Dmitri Young wanted to trip Barry Bonds

Former MLB player Dmitri Young was always opinionated. When he was interviewed by C. Trent Rosecrans of CBSSports.com  about selling his baseball card collection for the Dmitri Young Foundation, Young told Rosecrans which was his favorite card and why he wanted to trip Barry Bonds.



Q: Is there a favorite card?


A: It's the Hank Aaron. The Home Run King -- there's another guy that has the record, but the Home Run King is Hank Aaron. I was there for the game when 756 was hit, I was playing first. Deep down inside, when (Barry) Bonds hit it, I wanted to stick my foot out and trip him.

Q: So, I'm guessing you have a hardline stance against the steroid users?

A: It's not the steroid issue, it's the [jerk] issue. To each their own, but when you're on an All-Star team with a guy and your son goes up to him and says he appreciates what you've done and he ignores him and walks off -- I take that personal. Very personal. Of course, even if it came up, he'd deny it. But why would an 11-year-old kid lie? I was a big fan of Barry Bonds before that. I used to defend him and everything. But being persecuted, then to sit there and [be a jerk] to my son. … Yeah. I enjoyed watching him play, but the way he treated people -- I'm not about treating people like crap, regardless of who you are, what you do for a living, I'm not about that.

That would've been a classless move but hilarious since Bonds would've been the victim.

Detroit Lions sign Boise St. QB Kellen Moore

The Detroit Lions went into the NFL draft with no immediate need for a quarterback, but with no third stringer on the roster they could afford to take a late round flyer or sign an undrafted free agent. The Lions took the latter route and signed Boise State signal caller Kellen Moore.

While Moore was disappointed, but not surprised that he wasn't drafted he is excited for the opportunity to get a shot with the Lions.

 "I'm excited, I'm getting my chance in the NFL and that is all that matters," Moore told NFLDraftScout.com after his agent, David Dunn, reached an agreement with the Lions. 


"We had a lot of contact, a lot of teams, I really don't even know how many teams, but a lot," Moore said. "I like our decision. I am eager to get back there." 


I guess that's all you can ask for is a chance. In a league where size and arm strength define potential NFL quarterbacks no one looks at the fact that Moore is a winner. He went 50-3 at Boise State and was one of the most efficient quarterbacks in NCAA history (His pass efficiency rating of 168.98 ranks third in NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision history).

I'm not saying he's going to be a stud but Moore could be a good developmental quarterback backing up Matthew Stafford and Shaun Hill.

Vikings RB Caleb King arrested for suspicion of assault

Minnesota Vikings running back Caleb King apparently can't take a joke. King was arrested early Saturday morning on suspicion of committing a serious assault at a birthday party in the Anoka County city of Oak Grove.



The alleged victim of the assault, a 22-year-old man from Coon Rapids, is hospitalized with a skull fracture, facial fractures and injuries that required more than 50 stitches to close and may also have a serious brain injury, according to the Anoka County Sheriff's Office.


He was in serious condition Saturday night at Mercy Hospital in Coon Rapids.


King and the injured man were guests at a birthday party Friday night. When the man made a joke about King having a resemblance to a celebrity King took offense to it and apparently the victim paid the price.

When the man went to wait outside in a car King followed him out and hit him in the face.

 King allegedly followed him, confronted him outside the car and struck him in the face. The victim reported getting into the car, locking the passenger door and calling 911 on his cellphone. King allegedly opened the driver's side door and pulled the man outside, struck him multiple times in the head and face with his fists, then threw him head first to the ground, according to the Sheriff's Office.


King, who was arrested at the site of the party, denied assaulting the man and said he fell to the ground when King was talking to him.


King was booked on suspicion of assault in the third degree but has not been formally charged. That decision will be made by the Anoka County attorney's office next week, according to the Sheriff's Office. King remains in custody at the Anoka County jail. 


King is a reserve running back for the Vikings and was on the practice squad for most of last season. If King is charged for this crime he can probably kiss his roster spot goodbye.

Jeremy Guthrie has a freak bike accident

Colorado Rockies pitcher Jeremy Guthrie can add his name to the list of players that have had a freak injury.

Guthrie rides his bike to and from the stadium and hasn't went against his routine. He might change his mind after suffering a sprained shoulder after taking a hard fall from his bike.


The odd injury occurred when his chain broke, slamming him to the ground near the ballpark. He might just miss two starts given the back date on the DL and the off day approaching.


“It was a kind of a freak accident. Most of the contact was on my elbow and it kind of jammed my shoulder. I just have some pain, and when that goes away. I would assume yes I will be healthy in 15 days,” Guthrie said after Friday’s game. “It wasn’t like wheel slipped out. I was just riding and the next thing I know I was on the ground.”


Guthrie will miss his turn in the rotation and is due to come off the disabled list on May 8. With an ERA of 5.92 over four starts the Rockies might want to leave him on there.

For the right price you can have Tyreke Evans

Tyreke Evans was once thought to be the a major cornerstone of the Sacramento Kings' rebuilding efforts. He was the rookie of the year and seemed to have a bright future ahead of him. His star has now dimmed and now is rumored to be on the trading block.

Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee touches upon why Evans could be had for the right price.


Kings executives will entertain trade offers for Tyreke Evans this summer, and they should.
Evans remains a major asset. His team remains in a major funk. When a franchise finishes near the conference cellar for six consecutive seasons, the general manager needs to make significant personnel changes, or the franchise needs to change its general manager.


But that's an organizational decision.


Evans, who has a year remaining on his contract, has his own decision to make. He has to figure out what he wants and how badly he wants it. He has to determine what kind of player he wants to be and proceed accordingly, essentially controlling what he can control.


Evans has one year left on his rookie contract and is at a crossroads in his young career. There's no doubt that he's talented but which position do you play him at? He had a good rookie year as the point guard although he was miscast in that role. But when you look at him in college Memphis' season didn't take off until John Calipari put the ball in Evans' hands and let him go.  

I'm not saying that's what the Kings must do, but Evans operates best when he dominates the ball. Kings consultant Pete Carril says Evans needs to learn how to play without the ball.

“I don’t think it’s any big secret,” Princeton legend and longtime Kings consultant Pete Carril said the other night. “Tyreke’s got to learn to play without the ball. It’s all there. I see some games, and he looks very good. Other games … he just has to work harder. I’d love to see him develop a mid-range game.” 

If I were in the Kings' front office I'd wait to pull the trigger on an Evans trade. They need to watch film and see what works best for him. On the flip side Evans also needs to watch film, get in the gym and develop a jump shot and work more on his game. Evans should be a natural at shooting guard, but right now he looks like a man without a position.

