“font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px;”>It’s that time of the year when, if you are in the football, basketball, hockey or baseball business, your life may change.
“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: black;”>In the NFL, it’s roster bonus time. You know, that big money that is due to you in the off-season? That is when teams drop the hammer. Either take a pay cut or be cut, and in most cases they get cut.
“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: black;”>See Bob Sanders, formerly of the Indianapolis Colts, and the Rams’ Oshimigo Atogwe. Each was due big jack, and each is unemployed. There will more coming.
“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: black;”>In the NBA, with a pending lockout around the corner, players are looking to get extensions to their contracts where they would be grandfathered in after the labor unrest is quelled.
“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: black;”>If you are Carmello Anthony, you have a chance to still get paid. Anthony, though, wants his cake and to eat it too. Not only does he want to be traded from Denver, he also wants to go home and play in New York for the Knicks – with the deal offered by his current team, three years for $65 million (for more years, should he go to New York).
“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: black;”>Some will have a new address, and some will be out of the league as the teams are taking expiring contracts where it gives them cap room for signing future free agents.
“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: black;”>In hockey and baseball, it’s simple. The trade deadline is near for hockey, and there will be some people on the move. The Blues have shown they have no problem in trying to rebuild for the umpteenth time. Normally it gets them nowhere, other than some new and in most cases younger players coming and going.
“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: black;”>If you are of the baseball ilk, spring training is here and there is always a veteran trying to vie for one of the 25 roster spots on a team, though he may have the skill set of the 26th player.
“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: black;”>Players don’t just get paid for playing. They get paid for dealing with the upcoming days when their livelihood is in jeopardy as false promises and hardcore business practices come into play. “font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px;”>
“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: black;”>NBA naysayers “font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px;”>
“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: black;”>Naysayers of the NBA, now hear this. NBA All Star Weekend is the best weekend in sports when it comes to putting on a display. The players who made the game along with the future of the game are all in one place for everyone to see. It is a marketing Mecca for those who have ties to the weekend, and All Star Saturday night is still all that with all the skills competition. For those who want to see the name players in the slam dunk contest, remember, most of them have already been in it and in most cases they have won it a time or two. All sports leagues have tried to take a page or two from the NBA for good reason when it comes to their All Star games. “font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px;”>
“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: black;”>Balling Bieber “font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px;”>
“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: black;”>Is it me, or does Justin Bieber have some hoop skills? The teenage entertainment sensation showed some game on All Star Friday night. Now all he has to do is move to Australia and have St. Louis U. recruit him. The music thing can’t last forever, right? “font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px;”>
“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: black;”>Got it like that? “font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px;”>
“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: black;”>Now that Heisman Trophy Winner and National Championship quarterback Cam Newton has college in his rear view and the NFL in his sights, he shows up everywhere, All Star game included. Must be nice for not having thrown one pass in the NFL. And at the rate the labor negotiations are going, who knows when that first pass might be? “font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px;”>
“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: black;”>No place like home “font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px;”>
“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: black;”>Doug Williams is returning to
“http://espn.go.com/college-football/team/_/id/2755/grambling-state-tigers” target=”_blank”>
“text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;”>Grambling State coach.
“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: black;”>Williams, who had been working as general manager of the UFL’s Virginia Destroyers, will be formally introduced on Wednesday. He succeeds Ron Broadway, who left Grambling for North Carolina A&T.
“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: black;”>Williams, the MVP of Super Bowl XXII, played for the late Eddie Robinson at Grambling and succeeded him as coach following Robinson’s retirement. He led the Tigers from 1998 through 2003.
“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: black;”>This time, Williams will have the chance to coach his son, D.J. Williams, who has committed to play next season at Grambling. “font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px;”>
“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: black;”>Hall of Fame snub “font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px;”>
“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: black;”>Even though I was not big fan of his antics, how is it Reggie Miller is not a Basketball Hall of Fame finalist? The three-point record holder until last week was not on the finalist list. Why? Look at the names and while they may not have been on TV every night or become an accomplished broadcaster, they are all deserving of consideration. It’s good to see that some of the past has not been forgotten. Reggie will get in, but this year the class is reserved for the past and not the recently departed from the league. Check out the finalists, and you tell me where Reggie fits.
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