Barry, Barry, Barry. That’s all we hear about these days. Yesterday, as predicted, Topps revealed that it is the creator of the “Trade Barry!” billboard near AT&T Park. The company also unveiled the second part of its ad campaign around Bonds, setting up a new billboard that reads, “Trade Barry’s Cards With Topps – The Exclusive Home Of Barry’s Home Run Chase.”

It’s a creative campaign aimed at taking the attention off of steroids and back onto baseball and Barry’s home run quest. Each time Bonds hits a home run, fans can log onto the company’s web site and order a trading card chronicling that specific home run. The card will only be available until Bonds’ next home run.

“Bonds on Bonds,” the hot series from Tollin/Robbins Productions documenting Bonds as he pursues the all-time home run record premiered on ESPN2 last night. The show opened with the disclaimer: “The following is an ESPN Original Entertainment program produced in association with Tollin/Robbins Productions, which is responsible for the content and vision of the show.” Bonds’ PR firm “cut a deal” with Tollin/Robbins and “asked for a reported $4[M], with full management of the show’s content.” An ESPN employee estimated Bonds’ share of the deal at around $1M. During the show, Bonds “didn’t answer the question that dogs him every single day: Did he use steroids?” Bonds explained that he is “bound by the courts, by baseball, and by his lawyer from discussing” the issue. Bonds: “People think I’m afraid, but that’s not the case at all.” The show did not shy away from any of the major issues either- the show mentioned the incident of the idiot fan throwing a syringe in Bonds’ path at Petco Park on Opening Day. Some notable quotes from Barry Bonds during the show:

“My relationship with [the media] has always been rocky. At one point in my career it became kind of fun. It was a big motivating thing for me because without their negativity, I probably wouldn’t have been as good as I am.”

On GQ Magazine ranking the ten most-hated athletes: “You got me second and (Cowboys WR Terrell Owens first). How did T.O. get in front of me? That’s bull—- right there! That sucks.”

“There’s not one friend that you’ll ever talk to in my life that says Barry Bonds is any different from when he was in high school. Barry Bonds didn’t give a s—- then, Barry Bonds don’t give a s—- now.”

REGGIE BUSH IS ONE HELL OF A HOT ATHLETE.
As anticipation swirls around the upcoming NFL Draft, Reggie Bush is busy making his mark in the Athlebrity world. Bush’s advisor, Mike Ornstein, who also is a Reebok consultant, said that he is “juggling a dozen offers for his client, ranging from soft drinks and cellphones to cars and candy.” With all the offers pouring in, Bush has chosen to do ads for Subway?

Last week Bush filmed a TV ad for Subway that is scheduled to launch Monday.
In a rough cut of the ad, Bush sits on a bench in a football uniform, looking mighty fine, with a voiceover identifying him by saying, “Reggie Bush.” At the end of the spot, the voiceover says, “Get Inside No. 5” and promotes the Web site Subwayfreshbuzz.com. The Web site will become active Saturday and will include postings by Bush on the draft and sudden fame, live chats with fans on April 10 and 27, and 15 behind-the-scenes videos of him working out with [former USC teammate] Matt Leinart, shopping for a BMW and hanging with friends.” Subway CMO Tony Pace said the site “will be a backstage pass come to life.”

THE WORLD CUP IS COMING

adidas has launched its new global ad campaign around the ’06 FIFA World Cup, entitled “Impossible Team.” The campaign tells the story of two kids picking their all-time greatest soccer team and features such hot athletes as sexy Zinedine Zidane (France), hottest athlete alive David Beckham (England), Michael Ballack (Germany), Kaka (Brazil), the edible Frank Lampard (England), Arjen Robben (Holland), Juan Roman Riquelme (Argentina) and yummy Raul (Spain), along with former World Cup stars Franz Beckenbauer (Germany) and Michel Platini (France). The campaign is catchy, inspirational, and chock full of hot athletes- what more could we ask for?

BAD HOT ATHLETES
In need of serious spankings are Sean Taylor, Donovan McNabb and Dwight Gooden.

Not Hot Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor isn’t smart enough to accept a plea deal that could keep him out of prison in an assault case because it would require him to admit to a felony, his attorney said Tuesday. “When a man is not guilty, that option is not attractive,” said Richard Sharpstein, one of Taylor’s three lawyers.

The 23-year-old Taylor faces three aggravated assault charges and one misdemeanor battery charge stemming from a June 1 armed confrontation in a dispute over all-terrain vehicles that Taylor owns. If Taylor is convicted, the felony assault charges carry a mandatory minimum prison sentence of three years each. Prosecutors talked with Taylor’s lawyers about a plea deal involving a sentence of probation, but insisted on a felony plea because a firearm was involved. Taylor signed a seven-year, $18 million contract with the Redskins in 2004. The hotheaded Taylor has been fined seven times during his pro career for late hits and other infractions, most recently a $17,000 penalty for spitting in the face of an opponent during a playoff game in January. He also was fined $25,000 for skipping a mandatory rookie symposium. All together now…Mensa reject.

Surprising me by getting into trouble, is hot Eagles quarterback and front man for Chunky Soup, Donovan McNabb.

McNabb and linebacker Jeremiah Trotter were found guilty today of parking their trucks in zones for the handicapped. Don’t they know its for the physically handicapped, not the mentally handicapped? McNabb was ordered to pay a $256 fine and $33 in court fees. Trotter, who had parked illegally twice, was ordered to pay $512 and $66 in fees. The two hot athletes were among dozens of alleged parking scofflaws in court today. All of them were among the hundreds of people who have been cited since last year by activist Maryann Cottrell, the mother of a handicapped daughter. Yo go girl!

And finally, washed up ex- hot athlete, Dwight Gooden was sentenced today to a year and a day in prison for violating his probation by using cocaine. With credit for time served in jail Gooden likely will spend about 7 1/2 months in state prison.

The once-dominant and hot pitcher was serving three years’ probation for speeding away from police during a drunken driving traffic stop last year when he failed a drug test and acknowledged to a probation officer that he had used cocaine. OH! He chose the prison sentence over reinstatement of his probation, which would have meant the prospect of five years behind bars if he violated it again. In 1994, and 1995 he also tested positive for cocaine. “I have a problem, sir, with cocaine,” Gooden, dressed in an orange jail outfit, told the Judge. “I had a cocaine relapse.” Gooden had been the 1984 Rookie of the Year, and he was the 1985 NL Cy Young Award winner while with the New York Mets. He retired in 2001. He also pitched for the New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians, Houston Astros and Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

That’s it for today. As always, thanks for reading. Delinda