Aaron Harrison knew all too well the daunting task he and the Houston Defenders (Texas) faced headed into the AAU 17U Super Showcase, a part of the ESPN RISE Games, title game against BABC (Mass.).
Harrison, a rising junior combo guard, knew BABC had only lost one game all season, and in that loss star center Nerlens Noel, a rising junior ranked No. 3 in the ESPNU Super 60, went down early with a sprained ankle. Harrison knew BABC won the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League Peach Jam title in convincing fashion just 12 days ago. He knew BABC made a public guarantee they would win the Super Showcase, too.
“Guess they got that one wrong,” said Harrison, ranked No. 16 in the ESPNU Super 60. “We knew we’d have to bring our best effort because they are a great team, but if we did that I knew we’d win pretty easy.”
Harrison scored 18 points and grabbed five rebounds to help the Defenders roll past BABC, 55-45, Wednesday night at the ESPN Wide World of Sports in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
Harrison’s twin brother Andrew added six points and 10 assists and Derrick Griffin, a rising junior forward, chipped in with 16 points in the win. Georges Niang, a rising senior forward, led BABC with 18 points.
“It was just a game that we knew we could win,” said Andrew Harrison, ranked No. 8 in the ESPNU Super 60. “We’ve won a ton of tournaments and we’ve won 50 games in all, so we’re a pretty confident team. It was close there for a while, but we knew we’d need to open up the lead.”
After leading by just two at the half, the Defenders opened up the second half on an 11-3 run, capped off by a posterizing dunk and the foul from Shaq Cleare, a rising senior, over Noel late in the third quarter.
“[Noel] had been talking junk to me because he blocked my shot earlier in the game,” said Cleare, who added 10 points and 10 rebounds in the win. “I just got up and dunked it over the top of him. It was a big play for us.”
Added Aaron Harrison: “They were done after that.”
Noel, who’d been exceptionally dominant on both ends of the floor all summer, fouled out with 2:21 left in the game. He finished with just 10 points and three blocks.
“We knew how to take him out of the game,” Andrew Harrison said. “All you’ve got to do is take it to his chest. He’s a great player, but this was just our time. This is the best tournament on the circuit and to win it all at the end on ESPN was the best scenario that anyone could come up with.”
Friday, July 29, 2011
Guerdwich Montimere gets 3 years
A former star athlete who posed as a teenager to play high school basketball in West Texas was sentenced Wednesday to three years in prison after reaching a plea deal, a prosecutor said.
Guerdwich Montimere, 23, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault and three counts of tampering with government records, said Ector County District Attorney Bobby Bland.
Officials say the naturalized U.S. citizen from Haiti had graduated from high school in Florida, where he also played basketball, years before he moved to Odessa and presented himself as a ninth-grader named Jerry Joseph. Montimere was 21 and 22 when he played one season at Odessa Permian High, the same rabidly competitive school that inspired the book and movie "Friday Night Lights" about high school football. Montimere helped lead the Panthers to the 2010 state playoffs, but the team had to forfeit after his story unraveled.
Montimere was indicted last year on six felony charges, including sexual assault and tampering with government records. His trial was to begin next week in Odessa, and he had faced up to 20 years in prison if convicted on the original counts. The indictment accused him of identity theft. The sexual assault counts accused him of having sex with a 15-year-old girl.
"Sometimes your best defense is to take the road with the least amount of risk. He could have gotten 20 years," Montimere's attorney, Dusty Gallivan, said.
A message was also left with Montimere's mother, Manikisse Montimere.
Suspicions were raised about Joseph after coaches from Florida at a post-season amateur basketball tournament in Arkansas said they recognized him as Montimere, a 2007 graduate of a Fort Lauderdale, Fla., high school.
Because he was living with Odessa basketball coach Danny Wright and not a parent or guardian, Montimere had to apply to the University Interscholastic League in Austin to play high school basketball. A waiver was granted and he was the star of the team.
Wright, who still calls Montimere by the name Jerry, said he was livid once he learned Joseph wasn't who he said he was.
"I was blindsided," Wright said. "I never saw it coming. I just thought he was a big kid."
Montimere was named the District 2-5A Newcomer of the Year, an honor that was stripped when his deception was exposed. The Panthers also forfeited their 16 wins, although Wright said the "team would have been good with or without Jerry."
Bland noted Montimere will have to register as a sex offender. Gallivan said that was "one of the biggest obstacles to overcome" when it came to reaching a deal, but that Bland wouldn't budge on the issue.
"To me, this is justice considering what he did here," Bland said. "This will protect other towns from him doing what he did here."
Bland also said the victim had wanted a plea deal.
After the Arkansas tournament, Permian officials had begun receiving anonymous phone calls and emails saying Joseph was really Montimere. Odessa school officials looked into the situation, and Joseph was initially cleared by immigraetion authorities and allowed to return to the school.
But the investigation continued, and officials eventually confirmed Montimere's identity. School officials said Montimere confessed after he was confronted with the new evidence.
In spite of everything, Montimere still had the support of some Permian teachers, who had planned to be in the courtroom for his trial.
Liz Faught, a substitute at Permian who had Montimere as a student several times, said he was always well-behaved and polite. Although she said she felt a "bit duped" when the truth surfaced, she never lost her compassion for him.
"I know he was doing all of it for himself to be better off," she said. "And that's fine. We all do that. ... I cannot say one bad thing about this kid."
Guerdwich Montimere, 23, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault and three counts of tampering with government records, said Ector County District Attorney Bobby Bland.
Officials say the naturalized U.S. citizen from Haiti had graduated from high school in Florida, where he also played basketball, years before he moved to Odessa and presented himself as a ninth-grader named Jerry Joseph. Montimere was 21 and 22 when he played one season at Odessa Permian High, the same rabidly competitive school that inspired the book and movie "Friday Night Lights" about high school football. Montimere helped lead the Panthers to the 2010 state playoffs, but the team had to forfeit after his story unraveled.
Montimere was indicted last year on six felony charges, including sexual assault and tampering with government records. His trial was to begin next week in Odessa, and he had faced up to 20 years in prison if convicted on the original counts. The indictment accused him of identity theft. The sexual assault counts accused him of having sex with a 15-year-old girl.
"Sometimes your best defense is to take the road with the least amount of risk. He could have gotten 20 years," Montimere's attorney, Dusty Gallivan, said.
A message was also left with Montimere's mother, Manikisse Montimere.
Suspicions were raised about Joseph after coaches from Florida at a post-season amateur basketball tournament in Arkansas said they recognized him as Montimere, a 2007 graduate of a Fort Lauderdale, Fla., high school.
Because he was living with Odessa basketball coach Danny Wright and not a parent or guardian, Montimere had to apply to the University Interscholastic League in Austin to play high school basketball. A waiver was granted and he was the star of the team.
Wright, who still calls Montimere by the name Jerry, said he was livid once he learned Joseph wasn't who he said he was.
"I was blindsided," Wright said. "I never saw it coming. I just thought he was a big kid."
Montimere was named the District 2-5A Newcomer of the Year, an honor that was stripped when his deception was exposed. The Panthers also forfeited their 16 wins, although Wright said the "team would have been good with or without Jerry."
Bland noted Montimere will have to register as a sex offender. Gallivan said that was "one of the biggest obstacles to overcome" when it came to reaching a deal, but that Bland wouldn't budge on the issue.
"To me, this is justice considering what he did here," Bland said. "This will protect other towns from him doing what he did here."
Bland also said the victim had wanted a plea deal.
After the Arkansas tournament, Permian officials had begun receiving anonymous phone calls and emails saying Joseph was really Montimere. Odessa school officials looked into the situation, and Joseph was initially cleared by immigraetion authorities and allowed to return to the school.
But the investigation continued, and officials eventually confirmed Montimere's identity. School officials said Montimere confessed after he was confronted with the new evidence.
In spite of everything, Montimere still had the support of some Permian teachers, who had planned to be in the courtroom for his trial.
Liz Faught, a substitute at Permian who had Montimere as a student several times, said he was always well-behaved and polite. Although she said she felt a "bit duped" when the truth surfaced, she never lost her compassion for him.
"I know he was doing all of it for himself to be better off," she said. "And that's fine. We all do that. ... I cannot say one bad thing about this kid."
The Vital Centers: Which big man is the mightiest in the middle?
Pity the big man. Many assume that sprouting to a 7-foot height alone should guarantee a career as an NBA journeyman at the very least.
Well, being tall isn't the half of it. Coordination, strength, dexterity, judgment, experience, work ethic and quality coaching are pretty important prerequisites to becoming even an average NBA center. And don't forget having the good fortune of having teammates talented enough to prevent opponents from sending three players to cover the standout big.
1. Who's the best center in the NBA today?
David Pino, via Twitter: Dwight Howard. Size, strength, athleticism, defensive ability, dangerous off pick-and-rolls and a rising post game.
Jordan Heimer, ClipperBlog: Dwight Howard. People who criticize him for the Magic's perennially disappointing playoff runs have it backward without Howard, Orlando's roster is among the league's worst. Stop harping on what he lacks in post moves. He'll never move like Hakeem in the paint, but he's a three-time defensive player of the year who manages to foul out entire teams on offense.
Spencer Wellesley Percy, Queen City Hoops: Without a question, Dwight Howard. There is no other big man in the league today who can dominate a game like this guy. Howard will go down as one of the best centers of all time, statistically, and maybe the best of all time in general if he changes his mindset to winning championships.
Jonathan Santiago, Cowbell Kingdom: By default, Dwight Howard. Not to take anything away from the Magic superstar, but there's really no other player at the position close to being his equal right now.
John Converse Townsend, Truth About It: Dwight Howard, and it's not even close. This MVP candidate is simply too much to handle for most teams. Howard is a titan on the court, imposing his will on offense and dominating on defense. The only thing that can stop Dwight Howard is, well, Dwight Howard and the free throw line.
2. Who's the most underrated center in the NBA?
Andrew Feingold, via Twitter: Marcin Gortat. Gortat is not only tough and physical, but he can also score. In 14 total starts for the Suns and Magic last season, he averaged 14 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game.
Jordan Heimer, ClipperBlog: Pau Gasol. Yes, my "underrated" pick is a max-contract, four-time All-Star. Despite evidence that Pau was bothered by lingering injuries and off-court "distractions" during his subpar playoff performance, local sports-talk hosts spent most of May declaring the "new assertive" Pau dead, body-snatched by "old passive" Pau. Calm down. In November we'll all act surprised that Pau is still clearly the league's second-best center.
Spencer Wellesley Percy, Queen City Hoops: Nene Hilario. He's got a great touch around the rim, is extremely athletic for a man of his size and protects the rim with the best of them in the league. Nene had career numbers in just about every category last season in Denver. This guy is definitely in the prime of his career.
Jonathan Santiago, Cowbell Kingdom: Though his rebounding is a concern, Brook Lopez has improved his scoring in each of his first three seasons. In 2010-11, he ranked seventh in player efficiency rating among centers. Give him a chance to get better acclimated to Deron Williams and his value can continue to rise, considering how thin in talent the position is right now.
John Converse Townsend, Truth About It: JaVale McGee. He's hardly rated at all, and best known for losing a popularity contest to Blake Griffin. However, McGee isn't just a punchline anymore. He has quickly become Washington's most productive player (suggest most basketball sabermetrics, from win shares to player efficiency rating). The Wizards might be John Wall's team, but JaVale McGee runs D.C.
3. Who's the most overrated center in the NBA?
Simon Chun, via Twitter: Kendrick Perkins. Playing in Boston overrated him, then the trade and the subsequent Celtics "collapse" helped further the legend of a center who has averaged just 6.4 points and 6.1 rebounds a game.
Jordan Heimer, ClipperBlog: Roy Hibbert. First he was good, then bad, then good enough down the stretch that Pacers president Larry Bird recently called him untradeable. But for a guy who stands 7-foot-2, Hibbert doesn't bring much to the table when his shot isn't falling. He's an average defender and a below-average rebounder hardly ideal for a guy being treated like a franchise center.
Spencer Wellesley Percy, Queen City Hoops: For a guy valued as highly as Kendrick Perkins is, and someone brought in to be OKC's big man of the future, I think this one is easy. Perkins has zero offensive ability and is more interested in complaining to the officials, rather than playing hard and being the physical force everyone wants to give him credit for being.
Jonathan Santiago, Cowbell Kingdom: Tyson Chandler. He's the perfect complementary piece on a great team, but he'll probably be overpaid when a new CBA is agreed upon because of this offseason's paltry free-agent crop.
John Converse Townsend, Truth About It: Andrew Bynum. Put down your pitchforks and torches, Lakers fans; there is no need to burn down the Internets. Bynum is one of the better talents in the NBA … when healthy. But frankly, he's bench-ridden far too often to be considered an elite talent Bynum has missed 160 games over his six-year career.
4. Who's the most promising center in the NBA?
Clint Peterson, via Twitter: Marc Gasol. No longer the "Lesser Gasol," Marc dominated big bro Pau last season. He's the whole package and is poised to succeed from here on out.
Jordan Heimer, ClipperBlog: DeMarcus Cousins. Contrary to popular belief, it's better to have a headcase with extraordinary talent than a blue-collar hustler without it. Cousins looked like a legitimate star for much of the second half, piling up 18 double-doubles from February onward, second only to Blake Griffin among rookies. Just wait until he learns how to stay on the court.
Spencer Wellesley Percy, Queen City Hoops: When talking about "most promising," I look to the age category. Brook Lopez. He's only 23 years old, and is the building block of New Jersey's future. This guy has boosted his average point total per game every season, and is just a few free-agent signings away in N.J. from being a serious threat in the league.
Jonathan Santiago, Cowbell Kingdom: DeMarcus Cousins. He can score with his back to the basket when he chooses to, and he also has great passing ability and vision. Factor in his size (6-11, 270 pounds) and he has all the attributes you want in a big man. He needs to improve his decision-making and attitude. But if Zach Randolph can mature, there's hope for Cousins, right?
John Converse Townsend, Truth About It: Marc Gasol. Gasol's giant paw prints were all over the Grizzlies' 2011 playoff run, where he averaged 15 points, 11.3 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game. He is a physical presence entering the prime of his career and will continue to be a big contributor in Memphis.
5. Who's the best center of all time?
Austin Almaguer, via Twitter: Wilt Chamberlain: 31,419 points, 23,924 rebounds, scored 100 in a game, four MVPS, two rings … and he was a Globetrotter.
Jordan Heimer, ClipperBlog: Shaq. I know Wilt was great, but I never saw him play. Shaq I saw; in his prime, there was nothing like him. During the Lakers' three-peat run, Shaq averaged 30 points and 14.5 rebounds per playoff game. Averaged! Only Portland could kinda sorta slow him down, and it took three elite defenders -- Scottie Pippen, Rasheed Wallace and fellow giant Arvydas Sabonis.
