Ben Maller’s Sports Rumors & Notes

Rumors Archive for May 22, 2007

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NBA Rumors & Notes

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor, who chatted with Kevin Garnett at Sunday's Lynx game at Target Center, asked if his $20 million star will be back with the team next season: "That's our assumption. He hasn't said anything to me (about a trade) and I haven't said anything to him."

Vince Carter can opt out of the final year of his contract ($16.3 million) to test free agency, as most expect him to do. Two teams with some cap space that could be landing spots are Orlando (close to his home) and Charlotte (close to his daughter). So Carter saying proximity to family is not a major issue becomes significant. At the Nets' break-up gathering yesterday, Carter insisted he has not thought it through, that "everything" will weigh into his decision and that he "will approach this like I was choosing a college." So the Nets may need to offer illegal cash payments and a car.

It all comes back to the Mavs. But, would Michael Finley? After all that's transpired -- the Mavs releasing him after nine seasons to avoid paying a massive, self-induced salary-cap penalty, to Jason Terry's infamous punch to Finley's groin and owner Mark Cuban's reactionary endorsement to boo Finley -- Cuban said he'd like Finley to consider a fresh start up north. "I would hope that after his contract is over in San Antone, he would consider the Mavs as an option," Cuban said Monday. "I don't know that he would, but our entire organization has that much respect for him." Cuban continued: "I'm absolutely rooting for Fin. No question about it. I told him the first time I saw him after he joined the Spurs that if we didn't win, I hoped he did. I even sent him a text after he beat the Suns saying the same thing." Finley has one season left on his deal, a player option, which calls for $18.6 million in Mavs money and $3.1 million from the Spurs.

Clippers forward Corey Maggette could terminate the final year of his contract and become a free agent after next season, so the Clippers are expected to draft a perimeter player.

Ed Snider, the chairman of the Comcast-Spectacor ownership group overseeing the 76ers, wants to cease rewards in the draft for terrible or injury-riddled teams. And he's prepared to say that to commissioner David Stern or to any appropriate league committee. He wants a system that offers one pingpong ball per lottery team. One to a customer, rather than the weighted system currently being used, which gives 25 chances in 1,000 to the team with the worst record, seven chances in 1,000 to the Sixers, seeded No. 12 after losing a coin flip with the Indiana Pacers. "First and foremost, it's a black eye for the league for various cities to even be talking about wanting their teams to lose," Snider said. "That's the most important thing. There should never be any incentive to lose, but because of the pingpong ball system there is that incentive. "While a team may not be trying to lose, the perception that they are is still there, and more importantly the perception that they're disappointing their fans if they're not losing is horrible. We, as an organization, will never try to lose, but we even had players on other teams alluding to being taken out of games because their teams wanted to lose. It might not be true, but it's a player's perception. "I'm not making an accusation, but the perception of this by not only fans and writers but players is awful." Snider believes that giving each of the 14 lottery teams an equal opportunity in the lottery would eliminate any incentive to lose games.

The Charlotte Bobcats might have a new coach by the start of next week. A source familiar with the situation said team officials would like to leave for next week's pre-draft camp, near Orlando, Fla., with the coach selected. Dallas Mavericks assistant coach Sam Vincent appears to be a strong candidate, and met with at least one Bobcats official over the weekend, the source said.

Hawks GM Billy Knight refuses to second-guess himself or his plan to rebuild the Hawks from a league doormat to a consistent playoff contender. If you're looking for a mea culpa for mistakes in his quest, you've come to the wrong place. That's the one game Knight won't play. "It's always insightful when you look back and say what could have been or what you should have done or what you would have done in that situation. Everybody does that and every team can look back and say they're looking at things differently now," said Knight, who won't be in New Jersey for the unveiling of the draft order. "I just choose not to do that. This is what it is, this is who we have, right, wrong or indifferent. Whoever wants to judge it and evaluate it, go right ahead and judge it and evaluate it. "But these are the players we have and this is the team we have. This is what we're going to go with going forward. We'll keep trying the best we can every draft and every free-agent period. Every trade, we'll keep working on getting the most out of it, whatever the situation may be. But you can't think about what if. This is the way it is. You can't go back and redo it. This isn't the "Deja Vu" movie with Denzel Washington. You can't go back and do it over. And you can't worry about that."

If Kirk Hinrich received annual salaries of $9.5 million in his extension, Ben Gordon and Luol Deng will be seeking $11 million-$12 million. The Bulls hold their rights for the next two seasons no matter what. "I have no idea what Ben and Lu are going to be looking for," Paxson said. "An extension is not something that is a given. There has to be some give and take. They have to weigh having financial security as opposed to having some injury that could hurt them. That's their decision, not mine."

Rick Adelman, the only candidate the Rockets pursued, agreed to terms Monday on a contract to become the team's next coach, a person with knowledge of the Rockets' decision-making said. Adelman will fly to Houston today and be introduced Wednesday. "The Rockets organization will get an outstanding coach," said Hall of Fame guard Clyde Drexler, whom Adelman coached in six of Drexler's 11-plus seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers. "I think he's the guy to get them over the top."

