Sexy Dinara Safina as knee injury flares up

Knee problem: Dinara Safina, of Russia, struggled on the way to her first-round singles victory against Lourdes Dominguez Lino

A 7-5, 6-3 defeat of Spain's Lourdes Dominguez Lino on Court No 1 was not as comfortable as expected and Safina's long-term participation in this tournament could be in doubt after her knee injury flared up in the second set.

"I have been having problems for two months with my left knee and at the end of the second set it was too painful," she said, although she refused to entertain suggestions that it might force her to withdraw.

Her ranking may be safe whatever her performance this fortnight but Safina needs to lift a major title, after being the bridesmaid in Melbourne and Paris, and renounce membership of the exclusive club she shares with Jelena Jankovic – they are the two players who have been No 1 and not won a grand slam.

Last month's defeat in Roland Garros by Svetlana Kuznetsova still haunts Safina, who has not watched the match. "I have to forget it," she says. "It's not the way I want to play but on the other hand I need to remember what I did wrong. I made the same mistake two years in a row, getting stressed on the day before, so maybe third time I will learn."

A victory that took 1hr 41min over a player ranked 72 in the world does not send out the statement of intent she might have hoped for, especially as she is yet to reach the second week in seven previous visits to SW19. She might, however, take heart from her brother Marat, himself a former world No 1, who made his only semi-final appearance at Wimbledon 12 months ago at the ninth time of asking.

Even though Serena Williams has stopped questioning Safina's right to top billing, saying on Monday that she has been "really consistent in the last couple of months", the No 2 seed will not be too worried about the Russian's form with sister Venus lying in wait should Safina make it as far of the semi-finals.

Ultimately, however, players are remembered for the trophies they collect, not the ranking points, but Safina needs to take one match at a time, with 33 year-old Paraguayan Rossana De Los Rios next up.

Former world No 1 Ana Ivanovic survived a scare to defeat the Czech Republic’s Lucia Hradecka late on Tuesday night. The 13th seed from Serbia saved two match points as she came through 5-7, 6-2, 8-6 to set up a meeting with Italy’s Sara Errani.

VWilliams beats Bondarenko at Wimbledon

WIMBLEDON, England – Even on one good leg, Venus Williams is tough to beat at Wimbledon.

The five-time champion wore a strap on her left knee Thursday but still advanced to the third round by beating Kateryna Bondarenko 6-3, 6-2.

The tournament favorite, Williams has been hampered by knee trouble in the past, but there was no indication of a problem this week until she walked onto sunny Court 1 bandaged from mid-calf to mid-thigh.

Williams let out a yelp when she appeared to pull up on a backhand in the third game, perhaps because of the knee. Otherwise she moved across the grass freely, charging forward to pounce on short balls. She won 17 points at the net to two for Bondarenko.

The No. 3-seeded Williams lost only six points on her serve, two on double-faults. She slammed three aces in her first service game and finished with six.

She was just as ferocious with her returns. When one serve came at Williams slower than a lorry on the motorway, she eagerly stepped into the court, took a lusty swing and hit a winner.

That took her to set point in the first set, and she whacked another big return on the next point to win the set. There was no letup from there, and she swept the final four games.

Joining Williams in the third round was French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, who beat Pauline Parmentier 6-1, 6-3 in 59 minutes. No. 18-seeded Samantha Stosur rallied past qualifier Tatjana Malek 4-6, 7-6 (6), 6-4.

Winners in men's play included No. 20 Tomas Berdych, No. 26 Jurgen Melzer and No. 31 Victor Hanescu.

Williams' younger sister, budding scriptwriter Serena, advanced to the third round by beating Jarmila Groth 6-2, 6-1. Serena is seeking her third Wimbledon title and her first since 2003.

"I should have won more than twice here," she said. "Hopefully I can rectify that this year."

The victory took only 57 minutes, leaving Williams with lots of time to get back to the TV script treatment she has in the works.

"You'll be excited to know I wrote three parts already," she said. "I was going to do it (Tuesday), but I started watching `Dexter' and I got a little sidetracked. You know what, today's a good day. I can write. For me it's really about being in the mood, and how I'm feeling."

Williams said the script borrows from some of her favorite shows, including "Desperate Housewives," "Sex and the City" and "Family Guy."

Williams always keeps busy. She's an actress, a clothing designer and the winner of 10 Grand Slam titles, most recently this year's Australian Open. She writes a blog — in one entry this week, she complained about Wimbledon rules prohibiting food in the players' locker rooms. She has a ghostwritten autobiography due this year.

And now she wants to write for television.

"Definitely for TV," she said. "I don't know how good I would be at writing a movie. But I just love to write."

Sister Venus gave her a book on script writing to help. Serena's agent also offered advice.

And how would she craft a script of the Serena Williams story?

"There are definitely so many options," she said. "I think I would open a scene holding a championship, and then I would rewind time. I think those stories are told well."

One possible Wimbledon plot has Williams facing Venus in the final.

"I wouldn't want anything less for me or for my sister," Serena said.

Sexy? Yes. Megan Fox says it's part of "Transformers"

Two years ago few people knew her face, much less her name. But now Megan Fox of "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen," is among Hollywood's hottest actresses whose sex appeal has won millions of fans.

While many of the 23-year-old's peers might want to avoid the label "sex symbol" for fear it would obscure their acting talent, Fox, whose new "Transformers" sequel debuts in theaters on Wednesday, is just the opposite.

She thinks being sexy has its advantages. It helped get Fox her start in 2007's original, big-budget action flick "Transformers" from director Michael Bay, and that has led her to her other parts where she is now achieving what she set out to do in Hollywood -- become a real actress.

"Women in movies, in general, are sexy -- especially in Michael's movies. And if you want to make movies that people want to see, that's part of it. That's part of the formula," Fox told reporters at a recent news conference.

Bay, who was sitting with her, chimed in: "It's called summer fun. It's a robot movie."

"Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" is based on the popular toys and cartoons about shape-shifting cars which morph into "autobots" that fight alien "decepticons" who want to control Earth. In the 2007 movie, the decepticons got thrashed in the final battle. Now, they're back to avenge their losses.

The effects-filled movies are aimed mostly at young men, and with that in mind Bay hired the attractive brunette from Tennessee to co-star as the movie's main love interest, Mikaela Banes, who favors tight jeans and even tighter t-shirts.

OPENING SHOT, OPENING DOORS

Bay, ever willing to indulge fan tastes, has made sure Fox's first appearance in "Revenge of the Fallen" has an impact. As Mikaela, the lanky actress is filmed from behind, sprawled on a motorcycle in hotpants and motorcycle boots.

"We got that first shot out of the way, just to get it out for the young boys...and moved on," Bay said.

Before 2007, most of Fox's work had been small parts on TV and in movies, but fan buzz from the smash hit "Transformers" ($700 million global box office) catapulted her to stardom.

"The movie, its success and how well it was received has opened a lot of doors for me, career-wise," Fox said.

