The Top Ten Bad Ass Women

Men might be the oft leading candidates for the bad-ass heroes in films, but women have had their share of butt-kicking screen time as well. Here are the top ten Bad Ass Women of all time.

10. Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor -TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY (1991)

Skynet, the 21st century computer waging a losing war on humans sends a second terminator back in time to destroy the leader of the human resistance while he is still a boy. His mother is the only one who knows of the existence of the Terminators, human-like robots that exist only to kill and are nearly indestructible, and she, the boy's mother, is currently in a state mental hospital because of her 'delusions'. A second protector is sent back to the past by the Human resistance to protect John Connor, their future leader, at all costs. All in order to protect her son, the future leader of the resistance against the machines, Sarah kicks a sizable amount of ass.

9. Lori Petty as Tank Girl (Rebecca) - TANK GIRL (1995)

Tank Girl (Rebecca) and her friends are the only remaining citizens living in the wasteland that is Earth, where all the remaining water is controlled by Water and Power, the mega corporation/government that runs the territory. While incarcerated at W + P, Tank Girl and her new friend Jet Girl break out and steal... a tank and a jet. After meeting some mutant kangaroo/humans, and rescuing her little girl (adopted by her friends), the kangaroos and the girls kick Water and Powers' ass. Base on a comic series, it tends to take a more comedic approach to the subject, but there is little doubt that Tank Girl kicks ass.

8. Michelle Yeoh & Zhang Ziyi as Yu Shu Lien & Jen Yu -CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON (2000)

Wo hu cang long (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon) is a timeless story that takes place in QING China when miracles were credible and spirits and gods were present in man's world. It is not unbelievable that zen warriors float through the air, skim the water and battle in trees and on rooftops. Pain, revenge and duty are the stuff that bind us in this world and are the main plot line of the movie, but in the afterlife love and faith linger on. Along with Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun Fat), the ladies in this movie are graceful and downright deadly.

7. Uma Thurman as Beatrix Kiddo (The Bride) -KILL BILL VOL. I-II (2003-4)

The lead character, called 'The Bride,' was a member of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad, lead by her lover 'Bill.' Upon realizing she was pregnant with Bill's child, 'The Bride' decided to escape her life as a killer. She fled to Texas, met a young man, and on the day of their wedding was gunned down by an angry and jealous Bill (with the assistance of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad). Four years later, 'The Bride' wakes from a coma, and discovers her baby is gone. She, then, decides to seek revenge upon the five people who destroyed her life and killed her baby. Beatrix absolutely goes all out as she individually hunts and eliminates every member of the D.V.A.S., finally getting to Bill, her desired target. Kicks ass!

6. Carrie Fischer as Princess Leia -THE STAR WARS TRILOGY (1977-1983)

Snide, snarky, and about as un-princess-like as one could be, Leia Organa takes charge of her rag-tag rescue band from the moment Han, Luke, and Chewie release her from he cell block. Defiant, cock-sure, and a natural leader, Leia eventually safely delivers the Death Star plans to the Rebel resistance via R2-D2 and sets into motion the utter collapse and downfall of the Galactic Empire. If there was any Imperial ass to kick, Leia was there with blaster in hand. And was there ever any doubt that she'd eventually hook up with a galactic smuggler?

5. Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft -TOMB RAIDER (2001-03)

Based on the popular video game series, Tomb Raider features the adventures of Lara Croft an antiquities hunter-for-hire. She travels to exotic locales in search of treasures and artifacts in the catacombs of ancient tombs and ruins remaining from age-old empires. A female Indiana Jones, Croft's expeditions are always chock full of action, danger, intrigue, suspense and her omnipresent knack for defying death in skin-tight outfits. Looking good and kicking ass is a winning combination.

4. Sheri Moon Zombie as Baby Firefly - HOUSE OF A 1000 CORPSES & THE DEVILS REJECTS (2003-05)

The sequel to 'House of 1000 Corpses', 'The Devil's Rejects,' takes place a few months later with the Texas State Police making a full-scale attack against the murderous Firefly family residence for the 1,000+ murders and disappearances of the past several years. But three of the family members escape, including Otis, Baby Firefly and Baby's father Captain Spaulding. The evil trio go on a road trip, leaving dozens of mangled bodies in their wake. Evading a massive Texas Rangers dragnet as well as a group of equally murderous bounty hunters led by Ken Dwyer (the brother of a policeman Mamma Firefly killed in 'House of...') who's obsessed with finding the deadly killers, the surviving Firefly clan gather at a run-down amusement park owned by Captain Spaulding's half-brother, Charlie Altamont, whom offers them shelter and a new base of operations for their killing spree as Sheriff Dwyer, the Texas Rangers, the FBI and others slowly close in. Though gruesome and sadistic, Baby kicks all kinds of ass.

3. Devon Aoki as Miho -SIN CITY (2005)

"Sin City" is infested with criminals, crooked cops and sexy dames, some searching for vengeance, some for redemption and others, both. The film incorporates storylines from three of Miller's graphic novels including 'Sin City,' which launched the long-running, critically acclaimed series, as well as 'That Yellow Bastard' and 'The Big Fat Kill.' Where Hartigan, a cop with a bum ticker and a vow to protect stripper Nancy. Marv, the outcast misanthrope, is on a mission to avenge the death of his one true love, Goldie; there's also Dwight, the clandestine love of Shelley who spends his nights defending Gail and her Old Towne girls from Jackie Boy, a dirty cop with a penchant for violence. Miho resides in Old Towne and with one word from Gail, the appointed matriarch, Miho dispatches raiders and men alike with razor-sharp accuracy. She kicks serious ass.

