NBA might let the Heat and Nets wear jerseys with nicknames

The NBA is kicking around an idea that might get fans to buy more jerseys.

For one game the league may let players wear nicknames on the back of their jerseys. Members of the  Miami Heat and Brooklyn Nets have been told that the league may have them wear "nickname" jerseys in one of their four matchups this season.

Miami's Ray Allen, who would have "Jesus Shuttlesworth", his character from the movie "He Got Game", on the back of his jersey seems to be a fan of the idea.

 "It shows growth in our league and it shows we do adapt to what's going on around us," said Allen, the Heat guard who plans to wear Shuttlesworth on his jersey, a nod to his character from the "He Got Game" film. "And we're still kids, playing a kids' game. Even though we're now men playing a kids' game, we still remember where we come from. Everybody had a nickname and it's a way to let the fans in a little bit more."  

"Fans will like it and so will a lot of the players," Allen said. "Guys will get a good kick out of it."

Miami and Brooklyn is expected to be a marquee matchup this season so the league would put the idea into play with two of the more marketable teams in the league. I think it's an idea that would go over well with the fans and players alike.There's also the possibility of getting the league more publicity and exposure, also more sales of jerseys, but I don't know if the league would put the nickname jerseys on the market.

NHL suspends Maple Leafs Dave Clarkson for 10 games

The NHL tonight suspended Toronto Maple Leafs forward David Clarkson for 10 games after Clarkson left the bench to join an on-ice altercation Sunday night in the Leafs' preseason game in Toronto against the rival Buffalo Sabres.

Clarkson left the bench with 10 minutes remaining in the third period after Buffalo tough guy John Scott, who is 6-8, started a fight with Toronto's Phil Kessel, who is 6-feet and not a fighter. Scott apparently had been incensed after Toronto's 6-5 Jamie Devane had beaten up the much smaller Corey Tropp.

Kessel swung his stick at Scott -- and he will likely get suspended, as well -- and that set off a brawl between the teams that included a goalie fight between Toronto's Jonathan Bernier and Buffalo's Ryan Miller. Clarkson left the bench to get involved, triggering an automatic 10-game suspension under NHL rules.

The suspension is mandated by Rule 70.10, which states: "The first player to leave the players' or penalty bench illegally during an altercation or for the purpose of starting an altercation from either or both teams shall be suspended without pay for the next 10 regular League and/or playoff games of his team."

The suspension is without pay, and based on his average annual salary, Clarkson will forfeit $269,230.80. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

Clarkson will be eligible to return to the Maple Leafs’ lineup on Oct. 25 at Columbus.

VCU upgrades their basketball uniforms

The VCU Rams introduced a new, sleeker looking uniform for the 2013-2014 college basketball season.

The Rams unveiled the uniforms at a team photo shoot. The home whites VCU and the numbers in black with yellow outlines. The design of the letters looks slick and fast, like how the team plays.

It's an upgrade from the generic looking uniforms from years past and fits the team's style of play.

"It Girl" of the week: Tammy Torres

This week's "It Girl" is Tammy Torres

Former Edmonton Oilers owner Peter Pocklington, sentenced to six months in jail

Some said that former Edmonton Oilers owner Peter Pocklington should have been thrown in jail for trading Wayne Gretzky to the Los Angeles Kings once upon a time. Those people are getting their wish, even if it is 25 years later and for a completely different reason.

Pocklington will begin a jail sentence on December 9 for violating his probation on a previous perjury conviction related to a bankruptcy fraud case. He has been sentenced to six months in jail, followed by six months of house arrest and two more years of probation

The assistant U.S district attorney who prosecuted the case had asked for nine months in prison, while Pocklington sought to avoid jail altogether so he could continue to care for his wife of 40 years, who has serious heart problems.

According to court documents obtained by CTV News, in 2011 and 2012, Pocklington was ordered to disclose his monthly income to a probation officer -- but he didn't share details about all the money he was making.

Investigators found Pocklington had millions of dollars worth in unreported income over both of those years -- money that was kept in the bank accounts of resource companies he was involved with.

Pocklington bought part ownership of the Oilers in 1976 and the team won five Stanley Cups in the 1980s. He sold the team in 1998.

That means that the dealmakers in the famous Gretzky trade, Pocklington and former Kings owner Bruce McNall will both have spent some time behind bars.

Is Chris Webber a Hall of Famer?

The Basketball Hall of Fame debate seemed to start earlier this summer, when a couple of former superstars who had brief stints with the Detroit Pistons ended their careers: Allen Iverson (reportedly) and Tracy McGrady.

An ESPN writer has added one more name to the debate, and not only is he someone who’s eligible for voting next year, but he’s someone we watched grow up, literally.

The person under grantland.com scribe Zach Lowe’s microscope is Chris Webber. The former Mr. Basketball/Fab Five star/No. 1 overall pick/ex-Piston (again, briefly) was, and still is, a divisive character. In fact, Lowe alludes to this, but mostly crunches the numbers to say C-Webb is a Hall of Famer.

“Here is the total list of players who piled up at least 17,000 points and 8,000 rebounds, while averaging at least four assists per game with a career PER (player efficiency rating) above 20: Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, Bird and Webber. There's some unfair cherry-picking there, since Webber barely exceeds all those thresholds. But cutting the criteria still produces a ridiculously elite list of just 11 guys, all current or future Hall of Famers — plus Webber.”

Lowe goes on to concede that Webber’s shortcomings include his lack of a world championship — though he was the best player on those early-2000s Sacramento Kings that nearly knocked off the Lakers. And he mentioned, more in passing, his short, yet dazzling, culturally impactful and tainted college career as a Wolverine.

Also presented in Webber’s case file was the fact that his numbers tended to decline a bit in the playoffs. But much of Lowe’s argument hinges on Webber’s talent level, especially as a passer.

If you haven’t yet, read Lowe’s analysis and his 17 stray thoughts, mostly on his NBA career. And no, none of his half of season in 2007 with the Pistons, where he averaged 11.3 points and 6.7 assists on a bad knee factor into this Hall of Fame equation.

Pac-12 reprimands officials that blew the Wisconsin-Arizona St. game

The Pac-12 Conference has reprimanded the officials in Saturday night’s game between Wisconsin and Arizona State for their actions in the bizarre closing seconds.

The Pac-12 said the officials did not act with enough urgency or properly administer the end of game situation when Wisconsin quarterback Joel Stave awkwardly took a knee and the clock ran out on the Badgers in the ensuing confusion.



“This was an unusual situation to end the game,” Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott said. “After a thorough review, we have determined that the officials fell short of the high standard in which Pac-12 games should be managed. We will continue to work with all our officials to ensure this type of situation never occurs again.”

The strange finish came after Wisconsin drove to Arizona State’s 13-yard line with 18 seconds left. Trying to set the Badgers up for a game-winning field goal, Stave ran left and tried to take a knee in the middle of the field.

He clipped one of his offensive linemen while trying to go down and plopped the ball onto the yard marker before hopping up quickly.

Players from both teams were confused by the play and the Sun Devils dove on the ball, thinking it was a fumble. Wisconsin lost precious seconds while the Arizona State players were pulled off and a few more when one of the officials held the Badgers at the line of scrimmage before allowing them to snap the ball.

Wisconsin tried to get a play off so it could spike the ball, but ran out of time. Arizona State won 32-30.
The Pac-12 said neither the referee nor anyone on his crew moved with appropriate urgency to clearly communicate that the ball was to be spotted so play could resume promptly.