Panthers Take Cam Newton #1 Overall

With the first pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Carolina Panthers select...Cam Newton, quarterback from Auburn University.  That's how it went Thursday night in Radio City Music Hall in New York City, as the NFL kicked off their 2011 draft.  In Newton's interview following his selection he mentioned "it's a great feeling to be a Carolina Panther," and that "It's time to get to work now."  Newton's first overall selection makes him the 3rd straight quarterback to be selected number one overall, and the 15th taken first in the last 25 years.

Newton really may not have been the surprise of the night though, as others like Jake Locker (QB-Washington) and Aldon Smith (DE-Missouri) were drafted much earlier than projected.  Also, projected early pick Da'Quan Bowers, from Clemson fell completely out of the first round and will have to wait until tomorrow to hear his name called.  Here is a recap of the first round:

Play of the Week...

This weeks play goes to Lionel Messi of Barcelona as he shredded the Real Madrid defense last night.  Five defenders and a goalie?...No problem for Messi:

Air France Flys French National Hockey Team to the Wrong Country

Oops...Air France, who chartered the French national hockey team's recent flight to the World Championships, decided to fly the team to the wrong country.  Instead of landing in Slovakia, the team got a nice little vacation to beautiful Poland, before figuring out they were in the wrong place.

Luckily for the team, they landed in Krakow which is only a mere 185 miles from Kosice, where the championship is taking place.  Instead of flying them the rest of the way, or because the hockey team was fed up with the national airline, the team boarded a bus for the 3 hour drive.  At least Air France managed to do one thing right...all the teams bags made it safely to Poland with them...

Links...

The Madden 2011 voting is officially over...and the new player on the cover is...

A 99-year old woman got the birthday present of a lifetime yesterday...

To continue tradition, if you have $63,000 lying around, log-on to ebay for this item...

Oh boy...even Tommy Tuberville is a "birther."  Guess we should have guessed...he does coach in Lubbock, Texas.

And our haircut of the week goes to Tony Allen of the Memphis Grizzlies...

Our Fan of the Week...

Johannes Schneider, the founder of the Winthrop student's fan club, is such a great fan of the university that he asked Big Stuff (the Eagle's mascot) to walk him down the aisle of his wedding.  Only Schneider, his bride, and the parents of the two knew about the special guest for the wedding.  Even Big Stuff, who has only revealed his last name (Waters) was surprised by the request, but eventually agreed to the super-fan's idea.

Schneider is such a big fan of the university that he attended every game last season with his torso fully painted, while only wearing the team's flag for pants.  The Snider Sports Network salutes Schneider for his dedication to Winthrop University, as our Fan of the Week!

Play of the Week...and Blooper of the Week

This weeks Play of the Week takes us to a Division II baseball game in Tennessee, where the pick-off move was taken to a whole new level.  The pitcher pretended to throw the ball to 2nd base to pick of the runner, when he in fact kept the ball in his glove.  With great acting from the shortstop, 2nd baseman, and the pitcher, then runner took off to 3rd, where he was easily thrown out.  Here's the video:

This weeks Blooper of the Week comes to us courtesy of Baylor Forward Quincy Acy, as he attempts to write a paper for one of his classes.  When realizing that he can't spell, and when spell check doesn't have answers, Acy decided to take his issues to Twitter and ask the entire world for help.  Here is his Tweet:

We'll give Acy some credit though, at least he is still in school and going to class...that's a lot more than some college athletes can say.

Links...

At least one Woods' family member still knows how to win a golf tournament...

Dwight Howard won his 3rd consecutive NBA Defensive Player of the Year award...

Today, North Carolina freshman star Harrison Barnes announced his plans for next year...

The Madden 2012 cover will come down to either Michael Vick, or this surprising player...

And finally, even famous NFL players are struggling to find places to practice during the lockout...

Nascar Step Aside...Professional Chair Racing is Here

Have you always dreamt of becoming a professional athlete...but lacked the whole 'athlete' part?  Do you have fond memories of sliding down hallways and spinning endlessly in swivel chairs?  If you answered yes to either question, we have the sport for you.  Thanks to our friends in Germany, we now have a whole new genre of sport: professional chair racing.

In order to compete with the best of the best though, you'll have to work hard on your downhill 200-meter chair times.  The current record, which was just set, is held by Luxembourger Pierre Feller, who raced down the course in an astonishing 26.95 seconds...which is about 22 miles per hour.  

I don't know if professional chair racing will hit it big in America, but thanks again to our wonderful European friends, we have a new sport to awe and laugh at.

Another Trick Shot Video...

We've seen trick shot videos from quarterbacks, basketball players, kickers, and even long-snappers....but here is a whole genre, soccer player trick shots.  Here is UNC Asheville's goalkeeper, Lassi Hurskainen with his trick shot video: