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02 Nov 2009 17:31
Updated: November 2, 2009, 9:45 AM ESTBrowns owner Randy Lerner says Mangini's job safe for now
Randy Lerner admitted Sunday that he's "sick about" the 1-7 Browns -- but not enough to fire coach Eric Mangini during the upcoming bye week. When asked specifically if he'd make a coaching change, the Browns owner said no. "I think I should evaluate me," he said, only half-jokingly. He indicated that he wasn't ready to give up on Mangini despite being obviously distraught about the state of the team. But he did strongly indicate that it's time for him to bring in a football authority who can help straighten out this mess. "There's absolutely no question about that," he said. "The highest priority that I have is a strong, credible, serious leader within the building to guide decisions in a far more conspicuous, open transparent way. I can maybe defend decisions by saying I've sought advice and I've brought people in, and we've gone to see people -- and I think my highest priority is to have a stable figure that represents the voice that explains the decisions." -- Cleveland Plain Dealer
Chiefs could still release Larry Johnson?
According to an industry source, the Chiefs considered releasing RB Larry Johnson -- who has a history of misbehavior -- but was cautious of the precedent it might set. The Chiefs didn't want to send the message that, if a player wants out of Kansas City, all he has to do is speak out or act up to get his way. The Chiefs have spent most of the past seven days trying to figure out how to react to Johnson's latest bout of poor judgment. He disparaged coach Todd Haley on a Twitter post, insulted some of his Twitter followers for not being rich, and used gay slurs in two separate public instances. It's not out of the question that Johnson has played his final game with the Chiefs, and the next week will go a long way toward determining what happens next. Johnson is being watched. According to the source, the Chiefs are keeping a close eye on Johnson and how he reacts to his two-week suspension for conduct detrimental to the team.
Giants could go for Jason Bay, Garrett Atkins?
Word is circulating that the Red Sox would offer free-agent outfielder Jason Bay $60 million over four years. Maybe the desperate-for-pop Giants would consider topping that. They could play up the West Coast angle with Bay living in Seattle. He could commute with Tim Lincecum. Another possibility for the Giants: third baseman Garrett Atkins, 29, who's coming off a bad year (.226, nine homers) after averaging .305 with 25 homers his previous three years. Atkins, who lost his job to Ian Stewart, is eligible for arbitration, and the Rockies might non-tender him before the Dec. 20 deadline, turning him into a free agent. -- SF Chronicle
Braves shopping Javier Vazquez?
The Braves are expected to shop Javier Vazquez after signing Tim Hudson to a three-year contract extension. -- Chicago Tribune
Spurs Ginobili: didn't mean to kill bat
Perhaps bracing for the inevitable PETA protest, Spurs forward Manu Ginobili swears he didn't mean to kill the bat, and doesn't think he did. He said afterward the bat was still moving when he scooped it up. "I just stunned him," Ginobili said. Reports conflict as to the ultimate fate of the bat. Saturday night, multiple arena sources confirmed the animal's demise. Sunday afternoon, team officials reported the bat had actually recovered and flown away. -- San Antonio Express-News
Kings could trade Andres Nocioni?
Kings coach Paul Westphal said he has enjoyed Andres Nocioni. "He's a great guy," Westphal said. "He just wants to come play basketball and come give everything he has. Everybody would like to have him on their squad." Which is a blessing and a curse, of course, because it means uncertainty remains for Nocioni. When the February trade deadline arrives, some of the league's better teams may be interested in his skill set and competitive reputation. ... His contract, while certainly not small, is movable because his salary declines every season through its end in 2012. Nocioni is owed $7.5 million this season, $6,850,000 next season, $6,650,000 in 2011-12 and there is a team option worth $7,500,000 in 2012-13. -- Sacramento Bee
Drivers protest against NASCAR's rule?