Fox wants to be more than just a pretty face in Hollywood's next big action flick, and when "Transformers" "opened a lot of doors" for her, she took advantage.

She will soon star opposite Oscar-nominees Josh Brolin and John Malkovich in sci-fi Western "Jonah Hex", due to hit theaters later this year. In September, she headlines supernatural comedy "Jennifer's Body", penned by Oscar-winning screenwriter Diablo Cody ("Juno").

"I've been able to be a part of films I don't really feel like I deserve to have been a part of," she said, in a nod to her lack of experience.

But what Fox can't quite get her head around, is the price of fame -- constantly being hounded by paparazzi and press.

"Being photographed at Whole Foods, or like coming out of Rite-Aid with your shampoo bottles and stuff, that's new to me," Fox said.

Favourite player hot news

Samuel Peralta Sosa (born November 12, 1968 in San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic) is a retired Major League Baseball right fielder.

Sosa's Major League career began when he broke in with the Texas Rangers in 1989. After a stint with the Chicago White Sox, Sosa became a member of the Chicago Cubs in 1992 and subsequently became one of the league's best hitters. In 1998, Sosa and Mark McGwire achieved national fame for their home run-hitting prowess in pursuit of Roger Maris' home run record. Although a fan favorite, Sosa fell out of favor in Chicago after he was caught using a corked bat in a 2003 game and later left the team during the final game of the 2004 season. Sosa finished his career with brief stints with the Baltimore Orioles and the Texas Rangers.With the Rangers, Sosa hit his 600th career home run to become the fifth player in MLB history to reach the milestone. He is also the all-time home run leader among foreign-born MLB players.

Sosa has long been the subject of speculation about suspected anabolic steroid use during his playing career. On June 16, 2009, the New York Times reported that Sammy failed a test for performance enhancing drugs in 2003.

Personal life

Sosa is known to family and friends as "Mikey." His maternal grandmother, who had suggested his birth name of Samuel, also came up with his nickname: "[She] heard the name on a soap opera she liked and decided from that moment on I would be Mikey."^[3]

Although his officially registered birthplace is San Pedro de Macorís, Sosa was actually born in Consuelo. San Pedro de Macorís was "the largest town nearby." Both Consuelo and San Pedro de Macorís are in San Pedro de Macorís Province.^[4]

Sosa is happily married to his wife, Sonia and has four children, Keysha, Kenia, Sammy Jr. and Michael

Major league career

Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox (1989–1991)

Sosa made his major league debut on June 16, 1989, with the Texas Rangers, and he hit first career home run off Roger Clemens. Later in the season, the Rangers traded Sammy to the Chicago White Sox. He played two full seasons for the White Sox and was traded, along with pitcher Ken Patterson, to the Chicago Cubs for outfielder George Bell before the 1992 season.

Chicago Cubs (1992–2004)

After years as a respected power/speed threat with a rocket arm in right field, he emerged during the 1998 as one of baseball's greatest. It was in this season that both Sosa and Mark McGwire were involved in the "home run record chase," when both players' prowess for hitting home runs drew national attention as they attempted to pass Roger Maris's single season home run mark of 61 home runs that had stood since 1961. Sosa ended the season with 66, behind McGwire's 70. However, Sammy had become the first Major League batter ever to hit 65 homers in a season. Then, McGwire passed him late in the season to become the first ever to hit 70.

Sosa wore the iconic #21 with the Cubs in honor of his childhood idol Roberto Clemente^[5]

Also in 1998, Sosa's 416 total bases were the most in a single season since Stan Musial's 429 in 1948. Sosa's performance in the month of June, during which Sosa belted 20 home runs, knocked in 47 runs, and posted an .842 slugging percentage, was one of the greatest offensive outbursts in major league history. Sosa won the National League Most Valuable Player Award for leading the Cubs into the playoffs in 1998, earning every first-place vote except for the two cast by St. Louis writers, who voted for McGwire. He and McGwire shared Sports Illustrated magazine's 1998 "Sportsman of the Year" award. Sosa was honored with a ticker-tape parade in his honor in New York City, and he was invited to be a guest at US President Bill Clinton's 1999 State of the Union Address. 1998 was also the first time the Cubs made the post-season since 1989. The Cubs qualified as the NL Wild Card team, but were swept by the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS.

In the 1999 season, Sosa hit 63 home runs, again trailing Mark McGwire who hit 65, however, Sosa became the first major leaguer to hit 60 or more home runs in back-to-back seasons. In the 2000 season, Sammy finally led the league by hitting 50 home runs.

In 2001, he hit 64 home runs, becoming the first player to hit 60 home runs in three seasons in his career. However, he did not lead the league in any of those seasons; in 2001, he finished behind Barry Bonds, who hit 73 homers, breaking the single-season home run record set by McGwire in 1998 (70). In the same season he set personal records in runs scored (146), RBI (160), walks (116), on base percentage (.437), slugging percentage (.737), and batting average (.328).^[1] He led the majors in runs and RBI, was 2nd in home runs, 2nd in slugging percentage, 1st in total bases, 3rd in walks, 4th in on base percentage, 12th in batting average, and 15th in hits. He also surpassed his 1998 number in total bases, racking up 425. Sosa once again led the league in home runs with 49 in 2002. Known as a free-swinger in his early years, and as a good strikeout candidate, Sammy became an effective hitter for average. He owns numerous team records for the Cubs, and he holds the major-league record for the most home runs hit in a month (20, in June 1998). In recognition of his accomplishments as a hitter, Sosa won the Silver Slugger award (an award for offensive output, voted on by managers and coaches) in 1995 and in 1998 through 2002.^[1]

Sammy Sosa had three 60+ home run seasons with the Cubs ('98, '99, & '01)

In 2003, the Cubs won the National League Central Division title. The year was not all good news for Sosa, however. In May, he spent his first period on the disabled list since 1996 after having an injured toenail removed. On June 3, 2003, Sosa was ejected from a Chicago Cubs-Tampa Bay Devil Rays game in the first inning when umpires discovered he had been using a corked bat.^[6] Major League Baseball confiscated and tested 76 of Sosa's other bats after his ejection; all were found to be clean, with no cork. Five bats he had sent to the Hall of Fame in past years were also tested, and were all clean as well.^[7] Sosa stated that he had accidentally used the corked bat, which he claimed he only used during batting practice. But they soon interviewed the Cubs' manager, who said that any use of corked bats on his team is strictly prohibited. On June 6, Sosa was suspended for eight games.^[8] However, the suspension was reduced to seven games after appeal on June 11.^[9] Sosa finished the season with 40 home runs, and he hit two more in the 2003 NLCS against the Florida Marlins, but overall, the Cubs lost the series in seven games. According to the New York Times of June 16, 2009, Sosa had also tested positive for steroids at some point during the season.

