Thursday, March 06, 2008

This Just In

(Nati Harnik / AP)
Andruw Jones is Fat.

"Andruw Jones looks heavy. The newest Dodger centerfielder looks like the newest Dodgers wrestler," wrote Bill Plaschke in the LA Times."

Jones weighs 245 pounds, supposedly only 10 more than he weighed at his peak. At the beginning of last season, Jones dropped 15 pounds and played most of the season at 230 pounds, though judging by his belly that's hard to believe. Jones said losing the weight actually hurt his power. So he decided to take the Boris Diaw challenge and hit the buffet.

"I ate what I wanted, I did what I wanted," Jones said of his winter. "I tried to get back to normal."

And now, whalaa. Jones may need to a bring a folding chair into the outfield to take breaks between pitches and the nachos guy in center field will have a little further to walk.

So this brings me to that 50 million pound challenge you've been seeing on commercials. I'm only inviting several athletes, who could take the challenge all by themselves.

Hats off to Brett Favre:
"I hope that every penny they spent on me was money well spent," said a teary eyed Favre. "It was never about the money or fame or records. I hear people talk about your accomplishments....It was never my accomplishments, it was our accomplishments."

Favre's emotion never gets old. It's genuine. Favre isn't perfect, from the addiction to prescription drugs to being the all time leader in interceptions, but the man cared about the game, he cared about the fans, and he played as hard as he could on every play. He had an appreciation for everything that was given to him. The talent, the money, the adoration. We wish all of our favorite athletes had that kind of perspective.

Since they don't, it's always refreshing to celebrate the career of an athlete who did it the right way.

A picture tells a thousand words, most of which Ron Artest probably can't read:


Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times

Ron Artest is a crazy Mother F*****. I mean he could have at least had the name of a good team shaved into his head.

In related news, Kobe Bryant has crazy Mother F****** game. It feels like he and Lebron are trying to one up each other. Kobe carries his team in the fourth quarter and pops the front of his jersey in Sacramento, so Lebron goes out and puts up 50 in Madison Square Garden.

As always, an updated Lakers +/- (through 61 games) Lakers: 43-18 T-1st in West

Fisher +258
Kobe +488
Turiaf +64
Odom +332
Gasol +204
Mihm -16
Walton +160
Bynum +236
Farmar +197
Radmanovic +229
Brown -44
Vujacic +99
Crittenton -40
Karl -3
Ariza +5
Mbenga +2

Up next: vs. LA Clippers Friday 7:30 p.m. PST FSN

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