Video: Rockets F Ron Artest To Sign With The Lakers
NY Jets LB Pace Suspended For Four Games
The NFL suspended Jets linebacker Calvin Pace for four games without pay Thursday for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.
Pace will miss New York’s first four games of the season and be eligible to return for the Monday night game at Miami on Oct. 12.
In a statement issued by the Jets, Pace said the ban is a result of him taking an over-the-counter dietary supplement that he was unaware he violated the NFL’s policy.
Pace, in his second season with the Jets, is eligible to participate in preseason practices and games. The suspension begins Sept. 5 and he can return to practice on Oct. 5, a day after New York’s game at New Orleans.
“I am responsible for what I put into my body and I should have paid closer attention to the league’s guidelines,” Pace said. “I regret that this has happened and apologize to my teammates, the entire Jets organization, as well as the fans. Hopefully, this does not distract from our ultimate goal of winning the Super Bowl.”
The team also issued a statement: “We respect the league’s decision and look forward to Calvin’s return for our Monday night game at Miami.”
Pace started all 16 games at outside linebacker in Eric Mangini’s defense last season, and was expected to have a prominent role in new coach Rex Ryan’s aggressive 3-4 system.
He finished second on the team last season with a career-high seven sacks, and added 67 tackles, five forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries. Pace signed a six-year, $42 million deal with New York last offseason that included a $20 million signing bonus. He spent his first five NFL seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, who selected him with the 18th pick in the 2003 draft.
Second-year linebacker Vernon Gholston, who had a disappointing rookie season, is expected to fill in at one of the outside linebacker positions, opposite starter Bryan Thomas. Ryan repeatedly said he was excited at the progress made by the former Ohio State star during minicamp and offseason workouts. Marques Murrell and Jason Trusnik will also be options to fill in.
Timberwolves’ First Round Pick Ricky Rubio To Stay In Spain For Two Years
The Minnesota Timberwolves’ top draft pick, Ricky Rubio, 18, will remain in Spain to play for his DKV Joventut basketball team for the remaining two years of his contract rather than try to move to the NBA this season, El Periodico reported today.
The Barcelona newspaper also says Rubio, who was paid $97,000 last season, plans to withdraw his contract lawsuit against DKV Joventut.
United Football League Pay Scale Revealed
ProFootballTalk.com – a newly minted NBC Sports partner – has captured a United Football League contract which indicates that they have officially been sent out to the players drafted or targeted by the league. The memos and contracts which they have published offer a revealing look at the scaled back salary structure for the “Premiere Season” of the league. As the league has scaled back to deal with the economic realities it seems that they planned for a tighter salary structure that could help sustain the league through difficult times.
As PFT outlined the majority of players will be paid $35,000 broken out over six regular season games. They will potentially receive incentives, they will receive housing, and those who make it to the title game will receive additional money and a two week stay in Las Vegas.
Quarterbacks will make $10,000 per game. More details below courtesy of ProFootballTalk:
We’ve gotten our mitts on a copy of the memorandum containing information regarding the manner in which the UFL will be paying its players.
The memo confirms that, indeed, the base pay will be $35,000.
But not for kickers, punters, and long snappers. Per the memo, they’ll be paid at a base rate of only $25,000.
The sole exception will be the league’s four starting quarterbacks. Though there’s no stated limit regarding their pay, each UFL teams is permitted to pay its starting quarterback an amount more than $35,000.
Players who land on injured reserve will receive 50 percent of their prorated base pay for the remainder of the year.
Each team will be permitted to bring 60 players to training camp in September. The number reduces to 50 for the regular season. Teams are permitted to dress 45 players on game day, along with a third quarterback.
Although Jason La Canfora of NFL.com has reported that up to $15,000 might be available in additional compensation based on playing-time incentives, the memo does not mention any specific amounts. Instead, the memo explains that the UFL “may establish” a discretionary Player Performance Pool, which will be aimed at rewarding the top-performing players on each team.
