NBey6's Blog

Do you still think Capitalism is the way to go??

Now I know why the fight in Arizona is just a stepping stone for what's to come. A glimpse of the CANAMEX Trade Corridor will open your eyes too.

Updated: July 7, 2010, 6:59 PM ET

Source: Boozer has Bulls deal

ESPN.com news services

Carlos Boozer is the latest domino to fall in NBA free agency, agreeing to a five-year deal with the Chicago Bulls, a source close to the negotiations told ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher on Wednesday.

Various sources told ESPN.com that the contract will be for between $75 million and $80 million.

Boozer's deal follows agreements by premier free agents Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami, Amare Stoudemire with the Knicks and Joe Johnson in Atlanta.

With about $30 million in salary-cap room, the Bulls were looking to make a big splash in free agency after back-to-back first-round playoff exits.

The Bulls are still in the running for LeBron James, who is going to make an announcement Thursday on ESPN. Chicago has enough cap space to take on a max contract, and a source close to Boozer said he is going to reach out to James about joining him in Chicago.

Adding a two-time All-Star in Boozer could make the Bulls more attractive to James.

Boozer averaged 19.5 points and 11.2 rebounds per game for the Utah Jazz last season, his sixth with the team. In his eight-year career, he has averaged 17.2 points and 10.2 rebounds per contest.

Boozer's name has come up in trade discussions involving the Bulls numerous times over the past few years. They nearly traded for him last summer in a deal that would have sent Ty Thomas to Utah.

Boozer's arrival gives the Bulls a formidable pair in the frontcourt with Joakim Noah, not to mention a good pick-and-roll partner for All-Star point guard Derrick Rose.

There is some irony to the deal. Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations John Paxson's brother, Jim, was Cleveland's general manager when Boozer left the Cavaliers following the 2003-04 season.

The Cavs, who could have exercised a one-year option after Boozer's second season, thought they had a six-year, $41 million agreement in place and let him hit the market. Boozer wound up accepting a six-year, $68 million contract as a restricted free agent, but Cleveland chose not to match the Jazz's offer.

Jim Paxson is now a Bulls consultant and scout.

Glendale News Press

Arraignment today for Kmart shooting suspect

Homeless man accused of shooting 2 officers had a warrant for his arrest in Oregon.

By Chloe Mayer

L.A.Times

July 7, 2010

 

 

DOWNTOWN — A homeless man accused of shooting two police officers outside a busy Kmart is due to be arraigned today on attempted murder charges.

 

Despite being handcuffed behind his back, police say Jamie Willard managed to reach around, grab an officer's gun and begin firing.

 

Willard, 30, had been detained by security guards outside the San Fernando Boulevard store on Friday afternoon because they suspected he had stolen some DVDs, but a scuffle broke out when police arrived to take him into custody, Sgt. Robert Quesada said.

 

Officer Alex Gutierrez was shot repeatedly in the chest, but was protected by his bulletproof vest. A bullet fragment ricocheted and hit his leg. He was released from the hospital and is recovering at home, Quesada said.

 

Officer Derek Green — who joined the force about six years ago — was shot in his hand and is still in the hospital after two operations. He also hurt his leg and will need more surgery later this week, Quesada said.

 

Willard, of Gresham, Ore., was Tasered during the incident and treated for cuts and scrapes. He was taken to Los Angeles County Jail and held in lieu of $1-million bail after doctors discharged him Friday.

 

The police investigation is ongoing, but Quesada said an Oregon arrest warrant was out for Willard relating to felony theft.

 

FOR THE RECORD: This corrects an earlier version that gave Derek Green's time on the force as 18 months. That is the amount of time Alex Gutierrez has served with the department.

Missing 4-year-old girl found alive, police search for suspect

By the CNN Wire Staff

• New: Alisa Maier has been released from the hospital
• Police searching for driver of suspicious car
• Grandfather asks suspect to turn himself in

(CNN) -- Police in Missouri are working with other law enforcement agents in their search for a man suspected of abducting a 4-year-old girl who was later found at a gas station, St. Louis County Police Chief Tim Fitch said Wednesday.

 

Fitch said Alisa Maier has since been reunited with her family, after she was kidnapped from her home in Louisiana, Missouri, while playing outside with her 6-year old brother on Monday.

