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      Adam Wainwright could need Tommy John surgery

      February 23, 2011 /
      St. Louis Cardinals Adam Wainwright delivers a pitch to the San Diego Padres in the fourth inning at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on September 19, 2010. Wainwright picked up his 19th win of the season the 4-1. win. UPI/Bill Greenblatt

      The Albert Pujols contract situation just took a backseat to more depressing news for St. Louis Cardinal fans.

      Adam Wainwright suffered what is being called a significant elbow injury in spring training and the early reports are that he’ll need Tommy John surgery.

      Make no mistake, this would be a disastrous situation for the Cardinals. As in, hey Milwaukee Brewers, the door is open, why don’t you come in and make yourself at home at the top of the NL Central kind of disastrous situation. Wainwright is one of the game’s best pitchers and has finished in the top three of the NL Cy Young balloting each of the past two seasons. Without him in the rotation, the Cards will certainly struggle to stay afloat in the division.

      If he does wind up having surgery, the options are slim for replacements. According to ESPN’s Buster Olney, early speculation is that the Cards will go after Kevin Millwood, which wouldn’t be a bad move. Millwood is 36-years-old and had an ERA of 5.10 last season, but he would benefit from the move to the NL and the pitcher-friendly Busch Stadium. He’s better than a sharp stick in the eye.

      But obviously Millwood is no Wainwright. Assuming he’s out for the season, this injury not only hurts the Cardinals but the game of baseball as well. Major League Baseball needs its stars on the field.

      External Sports, MLB

      UFC 127 News: Bisping angered by Rivera’s antics

      February 23, 2011 /

      According to HeavyMMA.com, Michael Bisping is not happy with Jorge Rivera’s antics leading up to their UFC 127 showdown and plans to do his talking inside the Octagon.

      Michael Bisping is not a happy camper.

      The smack talk and videos Jorge Rivera has produced leading up to their UFC 127 showdown has angered the British middleweight.

      Bisping had been uncharacteristically quiet leading up to this weekend’s event, but that all changed during the UFC 127 pre-fight press conference on Tuesday.

      “For me, I’ve got a big fight to prepare for. I’m fighting in the premier fighting organization in the world, and I’m trying to act accordingly,” said Bisping. “I’m a professional fighter. I’m not an idiot in the schoolyard making up silly rhymes and jokes and making stupid videos.”


      Read the full article.

      External Sports, Mixed Martial Arts, UFC

      Revisiting the Jeremy Shockey trade; could he wind up in Miami?

      February 22, 2011 /

      The Saints dumped tight end Jeremy Shockey on Tuesday and while some are surprised by the move, it’s hard to fault New Orleans given the circumstances.

      Shockey was scheduled to make $4.5 million next season, is injury prone and was less effective than fellow tight end Jimmy Graham in Sean Payton’s offense last year. At 30, it’s clear that Shockey’s best days are behind him and his nine seasons in the league have taken a toll on his body.

      As often the case when a player is cut, his release got me thinking about the trade the Saints made in 2008 to acquire him from the Giants. On paper, New Orleans definitely got the better end of the deal. Shockey racked up 139 receptions, 1,460 yards and six touchdowns for the Saints over the last three seasons. He also helped them beat the Colts in Super Bowl XLIV by catching a touchdown pass in the second half.

      The second round pick that the Giants acquired in the deal was used on linebacker Clint Sintim, who only has 33 tackles in two seasons and regularly can’t find the field. The fifth round selection that New York also received in the trade netted quarterback Rhett Bomar, who is now on Minnesota’s roster.

      But just because Sintim hasn’t panned out (yet) doesn’t mean the Giants didn’t find value in trading Shockey. It’s well known that he was a constant distraction for Eli Manning, who went on to have a career-year (statistically, at least) in 2009 when Shockey was in New Orleans. It has also been noted that Manning played better the year the Giants won the Super Bowl because Shockey suffered a season-ending injury in December.

      Thus, trading Shockey offered New York addition by subtraction.

