Your morning roundup for Nov. 8, the day we learned the value of a scoop. Photo by John Shearer for Life Magazine. For more Ali-Frazier photos, click here. Got any stories or photos for us? Tip your editors.
What we watched: Monday Night Football at the Deadspin watching party! Why weren't you there, bro? I met some of you, and that was weird and uncomfortable. Not that you weren't nice or anything—plenty friendly, in fact. It's just awkward meeting people while watching something. You're both just staring at the screen, engaging in conversation but not really, ocassionally interjecting random tidbits of information and opinion that hopefully raise your fanhood quality profile to your viewing-mate. Although maybe it's just that I'm overly fearful of the awkward silence, so I feel the need to compensate by flapping my gums a bit much. Apologies, for that.
Elsewhere
In case you missed it: All of our coverage of the Penn State-Jerry Sandusky scandal can be found here. Stories will appear in the scroll to the right in reverse chronological order.
Sources, sources, sources: "A group of disgruntled NBA owners held a conference call Monday to express their displeasure with the 50/50 revenue offer commissioner David Stern has presented to the players' association, according to sources with knowledge of the call. The deal, which the union sees as an ‘ultimatum' offer, calls for players to receive anywhere between 49 and 51 percent of basketball-related income, but the group of displeased owners, the sources said, are hoping the players reject it...Sources have told ESPN.com that the union's executive committee is scheduled to meet with the 30 player representatives in New York on Tuesday and a source said earlier that the union appears split on the deal. The executive committee, the source said, is staunchly against voting to approve the deal, while the player reps may also be divided. However, a source said later Monday that the owners on the call fear that the player reps will push to approve the deal with the clock ticking." [ESPN]
Your Run Of The Mill Wrestling Takedown Interlude:
Pretending to apologize and pretending to forgive: "Tiger Woods received an apology from former caddie Steve Williams over a racial slur when the two met and shook hands Tuesday. 'We talked this morning, we met face to face and talked about it, talked it through,' Woods said ahead of the Australian Open at The Lakes Golf Club. Williams' disparaging comment came during a caddies' awards party Friday in Shanghai. ‘It was a wrong thing to say, something that we both acknowledge,' Woods said. ‘He did apologize. It was hurtful, certainly, but life goes forward.' Woods said it was not up to him to call for sanctions against Williams. The PGA Tour and European Tour have said no action would be taken against Williams for the comment. ‘Stevie's certainly not a racist,' Woods said Tuesday. ‘There's no doubt about that. It was a comment that shouldn't have been made and was certainly one that he wished he didn't make.' [Yahoo! Sports]
Phone malfunctions lead to a one-way conversation: "President Barack Obama says the World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals kept him up late during an extra-inning thriller that helped lead the team to victory. Obama called manager Tony La Russa on Monday and congratulated him on his team's championship season. The White House says Obama told La Russa that this year's World Series was one of the better sporting events he had seen in a long time.The Cardinals beat the Texas Rangers in seven games, including an 11-inning thriller in Game 6. Only days after Game 7, La Russa announced his retirement. The White House says Obama congratulated La Russa on a remarkable career and said he looked forward to congratulating the team in person at the White House." [AP]
Your weekly Andy Reid defense of a questionable late-game decision: "One of the head-scratching plays in the Eagles' loss to the Bears on Monday night was a failed fake punt on which Philadelphia's Chas Henry threw a terrible pass. That play was ugly, but Eagles coach Andy Reid defended the decision to try it. Reid noted that Colt Anderson was wide open on the play, and that it could have given the Eagles a huge gain. ‘He was uncovered,' Reid said. ‘We tried to throw him the ball, but obviously it didn't work. We'll always try to stay aggressive.'" [PFT]
Wonder why? "Saw Tom Rinaldi will be sideline reporter for PSU-NU game. Probably best option there. Doubtful he'll get chance to ask much, though." [@TimeLemkeTweets]
Merch: Managing editor Tom Scocca and contributing editor Drew Magary have both written books. You can buy Scocca's Beijing Welcomes You: Unveiling the Capital City of the Future here, and Magary's The Postmortal here. Now do it.
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