Water Cooler – September 6th, 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!
No team is happier to read Monday’s news than the New York Jets. Let’s find out why they’re smiling and more.
NFL news: Jets reach agreement with Darrelle Revis; Vincent Jackson trade on hold; Sam Bradford to start in Week 1
Rex Ryan and the New York Jets defense look like they’ll terrify opponents after all this season. Their most important piece, shutdown cornerback Darrelle Revis, ended his holdout Sunday night. He signed a four-year contract. Terms weren’t disclosed but the deal is rumoured to be worth $46 million with $32 million guaranteed.
Vincent Jackson is ready to catch passes for a new team…almost. The disgruntled Pro Bowl wideout has reportedly agreed to a one-year deal with an undisclosed team. But his current team, the San Diego Chargers, haven’t pulled the trigger to get their trade compensation. No one really knows why. The Seahawks and Rams were in hot pursuit but rumor has it that a third, unknown team made the deal with V-Jax.
Sam Bradford hopes to follow in Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco and Mark Sanchez’s footsteps and become an impact quarterback in his rookie season. So far, so good. Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo has named Bradford his Week 1 starter. Over his two preseason starts, Bradford was 21 of 28 for 257 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.
MLB news: Colby Rasmus in hot water after trade request leaked; Michael Young called out for contact with base coach
Colby Rasmus opened 2010 as a stellar sophomore but has struggled of late, batting .223 since the All-Star break. Over that time, the Cardinals have tumbled out of the National League Central race and Rasmus wound up in manager Tony La Russa’s dog house.
Now, things have really come to a head. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported yesterday that Ramus had requested a trade earlier this season. When asked if that was true, Rasmus said, “I’d rather not answer that if I don’t have to.”
The implication didn’t sit well with team leader and longtime franchise pillar Albert Pujols. He immediately insisted that “If [Rasmus] doesn’t want to be here next year, we need to figure out a way to get him out of here and find somebody that wants to be here and play.”
The Texas Rangers and Minnesota Twins provided us with one of the stranger finishes to a game in recent memory yesterday. Representing the tying run with one out to go, Michael Young got called out for making contract with third base coach Dave Anderson. Umpire Alfonso Marquez explained that it’s illegal to have any contact with a base coach that could possibly help the player advance or retreat easier.
NBA news: Shaq crashes wedding
When I heard that Shaquille O’Neal crashed a weekend last week, I assumed it was one celebrity crashing another’s bash. But no. Shaq crashed a random wedding of strangers in downtown Boston and spent the night eating their food and posing for photos with the delighted guests. He even joined them for brunch the following morning. Pretty cool stuff but you also get the feeling that Shaq needs to find some pals in his new city.
NCAA football news: North Carolina assistant coach Jon Blake steps down amid probe
Amid the controversy surrounding North Carolina’s football team, Tar Heels assistant coach John Blake has stepped down. Marvin Austin and Greg Little are under investigation for possibly receiving improper benefits from agents and Blake’s good friend, agent Gary Wichard, has been implicated in the scandal. Blake had indicated to head coach Butch Davis that he’d stepped down if his presence became a distraction to the team and followed through on that promise.
Comments are welcome below!
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