Monday, February 23, 2009
TICKETMASTER REACHES NATIONAL SETTLEMENT
Ticketmaster will stop linking customers to subsidiaryby Peggy McGlone/The Star-LedgerMonday February 23, 2009, 1:11 PMTicket giant Ticketmaster has reached a national settlement with the New Jersey Attorney General in which it agrees to stop linking customers to TicketsNow, a subsidiary agency that sells tickets at scalper's prices.Attorney General Anne Milgram said Ticketmaster has agreed to run a lottery that will make 2,000 tickets available at face value to customers who complained about the way Ticketmaster handled the Feb. 2 sale of tickets to Bruce Springsteen's shows May 21 and 23 at the Izod Center at the Meadlowlands.More than 2,200 fans complained to the Attorney General that they were redirected from the Tickemaster website to TicketsNow even though tickets were still available at face value.Fans - more than 1,000 - who don't win a pair of tickets in the lottery will be given $100 gift certificates, Milgram said, and the ability to purchase tickets for an upcoming Springsteen concert in New Jersey.The settlement requires Ticketmaster to pay $350,000 to the state for costs associated with the investigation.It will also end a previous advertising arrangement in which customers Googling for Ticketmaster were automatically sent to the TicketsNow web site."This is a very significant agreement for consumers in New Jersey," said Milgram at a morning press conference at the Izod Center. "The settlement is national in scope and it changes fundamentally Ticketmaster's business practices."
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Police: No charges against Phelps despite marijuana pipe photo
COLUMBIA, South Carolina (AP) -- Now that Michael Phelps won't face drug charges, he can try to distance himself from a photo that showed the Olympian smoking a marijuana pipe.
A South Carolina sheriff decided Monday after a highly publicized investigation that he simply didn't have enough physical evidence to charge the 14-time gold medalist.
"We had a photo and we had him saying he was sorry for his inappropriate behavior. That behavior could've been going to a party," Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said.
"He never said, 'I smoked marijuana.' He never confessed that," the sheriff said.
Phelps, who lost a major endorsement and faces a three-month competition suspension in the fallout from the photo, said he was ready to put the ordeal behind him.
"For me, it's all about recognizing that I used bad judgment and it's a mistake I won't make again," the swimmer said in a statement. "For young people especially -- be careful about the decisions you make. One bad decision can really hurt you and the people you care about. I really appreciate the support my family and fans have shown me."
The photo showed Phelps smoking from a marijuana pipe at a party in November when he visited the University of South Carolina.
Lott said authorities seized the marijuana water pipe, known as a bong, in the photo during the investigation but couldn't prove Phelps had smoked from it.
Holding a bong is not a crime, he said.
"They're sold in stores. We're kind of sending a double message," Lott said. "You can buy rolling papers at any convenience store in the world, but we're telling kids not to smoke dope."
Phelps didn't get through the scandal unscathed, though. USA Swimming suspended Phelps for three months in the wake of the photo, and Kellogg Co. said it would not renew its endorsement deal with him.
And while the swimmer won't face any charge, eight people were arrested during the investigation when a small amount of marijuana was found in raids on two homes. The bong was found in a car.
Seven people have been charged with simple possession of marijuana, which carries a maximum penalty of 30 days in jail or a $575 fine. Another person was arrested for driving under suspension.
The sheriff, known for his tough stance on drug crimes, said ignoring the photo would have sent a message of tolerance.
Phelps' "bad decision and the highly published photo placed me and the Richland County Sheriff's Department in a no-win situation. Ignore it and be criticized or address it and be criticized. I chose to do what was right," said Lott, a Democrat who was first elected in 1996.
Lott rose from patrol officer to captain of the narcotics division in the early 1990s. He was well-known in the county for wearing stylish suits like the drug agents on "Miami Vice" and driving a Porsche seized from a drug dealer.
The sheriff said the investigation involved two narcotics officers that logged 25 hours over about a week. He said the house where the November party took place and another suburban home near Columbia had previously been investigated for drugs.
His investigation was criticized in newspaper editorials, on talk shows and by defense attorneys who questioned whether the sheriff was being overzealous because of Phelps' celebrity status.
Even if the sheriff had the evidence needed, he acknowledged he could not force Phelps to return to South Carolina to face a misdemeanor possession charge.
One of the attorneys representing the three students arrested said the accused were all in their early 20s. Attorney Dick Harpootlian said the police kicked in the doors with guns drawn during the raids and found less than a cigarette's worth of marijuana in the house where the party was held. The other raid netted about four or five cigarettes worth, Harpootlian said.
The lawyer expects his clients to either have the charge dismissed or for them to get a conditional discharge, which allows an offender to avoid punishment as long as they comply with certain conditions for six months and stay out of trouble.
"We hope these kids are treated the same as any other kids," he said.
The photo surfaced in the British tabloid News of the World on Feb. 1. The swimmer, who won a record eight gold medals at the Beijing Games, never disputed its authenticity.
Lott said the person who took the photo sold it for $100,000. He would not identify the photographer or say how he knew the amount.
The party occurred nearly three months after the Olympics while Phelps was taking a break from training.
This isn't the first embarrassing episode for Phelps after an Olympic triumph. In 2004, a few months removed from winning six gold and two bronze medals in Athens, the swimmer was arrested on a drunken driving charge at age 19. He pleaded guilty and apologized for the mistake.
A South Carolina sheriff decided Monday after a highly publicized investigation that he simply didn't have enough physical evidence to charge the 14-time gold medalist.
"We had a photo and we had him saying he was sorry for his inappropriate behavior. That behavior could've been going to a party," Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said.
"He never said, 'I smoked marijuana.' He never confessed that," the sheriff said.
Phelps, who lost a major endorsement and faces a three-month competition suspension in the fallout from the photo, said he was ready to put the ordeal behind him.
"For me, it's all about recognizing that I used bad judgment and it's a mistake I won't make again," the swimmer said in a statement. "For young people especially -- be careful about the decisions you make. One bad decision can really hurt you and the people you care about. I really appreciate the support my family and fans have shown me."
The photo showed Phelps smoking from a marijuana pipe at a party in November when he visited the University of South Carolina.
Lott said authorities seized the marijuana water pipe, known as a bong, in the photo during the investigation but couldn't prove Phelps had smoked from it.
Holding a bong is not a crime, he said.
"They're sold in stores. We're kind of sending a double message," Lott said. "You can buy rolling papers at any convenience store in the world, but we're telling kids not to smoke dope."
Phelps didn't get through the scandal unscathed, though. USA Swimming suspended Phelps for three months in the wake of the photo, and Kellogg Co. said it would not renew its endorsement deal with him.
And while the swimmer won't face any charge, eight people were arrested during the investigation when a small amount of marijuana was found in raids on two homes. The bong was found in a car.
Seven people have been charged with simple possession of marijuana, which carries a maximum penalty of 30 days in jail or a $575 fine. Another person was arrested for driving under suspension.
The sheriff, known for his tough stance on drug crimes, said ignoring the photo would have sent a message of tolerance.
Phelps' "bad decision and the highly published photo placed me and the Richland County Sheriff's Department in a no-win situation. Ignore it and be criticized or address it and be criticized. I chose to do what was right," said Lott, a Democrat who was first elected in 1996.
Lott rose from patrol officer to captain of the narcotics division in the early 1990s. He was well-known in the county for wearing stylish suits like the drug agents on "Miami Vice" and driving a Porsche seized from a drug dealer.
The sheriff said the investigation involved two narcotics officers that logged 25 hours over about a week. He said the house where the November party took place and another suburban home near Columbia had previously been investigated for drugs.
His investigation was criticized in newspaper editorials, on talk shows and by defense attorneys who questioned whether the sheriff was being overzealous because of Phelps' celebrity status.
Even if the sheriff had the evidence needed, he acknowledged he could not force Phelps to return to South Carolina to face a misdemeanor possession charge.
One of the attorneys representing the three students arrested said the accused were all in their early 20s. Attorney Dick Harpootlian said the police kicked in the doors with guns drawn during the raids and found less than a cigarette's worth of marijuana in the house where the party was held. The other raid netted about four or five cigarettes worth, Harpootlian said.
The lawyer expects his clients to either have the charge dismissed or for them to get a conditional discharge, which allows an offender to avoid punishment as long as they comply with certain conditions for six months and stay out of trouble.
"We hope these kids are treated the same as any other kids," he said.
The photo surfaced in the British tabloid News of the World on Feb. 1. The swimmer, who won a record eight gold medals at the Beijing Games, never disputed its authenticity.
Lott said the person who took the photo sold it for $100,000. He would not identify the photographer or say how he knew the amount.
The party occurred nearly three months after the Olympics while Phelps was taking a break from training.
This isn't the first embarrassing episode for Phelps after an Olympic triumph. In 2004, a few months removed from winning six gold and two bronze medals in Athens, the swimmer was arrested on a drunken driving charge at age 19. He pleaded guilty and apologized for the mistake.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Ticketmaster, Live Nation join forces
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Live Nation Inc. and Ticketmaster Entertainment Inc. announced plans to merge Tuesday, combining the nation's biggest concert promoter with the largest seller of tickets for live entertainment.
The new company, which will be called Live Nation Entertainment, will have a value of about $2.5 billion based on current prices and excluding net debt. The merger is expected to close in the second half of the year.
Under the all-stock deal, Ticketmaster (TKTM) shareholders will receive 1.384 shares of Live Nation (LYV) common stock for each share of Ticketmaster they own, subject to certain adjustments.
"Being able to put Live Nation and Ticketmaster into an equal partnership will allow the companies to get through this difficult period and be able to expand live entertainment options to audiences throughout the world," said Barry Diller, chairman of Ticketmaster Entertainment, in a statement.
Still, analysts say the new venture, which is subject to approval by the Department of Justice, raises antitrust concerns.
Live Nation, which recently launched its own ticketing operation, has gone from just promoting concerts to actually selling music in recent months. Artists such as Madonna and Jay-Z have both signed multimillion dollar contracts to give Live Nation the rights to their next few albums.
Ticketmaster, meanwhile, has recently come under fire from regulators for an episode involving TicketsNow, its ticket reseller business.
Last week, Sen. Charles Schumer, D-NY, and Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr., D-NJ, called for an investigation of how tickets were sold for a Bruce Springsteen show that went on sale on Feb. 2.
In a letter to the Department of Justice, Pascrell said tickets for the Springsteen show were briefly unavailable on Ticketmaster's website because of "technical difficulties." But after the show sold out, consumers were informed that they could buy tickets on TicketsNow for a much higher price.
"As the Springsteen bait-and-switch shows, even on its own, it is very hard to trust Ticketmaster," Schumer said in a statement Tuesday.
"This merger would give a giant, new entity unrivaled power over concertgoers and the prices they pay to see their favorite artists and bands. It must be viewed skeptically and scrutinized with a fine-toothed comb by the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission," he added.
In response, Diller told analysts in a conference call that Schumer had made statements that were "factually untrue."
"Ticketmaster is not in the business of denying primary tickets to anyone in order to push them to the secondary market place," Diller said.
Diller said the confusion was due to a "technical glitch" related to a credit card company's inability to process data. "But the confusion was not out of Ticketmaster pushing people to our reseller site," he said.
Jerry Reisman, partner in the Garden City law firm of Reisman, Peirez, Reisman, said the government should scrutinize the deal because it would give the combined company unfettered access to the concert tour business, which is the most profitable area of the music industry these days.
"There's lots of money to be made, and LiveNation controls the touring business and now with the merger that control is complete," Reisman said.
Antitrust issues aside, Live Nation stands to benefit the most from the deal, according to Scott Devitt, an analyst who covers the company for Stifel Nicolaus & Co.
"Live Nation's ticketing platform is not working the way that they thought it would," Devitt said. "Live Nation needs Ticketmaster from a distribution standpoint."
Devitt would not comment on the legal aspects regarding the merger, but said it "gives the combined company significant control of the entire distribution process in the entertainment industry."
