Famed political polymath Hank Williams, Jr., widely known for his thesis on Americana entitled Football: Are You Properly Prepared To View A Game On Television? has posted a written apology on his website for the statements he made Monday on FOX and Friends. Williams likened John Boehner and President Obama's golf game to a hypothetical match between Hitler and Benjamin Netanyahu, and generally sounded like he had no idea where he was. "I have always been very passionate about Politics and Sports and this time it got the Best or Worst of me." Oh Hank, take a break from reading Dickens before you write! more ›

Well, that's rather offensive! Last week reports surfaced that, according to a new tell-all book, Sarah Palin once bedded NBA player Glen Rice. And because this is former VP candidate and half-term Alaskan governor Sarah Palin we're talking about, the story got lots of media attention. And among all those talking heads it seems that one Mike Tyson gets the cake for most offensive public response, which he gleefully shared with KWWN, ESPN's Las Vegas affiliate. more ›

The Fall TV season begins in earnest next week (though the CW and NBC jumped the gun and began showing off their new shows this week) which means we're all about to be bombarded with analysis of Nielsen overnight ratings (not to mention DVR ratings). But unlike box office receipts, few people really know what it means when you get a 1.4 rating / 4 share of the Adult 18-49 market with 2.989 million viewers. But you know who does know? ESPN's puppets. And they're happy to explain it to you: more ›

Earlier this season, the Mets got into some trouble after they inadvertently encouraged kids to "play hooky" to come see a game at Citifield. It seems they're having an opposite effect on kids now: this Sunday, before their game against the Atlanta Braves, is their annual Youth Baseball Parade, an opportunity for city little leaguers to march on the field. But because the start time of the game was switched, many of those kids won't be able to stay up and participate, and parents are pissed. And you can blame ESPN and MLB for that. more ›

A new 700-page book takes an in-depth look at the rise of ESPN, with lots of stops along the way for strange anecdotes about the "glorified frat house." Check out some excerpts below. more ›

Veteran NY sports reporter Jared Max revealed to his ESPN-1050 listeners yesterday that he was gay. Max is the third prominent person in the sports world to come out of the closet in recent weeks; while discussing whether fans would accept gay sports stars, he made his pronouncement: "I am gay. Yeah, Jared Max the sports guy with one of the most familiar voices in New York sports isn't quite like the majority." more ›

If current reports are true, stud QB Mark Sanchez has finally found someone to sing show tunes with. Sources are reporting that the 24-year-old is dating ESPN journalist Lindsay McCormick. A source told Page Six, “Mark and Lindsay have known each other as friends for a long time, but have been seeing each other for a few weeks," but the even more reliable OK! quotes McCormick saying, "I guess I’m not being bold enough, but I’m not dating Mark Sanchez." The Post Chronicle also reports she said she could never live down dating a Jets player. Says the Texans fan. more ›

ESPN and the NBA announced that the Dec. 17 Knicks- Miami Heat match-up will be the first NBA game shown in 3D. The game will also be the first time the new-look Heat, led by LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, will come to Madison Square Garden. Eight regular season games will be shown on ESPN 3D channel, including the Feb. 11 game at the Garden between the Knicks and LA Lakers; six playoff games will be shown in the format, too. For an idea of what it might look like, check out this video. Now the NBA's just got to hope that NYers like the Knicks again by that point. more ›

Why is Us Magazine trying to break the hearts of Ohioans—not to mention the hearts of rich basketball team owners in NY, NJ, and Chicago? "LeBron James has rented six cabanas at the W Hotel South Beach this weekend to celebrate his team decision, two sources confirm to UsMagazine.com. That adds more fuel to the fire that James, 25, will announce he's joining the Miami Heat Thursday night, as several insiders told ESPN this morning. (He's still confirmed to attend NBA star Carmelo Anthony's Saturday-night wedding to former MTV VJ LaLa Vazquez in NYC.)" more ›

Of course, LeBron James can't announce where he'll sign with a regular ol' press conference—he has to make a one-hour special on ESPN at 9 p.m. tomorrow. According to ESPN—which didn't even get the scoop (ESPN The Magazine did)—"ESPN would only confirm that active discussions for the special are ongoing. But sources tell Broussard that representatives for James contacted the network, proposing that James makes his announcement during a 9 p.m. ET special." more ›

