Redskins safety Brandon Meriweather and wide receiver Aldrick Robinson were injured in a violent pre-game collision that forced both out of Washington’s game Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, The Washington Times’ Rich Campbell reported.

As Robinson bent over to retrieve a ball in the end zone, Meriweather ran into him while backpedaling. Robinson lay in the end zone, and Meriweather clutched his left knee.

The injury to Meriweather was a blow to a Redskins secondary that had given up 1,050 passing yards and 10 passing touchdowns entering the game. Meriweather had missed the first three games of the Redskins season with a left-knee injury.

Comcast SportsNet Washington posted video of the incident on their website.

David Wright hinted that it was possible he could leave the Mets as a free agent next offseason. (Getty Images)

David Wright told ESPN he has “no idea” what will happen in his future with the New York Mets beyond this season, as he gears up for free agency after 2013.

The Mets have a $16 million option on the third baseman Wright after this season, which they will likely pick up. But Wright has said he plans to test free agency after the 2013 season.

“I’ve never considered myself that type of player where I’m going to go to wherever for the money. It’s clichéd, but I’m not necessarily concerned about making every last dollar I can in this game,” Wright told ESPN’s Adam Rubin. “I’d rather be somewhere where I feel like I can win, somewhere where I feel like I can be happy and obviously comfortable. There’s a lot of other factors other than flat-out who’s going to pay you the most.

“It’s a business, ultimately. It is. It’s a business. And I don’t blame any players for doing that. But I’m not sure if that’s me.”

Wright has rebounded this season after a disastrous 2011, batting .306 with 21 homers, 91 RBI and an .887 OPS.

Wright, who will be 31 by the time he gets his next contract, said in the interview with ESPN that he would like his next contract to be his last. It could be a challenge for the Mets to retain Wright because of the slice of their payroll he would command. The Mets slashed payroll by about $50 million last season and now have a middle-of-the-road payroll around $95 million.

“Of course it’s important that we can make a trade or sign a free agent and be able to spend some money,” Wright said. “This is my philosophy on it. And that’s why I’m going to sit down with these guys at some point and discuss it. Yeah, I’d like to know if it’s going to be ‘what you see is what you get’ and we’re going to base it solely on the minor leagues.”

Just one week after losing cornerback Derelle Revis to an ACL injury, the New York Jets may have another key loss on the opposite side of the ball.

Wide receiver Santonio Holmes collapsed without being hit early in the fourth quarter of the Jets’ 34-0 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Holmes had to be carted off the field and went in for x-rays. The fear was that Holmes suffered a ligament tear similar to what Revis experienced, but according to The New York Daily News’ Manish Mehta reports the injury may not be as bad as first feared.

X-rays on Santonio Holmes' foot were negative, I'm told. Not sure if there's ligament damage though. #nyj—
Manish Mehta (@MMehtaNYDN) September 30, 2012

Santonio Holmes taken out of stadium in golf cart. Left foot in a walking boot. #nyj—
Manish Mehta (@MMehtaNYDN) September 30, 2012

A long-lasting injury to Holmes could be devastating to an already-struggling Jets offense, as he is their primary receiver.

Matt Birk had his editorial on same-sex marriage published. (Larry French/Getty Images)

Baltimore Ravens center Matt Birk had his same-sex marriage editorial published on Saturday in The Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Minnesota’s largest paper:

People who are simply acknowledging the basic reality of marriage between one man and one woman are being labeled as “bigots” and “homophobic.” [I]deas have consequences, and laws shape culture. Marriage redefinition will affect the broader well-being of children and the welfare of society. As a Christian and a citizen, I am compelled to care about both.

The NFL named Birk the Walter Peyton Man of the Year for the 2011 season, awarded each year to a player who exemplifies excellence on the field and through community service.

Birks teammate, Oladele Ayanbadejo, and his former teammate on the Minnesota Vikings, Chris Kluwe, had voiced their opinion on same-sex marriage earlier in 2012. Ayanbedjo had spoken out in favor of marriage equality in Maryland, a state that is set to vote on the policy in November. Kluwe, whose brother-in-law is reportedly gay, said it’s “discouraging” to see that state officials would tell football players to remain silent on the issue:

“People should be free to support causes like gay marriage and equality and it’s really just kind of discouraging to see a state representative come forward and say ‘No you should be silent because you’re a football player.’ That’s not the message that I think the government should be sending.”

The replacement refs have been replaced but the NFL is still paying them, according to a report confirmed by NFL.com. 

