Manti Te’o's fake girlfriend makes Maxim list
TALENT
Manti Te’o just can’t catch a break.
The fake girlfriend scandal continues to follow the former Notre Dame linebacker everywhere he goes. Last month, a San Diego newspaper published a cartoon poking fun at Te’o, who the Chargers drafted in the second round of the NFL Draft. Now, the latest to get in on the “fun” is Maxim.
On Thursday, the magazine released its annual “Hot 100″ list, and low and behold Te’o's non-existent girlfriend made the cut at No. 69. She is depicted here wearing a black bikini in crystal blue waters.
San Diego Newspaper Pokes Fun At Manti Te’o
For The Win
A San Diego newspaper wasted no time at all to poke fun at one of the newest Chargers.
On Friday, the Chargers moved up the board in the second round of the draft to select maligned Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o, and all the baggage that comes along with him.
The image you see above is U-T San Diego making light of the humiliating fake-girlfriend hoax that appears to be following Te’o from South Bend to the West Coast. It shows Te’o putting his arm around Lennay Kukua, who of course doesn’t exist, as the two stroll down a sandy beach.
NFL Finds No Illegal Towel Use By Chargers But Still Fine Them
How Much Longer
It took three weeks for the NFL to determine that the San Diego Chargers were not in violation of any competitive rules by using adhesive towels during their October 15 35-24 loss to Denver.
Several days after the game, in which San Diego blew a 24-point halftime lead, a story broke that the team was being investigated for using an illegal “Stickum” like substance. A few seconds after that story broke, countless jokes about how it didn’t work also broke on Twitter.
Eventually it was determined that the substance in question was actually an adhesive golf towel and the whole thing seemed even more ridiculous. Well, today the NFL finally released a statement on the matter and it appears that the matter has been settled.
“Following a review of the San Diego Chargers use of towels that included an adhesive substance in an October 15 game against the Denver Broncos, the NFL hasdetermined that the club did not violate a competitive rule by use of the towels,” the statement read.
“However, NFL game officials are charged with protecting the integrity and competitivefairness of the games and club staff members, like players and coaches, have a clear obligation to cooperate in this effort and comply with the direction of game officials. As a result of the failure of club staff to follow the directive of a game official to immediately surrender the towels when directed to do so, and to attempt to conceal the towels, the Chargers have been fined $20,000.”
$20,000 for not handing over laundry. Also, due to a lack of testing, the league has banned all adhesive towels or similar products on game days until further notice.
Atari Bigby’s Player Introduction
It started with “The U” and “THE Ohio State University” before evolving to high schools and even Pop Warner teams. But now NFL players are just making up whatever they please during the starting lineup introductions of primetime network games. We’ve seen this before with alma maters like Ike Taylor’s “Swaggin” and Terrell Suggs’ “Ball So Hard University” but have a new one from San Diego Chargers safety Atari Bigby from the “University of Jah, Rastafari” during the Sunday night contest against New Orleans Saints.
Billboard Pays Tribute To Junior Seau
R.I.P.
A billboard paying tribute to former San Diego Charger Junior Seau went up in Oceanside over the weekend with the message “In Memoriam, Junior Seau, Rest in Peace.”
The billboard “blessing” appeared just in time for the annual Samoan Cultural Celebration, a community gathering that Seau was well known for contributing to.
Another tribute is scheduled for Saturday, July 7. The City of Oceanside will rename the community center and amphitheater as the Junior Seau Community Center and Pier Amphitheater.
Ryan Leaf Arrested For Burglary & Drug Possession
Vicodin & Budweiser = Shirt Unbutton
It’s still funny remembering that your program director set up a special meeting because you called Ryan Leaf out on-air about his drug use way before national media picked up on the story and here we are once again with the former NFL quarterback being arrested in his Montana hometown on burglary and drug possession charges.
Great Falls Police Sgt. Dean Bennett says Leaf was arrested Friday afternoon. The circumstances surrounding Leaf’s arrest are not immediately clear. Bennett says he hasn’t seen a report detailing the allegations.
Cascade County Detention Center Officer Robert Rivera says Leaf was booked on charges of burglary of a residence, theft and felony criminal possession of dangerous drugs.
Leaf was freed on $76,000 bond and is scheduled to make an initial court appearance Monday.
