Sunday, January 10, 2016

Most Expensive Athlete Divorces Ever


Most Expensive Athlete Divorces Ever

By NoelGRSr

Image: Nick Laham/Getty Images

Going through a divorce is seldom a pleasant experience, and it’s not uncommon for things to get a little messy around the time you divide up the marital assets. But what if those assets totaled into the hundreds of millions of dollars and were primarily earned by one successful half of the partnership? The following 20 sportspeople learned the hard way that when it comes to marriage and celebrity, it’s always best to get a prenup.

Image: Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Charlie and Kenya Bell


Basketball player Charlie Bell’s marriage to TV star Kenya Bell finally ended in 2012 after drawn-out divorce proceedings. Kenya, though, walked away with over $1 million as well as bagging half of the pair’s properties and an additional grand a month in child support.

Image: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images


Dwyane Wade and Siohvaughn Funches


In 2007 NBA star Dwyane Wade suited a petition for divorce from Siohvaughn Funches following a five-year marriage. That said, it wasn’t until 2013 – and with the outlay of some $10 million in legal costs – that a $5 million settlement was agreed.

Image: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images and Michael Buckner/Getty Images

Kenny Anderson and Tami Akbar


Erstwhile basketball ace Kenny Anderson and TV personality Tami Akbar signed an almost $6 million prenup before their 1994 wedding. However, Akbar overturned the agreement after the pair’s 2001 divorce and on top of claiming 50 percent of Anderson’s assets was granted monthly $8,500 child support imbursements.

Image: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images


Shaquille O’Neal and Shaunie Nelson


Retired basketball icon Shaquille O’Neal and former wife Shaunie Nelson eventually terminated their tumultuous seven-year matrimonial time together in 2009. The settlement was sealed from the public, but it’s thought that Nelson receives around $20,000 a month from Shaq.

Image: Brian Bahr/Getty Images

Jose Canseco and Esther Haddad


In 1991 former baseball star Jose Canseco petitioned for divorce from Esther Haddad, his then-wife of three years. Canseco claimed that the union was “irrevocably broken” and parted with $6 million and a couple of high-powered cars in the settlement.

Image: BENOIT DOPPAGNE/AFP/Getty Images

Justine Henin and Pierre-Yves Hardenne


Former tennis ace Justine Henin married Pierre-Yves Hardenne in 2002, but the couple were divorced just five years later. The separation supposedly cost Henin $9 million in spousal support, not to mention an aircraft and a house.

Image: MIKE NELSON/AFP/Getty Images

Mike Tyson and Monica Turner


Mike Tyson was $9 million lighter of pocket when his six-year marriage to Monica Turner ended in 2003 because of his cheating. Turner also got guardianship of the couple’s kids.

Image: MARIA BASTONE/AFP/Getty Images

Mike Tyson and Robin Givens


In September 1988 Robin Givens told Barbara Walters that being married to Mike Tyson was “torture.” The pair concluded their divorce on Valentine’s Day 1989 after a mere 12 months of marriage, with the former heavyweight champ shelling out $10 million.

Image: Bryan Bedder/Getty Images

Deion and Pilar Sanders


Former football star Deion Sanders suffered through two years of court battles in order to end his 14-year marriage to Pilar Sanders in 2013. Thanks to a prenup, his ex was actually only entitled to a house – but one worth an estimated $10 million.

Image: David Cannon/Getty Images

Nick Faldo and Gill Bennett


English golfer Nick Faldo wedded Gill Bennett in 1986, but the marriage ended less than a decade later; Faldo was having an affair at the time. What’s more, the final divorce settlement set him back to the tune of over $10 million.

Image: Allen Steele / Stringer

Chris Evert and Andy Mill


In 2006 U.S. tennis queen Chris Evert was divorced from former Olympic skier Andy Mill – her second husband – after 18 years together, and it cost her $11 million in cash and property. The three-time Wimbledon champ went on to marry and divorce Greg Norman.

Image: Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Alex Rodriguez and Cynthia Scurtis


In 2008 the New York Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez may have taken home $28 million, but he also got handed divorce papers by Cynthia Scurtis, his wife of half a dozen years. Scurtis cited a “long period of infidelity” and reportedly received a $12 million property not to mention a slice of the marital assets.

