PLEASE CHECK BACK LATER THIS WEEK FOR NEW UPDATES. I AM REALLY BUSY THIS WEEK AND NEED TO TAKE SOME TIME OFF TO DEAL WITH SOME THINGS. I AM SORRY FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE CONTINUOUS SUPPORT.

LATE BREAKING NEWS

According to ESPN, the Portland Trailblazers have come to terms on a contract extension for PF LaMarcus Aldridge. The extension is for 5 years and $65 million, which is $15 million shy of the maximum. Through incentives, the deal could be worth up to $70 million. I've been reporting for some time now that Aldridge was in contract talks with his team and both sides would likely get a deal done before the start of the regular season and that goal was achieved.

News & Notes

MLB

- St. Louis Cardinals 1B Albert Pujols will underwent surgery today to remove five bone spurs from his right elbow. according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports. He is expected to be ready for the start of spring training.
- Fox Sports is also reporting that Los Angeles Dodgers OF Manny Ramirez was in the shower when the Philadelphia Phillies mounted a 9th inning comeback to eliminate the Dodgers from the post-season. Dodgers manager Joe Torre wasn't surprised by his star players' early exit. "Manny has so much confidence," Torre told reporters. "When we get a lead late in a game, and I've taken him out, whether it be for defense or we have a big lead, when we go to shake hands after the game, he's in his street clothes."
- Philadelphia Phillies 1B Ryan Howard ties Lou Gehrig's RBI streak record with a home-run in the first inning of Monday night's game against the Dodgers. He has had RBIs in eight straight post-season games.
- The MLB has cleared New York Yankees P Mariano Rivera from any wrongdoing in Monday's game against the Angels. A blogger posted on Tuesday morning that Rivera had spit on the baseball before throwing it. Video was also posted all over the internet showing Rivera spitting on the baseball. The commissioner's office claimed that they found no evidence in video review that the allegations were true. Check the Featured Videos section for the clip.
- According to the Boston Globe, the Red Sox have approached former San Diego Padres GM Kevin Towers about a front-office job with the team.
- ESPN analyst Steve Phillips has been suspended for a week because of an affair that was brought to surface in a New York Post report earlier this week. According to the report, Phillips had a fling with a 22-year-old production assistant who taunted his wife with phone calls and letters bragging about the affair. Phillips admitted to his wife and police that he had slept with his co-worker over the summer before breaking off the relationship.

NBA

- According to ESPN, NBA commissioner David Stern called an emergency meeting with the referees' union on Tuesday to discuss getting a deal done to get the referees back on the court as soon as possible. The NBA's new offer is said to have been approved by the referee union executive board and is expected to be accepted by the referees themselves very soon. "A lot is happening behind the scenes," one source said.
- The Minnesota Timberwolves have lost C/F Al Jefferson indefinitely with an injured Achilles' tendon. Minnesota is already without C/F Kevin Love. Until the team can get both players back, they will be very thin at both big positions.
- Charlotte Bobcats G/F Raja Bell has a partially torn ligament in his right wrist that may require major surgery. He sustained the injury in a pre-season game with the Utah Jazz on Sunday. The procedure would keep him sidelined for up to four months. It was rumoured that Bell was being shopped by the team.
- The Dallas Mavericks have traded C/F Nathan Jawai to the Minnesota Timberwolves for a future 2nd round pick. The Timberwolves lack front-court depth after losing both Al Jefferson and Kevin Love to injuries in the pre-season and needed to make some sort of move although Jawai isn't the answers to their problems.

NFL

- The Chicago Bears and QB Jake Cutler have agreed on two-year extension that will keep him with the team through the 2013 season. The deal is worth $30 million.
- Indianapolis Colts S Bob Sanders could make his season debut this Sunday against the St. Louis Rams. He has been out of action after having surgery on his right knee this off-season.
- The New England Patriots have released WR Joey Galloway on Tuesday. He has not been on the Patriots' active roster for three weeks.
- The Kansas City Chiefs have traded DL Tank Tyler to the Carolina Panthers for a fifth-round pick in the 2010 NFL draft.

NHL

- The Buffalo Sabres have traded LW Daniel Paille to the Boston Bruins in exchange for a third and a fifth round pick in the 2010 NHL draft.
- According to the Associated Press, Boston Bruins C Marc Savard will be out of action for 4-6 with a broken left foot. The team reported an injury on Wednesday but did not list that he injured his foot.
- Pittsburgh Penguins star D Sergei Gonchar broke his wrist during a 4-1 win over the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday. The injury will not require surgery but he is expected to miss 4-6 weeks.
-The Dallas Stars have moved C Mike Modano and W Jere Lehtinen to the IR list on Wednesday. Modano injured his ribs during the season opener while Lehtinen injured his groin last week.

MMA

- The UFC has announced more fights for UFC Fight Night 20 on January 11th, 2010 from Fairfax, Virginia including the headliner, Nate Diaz vs. Gray Maynard. It will be a re-match of the Ultimate Fighter 5 semi-final match-up. In their first fight, Diaz submitted Maynard with gullotine choke in the second round to secure the victory. Diaz moved on to win the reality show. The UFC also announced a preliminary bout between Rafael dos Anjos and Kyle Bradley.
- The UFC has signed undefeated heavyweight prospect Rolles Gracie. He will make his debut at UFC 109 against Mustapha Al-Turk.
- According to MMAjunkie, Mark Munoz will meet Ryan Jensen at UFC 108.

Showalter to Manage Jays?, Did Police Properly Investigate the Death of Steve McNair?, Bills Fans Raise Money to Get Jauron Out of Town, Maccabi Coach Stands-Off Against Replacement Referees

Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star suggested over the weekend that Buck Showalter is a perfect fit as manager of the Blue Jays. Late in the season, rumours spread of the clubhouse rift between the players and current Jays manager Cito Gaston. Gaston could very well be on his way out this winter and Showalter, who is currently an analyst for ESPN, has said in the past that he is open to managing in the majors again. He has a history of developing young teams and working with struggling clubs. He could be the right fit if the team decides to go into rebuilding mode. To check out Richard Griffin's Toronto Star blog, click the link. Check back next week for a full Toronto Blue Jays Season in Review in the Stories section of the website.

CBS News is currently investigating the shooting death of former NFL QB Steve McNair and his girlfriend, Sahel Kazimi. Police have concluded their investigation, determining that McNair was murdered by his girlfriend before she proceeded to kill herself with a gun she purchased. The probe raises serious allegations about whether or not the police investigated the incident properly. CBS correspondent Armen Keteyian reported that he investigated the case for three months and uncovered errors made by police. One in particular about the murder weapon that really raises eyebrows. Police claim that Kazimi purchased the gun during a two-hour period she was absent from work. Keteyian is reporting that police are wrong about the date Kazimi was a-wall from work for two hours and that there are major questions about whether she purchased the weapon at all. CBS is promising to release another "big" mistake made by police during the investigation on Tuesday. Check back tomorrow for more updates on the situation. Police will have a lot of explaining to do if allegations are proven to be true.

The Buffalo Bills are off to a horrible start after a promising 2008-2009 campaign. Fans are already starting to point the finger at new head coach Dick Jauron. How about this for a story. A group of Bills fans raised money online to purchase a billboard along Interstate 190 in Buffalo. This is the message that the digital board reads: "It's time to clean house, RALPH (Bills owner Ralph Wilson)". It then lists the names of three members of the Bills coaching staff including Jauron. The billboard was turned on last night. How about that for a message.

Another funny story came to surface on Sunday. During a pre-season game between Euroleague team Maccabi Tel Aviv and the New York Knicks, Maccabi head coach Pini Gershon refused to leave the court after being ejected for receiving two technical fouls. The delay lasted for over 8 minutes and drew "Maccabi" chants from the crowd and laughter from players and personnel of both teams. Gershon was caught winking and chuckling at the camera himself numerous times during the stand-off. At one point, a local Rabbi was on the court pleading referees to allow the coach to stay in the game. If you didn't catch it on the highlights, check out my Featured Videos section for a clip of the incident. There has been much criticism in the pre-season over the replacement referees the NBA plans on using this season. Several coaches and players have been fined already for comments made about the suspect refereeing. Until the NBA can come to some sort of agreement with their referees, this will continue to be a hot topic as the regular season progresses.

News & Notes

MLB

- Seattle Mariners C Kenji Johjima has decided to leave the team and the $24 million left on his contract to finish his career in Japan. Johjima hasn't lived up to the hype, partially because of age. The Mariners won't be upset about the cap flexibility.
- The New York Daily news reported over the weekend that Many Acta is the leading candidate to become the next manager of the Cleveland Indians. Former Indians' manager Eric Wedge was let go prior to the conclusion of the regular season. ESPN is now reporting that former analyst and MLB manager, Bobby Valentine is also in the running for the vacant managerial position.
- According to the Toronto Sun, the Blue Jays are interested in bringing back free-agents C Rod Barajas and SS Marco Scutaro. Both players will garner significant raises after good years with the team. GM Alex Anthopoulos won't know if the team can afford both players until ownership releases the budget at the end of the month.
- The Arizona Diamonbacks are expected to try to move SS Stephen Drew in the off-season. The Boston Globe is suggesting that the Red Sox could be interested in his services and will look to make a play for Drew in the off-season. Stephen's brother J.D. plays right field for the Red Sox.
- The Boston Globe is also speculating that Don Mattingley could replace Joe Torre as manager when his contract expires after the 2010 season. Torre told reporters last week that he plans on taking a step back from baseball when his contract is up.