Maybe you were one of the lucky ones who got Brandon Roy’s autograph at a signing at the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame on Saturday. Or maybe you arrived at the museum and did an about-face when you learned the cost of the signature of the NBA’s rookie of the year. If you had an 8-by-10 photo for him to sign, the price was $40. If Roy’s people provided the photo, it was $45 for an 8-by-10, $65 for a 16-by-20. Sign your basketball or jersey? No problem, for $50. Add $10 if you wanted the autograph personalized (“To Jason, best wishes, Brandon Roy”). ... I can only hope that Roy’s share of the profits goes to charity. And that he might think about how bad it looks for a player earning nearly $3 million last season to be charging those kinds of prices of the fan who, in effect, is paying his salary.

Bulls lead assistant Jim Boylan will interview for the vacant Indiana Pacers head coaching position, according to two league sources. Former Heat coach Stan Van Gundy is considered the front-runner because he already has interviewed twice. But a league source said the Pacers, who also have interviewed assistants Chuck Person and Johnny Davis as well as Lakers assistant Brian Shaw, haven't concluded the interview process.

Nets star Jason Kidd already knows how he will react if Vince Carter leaves the Meadowlands. “I wouldn’t be disappointed, because I can reflect on the K-Mart situation,” Kidd said Monday. “I would loved to have K-Mart back, but that didn’t happen. Whatever happens, you wish him the best. Business gets in the way, and as you get older, you understand that.”

Billy King and Maurice Cheeks are entering the final season of their respective contracts with the 76ers. But that, in the mind of chairman Ed Snider, is not the same as being lame ducks. Nor, Snider said yesterday, is it fair to say that the jobs of the president/general manager and head coach are on the line. "I think that would be an overstatement," Snider told the Daily News. "I don't know the status of anyone in the organization, in any part of the organization. "I keep reading about lame ducks here and there, but the Carolina Hurricanes' coach [Peter Laviolette, last year] was a lame duck and he won the Stanley Cup. When it was over, he signed a long-term contract. "We also know a guy can get extended and still be fired."

Who Knew? The Clippers have participated in 16 of the 22 draft lotteries, including eight consecutive from 1998 through 2005.

Nets coach Lawrence Frank, who is entering the last year of his deal, undoubtedly will be extended but declined comment.

Mikki Moore, who earned $1.071 million as a one-season free agent, wants to return and the Nets want him. But if the numbers Moore used to make a point are legit, there'll be problems. Moore will accept less from the Nets than others, but "This is just an example: If it's $38 million and the Nets offer me $33, I'd probably take that [$33 mil]. That's not a big pay cut. But in the teens, I can't do that to my family.

A little birdie says interim coach Randy Wittman has agreed in principle to a three-year head coaching deal with the Timberwolves. A contract is expected to be signed soon.

We’re talking about the 1997 draft lottery, when the 15-67 Cs landed the third overall pick, and 20-62 San Antonio scored the big prize - Tim Duncan. The Spurs haven’t been in the lottery since - an absence longer than that of any other team - and have also won three NBA titles. Only the Lakers have won as many over that stretch. The Celtics, on the other hand, have never suffered through a more humbling 10-year period. They have only produced three over-.500 teams since the 1997 lottery. With a significant push from this year’s 24-58 squad, they now hold a 10-year record of 357-431 - a .435 losing percentage.

Did You Know? The Celtics haven’t won an NBA title in 21 years. They haven’t reached the NBA Finals since 1987, and have reached the Eastern Conference finals only three times (1987, 1988, 2002) since winning their 16th and last title in 1986. But considering that they have also had a seat at the NBA Lottery for six of the last 10 years, there is a more recent measure of despair.

A favorable bounce of the ping-pong balls during the NBA's draft lottery tonight in New Jersey could net the Hawks two top-11 picks in next month's draft. It's a chance to shift the fortunes of a franchise that owns the dubious distinction of the league's longest postseason drought at eight years. An unfavorable bounce could see the Hawks finish without a pick — much more of a long shot than the former — and stuck in a precarious situation on the heels of a 69-177 three-year run.

Most Cavs fans wouldn't be able to escape the irony that the thunder sticks that have become a custom at NBA games were in full force at the Palace of Auburn Hills courtesy of Rock Financial -- a division of Quicken Loans. It just happens to be the company Cavs owner Dan Gilbert founded.

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MLB Rumors & Notes

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Who Knew? Since being recalled on May 6, Dodgers 3B Andy LaRoche has walked 13 times, the second-most in the NL behind Barry Bonds (19) during that span. He is tied with Derek Jeter for fourth in the Majors in bases on balls since his arrival behind Bonds, Jack Cust (18) and David Ortiz (15).

MLB isn’t the only outfit interested in Jason Giambi. According to a person with knowledge of the Angels’ thinking, the AL West leaders have an interest in acquiring the Yankees’ DH to bolster a lineup that is last in the league in home runs. ... The Angels’ interest in Giambi, who was in a 1-for-26 slump and batting .268 going into last night’s game, was before the recent controversy surfaced. It’s likely the Angels, who have 30 homers, will wait to see what MLB does before pursuing a deal the Yankees would have to listen to very seriously. The Angels have utility man Chone Figgins to move as well as backup catcher Jose Molina. And their farm system is loaded with young arms. However, if the Yankees have to eat a sizeable portion of Giambi’s salary to make the trade they would want more back for Giambi. As for Giambi, he has a blanket no-trade clause. However, the Angels play 20 minutes from West Covina, where he grew up, and an equal distance from the Orange County beaches Giambi enjoys.

