George and Hal Steinbrenner: How The Apple Falls Far from the Tree

Hal Steinbrenner says he’d consider all options if the New York Yankees don’t qualify for the postseason in 2015.

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“It would be horrible not to make the playoffs three years in a row,” Steinbrenner told the New York Post. “We’d be embarrassed. So anything (firings, etc.) would be on the table, yes.”

Does that mean Baby Boss would like to shake up the organization just like dad used to? Not so much.

"We are at the beginning of the season, no one is on a hot seat right now," Steinbrenner said. "I am absolutely comfortable with [general manager Brian Cashman and manager Joe Girardi]. Nobody wants to hear me whine about it, but what Girardi dealt with the last two years with injuries. I think he has done a good job, given two abnormal years [for injuries] that I hope doesn't happen again. As far as Cashman, I think he made some great trades [last] July. That certainly went into my thinking [in re-signing the GM this past offseason]. But more importantly he is a smart guy. I like the people he has under him."

Hal is more laid-back , more compassionate than his win-at-all-costs dad. 

George had the attitude of getting rid of staff members if they didn't get the job done.

Joe Torre won four world series and he was constantly pressured with his job being on the line. 

The loss of Yoan Moncada has really left Yankee fans bitter. The fan base was really hoping for the young talent. With stars like Jose Abreu and Jorge Soler emerging, Yoan Moncada represented the Yankees' potential jump into the Cuban market right now. Three private workouts and a $25 million offer later, he's heading for Boston. Moncada would have boosted the Yankees' farm system to one of the top farm systems in baseball. Incidents like this make it easy for the fan base to lose trust in Hal and Hank Steinbrenner. Big Stein would have never let the Yankees get outbid by a measly $5 million, especially when bidding against their rival team.

Does Hal lack the desire to win or is he too nice? Either way, he should learn from what his dad did to win championships.

Christine O'Connor

@christineeeeO

Josh Hamilton Expected to be Suspended 25 Games for Drug Relapse

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Josh Hamilton suffered a drug relapse involving the use of cocaine and alcohol in the offseason. When Hamilton realized a drug test, which is administered three times a week, would come out positive, he self-reported his relapse. 

​Image Credit: sportstalkflorida.com

Hamilton’s father-in-law, Michael Chadwick, who has previously counseled Hamilton over his substance issues, said the 33-year-old “hit a bump in the road, keep him in your prayers,” according to Newsday.

The Angels outfielder met with MLB officials in New York on Wednesday to discuss a “disciplinary issue,” according to the Los Angeles Times. Angels spokesman Tim Mead confirmed the meeting to the Associated Press.

 

Hamilton, 33, was out of baseball for nearly three years for his struggles with drugs and alcohol. He was suspended multiple times as a minor-leaguer. He came back with the Cincinnati Reds in 2007 and had five strong seasons with the Texas Rangers, in which he won an MVP in 2010. He joined the Angels in 2013 as a free agent with a $125 million contract.

One of the conditions of Hamilton's reinstatement in 2006 was that he undergo drug testing three times a week. He had alcohol relapses in 2009 and 2012, bouncing back in between to make back-to-back trips to the World Series with the Texas Rangers and win the 2010 American League MVP award.

It is very disappointing to see Josh Hamilton relapse. Seeing him sober up and make a little bit of a comeback was great to see for baseball fans. We are all pulling for him to get better. 

Christine O'Connor

@christineeeeO

Is Derek Rose Career Over?

Just as the Chicago Bulls were primed to make a push for the NBA playoffs as one of the Eastern Conference’s main contenders, Derrick Rose’s knee has become a stumbling block. Again.

Image Credit: HuffingtonPost.com

Despite his supreme talent, athleticism and agility, Derrick Rose hasn't had the greatest fortune utilizing his abilities over the past three years due to injury. With two surgeries in two years, Rose had attempted to make yet another comeback this season. However Rose suffered a tear of the medial meniscus in his right knee—another devastating blow to what has been an up-and-down career. 

It will be Rose's third knee surgery since 2012, starting when he went down with an ACL tear in his left knee in the first game of that year's playoffs. He tore the meniscus in his right knee in Portland in November 2013 and missed the remainder of last season.

It will be impossible to trust his body anymore. You could use his knees of clay as skeet-shooting targets. Even before Tuesday’s news of a planned third surgery landed with a mushroom cloud, whatever trust there might have been was hanging by a few strands of ligament and cartilage.

After missing eight of 15 games in November, he had played 46 games this season, his most since suiting up for 81 in his MVP season in 2010-11. He hadn't missed a game since Jan. 10, a stretch of 19 straight. His minutes restrictions were over.

No timeline has been determined for Rose's recovery from the procedure, which has yet to be scheduled.

Christine O'Connor

@christineeeeO

Yoan Moncada: Why the Yankees Didn't Get Him and How It Might Hurt Them

Switch-hitting Cuban sensation Yoan Moncada, just 19, will be playing his future home games at Fenway Park because the Yankees reportedly did not want to spend an extra $9 million. 

After months of speculation and rumors, the auction for Yoan Moncada's services has ended and the Red Sox have signed the Cuban prospect for about $63 million in total bonuses and penalties. People had initially blamed Brian Cashman for for not signing him, but it seems that he couldn't Hal Steinbrenner to get any higher than $32 Million. 

​

Image Credit: bostonglobe.com 

The days of the blank checkbook seem to be over the Yankees. 

The Yankees clearly have the money and financial might to acquire a player in that dollar range, so seeing the Steinbrenners place a hard cap on bidding is quite illogical. This all under the assumption that Hal did in fact place a cap, which is not obvious, so we may never know the truth. If the front office's dollar value estimation was at all higher than their rival's bid, then this strategy is not only illogical, but largely damaging to the long-term health of the club. 

