Your morning roundup for Nov. 16, the day we learned Rebecca Black is back for more. Photo via Mocksession. Got any stories or photos for us? Tip your editors.
What we watched: Duke being Duke. Threes, charges, and excessive high-fiving. Greg Paulus was shedding tears of wholesome joy, somewhere. Coach K is now the winningest basketball coach in Division I history, but we were most amused when ESPN's cameras caught Bob Knight—the previous record-holder—in the middle of a languid quaff during a break in the action. Salute!
Elsewhere
Good news, folks! "The NBA formally notified teams Tuesday that it has canceled games through Dec. 15, erasing a total of 324 games or 26 percent of the season as the lockout lingers into its fifth month with no end in sight. The news came only hours before the locked-out players, including stars Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Durant, filed class-action antitrust lawsuits against the league on Tuesday in at least two states, moving pro basketball's labor dispute from the negotiating table to federal court. Attorney David Boies, who represented the NFL during that sport's work stoppage and now has been brought aboard by basketball's players, said the NBA lockout violates antitrust laws by refusing to allow players to work." [ESPN]
Meanwhile...: "Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association are on the verge of signing off on a new Basic Agreement, sources within the sport said on Tuesday. The expected five-year deal won't be announced at these business meetings of general managers and owners that will conclude on Thursday morning with a joint gathering of all the executives. Rob Manfred, MLB's executive vice president of labor relations and human resources, declined comment on the negotiations on Tuesday. Collective bargaining negotiations have been halted until after the meetings are concluded and are expected to resume no later than Friday. Manfred arrived in town on Tuesday afternoon so he could update the owners on the progress of the talks. An agreement on all issues could still be reached before Thanksgiving Day on Nov. 24. The current deal, which was signed without any rancor in 2006, expires on Dec. 11, giving negotiators a little breathing room." [MLB.com]
Your Little Boy Singing Britney Spears Interlude:
Cop-car fellatio, the oldest trick in the book: "Officers arrested the 44-year-old Arie and 30-year-old Howard Keith Windam, both of whom were found trying to hide hydrocodone and soma pills, and put them in the back of the same squad car. The Constable driving them to jail noticed the two were acting strangely and he could no longer see Arie's face. He asked where she was and she offered that she was exhausted (or high) and was resting on Windham's lap. As someone who grew up in Montgomery County I can tell you this is an old trick and the Constable wasn't to be fooled. He quickly pulled over the car and dealt with it. According to the Montgomery County Police Reporter: ‘He could see that despite both parties being handcuffed behind their backs, Windham's pants were unfastened and Arie was servicing his exposed genitalia. The deputy ordered them to cease the sexual contact and then continued driving to the jail.' [...] No addition charges were filed against either Arie or Windham." [Jalopnik, via Houston Press]
Aw, shucks: "Hope Solo was forced to hang up her dancing shoes tonight after being voted off 'Dancing With the Stars' in the week 9 semifinals, leaving Ricki Lake, J.R. Martinez and Rob Kardashian to battle it out in next week's finals. Solo has struggled in the competition, frequently landing near the bottom of the leaderboard and finding herself in jeopardy of elimination. Judges have often told her that her dancing lacked fluidity and grace, and after last night's three dances, she was in fourth place with a total of 49 points. Solo and Martinez were in the bottom two tonight. ‘This competition is one of the toughest competitions I've ever been a part of … instead of winning the mirror ball trophy, I'm going to try to win a few gold medals this summer,' the soccer player said, thanking her friends, family, fans and her partner, Maksim Chmerkovskiy. He in turn thanked her, saying: ‘I'm sorry I couldn't have been better for you, but it is what it is.'" [ABC]
Can't the Giants just go to a nightclub in peace? "A gunman opened fire at a crowded Manhattan nightclub early Tuesday morning, killing a 44-year-old man and wounding two people while several entertainers and professional athletes - including up to five Giants players - were nearby, the police said. The shooting occurred at 2:22 a.m. at the Juliet Supper Club at 539 West 21st Street, the police said. The victim, Arthur Artis of Brooklyn, was pronounced dead on arrival at Bellevue Hospital. ‘There is nothing to indicate that any of the well-known individuals in the club that night had anything to do with the shooting,' said Paul J. Browne, the New York Police Department's chief spokesman. The list of athletes included the Giants' Chris Canty, Victor Cruz, Hakeem Nicks, Antrel Rolle and Aaron Ross, said a person with knowledge of the investigation who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation was continuing.
" [NYT]
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.
Send stories, photos, and anything else you might have to [email protected].