Spencer Wellesley Percy, Queen City Hoops: Wilt has the better numbers, but when Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain went against each other head-to-head, it was Russell's court. Russell nearly always walked away with the rings, winning 11 in his career. A champion is always more superior in my book.
Jonathan Santiago, Cowbell Kingdom: With 11 championships to his name, Bill Russell. To quote Jason Segel from "Bad Teacher": "It's the only argument I need!"
John Converse Townsend, Truth About It: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, one of basketball's most accomplished and decorated superstars. The NBA's all-time leading scorer has six championships and a record six MVP awards under his belt, and is the only modern-era player to have led the league in points, rebounds, blocks, minutes, field goal percentage and PER. And if that doesn't sell you, I have one word: skyhook.
Well, being tall isn't the half of it. Coordination, strength, dexterity, judgment, experience, work ethic and quality coaching are pretty important prerequisites to becoming even an average NBA center. And don't forget having the good fortune of having teammates talented enough to prevent opponents from sending three players to cover the standout big.
1. Who's the best center in the NBA today?
David Pino, via Twitter: Dwight Howard. Size, strength, athleticism, defensive ability, dangerous off pick-and-rolls and a rising post game.
Jordan Heimer, ClipperBlog: Dwight Howard. People who criticize him for the Magic's perennially disappointing playoff runs have it backward without Howard, Orlando's roster is among the league's worst. Stop harping on what he lacks in post moves. He'll never move like Hakeem in the paint, but he's a three-time defensive player of the year who manages to foul out entire teams on offense.
Spencer Wellesley Percy, Queen City Hoops: Without a question, Dwight Howard. There is no other big man in the league today who can dominate a game like this guy. Howard will go down as one of the best centers of all time, statistically, and maybe the best of all time in general if he changes his mindset to winning championships.
Jonathan Santiago, Cowbell Kingdom: By default, Dwight Howard. Not to take anything away from the Magic superstar, but there's really no other player at the position close to being his equal right now.
John Converse Townsend, Truth About It: Dwight Howard, and it's not even close. This MVP candidate is simply too much to handle for most teams. Howard is a titan on the court, imposing his will on offense and dominating on defense. The only thing that can stop Dwight Howard is, well, Dwight Howard and the free throw line.
2. Who's the most underrated center in the NBA?
Andrew Feingold, via Twitter: Marcin Gortat. Gortat is not only tough and physical, but he can also score. In 14 total starts for the Suns and Magic last season, he averaged 14 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game.
Jordan Heimer, ClipperBlog: Pau Gasol. Yes, my "underrated" pick is a max-contract, four-time All-Star. Despite evidence that Pau was bothered by lingering injuries and off-court "distractions" during his subpar playoff performance, local sports-talk hosts spent most of May declaring the "new assertive" Pau dead, body-snatched by "old passive" Pau. Calm down. In November we'll all act surprised that Pau is still clearly the league's second-best center.
Spencer Wellesley Percy, Queen City Hoops: Nene Hilario. He's got a great touch around the rim, is extremely athletic for a man of his size and protects the rim with the best of them in the league. Nene had career numbers in just about every category last season in Denver. This guy is definitely in the prime of his career.
Jonathan Santiago, Cowbell Kingdom: Though his rebounding is a concern, Brook Lopez has improved his scoring in each of his first three seasons. In 2010-11, he ranked seventh in player efficiency rating among centers. Give him a chance to get better acclimated to Deron Williams and his value can continue to rise, considering how thin in talent the position is right now.
John Converse Townsend, Truth About It: JaVale McGee. He's hardly rated at all, and best known for losing a popularity contest to Blake Griffin. However, McGee isn't just a punchline anymore. He has quickly become Washington's most productive player (suggest most basketball sabermetrics, from win shares to player efficiency rating). The Wizards might be John Wall's team, but JaVale McGee runs D.C.
3. Who's the most overrated center in the NBA?
Simon Chun, via Twitter: Kendrick Perkins. Playing in Boston overrated him, then the trade and the subsequent Celtics "collapse" helped further the legend of a center who has averaged just 6.4 points and 6.1 rebounds a game.
Jordan Heimer, ClipperBlog: Roy Hibbert. First he was good, then bad, then good enough down the stretch that Pacers president Larry Bird recently called him untradeable. But for a guy who stands 7-foot-2, Hibbert doesn't bring much to the table when his shot isn't falling. He's an average defender and a below-average rebounder hardly ideal for a guy being treated like a franchise center.
Spencer Wellesley Percy, Queen City Hoops: For a guy valued as highly as Kendrick Perkins is, and someone brought in to be OKC's big man of the future, I think this one is easy. Perkins has zero offensive ability and is more interested in complaining to the officials, rather than playing hard and being the physical force everyone wants to give him credit for being.
Jonathan Santiago, Cowbell Kingdom: Tyson Chandler. He's the perfect complementary piece on a great team, but he'll probably be overpaid when a new CBA is agreed upon because of this offseason's paltry free-agent crop.
John Converse Townsend, Truth About It: Andrew Bynum. Put down your pitchforks and torches, Lakers fans; there is no need to burn down the Internets. Bynum is one of the better talents in the NBA … when healthy. But frankly, he's bench-ridden far too often to be considered an elite talent Bynum has missed 160 games over his six-year career.
4. Who's the most promising center in the NBA?
Clint Peterson, via Twitter: Marc Gasol. No longer the "Lesser Gasol," Marc dominated big bro Pau last season. He's the whole package and is poised to succeed from here on out.
Jordan Heimer, ClipperBlog: DeMarcus Cousins. Contrary to popular belief, it's better to have a headcase with extraordinary talent than a blue-collar hustler without it. Cousins looked like a legitimate star for much of the second half, piling up 18 double-doubles from February onward, second only to Blake Griffin among rookies. Just wait until he learns how to stay on the court.
Spencer Wellesley Percy, Queen City Hoops: When talking about "most promising," I look to the age category. Brook Lopez. He's only 23 years old, and is the building block of New Jersey's future. This guy has boosted his average point total per game every season, and is just a few free-agent signings away in N.J. from being a serious threat in the league.
Jonathan Santiago, Cowbell Kingdom: DeMarcus Cousins. He can score with his back to the basket when he chooses to, and he also has great passing ability and vision. Factor in his size (6-11, 270 pounds) and he has all the attributes you want in a big man. He needs to improve his decision-making and attitude. But if Zach Randolph can mature, there's hope for Cousins, right?
John Converse Townsend, Truth About It: Marc Gasol. Gasol's giant paw prints were all over the Grizzlies' 2011 playoff run, where he averaged 15 points, 11.3 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game. He is a physical presence entering the prime of his career and will continue to be a big contributor in Memphis.
5. Who's the best center of all time?
Austin Almaguer, via Twitter: Wilt Chamberlain: 31,419 points, 23,924 rebounds, scored 100 in a game, four MVPS, two rings … and he was a Globetrotter.
Jordan Heimer, ClipperBlog: Shaq. I know Wilt was great, but I never saw him play. Shaq I saw; in his prime, there was nothing like him. During the Lakers' three-peat run, Shaq averaged 30 points and 14.5 rebounds per playoff game. Averaged! Only Portland could kinda sorta slow him down, and it took three elite defenders -- Scottie Pippen, Rasheed Wallace and fellow giant Arvydas Sabonis.
Spencer Wellesley Percy, Queen City Hoops: Wilt has the better numbers, but when Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain went against each other head-to-head, it was Russell's court. Russell nearly always walked away with the rings, winning 11 in his career. A champion is always more superior in my book.
Jonathan Santiago, Cowbell Kingdom: With 11 championships to his name, Bill Russell. To quote Jason Segel from "Bad Teacher": "It's the only argument I need!"
John Converse Townsend, Truth About It: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, one of basketball's most accomplished and decorated superstars. The NBA's all-time leading scorer has six championships and a record six MVP awards under his belt, and is the only modern-era player to have led the league in points, rebounds, blocks, minutes, field goal percentage and PER. And if that doesn't sell you, I have one word: skyhook.
Chris Johnson will hold out
Tennessee running back Chris Johnson will not be reporting for training camp with the Titans until he gets a new contract, according to a person familiar with the situation.
The person told The Associated Press Friday that Johnson will not report to the Titans. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the decision had not been publicly announced.
Johnson said in 2010 he wanted a new deal with $30 million guaranteed. The Titans revised his contract by pushing some money from the final year into 2010 to convince the running back to report. Johnson said on Twitter on Friday that "Imma just leave it in god hands."
General manager Mike Reinfeldt said the Titans will talk about a new deal with Johnson when he comes to camp. The Titans are scheduled to report Friday with the first practice Saturday.
Johnson can be fined $30,000 for each day of camp missed, but the three-time Pro Bowl running back wants to be rewarded for his production over his first three seasons. He became only the sixth man in NFL history to run for at least 2,000 yards when he ran for 2,006 yards in 2009 and the first to rack up 2,500 yards with 500 yards receiving.
He followed that up by running for 1,364 yards in 2009 despite finishing the season with a bruised thigh and has started 46 of the 47 games he has played in since being drafted 24th overall in 2008 out of East Carolina. Johnson has 4,598 career yards averaging 5 yards per carry and also has 1,008 yards receiving. Johnson is scheduled to make $800,000 in salary this season.
DeAngelo Williams got a new deal from Carolina earlier this week worth $21 million in guaranteed money. He played only six games in 2010 and ran for 361 yards while dealing with injuries.
The person told The Associated Press Friday that Johnson will not report to the Titans. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the decision had not been publicly announced.
Johnson said in 2010 he wanted a new deal with $30 million guaranteed. The Titans revised his contract by pushing some money from the final year into 2010 to convince the running back to report. Johnson said on Twitter on Friday that "Imma just leave it in god hands."
General manager Mike Reinfeldt said the Titans will talk about a new deal with Johnson when he comes to camp. The Titans are scheduled to report Friday with the first practice Saturday.
Johnson can be fined $30,000 for each day of camp missed, but the three-time Pro Bowl running back wants to be rewarded for his production over his first three seasons. He became only the sixth man in NFL history to run for at least 2,000 yards when he ran for 2,006 yards in 2009 and the first to rack up 2,500 yards with 500 yards receiving.
He followed that up by running for 1,364 yards in 2009 despite finishing the season with a bruised thigh and has started 46 of the 47 games he has played in since being drafted 24th overall in 2008 out of East Carolina. Johnson has 4,598 career yards averaging 5 yards per carry and also has 1,008 yards receiving. Johnson is scheduled to make $800,000 in salary this season.
DeAngelo Williams got a new deal from Carolina earlier this week worth $21 million in guaranteed money. He played only six games in 2010 and ran for 361 yards while dealing with injuries.
FIBA: NBA Stars can play overseas
If NBA stars are serious about playing overseas, basketball's governing body says they will be welcomed.
Just as long as they promise to leave once the lockout ends.
FIBA announced Friday it would clear NBA players under contract to play in its leagues during the work stoppage, provided the deals they sign come with opt-out clauses.
In a ruling that paves the way for players to earn a paycheck, FIBA agreed with NBA and players' association officials that players are free to sign anywhere but do so at their own risk of injury.
"As the world governing body for basketball, we strongly hope that the labor dispute will be resolved as soon as possible, and that the NBA season is able to begin as scheduled," secretary general Patrick Baumann said in a statement.
"In view of our role to promote basketball worldwide, we support any player wishing to play the game, wherever and whenever. We do so while obviously taking the interests, rights and obligations of all parties into account."
Playing overseas has emerged as an option for NBA players during a work stoppage that threatens to last months and could even wipe out the entire season. Nets All-Star Deron Williams has a deal with Turkish club Besiktas which is also courting Kobe Bryant and most top players said they would consider playing overseas.
Union executive director Billy Hunter has endorsed the idea, with players believing it will pressure owners at the bargaining table if they see their players have options elsewhere, and FIBA may have been faced with a legal challenge had it denied the players.
"Our players are gratified by today's announcement by FIBA, although it comes as no surprise," Hunter said in a statement. "We have consistently advised our members that in the event of a lockout they would have the right to be compensated for playing basketball irrespective of whether they were under contract to an NBA team or not. We have encouraged all of our players to pursue such opportunities and will continue to do so."
If a player under NBA contract agrees to a deal in a FIBA-affiliated league, he first must be cleared to go by the NBA. The league will allow partial clearance, meaning it must be guaranteed the player returns to his NBA team once a new collective bargaining agreement is reached. FIBA will then give its approval once the player has signed a declaration stating he will do so.
The Lakers' Derek Fisher, president of the players' association, said Friday that he doesn't think the players going abroad will hurt the union.
"We don't view it as really weakening the union. We view it as a gentleman is being told that he can't come to work at a particular place and he's temporarily unemployed and he's seeking employment elsewhere," Fisher said. "That's kind of the way we view it. Our elected members myself, the executive committee, Billy Hunter, our staff, our legal counsel that's what we get elected to do is kind of carry that brunt and attend the meetings and be physically present.
"We fully expect and anticipate that our guys are going to want to find opportunities to do what they love to do, and that's play the game. We definitely don't view it as weakening our stance or our position, we just view it as guys going out and doing what they want to do."
There is still plenty of doubt that top players will head to Europe or Asia. All-Star-caliber players may not find enough money to make it worthwhile, and numerous players who have signed overseas have stories of missed or late payments from their teams there. Also, their NBA teams could void their contracts if they are significantly injured playing in another league.
Still, scoring champion Kevin Durant of Oklahoma City said Thursday he was "about 50-50" on the idea, while Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul both said they would consider China during a promotional tour in Hong Kong this week.
FIBA also expressed its pleasure that so many players are willing to play this summer despite the risks. Argentina Basketball Federation president German Vaccaro told FIBA.com that it had secured insurance Thursday, allowing Manu Ginobili, Luis Scola and its other top players to take part in the FIBA Americas tournament it is hosting.
France and Russia also have lined up arrangements to have their NBA players take part in Europe's qualifying tournament for the 2012 Olympics.
"We are delighted to see that, in spite of widespread doubts related to the lockout, national teams competing in this summer's Olympic qualifiers will be able to count on the participation of most of their NBA stars," Baumann said.
Hunter, NBA commissioner David Stern and their top lieutenants have agreed to resume collective bargaining discussions Monday, sources told ESPN.com's Chris Sheridan. NBA owners imposed a lockout July 1, shutting down the league for the first time since summer 1998.
Just as long as they promise to leave once the lockout ends.
FIBA announced Friday it would clear NBA players under contract to play in its leagues during the work stoppage, provided the deals they sign come with opt-out clauses.
In a ruling that paves the way for players to earn a paycheck, FIBA agreed with NBA and players' association officials that players are free to sign anywhere but do so at their own risk of injury.
"As the world governing body for basketball, we strongly hope that the labor dispute will be resolved as soon as possible, and that the NBA season is able to begin as scheduled," secretary general Patrick Baumann said in a statement.
"In view of our role to promote basketball worldwide, we support any player wishing to play the game, wherever and whenever. We do so while obviously taking the interests, rights and obligations of all parties into account."
Playing overseas has emerged as an option for NBA players during a work stoppage that threatens to last months and could even wipe out the entire season. Nets All-Star Deron Williams has a deal with Turkish club Besiktas which is also courting Kobe Bryant and most top players said they would consider playing overseas.
Union executive director Billy Hunter has endorsed the idea, with players believing it will pressure owners at the bargaining table if they see their players have options elsewhere, and FIBA may have been faced with a legal challenge had it denied the players.
"Our players are gratified by today's announcement by FIBA, although it comes as no surprise," Hunter said in a statement. "We have consistently advised our members that in the event of a lockout they would have the right to be compensated for playing basketball irrespective of whether they were under contract to an NBA team or not. We have encouraged all of our players to pursue such opportunities and will continue to do so."
If a player under NBA contract agrees to a deal in a FIBA-affiliated league, he first must be cleared to go by the NBA. The league will allow partial clearance, meaning it must be guaranteed the player returns to his NBA team once a new collective bargaining agreement is reached. FIBA will then give its approval once the player has signed a declaration stating he will do so.
The Lakers' Derek Fisher, president of the players' association, said Friday that he doesn't think the players going abroad will hurt the union.
"We don't view it as really weakening the union. We view it as a gentleman is being told that he can't come to work at a particular place and he's temporarily unemployed and he's seeking employment elsewhere," Fisher said. "That's kind of the way we view it. Our elected members myself, the executive committee, Billy Hunter, our staff, our legal counsel that's what we get elected to do is kind of carry that brunt and attend the meetings and be physically present.
"We fully expect and anticipate that our guys are going to want to find opportunities to do what they love to do, and that's play the game. We definitely don't view it as weakening our stance or our position, we just view it as guys going out and doing what they want to do."
There is still plenty of doubt that top players will head to Europe or Asia. All-Star-caliber players may not find enough money to make it worthwhile, and numerous players who have signed overseas have stories of missed or late payments from their teams there. Also, their NBA teams could void their contracts if they are significantly injured playing in another league.
Still, scoring champion Kevin Durant of Oklahoma City said Thursday he was "about 50-50" on the idea, while Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul both said they would consider China during a promotional tour in Hong Kong this week.
FIBA also expressed its pleasure that so many players are willing to play this summer despite the risks. Argentina Basketball Federation president German Vaccaro told FIBA.com that it had secured insurance Thursday, allowing Manu Ginobili, Luis Scola and its other top players to take part in the FIBA Americas tournament it is hosting.
France and Russia also have lined up arrangements to have their NBA players take part in Europe's qualifying tournament for the 2012 Olympics.
"We are delighted to see that, in spite of widespread doubts related to the lockout, national teams competing in this summer's Olympic qualifiers will be able to count on the participation of most of their NBA stars," Baumann said.
Hunter, NBA commissioner David Stern and their top lieutenants have agreed to resume collective bargaining discussions Monday, sources told ESPN.com's Chris Sheridan. NBA owners imposed a lockout July 1, shutting down the league for the first time since summer 1998.
Eagles Steal Top Corner Nnamdi Asomugha
One day after acquiring Pro Bowl cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie from the Cardinals, the Eagles signed another Pro Bowl cornerback, Nnamdi Asomugha, to a five-year contract, the team announced Friday.
Asomugha's deal will pay him $60 million, with $25 million guaranteed.
Asomugha, considered the top free agent on the market, spent his first eight seasons with the Raiders. He had a career-high eight interceptions in 2006, went to the Pro Bowl after the 2008, 2009 and 2010 seasons and was named a first-team all-pro in 2008and 2010.
Even though he has three interceptions in the last three years, Asomugha is considered one of the top cover cornerbacks in the NFL and was courted by several high-profile teams, including the New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys.
The Eagles have three Pro Bowl cornerbacks on their roster: Asomugha, Rodgers-Cromartie and Asante Samuel, who has 42 interceptions in eight years and has made the Pro Bowl four straight years.
The Eagles also confirmed the signings of defensive end Jason Babin, tight end Donald Lee and wide receiver Johnnie Lee Higgins on Twitter Friday.
Asomugha's deal will pay him $60 million, with $25 million guaranteed.
Asomugha, considered the top free agent on the market, spent his first eight seasons with the Raiders. He had a career-high eight interceptions in 2006, went to the Pro Bowl after the 2008, 2009 and 2010 seasons and was named a first-team all-pro in 2008and 2010.
Even though he has three interceptions in the last three years, Asomugha is considered one of the top cover cornerbacks in the NFL and was courted by several high-profile teams, including the New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys.
The Eagles have three Pro Bowl cornerbacks on their roster: Asomugha, Rodgers-Cromartie and Asante Samuel, who has 42 interceptions in eight years and has made the Pro Bowl four straight years.
The Eagles also confirmed the signings of defensive end Jason Babin, tight end Donald Lee and wide receiver Johnnie Lee Higgins on Twitter Friday.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Top football recruit chooses hoops path
At 6-foot-7 and 200 pounds, Humble High School's Kyndahl Hill is one of the premier dual-sport athletes in the Class of 2012. As good a forward he is in basketball, Hill was expected to be a standout defensive end and a high-major football recruit.
After sitting and recently conversing with his parents, Hill decided to let one of the sports go and it wasn't the sport that many thought he'd eventually choose.
Hill decided to shelve his football cleats permanently in exchange for his basketball sneakers full time. Hill spoke with Humble football coach Walt Beasley on Monday, informing him that he would not playing defensive end in the fall and not be participating in upcoming workouts.
Instead, Hill is currently preparing to play in front of hundreds of college basketball scouts in Las Vegas. He will suit up for his summer select team, the Houston Hoopstars, at the prestigious adidas Super 64, which tips off this weekend.
"This was something I've been thinking about since right after football season," Hill said. "[Football] just wasn't as fun to me anymore. I wasn't having as much fun as I had when I first started playing."
Hill had 29 tackles, six sacks and three interceptions as a junior. His play on the gridiron earned him scholarship offers to Kansas State, UNLV and North Texas. His play also garnered interest from Texas, Arizona, Oklahoma, LSU, Alabama and Illinois.
"I had some friends that played on the football team try to talk me out of it, as well as a couple other people," Hill said of his decision. "You could tell that [Beasley] wasn't happy about it, but when we had the conversation, he kind of understood."
Hill's play in basketball has earned Division I scholarship offers, as well. He averaged roughly 13 points and eight rebounds for Humble and coach David Martinez, and as August slowly approaches, he is sitting on offers from Holy Cross, Weber State, Sam Houston, North Texas and UT-Arlington.
Hill is hoping for more offers after the Hoopstars' trip to Vegas. He's played well throughout the summer for the Hoopstars, forming a respectable inside tandem with 6-foot-10 Texas signee Cameron Ridley and 6-foot-9 rising big man Aaron Durley.
After a productive football career, Hill feels he can bring a particular element to the basketball court that can serve beneficial.
"I can bring toughness," Hill said. "I think being able to deal with tough situation and the physicality [of football] will help me out. I've thought about this a lot, and I knew it'd be tough, but I think I made the right decision."
After sitting and recently conversing with his parents, Hill decided to let one of the sports go and it wasn't the sport that many thought he'd eventually choose.
Hill decided to shelve his football cleats permanently in exchange for his basketball sneakers full time. Hill spoke with Humble football coach Walt Beasley on Monday, informing him that he would not playing defensive end in the fall and not be participating in upcoming workouts.
Instead, Hill is currently preparing to play in front of hundreds of college basketball scouts in Las Vegas. He will suit up for his summer select team, the Houston Hoopstars, at the prestigious adidas Super 64, which tips off this weekend.
"This was something I've been thinking about since right after football season," Hill said. "[Football] just wasn't as fun to me anymore. I wasn't having as much fun as I had when I first started playing."
Hill had 29 tackles, six sacks and three interceptions as a junior. His play on the gridiron earned him scholarship offers to Kansas State, UNLV and North Texas. His play also garnered interest from Texas, Arizona, Oklahoma, LSU, Alabama and Illinois.
"I had some friends that played on the football team try to talk me out of it, as well as a couple other people," Hill said of his decision. "You could tell that [Beasley] wasn't happy about it, but when we had the conversation, he kind of understood."
Hill's play in basketball has earned Division I scholarship offers, as well. He averaged roughly 13 points and eight rebounds for Humble and coach David Martinez, and as August slowly approaches, he is sitting on offers from Holy Cross, Weber State, Sam Houston, North Texas and UT-Arlington.
Hill is hoping for more offers after the Hoopstars' trip to Vegas. He's played well throughout the summer for the Hoopstars, forming a respectable inside tandem with 6-foot-10 Texas signee Cameron Ridley and 6-foot-9 rising big man Aaron Durley.
After a productive football career, Hill feels he can bring a particular element to the basketball court that can serve beneficial.
"I can bring toughness," Hill said. "I think being able to deal with tough situation and the physicality [of football] will help me out. I've thought about this a lot, and I knew it'd be tough, but I think I made the right decision."
Guard Leslie McDonald tears ACL
North Carolina reserve guard Leslie McDonald has torn the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee and could miss the coming season.
The school said Friday that McDonald was injured during a summer league game in Durham on Thursday night.
McDonald averaged seven points per game off the bench and was second on the team with 51 3-pointers.
Surgery has yet to be scheduled and the rising junior is out indefinitely.
McDonald's injury could be a blow to North Carolina's depth, though the Tar Heels return all five starters from a team that reached the NCAA tournament's Elite Eight.
The school said Friday that McDonald was injured during a summer league game in Durham on Thursday night.
McDonald averaged seven points per game off the bench and was second on the team with 51 3-pointers.
Surgery has yet to be scheduled and the rising junior is out indefinitely.
McDonald's injury could be a blow to North Carolina's depth, though the Tar Heels return all five starters from a team that reached the NCAA tournament's Elite Eight.
Barker coaxes Martinez via Twitter
Only in a world where social media has become such a dominant form of communication can a relatively unknown fighter land a title bout with ESPN.com's No. 2-rated pound-for-pound boxer.
The nerve of Darren Barker going on Twitter and challenging WBC "diamond" middleweight champion Sergio Martinez to a fight. Who does this Barker guy think he is? And why in the world should anyone take him seriously on Oct. 1 [HBO, 10 p.m. ET] in Atlantic City, N.J.?
"He's as legit a threat as anybody right now," Martinez's promoter Lou DiBella told ESPN.com on Wednesday during a news conference to promote the fight. "Martinez is a dominant middleweight, there is no question about that, but [Barker] is a kid who has never lost.
"He can box, he's very skilled. He's got a lot of heart, he throws punches and he is not afraid to fight. He hasn't had the quality of opposition that Sergio has, and that could be a big factor."
On paper, Barker has no business being in the same ring with Martinez. Barker owns a 23-0-0 record with 14 knockouts, and currently holds the European middleweight title belt. But his wins have comes against guys with names like Affif Belghecham, Danny Butler, Darren McDermott and Jason McKay good fighters by European standards, but nothing compared to the level of talent Martinez (47-2-2, 26 KOs) has tangled with in his career.
When it comes to professional experience and quality of opponents, Martinez will have a huge advantage inside Boardwalk Hall on fight night.
None of that will matter to Barker. He possesses what he perceives to be great equalizers: confidence, motivation and inspiration.
Barker will enter the ring certain of victory. Although most observers would rate a Barker victory as an upset, the London native disagrees.
"My confidence is based on my life, my experiences," Barker said. "Sadly, my brother [Gary Barker] passed away in 2006. He died in a car accident. He was younger than me.
"He was a boxer. I'm doing this for him as well as myself. Through my success, my brother lives on.
"Just my hunger, my enthusiasm, my determination that I'm going to win this fight -- and, obviously, my skills."
Barker's 17 years of fighting, both as an amateur and professional, have prepared him physically for this moment. Add to that his life experience, and he believes the time to face Martinez couldn't be better.
"Everyone knows their own body," Barker told ESPN.com. "It's the way I feel. I feel in fantastic condition.
"It's well-documented that I had a hip operation, but I'm over that. My body is the best it's ever been. I feel, if anything, brand new new and improved.
"I have a daughter, and she's given me a hunger to give her everything to give her a great life. It's all those things rolled into one that brings out the best in me." But for Twitter, Martinez would not have gotten to know Barker. He knows him quite well now.
And though their online conversations have been respectful, Martinez does not intend to take it easy on the confident Brit. He plans to give Barker the Paul Williams treatment: an early trip home.
"I've seen a lot of his fights," said Martinez, a native Argentine who resides in Oxnard, Calif. "He definitely seems like he has a lot of power and he's slick.
"I'm going to stick to my game plan and try to knock him out in the seventh."
The nerve of Darren Barker going on Twitter and challenging WBC "diamond" middleweight champion Sergio Martinez to a fight. Who does this Barker guy think he is? And why in the world should anyone take him seriously on Oct. 1 [HBO, 10 p.m. ET] in Atlantic City, N.J.?
"He's as legit a threat as anybody right now," Martinez's promoter Lou DiBella told ESPN.com on Wednesday during a news conference to promote the fight. "Martinez is a dominant middleweight, there is no question about that, but [Barker] is a kid who has never lost.
"He can box, he's very skilled. He's got a lot of heart, he throws punches and he is not afraid to fight. He hasn't had the quality of opposition that Sergio has, and that could be a big factor."
On paper, Barker has no business being in the same ring with Martinez. Barker owns a 23-0-0 record with 14 knockouts, and currently holds the European middleweight title belt. But his wins have comes against guys with names like Affif Belghecham, Danny Butler, Darren McDermott and Jason McKay good fighters by European standards, but nothing compared to the level of talent Martinez (47-2-2, 26 KOs) has tangled with in his career.
When it comes to professional experience and quality of opponents, Martinez will have a huge advantage inside Boardwalk Hall on fight night.
None of that will matter to Barker. He possesses what he perceives to be great equalizers: confidence, motivation and inspiration.
Barker will enter the ring certain of victory. Although most observers would rate a Barker victory as an upset, the London native disagrees.
"My confidence is based on my life, my experiences," Barker said. "Sadly, my brother [Gary Barker] passed away in 2006. He died in a car accident. He was younger than me.
"He was a boxer. I'm doing this for him as well as myself. Through my success, my brother lives on.
"Just my hunger, my enthusiasm, my determination that I'm going to win this fight -- and, obviously, my skills."
Barker's 17 years of fighting, both as an amateur and professional, have prepared him physically for this moment. Add to that his life experience, and he believes the time to face Martinez couldn't be better.
