Back Porch FanHouse

WSOP 2009 Main Event Results: Joe Cada Wins World Series of Poker

Michael David Smith — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:30:00 EST

The 2009 World Series of Poker main event results are in, and Joe Cada, a 21-year-old from Shelby Township, Mich. has won, collecting $8.55 million and becoming the youngest champion ever.

Cada said afterward:

"I ran really well and I never really thought this was possible," Cada said. "It was one of those dreams and I'm thankful it came true. ... I only play good when my back's against the wall."

Gambling is in the Cada family; his mom, Ann Cada, is a dealer in a Detroit casino. Ann Cada exclaimed, "My baby!" after Joe won.

Joe Cada says his goal now is simple: "To win it back-to-back."

Follow me on Twitter @MichaelDavSmith.

WSOP 2009 Main Event Results: Joe Cada Wins World Series of Poker originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Usain Bolt Adopts a Cheetah

Will Brinson — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Random Acts of Sport, Track and Field

Usain Bolt is, without question, the fastest man in the world. He owns the record for the 150-meter dash, the 100-meter (where his record is a ridiculous sub-10 seconds), the 200-meter, and, as MDS mentioned, he may as well go ahead and try to add the 400-meters and the long jump trophies to a case that includes 2008 Athlete of the Year.

In the meantime though, he's busy with a new, ahem, pet project: he just adopted a cheetah, which, as you may know, is the world's fastest animal. Seriously.

The Jamaican sprinter's sponsorship of the 3-month-old male cheetah is part of an effort to boost Kenyan conservation efforts of its famous wildlife, whose survival is threatened by trophy hunting, climate change and human encroachment.

But the best part is his name: Lightning Bolt!!!! Get it? His first name is Lightning (because he's fast) and then because he's Usain's "child" his last name automatically becomes Bolt! (Sorry, I have no idea why I think that's so awesome, but I do.)

Know what else is awesome? Bolt is doing this as part of an effort to PROMOTE nature conservation and to help animals and although I'm sure PETA will find a way to get angry with Bolt, it's really cool to see someone who doesn't need to help out this cause do so anyway.

Particularly when you consider that Bolt paid $13,700 for the cheetah and will pay $3,000 a year to care for LB, who will be placed in a Narobi conservatory. And let me tell you one other thing: if I wouldn't feel like a total wuss for saying "OMG, THAT CHEETAH IS SOOO CUTE!" I totally would. Just saying.

Usain Bolt Adopts a Cheetah originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Confused Player Tackles Teammate

Michael David Smith — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 17:50:00 EST

Filed under: Random Acts of Sport

A football player who became momentarily confused on a punt return tackled his own teammate during a semi-pro game last week.

Mauriece McIver was playing on the punt return team for the Las Vegas Cobras when, for reasons he himself probably can't understand, he decided to tackle his own teammate, who was breaking into the clear for a long return. This wasn't a player accidentally bumping into his teammate, this was a player perfectly wrapping up his teammate for a textbook form tackle

When you first hear that McIver tackled his own teammate you might think he had a grudge against him or something, but no: You can tell from his reaction that McIver was upset with himself when he realized what he had done. McIver buried his head in his hands afterward, but the damage was done. I wonder what the post-game conversation was like.

Follow sports? Follow me on Twitter @MichaelDavSmith.

Video via Deadspin.com.

Confused Player Tackles Teammate originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Sun, 01 Nov 2009 17:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Man Pulls Bus by Ears in Pursuit of Guinness World Record

Michael David Smith — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Random Acts of Sport

Manjit Singh is probably a little nuts, but you've got to give him credit for his toughness: Would you pull a double-decker bus by attaching two cables to the bus and clamping the cables to your ears? Neither would I.

But Singh did, in fact, pull a double-decker bus with his ears, all in an attempt to set a Guinness World Record. Singh has a thing for setting records -- he's set a bunch of them -- and a thing for pulling buses: His next record attempt will come on Nov. 12, when he'll try to set the record for the farthest distance to pull a double-decker bus with his hair.

Singh, who was born in India but has lived in England for more than 30 years, is the maanging director of a security company. He said in an interview that he starts every day strengthening his mind through meditation. I would assume he needs to do more than just meditation to strengthen his ears.