In our hyperactive modern news cycle, some seemingly one-dimensional stories turn out to be gifts that keep on giving, at least partially due to the egos of the subject matters. And Brooke Hundley seems to be going out of her way to be one of those precious gifts. The "tubby temptress" who had an affair with former ESPN broadcaster Steve Phillips is suing the company for defamation, and appeared on the CBS Early Show to try to take control of the reins of the story, as well as damn ESPN for their sexist practices. more ›

Brooke Hundley, the "tubby temptress" who was ensnared in a...complicated relationship with former Mets GM and former ESPN broadcaster Steve Phillips last year, is suing ESPN for defamation. Hundley claims ESPN defamed her by firing her based on false statements by Phillips, and by claiming she had not fully cooperated with its investigation. more ›

A former ESPN employee is suing the sports network for damages, alleging she was fired for... let's just dive into this one: The plaintiff was one of the first employees hired at ESPN in 1980 and suffers from what sounds like an extreme form of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). more ›

You can take away a man's freedom, but you can't take the will to blog: a little less than a month since starting his year-long prison sentence at Rikers, everyone's favorite twitter user, Lil Wayne, re-emerged on Friday with a new blog (and better editing skills). He explains that the site was set up so he could thank his F's (fans, friends and family) for sticking by him, and also so he can directly respond to fans who send him mail (and made the critically-aborted Rebirth a hit): more ›

ESPN blabbermouth Tony Kornheiser has talked himself into a two week suspension after derisively mocking colleague Hannah Storm's ensemble. Kornheiser, the host of "Pardon the Interruption," tore into Storm on his radio show last week, scornfully picking apart Storm's fashion sense with all the devastating ruthlessness of a gum-snapping teenage cheerleader. Storm, the SportsCenter anchor, had sported a red V-neck sweater, a short tartan skirt and red stiletto boots that morning. To be fair, it was a lot of red, and Kornheiser charged at her like an enraged bull: more ›

The Department of Education wants to monetize high school athletics by creating a television network just for city school sports. Officials might sell the broadcasting rights for the Public Schools Athletic League and use the sponsorship money to add new school sports like table tennis and flag rugby, according to the Post. Supporters say similar deals have proven profitable elsewhere in the country and have given student-athletes greater exposure, benefited schools, and allowed parents and alums who can't attend games to stay involved. But what's going to happen when high school athletes—like college athletes—start asking for their share of the money? more ›

ESPN, you really should have known better. Metspolice.com found this photo on ESPN's merch page, using the image of Shea Stadium from beyond the grave as the home of the Alabama Crimson Tide, this year's BCS champions. At least they had the decency to paint a 50 yard line. This isn't the first instance of Mets-related images being messed with on the internet. A while ago there was this instance of Citibank and the Mets being too lazy to even take a photo in Citi Field! We bet this never happens to the Yankees... more ›

The 22-year-old former ESPN production assistant whose affair with former Mets GM and baseball analyst Steve Phillips hit the front pages of the tabloids was on Good Morning America today. Brooke Hundley said, "I did things I regret, obviously. People make mistakes at 22. That's what I was trying not to do originally, was hurt anybody else or affect anybody else's lives negatively. But I did things and I thought about things just as an avenue to get people to pay attention, to start asking the right questions, to get me out of a bad situation." more ›

Former Mets GM and now-fired ESPN baseball analyst Steve Phillips is headed to rehab for sex addiction. His agent Steve Lefkowitz told the Post that the 46-year-old "really needs help, and this was the best way to do it." Phillips' relationship with a 22-year-old ESPN production assistant was revealed last week, as well as some tawdry details. more ›

Steve Phillips, the former Mets general manager, has been fired from his role as a baseball analyst at ESPN, after his relationship with a 22-year-old production assistant was revealed last week. While ESPN's statement simply said, "Steve Phillips is no longer working for ESPN. His ability to be an effective representative for ESPN has been significantly and irreparably damaged, and it became evident it was time to part ways," a source confirmed to the Post that he was "canned." more ›

More details on the Steve Phillips/"Tubby Temptress" ESPN scandal have been revealed, and if you thought it would get any less ridiculous, well, you're sadly mistaken. According to TMZ, Brooke Hundley filed a restraining order against Phillips on Aug. 20, a day after she crashed her car outside the Phillips' home while leaving a way-too-detailed letter describing the affair for Phillips wife. In the restraining order, she alleged that Phillips cornered her in a hotel suite in July, and wouldn't stop harassing her with text messages and phone calls. more ›