Image: Chris Weeks/Liaison

Lance Armstrong and Kristin Richard


Long before his spectacular fall from grace, former cyclist Lance Armstrong married Kristin Richard way back in 1998. The five-year marriage came to an end in 2003, though, and reportedly saw Armstrong shelling out $14 million in the divorce.

Image: Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Terry “Hulk Hogan” Bollea and Linda Claridge


Hulk Hogan and Linda Claridge divorced in 2009 after two years of court battles and 23 years of marriage. Unfortunately for Hogan, Claridge was handed $7.4 million in cash, a $3 million “property settlement” and well over a third of the wrestling icon’s businesses.

Image: Jamie Squire /Allsport

Jeff Gordon and Brooke Sealey


NASCAR racer Jeff Gordon was left $15.3 million out of pocket when his eight-year marriage to Brooke Sealey ended in 2002. Sealey divorced on the grounds of marital misconduct and, moreover, could allegedly substantiate her claim with a film clip.

Image: Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Michael Strahan and Jean Muggli

Former New York Giant Michael Strahan married Jean Muggli in 1999, but their divorce in 2006 was a mess. Strahan was accused of adultery, abuse and more besides, and Muggli won $15 million, plus monthly child support of $180,000.

Image: via I Love Old School Musics

Sugar Ray Leonard and Juanita Wilkinson


In 1990 Juanita Wilkinson divorced Sugar Ray Leonard after claiming that the former boxer had cheated on and physically abused her during their ten-year marriage. The settlement was kept secret, but Wilkinson asked for $50,000 a month and received a share of Leonard’s roughly $50 million assets.

Image: Andrew Redington/Getty Images

Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren


Tiger Woods was married to Elin Nordegren between 2004 and 2010, with the pair’s divorce papers blaming irreconcilable differences for their parting. That said, it was likely also down to the golfing great’s now-infamous infidelities. Nordegren got $100 million in the settlement.

Image: JEAN-LOUP GAUTREAU/AFP/Getty Images

Greg Norman and Laura Andrassy


Golfing legend Greg Norman paid out a jaw-dropping $103 million when he got divorced from Laura Andrassy in 2006 after a quarter of a century of marriage. Half of this was direct compensation, with Andrassy also bagging other effects including some artwork, an automobile and half a million dollars’ worth of jewelry.

Image: STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images

Michael Jordan and Juanita Vanoy


Former basketball god Michael Jordan was married to Juanita Vanoy between 1989 and 2006 – with the split at the end of that stint costing him an eye-watering $168 million. That puts it in the top ten priciest divorce settlements of all time.






Most Beautiful Women in Sports


Most Beautiful Women in Sports

We’ve scoured the sporting globe in search of the most beautiful women in sports, and from leggy tennis players to drop-dead gorgeous Olympians, this is what we found. It was a tough job, but somebody had to do it.

By NoelGRSr


Image: Scott Halleran/Getty Images


Image: Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images

Darya Klishina

Stunning Russian long jumper Darya Klishina won her first senior gold medal at the 2011 European Indoor Championships in Paris, France. Unsurprisingly, she also moonlights as a model.

Image: Brad Barket/Getty Images

Skylar Diggins

Painfully beautiful Tulsa Shock guard Skylar Diggins is undoubtedly one of the country’s finest female basketballers, and in 2014 she secured her first WNBA All-Star starting spot – a feat she repeated in 2015.

Image: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images

Michelle Wie

Incredibly, eye-catching American golfer Michelle Wie made the cut for her first major at the age of just 13. She capitalized on that early promise in 2014 when she won the U.S. Women’s Open.

Image: via motaen.com

Alana Blanchard

American pro surfer Alana Blanchard is so camera-friendly that, when she’s not competing on the ASP World Tour, she works as a model for surf sportswear brand Rip Curl.

Image: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

Maria Sharapova

Russian tennis ace Maria Sharapova announced her arrival in style when she won Wimbledon as a 17 year old back in 2004. Currently ranked number three in the world, the blonde beauty is still a firm fan favorite.

