SPORTSbyBOOKS.com has referenced three links regarding Mark Cuban possibly buying the Chicago Cubs for $625 million. The original story was posted on Radar Online and eventually shot down by CNBC reporter Darren Rovell.

Rumor or not, let’s speculate. On one hand, could you imagine Cuban getting a seat right behind the home plate umpire for all the Cubs’ home games? Good grief, no umpire would want to visit Wrigley. On the other hand, and more importantly, there aren’t many owners who are as committed to their clubs as Cuban is. Let’s face it, up until this past offseason, the Tribune Co. has been one of the cheapest in all of professional sports. Cuban would certainly change all that, and possibly revive one long-suffering organization.

There was speculation that the reason why the Tribune Co. opened its wallet this offseason, was because it wanted to sell. Hmm…

What has amazed me about many NFL teams in years past is the penchant for passing on quality safeties early in round one. Last year, Oakland (Michael Huff) and Buffalo (Donte Whitner) selected back-to-back safeties in the top 10, but that was an aberration and not the norm. It seems like the premium on safeties has been as valuable to some teams as the backup fullback.

However, review the safeties of recent Super Bowl teams: Rodney Harrison (Patriots, ’03 and ’04), Brian Dawkins (Eagles, ’04), Troy Polamalu (Steelers, ’05) and Bob Sanders (Colts, ’06). That list doesn’t even include the versatile Ed Reed (Ravens). Give a defensive coordinator a heat-seeking missile like Reed or Polamalu, and watch his game plan go from cautionary to destructive. This might be a stretch, but I’m willing to bet that having a complete player at safety – that is, one that is fast, smart, instinctive, and plays the run as well as the pass – will be as important in the near future as a competent quarterback.

With that said, there is no shortage of safeties in this year’s draft. At the head of it all is LaRon Landry from LSU, who had a remarkable workout at the combine. Questioned mostly for his coverage skills and top-end speed, Landry ran a 4.35 40, essentially raising his stock higher than Disney’s. Given his overall play making ability, many make a solid argument that Florida’s Reggie Nelson is a better prospect. However, I don’t think he is as NFL-ready at this point as Landry is. Other prospects include: Brandon Meriweather (Miami), Michael Griffin (Texas) and Eric Weddle (Utah). The sleeper might be Sabby Piscitelli (Oregon State), who is strong, athletic and fast for a 224-pound safety. He is a little stiff in his movement, but would be a great value in rounds 4-7.

After viewing the rankings on ESPN.com’s draft site, I saw that both Todd McShay and Mel Kiper Jr. – considered “experts” in the industry – rated Michigan State’s Drew Stanton as the third best QB prospect. What? You mean the same Drew Stanton that threw for a minuscule 12 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions his senior season? The Drew Stanton that led the Spartans to a 1-7 record in the Big Ten and crapped himself under pressure at every turn?

Heading into the 2006 season, Stanton was regarded by many as the best quarterback prospect in the NCAA. After MSU’s collapse, Stanton dropped off the radar, only to rise again after Troy Smith’s national championship game debacle. This is what I find funny about these national scouts. They pick a horse, ride it, and if it starts to crumble, hop off and find another.

To me, the third best prospect in the draft is still Smith. He is extremely athletic, throws a very catchable ball and gives a team versitilty as far as running the ball. Don’t get me wrong; neither prospect should go earlier than round three in my opinion, but to hear that Stanton is getting better grades than Smith is a joke. Everyone points to lack of height with Smith, but forgot what he did on the field last year, which is the only thing that should matter.

The offensive linemen and tight ends worked out Saturday in Indianapolis. Here is a brief overview:

The Real McCoy: Wisconsin OT Joe Thomas looked outstanding on Saturday. He has everything a team looks for in a prospect and if the draft were tomorrow, I’d bet my savings that he doesn’t slip past Detroit at #2. USC center Ryan Kalil was impressive too, showing great movement throughout drills and intelligence in interviews…I’ve been hearing that Miami TE Greg Olson is the most overrated prospect in the draft. Are you freaking kidding me? Olson ran in the high 4.4’s, caught everything in site and looks every bit a first-rounder. After watching him Saturday, the Bears would be crazy to pass on him if he’s still available at #31 (assuming of course they don’t fill that need in free agency).

Stock Dropping: Surprisingly, scouts are dumping on Penn State OT Levi Brown after he ran an unofficial 5.39 40, suggesting he might even drop out of the top 15. To me, that’s a load of crap, especially after what a productive senior season he had at PSU and how good he looked at the Senior Bowl. He’s fluid in his movement, doesn’t get pushed around much and can play either left or right tackle…Some scouts have Arizona State TE Zach Miller rated ahead of Miami’s Greg Olson, but he wasn’t sharp Saturday. He looked sloppy running selective drills and made the cardinal sin of dropping a pass in one exercise.

