Month: February 2009 (Page 23 of 57)

      Browns taking a risk by not placing franchise tag on Jones?

      February 18, 2009 /

      Sean JonesAccording to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the Browns are not expected to use their franchise tag on safety Sean Jones, who is set to hit the free agent market at the end of the month.

      Jones had an injury-plagued season and didn’t live up to his outstanding 2007 campaign, but then again, few Browns did. He finished with just 48 tackles, four interceptions and one forced fumble, compared to the 69 tackle, five-interception season he had the year before.

      The Browns must assume that Jones is already returning (he did say back in December that he wants to stay in Cleveland) and therefore don’t want to spend the $6.34 million that comes with tagging a safety. Plus, given his small injury concerns, they no doubt want his yearly figure to be significantly less than $6 million. (After all, his current salary is $2.145 million.)

      Generally, players don’t want to be tagged anyway. They prefer to work out long term contracts and avoid the risk that is associated with not having a contract in place after the season. But Cleveland is taking a risk by not placing at least a non-exclusive tag (which would cost them $4.3 mil for one year) on Jones because he could walk at any time. And 26-year old safeties that are assets in run support and decent ball skills don’t fall off trees in the NFL. Safety is one of the most sought after positions in the league and if Jones is allowed to hit the open market, another team might be willing to throw a decent amount of money at him for his services.

      The Browns can’t lose this guy. Even after an up and down season, he’s vital to their secondary. We’ll see if their risk pays off and he isn’t tempted to fly the coop.

      NFL

      Avery and the Rangers hoping for a possible reunion in the near future

      February 17, 2009 /


      Before the start of Saturday night’s Manitoba Moose-Hartford Wolf Pack AHL hockey game, the Hartford Civic Center was buzzing with the anticipated return of outspoken forward Sean Avery from his NHL suspension. The Dallas Stars, who hold his contractual rights, assigned him to the New York Rangers minor league affiliate in Hartford last week.

      The hope is for Avery to have a successful audition and be reacquired by his former team before the trading deadline in early March. If he shows the same energetic play on each line shift that was his trademark with the Rangers, then it’s a foregone conclusion that they will claim him off waivers from the Stars. Each team will be required to pay half of Avery’s salary for the remainder of the contract.

      The Rangers need a boost in order to knock themselves out of their lethargic play that has plagued them all season. Their top players have not performed well, as Scott Gomez and Chris Drury have seemingly lost their respective games. Both were supposed to be team leaders, but instead they have played without much confidence.

      The Ranger locker room is lacking a strong presence to guide them through this rough stretch of their season. Gone are the strong personalities (Avery-Jaromir Jagr-Brendan Shanahan) from last season who were able to take opponents out of their game plans. The Rangers need an agitator on the ice who can put the puck in the net occasionally.

      This is a low-risk, high-reward opportunity for the Rangers, as Avery understands that this is his last chance to salvage a career in the NHL. He should be on his best behavior. He could become a positive distraction within his own locker room. Avery will be under the media spotlight that otherwise would be shined on the team’s struggling play.

      Avery was suspended in December after making a crude remark about Calgary Flames defenseman Dion Pheneuf dating his former girlfriend, actress Elisha Cuthbert. His inflammatory line came following a morning skate in Calgary: “It’s becoming a common thing in the NHL for guys to fall in love with my sloppy seconds.” The NHL suspended him in December and ordered him to complete treatment in a league counseling program before returning back to the ice.

      NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has no issues with Avery’s return to hockey. He commends him for complying with the league by serving his suspension and seeking counseling for his anger issues. Avery himself feels like he is a better person for having undergone treatment. But only time will tell if Avery has truly changed as a person.

      NHL

      A-Rod speaks, says he and cousin injected each other with over the counter substance

      February 17, 2009 /

      At a press conference on Tuesday, Yankees’ third baseman Alex Rodriguez said in a prepared statement that from 2001 to 2003, he and a cousin used a substance available over the counter in the Dominican Republic and that it was known as “boli.”

      “I didn’t think they were steroids,” he said. “That’s again part of being young and stupid. It was over the counter. It was pretty simple.”

      “All these years I never thought I did anything wrong.”

      He said he wasn’t sure how the drug use helped him, but admitted he had more energy.
      Rodriguez said he has not used human growth hormone or any other banned drug since then. He refused to identify his cousin.

      The three-time AL MVP and baseball’s highest-paid player spoke at the Yankees’ spring training camp 10 days after Sports Illustrated reported that he tested positive in 2003 for a pair of steroids during baseball’s anonymous survey in 2003. Two days after the story broke, Major League Baseball’s highest-paid player acknowledged that fact in an interview with ESPN.