The former San Diego Chargers first-round pick has had several past run-ins with the law. In 2010, he pleaded guilty in Amarillo, Texas, to various drug charges and was sentenced to 10 years probation and fined $20,000.
If NFL Logos Where Honest
The guys at ‘The Fries Are Good’ came up with a genius idea and that was what of NFL team logos were honest, how would they look? Thankfully for us they took the next step and drew up some of the leagues best.
Which is your favorite?
LaDainian Tomlinson Says New York Jets Pampered Mark Sanchez & Turmoil Existed All Year
Oh Its Been Brought
LaDainian Tomlinson said New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez is “pampered” and that turmoil and dissension existed in the locker room all season long, but losing brought out the worst in the team. He made his comments in an interview for Showtime’s “Inside The NFL,” which aired Wednesday night.
“It got out of hand toward the end of the season,” Tomlinson said of the team’s problems, according to a transcript of the interview. “That is why it got out in the media. This is something that happened (in the) third or fourth week of the season, that was going on, and nobody knew about it because the players kept it under wraps. Until we went on that losing streak and guys started to speak up and speak out about certain things.”
In the days immediately after the season, reports of a fractured relationship between Sanchez and wide receiver Santonio Holmes surfaced. Holmes was benched in the fourth quarter of the team’s season-ending loss to the Miami Dolphins after yelling at tackle Wayne Hunter in a huddle; it was the last in a series of blowups by Holmes toward teammates.
Asked about the Sanchez-Holmes relationship, Tomlinson replied: “It is as bad as I’ve ever been around, honestly. And I’ve been around some locker rooms and quarterback-receiver situations and what-not. But it was as bad as I’ve been around. You know it was at the point where I think the players could no longer do anything about it. There was nothing that the players could do. So when it gets to that point there are certain changes that need to happen.
Tomlinson said that coach Rex Ryan and general manager Mike Tannenbaum created a situation in which the team had no accountability.
“The (Jets organization) created this. This is the type of football team they wanted. Mike Tannenbaum, Rex Ryan are both brash, in-your-face type of style, say whatever you want, just get it done on the field. And then it leads to other things, as guys are calling each other out and saying I’m not getting the ball or whatever it may be,” Tomlinson said.
Holmes, along with fellow receivers Plaxico Burress and Derrick Mason, met with former offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer before the team’s Week 5 loss to the New England Patriots to discuss their unhappiness with the offense. A week later, Mason was traded to the Houston Texans.
Regarding Ryan, Tomlinson did add that he while he loved playing for the third-year head coach, he wished he would tone down the predictions.
“I don’t mind every now and again saying we are going to win a championship,” he said. “Maybe at the beginning of the year just saying, ‘Hey, our goal is to win a championship.’ But at the same time every week if you are calling out a team on certain things, I think it puts a little extra on your team. Guys really want to go out there and say, ‘Let’s shut this guy up. Let’s shut these Jets up, just end their season.’”
Tomlinson did not hold back when talking about Sanchez.
“I would say a bit pampered because he has no competition. He has no real threat to say this guy may take my job,” Tomlinson said.
Tomlinson does believe that Sanchez can turn things around in New York and he disputed the claim that Sanchez is lazy.
“The guy is not lazy, guys. He is not a lazy guy. He puts in the time after practice in the film room. He can get it done. He just has to have pieces around him to help him get it done,” Tomlinson said.
Tomlinson is a fan of Holmes’ talent.
“In all seriousness, Santonio, obviously, he is a great player. There are some things that obviously he needs to work on as far as being a leader.”
But Tomlinson did not paint as rosy a picture regarding Holmes’ future with the team.
“Whew, that is a tough one. I would really have to sit down with them and see if they can coexist, honestly. I mean, that is a decision that I really (would) have to make. And if I really feel like they can’t, then you have to make a move.”
Tomlinson reportedly is contemplating retirement after 11 seasons in the NFL with the San Diego Chargers and the Jets.
WTF: Antonio Garay
Nice Trim Work
San Diego Chargers defensive tackle Antonio Garay showed off an epic beard and hair combo last night 34-14 win over the Baltimore Ravens.
