FanHouse

Chris Bosh: Beijing Correspondent, Part IX

Randy Kim — 2008-08-27T21:38:00+00:00

Filed under: Raptors, USA Basketball, Chris Bosh

Shot the day before Team USA left for China, this latest must-see video from Chris Bosh is a quick, candid and entertaining look at what it's like to sit down for some Wendy's with Deron Williams, Dwight Howard, Chris Paul and LeBron James. Honestly, when was the last time you rolled into a San Francisco gas station and stumbled upon five of the best hoopsters on the planet? Such scenarios just do not happen all that often.

LeBron James: "Man, you get a burger, get you some gas, and get you some coffee then stay on the road for another five hours in this joint."

Chris Paul: "... and some Slim Jims ..."

Deron Williams: "I'm from Dallas ... I eat Rudy's ..."

I don't get all of it, but ... classic.

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On Flushing, Federer and Olympic 'Festivities': FanHouse Catches Up With James Blake

Randy Kim — 2008-08-27T20:22:00+00:00

Filed under: Tennis

Tennis star James Blake describes himself as "getting old" and being "a veteran on the tour," but as proven by his recent victory over Roger Federer in the Olympics, he's still got plenty of game left. So how does he feel about this year's U.S. Open? Who does he think is better, Federer or Nadal? And what are his thoughts on all the partying that went down in the Olympic Village? FanHouse talked to the native New Yorker about all this and more between matches at this year's Open. (For more from Blake, check out American Express' special Open coverage.)

Randy Kim: "So what are your expectations for this year's U.S. Open?"
James Blake: "Well, I just come in and try to prepare the best I can and be ready for anything, because I never try to set expectations in terms of getting to a certain round because I feel like sometimes that's out of my control. If a guy comes out and plays the best match of his life, you know, there's not much you can do. So I try to do my best and be ready for anything that comes my way."

Kim: "How are you feeling personally, though? Are you at the top of your game? Healthy, everything?"
Blake: "Yeah, I feel confident. I'm trying to take some positives out of the Olympics and the fact that I beat Roger Federer for the first time and won a few other pretty close matches, so I'm excited about that and I've definitely had some success this summer, so I'm definitely looking forward to this U.S. Open. Every time I get to the Open, it's a whole new shot of adrenaline for me, and the excitement of having my home fans here is just great."

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Scott Boras Is Wreaking Havoc Again

Pat Lackey — 2008-08-27T19:55:00+00:00

Filed under: Pirates, NL Central, MLB Biz

Remember two weeks ago when the deadline for signing draft picks came and went without a lot of drama from Scott Boras? How it seemed like he caved to the Pirates' and Royals' offers for the second and third picks, Pedro Alvarez and Eric Hosmer? When it comes to Alvarez, at least, things are never that simple with Boras. What seemed to be resolved on August 15th with the Pirates and Alvarez slowly devolved when Alvarez never showed up in Pittsburgh to take a physical and sign his contract. Today, things apparently hit the fan.

The ball got rolling when the MLB Players' Association filed a grievance with the Commissioner's Office (more details being constantly updated here), charging that Alvarez signed his contract after midnight on the 15th. The Pirates responded by refuting that charge and placing Alvarez on the restricted list, saying that Boras had since tried to renegotiate the contract and his client has refused to officially sign the deal that was agreed on in principle the night of the 15th.

What does all this mean? Where does this go? It's a good bet that this is rooted in Boras's dislike of the August 15th signing deadline, even though there's not much being said right now beyond run-of-the-mill finger pointing. As it stands, Boras feels the Pirates signed Alvarez to an illegal contract and the player's union is on his side. The Pirates feel that Boras is posturing for more money and the MLB higher-ups are on their side. A hearing is scheduled for September 10th, but I imagine both sides will have a lot to say before then.

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Usain Bolt's Coach: He Could Have Run 9.52 100-Meter Dash in Beijing

Michael David Smith — 2008-08-27T19:06:00+00:00

Filed under: Americas

Usain Bolt set a new world record of 9.69 seconds in the 100-meter dash in Beijing. But he started celebrating his victory after about 80 meters, and had slowed considerably before he crossed the finish line.

