Katherine Jenkins signs up for Dancing with the Stars

Katherine Jenkins, Jack Wagner and Melissa Gilbert are to take part in the next series of Dancing with the Stars.

The Welsh opera singer, the Melrose Place actor and the former Little House on the Prairie star are among the stars in the line-up for the 14th season of the hit show.

They will be joined by the likes of tennis legend Martina Navratilova, The View co-host Sherri Shepherd, and Jaleel White, who is best known as Steve Urkel from Family Matters.

TV host Maria Menounos, Motown great Gladys Knight, Disney star Roshon Fegan, NFL champion Donald Driver, singer Gavin DeGraw and Telenovela actor William Levy complete the line-up.

The contestants have already met their professional partners and last season's winner Karina Smirnoff - who won with war hero J.R. Martinez - has been paired with Gavin, while three-times winner Derek Hough is partnered with Maria.

Fan favourite Maksim Chmerkovskiy will teach Melissa her moves and his brother, Val Chmerkovskiy, will make his Dancing with the Stars debut with Sherri.

Two-time champ Mark Ballas will dance with Katherine and Cheryl Burker - who took Rob Kardashian all the way to the final on the last series - has got William. 

The new season of Dancing with the Stars will start on March 19.

Dolphins will like Bush if expectations are in check

The Miami Dolphins desire to add some explosiveness to their offense drove the trade for Saints running back Reggie Bush -- a move that should produce the desired effect.

Bush should allow a once innovative-turned-predictable running game to diversify. He'll be used much like he was in New Orleans as a receiver and a perimeter threat, but he could be a bigger part of the running game.

Bush also gives Miami the big-play potential it sorely lacks. The Saints will miss what Bush brings but his salary of more than $11 million was too costly for him not being a full-time stud.

With the Dolphins, he'll be paired with rookie Daniel Thomas, a big, turf grinder, allowing the Dolphins to change pace more often than the past few seasons. Bush won't deliver the tough yards Ronnie Brown or Ricky Williams did. If the Dolphins think he will, they could be disappointed.

The biggest issue with Bush is durability. If he's on the field, he's a perpetual threat. He's hurt too often though and that's why he was expendable for the Saints.

I like the move because Miami needs playmakers and some sizzle. Bush also will provide options for whomever plays quarterback. I just would not expect sustained production because of his injury history.

Kristin Cavallari, Jay Cutler break off Engagement

"The Hills" star had been engaged to the quarterback since April.

MTV reality star Kristin Cavallari and Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler have called off their engagement, according to published reports.

Cutler proposed to the Laguna Beachand The Hills star in April as they vacationed in Mexico. The couple, who had been dating since last fall, were said to be planning a spring wedding.

As recently as last week Cavallari tweeted about her recent engagement party.

"Thx to all my amazing friends for making my engagement party a blast last night!" she wrote.

The couple also had recently completed their wedding registry.

People reported that the break-up came as a shock to Cavallari, who had planned to move to Chicago for the upcoming football season.

Cavallari rose to fame in reality TV but has since dabbled in acting with appearances in ABC's The Middle and CBS' CSI: NY.

Cutler spent three seasons with the Denver Broncos after the 2006 NFL draft before being traded to the Bears in 2009.

Alleluia! Thank You Racist America!

Well, that's one less thing we need to worry about. As we all know, Madden cover = death. Thankfully, America is rather racist, still loves dogs and can't get enough of white running backs. Now our 2011 season won't be ruined (minus the still-not-quite-fixed-very-confusing lockout situation).

On another note, Hillis is fucked. Poor Cleveland, even when something goes right for them they still ultimately lose.

A Way Too Early Look At The Eagles 2011 Record

Before I start, let's all remember that I did this last year and while I predicted the correct final record (10-6), I only got about half the games right individually. So what matters more? Where you end up or how you got there? I'm going with the former, but honestly does it matter if we don't have football next year anyway? Let's hope the owners stop being bitches and end this thing. Chad Hall needs a job.

Anyway, here's an all too premature look at exactly how the Eagles season will go next year:

Week One: at St. Louis (1 PM, FOX)

Um, the Rams? Yea, I know they were better last year and all, but let's be honest...they still suck. If the Eagles don't dominate this game right out of the shoot, we're in trouble. 1-0.

