Oscar Taveras, one of the most promising young players in Major League Baseball, was killed today in a car accident in his native Puerto Rico. He was 22 years old. Taveras’ girlfriend also died in the accident, according to police in Puerto Plata. Taveras debuted with the St. Louis Cardinals this season and batted .239 in 80 games. He was scheduled to compete for a lot more playing time next year. The rising star was heading from Jameo to his hometown of Sosua, though few other details regarding the crash have been released. “We’re still investigating at the scene. We’ve had some heavy rainfall here lately. It might have contributed to the accident,” said Lieutenant Junior Lopez Reyes of the Puerto Plata police. Cardinals General Manager John Mozeliak released a brief statement in which he expressed grief and shock, writing: “Obviously, we have deep condolences to his family. We are still waiting for more details before issuing a full statement.” 23 Shocking Celebrity Deaths 1. Paul Walker Paul Walker died in a car accident on November 30, 2013. He left behind a daughter and a burgeoning film career. Taveras started the 2014 season as number-three on MLB.com’s list of top 100 prospects. He hit a home run in his major league debut against the San Francisco Giants and hit a game-tying round-tripper against the Giants in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series this month. We send our thoughts and prayers to his loved ones.
Another racist owner bites the dust ! Atlanta Hawks Owner Bruce Levenson Sells Team After Racist Emails Surface Atlanta Hawks owner Bruce Levenson announced on Sunday that he would be selling his controlling interest in the team, and NBA commissioner Adam Silver issued the following statement about an old email in which he expressed offensive views: Via CBS Sports : Following Bruce Levenson notifying the league office this July of his August 2012 email, the NBA commenced an independent investigation regarding the circumstances of Mr. Levenson’s comments. Prior to the completion of the investigation, Mr. Levenson notified me last evening that he had decided to sell his controlling interest in the Atlanta Hawks. As Mr. Levenson acknowledged, the views he expressed are entirely unacceptable and are in stark contrast to the core principles of the National Basketball Association. He shared with me how truly remorseful he is for using those hurtful words and how apologetic he is to the entire NBA family – fans, players, team employees, business partners and fellow team owners – for having diverted attention away from our game. I commend Mr. Levenson for self-reporting to the league office, for being fully cooperative with the league and its independent investigator, and for putting the best interests of the Hawks, the Atlanta community, and the NBA first. We will be working with the Hawks ownership group on the appropriate process for the sale of the team and I have offered our full support to Hawks CEO Steve Koonin, who will now oversee all team operations. The NBA and its teams have long had in place anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policies in order to facilitate respectful and diverse workplaces. Earlier this summer, the league re-doubled its efforts by, among other things, making it mandatory for all league and team personnel to receive annual training on these issues. The email was racist in nature, and Levenson expressed his remorse for it in a statement: “Over the past several years, I’ve spent a lot of time grappling with low attendance at our games and the need for the Hawks to attract more season ticket holders and corporate sponsors. Over that time, I’ve talked with team executives about the need for the Hawks to build a more diverse fan base that includes more suburban whites, and I shared my thoughts on why our efforts to bridge Atlanta’s racial sports divide seemed to be failing. In trying to address those issues, I wrote an e-mail two years ago that was inappropriate and offensive. I trivialized our fans by making clichéd assumptions about their interests (i.e. hip hop vs. country, white vs. black cheerleaders, etc.) and by stereotyping their perceptions of one another (i.e. that white fans might be afraid of our black fans). By focusing on race, I also sent the unintentional and hurtful message that our white fans are more valuable than our black fans. If you’re angry about what I wrote, you should be. I’m angry at myself, too. It was inflammatory nonsense. We all may have subtle biases and preconceptions when it comes to race, but my role as a leader is to challenge them, not to validate or accommodate those who might hold them. I have said repeatedly that the NBA should have zero tolerance for racism, and I strongly believe that to be true. That is why I voluntarily reported my inappropriate e-mail to the NBA. After much long and difficult contemplation, I have decided that it is in the best interests of the team, the Atlanta community, and the NBA to sell my controlling interest in the Hawks franchise. Hawks CEO Steve Koonin will oversee all team operations and take all organizational reports as we proceed with the sale process. I’m truly embarrassed by my words in that e-mail, and I apologize to the members of the Hawks family and all of our fans. To the Hawks family and its fans, you have my deepest gratitude for the past ten years. Working with this team and its extraordinary executives, coaching staff, and players has been one of the highlights of my life. I am proud of our diverse, passionate, and growing legion of Hawks fans, and I will continue to join you in cheering for the best team in the NBA.” Owners discussed the matter at a meeting last week in New York City, according to Yahoo Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski . Hit the flip to peep the racist emails next…
How would you describe your preferred amount of facial hair? 5 o’clock shadow? Full lumberjack beard? (I know Kesha is here for that.) What about a patchy, light blonde, dirty ‘stache? If you’re not into that last one, today is your lucky day. Justin Bieber has removed exactly that from the area just above his… Read more »
In news that has shocked absolutely no one, Farrah Abraham is a stripper now – having rapidly climbed the ladder from cocktail waitress to exotic dancer at a “gentleman’s club.” What is shocking, however, is the insane amount of cash that Farrah gets paid to take it all off in her new place of employment in Austin, Texas. 27 Freaky Farrah Abraham Sex Tape Stills 1. Farrah 2: Backdoor and More Pic Farrah Abraham in a still photo from Backdoor and More. As you can tell we’ve cropped it for obvious reasons. “The club loved how hardworking and focused I was, so they offered me a $544,000 agreement to be a celebrity house feature,” Farrah recently told Radar . Yes, beginning August 22 clients can book reservations for private sessions with Farrah. Prices range from $2,500 an hour to $500 for ten minutes. And if you think the fact that Farrah makes that much to give lap dances is depressing, check out her thoughts on raising her daughter in a strip club environment: “I’ve learned that this industry has class, strength, and has taught me life skills to better myself and my daughter,” said the former Teen Mom star. Well, this is the same parent who talks openly, even proudly, about her daughter making a sex tape some day , so we guess we shouldn’t be surprised. Farrah, of course, still claims that stripping is just part of her research for her erotic novel trilogy , and she’ll find a more suitable gig as soon as she’s gathered enough info. The whole situation is hilarious until you remember that Farrah’s daughter is five, and will soon make the sad realization that her mother is a ridiculous human being. 25 Most Cringe-Worthy Farrah Abraham Pics 1. Farrah Abraham Vagina Costume Farrah Abraham dresses up like a vagina. You cannot make this stuff up.
Robin Williams tragically committed suicide on Monday morning and, also tragically, some of the reaction to that event has made us question our faith in humanity. Take Todd Bridges and Shephard Smith, both of whom referred to Williams as a selfish coward . Or take any number of anonymous Internet trolls, who actually forced Zelda Williams to quit social media because they are such terrible human beings. Fortunately, there have also been a number of positive tributes to Williams, such as this one from Jimmy Fallon – and also the following subtle one by sports anchor Zach Klein, who rattles off TWENTY-THREE references to Williams and his movies in a two-minute segment. Can you catch each one? Sports Anchor Honors Robin Williams Pretty creative and impressive, right? We continue to keep the friends and family members of Robin Williams in our thoughts. 21 Memorable Robin Williams Quotes 1. That You May Contribute a Verse What will YOUR verse be?
