Mavs retain their nuts

- Very good to see: Stack gets a 3 year deal. I used to put Stackhouse in the same category as Vince Carter, Corey Maggette, Ricky Davis, Baron Davis, Steve Francis, Stephon Marbury, and the like. Big time ego-driven players with nothing on their mind but money and stats. Didn't care about what kind of team was around them, didn't care much about winning, wanted big contracts and big money. Basically the calling card of every spoiled NBA prima donna.

But after watching him the past 3 years, I now realize that he is nothing like any of these players. He's intense, he backs down from no one, takes big shots, and plays with some of the biggest nuts in the game. No doubt he could have signed for maybe $10-12 million on a crap team, but he is all about the ring and winning these days.

Maybe he was like some of those aforementioned players early in his career, but it finally clicked for him about 3-4 years ago. He learned the error of his ways and swallowed pride and took a lesser role in order to win. You want guys who are committed to the whole team's goal, and he definitely qualifies. No go win a ring dammit.

The Mavericks wanted Jerry Stackhouse back. And he wanted them.

Thursday, they agreed it was a match made in hoops heaven.

Stackhouse said thetwo sides had reached an agreement in principle on a contract to keep the sixth man with the Mavericks. Sources on both sides said the deal is for three years and the salary will start at more than the mid-level exception, which is expected to be about $6 million. If it starts at $7 million, the deal would be worth nearly $24 million for three seasons.

It was not immediately known if any option years, either for the team or for Stackhouse, were included in the deal.

"The deal is done," Stackhouse said. "I'm happy to be staying put. [Mavs owner] Mark [Cuban] and the organization stepped up for me and I'm really proud of that. Now we need to get a ring."


- The more Robinson Tejeda sucks, the more imperative it is that the Rangers deal Teixeira for a major-league ready starter. (i.e. Teixeira/Otsuka for Chad Billingsley, James Loney, and Clayton Kershaw). Rangers lose 5-2.

ARLINGTON — Kelvim Escobar won his 10th game after being snubbed again for a spot in the All-Star game and the Los Angeles Angels avoided a three-game sweep with a 5-2 victory over the Texas Rangers on Thursday night.

Left off the initial American League roster released Sunday, Escobar had another chance to make the team. But Red Sox reliever Hideki Okajima beat out Escobar and three others in Internet voting that ended Thursday to determine the final player.

Escobar (10-3) allowed one run and three hits over seven innings, with eight strikeouts and three walks. The right-hander is 4-0 in six starts since the start of June.





- Tap on those brakes Cowlishaw.....The guy's still bating sub-.250 and has had one good week all year.

Wilkerson's bat eases loss of Soriano

10:11 PM CDT on Thursday, July 5, 2007

ARLINGTON – Even lost seasons provide opportunities to make discoveries that can lead to future success.

In this case, the discovery that Brad Wilkerson can, in fact, hit a baseball should turn out to be particularly useful.

For a season and two months, Wilkerson wasn't a hitter. He wasn't even a baseball player. In the eyes of Rangers' fans, Wilkerson was simply "all we got for Alfonso Soriano."

Or, more accurately, all young general manager Jon Daniels got out of his first big kick at the trading can.

Wilkerson struggled through an injury-plagued 2006 season. He tried to hang on far longer than he should have with a shoulder that needed surgery.

He finished with 15 home runs, a .222 batting average and a .422 slugging percentage.

"As long as we were in the hunt, I felt like I had to try to be out there," Wilkerson said, seated at his locker. "It was bad because I couldn't even take batting practice for long before it started bothering me."

While Wilkerson did what he did and the Rangers did what they did, Soriano busted the fences in Washington with career highs in home runs (46) and slugging percentage (.560). Then he broke the bank at the Tribune Company, landing an eight-year, $136 million contract with the Chicago Cubs.

This year the two players are more similar than they are different. Soriano, misplaced as a leadoff hitter on Lou Piniella's lineup card, has 15 home runs, 31 RBIs and a .541 slugging percentage.

Wilkerson, now shifted from the outfield to first base to replace injured Mark Teixeira, has 13 home runs, 40 RBIs and a .524 slugging percentage.

Given those numbers, the Rangers are getting more for their $4.35 million in 2007 than the Cubs are for their $17 million in Soriano.

It has all come about lately.

Wilkerson's numbers dipped in June, when he returned from a stay on the disabled list. He went 3-for-27 in his first eight games back, and his batting average tumbled to .217 and slugging percentage to .417.

Now he's the hottest hitter on the team, if not in the league.

He delivered a three-run home run in Fenway Park on Monday night. He became the 14th Ranger to hit three home runs in a game Tuesday night.

Strangely enough, you have to have recent Rangers connections to hit three homers in a game these days. The others who have done it in 2007 are Soriano and last year's rental, Houston's Carlos Lee.

In his first at-bat Wednesday, Wilkerson lined a Jered Weaver pitch off the wall for an RBI double. He took a five-game RBI streak into Thursday night's game and has 15 RBIs in his last seven games.

His patience at the plate, now copied by other hitters in manager Ron Washington's lineup, is starting to pay off in higher pitch counts and more frequent calls to the bullpen for opponents.

"Wilky has had some really big hits for us the last couple of weeks," All-Star shortstop Michael Young said. "Pitchers have kind of stayed away from the top of our lineup and gone after the bottom of it this year. He has given us some real depth in our lineup.

"He just looks healthy this year."

A guy who walks and strikes out a lot, Wilkerson is never going to challenge for a batting title. But he has a history of good on-base and slugging percentages. The on-base number is only now starting to creep back up, but his .524 slugging percentage suits him well enough.

"I feel good confidence-wise and health-wise right now," Wilkerson said. "A lot of times you are ready for the [All-Star] break, but right now this team is ready for the second half.

"We got started too late this year but we don't look at it that way as individual players. We've been doing a lot of positive things lately."

Like winning five of their last six series and splitting the other one. Like getting quality starting pitching on a semi-regular basis.

And like getting real production from the bat of Brad Wilkerson.

It's not enough for Daniels to say, "I told you so."

But it's something to factor into 2008 when you're figuring out where this team has holes and where it doesn't.





- Viva College Football. The season can't start soon enough.

Week 1
Sept. 1: Tennessee at California (8 p.m. ET, ABC)
It has to be more competitive than last season's matchup at Neyland Stadium, which the Volunteers won 35-18.
Upset alert: Oklahoma State over Georgia (6:45 p.m., ESPN2)

Week 2
Sept. 3: Florida State at Clemson (8 p.m., ESPN)
Tigers coach Tommy Bowden has beaten Daddy (Florida State's Bobby Bowden) in each of the last two "Bowden Bowls" and three of four overall. A key ACC contest under the lights on Labor Day night, followed by a few beverages at The Esso Club.

Sept. 8: Virginia Tech at LSU (9:15 p.m.)
The Hokies are one of only a few teams still willing to play in hostile environments like Baton Rouge. And it doesn't get much louder than Tiger Stadium on a Saturday night.
Upset alert: TCU over Texas (8 p.m.)

Week 3
Sept. 13: West Virginia at Maryland (7:45 p.m., ESPN)
One of the country's most underrated rivalries heats up again, as the Terrapins try to derail the Mountaineers' national championship hopes. Football near the nation's capital.

Sept. 15: USC at Nebraska (8 p.m., ABC)
The Trojans' first big test in their quest for another national championship. Watching football in downtown Lincoln all afternoon, then walking a few blocks to Memorial Stadium.
Upset alert: Kentucky over Louisville

Week 4
Sept. 22: Penn State at Michigan
Wolverines fans will have a September to remember with home games against defending I-AA national champion Appalachian State, Oregon, Notre Dame and Penn State to start the season.
Upset alert: South Carolina over LSU (7 p.m.)

Week 5
Sept. 29: Alabama at Florida State
Two of the sport's great powers collide at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville. Bobby Bowden vs. Nick Saban. Florida beaches. Early-morning tee times.
Upset alert: Maryland over Rutgers

Week 6
Oct. 6: Oklahoma vs. Texas
The Red River Shootout in Dallas might have national title implications. Longhorns quarterback Colt McCoy tries to lead Texas to its third in a row over the Sooners.
Upset alert: Utah over Louisville (8 p.m., ESPN)

Week 7
Oct. 13: Wisconsin at Penn State (3:30 p.m., ABC)
Both the Badgers and Nittany Lions have designs on unseating Ohio State and Michigan at the top of the Big Ten standings. The air should just be turning crisp in Happy Valley.
Upset alert: Wake Forest over Florida State (7:30 p.m., ESPN)

Week 8
Oct. 18: South Florida at Rutgers (7:30 p.m., ESPN)
Last year's Big East surprise against this year's potential sleeper.

Oct. 20: Tennessee at Alabama
There's only one place to be on the third Saturday in October: Tuscaloosa, Ala. New Tide coach Nick Saban can go a long way toward becoming the state's governor by beating the hated Volunteers.
Upset alert: Kentucky over Florida

Week 9
Oct. 25: Boston College at Virginia Tech (7:30 p.m., ESPN)
Back at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains is my absolute favorite Thursday night setting.