North Carolina wanted to cut down the nets at Duke

The Duke-North Carolina rivalry is the best rivalry in college basketball. No doubt about it. I'm not crazy about either one but you can't deny that fact.

In the 2011-2012 season Duke beat the Tar Heels in a thriller in Chapel Hill. Carolina went down to Durham and returned the favor. After the game in Durham the rivalry nearly went into another stratosphere. Tar Heel players wanted to cut down the nets at Cameron Indoor Stadium. And coach Roy Williams nearly allowed it.

During the Tar Heel Tour, which is a Carolina media blitz, Williams answered questions and brought up the issue of cutting down the nets.


Williams called this past season “hard”. Despite the 32-6 record, Williams said the team never “had the chance to celebrate” aside from the victory over Duke to end the season.


However, the team thought about cutting down the nets in Cameron Indoor Stadium, but Williams thought it “might cause a scene.”

Cause a scene? It would've caused a riot. Although I probably would've taken great joy in seeing that happen. That would've been worse than the Ohio State football players tearing down the "Go Blue" banner before the Michigan game in 1973.

Evan Turner says Bulls are a better matchup for the Sixers

The NBA playoffs are right around the corner and we've already had our first brush with controversy. Philadelphia 76ers guard Evan Turner basically admitted that the Sixers are trying to dodge the Miami Heat so that they'll get a first round matchup with the Chicago Bulls because Turner says Miami is the tougher team. Turner feels that if they get Chicago in the first round they have a better chance of winning.



In a story that appeared in the Delaware County Daily Times, Chicago native and Sixers’ guard Evan Turner thinks the Sixers would rather play the Bulls because, “It means we’re dodging the tougher team. That’s what I think." The better team, of course, being the Heat?


“We will be able to compete well against Chicago and have an opportunity to win the series,” he said.


“We probably match up better against them even though they are, by far, the best team in the East,” Turner said. “We match up better with them with our personnel, so you never know.”


The Bulls didn't seem to bite at the comments but Kyle Korver did call the comments "flammatory".


“Well, all right,” he said. “I’m not going to get into a war of words with Evan Turner.


“Come play us. Our goal’s to win a championship. We don’t care who we play—first round, second round, third round—we want to go through everybody. That’s our mindset. We don’t want to go around anybody. We’ve got the one seed and we’re ready for whoever’s eighth.”


Center Joakim Noah didn't put much stock in Turner's comments.


"That's cool," Joakim Noah told reporters in Indianapolis.


“Why doesn't it bother me? At the end of the day you've got to go out there and play the game, so we're only worried about us right now and we'll worry about Evan Turner when we need to worry about Evan Turner, if ... God willing.”

The way the Sixers played after their quick start (20-8), they shouldn't be worrying about seeing who they match up with better. They should concentrate on playing better basketball to be in a position to beat the Bulls. 

Padres thinking of moving the fences in

The San Diego Padres' home field, Petco Park is known as a pitchers park. But when you look at the current dimensions, it's a bit extreme. The Padres offense had been punchless the past few years and management feels that it's almost a competitive disadvantage to play there.

So management has tinkered with the thought of moving the fences in.


“We’re open-minded and we’re seriously considering it,” Padres interim CEO Tom Garfinkel said Tuesday.


“I do believe it is too extreme right now. It will still be a pitcher’s ballpark. But a hitter should be rewarded if he crushes it. And if a team is down 4-0, they should feel there is some hope. It’s just too extreme.”


Translation: It shouldn't be so difficult to come from behind since we don't have to much going for us offensively.

The decision has to be made by the end of the season and the team's plans have to be submitted to MLB.



“We’d have to submit plans by the end of the season,” said Garfinkel, who said the Padres have not decided on the distance that the fences would be shortened.


“I don’t think a final decision needs to be made until October,” said Garfinkel.


Garfinkel knows that shorter fences would mean more excitement, more ticket sales, and higher television ratings, even though what he says speaks to the welfare of both teams.


“We have to get it right. We are studying everything. There are still going to be some nights when the conditions would still be such that it’s going to be hard to hit a homer no matter what the distance is to the fences.


“But a solidly hit ball should be rewarded. Baseball is a match between the pitcher and the hitter. We’ve seen a number of times here where the hitter wins that battle and gets nothing to show for it.


“It should play fair. Four runs should not be an impossible deficit to overcome.”    

Garfinkel is probably tired of seeing long fly balls by the home team come up short. I look for the Padres to go ahead and move the fences in but I don't know how much it's going to help their team.

Vontaze Burfict has options

With news of a failed drug test and his draft stock near rock bottom, former Arizona State linebacker Vontaze Burfict is already looking at other options in case the NFL doesn't work out.

Here's a quick rundown of Burfict. He once was thought of as first round material, but his weight ballooned to an unmanageable 259 pounds. His production slipped and Burfict became a walking personal foul, many that cost his team. Since then he's slipped off teams' draft boards due to a poor combine and character concerns.

Burfict figures that if he doesn't get drafted or make it on an NFL roster that he'll play in the Arena league or go back to school.

"I'm truly blessed just to be in the position that I'm in right now," he said. "If I don't get drafted then I will have to go back to school, but I love football so much that I won't give up on football. But I will go back to school and finish up my schooling and stuff like that and probably go somewhere else like Arena football or something but hopefully I make it to the NFL.” 


I'll say this much, at least he has a backup plan. Not much I can say for others.


If I were a GM I'd take a late round flyer on the guy. If he's disciplined enough he could be the steal of the draft. If you get the human personal foul, he could get you fired.

Panthers' Smith says Saints player admitted trying to hurt him

In another episode of "The Bounty", Carolina Panthers receiver Steve Smith said that a Saints player admitted to targeting him. With everything that has came out recently it hardly registers as shocking.

Smith was on NFL.com's "Dave Dameshek Football Program," and told him he's "always known" that Gregg Williams' defenses try to hurt you. he then rehashed an altercation with a Saints player who shall remain nameless about a cheap shot he tried to give Smith.

"I actually had an altercation with a guy who told me firsthand," Smith said Tuesday on NFL.com's "Dave Dameshek Football Program," although he didn't name the Saints player. "I was going out of bounds, and the guy went for my ankle. I said, 'Hey, man, cut that out.' He's like, 'Well, we get fined if we don't go after your legs when you go out of bounds.' ... And actually this past year, this last game when we played them, I had a little conversation with Gregg Williams. ... He took responsibility, he was saying it wasn't right, but that's who he was."

If you remember back in week 5 the Saints-Panthers game got a little chippy and there was some pushing and shoving from both sides.

