VIDEO: Hines Ward Has Happy Feet...

It is being reported that Hines Ward has signed on to be in the next installment of 'Dancing With The Stars', or DWTS.  You know that show that keeps punishing us with people who can't dance all that well, but have great personalities?

Yeah, that one...the one that dared give us "The Situation" (should've been canceled for that decision alone) and a really bad Buzz Aldrin—whose walk on the moon clearly didn't make him any lighter on his feet—ay, yi, yi.

Well, if Hines Ward is going to showcase some of his fancy footwork on the world's stage, perhaps we should have a preview of what we are in for...check out Ward showing off some of his dance moves below:




One thing is certain, the man has rhythm.

While I seriously doubt the 'Electric Slide' gets much play on DWTS, Ward gets a 10 in my book for execution, style, and overall ability to not look like a total tool on camera.

I may finally have a reason to watch that show this season...maybe.

The 10 Biggest Super Bowl Fiascos of All-Time

The Super Bowl is undoubtedly America's most hyped sporting and television event. Last season's big game, in which the once moribund New Orleans Saints defeated the Peyton Manning-led Indianapolis Colts, drew an audience of more than 106 million people, surpassing M-A-S-H as the most-watched program in US television history. 

Because there is so much at stake, whether it's the Lombardi Trophy, or money for FOX, NBC or CBS, every element of the event is magnified. Mass attention is bestowed upon both the players, and non-football performers, for their actions on and off the big stage. In the past, some reveled in it while others found it bothersome, but all of it contributed to a few memorable fiascos that added drama, horror or humor to an already exciting week.

Here are just a few of those wild moments:

1. Super Bowl XXIII—Stanley Wilson's Pregame Cocaine Binge:

The Bengals entered Super Bowl XXIII as heavy underdogs to the San Francisco 49ers, so the addition of an unnecessary distraction was the last thing they needed. Prior to their last team meeting, before the game, running back Stanley Wilson, who had been suspended for the 1985 and 1987 seasons for cocaine use, told teammates he'd forgotten his playbook and was going to retrieve it. Minutes later he was found on the bathroom floor of his hotel room, debilitated by a spontaneous cocaine binge. Consequently, he was left off the roster by coach Sam Wyche and because it was his third strike with the NFL, he was later banned for life. The Bengals narrowly lost the game, which culminated with the famous Montana-to-Taylor game-winning touchdown.

2. Super Bowl XXXVII—Barret Robbins Forgets Anti-Depressants, Goes MIA:



Barret Robbins is another would-be Super Bowl participant who fell victim to his own demons before the game. The Raiders' Pro Bowl center went missing two days before kickoff and resurfaced Saturday evening, disheveled and disoriented, incapable of playing in the game. His teammates claimed that Robbins went on a drunken binge in Tijuana—located just across the border from Super Bowl XXXVII's host city of San Diego. As a result, coach Bill Callahan left him off the roster and the Raiders offensive line suffered.  The Bucs defense sacked 2002 NFL MVP Rich Gannon five times, pressuring him into five interceptions, and stifled the Raiders run game—then finished with a total of 19 yards rushing. Robbins subsequently entered the Betty Ford Center and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. His personal freefall continued during the following years as he was linked to BALCO, tested positive for steroids, and was involved in an incident in which he was shot three times, resulting in an attempted murder charge.

3. Super Bowl XXXIV—Ray Lewis's Supposed Murder Involvement:



Today, Ray Lewis is recognized as a Super Bowl champ and one of the most accomplished and intimidating linebackers in NFL history. In January of 2000, however, he was viewed by many NFL observers as just another professional athlete turned criminal. After a post-Super Bowl party, he was involved in a bloody fight that resulted in the stabbing deaths of two men, and the accusation that he had a role in their murders. Lewis avoided murder charges and jail time by testifying against his two co-defendants and pleading guilty to obstruction of justice. The episode delivered yet another hit to the NFL's reputation, coming just two months after Ray Carruth was accused of murdering his pregnant girlfriend.

