Poll results: Gina Carano edges out Serena

Tuesday October 13, 2009 9:26 PM By Mark La Monica

Last Friday, we asked you to choose which cover of ESPN The Magazine's "The Body Issue" would most entice you to buy the issue. Here are the results:

45% - Gina Carano
31% - Serena Williams
10% - Sarah Reinertsen
  6% - Adrian Peterson
  6% - Carl Edwards
  3% - Dwight Howard

Not surprisingly, the three women took the top three spots on the list. Not really sure what that says, but it says something. We'll let you decide what that something is.

Thanks to the more than 950 folks who voted.

In Brief: David Beckham looking for a new underwear deal

Friday October 9, 2009 4:37 PM By Anne Bratskeir

Super athlete David Beckham is looking to develop his own underwear brand according to Women’s Wear Daily.  

You’ve probably seen those sizzling black and white Emporio Armani Underwear ads over the past two years – the smoking hot, muscled, tattooed soccer player – bare torso -- sporting diminutive briefs and, how should we say it?  Well, not being demure.  Pretty racy – those ads are like eye magnets – as in, you’ve just got to stare.

He and his reps are supposedly in talks with several companies about creating a Beckham underwear line to be launched in 2010.

Any manufacturer would be crazy to turn him away.  Though he opted not to renew his contract with Emporio Armani, which expires this year, according to WWD, the brand’s sales doubled last year to more than $30 million.   The guy can definitely score with those tidy whities. 
 

Cabela's Big Game Hunter : From the bar to your living room

Friday October 9, 2009 3:30 PM By José Moreno

Big Game Hunter – its ranks up there with the nudie touch screen, boxing arcade, and watching six of your buddies ‘dancing’ ‘Pour Some Sugar On Me’ with one unsuspecting girl – as one of the top non-drinking activities you can do at a bar.

Now, you can wield that plastic shotgun and release you inner badass from the comfort of your own living room with Activision’s latest installment of ‘Cabela’s Big Game Hunter’ for the Wii, Xbox 360, and PS3.

The Xbox 360 and PS3 copies runs at $39, while The Wii version comes into two forms, $39 for just the game and $49 for the Top Shot peripheral bundle.

I got the chance to play the ‘Cabela’s Big Game Hunter” for the Wii and was impressed how it held up to its arcade predecessor.

The gun is surprisingly sturdy. The Wii Remote and Nunchuk fit seamlessly into the gun. The Nunchuk snaps into the handle and is used for both the trigger and player movement. The Wii Remote fits into the barrel, which is used primarily to aim.

The Wii version is also the only one that features 13 arcade style shooting galleries that can track the progress of up to four players at a time. Players can take aim at bears, ducks, deer, and dozens of more game.

There is also a career mode “where you play as outdoorsman Jack Wilde, who seeks global "Super Hunter" status as he travels across five continents seeking to bag the world's largest trophies.”

This is just based off first impressions, but personally I don’t see myself spending much time in career mode. ‘Cabela’s Big Game Hunter’ is one of those ‘relive those bar night scenes’ from the comfort of your own home with your friends. Player’s will probably spend some time playing as Jack Wilde, but mostly they’ll be trying to one up the high score on the bear body count.

Check back next week for the 'Cabela's Gig Game Hunter' review at Newsday.com/technology.

Check out the video for some game play footage (hunting attire forced on…I mean provided by my boss, Mark La Monica).

ESPN 'The Body Issue' magazine covers

Friday October 9, 2009 1:51 PM By Mark La Monica

Finally, 13 years after Stephon Marbury and Kevin Garnett suggested it, ESPN The Magazine finally released it's "all nude" issue.

OK, so they call it "The Body Issue," and although we have yet to make it to the newsstand on Friday to buy a copy, we're fairly certain there's no actual nudity.

Still, the six covers (supplied by ESPN) are sure to garner some buzz and discussion. Clockwise from top left, you've got Serena Williams (tennis), Carl Edwards (NASCAR), Adrian Peterson (NFL), Dwight Howard (NBA), Gina Carano (mixed martial arts) and Sarah Reinertsen (triathlons).

Which athlete on the cover would make you want to buy it? Vote in the poll on the right.

The crazy sport of noodling

Tuesday October 6, 2009 8:52 PM By Mark La Monica

Julia Louis-Dreyfus joked during her presenting of an award at the Emmys last month that this was the "last year of broadcast television."

It was funny then, as it is now. And probably somewhat, so long as the major networks keep serving up woefully unintelligent programming such as "Rock of The Biggest Race with the American Bachelorette's Stars" or whatever the heck they're calling this crop of new reality TV series.

The reality is this: If television is compelling, we will watch it, no matter what station it is. Take for example Tuesday night's season premiere of "E:60" on ESPN, the worldwide leader's version of CBS' "60 Minutes" and HBO's "Real Sports."

After the seventh inning ended with the Twins taking a 4-3 lead against the Tigers in the play-in game for the ALDS, I flipped from TBS to ESPN to avoid a commercial. And that's when the night changed. How could I go back to the game, a game as awesome and dramatic as it was, when ESPN began its segment on noodling?

Noodling? Noodling? What the heck is noodling?

It's what they call hand fishing in Missouri and Oklahoma. Basically, they old-school "fisherman" dive into the local river and catch catfish with their bear hands. Did Bill Bratske ever do that?

Some of these fish are 20 pounds, some are 50, one even surpassed the 100-pound mark on the scale. You have to be somewhat unique (OK, you have to be 20 nickels short of a dollar) to want to stick your hand into water and pull it out with a catfish attached to it.

Stil, this was some compelling television. Here's a little preview of the entire segment. Be sure to check your local listings for the next showing of "E:60." See you at the riverbank.

Old School Tuesday: Jobu!

Tuesday September 29, 2009 4:38 PM By Mark La Monica

Playoff baseball is almost here and at least we've got one division race worth watching in this final week.

Speaking of division races for the playoffs, can Jesus Christ hit a curveball?

Danica Patrick and ESPN's 'all nude' magazine?

Friday August 28, 2009 1:04 AM By Mark La Monica

ESPN announced this past June its printed property, ESPN The Magazine, would produce "The Body" issue. Male and female athletes would pose sans clothing (don't get too crazy, people, they'll be positioned, um, properly) in an effort to compete with Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit issue, which gets closer and closer to porn each year.

Thursday's Internet rumor of the day focused on Indy car driver Danica Patrick being among the athletes who posed for the October issue. It has been met with conflicting reports from all sides. All depends on what links Google serves up first when you search for it.

But we're not really concerned about any of that . . . yet. Call us in October and we'll meet you at the newsstand to discuss it.

Rather, let's talk about 1998. Who would have thought Disney would follow the advice of Kevin Garnett and Stephon Marbury. Crazy world we live in. Watch and see.

