Polynesian football hall of fame

The stories passed down through the generations of Polynesians have been through oral traditions and cultural practices. Whether it be song, dance or genealogy chant, the ties between the past and present have remained strong within the "many islands" — as is the translation of Polynesia — binding dots of land spread out over 70.1 million square miles of the Pacific Ocean.

Football was officially added to that connection with Wednesday's announcement of the inaugural Polynesian Football Hall of Fame Class of 2013. Six players and one coach will be inducted in conjunction with January's Pro Bowl Week in Honolulu.

Selected in the player category were Waianae High graduate Kurt Gouveia; Saint Louis School products Olin Kreutz and the late Herman Wedemeyer; Kevin Mawae; the late Junior Seau; and Jack Thompson. Former Radford High and UH quarterback Ken Niumatalolo, the current head coach at Navy, was selected in the coach/contributor category.

"It was a very hard decision and it will only get harder and harder as more eligible players retire," former University of Hawaii football coach Dick Tomey, chair of the selection committee, said. "The hardest thing may have been getting from that initial 200-plus down to 20. Then we had a conference call to get it to six.

"All those nominated were deserving to be in this class and there will continue to be even more who are equally deserving. That's how tough it will be to get into the hall of fame."

Among those notably absent from the list were former UH and Farrington great Jesse Sapolu, one of only six San Francisco 49ers to win four Super Bowls, and former UH and Mililani defensive end Ma'a Tanuvasa, who won two Super Bowls with the Denver Broncos.

As co-founders of the hall of fame and members of the board of directors, the two asked that they not be considered for induction this year, Tomey said.

"They wanted to have the focus on the hall of fame, not on themselves and the potential of a conflict of interest," Tomey said. "That speaks volumes about their character."

The accomplishments of the seven inductees speaks volumes as well. The number of all-pro and all-America awards is as impressive as the off-field contributions to the Polynesian communities they represented.

"This is a proud moment and historic day," Sapolu said during Wednesday's press conference at the Sheraton Waikiki. "The board — June Jones, Vai Sikahema, Troy Polamalu, Reno Mahe — have been discussing this during our annual goodwill tours to Samoa. We wanted to recognize not only the greatest players, coaches and contributors but also have it serve as an inspiration for Polynesian youth to achieve their dreams and goals.

"We see this as a vehicle that can bring our Polynesian community even closer."

Although a committee in Utah has offered a permanent home for the hall of fame, discussions are ongoing with the Polynesian Cultural Center to establish it in Laie.

"We want this to have a sense of place and Hawaii does that," Tanuvasa said. "It's the stopover for those going to and from Samoa, Tahiti, Fiji and other islands. And the (Polynesian Cultural Center) with its foot traffic, the number of tourists from around the world who would see it, would be a good place."

The inaugural enshrinement ceremony is scheduled for Jan. 23, 2014, at the Hawaii Convention Center.

polynesianfootballhof.com.

KURT GOUVEIA

Gouveia, of Hawaiian ancestry, was named both the offensive and defensive player of the year when playing two ways for the Waianae Seariders. He went on win a national title with Brigham Young, and played 13 seasons in the NFL, mostly with Washington, twice winning the Super Bowl with the Redskins.

OLIN KREUTZ

Kreutz, also of Hawaiian ancestry, was a consensus All-American center at the University of Washington. He played for 14 seasons in the NFL, mostly with the Chicago Bears, and was named to the NFL all-decade team for the 2000s.

KEVIN MAWAE

Mawae, another player of Hawaiian ancestry, was the first Polynesian to serve as president of the NFL Players Association. The LSU sports hall of fame and NFL all-pro center played 16 seasons in the NFL and also was on the NFL all-decade team for the 2000s.

JUNIOR SEAU

Seau, a two-time All-American linebacker for USC, played 20 seasons in the NFL, mostly with the San Diego Chargers. Of Samoan ancestry, he was a 10-time all-pro selection, the Walter Payton Man of the Year award winner in 1994, and named to the NFL's all-decade team for the 1990s. He died in 2012.

JACK THOMPSON

Thompson, known as the "Throwin' Samoan" during his NCAA record-setting quarterbacking career at Washington State, went on to play six seasons in the NFL. He was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the first round of the 1979 NFL Draft, third overall, which was highest ever for a player of Polynesian descent.

HERMAN WEDEMEYER

Wedemeyer, the "Flyin' Hawaiian" and consensus All-American halfback at St. Mary's in the 1940s, was the first player of Polynesian descent to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Of Hawaiian ancestry, Wedemeyer played two seasons in the All-America Football Conference — a short-lived pro league that rivaled the NFL — but later gained fame as "Det. Duke Lukela" on the original "Hawaii Five-O" series. He died in 1999.

KEN NIUMATALOLO

Niumatalolo, a former UH quarterback, was the first person of Samoan ancestry to be named a collegiate head football coach when he was hired by Navy in 2007. He also was the first service academy coach to lead his team to the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy in his first two seasons, doing so with the Midshipmen in 2007 and 2008.

***

Pride and determination are often enough to get things done in a hurry. When that doesn’t work, a swift kick in the okole can prove beneficial.

That’s pretty much how the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame got started.

Lane Kiffin fired as USC coach

Lane Kiffin is out as USC football coach.

Perhaps nothing captures the frustration of USC football, from the coaching staff, players and fans than one play in the third quarter Saturday night against Arizona State.

Trailing by 20 and facing fourth-and-2 from USC's own 41-yard line, the call was to run a play out of the Wildcat formation. OK, not too crazy, because 2 yards could be easily picked up on the ground. Nope, it was a running back pass.

Tre Maddon's pass was intercepted, USC's chances of a comeback were kaput and Lane Kiffin's USC career was cut short after the game. The school announced Sunday morning that Kiffin had been terminated as coach of the Trojans.

The 62-41 loss to Arizona State was USC's seventh loss in 11 games. After the Trojans meekly lost 10-7 at home to Washington State earlier in the year, USC fans started a "Fire Kiffin" chant that echoed through Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum during the final minutes of the game.

[Dan Wetzel: USC couldn't wait until sunrise to fire coach Lane Kiffin]

Hawaii setting sights on Pac-12 (seriously?)

Saying Pac-12 membership is an achievable goal, University of Hawaii officials will ask 78 major stakeholders today to put their money behind the athletic department's ambitious dreams.

Athletic director Ben Jay told the Board of Regents Committee on Intercollegiate Athletics on Thursday that he will lay out his "Game Plan" to elevate the department's future at today's invitation-only downtown luncheon.

"The pitch we are going to make is, I feel, Manoa has now done its part taking a step forward (for athletics) and now we are asking the community and government," Manoa Chancellor Tom Apple told regents.

