Congratulations to Rodney Carney & Shawne Williams for being drafted back-to-back in the first round of the NBA draft. They are both good guys & will hopefully find success in their professional careers.

I still remember the day Rodney was signed. Since his name was not well known & he wasn't on top of all the "expert" lists, some locally laughed & even criticized the kid. After all, since he wasn't recruited or signed by any of the big boys, he must be no good, right?

Carney proved them wrong.

The day he signed I called the Indianapolis newspaper & spoke to the prep writer. He told me Rodney would be a great addition, calling him a diamond in the rough. Boy was he right.

Rodney is where he is at today because he was a four-year guy. He listened to his coaches. He overcame adversity.

It's a shame Darius Washington didn't hang around at least another season. The kid went undrafted Wednesday night & cannot return to the Tigers because he hired an agent to represent him earlier this week.

---

Here's what's being written about Carney:

76ers trade down to take Memphis star

76ers trade down to get Memphis' Carney

Carney a quick learner?

Carney hopes to bring excitement to Sixers

---

I wish I had time to write more, because there is so much going on.

- I think Jerry West made some great moves for the Grizzlies in the draft.

- We'll have the various University of Memphis coaches joining us next week on Memphis Morning News as WREC will officially become the new home of the Tigers. Athletic director R.C. Johnson will join us Monday to start the week. I'll try to add a list & times to the blog this weekend or first thing Monday morning.

- Busy day today. I'm serving as the radio pool reporter for the President's visit to Graceland with the Japanese Prime Minister.

Waki Williams, formerly of the University of Memphis, worked out for the Grizzlies this morning. It's the day before the draft & the Grizz will choose 24th tomorrow night unless they find a way to trade up. Maybe it will happen, maybe not... Jerry West did say the only player that was "untouchable" was Pau Gasol. Otherwise, he's ready to make whatever moves are necessary to help the team, even if it means a trade that is unpopular.

---

Some say, "if ain't broke, don't fix it." But if the NCAA can find a way to make even more money off of its basketball tournament, it'll happen sooner or later.

NCAA to Weigh Expanding Basketball Tourney

---

I want to pass along the sad news that Steve Butler's wife passed away unexpectedly yesterday. Many of you know Steve from his many years on WRVR & have hopefully followed him to WREC, where he is now part of our morning show. I've only worked with the guy for a week, but I have found him to be a true professional.

WREC has set up a messageboard on its website where listeners can pass along their condolences to Steve & his family. Click here if you wish to add your own to the list.

Folks, you never know when it's your time & the gig is up... always tell your family you love them, kiss your kids & live everyday to the fullest.

Whew, I can finally breathe a little. It's day three for me with WREC & I am finally finding my groove.

Thursday & Friday were spent familiarizing myself with the equipment & the morning show format... then a whirlwind trip to Atlanta for a quick family deal... then back in the saddle today & they actually turned me loose on-the-air.

As soon as I get settled & comfortable with my routine, I will try to deliver the daily updates again.

---

Is Dwayne Wade's performance last night for the Miami Heat too little too late in their quest for the NBA championship? Wade's 42-point, 13 rebound performance was much needed for a team that was in jeopardy of being swept had it not been for last night's 98-96 win over Dallas.

Hats off to the ol' veteran Gary Payton, too. His jumper with nine seconds to play will be talked about a long time by Miami fans.

---

Darren Rovell writes on ESPN.com that NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. doesn't own the rights to his own name. Nope, instead stepmom Theresa owns it. I predict a lawsuit over this. Or maybe Dale Jr. could just get the ultimate revenge to her & just change his name!

---

The good news is as each hour passes, the better Ben Roethlisberger gets after being injured in a motorcycle accident Monday. The more I read, the luckier I believe the Steelers quarterback to be for not being more seriously injured.

It's also reopened the debate: should a star football player be riding a motorcycle? Helmet-less? Add to it, should a team, let's say the Steelers, have any right to dictate to their star QB what he can & cannot do?

Although there was no specific language forbidding his motorcycle riding, the Steelers warned Big Ben in writing in 2005 he could jeopardize portions of his contract if he continued to ride. Not only did the letter serve notice to Roethlisberger, but it is said it also put Pittsburgh on firm legal ground should the quarterback injure himself & the team decided to recover a portion of his signing bonus or even change his annual salary.

Police have also said Roethlisberger was operating the motorcycle without the proper state-issued license.

---

While on the subject of athletes not using their head, former Duke standout J.J. Reddick was arrested early Tuesday morning & charged with DUI. Maybe he was improving his street cred so he will be taken higher in the NBA draft later this month.

