Barry Bonds was known as a surly bastard by the media when he played. Some of it was the media grinding an axe and some of it was Barry’s handling of the press. The combination usually made for BS answers from Bonds if he felt like talking at all. Now that he’s out of baseball and hanging out in Hollywood Barry’s a changed man. Look at him talking to the paparazzi about Dancing With the Stars, playing again, and dealing with the media as a former player. Read the full story

Bill Simmons is going everywhere promoting his latest work entitled The Book of Basketball: The NBA According to The Sports Guy including a second visit to The Colbert Report. Bill was first interviewed by Colbert in 2006 (Shanoff breaks down the interview) to promote “Now I Can Die In Peace.” In his latest trip to The Report Simmons says baseball is for old folks and Wilt Chamberlain is gay. Now that’s how you sell books! Read the full story

The NBA season starts next week but Stephon Marbury will be sitting at home. Or in his car at a gas station talking to fans. Steph says he’s looking to get back in the league next year and I’ll wish him luck, but after those vaseline eating, crying, and shirtless videos this summer there’s no team taking a chance on Starbury.

Stephon is using Youtube and Starburytv to fill his spare time. This video isn’t all that special, just some young chick jockin’ Marbury but it seems like there was something in the air at the 2:37 mark. Why else would Starbury motion for his fan to keep it down? Read the full story

The Oakland Raiders picked up their second victory of the season on Sunday with a 13-9 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. The Oakland pass rush was tremendous and the offense showed they can score a touchdown when the other team isn’t trying to tackle.

Raiders legend Marcus Allen is keeping his eye on the team from afar. And it has to be tough. He won Super Bowl MVP in 1984 when the Raiders beat the Redskins, but was jettisoned to Kansas City in 1993 after a fallout with Al Davis and a lot of time on the bench. Allen kind of spoke to us about the Silver and Black but didn’t want to pass any judgments about his old team. Read the full story

Standing face-to-face with Claudia Jordan made me feel how the Dodgers must’ve felt in Game 3 of the LCS when Cliff Lee took the mound for the Phillies. I knew I was over-matched and in turn I delivered the interview equivalent of a weak ground-ball to second. Thankfully, Claudia Jordan was dealing.

Jordan arrived at the London Hotel in West Hollywood looking incredible as usual. She and numerous celebs were on hand for ESPN the Magazine’s Body Issue party. Claudia gave me a few minutes of her time and let me know what she looks for in a man, and she drops some info that’ll make John Salley blush. Read the full story

Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield appeared on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” today in what was reportedly a love-fest between the biter and the bitten. Tyson didn’t apologize for taking a chunk of Evander’s ear in their 1997 rematch, and Holyfield told of biting his brothers as a kid. Read the full story

The Los Angeles Dodgers pitched their way to a 3-0 sweep over the St. Louis Cardinals, and somebody decided to wake up Manny Ramirez for the final game. The dreaded-slugger looked his average post-suspension self through the first two games, but either he picked up some bat speed in St. Louis, or Joel Piniero, John Smoltz, and some other bullpen stiffs for the Birds gave Ramirez pitches he could handle.

Manny was 1 for 8 in the first two games, and closed out the series going 3 for 5 with two RBIs. After the game he did his best Allen Iverson impersonation. Read the full story