 

"She's been released from the hospital and she's with her family. ...As best I can tell, she's in good shape," Fitch said during a news conference Wednesday.

 

Authorities issued an Amber Alert Monday after the young girl was abducted. She was found alive Tuesday at about 9:45 p.m. in Fenton, Missouri, about 70 miles from her home in Louisiana, Missouri, police said.

 

She was discovered near a gas station car wash after witnesses saw her walking away from a car described as having "a very loud muffler,"

 

Alisa -- who witnesses first thought was a boy -- was taken to a hospital after police interviewed her and identified her as the missing 4-year-old, Fitch explained. He would not comment on whether the child's appearance was altered to make her appear to be a boy, and authorities said doctors would determine whether she had been injured or abused.

 

The chief told reporters that witnesses described the man driving the car as "a white male, possibly a dark-skinned white male, (with) short dark hair, (in his) early 30's."

 

"He was in a black or dark-brown, mid-size four-door vehicle, possibly a Ford Escort," he added.

 

Fitch said witnesses saw Alisa walking around the car wash after hearing the loud muffler on the suspect's vehicle, which was also missing wheel covers on the driver's side.

 

Alisa's grandfather, Roy Harrison, told CNN affiliate KSDK that Alisa was smiling Wednesday morning. The family is asking t he suspected kidnapper to turn himself in.

 

"We tell him that he did the first step. That's what I tell everybody, he's done the first step," said Harrison. "He needs to step up and admit he has a problem and turn himself in and be accountable for what he has done."

 

Alisa was snatched from the front yard of her home in Louisiana, Missouri, on Monday evening while she was playing with her brother, police there said.

 

Anita McKlevis, who lives across the street from the family, said Alisa's mother was "just beside herself" and tried to pursue the man who abducted the girl.

 

"She jumped up and went across the street, got into her van and took off," McKlevis told HLN's "Issues with Jane Velez-Mitchell."

 

She said the children were regularly supervised by parents or grandparents while playing outside: "I never seen this little girl without her parents," McKlevis added.

 

Louisiana is about 80 miles north of St. Louis.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Wade, Bosh choose Miami

---

ESPN.com news services

Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh are teaming up together on Wade's Miami Heat, the two free agents said Wednesday.

 

It was not immediately clear whether Bosh -- who spent seven seasons with the Toronto Raptors -- will sign with Miami outright or join the Heat through a sign-and-trade deal. Bosh could earn $125 million over six years via sign-and-trade, but only $96 million in five without it.

 

 

THE DECISION

Where will LeBron James's basketball future take him? The NBA's two-time defending MVP will reveal his destination on "The Decision" on ESPN (Thursday, 9 p.m. ET). Stuart Scott, Jon Barry and Michael Wilbon are hosting the hour-long special.

 

ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard first reported that Wade would return to the Heat and Bosh would join him.

 

Whether LeBron James, the kingpin of this summer's celebrated free-agent class, will join them in Miami remains to be seen. James will announce his decision at 9 p.m. ET Thursday during a one-hour special on ESPN.

 

Wade and Bosh are expected to get the maximum amount allowable under the league's collective bargaining agreement, though the addition of James could change the players' salaries. Contracts cannot be officially signed until Thursday.

 

The two players, appearing on ESPN's "SportsCenter," said it was not an easy decision, as Wade was courted by his hometown Chicago Bulls and Bosh called Toronto his "second home." Both also said the signing was not about the money, adding they were willing to sacrifice to help make the Heat a title contender.

 

League sources told ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher that team president Pat Riley was trying to convince Bosh to take the five-year max deal and leave Toronto outright. The Raptors are trying to persuade Bosh to demand a six-year deal and a sign-and-trade so that they get something out of the deal.

 

 

Wade and Bosh are also expected, along with Riley, to continue to lobby James, to join them in Miami, despite the financial complexities involved for the Heat to make room for all three. However, neither took the opportunity to further lobby James during their appearance on "SportsCenter," saying they preferred to leave the decision up to him.

 

Amid a growing sense among rival executives that James intends to stay with his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers, sources close to the situation told ESPN.com that James is still seriously considering joining forces with Wade and Bosh in Miami and had a discussion about the possibility that all three could wind up playing together for the Heat on a conference call early Wednesday morning.