---

I've got a family member in the hospital, so this update is a little shorter than normal today. Before I leave I want to say thanks to all of you again for the calls & the emails over my new job. I start tomorrow & I am very excited to get back to work & start counting down the days to our first Tiger football pregame show!

I had lunch with my new boss yesterday at T.J. Mulligans. The place was packed with folks there to watch the U.S.A.'s opening game against the Czech Republic. Or maybe they were there to enjoy the tots.

I watched the game... I tried to get into it... I told myself maybe I have never given soccer a fair chance... after all, I don't allow my two-year old to tell me she doesn't like something unless she tries it. So I watched it.

Sorry, I just don't get it.

My patriotism & love for my country had me rooting for the Red, White & Blue, but that was about it. My eyes kept moving to a second TV in the placing showing a game in the College Baseball World Series.

I read dozens of newspaper columnists everyday. I am sick of them either apologizing for the fact most Americans don't care for soccer or preaching to us how stupid we are because we don't care for soccer.

I love football. I'm talking American football. High school, college, NFL, pee wee... it is a great game. No apologies here.

---

This is not going to be a soccer-bashing day for me. Instead, I saw something on TV last night that made about as much sense as watching a 0-0 tie between two countries I have never heard of... it was the Rock, Paper, Scissors Championship on A&E. After some research I have found there are numerous websites dedicated to the game we used as kids to turn our buddies arms black & blue.

From A&E's website: You probably played rock, paper, scissors when you were a kid, but we bet you never played it for $50,000. That's the big prize that awaits the winner in the Rock Paper Scissors Championship. Bud Light sponsored local competitions in bars throughout the country to find the best players, who advanced to the exciting national finals in Las Vegas. This special captures all the excitement of the sport, focusing on both the intensity and the insanity as players are eliminated and a victor is crowned. But this isn't just a blood sport, it's also high comedy as the program reveals the history of the game, the finer points of strategy and you the viewer can become a better rock paper scissors player. Dave Attel hosts.

I turned it off last night as I am trying to get myself in practice of going to bed early for my new job. Ummm, yes, I did set my DVR to record it.

---

I am not sure if I posted my NBA championship prediction, but I felt from the beginning Dallas would win in six. Holding a 2-0 advantage over Miami, could the Mavericks make it a sweep? I doubt it. The Mavs are giving Shaq fits out there, leaving him unable to take over a game. Dwayne Wade is shooting just 38-percent from the floor & is still looking for his game in the most important seven-game series in his young career.

---

Since I have spent most of my adult life making a living from my voice, I do things to take care of it. I don't go to extremes of using gargling with lemon juice or other home remedies, but then again I don't spend my free time screaming "Freebird" at rock concerts or yodeling in the mountains.

You would think professional athletes would know better than to ride motorcycles without helmets. While some may not use it properly, you need your noggin' to play almost any sport (insert soccer joke here).

The latest example is Super Bowl winning QB Ben Roethlisberger of the Pittsburgh Steelers. He collided with a car yesterday, breaking his nose & jaw, leaving him in serious but stable condition. He wasn't wearing a helmet. Witnesses say 62-year old Martha Fleishman made a left turn in her Chrysler New Yorker & struck Big Ben's black 2005 Suzuki.

Would Roethlisberger ever take one step onto a football field without a helmet? Of course not, with the like of some of the monsters which try to chase him down. So what makes him think he can avoid injury from a car?

Then again, he comes from a long line of athletes that have gotten hurt on a motorcycle:

2006 - Houston return specialist Jerome Mathis injured his hands along with numerous scrapes & bruises, causing him to miss some offseason work.

2005 - Cleveland tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. sustained internal injuries & damage to his right shoulder & right knee, forcing him to miss the season.

2004 - New York Jets cornerback Jamie Henderson missed the entire season while he rehabbed from injuries suffered in an April wreck.

2003 - IRL driver Dario Franchitti broke his back in a motorcycle accident & missed several races, including the Indianapolis 500. Then again, he had Ashley Judd by his side to help him recover.

2003 - Chicago Bulls guard Jason Williams crashed his new motorcycle into a light pole, fracturing his pelvis, tearing knee ligaments & damaging nerves in his left leg.

There's more on this list. Click here to read it all.

---

Phil Stukenborg writes in today's Commercial Appeal, University of Memphis football coach Tommy West has a new recruiting pitch: Come to the UofM, and he'll guarantee an opportunity to play on Sunday. Well, at least he can make that promise this season.

