Ben Maller's odd notes and stuff
by FOXSports.com
NBA star works with J-Lo, Kim Kardashian's fitness guru
Carmelo Anthony again spent time this past summer with Beverly Hills-based Gunnar Peterson, fitness guru to such personalities as Jennifer Lopez, Kim Kardashian and Hugh Jackman. His six-week program there, in addition to work with the Nuggets' training staff, led to a drop in body fat from 8.6 to seven percent and a drop in weight from 240 pounds to 228. It has gotten to the point where former Heat guard Anthony Carter, now a Nuggets reserve, has taken to calling Anthony "Slim." -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel .....Ben's Take: Melo has aslo seen improved singing ability in the shower, a bigger booty and the need to get his own reality TV show.
WWE-branded TV channel in the works?
A strong boost in attendance at the live events that World Wrestling Entertainment produced overseas during the last three months helped the company post a 69% increase in profits during the third quarter. A growth in viewership around the world has encouraged the company to pursue the creation of its own WWE-branded TV channel, whose programming would be made up of original series and packages of its vast library of footage featuring its stable of wrestlers. The company said it is in the "preliminary evaluation stage" of the venture but declined to disclose further details. WWE hopes the new channel will not only generate more coin for the company's coffers but also attract new fans to its events and four weekly TV shows that currently air on USA Network, MyNetworkTV, Syfy and WGN America. Ratings were up 23% for those shows during the recent quarter. -- Variety .....Ben's Take: USA Network execs are getting sick at this idea.
Comcast could rival ESPN in TV Sports battle?
The widely reported possibility that Comcast will take over NBC Universal raises lots of new TV sports scenarios, including the fun notion that it would be big enough to pick a fair fight with the omnivorous ESPN. Comcast, the USA's largest cable TV operator, made a surprise (and unsuccessful) takeover bid for ESPN parent Disney in 2004 in hopes of creating the world's biggest media company. If it can get NBCU, the General Electric division that includes NBC and its various cable channels, it could shake up TV sports. For starters, Comcast's national sports channels -- The Golf Channel and Versus -- might provide more outlets for what NBC already has. Letting Johnny Miller air it out on TGC during NBC's U.S. Open might be interesting, and Versus could give NBC yet another cable TV platform for its Olympic TV tonnage. -- USA Today .....Ben's Take: I'll believe it when it happens. The Roman Empire of TV sports isn't going down anytime soon.
Khloe Kardashian & Lamar Odom practicing for family
Newlyweds Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom are already practicing for their future family, thanks to the help of friends with little ones of their own. RadarOnline.com caught up with actress & former MTV host La La Vasquez on the set of CSI: NY, where she's filming a guest spot alongside Khloe's sister Kim and fellow MTV hottie Vanessa Minnillo. "We have a joke, " La La said of close friend Khloe, "that she's got to take [La La's son] Kiyan for a few days to practice. They'll be begging me to give him back!" While she said the couple do jokingly discuss having their own brood, right now their enjoying wedded bliss. -- Radar Online .....Ben's Take: Why do I get the feeling that Khloe will have a kid with Lamar if they need it for a storyline on her reality TV show.
College basketball game to be played at 6 a.m. for TV
What's happening Nov. 17 takes ESPN's power over college sports to unprecedented levels. Determined to air 24 consecutive hours of live college basketball for the first time, ESPN went looking for schools willing to play a regular-season men's game at 6 a.m., 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. It didn't take long to find takers. St. Peter's agreed to play host to Monmouth at 6 a.m. that day (a Tuesday), and Drexel agreed to play at Niagara at 8 a.m. It marks the first time ESPN will air a live college game at 6 a.m. or 8 a.m. Clemson will play at Liberty at 10 a.m. The 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. games will start at 11 p.m. in the states they're being played (California and Hawaii). There are two ways of looking at the ridiculously early start times: Either it's great for the schools because it provides national exposure and gives the students a unique experience. Or it's lousy because it inconveniences lots of people on a work/school day. -- Miami Herald .....Ben's Take: So much for protecting the "student athletes," doing what's best for them.
Andy Roddick moving to Brooklyn?
