APPLE AND NIKE TEAM UP
Yesterday, Apple and Nike unveiled a product line that will mix running shoes with iPods. The cool system integrates footwear with an iPod Nano to allow audible tracking of distance, time, pace, calories burned, and music.

You’ll need the iPod Nano, which starts at $149, AND the special Nike shoes. The $100 Nike + Air Zoom Moire will be the first footwear that works with the system and will be available beginning July 13. Six more compatible kicks are expected to be on sale before the end of the year.

A NEW GAME FOR CURT SHILLING

Today it was announced that it’s finally your chance to play Curt Shilling in EverQuest. The Boston Red Sox pitcher plays an “epically awesome, loot-dropping” virtual bad guy who battles unwary players. And it’s all for a good cause. Shilling’s character will reside within the online world of EQII for three days during the Yankees vs. Red Sox series (June 5-7). During this time, fans can register for and log into EverQuest II at www.battleals.com to challenge the evil Schilling character, appropriately named “Curt Schilling.” Every time a player defeats the virtual Schilling character, Sony Online Entertainment (creators of EverQuest II) will make a donation of $5 dollars (up to a maximum of $10,000) to the ALS Association, (ALS is also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease). After the three-day Yanks-Sox series, Curt’s character will remain within the game as an enemy. At the launch on June 5th, Schilling’s 10-year-old son, Gehrig will be one of the first to battle his virtual dad in-game.

BRING ON THE THUNDER DOME
Athlebrity George Foreman headlined a press release yesterday for the upcoming Superfighter gladiatorial elimination boxing tournament and unveiled the Superfighter belt.

Foreman slung the leather belt bearing the Superfighter logo “Nothing compares” in hammered steel over his shoulder and claimed, “I should be named the real Superfighter, because I’m the only boxer who ever beat five other fighters in one day!” (He speaks the truth. Toronto, 1975, 5 men fell to the mighty boxer). Superfighter co-founder and CEO Stephen Duval announced the lineup for this testosterone filled event: Chris Byrd, Former IBF World Champion 39-3 (20 KO); O’Neil Bell, WBC & IBF Cruiserweight No 1, 26-1 (24 KO); Steve Cunningham WBC Cruiserweight No 1, 19-0 (10 KO); Samuel Peter WBC No 3, 25-1 (21 KO); Shannon Briggs, WBC No 7, 45-4 (40 KO); Alexander Povetkin, 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist, 7-0 (5 KO); Tye Fields, Looking for his shot, 36-1 (33 KO). Unfortunately, the event has been rescheduled for the fall of this year in Melbourne, Australia, due to contract negotiations with some of the fighters. However, the second Superfighter event, aka the “red hot middleweight division” is being planned for New York City in 2007. See my blog posted May 8th for the dirty details of this slugfest, and check out www.superfighter.tv.

NO NUMBER 5 FOR REGGIE BUSH

Looks like the closest number to 5 Reggie Bush will get to wear is 25, that is, if Fred McAfee stays true to his word and sells it to Bush. The decision to deny Bush’s request was made by the “committee” after two, count them, TWO, conference calls and the issue was also never discussed by the owners! Atlanta general manager Rich McKay, co-chairman of the competition “committee” said Tuesday that the committee had recommended against Bush’s request for his college number because the committee is comprised of Mensa rejects. “Nobody is comfortable that an exception be made to the policy and no one is confident that there will ever be a change,” McKay said at the NFL owners meetings-ah, wait a minute, the issue was never discussed with the owners-so what the hell is going on here. Is the “committee” really sugar daddy to the NFL?

HOT, HOTTER AND HOTTEST

Last weekend, (R to L) Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush, and Vince Young posed for a drool-worthy photo during the Reebok NFL Players Rookie Premiere at the Los Angeles Coliseum.

And despite the fact that he’s tainted himself with Paris, Matt Leinart, remains at the top the Athlebrity favorites list. A word of caution for Leinart, the last Athlebrity to lock-lips with the poisonous vixen ended up loosing ALL of his mojo.

WORLD CUP

Italy’s national soccer team Gianluca Zambrotta, left, Fabio Cannavaro, center, and Mauro German Camoranesi run towards me during a practice session at the Coverciano training grounds. The hot Italians will play in Group E with the United States, Czech Republic and Ghana.

Manchester United’s little bulldog Wayne Rooney wore a protective cast on his injured foot on May 7. Manchester United have said that club doctor Mike Stone, who was treating Rooney, has left “because of a difference of opinion”. Yeah- he probably doesn’t want Rooney to play and Man-U is pushing for the young stud to hit the field.

Wanna freak people out? The Conta Optic GmbH company released two different contact lens designs in celebration of the upcoming World Cup. The contacts are available in the German national colors, or in a soccer ball pattern. If ya gotta have ‘em, go to www.contaoptic.de.

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