A search for Kate Upton on our lovely sports blog turns up five pages, because she is arguably the most attractive women’s basketball/volleyball/softball/tennis player in the world…

Oh, right, she’s not an athlete. But she’s tangentially related to the sports world, with her two Sports Illustrated covers and her two notable relationships, one understandably with pitcher Justin Verlander, and one massive brain fart with “quarterback” Mark Sanchez (the quotation marks always get the scathing tone across).

Alas, we have justified putting Kate Upton on our sports blog. She recently did a photo shoot for Vogue. She survived and inspired this slideshow.

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[Vogue]

Kate Upton first came to everyone’s attention when she made the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue in 2011. Since then, she’s graced other magazines, gotten close to Justin Verlander, been hit on by Wolverines, appeared on the talk show circuit and done other things that usually included being attractive and barely clothed. Not that we’re complaining.

But the swimsuit issue isn’t where she got her start. Her first SI photo shoot ever took place in the Philippines back in 2010. SI editor MJ Day Instagram’d the info sheet for said shoot yesterday. The photo received many likes. Can you see why?

Theory: There is no description because the person filling out the sheet went into shock.

By the way, if you thought this was going to be about Upton way, way before she was a mega-supermodel — like, a kid — sorry to disappoint you, but this is all we’ve got on that front (via Hollywoodite):

Yeah, we didn’t think you’d find that as interesting. Cute kid though.

[BI Sports]

In a bit of meta-photobombing, GQ appeared to give Ken Jeong license to photobomb their Kate Upton shoots for a day. Watch as that dude whose dick you saw in “The Hangover” pretends said dick is actually a pool noodle while Kate Upton gives a seductive over-the-jeans pseudo-footjob to some guy whose life I wish I had, below.

However tenuous this video’s connection to sports may be (Reminder: Kate Upton was once in Sports Illustrated, giving us the right — nay, the responsibility — to keep you updated on her happenings), we hope you laugh. We kinda sorta did. We were distracted. By Kate Upton. You understand, don’t you?

[GQ]

There are photos floating around the Internet today of America’s sweetheart Kate Upton on the set of the film “The Other Woman,” currently in production. The cast features some big names including Leslie Mann, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Cameron Diaz. And Kate Upton.

You might not have known that Kate Upton is an actress. That’s because she’s not, really. It’s unclear whether these photos are from an actual scene in the film or they were taken when the cameras had stopped rolling, but either way: Kate is there for the boobs.

I’m not just being a pig. I’m taking my cue from the other people in these photographs (not to mention the photographs themselves):

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When Kate Upton is cast in the role of Shulamith Firestone, come talk to me about her being an actress. Until then, boobs.

[Busted Coverage]

So who would you rather be? LeBron James on Thursday night, or Blake Griffin on Wednesday? Before you answer, please note that LeBron was hanging out with Drake, and Griffin was in the company of Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Kate Upton. Advantage: Griffin.

It happened in New York City, where Blake was seen on the town with Upton for dinner at Beauty & Essex, according to E! News. I’m not much for gossip, unless it involves Tiger Woods and a golf club protruding from the shattered back window of an SUV. But this is Kate Upton we’re talking about, and I feel rather possessive. All who date her must be cleared through this blog.

Blake, 24, showed up to meet a group of friends, including teammate DeAndre Jordan, around 10:30 p.m. wearing a navy and white button-down shirt and salmon-colored pants! Kate, 21, strolled in around 11:30 p.m., joining Blake and his pals while looking sexy in skinny jeans, a nice blouse and heels.

While everyone in the group, which included a few Beauty & Essex staffers who are longtime friends of Blake’s, appeared to be having “a great time,” it was the basketball star and Kate who were cozying up to one another in the club. A source says the pair “were cuddling and holding hands, although they were not seen making out. They seemed pretty cute together.”

Afterwards, Kate, Blake and his pals hit up Avenue nightclub, where a source says “they closed the place down!”

Blake Upton? Kate Griffin? Has kind of a Kim Kardashian-Kris Humphries vibe. I smell reality show.

Griffin tweeted a photo of himself with Jordan the next day — but no mention of Upton.

NYC with my broseph @deandrejordan01 aka the black batman http://t.co/TMErG28D9T

— Blake Griffin (@blakegriffin32) June 19, 2013

Fun fact: A bit surprisingly, Griffin has more Twitter followers than Upton. If they get married, they’ll have a combined empire of 2,679,464 followers. That’s a lot of power to wield: I pray they would use it for good, not evil.

If there’s one rule in magazines, it’s this: Put Kate Upton in as many issues as possible. Even Golf Digest — and we’re not complaining. That’s a promo for November’s issue, which will feature her and Arnold Palmer nude golfing. Or something.

Wait, why are they doing this?

Via Golf Digest: Upton’s agent at IMG is Lisa Benson, a native of Punxsutawney, Pa., which is right in the Western Pennsylvania wheelhouse of Arnie’s Army. Benson also played college golf for two-and-a-half years at Penn State.