The Tigers had a second Sunday game announced by ESPN Monday. The Nov. 4 matchup against CUSA foe Southern Miss has been moved to Nov. 5 & will be shown on the Worldwide Leader in Sports.

Initial reaction was, "Hey, that's up against the NFL!" Upon further review, it will be a night game & will compete against only one professional game. Granted, it's New England versus Indy, but hey, maybe the Pats & Colts will be fighting for cellar-dweller in the AFC by that point in the season.

Ok, maybe not.

Look, ESPN is going to stick someone in that slot so it might as well be Memphis. Believe it or not, there are some folks who don't care much for the pros that might just watch the Black & Blue Bowl. I don't expect local attendance to be hurt either, especially if Memphis is playing well at that point in the season.

This is a good situation for the Tigers. Add the Mississippi game on Sept. 3 (a Sunday) on ESPN, the UT game, also on ESPN, plus a couple of CSTV game, that's not too bad at all.

---

Speaking of Memphis football, nice article today in the Jackson Sun on Tommy West & the Tigers' growing "footprint" in west Tennessee.

---

Miami punches its ticket to Omaha for the College Baseball World Series after beating Mississippi yesterday, 14-9, in game three of the super regional in Oxford. The Rebels were denied their first trip to to the CWS since 1972.

Does this free up Rebs coach Mike Bianco to talk to LSU about their coaching vacancy? Tigers AD Skip Bertman interviewed Vandy coach TIm Corbin for the position left vacant when Smoke Lavale resigned last week.

---

Internet speculation has been running rampant on the status Brent Schaeffer, the expected starting quarterback for the University of Mississippi football team this fall. His mom tells the Clarion-Ledger newspaper that all is well with her son & he will enroll July 3 for the second semester.

Rebels coach Ed Orgeron said last week that Schaeffer was delayed arriving in Oxford because he had yet to graduate from the College of the Sequoias.

If he makes it, Schaeffer will be a junior. He started three games as a freshman at UT in 2004, but was eventually suspended, then transferred after an off-season arrest.

---

We've all heard of Arena Football, but I must admit Arena Racing USA is new to me. It seems NASCAR team owner Joe Gibbs is investing in the sport. His driver Denny Hamlin of the no. 11 FedEx car is an Arena Racing alum.

The series features half-scale stock car-shaped cars with a 61-inch wheelbase. The cars weigh 725 pounds & come equipped with 390cc Honda engines racing on a one-tenth mile track.

---

Major League Baseball suspended relief pitcher Jason Grimsley for 50 games yesterday. Federal agents searched his home last week & allegations came to light he had been receiving packages of HGH at his house. Grimsley was released by the Diamonbacks last week. There is speculation this suspension will prompt an end to his career.

---

Bob Huggins officially signed his contract Friday to become head basketball coach at Kansas State. He'll receive a guaranteed compensation of $800k his first three years, with additional money coming from shoe, radio & TV contracts. It's also laced with the usual incentives for wins, sellouts & completing the contract.

KSU can terminate Huggins' new deal if he is convicted of any criminal offense involving fraud, a felony or an act that causes harm to the school's reputation, although it does not discuss specifics or Huggins' past (remember the DUI?).

It sure would be fun to see KSU versus Memphis on the schedule sometime in the near future. Cal versus Huggins again... that's a made for TV event if there ever was one.

---

As many of you know, things got all turned upside down for me last December when I learned my radio home of almost seven years was switching formats. My goal was to go where the Tigers go, which happened when Tigers Sports Properties signed me as pregame/postgame/coaches shows hosts for 2006-07. Still, I needed the fulltime gig to pay the rent.

I looked inside the market & outside as well. There are some really good guys (and gals) in various markets out there & I believe I made some friends. Heck, it was a learning experience. I have had only two fulltime radio jobs in the last 12 years. I was pretty rusty at interviewing. Although I've been doing this almost 20 years, I walked into various PD & GM offices with first-timer butterflies.

Two offers outside of Memphis came my way. But it would mean relocating to a strange place & leaving the Tigers after seven seasons. After long hours of thinking, working numbers & praying, staying home was the obvious choice.

I put out a couple of feelers at a couple of radio station in the area. However, there was one I targeted & one that I really wanted to work for. Their programming & committment to local sports & now the University of Memphis made perfect sense.

On June 15 I will join WREC-AM as a sports anchor. It also gives me the opportunity to participate in other projects as well which will take me back to my roots in news.

