Kevin Sumlin and Will Muschamp trading words

It's hard being the new kid on the block in anything. Unless there is a reputation of being the biggest bad ass in your old neighborhood there is always going to be someone that picks on you.

Texas A&M consider yourselves picked on. Last week Florida coach Will Muschamp decided to fire the first shot at newcomer Texas A&M. 

While he was at a gathering for the Florida faithful, Muschamp took a shot at College Station, the home of the Aggies and the 12th man. He poked fun at Aggieland and I'm sure the locals aren't too thrilled about it.

Muschamp last week had asked a gathering of Gators fans, “You ever been to College Station? It'll be the only time you go,” according to the Lakeland (Fla.) Ledger.

Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin didn't take too kindly too Muschamp's jab of his new home.

“He needs to worry about his own team,” Sumlin said Wednesday.

Guess who will be the Aggies' first SEC opponent. That's right, Florida.

That should add some spice to the conference kickoff

Isiah Thomas wants another shot in college or the NBA

After his well documented failures in both college basketball and the NBA, Isiah Thomas wants to get another shot at coaching or being a general manager at either level.

Thomas was recently fired by Florida International after compiling a 26-65 record over three seasons. Thomas has also coached the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers and served as the general manager for the Knicks and Toronto Raptors. Thomas has a good friendship with Knicks owner James Dolan and has been connected to any opening in the Knicks organization.

"I definitely want to be in basketball again whether it be coaching or as a general manager," Thomas said by phone. "My gift is basketball. I would love working with the kids. If it's the right college program, I would consider it. If it's the right GM job or coaching job in the NBA, I would consider it. I love the game. I just want to be in the game."


"I have great friends in the organization," said Thomas, a two-time NBA champion and 12-time All-Star with the Detroit Pistons. "A lot of them I gave them their first job opportunities in the NBA. The owner and I have a very good relationship. It's an organization I will always root for and will always want them to do well because they're all personal friends of mine." 

Thomas says he would be willing to listen to all offers college or pro.

"I'm like everyone else, I keep my options open," Thomas said. "My mom always said don't burn any bridges. I followed her advice. It would have to be the right option and right place."


The question is would anyone be willing go all in on Thomas. When he played he was one of the best players of all time. He was a winner. Off the court is another story where he's had more than one failure. Namely running the Knicks into the ground.

Call me a homer since he did play for my hometown Detroit Pistons, but I think he should get another chance despite his track record, but it would have to be the right situation. He shouldn't be thrown into a rebuilding situation.

Parise and Suter a package deal?

Rumors concerning a package deal to the Red Wings between Nashville defenseman Ryan Suter and New Jersey sniper Zach Parise has been somewhat persistent this spring and early summer. Rumors continued on a Parise and Suter rendezvous in Detroit continued at the IIHF World Championships.

Gregg Krupa of the Detroit News reports it’s a “common assumption … Parise and Suter are intent on signing together with a new team” while the Wings have a mutual interest in the two 27-year-old players.

“I am assuming that, at least as of right now, they are a package deal,” one NHL team official told the Detroit News. “They certainly seem to have set it up that way, themselves.”

But before Red Wings fans start committing money to those new Parise and Suter Winged Wheel jerseys, there is still a chance that Suter re-signs with the Predators. Suter has made it clear so far that he intends to sign his last contract this offseason so the Wings and their fans need to be totally sure if they want Suter for the next 10 years or so.

With Parise, there may be little point speculating on his future considering the Devils are one win away from the Stanley Cup Finals.

But, if Suter and Parise do in fact hit the open market, it’s looking more and more likely that their preferred destination would be Detroit.

If longtime forward Tomas Holmstrom retires, defenseman Brad Stuart heads out west and Jiri Hudler signs elsewhere the Wings would have roughly $44 million dollars committed to salary in 2013 and should be able to accommodate both Suter and Parise without issue.

This is how Chris Bosh, Dwayne Wade, and LeBron James ended up with the Miami Heat.