Ben Maller’s Sports Rumors & Notes

Rumors Archive for May 11, 2007

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NBA Rumors & Notes

Friday, May 11, 2007

Some basketball people are convinced that the Timberwolves' Kevin Garnett, 31, will end up with the Los Angeles Lakers within two years.

Heat coach Pat Riley said Dwyane Wade -- who needs surgery on his left knee and likely on his left shoulder -- will have a procedure on one, and possibly both, next week. Riley was noncommittal about whether Wade will be ready for the start of next season and mentioned the possibility of a six-month recovery, which could stretch into the first two weeks of the regular season.

Suns star Amare Stoudemire called the Spurs “a dirty team” and singled out Bruce Bowen and teammate Manu Ginobili as those responsible for his critique. Replays show Stoudemire completing the dunk as Bowen, late helping on defense, kicked his right leg forward. Stoudemire said he landed awkwardly and felt pain in the calf immediately. He exited the game shortly thereafter, spending the next seven minutes on the bench. “The Spurs are a dirty team. That was a dirty play, and I hope the NBA looks into it,” said Stoudemire, who had a massage treatment on the calf Thursday. “I know it’s the playoffs. I understand hard fouls. But that wasn’t a hard foul. It wasn’t a case of playing hard. It was a case of trying to injure someone.”

Several days ago, Mark Jackson told YES Network's Mike Kay he's not interested in taking a job with a Pacers team he feels has too many bosses running the show and re-stirring the roster. "No disrespect to Donnie or Larry," Jackson said, "but it's hard enough to redecorate on the same wave length as visionary."

Shaquille O'Neal said Thursday that the Heat told him he won't be traded and he will finish his career with the team. O'Neal disputed the perception that he believes the regular season doesn't matter -- a perspective Riley has said he won't accept from players. ''I said it didn't matter, but I didn't mean it didn't matter,'' O'Neal said. ``I meant you can win 70, 80 games, but if things are not done correctly, you won't win. . . . Look what happened to Dallas. If you're not prepared in the playoffs, you won't win.''

Knicks coach Isiah Thomas has his eye on Pau Gasol, Jermaine O'Neal and Kevin Garnett during summer trade talks and free agent Vince Carter. Thomas has often taken credit for developing O'Neal into a star, but he seems a poor fit with center Eddy Curry.

Another player getting a lot of attention is Jermaine O'Neal of the Indiana Pacers. Though he is probably attainable for Andrew Bynum, O'Neal makes $18.1 million this season. As of July 1st he bumps up to $19.7 million and has two more years on the books beyond that for $44.4 million. The Lakers would have to send out a lot of salary to take in such a big contract. ... The Pacers may try to force the contract of Jamaal Tinsley into any O'Neal deal and in theory he could serve well as a starting option for the Lakers at the point. ... LA could send Bynum, Kwame Brown, Vladimir Radmanovic, Aaron McKie (at $2-3 million) and either Maurice Evans or Sasha Vujacic for O'Neal and Tinsley.

As Indiana Pacers president Larry Bird works the phones searching for a head coach, the team's current assistants sit and wait, wondering where their next job will be. With no timetable on hiring Rick Carlisle's replacement, and no guarantee that the new coach will keep any of the remaining staff, Pacers CEO Donnie Walsh said he would grant teams permission to talk to their assistants. All five -- Johnny Davis, Chuck Person, Dan Burke, Leonard Perry and Chad Forcier -- are under contract until at least June 30. "We would allow our assistants to look for other jobs because when you're looking for a head coach, their status is indefinite at that point," Walsh said. "I've been there before and it's a tough situation for people in that situation right now." Davis and Person are interested in the Pacers' coaching job, but Bird has not contacted either.

The Mavs confirmed that the Orlando Magic has contacted Mavs assistant coach Sam Vincent about their head coaching job. Vincent, who completed his first season as a Mavs assistant, has interviewed with Charlotte and has also been contacted by Seattle.

Dirk Nowitzki, named a to his third All-NBA First Team on Thursday, will likely get his first MVP award Tuesday, a source with the Mavericks confirmed. By then, some 12 days will have passed since the 7-foot forward and the top-seeded Mavs stunningly bowed out of the first round of the playoffs to eighth-seeded Golden State. Nowitzki, who has taken the sudden defeat hard, has remained in North Texas instead of returning home to Germany because all signs pointed to him winning the award over two-time MVP Steve Nash.

Ben Wallace said traffic caused him to show up 14 minutes later than required for Thursday's game, and coach Scott Skiles said team rules that have been in place all season would be used to discipline the team captain. Players are required to enter the locker room 90 minutes before tipoff. When they don't, a fine of $500 is typical. "It's disappointing to me if it's an exhibition game in October," Skiles said before the game. "I don't put any more emphasis on this game than any other one, other than it's obviously the biggest game of the year. I realize that. "All the games are the same [rules-wise]. It's something that I can't, right now at this moment, be distracted by. Personally, I have to get myself ready for the game." Visibly perturbed, Wallace cut short a pregame interview with ESPN sideline reporter Jim Gray when questioned on the subject. He was equally annoyed afterward. "I don't care what people say," Wallace said. "I ain't got to explain myself to nobody. That's the last thing I have to do."