 

Earlier this week, the Raptors reportedly had been reluctant to do a sign-and-trade, especially with Miami, contending the Heat did not have any players of interest. But if Bosh leaves outright as a free agent, the Raptors are left with, at most, $4 million in cap space to replace Bosh.

 

One source with knowledge of Toronto's thinking told ESPN.com's Marc Stein that the Raptors, as of 9 a.m. ET, had yet to hear anything official from Bosh's camp about his intentions.

Cheryl got malaria on Africa trip with dancer pal Derek

By GORDON SMART, Bizarre Editor

Published: 06 Jul 2010

 

Agony ... star is fighting bugXposure

 

The Sun told yesterday how the 27-year-old Geordie dramatically collapsed with suspected gastroenteritis during a photoshoot for her album on Saturday afternoon.

 

She was ordered to rest, but began drifting in and out of consciousness on Sunday and was rushed to a Surrey hospital, where doctors diagnosed malaria.

 

Last night sources close to the star, who has worked relentlessly since splitting from England and Chelsea footballer hubby ASHLEY COLE, said she would be kept in hospital for another night and could remain under close observation for up to two weeks. Her involvement in the rest of this series of The X Factor is in serious doubt.

 

Sources also revealed Cheryl - whose spokesman confirmed she has malaria - had secretly battled painful stomach cramps while filming the ITV talent show. One said: "She told doctors she'd had stomach pains since her return from Tanzania. On Sunday evening her condition deteriorated so rapidly she knew it was something serious.

 

"She'd spent 48 hours in bed trying to sleep off what she thought was a stomach bug. She was extremely weak, sweating and drifting in and out of consciousness. She was driven to hospital where tests showed malaria. Everyone is really concerned. She is very ill."

 

X Factor mogul SIMON COWELL texted Cheryl after we revealed her collapse. He told her: "Have some rest. Don't rush back." One pal said: "He's concerned - she's such a workaholic."

Wednesday 7-7-10 Wednesday

801, 926, 702, 937, 157, 286, 593, 026, 367

769, 124, 204, 076, 176, 657, 123, 812, 192

209, 297, 892, 095, 693, 146, 613, 896, 667

677, 807, 753, 280, 000, 444, 555, 777, 999

1556, 1538, 5380, 3801, 6745, 9441, 4904

"I shall stay the way I am because I do not give a <snip>."

 - Dorothy Parker (1893-1967) American Humorous Writer -

TIW 7-6-10 NC Evening

Winning Numbers: 211 & 9127 

 

514, 621, 865, 817, 842, 476, 903, 257
4067, 5403, 6295, 3720, 3815, 7541, 7361
8246, 8943, 8957, 8560, 2491, 0961, 1208

 

842, 953, 064, 175, 286, 397, 408, 519, 620, 731

2490, 2491, 2492, 2493, 2494, 2495, 2496, 2497, 2498, 2499

0491, 1491, 2491, 3491, 4491, 5491, 6491, 7491, 8491, 9491

 

97 and/or 42 pairs

Tell you on Thursday at 9:00pm EDT on ESPN ............ see the article below!!

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Sources: LeBron decision Thursday

---

ESPN.com news services

LeBron James is planning to announce the team with which he will sign during a one-hour special on ESPN Thursday night, ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard has learned through independent sources.

 

 

ESPN would only confirm that active discussions for the special are ongoing. But sources tell Broussard that representatives for James contacted the network, proposing that James makes his announcement during a 9 p.m. ET special.

 

 

Those sources said that James' representatives requested they be allowed to sell sponsorship for the one-hour special, with the proceeds going to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, and that ESPN agreed to the proposal but had not been told what James has decided.

 

 

The NBA's most prized free agent opened a Twitter account on Tuesday and posted his first message on the social networking site. While he provided no information about his future plans, at least he offered something as the NBA awaits the decision on where he'll play next.

 

 

 

"Hello World, the Real King James is in the Building," said the tweet on the kingjames feed, which by 9 p.m. ET had more than 167,000 followers.

 

 

 

James' publicist, Keith Estabrook, confirmed the superstar's entrance to Twitter, a place where fellow prized free agents Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh often post details about their public lives off the floor.

 

 

 

James' plans still are a closely guarded secret. He visited with six teams -- the New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Clippers, Cleveland Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls -- last week at his business offices in downtown Cleveland and may have made up his mind already. But until he gives word, other teams are positioning themselves to make a run at the 6-foot-8, 260-pound All-Star -- or Bosh or Wade, or maybe a combination.

