Categories
Denver Broncos

Doesn’t sound like Jay Cutler believes Brandon Marshall’s McDonalds story either


Jay Cutler is not very happy with Brandon Marshall right now. The young gun starting quarterback in Denver conducted his first interview since the season ended and most of his comments dealt with wide receiver Marshall and all of his off-the-field shenanigans; the latest being an injured arm that supposedly occurred when Marshall slipped on a McDonald’s bag and went crashing through his television while roughhousing. While Cutler isn’t up to Phillip Rivers’ level when it comes to talking trash, the John Elway wannabe certainly got his point across and slipped in a few shots to boot.

Yeah, he’s not my favorite person right now,” Cutler said. “I mean, I support him, but it’s always something with him right now.” …

I’ve talked to him many times. I think a lot of people have. … He knows he’s running out of chances,” Cutler said. “This wasn’t like his DUI and other stuff he’s had. It was an accident, but still, things like that can’t happen. He knows it.

“But like I told him, I said, ‘Brandon, they’re going to quit giving you chances and you’re going to have to go somewhere else. And that’s going to be a shame.”‘

Marshall said last week that he realizes he has to grow up and that his freak injury was a wakeup call.

“His DUI was a wakeup call,” Cutler retorted. “He’s had many wakeup calls. I mean, he’s been in (coach Mike) Shanahan’s office many times. I’ve been up there with him. He said the same thing: ‘This is a wakeup call. This is the last thing that’s going to happen. Blah blah blah.’ I mean, until he goes out and proves it, we’ll see what happens. …

I love Brandon to death and he’s a great kid at heart. I don’t think he goes out there looking for trouble. He’s not at bars late. He’s not doing those things that other people do. It’s just something about him. He’s always into something,” Cutler said. “Like I told him, ‘I haven’t lost faith in you. I’ll still support you. But … you’re going to have to prove yourself this time.’

We certainly can’t blame Cutler for being a little lot peeved with Marshall, but dissing him in public probably isn’t going to go over too well with the “kid.” We wouldn’t be surprised one bit if Marshall’s fist goes right into Cutler’s face at some point this season; of course, his severed artery, vein, nerve, two tendons and three muscles have to heal first.

Links:

[CBS4Denver.com]: Cutler Rips Into Troubled WR Brandon Marshall

Categories
MLB General

2008 MLB Payrolls



It’s good to be A-Rod

The 2008 Major League Baseball payrolls were released today and the Yankees somehow managed to spend more than ever with a total payroll of $209M. That is a $14M increase over last year’s payroll, which incidentally bought them a first round exit out of the playoffs by the Indians, who cost about a third as much. It’s hardly surprising that the Yankees are #1 when you consider that A-Rod will make more than the entire Florida Marlins roster this year.

The real surprise is that the Red Sox are no longer #2.  Boston actually pared payroll by $10M this season and have been supplanted by the Detroit Tigers, who acquired Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera in the offseason, apparently with designs to win it all this year.  The Tigers spent a league high $43.5M more this year vs 2007.  Other teams who really opened up the checkbook this year are the Mets (+$20M) and the… Rays?  Tampa Bay spent an extra $20M this year but still ranks next to last with a total payroll of $43.8M.  

Besides the Red Sox, the Giants, A’s, and Orioles all stand out for significantly reducing payroll when MLB as a whole spent an additional $203M this year vs 2007.  For the record, the Rockies only spent $54M on payroll last year.

The entire 2008 MLB Payroll numbers after the jump.