According to the report, 112 replacement refs will receive either $3,500 or $3,000, depending on whether they were a referee or a sideline official.

The refs worked the first three weeks of the NFL season but the league and the referees association came to terms on a new contract days before Week 4 was set to begin.

The news was first reported by our own Peter King.

The $344,000 golden parachute: NFL decides to pay its 112 replacement officials for not working this weekend.—
Peter King (@SI_PeterKing) September 29, 2012

Chris Kaman is listed as day-to-day with a sprained back. (Glenn James/Getty Images)

Chris Kaman, who signed with the Dallas Mavericks this offseason, sprained his lower back at Saturday’s team practice and is listed as day-to-day, according to Dwain Price of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram:

“Kaman went out with a sprained lower back, but not considered serious …but it’s enough to keep him out of about half the practice this morning,” coach Rick Carlisle said.

Kaman, 30, signed a one-year deal with the Mavs for $8 million. He is expected to start at center for the team, so the injury is worth keeping an eye on. Kaman has career averages of 11.9 points and 8.3 rebounds and  made his only All-Star appearance in 2010. It was his only season in which he played more than 47 games since the 2007-08 season.

Despite the injury, Carlisle said that Dirk Nowitzki, Shawn Marion and the injury-plagued Elton Brand and Vince Carter are in “great shape for this time of year.”

Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett will have some talking to do when the Heat and Celtics tip off Oct. 30. (Issac Baldizon/Getty Images)

Miami Heat guard Ray Allen said Saturday that comments made by former Boston Celtics teammate Kevin Garnett about him taking his shooting talents to South Beach are “a shame,” according to a report from ESPN’s Brian Windhorst:

“That’s a shame,” Allen said. “I’m a good person to talk to on the phone. … I’ve been in weird trade situations the last few years. You always felt you had one foot in and one foot out, so I can’t worry about it.”

Allen signed with the Heat approximately a month after Boston lost to Miami in Game 7 of last seasons Eastern Conference Finals. Allen’s comments come a day after Garnett reportedly said he no longer has Allen’s number in his phone because he’s “not trying to communicate.” Garnett then went on to say that he won’t put his personal feelings into it and wishes Allen the best. Allen said that he and Garnett will be “friends regardless.”

Allen’s new teammate Dwyane Wade chimed in, saying it’s just fine that Garnett is no longer talking to Allen. Wade also admitted that it was weird to see Allen in a Heat uniform at first but he’s starting to get used to it:

“(Garnett) doesn’t need to be talking to our team anyway, so it’s all good,” Dwyane Wade said. “(Allen) doesn’t look too bad in a Heat uniform. At first it was weird but now I’m getting used to it.”

Garnett may not be talking to Allen over the phone out of choice, but words will likely be exchanged when the two teams tip of their regular season against each other. The Heat host the Celtics on Oct. 30. Before the game, the Heat will have a ring ceremony to celebrate their 2012 title run.

Michigan State says that Ohio State tampered with pre-game film before their Saturday’s contest. The Buckeyes won Saturday’s game 17-16. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Michigan State filed a complaint to the Big Ten Conference saying Ohio State cut off pre-snap motions and shifts before plays on film of its previous four games, reports the Detroit Free Press. 

Michigan State athletic director Mark Hollis and Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith settled the issue between them without the Big Ten’s involvement.

Ohio State won Saturday’s game in East Lansing against the Spartans 17-16.

“We had tape cut off all week, where they changed the tape, I’m not gonna lie to you,” Michigan State defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi said. “They send you tape and they’ve got it all cut off and you don’t get to see shifts or motions or anything else.”

Teams in the Big Ten conference are required to provide game film to each other before games, to include footage by each team’s video staffs. Narduzzi said Michigan State had to contact Ohio State’s non-league opponents to get film on the Buckeyes.

“A few other teams we talked to that they played, and we compared what they were looking at on tape to what we were looking at,”  Narduzzi said. “We’re like ‘We don’t see any of that. We see it on their tape but not on our tape.’ So that’s something I’m sure the Big Ten office will hopefully take care of.”

Ohio State coach Urban Meyer said he did not know anything about the tape.

“I don’t know anything about that,” Meyer said. “I don’t handle the video. What are they saying?”

Veteran Rasheed Wallace will reportedly come out of retirement and join the New York Knicks. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Rasheed Wallace informed the New York Knicks that he plans to come out of retirement and join the team, reports the New York Post.