Photo: Danica Patrick, driver of the No. 7 Boost Mobile/Motorola Andretti Green Racing Dallara Honda, enters her car before the start of the IRL IndyCar Series 93rd running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 24, 2009, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. (Getty Images)

Holly Madison becomes an Octagon girl for UFC 100

Tuesday July 7, 2009 12:44 PM By Mark La Monica

Really, there's no news beyond that headline, but we'll repeat it again for those of you who may want a different verb tense: Holly Madison will be an Octagon girl for UFC 100 this Saturday in Las Vegas.

It's also an excuse to post a photo of Madison, a former Playmate, "Girl Next Door" and girlfriend of Hugh Hefner who is now starring in the Las Vegas show "Peep Show" at Planet Hollywood.

Madison's role as a Octagon girl consists of, in this order: Wearing skimpy clothes, looking hot, walking around an eight-sided cage, holding up a sign that indicates which round is about to start while walking around that eight-sided cage, and then blowing a kiss to the camera that follows her as she walks back to her seat.

She's joined by veteran UFC Octagon Girls Arianny Celeste, Logan Stanton and Edith Labelle.

>> Read more about UFC 100

Joanna Krupa is the envy of the NFL

Tuesday June 23, 2009 9:25 PM By Mark La Monica

Somewhere, Donovan McNabb, Tony Romo and dozens of other NFL players are smiling and Googling "Joanna Krupa."

The supermodel talked mad trash to and about her teammate Terrell Owens in the first episode of "The Superstars." Seems she didn't appreciate losing the loser's race in tandem kayaking. She refused to talk to the "media," sideline reporter Jenn Brown. Owens did the same.

She also didn't enjoy Owens getting his foot caught in the cargo net, the final hurdle in the elimination obstacle course. She also lolly-gagged it a bit herself.

Among her many quips aimed at the Pro Bowl wide receiver who has been known to talk a good (or bad) game:

"I'll be a prima donna like you been"

"So cocky? For what? You got in the NFL?"

"Un[bleeping]believable."

"I don't want a teammate like that. Calls himself an athlete. What does he get a million dollars for?"

"No T.O., Not 'Let's go.' You're the one that [bleeped] up. We could have won. So shut up!"

Wow!

Someone actually said what they were really thinking about T.O. when there was a camera and a microphone around. I still love Owens as a football player and a talker. I just love Krupa a little more right now. She was quite bitchy, which is an instant turnoff, but at least she spoke her mind, so if I appreciate when T.O. does that, I must do the same here. If given the choice of who to support as a fan, though, I'll take T.O. any day. Sorry, Joanna, being hot can only get you so far in life.

Of course, Owens got the final quip in when he dropped this gem as the eliminated pair did the walk of shame off "The Superstars":

"I really feel bad for her boyfriend. I really feel bad for him."

P.S. In the interest of full disclosure, I had the Owens-Krupa team as the No. 2 seed and the Lisa Leslie-Dan Cortese team as the No. 1 seed in my "Superstars" preseason rankings. Guess which two teams faced off in the sudden death obstacle course?

You can watch the unedited video of Krupa going off on T.O. here. Note: Lots of cussin', by the way.

>> Meet The Superstars

>> Vote: Who will win "The Superstars"?

Handicapping the cast of 'The Superstars'

Tuesday June 23, 2009 1:24 PM By Mark La Monica

I grew up watching ABC's "Wide World of Sports" and "Superstars," and I'm fine if that makes it easier for you to figure out that I'm old. So when ABC announced it was bringing back "The Superstars" this summer, I was quite excited. Finally, there's something to watch in the summer when I get mad at the Yankees for giving up five runs one inning after they scored four.

Eight athlete-celebrity pairs will compete for the title, with one team being eliminated each week. Thankfully, the voting public has nothing to vote on with this show, so it might actually determine the true superstars instead of just the superstar team with the most Twitter followers and Facebook friends.

Events include swimming, biking, running, kayaking and other head-to-head competition including the obstacle course. In the spirit of competition, Pet Rock will now rank the teams and predict the winner.

8) Jeff Kent & Ali Landry

He's a baseball player with a mustache and it's not 1985 anymore. She's a Miss USA winner and the Doritos girl. And that's about as far as this team will go.

7) Jennifer Capriati & David Charvet

Now we'll find out just how much of Charvet's running on the beach in "Baywatch" was acting and how much was real. Capriati was a world-class tennis player

6) Brandi Chastain & Julio Iglesias Jr.

She's a soccer superstar, so she'll be well-conditioned. He's the son of Julio Inglesias who's not named Enrique. Nor is he dating Anna Kournikova. End of the line.

5) Kristi Leskinen & Maksim Chmerkovskiy

Leskinen is a Winter X Games stud, and although she'll be competing in warm-weather events, that mind-set will carry her team through a few weeks. Chmerkovskiy is a "Dancing With the Stars" veteran and might get another chance to be on television without a shirt.

4) Robert Horry & Estella Warren

Unlike the entire NBA in the final 10 seconds of a game, I know enough to know that Robert Horry needs to be covered. Big Shot Rob will come through with a clutch performance once again for us, but it won't be enough to win it all. Before acting, Warren was a synchronized swimmer in Canada. That will bode well in the kayaking portion. I have some concerns about Horry's height in that kayak!

3) Bode Miller & Paige Hemmis

Never underestimate the heart of an Olympian, even if that Olympian is a big-time partyer who has admitted to drunken skiing in the past. And Hemmis is an extremist, too, albeit on ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition."

2) Terrell Owens & Joanna Krupa

Some may turn away at the thought of the talkative T.O. on their football team, but no one can deny his athletic prowess. Krupa is seriously hot and I'm guessing that will propel this duo to the final round.

1) Lisa Leslie & Dan Cortese

She's a basketball champion, an Olympic champion and can dunk. He was a football player in college and used to host MTV Sports. Cortese could be the most athletic celebrity on the show, thereby making this team the favorite.

>> Meet The Superstars

>> Vote: Who will win "The Superstars"?

>> Joanna Krupa is the envy of the NFL

Charlie Murphy is getting his basketball on

Monday June 8, 2009 12:23 AM By Mark La Monica

Tired of kicking Rick James around a hotel room and slapping him in the face at the China Club, Charlie Murphy is back!

He's put down the True Hollywood Stories, and even his MC Gusto persona, and become Leroy Smith, the guy who beat out Michael Jordan for the last spot on the varsity basketball team in 10th grade. This site is hilarious. Charlie Murphy, er, Leroy Smith will teach you how to get your basketball on.

And you need to play his online video game at getyourbasketballon.com. The first quarter is Shirts vs. Blouses easy, but once Leroy gets "motivized," be somewhere else. He's unstoppable, and he doesn't need to run Darling Pikky or Computer Blue plays. I'd rather play Prince than Leroy Smith in basketball. At least then I'd get some pancakes at the end. Leroy just gives you impressive stats after he smokes you at two-on-two.

