Manny Pacquiao, Freddie Roach Offer Thoughts on Floyd Mayweather, Juan Manuel Marquez

When you are dealing with an established rivalry like the one Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez have, there are very few new storylines to work with. Fans know the players. They know the history. They understand the stakes. The reason that every quote Paquiao and Marquez have uttered to date sounds nearly identical to the ones they have repeatedly uttered before is because they are the same. (Their last two bouts, that is; obviously they’re very different from 2004.)

In nutshell, here is everything you need to know about this pair’s fourth showdown: Marquez thinks he was robbed on three separate occasions, but especially in last November’s bout against Pacquiao. The Filipino champ, conversely, thinks that it’s a bit insane for Marquez to suggest that he was robbed not once, not twice, but three times – particularly when mathematical, undeniable evidence exists suggesting that it was in fact he who was robbed by incorrect scoring on the first-go-round. Beyond that, though, Pacquiao has a certain desire to prove his naysayers wrong in this one – largely because he realizes that he didn’t perform to expectations in his last two bouts.

On Tuesday, Pacquiao, Freddie Roach and Bob Arum hosted a media conference to promote Pacquiao-Marquez IV. Some of the responses that Pacquiao and Roach offered were particularly interesting. (Big thanks to Fight News for transcribing.)

One of the major discussion points in the lead-up to this bout has been the question of Pacquiao’s intensity level. Would he go for the early knockout? Would he at least try to be more aggressive than he was last November, when he appeared to sleepwalk through the entire match? The Filipino champ and his trainer addressed that point head on yesterday.

“Right now my mind is focused on being more aggressive for this fight. If there is a chance in the ring during the fight, why not make the fight easy (knock him out) if I have the opportunity?” Pacquiao replied, when asked if he would seek out a knockout.

When pressed regarding whether he was concerned about Marquez’s strength, Pacquiao replied: "Our strategy for this fight is to be more aggressive. Develop strength more and focus on speed. I am not worried about his strength”

Freddie Roach echoed those sentiments.

“The thing is Marquez fought the fight at a slow pace the last time. We plan to fight the fight at a much faster pace this time like we did in the first fight in the early rounds – that’s where we had the most success. Going by all the tapes we have watched, we do our best when we are more aggressive. More hand speed. We are going to use a lot of that,” he said.

“I don’t think it is a factor. I don’t think muscle-men have a better chin. If anything, I think if you put a lot of muscle he will be a little slower than he used to be and we are going to take advantage of that.”

Pacquiao was also pressed on whether he was feeling any additional pressure heading into this one. Predictably, he kept his answer short and sweet: “No.”

Roach, thankfully, expounded on the point a bit.

“No, I just do the job the best I can to get Manny ready for this fight. I thought Manny won the last fight [against Timothy Bradley] 11 rounds to 1 so I don’t really consider that a loss. So it’s just business as usual.”

And finally, to the inevitable “if you can’t get Floyd Mayweather into the ring next year will you continue to fight?” question, Pacquiao had this response: “Yes, I will continue to fight through next year.”

There you have it. Regardless of what happens, barring a total massacre by Marquez, Pacquiao is sticking around to fight past this year.

(Kudos Fight News)

Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez IV Odds aren't Shifting

Manny Pacquiao will be the favorite heading into his Dec. 8 showdown against Juan Manuel Marquez. There are no questions about that. Unless the Filipino champ loses an arm or something, there is no way he doesn’t come into that bout as the guy who is expected to win. The question at this point, really, is just how much folks are expecting him to win.

Heading into their third fight last November, the lines looked a little something like this: Pacquiao -700 and Marquez +500. Fans were expecting a blowout victory – mostly due to the latter’s age and the former’s dominance over his opposition up to that point. Clearly things didn’t go according to plan, though. Pacquiao ultimately won, but he did so in very unconvincing fashion.

This time, odds makers are still giving Pacquiao the edge, but they’re doing so by a lesser margin. According to bookermaker.net, Pacquiao is -350 and Marquez is +280 heading into this one. That’s a pretty far cry from the -700 and +500 they were at, respectively, on their last go-round. Now, obviously the heart that Marquez showed in the pair’s third match has a lot do with that, but Pacquiao’s inability to put Timothy Bradley away this past June likely played a part, too.

About a month ago, ABS-CBN reported that Pacquiao was -400 heading into the fight, and Marquez was +300. Different odds makers will have marginally different lines, obviously, but the closeness of those numbers to the ones from bookmaker.net indicates that everyone is more or less on the same page regarding this match.

Recent reports out the Filipino champ’s camp indicate that he is training harder than ever right now. Insiders are stressing that their guy is well aware of what’s on the line in this one. And the fact that, for the first time in a long time, he actually has to prove himself is no doubt providing Pacquiao with some legitimate motivation.
Still, all that said, odds makers aren’t buying into the hype just yet. They believe this match will be close. (Sort of.) It will be interesting to see how the numbers shift as we creep closer and closer to the big day.


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Manny Pacquiao Wants to Make a Statement Against Juan Manuel Marquez

Manny Pacquiao went into his third fight against Juan Manuel Marquez with a lot of distractions hanging over his head. He admitted this much after the fact. And those distractions, ultimately, led to a performance that many people felt wasn’t as good as the one Marquez put forth. Pacquiao won the match officially, however, in the hearts and minds of a lot of viewers at home he wasn’t the rightful winner.

The Filipino champ vows to do better this time around.

Over the past few weeks, both Pacquiao and Freddie Roach have made it clear that they would be training harder than ever for Dec. 8’s showdown against Marquez. On top of that, both have indicated that they won’t simply leave this one to the judges – this match will end via knockout.

Now, it’s worth noting at this point: no Pacquiao versus Marquez match has ever ended with a knockout. Furthermore, Pacquiao hasn’t recorded a knockout in nearly three years. If he really plans to end the bout the way he says he plans to end it, his dedication to training has to reflect that desire.

So, has the Filipino champ been working out more intensely as of late? Yes, apparently. Check out this recent report by the good folks over at Boxing Scene:

"Fighter of the Decade" Manny Pacquiao hammered his sparring partner, welterweight  Anthony "Rocky" Marcial, in his first session and forced Marcial to quit.

Pacquiao's friend since his amateur days in General Santos City told BoxingScene.com/Manila Standard that Pacquiao has been training diligently every day, joging in the mornings and working out at his gym in the afternoons with childhood friend Restituto "Buboy" Fernandez, and also playing basketball to help improve his physical condition.

