Ronaldinho gets some man-love

This was during an exhibition game between the Chicago Fire and AC Milan -- part of the Italian club's U.S. tour. The fan got kicked out of the game afterward.

That's just pure gayness.

I'm just saying....

Danica Patrick still in control amidst controversies

Eye candy in the race track: Indy 500 driver Danica Patrick is perhaps
one of the most recognizable faces in Motorsports.
(Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

Danica Patrick is very much like LeBron James -- she's the hype in the Indy 500. Sure, she got the looks, the body and a real knack for driving cars -- fast cars. While she makes guys drop jaws speeding away in the race track, it seems like a typical day for an Indy driver. But when the hype finally caught up with her, it totally changed everything.

She's been acting a little too different lately. The fans are starting to think she's getting way over her head. They're wondering if she's still passionate about the sport or not. They start to question if already losing her grip -- not focused and bringing out just sub-par performances. Struggling is the word to describe what fans see in her.

Whether or not the controversies have affected her, it seems she's is pretty much got it under control. She's rather happy of her performance and results -- never mind if the fans didn't like it:

Still, though it may turn the stomachs of hardcore race fans, most eyes that turn to Indy turn to Danica. And she learned from her earlier comments, laying all praise at the feet of her crew:

"I’m very happy with the result, and the reason we got it were that our pit stops rocked and we had a perfect strategy," Patrick said. "I focused on making sure I lifted [off the gas] and got a tow from other cars to save fuel as the laps were winding down. I’m really glad the yellow came out at the end, because we were cutting it real close on fuel. That’s the roll of the dice and the team did a perfect job."

Lovely.

Ladies and germs: Danica Patrick. Stay classy girl.

New World Cup Ball gets no love from players

Ball of criticism: 'Jabulani' the Official World Cup 2010 ball by Adidas

didn't exactly impress a lot of players.
(Telegraph UK/Getty Images/Adidas)

Who would've thought a simple 'ball' would get that much attention? That 'ball' is non other than FIFA World Cup's new official ball called "Jabulani" made by Adidas, isn't exactly making waves, so to speak. The ball has getting a lot complaints as opposed to praises. The German sports outfitter felt there was nothing wrong with the ball -- or so they thought.

World Cup players from the Spanish National team share their words about 'the ball':

"It's sad that an event as important as the World Cup has such a rotten ball," Spain's keeper and captain Iker Casillas noted from his squad's training camp in Schruns, in western Austria.

"This new generation of balls is very fast and it isn't just the goalkeepers who are complaining," he was quoted as saying by the Austria Press Agency.

The ball rather resembled a beach ball, the Real Madrid player said, insisting however that there was still time to get used to it before the tournament kicks off in South Africa on June 11. "We still have ten days until the World Cup," he added.

The criticisms pouring in however, didn't sit all too well for the Three-Stripes brand:

Company spokesman Thomas van Schaik said he was surprised to hear the critical comments, made by top goalkeepers such as Spain’s Iker Casillas and Brazil’s Julio Cesar, because the “Jabulani” balls had been used for months without any complaints.

“We started using it in December in a wide variety of leagues,” he told The Associated Press. “All the response we have had has been positive.

“On top of that, we have distributed it to all the finalists so that they have been able to get used to the ball. Apparently they have not taken advantage of that if we are only hearing this criticism now. I am quite surprised in these circumstances.”

If no player isn't thrilled with the controversial ball's performance, why can't they just go back to the generic ball? Maybe then, everybody will all be happy campers and move on playing the most 'beautiful game' in the world. Perhaps new technology doesn't necessarily improve how a sport is played.

The problem may not be the ball but how it is, well -- used. Whatever the reason is, let's just leave the 'ball' alone and play the game. Period.

Jose Mourinho is Real Madrid bound

A new beginning: Portuguese Jose Mourinho will take over as new manager of Real Madrid.
(Photo by: Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

One of the best football managers in Europe is making headlines again. Fresh from leading Inter Milan FC to winning the most coveted prize in the UEFA Champions league, he decided to bolt out of Italy. He wants Spain to be his new home. After all the rumors brewing all over the football grapevine, it's now confirmed -- Mourinho will helm the Galacticos next season.

