Mickey Rourke by KO

Mickey Rourke hadn't competed in a professional boxing match since 1994 prior to his bout with Elliot Seymour on Friday in Moscow, but the Academy Award-nominated actor still managed to win via knockout.

The 62-year-old star of The Wrestler went up against a 29-year-old opponent and knocked him down twice before the referee stopped the fight, according to The Associated Press (via Yahoo).

While some might maintain that the fight itself was shameful, Rourke can hold his head high knowing that he took care of business regardless of his opponent's quality, or lack thereof. Seymour had a 1-9 professional record coming into the bout against Rourke.

four white guys and an Egyptian

If you're the head coach of a basketball team and you're blowing a team out and want to stop the bleeding, then you know what you have to do, right? Put in the white guys and, if you have one, the Egyptian!

Uh, wait, what?

Okay, so that's not an official "strategy," per se. But last night, in the middle of Louisville's blowout win against Savannah State—the Cardinals were up 29-0 at one point and 41-7 at the half—Rick Pitino realized that he needed to do something to try and avoid embarrassing Savannah State any further. So he put in three white walk-on players, a 7-foot Norwegian player, and a 7-foot Egyptian player in order to try and give Savannah State a chance to score.

"I tried everything," Pitino said after the game. "We played four white guys and an Egyptian."

Unfortunately, though, the plan didn't really work. Savannah State did score more than 7 points in the second half of the game, but they still lost 87-26 and were so bad that Pitino wished the game hadn't even been played after it ended.

"This will be the first time since I've been at Louisville that I will not watch the game film," he said. "You get nothing out of this. You feel bad for the other team."

the greatest catch in NFL history

The consensus Sunday night, in the moment, was that New York Giants rookie receiver Odell Beckham had just made the greatest catch in NFL history.

It was special. He reached out and grabbed a ball well behind him for a one-handed touchdown. This came despite Dallas Cowboys cornerback Brandon Carr committing a pass interference penalty on the play. And a freeze frame showed Beckham caught it with just three fingers. It was unbelievable in every way.

But was that the greatest catch in NFL history? The criterion is hard to pin down, and lists like these will always give older highlights the short shrift. I’m sure Don Hutson made some incredible catches in the 1940s, but it’s hard to know for sure.

But let’s try anyway. Here are some of the greatest catches in NFL history (and surely we’ve missed some, and surely you’ll let us know which ones), compared to Beckham’s gem last night:

Samaje Perine 427 yards

Oklahoma running back Samaje Perine set an FBS single-game rushing record during Saturday's 44-7 win over Kansas.

The true freshman from Pflugerville, Texas, carried 34 times for 427 yards (12.6 yards per carry) and five touchdowns, breaking the record set by Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon last week against Nebraska. Gordon rushed for 408 yards on 25 carries (16.3 yards per carry) in three quarters of a 59-24 rout.

Perine broke the record on a 42-yard run early in the fourth quarter. After recording 222 yards in the first half, Perine ripped off a 66-yard touchdown scamper on his first carry of the third quarter.

Prior to Gordon's performance last week the FBS record was held by former TCU and NFL star LaDainian Tomlinson, who amassed 406 yards and six touchdowns on 43 carries in a game against Texas El-Paso in 1999. The NCAA all-division​ single-game record is 455, set by Division III Western Connecticut State's Octavias McKoy in October 2013.​

Aloha Stadium

what now?

Bob Apisa: full circle

Apisa was such a terrific athlete in the early ’60s in Honolulu that he was the ILH Back of the Year in football as a bruising fullback for the Governors, a starting forward in basketball, an all-star out-fielder on Farrington’s championship baseball team, and a record holder in track and field.

One seemingly can-it-really-be-true tale exemplifies his outstanding athletic talents.

