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Thursday, July 29, 2010

NOTE TO SELF: Never Wear LeBron Apparel In Cleveland Or This Will Happen (Picture Inside)




I've got a feeling (woohoo) that this "LeBron James is hated in Cleveland" thing isn't going to die down for a while. It is almost as if they do not like him very much for choosing to play with the Miami Heat. After all the jerseys are burned and boos are yelled, there will still be hatred in the hearts of spurned Clevelanders. Eventually, that hatred will turn from LeBron to his fans, and it seems that's already started to happen.




Naturally, the first incident in fan-on-fan LeBron taunts — or, "LeBraunts" — took place in Cleveland. It all went down at Progressive Field, home of the Cleveland Indians, where some bro showed up wearing a LeBron James(notes) Heat jersey. The Cleveland faithful weren't too happy with his choice of shirt. From the Associated Press:
A fan wearing a Miami Heat jersey of LeBron James drew the ire of the crowd at a Cleveland Indians game and was escorted out of the ballpark.

Fans in the left-field bleachers chanted obscenities and pointed at the man Wednesday night during the sixth inning of the game between the Indians and New York Yankees. Hundreds of fans joined in before security led the man out of Progressive Field.

As he left, some fans followed him toward the gate with more derisive chants.

Well played, Cleveland. It's a little weird that some random guy was booed so vociferously that police had to step in to escort him and his ladyfriend away from trouble, but when you're heckling a fellow human for the clothes on his back, you really have to go for it. It's common sense.




Honestly, the guy had it coming. Not only did he wear the most hated tanktop in Ohio, he also wore Dane Cook jeans and popped his jersey while he was being moved away from danger. I'm guessing what the fans were chanting was actually pretty accurate.

Video: 'Press Hop 2' featuring LeBron James

If you watched NBA basketball last season and sat through more than one commercial break, you're familiar with Steve Porter's work. He's the guy behind that excellent ad campaign with all your favorite NBA players singing without singing. And, as you probably know, Porter first made his bones on the Internet with a little ditty called "Press Hop."

Now, almost a year after his breakout hit, Porter has returned with a sequel, perfectly named "Press Hop 2." And yes, it features LeBron James'(notes) "I'm taking my talents to South Beach" quite prominently.






Dont act like you don't love it!!!..... I see you.... Thank me later. Not a single word exists that is more melodious than "psychiatrist."

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Kanye Joins Twitter, YET Puts on A Act For Facebook [VIDEO INSIDE]

So Mr. Louis Vuttion Don has now join the millions of people (especially celebs) in the world of Twitter, I also like to call it our "Society's Diary". Here was his first Tweet:

But during my occasional "bake and browse" moments, I finally tripped upon this video taken at Facebook headquarters yesterday where troubled music producer Kanye West spit lyrics to 4 of his tracks off his upcoming album.



Kanye jumped on top of a table in a conference room surrounded by rosy cheeked 20-something techies, who probably hoped he would fall and really give them something to talk about. Imagine being at your cubicle when all of sudden,some black guy jumps on a table and screaming out,



“My chain heavy,
yeah, yeah, my chain heavy
My chain heavy
my chain too heavy
my chain heavy
my chain too heavy."



Well, you get it.



You can watch the video below, but there’s really nothing to see here. YAWN!


Body of Lorenzen Wright found in Memphis

Memphis authorities have found the body of former NBA and University of Memphis basketball player Lorenzen Wright, missing since July 19, a media report said Wednesday.


Law enforcement officials discovered the body of Wright in a wooded area in southeast Memphis, police sources confirmed to the Memphis Commercial Appeal.

Wright was believed to be carrying some amount of cash when he was last seen July 19 in Memphis, and a Collierville police report released Wednesday raised concerns he may be the victim of foul play.

Wright's sister, Savia Archie, told WREG.com in Memphis last Friday that Wright was last seen when he was expected to leave the city, after flying to Memphis to visit friends and his six children.

Lorenzen Wright

Wright was expected to drive back to the Atlanta area with his six children and a friend, after leaving his ex-wife's Memphis-area home, the Commercial Appeal reported.

Wright played in college at Memphis and later for the Grizzlies as a pro. He last played in the league for the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 2008-09 season.

The Los Angeles Clippers drafted Wright with the seventh overall pick in the 1996 draft. He spent the first three seasons of his NBA career with the Clippers before being traded to the Hawks for two first-round picks, which turned into Quentin Richardson and Chris Wilcox.

In 2001, the Hawks dealt Wright to the Grizzlies, along with Pau Gasol and Brevin Knight, for Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Jamaal Tinsley.

He returned to the Hawks in 2006 as a free agent but was on the move again in 2008, traded to the Kings in a six-player deal that netted Atlanta Mike Bibby. Wright signed with the Cavaliers as a free agent before the 2008-09 season.

He had career averages of 7.9 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.

ASK Amile: Sex Only On the Weekend?

My guy and I have great sex, but he only wants it on the weekend. Every other night, he'd rather just hang out and watch TV. He says he gets stressed during the week, which I can understand. But is there anything that I can do to change that?
                                                             -Frustrated San Diego,CA





Hey, I think you should be thankful that you're having great sex in the first place, even if it's on a weekend-only basis. Trust me, that's way better than horrible sex every damn day! Your guy's reasons are justified too. Some people have a hard time compartmentalizing — so if his workday was tough, he may not be able to shut it out when he gets home. I've been there myself with my girlfriend after I get home from work. (Yes the adult industry can have some bad days on set.)



But you want to know if there's any way to get some fuck-action during the week. One solution: Seduce him in the morning, before the workday and his worries begin. Guys generally love sex in the a.m., but you'll need to make it a quickie or else he'll stress about being late to his job (unless you set the alarm early). If you want to have sex after hours, another good window of opportunity is just before dinner. This way, he has time to check the mail and chill when he gets home, but he hasn't yet entered the impenetrable food/beer/TV–coma zone. Make "DADDY" feel like a "KING".


You could also just try to snuff out the source of his problems. Since you know that work anxiety is killing his libido, help eliminate his stress. Turn the bedroom into a minispa, with aromatherapy candles, mellow music, and lots of back rubs. Once he's physically relaxed, his mind should follow suit...and that's when you swoop in to get your prime-time pleasure on.


Hope this helps!
 
 
 
Happy Endings Everyone!
AW












If you would like to submit your questions to Amile please submit them to the appropriate link located in the CONTACT page of this site. ALL submitted questions are reviewed. Only questions pertaining to contents of the blog (SPORTS, SEX /PERSONAL ADVICE) will only be selected for review. Amile Waters was an OB/GYN nurse for US Navy and is currently going to UCLA Med School to persue her Doctorate. All sexual advice is all textbook and from her experience as a nurse in such field and/or personal experience.

