Archive for July, 2012

The U.S. Olympic outfits are certainly snappy, but Harry Reid thinks they should be burned. (AP photo)

Finally, a little bipartisanship in Congress.

Republicans and Democrats alike are outraged that the U.S. Olympic Committee has decided to dress the U.S. team in outfits made in China for the opening ceremonies.

“I am so upset. I think the Olympic committee should be ashamed of themselves. I think they should be embarrassed. I think they should take all the uniforms, put them in a big pile and burn them and start all over again,” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said.

“They should be wearing uniforms that are made in America,” said House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi.

For perhaps the first time in recorded history, House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, agreed with both of them.

Of USOC’s decision, he said, “You’d think they’d know better.”

USOC defended the choice of designer Ralph Lauren for the clothing at the London Games, which begin later this month.

“Unlike most …

Continue reading Made in China: Lawmakers outraged over U.S. outfits »

Shaq knows what Charles likes. (AJC photo)

Team USA just finished a 54-point pasting of the Dominican Republic in an exhibition game, but former Dream Teamer Charles Barkley is unimpressed.

Barkley, known almost as much for his great quotes, bad golf and big appetite as for his basketball, says the 1992 Dream Team, which included him, Michael Jordan, Larry Byrd, David Robinson, Patrick Ewing and Magic Johnson, among others, would beat this team by double digits.

In fact, he says, there are only three players on the current team who would have even made the ‘92 team.

From an interview Barkley did with Philadelphia radio station 97.5 the Fanatic, posted by Deadspin.com:

Kobe Bryant said this 2012 Olympic team would beat the 1992 Dream Team. What do you think about that?

“I’ve got to tell you, I just started laughing, because how old is Kobe Bryant? … And he’s calling us old? At the time, we were only 28 or 29. That just made me laugh. … Michael Jordan and me are the same age …

Continue reading Barkley: Team USA no match for Dream Team »

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Kristen Saban is accused in a lawsuit of beating a sorority sister in 2010.

The daughter of Alabama head coach Nick Saban is accused in a lawsuit of beating a sorority sister bloody during a dispute at a home in Tuscaloosa.

The suit, filed in Tuscaloosa County Circuit Court in July by Sarah Grimes, asks for unspecified compensatory and punitive damages of more than $10,000 against Kristen Saban.

According to the lawsuit, on the night of Aug. 29, 2010, Grimes, Saban and three other girls were playing “power hour,” a drinking game on YouTube.

Around midnight, the five went to a local bar, Rounders, where they encountered a man Saban had been dating, the suit says.

“Kristen became angry,” the suit alleges, “because [the man] was not paying enough attention to her.”

The five returned home, the suit alleges, where Saban became more despondent over her relationship with her boyfriend.

Finally, according to the suit, Grimes told Saban, “Kristen, please just …

Continue reading Suit accuses Saban’s daughter of beating sorority sister »

Former Georgia Bulldog (and current Detroit Lion) Matthew Stafford won an Espy award Wednesday night for best comeback.

Stafford, who suffered shoulder and leg injuries in his first two NFL seasons, started every game for the Lions last year, throwing for more than 5,000 yards and leading the team to its first playoff appearance in more than a decade.

Stafford and his girlfriend, Kelly Hall, arrive at Espy awards Wednesday. (AP Photo)

Stafford was accompanied by his girlfriend, Kelly Hall, and credited his teammates and the Lions organization.

“I just want to thank my teammates,” he said. “It was a long couple of years and they stuck with me — the coaching staff, the owners, the GM, everybody. I can’t thank them enough for sticking with me, trusting me and understanding something great can happen.”

He also lauded the city of Detroit, which he said “is on a comeback of its own.”

“The city has been through a lot and we’re just one of the teams there that are trying to make them …

Continue reading Stafford wins Espy for comeback of year »

Joe Paterno died before speaking to Louis Freeh about the scandal. (AP photo)

A report by former FBI director Louis Freeh into a sex scandal involving former assistant Jerry Sandusky was released Thursday morning.

Freeh’s report roundly criticizes the late head coach Joe Paterno and other Penn State administrators, saying they “concealed critical facts” and disregarded the safety and welfare of the young boys victimized by Sandusky.

Sandusky was arrested in November and convicted in June on 45 counts of abuse involving 10 boys.

Penn State’s board of trustees ousted Paterno and president Graham Spanier Nov. 9 after Sandusky’s arrest. Paterno died of lung cancer Jan. 22 without speaking with Freeh.

Investigators will hold a news conference at 10 a.m. to discuss the findings, and the Penn State trustees will respond shortly thereafter.

