Page 1041 of 2956

      Browns’ Shaun Rogers formally charged

      April 2, 2010 /

      The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that Browns defensive tackle Shaun Rogers has been formally charged with carrying a concealed weapon into Hopkins International Airport.

      A Cleveland city prosecutor filed the fourth-degree felony charge alleging that Rogers carried a .45-caliber Kimber semiautomatic with eight rounds in his carry-on luggage at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. A police report said the gun’s hammer was cocked in “safe mode.”

      Rogers, 31, told officers that he had forgotten the gun was in his bag and that he carried it for personal safety during travel. Police say Rogers has a license in Michigan to carry a concealed weapon.

      Even if he is not convicted, Rogers could face suspension from the league for violating its strict personal-conduct policy for players. He was suspended for four games in 2006 while with Detroit for violating the substance-abuse policy.

      As the article notes, this incident could put Rogers’ future with the Browns in jeopardy. This is the last thing that new team president Mike Holmgren wants to deal with while trying to put together his roster and seeing as how he has already traded Brady Quinn and Kamerion Wimbley, he probably wouldn’t hesitate to trade Rogers. (If any team wants him after this incident, that is.)

      Chances are that Rogers will wind up wearing brown and orange again next season, but his long-term future in Cleveland is up in the air.

      NFL

      Pierce: This ‘is the last real NCAA tournament’

      April 2, 2010 /

      In a piece for GQ, Charles P. Pierce skewered the idea of tournament expansion.

      And let’s not be naive. This is going to happen, and it’s going to happen on ESPN. (For reasons too arcane for anyone except business-school dweebs and broadcast executives, the NCAA can opt out of its ludicrous 11-year, $6 billion broadcast deal with CBS after this year’s tournament.) It’s going to happen despite the fact that the idea has been universally scorned everywhere outside of the NCAA itself and the fraternity of basketball coaches, who see it as a way to keep some of their less-than-competent brethren employed by fudging the measurement of success that making the tournament has become. In a way, it is very similar to the endless debates about campaign-finance reform. The reason we don’t have campaign-finance reform is that the people who least want it are the same people who will have to vote to enact it. The reason we are going to have a ninety-six-team NCAA tournament field despite all the huffing and blowing against it is that the only people who really want it are the people perfectly positioned to make it happen. And all they have to do is ride out the rage until the first ball goes up in the first game of the first revamped tournament. Then, they’re home free.

      What we have tipping off on Saturday, then, is the last real NCAA tournament.

      He goes on to pick Butler over West Virginia in the final.

      College Basketball, March Madness

      Lakers sign Kobe to three-year extension

      April 2, 2010 /

      Per NBA.com…

      “Two of our main goals heading into this season were to sign Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol to contract extensions,” continued [Lakers GM Mitch] Kupchak. “With the signing of Pau earlier this season and the signing of Kobe today, we were able to accomplish those goals, helping to keep the core of this team intact for the foreseeable future and in turn help to ensure the franchise’s continued success over the years to come.”

      No salary information is available, but I’m sure he’s going to make the maximum.

      NBA, News

      Breaking down one of Butler’s favorite plays

      April 2, 2010 /

      Yesterday, I described the play that the Cavs used to beat the Bucks on Wednesday, so in preparation for tomorrow’s Final Four games, I thought I’d dig into one of Butler’s favorite sets.

      They ran this play at least twice on Kansas State last weekend and scored both times. It’s especially effective against defenses that try to get out in the passing lanes.

      The play starts with the point guard (#1), usually Ronald Nored, at the top of the key, dribbling to his right. Matt Howard (#5) starts to move towards Gordon Hayward (#4) as if he’s going to set a screen for him. Shelvin Mack (#2) starts to creep up the lane towards Howard’s man.

      Here’s Howard’s read: If his man is over his left shoulder (as he’s facing Hayward), preparing to help on Hayward (#4) as he comes off the screen, then Howard (#5) knows he has a step on him. He doesn’t screen and immediately releases to the basket.

      If Howard’s man is hugging him, Mack (#2) can set a screen, but usually he just engages his own defender (by walking into him and effectively screening him off), so he can’t help on Howard as he cuts to the basket.

      If Howard is open, Nored (#1) delivers a pass that should hit the center right in front of the basket for a lay up.

      To defend this play, three things need to happen: 1) there needs to be ball pressure on Nored, 2) Howard’s defender needs to stay close to his man preferably on the basket side, and 3) Mack’s defender needs to curl around (get behind) Mack when he starts to head into the lane so that he’s in position to help on Howard when he cuts.

      This play uses Hayward as a decoy. Howard’s man is so worried about Hayward coming off the screen that he forgets about protecting the basket against a cut by Howard. Defenses will typically crowd Hayward and Mack since they are Butler’s most dangerous scorers. This leaves the basket open for Howard.

      Butler uses a lot of little misdirection plays that work well against aggressive man-to-man defense. Head coach Brad Stevens likes to run this play out of a timeout, so look for it on Saturday. It will be interesting to see how Tom Izzo chooses to defend it.

      College Basketball, March Madness

      Five new playoff contenders for the 2010 MLB season

      April 2, 2010 /

      While some enthusiasts will argue otherwise, there’s usually not a lot of change from one year to the next in baseball. Most pundits expect the Yankees, Phillies, Red Sox, Angels, Cardinals, Twins, Dodgers and Rockies (all eight teams that made the playoffs in 2009) to be good again this year. MLB isn’t like the NFL where teams make unexpected playoff runs every year.

      That said, that doesn’t mean there aren’t a couple of sleepers to watch out for in 2010. Below are five clubs that didn’t make the postseason last year that have the best odds (in my estimation) of making the playoffs this season.

      1. Chicago White Sox
      If you read the 2010 MLB season preview, you’re not surprised to see the White Sox at the top of this list. As long as Jake Peavy stays healthy, Chicago arguably has the best starting rotation one through five in the American League. (Boston fans may argue otherwise, but Boston fans can also shove off…just kidding…although not really.) But the key to the Chi Sox’s success this season lies in their offense. Yes, I’m banking on veterans Carlos Quentin, Alex Rios, Mark Teahen, Paul Konerko and Mark Kotsay to have productive years and yes, that may be asking a lot. But Gordon Beckham looks like a star in the making and the addition of Juan Pierre gives the Sox a solid leadoff hitter. I’m well aware that Chicago could finish third in a three-team race in the AL Central, but their pitching is going to keep them competitive all season and I’m willing to bet that their offense won’t be as bad as many believe.

      2. Seattle Mariners
      The Mariners have all the pieces in place to not only compete for the AL Wild Card, but also unseat the Angels in the AL West. Along with Felix Hernandez, the acquisition of Cliff Lee now gives Seattle the best 1-2 punch in the American League outside of Boston’s Josh Beckett and John Lackey. The problem is that the lineup lacks major punch. Chone Figgins and Ichiro give the M’s quality bats at the top of the order, but can this team score enough runs on a nightly basis? The club has been built on pitching and defense but if they want to make the postseason, the Mariners will have to prove that they can overcome a powerless lineup.

      Continue reading »

      MLB

      « Older posts Newer posts »

      © 2026 The Scores Report – The National Sports Blog

      Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