Week Two: at Atlanta (8:20 PM, NBC)

Vick returns home. Atlanta's home opener. The Eagles have owned the Falcons over the past few years, and dominated them last year in the midst of their #1 seed season (with Kolb no less). 2-0.

Week Three: N.Y. Giants (1 PM, FOX)

I feel like the Eagles never play the Giants this early. It's kinda weird to be honest, like a hand job. I mean, you know you've had it before, but it's been so long you can't remember. Anyway, until the Giants actually beat the Eagles again I refuse to believe it can happen. 3-0.

Week Four: San Francisco (1PM, FOX)

The 49ers game, which seems to happen every year, is always close. Like annoyingly so. Whatever, 3-1.

Week Five: at Buffalo (1PM, FOX)

Rumors ran wild that this game would be played in Toronto. It won't be, it will be played in Buffalo. I know some people were pissed about going to Toronto, cause Canada sucks, but Buffalo is worse. It's basically the Canada of the US. 4-1.

Week Six: at Washington (1PM, FOX)

Remember the last time they played the Redskins in Washington? Sure do. Not sure who the Redskins QB will be this year either, but I bet they suck. 5-1.

Week Seven: BYE WEEK

Week Eight: Dallas (8:20 PM, NBC)

I have a weird, sickening feeling that the Cowboys will be good again this year. Everything went wrong for them last year, and they still almost beat the Eagles twice. Andy Reid never loses after the bye though. So I'll run with the big guy here. 6-1.

Week Nine: Chicago (8:30 PM, ESPN)

Monday Night Football. Jaws. Gruden. The Bears. A loss. 6-2.

Week Ten: Arizona (1 PM, FOX)

I'm not sure what to make of the NFC West yet. They can't possibly be that bad again, but will they be good? Probably not. 7-2.

Week Eleven: N.Y. Giants (8:30 PM, NBC)

I think I've covered my thoughts on the Giants. 8-2.

Week Twelve: New England (4:15 PM, CBS)

The Patriots don't have that aura anymore, not after choking in the playoffs last year. They're beatable, they're quarterback is a terrible dancer and cries, They're defense is still a work in progress. But they'll still beat the Eagles. 8-3.

Week Thirteen: at Seattle (8:20 PM, NFL Network)

Stupid Thursday night games. Pain in my ass. As long as Marshawn Lynch doesn't go all beast mode on us, I think we'll be fine here. 9-3.

Week Fourteen: at Miami (1 PM, FOX)

Remember that awesome game in Miami 8 years ago? Brian Westbrook going all air-born and shit. Eagles won that game, this one too. 10-3

Week Fifteen: N.Y. Jets (4:15 PM, CBS)

The Eagles have finished the last few years on some sour notes. The Jets are probably a bad match-up here, being all good at defense and stuff. Plus a 3-0 sweep of NY is probably too much to ask. 10-4.

Week Sixteen: at Dallas (4:15 PM, FOX)

Odds are this game gets flexed, because I really believe it's our Birds and the Cowboys for the NFC East this year. Sadly, I think this game is a loss, I just have a bad feeling about Dallas this year. 10-5.

Week Seventeen: Washington (1PM, FOX)

It's about time they don't end with Dallas. That was getting old. Anyway, 11-5.

There you have it, 11-5. Not sure what that will be good for, either the #2 or #3 seed, or maybe a wild card if Dallas is really good (fuck the Giants). Either way, the schedule is a pretty balanced one, and there is an awesome road game (Miami) on there. I bet that stadium ends up 75% Eagles fans, easily.

Go Birds.

So Michael Vick Will Get Hurt Next Year

This isn't exactly a big surprise, but Michael Vick has made the finals of the Madden '12 cover tournament vote thing on ESPN. Normally any time an Eagles player gets some recognition nationally, I like it. Especially Vick, who whether we like it or not, is now our best player and the key to us winning anything next year. However, the last time this happened, well it wasn't exactly a good omen. I'll spare you the laundry list of shitty things that have happened to NFL players the year they graced the cover of Madden, but it was Vick in 2004 and he promptly broke his ankle. So, yea, here's to Peyton Hillis winning. (Odds Peyton Hillis wins, I draft him on my fantasy team, and he breaks both arms the next day sit currently at 1:1.)

