NBA

What do you get when you fool a blind man? Well, Overstock.com likes to reward the most despised NBA player in Cleveland, signing him today to a 4 year contract to help hawk their goods and services. If you are new to the Cleveland sports scene you may have no idea what I am talking about. If you follow Cavaliers basketball there is little doubt that you know that I am speaking about Carlos Boozer, who betrayed Cleveland and the team's then-owner Gordon Gund, who is legally blind, by shaking on a contract. Here is what ESPN wrote in 2004 of the situation:

The Cavaliers had an option year remaining on Boozer's contract at the bargain-basement price of $700,000. But Boozer averaged 15.5 points and 11.4 rebounds last season. Acknowledging he was worth way more than that, Cavs general manager Jim Paxson supposedly shook hands with Boozer on a deal in which the team would forgo the option and let Boozer become a restricted free agent. In exchange, Boozer would sign with Cleveland for $41 million over six years.
Shortly afterward, however, the Jazz stepped in with an offer worth $27 million more, one the Cavs couldn't afford to match. Boozer accepted that deal and the debate began: Did Paxson get bamboozled, and if so, was he at fault for taking the player's word? Did Boozer act with malice by breaking his promise? And was there a promise made to begin with?

Even Boozer's own sports agency, known to have less morals than used auto salesman, washed their hands of Boozer after the deal. Again, quoting the AP story that ESPN ran:

Among the intriguing pieces of fallout was the decision by SFX, the company that represents Boozer, to disassociate itself from the player, a rare move that spoke to the bad public relations it must have received in the wake of the contract. The agent who worked out the deal, Rob Pelinka, resigned from the company, as well.

Roger Clemens isn't the only person to find himself embroiled in a sex scandal. Former Utah Jazz star Karl Malone is in the news today for fathering a child with a 13 year old girl when he was a sophomore in college. To make matters worse, he told his son named Demetrius Bell, he met the child for the first time when he was 18 and told him he would have to earn money on his own and that it was too late for him to be a father to the child. Malone also fathered twins with an unidentified woman in high school.

Bell apparently did get something from his dad despite him not wanting to be in his life. The Northwestern State star was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the seventh round. Bell will try to make the team as an offensive tackle this year while his father Karl Malone joins Roger Clemens in the Sports Hall of Shame.

Former bad boy of the NBA was arrested by police yesterday on suspicion of felony domestic battery. The former star, who played alongside Isaiah Thomas and Michael Jordan to win championships with the Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls, was released early this morning on $50,000 bond TMZ has reported.

Rodman, a tenacious rebounder and defensive player, has also had roles in films and television shows. He has been known for bazaar behavior in the past with rapidly changes hair colors along with tattoos and piercings that have adorned his body. He used to state that he wanted to end his NBA career stripping naked and running off the floor.

Click in to see what Rodman was booked for from the Los Angeles County website:

If you are a Cleveland Cavaliers basketball fan you probably know that there is good chance that LeBron James will be New York city bound when his contract with the Cavaliers expires after the 2009-2010 season. As painful as it is to accept, the fact of the matter is their a lot of money to made in the big apple and his lucrative contracts with Nike and Coca-Cola will probably play a part in his decision to leave the area that he grew up in.

New York fans know this as well and already trying to lure "King James" to play in the worlds most famous arena Madison Square Garden. A fan of the Knicks has started a website called "NYC For LeBron" enticing him to opt out of his contract:

So as New Yorkers we have to put matters in our own hands. Please register so that we can invite you to rallies and special events and raise funds to buy LeBron a New York gift basket (his own suite at Yankee Stadium, additional salary, Gloria James courtside seats, Ferrari, etc.) if he opts out of his contract in July 1, 2010 and comes to New York. Does LeBron need the money? No, but we need LeBron!

New Jersey Nets standout small forward is under investigation for allegedly choking a clubgoer in Minneapolis. The 27 year old then threatened another person at the club. The incident late last month (January 27th) but is coming to light as TMZ released documents that read:

Evidently, Mr. Richard Jefferson of the New Jersey Nets Basketball team and Infinity patron Lyle Fox had engaged in a minor verbal disagreement before it quickly escalated. According to Dan Graves, Mr. Jefferson had been on top of Mr. Fox, with both hands on Mr. Fox's neck. Dan stated that it appeared that Mr. Jefferson had been choking Mr. Fox.

Chicago Bulls rookie, who was suspended for an angry outburst against a coach late last week, had his suspension extended for one game when his fellow players voted to extend his one day suspension another day.

Asked about the decision of his fellow players, the 9th pick in the draft who starred at the University of Florida said:

"I mean I just have to accept it," Noah said. "What do you want me to say? I'm a rookie. It is what it is. I have to move on. There's nothing I can do about it.".

It has been 23 years since Nike released their popular Air Jordan shoe and the company plans to mark the anniversary, which coincides with Michael Jordan's number when he was a standout player not a pitchman, by releasing limited editions of the shoes. The shoes, which will only be sold at 23 retailers throughout the country, won't come cheap. They will be sold from $230 when they are first released this month and will come down in price to $185 when they go national later this year.

"For twenty-two years, the Jordan Brand has set the standard for athletic luxury and the AIR JORDAN XX3 is no different," explains Howard White, Vice President, Jordan Brand. "We at Jordan Brand continue to push the envelope by incorporating unique design cues created by the most talented people in the footwear industry while in turn providing our fans with the best basketball shoe inspired by the best basketball player ever. It's the perfect complement."

Indiana Pacers' guard Jamaal Tinsley and several companions were the targets of a shooting early Sunday morning, that resulted in the wounding of one person. Tinsley escaped the incident unharmed, but did not practice with the team on Sunday.

This incident marks the third time since last year that Tinsley has been involved in a disturbance stemming from nights on the town.

Team President Larry Bird said, "I really didn't know what to think about it. I was just hoping everybody was all right. You feel bad any time your players are in some situations, you feel bad for everything that happened. I just feel bad for the organization. We'll get through this, but it's tough right now."

The Pacers' equipment manager, Joey Qatato, was struck in both elbows as he was sitting in Tinsley's Rolls Royce. Qatato, 48, was taken to a local hospital where he was treated and released.

Indianapolis police said that they were grateful the incident occurred at the time of the day that it did, as the streets were pretty bare. "If it happened during rush hour, God knows what would have happened," said police.

Coach Jim O'Brien said that Tinsley made an error in judgment, and hopes that the narrow escape will help him make better decisions in the future.: