Sports Rumors

Getty Images

Cedric Benson should know by now the eyes of Texas will be on him at all times and that he should avoid situations that carry the slightest hint of trouble, a fellow Longhorns legend says. Earl Campbell, the 1977 Heisman Trophy winner from Texas, basically agrees with Bears general manager Jerry Angelo that Benson is responsible for putting himself in the wrong place at the wrong time before being arrested May 3. Campbell told the Austin-American Statesman in Thursday's editions that Benson, facing misdemeanor charges of boating while intoxicated and resisting arrest, made a "dumb mistake."

"I think at some point you have to stand up and take responsibility and realize that you not only represent Cedric Benson and the Chicago Bears and your family," Campbell told the newspaper. "It's bigger than that. You represent the university family. You as a man should have some pride in what you do."

The comments came at a private golf tournament in Texas at which Campbell appeared with another former Texas Heisman winner, Ricky Williams-a player to whom Benson often is compared. Williams also told the paper Benson had invited him to spend that day on his boat on Lake Travis near Austin with the group of 15 friends that included Benson's mom, Jackie.

Source: Chicago Tribune

• 56 Comments
• Permanent Link
• Email this Entry
• More NFL Rumors

Getty Images

Let the countdown to Bartolo Colon's Red Sox debut officially begin. Having placed Clay Buchholz on the disabled list with a torn fingernail, the Sox need a starting pitcher Tuesday. Yesterday afternoon, Colon all but ensured he'll get the call after he allowed just one hit in six scoreless innings in Pawtucket's 2-0 win over host Buffalo.

Colon threw 64 pitches, 45 for strikes. He had five 1-2-3 innings. He did not walk a batter, while topping out at 95 miles per hour. The only hit he allowed was a fourth-inning single by Michael Aubrey. Need further convincing? It's unlikely the Sox will, assuming Colon shows no ill effects from his outing. His next start should come Tuesday night at Fenway Park against the Kansas City Royals. For the record, Colon is 14-7 with a 4.88 ERA in his career against the Royals; the only team he has beaten more often is Texas — he's 17-5 against the Rangers.

Colon opened the season in Pawtucket, but one day after pitching five innings of one-hit ball, he was placed on the disabled list April 4 with a strained oblique muscle. He has made two rehab starts since: a three-inning outing last Saturday against Norfolk in which he gave up four hits and a run, and yesterday's outing in Buffalo, a place where he once pitched while coming up in the Indians' farm system.

Source: Boston.com

• 33 Comments
• Permanent Link
• Email this Entry
• More MLB Rumors

Getty Images

Looking to stave off elimination tonight in Game 6 of their best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Boston Celtics, the Cavaliers Thursday were dealt a blow when they learned second-year guard Daniel Gibson will be out 1-2 weeks after suffering a separated left shoulder in Wednesday night's 96-89 loss at TD Banknorth Garden.

"That's a big loss for us," said guard Delonte West, who logged 43 minutes in Game 5 and may see his playing time increase tonight at Quicken Loans Arena. "He was a big key to what this team was trying to do. Just what he brings to the floor, he's not afraid to take the big shot. He's always a constant threat, spreading the floor out there."

Cavaliers coach Mike Brown described Gibson's injury, which he suffered early in the fourth quarter when he collided with a teammate while going after a loose ball, as a first-grade AC separation.

Source: Boston.com

• 49 Comments
• Permanent Link
• Email this Entry
• More NBA Rumors

Getty Images

After watching New Orleans forward David West savage the Spurs for 38 points in Game 5, San Antonio Coach Gregg Popovich apparently decided enough was enough. Popovich eschewed the overmatched tag team of Fabricio Oberto and Kurt Thomas and saddled All-NBA defender Tim Duncan with the responsibility of slowing West down. West had little trouble locating open shots during Game 5. But West was never able to establish any rhythm against the 7-foot Duncan, scoring just 10 points on 4-of-14 shooting before leaving with a back injury.

"Timmy did a good job defensively," Popovich said. "David didn't shoot it very well tonight. Sometimes that happens. It was a combination of that and Timmy playing well."

Despite his defensive pedigree, Duncan typically doesn't draw such assignments. Instead, Popovich prefers to deploy him as more of an anchor, free to cheat off lesser threats and dispense help to teammates. On Thursday night, however, Duncan spent virtually the entire game focused solely West.

Source: Times-Picayune

• 103 Comments
• Permanent Link
• Email this Entry
• More NBA Rumors

San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich turned around the Spurs' fortunes in Game 3 of their Wesern Conference semifinals series against the New Orleans Hornets by reinserting an Argentine into his starting lineup.

