Spraying to all fields, trying to play catch-up after being held hostage at Riviera Country Club last week:
With the NBA and NHL trading deadlines fast approaching, the rumors are flying.
The New York Times reported Tuesday the Los Angeles Lakers are the "front-runners" in the Jason Kidd Trade Sweepstakes, and the Bergen (N.J.) Record reported the "rampant rumor" Kidd might go to the Los Angeles Lakers "in a package for Jordan Farmar, Aaron McKie, Kwame Brown, Chris Mihm and a couple of (draft) picks."
Not surprising, the Nets are said to want Andrew Bynum instead of Kwame Brown.
Would I trade Jordan Farmar and Bynum in a deal to get Kidd? No way.
Could Kobe Bryant and Kidd play well together and spark a playoff run? That's what the Los Angeles Lakers' brass has to decide before Thursday.
The Los Angeles Lakers haven't announced it yet, but the word is Phil Jackson has agreed to a five-year contract extension that includes a provision for moving into the front office at the appropriate time.
Owner Jerry Buss is hopeful the Zen Master will be able to attract marquee players in his new role once he leaves the bench. That also sounds like a reduced role for Mitch Kupchak.
The Ducks lost out on Peter Forsberg because the Nashville Predators mortgaged their future to try to win the Stanley Cup this year.
Ducks GM Brian Burke, who wisely opted not to enter a bidding war to rent free-agent-to-be Forsberg, still is investigating other possibilities before Tuesday's NHL trading deadline.
Columbus left winger Fredrik Modin would have been a nice fit in Anaheim, but he is expected to sign a contract extension later this week. So now the Ducks reportedly are eyeing Bill Guerin, St. Louis' leading scorer, as are the conference rival Detroit Red Wings and San Jose Sharks.
Is Guerin worth at least a first-round pick? That's what Burke has to decide.
Good thing for the Ducks and too bad for Southern California hockey fans that the rival Kings aren't in position to make a run for the eighth playoff spot in the Western Conference.
The Ducks would have their hands full in a first-round series against the Kings, as convincingly demonstrated as they split back-to-back shootouts in hard-fought and wildly entertaining games over the weekend.
Looks as if UC Irvine could challenge perennial powerhouse Cal State Fullerton in the Big West baseball race this season.
The Anteaters (6-2-1 before playing at USC on Tuesday night) led the Big West in batting (.328), slugging percentage (.513) and homers (nine) after sweeping a three-game weekend series at Houston.
Center fielder Matt Morris went 9 for 13 in the series with four RBIs and five runs to raise his average to .563 and earn Big West player of the week honors.
In a sibling rivalry that has continued on college baseball fields, USC freshman shortstop Grant Green and San Diego State junior second baseman Garett Green, brothers and former Canyon High teammates, hit their first Division I home runs Sunday - against each other.
But Garett wound up with bragging rights by scoring the winning run in San Diego State's 12-11 victory at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
Just finished reading Sports Illustrated's annual swimsuit issue, from cover to cover, and once again was very impressed.
Couldn't find any typographical errors or incorrectly spelled words, though there was the debatable use of a colon in a quotation on page 58.
Inevitably, SI is now being criticized for putting Beyonce, nine-time Grammy winner, on the cover because she has nothing to do with sports.
Hello? Were Kathy Ireland, Christie Brinkley and Elle Macpherson former NHL linemates?
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