YOU DECIDE??? Bengals or Ravens WRs??? (Best Response Will be Rewarded...Details Inside)

So now that free-agent receiver Terrell Owens has officially joined the division,(which all I can say is SMH) we have an interesting "Take your pick" to debate this week in the iheartamile blog.





Which team has the best group of receivers in the division: The Baltimore Ravens or Cincinnati Bengals?     



Cincinnati just added Owens to an already deep group that includes Pro Bowl receiver Chad Ochocinco (or  we can also call him "Owens' Better Half"), Antonio Bryant, Andre Caldwell, Jordan Shipley and others. Baltimore also made a blockbuster addition this offseason by trading for three-time Pro Bowler Anquan Boldin to go along with fellow receivers Derrick Mason, Donte' Stallworth, Mark Clayton, Demetrius Williams, etc.



Also, feel free if you want to throw Bengals tight end Jermaine Gresham and counterpart Todd Heap of the Ravens into the mix. But the receiving unit that's more dominant could go a long way to determine who wins the AFC North in 2010.



So take your pick between these two quality groups. You can email me your comments, or send you thoughts to my Twitter (must follow) or Facebook page. We will run the best responses throughout the week. The best response will recieve a phone call and personal autograph 8 x10  from me!!
 
-Can't wait to hear from you all!!

O.J. Mayo Among Others Cut By TEAM USA

Tyreke Evans, O.J. Mayo, Gerald Wallace and JaVale McGee have been cut by Team USA as the roster was trimmed from 19 to 15 on Wednesday, four days after the completion of the team's minicamp in Las Vegas.


The roster must be cut to 12 by Aug. 26, two days before Team USA begins competing in the World Championship in Turkey.

OJ Mayo (NBA.com)

Kevin Durant leads three Oklahoma City Thunder players on the guard-heavy list announced Wednesday. The Los Angeles Clippers' Eric Gordon, thought to be on the bubble, made the cut.

Tyson Chandler and Brook Lopez are the only true centers on the squad, which includes talented point guards such as Chauncey Billups, Derrick Rose, Rajon Rondo and Russell Westbrook.

The Thunder's Jeff Green will also join Durant and Westbrook in New York when the team reconvenes Aug. 9.



 Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

DMX Goes To Jail.....AGAIN!

Rapper DMX is heading back to jail just weeks after serving a four-month stint behind bars for a probation violation.

This is the DMX I remember....

The gravel-voiced hip-hop star is planning to surrender to authorities and begin serving time in Los Angeles in connection to a reckless driving conviction eight years ago.


TMZ.com reports DMX was placed on probation after he pleaded no contest to the crime, which he has since violated and has been ordered to serve 90 days behind bars.

The rapper's manager insists her client, real name Earl Simmons, is "focused" on taking care of all of his past legal issues so he can move on with his life.

Tragic...indeed.
It's a dark time for DMX - the recently separated from his wife, according to reports.


Tashera Simmons, who wed the rapper in 1999, has stood by her husband throughout his legal troubles, but has decided enough is enough, according to Allhiphop.com.

Tashera is said to have confirmed the separation to the website and announced plans for a new reality TV series, which will show her rebuilding her life with the couple's four children following the split. Now I don't know who will be picking the series up. Yet something just gives a feeling that VH1 might have something in the works. Who knows if DMX can rise up from this, but his fans certainly hope so.

Jack Roush In ANOTHER Plane Crash, Is Hospitalized (Video Inside)

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- NASCAR team owner Jack Roush is in serious but stable condition after walking away from a plane crash in a jet he was piloting in Wisconsin on Tuesday.


"There are injuries. Possible surgery," Roush Fenway Racing president Geoff Smith said in a text message to The Associated Press. "But he walked out of the plane."

Video taken in the immediate aftermath of the crash shows a fireman spraying foam around the plane, then opening the forward door and peering in. A few moments later, Roush, his face bloodied and blood stains covering his shirt and pants, gingerly walks through the opening.

Jack Roush

A backboard is brought up as Roush lies down next to the plane. Meanwhile, his lone passenger, identified as Brenda Strickland, also gingerly makes her way out of the plane on her feet, assisted by rescuers.

Roush, an aviation buff, was expected to attend the Experimental Aircraft Association's annual AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wis., this week.

The aviation website avweb.com reported that Roush's Premier Beechcraft jet pancaked the runway with a loud bang while landing at Oshkosh, but that Roush and a passenger were out of the plane and standing after the crash.

The website said a pilot who witnessed the incident said the plane was coming in for a landing when it appeared to initiate a go-around and in the process one wing dropped and the jet fell toward the ground.

"The right wing tip hit the right side of the grass to the right of the runway, and then immediately after, the nose hit and it cartwheeled, tail over the nose, and then skidded to a stop," eyewitness Roger Florkiewicz told WFRV-TV 5 in Green Bay.

A dramatic YouTube video of Roush emerging from the plane also suggests the crash was witnessed by many people already at the airport for the AirVenture show. The video was shot by someone standing among a group of spectators watching the frightening scene and they react with relief and even some applause as Roush emerges from his broken jet on his feet.






That is one lucky man....one lucky man indeed.

Sour Bday for A-ROD

CLEVELAND -- Alex Rodriguez smiled when someone mentioned that Tuesday was his birthday.


"I've had some good birthdays," he said upon turning 35. "But tonight wasn't the greatest."

Not with baseball history waiting for him -- for the last five games. Since he hit his 599th career home run in a July 22 win over Kansas City, Rodriguez has gone 6-for-21 with no home runs. Tuesday, the Yankees trailed the Cleveland Indians 4-1 in the ninth inning when Rodriguez came to the plate with two on and two out.


Everyone stood. Flashbulbs popped. There was a feeling that something dramatic was about to happen. Yankees manager Joe Girardi said even he thought the same thing everyone in the Progressive Field stands thought: "Maybe this is it."

Rodriguez took a strike from Chris Perez -- a call he did not seem to like -- and then grounded a slider weakly to short. Game over. Rodriguez's quest continues.


"I think the number one thing is you want to get a big hit," Rodriguez said of the ninth-inning potential dramatics. "Hit the ball hard somewhere. A home run would be fantastic. Not to get 600, but to tie the game."



Rodriguez is very aware of 600, a figure that only six major leaguers have reached in their careers. But now that he has gone 21 at-bats without a home run, the concern is that he is becoming overanxious and trying to over-swing, Rodriguez admitted that has happened the last five games.

"The biggest thing is stay within the game and not try to do too much," he said. "A few times the last few games, I've come out of it a little bit, tried to swing a little too hard. Or maybe get a little pull-happy."



Being pull-happy is not the way Alex Rodriguez hits. Tuesday seemed like it might be his night, not just because of the birthday but because the Indians put Josh Tomlin on the mound. Tomlin was making his major league debut, and in that situation a guy can start nervous and pitch poorly. Tomlin went after the Yankees and took a shutout to the eighth.


