As chosen by you, here are the most popular stories OF ALL TIME (aka last week). Just in case you missed it.

Get your party pants on, Arizona, because MLB All-Star Week is up to bat. While all the big names in baseball work on their batting averages for the super-game, you can work on where to go see the heavy hitters in action with our All-Star Round-Up.

Official Events

Start the weekend off with the MLB All-Star FanFest at Phoenix Convention Center. The event goes from the 8th until the 12th, but you can get your tickets now $5 off the regular price. Meet your favorite players and mingle with thousands of fans at this family friendly event.

Taco Bell All-Star Sunday at Chase Field featuring the Legends and Celebrity Soft Ball Game and the XM All-Star Futures game. This is a great way to check out baseball’s biggest names playing with some of Hollywood’s biggest celebrities.

State Farm Home Run Derby at Chase Field. Another long standing tradition for the All-Star weekend and now it’s just a light rail ride away.

MLB All-Star Game at Chase Field is quite literally the main event. Don’t miss history happening in your own backyard. And if you can’t afford to go to the game, head to downtown Phoenix and check out one of the many surrounding sports bars to get a pice of the action. It all starts at 8 pm.

Check out our picks on where to eat and what to do when the sun goes down after the jump. »READ MORE

As the 2011 MLB All-Star festivities roll into town, so do event souvenirs.  Like recent past World Series games, and select MLB team throwback tees, the brand (and restaurant) Tommy Bahama has released a limited edition 2011 All-Star Game shirt. Priced at $158, this t-shirt, complete with a Southwestern stylized logo, is the perfect choice for those fashionably sporty baseball fans.

Get your party pants on, Arizona, because MLB All-Star Week is up to bat. While all the big names in baseball work on their batting averages for the super-game, you can work on where to go see the heavy hitters in action with our All-Star Round-Up.

Official Events

Start the weekend off with the MLB All-Star FanFest at Phoenix Convention Center. The event goes from the 8th until the 12th, but you can get your tickets now $5 off the regular price. Meet your favorite players and mingle with thousands of fans at this family friendly event.

Taco Bell All-Star Sunday at Chase Field featuring the Legends and Celebrity Soft Ball Game and the XM All-Star Futures game. This is a great way to check out baseball’s biggest names playing with some of Hollywood’s biggest celebrities.

State Farm Home Run Derby at Chase Field. Another long standing tradition for the All-Star weekend and now it’s just a light rail ride away.

MLB All-Star Game at Chase Field is quite literally the main event. Don’t miss history happening in your own backyard. And if you can’t afford to go to the game, head to downtown Phoenix and check out one of the many surrounding sports bars to get a pice of the action. It all starts at 8 pm.

Check out our picks on where to eat and what to do when the sun goes down after the jump.  »READ MORE

Phoenix Suns guard, Steve Nash, is combining NBA stars with soccer’s best for an innovative 8 on 8 soccer match. The urban field duel, put on by the Steve Nash Foundation will continue to accomplish the foundation’s goal of assisting under served children in their health, personal development, education and enjoyment of life. Proceeds from the Showdown in Chinatown 2011 will go to Educare Arizona, bringing the best practices in early learning to at-risk children. Now time to name drop. Steve Nash, Thierry Henry, Claudio Reyna, Tony Parker, and Baron Davis are just a few of the athletic stars that will take part in this free-to-the-public event in the city of New York on June 22 at 6 p.m. This benefiting showdown promises thrilling entertainment to all sports fan all while giving back to the children of Arizona.

Attention all future brides and unsuspecting grooms to be, are you looking to get hitched? Specifically, on a diamond. Like, a really big diamond. Get ready to score a home run with the 2011 All-Star FanFest Wedding Giveaway. As part of the 82nd MLB All-Star Game on Tuesday, July 12th at Chase Field, this is the last thing we ever expected out of the Midsummer Classic but hey, the heat makes people do crazy things, right?

