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The competition has ended, and just like the Philadelphia Phillies putting down the upstart Tampa Bay Rays in last year's World Series, ESPN Erin Andrews' dominated her competition once again to repeat as Playboy.com's Sexiest Sportscaster. Playboy.com attempted to toughen things up this year, so they made it a two-step competition. But despite their best efforts, and despite my attempts to get people to write in Suzy Kolber and Carrie Milbank, Erin Andrews easily won this competition again.

Here's some really useful info for all of you Erin Andrews fans. Seeing as how tomorrow is Valentine's Day, SI.com got her to give out some Valentine/dating tips. And just like those centerfold girls do, she even tells SI.com what she finds interesting in a guy. Though truthfully, I don't think any of us really stand much of a chance with her. I somehow see her ending up with a quarterback.

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Srsly.

As happened so many times in his career, when it came to clutch time, Roger Clemens has failed to deliver. U.S. District Court Judge Keith Ellison today dismissed most of Roger Clemens' defamation suit against Brian McNamee, Clemens' former trainer.

Ellison partially dismissed the suit on jurisdictional issues, ruling that because McNamee's statements to George Mitchell's investigators were made in New York, and that McNamee's follow-up press statements to Sports Illustrated reporter Jon Heyman were also made in New York, the proper venue for this case is actually in New York, and thus cannot be litigated in Texas. But in a more devastating blow for Clemens, Ellison's ruling stated that McNamee's statements about Roger Clemens to George Mitchell's investigators were part of an ongoing federal investigation and could therefore not be the basis of a defamation suit against McNamee.

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There there, little soldier.

Miguel Tejada faced the press yesterday and took the coward's way out. Crying and stumbling over his words, Tejada confessed his sorrow for not telling Congressional investigators that he knew of another player that took steroids. Tejada and his posse, including his attorney Mark Tuohey, refused to accept questions from the press, and both put a spin on what happened to Tejada earlier that doesn't quite match with the facts of what actually happened.

The facts are this. Yesterday, before a U.S. District Court judge, Miguel Tejada admitted that he deliberately and willfully lied to Congressional investigators, and he admitted that he purchased HGH from a teammate. And just as believable as Bill Clinton's tried-but-didn't-inhale excuse, Tejada claimed that he spent over $6,000 dollars on HGH, but threw the HGH away after receiving it. And because Miguel Tejada is a coward, the press didn't get a chance to ask Tejada about this little claim.

Miguel Tejada appeared in court today and pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of making a misleading statement to Congressional investigators. Tejada acknowledged that he lied when he denied to investigators any knowledge of banned substances being used by other major league players. Prosecutors told the judge that they had "insufficient evidence" to prove that Tejada lied when he denied taking steroids or HGH.

Sentencing has been set for March 26, 2009. The maximum punishment for Tejada's transgression is one year in jail and a $1000 fine, but it is very doubtful that Tejada will get this punishment. Tejada has been released on his own recognizance, but he must report weekly, by telephone, to a federal probation officer, and he must undergo drug testing.

Tejada will be holding a press conference here in Houston later today.

There are a couple of items of interest here.

At ten o'clock this morning, a federal prosecutor and Miguel Tejada will appear in front of a U.S. District Court judge and a six-page criminal information will be entered before the Court. It is expected that, at that time, Tejada will plead guilty to lying before Congress. It is thought that the prosecution will then ask the judge to accept the terms of a plea agreement that has been entered into between Tejada and the Feds. The judge does not have to accept this agreement, but generally, the judges will do as the prosecutor desires.

People have asked me why Miguel Tejada is getting hit with lying before Congress, but Rafael Palmeiro has escaped any criminal punishment for the same act. The answer is rather simple. Rafael Palmeiro was tested for steroid use by major league baseball after he appeared before Congress. As such, Congressional investigators were not able to prove when it was that Palmeiro took steroids. If he took the steroids after appearing before Congress, then he didn't commit perjury.

Tejada's situation is different. Palmeiro stated that Tejada is the one who shot him up with steroids. And the Congressional investigators, seeking to find out the truth about Palmeiro, decided to talk to Miguel Tejada.

Just keep in mind it's an ad; the hair is not her fault.

This young lady is Bar Refaeli, swimsuit model and the just-announced cover girl for Sports Illustrated's 2009 Swimsuit Issue. This young lady is also the girlfriend of one Leonardo DiCaprio.

Now let's think about this for a moment.

It's just now being reported that charges are being brought against Houston Astros shortstop Miguel Tejada for lying to Congress. Details are still slight and sketchy, so it's not known if it's a full-on perjury charge, or if they're getting at him for interfering with the investigation.

Tejada was interviewed by Congressional investigators following Rafael Palmeiro's failing of a steroid test. Palmeiro had only months earlier sworn to Congress that he had never used steroids. And Tejada was interviewed because Palmeiro claimed that he didn't take steroids, but that Tejada gave him B12 injections. Things were fine for Tejada until he was named in the Mitchell Report as a steroids user. At that point, Congress ordered an investigation of Tejada because Tejada had told the investigators that he did not use steroids.

Alex Rodriguez did an Andy Pettitte yesterday and admitted to taking steroids. Though he wasn't facing any legal jeopardy, it's probably for the best that he did this as Jason Giambi, Gary Sheffield and Andy Pettitte were all able to easily go on with their careers after their admissions whereas we all know about what Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens have dealt with as a result of their continued denials.

Rodriguez was exposed by Selena Roberts of Sports Illustrated as a steroid user on Saturday afternoon. Four anonymous sources leaked A-Rod's name, telling her that his name was on a list containing 104 names of major league baseball players that failed a MLB steroid test in 2003. None of the other 103 names were leaked.

I've got several problems with what's going on here. I don't like that the only name leaked was A-Rod's. I don't like that I actually agree with Curt Schilling that we need to know the other 103 names. But I really don't like that most of the reporters writing and commenting on this are getting some basic simple facts wrong.

Pitchers and catchers report to Houston Astros spring training on Friday, which means that come Saturday, the Astros will be out of contention. And the Chron is getting everybody ready for the season to come with a couple of articles in yesterday's paper on the status of the team and its roster.

Jose de Jesus Ortiz provides a seemingly upbeat, yet still rather realistic outlook of the team. But Richard Justice has the team contending for a playoff spot. Of course, to get to that contention, Justice has to play the "if this then that" game.

Like if Mike Hampton starts 30 games, or if rookie Bud Norris - who's not even on the team - wins ten games, or if Kaz Matsui stays healthy - that's probably the biggest "if this" of them all - or if Michael Bourn shows progress or if the third base platoon of Aaron Boone/Geoff Blum produce. You get the idea.

It's that time of the year, time for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, when young hetero boys first discover the joys of women in bathing suits, when angry mothers and librarians fire off letters to SI decrying the pornography that the magazine has become. In tribute, here's a quick review of some of the most famous photos from years past.