Bench (re)marks
Now here’s a new take on San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds, courtesy of Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench, who called Bonds’ pursuit of Hank Aaron’s home run record “phenomenal,” despite allegations of steroid use. “They still haven’t found him guilty of anything,” Bench told The Associated Press. “Have there been guys who are probably guilty? Probably so. And your wife has probably had a face-
lift or a tummy tuck. We’re all trying to do performance enhancement. Tiger Woods got lasik surgery. Is that performance enhancing?” Added Bench, a former Cincinnati Reds star who has a 1-year-old son and turns 60 in December: “If I could take HGH, I would, because I want to live longer.”
LeBron to open SNL
Live from New York, it’s LeBron! Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James, fresh off co-hosting the ESPY Awards this month, will host the season premiere of “Saturday Night Live” in September, an NBC spokesman confirmed Wednesday. The 22-year-old James will be the latest prominent athlete to host “SNL,” following his boyhood idol, former NBA star Michael Jordan, who hosted the show in 1991. Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning appeared on the show last season. James received positive reviews for his work co-hosting the ESPY Awards, in which he appeared in several skits and danced.
Hook, jab, then hang 10
“I bet she catches any wave she wants.”
Roy Englebrecht, a promoter, on Kina Malpartida, a champion surfer turned boxer from Peru who will fight Crystal Morales of Lancaster, Calif., in the Battle in the Ballroom at the Irvine (Calif.) Marriott.
Sales of Wite-Out went up as he wrote
With Nick Saban’s first season as Alabama football coach approaching, SportSouth has produced a TV special. It’s titled, “In My Own Words: Nick Saban.” Honest. Saban, you might remember, was coach of the Miami Dolphins when he said, “I guess I have to say it. I am not going to be the Alabama coach.” Soon after, he took the Crimson Tide job – and told reporters that Alabama will be his last job in coaching. Write that in pencil.