Golingan said Pacquiao appears to be "very serious and is training hard and looks good" in preparation for his fourth fight with Juan Manuel Marquez…

Look, making a guy give up during a training session doesn’t mean a whole lot. Nobody is trying to blow this out of proportion.

That said, it does show that Pacquiao isn’t as washed up as some seem to think he is. And it also shows that he is really dedicating himself into handling business against Marquez. Will he record a knockout on Dec. 8? It’s tough to say. Marquez is really crafty and, if Pacquiao couldn’t knockout Timothy Bradley, it’s tough to see him faring any better against a superior fighter. But if he trains hard and can actually manhandle Marquez throughout the entire match, he won't need a knockout.

Regardless of what ultimately happens, this is definitely the right way to kickoff fight prep.

Does Nonito Donaire Want to Fight Manny Pacquiao?

Manny Pacquiao and Nonito Donaire are generally considered to be among the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world. While their careers are obviously on different trajectories right now, the success that both have experienced over the past few years coupled with the love they get from their Filipino fans has led many to wonder: could these two fight at some point?

Donaire is coming off a dominant victory over Toshiaki Nishioka; Pacquiao, once he squares off against Juan Manuel Marquez this November, doesn’t have any specific opponents in mind for the coming year. Is this potential Dream Match doable?

Of course not.

During a recent interview, Donaire explained why the prospect of him and Pacquiao squaring off is ludicrous.

"He's like five divisions higher than I am," Donaire said (via ABS-CBN).

Beyond the physical disqualifier, there is also a certain respect factor at work.

"As a fighter, we are not afraid to fight anyone. But we are friends, and it has to be mutually agreed. But we don't seek for it, and it's not in my head," Donaire emphasized.

Frankly, The Filipino Flash is just honored to be a mentioned in the same breath.

"That's another step to where I want to be. You're being compared to one of the top guys, one of the top guys in history," he said. "That means I'm doing something good.”

Fantasy dream matches aside, a lot of people would love to see Donaire take on Jorge Arce next. It remains to be seen if the match will actually get put together, though. As far as Pacquiao goes, once he’s done with Marquez – Floyd Mayweather Jr. is the obvious choice. If that doesn’t work out, then Brandon Rios figures to be a reliable fallback option.


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Video: Danny Garcia Knocks Out Erik Morales with a Brutal Left Hook

After his two failed drug tests, a lot of people felt as though Erik Morales shouldn’t have even been allowed to participate in Saturday night’s bout versus Danny Garcia. With one left hook in the fourth round, however, Garcia changed the narrative surrounding this fight entirely.

Maybe Morales was on something in the lead-up to this thing. Maybe he wasn’t. Either way, no amount of weight loss drugs in the world could have changed what was going to happen.

Garcia was simply better.



Morales, 36, says that he will fight one more time in Tijuana before finally calling it quits. Based on what we saw last night, it may be wiser for the former champ to cut his losses and retire now before his reputation takes any more hits.

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Jim Harbaugh Costs 49ers-Seahawks Gamblers with Safety Decision

Thursday night’s showdown between the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks was not the most interesting of games.

You essentially had two really strong defenses, two really legitimate running attacks, and two very unimpressive quarterbacks trying to outdo one another for midseason NFC West glory. That’s it. At the end of the day, that’s all this game was about. And so, with that in mind, it probably shouldn’t come as much of a shock that the most intriguing aspect of this outing didn’t pertain to its lasting impact on either team; rather, the most intriguing aspect of this outing pertained directly to its impact on gamblers.

The Niners came into Thursday night as seven to eight point favorites. (They were playing at home.) In the fourth quarter with less than a minute remaining, they were up 13-6 and preparing to defend against a fourth-and-17 that the Seahawks were trying to convert from inside their own five-yard line. Russell Wilson was ultimately able to make a lengthy pass to Ben Obamanu. However, the officials called a chop block on Seattle – which nullified the pass completion and gave San Francisco a 15-6 lead by virtue of a 2-point safety. (Chop blocks result in 15-yard penalties and the Seahawks were on their own four-yard line.)

Or so we thought.

Fearing an onside kick recovery by the Seahawks, Niners coach Jim Harbaugh turned down the safety. The end result? A seven point win for San Fran – and a very bad night for everyone who had Niners -7.5 and -8.

The fallout wasn’t pretty.

Via Huffington Post:

“Although it was at San Francisco -7 for a good portion of the week, most bets we took were at -7.5 and -8,” Dave Mason of offshore sportsbook BetOnline.com told the National Football Post Thursday night. “So Harbaugh was definitely looking out for the house by taking points off the board, considering about 65% of the action we booked was on the 49ers.”

Via Deadspin:

R.J. Bell of Pregame.com breaks down who got hosed, and for how much:

49ers -7 had money refunded (but would have won with the safety)
49ers -7.5 or -8 lost (but would have won with the safety)
Seahawks +7 had money refunded (but would have lost with the safety)
Seahawks +7.5 or +8 won (but would have lost with the safety)

Overall, it's safe to say that coach Harbaugh's unconventional decision resulted in a $75 million dollar swing worldwide with the bettors overall losing that amount (due to 65% of the action being on the 49ers) and the bookies overall winning that amount.

Still, gamblers should probably count their blessings. The last time a Seahawks game screwed over bettors, it caused anywhere from $100 million to $1 billion in worldwide bets to shift.

(Kudos Huffington Post, Deadspin)

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NBA Rumors: Can the Lakers Afford All These Stars?

The Los Angeles Lakers brought in two future Hall of Famers this summer. They already had two on their roster. That sort of talent doesn’t come cheap. Heading into the 2012-13 season, this squad’s payroll stands at about 101 million – highest in the NBA. Presuming Dwight Howard re-signs next summer, that figure will balloon up even more.

Obviously the Lakers are fortunate enough to play in the second biggest media market in America, and clearly they carry a certain notable reputation that other franchises in the league don’t have. That said, even they can’t afford to keep spending money like this, right?

Wrong.

In an interesting new report, the Los Angeles Times points out that the Lakers’ financial situation is actually a lot better than you would think – despite all their expenses. Even though they will pay an exorbitant amount in luxury taxes on top of their salaries, and even though they need to pay almost $50 million revenue-sharing dues, they are still great position thanks to their new TV deal.

The team makes up to $90 million in annual ticket sales and is starting the first year of a TV deal with Time Warner Cable that pays them $120 million more this season.

