Jerry Curl

In Just Because news: A goal celebration kiss between two French footballers at the Weserstadion in Bremen, Germany is making some headlines in Europe. The Local reports : Mathieu Debuchy, a midfielder with Lille, passed the ball to Montpellier player Olivier Giroud, who scored. Debuchy then ran to Giroud who grabbed his head with both hands and kissed his teammate. The video clip of the embrace was played repeatedly on news shows and shared online. #Debuchy was still a trending Twitter tag yesterday morning. The goal was Giroud's first for his national team. He is currently the top scorer this year in France's leading football league, Ligue 1. Watch the clip below: (Via Towleroad )

[ Editor's note ] I have a notorious reputation for siding with the losing team. It's such a sure thing that most people in my family put money on the team I don't root for... Well last night I got lucky, I picked the winner. Eli Manning and the New York Giants beat Tom Brady and the New England Patriots last night in a 21-17 thrilling game. Admittedly , I don't know much about the ins and outs of the game, but I do understand the pressure of scoring a touchdown with only a minute on the clock. T'was exciting. The AP has a complete wrap up of the game's highlights, including interviews with Manning and Brady here .

Photo caption: Rep. Giffords leads the crowd in the pledge of allegiance during a vigil on January 8, in Tucson, Arizona, marking one year since a shooting rampage left her and 12 others wounded and six people dead. --> News : Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, the three-term Democrat grievously injured just over a year ago in an assassination attempt that shook the country, announced Sunday that she intends to resign from Congress this week to concentrate on recovering. You can watch Giffords' video in its entirety here . Visit msnbc.com for breaking news , world news , and news about the economy --> News : Francesco Schettino, captain of the cruise liner that capsized off Italy's coast, has told prosecutors the vessel's operators, Costa Cruises, instructed him to perform a maneuvre that brought it too close to shore, according to leaked transcripts of his questioning. Prosecutors say Schettino steered the vessel, which carried more than 4,200 passengers and crew, within 150 m...

According to Stitch Kingdom , the Atlanta Braves aren't big fans of upcoming animated film “Brave.” This summer, the Atlanta National League Baseball Club (owners of the Atlanta Braves), reportedly filed an objection to Disney’s attempts to trademark the title Brave . The team claims that the upcoming animated film’s moniker is already being used by their organization. Although the Braves don’t own any trademarks for the word “Brave” (only “Braves”), they insist that damages will occur as a result of the trademarks being approved. The team claims that they’ve used the singular form of Braves on merchandise, and say that “Brave” is used when referring to a single player (as opposed to the whole team being the “Braves.”) The Walt Disney Company and the Atlanta National League Ball Club are said to be currently involved in private negotiations. The 3-D fantasy adventure movie – produced by Pixar and released by Disney – will hit theaters June 22. The kids flick follows a courageous gi...

Joe Frazier, the former heavyweight champion whose furious and intensely personal fights with a taunting Muhammad Ali endure as an epic rivalry in boxing history, died last night. He was 67. His business representative, Leslie Wolff, told The Associated Press on Saturday that Frazier had liver cancer and that he had entered hospice care. The complete NYT Obit can be read here . Dave Anderson of the New York Times writes a great piece on Frazier: Some people mean more together than they do apart, whatever the stage. Churchill and Hitler. Bogart and Bacall. Ali and Frazier. And for all the deserved accolades for Muhammad Ali, I’ve always believed that each at his best, Joe Frazier, who died Monday night at age 67, was the better fighter. And the better man. After both entered the Madison Square Garden ring undefeated in 1971 for what was called the Fight of the Century, Frazier flattened Ali with a left hook and earned a unanimous and unquestioned 15-round decision that Ali didn’t wait ...

--> US news : President Barack Obama will urge Congress to get to work this week on passing pieces of his larger, now-defunct jobs bill during a three-day bus tour through North Carolina and Virginia, two southern states that could be critical to his re-election campaign. The two-state swing, which kicks off today in Asheville, N.C., is Obama's latest attempt to combine campaigning for his jobs bill with campaigning for his re-election. While he has pledged to travel the country pitching his plans to get Americans back to work, his stops have focused heavily on political swing states, underscoring the degree to which what happens with the economy is tied to Obama's re-election prospects. The bus tour comes as the fight over Obama's jobs proposals enters a new phase. The president's efforts to get his entire $447 billion bill passed were blocked by Senate Republicans, leaving Obama and his Democratic allies to push for the proposals contained in the bill to be passed ...

--> US news : The Democratic-controlled Senate is expected to take up President Barack Obama's controversial jobs bill this week, with a key procedural vote on the $447 billion measure currently scheduled for this evening. Among other things, the package includes an extension and expansion of the current payroll tax cut, an extension of jobless benefits to help the unemployed, new tax credits for businesses that hire the long-term unemployed and additional money to help save and create jobs for teachers and first responders such as firemen. Republicans are vehemently opposed to a provision recently added by Senate Democrats that would pay for the measure through a 5.6% surtax on annual incomes over $1 million. GOP leaders have accused the president of engaging in so-called "class warfare" for political reasons, and are expected to prevent the bill from reaching the critical 60-vote threshold needed to clear the Senate. Top Republicans have also said they will prevent a...

