The News: Afternoon Edition

A few quick links to wrap up the afternoon:

--Booger McFarland's agent says he's not a Steeler yet.

--Bob Smizik thinks it's time for Joe Paterno to agree to plan for a successor.

--Sidney will be back Thursday, and Ryan Whitney will stay at left wing.

--Former Pitt TE Kris Wilson emerges from the shadows of Tony Gonzalez and signs with the Eagles.

--13-year old Austin Lemieux teammate Nate Miller, who goes 6'3", 180, chooses hockey over hoops.

--Pittsburgh Slim has signed on for the movie "The Bleeding", co-starring DMX, Michael Madsen, Armand Assante and Vinnie Jones.

--Hillary Clinton visits the Trib...and slams Obama's minister during her visit.

--The Buccos sent 38-year-old reliever Hector Carrasco to their minor-league camp.

--The newly-opened SI archive has a great story about Howard Cosell by Myron Cope.

--In today's completely bizarre news, a geneology study shows that Barack Obama is a relative of Brad Pitt, and Hillary Clinton is related to Angelina Jolie.

--Justin Timberlake is going to host the ESPYs.

--Asks Deadspin: Do LA Teams Have The Refs Hypnotized?

--It's a sad day in hoops, as Chris Webber retires.

The News: The Year's Best

In honor of the one-year mark, here's some of the most entertaining links you've uncovered in the past 12 months. Enjoy not working this afternoon.

--The rare "Five-Star Mondesi Recommendation" goes to this site, which features the YouTube clips of each Rocky fight sequence, including the fatal Drago-Creed bout in Rocky IV.

--Cracked.com counts down the 9 biggest wusses in rock today

--Some info we could all use...what to eat and what to avoid at midnight.

--The amazing quirks of Gilbert Arenas, gathered together in a neat little website. My favorite: During halftime of Washington Wizards games Gilbert Arenas sits at his locker and plays video poker.

--Maxim counts down the 10 worst arenas in the U.S., and Mellon checks in at #8.

--A Q&A with Aaron Gray. Gray said he looks forward to making millions of dollars, buying a Bentley, and spending lots of time with groupies. Or not. I guess you have to click the link now.

--The trailer for Seinfeld: The Horror Movie is finally up. A masterpiece.

--Terry Bradshaw hits a woman in the face with a football during a Fox pregame show. Joe Buck makes a joke. That was a disgusting act.

--Dozens of your favorite 1980s video games, available to play online! Frogger, Donkey Kong, Tetris, Centipede, so many more! If you weren't being productive by reading Mondesi's House, you'll be even less productive after checking out this site.

--Best Pittsburgh athletes "By the Numbers".

--This site has soundboards for just about every TV show, movie, and cartoon you could ever imagine: The Simpsons, Family Guy, Borat, Howard Stern, Dane Cook, Mr. Rogers, Chris Farley...the list goes on and on. Amazing stuff.

--The tale of the tape: Borat vs. Boras

--Brangelina made a Pitt Stop in Fayette County this weekend. They did not hang out with Sienna Miller.

--Now presenting the Playstation 3...Grill?


--Beckett.com's story on the Leon Washington middle finger rookie card. This generation's Billy Ripken F-Face. I'm certainly hoping this will get kids interested in cards again.

--Ever want to build Ohio Stadium out of Legos and wonder how long it takes? We now have an answer: 2 years.

--The Top 10 Creepiest Mascots are counted down. Not surprisingly, The King makes an appearance.


--A tribute to Herbert, arguably the funniest character on Family Guy.


--I've become a very tough judge of comedic talent. There seems to be a lack of quality material these days. But after witnessing Mad TV's Aries Spears' rap impersonations on Conan O'Brien last week, I laughed out loud. I couldn't find the Conan appearance, but I did manage to dig up Spears doing his thing on BET. He does dead-on impressions of LL Cool J, Snoop Dogg, DMX and Jay-Z in the span of a few minutes. This is my five-star recommendation. You must watch this video.

--On the topic of baseball cards, Joe Sports Fan has a great article on former Home Shopping crazyman Don West. You know, the guy who tried convincing you at 2 AM to buy that Gem Mint 10 of Derek Jeter? In the article, the author references an occasion when West accidentally knocked a box of 3,200 baseball cards on the floor in the middle of a sales pitch. Always the master of improv, West then "swam" in the cards, as only he could. He explained that he used to swim in piles of cards as a kid. Alas, here is said video of Don West swimming in a pool of overpriced cardboard.

Cheers Casting Call, Joey Porter vs The Solider, RIP Colts Defense, 2007 NFL Mock Draft Update, Hot Stove Index, Whipple to BC, Rap Impressions

NFL:

SI.com does a sports casting call of TV's Cheers. Highlights include Joe Namath as Sam Malone and Terry Bradshaw as Woody.

Joe Starkey is critical of the Steelers' lack of comment on Joey Porter's "derogatory term often used to describe someone's sexual orientation" about Kellen Winslow. Joey was just trying to be like Ozzie Guillen, that's all.

ESPN's Len Pasquarelli gives us his eulogy of the 2006 Indianapolis Colts defense after their Sunday performance vs. Jacksonville.

NFL Draft Countdown gives us a new 2007 NFL Mock Draft, and they're sticking to Texas' Justin Blalock, a guard, becoming a Steeler next year. Also of note: Brady Quinn, #1, to Detroit; Adrian Peterson to Cleveland at #9; and Darrelle Revis to San Fran at #11.

This just in: NFL players are fantasy football nerds, too.

MLB:

ESPN has crafted a 2006/2007 Hot Stove Index, which gives us a team-by-team breakdown of projected starters, who they've gained, who they've lost, and their current free agents.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL:

Boston College is considering playing Whipple Ball in 2007, as they try and woo the Steelers' QB coach to replace the departed Tom O'Brien as head coach.

COLLEGE HOOPS:

SI.com's Luke Winn gives us his revised Power Rankings. Pitt has moved up to #5, yet still rank behind Wichita State and Butler. After watching the Panthers barely squeak by Buffalo on Saturday, I'd have a hard time arguing the Panthers to be much higher, though.

NHL:

In a story that sounds like it came from a Discovery Channel lost at sea special, Canadiens GM Bob Gainey's 25-year-old daughter was washed off the covered deck of a Caribbean-bound vessel by a large wave Friday night.

RANDOM FUN STUFF:

I've become a very tough judge of comedic talent. There seems to be a lack of quality material these days. But after witnessing Mad TV's Aries Spears' rap impersonations on Conan O'Brien last week, I laughed out loud. I couldn't find the Conan appearance, but I did manage to dig up Spears doing his thing on BET. He does dead-on impressions of LL Cool J, Snoop Dogg, DMX and Jay-Z in the span of a few minutes. This is my five-star recommendation. You must watch this video.

Giant Magazine gives us 50 great 1980s commercials, with Youtube evidence, of course.

Deadspin tells us that Will Ferrell is making a movie about the ABA. Too bad the Pittsburgh Xplosion just moved to the CBA.

Brangelina made a Pitt Stop in Fayette County this weekend. They did not hang out with Sienna Miller.
On the count of three, Say "Blitzburgh"

Comedic genius and star of Mondesi favorite Freddy Got Fingered, actor Rip Torn did like Deltha O'Neal and got himself a DWI.
With a name like Rip, what did you expect?