“The formula has not been finalized,” the memo states, “and may be based on such factors as playtime, starts, and other performance thresholds and will be distributed solely at the League’s discretion after the end of the regular season and Championship Game.”
Also, the active members of the active/inactive roster of the team that wins the UFL championship will receive an extra $5,000, and the members of the active/inactive roster of the second-place team will be paid an extra $2,500.
The latest update from PFT includes a look at the NFL exemption which will allow UFL players to begin negotiating with NFL teams beginning November 1. They will not be allowed, however, to workout or sign with an NFL team until the conclusion of the season
Serena Vs Venus In Wimbledon Final
Second-seeded Serena Williams and third- seeded Venus Williams will square off in Saturday’s ladies’ final at Wimbledon, where Venus topped Serena in last year’s third all-Williams finale at the All England Club.
In one of the best women’s matches played here in some time, the two-time champion Serena snuck past Olympic gold medalist Elena Dementieva 6-7 (4-7), 7-5, 8-6 on Thursday, while the other semifinal was one of the most lopsided played here in a while, as the five-time titlist Venus destroyed world No. 1 Russian Dinara Safina 6-1, 6-0 in a laughable 51 minutes.
Venus topped Serena 7-5, 6-4 in last year’s final, as Venus nailed down a second straight and fifth overall Wimbledon title. Saturday will mark the fourth all-Williams Wimbledon final, with Serena holding a 2-1 edge thus far.
This marked the first time since 2006 that all four top-seeded women reached the semifinals at a Grand Slam event. Serena and Venus are former world No. 1s, which means three of the four semifinalists held the coveted top ranking.
In Thursday’s first semi, Serena outlasted the fourth-seeded Dementieva in a three-set thriller. The reigning Australian Open and U.S. Open titlist Serena also topped Dementieva in a semifinal at the Aussie Open back in January.
Serena and Dementieva traded breaks in the first two games of the match on Day 10 and Serena appeared on the verge of another break in the eighth game with a 40-15 lead. Dementieva, however, dug out of the hole to hold serve and the set eventually went to a tiebreak on yet another hot, sunny day here.
A pair of Serena errors gave Dementieva the advantage in the tiebreak. The American ripped a forehand wide and netted another forehand on consecutive points to give the Russian a 6-3 edge. Dementieva quickly gave one back with a double fault and misfired on her next serve, but Serena blasted a forehand wide on the second serve to give Dementieva the opening set.
In an equally-as-tight second set, Dementieva eventually had opportunities to break Serena to knot the stanza at 6-all, especially on one particular point when the athletic Russian swatted a two-handed backhand out despite having a wide-open court. Serena would wind up with a hold to force a deciding third set.
In the dramatic final set, Dementieva appeared to assume some control when Serena double-faulted and then netted a forehand to give the Russian a break and a 3-1 lead. But Dementieva was unable to consolidate the break, as her American counterpart broke right back and then held her serve to level the third at 3-3.
The two stars then stayed on serve over the next several games, trading monster forehands and backhands from the baselines. Following a Dementieva hold, the Russian got herself to a match point in the 10th game of the stanza, but a gutsy Serena staved it off by following up a net approach with a clutch backhand volley winner.
Serena wound up with a hold to make it 5-all, and three games later, the powerful American recorded a huge service break with a backhand winner for a 7-6 edge.
In the next game, Serena set-up her first match point with a forehand winner and converted on it when Dementieva misfired wide with one final backhand after 2 hours, 49 minutes of spectacular tennis on the famed Centre Court. It marked the longest-ever women’s Wimbledon semifinal.
Serena launched 20 aces among her 45 winners, while Dementieva recorded 27 winners and had her serve broken five times. The two-time major runner-up from Russia settled for three breaks in the gut-wrenching setback.
The 27-year-old Dementieva reached the French and U.S. Open finals in 2004 and won the gold medal in Beijing last year. She has lost in the Wimbledon semis the last two years, with last year’s setback coming against the Wimbledon queen Venus.
The 10-time major champion Serena will now appear in her 14th career Grand Slam final (10-3). She captured Wimbledon titles in 2002 and 2003 by beating her big sister in finals and was the runner-up here in 2004 and last year.
The 27-year-old Serena owns 33 career singles titles, including this year’s Aussie Open crown.
Meanwhile, Venus crushed a helpless Safina by breaking the Russian’s weak serve five times in six tries. The American great also tallied 16 winners, including fives aces, compared to only six winners for a stunned Safina. And while Safina was piling up 16 unforced errors, Venus committed only one in 13 games.
“She gave me a pretty good lesson today,” Safina said. “It would be different on another surface. I am not happy with the end result. She is just too good on grass. It’s definitely disappointing to finish the match in less than one hour, and to win only one game. I have to accept it. But this is not my favorite surface, and I still reached the semifinal. So hopefully I can change my mentality on grass and come with a different expectation next year.”
The 23-year-old Safina came here having reached three of the last five major finals. She was upset by fellow Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova in last month’s French Open finale and dismantled by Serena in January’s Aussie Open title tilt.
Venus, who hasn’t lost on Centre Court since 2004, has won 35 straight sets at the world’s most prestigious tennis event. The tall American is now 68-9 all- time on grass overall, including 64-7 at Wimbledon.
The 29-year-old seven-time major champion Venus, like Serena, will also appear in her 14th Grand Slam final (7-6), including her eighth at the All England Club (5-2). She owns 41 career titles, including ones in Acapulco and Dubai this season.
The mighty Williams sisters have combined for seven of the last nine Wimbledon titles, and at least one of the sisters has appeared in eight of the last nine championship matches here.
Serena and Venus will meet for a 21st time, as the superstar siblings have split their first 20 matchups. Serena is 4-3 when they’ve met in Grand Slam finals. They’ve split two matches this year, with Venus winning a semifinal in Dubai and Serena taking a semifinal in Miami.
2009 NFL Free Agent Signings List
2009 NFL Free Agent Signings List
ARIZONA CARDINALS-Signed Dominque Byrd, TE; Anthony Becht, TE; Mike Leach, LS; Rodney Leisle, DT; Keith Lewis, S; Bryant McFadden, CB; Donovan Raiola, C; Oliver Ross, OT; and Jason Wright, RB. Re-signed Bertrand Berry, DE; Elton Brown, OL; Ben Graham, P; Clark Haggans, LB; Dan Kreider, FB; Brian St. Pierre, QB and Kurt Warner, QB. Agreed to terms with Ralph Brown, CB.
ATLANTA FALCONS-Signed Jeremy Newberry, C; Mike Peterson, LB; and C Brett Romberg. Re-signed Chauncey Davis, DE; Jamal Fudge, S; Tony Gilbert, LB; Jason Jefferson, DT; Justin Peele, TE; Ben Wilkerson, OL; and Coy Wire, LB.
BALTIMORE RAVENS-Signed John Beck, QB; Matt Birk, C; Chris Carr, CB/KR; Domonique Foxworth, CB; and L.J. Smith, TE; and Kelley Washington, WR. Re-signed Ray Lewis, LB; and Samari Rolle, CB.
BUFFALO BILLS-Signed Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB; Drayton Florence, CB; Geoff Hangartner, OL; Terrell Owens, WR; and Dominic Rhodes, RB; and Pat Thomas, LB. Re-signed Kirk Chambers, OL; and Corey McIntyre, FB.
CAROLINA PANTHERS-Re-signed DE Julius Peppers, (f);Jordan Gross, OT; Nate Salley, S; James Anderson, LB.