"I didn't want them to think I was going to be nibbling all night," Tomlin said.


He pitched seven innings, gave up three hits and one run while walking none.

"I don't think we had any good swings off of him," Rodriguez said.

The first two times he faced Tomlin, Rodriguez grounded out to short in the second and grounded out to first in the fifth.

"They got him out in front with some breaking balls and he hit some ground balls," Girardi said.

Rodriguez's best at-bat came in the seventh, when he sent Shin-Soo Choo to the track for the third out.

"If we're at home," Girardi said, "maybe that's 600."

"I thought I hit it a little better than it showed," Rodriguez said.



Tomlin worked the first career start to his advantage. The Yankees did not know what to expect from him.

"That's not an excuse," Rodriguez said. "The kid threw really well. He had a really nice game. He had a pretty good cutter and kept our righties and lefties, both, off balance."

As 600 awaits, each at-bat brings a little more tension. Girardi said he did not think Rodriguez was over-swinging, but Rodriguez said his focus on pulling the ball has hurt him.

"Everything I'm pulling is soft," he said.


The solution?

"I don't think I'm really expanding my strike zone," he said. "Guys are throwing strikes. And for the most part I think I'm swinging at strikes. I think for the most part what I want to do is let the ball travel a little bit and use my hands a little more, like that one swing to right center."

The easiest at-bats, he said, are ones like he had in the ninth with the game on the line. Then he can try to hit the ball hard and focus on the pitches. Middle of the game, two out, nobody on are a little tougher.

"Everybody stands up, expecting one thing," Rodriguez said.

The 600th home run will happen. It's a matter of when. Fausto Carmona starts the next game for the Indians, and Carmona is a sinker/groundball pitcher. At some Rodriguez has to simply be up to the moment.

"There are times when hitters are going to go without getting hits," Girardi said. "If you make too much of it as a hitter, then it becomes a problem. But Alex has showed that he knows how to be calm in big situations and he'll continue to do that."

2010 Fantasy Football Draft: Top 20 Rankings (WR)

Times are changing in fantasy football. The days of automatically tabbing your first two drafts picks as running backs are just about gone. That's right, you need to shift gears and be ready to pounce on readily available "stud" wide receivers as fast as you can. Some will make the case that late in the first round is the perfect time to strike. Trust me, you don't want to wait or you'll be scrambling to get elite production from your wide receivers all season.




The reality we're all facing is that there are far fewer elite wide receivers than serviceable running backs. There just isn't enough great WRs to go around, so you should be thinking wide receiver no later than the second round. And if you're down with this new strategy, you might just want to grab a couple elite guys in two of the first three rounds. The conventionalist will shrug off this notion, but you need to gamble to win fantasy titles these days. And thus, on to the rankings...

Fitzgerald


1. Andre Johnson, Texans

2. Calvin Johnson, Lions

3. Randy Moss, Patriots

4. Miles Austin, Cowboys


5. Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals

6. Reggie Wayne, Colts

7. DeSean Jackson, Eagles

8. Roddy White, Falcons

9. Brandon Marshall, Dolphins

10. Sidney Rice, Vikings



11. Anquan Boldin, Ravens

12. Marques Colston, Saints

13. Greg Jennings, Packers

14. Chad Ochocinco, Bengals

15. Steve Smith, Panthers
16. Steve Smith, Giants

17. Percy Harvin, Vikings

18. Hakeem Nicks, Giants

19. Michael Crabtree, 49ers

20. Pierre Garcon, Colts

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Dez Bryant : "I DIDNT KNOW OF ROOKIE TRADITION"

SAN ANTONIO -- Dallas Cowboys rookie wide receiver Dez Bryant said he didn't know about the tradition of carrying a veteran's shoulder pads, and said Tuesday that he will take care of the matter.


Bryant


Speaking to reporters while he signed autographs following Tuesday morning's practice, Bryant said the media was trying to damage his relationship with teammate Roy Williams.

From the opening practice, Williams had said Bryant has to carry his shoulder pads. But Bryant refused to do so, saying he's here to just play football.

"I didn't know nothing about no tradition," Bryant said. "The only thing about me ... when I try to do something right, y'all try and turn it negative and I don't feel like that's right. I'm trying my best to do the right thing but it seems like I can't do the right thing because every little thing that I do y'all watching it and try to make a big deal out of it."


Calvin Watkins and Tim MacMahon have the Cowboys blanketed for ESPNDallas.com. Check in with their constantly updated coverage. Blog

On Monday afternoon, Bryant met with former NFL player and current television analyst Rodney Harrison, who said the rookie needs to carry the pads if asked by a veteran.



"I said this is a situation where this is a custom and a ritual that's been around before you were even born," Harrison said in recalling his conversation with Bryant. "I had to do it and everybody had to do it."

Bryant told Harrison he was disappointed in how the situation became public.

Williams and Bryant said the incident is over and there are no issues between them. One of owner Jerry Jones' grandsons carried Bryant's pads to the locker room and then helped Williams take his pads off following Tuesday morning's practice.

"I told Roy this ... he could have walked in with his tights on," Bryant said after the first of Dallas' two practices Tuesday. "I would have took his shoulder pads, his pants, his helmet, his socks, his shoes. I would have took everything. But you know what, that's not even an issue."

Harrison agreed that the situation got out of hand.

"In his defense, he said, 'You know Rod, I didn't know it would be blown up like this,'" Harrison said. "I told him, 'You're Dez Bryant and anything the media can do, they will do to make you look like a bad guy. You can't do this. You have to show humility and walk up to him and say, I'm going to carry your pads.' He said it's not going to be a problem. It's nipped in the bud. It's a done deal."


If Bryant doesn't carry Williams' shoulder pads, then he will take Williams out to dinner during a break in camp.

"We'll make sure that's no problem ... maybe McDonald's," Williams said.

The issue between Bryant and Williams apparently occurred when the veteran first approached him. Bryant didn't like Williams' tone and -- combined with the fact he didn't know about carrying pads -- that led to the confusion.

"We're fine. It's not even a situation," Bryant said. "Me and Roy is great. Not only me and Roy, but the whole team. Y'all trying to turn us against each other."



Calvin Watkins covers the Cowboys for ESPNDallas.com. You can follow him on Twitter or leave a question for his weekly mailbag. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Former Oakland Raider DB Jack Tatum Dies at 61




May Mr. Tatum rest in peace.

NFL wont Discipline Vick (Video Inside)

Michael Vick will not be disciplined in the wake of the shooting at his birthday party in Virginia Beach last month, two league sources told ESPN, in this video provided.  Vick really needs to think about where to party next time....I think VA isn't that place.