Sleeper Watch: Texas Tech OG Manuel Ramirez is an absolute monster. He’s 6-foot-4, 335lbs. and did 40 reps in the bench press Saturday. This guy plays with a mean streak, is incredibly powerful and is strong at the point of attack. The potential problem is that his learning curve might be higher than some linemen, because Texas Tech doesn’t run a pro-style offense…Western Oregon TE Kevin Boss made a couple of nice catches Saturday, adjusting his weight well and running great routes. He’s a little lean, but he’s tall (6-foot-7) and has great hands.

Buyer Beware: Scouts have raved about Arkansas OT Tony Ugoh being a “sleeper”, but he didn’t look good to me in the Senior Bowl and he pulled up lame after running a good 40-yard dash (4.99). He gutted out the rest of the combine on a bad hamstring, which was noble, but he doesn’t look very aggressive and seems to just be going through the motions…Iowa TE Scott Chandler is an interesting prospect. He is 6-foot-7, has excellent hands and runs fluid even for being so tall. The problem is he is an ex-wide receiver and often blocks like one, which isn’t good for a tight end. He’s worth a look in later rounds for teams lacking a red zone threat, but some may overvalue him.

Dwyane Wade dislocated his left shoulder and is considering season-ending surgery to let it heal properly. If he passes on surgery, the initial estimate is that he will be out for six weeks.

Either way, don’t expect the defending champs to make the playoffs this season. The Heat was able to tread water without Shaquille O’Neal because they had Alonzo Mourning to replace him in the lineup. There is no one on the Heat roster that can do what Wade does, so Miami is in serious trouble.

With the NFL Combine lasting from February 22nd through the 28th, now is the best time for football banter. Due to things getting in the way – i.e. work, school, and/or annoying friends who might not be into football – one might miss a chance to check out the combine.

Don’t worry; we’ve got you covered.

We’ll keep you informed on what’s happening at the combine, what scouts are saying as well as prospect and team rumors. Got a question about what player your favorite team is looking at or how a certain prospect is faring at the combine? Post it, and we’ll get you up to speed. Want to share your opinion on which way your team will go in the draft? Well, what are you waiting for? Post away!

Despite Wisconsin’s loss at Michigan State earlier in the week, Sunday’s game against Ohio State is still a heavyweight matchup. OSU is a game ahead of UW in the standings, but they lost to the Badgers earlier in the year, so if Wisconsin can pull the upset, they’ll be in the driver’s seat for the Big Ten title. I think a #1 seed is also probably on the line for UW, though conceivably, they could lose to the Buckeyes, beat the Spartans next weekend and win the Big Ten Tournament and still get a #1 seed.

It’s not often we get a #1/#2 matchup in season, and despite the UW loss, it’s still a huge game (4 PM ET on CBS).

On Saturday, be sure to check out #8 Pittsburgh at #12 Georgetown (2 PM ET on CBS).

While recently visiting yet another fine strip club establishment, Adam “Pacman” Jones decided to throw a bunch of $1 dollar bills in the air and let a stripper grab for them. Apparently the stripper didn’t say the magic word, however, because Jones, as the story goes, grabbed her by her hair and started slamming her face into the stage. After a bouncer intervened, Jones threatened to kill the man for his interference. He almost made good on his words too, because one of Jones’ cronies then allegedly went out to a car, grabbed a gun and shot the interfering bouncer, an assisting bouncer and a female customer. One of the men shot is reportedly paralyzed from the waist down, while the other two victims escaped with minor injury. Of course Jones denies having involvement in the incident, even though it appears that one of the nightclub owners has security footage that proves other wise.

In the same week, Falcons DT Jonathan Babineaux allegedly killed his girlfriend’s dog after a fight, both Odell Thurman (Bengals) and Koren Robinson (Packers) were sentenced to 90 days in jail for drunk driving and fleeing from the police, uh, respectively. And finally, former player Ashley Ambrose was arrested for beating his wife while his brother held her down.

This is ridiculous. It’s unbelievable to me that these pro athletes can’t just freaking relax at home for one night. Seriously, how hard is it not to shoot, maim or beat someone for a few months until training camp? How about popping on a good movie or taking a woman out without beating her (or her dog) one time, huh fellas?

ESPN.com is reporting that the Colts have franchised defensive end Dwight Freeney, guarantying him $8.64 million for 2007. Obviously, the champs weren’t going to let Freeney escape March 2nd when free agency kicks off. The Colts will try to sign him to a long-term deal, effectively reducing the ’07 cap hit they’re expected to take.

Another soon to be free agent DE is Atlanta’s Patrick Kerney. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Monday that Kerney will void the remainder of his contract, which was expected at the conclusion of the ’07 season. Kerney would like to remain a Falcon and Atlanta wants him back, but it’s not that simple. The Falcons are cap-strapped and don’t want to shell out major bucks to retain an aging DE with declining stats. Atlanta could franchise him, but that would be a major blow to any future offseason moves it plans to make, including signing draft picks. Another hiccup is the Denver Broncos, or more specifically, Bill Johnson. Johnson is the former defensive line coach for the Falcons, who recently signed with Denver for the same posistion. Johnson and Kerney forged a great relationship while in Atlanta, so if the Falcons can’t meet Kerney’s needs, expect the Broncos to make a heavy push for the former Pro Bowler.

The All-Star break has come and gone, which means the NBA is about two-thirds the way through the season, making it a great time to update our power rankings.

TOP FIVE:

1. Dallas Mavericks (44-9)
Since our last update in January, the Mavs have gone 19-2. Remember, they started the season 0-4, which means they’ve posted an amazing 44-5 record since.

2. Phoenix Suns (39-13)
They’ve struggled a bit lately, going 1-3 without Steve Nash in the lineup. But the Suns are still solidly in the #2 spot.

3. Utah Jazz (35-17)
Without Carlos Boozer, the Jazz won six straight heading into the break, which puts them a half game ahead of the Spurs in the West.

4. San Antonio Spurs (35-18)
The Spurs have gone 5-5 in their last ten even though they’re pretty healthy. Are the Spurs starting to slip?

5. Detroit Pistons (32-19)
The Rockets probably deserve this spot, and they’ll get it once Yao returns to the lineup. For now, the newly acquired Chris Webber has the Pistons on a roll.

BOTTOM FIVE:

26. Milwaukee Bucks (19-34)
41 wins might get you a playoff spot in the East, which means the Bucks need to go 22-7 down the stretch. Even with Michael Redd coming back, that’s a long shot. As a Bucks fan, I’d actually like to see them pack it in.

27. Charlotte Hornets (19-33)
The Hornets look poised for yet another top five pick. Do you think they’re regretting taking Adam Morrison (13 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 38% shooting) over Brandon Roy (15 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 43% shooting) last summer? With Raymond Felton, Roy and Gerald Wallace, the Bobcats would have something going.

28. Philadelphia 76ers (17-36)
With Greg Oden and Kevin Durant on the horizon, are Sixers fans rooting against their team? On the bright side, Andre Iguodala is averaging 22 points, nine assists and eight rebounds in February.

29. Boston Celtics (13-38)
Paul Pierce’s return means this team is going to win 40% of their games, making it much more difficult to land a top three pick.

30. Memphis Grizzlies (14-40)
The Grizzlies are trying to transition from a plodding attack to an up-tempo, Suns-like offense. Good luck with that. Oh, and Pau Gasol wants to be traded. Things are bad in Memphis.

In rather shocking news, FoxSports.com is reporting the Chicago Bears have decided not to renew defensive coordinator Ron Rivera’s contract, instead opting to promote linebackers coach Bob Babich. According to Fox’s Jay Glazer, nobody should be surprised seeing as how Lovie Smith has coveted Babich for years now. Apparently, many teams have inquired about Babich’s services over the past two years, therefore Smith was keen to make the promotion happen now.

On the surface, this news surprised me too. However, Rivera was viewed as a potential head coach this past offseason and might be one as soon as next year. Smith and the Bears obviously know this, so if Chicago feels like they have a qualified suitor in Babich right now, the move isn’t as shocking. With that said, it’s still quite a move considering all the head coaching vacancies are filled and the Bears could have had Rivera as their defensive coordinator for at least another year.

Well, the 2007 All-Star Game has come and gone, so here are a few random observations from the weekend:

