Water Cooler – August 31st, 2010
Here we go with today’s sports water cooler talk. Here, you won’t just find the straight news; you’ll find the stuff everyone is talking about – the ice breakers, the Twitter Sports Picks and topics…well, basically all the stuff you discuss at the water cooler.
Enjoy!
You have to love the diversity of news we find every day in sports. Take today, for example. We’ve got everything from perjury charges to a guy insuring his own hair.
MLB news: Roger Clemens pleads not guilty to perjury; first-place Rays have no fans
Roger Clemens is battling six charges: three of making false statements, two of perjury, one of obstruction of Congress. If he’s convicted, he could spend up to 30 years in jail. But he wants everyone to know that none of those charges are true.
A confident Clemens, determined to beat the charges, pleaded “Not guilty, your honor” yesterday during his arraignment hearing at the federal courthouse in Washington. U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton set April 5, 2011 for the start of jury selection. Funnily enough ,that will likely be Opening Day in Major League Baseball next season.
Both Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds, who will go on trial next spring, could become the first ball players jailed on PED-related convictions.
The most pathetic baseball news of the day doesn’t regard Clemens or Bonds, though. The First-place Tampa Bay Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays yesterday – before only 11,968 fans. What gives?
NFL news: Troy Polamalu’s hair insured for $1 million; Vincent Jackson squabbles with beat writer; No surgery for Jones-Drew
Hey – if J-Lo could do it with her bottom, I suppose Troy Polamalu could do it with his almost equally iconic hair.
The Steelers safety’s hair has been insured for $1 million by Head and Shoulders; the dandruff shampoo brand regularly features him in their ads. It’s unclear what exactly must happen to Polamalu’s hair for the insurance policy to kick in but Larry Johnson better find out.
Vincent Jackson’s dramatic summer continues. The soon-to-be former Chargers wide receiver is furious at the San Diego Union-Tribune. Howard Weitzman, a big shot attorney, sent an angry letter to the paper on behalf of Jackson and agents Neil Schwartz Jonathan Feinsod. The letter demands a retraction from writer Kevin Acee.
Acee wrote a story last week claiming that Jackson was comfortable sitting out the entire season because his agents were prepared to loan him money and get paid back once he landed his big contract next season. Jackson’s camp was incensed, claiming it made Jackson look irresponsible with his money.
OK, maybe Jackson doesn’t need financial help; the guy apparently plans to get his MBA some day. But responsible? Hardly. The guy has more DUIs than Billy Joel.
NBA news: Kobe Bryant “99.999 per cent sure” he’s a Laker for life
The news isn’t much more than the headline above you but it’s interesting to hear Kobe tell ESPN that. After all, he’s just a few years removed from thinking his Laker days were done. Remember?
NCAA football news: Missouri running back Derrick Washington charged with assault
Derrick Washington, the Missouri Tigers’ top rusher over the last two seasons, has been charged with assault. A campus detective filed a probable cause statement yesterday. It said that Washington sexually assaulted a former tutor in her apartment over the summer. Allegedly, he entered her closed bedroom while she slept before assaulting her.
Washington, who plans to plead not guilty, has been suspended by coach Gary Pinkel indefinitely.
Comments are welcome below!
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