• Field Trips

    When We Were Kings: One Night At Rick's Cabaret

    "I don't get the Derek Jeter thing, " one dancer named Julianne says from across a four top table in the dimly lit dining room of Rick's Cabaret. "He's so normal looking." Two other girls, Holly and, oh, I don't know remember what her name was — Bambi, maybe?— agree. "Yes, he's really not that handsome." This was the extent of the "athlete" conversations we had with the dancers, three of them, sitting around our table, boobs and bubble-headedness on full display. It was tough to get the girls to talk about the professional athletes they've had has clients. Most were willing to go there, but simply couldn't remember any names, or teams, or what day of the week it was. I've interviewed strippers before and, like all humans, some are brighter than others. Some keep careful track of the notable names and faces that they meet. Others could give a lap dance to the president and won't treat him different than any other dude waving a $20 — unless they're told to. Special treatment is a directive passed down from the host of the club. Athletes are the whales in these places and on Monday night, we played that role. Granted, it could only go so far, because everyone in the club could tell that we were just a couple of idiots playing dress-up. The staff happily obliged, though, and we experienced for one night what Rick's Cabaret is like for those with athlete celebrity status and disposable income. More »

    2:30 PM on Wed Nov 12 2008
    By DAULERIO
    37,218 views, 54 comments

    Most discussed nebakanezer: Caitlin Davis just found a job! more »

  • Field Trips

    A Night Out With Linda Cohn

    The first thing you notice about Linda Cohn is the voice. It’s a definitive Long Island accent, so pronounced, it sounds like someone doing a bad Long Island accent impersonation. “Coffee Talk” in the flesh. And she laughs a lot. A giddy, crazy laugh that ‘s a bit jarring. We met in the lobby of the Sheraton Hotel on Tuesday night to go on our “date” as some sort of convoluted scheme I cooked up to help promote her book. She shook my hand like a professional. The book, from what I’ve read, is much different than what I expected. It’s a very personalized memoir that covers all aspects of her life and her eventual ascent to ESPN prominence. It’s a little uncomfortable to read about Linda Cohn’s love life and the unraveling of her marriage. But, you know, that’s why I figured a date would be appropriate. She’s newly single, I’m newly single, let’s let the ponies roam, right? More »

    6:00 PM on Thu Sep 11 2008
    By DAULERIO
    28,365 views, 111 comments

    Most discussed smush: For future reference, if you are ever wandering the streets of NYC and get hit with a sudden need to more »

  • DUAN!

    A Slanted And Semi-Enchanted Evening With Linda Cohn


    This photo was taken by Gawker photog Roger West who was assigned to photograph my big date in New York City with ESPN's Linda Cohn, who's doing press for her book, "Cohn Head: A No-Holds-Barred Account of Breaking Into the Boys' Club". She's a classy lady and one who appreciated my attempts at wooing her: Flowers. A hearty meal. Wine. A $12 tie. More »

    5:45 PM on Wed Sep 10 2008
    By DAULERIO
    23,887 views, 600 comments

    Most discussed I Party With Smoot: Ok. Here goes. I'm 27. When I was around 20/21, I had a really close friend who was around 16/17. She more »

  • Field Trips

    There Is Access Right There In Front Of The Croissant Table


    This morning I attended the "ESPN NFL Kickoff Breakfast and Session with George Bodenheimer" in New York at the Bryant Park Hotel where " executives, producers and on-air commentators " were made "available to discuss the upcoming season..." and I still don't know why.

    I phoned Leitch about coming into New York today for this "ESPN breakfast thing" and was vague about the details and it wasn't until I was in the downstairs Cellar Bar, with its dungeon-y looking chandeliers at the Bryant Park Hotel staring into the gleaming eyes of ESPN's Executive Senior Vice President of Studio and Event Production, Norby Williamson (Norby!), counting his teeth, firmly gripping his hand, that I realized maybe I'd fluttered too close to the damn sun. This was a "press event" to the nth degree, with a roomful of ESPN's top brass and a most of the Monday Night Football crew here to officially "kickoff" the new season: There's Ron Jaworski laughing like a Sesame Street character. There's Tirico looking like a bank owner. There's Cris Carter looking surly and confused. No Kornheiser. This is dangerous, unsettling ground. This is "access."

