Wednesday’s Line
July 11th, 2007, 1:50 pm by patrickdonohueChecking in a little late today as things are busy here at the Log. I didn’t watch a single minute of last night’s All-Star Game instead opting for almost three hours of Kathy Griffin’s My Life on the D-List (this should indicate my level of hatred towards Major League Baseball and all baseball related activities). Griffin’s show does an incredible job of making its otherwise unlikable star incredibly likable. The opposite can be saud for Bravo’s new Paula Abdul-based reality show, “Hey Paula.” I would imagine this show appeals to the same people that loved the weekly trainwreck “Being Bobby Brown.” All I needed to see was an ridiculously over-medicated Paula Abdul browbeat her two personal assistants about not packing the right sweatpants for a flight out of LAX. Did I really need another reason not to like Paula Abdul? Well now I have a weekly reminder of the dangers of popping prescription drugs like chicklets. If you watch that show regularly and love it, I’d suggest meeting with a therapist.
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No, seriously…
A city in China has set up a bounty for dead flies.
A home in Massachusetts where vultures roost year-round is for sale, can’t imagine why.
I don’t even have the words to describe this story.
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In the biggest news of the day, the Oklahoma football team will forfeit the entire 2005 season due to NCAA-placed sanctions on the program stemming from the dismal of starting quarterback Rhett Bomar and O-lineman J.D. Quinn from the team for getting paid to not work at a Norman, Okla. car dealership.
The head of the NFL players union is making $6.7 million last year and is still not afraid to break a few necks.
The Sabres are in the works to play an outdoor game at Ralph Wilson Stadium.
A great piece from the Chicago Sun-Times’ Greg Couch on the night that ended Tank Johnson’s career with the Bears.
Michigan ends its 13-year marriage to Nike; will wear Adidas starting in ‘08.
College football coaches are gearing up for the start of summer practice by tweaking and finalizing their playbooks.
The Baton Rouge Advocate’s Scott Rabalais on the comments made by LSU’s Les Miles about the Pac-10 and USC. Here’s what I don’t like that college football fans everywhere do. You can’t compare games and outcomes. You can’t compare what happened when USC played Notre Dame and when LSU played Notre Dame. A team can be completely different depending on when you played them. It’s hard not to wonder what would have happened to Michigan State (and to its former head coach John L. Smith) if they didn’t completely fold against Notre Dame in the 4th quarter. Because LSU beat Notre Dame by a similar margin as USC does not mean they were as good as USC was last year because they just weren’t. USC was one brain fart against UCLA from winning another title. And as for Les Miles’ wish to play the Trojans in the National Championship game.. be careful what you wish for, coach.
A well-done piece in the L.A. Times by Sam Farmer on the lives led by NFL head coaches and the effects of the job on their families.
Did you know…. Clippers star Elton Brand was one of the producers of Werner Herzog’s new flick “Rescue Dawn.”
Stewart Mandel’s best and worst coaches in college football.
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Well-rounded news…
The FCC hears from parties on both sides of the aisle over the proposed Sirus/XM Radio merger. There is no conceivable way that this merger can be good for consumers though I wouldn’t mind having all of the NFL games and NFL radio on the XM radio in my car. I’d take some minor price gouging and price fixing for that. Gotta give some some to get some.
Stereogum has recruited some great acts to cover the songs on Radiohead’s classic “OK Computer,” which celebrates its 10 year anniversary this year. Featured are acts like John Vanderslice and Cold War Kids. Oh did I mention, the MP3’s are free.
A pretty illuminating interview with ‘Order of the Phoenix’ screenwriter Michael Goldenberg.
Time’s look at this summer’s best movie marketing ploys.
Wired’s Game Life blog kills any excitement I had about the upcoming Bourne Conspiracy game.
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Best stories of the day
Evel Knievel and Kanye West are attempting to settle a multimillion dollar trademark infringement lawsuit stemming from West’s 2006 video “Touch the Sky” where the rapper played a character named Evel Kanyevel.
Metallica frontman James Hetfield was detained by British authorities at London’s Luton Airport prior to the band’s Live Earth appearance. It is believed he was stopped and questioned because of his “Taliban-like beard.” In related news, drummer Lars Ulrich overheard a baggage handler whistling “Enter Sandman” and sued him.