Andy Roddick and model wife Brooklyn Decker are condo shopping in -- where else? -- Brooklyn. They were spotted looking at several apartments at J Condominium in DUMBO, a 33-story riverfront building near the Manhattan Bridge. Sources said they "are looking for a Brooklyn apartment to complement their Texas spread and didn't want to buy in Manhattan." The pads feature floor-to-ceiling glass windows and views of the skyline. -- NY Post
Former NBA star Kevin Johnson engaged to ex-D.C. schools chief
To say that Michelle Rhee and Kevin Johnson rolled out their relationship carefully is an understatement. Last winter, the D.C. schools chief declined to say whether she and the mayor of Sacramento -- a longtime friend and close political ally -- were dating. Not even after we saw them holding hands during the inauguration! ("I don't comment on my personal life," she said at the time.) But seems as though they're officially a couple now. In fact, she confirmed for us, they're engaged. Rhee, 39, spoke Wednesday night at a Democrats for Education Reform/DC School Reform Now event downtown, and a pretty sparkly thing on her left hand caught the eye of more than one audience member. Seems fitting, since this is a relationship we've largely followed via sightings of the two at various policy-wonk confabs. -- Washington Post .....Ben's Take: The new power couple of politics? K.J. has his eyes on Washington, D.C., down the line.
Manny Pacquiao graces Time magazine cover
Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao was lined up with other boxing greats like Joe Louis, Max Schmeling, Sugar Ray Robinson, Joe Frazier, and Muhammad Ali as he appears on the cover of Time Magazine Asia. Manny Pacquiao is the second non-heavyweigth professional boxer to be featured in the cover of well-respected magazine. With this, he is also the second Filipino to appear on the cover of Time since former President Corazon Aquino, who was named Time Magazine's "Woman of the Year" in 1986. -- Daily Contributor
Kirsten Dunst supports Yankees
Kirsten Dunst sported a Yankees hat at Cabin on the lower East Side -- but declined a celebratory drink. -- NY Daily News
A-Rod gets second chance on Madison Avenue
Corporate sponsors haven't beaten down his door before, but Alex Rodriguez may have a shot at turning his world championship ring into marketing gold. His endorsement appeal was weak, thanks to a steroid scandal, pictures of him squiring around a stripper and resentment over his huge contract. Now Madison Avenue is taking a fresh look at the much-maligned Yankees' third baseman after he lowered his tabloid profile and raised his game in the World Series. Marketing experts said the win is A-Rod's best shot yet at moving beyond the baseball field. -- NY Post .....Ben's Take: A-Rod will probably do anything to sell a product. He's a heck of a liar, just ask Katie Couric.
GLAAD upset with WWE's Chris Jericho
GLAAD isn't buyin' Chris Jericho's apology for using anti-gay and racist slurs at a recent event -- in fact, the gay rights group is going after the wrestler for being "insincere and worn." Jarrett Barrios -- president of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation -- tells TMZ: "Just three months ago Chris Jericho's boss and WWE Chairman Vince McMahon acknowledged to GLAAD that words matter. There is no time, context or occasion in which it is acceptable to utter racist and anti-gay slurs. Jericho's hollow apology 'if (he) offended anyone' is a template used by many and is insincere and worn." -- TMZ
Phillies postseason apparel headed overseas
Although the Phillies didn't win the 2009 World Series, they'll be seen as victors in another part of the world, due to the continued partnership of Major League Baseball and World Vision to provide unsalable, postseason MLB-licensed apparel to children and families in need overseas. MLB will donate World Series merchandise that can't be used in the U.S., since it was produced announcing the Phillies as the winners in order to be prepared for market demand. The Phillies' World Series merchandise will be packaged immediately and shipped to World Vision. World Vision will ship and distribute the World Series goods to impoverished people in the developing world, many of whom have never owned a new article of clothing in their lives. In recent weeks, World Vision has received 1,300 pieces of Angels' and Dodgers' apparel donated to World Vision after the American League and National League Championship Series. -- World Vision .....Ben's Take: You know some guy in South Philadelphia wants to jump in a plane to Indonesia and get a "Phillies Back-to-Back World Series Champs" T-shirt.