Nick Novak Pees On The Sideline
When Nature Calls
With the San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos tied with 1:34 remaining on the clock in the fourth quarter, Chargers kicker Nick Novak made certain that he was on the sideline despite appearing to have a very strong urge to find a bathroom. CBS cameras caught Novak appearing to pee in a cup by a Gatorade jug.
To add insult to embarrassment, Novak eventually missed a 53-yarder with 2:36 left in overtime, leaving the door open Tim Tebow and the Broncos to win on a game-winning field goal.
NFL referees to monitor players for concussions
Now Play The Role Of Doogie Howser
The NFL has told its game officials to watch closely for concussion symptoms in players. Ten days after San Diego Chargers guard Kris Dielman sustained a head injury against the New York Jets and later suffered a seizure on the team’s flight home, the league’s injury and safety panel issued the directive Wednesday.
“Our game officials will receive concussion awareness training and will remain alert to possible concussions during games,” league spokesman Greg Aiello said. “If an official believes a player may have suffered a concussion, he should take appropriate steps to alert the team and get medical attention for the player.”
Dielman was concussed with approximately 12 minutes remaining in the Oct. 23 game, after which he struggled to maintain balance and never came out of the game despite signs of struggle. He finished the game despite the head injury and was not assessed until after the loss to New York.
The Chargers did not mention any injuries following the game and only announced Dielman’s injury shortly before the team boarded a plane for San Diego. Dielman suffered a grand mal seizure near the end of the charter flight, although he was cleared of all long-term complications surrounding the concussion and seizure.
Instead of hiring extra doctors or trainers they’re making guys who are in no way qualified to diagnose concussions check players but the NFL cares about it’s players safety.
Philip Rivers has Worst. Day. Ever
San Diego Chargers Philip Rivers somehow channeled Tony Romo on his team’s final drive against the Kansas City Chiefs Monday night. With the game tied at 20 and under a minute left, Rivers fumbled the snap from center. This went along with two interceptions on the evening. The Chargers lost in overtime 23-20 and the cameras picked up Rivers uttering the words “worst day ever” line.
San Diego Chargers Get In The Wine Business
Stay Classy San Diego
The San Diego Chargers are releasing a limited-edition wine bearing the Chargers name as they have partnered with veteran winemaker Anthony Bell of Napa Valley’s Bell Wine Cellars to create a Cabernet Sauvignon.
“Producing a special wine like Chargers Legacy is similar to winning football games,” Bell said. “It’s a team effort that requires patience, determination, a lot of blood, sweat, and tears, and great talent.”
The Chargers Legacy 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon consists of a blend of 80 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 7 percent Petit Verdot, 4 percent Merlot, 4 percent Syrah, 4 percent Petite Sirah and 2 percent Malbec. A bottle retails for about $25 and is available for purchase online, at select retailers and grocery stores in the San Diego area and during home games at Qualcomm Stadium.
Pete Carroll Ask Twitter To Chose Offensive Plays
#Seatweetplaycall
Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll is not a stranger to two things and that’s winning football games and being in touch with a younger generation. Carroll is once again trying to combine the world of Twitter with the NFL when he asked for help in calling the Seahawks plays in their first preseason game against the San Diego Chargers.
“Want to call the 1st play in our game vs SD next week? tweet in your play idea… we’ll pick 1 & call it!” Carroll tweeted. “I’m serious now, we’ll pick one of your plays! but if it doesn’t work, we’re holding you accountable!!”
With just under 500,000 followers he’s bound to win again with this move. Don’t forget to use the hashtag #Seatweetplaycall when posting their suggestions.
Former NFLer Ryan Leaf Under Goes Surgery To Remove Tumors From His Brain
Stand Up 2 Cancer
Former NFL quarterback Ryan Leaf is recovering from surgery to remove a benign tumor from his brain. Leaf had surgery last week and was resting in California after being released from a Santa Monica hospital on Tuesday.
“I am looking forward to resting a bit and being with my family,” Leaf said in a statement. “This was just another bridge for me to cross, and I will continue to live each day to the fullest and give back where I can!”
Leaf hasn’t played in the NFL since 2001. He is considered one of the biggest busts in NFL Draft history after playing in just 21 games for the San Diego Chargers following his selection second overall in 1998. He avoided jail and received 10 years probation in April 2010 after pleading guilty to felony drug charges in Texas. He admitted to being addicted to prescription painkillers at the time.
