Don Cherry is known for not having a filter, but he's going to learn that you can upset people very quickly with certain comments. He was responding to a question from John Buccigross about attendance problems in Detroit when he dropped the r-neck bomb....

Wow...that's one hell of a coat isn't it? That seems like a pretty good assessment minus the whole redneck business, and it looks like Don isn't making any friends in Detroit anytime soon. Good first appearance...way to make it a little controversial.

Don Cherry: "Detroit's a Redneck Town" (Fanhouse)

One of the big stories regarding the "Leader" last week was the signing of WWE announcer Jonathan Coachman. Well according to Canoe.com those rumors are false....

In a statement to SLAM! Wrestling, Dave Nagle, Manager of Media Relations for ESPN's Communications Department, stated that "all I can say is that these 'rumors' are untrue...we do not have a signed deal. There is nothing more to say."

The rumours on Coachman's departure began soon after his seemingly final Smackdown broadcast on April 26, 2008. As of the Backlash pay-per-view April 28, Coachman had been replaced by Mick Foley as the Smackdown colour commentator alongside play-by-play man Michael Cole.

Saying that they do not "have a signed deal" doesn't really deny the fact that they are interested I guess, but it appears all of the Wrestling sites last week were wrong. Most of you said the guy is pretty good on broadcasts outside of the WWE, so hopefully you're right and ESPN gets that contract signed.

ESPN denies Coachman signing (Canoe)

One of the biggest traffic days AA has ever had was the day I posted the audio of Suzyn Waldman crying on-air after the Yankees lost in the Playoffs last year (the audio is still there if you missed it). Well Waldman you may remember was the same person who went all JR on us with a WWE style announcement that Roger Clemens was coming back to the Yankees last year, and today she's still singing his praises after all that's happened.....

Twelve months later, is Waldman shocked by what has unfolded in the life of Roger Clemens?

"Nothing shocks me anymore," she said on a rare day off yesterday. "The only thing that has surprised me and disappointed me is the glee with which people are going after Roger.

"I think the more people accomplish, the bigger people are, the more excited people are to bring them down, and there's a real feeding frenzy on this man."

Waldman said she does not know whether Clemens took steroids or committed the personal indiscretions of which he has been accused.

"I can only judge people on what I observe and how they treat me," she said, "and since the mid-'80s, I've known him and all of his family and watched the kids being born and knew his mother and know his sisters ... I never saw this stuff. I don't know if it's true. Does it change what I think of Roger Clemens? I don't think so."

By all accounts Roger Clemens is a completely awful human being, but I can understand Suzyn's devotion to someone who's been in her life for 20 years. Even with evidence stacked up (most of Roger's is circumstantial) some people will just never turn on someone in their lives and you can't really blame them. Ms. Waldman even decided to compare Roger's situation to her own....

"The only thing that surprises me about anything that happens is the glee with which people are dealing with this venom," she said. "It surprised me last year when it happened to me."

Riiiiiight crying on-air is exactly the same as cheating on your wife and cheating the Sport of Baseball. She almost had me there, but I knew something asinine was coming. Good try Suzyn.

Waldman: Nothing shocks me anymore (Newsday)

Bugs and Cranks has video of the Rangers and Mariners playing the feud last night, and announcer Tom Grieve doesn't seem to respect Richie Sexson decision to charge the mound....

In fairness to Sexson, the Mariners' Felix Hernandez had hit two batters in the previous inning and he was charging on anything close. I've also never seen a helmet throw land like that. Fun times.

Update: Here is the full thing, and as right as the Rangers announcers are about the situation....they do go a little overboard with the Sexson bashing....



Mariners/Rangers bench-clearing brawl (Bugs and Cranks)

I have an odd obsession with documentaries these days. I've watched everything from King of Kong to The Bridge (most depressing film ever made), and after watching this preview I'm downright stoked for Bigger, Faster, Stronger....

That first dude is going to haunt my dreams, but this is a close second after seeing Speed Racer in IMAX on my list of Summer movies.

Most of us grew up during one of the best eras of NBA Basketball and because of that I think we're spoiled. Some of us got to enjoy Kareem, Barkley, Olajuwon, Malone, Stockton, Pippen, Malone, O'Neal, Bird, Drexler, Ewing, Magic, and Jordan in our lifetimes.

Us NBA heads are enjoying a renaissance of sorts in the NBA and while Lebron and Kobe continue to amaze there isn't a player I've been this excited about in quite some time. Chris Paul is like a combination of Stockton, Magic, and Jordan....but completely different (if that makes any sense). The kid is just out of his mind.....

Go back to the beginning and watch that full speed again. You'll thank me for it. I'll wait......

35 points and 9 assists? Are you kidding me?!?! I know that doesn't approach his best game, but in San Antonio that's crazy. By the end of the game both Paul and Parker were shaking their heads at each other. Even though the Spurs decided to come and play tonight, and the Hornets went down.....I just can't take my eyes off him. It's a good thing the kid is sponsored by Jordan if you ask me. This is the only series in the NBA Playoffs that matters right now, and it's the only one you should be watching.

(Also, Dan Shulman and Doris Burke are a great NBA Announcing team and I'm glad that Burke finally realized her potential. I love her "Oh!" as that Paul shot goes in.)

Here's your MLB announcing schedule for the weekend and it looks to be a good one. Why? No Buck or McCarver! I'm not sure why FOX decided to use a St. Louis play by player and a Brewers analyst for the Cards-Brewers game, but that's who you get if you're in the Midwest. Interesting idea for a day.

Here's the rest of the sched....

Saturday:

New York Yankees at Detroit- Dick Stockton, Eric Karros (FOX, 3:55pm, 54%)

MARKETS INCLUDE: MARKETS INCLUDE: Baltimore, Boston, Buffalo, Charlotte, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas, Detroit, Fort Myers, Greensboro, Greenville, Hartford, Jacksonville, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Norfolk, Orlando, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Portland, Providence, Raleigh, Richmond, Seattle, Tampa, Washington, West Palm Beach

Arizona Diamondbacks at Chicago Cubs- Kenny Albert & Mark Grace (FOX, 3:55pm, 37%)

MARKETS INCLUDE: Albuquerque, Atlanta, Austin, Birmingham, Chicago, Cincinnati, Dayton, Denver, Houston, Indianapolis, Knoxville, Las Vegas, Louisville, Nashville, New Orleans, Oklahoma City, Phoenix, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco

St. Louis Cardinals at Milwaukee Brewers- Dan McLaughlin & Bill Schroeder (FOX, 3:55pm, 8%)

MARKETS INCLUDE: Kansas City, Memphis, Milwaukee, St. Louis, Tulsa

Sunday:

NY Yankees at Detroit (TBS, 1pm)- Chip Caray and Ron Darling

Boston at Minnesota (ESPN, 8pm)- Jon Miller and Joe Morgan

There's no word yet on announcers for the games, but I figured I'd pass along the schedule for you Soccer lovers out there. Oh and those two loveable characters above are Trix and Flix the official mascots of Euro 2008! How cute. Here are the games (all times EST)....

Round Robin Phase:

Saturday 6/07

11:50 a.m.- Switzerland vs. Czech Republic A (ESPN Classic, ESPN Deportes)
2:30 p.m.- Portugal vs. Turkey A (ESPN Classic, ESPN Deportes)

Sunday 6/08

11:50 a.m.- Austria vs. Croatia B (ESPN2, ESPN Deportes)
2:30 p.m.- Germany vs. Poland B (ESPN2, ESPN Deportes)

Monday 6/09

11:50 a.m.- Romania vs. France C (ESPN2, ESPN Deportes)
2:30 p.m.- Netherlands vs. Italy C (ESPN2, ESPN Deportes)

Tuesday 6/10

11:50 a.m.- Spain vs. Russia D (ESPN2, ESPN Deportes)
2:30 p.m.- Greece vs. Sweden D (ESPN2, ESPN Deportes)

Wednesday 6/11

11:50 a.m.- Czech Republic vs. Portugal A (ESPN2, ESPN Deportes)
2:30 p.m.- Switzerland vs. Turkey A (ESPN2, ESPN Deportes)

Thursday 6/12

11:50 a.m.- Croatia vs. Germany B (ESPN2, ESPN Deportes)
2:30 p.m.- Austria vs. Poland B (ESPN2, ESPN Deportes)

Friday 6/13

11:50 a.m.- Italy vs. Romania C (ESPN2, ESPN Deportes)
2:30 p.m.- Netherlands vs. France C (ESPN2, ESPN Deportes)

Saturday 6/14

11:50 a.m.- Sweden vs. Spain D (ESPN2, ESPN Deportes)
2:30 p.m.- Greece vs. Russia D (ESPN2, ESPN Deportes)

Sunday 6/15

2:30 p.m.- Switzerland vs. Portugal A (ESPN2, ESPN Deportes)
2:30 p.m.- Turkey vs. Czech Republic A (ESPN2, ESPN Deportes)
5 p.m.- Turkey vs. Czech Republic (ESPN Deportes)

