Such a heartening sight, seeing Cubs and White Sox fans come together to stomp the shit out of a bothersome fan in their midst. But what could elicit such solidarity? Busted Coverage had the report and video:

The Sox fan near the pole was talking trash from the beginning, so in the 4th inning he started talking about the guy in the Thome Jersey’s “family”…then an old guy stepped up and off they went…

A good minute goes by with no security, the guy gets owned by a bunch of cubs and sox fans.

he still fights the security…continues struggling, as his eye is black and swelling shut, they handcuff him throw his shirt over his head and get him out of there.

Sounds like he had it coming. Next time you’ll think twice about messing with JI

JIM THOME.

Filed under: Magic, Clippers, NBA Rumors

Tonight at midnight (Eastern), the NBA’s free agent negotiating period officially begins. Players that have been long rumored to opt out can do so, teams can start making their moves for those players, and the signings can happen beginning July 9. So not surprisingly, the wacky rumors of who might go where are in full swing, and the one I’d like to discuss at the moment is: Corey Maggette to the Orlando Magic! From the Orlando Sentinel:

Los Angeles Clippers guard Corey Maggette told friends over the weekend that he was encouraging the Orlando Magic to make a competitive offer in free agency, allowing him to return to the team where he started his NBA career nine years ago.

“I think he’d come back in a heartbeat,” said a Maggette friend who is close to both the player and the Magic organization. “It’s something he’d love to see happen.”

Maggette played here as a rookie (1999-00). His parents live in Central Florida. He has often spoken about the possibility of returning to the Magic.

Well, with all that to go on, let’s get the contracts printed, the pens ready, and Maggette booked on the first plane to Orlando on July 9th! Oh, you want me to take a serious look at this rumor? Alright, if I must.

Continue reading Corey Maggette to the Magic?

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Greg Norman and Chris Evert were married last night in one of those subdued $2 million weddings in the Bahamas. The guest list included Bush 41 and Bill Clinton. What, no Jim Everett and Jim Rome? The newlyweds reportedly sold exclusive photo rights to a women’s magazine and, uh, were a little serious about ensuring no one horned in on that.

Norman has virtually taken over the small Commonwealth country for his lavish nuptials with tennis great Chris Evert, renting an entire island and enlisting the Bahamas police force to ensure intruders and the press stayed away.

With guests including former US presidents George Bush Sr and Bill Clinton, authorities on Friday granted a request to ban aircraft from flying over Paradise Island where the wedding was to take place.

Secret service teams assembled on the island and on Friday the resort’s private beach was swarming with uniformed police and security officers.

Police rode buggies and questioned guests of neighbouring resorts who were on the adjacent beach area.

Jeebus. You’d need to be Jason Bourne to crash that one. And for what? They were serving Norman’s own brand of wine. The sea water tastes better than that plonk.

Filed under: Hawks, Wizards, Warriors, NBA Media Watch, NBA Rumors

FanHouse alumnus The Big Lead waxes pessimistic on this summer’s NBA free agent market (retroactively via The Sporting Blog; blame a blurp in the time-space continuum). He calls it mediocre, asserts “the consensus appears to be that there aren’t any franchise-changing players on the market,” and generally dismisses the whole shebang.

No, there’s no LeBron out there. But you don’t think Gilbert Arenas can change a franchise? Josh Smith isn’t a thrilling enough player? And how can you discuss the quality of the pool without even mentioning guys like Monta Ellis, Andre Iguodala, Luol Deng, Ben Gordon or Emeka Okafor? The lack of cap space out there could restrict movement, yeah, and that’d make for a slow month. But the talent available isn’t the reason.

And if we’re going to rip the traditional media for littering their analysis with blatant inaccuracies, then we’re obliged to offer the same for blog posts which aim to be taken seriously. So: Chris Paul won’t be a free agent in 2010, Antawn Jamison was 10th in the league in rebounding last season, Beno Udrih is not a restricted FA and Sacramento cannot match a contract he signs, and Denver will almost assuredly let J.R. Smith go somewhere else assuming he doesn’t sign a lowball offer.

