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      Raptors and Heat make O’Neal/Marion swap

      February 13, 2009 /

      If this trade had happened a few years ago, it would have been a blockbuster.

      The Toronto Raptors have agreed to send Jermaine O’Neal and Jamario Moon to the Miami Heat in exchange for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks, league sources told ESPN The Magazine’s Ric Bucher.

      The deal is pending league approval, according to sources, and if approved, would be announced later Friday afternoon.

      Rumors about this deal broke a few weeks ago, but died down when all the Amare Stoudemire talk started.

      The trade makes sense for both sides. The Jermaine O’Neal experiment was not working in Toronto, and by trading for Marion, they get out from underneath O’Neal’s giant contract, which runs one more year at the tune of $23 million. The Heat have been looking for a center since Shaq left, and O’Neal can be that guy. If he can post 18/10 and be a presence on the defensive end, the Heat will be a dangerous team come playoff time. The fact that his contract ends after next season still leaves Miami with plenty of cap room to sign another big name to go along with Dwyane Wade and Michael Beasley in the summer of 2010. The Heat were also able to unload Marcus Banks’ contract and they got a pretty good small forward (Moon) as part of the deal.

      In Miami, Marion was not fitting in very well and his numbers were down across the board. Toronto likes to push the ball, so if Marion can get back to his old play, they might keep him around in the offseason (assuming he doesn’t ask for a contract that will break the bank). If not, Toronto will have about $13 million in cap space this summer.

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA, Rumors & Gossip

      Top 10 College Sports Towns

      February 13, 2009 /

      Forbes.com ranked the top 10 best college football towns in America.

      Michigan Stadium1. Ann Arbor, Mich.
      University of Michigan
      At a time when most quality of life news out of Michigan is focused on Detroit’s woes, there are a lot of things to like about Ann Arbor–even if the hometown Wolverines missed a bowl this season. A four-bedroom home runs just $303,750, while median salaries are $51,232, making this the 14th most affordable market on our list. Schools ranked eighth overall, and Ann Arbor has the fourth lowest crime rate of any college on our list.

      2. Palo Alto, Calif.
      Stanford University
      Those who follow the Director’s Cup know Stanford always seems to finish at the top of the table, and last year was no exception. A family-size home costs big bucks, however–a cool $1.67 million, to be exact. Though with venture capital and technology firms around Stanford bringing in big money, the median earner in Palo Alto makes $119,046, the most of any college town on our list. Schools ranked first, and the crime rate was the second lowest. If it weren’t for the 42nd ranking in housing affordability, living on the Farm would have ranked first overall.

      3. Madison, Wis.
      University of Wisconsin
      Both the state capital and a legendary party city, Madison is one of the Midwest’s best college towns. While on the courts and playing fields, the Badgers mustered an 18th ranking in the Director’s Cup, Madison performed stronger in our quality of life rankings: seventh in affordability ($264,950 for a four-bedroom home; $50,852 median income) and 13th in our score of crime rate and education quality.

      4. State College, Pa.
      Penn State University
      While most people aren’t sure what exactly Penn State’s mascot, a Nittany Lion, is, the teams bearing that logo finished ninth in last year’s Director’s Cup. Home prices for a four-bedroom house are $307,500. Public schools rank second of the college towns measured (even though this is technically a borough), and State College had the lowest violent crime rate of college towns measured, according to FBI data.

      5. Lexington, Ky.
      University of Kentucky
      If you like basketball and horse racing, there’s no better place in the world to live than Lexington, Ky. Besides the university’s hoops team and the tracks around the city, there is quality affordable housing to be found. A four-bedroom, 2,200-square-foot home costs just $234,500, while median earners make $45,622 a year.

      I know Ohio State fans won’t like seeing Ann Arbor listed at number one, but let me say from personal experience that the atmosphere surrounding Michigan Stadium is unique. (Not to say the other college towns mentioned on this list aren’t, but there’s just a nostalgic feeling about Ann Arbor.)

      I’m sure every town listed has something special about it. I always think about that one MasterCard commercial where the two friends travel to all of the MLB parks over the summer and how cool it would be to hit up a ton of sports towns throughout the course of a year.

      College Basketball, College Football

      Suns interested in Rudy Gay? Aldridge not a part of Blazers’ offer?

      February 13, 2009 /

      Yahoo! Sports has an update on the Amare Stoudemire trade talks.

      The proposed multiplayer trade is fluid, but the framework would include the Suns receiving a package that includes Miami forward Shawn Marion and Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay. Miami would send rookie Michael Beasley to the Grizzlies.

      “Miami knows that they can’t get this done directly with Phoenix,” one league executive said. “The big thing is that they know the Suns like Gay.”

      Miami apparently has to get the Grizzlies involved because the Suns aren’t all that high on Beasley, but they do like Gay. So Phoenix would get Marion (cap relief) and Gay (young star), while Stoudemire would go to the Heat and Beasley to the Grizzlies.

      The Memphis Commercial Appeal reported that the Grizzlies rejected a Suns’ proposal of Gay, forward Hakim Warrick and point guard Mike Conley for Stoudemire.