Continue reading “2008 MLB Payrolls”

Categories
Phoenix Suns

Around the Rim: Feeling it in Phoenix


1. Suns run and run and run
The Nuggets exploded for 39 points in the first quarter last night and appeared to be well on their way to win by halftime with a 19-point advantage. But then the Suns rallied. Phoenix posted 81 points in the second half, including 46 in the fourth, to erase a lead that grew to 22 and win 132-117. Coupled with a Dallas victory over the Clippers, the loss slid Denver out of the playoff picture once again, leaving them ½ game behind Golden State for the final slot out West. Amare Stoudemire finished with a game-high 41 points and 14 rebounds to keep the Suns in the hunt for homecourt advantage in the playoffs’ opening round, tying the Lakers for the Pacific Division lead, but remaining fifth overall due to a tiebreaker. Phoenix also got double-doubles out of Shaquille O’Neal (20 pts, 12 reb) and Raja Bell (15 pts, 10 reb).

2. Jazz blast

C.J. Miles finally had his big coming-out party. Uh, not like that; we mean his on-court coming-out party. The 21-year-old who skipped out on playing for Texas to be the 34th pick in the second round of the 2005 draft scored a career-high 29 points to lead Utah past Washington 129-87. For those of you without a calculator handy, that’s 42-point blowout! The Jazz sank a team-high 15 treys while connecting on 50-of-84 shots overall and getting 40 assists. Deron Williams was responsible for 16 of those dimes to go along with 12 points and Mehmet Okur finished with 16 points, nine rebounds and five assists. After dropping an overtime game to the Lakers on Sunday, the Wizards just didn’t have anything left in the tank. And it showed. Washington managed just six fastbreak points and committed 14 turnovers against an undermanned Jazz squad that didn’t have Andrei Kirilenko due to a calf injury.

3. Pacers pop Miami
The season’s end just can’t get here fast enough for the Heat. Their season of futility and frustration continued last night with a 20-point blowout by the Pacers, 105-85. Miami dropped to 13-61 on the year with tough impossible contests against New Orleans and Detroit looming on the schedule. Things are getting so ugly in South Beach that the Heat just might break the franchise record for fewest wins in a season. Pretty hard to believe, but they were actually worse in their inaugural season of 1988-89, totaling just 15 wins for the entire year. Luckily, Pat Riley re-signed Blake Ahearn and Stephane Lasme to a pair of new 10-day contracts. All right, enough about the losers; Jermaine O’Neal made his return to the Indiana lineup after missing 33 consecutive games, scoring nine points in 18 minutes.

Monday’s Player of the Day: Amare Stoudemire vs. Denver 42 min, 41 pts (FG: 12-22, FT: 17-19), 14 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl

Tuesday’s Game to Watch: Phoenix (50-24) @ Denver (45-29)
One day later and the game is twice as nice. If you enjoyed yesterday’s battle between the Suns and Nuggets then you’ll love the rematch tonight because with one less day remaining in the season, the race for Western Conference playoff positioning is even more intense. Expect another run-n-gun shootout between these two.

Buzzer Beater: The Lopez twins threw their names in the NBA draft on Monday and, not surprisingly, even their reasons why are virtually identical.

I have always hoped I would have an opportunity to play in the NBA and I feel now is the right time to make that dream a reality,” Robin Lopez said in a statement released to the AP.

“It is the dream of every basketball player to play and succeed in the NBA and I feel I am ready to take on this new challenge,” Brook Lopez said.

Categories
All Other Sports

Kapow! Right in the kisser!

You’ve seen SlamBall and undoubtedly, you were disappointed in what you saw. That’s because while it had basketball and trampolines, it was leaving out the most important part – the dodgeball to the cranium.

Categories
College Basketball

Roy Williams begrudgingly faces his "second-favorite team"


We all remember Roy Williams’ teary-eyed goodbye when he decided to leave Kansas for North Carolina in 2003. Well, it is time for Williams to say hello to his old club, even if he doesn’t want to. The two teams are on a collision course and the head-on crash will occur this Saturday in the Final Four.

If I was ever going to play Kansas again, this is the only way I would want it to happen,” Williams said Monday in a conference call. “The reason I say that I wouldn’t schedule them is very easy for me: because they’re my second-favorite college team. And those people gave me a chance. It’s a place that I loved for 15 years.