According to a fund-raising plan presented to the regents, UH seeks to raise $7.1 million in donations for the current fiscal year and $44.4 million over the next five years.

The department has averaged $6.2 million annually in donations over the past five years and wants to raise its annual budget from $32 million to $40 million within five years.

"We have pretty high hopes," Apple told the regents, saying, "I want to be playing Stanford, USC and Berkeley all the time so that we are thought of in the same vein."

Apple said, "I'd like to give (Jay) three years to build this public commitment and at the end of three years, if we can follow the plan that Ben has laid out, I'll also say this: particularly with the outreach we have been making to China and Asia that, I believe, if we get this kind of commitment, that we will be in a position, because of our academics, because of then our new stances in athletics, that we could be considered for admission to the Pac-12, the Pac-whatever, the Pac-16 at that point. That is certainly a goal. It is not going to be easy and not everyone agrees that we can do it, but I think it is where we need to go."

In materials presented to the board, Jay said, "This community is going to be called to action like never before. We will rely upon our community — all who call themselves avid supporters of Hawaii athletics — to decide with their financial resources the quality and level of competitive success they want from this athletic program."

[maybe they should try first for a winning football program]

the upset 30 years later

Chaminade’s Tony Randolph and Virginia’s Ralph Sampson sat court-side last month at Lahaina Civic Center, laughing and joking and having a great time watching Chaminade play the Giant Killer role again as the Division 2 Silverswords beat D-I powerhouse Texas in the Maui Invitational.

Randolph and Sampson are good friends these days, nearly 30 years since they battled head-to-head in the game often dubbed “The Biggest College Sports Upset of All Time.”

It was Dec. 23, 1982, when tiny Chaminade stunned No. 1-ranked and unbeaten Virginia at what was then called the HIC (now the Blaisdell) in Honolulu.

“What do I remember? I remember losing,” Sampson tells a national television interviewer, laughing. “They played well. You have to give them credit.”

“We had beaten crosstown rival Hawaii (a couple of games prior to the Virginia upset),” Randolph says. “That gave us confidence.”

Randolph, at 6-foot-7, and Sampson, at an imposing 7-foot-4, are both native Virginians and had played together many times in what Randolph called “street ball” back in their hometown. “I knew I could play him,” he says. “I just had to be quick and shoot from the outside. Sometimes you have those games when you feel like it’s going to be your night. The rim was like an ocean, and everything was falling in.”

Randolph scored 19 points on 9-of-12 shooting in Chaminade’s 77-72 victory for the ages. “The game has a life of its own,” he says now. “People still talk about it. They never forget.”

Over the years, Randolph says he has heard from people as far away as New Zealand, Germany, Japan and many small towns around the United States.

After playing some pro ball overseas and spending 21 years working with troubled youths in the Hawaii Family Court system in Honolulu, Randolph has a new home at Saint Francis School in Manoa. He’s in his second year as the dean of discipline there, and also assistant boys varsity basketball coach.

“The kids here are wonderful. It’s such a good place,” he says. “The job enables me to work with kids, which I love. There are some good athletes here, and we were successful last year (winning the ILH D-2 championship). This year, we’ve already beaten some D-I teams, so we’re excited.”

Time rarely goes by when someone doesn’t again bring up Ralph Sampson or The Upset.

“They come up and say ‘How did you guys do it?’” he says. “It’s so important to so many people. There’s a movie in the process about the game – it’s affected so many lives.”

The Upset is a part of Tony Randolph, and so are the Islands.

“I came to Hawaii, fell in love with it, met my wife here and we’ve lived here the rest of our lives. I feel truly blessed and humbled to have been a part of it.”

Yes, 30 years later – and forever – Chaminade has still beaten Virginia. The Giant Killers live on.

Ken Norton

Ken Norton, who had three memorable fights with Muhammad Ali, breaking Ali’s jaw in winning their first bout, then losing twice, and who went on to become the World Boxing Council heavyweight champion, died Wednesday in the Las Vegas suburb of Henderson, Nev. He was 70.

His death was confirmed by his son Ken Jr., an assistant coach with the Seattle Seahawks of the N.F.L. and a pro linebacker for 13 seasons, The Associated Press said. Norton had been in poor health for several years after sustaining a series of strokes, The A.P. reported.

Norton defeated Ali on a 12-round split decision in 1973 to capture the North American Boxing Federation heavyweight title. Norton was an exceptionally muscular 6 feet 2 inches and 220 pounds, but he was a decided underdog in the first Ali fight.

“Ali thought it would be an easy fight,” Norton’s former manager, Gene Kilroy, was quoted by The A.P. as saying. “But Norton was unorthodox. Instead of jabbing from above like most fighters, he would put his hand down and jab up at Ali.”

Kilroy said that after the fight, Norton visited Ali at the hospital where he was getting his broken jaw wired, and Ali told him he never wanted to fight him again.

But the second bout in their trilogy came six months later, when Ali rallied to win a narrow split decision. In their final bout, Ali retained his World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association titles when he defeated Norton on a decision that was unanimous but booed by many in the crowd of more than 30,000 at Yankee Stadium in September 1976.

Kenneth Howard Norton was born Aug. 9, 1943, in Jacksonville, Ill., and starred in high school football, basketball and track. He attended Northeast Missouri State University (now Truman State University) on a football scholarship but was hampered by a shoulder injury in his first two seasons and enlisted in the Marine Corps. Norton started boxing while he was in the Marines, compiling an amateur record of 24-2 and winning the All-Marine Heavyweight Championship three times.

He turned pro in 1967 and won 16 straight bouts before being knocked out by Jose Luis Garcia. Soon afterward, he read Napoleon Hill’s motivational book “Think and Grow Rich.”

“I must have read that book 100 times while in training, and I became a stronger person for it,” the Web site BoxRec.com quoted him as saying. He said he believed in the book’s philosophy that a person could do the unexpected if he put his mind to it.

“So I train for my fights mentally as well as physically,” he said. “One thing I do is only watch films of the fights in which I’ve done well or in which my opponent has done poorly.”        

Norton fought the undefeated George Foreman for the W.B.C. and W.B.A. heavyweight championships in 1974 and was knocked out in the second round. He stopped Jerry Quarry in five rounds in 1975 to regain the N.A.B.F. crown. In his next fight, Norton avenged his 1970 loss to Garcia with a fifth-round knockout.   

In 1977, Norton knocked out the previously unbeaten Duane Bobick in the first round and defeated Jimmy Young in a 15-round split decision in a W.B.C. title elimination series. He became the mandatory challenger for the winner of the coming fight between Ali and Leon Spinks. Spinks defeated Ali for the championship but shunned Norton for his first defense in favor of a rematch with Ali. The W.B.C. stripped Spinks of the title and awarded it to Norton.

