12:01 tonight the FA market is open for an uncapped season in the NFL.  A safe assumption is that the Cowboys and Redskins are going to be big players as their owners love to overpay for talent.  Especially the Cowboys since owner Jerry Jones'  stadium will be hosting the Super Bowl this year.  This might be the best chance they will have to win a Super Bowl in the next few years. 

Right now it is believed that the Bears and Seahawks are the front runners for Julius Peppers.

The Chargers plan on keeping Sproles, but with the right offer, will they move him?

Will the Giants open their wallets to compete with other NFC teams and improve their D that disappeared in the second half of last season?

Will the Jets go after another DB to go along with Revis and become an impossible team to throw on?

Where will Dansby, LT, Westbrook, Rolle, TO, and others land?  stay tuned

The 2009 World Champion New York Yankees will open their 2010 Major League spring training schedule on Wednesday, March 3 at 1:05 p.m. vs. the Pittsburgh Pirates at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla. 

The Yankees will play a 33-game Grapefruit League schedule that will include 16 home games. In addition, the Yankees will play a home exhibition game against their minor league stars in their spring training finale on Saturday, April 3, at George M. Steinbrenner Field, in which all fans in attendance will receive a commemorative championship ring.

2010 NEW YORK YANKEES EXHIBITION SCHEDULE
(All times are Eastern and subject to change. ss=Split Squad)

Date Opponent/Location Time

Wed., Mar. 3 PITTSBURGH 1:05 p.m.
Thur., Mar. 4 Philadelphia at Clearwater 1:05 p.m.
Fri., Mar. 5 TAMPA BAY 1:05 p.m.
Sat., Mar. 6 TORONTO 1:05 p.m.
Sun., Mar. 7 Minnesota at Ft. Myers 1:05 p.m.
Mon., Mar. 8 PHILADELPHIA (ss) 1:05 p.m.
         Pittsburgh at Bradenton (ss) 1:05 p.m.
Tue., Mar. 9 PITTSBURGH 1:05 p.m.
Wed., Mar. 10 Detroit at Lakeland 1:05 p.m.
Thur., Mar. 11 ATLANTA 7:05 p.m.
Fri., Mar. 12 Washington at Melbourne TBD
Sat., Mar. 13 BALTIMORE (ss) 1:05 p.m.
        Detroit at Lakeland (ss) 1:05 p.m.
Sun., Mar. 14 Pittsburgh at Bradenton 1:05 p.m.
Mon., Mar. 15 Off Day
Tue., Mar. 16 HOUSTON 7:05 p.m.
Wed., Mar. 17 Philadelphia at Clearwater 1:05 p.m.
Thur., Mar. 18 TAMPA BAY 7:05 p.m.
Fri., Mar. 19 DETROIT (ss) 1:05 p.m.
        Tampa Bay at Port Charlotte (ss) 1:05 p.m.
Sat., Mar. 20 Houston at Kissimmee TBD
Sun., Mar. 21 DETROIT 1:05 p.m.
Mon., Mar. 22 Philadelphia at Clearwater 1:05 p.m.
Tue., Mar. 23 Off Day
Wed., Mar. 24 WASHINGTON 7:05 p.m.
Thur., Mar. 25 Baltimore at Sarasota TBD
Fri., Mar. 26 PHILADELPHIA 7:05 p.m.
Sat., Mar. 27 Detroit at Lakeland 1:05 p.m.
Sun., Mar. 28 DETROIT 1:05 p.m.
Mon., Mar. 29 Baltimore at Sarasota TBD
Tue., Mar. 30 TORONTO (ss) 7:05 p.m.
        Atlanta at Lake Buena Vista (ss) TBD
Wed., Mar. 31 MINNESOTA 1:05 p.m.
Thur., Apr. 1 Toronto at Dunedin 1:05 p.m.
Fri., Apr. 2 BALTIMORE 1:05 p.m.
Sat., Apr. 3 YANKEES FUTURE STARS 1:05 p.m.

