NATIONWIDE

No, I didn’t get a job with the Golf Channel….but I’ve been too busy to blog and will be out of commission until I get back from v-a-c-a-t-i-o-n….give me about a week kids. There’s a link on the right from the Nationwide where you can view all my photos.

I LOVE THIS GAME
The NBA’s 62nd has season has officially tipped off, and finally we got our hotties back on the court, shooting, slamming and dunking their way into our libidos. In celebration, the Sports Business Daily ran a list of marketing slogans used by various teams for this season.

The Suns slogan is ‘Welcome to Planet Orange’, but should be Welcome to Planet Nashty, the Trail Blazers nailed it with ‘Rise With Us’; The Celtics are hot this year and ask us to ‘Think Big’, not hard to do when you add Kevin Garnett to the mix; the Nuggets also nailed it this year with a slogan that speaks directly to my goals relating to Sweet Melo and ask ‘Can You Feel It’, the Nets claim ‘Its More Than a Game’ while the Knicks want us to “Experience Knicks Basketball” which as we all know, isnt gonna happen. The Golden State Warriors, led by Baron Davis and his beard, might be relying on last years ‘We Believe’ which sits fine with me. I’d like it to be ‘Fear the Beard’ but until I own the team I don’t see it happening. What I do see, is Baron Davis all over the place. The king of charisma, who is always dressed to perfection, has inspired LA based AU Label, to launch a series of special edition t-shirts in SF. The BD inspired collection features three styles and retail for about 35 bucks each.

WOUNDED WARRIORS GOLF

On Monday, November 5, the Wounded Warrior Project will host the inaugural Wounded Warrior Project Golf Classic at the St. John’s Golf & Country Club in St. Augustine, FL. All donations and proceeds from the event will support the various programs and services provided to wounded military personnel by Wounded Warrior Project including benefits counseling, rehabilitation, and adaptive sports opportunities. In 2006, Johnny Damon became the official spokesperson for the WWP, and will be joining in the festivities. “I have deep gratitude for the men and women that have been severely wounded while fighting for our freedoms and way of life,” said Damon. “During my visits to Walter Reed Army Medical Center, I witnessed first-hand the enduring spirits of those recovering. My goal is to ensure their challenges and sacrifices are recognized.” For more info, WWP.

Speaking of wounded warriors, I don’t care that Alex Rodriguez has opted-out of his contract with the Yankees. I would, however, care if he went to the Dodgers, where his old boss, Joe Torre has been rumored to take over as manager.

CALLWAY GOLF FOUNDATION
If I was in town next weekend I would be at the Callaway Golf Foundation Challenge. The company will host a pro-celebrity golf tournament, on November 5 at the Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles, CA. The first-ever tournament will benefit groundbreaking cancer research projects supported by the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF). And I can only say it’s about time! This fundraising event pairs (gulp) hot professional golfers with actors and entertainment industry executives. Celebrities anticipated to attend include: James Caan, Ray Romano, George Lopez, Larry David (what I wouldn’t give to see Larry golf), Peter Gallagher, Andy Garcia, Cheryl Ladd, Kyle MacLachlan, and Kevin Dillon, with more to be announced. Callaway staff pro’s anticipated to take-part: Johnny Miller, Annika Sorenstam, Morgan Pressel, David Leadbetter, Rich Beem, Mark Brooks, Ricky Barnes, Jim Colbert, Leta Lindley, Len Mattiace, Rocco Mediate and May Wood. Proceeds from the Challenge will support EIF’s efforts to fast track better prevention methods and improved therapies for ovarian, breast, colon and prostate cancers. Please visit www.callawaygolffoundation.org to learn more about the Callaway Golf Foundation Women’s Cancer Initiative, the Callaway Golf Foundation Challenge or to make a donation. BUT beware: the first thing you see on the site is the San Longoria Spur.

MARDY FISH MUSIC FEST

He’s hot and he’s having a benefit for his foundation. Last year, tennis beast Mardy Fish formed his own foundation and joined forces with his childhood bud, country singer, Jake Owen to create an incredible event that combines tennis and music and has become known as the ‘Mardy’s Tennis & Jake’s Music Fest to benefit the Mardy Fish Foundation.’ The inaugural event raised more than $105,000 for his foundation, and this year he’s hoping to raise even more. The three-day event begins on Tuesday, December 4, with a kids’ clinic followed by a sporntastic tennis exhibition featuring Mardy Fish and Andy Roddick among others. The event will continue on Wednesday, December 5 with a tennis pro-am, which will be followed by a dinner reception that includes entertainment and live and silent auctions. On Tuesday, December 18, the event will conclude in the evening with a country music concert featuring Josh “Jake” Owen. For more info, visit the Mardy Fish Foundation.

TOM BRADY GETS WET

Tom Brady has signed a 3-year deal to endorse SmartWater worth between $3-5M. Brady said that he drinks Smartwater as “an alternative to ’sugary’ drinks.” Brady: “It’s a replacement product that’s better for you, whether I’m working out or for the morning when I wake up.” I don’t know about you guys, but I’ve tried the product and I gotta say that VitaminWater is by far a better drink. Sorry Tommy, but even you cant entice me to take another sip of that stuff.

TRINITY FOOTBALL LATERAL TOUCHDOWN
Ya all know I don’t follow college football unless the words Trojan or Booty are involved, but I gotta say, this has got to be the most amazing feat in recent college ball.

NATIONWIDE GIVES BACK

Yesterday, the PGA Tours Nationwide Pro-Am was held at Barona Valley Ranch & Casino here in San Diego. Last week, organizers feared the event would be cancelled due to the “fires” sweeping through the county, but San Diego has got some studly fireman who doused the flames and saved the event (among other things). To thank them for all their hard work, members of all SD area fire stations were invited to play in the Pro-Am for free. 28 hotties showed up, some fresh off the fire line, to enjoy a round of golf with the pros. Fine and finer, aka Taj and Jack (above) played well enough to earn a trophy, and I played well enough to get them to kiss the crystal for me.

