Blogamole ›

By Sharmaine Jones

Ron Rivera is taking over head coaching duties for the Carolina Panthers. The former Chicago Bears linebacker accepted the gig — worth $11.2 million over four years — on Tuesday, Jan. 11, making him the Panthers' fourth coach and the third Hispanic head coach in NFL history.

Rivera, who has Puerto Rican and Mexican heritage, joins Seahawks coach Tom Flores and Tom Fears, who was the coach of the expansion New Orleans Saints.

"I'm very proud of the fact that I am of Hispanic descent," Rivera told ESPN.com. "I'm very honored to have this opportunity."

Still, it's not going to be a cakewalk for Rivera. The former defensive coordinator will have his hands full as he tries to make an impact on the worst team in the NFL. The Panthers averaged the least points per game (12), least total yards per game (258) and least passing yards per game (143), which resulted in a 2-14 record, the worst record in the 2010 season. Despite those dismal numbers, Rivera fully expects to turn the Panthers around setting his standards high. Rivera told the sports site:

"When you get into playing, you strive for one thing, that's to be a Super Bowl champion," he said. "When you get into coaching, you strive to be a Super Bowl-winning head coach. That's what my goal is."

His expertise as defensive coordinator was evident last season as the San Diego Chargers ranked first in total yards (271.6), second in passing yards allowed (177.8) and fourth in rushing yards allowed (93.8), so fans should certainly expect an improvement in the Panthers' defense. The key to success next season is balance. The Panthers' redundant offense routinely ran on first and second downs, which resulted in third and long on most occasions. Rivera will need to scrap this strategy and focus the Panthers' offense on the team's only bright spot: the talents of wide receiver Steve Smith. Smith averaged 12 yards per catch last season and if the Panthers use their first draft pick on Heisman Trophy- and BCS Championship-winning quarterback Cam Newton, their passing game will be difficult to contain.

Do you think Rivera can turn the Carolina Panthers around? Tell us in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers, ESPN.com, Football, NFL, Ron Rivera, San Diego Chargers, Steve Smith

By Sharmaine Jones

Argentinian heartthrob Lionel Messi won FIFA's 2010 World Player of the Year for the second year in a row.

We all knew the forward/winger would win the Ballon d'Or last Monday, Jan. 10, but Messi seemed more impressed by his Barcelona teammates' performances than his own. Messi used his Twitter page to share his opinion about those he felt were deserving of the award.

“This year I think one of my teammates at Barcelona, Xavi or (Andres) Iniesta, will win the Ballon d'Or,” he tweeted before the announcement.

To win, a player must receive the largest percent of votes cast by selected reporters and national team coaches and captains. According to Sportsillustrated.com, Messi received 22.65 percent of votes, Andres Iniesta came in second with 17.36 percent, and Xavi received 16.48 percent to finish third for the second straight year.

Messi scored an impressive 58 goals in 54 games for FCB (Futbol Club Barcelona) and 2 goals in 10 matches for Argentina during the 2010 World Games, making him the first player to win the award back-to-back since Ronaldo de Assis Moreira (Ronaldhino) did so in 2004 and 2005. Despite his mesmerizing play, the 23-year-old forward was surprised he won the Golden Ball Award.

“I didn't expect to win it today,” Messi tweeted after receiving the award. “Already it's a source of happiness to be here with my friends and even more to win it.”

He was probably just as elated after he and five of his Barcelona teammates were named to FIFA's All-Star team.

Marta Vieira da Silva, of Brazil, won the women's 2010 FIFA World Player of the Year.

Do you think Messi deserved the 2010 FIFA Player of the Year Award? Tell us in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Barcelona, FIFA, futbol, Golden Ball Award, Lionel Messi, Ronaldhino, Soccer, Sports Illustrated, World Player of the Year

By Michael Lopez

Daily horoscope readers were horrified to discover Friday that their “signs” might not be correct.

Astronomer Parke Kunkle, a professor and Minnesota Planetarium Society board member, ruffled quite a few feathers when he pointed out that the traditional dates of the zodiac may be off by as much as a month because of a wobble in Earth's rotation.

But don't go changing your sign just yet. Astronomers worldwide, including Puerto Rican mystic Walter Mercado, say the traditional zodiac signs aren't going anywhere.

The zodiac is based on a system of celestial coordinates that associates birth dates with the positions of the sun, the moon and various planets. Astrologers attribute each of the 12 signs with unique personality traits, iconic symbols based on their constellations and elements such as water, fire and air.

