"Christmas" comes late for the rookie free agent

By John McMullen

Philadelphia, PA (Phanatic Magazine) - Sitting back, surveying things and cherry-
picking an outcome isn't exactly the worst thing that could happen in life.

I think we would all like the opportunity to do exactly that once or twice,
but that mentality is a tough sell to a projected NBA player that was passed
over in the draft.

For aspiring professional players, the draft is like "Christmas" morning.
Sure, being picked 57th by one of the league's doormats guarantees absolutely
nothing, save a great story to tell your grandchildren but, to a man, every
player would rather be selected, even if it plays against their chances of
reaching the big time.

An agent for a borderline NBA player will tell you that once a certain number
passes, not getting drafted is a better option since you can pick and choose
where you go.

If you are a monster on the glass, look for a team that needs rebounding. If
you can shoot the ball, explore teams that need help from the perimeter. If
your calling card is defense, give Gregg Popovich a call.

Most thought former Temple star Dionte Christmas would be snared some time in
the second round of last month's draft, but as each pick came and went, the
former All-Atlantic 10 shooting guard went through the ignominy of hearing all
60 players selected without getting his congratulatory phone call.

"It was probably the worst night of my life," Christmas told a local
Philadelphia newspaper. "My mom doesn't show much emotion, but my dad and
girlfriend were real upset."

While Christmas was understandably dejected over his snub, it also likely
improved his chances of playing in the NBA next season. Instead of being
forced into a team's training camp, the 6-foot-5, 200-pound Philadelphia
native could seek out a team that needs what he brings to the table.

When asked what part of his game needs the most work, Christmas was honest on
a recent conference call. "Ball-handling and being able to create and get in
the lane more," the guard said. He was just as adamant on what part of his
game is the most NBA-ready, "My jump shot," Christmas confidently said.

So, the sharp-shooter chose a couple of teams to toil with this summer, the
hometown 76ers, a team in desperate need of perimeter defense and three-point
shooters, and the Los Angeles Clippers, a club in desperate need of...well,
everything.

Dionte averaged about 20 minutes a game for a woeful 0-5 Philadelphia/New
Jersey hybrid team in the recently completed Orlando Summer League. He
struggled early but broke out for 18 points on 5-of-9 shooting, including 4-
of-6 from beyond the arc in last Wednesday's game against the Magic. Christmas
followed that up with a 10-point performance against Oklahoma City before
jetting to Nevada to play for the Clippers in the Las Vegas Summer League,

"I think I got a great chance," Christmas said of possibly landing with the
Sixers. "They're looking for shooters and hardworking players, and I fit that
mold. I'd love to spend my professional career in Philadelphia. I think I have
a great opportunity in front of me."

And don't underestimate the possible marketing opportunities for what is a
floundering club in Philly. The Sixers drafted UCLA's Jrue Holiday in the
first round of the draft and could be sporting an all-winter wonderland
backcourt of Holiday and Christmas for a few minutes a night come December.

Aaron McKie, another former Temple star who is currently an assistant with the
Sixers, has already taken a keen interest in Christmas.

"I don't make the decisions upstairs," McKie said. "If those guys call and it
was left up to me, absolutely (I would like to have him in Philadelphia).
Either way I'm going to continue to tell him to work hard and help him as much
as I can."

"The past couple days I've been glued to (McKie)," Christmas added while in
Orlando. "I've been talking to him about things, mistakes I've been making,
some of the things I've been doing good, things I need to improve, stuff like
that. He gives great advice."

Christmas may have gotten a stocking full of coal on June 25, but I have a
feeling Saint Nick will be making up for things come November when Dionte
finds himself on an NBA roster.

"Coming in, I talked to a lot of guys, like (ex-Temple players) Mardy
(Collins) and Lynn Greer," Christmas said. "Everything has been what I
expected. Guys are quicker, stronger, everybody is paying attention to every
detail out here because if you don't you'll get burnt. Guys are very skilled
out here; everybody's good."

Everybody is good in the NBA and sometimes "Christmas" just comes a little
late for the rookie free agent.

McNabb plans to play after current contract ends

"I've always said that I would like to retire (in Philly), but that's not going to be in two years," McNabb told USA Today. "My main focus, as well as coach's, is to focus on what we have to do in these next two years. And we feel like, with the guys we have in this locker room, we can get the job done.

"You know, when you get so close six times -- one time to be in the Super Bowl -- you feel like it's going to happen "When is it going to happen? Well, hopefully in these next two years."

Pedro to Phils is "inevitable"

So says SI's Jon Heyman, who quotes sources familiar with the talks saying a marriage between the Phils and Martinez "seems inevitable.

Heyman also says the former three-time Cy Young Award winner could arrive for a physical on Tuesday.

UPDATE: The Inqy is reporting Pedro is in town to take a physical and could be a Phillie by Wednesday. Meanwhile, Todd Zolecki reports Pedro is not in town, but will be later today and may take his physical tomorrow but that has not been finalized.

Rock solid reporting as always. All we need now is the realtor reports saying Pedro plopped down $100,000 on a condo in Morrestown.

Ex-Sixer Collins honored with Gowdy Award

SPRINGFIELD, MA - (July 13, 2009) - Doug Collins, the highly respected former Sixer and coach who is now the lead commentator for Turner Sports (TNT) and for NBC Sports' coverage of basketball at the Olympic Games and Peter Vecsey, the longtime pro basketball writer for the New York Post have been selected to receive the 2009 Curt Gowdy Media Award from the
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame during Enshrinement festivities scheduled for September 10-11, 2009 in Springfield, Massachusetts.

The Gowdy Media Award is named in honor of the legendary sports broadcaster and former Basketball Hall of Fame President, the late Curt Gowdy. This prestigious award is presented annually to members of the print and electronic media whose longtime efforts have made a
significant contribution to the game of basketball.

"The Gowdy Media Award is an honor that is very proudly presented by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in memory of the late Curt Gowdy, one of the legendary figures of sports media," said John L. Doleva, Hall of Fame President & CEO. "Doug Collins and Peter Vecsey
have dedicated much of their professional careers to report on the game of basketball while they entertain and educate millions of fans, readers and television viewers around the world. The Basketball Hall of Fame is very proud to recognize their extraordinary efforts."

Former NCAA, NBA and Olympic player and NBA coach Doug Collins, the 2009 honoree for the Electronic Media, is widely recognized as the consummate NBA television color analyst. Collins brings a unique perspective and experience to the booth for Turner Sports broadcasts on TNT, providing insight from both the player's and coach's perspective. Following a very successful career as a player after being selected as the number one pick in the 1973 NBA Draft, Collins moved to the coaching ranks where he led the Chicago Bulls (1986-89), Detroit Pistons (1995-98) and Washington Wizards (2001-03).

In 1989, Collins first joined the Turner Sports family as its NBA color commentator.
After leaving to pursue further coaching opportunities, he returned to Turner Sports in 2003. Collins is TNT's lead analyst for both the NBA All-Star Game and the NBA Conference Finals.
In addition, Collins was the lead analyst for NBC, for which he called four NBA Finals and three Olympic Games. Overall, for the better part of the past two decades, Collins has been a mainstay in the television coverage of the NBA, providing viewers with expert analysis and anecdotes from his experiences from the bench and on the court.

Collins, a graduate of Illinois State University, was also a member of the 1972 Olympic team, which lost the gold medal to Russia with a controversial call after Collins hit two free throws to give the US an apparent victory.

Iverson wants South Beach

How the mighty have fallen...

The Miami Herald reports that former Sixers All-Star Allen Iverson has asked for the $5.8 million midlevel exception from the Mimai Heat in a one-year deal, but the club has been reluctant to pay him much more than $2 million.

Iverson also is reportedly exploring Memphis and Charlotte, but South Beach's night life trumps Beale Street's as Bubba Chuck's first choice.