Aside from molesting the fire-studs, I was able to watch an interview with Nationwide hottie Kyle Thompson. PGA tour peeps sat the southern babe in the director’s chair and filmed a segment for Making the Cut. Although Thompson seemed a little uncomfortable under the bright lights, he did a great job of answering some pretty lame questions…sorry PGA interview guy, but what were you thinking? I was very close to pushing him aside and asking my own questions. Thompson was asked what his favorite movie was (Shawshank Redemption), who his favorite actor is (Tom Hanks), favorite Hanks movie (Forrest Gump), favorite food (lasagna) and what he likes to do in his free time (hang out with friends and fiancé)…guess they don’t like to dig deep in the PGA. I would have been grilling this kid about his influences, college days, guilty pleasures, obstacles he faces while making a name for himself, and of course, who he admires among his peers. In any case, best of luck to Thompson this weekend, you won me over.

And finally, a great big thank you to Brad Adamonis for giving Athlebrities a little love. All participants in the Pro-Am received a plaque with their photo along with the Pro they played with. Brad was upset because his “autograph” on the photos were photo-shopped and not signed by him. Brad was unbelievably classy-going out of his way to find a Sharpie to autograph the photos. Luckily, this girl had a Sharpie in her pocket and gave it to the beast. Thanks for the love Brad!

As always, thanks for reading.
delinda@athlebrities.

BECKHAM VERSUS HOLLYWOOD UNITED
David Beckham and teammates will play against a team of actors/musicians, aka Hollywood United, for a charity match to raise money for the victims of the So-Cal wildfires. The match will take place on Sunday November 4 at LA Galaxy’s Home Depot center stadium. General admission will be $20 on a first-come, first-served basis, with a limited number of luxury seats for $60 each. (I suspect its sold out by now?) Firefighters get in free by showing their badges at the box office beginning today…in addition to being a charity game, this is a great chance to see one of the coolest teams play- and I’m referring to Hollywood-U not the Galaxy.

The Hollywood lineup includes actors Anthony LaPaglia, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Costas Mandylor; musicians Steve Jones and Vivian Campbell; and former World Cup players Frank Leboeuf, Richard Gough, Joe-Max Moore and Eric Wynalda. Even Alexi said he’s gonna play. “Everyone’s expected to play, including David,” Alexi Lalas said Friday. “This is a great opportunity for our organization to do something positive for our area, our home, and for our friends and neighbors who have been impacted by these incredibly devastating wildfires. Our players are residents of Southern California. This is a great way through soccer for us to bring some attention and, most importantly, raise some money.” And with any good charity event, there’s a silent auction. Look for autographed Galaxy and other sports memorabilia and items contributed by the Hollywood players up for bids. (MLS)

BIG BEN BUSTS OUT

All-Star beast Ben Wallace is launching his collection of affordable clothing and kicks today in Chicago, New York and Los Angeles and nationally November 5th exclusively at Steve & Barry’s stores. The Big Ben Wallace Collection features over 50 items, including footwear, athletic jerseys and shorts, heavyweight hoodies, graphic t-shirts, hats, armbands and wristbands. (What, no headbands?) The big guy didn’t just attach his name to the line, he not only helped design the Big Ben logo, but also served as creative director of the entire line. Look for the King of Fro wearing his new on-court sneaker, the Big Ben, during every game of the upcoming season. Cost of the kicks: $14.98. “What the Big Ben line is all about is getting kids to realize that great sneakers and clothes can be affordable and cool.” Said Wallace, “That’s really important to me, and I’m looking forward to changing the mindset that you have to pay a lot of money for these types of things.”

WET PAPI

I could hear the celebration in Boston all the way out here on the West coast. Congratulations to the smoking hot Boston Red Sox for sweeping the Rockies in four games to win the 2007 World Series. Im not gonna dissect the game as a true Red Sox fan would, because, well, I’m more of a Papi-Manny sandwich fan myself. My stomach was growling at the start of the game, I slowly filled up on each Papi-Manny at-bat, and by the end, my sated libido wanted nothing more than some uncorked champagne.

CHELSEA

Any of my readers catch team Chelsea, Aka: Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard, Michael Essien, Joe Cole, Andriv Shevchenko or John Terry beat Manchester City 6-0 on Saturday? Didn’t think so…too bad, it was a great game for Drogba to showcase his skills, change his mind and stay with the team after Terry and Lampard said they loved him, and give me a glimpse of a prima-dona attitude that I didn’t know Shevchenko had.

LEWIS HAMILTON
In Lewis Hamilton’s hometown of Hertfordshire, the town Council has decided to honor the 22-year-old in a new town center development by naming a street after him. “The success of Lewis has given everyone in Stevenage a real boost,” Sharon Taylor, council leader, said. “Everyone in the town is enormously proud of the fact that Lewis comes from Stevenage. In particular, our young people see him as a role model and his achievements have definitely raised their aspiration levels. He has really helped to put the town on the map.” Indeed he has, but here’s the funny part…and Im quoting here: The exact name of the street is yet to be confirmed. Gosh- this is a tough one, naming a street after Lewis Hamilton? I can see how it would take time to come up with the right name.