“She wants to be more than just a model,” Benson said about Upton. “The other day she said, ‘I want a soap with an umbrella on it,'” referring to the distinctive Palmer logo. At the rate she is going, an Upton logo might not be too far in the future.

“There couldn’t be two more different people,” said Johnston, the vice chairman of IMG who has been handling Palmer’s business affairs for decades. “A 20-year-old supermodel and an 83-year-old icon,” He said, smiling as he shook his head. “But they hit it off.”

And Palmer could not have been more impressed with Upton, who does take you back in the way she shatters any stereotype you might have about models with her insight and sharp wit.

“She’s a very astute young lady,” Palmer said. “She’s with it. She’s interested in the hospital. She has a great grasp of what she wants to do with her career. I enjoyed talking with her about many different things. She’s very sharp.”

Upton’s visit to the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies affected her as much as her time with Palmer affected her.

So some meeting between the two at Bay Hill for the Arnold Palmer Invitational was orchestrated by their “people”, and from there, they hatched the idea to combine brands for this photo shoot, and maybe some products down the line. Net result: More exposure for both of them. Whatever, as long as she doesn’t give up nude horseback riding, we’re cool with the whole cross-promotional thing.

Even if she’s kind of kissing grandpa…

It’s tough to sell magazines nowadays. The best way to do so is to follow the Internet method: use boobs. That’s why Kate Upton is on the cover of Sports Illustrated’s October issue, though we’re a little confused about the outfit choice. This is easily the most modest we’ve ever seen Ms. Upton.

So, which Upton doesn’t belong? Easy: B.J., who’s hitting .184 this year. Plus, wouldn’t Justin and Kate together have been enough? Now we’re imagining a really weird brother-brother-Kate threesome that makes us feel really uneasy. Just look at this (from the behind the scenes video):

They both want to smash, clearly.

[Busted Coverage]

What’s worse than a bad commercial? How about a commercial that’s over four minutes long, bills itself as a “music video,” rewrites the words to a classic song to reflect the nature of the product it’s hawking, rips off its central theme from another company that had the same idea years ago and features celebrities selling out in the most obvious and outrageous ways possible?

Of course, “Hot Pockets” will get more views and publicity from me complaining about it than if I didn’t, and in that way their goal has been met. Yet it would be remiss of me not to point out everything wrong with this crap ad:

Let’s start from the top. Follow along if you’d like:

1. First and foremost, models don’t eat Hot Pockets. By eating one package of Hot Pockets, Kate satisfied more than half of her daily recommended value of sodium and a third of her DV of fat.
2. Why the fuck is Snoop Dogg talking about Hot Pockets on Larry King?
3. Why the fuck is Snoop Dogg on Larry King?
4. I guess we’re calling him Snoop Dogg again? Or is he just Dogg when he does things that run directly counter to being Rastafarian?
5. Who is this little pissant debating Hot Pockets with Snoop Whatever?
6. We’re going with “Just A Friend”? That song is older than Kate Upton.
7. You got “what I eat”? Are you serious? Who signed off on this rewrite?
8. If you told “Doggystyle”-era Snoop that one day he’d be rapping about microwavable pizza burritos, do you think he’d be pleased?
9. Looks like the real T.I. was busy, so they got a T.I. impersonator. Smart.
10. Snoop bakes. It’s a weed reference. Get it?
11. Worst spaceship dance moves ever.
12. Ah, there’s Kate wearing something low-cut. That’s a new use for her.
13. Seriously, who is this white guy? And why is he rapping?
14. Now we’re in a video game?
15. This is the worst chorus in the history of music.
16. So the issue at hand is that they’re arguing about two different aspects of the same pizza pastry? Didn’t Miller Lite and some other soda company already do this (tastes great, less filling)?
17. Snoop has been baking too long. It’s a weed reference. Get it?
18. The lyrics get worse as the song goes on.
19. Larry King. Wearing a chain that says “CHEESE.” Enough said.
20. Kate Upton is sucking her fingers and looking around mischievously. It’s a sex reference. Get it?
21. “Hashtags. Kids use hashtags, right?”

It should be noted that this isn’t the first time Snoop has done a Hot Pockets music video. Kate Upton is an upgrade from Andy Milonakis, but otherwise it’s an equally horrible train wreck.

The only person who has an excuse for being involved in this is Biz Markie, who probably needs a check. Everyone else: shame on you. This is terrible. We are all stupider for having listened to it. No points, may God have mercy on your soul, etc.

[Busted Coverage]

It’s Kate Upton Tuesday, I guess — and that’s a good thing. The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Calendar hit stores recently, and Upton graces the front page, as well as the month of December. With her this year are SI Swimsuit Edition models Nina Agdal, Natasha Barnard, Kate Bock, Cintia Dicker, Jessica Gomes, Ariel Meredith, Alyssa Miller, Genevieve Morton, , Jessica Perez, Irina Shayk and Chrissy Teigen. Slideshow below.

