10 Most Shocking Sports Tragedies of All Time

It's been the worst offseason in NHL history. Tom Cavanagh and Rick Rypien both committed suicide, Derek Boogaard died from a drug overdose, and now six current and former NHL players have perished after a plane carrying Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, a Russian professional hockey team, crashed near the Russian city of Yaroslavl. Sports, though an escape, encapsulate the human condition, and those who follow them closely know that players aren't immune to the same randomness, unpredictability and personal issues we face in our lives. The following sports tragedies shook the nation and the world to their cores, and will remain forever etched in our memories.

  1. U.S. figure skating team plane crash, 1961

    Last February marked the 50th anniversary of the crash of Sabena Flight 548, which killed all 18 members of the U.S. figure skating team — including numerous World Champions — and its coaching staff. En route to Prague from New York City for the 1961 World Championship, it rapidly descended on approach to Brussels, bursting into flames in a field near the airport. As a result, the World Championship event was canceled, and the U.S. had to completely rebuild its figure skating team, a process that took nearly a decade.

  2. Marshall football team plane crash, 1970

    We Are Marshall depicts the extensive rebuilding and heeling processes that followed the crash of Southern Airways Flight 932. The Marshall Thundering Herd football team had just suffered a loss to the East Carolina Pirates and was returning home on a flight they hadn't originally chartered. Amid rain, fog and a rugged terrain, it struck the treetops on a hillside, caught fire and nosedived, killing 37 members of the team, eight members of the coaching staff and 25 boosters — sadly, 70 children lost a parent in the disaster. The nation immediately went into mourning, and the university almost discontinued the program. Fortunately, the fans convinced President Donald Dedmon to support rebuilding, and the rest is history.

  3. Munich Olympics massacre, 1972

    The aptly named Palestinian terrorist organization Black September conducted a terrorist operation that forever cast a dark cloud on the 1972 Olympics. A hostage standoff ensued after eight men rounded up nine Israelis in an effort to secure the release of 234 prisoners held in Israel and Germany. After a resolution was delayed, the terrorists demanded to be flown to Cairo, prompting the Germans to organize Operation Sunshine. Knowing of the plan, the terrorists engaged in a shootout with the Germans, leading to the execution of all nine hostages by their captors. In the end, 11 Israeli athletes and coaches were dead, and just three of the terrorists were captured — the other five were killed.

  4. Roberto Clemente dies in plane crash, 1972

    One of the most talented, accomplished and beloved players of his generation, Clemente's death was a devastating blow for the baseball community. The sting was made even greater by the fact that he died while on a relief flight to Managua, Nicaragua, which had just suffered a massive earthquake. Clemente wanted to ensure that the flight would reach its destination — the previous three relief flights were intercepted by corrupt officials of the Somoza government. The flight he charted had a history of mechanical problems and was overloaded, causing it to plunge into the ocean near Isla Verde, Puerto Rico. He received numerous posthumous honors, perhaps the most notable of which was his early induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

  5. Len Bias dies after cocaine overdose, 1986

    A standout at Maryland, Bias had a promising future as the newest member of the Boston Celtics. But, just two days after the league's most successful franchise made him the No. 2 overall pick, he succumbed to cardiac arrhythmia caused by cocaine. The traumatic event occurred at his Maryland dorm room with teammates and friends, reaching a crisis point when an emergency medical team failed to restart his heart. Repeated attempts to revive him at the hospital also failed as friends and fans were gathering outside. The shock that overtook that crowd eventually overtook the nation. An entire generation remembers where they were when Bias died, another 1980's tragedy induced by drugs.

  6. Zambia national soccer team plane crash, 1993

    The entire Zambian soccer team — 18 players and the coaching and support staff — was aboard Zambian Air Force Buffalo DHC-5D when its left engine caught fire, causing the pilot to mistakenly switch off the right engine and the aircraft to fall into the water near Libreville, Gabon. Today, they're buried and remembered at Heroes' Acre outside of Independence Stadium in Lusaka. In a comeback story similarly experienced by the Marshall football program, the newly rebuilt team immediately rebounded, making an improbable run to the African Nations Cup final, where it narrowly lost to Nigeria.

  7. Dale Earnhardt dies in crash at Daytona, 2001

    Losing Dale Earnhardt was akin to losing someone such as Michael Jordan or Joe Montana. When NASCAR president Mike Helton announced his death following the 2001 Daytona 500, a large piece of NASCAR died as well. As the race was nearing completion, the left rear of Earnhardt's car was bumped by the right front of Sterling Marlin's car, forcing Earnhardt to correct, which caused him to crash into the wall at a speed of 155 to 160 mph. The incident resulted in the implantation of rules requiring head and neck restraints, which might have saved his life.

  8. Oklahoma State basketball team plane crash, 2001

    Following a game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys and Colorado Buffaloes, a Beechcraft Super King Air 200 carrying members of the media and two players — Nate Fleming and Daniel Lawson — crashed near Strasberg, Colorado. It was later determined that mechanical failure was the cause. Last January, the Oklahoma State community remembered the 10 men who lost their lives during halftime of the Texas game. Former coach Eddie Sutton and former player Desmond Mason discussed the impact the men had on the program and many lives with whom they came into contact.

  9. Three football players lost at sea, 2009

    Marquise Cooper and Corey Smith, both NFL players, and Will Bleakley and Nick Schuyler, both former football players at South Florida, merely wanted to spend a day fishing in the Gulf. But an unfortunate error caused the boat to capsize, leaving the four men in a fight for their lives. Two days later, Schuyler was found by the Coast Guard floating and clinging to the boat, with Cooper, Smith and Bleakley nowhere in sight. Private searchers continued to look for the three men, but called it off four days later. It was a remarkable story of survival for Schuyler, but, of course, it was also an extremely traumatic experience, as he witnessed his friends' final moments.

  10. Lokomotiv Yaroslavl hockey team plane crash, 2011

    An outpouring of sympathy and condolences have come from the 10 countries from which the players and coaches hailed. Overall, 44 of the 45 people on board died, including Alexander Galimov, who died five days later. The Yak-Service Yakovlev Yak-42 was en route to Minsk, Belarus from Yaroslavl, Russia for the start of the 2011-12 Russian Major League season. The accident occurred when it struck a beacon tower mast after it failed to gain altitude, causing it to fall into the river bank of the Tunoshna River. Memorial services were subsequently held around Russia, where Rene Fasel, International Ice Hockey Federation president, described it as "the darkest day in the history of our sport."

10 Surprising Health Benefits of Playing Video Games

Since home video games were popularized in the '80s, killjoys have blamed them for almost every ill in society. Games have supposedly started wars, made children morbidly obese and caused people to shun the outside world, at least according to their theories. In reality, video games are an entertaining, sometimes time-consuming hobby that falls somewhere between watching TV and reading books. Believe it or not, there is some good associated with parking yourself in front your favorite console each day. Perhaps you've experienced some of the following health benefits — and, even if you haven't, you can show them to your significant other to convince her/him that you haven't really been wasting massive amounts of time.

  1. They comfort people with depression

    As with any mind-consuming activity that you thoroughly enjoy, gaming can serve as somewhat of an antidepressant. In the case of Bejeweled, a puzzle game in which players move gems into rows based on their colors, a study indicated that participants experience improved mood and heart rhythm from a session of play. Essentially, it helps people unwind and relax as if they're working on a crossword puzzle — something that certainly isn't viewed as an unhealthy activity.