“I had been a shot-putter in my early days (at Farrington), but gave it up to play baseball, which was my favorite sport,” he recalls. “One day, we had a doubleheader in Moiliili, and the track coach got in touch with our baseball coach and asked if I could drop by the Punahou Relays in between games, so our team could at least score a point in the shot put. Anyway, I went to the track, and took off my baseball jersey and borrowed a track tank top. Here I was, putting the shot in my baseball pants and leggings, and the other athletes are standing by and chuckling at the sight. I had to remember how to do it, and I let out a big high-arching throw, and I heard a collective gasp from the crowd, ‘Wow!’ For some reason, it all came together, and I broke the state record with a throw of 56 feet, 3 and 3/4 inches.” Then it was back to the second baseball game of the day.

[12/22/14] Things were different 48 years ago.

Giancarlo Stanton, $325 million man

The Miami Marlins, notorious for their firesales and miniscule player payrolls more than their two World Series titles, completed an image makeover by signing All-Star outfielder Giancarlo Stanton to the largest contract in North American team sports history.

The Marlins, finalized a 13-year, $325 million deal with their marquee player. The Marlins have scheduled a press conference Wednesday to announce the deal.

The deal eclipses Alex Rodriguez's 10-year, $275 million contract with the New York Yankees.

Stanton, 25, who finished runner-up in the MVP race to Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw, was eligible for free agency in two years.

Stanton, despite missing the final 17 games after being hit by a pitch in the face, led the National League with 37 homers. He also drove in 105 runs while batting .288. He was leading the league in slugging percentage (.555), total bases (.299) and walks (94) at the time of his injury.

***

Just North America?  Somebody has a larger one?

According to this list, it's

10. Joe Mauer, $140 million, 8 years
9. Derek Jeter, $180 million, 10 years
8. Prince Fielder, $214 million, 9 years
7. Clayton Kershaw, $215 million, 7 years
6. Joey Votto, $215 million, 10 years
4. Albert Pujols, $240 million, 10 years
4. Robinson Cano, $240 million, 10 years
3. Alex Rodriguez, $252 million, 10 years
2. Alex Rodriguez, $275 million, 10 years
1. Miguel Cabrera, $292 million, 10 years

Interesting, all MLB players.  So this ain't it.  There's apparently somebody with a contract larger than $325 million.

Let's go to wikipedia.

Nope, they have Giancarlo Stanton at the top of their list.

Baseball has 21 of the top 22 contracts.  Floyd Mayweather is no. 12 with $180,000 for two years.  I guess he wins the per year title.  Kimi Raikkonen is no. 23 with $153,000 for three years.  Kobe Bryant is the top basketball player with $136,400,000 for 7 years.  Calvin Johnson, surprisingly not a quarterback, is the top football player with $132,000,000 for 8 years.  Michael Vick has a $130,000,000 contract for 10 years.  Jay Cutler $126,700,000 for 7 years.  Jermaine O'Neal had a $126,558.000 contract for 7 years.  Kevin Garnett and Rashard Lewis both had $126,000,000 contracts for 6 years.  There were 106 contracts worth $100,000,000 or more.

Who has a larger contract than Giancarlo Stanton?

Nobody that I could find.  So maybe it isn't just North America?  This article says it's the richest contract in sports history.  Maybe the other guys just didn't know.

***

Who's the richest athlete?  Well I guess it's sports figures from this list.

1.  Michael Jordan is the only billionaire
2.  Michael Schuacher, $800 million.  (Who?  He's an auto racer from Germany)
3.  Vince McMahon. $750 million. Not quite billionaire Vince
4.  Arnold Palmer.  $675 million.
5.  Tiger Woods.  $600 million.
6.  Magic Johnson.  $500 million.  No wonder he thinks he say whatever he wants.
7.  Michael Buffer.  $400 million.  Really?
8.  Junior Bridgeman.  $400 million.  President of Bridgeman Foods, probably where he made most of his money.
9.  Shaquille O'Neal.  $350 million.  See Magic Johnson.
10.  David Beckham.  $350 million.
11.  LeBron James.  $325 million (and counting).

Celebrity Net Worth has Roger Staubach at $600 million.  Al Davis at $500 million (how old is this list?).  Eddie Jordan at $475 million.  Bud Selig and Ayrton Senna at $400 million.