The Yankees, under GM Brian Cashman and the Steinbrenner family without George, spend most of their time figuring ways to pay less luxury tax and scheming for angles to avoid paying Alex Rodriguez bonus money on a contract they stupidly agreed to extend back in 2007.

When they fell to last place in the AL East during the lost summer of Bobby Valentine, the Red Sox took a fire hose to both the manager’s office and the roster, and stormed back to win the World Series in 2013. Now, after again finishing last in the AL East in 2014 at 71-91,they’re again positioned to make significant hay in the division. They played it smart in July, dealing away most of their rotation and jump-starting the rebuilding process toward 2015. Then this offseason, the acquired Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez, which will greatly boost both their offense and defense. 

The Red Sox have acted wisely in order to revamp their team. The Yankees, however, have been less than efficient in rebuilding their team. They could learn a lesson from the Red Sox in the art of wheeling and dealing. Boston formed a team that all the teams in the AL East will struggle greatly against- especially the Yankees. 

Yoan Moncada’s talent is unquestioned, and he would have immediately bolstered a lackluster Yankees farm system that desperately needs a boost. That bonus money would not count against the Yankees’ salary number, and would get them a high-end player that they would control for years to come at a reasonable yearly salary. The Yankees might not have access to that type of player ever again.

Not only did Boston acquire a five-tool, 19-year-old infielder who has been the talk of baseball all winter, the Yankees failed to acquire young talent- which they desperately need- and let the talent fall into the hands of their rivals.

Brian Cashman made a mistake on Monday, one that he might regret in a big way in a few years. Hopefully, Moncada will not pan out the way people thought, and the Yankees will have made the right choice. 

Christine O'Connor

@christineeeeO

Why Brett Gardner Should Be the New Face of the Yankees

During Derek Jeter‘s career, he was the undisputed face of the New York Yankees. He was “The Captain," he was a leader and he was a respected player around baseball. But with Jeter retiring, the Yankees need someone to represent the team. That player should be Brett Gardner.

He has spent his entire eight-year career with the Yankees. Gardner did exhibit leadership qualities while Jeter was out for the 2013 season and did so again even with Jeter on the team last year. 

Image Credit: usatoday.com

The New York Yankees produced the third worst offense in the American League last season, but Brett Gardner was not a part of the problem, at least not until August. Gardner enjoyed one of his better overall statistical seasons in the Bronx and solidified his place atop the Yankees batting order with an amazing first four months. 

This season Gardner, who's signed through 2018 and coming off abdominal surgery, will start the year in left and likely lead off. Last year he popped 17 home runs while his average dropped nearly 20 points from 2013. Will the power surge continue? Sure, the Yankees will take 17 home runs again, but if he can steal bases like its 2011 and get on base at a higher rate than last year (.327 on-base percentage, a career-low), well, the home runs can shrink in the name of more production elsewhere.

A .265/.340/.415 line with 50+ extra-base hits is not out of the range of possibilities given a full season of plate appearances. There is still plenty of upside in Gardner’s abilities at the plate. Gardner’s importance to the lineup cannot be understated. The Yankees offensive success starts at the top with Gardner leading the way. Further, much like Ellsbury, Gardner might need to be at the top of his game for an entire season to make up for the possibility that the aging middle of the lineup cannot turn things around as hoped.

Homegrown players have an obvious financial impact on a baseball team, and successful player development is surely the easiest way to build a roster without having to enter the murky waters of free agency. But beyond all that, homegrown players who stick around build common ground with the fan base. They create an easy connection. They spark loyalty.

Christine O'Connor

Happy Birthday WWE Network! Fast Lane, Raw, and Chyna "Twerkin'"

This week marks the first birthday of the WWE network and the true start of the road to Wrestlemania 31. Raw opens with Randy Orton on the mic trying to explain how The Authority kept him out of action for the last four months. He should of explained why he was hanging out backstage Sunday night in his gear. While Fast Lane may not have delivered, Raw, and the announcement of free streaming of the network for 24 hours, definitely made up for it. 

Image Credit: wwe.com

After a little bit of sweet talk from Boss Lady, Orton returns to The Authority for the main event tag match. It appears that Daniel Bryan and Roman Reigns became BFFs after Fast Lane and it definitely showed in the ring Monday night. Orton and Rollins storm off with their tails between their legs. That match was the highlight of my night.

Last week TMZ reported on the terrible twerking video Chyna posted to her social media sites. From what I understand, Chyna admits to falling off the sober wagon tweeting from @ChynaJoanLaurer on February 24th. "Hi everyone. I have been kept denying the fact that I have been an alcohhol...This has been very hard... I am."  This seems to be a contributing factor to all the non-sense going on at her YouTube, Toyko Chyna. If you haven't heard, Chyna has been working in the adult entertainment industry since leaving WWE in 2001. Posing nude for Playboy, starring in 6 adult films, collecting 2 AVN awards, and working for the LA Porn Star Escort Service has been her claim to fame for the last 10 years. She has since retired and resides in Japan teaching private English classes. 

In all honesty, Chyna Doll looks like any other silly drunk girl dancing around her room in her underwear. She's just trying to live her life. Maybe she wasn't even drinking and that's just her charismatic personality. I do believe she's trying her hardest to live a normal life free of addiction. I think if these last few articles have taught me anything, it's that professional wrestlers are normal people that like to get fucked up and take pictures of their dicks. 

-Loveblump

The State of the NBA and Potential Playoff Changes

By now it's not exactly a major news flash that the Eastern Conference isn't anywhere near as deep as the Western Conference.

The Nets and Miami Heat, who would both be in the playoffs if they started today with records way below .500, wouldn't be the worst teams in NBA history to make the postseason. Chicago, San Antonio and Boston have all had teams that, when combining regular-season and postseason records, have had teams make the playoffs with winning percentages of .419 or less twice.

