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LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - The greatest Olympian in history is returning to China, this time as a brand spokesman for Mazda Sports People ChinaU.S. swimmer Michael Phelps, who won a record eight gold medals at the summer games in Beijing, has signed a seven-figure deal to endorse the new Mazda 6 model in a series of ad campaigns and personal appearances.His pact with Los Angeles-based DMG Entertainment, a division of Chines media, lobbying and entertainment group DMG, could be the largest single sponsorship deal for a Western celebrity in China's history.The campaign will be unveiled during the first half of the year; the deal does not include Hong Kong.Phelps already has deals with such firms as Speedo, Visa, and Rosetta Stone. He was driving a Land Rover when he was arrested for drunk driving in 2004.Reuters/Hollywood Reporter Sports People China. Vinny Cerrato Fired by RedskinsVinny Cerrato steps down as VP of operations for the Washington Redskins after the Redskins did some front office cleaning Thursday December 17th.

Bruce Allen was hired Thursday morning as General Manager of the Redskins. The Redskins owner Dan Snyder knew something had to be done for this Redskins team that is just 4-9 on the season.The Washington Redskins are at home to the Giants for Monday Night Football and you can bet the game online at BetUS while enjoying 155 in bonuses.Vinny Cerrato Fired by RedskinsSnyder believes that Bruce Allen is an NFL winner and the right person to turn this Redskins team around. Vinny Cerrato believes that he laid a strong foundation for success with strong draft picks and that the Redskins will thrive under Bruce Allen.Vinny Cerrato has faced much criticism from fans in recent years and he was the first major person hired by Dan Snyder when he purchased the Redskins franchise back in 1999. Vinny Cerrato Fired by Redskins did not really catch anyone by surprise.Check out our Experts NFL Picks for Week 15 of the NFL season and find out if the Washington Redskins will cover the 3 points at home against the New York Giants Monday night.Related posts:Monday Night Football Predictions: Eagles Vs Redskins This article is also featured on Handicapping Experts: 2010 NFL Super Bowl Picks. John Calipari was brought to the program with the most wins in NCAA history because of his .765 winning percentage and his ability to recruit the nations best players. Within the past two years at Memphis, Calipari shipped off the countrys top guards to the NBA draft with 2008 first-overall pick Derrick Rose and 2009 fourth-overall pick Tyreke Evans. Heading into the NBA draft after successful freshman years, both Rose and Evans exceeded expectations in their first NBA season. Evans, still playing his first year in the NBA, is averaging a team-best 20 points per game with five assists per game.

The nations top prospect out of high school has lived up to his expectations with Kentucky in his first nine games. Wall has led the undefeated Wildcats (10-0) in scoring five out of the nine games he has played. Averaging a team best 18.1 points and seven assists, Wall has been named the SEC Freshmen Player of the Week for four straight weeksthe first time in league history a freshman has won the weekly award in four consecutive weeks. The only other person to win the award was Eric Bledsoe in the first week, making Kentucky freshmen accountable for all five SEC Freshman Player of the Week awards. When comparing Wall to Rose and Evans at this point in their careers, coach Calipari described his current point guard as being more polished and advanced. With the colleges best cast of freshmen combined with the talent of the returning players, the Kentucky Wildcats fast break style of play is only going to get stronger and faster heading into SEC play and beyond.. LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - TLC is gearing up a new reality show tracking the spouses of NASCAR drivers. A full season, including an undisclosed number of episodes, will follow in the spring.The concept mixes racing with the "wives genre" peppering cable primetime, from Lifetime's drama "Army Wives" to Bravo's reality show "The Real Housewives of Orange County."Lest it seem too male-skewing for a female-skewing genre, TLC president Eileen O'Neill said 40 of NASCAR fans are women.Participants include Delana Harvick (wife of Kevin, who has 11 career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series wins), Shana Mayfield (wife of Jeremy, a 15-year Sprint Cup veteran), Kelley Earnhardt (sister of Dale Earnhardt Jr., NASCAR's most popular driver) and Angie Skinner (wife of Mike, who competes in NASCAR's top three national series).Reuters/Hollywood Reporter Entertainment Television.

I'll be posting SEC Basketball Power Rankings every Thursday from here on out Please don't yell if you disagree.1 Kentucky (10-0)It's beginning to feel like 1996. The Wildcats are undefeated and have beaten some quality competition. They took care of North Carolina, Connecticut, and Indiana in a recent three-game stretch. From a national standpoint, all headlines feature super freshman John Wall He even has his own incredible dance. UK will likely be 14-0 headed into a showdown with Louisville.2. Florida (8-1)This spot is basically a toss-up between the Gators and the Volunteers. This week, Florida will face two solid teams: Richmond and South Alabama.