Below is an image of the controversial LeBron James story detailing his trip to Las Vegas. ESPN has since yanked the story. Here’s their statement:

“The story should have never been published. The draft was inadvertently put on the server before going through the usual editorial process. We are in the midst of looking into the matter.” 

And here is an image of the original story published by ESPN.com:

The Tennessee Titans dropped USC coach Lane Kiffin down to one knee with a back-handed bitch-slap when they filed court docs to sue him for “maliciously” luring assistant coach Kennedy Pola just days before NFL training camp opens. But if history repeats itself, Kiffin will spring back up.

The docs were filed by Tennessee Football Inc., the company that owns the Titans. The lawsuit accuses both USC and Kiffin of violating Pola’s contract, a contract that required him to have written permission to discuss a job with anyone.

This details surrounding this latest incident indicate Kiffin may be up to his shit-stirring ways again and he may not be done leaving his trail.

After becoming the youngest NFL head coach to be hired, then fired, by Al Davis and the Oakland Raiders, a bitter legal battle followed that ordeal. Shortly after that head-butting battle, the controversial coach galloped into the University of Tennessee like a knight in shining armor with his dad, Monte riding in the saddle behind him.

While the dust was still settling from his arrival, he called out University of Florida coach Urban Myer accusing him of recruiting violations and followed that charade with a campaign that included placing billboards around the country proclaiming how his UT program was king of the SEC.

The orange faithful were eating it up. That is until their savior decided to wad up his contract, throw it in the garbage and dump his duties in Knoxville to head west to take a job with the USC Trojans, a job created after Pete Carroll bolted.

Feeling deserted, as they should have, the fans had a few mattress-burning parties and defaced several Knoxville “monuments” like the one pictured here. Once the tears dried up, Tennesseans began moving on, until this latest incident with the Titans.

The lawsuit charges that:

“USC and Kiffin maliciously intended to—and did—induce Pola to breach the Pola contract.”

The suit goes on to state, “USC and Kiffin engaged in improper means in their procurement of the breach and were not legally justified in their actions. Kiffin and USC’s actions, through him, were part of a course and pattern of conduct fostered by Kiffin and USC to use improper methods and means to the direct harm and damage of parties to contracts.”

Titans coach Jeff Fisher, a Southern California alumnus, threw in a couple bitch-slaps of his own showing his displeasure in Kiffin’s actions. Fisher felt slighted and possibly pissed off about never receiving a customary courtesy phone call to let him know they were interested in talking to one of his assistants.

The lawsuit slams Kiffin accusing the coach of intentional actions regarding this case.

In a recent interview with the Tennessean newspaper, Fisher also discussed Kiffin’s lack of professionalism which is not the first time that topic has come up.

The lawsuit requests a jury trial now picture that. A bench full of people decked out in bright orange sitting across from the man who just screwed and set back their college football program. If there’s ever been justification to move a trial to another state . . .

Used with permission of the author.

Jay Donetelli is a Tampa-based freelance sportswriter and contributor to Sports Climax. With an opinion sharper than an Ovechkin skate blade with the sting of an Ali jab, Donetelli has a loyal cult of readers who have found a way to love him.

Copyright ©2010 Sports Climax, LLC

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Former Indiana Pacers guard Shawne Williams became the latest member of our Jocks Behind Bars column this week when he was busted by Memphis police after a loaded gun and some pot was found in the car he was driving.

Police originally pulled the car over when they noticed Williams wasn’t buckled up and after checking the former University of Memphis player and his college teammate Kareem Cooper out, they charged Williams with driving on a suspended license.

Police then searched the vehicle and according to the reports, found marijuana and a gun on Cooper.

Since being selected in the first-round by the Pacers in 2006, the troubled player has left a trail that includes past arrests and off the court issues.  