Wallace, 38, will practice when training camp starts Tuesday.

The 6-foot-11 Wallace, who worked out with the Knicks over the weekend, retired two years ago after a disappointing season with the Celtics. The Knicks are expected to announce the signing Monday at Media Day.

Wallace’s agent, Bill Strickland, would not confirm Wallace’s signing.  No terms were announced, but Wallace would likely make the league veteran’s minimum of $1.7 million.

“I don’t know if he signed yet but he has looked good from the time he has been with us,’’ Knicks center Amar’e Stoudemire said on Friday.

Wallace is the fourth player the Knicks have on the roster older than 38, joining veterans Jason Kidd (39), Marcus Camby (38), and Kurt Thomas (38).

Wallace last played in the NBA in the 2009-10 season where he averaged a career-low nine points a game.  In 15 seasons, Wallace has averaged 14.6 points and 6.7 rebounds a game.

Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard broken a toe when he dropped a lead pipe on his toe. (Bob Levey/Getty Images)

Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard will not play again this season after suffering a broken toe, the team announced.

Howard dropped a lead pipe he swings as a warm-up bat on his toe while on deck on Thursday. The Phillies have already been mathematically eliminated from the playoffs and the Phillies have only five games left.

Howard played 71 games this season after missing the first part of the year rehabbing a torn Achilles injury he suffered on the final at-bat of the 2011 season.

Howard finishes the season with a .219 batting average, 14 homers and 56 RBIs.

Bears running back Matt Forte is listed as questionable to play Monday against the Dallas Cowboys. (Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

The Chicago Bears listed Matt Forte as questionable for the team’s Monday night game against the Dallas Cowboys, reports the Chicago Tribune.

Forte practiced on a limited basis on Saturday and he is still trying to come back from a high ankle sprain suffered in a Week 2 loss against the Green Bay Packers.

“I can sprint,” Forte said earlier this week. “So I think I’ll be good to go.”

If Forte is unable to go, backup Michael Bush will again get the start. Bush is averaging only 3.4 yards per carry this season.

“Matt looks good,” running backs coach Tim Spencer said. “Matt does everything that he’s supposed to do to try to get ready. Looks good to me.”

Giants wideout Hakeem Nicks will not play in Sunday’s game against the Eagles after developing swelling in his knee. (Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)

New York Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks will not play in Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles after developing swelling in his knee, reports NFL.com.

Nicks won’t travel with the team. The injury occurred when he hit the ground trying to make a catch in the Giants’ Week 2 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Though the team hasn’t specified, it’s believed the swelling is in Nicks’ left knee. He’s also dealing with lingering soreness in his surgically repaired right foot.

Ramses Barden will fill in for Nicks. Barden had nine catches for 138 yards in the Giants victory in Week 3 over the Carolina Panthers.

Lakers center Dwight Howard is aiming to start the season after having back surgery in April. (Noah Graham/Getty Images)

Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard is working his way back from a back injury and intends to play in the Lakers season opener, reports Yahoo! Sports.

The Lakers open training camp on Tuesday and begin the regular season on Oct. 30 at home against the Dallas Mavericks.

Howard has privately indicated his back has returned to 85 percent strength, sources said. He had surgery for a herniated disc in April and still needs doctor’s clearance to engage in full training-camp activities with the Lakers.

Howard missed the final weeks of season and the playoffs for the Orlando Magic because of the surgery. Howard said he wouldn’t sign a long-term deal with the Magic and they traded him to the Lakers as part of a four-team deal last month.

National Basketball Players Association executive director Billy Hunter made $3 million last year, a $600,000 raise from the year before. (Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

National Basketball Players Association executive director Billy Hunter was given a 25 percent raise over the past year, including money that was paid during the NBA lockout, reports USA Today.

Hunter was paid $3 million from July 1, 2011-June 30, 2012 —  according to NBPA documents filed Friday with the U.S. Department of Labor. The 25 percent raise amounts to $600,000.

Compared to other executive directors of the other three main North American sports, Hunter makes the most. Hunter is also the longest-tenured union chief among the four major sports leagues.

NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith made $2.49 million from March 1, 2011-Feb. 28, 2012, and former NFLPA executive director Gene Upshaw made $4.26 million in a similar calendar year in 2006-07. Upshaw died in August 2008.

Major League Baseball Players Association executive director Michael Weiner earns $1 million per year.

Tiger Woods will not have to pull out his driver on Saturday morning at Medinah, as he sits out a Ryder Cup session for the first time in his career.