NBA

- Minnesota Timberwolves C/F Kevin Love will undergo surgery to repair a fractured left hand on Tuesday. Love sustained the injury bumping into his own teammate, Oleksiy Pecherov in pre-season action last Friday against the Chicago Bulls. He will be re-evaluated after the procedure to determine a timeline for his return.
- The New York Post is claiming that sources close to the situation revealed that Indiana Pacers GM Larry Bird will retire after this season.
- The Milwaukee Bucks plan on starting Kurt Thomas at the power forward position. Thomas was acquired over the summer in a deal that sent SF Richard Jefferson to the San Antonio Spurs.
- The Utah Jazz must decide on the contracts of G/F Ronnie Brewer and second-year C Kosta Koufos prior to the start of the regular season. The Deseret News is reporting that the team is currently planning on picking up the 2009-2010 contract option on the contract of Koufos and would like to extend Brewer long-term. It will be interesting to see if they can get the deals done in time.
- The Los Angeles Daily Times is reporting that SF Ron Artest revealed on Sunday that he hired a sports psychologist last season to help him deal with anger issues he's been infamous for his entire career. "The main thing is that I can sense when something's wrong, and when I need to figure it out, I go down and talk to her," Artest told reporters.

NFL

- On Sunday, Green Bay Packers WR Donald Driver became the team's all-time receiving leader. In the first quarter of the game against the Detroit Lions, Driver made a 5-yard catch to pass Sterling Sharpe with 596 career receptions.
- New England Patriots QB Tom Brady threw an NFL record, 5 touchdown passes, in a 45-0 abomination of the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.
- Buffalo Bills QB Trent Edwards left Sunday's game against the New York Jets in the 2nd quarter with a concussion. He will be out of the lineup indefinitely. The Bills went on to complete the upset, scoring a field goal in over time to take the 16-13 win over the Jets.
- New York Jets star nose takle, Kris Jenkins is out for the season with a torn ACL in his left knee. He injured the knee in Sundays loss to the Buffalo Bills. This is a huge loss for a team looking to contend. He is their leader on defense and a huge force on the D-line. He will be missed.
- Atlanta Falcons CB Brian Williams is out for the season with a torn ligament in his knee.
- Cincinnati Bengals DE Antwan Odom will miss the remainder of the season because of a torn Achilles.  He sustained the injury during the Bengals' loss to the Houston Texans on Sunday.
- Arizona Cardinals WR Anqaun Boldin suffered a high ankle sprain in the team's win over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. He didn't finish the game but is not expected to miss any games because of the injury.

NHL

- According to ESPN, Boston Bruins LW Milan Lucic will be out of action for 4-6 weeks after undergoing surgery to repair an injured index  finger. He suffered the injury Friday night against the Dallas Stars and underwent the procedure on Sunday. He will be re-evaluated in two weeks time.
- On Sunday, the Boston Bruins traded RW Chuck Kobasew to the Minnesota Wild for RW Craig Weller and RW Alexander Fallstrom. The Wild also sent a 2011 2nd round pick to Boston in the deal.
- ESPN.com is reporting that Chicago Blackhawks F Marian Hossa skated on Friday for the first time since shoulder surgery in the off-season. After singing a 12-year/$62.8M free-agent deal with the team in July, Hossa underwent rotator cuff surgery. No timetable has been set for his return.
- Phoenix Coyotes G Ilya Bryzgalov has been named the "NHL's first star" for the week ending Oct. 18. Colorado Avalanche G Craig Anderson was named the second star and Washington Capitals LW Alexander Ovechkin was named the third star.
- New Jersey Devils G Martin Brodeur recorded his 102nd career shutout on Saturday night when the Devils defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 2-0. Brodeur is now one shutout away from tying Terry Sawchuk's NHL career record.
- The Nashville Predators have signed 2009 1st round pick (11th overall) D Ryan Ellis to a three-year entry-level deal. Due to team policy, terms were not disclosed.

MMA

- Yahoo Sports! reported last week that free-agent middleweight fighter Dan Henderson was close to coming to a contract with Strikeforce. He responded Friday, telling MMA Weekly that he would like to return to the UFC but is weighing all his options. "I'm still hoping to come to terms with the UFC, until I heard this. And I will be exploring other options for sure, but I definitely need to make sure I get paid. I've never seen an offer from (Strikeforce)," said Henderson.
- The UFC has announced numerous fights for the following events:

UFC Fight Night 20:

Josh Koscheck vs. Mike Pierce

Chris Leben vs. Jay Silva

Efrain Escudero vs. Nik Lentz

Tom Lawlor vs. Aaron Simpson

Rick Story vs. Jesse Lennox

UFC 106:

Brock Larson vs. Brian Foster

UFC 108:

Carlos Condit vs. Paul Daley

Tyson Griffin vs. Jim Miller (in the works according to MMAjunkie)

UFC 109:

Demian Maia vs. Dan Miller

Top-Ten Fantasy Centers

1) Dwight Howard- He is a beast. By far the best at his position. He will lead the league in blocks and rebounds, shoot over 50% from the field and will average close to 25 points a game. I would never suggest taking a big man like Howard in the first round although his numbers are quite tantalizing. He is a terrible free throw shooter and turns the ball over frequently. Those are two important fantasy stats. Buyer beware. If you can build around him with players who make up for his deficiencies, he is an excellent pick.

2) Al Jefferson- Although he isn't a true center, he puts up big-time numbers on a young, not-so-talented Timberwolves team. He takes up a lot of space down low, and is good for 20 and 10 every night. It will be interesting to see how his game progresses this year and if he can stay healthy. He's an adequate free-throw shooter and doesn't turn the ball over as much as Howard. I had him last year and it really panned out for me.

3) Amar'e Stoudemire- With Shaq out of town, Amar'e will have a lot of space to do what he does best down low. A move back to the 5 position is a bonus for fantasy owners. He can score in bunches and he will rebound and block shots a lot more because of the Suns' lack of depth at the position. Amar'e and Steve Nash have great chemistry and I think we will see a lot of that this year with a lot more room for Amar'e to operate. I expect him to have a big comeback season.

4) Brook Lopez- I might take some heat for this pick. I really liked him in college and think his game will really grow this year. Drafting him high is not really that risky though. He does a lot of good things with regards to fantasy. He shoots a good free throw and field goal percentage, doesn't turn the ball over much, rebounds and blocks shots. A lot of teams limit play time for younger big men. I think this year, the Nets will rely more on Lopez. He will be one of the go-to guys and will log close to 30 minutes a night. Expect good things from the Nets' center this season.

5) Nene Hillario- He is definitely a health risk but the numbers are too attractive to sleep on this guy. He shoots good percentages, plays defense, doesn't turn the ball over and rebounds with the best of them. He's looked good so far this pre-season and will look to make a big impact in Denver this year.

6) Andrea Bargnani- He might not be one of the best centers; he might not even be a true center, but Bargnani might be a huge surprise for fantasy owners this year. His ability to fill it up behind the ark, block shots and shoot a nice percentage at the free-throw line is key when talking fantasy. With rumours of Bosh being traded swirling, Bargnani could really be a surprise for anyone who takes him. He should also benefit from Hedo Turkoglu's presence. It will open up the floor a lot more for the former number one overall pick.

7) Shaquille O'Neal- He is really hard to predict. He put up some big numbers last season but will be a role player on a Cleveland squad, led by LeBron James. I still expect him to be a viable fantasy option. He is still a huge presence down low and should put up solid rebounding and block numbers. Everyone knows about his free-throw shooting woes and his fading age but I think he is still relevant. This makes for a risky pick but when I took him as my second option last year, he became my starter when Yao went out and really picked up the slack.

8) Andris Biedrins-  Biedrins is a mini Dwight Howard. He does a lot of the same things, just not in "bulk". He is the only true big-man on the Warriors and pulls down a lot of rebounds, can block some shots and shoots well from the field. He won't score as much as Howard nor is he the defensive force that D12 is. Regardless, you know what you get with Biedrins and he is a solid fantasy player.

9) Al Horford- He is healthy and will get a lot more touches in Atlanta this season. Hawks coach Mike Woodson has said repeatedly that he expects the young center to be a lot more involved in the offense this year. On top of that, he shoots good percentages, he's a solid defender and rebounds the ball very effectively. He is a really safe pick for fantasy owners.

10) Mehmet Okur- Okur's game is very similar to Bargnani but age is a factor. He's hit his ceiling and isn't getting any better at this point in his career. The team will also play Carlos Boozer and Paul Millsap a lot more together which might affect Okur. He is one of the better shooting big-men in the league, he can pass, rebound and block shots as well. If Boozer gets traded, his numbers will rise drastically.