The new company is expected to generate approximately $40 million by combining ticketing, marketing data centers and other administrative functions.
The companies said the merger will help improve "access and transparency" by combining artist, promoter and ticketing under one banner. It will also enable more "innovative and dynamic" promotion arrangements, which will create more choice and "a more fan-friendly purchasing experience."
By joining forces, the companies said they will be able to develop new technologies that will benefit consumers.
The merger will also create opportunities to improve attendance at events, the companies said, which will be a boon for concert venues and support a healthier live entertainment industry.
The new company, which will be called Live Nation Entertainment, will have a value of about $2.5 billion based on current prices and excluding net debt. The merger is expected to close in the second half of the year.
Under the all-stock deal, Ticketmaster (TKTM) shareholders will receive 1.384 shares of Live Nation (LYV) common stock for each share of Ticketmaster they own, subject to certain adjustments.
"Being able to put Live Nation and Ticketmaster into an equal partnership will allow the companies to get through this difficult period and be able to expand live entertainment options to audiences throughout the world," said Barry Diller, chairman of Ticketmaster Entertainment, in a statement.
Still, analysts say the new venture, which is subject to approval by the Department of Justice, raises antitrust concerns.
Live Nation, which recently launched its own ticketing operation, has gone from just promoting concerts to actually selling music in recent months. Artists such as Madonna and Jay-Z have both signed multimillion dollar contracts to give Live Nation the rights to their next few albums.
Ticketmaster, meanwhile, has recently come under fire from regulators for an episode involving TicketsNow, its ticket reseller business.
Last week, Sen. Charles Schumer, D-NY, and Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr., D-NJ, called for an investigation of how tickets were sold for a Bruce Springsteen show that went on sale on Feb. 2.
In a letter to the Department of Justice, Pascrell said tickets for the Springsteen show were briefly unavailable on Ticketmaster's website because of "technical difficulties." But after the show sold out, consumers were informed that they could buy tickets on TicketsNow for a much higher price.
"As the Springsteen bait-and-switch shows, even on its own, it is very hard to trust Ticketmaster," Schumer said in a statement Tuesday.
"This merger would give a giant, new entity unrivaled power over concertgoers and the prices they pay to see their favorite artists and bands. It must be viewed skeptically and scrutinized with a fine-toothed comb by the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission," he added.
In response, Diller told analysts in a conference call that Schumer had made statements that were "factually untrue."
"Ticketmaster is not in the business of denying primary tickets to anyone in order to push them to the secondary market place," Diller said.
Diller said the confusion was due to a "technical glitch" related to a credit card company's inability to process data. "But the confusion was not out of Ticketmaster pushing people to our reseller site," he said.
Jerry Reisman, partner in the Garden City law firm of Reisman, Peirez, Reisman, said the government should scrutinize the deal because it would give the combined company unfettered access to the concert tour business, which is the most profitable area of the music industry these days.
"There's lots of money to be made, and LiveNation controls the touring business and now with the merger that control is complete," Reisman said.
Antitrust issues aside, Live Nation stands to benefit the most from the deal, according to Scott Devitt, an analyst who covers the company for Stifel Nicolaus & Co.
"Live Nation's ticketing platform is not working the way that they thought it would," Devitt said. "Live Nation needs Ticketmaster from a distribution standpoint."
Devitt would not comment on the legal aspects regarding the merger, but said it "gives the combined company significant control of the entire distribution process in the entertainment industry."
The new company is expected to generate approximately $40 million by combining ticketing, marketing data centers and other administrative functions.
The companies said the merger will help improve "access and transparency" by combining artist, promoter and ticketing under one banner. It will also enable more "innovative and dynamic" promotion arrangements, which will create more choice and "a more fan-friendly purchasing experience."
By joining forces, the companies said they will be able to develop new technologies that will benefit consumers.
The merger will also create opportunities to improve attendance at events, the companies said, which will be a boon for concert venues and support a healthier live entertainment industry.
Festivals Returning Despite Struggling Economy
The international music festival market took a hit last week with the cancellation of the Langerado Music Festival in Miami and the Hydro Connect Festival in Scotland, but other large-scale fests are returning for a second year despite a struggling economy.U.S. festival producers Madison House Presents and AEG Live have just announced that the Rothbury Festival will return for its second year at Double JJ Ranch in Rothbury, Mich. The event will take place July 2-5, with artist and ticket information to be announced soon.Other AEG Live-promoted festivals returning for their second year include All Points West Music & Arts Festival across the Hudson River from Manhattan and Mile High Music Festival in Denver, AEG Live CEO Randy Phillips tells Billboard. The lineups for those festivals have not yet been announced.Last year's four-day Rothbury Festival featured sets from Phil Lesh, Snoop Dogg, Widespread Panic, Dave Matthews Band and dozens more. The event ranked No. 8 on Billboard's 2008 top-grossing festivals tally, pulling in $7.4 million and drawing 120,820 music fans, according to Billboard Boxscore.The struggling economy has forced consumers to become more cautious about how they spend their entertainment dollars, but Phillips reports that ticket sales are strong for the annual Coachella and Stagecoach festivals, which are held at Empire Polo Field in Indio, Calif.
"They're selling well," he says, noting a similar trend for upcoming AEG Live-promoted tours for Britney Spears and Taylor Swift. "I'm nervous about shows we end up putting on sale in May and June, because eventually this unemployment has to bite us."Phillips believes that this year's three-day Coachella festival could sell more than 150,000 tickets, which would be on par with last year's event, according to Boxscore. He also has high hopes for the 2009 edition of country music festival Stagecoach, which debuted in 2007."The first two years we lost money, which we expected to," Phillips says of Stagecoach. "This year we think we're going to go way into profit. That's usually the rule of thumb: it takes about three years for a festival to either break even or make money."Others haven't been so lucky. Organizers of the Langerado Music Festival cited the recession's impact on ticket sales as a major factor of the event's cancellation. "The economy just really took us for a hit," Langerado co-promoter Ethan Schwartz tells Billboard. "The entertainment dollar is stretched thin for people right now."Meanwhile, Festival Network executive chairman Chris Shields says the company "is in belt-tightening mode -- streamlining operations to best prepare for the 2009 season." Festival Network produces worldwide jazz and folk-themed music events, including the Playboy Jazz Festival and the JVC Jazz Festivals in New York and Paris.Some are tackling the issue of the economy head on. Bonnaroo in Manchester, Tenn., and Coachella are among the festivals offering layaway plans on tickets. Similarly, the United Kingdom's Glastonbury Festival, which has reported strong ticket sales, allowed festival-goers to reserve tickets by paying a deposit.
"They're selling well," he says, noting a similar trend for upcoming AEG Live-promoted tours for Britney Spears and Taylor Swift. "I'm nervous about shows we end up putting on sale in May and June, because eventually this unemployment has to bite us."Phillips believes that this year's three-day Coachella festival could sell more than 150,000 tickets, which would be on par with last year's event, according to Boxscore. He also has high hopes for the 2009 edition of country music festival Stagecoach, which debuted in 2007."The first two years we lost money, which we expected to," Phillips says of Stagecoach. "This year we think we're going to go way into profit. That's usually the rule of thumb: it takes about three years for a festival to either break even or make money."Others haven't been so lucky. Organizers of the Langerado Music Festival cited the recession's impact on ticket sales as a major factor of the event's cancellation. "The economy just really took us for a hit," Langerado co-promoter Ethan Schwartz tells Billboard. "The entertainment dollar is stretched thin for people right now."Meanwhile, Festival Network executive chairman Chris Shields says the company "is in belt-tightening mode -- streamlining operations to best prepare for the 2009 season." Festival Network produces worldwide jazz and folk-themed music events, including the Playboy Jazz Festival and the JVC Jazz Festivals in New York and Paris.Some are tackling the issue of the economy head on. Bonnaroo in Manchester, Tenn., and Coachella are among the festivals offering layaway plans on tickets. Similarly, the United Kingdom's Glastonbury Festival, which has reported strong ticket sales, allowed festival-goers to reserve tickets by paying a deposit.
Buffett Taking Fans To 'Summerzcool'
Dates are beginning to trickle out for the 2009 edition of Jimmy Buffett's traditional summer tour schedule, which shows no signs of slowing.Buffett's "Summerzcool" tour is currently slated to kick off Feb. 24 at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center and Feb. 28 at the Waikiki Shell in Honolulu. The tour will vsit the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in Charlotte, N.C., on April 21, and the Time Warner Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek in Raleigh, N.C., on April 23, a venue Buffett played for the first time in years in 2008.A date has also been penciled in at the DTE Energy Music Theatre in Detroit on Aug. 13.Rumored tour dates online include two-night stands at Toyota Park in the Chicago suburb of Bridgeview, the Susquehanna Bank Center in Camden, N.J., the Comcast Center in Mansfield, Mass., the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and New York's Madison Square Garden.Later this year, Buffett, who turned 62 on Christmas Day, will release a live acoustic CD comprised of songs he traditionally performs in the final encore of each show, either alone or with guitarist Mac McAnally. In addition, two Buffett songs -- re-recordings of "Margaritaville" and "Volcano" -- were recently made available for the "Rock Band 2" video game on the Wii.
Kelly Clarkson Breaks Record For Hot 100 Jump
Kelly Clarkson makes history on this week's Billboard Hot 100 with the largest leap to No. 1 in the chart's 50-year history. Her new single, "My Life Would Suck Without You," rockets 97-1 after selling 280,000 digital downloads in its first week of availability.The song is also faring well at radio, jumping 58-38 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart and 27-18 on the Mainstream Top 40 list."My Life" introduces Clarkson's March 17 RCA album "All I Ever Wanted." This is the second time the artist has set the record for largest jump to No. 1. She took her "American Idol" victory song, "A Moment Like This," 52-1 on the chart dated October 5, 2002.That mark lasted nearly five years until Maroon 5 soared 64-1 with "Makes Me Wonder" in May 2007 and had been broken three more times since, most recently by Britney Spears' "Womanizer" (96-1). "My Life" is Clarkson's first No. 1 since her debut single, though she has placed six other songs in the top 10 during this time, including the No. 2-peaking "Since U Been Gone" in April 2005.Elsewhere on the Hot 100, Lady GaGa's "Just Dance" featuring Colby O'Donis slips to No. 2 after three weeks on top. Beyonce's "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" slides 2-3, while Kanye West's "Heartless" is down 3-4 despite being the chart's greatest airplay gainer.
Taylor Swift's "Love Story" holds at No. 5, the All-American Rejects' "Gives You Hell" remains No. 6 and T.I.'s "Live Your Life" featuring Rihanna drops 4-7. The Fray's "You Found Me" jumps 16-8 as the top digital gainer on the Hot 100, thanks to download sales of 145,000. Britney Spears' "Circus" inches up 10-9 and Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours" is down 7-10.The Hot 100's top debut comes from U2's "Get on Your Boots" at No. 37. The track sold 57,000 downloads and garnered enough airplay to debut at No. 8 on Billboard's Modern Rock chart and No. 29 on the Mainstream Rock tally.On Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, "Single Ladies" is in an 11th week at No. 1. Ciara's "Never Ever" featuring Young Jeezy is the top debut at No. 70; it's the second single from her delayed new album "Fantasy Ride," following "Go Girl" featuring T-Pain, which peaked at No. 26 last October.Blake Shelton notches his fifth No. 1 on Hot Country Songs with "She Wouldn't Be Gone," which jumps 3-1. Rascal Flatts' "Here Comes Goodbye" is the top debut at No. 29, giving the group its second-highest bow. Its new album, "Unstoppable," is due April 7 from Lyric Street/Hollywood.Kings Of Leon's "Sex on Fire" begins an eighth week atop the Modern Rock chart, while Shinedown leads Mainstream Rock for a seventh with "Second Chance."