"Everyone knows their own body," Barker told ESPN.com. "It's the way I feel. I feel in fantastic condition.
"It's well-documented that I had a hip operation, but I'm over that. My body is the best it's ever been. I feel, if anything, brand new new and improved.
"I have a daughter, and she's given me a hunger to give her everything to give her a great life. It's all those things rolled into one that brings out the best in me." But for Twitter, Martinez would not have gotten to know Barker. He knows him quite well now.
And though their online conversations have been respectful, Martinez does not intend to take it easy on the confident Brit. He plans to give Barker the Paul Williams treatment: an early trip home.
"I've seen a lot of his fights," said Martinez, a native Argentine who resides in Oxnard, Calif. "He definitely seems like he has a lot of power and he's slick.
"I'm going to stick to my game plan and try to knock him out in the seventh."
Now This is a Upset I Guess!!!
Antonio Tarver stopped defending champion Danny Green in the ninth round Wednesday to claim the IBO cruiserweight world boxing title.
The 42-year-old American was in control from the start at the Sydney Entertainment Centre and twice hurt the Australian Green in the first round. He knocked him down in the second. The referee stopped the fight following the ninth after a punishing round for Green, who was defending the IBO title for the fifth time.
The victorious Tarver said he would be open to a rematch.
"It's up to them, but I'm the champ now and it's going to have to be on my terms and we can do it in America," Tarver told the Australian Associated Press.
"Danny Green is worthy of a rematch, he's been a champion for a long time and if he's ready for that and can go back to the drawing board, we can do it again."
Tarver, who was fighting at cruiserweight for the first time, got into the ring for only the second time since a clear decision loss to Chad Dawson in their May 2009 light heavyweight title rematch.
Tarver, a four-time light heavyweight world champion, improved to 29-6 with 20 knockouts. Green fell to 31-4 (27 KOs) after his first defeat since 2006.
The 38-year-old Green had won 10 consecutive fights since a decision loss to countryman Anthony Mundine in a 2006 super middleweight title eliminator.
Green called Tarver a "great fighter" after his defeat but also apologized to his home-country crowd, holding back tears.
''I had a terrible night. I'm so gutted, I couldn't do it for you guys, I'm so sorry. Right now I just want to chill out, take stock and relax and get healthy," he said, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
The 42-year-old American was in control from the start at the Sydney Entertainment Centre and twice hurt the Australian Green in the first round. He knocked him down in the second. The referee stopped the fight following the ninth after a punishing round for Green, who was defending the IBO title for the fifth time.
The victorious Tarver said he would be open to a rematch.
"It's up to them, but I'm the champ now and it's going to have to be on my terms and we can do it in America," Tarver told the Australian Associated Press.
"Danny Green is worthy of a rematch, he's been a champion for a long time and if he's ready for that and can go back to the drawing board, we can do it again."
Tarver, who was fighting at cruiserweight for the first time, got into the ring for only the second time since a clear decision loss to Chad Dawson in their May 2009 light heavyweight title rematch.
Tarver, a four-time light heavyweight world champion, improved to 29-6 with 20 knockouts. Green fell to 31-4 (27 KOs) after his first defeat since 2006.
The 38-year-old Green had won 10 consecutive fights since a decision loss to countryman Anthony Mundine in a 2006 super middleweight title eliminator.
Green called Tarver a "great fighter" after his defeat but also apologized to his home-country crowd, holding back tears.
''I had a terrible night. I'm so gutted, I couldn't do it for you guys, I'm so sorry. Right now I just want to chill out, take stock and relax and get healthy," he said, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
Pistons tab Lawrence Frank
The Detroit Pistons have chosen Lawrence Frank to be their new head coach, according to sources with knowledge of the team's thinking.
The Pistons have selected Frank over former Detroit assistant Mike Woodson, with sources telling ESPN.com that the decision signals the growing influence in the organization of former New York Knicks executive Dave Checketts.
Yahoo! Sports first reported that Frank's hiring is imminent. The Associated Press reported that Frank will have a formal contract offer from Detroit within the next two days.
ESPN.com reported last week that the Pistons had narrowed their search down to Frank and Woodson and that Frank had made a strong impression on the Pistons' new ownership. That nudged the Boston Celtics assistant coach ahead of Woodson, who sources said was the preferred choice of longtime Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars.
As ESPN.com reported last month, Checketts was installed as a team consultant by Pistons owner Tom Gores when Gores finally completed his purchase of the team. Strong meetings with Gores and Checketts, sources said, enabled Frank to win out over a field that also included three assistant coaches with no NBA head-coaching experience (Kelvin Sampson, Bill Laimbeer and Patrick Ewing).
Since the search began after the long-anticipated firing of John Kuester on June 5, Woodson was widely considered the favorite for the post in NBA coaching circles, thanks largely to Woodson's good working relationship with Dumars and the fact that Detroit would know exactly what it's getting after Woodson's work under Larry Brown during the Pistons' 2004 title run.
But Frank has apparently convinced the Pistons that a season working under Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers enhanced his ability to relate to players, which is a priority in Detroit after two seasons filled with locker-room tension during Kuester's reign and similar strained player-coach relations during the brief stint of Kuester predecessor Michael Curry.
Dumars continues to serve as Detroit's lead basketball decision-maker, with Gores announced when he officially took control of the franchise that "we're going to lean on (Dumars) pretty heavily."
But the hiring of Frank is another indication that Checketts' voice is also being heard. Sources said that the decision to interview Ewing, an Orlando Magic assistant, likewise originated with Checketts.
Frank was 225-241 in parts of seven seasons coaching the New Jersey Nets before joining Rivers' staff in Boston this past season, replacing Tom Thibodeau, who was hired to coach the Chicago Bulls.
Woodson, who interviewed for Minnesota's coaching vacancy earlier this week, elected to take the Atlanta Hawks' job before Brown's final season in Detroit instead of waiting to see how long it would take to inherit the job from Brown. He posted a record of 206-286 in six seasons in Atlanta, advancing to the second round of the playoffs twice.
Checketts' consulting and investment firm for sports teams, SCP Worldwide, currently owns Real Salt Lake in Major League Soccer and is trying to sell the NHL's St. Louis Blues.
The Pistons have selected Frank over former Detroit assistant Mike Woodson, with sources telling ESPN.com that the decision signals the growing influence in the organization of former New York Knicks executive Dave Checketts.
Yahoo! Sports first reported that Frank's hiring is imminent. The Associated Press reported that Frank will have a formal contract offer from Detroit within the next two days.
ESPN.com reported last week that the Pistons had narrowed their search down to Frank and Woodson and that Frank had made a strong impression on the Pistons' new ownership. That nudged the Boston Celtics assistant coach ahead of Woodson, who sources said was the preferred choice of longtime Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars.
As ESPN.com reported last month, Checketts was installed as a team consultant by Pistons owner Tom Gores when Gores finally completed his purchase of the team. Strong meetings with Gores and Checketts, sources said, enabled Frank to win out over a field that also included three assistant coaches with no NBA head-coaching experience (Kelvin Sampson, Bill Laimbeer and Patrick Ewing).
Since the search began after the long-anticipated firing of John Kuester on June 5, Woodson was widely considered the favorite for the post in NBA coaching circles, thanks largely to Woodson's good working relationship with Dumars and the fact that Detroit would know exactly what it's getting after Woodson's work under Larry Brown during the Pistons' 2004 title run.
But Frank has apparently convinced the Pistons that a season working under Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers enhanced his ability to relate to players, which is a priority in Detroit after two seasons filled with locker-room tension during Kuester's reign and similar strained player-coach relations during the brief stint of Kuester predecessor Michael Curry.
Dumars continues to serve as Detroit's lead basketball decision-maker, with Gores announced when he officially took control of the franchise that "we're going to lean on (Dumars) pretty heavily."
But the hiring of Frank is another indication that Checketts' voice is also being heard. Sources said that the decision to interview Ewing, an Orlando Magic assistant, likewise originated with Checketts.
Frank was 225-241 in parts of seven seasons coaching the New Jersey Nets before joining Rivers' staff in Boston this past season, replacing Tom Thibodeau, who was hired to coach the Chicago Bulls.
Woodson, who interviewed for Minnesota's coaching vacancy earlier this week, elected to take the Atlanta Hawks' job before Brown's final season in Detroit instead of waiting to see how long it would take to inherit the job from Brown. He posted a record of 206-286 in six seasons in Atlanta, advancing to the second round of the playoffs twice.
Checketts' consulting and investment firm for sports teams, SCP Worldwide, currently owns Real Salt Lake in Major League Soccer and is trying to sell the NHL's St. Louis Blues.
Highlights Of Proposed CBA
Details of the proposed collective bargaining agreement that would need to be ratified by NFL players:
• Ten-year deal, through the 2020 season
• New league year would begin on Wednesday
• Players receive 48 percent of revenue in first portion of deal
• $120 million salary cap; team minimum 89 percent ($106.8M) as long as league spends 99 percent ($3.8B)
• Veterans earn free agency after fourth season
• Four-year rookie contracts, with team option for fifth year
• Lower rookie salaries, with cap on team spending for rookies
• Later training camps, no more full-contact, two-a-day practices
• Offseason team activities (OTAs) reduced from 14 to nine
• Ten-year deal, through the 2020 season
• New league year would begin on Wednesday
• Players receive 48 percent of revenue in first portion of deal
• $120 million salary cap; team minimum 89 percent ($106.8M) as long as league spends 99 percent ($3.8B)
• Veterans earn free agency after fourth season
• Four-year rookie contracts, with team option for fifth year
• Lower rookie salaries, with cap on team spending for rookies
• Later training camps, no more full-contact, two-a-day practices
• Offseason team activities (OTAs) reduced from 14 to nine
Owners approve proposed labor deal
About Time!!!!!! Finally life can return back to normal with some good old fashion football.. Can't say the same for Basketball.... ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL!!!!!!!! (Monday night football voice)
Monday, July 18, 2011
Report: Besiktas not after Kobe Bryant
The Turkish team that recently reached an agreement to sign All-Star guard Deron Williams if the NBA lockout drags on has placed its pursuit of Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant on hold, according to an overseas report.
Turkey's NTV Spor reported Monday that Besiktas' basketball funds have been tied up by the match-fixing scandal that has ripped through the Turkish soccer world, forcing Besiktas to search for outside funding to help with the further pursuit of NBA players.
According to NTV Spor, Besiktas was initially prepared to offer Bryant a monthly salary of $500,000. But Bryant, according to the report, is seeking a monthly salary of $1 million to join Williams. Sources told ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard earlier this month that Williams' overall deal with Besiktas is worth $5 million.
DraftExpress.com first reported over the weekend that Besiktas and Bryant's camp were exchanging financial figures before the growing soccer crisis intervened.
Any further Besiktas basketball moves, according to the NTV Spor report, will depend on finding a wealthy outside sponsor. It remains to be seen, though, whether Bryant's own endorsement deal with Turkish Airlines can eventually help him land a deal with Besiktas or another Turkish club to give him a temporary new home should the lockout extend into October.
Williams tweeted a picture Friday of his signed Besiktas contract. There has been no indication yet that the financial problems suddenly confronting Besiktas because of the soccer scandal will impact Williams' deal with the Istanbul club, which has faced FIBA sanctions as recently as the 2009-10 season for not paying American players (Lonny Baxter and Kevin Fletcher) on time.
The deals Besiktas has offered Williams and Bryant include an out clause permitting the players to return immediately to the NBA once the lockout is lifted.
Turkey's NTV Spor reported Monday that Besiktas' basketball funds have been tied up by the match-fixing scandal that has ripped through the Turkish soccer world, forcing Besiktas to search for outside funding to help with the further pursuit of NBA players.
According to NTV Spor, Besiktas was initially prepared to offer Bryant a monthly salary of $500,000. But Bryant, according to the report, is seeking a monthly salary of $1 million to join Williams. Sources told ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard earlier this month that Williams' overall deal with Besiktas is worth $5 million.
DraftExpress.com first reported over the weekend that Besiktas and Bryant's camp were exchanging financial figures before the growing soccer crisis intervened.
Any further Besiktas basketball moves, according to the NTV Spor report, will depend on finding a wealthy outside sponsor. It remains to be seen, though, whether Bryant's own endorsement deal with Turkish Airlines can eventually help him land a deal with Besiktas or another Turkish club to give him a temporary new home should the lockout extend into October.
Williams tweeted a picture Friday of his signed Besiktas contract. There has been no indication yet that the financial problems suddenly confronting Besiktas because of the soccer scandal will impact Williams' deal with the Istanbul club, which has faced FIBA sanctions as recently as the 2009-10 season for not paying American players (Lonny Baxter and Kevin Fletcher) on time.
The deals Besiktas has offered Williams and Bryant include an out clause permitting the players to return immediately to the NBA once the lockout is lifted.
Bader admits to tough times after Tito fight
Right around the same time Tito Ortiz was accepting a main event fight against Rashad Evans at UFC 133, Ryan Bader was finishing up an hour-long session of pad work with Xtreme Couture boxing coach Gil Martinez.
The panic button hasn’t been hit just yet for the 28-year-old -- but just about. After back-to-back stoppage losses to Jon Jones and a massive underdog in Ortiz, Bader’s stock in the light heavyweight division has gone from the ceiling to the gutter.
“On Twitter, I hear a few things,” Bader told ESPN.com. “I haven’t had to deal with many negative things in my career. Now, I see, ‘You suck. You lost to Tito.’
“You try to just take it with a grain of salt. It’s whatever. I still have support from the fans who have followed me for awhile.”
In most cases, there’s no shame in losing to former UFC light heavyweight champion unless that former champ hasn’t won a fight in five years and appears on the verge of retirement.
It was a well-known fact Ortiz’s job was on the line when he met Bader as a 5-to-1 underdog at UFC 132 earlier this month. No one, it seemed, expected the fight to go the way it did a first-round submission win for Ortiz -- including Dana White.
“I’ll be honest, I thought that was going to be Tito’s last fight,” White said, during a national media call Thursday. “I thought Bader was going to win that fight and I thought Tito was going to retire.”
Bader (12-2) isn’t making any excuses for the performance. He credits Ortiz for the win and doesn’t count him out in any of his future fights, but admits, “It’s been a tough loss. I should have gone out and beat him as that big of a favorite.”
The one positive of it all is Bader believes that even though the fight lasted just 146 seconds, it’s clearly shown him the areas of his game that need to improve.
Although Ortiz ended the fight with a guillotine choke, the real difference was a straight right that dropped Bader. Coming from his wrestling background at Arizona State University, Bader says he’s learned how to throw punches but never fully embraced the finer aspects of boxing, which would have helped him avoid that right.
Losing to Tito Ortiz has proven to be a learning experience for Ryan Bader.
