Friday, February 22, 2008
Trade Grade
- The ESPN stat geek John Hollinger rates the Kidd trade.
Feb. 19: Dallas signs Keith Van Horn and trades Van Horn, Devin Harris, Trenton Hassell, Maurice Ager, DeSagana Diop, first-round draft choices in 2008 and 2010, and cash considerations to New Jersey for Jason Kidd, Malik Allen and Antoine Wright; waives Nick Fazekas
For Dallas: A "makeup" trade for a failed deal involving Jerry Stackhouse and Devean George instead of Hassell and Van Horn, this version cost Mark Cuban $11 million more, counting salary and taxes, but looks almost as questionable.
Kidd didn't exactly calm doubts in his Dallas return, getting abused by the Hornets' Chris Paul, which was exactly the fear of Mavs fans when they traded their top perimeter defender in Harris. And Kidd's six turnovers were another example of something I've been harping on for a while -- Kidd has become increasingly mistake-prone this season.
Dallas wanted this trade as much for the locker room as the court, and I don't want to minimize that aspect of the deal. Just because it can't be measured doesn't mean it isn't there. But to give up two first-rounders (the second unprotected) and a quality post defender in Diop for what may not even be an upgrade at the point seems a stretch. Grade: C-
For New Jersey: It's tough to rebuild much better than this. The Nets got a rising second-tier star at the point in Harris, two first-rounders, a couple expiring deals, and a salary savings right off the top -- all for a 34-year-old guard whose numbers are down this year and who has a $20 million cap number. And as an added bonus -- yes, the hair gel and high socks are back in The Swamp! It's hard for me to imagine a better deal than that. Grade: A
- I'll be patient.....but problems still exist.
With Kidd, Dallas Mavericks hope to get cooking fast
09:29 AM CST on Friday, February 22, 2008
By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News
esefko@dallasnews.com
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Avery Johnson is a big believer in "cooking the gumbo" as he calls it.
Since the Mavericks started their new life with Jason Kidd in New Orleans, that's fitting. Johnson has always preached that anything worth having is worth putting in the time and effort.
You cannot skip steps.
But in the trade for Kidd, that's exactly what the Mavericks are trying to do. And it may not be a bad thing, even though it goes against Johnson's grain.
"When you get a player of Jason Kidd's caliber at the point guard position, I don't know if it's necessarily skipping a step," Johnson said. "He's so knowledgeable, and we're hoping he can blend in pretty quickly because he has that type of game – some old-man game in a way – but with a lot of energy.
"We're hoping that some things that may take a long time can come together a little bit sooner. We want the gumbo to be ready sooner. We don't have a year or two years or five years to simmer. We have days. We're just want it to taste better sooner."
The Mavericks were that proverbial bowl of gumbo before the trade. They were simmering and they hoped to become tastier as the process went on.
With Kidd, they are sticking the bowl in the microwave and hoping it's ready in 45 seconds. But is it skipping steps? Or just eliminating some that have to be traversed to reach the ultimate goal?
In Boston, the Celtics did the same sort of thing, albeit on an even higher level with Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen.
For the Mavericks, the temptation to skip a step in their development, with the hope that it leads to greater results in the here and now was too great to pass up.
"That's what we're hopeful for," Johnson said. "But at the same time, there are some things that you cannot skip at all. We have to get it down right. We had a 40 rating on defense [against New Orleans]. When we're in the 40s, we haven't won a game."
Which brings us to the hard part: making it all mesh.
The first key belongs to Johnson. He must figure out how to balance his style of coaching with the freedom that an elite pass-first point guard like Kidd needs. So does Johnson pull back from the micro-managing he had to do with Devin Harris?
"I was wondering how long it was going to take you guys to ask me that," Johnson said. "I've never worked with Jason Kidd, so we have to find out what works well for our relationship. I think within the team concept, the point guard and the coach must have a relationship.
"I don't think I'm going to sit down the whole game. I think I'm going to have to help him get through this period. But I don't think I'll be screaming at him every play telling him what to do, either. The reason we got him is because he knows what to do."
Kidd, indeed, is a next-level point guard. He sees the play and the game unfolding in front of him faster than most, just as Steve Nash used to.
Kidd said he has had only a few messages for his teammates, Dirk Nowitzki in particular. The main one is that the Mavericks no longer will play offense without the luxury of a high-powered passing attack.
"I just told him to be ready, even if he feels like he's covered," Kidd said of Nowitzki. "When you think it's not coming, that's when it's coming. Not just for Dirk, but for everybody on the team. I try to make the game as easy as possible and make these guys better as much as they make me better. Just expect the ball."
That's another way the Mavericks will be able to skip steps as a result of this deal. They can cut down on a few passes.
Those hockey-style assists, where the ball starts out of the post when the double-team comes and swings to the weak side for an open jump shot, should be replaced by on-time and on-target passes from Kidd.
"Hopefully down the road – I don't know if it's going to be a day or a week or a month – there's going to be a period when we hope to play like Phoenix plays in terms of the way they allow their guard to run the team," Johnson said. "Or even now with Chris Paul and the way he runs the [New Orleans] team. We hope to get to that point."
Maybe even if they skip a step or two along the way.
- Bo doing all the right things. Reaching out to ex-players, making the rounds in the state, resurrecting the walkon program. How can you not like the guy.
A comfortable, fit Pelini 'humbled' to be NU coach
By Terry Douglass
terry.douglass@theindependent.com
Bo Pelini was happy at LSU.
Serving as the Tigers' defensive coordinator for the past three seasons, Pelini was one of the highest-paid assistants in the country. And while he certainly had aspirations of one day becoming a head coach, Pelini wasn't going to leave a good gig in Baton Rouge, La., for just any job.
Then, Tom Osborne came calling. The legendary, former Nebraska head coach turned athletics director made Pelini an offer he couldn't refuse.
"When Coach Osborne presented this opportunity to me and we talked about it, it became obvious that this was where I needed to be and this was where my family needed to be," Pelini said. "Because what I've learned over the years that I've been coaching is this: It's about the people."
Pelini knew exactly what he would be getting into if he rejoined the pressure-filled atmosphere in Husker Nation. He was the defensive coordinator for Nebraska during the tumultuous 2003 season when Frank Solich was fired after a 9-3 regular season.
But after Osborne's offer, Pelini said he couldn't imagine himself anywhere else. Never mind that expectations at Nebraska are almost always lofty.
"They should be," Pelini said. "When you have the support that's sitting here throughout the whole state of Nebraska, to me, the sky's the limit."
Pelini was in Grand Island Thursday afternoon for the Central Nebraska Big Red Luncheon at the Heartland Events Center. Along with Osborne, Pelini was joined by his entire coaching staff at the event, which drew an estimated crowd of 1,100.
Pelini told the gathering that he was humbled by the opportunity to be the head coach at Nebraska. The 40-year-old native of Youngstown, Ohio, added that he considers his job a tremendous responsibility and that he's here to serve the football program, his players and the people of this state.
Osborne, who fired former coach Bill Callahan after Nebraska's 5-7 season in 2007, said the fiery Pelini and his strong defensive resume simply seemed like the right man at the right time for the program.
In talking with coaches and players who had worked with Pelini in the past, Osborne said he failed to find anyone with a negative opinion of Pelini. A winner of 255 games and three national titles during his 25-year head coaching career, Osborne said he liked Pelini's ability to communicate, motivate and the fact that Pelini's defenses have had a knack for creating turnovers.
The low-key Osborne also said he likes Pelini's passion.
"That was a problem throughout my coaching career," Osborne said. "I was presumed to be too bland, too nice and wouldn't be able to win the big one, but we've got a guy now who won't be too bland and too nice.
"We have rectified that problem."
New Nebraska linebackers coach Mike Ekeler, who worked with Pelini at LSU, said he has no doubt that the Husker players will soon take on the personality of their new head coach.
"There's not a more fierce competitor in the sport," Ekeler said. "You want to talk about somebody who hates to lose, hate isn't the right word. That man despises it."
With Nebraska having suffered through two losing seasons in the past four years under Callahan, Pelini said he wants the program to return to its roots.
"I heard somebody talking about the new tradition, and I don't believe that," Pelini said. "I believe it's back to THE tradition that's the old tradition. There's nothing new that I'm bringing here. I want to lean on what this place has been built on for a long time."
Pelini stressed that rebuilding Nebraska's football program is going to be a process.