Speights in second team All-Star in Orlando Summer League

Sixers second-year power forward Marreese Speights was selected as a member of the 2009 Orlando Pro All-Summer League Second Team in the recently completed six-team, five-day event.

Orlando Magic forward Ryan Anderson joined Russell Westbrook and James Harden of the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers’ Tyler Hansbrough and Roy Hibbert on the First Team.

Speights was joined by Orlando's Kasib Powell, J.R. Giddens and Nick Fazekas of the Boston Celtics and D.J. White of the Oklahoma City Thunder on the Second Team.

Miller to Big Apple rumor

The New York Daily News says Knicks president Donnie Walsh and his staff are meeting this weekend to discuss whether they should gamble on pursuing free agent point guard Andre Miller.

The club is denying a published report that the Knicks and Sixers are working on a sign-and-trade that would send Chris Duhon to Philadelphia for Miller. However, one team official said that it is a plausible alternative if Miller turns down a one-year, $5.85 million contract. A sign-and-trade for Duhon would allow the Knicks to offer Miller $7.6million (125% of Duhon's salary for next season, plus $100,000).

Gatti's wife held as suspect

Brazilian authorities have detained the wife of former boxing champion Arturo Gatti as a suspect following his death at a posh seaside resort in Brazil.

The 23-year-old Amanda Rodrigues was taken into custody Sunday after contradictions arose when she was interrogated.

Gatti's body was found early Saturday in a hotel room at the Porto de Galinhas resort in northeastern Brazil.A spokeswoman for the Pernambuco state civil police says Gatti was apparently strangled with the strap of a purse.

UFC post fight quotes

Brock Lesnar, who knocked out Frank Mir:

First and foremost, I want to apologize. I acted very unprofessionally and I'll leave it at that.

I'm a sore loser, OK? I don't like to get beat. I believe that Frank and I's first bout, I gave that fight to him. And so there was a lot of emotion in this fight for me. ...

I went in the entertainment business for awhile, and I guess there's a little bit of still that (in me). You guys ask me all the time, is there anything I can drag in from WWE? And I guess you've seen a little bit tonight.

I apologize to Bud Light (Lesnar said he was going to drink a Coors Light after the fight. He also said he was going home to get on top of his wife, former WWE Diva Sable). I'm not biased. I drink any beer. Tonight, I'm drinking Bud Light all night.

Man, I was so jacked up. I'm used to selling pay-per-view tickets, OK? I come from a business that is purely entertainment. ... Dana came back, and we had our whip the dog session, and I screwed up, and I apologize.

I have nothing against Frank. No, like I said, the only thing I have against Frank is that he beat me. We both talked a lot of crap, and in the end, I was just amped up.

Dan Henderson after he knocked out cocky British middleweight Michael Bisping:

"It's awesome. I'm sure that's going to be one of my favorite fights that I've ever fought. ...

"The plan was just to win every round and beat him up doing it, beat him up standing up. He moves well, but he wasn't landing hardly anything, and the ones that he did land didn't hurt. I felt that I was hurting him a lot more on my feet...

"If I took him down he could probably hold on and lose a decision. I wanted to knock him out."

Q: He had taunted you and noted, "Hey, you haven't knocked anybody (out) in five years," blah blah blah. Does that make this any more gratifying, given the irony of that statement?

"Where does that put him now, if I can't knock anyone out but him? It puts him way down the list.

It should put me right back up in there. I didn't think I was down from the top; I just felt like I had a bad fight against Anderson Silva, and (I've) been wanting to do that again. After beating Rich Franklin and Michael Bisping back-to-back, I think I would deserve that shot.

Welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre talking about a groin pull suffered during his five-round decision win over Thiago Alves:

It's pretty bad. I'm in real bad pain.

It happened in the third round, and I don't remember exactly. But I think, when I was on the bottom, in my guard, in the third round, Thiago pushed my knee down and I heard my groin, my abductor snap, and I heard a noise. ... And it was pretty bad.

So I was like thinking, I was like, "Oh my God, the fight is not even over and I'm on the bottom."

So I couldn't do much from there. Normally I would have tried armbar and stuff like that. So I end up scrambling, getting up and winning the fight.

What happened too, my fight was supposed to be the fourth on the card. And they called us a little bit at the last minute because of the pay-per-view. So we got called and I didn't have really much time to warm up a well as I should have done.

Well, it's my mistake too. I'm a professional, I'm world champion. I should have been ready for something like that. I was not informed that I was jumping in before I was supposed to. That's probably why this thing happened too.

Hall of Famer Mark Coleman, following his unanimous decision over Stephan Bonnar:

I didn't look tired. What are you talking about? I always look tired. I played possum; I played possum.

Listen, he worked his (butt) off in that first round. He worked his (butt) off; he tired himself out. Just like Shogun. Nobody ever gave me any credit for wearing Shogun out; they just said he was out of shape.

Well, I'm a different breed when I'm on you. When I'm on you, I'm a different type of man. I'm a world-class wrestling, and Bonnar, he emptied his tank in that first round. And that's why I was able to come back and win that fight. I was fresh. I got better as the fight went on.

Brinkley upgraded to good condi

Chargers running back and former West Catholic star Curtis Brinkley was upgraded from "stable" to "good" condition following surgery after being shot on Friday.

"He's going to be OK -- that was the first thing," Brian Fluck, the football coach at West Catholic. "What is this going to do to his football career? That's the next question."

Brinkley's uncle told ABC 6 on Friday that he believes Brinkley's sister's boyfriend was the shooter, but police said they're aware of no motive, and that there are no immediate suspects.

No surprise; you didn't want Eddie Jordan

In a survey worthy of Scientific America, The Phanatic Magazine readers have emphatically told Ed Stefanski, Eddie Jordan would not have been their first choice as Sixers coach...

Former Dallas head coach and Spurs point guard Avery Johnson was the run away winner among the names leaked by the Sixers for the gig. Johnson finished with 29 percent of the vote but his price range was way out of Peter Puck, I mean ...Ed Snider's range.

Former Sixers All-Star Doug Collins tied with ex-Houston coach Jeff Van Gundy with 17 percent apiece. Villanova mentor Jay Wright was next at 11 percent while former Wolves head man Dwane Casey was next at seven percent. Jordan also came in at seven percent but was one vote shy of Casey.

The only good news for Jordan? He finished ahead of Kurt Rambis and ex-Sixers interim coach Chris Ford.

Stefanski better hope Philly basketball fans don't know what they are talking about.

Pedro Update: Reuben in D.R.

Latest Pedro opdate for you...ESPN's Enrique Rojas reports that Ruben Amaro Jr. flew from Philadelphia to the Dominican to watch Pedro today.

Update: Now Jayson Stark, also of the worldwide leader, claims he just spoke with Amaro, who denied Rojas' report that he's in the Dominican...

This is getting ridiculous.

Phils DFA Coste

The Phillies have waived Chris Coste to make room for Raul Ibanez on the roster. Our old friend Ed Wade then plucked Coste off waivers for Houston.

Werth replaces Beltran on NL All-Star team

Phils OF Jayson Werth was named to replace injured Mets CF Carlos Beltran on NL All-Star team. The Phillies are the first team since the '95 Indians with three All-Star OFs (Albert Belle, Kenny Lofton and Manny Ramirez).

Anyone remember when Howard Eskin called Werth a borderline Major Leaguer?

Lesnar - Mir pre-fight press conference

Four 'Nova players selected to Sports Network's FCS preseason All-American Team

Villanova, which advanced to the national quarterfinals in 2008, had four players selected to the annual Sports Network FCS preseason All-American Team, including First Team honorees in linebacker Osayi Osunde and offensive tackle Ben Ijalana. Third Team defensive end Tim Kukucka and Third Team offensive center Brian Brannigan.

Delaware's Charles Graves (Second Team free safety), Bucknell's Shaun Pasternak (Third Team wide receiver), Lehigh's Will Rackley (Third Team Offensive Tackle) and Penn's Chris Wynn (Second Team Cornerback) were also honored.