Honourable Mentions: Marcus Camby, Andrew Bynum, Emeka Okafor, Tyson Chandler, Marc Gasol, Greg Oden, Brad Miller

LATE BREAKING NEWS

According to Fox Sports Cleveland Cavalier star F Lebron James has tested positive for Influenza A and is being treated as if he has the swine flu. James has yet to receive the results of the tests for H1N1 virus, which is a strain of Influenza A. Six Cavaliers players are currently suffering from flu-like symptoms. James returned to practice Thursday and will travel with the team. Check back for updates on the situation.

News & Notes

MLB

- New York Mets GM Omar Minaya could lose his job this off-season. A New York Post report stated that MLB insider Peter Gammons stated that Minaya is only "out there to take the heat," according to the report. With the team under-performing, the general manager's job security has been in question all season. This could be the beginning of the end for Minaya.
- Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre doesn't plan on coaching past the 2010 season. "I have one year on my contract and I don't anticipate it being more than that," Torre told the Associated Press.
- Soon-to-be free-agent, P Jason Marquis will not re-sign with the Colorado Rockies in the off-season. After a career year, Marquis will have a little more pull in the free-agent process. Reports last week had him landing in New York with the Mets.
- According to the Boston Herald, the Red Sox will pursue Canadian P Rich Harden this off-season. Harden's career has been plagued with injuries but his pitching ability will garner some looks in the off-season.

NBA

- Washington Wizards F Antwan Jamison injured his right shoulder in a pre-season game with the Cleveland Cavaliers last night. After the game, Jamison said his arm went numb and he lost sensation in his fingers. Doctors will continue to do tests this week to determine the extent of the injury. Check back for more updates.
- According to the Oregonian, the Portland Trail Blazers and PF LaMarcus Aldridge are close to a long-term extension. Talks began at the start of training camp and GM Kevin Pritchard told the paper that the two sides are "moving towards a deal".  Realistically, they would like a deal completed before the season starts.
- Toronto Raptors PF Reggie Evans is out indefinitely with a left mild-foot sprain. He sustained the injury in the 2nd quarter of last night's game against the Boston Celtics. He is expected to miss the rest of the pre-season. He will be re-evaluated next week.
- The Golden State Warriors have exercised 2010-2011 contract options on both PF Brandon Wright and F Anthony Randolph.
- Shawn Marion told ESPN that he will be out of action for 7-10 days with a lingering sore left calf. He expects to be ready for the start of the season.

NFL

- The Philadelphia Inquirer is reporting that the Eagles and head coach Andy Reid are close to an extension that will keep Reid with the team long-term.
- The Kansas City Chiefs have announced the signing of free-agent LB Justin Rodgers. Financial terms were not disclosed. Rogers played with the Dallas Cowboys last season.

NHL

- On Wednesday night, the New York Rangers stretched their winning-streak to six games with a 4-2 win at home over the Los Angeles Kings.
- Dallas Stars D Steve Ott is out for at least a week with a right oblique injury.
- Reports out of Buffalo confirm that injured Sabres F Thomas Vanek could return to the team by the weekend. I reported earlier this week that Vanek had suffered a upper-body injury that would keep him out of action for 1-2 weeks.

MMA

- The UFC has signed undefeated KOTC champ Rory MacDonald to a four-fight deal. The Canadian welterweight sports a 9-0 record and will make his octagon debut early next year.
- In another report, the UFC is planning on throwing MacDonald into action to face Mike Guymon at UFC Fight Night 20 on January 11th. The event will be held at the Patriot Center in Fairfax, Virginia.

Top-Ten Fantasy Power Forwards

1) Chris Bosh- This may seem like a homer pick but I stand by my selection. After closely watching Chris Bosh and his larger frame and new attitude on the court, he seems to be putting in more effort to rebound and play under the basket. He's looked good so far and I think he will have a HUGE year. With free-agency lurking, he must impress. The Raptors look like this may be the most talented roster they've ever had and Bosh will lead the charge. Many would have Dirk or Duncan in this spot but I don't feel the same. I will stick by this one. Don't forget that it's a big contract year.

2) Dirk Nowitzki- He does a lot of things on the court. He can shoot from anywhere, get to the free throw line, rebound, block shots, pass and he logs a lot of minutes. He has always been a great fantasy performer and nothing about that should change much. Marion will compliment his game more so than take away from Dirk's looks. Look for Dirk to be in the top-ten in fantasy rankings again at the end of this season.

3) Tim Duncan- The "Big Fundamental" is also Mr. Consistent. He will be a 20/10 guy for as long as he decides to stay in the league. The only issue with Duncan is he doesn't do much else. He can score, rebound and block shots but doesn't do much in regards to assists, steals or free-throw percentage. You know what you're getting with Duncan and he is always a solid fantasy pick. Don't expect much to change with regards to his numbers.

4) Antwan Jamison- Jamison is a career double-double guy. One of a handful of players. He is the definition of consistency. You know what you are getting with this guy. There is really no downfall in his game. If he can be healthy and demand minutes, he will produce. He is always a great pick-up in fantasy leagues.

5) Zach Randolph- Even though he isn't a good team player, that means nothing in regards to fantasy. He puts up big numbers, plays on mediocre teams and that's all that really matters. He is another one of the career 20/10 guys and will continue to put those numbers up in Memphis. He isn't my favourite player but I can tell you he's been on my fantasy team a couple times in the last few years. He's a true sleeper.

6) Kevin Garnett- Surprisingly, KG could be the big sleeper this year. Fantasy owners will be weary to take him because of the injury issues. I think KG can get through it. He's looked good in the pre-season and is one of the toughest players out there. Two years ago, his numbers were on the decline because of the supporting cast in Boston, but he is an all-around guy and fills up the stat sheet. I truly believe he belongs higher than this but it was too risky to gamble.

7) Pau Gasol- He proved last year that he can keep his numbers up, while playing alongside Kobe, Lamar and Ariza. There's no reason he can't average the same kind of numbers this year. He has chemistry with teammates and that will only grow over time. A 7-footer who can pass and rebound always bodes well in fantasy land. Another good option at the 4.

8) LaMarcus Aldridge- Big men take longer to develop and I predict that Aldridge has a break-out year. He showed signs last year of becoming on of the elite big-men in the league. If Portland can sign him to extension before the season starts, it will only benefit the player. His numbers are destined to improve this year and he could be one of the bigger fantasy surprises this year. Don't hesitate to take him if he's available.

9) Carlos Boozer- I wish I could have Boozer higher on the list but there are too many question marks. He will share minutes with Paul Millsap, who some believe has more potential than Boozer. A lot of trade rumours surrounded Boozer in the off-season because of Utah's depth at PF. If he gets traded, he will be one of the top 5 at his position by the end of the year.

10) Blake Griffin- I expect Griffin to make an immediate impact in his first season in the NBA. The Clippers did a good job of moving Zach Randolph to give Griffin the space he needs to grow. His size and athleticism should make for an exciting rookie campaign. He should average close to 20/10. He is no slouch on defense and takes the ball to the basket whenever he gets the chance (free throws). This may be a risky pick but I think Griffin will be just fine.

Honourable Mentions: David Lee, Troy Murphy, Charlie Villaneuva, Paul Millsap, Al Harrington, Elton Brand, Lamar Odom

NFL Power Rankings: Week 5 by Razmig Darakjian

Rank 1
New York Giants (5-0) - As promised a 5-0 start and a match up with the Saints who are coming off a bye week.
Rank 2
Indianapolis Colts (5-0) - Peyton Manning and the Colts hit the BYE at a good time looking very scary.
Rank 3
New Orleans Saints (4-0) - See if the Defense can show up after the BYE vs. the Giants.
Rank 4
Minnesota Vikings (5-0) No let downs for this team.
Rank 5
Denver Broncos (5-0) I keep saying they haven’t played anyone but the truth is they now have.
Rank 6
Cincinnati Bengals (4-1) Defense is very impressive. Classy move handing the game ball to the defensive coach.
Rank 7
Atlanta Falcons - (3-1) Team showed pure domination and were prepared after there BYE week.
Rank 8
New England Patriots (3-2) Tom Brady and the offense have to start rolling soon.
Rank 9
Chicago Bears (3-1) Team should be ready after there BYE.
Rank 10
Philadelphia Eagles (3-1) - 11-0 off a BYE for Reid.
Rank 11
Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2) - Once Troy is back the defense will be ready to play Steelers football.
Rank 12
New York Jets (3-2) Edwards looks great and so does the schedule for the next few weeks.
Rank 13
Baltimore Ravens (3-2) Two tough losses, surprised the defense didn’t shut down the Bengals at the end.
Rank 14
San Diego Chargers- (2-2) If they want the division they have to win this week vs. the Broncos.
Rank 15
San Francisco 49ers- (3-2) No fear Gore is on his way and so is Crabtree.
Rank 16
Dallas Cowboys - (3-2) What a performance for Austin.
Rank 17
Green Bay Packers (2-2) If the offensive line protects Rodgers they're ready to go if not its going to be a long season.
Rank 18
Miami Dolphins (2-3) Chad Henne, so far so good.
Rank 19
Arizona Cardinals (2-2) Get the rushing game going.
Rank 20
Seattle Seahawks (2-3) Matt Hasselbeck is back and so are the Hawks. Big statement game this week.
Rank 21
Houston Texans (2-3) The inconsistency continues…
Rank 22
Jacksonville Jaguars (2-3) Struggles continue on defense.
Rank 23
Carolina Panthers (1-4) Maybe the BYE can be there turning point.
Rank 24
Buffalo Bills (1-4) Time to trade TO.
Rank 25
Tennessee Titans (0-5) A game vs. the Patriots who are of a loss not the best opponent for win number one.
Rank 26
Washington Redskins (2-3) Jim Zorn…time to go.
Rank 27
Oakland Raiders (1-4) - Must have been the worst performance by a QB in quite some time.
Rank 28
Detroit Lions (1-4) Looking better every week.
Rank 29
Kansas City Chiefs (0-5) If there was ever a time to go for two at the end of the game to go for the win it was this week vs. Dallas
Rank 30
Cleveland Browns (1-4) Someone had to win that game vs. Buffalo.
Rank 31
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-5) Bring in the next QB.
Rank 32
St. Louis Rams (0-5) 0-16?

