Lance Armstrong left this year’s Tour de France failing to match his own expectations.

Yes, Stage 20 of the Tour de France 2010 was his final appearance as he rode down the Champs Elysees in Paris. It was a sad day for Armstrong, aged 38, and for his many fans, to see the great man’s exit.

In Stage 19, the time trial, RadioShack rider Lance Armstrong finished in 67^th. And for the Texan cyclist who has an amazing legacy at the Tour de France after seven titles, finishing 67^th was embarassing. This time last year he came out of a four-year retirement and came close to making it 8 wins, but this year, his final year, it was not to be.

He had misfortune in many of the first few stages. In Stage 8, he suffered three crashes, effectively ending his chances. It was a sad and emotional day as he said graciously afterwards, “My tour is finished. No tears from me. I’ve had a lot of years here where it’s been very different, so I’m not going to dwell on today.”

We cannot ignore though, that the fight to defend his legacy in the sport still continue with a federal grand jury in Los Angeles still investigating illegal doping in the sport, that includes Floyd Landis, disgraced former Tour de France winner, continuing to make allegations against Armstrong.

Both Armstrong and his lawyer, Tim Herman, have referred to the investigation as a “witch hunt,” and no doubt many of Armstrong’s most ardent fans will be hoping for the best.

For now though we have to remember the skills and…

Read More » Is the Curtain Closing on Lance Armstrong?

You can bet your ass they certainly hope so.

New Orleans Hornets president Hugh Weber both told CBSSports.com that they plan to sit down face-to-face with Chris Paul to sell him on the team’s new direction for the coming 2010 NBA basketball season. Paul can’t go public with his trade request — if he did, he’d be subject to a fine under NBA rules — but those with knowledge of his plans believe his desire to pair up with another superstar (or two) has gained too much momentum to stop.

In late June, Chris Paul, 25, spent several days in Akron, Ohio, with James, who was busy orchestrating his own exit strategy from Cleveland. The two friends and superstars picked each other’s brains, with each persuading the other to make significant changes in their branding strategies.

For Paul, it was a big step to persuade James to join the social networking phenomenon that is Twitter. For James’ part, he finally persuaded Paul to join his Cleveland-based marketing company, LRMR.

Paul’s decision to sign with LRMR, headed by James’ close friend and advisor, Maverick Carter, was only the first step in his exit plan from the New Orleans Hornets. Paul officially severed his representation agreement with Octagon earlier this month and will soon officially join the influential stable of clients represented by Creative Artists Agency.

With a stranglehold on the top free-agent talent…

Read More » Can the Hornets keep Chris Paul in New Orleans?

Plain and simple, Mayweather feels Pacquiao doesn’t deserve a date with him yet.

Yes, you read it here, Floyd Mayweather is after all, the best pound for pound fighter in the world and Manny Pacquiao STILL has a lot to prove to earn a date with Money May.

In case you haven’t heard, Manny Pacquiao is now desperate in getting in the ring with Mayweather primarily because the guy needs a fighter with Mayweather’s talent to solidify his career.

Unlike all those other jobbers that Bob Arum has been throwing in Pacquiao’s way, Mayweather is THE best in the world and Pacquiao knows a fight with a guy like that will make his career.

Oh, and in case there are still some of you who are still in doubt whether Mayweather actually is the best in the world at what he does, well, ESPN already proclaimed him as such, giving him the title as the Fighter of the Year.

Yep, the undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr. beat the biggest joke in boxing, that’s Many Pacquiao as “Fighter of the Year” in the recently concluded annual ESPN awards held at the Nokia Theater in downtown Los Angeles.

The ESPY Awards is an annual awards event created and broadcast by American cable television network ESPN to celebrate their legacy as a sport channel. Athletic awards are given as well. Begun in 1993 , the event confers eponymous awards, fully styled as Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Awards , for individual and team athletic achievement and other sports-related performance during the calendar year preceding a given ceremony, according to Wikipedia.

Mayweather got his award for “Best Fighter ESPY Award” (Fighter of the Year…)

Read More » Why Floyd Mayweather is in no rush to fight Pacquiao

One thing’s for sure, Boston Celtics general manager Danny Ainge isn’t worried about the Miami Heat.

“We’re the Eastern Conference champions. And we think we’re going to be better next year.” Those were the words uttered by Boston Celtics manager Danny Ainge heading to the 2010 NBA basketball season, a season already proclaiming the trio of Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh in Miami the heavy favorites to win it all.

