Queen of Sports

North Korean Soccer Team Humiliated For Poor Performance In World Cup

In a six-hour public display of humiliation, the entire North Korean soccer team was forced onto a stage at the People’s Palace of Culture where they were subjected to criticism from the sports minister Pak Myong-chol. Hundreds of government officials, students, and journalists watched the ordeal as they were punished for losing all three World Cup games. This was the first year North Korea competed in the World Cup since 1966. North Korea’s coach, Kim Jong-hun was demoted to a job in construction, and expelled from the Worker’s Party of Korea. North Korea seemed to have foreseen the team’s poor performance and banned the broadcast of live games up until their close loss against Brazil that ended with a score of 2-1. Things could have been worse, though, the Chosun Illbo newspaper quoted a South Korean intelligence source as saying, “In the past, North Korean athletes and coaches who performed badly were sent to prison camps.”

This is sad. It’s just a game, people!

Photo: Image.net

The Jonas Brothers Take On ESPN

The Jonas Brothers have been challenged to take on some ESPN reporters in a softball game after the trio appeared on an ESPN fantasy podcast. Matt Berry, ESPN’s fantasy reporter, extended the challenge, and other reporters who have agreed to play include Mike Greenberg, (of Mike and Mike in the Morning) Michelle Beadle of SportsNation, Trey Wingo of SportsCenter, and Eduardo Perez (former MLB player and Baseball Tonight analyst). The Jonas Brothers will play with their pick-up team, the Road Dogs. ESPN’s team made up of commentators, G.O.A.T.S. (Greatest Of All Time) will take on the Dogs on August 13th at the New Britain Stadium in Connecticut. The game will help promote the Road Dogs “X The Text” campaign, which encourages fans not to text and drive. Proceeds from ticket sales will go to the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center’s “A Brighter Hope” campaign.

MC Hammer Launches MMA Management Company

Who knew the three-time Grammy winner who brought us parachute pants and epic dance moves in the 80′s and 90′s would be an MMA fan? He started Alchemist Management which plans to manage, promote, market, and build brands for MMA fighters. He’s no stranger to the sports industry, he started out in sports before his music career took off, and managed boxer Evander Holyfield in the 90′s. His management company will work with fighters in the different MMA organizations, including Strikeforce and MMA.

MC Hammer said in a press release, “I’ve been a fan of combat sports for years. MMA is the fastest growing sport in the world and this is a great opportunity for us to launch a full-service management company. Alchemist Management will leverage its relationships and resources for the benefit of fighters, the sponsors, and the industry at large.” Already, he has a roster of well known fighters he’s working with, including UFC middleweight contender Nate Marquardt, UFC veteran light-heavyweight Vladmir Matyushenko, and “Ultimate Fighter ” alum and UFC fighter James McSweeney.

Photo: AlchemistMgmt.com

LeBron Fan Ejected From Cleveland Indians Game

A guy wearing a LeBron James Heat jersey and his girlfriend created quite a stir at an Indians baseball game in Cleveland on Wednesday night. The Indians were playing the Yankees, and the LeBron fan got more heat than the many Yankees fans sitting in left field, which says a lot about how  Cleveland is coping with their loss. Fans threw beer and peanuts at the Lebron lover, and yelled obscenities at the couple. The couple taunted fans and yelled obscenities back. Supposedly things didn’t escalate until the sixth inning, when he was shown on the stadium’s big screen. Eventually, the two were ejected by stadium security for their own safety.

Memphis Mourns Loss of NBA’s Lorenzen Wright

Lorenzen Wright has passed away at the age of 34, after going missing and eventually found dead of gunshot wounds in a wooded area in Memphis. Lorenzen last played with the Cleveland Cavaliers but his NBA career goes all the way back to 1996, when he was drafted 7th overall and picked up by the Clippers. He also played for the Atlanta Hawks for several years, the Memphis Grizzlies for five years, and the Sacramento Kings in 2008. Wright lost his infant daughter in 2003 to natural causes, and started the Sierra Simone Wright Scholarship Fund in her name and honor. He left behind six children, and is remembered by his former coaches as being a positive, friendly, caring person. Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley said, “Lorenzen never backed down from any challenge given him, whether it was guarding Shaq or anyone else. He was a team player, a great locker room guy. There was never an instance that I talked to him when he wasn’t positive. I am heartbroken. I’m sure there are a lot of people in Memphis who are very, very sad. He was a good man who had his share of tough times, and I’ve got to believe he’s in a better place.”

Photo: NBA.com

San Franciso Giants Hosting “Jerry Garcia Tribute Night”

Dead Heads in San Francisco, rejoice! August 9th will be Jerry Garcia Tribute Night at AT&T Park, complete with a limited-edition Jerry Garcia bobblehead for fans who buy a special ticket package. The ticket package prices are between $20 and $50 and include an exclusive seat in the Jerry Garcia Tribute Section of the ballpark, (aka all the Dead Heads will be separated from the families) the aforementioned bobblehead, pre-game Grateful Dead Tribute Band performances, with ticket proceeds directly benefiting the Rex Foundation. The National Anthem will be sung by Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, and Jeff Pehrson, with a 7th inning stretch rendition by Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann (founding Grateful Dead drummers) of The Rhythm Devils. If that’s not enough for Dead Heads, they can purchase the Triples Alley VIP Experience package, which for $175 includes entrance into a pre-game party in the new VIP Triples Alley Party Space, complimentary food and beverage, a private Grateful Dead Tribute band performance, and a raffle ticket for rare Grateful Dead memorabilia. Also, the first pitch will be thrown out by members of the Garcia family.

Tito Ortiz Hosting The Ultimate Blood Drive In Arizona

Tito Ortiz is fighting off blood shortage in Arizona by hosting a blood drive at Desert Sky Mall in Phoenix, Arizona tomorrow. Everyone who donates blood with United Blood Services will get to meet the UFC fighter, receive a personalized autographed photo, and be entered into drawings his Punishment clothing apparel line. Additionally, United Blood Services is giving donors the chance to win a new 2010 Volkswagen Beetle. The event is taking place between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Blood donations face a shortage during this time of year due to the amount of people on summer vacation. Tito said in a press release, “Some fans look up to me as a hero, but here’s a chance for everyone to be real heroes by giving blood. Remember, if you fight Tito Ortiz, you lose.  But we can all be winners for Arizona hospital patients!”

MLB And The Pepsi Refresh Project

Pepsi is giving away millions of dollars to fund improvement to communities around America. Pepsi teamed up with the MLB and teams are coming up with their own ideas to enter into a competition for a $200,000 grant to help carry out the improvement of their choice. Fans can log on and vote for their favorite teams idea. For example, the Los Angeles Angels want to “encourage at-risk high school seniors to attend four-year college programs.” A longer description of the goal explains how they plan on playing that out. The Angels plan on graduating 100% of at-risk seniors who are four-year eligible with a clear career path plan by rewarding successful students and their families with tickets to games. They also plan on having Angels players and/or executives visiting campuses to speak directly to students about the importance of education in reaching career goals. Other ideas include: building a community park for people of different abilities (Oakland A’s), teaching baseball skills to over 20,000 young people (Detroit Tigers), and providing school supplies for participants of the Inner City Youth Baseball Program (Chicago White Sox).

Log on here to vote for the project you think would refresh our communities the best.

Hollywood Stars Game Returns To Baseball At Dodgers Stadium

In recent years, the Hollywood Stars Game was converted to softball, however this year they’ve switched it back to its original form: baseball. Celebrities in film, music, television and sports will come together on August 7th at Dodgers stadium to compete in the 52nd annual Hollywood Stars Game. The game begins at 5, followed by the Dodgers versus the Nationals at 7, and fans with tickets to the Dodgers game are welcome to come early for the Hollywood Stars Game.

Celebrities on the roster include: Billy Crystal, Laker legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kevin James, (“Grown Ups” and “The King of Queens”) Jon Hamm of “Mad Men”, Director Rob Reiner, Jack Black, and many more.

X Games 16 Under Way In LA

The X Games are under way in LA, from the Staples Center and Nokia Live, to the Coliseum and LA Live, events are taking place all over downtown.  Travis Pastrana won his seventh Moto X Freestyle gold today, Ryan Sheckler topped the skate street elimination round, and Shaun White hit the vert ramp. Tune in to ESPN to watch the X Games, the event ends on August 1st.