  2. They improve dexterity

    A study conducted by psychologists at the University of Rochester found that video game-playing surgical residents and surgeons who were tasked with performing a procedure were 24% faster, made 32% fewer errors and scored 26% better overall. Those percentages were even higher for those who played game in the past for more than three hours. The findings could open the door to training potential surgeons and scientists from an early age. Having surgery soon? You'll be better off if your surgeon is a gamer — imagine that.

  3. They improve your eyesight

    Forget LASIK eye surgery — you can spend $60 on a video game and experience improvement in your vision. According to researchers at the University of Rochester, people who played action video games for a month were able to identify letters presented in clutter 20% better than before. Incredibly, results were shown after just 30 hours of play. When you play action games, your vision is tested to its limit, and the brain adjusts accordingly. The human body is pretty neat.

  4. They improve social skills

    Gamers have been unfairly stereotyped through the years as socially inept, significant-other-less freaks who dwell in their parents' basements. The fact of the matter, given the sheer popularity of gaming, is that a variety of individuals with varying personalities compose the gaming community. As it turns out, World of Warcraft, a game that requires players to be social, teaches leadership and conflict resolution skills, according to a Swedish researcher. Although fans of the game may be viewed as cult-like, they're actually strengthening their ability to function in the outside world.

  5. They improve knowledge retention

    Video games can be used for the specific purpose of advancing learning. A study conducted at the University of Kansas found they can impart specific knowledge. Researchers administered tests to three different groups, one of which prepared using a PowerPoint lecture and two of which prepared using a video game. Of course, the latter two groups demonstrated better knowledge retention. The advantage of using video games in this case may have been the mere fact that it requires active engagement of the mind, as opposed to almost thoughtlessly looking over slides.

  1. They increase response time

    Amazing work is being done at the University of Rochester. In another much-welcomed study, researchers found that video games can provide a training regimen that increases visual reaction times while maintaining accuracy. Certain games require quick processing of sensory information, an activity that can be mastered with practice. If you're a fan of Halo or Call of Duty, take note — those skills could prove useful in other nonviolent endeavors.

  2. They reduce stress

    Not only do video games serve as a distraction, but they can fight anger. Researchers at Texas A&M University found that playing violent video games, such as Call of Duty 2, gave players an outlet in which to take out their aggression, contradicting the numerous studies that have indicated the opposite. Thinking of going postal? Play Playstation instead.

  3. They improve self esteem

    It always feels good to crush your opponent in Madden, which naturally makes you feel better about yourself. But did you know there have been games designed for the specific purpose of improving your self esteem? McGill University researchers focused on encouraging positive thoughts and positive attitudes in an effort to remove negative thought patterns. Of course, developing self-esteem is a bit more complex than just playing a video game, but it provides a good start for patterning behavior.

  4. They actually help you exercise and lose weight

    One of the most obvious health benefits of modern gaming is physical, thanks to the creation of Wii and its exergaming offerings. The International Sports Sciences Association confirmed that such games are effective at getting kids off the couch and increasing their heart rates, a far cry from the stereotype that all gamers are obese oafs. Seniors seeking gentler exercise can play Wii fit, for example, to maintain their health, which is why many senior residences contain the gaming system.

  5. They relieve pain

    Perhaps pain really is all in the mind. Once again, the key word is "distraction" here, as participating in games can take a player's mind off of their ailment, according to researchers at Emory University. It's most effective using virtual reality, which can transport a player into an entirely different virtual world. This type of therapy has been used with real patients, including those who've endured significant trauma. What's more, there are no side effects — beats the heck out of a lot of medications.

9 Fake SNL Products We’d Actually Buy

Over the years, Saturday Night Live has produced some hilarious sketches and characters. But some of the show's funniest moments, especially in recent seasons, have come from their commercials for fake products. Many of the ads are for items you would never want to use, like Bad Idea Jeans or BabySpanx, but some of the ideas are actually pretty good even if they are a bit silly. If these nine products were real, we would definitely buy them.

  1. Damn It, My Mom Is On Facebook filter

    If Mark Zuckerberg would let Facebook users buy this filter, he'd be a millionaire. Well, he'd be even more of a millionaire. The current Facebook privacy settings have nothing on the Damn It, My Mom Is On Facebook filter. This filter helps keep your statuses, photos, and wall mom-friendly while letting you post whatever you want. Damn It, My Mom Is On Facebook seems like a legitimate, real-world solution to the growing problem of parents jumping on the social networking site, embarrassing their children, and discovering their kids' disappointing life choices. It will edit any references to drugs, alcohol, or sex so that you can keep your mother/child relationship intact.

  2. Duncan Hines Brownie Husband

    It may be a stereotype that single women are lonely and fill the void in their lives with chocolate, but stereotypes are based at least a little bit on truth. The Brownie Husband would have a sizeable market in cat ladies alone if it were introduced in reality, and people outside of its target audience would probably be interested after a particularly tough day. Not only does the Brownie Husband have a handsome fudge face, but he heats up in 90 seconds in the microwave and is filled with delicious warm caramel. Maybe we wouldn't eat Brownie Husband in bed, but it'd be good for a dinner party, bridal shower, or quiet nights watching movies on the couch. If it's good enough for Tina Fey, it's good enough for the rest of us.

  3. Old Glory Insurance

    There's nothing more terrifying to humans today than the idea of a robot takeover. We'd probably rather die at the hands of zombies than robots; at least zombies used to be people. That's why Old Glory Insurance is so tempting. Most insurance policies these days don't cover the possibility of robot attacks, so the only way to be fully prepared for the future that we've seen in totally believable movies like I, Robot and Terminator 4 is to buy something like Old Glory Insurance. Though Saturday Night Live promotes the product as something for old people because their medication attracts the 'bots, we think it'd be a wise investment for anyone living in the 21st century. If Old Glory would cover both robot and zombie attacks, their business would skyrocket.

  4. Bug Off

    This product is slightly cruel, but if you've ever had a roach problem in your house or apartment, you'll see how entirely necessary it is to give your pests something to think about. Bug Off catches the roach in glue, rips off its legs with tiny tweezers and then beats the roach with them. As the roach goes through more and more torture, the viewing window allows you to watch to make sure Bug Off's getting the job done. While regular bug sprays or poisons just kill the bug, this is the kind of product that sends a message to all roaches letting them know that you mean business and they better stay off your property. We probably wouldn't use this on our first attempt to get rid of bugs, but if the problem is persistent and annoying enough, this is the most satisfying option.

  5. Nelson's Baby Toupees

    People will try to tell you that there's no such thing as an ugly baby, but that just isn't true. Babies come in all shapes and sizes, and some of those shapes and sizes aren't very cute. Being bald only adds to the problem. But there's nothing more adorable than a baby dressed up like an adult. These baby toupees would be the perfect accessory for a Halloween costume, a good look for a photo shoot, or a funny pick-me-up for sleep-deprived parents. Whether you have an ugly baby or not, no one will be able to see past the precious wig on its head. You could even be starting off a prosperous career for your baby as a Donald Trump impersonator.

  6. Bathroom Monkey

    The Bathroom Monkey is a live monkey that keeps your bathroom clean for up to eight months. Maybe some of the details of this product need to be worked out in order to satisfy PETA, but overall, this seems like an item that every household needs. Monkeys have been trained to fly in space and pick pockets, so it's pretty reasonable to assume that they could be taught to clean a bathroom. It would be like a pet that pitches in with the housework. If the makers could come up with a better way of disposing the used product and cut down the working hours of the monkey, the Bathroom Monkey would have a real chance of surviving in the marketplace and hopefully your bathroom.

