BECKHAM TRIES TO BEND HIS EYES AROUND LAKERS CHEERLEADERS

It looks as though Victoria Beckham has had enough of husband David’s court-side ogling of the cheerleaders at LA Lakers basketball games.

The LA Galaxy player has been spending a good amount of his free time at the Staples Centre in LA, and has been snapped a few times with his eyes on round bouncy things- and we’re not talking the basketballs.

The front row seats which are just a few feet from the court are hot tickets for celebrities and basket ball fans alike and now Victoria,34 knows why.

Victoria keeps her husband David Beckham in check as he admires the scantilly clad cheerleaders at an LA Lakers game

David sneaks a quick peak at the blonde beauty when wife Victoria is distracted

David keeps his attention on Victoria as the blond cheerleader shakes her behind in front of him

So this time around- despite her obvious disinterest in the game- the former Spice Girl wasn’t taking any chances and decided to join David at the match to keep her husbands gaze away from the scantily clad cheerleaders.

But the hot-pant wearing, mid rift showing cheerleaders strutted their stuff in front of the Beckhams as they entertained the crowd.

And as hard as David, 33 tried to keep his gaze firmly fixed on the match his eyes wandered a few times to the disapproval of Victoria who gave him a few menacing looks.

Even Victoria Beckham couldn’t help taking a glimpse of the well toned blonde

Victoria looks unimpressed and David keeps his eyes firmly shut as the line of cheerleaders walk past them

Posh -who is know for her glum looks- couldn’t hide her annoyance at the line women with their meagre attire who seemed set on standing in front of her husband to perform their dance routine.

And although she kept David in check on several occasions even she couldn’t help taking  glimpse at the well toned cheerleaders.

In one instance it almost looked like Posh wanted her Spice days back as she admired the tanned body of one of blonde dancers.

There there: David gives Victoria a gentle pat on the back

David even tried to shut his eyes a few times in an attempt to block out the sexy ladies dancing just a few feet from where he was sitting.

Luckily for Victoria, David only had eyes for her and even gave his wife a few reassuring pats on the back.

Income Tax department has sent a notice to BCCI

Foreign players participating in the IPL (Indian Premier League) may soon find a higher amount being deducted in the form of taxes if the Income Tax department has its way. The I-T department has sent a notice to BCCI asking for copies of all agreements signed between the players and the franchisees.

Twenty20 – cricket’s latest format is making waves in India throught the Indian Premier League. A huge noisy crowd, film stars rooting for their own teams and cheerleaders are reminders of the league’s resounding success. So with everyone sharing the spoils, how can the Income Tax department want to miss the party.

The income tax department has now asked BCCI to furnish details of the tax deductions made while making payments to these players. The income tax department and the BCCI  have had a long history of dispute on taxation issues. And even as BCCI is busy milking the IPL cashcow, the I-T department is determined to extract its pound of flesh with what it feels is a purely commercial business venture and not just cricket.

In its notice served to BCCI, the I-T separtment has asked the BCCI to clarify whether TDS at 11.33% has been deducted before releasing the payment
They have also said that since the contract is a long term contract of three years, why should the applicable tax slabs prevailing in the country not be applied, a demand that is supported by tax experts.

BD Gupta, Former Income Tax Commissioner said, “There is no exemption. Whatever money they make they have to pay 11% TDS and after that they also have to file their income tax returns.”

The BCCI is likely to contest this claim on the grounds that the IPL is a short term venture and does not amount to employment.

Meanwhile the service tax department is also investigating whether any of  the contracts signed between BCCI and the various franchisees come under the service tax net or not.

Report By: CNBC TV 18

2008 NBA Mock Draft

Here is my first edition of a mock draft for 2008!

1. Chicago Bulls – Derrick Rose (Memphis)
Beasley seems to be a better fit, as the Bulls need a low-post scorer, but I simply think Derrick Rose is the better player. He’s unstoppable in the open court, and if he ever develops a consistent jumpshot, he looks like a stronger version of Chris Paul (without quite the passing ability). Plus, John Paxson always emphasizes defense, and Derrick Rose has a much higher ceiling as a defender than Michael Beasley.

2. Miami Heat – Michael Beasley (Kansas St.)
Rose is the guy they really want, but Beasley sure is a nice consolation. He’s NBA ready both on the offensive end and rebounding the basketball, and should be able to step into a lineup right away. Beasley will have his struggles on the offensive end, but a trio of Wade-Marion-Beasley would be a real good start in Miami.