Miller on backburner for Knicks

The Knicks are hot on the heels of oft-injured veteran Grant Hill but if Hill decides to re-sign with the Phoenix Suns, the team will consider making an offer to free agent point guard Andre Miller, according to the New York Daily News.

Free agent money is quickly drying up and Miller seems to be the one high-profile free agent falling through the cracks. He wants back on the west coast but Portland is looking in a different direction and Sixers GM Ed Stefanski seems less and less interested in bringing Miller back as the days pass.

Miller has his warts, namely his shaky perimeter defense and pedestrian jump shot, but he transformed the Sixers from a lottery team to playoff team. Handing the keys to Lou Williams while waiting on Jrue Holiday sounds like a recipe for disaster.

However, Eddie Jordan had his most success in D.C. without a true point guard, using Gilbert Arenas and Larry Hughes in his backcourt. I am beginning to think Jordan is envisioning a lineup of Williams, Andre Iguodala, Thaddeus Young, Elton Brand and Jason Smith (or Sam Dalembert if Stefanski can't move him).

NFL running back Curtis Brinkley shot in Montco

Curtis Brinkley, a 23-year-old running back for the San Diego Chargers, was reportedly shot multiple times while sitting in a car near Ashbourne Road and Spring Avenue in Cheltenham Township at about midnight.

Police said a suspect approached Brinkley's vehicle and opened fire, striking the former West Catholic High School star several times.

Brinkley was able to drive a short distance before he was found by Cheltenham Police and rushed to Einstein Medical Center where he was reported in stable condition in the intensive care unit.

No arrests have been made and a motive for the shooting is unknown.

Brinkley played his college ball at Syracuse University and was signed by San Diego as a free agent after the 2009 National Football League draft. At West Catholic, Brinkley rushed for 7,429 yards and 85 touchdowns, breaking the Philadelphia prep school record previously held by NFL running back Kevin Jones.

Phils on verge of signing Pedro; Victorino an All-Star

Multiple sources have Pedro Martinez on the verge of signing a deal with the Phillies worth $4 million.

SI's Jon Heyman reports that the Phils' Charley Kerfeld was said to be "very impressed'' by Martinez in a Tuesday workout when he hit 88-91 mph on the gun.

"The Phillies saw me this past Tuesday in a simulated game and I felt very good with my fastball and all my pitches," Martinez told The Associated Press.

According to ESPN's Jayson Stark, the Phillies sked Martinez to throw for them a second time to see how his arm responds but Pedro initially balked at the idea. He has since agreed to work out again, at 1 p.m. Friday at the Phillies complex in the Dominican Republic.

If that goes well, Martinez would travel to Philadelphia on Monday to sign a contract.

Buyer beware on this one.

Meanwhile, Shane Victorino won the final vote and will be on his way to St. louis for the All-Star Game.

Flyers name Paddock Assistant General Manager; Reese Goaltending Coach

The Philadelphia Flyers announced that John Paddock has been named assistant general manager and Jeff Reese has been named the team’s goaltending coach, according to club general manager Paul Holmgren.

Paddock joins Barry Hanrahan as an assistant general manager for the Flyers.

“In addition to helping with the day to day operation of our team, John will oversee the Phantoms in Glens Falls, interacting with the coaching staff there and following the development of our young players,” said Holmgren in making the announcement.

“I'm excited to have John, he is a very good hockey man,” added Holmgren. “He has been a general manager and a head coach in the NHL, and has done a lot of things in the League. His experience and expertise is going to bring a lot to the table for the Flyers. Barry Hanrahan’s role with the organization will remain the same, dealing with salary cap, contracts, immigration and other League issues.”

John Paddock will keep close watch on the Phantoms in upstate New York in his new role as assistant general manager. (Getty Images)

Paddock, 55, spent the 2008-09 season as head coach of the Flyers’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Philadelphia Phantoms, where he led the team to a 43-30-2-5 record and their 10th berth in the Calder Cup playoffs in their 13-year history.

Prior to joining the Phantoms, Paddock compiled a 36-23-6 record as the head coach of the Ottawa Senators in 2007-08. Over parts of five NHL seasons as head coach of the Winnipeg Jets (1991-92 to 1994-95) and Ottawa (2007-08), Paddock has registered a 142-161-43 record. In addition to his NHL head coaching experience, Paddock has served as a head coach in the AHL for six different teams (Maine Mariners - 1981-82, 1983-84 and 1984-85, Hershey Bears - 1985-86 through 1988-89, Binghamton Rangers - 1990-91, Hartford Wolf Pack - 1999-2000 through 2001-02, Binghamton Senators – 2002-03 through 2004-05 and Phantoms - 2008-09) over 15 seasons.

"I am obviously thrilled about this,” said Paddock. “This was not something that I imagined, just like last summer when I didn't imagine Paul would call me in August and offer me the Phantoms coaching job. The organization has been great to me. This is where I first cut my teeth into professional hockey many years ago and I'm very excited to do it."

Paddock has led the Flyers’ AHL affiliate to two Calder Cup Championships (Maine, 1984; Hershey, 1988). He is the only coach to lead three different franchises to Calder Cup Championships (Hartford, 2000). He won the Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award as the outstanding head coach in the AHL with Hershey in the 1987-88 season. He has compiled a 585-424-98 career record and his 585 wins and 1,107 games coached ranks third all-time in AHL history, while his 82 Calder Cup Playoff victories and 149 playoff games coached make him the AHL’s all-time leader in Calder Cup Playoff history.

In addition to his head coaching experience, he also served as assistant general manager of the Flyers during the 1989-90 season and of the Jets for two seasons (1995-96 and 1996-97), and as a scout for the New York Rangers for two seasons (1997-98 and 1998-99).

He appeared in 87 career NHL regular season games over the parts of five seasons with the Washington Capitals (1975-76), Flyers (1976-77, 1979-80 and 1982-83) and Quebec Nordiques (1980-81), recording eight goals and 14 assists for 22 points and 86 penalty minutes. He registered five goals and eight assists for 13 points and 49 penalty minutes in 47 games for the Flyers. As a player, he was a member of two Calder Cup Champions, with Maine in 1978 and 1979. He was originally drafted by Washington in the third round (37th overall) of the 1974 NHL Entry Draft.

Reese, 43, spent the last eight seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning coaching staff, where he was responsible for working with all goaltenders in the Lightning organization, as well as assisting in the assessment of amateur goaltenders for the NHL Entry Draft.

“Jeff brings a strong presence,” said Holmgren. “I have known Jeff for many years from our days together in Hartford. I think he is an ideal fit for our team moving forward. He has some fresh ideas and we are excited to have Jeff on board."

"I'm very excited about this opportunity,” said Reese. “This team was my childhood team growing up. I grew up in the Toronto area, but Philadelphia was my team. Bernie Parent was my idol as a kid so nobody knows how much this means to me.”

Over parts of 11 seasons in the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs (1987-88 through 1991-92 and 1998-99), Calgary Flames (1991-92 to 1993-94), Hartford Whalers (1993-94 to 1995-96), Lightning (1995-96) and New Jersey Devils (1996-97), Reese posted a 53-65-17 record with a 3.66 goals-against average and five shutouts in 174 contests. In 11 appearances in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, he has a 3-5 mark with a 4.08 GAA.

“We have a very good hockey team here and the ultimate goal is to win the Stanley Cup,” added Reese. “In order to do that, my job is to make sure that our goaltenders are sharp each and every game. I am excited to be working with Ray [Emery] and Boosh [Brian Boucher]. We won the Stanley Cup with Tampa in 2004 and there is no feeling like it, and I want that feeling again."

A native of Brantford, Ontario, Reese was originally selected by Toronto in the fourth round (67th overall) in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft

Sixers summer league action

You can watch the Sixers/Nets summer league team take on Oklahoma City at 3 pm (et) this afternoon by banging the link...