Image: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images

Katarina Johnson-Thompson

Gorgeous British heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson first turned heads during the 2012 London Summer Olympics – and not just because of her athletic ability. In 2015, meanwhile, she set a new British high jumping record.

Image: ARIS MESSINIS/AFP/Getty Images

Natasha Hastings

Alluring American sprinter Natasha Hastings, who is nicknamed “the 400 meter diva,” caught people’s eyes in more ways than one at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, when she helped her team take gold in the 4 x 400 meter relay.

Image: via olaygazeteci.com

Allison Stokke

Gorgeous pole vaulter Allison Stokke – pronounced Stow-key – will be hoping to make the U.S. team for the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics. The rest of us will be hoping she does, too.

Image: Harry How/Getty Images

Lindsey Vonn

Lindsey Vonn routinely heats up competitive ski slopes around the world. In 2010 she won gold and bronze at the Vancouver Winter Olympics in the downhill and super-giant slalom events, respectively. She also has several World Championship medals to her name.

Image: Julian Finney/Getty Images

Ana Ivanovic

As a former French Open champion and the current world number 12, Ana Ivanovic is undoubtedly one of the planet’s most talented tennis players. The Serb also happens to be one the game’s most beautiful stars.

Image: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Hope Solo

Goalkeeper Hope Solo helped the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team win the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada. Incredibly, the beautiful shot-stopper has also won two Olympic gold medals.

Image: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images

Louise Hazel

Beautiful U.K. heptathlete Louise Hazel’s career highlight, so far, is winning gold for England at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India. Five years later she delighted her fans with a risqué shoot for Sport Uncovered magazine.

Image: Christian Petersen/Getty Images for IAAF

Brenda Martinez

Gorgeous middle-distance specialist Brenda Martinez has done pretty well for Team U.S.A. recently. In 2013 the gorgeous Californian claimed bronze in the 800 meters at the IAAF World Championships in Moscow.

Image: GEOFF ROBINS/AFP/Getty Images

Toni Duggan

Platinum blonde England and Manchester City Women’s soccer player Toni Duggan, it seems, is equally at home in front of the cameras as she is flying down the wings.

Image: Elsa/Getty Images

Destinee Hooker

U.S. women’s national volleyball star Destinee Hooker has been competing on the global stage since 2010. The beautiful Texan currently plays for the Tianjin women’s team in the Chinese Volleyball League.

Image: Mark Dadswell/Getty Images

Melanie Adams

Australian pole vaulter and twice under-21 national champion Melanie Adams has ambitions beyond track and field. Moonlighting as a swimsuit model, the gorgeous blonde athlete has expressed a desire to one day enter Miss Universe. Of course, we’re right behind her.

Image: Javier Soriano/AFP/Getty Images

Christina Vukicevic

Knockout Norwegian hurdler Christina Vukicevic nailed her personal best time at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. In 2011, meanwhile, she set a new national record in her discipline’s 60-meter event.

Young Girl’s Wedding

Young Girl’s Wedding 

By NoelGRSr


Image: Theas Bryllupsblogg


Weddings are usually a time for families to get together and celebrate the love shared between two people. They’re not usually a time for viral internet campaigns demanding the ceremony is called off – but that’s exactly what happened in the case of Thea, a bride-to-be from Norway. However, all was not as it seemed – and there was a valuable lesson to be learned from her story.

Image: Theas Bryllupsblogg


Once Thea found out she was getting married, she started a blog to document her experiences. Like many a bride-to-be in the internet age, she published articles and photos showing her getting fitted for a wedding dress, tasting cakes and desserts, choosing flowers, and making name cards.

Image: Theas Bryllupsblogg


Thea may have been going through all the usual motions of a happy, excited bride-to-be. But she was far from happy – because there was a darker, unsettling side to this “fairytale” wedding.

Image: Theas Bryllupsblogg


Thea was getting married to a man called Geir. The problem was that, at 37 years old, Geir was a full 25 years older than Thea. At the age of just 12 – Thea was set to become, in fact, Norway’s first child bride.