So how much time did Bolt cost himself? His coach, Glen Mills, estimates that it was at least .17 seconds, which means Bolt could have run an other-worldly time of 9.52.

"If he had continued, the slowest he would have run would have been 9.52," Mills told reporters ahead of Friday's Weltklasse athletics meeting in Zurich, where Bolt is due to run the 100.

"This is his first year of running the 100 meters," Mills said. "In two more years he should be peaking at this distance and by then I am certain he will be down to there."

The very idea of a 9.52-second 100-meter dash is hard for me to wrap my head around -- I remember when people thought no one would ever match the steroid-fueled 9.79 that Ben Johnson ran in 1988 -- but I think Mills is right. And at age 21, Bolt will have many more opportunities to shave time off that record. I just hope he doesn't celebrate until the race is run.

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Braves Swap Mark Kotsay to Red Sox for an Outfielder; White Flags and Such

Will Brinson — 2008-08-27T18:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Braves, Red Sox, MLB Transactions

The Braves, buried deep inside a depressing NL East vault of mediocrity, today traded starting centerfielder Mark Kotsay to the Boston Red Sox for outfielder and prospect! Luis Sumoza. At least so sayeth my Braves.com email alert, not that no one saw this coming (quote from DOB at the AJC FYI).

The teams finalized the trade Wednesday morning after spending much of Tuesday negotiating details of the deal, which sent the 32-year-old center fielder to Boston in time to be eligible for their postseason roster.

"It'll be a fun experience for the next 30 days, that's for sure," Kotsay said as he prepared to board a flight for Boston on this afternoon. "Just one of those deals, we'll get through it."

Despite the Braves' disappointing season, Kotsay said this of his eight months with the organization: "Great experience, man."

Yay! That was almost as optimistic as the Braves' email which made little or no mention of Kotsay and pimped the hell out of Sumoza's stats. Now, interestingly, Atlanta traded Joey Devine last year for Kotsay, making this a Devine for Sumoza trade.

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The Man Behind the Tom Brady Empire

Adam Gretz — 2008-08-27T17:08:00+00:00

Filed under: Patriots, NFL Fans

The man pictured to the right is Will McDonough, and apparently he's Tom Brady's right-hand man. McDonough's is a fascinating and interesting, if not completely curious, story about a young man who started off as an intern with the New England Patriots back in 1997, and eventually worked his way to the top of the Tom Brady enterprise. All while maintaining a cloak and dagger lifestyle, and staying completely out of the public spotlight.

Luke O'Brien at Boston Magazine chronicles the story of McDonough and his meteoric rise to the top, and how he's handled much of Brady's personal affairs, from helping the star quarterback assemble a team of financial advisors and modeling agents, to allegedly introducing him to his current squeeze, Gisele Bundchen.

Although his duties are shrouded in secrecy, McDonough is a de facto manager; he brokers deals and acts as a gatekeeper. Brady seems to trust him implicitly. McDonough has had a major hand in the quarterback's metamorphosis-and along the way has become an important man in his own right. One weekend, the Boston College grad might be hobnobbing with hedge fund managers. The next, he could be jetting to a celebrity-studded party. Always, he remains deeply connected to Brady as both a business associate and a best friend. Their relationship raises eyebrows, not least because of its clandestine nature. On the Patriots' payroll until this past February, McDonough has now left the team to handle Brady's affairs on his own. He has no official title. His business card simply lists his name, phone, and e-mail. It's all so East Berlin.

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NHL Looks to Freeze Unsigned Europeans

Eric McErlain — 2008-08-27T16:10:00+00:00

Filed under: Rangers, NHL Draft, NHL Economics, NHL Free Agency

While other hockey writers are grasping at straws trying to manufacture storylines, the New York Post's Larry Brooks, whose Slap Shots column is on hiatus until the middle of September, keeps pushing out newsworthy copy. The latest -- a report saying that ex-NHLPA head Ted Saskin is prepared to testify against his former employer and on behalf of the league when it comes to an important detail inside the CBA regarding European-based players:

The issue at hand concerns the status of drafted European players who do not sign before June 2 of the second calendar year following their selections. Article 8.6 of the CBA states that clubs lose their rights to such players if they are not signed on or by that date.