"Things don't happen overnight and there are no quick fixes in life," Pelini said. "You have to build a foundation, you have to do things the right way, you have to get everybody on the same page, you have to develop relationships, you have to build trust, you have to develop accountability in all areas and that takes time."
However, Pelini said he's encouraged that things are already headed in the right direction. He said he's been impressed with the players the Huskers already have in the program and is excited about the program's new recruiting class, which will include 30 walk-on players.
"It's a tremendous group of young men with high character and a lot of talent," Pelini said. "Our job is to develop that talent."
And Pelini said he thinks he has the coaching staff to do just that.
"They're not only good football coaches we're going to be on the cutting edge X- and O-wise but they have men of great character, they're great communicators and great teachers," Pelini said. "At the end of the day, our players are going to know that we care about them."
Since taking over full time at Nebraska after helping LSU capture a national championship, Pelini and his staff have started work on building a culture he hopes to instill at Lincoln. The chief concept for his players: Do things the right way in every aspect of life and be accountable for everything, from the minute they wake up in the morning until they go to sleep each night.
"Everything counts," Pelini said. "You can't let one part of your life slip and expect to make up for it later in the day. We're not just preparing them to win on Saturday afternoon, we're preparing them for life after football as well because it all goes hand in hand."
As for next season, Pelini said he's not one to make predictions in terms of wins and losses. However, he did offer one promise for 2008.
"When our team takes the field, you're going to have a group of men out there who will go out there and play with their hearts and they're going to play with passion," Pelini said. "That's what football is all about and how that translates into (wins) and (losses), that will take care of itself."
- Pelini reaching out to former NU players
Lincoln Journal Star
Friday, Feb 22, 2008 - 12:49:36 am CST
Here with the February cold was a prediction from a proud Husker alum.
“I pretty much guarantee this year there will not be two golf outings,” Mitch Krenk said with a laugh.
Whatever awkwardness last football season brought for Krenk seems just a bizarre memory now. Anger has been overcome by optimism. Krenk will toast to that.
Not many months ago, it was far different. As president of the N Club — a group for Husker letterwinners in any sport — Krenk was caught in the middle.
Perhaps you remember two Husker golf tournaments on the same day last April, one of them being the annual N Club tournament. It had a rival, as 105 former football players showed up for another tournament at another Lincoln golf course.
That tournament came with a Tom Osborne appearance and a tribute to Doak Ostergard, the longtime NU trainer who had been asked to leave his post a couple months earlier by then-head coach Bill Callahan.
While the alternative tournament was said to not be a protest, it was perceived by some as being one.
The departure of Ostergard peeved some former Huskers, who already felt excluded from the program by Callahan and then-athletic director Steve Pederson.
“Some guys didn’t feel connected to the program they helped build,” Ostergard explained then. “The best-case scenario is that all those guys feel connected again.”
Today should help the cause. Members of the N Club are invited to Memorial Stadium for an afternoon meeting with Bo Pelini and the new football coaching staff.
Krenk is predicting at least 100 former players will attend, maybe many more.
“A bunch of old football players probably aren’t the best at RVSPing,” he said.
The other day, Krenk heard back from Bruce Mathison, a former Husker quarterback who was his teammate in 1981-82. Mathison hasn’t been a familiar face at alumni functions, but he and a buddy were planning to come from Arizona to this one.
Said Krenk: “I just mentioned to Coach Pelini that we thought it would be a great idea to have kind of a meet-and-greet with the former players and the coaching staff. He said, ‘Hey, tell us when and where. It’d be great.’”
Jeff Jamrog, assistant athletic director for football operations, said this is just the start. With Tom Osborne as athletic director, and former players like himself, Marvin Sanders and Barney Cotton on the Husker staff, he said the program plans to always have the door open to former Huskers.
“We all understand what all those former players did to make the University of Nebraska great all those years,” Jamrog said.
During last year’s tension, Krenk struggled convincing some former players to come to events.
“I’d tell guys, ‘Let’s all stay together. We’re always going to be the letterwinners. Nobody can change that. We just need to stay positive, stay together. Things will work out.’”
Krenk has started to see a change. Recently, former Husker and Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Rodgers opened a restaurant in Omaha.
Rodgers asked Krenk if he thought he could help get some former players to come.
“I e-mailed and quite a few guys showed up and helped Johnny out,” Krenk said. “To me, that’s what it’s all about. When a guy walks into a room and sees a teammate he hasn’t seen in 20 years, it’s like, ‘Holy smokes.’ His face just lights up.”
Wins and losses will eventually mean the most, but for now, as the honeymoon goes on, Pelini seems to be finding the right notes.
Krenk said it just feels good again. A logjam on the first teebox at this year’s N Club golf outing will be gladly accepted.
“I was lucky to play with some great players that weren’t from Nebraska: Roger Craig, Mike Rozier, Irving Fryar,” Krenk said. “They weren’t from Nebraska but they’re Nebraska guys, and that’s how I really feel about Coach Pelini. He’s not from here but he’s a Nebraska guy.”
Briefly
Tickets continue to sell at an impressive rate for the April 19 Red-White Spring Game.
As of Thursday afternoon, Jamrog said 37,500 tickets have been sold.
“Obviously, we’re hoping for a sellout,” Jamrog said. “I think that (the interest) sends a great message to our football team. It’s a great motivator, great lift for the kids, to just show that the whole state’s behind them.”
The Husker spring-game record attendance was set in Callahan’s second season, in 2005, when 63,416 fans showed up. The Spring Game attracted about 61,000 fans in Callahan’s first year.
Last season, 54,288 fans attended. As is often the case with spring games, that number came with the help of a big walk-up crowd. About half of the tickets sold last year came the day of the game.
NU begins spring practice March 26.
- This is just wonderful to see. The me-first ass named Mark Teixeira is giving his 2nd team the run around. Poison. Cancer. Bad in the room. Whatever you want to call it, it's him. Wherever the money is the strongest, he'll go. He builds no loyalty to anyone but himself. A William Wallace he is not. Just a passionless, arrogant prick.
Teixeira's status is a big deal
By DAVID O'BRIEN
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 02/20/08
Lake Buena Vista, Fla. — Will he be a Brave beyond this season? That's all anyone wants to know about slugging first baseman Mark Teixeira. But it looks as if he's going to keep us guessing.
Tex rolled into training camp Tuesday and said he's here to play ball and get ready for the 2008 season, not talk about his contract or whether he plans to test the free-agent waters next winter.
business on the field," he said. "Twenty-four other guys on this team don't care about my contract."
Actually, they do care.
Veterans Chipper Jones and John Smoltz have said how important it is to try to re-sign Teixeira, who hit .317 with 17 home runs and 56 RBIs in 54 games after being traded to Atlanta on July 31 last season.
The 27-year-old switch-hitter is a two-time Gold Glove winner who's averaged 34 homers and 111 RBIs in his first five seasons. He's a franchise-caliber player entering his prime, and will likely command at least $20 million annually in a long-term contract.
So what are the chances the Braves could sign him to an extension before the end of the season, before he hits the free-agent market?
"I'm always willing to listen," Teixeira said. "At the same time, I have much more important things to worry about. If I take care of things on the field, that [contract] will take care of itself."
Some believe agent Scott Boras could land Teixeira a six- or seven-year deal worth $25 million or more annually, considering the other contracts that have been handed out in recent years and Teixeira's age and all-around skills.
Boras is famous for producing a spiral-bound dossier crammed with statistical data for each free-agent client, and someone joked to Teixeira that Boras might have several books to support this client.
"He's got plenty of [contract negotiation] ammunition for me," said Teixeira, punctuated by his usual smile and good-natured laugh.
His 365 extra-base hits since 2003 are the fifth-most in the majors, behind Albert Pujols, David Ortiz, Alfonso Soriano and Alex Rodriguez. Yes, that's rich company Teixeira is keeping.
He was asked if the contract issue could become a distraction.
"I'm not going to let it be a distraction for me and my team," said Teixeira, who is making $12.5 million this season. "If you want to talk about baseball, I'll talk all night.
"But if you want to talk about contracts, my agent is always willing to talk. And I'm sure Frank [Wren, Braves general manager] is always willing to talk."
Wren and Boras have had discussions about a possible extension, but Wren won't discuss the status of talks or whether they went beyond an initial feeling-out stage. Boras has not commented recently.
