With the Super Bowl right around the corner (J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets!), it’s never too early to start thinking about the parties that will be going down on South Beach leading up to the big game.

Playa Hater has learned exclusively that rapper Nelly will be working the VIP red carpet at ESPN’s 6th annual NEXT party held at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach on Feb. 5.

Nelly is a huge sports fan and no stranger to the ESPN audience as he will be interviewing athletes and celebs before they head into one of the hottest pre-Super Bowl parties in Miami.

And if you’re in town, Keri Hilson and Ne-Yo will be performing while Q-Tip will be spinning all night.

Alright, who is down for a road trip to Miami?

Greatness

“I perform like Mike…anyone, Tyson, Jordan, Jackson…”

Notorious B.I.G. – Victory

A few months ago I received a phone call to help with a project that would chronicle the life of Michael Jordan for the Basketball Hall of Fame. Fast forward to the present day, and not only is my work forever on display in Springfield, MA…by next weekend the living legend will take his rightful place among the hallowed halls, closing the book on his storied career. Read the rest of this entry »

ESPN landed the first sit down interview with Plaxico Burress before he is sentenced to jail next month.

The entire interview can be seen on E:60 on Tuesday on ESPN.

You can watch a clip from the interview here.

Just from the couple of minutes I have watched, he comes off more sincere than Michael Vick.

Even the camera loves Candace Parker.

Parker is on the latest issue of ESPN The Magazine, pregnant and all.

The Los Angeles Sparks forward is the first pregnant athlete to be shown on the cover of ESPN The Magazine.

And fellas, the article’s first paragraph dives right into the fact that Parker is a C cup.

I’m sure the rest of the article is great but I didn’t make it past the first paragraph.

Parker is due in early May – never too early to get your office baby pools going on what day she has the kid.

The Lil’ Wayne/ESPN lovefest continued on Tuesday as Weezy appeared on “Around The Horn.”

What’s next, Wayne hosting the 1AM Sportscenter?

There’s nothing gangsta about talking sports with Woody Paige and Jay Mariotti.

Watch more ESPN videos on AOL Video

Rapper Lil’ Wayne spent the day in the lovely Bristol, CT, on the campus of ESPN.

Weezy, who has been blogging over at ESPN.com, took on Skip Bayless of 1st and 10 fame and actually proved he knows what he’s talking about.

Watch this clip where Wayne and Bayless breakdown Oklahoma-Florida.

NBA great Earvin “Magic” Johnson will leave his announcing gig at TNT Sports and take a similar role at ESPN, serving as a studio analyst for ESPN and ABC.

“Magic has always been one of the most accomplished people in every field he has endeavored. He was an incomparable player and has become one of the best NBA analysts in the business,” said Norby Williamson, ESPN executive vice president, production. “His unique insights, perspective and personality will be the perfect complement to Stuart, Mike and Jon.”

Johnson had been an anaylst for TNT Sports for seven seasons and was a good fit with the team of Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith.

The Magic man will be paired up primarly with Stuart Scott, Michael Wilbon and Jon Barry.

How many more times is ESPN going to get a story wrong?

The network, in particular, Chris Mortensen had folks believing that retired quarterback Brett Favre was this close to returning to the NFL Wednesday afternoon.

Too bad Favre is not backing up those claims.

“It’s all rumor,” Favre told the Mississippi’s Sun Herald newspaper.

Is he or isn’t he?

The media darling Favre continues to stir the pot about a possible return from his short-lived retirement.

And the folks in Bristol are eating it all up.

When Brett Favre actually gets in front of a microphone and says “I’m back, and Aaron Rodgers, enjoy the bench,” then I will believe he’s actually returning.

Until then, let it go, ESPN.