Every February, shortly after the Super Bowl, the NFL invites more than 300 college players to Indianapolis for the NFL Scouting Combine. Once there, the players are weighed, measured, poked and prodded and undergo a battery of tests and drills in front of representatives from each team. Two months later, the vast majority of players…

The labor battle between the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association was an ugly, protracted affair that nearly led to the season’s cancellation. But that was an appetizer compared to the entree that’s starting to boil over: a spat between Billy Hunter and Derek Fisher, the union’s executive director and president, respectively. Fisher, who…

Earlier this month it was Washington Redskins wide receiver Jabar Gaffney. He went on an epic Twitter meltdown, unleashing a stream of expletive-laced tweets about his estranged wife and his cousin NFL cornerback Lito Sheppard. One example from the since-deleted account read: “Ain’t nobody [bleeped] my wife but for anybody saying any slick [bleep] better…

It was vicious and brutal, violent and brazen. It was indefensible, incomprehensible and intentional. And no matter how much Metta World Peace (aka Ron Artest) has mellowed during three seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, the elbow he threw Sunday harks back to his past transgressions. After a nice dunk during the Lakers’ home game…

It seems like only yesterday that Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard was among the NBA’s most popular superstars. A lovable giant with an electric smile and fun-filled personality, Howard was one of the league’s “good guys.” But then this season turned into a drawn-out soap opera, As Dwight Turns, with Howard vacillating between wanting to…

According to its mission statement, the University of Kentucky is “dedicated to improving people’s lives through excellence in education, research and creative work, service and health care.” Judging by the success of its men’s-basketball players, the school is doing an outstanding job accomplishing its mission. The Wildcats won the NCAA national championship earlier this month.…

As has been customary since 2009, all Major League Baseball players, managers, coaches and umpires wore No. 42 on April 15 — Jackie Robinson Day — to commemorate the pioneer’s debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Ceremonies were held in every stadium, with video tributes and on-field celebrations to honor Robinson’s legacy. His family, former teammates,…

A three-time NBA All-Star at the time, Gilbert Arenas catapulted into the national discourse for all the wrong reasons in December of 2009. He became infamous in an instant, the player who brought guns into the Washington Wizards locker room after a confrontation with a teammate. “Someone said they were going to shoot me,” Arenas…

Time is money, and charity begins at home. But those truths can be taken too far if there’s never time for serving and giving, free of charge. Participating on the U.S. Olympic basketball team is just one example. All-Stars Ray Allen of the Boston Celtics and Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat caused a brouhaha…

The Los Angeles Lakers apparently broke Lamar Odom’s heart and crushed his spirit when they elected to trade him last December. The deal wasn’t approved, and the NBA’s reigning Sixth Man of the Year stayed in Hollywood momentarily. But the relationship was fractured, the damage was irreparable and the Lakers shipped him to the defending-champion…