T.O. signs 1 yr. deal w/ Bengals

Terrell Owens has agreed on a one-year, $2 million deal with the Cincinnati Bengals, a league source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter on Tuesday.

Owens





According to the source, the deal also includes another $2 million in incentives.



Owens spent last season with the Buffalo Bills. He caught 55 passes for 829 yards and hauled in five touchdowns as the Bills finished the season 6-10.



The St. Louis Rams dropped out of the bidding for Owens on Monday and a source told Schefter earlier Tuesday the New York Jets expressed interest in the 36-year old wide receiver.

With Cincinnati, Owens will team with also-controversial wide receiver Chad Ochocinco as targets for Pro Bowl quarterback Carson Palmer. In 2009, Palmer and Ochocinco helped lead a resurgent Bengals team to the AFC North title and a spot in the wild card round of the playoffs.

The Bengals also signed wideout Antonio Bryant in the offseason.

Owens was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the third round in 1996 out of the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga. The Bengals will be his fifth team in a 14-year career, split between San Francisco, the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys and Buffalo.

All of Owens' career stops, save Buffalo, have ended in controversy. In San Francisco, Owens ridiculed then-49ers quarterback Jeff Garcia in a magazine interview in 2004. Owens and San Francisco became embroiled in a messy divorce, with Owens claiming her could void the remainder of his contract.

The Niners claimed Owens and his agent had missed a contractual deadline and attempted to trade him to the Baltimore Ravens for a second-round pick in the 2004 draft. Owens and the NFLPA challenged the Niners' rights to deal him and eventually all parties reached a deal to send Owens to the Eagles.

After a banner first year in Philadelphia that saw the Eagles reach the Super Bowl, Owens asked the Eagles to re-do the contract he had signed just a year earlier after the trade. Owens and Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb also clashed both on the sidelines and in the media. As Owens continued to complain during the season, the team suspended Owens for four games and eventually deactivated him for the remainder of the season.

Tired of Owens' show, the Eagles released him and he signed with NFC East rival Dallas. Owens' first-season was fraught with injury and he eventually had two surgeries to repair a torn tendon in a finger on his right hand.

In 2007, Owens had a banner year, bringing in 1,355 yards and 15 TDs, but the Cowboys lost in the divisional round of the playoffs. After the loss, Owens broke down in tears in the postgame news conference defending quarterback Tony Romo. However, Owens' productivity and relationship with Romo and offensive coordinator Jason Garrett began to fray during the 2008 season and Owens was cut after the year.

Statistically though, Owens has been regarded as one of the best in the league when at the top of his game. The six-time Pro Bowler has 1,006 receptions and 14,951 yards in his NFL career. His 147 career touchdowns are the fifth-highest total in NFL history.

Owens is widely regarded as a polarizing figure, but he said in a June interview on NFL Network that his public perception may have damaged his appeal to NFL teams.

"I've heard a lot of the reasons why I'm not on a team right now," Owens told the NFL Network. "It's because people feel I've disrupted some teams, I'm a cancer -- I've heard all those things. They've said that for the last five, six years. The teams I've been on, if you ask in that locker room how I've been as a teammate and as a person, it's contradictory to what's been displayed out there."

Owens still views himself as a premier player, but some teams have a different feeling.

"You know, last year, we jumped on board with Buffalo, and that was a team that was interested in myself," Owens continued, "and I just felt like I always wanted to be where I was wanted, and Buffalo jumped at the gun at that, so I spent my year in Buffalo."



ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter contributed to this report.

Monday, July 26, 2010

2010 Fantasy Football Draft: AMILE's Top 20 Ranking (RUNNING BACKS)

More thought goes into the running back position in football than any other position in the draft. In fact, it's not uncommon to see third-string running backs selected, based either on past performance, a shaky depth chart, or buzz surrounding the player. You wouldn't draft a third-string quarterback, would you? How about a third-string wide receiver (equivalent to a team's number five wideout)?




Because running backs are always the hottest commodities in fantasy drafts, it's wise to grab as many safe options early as possible. If you have a roster spot or two open near the end of the draft, gamble on a few of the deeper names in these rankings. The next Jamaal Charles or Shonn Greene may be among them.
 
 
1. Chris Johnson, Titans


2. Adrian Peterson, Vikings

3. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars

Adrian Peterson

4. Ray Rice, Ravens

5. Michael Turner, Falcons

6. Frank Gore, 49ers

7. Steven Jackson, Rams

8. Rashard Mendenhall, Steelers

9. Shonn Greene, Jets

10. Jamaal Charles, Chiefs

11. DeAngelo Williams, Panthers

12. Ryan Grant, Packers

13. Ryan Mathews, Chargers

14. Cedric Benson, Bengals

Cedric Benson

15. Beanie Wells, Cardinals

16. Jonathan Stewart, Panthers

17. Knowshon Moreno, Broncos

18. Pierre Thomas, Saints

19. Ronnie Brown, Dolphins

20. Jahvid Best, Lions

Dr. Dre Sued For 1.2 Million



Rap mogul Dr. Dre is facing a $1.2 million lawsuit for allegedly failing to pay for studio time.


The legendary producer is being sued by Paramount Recording Studios in California for breach of contract.

In a lawsuit filed at Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday, the claimants allege that Dre - real name Andre Young - failed to pay for the use of a recording studio between April 2009 and June 2010. The papers claim that Young promised to pay the amount by July 13th, but failed to do so.

It is reported the rapper has used the recording studio for a decade and got a cheaper rate on the space, according to Allhiphop.com.

Sex Position of The Month AUGUST : Backstairs Boogaloo

The month of August is all about the BIG BANG!!! The end of the summer is coming so why not settle the score with your mate of this year's summer fling with this pose. I've done a similar pose on my latest movie , Mikayla Tonight (Wicked Pictures), you can see I am a fan of a little stair loving! Anywho, hope you all have a wonderful summer!!!

Happy Endings Everyone!!!
xoxo
AW


Backstairs Boogaloo




Instructions:Kneel in front of your partner at the landing of a staircase. Both of you should be facing the stairs, and your bodies should mesh together tightly. While you reach up and hold on to each side of the banister for support (or to the stairs themselves), he should hold your hips while he penetrates you from behind.

Bengals Interested In T.O.

Cincinnati Bengals president Mike Brown confirmed his team's interest in free-agent receiver Terrell Owens on Monday.


"It's up to him," Brown said of Owens, according to Bengals.com. "We are talking to him. We have some interest."


Courtesy of Getty Images.
Brown made his comments before the Bengals' training camp media luncheon.

He said that quarterback Carson Palmer, who has been working with Owens in California, reported that the receiver "can still run," according to the website.

Brown said that he was impressed with Owens' attitude when the team visited with him in March.

"I found him polite, nothing that has been said about him," Brown said, according to Bengals.com. "We like him as a player."