…

The Lakers received about $60 million total in local broadcasting rights from KCAL and FS West last season, a number that doubled in the first year of the Time Warner deal. Annual raises bring the deal to about $3.6 billion through 20 years, and the Lakers hold an option to extend to 25 years, potentially pushing the total over $5 billion.

Yes, the same TV deal that is currently preventing Lakers fans from watching preseason games. But that’s the tradeoff. For the right to bring in Dwight Howard and Steve Nash to play with Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant, and for the right to possibly get LeBron James in 2014, fans need to put up with the inconvenient delays that come standard during cable TV wars.

All things considered, it’s a pretty fair swap.

So, to answer the original question: no, despite all of their ridiculous expenditures, the Lakers are not in bad financial position. They’re still in great position, and likely will be for a long, long time.

(Kudos Los Angeles Times)

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Manny Pacquiao vs. Brandon Rios Continues to Pick Up Steam

Who will Manny Pacquiao fight in 2013? That seems to be the main question dominating any and all discussions involving Top Rank, the Filipino champ himself, and the general makeup of boxing's top pound-for-pound rankings.

Be it because we have already seen this dance before, or because people are just generally more intrigued by the unknown, it doesn’t seem like there is really all that much discussion going on right now about Pacquiao actual next bout. You know, that Dec. 8 showdown versus Juan Manuel Marquez that has generated next to no buzz over the past few weeks.


Obviously the preferred opponent for Pacquiao’s early 2013 fight would be Floyd Mayweather Jr. It goes without saying that, hands down, a Pacquiao-Mayweather showdown would be the one and only match-up that all boxing fans (casual and diehard) could agree they would happily drop pay-per-view dough on. But what if it doesn’t happen? This is a showdown that has been discussed for three years – yet it’s never actually materialized.

Is there a Plan B?

Yes, apparently.

Recently, Bob Arum came out and said that the winner of last Saturday’s Brandon Rios versus Mike Alvarado fight might get a shot at Pacquiao. Rios ultimately won that match, and he did so in dominating fashion. Afterward, both he and his camp did interviews indicating that they would love to square off against the Filipino champ in 2013.

The idea has picked up a lot of steam over the past few days. It has become so popular, in fact, that HBO announcer Larry Merchant actually took the time to weigh in on it during a recent interview with The Examiner’s Chris Robinson.

“A younger brawler against Pacquiao I think would be a fight everybody in boxing and people beyond boxing would like to see,” Merchant said.

“I’ve been saying for a while, that Pacquiao needs a fighter who will come to him and fight him.” Merchant continued. “But it’s also the kind of young, tough guy who you might not want to see in your face all night long. You don’t get the answers until you see the fight, I’ll just leave it at that. I think he’d be a great opponent for Pacquiao and vice versa.”

He might be right. Initially, the idea of Pacquiao-Rios in 2013 wasn’t especially tantalizing. Particularly when compared to the alternative. However, after seeing the way Rios performed last Saturday – it’s hard to say that he hasn’t at least earned consideration. He’s definitely a more interesting fighter than Timothy Bradley.

Obviously Pacquiao-Mayweather is what everyone wants to see. But if by some off chance it doesn’t happen – Pacquiao-Rios could end up being a really solid alternative.

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Joshua Van Auker Facing 2 Counts of Attempted Extortion for Allegedly Blackmailing Hines Ward

Joshua Van Auker, 26, found himself in police custody on Friday after he allegedly attempted to extort $15,000 from former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver, Hines Ward.

According to the Post-Gazette, Auker was arrested on Thursday of this week after he met with Ward’s assistant and tried to collect on a blackmail attempt. While details of what exactly was being held over Ward’s head remain murky at the moment, it appears to have had something to do Auker’s girl messing around with Ward.

The meeting was arranged via text message.            

"The content of the text further indicated that should payment not be made, Josh Van Auker would sell or otherwise release materials he (Van Auker) possessed, thereby alleging that Ward committed the criminal offense of paying women for sex, and thereby also exposing Ward to ridicule or contempt," the complaint said.

As you can probably guess by the fact that Auker was arrested – detectives were monitoring the meeting. Once they had enough to get the guy, they lowered the boom and charged him with two felony counts of attempted extortion.

Ward retired this past season after 14 years with the Steelers.

(Kudos Post-Gazette)

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New York Post Cover: Dear Yankees, We Don’t Date Losers

Heading into Thursday afternoon, everybody knew that the New York Yankees had no shot against the Detroit Tigers. Based on the three prior games it was clear who the better team was. The only lingering bit of hope that Yankees fans were holding on to yesterday was that their squad had too much pride to be swept out of the ALCS. It couldn’t possibly end in such pathetic fashion, right? Right?

Wrong.

New York’s only real baseball team went out with a whimper on Thursday – losing Game 4 by a whopping seven runs. Much like the rest of the series, this one was never even close.

On Friday morning, the New York Post responded to the Yankees’ collapse with the most amazing cover ever.


Calling them losers? Check. Poking fun at A-Rod’s groupie drama? Check. The unabashed sense of entitlement that New York is known for? Check.

That cover literally had everything you would ever want on an occasion like this.

(Kudos SportsGrid)

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Miesha Tate Offers a Weird Take on Why Men Should be Able to Hit Women

Former Strikeforce women’s champ Miesha Tate is really tough. There is no denying that she could relatively easily beat up a lot of men. And because she’s so tough and has the ability to beat up a lot of men, she has a unique perspective on topics like male-on-female (or female-on-male) violence.

On Thursday night, for whatever reason, she opted to tackle a somewhat controversial subject on Twitter: is it okay for a man to pop a woman if she hits him first?

Tate’s core points on the matter were sound. She pointed out that it is unfair for women to be able to assault their counterparts knowing that society’s double standards prevent men from being able to return the favor.

My point is society needs to stop putting double standards that it's ok for a woman to challenge/hit a man & he can do or say NOTHING
— Miesha Tate (@MieshaTate) October 19, 2012

YES! Now u see my point “@ladymmajunkie: @mieshatate I agree if you can dish it out then you can't always expect to not get it in return”
— Miesha Tate (@MieshaTate) October 19, 2012

Very, very reasonable. If one believes that double standards should not exist, then giving women a free pass to hit men while admonishing men for hitting women is not right. Both deserve an equal amount of criticism. Totally understandable point of view.

