Category: News (Page 59 of 199)

Udonis Haslem arrested for possession of marijuana

Miami Heat's Udonis Haslem (C) fouls Boston Celtics' Rasheed Wallace in the fourth quarter during Game 4 of their Eastern Conference basketball playoff series in Miami, April 25, 2010. At left is the Heat's Joel Anthony. REUTERS/Joe Skipper (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASKETBALL)

This is not the way that the new-look Miami Heat wanted to start the season.

Miami Heat forward Udonis Haslem was charged Sunday with marijuana possession, speeding — and, for good measure, having illegal window tinting, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

An FHP trooper pulled over Haslem, 30, who had been driving east in his 2008 Mercedes-Benz, after he was clocked going 78 mph in a 60 mph zone, Wysocky said.

The trooper smelled marijuana in the vehicle, FHP said. After a search, Haslem and his passenger, Antwain Fleming, were arrested and charged with marijuana possession, Wysocky said.

There is a legitimate movement to decriminalize marijuana across the country, but this is one case where Haslem deserves whatever punishment he gets. To say that this was a dumb move is an understatement. He was going 18 mph over the speed limit while he was smoking (or his buddy was smoking) pot in his car.

Celtics beat writer A. Sherrod Blakely says the arrest means it’s unlikely that Haslem will play in the Heat’s season opener against Boston.

#Heat suffer first loss of Big Thrice era. PF Udonis Haslem’s pot charge likely means he’ll be out for the season opener vs. the #Celtics.

Haslem should know better.

9/17/10 Update: The charges have been dropped.

Ben Tate’s season is over — grab Arian Foster

HOUSTON - JANUARY 03:  Running back Arian Foster #37 of the Houston Texans slips past a diving line backer Gary Guyton #59 in the third quarter at Reliant Stadium on January 3, 2010 in Houston, Texas.  (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)

Per the Houston Chronicle

Tate suffered a broken ankle in the 19-16 preseason loss at Arizona. He’s expected to undergo surgery on Tuesday.

Tate, the second-round pick from Auburn, was third team behind Foster and Slaton. Kubiak wanted to see him play for two quarters against the Cardinals. Tate was injured at the end of a 12-yard run when he was tackled by rookie linebacker Daryl Washington.

Tate will be placed on injured reserve.

I was already a fan of Arian Foster this summer, but with Tate out, I like his chances even more. Here’s what I wrote in my sleeper RBs piece.

Of everyone on this list, Foster could very well turn out to be the best value if things break his way. Houston’s offensive line is decent, and Foster had a couple of nice games late last season — 19 carries, 97 yards, TD versus Miami and 23 touches, 145 yards, 2 TD against New England — giving him some momentum heading into 2010. His head coach called the 23-year-old ‘mature beyond his years’ and says he’ll be tough to unseat atop the Texans’ depth chart. Meanwhile, rookie Ben Tate ‘has a long way to go’ while Steve Slaton is spending time in camp working on his kick return skills. This points to Foster as the opening day starter. As long as he doesn’t fumble away the job, Foster’s ADP is bound to move into the middle rounds as the preseason wears on.

With Tate out, I’m now targeting Foster in the 7th or the 8th round. He should make a solid third RB and could be a RB2 in a pinch in a flex league that only requires two RB starters. Kubiak lost confidence in Slaton last season and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Foster crack the top 20 assuming he stays healthy and doesn’t start coughing up the ball.

Here’s a quick look:

Carmelo Anthony speaks out about the extension

Per ESPN…

“I think my decision is my decision,” Anthony said, according to The Denver Post. “I don’t think it’s based on who is in the front office or anything like that. I’m going to make my decision based on my feelings.”

“I could wake up tomorrow and they could snatch it off the table,” Anthony said, according to the Denver newspaper. “I don’t know. I don’t know what their mind-set is.”

Anthony said his loyalty to the Nuggets’ fanbase and organization has never wavered.

“I’ve shown that over my seven-year stint here,” he said, according to The Denver Post. “I don’t think anybody can question that. But at this point in time, I have to do what’s best for me and my family. I’m just taking my time, figuring out if I want to take that extension or not.”

Lest there be any confusion, this is not a negotiating tactic to coax a better deal out of the Nuggets. Denver’s offer of $65 million over three years would give Anthony financial security in a time when there’s a new, owner-friendly collective bargaining agreement on the horizon. And let’s not gloss over the risk of injury either. If Anthony were to blow out his knee (a la Michael Redd), he could be leaving millions on the table.

If this were about money, Anthony would have already signed. This is about whether or not he wants to continue his career with the Nuggets. If he plays out the season without signing the extension, he’ll become the prize of the 2011 free agent class and could potentially ‘take his talents’ to the Big Apple.

Most pundits feel that this is about the Knicks, and I tend to agree. He’d be a nice fit in Mike D’Antoni’s system with Amare Stoudemire and an outside shot at teaming up with Chris Paul in 2012. But don’t overlook the Nets, who will be moving to Brooklyn in two years and have several attractive young pieces — Brook Lopez, Derrick Favors, Devin Harris — who might appeal to Anthony.

However, if he does indeed become a free agent, the Knicks are the frontrunner — there’s no doubt about it.

If I were a Nuggets fan, I’d be very, very worried. The writing is on the wall, but it’s nothing that a run to the Finals can’t fix.

Pippen says that Heat won’t break 72-game record

Via ESPN Chicago…

Scottie Pippen, during Hall of Fame festivities Friday morning, took exception to a prediction Van Gundy made to the Miami Herald that the Heat will break the mark the Bulls set in the 1995-96 season.

“Those guys’ biggest goal is to win a championship and not try to win 72 games,” Pippen told reporters. “But if Jeff Van Gundy wants to take a bet, I would bet him that they won’t break it.”

“I think that Boston is still the best team in the East. Miami has to prove themselves.”

Steve Kerr said something funny on Bill Simmons’ B.S. Report the other day about turning into the Mercury Morris of the ’96 Bulls:

I’m gonna put the champagne on ice and Jud Buechler, Bill Wennington and I are going to get together when they lose their 11th game.

He wasn’t serious, but the thought of the three of them celebrating the Heat’s 11th loss with champagne is funny as hell.

Bird compares the 1992 Dream Team with the 1960 Olympic team

Larry Bird (C) speaks on behalf of the members of the 1992 United States Olympic Dream Team, Clyde Drexler (L) and Michael Jordan, as that team is inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame during enshrinement ceremonies in Springfield, Massachusetts August 13, 2010.  REUTERS/Brian Snyder  (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASKETBALL)

The 1992 Dream Team was inducted into the Hall of Fame last night, and Larry Bird chimed in on the debate about which team was better: 1992 or the 1960 team that featured Oscar Robertson and Jerry West.

“I don’t know who had the best team, but I know the team in 1960 was a hell of a lot tougher than we were,” he said. “I couldn’t imagine the ’92 team getting in a covered wagon for eight days, going across the country, jumping in the Atlantic Ocean, swimming for six days, then walking 3,000 miles to the Coliseum in Rome for a dollar a day.”

Meanwhile, Bob Boozer, a member of that 1960 Olympic team had this to say:

“We were amateurs and we played against many of the older Euopean teams,” Boozer said. “They beat everybody by 43 or something points and we beat everybody by 42 but we were shooting with a soccer ball (which is how Boozer described the then-smaller international basketball) and we didn’t have the three-point line. When you shot a long jumper, it would change directions.”

He later admitted it would have been tough for anyone to beat that 1992 team.

« Older posts Newer posts »