  7. Dissing Your Dog training videos

    Some people don't have the right personality to discipline a dog during the training process. You have to assert a certain amount of straightforward authority in traditional training programs, so for the more passive-aggressive type of dog owner, these methods are normally ineffective. That's why the Dissing Your Dog videos would be such a great alternative in the real world. By using sarcasm and insults against your puppy, it'll learn how to behave and will probably feel more like your friend, since you probably treat your human buddies the same way. If it really works, it'd be a fun method to try on children, too.

  8. Taco Town

    It's hard to believe that a restaurant or state fair doesn't already sell something like the taco at Taco Town. To be more exact, it's Taco Town's pizza crepe taco pancake chili bag, but that's a ridiculous name for such a sophisticated meal. Its delicious overindulgence is the kind of thing everyone should try at least once. Though it's probably not wise to make a habit of ordering this taco, every once in a while, you've got to forget the diet and live a little. As it wraps together Italian, Mexican, French, and American cuisine, the taco is representative of the U.S. melting pot. Or the U.S. multi-layer taco, if you're looking for a more precise metaphor.

  9. Einstein Express

    This could be the least greedy and most practical use of time travel anyone's thought of. Einstein Express allows you to send a package back in time to the day when you should've taken it to the post office or UPS store. As we can see in the commercial, the service has many different uses, such as sending contraceptives into the past to prevent unplanned pregnancies. The possibilities are endless and would probably keep you out of a lot of trouble at work or in your personal life. A similar SNL service called Jiffy Express isn't quite as effective since a time machine isn't involved, but the company offers to put fake shipping dates on your package and fabricate shipping delays to explain why a parcel didn't arrive on time, taking the blame for your tardiness.

10 Things You Didn’t Know About Witness Protection

The witness protection program is frequently used as a plot device in movies and on TV shows, but many people don't know much about the system in reality. In the U.S., witness security has protected 7,500 witnesses and 9,500 of their family members since it began, and the testimonies of these witnesses has led to an 89% conviction rate of those they testified against. Here are 10 other things you didn't know about the program that helps take down organized crime, gang violence, and terrorism.

  1. It started in the U.S.

    It's kind of surprising that the U.S. was the first to come up with the idea of creating a program to protect witnesses. Even stranger is that witness security is only about 40 years old. It began when the Organized Crime and Racketeering Section of the Justice Department introduced the Organized Crime Control Act of 1970 and started to actively protect witnesses in 1971. The law gave the Department of Justice freedom to arrange for the security of witnesses as they see fit, and though it was originally passed in order to curb mafia crimes, it now covers people who testify against drug cartels, gangs, and terrorist groups. The program was expanded by the Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984 to cover some relatives and associates of the witnesses. Though there are still some problems with the program, it has been incredibly effective in coercing witnesses to provide testimonies that have landed major criminals in prison.

  2. Now the idea has spread around the world

    Since many countries struggle with organized crime, the method for protecting and relocating essential witnesses has been picked up in many countries around the world. Australia, a country whose population famously started with criminals, began their own program in 1983, along with complementary regional programs. Germany has had one since the mid-'80s and Hong Kong started theirs in the '90s. Colombia established a three-program system in their constitution, which provides information and monitoring for witnesses. The third and most intense program is for the witnesses of kidnappings, terrorism, and drug trafficking, and provides relocation assistance and support. Even the International Criminal Court has established a witness security organization.

  3. It was inspired by a mafia member

    Before the establishment of an official witness protection program in any country, no one could get mafia members to speak against their leaders to police or in court. Their code of silence meant that if you cooperated with police, they would kill you. In 1963, Joseph Valachi became the first person from the Italian-American Mafia to break the code of silence and he testified to a congressional committee about how the mafia works. While talking to the committee, he was guarded by 200 U.S. Marshals because there was rumored to be a $100,000 bounty on his head, and he was the first person to be offered protection for his testimony. He spent the rest of his life in protective custody in prison, afraid to even eat food prepared by anyone but himself. His testimony and protection led the U.S. to start a program for witnesses.

  4. You have to qualify

    If you think you can testify against a criminal and just waltz into a new life in the witness security program, you're wrong. There are several qualifications you have to meet to be eligible to take part in witness protection. First, your testimony has to be essential to the case, usually a serious criminal one, and put your life or your family's life in danger. If they can get testimony against a criminal from someone else that would be at less risk, they'll use them instead of you. Your testimony also has to be seen as credible and they have to be sure that you're going to show up at trial. Unreliable people don't get new identities. Ultimately, the U.S. Attorney General's office has the final say in who gets to enter the program, but all the requirements have to be met so that resources are only used on the most important and at-risk people.

  5. There are some perks

    It's obviously really difficult to leave behind family and friends and cut all ties with the life you knew, but witness protection does offer some perks to help participants get back on their feet quickly. U.S. Marshals find a reasonable job opportunity or provide vocational training for the participants and help them find housing. The witnesses normally receive about $60,000 in subsistence payments, but if they don't actively seek employment, those payments will stop. Obviously this assistance wouldn't be spectacular for someone who used to make six figures in a previous life, but for many, this is more than they had before. You'll also likely get to come up with your new name, so if your parents gave you a bad one, — you're a boy named Sue or something equally horrible — this is your chance to turn things around. The payments, training, new name, and other help is all in addition to getting to stay alive, which is probably the biggest plus.

  1. Marshals have tricks for getting witnesses to trial

    Getting witnesses to the trial to testify is one of the most important tasks that faces a U.S. Marshal. This is the time when the person needs the most protection so that the criminal can be convicted and the witness can be taken to a safer place. Some of the tricks for transporting witnesses to trial safely include using nontraditional vehicles that potential assailants wouldn't expect. The founder of the witness security program, Gerald Shur, says Marshals have used everything from mail trucks to helicopters to fishing boats to bring witnesses to trial. Sometimes decoy cars are sent to the courthouse to distract people while Marshals sneak the witness in through another entrance. Nothing is too crazy to keep the witnesses safe to testify.

  2. No witnesses have been killed

    According to the U.S. Marshals service, no witnesses who have entered their protection and followed the rules have ever been harmed. The rules basically say that you can't have any contact with associates from your past or unprotected family members and that you can't go back to the city where you lived before relocation. Lots of witnesses who break these guidelines have been killed. For example, a young man who had been relocated from San Francisco returned there in 2006 and was shot to death. Another girl, just 17 years old, testified against a notorious gang, got a new identity, and then contacted some of her old associates that were still tied to the gang to come try out her hotel's hot tub. She was killed within days of the phone call.

  3. There's less chance of committing a crime

    Many of the people who enter into witness security programs are criminals themselves who have given key testimony on their former bosses or associates. Before allowing a criminal to participate in witness protection, the U.S. Attorney General evaluates whether the risk the witness would pose to his new community is less than the value of his testimony. If they think the danger to the community isn't high, they'll relocate the witness and inform the local law enforcement of his location and criminal record. There's obviously some chance that a criminal will go back to his old ways while in witness protection, but the percent of criminals that re-offend while in the program is between 17% and 23%. The rate of parolees who return to crime after prison is somewhere between 40% and 60%, significantly higher than those in witness protection.