Image: Theas Bryllupsblogg


Before she found out about her impending wedding, Thea was like any other 12-year-old girl. She loved listening to One Direction, hanging out with her friends from school, and – of course – taking lots of selfies. She even had her own Snapchat account.

Image: Theas Bryllupsblogg


But one day, Thea’s mom told her she would be getting married, quitting school, and moving in with her husband to cater for his every need while he went out to work. Her life was being turned upside down and mapped out before she had even become a teenager.

Image: Theas Bryllupsblogg


She wrote on her blog that she had dreamed of becoming a vet, but her mom told her it would no longer be necessary, as Geir would earn enough to look after both of them. She questioned why she shouldn’t be able to work, but couldn’t do anything about it. She would be spending the rest of her life home-making for Geir.

Image: Theas Bryllupsblogg


As the wedding preparations got under way, Thea took photos and posted them online. She went ring shopping with her mom and Geir, and while she liked the ring at first, she wasn’t so keen after her mom told her it was to help her remember that she belonged to Geir.

Image: Theas Bryllupsblogg


She also tried on wedding dresses, but the pink one she chose was deemed too childish by her mom, so she bought a more traditional white dress instead. Thea wrote on her blog that the shop worker behaved strangely towards her and her mom, and didn’t believe that Thea was getting married.

Image: Theas Bryllupsblogg


As the day of the wedding drew nearer, Thea became more and more upset with her situation. She realized that if she was to leave school, she likely wouldn’t see her friends as often, if at all.

Image: Facebook


To her distress, Thea’s mom also told her that she couldn’t invite any of her friends to the wedding. Thea decided to set up a Facebook event instead, so anyone could attend.

Image: Theas Bryllupsblogg


Norwegian visitors to Thea’s blog left many angry comments, unable to believe what was going on in their own country. More than half a million people read her story, with most outraged at what appeared to be happening.

Image: Theas Bryllupsblogg


One blog post by Thea in particular – titled, “I must do it with Geir??!!” – drew a stream of irate comments, as the young girl realized she’d have to have sex with Geir on their wedding night. She posted photos of women in lingerie, panicking about having to wear the same thing.

Image: Theas Bryllupsblogg


On the morning of her wedding, according to her blog, Thea broke down in tears while having her hair done. Her mom told her she had nothing to cry about, and was angry that her makeup was ruined. Things were going from bad to worse for Thea.

Image: YouTube/FADDERBARN


The national outrage at her ordeal spread to social networks, where the hashtag “#StoppBryllupet” (which translates to “Stop The Wedding”) started trending. Thea’s story went viral, and protestors even turned up to her wedding to show their indignation. However, there was more to the story than first met the eye.

Image: YouTube/FADDERBARN


It transpired that Plan International, a charity aiming to protect children’s rights, had set the whole story up as a stunt to raise awareness of arranged child marriages all around the world. The “wedding” was set to be held on October 11, 2015, coinciding with the United Nations’ International Day of the Girl Child.

Image: YouTube/FADDERBARN


Thea eventually left Geir at the altar, to cheers and applause from people attending the wedding (and protestors outside). But while Thea – who was eventually revealed to be a character played by Maja, a 12-year-old girl from Sweden – had the power to make that decision and call the wedding off, many other young girls around the world don’t. If they walk away, they could end up abandoned, homeless or even killed.

Image: Theas Bryllupsblogg


The stats on child marriage are shocking, so it’s no wonder Plan decided to draw attention to the issue with such a dramatic stunt. An astonishing 39,000 weddings every day involve a child bride, with one in nine girls in the developing world being married before they have turned 15.

Image: Theas Bryllupsblogg


Plan posted an update on Thea’s blog, which reinforced the seriousness of the issue: “Every two seconds there is a child bride… They are forced into violent and sexual relations, unwanted pregnancy and unsafe pregnancies. They are robbed of their childhood, control of their lives and the opportunity to get an education.”

Image: Theas Bryllupsblogg


Child marriage is largely taboo in Western society, but thousands of young girls are still forced into weddings at young ages all around the world. Hopefully, Thea’s story – as played out by Maja, pictured above with her mom – will help to bring attention to a cause that certainly needs to be recognized around the world.