Teixeira scoffed at a rumored rift with Boras — "Scott and I have a great relationship" — and said it probably started as "wishful thinking" in Baltimore, where they'd like to sign the Maryland native.
He also refuted a rumor that he's building a house in Atlanta, saying he merely owns land in Atlanta — and several other areas of the country. He spent the winter at his home in Arizona.
Teixeira said he doesn't set personal statistical goals, only team goals. He likes the Braves being considered underdogs in the National League East behind the Mets and Phillies.
"I know I'm capable of having my best season in this lineup," he said. "If we play to our capabilities, we can definitely win the division."
Jones said he's excited about hitting third all season in front of Teixeira, whose .405 average with runners in scoring position last year included an astounding .509 (27-for-53) for the Braves.
"To have two switch-hitting power hitters in your lineup with that versatility, that's a rare commodity," said the switch-hitting Jones, who had 29 homers and 102 RBIs in 2007, including 12 and 46 after Teixeira joined the team.
"He's going to help me get pitches to hit because he's behind me," Jones said, "and I'm going to help him by getting on base at a .400 clip."
- Teixeira continues. Such a Boras puppet. He'll play for 6 teams before his career is up, and each time, none of them will be sorry to see him leave. He'll be this generation's Roger Clemens.
Teixiera to focus on performance, let Boras deal with contract
KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- No offense to Alex Rodriguez, but Mark Teixeira won't be negotiating any contracts on his own.
He'll let Scott Boras crunch the numbers.
"That's why I hired an agent," the Atlanta Braves first baseman said Thursday. "My business is baseball. His business is doing the contracts. I stay out of his business. When he asks me a question, I answer it. Other than that, I'm worrying about the field."
That's hardly an encouraging sign for the Braves, who would love to sign Teixeira to a long-term deal before he becomes a free agent at the end of the season.
With team president (and former general manager) John Schuerholz setting the tone, Atlanta has often been reluctant to deal with Boras, feeling his contract demands are just too outrageous.
And rest assured, Boras is expecting to land a huge deal for Teixeira, with $20 million a year a likely starting point.
"I don't worry about that stuff," Teixeira insisted. "The most important thing for me this year is getting this team to the playoffs. I'm one piece of the puzzle. For me to worry about contract negotiations and contract talks, that's going to take away from the team. I'm going to go out there and play the game. If I play the game the way I'm capable of playing, the contract will take care of itself."
A-Rod, of course, took a different path after opting out of his contract with the New York Yankees. Breaking with Boras, Rodriguez reopened talks with the Yankees and quickly worked out a new 10-year, $275 million deal. Boras then worked out the contract details.
Also Thursday, another of Boras' former clients, Detroit's Gary Sheffield, called the agent "a bad person" and said he's trying to get money he doesn't deserve.
Then there's Teixeira, who couldn't be happier with Boras.
"We get along great," the 27-year-old first baseman said. "He's a good friend of mine, as well as the best agent in baseball. I have no complaints."
The Braves had no complaints about the way Teixeira performed last season after he was acquired from Texas just before the trade deadline. He batted .317 with 17 homers and 56 RBIs for Atlanta, leaving him at .306 with 30 homers and 105 RBIs overall -- his fourth straight 30-homer, 100-RBI season.
Teixeira teamed with Chipper Jones to provide the Braves a lethal switch-hitting duo in the middle of the batting order.
"It's a pitcher's nightmare having two guys in a row hitting for power and being switch-hitters," said Teixeira, who's expected to bat cleanup. "I love watching Chipper hit. I love hitting behind him. He's on base at a .400 clip. That gives me a lot of RBI opportunities. I feel very lucky hitting behind him in the lineup."
Likewise, said Jones, who hit .337 with 29 homers and 102 RBIs last season.
"He's going to get me some pitches to hit in some key spots," the third baseman said. "Having two switch-hitters hitting 3-4 in lineup, who can hit .300, hit 30 [homers] and drive in 100, that's a rare commodity. You don't get that very often. Tex and I are going to try to wreak some havoc."
Teixeira took up switch-hitting at the urging of his father, first trying it in a game when he was 13. He's certainly glad he followed the old man's advice.
"I was lucky enough to be bigger and stronger than most kids growing up," Teixeira recalled. "I was a good right-handed hitter, but my dad wanted to make it a challenge for me. So I took up left-handed hitting. It's the best thing I ever did. My dad's a genius."
With Teixeira joining the mix, the Braves certainly had no trouble scoring in 2007, ranking third in the National League with an average of five runs per game. But the pitching staff was hit by injuries and never found any reliable starters beyond John Smoltz and Tim Hudson.
Atlanta finished third in the NL East for the second year in a row, now working on an unwanted streak after making 14 straight playoff appearances from 1991-2005.
"I can't complain one bit about being traded to Atlanta," Teixeira said. "I wish we had won a little more last year, but I think that just makes us hungrier for this year."
Teixeira certainly wouldn't mind an extended stay in Atlanta, but that's out of his hands. He'll leave those sort of issues to Boras and the Braves' front office.
The two sides haven't negotiated since holding preliminary talks during the arbitration process, which resulted in an agreement on a $12.5 million contract for this season.
"It's a great group of guys. I performed well. I'm comfortable here," Teixeira said. "We'll just have to get to the end of the season and see where everything takes us."
- Sheffield bashes Boras. I hate Sheffield, but this is great.
Sheffield says former agent Boras is a 'bad person'
LAKELAND, Fla. -- Gary Sheffield put himself in the spotlight again, and the Detroit Tigers' slugger enjoyed every second of it.
"My family has been trying to get me to walk away for a while now because they don't like the negative stuff that comes my way. I love it," Sheffield acknowledged. "I try to explain it to them, but they think that's some psychotic thing."
Sheffield stirred things up Thursday morning by calling Scott Boras, his former agent, a "bad person," in part for going after money the All-Star says he doesn't deserve.
The dispute stems from the $39 million, three-year contract Sheffield signed in 2003 with the New York Yankees.
Sheffield declined to comment on the specifics of the grievance, but the designated hitter has said he represented himself in negotiating his contract with the Yankees. Boras has said Sheffield agreed to let him represent the outfielder when his contract with the Atlanta Braves ran out in 2003.
Sheffield vowed to say a lot of "ugly things" about various topics when the case is resolved.
"It ain't going to be pretty," he said. "No fine is going to be big enough. No suspension is going to be long enough."
Boras declined to say anything about the situation. "I'm not going to comment on Gary's comments," Boras said.
Sheffield said he has given a deposition each year since the grievance was filed; Feb. 28 or so is the next one scheduled.
"Nothing happens. Then, he comes back, `I want some more money.' That's basically the way he's acting," Sheffield said. "I don't know why. It's probably personal with him. But when it's done, it's going to be personal with me."
Sheffield is known for saying what's on his mind.
Last year, he called the investigation into steroid use in baseball a "witch hunt" that was all about "getting" Barry Bonds. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Sheffield testified in 2003 before the grand jury that he didn't knowingly take steroids while working out with Bonds.
Sheffield also has said Joe Torre, his former manager in New York, treated black and white players differently.
He paused only briefly when talking about the latest story involving him.
"Actually, I'm not supposed to be talking about this at all," Sheffield said. "But I am anyway."
Sheffield fired agent Jim Neader and hired Boras in the spring of 2001, when he created a stir while playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers by demanding a contract extension or a trade. He had $30 million and three years left on his deal plus an $11 million club option.
"I've known Gary since he was 15 years old, and I know he's a good person," Boras said then.
Sheffield went to play for the Braves in 2002 and 2003. He fired Boras in 2003, saying he planned to represent himself in the future.
Several months later, Sheffield signed with the Yankees and said he negotiated the contract with owner George Steinbrenner. Boras later filed paperwork requesting 5 percent of the $39 million deal.
Sheffield has said his problems with Boras cost him a longer contract when he became a free agent.
"Can you explain why [Miguel] Tejada gets six years, [Vladimir] Guerrero gets five years and I get three? He cost me two years of a contract because he was trying to tarnish my name," Sheffield said in 2004. "The whole year in Atlanta, I had to get the players' association to stop him from writing me threatening letters saying, 'Either you let me do your contract or I'll be forced to sue you.' That's a threat and harassment."
Yankees star Alex Rodriguez said earlier this week he still hasn't spoken with Boras since negotiating his new contract this offseason without his longtime agent.