In May 2004, Sosa suffered an odd injury while sitting next to his locker chatting with reporters before a game in San Diego's PETCO Park. He sneezed violently, causing severe back pain. He was diagnosed with back spasms and placed on the disabled list. Later, he fell into one of the worst slumps of his career, only snapping out of it during the last week of the season. He finished with 35 homers, far below his numbers of his best years. The final straw for the Cubs seemed to be an incident in late 2004. Sosa requested to sit out the last game of the season, which was at home against the Atlanta Braves, and he left Wrigley Field early in the game. It was his last time he would be in a Cubs uniform.

Baltimore Orioles and year off (2005–2006)

Sosa in spring training with the Orioles in 2005.

On January 28, 2005, the Cubs traded Sosa to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for infielder/outfielder Jerry Hairston, Jr., infielder Mike Fontenot, and RHP Dave Crouthers. To facilitate the deal, Sosa and his agent agreed to waive the clause that guaranteed his 2006 salary, and the players' union indicated it would not object to that agreement. Under the deal, Sosa earned $17,875,000 for the 2005 season, with the Cubs paying $7 million of his salary. By playing for the 2005 Orioles alongside fellow 500-home-run batter Rafael Palmeiro, Sosa and Palmeiro became the first 500 home run club members in history to play together on the same team after reaching the 500 home run plateau (Hank Aaron reached 500 homers shortly after his teammate Eddie Matthews (512 homers) retired. Willie McCovey reached 500 shortly after his teammate Willie Mays had left the Giants).

Sosa finished the 2005 season batting .221 with 14 home runs, his worst performance since 1992, and continuing his post-2001 trend of declines in batting average, homers, total bases, and RBI. On December 7, 2005, the Orioles decided not to offer him an arbitration contract, effectively ending his Baltimore Orioles tenure and making him a free agent.

In 2005, The Sporting News published an update of their 1999 book Baseball's 100 Greatest Players. Sosa did not make the original edition, but for the 2005 update, with his career totals considerably higher, he was ranked at Number 95. During a stretch of nine consecutive years, Sosa hit 35+ home runs and 100+ RBIs, all with the Chicago Cubs.^[1]

At the end of January 2006, the Washington Nationals offered Sosa two different minor-league offers, both of which he turned down. On February 15, 2006, Sosa's agent Adam Katz stated: "We're not going to put him on the retirement list. We decided that [not putting him on that list] was the best thing to do. But I can say, with reasonable certainty, that we've seen Sammy in a baseball uniform for the last time."^[10]

During this year, Sosa accompanied President Fernandez of the Dominican Republic on several diplomatic trips including to the United States, Japan, and Taiwan.

Final years (2007-2009)

Sosa with the Rangers on July 2, 2007.

The Texas Rangers, Sosa's original team, signed him to a minor league deal worth $500,000 on January 30, 2007. This was the same contract that Sosa turned down the previous year from the Nationals. The contract included an invitation to spring training, where Sosa competed for a spot in the lineup with Nelson Cruz, Jason Botts, and other rookies/prospects.^[11] Sosa was successful during spring training and was added to the team's 25-man roster. He started the 2007 season as the Rangers' designated hitter and occasional right fielder.

On April 26, 2007, Sosa made history by hitting a home run in his 45th major league ballpark. He has also homered in The Ballpark at Disney's Wide World of Sports, near Orlando, Florida, a usually minor-league and Spring Training park that hosted a regular season series between the Rangers and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in May 2007.

On June 20, 2007, Sosa hit a home run off of Jason Marquis during an inter-league game against Chicago Cubs. Sammy became only the fifth man in history, following Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, and Barry Bonds, to hit 600 regular season home runs.

The home run was the first one that Sosa had recorded against the Cubs, and as a result he has hit a home run against every active MLB team. Sosa is the Cubs all-time home run leader with 545 home runs with that team.

On May 28, 2008, Sosa announced that he instructed his agent not to offer his services to any Major League team for the 2008 season, and planned on filing for retirement, but never did. ^[12]

On December 25, 2008, Sosa announced he intended to unretire and play in the World Baseball Classic and once again test the free agent market in hopes of signing for a Major League ballclub in 2009. Sosa said that he had been keeping in shape at his home, and was hoping that after a strong World Baseball Classic he would prove to major-league teams that he was still capable of playing in the MLB. However, he was not selected as part of the Dominican Republic's roster. He remained a free agent and did not actively look for a team.

On June 3, 2009, Sosa announced his intention to retire from Major League Baseball. He made the announcement in the Dominican Republic and said that he was calmly looking forward to his induction within the Baseball Hall of Fame since his statistics were up to par. ^[13]

[edit] Drug test controversy

On June 16, 2009 the New York Times reported Sosa was on a list of 103 players who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003. The paper did not identify the drug.^[14] Sosa's agent, Adam Katz, told The Associated Press he had no comment on the report. Rich Levin, commissioner Bud Selig's office spokesman, declined to comment on the situation, claiming that the MLB did not have a copy of the test results. Michael Weiner, the union general counsel, also declined comment. The union, while fighting to get the list back from the government, has mostly refused to discuss reports about the list because it does not want to confirm or deny who is on it.

Previously, Sosa sat alongside Rafael Palmeiro, Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire at a 2005 hearing before Congress. His attorney testified on his behalf,^[15] stating "To be clear, I have never taken illegal performance-enhancing drugs. I have never injected myself or had anyone inject me with anything. I have not broken the laws of the United States or the laws of the Dominican Republic. I have been tested as recently as 2004, and I am clean."^[16]

In a recent interview with ESPN Deportes, Sosa, 40, said he would "calmly wait" for his induction into baseball's Hall of Fame, for which he will become eligible for induction in 2013. His comment angered many people and again brought up the argument of positive drug testing players being accepted into the Hall of Fame.

Favourite player hot news

Samuel Peralta Sosa (born November 12, 1968 in San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic) is a retired Major League Baseball right fielder.

Sosa's Major League career began when he broke in with the Texas Rangers in 1989. After a stint with the Chicago White Sox, Sosa became a member of the Chicago Cubs in 1992 and subsequently became one of the league's best hitters. In 1998, Sosa and Mark McGwire achieved national fame for their home run-hitting prowess in pursuit of Roger Maris' home run record. Although a fan favorite, Sosa fell out of favor in Chicago after he was caught using a corked bat in a 2003 game and later left the team during the final game of the 2004 season. Sosa finished his career with brief stints with the Baltimore Orioles and the Texas Rangers.With the Rangers, Sosa hit his 600th career home run to become the fifth player in MLB history to reach the milestone. He is also the all-time home run leader among foreign-born MLB players.

Sosa has long been the subject of speculation about suspected anabolic steroid use during his playing career. On June 16, 2009, the New York Times reported that Sammy failed a test for performance enhancing drugs in 2003.