      I would hope so.

      Before the 2008 NBA draft, the Grizzlies tried hard to trade up to get Miami’s No. 2 pick to draft Beasley. The teams never came to terms, and Memphis ultimately worked the draft-day O.J. Mayo-Kevin Love trade. Gay hasn’t meshed well with Mayo, who took over as the Grizzlies’ top scorer.

      Gay’s production is down from last season (PER: 17.34 to 14.85). I’m not sure that Beasley is going to mesh any better with Mayo. Both players are shoot-first types and there may not be enough basketballs to go around. Gay’s numbers are pretty much the same across the board, but his three-point percentage is down, which is dragging down his overall FG%. He’s still getting the same number of shots, so I’m not really clear on how Mayo is adversely affecting his game.

      The Portland Trail Blazers also have discussed a trade for Stoudemire, and sources said they have offered the expiring contract of Raef LaFrentz and rookie point guard Jerryd Bayless. The Chicago Bulls also continue to talk with the Suns about Stoudemire.

      The note about the Blazers is interesting, because a previous story had LaMarcus Aldridge involved in the trade. Without Aldridge, that trade isn’t worth it for the Suns. (And if I’m the Blazers, I don’t think I’d be giving up Aldridge to get Stoudemire.)

      NBA, Rumors & Gossip

      DVD review: The Ride of Their Lives (NASCAR)

      February 13, 2009 /

      CMT and Paramount video entertainment released a historical perspective DVD last Tuesday entitled The Ride of Their Lives, which chronicles NASCAR from its early southern roots in the 1950’s to its corporate juggernaut status of today. The pioneers of auto racing are brought to life through the words and memories of the men and women who were a part of the early days of NASCAR.

      This documentary follows the evolution of racing through archival footage of NASCAR’s first 60 years in business and also documents the technological transformation that has occurred in the sport. Long-time fans will have the opportunity to reminisce once again about the days when racing cars had the same look and feel of the automobiles that were sold at their local dealerships. It was a time when drivers repaired their own vehicles without the assistance of a pit crew.

      NASCAR is a way of life for some of the drivers as racing has been a part of their families’ lives for generations. This DVD gives an in-depth look at the history of the Petty, Allison, and Earnhardt families and delves deep into each family’s personal tragedies that have taken place throughout the years. You will also hear an emotional account of the life of Wendell Scott, the first African-American NASCAR driver and the gut-wrenching story of Tim Richmond who died from complications of the AIDS virus in 1987.

      And no racing documentary would be complete without a video montage of spectacular car crashes. My favorite was a still picture collage of an on-track fistfight between the Allison brothers and Cale Yarbrough. It serves as a great example of how tempers can flare up when drivers are jockeying for position at high speeds with a large amount of money at stake.

      Racing fans throughout the country are gearing up to converge on Daytona Beach, Florida this weekend to attend NASCAR’s equivalent to the Super Bowl — The Daytona 500 — so the DVD’s release is timely. And the interview with former NASCAR chairman Bill France Jr., where he recollects the early days drivers racing on the local Daytona beaches (prior to the speedway being built), will get fans primed for the big race.

      Reviews, Television, Video

      Couch Potato Alert: 2/13

      February 13, 2009 /

      This weekend, you will have a wide variety of sports entertainment to choose from for your viewing pleasure. If you’re in the mood for speed, then the Daytona 500 on Sunday should rev your interest. Or if you’re looking for a good rivalry matchup, then the Georgetown and Syracuse contest on Saturday should be at the top of your list. If you’re longing for a star-studded extravaganza, take a moment to tune into the All-Star Weekend from Phoenix. The NBA gets it right by showcasing the incredible talents of their stars in multiple categories, even though they lose points by changing the game of H-O-R-S-E to sponsor approved G-E-I-C-O.

      All times ET…

      NBA
      Saturday, 8 PM: Slam Dunk Competition, Three-Point Shootout, Skills Challenge (TNT)
      Sunday, 9 PM: The NBA All-Star Game from Phoenix, AZ. (TNT)

      NHL
      Friday, 7 PM: Boston Bruins @ New Jersey Devils
      Saturday, 8:30 PM: Dallas Stars @ Chicago Blackhawks
      Sunday, 12:30 PM: Philadelphia Flyers @ New York Rangers (NBC)

      College Basketball
      Friday, 9 PM: #13 Villanova @ West Virginia (ESPN)
      Saturday, 12 PM: Georgetown @ #22 Syracuse (ESPN)
      Saturday, 1 PM: #6 UCLA @ Arizona (CBS)
      Saturday, 4 PM: #25 Florida State @ #8 Wake Forest (ESPN Full Court)
      Sunday, 1 PM: #20 Illinois @ Indiana (CBS)
      Sunday, 5:30 PM: #5 Duke @ Boston College (Fox Sports)

      PGA
      Friday-Sunday, see local listings for broadcast times: AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am Tournament (CBS/TGC)

      NASCAR
      Sunday, 2 PM: The Daytona 500 (Fox)

      College Basketball, Couch Potato Alert, Golf, NBA, NHL, Television

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