STRIKE ONE

After taking a short, one-week hiatus so the Volcano's Brett Cihon could whore the Tacoma Rainiers coverage we have planned this year, Cup Check is back ... better than ever!

Actually, that's not true. Not much has changed since the last Cup Check column. Sure, the woman at the wrong end of Brett Favre's penis-texting infatuation, Jenn Sterger, did an interview with ABC, but that's no game changer. That's just George Stephanopoulos viciously being forced to confront the fact he's got exactly zero body parts worth sexting anyone.

Speaking of alleged womanizers, LA Lakers star Kobe Bryant finds himself in a bit of hot water this week after an outburst Tuesday following his 15th technical foul of the season. According to ESPN reports, Bryant stormed back to the bench after being called for the foul, smacked his chair, threw a towel and then appeared to direct a homophobic slur toward referee Bennie Adams. All of this was caught on TNT's national telecast of the game.

"You might wanna take the cameras off of him right now, for the children watching from home," TNT announcer Steve Kerr was quoted by ESPN as saying during the telecast.

Soon after the incident, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, the Human Rights Campaign and many others both within the LGBT community and outside it called for an apology from Bryant.

Unfortunately for Bryant, jewelry probably won't smooth this one over.

(UPDATE: Bryant has since issued a half-ass apology.)

STRIKE TWO

Speaking of discrimination, it's not really the Masters without a reminder of Augusta National Golf Club's old, old, old-school ways (read: blatant and unapologetic discrimination).

According to the Associated Press, Masters officials apologized this week to sports columnist Tara Sullivan of New Jersey's The Bergen Record after the female reporter was denied access to the clubhouse Sunday evening for Rory McIlroy's post-tournament interview. McIlroy, as golf fans will recall, had just finished his collapse and was being followed by a pack of reporters from the course to the clubhouse. Sullivan was stopped by a security guard who informed her women were not allowed inside. According to the AP story, Augusta National spokesman Steve Ethun said the guard acted improperly in stopping Sullivan, and that the club policy is to provide equal access to all reporters. Ethun also told the AP that the club hires a number of people to work the tournament and the guard was apparently unaware of the equal-access policy.

Of course, it probably was a little confusing for the guard seeing as Augusta National has zero female members.

"We have nothing against women," bank executive and Augusta National member Boone Knox told USA Today in 2002. "I love them all. I've got some myself. But we're a private club, and I'm all for it staying that way."

Then again, maybe we shouldn't be so hard on the ultra-exclusive golf club. Augusta didn't allow African Americans membership until 1990. Baby steps, people ...

STRIKE THREE

Well, hooray for honesty! If you didn't appreciate University of Connecticut star basketball player Kemba Walker for his on-the-court skill, perhaps his flagrant truth telling will win you over. I know it's won me over.

According to a recent story by Tim Layden posted on SI.com (Sports Illustrated), Walker, who wowed basketball fans during 11 straight elimination games in 28 days on the way to UConn's National Championship, has also taken steps in the classroom to better himself. In a borderline nauseating tone, Layden spews praise about Walker's amazing and unusual interest in the, you know, the "school" side of school.

"... Even before that Walker had begun trying to complete himself in ways that underscore the danger of painting any college basketball program - even one that will go on probation immediately after winning the national title - in broad, cynical strokes." Layden writes. "Last spring Walker approached UConn academic counselor Felicia Crump and asked her to help him figure out how to earn his degree in sociology so that he could enter the draft this year and still graduate. ..."

According to Layden's story, part of Crump's instructions included reading William C. Rhoden's Forty Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Black Athlete as part of an independent study class on racism in sports. Crump apparently told Layden it would be the first book Walker had ever read front-to-back.

After beating Butler and winning the National Championship, Walker told Layden, "That's true. You can write that. It is the first book I've ever read."

No comment yet from the University of Connecticut's sociology department on the practice of handing out college degrees to people who've read one book front-to-back in their lifetime.

DUMB JOCK OF THE WEEK

According to ESPN, Tennessee Titans receiver Kenny Britt faces three charges after a ridiculous police chase in his hometown of Bayonne, New Jersey. The ascending NFL-er was charged with eluding an officer, lying to an officer hindering apprehension and obstructing government function after he was clocked going 71 mph in a 50 mph zone. Instead of pulling over, Britt "accelerated and wove through traffic before exiting (the vehicle)," according to the police report. Britt and his passenger, Jerel Lord (who had some weed on him, surprise!), were seen walking away from the parked vehicle on a local street before being contacted by police.