The University of North Carolina is conducting an investigation into whether recruiting violations occurred during a visit from top high school prospect Iman Shumpert.

"Guard Iman Shumpert of Oak Park, Ill., told the [News &] Observer he spoke with and played pickup basketball against NBA players Raymond Felton, Sean May and Marvin Williams during his official visit. All three played for North Carolina's 2005 NCAA championship team.

'They were just using different ways to try and persuade me to go there, especially Sean May,' Shumpert told the InsideCarolina.com Web site, whose report led to UNC's review. The Web site is not affiliated with the university."

First of all, someone needs to tell recruits to shut up. Secondly, and I believe needless to say, UNC is a major basketball program. If they get hit with suspensions and what not, that could cause some waves come college basketball season in a few months.

That's how you know where you stand in the international world of rugby. Of course the United States was never going to contend for a World Cup title, but they still fought hard, and Eagles captain Mike Hercus thought it important to say so. After losing 64-15 to South Africa in their final World Cup pool match, the US captain said, "I'm very pleased with the guts from the guys, they just kept going." United States coach Peter Thorburn left Montpellier doling out praise as well: "My guys fought for every bit of ground. I am absolutely proud of them." It will be nice when they can be proud for winning.

Well, if you're a movie fan, then this would definitely be one. In the recent movie "The Game Plan," about 25 Arena Football League players appear as teammates, extras, and body-doubles. In fact, this is nothing new for the AFL, who routinely has players pop up in sports movies, including "Invincible," "The Longest Yard," "The Waterboy" and "Any Given Sunday." This article also has an interview with Los Angeles Avengers defensive lineman Silas Demary (an AFL Defensive Player of the Year and Lineman of the Year award recipient), one of the lucky AFLers that got to take his skills to Hollywood for this recent blockbuster hit.

Ethiopian runner Haile Gebrselassie won the Berlin marathon today in impressive form. As in going over 26 miles in 2 hours, 4 minutes, 26 seconds, breaking the world record. It takes that long to drive that far in bad LA traffic (sometimes even in bad Bay Area traffic)! So the next time you're in gridlock, make like Haile and run it instead.

The world record was previously held by Kenya's Paul Tergat, who ran the same Berlin course, one of the flattest marathon courses in the world, in 2:04:55. The winner of the women's race was also an Ethiopian, Gete Wami, who successfully defended her title with a time of 2:23:17.

I guess the Magic aren't used to it, but Stan Van Gundy has brought his intensity, and his screaming, to his new team's training camp.

The Orlando Sentinel quotes forward Rashard Lewis as saying, "He already told us, he's probably going to lose his voice before training camp ends. Today was a good example of that. Toward the end of the camp, he won't be able to scream at us because he already has screamed so much."

Maybe this is a good thing for this young squad. They're on the brink of a breakthrough, and perhaps Van Gundy's passion will ignite a fire under their feet. I sure hope so, because it would be an awful waste for Dwight Howard to be on a mediocre team for much longer (he still didn't get enough credit for that sticker dunk, but that's besides the point).

Recent reports have Novak Djokovic claiming that he was offered $200,000 to throw his first round match at St. Petersburg last year. He never actually ended up playing in the tournament, but the news fuels ongoing suspicions that tennis is an easy sport to fix (considering it primarily involves individuals who can intentionally lose with no real skepticism) and that fixing occurs more often than we know. Two Belgian players, Gilles Elseneer and Dick Norman, also disclosed that they too have been asked to tank. So where does it end? Who really knows, since we don't even know where it begins.

35-17 is all I have to say. That's an 18-point win. As in three possessions. So to Joey Porter and his big mouth that guaranteed a win over Oakland, take your measly three tackles and stick 'em where the sun doesn't shine. You should've known better than to challenge the Raider Nation like that.

As the new spokesperson for GoDaddy.com, Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson will do the "Go Daddy Dance" for his next end zone celebration. So you might wanna look for it tomorrow when Cincinnati plays the Patriots on Monday Night Football.

The dance was originally done by Go Daddy Girl Candice Michelle in a Super Bowl ad (pictured below). Now just in case you were thinking that Ocho Cinco is a total sellout with this new stunt (as I did at first), know that Go Daddy will be donating $50,000 to Feed the Children when Chad holds up his end of the bargain and does the dance.

Wonderfully noted by this article: "[$50,000] coincidentally is the same amount that Roger Goodell will fine him for performing an 'illegal celebration involving a non-approved commercial enterprise.'"

The United States team dominated in team matches and put up a decent showing in singles to win the 2007 Presidents Cup once again on Sunday.

