NBey6's Blog

Updated: July 1, 2010, 7:54 AM ET

Sources: Scott to coach Cavaliers

By Chris Broussard
ESPN The Magazine
Archive

Byron Scott will be named the Cleveland Cavaliers coach on Thursday, according to a source close to the situation.

 

The Cavaliers and Scott are finishing the details of a contract that could make him LeBron James' next coach.

 

Scott's agent, Brian McInerney, said in an e-mail to The Associated Press that Scott has agreed to become Cleveland's next coach.

Cleveland settled on Scott, 49, after strongly considering Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Brian Shaw, who impressed the Cavaliers during interviews earlier this week.

 

Scott

 

This would be the third head coaching job for Scott, who led the New Jersey Nets to consecutive NBA Finals appearances in 2002 and 2003.

 

Scott, who coached the Nets from 2001 to 2004, was named coach of the year in 2008 after leading the New Orleans Hornets to a surprising 56-win season. He coached the Hornets from 2004 to 2010 and has a 352-355 career record.

 

Of course, Scott does not know what kind of team he will end up leading. If James re-signs with the Cavaliers, he could have an Eastern Conference contender on his hands. If James goes elsewhere, Cleveland will be in a rebuilding effort similar to the ones he took over in New Jersey and New Orleans.

It is the experiences Scott had in rebuilding those franchises that led him to maintain interest in the Cavaliers' job without assurances that James would return.

 

In terms of re-signing James, the hiring of Scott would work in Cleveland's favor. James reportedly wants to play for a former player, and Scott was that and then some.

 

Scott played 14 years in the NBA, winning three championships in his 11 seasons with the Lakers. Scott teamed with some of the greatest players of all time, including Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and, in his final season, Kobe Bryant.

 

Scott has maintained a great relationship with Bryant, which is emblematic of another reason he won over the Cavs: his ability to build strong relationships with superstars.

In New Jersey, Scott had a good relationship with Jason Kidd, though Kidd soured on Scott's coaching toward the end of his tenure with the team. And in New Orleans, Scott was close with Chris Paul, one of James' best friends.

 

Once the deal is finished, it will close a dramatic search to replace Mike Brown, who was fired in May after five seasons in Cleveland.

 

The Cavaliers initially offered the job to Michigan State coach Tom Izzo. Cleveland owner Dan Gilbert was willing to pay Izzo nearly $6 million a year, but after a long and ballyhooed period of consideration, the NCAA coaching legend decided against accepting without knowing whether James would return.

 

Scott and Shaw were neck-and-neck for the job Tuesday night and several reports had Shaw as the frontrunner. Shaw's agent, Jerome Stanley, told The Associated Press via e-mail late Tuesday night his client was Cleveland's favored choice, and there were reports that Shaw was assembling a staff to help him in his first head coaching gig.

 

Scott's agent even sent out an e-mail congratulating Shaw on getting Cleveland's job.

 

"Coach Scott welcomes Coach Shaw into the ranks of head coaching, and as a Laker family brother, wishes him the best, until the final two minutes of any game where they are competing against each other," the e-mail from McInerney read.

 

The Cavs, however, never offered Shaw the position. Instead, Cavaliers sources said they decided on Scott late Tuesday night and began negotiating with him Wednesday morning. Stanley then called the club Wednesday afternoon, telling them his client was pulling himself out of the running.

 

According to Stanley, Shaw notified Cleveland brass on Wednesday afternoon he was withdrawing his name from consideration, citing "timing issues."

 

Shaw's withdrawal opens the door to speculation he may want to remain available should Lakers coach Phil Jackson retire. Jackson informed Lakers spokesman John Black via e-mail late Tuesday night that he intended to stick to his plan of informing the team of his decision by Friday.

This little guy is the cutest ever. Being a kid is a very tough job, isn't it?

TIW 6-30-10 SC Midday

Winning Numbers: 635 & 5428 

 

052, 945, 890, 851, 824, 219, 763, 401
0397, 1038, 9651, 8763, 8241, 7104, 7894
2609, 2508, 2517, 2193, 6054, 3594, 4632

 

824, 935, 046, 157, 268, 379, 480, 591, 602, 713

8240, 8241, 8242, 8243, 8244, 8245, 8246, 8247, 8248, 8249

0241, 1241, 2241, 3241, 4241, 5241, 6241, 7241, 8241, 9241

 

37, 39, 79, 82, 84 and/or 24 pairs

Miércoles 6-30-10 Miércoles

682, 058, 916, 471, 056, 135, 440, 254, 800, 862

686, 466, 977, 808, 692, 184, 302, 297, 011, 721

937, 001, 579, 374, 077, 767, 322, 881, 764, 656

333, 444, 555, 000, 888, 999, 0760, 7043, 2598

"A pessimist is a man who looks both ways when he's crossing a one-way street."

