Coach Happy So Far With Hornets Being Out Of New Orleans Coach Byron Scott has been pretty vocal with his opinion of the home of the Hornets. He would rather have the team return to Oklahoma City than go back to New Orleans next season, citing the support of the city and the fans in Oklahoma, and the distractions that playing selected games in Baton Rogue and New Orleans have been so far. - Scott wants Hornets to return to Oklahoma City (CNN/SI)  
Wednesday, January 25, 2006 The Boston Red Sox former general manager Theo Epstein has been confirmed as The Boston Red Sox new general manager. Epstein has essentially gone back in time to resume the duties he gave up when he resigned from the position more than three months ago. As one of the youngest GMs in baseball history, the 32-year-old Epstein helped assemble the team that won Boston's historic first World Series championship in 86 years in 2004. Epstein takes on the added title of executive vice president, and the two co-general managers appointed in December aren't sent out in exile: Ben Cherington is now vice president/player personnel and Jed Hoyer is assistant general manager. - Theo Epstein to Return As Red Sox GM (ABC News)
The Artest Deal Was Done, Until It Was Undone By Artest The Kings made a deal with the Pacers that was just a signature from the commissioner away from being done, only to be rejected because Ron Artest would rather go to the Golden State Warriors if he was going to be dealt to a bay area team. It was supposed to be Peja Stojakovic for Artest. Since the trade was sitting on the table, neither player was eligible to suit up and play. The Cleveland Cavaliers beat Indiana 96-66 with out Artest, who wasn't going to play anyway. The Philadelphia 76'ers beat Sacramento 109-103 without Stojakovic, who probably would have. - It's Just As Well The Artest-Peja Deal Fell Through (SportingNews.com) - Dealing Artest As Tough As Dealing With Him (FOXSports.com) UPDATE: Gavin & Joe Maloff are gamblers. They own a casino and the Sacramento Kings. Today, they put a lot of money on the table by going forward with the deal to trade Artest for Stojakovic again, and this time not taking a whinny 'I don't really want to' from the now former Pacer/new King shooting guard. Says Joe Maloff himself: "We're gamblers. So we're going to take a chance on him. We want to look But what worries me is how much of a strain will dealing with Ron Artest but on the Kings players who are already dealing with Bonzi Wells, who was recently named number seven on a list of the top ten most hated athletes as named by their peers. - Pacers send Artest to Kings in exchange for Stojakovic (CNN/SI) - On again: Artest finally sent to Kings for Stojakovic (Sports Network) - The Ten Most Hated Athletes (GQ)
Monday, January 23, 2006 The LA Laker's Kobe Bryant has now cemented himself in NBA scoring history with the second highest individual scoring performance, 81 points, in a game. Second only to what was once scene as the impossible scoring performance of 100 points by Wilt Chamberlain. I have a hard time believing a team of 'professional' basketball players allowed on man to score 26 points in the first half, and then follow up with 55 points in the second half. Looks the Kobe might be better off with out Shaq in town. To bad the Lakers as a team aren't much better than Toronto. - Kobe Bryant Scores 81 Points In Lakers Victory (CNN.com) - Lakers 122 / Raptors 104: Box Score From 1/22/06 (NBA.com)
Thursday, January 19, 2006 - NCAA: 76 percent of athletes graduate in six years (ESPN.com)
Davis To The Defense Brown was the coach of the Detroit Pistons during the November 2004 brawl between Detroit, the Indian Pacers, and a handful of drunken fans. Last night, the New York Knicks' Antonio Davis climbed over the scorers table and went into the stands during the game. But this was not some drunken fan making a lucky loss with a beer cup: "I witnessed my wife being threatened by a man that I learned later to beDavis stayed in the stands until security was able to get to the scene, and then he peacefully returned to the bench and took his seat before being ejected with 1:04 left. Antonio Davis, by irony or coincidence, is president of the NBA players' association. - Knicks' Davis goes into stands to protect wife, ejected from game (San Jose Mercury News)
Tuesday, January 17, 2006 The state of Arkansas has seen an instant lowering in their blood pressure, as the nation's #1 rated high school quarterback, Sprindale, Arkansas' Mitch Mustain, has finally stopped waffling and has recommitted to play college football at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville yesterday. For those of you who aren't a resident of the Razorback State, this might be a slight blip on your radar, and only if you really care about college football recruiting. The backstory is simple: last year Mustain and the Springdale High School football team were tops in the state. In August, Mustain gave his verbal commitment to the U of A. This may or may not have paved the way for his coach, the young football genius Gus Malzahn, to get his first college coaching job at Arkansas, and have that job be offensive coordinator, which takes away the play calling duties from head coach and constant target Houston Nutt. A few months into the college football season, it became apparent that the quarterback situation this year was going to be a problem, due to the Jacksonville Jaguars drafting Hogs QB Matt Jones and then making him a wide receiver. Jones' athleticism was able to overcome his QB shortcomings, and Nutt never took the time to develop a true replacement. Various other elements of the team were proving to not be working either, and Mustain, on the way to a undefeated season in high school football and being sold as the savior of the college program, decided maybe he needed to take a second look at Notre Dame. And possibly Alabama. Or maybe even Tennessee . . . As you could have guessed, the