The Celtics have a lot to prove in a short time, and team management obviously wanted that urgency reflected in Doc Rivers’ new contract extension. The coach, his mind on opportunities that could emerge if his young team reverses its fortune next season, agreed that brevity wasn’t necessarily a bad idea. The result was yesterday’s agreement, with the team signing Rivers to a one-year extension that will keep him on the Celtics bench through the 2008-09 season. The deal, which will continue to pay Rivers approximately $5 million annually, includes options on both sides for an additional season. However, according to a league source, the club has more leverage in terms of options. ... Rivers, Danny Ainge and Wyc Grousbeck all have talked with confidence about taking this team to the playoffs in 2008, hopefully with either Greg Oden or Kevin Durant - the biggest names in this year’s NBA draft. By signing Rivers now, the organization also avoided the questions that were sure to come if he entered the last year of his contract without an extension

Vince Carter said he was playing like garbage, a rare admission for a star guard who generally chafes at criticism. “I think I can play better,” Carter said. “That’s my goal. It’s up to me, in my mind, to give the team a little more at both ends.” Carter is averaging a team-best 23.5 points in the series, but he has made only 17 of 49 field-goal attempts (.347) and has been to the foul line only 10 times. By comparison, LeBron James, the Cavaliers’ star, has taken 19 free throws. Carter’s tendency to settle for jumpers instead of driving to the basket has been an issue throughout his nine-year career in Toronto and New Jersey. So while he put some of the onus on himself Thursday, the prideful Carter did it only after batting away the usual questions over his shot selection. “I’m going to play my game, regardless of whether you guys like it or not,” Carter said. “I’m going to play for my team. They have a lot of trust in me. I’ve been doing this for a long time, to let two games get to me.”

Daryl Morey officially succeeded Carroll Dawson as Rockets general manager Thursday, the Rockets announced, though he had been the acting general manager since the season ended. Morey had been the Rockets assistant general manager since April 3, 2006 when he was hired to succeed the retiring Dawson. Dawson was named senior consultant on Thursday.

Sam Smith of the Chicago Tribune wrote that Shaquille O'Neal encouraged teammates not to play defense so that his defensive shortcomings wouldn't be exposed. O'Neal's reaction? ''Obviously, Sam is the type of guy that hides behind his pen and pad,'' he said. ``I promise you he wouldn't say that to my face in a dark alley where it's just me and him and no witnesses.''

Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas has been rehabilitating his left knee during workouts at Verizon Center and has vowed to be even better next season. "The doctors told me that the knee actually will be stronger than ever," Arenas said. "With the strength work we are doing, I should be able to jump and dunk like I did back in college. What happened to me and to our team this year is only going to make us stronger next year."

A group of computer savy Laker fans have started a website to bring Kevin Garnett to Los Angeles. GetGarnett.com is a slick looking site that hopes to get KG in Hollywood.

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MLB Rumors & Notes

Friday, May 11, 2007

If the Padres have no interest in Phil Nevin, who is still looking for work despite swatting 22 home runs last season, then it's about time for a suitable Plan B to surface. “I think you've always got to keep your eyes open to upgrade what we can,” Towers said after yesterday's 5-3 loss in Atlanta. “But right now, there's not a lot of inventory because very few clubs are willing to wave the white flag and trade away some of their better players. . . “I'm trying to be realistic here. I don't think a lot of clubs are in trade mode.” Efforts to revive Nevin's career, most conspicuously by the Padres' radio affiliate, have been met mainly with indifference in the front office. “Where's he going to play?” Towers asked yesterday. ... If Nevin is a no-go, then what about Carlsbad's Troy Glaus, the slugging third baseman of the last-place Toronto Blue Jays? What about Rancho Bernardo's Hank Blalock of the last-place Texas Rangers? What about Ryan Zimmerman, whose talent is wasted with the Washington Nationals?

With Felix Hernandez set to step into the Mariners rotation exactly five days after Jeff Weaver’s start, someone has to step out of that rotation. On paper, that would be Cha Seung Baek, who could be optioned back to Tacoma. But on the field, where it matters, Baek has pitched well in two of his four starts. Weaver hasn’t had what could be called a good start yet – and being 0-6 with a 14.32 earned run average has left him vulnerable. The Mariners could try to help him find himself by making him a long man in the bullpen and leaving Baek in the rotation. Or, they could release him and eat the remainder of his $8.25 million contract.

Red Sox DH David Ortiz did not talk to print reporters for publication yesterday, though he privately expressed anger and disappointment about published reports linking him to the ongoing debate over performance-enhancing substances

Speculation continues that former Twins general manager Andy MacPhail will become baseball's next commissioner when Bud Selig decides he has had enough.

What's wrong with Carlos Zambrano? The guy who declared in spring training he was going to win the National League Cy Young Award is 3-3 with a 5.83 ERA -- already trailing at least three pitchers on his own team in the early stages of the Cy Young race. Is it simply mechanics, as Zambrano and manager Lou Piniella suggest? And what about that would-be $84 million contract that's hanging in limbo because of the sale of the Cubs' parent company? ''No,'' Zambrano said. ''Nothing to do with that. Just mechanics. Mechanics have nothing to do with the contract.'' Certainly the loose end of a contract that was a final detail away from completion two days before the season opener has been at least a small distraction. ''No,'' Zambrano said sternly. ''Next question.''

