Jose Canseco’s tweets about an impending rape charge are drawing controversy, but the slugger isn’t backing down in his defense.

A few days after the former MLB star tweeted about what he believed was a false allegation of rape, Canseco said he is setting up a polygraph test to prove his innocence. In tweets sent on Thursday morning, Canseco said he planned to take one test for police and another public test in an attempt to prove that he didn’t rape the woman who is allegedly accusing him.

He tweeted: “Ok setting up 2 polygraph exams about the sexual assault case one with the media and one with the police on the 5 of june.[name redacted] polygraph?”

As he maintains his defense, Canseco is facing a backlash from people angry at his transparent attempt to shame a potential rape victim.

The incident started on Saturday, when the former baseball star tweeted that a woman was falsely accusing him of rape. Using the woman’s full name and sharing a picture of her in a bikini, Canseco laid out a vigorous defense to the allegation that he raped her.

Canseco tweeted: “Breaking news. This is a first folks. Las Vegas police was just at my house and I have been charged with rape by (a woman) from Las Vegas.”

In another tweet Canseco mentioned that the woman accused him of drugging her, and invited her to take a polygraph test.

Canseco tweeted: “(She) told police that I drugged her and then raped her. Hmmmmm. Lets find out what really happened.”

Canseco tweeted the woman’s phone number and the location of her gym on Twitter. Those tweets have all been removed, but C
Canseco denies that he was the one who did it.

“For the record I do not delete tweets,” he wrote. “I have nothing to hide. The truth always comes out.”

No arrest has been made, and Las Vegas police wouldn’t say whether the alleged attack took place.

Canseco is no stranger to controversy. The former MLB rookie of the year wrote a tell-all book about his use of performance-enhancing drugs, also accusing several other players of using as well. Canseco also declared Chapter 7 bankruptcy last year in Las Vegas, reporting less than $21,000 in assets and close to $1.7 million in liabilities. He also revealed he owed close to $500,000 to the IRS.

Since Canseco made the tweets about the rape charge, he has faced an angry backlash on Twitter.

Atlantic Wire reporter Alexander Abad-Santos, who compared Canseco’s public shaming to the Steubenville rape case, noted that the former baseball player also broke several rules on Twitter.

He wrote: “While Canseco might have violated the laws of human decency and broke new ground — in notoriety and absurdity — in taunting an alleged assault victim, he may have only broken a few of Twitter’s rules. Indeed, Twitter is as notoriously defensive of free speech as it is quick to suspend verified accounts with thousands of followers that, say, temporarily crash the stock market.”

Even though Canseco’s tweets about the rape charge were deleted, he hasn’t backed down in naming his alleged victim. He re-tweeted her name twice again on Thursday morning, neither of which had been deleted.

Jose Canseco Again Tweets About Rape Charge, Sets Up Polygraph is a post from: The Inquisitr

Halle Berry is showing off her baby bump, and, even as she gets ready for child No. 2, the 46-year-old actress still looks radiant.

Berry seems to be enjoying every minute of her pregnancy. This week she was spotted joining fiance Olivier Martinez and some friends for lunch in Malibu, California, showing off her growing figure in a charcoal grey dress.

During the meal, Hally Berry kept one hand on her baby bump the entire time, the Daily Mail noted.

Halle Berry has shown off her baby bump before. Earlier this month, she wore a tight white t-shirt to Revlon’s Run-Walk for Women in Los Angeles. And the day after she was spotted in Malibu the actress was seen wearing a sleeveless black dress in Sherman Oaks.

Berry said the pregnancy is going very well so far, if still a bit of a shock.

“I feel fantastic. This [pregnancy] has been the biggest surprise of my life to tell you the truth,” Berry told CNN in April. “I thought I was kind of past the point where this could be a reality for me. So it’s been a big surprise and the most wonderful,” she said.

Halle had announced her pregnancy a few weeks ago, calling the baby a “miracle.”

“I’m thinking that this is a miracle,” she told ET Online. “I feel really happy. It’s one of the best things that happened in my life, for sure.’

Halle Berry is due in the fall. It will be the second child for her and the first for her 47-year-old fiance. Berry has a 5-year-old daughter with ex-boyfriend Gabriel Aubry, Nahla, who born on March 16, 2008. Berry and Aubry announced their separation in 2010, and she started dating Martinez that same year. The two got engaged in March 2012.

Pictures of Halle Berry and her baby bump can be found here.

Halle Berry Shows Off Baby Bump is a post from: The Inquisitr

Charles Ramsey gets free burgers for the rest of his life.

That is the reward a group of more than a dozen restaurants decided to give the hero credited with freeing three women in Cleveland who had been held hostage for more than a decade.

Ramsey was a neighbor of the accused kidnapper and was eating a Big Mac when one of the three women being held escaped. In a now-famous television interview, Ramsey said he put down the McDonalds and came to the aid of the kidnapped women —  Amanda Berry and her daughter, along with Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight.

“I heard screaming. I’m eating my McDonald’s,” Ramsey told ABC News’ Cleveland affiliate WEWS. “I come outside. I see this girl going nuts trying to get out of the house. I go on the porch and she says, ‘Help me get out. I’ve been here a long time.’ ”

To reward the Cleveland hero, the restaurants are giving Ramsey free burgers for life. It’s quite a list — he can to any of a number of places from brew pubs to bistros to regular old burger joints. The participating restaurants stretch from Cleveland and across northeastern Ohio all the way to Pennsylvania.

Ramsey’s interview got McDonalds to take notice. After the company received a barrage of tweets asking the fast food chain to reach out to Charles Ramsey,@McDonaldsCorp tweeted:  “We salute the courage of Ohio kidnap victims & respect their privacy. Way to go Charles Ramsey- we’ll be in touch.”

Ramsey already had one burger tribute. Hodges restaurant, where he works as a dishwasher, created the Ramsey Burger in honor of him. It’s modeled after the Big Mac.

That inspired a business partner of Hodges owner to come up with a bigger tribute. Scott Kuhn, owner of Driftwood Restaurant Group, wanted his restaurants to participate in the free burgers for life offer.

“We want to honor our local hero with local food,” said Kuhn, who owns four participating restaurants. “He stopped his meal midway through to help those women. We’re now making sure he has other opportunities to go out and fully enjoy his burger.”

To cash in on the free burgers for life, Ramsey has a single-edition “Chuck Card.” All he has to do is flash it at one of the participating restaurants and the burger is free.

Charles Ramsey Gets Free Burgers For Life After Cleveland Rescue is a post from: The Inquisitr

Woods has been seeing the Olympian for a few months now, but there was little word on how Tiger’s famous ex was receiving the relationship. Though Woods and Nordegren split in 2009 after Tiger’s very public cheating scandal was revealed, the two have maintained a civil relationship.

The couple still met on occasion, usually to attend something for their children.

With a report that Nordegren joined the couple for a trip on Tiger’s yacht, it seems clear that Elin approves of Vonn.

This would seem to be a breakthrough for Woods and Vonn. Just a few weeks ago, Lindsey was seen waiting in a car so she wouldn’t have to be around Elin at a soccer game for her 5-year-old daughter.

Vonn apparently drove with Tiger to the game but then stayed in the car for the entire game.

Elin reportedly got a new boyfriend of her own right around the time that Woods and Vonn went official with their relationship.

Vonn wrote on Facebook: “I guess it wasn’t a well-kept secret but yes, I am dating Tiger Woods. Our relationship evolved from a friendship into something more over these past few months and it has made me very happy. I don’t plan on addressing this further as I would like to keep that part of my life between us, my family and close friends.”

Elin now seems to trust Vonn as a caretaker for her children. Lindsey was seen dropping the kids off at school in Palm Beach without either Tiger or Elin present.

Anyone who followed the divorce between Woods and Nordegren would know already that Elin approves of Vonn. There is a stipulation in the divorce settlement that Elin must give explicit permission to have the children around any new girlfriends or dates, or even female members of Tiger’s staff.

Elin Nordegren Approves Of Lindsey Vonn, Takes Yacht Trip With Her is a post from: The Inquisitr

Could Dwight Howard be headed to the Mavericks? If Mark Cuban gets his way, the answer could be yes.

Dallas is reportedly trying to swing a deal that would give away the team’s No. 13 draft pick in order to clear up space for the former Lakers center. The Mavericks have been looking for another star to complement Dirk Nowitzki, and Dwight Howard is the biggest name out there this free agent season (Chris Paul is also a free agent but expected to stay with the Clippers).

If the Mavericks can find a buyer for the first-round pick, it would free up about $1.65 million in cap space, according to Chad Ford at ESPN.

Dwight Howard said he wants to take free agency slowly, meeting with several teams to see which situation fits best, wrote Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. It would be much like the free agent strategy of LeBron James, who went into the 2010 offseason as a highly sought-after free agent and met with several teams before choosing the Miami Heat.

When free agency comes in six weeks, Dwight Howard will likely see interest from several NBA teams. Aside from Dallas he is also getting interest from Houston, which would have a good supporting cast and the cap space to bring in the All-Star center.

Howard had a short and disappointing stint with the Lakers. Brought in along with Steve Nash in an attempt to create the Miami Heat of the Western Conference, the team stocked with talent failed to gel. After a slow start the Lakers salvaged the season and made the playoffs, but were swept in the first round.

Howard was particularly disappointing. He struggled to fit in on the court and got into some behind-the-scenes drama with management and other players.

If Dwight Howard doesn’t go to the Mavericks, the team could still be in the hunt for another big player. Nowitzki told the team he would be willing to take a pay cut so the team has cap space to make more moves.

Dwight Howard To Mavericks? Mark Cuban Trying To Swing A Deal is a post from: The Inquisitr

Arrested Development for its rabid fans was the epitome of gone but not forgotten.

The show picked up a small but devoted cult following during its three-year run on Fox, ending in 2006 with little fanfare. But rather than saying goodbye, the fans grew more devoted to the unconventional comedy and its fan base grew thanks to Netflix, Hulu, and DVD sales.

Fans petitioned Fox to bring the show back, reporters asked members of the ensemble cast about the possibility of a reunion, and rumors flew about a comeback.

Now the persevere has paid off. A new season of the show is debuting in Netflix this month, and a movie is on the way.

Dave Nemetz, content producer for Yahoo! TV said it was really due to the fan outcry that Arrested Development made its return.

“On one hand, it is surprising, because Arrested Development was never a huge hit,” he said. “But its fans are fanatically devoted to the show, and that means a lot these days. In today’s TV landscape, with so much audience fragmentation and the power of social media, a passionate fan base is more important than ever. That passion is what got ‘Arrested Development’ back on the air,” he said. “The show is brilliantly funny; it still stands as one of the best TV comedies of the last twenty years. But it also rewards repeat viewings with lots of inside jokes and callbacks to previous episodes. So the more you watch; the more little nods you pick up on.”

