Category Archives: Celebrity Athletes

Celebrity athletes charity work, celebrity athletes charity events, celebrity athletes charity golf, celebrity athlete appearances.

Hard Hats for Humanity

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Hard Hats and Hotties for Charity?


Love this one…Hollywood for Habitat for Humanity is auctioning off autographed hard hats for charity… more than 70 hats have been signed and donated for the charity auction…bid on hard hats signed by such artists/humanitarians as U2, Ricky Martin, Justin Timberlake, The Jonas Brothers and more… while there are no “athlete” signed hard hats on the chopping block, I can’t resist anything Bono related, especially when I see him swinging a hammer and building a house. Ditto goes for Ricky Martin.


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“I have had the chance to personally give the keys to several families moving into homes sponsored by the Ricky Martin Foundation in partnership with Habitat for Humanity, an organization I’ve been involved with for many years. I’ve been fortunate enough to see with my own eyes the difference a home makes in the life of a child,” said Ricky Martin. “Now, by simply bidding on an item in an auction, you have the chance to change lives and build hope.”


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Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles launched the online auction today at Clothes Off Our Back…the auction will run through March 6th at 5:00 pm PST with 100% of the proceeds helping to build more affordable homes in Greater Los Angeles. “Through our non-profit organization, Music for Relief, and our ongoing partnership with Habitat for Humanity we have had the opportunity to not only sponsor homes, but also to go and build the houses ourselves, and to meet the families that were moving into them,” said Dave “Phoenix” Farrell of Linkin Park. “We hope this hardhat auction will raise awareness for Habitat’s mission and help raise funds for families in need.”

The following is a partial list of celebrities who have autographed hardhats for the auction: 30 Seconds to Mars, Alejandro Sanz, Carrie Underwood, Chris Pine, David Archuleta, Enrique Iglesias, Gavin Rossdale, Governor Schwarzenegger, Green Day, Kate Beckinsale, Katy Perry, Keith Urban, Kellan Lutz, The Jonas Brothers, Josh Groban, Justin Timberlake, Kyle Howard, Linkin Park, First Lady Maria Shriver, Michael Johns, Miley Cyrus, Neil Diamond, Ne-Yo, the Pussycat Dolls, Ricky Martin, Stevie Wonder, Taylor Swift, Third Day, U2, Vanessa Hudgens and Zac Efron. A complete list of celebrity supporters of this auction can be found at the auction site: CLOTHES OFF OUR BACK.

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

Athletic Champions Pose Naked for AIDS Awareness and Charity

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Athletic Champions Pose Naked for AIDS Awareness and Charity
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I don’t know how this one snuck by me…it opened October 30 at the National Portrait Gallery in London and runs through March 8, 2009…Terrell Owens (above), Matt Dawson and Thierry Henry are just a few of the beautiful sports babes who participated in ‘Champions,’ an amazing black and white nude portrait project by photographers Anderson and Low that benefits the Elton John AIDS Foundation.


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The ‘Champions’ exhibit has over 30 previously unseen nude portraits on display, of some of the hottest athletes shot by photographers Anderson & Low. The collection of images took several years to complete-making me wish I had been along on that road trip…they visited three different continents to shoot the hotties after the photographers conceived the idea to support the Elton John Aids Foundation and to raise awareness of the global issue of HIV/AIDS…consider my awareness ‘raised’…

“Transcending cultural and socioeconomic boundaries the universal appeal of these athletes made them the ideal subjects for this project,” reads the press release. “Their nudity in the portraits is symbolic, illustrating both their physical beauty and prowess alongside their vulnerability and humanity.”

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If you’re in London and want to check out the images, admission to the Gallery is free…they are also selling a book in the gallery’s bookshop: The ‘Champions’ book by Anderson and Low, which contains 138 images of the participating athletes…and yes, I would love a copy from someone for my birthday next month. For more images and information about the incredible photography of Anderson and Low click here.

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

Camilo Villegas Getting Quite a Bit of Love From Nick Faldo

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Camilo Villegas Getting Quite a Bit of Love From Nick Faldo
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Well, so far, Camilo Villegas is giving one hell of mouthwatering performance at the Buick and although his participation isnt going to do much good for the Eagles for St. Jude program (as of this post, the kitten has only bagged one through 3 ½ rounds) he’s sitting pretty in more ways than one. Despite the fact that I’m not at the Buick (as I was scheduled to be)-it is indeed a delight to see his paws creeping across the wet greens as he hunts the elusive trophy. It is also a delight to watch it from home otherwise I’d be missing Nick Faldo and his comments.

