Quick Flash News

Wow I can’t believe Shaq is thinking about taking on an MMA fighter. It happens to be the same one that Jose Canseco got knocked out by! Good luck Shaq, wer’e pulling for you!

Memphis coach John Calipari could be headed to Kentucky. The Wildcats are in need of a good coach since letting go of Billy Gillispie.

John Calipari is spending Monday meeting with Memphis officials and contemplating what is expected to be a multiyear, multimillion-dollar offer to coach Kentucky, a source close to the situation said.

Calipari is the type of coach who always takes his team to the NCAA Tournament and ends up in good position. He was close to winning a championship with his Memphis squad two years ago. Not to mention he is one of the best at recruiting the nations talent. If he decides to go with Kentucky, I am positive he’ll turn them around and bring them back to the basketball empire they once were.

It will be hard for him to not carry on things at Memphis, as he has developed that program into a powerhouse.

UConn violated NCAA rules in recruiting Nate Miles, claims Yahoo Sports. UConn’s Nate Miles NCAA report today follows an expulsion of Miles from the University of Connecticut in winter 2008.

On October 2, 2008, UConn expelled Miles following allegations of abusing a female student. Miles then enrolled in junior college Southern Idaho.

In a stunning, cavernous investigative, report, Yahoo’s Rivals claims today:

Miles was provided with lodging, transportation, restaurant meals and representation by Josh Nochimson -a professional sports agent and former UConn student manager – between 2006 and 2008, according to multiple sources. As a representative of UConn’s athletic interests, Nochimson was prohibited by NCAA rules from having contact with Miles and from providing him with anything of value.

Hall of Famer George Kell died today at age 86. Kell was a Hall of Fame third baseman who edged Ted Williams for the 1949 American League batting title and became a Detroit Tigers broadcaster for nearly 40 years.

Jackson’s Funeral Home in Newport confirmed the death but did not give a cause. The Hall of Fame said he died in his sleep at his home in Swifton. Kell was severely injured in a car crash in 2004 but was able to walk with a cane about six months later.

Kell outlasted Williams for the 1949 batting crown, hitting .34291 while the Boston Red Sox great finished at .34276. Kell played 15 seasons in the AL, hitting more than .300 nine times and compiling a career average of .306. He was a 10-time All-Star.

“There’s no one who loved and respected the game more than George,” Hall of Fame president Jeff Idelson said. “Not only was he one of baseball’s true legends, but he was a fan, too. He loved coming to Cooperstown and sharing in the camaraderie with his Hall of Fame family.”

Kell played from 1943-1957 with the Philadelphia Athletics, Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox and Baltimore Orioles. He batted over .300 each year from 1946-53.

George Kell, you will be missed.

Looking on the court of the Big East Tournament I was dismayed by what I saw. In big print letters on the court was an advertisement for Free Credit Report.com, I couldn’t believe it. Not even a reputable company like AT&T or Gatorade. That company has been known to do shady practices such as hiding the fact that they charge you $15 a month for you to see your credit score, so it’s not free at all.

I dread that this could become a big problem in the near future. You could see Nike, Verizon, Pepsi, Coca Cola, all sorts of shameless advertising right on the hard wood. I’m sure the advertisers were thinking what better ad spot than the court where players run back and fourth and the fans eyes are fixed on it the whole time.

Do we not have enough advertising between game breaks and right as we come back from break. The announcers even shamelessly promote TV shows from the same network during the game. They didn’t used to do that in the eighties and before. Heck, once I even saw Kobe drink a Sprite after winning the NBA Finals. Yeah, because Sprite really quenches your thirst, ludicrous! Sure Gatorade has carbs, but it also has lots of sugar and high fructose corn syrup to fatten you up. So the regular joe who drinks it has to work out like an NBA player just to stay in good shape. There really is not substitute for water, but there is vitamin water.

Nowadays you even have ads on the DVR menu screen. There are ads by the scorekeepers bench and the commentators. You know the banners next to the tournament logo where the players sub in to the game. There is plenty of advertising so we don’t need to ruin the reputation of the game by putting ad logos on the court. Eventually it might become like Nascar with ten different logos on the basketball court, how trashy would that look? Or are we going to have ad logos on the team’s jersey because the team owner is short on cash? Hopefully this was a one time event and the league doesn’t want to ruin it’s reputation by continuing down this road. Unfortunately usually in money deals with ad companies it is a slippery slope. Once you start giving out ad spots you rarely go back and remove them.

The entrepenuer to Mixed Martial Arts fighting, Charles ‘Mask’ Lewis Jr was killed in a Ferrari crash in Newport Beach, California. It was reported that he was speeding down Jamboree road and he hit a lightpost which then split his car in half. It is a tragedy that this young fighter in the MMA industry was killed before he even got a chance to shine. Charles Lewis Jr was even one of the founders for the well known ‘Tapout’ MMA group. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.