Despite being off to the best start of his eight-year major league career, it remains doubtful that the Twins can re-sign Torii Hunter, who can become a free agent after the season. The reason is that Hunter, who is on his way to his second all-star appearance, will be unaffordable. At his present pace, Hunter, 31, who is being paid $12 million this season, can expect guaranteed offers in the $75 million range over five years, or $60 million for four years. The Twins, who will try to extend Johan Santana's contract, can't justify both.

Rockies manager Clint Hurdle and general manager Dan O'Dowd said they are "accountable" for the poor start. And both reject the notion that their jobs are more secure because of the extensions given opening day. Ownership's decision to commit to Hurdle and O'Dowd has shifted much of the criticism toward Charlie and Dick Monfort. "I think they understand that," Hurdle said of ownership. "The biggest challenge is to have patience. It takes courage, but you can't be blind to patience, either. I want to make sure people understand that's where we are. We don't ever say it's OK this has happened." Hurdle has not questioned the effort to win. Consistency, he said, remains the issue. And while the possibility for change exists, there are no drastic roster maneuvers planned, only the addition of reliever LaTroy Hawkins today.

While the names Tomo Ohka and Josh Towers are starting to make the rumor mill, Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi says he's not actively trying to trade anyone. "We'll listen on anyone, but it's just that time of year when names start popping up," he said.

As of 1 p.m. yesterday, when Craig Wilson cleared waivers, any team could sign him for the prorated portion of Major League Baseball's minimum salary of $380,000. As of late last night, the Pirates were not among the teams that called Wilson's agent, Steve Hilliard. Wilson, 30, was released late last week by Atlanta after batting .172 with a home run and two RBIs. Because Wilson cleared waivers, the Braves must pick up the bulk of his one-year, $2 million contract, while any team that signs him is responsible only for the minimum wage. The Pirates, who have one of the weakest offensive benches in the majors, have $4 million left to spend, as allotted by ownership

He'll try almost anything to avoid it, but Joe Crede is again considering offseason surgery to correct his back problems. The White Sox third baseman has had a pair of herniated discs in his back the last two years and chose to rehab instead of undergoing surgery last offseason. However, he had to be pulled after three innings of Sunday's game against the Cubs because the pain got so intense, was not in the starting lineup Monday and is day to day -- once again prompting talk of offseason surgery for the arbitration-eligible third baseman. "There are new things coming up it seems like every year on how to -- because it's such a widespread problem and a lot of people have had it -- they're starting to come out with some new technology to prevent the surgery," Crede said. "I think if anything we're going to go that route first -- I think that will be before we go the surgery and cut in."

O's manager Sam Perlozzo made one subtle allusion to his job security. Asked whether he'd be in Cooperstown for Ripken's induction (the Orioles are scheduled to play that day), he grinned and said, "I hope not."

Jason Giambi told Newsday last night that he had not had any contact from Major League Baseball since USA Today published his near-admission of steroid use on Friday. "I don't know anything yet, I'm sorry," Giambi said. Giambi told USA Today: "I was wrong for doing that stuff. What we should have done a long time ago was stand up - players, ownership, everybody - and said: 'We made a mistake.'"

Once Jason Giambi, the Yankees’ designated hitter, agrees to meet with the executive — likely to be either Rob Manfred, one of baseball’s executive vice presidents, or Frank Coonelly, one of baseball’s lawyers — the information will be presented to Bud Selig. After Selig reviews it, he will decide if he needs to speak with Giambi. No timetable has been set. The Yankees are working with league officials on the Giambi situation, so they will not make any moves regarding him or his contract until after baseball finishes its investigation.

St. Louis also has an $8 million option on closer Jason Isringhausen, who, in limited action this season, has justified that sort of pay. But since Izzy’s hip problems are chronic, the club will want to buy him out for $1.25 million and offer him somewhat less.

Troy Percival's comeback has taken shape, and his agent, Paul Cohen, said he has had discussions with "several" teams who want to take a long look at the former Angels closer. Percival is working out in Riverside in preparation for possible throwing sessions for scouts. "He and I have been talking about different possibilities," Cohen said Monday. "We've had some discussions but haven't finalized anything." Cohen would not say whether the Angels were on the list of potential suitors. Percival is taking time to determine where his services are needed. It is not clear if he wants to stay on the West Coast.

Cubs closer Ryan Dempster is now supposed to mentor Angel Guzman to take over his role, even though Guzman has never been a closer, is not ready to pitch in back-to-back games and has been winless in 13 career starts, an indication he's still learning his trade at the major-league level. Guzman could turn into a fine closer, although putting so much pressure on his shoulder at this stage of his career may be risky business.

Reds OF Josh Hamilton was feeling better Monday. Not 100 percent, but much better than he was early Saturday morning. Severe stomach pain accompanied by vomiting landed him in Cleveland's Lutheran Hospital. But that wasn't the end of the ordeal. "Three hours after I got there, they finally gave me something," he said. Doctors were reluctant to give medication to Hamilton because of the past battle with drug addiction. "They knew my background or whatever and didn't want to give me anything that would have me reminisce," he said. "I said, 'I'll be fine. Give it to me. Please.' " Video coordinator Johnny Narron was with Hamilton. He called Hamilton's wife, Katie. "She told them the medication was OK," Hamilton said.

