1) Germany's federation has been fined about 10,000 euros for their supporters throwing paper objects at Portugese players in their match. Portugal's federation has been fined 5,000 euros for their team being late for the second half of the same match. (ESPN)
2) More EURO 2012 trouble: A near-riot in Poznan, Poland, as Croatian fans taunted Italian fans before their match (which would end a 1-1 draw) today, burning an EU flag and parading far-right flags of their own, as well as other incidents, including flares and a blow-up sex doll wearing an Italian team shirt. (ESPN)
3) Yet MORE EURO 2012 trouble: Nicklas Bendtner celebrated his second goal against Portugal (in a 3-2 loss by his Denmark side to Portugal) by lowering his pants and exposing an ad for Paddy Power, a bookmaker!! That will certainly get him in trouble with UEFA, as it now appears that the entire affair surrounding his "advertisement" was pre-arranged with Paddy Power. I expect either a stiff fine or a probable suspension for Denmark's match with Germany, and possibly beyond. The Danish FA actually has a sponsorship deal with another bookmaker, so he could also be suspended or fined by the national association as well. (The Mirror, ESPN, and Yahoo!)
4) Floyd Mayerweather's appeal to ease his jail conditions has been denied. His lawyers believe his career may now be over. (Editorial comment: Good riddance.) (ESPN)
5) Joey Barton is back at it again. The soccer thug was apparently ejected from a nightclub in Liverpool, after which a fight broke out. It appears, at least to his story, that he was sucker-punched in the head. He was, yet again, arrested and bailed. No word on if he still has a job with Queens Park Rangers after almost deliberately getting the team relegated (and himself banned for 12 matches) for inciting an on-pitch riot in the Hollywood EPL finale with Manchester City. (The Telegraph)
6) In more evidence of the end of the Steroid Era and the continuance of the Absolute Dead Bat Era in Major League Baseball, we had a perfect game last night. Matt Cain pulled that off with a 10-0 win over the Houston Astros. It is the second perfect game and fifth no-hitter of the year. It is the third no-hitter within two weeks.
MY FRIENDS CAUGHT ME ON ONE EDIT: If the Commissioner's Office reverses the scoring decision, it will in fact be the SECOND time two no-hitters were thrown on the same day. The first? June 29, 1990 -- Dave Stewart of the A's and Fernando Valenzuela of the Dodgers both threw no-hitters. That's what I get for having baseball historians for friends. (Keep it up, by the way. :) )
The one hit did not even lead to the one run. The hit (in question) is a ground ball to third base with two out in the first inning by B. J. Upton. It clearly glanced off the bare hand of the third baseman for the Mets, but the scorer ruled it the one hit that the Rays got all night. It has been appealed.
I saw the play on MLB.com. It could really go either way -- it comes down to how fast Upton actually is and whether a cleanly-fielded ball could've beaten him.
7) And, in the continuing story of a quack who's gone to the dogs: Not only has a second Miss USA contestant come forward in stating that the pageant was rigged (this one claiming a pre-determined list of the 15 semifinalists was being circulated), but now sources are stating the Miss USA company will interrogate ALL of the contestants on such claims. (WebProNews and Fox News)
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