Mammoth Blog

Independence Day came a few days early for suspended Sprint Cup driver Jeremy Mayfield, as a federal judge granted him a temporary injunction allowing him to race as early as this weekend.

The ruling, made Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Charlotte by senior Judge Graham Mullen, lifted Mayfield's suspension for failing NASCAR's substance abuse policy and allows him to return as the driver/owner of his No. 41 team in time for Saturday night's race at Daytona International Speedway.

"The truth came out. That's what it's all about," Mayfield said after the decision was announced. Mayfield was suspended on May 9 after failing a random drug test eight days earlier at Richmond International Raceway. During a recess at Wednesday's hearing, NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said Mayfield tested positive for methamphetamines. Mayfield has denied using the drug, saying a mix of medications led to the positive test.

Poston said NASCAR does not plan to appeal and will repsect the judge's decision, which also restores him as driver-owner of his own team. Mayfield's wife Shana took over as owner of the team while Mayfield was suspended.

Shana Mayfield burst into tears as the judge announced the decision.

"You can't imagine," Jeremy Mayfield said of his emotions upon hearing the judge had ruled in his favor. "It's huge to us, more than any race I've ever won."

In announcing the decision, Mullen said Mayfield may be subject to whatever drug testing NASCAR deems fit. Poston said Mayfield will be tested on a regular basis.

Mayfield has maintained from the start that he did not take methamphetamine. He claimed the positive test was the result of combining prescribed Adderall for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and Claritin-D for allergies.

"I have never taken methamphetamines in my life, and when accused of taking them I immediately volunteered to give another urine sample,'' Mayfield said in an affidavit.

He reiterated those comments on Wednesday, and will continue to fight his case in a lawsuit against NASCAR. "Either way we know the truth will come out,'' he said.

Mayfield said the suspension has cost him sponsorship and forced him to lay off 10 members of his team. He has not attempted to enter the No. 41 team with another driver since the May race at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte.

Mullen kept his ruling to the temporary injunction, leaving the question of monetary damages to be determined at a later date.

Mayfield said it may be too late in the week for him to get his own car to Daytona in time for Thursday's practice and Friday qualifying. But he left open the possibility of driving for Larry Gunselman, who has been working out of Mayfield's shop.

Despite the injunction, the onus remains on Mayfield to create doubt about the test results as he seeks a permanent return to the track and monetary losses. Diehl said that process could last more than a year.

Diehl said in a 45-minute argument that the evidence was "overwhelming'' in favor of his client.

Diehl claimed that NASCAR's drug testing program does not meet federal workplace guidelines or follow proper procedure of SAMHSA [substance abuse and mental health services association].

He argued that Mayfield did not give permission for the "B'' sample to be tested after the "A'' sample came back positive, as guidelines state, and that the "B'' sample should have been tested at an independent laboratory. He said since proper procedure was not used and because the "B'' sample was compromised when opened that the entire test should be thrown out.

Both samples originally were tested by Aegis Laboratory, the Nashville Tenn.-based facility NASCAR employs to run its testing program.

"They must be held accountable,'' Diehl said of NASCAR and Aegis. "If you don't follow procedure then drug tests are thrown out.''

Diehl allso argued that NASCAR's policy is unfair because it does not provide a list of all banned substances, as is the case in most other professional sports.

He referred to the governing body as having almost god-like powers, saying "if they decide to ban Coca-Cola or coffee or orange juice or anything else,'' they can.

"That just smells bad,'' Diehl said. "And it stinks enough that the court should say 'You can't do that.'"

Diehl also argued that Mayfield has no prior history of drug abuse and that there was no testimony in the affidavits of those that collected the specimen indicating he showed signs of drug use.

He scoffed at NASCAR's charge that methamphetamines have been in Mayfield's system for some time, noting that Mayfield passed a test before the February opener at Daytona. He said if Mayfield had as much methamphetamine in his system as has been insinuated then "he's either a walking zombie or dead.''

NASCAR argued there was indisputable evidence that Mayfield tested positive for methamphetamines. Attorney Paul Hendrick said that both of Mayfield's urine samples recently were sent to a second lab, MedTox Laboratories in St. Paul, Minn., and that the results confirmed the original tests.

Diehl said those samples were as compromised because they already were open. He again pointed to procedure.

"If they met their own rules they wouldn't have tested either of them because the seal was broken,'' he said.

NASCAR argued that it is not a federal entity and does not have to follow federal guidelines. The NFL, the NHL and Major League Baseball also allow the "B'' sample to be tested by the same lab as the "A'' sample. But Diehl noted those organizations have a collective bargaining agreement that requires the testing policy to be approved by union members, while NASCAR has no such agreement.

NASCAR attorneys argued that Mayfield did not notify Dr. David Black or anybody at Aegis that he was on Adderall or Claritin until after the positive test, thus not following prescribed guidelines. They pointed out that the prescription for Adderall came from the "Vitality Anti-Aging Center and Medical Spa'' and not Mayfield's primary physician.

