Sports Scandals

The Paterno Family's Self-Serving Report Is Right About the NCAA

The rehabilitation of Joe Paterno's image -- which began with Joe Posnanski's white-washing biography, Paterno -- continues with Sunday's release of a 238-page report commissioned by the Paterno family and compiled by former U.S. Attorney General Richard Thornburgh. I've not yet read the report and ... More >>

Now That The MLB Is Involved, A-Rod's Career May Be In Jeopardy

So, it seems as if Alex Rodriguez might be screwed. As a little background, our sister paper, the Miami New Times, published a scathing cover story last week about a Miami-based drug clinic, Biogenesis, that allegedly provided steroids to a murderer's row of athletes, including boxers, tennis play ... More >>

A-Rod's Latest PED Nightmare: What Now?

Though there are a couple of dozen well-known athletes named in yesterday's blockbuster Miami New Times story on Florida "anti-aging" doctor -- i.e. PED dealer -- Anthony Bosch and his now closed Coral Gables clinic, Biogenesis. The player that everyone is focusing on is, predictably, Alex Rodrigue ... More >>

What to Make of Cooperstown and The Hall of Fame No-Vote

A friend writes: "Did you see Tyler Kepner's proposed reform for the HOF voting process in the NY Times today? I largely agree with him, with one big exception: he wants to keep all the voting secret. Sorry, we're not electing a president or a pope here. I say voters should not only have to make th ... More >>

Tom Corbett's NCAA Lawsuit: The Biggest Sports Story of 2013?

Though it didn't dominate the sports press during college football's bowl game week--and there's an irony for you--Pennsylvania governor Tom Corbett's lawsuit against the National Collegiate Athletic Association may ultimately prove to be the biggest sports story of 2013. For those who don't recall ... More >>

Settlment Reached in Poly Prep Sex Abuse Scandal

Prestigious Brooklyn private school Poly Prep has reached a settlement with plaintiffs from a 2009 lawsuit that alleges decades of sexual abuse by former football coach Phil Foglietta, according to the Daily News. The News has closely followed the lawsuit--which highlights a situation eerily simil ... More >>

Shelly Silver Off The Hook For (Taxpayer Funded) Coverup Of Vito Lopez Sex Scandal

Much to the dismay of the National Organization of Women, women's rights attorney Gloria Allred, Assembly candidate Frank Commisso Jr., and thousands of New Yorkers, we're sure, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver is off the hook for his tax-payer funded coverup of allegations of sexual misconduct by hi ... More >>

NY GOP Compares Coverup Of Vito Lopez's Pervy-ness To Penn State Scandal

If the many, many allegations of sexual misconduct are true, shamed Assemblyman Vito Lopez is a dirty, dirty old man -- he tells female staffers not to wear bras, shoves his hands up their skirts, etc.The coverup of the disgraced pol's alleged actions by Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver are equally s ... More >>

Joe Paterno Biography Defends Former Penn State Coach's (In)Actions In Sex Abuse Scandal

For the last few weeks there's been rumors that Joe Posnanski's much discussed biography of Joe Paterno, which is published Tuesday, would contain a defense of the coach's actions - or lack thereof - in the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal. As it turns out, Paterno - that's it, the entire ti ... More >>

Flap Over "Paterno" Grows. Galleys Or No?

No sports book this year has garnered any publicity like that of Joe Posnanski's "Paterno" (That's what everyone is calling it, though no one knows what the final title will be). Last Friday on NBC Sports Hardballtalk.com, Craig Calcaterra reported that "Posnanski's publisher, Simon & Schuster ... More >>

Lost Highway

Rightbloggers Have Another Miserable Pride Week

Hope you folks had a good Pride week. Rightbloggers didn't, much. For one thing, last week anti-same-sex-marriage heavyweight David Blankenhorn finally gave up the fight. And with more states (and President Obama!) on the SSM bandwagon, rightbloggers' traditional hatred of homosexuals looks like les ... More >>

Roger Clemens Beats The Rap -- $3 Million (In Taxpayer Coin) Later

Roger Clemens may be 49, but he apparently can still wing it. The federal government took six swings against him and missed on every one. In case you're counting, that means that the federal investigation into performance enhancing drug use in major league baseball now has nothing to show for the - ... More >>

Joe Paterno: Rest in Peace?