CHICAGO BEARS-Signed Josh Bullocks, S; Glenn Earl, S; Michael Gaines, TE; Marcus Hamilton, DB; Frank Omiyale, OL; Orlando Pace, OT; Kevin Shaffer, OT; and Pisa Tinoisamoa, LB. Re-signed Kevin Jones, RB.
CINCINNATI BENGALS-Signed Laveranues Coles, WR; Jeremi Johnson, FB; Tank Johnson, DT; J.T. O’Sullivan, QB; and Roy Williams, S. Re-signed Cedric Benson, RB; Darryl Blackstock, LB; Chris Crocker, S; DeDe Dorsey, RB; and Jamar Fletcher, CB; and Brandon Johnson, LB.
CLEVELAND BROWNS-Signed Eric Barton, LB; David Bowens, LB; Rod Hood, DB; George Foster, OT; Mike Furrey, WR; Noah Herron, RB; Corey Ivy, CB; C.J. Mosley, DT; David Patten, WR; Hank Poteat, CB; Robert Royal, TE; John St. Clair, OL; and Floyd Womack, T. Re-signed Mike Adams, S.
DALLAS COWBOYS-Signed Keith Brooking, LB; Igor Olshansky, DE; Gerald Sensabaugh, S; and Matt Stewart, LB. Re-signed Miles Austin, WR; Stephen Bowen, DE; Alonzo Coleman, RB; Rodney Hannah, TE; and Cory Procter, G.
DENVER BRONCOS-Signed J.J. Arrington, RB; Correll Buckhalter, RB; Andra Davis, LB; Brian Dawkins, S; Ronald Fields, DT; Jabar Gaffney, WR; Andre’ Goodman, CB; Brandon Gorin, OL; Nick Greisen, LB; Renaldo Hill, S; LaMont Jordan, RB; Brandon Lloyd, WR; J’Vonne Parker, DT; Lonie Paxton, FS; Kenny Peterson, DL; Darrell Reid, DT; Chris Simms, QB; Darius Walker, RB; and Scott Young, OL. Re-signed Jeb Putzier, TE.
DETROIT LIONS-Signed Phillip Buchanon, CB; Ronald Curry, WR; Larry Foote, LB; Will Heller, TE; Grady Jackson, DT; Bryant Johnson, WR; Eric King, CB; Daniel Loper, OL; Maurice Morris, RB; Terrelle Smith, FB; and Cody Spencer, LB. Re-signed Aveion Cason, RB; Damion Cook, OL; Jason Hanson, K; and Stephen Peterman, G.
GREEN BAY PACKERS-Signed Mike Montgomery, DE; Duke Preston, OL; and Anthony Smith, S. Re-signed Tory Humphrey, TE.
HOUSTON TEXANS-Signed Shaun Cody, DT; Buster Davis, LB; Boomer Grigsby, FB; Rex Grossman, QB; LB Cato June; Darrell McClover, LB; Dan Orlovsky, QB; and Antonio Smith, DE. Re-signed Rashad Butler, T; Joel Dreessen, TE; Nick Ferguson, S; Chris White, C; and Eugene Wilson, S.
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS-Signed Adam Seward, LB. Re-signed Ed Johnson, DL; Freddie Keiaho, LB; Matt Giordano, S; Lance Ball, RB; Kelvin Hayden, CB; Jeff Saturday, C; Tyjuan Hagler, LB, Dan Federkeil, OL.
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS-Signed Todd Bouman, QB; Sean Considine, S; Torry Holt, WR; Marlon McCree, S; Tra Thomas, T. Re-signed Brad Meester, C; Scott Starks, CB; and Joe Zelenka, LS.
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS- Signed Monte Beisel, LB; Mike Brown, S; Terrance Copper, WR; Tony Curtis, TE; Travis Daniels, CB; Bobby Engram, WR; Eric Ghiaciuc, C; Mike Goff, G; C.J. Jones, WR; Jon McGraw, S; Corey Mays, LB; LS Tanner Purdum; Darrell Robertson, LB; Sean Ryan, TE; Zach Thomas, LB; and Rodney Wright, WR.