Oct. 27: Georgia vs. Florida
The game I still call the "World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party" might become a rivalry again with Matthew Stafford leading the Bulldogs and Tim Tebow leading the Gators.
Upset alert: Rutgers over West Virginia

Week 10
Nov. 3: LSU at Alabama
Tensions will be running high as Saban coaches against his former school. Not as high as they'll be in Baton Rouge in 2008, though.
Upset alert: Navy over Notre Dame (2:30 p.m.)

Week 11
Nov. 8: Louisville at West Virginia (7:30 p.m., ESPN)
The Big East game of the year moves to one of my favorite college towns: Morgantown, W.Va. Brian Brohm vs. Pat White. Steve Slaton vs. the entire Louisville defense.

Nov. 10: USC at California (8 p.m.)
Can the Bears upset the Trojans in Berkeley? They couldn't do it in L.A. last season.
Upset alert: BYU over TCU

Week 12
Nov. 17: Ohio State at Michigan
Can this game possibly be as important as it was a year ago?
Upset alert: Vanderbilt over Tennessee

Week 13
Nov. 23: Boise State at Hawaii (9 p.m., ESPN2)
Post-Thanksgiving Day football on the island. Ian Johnson vs. Colt Brennan. Maui Invitational hoops. Are my editors reading this?

Nov. 24: In front of the tube
State rivalry day. Alabama vs. Auburn. Virginia vs. Virginia Tech. Georgia vs. Georgia Tech. Florida vs. Florida State. Washington vs. Washington State. Clemson vs. South Carolina. Just hand me the remote -- or a private jet.
Upset alert: Arkansas over LSU (1:30 p.m.)

Week 14
Nov. 29: Rutgers at Louisville (7:30 p.m., ESPN)
Can the Scarlet Knights crush the Cardinals' BCS title hopes for the second year in a row?

Dec. 1: Navy at Army (noon)
The game still matters more than most, and few have as much pageantry and tradition as the service academy battle played in Baltimore.
Upset alert: UCLA over USC (4:30 p.m.)





- Sick of people b*tching about the rain. I can't wait to hear those same people b*tching about 100 degree temps in about 2 weeks. We've been spared a month and a half of ridiculous summer heat, take the rain you idiots. Looks like they're getting their wish.

Clear skies on the way

11:52 PM CDT on Thursday, July 5, 2007
By PAUL MEYER / The Dallas Morning News

The stubborn weather pattern responsible for weeks of rising rivers and flash floods in the Dallas-Fort Worth area may finally move away this weekend.

Jennifer Dunn, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Fort Worth, said Thursday that the daily downpours could end Saturday, with drier conditions forecast into next week.

"We're going to see a break," Ms. Dunn said.

On Thursday, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport recorded 0.61 inches of rain after only trace amounts fell there Wednesday.

And although the Trinity River in Dallas remains above flood stage, it has begun to retreat.

"Things are slowly starting to recede," Ms. Dunn said.



- Genius




- An American legend (language)




- If you've seen all the movies then this could be a top 5 comedy for you.










- Picks O' the Day

Yesterday - 4-4
YTD - 45-39

As always, take the home dogs, as well as these:

Seattle +180 - That's just too good of a payout not to take it. Weaver for Seattle is 2-0 with a 0.79 ERA in his last 3 starts and Seattle has won 7 of 10..
LAD -115 - LA kills LHP's (14-7) and Billingsley is hot in his last 3.
Tex -115 - Loe on mound, he's been kicking ass

Eat me you A-hole (and it's Nebraska Tuesday)

- Before we get Nebraska intensive, I had to discuss the latest from biggest F'ing idiot in sports.

- What a shock. The Stars aren't going to be heavy spenders this off season.

Isn't it nice to live in a top 5 market and have an owner who operates 2 major pro franchises like we're Kansas City or Minneapolis? Look, I understand taking care of your own (extending Michael Young, Mike Modano, Sergei Zubov, etc), you have to do this to build continuity/chemistry and show you're appreciative of what your own guys are doing for you, but at some point you have to spend money to get upper level players outside your organization to pair with your current talent in order to put yourself over the top.

Guys like Barry Zito, Derek Lowe, Carlos Lee, Ryan Smyth, Chris Drury, Scott Gomez, etc. You need top of the line players to make a run at a championship. It's been proven again and again.

Yes, Modano, Lehtinen, Morrow, Zubov, and Turco are nice players, but they've proven in the past 7 years that they can no longer deliver in the playoffs by themselves. They need outside help in the form of top-level free agent talent. And consistently this point is ignored by Hicks. Instead we get re-treads (Lindros and Barnaby), nice players but definitely not upgrades to the existing talent on the team (Halpern, Nagy, Ribeiro), and that's it. Never can the Stars sign guys like Drury, Paul Kariya, Ryan Smyth, etc.

Same thing with the Rangers, instead of top level talent like Lee, Lowe, or Zito, we get a 40 year old center fielder, a known cheater who's been out of the game for a year and who no one else wanted, Frank Catalanotto, etc.

And you know something else? Maybe if you would spend a little more money and attention on scouting for both the Stars and Rangers, the need for top-level talent wouldn't be as bad, maybe you could actually home-grow your own superstar. What an F'ing concept.

To hear Tom Hicks continue to stress that turning a profit is his #1 goal makes me absolutely sick. So instead of doing whatever it takes to put a championship caliber team on the field, we get stop gap players every year to go along with hold-over average to above average talent.

That's exactly what I want to hear from my owner, instead of signing top players and being efficiently aggressive in the off season, we pass on top players just so that A-hole can turn a profit, even if it means we'll be stuck in mediocrity for the next 15 years. All the while he charges me $7 for a 12 oz. beer, $15 to park a mile away, and consistently alienates me and the rest of the fan base. What a prick.

I'm sick of hearing how his teams won't spend with the likes of the big market teams. News flash jackass, you are big market, you have the money, and you have the metroplex as a likable destination for free agents. There is no excuse for this crap.

You think Mark Cuban or Jerry Jones would ever operate like this?

Stars aren't expected to be big spenders
By TRACEY MYERS
Star-Telegram staff writer
When free agency begins today, there will be a flood of superstars available for the right, and most likely sizeable, price. But as far as the Stars are concerned, getting a lot of flash might not be worth the cash.

The Stars will be talking, watching and considering their options when free agency begins at noon today. But general manager Doug Armstrong said it's unlikely the Stars will make any eye-popping, wallet-busting moves.

"We'll be active, but it's not the type of thing where I'm expecting drastic changes to our roster over the next two weeks," Armstrong said. "If we find someone we will do something. But it has to make economic sense."

Owner Tom Hicks said he wouldn't mind adding size among the forwards.

"I like our defensemen and our goalies," Hicks said. "Everybody could use goal-scoring, but it could be some combo of goal-scoring and some size up front."

The salary cap will be more than $50 million for 2007-08, up from $44 million last season, which could give the team wiggle room. And there's always the chance of a trade if the Stars want to get a big fish.

But what do they want? Armstrong has said he isn't overly worried about the Stars' lack of goal-scoring last season, considering major injuries to Mike Modano and especially Brenden Morrow, who missed most of the season. Still, the Stars could use a little more punch in that category.

And there are solid forwards who might not command as much money. Jason Blake, who made $1.56 million last season, gave the New York Islanders their money's worth with his 40-goal season. Paul Kariya, who is concerned about the Predators' future in Nashville, will have some wallets opening. Dainius Zubrus, who was cut loose from Buffalo, is coming off consecutive 20-plus goal seasons.

Whoever they may be, the new Stars will have to fit in with the current ones. The Stars had a lot of character and heart in last year's locker room, two elements they don't want spoiled.

"He has to fit in to that mold," Armstrong said. "What we have now is a group of players who are all committed to pulling in the same direction. We don't want to disrupt that. That affects us negatively."

There will be a lot of talking, a lot of moving and a lot of money spent by teams in free agency. The Stars will be doing a lot of the first, but their actions on the last two are up in the air. The thought will probably be to proceed with caution and good economics.

"I think it's a mistake to think you can cure whatever we felt deficient in by spending a lot of money," Armstrong said. "It has to come from the internal drive. That's where Brenden and that group of core leaders have stated they think the style of the team and makeup is fine. That's sort of the focus."

Cashing in

Free agency, which begins at noon today, could mean big rewards for some of the NHL's best players. Here are the top five free agents:

LW Ryan Smyth: The Islanders are trying to keep him, and about a dozen other teams are trying to get him. With 36 goals and 32 assists last season, he'll be a nice catch.

C Daniel Briere: After finishing with 95 points last season, including 32 goals, plenty of teams will find him worth the money.

C Chris Drury: He's incredibly consistent season after season. And he's not too shabby in the playoffs either, where he has 81 career points over six postseason appearances.

C Scott Gomez: His goals were down last season, but he's still a strong setup man with 47 assists during 2006-07. He's durable, too, having played in at least 72 games in each of his seven seasons.

D Sheldon Souray: The All-Star brings a great offensive game from the blue line, with 26 goals and 38 assists for the Canadiens last season.






- OK, enough of that, let's get into some Nebraska football.

- Apparently someone has too much time on his hands. One man's list of top defining moments in Nebraska football history. Pretty good list here, and people love lists.