Even though he wears the title of team captain, White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko said Monday that it's not his place to tell teammates to stop appearing on radio shows. But if he had his way, Konerko would like the airwaves free of Sox players. ''They can do what they want to do,'' Konerko said. ''It's up to them. Personally, I stay away from that as much as I can because it's kind of a lose-lose for a player. There's not much to gain. But I can't tell teammates to do it or not to do it.''

Welcome to Kauffman Stadium, featuring the nation’s tallest scoreboard. Maybe. No doubt the most noticeable feature of the upcoming stadium renovations at Kauffman Stadium will be the new crown scoreboard behind center field. “It will be about 50 percent bigger than it is now,” reported Earl Santee, senior principal of renovations for HOK Sport, which is in charge of the stadium redesign. The new scoreboard will stand about 105 feet tall and about 84 feet wide. It will, in fact, be as tall as the outfield light standards. “I’m not sure if there are any scoreboards that tall in other stadiums,” Santee said. “This might end up being the tallest.” It certainly will be the easiest to see, not just because of its size but also because it will be in high definition. The scoreboard actually will be two separate scoreboards stacked on each other, with the capability of producing one continuous image. Redesign plans also call for a new crown to be built (a bigger one, obviously) to sit on top of the new scoreboard, which will be ready to go by 2010.

Astros manager Phil Garner admitted Monday he's concerned about the lack of production from first baseman Lance Berkman, who came into the game hitting .272 with five homers and 23 RBIs. Berkman has just six extra-base hits, including one double, but is among the league leaders in on-base percentage at .424. "It concerns me a little bit because he's a big part of the club," Garner said. "What's he got? Six extra-base hits? He normally has 12 a month. That's a concern."

Pirate management's choice of Brian Rogers to take the staff vacancy created by Marty McLeary's demotion is a clear sign that Shawn Chacon will become the fifth starter to replace Tony Armas and pitch Saturday in Cincinnati. Chacon has a 2.84 ERA in 15 relief appearances. Rogers' recall -- he spent 10 games with the Pirates late last season and had an 8.31 ERA -- also should satisfy manager Jim Tracy's concern about having a reliever to replace Chacon in late-inning situations. That is precisely the role Rogers filled in Indianapolis, including two saves. The Pirates had given strong consideration to promoting one of three Indianapolis starters -- John Van Benschoten, Bryan Bullington and Sean Burnett -- but Van Benschoten and Bullington, the top two candidates, each had rough outings recently.

Carl Pavano was absent again yesterday when the Yankees returned home after nine games. General Manager Brian Cashman said the team expected to have a resolution today on whether Pavano would have reconstructive elbow surgery.

Who Knew? Johnnie Morton is not the first N.F.L. player to enter the mixed martial arts ring, only the most celebrated. Michael Westbrook, a former receiver for the Washington Redskins, won a fight two years ago over Jarrod Bunch, a former running back for the Giants. Bob Sapp, a washout as a N.F.L. lineman, became a formidable competitor in mixed martial arts.

Mets 1B Carlos Delgado hasn't had his average over .267 at any point this season, and it hasn't been as high as that since April 9. He's batting only .214 with three homers this year, though he does have 23 RBIs.

Joe Torre said it's up to Roger Clemens to decide if tomorrow night's start for Trenton (Double-A) is his last in the minors. "It will be his last if he says it is," Torre said of Clemens, who will be making his second minor-league outing since signing with the Yankees. Clemens and pitching guru Billy Connors will use John Madden's custom bus to make the trip from New York to Trenton. Barring injury, the 44-year-old Clemens will start for the Yankees in Toronto next week. If they keep him on four days' rest, that would be Monday. But Andy Pettitte starts against the Red Sox tomorrow night and Monday would be his day.

Based on history, the formula was simple: The Twins win 25 of reigning Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana's 32 starts, the rest of the starters pitch at a .500 clip, and Minnesota repeats as division champion. However, in the nine starts Santana has made this season, the Twins have won only four times. In fact, the Twins haven't won in four of Santana's past five starts. Result: Following Monday night's 14-4 loss in Texas, the team was 20-24 (.455) and eight games out of first place. Santana, who starts tonight against the Rangers, is on pace to win 15 games. The left-hander is 4-4 with a 3.26 earned-run average and 67 strikeouts in 58 innings.

Geoff Jenkins got back the baseball from his 200th career homer with the Brewers on Sunday, but it wasn't easy. Minnesota centerfielder Torii Hunter flipped the ball in the stands to a fan, who asked for more than the customary signed baseball or bat from Jenkins in return. In fact, the fan wanted several bats, jerseys, etc. "I told him it wasn't No. 755," Jenkins said.

Troy Tulowitzki accepted his drop from second to seventh in the Rockies lineup Monday night. He knew it was coming with the return of second baseman Kaz Matsui. After opening the season in a slump, Tulowitzki has emerged as a rookie of the year candidate. He entered Monday ranked first among National League freshmen in hits (39), RBIs (18), walks (18) and runs (21). He batted second for 23 straight games, posting a .297 average. He believes the patience gained from hitting in that spot will help him down in the order.