 

 

 

There have been various reports that the Toronto Raptors were working on a sign-and-trade deal with Cleveland for Bosh, and that James is trying to convince him to join the Cavaliers.

 

 

 

Both James and Bosh are aware that such a trade is possible, and James has tried to recruit Bosh to the Cavaliers several times in the past few weeks, sources told Broussard.

 

 

 

But right now, Bosh remains cold to the idea of playing in Cleveland.

 

 

 

Like James, Wade and Bosh have remained noncommittal about where they'll sign.

 

 

 

The Cavaliers are hopeful that will change, because in Cleveland, Bosh can meet two of his top priorities: playing with James, and getting a six-year, $125 million contract.

 

 

 

If Bosh joins a team without doing a sign-and-trade, he will be able to sign only a five-year deal worth $96 million. He is determined not to leave that $29 million on the table, sources told Broussard.

 

 

 

Although Bosh wants to play with James, he wants to do it in Chicago, Miami or New Jersey. Sources told Broussard he has told the Raptors those are the teams he would like to go to in a sign-and-trade.

 

 

 

Unsure of James' decision, the Nets have a Plan B in case he rejects their offer.

 

 

 

The agent for Knicks forward David Lee says the Nets have talked to him several times since free agency began on Thursday.

 

 

 

An official within the league who is very close to the Nets' management team said the team would also consider going after Utah Jazz forward Carlos Boozer if James rejected the offer that was presented by new owner Mikhail Prokhorov and a team that included hip-hop mogul Jay-Z.

 

 

 

Nets president and general manager Rod Thorn said in a text message on Tuesday that there was nothing to report on the free agency front.

 

 

 

Asked about the Nets' options if The King nixes their overtures, Thorn wrote:

 

 

"We will look at other options if we don't get one of the top guys."

 

 

While James is the star attraction in this summer's stacked class of free agents, other players have either stayed home or found a new one. On Monday, Amare Stoudemire agreed to a five-year deal with the Knicks and said he would continue to recruit James to join him.

Updated: July 6, 2010, 10:53 PM ET

Sources: Del Negro to coach Clippers

By Kevin Arnovitz
ESPN.com
Archive

The Los Angeles Clippers have selected Vinny Del Negro as their new head coach, sources close to the situation said on Tuesday.

 

Del Negro takes over a team that went 29-63 last season under Mike Dunleavy, who was fired in February, then interim replacement Kim Hughes.

 

The Clippers brought in their finalists for interviews twice over the past two weeks. Along with Del Negro, the organization gave Dallas Mavericks assistant and former Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Dwane Casey a close look. Del Negro and Casey were the two finalists for the Chicago job two years ago. Again, on this occasion, Del Negro got the nod.

 

For the past two seasons, the 43-year-old Del Negro served as Chicago's head coach, where he strung together consecutive 41-41 seasons along with two first-round playoff appearances before being fired on May 3. Prior to his stint on the Bulls' bench, Del Negro moved from the Suns' broadcast booth to spend two seasons in the Phoenix Suns front office, first as director of player personnel and then as assistant general manager.

 

The Clippers are undergoing a rapid transformation both in the front the office and in the locker room. General manager Neil Olshey will begin his first full season as the club's general manager. The team will feature at least three rookies -- 2009 No. 1 overall pick Blake Griffin, Wake Forest forward Al-Farouq Aminu and Kentucky guard Eric Bledsoe. The only two players on the current Clippers roster older than 21 are Baron Davis and Chris Kaman.

 

Olshey and team president Andy Roeser met with LeBron James in Cleveland last Friday. The Clippers are one of only a few NBA teams that have sufficient flexibility under the salary cap to offer a maximum contract to James or another marquee free agent. Widely considered long shots to land James or one of the other big names, the Clippers are more likely to proceed into the free agency season with an eye toward building around their young core.

Netherlands advances to final

CAPE TOWN, South Africa -- A Dutch treat: The Netherlands is in the World Cup final.

 

Long wasteful with its soccer talent, the Netherlands sure has found the right touch in this tournament.

 

Dutch stars Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben scored three minutes apart in the second half as the Netherlands beat Uruguay 3-2 Tuesday night to advance to its first championship match since losing in 1978 to Argentina.