Several experienced closers – Roberto Hernandez, Brad Lidge, Jose Mesa – could be available in trades, but GM J.P. Ricciardi said the Jays will weather their closer situation with players on the current roster. "We're going to have (Ryan) back next year and some of those guys (closers) are carrying big contracts ... you don't have the luxury of carrying two closers next year," Ricciardi said. "I just don't see us making a deal for a closer."

It is a single number buried in a 14-page report from the World Anti-Doping Agency, but it is another strong indication that major league baseball players are continuing to pop amphetamines and other banned stimulants despite the introduction of testing last year. Urine samples in Major League Baseball's anti-doping policy are sent to a Montreal lab for analysis. And because the Montreal lab is accredited by WADA, it is required to submit all positive test results for inclusion in WADA's annual “Adverse Analytical Findings Report,” no matter if they are from an Olympic sport or a professional league. In years past, the Montreal lab reported about 20 annual positives for banned stimulants. In 2006, the first year MLB began stimulant testing there, the number jumped significantly. To 104. “We had a lot of stimulants in 2006, yes, that I can confirm,” said Christiane Ayotte, the director of the Montreal lab. “But that's as far as I can go. I cannot confirm what sport they were in. I won't do that.”

With Joe Mauer laid up for the next 15 to 20 days because of a strained left quadriceps muscle, there has been more talk of the Twins catcher shifting to another position, where he might stay healthier. However, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire says that is not going to happen. "Mauer loves to catch and he doesn't want to play any other position," Gardenhire said. "He does a great job of handling the pitchers, and that is where he wants to be." Gardenhire said Mauer does have enough athletic ability to play another position if the team ever wanted to move him.

Pirates manager Jim Tracy, in his second season, will not be fired. Not only does he not deserve to have his contract terminated, but he also is making about $1.2 million a season. The thought of owner Bob Nutting swallowing the more than $2 million he owes Tracy is incomprehensible.

The Giants have 10 days to trade Todd Linden or place him on waivers. If neither happens they can outright him to Triple-A Fresno. Linden said if he has to go to Fresno he will "battle it out there," but clearly he hopes to land with another organization. "As far as I'm concerned, change is a good thing," Linden said.

The Phils did make Jon Lieber available this winter, but there was little interest. Now he's in the rotation, having taken the place of Brett Myers, who, out of necessity, is in the bullpen. Pat Gillick didn't sound optimistic about upgrading the bullpen any time soon. "Everyone is trying to fix one part of their pitching staff," he said. "The teams that have established guys are not going to weaken their bullpens. You need to hit on something internally or hit on an unexpected source externally. Teams just don't have enough in reserve" to trade relievers.

The Dodgers could move Juan Pierre back into the leadoff spot. In the nine games before Rafael Furcal returned from the ankle injury he suffered late in spring training, Pierre went 8 for 38 in the leadoff spot, with just one walk. Since then, Pierre has hit .287 in the two-hole, while Furcal has struggled to a .226 average. Moreover, by moving Pierre into the leadoff spot, Little could go with catcher Russell Martin second and drop Furcal to third, something he considered over the winter. Nomar Garciaparra, who normally hits third, is in the throes of a 1-for-17 slide and could be moved lower in the order - possibly to Martin's customary sixth spot.

Guillermo Mota could be eligible to return to the Mets on May 30, 19 days away. Mota, who's suspended for the first 50 games of the season due to steroids, is in St. Lucie, Fla., for extended spring training. He's faring pretty well. "Everything is right on track, according to [rehab pitching coordinator] Randy Niemann," Guy Conti, the Mets bullpen coach, said Wednesday. "His changeup's outstanding. His fastball's great. So he's right on track." Mota came to spring training late, and he's been away from the club all season. But his potential impact on the Mets can't be trivialized. If Mota returns and can be a reliable late-inning arm, the Mets bullpen will significantly change. Especially since they have had a couple of late-game problems, particularly against Atlanta.

One week has passed since the Baltimore Orioles discovered Adam Loewen would miss the majority of the season, perhaps the worst news the team has received this season. But good news -- "a silver lining," Orioles Vice President Jim Duquette said -- has arrived: Loewen will not need surgery on the stress fracture in his left elbow, in part because the team caught the injury so early.

It's unknown whether Toronto will conduct a fire sale, but the Phillies, Braves, Dodgers and Orioles are among teams that have had scouts at recent Blue Jays games.

While manager Fredi Gonzalez said he doesn't believe the Marlins have lost any games because of Jeremy Hermida's absence, he is prepared to make Hermida his permanent right fielder the moment he is activated from the disabled list. That moment could be as early as this weekend. ''It could be this weekend, it could be the middle of next week,'' Gonzalez said. ``There really is no timetable.''