      For years, Rodriguez denied using performance-enhancing drugs. But SI reported he was on a list of 104 players who tested positive during baseball’s 2003 survey. SI identified the drugs causing the positive test as Primobolan and testosterone.

      “We consulted no one and had no good reason to base that decision,” he said. “It was pretty evident that we didn’t know what we’re doing.”

      Hey, A-Rod’s human – he makes mistakes just like everyone else. But I have a hard time fathoming that he injected something into his body that he believed was just an energy booster.

      He’s a star athlete making millions of dollars, had a newborn baby on the way at the time and a wife. Forget the fact that he’s an athlete – as a man, shouldn’t he have gone to greater lengths to make sure that he wasn’t doing anything to harm himself or his family? It would be irresponsible if he or anyone else were out doing drugs with a child on the way and a family to take after. Considering he didn’t know what was going into his body, this situation is no different.

      He hasn’t tried to hide from this situation and that’s commendable. He is taking his medicine and will continue to do so throughout the rest of his career. But to me, he still seems like he’s trying to snake out of this situation. He still seems like he’s trying to play the role of victim by writing this entire situation off by saying he was young, naïve and stupid.

      Either way, as long as he’s not lying again, it’s over. He’s admitted his mistake and that’s more than Mark McGwire, Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa and Rafael Palmiero have done.

      MLB

      Tyson Chandler headed to Oklahoma City?

      February 17, 2009 /

      The answer is yes, according to Marc Stein’s sources.

      Sources with knowledge of the trade parameters told ESPN.com that the deal was approved by the league office Tuesday afternoon, with the Hornets receiving forwards Joe Smith and Chris Wilcox in exchange for their best interior defender.

      ESPN.com reported early Monday that the Hornets — who have been looking to move Chandler mostly for financial reasons — were in talks with the Thunder on a trade that would net the expiring contracts of Smith and Wilcox. Thunder general manager Sam Presti is a long-time admirer of Chandler dating to his time with the San Antonio Spurs.

      The Thunder also possess numerous draft picks to sweeten trade packages — including five first-round picks in the next two drafts — but Presti was able to land an accomplished center to complement his promising young trio of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Jeff Green without surrendering any major draft considerations.

      With a payroll at nearly $67 million this season and scheduled to reach almost $77 million next season, New Orleans felt it had to part with Chandler before Thursday’s 3 p.m. trading deadline regardless, even though dealing away the 26-year-old almost certainly takes the Hornets out of serious playoff contention in the West.

      “…even though dealing away the 26-year-old almost certainly takes the Hornets out of serious playoff contention in the West.”

      This is the first time that I can remember (though I’m sure there have been other cases) that a serious title contender traded away one of its best players for financial reasons. The Hornets are on the hook for almost $77 million next season and they needed to cut salary to stay under the luxury tax threshold. In the process, they are sacrificing a legitimate shot at an NBA championship. This move just goes to show how the bad economy is having a direct effect on NBA personnel decisions.

      The Hornets do get Chris Wilcox as part of this deal, and he is having an off year after having three very productive seasons. There’s a chance — albeit a slim one — that the Hornets could still keep their darkhorse status headed into the playoffs if Wilcox gets back to his 14-point/8-rebound days. He isn’t in the same league as Chandler on the defensive end of the court.

      I like this trade for the Thunder. They’re getting one of the league’s best defensive centers at a fairly reasonable price. Along with Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Jeff Green, the Thunder have a nice core to build around.

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA, Rumors & Gossip

      Saints release Deuce McAllister

      February 17, 2009 /

      The Saints officially released long time running back Deuce McAllister.

      Deuce McAllisterThe news comes as no real surprise, though it still will come as a blow to the Saints fan base.

      McAllister, who turned 30 in December, had four years remaining on his contract. But his role was greatly diminished last season after he returned from his second major knee injury in three years. And he was set to earn $5.3 million in salary and bonuses in 2009.

      The Saints will save more than $4 million in salary-cap space this year now that McAllister is off the roster. His “cap figure” will decrease from $7.3 million to roughly $3 million. The way the cap works, the Saints still need to account for $3 million of his signing bonus from the eight-year, $50.1 million contract extension he signed in 2005.

      The team was projected to be about $4.5 million over the $123 million salary cap heading into the start of free agency Feb. 27, so other changes could be forthcoming as well.

      As the article notes, this isn’t a surprise. The Saints freed up some cap space in the move, Pierre Thomas has emerged as a feature back and is the power to Reggie Bush’s flash.

      Still, McAllister will be missed and he was the model pro in New Orleans.

      NFL

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