Man Pulls Bus by Ears in Pursuit of Guinness World Record originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Basketball Player Wynne Arboleda Attacks Fan in Philippines

Michael David Smith — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 08:58:00 EST

Filed under: Random Acts of Sport

Wynne Arboleda, a player in the Philippine Basketball Association, has expressed regret after punching and kicking a fan sitting at courtside during a game this weekend -- but he also says it's time for the league to crack down on fans who hurl insults at players.

Arboleda, who plays for a team called the Burger King Whoppers, says that fan Alain Katigbak was insulting him before he lost his composure, ran to the sideline, and attacked him.

The Philippines Inquirer reports that Arboleda publicly asked the Philippines Basketball Association for "ways devised to appeal to both players and the public as to the proper decorum and respect towards watching games."

Arboleda added, "I realize that this type of behavior by some PBA fans should be considered as part of the game and that these usually challenge the capacity of players and other athletes. I take full responsibility and express regret over the unfortunate incident. My action was provoked by the incessant name-calling and cursing uttered by the said fan (Katigbak), particularly (at) me each time I was within hearing distance."

Fans, players and referees intervened long before the incident reached Ron Artest levels, but Katigbak reportedly needed medical treatment and pressed charges against Arboleda, and the league is expected to fine and suspend Arboleda.

Basketball Player Wynne Arboleda Attacks Fan in Philippines originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Sun, 18 Oct 2009 08:58:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jails Serve Energy Bars for Dinner

Michael David Smith — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Random Acts of Sport

Energy bars have long been the food of choice for athletes, muscleheads and fitness freaks, but now they're the meal of necessity for inmates at some Massachusetts jails.

Inmates in Yarmouth and Barnstable, Massachusetts are getting Promax energy bars for dinner because, the police departments say, they're nutritionally complete and don't cost the department as much as fast food. Before switching to energy bars, Yarmouth was paying McDonald's $5 per inmate for dinners of a hamburger, fries and a soft drink, but now it's paying $1 per inmate to give energy bars to prisoners.

This isn't a large-scale meal program for prisoners; it's just a cheap and easy dinner for people who have to stay in a cell overnight if they're arrested, can't make bail and have to go to court the next day. I've eaten plenty of Promax bars myself, and although I wouldn't want to eat them every day for a lengthy prison sentence, for a quick and easy meal to give someone who's been arrested, it sounds like a good idea.

Jails Serve Energy Bars for Dinner originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cop Arrests Skateboarder, Threatens to 'Break Your Arm Like a Twig'

Michael David Smith — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Random Acts of Sport

I've never been an X Games fan, but skateboarding strikes me as a rather harmless activity for our nation's youth. Apparently the good people of San Francisco disagree, because they've made skateboarding illegal -- and a San Francisco police officer is shown in the above video profanely explaining that to a young skateboarder.

The skateboarder, 18-year-old Zach Stow, does not appear to be resisting in the video, but as the officer, identified as Noel Schwab, handcuffs him and tells him, "Resist again, and I can break your arm like a twig, and then you can treat me like the a**hole that you think I am." The whole thing was being taped by one of Stow's friends; Schwab apparently did not realize that.

Stow told The San Francisco Examiner he went to court the next morning and got the charges dropped, and he said he's considering filing a complaint against Schwab. Stow also acknowledged that he wasn't completely blameless in all this, admitting that his profane insult of Schwab "was kind of dumb."

But if Stow was kind of dumb, it strikes me that the city of San Francisco's policy of arresting skateboarders, which a Police Department spokesman described as standard procedure, is really dumb. These teenage skateboarders should have treated the officer with more respect, but they're not the ones in that video who deserve to be in trouble.

Cop Arrests Skateboarder, Threatens to 'Break Your Arm Like a Twig' originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 10:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CFL Player Leaves Practice Following Fight, Returns With Shovel

Adam Gretz — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Random Acts of Sport, Blogs

We've already established this week that the football fans in Canada are more determined in their efforts to grab attention than their counterparts in the States. On Thursday, we learned that the players are a notch or two above their American counterparts on the crazy meter, as well. Take, for example, the case of Edmonton Eskimos defensive tackle Xzavie Jackson who was involved in a skirmish on the practice field with teammate Aaron Fiacconi.

Now, fights on the practice field and feuds in the locker room are nothing new in sports, especially on the gridiron. Stuff happens. Tempers flare. Emotions get the best of people.