Norton made his first defense of the W.B.C. title in 1978 against Larry Holmes and lost by a 15-round split decision in one of boxing’s most exciting fights.

After retiring for a time, Norton returned in 1980 and defeated the previously unbeaten Tex Cobb on a decision. The next year, Gerry Cooney, ranked No. 1 by the W.B.A. and the W.B.C., knocked Norton out in the first round in what became his final fight.

Norton won 42 fights (33 by knockout), lost seven times and fought one draw.

Tim Tebow, wanted

Earlier this week, the owner of the Russian football team, the Moscow Black Storm, offered Tim Tebow $1 million to appear in two games later this month.

“I talked with him personally and he wanted to go,” owner Mikhail Zaltsman told Russia Beyond The Headlines. “[His agents are] thinking of using him as a motivational speaker. They don't want him to play football.”

And that, we figured, was that.

Nope, at least not according to ITAR-TASS. Here's the headline from a story dated Sept. 18, 2013, 7:49 pm local time: "Tim Tebow may sign contract with Russian football team."

Here we go.

According to the English translation of the story, Dmitry Popkov, the president of the Black Storm, told ITAR-TASS that the team is "not 100 percent sure whether Tim [will] visit Russia. Negotiations are still underway. First we offered him a certain amount, then this amount increased. It will be clear after September 20 whether Tebow will come here. Our owner is in talks with managers and agents of this player. The funds have already been transferred -- the ball is in Tim Tebow's court now."

We have no idea what to make of this, but the Black Storm sound serious about acquiring Tebow and winning the American Football Championship of Russia, which takes place on Sept. 28.

There's no way this happens, right? Tebow has reportedly turned down offers from other professional leagues much closer to home and it's not like he'll have trouble finding work in a life outside football.

Except ... if you're into conspiracy theories (or just want something to distract you from your mind-numbing job, if only for a few minutes), there's this headline from an ITAR-TASS story dated Sept. 18, 2013, 2:36 pm local time -- some five hours before the story we linked to above: "Tim Tebow signs contract with Russian football team."

Oddly, the news was buried in the fourth paragraph: "The contract has been signed for just two games. The offered sum is pretty impressive," Popkov said before adding that the current Black Storm players are “pleasantly shocked. Even our adversaries are thrilled about Tebow visiting Russia. Everyone expects these two games to be very festive.”

Popkov had us going right up till the moment he referred to Tebow as the Michael Jordan of American Football. We can only assume something was lost in translation.

[well maybe Michael Jordan, the baseball player..]

***

OK, maybe not Jordan, but Johnny Unitas..

***

So what gives? It's not as if Tebow is hurting for cash; being selected in the first round in 2010 allowed him to sign a deal worth over $11 million, including $8.7 million guaranteed.

What Tebow and his camp need to understand is an NFL future may still be in the cards. Obviously, this isn't happening right away, but crazier things happen in the NFL. Tebow went unclaimed on waivers after being released, but injuries occur and Tebow could end up in the league again as a backup at the very least.

***

Tebow to Jacksonville?  Why the heck not?

***

Well, if not Russia or Jacksonville, how about the LA Kiss?

Judy Mosley

Judy Mosley-McAfee, the most decorated player to wear a University of Hawaii women's basketball uniform, died Monday after a three-year battle with cancer. She was 45.

Mosley-McAfee (just Mosley in her UH career from 1986-90), was a two-time District VII All-American and UH Circle of Honor inductee who led the Rainbow Wahine in career scoring (2,479 points), scoring average (21.7 ppg) and rebounding (1,441) among her dozen program records. She is the only player in UH hoops history -- men's or women's -- to eclipse 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds, and only player ever to lead the team in scoring and rebounding four straight years.

Mosley-McAfee, a 6-1 forward who hailed from La Puente (Calif.) High School, still owns the UH record for points in a game with 46 at Pacific on Feb. 20, 1989.

She was part of UH NCAA tournament teams under Vince Goo in 1989 (20-10) and 1990 (26-4) out of the Big West Conference.

"This is a sad day for the University of Hawaii ohana," the former coach Goo said in a UH release. "Judy Mosley was the most dominating basketball player -- male or female -- that ever played for UH. No one has come close to equaling her record in scoring and rebounding. She was a great student who graduated in four years and was someone who was very proud to be a Rainbow Wahine. Judy was an All-American in every sense of the word and we have lost one of the school's all-time greats."

Current UH head coach Laura Beeman said her team would play in memory of Mosley in the upcoming season.

"To have somebody who set such a wonderful example for all student-athletes taken from us much too early adds to the gravity of the loss," Beeman said.

Mosley-McAfee earned UH's Jack Bonham award for the school's most prestigious women's athlete in 1990, the same year she was Big West Co-MVP, carried the team to its first NCAA women's tournament victory at Montana, and won gold at the World University Games.

As a junior, she averaged a still-school record of 26.7 points per game.

She played in European leagues for seven years after her UH career, when was taken sixth by the Sacramento Monarchs in the WNBA's 1997 "Elite" draft. Mosley played 12 WNBA games that year and would play internationally for two more years through 1999. To date she is one of two UH alumnae to play in the WNBA.

Mosley-McAfee is survived by her husband Marvin McAfee and her four children. Services are pending.

Jim Hackleman

When the Honolulu Star-Bulletin went shopping for a new sports editor in the mid-1960s, columnist Jim Becker telephoned an acquaintance at the Associated Press sports desk in New York for recommendation of a suitable candidate.

"Do you know a bright youngster who might want to come out here and be sports editor?" Becker asked Jim Hackleman.

The 40-year-old Hackleman barked, " ‘bright youngster, hell, I'll take it!'" Becker recalled.

He got the job, and for more than 20 years, Hackleman was a brash, eclectic and colorful figure on the Hawaii sports scene.

Hackleman died last Tuesday in Grover Beach, Calif., at 86, according to family.

He served as sports editor of the Bulletin, where he also wrote a popular column, "Hack Stand," and later worked in radio, television and public relations in Honolulu.

Hackleman did sports on radio with Hal "Aku" Lewis, was a weekend sports anchor on KHON and co-hosted "Sports Page" on KHET with Don Robbs. He provided color of UH baseball radio broadcasts from 1977 to 1981, often doing the Sunday Crossword Puzzle during play, and worked for the Hawaii Islanders and Communications Pacific.

He had a raspy voice hardly made for broadcasting but was respected for his knowledge, attention to detail and calling it as he saw it.

"Never," recalls Robbs, "did you have to wonder about how Hack felt about something. He always told you."

Son John recalls, "He could be gruff and grumpy, which is why they called him, ‘Sunny Jim' sometimes, but he was a great father and grandfather."

Hackleman attended West Point, where he boxed; served in the Army and graduated from Columbia University.