Ex-Phillie Dykstra seeks bankruptcy

Former Phillies star Lenny Dykstra filed for Chapter 11 U.S. Bankruptcy Court protection in California on Tuesday.

Court records show Dykstra listed assets of under $50,000 and liabilities of between $10 million and $50 million.

Dykstra played for the Phillies between 1989 and 1996 after being acquired from the New York Mets, where he spent the first five years of his Major League Baseball career.

Ibanez could be back Friday

Charlie Manuel said he is hopeful Raul Ibanez will be back in the lineup Friday vs. Pittsburgh.

Rockets fall from the penthouse to the outhouse

By John McMullen

Philadelphia, PA - After watching the postseason play out, Houston Rockets boy wonder general manager Daryl Morey boldly "tweeted" that his club was the second-best team in the NBA.

I chuckled at first after reading Morey's boast, but quickly realized it was a defensible position.

Despite heading into their series with the Lakers without Tracy McGrady and Dikembe Mutombo, and then losing Yao Ming in the set, the Rockets gave the eventual champs a far tougher time than either Denver or Orlando.

A few weeks can sure change things, however.

Now, it looks as if Houston might have trouble making it back to the postseason next year.

The aging Mutombo has called it quits and the team desperately wants to rid itself of the final year of the oft-injured McGrady's massive contract. Meanwhile, defensive stalwart Ron Artest fled for Hollywood in free agency and most importantly, a grim report surfaced saying Yao may never play again due to a fractured navicular bone in a left foot.

The hairline fracture was originally discovered following the Rockets' May 8 loss to the Lakers in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals. A conservative treatment plan called for Yao to cease all physical training and to use a walking boot in order to immobilize the foot and promote healing.

Few gave the injury much thought since the prognosis had the foot healing over the summer. Instead, the fracture failed to respond, putting the playing career of the Rockets' cornerstone in jeopardy.

"Yao is not experiencing any pain in his left foot, however, the results from the CT and bone scans we performed indicate that the hairline fracture has not responded to the degree that we expected," Rockets team physician Dr. Tom Clanton said when acknowledging Yao's setback.

For now, the Rockets are expecting Yao to need a full season before being able to return to basketball, and he is currently consulting with various medical experts to determine possible treatments.

"There are five metatarsal bones (each related to a toe) and while 1 through 4 most often heal without issue, there is a 30-50 percent non-healing rate for 5th metatarsal fractures," Dr. Ben Wedro, a clinical professor of medicine at the University of Wisconsin and a consulting onsite physician at the Summer and Winter Olympic Games, said when discussing Yao's injury.

"The initial therapy for these fractures is rest and immobilization with gradual return to activity," Wedro added. "The most common complication is non-union of the fracture, which seems to be the case with Yao since it has been close to two months since the injury was found and treatment was instituted.

"Eventually, a decision will need to be made whether further watchful waiting is enough or if an operation is needed to use a screw or plate to fix the fracture."

At 7-foot-6 and 310 pounds, Yao's prodigious size make leg injuries a sensitive subject, Other talented big men like Sam Bowie and another former Rocket, Ralph Sampson, had careers cut short by a seemingly never ending series of leg injuries.

Yao, a seven-year NBA veteran, has now had three different fractures of the left foot and a hairline crack of the right leg.

Already, the All-Star's tenuous future has knocked over a series of dominos in south Texas. It was likely the tipping point in Artest's decision to flee Houston and now has Morey looking for band-aids in the pivot, with pedestrian names like Marcin Gortat and Samuel Dalembert being bandied about.

An MIT graduate, the 37-year-old Morey is considered to be one of the NBA's brightest young minds. He was nicknamed "Dork Elvis" by ESPN writer Bill Simmons for his popularity among MIT students where he taught an MBA-level course titled "Analytical Sports Management."

A course that will probably soon have a new lesson plan..."Success in the NBA is as fragile as Yao's foot."

UFL has better rules than NFL

Tthe UFL’s Competition Committee announced a few common sense rule modifications for the League’s “Premiere” season.

The rule enhancements that have been approved for the UFL’s “Premiere” season include:

• The deletion of the “Tuck” rule which makes a loose ball a fumble if the passer loses possession of the ball as he is putting it away after completion of the forward pass motion.
• A fumble into and out of the end zone returns the ball to the spot of the fumble when not recovered in the end zone – making it consistent with other fumble rules.
• The Quarterback can legally ground the football if inside or outside the pocket area while under duress.
• Tasteful individual and/or group celebrations are permitted ONLY in end zone and bench area.
• Instant Replay rulings will be made by the Replay Official in the Replay Booth rather than the on-field referee. Review time will be 90 seconds rather than 60 seconds.
• During overtime/sudden-death, both teams will have an opportunity to possess the football during the allotted 15 minutes. Sudden-death rules apply after both teams have had an opportunity to possess the football.
• Approved television cameras will be allowed in the locker rooms for the first four minutes of halftime.
• Head Coaches will be wired for sound for television broadcasts (no sideline discussions will be aired). Cameras and microphones in the bench area will be allowed during the game to capture real-time emotional moments.
• TV audience will hear coach to quarterback communications on tape-delayed basis.

“The UFL’s Competition Committee looked at the current rules that govern most professional football leagues and determined ways to enhance the overall experience for both the players and the fans,” said San Francisco Head Coach Dennis Green and Chair of the League’s Competition Committee. “Our mission is to provide greater access to traditionally off-limit locations, including the locker room and behind the bench, to better engage the fans and bring them closer to the action. While enhancing the overall fan experience, the UFL took strict measures not to employ any stunts or gimmicks that would compromise the overall integrity and competitiveness of the game.”

Flyers prospect camp

Jim Jackson and Tim Panaccio will be live at noon from the first on-ice day at prospect camp at philadelphiaflyers.com

Ikegwuonu trial continued until July 16

Eagles cornerback Jack Ikegwuonu is currently on trial for allegedly attempting to steal an Xbox when he was at Wisconsin. The proceedings were continued until July 16 after a witness for the prosecution failed to arrive from California.

The absent witness was a former tenant of the townhouse that Ikegwuonu and his brother allegedly entered. Ikegwuonu's brother was already acquitted by a jury but Jack has waived his right to a jury trial, and decided to proceed with a judge assessing the facts and resolving the dispute.

Sixers' Dancers auditions at Chickie’s & Pete’s

The Philadelphia 76ers will hold the final round of auditions for the 2009-10 Sixers Dancers at Chickie’s & Pete’s (1526 Packer Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19145) on Monday, July 13.

The 30 semi-finalists that advanced past the first-round of auditions will compete for a spot on the team beginning at 7:00 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

All finalists will perform as a group followed by performances in groups of four. The Sixers Jr. Dancers and Alumni Dancers will perform as well throughout the evening.

Sixers public address announcer Matt Cord will emcee the event. Special guest judges include CBS-3 sports reporter Don Bell, NBC-10 anchor Dawn Timmeney, NBC-10 sports reporter John Clark, Comcast SportsNet reporter/anchor Marshall Harris, 100.3 the Beat’s radio hosts Charlamagne and Pooch, 610-WIP radio broadcaster Hugh Douglas, one of the East Coast’s top advertising and editorial photographers Michael Spain-Smith, and Pete Ciarrocchi of Chickie’s & Pete’s.

Under the direction of new Coach and former Sixers Dancer Dayna Nadler Hafetz, the Sixers Dancers are entering their 14th season as an integral part of the 76ers game entertainment package. The Sixers Dancers represent the 76ers organization at home games and many of the promotional and community appearances throughout the year.

During her seven years as a Sixers Dancer, Dayna had the opportunity to perform at both the NBA All-Star Game in 2000 and NBA Finals in 2001. Also during that time, she has performed alongside Will Smith, Destiny’s Child, Pink, Ludacris, and appeared on MTV’s Rock and Jock, ESPN Pro Dance Special, as well as various Comcast commercials and television specials.