1. November 1971--The Jet stuns Oklahoma and a National Thanksgiving Day Audience with 72 yd punt return

2. January 1995--Tom re-inserts Tommie, Cory scores twice to secure Tom's 1st National Title.

3. December 1997--Tom Osborne shocks Nebraska and announces his retirement.

4. January 1984--Nebraska chooses honor over honors and gives up the NC, going for 2 and the win instead against Miami.

5. January 1996--Tommie Frazier runs through 8 florida gators on way to TD and back to back NC's.

6. November 1997--Matt Davison catches kicked ball, keeps NC season alive at Missouri.

7. January 1971--Jerry Tagge stretches out over goal line to finish NU comeback and its 1st NC. Nixon proclaims NU #1.

8. January 1994--Byron Bennett's kick sails wide, Nebraska loses NC but wins over the nation.

9. November 1978--John Ruud anihilates Kelly Phelps, NU's defense rocks #1 OU and upsets the Sooners 17-14

10. November 2003--Steve Pederson fires Frank Solich, ends the most successful era in college football history.

11. October 1959--Huge Underdog NU upsets Sooners, ends 74 game conference winning streak.

12. November 1963--On the day following JFK's assassination, NU finally takes the crown as it beats OU and wins first conference title in a generation.

13. October 1994--Tunnel Walk Beats CU Before Game Even Starts--The loudest Tunnel Walk ever in Memorial Stadium stupefies CU, and Underdog NU shocks the experts by dismantling undefeated Colorado behind NU QB Brook Berringer.

14. January 1998--In the wee hours of the morning following Tom's last game, a 42-17 hammering of Tennessee, the coaches vote NU a share of the National Title and Osborne leaves the game a champion.

15. October 1969--NU enters KU game at 2-2 and at a crossroads in Bob Devaney's career. NU gets favorable call late in the game and comes from behind to beat KU. NU would not lose again until 1972.

16. October 2001--Number 1 v Number 2, Crouch seals the Heisman and the victory by catching a TD pass late in the 4th quarter and gives Frank Solich his biggest win.

17. December 1996--Flu, Priest and Roll Left knock NU off its course to three-peat as NC's in the inaugural Big 12 championship game.

18. September 1962--NU goes into the Big House and beats Michigan, getting Devaney and NU rebirth into high gear from the start.

19. November 1922--NU beats the Four Horseman in the season finale to lay claim to being one of the premier programs in the country

20. November 2005--Congden FG saves NU season and Callahan regime as NU beats KST to spark 12-3 stretch to legitimize new coaches.

21. January 1982--Osborne gets first NC game, but loses without his star qb against Clemson.

22. November 2001--CU rips NU and ends its perfect season, and spells the beginning of the end of Frank Solich's regime at NU.

23. Spring 1972--Devaney announces his retirement after the 1972 season, and appoints Tom Osborne as his successor.

24. September 1972--NU's long unbeaten streak comes to an end in a sloppy performance in LA.

25. January 1972--Devaney finally whips the Bear as NU wraps up perfect season and its 2nd straight NC.

26. September 1982--Nittany Lyin...Horrible calls in last drive deprive NU of victory over Penn St and an undefeated NC season

27. January 1941--NU appears in its first Bowl Game, the Rose Bowl, losing to Stanford.

28. January 1992--NU loses to Miami in the Orange Bowl, prompting them to develop the 4-3 and go harder after a young man named Tommie Frazier.

29. November 2004--NU loses to Colorado at home to end the season 5-6, its first losing record since 1961.

30. September 2004--NU unveils its West Coast offense, routing Western Illinois in the first game of the Callahan era.

31. November 1984--Jeff Smith is tackled on 4th and 1, ending NU's chance of playing for the NC and cementing "Sooner Magic" as the bane of NU's existence.

32. September 1977--NU breaks a 4th quarter tie and upsets the Bear in Lincoln, calming restless natives and giving Osborne his biggest win to date.

33. November 1969--NU throttles OU and Heisman winner Steve Owens 44-14, putting an exclamation point on the rebirth of the Devaney era.

34. January 1991--NU is humbled by Georgia Tech in the Citrus Bowl, prompting numerous off-season changes in discipline, conditioning and behavior that served as the phoenix to NU's dominance in the 1990's.

35. November 1987--Game of the Century II, in "our house," ends on sour note as OU rallies to beat NU and end its NC hopes.

36. November 1978--One week after beating OU for the first time, Osborne sees his NC hopes go up in flames as Wilder, Winslow and company beat NU and NU finds out later that day it must play OU in a rematch.

37. December 1999--It wasnt algrebra, geometry or trigonometry, but it was an ass-kicking as Eric Crouch and the Blackshirts whip Texas for the Big 12 title.

38. September 2000--NU pays tribute to Touchdown Jesus by wearing its best Red suit and Eric Crouch runs all over the Irish in South Bend.

39. January 1964--NU beats Auburn for its first New Year's Day Bowl win.

40. September 1970--NU ties USC, but establishes itself as a team that can compete nationally and goes on to win the NC.

41. November 1990--Kenny Walker signs I love you to an adoring senior day crowd, but bad calls and bad breaks allow the Buffs to come back in the 4th quarter to give NU its first loss.

42. October 1997--Somewhere over the rainbow, NU football will live forever. Osborne gets his 250th win over the hated sooners and is honored at midfield.

43. January 2000--NU puts on a "This is Nebraska" drive against Tennessee in the Fiesta Bowl, ramming it down their throats on the ground every play of a length of the field drive, cementing NU's win over Tennessee.

44. November 1993--Glen Mason goes for 2 and the win instead of tying NU and ending its bid for NC, KU fails and NU stays perfect.

45. December 2005--NU beats Michigan in a crazy Alamo Bowl 4th quarter to give Callahan his first bowl win at NU.

46. September 1981--Osborne inserts Turner Gill at haltime of a 3-3 tie with Auburn, and it turns around the season and begins a legacy.

47. November 1975--#2 rated NU, on the verge of returning to a NC game, is whipped soundly in the 4th quarter by OU and ruins a perfect season.

48. November 2003--KST anihilates NU at home on senior day, signifying the end of Frank Solich's career.

49. November 1983---Neil Harris gets a finger tip on a 4th down pass in icy norman, keeping alive the "best team ever's" perfect season.

50. October 1989--CU comes back and beats NU in a battle of unbeatens, giving notice of a new day and a new power in the Big 8.





- UT homer Chip Brown says expect a 2nd place finish from Nebraska this year. Until Missouri proves to me they're big time and wins 10+ games once, I never believe they'll win the north.

NORTH

1. Missouri

Record: 10-2, 6-2

League losses: at OU, at Colorado

Bottom line: The Tigers have the most experienced talent in the North, only four road games, and they get Nebraska at home. Quarterback Chase Daniel of Southlake Carroll will help erase any mistakes by coach Gary Pinkel. Mizzou wins the North with a tiebreaker win over the Cornhuskers.

2. Nebraska

Record: 8-4, 6-2

League losses: at Mizzou, at Texas

Bottom line: Coaching blunders cost the Big Red a Cotton Bowl victory against Auburn and tempered enthusiasm about progress made in three seasons under Bill Callahan. If a new defensive line exceeds expectations, Nebraska could return to the Big 12 title game this year.



- A big game every week this fall for the Big 12 teams. It'll be here before you know it.

Week 1 – Oklahoma State at Georgia
Kansas State at Auburn will be interesting, but OSU has the better chance of pulling off the SEC road game upset. The Big 12 can get loads of national respect with a win in either of the two.

Week 2 - Miami at Oklahoma
It’s not exactly for the 1987 national championship, but it’s still a great matchup of superpowers.

Week 3 - USC at Nebraska
If the Huskers have any hopes of being in the national title discussion, this is the game they must win.

Week 4 - Texas A&M at Miami
The last time the world saw Texas A&M, it was being run over by Cal in the Holiday Bowl. Beating Miami in a nationally televised Thursday night road game would kickstart the Aggie’s season.

Week 5 - Kansas State at Texas
The Longhorns will be taking this game very, very seriously after last year’s upset in Manhattan.

Week 6 - Oklahoma vs. Texas
Obviously the Red River Rivalry is always one of the big games of the year, but Nebraska at Missouri will be every bit as big for the Big 12 title race.

Week 7 - Texas A&M at Texas Tech
Missouri at Oklahoma and Oklahoma State at Nebraska will be good, but A&M at Tech will be an elimination game in the South race.

Week 8 - Texas A&M at Nebraska
This will be step two of a brutal stretch of four road games in five weeks for A&M (at Texas Tech, at Nebraska, Kansas, at Oklahoma, at Missouri) before finishing up with Texas.

Week 9 - Nebraska at Texas
Possibly a Big 12 Championship preview, each team might also be fighting to keep national title hopes alive.

Week 10 - Texas A&M at Oklahoma
If this is half as good as last year’s thriller (when OU sealed the win by going for it on fourth down deep in its own territory), it’ll be one of the Big 12’s must-see games.

Week 11 - Texas Tech at Texas
Kansas State at Nebraska might turn out to be just as big. If Tech can beat A&M, it should be right in the South title hunt with a trip to Austin and a showdown with Oklahoma to finish up.

Week 12 - Oklahoma at Texas Tech
If the Sooners beat Texas and hold serve at home, they’ll likely be 10-0 before dealing with the Red Raider passing game.