Once, while working on a report about skydiving for "Sports Page" Hackleman decided on the spur of the moment to jump, too. "He was already long in the tooth, in his 60s, hadn't done it since his Army days but still went up and did it," Robbs said.

John, who runs an MMA training center known as "The Pit" in Arroyo Grande, Calif., said, "until the last couple of years, he was working out right alongside some of my fighters. Chuck Liddell, the other guys, they loved him."

He is survived by John; a daughter, Susan; and five grandchildren.

Mayweather defeats Alvarez

LAS VEGAS >> Canelo Alvarez proved nothing more than easy money for Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Mayweather turned one of the richest fights ever into just another $41.5 million payday Saturday, dominating Alvarez from the opening bell and winning a majority decision in a masterful performance that left no doubt who is the best fighter of his era.

Fighting off his shortest layoff in years, Mayweather was sharp, efficient and sometimes brutal in dismantling an unbeaten fighter who was bigger and was supposed to punch harder. He frustrated Alvarez early, pounded him with big right hands in the middle rounds, and made him look just like he said he would -- like any other opponent.

Mayweather was favored 117-111 and 116-112 on two ringside scorecards while a third inexplicably had the fight 114-114. The Associated Press scored it 119-109 for Mayweather.

Mayweather remained unbeaten in 45 fights and added another piece of the junior middleweight title to his collection in a fight that was fought at a 152-pound limit. Alvarez weighed in at that weight, but was an unofficial 165 pounds when he got into the ring while Mayweather, who weighed in at 1501/2 pounds, was an even 150.

The extra weight did Alvarez no good and the punching power that brought him 30 knockouts in 43 fights wasn't a help either. The Mexican star was seldom able to land a solid punch, with most of his punches either missing or glancing off Mayweather.

"No doubt he's a great fighter, a very intelligent fighter," said Alvarez, who fell to 42-1-1. "There was no solution for him."

Mayweather said he actually had to put on weight during the day to even get close to what he weighed the day before.

"When I woke up this morning, I was 146 pounds, so I had to call my chef and get something in my system," he said.

Mayweather's speed was the difference all night as he was able to land straight rights and left jabs, then get out of the way before Alvarez was able to respond. But while Mayweather used great defense, he wasn't afraid to attack often and at different angles, finding Alvarez with punches he couldn't anticipate.

top 10 pro wrestler quotes

Here's some from the list.

Hey yo.

Oh, yeah!

Can you smell...

And that's the bottom line...

To be the man..

drafting positions for fantasy football

Over on CBS Sports (watched on Roku), I notice the fantasy football drafts are top heavy in running backs.

That's largely due to how they have the starters setup: QB, RB, RB, WR, WR, TE, Flex (which could be a RB, WR, TE), DEF, K.

To me that's totally unrealistic (not that fantasy football is realistic...).  Most people would use the Flex for a RB which would mean they would have three RBs in the starting lineup.  When's the last time you saw an NFL team with three RBs in the starting lineup?  This ain't the Oklahoma wishbone folks.

The most common setup I see in the NFL would have QB, RB, WR, WR, TE, Flex where flex is either a WR or a blocking back.  But the blocking back rarely touches the ball, so the most common lineup would be QB, RB, WR, WR, WR, TE.

In my league, I used to have QB, RB, WR, WR, flex (RB or WR), TE.  Which still skewed it in favor of the RB.  The last season I went to QB, RB, WR, WR, WR, TE, flex (RB or WR).  Which kind of evened it out more since most teams would have 2 RB and 3 WR.  (This season I changed one of the WR spots to a second flex which could be WR or TE.)

Anyway, with so many running backs in "standard" leagues, drafts go nuts in running backs.  One guy had like 8 running backs on his roster.  Which I find kind of dumb, not because it's a dumb strategy for their league, but it's so unrealistic.  When's the last time an NFL team had so many RBs on their roster?

[Yeah I know fantasy football is not real, but...]  Defense also has totally unrealistic importance for fantasy football.  Even more so than RB.

Anyway, with my scoring system and position setup, I wonder which are actually the most important and least important positions.

My thinking would be to look at the fantasy points scored last season and compare the top starter to the bottom starter at each position.  And the position with the most difference between the top and bottom would be the starter.  We have a ten team league, so let's compare the top QB with the 10th rated QB.  For RBs, it would be the top RB and the 20th rated RB.  For WR, it would be the 30th rated WR.  For TE, K, DEF: 10.

QB:  Drew Brees (343), Andrew Luck (219), difference 124
RB: Adrian Peterson (295), Benjarvus Green-Ellis (138), difference 157
WR: Calvin Johnson (211), Brandon Lloyd (114), difference 97
TE: Jimmy Graham (144), Brandon Myers (97), difference 47
DEF: Seattle (316), San Diego (217), difference 99
K: Stephen Gostkowski (153), Dan Bailey 124, difference 29

So indeed in my league, RB is still the most "important" position, followed by QB, DEF, WR, TE, K.  (I weigh the defense in my league more heavily than in standard scoring leagues, so it's actually one of the more important "positions" in my league.)

How about the best player in the league?  Here I compare the top player in the league with the second best player in the league.  This would show how much better the top player is compared to the next best.

QB: Tom Brady 330, difference 13
RB: Doug Martin 247, difference 48
WR: Brandon Marshall 210, difference 1
TE: Rob Gronkowski 138, difference 6
DEF: Chicago 291, difference 25
K: Lawrence Tynes 145, difference 8

So again RB was at the top, followed by DEF, QB, K, TE, WR

Then again, what do I know?  I finished 8th in the league last season. And that's my own league with my own rules! 8)

Tommy Morrison

Former WBO heavyweight champion Tommy Morrison died in an Omaha, Neb., hospital late Sunday night. He was 44.

Morrison's longtime promoter, Tony Holden, said Morrison died at 11:50 p.m. with his wife, Trisha, beside him.

Morrison tested positive for HIV in 1996 before a fight with Arthur Weathers, effectively ending his boxing career. In the years that followed, he denied having HIV and also challenged the existence of the virus.

Trisha Morrison, who married Morrison in 2011, picked up that fight, and in a recent interview with ESPN.com insisted that Morrison had Guillain-Barre Syndrome, not HIV.

In 1993, Morrison beat George Foreman to win the World Boxing Organization heavyweight title. He lost to Lennox Lewis in 1995.

He also gained fame for his role in the 1990 movie "Rocky V," in which he portrayed "Tommy Gunn," a rookie boxer who is trained by Rocky Balboa, portrayed by star Sylvester Stallone. Morrison, as Gunn, goes on to win the heavyweight title in the movie and then later fights and loses to his mentor.

Morrison was born in Arkansas and grew up in Oklahoma.

notable NFL cuts

Here's 10.