Carlos Zambrano ejection video

Thursday May 28, 2009 12:57 AM By Mark La Monica

This is quite an amusing video. Carlos Zambrano, a highly combustible and highly talented pitcher for the Chicago Cubs, got ejected from Wednesday's game for bumping the home plate umpire. That's when it got really fun.

Zambrano, flabbergasted at the safe call at the plate, refused to be alone in his ejection, so he threw the umpire out of the game. Of course, that means nothing on the field but means just about everything on YouTube.

Enjoy the show. We haven't seen anything this funny involving home plate umpires since Enrico Palazzo in "The Naked Gun."

Calvin Borel, the Preakness and Stacy Keibler

Saturday May 16, 2009 9:11 PM By Mark La Monica

Everyone always complains about milkshakes and doping of horses in what was once the sport of kings, but no one seems too upset when the jockeys get a hug from a hottie. That is certainly performance-enhancing, don't you think?

Stacy Keibler, former WWE Diva and "Dancing With Stars" contestant, hangs out with Kentucky Derby winning jockey Calvin Borel at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore hours before he won the Preakness.

If I had to bet who would wear a see-through shirt and show us a little nipple in this photo, I'm fairly certain I wouldn't have chosen Borel. I mean, maybe in an exacta with Keibler, but definitely not across the board.

>> See scenes from the Preakness

Gary Dell'Abate blows Mets first pitch

Monday May 11, 2009 6:16 AM By Adam Abramson

Howard Stern's long time producer Gary Dell'Abate is infamously known as Baba Booey. The history of the nickname comes from a mistake Dell'Abate made in the studio many years ago.

Saturday, Baba Booey messed up again. Big time. Watch it.

Ouch, Gary.

This pitch just makes me cringe. I watched it live about 15 times. As someone who pitched for 10 years, he should have called me and not a sports psychologist, as he claims. The key is to put zip on the ball, Gary. And throw over the top. I really can't decide what it looked like -- maybe a boomerang throw? But I've never thrown a boomerang. It just looks horrible.

Click here to see photos of Howard Stern through the years

Continuing to pile on, it's one of the most unathletic things I've ever seen from a grown man.

It ranks second to this pitch.

It should be noted that Dell'Abate -- a HUGE Mets fan -- was stepping on the mound to help Autism Awareness.

Actually, I can't stop without posting one more point of reference.

Baba Booey was bested by Kim Kardashian, in heels.

Click here to see Kim Kardashian photos

'Facing Ali': Muhammad Ali through opponents' eyes

Wednesday April 22, 2009 11:11 AM By Jose Moreno

Twenty eight years after his last fight former boxing Heavyweight Champion Muhammad Ali continues to transcend the boxing world. The iconic Ali and his legendary bouts, "The Fight of the Century," "Rumble in the Jungle," "Thrilla in Manila," have become highlights of the fabric of American culture and will be the focus of the Ali biopic documentary "Facing Ali."

The soon to be released film looks to reincarnate Ali's golden age through the eyes of his opponents. From champs like George Foreman and Joe Frazier, to the contenders like Earnie Shavers and Larry Holmes, the documentary recounts the anecdotes and tells the opinions about Ali as seen by his opponents.

The film looks to be based on the critically acclaimed 2004 biographical book "Facing Ali: 15 fighters, 15 stories."

No word yet on when the film is being released, but check out the trailer below.

American Idol vs. March Madness

Thursday March 26, 2009 1:41 PM By Mark La Monica

Thursday is a monster night for television, with the Sweet 16 round of March Madness beginning and "American Idol" continuing. (And "Grey's Anatomy" of course.)

It begs the question, at least in my mind: Which is the bigger force in pop culture? Let's break it down a bit and then vote.

American Idol has more viewers, but March Madness has far more people filling out brackets.

American Idol has a longer season, but March Madness packs a powerful punch for what amounts to three weekends.

American Idol has Simon Cowell. March Madness has Gus Johnson.

American Idol has quite-hot Kara DioGuardi. March Madness has Cinderella.

American Idol has Randy Jackson's "Dawg." March Madness has Bill Raftery's "Onions!"

American Idol has the "Judges' save." March Madness has buzzer-beaters.

American Idol has a record contract at the end of its season. March Madness has "One Shining Moment."

American Idol has spun the world into a tizzy during its time in the pop culture world, not unlike what March Madness did in the mid-1980s with its 64-team field and brackets.

American Idol allows people to help decide who wins the whole shebang. March Madness allows people to win money on the outcome of games.

After you vote, spend some time in our American Idol blog.

- La Monica

'Ugly Betty' and translating TV ratings

Thursday March 19, 2009 9:24 AM By Mark La Monica

The March 5 episode of "Ugly Betty" didn't do so well in terms of ratings, at least compared with its history. Have a look at how Entertainment Weekly addressed it in its March 20, 2009, issue:

OFF THE CHART Things are, um, ugly with ABC's Ugly Betty (No. 50): The prime-time dramedy just notched its lowest-rated episode ever, drawing a meager 6.3 million viewers - a 35 percent drop from the season premiere.

In television terms, that number isn't so good for a prime-time show on a major network.

But one of my favorite things to do in life is take things from one environment and see how they stack up in others. So, what exactly would 6.3 million people doing the same thing mean in other areas? Well, let's see:

Movies: Based on the 2008 average ticket price of $7.18, 6.3 million viewers would create $45,234,000 in box-office revenue. That would make it No. 105 on the all-time opening weekend list (as of March 16, 2009). Not too shabby.

Music: We're pretty certain a music label would sell its collective soul for 6.3 million in album sales. Six-times platinum, or 63 percent of the way toward diamond status, would certainly make a lot people very happy.

Books: Stephenie Meyer's 2005 book "Twilight" is one of the top sellers of the decade. Total copies in print: approximately 3.3 million.

Politics: If 68 percent of those 6.3 million voted for John McCain instead of Barack Obama, he'd have won the popular vote and we might have a different president.

Sports: The Yankees (4,298,655) and Mets (4,042,047) were the only teams in major league baseball to draw more than 4 million fans for the entire 2008 home season.

Baseball: Based on the 2008 attendance average of 32,516 per game, it would take baseball 194 games to boast 6.3 million fans.

Football: The Washington Redskins led the NFL in home attendance in 2008 with an average of 88,604 fans. They would need to play 71 home games at that rate to match the number of people that watched "Ugly Betty" last week.

- La Monica

Rock Pile, Round 3: A-Rod, Annie Duke and more

Tuesday March 17, 2009 1:07 PM By Mark La Monica

Pet Rock scours the Internet to find you some things that we didn't create but are still worth your time. We're all-encompassing like that.