Right now any story about the Saints hardly surprises me.

Josh Cribbs ticketed for going 103 mph

Josh Cribbs created a lane for himself in the NFL by being a speedster on the field, returning an NFL record eight kickoffs for touchdowns. However being a speedster on the road doesn't cut it in the eyes of the law.

Cribbs was ticketed in Cleveland for going 103 mph in a 60 mph zone.

Cribbs was issued a speeding citation on Friday night at 8:45 p.m. for driving 103 miles-per-hour in a 60-mph zone.
According to a copy of the speeding ticket issued to Cribbs obtained by Fox 8 News, the former Pro-Bowler was driving on I-71 near Fulton Avenue in a 2010 Bentley when he was clocked going 43-mph over the limit.


Instead of complaining about the ticket Cribbs took to Twitter a praised the police for doing their job and admitted that he was at fault for speeding.


Yes I was pulled over for speeding, going too fast, luckily the police were on the job. Wasn't going that fast the entire time obviously but wrong is wrong, gotta face the music just like anyone else:(


Much Respect to the police officers who pulled me over! I will lead better on the road now as well as on & off the field!!!


Slow it down Josh.

Janoris Jenkins says he's a great father

Janoris Jenkins is the most scrutinized player in the NFL Draft. There's no doubt that he's a top 15 talent but he won't be drafted in the top 15. There are rumors stating that he might slide out of the first round altogether. The reasons are because of his off-field baggage. The four kids by three women and his love of marijuana.

Despite the concerns and his draft stock tumbling Jenkins remains confident in his ability to stay clean and says that his troubles are behind him. Jenkins says the kids and marijuana had no bearing on his on field performance and they never will.


"It's weird because I had those kids while I was playing college football and it didn't affect me not once," said Jenkins, who is from Pahokee. "I'm proud to have my four kids. If they want to throw that in my face, so be it.


"Everybody has kids. Where in the book do it say you can't have kids? It doesn't say that in the law. I'm a great father. I'm there whenever they need me."


I don't know if the kids and marijuana affected him or not but he did play at a high level. That doesn't excuse him for his past offenses because if he couldn't stop smoking while in college, what makes anyone think he can stop when he gets to the NFL. Jenkins figures this habit has an on and off switch.

"I was just being a college student," he said. "I'm pretty sure there were more guys than me that smoked. I just got caught."  


There are criminals that don't get caught either so it doesn't make it right. Jenkins has cost himself a lot of money but he has it all figured out. Outperform the first contract and get a big second contract.

 "It's a big difference in money, but wherever I get drafted, I'll be thankful for it," he said. "Whoever gets me is going to get a blessing. I'm a great guy. When I get to the league, I'll be working for my second contract. I know I'm the best cornerback in the draft and I'll get the money eventually."


If Jenkins doesn't perform up to his ability and he gets in trouble off the field he'll eventually get a GM fired.

Denver Broncos to ditch playbooks in favor of iPads

In a league full of copycats, the latest trend is starting to take form. The Denver Broncos are moving from the traditional playbook to using the iPad. 

The Denver Post reported that the Broncos are tossing out the tradition of printing 500-page playbooks every week for each of the 120 players, coaches, scouts and other personnel. The iPad will feature the week's game plan, scouting reports and more. The Broncos aren't the first team to switch to an electronic format as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Baltimore Ravens were the first two teams to make the switch.


"The advantage is that when they leave the building, they can take everything home with them very easily and watch tape at night and review the game plan installation," said Broncos general manager Brian Xanders. "This is their full-time job — to prepare and do whatever they can to help us win each week. "

Teams won't be allowed to keep the iPads or other similar tablets on the sideline. But from what I'm reading it might give teams that use them an advantage, which means that every team will gradually start making the switch.  

Michigan State's Adreian Payne fine after deer causes accident

Michigan State center Adreian Payne is doing fine after being involved in a car accident. He wasn't doing any reckless driving or driving drunk. The reason for the accident was a deer that ran into the road.


A driver with the last name of Payne was involved in a car crash about 5:45 p.m. Friday while heading eastbound on Interstate 70 in Montgomery County, Ohio, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol online crash log. Three drivers were listed, and one was reported to be injured.


"A deer ran out to the road," a Montgomery County dispatcher said. "That is what caused the crash."


Payne felt lucky to be alive and tweeted “I should not be here. God blessed me. I was in a car accident someone hit me on the highway…”


Payne also tweeted a picture of his car after the accident. Payne is thanking his lucky stars that he wasn't seriously injured and was able to walk away from the accident.

Paterno family says no to Penn State renaming the stadium

After one of the messiest breakups between a coach and a college football program, the Penn State brass wants to rename Beaver Stadium after Joe Paterno. Not so fast says the Paterno family. They don't want the stadium named after the late Joe Paterno, because Paterno said he never wanted the stadium named after him. Part of the reasoning is also because it would have meant signing a release that exonerating the school from being sued by the family.

 "[Renaming the stadium] has always been a fan-driven matter. It was never important to Joe," a source close to the family told the newspaper. The family said it would rather have the school library named after the coach, who invested in the facility.


The problems came up in January when Penn State University was trying to make the final contract payment to the late coach's estate in exchange for a full release signed by the family. That showed that there is a lot of bad blood between Penn State and the Paterno family.

The Paterno family is still upset that the university didn't let JoePa follow through with his retirement plan. Joe wanted to retire after the season in January and Penn State canned him before the end of the season. They also feel that the university made some misleading statements to justify Paterno's firing.

Paterno was Penn State and it's sad that he had to go out this way but the truth lies somewhere in the middle.  

Camby says Blazers players believe in a curse

The Portland Trail Blazers have historically been ravaged by injury. Going back to Bill Walton up to LaMarcus Aldridge and his bad hip this season. If it's not an injury it's been bad people on the team (Jail Blazers) or talented teams that choked (the Clyde Drexler Blazers).

Big man Marcus Camby was traded to the Houston Rockets and it probably extended his career a few more years. In an interview with ESPN's Marc Stein Camby touched upon the Blazers injuries and said that the players in Portland do believe there is a curse.


Q: You know those of us in the media throw around words like "curse." But what about the players on that team? In the Blazers' locker room, are guys asking: What next?


A: They might not want to admit it, but when I was there, my goodness, people were saying, "Are we really snake-bit? Are we really cursed?" Doubts and talks like that came about. Everybody just tried to brush it to one side and remain positive, but it was hard to escape because everybody was talking about it. It's hard to argue when it keeps happening year after year after year.