Week 13 - Texas at Texas A&M
These two have taken the rivalry to another level over the last two years. Like last year, Big 12 title implications should be on the line.



- The Lincoln paper discusses Nebraska's early push for its 2008 class. This is the way recruiting works these days, more and more programs are getting commits from seniors-to-be more than a year in advance. Nebraska's class includes some studs.....

Nebraska's recruiting picking up
BY BRIAN ROSENTHAL / Lincoln Journal Star

It’s a problem hard-core followers of Nebraska football recruiting might enjoy. Sort of.

What happens if the Huskers fill their 2008 recruiting class by the end of the summer? Who’s left to track? For whom should they now wish?

Easy. The high school juniors, of course.

A stretch? Not by much. The college football recruiting calendar has been advancing in recent years, and Nebraska, too, is picking up the pace.
Today is July 1, and the Huskers have 14 known oral commitments for 2008, the most ever for a Nebraska recruiting class by this date. Ten are high school seniors; four are junior college transfers.

From a national perspective, having more than half a recruiting class filled by July is anything but groundbreaking. Around here, it’s a bit of a brow-raiser.

Consider that Nebraska’s 14th commitment for its 2007 class came on Oct. 13 of last year. The Huskers didn’t get No. 14 for their 2006 class until Dec. 5, 2005.

This year, it’s possible No. 15 could be celebrated with holiday fireworks.

“That’s what a lot of schools are doing. It’s par for the course now,” said Allen Wallace, national recruiting editor of Scout.com and publisher of SuperPrep magazine.

“You generally have to work incredibly hard at this stage, and you have to establish some really strong footing with kids, even if they don’t commit to you.”

Impressed with Nebraska’s commitment number? Three other Big 12 Conference schools have more — Texas (20), Texas A&M (19) and Oklahoma (15). Nationally, UCLA has 21.

“It’s a sign of the times,” said Tom Lemming, a veteran national recruiting analyst. “I remember just a few years ago, it was Texas and just a couple of other schools doing it. With that said, Nebraska was prepared and started zooming in on everybody.”

Nebraska’s recruiting picked up steam in June. Half of the Huskers’ commitments have come in the last three weeks; four came in the last week alone. It’s a pace that would fill the 2008 class by the time fall camp starts.

That’s not likely, of course.

“But,” Lemming said, “it does help if you can get your class done (early). Texas, the last couple of years, has spent the entire fall recruiting juniors in the state. By January, Texas knows who they’re going to offer already. Normally, you’re still going after seniors.

“If Nebraska is done by September and October, they can bring in juniors for official visits.”

Lemming said he remembers being in Lincoln last year when then-juniors Baker Steinkuhler, Trevor Robinson and Arthur Brown were visiting. Steinkuhler and Robinson, two of this state’s top high school players, are committed. Brown, from Wichita, Kan., is highly touted but not yet committed anywhere.

Steinkuhler, the heralded lineman from Lincoln Southwest, got the 2008 class going with his commitment last September. Another in-state player, Omaha Westside running back Collins Okafor, followed with his October commitment. By December, when lineman Dan Hoch committed, the Huskers had three members.

“Schools have had to adapt to the fact if they don’t offer early, you’re going to be left in a lurch,” Wallace said. “It doesn’t matter how powerful you are. The bottom line is, you’ve got to build a stronger list of commits earlier, if at all possible.”

Nebraska isn’t exactly going for quantity over quality, either. Rivals.com recently rated Nebraska’s high school recruiting class No. 10 nationally, behind Texas (2), Oklahoma (4) and Texas A&M (9). The recruiting service rates five of the 10 high school players with four or five stars on its five-star system.

“The guys they’ve got are just outstanding ball players,” Lemming said. “They’ve got All-Americans coming at them.

“They’ve got everyone they wanted in state. All their questions are being answered perfectly. They’re a top-10 recruiting class right now. There’s nothing wrong with what they’re doing.”

In discussing the strength of Nebraska’s class thus far, Lemming and Wallace both pointed to quarterback Blaine Gabbert and a slew of talented offensive linemen, led by high school standouts Steinkuhler, Robinson, Hoch and Bryce Givens.

Gabbert, rated by Scout.com as the nation’s No. 4 quarterback and No. 2 by Rivals.com., committed in May.

Said Wallace of the 6-foot-5, 230-pound Gabbert: “He’s everything the program could be looking for.”

Gabbert, from suburban St. Louis, has been trying to reel in other recruits, texting and phoning other high school seniors who are high on Nebraska’s list. It’s a practice, Wallace said, that’s become a “bigger deal” across the nation.

Among players Gabbert has been helping recruit are linebacker Will Compton, a linebacker from Missouri, and Jonas Gray, a running back from Detroit.

Could they become the next players to join the early recruiting parade?

Compton visited Lincoln last week and has Nebraska high on his list. Gray said he’s narrowed his list to six or seven, with Michigan State and Nebraska on top.

Gray said he and high school teammate Kenny Demens, a linebacker, are taking an official visit to Lincoln this month and an official visit in September, when Nebraska hosts USC.

Is there any truth to talk Gray and Demens want to attend the same college?

“There’s definitely truth to that,” Gray said. “It’s a huge possibility that will happen. It’s not definite, but it’s pretty much set in stone that we will, though.”

Said Gray of Demens: “He definitely likes Nebraska. A lot.”

Gray said he’s heard often from Gabbert, and also from Nebraska commitment Doug Rippy, a close friend.

“They just say, ‘We want you to do what’s best for you, but we want you to take a serious look at Nebraska, and once you get here, you’re going to realize what kind of place it is.’

“They always say to me, ‘If your dream is to go to the NFL, then Nebraska is the place for you.’”

Compton and Gray, both four-star players according to Rivals.com, would give Nebraska’s class another jolt, if they commit.

And should they do it sooner than later … well, there’s always 2009 to follow, too.



- Wow, Rip Hamilton to the Sonics?

Trade rumorPosted by Frank Hughes @ 04:10:41 pm I got a call from a friend in Detroit who said a radio station there -- 1270 AM -- is saying that Richard Hamilton may be heading to the Sonics. This has not been confirmed by anybody I know but just thought I'd throw out the scuttlebutt. Keep in mind, though, that assistant GM Scott Perry was hired from Detroit, and the Pistons just drafted Rodney Stuckey and Arron Afflalo.


- Funny stuff right here






- Was just alerted to this clip by BaD Radio yesterday, fast forward to the John Candy part




- The greatness of Old School (language warning)








- Picks O' the day

Yesterday - 6-3 (very good day)
YTD - 41-35

As always, take the home dogs, as well as:

LAD -140 - at home, ATL 15-20 vs. LHP
FLA +140 - no real reason b/c SD beats up on LHP's (16-8), I just have to bet against every over 40 starting pitcher (Maddux. But at same time, Olsen for Florida is a good pitcher. It's a good dog play in my opinion.
CIN -130 - Team is 12-5 in Harang's starts
STL +130 - A dog at home, have to take them

My new man crush

- It's an action-packed blog today, I missed a few days, so I'm hitting it hard........





- I absolutely love this guy, in case no one knows this already. Add him to the list of Mike Modano, Dirk, Eric Crouch, and Troy Aikman. I usually say you have to have sustained excellence and win championships in order to join the pantheon of Kent McCawley Man Crushes. But Gagne has been officially elected in. He's big, nasty, wears cool glasses, and mows people down in the 9th inning. Every day that passes I'm hoping they don't trade him.

- Rangers take 2 of 3 in Boston after doing the same thing in Detroit.

BOSTON – In the last week, Eric Gagne has repeatedly demonstrated that he can do the things the Eric Gagne of old used to be able to do regularly.

Pitch on back-to-back days? Check. Be available for more than two consecutive days? No problem. Go more than an inning? On Sunday, he did that, too, getting the final four outs of the Rangers' 2-1 win over Boston.

And in another time and another place this might mean good things for the Rangers' playoff hopes as they enter the second half of the season. The reality, though, is that a return to the Gagne of old probably just means the Rangers can get a better return on him in a deadline deal. But not if Gagne has a significant say in the matter.

"I hope my value is to this team," said Gagne, who signed a one-year deal worth a base of $6 million and as much as $5 million in games-finished incentives with the Rangers in December. "I signed here thinking of this as a long-term commitment and I said that when I signed. I want to be part of helping this team win. And winning doesn't happen overnight. It's a learning process and I think that's what we're doing now."

The reality is that not even the Rangers' nice stretch of 11 wins in 15 games can rescue this team's 2007 playoff chances. The Rangers on Sunday reached the season's mathematical midpoint with a 34-47 record. They are 16½ games out of first in the AL West and trail in the wild-card race by 13.

Teams have started to scout Gagne and reliever Akinori Otsuka hard. Otsuka left Sunday's game prematurely with some forearm tenderness, which is the reason Gagne was asked to get four outs for the first time since Sept. 26, 2004.

The Rangers have received a lot of interest in both pitchers. Boston, Detroit, Atlanta, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Cleveland have all talked with general manager Jon Daniels about one or the other or both. Gagne has a limited no-trade clause that forces the Rangers to get his permission if they construct a deal with all but 12 teams.