But then things got a little weird.

haha exactly a real woman won't hit a man “@wil_haines: @mieshatate @edwardethan Wont hit a women but ill beat a bitchs ass!!”
— Miesha Tate (@MieshaTate) October 19, 2012

that's what I believe “@tugboat101: @mieshatate If a female attacks someone doesn't she forfeit her right to being treated like a female?”
— Miesha Tate (@MieshaTate) October 19, 2012

What does that even mean? This is where the train went off the tracks. If the argument is that there shouldn’t be double standards for males and females, then why would you support the idea that ‘if a female attacks someone she forfeits her right to being treated like a female’? You’re still perpetuating the double standard there. You’re still saying that there are two different rules for males and females. All you’re doing is disqualifying certain people from one set of rules.

This is a obviously messy, controversial topic that doesn’t lend itself well to Twitter, but Tate’s point definitely got lost midway through all the people she began retweeting and responding to.

Twitter: @agroberman

2012 NFL Week 7 Thursday Night Football Breakdown: Seahawks vs. 49ers

Control of the NFC West will be on the line tonight when the Seattle Seahawks take on the San Francisco 49ers at Candlestick Park. Coming into this season, nobody thought that this division would be as fierce as it has been thus far. In years past, the NFC West was widely regarded as the hands down, no questions asked worst grouping of teams in all of football. Now it consists of some of the most impressive defensive units in the entire NFL.

San Francisco has a lot to prove in this outing. For all the talk about how great this team is, the 49ers have two losses on the year – one coming via a shellacking of epic proportions from the New York Giants. At 4-2, San Francisco has no greater stake to being their division’s power team than the Arizona Cardinals or Seahawks, both of whom own the same mark. Plus, with the Chicago Bears (Nov. 19) and New England Patriots (Dec. 16) still on the agenda (not to mention five more divisional games), it wouldn’t be all that shocking to see the Niners finish with four to five losses if they don't win tonight.

Seattle, meanwhile, enters this one riding high. A week after handing Tom Brady and Co. a 24-23 defeat, the Seahawks have a ton of confidence regarding their ability to compete with the league’s best teams. The passing game is still a concern, obviously, but the defense is legit. Everyone knew it would be improved this season, however, the leaps and bounds by which it has improved has caught even the most loyal of Seahawks supports off guard. The rushing defense especially – man. (Excluding last week’s showing versus an underrated New England rushing attack, of course.)

This game is going to have a serious impact on the layout of the NFC West going forward. Here are three things from each team to keep an eye on tonight.

San Francisco 49ers

1. Can Frank Gore get it going?

Few teams in the NFL are better at defending against the run than Seattle. On the year, this group is giving up only 70 rushing yards per game to their opponents – good for second in the league. That said, San Francisco boasts the top running game in the NFL – averaging 176.8 yards per outing. Something has to give.

You don’t want to make Alex Smith have to play from behind, and the only way to prevent that from happening is by getting the running game going early. As noted by CBS Sports, in the Niners’ four wins, Gore has averaged 16.8 carries and 92.8 yards. In their two losses, however, he averaged a mere 10 carries for 46 yards. The math speaks for itself.

2. Which Alex Smith shows up tonight?

Alex Smith has looked like a whole different person for the last year and change. After being widely dismissed as the bust of all busts, he rejuvenated his career behind a pretty simple concept: don’t turn the ball over.

Through his first five games of the year Smith threw for eight touchdowns and one pick. The result? A 4-1 record. Last week against the Giants he threw for zero touchdowns and three picks. The result? A 26-3 loss at home. Seattle knows how to get after quarterbacks – if Smith gets rattled early, this could be a long night for San Francisco.

3. Can the defense slow down Marshawn Lynch?

San Francisco gives up the ninth fewest rushing yards per game in the NFL. That’s good. Last week versus the Giants, however, this defense gave up 116 yards to Ahmad Bradshaw.

Marshawn Lynch averages 4.2 yards per carry and is known for his ability to just break out in certain games. If the Niners can bottle up Lynch and force Russell Wilson to beat them, it’s a virtual lock that they will emerge from this one with a win.

Seattle Seahawks

1. Can Russell Wilson step up on the road?

Like most rookie quarterbacks, Russell Wilson plays noticeably better at home than he does on the road. At home he has recorded six touchdowns and no interceptions (in three games); on the road he has thrown one touchdown and five interceptions (in two games). San Francisco boasts the second best passing defense in the NFL. If Wilson doesn’t find his groove early, things could get out of hand fast.

2. Can this team consistently get good field position?

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the Seahawks rank third in the league in punt return average and fourth in kick return average. On the flip side, the Niners rank 30th in punt return average allowed and 31st in kick return average allowed. If San Francisco consistently gives Russell Wilson good field position, the youngster might finally be able to get his act together on the road.

3. Can they win at Candlestick?

According to the Mercury News, the Seahawks haven’t won at Candlestick since 2008. That’s a long time. Seattle is really good this year, but it’s no coincidence that only one of this team’s wins came on the road.

A win away from home would legitimize the Seahawks in a pretty huge way.

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Photos: Maryland Will Wear These Great Basketball Uniforms Against Kentucky

Maryland may not have cracked the preseason top 25 (they were picked 6th in the ACC), but the Terps still found their own unique way to make headlines today. In an effort to honor the Brooklyn Dodgers for no real reason, Maryland will sport some nifty new uniforms for their season opener versus Kentucky.

"The expectation is for teams to come out in unique uniforms for big games," said Adam Clement, Under Armour's lead designer for uniforms (via Yahoo! Sports).

"We worked with the school to do something that showed the appreciation for sports in Brooklyn."

Check it out:

Maybe I’m just being a contrarian here – but I like them. They have earned a lot of snarky comments over the course of the last few hours from other outlets, though, so I’m probably in the minority.

What do you think: yay or nay?

(Kudos Yahoo! Sports)

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NFL Rumors: Is Rex Ryan Planning to Play Tim Tebow at Running Back Against the Patriots?

When the New York Jets randomly traded for Tim Tebow this summer, nobody really understood why they made that move. It just didn’t make any sense. He wasn’t a better passer than Mark Sanchez. He wasn’t going to be given the starting position. And really, from the very beginning, nobody in the organization could state what specifically his role would be.

The confusion has only grown in recent weeks. Despite the fact that Sanchez has been pretty unimpressive this year, Jets brass seems adamant in their refusal to give Tebow any legitimate time at quarterback. It would be understandable if this team were winning and the powers that be didn’t want to rock the boat, but the Jets are terrible. Don’t let their record fool you – they’re terrible. They might be the worst team in the AFC East, actually.

During a press conference on Thursday, Rex Ryan suggested that he may compound the initial mistake of getting Tebow but not playing him at quarterback by instead inserting him at running back against the New England Patriots.