Even Portia de Rossi, who played ditzy Lindsay Bluth on the show, says she’s become a hardcore Arrested Development fan.

“I find it really frustrating to have to wait a week to watch a show, and I’m just so used to seeing things back to back when I want to see them,” she said. “I think what Mitch has done with Arrested for Netflix is even more brilliant because he’s used that format and created something brand new within it.”

Arrested Development debuts on Netflix May 26.

‘Arrested Development’ Fans Get Credit For Reviving Series is a post from: The Inquisitr

A man found a vintage Lady and the Tramp movie poster at a local Goodwill and thought it was a good deal for $5. He was right.

When Minnesota resident Tom Glenn got home and looked up the poster on the internet, he found a website selling a similar one for $53,900. For the amateur treasure hunter, it was hard to believe what he’d actually found.

That site Glenn found advertises its Lady and the Tramp poster as being in mint condition (Tom’s was not), but also denotes the poster’s importance in Disney history.

“Other than Mickey himself this is probably the most recognized and loved movie Produced by The Walt Disney Company,” the site notes. “Truly a very important piece of DISNEY HISTORY.”

Glenn said he had a hard time believing what he’d found.

“There was this little voice in my head that kept saying, ‘This isn’t real. This isn’t real. You’re going to find out it’s a phony or a reprint,’ ” Glenn said.

So to check out the $5 poster he found at Goodwill, Glenn brought it to a nearby antique shop. The verdict — it was authentic.

Rick Leistico, the manager of the Goodwill where the Lady and the Tramp poster was purchased, said the store tries to research items, but every once in a while a gem slips in.

“We pride ourselves on telling people they can find a treasure here, and that’s the beauty of Goodwill,” he said. “With thousands and thousands of items hitting the floor every day, we’re bound to miss some things — and that’s the benefit for our shoppers.”

But Leistico added that there’s never been anything of that value before. He added that he’s glad that it was snagged by Glenn, who spends hours searching for treasures.

Other Goodwill treasure hunters have made big finds. Recently a woman bought a Nintendo game for $7.99 at a Goodwill store, only to find later that it was worth $15,000.

Glenn admitted that when he first saw the $5 poster, he thought it might be worth a couple of hundred dollars, not several thousand.

“I saw it out of the corner of my eye,” he said. “It’s an original 1955 Walt Disney Lady and the Tramp movie poster.”

The poster isn’t in perfect condition, Glenn said. But he estimates the $5 Lady and the Tramp could get  him somewhere between $20,000 and $40,000.

Man Buys ‘Lady And The Tramp’ Poster At Goodwill For $5, Finds It’s Worth $40,000 is a post from: The Inquisitr

Jockey Eddie Ahern has been banned 10 years after the British Horseracing Authority found him guilty of corruption for throwing a race.

The 33-year-old jockey was found guilty of three breaches following a corruption inquiry, including failing to ride the horse Judgethemoment on its own merits in a January 2011 race. The BHA also found the Irish jockey guilty of passing on information about the race for reward.

Despite having a lead at the halfway point of the race, Ahern eased off on Judgethemoment and ended up finishing last of seven runners in the two-mile handicap. For that infraction the jockey was banned 10 years.

In his defense, Ahern said he misjudged the pace of the horse and others in the race. But the BHA panel found that it “could not accept that a jockey of Ahern’s experience, especially on the all-weather at Lingfield, could have made an error of such an extent”.

The jockey banned for 10 years said he plans to appeal the ruling. His lawyer, Christopher Stewart-Moore, said the jockey did not do anything wrong.

“Eddie Ahern is absolutely devastated by the BHA Panel’s findings,” Stewart-Moore said in a statement to Press Association Sport. “He did not breach the rules of racing as found by the panel or at all and he will be appealing both the findings as well as the very harsh penalties imposed on him.”

Ahern’s counsel in the proceedings, Jonathan Harvie, feels his client had been “hard done-by” but held off in criticizing the tribunal that banned the jockey for 10 years.

“Justice is an imperfect thing because people decide,” he said. “Some people say one thing, some people say another, and a decision is reached. History is littered with imperfect decisions.”

Though the jockey was banned 10 years, he actually came out of the ruling better off than a co-conspirator. Neil Clement, a 34-year-old former professional soccer player, was found guilty of teaming up with Ahern and others to bet on races that would be thrown. He was banned 15 years.

Jockey Banned 10 Years For Throwing Race is a post from: The Inquisitr

A dog guarded its owner’s body for hours after the man was killed by the Oklahoma tornado on Monday.

The Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office happened upon the small, mud-covered dog in the wake of the tornado that tore through Moore, a suburb of Oklahoma City. The dog was guarding the dead body of its owner, who had been trapped under the debris of his destroyed home.

Deputies snapped a picture of the small dog and posted it on Facebook along with the comment: “scared, this little pup survived.” But the next day they learned why the dog was so attached to the small plot of debris — underneath the rubble was its owner.

“Man’s best friend to the end,” the Sheriff’s Office added to its Facebook page on Tuesday.

The full extent of the tornado is still being uncovered as crews dig out from the destruction and try to uncover the death toll. Officials initially said that 51 people were killed in the tornado, but it was later revised to 24 when it was learned that several people had been counted more than once.

The tornado is being called the worst of all time, surpassing the storm that struck a nearly identical path in Moore back in May 1999. While the Moore tornado does not rank as the biggest in circumference, wind speed, or duration, it has a large combination of these three measures to make what many believe to be the worst-ever.

Animal rescues have been a major story in the wake of the tornado. On Monday an older woman being interviewed about her leveled home told a reporter about the loss of her dog. During the interview, the reporter noticed movement in the rubble and realized it was the dog believed to have been killed.

A video of the tearful reunion has since gone viral.

The dog that guards its owner’s body has been taken to a shelter. The deputy who found the pup said he hopes to adopt it.

Dog Guards Owner’s Body For Hours After Tornado is a post from: The Inquisitr

Bill Murray knows how to handle a crying baby.

The funny man met an uncooperative young fan at what appears to be a golf tournament, so he decided to imitate the crying young man. As the baby’s mother looks on laughing, Bill Murray matched the tot cry-for-cry.

The picture of Bill Murray and the crying baby came via the viral Tumblr blog, Reasons My Son Is Crying, started by Greg Pembroke. The site was meant to document the always inane reasons his son Charlie was crying (in one, Charlie is crying because his father wouldn’t let him drown in a lake).

Since it’s gone viral other parents are submitting their own photos and captions to Pembroke. The picture of Bill Murray crying along with the baby was submitted by Laura R. who gave this reason as to why her son was crying: “He met Bill Murray.”

Though he’s aloof within the world of Hollywood — he doesn’t have an agent, just a toll-free number where directors pitch their ideas to him — Bill Murray has gained a reputation for strangely personal interactions with fans. He’s been known to show up randomly to parties he comes across, and made headlines last year for jumping in to a kickball game he found.

He’s also known for his hijinks on the golf course. While he was playing in the annual AT&T Pebble Beach Nation Pro-Am golf tournament  the Moonrise Kingdom star ran into some trouble.

E! explains:

“Alas, the mustachioed Murray probably could have used a mulligan on the second hole as one of his shots landed right in a sand trap, prompting the funnyman and avid golfer to lie down in the bunker in despair.”

Since being posted to the Reasons My Son Is Crying blog, the picture of the Bill Murray with the crying baby has gone viral. It garnered thousands of user votes on Reddit and was featured in a number of other blogs and websites, including The Huffington Post.

Bill Murray Imitates Crying Baby In Viral Photo is a post from: The Inquisitr

Tumblr has made David Karp a very rich young man.

The 26-year-old founder of the blogging platform never finished high school but now has sold his creation for a fortune. Karp recently sold Tumblr to Yahoo! for $1.1 billion, leaving him with a pretty nice sum.

Forbes estimates that Karp, who owns a 25 percent stake in Tumblr, will receive about $250 million from the deal (or about $200 million after taxes). The acquisition still needs to be completed, however.

David Karp may have a hard time living the life of the one percent. He has been living in a Brooklyn loft that’s sparsely furnished to fit his minimalist lifestyle.

“I don’t have any books. I don’t have many clothes,” Karp told Forbes in January. “I’m always so surprised when people fill their homes up with stuff.”

Karp created Tumblr in February 2007, giving users an outlet to on computers and mobile devices to post photos, text, quotes, links, music, and videos. It has since exploded in popularity.

The application, which  is available in 12 different languages, has more than over 50 billion posts. There are also more than 100 blogs created through Tumblr.

The acquisition represents a major step for Yahoo! under the direction of new CEO Marissa Mayer. The purchase of Tumblr for $1.1 billion in cash was part of her long-term revitalization plan.

Mayer had made other, smaller acquisition in the past, but Tumblr would be the most significant one of her tenure. Yahoo! executives reportedly expect the purchase to “jump-start its revenue growth and obtain a bigger presence in social media tied to digital devices.”

David Karp may have made a fortune off the Tumblr sale, but he’s still got a lot of room to make up with some other tech wunderkinds. Facebook founders Dustin Moskovitz and Mark Zuckerberg are worth $2.5 million and $12 billion, respectively.

[Image via Flickr]

Tumblr Founder Goes From High School Dropout To $250 Million is a post from: The Inquisitr

Tiger Woods has responded to Sergio Garcia’s seemingly racial reference.

The sparring golfers have traded barbs since the Players Championship two weeks ago, in which Garcia accused Woods of having bad course etiquette. Woods took a club from his bag during Garcia’s backswing in the third round, eliciting a cheer from the crowd and distracting Garcia.

Tiger would go on to say that he believed the course marshalls gave him permission to get his club, but that claim was denied by the marshalls themselves.

“He isn’t the nicest guy on tour,” Garcia after the incident.

Garcia added that the two men don’t care for each other too much off the course.

“He doesn’t make a difference to my life and I know I don’t make a difference to his life,” Garcia. “This is not just one thing. This has been going on for a long time.”

But the feud ramped up this week when Garcia made what appeared to be a racially insensitive comment. When asked if he and Tiger Woods had made peace, Garcia responded with a crude joke.

“We’ll have him ’round every night,” Garcia said, according to multiple media reports. “We will serve fried chicken.”

The reference seemed to hint at an African-American stereotype of eating fried chicken, one that’s been used toward Tiger in the past. After the 1997 Masters, golfer Fuzzy Zoeller joked that he hoped Tiger wouldn’t serve fried chicken at the next year’s champions dinner.

Garcia immediately apologized for his comment, saying his answer was “totally stupid” and “out of place.”

“I apologize for any offense that may have been caused by my comment on stage during the European Tour Players’ Awards dinner,” Garcia said. “I answered a question that was clearly made towards me as a joke with a silly remark, but in no way was the comment meant in a racist manner.”