Top-Ten Fantasy Small Forwards

1) Lebron James- I think this is a bit of a no doubter. On his quest to being the best in the league, Lebron's numbers will continue to escalate. He is an outstanding player and should only get better. Don't expect the acquisition of Shaq to affect Lebron's stats in any way. He will continue to produce and should be the number one pick overall in any fantasy draft.

2) Kevin Durant- I may get criticism for this pick but I firmly believe that Durant will continue to excel and his numbers will continue to get better as the team gets better. He is a pure scorer with the size and length to defend, rebound and block shots. I also expect his shooting percentages to increase this year. He will work hard to become one of the elite players in the NBA. I wouldn't be surprised if he was one of the top-ten fantasy players at the end of the year.

3) Danny Granger- Granger is one of the best players to have on your fantasy team. He proved last year that he can put up big-time numbers and as long as he stays in Indiana, expect the numbers to rise. His numbers were so good last year, some would think Granger belongs above Durant. Durant's potential intrigues me and is the sole reason he's a spot up on Granger. Both players have the same type of game and are solid fantasy picks because of the teams they play on.

4) Carmelo Anthony- His numbers will stay around his career averages. Melo has dropped on a lot of fantasy lists because oh his lack of three point shooting, blocks and assists. I still expect him to average close to 25 points and 5 rebounds a game and those are solid numbers at the position. Don't sleep on Carmelo.

5) Paul Pierce- His numbers may dip this season but this may be the position with the least amount of solid fantasy talent. Pierce will not carry as much of the offensive load this season with KG back in the scene but he will still get his. Pierce shoots well from the three and can play defense and grab some rebounds as well. He will be a solid pick for any fantasy owner.

6) Andre Igudola- Although he may not hit 20 points per game, he does a lot of other things that make up for it. He is a solid defender and puts up steals, he can rebound with his large frame and shoots well all-around. As he matures, he takes on a lot more of the offensive responsibilities and should lead the team in scoring this year.

7) Shawn Marion- He has been an after-thought the last few years but he proved last season with Toronto that there is still flashes of the Matrix of old. With a point guard like Jason Kidd, his numbers will only improve. The two have chemistry and should bode well for the both of them. Marion has a lot of value in fantasy leagues because he plays multiple positions, is a rebounding beast and has a knack for getting in the passing lanes.

8) Gerald Wallace- Since joining the Bobcats, Wallace has been a solid fantasy player. He is an all-around player. He scores, rebounds, plays defense and shoots a good percentage. Most of his points come from drives to the basket, which means he also gets to the free throw line a lot. Wallace is one of the most consistent guys night-to-night.

9) Stephen Jackson- Jackson has had a lot of problems this off-season with his current team, the Golden State Warriors. This shouldn't affect his play on the court. He has always been tough as nails, and will play hard regardless of what team he plays for. As long as he can stay out of the dog house and continue to log iron-man minutes, he will produce. His only downfall is his shooting percentage and turnovers. He takes a lot of shots. Other than that, he is a solid pick-up. He is more of a point-forward and always has high assist numbers. Jackson has always been a reliable pick for me in the past.

10) Hedo Turkoglu- I would have him higher on the list but his numbers will probably decrease due to the number of offensive weapons the Raptors now have. Shots will be hard to come by in Toronto with all of the new acquisitions but the good things is that Hedo doesn't need the ball to be affective. He is also a point-forward and sees the floor really well. His 6'10 frame also contributes to above average rebounding numbers for his position. He is also a good three-point shooter.

Honourable Mentions- Rudy Gay, Rashard Lewis, Luol Deng, Tayshaun Prince, Richard Jefferson, Ron Artest, Trevor Ariza, Josh Smith

News & Notes

MLB

- According to the Boston Herald, if the Red Sox can not re-sign OF Jason Bay, they will set their sites on one of Matt Holliday, Bobby Abreu and Johnny Damon.
- Boston Red Sox reliever Billy Wagner has decided that it may be time to retire. "I don't plan on talking to anybody," Wagner told the New York Post when asked about the off-season.
- According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Cardinals are planning long-term deals with both OF Matt Holliday, who will become a free-agent this winter and 1B Albert Pujols. It is being speculated that the Cards will try and get Pujols locked up to a lifetime deal. "It's a high priority to sign Albert to make him a lifetime Cardinal," said team chairman Bill DeWitt.
- Seattle Mariners C Rob Johnson will undergo a series of surgeries this off-season. He will have procedures done on both hips and his left wrist. The team expects Johnson to be ready for spring training.
- Earlier this week, former Washington Nationals scouting director, Dana Brown, left his old team to join the Toronto Blue Jays in a higher front-office role. "I have aspirations of maybe one day being a GM down the road some time," Brown told the Washington Post. " And I thought this was maybe another stepping stone."

NBA

- Golden State Warriors G/F Stephen Jackson has given up his captain role after meeting with team GM Larry Riley and head coach Don Nelson on Tuesday. He told reporters that he couldn't be the leader of the team and that the young guys need to be more self-motivated instead of relying on him push them. Jackson requested a trade earlier this season and had a run-in with Nelson during a pre-season game last week. You have to speculate that a trade was discussed in the meeting as well.
- Cleveland Cavaliers G Delonte West has returned to the team after missing the majority of pre-season an training camp due to personal matters. West was at practice on Tuesday, his first with the team since October 7th.
- The Los Angeles Clippers have picked up the 2010-2011 contract options on both SG Eric Gordon and SF Al Thorton. Both are former first-round picks and are major pieces in the rebuilding process in Los Angeles.
- The Washington Wizards and G Gilbert Arenas have each been fined $25,000 for failing to make Arenas available to the media on Monday.
- The Orlando Sentinel has reported that Magic G/F Mickael Pietrus opted not to have surgery on his sore right wrist in the off-season. He didn't like the length of the rehabilitation and wanted to be prepared for the upcoming season. The additions of G/F Matt Barnes and SG Vince Carter may have weighed on his decision. Pietrus could lose minutes this season because of the new players.

NFL

- Yesterday, the New England Patriots re-signed LB Junior Seau. The 40-year-old will return to the team after sitting out the start of the season contemplating retirement. This deal has been rumoured for some time now and should come as no surprise. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
- It is being speculated that Cleveland Browns QB Brady Quinn is unhappy wit his situation with the team and wants out. After losing his starting job to QB Derek Anderson, Quinn put his Cleveland home up for sale. Although the team is denying any rumours, it seems like a deal is imminent.
- The Indianapolis Colts have signed veteran K Matt Stover to replace inured K Adam Vinatieri. Vinatieri underwent surgery earlier this week to remove cartilage from his kicking (right) knee.
- The Dallas Cowboys plan to sign veteran kick returner, Allen Rossum. Check back for details when they are released.

NHL

- Montreal Canadiens F George Laraque has appologized to his team and to fans for appearing in an alcohol ad. The advertisement was in violation of the NHL rules regarding alcohol.
- Buffalo Sabres F Thomas Vanek will be out indefinitely with an "upper body" injury.
- Vancouver Canucks D Sami Salo will undergo an MRI today to determine how long he will be out of action after aggravating an lingering knee injury that has given him problems for his entire NHL career. Check back for updates.

MMA

- The UFC has announced fights for the Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale and UFC 107. Matt Hamill and Jon Jones will headline the Ultimate Fighter Finale. Fights that will headline UFC 107 include: B.J. Penn vs. Diego Sanchez for the UFC lightweight championship, Frank Mir vs. Cheick Kongo and Thiago Alves vs. Paulo Thiago.
- Wanderlei Silva will fight Yoshihiro Akiyama will fight in early 2010 according to MMA Frenzy.
- Spike TV has announced that they will broadcast a portion of the UFC 104 preliminary bouts on October 24th. Fights that will be shown include: Ryan Bader vs. Eric Schafer and Antonio Hardonk vs. Pat Barry.