2. Mila Jovovich as Alice - RESIDENT EVIL, RE: APOCALYPSE, RE: EXTINCTION (2002-07)

A virus has escaped into a secret facility called "The Hive," which chemically turns the staff (Umbrella Corporation) into man-eating zombies and releasing the mutated lab animals that they were studying. The complex computer (The Red Queen) shuts down the base to prevent from infection. The parent corporation sends in a military unit, where they meet Alice who has only a short time to remember who she is and the state of her mission, and is suffering from amnesia due to the nerve gas released into her bathroom. The military must shut down the computer (The Red Queen) and make their way back out of the Hive. Fighting their way past zombies, mutants and The Red Queen before the T-Virus escapes and effects the rest of the world. Its up to Alice to defeat the virus, if she loses, we all lose. And yes, she defeats them so thoroughly through three well-made films, kicking zombie ass all the way through.

1. Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley - ALIEN, ALIENS, ALIEN 3, ALIEN RESURRECTION (1979-97)

Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), the sole survivor of the alien attack on the mining ship Nostromo, awakens half a century later when she is found by a salvage ship. The welcome given to her by the "Company" officials is far from warm, since they refuse to believe her discovery of alien existence and strip her off her flight officer's license. Ripley also discovers, much to her horror, that the planet LV-426 where her crew had encountered an alien species for the first time, is now colonized by the company. But when all contact from the planet is lost Ripley is called back into action again as an advisor to a team of tough space marines with lots of firepower. To get rid of her recurrent nightmares about the alien creature, Ripley prepares for a final battle with the monsters - and this time, there are hundreds of them out there. Going from unwitting recipient to a monsters attack, to a vicious military scourge, to a prisoner, to an alien/human hybrid, Ellen Ripley kicks ass for 200 solid years. The very best of the best.

Notable Omissions: The Charlie's Angels, Clarice Starling

The Top Ten Musicians Dead At 27

The well-known 27 Club is quite prestigious. First of all, you really need to be an important musician. Second of all, and here's the kicker, you need to shuffle this mortal coil in your twenty-seventh year. Sound difficult? Well, in some cases it is: accidents, poisoning, and the like aren't things one typically plans. However, if you plan to drink or drug yourself to death, jot in on your calendar somewhere within your 27th cycle. Just remember, the Heavenly Band is filling up fast, so join in soon! Here are the ten most famous musicians in the club.

10. D. Boon (Minutemen - 1958-1985 *Double Nickels on the Dime*)

December 22nd, 1985, Dennes Boon was killed in a van accident in Tuscon, Arizona. Because he had been sick with a fever, Boon was lying down in the rear of the van without a seatbelt when the van ran off the road. Boon was thrown out the back door of the van and died instantly from a broken neck. He was only 27 years old. The live album Ballot Result was released in 1987 , two years after Boon's death.

9. Kristen Pfaff (Hole - 1967-1994 *Live Through This, Pretty on the Inside*)

Early on June 16th, 1994, Pfaff was found dead in her bathtub by friend Eric Erlandson and another friend, with whom she had planned to leave for Minneapolis that day. Nearby was a cosmetic bag containing syringes and drug paraphernalia. Sometime overnight, Pfaff had died from a heroin overdose. "Her U-Haul was already loaded up", according to Erlandson. "Everyone that talked to her that last night said she sounded really happy, excited to be starting this new life."

8. Alan "Blind Owl" Wilson (Canned Heat - 1943-1970 *Going Up the Country, Poor Moon, Boogie With Canned Heat* )

Blind Owl died in Topanga Canyon, California of what his autopsy reports as a Barbiturate overdose. While some colleagues maintained that he had committed suicide, according to the coroner's report he left no note and there is no conclusive evidence to support the suicide theory. He performed at two of the greatest concerts of the 1960's, the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967 and Woodstock in 1969. His unique high tenor vocals made him instantly recognizable among other vocalists of the era, and are clearly heard on the film (Woodstock, which chose Canned Heat's "Going Up the Country" as the unofficial theme tune to Woodstock).

7. Robert Johnson (Delta Blues - 1911-1938 *Come on in My Kitchen, Kind Hearted Woman Blues, Cross Road Blues* )

Johnson's death occurred on August 16th, 1938 at a country crossroads near Greenwood Misissippi. He had been playing for a few weeks at a country dance in a town about 15 miles (24 km) from Greenwood. There are a number of accounts and theories regarding the events preceding Johnson's death. One of these is that one evening Johnson began flirting with a woman at a dance. One version of this rumor says she was the wife of the juke joint owner who unknowingly provided Johnson with a bottle of poisoned whiskey from her husband, while another suggests she was a married woman he had been secretly seeing. Researcher Mack McCormick claims to have interviewed Johnson's alleged poisoner in the 1970s, and obtained a tacit admission of guilt from the man. When Johnson was offered an open bottle of whiskey, his friend and fellow blues legend Sonny Boy Williamson knocked the bottle out of his hand, informing him that he should never drink from an offered bottle that has already been opened. Johnson allegedly said, "don't ever knock a bottle out of my hand". Soon after, he was offered another open bottle of whiskey and accepted it, and it was that bottle that was laced with strychnine.