What makes the Jackson vs. Fiacconi throwdown notable, and somewhat different than your typical practice scuffle, is the fact it involved Jackson leaving the practice field and returning with a shovel he found behind a dumpster. You know, so he could dig his way out of the hole he put himself in.

From TSN:

The incident occurred after a practice altercation between six-foot-four 285-pound Jackson and six-foot-four, 298-pound centre Aaron Fiacconi. No one intervened in the tussle. Jackson, who got the worst of it, flung off his practice jersey and headed off the field -- returning with a shovel from behind some nearby dumpsters. Jackson's shouts alerted head coach Richie Hall and general manager Danny Maciocia, who stopped him from entering the field at Clarke Park and talked him back down to reality before he was escorted to the dressing room by a team doctor.

Head coach Rich Hall added that he was disappointed because they're a football team, but, at the same time, understands "that like in a family, sometimes some things don't go as smoothly as you want. We'll address it with those guys and we'll take care of matters."

Jackson is currently on the Eskimos practice roster and has recorded four tackles in 2009. The Eskimos are in a three-way tie for first-place in the CFL's West Division with a 6-5 mark, and host the Saskatchewan Roughriders (not to be confused with the now defunct Ottawa Rough Riders) on Saturday.

*Picture is, obviously, completely unrelated to the story, but we had no access to Edmonton Eskimos pictures and it was the best one we could find in our library that featured a shovel. So, enjoy!

(H/T SportsbyBrooks)

CFL Player Leaves Practice Following Fight, Returns With Shovel originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: World's Longest Basketball Shot

Michael David Smith — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Random Acts of Sport

A group of college students who film themselves making trick shots and collectively go by the name Dude Perfect have posted video of what they say is the longest basketball shot ever made, off the third deck of Kyle Field at Texas A&M. One angle is above; the other angle is below.

As far as I can tell, this is a legitimate video and not a CGI creation like Michael Vick throwing a football out of a stadium. Although the distance of the shot is largely aided by gravity, the accuracy from so far away is impressive indeed. Good stuff, Dude Perfect.

Video: World's Longest Basketball Shot originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Tue, 22 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sultan Kosen: World's Tallest Man

Michael David Smith — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Random Acts of Sport

As a child, Sultan Kosen was diagnosed with a pituitary tumor that caused his body to grow uncontrollably, leaving him with difficulty walking, not to mention fitting in. But Kosen, who now stands 8-foot-1, says he's thrilled to get some positive recognition for his height: The Guinness Book of Records has now proclaimed him the world's tallest person.

Dan Levy of The Sporting Blog puts Kosten's height into perspective: Kosen is six inches taller than the tallest players in NBA history, 7-foot-7 centers Manute Bol and Gheorghe Muresan. But while Kosten's pituitary tumor has required him to walk with crutches and kept him from playing sports, he sees a lot to be happy about in his newfound fame.

"Up until now, it's been really difficult to find a girlfriend," Kosen told the Associated Press. "I've never had one; they were usually scared of me. ... Hopefully now that I'm famous, I'll be able to meet lots of girls. I'd like to get married."

Lots of women like tall guys. Here's hoping Kosen finds the woman of his dreams.

Sultan Kosen: World's Tallest Man originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tamir Goodman, AKA 'Jewish Jordan', Retires From Pro Hoops

Ryan Wilson — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Random Acts of Sport, College Sports

Tamir Goodman is retiring. This might not mean much to you because Goodman is better known as "The Jewish Jordan". (This always struck me as weird, although I've since taken to calling Michael Jordan "The Gentile Goodman".)

Tamir became a national story nearly a decade ago. He was a 17-year-old basketball phenom and an Orthodox Jew who had a scholarship offer rescinded by the University of Maryland because, as the Baltimore Sun's Don Markus writes, "Maryland officials said publicly that the school wouldn't be able to accommodate Goodman's religious requirements, which forbade him to play or practice on the Jewish Sabbath, between sundown Friday and sundown Saturday. Privately, the Maryland coaches quickly realized that the gangly point guard wouldn't be able to cut it in the Atlantic Coast Conference."

Goodman would instead play at Towson State (which wasn't without incident), and then professionally in Israel. And Wednesday, he announced that his professional basketball career had come to an end. As for the next phase of his life, Tamir will be the director of the Haifa Hoops For Kids program.

