Leslie Odom Jr.: We Are Not All Artists the Same
Kanye West & Beyonce Lead BET Award Nominations
NEW YORK (AP) - Isiah Thomas was fired as coach of the New York Knicks on Friday after a season of listless and dreadful basketball, a tawdry lawsuit and unending chants from fans demanding Thomas' dismissal.
Thomas, the coach for two seasons, will remain with the organization reporting directly to new president Donnie Walsh, a rapid fall for Thomas who also was team president a little more than two weeks ago.
Walsh took over that role April 2, and his first big decision was to change coaches as he begins the process of turning around a team that never won a playoff game in Thomas' tenure.
"I just believe a new voice, a new coach, is necessary to change the direction of the team," Walsh said.
The Knicks finished 23-59, matching the franchise record for losses, in their seventh straight losing season.
"I can't tell you really where we failed," Walsh said. "The bottom line is we haven't won, and the team didn't look like it was motivated to try to win."
Walsh wants a new coach in place by the draft in June, when the Knicks will finally have their lottery pick again after handing over their last two to Chicago in the Curry trade. Walsh said Sunday he had not yet talked to any candidates for either a coach or general manager job.
Continue reading Isiah Thomas Fired as Coach of New York Knicks
McNair told teammates of his decision during an emotional meeting Thursday morning before the launch of coach John Harbaugh's first minicamp.
Continue reading Ravens' McNair Retires After 13 Seasons
NEW YORK (AP) - Major League Baseball received its best grade for racial diversity in hiring, even as the percentage of black players dropped again last year.
MLB received its first A- for race Tuesday from Richard Lapchick, director of the University of Central Florida's Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sports. Its grade was B+ in last year's study.
Among major leaguers, though, just 8.2 percent were black players, down from 8.4 percent in 2006 and the lowest level in at least two decades. The percentage of black pitchers remained at 3 percent.
"Baseball has probably lost a whole generation here," Lapchick said. "African-Americans just aren't playing it at this point. They're going to have to increase their efforts."
Although MLB has established its Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities program and urban youth academies, Lapchick said it will take many years for those efforts to pay off.
Continue reading Black MLB Players Drops to 8.2 Percent
NEW YORK (April 14) - Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker once played Russian roulette with a loaded pistol as he struggled with a personality disorder.
Coping With Mental Disorders
Herschel Walker has documented his struggle with dissociative identity disorder in his book "Breaking Free." However, the Heisman Trophy winner is not the only sports figure to battle a mental disorder. Source: AP
Scott Cunningham, Getty Images
Barret Robbins' NFL career ended in a psychiatric ward before Super Bowl XXXVII. Robbins, seen here in 2005, has received treatment for his bipolar disorder, but his present whereabouts are unknown. Source: USA Today
J. Pat Carter, AP
The popular English boxer Frank Bruno was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2003. Source: The Guardian
Dave Hogan, Getty Images
Former Cowboy quarterback Quincy Carter washed out of the NFL and was treated for drug addiction and bipolar disorder in 2004. He still struggles with his drug addiction, but now plays football in the Arena Football League's minor league. Source: Shreveport Times
Brian Bahr, Getty Images
Former Chicago Bears defensive lineman Alonzo Spellman, who battles with bipolar disorder, has been in trouble with the law numerous times. Source: Chicago Sun-Times
Fred Jewell, AP
Dolphins running back Ricky Williams' social anxiety disorder has played havoc with is football career. Williams hopes to return to the Dolphins depth chart this year. Source: CBS
Keith Srakocic, AP
Steelers great Terry Bradshaw was diagnosed with clinical depression nine years ago. Source USA Today
Frank Micelotta, Getty Images
Pitcher Donnie Moore battled depression until his death in 1989 when he shot his wife, who surivied, and himself. Source: New York Times
Rick Stewart, Getty Images
Hall of Fame jockey Julie Krone got an endorsement deal with Pfizer after her public battle with depression. Source: SI
Reed Saxon, AP
Jimmy Piersall played for four teams during his 17 year MLB career. However, some might remember him better for his battle with bipolar disorder, which became the subject of the movie 'Fear Strikes Out.' Source: IMDB
Hulton Archive / Getty Images
Walker suffers from dissociative identity disorder, formerly known as multiple personality disorder. His experiences are chronicled in his book, "Breaking Free," which is released this week.
Continue reading Herschel Walker Reveals Personality Disorder
True to his nickname, former football and baseball player Deion Sanders has been a 'Prime Time' player on and off the field. He's the only person in history to have played in a Super Bowl and a World Series. He once hit a home run and scored a touchdown in the same week. And off the field of play he's recorded a rap album, hosted 'Saturday Night Live,' written a book and scored bigtime commercial spots.Whew! Surely there's nothing left for a superstar athlete to conquer, no?
Think again.
The once flashy, high-stepping player is now tackling the world of reality TV with a new show airing Tuesdays on Oxygen, 'Deion and Pilar: Prime Time Love.'