- Good cover story in the April 2009 issue of Details about Alex Rodriguez, written by Jason Gay. Most people will mock the A-Rod photographs by Steven Klein, which look more like ads for Guess, Nike or some other apparel company. (Note: They'll mock the content, not the quality.) But the story is a good read, so give it a few minutes of your time.

- I could spend all week on The Onion's Web site, but for now, we'll just show you this amusing Blockbuster Video Store segment. Thanks to Homeroom friend Dave K for the tip.

- It seems Annie Duke is blogging after each episode of "Celebrity Apprentice." Here's her take on Episode 3. Too bad the Diceman isn't around anymore.

- We probably shouldn't laugh at this, but it's funny.

- This is just plain silly, but if you ever had a computer crash or screw up on you, you're guaranteed a laugh. Props to cell phone magnate friend Jabbar B. Doll for the link.

There IS such a thing as a stupid question

Monday February 9, 2009 3:48 PM By Mark La Monica

The economy is tanking by the hour. At this rate, we're about three days away from revisiting the type of era that led to Grandmaster Flash's "The Message" and some of rap's greatest work.

Anything can happen in the Middle East right now. Healthcare is in the dumper. Foreclosures on nearly every street. There's no room left in the mattresses to hide our money.

And Michael Fletcher from the Washington Post asked President Barack Obama at his first primetime press conference to the nation: "What is your reaction to Alex Rodriguez's admission that he used steroids as a member of the Texas Rangers?"

Really? OK, no, seriously? No, no, for real, seriously? Honestly?

Ladies and gentlemen, change really has to America! There is such a thing as a stupid question.

Fletcher gets the floor from his president, and that's the best he can do? Really? Surely, there's something more important he could have come up with, right?

Ouch.

Glad I'm not in that newsroom tonight or tomorrow.

I'm not the shrewdest political mind in town, but even I know this is about the dumbest thing ever. And We Love DC agrees with me!

What's G? Our taste-test panel found out

Friday February 6, 2009 6:15 AM By Adam Abramson

About a month ago, a commercial hit the airwaves that had everyone talking and asking "What's G?"

After all, the voice-over from Lil Wayne was asking the same thing.

Well, we found out that G is Gatorade.

Consider G the new look and feel of Gatorade, a staple in American athletics. The G campaign is very sleek and dramatic, as seen in the promo.

Remember the stepsisters of the original Gatorade? Frost, Rain, A.M., X-Factor, etc. Well, those names are now history. Start calling them G2, Be Tough, Bring It, No Excuses, etc.

Well, the kind folks from Gatorade sent along samples and we at Pet Rock had to put together a G tasting panel. A group of seven decided to find out exactly what is G and report the results.

We rated each new rendition of G on a 1-to-5 scale, 5 being the highest.

Our findings:

In summary, the Bring It and Be Tough stack up well. Tiger is not quite up to par (intended) ... unless you're Mark D.

While G has a whole new look and feel, you're not going to get much of a different taste when you make your purchase.

And, as highlighted by the table, it's different strokes for different folks. Before G, I'm sure all of us would have rated the products the same (yet, so different).

What's G? It's Gatorade, and so much more.

"It's swagger..." -- Candace Parker

"When I think of G, I think of something real..." -- Dwayne Wade

"G is inspiration. To me it's motivational, dedication, all the things it takes for you to succeed..." -- Michael Jordan

"Always trying to be better, each and every day. The greatest thing about tomorrow, is that I will be better than I am today." -- Tiger Woods

"G means good deeds. That's first." -- Billie Jean King

"Able to go out every night and know you're the best their is, anywhere..." -- Bill Russell

"Accountability, responsibility. Keeping yourself in shape. Keeping yourself healthy to be there for your teammates." -- Peyton Manning

"G is a mind set. It's a sense of calmness that you have when you're in big situations. When other people might be overwhelmed, you're able to relax and really focus. That's what G means to me." -- Derek Jeter

Newsday.com(edy) presents: 'Boomer & Carton, a mockumentary'

Wednesday February 4, 2009 1:34 AM By Mark La Monica

(Newsday / Alan Raia)

Woke up one morning last October to the sweet sounds of Emmanuelle Chriqui from "Entourage" on WFAN's Boomer & Carton morning show.

Every weekday morning since starts with an alarm clock followed by "Boomer & Carton." I'm fairly certain that I'd fall back asleep within 12 seconds if I didn't live in the coverage area of WFAN. Their show cracks me up every time I listen, which is every morning, every week. It's sports, humor and pop culture, pretty much everything I do every day.

Boomer Esiason and Craig Carton have great banter and never seem to shy away from saying just about anything. It makes for great radio, especially in the morning when my initial concerns are "Do my socks match?" "Did I sleep through any emails that will negatively impact my day at the office?" and "Where the heck did I put my keys last night?"

So when WFAN actually went for my idea of doing a behind-the-scenes mockumentary with Esiason and Carton, I was quite excited. And surprised.

As Multimigo friend Mario and I walked toward WFAN's studio in Astoria the day of the shoot in January, the conversation went like this:

"How did you get them to agree to this?" Mario asked. 

"I have no idea, dude," I said. "Just shut up and start filming!"

I understand that everyone has their own opinions on everything, so some of you may disagree with my enjoyment of their show. That's cool. We like what we like and dislike what we dislike. No harm, no foul. Still, I think you'll enjoy the debut project from newsday.com(edy). Boomer and Carton were excellent sports about my idea and played along perfectly. 

Singing the national anthem: Jennifer Hudson vs. Whitney Houston

Monday February 2, 2009 11:24 AM By Corris Little

On Sunday, Jennifer Hudson performed at Super Bowl XLIII in her first public appearance since the murders of her mother, brother and nephew. She sang a stirring rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" to a crowd I believe was cheering for her return just as much as they were cheering for the big game.

The last time I heard such a moving tribute was in 1991 at Super Bowl XXV when Whitney Houston melted our hearts with her version of the national anthem. A recording of her performance was sold to raise money for soldiers in the Persian Gulf and and their families. I still have my copy!

Both singers did a phenomenal job, but who sang it better? Whitney or Jennifer?

Watch Whitney Houston sing the national anthem at Super Bowl XXV. Check out the blonde with the '80s hair while you're at it!

Watch Jennifer Hudson belt out the national anthem at Super Bowl XLIII. Is it me or does Jennifer look a little nervous?

First Look: Super Bowl XLIII commercials

Friday January 30, 2009 5:07 AM By Corris Little

Are you ready for some football? Actually, I'm not much of a football fan, but every year I look forward to watching the Super Bowl half-time show (Prince's dippity doo-rag and Janet's wardrobe malfunction were enjoyable moments) and all the funny commericals aired throughout the big game.

Well, you don't have to wait 'til Sunday to get a sneak peek at the creative ads for Super Bowl XLIII ... we've got 'em right here! We'll be adding more Super Bowl commercials as we get them, so be sure to visit Pet Rock often.

