LeBron James went on a special diet to lose weight and gain a sleeker frame to prepare for this season. James said he went 67 consecutive days eating only meat, fish, vegetables and fruit.
There was no mention of McDonald's.
That was a contrast to his eating habits when he entered the league as an 18-year-old. Asked before Tuesday's game in Detroit about how old he was before he got serious about lifting weights, James, according to Cleveland.com, said: "Umm, 24. I ate McDonald's my first couple years in the NBA. I didn't stretch. It didn't matter. I was 18 and I could do whatever I wanted to."
James turned 30 in December so there are men that can appreciate what he's saying. The metabolism just doesn't rev the way it used to, and cutting back on the Big Macs is just a matter of being practical and aging wisely.
Most men, though, don't have a multi-million-dollar sponsorship deal with McDonald's like James does. While he hadn't explicitly criticized McDonald's in his answer about fitness and nutrition, it hardly cast his sponsor in a favorable light.
James scrambled quickly to repair the damage. When a reporter followed up by asking when was the last time he ate at McDonald's, LeBron went into full pitchman mode:
"Every day. Every day. Every day. I had it this morning. Egg and sausage McMuffin. All day."
Just desserts
Jack Nicklaus is now devoting time to the one glaring weakness in his incomparable career -- ice cream.
The Schwan Food Company in Minnesota is teaming up with the 18-time major champion to create Jack Nicklaus premium ice cream. It will be sold by the pint and available in grocery stores in select markets.
The ice cream will be offered in seven flavors.
Nicklaus said it's no secret that he loves ice cream and he loves this project. He said he's never had so much fun in research and development.
Schwan is donating proceeds to the Nicklaus Children's Health Care Foundation until the launch is over. Schwan said it will then donate a percentage of the proceeds to the foundation and to another children's health care charity.
Love shop
It didn't help Davis Love III that as reports emerged last week that he was chosen to be Ryder Cup captain again, he was seen with a red, white and blue golf bag with "USA" embroidered on both sides. Alas, it was his bag from the Presidents Cup.
Love no longer has a bag endorsement deal with Bridgestone (only the golf ball and the glove).
"I'm lobbying Jay Haas to be an assistant captain at the Presidents Cup," Love said with a laugh. "I thought this would do it."
As for his equipment, Love has gone back to the Titleist blades (his previous brand before signing with Bridgestone) and Vokey wedges that he had all along. He is a free agent when it comes to equipment, which is a blessing and a curse.
"It's fun to go down the range," he said. "But I also get too much attention."
Equipment companies know he's shopping and are making their pitch just about every week.
Sports quiz
What two golfers finished one stroke behind Jack Nicklaus in the 1986 Masters?
Sports answer
Tom Kite and Greg Norman
Sports on 02/26/2015