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Big Ben's Thanksgiving Day Rumors & Notes

Baseball Rumors & Notes

No news was not the news the Phillies wanted to hear from Jim Thome yesterday. Hopeful that they would receive a favorable response from their No. 1 free-agent quest, the Phillies were told instead by agent Pat Rooney that Thome was still torn between accepting a six-year guaranteed deal worth $85 million or remaining with the Cleveland Indians for substantially less money. Rooney told both teams that Thome may not make his final decision until Monday.

Free-agent pitcher Tom Glavine yesterday received counterproposals from the Mets and Phillies but not from the Braves.

With Drew Henson not ready, David Bell signing with the Phillies and the Marlins unwilling to trade Mike Lowell, the Yankees and Robin Ventura are a solid fit. However, according to Boggs, there are other teams interested in the 35-year-old, who made $8.5 million last year. Ventura could end up with the San Francisco Giants.

The Orioles have flirted with the idea of signing free-agent pitcher Paul Byrd but were turned off to learn that Byrd is seeking a multi-year contract worth $4 million to $6 million per season. Byrd, who turns 32 next month, had a base salary of $850,000 last year but made $2.2 million with incentives after going 17-11 with a 3.90 ERA for the Royals.

The Yankees are still waiting to hear back from Expos GM Omar Minaya about the availability of righty Bartolo Colon, according to a team source. The first source dismissed reports that discussions had been held with Montreal involving Nick Johnson and Juan Rivera.

Ryan Rupe, who yesterday was claimed off waivers by Boston. Rupe, 27, may be best remembered by Sox fans for dodging the bat that, uh, slipped out of the hands of a peeved Trot Nixon and sailed past the Tropicana Field mound shortly after Nomar Garciaparra and Shea Hillenbrand were hit by pitches. Epstein sees something more in Rupe. ''Ryan is a big, strong, righthanded pitcher with very good stuff, plus control and quality makeup,'' the new GM said in a prepared statement. ''We expect him to be a valuable part of our pitching staff in 2003.''

Astros outfielder Richard Hidalgo won't require surgery after additional tests on his left forearm came back negative. Hidalgo sustained muscle and nerve damage in his forearm from a gunshot during an attempted carjacking last week near his offseason home in Valencia, Venezuela.

The Major League Baseball Players Association hates the idea of Jim Thome turning down those big Philly bucks to stay home. This is a lean free-agent market, which explains why the Phillies and Tribe are the only two bidders for a man who just hit 52 homers.

The expectation of an improving financial picture explains the Royals' decision to court center fielder Carlos Beltran with a long-term contract offer while engaged in a cost-cutting craze on virtually all other fronts. "My whole approach," owner David Glass said, "is that we will continue to have more money available to us to spend on payroll as we go down the road."

In the wake of Roger Cedeno's DUI arrest in Florida early Tuesday, the Mets are moving quickly to prevent future problems. Ray Negron, an addiction recovery specialist, spoke with owner Fred Wilpon yesterday and is scheduled for an interview next week when general manager Steve Phillips returns from his vacation.

Theo Epstein already is a star. Hasn't done anything much, but he's already a wonder boy. Epstein, 28, was named general manager of the Boston Red Sox. He was interviewed by Matt Lauer of the "Today" show Wednesday morning against the backdrop of Fenway Park. "You're being called the Ben Affleck of baseball, because you're single and young," Lauer said to Epstein.

Rich Donnelly, most recently the third-base coach for the Colorado Rockies, will assume that position with the Milwaukee Brewers. Donnelly, named Wednesday, had been third-base coach for the Rockies for four seasons. Prior to that, he was a major-league coach with the Florida Marlins, Pittsburgh Pirates and Texas Rangers. Rich Dauer, who had been named by general manager Doug Melvin as the team's new third-base coach, will instead assume the duties of bench coach.

The Daley administration Wednesday extended a freeze on deciding the landmark status of Wrigley Field until Dec. 13, enabling negotiations with the Chicago Cubs over a proposed expansion of the park and other issues to continue.

Among his comments on being fired as Mariners manager on June 25, 1983, Rene Lachemann said: "You never know in this game, maybe I'll be back some day." Two days, five months and 19 years later, Lachemann is back — one of five coaches named yesterday to the staff of new Manager Bob Melvin.

NFL Rumors & Notes

When it comes to who will start at quarterback for the Steelers Sunday, Coach Bill Cowher’s actions spoke louder than his words: It will be Kordell Stewart.

In his first comments since Sunday, Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper described tension between him and receiver Randy Moss as "severely overblown." "I don't have a problem with Randy, and Randy doesn't have a problem with me," he said. "If he did, he would say something. And if I had a problem with him, I would talk to him." He said the team's losing season has magnified things.

Offensive tackle Chad Clifton remained in a local hospital Wednesday in significant pain and unable to take more than a couple steps because of the severe hip injury he suffered Sunday against Tampa Bay. Green Bay Packers coach Mike Sherman said Clifton would remain in the hospital at least through the weekend and possibly beyond because of the level of pain he was experiencing and the need for further tests.