Taylor Swift's "Love Story" holds at No. 5, the All-American Rejects' "Gives You Hell" remains No. 6 and T.I.'s "Live Your Life" featuring Rihanna drops 4-7. The Fray's "You Found Me" jumps 16-8 as the top digital gainer on the Hot 100, thanks to download sales of 145,000. Britney Spears' "Circus" inches up 10-9 and Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours" is down 7-10.The Hot 100's top debut comes from U2's "Get on Your Boots" at No. 37. The track sold 57,000 downloads and garnered enough airplay to debut at No. 8 on Billboard's Modern Rock chart and No. 29 on the Mainstream Rock tally.On Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, "Single Ladies" is in an 11th week at No. 1. Ciara's "Never Ever" featuring Young Jeezy is the top debut at No. 70; it's the second single from her delayed new album "Fantasy Ride," following "Go Girl" featuring T-Pain, which peaked at No. 26 last October.Blake Shelton notches his fifth No. 1 on Hot Country Songs with "She Wouldn't Be Gone," which jumps 3-1. Rascal Flatts' "Here Comes Goodbye" is the top debut at No. 29, giving the group its second-highest bow. Its new album, "Unstoppable," is due April 7 from Lyric Street/Hollywood.Kings Of Leon's "Sex on Fire" begins an eighth week atop the Modern Rock chart, while Shinedown leads Mainstream Rock for a seventh with "Second Chance."
Blink 182 Announces Reunion At Grammys
As expected, Blink 182 announced it is reuniting for a tour and new album during tonight's Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. The group has been on hiatus for more than four years."We used to play music together, and we decided we're going to play music together again," said drummer Travis Barker, still with his arm in a sling following his survival of a deadly plane crash last year.In a statement sent to the media, the band said, "To put it simply, We're back. We mean, really back. Picking up where we left off and then some. In the studio writing and recording a new album. Preparing to tour the world yet again. Friendships reformed. 17 years deep in our legacy." Rumors are swirling that the band will open for Green Day this summer, but details have not been announced.Since Blink-182's split, Barker and Mark Hoppus formed +44, while Tom DeLonge fronted Angels & Airwaves. The band's last show was Dec. 16, 2004.Blink 182's four studio albums and one live set have sold a combined 12.8 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The group posted 10 top 10 hits on Billboard's Modern Rock chart, including the No. 1s "All the Small Things" and "I Miss You."
Snoop Dogg Releasing New Album Through MTV
Rapper/actor Snoop Dogg, who recently split with Interscope Records, has signed a multi-rights deal with MTV to distribute, market and promote his next album, "Malice in Wonderland," due later this year.An MTV spokesperson said details are forthcoming on how the entertainment giant plans to get "Malice in Wonderland" into retail stores. Financial terms were not disclosed."Malice In Wonderland" will feature tracks by Pharrell and famed composer Lalo Schifrin, as well as longtime collaborator Dr. Dre, among others. "We're in the process of trying to help him [Dr. Dre] with the 'Detox' record and working on mine at the same time," Snoop Dogg told Billboard on the Grammy red carpet Sunday.
Snoop's music will also be made available through the videogame "Rock Band" on a date to be announced, and, as previously reported, he will begin hosting a new variety show, "Dogg After Dark," Feb. 17 on MTV.The rapper's most recent studio album, 2008's "Ego Trippin," has sold 382,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen Soundscan. The lead single from that project, "Sensual Seduction" (aka "Sexual Eruption") has sold 869,000 digital downloads.
Snoop's music will also be made available through the videogame "Rock Band" on a date to be announced, and, as previously reported, he will begin hosting a new variety show, "Dogg After Dark," Feb. 17 on MTV.The rapper's most recent studio album, 2008's "Ego Trippin," has sold 382,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen Soundscan. The lead single from that project, "Sensual Seduction" (aka "Sexual Eruption") has sold 869,000 digital downloads.
Tennessee self-reports violations
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Tennessee officials self-reported two secondary recruiting violations committed in January under coach Lane Kiffin and his staff in a letter to the NCAA and Southeastern Conference.
The Tennessee athletic department said one violation occurred when nine prospects on an official visit to the school participated in a mock press conference at Neyland Stadium's media center.
Another violation occurred when a fog machine was used as a recruit entered the field at Neyland Stadium during his official visit on Jan. 9.
Under NCAA recruiting rules, schools are prohibited from simulating a game experience for recruits during official visits.
Tennessee issued letters of admonishment to Kiffin and recruiting coordinator Ed Orgeron and provided the staff with a review of NCAA recruiting policies. Neither the NCAA nor the SEC has issued any punishment.
"They understand that they must ask questions of the compliance office about anything 'creative' regarding campus visits," the Jan. 26 letter said.
The violations were first reported Monday by the Knoxville News Sentinel.
Tennessee's coaching staff believed the mock press conference was allowed because it was not done in public. They thought the use of the fog machine was allowed after seeing it used at other universities.
Kiffin, who was introduced as Tennessee's new coach on Dec. 1, was reprimanded by SEC commissioner Mike Slive on Thursday for falsely accusing Florida's Urban Meyer of a recruiting violation.
Kiffin said Meyer broke recruiting rules by phoning wide receiver prospect Nu'Keese Richardson as he was making his official visit to Tennessee. Doing so would not constitute a violation of either NCAA or SEC rules.
South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier questioned whether Kiffin broke rules by contacting a recruit before being cleared by the NCAA to do so. Kiffin assured fans that he had been notified by the NCAA that he was cleared before making his first phone call.
Kiffin joked later that he received a 39 out of 40 on his recruiting test required by the NCAA.
The Tennessee athletic department said one violation occurred when nine prospects on an official visit to the school participated in a mock press conference at Neyland Stadium's media center.
Another violation occurred when a fog machine was used as a recruit entered the field at Neyland Stadium during his official visit on Jan. 9.
Under NCAA recruiting rules, schools are prohibited from simulating a game experience for recruits during official visits.
Tennessee issued letters of admonishment to Kiffin and recruiting coordinator Ed Orgeron and provided the staff with a review of NCAA recruiting policies. Neither the NCAA nor the SEC has issued any punishment.
"They understand that they must ask questions of the compliance office about anything 'creative' regarding campus visits," the Jan. 26 letter said.
The violations were first reported Monday by the Knoxville News Sentinel.
Tennessee's coaching staff believed the mock press conference was allowed because it was not done in public. They thought the use of the fog machine was allowed after seeing it used at other universities.
Kiffin, who was introduced as Tennessee's new coach on Dec. 1, was reprimanded by SEC commissioner Mike Slive on Thursday for falsely accusing Florida's Urban Meyer of a recruiting violation.
Kiffin said Meyer broke recruiting rules by phoning wide receiver prospect Nu'Keese Richardson as he was making his official visit to Tennessee. Doing so would not constitute a violation of either NCAA or SEC rules.
South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier questioned whether Kiffin broke rules by contacting a recruit before being cleared by the NCAA to do so. Kiffin assured fans that he had been notified by the NCAA that he was cleared before making his first phone call.
Kiffin joked later that he received a 39 out of 40 on his recruiting test required by the NCAA.
Tejada charged with lying to congress about steroids
WASHINGTON (AP) -- All-Star shortstop Miguel Tejada hs been charged with lying to Congress about steroids, with the baseball player scheduled to appear in court Wednesday where he is expected to plead guilty.
The charges against Tejada, who currently plays for the Houston Astros, were outlined in documents filed in Washington federal court on Tuesday.
The documents indicate that a plea agreement has been reached with Tejada, who won the 2002 American League Most Valuable Player award while playing for the Oakland Athletics and is a five-time All-Star.
Tejada faces as much as a year in jail if convicted on the misdemeanor charge of making misrepresentations to Congress. Under federal guidelines, he would probably receive a lighter sentence.
Messages left for his attorney, Mark Tuohey, were not immediately returned.
The documents were filed a day after superstar Alex Rodriguez admitted to past use of performance-enhancing drugs.
The FBI also is investigating whether Roger Clemens, a seven-time Cy Young winner, lied to Congress last year when he denied using steroids or human growth hormone.
In the documents filed Tuesday, Tejada is charged with lying to investigators for the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in 2005 when he denied knowledge of an ex-teammate's use of performance-enhancing drugs.
The teammate is not identified in court documents, but is referred to as having played with Tejada on the Athletics.
Tejada "unlawfully withheld pertinent information from the committee because defendant Tejada, before and during his interview with the committee staff, then and there well knew that player .1, one of his teammates on the Oakland Athletics, had used steroids and HGH," the papers state.
In fact, prosecutors charge that during spring training in 2003, Tejada had purchased a substance believed to be HGH from the player, giving him payments of $3,100 and $3,200.
In the Mitchell Report, which examined steroid use in baseball, Oakland outfielder Adam Piatt is cited saying he discussed steroid use with Tejada and having provided Tejada with testosterone and human growth hormone.
The Mitchell Report, issued in December 2007, also included copies of checks allegedly written by Tejada to Piatt in March 2003 for $3,100 and $3,200.
The criminal charge against Tejada is contained in a six-page information, a legal document used often when a defendant has struck a plea deal with prosecutors.
Tejada came under scrutiny after another ex-teammate, Baltimore Orioles' Rafael Palmeiro, testified before the House committee.
In January 2008, the House panel asked the Justice Department to investigate whether Tejada lied to committee investigators when he was interviewed in connection with the Palmeiro steroids case.
When that same House panel held a hearing in March 2005, Palmeiro jabbed a finger at lawmakers and declared: "I have never used steroids, period." Palmeiro was suspended by baseball later that year after testing positive for a steroid.
The committee looked into whether Palmeiro should face perjury charges but eventually dropped the matter.
Palmeiro said his positive test must have resulted from a B-12 vitamin injection given to him by Tejada.
That prompted Congress to talk to Tejada.
The charges against Tejada, who currently plays for the Houston Astros, were outlined in documents filed in Washington federal court on Tuesday.
The documents indicate that a plea agreement has been reached with Tejada, who won the 2002 American League Most Valuable Player award while playing for the Oakland Athletics and is a five-time All-Star.
Tejada faces as much as a year in jail if convicted on the misdemeanor charge of making misrepresentations to Congress. Under federal guidelines, he would probably receive a lighter sentence.
Messages left for his attorney, Mark Tuohey, were not immediately returned.
The documents were filed a day after superstar Alex Rodriguez admitted to past use of performance-enhancing drugs.
The FBI also is investigating whether Roger Clemens, a seven-time Cy Young winner, lied to Congress last year when he denied using steroids or human growth hormone.
In the documents filed Tuesday, Tejada is charged with lying to investigators for the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in 2005 when he denied knowledge of an ex-teammate's use of performance-enhancing drugs.
The teammate is not identified in court documents, but is referred to as having played with Tejada on the Athletics.
Tejada "unlawfully withheld pertinent information from the committee because defendant Tejada, before and during his interview with the committee staff, then and there well knew that player .1, one of his teammates on the Oakland Athletics, had used steroids and HGH," the papers state.
In fact, prosecutors charge that during spring training in 2003, Tejada had purchased a substance believed to be HGH from the player, giving him payments of $3,100 and $3,200.
In the Mitchell Report, which examined steroid use in baseball, Oakland outfielder Adam Piatt is cited saying he discussed steroid use with Tejada and having provided Tejada with testosterone and human growth hormone.
The Mitchell Report, issued in December 2007, also included copies of checks allegedly written by Tejada to Piatt in March 2003 for $3,100 and $3,200.
The criminal charge against Tejada is contained in a six-page information, a legal document used often when a defendant has struck a plea deal with prosecutors.
Tejada came under scrutiny after another ex-teammate, Baltimore Orioles' Rafael Palmeiro, testified before the House committee.
In January 2008, the House panel asked the Justice Department to investigate whether Tejada lied to committee investigators when he was interviewed in connection with the Palmeiro steroids case.
When that same House panel held a hearing in March 2005, Palmeiro jabbed a finger at lawmakers and declared: "I have never used steroids, period." Palmeiro was suspended by baseball later that year after testing positive for a steroid.
The committee looked into whether Palmeiro should face perjury charges but eventually dropped the matter.
Palmeiro said his positive test must have resulted from a B-12 vitamin injection given to him by Tejada.
