- The Eagles cut defensive end Javon “The Freak” Kearse.

- The Titans have given cornerback Pacman Jones the permission to seek a trade. Just for the record, any team that trades for Pacman gets what they deserve in the end.

- The Rams released quarterback Gus Frerotte and might pursue free agent Todd Collins.

- The Colts released defensive tackle Anthony “Booger” McFarland and linebacker Rob Morris.

- The Bucs released defensive linemen Kevin Carter and Greg Spires.

- Jonathan Vilma visited the Lions and took a physical. There’s a small rumor that the Jets, Broncos and Lions could swing a three-team deal that would send Vilma to Detroit, but who knows if that has any legs.

Much like the NFL did a year ago, Major League Baseball has decided to set its own restrictions for online usage of baseball video and photograph content.

– News sites can’t post more than 120 seconds a day of audio or video from league facilities, with game highlights restricted only to rights holders that have a separate rights deal with MLB Advanced Media.

– This 120 seconds can’t be a live feed, and the rule does not apply to the news outlet’s own analysis or reporting, commonly known as “talking head” material. Formal press conferences are exempted from the 120-second rule.

– Sites can’t post more than seven photos from any game online.

– Audio/video content created at MLB ballparks cannot stay up on a news site for more than 72 hours.

– All applicants for a press credential must provide advance written notice of intent to transmit any non-text material.

This might not seem like a big deal to fans, but it is. MLB only wants you to go to MLB sites to view video. Why? Because they want to be the only ones to profit off it. They want to funnel fans into MLB-licensed sites only, and essentially eliminate blogs and even local online newspapers from having decent video/picture content.

Sure, we can still get video from sites like MLB.com, but would it be entertaining? Do you think MLB.com is going to show a manager blow up in a post-game interview? Hell no, it’s going to be all pre-manufactured propaganda that will make the league look good. They want to control what we view online.

The Tennessee Volunteers held onto the #1 ranking for just over a day before having to play archrival Vanderbilt on Tuesday. They lost, 72-69.

Memorial Gym has a reputation for being a very tough place to play. The court has tons of room on the sidelines (leading up to the stands) and the benches are placed on opposite baselines. It’s an odd setup and that can throw off the visiting team. Vandy is tough to beat there, no matter the opponent.

Tennessee likes to create chaos, but the problem with that is in a tight game, they have trouble running enough offense to get a good shot. That was the case down the stretch on Tuesday, and it makes me wonder if they can execute against the best teams in the country next month.

Shan Foster led all scorers with 32 points, while Chris Lofton led the Vols with 25. Both players are seniors. Foster is projected to be a second round pick in this summer’s draft while Lofton may not be drafted at all. I think Foster is the better prospect; he reminds me a little of Rashad McCants. Lofton has great range and is a good scorer, but he seems slow for a 6’2″ player and doesn’t have natural point guard skills. (He’s averaging a career-high 2.0 assists per game this season.)

Congress wants to pursue Roger Clemens for perjury because they’re not so sure he told the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth to a committee two weeks ago.

House Oversight and Government Reform Committee chairman Henry Waxman and ranking Republican Tom Davis sent a letter to Attorney General Michael Mukasey, urging more scrutiny of Clemens’ statements in a Feb. 5 sworn deposition and at a Feb. 13 public hearing where he said he “never used anabolic steroids or human growth hormone.”

“That testimony is directly contradicted by the sworn testimony of Brian McNamee, who testified that he personally injected Mr. Clemens with anabolic steroids and human growth hormone,” the congressmen wrote.

“Mr. Clemens’s testimony is also contradicted by the sworn deposition testimony and affidavit submitted to the committee by Andrew Pettitte, a former teammate of Mr. Clemens, whose testimony and affidavit reported that Mr. Clemens had admitted to him in 1999 or 2000 that he had taken human growth hormone,” the letter said.

It’s nice to see that the congressional hearing they had two weeks ago wasn’t for nothing. It was pretty clear that Clemens was ducking questions in effort to clear his name and hopefully if he was lying, Congress will find out.

Peter King of SI.com made some interesting observations when he recently sat down with Boston College quarterback prospect Matt Ryan. King drew comparsions to when he sat down with former first overall pick JaMarcus Russell.

• Russell dressed like all the players at the combine, very casually. Ryan dressed like none of the players at the combine, in business attire.

Two other things: Russell’s arm is one of the best to come out of college football; he can throw the ball 82 yards on a windless field by simply winding up and taking one step. Ryan’s arm is better than average but not great. Neither player threw at the combine.

As for the future, it’s hard to read. Russell held out through training camp, then reported to the Raiders in September at 272 pounds — not exactly the commitment you’d want in your franchise quarterback. Is it too much to ask for a player who’s signed the richest rookie contract ever by a quarterback to come to work in shape?

