L.J. Rose is granted a waiver to play immediately at Houston

University of Houston sophomore guard L.J. Rose will be eligible to compete for the Cougars during the 2013-14 season after the NCAA recently granted his waiver request.

Rose will have three years of eligibility remaining with the start of the 2013-14 season. He and his Houston teammates return to classes for the fall semester on Monday, Aug. 26.

“We are extremely grateful that the NCAA has granted L.J.’s request. Family is so important, and this gives everyone in L.J.’s family the best opportunity to watch him play,” head coach James Dickey said. “We look forward to the start of the 2013-14 season with L.J. as a member of our program.”

Four members of the 2013-14 Houston Men’s Basketball team were ranked among the nation’s top 100 prospects by ESPN. Sophomore guard Danuel House was ranked No. 15 in 2012, while redshirt freshman guard Danrad Knowles was listed at No. 56 in 2012. Rose came in at No. 63 in 2012, and junior forward TaShawn Thomas stood at No. 92 in 2011.

Rose, who was one of the nation’s top prep players out of Westbury Christian, competed at Baylor during the 2012-13 season. The 6-foot-4, 190-pound guard played in 33 games for a team that won the NIT championship. He posted career highs with 14 points, 12 assists, three rebounds and two steals in a win against Hardin-Simmons in mid-January and dished out five assists in 16 minutes at Big 12 rival Iowa State in early February.

Rose, who is a Houston native, was ranked among the nation’s top-75 players by Scout.com, ESPN, MaxPreps.com and Rivals.com. As a senior in 2011-12, he led the Wildcats to the TAPPS 4A state championship game, scoring 17 points on the way to All-Tournament honors.

Before attending Westbury Christian, Rose competed for his first three high school seasons at Second Baptist School. There, he earned All-District 4 and Class 4A All-State honors as a freshman and again as a sophomore.

He also owns international experience on his resume. Rose was a member of the U16 National Team that won the gold medal at the FIBA Americas Championship in Argentina.

The Rose family is no stranger to the Houston program. His father, Lynden, lettered for the Cougars’ Phi Slama Jama teams from 1980 to 1982 and was a sixth-round draft pick by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1982. His father also served on the UH Board of Regents from 2004 to 2009, while his uncle, Cecile Rose, scored more than 1,200 points in 114 games from 1974 to 1978.

This team has the potential to be good, but if leading scorer Joseph Young hadn't transferred to Oregon, the Cougars might've been a dangerous team to play in the new American Athletic Conference.    

Saints cut former No. 2 pick, Jason Smith

The New Orleans Saints released offensive tackle Jason Smith on Wednesday, coach Sean Payton announced.

That means the second pick in the 2009 NFL Draft is currently on the market. Smith was drafted by the St. Louis Rams after Matthew Stafford.

Smith came to the Saints after spending last season with the New York Jets as a backup and blocking tight end. He was brought in by the Saints to compete with for the starting left tackle job. Instead the Saints opted to go with Charles Brown and Terron Armstead.

There is a possibility that Smith will be picked up somewhere down the line, but you have to wonder why three teams have given up on him so quickly.

"It Girl" of the week: Kimmi Kennedy

The "It Girl" of the week is Kimmi Kennedy

Ex- Rams GM, Billy Devaney, doesn't think too much of the Raiders' Alex Barron

Once upon a time, Billy Devaney was the general manager of the St. Louis Rams. The team compiled a 10-38 record during his tenure (2008-2011) and because of that performance he was fired.

Devaney is now one of the contributors on ESPN's NFL Insiders show. Earlier today on the show Devaney explained that he didn't think much of Oakland Raiders offensive tackle Alex Barron.

Barron was drafted by the previous GM in St. Louis and Devaney traded him away because he didn't believe that Barron had the heart to play football. He didn't stop there and said that Barron only played football for the money. 

“He’s got the skill to play. He does not have the heart to play football. He does not like anything about the game except getting paid,” Devaney said of Barron, who is currently the starting left tackle for the Raiders.