Personal life

Sosa is known to family and friends as "Mikey." His maternal grandmother, who had suggested his birth name of Samuel, also came up with his nickname: "[She] heard the name on a soap opera she liked and decided from that moment on I would be Mikey."^[3]

Although his officially registered birthplace is San Pedro de Macorís, Sosa was actually born in Consuelo. San Pedro de Macorís was "the largest town nearby." Both Consuelo and San Pedro de Macorís are in San Pedro de Macorís Province.^[4]

Sosa is happily married to his wife, Sonia and has four children, Keysha, Kenia, Sammy Jr. and Michael

Major league career

Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox (1989–1991)

Sosa made his major league debut on June 16, 1989, with the Texas Rangers, and he hit first career home run off Roger Clemens. Later in the season, the Rangers traded Sammy to the Chicago White Sox. He played two full seasons for the White Sox and was traded, along with pitcher Ken Patterson, to the Chicago Cubs for outfielder George Bell before the 1992 season.

Chicago Cubs (1992–2004)

After years as a respected power/speed threat with a rocket arm in right field, he emerged during the 1998 as one of baseball's greatest. It was in this season that both Sosa and Mark McGwire were involved in the "home run record chase," when both players' prowess for hitting home runs drew national attention as they attempted to pass Roger Maris's single season home run mark of 61 home runs that had stood since 1961. Sosa ended the season with 66, behind McGwire's 70. However, Sammy had become the first Major League batter ever to hit 65 homers in a season. Then, McGwire passed him late in the season to become the first ever to hit 70.

Sosa wore the iconic #21 with the Cubs in honor of his childhood idol Roberto Clemente^[5]

Also in 1998, Sosa's 416 total bases were the most in a single season since Stan Musial's 429 in 1948. Sosa's performance in the month of June, during which Sosa belted 20 home runs, knocked in 47 runs, and posted an .842 slugging percentage, was one of the greatest offensive outbursts in major league history. Sosa won the National League Most Valuable Player Award for leading the Cubs into the playoffs in 1998, earning every first-place vote except for the two cast by St. Louis writers, who voted for McGwire. He and McGwire shared Sports Illustrated magazine's 1998 "Sportsman of the Year" award. Sosa was honored with a ticker-tape parade in his honor in New York City, and he was invited to be a guest at US President Bill Clinton's 1999 State of the Union Address. 1998 was also the first time the Cubs made the post-season since 1989. The Cubs qualified as the NL Wild Card team, but were swept by the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS.

In the 1999 season, Sosa hit 63 home runs, again trailing Mark McGwire who hit 65, however, Sosa became the first major leaguer to hit 60 or more home runs in back-to-back seasons. In the 2000 season, Sammy finally led the league by hitting 50 home runs.

In 2001, he hit 64 home runs, becoming the first player to hit 60 home runs in three seasons in his career. However, he did not lead the league in any of those seasons; in 2001, he finished behind Barry Bonds, who hit 73 homers, breaking the single-season home run record set by McGwire in 1998 (70). In the same season he set personal records in runs scored (146), RBI (160), walks (116), on base percentage (.437), slugging percentage (.737), and batting average (.328).^[1] He led the majors in runs and RBI, was 2nd in home runs, 2nd in slugging percentage, 1st in total bases, 3rd in walks, 4th in on base percentage, 12th in batting average, and 15th in hits. He also surpassed his 1998 number in total bases, racking up 425. Sosa once again led the league in home runs with 49 in 2002. Known as a free-swinger in his early years, and as a good strikeout candidate, Sammy became an effective hitter for average. He owns numerous team records for the Cubs, and he holds the major-league record for the most home runs hit in a month (20, in June 1998). In recognition of his accomplishments as a hitter, Sosa won the Silver Slugger award (an award for offensive output, voted on by managers and coaches) in 1995 and in 1998 through 2002.^[1]

Sammy Sosa had three 60+ home run seasons with the Cubs ('98, '99, & '01)

In 2003, the Cubs won the National League Central Division title. The year was not all good news for Sosa, however. In May, he spent his first period on the disabled list since 1996 after having an injured toenail removed. On June 3, 2003, Sosa was ejected from a Chicago Cubs-Tampa Bay Devil Rays game in the first inning when umpires discovered he had been using a corked bat.^[6] Major League Baseball confiscated and tested 76 of Sosa's other bats after his ejection; all were found to be clean, with no cork. Five bats he had sent to the Hall of Fame in past years were also tested, and were all clean as well.^[7] Sosa stated that he had accidentally used the corked bat, which he claimed he only used during batting practice. But they soon interviewed the Cubs' manager, who said that any use of corked bats on his team is strictly prohibited. On June 6, Sosa was suspended for eight games.^[8] However, the suspension was reduced to seven games after appeal on June 11.^[9] Sosa finished the season with 40 home runs, and he hit two more in the 2003 NLCS against the Florida Marlins, but overall, the Cubs lost the series in seven games. According to the New York Times of June 16, 2009, Sosa had also tested positive for steroids at some point during the season.

In May 2004, Sosa suffered an odd injury while sitting next to his locker chatting with reporters before a game in San Diego's PETCO Park. He sneezed violently, causing severe back pain. He was diagnosed with back spasms and placed on the disabled list. Later, he fell into one of the worst slumps of his career, only snapping out of it during the last week of the season. He finished with 35 homers, far below his numbers of his best years. The final straw for the Cubs seemed to be an incident in late 2004. Sosa requested to sit out the last game of the season, which was at home against the Atlanta Braves, and he left Wrigley Field early in the game. It was his last time he would be in a Cubs uniform.

Baltimore Orioles and year off (2005–2006)

Sosa in spring training with the Orioles in 2005.

On January 28, 2005, the Cubs traded Sosa to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for infielder/outfielder Jerry Hairston, Jr., infielder Mike Fontenot, and RHP Dave Crouthers. To facilitate the deal, Sosa and his agent agreed to waive the clause that guaranteed his 2006 salary, and the players' union indicated it would not object to that agreement. Under the deal, Sosa earned $17,875,000 for the 2005 season, with the Cubs paying $7 million of his salary. By playing for the 2005 Orioles alongside fellow 500-home-run batter Rafael Palmeiro, Sosa and Palmeiro became the first 500 home run club members in history to play together on the same team after reaching the 500 home run plateau (Hank Aaron reached 500 homers shortly after his teammate Eddie Matthews (512 homers) retired. Willie McCovey reached 500 shortly after his teammate Willie Mays had left the Giants).

Sosa finished the 2005 season batting .221 with 14 home runs, his worst performance since 1992, and continuing his post-2001 trend of declines in batting average, homers, total bases, and RBI. On December 7, 2005, the Orioles decided not to offer him an arbitration contract, effectively ending his Baltimore Orioles tenure and making him a free agent.