Among the teams that do not require the Rangers' permission is the Dodgers, who have scouted the Rangers especially hard and for whom Gagne pitched his first eight seasons in the majors. Boston has also expressed interest, though a trade with Boston would require Gagne's approval.

"It's not hard not to think about [value]; I'm not," Daniels said. "I'm just happy that the team is playing well. We signed Eric in part because of what he's accomplished in this game and what our young guys can learn from him. That's what I'm thinking about."

For other teams that are thinking about acquiring him, this is what Gagne did after Kameron Loe gave the Rangers his fourth consecutive quality start:

• Getting up cold, he entered a one-run game with two on and two out in the eighth after Otsuka left. Gagne slyly frustrated umpires and fans as he started to get ready in the Rangers bullpen. He later said he didn't know that in an injury situation, he didn't need to do all of his warm-up on the mound.

• He got Alex Cora to ground out on the third pitch of his at-bat.

• Then, after allowing a one-out walk in the ninth, he got the disciplined Kevin Youkilis to pop up after falling behind 3-1. Then for the second consecutive day, he retired David Ortiz in the ninth of a one-run game.

"I thought of Gagne as a power closer when we got him," manager Ron Washington said. "But he's showed me that he knows how to pitch. He recognizes what batters are wanting to do and he does the opposite. He's very smart."

And very valuable. Right now, it's just not so clear to whom he's most valuable.






- I'm beginning to love this team. You've got blue collar guys getting clutch hits (Marlon Byrd, Brad Wilkerson, Catalonotto), a farmhand consistently pitching good games (Kam Loe), another farmhand playing great defense at 3rd and proving he belongs up here (Metcalf), and the bullpen continuing to pitch lights out.


- With this recent surge of good play by the Rangers, I have shifted my plan.

1) Trade Aki and Teixeira to the Dodgers for a kick ass package that includes Chad Billingsley (was the top pitching prospect in the organization 3 years ago and has been a major league contributor for the past 2 years, pitched a shutout last night against SD), James Loney (power hitting 1B who was top positional prospect in the LA minor league system a year ago and who is now the starting 1st baseman and is hitting/fielding great), and Clayton Kershaw (the top pitching prospect in the deepest minor league system in the majors, and is a left hander and a hometown boy from Highland Park).
2) Re-sign Marlon Byrd to a 3 year deal. Don't let him get away like GMJ.
3) Hope Padilla and Millwood return to form. Pair them with McCarthy, Billingsley, and Loe and your rotation is set. And you can let Tejeda and Eric Hurley find their legs in the minors.
4) Trade Lofton and Sosa to a contender for prospects. Finally give Jason Botts 300 AB's for a full season.
5) Sign Torii Hunter in off-season to replace Lofton, and use that signing as your one big free agent splurge of the year.
6) Let Travis Metcalf get another year of minor league seasoning while the team figures out if Blalock can stay healthy and be the long term answer at 3rd base.
7) And here's your lineup for 2008.....

1b. Loney
2b. Kinsler
3b. Blalock
SS. Young
LF. Catalonotto
CF. Hunter
RF. Byrd
DH. Botts
C. Laird

#1. Millwood
#2. Padilla
#3. Billingsley
#4. McCarthy
#5. Loe

Set Up - CJ Wilson, Frankie Francisco, Ron Mahay (left handed specialist)
Closer - Eric Gagne

You're telling me this wouldn't be a fun team to watch?



- Marc Stein says this about Dallas' free agency plans.

The Mavericks' No. 1 target in free agency? Folks in Dallas might have been expecting Mavs killer Matt Barnes, but I'm told it's actually Charlotte's Gerald Wallace. ...

Surely you haven't forgotten the drill: Teams and free agents can reach verbal agreements at any time in the next 10 days, but new contracts can't actually be signed before July 11 while the league finishes determining the salary-cap figure for next season.



- Some quiet rumors re the Mavs

The Mavs are pursuing PJ Brown and Wallace in free agency hard.

The Mavs are in discussions with the T-Wolves for Garnett, and are reported to be discussing Terry, Diop, and maybe Howard (though the Mavs are working to keep him out of the deal, and may be offering Buckner instead) and a couple of expiring contracts with Van Horn and Croshere.


- Please sign this guy, please

The Mavericks were among the first half-dozen teams to inquire about free-agent swingman Gerald Wallace, but it will be a long, difficult journey to acquire him.

It's also possible that other free-agent targets will be more obtainable.

Still, Wallace is near or at the top of the Mavs' wish list, even though acquiring him will take much more than the mid-level exception, expected to be between $5.8 million and $6 million.
Wallace, who averaged 18.1 points and 7.2 rebounds for Charlotte last season, is considered one of the top three free agents left on the board, along with Seattle's Rashard Lewis and Detroit's Chauncey Billups. He will command as much as $10 million annually, which means the Mavericks would have to work a sign-and-trade deal with the Bobcats.

"We're working the phones," president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson said Sunday. "We were on it until 2:30 in the morning doing our jobs and knowing what's out there. We got a lot of lines out, and we don't know which one is going to hit.

"We're just going to take our time. It could be a day or it could be a month."

It will be difficult to get anything done with Wallace. Most insiders believe he will stay with Charlotte even though the Bobcats last week traded for Jason Richardson, who plays the same position as Wallace.

The Mavericks would have to ship contracts that match within 25 percent of the starting salary Wallace gets. And the Bobcats would no doubt want hefty value on the players coming their way.
Wallace's agent, Rob Pelinka, did not immediately return phone calls.

The Mavericks are also interested in power forward P.J. Brown, whose agent, Mark Bartelstein, also represents James Posey and Mikki Moore. Brown is contemplating retirement, but the Mavericks may be able to acquire him for their biannual exception, which is worth $1.8 million.

Other names on the Mavs' board are Matt Barnes and Mickael Pietrus from Golden State.

The Mavericks also hope to hammer out an agreement with Jerry Stackhouse by midweek. Stackhouse's agent, Jeff Schwartz, and Nelson indicated Sunday that there were no snags and that both sides are hopeful to reach an agreement this week.



- A few laughs courtesy of Bill Simmons re the NBA Draft. A few excerpts from his draft diary.......

4:36: Stephen A. Smith on Portland taking Oden: "They better pick him -- THAT'S THE SENSIBLE THING TO DO." We're nearing the phase of his career when Smith might need to change his gimmick, kind of like when Puffy changed to P. Diddy. I think "Stevie A." or "The Notorious S.A.S." could buy him another two years. That's the sensible thing to do.

4:39: "You can't teach 7 feet!" The Notorious S.A.S. screams.

(See, it works. I told you.)

4:46: Meanwhile, the Hawks finally do the right thing in an NBA draft: They took the third-best guy (Al Horford) at No. 3. Billy Knight, it's like we don't even know you anymore! Even more shocking, it looks like Joakim Noah abandoned his ponytail, slapped on a bow tie and hired Carrot Top's hair stylist. Let's hope he doesn't drop into the second round because of this.

I love his dad

4:52: Memphis grabs Mike Conley Jr. at No. 4. Really good pick. I'd tell you more, but I'm busy trying to find the right adjective for my father on the phone right now. Beaten down? Distraught? Perplexed? Horrified? Apoplectic? All of them fit. He's absolutely appalled by the Allen trade.

"Shooting guards always lose their legs when they hit 32 or 33!" Dad yelps. "It happens to all of them. They can't avoid it. Make sure you put in your column that we traded the fifth and seventh picks in consecutive years for a point guard who was too short and a shooting guard who was too old. Put that in your column. Put it in. I hate this trade."

(Ummm … sure thing, Pops.)

4:56: Dad calls again: "And by the way, I liked Delonte West. Put that in, too. Terrible. This is just terrible."

5:00: Hey, did somebody commission an "Extreme Makeover" of the draft and nobody told us? All the suits look classy; all the moms look like they hired personal trainers … what the hell is going on here?

5:04: Uh-oh. Milwaukee just took Yi Jianlian at No. 6 even though they weren't on his list of acceptable cities because of its lack of a Chinese population … or for that matter, any population other than good-natured, heavyset Caucasians who enjoy dark beer and fried food. This is gonna end badly. You'll see Brett Favre booed at Lambeau before you see Yi putting on a Bucks uniform.

5:26: Chicago takes Carrot Top Noah at No. 9, opening the door to use Ben Wallace's salary in a trade four months from now after Kobe kidnaps Mitch Kupchak's family and holds them hostage in an undisclosed location. Plus, we got some extended shots of Noah's happy mother. A win-win all the way around. Hey, did you know she was Miss Sweden during the same year that Jerome Bettis was growing up in Detroit?

5:37: The Notorious S.A.S. spends 60 seconds questioning Chicago's Noah pick, wonders why the Bulls didn't address low-post scoring without mentioning a single alternative (either in the draft or through trade), then adds at the end, "Again, [John] Paxson knows what he's doing, he's a phenomenal executive." I'd like that minute of my life back. No, really.

5:44: S.A.S. spends a minute telling us how much the Sixers need to go big at 12 and how nothing else is acceptable. Everyone else agrees with him, then -- right as Mike Tirico is about to throw it to the commish -- S.A.S. says, "Thaddeus Young with this pick, I suspect they'll take him." And they do. Um … what???? Fortunately, Bilas saves the day by praising Young's upside.

6:14: Good God, Isiah finally made a good trade! It happened! Somehow, he just landed Zach Randolph for Channing Frye and Stevie Francis! I'm shocked! What's happening to this league? Even Isiah is doing the right thing! I can't stop using exclamation points! How was that the best Portland could do for Randolph?!? He's good for a 25-10 in the East! And if it doesn't work out, who cares? They gave up a bad contract and a half-decent forward to take a $50 million flier on a dominant low-post player. Great move. I stand by these thoughts even if Zach starts an international incident at Scores within the next nine months.

(Follow-up note: I think Portland GM Kevin Pritchard spent an hour thinking about it and decided, "You know what? Just to be safe, maybe it's best that Oden and Randolph never, ever, ever meet. Call Isiah and tell him we say yes to the crappy Francis-Frye offer. We can't mess around.")

6:28: Dickie V. and S.A.S. scream at each other in a split-screen for a while, followed by them making a dinner bet about whether the 2007 draft will prove deeper than the 2003 draft. Imagine being the waiter at that table? Guys, seriously, don't bother tipping me; I slit both of my wrists 10 minutes ago and I'm bleeding to death as we speak. Thanks, though.

6:42: Bilas on Stephen A. Smith: "He needs to become more coachable and learn how to play with other people." Whoops, he said that about Daequan Cook. Sorry about that.



- ESPN's Chris Sheridan details the 2007 NBA Free Agent season that's now upon us. I would love to see Desmond Mason, Gerald Wallace, or Steve Blake in here. An athletic 2 guard or a true point guard would go great on this team.

1. Rashard Lewis, SuperSonics
He switched agents during the season, going from Kevin Poston to Tony Dutt in an effort to maximize his earnings. Lewis has already filed the paperwork to opt out of his contract, foregoing salaries of $10.1 million in '07-08 and $10.9 million in '08-09.

He can get big money from Orlando if the Magic renounce Darko Milicic (which is unlikely), and Charlotte can enter the picture if they decide not to re-sign Gerald Wallace. Otherwise his best hope for a contract with a major starting salary -- a max deal would start above $18 million -- would be through a sign-and-trade.

This will be a major skills test for both Dutt and 30-year-old Sonics general manager Sam Presti, who were expected to speak early July 1 to ascertain how much Seattle is willing to pay to keep Lewis -- an amount that will be impacted by the drafting of Kevin Durant, who plays the same position as Lewis.

Presti says he wants to keep Lewis, but if the money is better elsewhere, sign-and-trade offers could come from New York, Cleveland, Miami, Orlando and Portland.

2. Chauncey Billups, Pistons
It was only a few months ago that the Detroit media was reporting that Billups would get a max contract from the Pistons for all of his years of faithful service. But Billups' value took a hit when he struggled in the Eastern Conference finals against Cleveland, and his only hope of leveraging a new deal starting somewhere north of $12 million per year would be through a sign-and-trade.

Agent Andy Miller will try to find such a deal, but the consensus around the league is that Billups staying in Detroit is a virtual lock. One team that could have given Billups some leverage, the Memphis Grizzlies, addressed its point guard needs by drafting Mike Conley.

3. Gerald Wallace, Bobcats
If you want to see graphic evidence of a guy establishing his value, go back and look at the tapes of the Bobcats' final 45 games, when Wallace averaged 21.6 points with 14 double-doubles. Wallace opted out of a contract that would have paid him $6.05 million next season, and he'd command double that if there were a more open market this summer.

Michael Jordan says he wants to keep him in Charlotte, but we'll have to wait and see how open owner Bob Johnson's wallet is going to be now that he's taken on the contract of Jason Richardson. Don't forget, the Bobcats also have to offer an extension to Emeka Okafor.

4. Vince Carter, Nets
He's opting out of his final season, forsaking $16.36 million, but he'll likely get a new deal from New Jersey for at least three years, with a starting salary lower than $16 million for next season.

That would give the Nets a little more flexibility under the luxury tax this summer, and it would take care of Carter long-term.

5. Mo Williams, Bucks
If, as everyone believes, Billups is going to return to the Pistons, then Williams will be the best free agent point guard out there during a summer when several teams, including Miami and the Los Angeles Lakers, will be looking to address playmaker needs.

If Williams gets an offer that is more than the Bucks are willing to pay, it'll free up money for Milwaukee to spend elsewhere. But like Billups, Williams lost some leverage when the Grizzlies drafted Conley and the Atlanta Hawks drafted Acie Law.

6. Anderson Varejao, Cavaliers
Yes, he's a restricted free agent, but with the Cavs right up against the luxury tax, it'll cost them double to keep him. In other words, if the Bucks, for instance, were to sign him to an offer sheet with a starting salary of $10 million, it would cost Cleveland $20 million in real dollars to match -- $10 million in salary, and $10 million in luxury tax.

7. Darko Milicic, Magic
His cap hold as of July 1 is $15.6 million, which eats up all of Orlando's space. If they sign the 7-footer at a starting salary of $9 million, they'll still have enough space left to offer an additional free agent more than midlevel money.

If the Magic want to go hard after Lewis, they could work out a sign-and-trade with Seattle, or simply renounce Darko -- the latter option would squeeze the 22-year-old financially.

8. Grant Hill, Magic
All indications still point to him returning to Detroit if Joe Dumars is able to clear Lindsey Hunter, Ronald Dupree and Flip Murray off his cap. If that doesn't happen, expect Toronto, Phoenix and possibly San Antonio to make a push.

9. Steve Blake, Nuggets
If you don't think a half-season of steady play will lead to millions in free-agent riches, look back on the case of Marcus Banks.

Blake had nine games with double-figure assists after being dealt from the Bucks to the Nuggets at midseason. He would seem a perfect fit for the Lakers if they keep Kobe Bryant and are outbid for Theo Papaloukas. The Blazers are also interested, and Blake might want to return to Portland.

10. Andray Blatche, Wizards
If we're judging on youth and upside alone, he's probably in the top tier. He may merit a full midlevel offer sheet, and then it would be a question of whether the Wizards would match (I believe they would in an eyeblink) and how that would impact their decisions on DeShawn Stevenson and Jarvis Hayes.

11. Andres Nocioni, Bulls
His best opportunity to get more than the midlevel would be through a sign-and-trade, though his value was hurt by his poor playoff performance against Detroit. If he signs for the MLE elsewhere, count on the Bulls matching.

12. Jason Kapono, Heat
Miami is desperately trying to swing deals, and this is one of the most tradable assets they have. (Jason Williams is borderline untradable, and Antoine Walker is completely untradable.) Look for something of the sign-and-trade variety here.

13. Chris Webber, Pistons
Webber's midseason arrival boosted the Pistons to the top spot in the Eastern Conference, but his struggles in the playoffs contributed to Detroit's downfall. Meanwhile, his 34-year-old knees aren't getting any younger. All of which means his future is uncertain -- whether in Detroit, another city or retirement.

14. Jerry Stackhouse, Mavericks
He made $9.3 million last season, and he wants to stay in Dallas. The Mavericks want him back, too, but they're bidding against themselves, which will impact if and how much of a pay cut Stack will take.

15. Luke Walton, Lakers
Some of the trade options the Lakers are exploring to placate Kobe Bryant include sign-and-trade deals involving Walton. When we know more about Kobe's future and whether he stays in L.A., we'll know better how the Lakers can best use Walton -- keeping him or sign-and-trading him -- in the immediate future. As a Southern California kid, he would like to stay in L.A.

16. Theo Papaloukas, CSKA Moscow
The 6-foot-7 guard has drawn interest from several NBA teams, including the Heat, Lakers, Grizzlies and Clippers, and says he wants to give the NBA a shot, but it would take a full midlevel offer to trump what he's making tax-free in Russia. He has a 400,000 euro buyout with CSKA that must be executed by July 15.

17. Mikki Moore, Nets
He said before the playoffs that he'd give New Jersey a hometown discount, but then increased his value substantially in the playoffs, possibly pricing himself out of the Nets' plans. In a market short on unrestricted free-agent centers, Moore could be able to snag a two- or three-year deal for a portion of a team's midlevel exception.

18. Sasha Pavlovic, Cavaliers
He's in a similar situation to Varejao, in that the Cavs would have to pay double if they match any offer he receives. Pavlovic raised his stock substantially with his defensive effort in the playoffs against Vince Carter, Richard Hamilton and Manu Ginobili.

19. Mickael Pietrus, Warriors
A Raptors source told me there was very little chance of Toronto making a move for the French forward, despite reports to the contrary last week. Pietrus recently switched agents, leaving Lon Babby for William McCandless.

20. Desmond Mason, Hornets
It's way down here on the list where we find the best candidates for getting squeezed financially. Mason is one player who should expect a hefty pay cut after making $8.3 million last season.

21. Earl Boykins, Bucks
Opted out of a guaranteed $3 million to go after one last big contract. Enough teams are looking for point guards for him to do better financially than Milwaukee teammate Ruben Patterson, who made $6.8 million last year and will be hard-pressed to find anywhere near that much elsewhere.

22. Matt Barnes, Warriors
He wants to stay in Golden State, which influenced his recent decision to hire agent Dan Fegan, who also represents Jason Richardson (just traded from the Warriors) and teammate Stephen Jackson.