It makes perfect sense... WREC is home to Tigers football & basketball... WREC is home to the Tommy West Show & John Calipari Show...WREC is now home to me, too.

Thanks to all of you who have sent emails or made calls of support. I have made so many good friends out there. That's part of what makes my job so much fun.

Hey, look! It's a weekend update!

---

The Mavericks are predicting they'll face a Shaq attack tonight in Game 2 of the NBA finals.

---

With the additions of DeAngelo Williams & Keyshawn Johnson, the Dallas Morning News calls the Carolina Panthers the best NFL team on paper. Rick Gosselin writes, An unstable running back situation was settled with the selection of NCAA rushing champion DeAngelo Williams in the first round of the draft. The Panthers also signed wideout Keyshawn Johnson in free agency to give quarterback Jake Delhomme a possession receiver.

Indy, Pittsburgh, Seattle & Miami round out his top 5. The Raiders, Jets & Texans are at the bottom.

---

Open wheel racing vs. NASCAR is a debate that has raged for years. NASCAR is not only the top motorsport in the U.S., but one of the top sports overall when you consider ticket sales, merchandise sales & TV numbers.

Still, it doesn't take much work to find a newspaper columnist out there that sings the praises of open wheel racing as more exciting & better personalities. The latest example comes from the Ft. Worth Star Telegram where Jennifer Floyd Engel offers, IRL is a sleeping beauty that needs a little Kiss.

She writes, To say the Indy Racing League is better than NASCAR is like saying a Kincaid's burger is better than a Mc-whatever. Obviously. Duh. Of course.

Part of her reasoning as to why she believes the IRL is so cool is because a handful of Hollywood stars show up. Yeah, that'll get the fans excited. The other thing she says is lacking is the number of cars. Now she's on to something.

The problem with open wheel racing in the U.S. right now is the split between CART & the IRL. The average race fan got confused by it when it happened. Why try to keep up with who was racing where? If the two series can merge there will then be more than enough quality cars to complete a full field for any race. Competition will improve & numbers will increase.

That doesn't necessarily mean NASCAR will then fall from its no. 1 spot.

---

Meanwhile, NASCAR is not without its own contraversy. Larry Woody of the Tennessean is the latest to weigh in on the so-called BushWhackers = that would be Nextel Cup drivers stepping down & dominating the Busch series.

---

The Memphis Grizzlies aren't expected to spend any money to improve their basketball team until something happens with the possible sale of Michael Heisley's ownership in the team. That could all be resolved by next month. Meanwhile, it must be noted the Grizz already have the seventh highest payroll in the NBA... how much do you have to spend to win ONE playoff game?

---

The Arizona Diamondbacks say they'll withhold the rest of Jason Grimsley's salary after it came to light earlier this week he's been busted for steroid use. "This guy did no less than steal from us," team managing general partner Ken Kendrick said Saturday night.

The Diamondbacks released the relief pitcher Wednesday, a day after federal agents searched his home & it was reported an investigation into Grimsley started in April.

In case you missed the post last week, I have removed restrictions on leaving a comment. You no longer have to be a registered user of blogger.com to voice your opinion. Just look for the comments link at the end of each daily post.

---

Quaterback Cannon Smith has told the Commercial Appeal he wants to be a Tiger. The son of FedEx found Fred Smith chose Memphis over offers from Mississippi & Tulane.

This is big news for several reasons. The last name is one of the obvious. But another to consider is the presitge factor. The son of one of the city's most prominent businessmen chose to stay home. Why? Because he likes what he sees at Memphis.

---

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is proof if you spend money, you can make money in the NBA. At times I have been critical of his antics, but there is no arguing he is the reason for part of the success at Dallas. His enthusiasm & support has been contagious amongst fans in the city & only adds to the anticipation leading up to game one tonight against Miami for the championship.

---

Here's something odd: despite being on probation, TCU's track team is competing this week in the NCAA Outdoor Championship Meet. Why? Because the NCAA ruled the team could still compete in individual competitions, a first for the governing organization. It's part of the NCAA trying to be more student-athlete friendly, however, some coaches at the meet are upset over the Horned Frogs participation.

---

Unfortunate injuries & sometimes playing through pain: those are my memories of Steve McNair's career as a Tennessee Titan. I've often wondered what the guy could have achieved had he been healthier. Then again, that's football.

McNair has been traded to Baltimore. Yes, the Titans sent their most recognizable player since Eddie George to the enemy. Their reasons are long & even some maybe valid. But the average fan doesn't care about contracts & salary caps & such... they just know McNair is now a Raven, thanks to the Titans.