Top-Ten Fantasy Shooting Guards

1) Dwyane Wade- This is the big shocker. I might get a lot of flack for not having Kobe in this spot but when looking at the numbers and supporting casts, I had to side with Wade. Wade flat out puts his team on his back year after year and almost plays like a point guard which is very beneficial for fantasy owners. Don't get me wrong, Kobe does the same things if not more but doesn't need to do as much as Wade to be successful. Hope he proves me right.

2) Kobe Bryant- He is still arguably the best player in the league. Had to think long and hard before slotting him in at number two. He is not on the decline and should continue to put up similar numbers. With an improving supporting cast, his number will not be as impressive as Wade. He will get picked up in most formats before Wade but think twice before making the decision. He is still a solid number one pick in in all formats.

3) Brandon Roy- He is the all-around guy that really puts up numbers across the board on a night-to-night basis. Even if he isn't scoring, he's making assists, steals and getting to the free throw line where he is also exceptional. He is developing into a big-time player and should improve on his break-out performance of last season. Don't sleep on Brandon Roy.

4) Vince Carter- Carter will be more motivated than ever this season. He has a bad rap for being a selfish and injury prone player but coming home to Orlando, to a winning team will be enough for Carter to commit to staying healthy and to work harder than ever this season. Some would say his numbers will dip this season because of the talented supporting cast in Orlando but I think he will be just fine and Rashard Lewis's numbers will suffer more than anyone else. Carter will continue to put up numbers similar to his career averages and I wouldn't be surprised if he stays healthy as well.

5) Joe Johnson- He is a lethal scorer and consistent producer. He is the number one option on a up-and-coming Atlanta Hawks team. Although he doesn't produce in other areas, he shoots a good percentage from the field, the line and three point territory. He is a solid fantasy option at the two spot.

6) Manu Ginobilli- No one knows how he will perform because of his injury history but when healthy, he can play. He fills up the stat sheet on a night-to-night basis and is really a difference maker for the San Antonio Spurs. He is a really big sleeper because of his injury problems and could prove to be a solid pick if he can stay off the trainers table.

7) Caron Butler- Butler is a consistent fantasy player who will only benefit from having Gilbert Arenas back in the line-up. His numbers are a lot better all-around with Arenas in the lineup. He is a 20-point-a-night guy and can rebound, defend and shoot the three. Another viable option.

8) Michael Redd- He is finally healthy and expect him to put up big-time numbers on a bad team. The only issue here is health. Redd is one of the top three point shooter in the league and can score in bunches. He is not the greatest all-around player but is a good fantasy player because of his scoring production. He should get more looks with pass-first rookie PG Brandon Jennings running the offense.

9) O.J. Mayo- This might be a surprise pick to some. I think he will use his sophomore  season to build on his rookie campaign. He spent a lot of time handling the ball last year and can light it up from behind the ark. His numbers should improve and he should develop into a big-time scorer in the NBA.

10) Kevin Martin- I would have him a lot higher but his injuries are a concern. He has yet to play in pre-season action and it is yet to be seen if he can shake off the cobwebs and put up numbers we're used to seeing from him. He plays on a mediocre team and can flat out score the basketball. If healthy, he is a top option at shooting guard.

Honorable Mentions: Ben Gordon, Jason Terry, Jamal Crawford, Ray Allen, John Salmons, Richard Hamilton, Jason Richardson

MLB Playoff Update

The Philadelphia Phillies are one step closer to repeating as World Series Champs. On Monday night, the Phillies beat the Colorado Rockies 5-4 in a thrilling game 4 to clinch a berth in the NLCS. It was 4-2 in the ninth when Phillies 1B Ryan Howard hit a clutch 2-run double to tie the ball game. OF Jason Werth came to bat next and followed up with a single to score Howard in what ended up being the game-winning run. The NLCS and ALCS match-ups are now set. The Phillies will take on the Dodgers and the Yankees will face the Angels. Game 1 of the Phillies-Dodgers series will kick off on Thursday while the Yankees-Angels series will get underway on Friday. Two big surprises here. I saw the Cardinals as a team built for the playoffs; big miscalculation. I underestimated Joe Torre and the Dodgers who were my favourite team last post-season until they made an early exit. The Angels also shocked the Red Sox in a 3-game sweep. If both Los Angeles teams make it into the World Series, it would make for quite the story.

Top-Ten Fantasy Point Gaurds

As of late, I've been getting a lot of request for fantasy basketball stuff. This week I've decided to break down my top-ten fantasy players for each position for the 2009-2010 NBA season. There is definitely going to be some debate here, so let me know how you feel and whether you agree or disagree with my picks. You can leave your comments in the comments section under each post or leave your picks on the Facebook Fan Page.

1) Chris Paul- There is no debate in regards to this choice. Paul will flourish even more this season. The only player who should be picked in front of him in any draft is Lebron James. He fills up the stat sheet every night.

2) Deron Williams- He is coming off an ankle injury but has looked good so far in pre-season play. He is the leader and catalyst of the Utah Jazz offense. This pick won't look so good if he's injured but until he is, he is a stud in all fantasy formats.

3) Steve Nash- His numbers were on the decline last season and some would think age is a factor. But Nash will prove his critics otherwise this season. He will carry more of the offensive load with Shaq out of town and Phoenix will attempt to go back to a run-and-gun offense this season. Expect Nash to get those numbers back up to career average this season.

4) Chauncey Billups- He has been the most consistent fantasy players for several seasons and there's no reason to think any of that will change. Billups will average 20 points, shoots a great percentage from three, wracks up steals and is a solid free throw shooter.

5) Jason Kidd- Some would say Kidd is getting old, I would say he's getting more experienced. He is a triple-double threat each night and has already formed solid chemistry with newly acquired F Shawn Marion and should continue to rack up points, rebounds and assists while shooting a good percentage from the field, the line and from three.

6) Derek Rose- The second-year player gave us a taste of what he is capable of last season and has been working all season to improve his game in all aspects. He will get some time at the two this year and his numbers should improve in all categories as he works to become one of the elite point guards in the league. Expect Rose to break-out this year.

7) Jose Calderon- Calderon is healthy and should perform up to potential this season. He has a lot more weapons to pass to on offense and his numbers should escalate. He should be able to put up double-double numbers on a consistent basis, he doesn't turn the ball over and he shoots well in all areas. He is a fantasy stud.

8) Devin Harris- He will be called upon to lead a young team this season and even if the team doesn't fair well, Harris will be just fine. He will most likely lead the team in scoring and will also put up numbers in assists and steals. His only issue is turnovers. If he can keep them down, he will be a solid pick-up.

9) Jameer Nelson- Another player coming off injury after a break-out season. The team has made vast improvements in the off-season and will count on Nelson to lead the offense and put up similar numbers. If he's healthy expect his numbers to stay the same with assists going way up. He could be a sleeper if Orlando meets expectations.

10) Rajon Rondo- He will put up big time numbers but is prone to turnovers. He also doesn't shoot the greatest percentages. His assists, steals and blocks numbers will be above average for a point guard and should continue to make improvements to his game.

Honorable Mentions: Baron Davis, Gilbert Arenas, Tony Parker, Andre Miller, Russell Westbrook, Allen Iverson, Mo Williams.

Notes: Check back tomorrow for my Top-Ten Shooting Guards. Can you guess who's going to be at the top of the list???

Weekend Round-Up

MLB

- Canadian OF Jason Bay has decided to test the free agent waters this winter. Although he loves playing in Boston, Bay hinted that he would like to like to become a free-agent for the first time. Here's what he told the Providence Journal following the Red Sox early exit in the playoffs:

"I've gotten to the point, and as much as I would love to come back here, I make no bones about that...I'm a little bit interested in going through the whole process, seeing what it's like and seeing what's out there," said Bay. "That really isn't going to sink in for awhile. I'm stil sitting on the loss for a bit."

- According to the New York Post, the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers are feuding over the injury problems of Mets SS Jose Reyes. Reyes was examined by Dodgers doctors during a west-coast road trip. The doctors mistakenly diagnose Reyes with a calf injury but when returning to New York, Mets' doctors were able to diagnose the injury as a partial tear to a hamstring tendon. The Dodgers are upset that the Mets are hinting that they contributed to Reyes' health issues.
- The Boston Red Sox are expected to exercise the 2010 option on P Tim Wakefield's contract. The option is worth $4 million. Wakefield is expected to undergo back surgery some point this week and will require 4-6 weeks of rehabilitation according to the Boston Herald.
- The Miami Herald is reporting that Mets OF Gary Sheffield has stated that he would like to retire with the Florida Marlins.
- According to the St. Louis Dispatch, Cardinals 3B Mark DeRosa wants to have surgery on his left wrist as soon as possible. His goal is to be ready for spring training.
- ESPN is reporting that the Houston Astros will interview Boston Red Sox bench coach Brad Mills and first base coach Tim Bogar for their vacant managerial position.
- The Chicago Tribune is speculating that Cincinnati Reds manager Dusty Baker could be on the hot seat this off-season. Reds owner Bob Castellini repordedly has his sights set on St. Louis bench-boss Tony LaRusa and pitching coach Dave Duncan to take his place.
- According to the Chicago Sun Times, Jim Thome has expressed interest in returning to the White Sox when he becomes a free-agent in the off-season. The 39-year-old was sent to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a trade deadline deal to assist them in a playoff run.

