WORLD TOP SPORTS

Donald Trump boasted that the upcoming season of "The Celebrity Apprentice" is the best ever and promised the star power of its cast "blows `Dancing With the Stars' away."
Yes, it's a new cycle for the Trump-hosted competition show, which won't premiere until March 14 but threw an introductory news conference way back last October, with sworn-to-secrecy members of the media meeting the contenders.
Now NBC says it's time to unveil that roster of 14 participants, who will likely spur responses ranging from "Wow!" to "Huh?"
Maybe the most interesting participant is former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Vaulted to infamy by headlines and punch lines, he is charged with scheming to auction off President Barack Obama's former U.S. Senate seat, campaign fundraising abuses and other offenses. He was removed from office last January, but has denied wrongdoing.
Maybe not so interesting: the comedian-actor Sinbad and Australian TV chef Curtis Stone.
"I'm certainly not a household name," said comedian-author Carol Leifer, but she sounded confident. "I'm not surprised that Joan Rivers won, because, as a standup comic, you're a one-man band — it makes you very prepared for stressful situations to be able to react to a lot of pressure. Humor is a weapon anywhere and everywhere!"
Former Poison vocalist Bret Michaels declared that, with a party-hearty rock singer's image, he would be assessed as the season's "super-underdog."
"But I've been my own boss since I've been 19 years old," said the 46-year-old former star of the "Rock of Love" reality show. "For better or worse, I've been on my own, I've learned to roll with the punches."
Then the pro wrestler-actor who calls himself Goldberg issued fair warning.
"I know I'm going to explode during this show at some point and say things I probably don't mean," he said. "I realize that about myself. I'm human and have flaws."
Baseball great Darryl Strawberry, rock-star wife and TV personality Sharon Osbourne, and Olympic gold-medal sprinter Michael Johnson will also be competing, along with singer Cyndi Lauper, actress Holly Robinson Peete and Victoria's Secret model Selita Ebanks.
As they spoke, the contestants were scheduled to begin taping "Celebrity Apprentice" the next day, and WWE wrestler-model Maria Kanellis was asked if they were already sizing up each other.
"Of course, we are!" she replied.
The celebrities won't be vying for a job with Trump, as in the old, civilian-cast "Apprentice," but instead will compete in business-oriented tasks around Manhattan to raise money for favorite charities.
"I live a fairly normal life. I'm a mom with two kids," said Olympic swimmer Summer Sanders, who is championing the Right to Play, an organization that uses sport and play to improve the lives of disadvantaged children. "But to have the opportunity to introduce my charity to the world is the reason I chose to do this."

"Celebrity Apprentice 3" executive producer and head honcho Donald Trump is claiming that this season's cast "blows 'Dancing With the Stars' away."
The celeb lineup, announced by NBC Monday, features baseball legend Darryl Strawberry, rockers Cyndi Lauper and Bret Michaels, Sharon Osbourne, former Olympians Michael Johnson and Summer Sanders, actress and author Holly Robinson Peete, wrestlers Goldberg and Maria Kanellis, comedians Carol Leifer and Sinbad, former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, chef Curtis Stone and model Selita Ebanks.
The stars will compete in teams, men versus women, in business-centric tasks around New York City. All profits from the projects will be donated to charities of their choice.
"Celebrity Apprentice 3" will premiere March 14 at 9 p.m.
Blagojevich, who had hoped to appear on NBC's "I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here" but was replaced by his wife, Patti, after a federal judge would not let him leave the country, said he plans to use his "skill and know-how to get things accomplished" on the series.
Trump praised Blagojevich's "tremendous courage and guts" and predicted he may be one of the show's breakout stars.
Dots all ...
ABC's "Nightline" had its best fourth quarter in total viewers in six years, according to Nielsen Media Research. For the quarter, the late-night news magazine averaged 4 million viewers.
During the same quarter, CBS' "Late Show With David Letterman" averaged 4.22 million and NBC's "Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien" averaged 2.55 million. For "Tonight," it was the lowest fourth quarter since 1991. ...