That prompted Congress to talk to Tejada.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Tiger and Elin Woods welcome their second child, a son named Charlie
Hello, world.
Tiger Woods's wife, Elin, gave birth on Sunday to a boy, Charlie Axel Woods. It is the second child for the couple; their daughter Sam was born in 2007.
The birth, first reported by the San Diego Union-Tribune, was confirmed on tigerwoods.com.
"Both Charlie and Elin are doing great and we want to thank everyone for their sincere best wishes and kind thoughts," Woods said in a statement on the site.
Woods has not released any photos of the baby yet, but said he and Elin "look forward to introducing Charlie to you at the appropriate time."
Woods, 33, has found himself in the role of stay-at-home dad since June 2008, when he underwent reconstructive knee surgery after his dramatic U.S. Open win at Torrey Pines in La Jolla, Calif. He's said he enjoyed spending the extra time with his daughter and that his knee injury has been a "blessing" in many ways.
"While my injury has been disappointing and frustrating, it has allowed me to spend a lot of time watching Sam grow," Woods said on his Web site. "I can't begin to tell you how rewarding it is being a dad and spending time with her and Elin."
Last week Woods said in a newsletter that he was preparing for his return to the PGA Tour, but everything was on hold until the new baby arrived.
"As for my comeback to the PGA Tour, a lot depends on the baby, which is due pretty soon. That takes precedent over anything I do golf-wise," Woods said. "Elin, Sam and I are very excited for the new baby to arrive, although that's when the real lack of sleep begins."
However, the new baby shouldn't expect to see too much of his dad. Woods's recovery from surgery has gone according to schedule, and he said he expects to play in this year's Masters tournament in April, if not sooner. Any Tour players hoping that diaper duty will affect Woods's play should keep in mind that Sam was born the Monday after the U.S. Open at Oakmont; two months later Woods won the PGA Championship at Southern Hills.
Tiger Woods's wife, Elin, gave birth on Sunday to a boy, Charlie Axel Woods. It is the second child for the couple; their daughter Sam was born in 2007.
The birth, first reported by the San Diego Union-Tribune, was confirmed on tigerwoods.com.
"Both Charlie and Elin are doing great and we want to thank everyone for their sincere best wishes and kind thoughts," Woods said in a statement on the site.
Woods has not released any photos of the baby yet, but said he and Elin "look forward to introducing Charlie to you at the appropriate time."
Woods, 33, has found himself in the role of stay-at-home dad since June 2008, when he underwent reconstructive knee surgery after his dramatic U.S. Open win at Torrey Pines in La Jolla, Calif. He's said he enjoyed spending the extra time with his daughter and that his knee injury has been a "blessing" in many ways.
"While my injury has been disappointing and frustrating, it has allowed me to spend a lot of time watching Sam grow," Woods said on his Web site. "I can't begin to tell you how rewarding it is being a dad and spending time with her and Elin."
Last week Woods said in a newsletter that he was preparing for his return to the PGA Tour, but everything was on hold until the new baby arrived.
"As for my comeback to the PGA Tour, a lot depends on the baby, which is due pretty soon. That takes precedent over anything I do golf-wise," Woods said. "Elin, Sam and I are very excited for the new baby to arrive, although that's when the real lack of sleep begins."
However, the new baby shouldn't expect to see too much of his dad. Woods's recovery from surgery has gone according to schedule, and he said he expects to play in this year's Masters tournament in April, if not sooner. Any Tour players hoping that diaper duty will affect Woods's play should keep in mind that Sam was born the Monday after the U.S. Open at Oakmont; two months later Woods won the PGA Championship at Southern Hills.
McNamee says he had to tell truth about Clemens
NEW YORK (AP) -- Brian McNamee says he couldn't risk lying to federal agents when they asked him about Roger Clemens and performance-enhancing drugs.
McNamee, the pitcher's former trainer, spoke on "The Howard Stern Show" on Monday as a federal grand jury in Washington looks into whether Clemens lied to Congress.
"You just think of circumstances," McNamee said. "It wasn't worth that risk of that being over my head for six years -- that's the term they have to investigate you and convene a grand jury."
McNamee declined comment after leaving Stern's studio. He has told federal agents, baseball investigator George Mitchell and a House of Representatives committee that he injected Clemens more than a dozen times with steroids and human growth hormone from 1998-01.
McNamee said he doesn't believe he violated Clemens' loyalty by confessing to authorities. His business was doing well independent of his work with the pitcher, McNamee said, though he acknowledged his affiliation with Clemens helped his credibility.
"It wasn't a financial thing for me to work with Clemens," McNamee said.
"Were we friends?" McNamee added. "I think there was a little bit of an arm's distance we kept."
McNamee was promoting a Web site he is affiliated with, sportsimproper.com, and appeared on the radio show with the site's "spokesmodel," Mai Tran.
Stern conceded he didn't know much about the Clemens case. The approximately 45-minute interview was more classic Stern than ESPN, complete with innuendo-laced questions about McNamee injecting Clemens' wife with HGH.
Asked if Clemens would have been a Hall of Famer without performance-enhancing drugs, McNamee said, "He left Boston in '96; if he never played after '96, he was a Hall of Famer."
The latest star player to be linked to steroids is Alex Rodriguez, who reportedly tested positive in 2003.
"I would hope it's not true, just for the sake of the game," McNamee said. "But it's something he's going to have to seriously contemplate coming up with a decision of how to approach it if it is true."
As other players have shown, he said, honesty works best.
"I think the best course of action if it is true -- like Jason Giambi and Andy Pettitte, they just went on with their business and made a lot of money," McNamee said.
Asked if his life was ruined, McNamee said, "No."
Is he broke? "I'm on the fence."
He said he had work opportunities but it's difficult to follow through because of all the publicity.
"You get caught up in a culture," he said. "I made a mistake. I wouldn't do it again. It was stupid. I never made money off it."
McNamee said he was trying to keep a low profile, though he conceded the Stern interview contradicted that. At dinner Sunday night, he wasn't pleased that three strangers came up to him asking about A-Rod.
"I'm a very private person," he said. "I never wanted the limelight. I was thrust into this."
McNamee, the pitcher's former trainer, spoke on "The Howard Stern Show" on Monday as a federal grand jury in Washington looks into whether Clemens lied to Congress.
"You just think of circumstances," McNamee said. "It wasn't worth that risk of that being over my head for six years -- that's the term they have to investigate you and convene a grand jury."
McNamee declined comment after leaving Stern's studio. He has told federal agents, baseball investigator George Mitchell and a House of Representatives committee that he injected Clemens more than a dozen times with steroids and human growth hormone from 1998-01.
McNamee said he doesn't believe he violated Clemens' loyalty by confessing to authorities. His business was doing well independent of his work with the pitcher, McNamee said, though he acknowledged his affiliation with Clemens helped his credibility.
"It wasn't a financial thing for me to work with Clemens," McNamee said.
"Were we friends?" McNamee added. "I think there was a little bit of an arm's distance we kept."
McNamee was promoting a Web site he is affiliated with, sportsimproper.com, and appeared on the radio show with the site's "spokesmodel," Mai Tran.
Stern conceded he didn't know much about the Clemens case. The approximately 45-minute interview was more classic Stern than ESPN, complete with innuendo-laced questions about McNamee injecting Clemens' wife with HGH.
Asked if Clemens would have been a Hall of Famer without performance-enhancing drugs, McNamee said, "He left Boston in '96; if he never played after '96, he was a Hall of Famer."
The latest star player to be linked to steroids is Alex Rodriguez, who reportedly tested positive in 2003.
"I would hope it's not true, just for the sake of the game," McNamee said. "But it's something he's going to have to seriously contemplate coming up with a decision of how to approach it if it is true."
As other players have shown, he said, honesty works best.
"I think the best course of action if it is true -- like Jason Giambi and Andy Pettitte, they just went on with their business and made a lot of money," McNamee said.
Asked if his life was ruined, McNamee said, "No."
Is he broke? "I'm on the fence."
He said he had work opportunities but it's difficult to follow through because of all the publicity.
"You get caught up in a culture," he said. "I made a mistake. I wouldn't do it again. It was stupid. I never made money off it."
McNamee said he was trying to keep a low profile, though he conceded the Stern interview contradicted that. At dinner Sunday night, he wasn't pleased that three strangers came up to him asking about A-Rod.
"I'm a very private person," he said. "I never wanted the limelight. I was thrust into this."
Sources: Brown's alleged victim was girlfriend Rihanna
The woman allegedly assaulted by singer Chris Brown in Hollywood early Sunday was his girlfriend, singer Rihanna, according to sources close to the couple.
While Los Angeles Police have a policy against identifying alleged domestic violence victims, two people who know both Brown and Rihanna confirmed she was the woman police said had "suffered visible injuries and identified Brown as her attacker."
Brown, 19, turned himself in to police Sunday night after police said they were looking for him. He was arrested on a felony charge, released on a $50,000 bond and given a March 5 court date.
"Detectives investigating the alleged domestic violence felony battery booked him for criminal threats," a statement from the Los Angeles Police Department said. "At the time the case is presented to the Los Angeles County district attorney's office, additional charges may be filed."
Brown, nominated for two Grammy Awards, was scheduled to perform at the show.His girlfriend, singer Rihanna, abruptly canceled her planned Grammys performance, but neither her spokesman nor the show organizers gave a reason.
"Rihanna is well," her spokesman said in a written statement. "Thank you for concern and support."
While Los Angeles Police have a policy against identifying alleged domestic violence victims, two people who know both Brown and Rihanna confirmed she was the woman police said had "suffered visible injuries and identified Brown as her attacker."
Brown, 19, turned himself in to police Sunday night after police said they were looking for him. He was arrested on a felony charge, released on a $50,000 bond and given a March 5 court date.
"Detectives investigating the alleged domestic violence felony battery booked him for criminal threats," a statement from the Los Angeles Police Department said. "At the time the case is presented to the Los Angeles County district attorney's office, additional charges may be filed."
Brown, nominated for two Grammy Awards, was scheduled to perform at the show.His girlfriend, singer Rihanna, abruptly canceled her planned Grammys performance, but neither her spokesman nor the show organizers gave a reason.
"Rihanna is well," her spokesman said in a written statement. "Thank you for concern and support."
Rodriguez admits to using steroids
NEW YORK (SI.com) -- Alex Rodriguez has admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs from 2001-2003, ESPN is reporting.
Those were the first three seasons of Rodriguez's then-record 10-year, $252 million contract with the Texas Rangers. Rodriguez won his first AL MVP award in '03, his last year with the Rangers, before being traded to the Yankees prior to the start of the 2004 season.
On Saturday, Sports Illustrated broke the news that Rodriguez had tested positive for two anabolic steroids in 2003. When reached for comment at a Miami gym last Thursday, Rodriguez told an SI reporter "You'll have to talk to the union" and "I'm not saying anything."
During the interview with ESPN's Peter Gammons, Rodriguez said, "When I arrived in Texas in 2001, I felt an enormous amount of pressure, felt all the weight of the world on top of me to perform and perform at a high level every day. Back then, it was a different culture. It was very loose. I was young, I was stupid, I was naive and I wanted to prove to everyone that I was worth, you know, being one of the greatest players of all time. And I did take a banned substance. For that, I'm very sorry and deeply regretful. And although it was the culture back then in major league baseball overall ... it was very ... I just feel that ... I'm just sorry. I'm sorry for that time, I'm sorry to my fans, I'm sorry to my fans in Texas. It wasn't until then that I thought about substance of any kind, and since then I've proved to myself and to everyone that I don't need any of that."
When asked if his usage took place from 2001-2003, Rodriguez said, "That's pretty accurate."
Gammons then asked, "What kind of substances were you taking?"
Rodriguez responded, in part, "It was such a loosey-goosey era. I'm guilty for a lot of things, for being negligent, naïve, not asking the right questions. To be quite honest I don't know exactly what substance I was guilty of using."