"The last nine years were full of challenges, every single time I got back up and began to play well, I'd get knocked down with another injury," said Goodman, now 27 and the father of three. "But looking back, I see how divinely ordained everything was. Now that I'm dedicating myself to kids with struggles in their lives, I feel that had I not gone through this, I would not be ready for this job."

Incidentally, the part about "dedication to the kids," and "being ready for the job" is what Steve Wojciechowski and Chris Collins tell themselves. Except in their case it's not true.

Tamir Goodman, AKA 'Jewish Jordan', Retires From Pro Hoops originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 13:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Melbourne Sports Bar Combines Urinal, TV So Fans Don't Miss a Minute

Michael David Smith — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 20:01:00 EST

Filed under: Random Acts of Sport

I know of quite a few sports bars that have TVs in the restrooms so you don't have to miss a minute of the game no matter how many beers you've had. But I'm not aware of any sports bars here in the States that have come up with anything as ingenious as the bathroom/TV combination they came up with at a pub in Melbourne, Australia.

The urinal in the bar, called Horse Bazaar, has a TV built right into it. Here's how MelbournePubs.com describes Horse Bazaar:

The central feature of Horse Bazaar is an immersive projection environment. The bar contains a 20m continuous digital canvas on which new media and digital artworks are projected. The Horse also runs Australia's richest annual digital art prize, and has created a world first, the Rear Projection Urinal (RPU). It's art for peeing on.

Sounds like a good spot for watching some footy.

More at Gizmodo.

Melbourne Sports Bar Combines Urinal, TV So Fans Don't Miss a Minute originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Wed, 12 Aug 2009 20:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Man Gored to Death at Running of Bulls In Pamplona

Michael David Smith — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 08:40:00 EST

Filed under: Random Acts of Sport

A Spanish man was gored to death when a bull's horns pierced his neck, heart and lungs at the running of the bulls in Pamplona on Friday. It was the first goring death at the world-famous festival since a 22-year-old American was killed by a bull in 1995.

Event organizers identified the deceased as 27-year-old Daniel Jimeno Romero, 27, from the town of Alcalade Henares near Madrid. Romero is the 15th person to die in the running of the bulls, which began in 1911 and were made famous around the world in Ernest Hemingway's 1926 novel The Sun Also Rises.

"The wounds were mortally grave. We couldn't do anything to save his life," said Esther Vila, a surgeon at the Navarra hospital where Romero was taken.

Several other people, including a 61-year-old American, were injured in falls on Friday during the half-mile run through the cobblestone streets of Pamplona.

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Man Gored to Death at Running of Bulls In Pamplona originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 08:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bulls Run Faster Than Usual in Pamplona, 5 Hurt Getting Out of the Way

Michael David Smith — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: Random Acts of Sport

A faster than usual group of bulls raced through the half-mile path in Pamplona on the third day of the San Fermin festival Thursday, and while no one was gored, five people suffered slight injuries getting out of the way.

The six bulls usually take a little over three minutes to make the run, but on Thursday they must have been fired up, because they did it in just two minutes and 20 seconds. That left people scrambling to get out of the way, and five got bumps and bruises as they fell, ran into each other or ran into walls getting out of the way. In a couple of instances bulls ran over people who were on the ground, but the bulls did not step directly on anyone.

No one has been gored or seriously injured in a trampling this year. The last person to die in a goring at Pamplona was Matthew Tassio, a 22-year-old American and University of Illinois student, in 1995. The last person to die in a trampling was Fermin Etxeberri, a 63-year-old Pamplona native, in 2003.

Bulls Run Faster Than Usual in Pamplona, 5 Hurt Getting Out of the Way originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Thu, 09 Jul 2009 09:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest 2009: Joey Chestnut Beats Kobayashi

Michael David Smith — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 13:01:00 EST

Filed under: Random Acts of Sport

Wolfing down an incredible 68 hot dogs, Joey Chestnut defeated Japan's Takeru Kobayashi at the 2009 edition of the Fourth of July Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest.

It was the third consecutive victory for Chestnut, and Kobayashi, the six-time champion, once again finished in second place. Last year, Chestnut and Kobayashi tied at 59 dogs in the 10-minute regulation time, and then Chestnut won in overtime. This year Kobayashi improved, eating 64 dogs, but he didn't improve as much as Chestnut did.

Chestnut, ever the perfectionist, said afterward that he wished he had done even better. Chestnut believed he could have eaten as many as 70 hot dogs if everything had gone right, but that he felt the buns were going down slowly this Fourth of July. But even if Chestnut wasn't satisfied, everyone watching must have been. This was a great athletic performance.

Nathans Hot Dog Contest

The Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest is held in Coney Island in New York, Saturday, July 4, 2009. Joey Chestnut of San Jose, California won the 2009 Nathan's Famous Hot Dog-Eating Contest, defeating former champion, Takeru Kobayashi of Nagano, Japan. (AP Photo/Yanina Manolova)

George Shea, center, of Major League Eaters, presents the annual Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest in Coney Island in New York, Saturday, July 4, 2009. (AP Photo/Yanina Manolova)

The Coney Island Strong Man entertains the crowd at the annual Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest in New York, Saturday, July 4, 2009. (AP Photo/Yanina Manolova)

NEW YORK - JULY 4: A crowd gathers before the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest begins on July 4, 2009 in Coney Island in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Joey Chestnut of San Jose, California defeated Takeru Kobayashi of Nagano, Japan with eating 68 to his 64.5 hotdogs. Kobayashi won six previous competitions before tying last year with Chestnut. (Photo by Yana Paskova/Getty Images)

Getty Images

NEW YORK - JULY 4: A costumed man entertains the crowd before the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest begins on July 4, 2009 in Coney Island in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Joey Chestnut of San Jose, California defeated Takeru Kobayashi of Nagano, Japan with eating 68 to his 64.5 hotdogs. Kobayashi won six previous competitions before tying last year with Chestnut. (Photo by Yana Paskova/Getty Images)

Getty Images

NEW YORK - JULY 4: A family eats hot dogs in front of an advertisement for the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest, to undergo later that day, on July 4, 2009 in Coney Island in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Joey Chestnut of San Jose, California defeated Takeru Kobayashi of Nagano, Japan with eating 68 to his 64.5 hotdogs. Kobayashi won six previous competitions before tying last year with Chestnut. (Photo by Yana Paskova/Getty Images)

Getty Images

NEW YORK - JULY 4: Chairman of Major League Eating George Shea (L) screams to the crowd as a woman dressed as a nun shoots a T-shirt into the crowd before the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest begins on July 4, 2009 in Coney Island in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Joey Chestnut of San Jose, California defeated Takeru Kobayashi of Nagano, Japan with eating 68 to his 64.5 hotdogs. Kobayashi won six previous competitions before tying last year with Chestnut. (Photo by Yana Paskova/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** George Shea

Getty Images

NEW YORK - JULY 4: Joey Chestnut of San Jose, California (C) smiles while stuffing hot dogs into his mouth next to his opponent, Takeru Kobayashi of Nagano, Japan (R) during Nathan's Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest on July 4, 2009 in Coney Island in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Chestnut defeated Kobayashi with eating 68 to his 64.5 hotdogs. Kobayashi won six previous competitions before tying last year with Chestnut. (Photo by Yana Paskova/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Takeru Kobayashi;Joey Chestnut

Getty Images

Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest 2009: Joey Chestnut Beats Kobayashi originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Sat, 04 Jul 2009 13:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Joey Chestnut a Slight Favorite Over Kobayashi in July 4 Hot Dog Showdown

Michael David Smith — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 09:40:00 EST

Filed under: Random Acts of Sport

One of the great rivalries in the history of sport will resume on Saturday, as Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi square off in the annual Fourth of July Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest. And the early betting odds list Chestnut, the two-time defending champion, as a slight favorite to repeat over Kobayashi, who won every year from 2001 to 2006.

Yes, you can bet on hot dog eating, and Bodog has the odds: Chestnut is a 2-3 favorite, with Kobayashi just behind him at 11-10. If you're in the mood to bet on an underdog, you can either take Tim "Eater X" Janus at 10-1 or the field at 12-1. The over-under for the winning number of dogs is 61.5. Last year, Chestnut and Kobayashi tied at 59 dogs in the 10-minute regulation time, and then Chestnut won in overtime.

My money is on Chestnut to win again this year, edging Kobayashi with a total of right around 60.

Joey Chestnut a Slight Favorite Over Kobayashi in July 4 Hot Dog Showdown originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Wed, 01 Jul 2009 09:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lou Ferrigno: Michael Jackson Was Energetic and Happy in Training

Michael David Smith — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 08:27:00 EST

Filed under: Random Acts of Sport

Lou Ferrigno was the second-best bodybuilder of the 1970s, a defensive lineman for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League, a World's Strongest Man competitor and, of course, the guy who played The Hulk on The Incredible Hulk. But now Ferrigno is getting attention for something else: He was Michael Jackson's personal trainer.

Ferrigno says he was shocked when he learned that Jackson had died, and that when they trained together, Jackson appeared to be in good health and good spirits.

"I saw him a month ago," Ferrigno said. "I'd been training him. ... He was energetic, he was happy as he can be, he was animated."

Ferrigno had trained Jackson on and off since the early 1990s, and this year he had been helping Jackson get into shape for a planned series of concerts in London.

Lou Ferrigno: Michael Jackson Was Energetic and Happy in Training originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Wed, 01 Jul 2009 08:27:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WGN Reporter Dunks on Pre-Schooler, Makes Him Cry

Clay Travis — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Random Acts of Sport, TV and Movies, Outdoor Sports, Youth Sports

As you can see, playing sports with kids on live television is a situation fraught with peril. You probably shouldn't trash talk, back them down, and then spin and slam home a dunk on a seven-foot goal. I'm no expert, but that might make a kid cry. Especially when you punctuate the dunk with a Scottie Pippen dunking on Patrick Ewing-esque arm ejaculation while screaming, "Don't bring any of that in my house!"

Somewhere along the way, basic humanity should have set in. The back down move? Questionable. The kid is four. At most. You can probably get away with one of those old-man wacky dribbling exhibitions where you push the ball around the kid and make him dizzy on live television. Maybe.

But when you dunk on him and the kid starts crying you can't laugh, absolutely, positively, can't laugh. Or say, "I think he's genuinely crying."

Reporter: "You know what? Kids these days are soft and they need to be toughened up."

Woman in straw hat: "He wants to leave."

Honestly, I've watched this video like 10 times and it just keeps getting better. Where did the woman get that straw hat? Somehow this is the perfect hat for her to be wearing as she assists a toddler in his own dunk. And what's with the kid not even attempting to draw the charge here? He has no future at Duke, none.

Gawker reports this reporter is named Pat Tomasulo and it happened in May.

The lesson to be learned here, don't bring the trifecta on live television: back down the kid, trash talk while spinning, and then dunking on a seven-foot goal. Any one of these standing alone would be fine.

Combined?

Internet outrage.

WGN Reporter Dunks on Pre-Schooler, Makes Him Cry originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Thu, 11 Jun 2009 13:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Can Bodybuilders Fight?

Elie Seckbach — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 08:20:00 EST

Filed under: Random Acts of Sport, Outdoor Sports, Women's Sports

Elie Seckbach, the Embedded Correspondent, brings his exclusive video reporting to FanHouse. Check back regularly for more videos.

Arnold Schwarzenegger was discovered because of it, and millions around the world are into it big-time: Bodybuilding. It's one of the most popular sports around the world, but what's the point of working out if you can't show it off? In this video we visit a bodybuilding (and bikini) contest and try to find out if the bodybuilders are really strong, or if their muscles are just for flossing. (After all, MMA stars such as Fedor and Rampage are far from being cut.)

Check out the video after the jump.

Can Bodybuilders Fight? originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Tue, 09 Jun 2009 08:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spanish Matador Israel Lancho Gored by Bull, in Critical Condition

Michael David Smith — Fri, 29 May 2009 10:45:00 EST

Filed under: Random Acts of Sport

Spanish matador Israel Lancho is in critical condition after he was gored by a bull in Madrid on Wednesday. The disturbing video is below.

The Daily Mail reports that the 30-year-old Lancho is likely to be in the intensive care unit of a Madrid hospital for several days but is expected to survive. Lancho reportedly has an eight-inch wound in his abdominal area, but the bull's horn missed his heart. The incident took place at the San Isidro's fair in Las Ventas bullring.

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Via Dashiell Bennett at Deadspin.

Spanish Matador Israel Lancho Gored by Bull, in Critical Condition originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Fri, 29 May 2009 10:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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