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If you’ve been watching the Buick on TV, then you know exactly what I’m talking about. Seriously-and without exaggerating- Faldo has used the following words to describe our sexy lawn crawler: Fit, cut, tone, phenomenal, sensational, strong, outstanding, flexible, limber, unbelievable, popular, stylish, improved, friendly and hot. Okay-so he didn’t say ‘hot’ but he might as well have. Faldo was also very quick to let us know that he’s the one who got Camilo into biking-and that Camilo is “very, very good at it” and would do “very well” in a 100-mile ride.


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On Saturday, Villegas wasn’t performing as a proper kitten would on the 9th hole. He kept hitting it left or right-I don’t know, but there was a lot of heavy breathing coming from Faldo and friend. Luckily, we were giving a very welcome slow-mo video-analyses of Camilo’s swing…This is the running commentary as he was swinging: “In the PGA tour media guide, Camilo Villegas is listed 5’9 160, yet Camilo is one of the longest players on tour…he has very quiet knees, the net result of the quiet knees, he has quite hips-very little hip turn as he goes back-but at the top he still has coiled his shoulders fully- well past 90 degrees- as he starts back down, he increases that separation between his hips and shoulders, the amount of torque he puts on his core and the amount of rotation he gets is absolutely phenomenal. If you can be strong enough and flexible enough to get that degree of separation between your hips and shoulders as you change directions, then maybe you can hit it as far as Camilo…he will thrash it out of the rough, which is deep and gnarly” …

Naturally, my mind was in the gutter ready to be thrashed from the rough by those quiet hips and coiled shoulders while remaining flexible enough to hit it as far as he does…

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

Mike Sweeney Lost in the Mix

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A Reason to Smile About Baseball

Thanks to one of my readers, and a player, I found myself smiling about ‘baseball’ for the first time in years…Seattle Mariners’ Mike Sweeney has earned some serious mighty-mighty-good man love from me for organizing a baseball camp at Ontario High to raise funds for Michael Ortiz’s family.

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According to an LA Times article, Sweeney has been dealing with health issues surrounding his own kids when he received a call from a student at Sweeney’s alma mater, Ontario High, asking if Sweeney would help organize a fundraiser for Michael Ortiz’s family- Michael was one of the school’s baseball players who had been among the nine killed in a Christmas Eve massacre in Covina.

“When I heard the story repeated to me; when they told me Michael valued himself as a student first and athlete second, like myself, and that he was a wonderful Catholic kid who lived his faith, it absolutely broke my heart,” Sweeney said. “When I held my 3-week-old baby in my hands all I could feel was his spine and ribs, he was shriveling away, below his birth weight of eight pounds. I didn’t really know what his disease was . . . I was a terrified father…I knew I was going through a crazy time, but someone had a heavier burden than me.”

Sweeny’s son Donovan had just undergone surgery for pyloric stenosis, a rare condition that stops food movement from the stomach to the small intestine…but Sweeney didn’t hesitate to organize a camp to benefit the Ortiz family. The camp was held yesterday, and so far more than $200,000 in donations have been secured. Additionally, an anonymous donor has declared he’ll double whatever the proceeds were for Saturday.

“The kind of person Mike Sweeney is, the way he conducts himself—that’s what’s made this possible,” said Ontario High Vice Principal Cary Wilborn, who said he has received checks from as far as Dubai. (LA TIMES)

And you can find our more info on Sweeney and his Foundation, the Mike and Shara Family Foundation HERE. According to their site, the foundation exists to bring youth into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ; to grow the ministry of Life Teen, an outreach to youth; to assist pro-life ministries, particularly crisis pregnancy centers; to bring unity between Catholics and Protestants; to host Christian baseball camps all across the country; to reach out to urban youth and urban missions; and to use music ministry to bring the Gospel to the lost.

I love a good Foundation, and while I may be one of the ‘Lost’, I still thank Mike Sweeney for giving me a little hope about the kind of men who still decorate the sport.