In 2005, The Sporting News published an update of their 1999 book Baseball's 100 Greatest Players. Sosa did not make the original edition, but for the 2005 update, with his career totals considerably higher, he was ranked at Number 95. During a stretch of nine consecutive years, Sosa hit 35+ home runs and 100+ RBIs, all with the Chicago Cubs.^[1]

At the end of January 2006, the Washington Nationals offered Sosa two different minor-league offers, both of which he turned down. On February 15, 2006, Sosa's agent Adam Katz stated: "We're not going to put him on the retirement list. We decided that [not putting him on that list] was the best thing to do. But I can say, with reasonable certainty, that we've seen Sammy in a baseball uniform for the last time."^[10]

During this year, Sosa accompanied President Fernandez of the Dominican Republic on several diplomatic trips including to the United States, Japan, and Taiwan.

Final years (2007-2009)

Sosa with the Rangers on July 2, 2007.

The Texas Rangers, Sosa's original team, signed him to a minor league deal worth $500,000 on January 30, 2007. This was the same contract that Sosa turned down the previous year from the Nationals. The contract included an invitation to spring training, where Sosa competed for a spot in the lineup with Nelson Cruz, Jason Botts, and other rookies/prospects.^[11] Sosa was successful during spring training and was added to the team's 25-man roster. He started the 2007 season as the Rangers' designated hitter and occasional right fielder.

On April 26, 2007, Sosa made history by hitting a home run in his 45th major league ballpark. He has also homered in The Ballpark at Disney's Wide World of Sports, near Orlando, Florida, a usually minor-league and Spring Training park that hosted a regular season series between the Rangers and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in May 2007.

On June 20, 2007, Sosa hit a home run off of Jason Marquis during an inter-league game against Chicago Cubs. Sammy became only the fifth man in history, following Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, and Barry Bonds, to hit 600 regular season home runs.

The home run was the first one that Sosa had recorded against the Cubs, and as a result he has hit a home run against every active MLB team. Sosa is the Cubs all-time home run leader with 545 home runs with that team.

On May 28, 2008, Sosa announced that he instructed his agent not to offer his services to any Major League team for the 2008 season, and planned on filing for retirement, but never did. ^[12]

On December 25, 2008, Sosa announced he intended to unretire and play in the World Baseball Classic and once again test the free agent market in hopes of signing for a Major League ballclub in 2009. Sosa said that he had been keeping in shape at his home, and was hoping that after a strong World Baseball Classic he would prove to major-league teams that he was still capable of playing in the MLB. However, he was not selected as part of the Dominican Republic's roster. He remained a free agent and did not actively look for a team.

On June 3, 2009, Sosa announced his intention to retire from Major League Baseball. He made the announcement in the Dominican Republic and said that he was calmly looking forward to his induction within the Baseball Hall of Fame since his statistics were up to par. ^[13]

[edit] Drug test controversy

On June 16, 2009 the New York Times reported Sosa was on a list of 103 players who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003. The paper did not identify the drug.^[14] Sosa's agent, Adam Katz, told The Associated Press he had no comment on the report. Rich Levin, commissioner Bud Selig's office spokesman, declined to comment on the situation, claiming that the MLB did not have a copy of the test results. Michael Weiner, the union general counsel, also declined comment. The union, while fighting to get the list back from the government, has mostly refused to discuss reports about the list because it does not want to confirm or deny who is on it.

Previously, Sosa sat alongside Rafael Palmeiro, Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire at a 2005 hearing before Congress. His attorney testified on his behalf,^[15] stating "To be clear, I have never taken illegal performance-enhancing drugs. I have never injected myself or had anyone inject me with anything. I have not broken the laws of the United States or the laws of the Dominican Republic. I have been tested as recently as 2004, and I am clean."^[16]

In a recent interview with ESPN Deportes, Sosa, 40, said he would "calmly wait" for his induction into baseball's Hall of Fame, for which he will become eligible for induction in 2013. His comment angered many people and again brought up the argument of positive drug testing players being accepted into the Hall of Fame.

Latest News about Glover to appear on David Letterman show tonight

Former Clemson golfer Lucas Glover, who won the U.S. Open golf championship on Monday, will present the Top 10 List on The Late Show with David Letterman on the CBS television network tonight. The show airs locally at 11:30 p.m. on WCSC.

Glover is the first Clemson graduate to present the Top 10 List on The Late Show since May of 1997 when Jane Robelot read the list. Robelot was a host for CBS This Morning at the time.

Glover and Robelot not only graduated from the same university, they also are graduates of Wade Hampton High School in Greenville.

Glover will be the first former Clemson student-athlete to appear on the show since former Clemson pitcher Jimmy Key was one of many New York Yankees who appeared on the program as a group after winning the 1996 World Series. William “The Refrigerator” Perry is the only former Clemson athlete to appear on the program as a guest. His appearance was in November of 1985, his rookie year in the NFL.

Mariah Carey on 'America's Got Talent'?

America's Got Talent' Recap: America's Got Talent is relevant! The show that has already rewarded a ventriloquist and an opera singer is back to try and find another American with an obscure talent that no one really cares about. The Susan Boyle Effect is sure to play out this season, as a ton of hopelessly unattractive people will try to prove it's what's on the inside that matters.

Sadly for them, they probably missed the finale of Britain's Got Talent where Boyle lost to a dance troupe and proceeded to get checked into the hospital for exhaustion while cursing her way across the country. Beauty may only be skin deep, but just like fried chicken, the skin is the best part.

Here to guide us through a parade of freaks, children and ugly old ladies are the judges. There's Sharon Osbourne, who was sued by Megan Hauserman for assault during the Rock of Love Girls: Charm School reunion, David Hasselhoff, most famous for starring in Knight Rider, Baywatch, and eating a hamburger on the floor, and Piers Morgan, the poor man's Simon Cowell who won The Celebrity Apprentice.

That last one may sound impressive, but Joan Rivers won this season. It's a bit like me trying to impress you by saying I share a birthday with the Hoff's Baywatch co-star David Chokachi. It may be true, but it's certainly not anything to brag about.

Jerry Springer was smart enough to get off this merry-go-round after last season, as he's off to do more respectable things like his talk show. Replacing him as host is Nick Cannon, also known as Mariah Carey's boy toy. I know what you're thinking, and no, Nick Cannon is not the skinny kid from Good Burger.

The freak show kicks off in New York City. Nick Cannon is way to happy as host, probably because this is the first time he's been able to escape Mariah's menopausal eight-octave shrieking.

The first waste of time is a 26-year-old idiot who does some really bad singing and dancing. It's not even entertaining, it's just bad. He's followed by a unicycling guitarist and a white "rapper" who actually does poor spoken word. Finally there's a fire dancer who sets her hair on fire. The Hoff claims it was a terrible start, but it was entertaining. I'll agree with half of that statement.

Rather than stick around, the show moves to Chicago before NYC can suck any more. The first audition is a man who claims he's the only living person who can walk while turning his feet 180 degrees. The Hoff correctly points out that, while it may be unusual, it's not really a talent.

Hot News of Barbra Streisand hits jazz on first studio album in 4 years

Barbra Streisand has joined forces with Canadian jazz singer-pianist Diana Krall on her first studio album in four years, which is set for release on September 29, her record label said on Monday.