Owens also has another strong supporter in Chad Ochocinco, his close friend and reality TV colleague. The two have helped each other promote their respective shows on VH1.

The Bengals signed free-agent receiver Antonio Bryant during the offseason but Bryant has struggled so far. That has motivated the Bengals to take another look at Owens, a team source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.


Sources have told ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen that the Rams also are interested in signing Owens.

The Rams asked Owens through his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, if he would consider a serious contract proposal, even though they are not considered a playoff contender. Rosenhaus told the team Owens would definitely consider it, sources said.


A high-ranking Rams official said a formal offer for Owens could come on Monday.

The 36-year-old Owens, a six-time Pro Bowler, had a pedestrian season with the Buffalo Bills last season, catching 55 passes for 829 yards and five touchdowns.





Information from ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen and ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter was used in this report.

Drexel Players Charged with Armed Robbery

PHILADELPHIA -- City police say two Drexel University basketball players and a third man are facing charges after an armed robbery at a student's apartment.






Lt. John Walker says 21-year-old Jamie Harris and 21-year-old Kevin Phillip turned themselves in Monday on robbery and weapons charges and other counts.

Police say the robbery happened at a woman's apartment around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday. Walker says 21-year-old Devon Bond was arrested Thursday.

Walker says the men went in looking for money but found none. They allegedly left with two cell phones.

Harris is Drexel's starting point guard, and Phillip is a backup forward.

Harris' attorney did not immediately answer a message seeking comment; an attorney for Phillip declined to comment. A telephone listing for Bond could not be found.





Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

Bulls To Sign McGrady, Shaq is still Waiting

The Bulls are prepared to sign Tracy McGrady if he proves to be sufficiently healthy in a workout Monday and can convince the team he is willing to accept a bench role, one source familiar with Chicago's thinking said Sunday.


"Nothing is done until it's done, but I expect the Bulls to sign McGrady later this week," the source said.



Another unknown is what kind of contract McGrady can command from the Bulls. But McGrady has said money and years are not priorities after earning nearly $23 million last season with Houston and New York.

Although he has expressed interest in snagging one of the spots on Miami's bench in support of the LeBron James-Dwyane Wade-Chris Bosh triumvirate and he auditioned for the Los Angeles Clippers last week, Chicago is undeniably where McGrady has been hoping to wind up.

McGrady made his desires evident in several recent messages on his Twitter feed, including his pronouncements Saturday that he has "unfinished business" with the Bulls and that it "could be fate this time round" with Chicago after drawing serious interest from the Bulls in the 1997 draft and again during free agency in 2000.

It obviously doesn't hurt McGrady's chances that Bulls star Derrick Rose told ESPNChicago.com's Nick Friedell on Friday that the idea of signing McGrady -- Rose's favorite player as a kid -- has his full support.

"That would be good," Rose said. "I think that if he comes along, he could help our team.

"A player like him, with his experience and how he plays, I think it would help us."

McGrady, 31, would be Chicago's sixth acquisition this offseason, joining Carlos Boozer, Kyle Korver, Ronnie Brewer, C.J. Watson and Kurt Thomas.





As ESPN.com reported earlier this week, McGrady's highly publicized trip to Los Angeles to work out for the Clippers was as much to nudge the Bulls closer to signing him as it was to try and impress L.A., which appears to no longer have an opening for McGrady after the Los Angeles Times reported Saturday that the Clippers are bringing back Rasual Butler.

The seven-time All-Star was limited to 30 games last season in his recovery from microfracture surgery on his left knee. He averaged 9.4 points, 3.9 assists and 26.1 minutes in 24 starts for the Knicks, who acquired the two-time scoring champion from Houston in a three-way deal in February.

"He's good," Rose said. "He's a player. If he just gives us half of what he's got, we'll be all right.

"But I know a player like him, he's going to go out there and give us his all, but he'll definitely help us if we get him on the team."

ESPN.com also reported last week that Miami is hesitant to sign high-profile names like McGrady or Shaquille O'Neal for its bench, preferring low-key additions whom won't complicate the overhauled Heat's quest for fast-developing chemistry or encroach on the James/Wade/Bosh spotlight.



Marc Stein is a senior NBA writer for ESPN.com.

Hornets Turning Away Trade Offers For Chris Paul




The New Orleans Hornets prepared for their highly anticipated sitdown with star guard Chris Paul by turning away the latest flurry of trade calls from other teams, according to NBA front-office sources.

Sources told ESPN.com that teams inquiring about Paul's availability in recent days -- and there have been several after persistent media reports suggesting that Paul will formally request to be traded at a meeting Monday -- were greeted with the same resistance to Paul offers that the Hornets have maintained for months.



"They say they aren't moving him," one rival team executive said of the Hornets.


Sources with knowledge of New Orleans' thinking said over the weekend that the Hornets' stance is unlikely to change, at least in the short term, even if Paul himself tells the Hornets for the first time that he wants out.

The Hornets' new basketball brain trust of general manager Dell Demps and coach Monty Williams -- with Demps hired by team president Hugh Weber only last Wednesday -- is expected to use their first face-to-face audience with the All-Star guard to urge Paul to give the fledging regime an opportunity to prove it can build a winning team around him.

Yet even if they are unsuccessful with that pitch at the scheduled morning meeting, Hornets officials are apparently determined to hold firm and deal Paul only on their terms and timeline, knowing they have two full seasons before the 25-year-old can opt out and become a free agent in the summer of 2012.


ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard reported Friday that Paul is planning to furnish the Hornets with a list of teams to which he'd like to be traded.


Chris Paul




Yet even if they are unsuccessful with that pitch at the scheduled morning meeting, Hornets officials are apparently determined to hold firm and deal Paul only on their terms and timeline, knowing they have two full seasons before the 25-year-old can opt out and become a free agent in the summer of 2012.



Those wishes, until now, have only been communicated to the Hornets and other teams from Paul's new team of agents, sources said. That team includes LeBron James' CAA Sports representative Leon Rose, James' business manager Maverick Carter and adviser William Wesley.


Broussard also reported Friday that Dwight Howard's Orlando Magic top Paul's wish list of potential trade destinations, followed by trades to New York, Dallas or Portland. The New Orleans Times-Picayune reported Friday that Rose reached out to all four teams in the past week.

Before the mid-July dismissal of Demps' predecessor Jeff Bower, Weber said earlier this month at a joint public appearance with Paul that there was "no question" Paul would start next season as a Hornet. Team management has not commented publicly on the situation since CBSSports.com reported Wednesday night that Paul was intensifying his efforts to force his way out of New Orleans, but Demps is scheduled to conduct his first session with reporters Monday afternoon after the meeting with Paul.