The Daily Star interviewed Hamilton, and in part, we learned some yummy insight into the beast. First of all, he doesn’t want to be a sex symbol. “What is a sex symbol? The curly-haired guy with the Sex Bomb song? Tom Jones? If he’s a sex symbol, then I don’t want to be one!” Yeah, you’re a little late with that request Lewis, especially when you talk about taking showers to conserve water. “I turn off the water in the shower when I am shampooing my hair or soaping myself. I always try to save water because I know how many people in the Third World suffer drought.” Soaping himself? Kill me now. (DailyStar.co.uk)

BALLS

Aside from a moonwalking streaker, the NFL game at Wembley Stadium in London between the Dolphins and the NY Giants went off without a hitch. The game garnered a bit of celebrity attention, Lewis Hamilton was in attendance, as well as Christian Slater-who was last seen rubbing Jason Taylor’s ball…and I’m afraid if I don’t mention the Chargers game I might be burned at the stake. Yeah, they played and they won. Wahoo. The game wasn’t a sell-out, at least as far as tickets go. I’m all for ‘getting things back to normal’ but let’s remember there are still a lot of people who don’t have homes. On Friday, Qualcomm practically told the remaining evacuees not to let the gate hit them on the ass on their way out-before shuffling them off to another evacuation center. Salvation Army volunteers were stationed around the Q collecting money for the victims, Governor Arnold made a speech and firefighters were saluted. But nothing says “I feel guilty for kicking you guys out” like the $1M donation given by the Spanos family, who own the Chargers.

INJURY UPDATE

Tom Brady overheated my libido, Francesco Totti hurt his ankle, and Noah Joakim needs to call me so I can get to work on his injury.

As always, thanks for reading.
delinda@athlebrities.

LEWIS HAMILTON PLAYS DISC JOCKEY
Finally- someone in Lewis Hamilton’s camp figured out how to get the British babe piped directly into the pulse of the international estrogen pool. Watch as Hamilton kills it in the DJ booth, singing along while spinning Marvin Gaye’s ‘I Heard It Through the Grapevine’, Bob Marley’s ‘No Woman, No Cry’ and ‘Lets Get It On’…His mouth-watering rhythm knocked me off my chair, as well as his carefree-it-sucks-I-lost-but-I’m-on-top-of-the-world attitude. Way to kick it up a notch Lewis.

BASKETBALL IS A BROTHERHOOD
Adidas is heating things up in the marketing department with a new “Basketball is a Brotherhood” campaign. On the adidasbasketball website, there are a series of videos that show the “true meaning of brotherhood.” NBA babes are brought ‘together to form a single, unstoppable unit’. The sole objective is to win through honoring the core values of the game: arms, legs, abs, lips, etc…Watch NBA beasts Gilbert Arenas, Chauncey Billups, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Dwight Howard and Tracy McGrady as they proclaim: We trust each other; we make the extra pass, we fight for our fellow brother every night; we don’t check box scores. And the only name on the jersey we care about is the one across the front. In the “Brotherhood,” dynasties don’t happen alone. In the “Brotherhood,” it’s “We not Me.” The “Brotherhood” only happens when forces combine and egos die. Laugh and cry together. Win and lose together. Fight together…To view these spornworthy spots go to adidasbasketball.com.

STEVE NASH GETS MYSTICAL

“My first and second years in the N.B.A., I used to get really nervous in a tight game,” said Nash. “But now I wait for that moment when things are really close — that’s what I really love. Having the ball in my hands and the responsibility makes me feel calm and open. Not to have that, not to get to that point in a game, would feel really…really confining,” he said. Did Steve Nash just say he felt confined ‘without the ball’ in his hands? He’s killing me in this weekends NY Times Play Magazine, which is now available on-line. In addition to covering every aspect of why Nash is popping up on everyone’s ‘good-guy’ radar, Chip Brown managed to get some steamy details of the Beijing Yao-Nash charity game. Namely, this little blurb: Sweet Melon emerged from the shower with a towel around his waist and said: “I know about five or six schools in Baltimore that need help, y’all.” Yes, Sweet Melon would be my Melo. (NY Times Play Mag)

NBA PLAYER CHINESE NICKNAMES

You’d be hard-pressed to find more accurate nicknames for our NBA babes than those invented by the Chinese. Carmelo Anthony is Tian Gua, translation: Sweet Melon, in reference to his sweet and cute appearance, however, may I add Juicy to the name…Sweet Juicy Melon sounds much better. More nicknames: Emeka Okafor is King of the Cats, Dirk Nowitzki is the German Racecar, Chauncey Billups is Smooth, Kobe is the Little Flying Warrior while Damon Stoudemire is the Little Flying Mouse, Chris Bosh is the King of the Dragons, and Dikembe Mutombo is Fei Zhou Da Shan, meaning Africa’s Big Mountain. Wonder why no nickname for Baron Diddy Davis? Since I know a hint of Mandarin, I now officially nickname Baron Davis and his fierce beard: Chan Gu De Hu Zhi. And no, Im not gonna translate it. If you know what it is, email me, and if you’re right I’ll send ya free t-shirt. For more NBA nicknames, check out NBA.com.

SWEET MELON BLOGGING

Speaking of my juicy melter, Carmelo Anthony has now joined the ranks of Donovan McNabb, Ray Lewis, Bart Scott, Isaac Bruce, John Lackey, Greg Oden, Michael Conley and Baron Davis, who are blogging away on Yardbarker. Melo’s personal blog at Yardbarker.com was announced today. “I really like the community that Yardbarker has created because it gives athletes an opportunity to connect with the fans like never before,” Anthony said. “We all have interests beyond playing basketball and my blog will allow me to share some of my experiences both on and off the court with everybody. Nothing’s off the table.”