NBA

- The Miami Heat have signed free-agent PG Carlos Arroyo to a one-year deal. Terms of the deal have no been disclosed.
- The Golden State Warriors plan to a have a sit-down meeting with disgruntled G/F Stephen Jackson prior to their first pre-season home game next Thursday. Jackson will meet with GM Larry Riley and head coach Don Nelson to discuss his pre-season suspension for getting into it with Nelson on the bench Friday night in Los Angeles. Jackson has made it clear this off-season that he wants out of Golden State and a trade could be imminent. Check back for updates on the situation.
- The Cleveland Cavaliers are likely to pick up the 2010-2011 option on the contract of PF J.J. Hickson according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

NFL

- QB Brett Farve led the Minnesota Vikings to their 400th all-time victory on Sunday against the St. Louis Rams. Favre threw for 232 yards in the 38-10 win to improve to 5-0 season mark.
- Detroit Lions star WR Calvin Johnson in the first quarter during Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers with a knee injury. It is unknown if he will miss any time due to injury.
- On Sunday, NBC analyst and former Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy told viewers on air that he advised Vick to avoid the Raiders when picking a team to sign with. "I advised Michael Vick not to go there," he said." I said, Mike, you might be able to start there but it is not a good place for you".

NHL

- Vancouver Canucks F Daniel Sedin will be out of action for 4-6 weeks with a broken foot. Sedin was hit in the foot by a shot during the Canucks' 7-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens.
- On Saturday, the NHL fined Edmonton Oilers head coach Pat Quinn $10, 000 for comments he made after Thursday's victory over the Calgary Flames. Quinn lashed out over Flames RW Jarome Iginla's devistation hit-from-behind on Oilers D Sheldon Souray. Souray left the game and is out indefinitely with a concussion. Iginla was sent off for a minor tripping penalty.
- According to ESPN's Pierre LeBrun, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman met with the mayor of Quebec City recently to discuss a return of the Quebec Nordiques. On Saturday, mayor Regis Lebeaume told the Associated Press that he and former Nordiques owner Marcel Aubut met with the commissioner.
- According to the Associated Press, Buffalo Sabres D Andrej Sekera will miss at least two weeks of action due to a rib injury.

MMA

- A rumoured fight between Junior dos Santos vs. Gabriel Gonzaga has been confirmed for UFC 107 on December 12 in Memphis, Tennessee.
- The UFC has announced that Kendall Grove will fight Jake Rosholt during the UFC 106 preliminary fights.
- The UFC has signed KOTC champ Mike "Joker" Guymon to a four-fight deal. The welterweight fighter holds a 11-2-1 record in MMA competition and has won five straight fights (nine of his last ten). He will look to move up the welterweight ranks to possibly challenge Canadian George St. Pierre for the welterweight title.

MLB Playoff Update

- The Los Angeles Dodgers completed a three-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday. With a 5-1 win over the Cards, they will move on to the National League Championship to face the winner of the Phillies-Rockies series. The Cardinals were my favourite team going into the playoffs and the sweep should be seen as a huge upset.
- The American League Championship Series was decided over the weekend as well. Leading the series 2-0, the Los Angeles Angels completed an impressive 2 out, 9th inning rally to come back and beat the Boston Red Sox, eliminating them from the playoffs Sunday.
-The Angels' opponent in the AL Championship Series will be the New York Yankees. They also clinched, sweeping the Minnesota Twins in three games. Behind P Andy Pettitte and 3B Alex Rodriguez, the Yanks advanced to their first ALCS in five years with a 4-1 victory over the Twins on Sunday night.
-The Philadelphia Phillies are leading their series with the Colorado Rockies 2-1 and will try and finish them off tonight in Colorado. Rockies P Ubaldo Jimenez will take on Phillies P Cliff Lee in Game 4 in a re-match of Game 1's pitching duel. The Phillies took the series lead on Sunday night, winning the game on a Ryan Howard sacrifice fly in the ninth inning.

Notes:

The umpires made a huge mistake in Game 3 of the Phillies-Rockies on Sunday night. Home plate umpire Jerry Meals ruled that a ball hit by Phillies 2B Chase Utley hit on a check swing was fair but it was clearly foul. Utley was ruled safe at first base. SS Jimmy Rollins advanced to third on the play and was driven in later in the inning on a sacrifice fly by 1B Ryan Howard. It proved to be the winning run. The umpires recognized their mistake after the game. This incident will probably force the MLB to re-assess their instant replay system in the off-season.

LATE BREAKING NEWS

Forrest Griffin will replace the injured Mark Coleman at UFC 106 against Tito Ortiz on November 21st in Las Vegas. The two fought at UFC 56 in April of 2006. Ortiz won the fight via split-decision. Ortiz will be making his much-anticipate UFC return since his May 2008 loss to current light-heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida. Griffin is coming off back-to-back loses to Rashad Evans and Anderson Silva. It will be interesting to see how he responds in this fight.

News & Notes

MLB


- Philadelphia Phillies manager Charlie Manuel has decided on going with P Pedro Martinez instead of P J.A. Happ and P Joe Blanton to start against the Colorado Rockies in Game 3 of their NL playoff series Saturday night. The series is tied 1-1. Martinez is a much more experienced playoff pitcher which should come as an advantage in a game expected to be disrupted my cold weather conditions and possibly snow.
- The Atlanta Braves and New York Mets are expected to pursue OF Matt Holiday in the off-season.
- The Los Angeles Angels may let P John Lackey go this off-season when he becomes a free-agent. He is the top pitcher in the class and will demand a sizable raise this winter. It is speculated that the Angels will not be able to afford Lackey.
- Cleveland Indians SS Asdrubal Cabrera and RP Chris Perez have both undergone surgical procedures. Cabrera had an arthroscopic operation on his right elbow while Perez had a cyst and loose bone removed from the back of his ankle. Both players are expected to be ready for spring training.


NBA


- Detroit Pistons F Jonas Jerebko and Miami Heat C Jamal Magloire have been suspended by the NBA for an altercation in a pre-season game between the two teams on Monday night. Magloire will be out for two games and Jerebko will be out for one. The suspensions will start during the first game of the regular season.
- According to the Houston Chronicle, Rockets SF Shane Battier will return to action next week. He will try and get a few pre-season games under his belt before the start of the regular season. He has been out of training camp nursing a pulled right hamstring.
- Sacramento Kings SF Francisco Garcia fractured his right forearm during a weight-lifting party session Friday morning before practice. He will undergo surgery on Saturday. It is unknown at this point how long the forward will be out.
- Cleveland Cavaliers G Delonte West will not play in Saturday's pre-season game against the Charlotte Bobcats. He has missed the last two practices to attend to personal matters. It is yet to be seen when West will see his first action of the pre-season.
- Golden State Warriors PF Brandon Wright underwent successful surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder on Friday. It will be six weeks before Wright will be re-evaluated and a timetable will be set for his return.


NFL


- The Miami Herald is reporting that injured Dolphins QB Chad Pennington could become a player-coach.
- The Seattle Seahawks expect QB Matt Hasslebeck to start on Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Hasslebeck broke a rib in a September 20th game against the San Francisco 49ers and hasn't played since.
- ESPN is reporting that New England Patriots RB Fred Taylor will require ankle surgery. The injury could take him out of action for the rest of the season. This could be a big hit for the team. Check back later for more on the situation.
- QB David Carr could start for the New York Giants in place of injured QB Eli Manning. Manning has plantar fasciitis and has missed practice the last two days. If Manning can't go, Carr will start.


NHL


- According to the New York Post, Brooklyn president Marty Markowitz has expressed interest in the New York Islanders moving to the borough.
- The Calgary Sun is reporting that recently-retired Theo Fleury will speak out about being sexually abuse by former junior hockey coach Graham James in court proceedings next week. Fleury will join Sheldon Kennedy as the second player to go public with the sort of allegations that lead to a 3 1/2 year prison sentence for James. In 1996, Kennedy testified against Graham accusing him of abusing him more than 350 times.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs have placed G Jonas Gustavsson on the IR and called up G Joey McDonald from the Toronto Marlies of the AHL to replace him on the roster. The rookie goal-tender is expected to miss at least a week with a groin injury.
- The Detroit Red Wings F Johan Franzen is out for at least four months with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
- The Detroit Red Wings signed F Brad May to a one-year contract worth $500k on Thursday.
- The Associated Press is reporting that the NHL has suspended San Jose Sharks F Brad Staubitz one game for his hit on Davis Drewiske of the Los Angeles Kings. He will lose $2,590 from his salary. He will be eligible to return to play on Saturday against the Minnesota Wild.
- According to Yahoo Sports!, the Pittsburgh Penguins have singed 2009 first-round pick Simon Despres to a three-year entry level contract on Friday. Financial terms were not disclosed.