Tiger Woods responded on Wednesday morning.

The comment that was made wasn’t silly. It was wrong, hurtful and clearly inappropriate…

— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) May 22, 2013

I’m confident that there is real regret that the remark was made.

— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) May 22, 2013

The Players ended nearly two weeks ago and it’s long past time to move on and talk about golf.

— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) May 22, 2013

The war of words between Tiger Woods and Sergio Garcia may be over for now, but the golfers will soon meet on a big stage again.

Tiger Woods Responds To Sergio Garcia’s ‘Fried Chicken’ Comment is a post from: The Inquisitr

Jesse James may have lost part of his pinky finger in an accident in his car workshop, but at least he still has a sense of humor about it.

Shortly after the accident that claimed a big slice out of his finger, Jesse James posted a picture of the finger on Instagram. He didn’t seem too broken up about the accident and, in fact, even had a quip for the occasion.

“Doesn’t look like this little dude’s gonna make it, Nice know’n (sic) you little buddy,” he wrote in the caption for the graphic photo.

Jesse would go on to tell TMZ Live that he didn’t even notice the accident at first.

“I was working in the shop today and my glove got caught into one of the machines and just smashed it, took my finger off,” Jesse James said. “I didn’t even know my finger had got cut off until I got five steps away and I was like, ’Oh man, I think my finger got cut off.’

Jesse said he and new wife Alexis DeJoria tried to look for the sliced off digit, but by the time they found it the finger portion was in no condition to be re-attached.

“They (doctors) said it’s gone. They’re gonna take a skin graft off the chunk of finger and just sew it back on (the injured stump)…”

Searching for the severed finger may have been a good bonding experience for Jesse James and his new wife. He and DeJoria already share a love of cars — she is a professional drag racer, driving a 10,000-horsepower Nitro Funny Car on the NHRA circuit.

Jesse James said losing part of his finger isn’t that big of a deal. Afterward he turned down medication to dull the pain before his surgery, insisting, “I’m cool. I’m all right.”

Jesse James Loses Part Of Finger In Work Accident, Refuses Pain Meds is a post from: The Inquisitr

Nicki Minaj gained a reputation as bit of a diva vying for attention with Mariah Carey over the course of the past season of American Idol.

Backstage it wasn’t really like that at all, said Idol runner-up Kree Harrison. Though contestants on American Idol didn’t get too many opportunities to see and interact with the judges during the hectic taping of the show, Harrison said she never caught wind of any drama backstage.

“First of all, there’s so much going on, the drama of whatever happens on or off camera, there’s literally, it’s chaos during the live show,” Harrison told MTV News on Monday. “So you don’t pay any attention to anything but where you’re supposed to be. I mean, I love Nicki; I love Mariah. We would get a kick out of [the fact that] they would talk to each other at all. So whether it was good or bad, we liked it. I’m a big fan of all of them.”

Harrison added that Nicki Minaj and the other judges were nothing but helpful for the Idol contestants.

“They’re not any different than they are on camera, off camera. I would honestly say that the good part about it was that they were all so different. So they brought such a cool thing to us and I like each one of them. There was never any drama, we feel, like that we saw. We lived in a bubble for a while.”

Nicki Minaj came off a bit different for viewers at home. They saw the judge who showed up late to a live taping and seemed locked in a season-long power struggle with Mariah Carey..

On an American Idol broadcast, Mariah was giving a critique to contestant Angie Miller when Minaj cut her off to disagree. This caused Carey to point a finger in Nicki’s direction and criticize the rapper for never having a No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100.

In response, Minaj tweeted:

All dem #1s but JLo phone ringin? Lol. I guess having a personality, being a secure woman, and giving genuine critique still trumps that.

— Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) May 2, 2013

This prompted a backlash on Twitter, but Nicki Minaj responded by attacking Mariah Carey even more.

What u SHOULD be doing (wit your messy ass) is asking why a woman SO successful at her age, is still so INSECURE, and bitter @perezhilton

— Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) May 2, 2013

The drama will be over next season. Nicki Minaj and the other judges reportedly won’t be back to American Idol.

Nicki Minaj Wasn’t Dramatic Backstage, Idol Runner-Up Says is a post from: The Inquisitr

Jim Boeheim says Carmelo Anthony needs a lot more help if he’s going to take the New York Knicks to a championship.

The Syracuse head coach would know a thing or two about it. In 2003, he took a team centered on then-freshman Carmelo to win the national championship, and did so with a strong supporting cast around Anthony.

Boeheim has followed Carmelo Anthony as the former Orangeman star took over the NBA, but says it’s frustrating to watch Carmelo on the Knicks.

“Not on that team,” Boeheim told the Syracuse Post-Standard over the weekend. “He did what he can do. He played very well the final game. Everybody’s killing him, but Tyson Chandler just didn’t try to catch the ball.”

“He threw him the ball and Tyson Chandler went like this,” Boeheim said as he made a dodging motion. “He was wide open. He should have been looking for the ball right here. Kenyon Martin should have been looking for the ball.”

“They both went like this,”  Boeheim said and dodged again, according to the Post-Standard. “Carmelo gets turnovers and the announcers aren’t smart enough to even think, ‘Well, the guy should try to catch the ball.’ ”

The New York Knicks had a disappointing exit to the playoffs, falling in six games to the Indiana Pacers. After a season with 50-plus wins, the team’s best in years, the Knicks were expected to at least advance to face Miami in the Eastern Conference Finals.

“It’s tough,” Anthony said after the Game 6 loss. “We all know what was the goal that we had set. Everybody wants to go to the championship, win the championship, that’s the ultimate goal. Unfortunately our run had to stop here.”

Boeheim thinks Carmelo won’t take the Knicks over the hump until he gets a better supporting cast.

“He can’t do it by himself,” Jim Boeheim told ESPN’s Mike and Mike in the Morning about Carmelo Anthony. “And by the way, neither has anyone else … Go through the list and history. Every great player had a great player with him that’s won an NBA title. I think you can look pretty closely at that.”

Jim Boeheim: Carmelo Anthony Needs More Help In New York is a post from: The Inquisitr

Chelsea Clinton has quietly taken an NYU job leading interfaith efforts, one that has been in the works for about a year but kept secret from the public.

The former first daughter was named co-chair of the Of Many Institute for multifaith leadership. Clinton is also a co-founder of the institute, which aims to create a groundbreaking academic and programmatic model for multifaith education at the university level. “The Institute supports a new generation of religious and civic leaders who, deeply rooted in their own religious and spiritual traditions, reach across faith boundaries to solve social problems together,” the institute says in its mission.

Chelsea Clinton’s NYU job at the center entails creating academic courses and eventually a minor in Multifaith and Spiritual Leadership, all of which are designed to help young people develop a greater sense of understanding and empathy.

The center also aims to foster multifaith relationship-building and dialogue and transforming the national discourse on faith to “reflect the work of religious peacemakers on campus through sustained engagement with community organizations and other colleges seeking consultation and replication.”

This kind of level-headed discourse is sorely needed, the institute notes in its mission statement:

“The September 11th attacks, the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and the Park 51 controversy are all occasions that required institutions in the US to lead nuanced public discussions guided by well-informed multifaith leaders dedicated to building bridges, promoting peace and coexistence and forging a shared future. From these times of crisis, far too few of these leaders have emerged as a sustained presence, and even fewer institutions have become equipped to support such multifaith action. The result has been ongoing misunderstanding, divisiveness, and outright hostility between faith groups worldwide.”

Clinton already had a role at NYU as vice provost, but the new job was kept largely a secret for the past year.

Chelsea Clinton Takes Secret NYU Job is a post from: The Inquisitr

Kevin Durant is pledging $1 million for tornado relief after a destructive storm ripped through the city he calls home.

A tornado struck the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, leaving dozens of people dead and destruction so widespread the tornado is already being called the worst of all time.

Watching the devestation on television, Kevin Durant said he was compelled to help the people of Moore.

“As the day went on and I saw the footage and the casualties and the houses being blown away, it was tough to see,” said Durant, who has lived in Oklahoma City since the Thunder moved from Seattle in 2008. “I call Oklahoma City my home. I go through Moore all the time. It’s unfortunate. We’re going to come together as a city like we always do and we’re going to bounce back.”

Durant was out of the state but said he hoped to return to the area soon to offer other help in the recovery process.

“Just to get to the hospital, see some kids,” Durant said. “Something. Just something to give some hope. Playing for the Thunder, we mean so much to the state. So many people support us and I just want to go back and support those people.”

The tornado that hit Moore on Monday tore apart neighborhoods, hospitals, and two schools in the path of the storm. Local meteorologists said the tornado may have been even more powerful than the 1999 storm that hit Moore, which is to-date the strongest tornado ever measured.

The true depth of the destruction will likely be revealed in the coming days. The official death count stands at 24, revised down from 51 the day before, with many of the casualties children. Officials said it will likely rise again as debris is cleaned.

Kevin Durant’s $1 million donation for Oklahoma tornado relief is meant to match other donations, the American Red Cross said. The Thunder have also donated $1 million, as have the NBA and players’ association.

Kevin Durant Donating $1 Million To Oklahoma Tornado Relief is a post from: The Inquisitr

April Macie says Lance Armstrong made a strong bedroom request to her.

The comedian, who is a frequent guest on Howard Stern’s radio who, said she was enjoying a night out in Los Angeles with a friend about five years ago. They came across Lance and eventually returned to his hotel room.

That is when things got weird, April Macie said. She came back to find her friend “just face deep in his a**hole.”

“I was terrified,” Macie joked to Stern on a recent appearance.

But it would get weirder still, Macie said. Lance asked if she wanted to join in.

April Macie: Lance Armstrong Asked Me To Perform Strange Sexual Act On Him is a post from: The Inquisitr

ESPN is planning a round of layoffs that could see hundreds of workers out of a job, said to be the result of high costs for broadcasting rights.

The ESPN layoffs are reportedly taking place Tuesday, and could involve up to 400 employees.

“I was laid off from ESPN today after 9 and a half years,” a source told Deadspin. “Completely out of the blue, no warning at all. I was told it was 10% across the board, which would be roughly 400. I was told the reason was they needed to make their profit margin and they chose to do that via layoff of staff.

ESPN referred to the layoffs in a statement, but provided no details on the number of people to be fired.

“We are implementing changes across the company to enhance our continued growth while smartly managing costs. While difficult, we are confident that it will make us more competitive, innovative and productive.”

The job cuts are said to be the result of the network paying high fees to broadcast live events, as well as a general cost-cutting mandate from ESPN’s parent company, Disney.

The layoffs at ESPN were said to hit the technology group particularly hard.