He now is 2 for 2 with reinstated Argentine starters. Fabricio Oberto, a teammate of Manu Ginobili's on the defending Olympic champion Argentine national team, on Thursday replaced Kurt Thomas, who had started at center in the first five games. Oberto did his typical journeyman job on the boards, grabbing four rebounds in 18 minutes and 32 seconds, but he turned into a setup man in the first half, tallying four assists.

Popovich went with Oberto to start and made Robert Horry his first big man off the bench for Game 6 because of their experience in the Spurs' systems.

Source: Express-News

• 46 Comments
• Permanent Link
• Email this Entry
• More NBA Rumors

Getty Images

The wait will be unendurable. So will four days of relentless, nails-on-the-chalkboard over-analysis. Then there will be an arena rocking harder than Bourbon Street, and memories of three recent third-quarter meltdowns, and a determined, well-rested David West greeting them inside. So how will the Spurs overcome all of this? The same way they made it through Thursday night.

"The only thing you can do," Bruce Bowen said, shrugging his shoulders, "is will your way through the madness."

That, more than even Tim Duncan's toughness, Manu Ginobili's magic and Tony Parker's quickness, has always been these Spurs' biggest strength. They weathered bad crème brûlée in Dallas in 2003 and near-disaster in Detroit in 2005 and the mayhem that was the Phoenix series in 2007, and every time they put their head down and forged on. The madness never stood a chance.

So it was no surprise that on Thursday, when things started getting chippy and the season hung in the balance, it was the Spurs who looked like they'd been there before. West would say later that he thought the New Orleans Hornets "lost our cool," and he was including himself in that summation. After he was charged with three fouls in the span of a minute, he reacted like Gregg Popovich getting a delay-of-game warning.
Popovich, for his part, was cooler on this night, and watching his team get a few calls probably helped. But even before the game, he appeared as relaxed as he had all series, and that was at least partly because he knew the pressure of an elimination game was something his team was almost certain to thrive on.

Source: Express-News

• 30 Comments
• Permanent Link
• Email this Entry
• More NBA Rumors

Getty Images

Maybe this will be the year that Patrick Ewing finally returns to New York. Mike D'Antoni said Thursday that he would consider hiring the Knicks' Hall of Fame center as one of his assistant coaches according to the New York Daily News.

"I know what he did in New York and I know that he's done a good job since he left," D'Antoni said. "He will definitely be considered."

D'Antoni is in the early stages of putting together his staff, which is expected to include his brother, Dan. The status of two of D'Antoni's other assistants from Phoenix, Alvin Gentry and Phil Weber, is uncertain. Both are still under contract with the Suns, which could prevent one or both from joining the Knicks. Herb Williams, who shares an agent with D'Antoni, likely will remain on the Knicks' bench while Dave Hanners is expected to be reunited with Larry Brown in Charlotte. Mark Aguirre and George Glymph, who were both hired by Isiah Thomas, are not likely to return.

Source: New York Daily News

• 15 Comments
• Permanent Link
• Email this Entry
• More NBA Rumors

Getty Images

Officially, the New York Jets' quarterback competition between Chad Pennington and Kellen Clemens began Monday, when offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer flipped a coin before the first offseason practice.

Pennington called heads — and heads it was, meaning he got to be the "starter" on Day 1. The two QBs will alternate through 15 practices, culminating next month with a minicamp. That they resorted to a coin toss says everything about the quarterback situation — dead even.

Cynics might call it a dead end, considering the way both quarterbacks played last season, but it won't lack intrigue the New York Daily News reported.

Source: New York Daily News

• 46 Comments
• Permanent Link
• Email this Entry
• More NFL Rumors

Getty Images

Michael Strahan doesn't appear to be close to announcing his future plans, but there is something the Giants could do to push things along. They could give him $8 million. That's the amount Strahan hopes to get from the Giants for what would likely be his final season with the team — and possibly in the NFL — if he decides to return to play in 2008, two sources familiar with his situation told the New York Daily News.

That would be double the $4 million salary he's due this season in the final year of the seven-year, $46 million deal he signed in 2002. In a meeting with Giants' officials in March, Strahan was told, "We'll take care of you" financially, according to a source, but the Giants weren't specific about those plans. According to one source, Strahan has been told the team is willing to go as high as $6 million for one season.

Strahan's agent, Tony Agnone, said money has not been discussed. It's not clear whether Strahan is willing to play for less than $8 million, nor is it clear whether he'd be willing to come to training camp as a condition for getting that much. Strahan, according to a source, has not yet been given permission to miss camp again this year without the fear of being fined. That could factor into whether he decides to return, too.

Source: New York Daily News

• 20 Comments
• Permanent Link
• Email this Entry
• More NFL Rumors