“I never scheduled North Carolina when I was at Kansas because for those 15 years North Carolina was my second-favorite team. And just I have too many great memories to consider somebody a foe on the other end of the court. …

“When I stood up in front of those kids at Kansas and told ’em that I was leaving, and the feeling that I had when I walked out of that room, that’s a feeling I hope I never have again,” Williams said Friday. “Because I felt like I was, I felt like I was dirty.

Dirty? We know you felt close to the team and it tore you up inside to walk out, but dirty? Sorry, but we just don’t agree. You did what you felt was best and the rest is history. In our book, dirty is reserved for one man and one man only in the current world of college basketball – Billy “Dirty Ass” Donovan. As long as you never let yourself become that guy then you’ll be just fine. Now, go out there and kick Kansas’ butt all over San Antonio!

Links:

[NYTimes.com]: Williams Gets His Ideal Setting for the Game He Did Not Want

Categories
All Other Sports

Odds and Ends: Formula 1 just got a little too freaky for our taste


Americans have a hard enough time getting into NASCAR, so when it comes to F1, most are pretty lost. Of course, now that there is a little sex scandal sprinkled into the vroom, vroom then it just might catch on.

FIA president Max Mosley is under intense pressure to resign his position with the Formula 1 governing body after the British tabloid News of the World divulged an illicit video showing Mosley with a group of prostitutes dressed as Nazi prison guards.

Several media outlets report that the video is said to show Mosley at a high-end brothel in Chelsea, taking part in several hours of role-playing and sado-masochistic behavior. The part of the tape that raises the most concern is Mosley reportedly speaking German with the prostitutes, who were dressed as Nazis.

Wow! Even Eliot Spitzer thinks this is over the top.

In other news…

[Awful Announcing]: Are you ready for some football!?!

[Can’t Stop The Bleeding]: Noel Gallagher Didn’t Write This Song About Stephen Curry…

[CollegeHumor.com]: King James goes King Kong.

[The Professional Cheerleader Blog]: Brackets o’ babes!

[MVN.com]: The Oddibe Awards

[JSOnline.com]: Q&A with the Big O.

[Know Your Dallas Cowboys]: Quick! Give us a boy in blue that wore No. 14.

[WashigtonTimes.com]: Money isn’t everything to Gilbert Arenas.

[SportsFilter.com]: Happy birthday “Bull Durham!’ Happy birthday to you!

Categories
NBA General

Think Dr. J got the dunk contest rolling? Guess again.

Basketball sure has changed over the years. What started off as just a peach basket and a dream is now a global phenomenon that has dramatically changed the lifestyles of thousands who have reached the ultimate level. Want to see proof? Look no further than the slam dunk contest. And we’re not just talking about 7-footers gliding through the air. Back in the old days if you could master the lay-up then you were flying like an eagle.

Links:

[CollegeHumor.com]: NBL Lay-Up Competition

Categories
Dallas Mavericks

Around the Rim: Dallas continues to lose its grip on a playoff appearance


1. Free fallin’
Dallas thought trading for Jason Kidd would give them the magic they needed to keep pace with the other big time teams in the West. However, with Dirk Nowitzki riding the pine with an injury, the Mavericks are now in danger of becoming the team to miss the postseason after falling to their rivals in Golden State 114-104. The loss was the second consecutive for Big D and they are now sitting in a three-way tie with Denver and Golden State for the final ticket to the second season. Obviously, one of these three teams will be worrying about ping-pong balls come playoff time instead of looking to grab a ring and at this pace, don’t be surprised if it’s the new-look Mavs. Dallas is 5-5 over its last 10 games and must now prepare for contests against the Warriors (again), the Lakers and the Suns.