  4. People in jail can be protected

    If someone in witness protection commits a crime or a criminal becomes a witness but is headed to prison, they can still be protected. They'll be taken into protective custody and no longer be under the authority of the U.S. Marshals but by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. There are different layouts for protective custody in various prisons, but the main idea is that the witnesses are separated from the general prison population to avoid revenge for testifying. Other types of prisoners are often placed in protective custody, too, such as those whose crimes put them at high risk for attacks by other inmates or those trying to avoid getting in trouble as they near their parole date, so it becomes hard to tell who was a witness.

  5. Victims of witnesses can be compensated

    Because the government was responsible for placing a criminal witness in your community, and the law enforcement there was informed of their presence, if they commit a crime against you, you're entitled to be compensated out of the Victims Compensation Fund. The money is given for certain crimes to cover expenses for medical or funeral costs, and lost wages if you had to take off work. You should be aware that the government's not just going to hand you this money; you have to seek restitution or compensation under the law or through a lawsuit, and they won't cover what's been paid by your insurance. Of course, you won't know if someone who assaults or robs you is under federal protection, so you should seek compensation whenever you're a victim of a crime. You could get lucky and get to blame the government.

10 Shocking Revelations From the Jackie O. Tapes

The newly released series of interviews with former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy have stirred up quite the controversy and excitement for listeners who want to get a glimpse of what life was like in the White House for the Kennedys. The audiotapes are from the 1964 interviews with historian and former White House aide Arthur Schlesinger Jr., just months after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. These sensitive recordings were under lock and key at the Kennedy Library in Boston and weren't supposed to be released until 50 years after Jackie passed away. But in order to get ABC to drop its drama series about the Kennedy family, Jackie's daughter, Caroline Kennedy, agreed to release the tapes earlier than expected. Here are 10 shocking revelations from the Jackie O. tapes:

  1. Jackie believed LBJ was behind JFK's assassination

    One of the most shocking revelations from the Jackie O. tapes was that she thought Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson was responsible for her husband's death. Mrs. Kennedy believed LBJ was at the heart of the plot to kill the president, and he was joined by a group of Texas businessmen and gunman Lee Harvey Oswald. Jackie suspected that LBJ had his own agenda about being vice president and was only taking the position to undue his problems in the Senate.

  2. Jackie had her own affairs

    The tapes reveal that Jackie had a few shocking infidelities of her own. The former first lady admitted to having an affair with Hollywood star William Holden and Fiat founder Gianni Agnelli while married to the president. Mrs. Kennedy got revenge for her husband's many flings, but noted that weeks before JFK's assassination the couple had turned a new leaf and were planning on having more children.

  3. Jackie was not a fan of Martin Luther King Jr.

    Mrs. Kennedy made it clear in the audiotapes that she did not like Martin Luther King Jr. for many reasons. The former first lady called King a "phony" and a "terrible man" because he was also engaged in extramarital affairs. According to FBI director J. Edgar Hoover, the civil rights leader was secretly recorded trying to arrange a sex party while in DC for the March on Washington. Hoover also told Jackie that King was bragging about being drunk at JFK's funeral, and snickered about how they almost dropped his coffin. None of these claims have been confirmed, but Jackie's daughter, Caroline Kennedy, expressed that this information was manipulated by Hoover and was part of the FBI's smear campaign against MLK.

  4. The Kennedys had an old-fashioned relationship

    Mrs. Kennedy revealed that she and her husband had an old-fashioned marriage, and described it as "a rather terribly Victorian or Asiatic relationship." She also admitted to getting all of her opinions from her husband, which were often directed at people who had issues with the Kennedy administration. Jackie felt like her role as a mother and wife was to create "a climate of affection and comfort and detente," she said.

  5. Jackie thought women should stay out of politics

    One of the most shocking revelations from the tapes were of Mrs. Kennedy sharing her thoughts on women in politics. Despite the fact that Jackie was portrayed as a cultured, wise and progressive thinker, she did not feel women had a place in politics because they're "just not suited to it," she said. Jackie said she worried about "emotional" women entering politics and was humored by "violently liberal women" who disliked JFK and sided with his competitor, Adlai Stevenson. She also shared her true feelings about the former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, describing her as a "prune bitter, kind of pushy, horrible woman."

  1. Jackie knew of JFK's womanizing

    The audiotapes reveal that Mrs. Kennedy was well aware of her husband's adulterous acts, especially his White House intern flings. Jackie suggested that the president was having an affair with a 19-year-old White House intern after finding underwear in their bedroom. She said the first adulterous act as president happened on the night of the inauguration when she went to bed early.

  2. Mrs. Kennedy loathed the French

    Despite the fact that Mrs. Kennedy was known for wearing French clothing and speaking the language fluently, she apparently had a deep-seeded hatred for the French. According to the Jackie O. tapes, the former first lady said she "loathed" the French and "they are not very nice, they are all for themselves." Even her onetime hero French President Charles de Gaulle failed to impress Mrs. Kennedy upon meeting each other. In the tapes, she refers to de Gaulle as an "egomaniac" and "spiteful man."

  3. President Kennedy cried during the Bay of Pigs and Cuban missile crisis

    During the recordings, Jackie revealed a softer side of JFK that many didn't know or see. She recalled the president crying in their bedroom during the Bay of Pigs and Cuban missile crisis. In the event of a potential nuclear war, Jackie pleaded with JFK to not send her and the children to Camp David and to let them stay at the White House with him. Mrs. Kennedy said she told the president, "I just want to be with you, and I want to die with you, and the children do, too – than live without you."

  4. JFK feared an LBJ presidency

    Jackie shared the shocking revelation that JFK was strongly opposed to Lyndon B. Johnson ever becoming president. Even though LBJ was her husband's presidential running mate, she had very few positive things to say about the vice president, describing him as an uninspired drinker. Jackie said JFK didn't believe the vice president would be fit for the role as commander in chief because he felt he "could never get an opinion out of Lyndon at any cabinet or national security meeting," she said. Jackie also expressed that LBJ seemed more interested in "the panoply that goes with power, but none of the responsibility."

  5. JFK was a ritualistic and religious man

    The tapes exposed JFK's personal life as a ritualistic and religious man. She said the president would change into his pajamas and take a 45-minute nap every day. Jackie shared that the president would say his prayers kneeling on the edge of the bed every night and would attend church, but still had his doubts about faith.

11 Important Leaders in LGBT Education

LGBTQIA individuals and organizations still have a ways to go before they can enjoy full equality in today's society, but that doesn't mean accomplishments and milestones pushing them towards broader acceptance should ever go ignored or unacknowledged. Because education remains an integral cog in the social justice machine, such professionals can significantly impact the perceptions of current and future generations alike. By no means a comprehensive list, or one whose entrants are meant to be ranked in any specific order, the following leaders have undoubtedly left their mark when promoting LGBTQIA perspectives and rights in academia and mainstream society. Of course, they didn't (nor will they ever) operate in a vacuum, so their contemporaries' equally passionate work deserve accolades as well. Anyone striving towards respectfully, nonviolently building a more equitable and loving community should inspire others to carry on their legacy and strive until unity and peace become the universal norm.