Do you think David Lee’s stellar play in the Rookie Challenge (30 points on 14-14 shooting with 11 rebounds and four assists) will earn him any more minutes for the Knicks? Not if Isiah continues to divvy up the minutes…The league should really get rid of the Shooting Stars competition. Who wants to see Bill Laimbeer hoisting up half court shots? They could use the time to expand one of the other contests, or add a one-on-one tournament. Now that could be interesting…What’s with the lackadaisical pace in the Skills Challenge? LeBron headlined a great lineup (Kobe, D-Wade, Chris Paul) but went at about half speed in the first round and was eliminated. Wade beat Bryant in the final round. What’s the point of having these superstars compete if they’re not even going to compete? LeBron’s lack of competitiveness says a lot about his game…Congratulations to Jason Kapono for winning the Three-Point Shootout. He tied a Shootout record in the final round with 24 points, outlasting Gilbert Arenas and defending champ Dirk Nowitzki. Most importantly, he did it all without wearing that ugly-ass headband…The league needs to tweak the Slam Dunk competition. Watching Nate Robinson miss his dunk in the final round over and over got pretty tedious. Gerald Green deserved the win – his first round dunk where he caught the ball off the side of the backboard and slammed it home was awesome – but Dwight Howard had the dunk of the night. It looked to be a simple alley-oop, but Howard placed a sticker near the top of the backboard with his other hand. The dunk was much more impressive in instant replay, but the judges (specifically Michael Jordan and Julius Erving) only gave Howard an 8 out of 10 and Howard was eliminated…Charles Barkley beat Dick Bavetta in a race and then the two shared a smooch on the lips afterward. I’m still not sure what that was all about…The All-Star Game itself was kind of a snoozer (the West won, 153-132). Shaq proved he didn’t deserve to be there (10 points on 5-13 shooting), while Dwight Howard (20 points, 12 rebounds) proved that he should have started for the East. It was clear that Amare Stoudemire was on a mission to be the game’s MVP, hoisting 22 shots in just 21 minutes (scoring 29 points), but that honor went to Bryant, who scored 31 points and dished out six assists.

Jay Glazer of FOX Sports.com is reporting that Norv Turner will be the next head coach of the San Diego Chargers.

I find the NFL coaching process weak. How many chances has Turner had to be a head coach and has never done anything? He’s a fine offensive coordinator, but he’s not a long-term solution. Given the success newbies Sean Payton and Eric Mangini had last year, why not take a shot on a guy like Rex Ryan? He has been a big part of Baltimore’s nasty defense since ’99, has experience in running the 3-4 and potentially could be a long-term answer. San Diego is built to win now, so I understand Turner is the safest choice, but the way these NFL coaches get recycled perplexes me.

Following the lead of teams like Cincinnati (Justin Smith) and Chicago (Lance Briggs), the New England Patriots have decided to franchise Asante Samuel, guarantying the cornerback $7.79 million for 2007. New England now has first rights to Samuel if he signs an offer sheet from another team this offseason.

According to Adam Schefter of the NFL Network, Samuel and his agent, Alonzo Shavers, don’t necessarily look at the move as a bad thing. As I noted in the blog about Briggs, most players don’t like the tag because it gives a team balking power on getting a long-term deal done. But as Schefter noted, Shavers looks at this move as a step towards getting Samuel a multi-year deal.

The Patriots are actually going to pay somebody not named Brady or Seymour? I’ll believe it when I see it.

The official website of the Chicago Bears is reporting that the team has designated outside linebacker Lance Briggs their franchise player. Briggs is guaranteed to earn $7.2 million next season, which is the average of the highest paid outside linebackers in the NFL.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that Briggs is a lock to play in Chicago next season. He can still sign an offer sheet from another team, but the Bears have first rights to match.

Briggs has emerged as a dominant outside linebacker, so Chicago couldn’t allow him to escape without a fight. The biggest concern going forward is whether or not the Bears lock him up long term. Don’t forget that in general, players hate to be franchised because it offers no long-term financial security. NFL contracts are not guaranteed, so if a player were to get hurt the season following a franchise tag, hopes of commanding top dollar on their next contract are slim. Briggs could essentially hold out, which obviously doesn’t do him or the team any good.

Bullz-Eye.com has posted its first look at April’s NFL Draft with a mock of the first round. You can post questions and opinions leading up to the draft right here at The Scores Report, and don’t forget to check out BE’s NFL Draft Resource Center. There you’ll find links to more mock drafts, prospect profiles and web guides to news and rumors.

Below is a taste of BE’s first mock draft. To view the entire first round, click here.

1. Oakland Raiders: JaMarcus Russell, QB, LSU
This is the sexy pick that Al Davis loves. Russell is a physical marvel, standing 6-6 and 260 pounds. The issue with Russell is his limited experience. He probably won’t start right away because his learning curve will be extremely high and his decision-making is still raw. Plus, Oakland’s line is abysmal, so putting a rookie behind center without seasoning is a death wish. Don’t be shocked if the Raiders look at Georgia Tech wideout Calvin Johnson, depending on what they do with Randy Moss and Jerry Porter in the offseason.