And the Bulls, Spurs and Celtics franchises are basketball royalty.But even they have experienced bad times.

Image Credit: superstartickets.com

One of the ideas that has been talked about -- and will likely one day happen, somehow -- is for the best 16 teams to make the playoffs, regardless of conference.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver joined the Golden State Warriors' broadcast Wednesday night when the Warriors beat the Dallas Mavericks. During the broadcast, Silver talked about the idea that so many fans and maybe players in the Western Conference have been dying to hear. The commissioner of the NBA is thinking about redesigning the NBA playoffs format to have the best teams in the postseason than just the top 8 from each conference.

Conference imbalance between the West and the East has been going on for over a decade now and it's left a good team or two in the West out of the playoffs while lesser teams in the East manage to get in.

So here's a look at what that playoff bracket would look like, if this season ended Sunday:

1. Golden State vs. 16. New Orleans.

2. Atlanta vs. 15. Phoenix.

3. Memphis vs. 14. Oklahoma City.

4. Houston vs. 13. Milwaukee.

5. Toronto vs. 12. Washington.

6. L.A. Clippers vs. 11. Cleveland.

7. Dallas vs. 10. San Antonio.

8. Portland vs. 9. Chicago.

Seriously, who wouldn't take that right now (except Miami and Brooklyn, who would fall off the postseason bracket in this system)?

Anthony Davis vs. the Splash Brothers in a first-round series. Chris Paul matching wits with LeBron James to open the playoffs (and everyone who follows college basketball's postseason knows an 11 seed has to beat a 6 seed every year). Bulls vs. Blazers, a rematch of NBA Finals past in an opening-round matchup.

New York Knicks: On their way to the worst season in franchise history, the Knicks will continue their attempt to win a game without Carmelo Anthony. New York is 0-15 without Anthony this season, and visits the Celtics on Wednesday, visits the Pistons on Friday and plays host to the Raptors on Saturday.

Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers: It's not too early for an NBA Finals preview. Golden State travels to Cleveland on Thursday night, a nationally televised game that will surely get tons of attention. Golden State won the season's first meeting last month by 18, though that was with LeBron James sitting out.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Oklahoma City has climbed back onto the Western Conference playoff bracket after its disastrous start, and now tries to stay there with Kevin Durant set to miss at least a week because of pain in his surgically repaired foot. The Thunder play four games this week, including a trip to Phoenix -- also jostling for that No. 8 spot out West -- on Thursday.

Atlanta Hawks: Atlanta sharpshooter Kyle Korver's chase of history continues. Only one player in NBA history has finished a full season shooting 50 percent from the field, 50 percent from 3-point range and 90 percent from the foul line, and that was Steve Kerr for the Bulls in 1995-96. Korver is currently at 50 percent from the field, 51 percent from 3-point range and 90 percent from the line.

Minnesota Timberwolves: Kevin Garnett puts a Minnesota uniform on again Wednesday, when the Timberwolves play host to Washington. Wind chills in Minneapolis on Wednesday night are expected to be below zero, and be assured that no one lucky enough to have tickets to this one will be deterred.

Christine O'Connor

@christineeeeO

Kanye West: New Album, Tour with Rihanna, and a Video Game?

Kanye West might just have the biggest year of his career in 2015. 

Kanye West stopped by Power 105.1's The Breakfast Club yesterday to talk about his Adidas fashion line, his upcoming album, and Kim Kardashian. Near the very end of the interview, he slyly mentioned that he's working on a video game based on his recent single, "Only One."

Image Credit: etonline.com

He gave a vague description of the game, which he says he's been working on for six months. "The idea is that it’s my mother going through the gates of heaven," he said, "and you’ve got to bring her to the highest gate of heaven by holding her to the light."

His next album, the Yeezus follow-up, doesn't have a release date, however. "I'm trying to get it finished," Kanye said. "I'm trying to get it to the people."

He described it as: "It's gonna be bars, songs, cookout music that just feels good. My last album was a protest to music, I was like 'I'm gonna take my ball and go home'... This album is embracing the music, joy. Being of service to the people. I just hope people like it and enjoy it."

West recently debuted his new song 'Wolves' featuring Vic Mensa and Sia at the launch of his Adidas Yeezy 750 Boost collection, now revealing that the track originates from a previously planned collaboration with Drake. "The song ['Wolves'] came from a conversation me and Drake had where we were supposed to do an album together - it was supposed to be called Wolves... we said we was gonna do it, he was sending beats back and forth," West said.

Ticketing giant Live Nation has confirmed the first date to be July 25 in the eastern European country of Estonia with tickets going on sale March 5. No other dates have been revealed, however.

West, who has been teasing his new album, is currently serving as the executive producer of Rihanna's upcoming new album, which ostensibly is also due out soon. The artists also recently collaborated on the song "FourFiveSeconds" with Paul McCartney.

Image Credit: rollingstone.com 

The three musicians performed the song together at the Grammys, where West explained how it came together on the red carpet to Ryan Seacrest. "I said I'd done a few songs with Paul McCartney and she couldn't get past this record," the rapper said. "She had to have it on her album.... So now we at the Grammys doing it."

Complex speculated that a 2015 West-Rihanna tour was in the works, based on un-sourced art the fact that Rihanna was offering VIP tickets to see West live as part of a charity auction. Rihanna previously opened for West on the rapper's Glow in the Dark tour in 2008.

Christine O'Connor

CC Sabathia Looking To Make a Big Return This Season

CC Sabathia threw his first outdoor bullpen session Saturday, and hopes to be on a mound a lot more this season.

C.C. Sabathia weighed in at Spring Training for the Yankees at 305 pounds. The former Cy Young winner hopes that this weight will fuel the charge at making a big comeback after injury problems last year. 