"Do you blame him?" Sheffield asked.
Tigers pitcher Kenny Rogers fired Boras this winter after the agent tried to shop Rogers' services, even though the pitcher only wanted to negotiate with Detroit.
Boras does appear to have happy clients in Detroit, including reigning American League batting champion Magglio Ordonez, All-Star catcher Ivan Rodriguez and first-round pick Rick Porcello.
Sheffield said he is going to warn everybody about Boras when their dispute is resolved.
"It's going to be the ugliest thing you've ever seen because certain people you don't mess with," he said. "And I guarantee you, I'm one of them."
Sheffield said he will tell players to hire whom they want, but will share his experience as one of Boras' clients.
"Total hell," he said. "I shouldn't have ever introduced myself to him. Period. Bad person."
Tigers manager Jim Leyland is a fan of Sheffield both as a person and a player, who is 20 homers away from the 500th of his career. Leyland made a point of watching Sheffield hit during Thursday's workout and was encouraged with the way the slugger has recovered from shoulder surgery.
"I'm really pleased with what I see," Leyland said. "You can tell there's no restrictions as far as swinging."
- Lifetime spares Jason Botts and Nelson Cruz are out of options and must make the team.......
Botts, Cruz give Texas Rangers options
10:22 PM CST on Thursday, February 21, 2008
By EVAN GRANT / The Dallas Morning News
egrant@dallasnews.com
SURPRISE, Ariz. – They are physically imposing players who raise scouts' eyebrows. They were both hitting kings of the Caribbean this winter.
And they are both out of options, which means the Rangers might keep outfielders Jason Botts or Nelson Cruz. Or they might keep neither. But, barring injury, it's almost certain they won't keep both.
It might not be the most significant battle of spring training but perhaps the most intriguing. The Rangers will spend the spring examining both 27-year-olds as potential extra outfielders or part-time DHs. But when the roster is set, at least one will probably be with another club.
"I wouldn't rule out both of them making it, but probably not," general manager Jon Daniels said Thursday. "It would be a challenge."
Botts and Cruz know it, too.
Both got the most extensive looks of their careers last year and, at the end of the year, the Rangers decided upgrading an outfield ranked in the bottom half of the majors in offensive production and fielding percentage was the biggest priority of the offseason.
The Rangers signed Milton Bradley and traded for Josh Hamilton. They re-signed Marlon Byrd. They expect late-summer sensation David Murphy to have a spot as the fourth outfielder. They plan to keep five. The battle also includes Kevin Mench, in camp on a minor league contract.
"I know I have to do whatever it takes," said Cruz, who opened last season as the right fielder but twice lost the job. "I've got to play to the best of my ability. My mind is ready. I've tried all winter to improve myself, to get in the best shape of my life."
Cruz spent the winter playing for Gigantes in the Dominican Republic's winter league. After hitting .314 with four homers in 105 at-bats, he was added to one of the Dominican Republic's two entries in the Caribbean Series. He proceeded to hit .407 with a homer for Aguillas on the way to winning the title.
A breakout winter, right?
Well, not exactly. He had a big winter and was on the Caribbean Series champ after the 2006 season, too. And it didn't keep him in the lineup. This winter, Cruz went to work on being better disciplined against the breaking ball. He didn't hit many of them in the Dominican, but, then again, he didn't swing at many of them, either.
With Gigantes, he averaged a walk every 11 plate appearances. Between Triple-A Oklahoma and the Rangers, he averaged a walk every 12.2 plate appearances.
"They didn't show me any fastballs, maybe one or two a game," Cruz said, "so I took walks."
Botts also went to winter ball. He played left field for Obregon in the Mexican League and led the Yacquis to the Mexican League title. He led the Mexican League in RBIs (54) but left to rest his body before the Caribbean Series began.
Botts, considered a below-average defender, even won a Gold Glove for his play in Mexico. He is trying to increase his versatility this spring by working extensively with manager Ron Washington on first base.
All that defensive work is admirable, but Botts' only real method for staying in the majors is to improve his offensive production. Botts had only a .335 slugging percentage, which ranked 163rd among AL hitters with at least 150 plate appearances last season. He was down there with the backup middle infielders and catchers of the world. It's simply not acceptable for somebody 6-5 and 230 pounds.
"He's got to hit," Washington said. "You look like that, you've got to do some damage."
"I'm a big guy and I play a corner position, so I know the perceptions," Botts said. "I tried to work this winter on not being so loopy with my swing and to flatten it out a little. But the biggest thing was that, at some point, I just let things start to flow instead of worrying about being really mechanical."
- You've got to be kidding me.....
Jessica Simpson is head over heels in love with Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo – and close pals say an engagement might be around the corner.
"I think they're going to get married," Romo's close friend of three years, Michael Starr, says in the latest issue of Us Weekly, on newsstands now.
Starr's prediction comes on top of Romo's former fling Sophia Bush telling Us, "I think they could go the distance.
"They're perfect for each other," the actress, a mutual friend of Romo and Simpson, added. "They're both funny and wonderful and kind. I'm rooting for them."
Even Simpson's ex, Nick Lachey, has chimed in to add his blessing. "I wish her nothing but happiness," he told Us. "If she's found that... good for her."
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Welcome back 2002
- Not going to overreact. He's had 1 practice, he just played against a top 3 point guard, and New Orleans has the best record in the West.
- But there are a few things that don't involve Jason Kidd that are very apparent about this team. And if it keeps up, this thing is no better than it was.
- Interior defense will kill this team until they get a backup for Dampier. They got killed inside when Dampier wasn't in there. They had Devean George and Jason Kidd fighting for boards. Not good.
- Chris Paul did whatever he wanted. Get ready Steve Nash and Tony Parker, you're next.
- Still an iso, stand around, jump shooting team. Only Dirk attacked the rim. Howard still floated.
- Avery better realize quick that JET needs to be the #2 scoring option, and needs to be playing 35 minutes a game alongside Jason Kidd. Terry would be deadly playing with Kidd. Wouldn't have to worry about ball handling and could just be a pure scorer and would benefit greatly from open looks from Kidd.
- Howard is not a #2 scorer. Avery and everyone else needs to get this idea out of his head. He is not a sidekick for Dirk to take the pressure off. Howard is what he is, a guy you don't run plays for, a guy that is a decent defender, a guy who is great in transition offense, and a guy who is at his best when nothing is expected. The Mavericks were at their best with Terry the #2 scoring option and starting, Stack the 6th man, and Howard the 3rd wheel who did all the little things. I.E. the 2006 season. Howard needs to go back to that role.
- The team will get better, I'm not trying to overreact. But there were some things that even before Jason Kidd arrived that were apparent about this team. And this trade did nothing to help that. But I will agree something had to be done, especially knowing now that Devin Harris will be out another 2 weeks.
- Mavs get killed in the 2nd half, and lose by 11.
Kidd, Dallas Mavericks out of sync in 104-93 loss
09:30 AM CST on Thursday, February 21, 2008
By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News
esefko@dallasnews.com
NEW ORLEANS – After just one game of the Jason Kidd era, it's been confirmed that there simply is no way to accelerate the break-in process for this new team.
One crash-course practice wasn't going to be enough. Not even close.
The debut of Kidd in his second go-round with the Mavericks was a lot like the trade that brought him back – sticky and awkward.
But like the deal, the participants are confident Kidd and the Mavericks will get it done.
Defensive breakdowns and too many turnovers – problems Kidd attributed to himself – doomed the Mavericks in the first game after the trade as New Orleans inflicted a 104-93 whipping. The Mavericks looked like a team that had been thrown together in the last few hours, which essentially is what they were.
"For the most part, it didn't go well," Josh Howard said. "But nobody's going to mesh overnight. We'll be all right. We'll learn from our mistakes. We'll be great in a little while."
Instead of a feel-good start for Kidd, the Mavericks got schooled by young point guard Chris Paul, who flirted with a triple-double, which normally is Kidd's domain. He has 99 of them in his career.
Paul had 31 points, 11 assists and an NBA season-best nine steals. He would have been the first player to have a points-assists-steals triple-double since Mookie Blaylock in 1998. As it was, Paul dominated Kidd in his initiation to Western Conference point guards.
"We're professionals, and most of these guys have been in the league for a while," Kidd said. "We need more time, but at the same time we have games to play. We're going to try to win every game we play and learn from our mistakes. And a lot of those mistakes start with me, taking care of the ball, being more aggressive and running the show."
