Shockey fires back at Sapp for calling him a 'snitch'

Jeremy Shockey fired back at NFL Network analyst Warren Sapp for calling the tight end the "snitch" who led the NFL to the bounty investigation by the league.  It resulted in embarrassment and severe penalties to Shockey's former team— the New Orleans Saints

Saints head coach Sean was suspended by the league for a full season and the team lost two second-round draft picks as penalties.

"It's reckless, it's careless, it's hurtful to me and the great time I had with the Saints," said Shockey, who was labeled a "snitch"on Twitter by Sapp after NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell put his fist down on Wednesday.

"Sean Payton is like a father figure to me," he continued.  "I would never do that to him or the Saints."

Shockey then twice offered to take a polygraph to prove he wasn't the rat.

While the Bountygate scandal came to a conclusion on Wednesday, there are a few questions which remain unanswered.  It starts with who did leak the information to Goodell's office if it wasn't Shockey.

Someone in the Saints inner-circle had to be the culprit, but who.

Sapp maintains that his source was very close to the situation and he trusted what he was told:

"I trust my source unequivocally," said the former-NFL star.  "I did not call anyone in the league and I did not receive any information from the league."

Sounds like we have a "Deep Throat" situation.

Shockey responded to Sapp's accusation by taking to Twitter and offering to get hooked to a polygraph on live television.

Both men played their college ball at Miami University— at different times—but those blood ties "Ended right there" after Sapp's allegations, tweeted Shockey.

The former Saints tight end played under Payton when the team won Super Bowl XLIV over the Indianapolis Colts in 2010.  He was coached by Payton prior to that with the New York Giants.

"I know Sean Payton's family and I have been around them.  I have been to his son's birthday party parties.  I've had family around him.  We're friends," Shockey said.  "I loved my time in New Orleans and now people are killing me on social media thinking I did this.  I love Who Dat nation."

It's hard to put a lot of stock into what Sapp "heard" about Shockey.

The former-defensive end has called everyone from Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis to defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth a name or accused them of one thing or another in the past.

A larger question remains. Why wound the NFL Network— which is owned by the NFL— let Sapp make his claim about Shockey on air?

This is a direction which threatens to undermine the NFL's policy of protecting sources.  It contradicts the NFL's message that it would protect "whistleblowers" who anonymously report league violations.

NFL spokesperson Greg Aiello had no explanation on why the NFL Network aired Sapp's claims or why Sapp— a league employee— was allowed to make the claim in the first place.

Let's see how many players line up at the confessional now.

Meanwhile, Shockey kept up the attack on his accuser.

"Sapp can say what he wants about me, but if he really says that he'll put his life on the line for his source, we'll see," said Shockey.  "I've never been a guy who failed multiple drug tests.  I've never been  divorced.  I don't have four kids by four different women.  I don't lie.  This attacks my character and it's not fair."

The out-of-work Shockey is still looking to hook up with a team in 2012, and—  if he plays the Saints— it could be interesting.

Jets Tebow jerseys could already be collectibles

When word got around that Tim Tebow was traded to the New York Jets this afternoon, Tebow-mania hit New York City like well...  Linsanity and it didn't take long for the New York Jets Store in mid-town to start ironing out green and white #15 jerseys with Tebow's name on the back.

After the deal shockingly hit a snag, the store stopped producing the shirts.

Lucky for the few dozen New York Jets fans, who snagged the jerseys bearing Tebow's name on the back, they could now be holding a valuable collectible.

Apparently the Jets didn't read the fine print (who would have guessed) on the contract and found out they must pay an additional $5 million to secure the rights to the Broncos quarterback or the deal is off.  The decision is now in the hands of the Jets themselves.

If the Jets back out of the deal, cha-ching for the jersey owners.

As for Tebow, the good news is that #15 is currently not taken by any other Jets player.  The bad news  is it's on a Jets jersey.

The only other person I can remember wearing #15 for Gang Green was Babe Parilli.  Parilli was Joe Namath's backup in Super Bowl III.

Ahmad Bradshaw beats Ron Gronkowski, again

Ron Gronkowski went head-to-head with Super Bowl XLVI counterpart Ahmad Bradshaw in a grudge match in Activision's Call of duty: Modern Warfare 3 and lost once again.

Instead of the football field, the New England Patriots tight end took on the New York Giants running back on the video game's battlefield, but the results came up the same— 3-2 victory for Big Blue.

No word if Kronk hit the clubs and went dancing afterwards.

Bradshaw said he thought Gronkowski was still a little bitter after last month's loss to the Giants.

"Well sure, he wants the rematch," Bradshaw joked.  "He wants to get back at me as much as he can for scoring the game-winning touchdown, but I think I can back myself up.  I can play alright, I can do pretty good."

This wasn't any casual match-up either.  Both of these guys are are gamers.  Bradshaw even confessed that he constantly plays the popular first-person shooter and got some of his fellow Giants hooked on the game as well.

"I'm playing 24/7, man," he said.  "A lot of the guys play the game like [former-Giant] Brandon Jacobs, D.J. Ware, all kinds of guys.  I put everybody on the game so everybody gets on and plays together at times."

Bradshaw told the New York Post that the thrill of competition is what draws him to the Call of Duty joystick, as well as, the gridiron.

"I love the competitiveness of every game and in Call of Duty it's just like that," said Bradshaw.  "You have millions of guys on the Internet at the same time and you just want to get on and compete against everybody.  When I get on I want to be the best, I want to have the most kills.  You want to know the environments the same way you just want to get on the field."

Caron Butler pokes fun at Tyler Hansbrough's "acting"

The Indiana Pacers Tyler Hansbrough has gotten a reputation as an Oscar-worthy actor when it comes to complaining about rough treatment in the NBA.

