German TV station getting backlash over sexist washing machine ad for women’s Euro 2013

German public broadcaster ZDF has drawn the ire of viewers and members of their national team for an ad promoting coverage of the women's Euro 2013 tournament. The spot depicts a female footballer kicking a dirty ball into a washing machine, setting it to "leather" and then sitting on top of it while she waits for the cycle to finish.

Viewers have labeled the video as being sexist and chauvinistic for its odd combination of women's football and washing machines. The German squad isn't very fond of it either. From the Telegraph: 

Midfielder Fatmire Bajramaj, who was voted world player of the year in 2010, said it had not gone down well within the Germany squad.

"The advert was not a good idea," said the 25-year-old.

"You'd like the advert to have something to do with women's football, not with a washing machine.

"They should change things for the next advert."

In an interview about the ad, ZDF spokesman Alexander Stock told Bild:

"There is a sensitivity in Germany, which is higher than in other countries in terms of these stereotypes."

"It is not about housewives, but powerful women. We wanted to make an advertisement for the tournament. It is clear to us that we hit on sensitivity, I'm sorry. This is unfortunate, but it was not meant that way. We are not cheesy men, there are many women who worked on it. The clip is not meant to be misogynist."

Stock added that ZDF has no plans to pull the ad.

MLS Team Will Pay Fans To Drop Hateful Chant

If New York Red Bulls fans can avoid saying three words at their team's games next season, the team will pay them $500.
Sounds simple enough, right?
Except these aren't just any words. No, these are somewhat of a tradition. And a nasty one, at that.
Red Bulls fans, along with select supporters of other teams, have been yelling "You Suck, A------" at opposing teams during free kicks. Not only is the chant hurtful, it is also not helping the league's cause with television networks. And as Barry Petchesky of Deadspin points out, MLS' deals with ESPN, NBC, and Univision all expire after 2014, so this is a crucial season for the league to show that it can be family friendly.
"They need to stop it in New York, and they need to stop it in a handful of other markets. And if they don't stop it, we're going to have to find a way to eradicate it from our game," MLS commissioner Don Garber told The Sporting News of the chant. "It's just so uncreative and ridiculous, and we need to stop it. Our broadcast partners don't like it. When vulgarity is going over the air, it's an issue with the FCC and we've got to stop it."
The league has tried threats and even punishment, but the Red Bulls are looking to take a softer approach.
For each game that New York's fan clubs (the Empire Supporters Club, the Garden State Ultras and the Viking Army) go without uttering the chant, the Red Bulls will give the groups $500 each. However the catch is that the Red Bulls will only distribute the reward in $2,000 chunks, so the groups must go four games without saying the words.
Sure, it's hard to break from old traditions. And perhaps some fans will have to watch themselves a bit more carefully. But $500 to refrain from three simple words? This is like taking candy from a baby.

Red Bull Salzburg defender beats Schalke goalkeeper with powerful 70-yard strike

As part of their pre-season schedule, Schalke took a trip over the Austrian border to face Red Bull Salzburg on Thursday evening. It wasn't a good night for the Bundesliga visitors, however, as they unexpectedly lost 3-1 to the energy drink-touting home side.

The Austrians' third goal came courtesy of 20-year-old centre-back Martin Hinteregger, who seemed to beat two players with a sloppy first touch before making the split-second decision to have a punt from 70 yards out. As you can see, the decision paid off.

Speaking to Bild after the match, Schalke goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand called it a "stupid goal," perhaps trying to evade the embarrassment of being beaten from distance by a defender who had previously never scored at senior level for club or country.

Rhythmic gymnast shoots the craziest free throw you’ll ever see!!

Rhythmic gymnast Noa Kadosh sees your crazy first pitch and raises you a crazy free throw. Kadosh did a one-handed cartwheel(!) before kicking the ball (!!) into the hoop while upside down (!!!) Enjoy.

Nerlens Noel will wear No. 5 to note the number of teams that passed on him in the draft

Nerlens Noel peers down at the 2013 NBA Draft (Mike Stobe/Getty).

This June's NBA draft was notable for its largely unpredictable lottery, in which an absence of surefire stars caused various non-playoff teams to defy expectations and make several shocking selections. Yet, even given the character of the night, Kentucky big man Nerlens Noel's slide from potential top pick to No. 6 overall (where he was selected by the New Orleans Pelicans and then traded to the Philadelphia 76ers) qualified as a big surprise. Although an ACL injury suffered in mid-February made him a less enticing prospect than when he first started his lone season in Lexington, Noel was still expected to be one of the first picks.