Flyers, Pronger agree to multi-year extension

by Bob Herpen
The Phanatic Magazine

The Philadelphia Flyers signed defenseman Chris Pronger to a multi-year contract extension on Tuesday.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but multiple sources report that the pact is worth $35 million over seven years.

"We are pleased to have one of the NHL's premier defensemen in our organization and under contract long term," said Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren.

The Flyers acquired Pronger from the Anaheim Ducks on June 26 with prospect Ryan Dingle for forward Joffrey Lupul, defenseman Luca Sbisa, two first-round draft picks and a conditional third-round selection.

Pronger, the second overall pick of the 1993 draft by the Hartford Whalers, played in all 82 games last season with the Ducks and scored 11 goals and added 37 assists.

Over his 15 seasons in the NHL, Pronger has appeared in 1,022 games and compiled 142 goals and 464 assists. He is a career plus-153 and has 1,457 penalty minutes. In addition to Anaheim, who he won a Stanley Cup with in 2007, he has also played for Edmonton, St. Louis and Hartford.

"I am very excited to be able to retire a Philadelphia Flyer and am looking forward to many years with the Flyers logo on my chest," Pronger said.

The native of Ontario took home the Norris Trophy as top defenseman and the Hart Trophy as the league's most valuable player for the 1999-2000 season and is a five-time All-Star.

Pronger, Flyers close to deal

Sportsnet.ca reports that the Flyers and Chris Pronger are close to a deal, which would keep the defenseman in Philly for seven-years at $35 million.

An official announcement of the deal can come as early as this evening, but details have yet to be finalized.

AHL reveals new division alignments for 2009-2010

by Bob Herpen
The Phanatic Magazine

With the suspension of the Iowa Chops franchise, the American Hockey League will feature 29 clubs once more for the upcoming season.

Also, don't forget that the Phantoms no longer call Philadelphia home, rather they will have Glens Falls, New York as its base as the Adirondack Phantoms. The club will still play in the same division as their traditional rivals Hershey and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

A modified schedule will be released later in the Summer with the start of the regular season still set to comence on October 2.

Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
Bridgeport Sound Tigers (NYI)
Hartford Wolf Pack (NYR)
Lowell Devils (NJ)
Manchester Monarchs (LA)
Portland Pirates (BUF)
Providence Bruins (BOS)
Springfield Falcons (EDM)
Worcester Sharks (SJ)

East Division
Adirondack Phantoms (PHI)
Albany River Rats (CAR)
Binghamton Senators (OTT)
Hershey Bears (WSH)
Norfolk Admirals (TB)
Syracuse Crunch (CBJ)
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (PIT)

Western Conference
North Division
Abbotsford Heat (CGY)
Grand Rapids Griffins (DET)
Hamilton Bulldogs (MTL)
Lake Erie Monsters (COL)
Manitoba Moose (VAN)
Rochester Americans (FLA)
Toronto Marlies (TOR)

West Division
Chicago Wolves (ATL)
Houston Aeros (MIN)
Milwaukee Admirals (NSH)
Peoria Rivermen (STL)
Rockford IceHogs (CHI)
San Antonio Rampage (PHX)
Texas Stars (DAL)

Spectrum sale this Saturday

Philadelphia sports fans can take advantage of big savings on t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, jerseys, and apparel as Comcast-Spectacor, the Philadelphia Phillies, and Aramark host a one-day-only blowout sale on the floor of the Wachovia Spectrum on Saturday, July 11 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.

In addition to savings of up to 80 percent off, fans can also enjoy $1 hot dogs, free soft drinks, and free parking. Sixers mascot Hip Hop and the Phillie Phanatic will make special appearances to help fans shop.

Liddell, Lewis tabbed for UFC Hall

UFC president Dana White announced on his Twitter page that former light heavyweight champion Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell and TapouT founder Charles “Mask” Lewis would be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame this Friday at the UFC Fan Expo surrounding UFC 100.

“Hey guys Chuck Liddell and Charles ‘Mask’ Lewis will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame at the UFC Fan Expo this Friday at 6:30 p.m.,” White wrote.

Michael Jackson Memorial Service live coverage

Streaming .TV shows by Ustream

The T.O. Show trailer

The T.O. Show debuts July 20 on VH1. Check out the trailer below...

VH1 TV Shows | Music Videos | Celebrity Photos | News & Gossip

Sixers free agent rumors

The Oregonian says that the Blazers are back in the Andre Miller sweepstakes after Hedo Turkoglu spurned them. Miller's agent, Andy Miller, said the Blazers first inquired about the veteran point guard shortly after the free agent market opened July 1, but then the dialogue ceased. After the Turkoglu deal fell through, his phone line lit up again.

The Inqy says that the Rockets are desperate for a big man with Yao Ming likely out for the coming season but not desperate enough to want Samuel Dalembert. Dalembert comes with a price tag of $23.6 million over two years and a $3.8 million trade kicker. According to an NBA source, Ed Stefanski contacted the Rockets to see if they had any interest in acquiring Dalembert and the answer was no.

Also, guard Royal Ivey, who opted out of his contract with the Sixers earlier this summer, has heard from a number of teams but not the Sixers, according to a source close to Ivey. The same source said Ivey would be open to negotiating a new contract with the Sixers, however.

The Sixers would like to add reserves at point guard, small forward and center for additional depth, according to the Bucks County Courier Times and have their eye on former Sixers swingman Rodney Carney.

The Times also reports some within the organization wouldn't mind turning the page to see what career backup Lou Williams could do in a more substantial role, while also taking a look at first-round pick Jrue Holiday. A veterans' minimum guy like Utah's Ronnie Price would then round out the point-guard rotation.

Sixers/Nets team drops Summer League opener

Indiana topped Philly/Jersey 72-67.

Marreese Speights was the star with a double-double of 28 points and 11 rebounds. Jrue Holiday tallies 9 points, 4 boards and 2 assists in his NBA debut.

Howard returns to Home Run Derby

Former champion Ryan Howard, will join Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder and Adrian Gonzalez as members of the National League in the All-Star Home Run Derby next week.

The AL participants will be announced later.

Howard won the 2006 All-Star Home Run Derby in Pittsburgh.

Phils send Taschner back to Lehigh Valley

The Phillies have optioned LHP Jack Taschner to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

Strikeforce confirms Overeem vs. Werdum

STRIKEFORCE has confirmed the rumored Alistair Overeem vs. Fabricio Werdum heavyweight title match on August 15 in San Jose.

Amaro on Pedro...

"We are trying to explore all possible options as we try to improve our club."

Flyers summer prospect camp to open this week

The Flyers will open their annual summer prospect camp at the Virtua Center Flyers Skate Zone in Voorhees, New Jersey, on Tuesday, July 7.

Among the 34 players that are scheduled to attend the week long camp are first-round pick James van Riemsdyk (2007) and all six of the Flyers’ 2009 NHL Entry Draft picks.

