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05 Nov 2009 15:16
Updated: November 5, 2009, 10:01 AM ESTTom Cable's Raiders job appears safe, at least for now
Tom Cable worked under the assumption he would survive as head coach through the bye week, even as the Raiders continued their "serious evaluation" of domestic-abuse claims against him. "Yes," Cable said when asked if he expected to remain the head coach in the midst of his second round of assault allegations in three months. Cable said he spoke with Raiders owner Al Davis after Monday's news conference. They discussed team and personnel matters, and they discussed the abuse allegations made against Cable by an ex-wife and ex-girlfriend. -- SF Chronicle
John Riggins says Redskins owner Daniel Snyder is 'a bad guy'
Redskins Hall of Famer John Riggins as a guest on Showtime's "Inside The NFL," asked by host James Brown asked why he's been so outspoken about Dan Snyder and the Redskins. "I've been asked this question a lot, when they say do you have an ax to grind? And I think any time an older player criticizes or says anything about his former team, unless he's throwing Bon Mots at them, that all of a sudden you get a, 'What's he griping at?' type of thing. Maybe that's the case. But truthfully, I do have an ax to grind and I just realized I have been a little bit disingenuous. But this is a bad guy that owns this team. I'll just tell you that upfront. Bad guy. And if the Commissioner is worried about potential new owners and saying some of these guys shouldn't apply, he might want to police his own inside guys...." --Washington Post
Phillies undecided on extension for Cliff Lee
The Phillies have not yet decided whether to offer a contract extension to pitcher Cliff Lee this off-season, but they have discussed the possibility internally. "Clearly, it's on our minds, but we haven't made a decision if we will yet," general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said yesterday. "Naturally, you have to think about it, but we're more focused on him pitching in this series." The club holds a $9 million option on Lee for 2010, after which the 31-year-old lefthander will become a free agent - unless he and the Phillies agree on an extension between now and then. -- Philadelphia Inquirer
Brewers J.J. Hardy to Twins?
If the Twins can't re-sign free-agent shortstop Orlando Cabrera, it would be surprising if they don't consider Milwaukee's J.J. Hardy, who is expendable due to the emergence of Alcides Escobar. Lefty starter Glen Perkins would seem a likely bet to be included if there were an offer to the Brewers.
NBA free agent Wally Szczerbiak has surgery, likely retiring
The unsigned Wally Szczerbiak told The Post yesterday he underwent knee surgery three weeks ago at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan and is seriously considering retiring in the coming weeks. The surgeons have told the Cold Spring Harbor product another knee injury could affect his ability to lead a normal life because he lacks enough cartilage in the knee after three surgeries. A source said the decision's been all but made to retire because he wants to be able to play with his kids. But Szczerbiak said yesterday an official decision hasn't been reached. "I'm not ready to sign my retirement papers yet," he said. "The doctors have their opinions. I'm getting my body right and see where that takes me. Basketball's been very generous to me financially. It's not about the money." -- NY Post
Charles Oakley wants to coach in NBA?