[...]

The NHL, however, is claiming that the absence of transfer agreements with European hockey federations renders that portion of the CBA obsolete. It is the league's position that those unsigned players revert to what was known as "defected status" under the CBA that expired on Sept. 15, 2004, and thus remain the property of their drafting clubs forever.

So what's the angle for Brooks? Of immediate concern to his hometown Rangers is the status of 2007 first round pick Alexei Cherapanov, currently playing with Avangard Omsk of the Kontinental Hockey League. That would mean that Cherapanov, among others, would be eligible for the 2009 NHL Entry Draft in Montreal if he remains unsigned. The arbitration hearing where Saskin will appear is scheduled for tomorrow.

But here's where it gets a little hairier. Cherepanov, who announced last month that he'd be playing in Russia this upcoming season instead of in North America, is represented by The Puck Agency (they're blogging these days too) the same folks who represent erstwhile Nashville Predators winger Alexander Radulov. If this interview uncovered by Beyond the Blueshirts is any indication, Cherepanov is all to aware of the potential mine field he has to negotiate these days.

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Sakic Makes Up Mind, Will Play

Bruce Ciskie — 2008-08-27T16:05:00+00:00

Filed under: Avalanche, Western, NHL General, NHL Free Agency

Unlike our friend Mats, who apparently has issues with this "decision-making" thing, Joe Sakic has figured out what he wants to do.

The future Hall of Famer announced Wednesday that he intends to play again in 2008-2009. He signed a one-year deal with the Colorado Avalanche, setting him up to begin his 20th season in the NHL.

"Ultimately, it came down to the fact that I still enjoy playing and competing," said Sakic, who won the Stanley Cup with Colorado in 1996 and 2001. "I'm comfortable with my conditioning and my overall health. I'm ready for the start of [training] camp."

When healthy last year, Sakic was still effective, averaging around a point per game in the regular season and exactly one point per game in ten playoff games. However, he wasn't the impact player we're used to seeing.

He's still a great leader and a super representative for the Colorado organization, but if the Avalanche are leaning on him to lead them to a Stanley Cup, they're crazy.

Not only that, but Sakic's return doesn't even begin to make up for the loss of Jeff Finger.

Right?

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Did the Warriors Lose a Bet With God? Monta Ellis Out 3-4 Months

Matt Moore — 2008-08-27T15:39:00+00:00

Filed under: Warriors, Western, NBA Injuries

And the hits just keep on coming.

Less than two months after losing Baron Davis in free agency to the Los Angeles Clippers and anointing Monta Ellis as their point guard of the future (a risky proposition in and of itself), the Golden State Warriors have now lost Ellis to an ankle and shoudler injury for 3-4 months, keeping him out until near the beginning of the year at least.

ESPN reports that Ellis was scheduled to undergo surgery on Wednesday to repair a torn deltoid ligament, and also has sustained a severe ankle sprain that will require his leg to be immobilized for six weeks. That would be when training camp starts, for those keeping score. The injury occured when Ellis was working out at home in Jackson, Mississippi.

So just to review, the Dubs lost their star player to free agency, signed Corey Maggette who's not really considered elite by anyone's standards, almost lost Kelenna Azubuike to an offer from the Clippers before matching, traded for the Nets' Marcus Williams, and then started to hear Stephen Jackson grumbling about his contract. Now they are face to face with the reality that their $66 million dollar investment is down and out for the first two months of the regular season at least. So if you know a diehard Warriors fan, you might want to give them a call, send them a candygram, possibly talk them off the ledge. The sky may not be falling, but it sure looks closer than it did three months ago.

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EliteXC Confident Ken Shamrock Will Be Cleared to Fight Kimbo Slice

Michael David Smith — 2008-08-27T15:31:00+00:00

Filed under: EliteXC

After I questioned today whether Ken Shamrock could be medically cleared to fight Kimbo Slice on October 4, I spoke with EliteXC Head of Fight Operations Jeremy Lappen, who told me he's confident that the 44-year-old Shamrock will get approval of the Florida State Boxing Commission.