"That's a possibility," Ryan said (via USA Today). "The thing about Tim, with him being a football player like we've always talked about, by playing quarterback he knows all the positions. So can you plug him in at running back? Can you plug him in at tight end? I think the answer is yes."

That’s a joke, right? That’s just Rex being Rex. No way he’s actually thought this through to the point of determining what kind of running back Tebow would be. Right? Right?

"You start with his skill set, but his skill set would be more based on power," Ryan said. "He's not going to be a blazer compared to other running backs. He's got power."

Oh God.

"Shonn brings a ton of power with him," Ryan said. "I don't know how different that would be. Shonn Greene has been a good back in this league and he still is. That's why he's our starter."

It would be different in the way that one guy is an actual running back, and the other is a circus act your owner brought in for no apparent reason.

"It's not like we're going to put (Antonio) Cromartie back there," Ryan said.
Of course not, that would be stupid. Running back is no place for cornerbacks – it’s a place for quarterbacks.

(Kudos USA Today)

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Video: Kyna Treacy, the Model Alex Rodriguez Allegedly Flirted With, Speaks Out

Watching his New York Yankees lose Game 4 of the ALCS to the Detroit Tigers wasn’t the worst thing that happened to Alex Rodriguez today. No, the worst thing that happened to A-Rod today, without question, was Kyna Treacy -- the model he allegedly flirted with -- realizing that she liked her 15 minutes of fame.

You will recall, a couple of days ago a story surfaced saying that Rodriguez spent part of his team’s ALCS Game 1 showdown trying to pick up some Australian model who was sitting nearby. The report came with a few sketchy pictures that didn’t prove anything and no real, verifiable info, but it was salacious and proved to be good for a few laughs.

Things got a little less funny on Wednesday, though, when somebody in the Yankees organization went out and confirmed to ESPN that A-Rod had in fact been trying to pick up some girl in the stands. The problem there isn’t that an athlete sought out groupies, obviously, it’s that his organization thinks so little of said athlete that they would publicly burn him like that.

And any hope A-Rod had of this story dying a quick and painless death this week dissipated today when the model he supposedly hit on, Treacy, did an interview with Inside Edition.



One dumb entertainment show down, 10 million to go.

Maybe now that the Yankees’ postseason run is over we can finally stop talking about A-Rod and his groupie drama. And by maybe, of course, I mean hopefully.

(Kudos Larry Brown Sports)

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2013 SEC Football Schedule Released: Alabama, South Carolina, Florida, LSU, Georgia and More

The 2013 SEC schedule was released on Thursday to something of a mixed reaction. If you are a fan of South Carolina, Alabama or Georgia, you probably walked away from this thing feeling pretty good. If you are a fan of Arkansas or Tennessee, you are probably a little ticked off right now.

Given all of the SEC action from this year that warrants discussion, though, it seems a little silly to break down next year’s schedule at the moment. Because of that, we are just going to provide you with this schedule (via the good folks at CBS Sports who were kind enough to compile it so that the rest of the internet doesn’t have to) and leave the analysis for after this season.

Here is the full breakdown:

ALABAMA
Sept. 14: at Texas A&M
Sept. 28: OLE MISS
Oct. 12: at Kentucky
Oct. 19: ARKANSAS
Oct. 26: TENNESSEE
Nov. 9: LSU
Nov. 16: at Mississippi State
Nov. 30: at Auburn

ARKANSAS
Sept. 28: TEXAS A&M
Oct. 5: at Florida
Oct. 12: SOUTH CAROLINA
Oct. 19: at Alabama
Nov. 2: AUBURN
Nov. 9: at Ole Miss
Nov. 23: MISSISSIPPI STATE
Nov. 30: at LSU

AUBURN
Sept. 14: MISSISSIPPI STATE
Sept. 21: at LSU
Oct. 5: OLE MISS
Oct. 19: at Texas A&M
Nov. 2: at Arkansas
Nov. 9: at Tennessee
Nov. 16: GEORGIA
Nov. 30: ALABAMA

FLORIDA
Sept. 21: TENNESSEE
Sept. 28: at Kentucky
Oct. 5: ARKANSAS
Oct. 12: at LSU
Oct. 19: at Missouri
Nov. 2: vs. Georgia (Jacksonville)
Nov. 9: VANDERBILT
Nov. 16: at South Carolina

GEORGIA
Sept. 7: SOUTH CAROLINA
Sept. 28: LSU
Oct. 5: at Tennessee
Oct. 12: MISSOURI
Oct. 19: at Vanderbilt
Nov. 2: vs. Florida (Jacksonville)
Nov. 16: at Auburn
Nov. 23: KENTUCKY

KENTUCKY
Sept. 28: FLORIDA
Oct. 5: at South Carolina
Oct. 12: ALABAMA
Oct. 26: at Mississippi State
Nov. 9: MISSOURI
Nov. 16: at Vanderbilt
Nov. 23: at Georgia
Nov. 30: TENNESSEE

LSU
Sept. 21: AUBURN
Sept. 28: at Georgia
Oct. 5: at Mississippi State
Oct. 12: FLORIDA
Oct. 19: at Ole Miss
Nov. 9: at Alabama
Nov. 23: TEXAS A&M
Nov. 30: ARKANSAS

OLE MISS
Aug. 31: at Vanderbilt
Sept. 28: at Alabama
Oct. 5: at Auburn
Oct. 12: TEXAS A&M
Oct. 19: LSU
Nov. 9: ARKANSAS
Nov. 23: MISSOURI
Nov. 30: at Mississippi State

MISSISSIPPI STATE
Sept. 14: at Auburn
Oct. 5: LSU
Oct. 26: KENTUCKY
Nov. 2: at South Carolina
Nov. 9: at Texas A&M
Nov. 16: ALABAMA
Nov. 23: at Arkansas
Nov. 30: OLE MISS

MISSOURI
Oct. 5: at Vanderbilt
Oct. 12: at Georgia
Oct. 19: FLORIDA
Oct. 26: SOUTH CAROLINA
Nov. 2: TENNESSEE
Nov. 9: at Kentucky
Nov. 23: at Ole Miss
Nov. 30: TEXAS A&M

SOUTH CAROLINA
Sept. 7: at Georgia
Sept. 14: VANDERBILT
Oct. 5: KENTUCKY
Oct. 12: at Arkansas
Oct. 19: at Tennessee
Oct. 26: at Missouri
Nov. 2: MISSISSIPPI STATE
Nov. 16: FLORIDA