- Laurence J. Peter -

Oh well I guess Doc Rivers didn't get enough two weeks ago when the Los Angeles Lakers put a thumping on his team. "I want another crack at it with this group," says Doc Rivers. But little does he know, it won't matter. I think he'll be long gone before Boston wins another Championship.....I'm just saying!!

   

Here is a picture of the happy couple who have already been dating for 10 years. The lucky fiance's name is Keith Britton, CEO of My Fashion Database. Congratulations Zoe and Keith!!!

Updated: June 30, 2010, 12:43 PM ET

Haney discusses leaving Woods

ESPN.com news services

Hank Haney, Tiger Woods' swing coach who parted ways with the world's No. 1 golfer in May, told Golf Digest in an interview that his relationship with Woods "didn't get dysfunctional; it always was dysfunctional."

In a wide-ranging interview in the magazine's August issue, Haney said that he worked with Woods intermittently and that Woods didn't plan ahead much (leaving Haney to speculate when he would need to travel to meet Woods). He also indicated his relationship with Woods was rocky at the 2010 Masters.

 

According to Haney, after Saturday's round at Augusta National, Woods told Haney he was unhappy with how he'd played despite being in contention. "Then on Sunday when he warmed up, he wasn't open to suggestions. He wasn't asking what he should do."

Haney said they talked only two times after that. "That was his way of blaming me," Haney said in the interview. "Maybe I'm reading too much into it; maybe I'm being too sensitive. But when someone doesn't talk to you ... ."

After they left Augusta National, Haney said he sent Woods an e-mail with suggestions on what he needed to work on. "I got no acknowledgement at all, but that wasn't unusual," Haney said. "Then it got to the point where I didn't know what he was doing or thinking. Yet the whole time he was telling the media I was still his teacher and that I was going to continue to be his teacher and I was talking to him every night."

Haney told Golf Digest he thought Woods was surprised when he decided to part ways on the day after The Players, where Woods withdrew with a neck injury during the final round.

"I think he was quite surprised, but that really would be a question for him," Haney said. "This was something I'd been thinking about for a long time. I knew that this was not going to last forever."

Haney was Woods' coach for six years. During that time, Woods won six of his 14 major championships. 

 

"Six years for a coach is a long, long time," Haney said. "How many baseball managers or football coaches make it six years? Not many. The difference in my case is, it was my decision."

Haney told Golf Digest that Woods doesn't need a coach for his swing. "He needs what a friend can offer," Haney said. "Whether he values my friendship and whether he feels I can offer anything as a friend, that's up to him."

Haney said he was in China when Woods was involved in an auto accident outside of his home in the early-morning hours after Thanksgiving. Woods' life then became tabloid fodder, as stories of marital infidelity surfaced. Woods spent time in a rehabilitation clinic.

Haney said he didn't see Woods in person between that day and March 8, as Woods prepared to return to golf at the Masters.

"I'm proud of Tiger for accepting responsibility and getting some help," Haney said in the Golf Digest interview. "I think that's all a man can do. There was one report that said I left him because I was morally against what he did. That's not true. I really believe that everybody makes mistakes. You take responsibility for your mistakes and try to come back, and he truthfully has. I don't like what Tiger did, but I give him credit for accepting responsibility and trying to get better."

He also said that he was present at four of the five sessions where controversial Dr. Anthony Galea treated Woods. Galea is a Canadian doctor who has been charged by U.S. and Canadian officials with conspiracy, smuggling, unlawful distribution of human growth hormone and introducing the unapproved drug Actovegin into interstate commerce. Woods has denied taking any illegal substances, and Haney backed him up. "There was never anything that went into Tiger Woods' body that didn't come out of his body," Haney said.

Haney stressed he still considers Woods a friend.

"It's the greatest opportunity a teacher could ever have," Haney told Golf Digest. "I'm so thankful for it. It's just incredible. I learned so much. The experiences were almost indescribable. I got to stand next to and watch the greatest golfer who ever lived."

