Minor League Baseball Player Bites Teammates Ear In Fight

On May 19, the Albuquerque Isotopes played a minor league baseball game against the Salt Lake City Bees, an affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. During this Pacific Coast League game, a fight occurred between two players on the same team. Players involved included Dodgers' farmhand Miguel Olivo and top prospect Alex Guerrero. The altercation was pretty much just Olivo, 36, bite off part of the ear of his teammate, Guerrero, during the eighth inning in the team's dugout. Guerrero's agent, Scott Boras, later tweeted that he would need to have emergency surgery to repair his ear. On Wednesday, Olivo was suspended indefinitely by the Dodgers. 

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2070427-miguel-olivo-reportedly-bit-part-of-alex-guerreros-ear-off-during-altercation?utm_source=cnn.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=cnn-sports-bin&hpt=hp_bn15

Former Army Ranger Signs With NFL Team

The Philadelphia Eagles made news by signing a former US Army Ranger. Alejandro Villanueva, 25, was active in Afghanistan for three tours as a captain. He signed a rookie contract after impressing scouts during the Super Regional Combine in Detroit. He will likely play tight end but he could also play defensive end, offensive tackle or wide receiver and is listed as 6'9, 277 pounds. He played college football for West Point in 2009. He tried out for the Cincinnati Bengals but was sent to the middle east prior to the 2010 NFL season.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2052078-us-army-ranger-alejandro-villanueva-signs-contract-with-eagles?utm_source=cnn.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=editorial&hpt=hp_c3

Cuban Jose Abreu Breaks Rookie Records

Many baseball fans probably hadn't heard of Jose Dariel Abreu when he signed a 6 year, $68 million contract in late October. However, all that Abreu did was break the MLB rookie records for home runs (10) and runs batted in (31) for one month. Like a lot of other power hitters, Abreu strikes out very often about a strikeout every 4 at bats. He also leads the entire American League with his 10 home runs. Abreu is still 4 homers away from the all time one month record when Albert Pujols hit 14 in 2006.
http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/sports/2014/04/28/chicago-white-sox-jose-abreu-breaks-rookie-records-for-runs-batted-in/
http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/33095/jose-abreu

MLB Players Go on Strike To End Steroids in Baseball

With the recent suspensions of Nelson Cruz, Ryan Braun, Jhonny Peralta and Alex Rodriguez, the Major League Baseball Players Association has announced that they are going on strike to end the steroid era. The last MLB strike occurred in 1994 when players held out for more money and there was no world series. Even though Opening Day was on March 31, players are willing to give up the beginning and maybe even the entire 2014 MLB season to hopefully result in an even playing field.

Metrodome Demolished

Minneapolis' Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome has been partially demolished. The building will be gone before football resumes in September. The dome hosted both the Minnesota Vikings and Twins for numerous years. The stadium opened in 1982. The Minnesota Twins played there until 2009 and the Vikings claimed it as their home since it opened. The Twins already built their new stadium and the city will host the midsummer classic, the Major League Baseball all star game at Target Field on July 15, 2014. However the Vikings don't have a new stadium to play in for the 2014-15 season. They will play at the University of Minnesota field where the Vikings hosted the Chicago Bears when the Metrodome roof caved in after snowfall in December 2010.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/early-lead/wp/2014/02/24/metrodome-partially-destroyed-with-controlled-explosives-video/?tid=hpModule_a4df998e-86a7-11e2-9d71-f0feafdd1394
http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/sports/2014/02/24/dnt-metrodome-demolished.kare.html

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Wins Daytona 500

After a 6 hour and 22 minute rain delay, the 2014 Daytona 500 resumed around 8:30 PM eastern time Sunday night. The historic race was won by the sport's most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr. He won his second Daytona 500 and he also won the race in 2004. Junior was in the midst of a long drought without wins (last 55 races) with his last one coming in June of 2012 at Michigan ending a then 143 race winless streak. He is also the son of the great Dale Earnhardt Sr. who won seven championships beginning in 1980 and winning his final in 1994. It was also the Daytona 500 that claimed Dale Sr.'s life in 2001.
http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/cup/story/_/id/10509602/dale-earnhardt-jr-wins-daytona-500

Costas Won't Host Olympics for First Time in over 20 Years

Sportscaster, Bob Costas, won't be hosting the 2014 Olympics on NBC in Sochi due to an eye infection. He has hosted every year since 1988 including baseball and football pre- and post-games as well. Costas tried to battle through it with special glasses but his eyes were pink and looked bad. His golden voice will be missed. Costas will likely travel back to the U.S. instead of staying in Sochi with the bad enviroment. Matt Lauer and his show called Today Show will be the replacement. His streak has been compared to Cal Ripken Jr.'s streak of 2632 straight MLB games.

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/feb/11/bob-costas-red-eye-olympics-sochi-matt-lauer/
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1955944-bob-costas-eye-infection-forces-host-to-be-temporarily-replaced-by-matt-lauer?utm_source=cnn.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=cnn-sports-bin&hpt=hp_bn15

MLB Spring Training

MLB Spring Training opens this week with all 30 teams requiring their pitchers and catchers to report. Less than a week after, most teams will have their entire roster report. All teams play in either Arizona or Florida. There are 15 teams in each league. The Cactus League teams train near Phoenix, Arizona and the Grapefruit League teams in southern Florida. There are exhibition games almost daily for each team from late February until the end of March. Opening night on March 30 when the Dodgers play the Padres. On March 31, the remaining 28 teams will have their own opening days.

http://mlb.mlb.com/springtraining/

2014 Fantasy Pro Bowl

The NFL has been looking to spice up the Pro Bowl for many years now. They've had skill competitions, players tweeting on the sideline during the game and special rules just for the game. Now the NFL has decided to make the game unconferenced and named two Hall of Fame players to be the team captains. Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders. The draft started Tuesday and the captains for each team was named. Rice picked Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints and Robert Quinn of the St. Louis Rams. Sanders got to pick after and he selected Jamaal Charles of the Kansas City Chiefs and J.J. Watt of the Houston Texans. The remainder of the players will be selected starting at 7 P.M. Wednesday night.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/10329422/2014-pro-bowl-jerry-rice-selects-drew-brees-robert-quinn
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1931813-pro-bowl-teams-2014-day-1-fantasy-draft-results-for-team-rice-vs-team-sanders

Darren Sharper Arrested in LA

Former NFL safety, Darren Sharper was arrested Friday in West Los Angeles over suspicion of rape. Sharper, 38, was arrested because he may be involved in multiple rapes including one earlier this month and another from October 2013. Bail was posted at $200,000. He had been an analyst for NFL Network and has been suspended without pay. Sharper appeared in two super bowls and was named to five pro bowls in his 12 year career. He was drafted in the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft and played through the 2010 season. He played for Green Bay, Minnesota and New Orleans.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/ex-nfl-star-darren-sharper-arrested-over-rape-charges/
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SharDa00.htm
http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/10314323/darren-sharper-former-nfl-safety-arrested-felony-charge

Wal-Mart recalled Donkey Meat in China

There was donkey meat recalled from a Wal-Mart store in China because tests revealed that there was also flesh of other animals. Fox flesh was likely in the 'Five Spice' meat. Wal-Mart is a major store to buy food at over $1 trillion. Donkey meat is a very popular snack in China. There were 2.4 million donkeys slaughtered for food in China during 2011. Wal-Mart was supposed to grow to $1.5 trillion in 2016. The same Wal-Mart in China had a similar incident in 2011 when they were fined for selling duck meat past its expiration date.