Here are the players scheduled to participate:

Forwards:

No.	Name	Pos.	2008-09 Team	How Acquired
61	Josh Beaulieu	RW	Phila. (AHL)	5th round (2005)
53	Rob Bellamy	RW	Phila. (AHL)	3rd round (2005)
71	Rocco Carzo	LW	Des Moines (USHL)	Undrafted
52	Matt Clackson	LW	Phila. (AHL)	7th round (2005)
40	Ryan Dingle	LW	Iowa (AHL)	Trade with Anaheim on June 26, 2009
37	Jon Kalinski	C	Phila. (AHL)/FLYERS	6th round (2007)
59	Garrett Klotz	LW	Phila. (AHL)	3rd round (2007)
60	Dave Labrecque	C	Shawninigan (QMJHL)	6th round (2009)
57	David Laliberte	RW	Phila. (AHL)	4th round (2004)
62	Josh Lunden	LW	U. of Alaska-Anchorage (WCHA)	Undrafted
54	Pat Maroon	LW	Phila. (AHL)	6th round (2007)
50	Jon Matsumoto	C	Phila. (AHL)	3rd round (2006)
15	Andreas Nodl	RW	Phila. (AHL)/FLYERS	2nd round (2006)
63	Michael Penny	RW	American Intl. College (Atlantic)	Undrafted
51	Zac Rinaldo	C	Mississauga St. Michael's/London (OHL)	6th round (2008)
76	Brett Robinson	LW	Mercyhurst (Atlantic)	Undrafted
21	James van Riemsdyk	LW	New Hampshire (HE)/Phila. (AHL)	1st round (2007)
47	Eric Wellwood	LW	Windsor (OHL)	6th round (2009)

Defensemen:

No.	Name	Pos.	2008-09 Team	How Acquired
41	Simon Bertisson	D	Brynas (SEL)	3rd round (2009)
64	Channing Boe	D	Minnesota St.-Mankato (WCHA)	Undrated
43	Marc-Andre Bourdon	D	Rouyn-Noranda/Rimouski (QMJHL)	3rd round (2008)
56	Oliver Lauridsen	D	St. Cloud St. (WCHA)	7th round (2009)
58	Joonas Lehtivuori	D	Ilves Tampere (FNL)	4th round (2006)
46	Kevin Marshall	D	Quebec (QMJHL)	2nd round (2007)
55	Michael Ratchuk	D	Phila. (AHL)	2nd round (2006)
65	Nicholas Rioux	D	St. Cloud St. (WCHA)	Undrated
68	David Sloane	D	Colgate (ECAC)/Phila. (AHL)/FLYERS	Undrafted

Goaltenders:

No.	Name	Pos.	2008-09 Team	How Acquired
70	Jacob DeSerres	G	Seattle (WHL)	3rd round (2008)
67	Jeremy Duchesne	G	Mississippi/SC (ECHL)	4th round (2005)
49	Joacim Eriksson	G	Brynas IF (Sweden)	7th round (2008)
73	Adam Morrison	G	Saskatoon (WHL)	3rd round (2009)
74	Nicola Riopel	G	Moncton (QMJHL)	5th round (2009)
75	Cody Rosen	G	Kingston (OJHL)	Undrafted
79	Michael-Lee Teslak	G	Mississippi/Elmira (ECHL)/Phila. (AHL)	Signed as free agent on March 18, 2008

Also, on Thursday, July 9, the Flyers will hold their annual conditioning event, Trial on The Isle, through the streets and waters of Stone Harbor, New Jersey.

Players participating in the team’s Prospect Camp will demonstrate their conditioning by competing in a triathlon, which includes cycling, kayaking and running.

This all-day event starts and finishes at the intersection of 96th Street and 2nd Avenue in Stone Harbor. Following the Trial on The Isle, the players will be available for autographs at the Harbor Bizarre from 1:30 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. and will later participate in a charity softball game at the 80th Street Field. Fans are welcome at all locations to watch the prospects and all proceeds benefit Flyers Charities, a division of the Comcast Spectacor Foundation with a donation going to Veterans Causes.

World Series Trophy, Stanley Cup & Lombardi Trophy on display in Harrisburg

The World Series Trophy, Stanley Cup & Lombardi Trophy will all be on display this afternoon at the Pennsylvania State Capitol Building in Harrisburg from 11-2.

Flyers to introduce Pronger today

The Flyers will introduce their new All-Star defenseman, Chris Pronger, at a noon press conference today. You can watch it here by banging the link...

Phils interest in Pedro picking up steam

The Inqy is reporting that the Phillies have decided to scout free agent pitcher Pedro Martinez.

Citing a source with direct knowledge of the situation, Andy Martino confirms the team will take a look at the former Cy Young Award winner as early as today in the Dominican Republic.

Martinez, 37, is a sterling 214-99 with a 2.91 earned run average in 17 big league seasons but was just 5-6 with a 5.61 ERA for the New York Mets last season.

Hope you enjoyed the Holiday weekend

Here's some of what you missed while watching the fireworks.

Phils 2b Chase Utley and OF Raul Ibanez were voted in as starters for the All-Star Game while 1b Ryan Howard is going in as a reserve. For Ibanez, it's his first All-Star Game in his 14 big league seasons.

Meanwhile, CF Shane Victorino still has a chance. Each league will add an additional player, as voted by the fans.

The National League options are Arizona third baseman Mark Reynolds, Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp, Victorino, San Francisco third baseman Pablo Sandoval and Washington shortstop Cristian Guzman.

Balloting for the final player began Sunday and will continue through 4 p.m. (et) on Thursday, July 9.

***The Phillies also activated veteran Scott Eyre from the 15-day disabled list on Sunday.

Eyre hit the DL June 12 with a strained left calf. He is 1-1 with a 2.57 earned run average in 25 games this season. Opposing batters are hitting .196 against him.

To make room for Eyre, Philadelphia optioned fellow southpaw Sergio Escalona to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. In six appearances this season, Escalona is 1-0 with a 2.84 ERA.

***Nationally, the big story remains the murder of former Titans All-Pro QB Steve McNair.

McNair and a female friend were found shot to death Saturday at a Nashville, Tenn. condominium.

Nashville police department public affairs manager Don Aaron spoke at a news briefing Sunday and classified McNair's death as a murder, but would not do the same for the other victim, 20-year-old Sahel Kazemi.

Aaron said McNair had multiple gunshot wounds, including two in the head and two in the chest. He added that the gun, a semiautomatic pistol, was found underneath Kazemi.

Circumstances surrounding the shooting were still not clear, although Aaron did say interviews with others indicated a dating relationship between the two.

"All scenarios are open," Aaron stated Sunday. "Nothing is being ruled out."

Independence unveils new logo

The Philadelphia Independence, the city's new women's pro soccer team, used Independence Day to introduce its new logo...

Papa replacement?

Phily media guru Laura Nachman says two in-house news people at 6ABC who might be considered as possible replacements for the widely popular Gary Papa, reporter Chad Pradelli and weekend news anchor Walter Perez.

In the past, both have filled in when the sports department was short-handed.

Kournikova out of WTT Tour

A wrist injury will keep Anna Kournikova off the World TeamTennis court this summer.

Kournikova, who was scheduled to start play for the St. Louis Aces on July 6 in Philadelphia, has been diagnosed with severe tenosynovitis in her left wrist.

Kournikova injured her wrist while practicing for her seventh season of World TeamTennis and has been undergoing daily neuromuscular and physical therapy. The injury has not responded to therapy or a series of cortisone shots from earlier this week, so she was advised by her doctor, Miami Heat team physician Dr. Harlan Selesnick, to continue rehab and not play her matches next week in order to avoid permanent long term damage.

Kournikova will still be travelling with her team and supporting them for their matches in Philadelphia (July 6), Washington, D.C. (July 8), Springfield, Mo. (July 10) and St. Louis (July 11). She will fulfill her obligations by participating in kids’ clinics, signing autographs and meeting with fans, media and sponsors.

"I was really looking forward to playing WTT for the 7^th year in a row,” said Kournikova. “So I am extremely disappointed that I won't be able to compete this year. As an athlete it’s always hard to deal with an injury, but I am still very excited to travel with my team and to fulfill my commitments surrounding the matches. I will continue to work on my rehabilitation and I am looking forward to next year’s WTT season."

Ibanez pushed back again

Phils slugger Raul Ibanez will not begin a rehab assignment tonight and may also be shut down for the weekend.

Phils DFA Taschner

The Phillies designated LHP Jack Taschner for assignment Friday to make room for RHP Rodrigo Lopez. Brett Myers was moved to the 60-day DL.

Turkoglu to Blazers

Hedo Turkoglu has reached an agreement in principle to join the Portland Trail Blazers, according to sources.

That means no Andre Miller in the Pacific Northwest.