Columbia Records said the album "Love Is The Answer" is Streisand's first full-length collection of new studio recordings since 2005's "Guilty Pleasures" and her first album since "Live In Concert 2006."

Last year, Streisand was preoccupied with the U.S. election campaign but the singer-actress said this year she had managed to get back to the business of entertaining with a new president in the White House as she was able to relax again.

"'Love Is The Answer' presents the artist as a cabaret and jazz singer of emotional clarity, depth and maturity," Columbia Records, a unit of Sony Corp, said in a statement.

On the new album, Streisand works for the first time with Grammy-winning Krall and her quartet of guitar, bass, and drums as well as songwriter Johnny Mandel, whom she worked with on her 1993 "Back to Broadway" album.

Song titles for the album have yet to be announced.

Streisand, 67, has blazed an extraordinary trail through music, theater, film and television in the four decades since she became the toast of Broadway.

She is the winner of 10 Grammys, two Academy Awards -- Best Actress, "Funny Girl" and Best song, "Evergreen" -- and numerous Emmys. Last year she was inducted as a Kennedy Center honoree

Chris Brown pleads guilty to assault

Chris Brown has pleaded guilty to one count of felony assault on pop star Rihanna.

Brown entered his plea before a preliminary hearing was scheduled to start in Los Angeles on Monday.

Rihanna had been on standby to testify.

Brown will be sentenced on Aug. 5, but the terms of the plea deal call for him to serve five years of formal probation and six months — roughly 1,400 hours — of community labor. Brown will be able to complete his probation in his home state of Virginia; he will have to do either graffiti removal or roadside cleanup for his service.

A spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County district attorney's office said the terms were in line with what others receive when they're charged with similar crimes and who have no prior criminal history.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Patricia Schnegg also ordered the singer to stay away from Rihanna.

After Brown entered his plea and left the courtroom, Rihanna entered and was addressed by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Patricia Schnegg, who explained to the Barbados-born singer that she had issued a stay-away order.

Rihanna, 21, had not been seeking a stay-away order, but the judge imposed one. The order requires that Brown and Rihanna stay at least 50 yards from each, except at industry events when the distance is reduced to 10 yards.

The judge also told Rihanna it's not a one-way order and she will be in violation if she gets closer to Brown than the order allows.

Rihanna was informed of the deal about an hour she could have been called as a witness, her attorney, Donald Etra, said. He said the singer "did not object" to the terms of the deal.

Schnegg accepted Brown's plea, but expressed some concerns because Brown is not a California resident. She said Brown likely will be allowed to do his community service in his home state of Virginia. He'll have to return to California for updates every three months. He'll also be required to attend domestic violence classes.

Brown spoke softly throughout the hearing as he waived his rights and told the judge he understood the gravity of his plea.

"I think it's commendable you took responsibility for your conduct," Schnegg told Brown.

She said she hoped "the terms and conditions of your probation will have some meaning."

The deal provides an end to a case that sparked intense media interest and severe backlash against Brown. Sponsors and radio stations dropped him, and the singer had to cancel several high-profile appearances, including a performance at the Grammys.

The singer once known for his squeaky-clean image now has a substantial blemish on his record. He must now also remain out of trouble for the foreseeable future.

Lawyers for Brown and Rihanna have refused to discuss the status of the pair's relationship.

Brown was arrested Feb. 8, hours after police say he hit and threatened Rihanna after leaving a pre-Grammy party in Los Angeles. He was later charged with felony assault likely to produce great bodily harm and making criminal threats.

If convicted, the singer faced sentences ranging up to nearly five years in prison.

Brown, 20, rose to fame after the 2005 hit "Run It!" and his popularity has only grown. He was nominated for a Grammy for "No Air" with Jordin Sparks and named Billboard's top artist in 2008.

In the months since the incident, both musicians have gradually appeared in public more frequently. Lately they have been photographed separately, including at a National Basketball Association finals game between the Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Lakers.

Rihanna, 21, recorded one of 2007's most popular songs with "Umbrella" and has numerous other hits. Her looks have made her a cover girl for magazines, as well as a pitchwoman for Cover Girl cosmetics.

Hotest news of The World's Most Powerful Celebrities

She's rich. She's talented. She's beautiful. And now Angelina Jolie is the most powerful celebrity in the world.

Thanks to the release of several blockbuster movies and an endless sea of media buzz, Jolie has dethroned Oprah Winfrey to top this year's Celebrity 100 list, Forbes' annual ranking of the world's ultra famous.

Jolie raked in $27 million in the past 12 months thanks to a movie schedule that included "Kung Fu Panda," "Wanted" and the not-yet-released spy thriller "Salt." Even more impressive: The publicity she garnered following the birth of her twins, as well as the consistent headlines she grabs for her philanthropic efforts and her relationship with actor Brad Pitt, who ranks No. 9 on the list.


Winfrey drops to No. 2 on the list. The media maven has pocketed $275 million in the last year, making her the list's top earner. Though viewership for her daily chat fest, "The Oprah Winfrey Show," continues to erode, her earnings remain unchanged from a year ago. In addition to Winfrey's monthly magazine, she has a three-year, $55 million deal with XM Satellite Radio. Early next year, the self-made billionaire will roll out the lifestyle-themed Oprah Winfrey Network in partnership with Discovery Communications.

In a year filled with humbling bank failures and violent stock market swings, the earning power of the 2009 Celebrity 100 remained remarkably resilient. The cumulative earnings of the 2009 list totaled $4.1 billion, up slightly from last year's $4 billion haul.

The primary reason celebrities are still making big money: Many stars are locked into long-term performance and endorsement contracts. If the economy does not improve, expect the downturn to catch up to the A-list next year.

The Celebrity 100, which includes film and television actors, models, chefs, athletes, authors, and musicians, is a measure of entertainment-related earnings and media visibility (exposure in print, television, radio and online). The earnings estimates consist of pre-tax income between June 2008 and June 2009. Management, agent, and attorney fees are not deducted.

Michelle Larcher De Brito tones down after Michael Stich's comments

WIMBLEDON - Way out on Court 17, where the sweet scent of fried noodles mingles with the bready odor of baked pizza, there was great disappointment Mondaythat the sounds did not add much to the sensory experience.

Fans had traversed their way through alleyways for one reason only: to hear the famous, shrieking player, Michelle Larcher De Brito of Portugal. Come one, come all, to the sideshow on the sidecourt. They had come to witness the Ethel Merman of tennis, only to get the thin vibrato of Taylor Swift.

"You come for the noise, and then nothing," one spectator grumped. Larcher De Brito, 16, was a theatrical disappointment, not nearly matching her operatic French Open performance that drew complaints from one opponent and renewed the silly debate about the proper place of female grunting on a tennis court.

That discussion grew legs here at Wimbledon, thanks in part to the predictably Neanderthal attitude of Michael Stich, past champion and forever caveman. Stich, like Richard Krajicek and Justin Gimelstob before him, is one of those men bound to make a mean clown of himself whenever the words "women" and "tennis" appear before him in the form of a question.