For western cultures, the signs of the zodiac have always been assigned to specific calendar dates. Kunkle claims that lunar gravity fields and changes to the Earth’s axis may have set those numbers off by several weeks, meaning Libras are now Scorpios, Geminis are now Cancers, and so on. He even added a 13th sign, Ophiuchus, for those born between Nov. 29 and Dec. 17.

“The sun has been going through Ophiuchus for thousands of years,” he told the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Still, astrology enthusiasts have nothing to worry about. Mercado assured the Miami Herald that the traditional dates of the zodiac will "remain the same.''

"The dates we use in the horoscope are known from the time of the Chaldeans'' and are based on the equinoxes and solstices," he said. "Spring Equinox marks the beginning of Aries and thus begins the account."

Hilary Young, CEO of AstrologyDating.com, agreed.

“Everyone can relax," she said. "People ask me what does it mean for their personality. I expect it will be the same as it was yesterday. You probably didn’t wake up with a new personality.”

What's your sign? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Astrology, Chisme, Horoscopes, Hot Stuff, Ophiuchus, Parke Kunkle, Walter Mercado, Zodiac

By Michael Lopez

So what if Christina Aguilera’s musical Burlesque wasn’t a big hit. If the latest reports are correct, Christina will have ample opportunity to redeem herself when she sings the national anthem at the start of Super Bowl XLV.

With the Black Eyed Peas locked in for the halftime show, the 45th annual Super Bowl is turning into quite an event. But, if the rumors are true, this won't be Aguilera's first Super Bowl performance. In 2000, she was part of a high-profile halftime show featuring Phil Collins, Enrique Iglesias and Toni Braxton. We can't wait to hear her belt out “The Star-Spangled Banner” with those trademark vocals.

The big game is set for Feb. 6 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

We imagine the trip would be a great opportunity for Christina to show off her patriotism and get away from that awkward living situation.

What do you think of this year's Super Bowl lineup? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Christina Aguilera, Football, Hot Stuff, Música, national anthem, NFL, Sports, Super Bowl, The Star-Spangled Banner

By Michael Lopez

It’s hard to believe that American Idol is now in its 10th season. It's even harder to believe that the show will go on without legendary judge Simon Cowell and his trademark critiques. But with Jennifer Lopez and Aerosmith front man Steven Tyler on board, things promise to be fresh, fun and as unpredictable as ever. At least that’s what Steven promised when he spoke with Tr3s on Tuesday.

“It’s been good!” Tyler said of the experience. “I’m not going there to be a harsh judge or an overbearing judge. I’m just bringing my honesty, 40 years as a front guy in Aerosmith who’s always judged himself.”

Of course, with his rock 'n' roll background, many have wondered if Steven would play favorites with certain singers.

“Will I bring a rock element? Yeah,” Tyler said, quickly pointing out that he wouldn’t shoot down the Clay Aikens and David Archuletas if they had strong vocal chops. “I’ve got an ear for all music!”

Though they may have seemed mismatched at first, Steven says he and fellow judge J.Lo hit it off quite well.

“Jennifer's a fox and she’s also got a big heart," Tyler said. "The second I saw The Backup Plan, I fell in love with her.”

Tyler said he’s contracted for at least one more season of Idol. But don’t think for a second that it will interfere with his real job. The singer confirmed that Aerosmith will be recording and touring before the end of the year.

Are you excited to see Steven Tyler and J.Lo on Idol? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Aerosmith, American Idol, Exclusive Entrevistas, Jennifer Lopez, Música, Steven Tyler, Television

By Michael Lopez

Just days after Shakira announced her split from boyfriend Antonio de la Rua, rumors are already flying that she’s been seeing a new man. Bloggers are speculating that the Colombian songstress is secretly dating Barcelona fútbol star Gerard Piqué, who co-starred in her World Cup “Waka Waka” video.

When confronted with the innuendos, Gerard quickly denied any relationship rumors.

“You all are giving me the news now,” he told Spanish website ElPais.com. “Shakira and I are just friends and that’s it.”

Looking back, "Waka Waka" was released in June, two months before Shakira and Antonio “officially” split. Could something have been sparked during the shoot that led Shaki to dump her 11-year steady?

It’s doubtful. With her countless good deeds and genuine personality, we have a hard time believing Shakira to be a cheater. That said, she is a single lady now, which means Gerard is no longer off limits. And since he is a full 10 years younger than her, we can't help but wonder if the She Wolf is turning into a Cougar.