While you're at it, check out Newsday Sports for complete coverage of Super Bowl XLIII.

TiVo alert: Joe Torre on Larry King

Wednesday January 28, 2009 10:26 AM By Mark La Monica

Joe Torre, New York, you're live with Larry King, go, hello!

Torre, the former Yankees manager and current Dodgers skipper sits down on Larry King Live to discuss . . . whether Redpack is better than Contadina or Del Monte when it comes to using canned tomatos to make homemade sauce.

OK, we're kidding about the topic. Unless you've been out of the country the past few days, is there anything else you think they're going to talk about besides "The Yankee Years."

It's Torre's new book, written by/with SI's Tom Verducci, and the tell-all has turned New York into a talk-all. Everyone in the sports media world -- and nearly every sports fan here -- has been abuzz with whether or not Torre said this or said that about A-Rod, Jeter, Steinbrenner and the rest of the Yankees during his 1995-2007 tenure.

Torre gives his first full-length, no gag-order public interview with King on Friday at 9 p.m. EDT on CNN. Set your TiVos and DVRs. "The Yankee Years" will be in bookstores Tuesday, Feb. 3.

Old School Tuesday: Happy Birthday William "The Refigerator" Perry

Tuesday December 16, 2008 6:01 AM By Corris Little

Today's Old School Tuesday pays tribute to William "The Refigerator" Perry. The former defensive tackle for the Chicago Bears turned 46 today!

Perry retired from football in the mid-1990s but made occasional appearances in ESPN and Coors commercials. Known for his ability to pack it away, the Fridge ate his way to second place in Nathan's Hot Dog Eating contest back in 2003.

Anyone remember him in "The Super Bowl Shuffle"? Well, if you don't, shame on you! Here's a clip of the famous song to enjoy.

While you're at it, check out The Refrigerator's Web site (www.fridge72.com) where you can buy your very own copy of the song or an official throwback jersey.

Last night, T.I. and Rihanna saved my life

Sunday November 30, 2008 8:04 PM By Mark La Monica

In music, as it is in near-miss car accidents, timing is everything.

Driving home in that awful rain from that awful Jets game Sunday night, life took an interesting turn. OK, more like an interesting, uncontrollable, life-threatening spin-out.

What began as a routine exit from the Southern State Parkway quickly turned into a "Wow, hey, look at that, I'm no longer in control of my vehicle, and oh joy, that's a metal pole coming right at me, and oh look, I'm facing the wrong way now and here come four cars in my direction, sweet!"

But Pet Rock must throw props to the Power 105.1 FM programming director who has "Live Your Live" by T.I. and Rihanna in heavy rotation. See, when your life flashes before your eyes, you somehow remember every exact detail about that moment.

And just as I nearly found a starring role in the Long Island car accident photo gallery, "Live Your Life" was playing on my car radio. Never before had I fully felt the power of the hook for that song, no matter how hot the tune is.

But as I sat in my car, inches away from that metal pole and facing the highway I supposedly just exited with headlights zipping passed me, all I could hear was "So live your life, ay ay ay. / You Steady Chasin that paper. / Just live your life (Oh! ), ay ay ay."

Yes, indeed, I'm just living my life, thanks to some nifty accident avoidance. Last night, Rihanna and T.I. saved my life.

You may think I'm crazy for claiming that a song called "Live Your Life" made me stay alive. Well, do you think any divine intervention came from the way the Jets played in the monsoon? Um, heck to the no!

But wait, there's more.

Once I restarted my car, and all the other cars had passed me by on the very narrow two-lane exit ramp (thanks for stopping to check on me, people!), I swear to the deity of your choosing that the next song on the radio was "Bust Your Windows" by Jazmine Sullivan!

I really wish I could make up that irony. But if those songs were reversed, this story wouldn't exist. Nor would my car. Nor me. As if I needed another reason to love Rihanna!

Give the two songs a listen below and then someone please find me a "Free T.I." T-shirt online. I'll wear it proudly! Heck, I'd even rock one of those Rihanna dominatrix outfits she performs in. (Sure, that wouldn't be all that attractive on me, but she saved my life, so I owe her one.)

A political-sports debate switcheroo

Tuesday October 7, 2008 8:04 PM By Mark La Monica

For some obscure reason, I watched a lot of pregame debate coverage Tuesday night. Why I did this, I don't know, especially with "Boston Legal," "Gossip Girl" and "90210" resting comfortably in my DVR.

For some obscure reason, I chose to watch MSNBC's pregame show. Again, not really sure why I did such a thing, but at least it got me thinking.

What if, for the final presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead on Oct. 15, we completely flip the script in terms of pregame?

What if we take all those "Change," "Yes We Can" and "McCain-Palin" signs dancing in the air behind Chris Matthews and put them behind Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Lee Corso and the rest of the crew of ESPN's College Gameday. Then, we take all those "Facebook Me!," "Gator Bait" and "Go Bama! Roll Tide!" signs and put them behind the set of "Harball."

ESPN rules the college football world, and its College Gameday show is just about the best pregame show on television, regardless of sport. "Hardball" is pretty much interchangeable with all the other political/pundit shows, so we can substitute any show there.

Switching it up to let the college football guys do their thing in a political realm and let the political guys do their thing in a college football realm would make for fantastically humorous television for a few hours, don't you think?

Think of the hype surrounding whether or not Lee Corso dons an elephant head or a donkey head at the end of the show. How many times will Corso say "closer than the experts think?" Can Herbstreit pull another Upset Alert out of nowhere?

Imagine what the political pundits could do with their Top 25 ranking analysis. How about the heated bowl game/playoff system debate?

Whoa, nelly. That's change we can believe in!

Who wants to knock out Michael Lohan?

Monday October 6, 2008 7:24 AM By Mark La Monica

Have you ever just been sitting around your home or office and said to yourself, "Man, I'd like to knock out that Michael Lohan guy!"

OK, probably not. You're more likely to say "Dang, I'd like to get with that Michael Lohan guy's daughter, Lindsay."

Well, Pet Rock can only help you with the first thought. An email came across our inbox this morning and we just had to call to confirm it . . . and then blog it.

Here's the screaming headline from the press release:

Highest Bidder Gets a Chance to Knock Out Lindsay Lohan's Father Michael in Charity Boxing Match***

If that doesn't grab your attention, then turn in your reading skills at the door and just look at pictures from now on.

Here's the skinny: He or she who ponies up the most money (opening bid is $5,000) gets to step in the ring for three rounds with Michael Lohan at the annual Long Island Fight for Charity on Nov. 24 at the Hilton Hotel in Melville.

Start scrounging up the money, people. Lift up the cushions in your couch. Find that loose change at the bottom of your golf bag. Go to softball and football fields near your home and dig through the Dumpsters for empty bottles and cans to return. Dip into your 401(k). Do what you gotta do to pull together the scratch and then submit your offers to boxing@lifightforcharity.com.

