UK Rugby Player Uses Fake Blood During Match

"Fake" Bloody Rugby Players Finally Explained - Like many of you, I was confused as to why an English rugby player would resort to using a novelty store blood capsule to get himself sent off the field during a critical match (see story below). Why not just fake a knee injury? Fortunately for us, one of our readers (all the way from New Zealand!) provides the answer;

In Rugby - well, certainly since AIDS arrived - if you have obvious signs of bleeding you get 'blood-binned' (sent to the sidelines to get patched up whilst a substitute player takes over for you). If you can make it back onto the field within a 10 minute period you can come back on and the thing doesn't count as one of the six substitutes your team is allowed.

This UK team had a problem, though. With time almost up, and with their real kicker already genuinely substituted, they got given a match-winning kicking chance. The only way to get their kicker back onto the field was if he was subbing for a bleeding player. Falling over, soccer-style, wouldn't have cut the mustard!

Love your site!

Murray Meads
Wellington, New Zealand

EARLIER: UK Rugby Player Admits to Using Novelty Shop Blood Capsule to Fake Injury During Game - When you take a close look at the picture, you're surprised anyone was fooled by this scam. Looks like he ate a Wendy's cheeseburger and the ketchup spilled onto his face. Hmmm, cheeseburgers. Anyway, here's my favorite quote from the story:

Willliams admits that when he was handed the fake blood capsule on the pitch by Brennan he put it in his sock and then pulled it out after a contact situation and tried to bite on it. The capsule fell out of his mouth, forcing him to pick it up and and try the whole process again in full view of the sold-out stadium and television cameras.

What we don't understand is: what was the point of the blood capsule to begin with? If you wanted to be pulled out of the match, why not just fall down at the slightest contact (like European soccer players do) and grab your knee? (This is London)

Newspaper: U of Michigan Football Players Violating NCAA Practice Rules

Wolverine Players: U of Michigan Football Coaches Made Us Do Mandatory "Voluntary" Workouts in Violation of NCAA Rules
University of Michigan: Who Let Our Players Tell the Truth to the Media?

What is that smell coming from Ann Arbor, Michigan? Last year I would have said it was just the stench of their first losing record in something like 100 years (okay, maybe less.) But this year it is could be the smell of an oncoming NCAA investigation: the first for a major rules infraction for in school history (for football, that is.) We're sure it's just a coincidence that it happens to coincide with the arrival of new football coach Rich Rodriguez. And if you thought morale was bad on last year's team, wait until they find out which one of their teammates was talking to the press. (Detroit Free Press)

More Youth Sports Embezzling: Athletics Business Manager Admits to Taking $1.4 Million

Athletics Business Manager Admits to Taking $1.4 Million From U.S. Coast Guard Academy Athletic Association Over Five Year Period to Pay Gambling Debts - According to The Day, "The athletic association, which supports the academy's intercollegiate athletic program, operated for more than 50 years and had developed its own ad hoc practices that lacked adequate internal controls, such as segregation of duties and effective oversight over handling of funds."

Trial Starts for Former Female Marshall Cheerleader Who Claims Male Cheerleaders Sexually Harassed Her, Called Her Lewd Names and Groped Her

Kasey Chambers claims that they guys' talk turned to action as they groped cheerleader's breasts and showed off their own private parts. (WSAZ) Thanks to Artie Bigley for the link!

Drunk Man Walks Into Wrong House, Strips Naked and Climbs Into Neighbor Kid's Bed - Yeah, that'll get the cops there pretty quickly when you do that. Details and more stories of stupid, naked people at Top of the Nudes.

Bob Reno's Tip of the Day: How to Quickly Update Your Facebook Profile Pic AFTER You've Broken Up With Your Girlfriend - Either guy is a genius or he's pathetic . . . or maybe a little of both. Check out the funny pic at The Dumbass Daily.

