“There’s a new reality show called Dating Naked,” notes Janice Hough, aka The Left Coast Sports Babe. “For all those who find The Bachelor and Bachelorette franchises too intellectual.” . . . If Orlando Bloom really did take a swing -- or try to take a swing -- at Justin Bieber, shouldn’t he be nominated as someone’s athlete of the year? . . . “The People’s Choice Awards just announced they will add a special achievement award next year, just for Orlando Bloom,” reports Hough. . . . And then there’s Mike Lupica of the New York Daily News, who writes: “Wouldn’t you like to see that twit Justin Bieber go just one round with Floyd Mayweather?” . . . It seems The Biebs isn’t doing us proud, and who saw that coming? . . .
“A company in India has come up with a ‘smart shoe’ that tracks your footsteps with the help of Google Maps,” claims Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times. “Which means we just might witness the first traveling call in NBA history.” . . . One more from Perry: “ESPN punished First Take talking head Stephen A. Smith for his off-base comments about domestic violence by: a) Suspending him for a week; b) Making him watch all his pre-Super Bowl comments, insinuating that anyone who thought the Seahawks could beat the Broncos is a moron.” . . .
“Dustin Johnson fighting problems like we all do,” tweeted Mark Whicker of the Orange County Register, “but it does cool that arrogant PGA contention that their players are morally superior.” . . . Should we be surprised that there is at least some illicit drug use, and maybe even some sowing of wild oats, on the PGA Tour, which is populated with young men with money? . . . The ironic thing about Johnson’s predicament, which apparently comes after a third positive drug test, is that this is everything his future father-in-law, Wayne Gretzky, was able to avoid throughout his hockey career. . . .
The San Francisco 49ers are preparing to move into the brand new Levis Stadium. And it’s a fancy one. “As a nod to the team’s 49er roots,” writes Scott Ostler of the San Francisco Chronicle, “each restroom will feature a gold-panning sluice. Nuggets can be exchanged for concession items.” . . . “Heartwarming headline of the week: ‘Tyson, Holyfield patch it up’,” notes Ostler. “With what, Super Glue?” . . . In Gary Bettman’s NHL, the Montreal Canadiens and defenceman P.K. Subban go to arbitration, the team offering US$5.25 million on a one-year deal and the player asking for $8.5 million, and the next day they agree on an eight-year deal worth $72 million. Go ahead and try to figure out how that works. . . .
“The Baltimore Ravens have had five arrests in the off-season,” reports comedy writer Alex Kaseberg. “It is so bad, Netflix is making a series about the Ravens called Orange is the New Purple and Black.” . . . Headline at TheOnion.com: Fan at Indians game upset to find someone else In his section. . . . Another one from the gang at TheOnion.com: New study finds running for 20 minutes each day could add years of soreness to life. . . . ICYMI, Manchester United beat Real Madrid 3-1 in a soccer game played before 109,318 fans in the Big House in Ann Arbor, Mich., on Saturday afternoon. Who said soccer would never sell in the Excited States? . . .
Hey, it’s a long weekend. Which means the price of gas in Kamloops went up about six cents a litre on Wednesday. Of course it did. . . . By Saturday afternoon, it had dropped a couple of pennies, leaving us to think about what a good deal it now was. . . . Congrats to the government of Manitoba on its decision to introduce a bill during the fall session of the legislature to name the August civic holiday in honour of the late Terry Fox. A real Canadian hero, Fox was 22 when he died in 1981 during his Marathon of Hope. Yes, 1981. You are entitled to ask what has taken so long and why hasn’t all of Canada jumped all over this? . . .
“Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga have finished recording an album set for release in September,” writes blogger TC Chong. “She wore her meat dress to the recording studio and he brought along his personal chef.” . . . According to Fox-TV’s Jay Glazer, cornerback Terence Newman of the Cincinnati Bengals invited a homeless man to lunch the other day. But then Newman ate some of his guest’s French fries. Of course, the way Adam Hill of the Las Vegas Review-Journal sees it: “At least that’s progress. Ten years ago, a Bengals player would have robbed and shot the homeless guy.” . . .
I finally got around to watching 20 Feet from Stardom, the Oscar-winning documentary that features the great Darlene Love and a number of other veteran backup singers. In a word? Awesome. . . . Want another word? Incredible. . . . Don’t miss it. . . . “The most striking thing about LeBron James's decision to ‘go home’ to Cleveland?” writes RJ Currie of SportsDeke.com. “It's not the Heat, it's the humility.” . . . Currie again: “Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota’s studies this fall include yoga and golf. A yoga class seems like a stretch, but I can see there being a golf course.” . . .
“I have had a like-dislike relationship with Kent Austin over the years,” confesses Cam Hutchinson of the Saskatoon Express, in reference to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ head coach. “I am in a dislike mode now. Gosh I enjoy watching him lose and lose it.” . . . Cleveland Browns receiver Josh Gordon has claimed that he has passed at least 70 drug tests. “Problem is,” says contributor Bill Littlejohn, “he’s take more than 1,000.” . . .
The Colorado Rockies held Troy Tulowitzki Night recently and saluted their all-star shortstop by handing out 15,000 uniform tops on which his surname was spelled Tulowizki. “A spokesperson for the team said they would fix it by honouring him with an upcoming bubblehead giveaway,” reports Vancouver comic Torben Rolfsen. . . . Adds Littlejohn: “Tulowitzki wasn’t upset his name was spelled incorrectly. But I’m guessing he wishes Rockies had been spelled Y-a-n-k-e-e-s.”
(Gregg Drinnan is a former sports editor of the Regina Leader-Post and the late Kamloops Daily News. He is at gdrinnan.blogspot.ca and twitter.com/gdrinnan. Keeping Score appears here on weekends, except when it doesn’t.)
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