Paul publicly broached the subject of being traded for the first time in an ESPN.com interview with Broussard in June. Paul acknowledged in that interview that his fondness for New Orleans is such that he regards it as his adopted hometown, but he also made it clear that he would be open to a trade if the Hornets were not committed to spending what it takes to compete in the perennially strong Western Conference.




Sources close to the situation maintain that the root of Paul's growing desire since that interview to be dealt comes from watching his close friend James land in Miami with Team USA teammates Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh and the steady encouragement he's been getting from James, Rose, Carter and Wesley to try to force the Hornets' hand.


Chris Paul
As James said of Paul late last week via his Twitter feed: "Best of luck to my brother. ... Do what's best for You and your family."


If Paul can't be convinced to buy into the organization's rebuilding plan, New Orleans will certainly take some comfort in the knowledge that it possesses a two-season buffer before Paul is eligible for free agency.


In that scenario, though, New Orleans would still have plenty to ponder. A case can be made that keeping Paul in hopes of eventually regaining the confidence of the face of the franchise -- or merely holding off until the Hornets decide that they're ready to trade him -- might not be as beneficial for the long-term health of the franchise as proactively trying to move Paul and ultimately spare themselves from the daily distraction and potential negative impact at the gate that comes with employing a disgruntled superstar.


Paul has become hugely popular in New Orleans and is often credited with saving NBA basketball in the region in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. But it remains to be seen how severely his popularity might be damaged by this ongoing story line.



Uncertainty about Paul's future also only figures to further unsettle the Hornets' fan base amid fears that the proposed sale from longtime owner George Shinn to minority partner Gary Chouest will ultimately collapse, after news of Chouest's plans to buy a majority interest in the Hornets initially spawned so much optimism in April.

But Williams has repeatedly expressed confidence in recent days that he and Demps -- former teammates in San Antonio and disciples of the Spurs' highly successful program established by coach Gregg Popovich and personnel chief R.C. Buford -- can reach Paul in spite of their shared inexperience as lead decision-makers.


Williams has also made it clear that the Hornets have yet to be directly notified by Paul that he is dissatisfied to the point of wanting to leave and won't accept that as the club's reality until they hear it from him.

If the Hornets do reach the point of shopping Paul, whether that's before the season starts or later, rival executives expect them to insist that any trade rids them of the onerous contracts possessed by big man Emeka Okafor (due $53-plus million over the next four seasons) and possibly James Posey ($13-plus million over the next two seasons) as well.


It's likewise believed that the Hornets would open up the bidding to the whole league in search of the most favorable deal, since Paul -- without the no-trade clause that Kobe Bryant possessed in 2007 when he asked the Los Angeles Lakers to trade him -- has no means to ensure that he lands in one of his preferred destinations.





Marc Stein is a senior NBA writer for ESPN.com.

T.I. Wants to "Lick It!" w/Lady Gaga

Rapper T.I. is looking to complete his return to the mainstream following his recent incarceration by teaming up with Lady Gaga on record.


The "Live Your Life" hitmaker, who has hit the top of the charts with Rihanna, Usher and Justin Timberlake collaborations, now has plans to "Lick It!" with the Poker Face hitmaker.

T.I . (Courtesy:Warner Music Group)


He tells In Touch magazine, "I'm still trying to make that manifest. I think it's an odd enough combination, but I think that both of us are able to diversify. I have a lot of respect for her individuality, the daring to be different. And of course, everyone loves 'Poker Face.'"

T.I., real name, Clifford Harris, Jr., spent much of 2009 behind bars for weapons possession.

Norte Dame's arrested players on short leash

CHICAGO -- Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly's reach goes well beyond the football field. It has to, because his new job demands it.




Well-traveled from meeting Fighting Irish alumni and fans across the country, he knows how his past successes and ability to transform programs at Grand Valley State, Central Michigan and Cincinnati have ramped up the expectations for a storied program hoping to be a championship contender again.



"I took the job knowing that full well," Kelly said Saturday before a fundraiser for his foundation that supports breast cancer research.



"We know what is expected when it comes to Notre Dame football. It had a national following from coast to coast. ... I understand the enormous task and responsibility of the position or I wouldn't have taken it. But I don't think I get caught up every day thinking about it either," he said.

Kelly made it clear Saturday he was not happy with eight of his players who were arrested last weekend for underage drinking at a party in South Bend, Ind.

"We're certainly disappointed that some of our players didn't make good decisions," Kelly said. "We hold them accountable for their actions on a day-to-day basis, just like any parent would for a 17- to 21-year-old. So yeah, we take that serious."

Among the 11 athletes arrested were backup quarterback Nate Montana, wide receivers Robby Toma and Tai-ler Jones, linebacker Steve Filer, kicker Nick Tausch, cornerback Lo Wood and offensive linemen Chris Watt and Tate Nichols;

Kelly said he met with the team last Sunday to make sure his players knew how he felt about the situation.

"I think with a little bit more time with them, I think they are going to make better choices next time around," he said, adding the players involved would be on short leashes.

"I'm thankful it wasn't an event that was larger in scale that could have been catastrophic," he said. "Our players clearly know that I'm not happy about reading about Notre Dame in the newspaper when it comes to things like this."

While Kelly is in Chicago -- about a 90-minute drive from Notre Dame's South Bend campus -- he's scheduled to visit Wrigley Field and throw out the ceremonial first pitch before the Cubs' game against the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday night.

Kelly will also lead the crowd in the singing of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" during the seventh inning stretch. He said he's more worried about the singing than the pitching.


As for his team, which starts preseason practice in two weeks, Kelly knows his team must make a quick carry-over from what it did in spring practice learning his system, especially on offense where the Irish will employ a no-huddle, hurry-up spread attack.

It also requires strong play from the quarterback, both physically and mentally. Dayne Crist, who played in four games as backup last season to Jimmy Clausen before hurting his knee, is the starter.

But behind Crist the Irish are even more inexperienced with Montana and four freshmen.

"We got to keep Dayne healthy," Kelly said. "That's the one that keeps me up. There's no question, not having a guy that's got a couple of years experience, even in a part-time role, is unusual for me. ... We've got zero of that."

Notre Dame starts its season Sept. 4 at home against Purdue, and no one knows if that is enough time for the Irish to adjust to their new coaching staff and new system.

Don't expect Kelly to use any of that as an excuse.

"I've just never worked that way, never been wired to go in and say listen, give us a couple more years," he said. "I think I always operate with a sense or urgency. And there's no clearer understanding than there's a sense or urgency at Notre Dame right now."





Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

Sunday, July 25, 2010

St. Louis Rams Interested in T.O.

The St. Louis Rams have intensified discussions in hopes of signing free agent Terrell Owens, according to sources close to the player and team.



The Rams asked Owens through his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, if he would consider a serious contract proposal, even though they are not considered a playoff contender. Rosenhaus told the team Owens would definitely consider it, sources said.