fans went nuts. Especially when other Southeastern Conference options Alabama and Tennessee were mentioned. Days after Springdale High School wins the Arkansas state football championship, coach Gus Malzahn leaves the high school and gets the Arkansas offensive coordinator job, meaning the old high school coach no longer has a free ear to his star quarterback, even if the star quarterback is over the house all the time because he is dating old coaches' daughter. Yes, it got very confusing very quickly. But all is right with the world, now. Malzahn had his first in-house recruiting trip to Mustain's house two days ago, and yesterday morning Malzahn delivered the young prospect back into the firm clutches of Houston Nutt. There is no soap opera that can ever be conceived that would outdo college football in the south. - Top QB Mustain commits to Arkansas (MSNBC)- Final decision: Mustain commits to Arkansas (ESPN) - Touted prep QB recommits to Razorbacks (ABC News)
Saturday, January 14, 2006 Little fan fare and seemingly no indecision, Nomar is playing for the country of his parents. And I am fine with that, mainly because he didn't make it a crisis that Rodriguez's decision seem to be (and the sports media seem to want to make it). A-Rod seems to be leaning toward playing for the U.S. for the moment. We'll find out in March what really happens. - Nomar To Play For Mexico In World Baseball Classic (ABC News) - Still No Decision By A-Rod (CNN/SI)
Tuesday, January 10, 2006 He gets second and third chances most people don't. That's the way things go with star athletes. Not fair, but such is life sometimes. But Vick, who already had enough problems with the law to get him kicked off the team after viciously stomping an opposing playing in a bowl game on national TV, and just days from putting his name in for the NFL draft because he had no where let to go (other that just sleeping on Mike Vick's couch), we arrested for pulling a gun on some teenagers in the parking lot of a McDonald's. Its about not being a hater, but being real. And Marcus Vick is being real stupid. - Marcus Vick arrested for alleged gun incident (MSNBC) - Commentary: NFL should show willpower, pass on Vick (Palm Beach Post)
Saturday, January 07, 2006 Apparently, it doesn't, and chances are there'll be a new brother duo of quarterbacks for the 2006-2007 NFL season. After discussing possible futures with his family, Mike Vick's little brother has decided to turn pro. - Vick Going Pro After Va. Tech Dismissal (Forbes)
Wednesday, January 04, 2006 Swann hasn't been very forthcoming about his political positions. So far, he's said that he is pro-life and wants to reform property taxes, but mostly speaks in vague "we need a change" styled statements. - Swann Song: I'm Running For Guv (Philadelphia Daily News)
Tuesday, January 03, 2006 We're also given a little insight on Baltimore Ravens coach Brian Billick, who dodged a bullet with his rumored firing. He was given the "opportunity" to return in 2006 only after agreeing with owner Steve Bisciotti to make significant changes in the way he runs the team. Billick hinted at his "plans" to show less arrogance, take a tougher stance with the players and adding some "punch" to the Raven's lackluster offense for next season in a press conference this morning. - Now, We Wait: Lions Likely To Take Their Time Picking Coach, QB (Detroit Free Press) - Raiders End Rough Season On Down Note (Sports Network) - Owner Orders Billick To Make Changes (Houston Chronicle)
Can I Really Have Two Stories About The New York Knicks? First the positive: the Phoenix Suns are one of the best teams in the NBA today, and the New York Knickerbockers are one of the worst. Knowing all this, its amazing how Brown was able to keep his team focused and motivated to outplay the Suns in a triple-overtime game, eventually ending 140-133. And then there was news the Knicks have indefinitely suspended center Jerome James on the official term of "conduct detrimental to the team," saying he was unprepared to practice this weekend. And unofficially noting that he was never ready to play all season, after signing a five-year, $30 million contract and coming to training camp overweight and out of shape. While the blame for James falls squarely on team president Isiah Thomas for signing him, Coach Brown's response to the matter ("I'm not commenting on Jerome. He's not on the active list. I'm talking about active players right now.") in comparison to his response to the monster win ("I'm just proud of them because that's a quality team and we managed to survive, and then we figured out a way to win.") is typical to the mythos that is Larry Brown. - Roundup: Knicks survive triple OT; Bucks bump Bulls (USA Today) - Knicks suspend center Jerome James (USA Today)
Monday, January 02, 2006 - Saints fire coach after 3-13 season (Seattle Post Intelligencer)
And The Next Two Fired NFL Coaches Are . . . - Sherman, Martz Fired (FOXSports.com)
Doug Flutie Kicks Himself Back Into The Limelight So for what may be his last game in the NFL, the gave Flutie a chance to get on the books as a kicker for an extra point. Apparently, Flutie used to drop kick in the CFL, so he gave it a shot completing the first successful drop kick in the NFL since 1941 (Ray McLean of the Chicago Bears completed the last successful drop kick on an extra point in the Bears' 37-9 win over the New York Giants in the NFL championship game that year). - Teammates Got A Kick Out Of Flutie's Drop (Boston Globe)
The First Three NFL Coaches To Go Meanwhile, Mike Tice of the Minnesota Vikings has apparently embarrassed himself and his team enough, and has officially been fired. And Dom Capers just didn't get it done in the role of expansion team genius with the Houston Texans, with the team getting progressively worse in its' four-season history. - Vermeil More Than A Coach To Players (Kansas City Star) - Going, Going...Gone (The State)
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