The Memphis Grizzlies are sending No. 2 overall pick Hasheem Thabeet down for a stint in the D-League, the team announced on Thursday.  This prooves once again that just because you are big doesn't mean that you will do well at the next level.  Yes I understand he is still a kid and he has years to proove that he was work that early selection...But didn't we hear this about Darko Mlicic a few years back and now he most likely will be playing overseas next year.

These two aren't the only guys who were drafted early and struggled.  Some other names that come to mind: Shawn Bradley, Michael Olokandi, Eddy Curry, Kwame Brown, Hilton Armstrong, Patrick O'Bryant, and  Desegana Diop to name a few

Although Thabeet was always known more for his defense in college, averaging just 2.5 points and 2.9 rebounds in 10.3 minutes per game for the Grizzlies isn't acceptable for the number 2 pick.

Do you think Grizz fans are wishing their team took Tyreke Evans?  Right now he and Steph Curry are front runners for ROY.

The Philadelphia Eagles announced on Tuesday that they will release running back Brian Westbrook.

"Brian is one of the greatest Eagles of all time and he is even a better person and leader," said head coach Andy Reid. "In my mind, there has not been a more versatile running back that the NFL has seen. I had a conversation with Brian this morning to let him know. This is by far the most difficult part of this job. We wanted to make this move now in order to maximize Brian's chances of landing with another NFL team."

Westbrook will finish his Eagles career as the franchise's all-time leader in yards from scrimmage (9,785) after being selected in the 3rd round of the 2002 draft from Division I-AA Villanova. He also ranks 2nd in rushing yards (5,995) behind Wilbert Montgomery and 3rd in receptions (426) behind Harold Carmichael and Pete Retzlaff. In addition, Westbrook's 68 total touchdowns ranked 3rd in team history behind Carmichael and Steve Van Buren. He holds the franchise's single season record for most scrimmage yards in a season (a league-leading 2,104 in 2007) and most receptions in a season (90 in 2007). He eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark 20 times (including playoffs) during his career, tying for 2nd most in club history.

"Brian Westbrook is one of the most electric players in the history of this franchise and is certainly also one of the most popular," said Eagles Chairman Jeffrey Lurie. "He was personally one of the my favorite players to watch each and every Sunday and his playmaking abilities, leadership and values will be missed."

Said team president Joe Banner, "We all know how valuable Brian was as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles and he will certainly go down as one of the greatest Eagles of all time. But what really showed me how special a person Brian is, was watching the way he interacted with my children. That said more to me about Brian than anything else he could have done on the playing field. We will miss him both as a person and as a player."

Tiger Woods felt the need to apologize to the world.  Yes, he probably had someone else write the script for him, but honestly I feel he doesn't owe us anything.  All he owes apologies is to his wife and their kids.  All he did was show he is human and well humans make mistakes.   If they decide to get back together, well then great for them, but honestly most fans of golf only care about Tiger on the course.  The PGA needs Tiger back out there because without him it is like watching golf in the early nineties and who can tell me who won the Masters in 93 or the Open in 95?

As we have seen over the last few years, fans forgive when you succeed on the field.  From Ray Lewis involvement in a murder to Michale Vick's inexcuseable behavior with the dogfigting to AROD admitting he cheated.  Fans forgive!  By no means am I am comparing those things to this or to each other, I am just saying that these are examples of how easily we forget until the next athlete steals the spotlight of stupidity

Straighten yourself out Tiger...and get on the course

This blog was written on facebook by a friend of mine named Mark. Its really good so I wanted to share it on here. Hopefully Mark will be joining the site soon and we can read more just like this from him on a regular basis.

- Jay

Pound-for-Pound Crown

By: Mark Ona

Pound-for-Pound Crown: Part One

The honor of having the pound-for-pound title next to your name is a prestigious one. One that says, that no matter what weight class a boxer is in, he is considered to be the best boxer in all of the sport. Although the title might be considered fantasy (because we will never see a match between Klitshko and Mayweather), it is a legitimate one at that. I base my rankings on the belief that everyone's pound-for-pound list is supported by these guidelines:

• Quality of opposition
• Win-Loss Record
• Overall Skill & Performance
• Title[s] currently held

Obviously, the argument for the top spot is between Floyd "Money" Mayweather Jr. and Manny "Pac-man" Pacquiao. Because of all the controversy between both fighters about the blood testing issue, the only thing we can do at this point is debate on who the pound-for-pound title should belong to. Considering the principal standards that are stated above, I give my opinion on who should be regarded as the best boxer of our era.