A high-ranking Rams official said a formal offer for Owens could come on Monday.



The Rams believe Owens would take heat off their young wide receiver corps that includes Donnie Avery, Laurent Robinson and rookie Mardy Gilyard, as well as loosen up opposing defenses from focusing on running back Steven Jackson.



The Cincinnati Bengals, as reported by ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter, are also engaged in talks with Owens. The Bengals signed free-agent receiver Antonio Bryant during the offseason but Bryant has struggled so far. According to a team source, that has motivated the Bengals to take another look at Owens.



One source said the Rams have gotten very aggressive in their pursuit of Owens and it's possible that Owens will sign with the Rams or Bengals within the next 48 to 72 hours.



However, the Bengals still have given no indication they're ready to offer a contract. They want to get a good look at their young wide receivers and have five preseason games to do it. They need some of those guys to play special teams. Chad Ochocinco, Bryant and Owens would not be special teams-type guys, so it's uncertain how quickly the Bengals would react if they sensed he was about to sign with someone else.



Quarterback Carson Palmer is definitely pushing for Owens, however, and there is quite a bit of concern over Bryant's performance in the offseason after the Bengals signed him to a four-year, $28 million free-agent deal.


The Atlanta Falcons are among teams clearly parked on the other side of the T.O. fence.

"I don't think [we'll show an interest in Owens]," Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff said during a radio interview that included ESPN.com NFL reporter Len Pasquarelli as a guest host. "We like the guys we have. No, I don't see us doing that."


Chris Mortensen is ESPN's senior NFL analyst.

WTF of the day: Woman Robs McDonalds Wearing Undies as a Mask

Fantasy Football 2010 :Top 20 Ranked Quarterbacks

It's been over a month since I've delivered my first fantasy football 2010 rankings in mid-June, so I (with the help of Fanhouse.com) am bringing you a week of updated rankings. These may be your newest cheat sheets, but they won't be your last, so keep checking in with me throughout the preseason.




Mock drafts are currently designating Kevin Kolb as a stud quarterback as soon as this year, and I've seen the Philadelphia quarterback picked right after the clearly defined top two tiers of quarterbacks. Our guys are being a little more cautious with Kolb's ascension to greatness, so if you really want Kolb as part of your fantasy squad, you'll have to reach a bit higher than we would. There's nothing wrong with that (after all, you're the one who has to live with your fantasy team all season), just don't reach too high and draft Kolb before filling other needs.



2010 Top 20 Fantast Football Ranknings (Courtesy of Fanhouse.com)


1. Aaron Rodgers, Packers

2. Drew Brees, Saints

3. Peyton Manning, Colts

4. Matt Schaub, Texans

5. Tom Brady, Patriots

6. Tony Romo, Cowboys

7. Philip Rivers, Chargers

8. Matt Ryan, Falcons

9. Donovan McNabb, Redskins

10. Brett Favre, Vikings

11. Jay Cutler, Bears

12. Kevin Kolb, Eagles

13. Eli Manning, Giants

14. Joe Flacco, Ravens

15. Matthew Stafford, Lions

16. Chad Henne, Dolphins
17. Carson Palmer, Bengals

18. Alex Smith, 49ers

19. Vince Young, Titans
 
20. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

M.I.A. Hopes To Finish Immigration Woes Before Wedding

M.I.A. refuses to have a "quickie wedding" to mend her immigration woes in America - because she dreams of a grand ceremony when she marries fiance Benjamin Bronfman.




The London-born hip-hop star has previously been locked out of her adopted America over visa issues, brought about by controversial comments she has made about conflict in her parents' native Sri Lanka and her father's alleged links to terrorist group the Tamil Tigers, but now she's back in New York she has been advised not to leave until the immigration problems are solved.

And she's not taking the easy route to get a green card by planning a wedding to Bronfman, the father of her 16-month-old son Ikhyd.

She tells Fader magazine, "That's what they want me to do, but I'm not going to lose my integrity for that s**t... I actually want a nice wedding. I'm not going to blow that.

"If they're gonna kick me out, it's going to be a fight, it's an important fight to have."

In the meantime, M.I.A., real name Mathangi Arulpragasam, insists immigration officials are mistaken about her father: "He negotiated peace processes, brought in the new army, and when he goes to Sri Lanka, the government gives him security against the Tigers."

More College Football Diasters!!: Alabama and Florida Now Under Investagation








Former Florida standout offensive lineman Maurkice Pouncey is denying allegations that he accepted $100,000 from a player agent before last season's Allstate Sugar Bowl.




Florida is internally investigating what sources described as an allegation that a representative of an agent paid Pouncey between the Gators' loss to Alabama in the Southeastern Conference championship game and their season-ending Sugar Bowl victory over Cincinnati.



NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith explains the NFLPA's stance against agents acting improperly with college players. Plus, he updates the latest on the collective bargaining talks.

On Wednesday, Pouncey, through attorney Stephen Stanfield, issued a two-sentence statement denying the allegation.

"I did not accept $100,000, it is an absolutely ridiculous claim. I have completely cooperated with the investigation and answered any and all questions put to me," he said.

On Monday, Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley told ESPN.com the university was made aware of the situation in June, reported it to law enforcement and shared what it knew with the NCAA and the SEC. "At this time we have no information that has indicated that there are any compliance issues for the University of Florida," he said.

The NCAA on Monday acknowledged it was working with the university but declined further comment.



Pouncey left Florida after his junior year and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Two sources briefed on the anonymous letter sent to Florida told ESPN's Joe Schad that it was postmarked in Canada. Two sources also told Schad that the letter was accompanied by photographic evidence of an alleged runner for an agent in social situations with Pouncey and his brother Mike, including at two awards shows.



Mike Pouncey will be a senior offensive lineman with the Gators next season.



The sources told Schad that the Pounceys have provided phone, bank and credit card statements that do not show any large payments. Two sources added that Maurkice Pouncey said he paid for a Cadillac Escalade and jewelry after the NFL draft with a deferred line of credit and did at times lend the Escalade to Mike in Gainesville, Fla.

The Pouncey investigation is the latest in a series of agent-related inquiries making ripples in college football.

Sources told ESPN last week that NCAA investigators have interviewed North Carolina players, including defensive end Marvin Austin, about attending a party hosted by a player agent in Miami Beach earlier this summer. South Carolina tight end Weslye Saunders also confirmed to ESPN on Sunday that he recently spoke with NCAA investigators about the same party. And Alabama is now looking at whether highly-rated defensive lineman Marcel Dareus attended the party as well.


North Carolina announced last week that an NCAA investigation is under way at the school, and subsequent media reports have tied it to alleged agent interaction with multiple players.

South Carolina athletic director Eric Hyman says the NCAA is investigating a possible rules violation of one of its athletic programs.