Image Credit: DeadSpin.com

Joe Girardi signed off on this bigger Sabathia, with the Yankees' doctor and trainers setting a target weight that's still below what he weighed in Cleveland, but one they expect will put less wear and tear on that knee.

Sabathia lost a huge amount of weight two years ago. He weighed around 275 pounds, the lightest he has ever been. This proved to be a bad decision as Sabathia posted the worst numbers of his career.

Then in 2014, he was placed on the disabled list for the majority of the season because of an injury. But gaining some of that weight back makes Sabathia think he is really going to bounce back. After all, he did win a Cy Young when he was at this same weight back in 2007 when he was with the Indians.

Sabathia's knee condition is degenerative, so it's only going to get worse. He admitted he's needed three platelet-rich plasma injections to get him ready for spring training. He's 34 years old, but he's been remarkably durable throughout his career—which has always been one of his strengths—and racked up more than 2,800 innings, third most among active players.

Now 34 years old, Sabathia has had a rough two years, owning a 4.87 ERA in 257 innings since the start of the 2013 season. Though Sabathia admitted he’ll likely never completely overcome his degenerative knee condition, he’ll try to be productive in the middle of the Yankees’ starting rotation behind Masahiro Tanaka and Michael Pineda.

Sabathia will have plenty of time to get his stuff back as the Yankees tee off against the Toronto Blue Jays on April 6th. Manager Joe Girardi will need Sabathia to produce like he has in years past if the Yankees plan on making the playoffs.

Christine O'Connor

@christineeeeO

The Media and Alex Rodriguez

Alex Rodriguez finally said he was sorry to the public with a handwritten apology on the eve of his return to the New York Yankees.

A-Rod should be given credit where it is due. No matter how he apologized, he would be criticized for it. But the fact is he did apologize. Rodriguez should realize every time he does something, anything at all, writers are going to kill him for it.  If it had been a typed apology, he would be criticized for being disingenuous. If he held a press conference, he would be criticized for his body language and tone. A lot of people are criticizing him for handwriting the note, but it does add a personal trait to the apology.

Apologizing is hard to do, as evidenced by the difficulty Lance Armstrong has with them. He went on with Oprah to confess that he cheated to win all seven of his Tour de France titles in an appearance that was widely panned as staged and insincere. 

Image Credit: ridethepine.com

Athletes have a distinct responsibility as a public figure to have class and an attitude that Rodriguez hasn't always exemplified.  There has always been a lot of comparison between Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez, but they have become complete opposites. Alex Rodriguez is the most hated player in baseball and Jeter serves as a role model to many people and his career is often considered to be done "the right way." 

Let's face it, Alex Rodriguez has cheated with PEDs, lied numerous times, and attempted to sue the Player's Association. His behavior was inexcusable.The punishment fit the crime. 

But while he does seem to be the poster child for Performance Enhancing Drugs in the MLB, people seem to forget there are other players that have used and lied. He is the sole punching bag for sports writers and baseball fans. 

Does anybody remember Ryan Braun? Let's take a walk down memory lane for a second. 

The Brewers star told players around MLB prior to 2012 spring training that the man who collected his urine sample that tested positive for synthetic testosterone was anti-Semitic in an attempt to discredit him. He took oath upon his own life that he was telling the truth. He stood before microphones a few years ago and talked about how he would never cheat, and how he was offended at the accusation, and that he literally would stake his very life on his integrity. "I would be bet my life that I'm clean," Braun told CBS Sports in 2012.

Here a few questions: What makes A-Rod so different from players like Braun? Why does he remain the reoccurring joke of baseball? When will it finally be the time to move on? 

Yes, Alex Rodriguez did lie and cheat, but there are far worse things that other have athletes have done off the field, yet are welcome back to play their sport. The media and fans have moved on from those athletes. While I think Performance Enhancing Drugs have greatly hurt baseball, I don't think A-Rod is that different from the rest of us. I think many people would take a drug to improve at their occupation to get paid more money. 

#FORG1V3

Article by: Christine O'Connor

Twitter: @christineeeeO

Triple H breaks Flair's Hip and Another *NSFW* Photo Leaks, Matt Striker's Penis!

Just kidding, but in my opinion you could have tuned into Raw at 10:53 and not missed a thing. After the Kane/Reigns match was interrupted with more than a few "YES" chants. Roman wanted to sit ringside and cause a distraction for Little Daniel Bryan. Thinking that signing autographs and taking selfies with the crowd would rev up their feud, Roman got in the ring causing Big Show to win by disqualification. For the last few minutes Raw was on air it was an all out brawl that almost looked real(almost). Definitely the most exciting build Fast Lane has seen.

Image Credit: wwe.com

Every once in awhile I get really lonely and need CM Punk in my life. Normally I put his name into YouTube and search for a match I haven't seen before. Last night, a particular oldie but goodie caught my attention because I've finally been introduced to Striker's skin flute. Keeping up with last week's trend of dick pics, here is Matt Striker's penis.

P.S. If Colt Cabana could release his wiener schnitzel soon I would be so greatly appreciative. If not, next week I'm writing about Chyna. 

Willie Randolph, Bernie Williams, and Half of the Core Four to be Honored at Monument Park

The Yankees announced today that they will retire the uniform numbers of Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada and Andy Pettitte in pregame ceremonies at Yankee Stadium this season.

Image Credit: nydailynews.com

Willie Randolph, a member of the Yankees' 1977 and 1978 world championship team, a former Yankees' co-captain and was a coach for 11 seasons, will also be honored with a plaque in Monument Park. Randolph played 18 Major League seasons (12 with the Yankees) where he hit a career .276/.373/.351 with 54 HR’s and 687 RBI’s.