TENNESSEE
Sept. 21: at Florida
Oct. 5: GEORGIA
Oct. 19: SOUTH CAROLINA
Oct. 26: at Alabama
Nov. 2: at Missouri
Nov. 9: AUBURN
Nov. 23: VANDERBILT
Nov. 30: at Kentucky

TEXAS A&M
Sept. 14: ALABAMA
Sept. 28: at Arkansas
Oct. 12: at Ole Miss
Oct. 19: AUBURN
Oct. 26: VANDERBILT
Nov. 9: MISSISSIPPI STATE
Nov. 23: at LSU
Nov. 30: at Missouri

VANDERBILT
Aug. 31: OLE MISS
Sept. 14: at South Carolina
Oct. 5: MISSOURI
Oct. 19: GEORGIA
Oct. 26: at Texas A&M
Nov. 9: at Florida
Nov. 16: KENTUCKY
Nov. 23: at Tennessee

(Kudos CBS Sports)

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2012 College Football Rankings: Week 8 BCS, AP and USA Today Polls

2012 College Basketball Preseason Top 25 Coaches Poll: Indiana, Louisville, Kentucky on Top

The 2013 Coaches Poll was released on Thursday to relatively little fanfare. The sports world’s unanimous ho-hum reaction can be probably attributed to a.) the fact that there is a lot of other interesting stuff going on today, and b.) the fact that preseason rankings are worthless.

That said, it’s good to have these things just as a general barometer for later. It helps determine who overachieved and who underachieved come year’s end – particularly if there are no squabbles with the original breakdown. (Which there shouldn't be.)

A few thoughts: the top three looks about right, though some might suggest that Kentucky belongs above Louisville. Ohio State, North Carolina State, Duke and Michigan State seem a bit high; Kansas, Syracuse, Florida and UCLA seem a bit low. Though it’s all open to interpretation, I suppose. We'll find out who belongs where soon enough.

1. Indiana

2. Louisville

3. Kentucky

4. Ohio State

5. Michigan

6. North Carolina State

7. Kansas

8. Duke

9. Syracuse

10. Florida

11. Arizona

12. North Carolina

13. UCLA

14. Michigan State

15. Creighton

16. Memphis

17. Missouri

18. Baylor

19. UNLV

20. San Diego State

21. Wisconsin

22. Gonzaga

23. Notre Dame

24. Florida State

25. Texas

Buckle up, folks – it’s going to be an interesting year.

(Kudos USA Today)

Manny Pacquiao Will Fight Brandon Rios if Floyd Mayweather Doesn’t Step Up

Bob Arum raised some eyebrows late last week when he suggested that Brandon Rios would probably a get a shot at Manny Pacquiao in 2013. Well, scratch that. Arum didn’t specifically name Rios. Rather, the Top Rank Boss indicated that the winner of this past Saturday’s showdown between Rios and Mike Alvarado would probably fight Manny in 2013, and Rios was the one who won that match.

After the fight, Rios was asked about potentially taking on Pacquiao, and how he felt he would do against the Filipino champ.

"You see what happened to Mike Alvarado? I think I could do the same thing to them, too. Mike Alvarado, I think, he hits harder than them and he's more tougher," Rios said (via RingTV).

"Pacquiao's an in and out guy. But you know what? Like I always do, Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. taught me very well. Break the body down and the head will fall down."

Obviously Rios wasn’t lacking in confidence that night. Handing a very legitimate fighter in Alvarado his first career loss is big, however, it doesn’t exactly mean that you will have similar success versus Pacquiao. The difference between taking down a good fighter and taking down a legendary one is pretty massive.

This week, Rios’ camp decided take a bit of the sting out of his initial comments. Clearly they really want a showdown against the Filipino champ,  and the last thing they want to do right now is turn anyone off by seeming too cocky.

"The fact that Brandon is being mentioned doesn't mean that the fight is going to happen, so they both have their own managers. We're not 100 percent that it's going to happen," said trainer Robert Garcia (via RingTV).

"But it would be an honor just to know that we're being mentioned as a potential opponent for a guy who has been on top for the last 10 years or so."

That was the kill-them-with-compliments part of the interview. Then Garcia went back to espousing the same sort of message Rios sent after the Alvarado bout: nobody in that camp is afraid of Pacquiao.
“I think that Brandon's style combined with Pacquiao's age and all of that, we might be able to pull of a surprise. I think that Brandon's style is just one that gives everybody problems.

"Brandon ain't taking it easy with nobody. He wants to fight the best guys out there. Everybody says that Brandon fights similarly to Margarito, and that could be true. Brandon keeps on coming, works the body beautifully and throws really good uppercuts in there. The only difference is that Brandon is 10 years younger than Margarito, which could be a big difference in a fight with Manny Pacquiao," said Garcia.

"Right now, I think that he's at a significant point of his career. The same thing with Pacquiao. Pacquiao is not getting any younger, and Brandon is young, strong and hungry, so that could make a big difference. I think Brandon's style is a factor against anybody. We could have Sugar Ray Leonard and Brandon's style could give him trouble, you know what I mean? And if it's somebody like Pacquiao who stands in front of you and goes to war with you, then it'll be a war just like people saw on Saturday."

A fight versus Floyd Mayweather Jr. is obviously priority number one for 2013. However, if that doesn’t materialize (which it very well might not), Rios is clearly being positioned to be Pacquiao’s fallback option.

(Kudos RingTV)

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NBA Rumors: Are the Lakers Planning to Steal LeBron James from the Heat in 2014?

Are the Los Angeles Lakers planning to lure LeBron James away from the Miami Heat in 2014? The idea isn’t as farfetched as it sounds.

Nobody thought that the Lakers would be able to acquire both Steve Nash and Dwight Howard this summer. There were some rumblings over the past six months that Howard could end up in L.A. There was some baseless gossip about Steve Nash perhaps coming to town at various points. However, nobody, absolutely nobody, predicted that the Lakers would be able to get both.

Could Mitch Kupchak and Co. pull off a similar checkmate-like maneuver in 2014? According to a fascinating new report by ESPN’s Brian Windhorst – yes.

In his most recent article, Windhorst correctly notes that a series of events that are all scheduled to occur in 2014 may end up giving LeBron the perfect opportunity to jump head first into Laker Land.

