I heard Michael Jackson died at approximately 5:30 PM ET. Hours later, I still don't think it's fully hit me. This was the man I idolized growing up as a kid ... I watched Moonwalker about 80 times on VHS (Joe Pesci was the villain). I once furiously outbid someone $159 for a replica Beat It jacket with 13 zippers. I actually have an 8x10 glossy of Billie Jean Michael taped next to my bedroom door.
Everyone -- from celebrities to sports stars to ordinary people -- had their way of trying to feel connected to the King of Pop. In his mere presence, fans have fainted and needed medical attention. So when news broke that Jackson had passed away, the reverberations on social media sites like Twitter were immense. Outspoken wide receiver Chad Ochocinco even went on to tweet "this is just as sad as 9/11" and then tried to play damage control after his offensive comment.
After the jump, read the emotional reactions from current and former athletes.
Elie Seckbach, the Embedded Correspondent, brings his exclusive video reporting to FanHouse. Check back regularly for more videos.
Sports icon Mike Tyson has a reputation that precedes him, but things aren't always as they seem. In "Tyson", a brand new tell-all documentary directed by James Toback and produced by Carmelo Anthony, Iron Mike -- who at his prime was the fear of all heavyweights -- opens up and shares some personal stories that no one ever knew about him. We were at the red-carpet premiere in L.A., and caught up with Michael Strahan (who has a funny story about being mistaken for Riddick Bowe), funnyman Tracy Morgan, Idris Elba (a.k.a. "Stringer Bell" from "The Wire"), Sugar Shane Mosley, and, naturally, Tyson as well.
It's not typically the case that professional athletes successfully parlay a second career as a sitcom star into a mantle full of People's Choice Awards. That doesn't mean former ballplayers can't eke out a living on the small screen, however. And while critical acclaim is nice, it's all about the work, right?
Either way, this distinguished-yet-still-not-fully appreciated-for-their-work group have paved the way for others. Like Michael Strahan, who, according to Variety,will get his own show.
The play of Super Bowl XLII was easily the catch made by David Tyree, holding onto the ball for dear life between one hand and his helmet. The Giants would go on to slay the giant and knock off the previously undefeated New England Patriots. Let us pause for a second and think about what would have happened had Eli Manning not even made that throw. He broke away from what appeared to be a sure sack. What if he didn't?
Ahmad Bradshaw, Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward are in a unique situation. They are the oh-so-rare triple headed, running back combo that actually succeeds all the way around. Brandon Jacobs is the "feature" back, but he wouldn't have as much success were it not for his teammates in the trio known as "Earth, Wind and Fire".
That's what makes Bradshaw's comments to Michael Strahan in a Fox interview so interesting. Via PFT, Strahan asked Bradshaw whether he wanted Ward and Jacobs -- both of whom will be free agents -- come back to New York next year. His answer was pretty straightforward.
Lost amid all the Week 17 NFL discussion is the fact that Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware is three sacks away from setting a new league record. Ware heads into Sunday's game against the Eagles with 20; Michael Strahan owns the current mark of 22.5. (Sacks have only been an official statistic since 1982.)
But unlike that year, when then-Packers quarterback Brett Favre basically took a knee to give Strahan his final sack for the record, Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb is still fighting for a playoff spot and is unlikely to be as accommodating.
Yes, Favre handed Strahan the record in a moment that didn't speak well for either of those future Hall of Famers. It would be nice to see Ware set the sack record in a meaningful fashion, and although three sacks in a game isn't easy, Ware has done it two of the last four weeks. We could see that record fall on Sunday.
Elie Seckbach, the Embedded Correspondent, brings his exclusive video reporting to FanHouse. Check back regularly for more videos.
With few professional Jewish athletes, you might think it would be tough to make a cool Hanukkah video, but that's not necessarily the case. Here's Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, NFL star Shawne Merriman and entertainers who want to wish you a Happy Hanukkah. Also in this video, we talk to Emmy nominated TV anchor Stella Inger, who tells us the meaning of the Festival of Lights.
It's usually generally presumed -- I think -- that you don't mess with someone's family when playing a prank on said person. This, of course, doesn't necessarily count when a) Pauley Shore is involved or b) the family is involved. But if, in the case of Eli Manning (and, naturally, Abby Manning) recently, you decide to bring a spouse in, you should at least give them the heads up.
"It was family day at the facility, where guys have their wives and kids come out to visit, and we got ahold of Eli's phone and sent a couple of texts," Giants guard Rich Seubert explained. "We said, 'Please come. It would really mean a lot to me.' So she showed up, which was a total surprise to Eli. She had some stuff to do and didn't really want to be there, so needless to say she wasn't thrilled."
Well, naturally. She's worked hard her entire life to make sure that her husband never had to actually do any work and could essentially just kick it around ... oh, right.
Still, even though Eli has made sure that his wife doesn't have to do anything other than say "Stirred" or "Shaken" for the rest of her life doesn't give the G-men an excuse to drag her out to a fake practice.
Every NFL team has now played eight games, meaning the season has reached the halfway point. So this week we're presenting our NFL FanHouse Midseason Midtacular.
There are many problems with the MVP award in almost every sport. Primarily, it is dependent on how one's team performs -- you simply cannot be classified as valuable on team that isn't winning a lot. (Note that there is some logic there, but not enough to justify the exclusion of some players from consideration.)
But the beauty of the MVP in football is that generally speaking, there is a clear cut individual whose performance over the course of 16 game is so distinctly dominant that there is less of an argument re: who should win. Except when Peyton Manning and Steve McNair tie. Then it gets awkward.
Oh yes, and this year; a football season where there is absolutely -- the Tennessee Titans excluded, and more on that in a second -- no single dominant team that magnifies an individual performance. So, seriously, I ask you again, who is the MVP this year?
Former Giants defensive end Michael Strahan, now a Fox television analyst, says he'll have no problems criticizing his friends and former teammates.
"I criticize them to their face in the locker room: 'You sucked today,'" Strahan tells Frank Deford in a profile on tonight's Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel.
And then, as if to prove he won't hesitate to criticize former teammates, Strahan says the reason he's amazed by the famous Manning to Tyree play in the Super Bowl is that his old teammates Eli Manning and David Tyree seemingly lack the athletic talent necessary to pull the play off.
Sports icon 
It's not typically the case that professional athletes successfully parlay a second career as a sitcom star into a mantle full of People's Choice Awards. That doesn't mean former ballplayers can't eke out a living on the small screen, however. And while critical acclaim is nice, it's all about the work, right? 
In anticipation of Cardinals-Steelers, FanHouse takes a look back at some forgotten 
Ahmad Bradshaw
Lost amid all the Week 17 NFL discussion is the fact that Dallas Cowboys linebacker 
With few professional Jewish athletes, you might think it would be tough to make a cool Hanukkah video, but that's not necessarily the case. Here's 
It's usually generally presumed -- I think -- that you don't mess with someone's family when playing a prank on said person. This, of course, doesn't necessarily count when a) Pauley Shore is involved or b) the family is involved. But if, in the case of 
Former Giants defensive end 
