Dallas assistant wants Goodell to explain Belichick’s punishment (ESPN.com)

ESPN’s Ed Werder reports that Dallas Cowboys quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson, who was suspended for five games and $100K for his involvement in an HGH probe, claims that he intends to write a letter to the league office seeking an explanation for what he considers inconsistent enforcement of NFL policy.

“I would say there is definitely a double standard being applied here,” Wilson said Friday when reached at his home near the team’s practice facility. “I don’t want to be seen as a crybaby or as someone questioning the commissioner’s decision, but I see some major inconsistencies here.

“To me, they’re holding the organization accountable instead of the person.”

[…]

“They were concerned about distributing, and I was cleared of that or I was told I would have been banned from the NFL for life,” Wilson said. “I don’t want to bash the commissioner, but I definitely think there are some inconsistencies here. Intent was a big issue in my defense. What their [Patriots] intent was, I don’t know. But I was just taking my punishment, and I guess what the commissioner does with Belichick is his business, but I think there are some inconsistencies here.”

Wilson does have a point: equal standards aren’t being applied here.

Williams to seek reinstatement next month (AP/Y! Sports)

Suspended running back Ricky Williams is eligible to seek reinstatement by the NFL after Oct. 1 and will do so, his attorney said Friday.

Williams suspension began in April 2006 after he violated the league’s drug policy for the fourth time, and a positive test for marijuana this April delayed his return.

There is no timetable on how quickly the running back would return once reinstated.

News and notes while O.J. Simpson has to answer a few questions in Vegas…

Tiger making charge at FedEx Cup (ESPN) Check out the leaderboard of the FedEx Cup standings.

Sabres’ Numminen needs heart surgery (AP/TSN.ca) Sabres defenceman Teppo Numminen needs surgery to correct a heart condition — his third such operation.
Broadcasting guide to the new NFL season (SI.com) Richard Deitsch of SI.com chimes in on the current state of NFL broadcasters.

Tejada (kinda, sorta) asks for a trade (FanHouse) The AOL Sports’ blog The FanHouse reports via a Baltimore newspaper that Orioles shortstop isn’t too happy with his current role on the squad.

What you’ll see on the countdowns this weekend (new segment alert!) (Awful Announcing) Sports media blog Awful Announcing predicts what will be the stories of note on NFL pre-game shows this weekend.

Hill out indefinitely with back injury (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

St. Louis Post-Dispatch Rams beat writer Jim Thomas confirms an earlier report on ProFootballTalk.com that the team’s staring corner, Tye Hill, is out indefinitely with an injured back.
The injury apparently is similar to an injury suffered by wide receiver Dane Looker earlier this season, involving smaller bones in the bottom of the back. Looker missed one preseason game with the injury and was limited in a second.

Simpson suspect in Vegas incident (MSNBC/KVBC-TV)

O.J. Simpson, better known for his “accomplishments” off the field than on, is a suspected in a break-in at a Las Vegas, Nev. hotel and casino.

“When they talked to him, Simpson made the comment that be believed the memorabilia was his,” police spokesman Jose Montoya said. “We’re getting conflicting stories from the two sides.”

KVBC-TV reports that a man alleged that Simpson and four others, one of which is said to be carrying a gun, confronted a man in a hotel room at the Palace Station Casino regarding sports memorabilia

The KVBC reporter, Angela Martin, said an unidentified man whom she declined to name had told her that Simpson and four men had entered his room, with Simpson demanding he return what Simpson said were sports memorabilia stolen from him years ago.

MLB mulls punishment plan for recently accused (Yahoo! Sports)

A&E’s “Biography” has celebrity weeks, we have PED week at The Buried Lead…

Major League Baseball is mulling over a plan that would retroactively punish players whose names are released to the public in the ongoing Signature Pharmacy probe being conducted by the Albany (NY) district attorney’s office, reports Yahoo! Sports baseball writer Tim Brown.

