ROGER FEDERER

I hate to do it, but I gotta give love to Roger Federer who fulfilled his boyhood dream with his first career title, indoors, at the Swiss Indoors ATP tourney. This is the first time I’ve seen real enthusiasm at a victory…the funny smile and genuine ‘trophy’ kiss warmed me up a little…that is, until he opened his mouth. “It is indeed magnificent,” Federer said. “Different countries, different titles, they all have a different meaning. Winning Basel, my home tournament, it’s one of those moments I’ll never forget.” Yes we know, you are magnificent…surprisingly, Federer has pulled out of the Paris Masters due to “fatigue.” Andy Roddick pulled out because he’s too busy chasing girls, and our sexy tapa, Rafael Nadal also pulled out due to an injury to his six-pack. Nadal described his injury as not serious and he should be back in full-bicep flexing action for the Masters Cup in Shanghai, November 12 to 19. “I woke up on Thursday morning feeling pain in my abdominals but I still decided to practice. Everything was ok until I started serving and felt pain at that stage. I practiced again on Friday but the pain got worse and I had to stop in the middle of the session. I decided to take an MRI on Saturday morning and they told me it showed a rupture of the fibre. I traveled to Paris to take another MRI and that showed that there was a rupture of 4.3mm.” I think I may have ruptured something when I read that, no?

CARDINALS HOTTIES

The team of redbirds displayed a few hotties during the St. Louis Cardinals World Series Victory Parade and Rally at Busch Stadium yesterday. Closer Adam Wainwright (L) and Albert Pujoles (C) stirred my maternal juices something fierce, while Jeff Weaver proved that he is indeed, much, much hotter, without the uniform-especially when his Calvin Klein’s are peeking out.

CAMILO VILLEGAS

While Adam Scott missed the cut, Camilo Villegas crawled his way to a 31st place finish and $29, 415 in winnings. The beast completed the Chrysler Championships at 1-under and effectively went unnoticed by the photographers who were too busy capturing K.J. Choi and his incredible 13-under finish. I honestly believe that we are seeing less and less coverage of Camilo because the powers-that-be want us focused on his game, not his sexy yoga moves. With that said, only 10 days left until AT&T delivers us into Camilo’s house via their See How They Live campaign…

THE QUIET EYE
I read this interesting article about how scientists in Canada have discovered the exact spots hockey goalies need to watch to successfully block shots. Using ‘elite’ goalies as guinea pigs, researchers discovered these goalies focused directly on the puck nearly a full second before the shot was released nearly three-quarters of the time. They also concentrated on the ice in front of the stick when it came to a quarter of all shots. Their gaze was only on the body of the shooter 2 percent of the time. This critical moment of focus, prior to the action has been dubbed “the quiet eye” by researcher Joan Vickers at the University of Calgary. My eyes are never gonna be quiet, and I’ll never just watch the ‘body of the shooter’ for 2 percent of the time, especially when the shooter is off the ice. Last Thursday, for example, the Pittsburgh Penguins headed to Dick’s Sporting Goods at The Mall at Robinson for the annual Penguins Personal Shopping Day for Project Bundle-Up.

In conjunction with The Salvation Army, the ice-melting hotties helped disadvantaged children pick out warm clothing for the upcoming winter months. Each child was paired with a hottie as they shopped for coats, boots, gloves, hats, scarves…sexy Sidney Crosby and rookie Jordan Staal (R) could not have been any hotter. Staal helped one little girl get ‘pink’. “She was into pink, so I just dressed her from head to toe in pink and that was about it. It wasn’t very difficult,” he said with a smile. “It’s always nice just to come out and hang around with the little kids and have some fun with them. We’re just trying to help out and have a good time. I really enjoy doing this kind of stuff, I had a lot of fun today and I wouldn’t mind doing it again.” Goddamn these boys are cute! The full story can be read here. (Thanks to reader Chrissy for the heads-up on this delicious hot-points earning activity.)

DAVID BECKHAM
So I have temporarily lifted the David Beckham ban due to his recent press conference. It’s not what he said that’s important, it’s the photos. Beckham, who generates more Google alerts than anyone I know, has spent much of the season as a benchwarmer for Real Madrid. Becks’ status on the team has been downgraded to ‘substitute’ by Real’s new coach, but props to Becks for taking the spanking with a smile. “I am not considering any possibility of a transfer at the moment, my family and I are very happy in Madrid,” Beckham said. “I want to stay with Real Madrid because I believe in the (club) project and respect the coach.”

But In London, Neil Ashton reports that Beckham is “being offered the chance to end his career with [MLS Galaxy] by joining them next summer.” AEG Chair and Galaxy Owner Philip Anschutz “is confident that Beckham will move” to L.A., and he believes that he will “be able to persuade him to quit Real Madrid when his contract ends in June.” Just what Hollywood needs, another boring power-couple to obsess about.

MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES READ TO ACHIEVE

Dahntay Jones, Hakim Warrick, and Rudy Gay of the Memphis Grizzlies earn mega hot points for doing a little dance during the Memphis Grizzlies Read to Achieve Tip-Off today at Grahamwood Elementary School in Memphis, Tennessee. Superfine Mike Miller has got me reading to achieve a chance to run my hands through that wavy hair of his and, and…well, you know. Nothing is sexier than a hottie helping kids.

As always, thanks for reading. Delinda
delinda@athlebrities.com