Rodriguez tested positive for testosterone and Primobolan, an injected or orally administered drug. According to SI's report, Primobolan "is detectable for a shorter period of time than the steroid previously favored by players, Deca-Durabolin."
Steroids have been banned in baseball since 1991, but there was no testing for it until 2003, when survey testing was done to determine if the game needed to adopt a permanent testing policy. Rodriguez's name was on a list of 104 players who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003. There were no penalties for players who tested positive and the names of those players were supposed to remain anonymous, but federal agents, using search warrants, seized those test results from one of the two labs MLB had used in connection with the '03 testing as part of the government's BALCO investigation.
According to the Mitchell Report, which investigated steroid use in Major League Baseball and was released in late 2007, Gene Orza, the chief operating officer of the players union, tipped off a player about an upcoming drug test that was supposed to be unannounced, violating an agreement with MLB. That player was not named in the report, but three major leaguers told SI that Rodriguez was also tipped by Orza in early September 2004 that he would be tested later that month. The MLBPA refused that claim on Saturday. When asked about it by an SI reporter last week, Orza said, "I'm not interested in discussing this information with you."
In a 2007 60 Minutes interview with Katie Couric, Rodriguez flatly denied ever taking steroids. "For the record, have you ever used steroids, human growth hormone or any other performance-enhancing substance?" Couric asked.
"No," said Rodriguez. "I've never felt overmatched on the baseball field. I've always been a very strong, dominant position. And I felt that if I did my work since I was, you know, a rookie back in Seattle, I didn't have a problem competing at any level. So, no."
In 2000, his last year in Seattle, Rodriguez batted .316 with 41 home runs and 132 RBIs. In 2001, his first season in Texas, Rodriguez set a career high with 52 home runs while batting .318 with a .622 slugging percentage, the second-highest number of his career. The following season, he established a new career high with 57 home runs, adding 142 RBIs and a .623 slugging percentage. In 2003, he dropped to .298 with 47 home runs and 118 RBIs and a .600 slugging percentage. In 2004, when Rodriguez says he was not taking any performance-enhancing drugs, he hit .286 with 36 homers, 106 RBIs and a .512 slugging percentage and .375 on-base percentage. The latter two numbers were his lowest single-season marks since 1999.
Rodriguez has won three American League MVP awards, in 2003, 2005 and 2007. He is a two-time Gold Glover and a 12-time All-Star.
Rodriguez was traded to the Yankees in February 2004. After the 2007 season, he opted out of his contract before signing a new 10-year deal that, with incentives, could be worth over $300 million. Two sources familiar with the contract told SI that there is no language about steroids in the contract that would put Rodriguez at risk of losing money.
Those were the first three seasons of Rodriguez's then-record 10-year, $252 million contract with the Texas Rangers. Rodriguez won his first AL MVP award in '03, his last year with the Rangers, before being traded to the Yankees prior to the start of the 2004 season.
On Saturday, Sports Illustrated broke the news that Rodriguez had tested positive for two anabolic steroids in 2003. When reached for comment at a Miami gym last Thursday, Rodriguez told an SI reporter "You'll have to talk to the union" and "I'm not saying anything."
During the interview with ESPN's Peter Gammons, Rodriguez said, "When I arrived in Texas in 2001, I felt an enormous amount of pressure, felt all the weight of the world on top of me to perform and perform at a high level every day. Back then, it was a different culture. It was very loose. I was young, I was stupid, I was naive and I wanted to prove to everyone that I was worth, you know, being one of the greatest players of all time. And I did take a banned substance. For that, I'm very sorry and deeply regretful. And although it was the culture back then in major league baseball overall ... it was very ... I just feel that ... I'm just sorry. I'm sorry for that time, I'm sorry to my fans, I'm sorry to my fans in Texas. It wasn't until then that I thought about substance of any kind, and since then I've proved to myself and to everyone that I don't need any of that."
When asked if his usage took place from 2001-2003, Rodriguez said, "That's pretty accurate."
Gammons then asked, "What kind of substances were you taking?"
Rodriguez responded, in part, "It was such a loosey-goosey era. I'm guilty for a lot of things, for being negligent, naïve, not asking the right questions. To be quite honest I don't know exactly what substance I was guilty of using."
Rodriguez tested positive for testosterone and Primobolan, an injected or orally administered drug. According to SI's report, Primobolan "is detectable for a shorter period of time than the steroid previously favored by players, Deca-Durabolin."
Steroids have been banned in baseball since 1991, but there was no testing for it until 2003, when survey testing was done to determine if the game needed to adopt a permanent testing policy. Rodriguez's name was on a list of 104 players who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003. There were no penalties for players who tested positive and the names of those players were supposed to remain anonymous, but federal agents, using search warrants, seized those test results from one of the two labs MLB had used in connection with the '03 testing as part of the government's BALCO investigation.
According to the Mitchell Report, which investigated steroid use in Major League Baseball and was released in late 2007, Gene Orza, the chief operating officer of the players union, tipped off a player about an upcoming drug test that was supposed to be unannounced, violating an agreement with MLB. That player was not named in the report, but three major leaguers told SI that Rodriguez was also tipped by Orza in early September 2004 that he would be tested later that month. The MLBPA refused that claim on Saturday. When asked about it by an SI reporter last week, Orza said, "I'm not interested in discussing this information with you."
In a 2007 60 Minutes interview with Katie Couric, Rodriguez flatly denied ever taking steroids. "For the record, have you ever used steroids, human growth hormone or any other performance-enhancing substance?" Couric asked.
"No," said Rodriguez. "I've never felt overmatched on the baseball field. I've always been a very strong, dominant position. And I felt that if I did my work since I was, you know, a rookie back in Seattle, I didn't have a problem competing at any level. So, no."
In 2000, his last year in Seattle, Rodriguez batted .316 with 41 home runs and 132 RBIs. In 2001, his first season in Texas, Rodriguez set a career high with 52 home runs while batting .318 with a .622 slugging percentage, the second-highest number of his career. The following season, he established a new career high with 57 home runs, adding 142 RBIs and a .623 slugging percentage. In 2003, he dropped to .298 with 47 home runs and 118 RBIs and a .600 slugging percentage. In 2004, when Rodriguez says he was not taking any performance-enhancing drugs, he hit .286 with 36 homers, 106 RBIs and a .512 slugging percentage and .375 on-base percentage. The latter two numbers were his lowest single-season marks since 1999.
Rodriguez has won three American League MVP awards, in 2003, 2005 and 2007. He is a two-time Gold Glover and a 12-time All-Star.
Rodriguez was traded to the Yankees in February 2004. After the 2007 season, he opted out of his contract before signing a new 10-year deal that, with incentives, could be worth over $300 million. Two sources familiar with the contract told SI that there is no language about steroids in the contract that would put Rodriguez at risk of losing money.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Bonds’ judge may exclude positive tests
SAN FRANCISCO (AP)—A federal judge overseeing Barry Bonds’ criminal case said her “preliminary thoughts” are to exclude from trial three positive drug tests, though she’s inclined to keep a recorded conversation between Bonds’ personal trainer and former personal assistant discussing steroid use.
U.S. District Judge Susan Illston said during an evidentiary hearing Thursday that she was leaning toward excluding the results seized by investigators during a BALCO raid unless there is direct testimony tying the urine samples to Bonds. She is not expected to issue her ruling Thursday.
Bonds is charged with lying to a December 2003 grand jury when he said he never knowingly used performance-enhancing drugs. He pleaded not guilty to the charges earlier Thursday, then stayed for the hearing, sitting quietly at a table with six lawyers for about an hour.
According to court documents, Bonds tested positive on three separate occasions in 2000 and 2001 for the steroid methenelone in urine samples; he also tested positive two of those three times for the steroid nandrolone.
The test results were seized in a 2003 raid on the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative, the headquarters of a massive sports doping ring shut down by federal agents. Agents said they seized numerous results of blood and urine tests by Bonds, which prosecutors argue show the slugger was intimately involved with BALCO.
Those three positive tests were some of the strongest evidence the government had in its effort to prove Bonds knowingly took steroids.
Bonds’ lawyers argue there is no way to know the test results belong to Bonds because of shoddy collection, handling and processing of the urine samples. A similar chain-of-custody argument was used by O.J. Simpson to help win an acquittal in his murder trial.
Illston and the lawyers didn’t discuss a fourth positive test seized in 2004 from a lab used by Major League Baseball to test its players during anonymous survey testing in 2003.
The judge also said she was inclined to let the jury hear a recorded conversation between Bonds’ personal trainer, Greg Anderson, and former personal assistant Steve Hoskins.
Court documents released Wednesday revealed Hoskins, Bonds’ childhood friend, secretly tape-recorded a 2003 conversation with Anderson in the Giants’ clubhouse because Hoskins wanted to prove to Bonds’ father, Bobby Bonds, that his son was using steroids.
Anderson and Hoskins, who were near Bonds’ locker, were discussing steroid injections, and at one point, they lowered their voices to avoid being overheard as players, including Benito Santiago, and others walked by, according to the documents.
Anderson: “No, what happens is, they put too much in one area, and … actually ball up and puddle. And what happens is, it actually will eat away and make an indentation. And it’s a cyst. It makes a big (expletive) cyst. And you have to drain it. Oh yeah, it’s gnarly. … Hi Benito. … Oh it’s gnarly.”
Hoskins: “… Is that why Barry’s didn’t do it in one spot, and you didn’t just let him do it one time?”
Anderson: “Oh no. I never. I never just go there. I move it all over the place.”
Also during that conversation, Anderson told Hoskins that “everything that I’ve been doing at this point, it’s all undetectable,” according to the documents.
“See, the stuff that I have … we created it,” he was quoted as saying. “And you can’t, you can’t buy it anywhere. You can’t get it anywhere else.”
He added that he was unconcerned about Bonds testing positive because Marion Jones and other athletes using the same drugs had not been caught doping.
“So that’s why I know it works. So that’s why I’m not even trippin’. So that’s cool,” Anderson said, according to the transcript.
Anderson’s attorney Mark Geragos said his client will refuse to testify at trial, so the transcripts would be the prosecution’s chance to introduce his voice into their arguments.
But Bonds’ attorneys argue his right to confront witnesses would be violated if his attorneys can’t question Anderson about the recording. The trial is scheduled to begin March 2, and lawyers estimate it will last about a month.
U.S. District Judge Susan Illston said during an evidentiary hearing Thursday that she was leaning toward excluding the results seized by investigators during a BALCO raid unless there is direct testimony tying the urine samples to Bonds. She is not expected to issue her ruling Thursday.
Bonds is charged with lying to a December 2003 grand jury when he said he never knowingly used performance-enhancing drugs. He pleaded not guilty to the charges earlier Thursday, then stayed for the hearing, sitting quietly at a table with six lawyers for about an hour.
According to court documents, Bonds tested positive on three separate occasions in 2000 and 2001 for the steroid methenelone in urine samples; he also tested positive two of those three times for the steroid nandrolone.
The test results were seized in a 2003 raid on the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative, the headquarters of a massive sports doping ring shut down by federal agents. Agents said they seized numerous results of blood and urine tests by Bonds, which prosecutors argue show the slugger was intimately involved with BALCO.
Those three positive tests were some of the strongest evidence the government had in its effort to prove Bonds knowingly took steroids.
Bonds’ lawyers argue there is no way to know the test results belong to Bonds because of shoddy collection, handling and processing of the urine samples. A similar chain-of-custody argument was used by O.J. Simpson to help win an acquittal in his murder trial.
Illston and the lawyers didn’t discuss a fourth positive test seized in 2004 from a lab used by Major League Baseball to test its players during anonymous survey testing in 2003.
The judge also said she was inclined to let the jury hear a recorded conversation between Bonds’ personal trainer, Greg Anderson, and former personal assistant Steve Hoskins.
Court documents released Wednesday revealed Hoskins, Bonds’ childhood friend, secretly tape-recorded a 2003 conversation with Anderson in the Giants’ clubhouse because Hoskins wanted to prove to Bonds’ father, Bobby Bonds, that his son was using steroids.