Doug Flutie’s Daughter Becomes NFL Cheerleader
TALENT
Back on April 25, we posted the report that St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa’s daughter Bianca Tai became part of the Oakland Raiders when she became a Raiderette. Now former Chicago Bears, New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills, and San Diego Chargers quarterback Doug Flutie watches as his daughter has taken the same career path this time with the Patriots.
Alexa Flutie is a former Miss Massachusetts and has been selected to part of the Patriots 2011 cheerleading squad.
NFL Owners Honored By National World War II Museum
Thank You
NFL owners Tom Benson of the New Orleans Saints, Bud Adams of the Tennessee Titans,William Clay Ford of the Detroit Lions, Alex Spanos of the San Diego Chargers and Ralph Wilson of the Buffalo Bills where honored with an American Spirit Award by The National World War II Museum last night for serving in the Navy during World War II veterans.
“The American Spirit Award is rich in history,” Benson said. “I am truly honored to not only be a recipient but to share the award with four other well deserving NFL owners. This makes it that more unique and special.”
The museum is kicking off an initiative to tell the story of the role that football and the NFL played in the war effort. According to the museum the NFL help sell millions in war bonds and even donated revenues from exhibition games to service charities to help boost the country’s morale. More than 1,000 NFL players and personnel enlisted, including 47 future Hall of Famers and six team owners.
Former NFLer Ryan Leaf Signs Deal To Write 3 Books About His Life
Forever Linked
Former NFL quarterback Ryan Leaf said he will write three books about his life, football career and addiction to painkillers. Funny he’s now going to get paid to talk about his drug use but a certain program director had to set up a meeting for calling Leaf out it on the air-waves just because the national media hadn’t yet picked up on the story. It’s OK and all is now forgiven even if a certain program director wont, vindication.
The deal was announced by Crimson Oak Publishing, a publisher that bills itself as specializing in books about “hope, possibility and determination.”
The first book will focus on Leaf’s playing career at Washington State, including the team’s 1998 Rose Bowl appearance. Another book will be a broader biography covering his youth and troubled NFL career. A third book will be about his addiction to prescription painkillers, which resulted in a 2009 indictment while he was coaching quarterbacks at West Texas A&M.
In April, Texas State District Judge John B. Board sentenced Leaf to 10 years of probation and ordered him to pay $20,000 in fines after pleading guilty to eight felony drug charges.
San Francisco 49ers Justin Smith Ejected For Contact With Official
San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle Justin Smith was ejected from last nights game against the San Diego Chargers after making contact with an official after a play. Smith was tossed early in the second quarter Thursday night after a brief argument between Smith and at least one Chargers player. Smith appeared to shove away umpire Garth DeFelice while the official attempted to keep Smith out of the dispute, and DeFelice immediately threw a flag.
Oakland Raiders Fans Get A Beatdown In Parking Lot
Fans of the San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders fought in the parking lot outside Qualcomm Stadium on Sunday. The Raiders may have won the game but they lost the fight.
Former NFL Player Suffering From Memory Loss
Players-Like-Us-Taking-Over
Former NFL quarterback Jim McMahon is suffering from memory loss due to injuries suffered on the football field, according to the Chicago Tribune.
“My memory’s pretty much gone. There are a lot of times when I walk into a room and forget why I walked in there,” McMahon reportedly said. “I’m going through some studies right now and I am going to do a brain scan. It’s unfortunate what the game does to you.”
McMahon went on to say that when he was hit hard back then, he would “tape an aspirin” to his helmet and go back in. The 51-year-old won the Super Bowl with the Chicago Bears in 1986. He also played for the San Diego Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers and Arizona Cardinals.
Jaime Edmondson Models Victoria’s Secret For The NFL
Victoria’s Secret joined forces with the NFL to sell officially licensed merchandise over the summer and former Miami Dolphins cheerleader and runner-up in the CBS reality show The Amazing Race 14, which I would like to know why it’s still not in HD, Jaime Edmondson took time out of her Playboy schedule to pose for The Smoking Jacket of few of the NFL teams and the Victoria’s Secret line.
Which one do you like best?
