Pay better attention to those around you (Yardbarker)

St. Louis Rams wide receiver Isaac Bruce is a mild-mannered guy, usually offering opinions that are well-thought out and level-headed (we love our dashes!). “The Reverend Ike,” as St. Louis fans and media have dubbed him, will be periodically blogging for the great sports site YardBarker.com this fall. In one of his recent installments, Bruce tackles the Michael Vick saga and offers his opinion that folks need to learn from this situation.

An extended look with more after the jump.

First of all, I don’t believe it is anyone’s place to point fingers. It is our place to show compassion and give compassion. Everyone needs to be lifted up at some point in their lives and this is Michael’s time. I do think we can all learn lessons from that situation.

This applies to everyone, not just athletes - we all need to pay close attention to who we surround ourselves with. Speaking as a professional athlete, many times we cannot see the forest through the trees. We’re all that way at some point. When I first came into the League I felt like Superman. I didn’t need the extra work. In many cases your eyes can open very slowly but then again, they can open pretty fast, too. Mine opened slowly but when they did open it was all downhill from there. We’ve all fallen into it. We’ve all been guilty of falling short but some of us have grown up behind the camera, not in front of it so the damage is not as public.

More after the jump »

Tigers trade outfielder Monroe to Cubbies (AP/ESPN)

The Detroit Tigers have traded slumping outfielder — and recently designated for assignment transaction — Craig Monroe and cash to the Chicago Cubs for the popular Player to be Named Later.

The 30-year-old Monroe, who had lost his starting job in left field to Marcus Thames, was hitting only .222 with 11 home runs and 55 RBIs in 99 games.  He will join the Cubbies Friday at Arizona.

Manning makes strong defense of Manning (NY Times)

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Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning took a shot yesterday at former players who join the news media after their playing careers end and then criticize current players, curiously timed after his brother Eli and former NY Giants running back — and currently of the NBC network — Tiki Barber exchanged words through the press earlier in the week.

“Ex-players truly become ex-players right away, the No. 1 job is to criticize players,” said Peyton Manning, who had his ability to lead publicly questioned several years ago by the former Colts place-kicker Mike Vanderjagt. “I’m pretty defensive of all quarterbacks. Eli is my brother. I’m very loyal to my family. I’d rather you criticize me. I don’t think anybody knows what it’s like to be a quarterback except a current quarterback. Sometimes former quarterbacks forget what’s it’s like. You cannot play quarterback at any level — you’re in a leadership position. To do it for three years in high school, three years as a starter in college, taking your team to the playoffs — you are a leader and you’re a good leader.

Manning added: “It’s supposed to be a code, teammates to teammates. That’s the problem we’re going to have with ex-players going to the media. When I retire, I know what I don’t want to do.”

It’s tough to take Peyton seriously after this excellent SNL skit aired. It also gives us an excuse to drag this out for our own amusement.

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Chelios: Truth will emerge in PA report (The Hockey News)

In a published story in the venerable hockey publication The Hockey News, Chris Chelios of the Detroit Red Wings states that the investigation by a Toronto lawyer will go a long way toward proving the players did the right thing when they fired former NHLPA head Ted Saskin from his post in early May.

Without getting into specifics, Chelios said the report will provide the players with confirmation that Saskin’s firing was justified.

“It backs a lot of our allegations that the constitution wasn’t followed and that Ted was the one who was instructing these guys (the former executive committee) and not doing anything to follow the constitution,” Chelios told thehockeynews.com. “It does touch a little bit on the secret ballot thing (that confirmed his hiring), but what’s illegal and what’s unconstitutional? Did he break the law? Who’s to say? Was it illegal? No. But was it unconstitutional and unethical? That’s for the players to decide.”

The investigation, conducted by lawyer Shelia Block of Toronto, was released to to members of the NHLPA’s executive committee and player reps for all teams on Wednesday. She was tapped last winter to investigate all aspects of the firing of former NHLPA executive director Bob Goodenow and the hiring of Saskin, including allegations that Saskin and former marketing director Ken Kim, who was fired along with Saskin, spied on confidential player emails during the process.

News and notes while Screamin’ A. Smith gets demoted publicly…

Ex-Lakers, Princeton coach dies (AP/ESPN) Former college and professional basketball coach Butch Van Breda Kolff, who twice led the Los Angeles Lakers to the NBA Finals and coached Bill Bradley at Princeton, has died after a long illness.  He was 84.

Jets deal unhappy O-lineman to Skins (ESPN.com) Since ProFootballTalk doensn’t do trackbacks, we’ll just use Len Pasquarelli’s story on the Jets dealing off OL Pete Kendall to the Redskins for a middle round draft pick.
Booted from Tour, Rasmussen looking for team (AP/USA Today) Erik Rasmussen, the Danish cyclist booted from the Tour de France while leading the race for alleged doping, is in talks to join an Italian team.

Henman to hang up the racket (AP/Y! Sports) The 32-year old British tennis star Tim Henman will play his final Grand Slam at the U.S. Open and then retire in September after the Davis Cup playoff.