Phillies righthander Tom Gordon, who is on the disabled list with inflammation in his right shoulder, began a conditioning program yesterday at the Carpenter Complex in Clearwater, Fla. The reliever will be in Clearwater through the week and will be evaluated by Phillies team physician Michael Ciccotti on Monday. Gordon is 1-1 with a 4.82 ERA and five saves in eight opportunities this season.

Red Sox pitcher Mike Timlin returned to the mound for the first time since May 2, throwing 35 pitches in the bullpen before last night’s 6-2 loss to the Yankees. Timlin, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list with right shoulder tendinitis May 3, said his shoulder reacted well to the workout. He hopes to repeat yesterday’s workout one more time this week before his next step on the rehab program is established.

Cards catcher Yadier Molina feels a large portion of responsibility for a pitching staff that has the National League's second-highest earned run average (4.69). ... The youngest of the three Molina catching brothers, Molina, 24, already had established himself as the town sheriff when opposing baserunners thought about taking liberties. He caught 26 of 63 runners (41 percent) last year and picked off seven, many of them at first base as he and first baseman Pujols have concocted a system by which Pujols sneaks behind an unsuspecting runner, usually the trail runner, when a team has two men on base. This year, only 11 players have tried to steal, and Molina has caught five of them. "I'll be ready for them," Molina vowed.

Rays executive vice president Andrew Friedman spent five days watching the Bulls. He got a firsthand look at each member of Durham's touted rotation, evaluating the progress they have made since being sent down late in spring training. Each pitcher from the group - left-hander J.P. Howell and right-handers Andy Sonnanstine, Jason Hammel, Jeff Niemann and Mitch Talbot - is working on a few specific areas of interest. Friedman wouldn't handicap who might get the first call to Tampa Bay, but said he could see a couple being ready "very soon" while others have some work to do.

Did You Know? Astros slugger Carlos Lee leads the National League in RBI Ratio at 4.2 at bats per RBI. Anaheim's Vladimir Guerrero leads the Majors in RBI Ratio at every 3.8 at bats.

The Kansas City Royals will spend an additional $6 million on Kauffman Stadium's renovation, the team and Jackson County government officials announced Monday as they unveiled design plans. The project has reached the end of the schematic design phase but has four to five months of final design work before construction will begin.

Under the Braves' long-term operating agreement with Atlanta and Fulton County on the publicly owned stadium, the team controls the naming rights. But under Liberty's deal with Time Warner and its Turner Broadcasting division, the team is bound to keep the Turner name on the stadium for the next seven years.

Who Knew? In 21 games started by rookies, the Yankees are 10-11, about the best they could hope for. They have mostly failed to take advantage of the efforts by their top three starters, Chien-Ming Wang, Mike Mussina and Andy Pettitte. When those three have pitched, the Yankees were only 7-12 coming into last night’s game.

Cliff Floyd has been the odd man out in the outfield rotation most of the year, despite a .444 average with runners in scoring position. But Floyd knows his role, and isn't about to start complaining to manager Lou Piniella about playing time. "It's not that bad, actually," Floyd said. "When it warms up, a lot of guys will be playing a lot more. I don't think it will be like a who's hot, who's not type of deal. I think it will be if I'm supposed to play, I'll play."

Danys Baez, one of seven active major leaguers born in Cuba, is mired in a slump. The Orioles made him one of the richest setup men this offseason with a three-year, $19 million contract, and he delivered in April, when opponents hit .159 against him. But he has struggled in four of his past five games, outings that raised his ERA in May to 10.80 and resulted in two losses and a blown save. Still, when asked Sunday after his latest collapse if he still had confidence in himself, Baez seemed surprised. "Of course," he said. "One hundred percent."

The most striking development at the new Nationals ballpark is the imitation limestone that will serve as the facade. It's now visible along Potomac Avenue and First Street. But interior finish work is continuing as well -- drywall, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, fireproofing and even painting. Each day, roughly 500 workers are on site.

Phils pitcher Brett Myers acknowledged that his reputation was tainted and that some people would always view him unfavorably, no matter how many saves he amassed. He said all he could do was to stay clear of trouble and hope people forgive him. The Phillies’ general manager, Pat Gillick, said Myers had taken favorable steps. “You’re always concerned when somebody is involved in something that serious,” Gillick said during a telephone interview yesterday. “Both he and his wife have been involved with very extensive counseling, which I believe has been helpful to Brett and to Kim. The incident is history, and they’re both moving forward.”

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NFL Rumors & Notes

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

The Redskins have used Shawn Springs as trade bait this offseason and initially asked him to take a pay cut, straining their relationship. Springs has said that he has talked with Coach Joe Gibbs, who expressed dissatisfaction with his decision not to report for the voluntary workouts, which began in mid-May.

Keyshawn Johnson’s visit to the Titans came and went Friday. Now, the Titans will have to wait to see what their chances are of landing Johnson. Johnson apparently wants to determine what his market value and opportunities are before making any sort of decision. “Any time you have interest in a player, and there is potential to sign him, you’d like to get him in as quickly as possible,” Fisher said. “But I don’t think that’s going to be the case with Keyshawn. “We had a good visit, and we are going to see where things go.”