Former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich will be among stars taking on real estate mogul Donald Trump in the boardroom for the "Celebrity Apprentice" television program in March, NBC said on Monday.
Blagojevich, who was forced to resign and is awaiting trial in Chicago on charges of trying to sell President Barack Obama's former U.S. Senate seat, will face off against singer Cyndi Lauper, British TV reality judge Sharon Osbourne and 11 other celebrities in the third season of the show.
The Chicago judge handling the disgraced ex-governor's criminal case said in October that he was concerned Blagojevich might make comments on "Celebrity Apprentice" that could influence potential jurors or haunt him during the trial.
Blagojevich, who has pleaded innocent to all charges, has a tentative trial date of June 2010.
On the show's upcoming version, the celebrities will take part in business-oriented, women vs men tasks around New York, battling to avoid the famous words "You're fired!" from Trump and competing for charities close to their hearts.
Last year, Blagojevich was banned by a judge from traveling to Costa Rica to take part in another NBC reality show "I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!" because of potential flight risk. His wife Patti took his spot instead, saying she was doing it to earn money for her family.
Other celebrities competing on "Celebrity Apprentice," starting March 14 include former baseball player Darryl Strawberry, rock singer Bret Michaels of the band Poison, retired Olympic sprinter Michael Johnson, Victoria's Secret model Selita Ebanks and wrestler and model Maria Kanellis.

JENNIFER Aniston thinks Brad Pitt’s relationship with partner Angelina Jolie is a “total sham” — according to a new report.
The former Friends actress — who divorced Pitt in 2005 as he embarked on a relationship with Jolie — is convinced her ex-husband is being manipulated by the mother of his six children.
And Jen has urged Brad to stop faking it for the cameras.
“Jen isn’t fooled by Brad and Angelina’s phony behavior, which she finds to be totally transparent at this point,” a source told American tabloid the National Enquirer. “In fact, anyone who knows Brad well can tell how unhappy he is — and Jen can see it better than anyone.
“She detests the hold Angie has over him and wishes he’d stop going along with her fake publicity stunts. The fact Brad has put up with it for so long is enormously upsetting to Jen — mostly because she can see right through it!”
Aniston was apparently upset when she saw photos of Brad and Angelina at a UNICEF charity function on December 10. The couple were pictured smiling awkwardly while Jolie clung to Pitt’s side.
“What really set Jen off was seeing how stiff Brad’s body language was in the photos. She got angrier than anyone has seen her in a long time and blurted out that the whole thing was a sham.
“She said she’d never seen anything so pathetic and didn’t think Brad was the type of guy to mask his true feelings.
“Jen is sick of staying silent on this and can no longer hold her tongue. She hates to see Brad unhappy.”
However, Aniston is determined to cut Pitt out of her life and is reportedly ignoring his text messages.

That was taken at the BAFTAs in London earlier this year. The Fight Club star doesn’t look as happy, does he?
Pitt has apparently made a series of drunken calls to Aniston, who is currently in New York shooting her new movie The Baster.
“She was initially taken aback — especially as he sounded drunk and sorry for himself,” an insider said. “He told her he misses her and that he’s sorry for any hurt caused.
“Jen being Jen immediately told him she’d never held a grudge against him and would welcome them being friends again, so long as she doesn’t have to be friends with Angelina. He agreed.”
Angelina, meanwhile, is said to be furious that Pitt and Aniston are back on terms.
“Angie went mad and told Brad not to bother coming back home,” a source said. “She told him he’d humiliated her for the last time and that if he wanted to go back to his boring shallow life with Jen, that was fine by her.”
Sources onset of Jolie’s new movie Salt recently expressed their fears that the actress might be self-harming again.
“It’s been so bad that some crew members have suspected she’s using drugs, although that’s out of the question. But the ones who know her realize it could be something much, much worse if she’s self-harming,” a source said.
“When she’s at home she just about holds it together, but she stays up listening to the same song over and over and rarely sleeps.”

Kate Hudson's ex-hubby Black Crowes frontman Chris Robinson has become a dad. His wife Allison Bridges gave birth to their daughter Cheyenne Genevieve. Robinson, 43, is also father to 5-year-old son, Ryder Russell, with Hudson. Hudson and Robinson divorced in August 2006 after 6 years of married life. They had tied the knot on New Year''s Eve 2000, reports The New York Daily News. Robinson and Bridges walked down the aisle in 2009. The rocker now plans to stay with his family before touring with his band.