23. DeShawn Stevenson, Wizards
Still trying to make up for his $9 million mistake last summer when he turned that much down from Orlando and then signed for the minimum in Washington.

24. Fabricio Oberto, Spurs
He declined his third-year option late Sunday night, no doubt thinking he'll be able to get some long-term security -- and perhaps a boost from the $2.5 million he was due to make from San Antonio.

He gets the coveted final international player slot, way down here at No. 24.

25. Matt Carroll, Bobcats
After a vagabond career that included a stop in the D-League, Carroll is seeking some long-term security. No, he cannot defend, but he is a tough competitor and an above-average shooter.

In the long run, he's worth more than the guys he edged out for No. 25, Morris Peterson, Corliss Williamson, James Posey and Jamaal Magloire.



- Would have liked to see this guy on the Mav's roster next year. They need a sharpshooter and he would have fit the bill. Kapono signs with Toronto....

Free agent sharpshooter Jason Kapono has quickly reached an agreement Sunday to leave the Miami Heat and sign a four-year deal believed to be worth $24 million with the Toronto Raptors.a

The NBA's free agent period commenced at 12:01 Sunday morning, with free agents unable to formally sign contracts before July 11.

"Jason is excited about this opportunity and intends to sign with the Raptors when the moratorium period ends," said Kapono's agent, Bob Myers.

Kapono, a second-round draft pick of the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003, led the NBA in 3-point percentage, and posted career-highs in points (10.9) and rebounds (2.7) this season.




- If there's one player in the NBA that I wouldn't want to count on for taking my team to the championship, it's this guy. Talk about a guy in it for nothing but money. I can't explain it, but for some reason, Vince Carter seems like a guy who doesn't care one bit that he'll never sniff a title in his whole career. Looks like he got his money...........

TRENTON, N.J. -- Vince Carter and the New Jersey Nets have the framework in place for a four-year contract that guarantees the All-Star more than $60 million, sources told The Associated Press and The (Newark) Star-Ledger.

The deal will not be official until July 11 when free-agent deals can be signed.

A day earlier the Nets announced Carter had opted out of the final year of a contract that would've paid him $16.3 million next season. Team officials, though, had said they were optimistic the 30-year-old swingman, who will be entering his 10th season, would return to New Jersey.

Since the playoffs ended, Carter has been practicing at the team's facility in East Rutherford, and he also had invited teammate Nenad Krstic to visit his Orlando, Fla., home this week to practice together. And Bruce Ratner, the team's owner, has been a strong supporter of Carter and has said he wanted him re-signed.

Carter and the Nets had been talking about a contract for the past month.

Gary Sussman, a team spokesman, did not immediately return a message left Sunday night seeking details of the agreement. However, The Star-Ledger reported on its Web site Sunday that the deal guarantees Carter $61.8 million over four seasons, with the team holding an option for a fifth year.

Kurt Schoeppler, Carter's agent, has not returned telephone calls to his Cleveland office since the negotiations started, and he did not return a message left Sunday.

Carter averaged team-highs of 25.2 points in the regular season and 22.3 for the postseason. However, he shot less than 40 percent from the field during the playoffs and made several big mistakes.

Carter turned the ball over in the closing seconds of Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinal against Cleveland with the Nets down two points and 2-1 in the series. He also was somewhat of a no-show for the deciding Game 6, scoring 11 points while having more turnovers (five) than baskets (four).

The other potential free agent the Nets would like to re-sign is center Mikki Moore, who took over the starting job after Krstic was lost in December with a knee injury.

Moore averaged career-bests of 9.8 points and 5.1 rebounds while leading the league in field goal percentage at .609.



- Who isn't ready for some college football? 10 freshman to watch in 2007.

ESPN:

Arrelious Benn should make an immediate impact at Illinois, but will Jimmy Clausen live up to the hype at Notre Dame? Will Noel Devine and Joe McKnight deliver at West Virginia and USC, respectively? Check out the freshmen you should be watching this fall.

1. Arrelious Benn, WR, Illinois
Benn, who enrolled at Illinois in January, should have a tremendous impact this fall because, frankly, he's better than the rest of the Illini's returning skill players. He was a major recruiting coup for Coach Ron Zook, after choosing Illinois over Florida State, Maryland, Miami and Notre Dame. Look for the 6-foot-1, 210-pound native of Washington, D.C., to become quarterback Juice Williams' favorite target.

2. Eric Berry, CB, Tennessee
Berry, one of the country's most highly regarded defensive back prospects, will have an opportunity to start in the Volunteers' revamped secondary. Free safety Jonathan Hefney is the only returning starter. If Berry can hold off a pair of junior-college transfers, he might be starting at cornerback by the Sept. 1 opener at California.

3. Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame
The California high school legend is in a three-man battle to replace departed Fighting Irish starter Brady Quinn. Clausen had surgery recently to repair damage in the elbow of his right (throwing) arm, which might prevent him from beating out Evan Sharpley or Demetrius Jones for the starting job before the Sept. 1 opener against Georgia Tech. Barring complications with the elbow, expect Clausen to be starting by midseason, though.

4. Graig Cooper, RB, Miami
Cooper might be the key to the Hurricanes turning around their fortunes during Coach Randy Shannon's first season. After enrolling in January, Cooper outplayed returning tailback Javarris James during spring practice. So much so that Edgerrin James, the incumbent's cousin, told Shannon that Cooper was a better runner during spring drills. The Memphis native attended prep school in New York last year, so he's more physically ready to go.

5. Torrey Davis, DT, Florida
The 300-pounder from Seffner, Fla., will be given every opportunity to produce on the defending national champions' rebuilt defensive line. Coach Urban Meyer expects as many as six freshmen to play on the defensive line this season, and Davis is the best of the bunch.

6. Noel Devine, RB, West Virginia
Mountaineers fans might have burned couches in celebration the day Devine revealed he had qualified academically to play this coming season. While the 5-foot-8 speedster from Fort Myers, Fla., isn't going to unseat Heisman Trophy candidate Steve Slaton in the backfield, he gives coach Rich Rodriguez yet another fast option in the spread offense.

7. Ronald Johnson, WR, Southern Cal
Johnson is so athletically gifted that Trojans coach Pete Carroll can't seem to decide whether to play him on offense or defense. The 6-foot, 177-pound native of Muskegon, Mich., runs the 40-yard dash in about 4.4 seconds and was coveted by Michigan, Ohio State and Florida, among other schools. The Trojans have a glaring hole at receiver with Steve Smith and Dwayne Jarrett departing, and Johnson might end up being better than each of them.

8. Willy Korn, QB, Clemson
After watching Will Proctor struggle throughout the 2006 season, Clemson fans couldn't wait for Korn to arrive this winter. Korn couldn't beat out Cullen Harper for the starting job during the spring, but he'll undoubtedly play this coming fall. Clemson coach Tommy Bowden won't be able to keep Korn on the bench -- and might not keep his own job if Korn doesn't perform well.

9. Joe McKnight, TB, Southern Cal
The New Orleans native was drawing comparisons to the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush -- and receiving phone calls from the current New Orleans Saints star -- before he ever stepped on the USC campus. McKnight joins a very crowded Trojans backfield this fall, with seven first- or second-year players battling for the starting job. But figure McKnight to make some kind of impact this season. Asking McKnight to beat out the likes of Chauncey Washington, Emmanuel Moody, C.J. Gable and Allen Bradford might be too much to ask, though.

10. Keith Nichol, QB, Oklahoma
Can the two-time Michigan high school player of the year make enough progress this spring to make a serious challenge at the starting job? Nichol had a trimmed-down playbook during the spring after enrolling early. But he still stayed in the hunt with redshirt freshman Sam Bradford and junior Joey Halzle as the Sooners search for Paul Thompson's replacement.




- Wow, isn't amazing what you can do with a huge TV contract and an endless supply of cash? The NY Rangers continue to be, like the Yankees, the best team money can buy. The Rangers pluck 2 of the biggest free agents on the market on the first day of NHL free agent season. Gomez and Drury have won Cups and are still young, both were probably out of the Star's reach, but it looks like they didn't even have a chance to get in the bidding.

NEW YORK -- The New York Rangers solved their problems at center in a big way Sunday, signing Scott Gomez and Chris Drury away from Eastern Conference rivals on the first day of free agency.

Just hours after the summer shopping season opened, the Rangers landed the two biggest available centers -- plucking Gomez from Atlantic Division-foe New Jersey and Drury from the Buffalo Sabres, the team that knocked New York out in the second round of this year's playoffs.

Gomez signed a seven-year deal with the Rangers worth $51.5 million -- including $10 million next season. Drury inked a five-year contract for $35.25 million. He will earn $7.1 million each of the next two seasons.

"It's pretty exciting," Rangers general manager Glen Sather said. "We ranked them both as number ones, and we never expected to get both of them."

The Rangers had been looking for a second-line center to play with forward Brendan Shanahan, and now can plug Gomez into that spot. Drury's signing means that New York will let unrestricted free agent Michael Nylander leave, creating a spot on the top line for Drury to play alongside Jaromir Jagr.

Sather approached both players Sunday and felt during the day that he merely had to convince the pair to come to New York. He knew other teams were interested but didn't get the impression from Drury and Gomez that he was bidding against other clubs.