Like many players before him, Noel is approaching his drop as an opportunity rather than a bad omen. As tweeted by Pablo S. Torre of ESPN (via SLAM), Noel will wear No. 5 to note the number of teams who passed on him in the draft.

Noel is not the first player to make a source of motivation quite so public. Throughout his career, Gilbert Arenas wore zero on his jersey to remind himself of the relative lack of scholarship attention he got from big-game college programs, the teams that opted not to select him in the first round of the 2001 NBA draft, and any other doubters he encountered before or after he made the league. His jersey number was even made the subject of his biggest commercial for Adidas.

From the outside, this can all look a little ridiculous. At a certain point, a large enough number of people started loving Arenas that his jersey number ceased to have the same connection to his public identity. For that matter, Noel very easily could have used his slide down draft boards as motivation without putting No. 5 on his uniform. (It also would have made more sense to use No. 6, since the Pelicans traded him, but Julius Erving probably would have objected to his number coming down from the rafters.)
However, this take assumes that these choices are governed by external logic, not the very specific motivations of athletes who've spent most of their lives in ultra-competitive atmospheres. Every player in this draft has likely concocted some kind of rationale to support the belief that they've been disrespected. This goes for people taken ahead of Noel, too — top pick Anthony Bennett can say that everyone thought he shouldn't have been picked first, Cody Zeller can claim that most pundits thought Noel should have been taken ahead of him, etc. High-level athletes are capable of using any slight as a boost to achieve their goals.

Cynics may choose to perceive Noel's particular choice as a grab for attention, but it's more likely just the option he settled on to motivate himself as best he can. It's ultimately a harmless decision, perhaps more likely to be taken by the general public as a tribute to Kevin Garnett than a statement of purpose. It matters because of what it means to Noel, not to everyone else.

Phillies Fan Hit in Head Trying to Catch Anthony Rendon Home Run Ball (Video)

The thing about baseball is that you may see something new every day… like a Phillies fan getting drilled in the head with a line drive home run off the bat of Anthony Rendon.

NatsEnquirer.com

The thing about baseball is that you may see something new every day… like a Phillies fan getting drilled in the head with a line drive home run off the bat of Anthony Rendon.
The Phillies came into Wednesday night needing a fourth consecutive victory at home to get to .500 for the first time since June 7. With Cliff Lee on the mound it seemed like a safe bet.
Not so fast, my friend.
Lee gave up four solo home runs through seven innings. The first was the rocket off the bat of Rendon, the Nationals’ prospect with the sweet swing.
The drive scored a direct hit on the guy in the maroon shirt in the first row behind the left field wall. We assume the guy is OK, but it was a serious shot to the noggin. You can watch the carnage in the Vine above.
It’s still 4-1 Nats through seven.

Anthony Rendon laser beam home run drills Phillies fan in the head

Submitted without comment, except to say we hope the guy is OK.

After hitting 21 and 17 home runs, respectively, over the past two seasons, Washington Nationals second baseman Danny Espinosa struggled mightily to begin 2013, and currently finds himself in Triple-A Syracuse. However, for the Nationals it actually solves a problem with what to do with their glut of infielders. Ryan Zimmerman has reclaimed his role at third base, while 23-year-old Anthony Rendon has slid over from third to second. On Wednesday night, Rendon continued to show why he was such a highly touted prospect, turning on a Cliff Lee fastball up in the strike zone and depositing it in the left field stands at Citizens Bank Park. However, for one Phillies fan, Rendon’s great bat speed was his misfortune. As Rendon’s line-drive homer exited the stadium, a fan tried to make the catch, misjudged the timing and the ball ended up smacking him square in the side of the face. Luckily, according to some Twitter sourcing, the man was promptly attended to, given some ice and was fine by the end of the game. So, now that we know the fan is OK, we can all sit back and have a guilty laugh by watching the video below.