Diamondbacks reserve Alberto Callaspo was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and assault Thursday afternoon and will not join the Diamondbacks on their road trip today. Callaspo, 24, was arrested after police responded to a domestic dispute call Thursday afternoon in the 3100 block of East Legacy Drive. He is being held by Phoenix police. Callaspo’s wife, Marianny Paola, suffered minor injuries, according to a police report. The D-Backs today will place Callaspo on the restricted list or option him to the minor leagues, team president Derrick Hall said, while the matter is under investigation. “We do not feel Alberto should be with the team due to the allegations,” Hall said Thursday night.

It's a relatively meager amount by baseball standards, but the Yankees' signing of Roger Clemens this week will benefit the Twins, who with some other clubs will share about $6 million that New York will have to pay in extra luxury tax. The amount should be enough for Minnesota to pay salaries for a couple of September call-up players from the minors.

Even though Rays LHP Scott Kazmir has a 2.56 ERA and allowed three or fewer runs in his past five starts, he said he feels like he's still building up arm strength and his best starts are yet to come. After the Rays shut Kazmir down in August because of shoulder soreness, he didn't touch a baseball for most of the offseason, a first for the 23-year-old. "That might have something to do with it," Kazmir said. "I just have to get back in the swing of things."

Backup catcher Toby Hall says he can rejoin the White Sox next weekend against the Cubs, but Ozzie Guillen isn't so sure. Hall has been sidelined for seven weeks with a torn labrum. Toby Hall and Jim Thome could leave as soon as Friday night for Triple-A Charlotte, with Thome expected to rejoin the Sox on Tuesday.

Shea Hillenbrand's offensive funk has apparently reached such depths that the designated hitter was back on the bench for a second consecutive day Thursday afternoon despite the fact that the Angels were facing a left-handed pitcher. Hillenbrand may be hitting only .225, but he is hitting .286 against left-handers and .298 against left-handers in his career. So it seemed odd that he was in the dugout Thursday instead of taking hacks against Cleveland left-hander Jeremy Sowers in an attempt to work his way out of a prolonged slump. Asked if he had talked to Manager Mike Scioscia about being out of the lineup for a second consecutive day, Hillenbrand said, "You can talk to him about it. It has nothing to do with me."

Braves closer Bob Wickman will probably be activated Tuesday, the day he's eligible to come off the 15-day disabled list. Bobby Cox said he didn't think the veteran, who has been out with a sore back, would need a minor-league rehab assignment. Wickman threw a bullpen session Wednesday.

Joe Torre reiterated that the Yanks aren't plotting to unveil Roger Clemens against a certain team - Boston - but also said the Yanks wouldn't shy away from it because of the likely atmosphere if the Rocket returned in the June 1-3 series in Boston. "Every place he goes, (his first start) is going to be a circus," Torre said. "Wherever it falls, it falls."

Possibly fearing another leak of confidential medical records to the government, Major League Baseball players have decided not to allow former Sen. George Mitchell's staff access to anonymous records for his steroids probe, according to several lawyers familiar with the negotiations.

Felix Pie's demotion to Triple-A Iowa on Thursday was no surprise with the glut of left-handed-hitting outfielders on the Cubs' roster. The Cubs finally decided that having Pie come off the bench as a late-inning defensive replacement was hurting his development and handcuffing manager Lou Piniella at the same time. Angel Pagan, a switch-hitter who can play all three outfield spots, was called up from Iowa to take Pie's place. "We needed to get Pie playing, plus Pagan gives us a switch-hitting bat and he can help out a little bit in center field," Piniella said. "Those are the reasons."

Jon Lester played catch for the third consecutive day prior to the game and extended from 90 to 120 feet without any difficulties. The lefty, who remains on the disabled list after experiencing cramping in his left forearm last Wednesday at Pawtucket, may be allowed to throw off a bullpen mound within the next few days, but the Sox are intentionally bringing him along at a deliberate pace.

The beer has stopped flowing at Coors Field, at least in the home and visitors' clubhouses. In the wake of the drinking-related death of Cardinals pitcher Josh Hancock, the Rockies joined a parade of teams changing their clubhouse alcohol policies. "We will no longer serve draft beer in either the home clubhouse or the visitors' clubhouse," Rockies spokesman Jay Alves said Thursday. "It was a decision made in the best interest of the organization."

Twins General Manager Terry Ryan said the team has to find a way to beat lefthanded pitchers and said the possible recall of outfielder Lew Ford from Class AAA Rochester in the next couple of days could help the problem.

Rangers manager Ron Washington has one piece of advice for his pitchers when it comes to handling Vladimir Guerrero. Texas has intentionally walked Guerrero only nine times in 57 games, but that number might rise soon as the Rangers host the Angels for a four-game series beginning tonight. Among players with a minimum of 150 at-bats against the Rangers, no one even comes close to Guerrero's .437 batting average. Consider his numbers against Texas over the past 21 games and two seasons: eight homers (exactly one every 10 at-bats), 21 RBI and a .788 slugging percentage. "We've got four games; I might walk him nine times in four," Washington said. "The guy is a monster -- what are you going to do?"

How About That? Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano has served up a major-league-leading 10 home runs in 46 1/3 innings. In 2003, his breakthrough season, Zambrano allowed nine homers in 214 innings.