Maybe the team needs some kind of good luck charm or something. Maybe having a group prayer around the arena might work. I've seen to many Blazers seasons and players go down in flames because of some debilitating injury.

Missouri places eye catching billboards in other SEC states

There are some that figure Missouri's football program might fall back to the pack since they are moving to the SEC. There is one thing that could change that perception and that's recruiting, the lifeblood to any program. The Tigers don't have much of a tradition before head coach Gary Pinkel came to Missouri, but he has turned things around in a big way. They'll be one of two new entrants in the SEC and have figured out a way to attract high level recruits from the traditional SEC powers. The Tigers have placed billboards along highways in Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Dallas, and Memphis.    

The traditional SEC powers have kept those kids home and Missouri wants a piece of the action.

“Oh yes, I get text messages and emails from Mizzou people that live in that area and that region,” head coach Gary Pinkel told the AJC. “They talk about it and say how excited they are to see it.”


There are 16 billboards, including eight that have been placed out of state. There are three in Georgia, including two in Atlanta and one near Valdosta, while one each in Tampa, Fla., Dallas, Birmingham, Ala., Jacksonville, Fla., and Memphis. What was the idea behind the billboards?


“It’s to market Missouri,” Pinkel said. “We’ll be in Georgia recruiting. We’ve got great respect for the high school football in Georgia, especially in the Atlanta area. We’re just marketing our brand name a little bit. We’re going to get there and actively recruit … and we’re excited about it.”  


It's a good idea to market the Missouri brand and make inroads into kids' homes who otherwise might not think about going to Missouri. Kids see the billboards and become curious about the school. Not a bad move by any means.


“We’ve done a complete analysis of players that sign with BCS schools out of Georgia, and certainly out of the Atlanta area,” Pinkel said. “The size and production of SEC and BCS is parallel to the Metroplex area in Dallas. The numbers out of Atlanta and Dallas are nearly identical. Both have great high school football.


“What you do is go down there and figure out how many players from Georgia stay in the SEC and stay in the ACC, and how many leave the state and go elsewhere to play. We’ve got data on these kinds of things. And, if anything, it’s about identifying good players and selling Missouri.


“We want to go down there with a good reputation of winning football games and graduating our athletes. It’s about marketing and developing trust … and slowly and slowly working ourselves into Georgia. We’re excited about doing that.” 


“The facts are, in the last six years, we’re eighth in the BCS with winning in the nation. Those are facts. We’re certainly one of six teams that have won eight or more games in the last seven years. So we win at Missouri, and we consistently win. Over the last six years, we’ve graduated 96-percent of our players. Missouri is a great place and it’s a great college town with 33,000 students. Kids love to go to school here. We’ve got a lot to sell.”


Missouri has become a player in the college football world. Recruiting wise they've kept the best players in Kansas City and St. Louis from going elsewhere and have made some connections in talent rich Texas. They won't get the kids deep in the heart of SEC country immediately but they'll get some. And if they keep winning it'll draw even more attention to the school.

Missouri's Gary Pinkel separating from wife

Missouri head football coach Gary Pinkel is separating from his wife of nearly 40 years.

In a statement released Friday, Pinkel says he and Vicki, his wife of nearly 40 years, separated earlier this year. He thanks friends and family for their support and says ''I would ask that you please respect the privacy of the entire Pinkel family during this difficult time.''

Let's just hope this isn't due to any scandalous activity. At this moment no one knows why but that's an awful lot of years to flush down the toilet.

Terry says teams want to play the Mavericks in the playoffs

Remember last season when Denver Nuggets head coach George Karl said that he hoped that his team would face the Dallas Mavericks when the playoffs started. Of course he was wrong because the Mavs went on a roll and wound up toppling the Miami Heat for the NBA championship.  

The Mavericks have struggled in the shortened season and finally clinched a playoff berth, but they still remain dangerous. Mavericks guard Jason Terry thinks teams are feasting their eyes on the Mavericks as a possible playoff opponent, but issues a warning to those that think the Mavericks will be cannon fodder when the playoffs begin.

"We haven't gotten much respect all year long," Jason Terry said. "It doesn't surprise me. I think a lot of teams are hoping and wishing they can play the Mavericks, similar to last year _ and they get what they ask for sometimes."


Translation: Teams are overlooking us and think they're getting a weak opponent. Be careful what you wish for because you just might get it. Remember we're still the champions.

Teams still should be wary of the Mavericks, especially if Dirk Nowitzki gets hot and the rest of the team follows suit. When the Mavericks get rolling they're hard to beat.






 

  

Michigan band not traveling with the team for the season opener

When the Michigan Wolverines take on the Alabama Crimson Tide in the season opener in Arlington, Texas, the Wolverines will have a slight disadvantage. The marching band will be staying home.

The Michigan Marching Band won't be traveling with the football team because of budget constraints despite the outrage expressed by fans on various message boards and Twitter.


"We are treating the Cowboys Classic game against Alabama as any other road game," said U-M associate athletic director Dave Ablauf. "We do not have a travel allowance for the band like we would for a bowl game.


"They traditionally travel to conference games and our rivalry game against Notre Dame. We have not taken our band on similar trips in the past."

As a person that follows Michigan football it will be very unusual not to have them at a game. I have a feeling that the band will be there it would be an odd feeling.

McNabb puts himself in the Hall of Fame

Since he's been a man without a team Donovan McNabb has come off as cocky and bitter in recent interviews. He still thinks he should be on an NFL roster and thinks it's Mike Shanahan's fault that he failed in Washington. Furthermore he thinks if the Redskins draft Robert Griffin III that Griffin also will fail in Washington. He went on to say that Shanahan hasn't won jack since John Elway hung up his cleats. While the latter is true, he keeps being smug and cocky when he shouldn't be.

In an online interview, McNabb once again stuck his neck out for himself by saying he deserves inclusion into the NFL Hall of Fame.

“Absolutely,” McNabb said. “See, one thing that people don’t realize — I never played the game to make it to the Hall of Fame. I played the game because I love it. I played the game to win. I’m a competitor. When I step out on the field, I feel like I’m the best player on the field. Even these last two years, when people may look at it and say, ‘Oh, he’s done, or whatever.’ I’m 34, 35 years old but still, I played at the pinnacle, I played at the highest level of my career. I played there. And I would vote for myself for the Hall of Fame.” 


When I look at McNabb's career, it started kind of shaky, he kicked it up a notch in the middle of his career and if this is the end it'll go out with a whimper. But the worse part of the interview is that he compared himself  to some of the great quarterbacks who never won a Super Bowl.

