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04 Nov 2009 23:05
Updated: November 4, 2009, 10:22 AM ESTNFL RUMORS AND NOTES
Legal battle could follow Browns' ouster of GM Kokinis
The ominous silence over Monday's ouster of Browns General Manager George Kokinis could signal a legal battle over money still due Kokinis. ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported Tuesday that the Browns were seeking dismissal ''for cause.'' On Monday, Mortensen reported that the Browns were trying to work out a settlement with Kokinis in which he would resign, but that Kokinis refused. Terms of his contract were never disclosed after Kokinis, handpicked by coach Eric Mangini, was hired on Jan. 23. Mangini avoided almost all questions about Kokinis, even though they had been friends for years. Those ties might have been severed in recent weeks. Kokinis' father, Pete, was Mangini's wrestling coach at Bulkeley High School in Hartford, Conn. Kokinis and Mangini were roommates in a Berea apartment when they broke into the NFL as Browns interns in 1994. Kokinis served on the board of directors of Mangini's foundation. -- Akron Beacon Journal
Raiders owner Al Davis ready to fire Cable?
If you're Al Davis (yikes!), what do you do? His team is 2-6 and at another dead end. He is still employing -- as of last check -- Tom Cable, the ultimate dead-ender coach. Davis has to be embarrassed by the recent reports about Cable's alleged history of violence against women, and Al is justifiably proud about his public and private stances against such behavior. He surely is readying a case to fire Cable "for cause." He knows that his franchise, even as low as it has sunk, will be better off without this baggage. But Davis also knows that Cable will be his second coach fired "for cause" in 14 months, after the Raiders sliced out Lane Kiffin in September last year. -- San Jose Mercury News
MLB RUMORS AND NOTES
Cito Gaston: Hopefully Jays can get something for Halladay before he leaves
Trying to trade Roy Halladay before he potentially walks away as a free agent is a realistic scenario for the Blue Jays. Asked for his gut feeling about Halladay's future on Saturday, Cito Gaston once again reiterated Halladay's wish to play in the postseason. Given Toronto's current situation, making a run at the World Series seems like more of a long-term goal. "My gut is that I think Doc wants to be on a winning team," Gaston said. "He's probably sitting there looking at A.J. [Burnett] out there pitching [for the Yankees in the World Series], knowing that that's where he'd like to be. It's not about money with Doc. It's about him being on a winning team. "I can't speak for Doc, but my gut feeling is if he's here next year with us, then he'll probably leave after next year. Hopefully, if that's the case, then we can get something for him before he leaves." -- BlueJays.com
Josh Beckett meeting with Red Sox about Fenway future
Josh Beckett, who was in Boston to be honored for his commitment to Children's Hospital, told WEEI.com that he and his agent, Michael Moye, are planning to meet with Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein in the coming weeks to discuss the . pitcher's future with the team. "We're just letting things die down a little bit," Beckett said. Beckett is entering the last year of his contract with the Red Sox after having his option for the 2010 season vest thanks to making 28 starts in '09. -- WEEI
NBA RUMORS AND NOTES
Pistons dealing Tayshuan Prince, Jason Maxiell?