I still find it hard to believe that it has been six years since the Titans lost to St. Louis in Super Bowl XXXIV. McNair brought his team back to life in the second half. I can still vividly see Kevin Dyson snagging a McNair pass as the clock drained. He was tackled at the one-yard line... time expired... the Titans lost to the Rams, 23-16.

---

Memphis basketball fans are paying attention to Darius Washington & his quest for a career in the NBA. He is writing a diary at collegehoops.com as he participates this week in workouts in Orlando.

He writes, I’ve been really busy since I decided to enter the draft. I was really lucky to be able to spend a week with Coach Lucas in Houston who I really admire and then got to spend a couple weeks at the IMG Academy in Bradenton. Doing everything from practicing drills, shooting, lifting, reviewing tape, listening to my trainers and learning as much as I can before the draft. I am happy to have my family close because at times it can be stressful. I am just trying to keep my head on straight and focus on the coming weeks. At the end of the day I am like anyone else entering the draft—I have to prove myself and show everyone that I am willing to do more than the next guy to make it.

Darius must decide by June 18 whether to stay in the draft or return to Memphis. I wish him the best of luck no matter what his final decision is... he will always be a Tiger.

---

Believe it or not, this space was updated yesterday. It was only late last night I realized my daily posting was not there. Instead, it was lost in cyberspace somewhere, never to be seen or heard from again. Yikes!

Over the coming weeks you are going to notice some slight changes in the blog. The purpose of this thing was to keep me in practice of the typical daily show prep I was doing when hosting the afternoon show at WMC. But I also found I like doing this because sometimes I find stories that may interest a couple of you out there that you might not necessarily find or read.

The good news for me is I start a new job next week with a local radio station & I am very excited. I will be able to share with you the details in the next couple of days. As I stated above, there will be slight changes here, but as of today I intend to keep this thing up-and-running.

Tell a friend about the blog. Traffic has slowed somewhat now that college basketball season is over. I expect it to surge when August rolls around & football is imminent. While the majority of readers are right here in Memphis, there are also regular visitors from Tulsa, L.A., Mobile & Chicago. That's pretty neat!

Next week it is back to work & I cannot wait. It's also less than three months from the start of the Memphis Tigers football season & the very first Coach Tommy West Radio Show.

---

With a dozen or so other newspapers, I read the Dallas Morning News almost everyday. That town is psyched over the Mavericks shot at the NBA championship. The newspaper's coverage, as it should be, is excellent. Man, it just makes me wonder if Memphis would have the same electricity if the Grizzlies ever made it that far? After reading Geoff Calkins' column in Sunday's Commercial Appeal, I really wonder what the future holds for the Grizz.

---

Sales of Danica Patrick merchandise are as strong as ever. The IRL driver's popularity remains strong, despite not winning a race yet. However, the media circus that follows is comparable to what some stars see in NASCAR.

Autographs, diecast cars & other memrobilia are for sale each race. No, they do not sell lifesize dolls of Danica.

---

Here's what Major League Baseball needs: another steroid contraversy.

It seems in April federal agents busted Arizona reliever Jason Grimsley receiving a shipment of human growth hormones (HGH), agents claim his 12th shipment. This happened just months after he was a teammate of Rafael Palmeiro at Baltimore, who served a 10-day suspension for steroids. We all remember that story.

"There's definitely something that has been taken away (from the fans)," Grimsley told a Baltimore Sun reporter after the Palmeiro affair. "But there are steps being made and things being done to fix that. I hope the fans see that. I hope the public see that. And I think the people in Major League Baseball offices and the people in Capitol Hill see the efforts that are being made to change things."

An affidavit filed in Federal Court says Grimsley was at first cooperative with investigators after they busted him. He admitted using HGH & even said amphetamine use was running rampant in most dugouts. Also on Tuesday, special federal agents, including the IRS, search Grimsley's Phoeniz home in search of records & other information.

---

Johnny Drennen has a story he can tell his grandkids one day: the night he belted a solo homerun against 'The Rocket.'

Drennen wasn't even born when Roger Clemens started his career 23 seasons ago. The 19-year old centerfielder for the Lake County Captains ripped one last night, as Clemens made a start for single 'A' Lexington as he prepares his return to the Majors.

"I threw him a split that didn't split, and he really hit it," Clemens said after the game.

---

Congratulations to former Southaven High pitcher Brae Wright & former Houston High catcher Kelly Edmundson. They were the only local players taken in the first 18 rounds of yesterday's draft.