…punish offenders based on the policy at the time of their transgressions, meaning Glaus – if found in violation of the 2004 version of the Joint Drug Agreement – could face a suspension of 10 games. The policy has since been toughened; first-time offenders are suspended for 50 games. However, the new plan might be met with resistance by the powerful players’ union.

[…]

Some of the reports allege players received drugs before the Collective Bargaining Agreement between MLB and the players’ union was amended to include the ban on steroids almost three years ago, meaning attempts at discipline likely would not survive a grievance.

Again, MLB attempting to put on a “dog and pony show” to put on a front to the general public that they are serious about cracking down on PED offenders. Retroactive punishment is a nice idea in theory, but it’s even harder to prove than trying to pin down if the suspected players actually ingested the drugs.

Nellie has a new deal to remain with Warriors (San Jose Mercury News)

The San Jose Mercury News is reporting that the NBA’s Golden State Warriors and head coach Don Nelson have come to terms on a deal that reworks the details of his contract.

His base salary for each of the remaining two years will jump to $5.1 million from $3.1 million, but the final season is now a team option rather than guaranteed cash.

I’m excited to come back and coach the team,” Nelson said. “The Bay Area’s perfect for us (Nelson and his wife, Joy), I love working with Mully (executive vice president Chris Mullin), I love the staff. There’s so many positives here.”

Nelson returns to a team that had a magical run during last season’s post-season, downing the No. 1 seeded Dallas Mavericks in the first round and pushed the Utah Jazz to a sixth game in the playoff quarterfinals.

MLB, Albany DA move closer to cooperation (New York Daily News)

The New York Daily News’ T.J. Quinn, who has been on this story like white on rice, writes in today’s editions that MLB and the Albany (NY) district attorney are inching closer to getting names of players connected to the growing Signature Pharmacy scandal.
More after the jump »

The morning after a reigning World’s Champion inched closer to missing the post-season…

The Cardinals suffer their first winless trip of at least seven games since May of 1972; the Seattle Mariners continue to hang on in the American League wildcard race with a thrilling win;  the Fightin’ Phillies bullpen shows their detractors that they can pitch when it matters in a key win and the Angels remain just one game ahead of the surging Cleveland Indians for second-best record in the American League.

Angels 0, Orioles 3 — Scott Moore had two RBIs and Luis Hernandez had three hits, as the Orioles won for just the fourth time in their last 22 games and for the second time in their last 16 home games.

Yanks 1, BlueJays 2 — A.J. Burnett pitched eight outstanding innings, Frank Thomas singled home the winning run in the ninth and Toronto beat the Yankees 2-1.

D’Rays 7, M’s 8 — The Seattle Mariners mounted a late game comeback, putting up a five-spot in the eighth inning to land an 8-7 victory over visiting Tampa Bay.  The rally was capped off by an Adrian Beltre single to left field, scoring Yuniesky Betancourt for the go-ahead run.

More after the jump »

News and notes while the NFL signs up Sugar Ray to handle the “Countdown to Kickoff . . . 100 Days and Counting” celebration Oct. 27 …

Goodell drops hammer on Belichick (AP/ESPN) Bill Belichick fined $500K and the New England Patriots fined $250K and will forfeit a first-round draft choice in the 2008 NFL draft.  Should the Patriots miss the playoffs, they’ll forfeit a second- and third-round picks instead.

Official: Baseball won’t test blood for HGH (New York Daily News) Despite the speculation on Thursday that MLB would test blood for human growth hormone, an unidentified official tells the New York Daily News’ T.J. Quinn that it isn’t on the table for discussion with the Players Association due to the lack of effective tests currently and once they are widely available, their reliability will be in question.

Niners’ Gore misses practice (USA Today) The Niners star running back misses practice due to death of his mother.  He plans to start Sunday at St. Louis.

(4) West Virginia 31, Maryland 14 (AP/Y! Sports) The combo of Noel Devine and Steve Slaton racked up 273 yards and three touchdowns to carry the No. 4 Mountaineers to a 31-14 victory.

Mercury force Game 5 with Shock (AP/SI.com) A deciding fifth game in the WNBA Finals awa…zzzzzzzzzzzzzz.