Veteran free agent quarterback Vinny Testaverde was spotted yesterday at Gillette Stadium, and while he has not signed with the team, he apparently plans to spend the next few weeks with the club. Testaverde, who joined the Patriots last November, still had his locker at Gillette Stadium as of last week.

Broncos receiver David Kircus missed the team's mini-camp workout Monday. He was at the Arapahoe County sheriff's office being charged with second- degree assault, a Class 4 felony stemming from an altercation Kirkus was allegedly involved in about 3:20 a.m. Sunday outside the Centennial home of Jeff Krieger. There's a good chance Kircus also will miss the Broncos' morning meetings today. After posting a $6,000 bond for his release Monday, Kircus is due back at Arapahoe County District Court at 8:30 a.m. today. The big question for Kircus, though, is whether the incident will cost him his job with the Broncos. "Obviously if he didn't handle himself the right way he won't be with us," Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said. "But I'm going to let the due process take care of itself first and find out exactly what the situation is."

Three envelopes addressed to "M. Vick" were among evidence seized by police under the authority of a search warrant executed on the Virginia property owned by Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, according to documents obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Also seized in the search, authorized in late April in relation to organized dogfighting, was a black 3-ring binder containing "contracts" or copies of contracts. According to the warrant, police were searching for and could seize "information related to dogfighting, registration papers, other written materials showing ownership of pit bull terrier dogs or other fighting dogs including bills of sale, pedigrees, breeding records and veterinary records; any dogfighting records including name and telephone numbers lists of person suspected of being dog fighters."

The long-term deal will have to wait. But for at least this season, Dolphins safety Yeremiah Bell will stick with the team that drafted him in 2003. Bell, a restricted free agent, signed a one-year tender offer with Miami on Monday after negotiations for a longer deal continued to stall. However, after a promising second half to last season, equaled success this year could help spur those discussions. ''We're not close enough to continue those negotiations, but we're hoping at some point this season, we can find some middle ground and strike a compromise [on an extension],'' agent Drew Rosenhaus said.

Orlando Pace is taking it slowly during spring workouts, participating in walk-through drills but avoiding contact. He said the doctors have told him that he should be 100 percent by the time training camp begins in late July. "This is kind of uncharted territory for me, and it's difficult," Pace said. "They just told me to be patient, be smart about it." The No. 1 overall selection in the 1997 draft, Pace never missed a game because of injury at Ohio State and had sat out just seven times since becoming the Rams' full-time starter in '98. The longest he'd been out was three games. Spending the final seven games on the sideline last year hurt almost as much as the painful rehab that Pace has endured the last few months. "That's probably the first time in my life somebody's telling you you're not well enough to play football," said Pace, who turned 31 two days after he was injured. "It was just hard going to the games and watching ... really rough."

Washington Redskins cornerback Shawn Springs said he intends to report June 5 to Redskins Park after skipping the first two weeks of the voluntary organized team activities. "I'm excited to get back in town and crack jokes with my teammates and catch up with my boys," he said. He added that he would have reported next week, but no OTAs are scheduled because of the Memorial Day holiday.

Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield, who missed the first round of voluntary organized team activities at Winter Park this offseason, plans to miss the next OTA that runs today through Friday, according to two people with the team. Winfield and agent Richard Katz did not return phone calls Monday. The Vikings have a mandatory minicamp June 1-3. Winfield, 29, who had 97 tackles and four interceptions last season, is considered the Vikings' best defensive back and one of the better cornerbacks in the NFL.

Kenton County prosecutors are awaiting final results of a drug test by Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry being analyzed by a Kentucky state lab. Initial results showed that Henry failed the test. The report is expected to be completed and returned to Kenton County by the end of the week, said Ken Easterling, an assistant Kenton County prosecutor. A positive test would mean a third violation of the league substance-abuse policy for Henry. That violation carries a one-year suspension. Henry has marijuana possession and alcohol-related convictions on his record. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has already suspended Henry for the first eight games of the 2007 season under guidelines of the league's new, tougher personal conduct policy. That suspension was announced in April. Another suspension could eliminate Henry for 24 games, until the middle of the 2008 season.

Tommy Reamon, Michael Vick's high school coach, has visited Atlanta and talked with his "hurting" former pupil since a dogfighting investigation at the property the Falcons quarterback owns in Virginia. "He is hurting and hoping that this process will take care of itself as soon as possible," Reamon said in a telephone interview Monday. Reamon coached Vick at Warwick High School in Newport News, Va. and also coached his cousin Aaron Brooks, another NFL quarterback, at Ferguson High. He attended the Falcons recent minicamp in Flowery Branch. At the minicamp, Vick did not answer questions about the investigation on the advice of his attorney. Vick previously blamed his problems on relatives. "If I can quote one thing that is so powerful about Michael Vick today, is that he is making those immediate changes in his life and his environment," Reamon said. "He is doing it at this present time, as we speak. ... The media coverage has been troubling to Reamon and those close to Vick. "They want the worst for the young man and I'm so saddened for him," Reamon said. "But he is working to improve his life and get through this adversity. He is doing everything that he can do with the support of the Atlanta Falcons administration. They have given him support. "He is changing the things he's got to do right now. But the assassination in the media is continuing as they talk about things. In America, it's about innocence until proven guilty."