Lawyers for NASCAR said allowing Mayfield back on the track before he is completely cleared by physicians would endanger the lives of other drivers, crew members and fans. They presented affidavits from several drivers, including Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, saying they did not want to compete with somebody known to have tested positive for a banned substance.

Diehl did not argue that point.

"It's almost a 'duh' statement to say they don't want drivers to use drugs,'' he said.

NASCAR attorneys also argued that the driver contract does not guarantee the right to compete and that Mayfield is not entitled to compensation. They also noted that Mayfield's team has had opportunities to enter races with another driver, as it did two weeks after the suspension with J.J. Yeley.

"While [Mayfield and his team] have not suffered, and will not suffer, any harm that could not be compensated through a monetary award, reversing the suspension would create a real and serious risk of injury or death to others," NASCAR stated in affidavits.

"If other drivers refuse to race, it will harm the relationships that NASCAR has developed with its drivers, fans, sponsors and broadcasters over the last sixty years."
source>>>

- In the rebuttal it filed on Tuesday to the NCAA, Florida State argued once again why it shouldn't be forced to vacate victories in the aftermath of a widespread academic fraud scandal and the university described as "woefully inadequate" the NCAA Committee on Infractions' rational that led to the disputed penalty.

FSU's rebuttal is the latest step in an ongoing appeals process that might not end for months. The university in April submitted to the NCAA its original appeal. The NCAA Committee on Infractions last month responded, arguing strongly why the vacation-of-victories penalty should stand. And then the university filed its rebuttal to that response. The rebuttal had been due to the NCAA by today.

As was the case in its original appeal, one of the university's primary arguments in its rebuttal is that the Committee on Infractions failed to give proper weight to FSU's investigative efforts and self-imposed corrective actions in the wake of a scandal that involved 61 athletes and three former university employees.

In its rebuttal, FSU wrote, "The rationale offered for the imposition of penalties did not include a discussion of substantial mitigations and was, accordingly, woefully inadequate."

Florida State also contends that the vacation penalty should be reversed because of an agreement the university in the fall of 2007 reached with the NCAA's Enforcement Staff and Student-Athlete Reinstatement Staff. That agreement allowed those athletes who might have been implicated in the academic fraud scandal to admit wrongdoing and serve a suspension equivalent to 30 percent of their season.

The agreement was designed to convince implicated athletes to come forward and endure a less stringent penalty in return for their honesty. The university is now arguing that the vacation-of-victories penalty "contradicts the central idea of [FSU's] agreement with the NCAA."

"To continue to regard student-athletes as ineligible for a window of time prior to their reinstatement contradicts this agreement," FSU wrote in its rebuttal.

Further, the university argued - as it had in its original appeal - that the records of innocent coaches and athletes be shielded from the vacation penalty.

Both the Committee on Infractions and Florida State are attempting to convince the NCAA Infractions Appeals Committee, which will ultimately decide whether to uphold the vacation-of-victories penalty. At stake are victories from the 2006 and 2007 seasons - including two national championships in men's track and as many as 14 victories in football.

If Florida State is forced to vacate the football victories, then it would likely end coach Bobby Bowden's pursuit of retiring the most victorious coach in major college football history. Bowden, 79, ended the 2008 season with 382 career victories, one behind Penn State's Joe Paterno.

The Committee on Infractions also placed Florida State on four years' probation and forced FSU to cut approximately 19 athletic scholarships, six of those in football spread over three seasons. The university, though, is only appealing the vacation-of-victories penalty.

FSU President T.K. Wetherell said recently the university is prepared to take its case to court if the NCAA Infractions Appeals Committee doesn't eventually reverse the vacation penalty. source>>>

If you're lucky enough to be holding tickets to one of Kid Rock's shows in Comerica Park on July 17 and 18, consider yourself now doubly blessed.

Drink Americas Holdings, the company that teamed up with Kid Rock last fall to launch his signature beer, just announced that the brew will be finished in time to be put in kegs and sold at kiosks at Kid's Detroit concerts.

It's only fitting that the beer, created by the Romeo-native who calls himself an "American Badass" will be called American Badass Beer.

The beer is so patriotic, it will even share a birthday with the U.S.A.

The Webberville-based Michigan Brewing Company will start production on July 4th. According to Drink Americas' CEO, orders are already coming in.

Yahoo Finance, July 1: J. Patrick Kenny, CEO of Drinks Americas, said, "We are very excited about the launch date, the beer and all the work that has been put into making Kid Rock's AMERICAN BADASS BEER™ a success. Based on orders alone we are off to a very good start. We will let the beer speak for itself as people begin to taste this great product."

According to a report from the Country Music Channel earlier this year, the new beer will create 349 jobs in Michigan. source >>>

The people of Nicaragua and the international boxing world woke up to the shocking news Wednesday morning that three-time world champ and mayor of Managua Alexis Argüello, 57, is dead.