“I’ve got to work on my defense and my movement,” Bader said. “That’s one of my problems. I don’t move my feet. Those mistakes cost me the fight.”
Bader is confident that spending time with Martinez, who’s known for improving the hands of Randy Couture and Gray Maynard, will be a big step in his evolution as a fighter.
Admittedly, he probably got too comfortable at his home gym Power MMA in Arizona -- both with coaches and sparring partners.
“I need to get out of my comfort zone. I want to be nervous because I’m sparring with a new guy,” Bader said. “I’m going to be getting different looks. I really can’t work any harder because I was already going so hard, but I can change things.”
Bader may have helped Ortiz breathe new life into his career but there’s reason to believe the loss might do the same for his own. Following the loss to Jones in February, there wasn’t as much pressure to change his approach as there is now.
“I lose three in a row, that’s tough man,” Bader said. “You see guys get cut for that. So yeah, I do feel that pressure.
“I’m not calling anybody out. I’m not saying anything. I’m not even in position to say when I’d like to be back. I’m just waiting to see what they want me to do and it’s actually nice, because I’ll just get better in the meantime.”
The panic button hasn’t been hit just yet for the 28-year-old -- but just about. After back-to-back stoppage losses to Jon Jones and a massive underdog in Ortiz, Bader’s stock in the light heavyweight division has gone from the ceiling to the gutter.
“On Twitter, I hear a few things,” Bader told ESPN.com. “I haven’t had to deal with many negative things in my career. Now, I see, ‘You suck. You lost to Tito.’
“You try to just take it with a grain of salt. It’s whatever. I still have support from the fans who have followed me for awhile.”
In most cases, there’s no shame in losing to former UFC light heavyweight champion unless that former champ hasn’t won a fight in five years and appears on the verge of retirement.
It was a well-known fact Ortiz’s job was on the line when he met Bader as a 5-to-1 underdog at UFC 132 earlier this month. No one, it seemed, expected the fight to go the way it did a first-round submission win for Ortiz -- including Dana White.
“I’ll be honest, I thought that was going to be Tito’s last fight,” White said, during a national media call Thursday. “I thought Bader was going to win that fight and I thought Tito was going to retire.”
Bader (12-2) isn’t making any excuses for the performance. He credits Ortiz for the win and doesn’t count him out in any of his future fights, but admits, “It’s been a tough loss. I should have gone out and beat him as that big of a favorite.”
The one positive of it all is Bader believes that even though the fight lasted just 146 seconds, it’s clearly shown him the areas of his game that need to improve.
Although Ortiz ended the fight with a guillotine choke, the real difference was a straight right that dropped Bader. Coming from his wrestling background at Arizona State University, Bader says he’s learned how to throw punches but never fully embraced the finer aspects of boxing, which would have helped him avoid that right.
Losing to Tito Ortiz has proven to be a learning experience for Ryan Bader.
“I’ve got to work on my defense and my movement,” Bader said. “That’s one of my problems. I don’t move my feet. Those mistakes cost me the fight.”
Bader is confident that spending time with Martinez, who’s known for improving the hands of Randy Couture and Gray Maynard, will be a big step in his evolution as a fighter.
Admittedly, he probably got too comfortable at his home gym Power MMA in Arizona -- both with coaches and sparring partners.
“I need to get out of my comfort zone. I want to be nervous because I’m sparring with a new guy,” Bader said. “I’m going to be getting different looks. I really can’t work any harder because I was already going so hard, but I can change things.”
Bader may have helped Ortiz breathe new life into his career but there’s reason to believe the loss might do the same for his own. Following the loss to Jones in February, there wasn’t as much pressure to change his approach as there is now.
“I lose three in a row, that’s tough man,” Bader said. “You see guys get cut for that. So yeah, I do feel that pressure.
“I’m not calling anybody out. I’m not saying anything. I’m not even in position to say when I’d like to be back. I’m just waiting to see what they want me to do and it’s actually nice, because I’ll just get better in the meantime.”
Three judges banned by state
The fallout from the controversial decision in the Paul Williams-Erislandy Lara junior middleweight bout continued Wednesday when the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board took the highly unusual action of indefinitely suspending the three judges who worked the 12-round bout.
Williams was given a heavily criticized majority decision victory Saturday night as judges Hilton Whitaker (115-114) and Don Givens (116-114) scored for him, while Al Bennett (114-114) had the HBO-televised main event at Boardwalk Hall's Adrian Phillips Ballroom a draw.
Lara, a former Cuban amateur star in his first major professional fight, however, landed his left hand at will. He appeared to win in the eyes of reporters covering the fight, all of HBO's commentators, HBO unofficial judge Harold Lederman and the pro-Williams crowd, which booed the decision. An overwhelming number of television viewers also took to Twitter and boxing message boards to voice their outrage over the decision.
CompuBox statistics were also telling: Williams was credited with landing 200 of 1,047 punches, 19 percent, while Lara was credited with landing 224 of 530 punches (42 percent). The official judges, who sit on different sides of the ring from each other, do not have access to CompuBox statistics during the fight.
In a letter obtained by ESPN.com, New Jersey commissioner Aaron M. Davis wrote to Lara promoter Dave Itskowitch of Golden Boy Promotions and Williams' promoter Dan Goossen informing them of the decision, which came after a video review of the fight with the judges.
"The New Jersey State Athletic Control Board was responsible for assigning all three judges who scored this contest and decided the outcome," Davis wrote in the letter. "At the conclusion of the contest, this agency had concerns about the final scores. Due to these concerns we decided to conduct a full review of the scoring.
"As part of this review, the NJSACB called in all three judges to our Trenton offices and conducted a full analysis of the scoring of each round."
Davis said that the review of the fight was complete and the NJSACB "has not found any evidence of bias, fraud, corruption or incapacity on the part of any of the judges. However, we remain unsatisfied with the scoring of the contest even after hearing the explanations from the judges.
"The NJSACB does not have the legal authority under these circumstances to invalidate the official result. This is due to the fact that all scoring is a matter of subjective judgment. In a similar fashion we cannot mandate a rematch. However, our opinion is that a rematch may be warranted.
"This agency has placed all three judges on indefinite suspension. Further, all three judges will be required to undergo additional training prior to their return to professional boxing judging."
Davis went further in apologizing for the lackluster judging.
"Any contestant who enters a ring or cage in our state deserves the best officiating that we can provide," Davis wrote. "While we do not mean to diminish Mr. Williams' competitive spirit and exciting style, we feel that we did not provide our best officiating on July 9. Because we have a rich history of boxing and combat sports in New Jersey, we aspire to consistently improve in our officiating and strive to learn from this situation. We have no further comment on this matter at the current time."
Williams (40-2, 27 KOs), a former two-time welterweight titlist, was returning to the ring for the first time since being brutally knocked out in the second round by middleweight champion Sergio Martinez in November.
After the fight, Lara (15-1-1, 10 KOs) and his team were upset, believing Lara had won.
"We've been saying since the fight that we thought Lara won and Lara thought he won," Itskowitch told ESPN.com. "This helps to validate what we've been saying."
Although Lara would like a rematch, Goossen has not shown any interest, mainly because of the continuing difficulty Williams has when fighting a left-hander. Both of his official losses were to southpaws. He also won a controversial majority decision against Martinez in their first fight in addition to the hard time he had with Lara.
As for New Jersey suspending the judges, Goossen told ESPN.com, "The only thoughts I've had are what I've had from the beginning, which is what I said after the fight, that it could have gone either way. I've heard people say there was corruption in the decision, but we've got a good sport. There is no corruption here. It was a tough fight that could have gone either way.
"My difference of opinion that I argue is against those who thought Lara won by such a wide margin. Lara did an excellent job and so did Paul. As far as I'm concerned, if New Jersey felt this was appropriate, they're a good commission, and there's nothing more for me to say on it."
Williams was given a heavily criticized majority decision victory Saturday night as judges Hilton Whitaker (115-114) and Don Givens (116-114) scored for him, while Al Bennett (114-114) had the HBO-televised main event at Boardwalk Hall's Adrian Phillips Ballroom a draw.
Lara, a former Cuban amateur star in his first major professional fight, however, landed his left hand at will. He appeared to win in the eyes of reporters covering the fight, all of HBO's commentators, HBO unofficial judge Harold Lederman and the pro-Williams crowd, which booed the decision. An overwhelming number of television viewers also took to Twitter and boxing message boards to voice their outrage over the decision.
CompuBox statistics were also telling: Williams was credited with landing 200 of 1,047 punches, 19 percent, while Lara was credited with landing 224 of 530 punches (42 percent). The official judges, who sit on different sides of the ring from each other, do not have access to CompuBox statistics during the fight.
In a letter obtained by ESPN.com, New Jersey commissioner Aaron M. Davis wrote to Lara promoter Dave Itskowitch of Golden Boy Promotions and Williams' promoter Dan Goossen informing them of the decision, which came after a video review of the fight with the judges.
"The New Jersey State Athletic Control Board was responsible for assigning all three judges who scored this contest and decided the outcome," Davis wrote in the letter. "At the conclusion of the contest, this agency had concerns about the final scores. Due to these concerns we decided to conduct a full review of the scoring.
"As part of this review, the NJSACB called in all three judges to our Trenton offices and conducted a full analysis of the scoring of each round."
Davis said that the review of the fight was complete and the NJSACB "has not found any evidence of bias, fraud, corruption or incapacity on the part of any of the judges. However, we remain unsatisfied with the scoring of the contest even after hearing the explanations from the judges.
"The NJSACB does not have the legal authority under these circumstances to invalidate the official result. This is due to the fact that all scoring is a matter of subjective judgment. In a similar fashion we cannot mandate a rematch. However, our opinion is that a rematch may be warranted.
"This agency has placed all three judges on indefinite suspension. Further, all three judges will be required to undergo additional training prior to their return to professional boxing judging."
Davis went further in apologizing for the lackluster judging.
"Any contestant who enters a ring or cage in our state deserves the best officiating that we can provide," Davis wrote. "While we do not mean to diminish Mr. Williams' competitive spirit and exciting style, we feel that we did not provide our best officiating on July 9. Because we have a rich history of boxing and combat sports in New Jersey, we aspire to consistently improve in our officiating and strive to learn from this situation. We have no further comment on this matter at the current time."
Williams (40-2, 27 KOs), a former two-time welterweight titlist, was returning to the ring for the first time since being brutally knocked out in the second round by middleweight champion Sergio Martinez in November.
After the fight, Lara (15-1-1, 10 KOs) and his team were upset, believing Lara had won.
"We've been saying since the fight that we thought Lara won and Lara thought he won," Itskowitch told ESPN.com. "This helps to validate what we've been saying."
Although Lara would like a rematch, Goossen has not shown any interest, mainly because of the continuing difficulty Williams has when fighting a left-hander. Both of his official losses were to southpaws. He also won a controversial majority decision against Martinez in their first fight in addition to the hard time he had with Lara.
As for New Jersey suspending the judges, Goossen told ESPN.com, "The only thoughts I've had are what I've had from the beginning, which is what I said after the fight, that it could have gone either way. I've heard people say there was corruption in the decision, but we've got a good sport. There is no corruption here. It was a tough fight that could have gone either way.
"My difference of opinion that I argue is against those who thought Lara won by such a wide margin. Lara did an excellent job and so did Paul. As far as I'm concerned, if New Jersey felt this was appropriate, they're a good commission, and there's nothing more for me to say on it."
Ross Greenburg resigns from HBO
Ross Greenburg, who as president of HBO Sports was regarded as the most powerful person in the boxing business, resigned from the network under pressure Sunday despite having several months remaining on his multi-million dollar contract.
"We believe that Ross' track record speaks for itself," HBO co-presidents Richard Plepler and Michael Lombardo said in a joint statement given to ESPN.com, confirming his departure, which has been in the works for months. "He has helped redefine the sports programming genre and set an extraordinary standard of excellence in the industry. We will miss his leadership, vision, creativity and passion for sports television."
No replacement was announced, although Lombardo, who has been directly involved in some of the network's recent boxing decisions, is likely to oversee the department temporarily until a permanent replacement is hired.
In his role, Greenburg presided over the largest budget in televised boxing -- around $35 million a year to buy fights. That made him a kingmaker as he could decide which fighters and promoters would get the network's powerful backing.
Greenburg's downfall can be traced in large part to HBO losing Manny Pacquiao, boxing's biggest star, when Top Rank promoter Bob Arum made a deal to take him to rival Showtime for his May 7 fight with Shane Mosley. All of Pacquiao's previous major fights had taken place on HBO or HBO PPV.
One of the reasons Arum said he made the deal with Showtime and its sister network, CBS, was because his relationship with Greenburg had badly deteriorated over the past few years. Greenburg had not informed Plepler or Lombardo that there was a strong possibility that the network could lose Pacquiao until it was too late.
In January, after Arum completed the Pacquiao-Mosley deal with Showtime, Greenburg downplayed its significance, saying, "I'm over it" and that Pacquiao going to Showtime wouldn't "upset HBO's positioning as the premier boxing network. That's what we pride ourselves on, and we'll continue to look for the best fighters in the world. If they're in the same division, then we'll match them up. That's what the public expects us to do, and that's what we'll continue to do. ... It's a one-fight deal. We'll see what happens after the fight."
It may very well be a one-fight deal because Arum is weighing proposals from HBO and Showtime for Pacquiao's Nov. 12 pay-per-view fight against Juan Manuel Marquez, but it will be too late for Greenburg if Arum brings him back to HBO.
Greenburg did not respond to a voicemail or email message seeking comment. He did, however, speak to the New York Times. He denied that he was forced out and again downplayed the impact of losing Pacquiao.
"That's a silly rationale. That added to my angst, but one fight doesn't determine whether I stayed or didn't stay," he told the paper.
Greenburg, 56, was with HBO for 33 years, beginning as a production assistant in 1978and working his way up to executive producer before being named president of HBO Sports whose flagship franchise is boxing -- in September 2000 to replace Seth Abraham. Greenburg also oversaw HBO PPV, which produces and distributes most of boxing's biggest pay-per-view fights.
Greenburg, who has won dozens of Sports Emmy awards, also helped create several successful HBO Sports series, including "24/7," which follows the build-up to major fights; "Hard Knocks," the football training camp reality series; sports news magazine series "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel" and countless sports-related documentaries. It was also on Greenburg's watch that HBO PPV oversaw the biggest pay-per-view in history, Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s win against Oscar De La Hoya, which generated nearly 2.5 million buys in May 2007.
"We believe that Ross' track record speaks for itself," HBO co-presidents Richard Plepler and Michael Lombardo said in a joint statement given to ESPN.com, confirming his departure, which has been in the works for months. "He has helped redefine the sports programming genre and set an extraordinary standard of excellence in the industry. We will miss his leadership, vision, creativity and passion for sports television."