“The majority of the layoffs today and tomorrow are in Technology…something like 40 people, at least that’s what I’ve heard,” the source told Deadspin. “All three HR people assigned to Technology are handling layoffs today and tomorrow. No idea what is going on in the other departments. I was told ESPN was forced, by Disney, to do the layoffs due to profit margins. The end numbers / percentages, may not be exactly what they’re telling us as we’re being laid off.”

The source believed that ESPN is using the opportunity to get rid of older, higher paid workers while filling new jobs with lower-paid employees.

Following news of the layoffs the Twitter account @ESPNBook sent out the following tweet:

Number is between 300 and 400 but includes open jobs that won’t now be filled. But, @espn will still be hiring, still in growth mode. #ESPN

— James Andrew Miller (@ESPNBook) May 21, 2013

Because of its demographics ESPN is able to demand the highest per subscriber rate of any television network. Despite those high rates the company’s expenses continue to rise as cable and broadcast providers continue to fight for a larger chunk of global sports broadcasting rights.

Even with the layoffs, ESPN remains a large outfit. The company has close to 7,000 employees spread across the country.

ESPN Layoffs: World Leader In Sports Slashing Hundreds Of Jobs is a post from: The Inquisitr

Jamie Dimon is staying on as chairman and CEO at JPMorgan Chase, reports from the company’s shareholder vote on Monday have said.

Shareholders were voting on whether the split up the positions of CEO and chairman, but the proposal was defeated by a large margin. The results were preliminary, however, and still subject to change as voting continues on Monday.

The vote came as many Wall Street CEOs have backed Jamie Dimon. Billionaire investor Warren Buffet has long supported Dimon, even suggesting last year that the JPMorgan Chase CEO be named Treasury Secretary.

During an interview on the Charlie Rose Show, Buffett said Dimon would have been a great choice to succeed Timothy Geithner.

Buffett also noted that Dimon would have the confidence of world leaders had be been named secretary.

Though the appointment never came to pass, Jamie Dimon did receive a boost of support from Monday’s shareholder vote. The JPMorgan Chase board also campaigned for Jamie Dimon in recent weeks, issuing a seven-page letter to shareholders urging them to vote down the proposal.

“It is the Board’s considered and unanimous view that the current governance structure, with Jamie Dimon serving as both Chairman and CEO, and an independent, strong, and active Presiding Director function that meets the ISS and Glass Lewis ‘standards,’ is working effectively and has served the Company exceptionally well. Our current structure provides the balance good corporate governance seeks to achieve and it would be a mistake to change it now,” board members wrote in their letter.

Reports said that Jamie Dimon would have quit if the vote had split the CEO and chairman positions, which analysts believe could have led to JPMorgan Chase’s stock to fall as much as 10 percent.

Jamie Dimon Staying On As Chairman And CEO At JPMorgan Chase is a post from: The Inquisitr

John McCain thinks people shouldn’t have to pay for cable television channels they don’t want and won’t watch, so the Arizona senator is introducing a bill that would encourage providers to offer a la carte pricing options.

The Republican senator introduced a bill before congress that would use regulator incentives to encourage programmers to unbundle their channels and allow consumers to pick which ones they want to pay for. Though considered a long shot for passage, the bill has support from advocacy groups like Consumers Union.

For John McCain, the need for a la carte cable pricing options is clear when looking at the rising prices for cable television.

“I believe the consumers are at a tipping point when it comes to their monthly pay-TV bill,” McCain told a Senate subcommittee last week. “In my view, the a la carte option is a non-regulatory and consumer-friendly way to provide consumers with the freedom to lower their bills and pay only for what they watch.”

Cable lobbyists have opposed McCain’s bill, saying it would likely mean the end of smaller and less popular channels. A la carte pricing wouldn’t bring much of an overall reduction in cable bills, they add.

Matt Ygleisas explains: “Cable is an industry with very high fixed costs and very little competition. Once a company has gone through the trouble of constructing a network that’s physically capable of delivering cable television to your neighborhood, the cost of actually delivering the shows is quite low.”

Opponents also point to the rise of internet-based programming options, like Hulu and Netflix, as evidence that the system can correct itself.

In all, McCain’s bid for a la carte cable pricing is likely to fail. Even McCain himself has admitted this.

“These are big issues, but is anything going to happen? No,” said A. Michael Noll, a University of Southern California professor emeritus and expert on telecommunications policy. “The cable companies have tremendous lobbying power — more power than John McCain.”

Supporters still hope McCain’s a la carte cable pricing bill goes through. Anything to give consumers more flexibility and control over the rising cost of cable will be good for the whole industry in the long run, they say.

John McCain Bill Pushes A La Carte Cable Pricing is a post from: The Inquisitr

The tornado that tore through Moore, Oklahoma on Monday is being called the most destructive tornado in the world’s history.

The tornado struck at around 3 pm on Monday, cutting a path through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore. Along the way, it destroyed homes and left at least 51 people dead.

Reports say the tornado was anywhere from one to two miles wide with winds at least 200 miles per hour. It leveled neighborhoods and two schools, with reports that between 20 and 30 mostly third-grade students killed at Plaza Towers Elementary School.

“Numerous neighborhoods completely leveled … neighborhoods just wiped clean,” said Sergeant Gary Knight of the Oklahoma City Police Department.

“Please send us your prayers,” said a representative from the Moore mayor’s office.

Early reports pegged the Moore tornado as an F4, the second-highest classification, but it is likely to be considered an F5 after an analysis of its path and destruction is completed.

Some have already called the Moore tornado the most destructive of all time. A meteorologist for the local news station KFOR called it “the worst tornado in the history of the world.”

Thought it may seem like a bit of hyperbole, the residents of Moore would be well-versed on the subject. The most powerful tornado ever recorded to date struck in Moore on May 3, 1999, cutting a nearly identical path to Monday’s tornado.

Residents in Moore and newscasters covering Monday’s devastation noted that the damage from this storm looks worse than the May 1999 tornado. They also said it looked worse than a tornado that struck Joplin, Missouri, in 2011, killing 162 people.

Early measures of the Moore, Oklahoma tornado put it at historic levels. The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration lists historic tornadoes by size,  duration ,and destruction. The Moore tornado does not rank largest in any single category, but it contained a combination of size, wind speed, and destruction not believed to be matched.

The sheer duration of Monday’s tornado gives a hint at its place in history. While the average tornado is on the ground for a few minutes, the Moore tornado touched down for for close to 40 minutes.

Moore Tornado Called Worst In World’s History is a post from: The Inquisitr

Tiger Woods got the victory at The Players Championship a little more than a week ago and apparently doesn’t need any closure from his on-the-course spat with playing partner Sergio Garcia.

When asked if he sought out Sergio to address the allegations that Woods cheated by distracting Garcia during his backswing, Tiger Woods seemed to be over the situation.

“No,” Tiger answered tersely.

Woods and Garcia had an argument during the May 11-12 tournament. Garcia believed that Woods distracted him needlessly during the third round, pulling a club from his bag as Garcia was getting ready to shoot. The crowd let out a cheer when Tiger selected his club.

Tiger would go on to say that he believed the course marshalls gave him permission to get his club, a claim that was later denied by the marshalls themselves.

“He isn’t the nicest guy on tour,” Garcia after the incident.

Garcia acknowledged that the two men don’t care for each other too much off the course.

“He doesn’t make a difference to my life and I know I don’t make a difference to his life,” Garcia said Monday. “This is not just one thing. This has been going on for a long time.”

But Garcia had more criticism for Tiger while speaking at an event held by his sponsors.

“He called me a whiner,” Garcia said. “That’s probably right. It’s also probably the first thing he’s told you guys that’s true in 15 years. I know what he is like. You guys are finding out.”

“He can and will beat me a lot of times but he is not going to step on me,” Garcia said. “I’m not afraid of him.”

Tiger Woods and Sergio Garcia have a chance to continue their growing rivalry at the next major, the US Open held June 13-16.

Tiger Woods And Sergio Garcia Continue War Of Words is a post from: The Inquisitr

Mario Williams said he never threatened suicide, despite what an ex-fiancee might say.

Locked in a court battle over an engagement ring from the failed relationship, Williams’ ex Erin Marzouki said last week that the Buffalo Bills defensive end threatened to kill himself in the period after their break-up.

Marzouki released a series of texts from Mario Williams at the time of their break-up. Issuing the texts through her lawyer after court-encouraged mediation effort failed, Marzouki painted Williams as unstable and prone to mood swings.

The text messages came from November 11, the day the Bills lost to the New England Patriots in Foxboro, Massachusetts.

“No money in the world should leave me with suicidal thoughts,” Williams wrote during the exchange. He also wrote that he took three hydrocodones that morning and planned to take two more on the plane ride back to Buffalo.

Marzouki encouraged Mario to get help, writing: “Why don’t you talk to someone? Clearly you’re not happy & if your takin pills that’s bad”

Mario Williams on Monday denied that he was threatening suicide, saying the texts released by Marzouki’s lawyer were not in context.

“Obviously it’s just a tactic to cover up the point of the whole thing,” Williams said. “It is what it is. I could really care less. All it is (is) allegations and text messages and what not, whatever information blown out of proportion. I mean, it’s completely out of context.”

Williams also criticized Marzouki for making the private messages public.

“You sit here and text somebody who was supposed to mean this and that to you, and then this happens? No, it’s better off,” Williams said. “So I’m glad this is actually coming out.”

Williams is in a court battle over the $785,000 diamond engagement ring he gave to Marzouki. Williams claimed that Marzouki never intended to marry him and is only keeping the ring now in an attempt to get money.

Mario Williams signed a six-year, $100 million contract with the Buffalo Bills before the 2012 season, the biggest ever for a defensive player. The signing was considered a coup for the Bills, and during Williams’ three-day free agent visit to Buffalo in March 2012 he brought along Marzouki to look at houses.

Mario Williams added on Monday that he is not suicidal and, in fact, feels “completely fine.”

Mario Williams Denies Talking About Suicide With Ex-Fiancee is a post from: The Inquisitr

Sally Ride will receive the Medal of Freedom, a  posthumous honor for the first American woman to fly in space.

President Barack Obama announced the award on Monday, calling Sally Ride a role model to young women. He noted that the groundbreaking astronaut advocated for innovation in science, engineering, and math.

The announcement that Sally Ride would receive the medal comes as America faces a growing crisis in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields, especially for young girls. The nation has fallen behind many other nations in testing in these areas, and enrollment for girls has grown smaller still.

By honoring Sally Ride, Obama can point to an example of what women can do in the STEM field.

Sally Ride rode on the space shuttle Challenger on June 18, 1983. She would say later that being in space gave her a new perspective on life.

“You can’t get it just standing on the ground, with your feet firmly planted on Earth. You can only get it from space, and it’s just remarkable how beautiful our planet is and how fragile it looks,” Ride told CNN in 2008.