Wright is now a senior left-hander at Oklahoma State. He was selected in the sixth round by the Milwaukee Brewers. Edmundson is a senior catcher at Tennessee & was selected in the 11th round by the Cleveland Indians.

---

Panthers Huddle weighs in on the addition of former Memphis running back DeAngelo Williams to the Carolina roster. On a post yesterday, 'Zod' wrote, All in all is it very clear that the Carolina Panthers landed a great bargain with their late first round pick. He should at least contribute immediately and spell Deshaun Foster, and at best he could win the starting job come September. Either way, the Panthers are better off.

---

USA Today's Jon Saraceno offers this interesting commentary on Michelle Wie. He's dead-on when he writes, "If her ultimate goal is to become the world's finest female golfer, she must first learn how to win, how to compete, against the best of her gender."

---

Baltimore Ravens coach Brian Billick says Kyle Boller is the team's starting quarterback, while the team continues its quest to aquire Steve McNair. "Kyle Boller is our starting quarterback. That’s the only approach you can take. You prepare yourself for that because that’s the way it is right now," Billick told reporters.

Notice he finished with the phrase 'right now.' Welcome to coach-speak 101... do you really think the Ravens are going to spend the money to get McNair & then sit him on the bench? But what the coach did was make a safe statement, in case something falls through & the Titans QB doesn't join their squad.

---

Speaking of the Titans & McNair, the QB has not returned to offseason workouts yet, although an arbitrator ruled last week he's full within his rights to do so if he wishes.

Up next are Organized Team Activity, something Titans coach Jeff Fisher says "it doesn't make sense" to put McNair on the field if he's eventually going to leave the team. However, the NFL Player's association general counsel Richard Bethelsen warns that the Titans need to proceed carefully. "If they are not allowing him to participate with the team, they are breaching his contract. That was the (grievance) ruling. In that case, we would bring it back before the arbitrator and say, 'They are defying your order.' How is that any different than saying he can't be there?"

---

The NBA Pre-Draft Camp is underway in Orlando. NBA.com has the Tigers' Darius Washington as a 'player to watch' this week. "Recent reports have Washington staying in the draft regardless of how he plays this week, despite not being viewed as a first-round pick. More of a scorer than a distributor, he’ll need to show more point guard skills to improve his stock. Teammates Rodney Carney and Shawne Williams are here as well, but will only take part in the physical testing."

---

If you are an NBA fan, how exited are you over the Dallas/Miami championship? I admit I am just a passive fan, however, I do find the upcoming best-of-seven intriguing.

The Mavs' Dirk Nowitzki has a chance to capture a ring... Shaq has a chance to get ANOTHER ring, this time with the Heat, not to mention internet rumors of his retirement, should Miami win it all.

Could this be the Mavericks' year? After all, they were proclaimed dead at one point in Saturday night's game against Phoenix, but somehow overcame a double-digit deficit to win the NBA's Western Conference.

In 1988 Dallas was one win away from the Finals... they lost... to the Lakers... coached by Pat Riley... who now coaches Miami... ah, the circle of NBA life.

---

Tennessee Titans GM Flyd Reese said Sunday if quarterback Steve McNair showed up for workouts today, he would be welcomed. Well, that's good to hear, especially since an arbitrator ruled last week the team was wrong in their lockout against McNair earlier in the spring over worries he would hurt himself & they would be left on the hook for a fat contract.

Meanwhile, McNair's future is pretty cloudy. It's almost certain he will play this fall, but where is the question. It's doubtful the Titans will keep him, unless a new contract can be negotiated. So does 'Mac' head to Baltimore & become a Raven? They have made it no secret they want him.

---

LSU's 'Smoke' Laval resigned as head baseball coach Sunday. Now, the university's AD, who just happens to be Skip Bertman, must find a replacement. I fully expect Oxford will be his first phone call. After all, Mike Bianco has done a tremendous job with the Rebels' baseball program; add to it he played for Bertman at LSU, then coached with him, it's a natural fit.

Now back to Laval... did he resign or was he forced to quit? Several reports describe Bertman as dancing around the subject when asked. The Tigers failed to make the NCAA tournament for the first time in almost 20 years, not something that set well in Baton Rouge.

Laval was Bertman's chosen successor. The have a relationship dating back almost 22 years. In his five seasons, 'Smoke' steered LSU to two College World Series appearances. However, his team lost the NCAA Regional last year. Add to it the shortcomings this year, & Laval has become the latest victim of college athletics 'What have you done for me today?'

