Media Watch:Mets to Wright: Don't Talk About A-Rod: While Wright has expressed a willingness to switch positions if the Mets could land A-Rod, his primary wish is to be kept informed. Mets VP Jay Horwitz called Wright Monday and asked the third baseman - perhaps the most accessible and accommodating Met - to stay mum.
A Most Questionable Lakers.com Headline: I'm not saying that the Lakers organization harbors fascists. You'd think, though, that their web people would be a little more careful with their choice of words. Especially when it refers to a game against the world's most famous Asian athlete--who also just happens to be in the image. Something tells me that this won't be on their site for long.
Magic Defends Fans Who Booed Kobe: You know things are getting pretty serious for Magic to pull out the Colorado card, the Lakers' front office usually likes to pretend that it never happened. Anyway, I definitely wouldn't have booed Kobe had I been there, but then again I'm not facing the reality of having spent thousands of dollars on Lakers season tickets to watch a Kobe-less lottery team every night either.
Miss Gossip Trying to Get on TNT (Again): I know I already got my four seconds of fame during last season's playoffs when my "Free Boom Boom Diaw" poster (with graphics by TheHype) got flashed on TNT's broadcast of Game 5 of the Spurs/Suns series. But I'm trying again. TNT has invited viewers to submit questions for EJ, Kenny, and Charles, so here's my submission.
MLB:Somehow, Someway, the World Series Ball Has Gone Missing: You may remember as Jonathan Papelbon --- Mr. Awkward, Funky Jig Man himself -- recorded the final out of the World Series with a strikeout, Jason Varitek plopped the ball into his back pocket. We speculated he may have pulled a Doug Mientkiewicz with the move. But alas, Varitek said he'd give the ball "back to the team." Done deal, right? Wrong.
Mike Cameron: 'I've Played Drunk': Earlier today, MLB announced that Mike Cameron was suspended for the first 25 games of 2008 for testing positive to a banned stimulant, which Cameron claims was an ingredient in an over-the-counter supplement. Because he received the 25-game suspension instead of a warning, we know this isn't the first positive test he's had. In fact, according to the recently released book Andy Roddick Beat Me With a Frying Pan, Cameron has admitted to playing under the influence of another -- albeit decidedly less useful -- drug in the past.
Boras Gave Yankees 10 Minutes to Respond: Brian Cashman, who had fallen asleep early that night while reading a story to his son, missed a couple of messages from Boras. His wife eventually woke him up about an hour later when his cell phone was ringing off the hook as reporters tried to get a reaction.
NFL:Wade Phillips Thinks Britney Spears Ripped Off His Daughter: Phillips' daughter, Tracy, is a dancer at an L.A. club called Blackout. According to Phillips, Spears attended one of Tracy's shows, and the next thing Tracy knew, Spears was coming out with a new album called "Blackout," and had "borrowed" some images in her videos.
The Debriefing: Patriots vs. Colts Feels Just Like Wrestlemania III: They could have Jim Ross highlight the friendly, noble, newly-underappreciated champions, and how they came to be facing an opponent that's at once very familiar, but also now very different and very evil. It would be a lot like the half-hour "please buy this" show that preceded the Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant main event at Wrestlemania III.
Brad Childress Advises Jeff George to 'Go to a Fantasy Camp or Something': George said Childress's statement "kind of catches me off guard." It strikes me as a little mean-spirited, but it probably accurately reflects the general sentiment around the NFL about George.
NBA:David Stern Suspends, Fines Jerry Buss: Just because you're an owner doesn't mean you're above the law: David Stern cracked down on Lakers owner Jerry Buss on Wednesday by announcing that Buss would be fined $25,000 and suspended two games for a drunk driving conviction in September following an arrest last May.
Sterns Calls the Knicks Stupid: From ESPN.com: "It demonstrates that they're not a model of intelligent management. There were many checkpoints along the way where more decisive action would have eliminated this issue."
The Kevin Durant Saga Begins: Unlike the preseason, when he looked awkward and clueless, for much of tonight Durant looked like, well, Kevin Durant. The shots didn't fall, but they weren't hopeless prayers. He ended up with three steals and a block, got some rebounds around the basket, and handled the ball a decent amount. And while he did seem a little skittish, there were a few plays were you saw his much-heralded killer instinct.