“Peyton never won the big game until he won the Super Bowl finally. Dan Marino never won the big game. But does that mean his career is a failure? No. Not at all,” McNabb said. “When you sit and look at the numbers — and that’s what it is when it comes to the Hall of Fame — my numbers are better than Jim Kelly, better than Troy Aikman, better than a lot of guys in the Hall of Fame, but the one thing they do have is a Super Bowl.”


Why don't you throw Dan Fouts, Fran Tarkenton, and Danny White under the bus while your at it. Here's the difference between McNabb and the quarterbacks he mentioned. They performed at a high level throughout their careers. The only reason why Marino looked like he didn't go out swinging was because Jimmy Johnson came in and changed the offense. McNabb is going out being a shell of himself, more like Jim Everett.

Here's the kicker from a personal standpoint. I used to think he could still help an NFL team as a backup until he started shooting his mouth off. But that's strictly personal.

Miles Austin admits to being out of shape

There wasn't much of an offseason in the NFL last season due to the lockout. The lockout affected some players but not all as there wasn't too much of a dropoff in play.

Dallas Cowboys receiver Miles Austin was one of the players the lockout hurt. After coming out of nowhere and piling up back to back 1,000 yard seasons, Austin experienced a decline in production because he battled a nagging hamstring injury. After a disappointing showing Austin admitted that he was out of shape.  

“Right now I’m working with the trainers at our facility,” Austin said during a promotional appearance at a Neiman Marcus store in San Antonio. “I feel like last year I wasn’t prepared for the season the way I should’ve been condition-wise, even though I looked and felt it at the time. That’s one thing that I have to keep an eye on. To make sure I’m in the best physical shape I can be.”


Austin said the injuries are behind him and the hamstrings aren't an issue. The Cowboys will need him to be at full strength for them to put together a good season.

Todd Bertuzzi enforces ping pong laws

It’s been an extremely physical NHL playoffs thus far as bitter rivalries continue like what we’ve seen between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia and develop like what we’ve seen with the New York Rangers and Ottawa.

Red Wings fans also need to look no further than their own series with the Nashville Predators which got pretty ugly when Shea Weber decided to introduce Zetterberg’s face to the glass. This continued the following game when Todd Bertuzzi decided to get Zetterberg and himself some retribution when he dropped the gloves with the big Nashville defenseman.

But Bertuzzi doesn’t limit his enforcement skills to the ice, he’s also taking it to the locker rooms and under belly of The Joe Louis Arena.

In between the locker rooms at The Joe, the Wings have set up a ping-pong table to enjoy during off days as well as before and after practices (last I hear Darren Helm is the team’s ping-pong champion). However according to the Detroit Free Press, this is a ping-pong table that is strictly off-limits to the likes of the Nashville Predators and Bertuzzi is going to make sure it stays that way.


“I came out of our room, saw some of their guys wanting to play on our Ping Pong tables and told security,” Bertuzzi told the Free Press. “I didn’t do anything else. I didn’t move the table myself.”

Rumors that Bertuzzi had personally packed up the table and wheeled it away swirled around the morning skates today. The Wings host the Predators in Game 4 looking to even the first-round series. No one among the Wings had heard of Ping Pong Gate, but greeted it with delight.

The Free Press report further more states that Predators forward Brandon Yip confirmed that Bertuzzi was not around when he and Roman Josi were denied the opportunity to play Ping Pong by arena security at Joe Louis Arena on Monday.


“I don’t know where that came from,” Yip said of Bertuzzi being involved. “He wasn’t out there.”

Dominic Raiola says that football is worth the memory loss

The NFL has a class action lawsuit filed against them regarding concussion related issues after they left the game. Two former Detroit Lions Alex Karras and Lomas Brown have joined the suit and Lem Barney says he wish he never played the game.

Lions center Dominic Raiola has a different mindset about playing in the NFL. Raiola knows that it's a brutal game and doesn't have any regrets. He knows what he signed up for and says he wouldn't think of ever suing the league.

 "When you sign up for this job you know what you are getting into," Raiola said on Tuesday. "Granted, the money is a lot more now, but at the same time, you know you are going to get dinged up. You are hitting almost every play.


"But that's their prerogative. That's how they are handling it. I know I'm going to have my day when something is going to happen, whether it be short-term memory loss or whatever. That's the rigors of this job. That's why this isn't for everybody. It takes a unique individual to play this sport."

The fiery Raiola is a different breed of cat. He's not worried about his long term health when he's done playing. This is a person that once invited fans to come over his house and fight him and told Miami Dolphins fans they're number one and that they can suck on a certain part of his anatomy.


 "Those things are going to come," he said. "It's common knowledge people are going to suffer. Memory loss is going to come. I am ready for it. It's worth it; totally worth it. This is the best job in the world and I wouldn't trade it for anything.


"I don't know how I could justify suing the league when I am done playing. It's given me 11 years of fun. I have fun every time I step on the field. That's what it's about. I don't think when I am home in my rocking chair when I am 40 years old that I'll be thinking about suing the NFL. I am going to be thinking about all the guys I've played with and how much I loved playing this game."


I can understand why he said what he said. But it is the NFL's responsibility to keep the players safe on the field.

When you watch a Lions game you can see the emotion that Raiola plays with. He's seen a lot of bad in his time with the Lions and now he's starting to see a turn around. For his sake hopefully he remembers the good times.

Kentucky's Eloy Vargas takes a fan to her prom

Seldom used Kentucky center Eloy Vargas made one fan queen for a night. During an autograph signing session Saturday Vargas was approached by Natascha Richardson, a 17-year-old student at Gatton Academy. She then asked Vargas to accompany her to her prom.


“It was my turn to get an autograph and I was just like, what are you doing tonight, and he was like ‘what are you doing tonight’ and I was like, you should go to prom with me and it just kind of happened and I was like ahh, cool.” 


Vargas accepted and hurried to get ready for his date. He was happy to be doing something tho make someone else happy.

"She didn’t have a date so I thought, I should do something for her,” Vargas said.


"It's a lot of blessings to be a part of this thing right now and be over here, part of this girl's life and making her dream come true," says Vargas.


Vargas did a nice thing for someone on their special night.

No word on who was voted prom queen.

Von Miller predicts that Tebow will start in New York

Von Miller of the Denver Broncos is now in the prediction business. And he's speaking up for former teammate and current New York Jet, Tim Tebow.

Miller was one of Tebow's biggest supporters last season and thinks that he'll eventually take the starting quarterback job from the incumbent starter, Mark Sanchez.

Miller said: ''I think everybody's mistaken if you think he's just going to go over there and be a wildcat quarterback or a situational quarterback. The Tebow that I know is going ... to be able to compete for that starting job.''   