Vince Young
Tim Tebow
Matt Leinart
J'Marcus Webb
Dennis Dixon
Brian Banks
Max Starks
Jermaine Cunningham
Michael Robinson
Jimmy Clauson

and a few more

why keep cable TV?

Two words: college football.

It's opening weekend.  Just looking at today's lineup...

FS1 - William & Mary at West Virginia
ESPNU - Purdue at Cincinnati
ESPN2 - Buffalo at Ohio State
ESPNN - Villanova at Boston College
BIGTEN - Massachusetts at Wisconsin
KFVE - Toledo at Florida
FSPT - Florida International at Maryland
ESPN - Rice at Texas A&M (the one I'm tuned to)

ESPN2 - Syracuse vs. Penn State
KHNL - Temple at Notre Dame
ESPNU - Brigham Young at Virginia
KITV - Mississippi State at Oklahoma State
BIGTEN - Central Michigan at Michigan
FS1 - Nicholls State at Oregon
FSPT - La-Lafayette at Arkansas
ESPN - Alabama vs. Virginia Tech
PAC12 - Eestern Washington at Oregon State

ESPNU - Washington State at Auburn
ESPNN - Kentucky at Western Kentucky
FCSA - Old Dominion at East Carolina
CBSSN - Miami (Ohio) at Marshall
FCSC - Wofford at Baylor
KITV - Georgia at Clemson
BIGTEN - Wyoming at Nebraska
ESPN - LSU vs. TCU
FS1 - Boise State at Washington
PAC12 - Nevada at UCLA
ESPN2 - Northwestern at California

(whew)

NFL settles concussion suit for $765 million

The National Football League has agreed to pay $765 million to settle a lawsuit brought by more than 4,500 players and their families, largely closing the legal front in the league’s battle against accusations that it concealed what it knew about the dangers of repeated hits to the head.

The settlement, announced Thursday, will be seen as a victory for the league, which has nearly $10 billion in annual revenue and faced the possibility of billions of dollars in liability payments and a discovery phase that could have proved damaging if the case had moved forward.

The league has changed its rules to make the game safer and modified its medical protocols for concussions as mounting scientific evidence in recent years linked head trauma sustained on the field to long-term cognitive damage. Among the terms of the agreement is that the settlement is not to be regarded as an admission of guilt by the league.

“The settlement seems low considering the number of claimants and the severity of their conditions, but it also shows the uphill climb in proving the league was responsible for the players’ injuries,” said Michael LeRoy, who teaches labor law at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. “The league is keenly sensitive to its public image. It changes the conversation and really lets the air out of the publicity balloon.”

The case was widely considered a possible reckoning for the N.F.L., which has been criticized in recent years after dozens of former players were found to have chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or C.T.E., a degenerative brain disease similar to Alzheimer’s disease. It is believed to be caused only by repeated head trauma. While the settlement closes a legal case for the league, brain trauma among current and former players may continue to vex a sport that embraces violent collisions.

The money would be used for medical exams, concussion-related compensation and a program of medical research for retired players and their families. The money, which may not be distributed for many months, will be available to all retired players with neurological problems, not just the plaintiffs. The N.F.L. also agreed to pay legal fees for the plaintiffs’ lawyers, a sum that could reach tens of millions of dollars.

The pool of beneficiaries could be smaller or larger than the number of plaintiffs in the case, depending on how many retired players with neurological problems come forward. The settlement does not cover current players.

“Rather than litigate literally thousands of complex individual claims over many years, the parties have reached an agreement that, if approved, will provide relief and support where it is needed at a time when it is most needed,” Layn Phillips, the mediator, said in a statement.

C.T.E. was found in the brain of the former Eagles defensive back Andre Waters after his suicide in 2006. Since then, the disease has been found in nearly every former player whose brain was examined. (C.T.E. can be diagnosed only posthumously.) Most notably, the former N.F.L. linebacker Junior Seau was found to have the disease after he committed suicide last year, and in 2011, Dave Duerson, a former Chicago Bears player, shot himself in the chest, saying in a note that he wanted his brain donated for research. Doctors determined that Duerson had C.T.E.

Street Ball Legends

While some guys get paid millions to ball, legions of unknown street ballers dedicate their free time, sometimes their lives, to the outdoor courts scattered across the globe. For most, pickup basketball is just fun and games, but for some, it’s more than that. For a handful of street ballers, it’s how they’ll be remembered forever. These are the 5 greatest streetball legends of all time.

***

Another 5.

Here's 25.

Elite 24

'Doing It in the Park

Top NBA draft busts

They may be widely known for being “busts,” yet life still goes on for many high NBA draft picks who didn’t realize their potential. In advance of the 2013 NBA Draft on Thursday, we update the current whereabouts of 25 of the most infamous busts in history.

bounce alley-oop(s)

starring Jason Williams, John Wall, Isiah Thomas (and Blake Griffin and Dominique Wilkins, and some other guy).

Kobe and Michael comparison

We’ve shown you something similar before, but here is Part Deux of the Kobe Bryant/Michael Jordan game comparison videos.

What Jordan and Kobe do that is similar — especially in the second half of their careers — is use great footwork to get to their spots on the floor. And for both of them that is the elbow area, as you can see from the video (the both also have strong post games). When they get to their spots they can hit just about any kind of shot, even contested fadeaways. The best way to stop them is to not let them get there, but they are both so good on and off the ball that’s easier said than done.

A-Rod suspended through 2014 (but plays anyway)

NEW YORK (AP) -- Defiant till the end, Alex Rodriguez is intent on evading baseball's most sweeping punishment since the Black Sox scandal.

Rodriguez was suspended through 2014 and All-Stars Nelson Cruz, Jhonny Peralta and Everth Cabrera were banned 50 games apiece Monday when Major League Baseball disciplined 13 players for their relationship to Biogenesis of America, a Florida anti-aging clinic accused of distributing banned performance-enhancing drugs.

The harshest penalty was reserved for Rodriguez, the New York Yankees slugger, a three-time Most Valuable Player and baseball's highest-paid star. He said he will appeal his suspension, which covers 211 games, by Thursday's deadline. And since arbitrator Fredric Horowitz isn't expected to rule until November or December at the earliest, Rodriguez was free to make his season debut Monday night and play the rest of this year.

Sidelined since hip surgery in January, Rodriguez rejoined the Yankees five hours after the suspension in a series opener at the Chicago White Sox, scheduled to play third base and bat fourth.

''The last seven months has been a nightmare, has been probably the worst time of my life for sure,'' Rodriguez said.

The other 12 players agreed to their 50-game penalties before they were announced, giving them a chance to return for the playoffs.

Ryan Braun's 65-game suspension last month and previous penalties bring to 18 the total number of players sanctioned for their connection with Biogenesis.

aikido anniversary

This year marks Seichi Tabata's 60th anniversary of teaching shin shin toitsu aikido in Hawaii. Tabata, 87, is the last original student of ki aikido founder Koichi Tohei to still actively teach the Japanese martial art here.

