Lions retain Gunther Cunningham

When the Detroit Lions fired Jim Schwartz a lingering question remained. Would the team retain defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham. Cunningham was still under contract but his status was in limbo.

Today the Lions announced that Cunningham will be back with the team as a senior coaching assistant. It's not exactly a defined role, since the team hired Teryl Austin to run the defense.

It is reported that Cunningham will focus on personnel, but he'll more than likely assist Austin with the defense.

The 67-year-old has had a long NFL career, including being the head coach in Kansas City from 2001 to 2003.

He has been in the NFL since 1985 and has worked for six franchises. This also gives the Lions three former defensive coordinators on staff to assist Austin, the Lions first-time NFL defensive coordinator.

Besides Cunningham, linebackers coach Bill Sheridan and defensive backs coach Alan Williams have coordinator experience.

Cleveland Melvin no longer with the DePaul basketball program

DePaul star forward Cleveland Melvin is no longer enrolled in school or part of the basketball program.

The school announced the split with the senior on Monday after suspending him last month for violating team rules.

Melvin ranks among the Blue Demons' career leaders in scoring, scoring average, rebounding, field goals, blocked shots and free throws. He was the 2011 Big East Rookie of the Year.

Melvin averaged 16.7 points and 6.4 rebounds in 20 games this season. The Blue Demons are 10-14 overall and 2-9 in Big East play with six straight losses heading into Wednesday's game against No. 6 Villanova.

Not that the Blue Demons were going anywhere this season, but it's a blow to a program trying to reestablish it's brand and develop a winning culture. DePaul will likely miss the NCAA tournament for the 10th consecutive season.

Coaches that should be candidates for the Detroit Pistons head coaching job

Maurice Cheeks was surprisingly fired as coach of the Detroit Pistons on Sunday after 50 games. Cheeks was 21-29 and was replaced by assistant John Loyer on an interim basis for the rest of the season.

Even though Loyer is auditioning for the job himself it's doubtful that he'll land the job permanently. The job won't be filled until the off-season and here are a list of candidates that should be in play to be the next coach of the Detroit Pistons.

Lionel Hollins- Hollins is the hot name right now for the job right now. He led the Memphis Grizzlies to the Western Conference finals last season with a roster that was similar to what the Pistons have now. Hollins has expressed interest in the Pistons and is the odds on favorite to land in Detroit.

Bill Laimbeer- Laimbeer is the fan favorite based on his playing days with the Pistons. The problem is that Laimbeer's coaching experience is limited to the WNBA and one year on the sidelines with the Minnesota Timberwolves. If Laimbeer coached the Pistons, I could see a fight breaking out with one of the players, but he could make the Pistons interesting.

George Karl- Karl has won everywhere he's been. Karl has also worn out his welcome everywhere he's been. He was the coach of the year last season and has led five different teams to the playoffs. I don't think the Pistons have a roster for Karl's preferred style of play.

Jeff Van Gundy- It's a long shot, but when your in the position the Pistons are in it's worth a try. I don't see Van Gundy leaving ABC anytime soon. He seems too comfortable next to Mike Breen.

Phil Jackson- This is an absolute pipe dream. Only if Tom Gores gave him part ownership, a star player and a boatload of cash.

Stan Van Gundy- I think Stan is comfortable in semi retirement. He could come back if the right team came calling. He's never had a losing record.

Nate McMillan- The former Portland Trail Blazers and Seattle SuperSonics coach interviewed three times during the Pistons’ last coaching search, when the job went to Cheeks. He’s now an assistant with the Indiana Pacers.  

Oklahoma's Blake Bell to switch from quarterback to tight end

According to Oklahoma Sooners head coach Bob Stoops, former starting quarterback Blake Bell, also known as the “Belldozer”, will be switching positions. Bell will close out his career in Norman playing the tight end position during his senior season.

"Even though he could graduate and go somewhere, he wants to finish out and try tight end," coach Stoops said. "I think it's a great fit. Blake has the size, the athleticism, the speed to do that, and he's exhibited his toughness through the years."

As a junior, Bell led the Sooners with 1,648 passing yards and 12 touchdown passes (five interceptions). He completed 60.1 percent of this throws and averaged 7.07 yards per attempt. He started eight games. Bell had some solid moments but was very inconsistent and he struggled in losses to Texas (46.2 percent, 0 TDs, 2 INTs) and Baylor (42.9 percent, 1 TD, 2 INTs).

Oklahoma finished the season strong with four straight wins including upsets at Kansas State and Oklahoma State, as well as a big bowl win over Alabama in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. Bell attempted just 16 passes during their four-game winning streak, but in a relief role, he did lead the Sooners on the game-winning drive in Stillwater. Trailing 24-20, Bell connected with senior wide out Jalen Saunders from seven yards out for the game-winning score with 19 seconds remaining in the contest.

