TAPAS FOR DINNER

Today, I plan on devouring a massive serving of tapas. Starting with a small plate of extra large Spanish olives served on a bed of pink shirts. Then onto a main course of gently aged and perfectly stretched biceps, followed by an extra large serving of Rafael ala Mode. Eat up peeps; the French Open begins on Sunday.

SHEVCHENKO AND POULTER

The Athlebrity gods have been so good to me lately that I don’t know what to do with myself. On Wednesday, during the BMW Pro-Am championships at the Wentworth Golf Club, my spornographic dreams came true when Ian Poulter teed off with Andriy Shevchenko. Flashy Poulter is a huge Arsenal fan, and played in a (ah-hem) four-ball with Chelsea babe Shevchenko and former Arsenal players Lee Dixon and Ray Parlour.

TIME TO BADA-BLING

Oh how time flies…it’s hard to belive it’s been almost a year since I Bada-Blinged, and now the countdown has started. On July 20-22, Chris Webber will be hosting his second annual C-Webb’s Bada-Bling Celebrity Weekend in Las Vegas. This fantastic event includes celebrity (Athlebrity) poker, golf and a Soiree to include live music and an auction. Confirmed hotties that will be parading around the event include Nas, Kelis, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, Juwan Howard, Scot Pollard, Doug Christie (and his wife of course), and some of my Motor City Pistons Beasts. All proceeds benefit Webber’s Foundation, so you can party without guilt while helping out a worthwhile cause. In case your memory needs jolting, here’s last years Bada-Bling review. (July 31st, 2006).

MICHAEL VICKS ROAD TO RUIN
I’d like to take a moment to thank the 81.6% of you who agree with me that Michael Vick lacks any credibility. In a recent poll conducted on ESPN.com, readers were asked: Do you believe Michael Vick’s (asinine) statement that he WASN’T involved in the dog fighting at a home he owned (and then sold to his friend the day after it was raided)? 81.6% of you called ‘bullshit’ while the remaining 18.4% of you are apparently retarded.

And poor Drew Rosenhaus. When the agent heard that his client Clinton Portis made statements that seemed to support dog fighting, it didn’t go over too well. “I’ve had dogs my entire life and I personally find dog fighting cruel, vicious and evil,” he said Wednesday. (Portis was asked Monday about the investigation into possible dog fighting at Atlanta quarterback Michael Vick’s Virginia home. “It’s his property; it’s his dogs,” Portis told a Norfolk, Va., television station. “If that’s what he wants to do, do it.”) So Rosenhaus did what any respectable agent would do. He sat down with the Reject Portis and talked to him about it. “He said, ‘Drew, I didn’t mean for the way that came out. All I was saying, I wasn’t condoning dog fighting. I wasn’t condoning Michael Vick’s conduct. All I was saying is that people should give him the benefit of the doubt until he’s been charged or found guilty,” Rosenhaus said. LOL. If that’s what he meant, why didn’t he say it when the cameras were rolling? The agent then immediately began a public relations campaign to clear Portis’ name. I’d say it’s too little, too late. (But I still love ya Drew).

I WANT A PAIR

Seriously, I really need a pair of these Big Papi Loafers…The Boston Globe reports that Reebok “has created a second shoe” for Sexy beast David Ortiz, but the Big Papi Soquas “aren’t for sale,” according to gossip columnists Beggy & Shanahan of the Boston Globe. Reebok sent Ortiz 55 pairs of the leather loafers “bearing [his] smiling face over the toes” during Spring Training, and sources said that Reebok “just ordered up another 60 pairs” for him. Reebok VP/Sports Marketing Todd Krinsky said, “We’re considering having a limited number of pairs available [for consumers] in the near future.” I suggest ya’ll email Todd Krinsky and urge him to release these yummy Papi treats to us consumers. (Todd.Krinsky@reebok.com)

**ATHLETE CHARITY EVENTS CALENDAR**
There are so many worthwhile charity events, but it seems like we never hear about them until after the fact. I’m about to change that. In efforts to keep you all up to date, I have added a new category (link on the right) which will list all upcoming Athlete-Charity-Foundation Events. The calendar will be updated as events are announced, so please check back frequently to make sure you don’t miss an opportunity to give something back to the good-guys who entertain us year round. And if there’s an event not listed, please email me, I don’t care if it’s in China or New York, just tip me off so I can give props and together we can help make the world a better place for the beneficiaries of the Athletes’ Foundations &Charities.

THIS WEEKEND!!!

TIGER WOODS FOUNDATION: TIGER JAM
Tiger Jam presented by AT&T is a unique benefit concert showcasing premier musical talent each year to raise funds for the Tiger Woods Foundation. This year marks the 10th anniversary of Tiger Jam with rock legend Bon Jovi returning to the stage on May 26, 2007, at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

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