A quick glance at the wedding package reveals that all your bases are covered. Rings from Molina Fine Jewelers (definitely an upgrade from the Cracker Jack box), say “yes” to a dress by Uptown Bridal, round trip airfare, hotel stay, and a full reception for 50, including beverages provided by ballpark favorite Budweiser, and a cake by locally loved Julia Baker Confections. With the winning couple to be selected by a panel which includes TV’s finest love gurus: Tom Papa, host of “The Marriage Ref,” David Tutera from “My Fair Wedding” and Jenni Croft Badalato from “The Bachelor,” we’re wondering if this will somehow end up on “Bridezillas.”

So, want to end up on the kiss cam? You have until June 1 to click here and submit a video of you and your beau. Batter up!

The crazy Swiss stuntman known as Jet-Man, rocketed around the Grand Canyon yesterday for some unknown reason.  And while we’re not sure falling out of a helicopter with a jet-pack and a parachute strapped to your back counts as an accomplishment, the video’s still pretty cool. Meanwhile, children of the 80′s will get a kick out of this version set to the music from Top Gun.

Those endless list-makers at Forbes (seriously, don’t they have a magazine to print from time to time) are at it yet again. This time they’ve compiled a list of America’s Most Miserable Sports Cities. And guess who made the top 5? Yes, Phoenix was named the #3 most miserable city for fans thanks to our one championship over 92 cumulative seasons across the four major sports. Plus, our Phoenix Suns were also singled out for being so heart-breakingly close so many times.

Two important things the story forgot to mention: Robert Horry is still a dick and David Stern is still a toadie.

Image via NY Times

If you’ve never made it to Blissful Yoga Studio in Glendale, don’t worry, they’re coming to you. Yes, this sleek sanctuary in the northwest Valley’s Arrowhead neighborhood has already expanded to north Phoenix and (eventually) Scottsdale.

So, what makes Blissful different from other yoga studios, and what’s with the upside-down ladies pictured above? First of all, Blissful offers nearly 20 different types of classes, including both traditional and hot room yoga available in two separate rooms of the studio. Each new studio will also be built with bamboo floors, low emission paint, energy efficient lighting and heating/cooling, and plenty of natural light. Finally, all locations will house the only wall of its kind in Arizona, the Great Yoga Wall. This specialty apparatus, complete with straps and bars, “is used to deepen and engage yoga postures as well as provide a therapeutic support that allows students to open deeper, invert easier and create more space within their bodies.”

It’s no wonder why the famed St. Joseph’s Hospital in Phoenix has partnered with Blissful to create a private studio inside the medical complex, where employees will be able to relax and unwind by using the hospital’s exclusive studio during a variety of classes that will be offered throughout the day.

As chosen by you, here are the most popular stories OF ALL TIME (aka last week). Just in case you missed it

ASU just announced it’s mildly-anticipated uniform redesign today. Created by those branding gurus at Nike, the new-look unis replaced the Sun Devils long-time mascot, Sparky, with a stylized pitchfork. Plus, ASU’s various teams will now sport a rotating collection of mix-and-match tops and pants that will help sell more crap “springboard us to a new level of branding,” says ASU athletic director, Lisa Love.

Sounds great and all, but where’s Sparky? You know the longtime mascot, best known for his pushups prowess and for reportedly being modeled after Walt Disney. And we’re not the only one’s asking. According to ABC 15, “Sparky” became a trending topic on Twitter at 2:30 pm today.

Good news for all of you tennis fans out there (all 12 of us). The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess is going green, as in the fuzzy, bouncy kind. Yes, this posh resort just went out and hired itself former Wimbledon champ, John Austin, to restore its once world-class tennis program.

Built in 1987 (at the tail end of the late 70′s/early 80′s tennis boom) this sprawling 5-diamond property features a seven-court complex highlighted by a 6,300-seat Stadium Court. In fact, the Princess was a regular stop on the professional tennis tour for 16 years until the the tournament was disbanded in 2005. And now the owners are hoping Austin can help kick-serve the resort’s newly renamed John Austin Center for Tennis back into the mix for future pro tennis events.

»READ MORE

Who needs coffee when you can watch a couple of mountain-biking maniacs fly, literally, down the side of mountain? One more thing, the ‘race course’ is actually just a crazy-dangerous track slicing across the streets of a congested South American city.

