Jerry Rice, Dancing Star: 'I Won That Battle'

Fresh off Dancing with the Stars and on a break from Spike TV's Pros vs. Joes, legendary NFL receiver Jerry Rice has teamed up with Aleve pain medication to promote arthritis awareness for the month of May. Obviously, they are also talking about ways to relieve the pain. We caught up with Rice as he shared the story of the injury that started the arthritis pain he deals with daily.

"On the injury that started it, it was Warren Sapp. On the first game of the season we were playing the Buccaneers in Tampa in 1996," Rice told us. “He accidentally grabbed my face mask. I was running a reverse and he pulled me backwards and I could see my knee, I could see it pop. I knew I had seriously hurt myself and I knew I had a long road back but I fought through that. Dealing with arthritis now is not bad for me because I’m still active and I’m still doing everything that I was doing my 20s."

Rice also said that he experienced a little bit of pain during 'Dancing with the Stars' as well, but used Aleve to overcome the pain. But will he compete again and try to be the dancing champ?

"You know what? I don’t care what they say, I beat Drew Lachey no matter what," Rice said. "Here’s the reason why: Drew Lachey was part of a singing group that danced, worked on Broadway and Stacy Keibler took ballet for like 16 years, but Jerry? Jerry didn’t have anything! So I won that battle, no matter what!"

But wasn’t Mr. Rice dancing in the end zone early in his career?

"Ha, you know what, I did! I think my first year; I was trying to find myself on the football field," Rice said. "So I danced in the end zone in a couple of games, looked at myself on film and I looked so stupid. After that I decided not to dance anymore. So basically I would pass the ball to the official and that was it."

Rice is currently in negotiations to do more TV work, particularly as a commentator, but for the next month, he is focused on promoting arthritis awareness. For some tips on arthritis treatment, check out Aleve's Web site.

Shaun Alexander: Next Curse Victim?

Last week, video game giant EA Sports announced that NFL MVP running back Shaun Alexander will grace the cover of Madden 07, the video game industry’s top football game. Developers of the game say that this year’s edition of Madden, to be released in August, will focus on the running game.

"To be on the cover of Madden NFL 07 is a big milestone in my career since I have always been a huge fan of this franchise," Alexander told IGN.com. "EA Sports is focusing on the running game in this year's version, so I was honored when I was chosen to be on the cover to represent the improved running game." Last year, Donovan McNabb appeared on the cover of Madden 06 and we all know what happened to the Eagles last season following a Super Bowl appearance. Alexander is probably the most consistent and toughest running back in the league and has the best chance of breaking the curse.

Tiger Woods Takes a Plunge, Wins Race

Tiger Woods announced last week that he’d be taking a break from golf for awhile to be with his dad, who is battling cancer, and to just enjoy life. He took in the MGM Grand in Vegas and apparently won $500,000 at the hotel. Not bad. He then flew all the way to New Zealand to attend his caddy, Steve Williams', wedding. Woods was the best man.

His weekend didn't end there as Woods jumped from New Zealand's highest bungee jump at the Nevis Highwire. A cable car in the Nevis Valley takes jumpers to the center of the valley where they jump 440 feet from the cable car. The freefall lasts about 8.5 seconds. Then on Monday, Woods drove a stock car in a celebrity 12-lap race at a dirt-track speedway south of Auckland on New Zealand's North Island. He won lace after spinning out and finally catching up and taking the lead. The race was organized by Williams’ Steve Williams Foundation which raises money to provide sporting careers for disadvantaged youth. Woods plans to play again at the US Open beginning in June.

Vince Young Announces First Endorsement

While everyone is still discussing Vince Young's value, if he'd worked in an NFL system and what team will take him in the draft, the pride of Texas is signing endorsement deals. Young recently announced a deal with NetSpend Corporation, a company that markets and processes prepaid debit cards. The card is for folks who don't have credit cards or use a bank's check card and are turned away when trying to rent a car or make airline reservations.

"Just as my time at [Texas] helped enable me to have greater opportunities, NetSpend is empowering people all across the nation to change their lives with new freedom in their financial affairs," Young said in a statement. "I like what they are doing, and I want to be a part of it. This isn't just a card, it's the end of all those no's. The All-Access card lets people say 'Yes I can,' and that's what today and this partnership is all about."

After the announcement, Young and NetSpend CEO presented a $10,000 debit card – not a check - to the University Of Texas College Of Communication to help start an advertising and sports marketing scholarship fund. They need to be careful; you know how those college kids act when they have a plastic card in their hands.

Under Armour Gets in Shoe Biz With Athletes' Help

Earlier this month athletic apparel company Under 'We Must Protect This House!!' Armour announced that it would be getting into the shoe business with its newly designed football cleats. The shoes will range in price from $54.99 to $109.99 and will hit stores in June, just as youth, high school and pro football athletes will start summer camps for the upcoming season.

"It's been tired and boring and has been the same make and model of cleats that I wore 25 years ago," CEO Kevin Plank, a former University of Maryland football player who founded Under Armour in 1996 told USA Today. "We've now got cleats, and they are very, very cool."

The ads for the new cleats will start this weekend during the NFL draft and will star such standouts and top draft picks as Ohio State linebacker A.J. Hawk, University of Maryland tight end Vernon Davis, Colorado University's Jeremy Bloom and pro players Julius Jones of the Dallas Cowboys and Jonathan Vilma of the New York Jets. And yes, they all agreed to PROTECT THIS HOUSE!!!