Shocking New Details on TigerGate

It turns out that now, Tiger Woods' mother-in-law has been rushed to a hospital from Woods' mansion in Orlando due to causes unknown at this time.  It is the latest in a series of shocking revalations in the Woods scandal that has caused him to cancel an appearance at his own golf tournament, and has shattered his personal life beyond repair.

Tiger apologized on his web site for "transgressions" from his golf career, but very few people bought it. His wife definitely did not. There were mixed reports in recent weeks of Woods having a Wilt Chamberlain-like stable of women around him on the side while his wife, Elin Woods, seemingly lived the "dream life" out of Woods' Orlando mansion.

Last weekend's episode of "SNL" had a controversial parody of the Woods scandal playing out on Wolf Blitzer's "Situation Room", with Tiger, played by SNL's resident fat black dude Kenan Thompson (where is Kel?), making excuse after bullshit excuse for the developments in his scandal, while his wife (played by host Blake Lively) grows increasingly wary of his lies, eventually smashing Tiger's golf club over his head, causing him to go to the hospital once more, to which he replied "Seems like I keep saying the wrong thing in these press conferences". SNL's writers hit the putt right in the hole with that one.

So here's what we know. Tiger had a car accident on the day after Thanksgiving which apparently stemmed from an argument between Woods and his wife, which may or may not have stemmed from an affair Tiger was either having at the time or had previously. And now, for some other reason, Elin Woods' mother is now in the hospital, after being carried from that same house. Why, who knows?

Perhaps the Washington Redskins' tight end Chris Cooley said it best, jokingly offering Tiger a place to stay at his Virginia home, in case Tiger can't get into his own. No one knows what's really going on. The only thing we do know for sure is that Tiger Woods' personal life has been shattered irreparably and that win or lose, this once-immaculate professional athlete will never swing a golf club and be percieved the same way again.

Finally AI. gets deal

Iverson signed a free-agent contract with Philadelphia on Wednesday, three years after their acrimonious split led to his trade and seemingly ended any chance of his return. Iverson’s brief retirement is over and he’s expected to make his debut Monday at home against Denver.

The Knicks considered signing Iverson after he cleared waivers, before deciding he would take too much playing time from younger players they are trying to develop.

The Sixers needed a replacement once they lost starting point guard Lou Williams, who’s expected to miss eight weeks after jaw surgery. Williams, who averaged 17.4 points and 5.1 assists, broke his jaw in a loss to Washington on Nov. 24.

Iverson, his agent and business manager met with team president Ed Stefanski, coach Eddie Jordan and two other members of the organization Monday to talk about returning.

“Without really seeing him on the floor, I would like to compare him to Brett Favre, a guy who people think is too old to play and he’s almost having an MVP year,” Jordan said. “That’s off the top of my head. When I woke up this morning, I said, ’Maybe he can be that.’ It’s not a big maybe. I think he can be that.”

The 34-year-old Iverson announced his retirement last week after a stint with the Memphis Grizzlies. The 10-time All-Star was NBA MVP in 2001, when he led the Sixers to the NBA finals.

“We had, at times, a rocky road with Allen Iverson, but we also had a fantastic run with Allen,” Peter Luukko, COO of Comcast-Spectacor, which owns the 76ers and Flyers, told The Associated Press. “The expectations with Allen have changed dramatically. We’re not looking for Allen to individually lead this team the way he has in the past.”

Iverson was offered a one-year, non-guaranteed contract Tuesday, according to a person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the talks were private.

The Sixers would owe just under $650,000 if they guarantee his contract for the remainder of the season on Jan. 10.

“The whole situation wasn’t about the contract and the money,” Iverson’s agent, Leon Rose, told The AP. “It was about the opportunity and the chance to come to Philadelphia.”

In 10 seasons with the Sixers, Iverson posted the highest scoring average in team history (28.1), was second on the points list (19,583) and holds the record for 3-pointers (877). He was a seven-time All-Star, won four scoring titles and two All-Star game MVPs.

“He’s like a rock star,” Stefanski said.

The Sixers (5-13) had lost seven straight entering Wednesday night’s game at Oklahoma City and need Iverson to spark sagging ticket sales. The Sixers are 29th in the NBA in attendance.

Luukko said Iverson’s deal was “absolutely, strictly a basketball decision.”

Jordan said Iverson will likely start in place of rookie Jrue Holiday.

“I told him I would like for him to start, and that’s where it sort of ended,” Jordan said. “And he was really like a kid at Christmas. That’s how he sort of explained it to me. He’s really excited and we’re looking forward to it.”

Iverson’s last game with Philadelphia was Dec. 6, 2006, in Chicago. He refused to play the fourth quarter and was banished from the team two days later. He was eventually traded to Denver as part of the Andre Miller deal, and bounced to Detroit before landing in Memphis.

“Certainly, the way it left off, it’s surprising,” Luukko said.

Rose said he wasn’t surprised both sides put their bitter parting behind them.