Glauber says Westbrook is 5th best RB in NFL

Newsday's Bob Glauber checked in with his Top 5 RBs in the NFL today and here they are:

1. Adrian Peterson.
2. Michael Turner.
3. DeAngelo Williams.
4. Chris Johnson.
5. Brian Westbrook.

His top 5 QBs:

Top 5 QBs in the NFL right now.
1. Tom Brady.
2. Peyton Manning.
3. Ben Roethlisberger.
4. Philip Rivers.
5. Drew Brees.

Former St. Joe's guard Pat Carroll playing for Wolves' Summer League team

Former St. Joe's guard Pat Carroll will be playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2009 NBA Las Vegas Summer League which runs from July 10-19.

Sixers and Miller are far apart

The Sixers and unrestricted free agent Andre Miller are far apart in negotiations. Miller is reportedly looking for in the neighborhood of $10 million per season for three or four years. Philly is looking to avoid the luxury tax and wants Miller to ink a two-year deal at $5.6 million per season.

With things bogged down, Sixers GM has contacted both Mike Bobby and Jason Kidd but neither player is remotely interested in Philadelphia.

Phils discussing Martinez

Sports Illustrated's Jon Heyman is reporting the Phillies have discussed Pedro Martinez internally, although the former Cy Young winner is not the team's first option to bolster its pathetic starting rotation.

On the NBA: Motor City Blues

By John McMullen

Philadelphia, PA - I've always thought of sports as the ultimate form of escapist entertainment.

And a whole lot of people need to "escape" right about now.

It was announced Thursday that the nation's employers cut a larger-than- expected 467,000 jobs in June, and the unemployment rate climbed to a 26-year high of 9.5 percent. All told, 14.7 million Americans were unemployed in June.

Perhaps no city has been hit harder than Detroit, where the economic recession has left the Motor City with an astounding 22 percent unemployment rate, over two times the national average.

It wasn't always like that. Once upon a time, moving to Detroit was like winning the middle-class lottery. People with little or no real education were able to get jobs in the auto industry and in turn garner nice pay, great benefits and a solid pension. It was the very definition of the "American Dream," for so many.

This is a big summer for Joe Dumars.

Increased competition from foreign companies, the unyielding demands of the powerful unions and flat out mismanagement at the very top collapsed the entire auto industry from within, leaving a crumbling city both politically and fiscally.

Inasmuch, the people of Motown could use an "escape."

In recent years, the Pistons have been great at providing a few hours of escapist entertainment. Six straight trips to the Eastern Conference finals made late spring basketball a birthright for a generation of hoops fans...

Until last year.

Convinced his veteran-laden team was stale and couldn't get over the ultimate hump, Pistons president Joe Dumars pushed the plunger and blew up his team. The results were disastrous.

Joe D. jettisoned the underrated Flip Saunders for the untested and unproven Michael Curry, and compounded that mistake with the ill-conceived Chauncey Billups-Allen Iverson trade.

Curry's decision to bench veteran stalwart Rip Hamilton in favor of Iverson was not well-received by his team. Gone was Detroit's legendary balance, defensive prowess and chemistry, not to mention the run of six straight trips to the East finals.

In his first year directing the perennial championship contenders, Curry led the Pistons to just a 39-43 record, good for the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference. Detroit was then quickly swept in the first round of the playoffs by the top-seeded Cavaliers, who won each game by double digits.

Needless to say, this is a big summer for Dumars.

First, the Hall of Famer did an about-face Tuesday and fired Curry, just two months after he had held a press conference to confirm that his embattled coach would return to the Motor City in 2009-10.

Then the team - which did acquire plenty of cap space in the Iverson deal - dove into free agency headfirst on Wednesday, reportedly agreeing to deals with a pair of former UConn stars, sharp-shooting guard Ben Gordon, late of the Chicago Bulls, and emerging forward Charlie Villanueva, formerly of the Milwaukee Bucks.

Gordon, an offensive-minded two-guard just like Iverson, had been on the Pistons' radar for quite some time and is a much better fit than the former MVP.

"Ben agreed to come here knowing he would come off the bench," a source told NBA.com. "That makes it completely different than Iverson coming here...Gordon is choosing to come here and play the super sub role."

Villanueva, meanwhile, became available after Milwaukee inexplicably declined to make him a qualifying offer on Monday.

Now, Detroit will feature a three-guard rotation of Rodney Stuckey, Hamilton and Gordon, with Tayshaun Prince at small forward and Villanueva at power forward.

The problem is the pivot, where battle-tested veterans Rasheed Wallace and Antonio McDyess are both expected to move on, leaving the perpetually underachieving Kwame Brown as the only current option.

Like the city they play in, the Pistons are still a long way away from their glory days. But Dumars' dealings may have provided something far more important than any championship trophy -- a welcome distraction for an embattled fan base.

Piper arrested for drunk driving

TMZ.com reported this morning that Roderick "Roddy Piper" Toombs, the legendary World Wrestling Entertainment performer, was arrested at 1 a.m. (pt) in Hollywood, CA, for suspicion of a DUI.

The 55-year-old Toombs was stopped by police, given a field sobriety test and then arrested. He was being held on $5,000 bond.

Myers to begin throwing in 2 weeks

Todd Zolecki reports Phils starter Brett Myers has been cleared to begin throwing in two weeks but a return this season is believed to be unlikely.

Also, Raul Ibanez's rehab assignment has been pushed back another day, which makes him unlikely to play this weekend against the Mets.

Iverson to Memphis?

The Memphis Commercial Appeal is reporting that several NBA sources have confirmed that Allen Iverson -- through representatives -- has made the Grizzlies aware that he would like to play in Memphis.

Four Flyers invited to Team Canada's Olympic Camp

Four Flyers have been invited to Team Canada's Olympic Camp in August in Calgary: Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, Chris Pronger and Simon Gagne

Philly UFC debut passes $3 million in ticket sales

The Aug. 8 UFC debut event at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia headlined by UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn vs. Kenny Florian has sold nearly 14,000 tickets and passed $3 million in sales.

"We put tickets on sale, I believe sometime at the end of April or early May, and we've sold almost 14,000 tickets," UFC Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner told MMAjunkie.com. "It's the biggest event in Pennsylvania history, as far as a live gate, already."

The state of Pennsylvania only recently began regulating mixed martial arts, but Ratner claims UFC 101 has already shattered long-standing boxing records in The Keystone State.

Ratner, the former head of the powerful Nevada State Athletic Comission, claims UFC 101 has already topped a record set by legendary boxer Jack Dempsey in 1926 when he fought former U.S. Marine Gene Tunney in Philadelphia. The event reported drew a live attendance of 120,557, which still stands as a combat-sports record.

"We've sold over $3 million worth of tickets," Ratner said of UFC 101. "No boxing match has ever sold that much. When you go back 75 years ago, Jack Dempsey fought there (Philadelphia), and they had 100,000 people watching the fight. But tickets in those days? Maybe if you interpolated those dollars into what it's worth today, it wouldn't be there, but actual dollars – like $3.2 million - [UFC 101] is the largest gate in Pennsylvania history."

Wrestlemania XV held at the Wachovia Center (then known as the First Union Center) on March 28, 1999 drew a sellout of 18,274 and just under $1.5 million for a card headlined by Steve Austin and The Rock.




In addition to Penn vs. Florian, UFC 101 features an intriguing non-title bout between UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva and former light-heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin at 205 pounds. Additionally, "The Ultimate Fighter 7" winner Amir Sadollah makes his long-awaited return from injuries to face Johny Hendricks.

Conflicting reports on Miller to Portland

A Portland radio station reported that the Blazers are ready to pull the trigger on a sign-and-trade deal that would send Sixers free agent point guard Andre Miller to the Pacific Northwest for guard Steve Blake and forward Travis Outlaw. However, Blazers GM Kevin Pritchard then denied anything was imminent in the Portland Tribune.

Miller is reportedly looking for $30 million over three years.

We continue to hear Magic point forward Hedo Turkoglu is the Blazers' main focus in the free agency period.

Flyers bring in Boucher, Laperriere

In a pair of late afternoon moves, the Flyers signed goaltender Brian Boucher and forward Ian Laperriere.