This year is also the 60th anniversary of Tohei's introduction of ki aikido to Hawaii and the U.S. mainland in 1953.

"Shin shin" in Japanese refers to the duality of the mind and body. "Toitsu" means "to bind or unify." So "shin shin toitsu aikido" could be translated as "aikido to realize the original oneness of body and mind."

Tohei's teachings also stress being at peace with the "ki" (similar to the Chinese "chi") — or flow — of the universe, so they are also often referred to as "ki aikido."

"Ki is very difficult to master," explained Tabata, a former Wai­alae Iki resident who now lives in a Hawaii Kai retirement community. "There's nothing visible to attach to; it's all emotional. But it's very important for everyday living. When I was doing sales for the Household DeVille discount retail chain on Keeaumoku Street in the '70s, they would send me for aikido training in Japan two or three times a year because they could see how aikido would help in selling and how it was a ‘plus.' It involves a lot of positive thinking, a lot of creativity, and it benefits others as well as yourself. And it's nonaggressive.

"Using aikido principles, I can compete with anyone in sales, and, in fact, I was a top salesman wherever I went."

After spending about 20 years with Household De­Ville, where he rose to become company president, Tabata sold life insurance for 15 years. He retired in 2006.

Born in Lahaina, Tabata was sickly as a child, so his father enrolled him in judo classes when he was 5 years old to strengthen him. Tabata pursued judo until he was 18, when he joined the Army during World War II, becoming a motor pool staff sergeant. Three years later, Tabata returned home to Maui from Japan with a new bride, Emiko, who would be his loyal and hardworking wife for 64 years. (She died four years ago. Tabata now has four children, eight grandchildren and two great-grandsons.)

To help out his parents and their family of six boys and three girls, Tabata continued to work at the family grocery store on Lahainaluna Road after the war and started to teach judo classes on the side.

When Tohei was invited to Maui to teach his method of ki aikido in 1953, Tabata started gradually to adopt the ki principles and then to teach them to his own students in lieu of judo.

Tabata moved to Oahu a few years later to open his own dojo in Honolulu.

"For all my classes since the very beginning, I've never charged for my time," he said. "All my instructors have never gotten paid either. If the students pay any dues, all the money goes back to the dojo to pay for the dojo's expenses.

"I could make a lot of money at what I teach, but I want to return it to the community, to help people out."

Internationally, the ki aikido movement has blossomed to numerous schools in 24 countries, including the U.S., Japan, Brazil, Singapore, Great Britain, Russia and Australia.

The founder's son and president of the Ki Society headquarters in Japan, Shinichi Tohei, will be a special guest at the Honolulu Ki Society's celebration of the 60th anniversary of ki aikido in Hawaii this weekend. There will also be workshops that the public may observe to celebrate Tabata's 60 years of teaching thousands of students in ki aikido in the islands.

"I still teach at the dojo every Saturday, though of course I don't move as well as I used to," he said. "And I've had so many students, I can't remember them all. Recently, a man in his 60s came up to me and introduced himself. … he told me I had taught him judo in Lahaina when he was 12 years old!"

Yao

makes Ralph Sampson look small

I remember Sampson being taller than Kareem, but these recent pictures show them almost the same height.  Maybe he shrunk? (like Hulk Hogan)

[10/11/14] Yao and Shaq.  Looks like Yao grew like 5 inches.  Shaq head comes only up to his chin now whereas he used to only a few inches shorter.

the legend of Llewellyn Smalley

The legend of Llewellyn Smalley grows by the year and the telling. There were the mano-a-mano duels with Anthony Carter. The time he dropped 58 — no, was it 60? How about when Smalley, still in the Army, walked into the gym in his early 20s with little basketball know-how and filled it up, anyway?

The question invariably arises with repeated viewings of College Summer League games: Did you see Llwellyn Smalley play? It's usually said in hushed tones and hinted at as something of a religious experience.

The 6-foot-2 guard's official accomplishments are impressive, true; he set all manner of career records at Hawaii Pacific University en route to NAIA All-America status and a successful European pro career. But here, he's generally celebrated for another set of accolades.

Namely, getting buckets, and getting fans on their feet in a small Manoa gym. People haven't forgotten his inspired, freewheeling play every summer from the mid-'90s through the 2000s.

Ryan Braun suspended for rest of season

Major League Baseball has suspended Milwaukee Brewers slugger Ryan Braun without pay for the remainder of the 2013 season.

Braun will not contest the suspension, which was meted out for "violations of the Basic Agreement and its Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program," according to a statement released by MLB.

"As I have acknowledged in the past, I am not perfect," Braun said in the statement. "I realize now that I have made some mistakes. I am willing to accept the consequences of those actions. This situation has taken a toll on me and my entire family, and it ... has been a distraction to my teammates and the Brewers organization.

According to an Associated Press source, 50 games of the penalty were connected to Biogenesis. The additional 15 games stemmed from Braun's actions during the grievance that overturned his positive test from October 2011. The suspension will count as a first violation of the drug program, the source told the AP.

This is not the first time Braun has run afoul of the league's drug-testing policy -- the 29-year-old outfielder tested positive for elevated testosterone levels in 2012. However, he successfully appealed his 50-game suspension.

The penalty was overturned by baseball arbitrator Shyam Das after Braun argued that the collector of his urine samples in the fall of 2011, Dino Laurenzi Jr., did not follow protocol. The case marked the first time a baseball player has successfully challenged a drug-related penalty in a grievance.

Puig finishes second

If Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig was dejected after missing out on the last All-Star spot Thursday, he sure didn't show it. Especially when Manager Don Mattingly told him he was starting in center field, spurring a happy-go-lucky dance in the clubhouse to blaring reggaeton music.

"Did you see him in there? He would have loved to be at the All-Star game and show off," Mattingly said. "But it's not going to take away from his joy for the game."

Atlanta Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman set a MLB Final Vote record with 19.7 million votes to edge out the Cuban phenom. Toronto Blue Jays reliever Steve Delabar won the AL Final Vote with 9.6 million votes.

Puig's exact vote count was not released, but the 22-year-old passed the previous mark of 15.6 million votes set by Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Shane Victorino in 2009.

"It's not what I had hoped for the fans and the city, but I'm very happy," Puig said. "I don't have my head down at all. Hopefully good things will come out of this."

Heading into the game against the Colorado Rockies, Puig was hitting .394 with eight home runs and 19 runs batted in in 35 games. He has galvanized the Dodgers' latest turnaround, in which they have gone from last place in the National League West when he debuted June 3 to second place, 11/2 games behind the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The result Thursday does not entirely rule out Puig's All-Star chances. Four of the five NL Final Vote candidates last year made the All-Star roster as injury replacements and last-minute substitutes.