MIAMI DOLPHINS-Signed Joe Berger, G; Eric Green, CB; Jake Grove, C; and Jason Taylor, LB. Re-signed Yeremiah Bell, S; Vernon Carey, OT; and Channing Crowder, LB.
MINNESOTA VIKINGS-Signed Cedric Griffin, CB; Glenn Holt, WR; and Karl Paymah, CB. Re-signed Fred Evans, DT; Heath Farwell, LB; Otis Grigsby, DL; Jimmy Kennedy, DT; Jim Kleinsasser, TE; and Benny Sapp, CB.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS-Signed Vinnie Ciurciu, LB; Chris Baker, TE; Leigh Bodden, CB; Joey Galloway, WR; Nathan Hodel, LS; Al Johnson, C; Paris Lenon; LB; Brandon McGowan, S; Tom Malone, P; Shawn Springs, CB; and Fred Taylor, RB. Re-signed Matt Cassel, QB (f), and traded him to Kansas City; re-signed Eric Alexander, LB; Wesley Britt, OL; Chris Hanson, P; Russ Hochstein, OL; James Sanders, S; Ray Ventrone, S; Mike Wright, DL; and Tank Williams, S.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS-Signed Dan Campbell, TE; Rod Coleman, DT; Darnell Dinkins, TE; Heath Evans, FB; Jabari Greer, CB; Nick Leckey, C; Pierson Prioleau, S; Paul Spicer, DL; Darren Sharper, S; and D’Juan Woods, WR. Re-signed Joey Harrington, QB; Devery Henderson, WR; Courtney Roby, WR-KR; Jon Stinchcomb, T; Jonathan Vilma, LB; and Troy Evans, LB.
NEW YORK GIANTS-Signed Rocky Bernard, DT; Michael Boley, LB; C.C. Brown, S; Chris Canty, DE; Allen Patrick, RB; Lee Vickers, TE; and George Wrighster, TE. Re-signed David Carr, QB; Kevin Dockery, CB; and Brandon Jacobs, RB (f).
NEW YORK JETS-Signed Marques Douglas, DE; Howard Green, DT; Larry Izzo, LB; Jim Leonhard, S; Bart Scott, LB; and Donald Strickland, CB. Re-signed Ahmad Carroll, DB; Jay Feely, K; Bubba Franks, TE; Brandon Moore, G; and Tony Richardson, FB.
OAKLAND RAIDERS-Signed Keith Davis, S; Charlie Frye, QB; Khalif Barnes, T; Ryan Boschetti, DT; Greg Ellis, LB; Jeff Garcia, QB; Jason Horton, DB; Marcus Johnson, T; Lorenzo Neal, FB; Erik Pears, T; and Gary Russell, RB. Re-signed Nnamdi Asomugha, DB; Cooper Carlisle, G; Isaiah Ekejiuba, LB; Chris Johnson, CB; William Joseph, DT; Shane Lechler, P; Justin Miller, CB; and Sam Williams, LB.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES-Signed Stacy Andrews, OT; Rashad Baker, S; Sean Jones, S; and Leonard Weaver, FB. Re-signed Tank Daniels, LB; Joselio Hanson, CB; Nick Cole, OL; and Hank Baskett, WR.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS-Signed Piotr Czech, K; Jayson Foster, WR; Dirk Johnson, P; Shaun McDonald, WR; Keiwan Ratliff, CB; Re-signed Charlie Batch, QB; Fernando Bryant, CB; Willie Colon, T; Keyaron Fox, LB; Andre Frazier, LB; Trai Essex, T; Arnold Harrison, LB; Chris Kemoeatu, G; and Max Starks, T (f).