Here’s the latest from the Associated Press:

• Freeh’s report: Leaders neglected safety and welfare of boys
• Paternos: Joe didn’t know
• Cast …

Continue reading Report rips Paterno, Penn State leaders »

Ronaldinho drank Pepsi at a press conference promoting his new team. (AP photo)

Coca-Cola terminated a lucrative sponsorship deal with Ronaldinho after the Brazilian soccer star did the unthinkable: He showed up at a press conference drinking a Pepsi.

According to a report in the O Estado de Sao Paulo newspaper, the press conference was held to promote his new team, Atletico Mineiro, of which Pepsi is a sponsor.

But that reasoning didn’t float with Atlanta-based Coke, which had a $750,000 sponsorship deal with Ronaldinho, scheduled to run through 2014.

“The fact that the player has appeared with a can of Pepsi was the straw that broke the camel’s back,” Coca-Cola marketing chief Marcelo Pontes told the newspaper. “The sponsorship had become embarrassing.”

Coke had been dismayed that Ronaldinho’s name has recently generated more negative news than positive.

He left his Brazilian club, Flamengo, after suing the club for unpaid wages. Flamengo launched a counter-suit, which will …

Continue reading Ronaldinho loses Coke deal for drinking Pepsi »

Fred Freeman’s daughter pleaded with him to stop the attack, police say.

Less than a week after a brawl between parents at a Columbus Little League game made national headlines, we have another horror story from the rough-and-tumble world of youth sports.

The coach of a girls’ basketball team from Wisconsin is facing charges after he allegedly punched out one of his own players at a tournament in Indiana.

Fred Freeman, 47, was charged with battery Monday after he allegedly grabbed the 17-year-old girl, threw her to the ground and punched her at a gym in Fishers, Ind., the Indianapolis Star reported.

Freeman apparently became enraged when the girl engaged in a verbal argument with his daughter.

The police report describes the attack, based on the account of a parent from another team.

“The suspect … grabbed the victim tightly around her torso. (The witness) heard the victim tell the suspect to get off of her and witnessed the victim start to punch the suspect,” the report …

Continue reading Girls’ coach charged with assaulting own player »

Andre Rison played for the Falcons from 1990-1994. (AJC photo)

Former Falcons wide receiver Andre Rison was ordered Monday to pay more than $322,000 in restitution for missed child support payments.

Federal Judge Frederick Martone of the Arizona District ordered the former Pro Bowler to pay $1,000 a month in addition to his regular payments, which are $2,358 per month, said Katherine Harris, spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The woman, who was not married to Rison, and their son lived in Arizona at the time.

According to Zeva Pettigrew, assistant special agent in charge of HHS’ Los Angeles office, Rison was originally ordered to pay child support in May 1999 and has made only made two payments since November 2001.

“All payments have been made as a result of withholdings through his employers,” she said. “Rison has not made any voluntary payments.”

Rison was also ordered to serve five years’ probation. He was indicted in August 2011 and pleaded …

Continue reading Andre Rison ordered to pay $322K in child support »

Former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield is moving out of his Fayette County mansion.

Evander Holyfield reportedly owes more than $14 million on his estate. (Johnny Crawford, AJC)

The 109-room mansion, which sits on 235 acres near Fairburn, was sold to JP Morgan Chase for $7.5 million in a foreclosure auction in March.

Chase spokesman Greg Hassell confirmed that Holyfield was in the process of moving out.

“We’ve worked with Mr. Holyfield to give him several months to move; he’s in the process of relocating and we’ve brought in additional resources to move the process forward,” Hassell said.

Tony Tortorici, Holyfield’s senior adviser, confirmed to the AJC in June that the estate sold March 6 for $7.5 million to JP Morgan Chase. Holyfield reportedly owes more than $14 million on the house, including federal taxes. Holyfield has continued to live there since the sale.

In a 2009 interview with the AJC, Holyfield said the mansion cost more than $1 million annually to …

Continue reading Holyfield moving out of Fayette mansion »

Drew Brees would make more than Peyton Manning’s $19.2 million a year. (AP Photo)

Falcons fans hoping the Saints’ miseries would be extended by failing to sign their best player will be dismayed to learn that the team has offered Drew Brees the richest contract in NFL history.

The New Orleans Times-Picayune is reporting that the team and Brees are close to a five-year deal that would pay him between $19.2 million and $20 million a year — surpassing the $19.2 million a year the Denver Broncos are paying Peyton Manning.

The two sides have until July 16 to reach an agreement. If they don’t, Brees will have to play the final year of his contract at a meager $16.4 million under the franchise tag the team has applied to him. And he’d have to wait until after the season to negotiate a new deal.

Continue reading Report: Saints offer Brees record contract »