Anderson and Hoskins, who were near Bonds’ locker, were discussing steroid injections, and at one point, they lowered their voices to avoid being overheard as players, including Benito Santiago, and others walked by, according to the documents.
Anderson: “No, what happens is, they put too much in one area, and … actually ball up and puddle. And what happens is, it actually will eat away and make an indentation. And it’s a cyst. It makes a big (expletive) cyst. And you have to drain it. Oh yeah, it’s gnarly. … Hi Benito. … Oh it’s gnarly.”
Hoskins: “… Is that why Barry’s didn’t do it in one spot, and you didn’t just let him do it one time?”
Anderson: “Oh no. I never. I never just go there. I move it all over the place.”
Also during that conversation, Anderson told Hoskins that “everything that I’ve been doing at this point, it’s all undetectable,” according to the documents.
“See, the stuff that I have … we created it,” he was quoted as saying. “And you can’t, you can’t buy it anywhere. You can’t get it anywhere else.”
He added that he was unconcerned about Bonds testing positive because Marion Jones and other athletes using the same drugs had not been caught doping.
“So that’s why I know it works. So that’s why I’m not even trippin’. So that’s cool,” Anderson said, according to the transcript.
Anderson’s attorney Mark Geragos said his client will refuse to testify at trial, so the transcripts would be the prosecution’s chance to introduce his voice into their arguments.
But Bonds’ attorneys argue his right to confront witnesses would be violated if his attorneys can’t question Anderson about the recording. The trial is scheduled to begin March 2, and lawyers estimate it will last about a month.
Peyton Manning throws diabetes monitor in the pool
And then, for extra laughs, Peyton drove around to various nursing homes in the Honolulu area, unplugging oxygen machines and slathering canes and walkers in Crisco.
I kid, I kid. Peyton doesn't have any hatred of the elderly or disease-ridden. As it turns out, he destroyed Jay Cutler's blood sugar monitor (Cutler's a type 1 diabetic) by mistake. As part of all the zany Pro Bowl hijinx, Peyton meant to throw Cutler's cell phone in the pool as a part of some Pro Bowl rookie initiation.
Here's how it went down, courtesy of the Denver Post:
The gang of Pro Bowl football players had been gathered around the tables, swapping stories, when suddenly the Broncos' quarterback had 300-pound Nick Mangold pushing from one side, 310-pound Kris Dielman holding the other and his cell phone swindled into the hands of a coy Peyton Manning.
Cutler's radar had gone up, but he never had a chance.
Splash!
"We gave him a Pro Bowl baptism," said Dielman, the star offensive guard of the rival San Diego Chargers.
Great fun. Big laughs. There was just one problem. Cutler is a Type 1 diabetic, and in his pocket was his blood-sugar monitor.
"That was a prank where I thought we were smart enough to get the cellphone out of his pocket," Dielman said. "But then, 'Oops.' "
Oops indeed. In their defense, though, some blood sugar monitors do look slightly cell-phone-esque.
Fortunately, Cutler took it all in stride and was able to make a few calls and get a new monitor quickly. If I was him, I would have started faking stomach cramps and pretending to lose my eyesight, while screaming that I could die without my monitor. But that's just me, and I like to teach people lessons that will stick for a lifetime.
I kid, I kid. Peyton doesn't have any hatred of the elderly or disease-ridden. As it turns out, he destroyed Jay Cutler's blood sugar monitor (Cutler's a type 1 diabetic) by mistake. As part of all the zany Pro Bowl hijinx, Peyton meant to throw Cutler's cell phone in the pool as a part of some Pro Bowl rookie initiation.
Here's how it went down, courtesy of the Denver Post:
The gang of Pro Bowl football players had been gathered around the tables, swapping stories, when suddenly the Broncos' quarterback had 300-pound Nick Mangold pushing from one side, 310-pound Kris Dielman holding the other and his cell phone swindled into the hands of a coy Peyton Manning.
Cutler's radar had gone up, but he never had a chance.
Splash!
"We gave him a Pro Bowl baptism," said Dielman, the star offensive guard of the rival San Diego Chargers.
Great fun. Big laughs. There was just one problem. Cutler is a Type 1 diabetic, and in his pocket was his blood-sugar monitor.
"That was a prank where I thought we were smart enough to get the cellphone out of his pocket," Dielman said. "But then, 'Oops.' "
Oops indeed. In their defense, though, some blood sugar monitors do look slightly cell-phone-esque.
Fortunately, Cutler took it all in stride and was able to make a few calls and get a new monitor quickly. If I was him, I would have started faking stomach cramps and pretending to lose my eyesight, while screaming that I could die without my monitor. But that's just me, and I like to teach people lessons that will stick for a lifetime.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Nelson's injury a blow to Magic
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- All-Star point guard Jameer Nelson could miss the rest of the season for the Orlando Magic because of a torn labrum in his right shoulder.
An MRI exam revealed the injury Tuesday, the team announced.
Nelson will decide over the next week whether he will have surgery or attempt rehabilitation. If surgery is the option, his season is likely over. If he passes on the surgery, he'll likely miss several weeks.
Nelson left the Magic's 105-95 loss to the Mavericks on Monday night in the third quarter after he was fouled by Dallas center Erick Dampier and hit the floor. Nelson came up bent over and clutching his right shoulder before heading to the locker room in pain.
The injury leaves the Southeast division-leading Magic (37-11) with a major hole.
Orlando does not have a third point guard behind backup Anthony Johnson. The Magic likely will have to sign another point guard, or convert shooting guards J.J. Reddick and Courtney Lee. Magic general manager Otis Smith scheduled a news conference for later Tuesday.
"It's a big blow for us," center Dwight Howard said after Monday night's loss. "I'm trying not to even think about it because he had been playing so well for us. It's a sad day for us all."
Nelson was having a career season, averaging 16.7 points and 5.4 assists per game. He was selected to his first All-Star Game and was to compete in the skills challenge Feb. 14 in Phoenix.
The Magic host the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night.
Nelson missed five games earlier this season with a right hip injury, and Orlando managed to go 4-1 behind Johnson.
A longer stretch against significantly better competition will provide a tougher test.
"We've done it before so we'll do whatever we have to do," Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said.
If the Magic can take any comfort in the loss, it's that they have time to regroup before the playoffs.
Orlando has a stranglehold on the Southeast division, beginning Tuesday with a nine-game lead over Atlanta. The Magic were three games behind Boston for the NBA's best record.
Still, Orlando's hopes for locking up home-court advantage in the East took a major hit.
"We don't change expectations at all," Lee said. "We can't say that we're losing because Jameer is out. We all have to step it up so that there's no drop off."
An MRI exam revealed the injury Tuesday, the team announced.
Nelson will decide over the next week whether he will have surgery or attempt rehabilitation. If surgery is the option, his season is likely over. If he passes on the surgery, he'll likely miss several weeks.
Nelson left the Magic's 105-95 loss to the Mavericks on Monday night in the third quarter after he was fouled by Dallas center Erick Dampier and hit the floor. Nelson came up bent over and clutching his right shoulder before heading to the locker room in pain.
The injury leaves the Southeast division-leading Magic (37-11) with a major hole.
Orlando does not have a third point guard behind backup Anthony Johnson. The Magic likely will have to sign another point guard, or convert shooting guards J.J. Reddick and Courtney Lee. Magic general manager Otis Smith scheduled a news conference for later Tuesday.
"It's a big blow for us," center Dwight Howard said after Monday night's loss. "I'm trying not to even think about it because he had been playing so well for us. It's a sad day for us all."
Nelson was having a career season, averaging 16.7 points and 5.4 assists per game. He was selected to his first All-Star Game and was to compete in the skills challenge Feb. 14 in Phoenix.
The Magic host the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night.
Nelson missed five games earlier this season with a right hip injury, and Orlando managed to go 4-1 behind Johnson.
A longer stretch against significantly better competition will provide a tougher test.
"We've done it before so we'll do whatever we have to do," Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said.
If the Magic can take any comfort in the loss, it's that they have time to regroup before the playoffs.
Orlando has a stranglehold on the Southeast division, beginning Tuesday with a nine-game lead over Atlanta. The Magic were three games behind Boston for the NBA's best record.
Still, Orlando's hopes for locking up home-court advantage in the East took a major hit.
"We don't change expectations at all," Lee said. "We can't say that we're losing because Jameer is out. We all have to step it up so that there's no drop off."
Mediate withdraws from Buick Invitational
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Already missing Tiger Woods as he recovers from knee surgery, Torrey Pines lost the other half of its U.S. Open memory when Rocco Mediate withdrew Monday from the Buick Invitational.
The Buick Invitational starts Thursday at Torrey Pines, the public course that staged a riveting U.S. Open last June when Woods birdied the final hole to force a playoff against Mediate, then rallied the next day to beat him in 19 holes.
Woods is the four-time defending champion at the Buick Invitational, but he is not expected to return to competition until the end of the month at the earliest. Mediate, whose appeal increased because of his everyman qualities, cited personal reasons for pulling out.
The Buick Invitational still features British Open and PGA champion Padraig Harrington and Phil Mickelson.
The Buick Invitational starts Thursday at Torrey Pines, the public course that staged a riveting U.S. Open last June when Woods birdied the final hole to force a playoff against Mediate, then rallied the next day to beat him in 19 holes.
Woods is the four-time defending champion at the Buick Invitational, but he is not expected to return to competition until the end of the month at the earliest. Mediate, whose appeal increased because of his everyman qualities, cited personal reasons for pulling out.
The Buick Invitational still features British Open and PGA champion Padraig Harrington and Phil Mickelson.
Springsteen, Phish, Beasties, NIN Set For Bonnaroo
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Phish, the Beastie Boys, Nine Inch Nails, David Byrne, Wilco, Al Green, Snoop Dogg and Elvis Costello lead the lineup for the 2009 Bonnaroo festival, to be held June 11-14 in Manchester, Tenn.Bonnaroo will be Springsteen's only North American festival of the year, as well as the only festival on the reunited Phish's 2009 itinerary. According to Jonathan Mayers, president of festival co-producer Superfly, Phish will play two distinct shows on the Bonnaroo main stage on two separate nights: a two-set performance and an additional late-evening set."With Phish, it feels like we've come full circle," Mayers tells Billboard. "The Phish festivals and Phish as a band were key inspirations for what we do. We still work with the team that did a lot of their events."Costello is billed as playing solo, but may collaborate with artists like Allen Toussaint and Rilo Kiley's Jenny Lewis, with whom he's recorded in the past. Other acts confirmed for the festival include Erykah Badu, Paul Oakenfold, Ben Harper and his new band Relentless7, the Mars Volta, TV On The Radio, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Gov't Mule, Andrew Bird, Merle Haggard and MGMT.Tickets go on sale Saturday (Feb. 7) via Bonnaroo.com. This year, fans can utilize a payment plan with five $50 installments. Fuse will provide live TV coverage from the scene, while AT&T Music will once again offer live Webcasts.
"It seems more relevant than ever to offer it," Mayers says of the layaway ticket plan. "We want to make Bonnaroo as accessible as possible. We really believe in super-serving our audience. If you say, 'I want to do a music festival,' there's nothing really proprietary about that. The details are what make it interesting. These are like never-ending art projects for us."Having purchased the majority of the festival grounds about two-and-a-half-years ago, organizers are continuing to add permanent infrastructure to the site, including electricity. "All of this will help us contain our budget," Mayers says. "It will take us a while, but it will enable us to provide a better experience for not only Bonnaroo but also to do other events on the property. That's a key goal of ours."Mayers says he's particularly excited for bands such as Animal Collective, Bon Iver, TV On The Radio and Andrew Bird, as well as a crop of African artists including the legendary King Sunny Ade and Toumani Diabate, the latter of whom is performing with Bela Fleck."It's about going out there and checking out different things and hopefully discovering some new stuff," Mayers says of the Bonnaroo experience. "So much of it I'm very personally excited about. It feels like we keep evolving, and hopefully that brings more people into the Bonnaroo community."The Beastie Boys will be playing their only confirmed date of the year so far at Bonnaroo. "We are looking forward to bringing heat and fire inside of your festival grounds," the pioneering rap trio says in a statement released to Billboard. "We (the band known as Beastie Boys) are like a three-headed dragon with hot molten metal spewing forth from every head. Ready yourselves. Stand fast. Saturn's second moon is on the rise. We approach you now from the Northeast at the speed of lightning. There will be no respite from our wrath."Headlined by Pearl Jam, Metallica and Jack Johnson, the 2008 edition of Bonnaroo grossed about $17 million, according to Billboard Boxscore, and won its fourth Top Festival honor at last year's Billboard Touring Awards.