CONVERSE CAPTURES SPIRIT OF DWYANE WADE

Converse has done an exceptional job of selling Dwyane Lips Wade and his new Wade 3 signature shoe. The new Wade spot, “From Robbins, Illinois” will begin airing October 28 ESPN, MTV, BET and during NBA games. The campaign is inspired by a letter written by Dwyane Wade to describe his relationship with basketball and how its challenges drive his desire to succeed. Shot in AmericanAirlines Arena, ‘the spot follows a solitary Dwyane Wade as he enters the empty arena and reflects on his journey from small town Robbins, Illinois, and his imminent return to the big stage. With his heart full of emotion and his mind focused, he announces his name over the public address system.’ (Admittedly, I got goose bumps when I watched) “Being out last season with injuries reminded me of my first year at Marquette University when I had to sit out for a year. It was like basketball was being taken away from me again and it inspired me to put my thoughts on paper. Most people may not believe that I wrote this, but I did,” said Dwyane Wade. “I’ve spent the off-season preparing to come back and take the court. When I hear my name announced this season, I’ll know that I’m back with basketball.” Here is the infamous ‘From Robbins’ love letter that inspired this campaign and made me wonder what I’m doing wrong in life to never have received a letter like this from a hottie…

Dwyane Wade’s Letter: In the summer of 2000-2001, high school had ended and it was time for college. I did everything in my power to take you with me, but you didn’t wanna go. You said I needed to become a man and that I counted on you way too much…so you left me - feeling unsure, unloved and confused. How could you not love me anymore? You’ve had my heart since I first laid eyes on you. I woke up to the thought of you and went to sleep with my heart with you. You completed me and now you was leaving me. How? How could you? You left me with nothing to do…no one to turn to…You help mold me into the man that I am today. You were the one that understood me - but I knew deep down inside you were gonna come back to me. So I practiced on ways that I could love you more, and for you to never leave me again. And then 2001-2002 came…you said the words that I’ve always dreamed of hearing…“From Robbins, Illinois, 6 foot 4 Guard … Dwyane Wade.” And we fell in love all over again…To my first love…The Game of Basketball….I love you…

WITCH HUNTING GONE TOO FAR

I’m sorry, but this is absolutely ridiculous. Nikolay Davydenko has been fined $2,000 for “lack of effort” at the St. Petersburg Open. The ATP said Friday the fourth-ranked Russian was fined for lack of “best effort” in his 1-6, 7-5, 6-1 loss Thursday to Marian Cilic. Davydenko won the first set in 27 minutes, but drew a rebuke from chair umpire Jean-Philippe Dercq in the third set. Davydenko double-faulted four times in the second set and six times in the third. “When I made a double-fault, he gave me a notice for a wrong behavior on the court as if I was throwing the match,” Davydenko said Thursday after the match. “I was surprised. I’ve never heard anything like this before. No matter how I’d played, no matter what had happen to me, I was never given such a notice.” (YahooSports) I really don’t know what to say. Aside from the fact that the ATP is already investigating a match involving Davydenko, I really don’t think anyone is stupid enough to throw a game under these circumstances. Seriously, how can you possibly police this kind of activity? Was Federer fined for lack of performance in Madrid? Who’s to say when a player is simply having a bad day or ‘throwing a match’? Certainly we can’t leave it up to the chair umpires, who are about as honest as some NBA refs. This is about as ridiculous as fining an outfielder for flubbing a pop-up or a baller for missing his 3-pointer. Pa-leeze people, not everyone in sports is cheating.

As always, thanks for reading.
delinda@athlebrities.

ADAM SCOTT: LIFE OFF THE GREENS
Yesterday, Adam Scott helped kick off one of Australia’s top tournements, the City Pacific/ Mirvac QLD Open at the Gainsborough Greens Golf Club, and held a dinner/auction to raise money for the Adam Scott Foundation. His namesake foundation just announced a new three-year partnership with Westpac, which includes an initial $150,000 donation and ongoing fundraising support, to assist disadvantaged and underprivileged Australian youth. “I am pleased to announce Westpac as our latest partner to the Foundation. We are very excited at the planned events throughout the year and thank Westpac for their generous support to Adam Scott Foundation initiatives” said a statement on his website.

Adding a cherry to the top of this delicious beast is CNN International Living Golf, who has been filming Adam at the Sanctuary Cove Golf Club. The Burberry babe admits he likes to ‘enjoy the surf and keep a low profile’ when he returns home after touring. Living Golf presenter Justin Armsden walked around with Scott at the Pines Golf Course at Sanctuary Cove for a chat and lesson yesterday. “I don’t think you could meet a nicer guy. He’s done enormously well for himself. You never hear a bad word about him,” said Armsden, “He’s enormous. (Oh?) He’s loved in Europe and is as well known as guys like Ernie Els and Retief Goosen. No one is as popular as Tiger but (Scott’s) so well respected with the fans.” If you live down under, look for CNN International’s Living Golf to broadcast Adam Scott’s segments on November 3, 4 and 5. (Goldcoast)

NFL CAPTAIN DIDIER DROGBA

Hopefully ya all checked out the massive Jason Taylor lumbering in Trafalgar Square? (see post below) The activities surrounding this Sundays Dolphins-Giants game at Wembley Stadium in London are nothing short of sporntacular. Chelsea took the top spot in the Champions League Group B with a 2-0 win on Wednesday, one of the goals compliments of Drogba, but the hottest activity so far is going on off the field. The Ivory beast-o-my-heart, Didier Drogba, has been named Honorary New York Giants captain, while former England rugby captain Martin Johnson was named as Miami Dolphins honorary captain. In a perfect world, there would be a massive Didier Drogba in the Square right now and you’d be able to see a crazy redhead climbing up his leg…

According to the Miami Herald, the NFL revealed plans for an “eventual ‘8-8-1’ proposal that would increase the NFL schedule from 16 to 17 games, with each team playing eight home, eight away, and one abroad.” This Sunday’s game may be “the impetus” for the plan, which could take 2 years to kick-off. Giants President & CEO John Mara said, “The real test of us will be how people respond once the league has held its third or fourth regular-season game over there. Will the fans stay passionate? Or will they lose interest?”….I say they’ll lose interest. The NFL is a novelty there and nothing more. These people eat, drink and sleep real football, or soccer as us yanks like to call it, and sure, while this is a great PR stunt by the NFL, I really don’t think we can compete with the religion of ‘soccer’.