6. Brian Jones (Rolling Stones - 1942-1969 *The Rolling Stones Rock And Roll Circus, Between the Buttons, Their Satanic Majesties Request*)

At around midnight on July 3rd, 1969, Jones was discovered motionless at the bottom of his swimming pool at his home in Hartfield, Sussex, England. His girlfriend, Anna Wolhin, is convinced he was alive when they took him out, insisting he still had a pulse. However, when the doctors arrived, it was too late and he was pronounced dead. The coroner's report stated "Death by misadventure", and noted his liver and heart were heavily enlarged by drug and alcohol abuse. Some felt it was suicide, however, blaming Jagger and Richards for his state of mental depression. Wohlin claimed in 1999 that Jones had been murdered by a builder who had been renovating the house the couple shared. The builder, Frank Thorogood, allegedly confessed to the murder on his deathbed to the Rolling Stones' driver, Tom Keylock; however, there were no other witnesses.

5. Ron "Pig Pen" McKernan (1945-1973 The Grateful Dead *Turn on Your Lovelight, In the Midnight Hour*)

In 1970, McKernan began experiencing congenital liver problems, likely exacerbated by his years of excessive drinking. After an August 1971 hospitalization, doctors requested that he stop touring indefinitely; pianist Keith Godchaux was subsequently hired and remained a permanent member of the band until 1979. Restless, the ailing singer rejoined the band in December to supplement Godchaux on harmonica, percussion, and organ. Unfortunately, after their Europe '72 tour, McKernan's health had degenerated to the point where he could no longer tour. His final concert appearance was June 17th, 1972 at the Hollywood Bowl, in Los Angeles. On March 8th, 1973, he was found dead of a gastrointestinal hemorrhage at his home in Corte Madera California. Pigpen is buried at the Alta Mesa Memorial Park (Plot: Hillview Sec.Bb16 Lot 374) in Palo Alto California.

4. Jim Morrison (The Doors - 1943-1971 *Strange Days, Waiting for the Sun, The Soft Parade*)

Jim Morrison died on July 3rd, 1971. In the official account of his death, he was found in the rue Beautreillis apartment bathtub by long-time companion, Pamela Courson. Pursuant to French law, no autopsy was performed because the medical examiner claimed to have found no evidence of foul play. The absence of an official autopsy has left many questions regarding Morrison's cause of death. In his book, Wonderland Avenue, Danny Sugarman discussed his encounter with Courson after she returned to the United States. According to his account, Courson stated that Morrison had died of a heroin overdose. Courson said that Morrison inhaled the substance because he thought it was cocaine.

3. Kurt Cobain (1967-1994 * Bleach, Nevermind, In Utero*)

On April 8th, 1994, Kurt Cobain was discovered in the spare room above the garage at his Lake Washington home by Veca Electric employee Gary Smith. Smith arrived at the house that morning to install security lighting and saw him lying on the floor inside. Apart from a minor amount of blood coming out of Cobain's ear, Smith reported seeing no visible signs of trauma and initially believed that Cobain was just asleep. Smith found what he thought might be a suicide note with a pen stuck through it beneath an overturned flowerpot. A shotgun, purchased for Cobain by Dylan Carlson, was found at Cobain's side. Cobain's death certificate concluded Cobain's death was a result of a "self-inflicted shotgun wound to the head." The report estimates Cobain to actually have died April 5th.

2. Jimi Hendrix (1942 - 1970 *Are You Experienced?, Axis: Bold As Love, Electric Ladyland*)

In the early morning hours of September 18, 1970, Jimi Hendrix was found dead in the basement flat of the Samarkand Hotel at 22 Lansdowne Crescent in London. Hendrix died amid circumstances which have never been fully explained. He had spent the night with his German girlfriend, Monika Dannemann, and likely died in bed after drinking wine and taking nine Vesperax sleeping pills, then asphyxiating on his own vomit. For years, Dannemann publicly claimed that Hendrix was alive when placed in the back of the ambulance; however, her comments about that morning were often contradictory and confused, varying from interview to interview. Police and ambulance reports state that not only was Hendrix dead when they arrived on the scene, but he had been dead for some time. The apartment's front door was wide open, and the apartment itself was empty. A poem written by Hendrix that was found in the apartment has led some to believe that he possibly committed suicide.

1. Janis Joplin (1943-1970 * The Typewriter Tape, Big Brother and the Holding Company, Cheap Thrills*)

The last recordings Joplin completed were "Mercedes Benz" and a birthday greeting for John Lennon on October 1st, 1970. Lennon, whose birthday was October 9, later told Dick Cavett, on air, that her taped greeting arrived at his home after her death. On Saturday, October 3, Joplin visited the Sunset Sound Studios in Los Angeles to listen to a song, "Buried Alive In The Blues" prior to recording the vocal track, scheduled for the next day. When she failed to show up at the studio by Sunday afternoon, producer Paul Rothchild became concerned. Full Tilt Boogie's road manager, John Cooke, drove to the Landmark Motor Hotel (since renamed the Highland Gardens Hotel) where Joplin had been a guest since August 24. He saw Joplin's psychedelically painted Porsche still in the parking lot. Upon entering her room, he found her dead on the floor. The official cause of death was an overdose of heroin, possibly combined with the effects of alcohol.

