(Football)
...Spygate is not over because not everyone is telling the truth, and Senator Arlen Spector has more evidence, and he wants Congressman Tom Davis to hold a hearing on the 7-years of cheating authored by New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick. Spector continued his attack today on NFL-Commissioner Roger Goodell, following 4-hours of meetings with video assistant Matt Walsh.
Spector said Goodell should not be judge-and-jury about the integrity of his own sport, calling it a terrible conflict of interest.
He said Belichick's explanation he misinterpreted the video rules was an insult, and that the Pats coach has not apologized.
Walsh detailed how the Patriots used a 3rd string quarterback, who memorized signals from a Tampa Bay video, then stole signals during the game, told Charley Weis the coordinator, who then relayed calls to quarterback Drew Bledsoe at the line of scrimmage. The Pats figured out 75-percent of the Bucs defensive calls in that game.Walsh also detailed how the Patriots rigged 2-cameras to tape signals; gave him bogus credentials for access to stadiums; had him not wear his Patriots game-day gear. Walsh said the Patriots went to great lengths not to get caught.
He also said that video assistant Steve Scarnecchia taped games for 3-years, then went to the Jets, where he believed the Jets started taping sideline calls in 2006. He also intimated Cleveland Coach Romeo Crennel, another Belichick assistant, was taping signals.
...Michael Vick's money problems continue. Wachovia Bank won a 1.1-million dollar lawsuit over a defaulted loan for a store the Falcons quarterback bought. Last week, Vick was ordered to pay 2.5-million dollars to a Canadian bank for defaulting on a car dealership loan. In addition, he lost 3.1-million dollars when 2-of his homes were foreclosed on.
...A Miami man plead guilty today in the Sean Taylor case, and will testify against the gunman who shot the Redskins star. Venjay Hunte will serve 29-years in prison on the plea bargain.
...Criticism today against Chicago Bears running back Cedric Benson. GM-Jerry Angelo says Benson made himself out to be a self-victim, when he was really drunk on his boat. Running back Ricky Williams called it a dumb mistake, drinking and driving a boat.
...Luis Sharpe, a 12-year veteran with the Arizona Cardinals, has been sentenced to 6-years in prison as a chronic drug user and dealer. He had been in jail 3-different times on drug charges.
...The Cleveland Browns released veteran corner Kenny Wright after his arrest on marijuana possession charges and an incident in which he tried to run away from police.
...The Redskins released veteran kick return man Jerome Mathis.
...Cleveland has signed ex-Miami Dolphins safety Jereme Perry.
...The New Orleans Saints released Stanford quarterback TC Ostrander, and signed ex-Montana quarterback Travis Lulay.
...The Dallas Cowboys signed ex-Chargers offensive tackle Cory Lekkerkerker.
...The Raiders signed Arizona State pass rushing defensive end Tranell Morant.
...The Eagles have signed 6-6 Norfolk State quarterback Casey Hansen, who threw for 4300-yards.
...UCLA has lost a 3rd quarterback, Osaar Rashann, who needs surgery for patella tendon damage in a knee. The Bruins are already without veteran quarterbacks Patrick Cowan and Ben Olson, out with surgery. It leaves UCLA with ex-San Diego State transfer Kevin Craft and San Diego recruit Chris Forcier.
...San Diego State, coming out of spring ball, named Tommy Draheim as their starting center, Ike Moleta as right guard, amongst 4-new starters in their offensive front. Jonathon Soto beat out Ohio State transfer Ryan Williams for a defensive end spot in the Aztecs news 4-3 defense. Martrell Fantroy won a safeties job, and JUCO transfer Vonnie Holmes won a starting cornerback spot.
...82-year old Penn State coach Joe Paterno was hospitalized today for serious dehydration problems.
...The Humanitarian Bowl in Boise lost its ACC-affiliation today. The Atlantic Coast Conference says it will send its 8th place team to the new Congressional Bowl in Washington, DC. The Boise Bowl may try to work a deal with the Mountain West or WAC-conference.
(Basketball)
...TNT-TV analyst Charles Barclay is facing felony charges for failing to pay 400-thousand dollars in gambling losses at Wynn's Casino in Las Vegas. He reportedly failed to make 3-check payments at promised deadlines.
...Must-win...cannot lose tonite in San Antonio. The Spurs, down 3-2, host the New Orleans Hornets tonite in game 6-of their playoff series.
...A big setback in Cleveland; Cavs guard Daniel Gibson is out with a separated left shoulder suffered last nite. He is out the rest of the series.
