Back Porch FanHouse

Alicia Sacramone Says She's Dating Brady Quinn

Ryan Wilson — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:45:00 EST

Browns quarterback Brady Quinn has a thing for athletes. First it was soccer players and now it's gymnast Alicia Sacramone.

During the 2007 NFL Draft, as Quinn waited for nearly six hours in the Aaron Rodgers Memorial Green Room to hear his name called, then-girlfriend and former Miami of Ohio soccer player Lindy Singler loyally sat by his side as one team after another passed on the Notre Dame quarterback.

During a recent chat on the USA Gymnastics' official Web site, Sacramone openly talked about her relationship with Quinn. (Via SportsbyBrooks and Larry Brown Sports):

USA Gymnastics: I hear you've been attending a lot of Cleveland Browns football games lately. Can you talk about that?

Alicia: Yes, I have become a football fan. I was always a football fan but never into it too much until now. I'm dating Brady Quinn (the quarterback for Cleveland) so I travel to Cleveland on Sunday afternoons for home games.

Can't think of a better way to spend a winter than traveling back and forth to Cleveland to watch your boyfriend take a weekly beating. Of course, maybe Sacramone's responsible for toughening Quinn up:

It's also not clear what this means for the impromptu YMCA-inspired wedding reception performances.

In related "Hey, look who that NFL quarterback is dating!" news, the Rams' Kyle Boller is making time with Carrie Prejean, the former Miss USA runner-up who made headlines for her views on same-sex marriage, as well as her one-woman sex tape. (Still, it's an improvement over Tara Reid, even if she was at the height of her fame and fresh off courting Tom Brady.)

Alicia Sacramone Says She's Dating Brady Quinn originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Univ. of Florida Gymnast Arrested After Gun Cache Found in Apartment

Ryan Wilson — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: College Sports, Gymnastics

A University of Florida gymnast has been arrested after authorities found a small arms depot in her apartment.

Good news: Melanie Sinclair, a senior and nine-time All-America, didn't steal the the nine guns, two computers and a safe listed on the police report. Bad news: her boyfriend Bud Leonard Williams, a convicted felon, did, and he ratted her out to the fuzz as knowing the goods were hot.

Sinclair now faces two felony counts of larceny and one felony count of burglary of a dwelling unarmed, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

So how did po-po discover Williams' operation? He was arrested Sunday for allegedly carrying a loaded 12-gauge shotgun through the apartment complex. That might not raise suspicions in, say, Ramadi, but it still tends to freak people out in Gainesville. The Sentinel reports that Williams faces 11 counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, burglary, theft and theft of a firearm.

Sinclair, who set a school record 10.0 on the uneven bars on three occasions, has been suspended from the team, although that is probably the least of her worries at the moment.

Univ. of Florida Gymnast Arrested After Gun Cache Found in Apartment originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cheerleading Is Extremely Dangerous

Ryan Wilson — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:55:00 EST

Filed under: College Sports, High School, Women's Sports, Gymnastics

There's a small but determined faction of fans who refuse to concede that certain "activities" are sports. Golf is a favorite, presumably because it doesn't involve much in the way of physical activity, and a typical round can involve a pony keg and a pack of Reds.

Cheerleading is another example. Perhaps the zealots have an argument here since there aren't typically winners and losers, just a group of people in fancy polyester get-ups who clap, dance and chant for another group of people who are actually competing.

Whatever, I am much more liberal in my "what's a sport and what isn't" views, and I'll happily include just about anything: golf, cheerleading, poker, horseshoes ... you get the point. But no matter what you call it -- a sport, a hobby, something the guys who couldn't make the JV basketball team do -- cheerleading is extremely dangerous.

In fact, for the purposes of this discussion, it's the most dangerous "sport" in colleges and high schools, according to LiveScience.com.

... [C]heerleading continues to cause more serious and deadly injuries by far than other sports.

Researchers have long known how dangerous cheerleading is, but records were poorly kept until recently. An update to the record-keeping system last year found that between 1982 and 2007, there were 103 fatal, disabling or serious injuries recorded among female high school athletes, with the vast majority (67) occurring in cheerleading. The next most dangerous sports: gymnastics (nine such injuries) and track (seven).

