the postseason to the tune of a 1-for-9 effort with one walk and no extra-base hits. Before Game 3, many were calling for Rodriguez to be dropped lower in the lineup or left on the bench altogether. Even Donald Trump, in all his infinite wisdom, decided to weigh in on the matter via Twitter.

Throughout it all, Rodriguez has said the right things, simply repeating that he wants to help the team in any capacity he can. Surely, that positive attitude was put under some stress during Wednesday’s contest.

In the ninth inning, with the Yankees down 2-1 and facing a 2-1 series defecit with one out in the ninth — and facing dominant Orioles closer Jim Johnson — Yankees manager Joe Girardi lifted Rodriguez for pinch hitter Raul Ibanez. However poorly Rodriguez had been playing, that decision was sure to raise a few eyebrows, and it was the kind of call Girardi would undoubtedly be criticized for if it didn’t pay off.

Well, it did pay off. Huge.

Ibanez took a pitch from Johnson and deposited it over the right-field wall and into the bleachers for a game-tying home run in dramatic fashion. Then, three innings later, Ibanez led off the 12th inning with another solo shot, a walk-off home run to give the Yankees a 3-2 win and a 2-1 series advantage — with the rest of the series set for Yankee Stadium, it’s a huge hole for the Orioles to climb out of.

The two home runs marked the first time in playoff baseball history that a player who didn’t start a game hit multiple round-trippers and solidify Ibanez’s reputation as one of the streakiest hitters in baseball.

And the home runs also make Girardi look like a genius.

Photo of the Night

The mother of Rob and Chris Gronkowski sure knows how to show pride in her sons.

Photo via Twitter/Jordan Rodman

Quote of the Night

“[Jets head coach Rex Ryan] has faith in me, I believe that. I’m not worried about that, I’m really not.”
–Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez saying something we’re not sure even he believes.

Tweet of the Night

Because that decision worked out so well the first time around.

BREAKING MLB: Yankees sign Raul Ibanez to 10-year $275 million contract

— Eric Stangel (@EricStangel) October 11, 2012

Video of the Night

Raul Ibanez had one heck of a night. Here’s the first of his two clutch bombs.

Kanye West

Radar Online is reporting that Kim Kardashian is "devastated" that her ex-flame Reggie Bush will be a father soon. Bush's girlfriend Lilit Avagyan is pregnant.

Bush and Kardashian dated for three years, but broke up back in 2010. Since breaking up with Bush, the E! reality star has dated Miles Austin, married Kris Humphries, divorced Humphries and is now dating rapper West.

Kardashian is reportedly upset because she wanted to start a family with Bush when they were together, but the now-Dolphins running back thought she was too invested in her celebrity. Kim, move on, it's been two years. And Reggie's mom never liked you anyway.

Bush's NFL career has gotten a post-Kardashian boost. He had his first 1,000-yard season in 2011 and is currently on pace for 1,334 rushing yards and ten touchdowns in 2012. The Dolphins have been a surprise team so far, going 2-3 when many analysts had them pegged as a bottom-dweller in the NFL.

Do the Kardashians have a reality show coming on the air soon? It's typical for the family to release controversial statements to drive ratings.

Photo of the Day

Patriots running back Shane Vereen tweeted out a picture of his teammate, cornerback Sterling Moore, watching his "favorite movie" Clueless. It's okay Sterling, Alicia Silverstone was a babe in the 1990s.

Quote of the Day

"Somebody said, ‘let’s push him down the stairs.' I
got hit in the ribs three times. I was getting shoved and I was getting
punched…Then I started getting tagged in the back of the head.
Unfortunately, I lashed out in the heat of the moment and I apologize.
I'm really just glad nobody was hurt."

-CM Punk on last night's incident on Monday Night Raw when he slugged a fan.

Tweet of the Day

Chad Johnson followed in his friend Terrell Owens' footsteps in tweeting about the Jets. How sad.

I'm not allowed to tweet them… that's tampering… they know i'm open… Yee yeeRT @davidshaw09: why aren't you tweeting the #jets

— Chad Johnson (@ochocinco) October 10, 2012

Video of the Day

Coco Crisp makes the play of the day and we get to hear Don Orsillo call it to boot.

Word got out months ago that Larsen was considering selling the jersey to pay for his grandchildren's college funds, but on Monday Steiner Sports Memorabilia took advantage of the anniversary of the only perfect game — or no-hitter, for that matter — in World Series history to announce that the item is officially going up for sale.

"I've been thinking about it for a bit," Larsen told the Associated Press. "I'm not getting
any younger and I don't know how much longer I'll be around. I want to
make sure they can both go to college, which isn't cheap these days. So, I figured it was the right time."

There seems to be no good guess on how much the jersey will fetch, but a Babe Ruth-worn jersey sold for $4.4 million last year, so Steiner Sports has speculated that the Larsen uniform will get at least a cool million. Either way, it should be more than enough to pay for the education of Larsen's two grandchildren — and then some.

And, granted, the circumstances behind Larsen's auction are far more altruistic than Schilling's — who listed the sock as collateral in loans taken out to support his failed 38 Studios video game firm — but it still feels a little weird to have both items in the hands of private collectors than in a public museum. Of course, whoever buys them may decide to display them publicly, but should that be left up to chance with such one-of-a-kind relics of two of the biggest moments in sports history?