Memo to Devaney, that's why we have jobs so that we can get paid. I'm not defending Barron because the guy is blessed with a special skill set that many of us don't have. But maybe the guy knows he has a family to feed and really doesn't care to play but he knows he can earn a large paycheck to do so. Maybe he's just that bad. I don't know.

I know I go to work to get paid, not necessarily because I love my job. On the other hand many of us out here dream or have dreamed of playing any professional sport. I know it has to burn some fans up inside knowing that someone is playing just to get paid and not because he wants to help his team win or just loves the game.

Ex-Michigan receiver David Terrell facing a drug related felony charge

Former Michigan wide receiver David Terrell is facing a drug related felony charge in Chicago.

 ESPN.com reports Terrell was arrested Friday after police received a call of people smoking marijuana in a building. Authorities say Terrell and two others were observed with cannabis and “materials to package and distribute narcotics” in plain view.

Terrell is also facing a misdemeanor count of battery on a police officer after resisting arrest.

After being caught with marijuana and "cannabis scales" on Friday, Terrell resisted arrest. The report explains how he "struck the hand of an officer" during the incident, and another officer reportedly had to be taken to the hospital after Terrell's attempt to resist arrest.

Terrell was a first round draft pick (number 8 overall) by the Bears in the 2001 NFL draft. He played four seasons with the Bears and one with the Broncos. He finished his NFL career with 128 receptions and nine touchdowns.

It's a shame that he wasn't able to match the production he had at Michigan.

Tom Izzo says he's 'ticked off' at Duke's success against Michigan State

Michigan State head basketball coach Tom Izzo coaches as if his life depends on it. The Spartans have made six Final Fours on his watch. He's firmly entrenched as the Spartans' head coach until he retires but that hasn't stopped him from having some kind of motivation for his team.

His latest factor for motivation. Michigan State's 1-7 record against Mike Krzyzewski and Duke.

At a coaching clinic Izzo mentioned that  Krzyzewski is the best coach he's ever coached against since the Blue Devils have the Spartans number. He also mentioned that it ticks him off to lose to the same guy so much.

Izzo let this be known during the Michigan Elite 25 coaching clinic Tuesday when he told event co-founder Tim McCormick and the rest of the crowd that Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski is the best coach he's faced head-to-head.

"Krzyzewski's probably still the guy because we're (1-7) against him, so anybody who beats us that much I've got to say is the best coach," Izzo said. "And it really ticks me off, to be honest with you. You know, that's what drives you a little bit, too."

Izzo also mentioned that he'd like to leave a lasting legacy at Michigan State.

Considering that Izzo has turned down two NBA jobs (Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers) I think his legacy is pretty secure. I would still like to see him capture at least two more national championships before we mention him with the all time greats.

The program has his stamp on it and when you think of Michigan State you think of a well coached, hard nosed team and Tom Izzo.  

Phoenix Suns rookie plans on giving teams that bypassed him 'hell'

Most rookies in any sport are humble and happy to be in the league in which they're playing in. You will find some that don't or won't respect anyone or have a chip on their shoulder determined to prove their doubters wrong.

You can put Phoenix Suns rookie Archie Goodwin in the last category.

Goodwin was selected 29th in the first round by the Suns but felt he should've gone higher. Maybe teams didn't see what he saw in himself or maybe they remembered him for being on an underachieving Kentucky team that failed to make it into the NCAA tournament.

After a good showing in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, Goodwin has a message for those who bypassed him.

“It would have been great to have been drafted where I thought I should have been,” Goodwin told SLAM during last week’s Panini photo shoot portion of the Rookie Transition Program. “Now every team that didn’t pick me, I’ve got to give them hell.”

“I know a lot of guys in this [Draft] class are not better than me,” said Goodwin. “I’m blessed to even be here, but to see how far I slid down—it was a surprise. Every game I go into, I’m showing every team that didn’t pick me that they made a mistake.”

Goodwin is working to improve his jump shot and round out his overall game.

Even though he's only a  rookie and has a lot to learn about the NBA, if Goodwin is determined and works hard he might be giving some of those teams a lot of 'hell' over the course of his career.