Sally Ride died in June 2012 after a long bout with pancreatic cancer and, in doing so, revealed another long-hidden part of herself. Ride co-wrote her obituary along with her lifelong partner, the first public acknowledgement that she was gay.

Her partner has been invited to the awarding of the Medal of Freedom, along with Ride’s family.

Though the revelation was surprising, Ride was remembered mostly for her great impact on the space program.

“Sally Ride broke barriers with grace and professionalism — and literally changed the face of America’s space program,” said NASA Administrator Charles Bolden after Ride’s death. “The nation has lost one of its finest leaders, teachers and explorers. Our thoughts and prayers are with Sally’s family and the many she inspired. She will be missed, but her star will always shine brightly.”

Sally Ride will receive the medal later this year.

Sally Ride To Receive Medal Of Freedom Posthumously is a post from: The Inquisitr

Manny Ramirez has a mean moonwalk.

The ex-MLB slugger, now a star in the Chinese Professional Baseball Leagues, was at bat in a recent game when he fouled off a tight inside fastball. In the process of swinging, Manny Ramirez lost his balance and moonwalked out of the batter’s box.

While he may not be mistaken for Michael Jackson anytime soon, Manny did have quite a spring in his step with the moonwalk. In fact, the aging baseball star has looked anything but washed up in his Asian stint. Manny has seven home runs so far this season and has shown a deft hitting touch reminiscent of his days with the Boston Red Sox.

This is not the first “Manny being Manny” story to come from his time in the Chinese Professional Baseball League. Manny was also caught donning a Hulk custom as a possible nod to his spotty history with performance-enhancing drugs.

Manny’s team, the EDA Rhinos, reportedly asked players to wear Halloween costumes for a recent trip. Manny picked the Hulk, which may have been an innocent superhero adoration or a more subtle joke. In 2003 Manny was one of more than 100 major league baseball players who reportedly tested positive for using performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs).

In real time, it looks more like Manny just took a series of steps backward to avoid falling onto his backside. But the Taiwanese media liked to think that Manny Ramirez moonwalked instead.

A news report replayed the “moonwalk” over and over again, splicing the highlight in with clips of the real Michael Jackson doing the real moonwalk while “Billie Jean” played in the background.

Maybe Manny Ramirez should moonwalk more often. The slugger hit his sixth home run of the season on his next at bat.

Manny Ramirez Moonwalks Out Of Batter’s Box In Chinese League Game is a post from: The Inquisitr

Misty Shaffer lost close to 150 pounds while her husband was stationed for a year in Afghanistan with the USArmy, keeping it a surprise until the minute he stepped off a plane back home.

The Army wife once weighed more than 300 pounds,but, over the course of the last year, worked hard to take off the weight. While she was losing the weight, Shaffer also took great measures to make sure her husband, Specialist Larry Shaffer, had no idea.

“I just kept pictures off Facebook, off the internet,” Misty said. “When I did send him pictures, they were from the shoulder up.”

Misty Shaffer did a good job building up the anticipation for the big reveal. When Larry stepped off the plane, the first person his saw was his mother, Barbara Suerken. He then turned toward baggage claims and saw a group of family and friends, who yelled “surprise!” and parted to reveal his newly thin wife.

“Wow,” Shaffer said after seeing Misty. “This is icing on the cake because I’ve been happy with the way she’s looked since day one but it’s something she wanted to do and she reached her goal.”

Pictures revealed an Army wife who had slimmed down dramatically. A news crew even followed Misty Shaffer and family for their surprise homecoming for Larry.

Larry said he wasn’t even expecting such a big affair after being in Afghanistan the past year.

“I was speechless. There was so much to take in,” Larry Shaffer, 27, told Yahoo! Shine. “I was expecting only immediate family and was so surprised to see the crowd. Then Misty appeared and she was half the person she used to be. I couldn’t believe it.”

For Misty Shaffer, the 150 pound weight loss wasn’t the only surprise for her husband. The Army wife also fulfilled one of the family’s dreams by buying a new house while Larry was gone.

Misty Shaffer: Army Wife Loses 150 Pounds While Husband Is Deployed, Surprises Him At Airport is a post from: The Inquisitr

George Michael got into a crash last week that initially sounded life-threatening, but now the “Faith” singer is already out of the hospital and headed home.

The crash took place last week in England, and though details are still a bit hazy it appears that the car George Michael was riding in was the only one to crash.

“The exact circumstances of what happened are unclear at this time and until further investigations have been carried out it would be inappropriate for us to comment further,” police said at the time.

But though details were scarce, it was immediately clear that George Michael was hurt in the crash.

“A man who we believe to be in his 40s sustained a head injury and following treatment, stabilization and immobilization by land and air ambulance crews, he was flown to hospital for further care,” said Gary Sanderson, a local ambulance spokesman.

Initial reports said that George Michael’s crash was serious, but it was later revealed that the 49-year-old singer was only being treated for “minor cuts and bruises.”

“George Michael was a passenger in a vehicle involved in a traffic accident yesterday evening, no third party was involved,” a spokesperson for Michael confirmed Friday. “He is being treated for superficial cuts and bruises but is fine.”

Michael’s boyfriend Fadi Fawaz confirmed that the crash wasn’t as bad as it first appeared to be.

“Of course I was worried, but I have spoken to him, and he is good. He suffered a few bruises, but there is nothing to worry about. He’s due out soon, but I don’t know when. I have no idea what happened. I wasn’t there,” Fawaz said from Michael’s home.

George Michael has gotten into a crash before. In 2010 he crashed his car into a Snappy Snaps branch in England and was sentenced to two months in jail for careless driving.

George Michael Crash: Singer Released From Hospital After Scary Incident is a post from: The Inquisitr

Calvin Johnson had broken fingers for most of the 2012 season, but said they didn’t slow him down too much.

That might be a bit of an understatement. Johnson turned in one of, if not the best receiving seasons of all time, setting an NFL record with 1,964 yards.

Numbers aside, Johnson was dominant on an otherwise dismal Detroit Lions team, virtually unstoppable at times.

And Calvin Johnson did it all with broken fingers.

“Yeah, I had a couple of things here and there,” Johnson said. “Pretty much trying to get them back straight, trying to straighten them things out.

“I had a couple of injuries but nothing that prohibited me from doing what I needed to do. The thing with a lot of football players, you have injuries, but unless you know about it you just think it’s something that hurts and you keep on playing.”

The busted fingers caused Johnson to miss a bit of practice time, but he says he’s all healed up now and ready for the 2013 season. Johnson said his goal is to top 2,000 yards in the coming year.

“I am feeling good,” he said. “This is the time to get the body strong and ready to go through what we are about to go through.”

But first and foremost, Johnson wants to win.

“I have talked to (retired Pittsburgh Steelers receiver) Hines Ward the last couple of offseasons because we share the same trainer,” Johnson said. “He told me, ‘You can have all the accolades in the world, but it don’t really mean nothing if you aren’t winning.’ I can get three touchdowns and 200 yards, but if you lose the game what’s it all for?”

The Lions begin OTAs on Tuesday, and Johnson said he’s ready to get to work after a disappointing 4-12 season.

“We know what we were last year,” Johnson said. “Very disappointing that we weren’t able to get back to where we were (in 2011), especially since we were so close in so many of those games. Everybody’s focus should be way more intense this year.

“But you can’t tell until you get on the field.”

At least this year Calvin Johnson won’t have broken fingers to worry about.

Calvin Johnson Played With Broken Fingers During Most Of Record-Breaking Season is a post from: The Inquisitr

Hayden Panettiere is facing rumors that she and her boxer boyfriend Wladimir Klitschko are tying the knot, but the actress insists she’s not engaged yet.

The Nashville star addressed the marriage rumors this weekend at an appearance at the Billboard Music Awards. Hayden attended with Klitschko, but walked the red carpet alone.

When a reporter asked Panettiere about the engagement rumors, she have a quick but not entirely decisive answer.

“No ring,” she said, holding up her hand.

The non-answer may have been by design. By answering in neither the affirmative or negative, Panettiere addressed the rumor without committing one way or another.

Reports that Panettiere and Klitschko were engaged came out a few months ago.

“Very few people know, and she isn’t wearing her ring publicly yet,” the source told Us Weekly back in March.

Panettiere had said that she and the 37-year-old boxer were “just buddies, but they were then seen kissing at a recent Miami Heat game.  The diminutive actress and towering boxer had already broke up once before, in May 2011. They only stayed apart for a short time, and within four months were back together.

Hayden said that she preferred dating athletes since they aren’t too far removed from her acting world.

“I like [dating athletes]. It’s been a really cool thing, because they’re in similar circles, where they understand the schedule, the work ethic, the social aspect, but they’re not exactly in your industry, so it works out well, Panettiere explained.

Panettiere did clear something else up during her Billboard. She said the rumors of a Nashville live tour aren’t true … or particularly realistic.

“I’m kind of confused as to when they think that’s going to happen,” she said. “We shoot from the end of July to the end of April.”

Panettiere has faced other rumors recently. There were reports that she had gotten breast implants after a Glamour bikini photo shoot showed what appeared to be ripples in her bikini, supposedly a telltale sign of augmentation. She did not comment on the rumors.

http://www.inquisitr.com/601950/hayden-panettiere-breast-implant-rumors-claim-bigger-boobs-for-glamour-bikini-shoot/

Hayden Panettiere Rumors Persist, But No Engagement Yet is a post from: The Inquisitr

After 2 FBI agents were killed in a training exercise, the agency is mourning the loss of “two brave and courageous men.”

The agents, Christopher Lorek and Stephen Shaw, were killed in an accident in Virginia. The pair had been assigned to the FBI’s Critical Incident Response Group.

Both men were married with young children.

“We mourn the loss of two brave and courageous men,” FBI Director Robert S. Mueller said in a statement issued Sunday.

“Like all who serve on the Hostage Rescue Team, they accept the highest risk each and every day, when training and on operational missions, to keep our nation safe. Our hearts are with their wives, children, and other loved ones who feel their loss most deeply. And they will always be part of the FBI Family.”

The 2 FBI agents were reportedly killed during a hostage rescue training exercise.

The pair were in the Hostage Rescue Team, part of the Critical Response Group based at Quantico. The team is noted for the successful rescue earlier this year of a 5-year-old boy who was being held hostage by a 65-year-old man. The boy was saved from an underground bunker while the man was killed by agents.

It took seven days of negotiations to bring the hostage incident to an end, starting after kidnapper Jim Dykes shot school bus driver Charles Poland and took the child. Police had attempting to negotiate with Dykes for a week afterward, and the child was reportedly unharmed throughout the incident.

The Hostage Rescue Team was formed 30 years ago in preparation for the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. The 1976 Olympics in Munich had seen Israeli athletes held hostage, and ultimately killed, during the games. Munich authorities were criticized for not having a dedicated hostage rescue team.