Read more at: http://nesn.com/2013/07/phillies-fan-hit-in-head-trying-to-catch-anthony-rendon-home-run-ball-video/

Woops: Florida State player’s championship ring features the wrong conference

 Florida State has won thirteen ACC football championships since becoming eligible for them in 1992. Last December they bested Georgia Tech 21-15 in the conference's title game to clinch their most recent crown. Offensive lineman Menelik Watson - now with the Oakland Raiders - just got his ring and hey wait a second:

Sorry, Alabama: Looks like you're not the only team to win the SEC championship last year. We don't know if Watson's is the only ring to have the error, but we at least are sure his fellow offensive lineman Daniel Glauser's jewelry has the correct conference.

Should Watson bother to get a new ring, or just enjoy his status as the only Seminole with an SEC title?

 UPDATE: Florida State has said that Watson's ring was an isolated mistake and he'll get a replacement

Spider-Man Dominates Streetballers in Video Prank

Spider-Man just got a little bit more amazing thanks to this video prank pulled off by one of the world's most popular streetball players.
Basketball players at a neighborhood court were surprised recently when none other than Spidey himself showed up to crash their game. But this wasn't some awkward actor trying to play sports — as you'll see above, Spider-Man pulls of some extremely slick dribbling moves here.

SEE ALSO: How 'Uncle Drew' Went from Viral YouTube Hit to NBA Finals Ad

 

So where'd Spidey get his skills? It's not Peter Parker under that mask. Rather, it's Grayson Boucher, better known as streetball legend "The Professor." Boucher's played before on ESPN, with the well-known And1 basketball touring circus and alongside future NBA Hall of Famer Allen Iverson.
And now he's played on YouTube as Spider-Man, which may be his most awesome achievement yet. Watch Boucher's video above for yourself, then let us know what you think in the comments.

(VIDEO) Lamar Odom Attacks Paparazzi Trashes Camera and a Car!

TMZ - Lamar Odom went absolutely nuts on 2 paparazzi in Hollywood this afternoon ... smashing a car, a camera ... and then fleeing the scene -- apparently with some of the destroyed camera gear.

The violent incident was captured on video ... where Mr. Khloe Kardashian was seen going into the back of a car belonging to one of the paps, and chucking all of the guy's equipment into the middle of a busy street.

He then walked across the street and smashed another photog's car with a metal bar, then picked up all the gear from the street and put it in his trunk.


Curiously, right after raging against the paps, Lamar also had a run-in with a fan -- and couldn't have been nicer. Watch the video ... it's kinda bizarre.  

It's unclear why Lamar was so angry ... when the video starts he's already digging through the pap's car.

One of the photogs has filed a police report for vandalism. We haven't heard back from Lamar's reps.

Ian Desmond Shaves Goatee Mid-Game

Because apparently the game itself wasn't interesting enough, Washington Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond decided it was time for a quick shave between the first and second innings.
A before and after look, courtesy of MLB's Cut 4.
To be fair, shortly before Desmond decided to take off his facial hair, he grounded into a double play. Maybe it was just time to change his luck? The Nationals lost to the Phillies 4-2, so he might consider another change.

Manny Ramirez homers in Triple-A, shows off his newly bald head

Now that Manny Ramirez is back in America, we don't get the crazy home-run calls and fan reactions we grew to love during his time in Taiwan. But when Manny hit his first homer for the Triple-A Round Rock Express on Tuesday, we got another surprise — his new haircut. He's bald! It was one of the conditions of his minor-league contract with the Texas Rangers. Here's a frozen frame if you'd like to admire Manny's bald dome while he signs an autograph:

(Round Rock Express)

Overall, Manny was 2 for 4 with three RBI's on Tuesday. That gives him three hits in three games with the Round Rock Express after singling in his debut.
Let's compare that to another couple of famous ballplayers working their way back to the big leagues: Derek Jeter has one hit in three games in Triple-A, while Alex Rodriguez is 1-for-12 in five Single-A rehab games.

Yes, Manny has more hits in three games than A-Rod and Jeter have in eight total games. Welcome to minor league baseball in 2013, folks.

Oswaldo Arcia Catch Fail: Twins Outfielder Hit In Face With Foul Ball (VIDEO)

What should have been an easy out for the Twins turned into an addition to the team's blooper reel on Tuesday when outfielder Oswaldo Arcia misplayed a popup.