DOLPHINS BUYING FANS

The Dolphins are in dire need of fans, famous fans. They’ve started a new program “to create buzz where their football doesn’t — by stacking the stands” with celebrities, according to gossip columnist Jose Lambiet of the Palm Beach Post. The team has gone so far as to hire a PR firm to pay for the celebrities’ expenses, including flights, rooms at a five-star resort, lunch money and Dolphins garb. The stars’ “only job … is to wave at the crowd when the Jumbotron focuses on them, agree to radio and TV appearances and be nice.” Oscar-nominated actor Terrence Howard (above) has been the biggest name to nibble on the bait. Matthew McConaughey was supposed to make an appearance, but he demanded a private jet-which he didn’t get- so he skipped it, and super-puffy Diddy (r) was a no-show because he couldn’t get out of his car. Dolphins Joey Porter said, “I’m sure it’d be easier if we were 7-0. But hopefully, we’ll get many more big names.” D&D are available to appear, and we’re fine sitting in business class if the private jet isnt included. (PALM BEACH POST).

PAPI’S GOT HEART

The LA Times today has a great article on that big, beautiful Red Sox beast David ‘Papi’ Ortiz. As most of my friends will tell you, my hormones have gone into a frenzy between Papi and Manny, undeniably two of the hottest teammates in MLB history. But its not just about Papi’s swing, gap, tattoos or seductive accent, its about his heart. “People here in Boston, they kind of watch everything you do pretty close,” he said. “Lots of people come to me and they tell me . . . how much fun they have watching me on and off the field. And that kind of gets you thinking. You know, nobody’s perfect. We’re all human and we make mistakes. But at the same time when you know there’s a lot of people watching you, you want to make sure whatever you do is good for whoever is watching you and they can take it as an example.” Hottie has helped hospitals in the Dominican Republic, slapped down cash for Katrina victims and donated much more to other charities. To read why the 6’4” best tops the list of hotties who give back, read the article here: LA Times.

GRIZZLIES

Mike Miller played teacher and Casey Jacobsen, Rudy Gay and Hakim Warrick danced with students…the Memphis Grizzlies annual Read to Achieve tip-off is underway today at Whitestation Elementary School in Memphis. Note to the Grizzlies: I do NOT know how to read and I look really cute in a bunny costume.

As always, thanks for reading.
delinda@athlebrities.

THE FIRES

Just wanted to give ya a quick update on the fires here. As mentioned, I am not in the fire zone. The hardest hit areas are to the east and south and northeast and southeast…just about anywhere not located along the coast. All TV channels have been hijacked by local media-preempting my guilty pleasures such as Hero’s and the other show-where-a-single-guy-tries-to-find-true-love. (No, I can’t bring myself to name it but would appreciate an update?) The winds have blown ash everywhere, creating visible flurries similar to snow. Most people have remained indoors, except for a gaggle of surfers-god bless ‘em, and a few locals stocking up on stuff at the grocery store. Aside from the ghostly atmosphere and ash-covered cars, parts of San Diego appear normal despite the estimated Billion-dollar damage.

Local media is having a blast with the fact that the Firestorm of 07 has garnered national attention. If one more newscaster mentions that fact I think I may vomit. Speaking of the newscasters, I’ve found them more than entertaining. Most are working 12-hour days and report with marked excitement each time a new ‘flare-up’ happens. Some are bickering on-air, cutting each other off and making faces at each other. Priceless. Over at Qualcomm and the Del Mar Fairgrounds among others, the evacuees remain comfortable. Qualcomm stadium actually works much better as an evacuation center than it does as a football stadium, just a shame it didn’t burn and end the “we need a new stadium” debate. The abundance of donated items is touching, but I for one, am a bit embarrassed that California received the cavalry (Arnold, FEMA, National Guard, Red Cross, etc) within 12 hours while they are still people waiting for help in New Orleans.

Cancelled: The preseason game between the Lakers and Jazz scheduled for Thursday night here in San Diego has been canceled. The Lakers are donating $100,000 to the American Red Cross to aid in relief efforts. The Chargers game will be most likely be held in Texas, and I suspect next weeks Nationwide Tour at Barona Creek Golf Club is going to be cancelled as well. The BYU-San Diego State football game scheduled for Saturday has been postponed until December 1.

CHARGERS:
I felt it was important to republish the following Letter that was sent to the Editor of the San Diego Union Tribune. I personally have not been out to the stadium, but if the following accusations are true, then I agree that this is worthy of bad publicity and I look forward to seeing how the team responds. SignOnSanDiego: “I volunteered at Qualcomm stadium Monday, and I can’t tell you how impressed I was with the all the community support. However, I have a serious issue with the Chargers organization. I helped set up tents, but because the Chargers would not allow any use of the field, all the tents were set up in stuffy, poorly ventilated hallways. Where is the community spirit with their organization? You’d better believe that the New Orleans Saints organization was quick to pull up the field to make more room for Katrina evacuees. I would expect the Chargers to do the same. I realize it costs money to pull up and re-sod the field, but we owe it to those people who are desperate to find a comfortable place to sleep. It is our duty as fellow San Diego citizens to put some pressure on the Chargers organization to allow tents on the field. The potential for bad publicity is huge. I have a comfortable home to sleep in, but there are thousands who have possibly lost everything, and have only the community to rely on for support.” (Signonsandiego)