After the 2 FBI agents were killed in the exercise, the agency is conducting an investigation into what cause the incident.

FBI Mourns After 2 Agents Killed During Exercise is a post from: The Inquisitr

A report says that Dwight Howard might have a number of options to play for next NBA season.

The soon-to-be free agent seems likely to be leaving the Los Angeles Lakers after one disappointing season, and reports say that several teams are interested in acquiring Howard.

Dwight Howard reportedly wants to take free agency slowly, meeting with several teams to see which situation fits best, wrote Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. This could set up a situation similar to LeBron James, who went into the 2010 offseason as a highly sought-after free agent and met with several teams before choosing the Miami Heat.

When free agency comes in six weeks, Dwight Howard will likely see interest from several NBA teams. Top of the list appears to be Houston, which would have a good supporting cast and the cap space to bring in the All-Star center.

The Dallas Mavericks are also in the hunt, as owner Mark Cuban and his deep pockets could make a strong bid for Howard.

Howard’s time with the Lakers can only go down as disappointing. Brought in during a busy offseason in which the team also acquired guard Steve Nash. Howard was expected to be part of the Western Conference’s answer to the Miami Heat.

Instead, the Lakers stumbled out of the gate while Howard struggled to gel with his teammates. He was plagued by injury and some behind-the-scenes spats with management and other players.

When Kobe Bryant went down late in the season with an Achilles injury, Dwight Howard had the chance to step up and lead the team, but could not. The Lakers were swept by the San Antonio Spurs in their first-round playoff series.

While it’s not clear yet which team Dwight Howard will report to in 2013, the next few weeks promise to be an interesting time in finding out.

Dwight Howard Report: Free Agent Has Several Teams Interested is a post from: The Inquisitr

President Obama has seen his approval rating survive a string of recent scandals, apparently withstanding what is being called the worst week in his presidency.

Obama has been hit by Republicans for a trio of scandals including his administration’s handling of the September terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya that left four Americans dead. Republicans have attacked the president’s administration for not providing enough security for Benghazi and for misleading the public in the aftermath.

Obama has also taken a hit from an IRS scandal in which right-leaning tea party groups were singled out for extra scrutiny. The IRS took action against groups applying for tax exemption, subjecting them to undue audits and other measures.

Another scandal came to light when it was also revealed this week that the Justice Department subpoenaed phone records from the Associated Press.

Despite the difficulties, Obama’s approval rating has remained high. A CNN/ORC International survey released Sunday morning shows that 53 percent of Americans approve of the job the president is doing while 45 percent disapprove.

Obama actually saw his approval rating increase from the last CNN poll, conducted in early April. He had the support of 51 percent of respondents in the previous poll. But the increase was so slight that pollsters warned about reading too much into it.

“That two-point difference is well within the poll’s sampling error, so it is a mistake to characterize it as a gain for the president,” says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. “Nonetheless, an approval rating that has not dropped and remains over 50% will probably be taken as good news by Democrats after the events of the last week.”

While Obama saw his approval rating remain steady, Americans did seem upset with the scandals. The poll found that 71 percent of Americans believe the IRS actions against tea party groups was unacceptable, though close to 60 percent said they trusted Obama on the issue.

Obama Approval Rating Remains Steady Despite Scandals is a post from: The Inquisitr

Jake the Snake sang “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” at an Atlanta Braves game at Turner Field, but the crowd wasn’t too forgiving for the wrestling legend.

One of the most popular wrestlers of the 1980s and 1990s, the golden era of the then-WWF, Jake the Snake was known for his ability to pump up crowds. Unfortunately those skills diminished with Jake’s wrestling ability, and the crowd in attendance at Turner Field didn’t seem to care for his shaky rendition during the seventh inning stretch.

There were quite a few boos mixed in with the cheering for the former professional wrestler, though he kept a wide smile and seemed to be enjoying himself.

Though Jake the Snake didn’t win over many fans with his singing, the wrestler does have a pretty good story. After years of drug and alcohol addiction, he has turned his life around, staying clean for about six months and getting back into shape with the help of another famous retired wrestler.

Jake the Snake has been working with Diamond Dallas Page, a former wrestler turned yoga instructor who has a knack for  working with individuals with physical limitations. In all, Jake’s lost close to 80 pounds.

“I’m getting my life back together, and things are going well,” Roberts said.

Despite his comeback in life, Jake the Snake sang with a bit of difficulty. He had some trouble with the words, which were written on a folded paper that he held tightly in his hand.

Still, the former wrestler didn’t seem too worried about hearing boos.

“What are they going to do, boo the hell out of me? It’s not like I’m Roseanne Barr,” Roberts said, referencing perhaps the worst baseball singer of all time, as Barr failed spectacularly in a rendition of the National Anthem.

Here is the video of Jake the Snake as he sings “Take Me Out To The Ballgame”:

Jake The Snake Sings ‘Take Me Out To The Ballgame’ At Braves Game, Gets Booed is a post from: The Inquisitr

EJ Manuel said he’s excited to start running the Buffalo Bills offense.

In fact, the rookie from Florida State said the Bills offense has been easier to pick up than the one he ran in college.

“The funny thing is it’s easier to learn than the offense I had at Florida State,” he told SiriusXM NFL Radio. “It’s a true West Coast-type progression offense. That’s really what I wanted when I was coming through the pre-draft process. I wanted something that I could just go in and say 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, check it down and run it. That’s it, it’s that simple. I love it.”

EJ Manuel has already been working closely with the Bills new offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, who followed new coach Doug Marrone from Syracuse.

“I’ve done great. The learning curve for me is a lot shorter simply because of what I had at Florida State. [The Seminoles' offense is] more complex and a little bit harder to catch on and learn. This offense is very simple. I’ve done a great job with it,” he said in the interview.

The Bills surprised many by taking Manuel with the No. 16 pick, the first quarterback off the board and the only one taken in the first round.

Many had expected the Bills to snag West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith or Syracuse signal caller Ryan Nassib. But the Bills reportedly fell in love with the strong arm, big size, and fast legs of EJ Manuel.

Manuel will go into training camp with a chance to compete for the starting job. The Bills also have veteran Tavaris Jackson, who was on the team last year but never active, and also brought in free agent Kevin Kolb.

Whether EJ Manuel wins the spot this year or waits another, he is part of a young Bills team with great promise. The Bills also bolstered their receiving corps by selecting Robert Woods (USC), Marquise Goodwin (Texas), and undrafted free agent Da’Rick Rodgers.

EJ Manuel: Bills Scheme Easier To Learn Than Florida State’s is a post from: The Inquisitr

Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson have broken up. At least for the moment.

Reports say that the Twilight couple has decided to take a break from their off-screen romance. The two were on the rocks last year after photos surfaced of Stewart having a secret affair with Rupert Sanders, her married director in Snow White and the Huntsmen.

Stewart took the unusual step of admitting to the affair, and apologized profusely: “I’m deeply sorry for the hurt and embarrassment I’ve caused to those close to me and everyone this has affected,” she said in a statement to People. “This momentary indiscretion has jeopardized the most important thing in my life, the person I love and respect the most, Rob. I love him, I love him, I’m so sorry.”

Stewart and Pattinson managed to weather that rough patch, but their relationship was strained again this year when Robert went to Australia for work and Stewart remained back home in Los Angeles.

They were seen together as recently as last month, when they were spotted holding hands at Coachella. Now a source now tells People that Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson have called it quits, but added that it would not be surprising if they got back together again.

Of course, there are some who think that the relationship truly ended last summer, and Stewart and Pattinson just pretended it was still going strong to help the Twilight brand.

“Rob & Kristen were asked to not announce a break-up or any relationship trouble until the DVD has been out for a few weeks and everything has sold,” a source revealed to Hollywoodlife back in March. “Since the first couple weeks are the times when the DVD will sell like wildfire. The more DVDs sold, the more money for them. So they are abiding by the request.”

There had been increasing signs of trouble for Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson before the split. A source told Us Weekly that the couple has been fighting a lot, and Pattinson reportedly even skipped out on the 27th birthday party that Stewart arranged for him.

Kristen Stewart And Robert Pattinson Split Up, For Now At Least is a post from: The Inquisitr

Chris Brown is getting death threats, and they’ve gotten the attention of the Los Angeles Police Department.

Multiple threats against the R&B singer were reportedly phoned to the office of his attorney, Mark Geragos. TMZ reported that the called threatened to kill Brown, though specific details of the death threat were not reported.

Geragos took the Chris Brown death threats seriously and called the LAPD, which collected information about the menacing calls.

Chris Brown did not appear too phased by the death threats, at least publicly. He’s continued with appearances and his love life remains on the front page of tabloids. Since splitting up with on-again, off-again girlfriend Rihanna, Brown has been in contact with ex-flame Karrueche Tran.

The singer tweeted a birthday message, and in response Tran sent a picture from her birthday party last year, rubbing her rear end in Brown’s face.

With the picture, Tran included the message: “TBT my birthday last year. Who’s face am I gonna put my a** in this year? Lmao I’m kidding.”

Sources say that it appears to be Chris Brown who is pursuing Tran, possibly in an attempt to reunite.

“He’s been initiating contact with her, not the other way around,” A source told Hollywood Life.

Chris Brown Gets Death Threats, LAPD Investigates is a post from: The Inquisitr

The New York Knicks had aspirations of winning the NBA finals this season. Or, at the very least, matching head-to-head with the loaded Miami Heat in the playoffs.

Now the Knicks will get neither after a second-round exit and a disappointing loss to the Indiana Pacers. The series came to an end on Saturday night when the Pacers closed out Game 6, despite 39 points from Carmelo Anthony.

“It’s tough,” Anthony said. “We all know what was the goal that we had set. Everybody wants to go to the championship, win the championship, that’s the ultimate goal. Unfortunately our run had to stop here.”

The loss wasn’t too unexpected. The Pacers have amassed a physical team with great defensive players like Roy Hibbert, and are looked at as having a decent chance against the Miami Heat. But for a Knicks team that finished with its best record in years, and won its first playoff series in close to a decade, it was still a major disappointment.

The Knicks could still come back after the difficult end to the season. Anthony is closing in on his 29th birthday and still at the top of his game.

“My career is far from over,” Anthony said after the loss to the Pacers on Saturday, “so I’m not really concerned about that. I still got a lot more time in this league.”

But the Knicks will have plenty of competition, and 2013 may have been the best chance for a championship. The Bulls will be back in contention next year with the return of Derrick Rose, and the Heat — who now seem to have an easy path to a second NBA championship — will return as the team to beat.

And aside from Carmelo Anthony, the Knicks roster is far from stacked. The team has question marks at many positions, and the league’s oldest roster will need some major retooling. Marcus Camby, Jason Kidd, and Amar’e Stoudemire are locked in for two years while Steve Novak is on board for three.