Sanders and his wife, Pilar, pitched the show focusing on their home life to Oxygen in hopes of offering TV viewers something other than VH1's raunchy hits 'Flavor of Love' or 'I Love New York.'
"We were tired of how reality shows depicted African-Americans," Pilar told the Dallas Morning News. "We wanted to do something that would show a family committed to each other, that was about love and togetherness."
'Deion and Pilar: Prime Time Love.' airs on Oxygen, Tuesday night at 10:30, Eastern and Pacific times; 9:30, Central time. Stay tuned for EXCLUSIVE BV video with the Sanders in the coming weeks!
Take a Look at Deion Sanders through the years:
Deion Sanders Pictures
- Deion Sanders Pictures
In this 1995 photo, Deion Sanders of the San Francisco Giants (baseball) looks on during a win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. The braids -- classic.(Photo by Getty Images)
- Deion Sanders Pictures
With the whimsy of youth and a tore-up hair line, Deion Sanders poses for 1999 team headshot with the Dallas Cowboys (football). (Photo by NFL, WireImage.com)
- Deion Sanders Pictures
Whew. These two were made for each otWher fashion wise. Not a good thing in this case, though. With a satin shirt reminiscent of an ice skater, Deion Sanders and all-over-the-place Gwen Stefani flash a smile during Super Bowl XXXVI in New Orleans, Louisiana, February 2002. (Photo by KMazur, WireImage.com)
- Deion Sanders Pictures
Out in Los Angeles, Deion does as the Romans do, thuggin it Wesside style at the "K-19: The Widowmaker" premiere in July 2002. (Photo by SGranitz, WireImage.com)
- Deion Sanders Pictures
Cornerback Deion Sanders of the Baltimore Ravens warms-up for the game. Deion is all suited up and ready to take on the Philadelphia Eagles in this shot. (Photo by Jamie Squire, Getty Images)
- Deion Sanders Pictures
Keeping it earthy here, Deion Sanders hits the "Barbershop 2: Back In Business" screening in brown chapeau and shirt, under his tan suit. (Photo by Evan Deoini, Getty Images)
- Deion Sanders Pictures
Deion Sanders speaks in Fort Worth, Texas in 2003. On this day, the shirt is traditional, classic even, the jacket -- anything but. (Photo by Elgin Edmonds, Retna Ltd.)
- Deion Sanders Pictures
In this 2004 shot, it was all about "former" professional football and baseball player Deion Sanders, whose clothes are more subdued, but still comes to the Maxim Magazine's Circus Maximus Party with streaks of the flamboyance we've come to know him for. (Photo by Evan Agostini, Getty Images)
- Deion Sanders Pictures
After cutting all of his hair off, Deion has taken to wearing hats and chunky watches on a regular. The shorts still give us a glimpse of the man who likes to stand out in a crowd. (Photo by Greg Fiume, Getty Images)
- Deion Sanders Pictures
If body language tells it, Deion is most comfortable on the field; he's all smiles in his warm ups with the Baltimore Ravens during a preseason game against the New York Giants in September 2004. (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant, Getty Images)
(Deion Sanders gallery by Angela Bronner; Chris Webber Gallery by Cheryl Thompson; Diddy Fashion Gallery by Alexis Stodghill.)
PALM HARBOR, Fla. (AP) -- It's been a whirlwind day for Candace Parker.
She capped off her college career by leading Tennessee to a second straight NCAA title, then was the No. 1 pick by the Los Angeles Sparks in the WNBA on Wednesday.
"These last 15 hours or so have been just amazing," Parker said. "To win a national championship and then switch gears and come to the WNBA draft and be surrounded by my peers that I've played with ever since I was in junior high school has been amazing."
The Associated Press player of the year joins Lisa Leslie, turning Los Angeles into one of the top teams in the league. The Sparks were a franchise-worst 10-24 last season with Leslie sitting out after giving birth to a daughter in June.
"Lisa Leslie has been one of my idols ever since I was younger," Parker said. "I've never had an opportunity to play with her ... but I'm really looking forward to it. Obviously, she's a great role model and I'm looking to take in whatever she tells me."
NEW YORK (April 1) - Alex Rodriguez makes more this year than his hometown Florida Marlins.
Boosted by his new deal with the New York Yankees, A-Rod tops the major league baseball salary list at $28 million, according to a study of contract terms by The Associated Press. The 33 players on the Marlins' opening-day roster and disabled list total $21.8 million.
"The Marlins? It's amazing," Rodriguez said. "And they still seem to find a way to be very competitive. They have a great pool of talent; they made some unbelievable trades, so they have great personnel people. To win two championships in 11 years, that's really admirable, and I'm very proud of that organization, being from Miami."
Continue reading A-Rod Makes More Than Marlins
Follow Us
Daily Drama
Find a Message Board
Discover conversations on everyone from Barack to Beyonce. There are nearly 50 forums, so click on a category below and find the right one for you.