SPORTS

Lamar Odom has consistently managed to stay in the headlines in recent weeks because of his alleged drug addiction and marital trouble with reality TV Star Khloe Kardashian.

Anyone who thinks the government shutdown would not affect sports in any way is dead wrong.The Defense Department announced on Tuesday that sports competition at service academies will be put on hold while the shutdown is in effect.

VIDEO: Pittsburgh Pirates Get First Playoff Win Since 1992, Fan Jumps Off Bridge, Lives To Tell The TaleAfter the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Cincinnati Reds in their wild card playoff match-up, 5-2, it seemed like the whole of Steel City got lit up. After all, it was the first playoff appearance for the Pirates -- not to mention their first winning season -- since 1992, and the city's other sports teams, including the Steelers, haven't given residents much to cheer about.

It seems like no National Basketball Association (NBA) team is interested in the services of Delonte West. No worries for the 30-year-old NBA veteran, as Chinese Basketball Association’s (CBA) Fujian SBS Sturgeons is willing to give him a shot as both parties agreed to a short-term one-season deal Wednesday.

Here are the teams that have taken giant leaps in the latest FIBA world rankings. All of them performed well in the 2013 continental championship cycle, and by the time FIBA World Cup 2014 comes around, some of them will improve their rankings even further.

After holding SSC Napoli goalless, Arsenal FC boss Arsene Wenger praised his team's performance on the pitch, particularly Mesut Ozil.

Paris Saint-Germain FC boss Laurent Blanc will not take visitors SL Benfica lightly on matchday 2 of the UEFA Champions League.

Cristiano Ronaldo is the latest sports personality to have started his own line of underwear collection.

China’s Li Na has a total of seven WTA singles titles and $12,108,289 winnings in her career but none came in the China Open. A curious fact considering she has homecourt advantage in this tournament with the event happening in Beijing, China.

Bayer Leverkusen boss Sami Hyypia said that his squad is prepared to face Real Sociedad on Matchday 2 of the UEFA Champions League.

In an extensive four minutes plus interview to promote a basketball video game-- NBA 2K14 -- Michael Jordan Uncensored— NBA legend Michael Jordan stated that the only player that can beat him one-on-on when he was in his prime is Kobe Bryant.

FIBA world rankings are computed according to an eight-year cycle, taking into account the following tournaments:- Continental championships (FIBA Asia, FIBA Africa, FIBA Americas, Eurobasket, FIBA Oceania) - FIBA World Cup (FIBA World Championship until 2010) - Olympic basketball tournamentWhenever a new tournament is played, the one that took place eight years before is dropped from the computation. Teams' placings in the tournaments determine the points they have gained or lost, ...

Manchester City will take on the strongest contender in Group D, FC Bayern Munich, of the UEFA Champions League.

If Andray Blatche is to be believed, none of the previous NBA season's conference finalists are the best in the league. That distinction belongs solely to Blatche's Brooklyn Nets.

Manchester United FC will pay a visit to FC Shakhtar Donetsk at the Donbass Arena for Matchday 2 of the UEFA Champions League.

Kate Upton attended the Chanel’s Spring 2014 Collection during the Paris Fashion Week.

Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry arrived at his team's media day wearing something radically different. Instead of wearing Nike shoes, as he had been doing for the past four years, he was wearing Under Armour.

Lamar Odom believes he has a lot of reasons to loathe his estranged wife Khloe Kardashian.

Lebron James shows off his very own limited edition Royal Oak Chronograph Watch by Audemars Piguet.

Brandon Bass, a third-year player for the Boston Celtics, can score, rebound, and defend well.He just doesn't know how to swim. In fact, his six-year-old son Brandon Jr. can swim better than him.

Retired professional tennis player and former World No 1 Anna Kournikova’s relationship with Spanish heartthrob Enrique Iglesias is reported to be doomed and going under.

For the FIVB Volleyball Men’s Under-23 World Championships in Uberlandia, Brazil and the FIVB Volleyball Women’s Under-23 World Championships Open in Tijuana, Mexico, the first to fourth sets will be played up to 21 points instead of the usual 25. The fifth set remains a 15-point affair.

Rafael Nadal is aiming for number one in the ATP world rankings at the end of year, and his performance at the 2013 China Open will have a lot to say in his mission to finish at the top of the heap in 2013. On Wednesday afternoon, he faces Philipp Kohlschreiber in the second round of the tournament held in Beijing, China.

WNBA player, Diana Taurasi of Phoenix Mercury has become an Internet sensation after planting the infamous “basketball kiss” to opponent, Seimone Augustus of Minnesota Lynx. And the WNBA star expressed delight and surprise at the same time after her kiss ‘catches fire” in the world wide web. The video featuring the rare “basketball kiss” has gone viral since it went online.

Ryan Anderson, who plays for the New Orleans Pelicans, couldn’t even start to talk about the tragic death of girlfriend reality TV star Gia Allemand.

The lone NBA team in Canada is ready to roll for the new season. The Toronto Raptors Media Day 2013 opened Monday as new faces were introduced to the press and fans as well as the returning players who will again be part of the core of the team which hopes to challenge for a playoff spot this year.

In the Braves' 4-5 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday night, Chris Johnson slid headfirst to first base after hitting a 1-2 grounder, but was out quickly after shortstop Jimmy Rollins made a dive and throw. Johnson lay facedown on the ground, then picked himself up and walked back to the dugout.Clearly losing his temper, Johnson flipped his helmet towards the bench to consolation pats from teammates. Suddenly, Terry Pendleton grabbed and shoved him.

FC Schalke 04 Manager Jens Keller thinks that the element of surprise from FC Basel 1893 will be limited as he and Basel boss Murat Yakin has just exchanged tactical nous in the recently held UEFA coaches' meeting in Nyon.

Coming into Monday's game, the Tampa Bay Rays were riding the wave of a seven-game winning streak to get one of the two last slots for a wild card play-in game. Even though they lost their last two games to the bottom-feeding Toronto Blue Jays, it was some distance from their 4-13 slide prior to September 11, when they were just about fighting for their lives.The Texas Rangers were similarly struggling just to stay afloat -- they had a good start to September, when a sudden 2-12 stretch t...