Towleroad reports : The Los Angeles Dodgers are the latest MLB franchise to reach out to bullied teens with a video for the It Gets Better project. The Dodgers' contribution features several Dodger players and coaches including Don Mattingly, James Loney, Matt Guerrier, Jamey Carroll, A.J. Ellis, Rod Barajas and Hiroki Kuroda. "The Dodgers have been outspoken advocates for equality and against all societal prejudices dating back to the days of Jackie Robinson," said Dodgers Senior Vice President, Public Affairs Howard Sunkin. "Our club wholeheartedly supports an end to bullying and violence against LGBT youth. There is zero tolerance for violence of any kind for any reason in our community."

--> Election 2012 : At last night's Tea Party/GOP debate, it was everyone vs. Rick Perry. Visit msnbc.com for breaking news , world news , and news about the economy --> World news : Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told NBC News today that two Americans given eight-year prison sentences for spying and entering the country illegally will be released “in a couple of days” in what he called a “humanitarian gesture.” Ahmadinejad made the remark about Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal in a one-on-one interview with Ann Curry that was broadcast on the Today show this morning. [ Ed. note : There will be no containing Ann Curry's ego after this one.] Citing defense lawyer Masoud Shafiei, the Associated Press later reported that Iran had set bail of $500,000 for the two men. He said the court would free Bauer and Fattal after the money was paid. --> World news : Staff at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul took cover today as militants fired on the city center from a building they took...

File this under: What in Gay Hell? From Mark Sanchez' GQ interview : Maybe the most striking thing about Sanchez's home is what's on the DVR. Holding a white towel around his waist, heading for the shower, he flips through his saved shows. A documentary about Justin Bieber? Episodes of Glee ? The quarterback of the New York Jets is a Gleek and a Belieber? Yes, he says, failing to notice the tone of incredulity. The DVR squares with Sanchez's unabashed love of show tunes. It seems too perfect that the successor to Broadway Joe is a fan of Broadway musicals, but there you have it. While you're likely to bump into other New York athletes at Scores, you're more likely to find Sanchez at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. He's seen just about every show out there, many of them multiple times. His truck is cluttered with cast albums. So ubiquitous is Sanchez in the theater district that he was a presenter at last year's Tonys. --> Color me surprised! And, a little ...

The Phillies' video features Roy Halladay, John Mayberry Jr., Chase Utley, Hunter Pence and Mike Stutes. The Rays' video features Johnny Damon, BJ Upton, Sam Fuld, Joe Maddon, and Sean Rodriguez (Via Towleroad )

DC United is the first Major League Soccer team to create an 'It Gets Better' video.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news , world news , and news about the economy

The Baltimore Orioles are the latest MLB franchise to speak out against anti-gay bullying in a new clip featuring Jake Arrieta, Jason Berken, Zach Britton, Kevin Gregg and Michael Gonzalez. Said Orioles Director of Communications Greg Bader : “The Orioles are proud to support the It Gets Better Project and the Trevor Project. Bullying of any kind, for any reason, is unacceptable to our organization, and we are pleased to have our players speak out against this behavior in the hope it will provide encouragement to LGBT youth, and all children, who are facing hatred and prejudice.”

The Huffington Post reports : Olympic silver medalist Jeret "Speedy" Peterson was found dead in a remote canyon in Utah in what police are calling a suicide. One of the world's most risk-taking and innovative freestyle skiers, the creator of the one-of-a-kind "Hurricane" called 911 before shooting himself, police said. The 29-year-old had been cited for drunken driving Friday in Hailey, Idaho and had pleaded not guilty. Officers found Peterson late Monday night between Salt Lake City and Park City in Lambs Canyon. Police said a suicide note was found near Peterson's car; they declined to reveal what it said. "Regardless of the amazing stuff he did skiing, it was the stuff he did for other people that was incredible to me," said Peterson's longtime coach and friend, Matt Christensen. "A lot of people saw his story and said he must be a wild jackass and a cowboy. He was just the opposite." He was one of the most colorful of athletes, an...

News: --> President Barack Obama held a White House meeting Saturday with the Dalai Lama, a fellow Nobel Peace laureate, hours after China called on the U.S. to rescind an invitation that could sour relations with Beijing. The Tibetan spiritual leader has been in Washington for an 11-day Buddhist ritual. Thousands of expatriate Tibetans joined a 76th birthday celebration Wednesday for the Dalai Lama, who's just relinquished leadership of Tibet's government-in-exile. The White House said the 45-minute private session in the Map Room showed Obama's support for preserving Tibet's culture and protecting human rights, as well reaffirming his belief that Chinese government should engage with representatives of the Dalai Lama to resolve their differences. (Via HuffPo ) --> While deficit reduction discussions continued over the weekend, no significant progress has occurred and the chances for a comprehensive deficit deal sought by President Obama in coming weeks appear r...

In sports-related news: Hunk du jour Novak Djokovic beat Rafael Nadal to claim the Wimbledon top prize this past weekend. All the deets on Djokovic and Petra Kvitova can be read about at ESPN .

Congratulations to the Dallas team. You wanted it more than we did. (Via NBC Sports )

The Mavericks beat the Heat 112-103 last night to take a 3-2 lead. (Via AP )

All the play by play at NBC Sports .