3. Minnesota Timberwolves – Brook Lopez (Stanford)
With Lopez, the Timberwolves would be setting themselves up to have one of the best offensive frontlines in the NBA. They already have improving Al Jefferson, and Brook Lopez has great touch around the basket. Lopez does not have great athleticism, but he’s big and is refined in his post moves around the basket. That could warrant a top 3 pick.

4. Seattle Supersonics – Jerryd Bayless (Arizona)
Seattle already had a nice core from last year’s draft, and Bayless would be another great piece. He’s a PG in the mold of a guy like Gilbert Arenas, in that he is really quick off the dribble and is a deadeye shooter. He is 19 and Kevin Durant is 20, so that would be a potent 1-2 combo for years.

5. Memphis Grizzlies – OJ Mayo (USC)
The Grizzlies could go with a big man here, but I like them to go with an off guard in OJ Mayo to create an immensely talented young backcourt, teaming him up with Mike Conley (and then ideally dealing Javaris Crittenton or Kyle Lowry). Mayo has great range on his shot (which makes him a good complement to Conley), but can also score off the dribble, and showed surprising leadership ability in his one year with USC.

6. New York Knicks – Danilo Gallinari (Italy)
According to reports, Gallinari is a 6′10” forward with PG skills. He can handle the ball, create his own shot (either off the drive or with his back to the basket), hit from 3-point range, and he’s a good passer. Sounds like a perfect fit for D’Antoni’s system.

7. Los Angeles Clippers – Russell Westbrook (UCLA)
With the PG position unsettled in LA, Westbrook is a nice fit to stay in town and join the Clippers. While he hasn’t played full-time at PG very much, he showed he has the skills to do it last year. He’s solid handling the ball, he’s a very good passer, and he has the athleticism required. He’s very tough defensively both on the ball and in the passing lanes. He needs to develop a more consistent jump shot, but that was coming along as the year went. With his athleticism, he is great on the fast break.

8. Milwaukee Bucks – Eric Gordon (Indiana)
Gordon is a great scoring combo guard. With Gordon, the Bucks could look to unload Michael Redd and his large contract. Gordon can score in a variety of ways, as he showed by leading the Big 10 in scoring as a freshman.

9. Charlotte Bobcats – Anthony Randolph (LSU)
Looking for more athleticism, the Bobcats can look to young, but very talented and athletic Randolph. He’s in the mold of a Brandan Wright from last year in that he needs to bulk up and improve his midrange game, but he appears to have the talent to do that. He averaged over 15 and 8 in his rookie campaign, and with over 2 blocks per game, showed that his athleticism can allow him to do some things defensively.

10. New Jersey Nets – Kevin Love (UCLA)
With athleticism all around, the Nets can take Love, who provides an NBA ready, polished game. He’ll never be a star because of his athletic limitations, but he’s an extremely intelligent player, great passer, rebounder, and showed a nice jumpshot last season.

11. Indiana Pacers – DJ Augustin (Texas)
The Pacers are really pretty bad at PG, so Augustin is the natural pick here. He’s not the most athletic PG in the draft, but he’s quick enough. He is crafty enough to get his own shot, he’s a very good shooter, and he can get them into their offense and get playmakers the ball (as he showed when he played Kevin Durant). This seems like a logical pick for Indiana if Augustin is still on the board.

12. Sacramento Kings – DeAndre Jordan (Texas A&M)
Jordan is extremely raw, but his athletic ability is too much to pass up. He has a long way to go, as he showed by not having a huge impact in his year at College Station (8 PPG, 6 RPG), but with his great ability, he projects to be a solid scorer, excellent rebounder and shot blocker.

13. Portland Trailblazers – Joe Alexander (West Virginia)
With the Blazers looking to make a run at the playoffs next season, Alexander is a guy that could come in and give them quality minutes right away. He’s not very good defensively, but he has an advanced offensive game and can score in a variety of ways. He’s sneakily athletic, has a great jump shot with lots of range, and showed he can carry a team for stretches.

14. Golden State Warriors – Donte Greene (Syracuse)
Greene looks like a great fit for Nellie ball. He’s a 3/4 combo guy that can stretch the floor with his outside shot. He’s great in the midrange, and shot nearly 35% from downtown in his one season for the Orange. He looks like he could develop into a very solid rebounder with his athleticism and leaping ability, as he averaged over 7 per game. He might not be ready to play a lot of minutes right away, but he should be able to contribute some with his varied skills.