NO GROIN ABOUT IT

And yet again, our Spanish treat, Rafael Nadal has hit a speed bump in the road to beating Federer. Nadal withdrew from the Sydney International due to a groin injury, which I’d love to take credit for. His injury effectively gave Aussie Chris Guccione the win. With the Australian Open less than a week away, I am offering my services to Rafa in efforts to massage out that nasty ‘thigh-cramp’. “I will have some treatment on it Wednesday, and will hope to be 100 percent fit for next week,” Nadal said. “The Australian Open is a priority.” Rafa apologized to the crowd and said that he had been “feeling a lot of pain here” (pointing to his, ah-hem, groin) and at the press conference he explained that the pain started during his flight from Chennai to Sydney, and that he saw his doctor this morning before the match to see if he could play. “He told me that it could get worse,” he explained. Is there anything worse than not seeing our beast play? Especially when our libidos are focused on his groin anyway…

GOLF DIGEST: TOP 50 MONEY KATS
No surprise here…Tiger Woods is on pace to become the first billion-dollar earner in sports. Tiger increased his income by $12 million in 2006 and made nearly $99 million, making him No. 1 for the fourth straight year among the “Golf Digest 50,” an all-encompassing world-earnings ranking that includes nearly every dollar our sexy babes made on and off the golf course in 2006. The “Golf Digest 50” appears in the February issue, on newsstands January 9. The full “Golf Digest 50” ranking and story, along with sidebars tracking Tiger’s ongoing march to become the first golfer to earn $1 billion, can be viewed now at www.golfdigest.com. Included in the top 50, our Camilo Villegas clocked in at 33rd with $4.8M, and Burberry babe Adam Scott at 12th with $14M. My Euro beast Ian Poulter didn’t make the top 50, but I’d take him penniless as long as he kept his swing.

DEREK JETER AND JESSICA BIEL

The New York Post’s Page Six has done a wonderful job of capturing Avon front-man and Yankee Derek Jeter along with his new arm-piece, Jessica Biel. On January 5th, photos were posted of the subtle couple frolicking on the beach and flaunting their perfect bodies. Although Miss Biel is reportedly dating Jeter, her rep warned, “Please no questions about her personal life!” And I am proud to report that I have no idea who she is.

GO THEO

Boston Globe music critic Joan Anderman reviewed Sunday’s Hot Stove, Cool Music benefit concert put on by ESPN’s Peter Gammons and hot, hot, hot, Red Sox GM Theo Epstein. Gammons, backed by musicians including the sexy Epstein and Red Sox P Lenny Dinardo, “was in rare form, performing for the first time” after suffering a brain aneurysm. He changed a line in “Take Out Some Insurance” to “I’m healthier than ever, baby.” The Hot Stove, Cool Music concert series has raised more than $1,2M for the Jimmy Fund and Theo and Paul Epstein’s Foundation To Be Named Later, a branch of the Red Sox Foundation. Guess them Sox ain’t so bad after all.

MORE TERRELL OWENS ANTICS

Hot points loser Terrell Owens has fired his publicist Kim Etheredge. Etheredge was a key player in the T.O overdose-gate incident, after reporting the overdose as a possible suicide attempt. She wasn’t too happy with the way the police characterized her initial report or the investigation. “Terrell has 25 million reasons why he should be alive.” And now, Miss Kim has one less.

YOU’RE NEVER TOO OLD

I love this woman….A federal grand jury in Alabama has indicted 81-year-old Ruby Young on charges she tried to extort $2M from Pro Football HOFer Bart Starr, with whom she claims to have had a romantic relationship in 1960. Ruby is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday in Birmingham, Ala., on two counts of using the U.S. mail to send threatening letters. Officials allege at least two of the letters Young mailed contain extortion threats to Starr, 72. Starr has denied knowing Young and said her allegations are false. Come on Ruby- ya cant expect a one-nighter to remember you after 46-years! It’s time to move on gurl.

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