"It seems more relevant than ever to offer it," Mayers says of the layaway ticket plan. "We want to make Bonnaroo as accessible as possible. We really believe in super-serving our audience. If you say, 'I want to do a music festival,' there's nothing really proprietary about that. The details are what make it interesting. These are like never-ending art projects for us."Having purchased the majority of the festival grounds about two-and-a-half-years ago, organizers are continuing to add permanent infrastructure to the site, including electricity. "All of this will help us contain our budget," Mayers says. "It will take us a while, but it will enable us to provide a better experience for not only Bonnaroo but also to do other events on the property. That's a key goal of ours."Mayers says he's particularly excited for bands such as Animal Collective, Bon Iver, TV On The Radio and Andrew Bird, as well as a crop of African artists including the legendary King Sunny Ade and Toumani Diabate, the latter of whom is performing with Bela Fleck."It's about going out there and checking out different things and hopefully discovering some new stuff," Mayers says of the Bonnaroo experience. "So much of it I'm very personally excited about. It feels like we keep evolving, and hopefully that brings more people into the Bonnaroo community."The Beastie Boys will be playing their only confirmed date of the year so far at Bonnaroo. "We are looking forward to bringing heat and fire inside of your festival grounds," the pioneering rap trio says in a statement released to Billboard. "We (the band known as Beastie Boys) are like a three-headed dragon with hot molten metal spewing forth from every head. Ready yourselves. Stand fast. Saturn's second moon is on the rise. We approach you now from the Northeast at the speed of lightning. There will be no respite from our wrath."Headlined by Pearl Jam, Metallica and Jack Johnson, the 2008 edition of Bonnaroo grossed about $17 million, according to Billboard Boxscore, and won its fourth Top Festival honor at last year's Billboard Touring Awards.
SC sheriff investigating Phelps' pot pipe photo
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- South Carolina authorities in the county where Michael Phelps was spotted smoking from a marijuana pipe say they are considering a criminal charge against the Olympic superstar.
Lt. Chris Cowan said Tuesday that Richland County sheriff's investigators are gathering more information about the photo, which showed the swimmer inhaling from a marijuana pipe.
Cowan did not specify what charge was being considered and declined to discuss details of the investigation.
The photograph was first shown in a British tabloid Sunday. News of the World said the picture was taken during a November house party while Phelps was visiting the University of South Carolina.
Phelps and his advisers did not dispute the photo's authenticity. He has issued a public apology.
Lt. Chris Cowan said Tuesday that Richland County sheriff's investigators are gathering more information about the photo, which showed the swimmer inhaling from a marijuana pipe.
Cowan did not specify what charge was being considered and declined to discuss details of the investigation.
The photograph was first shown in a British tabloid Sunday. News of the World said the picture was taken during a November house party while Phelps was visiting the University of South Carolina.
Phelps and his advisers did not dispute the photo's authenticity. He has issued a public apology.
Report: Clemens' DNA linked to blood in syringes
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Tests have linked Roger Clemens' DNA to blood in syringes that his former personal trainer says he used to inject the pitcher with performance-enhancing drugs, according to a report.
Citing two unidentified sources familiar with the investigation, The Washington Post reported Tuesday that the DNA results are preliminary and subject to verification tests. The newspaper said Clemens voluntarily gave a DNA sample to federal authorities, according to the sources, and it still remains to be determined whether the syringes ever contained steroids or human growth hormone.
The test results could prove important to the investigation into whether Clemens lied under oath to Congress last year when he denied using steroids or HGH.
Prosecutors have asked a federal grand jury in Washington to decide whether to indict the seven-time Cy Young Award winner. Brian McNamee has told federal agents, baseball investigator George Mitchell and a House of Representatives committee that he injected Clemens more than a dozen times with steroids and HGH from 1998-2001.
Clemens' lawyer, Rusty Hardin, told the Post that the DNA testing "won't matter at all."
"It will still be evidence fabricated by McNamee," Hardin was quoted as saying. "I would be dumbfounded if any responsible person ever found this to be reliable or credible evidence in any way."
The Associated Press reported last week that, according to a person close to the case, the world-renowned UCLA Olympic doping lab -- where the "clear" and the "cream" of BALCO infamy first were uncovered -- has in hand the physical evidence McNamee turned over to federal prosecutors in early 2008 that his side says will link Clemens to drug use.
For the items to play a role in the case -- to help settle the he-said, he-said between Clemens and McNamee -- investigators must know what, exactly, they contain.
McNamee's lawyers said last year the material included vials of testosterone and unused needles Clemens gave to McNamee. They also said they turned over needles used to inject Clemens -- needles that were contained in a beer can McNamee says was removed from the trash at the pitcher's New York apartment in 2001 -- and gauze used to wipe blood off Clemens after a shot.
At the time, Clemens' camp called it "manufactured" evidence, while the trainer's side said the items were thrown in a box by McNamee and kept for years in case he needed to "protect himself" somewhere down the line.
"The defendants will undoubtedly claim it was tampered with. But the jury will decide whether that's true or not," one of McNamee's lawyers, Richard Emery, said in a telephone interview Friday. "I don't think there's any doubt that it'll be admitted in the case, assuming that it reveals that Clemens' DNA is mixed with steroids or HGH."
Asked last week to comment on the UCLA lab's role, Hardin said through a spokesman: "We're happy that they're using such great resources, but it doesn't matter. Because at the end of the day, this is just a bunch of junk that was put together in a dark, dusty basement years ago by McNamee."
Citing two unidentified sources familiar with the investigation, The Washington Post reported Tuesday that the DNA results are preliminary and subject to verification tests. The newspaper said Clemens voluntarily gave a DNA sample to federal authorities, according to the sources, and it still remains to be determined whether the syringes ever contained steroids or human growth hormone.
The test results could prove important to the investigation into whether Clemens lied under oath to Congress last year when he denied using steroids or HGH.
Prosecutors have asked a federal grand jury in Washington to decide whether to indict the seven-time Cy Young Award winner. Brian McNamee has told federal agents, baseball investigator George Mitchell and a House of Representatives committee that he injected Clemens more than a dozen times with steroids and HGH from 1998-2001.
Clemens' lawyer, Rusty Hardin, told the Post that the DNA testing "won't matter at all."
"It will still be evidence fabricated by McNamee," Hardin was quoted as saying. "I would be dumbfounded if any responsible person ever found this to be reliable or credible evidence in any way."
The Associated Press reported last week that, according to a person close to the case, the world-renowned UCLA Olympic doping lab -- where the "clear" and the "cream" of BALCO infamy first were uncovered -- has in hand the physical evidence McNamee turned over to federal prosecutors in early 2008 that his side says will link Clemens to drug use.
For the items to play a role in the case -- to help settle the he-said, he-said between Clemens and McNamee -- investigators must know what, exactly, they contain.
McNamee's lawyers said last year the material included vials of testosterone and unused needles Clemens gave to McNamee. They also said they turned over needles used to inject Clemens -- needles that were contained in a beer can McNamee says was removed from the trash at the pitcher's New York apartment in 2001 -- and gauze used to wipe blood off Clemens after a shot.
At the time, Clemens' camp called it "manufactured" evidence, while the trainer's side said the items were thrown in a box by McNamee and kept for years in case he needed to "protect himself" somewhere down the line.
"The defendants will undoubtedly claim it was tampered with. But the jury will decide whether that's true or not," one of McNamee's lawyers, Richard Emery, said in a telephone interview Friday. "I don't think there's any doubt that it'll be admitted in the case, assuming that it reveals that Clemens' DNA is mixed with steroids or HGH."
Asked last week to comment on the UCLA lab's role, Hardin said through a spokesman: "We're happy that they're using such great resources, but it doesn't matter. Because at the end of the day, this is just a bunch of junk that was put together in a dark, dusty basement years ago by McNamee."
Monday, February 2, 2009
Ratings for Steelers-Cardinals Super Bowl second best ever
NEW YORK (AP) -- The Arizona-Pittsburgh matchup wasn't considered an ideal one for television, but its finish riveted an estimated audience of 95.4 million people, second only to last year's game as the most-watched Super Bowl ever.
Viewership peaked in the fourth quarter, when Arizona took the lead on Larry Fitzgerald's 64-yard catch and sprint to the end zone only to have it snatched back when Santonio Holmes' end zone leap gave Pittsburgh the 27-23 win. More than 100 million Americans were watching between 9:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. EST, according to Nielsen Media Research.
The game was the third most-watched program in American television history, after the 106 million people who watched the "M-A-S-H" series finale in 1983 and the 97.4 million who watched the N.Y. Giants end the New England Patriots' bid for an undefeated season in the 2008 Super Bowl.
"The Super Bowl, once again, proved its ability to capture America," said Dick Ebersol, NBC Universal Sports chairman.
The NFL's championship is traditionally television's biggest event of the year. Yet between 1998 and 2004, none of the games reached the 90 million mark in viewers. Each game for the past four years topped 90 million.
Arizona's first-ever visit to the Super Bowl hadn't drawn much buzz outside of the Southwest. But Pittsburgh, perhaps because of its four Super Bowl wins in six years in the 1970s, has more of a national constituency than the city's size would suggest. Both of its last two Super Bowl trips topped the 90 million mark, with the Steelers' 1996 loss to Dallas the most popular Super Bowl until it was beaten last year.
The Super Bowl, long derided as a game that rarely lives up to its hype, now has two classics in two years.
One measure of how gripping the game was: for the first time in the seven years TiVo Inc. has been measuring, more people watched the game during the second half than watched the commercials. The ads are usually watched more because of people playing them back on digital video recorders, said Todd Juenger, general manager of TiVo's research department.
One of the biggest gambles to pay off was by Go Daddy Group Inc., the Internet domain registrar. It bought time for its "enhancement" ad with Danica Patrick during the last few minutes of the game, risking the loss of millions of people who would drift away from the Super Bowl if the outcome was decided.
Instead, fans stayed glued to their sets and the company's ad was the most-watched commercial in the Super Bowl, TiVo said.
Eight of the 10 most-watched ads came during the second half, Juenger said.
TiVo makes its rankings by combining the number of actual viewers and its records of people who rewind to watch a particular event. If the commercial is rewound three times, that counts as four views.
The first-half Doritos ad with a well-pitched snowglobe was the commercial viewers most often stopped and rewound to give another look. Last year's E-Trade Financial Corp. ad with the talking baby was the most-watched ad but revisiting the strategy didn't seem to work: the company's ad ranked No. 37 of 143 that were measured.
The game didn't offer much help to NBC's one-hour special edition of "The Office," which aired following the trophy presentation. It had 22 million viewers -- compared to the 29 million who watched "House" after last year's Super Bowl -- but was still NBC entertainment's most-watched show since a May 2004 edition of "ER."
Viewership peaked in the fourth quarter, when Arizona took the lead on Larry Fitzgerald's 64-yard catch and sprint to the end zone only to have it snatched back when Santonio Holmes' end zone leap gave Pittsburgh the 27-23 win. More than 100 million Americans were watching between 9:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. EST, according to Nielsen Media Research.
The game was the third most-watched program in American television history, after the 106 million people who watched the "M-A-S-H" series finale in 1983 and the 97.4 million who watched the N.Y. Giants end the New England Patriots' bid for an undefeated season in the 2008 Super Bowl.