  1. Chuck Middleton and Katherine Ragsdale

    March 6, 2011 saw the first LGBTQ Presidents in Higher Education meeting, co-chaired by Roosevelt University's Chuck Middleton and Episcopal Divinity School's Katherine Ragsdale. The organization, as one can probably assume from its name, discusses issues relating to LGBTQIA community members working in higher education. Presidents, mostly, but their emphasis on equality, destigmatizing and leadership certainly impacts far more individuals than just them. About 25 men and women align themselves with LGBTQ Presidents in Higher Education, and many participate in more general events to ensure their minority voices get heard. And, of course, fair consideration. Considering how students, staff and faculty alike still approach LGBTQIA professors with caution, if not outright mistrust, the group's members certainly have plenty of work ahead of them.

  2. B. Cole

    She may not be affiliated with any one institute of higher learning — save for her alma maters Mills College and London School of Economics — but B. Cole undeniably furthers LGBTQIA leadership and scholarship more than most professors. The ardent, published researcher and winner of such breathtaking honors as the Harry S. Truman Scholarship, Spirit of Dolores Huerta Award and labels like the Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholar and Coro Fellow, she applies both her passion and serious researching chops to the Brown Boi Project. Here, "masculine of center womyn, men, two-spirit people, transmen, and … allies" band together in the spirit of community service, activism and leadership. Through projects and retreats, they also reach out to such youth and instill them with the skills needed to excel both in school and in their neighborhoods, not to mention the world around them. In doing so, Brown Boi hopes to educate tomorrow's LGBTQIA leaders and get their communities talking about masculinity, race, class, sexuality, gender and other lines by which society draws up inequalities.

  3. Jennifer Finney Boylan

    Colby College English professor Jennifer Finney Boylan educates far more people than just the lucky students in her classes. The author and teacher also enjoys a board position with GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation), an organization devoted to critiquing media depictions of the LGBTQIA community and its members. Such a laudable status allows her to play an integral role in promoting tolerance and equality throughout the world, not just on campus. In addition to her activism and education accomplishments, Boylan has also earned the Lambda Literary Prize and University of Massachusetts' Stonewall Legacy Prize.

  4. E. Patrick Johnson

    Sweet Tea, both a book and a one-man play, is the latest thought-provoking offering from this acclaimed Northwestern University Performance Studies chair and African-American Studies professor. E. Patrick Johnson frequently explores issues of race and sexuality, particularly their overlaps and the life experiences of minorities in both camps. His work is vital from both an artistic and social perspective, as LGBTQIA individuals of color especially struggle with broader acceptance, even in today's supposedly "progressive" world. Along with Mae G. Henderson, Johnson edited Black Queer Studies: A Critical Anthology in order to shed even more light on very important, yet frequently overlooked (if not outright marginalized) issues. Even within the LGBTQIA community itself.

  5. Anne Fausto-Sterling

    As one can probably glean from the ever-expanding acronym, the LGBTQIA movement encompasses more than lesbians, gays, bisexuals and the transgendered. Through publications such as Sexing the Body and Myths of Gender, Brown University's Anne Fausto-Sterling challenges popular perceptions of gender and sexuality, with her most prominent and controversial beliefs revolving around the existence of five sexes, not just the commonly-accepted binary model. As both a biology and gender studies expert, she certainly possesses the scientific and sociological chops to back up these claims. Seeing as how Fausto-Sterling writes and speaks extensively on the subject ( even earning a Nova feature!), she stands poised to really promote a broader acceptance of and tolerance for different genders and gender identities.

  6. Theodora J. Kalikow

    Before Chuck Middleton became the first male college president to come out in 2002, Theodora J. Kalikow with University of Maine at Farmington opened up as the first female way back in the dark ages of 1994. A sterling leader not only bolstering LGBTQIA academics' profiles, but higher education in general, Kalokow's qualifications, awards and honors just keep piling up. The American Association for Higher Education considers UMF one of the nation's 20 model universities devoted to student success. She has overseen the construction of two LEED-certified campus buildings. And she heads up the school's diversity committee, which pretty much accomplishes exactly what one would imagine. Among plenty of other impressive achievements, of course!

  7. Virginia Uribe

    Los Angeles-based LGBTQIA youth owe Virginia Uribe a debt of gratitude for her Project 10 program, for which she's earned a staggering litany of honors and awards. Founded in 1984, the initiative serves as a consultant and watchdog for California school districts. Its leaders and supporters rally to ensure the public school systems grow safer for LGBTQIA students, often plagued by bullies and resulting trauma, anxiety, depression and even suicidal thoughts and actions. They also pay close attention to the institutions' potential legal issues, especially those involving discrimination. Both on and off campuses, Project 10 hosts numerous events and programs meant to educate students on the virtues of diversity, equality, tolerance and understanding. Uribe's nonprofit stemmed directly from her own PhD research, which revealed that the 10 biggest American school districts offered very little psychological outreach to the LGBTQIA youth desperately needing solace and support.

  8. Peter Jackson

    Americans definitely don't hold a monopoly on LGBTQIA studies, as Utopia Award winner, Australian National University fellow and AsiaPacifiQueer founder Peter Jackson so deftly proves. He actually launched the laudable organization partly as a response to Amerocentrism in such research and academics, focusing on Asian gender and sexuality issues and perspectives. In July 2005, Jackson hosted the world's largest conference on Asian LGBTQIA research, which brought together "scholars, human rights activists, artists and filmmakers." Held in Bangkok, Sexualities, Genders and Rights in Asia: First International Conference of Asian Queer Studies undoubtedly proved that academia was more than overdue in turning its attentions towards the continent's sexuality and gender minority populations.

  9. Shane L. Windmeyer

    Campus Pride nurtures LGBTQIA organizations and student leaders alike in the interest of making college a safe experience for oft-marginalized sexual orientation and/or gender identity minorities. The brainchild of activist, author and speaker Shane L. Windmeyer, it currently exists as the only national group devoted to such networking and resource-providing causes. His books, such as The Advocate Guide for LGBT Students, and editing ventures (Brotherhood: Gay Life in College Fraternities, Inspiration for LGBT Students & Allies and more) all focus on providing solace and strength for LGBTQIA college kids. His own experiences grappling with small-town Kansas and campus homophobia inspired him to make sure later generations never suffer as he once did.

  10. David M. Huebner

    Because coming out typically involves a right fair amount of anxiety for both the LGBTQIA individual and his and/or her parents, University of Utah's David M. Huebner headed up a film project easing both demographics' minds. Lead With Love, a very short documentary at only 35 minutes, means to bridge sexuality-based gaps between family members. It features the stories of four different families, making it something very viable for students figuring out their sexuality to consider showing their parents. In addition, Huebner also sits on the board of directors at GLSEN: Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network.

  11. Margaret Himley and Andrew London

    At Syracuse University, the former is a Professor of Writing and Rhetoric, and the latter serves as both the Chair of and professor in the Sociology Department. Both Margaret Himley and Andre London co-direct the school's LGBT Studies Department, which currently only offers a minor in the subject. With an excellent, diverse and very knowledgeable faculty at their disposal, the pair headed up the Chancellor's Award-winning Transnationalizing LGBT Studies conference. Held on Syracuse's New York campus in September 2010 and its Madrid sister in July 2011, programming revolved around promoting international communication regarding contemporary and historical LGBTQIA news, views, and issues, particularly as they relate to education and technology.