"We're concerned about all of our fighters, we always want to make sure they're healthy," Lappen said. "We're confident that Ken is going to pass his physical exams. ... When anybody fights you have to make sure they're OK to fights, and that's the commission's responsibility."

Lappen noted that Shamrock was cleared to fight Tito Ortiz twice in 2006, once in Florida and once in Nevada.

"He got approved by Florida and approved by Nevada, two of the top athletic commissions in the country," Lappen said.

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NBA Top 50: T.J. Ford (No. 45)

Tom Ziller — 2008-08-27T15:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Pacers

FanHouse's Tom Ziller argues his ranking of the top 50 players in the NBA.

The level of bidding T.J. Ford sparked this summer seems a bit of a sham. Obviously, concerns about his spine should be a factor in considering his services; proper prudence on matters of possibly dire health is key. Thirty missed games two years after a real serious neck injury -- that's unnerving enough for me, too. But Ford has come back from each injury sparkling, and the concept of "injury histories" are mostly overblown. (See: Marcus Camby, Antonio McDyess, Steve Nash.)

This is to say that when Ford is on the court (often), he is simply spectacular. For a small (demerit) guard who can't shoot (demerit) or defend (demerit), you'd be hard pressed to find a more able lead for your backcourt. Despite playing in an offense ill-suited to his unique skills, Ford tallied a PER above 20 last season ... no small feat. Toronto under Sam Mitchell runs a slow offense, predicated on a surprising amount of isolation, draw-and-kick and high pick-and-roll play. Despite the presence of Bryan Colangelo and his Nash-style point (Ford), this was no Phoenix North.

So, if under Mitchell Ford could be an excellent offensive player, how will things go in Indiana? Well, Jim O'Brien likes to play fast -- transition offense, defensive gambling, early threes encouraged. Ford loves to gamble and is at his best in the open court (so long as Al Horford's not around). By all indications, Ford is as good a fit for Indiana's up-tempo affair as anyone. I can imagine a team that guns and slips to the rim every time down, with T.J. running the show like a Broadway choreographer.

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Merriman Says He Will Play

Bruce Ciskie — 2008-08-27T15:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Chargers, AFC West, NFL Injuries

After consulting with every doctor this side of Doogie Howser, Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman has made a rational, well-researched decision.

Or maybe he's continuing to prove that he's absolutely crazy.

"I'm going to play," Merriman said via text message to the Union-Tribune. "I'll deal with it when it's time to get surgery."

You read that correctly. Merriman, after being told by at least five doctors (counting the one employed by the team) that he needs knee surgery, is going to put off the surgery and play for the Chargers this season.

Merriman has two torn knee ligaments, and he's already acknowledged that he could be risking his career by continuing to play.

There's no question that every NFL player faces a certain amount of risk every time they put the pads on and play. It's a wonderful sport, but it's also extremely violent and unpredictable.

There's another part to this story, too.

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Oscar De La Hoya vs. Manny Pacquaio Is On, Biggest Fight of the Year Dec. 6 in Vegas

Michael David Smith — 2008-08-27T14:23:00+00:00

Filed under: Golden Boy Promotions

The world's best boxer will take on the world's most popular boxer on December 6 when Manny Pacquiao steps into the ring with Oscar De La Hoya, ESPN.com is reporting.

Although neither Pacquiao's camp nor De La Hoya's camp would confirm it, they said there is a big announcement taking place tomorrow afternoon, and all indications are that both boxers have agreed to the fight.

The fight is expected to take place at 147 pounds -- three pounds lighter than De La Hoya fought at the last time he stepped into the ring, and 12 pounds heavier than Pacquiao fought at last time. Five of De La Hoya's last six fights have been at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, and this one likely will be as well.

Pacquiao is widely regarded as the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world, and De La Hoya is the most marketable boxer in the world. Although De La Hoya is past his prime, De La Hoya vs. Pacquiao will excite boxing fans like no other fight could, and is therefore great for the health of the sport. This will be the most-watched fight of the year, by far, and it will introduce the great Pacquiao to millions of American fans.