I don't believe that anyone can honestly argue with the set of skills that Floyd Mayweather Jr. has. Whether you favor his style or not, Mayweather Jr. possesses skills that have dominated the sport of boxing for a long time. His speed and accuracy, along with his (defense) ability to nullify any offense that his opponents attempts is remarkable. His style has often been disparaged by many of his critics as boring, because at times his fights may seem lackluster and uneventful. Something we must understand as fans of the sport is that his style is one of the reasons he holds a record of 40 wins and no losses, and has won six world championships in five different weight classes. I, and I'm sure along with many others believe that the other reason he is 40-0 lies with his (the entire Mayweather camp) smart choice of opponents. I have confidence that the opposition in the beginning of Mayweather Jr’s career was justified because of his obvious status, however, after his initial fight with J.L. Castillo I felt that his challengers have been tailored to compliment his style and continue his unblemished record. With so much controversy surrounding Mayweather Jr. and Mosley; or Mayweather Jr. and Paquiao about who is avoiding who, the bottom line is we will never truly know. I definitely commend Floyd on his wins over fighters like Diego Corrales, Zab Judah, Oscar De la Hoya even though I think most would agree that De la Hoya was 3+ years past his prime; and his second fight with Jose Louis Castillo because I felt that Castillo should have won their first bout.

We have also witnessed Mayweather Jr’s public announcements about whom he would like to face in future bouts, but the problem is that he hasn't faced them yet. Floyd Mayweather Jr. has been blessed with a God-given talent that has brought him much success and praise; and right now he has the opportunity to go down in history as one, if not the greatest boxer of all time if he fights the top contenders of the sport. Unfortunately, until then, he cannot be labeled as the Pound-for-Pound best boxer in the world.

Pound-for-Pound Crown: Part Two

I believe that boxing supremacy lies in the gloves of its current WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao. Like Mayweather Jr., Pacquiao began his professional career at 106 pounds, and in their own separate ways; both have consumed their opposition in imposing fashions. For Pacquiao, however, an impeccable archive of victorious wins did not follow as easily. His first loss came when he fought at 113 lbs losing a 12 round decision to his fellow countryman. His second loss occurred three years later when he failed to continue after being floored by a third round knockout. Following his two early losses, Pacquiao tasted defeat only one other time. In the spring of 2005, Pacquiao adhered to a blood test two days before his fight with top contender Erik Morales, saying that it made him feel weak. The unfortunate outcome for Pacquiao after this match was a 12 round unanimous decision victory for Morales. Deciding to never take a blood test that close to a fight ever again, the Filipino superstar went on to avenge that loss with a TKO victory in the tenth round of their second fight. In the third and much anticipated final bout of their trilogy, Pacquiao gave fans a phenomenal performance sending Morales to the canvas a total of three times and ending any hopes Morales had for a world title in the third round.

Pacquiao continued his reign in the super featherweight division with impressive wins over Jorge Solis, Juan Manuel Marquez, and future hall of famer Marco Antonio Barrera. After his fifth and sixth world titles, he decided to make history and face the WBO welterweight champion, and top pound-for-pound warrior Miguel Angel Cotto. This win marked the legacy of Manny Pacquiao’s illustrious career in the sport of boxing.

If we take into consideration the three boxers both Pacquiao and Mayweather fought, we must take the circumstances surrounding the fights into consideration as well. In Mayweather Jr. vs. Marquez, Mayweather Jr. showcased superb talent with a 12 round unanimous decision win against a fighter that has never fought above 135 lbs; only to appear at the weigh-ins two pounds heavier than their weight agreement and four pounds heavier than the lighter Juan Manuel Marquez. Pacquiao, rather, fought a 24 round war ending in a draw and a win. To his credit, Pacquiao is obviously not the same fighter he was when he clashed with Marquez in early 2008. If the two were to fight now, Pacquiao would only crush and end the Mexican fighter’s career.