15 Facebook Etiquette Tips Every Baby Boomer Should Know

Young people aren't the only ones writing on walls, updating their statuses and checking in wherever they go. The baby boomer generation has infiltrated Facebook, and their members are growing by the minute. These moms, dads, grandmas and grandpas use the social networking site for many of the same reasons young people use it — they enjoy catching up with old friends, looking at photos and learning more about the people they meet. While we're glad baby boomers have decided to keep up with the times and participate in social networking, there are some basic ground rules that should be covered before they end up friendless. Here are 15 Facebook etiquette tips every baby boomer should know:

  1. Don't embarrass your kids

    It doesn't matter how old your kids are, they don't want to be embarrassed on Facebook by their mom or dad. Posting photos of Johnny from his little league years or Susie in braces is a definite no-no and surefire way to get defriended by your children. Instead of showing your kids how much you love them by writing mushy stuff on their walls, play it cool and send a private message, or better yet, give them a call.

  2. Think before you post

    It's easy to get carried away with commenting on walls, updating your status and posting gobs of pictures, but it's crucial that you watch what you post on Facebook. Depending on your privacy settings, virtually anyone can see what you've broadcasted to the world. Regardless of your age, offensive comments can get you in trouble with Facebook and possibly your job. So before you fire back at someone who doesn't share your views and say something you might regret, just hold back.

  3. Don't befriend the whole world

    Whether you use Facebook for business or pleasure, it's generally a good idea to use caution in adding just anyone on Facebook. Accepting any and all friend requests can put you at risk for unwanted invitations, comments, event notifications, chats and virtual harassment. It's perfectly acceptable to ignore a friend request from a complete stranger.

  4. Stay under the radar

    It's a good idea to stay under the radar on Facebook for professional purposes and as a safety precaution. It's fine to post things on your profile or other's walls, but you should be cautious about what kind of information and how much of it you are sharing with others. Never share personal information on your profile, such as your home address, telephone number, birth date and place, vacation plans or other personal details. Keeping a low profile will help you blend in better on Facebook and reduce the chances of identity theft or account impersonations.

  5. Don't chat someone's ears off

    Facebook chat is a fairly new feature that allows users to instant message their friends when they're online. Baby boomers who have never used AIM or another instant messaging program may go bonkers on Facebook chat. Just like you can go overboard with comments and status updates, the same can be said for Facebook chatting. Don't assume that every person who's signed on to Facebook wants to chat. If you do chat with friends, try not to talk their ears off and keep it quick.

  1. Act your age

    This is a rule all Facebook users should abide by. Baby boomers sometimes have a hard time acting their age on Facebook because youngsters make up the majority of Facebook users. Even if using Facebook makes you feel young and hip, doesn't mean you are. Reverting back to your college days and starting unnecessary drama, or posting inappropriate pictures to relive your glory days is a no-no. On the same note, just because you're over the hill doesn't mean you have to act like a senior citizen, either. Posting Medicare articles, signing each post as "Love, Mom", and telling old fart jokes are just as bad as acting like a teenager. Play it cool by acting your age.

  2. Don't give TMI

    Despite what you may have heard before, sharing isn't always caring when it comes to Facebook. Informing the world that you're having marital problems or a bad bout of hemorrhoids is NEVER a good idea. Not only is this way too much information, but it's also too personal for Facebook. If you've got a personal problem, don't announce it on Facebook – talk to a friend!

  3. When in doubt, send a message

    As tempting as it is to write on your kids' walls to say how much you love them or share an embarrassing story with a friend on their wall, it's generally a good idea to send a private message instead of writing on walls. Conversations within Facebook messages are private, so you can share top secret news and contact information without the world seeing it too.

  4. Say no to The Poke

    The Poke button was an early Facebook feature that allows users to poke their crushes and engage in innocent virtual flirting. The Poke button has lost its luster over the past few years and has taken on a new level of creepiness. As newcomers, baby boomers should know that poking a stranger is a major no-no. You should also refrain from poking your kids' friends, bosses or anyone else that might get the wrong idea about your poke. If you have to think about how they'll react, then don't hit that button.

  5. Tag with caution

    Photos are what make Facebook so fun. It's great to see baby boomers taking advantage of this feature, but there are some definite dos and don'ts when creating photo albums. Before you start uploading photos and tagging all of your friends, you should consider the fact that they may not want to be tagged in your photos, especially if it's an inappropriate or unflattering picture. If there's any doubt as to whether or not they'd want to be tagged, then leave it untagged and let them tag themselves.

  1. Untag as needed

    It's not bad etiquette to untag yourself in photos you don't like. Whether it's an old, embarrassing photo or just plain unflattering, you don't have to keep it on your profile for the world to see. But, remember that just because you've untagged yourself doesn't mean it has been deleted. If you want it off Facebook, you'll need to politely ask your friend to delete it from his or her album.

  2. Avoid mundane status updates

    There are few things more annoying on Facebook than compulsive and mundane status updates. Most people don't care that you just ate cereal, brushed your teeth and are heading to work. Broadcasting daily routines and mundane stories is not necessary and no one wants to hear every detail of your life. Leave your status updates for funny, interesting or thoughtful pieces of information.

  3. Don't fish for attention

    Facebook is filled with attention seekers, but you don't have to be one of them. These people find every opportunity to draw attention and get a reaction out of their friends, whether it's positive or not. To avoid getting this reputation on Facebook, avoid posting "look at me" pictures, or posts that come off as fishing for compliments or responses. It's ok to share good and bad news to inform others, but don't post this information if you're just looking for attention.

  4. Don't spam your friends

    Facebook has gobs of games, events, groups, quizzes and applications that you might find interesting or fun, but that does not mean others will feel the same. Baby boomers have a track record of sending pointless chain emails and spam messages to friends and family, and take their bad habit to Facebook. Most people don't have the time or interest in playing Mafia Wars or taking the 'Which Sex and the City Character Are You?' quiz. Just don't clog your friends' inboxes with spam invites that they may or may not read.

  5. Don't stalk people's profiles

    It's great that you want to stay up to date with your kids, friends or coworkers on Facebook, but every baby boomer should know the line between everyday use and creeping. Facebook stalking is not OK, nor should you admit to doing it if asked. You might find yourself perusing the same interesting person's profile every day or two, but, under no circumstances should you go as far as to obsessively write on their wall, memorize their album names or befriend all of their friends even if they're complete strangers. Simple rule: Don't creep out people on Facebook and they'll keep you as a friend.

10 Worst MVP Snubs in Baseball History

Baseball's MVP award is determined by the writers. Writers are human. As long as humans determine the MVP award — and humans (fans) in turn judge those selections — there will always be disagreement over whether or not the selection was correct. Of course, a player's value is assessed differently by different people. Statistics, intangibles and winning each factor into the equation, and some years, one is more valued than the others — in 2003, for example, Alex Rodriguez won his first MVP with the last-placed Rangers, as he led the AL in homeruns (47), runs scored (124) and SLG (.600). The following MVP snubs occurred because there was clearly a better choice according to one of the three aforementioned criteria (admittedly, we value statistics a little more than the others). As we listed who should've won, we completely understood that we fall into that "human" category, meaning our replacement selections could be off-base as well.

  1. Mickey Cochrane over Lou Gehrig (1934

    Intangibles and winning won Cochrane the 1934 MVP award. Newly acquired by the Tigers from the disassembled Athletics, his immense leadership skills were utilized as player-manager. The move paid off — the Tigers, who weren't expected to be better than average, won the pennant for the first time in quarter century, and the turnaround was attributed to the veteran backstop. Cochrane performed well behind the plate, throwing out 50 percent of base stealers, while hitting .320 with an .428 OBP. Gehrig, a great leader in his own right, not only won the Triple Crown, but led the league in OBP, SLG and OPS. He finished with a WAR that was more than six points higher than Cochrane's, and his Yankees finished in second place with 94 wins. Not exactly an A-Rod-in-2003-like situation.