SIXER’S SERVE AT MCDONALDS

Ever wanted to order a double Dalembert with extra sauce? Or a six-pack of Iguodala nuggets? Now you can. On Monday, October 29, 2007, from approximately 2:30-3:30 p.m., Philadelphia 76ers hotties Andre Iguodala (above), Louis Amundson, Samuel Dalembert, Rodney Carney, Calvin Booth and Herbert Hill will go behind the counter at McDonald’s for the celebrity crew fundraiser benefiting Ronald McDonald House Charities. Order your treats at the Mickey D’s located at 1891 South State Road in Upper Darby, Pa., The event is part of the Philadelphia 76ers’ “Random Acts of Kindness Day,” aimed at giving back to the local community and feeding our need for a random act of hotness.

NASH ME

Am I the only person who thinks Steve Nash swinging a hammer is beyond sexy? The only thing he’s missing is a tool belt, but I’ll settle for his sweaty legs. One of the world’s most caring athletes took time to participate in the Habitat for Humanity build at U.S. Airways Center yesterday. Yummy.

JASON TAYLOR REPLICA
Perhaps the coolest thing ever done by the NFL-actually, it is the coolest thing ever done by the NFL. The 26-foot-tall replica of Dolphins babe Jason Taylor was unveiled London’s Trafalgar Square to promote the game. London-based SFX Company Artem created what has been called the largest human replica ever built…it has moveable feet and arms and moves at 4-5mph. One can only wonder if the 26-foot tall Taylor is anatomically correct? Watch this incredible video of the beast walking through the square…

VAMOS

Our Spanish treat, Rafael Nadal is enjoying a little time off the tennis court and taking to the greens at the Pro-AM of the Mallorca Classic 2007 at Pula Golf Club in Son Servera, Mallorca. Nadal confirmed that he will in fact, make his third appearance at the ATP Chennai event beginning December 31. “It feels great to be coming back to Chennai,” Nadal said in a statement released by the organizers. “I like the crowd and their enthusiasm and support and they always push you to give your best. I lost in the semi-finals last time and I hope to win my first Chennai Open title this time. I had some injuries this year but I am confident that I would make a good start to the New Year and improve my performance by playing in this tournament.”

BARBIE GOES COUGAR

What do Barbie’s and cougars have in common? Golf. Mattel has teamed up with Cougar Golf to market a Barbie golf equipment line to girls’ aged 4 thru cougar. The set includes a driver, iron, putter, carrying bag, USGA-approved golf balls, a visor, six wooden tees, and three ball markers. Mattel Senior Dir for Consumer Products Juan Gutierrez said, “Our objective is to get girls active and inspire them to take on new interests.” I personally think this new marketing venture by Mattel would be better served if they produced mini head-covers, tiny J Lindeberg outfits, mini Ian Poulter belt buckles and a Camilo ‘Ken’ Villegas doll.

As always, thanks for reading.
delinda@athlebrities.

PUBLISHING NOTICE

As some of you know, I live in San Diego and Armageddon is underway. Thank you for your emails, fortunately, I do not live in an area likely to burn. Most of my friends have been evacuated, and the air quality is terrible while the fires burn strong, fueled by the unpredictable Santa Ana winds. I’m sure you all understand that I’m taking a few days off to help those who have lost their homes, donate food and rescue animals. The Chargers have left town, going to Arizona for practice and the gated community where some players, as well as some Padres live, was evacuated yesterday morning-although the area seems safe for now. I’ll resume posts as soon as I can…most likely later this week. Thanks for all your emails, its nice to know you care!

LEWIS HAMILTON
During the first ten laps of the season ending Formula One Grand Prix in Brazil, Lewis Hamilton started third, attempted a lame pass and quickly found himself in 7th place behind Nick Heidfeld before losing speed due to mechanical problems, (sabotage?) and falling way back to 18th. The drama continued as Hamilton attempted to inch his way back into contention, going from 14th, 12th, 11th, 10th, (still hope, with 54 laps to go)…pit stop, back into 14th, 12th, 11th, 10th, 9th, (38 laps remaining)…second pit stop…now in 9th, (35 laps left)…back up to 8th place, 26 laps to go…(just got a call that Malibu is on fire, change channels for a minute) and switch back just in time to see Hamilton finish 7th and the Finnish beast Kimi Raikkonen take home the title of World Champion. (Massa was 2nd, Alonso came in 3rd).

So, no podium for Hamilton, and a huge upset by Raikkonen, who started the race 8 points behind Hamilton. “I came close to the championship two times,” Raikkonen said. “This year it looked like it was going away, but we have a great team and believed in ourselves when nobody really thought about us.” Hopefully, I’m not the only one who spent Sunday morning watching one of the most dramatic races ever. And I mean drama gone crazy. Aside from the off-track cheating, feuding, name-calling, and drunken boat rides, the fight for the title was nothing short of spectacular. There has got to be more drama surrounding F1 drivers than you’d find in 100 episodes of All My Children. I couldn’t possibly fill you in on each detail, so if you really care, start Googling some of these guys and you’ll be entertained for hours.

THANK YOU DAVID NALBANDIAN
“When I am physically and technically good, I can beat anybody.” David Nalbandian, after beating the Swiss Mister 1-6, 6-3, 6-3.

Nalbandian beat Federer to win the Madrid Masters, and oh how good it feels to type that…“I usually play better in the finals, but it had something to do with the way he played today,” said Federer, “Today, I’m not too disappointed because I had a good tournament. I played the first four matches well.” Not well enough my oh-so-arrogant-beast…Why can’t Federer simply just say ‘He outplayed me’ instead of making comments that suggest his opponent simply got lucky.