Ainge confirmed that the Boston Celtics have agreements in place with Paul Pierce and Ray Allen that would keep Boston’s Big Three intact for a run at a third NBA Finals stint in four years. Ainge also said he expects to sign free agent center Jermaine O’Neal to fill in while center Kendrick Perkins recovers from knee surgery.

A six-time All-Star, Jermaine O’Neal has averaged 14 points and 7.5 rebounds in a 14-year career for Portland, Indiana, Toronto and Miami. With the Heat last year, he averaged 13.6 points and 6.9 rebounds in 28 minutes. However, O’Neal struggled mightily in the playoffs against the Celtics, averaging just 4.2 points per game in the five-game series.

Remaining on Ainge’s list of potential free agents are re-signing longtime Celtics bench player Tony Allen and midseason acquisition Nate Robinson.

“We’re trying to fill our roster in. Once we get this taken care of the next couple of days, then we’ll start working on the next group of guys,” Ainge said. We like Nate and Tony. I’m sure they’re still looking at the market, too, because the market’s pretty crazy right now. So we’ll be patient and look at other options as well in case they go in another direction.”

“We intend to sign him,” Ainge said. “Our priorities to…”

Read More » Does the Celtics have enough to stay on top of the East?

Football has long been America’s most popular sport.

While baseball is the American pastime and holds a special place in the hearts of sports fans, it has yet to surpass football in terms of either broad appeal or revenues especially now with the 2010 NCAA college football season just around the corner.

Nor is the National Football League the only beneficiary of football’s enduring popularity. Indeed, in parts of the country with unsuccessful NFL teams (or no NFL teams), college football is just as popular – and just as lucrative. Likewise, an accomplished head coach at a prestigious college program can easily command several million dollars per year in salary, and the football teams themselves figure prominently in the entire cost structure of their universities.

So what are these teams you ask?

Let’s start with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Valued at $108 million and boasting profits of $38 million – the Fighting Irish have long been one of the most widely followed teams in NCAA football. Seven Heisman Trophy winners have played for Notre Dame, as well as 95 consensus All-Americans.

Furthermore, Notre Dame Stadium (where the team plays its home games) seats more people than some NFL stadiums do – 80,795 at last count. The team has also won eight national championships, and owes much of its current value to consistently being a contender year in and year out.

Another highly valued NCAA football team with a rich history is…

Read More » Which Programs in College Football brings in the Money?

After he got Zydrunas Ilgauskas to leave Cleveland too and join him in Miami, LeBron might really be fucking with Cleveland now.

And in case you didn’t know, yes, Zydrunas Ilgauskas is the latest former Cavalier to join and follow LeBron James to the Miami Heat. Add him to the list of players that shapes up to be a serious title contender in Miami, joining not only James but Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh as we head closer to the 2010 NBA basketball season.

The veteran center, who started playing for Cleveland in 1997 and has never suited up for another NBA team, signed a two-year contract with the Heat to join former Cavaliers teammate LeBron James. The two-year deal would come with a player option for the second season.

The decision Zydrunas Ilgauskas made became known less than a week after James sparked outrage and outcry in Cleveland by going on a made-for-television special and saying he was joining the Heat. His departure won’t generate the same reaction from Clevelanders, but it’ll hurt more the owner of the Cavs Dan Gilbert.

Ilgauskas was a fan favorite for more than a decade, and when he returned to the Cavs after getting traded to the Washington Wizards this past season, a sellout crowd welcomed him with huge signs bearing the letter “Z”—his moniker. Ilgauskas never played for the Wizards, quickly getting bought out and then returning to Cleveland after a 30-day waiting period.

Playing with James again was a major factor in Ilgauskas’ decision…

Read More » LeBron James is just fucking with Cleveland now

College football is back baby.

And for the first time in quite a while, the Alabama Crimson Tide will come to the 2010 NCAA college football season as the national champions, looking to defend that title in the BCS title game come January.

The popularity of the Alabama Crimson Tide is hard to exaggerate. According to Forbes, the team’s “waiting list to obtain season tickets for the Crimson Tide is currently 15,210 names long.”

Furthermore, simply being next up on the list is no guarantee of getting tickets. The only thing coming up on the list entitles you to do is “make a donation to the athletic department ranging from $5,000 to $500,000″ depending on the location of seats you wish to buy tickets for.

Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban is the fourth highest paid coach in college football, raking in about $3.9 million per season. No wonder the guy was determined to bring the title to Alabama since bamboozling Dolphins fans into thinking that he’ll stay with them for the long haul.

With everything going for the Tide, just who can challenge these guys heading to the season in terms of being the most valuable commodity on the gridiron? Of course, one team comes to mind and that’s last year’s runners-up, the Texas Longhorns.

The Texas Longhorns is the most valuable college football team right now…

Read More » Is Alabama the most valuable team in College Football?

Looks like T.O. might finally have a home.

You read it, the St. Louis Rams have intensified discussions in hopes of signing free agent Terrell Owens for the coming 2010 NFL football season, according to sources close to the player and team.

The Rams asked Terrell Owens through his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, if he would consider a serious contract proposal, even though they are not considered a playoff contender. Rosenhaus told the team Owens would definitely consider it, sources said. A high-ranking Rams official said a formal offer for Owens could come soon.

The St. Louis Rams believe Owens would take heat off their young wide receiver corps that includes Donnie Avery, Laurent Robinson and rookie Mardy Gilyard, as well as loosen up opposing defenses from focusing on running back Steven Jackson.

The Cincinnati Bengals, as reported by ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter, are also engaged in talks with Owens. The Bengals signed free-agent receiver Antonio Bryant during the offseason but Bryant has struggled so far. According to a team source, that has motivated the Bengals to take another look at Owens.

One source said the Rams have gotten very aggressive in their pursuit of Owens, however, the Bengals still have given no indication they’re ready to offer a contract. They want to get a good look at their young wide receivers and have five preseason games to do it. They need some of those guys to play special teams.

Chad Ochocinco, Bryant and Owens would not be special teams-type…

Read More » St Louis Rams interested in Terrell Owens?

The New York Knicks have had the 2010 NBA free agency period in their sights for quite a while.

LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh, among other superstars, were set to become free agents, and the New York Knicks are supposedly the ultimate free agent destination before the 2010 NBA basketball season starts.

The reality is, the New York Knicks failed to land LeBron James and couldn’t get Wade or Bosh either. The back up plan was to get Stoudemire and Johnson, but that failed, too. The Knicks ended up with only one big-name free agent, Amare Stoudemire. Stoudemire is a great player, but it is definitely not what the Knicks had anticipated.

The question now is, is Amare Stoudemire that much of an upgrade over David Lee? It’ll be interesting to see what he gets, but we’ll guess it’ll be somewhere in between $8-$12 million a year (especially if scrubs like Drew Gooden and Amir Johnson are getting $5-6 million a year).

Lee is only six months younger than Amare, and let the record show that while we like Lee, he posted 20-11 and 16-11 the last two years mostly because the Knicks had nobody in the frontcourt. Somebody has to collect those rebounds and score those garbage points. This is not to say Lee will be a bust at his next stop, but if he goes to a team with actual talent, we expect that scoring to be cut in half and then you basically have Troy Murphy without the range.

With the addition of Raymond Felton, the Knicks got a…

Read More » Can Amare Stoudemire save the New York Knicks?

As a fan, I certainly hope so.

UFC 114 proved not to be the triumphant return to MMA that Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson had been hoping for, and having now missed out on his opportunity to get another crack at the light-heavyweight title, what comes next for the fighter?

Despite the loss to Rashad Evans, Rampage remains one of the UFC’s biggest draws. He’s got five fights left on his contract and with his upcoming role as B.A Baracus in the A-Team movie sure to raise his profile greatly amongst the casual audience; it’s likely that the promotion will be looking to get him back into action again in a high profile bout sooner rather than later. That appears to be something that also appeals to Rampage himself.

“I’d like to get in there as soon as possible,” he said at the post-fight press conference. “This fight is going to haunt me for a long time.”

So who are the most likely options for him? Here’s four of the most appealing options for him.

First will be a fight with Forrest Griffin – prior to his fight at UFC 114 Rampage himself named three fighters he wanted to face, Rashad Evans, Shogun Rua, and Forrest Griffin. The first two options are out of the picture for the time being, but a rematch with Griffin could be a viable option.

The only problem is that Griffin is unlikely to be back until at least late September due to a shoulder injury, and the UFC may look to get Rampage back in the cage before then.

Second option for Rampage Jackson is to fight Lil Nog…

Read More » Is there some Rampage left in Quinton Jackson?