If you can't afford to step in the ring, at least buy a ticket. Just think of the possible matchups:

• Calum Best

• Perez Hilton

• Samantha Ronson

• Dina Lohan

• A paparazzo

• Rumor Willis

The possibilities are endless. I'd like to see Lindsay step into the ring and exercise any anger left over since she recorded "Daughter to Father." However, she'd have to enter the ring to "Mama Said Knock You Out!"

Reflections from Yankee Stadium

Sunday September 21, 2008 11:58 PM By Mark La Monica

This one is dedicated to Mom, Dad, my brother and everyone else who drank inordinate amounts of Dellwood milk in the 1980s to get enough proofs of purchase to earn free tickets to a Yankee game. (Those seats were usually pretty good, too!)

That was just one of the many memories running through my mind Sunday afternoon, evening and night as I sat in Yankee Stadium for the final game.

Yankee Stadium is a sports icon, a pop culture icon, a life icon for its fans. It's every bit the cathedral that people say it is. From the first moment you make it through the section runway and see that blue wall and green grass, you're fixated on everything that is Yankee Stadium. Ruth. Gehrig. DiMaggio. Mantle. Reggie. The Pope. The Beatles. The greatest game ever played. Berra. Mattingly. Jeter. Rivera. Etc.

As I mulled about the Stadium for more than 10 hours with fellow Pet Rocker Adam, aka Hokies fan Big Cat, my brain went in roughly 46 directions trying to remember where I sat for more than 100 games in The Stadium.

How I shed a few tears in Row 3 on Aug. 31, 1997 when my childhood hero Don Mattingly had his number retired.

How Restaurant friend Rob, Consultant friend Jay and I stayed through seven rounds of Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York" on Oct. 15, 2001, after the Yankees beat the A's in Game 5 of the ALDS (the year of the "Jeter Flip Play" when the Yanks dropped the first two games of the series).

How I'll have to name at least one of my future sons Michael in honor of Weatherman friend Mike who ponied up his tickets for this game.

How I screamed like the 22-year-old lunatic that I was from the fifth row -- two boxes to the left of then-NYC mayor Rudy Guiliani -- on Sept. 30, 1997, as Tim Raines, Derek Jeter and Paul O'Neill hit back-to-back-to-back home runs to come back from a 6-3 deficit in the sixth inning and beat Cleveland, 8-6, in Game 1 of the ALDS.

How Opening Day 1997 stung a bit watching Mattingly, who retired from baseball after the 1995 season, help raise the 1996 World Series banner.

How those four girls sitting in front of me, Rob and Lawyer friend Scurvy in the third-to-last row of the upper deck in right field were so annoying at the April 10, 1998 home opener, but how that 17-13 win over the A's was so awesome to witness.

How, on April 8, 2005, I got booed at Yankee Stadium.

How Dad scored front row tickets next to the visitor's dugout and how I almost got a foul ball if not for the 8-foot-7 Swede sitting three rows behind us who turned into Plastic Man and reached right over my 10-year-old body to snatch that ball.

How Dad, my brother and my grandfather cheered for me when I was the fan they froze the Diamond Vision screen on during my 11th birthday in 1986.

How Mom would make us roast beef sandwiches to bring to the Stadium when we sat in those Dellwood seats.

How I came up with my "Live from the Bronx" idea and sat in a different seat each inning during Opening Day 2006 and wrote about the scene and people around me.

How I did it again for Opening Day 2007 and a guy in the bleachers remembered me and how I remembered that his ritual was to wash his car the night before Opening Day and how how wife still thinks he's crazy.

How I printed dozens of "Da-ryl" and "Ti-No" signs and passed them out in the bleachers for the 1998 playoffs.

How I nearly passed out when Mattingly walked by me during batting practice in 2004 when I covered my first Yankee game as a journalist.

How I sat in the Yankee dugout, next to Joe Torre, with a pen, pad, voice recorder and six buckets of butterflies in my stomach.

How, for the first time, I traveled from the Yankee clubhouse, down the walkway, into the Yankee dugout and onto the field at Yankee Stadium, the same way legends did.

How Mattingly was the only reason to go to Yankee Stadium in the late 1980s and early 1990s and we didn't care because it was Mattingly.

How I once sat in Row A.

How on Oct. 5, 2006, Mama La Monica had set a wake-up call at her hotel in Italy to call me and see if the Yankees had won Game 3 of the ALDS because I had covered it from the auxiliary press box in right field.

How me and Chef friend Kate took Lawyer friend Jason and lovely wife Saira to their first Yankee game in the summer of 2000, and how I went to get them beers and came back to see Jason holding a foul ball he caught from Mo Vaughn.

How he still taunts me about it to this day.

How he never once offered me the ball for taking him to the game.

How there are so many other moments that I'll never forget, from the subway rides to getting lost in traffic to taking the ferry to the Stadium to the in-game conversations with friends and random people.

How, in April 2008, a guy sitting behind me offered an over-under of 2 runs that Kyle Farnsworth would give up when he came into the game. How I said "I'll take the over and parlay that with the under of 12 pitches before he gives up a bomb!" How Farnsworth served up a three-run homer on his seventh pitch.

How Angels fan Tim, aka Hughest, laughed and loved my "dignified Yankee clap" even though the Yanks lost to the Angels every time he and I went to the game.

How, on Sept. 21, 2008, I saw Mariano Rivera pitch a perfect ninth inning for the final time in Yankee Stadium.

How I set a personal best and chanted "PB! PB!" when the eighth round of Sinatra's "New York, New York" blared across the Yankee Stadium sound system after that final out.

How I didn't get any dirt from the last game at Yankee Stadium.

How that doesn't matter because I got the memory of a lifetime, and how it's 3:58 a.m. right now and I still have goosebumps just thinking about this moment life handed me.

At the DNC: Wipe me down!

Monday August 25, 2008 8:22 AM By Mark La Monica

DENVER - Upon first scan of brainwaves, you wouldn't think Dirty South rapper Lil Boosie could ever be related to the Democratic National Convention.

But after security checkpoints on nearly every corner just to get near the major Secret Service security checkpoint, I found myself singing the lyrics to Lil Boosie's song "Wipe Me Down."

Maybe it was the 6 a.m. wakeup call. Maybe it was the heat. Maybe it's just the way my mind works. But maybe, just maybe, it was the three bag checks followed up with another bag check, an X-ray scan, a metal detector walkthrough AND a patdown.

Seriously, it makes taking your shoes off at the airport the most reasonable thing anyone has ever asked us to do.

Oh wait, here's the best part. The final security guard doing the pat down took a pot shot at me. I guess he didn't like my Jets T-shirt (dude, it was hot and a long walk and I didn't want to sweat up my real shirt).

