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Drew Rosenhaus:
Normally vilified, agent used CPR to save a kid who
had been in a pool accident. But can he resuscitate
TO's relationship with the Eagles?
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The Lead Item
Two Words For You:
NO. YORK.
Larry Brown is the wrong pick for the
Knicks.
Oh sure, he's glamorous enough for New York. He might
even want the challenge that Phil Jackson was
apparently too intimidated to take.
But he's the wrong coach around which to
rebuild.
Just when Isiah Thomas finally admitted the Knicks
were rebuilding, he's going to pursue a coach
temperamentally unfit to do exactly that job?
Brown's specialty is the quick fix. After all, he
doesn't like to stay too long. But he's a master of
getting the most out of his roster.
Here's the problem: Even if he leads the Knicks to
overachievement, fans are still looking at a 45- to
50-win team (max) with no hope of winning the East,
let alone a title.
That kind of short-term thinking is what has gotten
the Knicks into trouble in the first place. (And
that's as close to "first place" as they've
gotten.)
The team finally realized that fans -- even in New
York -- are willing to muddle through some lean,
lottery-bound years...
...If they can enjoy incremental improvement
each year and the promise of a playoff payoff down the
road.
"Win Now" was Brown's last gig; ironically,
it's the worst mind-set the Knicks could import if they
really want to return to glory.
Unless Brown is willing to stick it out for the 5-7
years it'll take, he's just the latest version of the
Knicks' misguided Band-Aid strategy.
AL East Update
1st: Sox in, Yanks out. As it is only
July 20, I refuse to watch standings obsessively day by day
for 10 more weeks, when the division title is meaningless.
The real story is whether one of these teams doesn't
make the playoffs. So the most compelling Standings
Watch is the AL wild-card race.
The O's acquiring A.J. Burnett was supposed to be
a done deal, keeping them in the WC hunt; fans just
knew they would screw it up.
And, yes, there's a snag: Why was Burnett pitching a W
for Florida last night, not watching the O's blow it
vs. the Twins?
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CHECK OUT THE QUICKIE EVERY WEEKDAY MORNING! |
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| WHO'S GOT THE MOMENTUM ... |
Tedy Bruschi: Wow, could he miraculously return in 2005?
Ricky Williams: NFL OKs RB to go to Dolphins camp Sunday
Venus and Serena: Star in reality series (10, ABC Family)
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| ... AND WHO'S GOT NO MO' |
Jack McKeon's unemployment rumors: He's not axed yet...
Troy Percival: Tigers RP could be out for rest of season
MLB Jims: Thome not making progress? (Edmonds iffy, too) |
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Because Baltimore is balking at picking up throw-in Mike
Lowell's hefty salary, a new twist on Angelos' record
of penny-wise, pound-foolishness.
OK, here's a NYY-BOS update: Schilling got his
first save as Boston's closer; Yankees lost to Texas
on a Blalock HR. Sox back in 1st. Whee.
Meanwhile, the NL East might not have the cachet
of the AL East, but the Nats held on to 1st (Patterson
gem) after the Braves lost (Kolb dud).
MLB Wrap: AL Aces?
Rich Harden, AL's best? Continues
building case, allowing 1 run (with 8 Ks) in Oakland's
3-1 win over Angels.
Or is it Jesse Crain? Twins' middle reliever
continues to rack up "right place, right time" wins,
earning team-high 9th vs. O's.
Or maybe it's Jeremy Bonderman? It's like we're
clearing out under-publicized AL aces today ... Tigers'
stud wins 12th with gem vs. ChiSox.
NBA "Free" News
Cavs land new PF: Not able to outbid
with cash, Cleveland lured Donyell Marshall with a
4-year deal, longer than anyone else would offer.
So in three years, he'll look great teamed with Larry
Hughes when LeBron is playing in New York or L.A. (But
a solid move for '05-06.)
Signing Euro PG, too? Sarunas Jasikevicius is a
mouthful, but the Lithuanian stud (you saw him torch
the U.S. in Athens) will be the steal of the
offseason.
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Antonio Daniels to D.C.: After averaging career high in
points with Seattle, guard will join Gilbert Arenas in Wizards'
backcourt (5-year/$30 million deal).
Bigger Big East
Observation after Media Day for the
renovated Big East:
Don't be shocked if it's the Big East in the BCS title game
vs. USC come January, ironic given that many wanted to boot the
Big East from the BCS last year.
One word: Louisville. The C-USA refugee could
be this year's Utah: Quietly going unbeaten with a
sick offense (560 ypg, 1st in NCAA).
Actually, given the lack of respect for the Big East,
the Cards could end up more like Auburn -- unbeaten,
but dissed out of the title game.
50-in-50: IA
Impressions of Iowa:
Field of Dreams: Nostalgia isn't a bad tourism
gimmick. The movie turned it into a cliche, but what
else is there to do there?
NCAA Wrestling: What the state of North
Carolina is to college hoops or Alabama is to college
football, Iowa is to college wrestling.
Vote Best of Iowa
here!
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Anastasia Myskina:
Tennis star loses court battle to prevent topless
photos of her from being published.
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Today on ESPN.com
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| Quickie live! |
| Jackpot Jay Finale |
| MLB Trade Poll |
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| Ranking AL WC contenders |  NYY/BOS
| Who needs division title?
|  Twins
| Bound to rebound
|  A's
| Patented 2nd-half runs
|  O's
| Must top division rivals
|  Rangers
| | Hey, could be worse (CLE) |
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Tour de Lance: Holds on to 1st after Monday's stage;
7th TdF title rapidly approaching. Catch him now while
you still can.
Sports meets politics: New Supreme Court nominee John
Roberts represented the NCAA against a female
student-athlete in a Title IX-related case.
More NBA Free: Sixers re-sign young gunners Kyle
Korver and Willie Green, the core of Philly's non-AI
youth movement. But what about Samuel Dalembert?
"50 in 50" Update: Apparently, there are hurt feelings
that my home region of D.C. didn't make the roster; if
it helps, I'll be there this weekend.
Today's Must-Read: Jackpot Jay's final column,
offering his poker "Commandments." Wild ride, Jay.
Looking forward to the book in '06.
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