Early media reports said Argüello, a born-again Sandinista, apparently shot himself in his Managua home in the early morning hours. Forensic medical specialists were still conducting the autopsy to determine cause of death.

Known in the boxing world as ''The Explosive Thin Man'' and the ''Gentleman of the Ring,'' Argüello came from a humble background and turned to the boxing gym at the age of 14, after being thrown out of school for not being able to pay tuition.

In the ring, the skinny kid from Managua found his calling and after only three years of training traveled to Costa Rica and knocked out their national champ in six rounds.

''I beat the crap out of him,'' Argüello said in a 2007 interview, laughing loudly with his infectious Yogi Bear chortle. Argüello went on to win his first world boxing title at 22, and then won two more in different weight classes.

In November 1982, Argüello challenged junior welterweight king Aaron Pryor in a fight billed as ''Battle of the Champions,'' attempting to become the first fighter to win titles in four divisions. More than 23,000 fans packed the Orange Bowl in Miami, and the two waged an epic battle in which Pryor knocked out Argüello in the 14th round.

After the triumph of the Sandinista revolution in 1979, the Sandinista Front confiscated Argüello's properties and bank accounts in Nicaragua while he was living in Miami. For a brief time, Argüello supported the Southern Front counterrevolutionary movement led by Edén Pastora, even traveling to the Rio San Juan and training with the guerrillas in the mid-1980s.

Argüello attempted a brief boxing comeback in the early '90s before finally hanging up the boxing gloves in 1995 with a record of 82 wins, eight losses and 65 KOs.

After his boxing career ended, Argüello fell into drugs and alcohol abuse, and said he would go on ''20-day binges.'' He said he felt trapped in the fast-paced lifestyle of Miami, a life of ``drugs, speedboats and parties.''

He said he eventually became suicidal. But in his despair, Argüello turned to God and says ''a voice'' told him to give back to his people. Then he turned to his former nemesis, Sandinista leader Daniel Ortega, who gave him a chance in politics.

After serving as vice mayor of Managua for three years, Argüello, a simple and good-hearted man known for his comic slips during press conferences, announced his bid for the mayor's office in 2008.

His victory in the November 2008 elections was highly contested. The opposition alleged fraud and the daily newspapers referred to Argüello as the ``mayor appointed by the Supreme Electoral Council.''

The allegations of electoral fraud have since cost the Nicaraguan government more than $160 million in lost foreign aid.

Argüello has been treated harshly in the Nicaraguan press, which has mocked him for incompetence and for saying foolish things in public. The Sandinistas handled him tightly, appointing administrators to run the mayor's office.

On Wednesday he was being remembered as one of the greatest boxers and the best Nicaraguan athlete ever.

First Lady Rosario Murillo said Argüello will be remembered as ``the champion of Nicaragua.'' source>>>

The big-name opponents on the University of Michigan's non-conference men's basketball schedule were no secret.

Now, the university has released the rest of its slate that leads up to the Wolverines' Big Ten schedule.

Last season, the Wolverines faced the nation's 12th toughest schedule en route to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 11 years.

This year, Michigan will face seven tournament teams in its non-conference schedule, the school announced Wednesday. Michigan's full schedule will be announced in mid-August.

The Wolverines, who will play 17 times at Crisler Arena in the coming season, begin with an exhibition game on Nov. 6 against Wayne State.

The regular season begins eight days later against Northern Michigan before playing Houston Baptist on November 20.

From there, Michigan will travel to Orlando to participate in the Old Spice Classic Nov, 26-29 competing in a tournament field that includes NCAA Tournament entries Florida State, Marquette and Xavier -- along with two schools that competed in the NIT -- Baylor and Creighton.

Alabama and Iona are also in the field of teams taking part in the event.

Following the Old Spice Classic, the Wolverines will return to Crisler Arena for a
pair of home games beginning with Boston College on Dec. 2, in the 11th annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

Last season, the Eagles had a 22-12 record and earned a bid into the NCAA Tournament. In the second game of the homestand, the Wolverines host Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Dec. 5.

Michigan then travel to Utah on Dec. 9 to face the reigning Mountain West Conference champion Utes, who finished the season 24-10 last year. Before traveling to Kansas a week later, the Wolverines will host the University of Detroit on Dec. 13.

The two schools haven't faced one another since 1999, when the Wolverines pulled out a 66-62 win.

Six days later, Michigan will travel to Phog Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kan., to play perennial power Kansas.

The Jayhawks, the 2008 national champions, finished last season with a 27-8 record, winning the Big 12 and advancing to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.

Three days later, Michigan will host Coppin State on Dec. 22, in its last
non-conference game before opening conference play. The Wolverines and Eagles have met once before - a 81-53 Michigan win in 2005.

The Wolverines' final non-conference test will be a matchup with Connecticut on Jan. 17, a bye weekend for Michigan in conference play. The Huskies earned their third trip to the Final Four in school history last season while compiling a 31-5 overall record.

The date with UConn is the second game of a home-and-home series as the two teams met last season on Feb. 7 at Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Conn. source>>>

Shortly after noon Tuesday, about 36 hours before the official start of his third AT&T National as tournament host, Tiger Woods was in a playful mood. Seated at the head of a conference table in the upstairs board room at Congressional Country Club, Woods smiled after glancing at Thursday's first-round tee times.
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"Hey, I've got Lucas," he said, referring to the freshly minted United States Open champion, Lucas Glover. "How about that for a great draw? And Charley Hoffman. Perfect. I think maybe I'll have to wear my hat like this."

Woods whipped off his Nike cap, grinning as he turned the ends of the brim up until it flattened into Hoffman's trademark surfer-skater-rapper look. Then he spun the hat around backward and leaned into the table to address a few more serious issues.

Two weeks after his tie for sixth at Bethpage Black, Woods seemed well over the disappointment of failing to seriously contend in the second consecutive major in which he was the overwhelming pretournament favorite. This week brings Woods a real-life perspective to his golf ups and downs, provided by the thousands of servicemen and women who are admitted free and the wounded warriors who participate as honorary starters in the pro-am.

"We spend the week thanking them for coming out here and being a part of this event," he said, "because what they do for our country here and abroad is phenomenal."

While he might have been tough to live with during the weeks of fits and starts at Augusta National and on Long Island, Woods has digested the relevant learning and tossed the rest like rinds into the disposal.

"As a whole, I didn't hit the ball as well as I would have liked at Augusta, and at the Open, I hit it well and I just didn't putt well," he said placidly. "At major championships, you can't have one thing missing. You can't hit the ball well and not putt well or not chip well or not think well. That's the whole idea -- to test every facet of your game."

Tested and found wanting at both the Masters and the Open was Woods's ability to finish off rounds, normally a nonpareil strength. At Augusta, where he finished four strokes out of the three-way playoff won by Angel Cabrera, Woods bogeyed his final hole in two of four rounds. At Bethpage, he played his final four holes to complete the first round in four over and bogeyed his final hole of the second round.

"When I played the last four in four over," he said, "I had fought so hard through those conditions to get it back to even, and it was frustrating that I did finish that way. But I knew I wasn't out of the tournament.

"Then it was surprising to see how low those guys went the first two days on the other side of the draw. They were just making birdie after birdie. Eleven under was leading at one point. We didn't see that starting out in the practice rounds. No one foresaw someone getting to double digits."

Woods's trials since having knee surgery have shown how difficult it is to win consistently on the PGA Tour. He made it look too easy for too long. Consider that in the 23 months since the 2007 British Open, where he finished in a tie for 12th, Woods has not finished outside the top 10 in a stroke-play event and has won 10 times, including two major championships.

Finishing off a sentence for an interviewer who was struggling to describe that level of performance, Woods said, "It's pretty good."

As high as the on-course standards are, they have been just as high off it. The Tiger Woods Foundation has funneled millions of dollars into programs that benefit at-risk young people in California and, through the efforts of his mother, Kultida, young people in Thailand. Though pushed back by the economic downturn, plans remain on track for a Tiger Woods Learning Center to be built in Washington to mirror the one in Irvine, Calif., Woods estimated Tuesday that 10 million children have already been helped by foundation programs aimed at teaching life skills.

Viewed against that backdrop, remarks made by the Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown on a recent HBO show featuring Brown and the N.B.A. Hall of Famer Bill Russell were difficult for Woods to understand. Brown characterized Woods's efforts to effect social change as "terrible, terrible." Brown added, "Because he can get away with teaching kids to play golf, and that's his contribution."

Brown said he thought Woods should do more. Woods responded at his news conference later on Tuesday afternoon.

"I think I do a pretty good job as it is with what we're trying to do with the foundation," he said, citing millions raised through the AT&T National, the Chevron World Challenge, the Tiger Jam in Las Vegas and the foundation's Block Party in Orange County, Calif.

"It's taught a lot of kids how to get back and learn," he added. "To learn how to lead, learn how to give back, learn how to teach others." source>>>

As the golf world begins gearing up for the British Open, its oldest major championship, a book steeped in the mysteries and lessons of the ancient game is inching closer to becoming a film on the big screen

"Golf in the Kingdom," Michael Murphy's mystical novel set in Scotland, was published in 1972, and Murphy - a Salinas native who lives in Sausalito - has spent the past 37 years waiting to see his prose made into a movie.

He got that chance this spring, watching as producers wrapped up shooting "Golf in the Kingdom" at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Oregon, a five-course golfer's paradise reminiscent of an old Scottish links.

"To see it filmed was sort of a reverse deja vu," said Murphy, who spent a month at Bandon and appears briefly in a bar scene.