#ICYMI: Kate Upton Busts Out In The 2014 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Calendar http://t.co/UlCzvRwLd1 pic.twitter.com/jVwXkwGrxE

— Mentality Magazine (@MentalityMag) October 4, 2013

You probably have all of these memorized from the 2013 SI Swimsuit Issue by now, but it’s fun to guess which model will be representing which month.

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Images via Swim Daily.

Tigers leading A’s 2-0 after four innings in their win-or-go-watch-the-Walking-Dead-marathon Game 5, and Justin Verlander has retired the first 12 Oakland batters he’s faced. A’s need more Kate Upton cutouts!

#Athletics fan intimidation at its finest. Jumbo @KateUpton heads in the bleachers to rattle #Tigers' SP Verlander. pic.twitter.com/AFvDMBSkXy

— Casey Pratt (@CaseyPrattCSN) October 10, 2013

These two A's fans made big @KateUpton cutouts for Justin Verlander tonight haha: pic.twitter.com/1jYnRFXcp0

— Alex Espinoza IV (@AlexEspinozaIV) October 10, 2013

The two were rumored to have been dating last year, although that was never confirmed. Maybe the cutouts are inspiring Verlander.

The Video Of Kate Upton Getting Her Body Painted For The SI Swimsuit Issue Is Fantastic!
The Video Of Kate Upton Getting Her Body Painted For The SI Swimsuit Issue Is Artistic!
The Video Of Kate Upton Getting Her Body Painted For The SI Swimsuit Issue Is Ecologically Forward Thinking!
The Video Of Kate Upton Getting Her Body Painted For The SI Swimsuit Issue Is Quixotic!
The Video Of Kate Upton Getting Her Body Painted For The SI Swimsuit Issue Is Life Affirming!

We’ll let you fill in the blank…

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Via UPROXX

The 2014 Swimsuit mag comes out February 11th — where Kate Upton will reportedly be floating in a zero gravity chamber. Ohhh, science, you dirty dog you. Here’s a rousing homage to 50 years of the soft core porn that is SI’s annual babe issue.

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Via Reddit

It kind of bothers me whenever a coach addresses the press as “you guys”. As in, “You guys started this rumor about me …” Would it be fair if I asked Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo why “you guys” throw chairs during Big Ten games?

But this is an exception, because it generated a pretty amusing quote. Friday’s press conference with Tom Thibodeau, where he addressed the rumors of his demise as Chicago Bulls’ head coach:

“I’m not going to comment on rumors you guys start, and then you wait for me to respond.

“Obviously I have a lot of respect for what Doc does say, but every day there is something else going on. Now the rumor about my date with Kate Upton, a rumor started by me, I’m not commenting on that either.”

And now, 57 of Kate Upton’s “sexiest moments”, among them photos from her recent Vogue shoot (some football related).

Great news, perverts: The 2014 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue is out. This is the kind of pornography you can display proudly in your home, because “sports” and “photography” and “travel” and such. Also, Kate Upton did a shoot in zero gravity.

Upton (a SportsGrid favorite) is once again the star of the show, but there are lots of actual athletes in this year’s issue — the magazine’s 50th — as well. Not that there’s anything with professional models like Hannah Davis or Natasha Barnard, of course. But, sports, you know? Sports.

Here are a few photos that SI has already tweeted out of Skyler Diggins, Anastasia Ashley (another SportsGrid favorite) and Alex Morgan. There are videos of their shoots too. And, hell, we’ll throw Upton in there as well. Enjoy:

Meet this 2014's ATHLETES in Swimsuit: @SkyDigg4, @alexmorgan13 & @AnastasiaAshley http://t.co/EJoFky8q56 #SISwim50 pic.twitter.com/O8qNaLOsjA

— SI Swimsuit (@SI_Swimsuit) February 18, 2014

Alex Morgan

Did you know: Soccer star @alexmorgan13 is in this year's #SISwim50?! http://t.co/Mts51D45w4 pic.twitter.com/cZ34IiSj12

— SI Swimsuit (@SI_Swimsuit) February 18, 2014

Skyler Diggins

#Swim50 pic.twitter.com/QI6xLQfawT

— Skylar Diggins (@SkyDigg4) February 18, 2014

Anastasia Ashley

Cats outta the bag!! @SI_Swimsuit @MJ_Day @darciebaum !!!! pic.twitter.com/iP4JU8HHds

— Anastasia Ashley (@AnastasiaAshley) February 18, 2014

Kate Upton

So yeah, this happened. #SISwim50 @KateUpton http://t.co/J7VnJFAh85 !!!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/vZm8FIpBqF

— SI Swimsuit (@SI_Swimsuit) February 18, 2014

Yes, we sent @KateUpton to SPACE! http://t.co/BWJQzLbKzJ #SISwim50 pic.twitter.com/jqiMHUkx1A

— SI Swimsuit (@SI_Swimsuit) February 18, 2014

Check out the videos from the space shoot here >

Yep, the SI Swimsuit edition is out, and we can’t help but notice (despite the gorgeous photos of some fantastic athletes gracing the pages) that Kate Upton is a big part of it. She’s been a staple of the issue since being named “Rookie of the Year” in 2011. But the magazine one-upped itself big time by putting Upton on a plane and shooting her in zero-g.

