The Beat
In May, 2K Sports,maker of NBA 2K7, announced that it had fixed a glitch in the video game, whichis due in stores Sept. 25: After users complained that Steve Nash's long hairdidn't "flow" properly in NBA 2K6, the graphics of the Suns guard'strademark mane were made more realistic. The game designers have more work cutout for them. Last week the NBA MVP showed up at a basketball camp in Vancouverwith his head shaved (below, left). "I don't really have a rhyme orreason," he said. "I felt like taking it off." Nash should beprepared for stares from startled fans. The man who used to look like PeteMaravich on the court is now more reminiscent of Andrae Gonzalo (above, right),one of the designer finalists on season two of NBC's fashion reality show,Project Runway.
• In 26 years ofacting Tom Hanks has never done a road-trip flick, but for turning 50 on July9, Hanks gave himself a birthday present of a luxury bus tour of major leagueparks with his good buddies Dennis Miller and Ron Howard. "The onlyrequisite," said Hanks, "is that you have to be a baseball fan andfunny to get on the bus." The excursion kicked off at Baltimore's CamdenYards (Hanks led an O-R-I-O-L-E-S chant while there), hit Pittsburgh's PNC Parkthe next day and stopped at Cincinnati's Great American Ballpark on the 19th.Hanks, who sold peanuts and soda during A's games at Oakland--Alameda CountyColiseum as a high schooler, wouldn't say where the trio's next stop would be,but he did seem to have his eyes set on the brand-new Busch Stadium. "Tomis so influential," Miller said, "he's arranged a St. Louis Brownsgame."
• It's official:The Clippers' days as a punchline franchise are over. In the movie Resurrectingthe Champ, which will hit theaters next year, Josh Hartnett plays a reporterwho is searching for a retired boxer. In a scene being filmed last week, thescript called for Hartnett to mention how much his six-year-old son (played byDakota Goyo) loves the Clippers--and for another character (Alan Alda) toremark that the kid should find a less "pathetic" team to follow. ButHartnett, an NBA fan, knew the line no longer rings true: The Clips made theirfirst playoff appearance in nine years last season and took the Suns to aseventh game in the Western Conference semifinals. Hartnett called for arewrite--and his celluloid son is now a Trail Blazers fan.
• Will Ferrell hasbeen a race car driver (in Talladega Nights, in theaters on Aug. 4), a soccercoach (Kicking and Screaming) and a figure skater (in Blades of Glory, to bereleased next year), and he's already eyeing his next sports role. Ferrellrecently told The Dallas Morning News that he'd like to spend some time on thehardwood in a comedy about the American Basketball Association. "There'splenty of stuff to work with from that league," he said.
PICTURE THIS
You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make himsink. At least that's the hope of these jockeys at the German Derby in Hamburg,where competitors had to navigate a water hole during the Seejagdrennen(roughly, the "sea steeplechase") event. (Think of it as the Run forthe Hoses.) The race was won by German jockey Dirk Fuhrman (in the purplesilks) and his mount, Helmac, who clearly loves a wet track.
SIGN OF THE APOCALYPSE
A jockey in England is being investigated for allegedlyhead-butting his horse.
They Said It
TAYLOR TANKERSLEY, Marlins 23-year-old rookie reliever,on the team's successful young pitchers:
"We don't know a lot, but so far it's working forus. I'm young and dumb, and I want to keep it that way as long as Ican."
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MARTIN ROSE/BONGARTS/GETTY IMAGES (PICTURE THIS)
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DOUG DUKANE/MLB PHOTOS/GETTY IMAGES (TANKERSLEY)
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JOHN SHEARER/WIREIMAGE.COM (GONZALO)
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JEFF VINNICK/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES (NASH)