A book that inspired an eclectic following and even its own society (the Shivas Irons Society), "Golf in the Kingdom" tells the tale of a young American named Michael who is transformed by a day of golf with a teacher named Shivas Irons at Burningbush Golf Club in Scotland. It is regarded as the best-selling novel ever about golf, and the late John Updike called the book "a golf classic if any exists in our day."

But it seemed as though "Golf in the Kingdom" would never become a movie. Clint Eastwood held the option on the film for 10 years, but neglected to follow through with the project, which has had 15 scripts written over the years.

"I've always said it was the longest virtual movie, coming to a mind near you," Murphy said in a recent phone interview.

Producer Mindy Affrime and director Susan Streitfeld finally discovered the first tee, though.

"Things happened for a reason," Affrime said of the drawn-out process. "Maybe 'Golf in the Kingdom' needed Bandon Dunes. It's being made at a time when it wasn't too weird to talk about being in the zone or true gravity. It seemed to be the right time. We've been through many versions and this is the smallest and most compact."

Though the production team calls it a low-budget film, Affrime rounded up an accomplished cast that includes David O'Hara ("The Departed," "Hotel Rwanda") as Shivas, Mason Gamble ("Rushmore," "Gentleman's Game"), Frances Fischer ("Titanic") and Malcolm McDowell.

"I think it's obvious that to get that caliber of actor is not about anything but the material," Affrime said.

When it is released some time next year, "Golf in the Kingdom" will not fit tightly into the sports genre category. Murphy, who teamed with Streitfeld on the script, calls it an art film.

"It's eccentric, but not as much as some art films," said Murphy, who is the co-founder of the Esalen Institute in Big Sur and has written numerous books. "We'll have to see. It's all how it comes together."

Affrime said the golf in the film is authentic, but more important was the Scottish feel that Bandon Dunes provided and a cast packed with actors from the British Isles.

She said the film not only stays "very true to the book" but also attempts to make the story "more mysterious."

"We don't want to take ourselves or golf serious," Affrime said. "This is a movie that uses golf to talk about a lot of things. ... We've made the antisentimental sports movie." source>>>

Brad Paisley's face is made for music videos. It is so good at registering shades of emotion (usually degrees of delight or incredulity) that it constitutes a show within a show.

Whether the subject is light or serious, Paisley maintains a critical distance from it, observing and dissecting the action even as he takes part in it. That distance, that space in which he summons up his reactions, is, of course, the driving force of his humor. He is more amused by human foibles -- and he confronts plenty of them -- than he is shocked or annoyed.

Although he is a master of traditional country music styles, Paisley stands apart from his backward-looking peers in several regards, as his videos emphasize. Chief among these is the fact that he is neither offended nor threatened by advances in technology or shifts in cultural attitudes. He simply assimilates them, smiles knowingly and moves on. You can witness this tendency in such clips as "Online" and "Celebrity."

Nor does he have that "going back home" mania that afflicts so many country singers. He realizes that growing up, learning and venturing out into the larger world brings its own joys. As he says to his high school persona in his "Letter to Me" video, "These are nowhere near the best years of your life." He appreciates his past without regarding it as the golden age.

Another point worth noting: Regardless of the video's mood, you can always count on a few shots of Paisley's nimble fingers racing up and down the neck of his guitar.

CMT credits Paisley with 22 videos. Of these, this column has already covered two of his most popular -- "Whiskey Lullaby" with Alison Krauss and "Start a Band" with Keith Urban. Now let's peek at a few more visual-lyrical gems.

"Who Needs Pictures" (1999) -- This is Paisley's first video, back when he was still alternating between wearing a cowboy hat and going bare-headed. Prowling through a drawer, he turns up an old camera with undeveloped film inside. This discovery, which unleashes memories of a lost love and happier times, enables Paisley to show both his pensive and perky sides. It's quite an effective introduction of an exciting new talent.

"He Didn't Have to Be" (1999) -- Here, Paisley assumes the role of a man who's been raised by a loving stepfather. Now, as they sit outside the delivery room, Paisley dwells on the hope that he can be just "half the dad" his stepfather "didn't have to be." If this tableau doesn't move you to tears, you're granite.

"Me Neither" (2000) -- Even playing the buffoon whose every pickup line falls flat, Paisley emerges as a lovable loser who won't stay down.

"Two People Fell in Love" (2001) -- To make the point that love is the foundation of all human achievement, Paisley takes a child from birth to winning a Nobel prize in the first 37 seconds of this video. Then he slows the action down for some idyllic multi-generational family scenes. It's so warm you almost have to turn on the air conditioner.