The 22-year-old ESPN production assistant whose affair with ESPN analyst and former Mets GM Steve Phillips was revealed yesterday, was apparently very resourceful in trying to harass Phillips' wife. Brooke Hundley (dubbed a "tubby temptress" by the Post, which also offers "video geek to superfreak") placed an ad on Craigslist to hire someone to call Marni Phillips and break the news of the affair. Hundley's script for the caller: " As you can probably tell Steve hasn't been himself lately [pause and act like this is really hard for you to tell her]... It's because he's cheating on you with a young woman at our work." more ›

Since Steve Phillips' shenanigans came out via a NY Post"exclusive", there's been neverending coverage on the suspended ESPN analyst and his 22-year-old "tubby temptress." But Deadspin claims they heard about it over a month ago, and were given the cold shoulder by ESPN PR. So now it's on: "And since the tenuous connection between rumor and fact for accuracy's sake has been a little eroded here, well, it's probably about time to just unload the inbox of all the sordid rumors we've received over the years about various ESPN employees." Deadspin has already posted about two such "horndogs," with the promise of more to come. more ›

As if signing Mo Vaughn wasn't terrible enough, the Post is reporting today that ESPN baseball analyst and former NY Mets General Manager Steve Phillips was ensnared in a messy affair with a 22-year-old production assistant at ESPN, that ended with some not-too-pleasant hijinks. For instance, the assistant crashed her car into a stone column outside the Phillips's Wilton, Conn. home, after leaving a letter there describing intimacies of the affair (including squirmy details about birth marks in nether-regions). more ›

The upcoming Yom Kippur sure has been a day of atonement for event planners. After an official protest from Congressman Anthony Weiner, Major League Baseball and ESPN have switched back the starting time of the final regular season Yankees-Red Sox matchup September 27th, that originally had been moved to after sundown on the high holy day so that it could reach a wider television audience. The brouhaha over the conflict comes on the heels of both the Jets and U2 having to scramble their schedules for the same reason. more ›

ESPN is playing hardball with the NY Post and has banned the newspaper's reporters from appearing on ESPN channels or radio station because the tabloid published screengrabs of a videotape showing ESPN sideline reporter Erin Andrews naked in a hotel room. ESPN's VP of communications Chris LaPlaca explained, "Erin was grievously wronged here, and while we understand the Post's decision to cover this as a news story, their running photos obtained in such a fashion went well beyond the boundaries of common decency in the interest of sensationalism. This is not a decision we undertook lightly, but we feel it is an appropriate one." And according to TMZ's expert opinion—after reviewing "six videos shot by the Peeping Tom who secretly videotaped Erin Andrews [as she] walked around naked, not having a clue she was being watched"—the gossip site believes, "The videos raise the suspicion that the person who shot them may have been familiar with her work schedule and may have been traveling with her. Erin's people are on the hunt for the culprit," and adds, "We will not post this video, because it is a clear invasion of privacy." more ›

We get a lot of promotional crap sent to us here at Gothamist headquarters. Some of it is greatly appreciated, like last week's bottles of "bail out" Kahlua, that talking Pet Lawyer, and the bitterly fought-over roll of toilet paper. Others, like today's mailing from the ESPN Zone, are just a tad...sub par. To advertise their Ultimate Couch Potato competition, set to take place on January 1st in Times Square, ESPN's p.r. company Fed Exed a cardboard box containing one raw potato. Not a potato salad, not potato vodka, just one lonely little uncooked tuber. (Last week they sent us soil and seeds! Next week a backhoe?) Of course we scoff now, but given the imploding economy, maybe we should just be grateful and preheat the oven.
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WCBS 880's Sports Director Jared Max noticed that ESPN's NYC skyline shot--during the Mets-Yankees game last night--was not live but actually stock footage from the holiday season. The telltale clue was the Empire State Building: In ESPN's shot, the building was green and red, but in actuality, the building was lit in both blue and orange AND blue and white, in honor of the subway series. What gives--ESPN can't spring for a live shot of NYC any more? more ›

For all the noise of this Yankees offseason, as far as the team on the field goes, all it amounted to was the status quo. Alex Rodriguez, Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera are all back -- and richer. Young pitchers Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy and center fielder Melky Cabrera didn't go to the Twins for Johan Santana. The 2008 Yankees will be a slightly older albeit considerably more expensive version of the 2007 team. And most fans are fine with that. more ›