4. Super Bowl XXXIII—Eugene Robinson's Awful Weekend:

The elaborate Super Bowl XXXIII festivities apparently weren't enough for Falcons Pro Bowl safety Eugene Robinson—he just wanted to engage in the XXX activities. Not a day after he was given the Bart Starr Award for exemplifying "outstanding character and leadership in the home, on the field and in the community," he was arrested for soliciting an undercover police officer for sex. He was bailed out by a team official and played a prominent role in the game, but in a bad way. He surrendered an 80-yard touchdown to Broncos receiver Rod Smith—which placed the Falcons in a two-touchdown hole—from which the Falcons never recovered. They lost the game 34-19.

5. Super Bowl XIII —Hollywood Disses Bradshaw, Pays the Price:

Trash-talking has long been a tradition of Super Bowl week. It adds to the anticipation of the game, especially if it involves two of the league's most prestigious teams, the Dallas Cowboys and the Pittsburgh Steelers. During the lead-up to Super Bowl XIII, colorful Cowboys linebacker, "Hollywood" Henderson, told reporters that Bradshaw was "so dumb he couldn't spell 'cat' if you spotted him the 'C' and the 'A'." The Steelers quarterback had never been viewed as the sharpest tool in the shed, nor the most emotionally composed person, but he didn't let the zinger get under his skin. In fact, he responded by putting forth the best Super Bowl performance of his career. He posted 318 yards and four touchdown passes, winning the game's MVP honors after the Steelers' victory.

6. Super Bowl XX—Irving Fryar's Fingers:

The two weeks that led up to Super Bowl XX were far more entertaining than the Bears' 46-10 thrashing of the Patriots. Bears quarterback Jim McMahon was the center of attention, most notably referring to the women of New Orleans as "sluts" and mooning a camera during a practice before the game. When the camera wasn't fixed on McMahon's mug, it was focused on Patriots Pro Bowl receiver Irving Fryar's two bandaged fingers, which he cut prior to the AFC Championship Game. The injury was initially explained as a freak accident with a kitchen knife, but it was later reported by the Boston Globe that it occurred during a fight between him and his wife. Fryar, a key component of the Patriots' offense and special teams, played anyway, catching the team's lone touchdown.


7. Super Bowl XXXVIII—Janet Jackson's Slippage:



One of the most dramatic games in Super Bowl history was overshadowed by the halftime show performance of Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake. The two suggestively performed Timberlake's hit "Rock Your Body"—culminating with Timberlake's tearing off a piece of Jackson's clothing and revealing her partially-covered breast for a split second. Janet Jackson's infamous "wardrobe malfunction" created a flurry of controversy and elicited heated debates about indecency in broadcasting and the supposedly corrupted morality of America. The incident resulted in a record $550,000 fine levied by the FCC against CBS. The video above features the moment as it occurred on live television.

8. Super Bowl XLI—Prince's Pointy Profile:



Although it didn't garner as much attention as Janet Jackson's performance three-years earlier, Prince's halftime performance angered the slightly more conservative crowd. During his guitar solo for "Purple Rain," his shadow was projected onto a large sheet, forming a silhouette that combined the figure of his body and guitar. Some viewers claimed the instrument appeared phallic and complained to the FCC and CBS. Late night talk show hosts poked fun at the incident, but the minor controversy subsided rather quickly. Now, most people remember Prince's performance as the highlight of an otherwise anticlimactic night. (Note: advance to 9:45 in the above video to see what all the fuss was about).

In-Game Fiascos:

9. Super Bowl VII—Garo Yepremian and The Worst Pass in NFL History:



Garo Yepremian may be one of the most proficient kickers in NFL history, but he's best remembered for his fool-hardy pass attempt during Super Bowl VII. Up 14-0 with just more than two minutes remaining in the game, the Dolphins field goal unit took the field with the intension of sealing the victory. Instead, the attempt was blocked and the ball was immediately retrieved by Yepremian. He then attempted a pass, causing the ball to flutter just above his head, bounce into the air and end up in the hands of Redskins cornerback Mike Bass, who returned it for a touchdown. The Dolphins lead was cut in half in just a matter of seconds. Fortunately for Yepremian, the Dolphins won the game, accomplishing the goal of becoming the first undefeated team in NFL history, and the play became nothing more than a comic relief highlight for NFL Films.

10. Super Bowl XXVII—Leon Lett-down:



Former Cowboys defensive tackle Leon Lett, like Yepremian, enjoyed a very productive NFL career. And Lett, like Yepremian, will always be remembered for what he did wrong. Lett was responsible for two high profile blunders, the first of which occurred late in Super Bowl XXVII. With the game already in hand in the fourth quarter, Lett scooped up a fumble and ran it back 45 yards. As he neared the goal line, he slowed and held the ball with his arm outstretched in order to showboat, but karma bit him in the butt when Bills receiver Don Beebe ran Lett down and knocked the ball out of his hand before he reached the endzone, causing a touchback. Lett was noticeably embarrassed after the game, admitting that he was looking at the Jumbotron as the play unfolded. But, some people never learn and, at the end of the next season, he cost the Cowboys their Thanksgiving game versus the Dolphins when he attempted to recover a blocked kick in the waning seconds, enabling the Dolphins to regain possession and kick the game winner.


*This article is reprinted via permission of onlinedegree.net.

Hines Ward: Former Bulldog, Current Steeler, and Instrument of Change?

Hines Ward's legacy just keeps getting better.



Just a nice guy in  my opinion—no matter what Antonio Cromartie says.

Related articles

• Cromartie takes swipe at Hines Ward (sportingnews.com)
• Pittsburgh Steelers: Is Hines Ward Really a Dirty Player? (bleacherreport.com)

Jet's Cromartie on Hines Ward: I'm Not Saying He's Dirty, But...

That Antonio Cromartie sure likes to talk doesn't he? It seems, lately, that he hasn't met a microphone or a camera that he doesn't like and he's already putting some more good vibrations out about the Pittsburgh Steelers' Hines Ward—calling him out for, basically, being a cheap shot artist.

Apparently, when Cromartie appeared on SportsNet New York today, he had this to say about Ward, "I know for a fact that he will hit you while you’re not looking", and if that wasn't enough, he also made sure to throw in the fact that he didn't feel Ward was "man enough" to hit a guy while he's looking.

Antonio, Antonio, Antonio, don't you know better than to go talking this kind of trash less than 48-hours from entering Heinz Field—which, let's face it, is really just Hines' field—it's just bad business.

We'll all see soon enough if Mr. Ward has any trepidation about hitting a guy when he's looking, despite his reputation, Hines is as tough as they come in the NFL, and he won't take too kindly to all this yammering about him not being man enough.

On the other hand, knowing Ward, he's probably smiling about the whole thing. 

Related articles

• Hines Ward becomes focal point of Jets' pregame chatter (profootballtalk.nbcsports.com)

WATCH: Bart Scott Is An Angry, Angry, Angry Man

Bart Scott—linebacker for the New York Jets—had a few choice words for the "non-believers" that gave his team no chance to beat the Patriots tonight...take a look,




Hmmm, hope Bart calms down a little bit before his team's next match-up against the Pittsburgh Steelers—dude looks like he could blow a gasket.

On a completely different note, Sal Paolantonio seems amused by Scott's display. Obviously, he forgot about Scott's tendencies for threatening bodily harm to small men—tread carefully, Sal.

Related articles

• Bart Scott says Wes Welker's "days in a uniform" are numbered (profootballtalk.nbcsports.com)
• Jets Vs. Patriots: How Bart Scott's Threat To Wes Welker Raises The Stakes (football.rawsignal.com)

50 Dirtiest Players in History: Hines Ward, Kobe Bryant, and Alex Rodriguez All Make The Cut

Lists are like opinions—any and everyone is capable of forming one. This list is no exception.

Compiled by a website named complex.com, it names the '50 Dirtiest Players in Sports History' and gives a brief video to go along with each guy named. Some of the offenders named were Hines Ward (28), Kobe Bryant (45), and Alex Rodriguez (21). Hell, they even throw in a couple of NASCAR guys just to cover every sport—both Carl Edwards (48) and Kyle Busch (38) made the cut.

Below are the videos that made the first three infamous but you'll have to check out the others here.

Kobe Bryant:

"The NBA has two types of dirty players: 1. openly aggressive ones, and 2. those who pull cheap plays when the refs aren't looking. As seen in the video, Bryant's a member of the latter group..."

 

Hines Ward:

"Considered one of the most aggressive offensive players in league history, Ward was voted the league's dirtiest player by his peers last season. This block on Keith Rivers' broke the linebacker's jaw; the NFL banned similar hits the following season..."