One of those previous arrests were also related to marijuana possession. Earlier this year, the player was indicted on four counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to manufacture/deliver/sell and four counts of conspiracy to manufacture/deliver/sell a controlled substance. The controlled substance was a codeine-based syrup. (the mugshot from that arrest is seen here above).

After a few seasons in Indiana, the Pacers had seen enough and traded him to the Dallas Mavericks who appear to have given up on the player as well. After the Mavs sent Williams home to Memphis, Mavs owner Mark Cuban said his team was hoping to work out some issues with the player but after this latest incident, we may have seen the last of Williams in Dallas and possibly the NBA.

Used with permission of the author.

Jay Donetelli is a Tampa-based freelance sportswriter and contributor to Sports Climax. With an opinion sharper than an Ovechkin skate blade with the sting of an Ali jab, Donetelli has a loyal cult of readers who have found a way to love him.

Copyright ©2010 Sports Climax, LLC

The tug-of-war over LeBron James continues.

Not the one for landing the NBA’s biggest fish in this year’s free agency, that one was won by the Miami Heat, but the one pertaining to that expensive piece of jewelry with the number 23 on it that’s pictured here.

 The Associated Press reported that the Ohio woman who said she paid $5 at a yard sale for a LeBron James pendant worth nearly $10,000 says it’s been taken from her. The piece is said to contain a total of about 2 carats of diamonds.

Vaneisha Robinson had the basketball jersey-shaped white gold pendant appraised and put it for sale on eBay but after she responded to a call Wednesday from the mother of Maverick O. Carter, the CEO for James’ marketing company, the pendant was taken from her.

Robinson said the caller told her ‘The King’ himself wanted to buy the pendant but when she went to the woman’s house LeBron wasn’t there and other people threatened her and took it.

Wadsworth police Sgt. James Elchlinger said he determined the pendant belongs to Carter after Carter said it had been stolen from him.

Robinson on the other hand told WEWS-TV that the pendant belongs to her and she wants it back.

Aren’t there two other pieces of fine jewelry with the numbers 1 and 3 on them that should go along with this piece?

MORE LeBron: Cavs Owner Dan Gilbert Spanks LeBron

Used with permission of the author.

Jay Donetelli is a Tampa-based freelance sportswriter and contributor to Sports Climax. With an opinion sharper than an Ovechkin skate blade with the sting of an Ali jab, Donetelli has a loyal cult of readers who have found a way to love him.

Copyright ©2010 Sports Climax, LLC

Here’s an update for one of our Jocks Behind Bars members. Cleveland Cavaliers guard Delonte West was in court today and avoided any jail time after pleading guilty to weapons and driving charges.

After the plea, West was sentenced to eight months of electronic monitoring, two years probation and 40 hours of community service by a Prince George’s County Circuit Court.

Police said in September 2009, the NBA star was speeding when he cut off one an officer. After getting pulled over, they discovered two loaded handguns, a loaded shotgun and an 8½-inch Bowie knife in West’s vehicle.

Where the hell is an NBA basketball player going with artillery like that?

West’s attorney said his client was moving the weapons from one home to another after the player’s mother wanted them removed from the one property.

The NBA may consider a suspension and, or, other disciplinary actions against West after they “review the court’s decision.”

It’s been a rough week for Cavs owner Dan Gilbert that included the team’s superstar LeBron James deserting Cleveland to go play for their rival Miami Heat. There is speculation that the 26-year-old West may have seen his last day in a Cavs uniform. With this arrest and conviction coupled with the player skipping a bunch of practices and team meetings in the past and the domestic violence report his wife filed against him in October, well, you get the message.

According to sources, West has been battling a bi-polar disorder and has been seeing the team’s psychologist. Lucky for him, with today’s sentencing, he won’t have to do it from a jail cell.

Used with permission of the author.

Jay Donetelli is a Tampa-based freelance sportswriter and contributor to Sports Climax. With an opinion sharper than an Ovechkin skate blade with the sting of an Ali jab, Donetelli has a loyal cult of readers who have found a way to love him.