Tom Brady’s baby ends holdout (KSK) A hilarious — and graphic — representation of Bridget Moynahan and Tom Brady’s baby being birthed.

Report: NBA fines Sonics part-owner $259K (Seattle Times)

The NBA has levied a $250,000 fine against an Oklahoma City energy tycoon who is a partner in the Seattle SuperSonics, according to a published report in The Seattle Times Thursday.

Aubrey McClendon, the Seattle Sonics’ part-owner with Clay Bennett, told The Journal Record (Oklahoma) the following in an article dated last week:

“We didn’t buy the team to keep it in Seattle, we hoped to come here. We know it’s a little more difficult financially here in Oklahoma City, but we think it’s great for the community and if we could break even we’d be thrilled.”

The following day — August 13 — Bennett quietly rebuked his chatty co-owner by stating publicly that McClendon wasn’t speaking on behalf of the ownership group and they’ll continue to work in securing a facility in Seattle.

The Oklahoma City-based group, headed by Bennett, bought the Sonics last year and wants to have an agreement to build a new arena in Seattle by Oct. 31. If a deal is not in place to build the new facility by then, Bennett has said he plans to move the team to Oklahoma City.

Love. the. Leverage.

(From time to time, we’ll post a short blog entry regarding a current topic or something else that catches our fancy. It might be something trivial or something that really makes us wonder what the hell is going on.)

On Wednesday, the Texas Rangers put up some monster numbers in their 30-3 white-washing of the Baltimore Orioles. While culling the boxscore earlier Thursday for a bit, we’ve run across some interesting facts that you may — or might not have — heard.

• It’s the second-most runs all-time as the Chicago Colts (now the Cubs) scored 36 against the Louisville Colonels on June 29, 1897.
• The 30 runs given up by the Baltimore Orioles was the first time a Baltimore-area team had given up 30 in a score since the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens gave up 42 points to the Cincinnati Bengals in week 12 of the — wait for it – the 2005 season. (Source: Pro-Football-Reference.com)

There’s more facts where those came from…after the jump

More after the jump »

New pitch, same story for Papelbon (Bugs and Cranks)

Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe writes that Boston Red Sox reliever Jonathan Papelbon used a new pitch he came up with to get Tampa Bay D’Rays outfielder/designated hitter on Tuesday.

What does he call it? The “slutter.”
More after the jump »

The morning after Wes Littleton of the Rangers recorded a save in a 30-3 shellacking of the Orioles…

The Indians extended their AL Central lead to 1 1/2 games over Detroit; Albert Pujols became the first player in MLB history to hit 30 home runs in each of his first seven seasons; the Orioles did something the Ravens didn’t do all last season: gave up 30 to an opposing team and the injury-depleted Fightin’ Phils can’t put together much offense against Derek Lowe.

M’s 4, Twins 8 — Michael Cuddyer’s grand slam keyed a seven-run first inning against Miguel Batista as the Twins ended the Mariners’ five-game winning streak with an 8-4 victory.

Texans 30, Ravens 3 (Game 1) — Marlon Byrd and Travis Metcalf hit grand slams for the Rangers. Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Ramon Vazquez, the bottom two batters in Texas’ lineup, each homered twice and finished with seven RBIs as the Rangers obliterated the Orioles 30-3.

Indians 11, Tigers 8 — With Detroit leading by a pair, the Tribe scored four consecutive runs with two outs in the fourth inning and Franklin Gutierrez’s three-run homer gave them a cushion that they would need, as the Indians’ pen pitched three scoreless innings of ball and held off a rally by Detroit late in their 11-8 conquest.

Red Sox 1, D’Rays 2 — B.J. Upton’s two-run homerun off Daisuke Matsuzaka in the sixth inning was all the Devil Rays’ offense needed in extricating a 2-1 win over visiting Boston.

Yankees 8, LA Angels 2 — Andy Pettitte pitched strongly — striking out six, walking two and allowed only five hits — and Robinson Cano, Melky Cabrera and and Jorge Posada each drove in two runs a piece to land the New York Yankees an 8-2 win over the Angels.

More after the jump »

News and notes while wondering if The Rolling Stones will ever tour again…

Webb’s scoreless streak comes to an end (AP/ESPN) Brandon Webb’s scoreless streak ended at 42 innings Wednesday when Milwaukee’s Prince Fielder singled home a run in the first against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Tillman’s widow makes rare public comments (AP/ESPN) Marie Tillman, the widow of slain Army Ranger — and former NFL player — Pat Tillman told a gathered audience at the University of Arkansas that the country needs “authentic leadership.”

Just another embarrassment for the O’s (FOX Sports) Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports writes that the Baltimore Orioles add another embarrassment to a long-line of them in their 30-4 shellacking by Texas.

Sharapova unveils U.S. Open togs (AP/SI.com) Hmmmm. While we like, has tennis really come to this?

FedEx Cup set to begin Thursday (USA Today) Steve DiMeglio writes that because of the system’s scoring variables and cuts after the first three events, most of the 144 players will have an extremely difficult time toppling favorites Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Vijay Singh, Jim Furyk and others in pursuit of the $10 million grand prize in the FedEx Cup.