The Top Ten Musician Plane Crash Deaths

The life of a musician is a treacherous one. Many die from substance abuse, many get killed by gunfire or even angry fans, and many, though seemingly a lot fewer, die of plain old old age (old, of course, being relative). There are some, though, who have died from plane or helicopter crashes, and many of them are very well know and sad losses to the music industry. Here are the ten most famous.

10. Randy Rhoads

March 19,1982: Randy Rhoads (25), the lead guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne, died when the Beech Bonanza F35 he was aboard crashed into a house after a wing clipped Ozzy Osbourne's tour bus. All 3 aboard were killed as a result of the pilot attempting to 'buzz' the bus.

9. Otis Redding

On December 10th, 1967, a quite foggy night, Rock 'n roll singer Otis Redding (26), and four members of his Bar-Kays band were killed when their Beechcraft H18 plane crashed in icy Lake Monoma near Madison, Wisconsin. Redding is best known for his hit, “Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay", which was released after his death. Redding had recorded the song just three days previous.

8. Ricky Nelson

On December 31st, 1985, Rock & roll singer Rick Nelson (45), five members of his Stone Canyon band, and his fiancée, were all killed when a fire broke out on board a DC-3 taking them to a New Year's Eve performance in Dallas, Texas. Only two people survived the crash landing near DeKalb, Texas. The fire was caused by a malfunctioning heater. Nelson was first known as the son of Ozzie and Harriet in their TV show of the same name in the late 1950s. He later became famous as the singer of such hits as “Travelin' Man” and “Garden Party.”

7. Aaliyah

August 25, 2001: Singer and R&B vocalist and actress, Aaliyah (22), was killed in a plane crash when leaving the Bahamas following a video shoot. Her Cessna 402-B crashed during takeoff. Investigation has showed that the pilot had had traces of cocaine and alcohol in his body, and, apparently, the airplane was overloaded. All nine people on board died.

6. John Denver

On October 12th, 1997, Singer John Denver (53) died when his experimental single-engine Rutan Long EZ plane crashed near Monterey, California. At first, rescuers could not identify the body because the face was burned beyond recognition, but authorities were later able to identify Denver by his fingerprints. Denver was famous for writing and performing “Leaving on a Jet Plane,” “Country Roads", "Rocky Mountain High", "Sunshine on My Shoulders (Makes Me Happy)", and other songs. The crash occurred when Denver inadvertently pressed down on the plane's right rudder pedal while trying to switch fuel tanks by reaching for the fuel selector switch behind him. The plane had been modified to place the fuel selector switch behind the pilot rather than between his legs.

5. Patsy Cline

March 5, 1963: Patsy Cline (30), 'Cowboy' Copas, 'Hawkshaw' Hawkins, and Cline's manager, Randy Hughes, were killed when their Piper PA-24 Comanche plane crashed near Camden, Tennessee, in adverse weather conditions. Cline was famous for her country hit, “Crazy.” Copas and Hawkins were Grand Ole Opry stars. The plane flew into severe weather and crashed at 6:20 p.m., according to Patsy's wristwatch, found in a forest just outside of Camden, Tennessee, only 90 miles from the destination.

4. Jim Croce

On September 20th, 1973, Rock singer Jim Croce (30), members of his company (accompanist Maurice Muehleisen, manager Dennis Rast, and comedian George Stevens), and the pilot, died when their chartered Beechcraft E18S crashed while taking off from the Natchitoches, Louisiana airport. The plane hit a tree when it failed to gain enough altitude on takeoff. Croce was famous for his rock hit, “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown.”

3. Stevie Ray Vaughan

August 27, 1990: Blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan (35) was killed in a helicopter crash near East Troy, Wisconsin. Four helicopters were being used to night-transport the concert group. The helicopter in question, a Bell BHT-206-B Helicopter, remained at a lower altitude and crashed into the ground soon after taking off into dense fog. Failure to attain adequate altitude by the pilot before flying over rising terrain resulted in the deaths of all five aboard.

2. Ronnie VanZant, guitarist Steve Gaines, vocalist Cassie Gaines

October 20, 1977: The Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash killed lead singer and song writer Ronnie VanZant, guitarist Steve Gaines, vocalist Cassie Gaines, assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick. Also killed were pilot Walter McCreary and co-pilot William Gray.

According to the NTSB report, the pilots miscalculated the amount of fuel provided in Lakeland, Florida two days earlier. When they refueled in Greenville, South Carolina on the 20th, they compounded this error by believing they had more fuel than they really did. The airplane was also experiencing some mechanical difficulties which required the pilots to operate the right engine in the "auto-rich" position which burned fuel at an excessive rate. The combination of these problems resulted in nearly complete fuel exhaustion. The pilots changed course and headed for an airport near McComb, Mississippi but the plane stalled near Gillsburg, Mississippi and crashed in swampy woods.

1. Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, The Big Bopper

On February 3rd, 1959, often considered: The Day The Music Died, Rock Hall of Famers Buddy Holly (22), the Big Bopper (J.P. Richardson) (29), and Ritchie Valens (18) as well as the pilot Roger Peterson died when their Beechcraft Bonanza plane crashed just outside Clear Lake, Iowa, during a stormy winter night. Holly was famous for many hits including “Peggy Sue.” The Big Bopper had one big hit, “Chantilly Lace,” and Valens was best known for his hits, "Oh, Donna", and “La Bamba.”

The Top Ten Sports Figures Who Blew It

Before you even begin reading, I am fully aware of each and every one of these sports figure's amazing professional achievements and, as well known as their difficulties are, I will not make light of their careers. Every one was an amazing player in each of his respective sports and became well known for that fact often long before any of their instances occurred. However, since this article is about how each has screwed up, those are the facts that you'll get in this list. That being said, here are the ten biggest sports figures who have tarnished their careers royally.

10. Pete Rose (1941 - Reds, Phillies, Expos *Reds Manager*)

In August 1989, three years after he retired as an active player, Rose agreed to permanent ineligibility from baseball amidst accusations that he gambled on baseball games while playing for and managing the Reds; some accusations claimed that he bet on, and even against, the Reds. After years of public denial, in 2004 he admitted to betting on, but not against, the Reds. After Rose's ban was instated, the Baseball Hall of Fame formally voted to ban those on the "permanently ineligible" list from induction. His hordes of adoring fans each, in their own way, continue to plead for his inclusion into the Hall, but thus far, no one is bending. So, I guess that just goes to show you how incomprehensibly stupid it is to bet while still employed by the MLB. Nice one, Charlie Hustle.

9. Ray Lewis (1975 - Baltimore Ravens)

Despite his accomplishments on the field, Lewis' public image was tarnished following a Super Bowl party on January 31, 2000. Following this party a fight broke out and Jacinth Baker, 21, and Richard Lollar, 24, died from stab wounds. Lewis and two companions, Reginald Oakley and Joseph Sweeting, were brought to an Atlanta Police station for questioning. During the questioning Lewis lied to investigators by saying he didn't know the other two suspects. However Lewis' limo driver told the police that he saw Lewis punch one of the victims. The limo driver further stated that Lewis told the other occupants to stay quiet, and that Sweeting and Oakley stated "I stabbed mine". Eleven days later, along with Oakley and Sweeting, Ray Lewis was indicted for murder and aggravated assault. Lewis's attorney arranged with prosecutors to dismiss the murder charges if Lewis pleads guilty to a misdemeanor charge of obstruction of justice in exchange for him testifying against Oakley and Sweeting. Lewis accepted this plea bargain, and he was sentenced to one year probation. He was not suspended by the NFL but was fined a league-record at the time $250,000. And he continues to 'kill' on the field to this day! My hero!

8. Ty Cobb (1886-1961 - Tigers, A's *Tigers Manager*)

On May 15, 1912, in New York's Highland Park, the Detroit Tigers were playing the hometown New York Highlanders. In the stands behind home plate was a Highlander fan named Claude Lueker who was giving Detroit's Ty Cobb a tough time. A really tough time. According to spectators who were in the stands that day, Lueker hurled insults and epithets at Cobb every time the Georgia Peach came to the plate. By the end of the fifth inning, Cobb warned the Highlanders manager and the umpires that if the man wasn't ejected from the game, there was going to be some serious trouble. Nothing was done to the rambunctious fan, and so when he called the notoriously racist Cobb a "half-nigger" in the bottom of the sixth inning, the ferocious outfielder climbed into the crowded stands, leapt upon the man and began beating him senseless. Other fans began pleading with Cobb to stop the physical attack because the foul-mouthed Mr. Lueker had no hands. He had apparently lost them years earlier in an industrial accident. As the crowd pleaded, Cobb responded as he pummeled the man, "I don't care if he's got no feet!" American League Commissioner Ban Johnson, who was at the game that day, immediately suspended Cobb indefinitely from baseball. See where protecting you good name gets you? I'm not even a half-'N-Word' and I would have done the same thing.

7. Chris Benoit (1967-2007 - WCW, ECW, WWE {F})

On June 25th, 2007, Professional Wrestler Chris Benoit, his wife Nancy and their 7-year-old son Daniel were found dead in their Fayetteville, GA, home at around 2:30 p.m. The Fayette County, Georgia Sheriff's Department is currently investigating this case. Police entered Benoit's home on a "welfare check" after several missed appointments, and found three dead bodies. Investigators confirmed that Benoit, over a three day period, murdered his wife and son and subsequently committed suicide. Thanks to the hurried response by Vince McMahon and the WWE, he was immortalized in a 2-hour segment covering his lengthy career... oops, should have waited! Not until nearly the full way through the show did the WWE come to realize that this was a double murder/suicide. Open mouth, insert foot.

