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Tiger Woods will end nearly three months of silence Friday when he speaks publicly for the first time since his middle-of-the-night car accident sparked stunning revelations of infidelity. However, his agent said Woods will not take any questions from a small group of media. “This is not a press conference,” Mark Steinberg said Wednesday. Glad to hear that he is finally having a press conference though. I cannot wait to hear what he will be speaking about. Woods is to speak at 11 a.m. Friday from the clubhouse at the TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., home of the PGA Tour. I hope it is to say that he is coming back to the game sooner than people are expecting him to be. Steinberg said in a telephone interview that Woods had taken some recovery steps and quoted the agent as saying, “Tiger feels as though it’s time to make amends and to publicly do that.” Woods to “discuss his past and his future”.
Interesting rumors a day before the trade deadline is that the San Antonio Spurs are shopping forward Richard Jefferson. Remember how Jefferson was supposed to lift the Spurs into a position to challenge the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference? It hasn't happened as Jefferson has struggled to fit into the Spurs' disciplined defensive system and San Antonio has struggled with injuries and an aging roster. Jefferson had a much better season with the Bucks. Not to mention he is having his lowest production since he was a rookie averaging 12.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists. Jefferson was touted as the missing piece for the Spurs to bring them back to the NBA Finals. There are only a few teams that could take on Jefferson’s contract, and even fewer that would willingly add more than $15 million to their payroll before the Summer of 2010. But the first teams that come to mind are middle-of-the-pack playoff squads such as Toronto or Charlotte.
The Baltimore Ravens say they have signed wide receiver Donte' Stallworth to a one-year contract. Stallworth was recently released by the Cleveland Browns after being reinstated by the NFL following a one-year suspension. He was suspended for violating the league's personal-conduct policy for a DUI vehicular manslaughter charge. Stallworth served 30 days in a Miami jail for striking and killing a Miami construction worker with his car while driving under the influence of alcohol. It's puzzling that the Ravens, who have expressed durability concerns about Demetrius Williams and Mark Clayton, would sign someone as injury prone as Stallworth. he’s prone to the type of minor injuries that drive coaches crazy. That baggage, and his yearlong absence, explains Baltimore’s low-risk investment. The Ravens are hoping Stallworth is a new man who still has playmaking abilities.
A deal that would send Nate Robinson to Boston is close to be finalized and could be announced Wednesday afternoon, according to multiple league sources. The Daily News first reported on its Web site Tuesday night that the Knicks were on the verge of sending the back up guard to the Celtics. Eddie House, who played for Mike D'Antoni in Phoenix and has an expiring contract, is expected to be sent to the Knicks. Robinson vetoed a trade to Memphis last December but was willing to accept a deal to the playoff-bound Celtics. Robinson will earn $5 million this year, bonus included, and will get a chance to play for a championship contender. He will become the first guard off Boston's bench. Sounds like a win-win situation for Nate Robinson & the NYK. The Knicks, who yet again, clear up cap space for this summer's huge free agent market. They will have enough money to get the whole East All-Star team at the rate they going.
Former Texas quarterback Colt McCoy says his younger brother made the "perfect decision" to follow in his footsteps with the Longhorns. Case McCoy is one of two standout quarterbacks Texas signed this month in a highly rated recruiting class. Case McCoy could face a lot of pressure following a big brother who set an NCAA record with 45 wins as a starting quarterback. Colt McCoy said the youngest of three McCoy boys is talented and should be comfortable forging his own career. Texas coach Mack Brown said recently that the Longhorns would have signed Case McCoy even if he wasn't the younger brother of Colt. Brown said some believe that Case is further along in his development at this age than his brother. It will be interesting to see though how further along he is. Especially with that QB spot being open up for someone. I am sure he will be good but he will be forever compared almost like Eli and Peyton but at least Eli went to a different school.
It appears the Cleveland Cavaliers will do something before Thursday's trade deadline. That move could possibly involve Amare Stoudemire or Antawn Jamison, two major moves that could give the Cavs all they need for a championship run. Could any of those moves force the Cavs' rival, the Boston Celtics, to make a counter move by adding another player? It's possible the Celtics will try to add Kirk Hinrich or D.J. Augustin. Or the Celtics may not do anything at all. The C's probably won't do anything though. The Heat are primarily competing against the Cleveland Cavaliers to broker a deal with the Suns' NBA All-Star. The Heat have first-round draft picks and forward Michael Beasley, both of which might attract the Sun towards making a deal with Miami. It will be very interesting to see how things go down the next two days. As of right now though the NBA Champs are looking at The Cavaliers reportedly want to make an upgrade at power forward, either by acquiring Amar’e Stoudemire from Phoenix, Antawn Jamison from Washington or Troy Murphy from Indiana. If they get that player there is no reason why they should not win and win easy.