Manager Ozzie Guillen held a brief meeting with the White Sox's traveling party Thursday to warn them that their off-field behavior might start being more closely scrutinized in Chicago in the aftermath of Josh Hancock's alcohol-related death. "I'm not going to say we're a target, but we have to be aware because you never know," Guillen said. "You never know what is out there, you never know what situation we're going to handle. I talked to them and said, 'We are grown people. You're not my kids. Don't put us in the situation. There's going to be media there for the next couple of days, couple of weeks. People are going to try to look for any reason to talk about you guys. Hopefully it's not about drinking and driving.' "Like I say, I'm not going to baby-sit anybody. My job is to try to win games. On the other hand, I have to protect the integrity of baseball. I have to protect the integrity of the organization."

Right-hander Jerome Williams, who sprained his ankle while batting in the midst of his only effective major league start of the season, took a step toward returning to the Washington Nationals' rotation yesterday with a six-inning, one-run outing for Class AAA Columbus. "He pitched really well," General Manager Jim Bowden said. "He's ready to go." Williams will take John Patterson's spot in the rotation and face the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday at RFK Stadium. Patterson is on the disabled list with soreness in his right elbow and biceps.

Adam LaRoche primarily will concentrate on the task at hand. "I just want to win," he said. "I want to get some hits, get the team going. I don't care who it's against. "But I'm not going to ignore [the Atlanta players] because I'm on the other side now. I'm not going to go, 'Hey, you guys are the enemy.' I don't play like that. "And I've told you guys before that it was an awesome clubhouse [atmosphere in Atlanta], a great group of guys. I'll never forget it, so it will be good to get to rap with them a little bit."

Michael Wilson, Canada's ambassador to the United States, will visit the Metrodome on June 12 to congratulate British Columbia native Justin Morneau on his 2006 Most Valuable Player Award. On May 26, a contingent from the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame will present the Twins first baseman with the Tip O'Neill Award, emblematic of achievement and team contribution "while adhering to the highest ideals of the game."

The Phillies are a confounding, feast-or-famine team, and have been for several years. Entering yesterday, they were first in the league in on-base percentage (.358) and third in runs (169). Yet they had stranded 290 runners, by far the most in the league.

Padres CEO Sandy Alderson plans to be in China later this month as part of a tour with Major League Baseball officials. The Padres have expressed an interest in playing their 2008 opener in Beijing should the commissioner's office schedule a game there, and Alderson will be part of an upcoming promotional tour to Beijing and Shanghai. “We'll use this as a jumping-off point for more extensive development and promotion of baseball in China,” Alderson said.

Left-hander Zach Duke is scheduled to start for the Pirates tonight. In his past three starts, he has yielded 20 hits and four earned runs in 182/3 innings. On the season, left-handers are batting .370 against him.

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NFL Rumors & Notes

Friday, May 11, 2007

Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank, concerned that quarterback Michael Vick could be suspended by the NFL, has had another meeting with his embattled star where "I could not have been more stern." Blank spoke to Vick in person about a series of recent off-the-field incidents, most recently an ongoing investigation of illegal dog fighting at a property he owns in Virginia. Blank said he did not know if Vick has any involvement but, "from the facts we have so far, it's not a pretty picture. It's clearly an issue and we'll wait and see what revolves around it. I'm not a prosecutor or an attorney so I'm not going to sit in judgment of Michael." ... Blank has been criticized for being too close to Vick. Blank did not deny the relationship with Vick, but said it has allowed him to be firm with Vick when needed. "If it sounds like I'm talking stern, like to a child of mine, I am," Blank said. "He needs to take some personal responsibility." Blank said he also reminded Vick that he could lose his lucrative endorsement deals if he continues to garner negative publicity. Vick has several endorsement deals, the biggest with Nike and AirTran. "I told him that if, 'You think [Nike chairman] Phil Knight is going to have the image of his company tarnished you're wrong. They have a lot of athletes that represent them and represent them well. Michael, I'm telling you they're not going to sit by, just like the NFL won't sit by.' He told me he is aware of that."

Ounce upon a time, training-camp holdouts by NFL veterans were as common as jock itch. But the advent of free agency changed that. So did the harsh financial penalties a team could levy on a player if he played hooky from camp. But revisions in last year's collective bargaining agreement, which dramatically reduced the financial consequences of a holdout, combined with some of the ludicrous free-agent contracts that were handed out this offseason, could trigger a rash of veteran holdouts this summer. "You're going to see an upsurge in holdouts of players under contract," Eagles president Joe Banner said. "I think [it will be] dramatic. And it's mainly because of the gutting of the signing-bonus language." Previously, a club was able to write language into a player's contract that allowed it to recover the remaining portion of the player's signing bonus if he held out or failed in any way to honor his contract. But the amendments that were added to last year's CBA extension changed that. Now, if a player holds out, a team can only reclaim 25 percent of the prorated portion of the signing bonus amount for 1 year. In other words, if a player signed a 5-year contract that included a $10 million signing bonus, a team only can take back $500,000.

Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio, who isn't one of quarterback Byron Leftwich's biggest boosters, wanted to take Brady Quinn with the team's first-round draft pick, according to a source. But vice president of player personnel James Harris, who makes the final call on personnel decisions, decided to take safety Reggie Nelson instead. Leftwich has missed 15 of the last 21 regular-season games with injuries and is entering the last year of his contract.

The Raiders have called around about Fran Foley, though it is unclear about how serious they are about hiring him. Foley was the vice president of player personnel that the Vikings fired about a year ago for falsifying his résumé and alienating some in their organization. Foley embellished the titles he held during his coaching career and the length of his playing days. But the Raiders thrive on giving second and third chances to players and other individuals. Foley certainly has qualified credentials. Foley served nine seasons in Jacksonville, working under then-Jaguars head coach Tom Coughlin, and he spent three seasons as San Diego's director of pro scouting.

There have been reports that NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock is being considered for the Raiders job. But Mayock said there's nothing to it. "Al Davis had expressed an interest in me a year ago," Mayock said. "At that point, I told him the timing was not good for me and kind of backed out of it early. So I don't know what [the job] could have been or couldn't have been. Why it's surfacing now I have no idea." Mayock, who lives in Newtown Square, is a single dad with full custody of his two children. His daughter is a college freshman and his son is a high school sophomore.

The Bears should know within the next two weeks how severely jailed defensive tackle Tank Johnson will be punished by the NFL. ... Speculation is that the Bears will be without Johnson for eight games. Roger Goodell could take into account that Johnson has served jail time, but since his incarceration did not prevent him from playing in any games, it might not be much of a factor in the commissioner’s ruling.

In two years, Donovan McNabb's contract status becomes an issue. If he plays well, stays healthy, wins, and is willing to re-work his contract, there's every chance he'll still be here. If McNabb takes the Eagles to the Super Bowl, is there anyone who thinks the Eagles will cut him and play the untested new guy? And now, right now, McNabb is the quarterback. The rest is all drama, just soap opera, only theater. The key for the Eagles is to hold it to that, to keep real news from breaking out.

After staying away from the Steelers this offseason as a sign of protest over his current contract, perennial Pro Bowl guard Alan Faneca will report to a minicamp that will kick off May 11. Faneca was considering staying away, which would have subject him to a fine in the vicinity of $12,000, and the Steelers also could have pursued other bonus money they've given him.

Cowboys guard Marco Rivera's future is in doubt because of back surgery. Owner and general manager Jerry Jones said he wanted to meet with Rivera before making a decision. Rivera, the starting right guard the last two years, would count about $1.2 million against the salary cap if he is cut.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit has upheld the one-year, one-day sentence of Dr. James Shortt for illegally distributing steroids and human growth hormone to Carolina Panthers players and other patients. In an opinion published today, 4th Circuit Judge Paul V. Niemeyer wrote on behalf of a three-judge panel that "Shortt's conspiracy subverted professional sports as an institution and the roles that professional athletes play in this country."

Indianapolis appears to have a slight lead over Dallas in the bidding for the 2011 Super Bowl. The league's owners will select the site for the '11 game at its spring meeting in Nashville on May 22. Indy, Dallas and Phoenix are the three finalists, but a league insider said Phoenix, which will host this season's championship game, is running a distant third. Indianapolis, whose new stadium will open in 2008, is believed to have the support of many of the owners of the league's midmarket teams. There also is an anti-Jerry Jones faction in the league that would rather play the game in Saskatchewan than see the Cowboys' owner get it. Jones has pointed out to his fellow owners that former commissioner Paul Tagliabue promised the '11 Super Bowl to Arlington (the Dallas-Fort Worth suburb where the Cowboys' stadium is being built) if the city helped fund a stadium.

The Giants, who badly need a left tackle to protect Eli Manning's blindside, talked to Cleveland before the draft about its starting left tackle, Kevin Shaffer. But the two sides couldn't work out a deal. The Browns signed Shaffer away from the Falcons in '06 and gave him $12 million in signing and option bonuses. But he was a bust last season. If he sticks around, it won't be at left tackle, where the Browns already have plugged in first-round pick Joe Thomas. The Giants are expected to take another run at Shaffer before they open training camp.

Dolphins head coach Cam Cameron has not discussed Ricky Williams, nor reached out to him, something that former Miami head coach Nick Saban did. Right now, Williams is not on the Dolphins' radar screen. If he gets reinstated -- and the decision will be handed down in the next seven days -- then he will have to be. But right now, based on the body of evidence the Dolphins have presented, it's hard to envision a scenario under which Williams is back in Miami next season.

Even if the Eagles aren't able to sign tight end L.J. Smith to a new contract between now and next February, that doesn't mean he won't be playing for them next season. The team always can use the franchise tag on Smith. The '07 franchise number for a tight end is just $4.371 million. The only position with a lower franchise number is punter/kicker ($2.078 million). Would they be willing to pay Smith $4.37 million next year if they weren't able to re-sign him and really wanted to hang on to him?