6. Darryl Strawberry (1962 - Mets, Dodgers, Giants, Yankees)

Starwberry began to use alcohol and eventually he started to experiment with cocaine and amphetamines. Strawberry had been drinking beer casually since high school but started using drugs upon his arrival with the Mets as a way to fit in. It was easy to drink after the game as the team gave the players complimentary beer and then he and other Mets would continue the party often all night long. He began to use amphetamines to overcome his hangovers before games. By 1987 he was drinking virtually every night and was using more cocaine. Though he reached career highs in batting average (.283), home runs (39), and RBIs (104) he was starting to wear on the Mets organization. He skipped part of spring training and then missed a late-season game claiming he had a virus. In January 1989 Strawberry was arrested after a domestic violence complaint by his wife. Strawberry spent a short time in an alcohol rehabilitation center and admitted that he had a problem with alcohol, though he told no one at the center about his drug use. The only thing worse than his professional life was his private life. To cope with his back injury and personal problems, he resumed drinking alcohol and soon after he turned to cocaine. He had an altercation with a homeless man in September of 1993 and then divorced his wife in October. Later that year Strawberry uttered the infamous comment about his hometown. When informed that people were rioting and looting in Los Angeles he said, "Let it burn". In 1994, the government said Strawberry owed $146,000 in taxes on income he hadn't reported. Strawberry was facing jail time, his legal bills were bankrupting him, and he turned to alcohol, which led him to do a line or two of cocaine. His brief cocaine use caused him to fail a drug test. He was released from the Giants and received a sixty-day suspension from baseball. Suddenly Strawberry was broke, had no income, and was facing a trial. On Wednesday, April 15th, 1999, he was arrested for possession of .3 grams of cocaine after allegedly soliciting a prostitute, who turned out to be an undercover police officer. Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig put Strawberry on administrative leave, which meant he was not able to play or practice with the team. Strawberry claimed that the cocaine did not belong to him, and he was joking with the woman and would not have met her at a hotel. The Yankees kept him off the 40-man roster and some sources believe the team suspended his pay. That appeared to be it for his illustrious career, aside from about fifteen more minor infractions. Stellar.

5. Ron Artest (1979 - Bulls, Pacers, Kings)

On November, 19th, 2004, Artest took center stage in arguably the most infamous brawl in professional basketball history. The game took place in Auburn Hills Michigan between Artest's Pacers and the home team Detroit Pistons. The brawl began when Artest fouled Pistons center Ben Wallace as Wallace was putting up a shot. Wallace, upset at being fouled hard when the game was effectively over (the Pacers led 97-82), responded by shoving Artest, leading to an altercation near the scorer's table. Artest walked to the sideline and lay down on the scorer's table, while mocking Wallace. Wallace then threw an armband at Artest while he pretended to give a radio interview at the scorer's table. Reacting to Wallace throwing something at Artest, Pistons fan John Green threw a cup of beer at Artest, hitting him. Artest jumped into the front-row seats and confronted a man he believed to be responsible (who turned out to be the wrong man), which in turn erupted into a brawl between Pistons fans and several of the Pacers. Artest returned to the basketball court, and punched Pistons fan A.J. Shackleford, who was apparently taunting Artest verbally. This fight resulted in the game being stopped with less than a minute remaining. Artest and teammates Jermaine O'Neil and Stephen Jackson were suspended indefinitely the day after the game, along with Wallace. On November 21st, the NBA announced that Artest would be suspended for the remainder of the season (73 games plus playoff appearances). This is the longest non-drug or betting related suspension in NBA history. Now that's something to be proud of. Jackass.

4. Mike Tyson (1966 - Heavyweight Boxing)

Tyson was arrested in July 1991 for the rape of Miss Black Rhode Island, Desree Washington in an Indianapolis hotel room. Tyson was convicted on the charge on Feb., 10th, 1992. Tyson's trial is chronicled in the book, Down For The Count by Mark Shaw. It strongly suggests that Tyson would not have been convicted if he had been provided adequate legal defense counsel and that Tyson thus did not receive a fair trial. Under Indiana law, a defendant convicted of a felony must begin serving his prison sentence immediately after the sentence is imposed. He was given a sentence of six years and was released on March 1995 after serving three years. On June 28th, 1997, the second bout between Tyson and Holyfield would become one of the most controversial events in modern sports. The fight was stopped at the end of the third round, with Tyson disqualified for biting Holyfield on both ears. One bite was severe enough to remove a piece of Holyfield's right ear, which was found on the ring floor after the fight. Tyson later stated that it was retaliation for Holyfield repeatedly head butting him without penalty. In the confusion that followed the ending of the bout and announcement of the decision, a near riot erupted in the arena and several people were injured in the ensuing melee. On July 29th, 1997, Tyson's boxing license was revoked by the Nevada State Athletic Commission in a unanimous voice vote; he was also fined USD $3-million and ordered to pay the legal costs of the hearing. The revocation was not permanent, as a little more than a year later on October 18th, 1998, the commission voted 4-1 to restore Tyson's boxing license. Legal problems caught up with Tyson once again. On February 6th, 1999, Tyson was sentenced to a year's imprisonment, fined $5,000, and ordered to serve two years probation and perform 200 hours of community service for assaulting two motorists after a traffic accident on Aug. 31st, 1998. He served nine months of that sentence. You know, being a monster in the ring that subsequently leads to clean bouts and great boxing is one thing, but being a drugged-out juggernaut in the real world is always going to get your dumb ass in trouble.