There were times, like a three-on-one fast break in the second quarter when the ball went from Eddie Jones to Kidd, back to Jones, back to Kidd and finally to Dirk Nowitzki for an uncontested dunk, that the machine looked well-oiled.
But that was the exception. Mostly, the Mavericks bogged down, and they were powerless to stop the Hornets, particularly in the third quarter, when Paul hit all seven of his shots and scored 19 points as the lead grew to 11.
"We're in a transition period," coach Avery Johnson said. "This is kind of like a mini-training camp right now. We just don't have a lot of time. But we need every practice and every game for everybody to get on the same page and everybody to get used to playing with Kidd.
"He made some great passes. Sometimes, guys weren't looking for the ball."
The Mavericks shadowed New Orleans, which has the best record in the West, for a half. But in the third quarter, Paul ignited the Hornets and the New Orleans Arena crowd. His 18-footer with 1.8 seconds left in the period put the Hornets up, 75-64. The Mavericks never got closer than nine in the fourth.
"We're not in full throttle," Johnson said. "New Orleans looked like a team that had been playing together for a while. And we looked like a relatively new team."
The Mavericks (35-19) are tied with Utah for the fifth-best record in the West. The Hornets, meanwhile, continue to cruise atop the West, despite so many disbelievers that they are for real.
"They are," Johnson said. "When are people going to start talking about this team like they're the best in the West? They're just floating under the radar. I hope you guys get them above the radar now and realize how good they are."
- Stars let one slip away, Calgary scores late and wins. Still hold on to a 4 pt. lead in the division.
Dallas Stars fail to make the 'little plays' in loss to Flames
09:16 AM CST on Thursday, February 21, 2008
By MIKE HEIKA / The Dallas Morning News
mheika@dallasnews.com
A couple of plays here or there, a couple of inches this way or that, and the Stars could have had a win Wednesday night.
Now they know how the competition has been feeling lately.
The Stars blew a few key plays in the third period and lost, 3-2, to the Calgary Flames before a sellout crowd of 18,584 at American Airlines Center. It was only the second loss in the last 11 games for Dallas, but it underscored just what is the key for this team.
"It comes down to little plays, and you have to be able to make them when it counts," said Stars defenseman Stephane Robidas, who was part of the confluence that allowed Flames captain Jarome Iginla to be wide open in front of the net on the game-winning goal with 2:27 left in the game. "Their last goal was almost icing, and I should have stayed in front [of the goal], but I was too aggressive and went behind the net."
He and fellow defenseman Nicklas Grossman each tried to get to the puck that had been iced, but Calgary's Daymond Langkow beat them both for the touch-up, slipped behind the net and fed Iginla for his 38th goal of the season.
"We just made some crucial errors at bad times," Stars coach Dave Tippett said. "We got beat on a race to a puck, and I don't know how you leave Iginla alone in front of the net."
The Stars fell to 37-22-5 with the loss, but remain second in the Western Conference with 79 points. Calgary pushed its record to 31-22-8 (70 points) and is among the group of teams the Stars could meet in the first round of the playoffs.
Despite playing in Phoenix on Tuesday, the Flames came with a hard-working, structured game. Curtis Joseph made just his second start in goal since signing with the Flames as a backup and stopped 29 shots. Dallas had a 31-18 lead in shots on goal, and a 58-39 edge in overall shots (including shots that missed the net or were blocked). Still, Tippett said he felt his team didn't work hard enough for its offensive chances and didn't do enough with four power-play opportunities.
"When we talk about scoring by committee, we need the committee to show up every night," Tippett said. "We had too many guys on the outside looking in tonight."
The momentum swung on a play early in the third period. Robidas had a shot slip through Joseph on the power play, but Flames defenseman Cory Sarich swooped in and picked up the puck before it trickled in for a goal. That helped send Alex Tanguay off on a short-handed breakaway. Tanguay slipped the puck around Mike Modano, and then whipped a shot past Marty Turco to make the score 2-1 in favor of the Flames.
Mattias Norstrom scored just as that power play was ending to tie the score at the 1:57 mark. It was his first goal in a Stars uniform, and the game remained tied until Iginla scored.
"You look back and you see those little plays make such a big difference," Robidas said. "Those are the plays we were making when we were winning games, and those were the plays that went against us tonight. Those are the ones that stick with you."
And ones that can re-emphasize the lesson that every play is important.
"We look at this game as a hiccup," Norstrom said. "We've been playing great hockey as of late, and we'll look to turn it around Friday [against Edmonton]."
- Brett Hull says to expect change in the next week or so.
Dallas Stars' Hull takes a lot from GM meetings
01:14 AM CST on Thursday, February 21, 2008
By MIKE HEIKA / The Dallas Morning News
mheika@dallasnews.com
Brett Hull returned from his first visit to the NHL general managers meetings with a new appreciation for the rule-making process and a belief that the league is moving forward in its attempt to make the game more exciting.
"We did a lot of studies on the size of goaltending equipment, and I really believe we will see it trimmed down," Hull said by phone from Naples, Fla., where the three days of meetings ended Wednesday. "We just got the ball rolling, but there will be changes."
Stars coach Dave Tippett said he hopes they include cutting down the width of leg pads and also getting rid of an extra pad on the catching glove called "the cheater."
"I watched a shootout one night and there were six shots, and five of them hit the cheater," Tippett said. "I mean, it's called 'the cheater.'"
Stars goalie Marty Turco has been part of previous competition committees and said he might be again this summer. He said he is open to further reductions in pad size.
"Safety is a huge concern," Turco said. "We want to make sure that there is a lot of discussion, and we want to make sure the players are a part of it."
Tippett said he believes the padding could be much smaller and still be safe.
"I'm very cognizant of the safety issue, but I don't think we're even close to that yet," Tippett said. "On some parts of the equipment, I understand there has to be enough padding. But I think we're way overboard on a lot of areas."
Hull said he saw a lot of passion from the other GMs and enjoyed the discussions.
He said he also enjoyed the talk of potential trades.
He said he and co-GM Les Jackson's plane didn't change over the three-day meetings.
"Les and I already have a game plan, and we've worked very hard to lay the ground work," Hull said. "We're going to be prepared."
Hull said there are going to be trades.
"It's not going to be normal, with 50 trades or whatever," he said. "But deals are going to happen."
Late bloomers: Since Tippett took over as coach in 2002, the Stars have the second-best winning percentage in the NHL in the months of February, March and April. Dallas is 77-27-22 in that span for a .698 winning percentage. Detroit is first with a .742 winning percentage.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Coming around
- Still not totally on board, but I'm slowly warming to the trade. If it must be done, I'll live with it, and move on. A few reasons why I guess I can live with it.
- Comments by personnel people within the organization. I.E. basketball people who are smarter than me in knowing what makes a team work, both mentally and physically.
1) Avery knows what it takes to win. Strong leadership and point guard play he can trust. He didn't trust Devin, bottom line. He pulled the play-calling duties 20 games in. He didn't like that he was hurt all the time. He didn't like the dumb basketball IQ of driving wild ass to the lane and taking unnecessary charges/fouls. And he didn't trust him late in games, opting for a non-point guard (JET) to quarterback the team in the final period.
Said coach Avery Johnson, essentially confirming that the organization hasn't forgotten how the Mavs' last two playoff series played out: "[Kidd] knows how to finish games and that's what we are looking for."
"He's going to help us," Mavericks coach Avery Johnson said, "because at the end of games, he just knows how to win."
2) They needed to get Dirk a superstar to play along before he runs out of time. It's sad that after 10 years into the league, the best teammate Dirk's ever had is a 35 year old point guard. Makes what he has accomplished basically by himself that much more impressive. Every superstar has a legit star next to him. Dirk's had no one. Steve Nash came close. Finley and Howard were not close.
3) They needed to improve offensive efficiency. Dirk has been working as hard as he ever has to get his shots. Without this move, he was going to absolutely wear out before the playoffs. Howard has become lazy on offense. He no longer drives to the rim, instead lays back on the 3 point line and jacks shots up. Jason Terry can become the #2 scorer behind Dirk, and not worry about ball handling duties. Jason Kidd solves all of this.