*** [7/14/13]

Freeman injured, so Puig gets to play after all.  Right?  Nope, wrong.  Brian McCann gets the call.  It's the old guard conspiracy.  Or maybe it was just Bruce Bochy.

Joey Chestnut sets the world record

The 2013 Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest re-crowned two reigning champions — Joey Chestnut and Sonya Thomas.

Chestnut earned his seventh straight title in the men’s race, scarfing down 69 hot dogs and setting a new world record. He ate 18 more hot dogs than his nearest competitor.

Chestnut, who hails from San Jose, Calif., and earned the nickname “Jaws,” took home $10,000 and a bejeweled mustard-yellow champion’s belt.

Matt Stonie, 21, came in second, devouring 51 hot dogs.

Chestnut’s eating rival, Takeru Kobayashi, did not compete in the 97th  annual competitive hot dog eating event at Coney Island this year. But Chestnut bested Kobayashi’s record of six titles in a row with this year’s win.

5 Things You Didn’t Know About Competitive Eating

In the women’s race, Sonya Thomas, of Alexandria, Va., picked up her third consecutive title. The “Black Widow” as she is known ate 36 and three-quarters hot dogs and buns to win the women’s competition.

Juliet Lee was the front runner for much of the race, but Thomas caught up with less than two minutes to go.

When the buzzer sounded, Lee trailed Thomas by just a fraction of a dog.

Murray defeats Djokovic at Wimbledon

LONDON >> From the lawns of Wimbledon to the lochs of Scotland, all of Britain can celebrate.

Andy Murray made it possible Sunday, winning his country's hallowed tennis tournament to become the first British man in 77 years to raise the trophy at the All England Club.

Yes, this was history, and Murray's 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 victory over top-seeded Novak Djokovic was a fitting close to nearly eight decades of British frustration in its own backyard: A straight-setter, yes, but a hard-fought, 3 hour, 9 minute affair filled with long, punishing rallies and a final game that may have felt like another 77 years, with Murray squandering three match points before finally putting it away after four deuces.

On a cloudless, 80-degree day on Centre Court, Murray put his name beside that of Fred Perry, the last British man to win Wimbledon, back in 1936.

That sentence doesn't have to be written again.

The second-seeded Murray beat the best in Djokovic, a six-time Grand Slam winner known for both a mental and physical fitness built to handle what he faced Sunday: A crowd full of 15,000 partisans rooting against him, to say nothing of Murray himself, who, since falling to Roger Federer in the final last year, had shed some baggage by winning the Olympic gold medal on Centre Court, then following that with his first Grand Slam title at the U.S. Open.

Anderson Silva caught by Weidman

LAS VEGAS >> Chris Weidman sent a shock wave through mixed martial arts, stopping Anderson Silva in the second round of the main event at UFC 162 to become the new middleweight champion on Saturday night.

Silva talked, taunted and dared Weidman to engage him. When the champion lowered his hands early in the second round, Weidman caught him with a short left that sent the MMA star to the mat. Weidman pounced and landed a few more shots that forced referee Herb Dean to stop the fight at 1:18.

"I felt destined for this," Weidman said. "It was far-fetched, but I imagined it so many times before in my head."

The win put an end to Silva's nearly seven-year reign atop the UFC middleweight division and his 17-fight win streak.

"I worked for this fight, Chris Weidman is the best now. He is the champion," Silva said. "I've had the belt for a long time. I'm tired."

The former champion fell to 33-5 with the loss.

"(Silva) was an idol of mine. I didn't want to mention it in the camp," said Weidman (10-0), who earned knockout of the night award. "I looked up to him for many years."

NBA transactions 2013-2014

2013-2014 trade recap

3/2/14 - Jimmer Fredette signs with Bulls

2/20/14 - Aaron Brooks traded from Houston to Denver for Jordan Hamilton

2/20/14 - Evan Turner and Lavoy Allen traded from Philadelphia to Indiana for Danny Granger and a second-round pick

2/20/14 - Luke Ridnour and Gary Neal traded from Milwaukee to Charlotte for Ramon Sessions and Jeff Adrien

2/20/14 - Washington acquires Andre Miller from Denver, sends Jan Veseley to Denver, sends Eric Maynor to Philadelphia.  Philadelphia receives 2015 second round pick from Washington and 2016 second round from Denver.  Washington receives 2014 second round pick from Philadelphia.

2/20/14 - Spencer Hawes traded from Philadelphia to Cleveland for Earl Clark, Henry Sims, and two second round picks.

2/19/14 - Nets send Jason Terry and Reggie Evans to Kings for Marcus Thornton

2/19/14 - Steve Blake traded from Lakers to Warriors for MarShon Brooks and Kent Bazemore

2/1/14 - Pacers sign Andrew Bynum

1/7/14 - Chicago trades Luol Deng to Cleveland for Andrew Bynum, a first round pick, two second round picks, and the right to swap 2015 first round picks (lottery protected).  Chicago expected to drop Bynum.

12/9/13 - Toronto trades Rudy Gay, Aaron Gray, Quincy Acy to Sacramento for John Salmons, Greivis Vasquez, Patrick Patterson, Chuck Hayes.

10/25/13 - Suns trade Marcin Gortat, Shannon Brown, Malcolm Lee, Kendall Marshall to Wizards for Emeka Okafor and a protected first round draft pick

9/25/13 - Paul George signs five-year extension

9/11/13 - Michael Beasley headed back to Miami

8/30/13 - Caron Butler traded from Phoenix to Milwaukee for Ish Smith and Viacheslav Kravstov

8/26/13 - Clippers sign Antawn Jamison after passing on Lamar Odom

8/26/13 - Tracy McGrady announces retirement

8/21/13 - Allen Iverson reportedly to announce retirement

8/16/13 - Nikola Pekovic re-signs with Minnesota for five years, $60 million

8/15/13 - Al Harrington signing with Washington

8/8/13 - Knicks sign Beno Udrih

8/7/13 - Mo Williams signs with Portland for two years, $5.6 million

8/3/13 - Greg Oden will take his talents to South Beach

7/30/13 - Pistons acquire Brandon Jennings from Milwaukee for Brandon Knight, Khris Middleton,
Viacheslav Kravtsov.

7/28/13 - Marcus Camby to sign with Rockets

7/27/13 - Indiana acquires Luis Scola from Phoenix for Gerald Green, Miles Plumlee, and a lottery-protected first round pick

7/27/13 - Charlotte resigns Gerald Henderson for 3 years, $18 million

7/24/13 - Mike Miller to return to the Grizzlies

7/23/13 - Golden State signs Jermaine O'Neal for one year, $2 million

7/22/13 - Nuggets to sign Nate Robinson

7/22/13 - Clippers sign Byron Mullens

7/18/13 - Magic reaches deal with Samuel Dalembert

7/18/13 - Orlando signs Jason Maxiel

7/18/13 - Ronny Turiaf signs with Minnesota for two years, $3.2 million (wow, he got above minimum?)

