Grab yourself a coffee, this one is gonna take a while

It was everything it was billed to be, except a win for the better team on the day.  Manchester United opened yesterday's big game at Chelsea dominant and strong front to back, and took the lead on a Wayne Rooney goal a half hour in.  A couple near misses let Chelsea stay in the game, and they clawed back with a pair of second half goals for the 2-1 win, the second on a penalty kick. The refereeing, as is often the case, came under some fire but for my money, the penalty kick call was right, the non-red card after David Luiz launched a nasty  tackle at Wayne Rooney's knee was not.  For United, that was the first time in 34 EPL matches - since April 2008 - that they didn't win when Rooney scored, and sure makes the race a whole lot more interested, especially for second place Arsenal.  Awesome game.

Some NFL teams have strong enough credit ratings that they'd be fine paying stadium debt and the like even with a two-year lockout.  That's good to know, though I continue to maintain that we'll see a full season in 2011.

Pittsburgh Steeler Hines Ward is among the contestants for the next season of Dancing With The Stars.  Is the "Blindside Block" a dance move?

Carson Palmer really, really doesn't want to play for the Cincinnati Bengals anymore.  Why else would he let the world know he's got $80 million in the bank and is ready to walk away if he doesn't get moved?

The St. Louis Cardinals just can't get bad things to stop happening to them.  First Albert Pujols doesn't sign, with word he'll test free agency.  Then one of the best pitchers in the game - Adam Wainwright - blows out his arm and is out for the year.  And now, Chris Carpenter, the injury prone Chris Carpenter, yanks a hammy.

Speaking of Arsenal, striker Robin Van Persie is out for three weeks.  Kristian Jack at The Score says "healthy prone" is a term that fits.  Since joining Arsenal in 2004, Van Persie has missed 42.75% of their PL games (109/255). The most he has played in one season is 28 (08-09).

Trade "throw in" Chauncey Billups has put up some nice numbers in four games for the New York Knicks: he's averaging 23 ppg and is 45-50 from the line.

Real Madrid's manager Jose Mourinho is legendary for his excuses when his team's don't win: the officiating, the weather, the field, the ball...we've heard them all.  But after Saturday's draw that all but gives the Spanish league title to Barcelona (yes!), he came up with a new one: his team didn't get enough rest time, having to play Saturday after a Tuesday Champions League game.  Presumably he ignores that every other league in the world sees its top teams play on those days, with some - gasp! - even playing Wednesday.  There's something I like about Mourinho, but the excuses are not it.

A couple weeks after Hank Steinbrenner cracked on the "socialism, communism" of revenue sharing, Boston Red Sox owner John Henry joined the parade in revealing comments he made in 2009 that blasted "chronically uncompetitive teams" that received over $1 billion cost him a $500,000 fine. He also added "who except these teams, can think this is a good idea?" and finished with a big middle finger to the small market clubs and Bud Selig: "the large markets aren't allowed to give their opinions. I made statements which turned out to be true, or at least there were various documents that were leaked after that. But anyway, the large clubs are not allowed to talk about it."

A Charlie Sheen soundboard?  Hell.  Freaking.  Yes.

Check out Jimmy Kimmel's "Hottie Body Hump Club", with members Jessica Alba, Minka Kelly, Scarlett Johansson, Jessica Biel, Sofia Vergara, Eva Longoria, Emily Blunt and Lindsay Loskank.


New York Ranger Sean Avery heckles the heckler, asking him - if you can't make it out - if he's got a dental plan at work.

The Colorado Rockies with a very important Public Service Announcement that all should heed.