Deadspin mentioned earlier that Chris McKendry couldn't stop laughing during a segment on Corie Blount, and thanks to Keith's Sports Journal, we have the clip!

I can't tell if it was the upcoming quote, or the word marijuana, but that thing was just snowballing from the start. Arrests are serious things, but when a player's last name is Blount and he's arrested with 26 lbs of pot, it's okay to giggle.

Video of the Day: Chris Mckendry Needs a bag of Doritos (Keith's Sports Journal)

Three weeks ago Sports Illustrated reported that defensive lineman BJ Raji, a potential top five pick, had tested for marijuana. After denial, after denial from Raji and his agent, and even the NFL saying he was not on the list, SI has admitted they got it all wrong. Here is their apology, which popped up on SI.com today....

An SI.com report posted earlier this month incorrectly stated that Boston College defensive tackle B.J. Raji's name would appear on the NFL's list of players who tested positive for drugs at the NFL Scouting Combine in February. We regret the error.

Well that's nice of them. I'm all for having sources and sticking to them, but when you've got a young man's future in your hands, you absolutely have to provide all the info that you have. The evidence was flimsy at best, and thankfully Raji can move forward with his Draft Day experience.

Correction: BC's Raji not on NFL's drug list (Sports Illustrated)

It's rare that Charles Barkley doesn't have something to say, but following his December 31st arrest in Arizona, he decided to refrain from any comment on the matter. That was until this weekend, when the TNT analyst finally broke his silence at a celebrity Golf tournament of all places. Speaking to The Ledger (Lakeland, Florida), Barkley called the arrest a "mistake" and "100 percent" his fault, and even shared his thoughts on Michael Phelps....

"Clearly, I made a mistake drinking and driving. And I'm getting penalized for that, and rightfully so,'' Barkley said.

"Drinking and driving is a very serious thing. It was stupid, and it was 100 percent my fault,'' added Barkley, who said his return to the TV booth is up to TNT.

Barkley also offered an opinion on the ongoing situation with Olympic swimming champion Michael Phelps.

Phelps, who won eight gold medals at Beijing, has been assailed for a photo of him smoking marijuana with a bong pipe at a student party while visiting the University of South Carolina.

"I don't think he's the worst person in the world. Everybody's a hypocrite right now,'' Barkley said. "He made a mistake. He said he was sorry.

"I guess they want us to take him out back and shoot him,'' Barkley said. "He made a mistake and I wish him nothing but the best.''

Obviously nothing has changed in regards to Barkley's current problems, but I seriously hope that when he comes back on-air that he isn't a different commentator. I think a Pre-DUI Barkley would have probably made a comparison to the reaction of a black athlete being busted for marijuana, and without Barkley providing that, you can see that not that many people have even acknowledged the double standard in this instance.

With that said, Sports Business Journal's John Ourand, has just released the news that Barkley will be returning to TNT following the All-Star break....

TNT plans to bring Charles Barkley back to its “Inside the NBA” studio show soon after Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game, though the network has not picked a specific date.

The decision ends rumors that TNT would bring Barkley back for the coming weekend’s All-Star Game telecasts. Rather, Turner Sports President David Levy said he would make a decision “right after the All-Star Game.”

“He is going to continue to remain on a leave of absence through the All-Star Game. He will not be part of our All-Star Weekend festivities,” Levy said.

“It wasn’t a hard decision for me to give him some time off to get his legal matters straight and to get his personal life in order,” Levy said. “The question is, when is the right time to bring him back? There is no magic answer to that. It’s just a gut feel.”

I'll keep you posted on a date, and plans of Barkley's first on-air comments on the network.

Barkley Returns, Teams With Bean And Bryant for Charity Golf Event (The Ledger)
TNT to bring back Barkley following All-Star telecast (Sports Business Journal - $)

Jamal Anderson has been an analyst on ESPN's First Take for around a year, and on Saturday night the Former Falcons RB was arrested on felony cocaine possession, and misdemeanor marijuana possession charges, late Saturday night/early Sunday morning. From the AJC via Online Sports Guys....