But for the Knicks to avoid another disappointing finish in 2014, Carmelo will need a major piece to complement him a la Russell Westbrook in Oklahoma City.

New York Knicks Season Deemed A Disappointment After Playoff Loss is a post from: The Inquisitr

Navy dolphins discovered a rare torpedo off the coast of California, one dating back to the late 1800s and the early days of undersea warfare.

The bottlenose dolphins that made the discovery had been trained by the Navy to search for dangerous objects under the water, things like mines that sometimes go undetected by the military’s expensive technology.

“Dolphins naturally possess the most sophisticated sonar known to man,” said Braden Duryee of the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific.

The rare torpedo found by the Navy dolphins was known as the Howell torpedo, considered a breakthrough piece of weaponry at the time it was debuted. It was developed by the United States as it was building up its Navy, the first to be able to follow a track without leaving a wake, Navy officials said.

The Howell found was one of just 50 made between 1870 and 1889 before a newer and more effective model was created. There had been only one known Howell torpedo remaining, which is being displayed at the Naval Undersea Museum.

“Considering it was made before electricity was provided to U.S. households, it was pretty sophisticated for its time,” said Christian Harris, operations supervisor for the biosciences division at the Systems Center Pacific.

The Navy compares its dolphins to security patrol dogs or those used to sniff for bombs or drugs.

“But just as the dog’s keen sense of smell makes it ideal for detecting land mines, the U.S. Navy has found that the biological sonar of dolphins, called echolocation, makes them uniquely effective at locating sea mines so they can be avoided or removed,” Navy officials said. “Other marine mammals like the California sea lion also have demonstrated the ability to mark and retrieve objects for the Navy in the ocean.”

The program to train dolphins has been a major undertaking for the Navy since the 1960s. The Navy dolphins that found the rare torpedo are known for excellent diving capabilities and its biosonar system so sophisticated that scientists don’t fully understand how it works.

Navy Dolphins Find Rare Torpedo Off California Coast is a post from: The Inquisitr

Gallup plans to release a detailed analysis over how its polls during the 2012 election turned out to be so disastrously wrong.

The noted polling company ran against the pack for most of the time before the election, showing Mitt Romney in a consistent lead over Barack Obama even as others showed Obama with a small but widening lead.

Gallup’s errors weren’t just a short-term blip. The company’s daily tracking poll showed Romney with a 1- to 7-point lead down the stretch, after the GOP candidate had a strong showing in the first presidential debate.

Just 10 days before the election the Gallup’s daily tracking poll showed a 4-point lead for Romney, even though Obama would go on to win the election 51 percent to 47 percent.

Shortly after the election concluded, Gallup editor-in-chief Frank Newport pledged to conduct a thorough review of the polling company’s telephone survey methodology. He has pledged to make those findings public in early June.

“We take it seriously” when polls are off, Newport said. “We’ve been doing presidential polling since 1936 which is what put George Gallup on the map …The results [in 2012] certainly were not what we wanted them to be from Gallup’s perspective.”

Gallup’s errors were compounded by the rise of polling analyst Nate Silver, whose blog FiveThirtyEight aggregated polls to make more wide-ranging predictions.

Taking data from hundreds of polls, Silver used a mathematical formula to show Obama holding a small but significant lead throughout the election, even after Romney’s strong debate showing.

Newport has hinted that Gallup’s future could include polling informed by other sources, including “non-probability data, administrative data, social media data.”

“I think it is an exciting time,” Newport said. “Rather than doing things the same way in any business, it’s always exciting when technology in particular opens up all these other opportunities.”

Gallup’s analysis about its 2012 failures will be released June 4.

Gallup To Explain How It Predicted 2012 Presidential Election So Badly is a post from: The Inquisitr

LeAnn Rimes gave Instagram followers a big dose of Nashville this week as the country singer hit the town to promote her upcoming album.

On Friday Rimes was in Nashville to promote the new album, Spitfire, due out June 4. To generate even more buzz Rimes teamed up with omg! to send out Instagram pictures of the big Nashville day.

The series of Instagram photos showed LeAnn Rimes meeting with fans in Nashville, doing interviews, and preparing for a show at the Grand Ole Opry. There is even a shot of the fit singer wearing a black bikini as she took a coffee break.

For fans of LeAnn Rimes, the Instagram pictures of Nashville were a good reminder that she is still a country music performer first and tabloid fodder second. In recent months the only news about Rimes seemed to come from her feud with her husband’s ex-wife, Real Housewife Brandi Glanville.

The two got into a bit of a tiff last week after Rimes sent Glanville flowers for Mother’s Day. Brandi responded on Twitter that she thanked LeAnn Rimes, even though the two don’t speak when they see each other in person.

In a now deleted tweet, LeAnn Rimes’ replied:

“This was actually the first acknowledgement of my gesture I was made aware of. I didn’t see anything else sent to me. It wasn’t for the ‘thank you.’ It was to just simply say Happy Mother’s Day.”

But with Spitfire, Rimes is moving past the drama and once again focusing on her music. She has called the album is her most personal one yet.

“It’s definitely a piece of my life through music, an emotional roller coaster of sorts, since that’s what I’ve been on for the last few years. But I think every human emotion, on this record, we tackled,” she said.

Rimes added, “There’s just a humanity through this that just came out of life for me. Life happened and this album came out of it all.”

You can check out Rimes in her Instagram adventures in Nashville here.

LeAnn Rimes Instagrams Photos From Nashville While Promoting Upcoming Album is a post from: The Inquisitr

A Greenwich Village killing is being investigated as a hate crime after an alleged assailant used homophobic slurs before firing a fatal shot into a man’s face.

The killing took place early on Saturday after the gunman confronted the victim and his companion in Greenwich Village, New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said. The gunman was seen urinating outside an upscale restaurant just minutes before the Greenwich Village killing, Kelly said. He then went inside to ask if they were calling the police on him.

The gunman then confronted the bartender and manager, telling them, “if you do call the police, I’ll shoot you,” police said. The alleged gunman, identified as 33-year-old Elliot Morales, then revealed a revolver he was carrying.

Police said Morales then joined two others on the street, approaching 32-year-old Harlem resident Marc Carson and his companion. The men taunted the couple, prompting Carson to turn and ask what they had said.

But the group kept following the men, repeating more anti-gay slurs. After a few moments the confrontation seemed to end, and Carson walked away.

Witnesses say Morales wanted to continue after the victim and at least one of his companions tried to talk him out of it. The suspect caught up to Carson and asked, “Do you want to die here?” before pulling out his revolver and fired into the man’s cheek from point-blank range, Kelly said.

Police apprehended the suspect a short time after the Greenwich Village killing, while Carson was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Police said they believe anti-gay sentiment was the motive for the shooting.

“This clearly looks to be a hate crime,” Kelly said at a news conference on Saturday.

Carson, who had just moved to Harlem from Brooklyn, is being remembered as a kind-hearted man unashamed of who he was.

“He was a proud gay man,” said Kay Allen, a longtime friend. “A fabulous gay man.”

The Greenwich Village killing was the latest in a string of ant-gay incidents in New York in recent days. A 35-year-old man told police he was beaten last week and heard anti-gay slurs after leaving a bar, and on May 5 a man and his partner were beaten by a group of men outside a New York Knicks game.

Greenwich Village Killing: Man Shot In Face Point-Blank In Alleged Hate Crime is a post from: The Inquisitr

Brittney Griner said her coach at Baylor University urged gay players to keep their sexuality a secret so it would not hurt recruiting and reflect badly on the program.

Griner, the first pick in the WNBA draft this year, said coach Kim Mulkey and the rest of the Baylor staff looked at it as a barrier to recruiting other players.

“It was a recruiting thing,” Griner said during an interview with ESPN The Magazine and espnW. “The coaches thought that if it seemed like they condoned it, people wouldn’t let their kids come play for Baylor.”

Brittney Griner said she has been openly gay during her entire time at Baylor, but chose not to talk about it out of respect for the program.

“It was more of a unwritten law [to not discuss your sexuality] … it was just kind of, like, one of those things, you know, just don’t do it,” Griner said Friday. “They kind of tried to make it, like, ‘Why put your business out on the street like that? ‘”

But Brittney Griner said she did not change who she was during her time at Baylor.

“I told Coach [Mulkey] when she was recruiting me. I was like, ‘I’m gay. I hope that’s not a problem,’ and she told me that it wasn’t,” Griner said. “I mean, my teammates knew, obviously they all knew. Everybody knew about it.”

Though she was openly gay, Brittney Griner “came out” casually during a series of interviews after finishing her senior season at Baylor.

Griner first delved into her sexuality in an April interview with SI.com. When asked about why men’s American sports didn’t have openly gay athletes but women’s sports did, Griner for the first time referred to her own sexuality.

“I really couldn’t give an answer on why that’s so different,” Griner said. “Being one that’s out, it’s just being who you are. Again, like I said, just be who you are.”

The Baylor star added that she didn’t think about her status as one of the top female athletes when deciding to come out.

“It really wasn’t too difficult,” Brittney Griner said about her decision to come out as gay. “I wouldn’t say I was hiding or anything like that. I’ve always been open about who I am and my sexuality. So, it wasn’t hard at all. If I can show that I’m out and I’m fine and everything’s OK, then hopefully the younger generation will definitely feel the same way.”

Brittney Griner: Baylor Coach Urged Players To Keep Sexuality Secret is a post from: The Inquisitr

Coach K could be back on the sidelines for Team USA.

Mike Krzyzewski is reportedly in discussion to return as the coach of the United States Olympic men’s basketball team for the 2016 Summer Games in Rio. Coach K talked about the possible Team USA return with SI.com, saying that he and USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo have been in talks about it.

“I think it’s very close to being resolved,” Colangelo said in the SI.com report. “That’s all I can say for sure. Give it another week and it should be resolved.”

The report noted that Colangelo held off a planned search for the next coach of Team USA while Krzyzewski coached Duke. Colangelo said he never looked into other candidates to lead the team.

Coach K admitted that he could be back to the team.

“There’s a chance,” Krzyzewski told SI.com. “That’s correct.”

Coach K has led Team USA since the disastrous 2004 Olympics and 2002 world basketball championship, when the Americans had lackluster finishes and teams that failed to gel.

Coach K took a new approach, holding tryouts and pulling together a squad that has showed better cohesiveness. As a result, the Americans have not lost a game since finishing third at the 2006 world championship.

The reports that Coach K could return to Team USA are in contrast to statements he made earlier this year.

The Duke head coach announced in February that he wouldn’t return as USA Basketball’s coach, ESPN reported. Speaking with ESPN Radio’s “Mike & Mike in the Morning,” Coach K said he expected USA Basketball to name a successor wh owould prepare the team for the 2014 world championships in Madrid.