Holy Short Skirts Batman! UConn Boots Cheerleaders, Replaces Them With Robot "Spirit Squad"

Okay, maybe they're not really cyborgs made to look like humans, but the new "spirit squad" created by the University of Connecticut sounds like their one and only job is to do the evil bidding of the administration. Their ONLY job. No stunts, no tumbling, no 30 foot human pyramids. None of that crap. Just get the fans in the stands and make them happy, got it? According to Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and Director of Student Activities (that's some bureaucratic job title, eh?) Christine "The Terminator" Wilson, the change was made because "We want people formerly called cheerleaders to focus in on building spirit at UConn, on spending time working on ways to engage fans and to really spread Husky spirit" rather than spend hours perfecting stunts. Oh, snap!
Sounds to us like someone in the Husky administration asked the boys and girls on the cheer squad to interact more with the fans (you remember, the ones who pay the bills for high priced college sports?) and were probably told that they didn't have the time because they were working on their routine for the National Cheer Offs (or whatever they're called). Not a good move gang. Said one teary former Husky cheerleader turned regular student, "They told us so late, I can't even buy like football season tickets now." Maybe they'll let you try out for the Spirit Squad next year? (Hartford Courant)

Must See Video: Hey Kids, Don't Text and Drive! - Ever wondered what might happen if you tried to text someone while you drove? Yeah, this video doesn't make it look as cool as you might think. Plus some reality show tramp tramps it up for Trump during the Miss Universe Pageant and a lady driver tries to run over a guy she had an accident with. Check it out at the all new You Gotta See This Video!

That's a Man, Baby! African Runner Forced to Take Gender Test

We're shocked, SHOCKED, I tell you, that other competitors in World Athletics Championship would think that South African Caster "Don't Look for a Bulge" Semenya, 18, (pictured right) was not a woman after all, but a man! According to reports, the teen sensation has sparked controversy over her "strikingly muscular physique" and and after she burst onto the international track scene this year and immediately started setting world records in the 800 meters. Just this week she took the gold medal in the event at the WAC in Berlin and immediately other runners (and fans sitting more than a mile away) demanded a gender test. According to the UK's Daily Mail, "A group of doctors, including an endocrinologist, a gynaecologist, an internal medicine expert, an expert on gender and a psychologist, have started the procedure but it is uncertain when the results will be known." Meanwhile, South African track officials have denied the allegations and are 100% confident that Semenay is female. We're still surprised that someone would make that kind of allegation, aren't you? Looks like she's just been working our harder than the other gals who really need to look at themselves and not point fingers at a young lady who just works harder than they do . . . especially on those abs. Although this story does remind us of another African running phenom named Samukeliso Sithole who, unfortunately for her, ran into trouble with the local witch doctor and had a penis slapped on her. No, really, that's what she told a judge!
Watch the video below of Caster Semenya kicking everyone's ass at the 800 meters this week.

Dumbass Video of the Day - Ever been confused about how an automatic door works? Yeah, neither have we, the guy in this video needs to get a clue. Watch it here.

Dude! Live TV Interview With Surfer Results in Zero Information, Plenty of Hilarity

This guy is so excited about the extreme waves but he seems completely unable to put a complete sentence--in English--together. Think we should call the station and ask for a transcript?

Unemployed Golfer Robs Bank, Heads Directly to Course With Loot in His Bag

For some people, life is simple: you love to golf, you need money to golf, but you have not job, so you steal money to play golf. So why waste time heading home with the money you stole from St. Paul, Minnesota bank? The smart thing to do, apparently, would be to stash the cash in your bag and head directly to the course when you'd have more than enough money to play 18 . . . maybe even 36 . . . holes AND hide out from the cops at the same time, eh? Well, that genius plan did not work out so well for this guy, but it does give us pause to recognize true dedication to one's sport when we see it. (Star Tribune)

Grey's Anatomy Star Caught on Tape in Naked Threesome - You'll never guess who it is. Details and more safe for work stories of stupid, naked people at Top of the Nudes.

Video Detective Work: Which Cubs Fan REALLY Threw the Beer on the Phillies Shane Victorino?

The cops think they arrested the right guy, but a closer look at the tape makes us think the original cameraman may have focused in on the wrong guy. You be the judge!