Boucher, a former Flyer backstop from 1999-2002, was inked to a $1.85 million deal over two years. He was the backup goalie in San Jose last season and will likely be Ray Emery's caddy next year.

Laperriere, late of the Colorado Avalanche, got a three-year pact worth $3.5 million.

Laperriere had seven goals, 12 assists and 163 penalty minutes last season the Avalanche, his third with Colorado. He has also played for St. Louis, the New York Rangers and Los Angeles in a 15-season NHL career.

Sixers name O'Koren, Lynam and McKie assistant coaches

As expected new Sixers coach Eddie Jordan named Mike O’Koren his lead assistant and associate head coach and retained Jim Lynam and Aaron McKie as assistant coaches for the upcoming season.

O’Koren and McKie will also represent the Sixers on the sideline as part of their joint Orlando Summer League team with the New Jersey Nets.

“I am excited to be joined on the bench by three coaches with a wealth of basketball knowledge and for whom I have a tremendous amount of respect,” Jordan said. “My staff has a common vision for this team and how we will play, and I truly look forward to working with them to achieve our goals.”

O’Koren begins his first season as the Sixers associate head coach after spending five full seasons with Coach Jordan in the same capacity with the Washington Wizards. The former North Carolina All-American joined the Wizards staff after serving as an assistant coach alongside coach Jordan on the New Jersey Nets bench from 1999-2003, where they helped guide the Nets to back-to-back Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference Championships in 2002 and 2003.

After a stand-out college career at North Carolina – where he was a three-time All-American and a four-year starter – O’Koren was drafted by the Nets with the sixth overall selection in the 1980 NBA Draft. He averaged 8.5 points in his seven NBA seasons with the Nets, including a career-high 11.4 points per game during the 1981-82 season.

Lynam, a veteran of more than 23 years in the NBA coaching ranks, returns to the sidelines in 2009-10. With an NBA resume that includes 10 seasons as a head coach with three different teams – San Diego/Los Angeles Clippers (1983-85), Philadelphia 76ers (1987-92) and Washington Bullets (1995-97) – Lynam has compiled 328 wins. In his four-plus seasons as head coach of the Sixers, he led them to a 194-173 record and was runner-up for NBA Coach of the Year during the 1989-90 season.

McKie returns for his second season as an assistant coach after originally joining the coaching staff on Oct. 3, 2007. Since he never officially retired as a player, his rights still belonged to the Los Angeles Lakers, who signed McKie to a contract in order to package him in a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies for Pau Gasol on Feb. 1, 2008. Although he did not appear in a game, McKie spent the remainder of the season on the Grizzlies roster before being waived on May 9, 2008. He returned to the Sixers on September 30, 2008.

In 793 career games with 287 starts, McKie averaged 7.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.15 steals in 24.2 minutes per game. He enjoyed his best season as a Sixer in 2000-01, taking home Sixth Man of the Year honors while helping Philadelphia reach the NBA Finals. That same season, he recorded back-to-back triple-doubles at Sacramento on Dec. 30, 2000 (19 points, 14 assists, 10 rebounds) and vs. Atlanta on Jan. 3, 2001 (11 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists).

Jordan was named the Sixers head coach on June 1, 2009.

Knuble signs 2-year deal with Caps

The Washington Capitals have signed former Flyers forward Mike Knuble to a 2 year contract worth $2.8 million per season.

Kendra and Hank's wedding

Penn's Jabeer, St. Joe's Jones on Pistons summer league team

Former Penn Guard Ibrahim Jaaber and former St. Joe's center Dwayne Jones will be on the Detroit Pistons NBA Summer League team in Las Vegas, NV. The Pistons will play five games versus Sacramento, Toronto, Golden State, New York and Cleveland from July 10 through July 19.

On the NFL: Deterring Bad Behavior

By John McMullen

Philadelphia, PA (The Phanatic Magazine) - I'm a proponent of the death penalty and I say that while fully aware that most criminologists do not believe it stops crime.

In fact, according to a study published at Northwestern University School of Law’s Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology, 88 percent of the country's top criminologists do not believe the death penalty acts as a deterrent to homicide.

Similarly, 87 percent believe that abolition of the death penalty would not have any significant effect on murder rates. Finally, 75 percent of the respondents agreed that 'debates about the death penalty distract Congress and state legislatures from focusing on real solutions to crime problems.'

So why do I support the death penalty?

Simple, I'm not looking to deter, I'm looking to punish. Some crimes are so heinous, they deserve the ultimate punishment.

By now you might be asking, what any of this have to do with the NFL?

Well behavior, or lack thereof, has been one of the front page stories in the NFL this offseason. Michael Vick's release from prison and possible return to the league along with he fates of Donte Stallworth and Plaxico Burress have been much-discussed.

Earlier this week, Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio even penned a column stating the NFL's Personal Conduct Policy is "working," using a flawed statistical model based on number of arrests.

In 2007 NFL players had 33 arrests and other incidents from the day after the Super Bowl through the end of June. During that same period in 2008, the number increased to 37. This year the number has fallen to 23.

According to Florio, the "deterrent" (the league's Personal Conduct Policy) is stopping the "crime" (bad behavior).

Unfortunately, that's just ludicrous.

Seattle Seahawks fullback Owen Schmitt was arrested last weekend on charges of suspicion of DUI in Washington, days after Stallworth pleaded guilty to DUI manslaughter and found himself indefinitely suspended by Roger Goodell.

Does anyone really think the heavy hammer of everyone's favorite judgmental, evangelical-like commissioner was in the back of a drunken Schmitt's mind when he turned his ignition key?

No chance.

Criminals usually commit dozens of crimes before they are caught. Only Schmitt knows if that's the first time he got behind the wheel while impaired but if it was, he is an awfully unlucky guy.

Days after taking his job, Goodell had already decided what he wanted his legacy to be. While Pete Rozelle and Paul Tagliabue will be forever revered as economic geniuses, there was a dark side to their respective watches -- the NFL turned into a clearinghouse for felons and miscreants. Goodell has been far more aggressive in terms of disciplining players than his predecessors.

For the most part, I applaud that. Contemptible behavior deserves to be punished. Just don't expect that punishment to deter any future potential bad behavior.

Common sense says human beings are flawed and will always make mistakes.

Human beings that are spoon fed a sense of entitlement from high school on are even more flawed and no policy policing personal conduct can plug that dam.

Papa memorial service info

Gary Papa's memorial service is scheduled for 7:30 pm on Wednesday, July 8 at the National Constitution Center and will not be open to public.

It will, however, stream on 6abc.com.

Ahearn like chances with Sixers

Blake Ahearn, a 25-year-old star in the NBA Developmental League, will be playing with the Sixers summer league team in Orlando next week.

It was a calculated decision by the 6-foot-2 sharpshooter.

"Philadelphia was last in the NBA in 3-point shooting (31.8 percent) and they're switching to the Princeton offense, (so) they need shooters," Ahearn told the Springfield, Missouri News Leader.

A pure shooter, Ahearn set an NBADL League record with 143 three-pointers last season for the Dakota Wizards, making 43 percent of his attempts. The NCAA career free-throw accuracy leader, he also led the D-League at 95.2 percent.

Ahearn was the D-League rookie of the year in 2008 and an all-league selection in 2009. He played in 12 games with Miami at the end of the 2007-08 season and three games early last season with San Antonio, averaging 5.2 points.

Dalembert to Houston?

Yao Ming's chronic foot injury and his muddled future has many believing the Houston Rockets will be in the market for a center.

Since Ed Stefanski desperately wants to move disgruntled pivot man Samuel Dalembert, people are starting to put two and two together. The Rockets would also like to trade Tracy McGrady, who is entering the final season of his contract worth $23.2 million and one NBA source has the Sixers trying to match things up.

Dalembert has two years and $23.6 million left, including $11.4 million this coming season and a 15 percent trade kicker, which would add $3.8 million to his contract.