Obligatory Sports Babe

I think I once used Scarlett Johansson in this space, but then claimed that I was doing so in defiance of the Obligatory Sports Babe section’s prime directive: that there must be some, however tenuous, connection to sports. Turns out I lied, as COED—via Who’s Dated Who—suggests that Derek Jeter actually did once date her. What a hero! (And, of course, by “hero” I mean… ugh.)

Poppy Power

“Two more Premier League clubs bowed to Poppy pressure yesterday, making a total of 17 top-flight teams who will embroider the British Legion emblem on their match-day shirts to mark Remembrance Sunday,” reports the Daily Mail. “That leaves only three in the Premier League — Manchester United, Liverpool and Bolton who will play at the weekend without a poppy on their shirts in stubborn defiance of public opinion.“

Fedor on Football

“I found the game interesting. But what I think, the games I watch on TV seem to be more interesting, more exciting,” said MMA champion Fedor Emelianenko, according to the Chicago Sun-Times, after experiencing his first NFL game while in Chicago to promote his upcoming fight against Brett Rodgers. But in the NFL’s defence, it was Bears-Browns. Ugh.

Must’ve Been All Downhill After Doug MacLean Left…

“The Columbus Blue Jackets could leave central Ohio if the team can't fix an economic model that is causing losses of $12 million a year, according to a report issued today by the Columbus Chamber,” reported yesterday’s Columbus Dispatch. “But a deal to keep the hockey team here and the Arena District alive -- the team and the district generated $30 million in taxes last year -- probably will include asking for public dollars, and soon.” Not bloody likely!

Quickly

The always excellent Bloge Salming has outtakes from their latest pieces of work.

Pat from Fan IQ congratulates Yankees fans on their team’s World Series victory, while also awesomely putting them in their place.

Here we’ve got fifteen of the best sports animated GIFs you’ll ever see, via Jock and Balls.

You Cannot Be Serious

“Twenty-five years ago, John McEnroe stared up at Dr. Leif Ake Nilsson, a Swedish chair umpire, and angrily demanded a response. He never received one. Nilsson, now 66 and living in Malmo, Sweden, still has no answer for McEnroe,” writes the New York Times, looking back on the incident with the umpire. “He wanted an answer to his question,” Nilsson recalled, “but I couldn’t find any answers.”