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Maine Mailman Steals Valuable Baseball Card

Tom Fornelli — 2008-08-27T14:16:00+00:00

Filed under: MLB Fans, MLB Police Blotter

I, as I'm sure many of you are as well, am a Netflix subscriber. The idea of actually leaving my apartment to go to the local Blockbuster is just too much for me to deal with, so I need my movies delivered to me by mail. I'm a blogger, after all, and it's difficult for us to wear anything other than our underwear and leave mom's basement.

As a Netflix subscriber, I've often wondered why it takes up to a week for a movie I put in the mail to get back to Netflix when their nearest facility is located about fifteen miles away from me. Well, it appears that I may have gotten my answer. My mailman is taking those movies home and watching them himself. It's the only logical explanation.

I mean, they're already stealing baseball cards, why not my movies?

Richard Trofatter Jr., 31, of 1090 Meetinghouse Road, Wells, Maine, pleaded guilty in Portsmouth District Court Tuesday to a class A misdemeanor count of theft of lost or mislaid property. His attorney, James Noucas, told the court his client was recently treated for "obsessive compulsive behavior surrounding baseball cards" and according to a police report, Trofatter described himself as "borderline addicted" to collecting the cards.

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The LPGA Language Rule Might Not Be Legal

Shane Bacon — 2008-08-27T14:09:00+00:00

Filed under: Golf, LPGA

Just one day after the LPGA announced that you better be able to yell "sit" to your ball in English, some are wondering if this is even legal.

Starting in 2009, golfers on the LPGA will be forced to pass an English proficiency test and if you fail, you will be suspended from the golf tournament and not let back on tour until you improve your speaking skills. This all is predicated around the fact that pro-am partners and the media couldn't really communicate with some of the foreign golfers taking over the LPGA. But, forcing people to learn a language? That sure sounds like something that might break a law.

Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

"Language and national origin are inextricable," says Steven D. Jacobs, an attorney that is currently working on an English-only case at a sheet-metal factory in Connecticut. "The LPGA is making English a precondition of access. That's a classic no-no. I don't see how this will stand up in court if a player challenges it."

The LPGA is making their plan a little more clear after their fishy way of announcing the plan yesterday. The first language test will be next fall when the season is coming to a close, so if you fail a test you might have the entire off-season to not only practicing putting, but pronouncing. This might help deter anyone from missing golf at all.

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Can Ken Shamrock Pass His Physical to Fight Kimbo Slice? Commission Will Look at 5 KOs

Michael David Smith — 2008-08-27T13:59:00+00:00

Filed under: EliteXC

EliteXC announced this week that Ken Shamrock will fight Kimbo Slice in its October 4 show on CBS, a show that could be make or break for the future of EliteXC.

But before the fight can go down at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida, it must be approved by the Florida State Boxing Commission. And Alexis Antonacci, press secretary for the Department of Business and Professional Regulations, which oversees the Boxing Commission, told me today that such approval is not a foregone conclusion.

Specifically, I asked Antonacci about the fact that the 44-year-old Shamrock has lost each of his last five fights by first-round knockout or technical knockout, and whether that could play a role in the Commission determining that it isn't safe to put Shamrock in the cage again.

"That is certainly something that we look at," Antonacci said of Shamrock's five straight knockouts. "The safety of the fighters is one of our foremost concerns."

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Tiger Has No Comment on LPGA's English-Only Stance, Kultida Unimpressed

Ryan Wilson — 2008-08-27T13:43:00+00:00

Filed under: Golf, LPGA, PGA

Tiger Woods is alive and well, even though he's not scheduled to make his triumphant return to the PGA Tour until sometime next spring. Meanwhile, during an interview on CNBC's Power Lunch this afternoon, Eldrick touched on the typical fare: he's recovering well, loves spending time with his family, can't wait to play tournament golf, blah blah blah.

He also managed to get in a plug for EA Sports AND Gillette, and name-drop both Derek Jeter and Roger Federer. After dispensing with the pleasantries, however, host Bill Griffeth got all journalistic, asking Tiger his thoughts on the whole sordid LPGA mess. Awkwardness ensued:

Griffeth: Let me ask you something before you go, here ... Golfweek broke it on Monday, the New York Times put it on the front page today -- you probably saw that -- the LPGA is now going to require all of their golfers to be conversant in English next year, or face suspension. Good idea, bad idea?