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Despite getting the catchy nickname of “One of the most consistent hitters in the game” by teammate Matt Murton, Aramis Ramirez failed to take advantage of a lead-off double in the 9th by Derrek Lee. With one out and Lee on third, Bobby Jenks forced the Cubbie into grounding out weakly to short when a sac fly would’ve sent the game to extra frames. Carlos Quentin took Carlos Marmol deep in the 7th to put the Pale Hose up 6-5 for good. Today the White Sox try to avenge the sweep at Wrigley earlier this month. Call it a hunch, but the camera may not be checking in with Kerry Wood today.

For The Departed, An Ankiel Sighting- The Cardinals finally solved the noisome riddle that is the Kansas City Royals, getting their first victory in five games against K.C. this year. Rick Ankiel had a two-run homer and Mitchell Boggs allowed one run in six innngs to improve to 3-0.

Tigers Reach .500-hood - Todd Jones did his best to stave it off, but Le Tigre have finally made their way back to a .500 record thanks to a 7-6 win over Colorado that was quite rife with blown saves. Miguel Cabrera knocked a two-run double in the bottom of the 9th off Rockies’ closer Brian Fuentes to make Detroit 14-3 over their last 17 games.

Delcarmen Being Delcarmen - The less celebrated Manny in Boston surrendered three runs in the 8th, including a go-ahead two-run double to Lance Berkman, as the Red Sox fall to the ‘Stros 11-10. Berkman started the game 0-3 with three strikeouts against starter Jon Lester, but came back with two instrumental hits about Lester was pulled. Boston wasted four-hit games by Mike Lowell and Dustin Pedroia.

Filed under: Los Angeles, Washington, DC, Soccer, MLS

I feel Luciano Emilio’s Gonzalo Martinez’s pain, man. When I was 13, I ran up to block a corner kick and took a shot right to the crotch — just like the D.C. United striker did here as he attempted to block David Beckham’s cross into the box yesterday in D.C.’s 4-1 home thrashing of the L.A. Galaxy. But did anyone think to squirt water down my shorts? No. We didn’t have any magic spray back then, either. Horrible.

Y’know, if there had been some Australians in the announcer’s booth, they would have had more fun with this.

(H/T: Awful Announcing)

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Well met, ESPN copy editors. Yesterday, we got a “brilliant burst” of a running Hooker and today we get a Gay in heat. So salacious, these running trials. Jesuth Chritht!

Incidentally, the Tee Hee Part 2 tag has been banned from all University of Maryland sporting events.

Filed under: MLB Live Blogging, Chat

Hi there. We’re the MLB FanHouse, and we like to party. We like. We like to party.

Join us for an all-encompassing chat — it’s not really a party, but it’s kind of close — after the jump.

Continue reading MLB FanHouse Chat, 1 p.m.

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What you missed while AAAAWWWWWWW

Filed under: NCAA Basketball Media Watch, NBA Draft, NBA Media Watch, NBA Prospects, Featured Stories, The Word

During the NBA Draft last week, Jay Bilas took pains to avoid using his favorite words when talking about the draftees: “long” and “upside.” It wasn’t because the folks at ESPN told him that his overuse of the words had become annoying and tiresome. No. He just wanted to keep people from getting too tanked that night ($).

I am aware of the drinking games that are based upon the use of such terms, and I did my level best to reduce binge drinking across the country. We all have to do what we can. Instead of “long,” I used the terms “length,” “stretch,” “elongated,” “extend” and the ever-popular “considerable linear extent in space.” With one player, I stated that his arms “extend beyond normal or moderate limits.”

The draft day drinking games featuring Bilas have been around for a few years. I doubt his direct avoidance of those words did much to slow it down. Especially with the other talking heads around him happily picking up the slack.

Still, that Bilas acknowledges the games are played, and actually has something approaching a sense of humor about it is a welcome thing. Most wouldn’t admit to it, or at best might mention it in passing if pushed on a radio show. Instead Bilas came out with it on his own.

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