Joe Paterno has now been gone a week, and it would be nice if we could simply honor his memory without reservation.  I can't. And frankly, it troubles me that so many want to bury Paterno's faults along with the man.   Maybe it isn't the time to talk about such things so close to his death, but wh ... More >>

Gingrich Wins South Carolina; Paterno Condition 'Serious'; Multiple Deaths in NYC Subways (UPDATED)

Newt Gingrich won the Republican primary South Carolina yesterday. The former House speaker won 40.4 percent of the vote with Mitt Romney trailing at 27.8 percent. Rick Santorum came in third with 17.0 percent. In his victory speech Gingrich targeted "elites." He said: "The biggest thing that I take ... More >>

Former Penn State Coach Joe Paterno, 85, Dies

​After mistaken reports of his death last night Joe Paterno died this morning, the AP reported. Paterno was 85, and had been suffering from lung cancer. With 409 wins, Paterno had the most career victories among Division I coaches, according to the New York Times obituary, but was fired this p ... More >>

Paterno Speaks To Washington Post About Sandusky Scandal

​Joe Paterno spoke out about the child sexual abuse scandal involving former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky that cost him his job as head coach of the Penn State University football team in an exclusive interview with the Washington Post. "In hindsight, I wish I had done more," he told the Pos ... More >>

Ryan Braun: No MVP If Guilty

​I haven't said anything about the Ryan Braun performance-enhancing drug controversy because I don't want to rush to judgment. I'll do my rushing after all analysis, arguments, and counterarguments are in. Meanwhile, there's another issue to consider. Yesterday, ESPN.com's Jayson Stark argue ... More >>

Budget Deal Stalls; Second Mile Mulls Future; 'Twilight' Rakes it in

​Yesterday, a bipartisan congressional committee was unable to come to an agreement on a new budget. The New York Times reports Democrats rejected the Republican deal because they said it did not contain enough new revenue. "Central to the impasse is a fundamental disagreement over how much r ... More >>

Brad Pitt Aside, Here's a Baseball Quiz: Why Does Moneyball Leave Out Steroid Ball?

Billy BeaneIt's a Moneyball media fest out there — the articles on the book Moneyball, the movie Moneyball, the stars of Moneyball and the articles about the articles about Moneyball have created a light industry. Everything you always wanted to know about Moneyball is currently available on ... More >>

Osama Bin Laden Dies in the Cartoon Version Too

The ineffable Next Media Animation, the Taiwanese company responsible for cartooning every current event from the Tiger Woods sex scandal to the Royal Wedding, has already delivered their dramatization of Osama bin Laden's death, entitled "Osama Bin Laden get got," starring Donald Trump, a finger-gu ... More >>

Manny Ramirez: No Chance for the Hall of Fame?

​If it hadn't happened while Barry Bonds was on trial, Manny Ramirez might have made the Hall of Fame. As you've heard by now, Manny's career is over. Late last week Major League Baseball released a statement confirming what many had been whispering about: Ramirez was in some violation of bas ... More >>

Barry Bonds and His Big Head

​Who says there are no new angles to the Barry Bonds perjury trial? Kimberly Bell, who is said to have "dated Bonds" - I love that term; it always conjures up a couple at a malt shop or at a high school football game - "until an ugly breakup in 2003," testified that Bonds threatened to cut of ... More >>

Tiger Woods Crashed His Car, Derailed His Life One Year Ago Today

This time last year, Tiger Woods was on his way down. On November 27, 2009, the once-golden golf star was injured in a car accident outside of his home in Orlando, Florida. According to preliminary local reports and the initial statement Woods posted to his website, "the car crash that sent him to ... More >>

Roger Clemens Indicted for Perjury

​Following in the not-so-great tradition of Barry Bonds, former Yankees pitcher Roger Clemens has been indicted by federal authorities on six charges, including perjury and making false statements to Congress, about his use of performance-enhancing drugs.

Another Day, Another Tiger Woods Mistress (This Time With Child)

​Some days we almost feel a little bit sorry for Tiger Woods. Almost. Like when we hear that yet another mistress (a dime a dozen, these) has come forward and blah, blah, blah. But this time the story has a twist! "Adult film actress" Devon James has announced that he is the father of her 9-ye ... More >>

Study: Poker Players Use Performance-Enhancing Drugs, Too!