Image Credit: foxsports.com

Bernie Williams, who played center field for the team that won the World Series four times in five seasons between 1996 and 2000, will be honored on May 24 before a Sunday night game against the Texas Rangers. Williams played his entire 16-year career with the Yankees, hitting .297 in 2,076 games, and is fifth in franchise history with 2,336 hits. He is the club leader with 22 postseason home runs and 80 postseason RBIs.

Jorge Posada also played on four Yankees championship teams, including the 2009 team that beat the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series. (He appeared in eight games for the '96 team but didn't play in the postseason.) Posada played his entire 17-year career with the Yankees, hitting .273 in 1,829 games. He is second all time with 125 postseason games. He will be honored on Aug. 22 before a Saturday afternoon game against the Cleveland Indians.

Andy Pettitte finished his career with a 256-153 record and 3.85 ERA. He has won more games (19) than anyone else in playoff history. His postseason ERA is 3.81 in 276 2/3 innings. Pettitte, a member of five Yankees world championship teams, will be honored on Aug. 23.

Their numbers join those of Billy Martin (1), Babe Ruth (3), Lou Gehrig (4), Joe DiMaggio (5), Joe Torre (6), Mickey Mantle (7), Yogi Berra and Bill Dickey (8), Roger Maris (9), Phil Rizzuto (10), Thurman Munson (15), Whitey Ford (16), Don Mattingly (23), Elston Howard (32), Casey Stengel (37), Mariano Rivera (42), Reggie Jackson (44) and Ron Guidry (49).

Article by: Christine O'Connor

Twitter: @ChristineeeeO

A Summary of NBA All Star Weekend in NYC

The City had a huge weekend and was host to many events this very cold February weekend. There was the NBA All Star Weekend, Fashion Week, the star-studded Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special and a huge concert full of hiphop heavyweights. What do these events have in common? Kanye West was at each one of them.

Image Credit: sandrarose.com 

The stars migrated from L.A. for the Grammys to New York for Fashion Week. On Thursday, Kanye West presented his first Yeezy collection with Adidas Originals, and all the big names were in attendance.

The front row was a who’s who of music and fashion elite including Beyoncé, Jay Z, Rihanna, Diddy, Cassie, 2 Chainz, and Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour. Pop queens Rihanna and Beyonce snapped a photo together backstage, while hip-hop moguls Jay Z and Diddy supported Kanye and his new collection.

Image Credit: hiphop-n-more.com

History was made on Thursday night when the East Coast and West Coast united for Hot 97’s “Tip-Off” concert hosted by Diddy and Snoop Dogg at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York. The star-studded event, which kicked off NBA All-Star Weekend, featured surprise guests, reunions, and plenty of nostalgia, bringing out guests such as Busta Rhymes, French Montana, Dr. Dre, T.I., Lil Kim, The Lox, Kanye West, Nas, and many more during an unforgettable live event.

Diddy’s all-star lineup of guests included Busta Rhymes, Jermaine Dupri, and Kanye West, who performed “Can’t Tell Me Nothing." Black Rob guested on “Whoa!” and Diddy reunited R&B group 112, who performed their 2001 hit “Peaches & Cream” and the Notorious B.I.G. tribute “I’ll Be Missing You,” backed by Faith Evans and a choir. Nas hit the stage for “Hate Me Now” and “Made You Look,” while Naughty by Nature served their classics “O.P.P.” and “Hip Hop Hooray.”  Snoop Dogg brought out Dr. Dre for “Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang." Then T.I who performed “About the Money.” The crowd went crazy when Lil’ Kim and The Lox  performed “Money, Power & Respect” and “It’s All About the Benjamins,” and Diddy’s son Christian Combs filled in for Ma$e on “Been Around the World.”

Other guests included Big Sean, Keyshia Cole, Doug E. Fresh, 2 Chainz, French Montana, A$AP Ferg, O.T. Genasis, Troy Ave, and ILoveMakonnen.

Image Credit: nba-events.com

It was NBA All-Star weekend, but it seemed as if all the stars in the celeb world were taking part in the swanky dinners, posh parties and concerts before Sunday's big game.

 

Official All-Star events, like Friday's celebrity game and Saturday's skills competition, attracted Rihanna, Kevin Hart, Mo'ne Davis and Floyd Mayweather, but other events had star power, too.

On Friday night, Nas and Drake gave a concert that featured Kanye West, while James held court at a dinner thrown at the Italian eatery Carbone by Beats. Farther away, All-Star John Wall had his own dinner at STK with Luc Belaire, where he mingled with guests, including rapper Pusha T and actress Keke Palmer.

On Saturday afternoon, Derek Jeter gathered his former Yankee teammate C.C. Sabathia, quarterback Russell Wilson, and others to discuss the launch of his after-career venture, the Players Tribune, a digital media company designed to give athletes a platform to tell their own stories; a late night launch party followed with a performance from rapper Common.

Sunday's game attracted some big-name musical talent, including a performance by Christina Aguilera and Nas before the start of the action. Among those attending the game was former President Bill Clinton, who sat with former NBA basketball player Dikembe Mutombo. Others seen at the game include film director Spike Lee and comedian Chris Tucker.

Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj provided the halftime entertainment, while Tamia sang the Canadian national anthem and Queen Latifah performed an acoustic version of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

Russell Westbrook with his 3s, dunks, and swagger, was perfect for the All-Star Game. The Hawks played best when they were together, sharing the ball and making plays. LeBron James  had 30 points, five rebounds, seven assists, and two steals. However, much like the weather in New York, Carmello Anthony was frozen this weekend.  

Article by: Christine O'Connor

Twitter: @ChristineeeeO

MLB Possibly Changing The Strike Zone?

​Image Credit: espn.com 

The MLB is reportedly considering changing the strike zone due to the declining offense.