The guess here: Ryan will be a better pro than Russell.

I’m buying into the Ryan hype. I think intangibles are actually too often overlooked, instead of the other way around. Remember when Peyton Manning and Ryan Leaf came out? You heard stories that Leaf wanted to buy expensive, material items with his rookie signing bonus – Manning wanted to buy a high tech video machine so that he could study film. Ryan might not have Manning’s talent, but he certainly seems to have the same desire and commitment to the game of football.

- The Browns offered a three-year, $20 million contract to quarterback Derek Anderson. Anderson originally stated that he wanted a six-year contract, but it’s clear Cleveland wants to stay in the three-year range.

- One day after FOXSports’ columnist John Czarnecki said that Randy Moss and the Patriots aren’t even close to a new deal, AOL Sports is reporting the two sides are ready to agree on a multi-year deal. Just one more reason not to read Czar’s columns.

- The Redskins cut wide receiver Brandon Lloyd. Just another example of how bad Daniel Snyder’s spending has been – the Skins gave up two-mid round picks and $12 million for Lloyd and he did next to noting in Al Saunders’ offense.

- Chiefs released wide receiver Eddie Kennison. Mr. Reliable is gone – it’s Dwayne Bowe’s playground now.

- Patriots released linebacker Rosevelt Colvin. More from New England: Running back Kevin Faulk was busted for possession of the reefer following a Lil’ Wayne concert. The Pats are having a very productive offseason.

- Jets released wide receiver Justin McCareins.

Yao Ming has a stress fracture in his foot and will miss the rest of the season.

This is devastating news for the Rockets, who will find it difficult to hold on to a playoff spot without their franchise center. Teams like Utah, New Orleans, Golden State and Denver are probably breathing a little easier knowing he’s out. There was talk of a 50+ win team missing the playoffs for the first time in league history, and Houston just has to win 13 of its remaining 25 games to reach that mark, so it still could happen.

More importantly (for Houston), are the Rockets going to reconsider building around an injury-prone player? Is Yao Ming injury-prone? He played in all 82 games in each of his first three seasons, but in the last three, he has only played in 57, 48, and 55 games, respectively. He is only 27, so conventional thinking would say that he has four or five years left in his prime, but at 7’6″, one has to wonder if his body will be able to hold up that long. Right now, it’s not looking too good.

Let’s take a look at how the big-name players involved in all those pre-deadline trades are doing for their new teams. This is the way to read the line: Pau Gasol, who is 9-1 in games played for the Lakers, has averaged 22.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.5 blocks per game since the trade.

Pau Gasol (Lakers): 9-1, 22.0p, 7.1r, 2.9a, 1.5b
Jason Kidd (Mavs): 3-1, 8.3p, 6.8r, 11.3a, 3.8s
Shaquille O’Neal (Suns): 1-2, 8.7p, 11.3r, 1.7a, 1.3b,
Shawn Marion (Heat): 0-5, 16.6p, 11.0r, 3.0a, 2.8s
Mike Bibby (Hawks): 1-4, 11.8p, 5.4a, 2.0r
Ben Wallace (Cavs): 1-0. 12.0p, 10.0r, 1.0b, 2.0s
Wally Szczerbiak (Cavs): 1-0, 10.0p, 1.0r
Drew Gooden (Bulls): 0-2, 14.5p, 8.0r, 0.5b
Larry Hughes (Bulls): 0-2, 13.5p, 3.5r, 2.5a

The Gasol trade is obviously working out for the Lakers, but it’s too early to tell how these other trades are going to affect each team’s record. I’ll update Tradewatch every two weeks through the end of the season, so be sure to check back.

After a flurry of deals that led up to the NBA’s Feb. 21 trade deadline, it’s a good time to take a deep breath and reexamine the playoff contenders and pretenders. In my latest column, I discuss what the top 10 teams have to do to win a ring this postseason.

Floyd Mayweather just got fat cash (as in $2 mil fat) to wrestle for WWE’s Wrestlemania.

A $20 million payday awaits the undefeated WBC welterweight champion when he takes on Big Show as part of WWE’s “WrestleMania XXIV” at Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Fla., on March 30.
“It’s entertainment. You have a chance to just be you and do what you want to do,” Mayweather said Monday after a chaotic Staples Center event that masqueraded as a news conference.

The boxer nicknamed “Money” clearly likes the way WWE does business.

“Wrestling takes care of business right on the spot,” Mayweather said. “Whatever they say they’re going to do, they do it right on the spot. There’s no waiting three, four, five months. Quick results, quick money. Quick big money, too.”

I can almost respect a man who says, “Yeah, I’m doing this for the money” instead of one who denies it and tries to make it about doing a good deed. Have fun Floyd and remember, you now have a small connection to Pacman Jones.