Copyright ©2010 Sports Climax, LLC

NEW YORK – The 2010 Major League Baseball All-Star game was a dud as far as viewership goes, earning the game’s lowest television rating in history.

The National League defeated the American League 3-1 for their first victory in over a decade in a mostly uneventful contest Tuesday night that was televised on Fox.

The telecast posted a 7.5 fast national rating and 13 share, down 16 percent from the 8.9 fast national rating and 15 share tallied for last season’s 2009 game when the AL beat the NL 4-3.

Prior to this new record low, the previous low was an 8.1 national rating and 14 share in 2005.

Ratings represent the percentage of all households with televisions, and shares represent the percentage of all homes with TVs in use at the time.

At the time of this article, we were unable to locate the ratings for the 2010 State Farm Home Run Derby that took place the night before when Boston Red Sox slugger, David “Big Papi” Ortiz won handily over his less-experienced competition.

Used with permission of the author.

Jay Donetelli is a Tampa-based freelance sportswriter and contributor to Sports Climax. With an opinion sharper than an Ovechkin skate blade with the sting of an Ali jab, Donetelli has a loyal cult of readers who have found a way to love him.

Copyright ©2010 Sports Climax, LLC

In case you haven’t heard of Jimmy Jump, he’s the idiot who jumped onto the field and tried touching the World Cup trophy during the presentation following Spain’s 1-0 victory over Netherlands.

Jump was within inches of accomplishing his feat when the trophy’s keeper, dressed in a suit, leveled him with a straight jab Muhammad Ali would have been proud of.

J.J. whose real name is Jaume Marquet Cot, succumbed to the punch, falling to the ground before being dragged away by Soccer City Stadium security and taken to jail.

Jump is lucky he wasn’t in Philadelphia or he may have been greeted by a Philly cop who may have fried his ass with a taser or two. Blow your Vuvuzelas to that.

This nimrod, Jump, is actually the same moron who has been disrupting sporting events for years including the 2009 French Open when he approached Roger Federer.

As mindless as this act was, it was one of the more exciting plays of the day after the championship game went scoreless after regulation and finished with a 1-0 score. Regardless, this guy who seems to be starving for attention, will be getting plenty in the South African jail where he may still be sitting; and for good measure we’re throwing in the Bitch-Slap-of-the-Week.

Video is below.

Used with permission of the author.

Jay Donetelli is a Tampa-based freelance sportswriter and contributor to Sports Climax. With an opinion sharper than an Ovechkin skate blade with the sting of an Ali jab, Donetelli has a loyal cult of readers who have found a way to love him.

Copyright ©2010 Sports Climax, LLC

“The Decision”, a one-hour special on ESPN is the first network program to receive our Bitch-Slap-of-the-Week and it shares the honor with the show’s star NBA free agent, LeBron James who will be making his decision regarding where he will land and attempt to become, in his words, the world’s first billion-dollar athlete.

During the FIFA World Cup game between Spain and Germany, ESPN’s ticker tape “Breaking News” announced the show that in many people’s minds is nothing more than a network handing an egotistical, arrogant overpaid athlete their own one-hour special to announce to our recession-infested country, where he will be making his 100’s of millions of dollars.

That’s great, King James, now your audience can go climb up on a hot roof and nail some shingles for $800 a week or flip burgers at their second job so they can have electricity to pay for air conditioning this summer. Hope you enjoyed rubbing it in their faces and reminding them the reality of how overpaid pro athletes like you really are.

Kevin Blackistone of AOL Fanhouse wrote this about James in his article entitled, “Free Agent Circus Stains LeBron’s Image”.

“. . . all of a sudden [James] appears to be as egotistical and megalomaniacal as any of the most self-absorbed athletes we’ve come to know over the years. What a shame. Over the past few weeks, James has made himself as easy to dislike as he’d made himself over several years easy to like.”