“It was a good situation that made sense for them,” Rose said. “Allen has always had an affinity for the city of Philadelphia, the fans, the memories of playing here. He’s always talked about the opportunity to come back.”

The 6-foot Iverson played three games this season with Memphis before taking a leave of absence to attend to personal matters. He was waived after the two sides agreed to part ways.

Iverson would get another look at his former teams after playing Denver. The Sixers, who have not won a playoff series since 2003, play at home Dec. 9 against Detroit.

Iverson was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1996 draft, but his 10 turbulent seasons in Philadelphia were marred by rants about practice, run-ins with former coach Larry Brown, arrests and a failed rap career.

In one infamous blowup at the end of the 2002 season, he repeated the word “practice” nearly 20 times during a rambling monologue.

“Times change, situations change,” Luukko said. “The best way was to make this a basketball decision. Don’t get personal with it.”

Iverson has a career average of 27 points in 889 games over 14 seasons, and is tied for the fifth-highest scoring average in NBA history. He ranks third among active players.

“It’s a great challenge, and I think it’s a motivational aspect to it, too,” Jordan said. “Guys are going to be jacked up. He’s a winner, he’s an assassin on the floor and that sort of thing is contagious.”

AP Sports Writ

Tiger Woods' Tailspin: What happened?

by Scotty Swag

My reaction two days ago to Tiger Woods' 2:30 AM car wreck in Florida was the same as most Americans'. Not Tiger? Not Woods? Not the most dominant athlete of the last 10 years? A Scandal? Drunk driving? Under the influence of marijuana? A hooker? Could be any of those, or all of the above.

Right now, the answer to why Eldrick "Tiger" Woods, Orlando's most prominent citizen this side of Dwight Howard, crashed his SUV over a fire hydrant and into a tree late Friday night outside his Florida residence, is as up in the air as one of the millions of birdies he has hit en route to winning every one of golf's major championships over the years.

The only statement released by Tiger himself in the days since the incident was on his website today, when he pulled out of his own golf tournament : " I am sorry I am unable to attend my golf tournament (in California this weekend). I'm sure it will be a great event and I'm sorry I can't be there." Didn't say a word more than that. Neither have his PR representatives, nor his agent, nor his wife of five years, who apparently had to use one of Tiger's golf clubs to get him out of the wrecked vehicle. "No comment" from all of them over why one of the most revered athletes of the last 15 years spent much of thanksgiving Saturday in a hospital in critical condition from accident-related wounds.

I don't know, I think something fishy is definitely going on here...

To Bowls We Come

by Scotty Swag

If you think about it, there is no game that means more in sports than a college senior's final game. For a select few, it means graduation into the big leagues, where whether they end up playing on the Dallas Cowboys of the NFL or the Pasadena Wildcats of Semi-Pro League B, they will be taking home a paycheck big enough to feed their family for generations and providing a service that average Americans spend up to one-third of their total disposable income to support.

But for most collegiate athletes, their final college game is what they will brag to their co-workers in Cubicle B about for the rest of their lives. It is the final game they will ever play that actually matters. For many teams this weekend and last, Senior Day arrived, and many will face a reality of a workaday 9-to-5 life rather than catching passes, throwing hail marys, or kicking game winning field goals on the gridiron.

For some schools, their seniors came away feeling empty as teams who finished uneligible for bowl competition will look to next year's recruiting class for a fresh start. Yet for others, those schools who have clinched a bowl game berth, their seniors know they will have one definitive final game to play in, and win a title that will mean something in the annals of their school history.

Say what you will about bowl season. It is based on corporate greed. It is unethical. It's based on computerized calculations rather than tangible results to determine which teams will actually play for the championship. Even the President of the United States, Barack Obama, said on the night before he was elected that if he could change one thing about sports in America it would be to get rid of the BCS and bowl system entirely and create a proper playoff system in college football like there is in any other sport.

Yet still, bowls are played. Most of them simply result in the sponsoring company donating a large sum of money to the winning school. Some will result in positioning for who actually will play for the national title. But for all the players involved, especially the seniors who do not have an NFL future, that game does mean everything. Win or lose, that is the defining game that they will be telling their cubicle-mates and drinking buddies about for the rest of their lives. I was on the field. I was part of something. My play mattered.

You can shun the college bowl festivities for being selfish, but these players really are leaving it all out there on the gridiron. So I would take a second during the next few weeks watch a bowl. Any bowl. No financial incentives and nice Benzes are waiting for these guys afterward. For most of the players you will see out there, This Is It.

Lebron on fire!

LeBron James was a human highlight reel in last night's game against the Golden State Warriors, and he accentuated his offensive performance with two beautiful dunks. The first occurred with just over 6:30 left in the third quarter, when LeBron found an open lane and took it to the hoop. His second dunk, also down the middle, occurred with 4.6 seconds remaining in the third quarter. The two dunks weren't James' only highlights of the night. Late in the first quarter he seemingly came out of nowhere to forcefully block what looked to be a sure-fire Monta Ellis layup. James finished with 31 points and 12 assists in a 114-108 Cavs win.