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      Friday MMA Review 4/24

      April 24, 2009 /

      Here’s a weekly rundown of MMA content from Ben Goldstein of CagePotato.com:

      – Chuck Liddell stepped into the cage (and got knocked out) for the last time, while Anderson Silva and Thales Leites put on one of the most boring title fights in UFC history at UFC 97 last Saturday. Regarding the Silva/Leites scrap, UFC prez Dana White said “I’ve never been embarrassed of a UFC fight like I was tonight,” while Silva’s manager tried to do damage control.

      – The Iceman may be retired from the fight game, but it seems like his acting career is taking off. Meanwhile, Andrei Arlovski is going to appear in the next Jean-Claude Van Damme joint.

      – Nick Osipczak put the Brits up 1-0 with his crushing head-kick knockout of Mark Miller on Wednesday’s episode of “The Ultimate Fighter.”

      – Gina Carano does it for love, not money. Yeah, right.

      – Pro wrestler-turned-fighter Bobby Lashley will be colliding with cartoonish brawler Bob Sapp in a June pay-per-view event that will also feature Affliction’s vice-president actually fighting on the card.

      – Congenital amputee Kyle Maynard makes his MMA debut tomorrow night. But will it be a triumph or an ill-advised freak show?

      – Speaking of freak shows, lightweight grappling-genius Shinya Aoki and world’s-best-heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko will be tangling in a “special sparring exhibition” next week in Tokyo. Ah, what’s a 70-pound weight-difference between friends?

      – Enter our “Underground Heroes” giveaway and win a pair of tickets to UFC 98! And if you’re going to the May 23rd event, be sure to check out our fan’s guide to Las Vegas.

      Mixed Martial Arts

      There’s a CBA storm brewing

      April 24, 2009 /

      Whenever I see the acronym “CBA,” I still think of the Continental Basketball Association, which is apparently still around, but only had four teams to start the season — the Albany Patroons, the East Kentucky Miners, the Lawton-Fort Sill Calvary and the Minot Skyrockets. Seriously.

      CBA also stands for the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement, which is essentially the agreement between the league, owners and its players regarding salary cap structure, trades, length/size of contracts, etc. Commissioner David Stern wants a major overhaul to account for the number of franchises in financial straits, but Billy Hunter, executive director of the NBA Player’s Association says the current system is just fine.

      “One of the principle issues is that some owners are having a hard time with cash flow,” Hunter said. “I don’t see why that automatically means more give-backs from the players. It seems to me a new revenue-sharing plan among the owners is one of the things they have to look at. Then you wouldn’t be looking to the players every time there’s a shortfall.”

      The current labor pact, signed in July, 2005, will expire in June, 2011. No substantive talks with the league on a subsequent deal will begin until after July 1, Hunter said, because union president Derek Fisher and other board members are involved in the playoffs. The current system guarantees the players 57 percent of basketball-related revenue (BRI).

      Hunter declined to outline what the players might be seeking in the new deal, but a source said repealing the age limit, reducing the amount of player salaries held in escrow, loosening rules concerning restricted free agents and changing the league’s disciplinary system top the list.

      The biggest points of contention are likely to be the age limit and the disciplinary system. The current deal requires a player to be 19 — and one year removed from high school in the U.S. — before he is draft-eligible. There has been talk that the league would like to raise the limit by another year, but one union source said “90 percent” of the current players are against it now.

      Hunter’s logic is interesting…

      Continue reading »

      NBA, NBA Draft, News, Rumors & Gossip

      Browns: Brady Quinn isn’t available

      April 24, 2009 /

      According to a report in the Denver Post, the Broncos recently contacted the Browns about possibly acquiring Brady Quinn and Cleveland told them that the third-year quarterback wasn’t available for trade.

      Well this blows my whole Mark Sanchez-will-be-a-Cleveland-Brown idea straight to hell. I wonder if the Browns don’t want to deal Quinn to a fellow AFC competitor or just don’t want to deal him period. Or maybe they want to deal Derek Anderson instead?

      Perhaps the biggest takeaway from this report is that the Broncos are still interested in acquiring a quarterback. When they traded Jay Cutler to the Bears a few weeks ago, several media outlets reported that Denver was satisfied with Kyle Orton as their starter.

      But with two first round picks as leverage, the notion of Denver trading one of those selections for the opportunity to trade up to draft Sanchez surely exists. It just depends on whether or not head coach Josh McDaniels feels as though Sanchez can run his offense. If he does, then Sanchez could work behind Orton until he’s ready for game action.

      Getting back to Cleveland, if Quinn is off the table, it’ll be interesting to see if the Browns make any trades this weekend involving players that are currently on their roster. For the past month, speculation has grown that the Browns could trade Quinn and/or Braylon Edwards by draft weekend, but maybe Eric Mangini isn’t as willing to part with those players as originally thought.
      I’m dying to see what the Browns do at No. 5.

      NFL, NFL Draft, Rumors & Gossip

      Peter King: Stafford is a lock to be a Lion

      April 24, 2009 /

      Matthew StaffordAccording to SI.com’s Peter King, quarterback prospect Matthew Stafford is a lock to become a Detroit Lion.

      Busy night. Very busy night, as the Lions and agents for Matthew Stafford moved closer to a deal to make the Georgia quarterback the first pick in Saturday’s NFL’s draft.

      I think the financial parameters of a deal will be done in principal by late this afternoon, though it may not be signed for a while because of its complexity. But you can take it to the bank: Stafford’s going to be a Detroit Lion.

      Although I wouldn’t rule Aaron Curry out until Roger Goodell reads Stafford’s name for the Lions’ pick Saturday afternoon, Peter King is usually spot on. He has a great relationship with NFL players and front office personnel and I trust his judgment.

      Sorry Lions fans.

      Or…

      Congratulations Lions fans – you (possibly) have your quarterback!

      NFL, NFL Draft

      Titans contact Cardinals about Boldin

      April 24, 2009 /

      According to the Nashville Tennessean, the Titans have contacted the Cardinals about possibly acquiring wide receiver Anquan Boldin.

      But the price tag, in draft picks and compensation, is a concern for any suitor. The Cardinals are reportedly seeking first- and third-round picks for Boldin, and any team that acquired him would have to pony up a new contract as well, potentially worth up to $10 million per year.

      Earlier this week, Cardinals GM Rod Graves said he’d received no offers for Boldin.
      Currently the Titans have two proven wideouts — Justin Gage and former Steeler Nate Washington, signed earlier this offseason. Adding a veteran receiver isn’t a necessity for the Titans, according to Reinfeldt, but “it would be nice.’’

      Other veterans who could be available via trade include Cleveland’s Braylon Edwards, Cincinnati’s Chad Ochocinco and Buffalo’s Roscoe Parrish.

      I like the Titans’ mindset this offseason. Even though they had one of the best records in the NFL last season, it was clear in their playoff loss to the Ravens that they lacked weapons on the offensive side of the ball outside of phenomenal rookie Chris Johnson. Nate Washington was a nice addition, but if they could somehow land Boldin, their offense would be one to reckon with in the AFC next year.

      That said, they do need to add some bulk to the interior of their defensive line after losing Albert Haynesworth, while defensive end and offensive tackle remain needs as well. So is it worth it for them to give up two picks in the first three rounds to acquire Boldin or would they be better served hanging onto those selections and possibly addressing other needs?

      NFL

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