"I mean, Devin was great getting into the lane, but I felt sometimes he was finishing a little too much in there and didn't really find his shooters when they were open," Nowitzki said. "Jason will do that. ... We know when somebody is open, he's going to get them the ball.
"We want Jason Kidd to be himself. He's one of the best in the open court. Josh [Howard] is one of the best in transition, making plays, slicing through the paint.
"And I like a high-paced game where I can move more freely instead of eight guys bumping me in the lane. Where I can run and be open some, attack off the dribble if they run at me."
4) The locker room and fan base have become stagnant. You win 55+ games consistently, fail in the playoffs, and keep getting let down....you become stale and unmotivated. The Mavericks needed a shot in the arm, another carrott to be dangled in front of them. This provides that.
It's a toll, in Cuban's estimation, that extended to his fans, which clinched his determination to get Kidd at (virtually) all costs. He spoke repeatedly Tuesday of a growing "malaise" in Big D, which is hard to detect on the surface with a consecutive sellout streak in the hundreds but something Cuban is convinced had seeped into his locker room and the community.
"When you're doing the same thing for years, it's hard not to take some of those things for granted," Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said. "We needed a spark, that little instigator. We were settling a little bit.
"Jason will charge [up] a lot of people. His ability to create is going to make life easier. And nobody runs the break better than Jason Kidd."
"What happens in any business, there are lulls," Cuban said. "When you are doing the same thing for years and you reach a plateau, try to stay at that plateau, it's hard not to take some of those things for granted.
"I think this year we started taking some of those things for granted."
Mavs management knew, just as Suns management concluded, that their team was in failing mental health and slipping away from championship contention. In the Mavs' case, club sources say that Johnson going to Cuban recently and explicitly telling his boss that this group had gone as far as it could and needed a serious shakeup was the clincher that kept Dallas in the Kidd hunt through all the trade hiccups we witnessed in the past week.
"In the West, if you lose three games in a row, you're out of the playoffs," Cuban said. "I think there was a little more urgency this year."
5) Beware the "aging" superstar with a chip on his shoulder and something to prove. Shaq in Miami. Nash in Phoenix.
Said one admiring GM from a West rival: "The bottom line is that the Mavs got themselves an absolute m----------. It's always good to get one of those. And Jason has always been at his best when he has something to prove."
- From Mark Cuban's blog.
Doing the Deal and Dishing the Dirt
Feb 19th 2008 1:40PM
I can say without question that this was the most amazing, annoying and difficult deal we have ever done since I bought the Mavs.
The annoyance. One agent who made a truism of the saying that "no good deed goes unpunished". That said, I have nothing but respect and admiration for Devean George. He told me that he would trust his agent as he had done for the last 10 years and take whatever may with that decision. He had the balls to stick to it. Even with people yelling and screaming at him. That said, as I write this, I really have no clue why the agent made the decision he did.
The dirt. Peter Vescey's ridiculous assertion that Avery asked me to trade Dirk. Even in the Nellie years where we discussed trading every other player on the roster, Dirk was never mentioned. There has never been a discussion of trading Dirk during my tenure, EVER. Vescey's source is an out and out liar.
The thing about dealing with the media in this business is that they thrive on rumors and get bored with reality.
For example. Several local media outlets had no interest in sending anyone to New Orleans to cover the All Star game or Dirk's appearance there. That changed once the trade rumors started. Then all of the sudden, every media person they could find was there. Newscasts led with the rumors. Newspapers speculated and comments on the impact of the rumors if true or not true. There was reporting on rumors about rumors. All of which is fine. I get that and in many many ways, its good for the Mavs and the NBA. It drives interest.
My job, Donnie and Avery's jobs include trying to protect the team from those rumors. The fact of the matter is, we are going to "love our team" no matter what. Every team can be made better with the right deal. We are always going to be opportunistic and try to improve, but we are not going to add any fodder to the rumor mill. Until this deal, we were always able to keep things quiet. To their credit, the NY media takes things to another level, or low, depending on your point of view.
The difficult. Saying goodbye to Devin, Gana and Trenton. All 3 are great guys in every way. On and off the court. It was far from an easy deal to make. We know that all 3 will continue to grow and get better and like other players we have traded or lost, come back to haunt us in some manner. That comes with every and any trade of players who are talented and work hard at their profession. I also think this will be a great chance for Mo Ager to start fresh.
The amazing. We think that Jason Kidd will immediately make the other players around him better. He is a different kind of point than Devin is. There are certain things that Devin does that JKidd can't. No question about it. That said, through experience and talent, we think JKidd can make the game easier for JET, Dirk , Josh, Damp, Stack and all of our guys and as a result make our team better.
The business side. I think we were stagnating some. I think the spark and excitement that JKidd will bring is more than just what his talent offers. There is a reason why Kobe and Lebron were lobbying management to bring JKidd in. We think he will recharge the batteries of not just our players, but the organization, fans, media and even merchandise and advertising sales.
That's the reality of this business. Wins and losses are not just about talent, its about energy and teamwork. The best leaders recognize when a spark is needed and are honest enough to admit it, and get it. Even when things are going well, its sometimes hard to sustain the energy of being a start up or of levels year past. In business it might be an acquisition, or a sale that may not be the perfect transaction, but its the most impactful. We have been discussing this now for at least a month. We think this deal will have impact.
I've said before this was the best NBA season ever. It just got a little better.
- Kige Ramsey
- Must see TV tonight. Dallas in New Orleans. LA in Phoenix. The West adds 2 stars to their rosters. The star power of the playoffs will be unreal.
Lakers in town for Shaq's first game with Suns
Associated Press
PHOENIX -- Shaquille O'Neal says he is ready to run with the Phoenix Suns. Really.
"I'm going to be looking to get out like Randy Moss and Terrell Owens," he said Tuesday after going through his final workout before making his debut with the Suns on Wednesday night against his old team, the Los Angeles Lakers.
The prospect of the 7-foot-1, 325-pound O'Neal, at age 35, fitting in with the high-octane Suns has been ridiculed across much of the NBA.
The Lakers' Phil Jackson, O'Neal's former coach, said Shaq's role would be "taking the ball out of bounds and waiting for the other team to get back."
"He's a jokester, and that's funny, very funny," Shaq said without smiling. "Ha-ha. Very funny."
Suns coach Mike D'Antoni says people will be surprised about how well a motivated O'Neal can move, and playmaker Steve Nash was elated with the trade that brought O'Neal from Miami for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks.
"We're going to have to adjust slightly to his strengths," Nash said, "but you know where he's strong we've been weak, and that's having a big presence in the paint, taking up space and guarding the rim."
O'Neal says he has no desire to be a star with his new team. Those roles belong to Nash and Amare Stoudemire, he said.
"I'm more like a senior adviser so I don't like to come in here and try to take over," O'Neal said. ... "Just like your basic karate movie where the young guys come to the old guys with beards who have them do weird stuff to get to the other side. That's who I am, the old guy with a long beard."
Long pause.
"You like that analogy?" he said, obviously pleased with himself. "That was pretty good?"
Nash was a willing sidekick.
"I think this is his 73rd Asian martial arts film," he said. "We're excited to learn from the great master."
Shaq's charisma and humor have energized the Suns franchise since last week's trade, with the anticipation building toward Wednesday night's showdown with Jackson, Kobe Bryant, newcomer Pau Gasol and the rest of the Lakers (ESPN, ESPN360.com HD, 9 p.m. ET). O'Neal insisted there is nothing special about the opponent being the Lakers, other than the fact that it's a tough Pacific Division foe.
"We had more great times than bad times together, but they've moved on, I've moved on," O'Neal said. "I have a new team now and I have a new focus."
Still, Jackson's comments have not been brushed aside.
"I don't take anything personal," O'Neal said. "I just have a certain file in my head, so Earthlings must be careful with what they say."
O'Neal is part of a recent migration of talent to the already-tough Western Conference, with Gasol going to the Lakers from Memphis and, in a trade finalized on Tuesday, Jason Kidd to the Dallas Mavericks from New Jersey.
There will be no time for O'Neal to ease into his new role. After the Lakers, the Suns are home to Boston on Friday night and Detroit on Sunday.
"We don't have three cupcakes to start, but that's all right," Nash said. "We're going to learn a lot about ourselves and where we're going, and maybe that will give us a steeper learning curve to play against terrific teams."
O'Neal has played in four games since injuring his left hip while diving for a loose ball Dec. 22 against Utah. He returned Jan. 16, but was sidelined again after a Jan. 24 game against Cleveland.