Those events? Well, there is the fact that LeBron can opt out and become a free agent in 2014. Then there is Kobe Bryant repeatedly indicating that he is tentatively planning to call it quits in two years. And then there is the little-discussed fact that, even though the Lakers’ payroll is extremely bloated in 2013-14, it gets much lighter in 2014-15 when Bryant, Pau Gasol, Metta World Peace, Steve Blake and Jordan Hill all come off the books. Essentially it will just be Howard (presuming he re-signs) and a whole lot of room for another superstar.

"It's not a mistake that all those deals end the same year Kobe's does. They have probably been planning for their next phase for a while," one general manager told Windhorst. "The Busses and [Lakers GM] Mitch [Kupchak] are always thinking about the next big deal."

The idea of LeBron adorned in purple and gold admittedly sounds a little crazy right now – but so did the prospect of him leaving Cleveland three years ago. His No. 1 goal isn’t to be the most loyal guy in the history of professional sports, it’s to be successful. If he feels at some point as though the Heat are no longer his best chance at a title, he will leave. Plain and simple.

"Even if the Heat win the next two titles there's a feeling that LeBron is going to become a free agent in two years no matter what," a league executive told Windhorst.

Obviously we are still a long ways away from 2014, and clearly a lot of stars need to align in order for us to see LeBron in a purple and gold. That said, when you have a team with a proven track record of doing the impossible, and a player with a proven track record of doing what nobody thinks he has the guts to do – never say never.

(Kudos ESPN)  

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Video: Cheryl Reeve Gets Mad, Throws Her Jacket at an Assistant During Lynx vs. Fever

Everyone’s idea of watchable and unwatchable sports is obviously different, but the WNBA generally falls into the unwatchable pile for most people. Sure the league has its core fans, however, for the most part, women’s basketball happenings don’t move the meter as it pertains to national sports news.

Now, let’s pause and give credit where credit is due. According to the Star Tribune, WNBA season ticket renewals are on the rise and playoff ratings are up 13 percent. So the league is definitely growing. That said, when you start off with a miniscule amount of interest, any growth will be deemed substantial.

On Wednesday night, we got yet another example of what WNBA players and coaches need to do to gain any measure of national attention. (Hint: it’s not something good.) Check it out:



We’d love to provide some context for that, however, we didn’t watch the game. Everything we know about that we -- just like you -- gleaned from watching the video.

For what it’s worth, according to a quick Google search, the Lynx (the team coached by the lady who threw her jacket) won 83-71 to tie up the WNBA Finals.

Congrats?

(Kudos @cjzero, The Big Lead, Star Tribune)

Photo Credit: This person's Tumbr.

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Did Nike Attempt to Cover Up a Positive Lance Armstrong Drug Test?

Lance Armstrong’s slow and steady fall from grace turned into a complete freefall on Wednesday.

In the span of about 30 minutes, he lost both the chairmanship position at Livestrong and his endorsement deal with Nike. The former happened by choice, the latter was decided for him. Then, throughout the rest of the day, an assortment of other partners -- beginning with RadioShack and ending with Trek Bicycles -- announced that they would be cutting ties with this one-time American hero.

Could things possibly get any worse for Armstrong? Apparently, yes.

According to an interesting article by the New York Daily News (via Larry Brown Sports), at least part of the reason Armstrong hadn’t been exposed prior to now is because Nike allegedly bribed former UCI president Hein Verbruggen to cover up a 1999 drug test for him. Per that report:

One of those critics is Kathy LeMond, the wife of American cyclist Greg LeMond, who testified under oath during a 2006 deposition that Nike paid former UCI president Hein Verbruggen $500,000 to cover up a positive drug test… During a 2006 deposition related to the suit, Kathy LeMond testified that Julian Devries, a mechanic for Armstrong's team who was once close to her husband, had told her and others that Nike and Thom Weisel, a Bay Area banker who sponsored Armstrong's team, had wired $500,000 to a Swiss bank account that belonged to Verbruggen… The money, Kathy Lemond said Devries told her and several others, was sent to cover up a 1999 positive drug test for corticosteroids, which Armstrong had used to treat saddle sores. Devries, Kathy Lemond said during the deposition, had been disgusted by the way performance-enhancing drugs had polluted cycling

As you would expect, Nike vehemently denied the notion that they were a part of any cover-up whatsoever.

"Nike vehemently denies that it paid former UCI president Hein Verbruggen $500,000 to cover up a positive drug test," the company said in a statement. "Nike does not condone the use of illegal performance enhancing drugs."

That statement came out on Tuesday of this week. Nike announced that they were terminating their deal with Armstrong one day later.

One day.

"Due to the seemingly insurmountable evidence that Lance Armstrong participated in doping and misled Nike for more than a decade, it is with great sadness that we have terminated our contract with him," the company said on Wednesday (via ESPN). "Nike does not condone the use of illegal performance enhancing drugs in any manner. Nike plans to continue support of the Livestrong initiatives created to unite, inspire and empower people affected by cancer."

Of course Nike doesn’t condone it. Sure, they condoned it just a few days earlier, but that was totally different. How? Ah…

Look, an entire novel can be written about how badly Nike has botched this whole thing. Did they really bribe someone to protect Armstrong 13 years ago? It’s impossible to say. Frankly, it seems like a really huge risk for a company that has so much to lose. Nike is bigger than any one athlete – even one who was as huge as Armstrong in his heyday. And the unverifiable word of a banker who told a mechanic who told the wife of a bicyclist isn’t exactly something that deserves a whole lot of credence by itself.

But this whole mess speaks to a broader problem for Nike. People’s perception of the company right now is that they severed ties with Armstrong not because they were truly morally outraged by the lie that he purportedly built his whole legacy on, but rather because they had milked all of the financial benefits they could out of him. And then, once they were done, they just tossed him aside.

Michael Vick killed dogs? No problem – he can still sell gear. Tiger Woods is a serial cheater? No problem – he can still sell gear. Kobe Bryant was once accused of rape? No problem – he can still sell gear. Armstrong perhaps (read: probably) misled a legion of cancer patients who were inspired by him regarding whether or not he abused performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) in a sport where PED usage runs rampant? Problem. Why? Because he can’t sell gear anymore.

This has been a brutal 24 hours for Armstrong, no doubt about it. But Nike’s public image hasn’t fared much better.

(Kudos Larry Brown Sports, New York Daily News, ESPN, Deadspin)

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Video: Jeremy Evans Destroys Ronny Turiaf During During Jazz vs. Clippers

Ronny Turiaf always has been and always will be one of the biggest fan favorites in the NBA. His constant exuberance and undying dedication to being an uplifting guy is enough to earn the love of absolutely every heart-having basketball watcher ever born.

