Meet Mr. Irrelevant 2009 - Ryan Succop

This year's Mr. Irrelevant (the last player selected in the NFL draft) is Ryan Succop (pronounced "suck-up"), the South Carolina Gamecocks placekicker who was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs with the 256th and final pick of the 2009 draft. Presumably he can expect to be celebrated (as the ultimate underdog) during Irrelevant Week, at which time he will be presented with The Lowsman Trophy (see photo at right).

The Unlikely Disciple

Yesterday we published an interview with Kevin Roose, author of the new book "The Unlikely Disciple." Along with the story is a link to what Roose describes as the "failed cover images" (those that were rejected) for the book cover. (Actual book cover image is pictured at right.)

2009 NFL draft

Today is a day Detroit Lions fans can get excited about. Of course, considering the Lions' history, the excitement may not last long.

Worst Media Moment of Obama's First 100 Days

Media Matters is asking readers to vote on the worst media moment of President Obama's first 100 days in office. It's not an easy decision as there are a dozen lowlights.

Fail: KTLK radio host Chris Baker falls for April Fools joke

In the department of 'I can't believe he said that on national television' ... On the April 14 edition of CNN’s Lou Dobbs Tonight, Minneapolis radio host Chris Baker actually said the following: “The craziest expenditure [of economic stimulus funds] I’ve seen so far is [Governor] Ed Rendell … hiring comics, magicians, and mimes … to cheer up the people of Pennsylvania.” Baker apparently obtained his information from an April 1 editorial by The Patriot-News of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, which, in an April Fools’ joke, announced that Rendell was going to spend $15 million of federal stimulus funds to hire all manner of street performers to change the mood in the state.

Fail: Courtney Paris

Tonight the University of Oklahoma’s women’s basketball team was upset by Louisville, 61-59, in the semifinals of the NCAA tournament. This is an issue for Oklahoma center Courtney Paris, who, a month ago today, guaranteed that the Sooners would win the national championship - and that if they failed to do so, she would repay the cost of her entire four-year athletic scholarship (worth $64,000 or so). The question is: Will the university allow her to repay the money?

"Do you love sex...? Isn't that why you called?"

Golden Temple, a natural foods and beverage company based in Eugene, Oregon, has been having a rough time of it lately. Back in February it announced a nationwide voluntary recall of two lots of its peanut cashew bars due to potential salmonella contamination. And earlier this week the Associated Press reported that Golden Temple had to re-do the packaging for its Peace Cereal, after a typo in an 800 number on Peace boxes resulted in callers reaching a phone sex line instead of Golden Temple.

Woz's Last Dance

I missed last night's Dancing With the Stars, but checked the Mercury News Web site this morning, only to discover that Steve Wozniak (and dancing partner Holly Madison) were eliminated last night - the geek-driven ballot stuffing no longer enough to keep them alive. According to Woz, they deserved to be eliminated. “This is a great show, a great process, a great voting system even, and the right thing happen[ed],” he said.