In De La Hoya, Pretty Boy Floyd admissibly won a close 12 round split decision in 2007, only to retire avoiding any possible rematch that the Golden Boy had already demanded. While in 2008, Pacquiao dismantled the boxing legend not allowing him to advance past round eight. Though it was known that De La Hoya became dehydrated cutting down to 145 lbs. Pacquiao still rose two full weight classes above what was already considered to be too heavy for him at the time.

Hatton challenged Mayweather Jr. at 147 lbs, a weight class undeniably uncomfortable for the English boxer; considering that Hatton has only competed at 147 lbs. on one other occasion in his career. Hatton was completely outclassed before being knocked out in the tenth round. This fight, nonetheless, was another admirable performance by Floyd Mayweather Jr. As for the Filipino phenom, six minutes was a sufficient amount of time to beat his opponent. Before the sound of the bell in the second round, Pacquiao delivered to Hatton a left hook to the chin that paralyzed the Hitman for several minutes. This, once again, demonstrated the breed of big punchers that Pacquiao comes from.

The dictionary defines a champion as a person who has defeated all opponents in a competition. All of the greats: Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, Roy Jones Jr., and now Manny Pacquiao, have losses in their careers, yet they have confronted the best fighters in their respective weight classes. Pacquiao continues to amaze audiences with his style and his heart. He has already cemented his fellowship amongst the greatest boxers of all time. Before Floyd Mayweather Jr. can be crowned the undisputed pound-for-pound best boxer of our era, he must first beat the best boxers of our era, or he could just beat Pacquiao!

TAMPA, Fla. -- It was the first day back at the spring office, and Joe Girardi couldn't help but like what he saw. Players were showing up in shape and on time, the manager's uniform fit like a glove and -- most importantly -- there was a new celebratory banner hanging over the walkway to the dugout.

The cast of characters has changed slightly from the group that celebrated that World Series title, but none of the arriving pitchers and catchers needed to check their lockers for a memorandum from Girardi's office. For Yankees new and old, the mission statement doesn't need to be repeated.

"The expectation here is the same every year, so in a sense you're supposed to repeat every year," Girardi said. "We understand that. The players in the room understand it. It's something that the organization has always stood for."

On the eve of the Bombers' first Spring Training workout, the skipper of the defending World Series champions met with the media for more than 30 minutes in a party tent adjacent to George M. Steinbrenner Field, addressing numerous topics in a wide-ranging interview.

Girardi said that his No. 1 concern heading into the spring, outside of injuries, is ironing out how the lineup will look after the departures of Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui and Melky Cabrera.

Derek Jeter returns to the leadoff spot, but the Yankees will decide between Curtis Granderson and Nick Johnson in the two-hole, with one of those players likely hitting seventh. Robinson Cano, Jorge Posada and Nick Swisher will also be among those juggled as Girardi tries to find a consistent order by the end of the spring.

"There's a ton of talent in that room, and we have very good hitters up and down that lineup," Girardi said. "You want to try to find the right mix, and we found it last year. Part of the reason was that we were able to keep people healthy. We kept Matsui, Posada and Johnny healthy for the whole year.

"We struggled a little bit early, because Alex [Rodriguez] wasn't healthy, and Alex is extremely important. The concern is where we put them, not that we don't have the right pieces. I believe we have the right pieces."

The Yankees' main battles heading into the spring will concern the outfield and the fifth spot in the rotation. Granderson and Brett Gardner offer two capable options for center field, with the loser of the center-field battle likely to slide over to left field, while Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes lead a pack of candidates to round out the starting staff.

Girardi said that he knows Granderson can play left or center field without issue and believes that Gardner can learn to play left. While Granderson is athletic enough to go back and forth between left and center depending on if Gardner is in the lineup, Girardi said he would prefer to have players in a set position.