***

Highest paid athletes (this year I assume) according to Forbes:

1.  Floyd Mayweather  $105 million
2.  Christiano Ronaldo $80 million
3.  LeBron James $72.3 million
4.  Lionel Messi  $64.7 million
5.  Kobe Bryant  $61.5 million
6.  Tiger Woods  $61.2 million  ($55 million in endorsements)
7.  Roger Federer $56.2 million ($52 million in endorsements)
8.  Phil Mikkelson $53.2 million $48 million in endorsements)
9.  Rafael Nadal $44.5 million
10.  Matt Ryan $43.8 million (really?)
11.  Manny Pacquiao, $41.8 million

Punahou vs. Mililani for the title

Mililani's game-by-game approach helped the Trojans extend their season into the state tournament's final week for a second straight year.

Defense gave Mililani another shot at a title as the Trojans survived a 17-14 duel with Farrington on Saturday at Aloha Stadium to return to Friday's Division I final of the First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA State Football Championships.

The Trojans scored on their first possession of the game and took a 14-0 lead, providing a cushion for a Mililani defense that recorded five sacks, two by Manu, among its seven tackles for loss. The Trojans recovered a pivotal fumble deep in their territory in the first quarter and maintained enough separation to fend off the Governors, who fell in the semifinals for the third consecutive year and the sixth time overall.

It wasn't all that pretty, but the Trojans will take it.

***

It's finally here — barely.

No. 1 Punahou and No. 2 Mililani can stop dodging questions about a potential rematch of the 2013 state final won by the Buffanblu.

The two powerhouses of their respective leagues will clash once again with the state championship on the line after Punahou survived an emotional affair against Kahuku with a 13-10 victory in the semifinals of the First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA Football State Championships on Saturday night at Aloha Stadium.

Jet John Toner kicked two field goals in the final three minutes, including the game-winner from a career-long 48 yards to extend Punahou's winning streak to 19 games and send the Buffanblu to their fourth straight appearance in the Division I state final.

"It was just like every other rep we've had," said Toner, who made the kick with 30 seconds remaining. "We've done it a thousand times before. The offense put me in a great place and everyone did their jobs."

Punahou (8-0) beat Kahuku (9-3) in the first meeting between the two schools since the Red Raiders defeated the Buffanblu in the 2012 state final.

Punahou hasn't lost since then.

The team combined for 14 turnovers. Punahou, which averaged 48 points a game coming in, was held without an offensive touchdown and 147 total yards.

Quarterback Ephraim Tuliloa had thrown only two interceptions all year, but was picked off three times and finished 19-for-37 for 138 yards.

The Buffanblu had minus 4 rushing yards total with junior Wayne Taulapapa held to 25 yards on eight carries.

"We've done that all year," Kahuku coach Lee Leslie said. "It should have gone into overtime and we were ready for that."

Kahuku was whistled for consecutive defensive pass interference penalties on Punahou's final drive, including a questionable call on Gilman that moved the ball to the 35. A long throw down the sideline went incomplete and could have been called pass interference on the Punahou receiver for pushing off.

It wasn't, and Toner drilled the winning field goal.

Now the Buffanblu, which became the first team since Saint Louis (1999-2003) to make four straight title games, get the undefeated Trojans for a crack at their third state title overall.

"We got to see them play Saint Louis (a 63-37 win) early in the year and they're scary on offense," Punahou coach Kale Ane said. "It's going to be a tremendous challenge for us. In a situation like this everybody is focused and we're still close to our goal so it's a fun time for us all."

Kahuku outgained Punahou 270-147 but was done in by seven turnovers, including five interceptions.

*** [11/22/14]  What a game!

After a season of anticipation and a magnificent state championship game, the Trojan conquest is complete.

Mililani and Punahou rewarded the 19,254 who endured the traffic to Halawa on Friday with a state championship shootout that wasn't decided until Mililani quarterback McKenzie Milton ran out the final two seconds on a 53-45 victory over the Buffanblu at Aloha Stadium.

That Milton ended the game with a ball in his hands was fitting, as the junior's 421-yard, seven-touchdown passing performance helped the Trojans earn the first state title in school history with the win in the Division I final of the First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA Football Championships.

