• Weirdness: A-Rod breaks down, talks dollars with the Yankees all by his lonesome. How upset is Boras right now? Surely A-Rod’s giving a “discount” on what Boras could’ve extorted out of a ball club.
• The Lakers pulled off a 93-90 win over the Rockets, while T-Mac injured his elbow and may be out of the line-up for at least a week
• Lakers coach Phil Jackson gets reprimanded by the league for his “Brokeback Mountain” comments.
• The Sonics got their first win against the strug-ling Miami Heat, despite Dwayne Wade’s return to the line-up. Expect Pat Riley to sauté his line-up… and Big Diesel will be his main focus/victim.
• Cleveland’s Wedge, Arizona’s Melvin named the AL, NL top MLB managers.
• Stephon Marbury returned to the Knicks line-up Wednesday but the riff between he and coach Isaiah Thomas may not be over.
• The NFL reinstated oft-high running back Ricky Williams.

NCAA 

• The Syracuse Orangemen have yet to master Jim Boeheim’s zone defense, but Jonny Flynn has a good handle on running the point.

NFL

• This is why I hate the Franchise Tag. How would Dwight Freeney feel if he did not sign his new deal with Indianapolis? Because now that he is out for the season, I doubt he would have been able to become the highest paid defensive player in the NFL.
• Washington Redskin safety Sean Taylor will miss the Dallas game Sunday with a sprained knee, T.O. exhales… Can it get any worse for the Washington Redskins secondary? All I know is Gibbs better get his play calling together.

MLB

• Josh Beckett lost the Cy Young Award to C. C. Sebathia, but at least the Bo Sox get to open the season in Tokyo. See Boston you can’t win everything!
• Jose Posada decides not to follow Torre out west, but what about Mariano Rivera?

Around the NBA

• I love Stephon Marbury, but what the hell is going on?
• The Miami Heat are almost as bad as the Miami Dolphins…
• The Portland Trailblazers won their first home contest against Rasheed Wallace since his departure to remain undefeated at home. LaMarcus Aldridge scored game high 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds (he is averaging 20 & 8), while the bench provided a much needed spark.
• The Washington Wizards look to turn around their season tonight against Jamal Tinsley and the Indiana Pacers.

NCAA 

• So let me get this straight. University of Wyoming’s coach Joe Glenn guaranteed a victory over Utah before their Saturday game. Up 43-0 Utah’s coach Kyle Wittingham calls for an onside kick in the fourth quarter to rub it in resulting in Glenn flipping Wittingham the bird from across the field. Who isn’t a loser in this story?
• Did Charlie Weiss really just blame his players for their 1-9 record? The first nine loss season in Notre Dame history. If Ty Willingham had gone 1-9 would he have even been allowed to finish the season? Karma… Karma…
• Indiana freshman guard Eric Gordon put up 33 on Chattanooga in his college debut. Not only did Gordon shoot 7 of 11 from down town, but he set the record for most scored in a Hoosier debut.

Around the NFL

• While the NFL Players Association attempts change Commission Goodell’s mind on Adam “Pac Manâ€? Jones’ suspension. Jones decides to take a plea deal after “Making it Rainâ€? in Vegas.
• With only the LCL in Adrian Peterson’s right knee being torn, his dream of a 2,000 yard rookie season is still alive.
• “It’s was all good just a week ago.â€? It doesn’t seem so long ago that the Indianapolis Colts were the undefeated defending Super Bowl champs. Now they are an injured mess with a two game losing streak. Maybe Dungy can get something out of his old buddy Simeon Rice.

Around the NBA

• Remember when Carmelo vs. LeBron was a big deal? Now adays… Melo’s team
  wins by 22 points as he goes up 6-2 in the “historic� match up.
• The Washington Wizards win their first of their 76 game winning streak!
• Interesting opinion on Michael Jordan’s post divorce era.

Maybe West Virginia Quarterback Pat White can spark some Heisman talk with his 50-yard touchdown run with 1:36 left in regulation to beat the Louisville Cardinals last night? Maybe not.

