I hate to even bring up this name… this name that has received so much attention it’s ridiculous. A name that brings excitement, anger, and fascination. But I have to. That’s what Brett Favre does to us.

Is it just me, or does the news with Favre never even really seem like news anymore? Even today, when I read that he’s had successful surgery and has met with Eric Sugarman from the Vikings again, I think: Didn’t he already do this? Didn’t he already sign with the Vikings? Isn’t it a done deal?

But this is the thing. Is it ever really a done deal with Favre? He’s kept us speculating so much these last few years that even when I hear a genuine (fresh) news item now, I think it’s old hat.

Here’s the next date we look for when it comes to Favre: July 31st. Either he’ll be in Mankato, Minnesota wearing a purple jersey… or he’ll announce his retirement. Again.

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Kayne West is digging tennis right now. He’s said that it’s his “new thing.” So much so that he approached Serena Williams on Sunday to give a few strong hints that perhaps she should teach him a thing or two about the game.

He caught up with Serena at London’s Paramount club and congratulated her on the beating sisters Venus in the final. That’s when he suggested that he’d like to get a few lessons from her. Or maybe he was just being nice? Or that he kinda digs her? Who knows, but if he IS serious about learning the game of tennis, why not do it from the best?

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Twitter has taken over the world! In the world of sports, athletes are either fighting with people posing as themselves and sending false messages, or they are embracing it full force. For the Cincinnati Bengals Chad Johnson (or “Ocho Cinco” as he prefers to be called), Twitter helps connect him to the fans.

Ocho Cinco gave an interview recently where he said he plans on Twittering a lot during the upcoming football season. He said the site allows him to chat with thousands of fans at once and that it’s “big” for him. Never one to miss out on a marketing opportunity, he also said he’s going to develop his own application where fans and “interact and follow” him.

Now here’s where it gets interesting. He said he’s going to be “using Twitter during games, during halftime, after the games. I’m going to be taking it to the next level.”

Athletes are getting into trouble when they use Twitter during games or in the locker room. Coaches worry that they are taking their mind off the game by texting on Twitter, and perhaps even giving out some team secrets they shouldn’t.

I personally love the idea of a football player Twittering to his heart’s content. Of course if a guy on my favorite team decided to Tweet about the game and then ended up playing poorly, I might not feel that way.

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Julie Henderson might have go the heave ho from music mogul Russell Simmons, but she’s not letting that stop her from romance. When Simmons dumped Henderson (23) in favor of 29-year old model Noemie Lenoir, she then moved on to Green Bay Packer quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The two were spotted having a romantic meal together.

This is good for Rodgers, who hasn’t made headlines except to be “Brett Favre’s replacement” and have folks wondering about his health. Could Henderson be a good luck charm? Could she help give Rodgers confidence so the Pack could actually have a winning season this year? One can only hope.

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You don’t have to sing the praises of Twitter to Lance Armstrong. He already knows that the social media site is a great way to get your message across. Like any smart marketer, he also knows how to use it.

Armstrong announced that he will “provide real-time updates from the 2009 Tour de France which begins July 4 and runs through July 26.” He says he wanted to make sure people could get a sense of the tour directly from him via his unedited updates. All updates will be make available though the Livestrong.com site.

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The real estate market has been tough for all of us, especially NBA star and Milwaukee native Latrell Sprewell, who is facing foreclosure on his home in Milwaukee. He hasn’t made a mortgage payment since November and the bank (Harris National Association) is pushing for foreclose on the $920,000 loan. The home, located on E. Hampshire Street in Milwaukee, is described as “a 5,200-square-foot, 70-year-old mansion with six bedrooms and four fireplaces. It is assessed at nearly $1.1 million.”

This isn’t the first time Sprewell has encountered financial troubles. His home in River Hills, a Milwaukee suburb, has been foreclosed on twice. In 2008, he also stop making payments on a yacht.

Five years ago Sprewell made headlines for refusing a “three-year, $21 million contract offer” which he thought was insulting. He spent 13 years in the NBA and retired in 2005.

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The death of Michael Jackson has shocked and touched many fans. Now, it’s even caused one Canadian Football League (CFL) player to get a fine. Toronto Argonauts receiver Arland Bruce wanted to honor Michael Jackson after scoring on a 21-yard pass. When I say “honor” Michael Jackson you’d think I meant dance around imitating his moves, right?

But no, that’s not what he did.

Instead, he took off his “helmet, shoulder pads and uniform top, then laid down in the end zone.” He was honoring Michael Jackson by pretending to be dead.

Refs gave him “two objectionable conduct penalties” and a fine for an undisclosed amount.

My thought is that perhaps the fine wasn’t so much for celebration as it was for bad taste. You think?

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When I say David and Victoria Beckham “pose” for Armani, what I really mean is that they are stripping down to their underwear, greasing up their bods, and appearing in the hottest ads the designer has probably done. The two are pairing up in a series of black and white, provocative shots that were shot by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott.

In the pictures, each has Armani underwear on with little else. The ads will appear on billboards and in fashion magazines.

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Philadelphia Eagle Donovan McNabb has been in a quite a few commercials over the last few years, most notably the Campbell’s soup spots. Now he’ll be doing a commercial for IHOP which will air in August. The dish he’ll be promoting is called the “QB Scramble.” (Cheesy names sell, people!) I know I’d have to at least try it. I’m guessing it has something to do with eggs - ya think?

McNabb has had a pretty lucrative career when it comes to endorsement deals. He’s represented Nike, Verizon Wireless, and Air Tran, among others. I say, take it while you can, Donovan.

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Anna Kournikova has gotten a lot of flack over the last few years as the tennis player who never plays tennis. Instead, we see her on TV and in music videos. (Not a bad life, if you ask me.)

Well now, she’ll be known as the tennis star who gets into bar fights. Apparently “an unidentified woman threw a drink” at her while she was in Vegas at Lavo. She was at the Hardbat Classic table tennis tournament (at least it’s related to tennis…. sort of) and some woman came up to her and tossed a drink in her face. Nasty.

But Anna was no push over. She “starting screaming at the woman and shoving her.” The two got into a fight (girl fight!) and the woman got kicked out, not before she managed to leave Anna with some big scratch marks on her.

What’s the lesson here? She may be gorgeous with lots of pretty blonde hair, but don’t mess with Kournikova!

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