@HeyGoodCall

by Brandon Sneed

Hey folks, so here's the deal: It's almost impossible right now for me to maintain HeyGoodCall.com while also working on other projects for ESPN The Magazine, GQ, and a few other places. I simply can't afford to try to build a blog audience while working on things that actually pay the rent and for food and grad school tuition and all that important stuff. So here's what I'm doing: I'm putting HGC.com on hiatus, but I'll work diligently to maintain its Twitter feed and Facebook page. Please, make sure to give them both a follow and a like and a high-five and all the other important social media stuff that social media things need. The links below take you to them.

Thanks so much for reading—I've been amazed at how loyal the readership has been around here despite the lack of consistent content over the past month or two. You guys seriously rock. While the comments aren't all that abundant, I get the readership statistics, and while I'm not going to be taking down ESPN.com or even Deadspin anytime soon, we've got something special here. That really means a lot to me, so, thank you. And that is why I'm going to try to at the very least tweet and Facebook share a few links a day for you all. 

Now, social media it up: 

HGC Twitter | HGC Facebook

Even Josh Hamilton's Bat Is Doing Good

by Brandon Sneed

The man is just on fire. Everything he touches turns to gold. Rainbows rise from the earth on which he walks.

OK, not quite, obviously, but the point is: Josh Hamilton is having a great month. Last week he hit 9 home runs, pushing his season total to 18. Four of those nine came in one game, last Tuesday in Baltimore, which tied a Major League record matched only 16 times before. 

Before the bat with which Hamilton hit so historically (you gotta love over-the-top alliteration, right?) got shipped off to Cooperstown, the Rangers allowed fans to get their picture taken with it in exchange for a $5 donation. The photo shoot raised about $2,000 for programs like MLB's Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities Initiative as well as health-related programs hosted by the Rangers Foundation. 

"We wanted fans to be able to see something before it goes to the Hall of Fame," said the foundation's Karen Morris. "And as the same time give the fans a chance to help out the Texas Rangers' foundation." 

Hamilton hit eight of his home runs last week with the bat. Its final at-bat came in Sunday's game against the Angels, when it broke as Hamilton hit a run-scoring single. "She died a hero," he said. 

[ dfw.cbslocal.com ]

Ottawa Father of Three Taking on Jose Canseco In Charity Home Run Derby

by Brandon Sneed

Evan Malamud is a baseball fan in the hockey town of Ottawa. You know, in Canada. He's also a father of three, and his oldest son Jaedyn has autism. Jaedyn's been cared for the past three years by the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), and so Malamud wanted to give them something, too. He decided to put on a home run derby to raise money to donate to them and raise awareness for autism. Here's the event website. 

Then he got on Twitter and challenged his boyhood idol, Jose Canseco, to a one-on-one derby if the slugger—whom we all know and love for his delightful Twitter escapades—could make it. 

Canseco accepted. He's up there in Ottawa right now, where he'll be signing autographs at a mall this afternoon. The big event is tomorrow. 

"Who says I don't have a heart?" tweeted Canseco. 

When asked by a Twitter follower how he's preparing for the showdown with Canseco, Malamud tweeted, "Working out, eggs, protein shakes, and trying to learn magic spells." 

Smart man. I'd say forget the working out and protein and focus on the magic. 

Inspired By Former Pro Wrestler Diamond Dallas, Gulf War Vet Loses 140 Pounds, Walks Again

This is simply incredible. 

Power yoga transformed Diamond Dallas Page, a former pro wrestling superstar, from a beaten-up 56-year-old has-been to a very much alive fitness and wellness guru. 

Arthur Boorman got beaten up too, serving as a Gulf War paratrooper. After reading about Page, he decided to give Power Yoga a shot. He lost 140 pounds. He went from not being able to walk without canes—something doctors told him he'd face his entire life—to sprinting down the sidewalk. He did headstands.

There's no way you can watch this without getting goosebumps. Enjoy. (Video after the jump.)

Click to read more ...

The Quiet Excellence of Umpire Andy Fletcher

by Brandon Sneed

Something happened in that Phillies-Nationals game on Sunday that’s worth dwelling on. And it's not that Bryce Harper got pegged by Cole Hamels or that Cole Hamels said he did it on purpose. Well, maybe a little bit. But mostly something else. 

Click to read more ...

Kobe Bryant Selling His Mask On eBay For Charity (UPDATE: SOLD FOR $67K)

by Brandon Sneed

UPDATE:  The mask has sold for $67,100 after a bid war between two bidders that sparked up in the final hour, around 3 p.m. EST yesterday, with a bid of $24,240. From there it was back-and-forth all the way to the buzzer. No word yet on who the anonymous buyer is, but if we find out, we'll let you know.

Original story (Monday May 7 at 9:46 a.m.)