The videos alone, putting aside the final product, are insane. While Upton herself is mesmerizing, watching an entire film crew float around while trying to capture the perfect shot is laugh out loud funny. Check out all the clips below.

Here she is back on Earth. Still pretty good:

Ya know, joshing around. Spoofing. Being a card. A cutup.

Butt it wasn’t all bun and games. Kate had a serious PSA she wanted to make: “I don’t think my butt gets enough attention.”

…well what the hell are you doing?! Don’t just stand there — give her butt more attention! Ugh, amateurs.

Screencap via YouTube

The worst news that Kate Upton has ever heard? Of course it concerns the Los Angeles Country Club and its (supposed) policy of not letting women golf before noon. Ms. Upton, who recently took up the sport, fired off a tweet about that today — presumably after hearing about this policy from a friend, or getting her courses confused.

Because, according to LACC General Manager Kirk Reese, no such policy exists.

“(Women not being allowed to play before noon) is absolutely not true,” and the club “has had female members since 1898,” Reese said.

But it does bring to light a pretty ugly history of golf club discrimination in the Los Angeles Area. For instance, prior to 1977, the Los Angeles Country Club didn’t allow Jews as members — and the club didn’t routinely admit Jews until the mid-1990s. For the first 90-plus years of its existence, until 1981, it didn’t allow African-Americans (former San Francisco 49ers receiver Gene Washington was the first). And show-business types were also frowned upon.

I just heard that Los Angeles Country Club doesn't allow women to golf until noon.That is the most insulting news I've heard! It's 2014

— Kate Upton (@KateUpton) June 4, 2014

Los Angeles Times:

Southern California has its history of discrimination at private clubs. Discrimination against black and Jewish golfers at Los Angeles Country Club was legendary. So perhaps it was not surprising, after the club had admitted former NFL wide receiver Gene Washington as its first black member less than 20 years ago, that a white member approached a black man on the putting green and said, “Welcome, Mr. Washington.” The man was not Washington. He was a club guest.

As for the before-noon restriction being “the worst thing” Upton has heard, we have to agree. Afghanistan? Those girls kidnapped in Africa? World hunger? They really can’t compare.

Ahem, we feel compelled to bring it to your attention that SI cover girl and lady friend of Tigers SP Justin Verlander, Kate Upton, has FINALLY received the recognition she deserves for being really really good looking. Took you long enough, People Magazine. The hell was wrong?

Just in case you’ve forgotten the full breadth of her award-winning sexiness, a slideshow with #naughty photos of her Sports Illustrated Swimsuit colleagues for reference. Happy Friday, folks!

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Just when you got sick of looking at Kate Upton’s nude pictures with Justin Verlander – or Justin Verlander’s nude pictures with Kate Upton, depending on how big of a Tigers fan you are – we have new pictures for you.

The supermodel/actress brought out the puppies at a Spring Training game in Viera, Florida Wednesday, as the Tigers played at the Nationals.

Upton joined the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office for the Grand Slam Adoption Event, and thousands of men just sighed in disappointment.

The #Nats are happy to welcome @KateUpton & her furry friends with the Grand Slam Adoption Event to today's game! pic.twitter.com/uV4QkMaqSE

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) March 11, 2015

MLB pitchers are the highest paid athletes on Earth when you consider how much they make relative to the number of hours they work per week. So what do they do with all that leftover time/money? They spend it on supermodels. Duh.

What? You thought they built homes for displaced families? Washed dishes at soup kitchens? Pfff, ok, because that’s DEFINITELY where C.J. Wilson met Lisalla Montenegro. At a soup kitchen. Right.

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If a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition supermodel and a Detroit Tigers pitching ace can’t stay together in this crazy world, what chance do the rest of us have? Rumors have surfaced that Kate Upton and Justin Verlander have split — Upton rejecting the pitcher’s marriage proposal to concentrate on her career.

And leave it to Astros’ mascot Orbit to try and pick up the pieces. Last week, hoping that Upton is into the furry scene, Orbit made his big play on Twitter:

Look @KateUpton, I realize @JustinVerlander is a handsome guy, but I really feel like I could out-handsome him. #SlideIntoMyDMs #Astros

— Houston Astros Orbit (@OrbitAstros) August 15, 2015

It was probably an attempt to distract Verlander, who was starting for the Tigers against the Astros that day. It didn’t work, as Verlander threw a three-hitter over seven innings with the Tigers winning in 11, 4-2.

Orbit, please think of the children and put on some pants.

That is all…

We’ll try to stop feeling sorry for ourselves now and be happy for the couple. After three years together, Kate Upton is officially off the market. Appearing last night at the famed Met Ball, Kate Upton looked as good as ever. But rather than paying attention to what we normally pay attention to on Kate Upton, our eyes turned toward her hand. We were astounded (read: devastated) when we saw this:

We think after seeing Upton go out in public with her engagement ring at the Met Ball, we will have no choice but to strike against the Metropolitan Museum of Art. We are now Team Guggenehim for life.

How were we supposed to know that this commercial would be the end of Kate Upton being single as we know it?

Oh that guy Justin Verlander, being all sly throwing baseballs to models instead of kids. Really must be nice to be that guy huh.

Verlander and Upton reportedly have no plans to marry soon and are enjoying their engagement period. Yeah and we are also enjoying our favorite Kate Upton video. Here’s the cat daddy, one last time, as we remember Upton in the days when we thought she was dating Mark Sanchez.

Rick Reilly’s career is a mystery to many. Once a revered and highly awarded writer for Sports Illustrated in its heyday, he’s now best known for joining ESPN and quickly devolving into a caricature of himself before entering into early retirement to say embarrassing things on social media.

Well apparently his lack of self-awareness is a terminal condition, because he brought his absolute worst on Tuesday afternoon when he tried to entertain the kids with this perplexing take on the news that Kevin Durant is now a Golden State Warrior:

Adding Kevin Durant to a Warriors team that already had Curry + Thompson is like giving Kate Upton a 3rd breast. Nothing appealing about it.

— Rick Reilly (@ReillyRick) July 5, 2016

Whatever you are thinking right now: yes, that’s exactly right.

There is no wrong reaction to this tweet, other than acting like you understand it. Reilly’s unsuccessful attempt at the sports metaphor is alarming, especially considering the man is an 11-time recipient of the NSSA National Sportswriter of the Year award. His comparison between Durant’s free agency decision and a young supermodel’s hypothetical third breast manages to be both inept and very creepy. What a combination.

He sounds like a high school kid trying to convince his friends that he likes naked girls even though he freaks out every time he walks by the bra section at Walmart. Bravo, nearly sixty-year-old man. You tweeted about boobs! Plus, who are you to even say that a third breast wouldn’t be appealing? Maybe not to you, but you can’t speak for everyone’s taste. There’s a reason that people still Google Total Recall so often, and it’s not out of 90’s nostalgia…

Anyhow, the good people of the Twitterverse did not disappoint in their swift and brutal assessment of Reilly’s tweet. Not only did they compile some of the best reaction GIFs since that NFL schedule Twitter snafu, but they said exactly what the rest of us were thinking:

@ReillyRick pic.twitter.com/t7qyOuqLGb

— The Mick (@TheNJMick) July 5, 2016

@ReillyRick pic.twitter.com/mTnF125Cbb

— Adrian Crawford (@Crawf33) July 5, 2016

.@ReillyRick pic.twitter.com/4cvPV3DPXe

— Joe Giglio (@JoeGiglioSports) July 5, 2016

@ReillyRick pic.twitter.com/u92n0erqaq

— Andrew Evans (@FakeAndrewEvans) July 5, 2016

.@ReillyRick pic.twitter.com/Ghj1b2vcNb

— Trent (@BarstoolTrent) July 5, 2016

@ReillyRick pic.twitter.com/4s6jJbJ9zc

— Joshua Weinstock (@Jewinning) July 5, 2016

@ReillyRick pic.twitter.com/obz7m8zq6Y

— Vincent Frank (@VincentFrankNFL) July 5, 2016

@ReillyRick pic.twitter.com/yGuUXF2JZg

— Craig Calcaterra (@craigcalcaterra) July 5, 2016

@ReillyRick pic.twitter.com/zH39Do91RF

— KODAK BRIGHT (@DopeShii_) July 5, 2016

@ReillyRick You used to be a really good sportswriter.

— Jonah Keri (@jonahkeri) July 5, 2016

As anyone who watched any TV at all on Sunday should know, the National Anthem protest debate has broken its tether and is loose among the NFL at large. Players took a knee or gave the raised fist salute in Seattle; Glendale, AZ; and Kansas City. And we’ll surely see more tonight when the Rams visit Santa Clara to take on the 49ers.

The founder of the movement, Colin Kaepernick, has said that he will once again sit out the Anthem. This of course has caused much wailing and gnashing of teeth.

All of this fuss over an old English drinking song with lyrics by an 18th Century slaveholder who was being held on a British warship when he wrote it. But that’s America — except for jazz and bluegrass, we suck at creating original music.