In the bottom of the seventh inning with the Rays leading 4-1, Tampa Bay's Jose Lobaton hit a high fly ball into foul territory. The rookie left fielder chased it down and looked as if he was going to make the catch. But Arcia took briefly his eye off the ball and it ended up hitting him in the lip.

New York Jets coach Rex Ryan went running with the bulls in Spain (VIDEO)

We're learning quite a bit about what NFL head coaches like to do during this rare quiet time in the NFL calendar.

New Orleans coach Sean Payton was a caddie for a PGA Tour player last weekend. And it turns out, at the same time, Jets coach Rex Ryan was running with the bulls in Spain.
Ryan's exploits were a little more dangerous.

The Associated Press confirmed Ryan ran twice with the bulls as part of the annual tradition in Pamplona, Spain. The team confirmed that Ryan did take part after Ben Patton, a star of the reality TV show "Ready for Love," posted a picture of himself and Ryan in Spain on his Instagram account. Ryan is wearing a T-shirt that says "Bad Toro."

The Jets reported that Ryan wasn't hurt during the running of the bulls. That's good to hear because, well, you've seen the running of the bulls, right?

Must See TV "D's Sports Wrap"

Green Bay Packers fans sure to love picture of Golden Tate and replacement ref Lance Easley

(Instagram/lawyermilloy)

Hey Packers fans, remember that game you lost at Seattle last year? You know, the one where the replacement official called a touchdown that should have never been? Seattle Screwjob, Fail Mary, etc.? Yes, yes, figured you would.

And we're pretty sure you realized at some point that had that game not been stolen from Green Bay, the Packers would have been 12-4 and been rested to host the 11-4-1 49ers in the playoffs. Who knows, maybe Colin Kaepernick wouldn't have been so fast in single-digit temperatures.

A quick refresher for anyone who might have forgotten: Last season, Seattle trailed Green Bay 12-7 on the last play of the game when Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson threw a pass into the end zone. Despite Seattle receiver Golden Tate clearly not having control of the ball as he went to the turf, replacement officials (the regular officials were on strike) ruled it a touchdown. It was one of the more infamous blown calls in sports history, and thankfully was the impetus for the NFL to settle with the regular officials.
Here's video of the blown call:

Well Packers fans, you'll be thrilled to know that Lance Easley, the replacement ref who made a mockery of the sport by giving Tate that touchdown, is now enjoying his bit of celebrity around Seattle. He even took a smiling picture signaling touchdown with Tate at Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman's celebrity softball game, which he umpired.

Fun, right?

Lawyer Milloy took a picture and posted it to Instagram of Easley giving the TD signal with a huge smile on his face. BustedCoverage.com had many pictures from around the Internet of Easley mugging for pictures with Seahawks players and fans. We're pretty sure Easley wasn't invited to Donald Driver's annual softball game in Wisconsin this year, and won't be invited to have a bratwurst with anyone in the state anytime soon.

So while Packers players, coaches and fans wonder if the worst call in NFL history cost them a chance to go further in the playoffs (could Green Bay off a bye week have beaten San Francisco at home? Atlanta in the NFC title game? Baltimore in the Super Bowl? It certainly can't be ruled out), this guy is hamming it up with the Seahawks. Oh, and Easley is coming out with a book too, called "Making the Call." The blown call affected Green Bay's season, and now Easley is flaunting the mistake and cashing in on that. Fans, outside of Seattle anyway, shouldn't be too thrilled about Easley backslapping with a team he made a shady call in favor of.

It's probably safe to say he should avoid any book signings near Green Bay.

Cameraman Badly Injured by Runaway Tire (Video)

A camera operator on pit road suffered a broken collarbone and broken ribs after he was knocked over by a tire that had come loose from Mark Webber's car on the pit lane during Sunday's Formula 1 race in Germany.

Webber's Red Bull team had issues fastening the right-rear tire to the car and the jackman at the back of the car dropped the jack before the tire was secure. That's the universal sign for a driver to leave the pits, so Webber took off, not knowing the tire wasn't attached to his car.

As soon as he pulled out, the tire spun off the wheel hub and started bouncing down the pit lane, narrowly missing the Lotus F1 pit crew team before hitting Paul Allen, the cameraman, who didn't see the tire coming towards him.'

 After the race, Red Bull was fined €30,000 ($44,700) for an unsafe release of Webber's car by the FIA, the governing body of F1. His teammate, Sebastian Vettel, won the race.