Do you think Gerard and Shakira would make a cute couple? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags 'Waka Waka, antonio de la rua, Celebrity Couples, Chisme, Gerard Piqué, Shakira

By Michael Lopez

Paulina Rubio’s joyous holiday season came to an abrupt halt last week. The Mexican pop star, who welcomed her first child into the world in late December, was hit with devastating news that her father passed away on Jan. 11.

Enrique Rubio, 67, suffered a major heart attack and stroke on Jan. 3 and spent most of the month in “critical but stable” condition at a Mexico hospital. Then things took a tragic turn for the worse when his kidneys began to fail, ultimately leading to his death.

Paulina, her brother Enrique Jr. and her actress mother, Susana Dosamantes, all visited the elder Rubio’s bedside. When he passed away, Pau Pau shared her emotions with the Twitterverse.

“I am sad, my father is not physically here with me but his soul lives in me!” she tweeted.

Thalia and other celebs tweeted their condolences to the Rubio family. Our deepest sympathies go out to Paulina and her family during this difficult time.

Have you sent any sympathy Tweets to Pau Pau? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Celebrities, Chisme, Enrique Rubio, Paulina Rubio, RIP

By Michael Lopez

It looks like Sofia Vergara's boyfriend, Nick Loeb, is considering another run for the U.S. Senate.

Loeb, whose father, John L. Loeb Jr., worked as Ronald Reagan’s ambassador to Denmark, ran for Senate in Florida in 2009, but the breakup of his marriage caused him to drop out of that race.

Nick told the New York Daily News he was "seriously considering" throwing his hat back into the ring.

"I've been approached by a lot of friends who supported me before, who have been very encouraging," he said.

How does the Modern Family star feel about being attached to a powerful politician?

“She’s excited,” said Loeb. “Obviously, we have to talk further. It will be difficult with her being in Los Angeles.”

Loeb confirmed to the paper that the two are “not engaged.” But the future is still wide open — a couple of successful terms in the Senate, a Loeb/Vergara wedding in a year or two, and before you know it, we could have a very Modern White House family.

Do you think Sofia Vergara would make a good political wife? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Celebrity Couples, Chisme, Nick Loeb, Politics, sofia vergara

By Michael Lopez

Oh, how our DVRs have missed Ugly Betty. Though it’s been nearly a year since the ABC show left the air, series star America Ferrera hasn’t slowed down one bit. She’s co-starred in critically-acclaimed movies, narrated PBS documentaries and is now set to return to prime time TV.

TVLine.com is reporting that America will appear on CBS’ The Good Wife throughout the month of February. Heavy on the courtroom drama, The Good Wife follows the struggles of a female lawyer (played by Julianna Margulies) working to provide for her family amid her husband’s political scandals.

Character actor Alan Cumming plays a close political ally of Margulies’ family and America is rumored to be his new love interest. According to executive producer Robert King, the writers’ have had their eye on Ferrera for a long time.

“We’ve been watching and loving America for years now on Ugly Betty,” King said, “and it’ll be fantastic to see her take on a completely different role, especially one that puts her across from Alan Cumming.”

For the time being, America’s only set to appear in three episodes, but we hope to see more of her as the series continues. Cumming himself started as a guest actor on the show and was soon promoted to a full-time cast member. Congratulations, America, and welcome back to prime time.

What other Ugly Betty actors would you like to see back on TV? Tell us below or @MTV3.

Tags Alan Cumming, America Ferrera, Hot Stuff, Julianna Margulies, Television, The Good Wife

By Michael Lopez

You remember Ines Sainz, right? Back in the summer, the Azteca TV sports reporter created quite a stir after tweeting about her “uncomfortable feelings” in the New York Jets’ locker room. The matter eventually got cleared up (after some apologies and clarifications), and just to prove that there are no hard feelings, Ines is rooting for the Jets in the Super Bowl.

“[The Jets] are like a star in the movies," Sainz told Steppin’ Out magazine. "They win games you truly believe they are going to lose. I truly believe they have the best chance to win the Super Bowl. I think Mark Sanchez will do it!"

The Jets have had a great season, recently winning the AFC Wild Card Playoffs against the Indianapolis Colts. Mark Sanchez, in particular, has been on fire, throwing passes that have awed fans and sports writers alike.

If the Jets do make it to the big game at Cowboys Stadium on February 6, we’re sure Ines will be right there on the sidelines. We just hope she remembers the golden rule of sports journalism: No cheering in the press box.

Who do you want to see in this year's Super Bowl? Comment below or @MTV3.

Tags Football, Ines Sainz, Mark Sanchez, New York Jets, NFL, Sports, Super Bowl