The Americans celebrated another victory at Royal Montreal to again make a winner out of captain Jack Nicklaus and earn their first cup on international soil in 14 years.

Among the notable accomplishments: David Toms earned the most points and Scott Verplank won all four of his matches. However, Woody Austin took the prize for the biggest laughs, having fallen into a lake on the 14th hole on Friday, and subsequently wearing a swimming mask walking down the same fairway on Sunday. Nice to know he doesn't take himself too seriously.

It certainly would be a fitting end to a season of crazy upsets, and the Bears seem to have the inside track. After catapulting to their highest ranking in over fifty years in the latest AP Poll (that's No. 3 for those of you not paying attention), Cal looks to control their own destiny. With one of the two teams above them a member of the Pac-10, the mission seems simple and clear: Beat USC come November 10th and earn a trip to the national title game. However, this is contingent on the Trojans remaining unbeaten and near the top of the poll (and of course contingent on Cal remaining unbeaten before they play USC).

As of late, I haven't been particularly impressed with the play of the men in Berkeley. In fact, that seems to be the only place they play well: at home amongst the tree-sitters. But the way they fought back after being down 10-3 at the half in a hostile environment such as Autzen Stadium, in a huge game, against a tough squad, and on national television restored all my faith. These Bears are warriors.

Even if Cal escapes the season with only one loss, it could still mean a berth in the Rose Bowl. And quite frankly, if you ask any Bears fan, they'll say a trip to Pasadena would mean they died and went to heaven. It's barely October, and I can already smell the roses.

Veteran Ionut Tofan is out. And as a result, it appears Romania's hopes of securing their first win at the World Cup in France are as well. Tofan has been ruled out of the tournament with a ruptured bicep and subsequently replaced by Stefan Ciuntu.

Tofan is a veteran of the 1999 and 2003 World Cup tournaments and plays his club rugby in France at Second Division Limoges.

The 30-year-old, who can play at fly-half and centre, came off the bench during the 42-0 defeat against Scotland and injured himself while making a tackle.

After missing Saturday's win over Sevilla, Ronaldinho was the target of criticism by the media today. Blaming a problem with his right leg for his lack of participation, several newspapers had other ideas.

The Brazil striker and 2005 Footballer of the Year, who has been below par since the start of the season, had been seen in a night club until the early hours two days before Barcelona's mediocre goalless draw with Osasuna. Ronaldinho's social activities appear to be causing concern at Barcelona, with club president Joan Laporta saying they need to help him, and manager Frank Rijkaard calling on him to "react".

Since arriving in 2003, the 27-year-old has helped the club to two Spanish titles and the 2006 Champions League crown. But it appears that he may be headed for the door if he doesn't clean up his act. So is Ronaldinho out of control, or just enjoying the perks of fame?

As the weeks roll on and Brett Favre continues to break NFL records held by some of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game (i.e. John Elway, Dan Marino), I have to wonder what Favre's legacy will be.

Will Brett Favre go down as the greatest quarterback of all time, being the one that broke all the records, or will be simply be remembered as the longest tenured?

After all, he has played longer, and in more games, than almost any other quarterback. If you are a good quarterback (which Favre undoubtedly is), you are bound to break records if you play long enough, right? So will his legacy be his longevity, his toughness, his ability to perform on his sport's biggest stages even in the wake of old age, a struggling team, or hardest of all, a family tragedy? Or will it be reflected by his numerous records, those already held and those inevitably to come? It's hard to say, but I know one thing: he will always be remembered as a great warrior (and of course the greatest cheese head of them all).

And this one doesn't even have to do with his basketball ability. Turns out, Garnett is a seasoned sports fan, loving sports as diverse (and unpopular) as...soccer? Yes, Kevin Garnett is an avid soccer fan. Witness his reaction to Doc Rivers' announcement of some tickets he acquired for the Celtics (as printed in the Boston Herald):

"It seems that Rivers secured tickets for the team that second week [of the European preseason] to a game between the Premier League's best team, Arsenal, and Sunderland.

'Arsenal?' a stunned Garnett, sounding like a CYO kid offered tickets to a Celtics-Pistons game, asked of his new coach. 'Did you say Arsenaaaal?'"

Yeah, apparently the guy's into it. Who knew.

Octave was the heavy favorite. And Octave came in second. So who won? Bear Now, who won her fourth stakes of 2007 in Saturday's Fitz Dixon Cotillion Handicap at Philadelphia Park.

Bear Now overcame a threat in the early stretch from Octave to win the $750,000 race and to score the most important win of her career. Running the 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.21, Bear Now pulled away in the midstretch to win by two lengths, meanwhile improving her career record to 6 wins in 12 starts.