 

Alex Rodriguez:

"...A-Rod's used all avenues to get ahead in the MLB. But for the purposes of this list, we're focusing on his bush-league play on the field. Prominent examples are his batty-man swipe on Bronson Arroyo in the 2004 ALCS and his shout at a Blue Jays third baseman while rounding the bases, causing him to drop a pop fly..."

 

Related articles

• Armenians Upset By Kobe's Deal With Turkish Airlines (laist.com)
• The Fifth Down: Your Thoughts on Hines Ward's Thoughts (fifthdown.blogs.nytimes.com)

NFL Outlook 2010: 10 Bold, Slightly Insane, Predictions For The Coming Season

I'm into making the most of what I say. Sometimes, the words that roll out onto the screen can be interpreted as complete idiocy—but mostly it's just a rant gone wrong.

So, in the spirit of being completely off-the-cuff and minus a censor, it seemed fitting to start spouting off some bold predictions for the 2010 football season.

Why not?

At this point, no one can say for certain that any of these predictions will be proved wrong and, honestly, if I get called to the carpet, I can just plead insanity...right?


1. San Francisco will win the NFC West.

There, I said it. I'm not taking it back and, seriously, looking at the NFC West this season, I don't see a reason to.
Forget the chatter about not having a quarterback and all that, have you seen the Niners defense? If not, it's that unit on the field that was near the top of the league in points allowed per game last season (17.8). They have a ton of talent and a whole lot of attitude when they step on the field—with a player like Patrick Willis to call your own, why not?

That said, the Niners were also first in penalties received. They need to play a lot smarter on Sunday's if they expect to parlay that 8-8 season into the 11-5 one I easily see them achieving in 2010.

2. Speaking of the NFC West, look for the Cardinals to fall flat without Kurt Warner. 

Here's the thing, with both Kurt Warner and Anquan Boldin on the field in 2009, the Cardinals went 10-6—better than the year before when they rode a 9-7 record to the Super Bowl. However, that was in a weak division where their best competition was offered by San Francisco (a team that beat them twice).

This year they not only don't have Kurt Warner to lend both his veteran preference and his big arm to the equation, but they lost Anquan Boldin too—a key compliment to Larry Fitzgerald. Some might say that there is plenty of talent left in both Steve Breaston and Early Doucet, but, did I mention they no longer have Kurt Warner?

I'm not buying that the defense in 'Zona will be the difference and I am not a believer in Tim Hightower or Beanie Wells' ability to carry the offense on the ground. The Cardinals are about to do some slipping—7-9 will be the end result (if they're lucky).

3. The Green Bay Packers will win the NFC North.

Brett Favre may or may not change his mind and decide to take up residence in Minnesota—it won't matter if he does. Whether it be Brett Favre, Tarvaris Jackson, or Fran Tarkenton, the Vikings aren't going to win the north this season.

Green Bay got accustomed to the 3-4 rather quickly in 2009, and ended up fielding one of the best defensive units in the league. Aaron Rodgers showed that he is more than capable of filling the tremendously big shoes that Brett Favre left behind—despite the woodshed beat down that Favre put him through in both their meetings.

The one question mark was/is the offensive line. They had a tendency to let too many guys get through and that resulted in Rodgers seeing the turf a bit more than he should have—Bryan Bulaga will hopefully offer a cure for that problem.

If he can, the Pack should be one of the most well-rounded teams in the north and they should be the early favorite to win their division.

4. Terrell Owens won't make a difference in Cincinnati.

My feelings about Terrell Owens aside, the move to bring him into the Bengals organization won't make much difference as far as the production of Carson Palmer is concerned. Owens, along with Ochocinco, will make a lovely sideshow but the offensive line troubles me—they seemed to be off during the HOF Game on Sunday and, considering Carson Palmer's injury history, that's not a good thing.

The defense had some bright spots but, for the most part, there is still work to be done and that means the Bengals will likely lose more than they'd like and the T.O./Ochocinco Show will largely be a publicity stunt with little gas left by mid-season.

9-7 is believable, 10-6 is probable, but this team isn't going to the Super Bowl—not this season.