“We just don’t want guys to be worn out,” U.S. captain Davis Love III said, according to Steve DiMeglio of USA Today. “We need Tiger and Steve (Stricker) in the afternoon. We need Tiger and Steve on Sunday. I think Tiger needs a rest. Steve needs a rest. I need a rest. And, you know, it’s a team effort, and Tiger and Steve are very supportive friends of mine.

“They told me they would do whatever I asked them to do, and I can guarantee you, neither one of them are very happy about it. Not because they are sitting out; because they have to wait till (Saturday) afternoon to come back.”

Love will send out the teams of Webb Simpson and Bubba Watson, Keegan Bradley and Phil Mickelson, Jason Dufner and Zach Johnson, and Jim Furyk and Brandt Snedeker for Saturday’s foursomes matches.

New York Yankees centerfielder Curtis Granderson probably thought he had a hit when he scorched a line drive up the middle off the glove of Toronto Blue Jays righthander Chad Jenkins. In fact, the ball knocked the glove off of Jenkins’ left hand.

Miraculously, though, the ball stayed in the web of the glove as it spun in the air, and Jenkins was able to catch it to record the final out of the first inning. Jenkins then nonchalantly walked off the mound, showing the ball to the umpire, as if he’d made the play a thousand times before.

MLB.com has the video:

Broncos linebacker Von Miller has racked up more than $63,000 in fines since entering the league last season. (Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

Denver Broncos outside linebacker Von Miller was fined $15,750 on Friday for an illegal hit on Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub, reports the Denver Post. 

“No comment,” Miller said when asked about the fine. Miller said he would appeal the fine.

The league said Miller was fined because he “unnecessarily drove the quarterback to the ground.”

The very next play, Schaub lost part of his ear after his helmet flew off after being hit by Joe Mays, the Broncos’ middle linebacker.

Mays was fined $50,000 for the hit and received a one-game suspension.

Miller has been a frequent contributor in giving money to the NFL because of illegal hits, being fined at least $63,250 in the past year.

Miller was fined $7,500 for unnecessary roughness in Denver’s 45-10 loss to the New England Patriots in the AFC Divisional playoff game last season and he was fined at least three times last season, including $25,000 for a hit on New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez. 

The new proposed Farmers Field in Los Angeles is a step closer to being built. The only thing it is missing is an NFL team to occupy it. (AEG/Getty Images)

The Los Angeles city council on Friday secured approval to build Farmers Field, the proposed NFL stadium in the city, reports the Los Angeles Times.

Los Angeles has not had an NFL team since the Raiders left for Oakland and the Rams left for St. Louis after the 1994 season.

The council voted 12-0 to approve plans for a $1 billion, 72,000 seat stadium next to Anschutz Entertainment Group’s Staples Center and the L.A. Live entertainment district.  The stadium will be paid for with private funds.

AEG’s owner Philip Anschutz announced plans on Sept. 18 to sell his sports and live-entertainment company.

“This is an agreement between two institutions,” Miguel A. Santana, L.A.’s chief administrative officer said. “Just as there will be several mayors, city council presidents and city councils during this contract, it was always contemplated there could be new ownership at AEG.”

A developer unveiled plans for a new 35,000 seat stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays. (Image courtesy of Echelon LLC/Tampa Tribune)

A developer unveiled plans to build a new baseball stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday, reports TBO.com. The new stadium would have a retractable or fixed roof.

The plan for the 35,000-seat ballpark was developed by Echelon LLC, doing business as CityScape LLC. Echelon president David LeClair controls about 12 undeveloped acres in the business park, which is near the west end of the Howard Frankland Bridge.

The plan cites Carillon’s location and demographics as the “epicenter of Tampa Bay.”

“One place meets the criteria,” LeClair said. “Carillon is basically equidistant from downtown Clearwater, downtown St. Petersburg and downtown Tampa.”

Estimated costs for the stadium range from $540 million to $577 million for retractable roof and fixed-roof stadiums and $424 million for an open air stadium. Both would include roughly 1.6 million square feet of office, retail and hotel space.

The Rays currently play at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, where the Rays have played since their inaugural season in 1998. It is annually voted one of the worst stadiums in the United States and can seat up to 42,000 people.

Rays owner Stuart Sternberg has said he wants to move the team from Tropicana Field before its contract expires in 2027.  The Rays also said they will consider other stadium sites throughout the Tampa area.

