But all of that was nothing compared to what began on April 25, 2007. News spread that unlawful dog fighting activities were being conducted on a Virginia property owned by Vick. In July, Vick and three other men were hit with felony charges for operating an unlawful six-year-long dog fighting business called Bad Newz. Vick was accused of financing the operation, participating in dog fights and executing and handling thousands of dollars in related gambling activities. After a plea bargain, Vick was sentenced to 23 months in a federal prison. To make matters worse, while free on bail Vick tested positive for marijuana during a random drug test.";
spt_aprilfools[i++] = new Array("","Kelvin Sampson","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Jervay%2C%20John/Crazy%20People/080327-kelvin-sampson.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "Jeff Roberson", "ASSOCIATED PRESS", "358", "248", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_aprilfools[i-1].body = "Sampson was coach of the year in his first season at Oklahoma and led the Sooners to eight consecutive 20-win seasons and 10 Big Dance appearances. But then Sampson and his staff were found to have made more than 550 unallowed phone calls to 17 recruits. He was punished by the ethics committee and received sanctions from the National Association of Basketball Coaches. He was barred from recruiting off campus and making recruiting phone calls for one year.
The former chairman of the rules committee did not learn his lesson.
In March 2006, Sampson left Oklahoma for Indiana and was soon up to his old tricks. After prized recruit Eric Gordon verbally committed to Illinois, Sampson got him to change his mind and become a Hoosier, but he was under fire for not being open about the recruitment.
Then, in October 2007, Sampson's phone calls got him into trouble again. He participated in approximately 10 conference calls with recruits, violating the terms of the sanctions he suffered at Oklahoma.
In February 2008 it was revealed that Sampson and Indiana had committed five major violations. Indiana launched an internal investigation, and Sampson resigned Feb. 22. "; spt_aprilfools[i++] = new Array("","Elijah Dukes","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Jervay%2C%20John/Crazy%20People/080327-Elijah-Dukes.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "Phelan M. Ebenhack", "ASSOCIATED PRESS", "358", "238", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); spt_aprilfools[i-1].body = "Dukes is an All-Fool team prodigy, equally gifted with aptitudes for athletic achievement and lawlessness.
Despite being only 23 years old, he has been arrested at least six times, fathered at least five children with four women, has been suspended on multiple occasions, allegedly threatened his ex-wife's life on her answering machine and mulled quitting the game at least once. He capped it all off by allegedly having sex with a 17-year-old foster child living with a relative of his. And for all that trouble, he hit a robust .190.";
spt_aprilfools[i++] = new Array("","Hank Steinbrenner","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Jervay%2C%20John/Crazy%20People/080327-Hank-Steinbrenner.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "Louis Lanzano", "ASSOCIATED PRESS", "358", "276", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_aprilfools[i-1].body = "For nearly 50 years he was in his old man's shadow, but when he got the spotlight to himself he wasted no time in sticking his foot in his mouth. Since taking over for \"the Boss,\" he has dissed Red Sox Nation, Joe Torre and the four rings he won for the organization, and called Jonathan Papelbon \"a mouse.\"
He warned Alex Rodriguez that if he opted out of his deal the Yanks wouldn't negotiate with him, but weeks later A-Rod was back in pinstripes. And he basically gave the New York press play-by-play of his quest to trade for Johan Santana -- always a brilliant tactical move when faced with competition in the marketplace.";
spt_aprilfools[i++] = new Array("","John Daly","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Jervay%2C%20John/Crazy%20People/080327-john-daly.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "Charles Krupa", "ASSOCIATED PRESS", "358", "208", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_aprilfools[i-1].body = "Daly has taken as many extended breaks from the PGA Tour since 1991 (some due to suspensions) as he has won Tour titles -- five.
Through boozing (despite three trips to the Betty Ford Clinic) and gambling (he claims to have lost between $50M and $60M) and messing around, Daly has frittered away his talent. What makes Daly an even bigger fool is he doesn't seem willing to recognize his problem.