Since officially taking over for Bud Selig in January, new Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred has been proactive about trying to speed up the game and add more offense. The most recent plan would be the biggest so far.

It's no secret that offense across MLB has been in decline. In 2014, the number of runs scored during the regular season fell below 20,000 for the first time since 1995, according to FanGraphs.

Any formal rules change would have to be approved by baseball's Playing Rules Committee. The committee will monitor the strike zone this season and potentially look to implement changes in 2016 at the earliest.

Over the past five seasons, the strike zone has expanded about 40 square inches, from 435 square inches in 2009 to 475 square inches in 2014, according to research conducted by Hardball Times writer Jon Roegele.

The largest part of that expansion is in the lower area of the strike zone, with umpires more frequently signaling strikes for pitches below the kneecap. Low pitches are generally considered more difficult to handle for batters, most of whom have a tougher time driving the ball when reaching down for it. Not surprisingly, the walk rate across the majors is down while the strikeout rate is up.

The last time MLB officially changed the definition of the strike zone came after the 1996 season, when the boundary for the bottom of the zone was lowered from the top of the batter's knees to the bottom.

Christine O'Connor

Alex Rodriguez Says Sorry

In a hour and a half meeting at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, Alex Rodriguez apologized to New York Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner and team executives for his suspension for performance-enhancing drug use and the inappropriate behavior he exhibited in attempt to defend himself. 

A joint statement was issued on behalf of four key Yankees executives as well as Rodriguez and his legal counsel.

Image Credit: hellogiggles.com

"Today we held a meeting at Yankee Stadium between Hal Steinbrenner, Randy Levine, Brian Cashman, Jean Afterman, Alex Rodriguez and (legal counsel) Jim Sharp," the statement read. "Alex initiated the meeting and apologized to the organization for his actions over the past several years."

A-Rod was suspended without pay for the entire 2014 season for his alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs.

The suspension was ultimately reduced to 162 games, or the length of a complete baseball season.

A-Rod was then was out of the spotlight. He appeared at a couple of sporting events and took to social media a couple of times, but he remained quiet. Rodriguez dropped his lawsuits against the players' union and the Yankees' medical staff. He stopped giving obnoxious interviews proclaiming his innocence in the wake of a massive investigation that found him guilty of using performance enhancing drugs from the Biogenesis clinic in Miami.

Yankees pitchers and catchers must report for spring training in Tampa on Feb. 20, and position players such as Rodriguez have a reporting date of Feb. 26. The Yankees reportedly told the 20-year veteran to schedule a press conference before then, in order to clear the air as much as possible before re-joining the team.

The Yankees owe Rodriguez $61 million over the next three seasons, not counting the potential home run bonus money. They signed Chase Headley for four years and $52 million to play Rodriguez's position of third base. The general idea is that A-Rod will be the DH if he shows that he can still keep up with fastballs at 40 years old. 

Some of Rodriguez's teammates such as Ivan Nova and Dellin Betances have spoken out and showed their support for the fellow Yankee. If his teammates can support him, Yankees fans should be able to rally behind him, especially after a season with such an offensive struggle. A-Rod wants to prove himself and earn those home run bonuses. The Yankees organization should support him and keep the incentives on the table in order to boost the offense. 

"He's going to be there (in spring training)," Hal Steinbrenner said during last month's owners' meetings. "And if Alex is Alex, he'll show up in shape; he always does. There certainly are some unknowns for all of us, including him. His age. Two surgeries. We'll just have to see. He'll be there, but the situation is the situation. We just need to concentrate on keeping him healthy, and he needs to concentrate on staying healthy, and we'll go from there."

If A-Rod sees support from Yankees fans, teammates and the organization, that might be the motivation he needs to get back to his old ways.

 #FORG1V3

Article by: Christine O'Connor

Twitter: @ChristineeeeO

Two Major Hip Hop Collabo's To Look Out For in 2015: Kanye, Missy Elliot, Timbaland, and...

There seems to be a lot of exciting collaborations coming this year. Some exciting, some reminiscent, and some completely unexpected. 

Has hell frozen over? Kanye West and Taylor Swift are headed into the studio together, the Kanye said Wednesday. 

Image Credit: people.com 

"Yeah, she wants to get in the studio and we're definitely going to go in. Any artist with an amazing point of view, perspective, fan base, I'm down to get in the studio and work," West, 37, told On Air with Ryan Seacrest. 

"I that think everyone loves music, whether they love hip-hop, alternative, country," he also told Seacrest. "If I could be involved in giving people any type of energy, advice in the studio, whether you're Beyoncé, whether you're Taylor Swift, whether you're Jay Z whether you're Beck, whoever, and they can be reciprocal with that, I'd like to be involved with that."

A more expected collaboration is underway with Miss Elliott and Timbaland. They are answering hip hop fan's prayers by reuniting in the studio.  

Image Credit: billboard.com

Many have been impatiently awaiting new music from Missy Elliott -- even more so after her performance alongside Katy Perry at the Super Bow Halftime Show on Feb. 1st. 

Last week, the 43-year-old visited ‘Sway in the Morning’ and said her and Timbaland are taking it step-by-step with the music they’re creating. She also doesn’t want to set a release date and get her supporters’ hopes up too much.

Missy revealed that the dynamic duo was scheduled to return to the studio. “We gonna get in and get some work done,” she told Sway, adding, “I don’t want to say too much because in this day and time, boy, you say something, they will come back two weeks later like, ‘Where your album at?'”

The two last worked together on Missy’s 2005 album The Cookbook.

Article by: Christine O'Connor

Twitter: @ChristineeeeO

Rollins' Penis Steals the Show! Pic *NSFW* Inside!