“And we’re in a good spot,” Krzyzewski added. “We need to keep building.”

If Coach K does return to Team USA, it could still be a while before he is on the sidelines with the American squad. They are not scheduled to play again until 2014.

Coach K Could Return To Team USA For 2016 Rio Olympics is a post from: The Inquisitr

Manti Te’o took a Maxim joke in stride after the men’s magazine had his “girlfriend” pose for a photo spread.

Te’o could have been embarrassed about the situation that unfolded earlier this year, when his supposedly dead girlfriend Lennay Kekua turned out to be a hoax the entire time. The entire saga was outlined in a lengthy article in Deadspin, proving that the girl who supposedly died of leukemia on the same day that Te’o's (real) grandmother died was made up the entire time.

Since the story unfolded Te’o has been the subject of many jokes, including one from Maxim when Kekua was ranked No. 69 on the 100 Hottest Women in the World list.

Maxim writes: “After Manti Te’o’s fake girlfriend hoax of 2012, we think it might be nice to have an invisible girl of our own to love. Why not? She’s got a ton of great qualities, including looking awesome in a bikini.”

For good measure, the magazine included a picture of a black bikini held up on an invisible woman standing in front of a blue sky.

The second-round draft pick of the San Diego Chargers could have gotten upset or even just shrugged it off, but Te’o decided to go along with the Maxim joke. He even went to the Maxim party for the unveiling of the list.

The Chargers are likely happy to see his reaction. Te’o came into the draft with many question marks, including some poor play in the national championship game, but the team would hope that questions about the fake girlfriend would cease so he isn’t a distraction throughout the season.

The fact that Manti Te’o could play along with the Maxim joke probably has the Chargers front office breathing a little easier.

Manti Te’o A Good Sport About Maxim Joke is a post from: The Inquisitr

Mario Williams talked of suicide during a break-up with his fiance last year, his ex is claiming during a dispute over the engagement ring.

The former couple is in a court battle over the $785,000 diamond engagement ring Williams gave to his former fiancee, Erin Marzouki. Williams claimed that Marzouki is holding onto the ring in an attempt to get money out of him, and never intended to marry him.

Mario Williams signed a six-year, $100 million contract with the Buffalo Bills before the 2012 season, the biggest ever for a defensive player. The signing was considered a coup for the rebuilding Bills, who courted Williams for a three-day period over the start of free agency and signed him before other teams had a chance to make an offer.

Erin Marzouki was a big part of that process, following Williams to Buffalo and looking at homes in the suburbs as the former Houston Texan debated whether to join the team.

But the two broke up into the 2012 season, and now have entered a dispute over the engagement ring. After a court-encouraged mediation effort failed, Marzouki’s lawyer released a series of text messages from November showing Mario Williams as suicidal after the break-up.

The layer accused Williams of having “dramatic mood swings” during the engagement. The text message conversation took place in the evening hours of Nov. 11, the day the Bills lost to the New England Patriots.

“No money in the world should leave me with suicidal thoughts,” Williams wrote during the exchange. He also wrote that he took three hydrocodones that morning and planned to take two more on the plane ride back to Buffalo.

Marzouki encouraged Mario to get help, responding: “Why don’t you talk to someone? Clearly you’re not happy & if your takin pills that’s bad”

Mario Williams apologized but hinted toward more suicidal thoughts, writing: “I need to go back n my shell. There’s no telling what Ill do to myself at this point. I’m sry Ill disappear from now on.”

Mario Williams Talked Of Suicide During Break-Up, Ex-Fiancee Claims is a post from: The Inquisitr

J.R. Smith is getting called out by Rihanna for partying too hard and focusing on basketball too little.

The New York Knicks sharpshooter, who has played inconsistently in the 2013 NBA playoffs, is apparently clubbing a bit too much for the liking of the 25-year-old singer. Rihanna seemed to rip Smith in an exchange in Instagram a few hours before the Knicks must-win Game 5 against the Indiana Pacers.

Rihanna said J.R. Smith was struggling due to being “hungover from clubbing every night during the playoffs.”

The comment didn’t appear on Rihanna’s account but a screengrab of alleged exchange was captured here.

J.R. Smith and Rihanna have been close in the past. They were spotted clubbing together recently, and apparently have had an ongoing relationship. Back in May 2012, In Touch reported that the “two were spotted getting cozy” at a club in New York City.

J.R. Smith has been one of the major causes of the Knicks’ struggles — or so he says. Though they came into the playoffs expecting to challenge the Miami Heat for the Eastern Conference crown, the Knicks struggled against the Pacers, falling into a 3-1 hole.

“I take the blame for this whole series,” Smith said. “It started off with Game 4 in Boston or Game 5. I haven’t been playing myself. I haven’t been playing my part. I’ve been letting my teammates down. I’ve just been letting my coaches down.”

Smith got into some trouble in the Celtics series. He was suspended for Game 4 after nailing Jason Terry with an elbow, an absence that helped the Celtics win the game and pull back into the series.

The Knicks guard said that going forward, his focus will be on the court.

“I’m not worried about Instagram,” Smith said after the game, via The New York Daily News. “I’m worried about the playoffs.”

For J.R. Smith, that probably means no more clubbing with Rihanna.

J.R. Smith Ripped By Rihanna For Partying Too Much is a post from: The Inquisitr

Burger King has introduced a McRib knockoff meant to rival the famous McDonald’s sandwich, but the new boneless pork sandwich won’t really offer much competition to the Golden Arches company.

The new Burger King McRib is part of the fast food chain’s summer menu, introduced this week along with 12 other new items including a Memphis BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich. Burger King didn’t specifically say its McRib sandwich was meant to rival McDonald’s, but many business analysts took it that way.

Even the description of the Burger King McRib sandwich sounded like McDonalds, a “juicy boneless rib patty with a sweet and tangy BBQ sauce” that is “topped with crispy bread and butter pickles” served on a “warm toasted artisan style bun.” The only difference appeared to be onions, present on McDonald’s version of the McRib and absent on Burger King’s imitation.

Though there may be similarities, Burger King doesn’t present much of a threat to McDonald’s version of the McRib. The McDonald’s McRib sandwich, which is intermittently on the menu, has cut out a niche audience.

“We know our customers love McRib and we won’t disappoint them!” said McDonalds spokesperson Ofelia Casillas. “It will be returning.”

The McDonald’s McRib has amassed a following so devoted that they even keep track of the sandwich with a McRib locator.

For McDonald’s, the scarcity of the McRib is part of the marketing plan. The absence builds up anticipation among fans, and the sandwich is then inserted into the menu during the slower winter period when it can boost sales a bit.

“The winter is seasonally a slower period,” said Howard Penney, restaurant analyst and managing director at Hedgeye Risk Management, told Ad Age in the fall when McDonalds announced the McRib sandwich delay. “A lot of people underestimated the massive impact the weather had on sales.”

The Burger King McRib may offer the same advantage to the fast food chain, but it’s unlikely to cut into the popularity — or the sales — of McDonald’s original version.

Burger King McRib Not Real Competition To McDonald’s is a post from: The Inquisitr

Sidney Crosby scored his second career playoff hat trick on Friday as the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Ottawa Senators to take a 2-0 series lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Crosby took advantage of an Ottawa defense playing on its heels a bit, scoring three times in a little more than a period. The Penguins went on to win the game 4-3, with a chance to put a stranglehold on the series at it now moves back to Ottawa.

Though Ottawa’s defense paid extra attention to Crosby, they could not stop him on Friday night.

“He’s one of the best in the game and if you give him time, space to make plays, to shoot puck he’s going to burn you,” Ottawa defenseman Chris Phillips said. “That’s what we did tonight. We gave him too much room and he took advantage.”

The Penguins have now taken care of business in the opening part of the series, winning both home games and looking very much like the team many picked to win the Stanley Cup.

“You want to play well at home and make sure you get here,” Crosby said. “We did that, we got two wins. I don’t think your mindset changes. We know that it’s going to get harder.”

Pittsburgh stumbled a bit in the first round, allowing the New York Islanders to stretch the series to six games thanks in part to poor goaltending from Marc-Andre Fleury. But the Penguins have turned to veteran Thomas Vokoun since then, and he has been more than enough to put them past the Islanders and dig the Senators into a hole.

“I think we outplayed them,” Vokoun said after Friday’s win. “The score could’ve been a lot worse if not for good play by their goalie. The win is the most important thing and we got that.”

The Penguins also shook off concerns that Sidney Crosby might not be fully recovered after taking a puck to the jaw late in the season and missing several weeks.

As the series shifts to Ottawa, the Senators could be in for a difficult time. The team has never won a series after dropping the first two games.

The Penguins and Senators play again on Sunday.

Sidney Crosby Notches Hat Trick In Game 2 Win For Penguins is a post from: The Inquisitr

Zach Galifianakis quit drinking after a wild night in which he stood face-to-face with two giant men who delivered swift justice to the actor for dinging up their car.

The star of The Hangover told the story of how he quit drinking at an appearance on Conan on Wednesday. Galifianakis said that he was crossing the street after a night of some heavy whiskey drinking when he had a lapse in judgement and clocked the hood of a Jaguar.

Unfortunately for Zach, the men inside the car were “two 6-foot-6 guys — 12-by-12.” They were angry enough to exit the car and confront the actor and comedian, spitting in his face.

“I don’t know if you’ve ever been spit in your face, non-sexually…” Galifianakis joked to Conan.

There could be other factors behind Zach Galifianakis’ decision to quit drinking. Last August the actor settled down, marrying girlfriend Quinn Lundberg.

The two wed in a quiet ceremony that included some famous guests, including The Hangover co-stars Bradley Cooper and Ed Helms.

Galifianakis had been quietly dating Lundberg for at least two years before the wedding. The couple remained underneath the radar, getting engaged in June 2012 with little fanfare. While Galifianakis is a boisterous character in his movies, he’s said to live a simpler life away from the big screen, spending much time in his home state of North Carolina.

Zach Galifianakis also quits drinking just as the finale to his movie trilogy about heavy drinking is about to be released. The Hangover 3, the final part of a saga about a group of hard-drinking and forgetful friends, is set for release May 24.

This installation of the series looks to follow the same theme of the first two, with the group of friends getting into drunken hijinks, this time back in Las Vegas. Only a few superficial details appear to set this apart from the first two.

The promotional material for The Hangover 3 promises:

“This time, there’s no wedding. No bachelor party. What could go wrong, right? But when the Wolfpack hits the road, all bets are off.”

As the movie trilogy comes to an end, it seems a fitting time that Zach Galifianakis quits drinking.

Zach Galifianakis Quits Drinking After Getting Spit In The Face is a post from: The Inquisitr