ST. LOUIS RAMS-Signed Billy Bajema, TE; Kyle Boller, QB; Jason Brown, OL; James Butler, S; and Mike Karney, FB. Re-signed Oshiomoghe Atogwe, S (f); Ron Bartell, CB; Adam Goldberg, G; and Mark Setterstrom, G.
SAN DIEGO CHARGERS-Signed Kevin Burnett, LB. Re-signed Kynan Forney, G.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS-Signed Demetric Evans, DE; Marques Harris, LB; Damon Huard, QB; Brandon Jones, WR; and Marvel Smith, T. Re-signed Moran Norris, FB; Allen Rossum, CB-KR; and Takeo Spikes, LB.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS-Signed Colin Cole, DT; Justin Griffith, FB; T.J. Houshmandzadeh, WR; Mike Hass, WR; D.D. Lewis, LB; Ken Lucas, CB; John Owens, TE; Ryan Senser, LS; and John Tereshinski, TE. Re-signed Leroy Hill, LB (f); and Ray Willis, OL.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS-Signed Angelo Crowell, LB; Byron Leftwich, QB; Mike Nugent, K; and Derrick Ward, RB. Re-signed Michael Clayton, WR; Cortez Hankton, WR; Luke McCown, QB; Jermaine Phillips, S; and Jerramy Stevens, TE.
TENNESSEE TITANS-Signed DeMarcus Faggins, CB; Jovan Haye, DT; Mark Jones, WR/KR; Patrick Ramsey, QB; and Nate Washington, WR. Re-signed Rob Bironas, K; Kerry Collins, QB; Craig Hentrich, P; Bo Scaife (f), TE; and Vincent Fuller, DB.
WASHINGTON REDSKINS-Signed Derrick Dockery, G; Dominique Dorsey, KR; Albert Haynesworth, DT; Dirk Johnson, P; Dave Rayner, K; Mike Williams, G; Roydell Williams, WR; and Renaldo Wynn, DE. Re-signed Ethan Albright, LS; Phillip Daniels, DE; Reed Doughty, S; Alfred Fincher, LB; DeAngelo Hall, CB; and Shaun Suisham, K.
UFL Looking To Expand Overseas
Only a few months away from beginning his U.S. football league’s inaugural season, the United Football League’s commissioner is already talking about overseas expansion.
The UFL, set to begin play in October with four teams competing in seven cities, is eyeing teams in Europe for next year or the year after, Commissioner Michael Huyghue said.
“Foreign expansion for UFL very likely for year two or three,” he wrote in a Tuesday post on Twitter, a fast-growing micro-blogging service. “Some fantastic soccer stadiums that would work perfectly.”
UFL spokeswoman Rachel Gary confirmed Huyghue’s comments and that he is in Europe. She said the UFL is looking at expansion both overseas and in the United States over the next two years.
Huyghue previously said the league will expand by at least two to four teams in 2010, and the UFL has discussed putting a team in Mexico.
Huyghue, who wrote he had visited London, Frankfurt, Munich and Berlin and was on his way to Barcelona, Madrid and Italy, said there was strong interest in American football despite the failure of the National Football League’s European league.
The NFL, which has played regular-season games in Mexico and England, launched an American football league in Europe in 1991 but closed it in 2007.
The UFL in February announced plans to kick off its inaugural season with a smaller slate of teams — it had initially targeted six to eight teams — due to the U.S. recession.
Investors in the UFL include W.R. Hambrecht + Co CEO William Hambrecht; the former head of First Boston Corp, William Mayer; Google executive Tim Armstrong, and Paul Pelosi, the husband of Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.
The UFL is the latest in a series of leagues to compete against the NFL since the 1970s. Its predecessors — the World Football League, the United States Football League and, most recently, the XFL — all failed.
However, Huyghue and UFL officials have vowed not to overspend or set unrealistic expectations — mistakes of past NFL rivals. Huyghue has said the UFL will complement the NFL and not try to compete for top players.