SOCCER RECAP

Didier Drogba took off his shirt, Francisco Totti sucked his thumb, Gianluigi Buffon lived up to his name, and destroying my “All Italian Men Are Hot” theory, was (yet again) Allesandro Del Piero and his tongue.

KELLY SLATER IN ISRAEL

Kelly, Kelly, Kelly, what are we gonna do with you? Eight-time world surf champ Kelly Slater was in Israel teaching kids to surf as part of the Surf For Peace program, and while there, he hooked up with Brazilian supermodel Bar Rafaeli, Leonardo DiCaprio’s ex-squeeze. Slater and Bar were caught sneaking outta the hotel pre-dawn Saturday morning, and as usual, paparazzi were waiting for them in full force. Slater then pushed a photographer in an effort to prevent him from taking pictures, a brawl broke out and Slater was taken for questioning and later released. And this makes scuffle of the year number two for the supermodel and her booty calls. Earlier this year, Rafaeli and then boy-toy Leonardo created major media frenzy when he visited her in Israel. Rafaeli later told an Israeli newspaper she wouldn’t bring anyone famous to Israel “because there is a chutzpah here that you won’t see anywhere else.” And word to Slater- when you’re part of a campaign that has the word “Peace” in it, you might wanna avoid punching people.

As always, thanks for reading.
delinda@athlebrities.

MAKING MAGIC

I wanna take part in the Orlando Magic NBA Cares Special Olympics Basketball Clinic in China. Damn, I didn’t know it was so interactive…Dwight Howard-those arms and smile….lifting me to heaven…or perching myself atop the strong shoulders of Pat Garrity…or just listening to Adonal Foyle…how about an NBA Cares About Its Female Fans clinic already?

GOLFING IN KABUL

Betcha didn’t know that the Kabul Desert Classic golf competition at the Kabul Golf Course on the outskirts of Kabul is underway? The tournament, held on Afghanistan’s only golf course, has been held for three years in a row to raise money for charities in Afghanistan where the playing of golf was stopped when the monkey running this country decided to take over the world. The money raised goes toward purchasing prostheses and surgeries for children injured by land mines. Now if we could only convince Ian Poulter to bring some color to the event, or Camilo Villegas to really get down and dirty, then it wouldn’t be left to the Canadians to put this event on the map. (goldstreamgazette)

NO VAMOS

Even with those phenomenal forearms, Rafael Nadal couldn’t win…Nalbandian crushed our precious tapa out of the Madrid Masters 6-1, 6-2. Ouch.

DROGBA WANTS OUT

“I want to leave Chelsea. Something is broken with Chelsea. The damage has been big in the dressing room because we know now what happened and who caused Mourinho’s departure. Nothing can stop me from leaving now.” The rumors have been swirling for months, so its no surprise that the Ivory beast has admitted that he wants out. Didier Drogba feels that he must think of his own career now and he claimed his future dream-team could be Barcelona, Real Madrid, AC Milan and Inter Milan. “Since the day I arrived, I wanted to leave Chelsea and then again every summer,” he said. “I know that Ronaldinho and Kaka are linked to come next season but even that won’t change my mind.” And I wont try to change your mind Drogba…I’d follow you to the edge of the world to see you play, and if you do land a spot with the smoking hot boys on (gulp) AC or Inter Milan, Im afraid my ovaries will burst.

SEXUAL ASSAULTS IN SPORTS
Earlier this month, Nets babe Jason Kidd (L) was accused of grabbing a “woman’s crouch” while enjoying the nightlife at the Tenjune Club. She has apparently filed a harassment report, but so far, the allegations have been unsubstantiated. Kidd’s spokesman said the accusation is “a complete fabrication and it is sad that someone would make something like this up.” Indeed it is…and now we’ve got another sexual assault case lingering, this time its Justin Williams. The Sacramento Police Department announced it’s investigating sexual assault charges against Sacramento Kings basketball forward Justin Williams, after what appears to be a ”threesome gone wrong”.

Williams was given an indefinite leave of absence by the team to return to Sacramento to get an attorney. According to the report, Williams is under investigation after an unidentified Sacramento woman claimed an assault occurred inside the North Natomas home of Williams on October 11. The woman claims she went home with Williams and another woman, and wasn’t drunk. But when she got to his home and downed a drink, she felt woozy-essentially implying that they drugged her. That is when Williams and the other woman attempted to have sex with her in Williams’ bedroom, according to the report. Williams and the ‘other woman’ were not arrested and a search warrant was served on Williams’ home where the po-po gathered evidence. And this, my friends, is the dark side of sports. I’m not going to voice my opinion as to whether these two ballers did anything wrong. I wasn’t there so I don’t know. Admittedly, I was quick to jump on the Duke scandal and fall victim to Nifong’s corruption, but in most sexual assault cases, I believe the victim. Sexual assaults happen ALL THE TIME. Most victims don’t come forward when an athlete is involved due to the media attention and backlash of supportive fans. (Remember the Free Kobe t-shirts?) Its unfortunate, but girls, if you play with fire you are gonna get burned. And I’m done lecturing about the topic, for now.

As always, thanks for reading.
delinda@athlebrities.

LEBRON: MAVEN OR NO MAVEN?

