Lots of interesting stuff going on in football… 

• After putting a 24-3 hurting on then-No. 8 West Virginia, East Carolina has earned a place in the AP Top 25 (at No. 14) for the first time in nine years. USC remained No. 1 and Georgia was No. 2. Ohio State’s sluggish 26-14 victory against Ohio cost the Buckeyes two spots in the rankings. They fell to No. 5 behind No. 3 Oklahoma and No. 4 Florida. Look for the Buckeyes to play for redemption when they meet USC on Saturday. Texas, Auburn and Wisconsin round out the top 10.
• Atlanta proved that Michael Vick is in the rear-view mirror with a 34-21 victory over the Detroit Lions. New Falcon quarterback Matt Ryan became the first QB in eight years to throw a touchdown with his first pass. And Michael Turner rushed for a team-record 220 yards. Quite a turnaround for a club that went 4-12 last season.
• Brett Farve proved he isn’t all washed up at age 38, throwing for two TDs in the New York Jets’ 20-14 victory over Miami – one of them a 56-yard pass. To add insult to injury, the Dolphins’ Chad Pennington was playing against the team that released him in favor of Favre. He drew boos from the crowd. He could have exacted his revenge if the final comeback drive had not been intercepted by Darrelle Revis. Some guys can’t catch a break.
• New England won against Kansas City, but the victory was overshadowed by the loss of Tom Brady, who laid on the ground clutching his left knee. We don’t know how long Brady will be out of commission – or whether Matt Cassel is ready to step into his shoes. Cassel got the job done Sunday, but it took a last minute defensive stand to do it. 

Washington quarterback Jake Locker eyes the ball.

Washington was denied a chance to upset No. 15 BYU due to an unsportsmanlike conduct call by the officials Saturday. 

Washington quarterback Jake Locker had just driven his team 76 yards down the field and plunged 3 yards for the TD, pulling his team to within 1 point with 2 seconds to go. He was a little bit excited and instantly threw the ball straight up into the air before celebrating with his teammates. 

The toss brought a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct call, a point of emphasis for officials this season after touchdowns. BYU’s Jan Jorgensen blocked the 35-yard extra-point attempt to help the Cougars hold to a 28-27 victory Saturday. The win extends the nation’s longest win streak to 12 games.

What do you think? Was this a lame call? I think so! Showboating is one thing, but Locker’s reaction was fairly tame and the result of emotion rather than being obnoxious. This penalty was pretty bone-headed if you ask me.

Jeff Kelly at Cracked is calling shenanigans on some great moments in sports history:

7. Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston.

6. Michael Jordan retires for no reason (and becomes a minor league baseball player).

5. The 1951 New York Giants baseball team steals and relays the other team’s signs to the hitter. 

4. Just months after his daddy died there, Dale Earnhardt miraculously wins the Daytona 500 despite being in seventh place with six laps to go. 

3. Every great NBA playoff series since the 1980s. 

2. The 1958 NFL Championship between the Baltimore Colts and the New York Giants.

1. Red Auerbach and the Celtics Set Record for Consecutive Championships.

Read the intriguing behind-the-scenes evidence and gossip that Kelly sets out at Cracked.

Brad Pitt

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Thank God for grounding. This one could have gotten ugly. 

Hollywood actor Brad Pitt has one dream he will never achieve - he wants to be a rock star.

Pitt admits he would love to be a music icon and play gigs to thousands of adoring fans - but he has accepted it will never happen as he lacks musical talent.

He says, “Every guy has fantasised about playing to an audience. I still play the guitar but at my age I know I suck. I love music but that dream has gone.”

Whew! Can you imagine how humiliating that could have been? Brad Pitt trying to be a rock star… for REAL? Up on a stage in skin-tight leather and making his “O face” when striking the high chords on his axe?

Pitt has the money to put out a vanity record and indulge his ego like so many actors, but I like the guy even more now for acknowledging that he sucks at something and knows how it feels to have a dream he’ll never realize. Such humility makes it easier to swallow that he’s a gazillionaire that millions of women would love to sleep with and he gets to sex up Angelina Jolie at home.

Okay, scratch that, I hate him again. 

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Source: IMDB

Would you pay to see these two in a movie?

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Eva Mendes is calling on Hollywood’s casting directors to find her a part alongside Cameron Diaz, because she’s desperate to appear onscreen with the blonde beauty.

The two are apparently close friends but have yet to work together, leading Eva to say, “I am dying to work with Cameron. She is just a really good person and I would love, love, love to work with her.”

Get in line, sister! I’ve been wanting to hire Cameron for my, ahem, “movie” since I saw her in “There’s Something About Mary”. There were some dark days when she fell off the hottie radar (damn you, Justin Timberlake!), but Cameron’s still one of the coolest, hottest chicks in movies. 

An Eva Mendes/Cameron Diaz movie with lots of gratuitous nudity and girl-on-girl action? Is it too early to buy a movie ticket for that?! Throw in Penelope Cruz and I’m totally down with that. 

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Source: IMDB