It was curious when Tayshaun Prince was a late scratch Tuesday due to what the team reported as a lower back strain, and Jason Maxiell didn't play against Orlando. Was there a trade in the works? Were they considering packaging Prince and Maxiell for another expiring contract that could help them next summer in the free-agent shopping market? Pistons GM Joe Dumars shot down the suspicions, insisting there are no deals looming. He figures that the Pistons already have enough new faces. -- Detroit Free Press
George Karl: NBA picks on Denver Nuggets
Denver coach George Karl is frustrated by the NBA's suspension of Kenyon Martin for Saturday's game against Sacramento, expressing that the NBA has "picked on" the Nuggets when it comes to suspensions and league rulings. Martin was called for a technical foul Tuesday when he smacked Phoenix's Boris Diaw on the face, but Thursday the league declared it was a flagrant foul, which pushed Martin over the limit for flagrant points earned in a season. The penalty is a one-game suspension, which will be served right in the heart of the playoff race. "We get picked on," said Karl, whose team is in the eighth and final playoff game, a game ahead of Golden State. "I think there's a harder core judgment to our guys than to some other guys. Maybe we've earned that, I don't know." -- Denver Post
NASCAR RUMORS AND NOTES
Kurt Busch: NASCAR needs to focus on new generation racecar
Sunday at Talladega two cars flipped, the Chevy's raced by Ryan Newman and Mark Martin. According to Kurt Busch, NASCAR needs to focus on the new generation racecar that was introduced fulltime to the series in 2007. "It's 'careful what you ask for'" Busch said. "We wanted bigger greenhouses to protect the drivers but ultimately all a bigger greenhouse does is create a bigger parachute for the air to grab when the car turns around in reverse that's why the cars are lifting a little easier. Do we need better roof flap systems? That's something we need to look at. Cars are definitely flipping over too easily." -- Examiner
NASCAR official critical of ABC's race coverage
A NASCAR official criticized ABC's broadcast of Sunday's Talladega race, stating in a blog that the network "missed a lot of very good racing." ABC defended its coverage in a statement Tuesday, saying: "We feel we had a strong telecast." Ramsey Poston, NASCAR's managing director of corporate communications, didn't see it that way. "The ABC broadcasters certainly weren't happy with the race and they felt compelled to remind viewers of that virtually every lap," Poston wrote Monday night on NASCAR.com. "They seemed to blame NASCAR's enforcement of the rule prohibiting bump-drafting in the corners for every moment they didn't like. Along the way, ABC missed a lot of very good racing. "... Interestingly, a caller on Sirius NASCAR Satellite Radio (Monday) morning said that he first watched the race on ABC then listened to the MRN broadcast and said, 'It was like two different races,' referring to the excitement and action portrayed on the radio broadcast." -- Virginian-Pilot
ODD NOTES AND STUFF
Vikings Brett Favre turns down Leno, Letterman TV shows
Brett Favre is so focused on winning games this season that the Vikings QB has respectfully declined guest appearances on the Jay Leno and David Letterman TV shows. -- Pioneer Press
MLB sells prime World Series seats to lawmakers, congressional aides at face value
Tickets for Wednesday's World Series game are nearly impossible to come by at face value. But that isn't the case if you are a member of Congress or one of their aides. Federal lawmakers and people who work for them have gotten their hands on scores of tickets to the sold-out World Series games this year between the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies courtesy of a perk not available to the public. Major League Baseball and the teams sell a limited number of prime seats to lawmakers and congressional aides at face value, often hundreds of dollars less than the going rate. The league has sold about 75 World Series tickets to a total of 15 lawmakers or aides in the past week, according to Pat Courtney, a spokesman for Major League Baseball. Mr. Courtney declined to identify which lawmakers and aides sought the tickets. Because the recipients pay for the tickets, the offer complies with ethics rules for Congress and the executive branch. The arrangement, however, highlights what some ethics watchdogs say is a loophole in recently tightened congressional ethics rules, which ban officials from receiving just about any gifts. -- Wall Street Journal
COLLEGE SPORTS RUMORS AND NOTES
Houston QB Keenum could pass on NFL draft for another year of college
Case Keenum has been steadfast in intention to quarterback the Houston Cougars again in 2010. While Keenum has the red-blooded college football player's dream of playing in the NFL, he is more than willing to wait. "It's definitely a thing that would be cool to do one day," Keenum said. "But who knows? I feel that's a long way away." -- Houston Chronicle
Colorado RB Scott's interest in UCLA is 'really high'
The news of Colorado running back Darrell Scott's possible transfer to UCLA sent Bruin message boards and chat rooms into a tizzy Tuesday. Scott was the consensus top running back recruit in the nation after his senior year at St. Bonaventure of Ventura after transferring from Moorpark High before the season. He considered attending UCLA out of high school but ultimately picked Colorado over Texas, Florida and LSU. The Bruins are mentioned as a possible destination after the transfer of Scott's uncle, wide receiver Josh Smith, from Colorado in early September. Smith has been a standout on the scout team during his redshirt season and is expected to fight for a starting position next year. Smith would not comment on the situation. -- LA Daily News
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