Monday 6/16

2:30 p.m.- Poland vs. Croatia B (ESPN Classic)
2:30 p.m.- Austria vs. Germany B (ESPN, ESPN Deportes)
5 p.m.- Poland vs. Croatia (ESPN Deportes)

Tuesday 6/17

2:30 p.m.- Netherlands vs. Romania C (ESPN Classic)
2:30 p.m.- France vs. Italy C (ESPN, ESPN Deportes)
5 p.m.- Netherlands vs. Romania (ESPN Deportes)

Wednesday 6/18

2:30 p.m.- Greece vs. Spain D (ESPN, ESPN Deportes)
2:30 p.m.- Russia vs. Sweden D (ESPN2)
7 p.m.- Russia vs. Sweden (ESPN Deportes)

Quarterfinals Stage:

Thursday 6/19 2:30 p.m.- 1st Group A vs. 2nd Group B (ESPN, ESPN Deportes)
Friday 6/20 2:30 p.m.- 1st Group B vs. 2nd Group A (ESPN, ESPN Deportes)
Saturday 6/21 2:30 p.m.- 1st Group C vs. 2nd Group D (ABC)
Sunday 6/22 2:55 p.m.- 1st Group D vs. 2nd Group C (ESPN, ESPN Deportes)

Semifinals Stage:
Wednesday 6/25 2:30 p.m.- Winners (ESPN, ESPN Deportes)
Thursday 6/26 2:30 p.m.- Winners (ESPN2, ESPN Deportes)

Finals:

Sunday 6/29 2:30 p.m. - Euro 2008 Title Match from Vienna (ABC)

I'll say it. I'm really starting to miss Emmitt. The guy provides so much for the Internet and this site in particular and it's just not the same without him. That's why I had to pass along this quote from DallasCowboys.com via PFT....

Emmitt also had an opinion on Adam Jones, saying, "If he's not getting arrested I'm OK" with him. But the one refrain we seem to be getting from veteran players, and echoed out here by Emmitt was this: Adam Jones can have all the great influences or guidance in the world around him, "You can be with the guy and in his ear 24 hours a day, but at the end of the day you can't be there the whole time."

Ah yes. It's like he never left us at all. I wish you were with us 24-hours a day Emmitt.

At Long Last Some Tangible Evidence (DallasCowboys.com)
More Wisdom From Emmitt (PFT)

When one radio host says something about someone you usually don't pay attention, but when five different employees say something about someone you're going to take notice. Let me introduce to you John Tomase of the Boston Herald and Mike & Mike, Chris Mortensen, Jason Smith (All Night), and of course Shrutebag.

The reason behind the ambush is simple. Tomase is the source of the Rams' "Walk Through Tape" that didn't surface when Walsh finally talked to the NFL. Mortensen even went so far as to say the following. Via Fanhouse...

"Other media outlets including ESPN, had this allegation and pursued this allegation for months, and it just didn't meet the standard in terms of what you needed to report it, and the Boston Herald evidently felt they had met the standard to report it," Mortensen said. "They need to come out and say, 'We stand by our story' or they need to have a retraction and apology and deal with the consequences of it, but certainly it's damaging to the Boston Herald at this point, especially if they stay silent on the subject."
You know it's bad when

Chris Mortensen is questioning your reporting standards. Jason Smith commented on a retraction, Mike & Mike followed suit, and Cowherd even compared the story to the Patterson-Gimlin "Bigfoot" video from 1967. I find it extremely odd that ESPN is going through these lengths to call out the Boston Herald considering some of their own anonymous source stories that didn't pan out, but the Herald does owe an explanation. More on this later today.

Chris Mortensen: ESPN Had Rams Walk- Through Story, It Didn't Meet Our Standards (Fanhouse)

(Thanks to DG for the tip.)

I can't believe Ernie Johnson went through the lengths to set this up, but it's downright hilarious. Watch as the Chuckster reads everything on the teleprompter...

Go eff yourself San Diego! That's just too funny.

(Via Real Clear Sports)

Being someone that has spent his fair share in mascot costumes (3 to be exact), I can understand the panic on this Cincinnati Reds Mascot's face. You never want to be unmasked even if there's an element of danger involved....

The "mascot" is a thankless job and it's about time that people documented the dangers that affect them. I once had to dress up as a "Bear Dog" and participate in a walk-a-thon very very hungover. These people need a Union and they need one post haste.


Mr. Redlegs Loses His Head (Bugs and Cranks)