UFL games will air on Versus, a network owned by Comcast, and will take place primarily on Thursday evenings. The season will end with a championship game over Thanksgiving weekend in Las Vegas.
The initial UFL teams are in New York, Las Vegas, San Francisco and Orlando, Florida, although the first three clubs also will play individual games in Hartford, Connecticut, Los Angeles and Sacramento, California, respectively.
MLB Expanding All-Star Rosters To 33
Baseball is expanding All-Star rosters yet again.
Each league will have 33 players for the July 14 game at St. Louis, with an extra pitcher added to bring the total to 13. The commissioner’s office said Wednesday the extra spot will be a manager’s choice.
There are eight fan-elected starters, eight player-elected pitchers and eight player-elected reserves, with eight players selected by each manager. In addition, a fan Internet vote is held for the final spot in each league.
Rosters were expanded from 30 to 32 after 2002’s 7-7, 11-inning tie in Milwaukee, when both leagues ran out of pitchers. In last year’s 4-3, 15-inning AL victory at Yankee Stadium, every player was used other than San Francisco pitcher Tim Lincecum, who was ill.
Rosters will be announced Sunday.
Candace Parker Returns To Sparks After Having First Child
Candace Parker has returned to practice with the Los Angeles Sparks 11/2 months after giving birth to her first child.
However, coach Michael Cooper said Wednesday that it’s unlikely Parker would play when the team hosts Phoenix on Sunday.
Parker, last year’s league MVP and rookie of the year who played college ball for Tennessee, had a daughter named Lailaa on May 13. She’s married to Shelden Williams of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Parker went through a full practice Wednesday following a light workout a day earlier that included shooting, ball handling and skill drills.
“It was great,” she said. “I was just really excited to practice so I treated it like a game almost because you miss it. I’ve been away from basketball for nine months, 10 months really, so it’s great to be back on the court.”
There is no timetable for Parker’s return to playing. After Sunday, the Sparks open a seven-game road trip and she isn’t scheduled to travel with the team.
“We’re going to play it by ear,” she said. “I’d like to have a couple days of practice and then I’ll probably have a better idea.”
Cooper said he was encouraged by seeing Parker back in action.
“It’s a matter of her feeling really, really comfortable and not just looking comfortable,” he said. “Fifty percent of Candace is better than a lot of players, 90 percent than some of the players, but all we’re going to do is just gauge her (progress).”
As a rookie, Parker averaged 18.5 points and a league-leading 9.5 rebounds.
Parker said she worked out three days before giving birth and resumed two weeks after.
“I’m a gym rat,” she said. “I love to be in the gym, work out, and play.”
She isn’t the first Sparks player to return after having a baby. Three-time league MVP Lisa Leslie sat out the 2007 season because of her pregnancy.
Leslie, who will retire after this season, said it took about a year to feel like she was back to 100 percent on the court. But she figures Parker will probably have a quicker recovery because she is younger.
“We talk all the time about everything, the baby, nursing, nanny, travel, everything,” Leslie said. “I feel honored to be a mentor to Candace. She has a great network of people around her like I did and that’s what helps you.”
Parker is the fifth Sparks player to become a mom.
“It’s been the best thing ever,” she said. “My husband and I really enjoy watching our daughter grow. It’s amazing how much they change in a short amount of time. She makes me smile every day.”
Bears LB Urlacher Gets Field Named After Him
The University of New Mexico has named their football practice facility after the legendary former Lobo Brian Urlacher. The decision to appropriately christen Brian Urlacher Field was spurred by “Urlacher’s accomplishments and a recent $500,000 gift to the school.”
Presumably, Urlacher outbid fellow alum Neil Patrick Harris, who could only come up with $500, for naming rights.
UNC Tar Heels Signs New Deal With Nike
North Carolina has signed a new 10-year, $37.7 million contract with Nike, with the majority coming in the form of apparel and equipment for the school’s 28 sports teams.