That said, when a guy gets destroyed, there is no getting around that. It’s a matter of fact that isn’t in any way impacted by your personal feelings towards that specific guy.

On Wednesday night, Turiaf got absolutely, positively destroyed by Jeremy Evans. Check it out:



Brutal.

On the bright side, Turiaf’s Clippers wound up beating the Jazz in this pointless preseason game 96-94. On the not-so-bright side, that sequence will probably be replayed all year long.

(Kudos @cjzero, The Big Lead)

Paul Ryan Attends Browns Practice, Mistakes Colt McCoy for Brandon Weeden

Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan has committed a number of unforced errors over the past few months. His fake marathon story. His series of lies at the Republican National Convention. His refusal to own being the Republicans’ Numbers Guy and offer any specifics whatsoever regarding his ticket’s economic plan. If you’re looking for political missteps by the Wisconsin congressman, you don’t have to look particularly hard.

All of that said: this is his first time on the national stage. If you accept the general premise that all politicians are lying, sleazy weasels who will say whatever is necessary to steal your vote (which they are), it’s hard to find fault with a guy who simply hasn’t learned to lie as well as his counterparts yet. Give him time. He’s still young.
Ryan’s latest mistake on the campaign trail came in the company of people who are all too familiar with underperforming: the Cleveland Browns.

Via the Plain Dealer:

While addressing players, Ryan praised Weeden, whom he recalled watching play for Oklahoma State, according to a pool report.

The only problem: The Wisconsin congressman was pointing to McCoy.
Ryan pleaded for mercy when he realized his mistake.

"You always had your helmet on," he said of the redheaded Weeden.

That’s a plausible excuse. Besides, who really watches Browns games? This is a 1-5 team who will likely finish with -- at most -- three victories on the year. They’re terrible as it pertains to just about every football category ever. Sure, they’re going to shed a lot of Mike Holmgren-shaped dead weight soon, but that won’t make them any less awful. This team sucks, and will continue to suck for the foreseeable future.

So again, you can’t blame the congressman for not knowing who Weeden is. He didn’t go to practice looking to court the elderly vote. The only reason he was even there is because both campaigns are trying their damndest to suck up to every single human being who has ever breathed Ohio oxygen. That's it. He doesn't care about the Browns. Nobody cares about the Browns.

If you want to see a truly shameful sports-related display by Ryan, check out how he weighed in on next month’s Wisconsin versus Ohio State showdown.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

How embarrassing. He was born in Janesville, Wisconsin. He's a Wisconsin congressman. Show some loyalty, dude.

(Kudos Cleveland Plain Dealer)

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Video: Soccer Player from East High Brutally Knees a Girl from Woods Cross High in the Head

Earlier this year there was a whole big brouhaha regarding girls soccer and concussions. There was a Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics study that showed a 58 percent rise in pediatric concussion cases between 2001 and 2010. There was an NBC report noting that amateur players head the ball between 1,000 and 1,500 times a year. There was an American Journal of Sports Medicine item which pointed out that female soccer players experience nearly twice as many concussions as their male counterparts.

So, yeah – head trauma and girls soccer is serious business.

On Wednesday, a video surfaced that may explain why girls soccer players are so prone to concussions. Check it out:



The names of both the kicker and the victim have been posted to the web, but we’ll steer clear of passing them along. There is no point. For what it’s worth, according to SportsGrid, the girl who did the kicking has since apologized for her actions.

(Kudos SportsGrid)

MLB Rumors: Are the Yankees and Marlins Discussing a Possible Alex Rodriguez Trade?

Alex Rodriguez has been terrible as of late, there is no denying that. He is an overpaid underperformer who has completely collapsed under the weight of everyone’s expectations. All that said, he is neither the first, nor last baseball player to not live up to his contract. It happens. The reason that he has been subjected to so much ridicule because of who he plays for.

Plain and simple: New York Yankees players are held to a higher standard.

Well, if a new report by Keith Olbermann is true, Rodriguez may not have to carry the burden that comes with being a Yankee for much longer. Via Olbermann (by way of Larry Brown Sports):

Sources close to both organizations confirm the Yankees would pay all – or virtually all – of the $114,000,000 Rodriguez is owed in a contract that runs through the rest of this season and the next five. One alternative scenario has also been discussed in which the Yankees would pay less of Rodriguez’s salary, but would obtain the  troubled Marlins’ reliever Heath Bell and pay what remains of the three-year, $27,000,000 deal Bell signed last winter.

Olbermann knows his baseball, but he also isn’t the general public’s go-to stop for breaking news. Understandably, folks took his initial report with a grain of salt. However, a follow-up by ESPN indicated that Olbermann’s suspicions weren’t entirely baseless.

Via the Worldwide Leader:

What began as a casual, joking conversation between New York Yankees president Randy Levine and Miami Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria about the possibility of Alex Rodriguez playing for the Marlins may develop into serious trade talks this offseason, according to a source with knowledge of the conversation.

According to the source, Levine and Loria discussed the possibility of A-Rod playing in Miami, his hometown, but characterized it as a joke between old friends.

…

According to the source, Loria said in his conversation about A-Rod with Levine, "Alex is Mr. Miami, it would be great if he played here for us."

To which Levine is said to have replied, "You can have him."

A second source with knowledge of Rodriguez' thinking said the likely only place Rodriguez eventually would accept a trade to is Miami.

So what are we to make of all this? For now, nothing. On one hand, the deals noted by Olbermann are a little too crazy to be taken seriously. On the other hand, the specifics he listed indicate that the discussion between Levine and Loria was a little more than just some jokes. You don’t discuss salary specifics when you're joking with friends. You don’t think up alternatives when you're joking with friends.

More likely than not, a serious tentative discussion was had by these two regarding how to unload their respective burdens. It wasn’t super detailed. Nothing is imminent. They were probably just feeling each other out, seeing what the other is looking for. At least that’s our completely baseless assessment of this.

For what it’s worth, Yankees GM Brian Cashman called Olbermann’s report false.

"I have had no discussions whatsoever with the (Miami) Marlins," Cashman said (via ESPN). "Certainly would never have any trade discussions under the circumstances. I certainly have not had any discussions with any GMs other than the pregame meetings with Dan Duquette with the Orioles, with the umpires and then with Dave Dombrowski (of the Tigers). But I've had no trade discussions, so false. 100 percent false."

Make of this situation what you will.

(Kudos Larry Brown Sports, Olbermann, ESPN)

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