In another article entitled, “ESPN Defends LeBron Special”, the network is quoted as they explain the purpose of the show. “We believe this is a unique program,” Norby Williamson, ESPN’s executive vice president of production said.

Yeah, it sure is. No network has ever wasted an hour of air time for an announcement of a free agent on where he will land.

The great champion NBA players like Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Shaq, players who have all WON championships, something LeBron has not come close to accomplishing, have discreetly made decisions and taken their $100 million contracts as quietly as possible.

Getting beat by Orlando two years ago and again losing to the underdog, aging Boston Celtics this year, I guess LeBron can accept this special as a consolation prize as opposed to the back-to-back victory parades that Kobe and his Lakers team had, the confetti Shaq was driven through in Miami and L.A. and the half dozen Michael celebrated in the Windy City.

Copyright ©2010 Sports Climax, LLC

The Atlanta Thrashers have announced they have re-signed forward Eric Boulton and although team policy is to not announce terms of deals, reports indicate the rugged enforcer will be making in the area of $650,000 this upcoming season.

There was speculation Boulton could possibly be moving on after new GM Rick Dudley acquired a few other tough players that could have possibly filled the role Boulton had held in the past.

More known for his aggressive style of play than putting points on the board, Boulton, 33, recorded 2g,6a-8pts in 62 games last season while spending 113 minutes in the penalty box. During that stretch, he became the franchise’s all-time leader in penalty minutes with 552 when he skated to the box on March 20 vs. Philadelphia.

In his career, the 6-1, 225-pound left wing has appeared in 480 regular-season NHL games with Atlanta and Buffalo, tallying 63 points, 21g,42a and 1,063 penalty minutes.

The native of Halifax, Nova Scotia was signed as a free agent by Atlanta on Aug. 8, 2005 and was originally drafted by the New York Rangers in the ninth round, 234th overall, of the 1994 NHL Entry Draft.

Prior to making his NHL debut in 2000-01, Boulton recorded 131 points (65 goals, 66 assists) in 319 career minor-league games with Charlotte (ECHL), Binghamton (AHL), Fort Wayne (IHL), Kentucky (AHL), Rochester (AHL) and Columbia (ECHL).

Used with permission of the author.

Jay Donetelli is a freelance sportswriter and contributor to Sports Climax. With an opinion sometimes sharper than an Ovechkin skate blade with the sting of an Ali jab, Donetelli has a loyal following of supporters who have found a way to love him.

Copyright ©2010 Sports Climax, LLC

MOBILE, Ala. – Former Oakland Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell, the No. 1 overall pick and possibly the biggest bust in the history of the NFL Draft, has been charged with possession of a controlled substance, codeine syrup?

Yeah, that’s not a typo, codeine syrup.

 It’s hard not to wonder if this is a case of the Alabammy poe-lice really reaching here. Now cocaine, steroids, even marijuana are substances you expect the police to clean the streets of but a prescription liquid for colds, hhhhmmmm.

Russell, 24 years old, was arrested at his home in Alabama on Monday; cuffed and cheesed for a mugshot.

The former LSU star was busted as part of an undercover narcotics investigation so we have to wonder if the police expected to find a different substance when they searched the home but decided to go for the consolation prize. . . syrup without a prescription.

After taking the mug and doing the other formalities, Russell was released after posting a $2,500 bond.

Russell owns one of the worst career passer ratings ever for a high drafted quarterback, completing 52.1 percent of his passes, with 18 touchdowns, 23 interceptions, 15 lost fumbles and a passer rating of 65.2.

Despite his failures on the field, Russell banked over $36 million during his time in Oakland.

MORE Sports Mugshots at Jocks Behind Bars

Used with permission of the author.

Jay Donetelli is a freelance sportswriter and contributor to Sports Climax. With an opinion sometimes sharper than an Ovechkin skate blade with the sting of an Ali jab, Donetelli has a loyal following of supporters who have found a way to love him.

Copyright ©2010 Sports Climax, LLC