MMA


- UFC light-heavyweight Wanderlei Silva told Sherdog in an interview that Anderson Silva will destroy Vitor Belfort when the two match-up at UFC 108. “I believe Anderson would destroy Belfort.I think it’s a very interesting fight. Belfort has good boxing skills and is a good athlete, but everybody knows that he has a weak psychological aspect and I think he will shake when he gets in the Octagon with (Silva)," Silva said. 
- According to Yahoo Sports!, controversial Ultimate Fighter 8 contestant, Junnie Browning has been released by the UFC. Browning was arrested recently for allegedly assaulting three nurses at a local hospital where he was being treated for a drug overdose. 
- Fanhouse is reporting that the UFC is considering matching up Matt Serra and Frank Trigg for UFC 110 in February. The pay-per-view event is also expected to feature former welterweight champ, Matt Hughes. 
- In a question and answer session on Thursday, UFC president Dana White hinted that the UFC may be making the octagon smaller. “Actually, we’ve been talking about making the Octagon smaller. We’re considering making it smaller. [UFC matchmaker] Joe Silva wants it. I think he wants to turn the thing into a [expletive] bathtub. Have them fight in a little tollbooth," said White. 
- Lightweight fighers Joe Lauzon and Cole Miller are expected to meet at UFC 108, January 2nd in Las Vegas, according to Mixedmartialarts.com. 

News & Notes

MLB

- The Minnesota Twins claimed the AL Central division title on Tuesday night, defeating the Detroit Tigers in a twelve-inning thriller at the Metrodome. With one out in the twelfth inning, Twins 2B Alexi Castilla hit an RBI single to score the winning run in an extra-innings nail-biter. The game did not end without controversy though. In the top of the same inning, video replay shows a pitch graze Tigers 3B Brandon Inge with the bases loaded. The umpire claimed the ball did not make contact with the player and Inge was retired later in the at-bat. In a game of this magnitude, it's unfortunate the season had to end that way for the Tigers. The Twins will now go on to face the New York Yankees in the first round of the playoffs. Game one is tonight at 7p.m. Eastern time.
- According to ESPN, Florida Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez will return as manager next season. It was speculated that the coaches job was in jeopardy following a disappointing season where the team missed the playoffs.
- Contrary to rumours, the Chicago Sun-Times is reporting that the Cubs have changed their stance and decided to keep P Carlos Zambrano. According to the report, Zambrano will not be asked to waive his no trade clause and will not be shopped this off-season.
- The Chicago White Sox have exercised club options on the contracts of P Freddy Garcia and P Matt Thornton for next season.
- Philadelphia Phillies P J.C. Romero will undergo surgery to repair the flexor tendon in his left forearm. Typical recovery time for this type of procedure is 5-6 months.

NBA

- The Charlotte Bobcats have exercised the $2.45 million option on the contract of PG D.J. Augustin.
- In a yearly survey done by NBA.com, league general managers have picked the LA Lakers to repeat as NBA champs this season. Also, according to the survey, Lebron James is the popular early pick for MVP.
- Memphis Grizzlies G Allen Iverson is day-to-day with a strained left hamstring that has kept him out of action for the majority of training camp and the start of the pre-season.

NFL

- ESPN is reporting that San Francisco 49ers draft holdout, WR Michael Crabtree has finally decided to agree to a contract with the club. Crabtree will receive a six-year deal that he can void to five years if he meets the performance clauses in the contract. He is expected to report to the team's training facility some time today.
- Baltimore Ravens LB Brendon Ayanbadejo will be out of the remainder of the season to undergo surgery on his torn left quadriceps tendon on Wednesday.
- New York Giants LB Michael Boley will be out of action for a month with a knee injury. On Tuesday, Boley underwent surgery to repair a partially torn meniscus in his right knee.
- San Diego Chargers GM A.J. Smith is furious with his team's performance through the first four weeks of the season. "Absolutely embarassing," Smith told San Diego Union-Tribune of the team's play. "Everything is wrong with it right now. I'm not the least bit happy in a lot of areas. I've seen us be tough and physical to soft and bewildered". The Chargers are now 2-2 with the loss to Pittsburgh on Sunday. Changes could be coming soon if the team doesn't receive the message properly.
- Notes: Check back later on today for NFL Power Rankings: Week 4 by Razmig Darakjian. Some teams could be switching places after a crazy weekend in the NFL.

NHL

- The Associated Press is reporting that the Boston Bruins singed LW Milan Lucic to a three-year contract extension on Tuesday. The team did not disclose financial terms of the deal.
- The Montreal Canadiens have signed D Marc-Andre Bergeron to a one-year deal worth $750k.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs decided to start rookie G Jonas Gustavsson on Tuesday night against the Ottawa Senators. Head coach Ron Wilson would not reveal his starting goalie until the morning practice before the game. It is speculated that G Vesa Toskala may have lost his job to Gustavsson because of his terrible performance in the first two games of the season. It will be interesting to see who the Leafs start in net on Saturday against Pittsburgh.

MMA

- Mark Coleman has withdrawn from his UFC 106 bout with Tito Ortiz. Coleman has a torn MCL and will need more time to recover from the injury. Before news of the injury was released, Ortiz responded to Coleman backing out on his Twitter page. It will be interesting to see who Tito fights in his return to the UFC. Below is what Ortiz posted on his Twitter page about Coleman:

"Coleman,coleman,coleman to bad he sissies out!!! Who’s next??? I’m kicking someone’s ass on Nov 21st!"

Additional Notes:

- International and MLS soccer news will soon be added to daily updates on The Neary Report. Check back by the end of week for more on these updates.

LATE BREAKING NEWS

The Cleveland Browns have traded star WR Braylon Edwards to the New York Jets. Jay Glazer of Fox Sports is reporting that the Jets sent two future draft picks, WR Chansi Stuckey and Jason Trusnik to the Browns in return. Although Edwards is one of the most talented receivers in the league, he comes to New York with much baggage. Earlier this week, Edwards was in the news for allegedly punching a friend of Lebron James outside of a Cleveland night club. The NFL is currently investigating the incident. Sources can't confirm whether or not the scuffle was his ticket out of town. This trade solidifies the Jets as contenders and gives rookie QB Mark Sanchez a viable target to throw to on a game-to-game basis. If Edwards can keep himself out of trouble, this should be a solid move for the Jets.

News & Notes

MLB

- It was reported over the weekend that suspicious markings were seen on Detroit Tigers 1B Miguel Cabrera's face before the game on Saturday that were not there the night before. There was speculation that something personal happened to Cabrera off-field on Friday night. ESPN is reporting that police were called to Cabrera's home on Friday because of a domestic dispute. His wife was the one who called the authorities. Rumour is that both Cabrera and his wife, Rosangel, had visible facial injuries making it difficult for officers to decipher who the victim was. Check back later for more on this story.
- According to the New York Post, Mets general manager Omar Minaya has apparently offered jobs in the organization to former Toronto Blue Jays GM J.P. Riccardi and former San Diego Padres GM Kevin Towers. Both Riccardi and Towers were fired by their former teams last week.
- P Trevor Hoffman has agreed to a one-year deal to re-sign with the Milwaukee Brewers. Hoffman will make $8 million next season, with a mutual option in 2011.
- New York Mets SS Jose Reyes will need to undergo surgery to clear up scar tissue around a tendon behind his right knee. He will not however, need to have surgery to repair his torn right hamstring. No schedule has been set for the procedure but the Mets expect Reyes to be ready for spring training.
- Tonight, the Minnesota Twins and Detroit Tigers will face-off in a one game playoff to determine which team will move on to the playoffs to face the New York Yankees. Both teams ended the season tied in the AL Central lead. Tigers rookie P Rick Porcello will face Twins P Scott Baker. It will be a great game to watch. The game begins at 5 p.m. Eastern Time. Check your local listings for more.

NBA

- Orlando Magic GM Otis Smith told the Orlando Sentinel that Golden State Warriors PG C.J. Watson was the only free-agent that got away this off-season. Smith told reporters that he offered the Warriors compensation in a sign and trade but GM Larry Riley refused. "You wouldn't believe what we offered them," Smith told the Sentinel. "I think it got personal."
- Cleveland Cavaliers superstar SF Lebron James made an appearance on Sunday's season finale of the hit HBO television show "Entourage".
- Phoenix Suns C/PF Robin Lopez will miss six to eight weeks of action with a broken bone in his left foot. Lopez sustained the injury during an intrasquad scrimmage on Saturday. Lopez will have surgery to insert a screw in his foot today.
- Utah Jazz G C.J. Miles has a ruptured ligament in his left thumb that will require surgery. Miles suffered the injury in practice on Monday in London, England where the team is playing some pre-season ball.
- It seems like former-Raptor and Cleveland Cavaliers SG Anthony Parker could start the season at the starting two position. Last season's starter, G Delonte West, has been having off-court issues this summer that have dragged into training camp, and may not be with the team to begin the season. West still hasn't practiced with the team as of yet. His status with the team is unknown.