No replacement was announced, although Lombardo, who has been directly involved in some of the network's recent boxing decisions, is likely to oversee the department temporarily until a permanent replacement is hired.
In his role, Greenburg presided over the largest budget in televised boxing -- around $35 million a year to buy fights. That made him a kingmaker as he could decide which fighters and promoters would get the network's powerful backing.
Greenburg's downfall can be traced in large part to HBO losing Manny Pacquiao, boxing's biggest star, when Top Rank promoter Bob Arum made a deal to take him to rival Showtime for his May 7 fight with Shane Mosley. All of Pacquiao's previous major fights had taken place on HBO or HBO PPV.
One of the reasons Arum said he made the deal with Showtime and its sister network, CBS, was because his relationship with Greenburg had badly deteriorated over the past few years. Greenburg had not informed Plepler or Lombardo that there was a strong possibility that the network could lose Pacquiao until it was too late.
In January, after Arum completed the Pacquiao-Mosley deal with Showtime, Greenburg downplayed its significance, saying, "I'm over it" and that Pacquiao going to Showtime wouldn't "upset HBO's positioning as the premier boxing network. That's what we pride ourselves on, and we'll continue to look for the best fighters in the world. If they're in the same division, then we'll match them up. That's what the public expects us to do, and that's what we'll continue to do. ... It's a one-fight deal. We'll see what happens after the fight."
It may very well be a one-fight deal because Arum is weighing proposals from HBO and Showtime for Pacquiao's Nov. 12 pay-per-view fight against Juan Manuel Marquez, but it will be too late for Greenburg if Arum brings him back to HBO.
Greenburg did not respond to a voicemail or email message seeking comment. He did, however, speak to the New York Times. He denied that he was forced out and again downplayed the impact of losing Pacquiao.
"That's a silly rationale. That added to my angst, but one fight doesn't determine whether I stayed or didn't stay," he told the paper.
Greenburg, 56, was with HBO for 33 years, beginning as a production assistant in 1978and working his way up to executive producer before being named president of HBO Sports whose flagship franchise is boxing -- in September 2000 to replace Seth Abraham. Greenburg also oversaw HBO PPV, which produces and distributes most of boxing's biggest pay-per-view fights.
Greenburg, who has won dozens of Sports Emmy awards, also helped create several successful HBO Sports series, including "24/7," which follows the build-up to major fights; "Hard Knocks," the football training camp reality series; sports news magazine series "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel" and countless sports-related documentaries. It was also on Greenburg's watch that HBO PPV oversaw the biggest pay-per-view in history, Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s win against Oscar De La Hoya, which generated nearly 2.5 million buys in May 2007.
Best, worst NBA head-coaching hires?
Free agency has ground to a halt as a result of the lockout, but the NBA coaching carousel is still spinning. The Lakers (Mike Brown), Pacers (Frank Vogel, bumped up from interim), Raptors (Dwane Casey), Rockets (Kevin McHale) and Warriors (Mark Jackson) have all updated their coaching staffs, while the Pistons and Timberwolves are still scouring the market.
ESPN Insider broke down the challenges that await some of the NBA's newest leading men. Now our crew plays a little 5-on-5 to figure out which teams have made the best, and worst, head-coaching hires this offseason, and to whom the leftover undecideds should turn now.
1. Which team has made the best coaching hire thus far?
Kevin Arnovitz, ESPN.com: Dwane Casey placed as the runner-up for head-coaching jobs at least five times over the past three years, but his credentials as the mastermind of the Mavs' defense finally -- and deservedly -- put him over the top in Toronto. Casey will bring his understanding of system and appreciation of order to a team that's been governed by chaos on the floor in recent seasons.
Rahat Huq, Red94: Houston. There were rumblings of a disconnect between Adelman and the Rockets' front office with the former having been not so receptive to analytical data nor enthusiastic about the call for a youth movement. In McHale, Daryl Morey gets a man open to his ideas but who carries a big stick, bringing instant credibility to the sidelines.
Graydon Gordian, 48 Minutes of Hell: I'll say Frank Vogel. "Interim" coaches often feel like aspiring boyfriends who have slipped into the dreaded "friend zone." However, Vogel did a terrific job with the Pacers this season and certainly deserved an opportunity to capitalize on his success. I'm glad Indiana didn't look a gift horse in the mouth.
John Converse Townsend, Truth About It: Indiana. I like Vogel, the 38-year-old upstart who changed the identity and the attitude of pro hoops in the Hoosier State. Vogel's new-look Pacers -- a "power-post team, blood and guts, old-school, smash-mouth team" -- made the playoffs for the first time since 2006 and nailed the role of rude houseguests in Chicago. He's familiar, affordable and ready for the challenge.
Jared Wade, 8 Points, 9 Seconds: Dwane Casey might be the better answer but let's say Kevin McHale. He was successful in his first fill-in role before scuffling through the second, but that came under the pressure of being a floundering GM in his home state. McHale seems rejuvenated by his broadcasting time, and players will immediately pay him respect.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Which team has made the worst coaching hire thus far?
Kevin Arnovitz, ESPN.com: If you're someone who believes that experience on an NBA bench is a prerequisite, then it's Golden State with Jackson. If you feel that "players buying in" is overrated, then it's Houston with McHale. If you think that incumbency shouldn't mean anything, it's Indiana with Vogel. And if you insist the Lakers could've had anyone under the sun, then Brown might be a head-scratcher.
Rahat Huq, Red94: Anyone who watched the Cleveland Cavaliers even passively during "The LeBron Era" would share befuddlement over the Lakers' selection of Mike Brown over far more appealing candidates. The defense was solid, sure, but few have been less imaginative with a clipboard. Most disturbing is that franchise icon Kobe Bryant was not consulted for the decision, foreshadowing inevitable turbulence.
Graydon Gordian, 48 Minutes of Hell: Mark Jackson is the worst hire so far. I've always enjoyed Jackson's work as a color commentator, but his résumé does not suggest he's prepared to be a head coach in the NBA. He may prove to be a success, but there are several other candidates whose capabilities are more certain.
John Converse Townsend, Truth About It: Golden State. The Warriors fell in love with Mark Jackson's strong personality and undeniable leadership skills, but it remains to be seen whether he can translate those qualities to the chalkboard. Jackson must quickly find a way to keep the undisciplined Warriors in line. His job depends on it.
Jared Wade, 8 Points, 9 Seconds: I am a St. John's University alum and the '98 Pacers are perhaps my favorite team of all time, but I just can't see any way that the Mark Jackson hire works out well in Golden State. If Monta Ellis gets dealt, that could help, but his inexperience plus that roster is worrisome.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Which newly hired coach has the toughest task ahead?
Kevin Arnovitz, ESPN.com: Mike Brown will be following the most decorated NBA coach of the past 50 years for a franchise that hangs banners only when it wins a title. The Lakers' core isn't getting any younger, and the roster has been accustomed to running the same system for the better part of a decade. Brown could win 55-60 games and still be deemed a failure by some.
Rahat Huq, Red94: Asking Casey to coach Toronto is akin to handing Mike D'Antoni a lineup of Kevin Ollie, Keith Bogans, Nazr Mohammed, Kelvin Cato and Bismack Biyombo. Great hire, but may God be with the defensive genius in his future efforts to get the Raptors roster to buckle down on D.
Graydon Gordian, 48 Minutes of Hell: Mike Brown has an incredibly difficult task ahead of him. He has to replace the man many believe to be the greatest coach ever. He is the only new coach who will be expected to compete for a title in his first season. A man named Metta World Peace is on his team. He has a difficult task ahead.
John Converse Townsend, Truth About It: Mike Brown. On paper, Brown is a great hire for Los Angeles: He has a Lakers-worthy résumé, an affinity for defense and the uncanny ability to orchestrate basketball symphonies with a one-man band. Sure, Brown will be coaching under the bright lights of Hollywood, but it's impossible to picture him stepping out of Phil Jackson's shadow.
Jared Wade, 8 Points, 9 Seconds: Mike Brown. Pau is coming off a playoff meltdown, Kobe is a year older, and Bynum wants a larger offensive role that he is unlikely to get without upsetting his older, more accomplished teammates. And, oh yeah, anything less than a title is a complete failure in L.A. You've got a heckuva job, Brownie.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Who should be the Pistons' next coach?
Kevin Arnovitz, ESPN.com: Over the past few seasons, Kelvin Sampson (currently a Rockets assistant) has gained a reputation as a potential just-add-water NBA head-coaching candidate. He's regarded as a strong communicator and adored by players. Though a black cloud hangs over his NCAA legacy, Sampson is a basketball lifer who can orchestrate a team.
Rahat Huq, Red94: Lawrence Frank might be the smart choice, but why not Bill Laimbeer? The legend would bring karma and good feelings to a franchise so down on hard times that Tracy McGrady was reeled in off the scrap heap as a potential savior. Can Charlie V learn to throw an elbow? A potential sticking point.
Graydon Gordian, 48 Minutes of Hell: Luckily for the Pistons, they could make a number of different choices and still have made a good one. Bill Laimbeer and Patrick Ewing both have what it takes to succeed as NBA coaches, but personally, I'd love to see Mike Woodson get another shot. Woodson strikes me as the kind of underappreciated talent Joe Dumars favors.
John Converse Townsend, Truth About It: Lawrence Frank is a top candidate for the Pistons job and deserves another shot as a head coach. Frank is an effective motivator who spent last season as Doc Rivers' lead assistant in Boston and I'm curious to see what he could achieve with Detroit's young and talented roster.
Jared Wade, 8 Points, 9 Seconds: Lawrence Frank. By all accounts, Frank has a great mind for the game and he started his coaching career as the league's golden boy. People forget, but when he was 35, he was essentially doing what Scott Brooks is doing today. He deserves another job, and Detroit needs some order and dignity back on its bench.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. Is Don Nelson the answer in Minnesota?
Kevin Arnovitz, ESPN.com: The Timberwolves want to play an unorthodox style with Ricky Rubio at the controls. Why not make an unorthodox hire and tap renowned European coach Ettore Messina to run the show? Messina, who is currently on the Lakers' staff, is a master of inside-out basketball and knows how to maximize skilled big men.
Rahat Huq, Red94: What we've learned over the years is that Don Nelson is never the answer.
Graydon Gordian, 48 Minutes of Hell: For the sake of poor Anthony Randolph, the Minnesota Timberwolves should not hire Don Nelson. Although I don't envision him actually getting the job, I think Rick Adelman would be a far better fit. I'd love to see the same imagination he brought to an unusual Rockets roster applied to the young talent Minnesota has cobbled together.
John Converse Townsend, Truth About It: Don Nelson is not the answer in Minnesota. The Timberwolves were already one of the fastest teams in the league last season, so bringing in a coach with "uptempo DNA" is likely to blow the roof off the Target Center. Rick Adelman should get a look. He's more than capable of molding David Kahn's eccentric roster into a winner.
Jared Wade, 8 Points, 9 Seconds: No. I love me some Nellie and think that his innovative approach to the game revolutionized the sport. But Nelson's best coaching days are way behind him, and I don't think he is the answer anywhere anymore.
ESPN Insider broke down the challenges that await some of the NBA's newest leading men. Now our crew plays a little 5-on-5 to figure out which teams have made the best, and worst, head-coaching hires this offseason, and to whom the leftover undecideds should turn now.
1. Which team has made the best coaching hire thus far?
Kevin Arnovitz, ESPN.com: Dwane Casey placed as the runner-up for head-coaching jobs at least five times over the past three years, but his credentials as the mastermind of the Mavs' defense finally -- and deservedly -- put him over the top in Toronto. Casey will bring his understanding of system and appreciation of order to a team that's been governed by chaos on the floor in recent seasons.
Rahat Huq, Red94: Houston. There were rumblings of a disconnect between Adelman and the Rockets' front office with the former having been not so receptive to analytical data nor enthusiastic about the call for a youth movement. In McHale, Daryl Morey gets a man open to his ideas but who carries a big stick, bringing instant credibility to the sidelines.
Graydon Gordian, 48 Minutes of Hell: I'll say Frank Vogel. "Interim" coaches often feel like aspiring boyfriends who have slipped into the dreaded "friend zone." However, Vogel did a terrific job with the Pacers this season and certainly deserved an opportunity to capitalize on his success. I'm glad Indiana didn't look a gift horse in the mouth.
John Converse Townsend, Truth About It: Indiana. I like Vogel, the 38-year-old upstart who changed the identity and the attitude of pro hoops in the Hoosier State. Vogel's new-look Pacers -- a "power-post team, blood and guts, old-school, smash-mouth team" -- made the playoffs for the first time since 2006 and nailed the role of rude houseguests in Chicago. He's familiar, affordable and ready for the challenge.
Jared Wade, 8 Points, 9 Seconds: Dwane Casey might be the better answer but let's say Kevin McHale. He was successful in his first fill-in role before scuffling through the second, but that came under the pressure of being a floundering GM in his home state. McHale seems rejuvenated by his broadcasting time, and players will immediately pay him respect.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Which team has made the worst coaching hire thus far?
Kevin Arnovitz, ESPN.com: If you're someone who believes that experience on an NBA bench is a prerequisite, then it's Golden State with Jackson. If you feel that "players buying in" is overrated, then it's Houston with McHale. If you think that incumbency shouldn't mean anything, it's Indiana with Vogel. And if you insist the Lakers could've had anyone under the sun, then Brown might be a head-scratcher.
Rahat Huq, Red94: Anyone who watched the Cleveland Cavaliers even passively during "The LeBron Era" would share befuddlement over the Lakers' selection of Mike Brown over far more appealing candidates. The defense was solid, sure, but few have been less imaginative with a clipboard. Most disturbing is that franchise icon Kobe Bryant was not consulted for the decision, foreshadowing inevitable turbulence.
Graydon Gordian, 48 Minutes of Hell: Mark Jackson is the worst hire so far. I've always enjoyed Jackson's work as a color commentator, but his résumé does not suggest he's prepared to be a head coach in the NBA. He may prove to be a success, but there are several other candidates whose capabilities are more certain.
John Converse Townsend, Truth About It: Golden State. The Warriors fell in love with Mark Jackson's strong personality and undeniable leadership skills, but it remains to be seen whether he can translate those qualities to the chalkboard. Jackson must quickly find a way to keep the undisciplined Warriors in line. His job depends on it.
Jared Wade, 8 Points, 9 Seconds: I am a St. John's University alum and the '98 Pacers are perhaps my favorite team of all time, but I just can't see any way that the Mark Jackson hire works out well in Golden State. If Monta Ellis gets dealt, that could help, but his inexperience plus that roster is worrisome.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Which newly hired coach has the toughest task ahead?