"The Jets?!?" he said emphatically.

"Why, what team do you like?" I asked.

"I'm a college football fan, but you're wearing a Jets shirt so I figured I'd make fun of you."

"Well, sir" I responded, quickly gauging how much I should try to get away with. "Your gun is bigger than my gun, so I have no choice but to take that from you. Have a grand day."

TiVo alert: USA vs. Spain in Olympic hoops

Thursday August 14, 2008 8:14 PM By Admin

Saturday, Aug. 16, 10:15 a.m. on NBC.

Set your TiVos and DVRs asap, just in case you don't wake up in time after partying Friday night. It's the U.S. and its so-called Redeem Team and defending world champion Spain in pool play of the Olympic men's basketball competition.

It's a good thing to watch on its face but Pet Rock loyalists should take greater interest in the outcome of this game. You see, Pet Rock gets mad crazy over the Olympics and tends to say things out loud, such as "Blake will beat Nadal in the final, I mean, provided Nadal even gets that far."

That cost Pet Rock an in-office bet with our Cars guy Jose. If Nadal wins, I have to wear Spain's flag as a cape in the office all day. If Blake wins, Cars guy Jose has to don the stars and stripes.

This comes on the heels of the USA-Spain bet between Cars guy Jose and Pet Rocker Adam, aka Campus Confidential. That one involves the growing and grooming of a mustache. So, please, my dear Pet Rock loyalists, root for good ol' USA on Saturday morning. Trust me, you don't want to see Adam with a mustache. He looks like the Unabomber's nephew.

Just in case you need more reason to root for USA, peep the dunk of the year from Dwyane Wade and Kobe Bryant. Whoa, mama!

- La Monica

Beijing Nights: The legend of Jason Lezak

Sunday August 10, 2008 7:37 PM By Mark La Monica

Those pesky French 4x100 freestyle relayers got all American in recent articles about the Olympics: They talked a whole lotta smack.

"The Americans? We're going to smash them. That's what we came here for," said Alain Bernard.

Don't be sure, Al. The difference between talking the talk and walking the walk is night and day.

If my American television coverage is accurate, you just lost to Michael Phelps and the rest of the boys, including Garrett Weber-Gale, Cullen Jones and Jason Lezak. In fact, you entered the pool for the anchor leg in the lead then lost it at the end to Lezak and the U.S. of A.

Eat it, France! Shake 'n bake! These colors don't run, baby!

Oh wait, you got the silver. Second place ain't so bad, right? Just ask Jean Girard.

Pet Rock catches Olympic fever

Sunday August 10, 2008 5:47 PM By Mark La Monica

Half-asleep still on Saturday morning, I screamed at the television because two guys I never heard of came in fifth out of five in a rowing preliminary event.

Wide-awake of Saturday afternoon, I pumped a fist or two when some 2008 high school graduate rallied from five points down to win third place in an event that with all its technological advances is the closest we'll ever to get to a real lightsaber fight.

Fully functional on Saturday evening, I got really mad when some tall bald guy and short dude with a goatee, ranked No. 1 in the world, got lost in the sand to some dudes from Latvia. Latvia! They have beaches in Latvia?

The emotional rollercoaster continued Sunday through hoops, gymnastics and swimming. What the hell is wrong with me? Am I off my meds? Do I just have more issues than normal? Why do I care about 64-kg. preliminary bout between some Russian guy and a Spaniard?

Ah, yes, it must be that Olympic bug that's going around. It's a viral strain that strikes my central nervous system every fourth summer. It keeps me awake late at night and wakes me up early in the morning. It makes me care about 84-pound teenage girls throwing themselves through the air. It gives me whiplash when I hear a broadcaster scream "World Record!"

Yes indeed, I've got a fever, and the only prescription is more Olympics (and some cowbell!)

I'm wondering what it is about the Olympics that turns us into extreme nationalists and maniac jingoists for 16 days. It's more than just national pride. I think I need to contact some shrinks about this. "Hey, doc, Mark La Monica from Pet Rock here. Got a few questions about Olympic mentality."

Surely, I could use the cloak of reporting to examine my own issues, right?

P.S. Sign up for mobile alerts of your favorite events at NBCOlympics.com. It's pretty cool stuff. I'm tracking Team USA hoops, Michael Phelps, Dara Torres, Natalie Coughlin (helloooo, huuuuuuuuge Olympic crush!) and some girl on the Jamaican track team that I used to cover back in the days when I was a high school and college sports writer.

P.P.S. Follow all the Olympics with news, results and photos in Newsday's Olympics section.

Top 5 Thursday: Football movies

Thursday July 24, 2008 7:27 AM By Mark La Monica

In honor of the Jets opening training camp today, the Giants opening camp on Friday and the rest of the NFL beginning their seasons this weekend, Top 5 Thursday salutes the best football movies of all-time.

We ranked them based on the enjoyment of watching it the first time, the re-watchability factor, the "Oh damn, [insert movie name here] is on TNT right now, looks like I'm not going anywhere for a while" factor, the quality of the football scenes, the storylines and the staying power of certain scenes.

We're talking the original one here, of course. Burt Reynolds, sans mustache, is always a sight to behold. Granted, in the remake, at least we get to see Michael Irvin on the field one more time. But it can't compare to the original.

Just plain awesome in all categories. Huge in re-watchability. Intensely shot football scenes. Good storyline. Not a happy ending, either, which makes it even better.

Perhaps a controversial placement, but we point to the hilarity of James Woods as the team physician, the awesomeness of Al Pacino's pregame speech toward the end, the sawing in half of Willie Beamen's SUV by LT, and of course, "My name is Willie . . . Willie Beamen."

Ali Larter. Whipped-cream bikini. 'Nuff said. (But we'll say more.) This movie kills in the re-watchability department, and the football scenes are quite good. It also has that campy/endearing quality.

Oh look, it's Denzel Washington playing the righteous man who laughs in the face of adversity and leads the good in triumph over evil. But, damn, he does it so well.

Enjoy some clips below. (NOTE: A few cuss words got through because no one posts TV edits on YouTube. Proceed with caution.)

Honorable Mention: "All the Right Moves," "The Program," "Rudy" and "Necessary Roughness."

(Handout photos from Newsday archives)

Mr. Untouchable Justin Timberlake

Monday July 21, 2008 7:53 AM By Mark La Monica

Hard to believe there was a time when only girls could admire and respect Justin Timberlake.

Since the NSync thing ended and he went solo, JT has done no wrong.

• He's making hit records, ones that are actually good, not just that sell/download well.

• He's been linked to nearly every hot Hollywood chick there is, and most of them are older.

• He's the only guy we know of to be with Britney Spears in her prime.

• He's getting into the acting thing and he's pretty good at it.

• He's awesome as a host on "Saturday Night Live." (Bring it on in to Omeletville!)