But the most interesting twist on the deal – the Tar Heels’ fourth with Nike – is that all 19 head coaches now have individual deals with the company. UNC athletic director Dick Baddour said he was in negotiations with Nike for more than a year, and getting each coach their own agreement was important this time.
“That was a priority of mine, something that I put on the table early on, because it would help the department to maintain a competitive level in head coaches’ salaries without having to generate the income through ticket sales and student fees and private funds,” Baddour said Wednesday. “I’m pleased that Nike was willing to do that.”
As part of UNC’s previous contract with Nike, announced in 2001, only seven coaches (football, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s soccer, baseball and track and field) had separate contracts with the company. Those deals ranged from $15,000 for baseball and men’s soccer to $500,000 for men’s basketball.
The school no longer releases figures for the individual deals, Baddour said, but “the amounts are in balance with their salaries,” meaning that the coaches paid the most by UNC also have the more lucrative deals with Nike.
UNC signed its new contract with Nike in late May, but its benefits are retroactive to July 1, 2008. Under the deal, Nike will pay a 14 percent royalty on the sale of Carolina-logoed merchandise. It also includes provisions that all of the gear provided to Tar Heels teams be manufactured in accordance with the university’s labor standards, which cover issues such as pay and benefits, hours, child labor and safety.
The contract breaks down like this:
$31.6 million – ranging from $2.8 million in the first year of the contract, to $3.4 million in the 10th – for uniforms, coaching gear, shoes, balls and other equipment for all teams. In past years, Baddour said, some teams had to pay for some of those items out of their operating budgets, but the increase in this contract should cover it all.
$2 million for the Chancellor’s Academic Enhancement Fund, an increase of $1.2 million over the last contract. Chancellor Holden Thorp says he will direct the funds to faculty support, according to the news release, which should help at a time when university cuts are imminent.
$1.625 million for team travel and trips.
$1 million for signing the contract; those funds will be used to overhaul the lighting and sound systems at the Dean Smith Center.
$1 million to fund bonus payments to the coaches based on achievements of excellence by their respective student-athletes in the classroom and on their fields of play.
$450,000 for University-sponsored tournaments.
Federer Beats Karlovic To Reach Wimbledon Semis
Roger Federer has reached his 21st consecutive Grand Slam semifinal by beating Ivo Karlovic 6-3, 7-5, 7-6 (3) at Wimbledon.
Federer used brilliant returns to break the hard-serving Karlovic once in each of the first two sets Wednesday and took advantage of the Croat’s poor net play in the tiebreaker. The Swiss star set up four match points with a backhand pass and converted the second with a forehand winner.
Federer never faced a break point against the 6-foot-10 (2.08-meter) Croat. Karlovic had not lost serve once in his first four matches at Wimbledon.
Federer is looking for his sixth Wimbledon championship and record 15th Grand Slam title.
Clippers To Trade F Randolph For Grizzlies G Richardson
The Los Angeles Clippers opened a starting position for No. 1 pick Blake Griffin on Wednesday.
The team agreed to trade power forward Zach Randolph to the Memphis Grizzlies for swingman Quentin Richardson, sources told ESPN.com’s Chad Ford. The deal was first reported by the Los Angeles Times.
The trade can’t be finalized until the league establishes the salary cap July 8 and lifts the moratorium on player movement.
The Clippers acquired Randolph from the Knicks last November to fill the void left by Elton Brand signing with the Sixers. Randolph averaged 20.9 points and 9.4 rebounds per contest in 39 games for Los Angeles. A knee injury cost him time, however, and the Clippers limped to the worst record in the league.
On draft night, the Knicks traded Richardson to the Grizzlies for center Darko Milicic. Richardson won’t play a game for Memphis. The nine-year veteran averaged 10.2 points and 4.4 rebounds last season. He now returns to the team that drafted him in the first round of the 2000 draft.
