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Buehrle 4-hits A’s year after perfection (AP)

admin — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 18:18:20 +0000

Buehrle 4-hits A’s year after perfection (AP)
Mark Buehrle was so locked in he didn’t even notice the malfunctioning stadium radar gun clock one of his first-inning pitches at 800 mph. Chicago’s ace left-hander only seemed that dominant. Buehrle pitched a four-hitter on the one-year anniversary of his perfect game and the White Sox beat the Oakland Athletics 5-1 on Friday night.

The 10-man rotation, starring New Zealand’s new center?
A look around the league and the web that covers it. It’s also important to note that the rotation order and starting nods aren’t always listed in order of importance. That’s for you, dear reader, to figure out.C: Celtic’s Hub. Kendrick Perkins(notes) might be a New Zealander??PF: ESPN. ESPN on “The Decision.” (via Cavs: The Blog)SF: Red’s Army. Tom Thibodeau is already coaching Derrick Rose(notes).SG: Pine Rider. How much is J.J. Redick(notes) worth?PG: Hardwood Paroxysm. Leading Team USA is important. Can Kevin Durant(notes) do it?6th: The Awl. Bethlehem Shoals on why New Yorkers can still be excited about the Knicks.7th: BBB. Nice tux, Chris Bosh(notes).8th: Deadspin. Have to imagine this won’t turn out well for Joakim Noah(notes).9th: KSB. Handling superstars is pretty tough.10th: Weakside Help. What kind of fantasy hoops player are you?Got a link or tip for Ball Don’t Lie? Holler at me at trey.kerby (at) yahoo.com, or follow me on Twitter.

Yanks, others discussing trade for Haren (AP)
Arizona president Derrick Hall has confirmed that the New York Yankees are among “a few teams” in discussions with the Diamondbacks about a possible trade for right-hander Dan Haren. But Hall told The Associated Press on Friday night that there is no front-runner and other clubs have made offers that are “of at least equal value” to what the Yankees are proposing.

LB Pierce retires to become analyst (AP)

admin — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 10:54:08 +0000

LB Pierce retires to become analyst (AP)
Linebacker Antonio Pierce has retired from the NFL after nine seasons and is joining ESPN as and NFL analyst. Pierce spent the past five seasons with the New York Giants and was released by the team in February. He was the Giants’ defensive captain and helped team defeat the New England Patriots in the 2008 Super Bowl.

Lions president gets 6 months probation (AP)
Detroit Lions president Tom Lewand pleaded guilty Friday to driving while impaired, two weeks after he was pulled over in northern lower Michigan for driving erratically near a bar. Lewand was sentenced to six months of probation with $870 in fines and costs, according to court administrator Cynthia Esckilsen of the 83rd District Court in Roscommon.

Veteran WR Engram signs with Browns (AP)
Free agent wide receiver Bobby Engram has signed with the Cleveland Browns. Terms of the deal announced Thursday were not disclosed. The 37-year-old Engram had five receptions for 61 yards in five games last season with the Kansas City Chiefs. Engram, a 14-year veteran, was a second-round draft pick of the Chicago Bears in 1996.