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

Adonal Foyle Putting His NBA Skills to Good Use

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Adonal Foyle Putting His NBA Skills to Good Use
As I continue to snoop around the private lives of celebrities and athletes, I’m finding quite a few mighty-mighty good men who are sorely lacking in the publicity department. Case in point: Adonal Foyle. In 2006, he started the Kerosene Lamp Foundation to help ‘empower children in the Eastern Caribbean (and US) and give them the right tools to navigate life’s challenges.’

As a child, the Magic Baller grew up in the tiny island of Canouan, where he was raised by his grandmother and had to use a kerosene lamp for light while doing homework. After coming to the States, he lit up the Golden State Warriors (for ten seasons), and received numerous community service awards while remaining historically relevant to the team. (He is also the only player in Warriors history to have over 3,000 career blocks and over 1,000 career blocked shots.)

Now with the Magic, the baller and his foundation continue to give back Love and host numerous off-season pow-wows…Foyle returns home every year to St. Vincent and the Grenadines to hold his Athletics & Academics Island Camps (A & A Camps). To date, they’ve held 12 free basketball camps, which benefited over 1000 kids…In addition to teaching the kids how to shoot hoops- Foyle addressed such issues as healthy eating, HIV/AIDS prevention, and the importance of education.

His generosity is further enhanced by the fact that in 2001, he founded Democracy Matters, a non-partisan organization that gives students a voice in issues of democracy. DM is active on over 50 college campuses nationwide-encouraging hundreds of students to focus on issues of campaign finance reform…and as with most of the world, he celebrated the fact that Hot Stuff is our new President. Foyle’s Kerosene Lamp Foundation partnered up with Majella’s on the beach on Canouan Island and hosted 200 or so plus kids for a special Inauguration viewing party.

On behalf of all the baller loving fans who can only cheer for those doing good-thank you Adonal Foyle-we see you now.

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

Ryan Sheckler and His Foundation Are All Right By Me

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Ryan Sheckler and His Foundation Are All Right By Me

Ryan Sheckler first caught my eye in 2003 after watching him do amazing things in the X Games…I put my finger on the pulse of his career and waited for the rest of the industry to catch up. Granted, Tony Hawk took notice way before I did (I’m not one to step on the godfather of skate’s toes)…next came a nod from the Sports Business Journal…then MTV sniffed him out and just like that, the kids a multimillionaire teen-aged heartthrob with his own TV show (Life of Ryan), throngs of squealing girls chasing after him and maybe, just maybe, he’s going to come out of this circus we call ‘fame’ with his morals in check.

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The more athlete charity related events I cover, the more Sheckler pops up on my radar. The photos here are from the Mia Hamm/Nomar Garciaparra celebrity soccer event last month. Sheckler was one of the few guys to go into the stands and sign autographs. These two little girls waited patiently until Ryan noticed them, signed their soccer balls, then knelt down and signed their shirts. Not something I see very often from someone his age or of his caliber. And correct me if I’m wrong, but I haven’t seen much scandal associated with him. I’ve only seen a smiling skater loving life and giving back when he can. Seriously, he’s only what 19?

Anyway, for you Sheckler fans needing more, the young buck, along with his Ryan Sheckler Foundation, will be hosting ‘FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS’ (February 6, 2009, at 7pm) at the Grove at Anaheim. The evening will feature a multi-disciplined fight night with proceeds from this event benefiting Road 2 Recovery and TACA; Talk about Curing Autism. SCHEDULED TO FIGHT: Kit Cope (4 time Muay Thai Champion); Danny Abbadi (The Ultimate Fighter); Andy Wang (The Ultimate Fighter); Craig Wilkerson (The OC submission expert); & Jason Ellis (Professional skateboarder and Sirius radio host will be making this professional MMA debut) More to be announced…*fight card subject to change. Plus Special Musical Guest: LIL’ JON.

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If you can’t make it to the event…how about some stylish support, which helps a great cause. The Sheckler Foundation supports causes benefiting children and injured action sports athletes…for a donation of $6.00 or more, they’ll send you a Sheckler Foundation-Down for Life bracelet. All the INFO HERE.