Onion Sports Network coming to Comedy Central
Comedy Central has ordered a pilot from The Onion for a half-hour, scripted comedy series based on its popular Onion Sports Network online video series, as announced by Lauren Corrao, president, original programming and development, Comedy Central. The as-yet untitled series will take on the whole universe of modern sports -- teams, players, leagues, sycophantic fans, ridiculous products and over-hyped sports coverage -- with an eye towards appealing to sports fanatics and more casual fans, as well as long-time followers of The Onion and The Onion News Network. -- PR Newswire .....Ben's Take: This show could be great, depending on the production value. Most of these shows have been nickel-and-dimmed over the years.
DWI racing chair sells for a $30,000 loss
The famous DWI racing chair just sold for a respectable $10,099.99 on eBay -- but it's a far cry from the $43,000 bid that was placed on Monday ... when the La-Z-Boy corporation busted in and ruined everything. The La-Z-Boy head honchos were pissed because the incredible machine was being sold under their trademarked name -- so the company killed the Proctor Minnesota Police Department's first attempt to sell the chair earlier this week. The chair was re-listed the day after the cancellation without the La-Z-Boy named attached -- but the damage was done ... as the bidding frenzy fizzled out last night a whopping $32,900.01 below the original highest offer. -- TMZ
Yanks' Derek Jeter drinks Ace of Spades champagne
Yankee captain Derek Jeter, meanwhile, drank pricey Ace of Spades champagne with girlfriend Minka Kelly and pitching ace CC Sabathia. -- NY Post
Yankees World Series trophy worth $7,750
The World Series trophy is made of sterling silver with a gold overlay. The 30-pound prize includes a solid base that holds 30 gold-plated flags representing each MLB team. Interestingly, the Commissioner's Trophy is the only championship trophy in the four major U.S. sports that is not named after a specific person. Certified appraisers at Cash4Gold's state-of-the-art processing facility have estimated the melt value at around $7,750. Melt value refers to the actual precious metals content included in an item and does not account for artistic, historic, or sentimental value. -- PR Newswire
NBA coach nicknames player a "parasite"
Timberwolves coach Kurt Rambis has a name for the kind of player Oleksiy Pecherov is, or is on his way toward becoming. "The term I use is a parasite," Rambis said. Let Rambis explain before you get this mental image of some creature that populates gastro-intestinal tracts. "A lot of guys in the league are parasites," he said. "They survive off the creative ability of other players. Other players collapse defenses and kick the ball out to them, or it's our offense that creates the shot for them. It's not a matter of putting the ball in their hands and they create a shot for us. He's not at that stage." -- Star Tribune
Yankees sprayed each other with A-Rod's favorite Armand de Brignac Champagne
The Yankees didn't just spray each other with Alex Rodriguez' favorite Armand de Brignac Champagne in their World Series locker room celebration, they also had two giant methuselahs (each containing the equivalent of eight bottles) to drink. -- NY Post
Jayson Williams' spiral traced to sisters' deaths
It was reported last week on former bas ketball star Jayson Williams' problems -- personal problems, money problems, drinking problems, court problems, professional problems. Somebody suggested his spiral began when, due to needle sharing, he lost two sisters to AIDS. Angry, feeling orphaned, he never dealt with it. He runs from anything painful. Turning all his hurts inside, he masks the demons with bad stuff. Possibly even the wife and kids he loved may scare him emotionally because, having lost his sisters, he's afraid of losing them, too. There seems agreement with his divorcing wife, Tanya, that he needs to be corralled to face what's tearing at him. -- NY Post
NFL TV ratings are soaring this season
TV ratings for NFL games this season are up 15 percent from last season and are at a 20-year high for this point in a season; average television viewership is 17.2 million per game, according to the league. Through Sunday, 11 of the 12 most-watched sporting events since the Super Bowl in February were NFL games. Even with the Washington Redskins' struggles, all seven of their games have been the highest-rated shows in the D.C. area in the weeks in which they aired. -- Washington Post
Kate Hudson helps A-Rod celebrate Yankees' World Series win
