NEWS AND NOTES

Since I always must tinker, I'm experimenting with a new link format...more links, less one-liners...think of it as a little test-marketing...

TSN's NHL free agent tracker [TSN]
John Challis driven to stadium by Alex Rodriguez [NY Post]
Smizik: Now we'll see what Shero is made of [PG]
Hines Ward voted NFL's smartest offensive non-QB [ESPN]
Dan Rooney voted NFL's top owner [ESPN]
Najeh Davenport denies the dump incident [PFT]
Hines Ward's intelligence, mentorship are special [Hashmarks]
A-Rod and Madonna decline comment on relationship [Deadspin]
Frank Coonelly fires back at Ron Cook [MLB.com forums]
Bonds record HR ball delivered to Hall of Fame after all [Sports by Brooks]
Big Ben's ESPN My Wish segment [Kiss 96.1]
Upper Deck unveils 6,661-card baseball card set [Upperdeck.com]
Arizona's Chris Snyder fractures a testicle [The Big Lead]
NFL superbust Tony Mandarich a photographer? [On 205th]
Duct tape prom attire controversy at Center HS [PG]
Entrance music for MLB baseball players [Armchair GM]
Superbad: the action trailer [Youtube]
Fire extinguisher service truck catches fire [WGAL.com]

Send your links, oddities and whatnot to mondesishouse@gmail.com. Your fellow readers thank you.

The News

--You've seen Bill Cowher's new teeth...and now, courtesy of 105.9 the X, you can play a game to try and remember what his old teeth looked like.

--Here's ESPN's newest, all-Jimmy Clausen website, JCSPN (Seriously, you have to see this)

--The Steelers lead the league in female fans. It's unknown where they rank on the list of unruly fans.

--New Pirate President Frank Coonelly wrote an open letter to Pirate fans and also proclaimed that he wants Pitt and Penn State to renew their rivalry.

--WVU slammed "The Fridge" and his Maryland Terrapins last night, 31-14

--Oh, so Bill Belichick, the man we've been told for years and years was a genius, made a simple mistake! You'd think a guy who knows so much about football would know the rules, but he just screwed up, that's all! Now let's get back to that dynasty!

--Remember the Bill Simmons/Aaron Schatz Belichick article from a few days ago, with the quote, "Remember when Jim Haslett admitted to using steroids when he was playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers during their dynasty years of the '70s?"

Well, as Kissing Suzy Kolber points out, there's just one problem with that "They did it, too" theory:

"Ooh, yeah! In your face Haslett, 1970's Steelers and everyone else not riding Belichick's scrotum!!! There's just a minor problem, Haslett never played for the Steelers. Actually, Haslett recently accused the Steel Curtain-era Steelers of using steroids and then later apologized."

--Protrade.com is having a contest to play catch with Big Ben.

--The Steelers are worth $929 million, 16th among NFL teams.

--The headline says it all: Texas Football Fan Nearly Castrated in Bar Fight in Oklahoma Bar.

--For more classy college fans, look to Rutgers, home of last week's chant, “F— you, Navy. F—you, Navy. F— you, Navy.”

--Terrelle Pryor's game tonight will be televised on ESPNU. So I guess it's the University of Jeannette now?

--Here's the bright (and dark) sides of this NFL season. My favorite:

Cleveland Browns

Optimistic Fan: "With Brady Quinn in the fold, we're going in the right direction. Now we just need to get the service academies added to our schedule."

Pessimistic Fan: "Right when our offense finally starts clicking, I bet Kellen Winslow gets deployed back to Iraq."

--Say what you want about the Pirates (and you will), but they've never had a stadium as empty as this

--The Barry Bonds home run ball is at $260,000 and climbing

--Will Deborah Renshaw become the next Danica?

--Los Angeles wants a two-year moratorium on fast food

A LIST OF TODAY'S TOP LISTS

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