Nobody Gets Away with Beaning Bryce Harper; The Mannings Belong to Reebok
Today in sports: Washington Nationals rookie Bryce Harper is unbeanable, according to his GM, the Bountygate appeals are in, and the Manning brothers stick with Reebok.
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Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo was not happy to learn that Philadelphia Phillies starter Cole Hamels deliberately drilled prize Nationals rookie Bryce Harper with a 93-mph fastball in the small of the back last night. When informed this morning that Hamels admitted plunking Harper on purpose -- in the name of defending "old school" baseball -- Rizzo erupted, announcing "never seen a more classless, gutless chicken [expletive] act in my 30 years in baseball" before calling Hamels lots of other mean names, like "fake tough" and "the polar opposite of old school." The Phillies and Nationals next play May 21 in Philadelphia, in what should be a festive atmosphere. [The Washington Post]
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As expected, New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma has appealed the year-long suspension he received following the NFL's Bountygate investigation. In a letter to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, Vilma's lawyer questioned whether the commissioner had "jurisdiction over this issue" and demanded the league turn over any and all evidence from its internal investigation into the club bounty program, the existence of which has been confirmed by former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams. Meanwhile, the NFLPA has already filed a grievance on behalf of Vilma and the three other suspended players, challenging Goodell's right to suspend them for actions that took place prior to last August. [AP]
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Big East commissioner John Marinatto has tendered his resignation. A source tells ESPN's Andrea Adelson and Andy Katz that "the basketball members in the Big East were upset that they had no say" in the conference's recent westward expansion and pressure for him to depart had been "building for weeks." Sources tell CBS Sports that Marinatto, he took over as commissioner in July 2009, was "asked to resign by the league's presidents Sunday." He'll be replaced on an interim basis by former Miami Dolphins CEO Joseph Bailey II. [ESPN]
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London Olympic attendees, please be advised: you won't be able to bring more than three ounces of water in, ostensibly because organizers are worried about "liquid bombs." Conveniently (and profitably, for Games organizers concession stands inside Olympic Park are selling "replacement water" for £1.60. (A Diet Coke is £2.30, while a "small glass of wine" will set you back £5.20.) Even worse than the airport-style water ban: organizers also let it be known that "picnics and ‘excessive’ amounts of food" will also be confiscated. The good news is, there are plenty of food items at the concession stands, including stadium sushi (£8.20), an "egg mayonaise sandwich" (£3.40) and "pork scratchings" (£2.50). [The Daily Mail via Deadspin]
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Reebok may have lost NFL apparel rights to Nike, but the company managed to resign longtime endorsers Peyton and Eli Manning so they'll have a foothold on the gridiron at least. Other NFL players with Reebok endorsement contracts include Philip Rivers, DeMarcus Ware, and Chad Johnson. [Sports Business Journal]
The NFL Network apparently wants to get into the live morning show game. The league-owned cable network is reportedly in the process of "identifying possible hosts and reporters" for a live morning show that would launch sometime this summer. [Sports Business Journal]