Minnesota Vikings receiver Troy Williamson is being fined $25,588.24 (one game salary) for missing last Sunday’s game against the San Diego Chargers to attend his grandmother’s funeral. What a great organization…

Around the NBA

• 34 million people tuned in to watch the Patriots/Colts game last Sunday. Roughly 93 million fans watched the Superbowl last season. But over 200 million will be glued to the tube in China to watch the Houston Rockets’ Yao Ming battle Milwaukee Bucks’ Yi Jianlian tonight. Beijing is ready are you?
• Nene hurt again…
• Coach Scott Skiles makes up with Joakim Noah, everything is happy time when you end your losing streak.
• The Dallas Mavericks avenged their play-off upset against the Golden State Warriors last night. But in reality, Stephen Jackson was out, Dirk struggled, and Baron Davis was dominant with 37points and missed a wide open three as time expired. So I really wouldn’t call this a convincing victory.
• Wizards are 0-4 after falling to the New Jersey Nets. It’s hard to win when you only get 19 points from players other than the big three.

• Billy Gillespie, welcome to Kentucky! Gardner-Webb upset the No. 20 Wildcats in Lexingon, 84-68.
• On Mike & Mike in the morning, legendary Dolphins coach Don Shula clarified his stance on those cheatin’ Pats, saying “there shouldn’t be any asterisk to it,” if they manage to go undefeated. | Wilbon weighs in.
• The first trade of the Florida GM meetings went down by way of the Houston Astros finally dealing closer Brad Lidge away in a 5-player trade to the Phillies.
• The Celtics shot 65% from the field and led by 39 at halftime, as they rolled on to a 119-93 romp of the Denver Nuggets — dedicating the game to coach Doc Rivers, whose father passed away earlier this week.
• Gilbert Arenas has his knee drained — again — but Wiz coach Eddie Jordan doesn’t seem worried.
• Despite being prone to rookie mistakes, Redskins rookie safety Laron Landry has been impressive so far this season.
• Think the Cavs miss Varajeo now? Donyell Marshall injured his wrist in a collision with Devin Harris, and with Varajeo still M.I.A. holding holding out for a better contract offer, Cleveland will be forced to use a much smaller line-up. I know a certain “soldier” in Cleveland having a heckova football season who may be interested…
• A Q & A with USC football coach Pete Carroll on Stanford, his diminishing coaching staff and the possibility that he is just having a very off season.
• Want to talk smack to Giants TE Jeremy Shockey? His friends will bust you.

After meeting with Adam “Pac Man� Jones, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announces that he will uphold Jones season long suspension.

Don Shula says what everyone is thinking about the New England Patriots.

Curt Schilling inks an eight million dollar one year deal to keep his bloody red sock with the Red Sox.

Seattle Mariner outfielder Jose Guillen will be interviewed by the commisioner’s office inregards to allegedly purchasing steroids.

Check out ScottVanPeltStyle.com’s interview of one of my many crushes Sage Steele.

Around the NBA

• John Paxson, the Chicago Bulls are 0-4. Maybe it is time to revisit the Kobe trade before you and Coach Scott Skiles seats get hot.
• The New York Knicks punched the Denver Nuggets in the mouth (figuratively speaking) with a fourth quarter comeback last night.
• Chris Paul records 21assists in their win against the Los Angeles Lakers yesterday. It wasn’t hard, all he had to do was pass the ball to Peja Stojakovic who set a franchise record with 10 three’s from downtown and we aren’t talking about Bourbon Street.
• The Phoenix Suns may have run the Charlotte Bobcats out of the gym, but it was a pleasure to watch Jared Dudley hustle his arse off until the final buzzer. I love that guy.

