ESPN

Dean Pierce would like to get one thing straight: His mom doesn't plan on sleeping with Ricky Rubio, although she might snuggle up to the Timberwolves guard once in a while on a cold Minnesota night.

Georgia Pierce, 71, received a nearly 6-foot-tall blanket featuring a color pencil sketch of Rubio's face that became a viral piece of art when Rubio retweeted a photo of the Christmas Eve gift last week.

“@ondeckdean: @rickyrubio9 Mom had a very Ricky Christmas!Grandma loves you! Feliz Navidad! twitter.com/ondeckdean/sta…” wish her a happy holidays!

— Ricky Rubio (@rickyrubio9) December 25, 2012

Both Dean Pierce, 48 of St. Paul, Minn., who bought the blanket, and his mom are passionate fans of the Timberwolves, as well as the Twins, Wild and Vikings. But it's the 6-foot-4 Rubio, chosen out of Spain with the No. 5 pick of the 2009 draft, who is their favorite pro athlete. Dean Pierce used to own a sports-card collectibles store and his mom boasts a solid collection of Rubio cards and photos.

"I became a season-ticket holder since two days after they announced the team was coming to Minnesota [in 1987]," Dean Pierce told Playbook. "I've been through the lean times. Ricky is my kind of player because of the way he plays the game, with his super-creative passing and wanting to pass and not score. He has an affection for his game."

His mom shares those sentiments, he said, and the choice of turning the custom-drawn image of Rubio by artist Anthony Davis into a blanket was an easy one. The drawing cost Pierce $50; the cost for the blanket from photoweavers.com cost $128. "It looks phenomenal."

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Sports fans like winning. Sports fans like knowing things about their teams before anyone else. Sports fans like social media. Finding a way to combine them all is a natural evolution.

Social media rewards programs have started popping up across the sports landscape as teams seek to recognize their most engaged fans. SocialToaster FANACTIVE, a social-media-meets-sports platform, is one of the companies working with professional sports teams to make that happen.

The Baltimore Ravens launched RavensReps, a social media ambassador program that is now 10,000 fans strong. The Indianapolis Colts have the Colts Stampede. The Detroit Lions have Lions Pride. And it’s not just the NFL. The Detroit Pistons and Chicago Blackhawks have created programs as well.

More than just rewarding fans for liking a Facebook post or for retweeting, fans are notified of content via email -- from exclusive stories to contests -- and receive points when they share what interests them. Sharing involves clicking on a link in the email that posts updates on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or whatever other platform a user chooses.

“[The RavensReps program] is different than the other social media outlets we have,” Ravens vice president of digital media Michelle Andres said. “You’re asking them to be part of the process. They have a role to play in choosing what to share with their networks. … It’s not something we’d been able to do before.”

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In this new Foot Locker commercial with adidas, Minnesota Timberwolves guard Ricky Rubio kills it on the court, and chills in the club. What he is not is a backyard wrestler.

The last time we saw San Francisco pitcher Brian Wilson together with his pal Sasquatch was at the ESPYS. Wilson paid a visit to "Uncaged with Sasquatch" this week and the two chatted about "fear" and a few other things. Sasquatch wasn't too happy when Wilson took a personal call.




Los Angeles Clippers forward and would-be Olympian Blake Griffin joined Rainn Wilson for an informal interview in the back of Wilson's van as the two discussed Griffin's injury and a few other topics:

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The Miami Heat have plenty of haters, but the Oklahoma City Thunder can claim a big-time Hader. "Saturday Night Live" star Bill Hader, a Tulsa native, talks up the Thunder before Game 2.





Dolphins wide receiver Chad Ochocinco roots his new hometown team to its 100-96 victory against Oklahoma City Thursday. He is joined by this man in black -- at least when the Saints choose their dark uniforms.

Will where the hell you been... Heat got this big bruh RT @iWillSmith: @ochocinco Who you got Chad? #NBAFINALS

— Chad Ochocinco (@ochocinco) June 15, 2012

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Ricky Rubio and the Timberwolves missed the playoffs, but that doesn’t mean he plans on missing any of the action:

I don't miss the #NBAPlayoffs even if I have to pick up my bro @marcrubiovives and @ainonacohi at the airport.. twitter.com/rickyrubio9/st…

— Ricky Rubio (@rickyrubio9) May 28, 2012

Boston Bruins right winger Tyler Seguin, who's still not old enough to drink legally this country, got some elaborate inked tattooed on his left arm and issued a muted challenge to teammate Andrew Ference in the process:

I'm coming for you @Ferknuckle. I wish. twitter.com/tylerseguin92/…

— Tyler Seguin (@tylerseguin92) May 29, 2012

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Cosmopolitan magazine asked its readers who the hottest NBA players were, and Orlando Magic guard J.J. Redick was No. 1. Minnesota's Ricky Rubio was second, followed by Toronto's Linas Kleiza, Phoenix's Shannon Brown and San Antonio's Tiago Splitter. The complete list is here.