Monday Water Cooler – June 14th, 2010
Here we go with today’s sports water cooler talk. Here, you won’t just find the straight news; you’ll find the stuff everyone is talking about – the ice breakers, the Twitter Sports Picks and topics…well, basically all the stuff you discuss at the water cooler.
Enjoy!
Strasburg back! Vince Young attacking people! Lots of news to discuss today. Let’s start with VY.
NFL news: Vince Young cited for misdemeanor assault
Just when it seemed Vince Young’s career was back on track, this had to happen. Early Sunday morning, the Tennessee Titans quarterback got into a fight at a Dallas strip club. Surveillance video footage showed Young talking with some people in a small room of Club Onyx before Young attacked someone.
No word yet on what provoked the attack or what exactly he did to his victim but, for now, Young has received a Class C assault citation, which is punishable by a fine up to $500.
That means San Diego’s offers will shrink to 110 per cent of the two players’ 2009 base salaries. In turn, Jackson and McNeill can sit out the first 10 games of the season and still make that money.
MLB news: Stephen Strasburg again; Jim Joyce voted best umpire in ESPN poll
Two starts, two victories for Stephen Strasburg. The Washington Nationals rookie got another easy matchup in his second career outing on Sunday: the Cleveland Indians.
He had to work a bit harder, grinding through five walks, but he still allowed just one run and two hits over five and a third innings, striking out eight.
Maybe Jim Joyce’s blown call on Armando Galarraga’s perfect game really was an anomaly. On Sunday, ESPN polled 50 active players from each league to pick the best umpires in baseball.
First place went to Jim Joyce, who was named on 53 per cent of the surveys. The next closest umpire was Tim McClelland at 34 per cent.
Also worth noting: 86 per cent of the players agreed with Bud Selig’s decision not to reverse the call.
NBA news: Drew named new Atlanta Hawks coach; Izzo questions Cavs’ relationship with LeBron
A trend that seems to work in the NFL and NHL: hiring first-timer head coaches. Maybe the NBA is catching on. Even after a contending season, the Atlanta Hawks were so perturbed by their playoff humiliation against Orlando that they fired coach Mike Woodson.
Now, Woodson’s top; assistant, Larry Drew, gets the job. It’s his first shot at being a head coach in the NBA.
Is there more than meets the eye to the Cavaliers’ current relationship with LeBron James?
Sources suggest coaching target Tom Izzo believes so. As they try to woo Izzo to leave Michigan State and sign a five-year, $30-million deal, team owner Dan Gilbert and Cavs representatives insist they have a good chance to re-sign LeBron.
But sources close to Izzo say that Izzo “isn’t even sure who has a relationship with [James].”
I guess we’ll know who’s right in a few weeks.
NHL news: Spezza latest name to surface in trade rumors
Like Tomas Kaberle, Ottawa Senators center Jason Spezza is the subject of swirling trade rumors as draft day approaches.
Spezza’s no-trade clause kicks in on July 1. After that, his $7-million cap hit will chain itself to the Sens for the next five years.
There are certainly teams out there seeking a center with first-line talent – the Bruins, Oilers, Rangers and Leafs come to mind – but can any of those teams actually afford Spezza?
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