Brandon Sneed once again brings stories of people doing good things in the wonderful world of sports.
We have a half-Jack Russell Terrier, half-Pit Bull puppy named Jack. He’s pretty dumb. Sweetest dog ever, but dumber than the bugs he eats. No, seriously, he eats everything. Roaches. Plastic toys. Bras.
And then yesterday, he ate half his collar. My wife walks out into the living room, and there he is, half his collar in his mouth and the other half just gone, probably somewhere in his digestive system.
Like, what dog eats his collar?
I get home, and Katie tells me this, so I get ticked because I know we’re going to see the other half of that collar again, and probably in barf form because his stomach doesn’t really process these non-foods he likes to eat. And I’m going to have to clean that up in a couple days, probably when all my buddies get here for the weekend. So I turn to Jack and cuss at him, and I tell him that I’m going to punt him off our second-story apartment’s balcony and into the woods where you really belong, you stupid collar-eating ingrate, and then I start lecturing him.
“Why do you do these things!?” I say. “When you eat things that aren’t food, you barf them back up every single time! Why don’t you just STOP? I’d give you away but nobody would want you.”
You know, like he’s human and actually knows what I’m saying. And then he gets all remorseful and rolls on his back on top of my feet and then I feel stupid because I’m lecturing a puppy.
Of course, I didn’t punt Jack into the woods, and now he’s all snuggled up next to me on the couch, barking and wagging his tail in his sleep.
Anyway. Here are those sports people being good people. Remember how I said last week that GoodCall would grow up and become a website someday? Turns out that day was Tuesday of this week. It’s live, and it’s rocking, and we’re having us a big ol’ party over there, so make sure to check out HeyGoodCall.com. It has full versions of every story below, and some stories that didn’t show up here.
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Contrary to Predictions, Justin Bieber Did Not In Fact Get Spanked at Ludacris’s Charity Basketball Game | After some trash-talking in which the rapper Ludacris warned the pop star and possessor of superb hair Justin Bieber that he would get spanked at their Ludaday Celebrity Charity Basketball Game last weekend, Team Bieber took down Team Luda 134-132. Also playing in the game were NBA stars Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, and John Wall. Of course, the big winner was charity: More than $10,000 was raised for the Ludacris Foundation, which was created to inspire youth to take responsibility for their future. For the full story and for video, visit heygoodcall.com.
So This Kid Made 20,317 Shots Over Labor Day Weekend and that Raised Over $34,000 for Families of the KIA Navy SEALs | Whatever you did this Labor Day weekend, you lose compared to Will Thomas. The 12-year-old McLean, Va. resident started out with a goal to make 17,000 shots—layups not included—to raise $17,000, or a grand each for the 17 families of the Navy SEALs who were killed when their helicopter was shot down in Afghanistan. He ended up making 20,317 shots and raising over $34,000. It took him more than 50 hours. Video available here.
The Giants Are Doing Something Awesome For the 9/11 Anniversary | The New York Football Giants want fans to help them create a online mosaic to honor those who died in the Sept. 11, 2011 terrorist attacks. To be part of the mosaic all you have to do is visit gogiants.com and click “Add Me,” then connect with Twitter or Facebook. The picture will come together using users’ avatar pictures. And it’s really, really cool. When the mosaic becomes a completed work of art, the Giants will give it to Tuesday’s Children, a non-profit that provides support and resources to children impacted by 9/11 and others hurt by global terror.
A Farmworker/Cowboy Named JESUS Saved Some Drowning Dogs By Lassoing Them | Fifty-four year old farmworker Jesus Villenueva saw a sheriff’s deputy trying to lasso some drowning dogs to save them from the Rosa Canal in Moxee, Wash., and offered to give it a go. He’d worked on a cattle farm in Mexico many years earlier, and Villenueva quickly and easily snagged the canines and pulled them to safety. “I was amazed,” said the dogs’ owner, Noya Deats, who not-brightly let the dogs go swimming in the canal despite signs everywhere warning against exactly that. A strong undercurrent swept the dogs into the canal, which is bordered mostly by concrete walls that have nothing to grip and get slippery when wet. Full story here.
Arcade Fire Hosting Celebrity Charity Basketball Game this Saturday—and You Could Play, Too! | Arcade Fire singer, noted basketball fan, and confirmed tall person Win Butler (6-foot-4) is putting on the second annual Rock the Court tournament this Saturday, Sept. 10. Also competing will be City and Colour’s Dallas Green, plus NBA players Matt Bonner (San Antonio Spurs) and Spencer Hawes (Philadelphia 76ers) as well as NBA veterans Paul Shirley and Brent Barry.
You know who else could be playing? YOU! It’s $500 to register a team, which gives access to the celebrity draft, lots of prizes, and an after-party.
The tournament will take place at the University of Toronto and proceeds will be donated to Athletes for Africa and local children’s charity St. Alban’s Boys & Girls Club.
Interview: Tommy Tomlinson, Author of Sports Illustrated’s “Something Went Very Wrong at Toomer’s Corner” | Tomlinson wrote an insightful piece about Harvey Updyke, the overzealous Alabama football fan who poisoned the iconic oaks at Auburn’s Toomer’s Corner. He opens up to GoodCall in this original interview about how he landed the piece—his first freelance gig for SI—as well as how he worked, what he really thought of Updyke, and how Updyke really isn’t so different from all the rest of us sports fans.
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Thanks again for reading. You’re the best. As a thank-you, here’s a link to where you can stream the new Staind album for free: FreeMusicYay.
Happy weekend.
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