Meghan Allen is an American model and reality show contestant. She was Playboy Cyber Girl of the Month for January 2008. Meghan first appeared in NBC reality show Fear Factor in 2004. She is also the girlfriend of NBA star player Devin Harris. Devin Harris plays guard for the New Jersey Nets and made the All-Star team for the first time this year. She stated on the Howard Stern Show on January 15th, 2009 that she is dating Devin Harris. Meghan currently resides in Dallas. In 2008 Allen was a participant in the reality show Momma’s Boy on NBC.

When the Dallas Cowboys first acquired Terrell Owens, they thought it would be a blessing. It turned out to be a curse. Now they have finally remedy the problem by letting him go. Some naysayers may say that without T.O.’s talent at wide receiver the Cowboys don’t have a shot. Others will say he brought down the team and hurt chemistry.

I’m on the side that says if you can’t keep the team together, your 99 percent unlikely to win. Jerry Jones thinks he can just put a bunch of superstars together and it will just work. Well that’s not the case, certain players don’t gel with other players, it doesn’t take a genius to figure that out. If there’s one thing we’ve learned about T.O. it’s that he’s unwilling to change his “Love me some me” attitude. That coupled with his off field complaints about not getting the ball. Yes, great receivers want the ball, but that is okay to say on the field but not to reporters. Your quarterback doesn’t like hearing he’s not making the right throws from an outside source like the media. It shakes his self confidence and leadership. How was Tony Romo supposed to be confident when T.O. is chiding every pass that doesn’t go his way. Jason Witten deserves passes as well.

Half the reason T.O. doesn’t get the ball is because he is double covered. His strength and height present such trouble, that he has to be double covered or he will score all day on you. An example of how to act would be Randy Moss. He stopped complaining when Tom Brady was in charge and gave him plenty of passes, not a hundred percent. But you didn’t see him whining when Brady threw it to someone else because Moss was double covered.

T.O. is now going to the Buffalo Bills. He is now their problem to deal with. Good riddance. I am glad the Cowboys are willing to start fresh and rebuild the team. If they want a great receiver who doesn’t complain go get Terry Holt or someone in a draft next year or a trade this year. The Cowboys never had that much drama even with Michael Irvin. Sure Irvin wanted the ball, but he didn’t whine like a boy week in and week out to reporters. It will take Jerry Jones some collaborations with coaches and players to figure out what works. There is no sure fire formula, and you can’t just throw in some good players and hope it works out. You have to interact with the team and cut anyone with off field issues or locker room tantrums. Simple as that.

Think about it, most of our TV shows are rehashed or basic concepts at best. Our movies are all remakes and sequels. Where is the excitement and the unexpected? Sports is the answer. It’s where we can go for original stories and events that will blind side us. A last second goal in NHL overtime, or a Cinderella story in the NCAA Tournament. These things keep us on our toes and leave us wanting more when it’s all said and done.

Our sports stories don’t stick to the same storyline and plot. Players and coaches get traded, good teams don’t always win in the end. Down can be up, and vice versa. We can follow players from high school to the pros. But some players saga end in college or their professional career is stopped short by injury. Their is plenty of drama and sadness. Lot’s of attachment and character development. More plot twists than your average TV story or movie. Different players step up in key moments to help their teams achieve victory and glory. Other players choke in the face of adversity when we expect them to shine.

In sports their isn’t a set villain, it’s whoever you want to make the bad guy. One man’s villain, is another’s hero. Point and case, Tom Brady, Terrel Owens, or Kobe Bryant. Some are in awe, and others despise them. People also have favorite teams and built up rivalries. This not only adds conflict to our viewing, but in our interactions with like-minded fans and rival fans. Some people may even choose friendships or who they marry based on team affiliations. A Lakers fan may not marry a die hard Celtics fan because of the tension and conflict. Odd to think of, but I’m sure it happens on multiple occasions.

Whatever the case, sports are there for us, to provide us that boost of adrenaline when other shows and films are lacking. Whether your a soccer or rugby fan or even into cricket, sports have a following and fellowship that you can’t find by going to a movie theater. Some people may say that sports are pointless. But then so would movies and tv if you think all entertainment is drivel. Sports gives guys and gals a way to bond with one another and cheer or boo teams depending on the situation. They’re are many people I would never have met if it had not been for sports.

For those of you searching far and wide for an ACC Tournament Bracket for 2009, your in luck, I made one myself. It may not be flashy, but it’ll work for office pools and friendly wagers. Enjoy!

ACC-Tournament Printable Bracket