Oh, and doesn't this kinda speak to how much people don't give a shit about the dog-killing anymore? I mean the guy is being voted by the fans to grace the cover of the most popular sports video game ever. Football > dogs, or so says America. (And don't just says it kids voting either, EVERYONE plays Madden.)

The Quintessential DeSean Jackson Punt Return Video

To whoever eaglesphillyfootball is, outstanding work. This video does an amazing job of building up the entire dramatic comeback, the return and then fan reactions - all in one nice and neat package.

Honestly, I have no idea how this video has only 538 views, apparently people haven't been searching YouTube for 'desean jackson punt return from the stands' nearly as much as I have. Again, just the depth of sports (and life) exploration that TWW goes through every single day...just for you. Enjoy.

(Best moment is at the 4:50 mark, during the fan reactions. Hilarious.)

DeSean's TD, According to Tecmo Bowl

First off, yes, this was done in the SNES version, not the original NES version that we all know, love and prefer. However, it is pretty bad ass, and sync's up pretty nicely to the audio. Of course, that audio is Joe Buck...but I guess you can't win them all.

Anyway, here are some other moments in NFL history according to Tecmo Bowl. Enjoy.

The Catch



Marcus Allen's Run



Vinateri Beats the Rams



Porter's Interception



Santonio's Catch



Cardinals Knock Vikings Out of Playoffs



And one we'd like to forget...



[check out MrNFL for a bunch more, include the Marshawn Lynch one we've all seen]

Yep, I'm Rooting For The Steelers

There is so much awful going on in this video, I don't even know what to say. Just reason #7,046,543 I'm glad I don't live in Wisconsin.

[KissingSuzyKolber]

Be Michael Vick for 1 minute 46 seconds

NFL.com posted a video of Michael Vick's helmetcam during the NFC's Pro Bowl practice earlier this week. The video immediately reminds me of the old Sega ESPN Football 2k4 game. That's the first game I remember where you could play an entire game in first-person mode. In case you never played it, that game absolutely sucked. Looking at it now, the graphics just make my face hurt. So hard to believe these graphics were 'cutting-edge' at one time.

Anyway, word is that FOX may be busting out these HD helmet cams during the actual game to garner more interest. Will it make me watch the awfulness that is the Pro Bowl? Fuck no. But I'll watch a minute long video to check it out for novelty purposes.

[WithLeather via NFL.com]

Jay Cutler Is Not Well Liked in Chicago

While it's probable that the guy above had this gem of a jersey way before yesterday's game, it's certainly much more appropriate now after yesterday's events. Chicago, or at least a loud minority of Bears fans, hates Jay Cutler. A lot. Hell, they are burning his jersey EVERYWHERE. Do a quick search on Google and trust me, it's gone from bad to worse quickly.

As our own Chris pointed out earlier, I doubt that Cutler really quit on his team. Reports today have his MRI coming back with a Grade II tear in his MCL. Anything with "tear" seems like a pretty big deal. Plus, it's not like the Bears have a great o-line, Cutler probably would have gotten killed the rest of the game if he stayed in. If your QB can't stand or push off one of his legs, he's probably best suited on the bench.

But, hey, at least Eagles fans never burned McNabb jerseys! Right? Or did we? We did? Oh.

Check out TurdFergusonBlog for some more Cutler love.

Steelers > Jews

Apparently a news station in Kentucky had the Steelers beating the approximate 11 billion (figure, again, is approximate) Jewish folks that live in the New York metro area.

I'd make another joke about hoarding money, huge noses or pastrami , but I think WLKY has done enough already.

h/t TedWilliamsHead.

Steelers Win, Big Ben Gets Raped

Good to see Big Ben on the receiving end for once.

Let's Play Imagining

YouTube is brilliant. I mean, it basically told me to watch this video today...I didn't even have to look for it. Granted, it also told me to watch this video too, so I guess YouTube isn't right all the time (or is it...?).

Anyway, I had forgotten about this commercial. The first thing I thought about as I watched it though, even though it's fake, was that it sure seemed like this is was a play the REAL Michael Vick made this year. Granted he wasn't throwing to someone as physically dominating as T.O., but this video isn't too far off from the reality that was 2010 Michael Vick.