• And then there was one… Despite great play by the Indianapolis Colts’ defense. The New England Patriots were able to steal a victory in the fourth quarter on the road. The “Game of the Century,â€? although low scoring, lived up to the hype. Who else thinks the Patriots are going to go 16-0?
• I told you he would be better than Reggie Bush! Adrian Peterson broke the NFL single game rushing record with 296yards on 30carries yesterday! Peterson’s three rushing touchdowns helped the Minnesota Vikings upset the San Diego Chargers.
• The Washington Redskins thank God for Shaun Suisham! But where was Brandon Lloyd?
• The Boston Celtics opened up their season 2-0 this weekend. The team has rallied behind coach Doc Rivers and the passing of his father as Ray Allen lead the team in scoring against the Toronto Raptors hitting a game winning three point attempt.

Barry Bonds plans on boycotting the Hall of Fame if his 756th home run ball is placed on display with an asterisk. I completely agree.

Torre finally inks a deal with the L.A. Dodgers. Now give him some talent.

Martina Hingis retires from tennis for a second time after testing positive for cocaine. Hingis states the test is false, but if your innocent why retire?

Andy Reid’s son is sentenced to prison. Before sentencing the judge called out the Reids as parents calling their home a “drug emporium� and calling the them a “family in crisis.�

Gibbs says Washington Redskins offense needs to get more physical.

Around the NBA…

• T-Mac cannot take back the game 7 lose to the Utah Jazz in last years NBA Western Conference Playoffs, but dropping 47 on em aint bad.
• Kobe is a Laker… for now…
• Wilbon says don’t trade Agent Zero for Kobe! Gilbert blogs that it would be stupid to trade him.
• The original Big 3 prepares to battle the new Big 3 in a showdown in Boston. Gilbert already guaranteed the victory.

Thomas A. Edison High School faces off against Chantilly High School tonight at 7:30 in a battle of Northern Virginia AAA football supremacy. Chantilly is ranked 18th in the Washington Post with a 7-2 record, while Edison boasts a record of 8-1 and has beaten their last four opponents with a combined score of 183-14. Chantilly is the best team in District 6 while Edison has dominated District 5. So if you are in the Springfield, Virginia area tonight swing by Edison High School as the Edison stomps Chantilly!

Washington Redskin cornerback Carlos Rogers is out for season with a knee injury. Fred Smoot’s hamstring must get better in a hurry.

The Padres’ Golden Glove center fielder Mike Cameron tests positive for a banned stimulant, his second failure earned him a 25game suspension.

Is Joe Torre going to manage the L.A. Dodgers or not?

Boston owns sports, what what’s up with LA?

Around the NBA

• What does Magic Johnson have to say about the Kobe situation? Glad you asked.
• An interesting Dallas Star interview with Jerry Stackhouse.
• Al Jefferson signs a contract extension to fill big shoes in Minnesota…
• Are the Cleveland Cavaliers really the reigning Eastern Conference champions? Because they got blown out by the Dallas Mavericks last night. LeBron James for MVP? He was held to ten points!
• Durant’s case for rookie of the year didn’t start to well with an awful shooting night against the Denver Nuggets.
• The Washington Wizards fall to the lowly Indiana Pacers in overtime to start the season. Coach Eddie Jordan better get his get this team winning in a hurry…

• Breaking down the baseball steroid testing and its lack of surprise. (NYTimes)
• Kobe gets booed early in the game… then cheers came as he had 45 points (18 in the 4th quarter) in a 93-95 loss to the Rockets. (LATimes)
• Grady Little “stepped down” as manager of the Dodgers yesterday. If you believe that one, I’ve got a story to tell about an old lady who lives in a shoe. Also, Joe Torre is reportedly set to accept a 5-year, $14.5 million contract to take over the job in L.A. (LATimes)
• Curt Shilling blogs about potential teams he’s considering in his free agency. (38pitches)
• Carmelo Anthony sets a 60-win goal for his healthy (for now) Denver Nuggets. (Yardbarker)
• The Spurs received their championship rings to start off the season and then proceeded to beat the Trailblazers, 106-97. (MySanAntonio.com)
• David Stern talked a little smack about how the Knicks handled the sexual harassment situation in an interview with ESPN. (NYTimes)
• Jacksonville is set to sign former Falcons DT Grady Jackson, pending a physical. (NFL.com)