3. Rae Carruth (1974 - Panthers)

On November 16th, 1999, near Carruth's home in Charlotte, North Carolina, Cherica Adams, a woman Carruth had been dating, was shot four times in a drive-by shooting. Surviving the shooting for a time, Adams called 911 and described Carruth's behavior: he had stopped his vehicle in front of hers as another vehicle drove alongside Adams' and its passenger shot her. Carruth then drove from the scene. Adams was eight months pregnant with Carruth's child. It was later found out she was pregnant with twins. Soon after her admission to the hospital, Adams fell into a coma. Doctors saved one of the children's lives, the other later died from complications. Later, Carruth went to the police and posted a $3 million bond, with the condition that if either Adams or the children died, he would turn himself in. However, after Adams died, Carruth became a fugitive. The Panthers released him a few days later, citing a morals clause in his contract. He was eventually captured after being found hiding in the trunk of a car outside a motel in Parkers Crossroads, Tennessee. Also, in the trunk was $3,900 in cash, bottles to hold Carruth's urine, extra clothes, candy bars, and a cell phone. At trial Rae Carruth was defended by David Rudolph and was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder by shooting into an occupied vehicle, and using an instrument to destroy an unborn child. He was sentenced to 18 to 24 years in prison. However, Carruth was found not guilty of 1st-degree murder and was spared the death penalty. Carruth is now serving a sentence of at least 18 years and 11 months at Nash Correctional Institution near Raleigh, NC. According to the North Carolina Department of Corrections, he has a projected release date of October 22, 2018. Wow, shooting a woman who is pregnant is like an instant ticket on the bus to Hell. Congrats.

2. Michael Vick (1980 - Falcons)

Michael Dwayne Vick is a suspended National Football League (NFL) quarterback under contract with the Atlanta Falcons team serving a 23 month sentence of incarceration for criminal conspiracy resulting from felonious dog fighting. A U.S. federal district court convicted and sentenced him in 2007 and a 2008 trial is scheduled for related Virginia state felony charges for his role in the dog fighting ring and related gambling activity. He is currently being held at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas. This is the official, "How To Ruin A Promising Quarterback Career" Step One. His ticket has been punched and he's going to ride on the same bus as Carruth. Dog fighting. Despicable.

1. OJ Simpson (1947 - Bills, 49ers)

Besides his Hall of Fame career, Simpson is infamous for having been tried for the murder of ex-wife Nicole-Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman in 1994. He was acquitted in criminal court in 1995 after a lengthy, highly publicized trial. In 1997, Simpson was found liable for their deaths in civil court, but to date has paid little of the $33.5 million judgment. He gained further notoriety in late 2006 when he wrote a book titled If I Did It. The book, which purports to be a first-person fictional account of the murder had he actually committed it, was withdrawn by the publisher just before its release. The book was later released by the Goldman family and the title of the book was expanded to If I Did It: Confessions of the Killer. In September 2007, Simpson faced more legal troubles, as he was arrested and subsequently charged with numerous felonies including but not limited to robbery, burglary, and assault, all with a deadly weapon, first-degree kidnapping with use of a deadly weapon (which carries possible life sentence), coercion with use of a deadly weapon, conspiracy to commit robbery, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, and conspiracy to commit a crime. This guy, the absolute most abhorrent criminal in the sporting world, regardless (in my opinion) of his innocence, is about as criminally clean as Satan. If anyone out there who is reading this believes, whole-heartedly, that OJ is anything other than GUILTY, let me hear about it, because I am so not convinced. As he spends his days searching for the 'real killer' on the golf course while avoiding his restitution obligations, I'll maintain that his ass deserves to be put to death by firing squad.

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15 Unfamiliar Names for Familiar Things

Many of today's common words have quite amazing beginnings, many of which my be unfamiliar to many of us. Here is a list of fifteen often-used words with rather interesting roots.

15. Rudolph Boysen (1895-1950) - Boysenberries

The boysenberry was developed in the early 1920s by Rudolph Boysen of Napa, California, who later turned it over to Walter Knott for commercial development.

14. James Smithson (1765-1829) - The Smithsonian

In 1829 English scientist James Smithson left his fortune to the people of the United States to found an institution for the "increase and diffusion of knowledge." Smithson's impetus in providing for a research and educational institution in a new country on another continent remains a mystery. His bequest sparked widespread debate over what such a national institution might be. Once established, the Smithsonian Institution became part of the process of developing the U.S. national identity.

13. John Montague (The 4th Earl Of Sandwich - 1718-1792) - The Sandwich

The exact circumstances of the invention of the sandwich are still the subject of debate. A rumor in a contemporary travel book called Tour to London by Pierre Jean Grosley formed the popular myth that bread and meat sustained Lord Sandwich at the gambling table. The sober alternative is provided by Sandwich's biographer, N.A.M. Rodger, who suggests Sandwich's commitments to the navy, to politics and the arts mean the first Sandwich was more likely to have been consumed at his desk.

12. Captain Bo (Early 1600's - 1678) - Boo!

A legendary English freedom-fighter. His exploits allegedly inspired other combatants, who would regularly use a variation of his name, Boo, as a blood-curdling war cry or rally.