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In case you missed it, ASU announced it’s mildly-anticipated uniform redesign today. Created by those branding gurus at Nike, the new-look unis replaced the Sun Devils long-time mascot, Sparky, with a stylized pitchfork. Plus, ASU’s various teams will now sport a rotating collection of mix-and-match tops and pants that will help sell more crap “springboard us to a new level of branding,” says ASU athletic director, Lisa Love.

Sounds great and all, but where’s Sparky? You know the longtime mascot, best known for his pushups prowess and for reportedly being modeled after Walt Disney. And we’re not the only one’s asking. According to ABC 15, “Sparky” became a trending topic on Twitter at 2:30 pm today.

It seems crazy considering we’ve already tasted triple-digit-temps here in the Valley, but it’s not too late to hit the ski slopes this season. Perched above Flagstaff, Arizona Snowbowl already planned on reopening for one final hurrah this April 8 – 10. And now this latest Spring storm is expected to plaster the mountain with nearly a foot of fresh powder!

So it should be quite the snowy shindig atop the San Francisco Peaks this weekend, with live music planned for the deck of the main lodge, and all-day tix priced at $25 (and only $20 if you buy them online on Snowbowl’s somewhat-clunky website).

»READ MORE

Recently, baseball’s all-time homerun king, Barry Bonds, went on trial in San Francisco for lying to Feds investigators about his alleged use of steroids. Shocking we know, that an athlete’s whose hat size expanded noticeably in his late 30s might have been on the juice. However, what is  surprising is that the star of the show hasn’t been the famously-prickly slugger, or even Bonds’ personal trainer, a lifelong pal who’s literally spent years in jail for refusing to throw Bonds under the bus.

No, the real star of this sordid show has been Kimberly Bell, Bonds’ longtime mistress and Scottsdale resident who claimed that the baseball star threatened “to cut my head off and leave me in a ditch,” as well as cut off the breast implants that he paid for. Aye aye aye.

»READ MORE

Remember that little rain storm last week? Well, the water may be long gone from the Valley streets, but there’s still a dusting of fresh powder up on the San Francisco Peaks outside of Flagstaff. In fact, Arizona Snowbowl has decided to extend its season through April 3 daily, with a special bonus weekend of April 8 – 10. Which is not as good as last year, when the particularly wet winter extended the ski season thorough mid-April. But still pretty boss considering a few years back when the ongoing AZ drought kept the ski resort closed for all but four days.

More important, it looks like this will be the last season Snowbowl has to rely entirely on Mother Nature, as the owners have won another battle in their longstanding battle to add snowmaking machines to the resort as early as next November.

Image via

Quick, can you name this 12-year-old dribbling sensation appearing on Late Show with Johnny Carson? (Who’s Johnny Carson?, says anyone under the age 25.) Yes, that’s University of Arizona basketball coach, Sean Miller, rocking worlds tightest pair of pants. Expecting a flood, coach? Watch Miller’s latest amazing feat this Thursday as he tries to lead the underdog Arizona Wildcats over those damned Duke Blue Devils.

Ugh. Another tough (triple overtime loss) for the Suns. Quick question, does anyone really ‘love’ LA?

But nothing can take the air out of Steve Nash’s pink scooter tires, it seems. Yes, aside from being the face of the city’s most popular sports team, Steve Nash is everywhere these days. Locally, he’s best known as the spokesman for APS’ renewable energy program. In fact, one of the TV ads featuring Nash bouncing basketballs off the heads of clueless energy customers is probably playing on TV as you read this.

However, that’s just the tip of the growing Steve Nash empire.

»READ MORE

This is the coolest, most inspirational story we’re seen in along time. This weekend, while you were still recovering from your St. Paddy’s Day hangover, one extraordinary local college athlete was wrapping up an undefeated senior season by winning a national wrestling title. But what makes this story so moving is that ASU wrestler, Anthony Robles, was born with only one leg.