Oh I love this…the PR newswire was very interesting yesterday and I cant help but wonder where it all went wrong. The FIRST press release at 8:12 AM read: LeBron James, star of the Cleveland Cavaliers, recently selected Maven Strategies to launch a new project, The LeBron James Experience, kicking off November 3, in Phoenix, Arizona at Club Rain. The LeBron James Experience is a seven-month, 25-city tour that will give fans an opportunity to connect with James in a more personal environment following Cleveland Cavaliers games. “LeBron James is an outstanding basketball player, with a great passion to succeed on and off the court,” said Tony Rome, president & CEO of Maven Strategies. “We are delighted to join hands with one of the best basketball players in the world on his latest business venture.” Commenting on the collaboration, LeBron James stated, “I am very excited about working with Maven on my new venture because this agency is a recognized leader in the area of corporate sponsorships,” said James. “I was impressed by their creative marketing ability and I am to a looking forward to a bright future with this agency.”

SECOND release at 4:47 PM: Fred Nance, counsel for LeBron James and LRMR Innovative Marketing & Branding, said that there is not and never has been a business relationship or agreement between LeBron James and/or LRMR and Maven Strategies. This is an unauthorized project that LeBron James is not and will not be involved with in any way. We are taking appropriate and immediate measures to ensure that Maven Strategies discontinues using LeBron James’ name; and we anticipate Maven Strategies’ cooperation in that regard.

So how exactly does one of the world’s most famous athletes give a statement regarding his latest marketing gig but somehow forget to inform his attorney of it? I don’t know, but I suspect there is a massive ego behind it. It’s just too bad this didn’t happen prior to his gig on SNL. Hopefully, the Nike converted art-gallery in China that’s been renamed for Lebron has been approved by Lebron’s peeps. With the Cavaliers and Magic making the rounds in China, Nike “converted a Shanghai art gallery into a LeBron James showroom,” called the “LBJ Museum.” It includes three-on-three games on a shellacked basketball court, James’ childhood photos, high school jerseys and old Nike shoes. This all coincided with Nike unveiling the latest version of James’ signature shoe, which was only released in China instead of the U.S. James said, “You would never think that you could have your face somewhere else where you don’t even live.” Interesting quote Lebron…now maybe give some thought on the fact that your shoes are being produced by a country that is essentially funding genocide. Maybe you can produce baby Lebron kicks for all the children who run from their villages while being attacked by the militia? At least you’d get your face somewhere else you don’t live.

TIGER-ADE

I’m sure you all have heard about our mighty Tiger and his deal with Gatorade? Tiger’s first beverage endorsement, rumored to be worth as much as $100M over five years, will no doubt give baby Sam a nice trust fund? The Gatorade Tiger sub-brand will launch in March and will feature three flavors: cherry blend, citrus blend and grape, all selected by Tiger. Woods’ agent, IMG’s Mark Steinberg, said, “There have been some licensing elements to things we’ve done. But everything he does with Gatorade is going to be creating new products. It’s something Tiger and I and our licensing business have been looking at for some time.” Congrats to Tiger, but the only thing pumping through my veins is a steady diet of Vitamin Water.

MILLION BUCKS A HOLE: HIGH STAKES GOLF
Last month, I had a conversation with someone about golf and money. I gave my word I wouldn’t mention his name or which sports team he owns, in exchange he was happy to discuss his weekly poker tournaments and golf outings. In summary, Mystery Man paid Phil Ivy $1M for poker lessons, and now he hosts weekly poker games at his house with a buy-in of $10k. I was also told that he and Ivy played golf on a regular basis, while betting $1M a hole. Given the circumstances, his wealth and credibility, I believe this to be true and it’s only a matter of time before I get myself out on the greens with these men to see how its really done. In the meantime, it seems that the Mystery Man is onto something. ‘The Doyle Brunson and Dewey Tomko Invitational,’ is comprised of nine players, who play nine holes, and kick in $1M each of their own money to play for the $9M prize.

The players are not ‘golfers’, but professional poker players-or ‘gamers’ as they’re called. Doyle Brunson, Dewey Tomko, Daniel Negreanu, Phil Hellmuth, and Phil Ivy, among others — for the first time ever, will compete against each other in the Million Dollar per hole golf tournament at Bali Hai Golf Club in Las Vegas, Nevada. President of High Stakes Entertainment: “The High Stakes Entertainment Golf Tour showcases some of the biggest names in poker, playing a brand of golf that the viewers will be able to relate except for the amount of the wagers. The program will also provide our viewers with an insight into this high stakes lifestyle that exists around the world.” The first event will feature nine players, each wagering One Million Dollars of their own money to compete in a nine hole team scramble played according to the “Dewey Tomko’s Gamblers’ Rules of Golf”. The inaugural “Doyle Brunson and Dewey Tomko Invitational Event” is scheduled to premiere on ESPN this Sunday, October 21st at 3:00 pm, and will continue the following Sunday on ESPN. For more info: High Stakes Entertainment.

LEWIS HAMILTON’S ROLE MODELS

The countdown is on…this Sunday, Lewis Hamilton could become the first black driver to win the world championship, the first rookie to win a world championship and the youngest beast to win a world championship. Hamilton graces the cover of the annual Black History Month publication and was asked about his role models. “I think I have had people during my life I admire rather than have as a hero, because my kind of hero would be someone that has been the best at whatever they decided to do. Outside of Formula One, my father (Anthony) foremost, then Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King - two great icons who continue to inspire many people…Alongside that, it would be the huge support I have received and continue to do so from my family and the team. I could not be where I am today without their backing.” Going into the final race of the season, Hamilton holds a four-point lead over Alonso, with Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen an additional three points back. The impact of a Hamilton victory this weekend would be huge. Its well worth it to wake up, set your DVR, whatever you gotta do to bear witness to the phenomenon called Lewis Hamilton. He is essentially rewriting the history books and it baffles me that more people aren’t paying attention here in the States.

RED CARDS FOR PIECE PEACE

Don’t they have tanning beds in Europe?

As always, thanks for reading.
delinda@athlebrities.