He said his hip feels good but will play only about 20 minutes against the Lakers, D'Antoni said. O'Neal will be in the starting lineup.
"We know that's our team," D'Antoni said. "Let's get there as quickly as we can. Also, it's a 48-minute game, to spread 20 minutes out of 48 you don't want him to warm up and then sit down and get cold."
O'Neal said he hasn't played with a passer as good as Nash since his days with Bryant and, before that in Orlando, Scott Skiles.
"I can remember playing with Scott Skiles if you were open an inch, that would be there and it would be there perfect every time," O'Neal said. "When you've got a guy that's going to look for you, you run. A lot of people think I can't run, but my thing was I wasn't going to be running if you're not going to throw it. I know Nash will throw it."
O'Neal said he's learned a lot watching the Suns play from the bench, enough to make him believe that this team can win an NBA title, something the franchise hasn't achieved in its 40-year history.
"Their unselfishness, the way they play and their poise factor," he said. "When you never panic, that's a great sign."
He said he needs that fifth title, and maybe a sixth, to cement the legacy he covets.
"Every time that I've won a championship I've looked at my guys around me and looked at their work ethic and said 'You know what, I'm going to win it this year,'" O'Neal said. "I feel that way now."
- Stars nearing the trade deadline. Need a scorer bad. A list of some of the targets.
Stars quiet, but if they trade...
By TRACEY MYERSStar-Telegram Staff Writer
The general managers are meeting in Florida, probably talking up a storm. The rumor mill is running so high that it should probably lobby for overtime pay.
As the trade deadline sits six days away, the talk of who will go where and for what is increasing by the hour, but, for the Stars, the buzz factor has been pretty low. They're happy with their team. They're happy with how certain players have put together career seasons. And they're not sounding too high on giving up their future for one player.
Maybe it will be quiet after all. Still, there are some rumors and it's fun to look at what could be. Here's a look at the top names in trade rumors involving the Stars:
OLLI JOKINEN
Center, Florida Panthers
Salary: $5.25M per year through 2009-10
The plus: He's a go-to scorer in the clutch, something the Stars have lacked in recent postseason appearances.
The negative: The price is probably too great. The Hockey News had a scenario of the Stars giving up four players and a draft pick for Jokinen. That's quite a lot for one guy.
MATS SUNDIN
Center, Toronto Maple Leafs
Salary: $5.5M, unrestricted free agent in off-season
The plus: He's a big body with a beautiful scoring touch. And he's a name that everyone recognizes and a player all admire.
The negatives: He's 37, and the Stars are focusing on getting younger. He also has a no-trade clause and doesn't seem to want to nix it.
MARIAN HOSSA
Right wing, Atlanta Thrashers
Salary: $7M, UFA in off-season
The plus: The veteran is a scoring machine from the right side. With a team full of centers, the Stars could use a scoring right wing.
The negative: Once again, how big is the price? If the Thrashers are demanding prospects and draft picks, do the Stars want to part with those?
JAROMIR JAGR
Right wing
New York Rangers
Salary: $8.36M, possible UFA in off-season
The plus: He's a sniper who had been going through a slump before Tuesday. Maybe he just needs a change of scenery.
The negatives: He's 36 , so the slump could be more than just a slump. And, after trading for him, what contract do you give this guy in the off-season?
FLAMES VS. STARS
7:30 tonight, American Airlines Center
Tickets: $15-150, 214-467-8277 or www.dallasstars.com
Records: Stars 37-21-3-2, 79 points; Flames 30-22-6-2, 68 points
TV: KDFI/Ch. 27
Radio: WBAP/820 AM
What to watch: The Stars are 2-0-1 against the Flames this season, with each game decided by one goal. Marty Turco will start for the Stars; he is 12-5-2 against them in his career. Calgary will be coming off a back-to-back (they played in Phoenix on Tuesday). Captain Jarome Iginla has now scored 35 or more goals for six consecutive seasons.
Notable: Stars center Stu Barnes will be out for seven days with a
partially torn retina, suffered during Sunday's game against Detroit. Barnes did get the injury fixed, coach Dave Tippett said.... Star defenseman Philippe Boucher (shoulder) still isn't willing to put a date on his return. On Tuesday, he was more involved with battle drills; there's still no hitting. He is also taking some slapshots. "I'm doing more every week," Boucher said. "Hopefully next week it's even better."
- Rangers lock up another guy. This will be a bargain in about 3 years.
Texas Rangers' Kinsler gets five-year, $22 million deal
12:55 AM CST on Wednesday, February 20, 2008
By EVAN GRANT / The Dallas Morning News
egrant@dallasnews.com
SURPRISE, Ariz. – The "talk" has now reached a third generation of Rangers. It was passed from Rusty Greer to Michael Young and this winter was passed from Young to Ian Kinsler.
The message: Take care of your family first. Show a little loyalty. Worry about playing baseball rather than the gaudiness of the paycheck.
Kinsler, 25, heeded his baseball ancestors on Tuesday by signing a five-year deal with the only professional team that he has known. The deal is worth $22 million guaranteed, and it would jump to $32 million if the Rangers exercise an option for 2013. It could buy him out of two years of free agency.
"Mike and [wife] Cristina basically walked us through this whole thing," Kinsler said. "A lot of people say Mike took a club-friendly deal in his first contract, but the important thing was to make sure he had taken care of his family first and that he could concentrate on just playing baseball. We talked about all of that. It's the same way for me."
Young took a four-year, $10 million deal in 2004. After three consecutive seasons with a .300 average and 200 hits, he parlayed it into a five-year, $80 million extension.
Kinsler's deal dwarfs Young's. He will receive a raise to $500,000 this year and will also receive a $1 million signing bonus. The contract will go to $3 million in 2009, $4 million in 2010, $6 million in 2011 and $7 million in 2012. If the Rangers choose not to exercise the $10 million option, Kinsler will receive a $500,000 buyout. If he is traded, both the buyout and option year would increase by $500,000.
With the option, the commitment would be the largest the Rangers have made to a player that they drafted and developed. The previous high: a three-year, $25.8 million contract extension with Greer that expired in 2004.
The Rangers' hope is Kinsler gets a chance to pass the talk on to another generation of Rangers and that generation to future generations.
"Ian represents the past, present and future of this organization," said assistant general manager Thad Levine, who oversaw most of the negotiations. "As we continue to build towards being a championship organization, we wanted to try to continue to identify core players and get them to commit to be here.
"It was important to us that he be the first of that next wave of young players to commit. We think he will have a huge impact on those young players."
Said Kinsler: "We have a lot of young kids who are very talented. Hopefully this illustrates what they can accomplish for their families and that it's not all about dollars. It's about focusing on winning."
Neither of Kinsler's first two seasons with the Rangers ended with a winning record, but his performance improved from one year to the next. He followed up a 14-home run rookie season, which was disrupted by five weeks on the disabled list, by hitting 20 homers and stealing 23 bases in 2007 despite missing a month. He and Cincinnati's Brandon Phillips were the only major league second basemen to have 20-20 seasons last year. Phillips, who has a year's more experience than Kinsler, signed a four-year deal worth $27 million on Monday.
Kinsler could have gone the route of Phillips. He could have played the season out and perhaps been in position to demand an even larger contract going into 2009. But he pushed to get this contract done rather than wait.
- Spring football preview.
New coaches, systems, addresses among top spring stories
The 2007 college football season is barely two months behind us, but spring practice, believe it or not, is already upon us.
Texas kicks off the spring practice schedule on Friday. Miami, Mississippi State, Stanford and defending national champion LSU are among the teams that begin practicing next week.
While spring practice is the time of year when coaches typically evaluate younger players, begin to assess depth charts and pray their teams get through 15 practices without significant injuries, several schools will have more pressing concerns this year.
Georgia Tech, Michigan and SMU will begin wholesale renovations on offense. Boston College, Kentucky and Hawaii have to replace record-setting quarterbacks.
For other schools, such as Penn State, it will be business as usual. Nittany Lions coach Joe Paterno is about to begin his 43rd season at the school, and his approach is much the same as when he arrived at Penn State in 1966.
"Our primary focus is on fundamentals and getting better," said Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Bradley, who begins his 30th season working under Paterno. "We're not splitting up and getting into teams. We're working on blocking and tackling. We don't do a lot of tricky things. We spend the spring getting back to basics."