Anyway, this just in: KATE UPTON IS PISSED. Like a beauty pageant contestant answering a question on “What America means to me,” Upton wrote a rather lengthy post on her Facebook page condemning all those who won’t stand for The Star-Spangled Banner. Here are some excerpts from her manifesto:

“In my opinion, the national anthem is a symbolic song about our country. It represents honoring the many brave men and women who sacrifice and have sacrificed their lives each and every single day to protect our freedom. Sitting or kneeling down during the national anthem is a disgrace to those people who have served and currently serve our country.”

Her main beef seems to be with the Miami Dolphins — four of their players, among them running back Arian Foster, kneeled during the Anthem on Sunday in Seattle. She included a photo of those players with her post.

“Sitting down during the national anthem on September 11th is even more horrific. Protest all you want and use social media all you want. However, during the nearly two minutes when that song is playing, I believe everyone should put their hands on their heart and be proud of our country for we are all truly blessed.”

Well, some more than others. #Breasts.

But it didn’t take long for an actual veteran to log in to her page and give her a spanking:

Richard S Singleton As a veteran I couldn’t disagree with you more. I didn’t put my life on the line for freedom for the few, I did it for freedom for all. These people are using the 1st amendment rights to make a point. A right that applies to all Americans whether you or I agree with them or not. I don’t have to approve or even like how someone chooses to exercise their rights but I’ll be damned if i will deny them or let anyone else deny them that freedom. This is what a real patriot does, they stand up for all.
Like · Reply · 873 · 10 hrs · Edited

Above please see Ms. Upton honoring America in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition.

The 2017 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition will be released into the wild on Monday, Feb. 13, and it will have at least two amazing features.

No. 1 … how is this still a thing? With naked women available on the internet 24/7, it’s remarkable that a print magazine still holds the world in thrall with its near-nakedness in 2017.

No. 2 … Christie Brinkley may be on the cover. Yep, one of our most enduring national monuments, who first graced the SI Swimsuit cover in 1979, and is now 63 years old, will be in the SI Swimsuit edition. This makes her one of the greatest athletes on the planet, IMO. (See below).

One model who may or may not be in the magazine is Kate Upton — who, says the New York Post, is acting like a big diva and may be booted.

Sources tell us that an appearance by Upton — whose Rookie of the Year pictures in the mag in 2011 helped make her a star — is still up in the air because of her diva demands.

“There was drama,” says the source. “Kate demanded that if she did the shoot, that she absolutely must get the cover. She also had a list of photographers and hair and makeup people she would only work with.”

Upton appeared on the magazine’s cover twice, in 2012 and 2013, when she was photographed in Antarctica.

The source continued of this time around, “She was being a big f - - king diva. She’s thinks she’s better than everyone because she’s an actress.”

Upton has appeared in the films The Other Woman (2014), The Three Stooges (2012) and Tower Heist (2011), with three others in post-production — among them The Masterpiece with Bryan Cranston and James Franco.

So perhaps she feels that this bikini modeling thing is ready to be shuffled into the past? Upton of course is still engaged to Tigers’ pitcher Justin Verlander.

Meanwhile, Brinkley has already done a photo shoot that includes her two daughters, Alexa Ray Joel, 31, and Sailor Brinkley Cook, 18.

Yes! I am excited to announce that I am back in @si_swimsuit ..I figured with my gorgeous daughters @alexarayjoel and @sailorbrinkleycook by my side whose going to be looking at me! Oh and My kids think I walk on water, so let's not mention the apple box concealed just under the surface. For a preview check out @people.com ..and thank you Sports Illustrated for sending the powerful message that good things come in packages of every size and we do not come with an expiration date! psI can’t wait to see everyone at VIBES on Feb 17th and 18th in Houston! #proudmomhere!

A photo posted by Christie Brinkley (@christiebrinkley) on Feb 6, 2017 at 6:22pm PST

The latest SI Swimsuit Edition will likely have three covers, and good bets to be there are tennis star Serena Williams, Brinkley, and possibly Upton.

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Even though photos from the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition have been circulating on social media for more than a week, the cover reveal is always a big deal and reserved for the day before the magazine is released. Jimmy Kimmel Live again got the honors this year, and of course he had to have some fun with it before showing the actual cover Tuesday night.

With the real cover model, Kate Upton, sitting right next to him, Kimmel broke out a fake SI cover showing very little of Upton and very too much of show sidekick Guillermo Rodriguez.

There were three real covers, all featuring Upton, and mostly noteworthy due to the model’s reluctance to wear an actual swimsuit.

The 2017 SI Swimsuit Covers have been revealed. Welcome back, @KateUpton! Follow the link for more photos and video https://t.co/4cszjybbVp pic.twitter.com/y7TguJdPVD

— SI Swimsuit (@SI_Swimsuit) February 15, 2017

Kate Upton lands 2017 "Sports Illustrated" swimsuit issue cover https://t.co/4zyDSIfeWv pic.twitter.com/6cBQLUiIrA

— CNN (@CNN) February 15, 2017

Last week there had been rumors that other models would share the SI cover duties — among them 63-year-old Christie Brinkley and her two daughters. Then the New York Post reported that Upton was making obnoxious diva demands, one of them being that if she didn’t get the cover, she wouldn’t be in the magazine at all.