The Blazers agreed in principle Tuesday to acquire Camby from the Clippers in exchange for forward Travis Outlaw, guard Steve Blake and $3 million. A source close to Camby says that while he recognizes the benefits of playing for a better team, he is upset because his family is comfortably settled in Los Angeles. He had hoped to re-sign with the Clippers this summer. Camby also was similarly upset when the Denver Nuggets traded him to the Clippers before the start of last season. The Nuggets made an unsuccessful last-ditch attempt to bring back Camby before the Clippers’ deal with the Blazers was finalized. The Blazers had to do something to cover the hole left at center by Greg Oden and Joel Przybilla’s injuries. Camby would help preserve possessions and protect the rim on D. Sucks for Camby but hey man that is the pros man. He is not the only player hurting from this. The person Brandon Roy sat next to on team plane rides, the player he regularly dined out with on the road, the player he made sure to walk out of the locker room with after every game, was gone. Roy said Outlaw’s departure is another obstacle during a tough stretch in which he has battled a nagging right hamstring injury. Once he gets back on the court, Roy says, he is hopeful the emotions of losing a friend will eventually fade. At least Roy recognized that the game is still a business and he understood why general manager Kevin Pritchard made the move
The Knicks are trying hard to pry McGrady from the Houston Rockets before Thursday’s trading deadline. The teams are certainly closer to a deal than they were a few days ago, but it is still far from a given that McGrady will make it to New York. The Knicks want McGrady, in part to revive their playoff hopes this season. But Lebron James is also a big part of the thought process. When the Knicks try to get James, they may need McGrady as a recruiter. If McGrady can regain his old swagger, he may even make a great second fiddle. The multiskilled sidekick that James never had in Cleveland. Sorta like Pippen was for Jordan in Chi-town. The deal could be: the Knicks would send Jared Jeffries, Jordan Hill and either Al Harrington or Larry Hughes, along with draft picks, to Houston for McGrady, Joey Dorsey and Brian Cook. Unloading Jeffries would get the Knicks closer to their dream: clearing enough cap room to sign two maximum players — say, James and Chris Bosh. The Knicks and the Rockets may still need a third team to make a deal. The Rockets blew it big time by banishing McGrady from the team. If Houston had played McGrady they could have increased his trade value. If they want to get anything for him they may have to make the deal with the Knicks.
Juan Dixon, who starred at the University of Maryland and later played for the Washington Wizards, has tested positive for the steroid. Dixon was informed of the positive result several days ago and the International Basketball Federation decided to suspend him on Friday. His suspension is indefinite until further notice. Dixon won an NCAA championship with Maryland in 2002, played for Washington, Portland, Toronto and Detroit in the NBA. I thought he was a good player and could have been better if he didn't end up in Washington. Supposedly, took an over-the-counter supplement and had no idea it had any type of steroid in it. What is so ironic about this is his parents died of AIDS before he finished high school. So he was invited to testify in 2005 by a U.S. House committee who went to Calvert Hall and is the nephew of former Baltimore mayor Sheila Dixon, because he had an anti-steroids message to convey. He told the panel in a prepared statement that he and other NBA players had succeeded "through hard work and dedication to our dreams, not through the use of steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs." Juan was always a guy you wanted to see succeed. All of the things this guy has overcome, all of the work he put into getting to where he is today and now he might have lost his future in basketball because of a failed drug test. It's sad, disappointing and a little heartbreaking. I'll always remember Juan for taking Maryland basketball to the promise land.
The Cleveland Cavaliers, reportedly, would trade center Zydrunas Ilgauskas and power forward J.J. Hickson to the Phoenix Suns for all-star power forward Amare Stoudemire, but other teams might be involved in the drama. But reports that the five-time All-Star Stoudemire could be headed to Cleveland have led other clubs to spice up their offers to Phoenix, according to sources. The Suns are mulling over whether the financial relief provided by Ilgauskas' contract (they'll likely waive Ilgauskas after the trade) and the young and talented Hickson are enough for them to part with an impact player like Stoudemire. And the Cavaliers have to be fairly certain that Stoudemire would be willing to re-sign with them before giving up the fast-improving Hickson. However, according to sources, Philadelphia's Andre Iguodala, appears to be the Suns' top choice. While Stoudemire has good relationships with LeBron James and Shaquille O'Neal, some close to Stoudemire believe Miami is his first choice. The Heat have pursued Stoudemire hard but has no one on its roster (besides Dwyane Wade) that interests Phoenix. That includes Michael Beasley. So it would take a three-team deal for Stoudemire to be traded to the Heat.