If Sanchez gets off to a slow start, he should definitely be looking over his shoulder because the fans will be calling for Tebow should he falter.

The Jazz name will stay in Utah

King David has laid down the law once again. NBA commissioner David Stern says that the Jazz nickname will remain in Utah. The team nickname was inherited when the New Orleans Jazz moved to Salt Lake City back in 1979.

New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson is set to take over ownership of the New Orleans Hornets, a nickname that came with the team when it moved from Charlotte and said that he would like to pursue getting the Jazz name back in New Orleans.

“We need to find a name like (Jazz),” Benson said, referring to New Orleans first NBA team that relocated to Salt Lake City in 1979. “Whether we can get that or let us use that, you’ve got to know we’re working on it. We’d like to change it tomorrow. We have not gotten that approved, but we’re not letting up on it, either. Because we’ve got a good relationship with the commissioner and his people and we’re going to be on them daily to do something.”

"I'm going to ask all of you to help me with this, too," Benson said. "We want to change the name from Hornets . . . . to something that means New Orleans and Louisiana. The 'Hornets' doesn't mean anything.' "

Stern squashed the whole idea today at a press conference for the 2014 NBA All-Star Game in New Orleans.

“It belongs to Utah,” Stern said. “I wouldn’t make it such an important point. There are many things that are indigenous to the area. I’m sure there will be some wonderful nicknames (suggestions).”


The ideal thing would be for the two teams to swap nicknames, since Utah is the Beehive State and New Orleans is closely associated with jazz music. It sounds logical but it won't happen so be prepared to hear about the nickname contest after Benson gets approved as owner.

Siena to give Derek Jeter an honorary degree

It will be a special moment at Siena University on May 13. That is their day of commencement and New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter will receive an honorary doctorate.  

Siena says it chose to give the degree to Jeter "in recognition of his leadership, accomplishments on the baseball field and dedication to improving the lives of young people through his Turn 2 Foundation."


In a statement, Jeter says he's humbled by Siena's move, adding he "will cherish this degree as highly as any honor I have received or will receive."


Jeter won't be able to make the ceremony since the Yankees will be playing the Seattle Mariners, but he will have a video message played. His sister, Sharlee, will be there to accept the degree for him.

Does that mean we'll have to call him Dr. Jeter?

Ex-Bears receiver David Terrell arrested for domestic battery

Former Chicago Bears receiver David Terrell was arrested Friday and charged with domestic battery after he threatened to throw his ex-girlfriend off a balcony during an argument at his apartment in Chicago.

Terrell, 33, is charged with misdemeanor domestic battery. He looked to the floor and shook his head in Cook County bond court as a prosecutor summarized the allegations against him. 

Terrell was arrested Friday afternoon at his apartment building in the 1700 block of South Michigan Avenue, where his unit appears to be on the 33rd floor, according to court records. The alleged incident occurred about 2:30 a.m. Friday.

The ex-girlfriend told police that she had just ended a seven-month relationship with Terrell, sparking an argument that escalated when Terrell allegedly grabbed her, causing bruises on her upper arms, chest and neck, according to court records.

The woman, 25, told police Terrell swore at her and said, "I'll throw you off the balcony and say you jumped," according to court records.

Well, I see Terrell has read the Suge Knight handbook on conflict resolution. Terrell's lawyer says they will fight the charges and prove his innocence.

Terrell's attorney, Shady Yassin, declined to speak in detail about the case after the hearing but said, "We intend to prove he's innocent of these allegations."

Good luck with that.

NFL wants Gregg Williams tapes from filmmaker

Bountygate is the story that just won't die. Ten days ago filmmaker Sean Pamphilon stirred up the hornets nest by releasing an audio tape of then New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams telling his players to injure San Francisco 49ers players before their playoff game in December.

The NFL now wants Pamphilon to shed more light on the scandal and the league wants everything he recorded while he filmed his documentary with ex-Saints player Steve Gleason. Pamphilon told Michael Silver of Yahoo! Sports that the league wants a complete look at what was recorded behind closed doors.

“NFL security called four times on Friday. They want the Gregg Williams tapes,” Pamphilon told Silver.


Pamphilon said that he wanted commissioner Roger Goodell "to answer real questions first". No one knows what he means by that and you can read between the lines all you want and still couldn't figure that one out.

Pamphilon added that he has the tapes in "several locations". What is he a drug dealer on the side? He has safe houses for his audio tapes. I can understand that you'll probably go to court to get the league to force them out of your hands, but some of the things he's saying are kind of out there.

Cromartie nixes reality show for his "baby mamas"

After the birth of his 10th child, New York Jets corner Antonio Cromartie is just one short of fielding an offensive/defensive unit.

The birth of Jagger represents his second with his wife Terricka. Now a TV production company wants a piece of the action. There was a proposal to create a reality show about "about the clan trying to co-exist as a modern family," a source told The New York Post.


Cromartie has deflected the plan, blocking any filming of his offspring.

The single women can use the extra money to help raise their kids, but they also think it’s important “to document their journey,” the source said. “They want Antonio’s support.”

I can understand why he wouldn't want any part of the show. It would turn into a half hour or more of Antonio bashing. As long as he keeps up on his child support then everything should be ok. I understand that they all want each other to know who their siblings are, but I feel there's a better way to do that other than a reality show.

Steve Mariucci interested in the Arkansas job

With the messy ending to the Bobby Petrino era leaving them in a bind, the Arkansas Razorbacks are trying to determine whether to go the interim route or poaching a coach from another school.

Athletic Director Jeff Long is trying to put together a list and identify his candidates. A source told coachingsearch.com's Pete Roussel that former San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions head coach Steve Mariucci is interested in the Razorbacks job.

Sources tell me that former San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions head coach Steve Mariucci is interested in the Arkansas head coaching job.  As of this morning, separate sources indicate to me that Arkansas AD Jeff Long has not spoken with Skip Holtz or Tommy Tuberville to this point.  Yet another source tells me that New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels would be willing to talk if contacted by Long.  There is no rush at all for Jeff Long.  Although coaches can leave campus for spring recruiting next week, head coaches are not allowed on the road during the spring recruiting period.     


Mariucci does have extensive NFL ties, he did coach the University of California for one year in 1996.

Two Western Kentucky football players shot

Two Western Kentucky football players were shot outside of a bar in Bowling Green hours after their spring game concluded.

Tevis Holliman from Tucker,Georgia and Ricardo Singh from Auburndale,Florida were both hit once but the wounds were not life threatening.

The shooting early Sunday outside the Lava Lounge in Bowling Green happened hours after the team played its annual spring game.