June 30, 2010

Nigerian team suspended for poor play

Associated Press

ABUJA, Nigeria -- The president of Nigeria has suspended the national soccer team from international competition for two years after a poor showing at the World Cup.

Ima Niboro, a spokesman for President Goodluck Jonathan, made the announcement Wednesday, saying the ban would enable the country to reorganize its football administration.

Niboro said that all funding for the World Cup squad, including the hiring of Swedish coach Lars Lagerback, would be investigated.

Nigeria was eliminated from the World Cup with just one point, which came in a 2-2 draw with South Korea in its final game. Nigeria lost to Argentina 1-0 in its Group B opener and fell to Greece 2-1 in a game turned by the first-half expulsion of midfielder Sani Kaita.

The Super Eagles haven't won a World Cup match since 1998, going out with two losses and a draw in 2002 and failing to qualify for Germany 2006.

The Nigerian Football Federation's executive committee had earlier tendered an apology to the government and "all football loving Nigerians" for the early exit.

Nigeria risks being banned by FIFA, soccer's governing body, from all international soccer because of the political interference.

"At the time of writing, we have no official information on this matter," FIFA said in a statement. "However, in general, FIFA's position regarding political interference in football is well known."

Nigeria's next scheduled international match is a qualifier for the 2012 African Cup of Nations, at home against Madagascar in early September.

FIFA rules demand that national federations manage their affairs independently, or face suspension from world soccer. National and club teams, plus referees, would be barred from participating in international matches and soccer officials are prevented from attending meetings.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter had already expressed concern over the French government's investigation into France's surprising first-round exit from the World Cup.

"Definitely I can tell you that political interference will be dealt with by FIFA notwithstanding what kind of interference and what is the size of the country," Blatter said Tuesday in remarks about France.

Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Video turned over to police

---

ESPN.com news services

Michael Vick's lawyer says his client was "long gone" before a shooting took place near a Virginia Beach restaurant that hosted his 30th birthday party. A partner of the restaurant, however, told a newspaper that owners have turned over video surveillance that shows Vick leaving just three minutes before shots were fired.

 

Allen Fabijan, a spokesman for the Guadalajara restaurant, told the Daily Press of Newport News, Va., that video shows Vick "and his entourage" driving away from the restaurant at 2:07 a.m. ET last Friday.

Vick

 

"You can see everybody duck at 2:10," Fabijan told the newspaper. "I'm not saying that Michael Vick did the shooting. But he did not leave [long] before" the shooting.

 

Fabijan told the newspaper that the video has been turned over to Virginia Beach police.

 

In a telephone interview with The Associated Press, Vick's lawyer, Larry Woodward, said Vick left the restaurant at Town Center shopping center at least 10 minutes and perhaps as much as 20 minutes before the shooting.

 

Woodward stood by his timeline when contacted by the Daily Press.

 

"I stand by what I said, that Michael was long gone before the shooting, does not know who did the shooting and had nothing to do with the shooting," Woodward told the newspaper. "Anyone who says any different better be very careful."

 

Vick was interviewed by a detective Monday. Adam Bernstein, a Virginia Beach Police spokesman, said that Vick is not a suspect. No arrests have been made.

 

Vick was accompanied to his interview with police by Woodward and told police "he wasn't involved, he was gone before the shooting took place, and he doesn't know who did the shooting," Woodward said.

 

Police have not identified the shooting victim, but several news outlets identified the person as Quanis Phillips, one of the co-defendants in the dogfighting case that landed Vick in federal prison for 18 months. A hospital spokesman confirmed that Phillips was admitted to the hospital Friday morning and discharged that afternoon but refused to disclose his injuries, citing privacy laws.

 

Woodward said Vick did not invite Phillips to the party and had no contact with him there. Vick remains on three years' probation and is not allowed to associate with anyone convicted of a felony unless granted permission to do so by his probation officer.

 

An NFL spokesman said Monday the league is looking into the shooting and had no further comment. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell reinstated Vick last July after the quarterback served a two-year suspension, saying at the time that Vick's margin for error would be "extremely limited."

 

Police have said witnesses described the shooter as a black man wearing a white tank top and driving a white Cadillac Escalade.

 

The Thursday night party was hyped on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter as "Michael Vick's ALL WHITE 30th Birthday Bash." Tickets cost $50.