Side bar: Imagine if the Eagles had Vick instead of McNabb in 2004? I realize that McNabb had an incredible amount of success that year, and that he lead the Birds to a 13-3 record and a close Super Bowl loss. I also realize that all this Michael Vick love is based on a 9-game stretch where he looked like the greatest QB in the history of football. I know he needs to do it again, I know he has to prove this year wasn't a fluke and that he can adapt now that defenses are sure to adapt to him. HOWEVER, the Eagles offense behind Michael Vick was one of the most dynamic offense I've ever seen, they could score almost at will for those 9 games. Andy Reid obviously tutored this guy and triggered something in him (well, Andy Reid and jail) that hadn't been triggered before. He completed 62% of his passes, blowing away his former career high, and he scored 9 rushing touchdowns, a crazy amount for any QB. Imagine him with Westbrook and T.O., possibly the best two skill position players the Eagles have ever had (not that McCoy, DJax and Maclin are slouches, just sayin'). Plus the Eagles had a good offensive line then. If Reid had him earlier in his career, got him understanding how to be a real QB AND use his raw athletic gifts...well...Championship. Or maybe he needed jail the whole time to wake up. Whatever, a guy can dream.

So, if you remember nothing else about this past year, remember this: Nike made a commercial with a computer generated Michael Vick that made an incredible play that no QB could have ever made...and then the REAL Michael Vick made that play. 329 times.

Fuckin' Packers.

Some Videos to Make You Smile

We're all pretty depressed today, but I figured I'd throw up some videos in an attempt to get some of you to smile.

Remember, the 2010 Eagles season was pretty good, for most of it anyway.











Go Birds.

We Gone

And another spirit-crushing playoff loss is in the books. Let's spend today trying to repair the shattered pieces of our collective psyche, and remember that this season was intended to be a "rebuilding" year above all else. Let the Eagles revamp their porous defense and offensive line, and perhaps we'll have another shot in 2012. That's if, you know, the NFL/humanity is still around then.


平和と祝福,

TheWizWit

2011 NFL Opponents Announced, NFC East Automatically Gets Four Wins

The NFL has released the home and away opponents for the 2011 regular season. As most of you know, each team plays their six division games, a division within their own conference, and a division in the opposing conference on a rotating basis. Next year the Eagles and the rest of the NFC East are bestowed the gift of the NFC West. So at absolute worst, we're going 4-12.

Of course the NFC East also draws the AFC East next year meaning the Patriots and Jets are coming to Philly. Hey, at least we get the Bills.

At first lazy glance, I'm predicting 11-5 with losses to Dallas, NY Giants, Chicago, New England and Miami. Too early for a prediction, you say? Of course. But you know you did the same thing when you saw the graphic above. Hypocrite.

Tim Cowlishaw's Impeccable Description of Last Night's Game

Couldn't summarize Sunday's game any better. The JV Eagles aka the Chad Hall Show aka DeMarcus Ware's Prison Bitch lost by a point to the Stephen McGee-led Cowboys, 14-13. In other news: nobody gives a shit. The regular season is dead and the Birds need to figure out a way to keep Concussion Time from ruining their playoffs.

[Pulls inflated Butterscotch Krimpet Tastykake bag from microwave]

FUCK! HOT! TWENTY SECONDS WAS TOO LONG!!

A Venn Diagram of Fired NFL Coaches

The folks over at Tauntr have put together this little piece to commemorate the fourth in-season head coach firing of the year. Can't wait to see what it looks like after you add in Marvin Lewis, John Fox, Gary Kubiak, and Jeff Fisher. Wait, did I just use the word commemorate? I only hear that word on infomercials for irrationally-priced US coins or white guilt Obama plates.

Pfft, commemorate.

Eagles Fans in Boston Celebrate The Win

I really just can't get enough of this game. This little video comes from fabbi2007 apparently from an Eagles bar in Boston. The best part (besides the incredible euphoria I'm sure we all had during this moment) is at the :23 mark when someone yells "get down!" after DJax initially drops the ball. Good thing #10 didn't listen.

Cliff Lee.