Four of Milton's touchdown passes went to Kalakaua Timoteo, who ended the night with seven receptions for 117 yards, and Mililani finishing off the undefeated campaign by ending Punahou's 19-game run of victories.

Punahou hadn't dealt with defeat since losing to Kahuku in the 2012 championship game and was denied a second straight title on Friday in its fourth consecutive appearance in the final.

Punahou running back Wayne Taulapapa powered the Buffanblu with 260 yards and three touchdowns in their attempt to maintain their grip on the crown.

when the Bows bashed BYU

It seems hard to believe, as I sit and watch the great upsets and fantastic finishes of this year’s college football season, that it’s been 25 years since one of the most magical nights in University of Hawaii football lore. It was Oct. 28, 1989, when the ‘Bows bashed BYU, 56-14.

“This is better than Statehood!” hollered longtime UH broadcaster Jim Leahey on the K-5 telecast. Coach Bob Wagner called it “the most perfect game, execution-wise, that I’ve ever been involved with.” You can still view the highlights on YouTube.

For long-suffering UH football fans who had watched their beloved team get better each year but always manage to fall short against powerful BYU, it was redemption in every way.

“I remember being a sportscaster in Hawaii in the 1980s and I saw all the misfortunes,” says Russell Shimooka, former sports director at KITV. “Whether it was the left-footed punt by Jim McMahon in ’81, the dropped pass by Walter Murray in ’87 or the one- and two-point losses in between, my heart bled with the Rainbows.”

But that October night in ’89, just three days before Halloween, was different. You could feel it the air, as many fans in a jam-packed Aloha Stadium came in costume. It turned out that mighty BYU, the national champion just a few years before, was the team that would be spooked.

I remember being on the field behind the Hawaii bench and hearing the cacophony of sounds, and the passion, emotion and confetti rain down onto the turf. It was deafening — so loud that then-future sportscaster Robert Kekaula remembers “the place shook so much, I thought it was going to fall down.”

“We had the place filled to capacity,” recalls Garrett Gabriel, the ‘Bows quarterback. “I was just fortunate to have one of my best games against them. I was very proud to be a part of that team.”

“It meant so much for the state of Hawaii,” Gabriel says. “It’s a night that people remember and treasure as a part of our UH football history.”

Gavin Smith

LOS ANGELES » The remains of a 20th Century Fox executive and former University of Hawaii basketball player who disappeared more than two years ago were found in a desert area of Southern California, authorities said Thursday.

Gavin Smith, 57, was last seen May 1, 2012, in Ventura County's Oak Park neighborhood after leaving the home of a female friend.

Hikers discovered the remains about 70 miles away, near Palmdale in the Antelope Valley, on Oct. 26, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said. Results of an autopsy have not been finalized.

Smith transferred to UH from UCLA where he played on the 1975 NCAA championship basketball team. He played one season for the Rainbows in 1976-77 when he scored an average of 23.4 points a game for a team that went 9-18 under Larry Little. Smith's single-season scoring average was a program record that still stands today. He scored 30 or more points five times at UH.

Former UH coach Riley Wallace was the coach at Centenary when he came to play Larry Little's Rainbows twice in Honolulu on Feb. 18 and 19 of 1977. Smith and the 'Bows won 104-79 and 92-73.

"Big-time scorer. Scored a lot of points," Wallace remembered. "He was one heck of a good shooter. He had the long hair, and he wore a bandanna. ... He was a heck of an offensive player."

*** [1/30/15]  LOS ANGELES » A convicted drug dealer was charged Thursday with the murder of a 20th Century Fox executive and former University of Hawaii basketball player who mysteriously disappeared more than two years ago and whose remains were found in a northern Los Angeles County desert in October.

when will Charles eat?

Charles Barkley outlined his plan for a new, ultra-aggressive diet Thursday night, saying he won't eat another meal until the Los Angeles Lakers win a basketball game.

Vine user Snorman posted a video of Barkely's ironclad promise. The analyst slapped his declaration down at the beginning of Inside the NBA before quickly reconsidering.