Alex Rodriguez: I’m sorry but this was too good to pass up and not share with y’all. I’m sure everyone has seen the interview with Alex Rodriguez and Peter Gammons by now. If you haven’t check it out and then check this out. You may have noticed ARoid’s orangey complexion. And now Total Pro Sports has photographic proof that ARoid may be an Umpa Lumpa. [Total Pro Sports]

Courtesy of Sneaker News comes the shoe that Boston Celtics shooting guard Ray Allen will be wearing in the All-Star Game this weekend in Phoenix, AZ.

Other Jordan Brand athletes and their All-Star Game shoes:

• Joe Johnson – Atlanta Hawks
• Chris Paul – New Orleans Hornets

Other Nike athletes and their All-Star Game shoes:

• Amare Stoudemire – Phoenix Suns
• Dirk Nowitzki – Dallas Mavericks
• Kobe Bryant – Los Angeles Lakers
• LeBron James – Cleveland Cavaliers
• Kevin Durant – Oklahoma City Thunder (Rookie-Sophomore Game)

Other Nike shoes for the All-Star Game

• Nike Foamposite Lite ASG – All-Star Game 2009 – East & West
• Nike Hyperdunk – East & West – All Star Game 2009
• Nike Zoom Air Huarache 09 – East & West – All Star Game 2009

Eastern Conference: Chris Bosh (Nike Huarache 09), Danny Granger (Nike Zoom Phenom, not pictured), Rashard Lewis (Nike Hyperdunk), Paul Pierce (Nike MAX P2 V, not pictured)

Western Conference: Pau Gasol (Nike Hyperdunk), Brandon Roy (Nike Zoom Phenom, not pictured), Tony Parker (Nike Huarache 09), Amare Stoudemire (Nike Foamposite Lite), David West (Nike Foamposite Lite)

Darius Butler & Will Beatty: In his latest mock draft for Scouts, Inc., Todd McShay has UConn’s Darius Butler being the first Husky taken in the draft. He has the New England Patriots drafting him in the 2nd round (47th overall). McShay also has the Patriots drafting Will Beatty in the 2nd round (58th overall). [ESPN Insider (pdf)]

Bar Refaeli SI Swimsuit Cover 2009

Here is the full interview conducted by ESPN’s Peter Gammons with Alex Rodriguez about ARod’s use of performance-enhancing drugs.

Transcript of interview

Selena Roberts statement on allegations made by ARod during the interview:

“The allegations made by Alex Rodriguez are absurd,” said Roberts, in the statement. “I’ve never set foot in the lobby of Alex’s New York apartment building, never spoken to the University of Miami police, and never set foot on his home property or been cited by the Miami Police for doing so.”

Sports Illustrated statement:

“Sports Illustrated stands by the story and the professional manner in which it was reported. Selena Roberts is a distinguished journalist and her reporting in this case led to Alex Rodriguez’s admission that he used performance-enhancing drugs.”

FORMER RED SOX AND FRAMINGHAM NATIVE LOU MERLONI JOINS COMCAST SPORTSNET AS ANALYST AND REPORTER

Merloni To Be Featured During Spring Training Coverage and Throughout Regular Season

BURLINGTON, MA – Nine-year Major League Baseball veteran and New England media personality Lou Merloni joins Comcast SportsNet as an analyst and reporter. Merloni, a Framingham native and former Red Sox infielder, will be featured prominently during Mohegan Sun Sports Tonight’s coverage of Red Sox Spring Training and throughout the regular season.

Comcast SportsNet’s coverage of pitchers and catchers begins on Thursday, February 12, with live reports by Merloni from Fort Myers. Full squad coverage begins on Monday, February 16, and features two live shows per night that look unlike any other local or national coverage from Fort Myers. Red Sox fans can catch Merloni, hosts Gary Tanguay and Michael Felger, and Red Sox players, coaches and executives each night at 6:30 and 10 p.m. (9:30 p.m. on Thursday), live from the Pink Shell Resort on Fort Myers Beach.

Since retiring from baseball in 2007, Merloni has been a regular contributor on Sports Radio WEEI. Last season, Merloni worked as a baseball analyst on NESN.

“I am tremendously excited about joining Gary Tanguay and Michael Felger on Mohegan Sun Sports Tonight. Sports Tonight is unique in this market and the show provides the perfect opportunity for me to show my versatility,” said Merloni. “My role will extend beyond just analyzing the Red Sox performance on the field. They have offered me the chance to do interviews and shoot feature stories.”

Throughout the 2009 season, Merloni will appear at least twice a week during Mohegan Sun Sports Tonight live from Fenway Park or Comcast SportsNet’s Burlington studios.

“We view Lou Merloni as an up-and-coming star in the New England sports market with skills far beyond his Red Sox roots, and we are delighted to add Lou to our talent roster. With baseball season right around the corner, we will start by leveraging Lou’s baseball knowledge and solid contacts within the Red Sox clubhouse,” said Bill Bridgen, Comcast SportsNet executive vice president and general manager. “We are also working on additional ways to increase his presence on the network beyond Mohegan Sun Sports Tonight as Lou Merloni is one of the rare ex-athletes who can deliver expert analysis, wit and criticisms with impact on TV.”

Merloni’s nine-year career included a six-year stint with the Red Sox from 1998-2003. The Red Sox drafted Merloni in 10th round of the 1993 amateur draft out of Providence College. His career included stops with the Cleveland Indians, San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

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Now that New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez has admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs,  what’s next for him.

Obviously, there will be much discussion about his numbers that he put up during the 2001-03 seasons in Texas.

• 2001 – .318 avg, 52 HRs, 135 RBIs
• 2002 – .300 avg, 57 HRs, 142 RBIs, finished 2nd in AL MVP voting
• 2003 – .298, 47 HRs, 118 RBIs, AL MVP

We should also look at his numbers with the Yankees.

• 2004 – .286 avg, 36 HRs, 106 RBIs
• 2005 – .321 avg, 48 HRs, 130 RBIs, AL MVP
• 2006 – .290 avg, 35 HRs, 121 RBIs
• 2007 – .314 avg, 54 HRs, 156 RBIs, AL MVP
• 2008 – .302 avg, 35 HRs, 103 RBIs

I can understand the dropoff the first year in New York as he adjusted to the limelight but you have to look at the jump in numbers from 2006 to 2007 and then the dropoff in 2008.

While he said during the interview that he hasn’t done anything else, I do have to wonder if he did something in 2007, possibly HGH since it’s undectectable.

The numbers for ARod will always be in question now because he was supposed to be the one who took over the records doing it cleanly. Now that will never happen.

I will say this. I am glad that he came out and admitted it rather than take the Barry Bonds or Roger Clemens route of denying. In the end, people will forgive him but they will never forget especially since he’s supposed to be the greatest player of our generation.

ESPN will have the full interview with Peter Gammons and ARod on the 6 PM EST edition of SportsCenter.

Celtics Fall At Home: A Roger Mason three-pointer with 20.4 seconds left gave the San Antonio Spurs the lead and they held on to beat the Boston Celtics 105-99 at the TD BankNorth Garden. It’s just the 4th loss for the Celtics at home this season. Kevin Garnett led the way for the Green with 26 points and 12 rebounds while Paul Pierce added 19 points. Former UConn Husky Ray Allen had 18 points and Rajon Rondo had 16 assists to go with 6 points. Matt Bonner and Tim Duncan led the way for the Spurs with 23 points each with Duncan adding 13 points. Manu Ginobili had 19 points off the bench. The Celtics now head out on a 6-game road trip that starts out Wednesday night against the New Orleans Hornets. [ESPN.com]

Here’s something special for the readers.

My brother, who lives in Hawaii, is attending the NFL Pro Bowl today at Aloha Stadium. The other day he asked me if I’d be interested in posting some photos from the pre-game festivities and whatever else he sends. Of course I agreed.

I will be updating the post throughout the day with the photos he sends. The time difference between Hawaii and the east coast is -5 hours.

Now onto the pictures:

My brother says note the early start time.

The scene outside Aloha Stadium

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Matt Cassel: According to Chris Mortensen of ESPN, New England Patriots free agent quarterback Matt Cassel has accepted the Pats non-exclusive franchise tender that was placed on him the other day. He will now be paid $14.65 million to hold the clipboard next year unless the Patriots trade him. Cassel can’t shop himself around to other teams now. Somewhere in California there’s a huge party going on at the Cassel household. Not a bad payday for a career backup including college. [ESPN.com]