"Right now we have what I believe are two good center fielders," Girardi said. "The criteria is that we will look at what's best for the team and what we think gives us the best chance to win every day."

As for the rotation spot, the Yankees will consider Alfredo Aceves, Chad Gaudin and Sergio Mitre along with Chamberlain and Hughes. Girardi said that the competition should benefit all parties involved, but he wants to make sure the youngest candidates don't get amped up too early.

"The one thing as a manager that you worry about is that they start competing tomorrow," Girardi said. "I don't want them to compete tomorrow. I want them to get ready to pitch in a couple of weeks from a physical standpoint. But I expect [those] two guys to pitch at a very high level."

In what is shaping up as a relatively calm Yankees camp, one of the few juicy tabloid storylines will be the respective contract statuses of Girardi, Jeter and Mariano Rivera, though the club has said that it will stick to policy and not negotiate any extensions in-season. Girardi said that stance will be just fine for him.

"I'm one of 30 guys who's got a job in the big leagues as a manager," Girardi said. "I consider myself pretty fortunate, actually, because I've been on both sides. I've been a manager and I've not been a manager for a year. It's a lot better when you have a contract, so I feel pretty good about that."

After reaping the social benefits of a team-wide billiards tournament last spring, Girardi said the Yankees are planning a similar bonding exercise for March 2, the day before exhibition games begin. Some ideas like paintball and bowling were rejected due to injury concerns, but the team will have fun again on an off-campus field trip to be determined.

"I thought it gave guys a chance to mingle with guys they don't necessarily all get a chance to mingle with -- to talk to each other, learn about each other, and compete against each other," Girardi said. "Competition is fun. I think that brings out the best in people."

Girardi said that he would hold off on offering a rah-rah speech to the pitchers and catchers before Thursday's workout, wanting to save his "A" material for the first full-squad gathering on Feb. 24.

But the general address will convey the idea that what happened in 2009 was wonderful, but it won't guarantee anything once Opening Day arrives.

"The gist of that message is, 'It all starts over,'" Girardi said. "You can't rely on what we did last year. You can pull from your experience, but it all starts over, everyone is 0-0 going into April 4. We know what it took last year, and we have to work hard and get that feeling back."

Source: yankees.com

With the trading deadline about 24 hours away, the Knicks are looking to be players in making some moves.  The two main deals involve Nate Robinson and the other having Tracy McGrady come to NY.

Some reports have the Knicks trading Nate Robinson to the Celtics for Eddie House and a draft pick.  This move doesn't do much for this season or next, but at least it gets Robinson out of here.  He never should have been signed as his antics were more common than his scoring.

The other deal that the Knicks are trying to work out is to bring McGrady here from the Rockets.  The most recent rumor has the Bulls looking to get in on him as well.  Both teams have reportedly sent offers to Houston and a deal should be finalized today.

The Knicks are offering Jared Jeffries, Larry Hughes, Jordan Hill, and a 2012 first round pick, which would free up $9.4 million in cap space this summer. The Bulls have countered with Tyrus Thomas, Brad Miller, and either John Salmons or Kirk Hinrich. Rockets GM Daryl Morey is not in love with the idea of Jeffries so the Bulls may have a leg up.

The Devils will return a different team than the one that skidded into the Olympic break. Whether they'll be better depends on whether coach Jacques Lemaire can restrain himself and un-burn them out.

They'll be better just for the returns from fractures of Paul Martin and David Clarkson, better for the further acclimation of Ilya Kovalchuk, and better for the trade that sources told The Post general manager Lou Lamoriello is still pursuing for another center.

Lamoriello, sources say, was in the hunt for Matt Cullen, who went to Ottawa from Carolina, and has made inquiries about Matt Stajan, who left Toronto for Calgary. His interest in a center is a certainty.

Another forward, Alexei Ponikarovsky, who plays like a center, is likely to be moved out of Toronto, and he may be the best they had. There has been speculation, idle or not, from NHL team officials that he could be Jersey-bound.