Before ESPN.com kicks off its conference-by-conference spring primers on Wednesday, here's a look at some of the top national story lines heading into spring practice:
1. Back to school: Two former NFL head coaches return to college football. Former Atlanta Falcons coach Bobby Petrino takes over at Arkansas and former Green Bay Packers coach Mike Sherman has made the move from assistant head coach of the Houston Texans to Texas A&M. Those coaches will spend the spring getting familiar with NCAA rules and managing time constraints with their players. Sherman inherits a boatload of skill players at Texas A&M, but he'll go through spring practice without QB Stephen McGee, who is recovering from shoulder surgery. Petrino will have to start rebuilding the Razorbacks, who lose star tailbacks Darren McFadden and Felix Jones. Two former NFL assistants, Rick Neuheisel of the Baltimore Ravens and Steve Fairchild of the Buffalo Bills, take over at their alma maters, UCLA and Colorado State, respectively.
2. Installation begins: More than a handful of teams will undergo complete renovations this spring. Former West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez begins the difficult task of installing the spread offense at Michigan. Rodriguez will do it without an experienced quarterback, after Ryan Mallett transferred to Arkansas. Former Navy coach Paul Johnson installs his triple-option spread offense at Georgia Tech, and June Jones brings his pass-happy, high-octane attack to SMU. Auburn puts the finishing touches on installing the spread offense, which began when coach Tommy Tuberville replaced offensive coordinator Al Borges with Troy's Tony Franklin before the Tigers beat Clemson in the Chick-fil-A Bowl.
3. Kick off the rust: A handful of high-profile players will be back in action after sitting out the 2007 season under NCAA transfer rules. Former Arkansas quarterback Mitch Mustain will battle junior Mark Sanchez for the starting job at USC. One of the Trojans' top targets will be Damian Williams, another former Razorback. Former Trojans tailback Emmanuel Moody goes into the spring under the spotlight at Florida, where he hopes to become the runner the Gators lacked last season. Former Texas quarterback Jevan Snead takes over at Ole Miss, and the Rebels will look to UCLA transfer Jeremy McGee for help at tailback. Quarterback Kirby Freeman, who started three games at Miami last season, transferred to Baylor and is eligible to play for the Bears immediately after being granted an eligibility waiver by the NCAA.
4. Stay healthy: Several players will be in action for the first time since suffering injuries that caused them to miss all or significant portions of the 2007 season. Syracuse coach Greg Robinson's job security might depend on tailbacks Curtis Brinkley (broken leg) and Delone Carter (dislocated hip) returning to form. Neuheisel inherits talented quarterbacks Patrick Cowan and Ben Olson, but neither was able to stay healthy for the Bruins last season. Marshall gets back defensive end Albert McClellan, the 2006 Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year, who missed all of last season with a knee injury. Ohio State hopes Lawrence Wilson, who broke his leg in the 2007 opener, can replace Vernon Gholston at defensive end. South Carolina linebacker Jasper Brinkley returns from a knee injury which derailed his season and the Gamecocks' bowl hopes in 2007.
5. Find insurance plans: Two teams head into spring practice with serious issues at quarterback. Defending national champion LSU indefinitely suspended junior Ryan Perrilloux, who was expected to replace starter Matt Flynn. Tigers coach Les Miles hasn't yet determined whether Perrilloux will be available for spring practice. If Perrilloux isn't available, junior Andrew Hatch, who began his career at Harvard, and redshirt freshman Jarrett Lee will compete for the job. At Virginia, incumbent Jameel Sewell is among a handful of returning players who aren't enrolled in classes this semester. Sewell isn't expected to return to the team this fall, so sophomore Peter Lalich takes over the job.
6. Quarterback battles: There will be more than a few high-profile quarterback battles taking place at camps across the country. Replacing Matt Ryan at Boston College figures to be a battle between Chris Crane and JC transfer Codi Boek. Following the end of Kyle Wright's eligibility and Freeman's transfer, Miami will seek more stability at the position. Redshirt freshman Robert Marve will battle freshmen Cannon Smith and Jacory Harris, who enrolled in January. Look for a two-man race between Daryll Clark and Pat Devlin to determine who succeeds Anthony Morelli at Penn State.
7. Starting over: Hawaii is coming off the best season in school history, but the Warriors will be starting from scratch this spring. Former defensive coordinator Greg McMackin replaces Jones on the sideline, and he'll have to replace record-setting quarterback Colt Brennan and his top four receivers. Senior quarterback Tyler Graunke, a former starter, has been suspended from participating in the team's offseason conditioning program and his status for spring practice is in question. McMackin signed two JC quarterbacks and five JC wide receivers for immediate help.
8. Changing attitudes: No new coach faces as big a challenge as former Tennessee offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe, who takes over a Duke team that won only four games in the past four seasons combined and takes a 25-game losing streak against ACC foes into the 2008 season. Cutcliffe inherits a pretty good quarterback in Thaddeus Lewis and six other returning starters on offense. The Blue Devils ranked 117th in total offense and 114th in scoring in 2007, so Cutcliffe's rebuilding job is only starting.
9. Introductions: Fresh off a disappointing 5-7 record in his second season, Kansas State coach Ron Prince took an unusual approach in recruiting, signing 19 JC transfers. The Wildcats might need name tags this spring. Six of the JC transfers are already enrolled in classes at Kansas State, so Prince will begin overhauling his team during spring practice. Much of the help will come on defense, where linebackers Ulla Pomele and Hanson Sekona and defensive tackle Daniel Calvin are being counted on for immediate help this fall.
10. Getting defensive: Former LSU defensive coordinator Bo Pelini takes over at Nebraska, and his first task will be revamping a defense that was downright awful in 2007. The Cornhuskers lose their entire linebacker corps from a defense that allowed an average of 476.8 yards and 37.9 points in 2007. More than anything, Pelini will have to make the defense tougher. Nebraska ranked last in the Big 12 in sacks and 117th in turnover margin.
11. Seeking redemption: Louisville coach Steve Kragthorpe hopes to rebound from a dreadful first season in which the Cardinals started with national championship hopes and finished 6-6. Kragthorpe must replace quarterback Brian Brohm, who figures to be a first-round choice in the NFL draft. Senior Hunter Cantwell, who started when Brohm was injured during the 2006 season, finally gets the full-time job. But Cantwell won't have top receivers Harry Douglas and Mario Urrutia, who are headed to the NFL.
12. Leaving a mark: New West Virginia coach Bill Stewart made quite an impression in the Mountaineers' 48-28 rout of Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl, so much so the school removed his interim tag and named him Rodriguez's replacement. Stewart begins putting his own touches on the program this spring. The Mountaineers return quarterback Pat White and speedy tailback Noel Devine, but tailback Steve Slaton, receiver Darius Reynaud and bruising fullback Owen Schmitt will have to be replaced.
13. Airing it out: If Illinois is going to match its remarkable success from last season, when the Illini upset Ohio State and earned a trip to the Rose Bowl, quarterback Juice Williams will have to become a better passer. The Illini will be without Rashard Mendenhall, the Big Ten's leading rusher in 2007, who left after his junior season to enter the NFL draft. Big Ten freshman of the year Arrelious Benn is recovering from offseason shoulder surgery and might not participate much in spring practice.
14. New voices: Several high-profile programs played musical chairs with their coordinators during the offseason. Former Auburn defensive coordinator Will Muschamp left for Texas, but Muschamp was hardly the only DC on the move. Kansas' Bill Young went to Miami and Mississippi State's Ellis Johnson left for Arkansas and then South Carolina. Texas A&M's Joe Kines gets an especially late start, after previous hire Reggie Herring left for the Dallas Cowboys. LSU promoted Doug Mallory and Bradley Dale Peveto to co-defensive coordinators after Pelini left. LSU, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Virginia and Wake Forest are among the other schools with new defensive coordinators. On the other side of the ball, Fresno State's Jim McElwain replaces Major Applewhite as Alabama's offensive coordinator and Richmond's Dave Clawson replaces Cutcliffe at Tennessee.
15. Keeping it going: Several teams will begin the quest to prove that they're more than one-hit wonders. Programs such as Air Force, Cincinnati, Connecticut, Florida Atlantic, Indiana, Michigan State and Mississippi State hope to maintain momentum after putting together surprising seasons in 2007.
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