5. Chris Johnson will return to earth in 2010 and be happy to settle for a reasonable contract by season's end. 

Johnson is feeling himself right now. He thinks he's the most explosive offensive player in the league and he figures he's due a pretty big payday in the near-future. The Titans, obviously, don't share that same opinion and declined to offer him the big money deal he was looking for—much to his chagrin.

So, now he will play on a one-year contract and hope to blow the doors off the league yet again. Once he does, he will likely be looking to put himself on the market so he can get what's coming to him.

In my opinion, Johnson won't come close to the 2,000 yard mark. He'll top out at 1,300 yards and he'll get the contract that befits a guy of that caliber. 2009 was impressive but this is a new year and Johnson's day in the sun is about to see some cloud cover.

6. The Pittsburgh Steelers will miss the playoffs.

I like the Steelers. No, check that, I LOVE the Steelers, but I think all of the issues surrounding their slightly immature quarterback will be their undoing this season. Neither Byron Leftwich nor Dennis Dixon are going to be the answer for an absentee Ben this year (who will serve a four-to-six game suspension), and Charlie Batch is long overdue for his pension check.

The defense is still formidable, but it's older and the loss of Troy Polamalu for the better part of last season showed some chinks in the armor of that once stellar secondary unit. If the offense sputters and the defense is forced to carry the team, things could get tight for Mike Tomlin's crew pretty quick.

It's still the Steelers, though, and you almost expect them to find a way to come out on top but I see a 2-4 start at best and an uphill battle the rest of the way.


7. The Denver Broncos will lose more games than last season.

Everyone is so in love with the Broncos right now. They have Tim Tebow! They have talent at wide receiver! They have good running backs!...uhhhh, how about these points: THEY HAVE NO O-LINE!! THEY LOST BRANDON MARSHALL!!! THEY LOST EIGHT OF THEIR LAST TEN GAMES IN 2009!!...how about that?

*scratches head*

Listen to me, the Broncos might be the second-coming of the New England Patriots in about two years, but do not get caught up in the hype that's coming from the big name sitting on their roster. Tebow will play but he isn't ready to lead a team to victory. Kyle Orton is still average and now he won't have Marshall to throw it to anymore. Moreno and Buckhalter are both good but they are nothing without a strong offensive line—which the Broncos do not have.

Don't believe the hype, you'll be disappointed.

8. Neither the Colts nor the Saints will be making a return trip to the Super Bowl.

I like the Baltimore Ravens and the Green Bay Packers to go deep into the playoffs. Baltimore is, by far, one of the most balanced teams in the AFC—they have very few holes to speak of at this point. Green Bay is solid as well, if they can keep Rodgers upright, I like their chances to get back to the big game this season. If not them, then you have to figure this is the year that Tony Romo will finally lead his team to the promised land.

Either way, the love train for both the Saints and the Colts ends in 2010—mark it!


9. C.J. Spiller will be a candidate for Rookie of The Year.

The Bills are going to run the ball, that's a given, but whether or not the man toting the rock is C.J. Spiller or Fred Jackson will be the ultimate question. Spiller was a phenom at Clemson and is as dynamic as they come where the running game is concerned—he will battle Fred Jackson for the big time carries this season.

If he wins, expect him to produce and be quite the spark plug on a Bills team that has been mired in mediocrity for far too long—now, if they could just get that quarterback spot locked down.

10. The Oakland Raiders will win eight games this season.

Did I just make myself sound crazy? Well, that's okay (see intro). I don't think much of Jason Campbell but I think a lot more of him than I did JaMarcus Russell. I expect the soft-spoken QB who was tossed away by Washington to play with a renewed vigor this season as he attempts to lead the Raiders back to AFC significance.

The pieces are in place in Oakland and the only thing missing was a decent quarterback to lead the way. Look for Zach Miller to have his best season yet and watch both Louis Murphy and Darren McFadden mature into the players they were meant to become when they were brought to Oakland.

I sound insane again, right?...(again, check the intro).

Are you ready for some football?!?...I know I am.

Hines Ward Encourages Top In-State Prospects To Go To Georgia

You gotta love this:



Hines Ward always supports his alma mater's efforts.

A little more video on the former Dawg—1997—at Georgia Tech:



Making Pro Bowl safeties look silly in the NFL:



And, finally, leaping over another former Georgia Bulldog: