Jemblog

And he can Dunk?

INDIANAPOLIS — Eli Manning and the Giants one-upped Tom Brady and the Patriots again, coming back with a last-minute score to beat New England 21-17 Sunday night for New York’s fourth Super Bowl title.
It was a rematch of Super Bowl XLII, when Manning led New York past New England to ruin the Patriots’ bid for a perfect season.
This was the first Super Bowl with two starting quarterbacks who previously won the big game’s MVP award — and they took turns being brilliant. Manning became the first QB to open a Super Bowl with nine consecutive completions. Later, Brady put together a run of 16 completions in a row, breaking another Super Bowl mark.
But in the end, it was Manning who directed the nine-play, 88-yard drive that put New York ahead when running back Ahmad Bradshaw scored the winning touchdown.

via NFL.com

Kobe Bryant’s wife has filed for divorce … TMZ has learned.

Vanessa Bryant filed legal docs Friday afternoon, citing “irreconcilable differences.”

Sources connected with the couple tell TMZ … Vanessa — who stuck by Kobe after he was charged with sexually assaulting a Colorado woman in 2003 — decided to end the marriage because she believes Kobe has been unfaithful … again.

As one source puts it, “She’s been dealing with these incidents for a long time and has been a faithful wife, but she’s finally had enough,” adding, “This one is the straw that broke the camel’s back.”

And our sources say … Kobe “desperately” wants to win Vanessa back and will do “whatever it takes” to save their 10 1/2 year marriage.

According to the legal docs, Vanessa is asking for joint custody of their 2 daughters — 8-year-old Natalia and 5-year-old Giana — but Vanessa is asking that Kobe get visitation rights, which means she wants the kids in her care most of the time.

We’ve learned the couple has NO PRENUP, so 29-year-old Vanessa is entitled to half of the empire Kobe built over the last decade.

She’s also requesting spousal support … which is typical in divorce cases. Kobe, who filed his response to the divorce minutes after Vanessa filed her petition, says he will pay her spousal support.

According to the docs, Vanessa is being repped by disso-queen Laura Wasser and attorney Samantha Klein. Wasser reps oodles of celebs, including Britney Spears, Angelina Jolie, Maria Shriver and Kim Kardashian.

Kobe went to the Jay-Z concert Tuesday night in L.A. without Vanessa, and people who saw him there say he looked miserable.

Vanessa signed the divorce petition on December 1. Kobe signed his response on December 7.

Oh yeah, that $4 million ring Kobe gave Vanessa after the 2003 scandal …. It’s all hers. A gift is a gift.

Tim Tebow on Sound FX Mic’d Up vs the Chicago Bears

LeBron James says he’s trying to rehabilitate his image — I would have opted for rehabilitating my post game, but that’s me — this season, as he told ESPN’s Rachel Nichols in an interview last week. But also last week came this piece by in Sports Illustrated by photographer Walter Iooss Jr., in which he tells some great war stories about various famous athletes (don’t miss the one on Barry Bonds).

Also of particular note was his story of doing a photo shoot with LeBron.

I first photographed LeBron James in 2003, when he was a rookie in Cleveland. He was pretty raw as a teenager; he didn’t have any of the smoothed edges he has now. When I shot him six years later, in 2009, the difference was amazing. He walked in like a king that day, and he took over that room. And not only physically, although he was massive then. I’ve never seen an athlete look like that. He was muscular, charming, articulate, the prince of hoops. He couldn’t have been more of an ambassador for the game.

Times change, and sadly, LeBron became a villain to many after The Decision. I’ve seen a lot of entourages, but none like his. In July 2010 I got an assignment from Nike to shoot LeBron right after his TV special announcing his move to the Heat. We rented the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, where the Lakers and the Clippers used to play, and there were 53 people on my crew — including hair and makeup artists, production people, a stylist. I had $10,000 in Hollywood lighting. It was huge. When LeBron arrived, it was as if Nelson Mandela had come in. Six or seven blacked-out Escalades pulled up, a convoy. LeBron had bodyguards and his masseuse. His deejay was already there, blasting. This for a photo shoot that was going to last an hour, tops.

This is how crazy it was: I wasn’t even allowed to talk directly to LeBron. There was a liaison, someone from Amar’e Stoudemire’s family. I would say to him, “O.K., have LeBron drive right,” and then he’d turn to LeBron and say, “LeBron, go right.”

LeBron had guards in the portals on the mezzanine level, talking into their hands. Really, what was going to happen? And then at the end of the shoot they all got in the Escalades. My God, I’ve been around Michael Jordan, but with him nothing even came close to this. Unimaginable.

I know a guy who worked as a sound engineer who said that when he signed contracts to appear in concert, Van Morrison had a stipulation that no stage workers were allowed to make direct eye contact with him before the show. My friend always swore that was true, but I had my doubts. But the human ego is a funny thing, apparently. If you feed it too much, it grows to monstrous proportions, and can turn on you.

Good luck, LeBron, in your quest to regain some of your humanity.

source

New Rochelle (N.Y.) Iona Prep cornerback Justin Combs (5-9, 170), has spent much of his life on the East Coast. But he plans to spend his college years out West, heading to the Golden State to play his college football.

“I’m committed to UCLA,” said Combs. “I was silently committed to UCLA for a while, but now was the time.”
Check some of his highlights after the jump…

A day after Rick Neuheisel was fired as the Bruins’ head coach was not a worry for Combs.

“I have faith in the program that everything will be ok,” said Combs. “My love for UCLA is so strong. I trust and know that everything will work out.”

Combs took an unofficial visit to Westwood in August for the Bruins’ Fall Scrimmage and that was what tipped the scales the Bruins’ way.

“It was love at first sight,” said Combs. “When I first went on a visit, I fell in love with the program and I fell in love with the environment and the tradition. I was good friends with Rahim Moore too and just to hear it from the players, it was love at first sight.”

Combs said he talked regularly with offensive coordinator, and newly named interim coach, Mike Johnson.

“I speak to him often and over email and everything is good with him,” said Combs.

Combs said he was glad to make the decision public.

“It’s a big relief to just get it off my chest and share it with my family and friends,” said Combs. “It’s just a dream come true. To be able to claim a school, put on the gear proudly, and be a part of that program and know that I’ll be a Bruin. It’s a proud and touching moment for me.”