It's O.K. Seth, we know the road gets lonely, but next time maybe you should leave your face out of the shot. A nude photo of NXT Diva Zahra was posted to Seth Rollins' Instagram account shortly before his ex-fiancé tweeted a few of his infamous man meat. With tweets like "Zaharah?" and "I definitely did HAHAHAHA" we can assume all posts were made by @Leighlaschultz, herself. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. 

Meanwhile back on Raw, Roman Reigns turns after a confrontation with Bryan during their tag team match. A little push and shove now Reigns is a heel? Barely, but thats what they want us to think. As cheesy as that Sting promo was I liked it a lot. It was like a bad horror movie, creepy and weird. I loved the fake Sting in the ring popping up to scare Triple H. In my opinion he could't have sold it any better. 

Image Credit: SportsKeeda.com

Lots of filler leading up to Fast Lane, but what did you expect. If Bray Wyatt's tease doesn't pan out to an Undertaker match at Mania I will seriously loose my mind. The only other options they have is to keep Sting going and have an old man match between the two. Not much of anything else happened besides the same matches we've been watching for the last 2 weeks. 

-Loveblump 

The 57th Grammy Awards Review

The 57th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday were a mixture of old songs, new faces and upsets, as Sam Smith, a 22-year-old British singer barely known to American audiences a year ago, won three of the top four prizes, and Beck became the dark-horse victor of album of the year.

Kendrick Lamar and Eminem split the four rap trophies. Mr. Lamar, a fast-rising young star who had walked away empty-handed last year, took best performance and song this year for “I.” Eminem won best rap album for “The Marshall Mathers LP 2” and shared best rap/sung collaboration with Rihanna, for “The Monster.”

Kanye West, dressed in a velvety red jumpsuit and a thin gold chain, was barely illuminated by a low spotlight as he sang “Only One,” his voice warped by electronics. 

Among the night’s other big winners, Pharrell Williams took home three prizes: “Happy” won best music video and, in a live version, best pop solo performance, while his “G I R L” won best urban contemporary album.

Image Credit: hiphopmyway.com

Beyoncé,  had been up for a total of six awards, also won three: best R&B performance and R&B song, for “Drunk in Love,” and best surround sound album, for “Beyoncé.”

Accepting the award for best R&B performance, Beyoncé thanked God and her husband, Jay Z, who appears on the track. But she made sure to thank her fans as well, with whom she keeps in constant contact through social media.

“I’d like to say thank you to my Beyhive,” she said. “Thank you guys for riding so hard.”

Image Credit: extratv.com

Some of the highlights definitely were Beyonce‘s tribute to the movie Selma alongside John Legend. The best performances came last. Beyoncé capped a ceremony that wasn't short on social commentary with a gospel song that was a favorite of Martin Luther King Jr. She ended her rendition introducing Legend and Common, who found inspiration for Glory in King and today's protests — and who performed, indeed, gloriously, accompanied by a full string section and choir.

Perhaps searching for a new twist on a song that seems to never go away, Pharrell performed his hit "Happy" and inserted an international flavor and weirdly dark tone, reinforced by Lang Lang's dissonant piano solo a couple of minutes in. But the choruses remained upbeat while the orchestra members wore yellow.

Superstars Rihanna, Kanye West, and Paul McCartney performed "FourFiveSeconds" with no flash, no one trying to upstage the others. Add some buoyant harmonies, and you have a refreshingly simple and truly rousing number.

One unexpected stir brought some drama to the stage. As Prince (dressed in an incredible bedazzled orange jumpsuit in all his glory) announced Beck’s “Morning Phase” as the winner of Album of the Year, Kanye West jumped on stage to protest the surprising win.  The whole world held its breath for the microsecond when the rapper lunged towards Beck, anticipating another Taylor Swift moment.

But instead of jumping to Beyoncé’s defense (which would have been justifiable — her self-titled album was incredible), Kanye stepped back. A surprised Beck begged Kanye to come back on stage (likely in agreement that he didn’t deserve the award), but Yeezy joined his jilted friends back in the audience. The three-second interaction felt like a million years, and the result was the most hilariously awkward moment of the night.

Article by: Christine O'Connor

Twitter: @christineeeeO

All Star Weekend New York City Party Guide; Featuring Nicki Minaj, Meek Mill, Fabolous, Young Jeezy, The Lox & MANY More!

We are one week away from the NBA All Star Weekend 2015 in New York City. From Thursday to Sunday, the city is PACKED with tons of events featuring some of your FAVORITE celebrities. Here are some of the events we will be in attendance for:

Saturday February 14th, No Crowd Control & Vybe Nation Presents All Star Weekend "Old School Lunch" at Webster Hall, featuring The Lox, MC Lyte & Biz Markie. For tickets and more info, give Floyd a call at 646) 856-5294. 

Saturday night, February 14th, Yepwekan Promotions Presents "Welcome to Times Square" featuring Nicki Minaj and Meek Mill at the world famous Copacabana! For tickets and more info, visit www.welcome2timessquare.com or call Will, at (850) 778-6254.

Sunday February 15th, No Crowd Control & Vybe Nation Presents Fabolous, Troy Ave, Yo Gotti, Meek Mill & Young Jeezy at Webster Hall. For tickets and more info, give Floyd a call at 646) 856-5294. 

2014 A Bad Year for the NFL. They'll Take More, Please.

2014 was a bad year for the NFL, right? Problems with domestic violence, drugs, rampant repeat cheaters won the title, the commissioner is loathed by most everyone. Bad news, no doubt. And all true. The league has problems. Question is, does anyone care?

Do a quick google search - after you read this, of course. For now take my word. None of this is anything new. Hollywood Henderson, a DB for the Dallas Cowboys, reportedly had a cocaine habit rivaling Tony Montoya's in the 1970's. Brandon Marshall has been accused of domestic violence as often as the Patriots have been accused of cheating. Paul Tagliabue, patron saint of commissioners, started the NFL's ritualistic cover up of brain damage caused by playing football. All of this information is readily available.