ESPN college football reporter Joe Schad and ESPN.com senior writer Pat Forde contributed to this report.

Heisman Trophy Trust to Discuss "Bush Situation"

The Heisman Trophy Trust says it will "consider the issues" raised surrounding USC's decision to return its copy of the Heisman Trophy that Reggie Bush won in 2005.




In a brief statement, the trust, which will hold a previously scheduled meeting on Tuesday, announced that it was looking into the matter, but did not indicate what action it might or might not take with regards to Bush's copy of the award.



"The Trust will be considering the issues raised in the USC/Reggie Bush matter, and after reaching a decision will publish it, but due to the complex issues involved and the Trust's desire to reach an appropriate decision, no definitive timetable has been established," the trust said. "Until the matter has been fully considered and a decision is reached, the Trust has no further comment."

USC To Clean House: Mike Garrett and Bush's Heisman First To Go

LOS ANGELES -- USC is cleaning house in its tarnished athletic department, throwing out much of what got the school in severe NCAA trouble.

Athletic director Mike Garrett and Reggie Bush's Heisman Trophy are the first two items to go.



n a letter to school supporters Tuesday, incoming USC president Max Nikias said Garrett will be replaced Aug. 3 by Pat Haden, the former Trojans quarterback who became a successful businessman and a member of USC's board of trustees. The school also will return its copy of Bush's trophy to the Heisman Trust, among several measures to disassociate itself from the tainted tailback.

The NCAA cited Garrett's administration for a lack of institutional control while slapping the school with heavy sanctions last month, but Haden believes he can change the culture of a program that has been wildly successful and heavily scrutinized over the past decade.

"We're going to do better," said Haden, also the color analyst on NBC's Notre Dame broadcasts for the past decade. "We have to do better. We don't have any choices here. We stub our toe, there's going to be some problems."

USC was hit with four years of probation, a two-year bowl ban and severe football scholarship restrictions after the NCAA found serious rules violations in the athletic department, primarily around the football and men's basketball teams. Most involved illegal benefits for Bush and O.J. Mayo, the talented basketball player who spent just one season at USC.







Reggie Bush has not been asked to give back his copy of the Heisman Trophy. But USC's copy will be returned next month.

Haden said the school's plan to get rid of nearly all references to Bush and Mayo -- right down to scrubbing their images from school murals and removing Bush's No. 5 jersey in its place of honor in the lobby of Heritage Hall -- are all part of the NCAA's directive to disassociate the school from the athletes.


Bush's Heisman has been on display alongside the trophies won by Garrett, O.J. Simpson, Matt Leinart, Carson Palmer, Charles White and Marcus Allen. It was still in place Tuesday, but will be gone by the time students show up on campus next month.                                                                                                                             




Bush still has his own Heisman Trophy. The Heisman Trophy Trust has not taken any action against Bush or made any request to have him return his copy of the trophy.



Though he doesn't start his new job until Aug. 3, Nikias is already at work reforming the Trojans' image.

"The Trojan Family honors and respects the USC sporting careers of those persons whose actions did not compromise their athletic program or the opportunities of future USC student-athletes," Nikias said.

After pledging support for new football coach Lane Kiffin, Haden said he realizes the enormity of his task in restoring credibility to USC, where the NCAA found numerous violations during the tenures of football coach Pete Carroll and men's hoops coach Tim Floyd. After twice telling Nikias he didn't want to be considered for the job, Haden agreed to take it last week.

"We want to compete ferociously and win in every sport, but we want to do it ethically and within the rules," said Haden, a former Rhodes Scholar who became a venture capitalist after an NFL career with the Los Angeles Rams. "We're going to have a culture of compliance around here. Every meeting is going to start with the No. 1 item as compliance. ... We're going to try to be perfect. When we make mistakes, we're going to fess up, and we're going to try to do better next time."





ESPN.com's Bruce Feldman says this is a symbolic move by USC to give back Reggie Bush's Heisman Trophy. Feldman says the NCAA needs to better teach players about how to deal with agents.



The 66-year-old Garrett has been the Trojans' athletic director for 17 years, but he received caustic criticism for his handling of USC's scandals. The school didn't say whether Garrett retired or had been fired.

"He will always be held in the highest esteem by all Trojans, not only for his exploits on the playing field but as a leader, mentor, teacher and a driving force behind USC's student-athletics," Nikias said.

Both Garrett and Haden are former USC football players. Garrett won the Heisman Trophy in 1965, while Haden was the Trojans' starting quarterback for three years in the 1970s under coach John McKay.

Haden also said he'll hire McKay's son, J.K., as an associate athletic director to serve as his liaison to the football program. McKay and Haden played together at USC and have been best friends for over 40 years.

It's a tough job, because you can only do so much, and there are people out there who are trying to get to your guys every day," said McKay, an attorney who served as general manager with the XFL's Los Angeles franchise. "We're going to do our best to make sure nobody can question our effort on compliance."
USC ordered this display of Reggie Bush to be removed (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)


USC's new president has ordered displays honoring Reggie Bush, such as this one, and O.J. Mayo to be taken down.

A few months after abruptly leaving Tennessee to return to USC, Kiffin's self-described dream job has changed drastically. He must rebuild the Trojans under probation and scholarship limitations -- and now Kiffin is working for a boss who didn't hire him. Yet Kiffin, whose staff was cited for several minor NCAA violations during his 14 months at Tennessee, looked tanned and relaxed when he walked through Heritage Hall on Tuesday afternoon.

"He is my coach, and I love my coach," Haden said. "I think he's going to be successful here. J.K. McKay is committed to doing it right, and I think Lane is, too. I don't want to say we're not going to have any issues. We will. We're going to have guys whispering in our guys' ears, but we're going to do our best. I don't think we're going to have a problem with compliance with Lane. I think he knows where we're coming from."

Garrett has been mostly unapologetic in the face of the Trojans' NCAA problems, even saying last month that the NCAA's ruling revealed "a lot of envy" of the Trojans. Two weeks ago, Garrett was forced to send a letter of apology to five schools after falsely accusing them of breaking NCAA rules by contacting star tailback recruit Dillon Baxter about transferring.

While praising Garrett's work in rebuilding the USC football program and shepherding construction of the Galen Center basketball arena on campus, Nikias said the USC athletic department under his presidency "will seek to excel in the coming years in a manner that is consistent with the highest values" of the school.

Garrett initially received praise for unexpectedly hiring Carroll, who led a dominant decade for the Trojans' football team, including seven Pac-10 titles and two national championships. Carroll left USC earlier this year to take over the Seattle Seahawks.

"Wish pat haden the very best in taking over as USC AD!" Carroll wrote on his Twitter account. "I'll support in any way. Congrats!"



Information from ESPN college football reporter Joe Schad and The Associated Press was used in this report.