Last night—  against the Los Angeles Clippers— he gave another intense performance which was mockingly caught on the imaginary camera of opponent Caron Butler.

Butler made fun of the former-North Carolina star's antics by pretending to film the agitated Hansbrough after he got tangled up with Blake Griffin under the basket in the third quarter.

Hansbrough looked like he had a good reason to complain about the collision but that didn't stop Butler from going Cecil B. DeMille on him.

Even the Indiana announcers got into the act and said, "What is he doing?" and "They need to get him [Butler] for taunting."

As Psycho T got more and more steamed, Butler kept pretending to be cranking a movie camera at him.

In the end, it ended up being a comedy with Hansbrough having the last laugh.  The Pacers won, 102-89.

Mike Tyson helps Rosie O'Donnell ring in her birthday

Mike Tyson keeps popping up in the weirdest places and it seems like he'll do anything to make a buck or keep his tattooed face in the public eye.

Monday night, the former heavyweight champion, helped Rosie O'Donnell celebrate her 50th birthday  with some of his family, her fiancee Michelle Rounds, staff  and fifty assorted women turning 50 who were invited to party with the star.

Rosie had a good time at a Chicago lounge, despite recently getting the news that her talk show on the OWN network was being cancelled.

Tyson had taped an episode of the show earlier in the day and is promoting his upcoming one-man show in Las Vegas.

Maybe he stumbled into the bash thinking the guest of honor was Chuck Wepner with a little make-up.

The ear-biting fighter rolled out the 3-foot birthday cake while dancing to 50 cent's "In Da Club" and led everyone in a rendition of "Happy Birthday."

Rosie jumped on stage and sang with the band Sixteen Candles in their version of "Jessie's Girl."

The show's final broadcast will be March 30, but Rosie told everyone to have a positive outlook despite the  cancellation.

Tebow throws pass to "Glee" star Dianna Agron

Tim Tebow may not be calling the signals for the Denver Broncos much longer but, he has sent out a audible loud and clear to "Glee" star Dianna Agron.

The NFL quarterback told the sultry 25-year-old actress that he is smitten with her, according to The New York Post.

A source told the Post, "Tim has made no secret that he likes Dianna, and told her so, but she has remained faithful to her actor boyfriend Sebastian Stan."

Talk about a Wildcat triple-option.

The blond beauty has been dating Stan on and off for about a year but they reportedly broke up in December before reconciling a few weeks later.

They live on opposite coasts (she-west, he-east) and a source said it was taking its toll on the couple.

Tebow was spotted chatting with Agron at an Oscar party in late February and then seen a few days later on a date with singer Taylor Swift.  It has been reported that Swift is interested in Tebow, but he says they are just friends.

I'm seeing a Tebow-type here— blond and wispy.

Tebow has made no secret about liking Agron, but she has remained involved with Stan, said the Post.

The actress is mostly known for her role as Quinn Fabray on "Glee" and Tebow is the man behind Tebow-mania.

Agron's representative said the couple's break-up was "Not true" and reps for Tebow declined to comment, said the Post.

If Agron ever moves on from Stan, she might do good by hooking up with the quarterback.

Even John Elway said yesterday, "Tim Tebow is a great kid.  If I want someone to marry my daughter, it would be him."

Marry daughter, fine.  Play quarterback for the Broncos... not so much.

Antonio Cromartie: No room for Tebow on Jets

Antonio Cromartie apparently isn't too keen on the New York Jets taking an interest in Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow in any capacity.  Cromartie tweeted about it after Denver signed Peyton Manning— all but ending Tebow's career with the Broncos.

The outspoken Jets cornerback used Twitter to express his feelings about pursuing Tebow.

"We don't need Tebow," Cromartie tweeted Tuesday.  "We sell out every home game let him go to Jacksonville Tampa or Miami."

Cromartie— one of the leaders of the mayhem in the Jets locker room— wasn't through trying to sway the Jets brass from bringing in the unorthodox quarterback.


"Our Wildcat offense can be run by (Jeremy) Kerley or Joe McKnight,"he tweeted.  "We have Mark_ Sanchez and just signed Drew.  Mark has taken us to 2 AFC championship game.  We need to build on the team we have right now."

Could introducing Tebow's ultra-religious character to the dysfunctional Jets locker room have something to do with Cromartie's rant.

Cromartie has a troublesome background and has fathered nine children with eight women in six states and doesn't exactly adhere to Tebow's beliefs.

The Jets cornerback does make some good points for not getting Tebow, but several people in the Jets organization have told the New York Daily News that he might be a good fit.

Many insiders believe the Jets new offensive coordinator Tony Sparano could put Tebow's abilities to good use in certain Wildcat schemes.  Sparano was the head coach for the Miami Dolphins when he began using the Wildcat offense to pump up the anemic offense.

There are a lot of pros and cons that come with bringing Tebow into the Jets family.

For one thing, Tebow's character could play a big role in bringing the fractured locker room together, but could just as well split the team in two.  The team isn't exactly a group of choirboys.

The media attention surrounding Tebow could distract the press enough to take the cameras away from oft-targeted Sanchez but, on the other side of the coin,  there is also the possibility that Tebow could wilt under the 24/7 New York media spotlight.  'Aw, shucks' only goes so far in New York— unless you win it all.

Just ask Eli Manning.

Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum hasn't commented on Tebow except to say that "Tim Tebow is a player under contract with another team."

Tannenbaum also avoided dumping any more negativity onto the tattered psyche of Sanchez— after the 'Peyton Manning to the Jets' stories and disappointing 2011 season— by saying he "feels good about" the quarterbacks on the roster, which includes Greg McElroy and Drew Stanton.

Tebow-mania and Linsanity in the same city might be a little too much anyway.