That's shocking, frankly, although I suppose it makes sense: bad things are bound to happen when you launch someone 20 feet in the air without a safety net, no matter how much training you may (or may not) have.

Related: three years ago, LiveScience.com cited a U.S. Consumer Produce Safety Commission study that listed the most dangerous sports in the America, and cheerleading wasn't among the top 15 (maybe the folks at commission didn't think it qualified). And football was ranked third behind basketball (really?) and bicycling.

The commission study looked at emergency room visits (the UNC study focused on fatalities), and that could skew the results. There's also the issue of more people playing basketball, or riding bikes, than playing football, which would mean more injuries. Just to be safe, though, steer your kids towards chess.

Latest Cheerleaders Images

Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis (6th L) and AirAsia Group Chief Executive Tony Fernandes (5th L) poses with other AsiaAsia officials and the Raiderettes cheerleaders, in front of the newly unveiled AirAsia-Oakland Raiders aircraft at the International Airport's low cost carrier terminal in Sepang on June 26, 2009. The Oakland Raiders announced an unprecedented sponsorship with AirAsia, a leading low-fare airline in Asia. AFP PHOTO / Saeed KHAN (Photo credit should read SAEED KHAN/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

Cheerleaders dance before the German basketball championship final between Baskets Oldenburg and Telekom Baskets Bonn in Bonn June 23, 2009. REUTERS/Ina Fassbender (GERMANY SPORT BASKETBALL SOCIETY IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Reuters

Cheerleaders dance before the German basketball championship final between Baskets Oldenburg and Telekom Baskets Bonn in Bonn June 23, 2009. REUTERS/Ina Fassbender (GERMANY SPORT BASKETBALL SOCIETY)

Reuters

ORLANDO, FL - JUNE 14: A Orlando Magic dancer performs against the Los Angeles Lakers in Game Five of the 2009 NBA Finals at Amway Arena on June 14, 2009 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Credit: 2009 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)

NBAE/Getty Images

ORLANDO, FL - JUNE 14: A cheerleader is lowered from the rafters during pregame festivities during Game Five of the 2009 NBA Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Orlando Magic at Amway Arena on June 14, 2009 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Credit: 2009 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)

NBAE/Getty Images

New York Jets cheerleaders greet some of the hundreds of New Jersey National Guard soldiers waiting to march in a parade through downtown Trenton, N.J., Friday, June 12, 2009, to honor their return from Iraq. The mobilization last year of roughly 2, 900 soldiers- roughly half of the state's entire guard unit-marked the largest deployment of New Jersey National Guard troops to a combat zone since World War II. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

A cheerleader performs during the women's basketball European Championship qualifying round game between Slovakia and Poland in Riga June 11, 2009. REUTERS/Ints Kalnins (LATVIA SPORT BASKETBALL)

Reuters

ORLANDO, FL - JUNE 09: An Orlando Magic dancer performs during a break in the fourth quarter in Game Three of the 2009 NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers on June 9, 2009 at Amway Arena in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Getty Images

ORLANDO, FL - JUNE 9: Cheerleaders for the Orlando Magic repell down from the rafters prior to Game Three of the 2009 NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers at Amway Arena on June 9, 2009 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Credit: 2009 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)

NBAE/Getty Images

Cheerleaders from the Los Angeles Lakers team dance during game two of the NBA finals against the Orlando Magic at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on June 7, 2009. The Lakers won 101-96 and now lead the series 2-0. AFP PHOTO / Mark RALSTON (Photo credit should read MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

Cheerleading Is Extremely Dangerous originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Shawn Johnson Dead' Video Doesn't Amuse Her Friends and Family

Michael David Smith — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 08:56:00 EST

Filed under: International Olympics, Gymnastics

The above video, courtesy of The Onion, is an obviously satirical news report about gymnast Shawn Johnson, comparing her to a racehorse and saying that her parents decided to put her down after she suffered a knee injury. Just so we're clear, Shawn Johnson is not dead.

The video has gone viral, with more than 50,000 views in its first day on YouTube. And the phrase "Shawn Johnson dead" is currently one of the most-searched terms on Google. The popularity of the video shows that a lot of people find it funny, but apparently Johnson's friends and family weren't amused.