According to media reports, Robles secured the 125-pound title at the annual NCAA Wrestling Tournament with a 7-1 win over defending champion Matt McDonough of Iowa. Robles, who also won the tourney’s Outstanding Wrestler award, used crutches to climb onto the elevated platform before ditching them and hopping out into position on the wrestling mat. Ironically, it’s those same crutches which Robles credits for the unusually strong gripping power that leaves opponents pinned to the floor.

More important, Robles credits the inspiration he receives from his family and the feedback he gets from young students and others who post on his Facebook wall.

Image via USA Today

It’s a couple of completely unqualified local writers trying to kill themselves at Firebird Raceway

Yes, we’ve got something a little different for you today. A few weeks back, we learned about a crazy-cool experience now being offered to Valley motorsports fanatics. Named Arrive and Drive, this adrenaline-fueled adventure lets casual racing fans get behind the wheel of a SuperLite Racing Series truck. AKA the same high-flying, 800-horsepower 4X4′s the pros will be flooring around the track at Firebird International Raceway in Chandler as part of next weekend’s Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series.

»READ MORE

In case you’ve been too busy burning office supplies inside your cubicle to stay warm, you might have forgotten that it’s Phoenix Open time. Wait, wait, our legal council is strongly suggesting that we refer to said event as the Waste Management Phoenix Open (formerly the FBR Phoenix Open, that’s technically held in North Scottsdale.)

Anywho, at first we thought about writing on the actual golf tournament, but quickly realized we’d rather watch grass grow. Which got us thinking about all the hardworking people who work around the clock to transform our desert into a lush, immaculately-manicured “Don’t You Wish You Were Here?” postcard for all those frozen folks back East. So we dialed up Jeff Plotts, Director of Golf Course Management for the TPC Scottsdale, and asked what it’s like to try to host a PGA tournament in the middle of one of world’s largest parties?

So, we have to ask. How many time do you get asked about Carl Spackler, Bill Murray’s demented greenskeeper in Caddyshack?

»READ MORE

Although this latest arctic blast has ensured sweater season will last a little longer, summer is always just around the corner here in the Valley of the Sun. Which means you’re running out of time to ditch those extra lbs you’ve been lugging around since Thanksgiving. But what if you don’t want to workout at one of those shiny new fitness palaces, where everybody looks like they spent more time picking out a perky outfit than actually breaking a sweat? Sounds like you need you need to get primal. »READ MORE

As we count down the days to the Waste Management Phoenix Open, here are few of our fav golf gizmos. Pictured is a trick golf club featuring a hidden weed whacker, perfect for clearing away grass when your ball is buried in the rough. Or just cheat the fashioned way by kicking your ball back onto the fairway, Judge Smails from Caddyshack-style.

That said, least fav golf gadget has got to be the UroClub, aka a portable urinal disguised as a golf club. Seriously.

»READ MORE

The way the Phoenix Suns have been playing lately, all there is to look forward to is the Gorilla‘s famed trampoline dunk show. However, at Wednesday’s game against the Charlotte Bobcats, one Suns Sol Patrol performer got more than he bargained for. Watch (around the 1:25 mark) as he falls head-first through the hoop, and lands unharmed on the padding below.

In honor of Amar’e homecoming tonight in Downtown Phoenix, his friend and confidant, David Zimmerman, has this remembrance of Stoudemire’s eight great years here in the desert. See a full slideshow of images and out-takes from Amar’e's Nike ad campaign:

The return of Amar’e Stoudemire to the desert
I should be elated, but truthfully I’m left with a lot of mixed emotions on his return. Don’t get me wrong, I’m excited to have my friend back in town; I’m excited to sit courtside tonight and watch him play at what I’m sure will be one of his best performances of the season; and I’m also  happy for him and all of his newfound success in NYC.

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In honor of Amar’e homecoming tonight in Downtown Phoenix, we’re re-running this piece by his friend and confidant, David Zimmerman, creative Director of the award-wining The Family ad agency in Scottsdale.

This is my favorite photo of Amar’e Stoudemire. It was taken a few years back and was a collaboration between myself and my good friend and renowned photographer, Kurt Iswarienko.

»READ MORE