The main issue confronting the Devils is the fatigue on their best players, a situation only deepened by the Olympics, where Martin Brodeur, Zach Parise, Kovalchuk, and Jamie Langenbrunner will get none of the rest they so urgently need (although Patrik Elias shouldn't be so affected, having played only 37 of 61 games). They looked a tired bunch after they hit their high-water mark of 32-11-1 by beating the Rangers in a 1-0 shootout Jan. 12. They've won five of their last 17 (5-10-2) thereafter, Jekyl and Hyde.

The Devils worked miracles by working like dogs in the first half of the season, pure and simple. By February, they were worn out. Brodeur had played far too often and showed the tell-tale effects, first by allowing short-side goals, second by over-anticipating passes, third by struggling against long shots.

The break -- and especially the return of Martin -- should be a blessing for defensemen Andy Greene and Mike Mottau, logging 24 and 22 minutes respectively, without complaint, playing the right side as lefties -- a task difficult enough that Scott Stevens was reknown for his unwillingness to flip. Foes are starting to come at them, they're worn out from heavy and underappreciated difficult duty, and it showed.

Where they'll put Clarkson is a happy question. They're loaded with wingers as it is, but they'll find a place for this sparkplug, who was one of the highlights of their early season, sharing second place in team goal-scoring when he left the lineup.

But it won't much matter if Brodeur, Langenbrunner, Parise and Greene are fried for Game 1. Lemaire must force himself to limit their workload, and if they fall from the division lead, so be it. Otherwise, a third straight first-round exit looms.

Source: NY Post

Omar Minaya is taking the fifth on who will pitch the eighth.

The Mets general manager has arrived in Port St. Lucie, certain there will be open competition for several jobs once the first official spring workouts begin on Saturday. Among the significant battles will be for the eighth-inning setup role, leading into closer Francisco Rodriguez.

Unlike last season, when J.J. Putz was handed the job in spring training -- he ultimately aggravated a bone spur in his right elbow and had to be shut down in June -- the Mets appear to be taking a wait-and-see approach on the eighth inning this season.

Kelvim Escobar, Ryota Igarashi and Bobby Parnell are the main candidates, with Sean Green also in the mix.

The team would like to avoid an eighth inning by committee and have one reliever emerge.

"You like to be able to have that," Minaya said yesterday. "We had it in 2006 when we had a successful year. In '07 we were fine early on and then at the end of the year it didn't happen. Not too many teams have that eighth-inning guy locked up."

It was actually a combination of Duaner Sanchez and Aaron Heilman that handled the job in 2006, with the latter taking the baton after Sanchez was involved in a taxi accident that cost him the last two months of the season. In the succeeding seasons, Heilman, Scott Schoeneweis, Putz and Parnell were just some of the relievers who claimed the setup role and pitched to mixed results.

The front runner heading into camp seems like Escobar, whom the Mets signed as a free agent in December.

The 33-year-old right-hander began his career as a reliever with the Blue Jays but became primarily a starter for the Angels, winning 18 games in 2007. He appeared in only one game over the last two seasons as he dealt with shoulder problems.

Minaya said the team will go slow with Escobar this spring, but could envision him getting the setup role.

"Let's see how he pitches, first," Minaya said. "But at some point in time we see him being that guy. He's done it before."

Igarashi brings a big fastball from Japan, where he pitched 11 seasons for the Yakult Swallows. The Mets signed the 30-year-old right-hander to a two-year deal worth $3 million.

Parnell had a dominant stretch last season in the sixth and seventh innings, but struggled in the setup role after Putz was sidelined. By the end of the season, the Mets were experimenting with Parnell in the starting rotation, where he struggled. Parnell is not a candidate for the rotation this season.

For now, Minaya is optimistic about the team's setup choices, even if there is not a slam dunk for the job.

"When you have Frankie Rodriguez on the back end that helps, and you have [Pedro] Feliciano who has been very consistent, that helps also," Minaya said. "We have some guys coming into camp who we'll find out about. We'll see how it comes along."

Source: NY Post