So far, he's getting all the love in Spain. He's not the only Portuguese popular there -- Cristiano Ronaldo's gonna have to get used to sharing the spotlight. Not much has changed in his expressions or body language of delight being the new guy in Real Madrid -- a typical Jose thing -- that's why everybody loves a guy him because he's a winner. He does smile once in a while though.

Nonetheless, he's more than ready to take the Galacticos to the next level:

"I like to give myself a challenge and this is a big one," Mourinho told a news conference at the Bernabeu Stadium. "I have a lot of confidence in myself and my ability as a coach.

"I want to thank the board for hiring me and I promise I will not change. I am Jose Mourinho and I arrive here with all my qualities and my defects," Mourinho added.

"The strength of my teams is the team not individual players or the coach. If they all recognise this it will not be difficult to get results."

That's one classy guy right there. He's all set to win a UEFA title with the Galacticos. Inter fans shouldn't feel all that bad. Rumor has it that England coach Fabio Capello will be replacing Mourinho's spot with Internazionale. So it's a win-win situation for both teams and that makes the poker faced Mourinho just as happy perhaps. It will yet be another exciting season for the UEFA Champions league and Spanish La Liga.

LA Lakers advance to face Celtics in the Finals

Black Mamba on the prowl: Kobe Bryant is ready to take on the Boston Celtics in the Finals.
(Christian Petersen/NBAE/Getty Images)

The Phoenix Suns had homecourt advantage in game 6, Steve Nash and gang knew they could beat the L.A. Lakers and force a Game 7. They got everything planned out and their game plan was in full effect. The 2-3 zone bothered most of the Lakers but they forgot about the one guy they should really worry about -- Kobe Bryant.

A typical Kobe performance dropping 37 points on the Suns to make yet another return to the Finals. Phoenix's resilience and tremendous comeback undoubtedly gave the Lakeshow a run for their money. Amar'e Stoudemire knew their efforts didn't do too much against the Lakers:

“We played great and we were only two games short of getting to the Finals,” Suns forward Amar’e Stoudemire said. “They (the Lakers) have a great team and they have all bases covered; from the bench, to the starters, to Kobe.”

Suns veteran and co-captain Grant Hill agrees with Stat:

“It makes it hard when you’re down like that,” Suns co-captain Grant Hill said. “We fought and got back into the game but they have experience of being in these types of games before and they’re pretty good.”

Who could forget Suns' heartbreaking loss in Game 5 at the hands of one Ron Artest, who was always criticized by the Phil Jackson of his poor shot selections -- he didn't complain about his game winning shot though. How about Kobe's little gesture on Phoenix Suns coach Alvin Gentry after hitting a big 3-pointer -- with Grant Hill all over him -- late in the 4th quarter? This clip says it all:

Stoudemire lead his team with 27 while Steve Nash collected 21 points along with 9 assists. Despite the loss, the Suns' court general praised his team for a great season and playoff run:

“I know everyone makes a deal out of I've never made the finals,” the playmaker said, “but if I play with a team like I played with this year, I'll be satisfied with that. It's phenomenally rewarding to be part of a group like this.

“It's a great source of pride for me to get a chance to play with these guys. They're just such great, great people and great teammates. They've committed absolutely to what we're trying to do. You want to say we overachieved until you think about it and say, 'We're a good team.' We had a real legitimate chance to beat the Lakers and go to the Finals and play for a championship.”

So it's come to this, the Lakers-Celtics rivalry is back in full effect. The Lakeshow now has the opportunity to avenge their loss in 2008. The defending champs have lot to prove as they have yet to win against the Boston Celtics in the finals. Kobe Bryant comments on what to expect in their storied rivalry come June:

"The challenge is to win the championship. The Celtics are in the way. They feel the same way about us. Obviously this is a matchup, it's very easy to talk about. There's a lot of things that people can write about and talk about. It's a sexy matchup.
We're looking forward to this challenge, looking forward to the test. When the ball goes up, we'll be ready to go."

As the 2010 NBA Finals loom, this is going to be yet another great championship match-up of epic proportions. It's win or go home for both teams. The Boston Celtics are aiming for NBA title number 18. The L.A. Lakers however want not just to defend their 'chip but it's all about redemption.