During a pre-Wimbledon interview, Stich told the Daily Mail that the grunting detracted from the players' "sex appeal."

"Just play it back to the women," said Stich, now a BBC commentator. "It sounds disgusting, ugly, unsexy."

Stich said other dumb things, that the women's tour is about "selling sex" and that the only way to stop the players from grunting is to shoot them. It was a reminder why Boris Becker, who always liked women very much, never liked his German countryman.

Clearly, this whole discussion intimidated Larcher De Brito, because in her 6-2, 7-5 first-round victory over Klara Zakopalova she was measured well below the decibels uttered around here by the likes of Monica Seles, Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams - plus an abundance of men, who seem to avoid such inspection.

"I tried to be quiet for you guys today," Larcher De Brito said, smiling. "I start off good, and I didn't think it was necessary to really go any louder than I was. The grunt goes through my intensity.

"The grunt goes itself. If my body feels like it needs to grunt more, it grunts. If not, it stays quiet."

The fact is, grunting generally is viewed by coaches as a good thing, as an indicator that the player is in the moment and unaware of her surroundings.

"When Serena grunts, it means she's moving into the point," her father, Richard Williams, said. He was pleased to hear Serena grunting loudly at times Monday, particularly late in the first set when her match grew more difficult.

Hot news:Kate Gosselin says marriage 'irretrievably broken'

Kate Gosselin says in divorce papers that her marriage to Jon is "irretrievably broken." The star of TLC's "Jon & Kate Plus 8" filed for a no-fault divorce Monday in Montgomery County Court outside Philadelphia. She said in papers that she's willing to "negotiate a fair and reasonable" settlement with her husband of 10 years.

The divorce filing was obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press. Lawyers for the couple said it contains boilerplate language common to all no-fault divorce petitions filed in Pennsylvania.

The series follows Jon and Kate Gosselin as they raise their eight young children, including 8-year-old twins and sextuplets who just turned 5.

Monday night's show, in which the couple announced their separation and divorce, drew a record audience of 10.6 million viewers.

Attorneys for both Jon and Kate Gosselin said Tuesday that the couple lived together on their Berks County compound until recently.

"They have been living 'separate and apart' just within the last week or two," said Jon's attorney, Charles Meyer, using a term from the divorce petition.

The court document does not explain what led to the split. But in a statement released to the media, Kate asserted that "Jon's activities" over the weekend had left her "no choice but to file legal procedures in order to protect myself and our children." She did not elaborate. Both Jon and Kate deny tabloid accusations that they cheated on each other.

"To be honest, I was hurt by Kate's statement about the divorce," Jon countered Tuesday in his own release. "I have always done everything I can to protect our family. This weekend, I was home with the kids for four days, just being a dad. No nannies, just the kids and me."

He added that while "emotions are running high for both of us right now," he hopes to "resolve things amicably."

The couple plan to spend equal time with their children at the $1.1 million house they moved into last year, with Kate staying elsewhere when he has custody and Jon making other living arrangements when it's her turn, according to the statement.

Kate's lawyer, Cheryl Young, said Tuesday that the couple has already started negotiating the terms of the divorce.

Hot photos of Johnny Depp

Hot news on Johnny Depp,why worried about being fired from Alice in Wonderland

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Why Johnny Depp worried about being fired from Alice in Wonderland

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Johnny Depp made a dramatic switch to play the Mad Hatter in Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland after starring in this summer's historical crime drama Public Enemies, in which he played real-life gangster John Dillinger.

"The Hatter was awfully fun," Depp said in a news conference on Monday in Beverly Hills, Calif."After doing something like John Dillinger, a performance where it's somewhat restrained because of the responsibility you have to that guy and his memory, that Mad Hatter was like being fired out of a cannon. The Hatter was great fun, and, again, it's one of those things that you're just amazed you weren't fired. I truly am."

Depp plays the Mad Hatter in Burton's vision of the Lewis Carroll tale. Combining practical costumes, motion capture and 3-D computer animation, Burton is adding new levels to an aesthetic that already bears his name, "Burton-esque." USA Today published photos of the characters, including Depp's Hatter.

With orange frizzy curls, pasty porcelain makeup, a frilly black top hat and goth-y circus touches, the Hatter looks exactly as Depp said he intended. "All I've seen, I've just seen the little bits and pieces of it, but, yeah, what I ended up looking like is how I thought he was going to look, how I thought he should look, which was one of the first reasons why I'm surprised I didn't get fired," Depp said.

It's not the first time Depp expressed surprise at keeping a job: He also thought he'd be fired from the first Pirates of the Caribbean film because of studio disagreements with his portrayal of Jack Sparrow.

Alice in Wonderland is due in theaters March 5, 2010. The film also stars Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman and newcomer Mia Wasikowska as Alice.

Tennis ace Sharapova unveils blinking phone dress

LONDON (Reuters Life!) – Former Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova presented a prototype dress to reporters that is designed to light up when the wearer's mobile telephone rings.

British fashion student Georgie Davies dreamed up the knee-length short-sleeved white dress as part of a school project with mobile phone-maker Sony Ericsson to figure out ways of incorporating new technology into fashion.

Davies said the dress is designed to eventually be connected to the wearer's phone by Bluetooth wireless technology, so she can be alerted to a call even in noisiest of places.

"When you're in a pub or a bar, you can never, ever hear your phone," 20-year-old Davies told Reuters on Wednesday.

One shoulder of the dress down to the hip is embellished with translucent white scales that move and light up.

Sharapova showed off the dress to a gaggle of photographers and a crowd of passers-by from the window of a luxury department store in central London.

Madonna's adopted daughter told to leave Malawi

LILONGWE, Malawi – Madonna's new daughter has flown out of her native Malawi on a private jet headed for London, an airport employee and a person familiar with Madonna's adoption proceedings in this southern African country said Saturday.

The airport employee, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter, said 3-year-old Chifundo "Mercy" James left late Friday headed to London, with a stop in neighboring South Africa. The girl, the second child Madonna has adopted from Malawi, was reportedly accompanied on the flight by a nanny, a child nurse and a third aide.

The person familiar with the adoption, who also was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly, said the girl known as Mercy should have reached London on Saturday morning. Madonna has homes in England and in the United States.

Malawi's highest court had granted the adoption June 12, overturning an April lower court ruling that Madonna had not spent enough time in Malawi to be given a child.

The high court said the first judge had imposed too narrow a definition of residency, and lauded Madonna for her work with children in a poor country where half a million have lost a parent to AIDS.

Madonna's Raising Malawi, a charity founded in 2006, helps feed, educate and provide medical care for some of Malawi's orphans.

Madonna adopted a son, David, from Malawi last year.

Children's welfare groups had expressed concern that rules meant to protect children were being bent because of Madonna's celebrity, and perhaps out of gratitude for what she has done for Malawi.