      Where he’ll resurface is anyone’s guess but if I were to make a prediction I would say Miami. He played for “The U” in college and while Anthony Fasano is a solid option as both a blocker and receiver, new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll loves to work the middle of the field with his tight ends (almost to a fault).

      Of course, the Patriots proved last year that teams can be highly effective with two tight ends, so Shockey could wind up anywhere.

      External Sports, NFL

      Did the Knicks give up too much to get Carmelo?

      February 22, 2011 /

      ESPN’s John Hollinger answers this question with an emphatic “yes.” In his trade grades column, he gave the Knicks a D+ in this deal.

      The worst part, of course, is that this deal proves that no matter how many advantages New York gains from its magnetic appeal to potential free agents, owner James Dolan will screw them up. Leaning on the genius of Isiah Thomas — because it worked out so well for the first time — he fell hook, line and sinker for every bluff thrown his way by the Nuggets and Melo’s people. (Yes, Melo’s people participated — Anthony needed to make sure he got a lucrative contract extension under the current salary rules before being traded.)

      New York still gets its Melo-Stoudemire nucleus, but now lacks the supporting pieces to do anything important with that core. And by extending Melo now, they agree to lock him up at such an expensive price that, in concert with Stoudemire’s deal, it likely precludes making a run at Chris Paul, Deron Williams or Dwight Howard in 2012.

      The Knicks were bid up by the Nets, who never really had a chance at acquiring Carmelo in the first place. It would have been worth all of this to acquire a Top 5 player like LeBron James or Dwight Howard, but Carmelo is in the second or third tier of NBA stars and by acquiring and extending him now, they’re going to be paying a premium for his services for the next three or four years. His contract could make things especially tough if there’s a hard(er) cap.

      External Sports, Fantasy Basketball, NBA

      Report: Tim Tebow doesn’t have full support of new Denver staff

      February 22, 2011 /
      Denver Broncos rookie QB Tim Tebow (15) hands off to Correll Buckhalter in the fourth quarter against the Oakland Raiders at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California on December 19, 2010. Tebow ran for 78 yards and a TD in the Broncos 39-23 loss to the Raiders. UPI/Terry Schmitt

      If NFL Network’s Michael Lombardi’s latest report on Tim Tebow is true, don’t rule out the Broncos selecting a quarterback with the second overall pick in this year’s draft.

      Tim Tebow, a first-round pick last year, was not selected by new coach John Fox. Most members of the Broncos who were there when the Tebow pick was made are looking to distance themselves from the choice, which is a classic way for things to operate in the NFL.

      Last year, no one associated with the Broncos complained about the Tebow pick, thinking they were being loyal to the head coach, when in reality, not voicing an opinion or pretending you like a player is the highest form of disloyalty and disservice.

      So Tebow is a man without much support in Denver, making quarterback a huge need. Can the Broncos be so focused on defense that they ignore an NFL team’s most essential position? Or will they feel like Kyle Orton can manage the game well enough to allow them to replenish the defense, something near and dear to Fox’s heart?

      This isn’t surprising. It’s customary for a new coaching staff to want nothing to do with a young quarterback when they didn’t have a hand in drafting him. But I find it hard to believe that John Fox and Co. have already soured on Tebow when they haven’t seen him take a snap in practice, let alone a live game.

      But Lombardi is a reliable source, so maybe the report has legs. There were many teams willing to pass on Tebow last April because of the project he represented at the next level. He was a great college quarterback because the offense that Urban Meyer ran at Florida was the perfect blend of single wing running and spread passing. Unfortunately for Tebow, nobody runs that offense on a consistent basis in the NFL.

      It would be unfortunate if Fox gave up on Tebow before giving him a fair shake, especially considering he stuck with Jake Delhomme in Carolina for so long. (Delhomme was absolutely brutal in the final years under Fox.) But I can’t fault Fox for wanting to develop his own quarterback. After all, he didn’t draft Tebow – Josh McDaniels did.

      If Denver does rid itself of him, here’s hoping Tebow winds up in New England. At least then Bill Belichick will figure out a way to get him on the field. Whether or not he can be a starting quarterback in the NFL is up for debate, but the kid is a football player through and through and deserves to play.

      External Sports, NFL

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