Geena Pilcher, a fellow gymnast and friend of Johnson, told the Des Moines Register, "It's sort of rude; it's just over the top." Johnson's publicist told the paper, "At this time there will be no comment from Shawn or her parents about the video."

For more sports news, follow me on Twitter.

'Shawn Johnson Dead' Video Doesn't Amuse Her Friends and Family originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Wed, 17 Jun 2009 08:56:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shawn Johnson Fan Arrested at CBS Studios After Trying to Break Onto Set

Will Brinson — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 02:00:00 EST

Filed under: TV and Movies, Current Events, Gymnastics

Shawn Johnson, 17-year-old Olympic gold medalist and Dancing With the Stars cast member, learned that sometimes fame can have scary and unfortunate side effects. That's because Robert O'Ryan, an alleged Johnson stalker, was arrested after attempting to break into the Dancing With the Stars lot at CBS Studios.

Police reportedly found a shotgun, a handgun, duct tape and love letters in O'Ryan's car. A restraining order has already been issued against O'Ryan, who was stopped by security after he jumped on a fence.

According to a sworn statement by Johnson's mother, Teri, she was told by police that O'Ryan believed he was meant to have a child with her daughter. The circumstances clearly warranted a fast response from the courts, who managed to process the application and issue the order on Wednesday.

Currently, O'Ryan is being held on a $35,000 bond on suspicion of carrying a loaded firearm in public. In the restraining order application, her parents' attorney said that she was "in fear of her life," and that's certainly a justifiable phrase for the situation that unfolded.

Unfortunately, a court date hasn't been set until April 14; typically the original restraining order is temporary and the courts determine at the hearing whether or not to extend the order. Given the circumstances of the incident and Johnson's status as a public figure, it would be shocking, in my opinion, not to see the restraining order extended.

Shawn Johnson Photos

** FILE ** This Oct. 14, 2008 file photo shows Shawn Johnson, 2008 United States Olympic balance beam gold medalist, at the 29th Annual Salute to Women In Sports Awards Dinner at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York. Court records show a restraining order has been issued, Wednesday, March 25, 2009, against a man authorities claim tried to break onto the set of "Dancing with the Stars" to meet Johnson. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini, file)

In this image released by ABC, Shawn Johnson and her partner Mark Ballas perform on the celebrity dance competition series, "Dancing with the Stars," Monday, March 9, 2009, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/ABC, Kelsey McNeal) ** NO SALES **

Olympian Shawn Johnson, left, teams up with Mark Ballas for the latest round of "Dancing With the Stars." (Craig Sjodin/ABC/MCT)

MCT

In this image released by Disney, Olympic Gold Medal-winning gymnast Shawn Johnson poses with Mickey Mouse, Friday, Feb. 27, 2009 at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Johnson is part of "ESPN The Weekend," a special event that continues through March 1, at the Walt Disney World theme park. (AP Photo/Disney, Gene Duncan)

IOWA CITY, IA - DECEMBER 12: Olympic medalist Shawn Johnson (R) and actor Ashton Kutcher are honored during halftime of the Iowa-Iowa State college basketball game on December 12, 2008 at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. Johnson and Kutcher, both from Iowa, were in Iowa City raising money for flood relief charities in Eastern Iowa after a 500 year flood devastated the area. (Photo by David Greedy/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Shawn Johnson;Ashton Kutcher

Getty Images

IOWA CITY, IA - DECEMBER 12: Actors Ashton Kutcher and wife Demi Moore watch the second half of the game during the Iowa-Iowa State college basketball game on December 12, 2008 at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. Johnson and Kutcher, both from Iowa, were in Iowa City raising money for flood relief charities in Eastern Iowa after a 500 year flood devastated the area. (Photo by David Greedy/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Ashton Kutcher;Demi Moore

Getty Images

IOWA CITY, IA - DECEMBER 12: Olympic medalist Shawn Johnson, (L) and actors Ashton Kutcher (C) and wife Demi Moore (R) share a laugh in the first half of the Iowa-Iowa State college basketball game on December 12, 2008 at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. Johnson and Kutcher, both from Iowa, were in Iowa City raising money for flood relief charities in Eastern Iowa after a 500 year flood devastated the area. (Photo by David Greedy/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Shawn Johnson;Ashton Kutcher;Demi Moore