When the Cowboys begin a three-day minicamp Saturday, signifying the first official team activity of the Wade Phillips coaching era, they will do so with star receiver Terrell Owens largely as a spectator. Owens is rehabbing after two off-season surgeries to repair a torn tendon in his right ring finger. But, according to Phillips, it might not be long before Owens gets back on the field. Phillips said doctors have indicated that Owens is ahead of schedule in his rehab and might start catching passes before the Cowboys head to training camp in San Antonio in July. "I don't know [when he will catch passes] yet," Phillips said. "But we are closer to being able to do that."

Bears GM Jerry Angelo has stated, optimistically, that he hoped Tank Johnson had paid a stiff enough price by serving 60 days in jail but most league observers expect Johnson to receive a suspension for as many as eight games. Some fear that Johnson, who spent time in jail unlike Jones or Henry, could be suspended the entire season. Johnson is scheduled to leave jail Sunday and the Bears full-team mini-camp is set to begin next Friday.

Washington Redskins Coach Joe Gibbs expressed surprise and dismay yesterday that neither starting free safety Sean Taylor nor starting cornerback Shawn Springs attended the first week of voluntary workouts. Springs said yesterday he plans to join the workouts the first week of June. Taylor's absence was predicted days ago by some of his defensive teammates, who said they did not believe he would be in attendance. Part of the reason, some teammates believe, is that Taylor, 24, has been unhappy with his contract, which expires following the 2008 season. "With Sean Taylor, I've had no contact whatsoever," Gibbs said. "I'm not aware of anything there. That's about all I can say about it. I've had no contact."

Just how soon he gets back is the question. Vikings coach Brad Childress said in March that Erasmus James is a candidate for the physically unable to perform list when training camp begins in July. James knows he won't be ready for the June 1-3 minicamp but is hopeful he can avoid the PUP scenario. Besides rehabilitating at Winter Park, James also is taking trips every six weeks to Vail, Colo., to be examined by Dr. Richard Steadman. He performed the initial surgery on James' knee in November and then did some minor follow-up work in February. James is able to run in a pool of water -- he hasn't started doing on-the-field running or cutting yet -- and his next appointment with Steadman is in about "three to four weeks." While having to undergo a second procedure might have been considered bad news, James actually feels that helped with his recovery.

The long road back for Tennessee Titans wide receiver David Givens has gotten even longer. Givens, who suffered a devastating knee injury last year in a November game against Baltimore, underwent a second surgery on his left knee six weeks ago and now says his goal is to be back sometime before the 2007 season is over. “They just had to clean my meniscus,” said Givens, who walked with a noticeable limp Thursday at Baptist Sports Park. “There were some loose bodies in there, and the process of the bone growing back, they kind of had to shave that down a little and get it back to where it should be.”

Cowboys coach Wade Phillips said he has done his best to reassure Greg Ellis that he remains part of the team's plans, despite Purdue pass rusher Anthony Spencer being drafted in the first round. "Sometimes players don't understand, but we are just trying to get the best players," Phillips said.

LenDale White’s offseason this year has started out just like year — with a hamstring injury. Last year, a hamstring injury played a role in White slipping to the second round where the Titans took him with the 45th overall pick. On Tuesday, White, who reported for offseason work at around 260 pounds, suffered a strained hamstring and was having it checked out on Thursday, causing him to miss practice. “He had a minor episode with the hamstring in Tuesday’s OTA,” Titans coach Jeff Fisher said. “He’s getting it checked … and that’s why he wasn’t here. We don’t expect it to be severe, and he may or may not miss time next week.”

New Titans defensive backs coach Chuck Cecil has decided to completely shuffle the deck, declaring every spot in the secondary, except for the strong safety spot occupied by Chris Hope, as open for competition. That means that two-year starters like safety Lamont Thompson and cornerback Reynaldo Hill, as well as free-agent pick up Nick Harper and first-round Michael Griffin and a host of others will have to fight for whatever playing time they get. “Basically every position is up for grabs right now,” Cecil said. “There’s no corner spot that’s solid. I’d say Chris Hope is pretty much a lock at the strong safety position, but the other three spots, we’re just rotating guys around and let the chips fall where they may. The best guys are going to play.” Harper, brought in as a free agent from the Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts, says it is nothing new for him to have to fight for a spot.

A former quarterback and head coach at the University of Alabama, Mike Shula now is in charge of tutoring the Jaguars' quarterbacks, who bear the brunt of responsibility for the team's anemic 24th-ranked aerial attack of 2006. So, how will the performance be remedied? By emphasizing solid fundamentals, Shula says. After reviewing film of last season's games, Shula says he didn't notice an abnormal amount of technical errors from Byron Leftwich and David Garrard. Rather, the decision to focus on fundamentals is simply Shula's coaching philosophy.

"Please don't judge my son by his appearance. When you see this black guy with dreadlocks and gold in his mouth, don't put him down as some thug. Get to know Marshawn and you'll know he's a much different character.' - Delisa Lynch on her son Marshawn, who was the Bills' first-round pick.

Bill Belichick was the first to speak with Randy Moss. Then Tom Brady got the wide receiver’s ear as the trade that rocked Day 2 of the NFL draft last month was consummated. Any guesses as to the identity of the next Patriots player to race to the phone and dial up Moss to officially welcome him to the three-time Super Bowl champions? “Yeah, I called him the (day) after the trade,” Kevin Faulk said yesterday. “I just wanted to greet him, and let him know how much the team appreciated having him - his great pair of hands - and that we were going to have fun together.”