• He impersonated Prince at the Golden Globes when accepting an award on his behalf.

• He introduced Madonna at the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

• He killed as host of the ESPYs on Sunday night.

And now, on Monday morning, comes word that a federal appeals court overturned the $550,000 fine the FCC dropped on CBS for Janet Jackson's famous "wardrobe malfunction."

What does this mean for JT? Well, it means he can rip a girl's clothing off, expose her breasts to the world on national television -- in primetime, no less! -- and all parties walk away scotfree. That is magic powers, my friends.

Anchorman: The Legend of Charles Barkley

Saturday May 10, 2008 1:35 AM By Admin

The old "Anchorman" change the script on the teleprompter never gets old. We do it all the time when filming green screen stuff in the office.

Ernie Jones, one third of TNT's "Inside the NBA" show, did to Charles Barkley recently. And the clip is all over YouTube. Here it is for your enjoyment.

- La Monica

'One Shining Moment'

Tuesday April 8, 2008 12:57 PM By Admin

If you're a sports fan, watching One Shining Moment at the end of the NCAA Tournament is a must-do. Doesn't matter if you hate the teams playing or if your team lost in the final.

It's just something you need to do. If you don't get goosebumps while listening to Luther Vandross sing and college players play, then you have no soul.

And with today's technology of TiVos and DVRs, if you watch it less than four times on Monday night, turn your extra Y chromosome in at the door. Watch this year's edition below.

- Mark La Monica

My blog smells like French toast

Tuesday April 1, 2008 5:25 PM By Admin

The new "My better is better than you better" commercials and marketing campaign for Nike's Sparq footwear and apparel is pretty cool, don't you think?

Certainly, it's their best campaign since the days of Mars Blackman (Spike Lee) and his "It's gotta be the shoes" slogan when the Air Jordans came out.

Have a look at one of the clips below and then watch the rest at nike.com. And remember, my blog is better than your blog, and my blog is already thinking about the next blog because your blog owes my blog $20.

- Bloggie Von Blog Blog

Where's Pentangeli's brother?

Wednesday February 13, 2008 3:26 PM By Admin

Roger Clemens sat on Capitol Hill today and said, among other things, that he never took steroids or HGH.

Brian McNamee sat on Capitol Hill today and said, among other things, that Clemens took steroids and HGH.

One of them is lying. Who is it? Who knows!

The real question Pet Rock has is this: How is it possible to both hold and televise congressional hearings of this magnitude with Frank Pentangeli's brother sitting quietly in the front row of the audience?

- Mark La Monica

Hooray, hooray, it's SI swimsuit video time!

Tuesday February 12, 2008 11:25 PM By Admin

Reason 31 it's cool to be a pop culturalist: I get to post this video from the Sports Illustrated swimsuit photo shoot and say "It's part of my job" without getting called into the boss' office.

Go, pop culture, go!

Q: How much longer before I take Neil Best's title for most egregious posting of attractive women?

A: At least another year. He's that good at it.

- Mark La Monica

Hooray, it's Sports Illustrated swimsuit time!

Tuesday February 12, 2008 8:37 PM By Admin

Reason No. 48 it's cool to be a pop culturalist: I get to post the photo below and say "It's part of my job" without getting called into the boss' office.

(Reason No. 49: I get to be like my Watchdog friend Neil Best and post pictures of hot chicks and then get made fun of for it by Football friend Bob Glauber)

Indeed, it's that time of year, the time when Sports Illustrated illustrates something other than sports. Surely, someone will object to this swimsuit issue as an objectification of women, as they do every year. Anyone else ever notice that the loudest objecters are the ones furthest away from objectification? I'm just saying.

Ain't like this issue is worse than what goes in Maxim, Stuff and all those other mags.

Here's a hint for my readers: Click that pic above and see photos from the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit launch party.

Again, I'm just sayin.

- Mark La Monica

Super Bowl commercials redux

Monday February 4, 2008 12:30 AM By Mark La Monica

We here at Pet Rock are glad we're not advertising executives who have to sit in their board rooms this morning and explain to their bosses and shareholders how and why they wasted at least $3 million on Super Bowl commercials.

Most of them were whack this year. Some were extremely whack this year. Two earned a Pet Rock chuckle (Shaq the jockey for Vitamin Water and Naomi Campbell with the reptiles dancing to "Thriller" for LifeWater). Two earned a full-on Pet Rock laugh (the mouse beating up the guy with the Doritos, and the Bud Light roadies disguised as cheese and bread).

Otherwise, they were more boring than the first three quarters of the game.

There were a few ads that suggested we visit their Web site for more. So I did. Here goes:

Thrillicious.com (SOBE LifeWater): In terms of advancing the cause of the commercial, this one wins. They offered a few more videos that helped tell the story of this commercial. Quite amusing stuff. Here's a company that just earned a new customer, at least for now. Plus, Naomi Campbell is smoking hot. I'm just sayin'.

Mytalkingstain.com (Tide): Don't bother, unless you've already filmed a spoof of a movie scene.

GoDaddy.com: Their marketing gimmick of Danica Patrick's exposure was pretty lame. Here's hoping that Fox nixed the "commercial they wanted to air" because it was dumb, not because it was inappropriate.

Watch all the Super Bowl XLII commercials below, then vote for your favorite.

'Fight Science' on National Geographic rules!

Friday January 25, 2008 12:02 AM By Mark La Monica

Remember when you were a kid and your parents subscribed to National Geographic magazine for you? Or when you'd ask your elementary school teacher to go to the library to read it?

Yeah, they all knew what you were doing: You wanted to see the topless ladies. It's cool, no one will rat you out anymore.

Well, here comes the National Geographic Channel's Web site with another awesome reason to check them out. And this time - surprise! - it once again includes people who don't wear shirts.

The show is called Fight Science, a show that analyzes the science behind the strength and techniques of mixed martial artists from the UFC, Special Ops and self-defense. Randy "The Natural" Couture, Tito Ortiz and Bas Rutten are among the UFC fighters in this show, which debuts Sunday, Jan. 27 at 8 p.m.

But it's the online Fight Science game that you really need to peep ASAP.

It's freaking awesome!

The people at the NG's Web site built an amazing online game (and free, too!) where you can test your skills. Everything from force to balance to strength to reflexes. One minute, you're punching a dummy to build up your strength, the next you're sticking your hand out trying to catch the katana sword on the handle instead of the blade. It's very "Miyagi, chopsticks and the fly," and very cool.

Create your own profile and challenge your friends. Or log in as me (UN: petrock; PW: petrock) and let's build an uber fighter to conquer the rest of the Internet world. Help me out on the balance beam thing. It's very "Flash Gordon vs. the Baron played by Tim Daly on that crazy labryinth platform thing with the spikes" and I stink at it. Strange, seeing how much I enjoy that movie still.

Either way, just click here and play.