Getty Images

IOWA CITY, IA - DECEMBER 12: Olympic medalist Shawn Johnson signs an autograph at a meet and greet session on December 12, 2008 at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. Johnson, whose home is in Iowa, was raising money for flood relief charities in Eastern Iowa after a 500 year flood devastated the area. (Photo by David Greedy/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Shawn Johnson

Getty Images

IOWA CITY, IA - DECEMBER 12: Olympic medalist Shawn Johnson waits before a meet and greet session on December 12, 2008 at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. Johnson, whose home is in Iowa, was raising money for flood relief charities in Eastern Iowa after a 500 year flood devastated the area. (Photo by David Greedy/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Shawn Johnson

Getty Images

Shawn Johnson Fan Arrested at CBS Studios After Trying to Break Onto Set originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Thu, 26 Mar 2009 02:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jordyn Wieber, 13, Soars to Rare Heights

Tom Herrera — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 21:10:00 EST

Filed under: Women's Sports, Gymnastics

When you're just 13 years old and your name is already mentioned among the likes of Mary Lou Retton and Nastia Liukin, there's no doubt you're a rising star. On Saturday, Jordyn Wieber of DeWitt, Mich., became the second-youngest Tyson American Cup women's champion, scoring 60.2 to beat fellow American Bridget Sloan.

Wieber, who will turn 14 in July, is the reigning junior national all-around champion, but won't be eligible for her first world championships until 2011. And while the road to the London Games will be a long one, her nationally televised performance drew some tremendous praise from other gymnasts.

"Truly amazing" remarked Liukin.

"She's a machine," Sloan said.

"I didn't start doing that vault [Yurchenko mount with 2 1/2 twists] until I was 18 or 19," men's runner-up David Sender said. "She's obviously a very talented little girl. I'm excited to see how she'll do in the next four years."

The future is certainly bright for the youngest American Cup champion since 1980.

Gymnastics Snapshots

HOFFMAN ESTATES, IL - FEBRUARY 21: Mary Lou Retton, former Olympic Gold Medalist in Women's Gymnastics, looks on during the 2009 Tyson American Cup at the Sears Centre on February 21, 2009 in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Mary Lou Retton

Getty Images

Joey Hagerty of the USA flies in the air during his Floor Exercise during the American Cup gymnastics invitational on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009, in Hoffman Estates. (AP Photo/Jim Prisching)

Koko Tsunmi of Japan performs her routine on the Uneven Bars during the American Cup gymnastics invitational on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009, in Hoffman Estates, Ill. (AP Photo/Jim Prisching)

Bridget Sloan of the USA concentrates before her Uneven Bars routine during the American Cup gymnastics invitational on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009, in Hoffman Estates, Ill. (AP Photo/Jim Prisching)

Youna Dufournet of France performs on the Balance Beam during the American Cup gymnastics invitational on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009, in Hoffman Estates. (AP Photo/Jim Prisching)

The hand of Romanian Adrian Bucur powders the bar as he prepares for his Parallel Bars routine during the American Cup gymnastics invitational on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009, in Hoffman Estates, Ill. (AP Photo/Jim Prisching)

David Sender of the USA performs his routine on the Pommell Horse during the American Cup gymnastics invitational on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009, in Hoffman Estates. (AP Photo/Jim Prisching)

Kristina Goryunova of Russia performs on the Vault exercise during the American Cup gymnastics invitational on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009, in Hoffman Estates. (AP Photo/Jim Prisching)

Jordyn Wieber of the USA performs her routine on the balance beam during the American Cup gymnastics invitational on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009, in Hoffman Estates. (AP Photo/Jim Prisching)

Bridget Sloan of the USA performs on the Balance Beam during the American Cup gymnastics invitational on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009, in Hoffman Estates, Ill. (AP Photo/Jim Prisching)

Jordyn Wieber, 13, Soars to Rare Heights originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Sat, 21 Feb 2009 21:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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