So if the NY Post report is true, it looks like SI caved and Upton got her third solo SI Swimsuit cover (tied for first all-time). Oh well, it could have been worse … a lot worse, as the lead photo above proves.

HQ | Barbara for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2017. (5-8) pic.twitter.com/j6V0WXrlCR

— Barbara Palvin FR (@PalvinNewsFR) February 15, 2017

Bouchard, Wozniacki and Serena featured on Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. Ah, tennis pic.twitter.com/2DZGoDBIrG

— José Morais (@ZezeAM) February 15, 2017

Every cover of the SI Swimsuit Edition.

So Kate Upton allegedly pulled some power play tactics to get on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue this year, not that anyone seems to be complaining. It just goes to show that you don’t mess with a four-time SI cover model.

Yes, Upton’s been on four covers — three swimsuits, and one regular SI issue (with Justin and Melvin Upton). Her fiancé, Justin Verlander, has been on three — as far as I can tell, the most combined boyfreind-girlfriend SI covers ever.

What else do we know about the ultimate power couple? Well, we know a little more now that last week. For instance, what goes on in the bedroom on the day before Justin is scheduled to pitch?

Not much.

Upton revealed the rules during an interview on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen on Wednesday.

“There’s no sex before a game — absolutely none,” Upton responded. “What I’ve just found out is, if he plays too well, there’s no sex after, either.” The model further explained, “He’s exhausted. It’s kind of a buzzkill for me.”

OK then.

And now because I know that you don’t have a game tomorrow, here’s Kate taking a shower.

School is out, Independence Day is next week; and Major League Baseball is at its mid-way point of the season. With July upon us, teams have to decide whether they’re buyers or sellers since the trade deadline looms on July 31^st.

The teams in the two leagues face completely different scenarios. Of the 15 American league teams, 12 are still within 3.5 games of a playoff berth, while in the National League, there are only seven teams with a realistic shot at the postseason…over half the league should be planning golf trips for October, because they won’t be playing baseball.

The Nationals are a cinch to win the NL East, while three teams, (Brewers, Cubs, and Cardinals), are battling it out for the NL Central. And, the top three teams in the NL West all seem destined for the playoffs, with the top team carrying the West, while the other two will be in the Wildcard game.

With so many teams in the playoff picture in the AL, most teams will be buyers. One of the three teams who won’t be buying this year is the Detroit Tigers. It’s time to blow it up in Motown. With the second worst record in the AL, it is time to sell off some bloated contracts and turn the page.

One of the teams who’ll be obvious buyers is the New York Yankees. They are currently tied for first place and look to be for real. One of the areas they are lacking is in their starting pitching. CC Sabathia, Masahiro Tanaka, Michael Pineda, Luis Severino, and Jordan Montgomery just doesn’t strike fear into the opposition. It may be enough to snag a postseason appearance, but the 27 time champs don’t look for playoff appearances, they look for World Series victories.

In looking at the two teams situations, they are perfect trade partners. Although they are each AL teams, they aren’t in the same division, so it’s not like the Yanks would be trading with the Red Sox. The Yankees have nearly $100 million coming off their books at the end of this season, and can certainly afford to carry some payroll. The Tigers are in desperate need to free themselves of some terrible contracts. It is a match made in heaven

To the Yankees: Justin Verlander, Miguel Cabrera, Justin Upton, and Jordan Zimmerman. To the Tigers: Jacoby Ellsbury, Dellin Betances, Greg Bird, Luis Cessa, and Jorge Mateo. The Tigers would be freeing themselves of $400 m`illion in contracts, and only picking up 64 Million in taking back Ellsbury, plus whatever the annual arbitration figures are for the other players. They will save somewhere in the vicinity of 320 million dollars while getting back talent in Ellbury, a top reliever in Betances, a young starter in Cessa, and two top prospects in Bird at first base and Mateo at shortstop. With Didi Gregorius playing a terrific shortstop for the Yankees, and under team control through 2019, Mateo becomes expendable and fabulous trade bait.

The Yankees get a top first baseman in Cabrera, an ace in Verlander, a power hitting outfielder in Upton to play left field, moving Brett Gardner to centerfield, and they get a second starter in Jordan Zimmerman, who was forced into the deal as a salary dump. The deal works for each team, and satisfies each team’s needs. Adding Miggy and J-Up to that offense is truly scary to think of, and putting Verlander at the top of that rotation, instantly makes the Yankees odds on favorites to win the AL East, and puts them in great shape versus either the Astros or Indians.

For the Tigers, it will be the start of a long overdue rebuild, which is completely necessary. It won’t be a quick process, but freeing themselves of so much salary would be the most logical first step.

Just think how great it will be to see Kate Upton wearing a Yankees cap sitting in row one near the first base dugout at Yankee Stadium.