In the aftermath drivers were complaining about the harsh no bump-drafting rule, calling the racing boring and some in the media asked if maybe the long strung out field was a protest of sorts against NASCAR's rule. Roush-Fenway Racing driver Greg Biffle, who finished fourth ahead of the carnage, said that while NASCAR's prerace warning may have had an effect on the racing, drivers were still able to bump draft in the corners. "I think so. I think the guys were a little more cautious," Biffle said. "I think that's why you didn't see some of those big wrecks. The guys kept it a little more cool and up in three and four they ran into each other pretty hard up there. They tried to wreck three or four times and it just didn't happen." But Biffle added though that despite the rule, the single file runs were certainly no protest and the racing wasn't too different then normal. "If you look back at the races in the past, we've done the same thing," Biffle said, "Three years ago, I was running fourth and we were all lined up on the top. I think Reutimann was right in front of me and blew up or something, so we've done that here a lot." -- Examiner
McMurray doesn't think win will help job prospects
Jamie McMurray, who has been reported as a leading contender to replace Martin Truex Jr. at Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, said he didn't think the win would enhance his job prospects. "I don't think so," he said. "There's not a lot of rides available right now. I think that everybody knows what rides there are out there. Certainly if a sponsor were to call me, that would make it a lot easier with the amount of teams that are shutting down." Despite the win, McMurray said he is going to "miss being a part of this organization." "Certainly the performance hasn't been what I think either one of us expected coming in," he said of him and Roush. "Coming over here I thought it would be kind of a sure bet, and it just hasn't been as good as what it needed to be."
Ex: Yanks A-Rod had portraits of himself as half-human and half-animal hanging over his bed
A former Alex Rodriguez fling remembers seeing portraits of the Yankees slugger, 34, as a centaur hanging over his bed. "He was so vain," his ex tells Us Weekly. "He had not one, but two painted portraits of himself as a centaur. You know, the half man, half horse figure?" Adds the ex, "It was ridiculous." -- US Magazine
Pats' Tom Brady's wife Gisele Bundchen passes pilot test with flying colors
Word from the South Shore is that supermodel mommy-to-be Gisele Bundchen has passed her written test and is one giant step closer to acquiring her helicopter license. Gi, as we told you previously, has been taking chopper lessons down at Marshfield Airport for about two months. Word is, Mrs. Tom Brady wanted to find a way to shorten her commute between Boston, where the couple has set up housekeeping, and NYC, where many of her modeling assignments are. Before she can be fully licensed, the FAA requires 20 hours of flight lessons with an instructor and then 10 hours of solo flight. An additional 10 hours of either dual or solo flying is required for pilot wannabes who don't already have a certificate to fly airplanes. Before Gisele can take her flight test, she had to pass the written exam, a multiple-choice test covering regulations, navigation and other aeronautical subjects. Bet she aced it! "She is one of the best pilots I've seen in a long time," Shoreline Aviation prez Keith Douglass told us. -- Boston Herald
Punching RB LaGarrette Blount returning to Oregon Ducks?
Pacific-10 Conference commissioner Larry Scott met Sunday with Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount, university president Richard Lariviere, university counsel, coach Chip Kelly and athletic director Mike Bellotti to discuss the possible return of Blount. In the hours and days following Oregon's season-opening 19-8 loss at Boise State, the punch thrown by Blount symbolized the struggles of the Ducks and first-year coach Kelly. Now, it symbolizes how far the Ducks have come: Kelly is odds-on-favorite to be coach of the year, the Ducks have won every game since, and Blount could come back this week and play Saturday at Stanford (5-3, 4-2 Pac-10). "This is not a football decision,'' Kelly said. "If he has an opportunity to come back, then that's awesome for LeGarrette Blount, but this doesn't have anything to do with any decisions from a football standpoint.'' -- The Oregonian
Did Florida LB Brandon Spikes attempt to gouge Georgia players eyes?
Internet video of Florida linebacker Brandon Spikes reaching into Georgia tailback Washaun Ealey's helmet at the bottom of a pile drew a lot of attention on message boards frequented by UGA fans who felt Spikes was attempting to gouge at Ealey's eyes. Both Georgia coach Mark Richt and Florida coach Urban Meyer were asked about the incident on their Sunday teleconferences. "If that's the case, I will have a very serious talk with him," said Meyer, who called Spikes "a very emotional player." Richt said he had not seen the video. "I did have someone bring it to my attention that they thought that might have happened or whatever," Richt said, "but I don't want to make any kind of comment on that particular incident." -- Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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