LITTLE ROCK — TMNT fan could feel like dancing
Apparently, Jeff Gordon is a fan of the popular 1980s-1990s cartoon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
On Thursday, Gordon unveiled the Ninja Turtle paint scheme he’ll use in the Oct. 13 NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C.
(Nickelodeon is bringing back a new edition of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon, which will premiere on the cable channel Sept. 29.)
His 2-year-old son, Leo, was on hand to help uncover the car and meet the Ninja Turtles - Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello and Raphael.
The paint scheme is being done as a partnership between Gordon, the AARP, the AARP Foundation and Nickelodeon’s Helping and Leading Others program on Drive to End Hunger. National public service announcements have been airing on Nickelodeon to reach children, parents andgrandparents.
“To have a cool car like this, I know the kids are going to be excited about it,” Gordon, 41, told reporters. “They love Nickelodeon, my kids, that’s all we DVR, that’s all we watch is Nickelodeon programming and I know they’re going to be big fans of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The kids love racing and they love the paint schemes. As a parent now, these types of moments are very special.”
Gordon, who is ranked last inthe 12-driver Chase for the Sprint Cup championship after Sunday’s 35th-place finish at Chicago, promised to breakdance in Victory Lane at Charlotte if he wins in the Ninja Turtles car.
Breakdancing with the Ninja Turtles? Cowabunga, dude!
Bird droppings
Not only did Baltimore reliever Tommy Hunter earn the victory in the Orioles’ 4-2 triumph in 18 innings Tuesday night against the Seattle Mariners, he also receivedsome bird excrement on his hat.
Hunter was in the bullpen in left field at Safeco Field when one of the seagulls flying around the park deposited some droppings on Hunter’s hat in the 16th inning.
“I was minding my own business, not doing anything,” Hunter told the Baltimore Sun. “I thought it was [reliever Luis] Ayala throwing stuff at me. You know, he usually does. So I didn’t know what it was.
“I just thought someone threw a piece of gum and hit me. It wasn’t a piece of gum, man. Everybody just started dying laughing. Then everybody said it was good luck.
Then we won.”
The former Texas Rangers pitcher couldn’t ask for another hat because he wears a 7 5/8.
“I got a huge dome. A large landing zone, I guess,” Hunter said. “I don’t know. That was wild. I’ve never been [dropped] on before.” He said it
Former NFL defensive end Marcellus Wiley, via Twitter, after Columbia’s football team won and Southern California lost last Saturday: “I’m stocking up on all nonperishable goods right now because something’s about to happen.”Quote of the day
“They’ve still got enough horses to run over you.” Alcorn State Coach
Jay Hopson on Arkansas State
Sports, Pages 20 on 09/21/2012