Along with Bianco, USC coach Ray Tanner & Jim Wells at Alabama are also being mentioned. Oh, even Bertman himself hasn't ruled out the possibility of returning to the helm of the Tigers baseball program.

---

Think about this stat for a moment: the Atlanta Braves had not been swept in a four-game homestand since 1995 until this weekend. It happened 11 years ago against Philadlephia; it happened this weekend against Arizona.

For years we have proclaimed the Braves dead at the beginning of a season only to see them come to life. Maybe it all finally caught up with them this year. The bullpen has blown 12 of 25 save opportunities; two starters sport ERAs over 6.00; hitting is lagging, Chipper ain't Chipper & injuries have played a part as well.

---

Life without Albert Pujols didn't start out too bad for the St. Louis Cardinals Sunday, as the beat the Cubs, 9-6. Pujols was moved to the 15-day DL after an injury Saturday. Enter Jim Edmonds, unable to play centerfield because of an abdominal injury. However, he could play first in relief of Albert. In the process, Edmonds goes 3-for-3 with an RBI double in the fifth & a run-scoring single in the sixth. So much for the slump he had been in before the game.

What about Albert? The strained oblique muscle will sideline him for the month at least (some say it will come closer to six weeks). That's a shame. Pujols has been MLB's feel good story this season. While we all watched Barry Bonds chase of the Babe like we watch a sideshow at the circus, we all were also watching Pujols hit homer after homer, without the ego, drama & dislike which seems to follow the slugger from San Fransisco.

The good news for fans of the rest of the teams in the NL Central, especially Cincinnati & Houston (soon to have Clemens back), is this leaves the division wide open if those teams can take advantage of the situation.

---

So goes Dirk, so goes the Mavericks it seems. Then again, you would expect no less when Nowitzki is one of the best in the NBA. He had an off-night in Game 4, but I don't expect a repeat performance when he squares off with Phoenix tonight in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals.

Then again, Dirk has four other teammates on the floor with him at any given time during the game. If he has another off-night, it's up to someone else to pick up their game, something that did not happen in Tuesday night's loss.

---

Meanwhile, Detroit stays alive a little while longer in the Eastern Conference finals beating Miami last night, 91-78. The Heat still lead the series, 3-2.

---

Open-wheel racing legends Mario Andretti & Al Unser Jr. have told Texas Motorspeedway 'no thanks' in regards to racing their IRL event June 10. Both drivers came out of retirement to compete in the Indy 500, but say they would not have the proper time to prepare for the Lone Star state event.

---

What's really going on behind the scenes with the Big East conference? It's reported how great things are after an impressive West Virginia football team win in the Sugar Bowl, followed by a spectacular basketball season. All should be well, right?

Instead officials seemed shocked earlier this week when the Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte, N.C., said if Navy becomes bowl eligible, they will meet an ACC opponent on Dec. 30 at Bank of America Stadium, bumping whoever finishes third in the Big East.

The West Virginia Gazzette reported yesterday that BE commish Mike Tranghese said, "Originally we made a deal with the Houston Bowl to take our No. 3 team. Well, when we didn’t give our No. 3 to [the Meineke Car Care Bowl], they came back and said if we didn’t, they may go to the open market."

In the meantime, the Houston Bowl is circling the drain, with the Big 12 trying its best to keep the game alive all while Navy is in negotiation in Charlotte, leaving the Big East on the outside looking in.

"We were blindsided by that," Tranghese is reported as saying.

---

It's official: Roger Clemens is back in Major League Baseball in a Houston Astros uniform. It's his 23rd season playing professionally.

Wow.

"He we go again," Clemens told reporters yesterday before embarking on a minor league tour which begins today in Lexington, Ky. It's the first stop in a three-week, three-city swing through the minors he hopes will culminate in his first start with the Astros on June 22 at Minute Maid Park against the Minnesota Twins.

Clemens will receive $12.6 million for a little over three months of work. Nice work, if you can get it * he can... after all, the Astros, Yankees, Rangers & Red Sox all competed for his services.

In the end Clemens said it was his Houston teammates that made him put on the Astros uniform one more time. I guess they were all able to bind despite Clemens not travelling with the team unless he was scheduled to pitch.

That's what bother the baseball purists the most. It's not the high salary, dictating terms of his contract or missing half of the season... but bring up the travel deal & they pretty opinionated.