NFL

- Last night, Minnesota Vikings QB Brett Favre became the first quarterback in NFL history to beat all 32 teams on Monday night. To complete the feat, Favre defeated his former team, the Green Bay Pakers on their home turf 30-23.
- Detroit Tigers rookie QB Matt Stafford is day-to-day with a twisted right knee he suffered in Sundays loss to the Chicago Bears.
- Oakland Raiders RB Darren McFadden will be out of action 2-4 weeks while recovering from knee surgery.
- The Contra Costa Times is reporting that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell intends to meet with Oakland Raiders head coach Tom Cable to discuss an incident that happened in training camp. Cable is being accused of striking defensive assistant Randy Hanson in the face. The police have been involved and it was reported last week that Hanson spoke with authorities already to give his take on what took place.
- ESPN is reporting that Philadelphia Eagles QB Donovan McNabb will return to action this Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. McNabbs started practicing again this week after missing two games with a broken rib.
- ESPN is reporting that the New England Patriots are in the process of signing veteran LB Junior Seau. Stay tuned for more details on this story.
- Zach Thomas has filed a grievance against the Kansas City Chiefs for his 2009 salary. Thomas was cut by the team without an injury statement after he suffered a concussion over the summer.

NHL

- The Florida Panthers have signed former Toronto Maple Leaf C Dominic Moore to a one-year deal, worth $1.1 million, according to ESPN.
- The Associated Press is reporting that San Jose Sharks C Joe Pavelski will be out of action for two weeks with a lower body injury.
- An MRI revealed no structural damage to Dallas Stars C Mike Modano's injured ribs. Modano is not expected back in the lineup right away but will travel on the road with the team this week in case his condition improves.
- Toronto Maple Leafs coach Ron Wilson has been really quiet about who he will start in net on Tuesday night against the Ottawa Senators. Stories in both the Toronto Sun and Toronto Star revealed that the Leafs may go with rookie G Jonas Gustavsson as their starter from here on out. Toskala was less than spectacular in consecutive losses to start the season. His time in Toronto may be coming to a close.

MMA

- MMA Survival is reporting that the UFC is likely to release the following fighters by the end of the week: Hermes Franca, Chris Wilson, Marcus Aurelio and Justin McCully. All four have been removed from the UFC website.
- The UFC has signed light heavyweight Rodney Wallace to a four-fight deal. "Sho Nuff The Master" will possibly make his debut at the Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale against former WEC champ Brian Stann.

Weekend Round-Up

MLB

- The Minnesota Twins earned a one-game playoff with the Detroit Tigers to decide the AL Central title when they beat the Kansas City Royals 13-4 on Sunday. The Twins were trailing the Tigers in the standings, but swept the Royals this weekend to catch up in the playoff race. The playoff game will be held on Tuesday in Minnesota, with the winner going on to play the New York Yankees in the first round of the playoffs.
- Just a quick follow-up report. The Toronto Blue Jays chose J.P. Riccardi's former assistant and vice-president of baseball operations, Alex Anthopoulos, to take over for Riccardi as GM of the club. The 32-year-old Montreal native will have his hands full this off-season, trying to configure the new direction of the team. He is very familiar with the organization having worked with the Jays since 2003.
- The Los Angeles Times is reporting that Angels manager Mike Scioscia has announced his playoff pitching rotation and roster. Check the link to view the roster.
- St. Louis Cardinals 1B Albert Pujols set a major league record for assists by a first basemen in the team's final game of the regular season on Sunday. Pujols recorded his 185th assist of the season against the Milwaukee Brewers.
- SI.com is reporting that all-time saves leader, Trevor Hoffman will return to the Milwaukee Brewers next season.
- Milwaukee Brewers GM announced Sunday that the team will bring back manager Ken Macha in 2010. This will be the final year of the contract he signed last October. The Brewers also have a club option for 2011.
- There was speculation that last week that the Washington Nationals were trying to bring in Bobby Valentine as manager. ESPN leaked a rumour that Valentine is in communication with the Florida Marlins about a job with the team. It would come as a surprise if the Marlins brought the former big league manager in. Current bench-boss, Freddi Gonzalez, was signed to a 2-year extension 8 months ago. There is speculation that Gonzalez could get the boot. He will be under review by upper management in the off-season.
- The Los Angeles Dodgers clinched the NL West title with a 5-0 win over the Colorado Rockies on Sunday. Prior to the win, the Dodgers lost five straight.
- The Philadelphia Phillies have clinched home-field advantage in the playoffs. The Phillies will host the St. Louis Cardinals in their first round series.
- Detroit Tigers 1B Miguel Cabrera and manager Jim Leyland were questioned about scratches and blemishes on Cabrera's face during Saturday's post-game presser. After Friday's game, there were no marks present. When Cabrera showed up to the stadium on Saturday, his face was visibly scarred. Both had no comment and later, Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski sent an e-mail to reporters stating that he had spoken with Cabrera and would not comment on the "personal" matter. It is rumoured that Cabrera was attacked by his dog.

NBA

- Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer is reported that Bobcats PG Raymond Felton turned down a long-term contract before agreeing on a one-year deal in the off-season. The deal would have payed Felton close to $7 million a year. It's surprising Felton declined.
- Golden State Warriors PF Brandon Wright will require surgery to repair a damaged right capsule in his left shoulder. No timetable for return will be set until Wright is assessed post-surgery.
- Los Angeles Clippers C Marcus Camby hyperextended his left knee in the final practice of training camp on Friday. The veteran shot-blocker is listed as day-to-day and is questionable for the pre-season opener on Sunday.
- In an interview with FanHouse, Denver Nuggets C Nene vowed to retire from basketball by the 2016 Olympics to devote his life to religion. "In seven year, I'm retired in seven years," Nene told FanHouse.
- Toronto Raptors all-star PF Chris Bosh was overwhelmed with chants of "Re-Sign, Re-Sign" during the team's open training camp scrimmage in Ottawa on Saturday. According to the Toronto Sun, Bosh responded with a smile while newcomer PG Jarrett Jack gave the crowd a thumbs up.
- The Columbian is reporting that Portland Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan has narrowed down the final roster spot to two veterans; F Ime Udoka and C/PF Jarron Collins. The coach told reporters that he was impressed by both players.
- Over the weekend, Boston Celtics PF Kevin Garnett told the Boston Globe that his surgically repaired right knee feels flexible than any time since the procedure. "I don't have any knee problems, I don't have any knee problems," Garnett told reporters.
- The Associated Press is reporting that Cleveland Cavaliers GM Danny Ferry held troubled G Delonte West out of the inter-squad game on Saturday when the team concluded training camp. This may be Ferry trying to send a message or the GM may be looking to move West to eliminate the distraction.

NFL

- The Indianapolis Colts won their 13th consecutive victory on Sunday when they defeated the Seattle Seahawks 34-17. The win earns the franchise the longest active regular-season winning streak to date.
- Detroit Lions rookie QB Matt Stafford left the team's loss to the Chicago Bears on Sunday with a knee injury. Stafford suffered the injury when he was sacked during the fourth quarter.
- Baltimore Ravens LT Jared Gaither was carted off the field in the teams loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday with what is being reported as a neck injury. ESPN is reporting that after tests were complete at the hospital, Gaither had movement in his arms and legs. This is good news for what looked to be a potential career threatening injury.
- The New England Patriots are considering bringing back LB Junior Seau. ESPN is reporting that Seau took a physical with the team last week.
- The Cleveland Browns have placed rookie RB James Davis on the inured reserve list. Davis will miss the remainder of the season with a shoulder injury.

NHL

- Before the team's season home-opener on Saturday, New York Islanders owner Charles Wang announced that he would be exploring all options for the team, including moving the franchise to a different city. Wang spoke out about his frustration with the lack of a decision by local government to approve or reject a major developmental plan that would give the Islanders a new and improved stadium.
- Montreal Canadiens star D Andrei Markov will be out for at least four months after slicing a tendon in his ankle during Thursday night's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. It was the skate of Canadiens G Carey Price that cut Markov. This is going to be a huge loss for the club. Not a good way to start the season.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed D Rostislav Klesla to a 4-year contract extension that will keep him with the club through the 2013-2014 season. Terms were not disclosed.
- The Dallas Stars have signed LW Loui Eriksson to a 6-year $25.5 million extension. Eriksson had 36 goals for the Stars last season.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets have added Mathieu Roy to the roster after calling him up from the AHL to replace injured D Mike Commodore who was placed on the injured reserve list.

MMA

- UFC president Dana White will resume his popular video blog at UFC 104. If you haven't seen any of the videos, you need to go check them out. He takes you along with him, behind the scenes of each UFC pay-per-view event. I will post some clips of his video blog in the Featured Video Section after the event.