  2. Joe Gordon over Ted Williams (1942)

    Williams' adversarial relationship with the media is a major reason why his trophy case wasn't nearly as stacked as it should've been. He attributes his first MVP snub to fighting with the draft board during World War II over his 1-A classification (available for unrestricted military service). He eventually won 3-A classification (registrant deferred because of hardship to dependents), but it cost him a sponsorship from Quaker Oats and many fans. Despite winning the Triple Crown, along with leading the league in runs, walks, OBP, SLG and OPS, he lost the award to Joe Gordon, who, although he had a phenomenal season, only led the league in strikeouts and GDP. The Yankees won the pennant, and the Red Sox finished in second place.

  3. Marty Marion over Stan Musial (1944)

    How many MVPs have Ozzie Smith or Omar Vizquel won? Marion was in that category defensively as a shortstop, and he actually had an MVP to show for it. The Cardinals were undoubtedly the best team in baseball in 1944, winning 105 games and the World Series over their cross-town foe, the Browns. But Stan Musial was the team's best player — the franchise's best player of all time — and his offensive production during the season reflected that, as he led the NL in hits, doubles, OBP, SLG and OPS. He also boasted a WAR of 9.1, more than five points higher than Marion's WAR. And Musial wasn't chopped liver defensively –he finished fourth in the NL in fielding WAR, so it's not as though he was giving up a lot of runs in the field.

  4. Joe DiMaggio over Ted Williams (1947)

    It was the second time Williams won the Triple Crown, but again he lost the MVP to a Yankee — this time by a single vote. DiMaggio took home the award after driving in 97 runs and hitting .315 with a .913 OPS. Nice numbers, but they didn't compare to Williams' numbers or even DiMaggio's numbers the following year, in which he finished second to Lou Boudreau in the MVP race. In addition to leading the AL in homeruns, RBIs and average, Williams finished first in runs, walks, OBP, SLG and OPS. His WAR was almost five points higher than DiMaggio's WAR, but Joe's team won the pennant and eventually the World Series while Ted's team finished in third place.

  5. Yogi Berra over Mickey Mantle (1955)

    Stacked as always, the 1955 Yankees boasted the MVP winner and the player who arguably got hosed. Mantle finished fifth in MVP voting despite leading the AL in triples, homeruns, walks, OBP, SLG and OPS. Berra, the winner, didn't lead the league in a single offensive category. Defensively, he wasn't exactly stellar, committing 13 errors and accumulating one of the worst fielding percentages for a regular catcher. Mantle's WAR of 9.5 far surpassed Berra's WAR of 3.8, but, according to the writers, Berra's intangibles were immeasurably better that season.

  6. Dick Groat over Willie Mays (1960)

    Finishing with the best record in the NL, the Pirates had the MVP winner, but the writers just needed to determine who. Roberto Clemente had a solid season, but it wasn't his best, and some thought his ethnicity deterred some voters from placing him high on their ballots. Groat, a shortstop who led the league in average and played great defense, ultimately won the award, beating out Willie Mays, who tallied 190 hits, 29 homeruns, 103 RBIs with a .319 average, .381 OBP, .555 SLG and .936 OPS. And Mays, of course, wasn't too shabby in the field either. His Giants, though, finished fifth in the NL, which probably wasn't his fault.

  7. Willie Hernandez over Don Mattingly (1984)

    There's debate as to whether pitchers, let alone relief pitchers, should ever win an MVP — after all, they have their own award. Hernandez had a season to remember for the World Series-winning Tigers, tallying nine wins, 32 saves, 112 strikeouts and a 1.92 ERA in 140 innings pitched. During the entire season, he allowed just six homeruns and blew one save. But was he even the most valuable player on a team with Kirk Gibson and Jack Morris? Mattingly was the MVP of the Yankees — though they won 17 fewer games than the Tigers, which wasn't his fault — and he had an even more impressive resume, leading the league in hits, doubles and average. His WAR was 1.5 points higher than Hernandez's WAR. As it turned out, Mattingly would respond by having an even better 1985 season, securing his only MVP award.

  8. Kirk Gibson over Darryl Strawberry (1988)

    Gibson's incredible leaderships skills (intangibles) were best demonstrated during Game 1 of the 1988 World Series, when he blasted the game-winning homerun despite suffering from two injured legs and a stomach virus. He managed to remain healthy enough to win the MVP during the regular season, as he hit .290 with 25 homeruns, 76 RBIs, 106 runs and 31 stolen bases, helping the Dodgers rebound from a poor 1987 season. Darryl Strawberry of the 100-win Mets, who lost in seven games to the Dodgers in the NLCS, posted a superior stat line, leading the league in homeruns, SLG and OPS, while stealing 29 bases and driving in 101 runs. He came a close second in the voting.

  9. Mo Vaughn over Albert Belle (1995)

    An open hatred for the media cost Belle an MVP he easily should've won. He finished the season first in runs, doubles, homeruns, RBIs (tied with Vaughn), and SLG, most notably becoming the first player ever to post 50 homeruns and 50 doubles in a season — a strike-shortened, 143-game season, no less. Mo Vaughn's statistics were also impressive, as he shared the league lead in RBIs, but, as a whole, they weren't nearly as gaudy as Belle's numbers. The Indians, who won 14-more games than Red Sox, reached the World Series.

  10. Juan Gonzalez over Alex Rodriguez (1996)

    At a meager 20 years of age, Rodriguez entered the 1996 season as a full-time starter. By the end of it, baseball fans knew he would someday be enshrined at Cooperstown. Incredibly, he led the league in runs, doubles, average and total bases, boasting a line of 141 runs, 215 hits, 36 homeruns, 123 RBIs, 15 stolen bases with a .358 BA (the highest for a right-handed hitter since Joe DiMaggio in 1939), .414 OBP, .631 SLG and 1.045 OPS. The Mariners were in the AL West race until September, when the Juan Gonzalez-led Rangers pulled away. Rodriguez just missed becoming the youngest MVP winner in history because of Juan Gone, who didn't lead the league in a single category. Thus far in his career, Rodriguez has won three MVPs, four fewer than Barry Bonds.

10 Most Heated Rap Rivalries of All Time

Behind the cursing, tattoos, and bullet scars, rappers are all very sensitive people. That's the only thing that can explain how they constantly have "beefs" with other rappers over petty matters like insulting lyrics or having their chains stolen. Some rap feuds fade away quickly without much more than one line in a song, but others have grown into some of the most famous grudges in the country. Here are 10 of the most heated rap rivalries of all time.

  1. Tupac Shakur vs. The Notorious B.I.G.

    Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G., also known as Biggie Smalls, had the most infamous rivalry in the rap world, and it may have been responsible for their deaths. The feud between the two former associates was tied into the battle between East Coast and West Coast rappers that exploded in the mid-'90s. Personally, Tupac blamed Biggie and some of his associates for a robbery during which he was shot several times and had expensive jewelry taken. Biggie denied the accusation, but that didn't keep them and their recording studios from getting into a feud. Tupac released a diss song that referred to having an affair with Biggie's wife. Biggie said it wasn't his style to respond. In 1996, Tupac was fatally shot, and though the murderer was never convicted, many believe that Biggie paid the shooter to take Tupac's life. Biggie was shot and killed the next year, and there have been multiple theories about who fired the shots and whether it was related to the East Coast/West Coast rivalry. Best line of the feud: "Biggie, remember when I used to let you sleep on the couch?"

