Wednesday's A.M. Hot Clicks
DeSean vs. LeBron
Redskins receiver DeSean Jackson has never been shy, so he decided to entertain himself last night by posting the above photo on Instagram. This marks the second time in a week that Jackson has taken aim at LeBron. And he's not the only one. An Ohio high schooler had his friends mockingly carry him to the stage during graduation because he was suffering from cramps.
The $1 Pitcher
Billy Beane is taking Moneyball to a whole new level as the A's acquired pitcher Brad Mills yesterday for $1. Seriously.
Messi Makes It Right
Lionel Messi caught a lot of flak for completely (and unintentionally) dissing a young fan who tried to shake his hand before Sunday's Argentina/Bosnia-Herzegovina match. I'm happy to report that Messi tracked down the young fan and posed for a photo with him.
Lovely Lady Of The Day
Wednesday's A.M. Hot Clicks
Did you know that drinking warm lemon water in the morning helps kickstart the digestion process for the day? This tip is courtesy of Genevieve Morton, today's LLOD.
When Pitchers Embarrass Themselves
I'm not sure what's worse - Reds hurler Johnny Cueto's failed attempt at breaking a bat over his knee or this report that A's lefty Drew Pomeranz broke his hand punching a chair (which led to the trade for the $1 pitcher). It wasn't all bad for pitchers though. Travis Wood hit a two-out double in Chicago's extra-innings victory over the Marlins.
The Richard Hamilton Sneaker Challenge
As a member of Nike's Jordan Brand, former NBA star Richard Hamilton receives a lot of free sneakers. In fact, he has so many sneakers that he decided to give some away to a friend. But under one condition. The friend was allowed to grab as many sneakers as he wanted, but couldn't let any fall to the ground or else he would get any.
From the SI Vault
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O'Neal and George Mikan :: Peter Read Miller/SI
Former Lakers center George Mikan (pictured here with Kareem and Shaq) would've turned 90 today. Mikan, who was so dominant in the paint the league widened the lane from six feet to 12, led the Minneapolis Lakers to five titles between 1949 and 1954. SI's Ron Fimrite profiled Mikan in November 1989 as the expansion Timberwolves were getting off the ground:
"Big George played at 6'10" and 245 pounds. He was quite probably the strongest man then playing the game. "He could raise that left elbow and move to the basket, and the bodies would just start to fly," says former teammate Swede Carlson. "I used to like to pass him the ball, cut out around him and then listen to the sound the guy guarding me made when he ran into George." But it was not so much his strength or the accuracy of his short hook shots, left-and righthanded. that made him such a force—it was his indomitable will. Bud Grant, who is certainly better known as the longtime coach of the NFL's Minnesota Vikings, played for two seasons. 1949-51. with Mikan and the old Lakers. He had this to say about his famous teammate: "I have played with and coached many great players. And I've seen and coached against some of the best—Walter Payton, to name one. But I'd have to say that George Mikan was the greatest competitor I've seen or been around in any sport. I studied George back before I realized I'd someday make my living studying athletes, and he was amazing. He played hurt. He played when he'd had no sleep because of our travel schedule. And he always played at one speed—top. Then, when things got tough, he'd turn it up. His will to win permeated the whole team. It was a great thrill playing with such a man."
Odds and Ends
Jared Allen is helping build a handicap-accessible home for a Marine injured in combat ... I enjoyed this mashup of NFL and NBA logos ... FIFA has banned Beats by Dre headphones from the World Cup ... Arizona's plan to plunk Ryan Braun didn't work out so well ... An A-Z glossary for Orange is the New Black. I saw the new season last week and it's awesome ... This pig thinks she's a dog ... Why building bigger roads will make traffic worse ... Is 1989's Batmanthe most influential movie of the past 25 years?
Treadmill Fail
This is a little old (video is from late April) but still funny.
What a Catch!
Red Sox outfielder (though he plays every position besides pitcher and catcher) Brock Holt helps teammate Johnny Gomes, who completely lost track of the ball in left field.
Pearl Jam Song of the Day
I haven't been able to get this song out of my head for the past couple days, so now I'm sharing it with you.
