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      Bengals sign wide receiver Laveranues Coles

      March 4, 2009 /

      After losing T.J. Houshmandzadeh to the Seahawks on Monday, the Bengals addressed their need at wide receiver with the signing free agent Laveranues Coles to a four-year, $28 million contract.

      Considering Housh got $8 mil per year over the next five years, it would appear that the Bengals overpaid for Coles. But keep in mind that once Houshmandzadeh was signed, Coles became the best wideout on the market and therefore was able to cash in.

      At 31, Coles is no spring chicken but he can still play. He’s a solid overall athlete, an excellent route runner and he isn’t afraid to block. Despite missing six games last year due to injury, Coles is strong and durable. He doesn’t have elite speed and he won’t run away from defenders in the open field, but that doesn’t mean he can’t create separation.

      Despite paying what I estimate to be about a mil more per year than he is worth, this was a nice signing by the Bengals. The addition of Coles will allow Cincy to concentrate on their other needs in the draft and now they won’t be tempted to select a wideout early when those picks could better be used to address the offensive line and defense.

      NFL

      Cuban blasts Mavericks’ effort

      March 4, 2009 /

      After losing to the Thunder Monday night, Mark Cuban was highly critical of his team.

      After the Mavericks were humiliated Monday by an Oklahoma City team playing without its top two scorers, Cuban lashed out, and for the first time indicated that there are no untouchables on the team.

      “It’s only one game, which I keep reminding myself of today. But let’s just say I wasn’t happy with our preparation, execution or effort. Not only did it look like we had no idea what we were doing, but we did it without effort. The effort and energy, on both sides of the ball, by each player will decide their future with the Mavericks.

      “If each player can’t take the personal initiative to make every game important and play like it, I don’t see them being here next season. The ball won’t always bounce the way we want it to, but every player can control their level of effort. If it’s not important enough to them to lay it out every game the rest of the season, they won’t be back. I don’t care what their contract is. I would rather turn over the roster 100 percent than subject fans to another game like last night.

      “This team has the talent to win in the playoffs. But that’s only going to happen if all 15 guys know and execute their assignments and play every possession like it’s important.”

      Cuban’s comments are totally justified. The Thunder played without Kevin Durant and Jeff Green, starting a lineup of Russell Westbrook, Kyle Weaver, Thabo Sefolosha, Nick Collison and Nenad Krstic. Ouch.

      This is the first time that Cuban has indicated that Dirk Nowitzki might not be untouchable anymore. He’s exactly right about how there are nights when the ball doesn’t go through the hoop or that the other team can’t miss, but the effort should always be there. These guys are making millions of dollars to play a game, and while the rest of the economy is tanking and people across of the country are losing their jobs, the least the Mavs can do is play as hard as they can while they’re out on the court. Anything less is an embarrassment and a slap in the face of their fan base.

      The Mavs are on notice.

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA, Rumors & Gossip

      Report: Gooden to join Spurs

      March 4, 2009 /

      It looks like the Spurs will be able to make a moderate free agent addition in their quest for another title.

      Barring an unforeseen snag, Drew Gooden will be joining the San Antonio Spurs later this week, according to NBA front-office sources.

      Sources told ESPN.com on Tuesday that Gooden — waived Sunday by the Sacramento Kings before the midnight deadline to be eligibile to play in the playoffs with another team — has made known his intent to sign with San Antonio after clearing waivers Wednesday.

      Gooden was pursued by several playoff-bound teams this week, including San Antonio’s divisional rivals in Dallas and New Orleans.

      But the Spurs have nearly $1.5 million remaining from their mid-level salary-cap exception to offer Gooden for the rest of the season, as well as a shot at title contention.

      San Antonio should be a great fit for Gooden. For years, the Spurs have been looking for another big body to play alongside Tim Duncan. He has his faults, but Gooden can rebound and score a little bit and the Spurs should be able to use him in crunch time. He falls asleep defensively sometimes, but you can bet that Gregg Popovich will have him focused and ready to defend. He will eat into the minutes of Kurt Thomas, Fabricio Oberto and Matt Bonner.

      This is a nice signing for the Spurs. They had a big hole on the front line and they managed to fill it for $1.5 million. Not bad.

      Fantasy Basketball, Rumors & Gossip

      Matt Vasgersian drops F-bomb on MLB Network

      March 4, 2009 /

      The MLB Network isn’t even three months old yet and Matt Vasgersian is already letting the accidental profanity fly on air.

      The NSFW video is below.

      That will be played as a drop on all sports radio stations across the country in a matter of no time.

      MLB, Video

      NHL Trade Deadline: Deal or no deal?

      March 4, 2009 /

      With hours remaining before the NHL’s trading deadline at 3 PM (ET) today, hockey fans want to know…

      Who’s buying?

      Who’s selling?

      Who’s going to be traded?

      Rumors are running rampant, and it’s very hard to distinguish fact from fiction. 25 of 30 teams in the league have a realistic shot of making the playoffs, and nine of them are legitimate Stanley Cup contenders. You can expect a number of trades today, as a combined 50 deals were executed at the trade deadline in the past two years.

      Here are six likely candidates:

      Chris Pronger – D, Anaheim Ducks
      His immediate impact as an offensive defenseman could be very beneficial to any team that would acquire him. The Ducks are looking to make a major roster overhaul this off-season, and cannot afford to keep Pronger’s large contract ($6.25 million) on the cap next season. He is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) after the 2009-10 season.

      Tomas Kaberle – D, Toronto Maple Leafs
      He has an iron-clad no-trade clause in his contract, but the Canadian press is reporting that Kaberle gave Maple Leaf GM Brian Burke a list of 10 Eastern Conference teams for which he would waive his no-trade clause. Their asking price could be a stumbling block, as Burke is requesting a minimum bid of a first-round draft choice, an impact roster player, and a prospect from any prospective buyer.

      Jay Bouwmeester – D, Florida Panthers
      Panthers GM Jacques Martin will have a tough deadline decision to make today. Does he acquire a nice package to aid his team’s effort in making a playoff run or does he stand pat and allow Bouwmeester to become an UFA after the season? The Panthers haven’t been in the playoffs since the ’99-’00 season, and must show their fans some progress.

      Keith Tkachuk – C/LW, St. Louis Blues
      Here’s another veteran player with a no-trade clause in his contract, and the local media is reporting that Tkachuk is willing to waive it for the right opportunity. The Blues have made a late run for a playoff spot, but they haven’t secured a position yet. If Tkachuk is traded, this will be sign that ownership has decided the playoffs are out of reach and believes he deserves one last opportunity to play for a Stanley Cup.

      Olli Jokinen – C, Phoenix Coyotes
      The Coyotes are on the brink of financial ruin with no immediate help in sight. They have fallen out of the playoff picture, but upper management is convinced that Jokinen still remains a key ingredient to their recipe for success. All media reports have stated that the Coyotes will need to receive a helluva offer to pry him out of Phoenix. Contenders are trying to gauge the Coyotes’ level of desperation before submitting trade offers.

      Ryan Smyth – LW, Colorado Avalanche
      The Avs are in a rebuilding mode and Smyth’s salary ($6.25 million) is an albatross around their neck. He is one of few Avalanche players that could bring value back in a trade, but Colorado’s asking price has been too high for most teams to even continue trade talks. If their price comes down, then Smyth will be traded by the deadline.

      Let the trading begin…

      NHL

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