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Pistons exec
Joe Dumars:
Definition of "trading up": Snagging Larry Brown while
dumping Rick "Mr. Personality" Carlisle. Pistons in
NBA Finals next year.
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The Lead Item
Two Words For You:
COACHING. CAROUSEL.
With NBA coaching roles apparently settled in
Detroit and Cle-Bron, the big lever is in Portland:
Will the Blazers let the Sixers talk to current coach
Mo Cheeks? ("Talk to" meaning "hire away.")
Then Carlisle, who picked his Detroit wake to break
out the jollies for the first time this season, can go
to the Blazers, where his personal brand of
dysfunction would rank about 13th on the team.
More Coaching
By process of elimination:
Does Jeff Van Gundy go to the "best team available?" (That would
be the Rockets.) If you're wondering about the
Raptors, Clippers, Hornets or Wizards' searches, it's
like a four-car fender-bender: You can rubberneck if
you want, but it's ugly. (See today's poll.)
Clemens' 300 Denied
The baseball Fates obviously didn't want
Rocket to win his 300th game in Detroit (how else
could the sorry Tigers rally from 7-1 deficit before finally losing in 17?); it's much more enticing for him to win next weekend at the Friendly Confines in a matchup with
Kerry (Li'l Rocket) Wood.
Lemieux Watch
Mario Lemieux in a Rangers sweater ranks
just below MJ in a Wizards uni on the "Just
Doesn't Look Right" Top 10.
Yet reports out of Canada and New York (neither
ever guilty of hockey hysterics) have Super
Mario interested in rejecting retirement -- and
Pittsburgh -- to play for the Rangers (barely better
than sorry Pens) or the Flyers ... or, it seems, any
team rather than his current one.
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"FREE MO CHEEKS!" EDITION |
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| THE SET-UP: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY |
1 Devils at Ducks, Game 4: Hold on to your sticks!
2 D'backs at Padres: See Shea; won't see Matt Williams
3 French Open: Robredo vs. Kuerten should be interesting |
| THE SIT-DOWN: RETIRE THESE CONVERSATION TOPICS |
1 Coaching LeBron: Not P. Silas' problem; rest of team is
2 Rick Carlisle got raw deal in Detroit: Gotta manage up
3 D'backs cut Matt Williams: No roster room for memories |
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Mailman to Mavs?
If Karl Malone wants a ring more than anything
else, signing with the Mavs is a good choice (signing
w/ Lakers or Spurs better); if he wants to break
Kareem's career scoring record (2,000 pts away),
playing in Dallas where he's the third option (at
best) is a mistake.
PGA: "Tiger" Perry?
After Kenny Perry built on last week's Annika
Open title to win the Memorial yesterday, he's got
quite the momentum with just a couple weeks until the
U.S. Open. Still give you him and the rest of the
field if I get Tiger (Memorial tie, 4th).
French Open
You may not be able to distinguish sizzling
Russian teen-pop-duo t.A.T.u. from Russian tennis
teens Vera Zvonareva and Nadia Petrova,
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but Vera and Nadia will be playing each other in the French
quarters after bouncing out Capriati and Venus, whose
booting means no "All-Williams" Slam final for the
first time in what feels like years.
NFL Waiver Wire
In case you forgot the NFL was a
business: Enjoy the waiver-wire madness that comes
with the beginning of June. Call it "Anti-Labor
Day."
Big name: Brian Griese
One-time "next Elway" in Denver, now on cusp of being "next Fiedler"
in Miami.
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Akili Smith:
Expected to be punted today by Bengals (by Bengals!),
he says "fresh start"; more like "fresh stink."
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| The NBA's got some open gigs. Want one? Vote below ...
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Today on ESPN.com
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| NHL Finals |
| NBA Finals |
The Sports Guy's
40 Most Valuable |
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| "Reasons to be waived" Edition |  Underperform
| Yanks lose for Clemens
|  Cost too much
| Yet NBA coaches cash in
|  Personality
| Rick Carlisle Factor
|  About time
| Brown: 5-yr deal? We'll see
|  Losing 'tude
| | Ducks have to win |
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The ACC's East Coast "Poach 'Em All" Tour continues
today at BC ...
Barcelona is interested in bending their wallet
(reported $49m) to get Beckham; he covers his cost in
marketing alone ...
Time in PGA good for Annika: She cruised to a win in
Cereal and Cracker (Kelloggs and Keebler)
Classic ...
If only Bucs RB Michael Pittman hit holes like he
drives ...
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