After his team won their 27th World Series Thursday - beating the Philadelphia Phillies 7-3 - New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez and Kate Hudson hit NYC hot spot 10ak -- along with Rodriguez's mom, Lourdes Navarro, and his sister, Suzy. They celebrated alongside Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter and his girlfriend Minka Kelly. Rodriguez, 34, and Hudson, 30, "got there at 2 a.m., but Kate left after a half-hour while A-Rod stayed close to 5 am.," a source tells Usmagazine.com. "Minka and Derek seemed really happy, as did they all, and didn't leave until 5 as well." -- US Magazine
Tommy Lasorda to sign bottles of Lasorda Wines in Philadelphia
Tommy Lasorda, a Norristown native, baseball Hall of Famer and manager of the two-time World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, will meet fans and sign bottles of his Lasorda Wines on Wednesday, Nov. 11, at the Pennsylvania Wine & Spirits Store in Philadelphia. -- PR Newswire
Former NBA star Gheorghe Muresan enjoys coffee and coke
Gheorghe Muresan, the former Bullets star and still big Wizards booster, having both a coffee and a Coke on the patio of the Occidental on Thursday. -- Washington Post
Shakeup at St. Louis FM sports talker
Pat Parris is out at WXOS, the first major deletion to the lineup since the station joined the all-sport radio battle in January. He had been working with Post-Dispatch sports columnist Bryan Burwell in the 9 a.m.-noon slot and they had the top market share at that time among the three major sports stations' target demographic -- men ages 25-54. And they were No. 5 overall on the sports-banter list. Still, they had 101.1 FM's lowest-rated show. Sources said station management didn't like their chemistry and bought out Parris' contract. "Pat was a valuable member of our team and played an important part in our success the past 10 months,'' WXOS program director Jason Barrett said. "I am personally grateful for the opportunity to have worked with him and truly appreciate the commitment and professionalism he brought to our building." -- St. Louis Post-Dispatch
San Diego TV sportscaster dropped after 19 years
These are not easy times in any business, especially in the media, and the latest casualty is Jim Stone. The No. 2 sports guy at KNSD Channel 7/39 for the last 19 1/2 years, Stone will work his final anchor shifts on Friday night's newscasts. He'll report on the Chargers' games the next two Sundays and then be off the air, and that's too bad. "My contract is up but they termed it a layoff," Stone said Thursday after clearing out his office at KNSD's downtown studio. -- San Diego Union-Tribune
Phillies greeted by 200 fans after losing World Series
As the Phillies reached the top of an escalator in 30th Street Station yesterday, they were faced with the statue of an angel holding up the limp body of a fallen man. They were also faced with a throng of about 200 fans who, like that angel, held up their tired team - not with their arms but with their voices. -- Philadelphia Daily News
Jeremy Mayfield selling real estate and personal property at public auction
Jeremy & Shana Mayfield along with Mayfield Motorsports, Inc. have contracted with Iron Horse Auction Company, Inc. for a public auction of real estate and personal assets. The real estate consist of 475+/- Acres with a 13,000+/- Sq. Ft. executive home, 3,000+/- Sq. Ft. ranch home, 1,800+/- Sq. Ft. log cabin, 21 stall equine facility, 6,200+/- Sq. Ft. shop and numerous sheds with electricity. The personal items include heavy equipment, luxury vehicles, guns, race helmets, driver suits, shop tools, metal working equipment, tractors, motorcycles, ATVs, a 2000 Allegra Motor Coach and much, much more. -- PR Newswire
NASCAR's Joey Logano: I never watched wrestling as a kid
Joey Logano on his WWE experience. "Hosting WWE Raw on Oct. 26 was a new experience for me. I never watched wrestling when I was a kid. It was interesting, though, and I was excited about how it happened and how it played out. It was pretty funny. Kyle and I were joking about it because we were pretty nervous being in the ring. But it was pretty cool to go out there in the middle of the ring and say a couple words and have people go crazy. The fans were screaming and yelling, which was pretty neat. And I met a few of the wrestlers, too, and all of them were pretty cool." -- Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Listen to Ben Maller this weekend on the vast Fox Sports Radio Network. Ben's shows broadcast live from 1am till 6am (est) Saturday and Sunday's. Check your local radio listings for the FSR affiliate in your town, listen to XM Satellite Radio Channel No. 142 or online at FoxSportsRadio.com Say hi to Ben at Facebook.com/benmaller. Get special rumor updates and follow the life and times of Ben Maller on Twitter at Twitter.com/benmaller Interact with Big Ben's fans and talk sports on Ben Maller's forum Questions, comments and news tips can be sent to Ben via e mail at Ben@BenMaller.com.
Add a comment
advertisement