New York already had some room under the salary cap, and then got more space when next season's number was set at $50.3 million, an increase of $6.3 million from last season.

Shanahan hasn't signed a new deal yet, but said after the season he wanted to return to New York. The Rangers also need to get restricted free agent goalie Henrik Lundqvist and forward Sean Avery under contract.

"We still have other people we have to sign so we have to be careful but we think we have things calculated out and we're in a good position," Sather said. "We think we can keep everyone we have right now."

Although coach Tom Renney said he always has line combinations running through his head, he hasn't mapped out exactly where everyone will line up on opening night.

"A couple of additions made it quite appealing," Renney said.

Drury's deal also includes a full no-move clause, meaning he can't be traded without his consent or sent to the minor leagues. Agreeing to such terms is a shift in previous Rangers policy.

"I'd say it was not as intact as it was yesterday," Sather said with a laugh. "When you make a deal, there are certain things you try to stick to and certain things you make compromises on."

There was no immediate word whether Gomez received the same consideration. The 27-year Alaskan native, a two-time Stanley Cup champion in his seven NHL seasons -- all with the Devils -- had 13 goals and 47 assists in 72 games last season.

Drury, from nearby Trumbull, Conn., joined fellow Sabres co-captain Daniel Briere in leaving Buffalo on Sunday. Briere signed an eight-year, $52 million contract with Philadelphia -- another division rival of the Rangers.

"I have some kind of mixed feeling," Sather said of the Sabres. "I am happy we got an opportunity to get involved with these players. From Buffalo's perspective, I'm sure they're not happy these two guys left but that's the nature of the beast.

"I know it was a difficult day for Darcy [Sabres GM Darcy Regier]. You just have to face the facts that sometimes you can't keep everyone, and at some point it's probably going to happen to us. This organization has come a long way and this is our opportunity."

Drury, 30, scored a career-high 69 points -- including 37 goals -- for the Sabres. Buffalo had an NHL-best 113 points this season, but the balance of power in the East clearly shifted toward the Atlantic Division on Sunday.

"He's been a winner everywhere he's been," Sather said. "He brings that spunk we need. He fits many roles for us."

The Rangers lost a tight, six-game series to Buffalo in the second round. New York was poised to take a 3-2 series lead in Game 5 when Drury scored the tying goal with 7.7 seconds left in regulation. The Sabres then won 2-1 in overtime to take control back in the series.

New York made the playoffs each of the past two years after missing for seven straight seasons.

"The expectations can't be any greater than they are internally," Renney said. "This is a work in progress and always will be. We just want to get to the highest level possible and work hard to sustain it."

Sather said both players indicated a desire to play in New York, and signs throughout the course of Sunday emerged that made him believe he could get them both under contract.

"I don't think either one of them knew we were negotiating with the other guy," he said. "We called them both at the same time and neither one knew about it until the very end."







- This guy has quietly become the most important player on the Stars. What a great move by Bob Gainey back in the 90's to get him here. He captains the power play, can pass the puck with the best of them, and is one of the best scoring defensemen in the game. This guy is to the Stars like Steve Nash is to the Suns, he makes this team go. Glad to see him locked up for at least another year....

The Stars on Sunday signed Sergei Zubov to a one-year contract extension for $5.35 million.

Zubov has one year remaining on his current contract at $4 million. The extension will be for the 2008-09 season. Sunday was the first day the Stars could negotiate with Zubov on an extension per NHL rules.




- Never thought this guy was that bad when he was with the Rangers, just a victim of bad circumstances in my opinion. Thought he was a decent coach, but he did get fired yesterday.

CINCINNATI -- Manager Jerry Narron was fired Sunday night by the Cincinnati Reds, who raised their payroll and their expectations in the offseason only to find themselves with the worst record in the major leagues.

The Reds became the second team to change managers Sunday. Earlier in the day, Seattle's Mike Hargrove resigned.

Narron was the second big league manager to be fired this season. Baltimore's Sam Perlozzo lost his job on June 18 after the last-place Orioles couldn't shake another losing streak.

The Reds have been far worse, setting a pace for their first 100-loss season since 1982. With no improvement in sight and attendance starting to lag, the club decided to dump its low-key manager.

The move came a few hours after an 11-7 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals that left the Reds at 31-51, the worst record in the majors. Advance scout Pete Mackanin was chosen interim manager.

Mackanin, 55, managed the Reds' Triple-A team in Nashville from 1990-92. He was the Pirates' interim manager for the final 26 games of the 2005 season after Lloyd McClendon was fired.

Owner Bob Castellini and general manager Wayne Krivsky declined comment until a news conference on Monday, a day off before the start of a home series against the San Francisco Giants.

The 51-year-old Narron tried to set a take-charge tone early in the season, when he moved Ken Griffey Jr. to right field and dropped him out of his accustomed spot at No. 3 in the batting order. Griffey didn't like it, but Narron went ahead with the moves.

He also benched third baseman Edwin Encarnacion during an April game for failing to run out a pop up.

The tone may have changed, but Narron couldn't overcome a bullpen that led the NL in losses and repeatedly failed to hold leads in the late innings.

With the franchise headed for its seventh straight losing season -- its deepest slump in a half-century -- Castellini decided to make yet another managerial change. Since winning the World Series in 1990, the Reds have had seven managers and made only one playoff appearance -- in 1995 under Davey Johnson.

The Reds expected a return to prominence when they moved into Great American Ball Park in 2003, but it didn't happen. They fired general manager Jim Bowden and manager Bob Boone midway through the season.

Dave Miley got the next chance, but was fired midway through the 2005 season. Narron, his bench coach, took over on an interim basis and kept the job after leading the team to a 46-46 finish the rest of that season.

The Reds went 80-82 last year, the team's first under Castellini. It was their best result since 2000 and earned Narron a two-year extension through 2008.

Castellini allowed the payroll to rise $10 million to $69 million this year, hoping to contend in the weak NL Central. He also allowed Krivsky to give $71 million in contract extensions to starting pitchers Aaron Harang and Bronson Arroyo, the franchise's biggest spending splurge since it brought Griffey home in 2000.

It all fell apart fast.

The rotation started strong but failed. Arroyo has yet to win a game since May 6, left-hander Eric Milton has had reconstructive elbow surgery, and highly acclaimed rookie Homer Bailey has been roughed up in his last two starts.

Bailey failed to make it through the fourth inning of an 11-7 loss to St. Louis on Sunday that highlighted the Reds' shortcomings. They made three more errors and their bullpen turned a close game into another drubbing.

The Reds decided to fire Narron before a home series against Barry Bonds and the Giants. Bonds is only five homers shy of Hank Aaron's career record, but none of the three games was close to a sellout -- underscoring fans' indifference.





- Where's Sammy?????

STARTERS
POS PLAYER TEAM ALL-STAR GAME
C Ivan Rodriguez Detroit Tigers 14th
1B David Ortiz Boston Red Sox 4th
2B Placido Polanco Detroit Tigers 1st
3B Alex Rodriguez New York Yankees 11th
SS Derek Jeter New York Yankees 8th
OF Vladimir Guerrero Los Angeles Angels 8th
OF Magglio Ordonez Detroit Tigers 6th
OF Ichiro Suzuki Seattle Mariners 7th

PITCHERS
POS PLAYER TEAM ALL-STAR GAME
RHP Josh Beckett Boston Red Sox 1st
RHP John Lackey Los Angeles Angels 1st
LHP Johan Santana Minnesota Twins 3rd
RHP Justin Verlander Detroit Tigers 1st
LHP C.C. Sabathia Cleveland Indians 3rd
RHP Dan Haren Oakland Athletics 1st
RHP Gil Meche Kansas City Royals 1st
RHP Jonathan Papelbon Boston Red Sox 2nd
RHP Francisco Rodriguez Los Angeles Angels 2nd
RHP J.J. Putz Seattle Mariners 1st
RHP Bobby Jenks Chicago White Sox 2nd

RESERVES
POS PLAYER TEAM ALL-STAR GAME
C Victor Martinez Cleveland Indians 2nd
C Jorge Posada New York Yankees 5th
1B Justin Morneau Minnesota Twins 1st
2B Brian Roberts Baltimore Orioles 2nd
3B Mike Lowell Boston Red Sox 4th
SS Carlos Guillen Detroit Tigers 2nd
SS Michael Young Texas Rangers 4th
OF Carl Crawford Tampa Bay Devil Rays 2nd
OF Torii Hunter Minnesota Twins 2nd
OF Manny Ramirez Boston Red Sox 11th
OF Alex Rios Toronto Blue Jays 2nd
OF Grady Sizemore Cleveland Indians 2nd




- I can't even explain the level of relief/jubililation I was feeling as a 13 year old that January. Imagine the 1 team you love consistently getting to the peak of the mountain only to get turned away in the most humiliating/heartbreaking of ways. When they finally figured it out, they put together a 5 year stretch of domnination they may never be topped. 1993-1997 were my golden years of college football.......





- One of the finest songs ever written.




- Picks O' the day

Weekend record - 9-10
YTD - 35-32

As always, take the home dogs, as well as:

OAK -150 - OAK at home
BALT +110 - Bedard is very good, I take him every time
LAD -120 - Lowe pitching, at home