"The Super Bowl, once again, proved its ability to capture America," said Dick Ebersol, NBC Universal Sports chairman.
The NFL's championship is traditionally television's biggest event of the year. Yet between 1998 and 2004, none of the games reached the 90 million mark in viewers. Each game for the past four years topped 90 million.
Arizona's first-ever visit to the Super Bowl hadn't drawn much buzz outside of the Southwest. But Pittsburgh, perhaps because of its four Super Bowl wins in six years in the 1970s, has more of a national constituency than the city's size would suggest. Both of its last two Super Bowl trips topped the 90 million mark, with the Steelers' 1996 loss to Dallas the most popular Super Bowl until it was beaten last year.
The Super Bowl, long derided as a game that rarely lives up to its hype, now has two classics in two years.
One measure of how gripping the game was: for the first time in the seven years TiVo Inc. has been measuring, more people watched the game during the second half than watched the commercials. The ads are usually watched more because of people playing them back on digital video recorders, said Todd Juenger, general manager of TiVo's research department.
One of the biggest gambles to pay off was by Go Daddy Group Inc., the Internet domain registrar. It bought time for its "enhancement" ad with Danica Patrick during the last few minutes of the game, risking the loss of millions of people who would drift away from the Super Bowl if the outcome was decided.
Instead, fans stayed glued to their sets and the company's ad was the most-watched commercial in the Super Bowl, TiVo said.
Eight of the 10 most-watched ads came during the second half, Juenger said.
TiVo makes its rankings by combining the number of actual viewers and its records of people who rewind to watch a particular event. If the commercial is rewound three times, that counts as four views.
The first-half Doritos ad with a well-pitched snowglobe was the commercial viewers most often stopped and rewound to give another look. Last year's E-Trade Financial Corp. ad with the talking baby was the most-watched ad but revisiting the strategy didn't seem to work: the company's ad ranked No. 37 of 143 that were measured.
The game didn't offer much help to NBC's one-hour special edition of "The Office," which aired following the trophy presentation. It had 22 million viewers -- compared to the 29 million who watched "House" after last year's Super Bowl -- but was still NBC entertainment's most-watched show since a May 2004 edition of "ER."
Marijuana photo might have Phelps in hot water with sponsors
Michael Phelps is unbeatable in the water. It's on dry land where he runs into trouble.
Phelps has embarrassed himself again after a triumphant Olympics, this time getting his picture snapped as he inhaled from a marijuana pipe. The photo wound up in a British tabloid Sunday, forcing Phelps to publicly apologize and his handlers to deal with sponsors who are surely none too pleased about the swimmer's choices away from the pool.
"I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment," Phelps said in the statement released by one of his agents. "I'm 23 years old and despite the successes I've had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way, not in a manner people have come to expect from me. For this, I am sorry. I promise my fans and the public it will not happen again."
It all sounded so familiar, with good reason. After the 2004 Athens Games, an underage Phelps was arrested for drunken driving, pleaded guilty and apologized to his fans, saying he wouldn't make the same mistake again.
This was different, to be sure, but it could have the same damaging impact on Phelps' image and reputation, which were riding high after he won a record eight gold medals at the Beijing Games.
"Michael is a role model, and he is well aware of the responsibilities and accountability that come with setting a positive example for others, particularly young people," the U.S. Olympic Committee said in a statement. "In this instance, regrettably, he failed to fulfill those responsibilities."
News of the World said the picture was taken during a November house party while Phelps was visiting the University of South Carolina. During that trip, he attended one of the school's football games and received a big ovation when introduced to the crowd.
While the newspaper did not specifically allege that Phelps was smoking pot, it did say the water pipe is generally used for that purpose and anonymously quoted a partygoer who said the Olympic champion was "out of control from the moment he got there." Phelps and his advisers did not dispute the authenticity of the picture.
The party occurred nearly three months after the Olympics while Phelps was taking a long break from training, and his actions should have no impact on the eight golds he won at Beijing. He has never tested positive for banned substances, and this case doesn't fall under any doping rules.
Phelps' main sanctions most likely will be financial -- perhaps doled out by embarrassed sponsors who could reconsider their dealings with a swimmer who hopes to earn $100 million in endorsements.
Phelps was in Tampa, Fla., during Super Bowl week to make promotional appearances on behalf of a sponsor. But he left the city before Sunday's game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals, abandoning his original plan to be at Raymond James Stadium.
USA Swimming said its Olympic champions are "looked up to by people of all ages, especially young athletes who have their own aspirations and dreams."
"That said," the governing body added in a statement, "we realize that none among us is perfect. We hope that Michael can learn from this incident and move forward in a positive way."
Phelps was part of a group of elite athletes who agreed to take part in a pilot testing program designed to increase the accuracy of doping tests. His spot in the program could be at risk, said Travis Tygart, head of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.
"For one of the Olympics' biggest heroes it's disappointing, and we'll evaluate whether he remains in that program," Tygart said. "But some good education comes from this because he's going to suffer some penalties."
Marijuana is viewed differently from performance-enhancing drugs, according to David Howman, executive director of the World Anti-Doping Agency. An athlete is subject to WADA sanctions only for a positive test that occurs during competition periods.
"We don't have any jurisdiction," Howman said. "It's not banned out of competition. It's only if you test positive in competition."
Phelps returned to the pool a couple of weeks ago to begin preparations for this summer's world championships in Rome. He plans to take part in his first post-Olympics meet in early March, a Grand Prix event in Austin, Texas.
His longtime coach, Bob Bowman, did not respond to phone and e-mail messages. Instead, he issued a terse statement through Phelps' agent.
"He regrets his behavior, and I'm sure he'll learn from this experience," the coach said. "I'm glad to have him back in training."
In his book "No Limits: The Will to Succeed," Phelps recounted the embarrassment of his DUI arrest in 2004, a couple of months after winning six gold and two bronze medals in Athens. His mother, Debbie Phelps, cried when she heard the news.
"That hurt worse, maybe, than anything," Phelps wrote. "I had never seen my mother that upset."
Olympic teammate Dara Torres said Phelps has become such a prominent figure that everything he does is news.
However, she said: "This in no way, shape or form diminishes anything he's done."
"It's sort of a double-edged sword," Torres told the AP on Sunday. "When you're recognizable, you're looked up to as a role model. He is recognizable and everything you do gets looked at and picked apart. I guess that's the price of winning 14 Olympic (gold) medals."
Jason Lezak, whose remarkable anchor leg of the 400-meter freestyle relay helped Phelps stay on course to break Spitz's record, said he was "saddened" to hear of the report.
"While I don't condone his conduct, I am a teammate and fan," Lezak said in a text message to the AP. "Unlike many fair-weather people, I am sticking by him. If my wife and I can help him in any way, we will. I believe he will grow from this and be a better person, role model and teammate."
During the 1998 Nagano Olympics, Canadian snowboarder Ross Rebagliati was stripped of his gold medal in the giant slalom after testing positive for marijuana. The victory was reinstated because the sport's governing body did not have a rule banning the substance.
Later that year, Olympic swimmer Gary Hall Jr. drew a three-month suspension after testing positive for pot.
"It's one of those substances that every year there's debate over it," said Howman, the WADA official.
Phelps has embarrassed himself again after a triumphant Olympics, this time getting his picture snapped as he inhaled from a marijuana pipe. The photo wound up in a British tabloid Sunday, forcing Phelps to publicly apologize and his handlers to deal with sponsors who are surely none too pleased about the swimmer's choices away from the pool.
"I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment," Phelps said in the statement released by one of his agents. "I'm 23 years old and despite the successes I've had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way, not in a manner people have come to expect from me. For this, I am sorry. I promise my fans and the public it will not happen again."
It all sounded so familiar, with good reason. After the 2004 Athens Games, an underage Phelps was arrested for drunken driving, pleaded guilty and apologized to his fans, saying he wouldn't make the same mistake again.
This was different, to be sure, but it could have the same damaging impact on Phelps' image and reputation, which were riding high after he won a record eight gold medals at the Beijing Games.
"Michael is a role model, and he is well aware of the responsibilities and accountability that come with setting a positive example for others, particularly young people," the U.S. Olympic Committee said in a statement. "In this instance, regrettably, he failed to fulfill those responsibilities."
News of the World said the picture was taken during a November house party while Phelps was visiting the University of South Carolina. During that trip, he attended one of the school's football games and received a big ovation when introduced to the crowd.
While the newspaper did not specifically allege that Phelps was smoking pot, it did say the water pipe is generally used for that purpose and anonymously quoted a partygoer who said the Olympic champion was "out of control from the moment he got there." Phelps and his advisers did not dispute the authenticity of the picture.
The party occurred nearly three months after the Olympics while Phelps was taking a long break from training, and his actions should have no impact on the eight golds he won at Beijing. He has never tested positive for banned substances, and this case doesn't fall under any doping rules.
Phelps' main sanctions most likely will be financial -- perhaps doled out by embarrassed sponsors who could reconsider their dealings with a swimmer who hopes to earn $100 million in endorsements.
Phelps was in Tampa, Fla., during Super Bowl week to make promotional appearances on behalf of a sponsor. But he left the city before Sunday's game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals, abandoning his original plan to be at Raymond James Stadium.
USA Swimming said its Olympic champions are "looked up to by people of all ages, especially young athletes who have their own aspirations and dreams."
"That said," the governing body added in a statement, "we realize that none among us is perfect. We hope that Michael can learn from this incident and move forward in a positive way."
Phelps was part of a group of elite athletes who agreed to take part in a pilot testing program designed to increase the accuracy of doping tests. His spot in the program could be at risk, said Travis Tygart, head of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.
"For one of the Olympics' biggest heroes it's disappointing, and we'll evaluate whether he remains in that program," Tygart said. "But some good education comes from this because he's going to suffer some penalties."
Marijuana is viewed differently from performance-enhancing drugs, according to David Howman, executive director of the World Anti-Doping Agency. An athlete is subject to WADA sanctions only for a positive test that occurs during competition periods.
"We don't have any jurisdiction," Howman said. "It's not banned out of competition. It's only if you test positive in competition."
Phelps returned to the pool a couple of weeks ago to begin preparations for this summer's world championships in Rome. He plans to take part in his first post-Olympics meet in early March, a Grand Prix event in Austin, Texas.
His longtime coach, Bob Bowman, did not respond to phone and e-mail messages. Instead, he issued a terse statement through Phelps' agent.
"He regrets his behavior, and I'm sure he'll learn from this experience," the coach said. "I'm glad to have him back in training."
In his book "No Limits: The Will to Succeed," Phelps recounted the embarrassment of his DUI arrest in 2004, a couple of months after winning six gold and two bronze medals in Athens. His mother, Debbie Phelps, cried when she heard the news.
"That hurt worse, maybe, than anything," Phelps wrote. "I had never seen my mother that upset."
Olympic teammate Dara Torres said Phelps has become such a prominent figure that everything he does is news.
However, she said: "This in no way, shape or form diminishes anything he's done."
"It's sort of a double-edged sword," Torres told the AP on Sunday. "When you're recognizable, you're looked up to as a role model. He is recognizable and everything you do gets looked at and picked apart. I guess that's the price of winning 14 Olympic (gold) medals."
Jason Lezak, whose remarkable anchor leg of the 400-meter freestyle relay helped Phelps stay on course to break Spitz's record, said he was "saddened" to hear of the report.
"While I don't condone his conduct, I am a teammate and fan," Lezak said in a text message to the AP. "Unlike many fair-weather people, I am sticking by him. If my wife and I can help him in any way, we will. I believe he will grow from this and be a better person, role model and teammate."
During the 1998 Nagano Olympics, Canadian snowboarder Ross Rebagliati was stripped of his gold medal in the giant slalom after testing positive for marijuana. The victory was reinstated because the sport's governing body did not have a rule banning the substance.
Later that year, Olympic swimmer Gary Hall Jr. drew a three-month suspension after testing positive for pot.
"It's one of those substances that every year there's debate over it," said Howman, the WADA official.
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