Tiger: I don't know, that's the first time I heard about it. I was just in Dubai and I just got back, so ... um, that's the first time I actually heard about that, so...

Ah, yes, the ol' "I was out of the country" excuse. That used to work really well before the advent of the telegraph, and later, the phone and a little something Al Gore likes to call the internet.

It gets better:

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Stephon Marbury Might Have Just Dropped $45 Mil on a Private Jet

Will Brinson — 2008-08-27T13:35:00+00:00

Filed under: Knicks, NBA Gossip

If you're making $21 million dollars in the coming fiscal year, here is my recommendation: get an accountant. This works well because not only do you have a lot of money, but you can easily afford one! Stephon Marbury would do well to heed this advice, considering there's a rumor that he just dropped $45 million on a brand new private jet. (P-Diddy quotes included for hilarity only.)

MAYBE Knicks point guard Stephon Marbury should have consulted Sean Combs before he bought himself a private jet. Marbury - in the last year of his Knicks contract, which will pay him another $21 million - is said to have plunked down about $45 million for the aircraft. But Combs, who already owns a jet, isn't using it because fuel costs have skyrocketed. The hip-hop mogul explains on Diddy Blog No. 12, which he videotaped in an airline terminal before boarding a commercial flight, "Gas prices are too mother[bleep]ing high," Combs says, wearing an off-kilter Yankees cap. "I've been flying back and forth to LA pursuing my acting career. If I fly back and forth twice a month, that's like $250,000 round trip. [Bleep] that! I'm back on American Airlines now . . . and I'm in coach!"

I'd find this whole thing believable where it not for the part about P-Diddy claiming to fly coach. Wait ... what's that? Diddy's blog is a video??? Let's go to the tape (NSFW if your loser co-workers are opposed to F-bombs):

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Jose Guillen Restrained From Attacking Fan

Tom Fornelli — 2008-08-27T13:28:00+00:00

Filed under: Royals, AL Central, MLB Fans, MLB Gossip

There are some headlines I never expect to see when I'm flipping through the newspaper in the morning, or just surfing around the internet. It happened to me this morning in fact when I was reading the Chicago Sun-Times and found out that Jay Mariotti is stepping down as the paper's lead sports columnist (and Chicagoans everywhere wonder who will tell them their teams suck).

Then there are those headlines I read that don't surprise me at all, and I saw one of those this morning as well. It read: Royals Jose Guillen restrained from heckler. The only shocking thing about that headline is that the Royals actually have fans, because we already know Jose is bat-poop crazy.

Kauffman Stadium security removed the fan, who started in on Guillen after he stopped at first base in the second inning after hitting a drive off the wall in left field.

"When I got that hit to left field, that guy started saying all kinds of stuff. 'Why didn't I make it to second?"' Guillen said. "Hey, I hit the ball hard. People who know baseball know the guy (Rangers left fielder Marlon Byrd) made a nice play. I had no chance to make it to second. I can deal with that."

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Justin Morneau Would Like to Expand Replay

Tom Fornelli — 2008-08-27T13:04:00+00:00

Filed under: Twins, AL Central

With baseball set to start using instant replay on Thursday, there are a lot of different opinions floating around as to whether or not baseball should be doing this. Some are perfectly fine with the whole thing, thinking that it's about time the game finally adapted to this new-fangled technology, and then there are those who are whole-heartedly against it.

Hell, Sal Fasano actually compared the use of replay to armageddon (Note to Sal: Shaving your mustache? That would be armageddon). On the opposite end of the spectrum from Sal, there's Twins lumberjack Justin Morneau. Justin is happy baseball has finally decided to join the 20th century, though he wishes they weren't just using replay on home run calls.

... the Twins first baseman said Tuesday he wishes MLB would go even further and have instant replay available to decide whether any batted ball is fair or foul.

"I don't know why they didn't go all the way," Morneau said. "That could be just as big.

"Everybody's human, everybody's going to make mistakes. Why not take advantage of all the technology to make sure those [fair or foul] calls are right?"

While I don't want to go out of my way to help a Minnesota Twin feel better, I don't think Justin will have to wait too long to get his wish.

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