11. John Macadam (1827-1865)- Macadamia Nuts

John Macadam was a brilliant young scientist who emigrated to Australia soon after his graduation from Glasgow University. He achieved much in his short life. He impressed Baron Von Meuller (the man who laid out the original plantings of the Melbourne General Cemetery) to the extent that Von Mueller decided to name the famous Macadamia Nut after him.

10. James Thomas Brudenell (The 7th Earl Of Cardigan - 1797-1868) - The Cardigan Sweater

James Thomas Brudenell Cardigan was British general. In the Crimean War he led the disastrous cavalry charge at Balaklava (1854) that Tennyson immortalized in The Charge of the Light Brigade. The charge was made on a misunderstood order, and the brigade was destroyed. Quarrels with his officers showed him a vain and contentious man. The cardigan sweater was named for him.

9. Count Paul Stroganoff (1782-1817) - Beef Stroganoff

Named after 19th- century Russian diplomat Count Paul Stroganov, who loved his dishes rich indeed, it consists of thin slices of tender beef (usuallytenderloin or top loin), onions and mushrooms, all sautéed in butter and combined with a sour-cream sauce. Stroganoff is usually accompanied by rice pilaf or noodles.

8. Giovanni Casanova (1725-1798) - A Casanova

Giovanni Giacomo Casanova de Seingault was a Venetian adventurer and author. His autobiography, Historie de ma vie (Story of My Life), is regarded as one of the most authentic sources of the customs and norms of European social life during the 18th Century. So famous a womanizer was the Italian-born libertine Giacomo Casanova that, a full two centuries after his death, his name remains synonymous with the art of seduction.

7. Adolphe Sax (1814-1894) - The Saxophone

At the beginning of the 19th century, a manufacturer of brass at woodwind musical instruments by the name of Charles Joseph Sax lived in Dinant. On November 6, 1814. Antoine-Joseph, who was to be known as Adolphe, the first of his eleven children, was born. During the next year, after the battle of Waterloo, Charles Joseph established himself in Brussels. King William I of the Lowlands appointed him his music instrument manufacturer and commissioned him to make the band instruments for the newly created army of his "new-fangled" kingdom.

6. Mr. and Mrs. Lemuel Le Grand Benedict (created in 1880's) - Eggs Benedict

Edward P. Montgomery related that the dish was created by Commodore E.C. Benedict, a banker and yachtsman, who died in 1920 at the age of 86. Montgomery also included a recipe for eggs Benedict, stating that the recipe had been given to him by his mother, who had received it from her brother, who was a friend of the Commodore. Mabel C. Butler of Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts in a November 1967 letter printed in The New York Times Magazine responded to Montgomery's claim by correcting that the "true story, well known to the relations of Mrs. Le Grand Benedict", who had created the dish out of boredom for Delmonico's in Manhattan.

5. Charles Moncke (1893-?) - The Monkey Wrench

A monkey wrench is a wrench with a fixed jaw and an adjustable jaw set at right angles to the
handle. Tradition says it was first devised by a London blacksmith named Charles Moncke,
Moncke changing to monkey by folk derivation. A difficulty with thi theory, as Mencken has
pointed out, is that the British call a monkey wrench a spanner. In 1932-33, the Boston
Transcript traced the invention to 1856, crediting it to a Yankee named Monk, employed by the
firm of Bemis and Call in Springfield, Massachusetts.

4. Daniel Elmer Salmon (1850-1914) - Salmonella

Dr. Salmon organized the Bureau of Animal Industry and served as its chief from 1884-1906. From 1907-12, he had charge of the veterinary department in the University of Montevideo, Uruguay. Salmonella a genus of microorganisms named after him, although the man who actually discovered Salmonella was his colleague, Theobald Smith, but Salmon claimed the credit.

3. Vidkun Quisling (1887-1945) - A Quisling

Vidkun Abraham Lauritz Jonssøn Quisling was a Norwegian army officer and fascist politician who served as Minister President of German-occupied Norway during World War II from 1942 to 1945. During this time, he claimed to be the head of government while the constitutional government was exiled in London. After the war, Quisling was convicted of high treason and subsequently executed by firing squad. His surname has become an eponym for "traitor", especially a collaborationist.

2. Joseph Pulitzer (1847-1911) - The Pulitzer Prize

Joseph Pulitzer, world-famous "yellow" journalist, died in 1911. In his will left $2 million for the establishment of a school of journalism at Columbia University. He also left a fund that established annual prizes for literature, drama, music and journalism. Since 1922 Pulitzer Prizes have also been awarded to cartoonists, do to his influence of the printing of The Yellow Kid.

1. Josh Billings (1818-1885) - To 'Josh' Someone

Josh Billings was the pen-name of humorist born Henry Wheeler Shaw. He was perhaps the second most famous humor writer and lecturer in the U.S. in the second half of the 19th Century, just after Samuel (Mark Twain) Clemens, although his reputation has not fared so well with later generations. Under the pseudonym "Josh Billings" he wrote in an informal voice full of the slang of the day, with often eccentric phonetic spelling, dispensing wit and folksy common-sense wisdom. His books include Farmers' Allminax, Josh Billings' Sayings, Everybody's Friend, and Josh Billings' Trump Kards.