 

"We are so close," Sneijder said. "There is nothing bigger than the World Cup."

 

Winners of all six games in South Africa, the Oranje will face either Germany or Spain in Sunday's title game at Soccer City in Johannesburg. The Netherlands lost its other appearance in the final, to West Germany in 1974.

 

Both of those title-game defeats came during the golden period of Dutch soccer, and in the opposition's homeland. No such worries this time, and no country outside of Africa has had as much fan support as the Netherlands.

 

Inside Green Point Stadium it looked like a Florida orange grove. Outside, a Netherlands fan in a blue and white bodysuit stood on stilts and played a vuvuzela -- badly. It was about the only thing that didn't measure up for the Dutch.

 

And a tournament that looked like a South American fiesta early on will end in a European showdown for the second straight World Cup. Sneijder and Robben made sure of that.

 

"This is unforgettable," said Sneijder, now tied with Spain's David Villa for top scorer at the tournament (five goals). "It was a tough fight and toward the end we complicated matters.

 

"Sunday we play in the World Cup final. I have to get used to that."

 

Sneijder's goal came somewhat unexpectedly because Uruguay had shut down the Dutch offense for much of the second half. His left-footed shot from just inside the penalty area barely ticked the leg of defender Maximiliano Pereira and, with Robin van Persie almost deflecting it again, it skidded past goalkeeper Fernando Muslera.

 

Then Robben sent a cross from Dirk Kuyt past a flat-footed Muslera with a brilliant header as Robben was leaping away from the net. His teammates piled on in an Oranje Crush celebration, and Robben came up from it with mud on his forehead, a smile on his face -- and the knowledge that Netherlands was ahead 3-1 and likely headed to the championship match.

 

For good measure, Robben blew kisses to the fans.

 

Uruguay was without dangerous striker Luis Suarez, whose handball on the goal line in the final seconds of extra time against Ghana saved his team in the quarterfinals. He drew a red card for that, and spent his suspension on the bench watching his undermanned teammates come up just short.

 

Pereira made the Netherlands sweat with a goal in injury time, and Stekelenburg's late save preserved the biggest Dutch win in decades. The Dutch have now won 10 straight and are unbeaten in their last 25 games.

 

Robben was replaced late in the match, and at the final whistle he fell flat to the turf as he ran back onto the pitch. Mark van Bommel hustled over to where the ball came to rest, picked it up and hugged it. His teammates then began a joyous stroll around the field, some of them barechested, as the vuvuzelas blared and Dutch flags waved in the stands.

 

About a half hour after the game ended, 1,000 fans were still there -- singing Dutch songs, waving flags, and bowing in unison -- and the team came back in their orange shorts to join the party, even lead the cheers.

 

"This is very special," Van Marwijk said. "After 32 years we play the final again. Such a small country! We can be very proud of this."

 

The Jabulani ball Van Bommel grabbed has been a source of criticism for its unpredictability, particularly the way it can soar. When Giovanni Van Bronckhorst, a true defensive halfback, puts one in from 30 yards off the far goalpost, well, let the debate begin again.

 

The Dutch captain gave his team the lead in the 18th minute, and the Oranje pressed for more, but when they let up slightly on defense, the superb Diego Forlan pounced. He was given far too much open space in the middle of the field and, from just under 30 yards, his left-footed drive went off goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg's hand and into the net.

 

Stekelenburg was screened just enough by defender John Heitinga and didn't get a good view of the ball until it was too late.

 

While several Dutch players threw up their hands in frustration, Forlan celebrated his fourth goal of the tournament with a suave wave of his arm. Suarez leaped off the bench in jubilation.

 

Forlan left in the 85th minute and coach Oscar Tabarez revealed after the match that his star played hurt.

 

"From minute one he had a problem," Tabarez said. "I'm not dumb enough to take him out at 3-1 when the match wasn't lost. He was injured and could not continue."

 

Van Bronckhorst was in his accustomed role early in the second half when he headed a long shot by Alvaro Pereira away from the net after Stekelenburg was caught out chasing a stray back pass. And the Dutch defense was under siege in the final minutes as Uruguay sought to tie it.

 

The Celeste will head to Saturday's third-place game, not bad for the last team to qualify.

 

But not nearly what they wanted. The Dutch have that.