2. Detroit Lions: Joe Thomas, OT, Wisconsin
Many think the Lions will go with Brady Quinn, but there are several reasons why they won’t. Detroit has many holes and, believe it or not, quarterback isn’t one of them right now. Secondly, offensive “guru” Mike Martz is an egomaniac who loves to take nobodies and fit them into his system. Plus, rumor has it that Martz is quite fond of current starter Jon Kitna. Lastly, Matt Millen seems so humbled by the Joey Harrington gaff that he’s opting to listen more to his coaching staff. Thomas fills an immediate need on the Lions’ line and can start right away.

3/4. Cleveland Browns: Adrian Peterson, RB, Oklahoma
With Brady Quinn still on the board, the Browns may take a look at their quarterback situation. However, head coach Romeo Crennel’s job is on the line and he needs to win now. Peterson is the big back Cleveland covets and he could make an immediate impact. Hopefully new O-coordinator Rob Chudzinski will know how to use Peterson in ways Maurice Carthon could never imagine.

Several NFL sources are reporting that San Francisco offensive coordinator Norv Turner and Baltimore defensive coordinator Rex Ryan are the leading candidates to fill San Diego’s head coaching vacancy.

Given that this is GM Alex Smith’s first head coaching hire, Turner would be a logical fit because he has the most NFL experience and would be the safe move. Ironically, however, when Turner was the head coach in Oakland in 2004 and ’05, he managed only one win against AFC West opponents. At least he’s familiar with the organization – he was San Diego’s OC in ’01 – and unlike the recently departed Marty Schottenheimer, will be on speaking terms with Smith.

Ryan would be a great fit. He’s used to running the 3-4 in Baltimore and the Chargers’ front office is rumored to have the ‘defense wins championships’ mindset. Two more defensive coordinators scheduled for an interview are Ron Rivera (Chicago) and Mike Zimmer (formerly of Dallas, now with Atlanta). Two names to cross off: USC head coach Pete Carroll and Seahawks’ secondary/assistant head coach Jim Mora.

In his recent ESPN INSIDER blog, John Clayton is reporting that Jeff Garcia is not in the Vikings’ offseason plans. Garcia’s likely destination at this point is either Tampa or back in Philly.

It appears that Brad Childress is happy with his quarterback duo of Tarvaris Jackson and Brad Johnson. I know the team likes Jackson’s potential, but I’m a bit surprised that Minnesota won’t be going after a quarterback this offseason to compete with him. The Vikings made a pitch last offseason for Atlanta’s Matt Schaub, but apparently he’s out of their plans too.

On ESPN2’s “Cold Pizza,” sports analyst resident moron Skip Bayless predicted last week that the Bears would win. Rather than own up to his dumb prediction, Bayless made the claim this morning that the rain is to blame for Chicago’s loss. Yep, the cold weather team from Chicago was hurt by the rain and the dome team from Indy had the advantage.

We’ve reached the point where ESPN is trying way too hard to generate controversy and ratings. Bayless is an idiot and ESPN should not be giving him a forum. This morning he was matched against Greg Anthony, an excellent basketball analyst who made Bayless look like a fool by challenging his stupid rants.

The All-Star reserves have been announced and the rosters look like this (names in bold represent players that didn’t jive with my last set of picks):

EAST

Starters: Gilbert Arenas, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Shaquille O’Neal

Reserves: Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton, Jason Kidd, Vince Carter, Jermaine O’Neal, Dwight Howard, Caron Butler

WEST

Starters: Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett and Yao Ming

Reserves: Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash, Shawn Marion, Amare Stoudemire, Carlos Boozer, Allen Iverson, Tony Parker

SNUBS

The two biggest names to be left off these respective lists are Carmelo Anthony and Michael Redd. Anthony’s snub was a direct result of his 15-game suspension he received for his role with the mini-brawl with the Knicks. Anthony is the league’s leading scorer, which makes it even more odd that he won’t be making an All-Star appearance.

Prior to his knee injury, Michael Redd was playing arguably the best basketball of any guard in the East and it’s surprising that he didn’t make the roster. Especially considering the fact that Shaquille O’Neal was voted in as a starter, even though he only appeared in seven games and has posted just 12.6 points and 6.7 rebounds this season. Compare that to Redd’s 27.7 points and 3.8 rebounds and it’s clear that the Buck deserves an All-Star berth. Once O’Neal was given the starting nod, Redd would have had to beat out Hamilton, Carter or Butler, and it’s tough to do that when you’re injured.

Does the All-Star game really matter? Of course not, not in the short-term, anyway. But when these players are at the end of their respective careers, every All-Star game appearance on their resume helps for a potential run at the Hall of Fame. Redd was voted to the All-Star game once before, in 2004.