Last year, ESPN received a ton of flak for their NASCAR coverage. Fans accused the "Leader" of not being ready to cover the sport, and a lot even thought that the network tried to create drama, to create story lines. Well this year ESPN has another chance, and so far, it's not off to a good start.

During Monday's makeup day in Pocono, Kasey Kahne got into the back of Juan Pablo Montoya on a restart. Kahne apologized to Montoya after the race, but ESPN reporter Vince Welch didn't see it that way. Welch accused Montoya of being the aggressor, and the driver of the 42 car didn't appreciate it at all....

You can obviously put some of the blame on Montoya's reputation, but that was pretty much an epic fail for Welch. Hopefully ESPN can get their act together for NASCAR fans, but it's not looking good.

Montoya Pwns ESPN's Vince Welch (All Left Turns)

Man, color me disappointed after viewing this one, and why Lebron allegedly had this clip confiscated is beyond me. The dunk is pretty good, but nothing really to write home about. If Lebron had just laughed it off, and wished the kid well, it wouldn't have been an issue. Here's the clip if you haven't seen it yet....

Update: Here's a much better angle via Barstool Sports....

The Secret Dunk Exposed! (TMZ)

(Thanks to GITG for the heads up)

The infamous dunk on Lebron has been acquired by the gossip site, TMZ, and will be aired tonight on their website at 6:45pm. Co-executive producer of TMZ, Charles Latibeaudiere, broke the news on JT the Brick's radio show on KLAC, and also mentioned that they are trying to get a hold of Lebron for a reaction. Via Sports Radio Interviews....

“Nike went around and confiscated the video that they knew was shot, what they didn’t know is there was someone else there who shot it just on their cell phone. Apparently, Nike guys haven’t discovered that cell phones have video cameras as well; this person had it on a cell phone. I wish it was a camera that was right underneath the hoop where you could see the look on LeBron’s face, but it’s awesome. You can see Jordan come down the lane, and after he gets dunked on, LeBron is kind of standing there and you can tell something just happened that he didn’t wanna have happened, and ‘Oh crap. It’s on video too.”

Well it's about time! I can't believe it took TMZ this long to acquire the footage, but thank god they did. I'll try to get it up later on tonight.

Charles Latibeaudiere: The Dunk Was Awesome (Sports Radio Interviews)

Dan Steinberg, now of the Sporting Blog, sat down with Jon Miller recently and specifically asked him about the criticism that both he and Joe Morgan receive(d). Not only did Miller discuss blogs and the internet as a whole, but he specifically addressed the whole Fire Joe Morgan issue as well....

Hey, speaking of Joe, do you get irritated with some of the criticism?

Well, I figure for any of us in this business, the fact that there are critics, radio/TV sports critics, it’s all a positive for us. Because if you go back years ago, really before my time, Walter Winchell had the big column. In San Francisco, it was Herb Caen. I know here in Washington, in the Style section they’ve always had columnists. PR people are trying to get showbiz people and clients in those columns, so that they’re around town, getting their name in the paper. And now the sportscasters have these critics, and we get talked about.

What about the Internet stuff, do you read blogs?

Oh no, I don’t even understand what the point of it is. I mean, I know people are communicating, but it’s not interesting to me. I like the blogs that the beat writers have now. Henry Schulman with the Chronicle, in addition to whatever he’s writing for the paper, he’s got other stuff on his blog. And Bruce Jenkins is a great columnist for the Chronicle, he’s got other columns on the blog.

But for the rest of it, I don’t really care about it. I mean, for me, if there’s criticism, and it’s about something that I could do something about, or at least something that I could say that’s a good point, or no I disagree with that for this reason, well, that’s good. I mean, we all need feedback, and maybe somebody makes a good point. You know, I was a terrible English student in high school. I couldn’t probably diagram a sentence today. I mean, if somebody uses the phrase dangling participle, I’m going 'Huh?' I don’t have a clue what that is.

But over the years, people would send me letters, saying you said such and such, and that’s really improper usage, the proper way to say that would be this way. I'd say Eddie Murray awaits on deck, and the guy wrote me and said it would be awaits his turn on deck. You couldn’t say "'awaits' without 'his turn;' you have to say what he’s awaiting. So that was good, so I learned from that. A lot of stuff, that’s how I learned it. I thought that was very instructive.

But if somebody just says, this guy sucks, or he stinks? Well, that’s not interesting to me. You know, there’s nothing I can do with it. With Joe, you know, Joe knows a LOT about the game. Whether occasionally he mangles the language or says something that maybe comes out different from what he meant to say, like a million other ballplayers, that all could be. But they told me that there’s a Web site called FireJoeMorgan.com or something. Well, what’s the point of that? That’s just mean, mean-spirited. I mean, what is the actual point?

I guess Miller has a point. If someone doesn't "get" blogs, then there's really no point in trying to convince them over their validity or entertainment value. It's taken me awhile myself to understand the difference between an opinion, and something that is just "mean spirited" as Jon says, but I can understand how maddening it can get listening to certain people. Especially Dr. Joe Morgan.

Jon Miller on 300 Wins, Spanish Accents and FJM (The Sporting Blog)

I completely understand why someone in a specialized field like Chemistry or Engineering would have to take the Wonderlic Test, but I still have never really understood its application to the game of Football. Today, various media members are riffling through this year's set of scores, and scrutinizing those players who are on the bottom end. And while the scores ultimately don't really even matter, there is a slight problem for the NFL. Where did the leak come from?

PFT has the information, and it appears likely that a high-level official at an NFL team, is more than likely the culprit....

After Vince Young’s single-digit debacle made its way to this here joint three years ago, the league placed heavy restrictions on the dissemination of the information.

Per a league source, the NFL delivers the Wonderlic scores via hand-carried pouch to one person per team, usually the G.M., the team president, or the director of player personnel.

“The scores are kept separate and from all the other Combine data, which is sent to teams electronically via the Internet,” the source said. “There are no electronic files and only one hard copy per team.”

So, basically, Pompei’s source likely is someone who operates at a very high level with one of the teams — and who is willing to disregard the league’s clear directive to keep the information secret. (Alternatively, someone who operates at a very high level with one of the teams has not safeguarded the information, allowing someone at a lower level to get their mitts on the numbers. Or, possibly, the leaker is employed by the league office or the Combine.)

Again, I find it hard to believe a team wouldn't draft say Darius Heyward-Bey (who ran a 4.24 40-yard dash at the Combine), because he couldn't figure out a problem on fractions. But, I could be wrong. Here are some of the notable, leaked scores in case you want to compare your result from the test....

Matthew Stafford- 38
Mark Sanchez- 28
Josh Freeman- 27
Michael Crabtree- 15
Darrius Heyward-Bey- 14
Percy Harvin- 12
Hakeem Nicks- 11
Jeremy Maclin- 25
Andre Smith- 17
Eben Britton- 31
Eugene Monroe- 24
Jason Smith- 23
Michael Oher- 19
Clay Matthews- 21
Brian Cushing- 23
Rey Maualuga- 15
Kevin Barnes- 41
Louis Delmas- 12

Wonderlic Leak Could Come From Only A Narrow Group Of Sources (Pro Football Talk)
Georgia's Matthew Stafford stands out with NFL Wonderlic score (Chicago Tribune)

Watching Siena take out Ohio State the other night was a extremely entertaining (in more ways than one), but it probably wasn't for one religious fan. Multiple times during the two overtime contest, a camera angle of the Siena bench showed a fan displaying a "John 3:16" sign. Well not everyone appreciated said fans choice of expression. Watch the security on the left around the :12 mark of this clip....

Wow. Now I certainly was distracted by the sign at times (mainly because you could see the guy occasionally while play was going on), but that sort of comes with the territory in College Sports. Actually all Sports for that matter.

The thing I wonder, even though it's highly unlikely, is whether CBS requested the sign's removal. Someone will probably be getting a call or two come Monday.

Security Guard From Hell (March to Madness)

I didn't comment much about Don Cherry's recent undressing of Alex Ovechkin's goal celebrations, mainly because I'm a Caps fan and I'm biased in that regard, but more so because it's really nothing new. Today, Cherry talked with the Toronto Sun, and decided to express almost the exact same sentiment....

"I'm saying the same things I was before," Cherry said in a lengthy interview. "But the criticism is worse now. It has really picked up. I don't know why.

I admit I've been taken aback by all of it, the calls for me to get fired. Last week was the topper. I got ripped everywhere. I got ripped in four Toronto papers. The owner of the Washington Capitals wrote about me online. A couple of my friends in Florida saw it in the papers there. I'm front and centre. I guess I'm an easy target.

I'm having a good time. I can hardly wait for Saturdays. I really get a kick out of it. The critics? They never say one good thing I do. I've come to the point in my life where it doesn't bother me. I say to hell with them."

That's definitely the attitude to have. A lot of people compare Cherry to the likes of Bob Knight and Billy Packer, but I've always felt that Cherry loves his support to no end. I can't say the same for Knight and Packer. Don Cherry is an equal opportunity commentator, and is the same person that has gotten on both Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby.

Hopefully he doesn't try to tone things down, because definitely don't think he would be the same person that's become a beloved figure within the sport of Hockey.

Grapes ripe for pickin' (Toronto Sun)

The Starting Five scored an interesting interview today with First Take's Skip Bayless, and among the many in depth topics, Bayless relives his time in Dallas. When writing a book on the team, Skip came out (no pun intended) and challenged Troy Aikman's sexuality, and to this day....he's standing by the allegation. Not only that, but he's now even saying that the ex-Cowboys QB was possibly racist.

I also knew I had to go back and live with them because I had no plans on leaving Dallas. I wish I could have written it even harder than I did because I felt like I tip toed through some of it.

I wish I had sledgehammered it because it was the truth and everyone who knew what was going on inside the locker room told me the book was a terrific job and that I nailed it.

Because I did. It’s exactly what happened. All I heard from people around the country who didn’t read the book was, “You outed Troy Aikman?”

I didn’t. The coach definitely thought he was gay and a lot of his teammates thought he was gay. More than that, they thought he was racist and they thought he was trying to get Barry Switzer.

Love him, or hate him, the guy sure knows what he's doing. I personally think that he's one of the many things wrong with Sports Media these days, but you can't argue his intelligence. Whether or not the claims are true or not, it helped him sell books, and eventually land at ESPN. Be sure to check out the rest of the interview that TSF put together, it's definitely worth a read.

The Skip Bayless Interview (The Starting Five)

I personally thought Peter Gammons did a great job in his interview with Alex Rodriguez, but some people are not agreeing today, namely Sports Illustrated. SI writer Jeff Pearlman has criticized the ESPNer for not sticking up for Pearlman's co-worker, Serena Roberts, and Gammons is now apologizing for not doing so. Via an email to Deadspin....

I think in retrospect, I should have interrupted the Arod rant. My first question asked if Selena's story were true, he essentially admitted it was, and I believed she was therefore vindicated. I usually don't get into grudges, and felt he was promoting her book, which will be her response. I was trying to get Alex in his own words, but Jeff's criticism has merit that I accept.

Pearlman called Gammons the "Larry King of sports", and while I think that's a little harsh, I can sort of see how some would feel that way. The only problem is that both MLB (who has a new deal with ESPN), and Scott Boras, probably were all over the questions that were asked, and ESPN obviously wanted to be delicate with the piece. That's obviously not an excuse to avoid getting to the bottom of things, but it might explain the tone a bit more.

Oh and one more thing. I know it's slow now that Football is over, ESPN, but good lord! I've seen this damn interview about 40 times now!!! There was some Basketball played yesterday right? Hockey perhaps??? I know what will get us to forget about all this A-Rod nonsense. PETTTTTERRRRRR GAMMMMMMONNNNSSSS!

Ah...that's better.

Peter Gammons is the Larry King of sports television (Jeff Pearlman)
Peter Gammons Regrets Not Sticking Up For Roberts (Deadspin)

You know it's NBA time when I have two Charles Barkley nuggets in one day. This one is actually far more crazy than the first though. Charles and Kenny Smith were in NYC for a TNT luncheon and the TNT analyst was apparently not holding back one bit.

Not only did the "Round Mound of Rebound" say that Portland is overrated, that Patrick Ewing is rolling over in his grave (in reference to the Knicks) AND that he "never understood ‘off the record,’ you can’t just say crazy sh*t and then say it’s ‘off the record’", buuuuuut he also shared not that funny joke about rumored ODer, Isiah Thomas. From Newsday via The Sporting Blog....

In discussing ways in which the Knicks should be improved this season, Barkley said, "I think they have a better coach. This coach probably won't try to kill himself."

When that indelicate reference to Isiah Thomas' recent hospitalization prompted nervous laughter from reporters during an informal lunch yesterday, Levy reminded Barkley that the session was on the record.

Barkley, usually not one to shy from potentially insensitive remarks, seemed to sense his attempt at humor had crossed a line. "That's my fault," he said.

Ouch. Suicide and death is just something that you should never joke about. At least he apologized, but according to SLAM, he didn't necessarily slow down. He cursed and joked throughout the media's questions, and even hinted that Nielsen Ratings are racist. The guy just doesn't have an off switch, which can be both good and bad, and yesterday it was certainly bad.

Be sure to check out the rest of the luncheon highlights via the SLAM link below for more curse world fueled fun!

Boo! Knicks Too Scary For TNT (Newsday)
Charles Barkley: At Least the Knicks Have a Coach Who 'Won't Try to Kill Himself' (The Sporting Blog)
Links: Lunch with Kenny and Charles (SLAM)