SL: Pistons ‘earned’ record; Reggie’s not happy; No tear for Bynum

admin — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 12:03:04 +0000

SL: Pistons ‘earned’ record; Reggie’s not happy; No tear for Bynum
Each weekday morning, BDL serves up a handful of NBA-related stories to digest with your pancetta.Vincent Goodwill, Detroit News: “Leave it to Ben Wallace(notes) to put the Pistons’ 11-game losing streak — and disappointing season — in perspective. ‘We earned this early vacation,’ Wallace said of the Pistons, who will not be in the playoffs for the first time since the 2000-01 season. ‘We didn’t get it done the way we we’re supposed to. Nobody went out and played for us. Things will get better, though.’ Wallace has been one of the team’s few bright spots, averaging five points and nine rebounds. He is proud of his individual performance at age 35, but takes responsibility for the team’s 23-53 mark. He came back to Detroit expecting to be the fifth big man, but played well above expectations. ‘They say losing builds character; I say losing (stinks),’ Wallace said. ‘Nobody’s exempt and I have to live with that.’”Frank Zicarelli, Toronto Sun: “There is no love for the City of Brotherly Love and nor is there any hatred for the city he once called his hoops home. For Reggie Evans(notes), there is only pain and frustration. Saturday marks the fourth and final meeting between the Raptors and Sixers, who met twice in the pre-season. The teams orchestrated an off-season deal that seemed, at least at the time, to serve each well given their respective deficiencies. Philly couldn’t shoot and it acquired a shooter in Jason Kapono(notes). The Raptors couldn’t rebound, weren’t tough and were mentally soft, points of emphasis that are right up Evans’ alley. Kapono has been starting of late in the wake of injuries, his impact in Philly is next-to-nothing. A pre-season foot injury kept Evans out of the lineup until Feb. 17. The impact Evans has had in games since his return has been marginal and his role diminished. ‘Rough,’ began Evans when asked following Friday’s practice to describe his year in Toronto. ‘It has been rough, man. I ain’t going to lie to you. I ain’t ever been injured in my life and it ain’t been fun. It ain’t been all peaches and cream. It has been a tough year.’”Michael Lee, Washington Post: “A league source said it is unlikely that the Wizards would retain Foye at the price of his qualifying offer, opening up the opportunity for him to walk without compensation. ‘They really don’t have to do nothing. It’s up to them. Whatever management does, they are going to do, no matter what the outside thinks,’ Foye said. ‘I’m really not concerned. I think people have seen me enough in this league to know exactly what I can do and exactly what kind of player I am, if they acquire me, or whatever happens here. They know what they are getting. Being here would be important. This is somewhere I would like to be, but I understand that it’s a business at the same time.’” Dave McMenamin, ESPNLosAngeles.com: “Lakers center Andrew Bynum(notes), sidelined for the last two weeks with a strained left Achilles tendon, had another MRI on Monday that confirmed once again there is no tear in the tendon. Bynum has not been cleared to play and no timetable has been set for his return to action, according to the Lakers official Web site.” Ken Sugiura, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: “The Hawks enter the final two weeks of the season in control of their fate for the third playoff seed in the Eastern Conference. From the outside, it doesn’t appear the grip is so steady. All-Star guard Joe Johnson(notes) will not play in the Hawks’ next two games, Tuesday at Charlotte and Wednesday at Detroit, in order to rest his sprained right thumb. Furthermore, the Hawks will play four of their next five games away from Philips Arena, which doesn’t bode well since they have a 17-20 road record after losing their last four elsewhere. ‘Diving on the floor for loose balls and things of that nature, a lot of that stuff we do here at Philips, we’ve got to take that on the road,’ Johnson said. ‘I just don’t see a lot of that on the road, us diving for loose balls, taking charges. … That’s something we’ve really got to try to get to if we’re trying to make it to the next level, which is winning a championship.’”AP: “The Denver Nuggets know they’ll have a better chance of going far in the playoffs if Kenyon Martin’s(notes) physical and mental issues are straightened out. The Nuggets are hoping that Martin will return to practice Tuesday after being out for a month with patellar tendinitis in his left knee and they’re also crossing their fingers that he’s put aside his anger over an April Fool’s popcorn prank involving J.R. Smith(notes). Martin declined to comment on either topic after shooting baskets and riding an exercise bike during practice Monday. He brushed past a reporter waiting outside the team’s locker room, smiling and saying, ‘Nope,’ before fielding any questions or breaking stride as he sauntered down the hallway, his left knee wrapped in a brown bandage. Acting head coach Adrian Dantley said he wasn’t sure what Martin would be able to do at practice Tuesday or even if he’ll be able to withstand the pain enough to participate in drills. Martin had platelet-rich plasma injection therapy last month, choosing the procedure also known as ‘blood spinning’ over season-ending surgery in hopes he’ll be back in time for the playoffs.” Mike Wells, Indianapolis Star: “Opens the season as a backup point guard. Now starting and having an impact late in the season. Free agent this summer. That was Jarrett Jack(notes) last season, and it will be Earl Watson(notes) this summer. The Indiana Pacers likely will have to compete with other teams if and when they try to re-sign Watson, who will be an unrestricted free agent. Watson, who hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2005, said winning is more important than starting. He will sign with a team that has the best chance to win. The Pacers haven’t been to the playoffs since 2006. ‘Winning is always going to be an impact,’ he said. ‘Being here, I felt like I’ve built family ties with my teammates. That’s important to me. I’m a loyal guy, sometimes to a fault. A lot of things can play a factor. You never know what can happen in free agency.’” Marc Stein, ESPN.com: “The NBA has granted the New York Knicks’ request for luxury-tax relief on the contract of retired guard Cuttino Mobley(notes), according to league sources. Sources told ESPN.com that the Knicks were notified last week that their request for Mobley’s $9.5 million salary to be erased from their 2009-10 tax bill has been approved. The Knicks then waived Mobley on Monday, according to a league memorandum obtained by ESPN.com. Once Mobley clears waivers later this week, New York will see its luxury-tax bill for July drop from nearly $15 million to $5.1 million. That will also reduce the rebate that teams get for staying underneath the league’s $69.9 million luxury-tax threshhold from just over $4 million to $3.7 million. Mobley retired last season because of a heart condition that has worsened, but New York was waiting for the league’s ruling on the matter before waiving Mobley, which opens up a roster spot in case the Knicks want to sign anyone for the final week-plus of the season.” AP: “Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson has been fined $35,000 for criticizing game officials. The NBA announced the discipline on Monday. Jackson was fined for comments he made after the Lakers’ 100-81 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday at the Staples Center.”