7/18/13 - Warriors sign Toney Douglas

7/17/13 - D.J. Augustin signs with Toronto

7/17/13 - Jordan Farmar returns to the Lakers (from Turkey) / took a pay cut

7/16/13 - Miami amnesties Mike Miller ($6.2 million + $6.6 million)

7/16/13 - Milwaukee amnesties Drew Gooden (two years, $13.4 million)

7/16/13 - Elton Brand signs with the Hawks

7/16/13 - World Peace coming to New York

7/14/13 - Lakers sign Wesley Johnson

7/13/13 - Dwight Howard feels the love in Houston

7/13/13 - Atlanta matches Milwaukee's offer sheet for Jeff Teague

7/12/13 - Monta Ellis signs with Dallas for three years, $28 million (so it's kind of a Mayo for Ellis trade)

7/12/13 - Dallas was an hour away from getting Iguodala

7/11/13 - Nets  sign Andrei Kirilenko

7/11/13 - Lakers sign Nick Young (fun), say good bye to World Peace (reaction, D'Antoni)

7/11/13 - Chauncey Billups returns to Detroit for two years, $5 million

7/10/13 - Minnesota sends Luke Ridnour to Milwaukee for trade exception (to make room for Corey Brewer).

7/10/13 - Andrew Bynum decides to take his talents to Cleveland

7/10/13 - Corey Brewer to sign with Minnesota for 3 years, $15 million

7/10/13 - Bulls waive Richard Hamilton

7/8/13 - Lakers sign Chris Kaman to one year contract for $3.2 million.  Will amnesty Metta World Peace.

7/7/13 - Denver signs J.J. Hickson for three years, $15 million

7/7/13 - Darren Collison signs with Clippers to be Chris Paul's back (again)

7/7/13 - Jarrett Jack headed to Cleveland for four years, $25 million

7/6/13 - Carl Landry signs with Sacramento for four years, $26 million

7/6/13 - Josh Smith signs with Pistons for four years, $56 million

7/5/13 - Mavericks sign Jose Calderon for four years, $28 million

7/5/13 - Dwight Howard has decided to take his talents to Houston.  What now for the Lakers?  / Dwight & Kobe: the conversation / David Aldridge's alternate universe

7/5/13 - Paul Millsap signs with Atlanta for two years, $19 million

7/5/13 - OJ Mayo signs with Milwaukee for three years, $24 million

7/5/13 - Warriors sign Andre Iguodala; send Richard Jefferson, Andris Biedrins, Brandon Rush and multiple draft choices to Jazz for cap space and Kevin Murphy

7/5/13 - Matt Barnes re-signs with Clippers for 3 years, $12 million.

7/4/13 - JR Smith and Pablo Prigioni re-sign with Knicks.

7/4/13 - Sacramento sends Tyreke Evans to New Orleans for Greivis Vasquez.  New Orleans sends Robin Lopez to Portland for Jeff Withy.  Portland sends future draft pick to Sacramento.

7/4/13- Al Jefferson signs with Charlotte for 3-years, $40.5 million.

7/2/13 - Kevin Martin headed from Oklahoma City to Minnesota for $28 million for four years.

7/2/13 - In a three-team trade, Suns receive Eric Bledsoe and Caron Butler, Clippers receive J.J. Redick and Jared Dudley, Bucks receive two second-round draft choices (one from Suns and one from Clippers).  [Wow, I would have thought they would have gotten more for Bledsoe.  The Suns got a steal.]

6/30/13 - Toronto trades Andrea Barnani to Knicks for Steve Novak, Marcus Camby, first round pick and second round pick (subject to league approval)

6/30/13 - Rockets trade Thomas Robinson to Blazers, waive Carlos Delfino and Aaron Brooks to clear cap space

6/27/13 - Garnett waives no-trade clause clearing way for Celtics to trade (in principle) Garnett, Pierce, Terry to Nets for three first round picks, Keith Bogans, Kris Humphries, Gerald Wallace, Reggie Evans. / Garnett had to be convinced by Pierce

6/27/13 - New Orleans drafts Nerlens Noel with the sixth pick and trades him to Philadelphia for a first round pick.  Philadelphia also gets a 2014 first round pick.

6/24/13 - Darko won't return to NBA
6/3/13 - Jason Kidd retires after 19 seasons (then becomes Nets head coach)
6/2/13 - Grant Hill retires

NBA coaching changes 2013

8/12/13 - Philadelphia hires Brett Brown as head coach
7/29/13 - Kurt Rambis returns to Lakers as assistant, Johnny Davis also hired as assistant
7/8/13 - Alvin Gentry returns to Clippers as assistant coach
7/8/13 - Rasheed Wallace to join Pistons staff as assistant coach
7/3/13 - Celtics hire Brad Stevens as new head coach
7/1/13 - Pacers hire Nate McMillen as assistant coach
6/28/13 - Lawrence Frank returns to Nets as assistant under Jason Kidd
6/28/13 - Cleveland hires Bernie Bickerstaff as assistant (rejoining Mike Brown)
6/25/13 - Kings hire head coach's father as (Brendan Malone) as assistant
6/25/13 - Grizzlies promote Dave Joerger to take over for Lionel Hollins
6/24/13 - Denver hires Brian Shaw as head coach
6/23/13 - Boston trades Doc Rivers to Clippers for 2015 first round pick
6/19/13 - Jerry Sloan returns to Jazz as consultant
6/13/13 - Nets hire Jason Kidd Kidd as head coach (replacing P.J. Carlesemo)
6/10/13 - Thibodeau and Williams replace D'Antoni and McMillan on Team USA staff
6/10/13 - Lionel Hollins out as Memphis head coach
6/10/13 - Maurice Cheeks named as Pistons head coach (replacing Lawrence Frank)
6/6/13 - Denver fires George Karl (NBA coach of the year)
6/3/13 - Sacramento names Mike Malone head coach (replacing Keith Smart)
5/31/13 - Milwaukee to hire Larry Drew as head coach (from Atlanta)
5/30/13 - The NBA coaching carousel, part 1
5/29/13 - Mike Budenholzer hired as Atlanta head coach (replacing Larry Drew)
5/28/13 - Jeff Hornacek hired as Phoenix head coach (replacing Lindsey Hunter)
5/27/13 - Steve Clifford hired as Charlotte head coach (replacing Mike Dunlap)
5/21/13 - Vinnie Del Negro out as Clippers coach
4/25/13 - Mike Brown returns to Cleveland (replacing Byron Scott)