After swing coach Butch Harmon quit in March 2008, his frustration boiling over after Daly spent a rain delay in a Hooters tent and then had Bucs coach Jon Gruden be his caddie.
At this point in his career, Daly would be a nobody if attention were awarded by success; he doesn't even have a Tour card and relies on sponsor's exemptions. This season he has played in eight events, made the cut in three and been disqualified from one, a \"mistake\" he blamed on someone else.";
spt_aprilfools[i++] = new Array("","David Beckham","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Jervay%2C%20John/Crazy%20People/080327-david-beckham.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "Franck Fife", "AFP/Getty Images", "341", "278", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_aprilfools[i-1].body = "Credit both Beckham and the Los Angeles Galaxy with one of the most narcissistic moves in sports this year.
Beckham may be an international superstar as well as a talented and marketable athlete, but there was no way he could make soccer a big draw in a country where most of the teams in its league (the Galaxy excluded) have yet to make a profit.
Although his arrival in L.A. was covered with fanfare and intense media hype, the surge of interest in soccer was brief.
Beckham made just eight appearances for the Galaxy (including three exhibition matches), as a knee injury limited his playing time. That boils down to $35 million per game played for a move that is doubtful to help soccer transform itself into the mainstream in the States.";
spt_aprilfools[i++] = new Array("","Roger Clemens","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Jervay%2C%20John/Crazy%20People/080327-roger-clemens.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "Mark Wilson", "Getty Images", "358", "267", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_aprilfools[i-1].body = "Clemens was one of the most accomplished pitchers in baseball history, but his career is in question now because of alleged steroid use.
Clemens' name was mentioned 82 times in the Mitchell Report, a 20-month long investigation into steroid use in MLB. The report revealed that the Rocket's former personal strength coach and former Yankees trainer Brian McNamee claimed that he had injected Clemens with steroids in 1998, 2000 and 2001.
In full-blown defense mode, Clemens went on \"60 Minutes\" to vehemently deny the allegations. He then filed a defamation lawsuit against McNamee and even recorded a phone conversation between the two. On Feb. 13, both Clemens and McNamee testified in front of Congress. Despite several inconsistencies in the Rocket's story, he continued his denial.
Several players, including Clemens' friend Andy Pettite, have admitted to using banned substances, but Clemens has taken a different route. His antagonistic approach in public doesn't help his case.";
spt_aprilfools[i++] = new Array("","Tim Donaghy","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Jervay%2C%20John/Crazy%20People/080327-tim-donahy.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "Jeff Zelevansky", "ASSOCIATED PRESS", "344", "278", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_aprilfools[i-1].body = "Tim Donaghy's career as an NBA referee spanned 13 seasons from 1994-2007, but the only thing anyone will remember is why he resigned.
In July, a report of an FBI investigation into allegations of an NBA referee betting on games ran in the New York Post. It was later revealed that Donaghy had a gambling problem and was in trouble with the mob. To try to get out of debt, Donaghy bet on games in which he was officiating during the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons.
On Aug. 15, Donaghy pled guilty to conspiracy to engage in wire fraud and transmitting wagering information through interstate commerce. He admitted to passing along inside information to bookies. He said he had a severe gambling problem and that he was taking medication to cope with it. Donaghy could face up to 25 years in prison. ";
spt_aprilfools[i++] = new Array("","Hall of Famers","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Jervay%2C%20John/Crazy%20People/080328-mike-tyson2.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "Lennox Mclendon", "ASSOCIATED PRESS", "271", "278", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_aprilfools[i-1].body = "Check out the Hall of Fame list of the biggest fools in sports history.
Todd Bertuzzi - NHL
Barry Bonds - MLB
Tonya Harding - Figure skating
Steve Howe - MLB
John Rocker - MLB
Rosie Ruiz - Marathon
Lawrence Philips - NFL
O.J. Simpson - NFL
Latrell Sprewell - NBA
Mike Tyson - Boxing
Ricky Williams - NFL";
spt_aprilfools[i++] = new Array("spt_aprilfools","Vote: The biggest fool in sports?","","","","", "lv2", "", "", "", "right", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
// END editorial data