Yep, that headline pretty much tells you what you need to know. Hustle up, bidding ends tomorrow. And if you really want it, be prepared to dig deep: As of 9:45 this morning bidding, unbelievably, was already over $22,000. Yes, for a sweaty, game-worn mask. Click the link below to get there. 

Kobe's Mask Auction on eBay

(eBay.com)Every dime (basketball pun!) will go to Bryant's Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Foundation's Youth Homelessness Initiative, which tries to help, well, homeless youth in Los Angeles.

Bryant wore the mask for a couple weeks after getting concussed and getting a broken nose courtesy Dwyane Wade in the NBA All-Star Game. Bryant actually played all right with the mask, averaging 29.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game, according to Basketball-Reference.com, and the Lakers went 9-2 in his mask-wearing tenure. 

When he was cleared to play without it, Bryant said he'd "see if anybody's dumb enough to buy that sweaty mask."

Kind of a terrible sales pitch, but hey, it's working. I mean, $22,000? And still with 30 hours to go? 

To quote a commercial: That's not crazy. That's sports. 

To add to said commercial: But it's also crazy. 

[Yahoo! Sports]

Hey, Umpires Can Be All Right: They're Hosting a Charity Auction for Kids

by Brandon Sneed

I know, I know—we all want to hate umpires. It's just a fun part of the game. But then they go and do something like this and risk wrecking everything. 

Friday marked the start of the fourth annual UMPS CARE Charities Online Auction. It lasts until 8 p.m. on May 13, and there are some pretty sweet items up for grabs, including 200 ticket packages, signed items and incredible VIP experiences. (Full list after the jump.) You can bid at MLB.com/UmpsCare. Proceeds benefit children awaiting adoption, coping with cancer and adopted kids who are trying to go to college.

There are goodies for everyone from the hardcore baseball fan to ... well, whatever's most opposite of that. Lists after the jump. 

Click to read more ...

Remembering Junior Seau

by Brandon Sneed

Junior Seau died yesterday reportedly of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his chest. He was 43. 

I'm writing about it here because Seau was, one, a huge NFL personality, playing in 20 seasons for the San Diego Chargers, the Miami Dolphins and the New England Patriots. Twelve straight seasons, he made the Pro Bowl, and he played the second-most games in league history at the outside linebacker position. He also played in two Super Bowls, XXIX for the Chargers and XLII for the Patriots. (Both were losses.) 

Two, Seau also became a huge part of his community, doing so much for so many. His Junior Seau Foundation donated $4 million toward helping kids go to college, and millions more went to local charities. 

Seau's good friend and former Charger teammate Hank Bauer told USA Today, "His favorite thing in the world every holiday was his 'Shop With a Jock.' He bussed in hundreds of (underprivileged) kids to a local Target store and they were paired with an athlete and given $100 that night to shop for Christmas gifts for family."

It's just unbelievable this happened. Earlier in the day, he was playing golf with Bill Goldberg.  

So how does he go from playing golf to pointing a gun at himself and pulling a trigger? 

USA Today reports: "Post-death exams of his brain showed he suffered moderately advanced evidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy — a progressive degenerative disease related to repeated concussive blows. The disease has been linked to at least 18 deceased NFL players, researchers have reported, but no definitive cause-effect relationship has been established."

The disease also leads to depression, dementia, and Alzheimer's. 

I don't know how to react to that. Part of me thinks the league should do more at this point to figure out why so many of its former players are dying prematurely. And even among the living, there are rampant cases of depression, Alzheimer's, and other brain damage. 

I don't have many answers, but it seems like the league should at least begin seriously asking more questions. 

Meanwhile, honor Seau. Look up his foundation, maybe donate to one of his causes. Or just spend a few minutes YouTubing him. Here's one to get you started.

Bo Jackson Rode His Bike 300 Miles, Raised $400K For Tornado Victims (Photos)

This guy. What a stud. Bo Jackson, the former NFL and MLB great, rode his bike 300 miles across Alabama in five days to raise $413,000 for the state's Governer's Emergency Relief Fund. A year ago, tornadoes ripped through the state, which is still in recovery. 

The ride was dubbed "Bo Bikes Bama." Jackson was joined on parts of the ride by some huge sports figures, including Lance Armstrong, Ken Griffery Jr., Scottie Pippen and skier Picabo Street. 

Nike got into the mix, too, creating a new shoe just for the event—but never fear, they'll have plenty for you to buy come June 29. 

Pictures were posted throughout the ride to the Bo Bikes Bama Facebook page and Twitter account. (All were taken by Glenn Kasin.) Here's one of Jackson with Armstrong.  

GoodCall Will Return Soon

by Brandon Sneed

Hey folks—just a quick update. Sorry for the lack of posts here recently. Things got crazy over in Sneedworld. But we'll be getting HeyGoodCall back up and running soon. Give us a week or two. Maybe three. No later than May. Promise!

Love you all.