We mentioned this yesterday, but it looks like Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov is one step closer to buying the New Jersey Nets.
Prokhorov says he has a deal to buy 80 percent of the franchise and almost half of a project to build an arena in Brooklyn.
According to Saints’ beat writer Jeff Duncan via his Twitter page, Lynell Hamilton took the first-team reps for New Orleans during practice on Wednesday. Duncan expects Hamilton to see a heavy workload against the Bills, which begs the question: What is going on with the Saints running back situation?
My question revolves around Sean Payton’s obvious hatred (okay, so I’m exaggerating) for Pierre Thomas, who practiced on Wednesday but who still isn’t seeing first-team reps in practice. I understand that he’s been battling a knee injury, but if he went through practice on Wednesday with no complications, why is Hamilton expected to get the majority of the rushing load on Sunday?
It stands to reason that the Saints may have possibly soured on Thomas, whom many people (me included) thought would have a breakout year in 2009. Thomas was supposed to be New Orleans’ every down back this year and the perfect complement to Reggie Bush. But whether it’s his knee or the possibility that he egged Payton’s house at some point during the offseason, Thomas has taken a backseat to other backs like Hamilton.
Just to get you up to speed on Hamilton, he went undrafted in 2008 and spent the entire season on the Saints’ practice squad. He made the team this year as a fourth back despite fumbling twice in the team’s preseason opener. Had Thomas and Bush not been dinged up entering the season, it stands to reason that Hamilton may not have even made the final roster.
And with that, it’s perplexing that Hamilton would get the start over Thomas this week. Again, maybe Payton and the Saints are still worried about Thomas’ knee and they’re taking it slow with him. But if they’ve soured on him being a No. 1 back, then do him (and fantasy football fans for that matter) a favor and either release him or trade him to a team that could use a runner with his skill set.
Here’s hoping Thomas eventually gets to shine in this league, because he certainly has the talent.
Unless this sorts itself out by week’s end, the message is clear: Stay away from Thomas/Hamilton this weekend if you can. The Saints might be taking it easy on Thomas during the week so that he can start on Sunday, or maybe they don’t feel good about his knee and are planning to give him another week by getting Hamilton ready to start. Hopefully, the Saints’ beat writers will get some answers for us, but HC Sean Payton is tight-lipped about injuries, so we may not get any before kickoff.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that long-time Braves manager Bobby Cox will retire following the 2010 MLB season.
Cox, 68, was given a one-year extension for next season as manager and then he has a five-year consulting agreement from 2011-15 to serve in an advisory role with the Braves.
“I’m very excited and honored to be making plans for next year,” Cox said in a statement. “While I’ve decided 2010 will be my last season in the dugout, I want to make it clear that we will all be working hard as hard as ever to win another world championship for the city of Atlanta and our great fans.”
The Braves announced the entire coaching staff will be back next season.
If you can’t appreciate what Cox has meant to the game then you don’t appreciate baseball. He’s fourth on the list of all-time wins by a skipper and has been named Manager of the Year four times (1985, 1991, 2004 and 2005). He’s only won one World Series in his career, but to take away his accomplishments because he hasn’t won more championships would be a mistake.
Plus, how can you not love the guy that holds the all-time record for most ejections? Awesome.
The Washington Post asked me to participate in their NFL blog “The League” for the 2009 season. Below is a recent post I wrote for the site regarding Michael Crabtree’s contract holdout.
Mr. Crabtree,
I’m writing to you not as a professional adviser, your friend or even as someone who has your best interests at heart. I don’t know you, so I’d be lying if I said I had any kind of personal stake in your career.
But viewing this as an outsider, I have to warn you that you’ve been getting some bad advice somewhere along the way. I’ve been keeping track of your situation in San Francisco and I’ve got to tell you, you could be making one of the biggest mistakes of your life.
You see, you need to show more humility, Mr. Crabtree. Your agent came to the conclusion a long time ago that you were a top 3 pick and, thus, should be paid as such. But you weren’t a top 3 pick – you were the 10th overall pick and while that should have motivated you to prove yourself on the field, you’ve shown that you’re more concerned with money than with playing football.
That’s disappointing to me. As a sports fan, I appreciate it when athletes don’t hold out and they accept market value for their services. I appreciate it when they prove their worth on the field and allow the money situation to take care of itself.
© 2026 The Scores Report – The National Sports Blog
Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