The Slug

"The Ultimate Fighter" in Bloom

(AP Photo/HO/Spike)

While some reality TV shows flounder as they get older — cough, "Big Brother," cough — others seem to get better with age. That seems to be the case with Spike's "The Ultimate Fighter," the mixed martial arts competition that launches its sixth season Sept. 19. We got our hands on the punchy first episode.

Our favoritest moment happened after one injured fighter launched into a tirade against the doctor who told him he couldn't fight. He stormed out of the hospital and then stopped to smell a flower in the parking lot. That's not a metaphor. This goon actually copped a squat on a rock and plucked a flower off a nearby bush for a whiff. They don't show that kind of wackiness on pay-per-view.

Favoritest Photo of the Week: Just Breathe

What could be better than being covered in water and confetti while standing next to Reeege and Kelly? In our Favoritest Photo of the Week, AP photographer Richard Drew captured Tom Sietas on "Live with Regis & Kelly" right after he broke his own Guinness record for holding his breath under water. The Slug thinks Tom should be eligible for a Guinness record for holding his breath under confetti, too. Drown in the original caption:

Confetti falls as Tom Sietas, center, 30, from Hamburg, Germany, is congratulated by Guinness World Record judge Stuart Claxton, left, after Sietas broke his own Guinness record of 14 minutes and 25 seconds for holding his breath under water, during his appearance on the "Live with Regis & Kelly" television show, in New York Thursday Aug. 9, 2007. He set a new record of 15 minutes and 2 seconds. The show's co-hosts Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa look on at right. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Game Over for O.J. Simpson

(AP Photo/HO/2K Sports)

Not that we're into team sports or anything, but 2K Sports' "All-Pro Football 2K8" is a pretty cool football video game 'cause it lets you create a timeless, injuryless, scandaless dream squad, sorta like the "Laugh Olympics" or "Super Friends." Heck, you can even play as O.J. Simpson. Remember the glory days when he was more famous for handling a pigskin on the field than trying on gloves in court?

Yesterday, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge ordered that any money The Juice earns from the game must be paid to the family of the late Ronald Goldman to satisfy a $38 million wrongful death judgment. The court didn't reveal how much Simpson might have earned from the deal, but if this is any sort of precedent, we won't be surprised if a Mushroom Kingdom judge orders Mario to pay flashing coins to the family of the late Bowser.

Favoritiest Photo of the Week: He's Heeere

(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

While The Slug was delving through upcoming video games (and partying) at the E3 Media & Business Summit in Santa Monica, Calif., Becks and Posh were attracting a media circus on the other side of town after they touched down in the good ol' U S of A. It's like "Footballers Wives" but real! We're lovin' this image from AP photographer Mark J. Terrill of David Beckham amid a sea of out-of-focus paparazzi. Here's the original caption. Cheers:

England soccer player David Beckham smiles at photographers as he arrives at Los Angeles International Airport, Thursday, July 12, 2007, in Los Angeles. Beckham has signed to play for the Major League Soccer team Los Angeles Galaxy. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

"Fast Cars & Superstars" Revs Up

(AP Photo/HO/ABC)

We're not sure what we were expecting from ABC's "Fast Cars & Superstars — Gillette Young Guns Celebrity Race" — or, as we like to call it, "FCSGYGCR" for short. With "superstars" like wrestler John Cena, tennis pro Serena Williams and Priceline pitchman William Shatner participating, we were hoping for a "Surreal Life" on wheels. But after previewing the first two episodes, this reality show is, like, really about racing and stuff. There's way more footage of driving than high octane in-the-pit drama. If you're into that sort of thing, the first episode premieres June 7.

Favoritest Photo of the Week: Stand Back!

(AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)

Sorry, Halle Berry. No threepeat for you. You've been beaten by a couple of sumo wrestlers. While we love any good photo of sumos, this one is our Favoritest Photo of the Week because AP photographer David Guttenfelder captured a scrawny policeman protecting the big boys as they strolled through a crowd with his arms outstretched, begging the question: Shouldn't your bodyguard be larger than you? The original caption:

A Japanese policeman guards the walk way as sumo wrestlers walk past fans outside Tokyo's Yasukuni shrine during an annual spring festival ceremony on Friday, April 13, 2007. The Yasukuni Shrine is a Shinto shrine which commemorates Japan's war dead. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)

Proud to Watch "American Gladiators"

(AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

The Slug has been a little under the weather lately (end, winter, end!) and have been watching waaay more TV than usual. Case in point: We've been reveling in the early '90s awesomeness of "American Gladiators" since ESPN Classic began rerunning the first season. We forgot all about the over-the-top Spandex costumes  and redonkulous competitions, such as Human Cannonball and Joust. (You know, the one with the giant Q-Tips.) Of all the Gladiators, we're most entertained by Malibu, the muscley California surfer dude Gladiator who sorta reminded us of Ahhnold but mysteriously vanished after the first season.

Trump Buzz Would've Created More, Um, Buzz

(AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Sigh. In case you hadn't heard or didn't see it, Donald Trump didn't lose his hair at "Wrestlemania 23" last night. Yes. The Slug suspected that much ballyhooed "hair match" would end with WWE owner Vince McMahon getting his melon shaved instead of The Donald when we heard about the publicity stunt. Trump's got too much pride about that infamous wheaty tuft.

Personally, we think a bald 'do would've been a great way to reinvent himself, especially considering this season's lackluster "Apprentice" ratings and his cooled feud with "The View" women. It might have helped boost sales for his new line of home furnishings. No, that's not a belated April Fool's Day joke. Trump Home launched this week. Maybe he could've launched a chain of Trump Salons if he was willing to get a snip in public!? Oh, he probably will, anyway.

Let's Go Crazier

(AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)

We got back from Vegas just in time to watch the drippy Super Bowl halftime show starring Prince. Usually, The Slug thinks these halftime shows are total trainwrecks, but Prince's outing was quite entertaining if subdued. (Prince's backup dancers, the Twinz, totally brought it.) We were shocked there weren't more technical glitches considering the rainy weather. Deep down inside, we were hoping friends o' Prince such as Chaka Kahn, Cee-Lo, The Roots or Sheila E. would have popped up out of The Artist's stage — but no — it was just the Prince show.

Favoritest Photo of the Week: What a View!

(AP Photo/Jacques Boissinot)

Beginning this week, The Slug will start selecting our favoritest bizare/kooky/cool/awesome Associated Press photo from around the world each week. Why? Because we can. And because sometimes images say more than black-and-orange text ever could. Our first-ever Favoritest Photo of Week is from Sweden — just like half of our living room furniture! The official caption:

People watch a hockey game between Finland and Czech Republic while standing in a private box sauna at the World U20 hockey championship Thursday, Jan. 4, 2007 in Leksand, Sweden. The private box and sauna can be rented to watch games. (AP Photo/Jacques Boissinot)