Image Credit: Forbes.com

2014 was a bad year for the NFL. Only 113 million viewers, on average, watched the Super Bowl. This doesn't count people steaming the game, parties of multiple viewers, or packed bars. 30 second commercials (most of them awful) only raked in $4.5 million for NBC. Ticket sales and prices were up. Jersey sales were up. Television coverage of everything NFL related, good and bad, was up. Oh, and, although the numbers aren't in yet, revenues are, no doubt, up. 

So why were things bad for the NFL? Because saying 2014 was a bad year for the NFL implies 2015 will be different, will be better. Because $7,000,000,000 of the NFL's revenue comes from the networks that carry it. Because if 2014 wasn't a bad year, it was a normal year. And no one wants to believe that. Next year will be better.

Article by: Josh Henderson

Twitter: @verybadwrong 

Are the Yankees in Pursuit of Yoan Moncada?

Article by: Christine O'Connor

Twitter: @ChristineeeeO

Image Credit: yahoo.com

Late in the Hot Stove season, James Shields suddenly has some company. In fact, given the rules surrounding international signings, young Cuban infielder Yoan Moncada might wind up costing teams more than Shields, the veteran free-agent pitcher whose unemployment continues to confound the baseball industry.

On Tuesday, an industry source confirmed, Major League Baseball officially revitalized its rules for Cuban refugees, making the 19-year-old a free agent once he signed an affidavit affirming he won’t be returning to Cuba. 

The Yankees are among the clubs that already have worked out Moncada in the United States, at their complex in Tampa last month.

According to an American League team’s talent evaluator, who opined on the condition of anonymity, Moncada is “an exceptional talent,” a switch-hitter with power from both sides and all five tools.

A second evaluator from a different AL team noted Moncada’s “great body” — Baseball America lists him as 6-feet and 210 pounds — and athleticism.

There is debate over what his best position is. He has played second base primarily but also played some shortstop and center field last season in Cuba, the publication reported.

Naturally, the Yankees, Red Sox and Dodgers are among the rumored teams to have interest in signing the player whose services could command up to $80 million.

Moncada would be the latest Cuban player to make an immediate impact at the big league level--the Dodgers' Yasiel Puig, Cincinnati's Aroldis Chapman, and Yoenis Cespedes in Oakland and Boston have all had serious impacts upon arriving stateside. Moncada is allowed to sign as soon as he wants.

The Super Bowl Half Time Show May Have Sparked Missy Elliott's Comeback

Article by: Christine O'Connor

Twitter: @ChristineeeeO

​Image Credit: usmagazine.com

Sunday night, in the middle of Katy Perry's flashy Super Bowl Halftime Show featuring dancing beach balls and sharks, rapper Missy Elliott and her dancers dropped in. They stole the show with a three-song medley of "Get Ur Freak On," "Work It" and "Lose Control." Those songs are, respectively, 14, 13 and 10 years old, so any teenagers watching might be forgiven for assuming Elliott was a brand new act that Perry was introducing to the world.

Still, it's been 10 years since we've been blessed with a full-length project from the Virginia native who blended R&B and hip-hop into a futuristic funk that still sounds a bit out of arm's reach of today's musicians. 

However, Missy is one of the most revered rappers and producers of her generation. She helped pave the way for female MCs. But she has been quiet in recent years. She reportedly has Graves' Disease, which is a disease of the thyroid and has very different symptoms depending on the person who has it. So it makes sense that she has been on hiatus. 

According to Forbes, her collection saw a 676% bump overall on Spotify. As if an almost 700% increase wasn’t amazing enough, the growth Spotify saw on each of the three songs she performed was astronomical. “Lose Control” was the biggest winner here, with streams increasing by just under 1,400%. After that, “Get Ur Freak On” was up 922%, and “Work It” went up almost 900%.

Those same folks apparently rushed to iTunes to download Elliott's music. Eight of her songs cracked the iTunes top 200 chart, including 2002's "Work It," 2001's "Get Ur Freak On" and 2005's "Lose Control." It really shows that Missy's music is timeless when it resonates with people over a decade later. 

I think we are all ready for a comeback from Misdemeanor!

WWE Monday Night Raw: The Announcement and Stone Cold Podcast

Image Credit: wwe.com

Hunter and Stephanie come out to open the show with an announcement about the Wrestlemania title match. It's revealed that the winner of tonight's main event will compete for a shot at Brock. Later in the evening, Daniel Bryan pins Seth Rollins with help from Reigns. Smart move. While Bryan is a strong competitor, he plays fair. Reigns won't have to worry about The Authority interfering at FastLane. 

After Raw, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin sat down with Triple H for a long awaited interview. After they get past the boring stuff, Austin hits him with the real questions. Should Chyna go into the HOF? Hunter answers, "Does she deserve to...absolutely!" YES! If you ask me, Chyna's adult film career just makes her a bigger asset to WWE. I never got into the Divas like I did Chyna. She was a "real" wrestler, winning the "real" belts, not a pretty face and fake tits. It's sad that young girls don't have a female to look up to that can get in the ring and beat the boys. Granted, the fact that Chyna is now an escort should be kept a secret. If I ever have a daughter I'd much rather have her idolize someone like Chyna than any of the bimbos on Total Divas. 

Austin also brought up CM Punk which Hunter responds with "Never say never" and that he's not holding a grudge. HHH has nothing but nice things to say about everyone thrown at him. From DX to NXT, Michael Hayes, Lesnar and Heyman, Scott Hall, Eddie Guerrero, Owen Hart, even Taker. It was a great interview. #StoneColdPodcast is trending for a reason.  

-Loveblump