Despite his late-game heroics in the Bedlam rivalry, Stoops went back to Trevor Knight in the Sugar Bowl. The redshirt freshman responded with a career game, throwing for 348 yards and four touchdowns against the Crimson Tide, establishing himself as OU’s starting quarterback heading into the 2014 season.

It’s unclear if the Sooners will use Bell in short-yardage situations, which is where he flourished as a freshman and a sophomore. With a physical running style reminiscent of Tim Tebow, Bell scored 13 rushing touchdowns in 2011 and 11 more in 2012.

The move will give Bell a better chance to help the Sooners on the field in 2014, but it also leaves Oklahoma thin at the quarterback position behind Knight. Junior Kendall Thompson, the son of former OU star quarterback Charles Thompson, has decided to transfer.

That leaves redshirt freshman Cody Thomas and incoming true freshman Justice Hansen as Knight’s backups. Oklahoma has added Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year quarterback Bake Mayfield, who has transferred from Texas Tech, but he won’t be eligible to play until 2015.

World Peace open to trade from the Knicks

After not getting an answer of why he's in coach Mike Woodson's doghouse, Knicks forward Metta World Peace isn't ruling out the possibility of a trade out of New York.

World Peace has seen little time in the rotation since returning from a blood spinning procedure on Jan.24 for his ailing knee.

When asked about whether he wanted to get dealt at the Feb. 20 deadline, World Peace said: “That’s up to my agent. I don’t worry about it. I’m optimistic about my future. … I’m not going to complain.’’ 

Sources say that Woodson has been unhappy with World Peace after he made an apparent joke about his lack of playing time.

World Peace's agent, Marc Cornstein, has wondered about his player's status in the rotation since World Peace has been limited to garbage time despite the Knicks having injuries to Kenyon Martin and Andrea Bargnani for an undisclosed amount of time.

“I haven’t been given an answer,’’ Cornstein said. “Usually, I’ll get an answer, not always the one I want to hear. But I don’t have an answer for you on this.’’  

World Peace's name came up in trade talks for Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry but the trade never materialized.

I don't know who would take on World Peace right now. He could still be an asset for someone, but I don't see a contender wanting to give up much in return for the veteran defensive pest.

Paul George calls the Pacers the 'Seattle Seahawks of the NBA'

Indiana Pacers star Paul George believes that his team are the NBA equivalent of the Seattle Seahawks given their defensive prowess and physicality.

The Pacers are the best defensive unit in the NBA, allowing an average of just 90.7 points per game which has helped them to the top of the Eastern Conference with a 39-10 record.

Frank Vogel’s men are now 23-0 this season when they have been able to hold their opponents to below 90 points, and George believes that both individually and collectively they remind him of the newly crowned Super Bowl champions, the Seahawks.

“We approach it as a physical team and we do everything from a toughness standpoint,” George said, as reported by USA Today.

“Like Seattle….Seattle’s got individual guys that stand out defensively, as we do, and as a group we put it all together. We’re a great comparison to that team because we do it from an individual standpoint and as a group.”

Like their apparent NFL equivalents, the Pacers benefit from long, athletic defenders in the form of George, Roy Hibbert and Lance Stephenson while the likes of David West and George Hill add further elements of toughness to the team.

Indiana allow just 18.3 three points attempts a game while also allowing the fewest field goal attempts in the league inside five feet, a tribute to effort on the defensive end both as individual talents and as a team.

While the season ended in glory for the Seahawks after their dominant 43-8 win over the Denver Broncos in New Jersey, it remains to be seen whether or not George’s comparison will see them ended the year with success too.

Given their relentless push for the best record in the league this regular season, they appear to be on course to dethrone the Miami Heat and will leave nothing to chance in terms of having home advantage throughout the post-season.

If the Pacers can finish the job, the comparison will be valid.

Chiefs cut cornerback Dunta Robinson

Another day, another high priced veteran cornerback cut. The Atlanta Falcons released corner Asante Samuel on Wednesday and former teammate Dunta Robinson will join him in the hunt for a new team.

The Chiefs parted ways with veteran defensive back Dunta Robinson, who never quite lived up to expectations last season.

Instead, Robinson was slowed by a series of nagging injuries and appeared in only nine games, making 14 tackles and defending just two passes. He was also part of a defense that was torched by Indianapolis wide receivers in a loss that knocked Kansas City out of the playoffs.

The move was widely expected not only because the 31-year-old Robinson struggled most of the season, gradually losing playing time to undrafted free agent Marcus Cooper, but also because the cash-strapped Chiefs would save more than $3 million. Robinson’s three-year deal was worth $13.7 million.

The 31-year-old played in just nine games and started two last season for the Chiefs. He had 13 tackles, one fumble recovery and four passes defensed in 2013.

Robinson started his career with the Houston Texans. As a rookie in 2004, Robinson logged 88 tackles, a career-high six interceptions, three forced fumbles and 19 passes defensed. In 2010 he signed a big money deal with the Atlanta Falcons but was cut with three years left on his deal.

Because Robinson now is an unrestricted free agent, he is able to sign with another team before free agency opens on March 11.