Bellotti stepping down as Oregon AD (AP)

admin — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 16:18:01 +0000

Bellotti stepping down as Oregon AD (AP)
Oregon athletic director Mike Bellotti is stepping down after less than a year in the position to become a college football analyst with ESPN. Bellotti was head coach of the Ducks for 14 seasons before he formally took over as athletic director last July. His resignation is effective April 5 and he’ll make his debut on ESPN on April 17.

Pistons’ 8-year playoff streak to end (AP)
The Detroit Pistons were eliminated from playoff contention, almost fittingly, by a team that came into the game on a nine-game losing streak. Danny Granger had 32 points to lead the Indiana Pacers to a season sweep of the Pistons with a 98-83 win on Tuesday night. The Pacers are 20-46 against the rest of the NBA but beat Detroit in all four meetings this season — the first time the Pacers swept a…

Sens’ Elliott earns second straight SO (AP)
The Ottawa Senators again rode a huge goaltending effort from Brian Elliott to knock off an Eastern Conference playoff contender for a second night in a row. Elliott earned his second shutout in two days and Chris Kelly and Daniel Alfredsson scored to lead Ottawa to a 2-0 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night.

Star OT Campbell passes on Terps pro day (AP)

admin — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 03:03:07 +0000

Star OT Campbell passes on Terps pro day (AP)
While 11 of his former University of Maryland teammates pressed to make an impression on NFL scouts, offensive tackle Bruce Campbell smiled for the television cameras and happily answered questions from reporters. Campbell had nothing left to prove after running the 40-yard dash in an impressive 4.85 seconds and bench-pressing 225 pounds 34 times last month in Indianapolis at the NFL combine.

Pinstripe Bowl set for Yankee Stadium (AP)
The first Pinstripe Bowl will be played at Yankee Stadium on Dec. 30 and will be televised by ESPN. The game will include the No. 3 team in the Big East and the No. 6 school in the Big 12, excluding Bowl Championship Series participants. “I think no matter what the sport, every kid who grows up wants to play at Yankee Stadium,” Yankees president Randy Levine said Tuesday.

Brandon Marshall: Wah, I’m mad. Broncos: Okay, here’s $30m.

admin — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 08:57:00 +0000

Brandon Marshall: Wah, I’m mad. Broncos: Okay, here’s $30m.
In an unforeseen development in the Brandon Marshall(notes) controversy, the Broncos now apparently want to give him a contract extension. That’s the word from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who quotes a couple of league sources as saying that a potential deal would put Marshall’s salary in line with those of the top receivers in the game. Just for comparison’s sake, Larry Fitzgerald(notes) made $17 million last year, Randy Moss(notes) made $14 million, and Terrell Owens(notes) made $13 million (those numbers include signing bonuses and base salary). Previously, Marshall had been trying to get the Broncos to trade him. To his credit, he used some brilliant, if not also appalling, methods (video at that link). Honestly, I’m a little surprised that they didn’t work. Marshall ended up getting suspended by the team, and was reinstated over the weekend. The obvious danger here for the Broncos is that they’d be rewarding idiotic and childish behavior, which they already did once this offseason when they let Jay Cutler(notes) whine his way into a trade to Chicago. If the Cutler trade had never gone down, Marshall may have never started acting like a complete ‘bag. So now, with Marshall’s behavior taking jackassery to a new level, if he gets what he wants, what kind of message does that send to the next guy looking for a raise? I don’t even want to think about what he’d do to top Marshall. Give Josh McDaniels a wedgie and hang him up in the locker room by the back of his underwear? Pour sugar in Pat Bowlen’s gas tank? Gracias, FanHouse.