Bowling Green Police spokesman Ronnie Ward said it appears someone shot into a crowd outside the bar and struck the players. He said an officer driving by the scene heard gunshots and called for backup at 12:39 a.m.

Disruptive fans must pass a code of conduct course

NFL fans will be getting tested. No not drug or alcohol testing, although some should be subject to that before their allowed to enter a stadium.

The NFL will now require fans that have been ejected from a game to pass an online code of conduct course.

Part of the plan came from when the NFL came up with the idea to put undercover cops in the stands during the 2012 NFC Championship game and dressed them up as New York Giants fans.

To pass the four hour online course you must pay $75 and correctly answer 70 percent of the true or false questions.


“We’re not trying to squash anyone’s passion. We’re just trying to say don’t be violent,” said Dr. Ari Novick,  the Californian who’s the brains behind the program.

Sorry, but the league will be taking away a fan's passion. Violence isn't part of the deal, but trash talking goes with the territory when it comes to a fan's passion. As a Detroit Lions fan, I've taken plenty of verbal darts over the years. My take is if you have reason to dish it out dish it out. But if you can't take it you should keep your mouth shut.

I wouldn't talk trash to a Pittsburgh Steelers fan because they have six Super Bowl trophies to back their argument. But a Cleveland Browns fan, I'd go all day on them.

All this means is that a good portion os Raider fans will be dishing out a lot of cash.

Richard Pitino to be named coach at Florida International

Like father, like son is the old saying.

Richard Pitino will be leaving his father's staff at Louisville to build his own program at Florida International. He'll be replacing Isiah Thomas, who went 26-65 in three seasons. Pitino served as associate head coach at Louisville under his father Rick for a total of three seasons during two different stints. Richard was also an assistant at Florida, Duquense, Northeastern, and Charleston.

It's going to be a tough job trying to build that program up, but if Richard can put his dad's system in place and the current players buy in Florida International could be competitive in the Sun Belt conference.

Luke Scott has more anti-Red Sox sentiment

During the offseason Luke Scott changed from one AL East to another as he left the Baltimore Orioles for the Tampa Bay Rays. When he got to Tampa he relived the moment he had as a member of the Orioles when they knocked the Boston Red Sox out of the playoffs on the last night of the season. In the process Scott had some anti-Red Sox sentiment as he revealed how he felt about the Red Sox fans.

The Rays are taking on the Red Sox this weekend and Scott still isn't afraid to speak his mind. In an interview with Scott Chastain of MLB.com, Scott revealed how he felt about historic Fenway Park.



“As a baseball player, going [to Fenway Park] to work, it’s a dump,” Scott told Scott Chastain of MLB.com earlier this week. “I mean, it’s old. It does have a great feel and nostalgia, but at the end of the day, I’d rather be at a good facility where I can get my work in. A place where I can go hit in the cage. Where I have space and it’s a little more comfortable to come to work.


“You’re packed in like sardines there. It’s hard to get your work in. ... You have to go to their weight room if you want to lift. From a fan’s perspective, it’s probably pretty cool to go see a game at a historic park. But from a player’s point of view, it’s not a place where you want to go to work.”


Scott once again fans the flames with his disdain for the Boston Red Sox.

Owens says Romo had 'a hand' in him leaving the Cowboys

Terrell Owens left the Dallas Cowboys under a black cloud. According to Owens it was a cloud of suspicion as to why he left Dallas. That cloud was Tony Romo. Owens believes that Romo helped grease the skids on his way out of Dallas.

In a radio interview on The Ben and Skin Show [KESN-FM] 103.3 in Dallas, Owens said he believes that Romo "had a hand" in him leaving the Cowboys.

"With that situation, dude, I've kind of lost my respect for that situation," Owens told The Ben and Skin Show [KESN-FM] 103.3 in Dallas. "Man, that's a guy I shed tears for, I went to bat for. Then obviously, ultimately I'm not in Dallas anymore and I know he definitely had a hand in that. So, again, it's one of those things that you just kind of have to bite your tongue and keep moving on, you know what I mean? 

Owens went on about how he and the other receivers weren't being targeted as much as tight end Jason Witten.



"It wasn't just me," Owens said. "I was just a voice. Sometimes I said things that a lot of people thought. I just happened to be one of those guys that really voiced their opinion. I wasn't the only one that felt that way. There were games where other guys were open. I wasn't saying that to get the ball thrown to me a lot more times. I was all about winning. During the course of the games, if you watch the film, there were other guys that were open that didn't get the ball. That was my thing.


"I think that's what's really misconstrued is that my passion and things that I say can be viewed that I'm being selfish and it's all about me, but my goal has always been about winning a championship, and I think if you really ask my teammates that, they'll really convey that and they'll tell you honestly that's what I'm about."


No mention on how he dropped passes that were thrown to him.

I believe all Owens wanted to do was win but he didn't know how to go about being a winning teammate. When things went wrong he opted to throw his teammates under the bus and not take accountability for his own actions. Owens spoke for the receivers as a whole but since he spoke and was the loudest voice he got the blame. Sometimes it's best to keep your mouth shut and let things play out.

Sapp says it was bankruptcy or jail

Much has been made of Warren Sapp filing bankruptcy and his $6.7 million of debt. I'm pretty sure it wasn't easy for him, considering the lifestyle he was living. but you gotta do what you gotta do. And for Warren the choice was easy. File bankruptcy or go to jail.

"Do you think I wanted to declare bankruptcy?'' Sapp said. "Do you think if there was any other way possible I would have done it? It was either this or go to jail. Those were my choices.'' 

Sapp explained that a construction deal gone bad helped contribute to some of his financial problems. The failed deal resulted in Sapp having his earnings from the NFL Network garnished for 11 months.


The idea was to build low-income housing in Fort Pierce in 2005. Sapp said the original agreement was the houses would not be built until a buyer had been approved for a mortgage, but one of his partners approved the construction of three houses so there would be something to market. But 2005 was not a good time for real estate, and the houses went unsold.


"It didn't go well,'' said Sapp, who has a condo in Hollywood, Fla. "At the end of the day, we owed them a million dollars, and the two numb- - - - put their heads in the sand. They went after me.''


Because of the debt, Sapp's earnings from the NFL Network — 100 percent, he said — were garnished for 11 months. That meant his bills went unpaid, causing the debt spiral that led to his Chapter 7 filing.


"You tell me what to do,'' Sapp said. "Do you keep working without a check? If you don't pay your child support, you go to jail. This wasn't something I wanted to do. This was something I had to do.''