About 30 players of Samoan roots represent a small collection of islands in the Pacific in the NFL. Only in recent years has football started to rival rugby as the sport of choice. Through the years, more than 150 players of Polynesian descent have played in the NFL, including more than 100 of Samoan heritage. The population of American Samoa (57,291 according to the 2000 census) could fit comfortably into Dolphin Stadium, but according to one estimate, an ethnic Samoan is 40 times more likely to play in the NFL than a non-Samoan American.

Often criticized for missing voluntary workouts with the Buffalo Bills, Willis McGahee lived up to his promise that he would attend the Ravens' minicamps and expects it to pay dividends. "I'm motivated, I've got to step my game up," said McGahee, who will rejoin his teammates for the second Ravens minicamp today. "My teammates are expecting a lot of me. I'm going to go out there and dish it out. Hopefully, we can all work together and make that run we want." McGahee said his trade to the Ravens has given him a fresh start and a new environment. "The vibe in the air is totally different," McGahee said. "These guys know what they want, and they know what they need to do. The coaches treat you like men. Everybody is making sure everybody is on top of their game. "We're not messing around. When one player messes up, you might laugh here or there. Jokes aside, we help each other out."

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver said he had only one complaint about Chiefs founder Lamar Hunt. “He never gave me my dream job,” Cleaver said. “I would have been a great wide receiver for the Chiefs.” With Cleaver hailing Hunt as the man who “put Kansas City on the map,” the House of Representatives passed a resolution Monday evening honoring him for his contributions to the city, the nation and the Kansas City Chiefs. At a reception following the vote, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer presented a framed copy of the resolution to Hunt’s son, Clark, the current owner and chairman of the Chiefs. “The Congress of the United States was so proud of your dad,” Hoyer said, adding that the elder Hunt had made football “America’s sport.” He then glanced around the room and added: “I hope there’s nobody from baseball here.”

The tug-of-war over $12 million of taxpayer money set aside to build a new Tampa Bay Buccaneers practice facility will continue behind the scenes for several more weeks. The Tampa Sports Authority board on Monday authorized its chairman, executive director and attorneys to meet privately with Bucs officials to try to resolve the stalemate. The two groups have been at odds for months over whether the Bucs are eligible for the $12 million to build the new practice facility months after they opened a new headquarters with three practice fields on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard

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Odd Notes & Stuff

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

WSCR host Mike North's on-air tussle with White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen on Friday got national play, with one sports station in Los Angeles running a clip of the nasty exchange. "We don't get a lot of advertising," North said of his morning show. "So whenever the Score can get national recognition going against the brand name (ESPN Radio, WMVP-AM 1000), I'm thrilled. I get a kick out of people saying it might have been scripted. It just happened, and that's the best type of radio." North and Guillen made up later in the day, but some wonder if the Federal Communications Commission could step in and hit WSCR-AM 670 with a fine. An FCC investigation typically takes months. Score general manager Paul Agase declined to address that issue but said the station attempted to wipe out the profanity by using a "dump" button. The interview was broadcast on a seven-second delay. "We have editorial procedures in place that were activated," Agase said. "We believe that most, if not all, of the offensive language was deleted." North said he and his producer, Rock Mamola, did all they could to encourage Guillen to keep it clean. "When he called in, our producer told him: 'Make sure you watch your language.' I said it too," North recalled. "Rock is the best in the business. He hit that [dump] button as many times as you can." But he did not opt to hang up on Guillen or put him on hold. And that's where the FCC and its murky rules could come into play. "I don't even know if one [profanity] got on [the air]," North said. "I'm not worried."

Enruque Iglesias has a shock in store for girlfriend Anna Kournikova - he never wants to marry her and doesn't want children for at least another eight years. The Spanish singer and the Russian former tennis player have been dating for five years - but 32-year-old Iglesias has no plans to offer her any formal commitment. He says, "I honestly don't believe you need to be married and, at this point, I don't think it would make a difference. In fact, the only difference is going to be a piece of paper. As a couple, you go through your ups and downs, but it has been fine without marriage. And I think it can also save you a lot of problems in the future.

Pro Football Talk reports that offensive line coach Larry Zierlein of the Pittsburgh Steelers mistakenly forwarded a pornographic e-mail message to a whole host of high-level NFL team employees.

Actress Eva Longoria is planning to adopt a child with her basketball player finance Tony Parker. The Desperate Housewives star and Parker marry in July (07) and are already considering following in the footsteps of celebrities including Angelina Jolie and Sheryl Crow by adopting.

Righthander Justin Miller didn't attract much notice when he passed through Phillies minor league camp this spring. Which is kind of surprising since he has so many tattoos that, in 2004, Major League Baseball ordered him to wear long sleeves so hitters wouldn't be distracted. Fifty percent of his body is inked, but the tat that has gotten the most attention declares, "I [heart] Billy Koch" on his derriere. He got it three springs ago on a dare from Koch, then a Blue Jays teammate. Koch gave him $1,500 plus paid the $80 it cost at a Dunedin, Fla.,shop. "It gets some funny looks," he told the Palm Beach Post. After being released by the Phils, who signed him as a minor league free agent, the 29-year-old was signed by the Marlins on April 25 and sent to Triple A Albuquerque. He pitched well enough there - six saves and a 1.50 earned run average - that he was called up Saturday when Florida placed starter Ricky Nolasco on the disabled list.