Michael Westbrook's time with the Bengals didn't last even five months. The Bengals waived the eighth-year receiver Wednesday night and reinstated rookie offensive tackle Reggie Coleman from the Reserve/Suspended by Club list.

It appears as if Edgerrin James might follow a similar routine the rest of the season. For a third consecutive Wednesday, the team's starting running back was held out of practice because of a sprained right ankle. He is listed as questionable for the Houston game but is expected to play.

Aaron Gibson walked off the practice field toward a group of shivering reporters Wednesday dripping with sweat and quickly put to rest any suspicion that he might be edgy talking about his weight. "I'm a big guy, I sweat a lot and even when it's cold, I'm nice and warm," said the newest addition to the Bears' injury-depleted offensive line. The soft-spoken 390-pounder, who signed a three-year contract with the Bears Tuesday after stints with Detroit and Dallas, is not likely to see game action immediately, but he is looking at Chicago as a potential jump-start to his career.

The Cleveland Browns running back is no longer green. He's still a Green, mind you, but he's no longer green. As the Browns prepared for Sunday's game against the Panthers, William Green said Wednesday that his early-season struggles taught him he had to learn how to prepare to play in the NFL. ``I didn't know what to expect,'' the Browns' first-round draft choice said in his first extensive interview since early in the season. ``Now I realize I need to work a lot harder off the field. It's not about just getting out there and running. ``It's about studying and knowing your opponent and knowing the job you've got to do.''

A third-round draft pick by the Oilers in 1995, Chris Sanders was re-signed by the Titans yesterday primarily because of injuries in their receiving corps.

Kerry Collins will never replace Phil Simms in the hearts and minds of Giants fans, but Collins is about to match Simms in an impressive ironman streak. Collins on Sunday will start his 50th consecutive game, a feat matched only by Simms among Giants quarterbacks since 1980. Collins has started every game and thrown every pass for the Giants since Nov. 28, 1999.

Jim Miller will likely go into his second straight game having not thrown so much as a single pass in pregame warm-ups, but the Bears quarterback says he is getting used to it. "I think it screwed up my footwork more than anything," said Miller, plagued by tendinitis in his throwing elbow and shoulder.

Steve Spurrier has fueled his team's rivalry with the Dallas Cowboys in a way rarely seen from a Washington Redskins coach since George Allen in the 1970s, and people in both cities have taken notice. "As soon as Spurrier got there, the comments that he made let you know what kind of rivalry this is," Cowboys wide receiver Joey Galloway said this week. "It's motivation. It lets you know how important the game is." In his introductory news conference at Redskins Park in January, Spurrier said he would give a game ball to Redskins owner Daniel Snyder the first time he beat the Cowboys.

Did you know? The Jaguars are one of only two teams (with more than five games against the Steelers) with a winning record against Coach Bill Cowher. Cowher is 6-8 against the Jaguars. The other? Tennessee, thanks to a 31-23 victory Nov. 17, is 11-10 against him.

Raiders' QB Rich Gannon, the second-rated passer in the AFC and a Pro Bowler for the last three years, yesterday dished out high praise for Jets' offensive coordinator Paul Hackett, who coached him while the two were in Kansas City.

The Eagles signed former University of Tennessee quarterback Tee Martin to their practice squad. Martin, 24, was a fifth-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2000 but was released at the end of training camp this year. "I was never really given an opportunity there," Martin said. Since being released, Martin has been working out at the same Arizona facility where Donovan McNabb conducts his vigorous off-season training. At 6-foot-2, 225 pounds, he is roughly the same size as the Eagles' franchise QB.

Happy days are here again for Richie Cunningham. The kicker with the famous name will kick in a regular-season game for the first time in more than two years Sunday for the Jaguars against the Pittsburgh Steelers. "It's kind of a household name," Cunningham said yesterday after signing with the Jaguars to replace Tim Seder, who was waived Tuesday. "People here it. They remember it," he said of the name he shares with the character in the sitcom Happy Days that is still shown on cable TV.

With no fanfare, QB Kordell Stewart leaped past Neil O'Donnell to become the second-leading passer in Steelers history two weeks ago when he threw for 124 yards in Tennessee in relief of injured Tommy Maddox. Stewart has 13,126 career yards passing; O'Donnell 12,867. Terry Bradshaw is No. 1 at 27,989 yards.

Bill Cosby, Philadelphia native, former Temple athlete and long-suffering Eagles fan, wrote an open letter to Eagles coach Andy Reid that was published today in the Philadelphia Daily News, first volunteering his services, then withdrawing in the last paragraph. He felt moved to write after watching Detmer go down in Monday's win over San Francisco, leaving only No. 3 A.J. Feeley healthy enough to play.

NBA Rumors & Notes

There are four more sales days for the Knicks to use their Disabled Player exception, and signs persist that general manager Scott Layden will keep the $4.5 million chip in his pocket unless he can package it with players for a larger deal. "What they're still trying to do is make a big trade," an Eastern Conference general manager said yesterday. "It makes no sense to add another body at that price just for the sake of adding another body. But in terms of big trades, there's just not much out there for them."

