Pop Culture Hot List

SI Staff | Jun 16, 2009

Pop Culture Hot List

Los Angeles Lakers

Bob Rosato/SI (Greg Nelson/SI, John W. McDonough/SI, insets)

I never understood the argument that Kobe needed to win a title without Shaq to silence his critics. Did Magic need to win without Kareem to cement his greatness? Either way, Kobe and the Lakers won the championship five years after trading away the Big Diesel. So when can we start the "Kobe can't win without Gasol" criticism?

Pittsburgh Penguins

David E. Klutho/SI

The Red Wings blew a 2-0 series lead to Pittsburgh and failed in Game 7 in Detroit to give their downtrodden city something to celebrate. On the bright side for the NHL, however, Crosby, a big star and perhaps the league's best player, won his first Stanley Cup and plays for a team that is expected to be good for years.

Artie Lange

Ethan Miller/Getty Images, AP

You know what you're going to get when you book Artie Lange on a live HBO show. Well, that is unless you're Joe Buck and the producers of his new show, <i>Joe Buck Live</i>. Somehow, Buck and HBO execs were surprised at Lange's antics, even though he was just as raunchy, crude and uncomfortably funny as he is on <i>The Howard Stern Show</i>.

Brett Favre

AP

Completely overshadowed by Artie Lange's performance on <i>Joe Buck Live</i> was Favre all but announcing his return to the NFL to play for the Vikings when he's healthy. He slipped up a couple of times during the interview and said "we" in reference to the Vikings. Let the countdown begin to Oct. 5, when the Vikings play the Packers on <i>Monday Night Football</i>.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Paris Hilton

Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images, AP

Is there anything more cliche in Hollywood than hooking up with Paris Hilton at a trendy club? Since Ronaldo is new in town, he gets a pass, but he better not be doing anything else touristy, such as wearing a fanny pack and taking a pictures on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Michael Phelps

Peter Read Miller/SI

Taking another page from Mark Spitz, Phelps has grown the most popular facial hair in swimming since Spitz's famous mustache. Some have already labeled it the "Splash 'Stache." We can only hope that it becomes a Phelps signature look now.

Rihanna

AP, John W. McDonough/SI

While most were focused on Rihanna's reaction to seeing Chris Brown during the NBA Finals in Orlando, or her checking out rumored love interests Andrew Bynum and Rashard Lewis, we hear the pop star was actually most excited to see Lakers guard Jordan Farmar. Rihanna and Farmar have been friends for a couple of years.

Milton Bradley

AP

Anyone who has ever said that baseball is boring can cite Bradley's gaffe as evidence. Even the players don't pay attention to the game sometimes. As amazing as it is for professional baseball players to lose count of the number of outs in an inning, I'm more interested to know what Bradley was thinking about during the game.

Raul Ibanez

Illustration by Darrow

How many people would have known about a blogger's steroid-related post about Ibanez if the Phillies' outfielder hadn't reacted so strongly to it? Sometimes it's better not to defend yourself when there's nothing really to defend.

Tim Floyd

AP

Looking back on it now, I'm sure Floyd would agree that a one-and-done season with O.J. Mayo and an alleged $1,000 payment to one of the player's associates weren't worth his coaching career and a basketball program he had rebuilt. Oh, well. Floyd may be right about one thing during his time in L.A.: He always said the USC job would be his last in coaching.