Charles Oakley suggested in a pre-game media session he might like to coach in the NBA. Then he sounded like he was already a general manager when asked how to construct a team. "I like young guys, willing to do the right thing, that's the No. 1," he said. "These guys don't want to listen, they don't want to buy in. You try to get seven, eight guys you believe in, five guys you can trust and three guys who like what you say all the time. That's how you get to be a winner. Get guys on the same page every night." -- Toronto Star
NASCAR says racing in Milwaukee still possible
Despite the latest setback in signing a new race promoter, racing at the Milwaukee Mile in 2010 remains a possibility, a NASCAR spokesman said Wednesday. After a three-month process, Historic Mile LLC informed State Fair Park on Tuesday that it could not secure the financing necessary and would withdraw as the prospective promoter. Almost immediately, park management turned its attention to a group led by Frank Giuffre, a former promoter, and his brother, Dominic. That group was rejected in August, when the park board of directors instead chose to sign a letter of intent with Historic Mile. The racetrack is on the agenda of a fair board meeting Friday. "We're in touch with the fair board, and Milwaukee is a very important market to us and we're considering every option available," said Ramsey Poston, managing director of corporate communications for NASCAR. -- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
NASCAR drivers onboard for Formula One style qualifying
One idea being to generate excitement is to look at the way Formula One qualifies. Instead of a single car, single run F1 qualifying uses a timed 'knockout' system. During a break in Goodyear tire testing at Daytona Tuesday, drivers Jamie McMurray, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series most recent winner and 2004 champion Kurt Busch talked about the F1 style of qualifying in NASCAR. "I think they would have to do it a little bit different," said McMurrary who admits he watches Formula One. "I wish our qualifying would be like 30 minutes long or an hour long, kind of like the way we practice, where maybe you don't do a draw, because the draw at a lot of places really hurts you. I think it would be interesting to have an hour of a kind of free for all. It would be a little different at Daytona and Talladega because of the drafting, but at some of the other tracks...
Singer Mary J. Blidge had never been to a baseball game before singing anthem at World Series
Just hours before her performance of The Star-Spangled Banner at the deciding sixth match between New York's Yankees and their Philadelphia opponents, the R 'n' B singer said: "I have never been to a baseball game." The New York-born Blige, wearing a World Series jacket and a Yankees jersey, said: "I have never done it before, so I'm kind of nervous. "But I'm mostly excited because this is my hometown. I was born in Fordham Hospital [New York] in the Bronx, so I'm just happy that [the Yankees] picked me to do this." -- London Telegraph
NBA player: nothing real about Khloe Kardashian reality show
Journeyman NBA player Rashad McCants says there was nothing real about his stint on former girlfriend Khloe Kardashian's reality show. The shooting guard said Khloe and sister Kourtney, who claimed he cheated on Khloe, "made the whole thing up." McCants said a "Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami" episode -- where they were seen hacking into McCants' voice mail and listening to suggestive phone messages apparently left for him by a female fan -- was staged. He said the curvy sisters did not have his current phone number and he and Khloe "had already called it quits" in January, before the segment was even taped. Meanwhile, Khloe wasted no time finding herself another NBA star to play ball -- she wed the LA Lakers' Lamar Odom in September, after a monthlong romance. -- NY Post
Georgia AD backs coach Mark Richt
Georgia athletics director Damon Evans said Wednesday that the stormy reaction of UGA fans to the Bulldogs' 4-4 record is "understandable" but expressed confidence that coach Mark Richt "will lead us through this adversity." "This season has been one that is very, very difficult for us, not what we are used to," said Evans, who called last week's loss to Florida "a sore spot." Evans echoed Richt's position that the appropriate course of action at this point is to focus on each remaining game -- not on fans' calls for changes to Richt's staff. "We are in a business that is very public," Evans said in an interview with the AJC. "When things go wrong, there are different reactions that come from people. But our head coach is very good at what he does, and I have the utmost confidence Mark Richt will continue to lead us in the right direction. "I have confidence in our head coach to make decisions with his program, as I always have. ... I don't think right now is the time for us to talk about staff changes or anything of that nature. What we need to focus on is the task at hand. ... I know [Richt] will evaluate his program at the end of the season, as he always does." -- Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Vols Lane Kiffin adds some new shots at Gators Urban Meyer
Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin seemed skeptical that Florida coach Urban Meyer would be severely punished for his recent criticism of the SEC's much-maligned football officials. "Urban Meyer?" Kiffin deadpanned following practice Wednesday when asked of Meyer's comments. "Criticized the officials, wow, that will be interesting. We'll see." The SEC sent out a memo to member schools and media that threatened coaches with fines and suspensions if they publicly criticized officials. Asked if Kiffin was under the impression that the public criticism was supposed to stop, he said, "You guys got the same memo that I got." -- Knoxville News Sentinel
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