John Brasier in today's Anderson Independent-Mail writes:

Clemens’ special treatment teeters over the edge of a slippery slope. If Clemens can stay home when his team is playing, why shouldn’t other star pitchers be able to do the same thing?

Shouldn’t Curt Schilling and Pedro Martinez get the same consideration if they wanted it? Greg Maddux and John Smoltz should too, but they wouldn’t want to give up the free airfare and luxury accommodations while touring the nation’s top golf courses.

What if young guns such as Dontrelle Willis and Johan Santana decided to make limited travel a negotiating point? Some team would be willing to agree, whether it’s good business or not.

What’s next, star catchers demanding contracts that guarantee them regular days off?

---

An arbitrator ruled in favor of Titans quarterback Steve McNair Wednesday, saying Tennessee cannot continue to ban him from team property for training. I would expect something to happen quick with McNair. He's a $24 million liability on the NFL salary cap, so a release or trade could happen.

A statement from Titans general counsel Steve Underwood said it appeared arbitrator John Feerick leaned more heavily on circumstances "unique and special" to Tennessee state law than on the collective bargaining agreement between the NFL & the players' association.

Feerick also ruled that McNair was not eligible to be compensated for missed workouts.

The Titans denied McNair access to their training facility earlier this spring after contract renegotiation talks came to a halt. The team was concerned that if something happened to McNair on their property they would be liable to pay his entire contract.

---

Tennessee Volunteers football coach Phillip Fulmer blames distractions for his team's 5-6 season last year, the Vols first losing season in 17 years. He also blames himself, including a quarterback shuffle which divided the team.

Surprisingly, Fulmer also said at this week's SEC Spring Meeting in Destin that he waited too long to make changes to his offensive staff. Coordinator Randy Sanders resigned, then recievers coach Pat Washington & line coach Jimmy Ray Stephens were both fired.

Sanders' exit opened the door for the return of former Mississippi coach David Cutcliffe.

Fulmer has won 77% of his games in 14 years at the helm of the Vols. Not bad. But consider this: since 2000 he's 2-8 against Georgia's Mark Richt, Tommy Tuberville of Auburn, & Steve Spurrier, first at Florida, now with South Carolina; oh, he's 0-1 against newcomer Urban Meyer now with the Gators.

---

As I read several stories on Ed Orgeron awaiting word if quarterback Brent Schaeffer has graduated from a California junior college so he can come to Oxford, I started humming the tune to Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers "The Waiting." Think Coach O knows the words?

---

For the past few seasons, I thought the biggest goofball in NASCAR was Kurt Busch - until his brother came along. Kyle, much like brother Kurt, could do himself a lot of favors by taking a few anger management classes. Or sit & talk with whoever finally got to Tony Stewart when his temper put his job in jeopardy with Joe Gibbs.

The latest fiasco involving a Busch boy happened when lil' Kyle through a safety device at Kasey Mears' passing car. The two were involved in a wreck that tossed Busch from the field. Today, Busch is short $50,000 & 25 cup points for his temper tantrum; car owner Rick Hendrick also lost 25 championship points.

NASCAR placed Kyle on probation until the end of the season. I hope they have zero tolerance with him. Then again I hope they have zero tolerance for cheating crew chief Chad Knauss, too. Time will tell in both cases.

---

Memphis Tigers quaterback signee Matt Malouf is participating this week in the Mississippi-Alabama HS All Star Game in Mobile, Ala. After being quizzed by the Mobile paper as to why he chose Memphis over Mississippi, he said: "Memphis has been (recruiting) me since day one. They offered me a scholarship early and they stayed with me the whole way. They were the school that seemed like they wanted me the most. ... I really like the coaching staff and their (offensive) system. I love the spread offense and its the offense that fits me the best, I believe. I like the coaches and the players there. I'm looking forward to getting there."

---

Mike Bianchi writes in today's Orlando Sentinel regarding George O'Leary's heft salary increase at UCF: It's hard to believe there's actually a clause in UCF Coach George O'Leary's new contract that will pay him an extra $50,000 if he wins six games. Excuse me? If you're a college football coach who makes more than a million bucks a year, you should give back $50,000 for going 6-6. Who was UCF's chief negotiator on this contract -- former AD Steve Orsini or Santa Claus?

---

Former Memphis standout Rodney Carney is drawing attention from the Orlando Magic.

---

Memphis is fourth in the nation when it comes to folks eating at fast food restaurants. Birmingham, Louisville & Austin were the only cities that ranked higher. Wait a minute... I cannot stand losing to Louisville in anything! I off to have a Big Mac!

---