Knicks forward Antonio McDyess sidelined for the season with knee injury, is confident he can return to full strength next year.

Orlando's Grant Hill admitted that in his past three games, he tried unsuccessfully to play through soreness in his left ankle. "I was limited in those games," said Hill, who hadn't played in a week before Wednesday night. "Those were rough games for me. I did what I could do, and it wasn't much."

On the day the WNBA's Sol announced it would not return to Miami, Riley confirmed the possibility of using Sol coach Ron Rothstein on the Heat side of the organization. ''We don't know yet,'' Riley said. ``Ron's under contract.''

Injured Wally Szczerbiak will travel with the Timberwolves when they leave tonight for their six-game road trip. But coach Flip Saunders said the all-star shooting guard might not be ready to play until after the Wolves return to the Twin Cities on Dec. 10. Szczerbiak, who could have been activated off the injured list today, has missed all but four games with a dislocated, and now sprained, left pinkie toe.

How much have the Sixers improved over last year? The numbers suggest plenty. The Sixers entered last night 11-4. Last season it took the Sixers 26 games to reach 11 wins. They were 8-7 after their first 15 games last year, and 8-8 after 16.

Heard the one about the Portland Trail Blazers getting new uniforms? They plan to start wearing white at home — and orange along the road.

A 2-year-old colt named Juan Dixon, ridden by Clinton Potts, finished second to Gimmeawink in the $26,000 8th race at Laurel Park yesterday. Juan Dixon paid $5.00 to place and $3.40 to show. Originally named Chapel Garden, Juan Dixon (the horse) was renamed by owner Robert Cole, a University of Maryland graduate.

College Rumors & Notes

Former Florida State quarterback Adrian McPherson surrendered to law enforcement authorities yesterday and was charged with felony grand theft and misdemeanor theft for his part in the theft, forgery and cashing of a blank check from a local business.

Given Clemson's recent history of canning coaches with winning record such as Ken Hatfield and Tommy West, Tommy Bowden could be feeling a bit uneasy about his four-year, 29-19 mark, including this season's 7-5 regular-season finish. First-year Clemson athletics director Terry Don Phillips, however, is standing firmly behind Bowden, who has five years remaining on a $1.1 million annual contract.

The divorce between Michigan State and Bobby Williams was completed Wednesday. Williams and MSU agreed to a contract settlement that will pay the former football coach $550,000 -- or $335,200 more than the terms in his contract.

A source close to Texas A&M athletics said it's "preposterous" that the university would pay any head football coach $14 million over five years, as reported earlier this week. Aggies coach R.C. Slocum is under contract for three more years at a little more than $1 million per year, but rumors persist that Slocum will be fired or resign after Friday's game. Several publications have cited sources saying that A&M might replace Slocum with current Alabama coach Dennis Franchione.
Franchione's contract reportedly has a $1 million buyout.

How will the Pac-10 look in 2003?

Florida receiver Taylor Jacobs will get his wish to play his final regular-season game near his hometown. Jacobs, who has missed the past two games with a sprained right knee, has been cleared by team doctors to play at Florida State on Saturday night

John Calipari said there is always a penalty for assault. Clyde Wade and Billy Richmond are proof of such. Wade and Richmond, both University of Memphis basketball players, were suspended one game each on Wednesday for their role in Monday night's brawl with Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

Florida State junior RB Greg Jones underwent surgery on his right knee in Birmingham, AL. Randy Oravetz, FSU's head trainer, said that the operation "was successful. There were no surprises." Jones, who tore the ACL in his against Wake Forest, had 938 rushing yards in nine games.

Injured Texas A&M quarterback Reggie McNeal is "very doubtful" for Friday's game, A&M coach R.C. Slocum said Wednesday during a video conference appearance before the Touchdown Club of Houston. McNeal, a freshman from Lufkin, was injured in the Missouri game.

Michigan junior guard Avery Queen was dismissed from the team Wednesday for violating unspecified team rules. "We appreciate Avery's efforts here at the university and wish him and his family well," Michigan Coach Tommy Amaker said in a statement.

Odd Notes & Stuff

The Miami Sol folded yesterday after three seasons in the WNBA, citing the inability to raise enough revenue to meet the league's new restructuring agreement. The WNBA assumed control of the franchise, whose players include former St. Joseph's star Debbie Black, and would not say whether the team will be moved or dissolved.

The Red Wings had a team dinner Tuesday night at the Fox Theatre, with Rockettes serving the main course. The dancers set a silver platter in the center of a circular table and, in a dramatic moment, lifted the lid. Instead of a Thanksgiving turkey, there glistened the Wings' 2002 Stanley Cup rings -- each facing its owner.

Maurice Clarett is gone, and it hurt Warren Harding so badly that the Raiders went 14-0 and made the 2002 Ohio Division I state football final.

Randy Pedersen became a millionaire by winning the Pepsi Open on Sunday at Springfield, Pa., his first PBA title since 1999. Pedersen, an ESPN analyst for the tour, became the 24th millionaire in PBA history
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