Sports: T.O.‘s Back, Farve “Retires”, Yankees Dominate Trades & More!

(Editor's Note: Since I devote 90% of my mental energy to sports and hip-hop...and my wife, right honey?...I've been searching for a writer who can bring some on the field action to RefinedHype nation. In Jay R Jay I believe we have this writer. Keep it locked for a new "The Red Zone" column from Jay every week. Enjoy.)

The Oil Spill, that’s what I’m calling it this first week (the oil's “refined” of course. The reason? Like BP I can’t cap this week’s lists of topics to bring to you. They are spewing from all angles!! Here is a look into the week that was sports.

T.O. (aka Terrell Owens) has signed with the Bengals and has teamed up with not only one of his good friends Chad Ocho Cinco, but with a slew of “Refined” teammates. Terrell has never been in trouble off the field, unlike half of the Bengals roster, but he does bring a troublesome past to the squad. Unlike a lot of my fellow sports writers, I see this as a win-win for everyone. TO is a monster in between the lines - that can’t be argued. He gets to play for a team that is considered to be a contender and who likes controversial figures, as long as they are at a discount anyway. He also gets to play with a QB who comes from a suddenly controversial school like USC, and can twitter back and forth with Ocho about who has the better reality show (I’m taking the TO show by the way). This season is going to be money!

Speaking of money, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao will not be fighting this year. That’s a lot of money left on the table not only for both of them, but for me as well. I was supposed to be able to cash in on all of the Pac Man believers who swear by their life that Manny has something Money May hasn’t seen. MGM, Mandalay Bay, Caesars, whoever, that was my blue print to catch my six figures for the year. Now the real question is does this fight happen? Too much slick talk from both parties to believe anyone at this moment, Floyd is kicking it with Don King and Manny is dropping speeches in his political ring while readying himself to fight Antonio Margarito in November. Get at me when Floyd is calling out Pac Man for shooting up steroids and Manny is calling out Money for not paying taxes at the first press conference!!

Lance Berkman (NY Yankees), Ryan Ludwick (San Diego Padres), Roy Oswalt (Phillies), and Miguel Tejada (San Diego Padres) were all traded before the clock struck 4 pm EST. Along with a slew of other players(Christian Guzman & Jorge Cantu- Texas Rangers, Jake Westbrook- St Louis Cardinals, Matt Capps to- Minnesota just to name a few) the deadline was far busier than last years. Instead of the normal winners and loser’s column you read from everyone else, I’m just going to say the richer got richer, damn Yankees, and there are some teams who need to just flat out invest in other business ventures at this point (I'm looking at you Pirates).

Here we go again! I am ashamed to even be writing this but it’s my duty. Just know that I don’t really want to. Old man Brett Farve has reportedly retired again. I know big shock. According to Jeff Zulgad of the Minnesota Star Tribune, Farve contacted the Vikings and said he is not returning this season. Hopefully that means any other season as well. This is one the biggest soap opera stories in football history. Please Farve for all of us give it up. I’m sure this isn’t the last time you will see his name this season so until then, Tavaris Jackson please oh please stand up!

This brings me to the next and final point. Why in the hell is any reporter trying to be first with reporting on Brett Farve? Didn’t the NBA free agency period teach everyone something? No need to be first when you aren’t right! Credibility and respect means more than being first! I mean damn, Farve has made the best insiders look stupid. I’m not saying he isn’t done playing but I am saying, I’m going to be first to say he isn’t done.

A little Shoe Game Talk: “The Big ticket” Kevin Garnett is leaving Adidas for a Chinese company called ANTA. This means another American basketball star is repping the super east coast to make some more loot. Not mad at him at all, whatever you can do to get your funds up makes sense to me. Tim Tebow trainers 1.2 EA Sport Nike editions will be released August 6th. Accompanying the shoes will be a “Tebow Knows” T-Shirt, a riff of the “Bo Knows” campaign. At least they are by Nike and not Skechers, come on Joe (Montana).

Lebron James has bought out a full page ad in the Akron Beacon Journal to thank his fans for the support. No problem to most but I think you missed it - I said “Akron” not Cleveland! Lebron is still going hard on Cleveland! He is from Akron, Ohio, not Cleveland, and he is making that be known for one last time.

Last but not forgotten...Pray for Lorenzen Wright's family as he was found deceased in South Memphis this past week. Wright who was an NBA baller for 13 years came up missing nine days prior to being found on the evening of July 28. Out of respect and with an investigation ongoing I won’t get into all of the foul play being tossed around. I will wait and see what happens and then give you my thoughts.