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

Michael Phelps Smokes Weed

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Michael Phelps Smokes Weed

Michael Phelps is heating up the newswire with some wonderful news…he smokes weed. Yeah, stop the press right? Our Olympic poster-child got caught smoking out of a oh-god-NO- bong! (I pegged him for a joint kinda guy) Someone at the party snapped a photo, Phelps admitted it was him and then apologized: “I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment. I’m 23 years old and despite the successes I’ve had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way, not in a manner people have come to expect from me. For this, I am sorry. I promise my fans and the public it will not happen again.”

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His favorite artist is Lil Wayne and your surprised he enjoys the herb? Regardless of what side of the bong you smoke from, smoking weed is a victimless crime…more people are killed by drunk drivers every year than by stoned drivers. But you don’t need a lecture. The only person losing out here is Phelps. He’ll lose some sponsors and some fans, but come on people, he’s as close to godly in the water as one can get, he’s physically close to perfection, he’s a nice guy, STILL has 8 Olympic gold’s and he’s still the same babe you LOVED yesterday when he was making you money. The only bad judgment by Phelps was smoking around people with cameras…

Who knows, maybe he’ll pick up a new sponsor? I mean, Michael Phelps just could be the answer NORML has been looking for.

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

NADAL BRINGS FEDERER TO TEARS

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NADAL BRINGS FEDERER TO TEARS


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This is the first thing I read this morning on Yahoo:
Rafael Nadal held off Roger Federer in another momentum-swinging, five-set final to win the Australian Open on Sunday, keeping the Grand Slam singles record safe for now. After coming through the longest match in the tournament’s history to reach the championship match, Nadal needed 4 hours, 23 minutes Sunday to win 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (3), 3-6, 6-2. Federer, who was trying to equal Pete Sampras’ 14 major titles, has lost to Nadal the last three times they’ve met in Grand Slam finals. The 27-year-old Swiss star couldn’t hold back tears at the presentation.

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“Maybe I’ll try later. God, it’s killing me,” Federer said, sobbing. He returned to congratulate Nadal within minutes, saying: “You deserved it. You played a fantastic final.” Nadal collected the trophy and put his arm around Federer. “Roger, sorry for today. I really know how you feel right now,” Nadal said. “Remember, you’re a great champion, you’re one of the best in history.” He accepted the cup from Rod Laver, who was in Australia to mark the start of the 40th anniversary of the last Grand Slam season. “To receive this trophy from Rod Laver is a dream for me,” Nadal said. Federer, so dominant when he won three of the four majors in 2006 and 2007, has now lost finals on three different surfaces to Nadal. (Yahoo Sports)

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First of all, I am going to relish this moment and say I told ya so. Federer- you can NOT beat Rafa if you don’t practice. Federer- you can NOT be one of the greatest if you don’t practice. Federer- you can NOT claim a title if you don’t practice. It’s really as simple as that. How many times have I ripped the Swiss Mister a new one because he’s out frolicking ala Hollywood-style cruising along on his fame while his Girlfriend manages his career? Historically, it’s a recipe for disaster. “Maybe I’ll try later. God, it’s killing me,” Federer said, sobbing. Maybe you’ll try later? Try what? To practice? Did you really think Rod Laver was gonna hand you the Sampras equalizing trophy just because you showed up? You gotta win first! Props to you though for recognizing that Rafael ‘deserved it’ and ‘played a fantastic final’. Hard to believe a compliment slipped passed those lips. Perhaps when we are at our lowest it’s easier to recognize the greatness in others?

The greatness that is Rafael Nadal never ceases to amaze me. From his grunts to his capri’s, the kid is a tennis machine. We are witnessing one of the most remarkable tennis careers to hit the courts, while at the same time witnessing the downfall of another. Sure, R-Fed could theoretically pull himself up by the boot-strings, hire a great agent and trainer, leave Mirka at home and focus on winning instead of jetting off to chill with other Gillette men who have also mysteriously lost career-traction…but would that even be enough? Doubt it. Nadal has remained focused…unshakable…determined…humble…and hot. He basically picks up where Federer leaves off.

And before I forget…Congratulations my precious Tapa! You want make me to be happy, no? Thank you Rafa for making this day about something more than the SuperBowl. Vamos for life you sexy little beast, Va-mos.