Kevin Arnovitz, ESPN.com: Mike Brown will be following the most decorated NBA coach of the past 50 years for a franchise that hangs banners only when it wins a title. The Lakers' core isn't getting any younger, and the roster has been accustomed to running the same system for the better part of a decade. Brown could win 55-60 games and still be deemed a failure by some.
Rahat Huq, Red94: Asking Casey to coach Toronto is akin to handing Mike D'Antoni a lineup of Kevin Ollie, Keith Bogans, Nazr Mohammed, Kelvin Cato and Bismack Biyombo. Great hire, but may God be with the defensive genius in his future efforts to get the Raptors roster to buckle down on D.
Graydon Gordian, 48 Minutes of Hell: Mike Brown has an incredibly difficult task ahead of him. He has to replace the man many believe to be the greatest coach ever. He is the only new coach who will be expected to compete for a title in his first season. A man named Metta World Peace is on his team. He has a difficult task ahead.
John Converse Townsend, Truth About It: Mike Brown. On paper, Brown is a great hire for Los Angeles: He has a Lakers-worthy résumé, an affinity for defense and the uncanny ability to orchestrate basketball symphonies with a one-man band. Sure, Brown will be coaching under the bright lights of Hollywood, but it's impossible to picture him stepping out of Phil Jackson's shadow.
Jared Wade, 8 Points, 9 Seconds: Mike Brown. Pau is coming off a playoff meltdown, Kobe is a year older, and Bynum wants a larger offensive role that he is unlikely to get without upsetting his older, more accomplished teammates. And, oh yeah, anything less than a title is a complete failure in L.A. You've got a heckuva job, Brownie.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Who should be the Pistons' next coach?
Kevin Arnovitz, ESPN.com: Over the past few seasons, Kelvin Sampson (currently a Rockets assistant) has gained a reputation as a potential just-add-water NBA head-coaching candidate. He's regarded as a strong communicator and adored by players. Though a black cloud hangs over his NCAA legacy, Sampson is a basketball lifer who can orchestrate a team.
Rahat Huq, Red94: Lawrence Frank might be the smart choice, but why not Bill Laimbeer? The legend would bring karma and good feelings to a franchise so down on hard times that Tracy McGrady was reeled in off the scrap heap as a potential savior. Can Charlie V learn to throw an elbow? A potential sticking point.
Graydon Gordian, 48 Minutes of Hell: Luckily for the Pistons, they could make a number of different choices and still have made a good one. Bill Laimbeer and Patrick Ewing both have what it takes to succeed as NBA coaches, but personally, I'd love to see Mike Woodson get another shot. Woodson strikes me as the kind of underappreciated talent Joe Dumars favors.
John Converse Townsend, Truth About It: Lawrence Frank is a top candidate for the Pistons job and deserves another shot as a head coach. Frank is an effective motivator who spent last season as Doc Rivers' lead assistant in Boston and I'm curious to see what he could achieve with Detroit's young and talented roster.
Jared Wade, 8 Points, 9 Seconds: Lawrence Frank. By all accounts, Frank has a great mind for the game and he started his coaching career as the league's golden boy. People forget, but when he was 35, he was essentially doing what Scott Brooks is doing today. He deserves another job, and Detroit needs some order and dignity back on its bench.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. Is Don Nelson the answer in Minnesota?
Kevin Arnovitz, ESPN.com: The Timberwolves want to play an unorthodox style with Ricky Rubio at the controls. Why not make an unorthodox hire and tap renowned European coach Ettore Messina to run the show? Messina, who is currently on the Lakers' staff, is a master of inside-out basketball and knows how to maximize skilled big men.
Rahat Huq, Red94: What we've learned over the years is that Don Nelson is never the answer.
Graydon Gordian, 48 Minutes of Hell: For the sake of poor Anthony Randolph, the Minnesota Timberwolves should not hire Don Nelson. Although I don't envision him actually getting the job, I think Rick Adelman would be a far better fit. I'd love to see the same imagination he brought to an unusual Rockets roster applied to the young talent Minnesota has cobbled together.
John Converse Townsend, Truth About It: Don Nelson is not the answer in Minnesota. The Timberwolves were already one of the fastest teams in the league last season, so bringing in a coach with "uptempo DNA" is likely to blow the roof off the Target Center. Rick Adelman should get a look. He's more than capable of molding David Kahn's eccentric roster into a winner.
Jared Wade, 8 Points, 9 Seconds: No. I love me some Nellie and think that his innovative approach to the game revolutionized the sport. But Nelson's best coaching days are way behind him, and I don't think he is the answer anywhere anymore.
Gerardo "TinTin Ibarra Future Champ
I love talking about new and upcoming fighters. Watching young fighters is like watching a starving kid. They not only are aggressive but they are boxing with a joy in their heart, and or willing to fight anybody you put in front of them. When I look at young fighters I look to see how they handle themselves in the ring, can they put punches together "or as we say punches in bunches", and just overall fighting skill. Gerardo "Tin Tin Ibarra shows a great deal of potential and looks to have a bright future. The only thing I would like see is him give a little more movement and not stand in front of his opponent when he is not throwing punches. But then again that why they call them young fighters!!!!! Here are a few video clips of his last fight!!! We should call him TNT!!!!!
Friday, July 15, 2011
I Was On Vacation!!!!!!!!
Yeah I know I have been gone for a couple of weeks but hey even I need a vacation!!!! But as of next wee I will be back full time bring you the interesting, jaw dropping sports stories that you want to read. I also will have a new story on upcoming prospect Gerardo Ibarra... Trust me this kid can hit... Hope to see you soon
Top hoops prospect’s mom pulls him from AAU game
Devonta Pollard is one of the top basketball recruits in the Class of 2012. To be specific, Rivals.com ranks the versatile small forward as the No. 6 overall prospect in the senior class. Fittingly, he's being recruited by national powerhouses like Kentucky, Duke and Georgetown, not to mention a host of other strong programs.
Yet all of the Porterville (Miss.) Kemper County prospect's prodigious talent isn't always enough to keep his harshest critic at bay. Who is that critic, you ask? His mom, of course. At a recent high-profile tournament game, she made that abundantly clear by literally pulling him off the floor after the hoops star committed two consecutive errors. More embarrassingly, she forcibly removed her own in front of a gaggle of the nation's best college basketball coaches.
The video below shows Pollard's mother, Jessie Pollard, sending in a sub for the Southern Phenoms AAU squad while pulling off her own son. That wouldn't be a particularly shocking move if Ms. Pollard was the Southern Phenoms coach, but she isn't. Instead, she just happens to be the mother of the team's most notable player, and that was enough to get the change made.
"He had made two mistakes," Pollard told a Prep Rally source who was sitting courtside. "It's hard to play a whole ball game, so I had to take him out to calm him down."
Yet, while the move may have helped calm Pollard down -- he later returned and played up to the potential you see him displaying at the end of the above clip -- it also sent a mild shockwave through the slew of college head coaches who were on hand to watch him in person.
Considering the fact that Texas coach Rick Barnes, Georgetown coach John Thompson III, LSU coach Trent Johnson, Vanderbilt coach Kevin Stallings and a dozen other head coaches and top assistants were at the game, the entire incident was a bit embarrassing for the budding superstar.
Of course, the on-court yanking also leads to a variety of other questions, as well. Why was Jessie Pollard allowed to walk down to the court and embarrass her son that way (that seems fairly obvious: she gets to call the shots since her son is the team's unquestioned superstar)? What will top coaches think of a player whose mother is so outwardly domineering, not to mention that prospect's willingness to blindly follow her lead over his own coach's action?
And, perhaps finally, what makes Jessie Pollard so sure that she knows what's right for her son? The answer to that last part is almost down to the elder Pollard's own basketball experience. According to this ESPN profile of the Pollard family, Jessie Pollard was once the No. 4 overall pick of the Chicago Hustle, a team in the long defunct Women's Professional Basketball League. She also happens to stand an imposing 6-foot-2, so she's an intimidating figure in any gym, even when it's crowded with top high school prospects.
Still, that hardly seems to justify any of her drastic actions at the tournament. The question now is whether her overbearing style of advice will scare colleges away from her talented son
Yet all of the Porterville (Miss.) Kemper County prospect's prodigious talent isn't always enough to keep his harshest critic at bay. Who is that critic, you ask? His mom, of course. At a recent high-profile tournament game, she made that abundantly clear by literally pulling him off the floor after the hoops star committed two consecutive errors. More embarrassingly, she forcibly removed her own in front of a gaggle of the nation's best college basketball coaches.
The video below shows Pollard's mother, Jessie Pollard, sending in a sub for the Southern Phenoms AAU squad while pulling off her own son. That wouldn't be a particularly shocking move if Ms. Pollard was the Southern Phenoms coach, but she isn't. Instead, she just happens to be the mother of the team's most notable player, and that was enough to get the change made.
"He had made two mistakes," Pollard told a Prep Rally source who was sitting courtside. "It's hard to play a whole ball game, so I had to take him out to calm him down."
Yet, while the move may have helped calm Pollard down -- he later returned and played up to the potential you see him displaying at the end of the above clip -- it also sent a mild shockwave through the slew of college head coaches who were on hand to watch him in person.
Considering the fact that Texas coach Rick Barnes, Georgetown coach John Thompson III, LSU coach Trent Johnson, Vanderbilt coach Kevin Stallings and a dozen other head coaches and top assistants were at the game, the entire incident was a bit embarrassing for the budding superstar.
Of course, the on-court yanking also leads to a variety of other questions, as well. Why was Jessie Pollard allowed to walk down to the court and embarrass her son that way (that seems fairly obvious: she gets to call the shots since her son is the team's unquestioned superstar)? What will top coaches think of a player whose mother is so outwardly domineering, not to mention that prospect's willingness to blindly follow her lead over his own coach's action?
And, perhaps finally, what makes Jessie Pollard so sure that she knows what's right for her son? The answer to that last part is almost down to the elder Pollard's own basketball experience. According to this ESPN profile of the Pollard family, Jessie Pollard was once the No. 4 overall pick of the Chicago Hustle, a team in the long defunct Women's Professional Basketball League. She also happens to stand an imposing 6-foot-2, so she's an intimidating figure in any gym, even when it's crowded with top high school prospects.
Still, that hardly seems to justify any of her drastic actions at the tournament. The question now is whether her overbearing style of advice will scare colleges away from her talented son
Is Tiger Woods Running Out of Money?
With only a few endorsement deals left, a recent divorce settlement, a hefty house mortgage, and even a pay cut from Nike, Tiger Woods' lifestyle is looking a lot less glamorous.
When news broke a few weeks ago that Tiger Woods had signed an endorsement deal to hawk a heat rub in Japan, it was hard not to think of "Lost in Translation," or of the "Entourage" episode when Vincent Chase goes to China to do an energy drink commercial because he's out of money.
Although Woods was likely paid in the single-digit millions for the spot in which he takes a swing, rubs his back, and says, "Go Vantelin!" it's a far cry from campaigns for PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP - News), Gillette, and Accenture (NYSE: ACN - News). The last time Woods showed up in Japanese TV ads was in 1997, when he promoted Asahi Wonda coffee, back before he became a phenomenon. So the deal with Kowa (maker of the rub) seems more like a moment of desperation than a return to form.
It's no secret that Woods, once king of the sports world, has suffered financially since his fall from grace. His endorsement list shrank and his marriage ended in a divorce settlement reportedly worth $100 million. But now he may actually be hurting for funds. At the very least, there are signs that he isn't generating enough to comfortably cover his costs.
Earlier this week, the golfer's agent, Mark Steinberg, announced he would be joining the agency Excel Sports. Although that means Excel gets Woods too, the icon was conspicuously absent from the announcement. Steinberg left IMG at the end of May. It took two weeks, but on June 7, Woods announced via Twitter that he would be leaving with Steinberg.
IMG declined to comment on the details of Steinberg's departure, or on Tiger Woods, but a trusted Fortune source with reliable information tells us that IMG was none too broken up about losing Woods, because his endorsement earnings have fallen so dramatically. The source says IMG's commissions for 2011 they'll continue to get a chunk of Tiger's endorsement deals through 2013 will be as low as $1.5 million.
That's a huge drop from two years ago. With giants like Gillette, Accenture, Tag Heuer, and Gatorade having jumped ship, Tiger's major deals are down to three: Nike (NYSE: NKE - News), Electronic Arts (Nasdaq: ERTS - News), and Kowa. His EA Sports video game, "Tiger Woods PGA Tour '12," set a first-week franchise record of 225,000 games sold. But our source also tells us that Tiger's Nike money fell by as much as 50% in 2010 (to about $10 million, down from $20 million in 2009) and that he will get the same reduced amount for 2011. The reason? Nike penalized him for his indiscretions, reducing his payment for two years as a response to his public behavior. Nike had no comment.
That Nike would have renegotiated Tiger's contract to give him a temporary pay cut may be hard to believe, but Bob Dorfman of Baker Street Advertising says, "That's not surprising. They're not going to release him entirely, because that's not the way they are, but [a pay reduction] would not surprise me at all."
As for the Kowa deal, Dorfman estimates its value at $4 million. Doug Shabelman of Burns Entertainment & Sports Marketing believes it's worth around $3 million.
Recent valuations of Tiger's overall endorsement earnings for 2011 have been between $60 million and $75 million. But based on our information about Nike, and on the Kowa estimates, the real number is likely closer to $20 million.
Woods' agent adamantly denies the assertion that the golfer is facing financial strain. "Tiger Woods is financially sound and strong, contrary to wide-ranging rumors and inaccurate figures in the media," Steinberg wrote in an email. "Stating anything else is incorrect and factually baseless."
The Woods P&L
Another factor that has undeniably fizzled is Tiger's tournament winnings. Woods won no majors in 2009, the first year that's happened since 2004. He went completely winless in 2010, and this year he's so far missed the U.S. Open, AT&T National, and British Open due to a knee injury. According to the PGA Tour website, Tiger's 2011 winnings so far total $571,363. Those are like pennies compared to the $10.9 million, $5.8 million, and $10.5 million he earned in 2007, 2008, and 2009, respectively. In 2010, that dropped to $1.3 million.
Woods is still young, and undoubtedly one of the greatest golfers alive, but as he continues to stay off the links, that money stream dries up. Meanwhile, Tiger Woods Dubai, a billion-dollar project that was first set to open in 2009 with a golf course, pricey real estate, and restaurant, was scrapped in February.
As Tiger's revenues have declined, his expenses have only climbed. To begin with, there's the reported $100 million divorce settlement. And last August, Woods took out a $54.5 million mortgage on his home in Jupiter Island, Florida. According to the public document, Woods is required to pay off the mortgage in full by January of 2016, giving him a mere five and a half years to shed the debt. He's therefore paying more than $10 million each year, including his $431,042 in annual property taxes.
That 2010 property tax information comes from the district offices of Martin County, FL, where the home Woods now occupies alone is located. The property, which Woods purchased in 2006 for $44.5 million, is valued at around $47 million (the county values the house at $26.48 million, the land at $20.5 million). His 2010 improvements to the dwelling and the property cost him $6 million, including three separate residential pools, a tennis court, a golf green with a few holes, an elevator, and a 14,736-square foot improvement to the interior of the house evidence that Woods is not used to living cheaply. But the pace of his home improvements has slowed, according to online records of the county appraiser's office. So far there have been none in 2011.
Mark Steinberg says simply that there is no debt on Woods' Jupiter Island home, and declined to elaborate. But the Martin County clerk's office confirmed that their records show that the mortgage has not been paid off.
The Jupiter Island mega-mansion isn't the only Woods property. Among others, in 2007 he bought his mother property near his own, in Jupiter Island, for $2.4 million. In 2010, construction on that cost him another $2.6 million. Presumably, it's Woods himself that pays and will continue to pay all taxes on the home.
Between the divorce settlement and his recent mortgage, Tiger has faced recent debts to the tune of at least $160 million, though it's unknown how much of this he has now paid down. His endorsement earnings will not come close to this in 2011, and he's no longer adding much to his pot with golf winnings. Nike's decisive slash to his contract has not helped matters.
"Tiger remains one of the most popular and visible athletes in the world, demonstrated by television ratings, tournament attendance and various empirical polls," Steinberg says. "His endorsement future is strong and any additional partnerships will be announced at the appropriate time."
To fix up his financial short game, Tiger Woods is going to have to start making money again the old-fashioned way: by playing the sport he's known for
When news broke a few weeks ago that Tiger Woods had signed an endorsement deal to hawk a heat rub in Japan, it was hard not to think of "Lost in Translation," or of the "Entourage" episode when Vincent Chase goes to China to do an energy drink commercial because he's out of money.
Although Woods was likely paid in the single-digit millions for the spot in which he takes a swing, rubs his back, and says, "Go Vantelin!" it's a far cry from campaigns for PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP - News), Gillette, and Accenture (NYSE: ACN - News). The last time Woods showed up in Japanese TV ads was in 1997, when he promoted Asahi Wonda coffee, back before he became a phenomenon. So the deal with Kowa (maker of the rub) seems more like a moment of desperation than a return to form.
It's no secret that Woods, once king of the sports world, has suffered financially since his fall from grace. His endorsement list shrank and his marriage ended in a divorce settlement reportedly worth $100 million. But now he may actually be hurting for funds. At the very least, there are signs that he isn't generating enough to comfortably cover his costs.
Earlier this week, the golfer's agent, Mark Steinberg, announced he would be joining the agency Excel Sports. Although that means Excel gets Woods too, the icon was conspicuously absent from the announcement. Steinberg left IMG at the end of May. It took two weeks, but on June 7, Woods announced via Twitter that he would be leaving with Steinberg.
IMG declined to comment on the details of Steinberg's departure, or on Tiger Woods, but a trusted Fortune source with reliable information tells us that IMG was none too broken up about losing Woods, because his endorsement earnings have fallen so dramatically. The source says IMG's commissions for 2011 they'll continue to get a chunk of Tiger's endorsement deals through 2013 will be as low as $1.5 million.
That's a huge drop from two years ago. With giants like Gillette, Accenture, Tag Heuer, and Gatorade having jumped ship, Tiger's major deals are down to three: Nike (NYSE: NKE - News), Electronic Arts (Nasdaq: ERTS - News), and Kowa. His EA Sports video game, "Tiger Woods PGA Tour '12," set a first-week franchise record of 225,000 games sold. But our source also tells us that Tiger's Nike money fell by as much as 50% in 2010 (to about $10 million, down from $20 million in 2009) and that he will get the same reduced amount for 2011. The reason? Nike penalized him for his indiscretions, reducing his payment for two years as a response to his public behavior. Nike had no comment.
That Nike would have renegotiated Tiger's contract to give him a temporary pay cut may be hard to believe, but Bob Dorfman of Baker Street Advertising says, "That's not surprising. They're not going to release him entirely, because that's not the way they are, but [a pay reduction] would not surprise me at all."
As for the Kowa deal, Dorfman estimates its value at $4 million. Doug Shabelman of Burns Entertainment & Sports Marketing believes it's worth around $3 million.
Recent valuations of Tiger's overall endorsement earnings for 2011 have been between $60 million and $75 million. But based on our information about Nike, and on the Kowa estimates, the real number is likely closer to $20 million.
Woods' agent adamantly denies the assertion that the golfer is facing financial strain. "Tiger Woods is financially sound and strong, contrary to wide-ranging rumors and inaccurate figures in the media," Steinberg wrote in an email. "Stating anything else is incorrect and factually baseless."
The Woods P&L
Another factor that has undeniably fizzled is Tiger's tournament winnings. Woods won no majors in 2009, the first year that's happened since 2004. He went completely winless in 2010, and this year he's so far missed the U.S. Open, AT&T National, and British Open due to a knee injury. According to the PGA Tour website, Tiger's 2011 winnings so far total $571,363. Those are like pennies compared to the $10.9 million, $5.8 million, and $10.5 million he earned in 2007, 2008, and 2009, respectively. In 2010, that dropped to $1.3 million.
Woods is still young, and undoubtedly one of the greatest golfers alive, but as he continues to stay off the links, that money stream dries up. Meanwhile, Tiger Woods Dubai, a billion-dollar project that was first set to open in 2009 with a golf course, pricey real estate, and restaurant, was scrapped in February.
As Tiger's revenues have declined, his expenses have only climbed. To begin with, there's the reported $100 million divorce settlement. And last August, Woods took out a $54.5 million mortgage on his home in Jupiter Island, Florida. According to the public document, Woods is required to pay off the mortgage in full by January of 2016, giving him a mere five and a half years to shed the debt. He's therefore paying more than $10 million each year, including his $431,042 in annual property taxes.
That 2010 property tax information comes from the district offices of Martin County, FL, where the home Woods now occupies alone is located. The property, which Woods purchased in 2006 for $44.5 million, is valued at around $47 million (the county values the house at $26.48 million, the land at $20.5 million). His 2010 improvements to the dwelling and the property cost him $6 million, including three separate residential pools, a tennis court, a golf green with a few holes, an elevator, and a 14,736-square foot improvement to the interior of the house evidence that Woods is not used to living cheaply. But the pace of his home improvements has slowed, according to online records of the county appraiser's office. So far there have been none in 2011.
Mark Steinberg says simply that there is no debt on Woods' Jupiter Island home, and declined to elaborate. But the Martin County clerk's office confirmed that their records show that the mortgage has not been paid off.
The Jupiter Island mega-mansion isn't the only Woods property. Among others, in 2007 he bought his mother property near his own, in Jupiter Island, for $2.4 million. In 2010, construction on that cost him another $2.6 million. Presumably, it's Woods himself that pays and will continue to pay all taxes on the home.
Between the divorce settlement and his recent mortgage, Tiger has faced recent debts to the tune of at least $160 million, though it's unknown how much of this he has now paid down. His endorsement earnings will not come close to this in 2011, and he's no longer adding much to his pot with golf winnings. Nike's decisive slash to his contract has not helped matters.
"Tiger remains one of the most popular and visible athletes in the world, demonstrated by television ratings, tournament attendance and various empirical polls," Steinberg says. "His endorsement future is strong and any additional partnerships will be announced at the appropriate time."
To fix up his financial short game, Tiger Woods is going to have to start making money again the old-fashioned way: by playing the sport he's known for
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Ex-UNLV and NBA star Armen Gilliam died doing what he loved
When former UNLV star and NBA veteran Armen Gilliam came out of retirement in 2005 to become player-coach of the ABA's now-defunct Pittsburgh Xplosion at age 41, he certainly didn't do it for the lucrative paycheck.
"If I wanted to make money, I'd go overseas," Gilliam told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette at the time. "I do this for the love of the game."
It's tragic but fitting then that Gilliam died Tuesday night doing what he enjoyed most. The 47-year-old Pennsylvania resident was playing in a pickup basketball game at the LA Fitness in Bridgeville when he collapsed on the court as a result of an apparent heart attack. He was rushed to nearby St. Clair Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly afterward.
Gilliam's death shocked his former UNLV teammates and coaches, especially since he was seldom hurt throughout his 13-year pro career and he kept himself in excellent shape afterward by playing basketball and tennis almost daily. In fact, the 6-foot-9 big man routinely beat men younger than him down the floor during UNLV's annual legends game and unleashed a memorable dunk during last season's event.
"Everybody loved Armon and he loved everybody," former UNLV coach Jerry Tarkanian said through a UNLV spokesman. "I think the world of him. I am just shocked."
A football player and a wrestler throughout much of his high school career in Bethel Park, Pa., Gilliam only began dabbling in basketball during his junior year of high school. He played two seasons in high school and another year at Independence Junior College in Kansas before blossoming into an All-American at UNLV.
Even though he spent his college years in Sin City, Gilliam earned a reputation as UNLV's most straight-laced player of his era. He devoted so much energy into sculpting his chiseled 250-pound body that he neither smoked nor drank, and he'd carry a pull-up bar with him on road trips so he could work out in his hotel room.
"If I wanted to make money, I'd go overseas," Gilliam told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette at the time. "I do this for the love of the game."
It's tragic but fitting then that Gilliam died Tuesday night doing what he enjoyed most. The 47-year-old Pennsylvania resident was playing in a pickup basketball game at the LA Fitness in Bridgeville when he collapsed on the court as a result of an apparent heart attack. He was rushed to nearby St. Clair Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly afterward.
Gilliam's death shocked his former UNLV teammates and coaches, especially since he was seldom hurt throughout his 13-year pro career and he kept himself in excellent shape afterward by playing basketball and tennis almost daily. In fact, the 6-foot-9 big man routinely beat men younger than him down the floor during UNLV's annual legends game and unleashed a memorable dunk during last season's event.
"Everybody loved Armon and he loved everybody," former UNLV coach Jerry Tarkanian said through a UNLV spokesman. "I think the world of him. I am just shocked."
A football player and a wrestler throughout much of his high school career in Bethel Park, Pa., Gilliam only began dabbling in basketball during his junior year of high school. He played two seasons in high school and another year at Independence Junior College in Kansas before blossoming into an All-American at UNLV.
Even though he spent his college years in Sin City, Gilliam earned a reputation as UNLV's most straight-laced player of his era. He devoted so much energy into sculpting his chiseled 250-pound body that he neither smoked nor drank, and he'd carry a pull-up bar with him on road trips so he could work out in his hotel room.
Everyone look at Joe Johnson’s giant truck
It's the same old story. Locked out NBA player returns back to his college to run a basketball camp, and brings a truck that possibly might be worth up to a quarter of a million dollars with him. The kids at the camp like basketball, and are enjoying the camp, but all they really want to know about is that giant, giant truck. And apparently, over the weekend, all the camp kiddies in question wanted to know about Atlanta Hawk guard Joe Johnson's massive Ford truck. And also why he makes so much money, which they could probably guess from well, look at the size of his truck!
Back in 2008, when word bubbled up about Johnson's massive Ford F-650 Super Truck XUV, we missed out on posting about it on Ball Don't Lie. Maybe because there wasn't a lockout to battle against. Or maybe it's because Joe's new paint job has sent us over the moon.
Either way, Joe's still truck'-er, toolin' around in this diesel-powered beast, which can apparently hold 200 gallons of fuel at a time, which means even despite the poor mileage Johnson no doubt gets, he has to fuel up about once every solstice. Which is also a terrible name for a car, but not a bad car at all.
Joe got back into the news with the truck over the weekend as he met up with kiddie campers on the University of Arkansas (he's a product) campus, and though I'm sure there were plenty of questions about Joe's footwork on a 1/3 screen and roll and just where exactly he thinks the BRI should end up in the upcoming labor negotiations this November (smart kids, these are), that didn't stop a few of them from wondering about the truck, along with a zing:
Roy Williams wants to get back the ring he mailed to girlfriend
Dallas Cowboys receiver Roy Williams is going to court to get back the $76,000 engagement ring he gave to a former beauty pageant winner.
In February, Williams proposed to his girlfriend, Brooke Daniels. When she turned him down, Daniels didn't return the ring. According to Williams' affidavit that was filed in a Texas court last week, he asked for the ring back but was told by Daniels that she had lost it. An insurance investigation later revealed that Daniels' father was in possession of the ring.
Michael Daniels told the Odessa American that his daughter will return the ring to avoid the lawsuit even though he says he has documentation saying Williams told her to keep it.
Pretty standard stuff, right? Minus the price tag, this is a dispute that probably happens every day in the United States. Except it's not because most people don't propose the way Roy Williams did.
From the Odessa American:
Williams has declined to comment for the story, but in an affidavit signed by Williams, he claims he sent $5,000 for school and dental bills, a baseball for Daniels' brother and — as a surprise — a recorded marriage proposal with the ring through the mail just before Valentine's Day to Daniels. However, when Daniels declined the proposal, she did not return the ring.
He recorded a marriage proposal and then sent the ring through the mail? Unless you're a soldier stationed overseas, that's just about the lamest thing I've ever heard. If you proposed through the mail, wouldn't you not want other people to hear that? I'd consider eating the $76,000 just so I didn't have to tell anyone.
It's a shame Daniels is giving the ring back and avoiding trial because we may have learned the specifics of how Williams went about this process. Was it a video proposal? Did he record it in song form? And how did she reject him, with a return receipt?
In February, Williams proposed to his girlfriend, Brooke Daniels. When she turned him down, Daniels didn't return the ring. According to Williams' affidavit that was filed in a Texas court last week, he asked for the ring back but was told by Daniels that she had lost it. An insurance investigation later revealed that Daniels' father was in possession of the ring.
Michael Daniels told the Odessa American that his daughter will return the ring to avoid the lawsuit even though he says he has documentation saying Williams told her to keep it.
Pretty standard stuff, right? Minus the price tag, this is a dispute that probably happens every day in the United States. Except it's not because most people don't propose the way Roy Williams did.
From the Odessa American:
Williams has declined to comment for the story, but in an affidavit signed by Williams, he claims he sent $5,000 for school and dental bills, a baseball for Daniels' brother and — as a surprise — a recorded marriage proposal with the ring through the mail just before Valentine's Day to Daniels. However, when Daniels declined the proposal, she did not return the ring.
He recorded a marriage proposal and then sent the ring through the mail? Unless you're a soldier stationed overseas, that's just about the lamest thing I've ever heard. If you proposed through the mail, wouldn't you not want other people to hear that? I'd consider eating the $76,000 just so I didn't have to tell anyone.
It's a shame Daniels is giving the ring back and avoiding trial because we may have learned the specifics of how Williams went about this process. Was it a video proposal? Did he record it in song form? And how did she reject him, with a return receipt?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)