Jim Todd, a Nashville-based defense attorney and a former prosecutor, said the state must prove that Ravens QB Steve McNair was in custody or control of the vehicle and that he knowingly turned the keys over to someone who was intoxicated. "Usually, the knowingly part is the difficult part to prove," Todd said. "If his brother-in-law was just over the legal limit, Mr. McNair's lawyers could have a good argument that he didn't knowingly do anything." Todd said that in such cases, it's rare for an officer not to charge the person in McNair's position. But in practice, he said, such charges are usually pleaded down severely or dismissed.

The Falcons cut one-time starting cornerback Jason Webster Thursday, a move that was signaled weeks ago when new coach Bobby Petrino said there would be a new starter opposite Pro Bowl cornerback DeAngelo Hall. Webster's release will ease some of the strain on the Falcons' finances as he was owed $7.5 million over the next three seasons — $2 million next season.

Quarterback Brock Berlin was waived Thursday. With the addition of undrafted free agent Matt Moore and Tarleton State's Richard Bartel in for a tryout, the Cowboys will have five quarterbacks at minicamp.

Two years ago, the AFC West's quarterbacks were Kansas City's Trent Green (12th season), Oakland's Kerry Collins (11th), Denver's Jake Plummer (ninth) and San Diego's Drew Brees (fifth). This season, the Chargers' Philip Rivers, who's 25 and has started 17 NFL games, is the old man of the division's quarterbacks ahead of second-year men Jay Cutler of the Broncos (five starts), Croyle of the Chiefs (zero) and Raiders rookie JaMarcus Russell.

The NFL is scheduled on Wednesday to begin selling the first block of tickets to the Dolphins-New York Giants game in London to a group of fans, mostly in the United Kingdom, who won a lottery to buy tickets after registering online. Dolphins season-ticket holders wanting to make the trip for the Oct. 28 game at Wembley Stadium will get a separate opportunity to buy tickets and will receive information by mail about tickets and travel packages later this month, Dolphins Enterprises spokesman George Torres said. Tickets will also be made available to the Giants, he said.

The North Shore casino developer is upset about another delay in the master plan vote by the city planning commission, saying the company has done its best to address concerns, many of which involve traffic. But PITG Gaming LLC isn't the only one upset about the planning for the Majestic Star casino. Steelers President Art Rooney II said yesterday he's unhappy the casino's impact on game day traffic at Heinz Field won't be analyzed as part of an expanded traffic study. In an interview, he said the Steelers would consider a lawsuit if planners approve the casino master plan without studying the impact on events at Heinz Field.

How much did Brady Quinn's first-round nose dive cost him? Well, based on contract figures for the No. 3 and 22 picks in '06, he lost about $20 million guaranteed money by slipping those 19 spots.

Next weekend, Vikings third-round draft pick Marcus McCauley, the former Fresno State standout cornerback, will become the first person in his family to earn a college degree. He will graduate from Fresno State on May 19 with his degree in sociology.

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Odd Notes & Stuff

Friday, May 11, 2007

Major League Soccer might beat the NBA and other big-league sports to Las Vegas, and in a big way. Banking on the international appeal of soccer and of the city, the Las Vegas Sports & Entertainment Group could have an MLS team playing in Las Vegas by 2010. Anyone for Las Vegas Football Club season tickets? "We're excited and doing our homework," Mark Noorzai, the sports group's president, said. "We are committed to bringing an MLS team to Las Vegas. "I think Las Vegas (Football Club) would be the premier franchise in MLS. If I didn't think so, I wouldn't be doing this."

Noland Burchette was signed as an undrafted free agent and will be in Falcons minicamp, trying to make an early impression at defensive end in hopes of winning a job. The assumption is, nothing now can faze him. What happened at Virginia Tech, he said, “is something that I’m going to be connected to the rest of my life. I was in class with a serial killer.” He counts himself fortunate: He is alive and so are his friends. Burchette had a class with Seung-Hui Cho. The troubled youth whose dark poetry alarmed even classmates in a creative writing class went on a shooting rampage last month in Blacksburg, killing 27 students and five faculty members, before committing suicide.

Sitting on the 14th floor of the HBO offices yesterday, Floyd Mayweather rattled off potential future opponents who could lure him back into the ring, including Felix Trinidad, Miguel Cotto, Winky Wright and Shane Mosley. Of the four, Mayweather seemed more excited about fighting Trinidad, who himself retired twice, the latest coming after a one-sided loss to Wright in May 2005. "I'll fight Trinidad," Mayweather said. "But Mosley, he's a sparring partner. I don't fight sparring partners." Mayweather, 30, isn't going to let Mosley live down serving as De La Hoya's sparring partner in preparation for the May 5 fight, which will be replayed on HBO at 10 p.m. tomorrow.

Speaking of Floyd Mayweather, Thursday he congratulated Max Kellerman of ESPN 1050 on the air for being the new lead analyst on HBO, even though that hasn't been announced.