Baseball star doesn’t admit, deny cheating.

Four weeks after his wife Cynthia Rodriguez filed for divorce, Yankees star Alex Rodriguez has filed his response. The New York slugger, whose increasingly rumored affair with singer Madonna preceded his wife’s legal action, admits in paperwork that his marriage is “irretrievably broken.” A-Rod’s response, placed on record last week, points out that Cynthia Rodriguez signed a prenuptial agreement a month before the 2002 wedding. But the player agrees that he should pay child support and asks that a fair amount be decided. A-Rod’s soon-to-be ex wants the family’s $12 million Florida home, a chunk of his earnings during the marriage and custody of their two daughters.

Oklahoma freshman is booted off football squad for his Web antics. Incoming freshman Josh Jarboe is no longer a member of Oklahoma’s football squad – but he may have a future as an ignorant rapper. Coach Bob Stoops tossed Jarboe from the team after a video of the receiver rapping about guns and shooting people showed up on the Web. “We are disappointed in this outcome, but our complete review and this final decision is in the best interest of our program,” a statement from Stoops reads. “We outlined for Josh the expectations we had for him when he arrived and, unfortunately, those expectations have not been met. Josh needs to learn from this experience. We hope he can move forward in a positive manner.” The 74-second Web footage shows Jarboe rhyming angrily and with plenty of profanity. Now he can spit a few verses about one of the shortest college football careers in history.

Rumored sex tape of baseball star reaches gossip mill

British tabloids are reporting that New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez was caught on hidden video camera in a Big Apple apartment where he and singer Madonna allegedly met for sexual encounters. An unidentified man is reported to have contacted Madonna’s lawyers claiming to have the footage. The singer’s reps say they’re aware of his claim, but have no comment. A-Rod has been linked to Madonna for weeks with many speculating that the top-salaried slugger’s marriage suffered because of it. Rodriguez’ wife recently filed for divorce from him, alleging infidelity.

Like the recent N.Y. case, Edith Rodriguez was ignored as she yelled in pain on the floor
Prosecutors in Los Angeles will not lodge criminal charges against workers at a predominantly Black hospital where a woman died screaming in pain as staff ignored her, The Associated Press reported. City officials said in a report released Tuesday that there was too little evidence to charge a nurse and other staff at the former Martin Luther King, Jr.-Drew Medical Center in the death of Edith Isabel Rodriguez, a 43-year-old mother of three, according to AP. Rodriguez died of a ruptured bowel on May 9, 2007. Los Angeles Police took her to the emergency room after finding her yelling for help in front of the hospital. She had been released from the emergency room just three hours before, given a prescription and told to see a doctor. Upon her return visit, a nurse told her, “…[T]here’s nothing we can do.” Rodriguez fell on the floor and writhed in pain for 45 minutes as hospital workers toiled at their desks and patients looked on. The case is eerily similar to a June 19 case at the Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn, where 49-year-old Esmin Green died after falling to the floor and remaining there for about an hour as staff ignored her. In that case, Green’s family filed a $25 million lawsuit this week.

Famed death-row inmate wants another trial

Mumia Abu-Jamal, the journalist and former Black Panther member who is in prison for killing a Philadelphia police officer 27 years ago, is asking for a new trial. His attorneys argue that the federal appeals court that denied him a new trial in the killing of Officer Daniel Faulkner should have pondered the question of whether prosecutors deliberately denied Blacks the right to serve on the jury, which violates a later Supreme Court ruling. Robert R. Bryan, who represents Abu-Jamal, and Widener University law Professor Judith Ritter, asked the three-judge panel and the full Third Circuit court to review the case again. Convicted in 1982, the 54-year-old Abu-Jamal gained legendary status while on Pennsylvania’s death row. He is the author of several books, and his taped commentaries are aired on radio shows nationwide. He has maintained his innocence from the beginning.

Affirmative action haters want the program banned
Despite recent failures to get anti-affirmative action measures on ballots in Missouri and Oklahoma, supporters of such initiatives say they’ll reap success in Nebraska and Arizona this time around. They contend that they’ve gathered the necessary signatures, unlike in Missouri and Oklahoma. But opponents of efforts to ban affirmative action aren’t sitting still while the program they say is a needed to ensure equal opportunity for qualified minorities is held back by race. They are going after Arizona signature-gatherers in a lawsuit, alleging that they are using deceptive means to trick supporters of affirmative action into signing their petitions. They point to the name of the anti-affirmative action measure as an example – the American Civil Rights Initiative. Petitioners traditionally tell unsuspecting individuals that they are trying to ensure equal opportunity in hiring, knowing full well that potential signers will be duped into believing that they helping ensure the survival of affirmative action, critics contend. “There’s a significant difference between submitted signatures and valid signatures,” David Kramer, head of Nebraskans United, which opposes the measure, told The Associated Press. “We’ll wait to see the outcome of that process before litigation.” If the anti-affirmative action forces are successful, a constitutional amendment would make it illegal for public entities to give preferential treatment on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin.

Cynthia Rodriguez says A-Rod’s a cheater
Amid persistent rumors of an affair between her husband and singer Madonna, the wife of New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez wants out. Cynthia Rodriguez has filed for divorce, saying A-Rod’s a cheat who “emotionally abandoned his wife and children.” “The marriage of the parties is irretrievably broken because of the husband’s extramarital affairs and other marital misconduct,” her petition, filed Monday in Florida, states. A former trainer to Rodriguez calls the slugger “brainwashed,” saying that A-Rod has been seduced by Hollywood’s glamour.

NBA teams’ new look for ’08 can be revealed tomorrow
A moratorium on roster changes in the NBA is officially lifted tomorrow when teams can announce their final trade moves and roster additions. Among other developments, Eldon Brand is expected to re-sign with the L.A.Clippers. Teams will know the player salary cap for the coming season as early as tonight.

Racy cover doesn’t equal magazine sales
The controversial April issue of Vogue magazine, with LeBron James and Gisele Bundchen, was a flop on newsstands; it sold only 350,000 copies, 100,00 less than normal. Why didn’t people buy it? Find out more at Playa Hater.