Game Plan
• WATCH
NFL Scouting Combine
If there were football Olympics, this would be the septathlon—seven events thatcan make or break a pro career. The NFL Network will air four days of liveworkouts beginning this Saturday; nearly 300 players will be in Indy to jockeyfor spots in the draft. The one with the most to gain (or lose)? Georgia QBMatthew Stafford, the favorite to be the top pick.
• WATCH
The Ride of Their Lives
Kevin Costner narrates this DVD documentary on the history of NASCAR. But themost memorable sound bites come from the men who made the sport, includingRichard Petty and Bobby Allison, who in a gut-wrenching segment recalls losingtwo sons. NASCAR's entire history can't be told in 90 minutes, but directorRory Karpf comes close.
• SAY
No to drugs...
with the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals. Their game against the Rockford IceHogs thisThursday will be Don't Be Like Mike Night—as in alleged pot smoker MichaelPhelps. Graduates of a DARE program (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) get infor $2, and the team will provide a shredder so fans can destroy embarrassingphotos. No doubt the joint will be jumping.
• FOLLOW
NBA trade deadline
It's mid-February, so trade rumors must be swirling around Vince Carter. TheNets guard wasn't dealt last year after much talk that he would be. Will hestill be a Net after this Thursday's deadline? The Cavs, Mavs, Rockets andSpurs have reportedly discussed deals for him. All the trades—proposed andconsummated—will be broken down on NBA TV.
• COOK
With NASCAR moms
What fueled the young Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon? Martha Earnhardt(Junior's grandma) and Carol Gordon Bickford (Jeff's mom) answer in Pit Stop ina Southern Kitchen, a collection of homespun recipes. Because nothing gets youready for a 500-mile drive like some pecan-crusted spinach artichoke dip, aplate of beef porcupines and a slab of Sun-Drop pound cake.
The Pop CultureGrid
How do sports stars fit in? | Kelly Clarkson, Katy Perry or Taylor Swift | Favorite thing to chew | What hurts right now | Reality show on which you'd like to guest star | _____ spends too much time looking in the mirror |
RYAN SHECKLER Skateboarder | Taylor Swift (left) | Wrigley's spearmint gum | My elbow | Nitro Circus | Me |
JEFF FOSTER Pacers F | Katy Perry (top) | Jalapeño beef jerky | My back | The Apprentice | Teammate Danny Granger |
BLAKE WHEELER Bruins RW | Taylor Swift | Sunflower seeds | My forearm | The Real World | A lot of guys in our locker room |
DEREK BOOGAARD Wild LW | Katy Perry | Gum | My upper body | The Real World | Josh Harding and Cal Clutterbuck |
INSIDE THE GRID
Sheckler, who is also the star of MTV's reality showThe Life of Ryan, even annoys himself with his primping: "I take forever toget ready, and it sucks." Boogaard chides two Wild teammates for theirvanity, saying, "I don't know why Josh is in the mirror, but Clutterbuck(above) thinks he's a soap opera star." Foster marvels at one teammate'spregame narcissism: "Granger's always in the mirror lining up his hair withclippers before games."
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DAMIAN STROHMEYER (STAFFORD)
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DAMIAN STROHMEYER (WHEELER)
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MTV (DVD)
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LOU CAPOZZOLA (CARTER)
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ARNOLD TURNER/WIREIMAGE/GETTY IMAGES (PERRY)
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BRUCE KLUCKHOHN/NHLI/GETTY IMAGES (BOOGAARD)
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BRUCE KLUCKHOHN/NHLI/GETTY IMAGES (CLUTTERBUCK)
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PETER READ MILLER (SHECKLER)
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DANNY MOLOSHOK/REUTERS (SWIFT)
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BRIAN KERSEY/AP (GUM)
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RON HOSKINS/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES (FOSTER)
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ALI GOLDSTEIN/NBC UNIVERSAL INC. (TRUMP)
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MANNY MILLAN (SEEDS)
TWO PHOTOS