...A travel day for the Lakers, heading back to Salt Lake City, with a 3-2 lead in their playoff series in Utah. Pao Gasol and Lamar Odom had Kobe Bryant's back, because of Kobe's back problems, in last nites win. The 2-bookend forwards combined for 43-points and big 4th quarter plays, when Kobe went 13-minutes without a shot because of back stiffness. The Jazz played sloppy ball, with 15-first half turnovers, and 4-terrible shots and turnovers late in the game when Utah had fought back to tie the game.
...Boston leads the Cavaliers (3-2) in their series. Guard Rajon Rondo went for 20-points-13 assists in lead the Celtics to a 14-point come from behind win. Lebron James had 35, but got no help from Wally Szeczerbiak, Joe Smith, Ben Wallace and Anderson Varejeo in the loss.
...NBA-home teams are dominating the 2nd round of the playoffs. Home teams re (19-1) this round.
...KCAL-TV is reporting that LA Lakers assistant Kurt Rambis will interview for the vacant Phoenix Suns coaching job.
...OJ Mayo, the USC freshman scoring star, remains adamant he took no money from a runner for a San Francisco player agent. The NCAA has assigned 3-investigators to the case, to look at 30-thousand dollars in alleged illegal payments. USC-Athletic Director Mike Garrett, under fire for the Mayo case, which followed the Reggie Bush case, maintains his school did a complete background check on Mayo and his entourage when the player was a hi school star in Ohio.
(Baseball)
...The Padres are on another skid. The Chicago Cubs beatup San Diego pitching today in a 4-0 victory at Wrigley Field, battering the Friars for the second game in a row. Ryan Dempster retired 15-in a row at one point, struck out 12. Greg Maddux was strafed for 4-runs and 11-hits in 4-innings. Maddux has only 1-win in his last 6-starts. as San Diego falls to (15-27) heading to Seattle for interleague play.
...Jake Peavy is struggling. The Cy Young Award winner, in his last 5-starts, has gone 28-innings, allowing 30-hits, 11-walks, 15-runs and has a 4.82-ERA in that span. Peavy has a 5.40-road ERA this year.
...Padres pitcher Mark Prior is in Birmingham, Alabama for more tests on his right shoulder for tendonitis.
...Lefthander Glendon Rusch has refused assignment to Portland and opted to become a free-agent today.
...Andru Jones is starting to hit, he homered again, as did Jeff Kent, in the Dodgers won in Milwaukee for the 2nd day in a row..
...The Angels wasted 7-innings of 1-run pitching last nite by John Lackey, losing to the White Sox. Jon Garland starts for the Halos against the Chisox tonite.
...Gary Sheffield, hitting .202 with a bad shoulder, has been pulled as the Tigers leftfielder; he will be their DH.
...Mets pitcher Pedro Martinez threw 55-pitches in a simulated game last nite in the minors.
...Dodgers pitcher Jason Schmidt will throw 45-pitches Saturday nite in his 2nd rehab start.
...Milwaukee has lost pitcher Davis Riske, put on the DL with a hyperextended elbow.
...Washington lst baseman Nick Johnson has left the club with a sprained wrist.
...St-Louis catcher Yadimer Molina has been fined 1-thousand dollars for taking off his equipment and throwing it on home plate in an argument over balls and strikes early this week.
...The Cubs have sent slump ridden Felix Pie (PA) to Triple A-Iowa again.
...Milwuakee slugger Ryan Braun has signed an 8-year 45-million dollar deal with the Brewers. He has hit 43-homers in a year and a half.
(Hockey)
...A big story in Anaheim. Henry Samueli, the founder of Broadcom, and the owner of the Anaheim Ducks and the Pond, has resigned as Chairman of the Board, after the Security Exchanges Commission filed fraud charges against him and 3-other executives for the illegal purchase of 88-stock options over a 5-year growth period. Samueli says lower management officials were the ones guilty of back-dating option paperwork. The SEC says it will bar Samueli from holding office with any publicly traded company.
...Pittsburgh can win their playoff series with the Philadelphia Flyers tonite; they lead the series (3-0).
...Doctors refused to clear Johann Franzen to play tomorrow nite because of on going concussion problems.
(General)
...The rain ended, and 34-cars spent upwards of 6-hours on the track today working on setups for this weekends final qualifying runs for the Indy 500. 22-starting spots are still up for grabs.
...Front row starter Ryan Briscoe, and pole sitter Scott Dixon, both ran laps of 223.7. Danica Patrick struggled with a best lap of 221.
...NASCAR teams arrived in Charlotte for the All-Star weekend festivities.
...USA Wrestling, which runs our Olympic program, wants to meet with Arizona State officials to discuss a way to save the Sun Devils-NCAA-ranked wrestling program, which was folded earlier this week in a cost-cutting move.
...The autopsy on Kentucky Derby horse Eight-Belles, showed no bone disease, no bone abnormalities, and no explanation as to why the horse broke down beyond the finish line at the Kentucky Derby.