There also are reports about his missing Super Bowl ring. Sapp says he misplaced it and others are skeptical of the claim. I have to side with Sapp since others have had their rings lost, misplaced, or stolen, so it's not like it hasn't happened before.


“Is it so unbelievable that I misplaced my ring?” Sapp said.  “I wore it for 365 days, and we had a 7-9 season [in Tampa Bay in 2003] and I went to Oakland and I took it off.  You never saw me with it anywhere.  The only time I brought it out was when the NFL Network wanted us to wear it.


“We were at the Super Bowl, and I thought I handed it to someone, and he said I didn’t.  I checked my luggage to see if it was in a side pocket.  I checked my suit to see if I put it somewhere.  What was I going to do?  Yell and scream because I lost a ring?  That ring didn’t make me a champion.  Derrick Brooks, Simeon Rice, Ronde Barber, Brian Kelly, Dwight Smith.  That crew made me a champion.”


“In my life, has anyone called me a liar?  Why would I start now?  Someone told me something that John Adams supposedly said.  Facts are stubborn,” Sapp said.  “I like facts.”


Sapp may be down, but not out. He's embarrassed but not broken up about his financial situation.

 "When you live like I do,'' he said, "you know where you are and what you have to do. I'm not at war with me. I promise you this. I will never go to jail.''

"This is just another situation I have to get myself out of,'' he said. "I grew up without cable and without air conditioning. Things aren't that bad yet.

"This isn't as tough a situation as when I came out of college, and there were reports of seven positive drug tests, and I was a 21-year-old man. I was coming to the worst franchise in pro football, and Sam Wyche was running a five-ring circus, and my teammates were calling me 'super-rook' because they didn't want me here. You stick a diamond in a pile of s- - - and it's still a diamond.

"If there is air in my lungs, I'll find a way.''

Sapp has a strong personality that may rub some the wrong way, but he'll be damned if he lets this keep him down. He considers this another obstacle in the game of life.

Nate Burleson says Fairley and Leshoure need to tighten up

With off-season workouts and the NFL draft right around the corner, the Detroit Lions are reeling from off-field distractions. Marijuana arrests to Mikel Leshoure and Nick Fairley to be specific. The arrests gives Lions fans plenty to be nervous about. The Lions look to be headed in the right direction and they turn into the Cincinnati Bengals.

Nate Burleson isn't one to take this lightly. In an interview on the NFL Network Burleson let it be known that he plans having a talk with the youngsters to let them know that kind of behavior won't be tolerated.

“I’m just going to say tighten up,” Burleson said during an appearance on "Total Access" Thursday on NFL Network. “We’ve done too much to get to where we’re at. There’s been a black cloud hanging over Detroit for so long, so for us to go from 6-10 to 10-6 and feel like we’re heading in the right direction and just a few mistakes happen, we’ve got to tell the young guys to get it together.


“But here’s the thing, I really believe that, in the analogy of football, you’ve got to fumble in order to have great ball security. So in life, these guys got to stumble a little bit. And you know as a young guy in the league, you’re going to make those mistakes and hopefully this is just one thing that happens and doesn’t happen again for a lot of these guys.”  

Fairley and Leshoure weren't the only ones to run afoul of the law. Ndamukong Suh had his episode of the "Fast and the Furious", and fellow 2011 rookie Johnny Culbreath  paid a fine after being arrested for possession of the drug in a South Carolina hotel in January.

“I’m a little bit different, I don’t want to put people on blast in front of the team,” Burleson said. “Sometimes you’re going to need to do that. Or a certain guy, certain situations, they need to feel that embarrassment of everybody looking down on them. But some of these guys that we saw on the board, these are good young men and I know that they’re passionate about being professional athletes, it’s just that they make mistakes.”


“Obviously, when you talk to a young guy and he doesn’t listen, the old-school method is physical confrontation,” Burleson said. “I came (into the NFL in) ‘03 and some of these vets, they put your hands on you before they let you damage what they helped build. But I don’t think we’re going to get to that. And also coaches might say we’re just going to sit the guy down, we’re going to take the guy away from him and then see how he responds.”

At this point in the team's development, the Lions don't need players to be acting like hooligans off the field.

Is Golden State a potential landing spot for Lamar Odom?

After going through a turbulent season and being exiled from the Dallas Mavericks, Lamar Odom will be a free agent and will be looking to catch on with another NBA team. Despite being a headcase and having some baggage, Odom will be a highly sought after player. Not in a Deron Williams sense but there will be plenty of teams vying for his services.

One of those teams could be the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors are rebuilding once again and don't look like a natural fit for Odom. All in all, it might be a long shot, but don't be quick to dismiss the notion of Odom in a Warriors uniform. Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote that the Warriors' secret weapon could be assistant coach Jerry DeGregorio.

"DeGregorio coached Odom in high school, college and the pros and has been like a father to him since Odom was a 16-year-old prospect from South Jamaica, Queens, N.Y. DeGregorio was the best man in Odom's September 2009 wedding to Khloe Kardashian. In his best-man speech, DeGregorio asked Kardashian to make the same vow that Odom's grandmother asked of DeGregorio before she died. Since Odom has no brothers or sisters and his mother died when he was 12, his grandmother asked DeGregorio to promise to watch over her baby." 

DeGregorio was an assistant at Rhode Island, which accepted Odom when his scholarship to UNLV was lost because of paperwork and testing questions. DeGregorio was an assistant with the Clippers when Odom averaged a career-high 17.2 points in 2000-01 and was the first person called when Odom's 6 1/2-month-old son, Jayden, died because of SIDS in 2006.

After this season in Dallas, I couldn't see Odom in Golden State. If DeGregorio has as much pull as Simmons states in his article it could become a reality. The Warriors would have to trade a few pieces or have him sign for the mid-level exception, but the DeGregorio connection could bring Odom to the Bay area.

Charles Rogers threatened to kill his mother over $100,000

Former Detroit Lions wide receiver Charles Rogers was in court last week over multiple warrants in his native Saginaw. Rogers pleaded not guilty in to five misdemeanor charges levied against him.

One of the charges included making a malicious phone call to his mother Cathy Rogers. According to a police report, Rogers threatened to kill his mother over a $100,000 debt.


Cathy Rogers reported to police threatening calls from Charles, his uncle Ronie Rogers and his aunt Debbie Rogers. Cathy, Ronie and Debbie are siblings.


Charles Rogers reportedly threatened to “blow her mouth out” and said that he was willing to do "the time” he would face.


In 2008 an arbitrator ruled that Rogers must pay back $8.5 million to the Detroit Lions, which was later reduced to $6.1 million. That could be the reason he's fighting over $100,000.