Erin Andrews Marie Claire Interview

See: "The Haunting of Erin Andrews":

"Just saw your video. Wow, you are on fire doing your hair naked!"

That's an incoming tweet to Erin Andrews. It hits her iPhone while she's on a trip to Tennessee, preparing to host a country-music benefit for tornado victims. She gets about a dozen such tweets a day — continual reminders of the video that went viral two years ago this summer, when a stalker removed the peephole of her hotel-room door, then stood in the hallway and filmed her for several minutes in the nude ...


*****

How did you cope psychologically with the knowledge that strangers would be seeing you in the nude?

That was the hardest thing. Despite what I do for a living, I am very insecure about my body. I don't have a complex, but for every woman — I don't care who you are — there's a part of your body you have issues with. It was my body, and I didn't have a choice of how many people got to see it. What people don't understand is that while I wasn't physically touched, I was violated.

The day that I got the phone call that this was on the Internet, I didn't want to get undressed. I didn't change my clothes for two or three days. I was so screwed up. I was disgusted with myself; I was disgusted with my body, with being naked, and that everybody saw that it was me. I stopped going to my gym for six or seven months because I was afraid of people seeing me working out. I had this mind-set of, "Oh, my gosh, everybody's seen me naked and they're going to think to themselves, She should be so embarrassed."

The first site to run the video was in Europe. Then a sports blog linked to it — and rumors spread that you might have been behind the whole thing.

Yes, the perception right away was: She's doing this as a sex tape. She's doing this for publicity. News sites claimed they showed the video because it was "news." These news outlets were having so much fun with it. The New York Post put the images from the video up on the front page. The Early Show played clips on their show. Fox News showed stills. It was disgusting. My poor dad was watching this. He had to go on medication, he was so upset watching what was happening to his daughter.

Bill O'Reilly also played snippets, in fact. He defended it as news reporting when called out. Oh boy, those were the days. Cynthia Yockey is still mad, but not really about Erin Andrews (she attacks conservatives for being against gay marriage, which is lame, since you can't really be conservative and be for gay marriage, hint, hint). And Cassandra's no longer blogging, tsk, tsk. That said, I'd do things differently the second time around. Live and learn.

Hat Tip: Smitty @ The Other McCain.

ADDED: Carol at No Sheeples also pulled the plug. Not sure why, but in the end intra-ideological flame wars are often more damaging than attacking the progressive nihilists. Saber Point has more: "'No Sheeples Here' Missed on Independence Day."

New York Mets Unload Francisco Rodriguez

Althouse gets excited over Milwaukee's acquisition of star closer Francisco Rodriguez: "Unloading a 'crippling financial obligation,' the Mets deal Francisco Rodriguez to the Brewers."

Ann links to the New York Times, and there's some informed opinion in her comments section. But I'll tell you: Mets fans should be pleased. With Rodriquez, who was the Angels' ace closer for years, you'll bite your fingernails and then keep munching down to the knuckles. The dude had so many clutch blown saves I lost my voice screaming at the TV. Plugging in "Rodriguez Blown Saves" on Google pulled this piece up, "The Worst Season of Francisco Rodriguez's Career":

Rodriguez is still very difficult to hit against, due to the tremendous amount of movement on his pitches. However, this year his control problems have been even worse than in the past: only 60% of his pitches have been strikes – the lowest total of his career – and only 54% of his first pitches have been strikes. He has gotten into more 3-0 counts (9% of the time) than any other season in his career, and has gotten into fewer 0-2 counts (19%) than any other season. His overall strikeout rate is down, and yet he has received more called third strikes than usual this year, suggesting even less dominance (as evidenced by the relative lack of swings and misses with two strikes).

I get pissed just reading that!

But see Sports Illustrated on the big picture: "Brewers, Mets both get what they need from K-Rod trade."

National League Wins Baseball's Midsummer Classic

I tuned in a little late but caught Prince Fielder's home run. I didn't think that ball was gone.

At Los Angeles Times, "National League defeats American League, 5-1, in MLB All-Star Game":

How long has it been since the National League won consecutive All-Star games? The Arizona Diamondbacks did not exist the last time it happened.

However, with Prince Fielder launching a long home run on the Diamondbacks' home field and Roy Halladay setting the pitching tone with two perfect innings, the NL posted a 5-1 victory over the American League in Tuesday's All-Star game.

Fielder was selected as most valuable player of the All-Star game, the first Milwaukee Brewers player to win that honor. The victory secured home-field advantage for the NL entry in the World Series.

The Brewers, who acquired reliever Francisco Rodriguez from the New York Mets on Tuesday night, start the second half tied for first place in the NL Central.

"Everything is awesome right now," Fielder said.

Spain's San Fermin Festival Goes Topless

At Astute Bloggers: "NSFW PHOTOS: THE RUNNING OF THE BOOBS, ER UM I MEAN BULLS."

And a streaker gets gored after running with the bulls:

PREVIOUSLY: "Running of the Bulls."

Baseball Fan Keith Carmickle Nearly Falls From Stands at All-Star Game Home Run Derby

I don't see any video, but NBC's got some great pics, "Fan Nearly Falls From Stands During HR Derby."

Also at Fox News, "Fan Nearly Falls From Stands During Homer Derby."

My wife was watching the 11:00 o'clock news and she let out a yelp, saying, "It happened again. Somebody else is going to get killed. The man was standing on a table!"

Added: Here's the video:

Erin Andrews Tweets Kate Upton from MLB's Celebrity All-Star Softball Game

Looks like fun.

Erin Andrews' tweet is here. And one more, an Andrews solo pic, here.

Kate Upton responds here. Plus, a brief little video here.

And at Sports Illustrated: "Kate Upton at MLB's All-Star Celebrity Softball Game."

Bleacher Report is impressed: "Kate Upton Takes over the Sports Universe Once Again."

RELATED: At Arizona Republic, "Stars, pros share fun at All-Star Celebrity Softball Game."

Dude Who Snagged Derek Jeter's Home Run 3,000th Hit Gives Ball Back For Nothing

At New York Daily News, "Derek Jeter's 3,000 hit ball nabbed by Highland Mills resident Christian Lopez at Yankee Stadium."

The lifelong Yankees fan who snagged Derek Jeter's 3,000th hit shares a few qualities with The Captain: Hustle, generosity and class.

After outbattling a crazed bleacher crowd to snag the historic homer, Christian Lopez returned the ball Saturday to Jeter - passing up a possible six-figure payday for the irreplaceable memento.

"I'm going to give it to Derek," Lopez announced on the Yankee Stadium video board during the eighth inning - prompting the type of ovation typically reserved for Jeter.

"I got to see history in the making, and now I'm part of history," he said.

Well, the comments at that both the Daily News and YouTube aren't so supportive. Downright vicious, frankly. And I gotta say: Was that smart? Will the dude regret it? The Yankees gave him four season tickets for every remaining home game and the playoffs and World Series. That's pretty "suite." And he's getting his 15 minutes, so what the heck?

Running of the Bulls

At USA Today, "1 gored, 6 others hurt in running of the bulls."

And lots of pics at Daily Mail, "Get out of my way! The bulls of Pamplona go running… over the backs of revellers." And The Sun, "It's crush hour in Pamplona."

Shannon Stone Death Prompts Questions on Baseball Stadium Safety

The Texas Rangers will establish a memorial fund for the family of Shannon Stone, the firefighter who died Thursday after trying to catch a souvenir baseball for his son. The Dallas Star-Tribune has the report (and additional updates there as well). Also, at CBS Sports, "Ryan: Stone's widow worried for son."

And see Los Angeles Times, "Baseball fan's death raises concerns about stadium safety":

Whenever he threw a baseball into the stands, Angels outfielder Vernon Wells said he tried to place it beyond the front row so it wouldn't fall back onto the field.

Now major leaguers are confronted with more grave fears than whether play will be disrupted.

A fan trying to catch a ball tossed by Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton fell over a railing and plunged 20 feet to his death Thursday at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, raising concerns about stadium safety regulations and the time-honored tradition of throwing balls to fans.

"You look around a ballpark like this and look at all the ledges and think about all the stuff you could possibly do," Dodgers right fielder Andre Ethier said Friday before a game against the San Diego Padres. "It definitely makes you think twice."

In a statement, Major League Baseball said its "players are encouraged to be fan-friendly and we will carefully review this incident with our clubs to continue to ensure a safe environment for our fans."

The accident occurred when Hamilton picked up a foul ball and flipped it to Shannon Stone, a 39-year-old firefighter who was at the game with his 6-year-old son. To make the catch, Stone leaned over a railing that didn't come up to his waist, lost his footing and fell head first onto concrete.

Though he initially moved his arms and was able to talk to medical responders, Stone went into cardiac arrest while being transported to a hospital. He was pronounced dead less than an hour after he fell.

More at the link above,A and at New York Times, "Grief and Questions After Death at Ballpark." The Rangers have inspected the stadium and everything's apparently up to cold, but check the New York Times piece for some discussion, since the park's had a previous accidents and questions linger. At Minneapolis Star Tribune, for example, "Will tossing balls to fans get tossed?"

Texas Rangers Baseball Fan Dies While Trying to Catch Ball For Six-Year Old Son

This is unbelievably sad.

At London's Daily Mail, "'Please check on my son': Fireman's final words as he lay dying after falling in front of seven-year-old son as he tried to catch ball at baseball game."

UPDATE: I've taken the video down out of courtesy for the Stone family. And Donald Sensing comments on the tragedy.

Los Angeles Dodgers File for Bankruptcy

Well, the McCourts divorce settlement was only going to work if the Dodgers got a huge Fox Sports television contract, but Selig nixed that, so I guess the bankruptcy was inevitable.

At Los Angeles Times, a huge story, "Dodgers file for bankruptcy — and arrange for $150-million loan."

'José, Can You See?' U.S. Soccer Team Booed at Gold Cup Final, Rose Bowl, Pasadena

You get used to it. You're a foreigner in your own country sometimes. You get the feeling in many parts of Southern California. And in some of the small agricultural towns in the Central Valley you might as well be in Mexico. Democrats and progressives don't care, except to the extent that it keeps them in power, but we've long ago basically undergone a foreign invasion of people whose primary loyalty remains to the countries of their origin. The Los Angeles Times has the report, from Bill Plaschke, "In Gold Cup final, it's red, white and boo again." The U.S team was booed. Here's a quote from the piece (via Memeorandum):

Most of these hostile visitors didn't live in another country. Most, in fact, were not visitors at all, many of them being U.S. residents whose lives are here but whose sporting souls remain elsewhere.

Welcome to another unveiling of that social portrait known as a U.S.-Mexico soccer match, streaked as always in deep colors of red, white, blue, green … and gray.

"I love this country, it has given me everything that I have, and I'm proud to be part of it," said Victor Sanchez, a 37-year-old Monrovia resident wearing a Mexico jersey. "But yet, I didn't have a choice to come here, I was born in Mexico, and that is where my heart will always be."

Right.

This is an old debate, largely taboo for discussion in polite company, like academic departments. But it's not a new thing, at all. Recall Samuel Huntington's seminal essay in 2004, "The Hispanic Challenge"

Massive Hispanic immigration affects the United States in two significant ways: Important portions of the country become predominantly Hispanic in language and culture, and the nation as a whole becomes bilingual and bicultural. The most important area where Hispanization is proceeding rapidly is, of course, the Southwest. As historian Kennedy argues, Mexican Americans in the Southwest will soon have “sufficient coherence and critical mass in a defined region so that, if they choose, they can preserve their distinctive culture indefinitely. They could also eventually undertake to do what no previous immigrant group could have dreamed of doing: challenge the existing cultural, political, legal, commercial, and educational systems to change fundamentally not only the language but also the very institutions in which they do business.”

Anecdotal evidence of such challenges abounds. In 1994, Mexican Americans vigorously demonstrated against California's Proposition 187—which limited welfare benefits to children of illegal immigrants—by marching through the streets of Los Angeles waving scores of Mexican flags and carrying U.S. flags upside down. In 1998, at a Mexico-United States soccer match in Los Angeles, Mexican Americans booed the U.S. national anthem and assaulted U.S. players. Such dramatic rejections of the United States and assertions of Mexican identity are not limited to an extremist minority in the Mexican-American community. Many Mexican immigrants and their offspring simply do not appear to identify primarily with the United States.

Déjà vu.

RELATED: At Pamela's, "US SOCCER TEAM VICIOUSLY BOOED IN L.A. -- MEXICO WAS "HOME TEAM" - ENEMEDIA CALLS IT "UNIQUELY AMERICAN'."

VIDEO: New Jersey Nets Dance Tryouts

Cool.

Tryouts were yesterday in Brooklyn. The NBA homepage is here.

X Games 2011 Los Angeles Tickets on Sale Today

X Games 17 tickets on sale today, at Ticketmaster locations and the Staples Center box office.

I think my son would like to go, but not sure which event. There's so many!

The schedule: "X Games 17 Competition Schedule."

And video from last year:

McCourts Reach Settlement in Divorce Case

At Los Angeles Times, "Frank and Jamie McCourt announce settlement in Dodgers divorce case."

Attendance has dropped dramatically at Dodger Stadium. Hopefully things start working out and the community can once again rally around a world class organization.

Ruler on Ice

I looked for the YouTube at the time, didn't find it, and then forgot about it. But TigerHawk has it, with some interesting commentary:

RELATED: At New York Times, "First in Mud at Belmont: Long Shot Ruler on Ice."