“The patron had heard what he thought was sniffing from inside the stall and told the off-duty officer,” Fulton County Police spokesman Otis Redmond said. “The officer went into the restroom, heard the same sniffing and peered over the stall door. He saw Jamal Anderson and Mark Hudson sniffing two lines of powdered cocaine off the back of the toilet.”

Police found a 1-inch square bag of cocaine and a marijuana cigarette inside Anderson’s pocket. The men were arrested without incident and booked into the Fulton County Jail for felony possession of cocaine, Redmond said. Anderson was also cited for misdemeanor possession of marijuana.

Now I'm not condoning Anderson's actions in the least, but how many of you would run to a cop if you heard "sniffing noises" in a bathroom? I'm guessing just about none of you. Either way though, a crime is a crime, and cocaine possession is serious business. I wouldn't expect to see Anderson back on ESPN's airwaves anytime soon.

Ex-Falcons star Jamal Anderson released on drug charges (AJC)
A Really Dirty Bird (Online Sports Guys)

Last week we examined a post about how the lack of Sox and Yankees games were hurting Baseball ratings and that in the next few months that's pretty much all we were going to get in the upcoming weekends. Well according to Barry Horn of the Dallas Morning News, you can add the Texas Rangers and the "Josh Hamilton Story" to the mix as well....

Just about the time Sports Illustrated plastered Hamilton on its June 2 cover, Fox began making inquiries about shuffling its Saturday afternoon schedule to accommodate a Rangers game or three. But the team smartly had little interest in moving the three subsequent pre-All-Star Game Saturday home games from evenings to broiling afternoons in Arlington.

Imagine the raised eyebrows from coast to coast had TV listings showed the Rangers hosting the then-first-place Rays on Fox's June 7 broadcast. What next, the Arizona Cardinals hosting the Detroit Lions on NBC S unday Night Football?

Still, Fox remains hard at work trying to find a place for the Rangers in the coming weeks.

"We have major interest," is the way Fox spokesman Dan Bell summed it up.

Over at ESPN, Hamilton is "our new hero." That's how Len DeLuca, senior vice president for programming, described the Rangers center fielder.

"The Rangers are in the center of our radar screen now as opposed to the periphery," DeLuca said. "Josh Hamilton put them there. Now the team has to continue winning games."

Obviously the main weekend games are already set, but others can certainly be added and many of you in the midwest are usually the ones getting the third option on Saturdays. The story is wearing thin on real Baseball fans who have heard about it for the past few years, but for the weekend warriors it might actually pull in some viewers.

Hot air: Josh Hamilton adds to Texas Rangers' clout with networks (Dallas Morning News)

I pulled this for Deadspin this morning, but wanted to post it here as well. Here's Josh Hamilton's amazing run last night in the first round. There's some added Berman and Morgan as well for your entertainment....

I think after that we can officially say that his story has reached Favre-like proportions. Last night was awesome, but I think it's time to talk about something else when it comes to this kid. But that's just me.

The All Josh Hamilton Edition (Deadspin)

I really think our video friend decided to save this one for last. It's not as humorous as the original two but it does involve Berman explaining how to smuggle a Canadian concoction featuring codine called 222s into the States.....

"You always hope to have one Blue Jay game a year."

Yep that should just about complete the set.

(Thanks to reader KS for forwarding it on)

ESPN actually did a pretty cool thing during the Georgia-Georgia Tech game this afternoon. Brad Nessler switched booths to work with Georgia Radio's Larry Munson whom Nessler used to be partners with awhile back.

While that was all fun and good it was the exchange of goods between Nessler and Munson that caught the eyes of Nessler's partners Paul Maguire and Bob Griese.....

"...had to give Muns that cigar."- Brad Nessler
"We wondered what you were giving him."- Bob Griese
"We've been trading cigars for about 28 years."- Brad Nessler
"Voice sounds a little younger than yours.- Paul Maguire
"Does it?"- Brad Nessler
"We were wondering what you were giving him for after the game. You know my partner over here, he....."- Bob Griese
"I thought you were giving him a bud."- Paul Maguire

And to think, I once labeled the booth of Fowler, James, and Flutie the "Stoner Crew". I think we need to switch that title.