Cam Giangrande follow me on twitter @camcamelot

By Cam Giangrande

With Thanksgiving just past us and 2017 nearly behind, it is time to list the things I am thankful for as the new year of 2018 approaches. This isn’t the usual hum drum, “I’m thankful for my family, and friends and health, and…blah, blah, blah”. It’s more of a post Turkey Day reflective look back, in no particular order.

The 17 things I am most thankful for; well 18, since we’re entering 2018, and 17 is a prime number, but that’s just my issue with prime numbers…anyway; here it is.

1. Christian Laettner: I’m eternally and annually thankful for Christian Laettner, circa 1992 vs the Kentucky Wildcats in the Regional Finals of the NCAA Tournament. With only 2.1 seconds left in the game and his back to the rim at the foul line, after catching the full court pass from Grant Hill, he still had the stones to dribble and up fake before making the game winning shot.

2. Bill Belichick’s press conferences: If you’ve never listened to a Belichick press conference, you haven’t lived. He gives the perfect mixture of grunts, snorts, and eye rolls, mixed in with just enough mis-information to keep reporters exasperated. Stated simply…”I’m on to the third thing I’m thankful for”. If you don’t get the reference, Google Bill Belichick and Cincinnati.

3. TV Commercials which spawn catch phrases: “Dilly, Dilly”

4. Justin Verlander: Thanks to him, we get to see Kate Upton more than once a year in Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit edition.

5. Larry Bird: Another nostalgic gem I think back on every year. Come on, I was a teenager living in Boston in the 80s…nuff said! It’s not trash talking if you can back it up. Walking into the locker room before the three-point contest and asking, “who’s playing for second place?” is about as cool as it gets.

6. Fantasy Baseball: I am thankful for Dan Okrent for inventing rotisserie league baseball in the winter of 1979. It’s a shame he never became wealthy from his invention, because he should have: on top of that, he should be in Cooperstown.

7. Camden Yards: The first of the retro parks is still a thing of beauty. It’s wonderful to be able to drive eight hours south from Boston and catch a Red Sox/Orioles game for less money than going to Fenway Park.

8. 80s Wrestling: Again, as a teenager in the 80s, what was more fun than watching the true height of wrestling. Most enjoyable wrestlers for me, “Nature Boy” Ric Flair, “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka, “American Dream” Dusty Rhodes, and Hulk Hogan.

9. Foxwoods: It’s still not Vegas, and there isn’t sports betting yet, but to be able to drive 90 minutes to get to the largest casino in the country is fantastic.

10. Terry Francona: Probably the best manager currently in the game: having to navigate all the land mines which constantly surround Red Sox Nation, couldn’t have been an easy thing to do. To have left the team with such grace, always taking the high road, while leaving a legacy of success and two world championships, is a testament to the man. He should still be the Boston skipper today. I really hope he can win one for Cleveland.

11. Eddie Andelman: He is the “Godfather” of Boston Sports Talk Radio. Before ESPN, and radio stations dedicated to sports 24 hours a day, there was Eddie Andelman on Boston radio, once a week on Sunday nights; doing his “Sports Huddle”. It was classic radio, and many radio entertainers owe their careers to Andelman.

12. The movie “Hoosiers”: The best basketball movie ever made. Whenever I’m flipping channels and I see it on, at any point in the movie, I stop and watch it. Whether it’s Dennis Hopper running “The picket fence”, or Gene Hackman getting tossed on purpose, or Jimmy Chitwood telling coach, “I’ll make it”, the movie brings tears and smiles.

13. The movie “Rudy”: Much of what’s true about Hoosiers can be said about Rudy too. Seeing chubby, Jon Favreau and zygote, Vince Vaughn is a sight to see too.

14. Kurt Russell as Herb Brooks in “Miracle”: Watching him tell his assistant coach to blow the whistle, while he continually shouts, “Again!”, is a thing of beauty. And, I could literally watch him give Brooks famous speech every day for the rest of my life.

15. The TV show, “The League”: It’s been off the air for a couple years now, but had a six season run. It’s on DVD, and I thoroughly recommend it. Some of the writers from Seinfeld were the creators of the show, about a group of friends who play in a fantasy football league. It is pure genius.

16. TV shows anti-heroes: Walter White and Tony Soprano changed the face of TV forever. It’s never been more fun to root for the bad guy.

17. Movies set in Boston: Here’s to “The Fighter”, “The Town”, “The Departed”, “Mystic River”, “Black Mass”…etc, and the granddaddy of them all, “Good Will Hunting”: “How do you like them apples?!?”

18. And, the actors who do bad Boston accents in those movies: I cringe every time I hear Martin Sheen try to do a Boston accent in “The Departed”, and listening to Jack Nicholson say the word “Gloucester” is no picnic either…but it makes my thankful for growing up in Boston; because they say imitation is the greatest form of flattery.

Follow me on twitter @camcamelot