  2. Nas vs. Jay-Z

    Like most beefs, the years-long feud between Nasir "Nas" Jones and Jay-Z started over some small slight and festered into a battle. Jay-Z's label was going to feature Nas on a track, but Nas never recorded his parts. This was the very beginning of the rivalry, according to some. As songs of Jay-Z and another artist on his label seemed to refer to Nas and his friends, Nas' associates started to call for a beef. Jay-Z made the first official insult at a concert, which Nas countered in a freestyle on the radio. They both released diss songs, Jay-Z with "Supa Ugly" and Nas with "Ether." Audiences tend to say that "Ether" was the winning battle song, and it probably didn't help that Jay-Z's mom made him publicly apologize after putting out "Supa Ugly." After another diss or two and a few years, the two put aside their differences in 2006 and worked together at Def Jam Records. Best line of the feud: "You no mustache havin', with whiskers like a rat."

  3. LL Cool J vs. Kool Moe Dee

    Rappers are very protective of their personal style. If they feel another MC is copying them, that's enough reason to start a feud. Kool Moe Dee felt that LL Cool J was moving in on his image and released a song, "How You Like Me Now," aimed at LL Cool J, the video of which shows LL's signature red hat being run over by a Jeep. The two went back and forth in a dissing, rhyming battle, but LL Cool J never took up the challenge of participating in a live battle, which Kool Moe Dee said pointed to the fact that LL wasn't an original rapper. The rivalry eventually just fizzled out, though the winner is undetermined; many agree that Kool Moe Dee's lyrics were better, but LL Cool J's sales exceeded his opponent's. Best lines of the feud: Kool Moe Dee came up with several possibilities for the meaning behind LL, like "Lazy Lemon, Little Logic, Lucky Leeched, Liver Lipped, Laborious Louse on a Loser's Lips."

  4. Ice Cube vs. N.W.A.

    Even the best of friends sometimes get in fights. The rap group N.W.A. was formed in 1986 with Ice Cube as one of its members, along with Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, and two others. The group had several successful tracks together, but in 1990, Ice Cube left the group because he felt that Eazy-E and the manager, Jerry Heller, were cheating the group out of money. N.W.A. insulted Ice Cube on their next few tracks, which caused Ice Cube to release a song called "No Vaseline" full of N.W.A. name-calling. You know it had to be a good song because Ice Cube ended up having to explain that it wasn't anti-Semitic when he made references to Heller being a Jew. The rivalry dissipated not long after the release of "No Vaseline" when N.W.A. fell apart following Dr. Dre's exit. Best line of the feud: "I never have dinner with the president," referring to Eazy-E attending a luncheon with President George H.W. Bush in 1991.

  5. Eminem vs. Insane Clown Posse

    This rivalry actually involved some criminal activity and arrests, because sometimes words just aren't enough. In the late '90s, before Eminem had gained notoriety, he was handing out fliers for his release party that said Insane Clown Posse would maybe make an appearance. When he handed one to an ICP member and asked whether they would come, the member got mad that Eminem hadn't consulted them first before putting them on the advertisement. The group then took turns trading barbs with Eminem in songs. Things escalated in 2000 when Eminem got in a fight with an ICP associate and started waving a gun; he got two years probation and a fine. The relationship has settled down, though, and the official end of the feud was marked with a friendly game of bowling. Best line of the feud: "My brain's dead weight, I'm trying to get my head straight, but I can't figure out which Backstreet Boy I want to impregnate."

  6. Dr. Dre vs. Eazy-E

    The group N.W.A. certainly had its problems even after Ice Cube left. When Dr. Dre was still part of the group, he grew suspicious of the way Eazy-E and Heller, the manager, were running the finances. When Eazy-E refused to release him from his contract, Dr. Dre brought in Suge Knight to help him get out of it. Suge Knight first spread rumors about Eazy-E kidnapping Heller, and when that didn't work, he allegedly threatened Eazy-E's family. Eazy-E let Dr. Dre out of his contract, but the rivalry only intensified from there. The two traded insults through rap songs, and Eazy-E's album even included photos of Dr. Dre dressed in lacy clothes and make-up from his time in another crew. The beef ended when Eazy-E was diagnosed with AIDS in 1995 and he made amends with Dr. Dre; Eazy-E died a month later. Best line of the feud: "Back in '86, you wore pumps and mascara."

  7. Lil' Kim vs. Nicki Minaj

    No list of feuds would be complete without a cat fight. Lil' Kim and Nicki Minaj have been going at it since Minaj burst onto the hip-hop scene in 2009. Lil' Kim claims that Minaj has just been copying her style, while Minaj says Lil' Kim is jealous and insecure. The feud started out with vague statements without mentioning any names, but has escalated to diss albums complete with cover art of one MC slaying the other. Each artists' associates are involved in the squabble, too, with Ray J on the side of Lil' Kim and Drake and Diddy siding with Minaj. The beef is still ongoing and it's unclear when it might stop. Best line of the feud: "It must hurt to sell your album off PayPal, especially when you in the game 15 to 20. You was hot when Shaq teamed up with Penny."

  8. The Game vs. Yukmouth

    Apparently in the world of rap, tongue rings are for girls, and if you say another rapper has one, you're in for trouble. At least, that's the insult that really started the feud between The Game and Yukmouth. A video surfaced on the Internet in 2004 in which Yukmouth says The Game has a tongue ring. This of course led to a battle of diss songs, with The Game releasing a song using Yukmouth's track "I Got 5 On It." Yukmouth then made two songs and a music video aimed at The Game and started a rumor that The Game had been slapped by rapper Suge Knight. The barbs kept coming from both sides until the West Coast Peace Treaty was negotiated in 2005 and the beef was called off. Best line of the feud: "Stay off the Internet, you computer thug."

  9. 50 Cent vs. Ja Rule

    The dispute between famed rappers 50 Cent and Ja Rule doesn't have a clear beginning. 50 Cent says it started when 50's friend robbed Ja Rule. Ja Rule says it started when he was shooting a video in Queens, New York and 50 got jealous. One of Ja Rule's friends ended up stabbing 50 Cent, but there's no proof that Ja Rule was involved. 50 Cent, who was once shot nine times, only needed a few stitches after the stabbing. 50 Cent and Ja Rule released diss songs before taking their beef to Twitter earlier this year. The beef is supposedly settled now but we'll see once Ja Rule gets out of prison. Best line of the feud: "You's a PopTart, sweetheart. You soft in the middle."

  10. Coolio vs. Weird Al Yankovic

    This feud may not have gotten as heated as some other ones, but it's more amusing just because you get to imagine Weird Al Yankovic in a fight. In 1996 when Weird Al recorded his song "Amish Paradise," which is a parody of Coolio's "Gangsta's Paradise," he apparently thought he had permission from the hip-hop artist's record company. But Coolio claims he never gave the OK and that he was offended by the song. No rhyming battle came about, though, and Coolio ended up accepting royalties from the song. When the two ran into each other in 2006, there seemed to be no bad blood, and Weird Al said he could now "stop wearing that bulletproof vest to the mall." Best line of the feud: "As I walk through the valley where I harvest my grain, I take a look at my wife and realize she's very plain."

Degree Quick Finder




Recommended Colleges


Request Info Now


Request Info Now


Request Info Now