Friday Water Cooler – June 18th, 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!
The huge news of the day is, of course, the Los Angeles Lakers capturing their second straight NBA championship. That gives Kobe and Derek Fisher five each – and Phil Jackson 11 – if you’re counting.
But let’s dig around for the news you may have not have heard yet.
NBA news: Byron Scott has inside track on Cavaliers coaching job; 76ers ship Dalembert to Kings
No Izzo? No problem. The Cleveland Cavaliers haven’t wasted time putting the crosshairs on a new coaching target. General manager Chris Grant and assistant GM Lance Blanks are doing extensive research in preparation of making an offer to Byron Scott. 
They’ve acquired footage of every playoff game Scott coached from 2002 to 2003, including his trip to the NBA Finals with the New Jersey Nets.
They’ve also contacted Jason Kidd and Chris Paul for insider opinions on Scott; Paul in particular is a huge supporter of Scott, who coached him during his first four seasons.
Scott isn’t guaranteed to sign if Cleveland makes him an offer, however; he lives in Southern California and has his eye on the L.A. Clippers opening and maybe even the Lakers’ job if Phil Jackson retires.
But would the Zen Master really leave the Lakers with a shot at his fourth three-peat?
Samuel Dalembert is a Sacramento King. He asked for a trade from the 76ers last year as he didn’t like his role with the team and Philly gave him what he wanted yesterday, trading him to the Kings for Andres Nocioni and Spencer Hawes.
NFL news: Four teams lose workout privileges for practicing too hard
Maybe practice doesn’t make perfect? Of the four teams that had two workouts revoked this week – Baltimore, Jacksonville, Detroit and Oakland – just one of those squads was a playoff team in 2009.
All four teams likely received anonymous complaints before the NFL made them forfeit two workouts each for violating rules regarding tempo and intensity of non-contact drills.
NHL news: Halak traded to Blues; John MacLean to coach Devils; Briere in car crash
Jaroslav Halak was the Habs’ playoff hero in net but the Montreal Canadiens’ dressing room simply wasn’t big enough for him and goaltending prospect Carey Price. Montreal made a very tough decision Thursday when it decided to retain price and send Halak to the St. Louis Blues.
The Blues gave Montreal two young forwards – blue chipper Lars Eller and rugged Ian Schultz. Halak, a restricted free agent, will replace the departing Chris Mason in St. Louis. Habs Nation’s initial reaction to the trade: pure fury and despair.
John MacLean – the former player, not the Die Hard character – will coach the New Jersey Devils next season. MacLean was considered for the job in 2006, 2007 and 2009 but lost out to more experienced candidates. He is the Devils’ all-time leading goal scorer with 347 and second on their points list with 701.
He replaces legendary Devils coach Jacques Lemaire, the man who brought them their first Stanley Cup in 1995 and popularized the Neutral Zone Trap.
Daniel Briere wasn’t quite lucky in the Stanley Cup Final this year but he’s lucky to be alive. He and his youngest son totalled their Range Rover early Thursday morning after clipping a tractor trailer, and smashing into a guard rail.
They were treated for minor injuries but are “okay,” Briere said.
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