 

Vick, who is from nearby Newport News, was in the area conducting a football camp at Hampton University.

 

Fabijan told the Daily Press that Vick has been a regular customer at the restaurant.

 

"He's come in unannounced," Fabijan told the newspaper. "We've had absolutely no problems whatsoever with him or his entourage before."

Updated: June 30, 2010, 11:16 AM ET

Berdych to face Djokovic in semifinal

ESPN.com news services

 

WIMBLEDON, England -- Tomas Berdych upset six-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer in the quarterfinals Wednesday 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4.

 Berdych, the No. 12 seed, advances to his first Wimbledon semifinal, where he will face Novak Djokovic.

It's the first time since 2002 that Federer has failed to reach the final. He had been bidding for a record-tying seventh Wimbledon title. 

Djokovic reached his second Wimbledon semifinal by beating unseeded Lu Yen-Hsun 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.

Djokovic lost just 12 points in 13 service games. He won 26 of his first 28 service points, including 15 in a row. The Serb had 29 winners and 17 unforced errors, and converted five of 15 break points.

"Nothing is easy these days, especially at this stage of the tournament," Djokovic said. "But the way I played, I deserved to win. I was hitting all the shots and I was really playing very solid from all parts of the court. I'm very, very happy with the performance today."

Djokovic reached the semifinals here in 2007 but had to retire against Rafael Nadal with a foot injury while trailing in the third set.

"This time physically I'm fitter," Djokovic said. "Those were very strange conditions and circumstances. I had to play three very long matches in three days and couldn't hold on in the semifinal. This time everything is in order and I'll give my best."

Lu, ranked No. 82 in the world, upset Andy Roddick to become a Grand Slam quarterfinalist for the first time. In other matches, No. 2 Nadal played No. 6 Robin Soderling, and No. 4 Andy Murray faced Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Murray is aiming to become Britain's first male champion at Wimbledon since 1936.

Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Williamses' hopes of doubles Slam ends

---

Associated Press

WIMBLEDON, England -- Venus and Serena Williams lost 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to Russians Elena Vesnina and Vera Zvonareva in the quarterfinals of the doubles at Wimbledon.

 

The loss ends the American pair's hopes of winning the Grand Slam this year after victories at the Australian Open and French Open. They had won four straight Grand Slam titles.

 

The top-ranked Americans, shooting for their 13th Grand Slam title and fifth here, had four chances to break in the second set before Venus dropped serve in the sixth game.

 

Zvonareva saved a break point in the fourth game of the third set immediately after Serena had her serve broken.

No Astronaut Sex Allowed

 

Boldly no go ... sex banned in space

 

By BRIAN FLYNN

Published: 29 Jun 2010

ASTRONAUTS are banned from nookie in space, a Nasa commander revealed yesterday. Alan Poindexter recently led a crew of six, including three women, in a mission on board the Shuttle Discovery to the International Space Station. But he insisted none of them boldly went where no one has been before. Stern-faced Poindexter said: "We are a group of professionals. We treat each other with respect and we have a great working relationship. "Personal relationships are not an issue. We don't have them and we won't."

He was replying to a question during a visit to Tokyo, Japan, about whether any docking manoeuvres took place between lusty crew on his April flight. Poindexter's mission to resupply the space station saw four women in space for the first time, including one already on the space station orbiting the Earth. One of his Shuttle crew was Japanese mum Naoko Yamazaki, 39. The increasing numbers of women joining male astronauts on missions has forced Nasa bosses to confront the possibility of earthly passions taking over. There are fears it could upset relations between crewmates confined together on a spacecraft. Doctors also believe sex should not be allowed because of possible risks to any babies conceived. And enjoying orbit of the other in space poses practical problems when you are weightless. A third person would be needed to hold the lovers in position.

British astronaut Sir Michael Foale and wife Rhonda have volunteered to go on a future Nasa launch to Mars - and say they hope to be the first to break through the final frontier.

Back on Earth, Nasa spacegirl Lisa Marie Nowak, 47, was sacked in 2007 after allegedly trying to kidnap a rival in a love triangle with Shuttle pilot Bill Oefelein. Jealous Nowak, who flew one Shuttle mission, was said to have driven 900 miles, wearing a nappy to avoid stopping for the loo, to grab Colleen Shipman.

"If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster and treat those two imposters just the same."

- Rudyard Kipling -