UNC's Kendall Marshall breaks his wrist

Just when North Carolina got John Henson back from a wrist injury, another Tar Heel goes down with a wrist injury. This one might be the most important.

Point guard Kendall Marshall fractured his wrist late in a third round win over Creighton. Now an already thin guard corps gets even thinner with the seldom used Stillman White as the only healthy ballhandler on the team. This could be a big blow to North Carolina's national championship hopes.

Marshall was probably the best point guard in the nation, as he knew how to set up his talented teammates and put them in prime position to score. He also started to find his scoring rhythm as the season went on. Even though the Tar Heels boast four future pros on the team Marshall was the conductor on the Carolina freight train.

The Heels will still be dangerous, but whether they'll be championship good without Marshall remains to be seen.    

Stay in school alert: Texas guard J'Covan Brown

With the first weekend of the NCAA tournament coming to a close. There will be plenty of speculation of who will be staying in school and who will take the option of entering the NBA Draft.

One such player is Texas guard J'Covan Brown. Brown was the leading scorer on this year's Longhorns squad, which featured six freshman in the playing rotation. That made him the team's unquestioned leader. On previous more talent laden Longhorns teams Brown was overlooked during his freshman and sophomore years. This year Brown stepped it up more out of necessity since the Longhorns had to have someone take the big shot or generate any offense.

Brown now has his eyes on the NBA. He does have the skills to run the point but with Myck Kabongo starting alongside him, Brown had to play off the ball a lot more this year. He won't do that in the NBA. At 6-1 he would be overmatched by bigger 2 guards. He can play point but he never had to do it on a full time basis. If you look at his stats, he needs to work on his shot.

After the tournament loss to Cincinnati, Brown didn't give a straight answer as to whether he'd come back or not.

"At the end of the day, I have family to take care of " Brown said. He does have a 1 year old daughter and I can see why he might be tempted by future earnings. But I think he may be going overseas to make a living. I'm no scout so I could be wrong but I know there are some that might agree with me.  

Heat staff still not convinced Curry can help

Eddy Curry was signed to provide the Miami Heat with some bench depth and front line help. So far he hasn't given them much and it looks like it'll remain that way.

Barry Jackson from the Miami Herald reported that even though Curry has lost weight and is under 300 pounds the staff isn't convinced he deserves more time on the court.


Eddy Curry has dropped below 300 pounds for the first time in a while, and coaches rave about his work ethic. Udonis Haslem said his defense in practice has improved immensely. But the staff still isn’t convinced he can offer as much than Dexter Pittman (especially defensively) in limited minutes. And Spoelstra has barely used Pittman the past three games

Man. From being a lottery pick to being on par with Dexter Pittman. They'll both do more than me with a basketball than I'll do my entire life, but when you (Curry) were supposed to be a building block and a mainstay in the league and bomb that just says you got by in high school on pure talent. And now you're barely beating out Dexter Pittman for limited minutes. Remember when Curry and Tyson Chandler were supposed to be the foundation for a young Chicago Bulls team?  

That seems like it was 20 years ago now.

N.C. State players happy about Duke's loss

Time after time, players from rival schools always snicker and cheer when one of them loses. So when Duke lost to Lehigh in a second round tournament shocker there were a few North Carolina State players who enjoyed the moment, even though they were trying to downplay the moment.


“I was very happy,” Richard Howell said.


“I’m with Rich,” C.J. Leslie said.


Given the fact that N.C. State has always been looked down upon by Duke and North Carolina I can understand your joy. On the other hand Wolfpack players and fans alike should worry about elevating their program before taking joy in others' misery.



 

Philip Rivers wants Peyton Manning in Denver

You can't fault Philip Rivers' competitive nature, even as the team around him looks like it's falling apart. The San Diego Chargers missed the playoffs last season and conceded the AFC West crown to the Tim Tebow led Denver Broncos. Now Rivers would love to see the Broncos bring Peyton Manning aboard. Not because he has a personal vendetta against the guy. It's because he says it's good for the division to stop being looked at as the weak sisters of the NFL. And he loves the thought of battling Manning twice a year.

“It would make it that much tougher to win the West,” Rivers said on San Diego’s XX 1090 radio, via the Denver Post. “All the sudden, at least from a media’s perspective, it would become a division that’s not lost in the shuffle like it’s been in years past. I kind of hope that that’s the case just because it’s always fun to play a Peyton Manning-led football team. To play him twice a year that would be a battle like crazy to win the division. I hope it happens. One thing you know about him, he’s going to be thorough and make the best decision for him that gives him the best chance to go win. And if that ends up being Denver then it will be exciting.” 


And another hurdle for your slow starting team to overcome. If I'm Rivers I'm begging John Elway to leave Manning alone and let him go elsewhere. How about concentrating on how the Chargers can avoid a slow start or midseason swoon that ruins their season.

Vikings sign former college point guard

I don't keep up with the Minnesota Vikings a whole lot, so I'm not really in the know about their team needs this offseason. I suppose the Vikes do need help in the secondary so their really trying to get some bodies in there. So instead of hunkering down for the draft or looking for the best free agent fit they make the puzzling move of signing Nicholas Taylor.

Who? you might ask. I'll give a quick description of Mr. Taylor.

Taylor played collegiately at Florida International for the basketball team and has been playing defensive back in a low level arena league.

Taylor spent time last season in a minor arena football league and worked out on Wednesday at FIU's pro day, where he was clocked at 4.34 and 4.27 seconds in the 40-yard dash.


The Vikings apparently thought enough of him to bring him to Minneapolis for a private workout on Friday and signed him shortly thereafter. Taylor said team officials told him his long-shot bid to make the roster will include a look at cornerback, punt returner and perhaps receiver, too. 


It's a long shot that he makes the team, but there is a the matter of a three year contract that is a reserves/futures contract, so there is a three year committment.

This could turn out to be a heartwarming story or a move of high stupidity. I'm rooting for the guy to make it but figure the odds on this one.

Rumeal Robinson losing part of his NBA pension

After being convicted in 2010 for wire fraud among other crimes, former NBA player and Michigan Wolverine star, Rumeal Robinson, stands to lose nearly $369,000 from his NBA pension fund to cover restitution for some shady business dealings.


The Des Moines Register reports federal prosecutors had filed papers to tap Robinson's NBA pension account and were granted permission this week.


The former University of Michigan player was convicted in September 2010 of participating in a scheme along with a bank officer to defraud the Community State Bank in Ankeny of more than $1.1 million.


Robinson's serving a 78-month sentence for wire fraud and other crimes.


Court documents say Robinson will have enough left in his pension account to fund a monthly annuity estimated amount at $140.


I can't say I feel sorry for the guy since he had an opportunity to do something that most of us never will do and that's get paid a handsome amount of money to play NBA basketball. Even if it didn't work out too well for him he still had a Michigan education to fall back on. To use that knowledge for criminal activities is unspeakable. I really have no words for it. I really hope he doesn't go broke, but you can't say it wasn't well deserved.