2. Rockets need a booster

The Rockets’ big win streak continues to look more and more and more like a fluke everyday. On Sunday, they looked like the team that earned the No. 1 pick to get Yao Ming instead of the team that went on the second-longest successful streak in league history, losing to San Antonio by 21 points. The Spurs dominated from the get-go, rushing out to a 35-24 first quarter lead before winning 109-88 behind 22 points each from Tony Parker and Michael Finley. The victory was the seventh consecutive for SA and put them into second place in the Western Conference race while dropping the Rockets to sixth. Luckily, Houston has an excellent opportunity to increase its stock as they wrap up the regular season with contests against Sacramento, Portland, Seattle and the Clippers coming up; unfortunately they are all on the road.

3. The many faces of Kobe Bryant
Just one game after dropping 53 points in a loss to Memphis, Kobe Bryant decided to be a facilitator against the Wizards and led his team to a 126-120 overtime win. Bryant finished with 26 points and 13 assists to snap a two-game losing streak and move back within one game of the West’s best record. The victory gave LA its 50th of the season for the 29th time in franchise history. Caron Butler went off for a triple-double (17 pts, 12 reb and 12 ast) and his team connected on 17-of-30 treys (.567). But Washington wasn’t alone in its three-point accuracy. Los Angeles hit 14-of-27 (.519) and the game marked the first time in league history that both teams shot over 50 percent from behind the arc, but under 50 percent from the floor (LA: .494, WAS: .466).

Sunday’s Player of the Day: LeBron James vs. Philadelphia 42 min, 26 pts (FG: 11-18, 3FG: 1-2, FT: 3-3), 9 reb, 9 ast, 3 stl, 1 blk

Monday’s Game to Watch: Denver (45-28) @ Phoenix (49-24)
The Nuggets currently own the final playoff spot in the West, but that doesn’t mean anything at the moment.
If they want to hold onto their position then they will have to rise to the occasion once again in an arena where the home team is 26-10. Denver is streaking with five straight wins, however in a super competitive race, all it takes is one loss and the Nuggets will be back on the outside looking in. Barring a complete collapse, the Suns are in, but they are defiantly looking to improve their seed because as it sits now, they would most likely have to play on the road for the opening round against Utah. But like we said, everything can change with one game and this very well could be that one game.

Buzzer Beater: The Miami Heat set another record in futility against the Celtics on Sunday by connecting on a mere 17 field goals – the fewest since the shot clock came into play – in an 88-62 loss. After the game, the Truth told the truth about the horrible, horrible Heat.

They got D-Leaguers out there, so I think we just handled our business,” the Boston forward said (Paul Pierce), listing some of the five Miami players who spent time in the developmental league this season. “We’re supposed to do that. We knew this was a game we were supposed to win, and we just focused from the jump and went out and did it.

Categories
NBA General

East Bay Funk Punk


Remember when Isaiah Rider used to be one of the most talented up-and-comers in the Association? Well, those days are long, long gone and nowadays Rider spends a lot more of his time behind bars instead of dribbling balls. Trouble has followed this guy for over a decade now, but it is still a surprise to see a star fall this far, this fast. His latest transgression involves a stolen car, $25,000 bail and a court date next month.

Officer Norma Eisenman said Rider was driving a car that failed to stop at an intersection in the city’s (Los Angeles) Skid Row district. Officers checking the license plates discovered the car had been reported stolen from South Los Angeles, police said. Rider was arrested and the car was impounded.

Rider played at UNLV before starting his pro career in 1993. He played with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Portland Trail Blazers, Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets before ending his career in 2001.

Rider had a string of arrests during and after his career for drug use, assault and other crimes. He also racked up large fines and suspensions during his career for offenses that ranged from being tardy to practice to spitting at fans.

In January, Berkeley police answering a report of a confrontation between a taxi driver and a passenger arrested Rider on Oakland warrants alleging unlawful firearm possession and grand theft. Last year, he pleaded guilty in Marin County to several charges, including felony cocaine possession, battery and evading a police officer.

From flying high to getting high and ridin’ dirty: what a long strange trip it’s been!

Links:

[SI.com]: Ex-NBA player Isaiah Rider released after arrest for investigation of auto theft