​Long left off the list of performance-enhancing drug abusing "athletes," poker players are finally having their day in the sun. A new study from Nova Southeastern University found that 80 percent of the 198 players interviewed reported using drugs and other substances to enhance their perform ... More >>

Floyd Landis Admits Doping, Accuses Lance Armstrong and Other Top US Cyclists

Junkie​Cyclist Floyd Landis has finally admitted to doping, four years after he was caught red-handed and was stripped of the 2006 Tour de France championship. But that news is quickly being overshadowed by Landis's reported accusations against his former teammates, Levi Leipheimer, George Hi ... More >>

The Huffington Post Turns Five Years Old: A Look Back Through the Years

​Happy Mother's Day to Arianna Huffington, whose baby was born on May 9, 2005. Maybe you could say George W. Bush's reelection campaign was the father? Inconclusive, but it's still been half a decade and the little guy has just gotten so big. The headline fonts, at least. There's been scoops, ... More >>

Tiger Woods' Sexting Texts: Free Verse Poetry

​Tiger Woods' sexxxy text messages have made their way to the Internet this morning en masse, courtesy of Joslyn James, one of the various women the golfer's had flings with over the last few years. Her website, sextingjoslynjames.com, is currently overloaded with people who want to see what k ... More >>

Jose Reyes, Mets Straighten Out Thyroid Story, But -- Questions Remain! (Update: Reyes Out 2-6 Weeks)

​In the latest medical dispute between Mets players and management, Jose Reyes, who was sent up from spring training for a thyroid check, told the world his thyroid was fine, while the Mets said it was overactive. Later they all got together, and Reyes' agent clarified, saying Reyes' thyroid ... More >>

Tiger Woods May Get Back in the Game in Two Weeks: Post

​It took years -- including 18 months in prison -- before disgraced Olympic runner Marion Jones returned to sports as a member of the WNBA's Tulsa Shock. But Tiger Woods may be on a faster track: He's hired former Bush press secretary Ari Fleischer -- who also worked with semi-disgraced ballpl ... More >>

Jayson Williams Gets 5 Years in Shooting Death. Warning: He's Eligible for Parole in 18 Months

Jayson Williams, the former New Jersey Nets basketball star who killed his limo driver with a shotgun in 2002 and then tried to cover it up, was sentenced today to five years in prison. But under a plea deal with New Jersey prosecutors, he'll be eligible for parole in only 18 months. It can't be co ... More >>

Tiger Woods Inspires Messy Ejaculations from the Press

​Maybe I'm the wrong person to comment on Tiger Woods. As a writer I have zero interest in the private lives of athletes and celebrities. They are either boring or tawdry. As a fan, I do have a little interest in scandal for entertainment value. I think Tiger should apologize to his wife, but ... More >>

Tiger Woods Show Trial, Live-Blogged: "For All I Have Done, I Am So Sorry" (Update: Could Be Back to Golf This Year!)

10:55 a.m. CNN is prefacing its Tiger Woods coverage with nerve-wracking percussion music and tweets from and interviews with Concerned Citizens ("That makes you laugh. Why does it make you laugh?"). 11:00 a.m. Now, the back of heads. Blue curtain. No sound. All the trappings of high drama!

Jayson Williams Blew 0.19 on Drunk Test After Stuy-Town Crash. Stay Out of His Way!

Jayson Williams, the pro basketball player who killed his chauffeur while fucking around with a shotgun and still hasn't served any prison time for it, was dead drunk when he crashed his Mercedes SUV into a tree near Stuy-Town last month, prosecutors say. Anybody in the path of his vehicle during ... More >>

Tiger Woods Sex Rehab Story Revives Celebrity Scandal Once Thought Lost

The Tiger Woods scandal gave us lots and lots and lots of pleasure in 2009, but in recent weeks the sexed-up sports star has been keeping a low profile and hence not nearly as much easy to make fun of. So it is with relief we report that the National Enquirer allegedly has photographs allegedly of W ... More >>

Queer as Folk Star Goes Lesbian!

Plus, which Tiger Woods mistress is trailer-ier?

Field of Schemes

The Mitchell Report on steroid use in baseball joins the game's literary classics. But how good is it?

Cops on Steroids

Baseball has no monopoly on foul balls. The NYPD's own drug scandal keeps simmering.

Hoop Screams

A Crooked Ref? Commissioner Stern's got much bigger problems

Rehabilitating Barry

Baseball's new feel-good story of the summer has Allen Barra feeling burned

Speed on the Bases

Does Jason Giambi's blabbing mean he wants to be one for the Angels?

The Old Brawl Game

Baseball trades fights for hugs in the age of steroid testing

Paper Tiger

Golf's Godsend Has a Below-Par Social Conscience

Sports

2000 Village Voice Sportswriters' Poll Results

Sports

Betting the Pharmacy

Rx gains in the race against drugs in sports