Atlanta Hawks Halloween half-time show

Mascot & dance team dance to Thriller

The Onion reports on half-time contests

From The Onion:

Getting Randomly Picked To Make Half-Court Shots Now Best Way To Earn Living
WASHINGTON—A new study released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Tuesday confirmed that the most dependable source of income for American workers in the current economic climate is to win a novelty contest in which one must successfully shoot a basketball from half-court.

"After factoring in the odds of your ticket number being called while attending a game, the median dollar value awarded, and the athletic ability of the average American citizen, and cross-referencing these data with employment forecasts and current job-security indices, we have determined that half-court shooting contests are currently the most effective way to support a family of four," the report read in part.

"While this may seem like dire news, keep in mind that the consolation prize for missing the shot usually includes a food item from the concession stand." The report cited several other possible methods of securing a livelihood, including 50-50 raffles, lotto scratch-offs, and inventing YouTube.

Halftime shows gone wrong: Near-drowning (or prank?)

Thanks to KC for sending along this story from FanHouse:

Woman Nearly Drowns During NBA Halftime Show Gone Wrong

Halftime shows in the NBA are rarely exciting, and to be honest, I think that's by design. Why keep the fans glued to their seats when there's money to be made at the concession stand? But last month, the Oklahoma City Thunder booked an act that I'm sure everyone in attendance will remember for a very long time:

That was Kristen Johnson, one half of the Ridgeway & Johnson Grand Illusion & Escape Show act, in the water. She was supposed to escape the chains and free herself, but as you can see, something went wrong and she appeared to pass out, prompting a quick end to the show so she could be rescued. Fortunately, as soon as she got to the surface, she regained consciousness.

I'm actually surprised this hasn't garnered more attention -- this took place on Jan. 16 but didn't gain the attention of the blogosphere until today, most likely because an interview Johnson did about the incident was recently featured on CNN.

That said, the cynic in me can't help but wonder if this was staged. For one, the duo posted a message on a magic message board (um, the board itself isn't magic, it's simply targeted toward magicians) the day before the act took place, telling everyone to "keep an eye on ESPN," followed by advice from another poster the day the stunt went awry after to "HIT the talks shows up NOW!" to capitalize on the attention.

Football halftime contest gone bad

Here's a very funny clip of a blindfolded contestant taking part in a football halftime contest at a Toronto Argonauts game. All she has to do is reach a sign - with help from fans. She starts to run, and doesn't stop. Hope she signed the liability waiver.