Jacksonville Jaguars Kassim Osgood Pistol Whipped In Home Invasion
Somebody Pistol Whipped Your Hair With A Bottle Of Peroxide
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Kassim Osgood jumped out a second-floor window to escape Julian Armond Bartletto,an armed gunman, who attacked him and his ex-girlfirend Mackenzie Rae Putnal a 19-year-old Jaguars cheerleader.
Bartletto exchanged gunfire after putting a gun to Putnal head Monday night saying, “What did that football player say to his girlfriend, it’s a good day to die,” misquoting ex-Florida Gator Chris Rainey’s recent text message to a former girlfriend after an arrest, according to a Sheriff’s Office report.
Putnal and Osgood were watching television around 11 p.m. in an upstairs game room when a man walked in with his face covered with a plastic bag and pointed a gun at them. Bartletto pulled Putnal around the room by her hair and hit her with the gun and his fists before hitting Osgood in the head with the gun.
The gunman took Putnal’s cell phone and tackled her as she tried to flee. When he ordered the couple to sit on the floor, she escaped downstairs in her parents’ home and grabbed a gun, police said. They shot at each other and both missed. Osgood then jammed a chair under the door, jumped out a window to the lawn below and ran to a neighbor’s house to call police.
The Jaguars declined comment on Putnal’s status as one of the team’s 32 cheerleaders. She is listed in the 2010 media guide as a dental hygiene major, but she is no longer on the team’s website. The team has a rule forbidding cheerleaders to date players.
Osgood has two receptions for 29 yards this season, including a 24-yard touchdown catch in the opener against Denver. He played seven seasons for San Diego, and made three Pro Bowls as a special teams ace, before signing with the Jaguars.
Bartletto, 20, of Jacksonville, was arrested on charges of aggravated battery, false imprisonment, armed robbery, burglary and violation of an injunction.
Primetime College Football: Bearcats vs Wolfpack
TALENT
This game goes down on the ESPN network and it features the University of Cincinnati Bearcats taking on North Carolina State University Wolfpack, who will be facing off for their first ever meeting between the two schools and it goes down at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh.
The Bearcats are the two-time defending Big East champions and picked up their first win of the season as well as first victory under new head coach Butch Jones after beating Division II Indiana State 40-7. Cincinnati offense bounced backed after it’s opening season loss to Fresno State by totaling up 393 yards after only managing 234 total yards the previous game.
Quarterback Zach Collaros, 11-17 130 yards 2 touchdowns and rushed for one touchdown, also had a bounce back game. Cincinnati rushing attack also returned for a better performance and tallied up 263 yards after only 15 yards in the opener. Sophomore running back Darrin Williams,117 yards, started in place of the injured Isaiah Pead. Senior running back John Goebel added 75 yards and 2 touchdowns. Collaros did lose his favorite target Vidal Hazelton in the season opener after he tore ligaments in his knee and is to miss the remainder of the season but saw senior wide receiver Armon Binns, 59 yards 2 touchdowns, step up.
Defensively the Bearcats only allowed 254 total yards but continued to be strong on third-down as they are now 9-30. Junior linebacker J.K. Schaffer lead the defense with 9 tackles while sophomore linebacker Maalik Bomar did the most damage with one sack and 2 tackles for loss.
The Wolfpack are coming off a big win in Orlando over University of Central Florida Knights 28-21 and where one of the few ACC teams to even win this past weekend. Head coach Tom O’Brien has North Carolina off to it’s best start since San Diego Chargers quarterback Phillips Rivers 2002 campaign, when the team won its first nine games.
The Wolfpack pulled off the victory but only was able to muster up 239 total yards as it saw a pretty disastrous game from junior quarterback Russell Wilson,10-30 105 yards one touchdown. Wilson was helped out in part by the freshman rushing duo of Mustafa Greene, 55 yards one touchdown, and Dean Haynes, 49 yards one touchdown. North Carolina backed up it’s second week without a turnover though.
NC State’s defense won the game for the team last weekend, as the unit recorded five turnovers and scored what turned out to be the game-winning touchdown on sophomore C.J. Wilson 43-yard INT return late in the third quarter. Junior linebacker Audie Cole was all over the field and put up a Buffalo Wild Wings Blazin Player honorable mention performance with his 12 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, one sack, and one INT.
PICK: North Carolina State University Wolfpack