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

If You’re at a SuperBowl Charity Event, Don’t Snub the Writer; The Callaway Golf Foundation Challenge You Wont Get Snubbed At

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If You’re at a SuperBowl Charity Event, Don’t Snub the Writer; The Callaway Golf Foundation Challenge You Wont Get Snubbed At


Glad I’m not the only one…as you know, I’ve been to a ton of charity events, mixing and mingling with the athlebrities and celebs who donate-yes donate- their time to raise awareness. From Charles Barkley to Drew Brees to Sammy Jackson to Kevin Costner To Terry Crews…I’ve seen these guys front and center at various charity events, signing autographs and interacting with fans while thanking them for ‘coming out’ to the event and ‘supporting the ‘cause’…not to sound like a broken record-but sometimes it’s difficult to know who’s in it for the PR and who’s in it for love. And oddly enough, I feel a bit vindicated in regards to my post yesterday (although I shouldn’t really) after reading this article regarding the Par and Poker Charity event in Florida. Last year, celebrity Golf Magazine named Par and Poker as one of the top celebrity golf events. Awesome. But have they ever been to this event? Just wondering, because I’ve been to about 30 different celebrity golf events that have never gotten a peep of bad press due to their invited celebrity talent…so, Par and Poker, aside from the free publicity I gave you without so much as a thank you, perhaps you best recheck your ‘celebrity talent’…because yes-one bad apple can spoil the entire event…and the apple I speak of is Lawrence Taylor.


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Par and Poker review written by Erica Pitzi, Tamp Bay 10 News:
One of the biggest names there is also arguably the NFL’s greatest defensive player of all time: Lawrence Taylor. Standing what seemed to be seven feet tall, ‘LT’ dwarfed nearly everything and everyone around him. (Although the dozens of fans hoping for an autograph couldn’t get any closer than the thirty feet a yellow rope allowed.) On the outside, he looked like a pretty intimidating fellow. He was warming up when I walked up to ask for an interview and without looking up, he said, “Nope, I’m done,” and he lit a large cigar. Too concerned with his golf game I guess, even though he was hitting balls in flip-flops. I stuck around for a minute to try and change his mind and with a huff Taylor said, “Fine. You get two questions, that’s it.” I asked my first question on how he felt about contributing to local charities through the tournament. Taylor told me he “wasn’t here for any charity.” He said there are always charity events going on and he doesn’t do them just for the charities. Instead, he told me he came to this charity tournament only for his friend, fellow football star (and charity tournament founder) Seth Joyner. “This charity is strong to his heart. I respect him, I like him. So, I support his charity,” said Taylor. (Full article here).


Callaway Golf Foundation Challenge

This Monday, if you’re on the west coast and don’t want to be snubbed by anyone, I highly recommend Callaway’s Golf Foundation Challenge. The event benefits the cancer research initiative of the (EIF) Entertainment Industry Foundation…which also does amazing things such as lure companies like Philosophy to donate 100% of their proceeds (from certain products) to the cause.

The Callaway Golf Foundation Challenge, a pro-celebrity charity golf tournament benefiting the cancer research initiatives of the EIF is set to tee off this Monday, in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles. This fundraising event pairs leading professional golfers with celebrated actors, chief business leaders and entertainment industry executives for a round of golf in a “Modified Best Ball” tournament format. During the event, amateur golfers will have an opportunity to work on their technique at the Johnny Miller Skills Clinic. Proceeds will benefit EIF’s Cancer Research Programs to fast-track scientific research to support the discovery of new prevention tests and improved, non-toxic therapies for ovarian, breast, colon and prostate cancers.

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Celebrities set to participate and who I’ve never heard of snubbing a writer covering a charity event before include: Mark Wahlberg, Ray Romano, Gabriel Aubry, George Lopez, Tim Allen, James Caan, Kevin McKidd, Joe Pesci, Kevin Nealon, Peter Gallagher, Michael Chiklis, Josh Kelley, Don Cheadle, Jack Wagner, Matthew Lillard, Tom Dreesen, Jason Sehorn, Andy Richter, Flex Alexander, Johnny Mathis, CS Lee, Joel Gretsch, Joe Mantegna, Kevin Sorbo, and more. Professional Golfers set to participate include: Rocco Mediate, Johnny Miller, Gary Player, Leta Lindley, Roger Cleveland, Nicholas Thompson, Stuart Appleby, Vicky Hurst, Notah Begay III, Fredrik Jacobsen, Mark Brooks, and more.

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