The fine line between fanciful fanaticism and major macabre was crossed yesterday with the news that O.J. Simpson's courtroom suit, shirt and tie are up for grabs. And Fred Goldman (father of Ron Goldman, the man slaughtered alongside his friend and Simpson's ex-wife, Nicole Brown) is not happy. Goldman's lawyer filed legal papers Monday in Santa Monica asking a judge to take possession of that suit. According to Web site TMZ, sports memorabilia dealer Bruce Formong has the ensemble Simpson wore in court, on the day he was pronounced not guilty of the grisly double murder, on sale for $25,000. Another collector, Alfred Beardsley, said he will purchase the items and claims he could then sell them for $100,000. Simpson still owes the Goldmans about $30 million, the result of a civil suit he lost. Suspicious that Simpson will benefit financially from the sale, their lawyer is trying to put a stop to the whole

Mike Guymon and Tony Bonello together are teaching former NFL wide receiver Johnnie Morton how to compete in mixed martial arts, one of the few sports that may be more violent and more dangerous than professional football. “I’ve gotten hit a lot in my life,” said Morton, who spent 12 seasons going over the middle against N.F.L. safeties. “But I’ve never gotten hit like this.” Morton will walk into a ring for the first time June 2 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, beginning his second career. He expects to ask himself the same question that friends, family members and former teammates have been asking him for months: What in the world are you thinking? “Some people want to bungee jump,” Morton said. “Others want to jump out of planes. I would never do that. But I want to do this.”

Johnny Damon is finding out why they call this town the City that Never Sleeps. The Yankees center fielder (along with his wife, Michelle Mangan) hobnobbed with Renee Zellweger and other celebs at the "Saturday Night Live" after-party into the wee hours of Sunday morning. He was still at Rockefeller Center's Sea Grill when our spy retired around 4:30 a.m. The rest of us might need a day off after such hours. But Damon connected for a two-run double Sunday night to help the Yankees beat the Mets 6-2.

Troubled Falcons quarterback Michael Vick chatted up tight end Alge Crumpler in the Egyptian Ballroom of the Fox Monday night. A special team night out featured a meet-and-greet with players and the premiere of the Falcons' 2006 highlight film.

The Royals had problems getting back from Denver on Sunday night. When they finally boarded their charter plane about 7 p.m., they sat for about an hour as the plane began experiencing engine problems. The flight was finally aborted, which sent Jeff Davenport, Royals senior director of travel, scrambling for an alternative route home. Davenport found a commercial flight (Frontier) heading for Kansas City with enough space available for about 45 players and staff. But the Royals had to ask the people already on board to wait almost an hour and a half so the Royals could get organized and on board. “The people on board were so nice about being delayed,” said Royals vice president of communications Mike Swanson. “So Mike Sweeney got on the public-address system and thanked them all, and we passed around a sheet to everyone on board and told them to sign it and write down what game they wanted to come to for free this year.

Too much of a good thing is never enough at the National Football League, which boosted its media spend by 20% last year and was the only pro league to top $100 million in advertising. In fact, even though Nascar ramped up its media budget by nearly 30% over 2006, the racing circuit, with $61.8 million in media, was a far-distant second, per Nielsen Monitor-Plus. The NBA had the biggest jump in media in 2006 among the big players, up 41%, moving from fifth to third on the list with a $54.4 million ad budget (which included a $4.4 million spend by the WNBA). The top five also included the PGA Tour ($54 million) and NCAA ($46.2 million). The NHL dropped out of the top 10 as it cut its ad spend by more than 25% to $2.5 million.

TNT Sports analyst and former NBA player Kenny Smith told Chris Yandek of TheSportsInterview.com that he is producing a new TBS comedy with Jamie Foxx. "We have been doing an interesting show about an NBA player that has to live at home. That’s the basis of it. It’s a sitcom obviously. A guy living at home with his family, a young guy who just makes the NBA."

Spalding's Cross Traxxion ball, which unceremoniously fouled out of the NBA this season when players decried its performance (and some complained of cut fingers), is far from deflated. Spalding has been working with the NBA regarding changes so that, like the mythical Phoenix, it might rise from the ashes. "We've gone back [to the drawing board] and made player testing paramount to the future of Cross Traxxion," said Dan Touhey, vp-marketing at Spalding, Springfield, Mass. "The discussion is open to any player who wants to participate." Paul Pierce (Boston Celtics) is the company's primary NBA spokesperson. When asked if more players might be added to marketing, Touhey replied, "Hold that thought."

This season Johnny Holliday and Ray Knight are handling the Washington Nationals' pregame and postgame shows on the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network. Such programs often are sheer fluff, but they manage to make theirs entertaining, relevant and reasonably upbeat. In less than two months, the two have become fast friends, so much so that Knight is spending the season as a houseguest at Holliday's home in Montgomery County. Their rapport shines through on the air -- and their jests sparkle on and off camera.

TNT's Charles Barkley asked his take on the city of Detroit: "I've never seen Detroit, so I have no idea what it's like. I've only gone to the arena and the hotel when I've been here. I've been coming here for 20 years, and I've never been to the city of Detroit. But you know, I'm not missing anything."

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