MLB Star Josh "I'll Have Another" Hamilton Allegedly Falls Off the Wagon, Falls on Young Woman's Breasts at Bar

First, there were the denials: When pictures first surfaced of what appeared to be the Texas Rangers centerfielder at an Arizona bar last January (some with his shirt on, some without) the response from friends and fans was "that couldn't be him." He's been sober since 2005 and wrote a book about his miraculous recovery from alcoholism with God's help. Surely a high profile athlete wouldn't be so stupid? Eventually Hamilton admitted the pictures were real and yes, he had a relapse, but heck he's only human. He may well be, but--from what we see in the pictures--he didn't just have a drink or two, looks like he had about a dozen and drank a few of them from (shall we say) some "non-traditional" containers, such as a young woman's navel. Not that there's anything illegal about that, but I guess if you're gonna fall off, best to fall all the way, right?
Our favorite quote from Hamilton about this incident: "This guy I knew ... he always used to joke, 'I'm allergic to alcohol. Every time I drink it, I break out in orange jumpsuits and handcuffs.' Some people it just doesn't mix with, and I'm one of those people."
Now Mrs. Hamilton (Katie) has weighed in on the controversy via her blog and had this to say to all the "haters" who are calling the reborn Christian a hypocrite and worse: "We are all flawed and that's why we need a Savior. I pray that you all know that he is a very sincere individual with a love for the Lord that is REAL. Again, he's not perfect – this was a night that he's certainly not proud of, but I am very proud of how he handled it." So, apparently she has forgiven him and we should as well . . . for for God's sake stop looking at those pictures of him with all those young, hot women, while I'm at home taking care of his children! (Dallas Morning News)

See all the Josh Hamilton bar pictures at Deadspin.com. The guys at Deadspin, no strangers to controversy, are also getting a lot of hate mail from Hamilton fans for posting these pictures. Read some of their diatribes here. Kinda reminds us of the hate mail another sports website received a few years ago . . .

Could Rick Pitino Lose Job Over Sex Scandal/Extortion? - Karen Cunagin Sypher

Uh, oh. The extortion plot involving Louisville men's basketball coach and the wife of one of the team's trainer, Karen Cunagin Sypher, is getting ugly. Sounds like, even though Sypher is the one being investigated by the cops for trying to get money out of Pitino, he has allegedly admitted to an affair with the woman (she says rape) and according to some media sources paid for her to have an abortion. What does the University of Louisville think about all of this?

Rick Pitino's one-night stand with a woman in a Kentucky restaurant could lead to his firing under a "moral depravity" clause in his megabucks Louisville contract. The New York native, in an interview with police, acknowledged the sexual encounter in August 2003 - and admitted paying her $3,000, reportedly for an abortion.

Language in his 2007 contract extension says the 56-year-old basketball coach can be dismissed for "acts of moral depravity" or behavior that would "bring Employee into public disrepute or scandal." Pitino earns $2.25 million a year under the deal that runs through 2013. At the time he signed, Louisville's athletic director said Pitino was "worth every penny of it, probably double it."

Read more at the NY Daily News.

Painful Sports Video of the Week: Baseball Fan Gets Tasered During Oakland As v. Texas Rangers Game

Not sure exactly what is going on in this video (some reports are saying this guy was in the wrong seat, others say he had been drinking and was being disruptive, but you can't tell from the video because there's no sound) but about 58 seconds in he makes the classic mistake of giving the three cops trying to arrest him the five finger salute and about 10 seconds later they give him the five thousand volt salute in response. The guy then appears to go limp and fall down several steps as fans in the area start to scatter. Anyone see any official press reports on this? I mean, other than this one.

Man Arrested for Striking Golfer in Head With Sand Wedge - Now, I'm not as familiar with the rules of golf as I should be, but is that a single stroke penalty or do you get a free drop when that happens?

How Much to Peek Into Your Facebook Account? 100 Million Dollars? Sure!

Former HS Cheerleader Sues School & Coach for Passing Around Naughty Emails Found in Social Networking Site - A Mississippi teen says her right to privacy was violated when her cheerleading coach got into her Facebook account and read an email she wrote to another cheerleader that contained some profanity. How did the coach get into Mandi Jackson's account? With her username and password, of course, which the girl had turned over to the coach after she made the team. The coach had asked for that info from all the girls because she was told she had to monitor social networking sites. According to the lawsuit, after coach Tommie Hill read the e-mails, she suspended Jackson from cheering at football games and pep rallies. The real problem comes from the allegation that Hill disseminated content — including private messages with another Pearl High School student — from Jackson's account to other teachers, cheerleading coaches, and the principal and superintendent. And, somehow, that is now worth--with punitive damages--$100 million. (WAPT)

Bleacher Report Posts It's College Football Top 25 Rankings: Top 25 Cheerleaders, That Is - Finally, an in-depth analysis of something that's really important. Link includes slideshow, drooling is optional.