"I'm Gonna Miss Her" (2002) -- It's ultimatum time. Mrs. Paisley (played here by actress Kimberly Williams, who would became the real Mrs. Paisley in 2003) tells her feckless husband, "It's me or fishing." As she throws his clothes out the front door, it becomes pretty clear which choice he's made. Lots of other celebrities are involved, including sportscaster Dan Patrick, Grand Ole Opry star Little Jimmy Dickens and TV schlockmeister Jerry Springer. Popping up as Paisley's fishing buddies are his producer, Frank Rogers, and his frequent co-writer, Kelley Lovelace, whose own story inspired "He Didn't Have to Be."

"I Wish You'd Stay" (2002) -- Through shots of scrapbooks, kids playing and cars driving away, Paisley casts a wistful eye on the bittersweet sensations of parting, whether it's a lover going away or a child leaving home. The singer's face is particularly eloquent in this one.

"Celebrity" (2003) -- Fame is a bitch. But such an alluring one. Paisley plays a contestant on Celebrity Icon, a show for people with more zeal than talent. William Shatner is a painfully bored judge, and Little Jimmy Dickens is the dark horse who gets the girl as Paisley looks on with slack-jawed amazement. Seinfeld's Jason Alexander is pricelessly insufferable as the wannabe star who inflicts his delusions of grandeur on a hapless coffeehouse barista.

"Mud on the Tires" (2004) -- Even spattered with mud, Paisley looks immaculate throughout this festival frolic.

"Alcohol" (2005) -- This one stands out from the others because of its stylized stage set, with a staircase that leads nowhere and empty picture frames hanging in midair. If this be alcoholic disorientation, it's not all that bad. Paisley's sly humor is instantly recognizable.

"Online" (2007) -- A thematic variation of "Celebrity" with Jason Alexander starring as a routinely dissed pizza-delivery guy who aspires to be superstar Paisley -- and who can be anything he wants to be when he's online. Joining in on the fun are William Shatner, Estelle Harris (George Costanza's grating mother on Seinfeld), Patrick Warburton (David Puddy on Seinfeld) and Paisley's former opening acts, Taylor Swift and Kellie Pickler. Anyone fascinated with this subject is advised to read James Thurber's The Secret Life of Walter Mitty or to watch the Danny Kaye movie of that name. Amidst all this thespian firepower, Paisley settles for a modest supporting role.

"Letter to Me" (2007) -- Consider this video as the high school commencement address Paisley won't have to give in person. It features members of his own 1991 graduating class from John Marshall High School in Glen Dale, W.Va., and is filled with the wise observations of one who's still chronologically close enough to high school to remember the glory but sufficiently distant to know that even brighter glories can lie ahead.

"Waitin' on a Woman" (2008) -- Paisley comes close here to upstaging that master of scene-stealers, Andy Griffith. Griffith has the key spoken line and the comic twinkle, but Paisley excels in reacting to them. We watch as his face transforms from skeptical to quizzical to understanding, all without his making a gesture or saying a word. Now that's acting. source>>>

Kris Kristofferson will be recognized as a BMI Icon at the BMI Country Awards in Nashville on Nov. 10. The ceremony will also honor the songwriters of the year's most-performed country songs. The Icon designation is given to BMI songwriters and artists who have had "a unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers." Kristofferson's catalog will also be the subject of a musical tribute during the ceremony. His extensive writing credits include "For the Good Times," "Help Me Make It Through the Night," "Lovin' Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again)," "Me and Bobby McGee," "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down" and "Why Me." source>>>

The first time I ever saw Billy Mays in person nobody could actually remember the poor guy's name.

I was sitting at the Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando, Fla., in December, and out of nowhere my cousin turns to me and says, "Hey, isn't that the infomercial guy?"

The man he was pointing at was standing on the field wearing a blue polo shirt and carrying a camera. After a couple of more minutes went by, a few other people in our section noticed the same guy. "It had to be him," everyone agreed. So to get his attention my cousin started chanting the one thing he knew he remembered about the man in the blue shirt: OxiClean. He knew that the man sold a product called OxiClean during one of his infomercials, so chants of "OxiClean, OxiClean" started to fill the air in Section 131 at the Florida Citrus Bowl that night. Within a matter of moments, the bearded man turned around and had a huge smile on his face.

I'm still not exactly sure how we did it, but we convinced our new pal to come into our seats and take some pictures. He literally had to climb over the little railing in our section, but he did this without any problem. The fans were going crazy. As he made his way to us, I finally remembered that the man's name was Billy Mays. When he got to our seats the chants had switched from "OxiClean, OxiClean!" to "Billy Mays, Billy Mays!" Mays' smile got even bigger as he came over and shook everyone's hand and posed for pictures.

My brother, who had gone up to the concession stand to grab some more beers for our group, came back and couldn't believe his eyes. "The guy from the commercials," he said in amazement. He tried to give Mays one of his precious beers, but the pitchman graciously declined, he was on assignment for ESPN, after all.

What struck me more than anything was that when he spoke, he wasn't screaming the way he did in all those commercials. He was just an average guy (with a regular voice) who enjoyed hanging with his fans. He stood near our section for another 10 minutes or so posing and talking to more people. He seemed like a genuine guy who was just happy to be recognized. His appearance was the highlight of an otherwise boring game between FSU and Wisconsin.