To quote Indiana Jones, "It belongs in a museum!"

Photo via Twitter/Yogi Berra Museum

Photo of the Night

Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol won't only be competing for touches this season, but apparently for the distinction of best pondering look, too.

Quote of the Night

"They could take away my life, they could make me out as a monster, they
could treat me as a monster, but they can't take away my heart. In my heart, I know I did not do these alleged
disgusting acts."
–Jerry Sandusky saying something most people probably won't believe.

Tweet of the Night

Monday marked the 666th edition of Monday Night Football. And Tim Tebow participated in it. You can't make this stuff up.

Looking forward to giving God all the glory in tonight's 666th Monday Night Football game. Romans 8:37-39

— Tim Tebow (@TimTebow) October 8, 2012

Video of the Night

"Roads? Where we're going we don't need roads."

Miguel Cabrera

On Wednesday night, the Tigers third baseman secured the first Triple Crown in Major League Baseball in 45 years — the last being Red Sox left fielder Carl Yastrzemski in 1967 — finishing with a .330 batting average, 44 home runs and 139 RBIs. While his MVP candidacy is still up for debate, MLB decided to immediately cash in on the newly made history by offering dirt from the Kauffman Stadium batter's box stored in a plaque for the low, low price of $39.99.

Well, apparently the marketability of the achievement goes far beyond the appeal of dirt.

According to ESPN.com, Cabrera gets a piece of all proceeds from memorabilia inscribed with references to his Triple Crown feat — items including shirts, coins and photographs. Additionally, it's not known how much he'll make, but Cabrera has an agreement with the memorabilia firm Detroit City Sports to sign autograps in an event on Friday.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the cost of a Cabrera autograph has also skyrocketed. During the middle of the season, the report says that an autographed baseball cost in the range of $150. However, now Cabrera balls — with an MVP insignia — are being sold at about $400.

In other words, if you previously owned a Miguel Cabrera autographed baseball, you either have a forever-treasured piece of baseball history — or have made a very, very nice investment.

Photo of the Night

Ivan De Jesus is trying to find his way to the Red Sox' clubhouse and is very, very lost.

Quote of the Night

"If we're going to continue to let teams in year after year … let's
just have everybody in. Let's play 162 games to seed yourselves and then we'll let the
Astros have a shot at it and whoever else wants
a shot at it. A six- or seven-game winning streak and you're the world
champion."
–A very sarcastic Chipper Jones after losing Major League Baseball's first-ever one-game Wild Card playoff.

Tweet of the Night

We have a feeling MLB can get at least $15 per empty beer bottle.

I wonder if @mlb will auction off the "game used garbage" from Chipper's last game…

— Eric Stangel (@EricStangel) October 6, 2012

Video of the Night

You were expecting something else?

Then again, the history of athletes getting into the financial game isn’t littered with success stories. Perhaps the most prominent is former Mets and Phillies outfielder Lenny Dykstra, who since touting himself as a “financial genius” years ago has been unequivocally disgraced. Dykstra, the focus of a lengthy, damning ESPN profile three years ago, pleaded guilty in federal court in July to three felonies — bankruptcy fraud, concealment of assets and money laundering — and faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced in December.

Of course Dykstra was completely corrupt, and generally seems to be a horrible human being. While Wall Street isn’t so squeaky clean itself, something tells us Brady will have no shortage of friends willing to advise him on how to take care of his money in retirement — that can’t be a bad thing.

That’s where J.P. Morgan comes in.

Earlier this year the bank infamously lost about $6 billion dollars because of a trader known as the London Whale, an incident that became a huge embarassment for the bank. And the man who had to answer to the bank’s clients? That would be CEO Jamie Dimon, an offbeat character who’s otherwise led seven successful years at J.P. Morgan, and was recently the focus of a Vanity Fair profile.

In this piece, it comes out that Dimon got a little encouragement after holding a news conference to announce the trading losses. Vice chairman of investment banking Jimmy Lee, apparently a huge sports fan with deep connections, arranged for Brady to call Dimon after the news conference, to give Dimon a football-style pick-me-up.

“Brady reminded Dimon that even Super Bowl champs have bad days and told him ‘to hang in there,’” according to the article.

If only we could all get a personal phone call from Tom Brady when we’re having a bad day.

Photo of the Night

Joe Maddon‘s demeanor says “My team just barely missed the playoffs,” but his attire says “I’m ready to go hang out with the rest of the hipsters in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.”

Quote of the Night

“He hated the fact when he played that the older guys were talking about him and how he played and now he’s doing the exact same thing. Just let it go. There’s no sense for him to be talking trash to me. He did his thing in the league. He’s one of the most dominant players to ever play the game. Just sit back and relax. You did your thing. Your time is up. So, I don’t really care. I don’t really care. He can say whatever he wants to say.”
–Dwight Howard taking offense to Shaquille O’Neal’s critique of the current Lakers center’s style of play.

Tweet of the Night

How about a reality TV show?

Developing a sitcom: Bobby Valentine and Big Bird both get fired and move in together... #GonnaBeRich

—
Eric Stangel (@EricStangel) October 05, 2012

Video of the Night

Uhm, Alex, you just won the American League East. That is not the appropriate reaction.