    I should really take more time to read press releases. Or, better, not read them at all. More »

    3:20 PM on Tue Aug 19 2008
    By DAULERIO
    10,496 views, 112 comments

    Latest by ghostsoftheSCupcountry: Just saw this and wish to add: FUCK tWWL and FUCK YOU NORBY! AJ, you should be ashamed. more »

  • field trips

    Our Field Trip To Madison Square Garden


    For the third consecutive year, in the tradition of batting against John Rocker and playing touch football with Andre Rison and Kordell Stewart, we accepted an invitation from the fine folks at "Pros Vs. Joes" to — get ready — play two-on-two hoops against Charles Oakley and Charles Smith. At Madison Square Garden. We were wearing a specialty-made Jeffrey Jordan "jersey" our father got us for Christmas; Daulerio, a brave man, donned a Tyrone Hill jersey. How'd we do? Come, join us after the jump. And by "jump," since we're talking about us, we mean "rising three inches off the floor." More »

    6:43 PM on Wed Jan 23 2008
    By Leitch
    30,932 views, 1275 comments

    Latest by The Great Gondorff: I see will has never heard of mesh shorts. more »

  • field trips

    Our Rick Ankiel Weekend

    It really has been bizarre to watch the reaction to Rick Ankiel's triumphant return to St. Louis as a power-hitting outfielder. We understand that it's an inspiring story — obviously — but it's still odd to see a guy we've been quietly stalking following for seven years now suddenly leading newscasts. As we mentioned on Friday, it's like turning on CNN and seeing a Breaking News Alert: "Mattoon, Illinois to open second Hardee's store." We're touched that everyone suddenly cares ... but Rick's ours, you know?

    Not for long, as the guy above shows: By Friday's game, people were writing Ankiel's name on the back of their shirts, and by Sunday, we actually saw our first legitimate "ANKIEL 24" jersey. We are glad the gift is being shared with the world ... but this kind of intense media attention is kind of what started this whole mess in the first place.

    That said, we can't help but contribute to the problem. By pure happenstance, our yearly visit to Busch Stadium coincided with Ankiel's first games as a Cardinals outfielder. After the jump, a mostly incomplete and fuzzy report of our trip, specifically Saturday's game, in which Ankiel hit two homers and a middle-aged woman nearly stuck her finger in our anus. More »

    2:20 PM on Mon Aug 13 2007
    By Leitch
    13,957 views, 114 comments

    Latest by badead1: If we replace the chick with the bib with every Cubs team since 1908...then we have something here. Ponder along. more »

  • field trips

    Our Visit To The Hot Dog Eating Championships


    As mentioned yesterday, we headed to Coney Island for the epic Kobayashi-Chestnut duel. We can't imagine a better way to spend our Fourth of July. A confession: For the first time since we started the site, we accepted a press pass for the event. It was a tough call, but, frankly, we feel rather comfortable that our association with The International Federation Of Competitive Eating is not something that will force us to compromise our integrity in the future.

    It was a full day, and we were there at 8 a.m. to document all the madness. After the jump, the tale of our immersion into the world of moist sausage. More »

    2:30 PM on Thu Jul 5 2007
    By Leitch
    21,457 views, 151 comments

    Latest by Trackback: Yay! An American beat the Japanese Guy in the Hot Dog Eating Contest....wait what did that announcer just say?You've more »

  • field trips

    Our Interview With Harold Reynolds

    Friday afternoon, we accepted an invitation to MLB.com's offices in Manhattan for an interview with ... Harold Reynolds. This is the first SHOTY nominee we've interviewed — save for the imaginary conversations with Barbaro that go on in our head every day — and we talked for about an hour on a variety of topics, most of which involved ESPN and Reynolds' ongoing lawsuit against the company. More »

    2:00 PM on Mon Jun 18 2007
    By Leitch
    40,377 views, 143 comments

    Latest by The Kurt Rambii: Two men; two radically different visions for how denim should be worn. more »

  • aj daulerio is the balls

    Deadspin Field Trip: The AJ Daulerio Going Away Roast


    About a month ago, our own AJ Daulerio wrote, in his Cultural Oddsmaker column, that he dreamed of one day having a roast in his honor. Little did he know that the wheels were already in motion for that very thing. More »

    2:00 PM on Tue Feb 27 2007
    By Leitch
    11,085 views, 115 comments

    Latest by shtickless: Does this mean I have to start reading Philadelphia magazine? more »

  • field trips

    Deadspin Field Trip: Our Battle With Slash And Bad Moon

    Last year around this time, thanks to a promotion for that "Pros Vs. Joes" show on Spike that no one we know watches, we strapped on a helmet and batted against John Rocker. That trip worked out so well for everybody that they asked us if we'd be interested in heading to Grand Central Station in New York City this morning and playing a little two-on-two against — of all people — Kordell Stewart and Andre Rison. More »

    2:15 PM on Wed Jan 24 2007
    By Leitch
    10,149 views, 186 comments

    Latest by Trackback: It looks like former NFL star Andre Rison can now join the likes of Scottie Pippen in the category of more »