When I heard the news of his passing on Sunday morning, that story is the first thing that crossed my mind. In fact, a few hours later, I got a text message from one of my friends who had been with us that night: "Did you know that the OxiClean guy died today??? Ahhhh Champs Bowl." I'm sure Mays' presence made a lot of people smile over the years, and my story is no different. The only reason I'll ever remember that football game is because the "OxiClean guy" appeared and brightened everybody's day. source>>>

Live Nation's No Service Fee Wednesday offers fans any ticket for any Live Nation amphitheater without service charges, which can add up to $12 per ticket.

This week, the discounts are extended to four- and six-pack ticket packages. The offer, which is valid for all four- and six-packs atLive Nation amphitheaters, runs for 24 hours beginning at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday at LiveNation.com.

Music fans can receive up to a 54 percent discount on regular admission prices. Parking and other fees usually still apply.Discounted ticket packs are available for Hersheypark Stadium and The Star Pavilion at Hersheypark Stadium concerts including:

July 3: Aerosmith with ZZ Top

July 17: Nickelback with Hinder, Papa Roach and Saving Abel

July 31: Kid Rock and Lynyrd Skynyrd

Aug. 9: Creed

Aug. 12: Blink-182 with Fall Out Boy, Panic At The Disco and Chester French

Aug. 21: Demi Lovato with David Archuleta and Jordan Pruitt

Aug. 29: Rascal Flatts with Darius Rucker

For details, visit www.livenation.com.

Tiger Woods made his first appearance at Congressional Country Club with a practice round Tuesday morning, perhaps the only normal moment in a week in which he will be pulled in several directions as the host of the AT&T National.

"A few more meetings, a few more appearances here and there that you don't normally do," Woods said before a packed interview room at the Bethesda club. "That's something that you kind of get used to. . . . You understand how to balance your time and try to be as ready as you possibly can. Your workout schedule is kind of thrown off a little bit, your rest periods are thrown off a little bit. But then again, I'll be ready."

Woods is making his first appearance at the AT&T National since 2007, the inaugural event. He missed last year's tournament after undergoing surgery to rebuild his left knee, a procedure that wiped out the second half of his season. Woods will tee off at 1:02 p.m. in Thursday's first round, playing with U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover and veteran pro Charley Hoffman. The same group will begin the second round at 8:12 a.m. Friday from the 10th tee.

Woods is at full strength now, and he said that even with his additional responsibilities -- meeting sponsors and wounded veterans, playing in Wednesday morning's pro-am, participating in a meeting for the Tiger Woods Foundation -- he is here to win.

"I always put in as much as I possibly can to win an event," Woods said. "I love being a greedy host. It is fun to win your own event. It's awfully fun to do that. Hopefully I can do that again this week."
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The tournament is preparing to leave the Washington area for 2010 and '11 -- Aronimink Golf Club outside Philadelphia will serve as the host -- so Congressional can overhaul its greens and then host the U.S. Open in 2011. But Woods reiterated his commitment to both the Washington market and Congressional, which has agreed to host the event from 2012 to '14. Woods and his foundation are also still searching for an appropriate location in the District for a Tiger Woods Learning Center, an after-school educational venue, which he hopes will strengthen his relationship with the community.

"I think the golf course is going to be in better shape with the new greens," Woods said. "I think the relationship that we've built in this community has been fantastic, the connection we have with them and trying to build a learning center here. . . . We want to be here for years to come -- for perpetuity, really. Hopefully we can all make that happen."

The most controversial question to Woods: How in the world he asked Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo to be his partner in Wednesday's pro-am event.

"We're very lucky to have him here," Woods said. "For him to come here to D.C., certainly I didn't realize it would be this big a deal. . . . It's going to be a fun round, but also an interesting one. He's used to being booed. It is what it is."

Other marquee groups for Thursday's first round include Davis Love III, defending champion Anthony Kim and 2003 U.S. Open champion Jim Furyk at 8 a.m. from No. 10; England's Paul Casey, veteran Fred Couples and Ryder Cup hero Boo Weekley at 8:12 a.m. from No. 10; and three-time major winner Vijay Singh with Australians Stuart Appleby and Robert Allenby at 12:50 p.m. from No. 1.

Play begins at 7:10 a.m. Thursday from both the first and 10th tees at Congressional's Blue Course.
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A Ticketmaster subsidiary will shut down Web sites with misleading domain names and pay the state $50,000 as part of an agreement reached Tuesday with Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan.

Madigan's office launched an investigation into deceptive tactics allegedly used by TicketsNow after receiving dozens of complaints about the high prices ticket brokers charged for Hannah Montana and Bruce Springsteen concerts.

Madigan's investigation revealed that TicketsNow's brokers created customized Web sites where they resold tickets they had pre-purchased for high-profile events at prices significantly higher than face-value even though consumers believed they were buying face-value tickets from the actual event operators.

As a result of the state probe, TicketsNow, which is based in Rolling Meadows, Ill., has already disabled more than 100 suspect Web sites.

TicketsNow was operating hundreds of affiliated ticket resale Web sites with misleading domain names that included the names of local venues, sports teams or performers.

The agreement with Madigan's office requires TicketsNow resellers to clearly identify themselves as ticket brokers and to expressly state that they are not affiliated with the venue and may sell tickets at above-face value.

TicketsNow agreed to no longer sell tickets to non-sporting events on any of its Web sites until after Ticketmaster makes the tickets available at face value to the general public.

TicketsNow also agreed to pay $50,000 to fund the state's consumer fraud enforcement and education.
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Conor Oberst has endured a slew of slightly painful Bob Dylan comparisons since he penned his very first sprawling story-song in his Midwestern hometown in the late '90s. Yeah, he's got a weird voice; yeah, he's a masterful lyricist; yeah, he's from a smallish town in the middle of the country, hates fame, whatever, we get it. But the truth in these comparisons never struck me with the sheer force that they did on Sunday night, when Conor Oberst unveiled his latest incarnation in Kansas City by the dim lights of the Beaumont Club: The Mystic Valley Band.

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Forester Michael

Spilling out onto the stage without a second to waste, Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band barely reached their instruments before recklessly launching into a raucous version of "Sausalito," thrilling the crowd with a surprisingly feel-good bluegrass sound, heavy on the folk and alt-country influences.

Even though a refreshing swagger accompanied the tone of Oberst's signature quavering vocals, the band's frontman was immediately clear about his intentions, refocusing both the band and the crowd on whatever was Not Conor -- whether that be by hiding behind his guitar (literally), hiding beneath his gigantic Amish black hat, or, more obviously, refusing to play a single Bright Eyes song.

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Forester Michael

Most of this was lost on the bizarrely Bro-heavy crowd, though, who were obviously there for the catchy, rock-heavy numbers. Blowing through tracks like "Nikkorette" and "Slowly, Oh So Slowly" with a rambunctious folk-rock fury, fellow Mystic Valley dwellers Nik Freitas, Taylor Hollingswoth, Macey Taylor, Nate Walcott and Jason Boesel provided a rootsy orchestral richness that tethered Oberst's otherworldly lyrics to an earthy folk sound, ranging from crashing folk-punk to a more sorrowful strain of southern rock.

Channeling a bit of the Traveling Wilburys, a smidgen of Blitzen Trapper and even a pinch of the Drive-By Truckers, the Mystic Valley Band managed to mesmerize a rowdy, impatient crowd for almost the entirety of their hour-and-a half set. Almost.

Waves of awkward restlessness flooded the Beaumont during the Mystic Valley Band's more introspective moments -- especially those featuring Oberst alone, and acoustic. While the ex-Bright Eyes kids were about to wee in their pants (yours truly among them), at least a third of the crowd was completely nonplussed, chatting and texting while Oberst wailed epically about "baby shoes and taxidermy dreams."

Sandwiched between a pack of Hollister-clad dudes and two Ben Gibbard look-alikes, I seriously half-expected the herd of Bros to start roaring out requests for "Free Bird."

Amazingly, this didn't deter the Mystic Valley Band, though; Oberst and his band ended on a high note, closing out the set with a stellar version of "I Don't Want to Die (In a Hospital)" that reunited the crowd, screaming and stomping to his disjointed, raging folk-punk throw-down.

So, in sum: kudos to Conor Oberst, phoenix of the indie demi-gods, for creating yet another successful incarnation of his lyricism and musical prowess. And thank god, this bird can change. source>>>

AEG Live has announced that full refunds will be given to fans who purchased tickets through authorized agents to Michael Jackson's 50 planned concerts at the O2 Arena in London, according to a news release from the promoter, which operates the O2 Arena. The refunds will include service fee charges.

On July 1, fans who purchased tickets to Jackson's "This Is It" concerts will be directed to MichaelJacksonLive.com for information about how to receive full refunds. The refunds will be processed by authorized ticketing agencies, including primary ticketing company Ticketmaster and U.K. reseller Viagogo, among others.

Fans will be also given the option to receive the concert tickets as souvenirs in lieu of the full refunds. The tickets were printed with the lenticular process and were designed by Jackson, according to the release. The offer will be valid through Aug. 14.

"The world lost a kind soul who just happened to be the greatest entertainer the world has ever known," AEG Live president/CEO Randy Phillips said in a statement. "Since he loved his fans in life, it is incumbent upon us to treat them with the same reverence and respect after his death."

Jackson's planned 50-show run at the O2 Arena in London would have been the highest-grossing single concert engagement. More than $85 million worth of tickets had already been sold for the series of performances. source>>>