Joe Flacco to portray Johnny Unitas in upcoming movie

Joe Flacco became the highest paid NFL player and was the Super Bowl MVP. Flacco now will portray Baltimore Colts legend Johnny Unitas in a movie about Unitas' life. 

Joe Unitas told The Baltimore Sun that Flacco will play his father playing football in the final scenes depicting the Colts' 1958 championship game victory in "Unitas We Stand" .

Filming is scheduled to begin July 15 and is expected to last around nine to 12 weeks. Ideally, Unitas would like to release the movie timing it to the Super Bowl next year. Unitas said having someone with Baltimore ties play his father was important. Flacco said that he was honored to play the role of Unitas. Joe also hopes to film the entire movie in Baltimore.

"He does things the right way and is a good role model for kids and he gets what hard work is and does everything he can for the team. There are a lot of parallels that can be drawn between Joe and my dad. My production team is very fortunate and thankful that he's dedicated to help us and play my dad. I know he doesn't do a lot of things away from the game, and football players' time off in the offseason is very valuable. For him to take time away and commit to doing this is very humbling."

The movie is based on Tom Callahan's best-selling book: "Johnny U: The Life and Times of Johnny Unitas."

Pittsburgh blocking Rushel Shell's transfer options

University of Pittsburgh running back Rushel Shell announced that he would be leaving the football program and transferring elsewhere. No one knows what Shell's plans were but the school is blocking any potential transfer to Arizona State, Arizona, or any ACC school.

I understand blocking a move to an ACC school since the Panthers will be leaving the Big East to join the ACC. Normally any school on a future schedule would be blocked but Arizona or Arizona State don't fit the description. The reasons why they're blocked is because the coaches at the schools have Pittsburgh connections.

Arizona State boss Todd Graham left Pittsburgh for Tempe after one season in the Steel city. So there is some animosity there. Graham and his staff recruited Shell and it was reported that Shell was leaning towards the Sun Devils. 

Current Pitt coach Paul Chryst has to sign off on the transfer, but won't do it if it's to Arizona or Arizona State. Arizona has former Pitt coaches on their staff so that's the reasoning behind that.

I could understand if he wanted to transfer within the conference and he could come back to haunt you. I would block that, but i don't understand why he won't let him go play for the coach that recruited him. I know it's like poaching but coaches do it all the time when they leave a school and are recruiting a player and said player ends up at the coach's new school. You think John Wall was actually going to Kentucky before John Calipari got there? Me neither.

Coaches have the freedom to leave any time without anyone blocking their path, let the kid go to where he wants to play.  

Howland interested in the Rutgers job

Former UCLA coach Ben Howland might be back on the sidelines real soon. Howland has indicated that he would be interested in the Rutgers job according to a report by CBS Sports' Gary Parrish.

While it would make sense for Rutgers to take an immediate upgrade, it might be a while since they'll be hunting for a new athletic director as well, since former AD Tim Pernetti resigned after coach Mike Rice was fired after a videotape aired of Rice cursing players out and throwing basketballs at their heads.

Howland has been known to recruit New York City well so he could be a favorite of university boosters. If I was the president I would've made this hire yesterday.

Kevin Durant says Carmelo Anthony can have the scoring title

In past years it was a big deal to win the  NBA scoring title. Anyone remember David Robinson winning it on the last day of the season with a 71 point effort?

Right now Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant (28.4ppg) and New York's Carmelo Anthony (28.3ppg) rank one and two in scoring. Anthony is riding a hot streak right now but Durant is indifferent to winning another scoring title. He says Anthony can have the scoring title if he wants it.

"He can have it," Durant deadpanned to reporters. "I mean the stuff he's doing right now, every time he touches the ball it looks like it's going to go in. He's having a nice run right now and his confidence is high. I'm sure he's going to take over. If it happens, cool.”

“Don't get me wrong, I never want to take stuff like that for granted, but if it happens, it happens,” Durant said. “I'm just going to play my game. I'm not going to force it too much and think about it too much and try to get it. But if it's meant to be then it will happen.”

Looks like Durant is more concentrated on winning games and focused on trying to win a championship.

If Durant does hold on he would be the third player to win four scoring titles in a row. I'm sure he'll trade that for a Larry O'Brien trophy.

Josh Hamilton's wife needed security at Angels-Rangers game

Texas Rangers fans will never forgive Josh Hamilton for signing with the division rival Los Angeles Angels. Never mind the good years he had there, putting up monster numbers and helping them to two trips to the World Series. Hamilton is now the enemy.

The Angels are playing the Rangers this weekend and while it was expected that Hamilton would be lustily booed, the fans shouldn't target his family. Hamilton's wife, Katie, had to call security at The Ballpark in Arlington  before the start of Friday's game, which was the Rangers home opener.

“People were being ugly, not necessarily [just] booing,” Hamilton, the former Rangers star, said. “They were being inappropriate with kids around. And that was before the game even started.”

I can understand that you're frustrated with the way last season ended for the Rangers and it looked like Hamilton never gave Texas a chance to resign him but leave the wife and kids out of it. Hamilton took it in stride and seemed to be the bigger person in this ordeal.

“It was a good lesson for the kids,” Hamilton said. “People in general. Don't put your faith in man. Put your faith in the Man upstairs."

“It is what it is,” Hamilton said. “It's cool to get ragged on with normal things. But when you get a little swearing and jawing back at Katie, and people saying inappropriate things, it's a different story.” 

It's a good lesson but one they'll never forget because who knows what was said. Katie and the kids do plan on returning but will be in a suite for Saturday's game. Things have to go better than they did Friday.