Madonna met Mercy in 2006 at Kondanani Children's Village, an orphanage in Bvumbwe, just south of Blantyre. It was the same year she began the process of adopting David, whom she found at another orphanage in central Malawi.

The girl's 18-year-old mother was unmarried and died soon after she gave birth. Since Madonna moved to adopt the girl, a dispute has arisen between the girl's maternal relatives, who agreed to the adoption, and a man who says he is the father and wants to care for the girl himself, but acknowledged he had never seen Mercy.

Madonna first traveled to Malawi in 2006 while filming a documentary on its devastating poverty and AIDS crisis.

In addition to David, the 50-year-old Madonna has two other children: Lourdes, 12, and Rocco, 8.

Reports that Madonna would in the next few days visit her charity's projects in Malawi could not be confirmed.

Hot News on Supermodel Bundchen,she is now pregnant

People.com is reporting Gisele Bundchen is pregnant. Citing two anonymous sources, the report says Tom Brady's wife is due early next year.

Brady's mother, Galynn, told the Associated Press on Friday that she had no comment on the report. The supermodel's agent at IMG, Anne Nelson, told the AP that she doesn't comment on the personal lives of her clients.

Brady has a son, Jack, with actress Bridget Moynahan.

Late last month, the New England Patriots quarterback said Bundchen was not pregnant. "One is enough," Brady said on May 28. "I have dogs, and that's all I need."

Latest News on Model Gisele Bundchen, she expecting a baby

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Model Gisele Bundchen is expecting a baby with her husband, football star Tom Brady, celebrity magazine People reported on its Web site on Friday, citing unnamed sources.

Those sources tell People that the couple, who were married in February, are expecting their first child together and that the baby is due early next year.

Celebrity magazine US Weekly also reported that sources have told it Bundchen is pregnant.

Bundchen's representatives in New York declined to comment, citing a policy of not discussing clients' personal lives.

The 28-year-old Brazilian beauty has been named by Forbes as the world's highest-paid model, and the financial magazine said she earned $25 million in the last year for appearances in various advertising campaigns.

Brady, 31, a quarterback for the New England Patriots professional football team, has a child born in 2007 from a previous relationship with actress Bridget Moynahan.

Hot News on Shelby Lynne

Shelby Lynne

Shelby Lynne (born Shelby Lynn Moorer, October 22, 1968, Quantico, Virginia) is an American country music singer, songwriter and actress. She won a Grammy Award in 2001 for Best New Artist.

Biography

Early life

Shelby Lynne grew up in Frankville, Alabama, near Chatom, Alabama, where she attended Washington County High School. Her father was a local bandleader and her mother a harmony-singing teacher, and as children, she and her younger sister Allison Moorer — later a country recording artist in her own right — sometimes joined their parents on-stage to sing along. When Lynne was 17, while the family was living in the small town of St. Stephens, Alabama, Lynne's father, an abusive alcoholic, shot and killed her mother and then himself.^[1]

The sisters briefly lived with an aunt until Lynne turned 18, whereupon she married a friend from home. The marriage lasted only a year. Lynne began supporting herself and her sister by playing music in local clubs and eventually the two moved to Nashville. Lynne appeared on TNN's Nashville Now in 1987, and soon landed a recording contract with Epic Records.

Early career

Lynne's first recording for Epic was a duet with George Jones, "If I Could Bottle This Up", which became a top-50 hit in 1988. Epic teamed Lynne with producer Billy Sherrill for her 1989 debut album Sunrise. The follow-up, 1990's Tough All Over, took more of a mainstream country direction, and 1991's Soft Talk found Lynne moving into slick country-pop.

Lynne placed several songs on the country charts during this period, but none managed to break into the top 20. Critics generally regarded her as a promising talent, and she won the ACM's Top New Female Vocalist in 1990.

However, she was tiring of the lack of control she was afforded over her image and musical direction. She split from Epic and signed with the smaller Morgan Creek label, debuting with 1993's Temptation, an exercise in Bob Wills-style Western swing and big band jazz. The label folded not long after, and she moved on to Magnatone for 1995's Restless, which marked a return to contemporary-style country. Afterward, Lynne disappeared from recording for several years.

Breakthrough

Lynne moved to Palm Springs in 1998 and released the confessional and eclectic Rhythm and Blues album I Am Shelby Lynne in 1999 (released in US in 2000) to wide critical acclaim; on the strength of the album Lynne won a Grammy award for "Best New Artist", despite the fact that she had been recording and releasing records for more than ten years (which she referred to in her acceptance speech).

Her 2001 follow up album, Love, Shelby featured a slicker, more pop-influenced sound. This album was a moderate commercial success but received mixed reviews. In 2003, Lynne released the critically-acclaimed Identity Crisis produced, engineered, and mixed by Bruce Robb (producer) in association with Bruce Robb Productions. Though not a commercial success, many magazines rated the album among the best of 2003. 2005's Suit Yourself has also been well received by critics. Lynne's most recent album - Just a Little Lovin', released on January 29, 2008 — is a tribute to singer Dusty Springfield, which has garnered favorable press as well.

[edit] Additional projects

Shelby Lynne performing at Antone's club in Austin Texas, April 2008

Lynne was a part of the high-profile gathering of artists at Radio City Music Hall in New York City who paid tribute to John Lennon, an event broadcast in October 2001 on The WB as Come Together: A Night for John Lennon's Words and Music. In the concert, Lynne performed Lennon's song "Mother".

In 2002 she sang a duet with Raul Malo (The Mavericks) On his first solo-album called Today. The song is titled "Takes Two To Tango".

Shelby guests on three songs on her sister Allison Moorer's live album 'Show', released in 2003.

In 2004, Lynne was featured in a duet version of alternative rock band Live's song "Run Away." This rendition can be found on the band's greatest hits compilation Awake: The Best of Live.

Lynne portrayed Carrie Cash in the 2005 Johnny Cash biographical film, Walk the Line. Two years later in 2007, Lynne appeared in an episode of the Showtime original series Head Case with Alexandra Wentworth. Also in 2007, she performed background vocals on Marc Cohn's fourth album, Join the Parade, and contributed to "Forever Cool," a 2007 album from Capitol/EMI featuring contemporary artists in duets with the late Dean Martin. Alongside Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Lynne performed a duet of one of Martin's best known tunes, "You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You".

In addition to work on her own most recent album, Lynne wrote "She Knows Where She Goes", one of the songs featured on Allison Moorer's 2008 album, Mockingbird. The album overall focuses on the works of various female singer-songwriters, including Lynne, June Carter Cash, Gillian Welch and others.

Lynne also joined the 9th annual Independent Music Awards judging panel to assist independent musicians' careers. ^{[2] [3] [4]}

Personal life

When Lynne was questioned about her personal life in a January 2008 interview she said "its not anybody's business... People are going to come up with whatever they want to come up with on their own; I don't have to make announcements".