The NFL sent a memo to all 32 teams this week detailing what would happen if a player fakes an injury so their team could avoid stopping the play clock without burning a timeout, reports NFL.com.

Although there are no obvious examples this season, last year the St. Louis Rams accused the New York Giants of faking injuries.

“To avoid the necessity of a rule with many unattractive qualities, teams are strongly urged to cooperate with this policy,” the memo says. “We are determined to take all necessary steps to ensure that it does not become an issue. We have been fortunate that teams and players have consistently complied with the spirit of the rule over the years and this has not been an issue for the NFL. We are determined to take all necessary steps to ensure that it does not become an issue.”

Any player that is accused of faking injuries will be taking a trip to New York to discuss it with the league. League spokesman Greg Aiello said the memo was sent as an “annual reminder” to team executives.

“Those found to be violators will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action for conduct detrimental to the game,” the memo states. “Discipline could include fines of coaches, players, and clubs, suspensions or forfeiture of draft choices.”

Houston’s Reliant Stadium may be the next stadium to host a Labor Day weekend college football game, reports ESPN.com.

A game between Oklahoma State and Mississippi State would be part of a yearly game for Reliant Stadium, the home of the NFL’s Houston Texans. Both schools are in talks to play the game next season and the deal is not finalized.

The game would be part of a growing tradition of big games on the opening weekend of the season, joining games played at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta and the Cowboys Classic at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Alabama will play Virginia Tech next season and Ole Miss is slated to play Boise State in 2014 in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta.

Cowboys Classic games will be LSU versus TCU in 2013 and Texas against UCLA in 2014.

Bill Self will stay in KU colors for another 10 years under his new contract. (Andy Lyons, Getty Images)

One of college basketball’s elite coaches will be staying in Lawrence, Kansas. The University of Kansas announced today that head men’s basketball coach Bill Self has signed a new contract that will keep him a Jayhawk until the 2021-2022 season.

Self won the 2008 national championship with Kansas, the high point of a period of consistent success under his watch. In nine years with Self, Kansas has won eight straight Big 12 regular season titles and appeared in the Final Four twice, including the 2012 NCAA championship game.

Self’s new contract will pay him $3.856 million per year, an increase of $480,000 over his previous contract, which ran until 2018.

Heat guard Dwyane Wade is recovering from knee surgery and his status to play in the team’s season opener is not known. (Joe Murphy/Getty Images)

Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said he is going to be patient with guard Dwyane Wade during training camp as he recovers from knee surgery and there is no guarantee Wade will play in the team’s season opener, reports the Miami Herald.

Spoelstra said Wade would be limited in training camp. Wade had surgery on his knee July 9 causing him to miss the 2012 London Olympics in London where the United States won the gold medal.

Wade said in August that his knee was healing well and he expected to participate in basketball activities in six-to-eight weeks.

“He’s not 100 percent,” Spoelstra said. “So we’re going to be very vigilant on how we progress him.”

The Heat open training camp on Saturday and will open defense of their NBA championship October 30 at home against the Boston Celtics.

Spoelstra said he'll be patient with Dwyane Wade in training camp. No guarantee he'll play in season-opener.—
Tom Haberstroh (@tomhaberstroh) September 28, 2012

Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie says he is the league’s best corner now that his teammate Darrelle Revis is injured. (Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)

The New York Jets are missing arguably the best defender in the league, but according to Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie, he is the best corner in the NFL now that Darrelle Revis is hurt and might miss the entire season.

Cromartie spoke to the New York Post and gave some interesting answers when it came to his status as an elite defender.

When asked how many cornerbacks other than Revis were better than him?
Cromartie answered, “None.”

Cromartie was asked if he was the second-best corner in the NFL?

“Yup.”

Asked again, he said.

“Yup.”

When asked he is believed that that?

“Yup.”

This season, Cromartie has nine tackles and one interception.

“My job is not to be like Revis,” Cromartie said. “My job is to be Antonio Cromartie. I’m supposed to be me. And I’m going to continue to be me. “I have said that I’m the second-best corner in the NFL. I’m not backing off what I said. I don’t care what anyone else believes… It’s my confidence in myself. I know what I’m capable of when I’m at the top of my game.”
.

Evander Kane has signed with Dinamo Minsk of the KHL. (Travis Golby, Getty Images)

Winnipeg Jets forward Evander Kane has become the latest NHL player – and the first Canadian – to sign with an overseas team.

According to a TSN Report, Kane has signed a contract with Dinamo Minsk in Belarus. The team plays in the KHL (Kontinental Hockey League), considered to be the strongest in Europe. Founded in 2003, Dinamo Minsk has made the KHL playoffs in each of the last two seasons.

Kane is coming off a career year with the Jets – he scored 30 goals and provided 27 assists last season, and signed a six-year, $31.5 million extension to his contract just before the start of the lockout.

John Wall will miss the first month of the Washington Wizards’ season due to a knee injury (David Liam Kyle, Getty Images)

The Washington Wizards will enter a crucial year of their rebuilding without their franchise player. The team announced on Friday that star point guard John Wall will miss eight weeks with what is described by the team as “early stages of a stress injury to his left patella.”

Wall will not need surgery for the injury, though rehabilitation is set to begin immediately. Wall will miss all of the team’s training camp, which begins on Tuesday, as well as the first month of the regular season. The injury is a huge blow to a Wizards team who were looking at this season as a way to get the team back into the playoffs after several seasons of poor performance on the court and embarrassing transgressions off of it.

Gilbert Arenas may have to settle for playing in China. (Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)

Gilbert Arenas may have to settle for a season in China according to a report by Marc Stein of ESPN.com.

Sources with knowledge of Arenas’ thinking told ESPN.com that the former All-Star is giving strong consideration to starting the season in China.

Arenas has spent the bulk of the offseason working out under the care of the trusted Joe Abunassar while dropping in on the occasional open gym at the Lakers’ or Clippers’ practice facilities and, by all accounts, looking good in those pickup games.

Arenas, a native of Los Angeles, has played in pickup games in the Lakers’ practice facility this week while hoping to land an offer from the Lakers or the Clippers.

The reality, though, is that Arenas — who turned 30 in January — knows he’s unlikely to command more than a veteran minimum deal at this point after appearing in just 17 games with Memphis last season.

If Arenas ends up playing in China, he might have to mend some fences after calling out Georgetown’s basketball team for getting “beat up” by members of the Chinese National team during last year’s exhibition tour. Arenas was less than flattering in his comments and Tweets following the brawl.

Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reported yesterday that major-league sources are saying Terry Francona is a candidate to manage the Cleveland Indians — if he wants the job. Francona’s impact on the job search is rising on Twitter today as more sources speak up.

There is mutual interest between Francona and Indians. They'll all know better after weekend. Peace, love and understanding may be >$—
Peter Gammons (@pgammo) September 28, 2012

Rosenthal reported Francona has had contact with the Indians, but the team must put together a deal lucrative enough to lure him away from his job as an ESPN analyst. Rosenthall also wrote the former Red Sox manager’s friends are saying his first choice would be managing the Los Angeles Angels if Mike Scioscia is fired or leaves the position.

Francona may not be the Indians’ first choice. Anthony Witrado of Sporting News reported Francona is on the Indians’ list, but the job remains Sandy Alomar Jr.’s to lose.

The Indians started their search after firing Manny Acta and naming Alomar as acting manager on Thursday.

Martellus Bennett has touchdowns in each of his first three games as a Giant. (Elsa/Getty Images)

A New York Post Page Six “spy” reports that New York Giants tight end Martellus Bennett revealed the secret for his productive start with his new team: not playing with Tony Romo.

A spy says that the 6-foot-6 Bennett dropped by Old Homestead Steakhouse the other night with teammate Michael Coe and that the tight end was overheard telling a waiter that he now has a better quarterback throwing to him. According to a spy, Bennett was saying, “Romo isn’t in the same league as Eli Manning. Not even close.”

Bennett, a second-round draft pick for the Dallas Cowboys in the 2008 NFL Draft, had 85 receptions and four touchdowns — none after his rookie season — in his four years playing with Romo. He’s caught touchdown passes in his first three games playing with Manning as a Giant.

After signing with the Giants during the offseason, he alluded to being underused by the Cowboys telling The New York Times:

“I’m super-excited to show who I am and the player I’ve always been that I never got a chance to show.”

Bennett is on track to shed a reputation for being an underachiever going back to his days as a much heralded football recruit signing with Texas A&M where he never lived up to his physical and athletic potential.

As an NFL rookie, Bennett got off on the wrong foot during his first training camp with the Cowboys, captured by “Hard Knocks” cameras rolling his eyes at tight ends coach John Garrett – brother of now head coach Jason Garrett — and eventually creating controversy with his blog and videos.

With Bennett now adding a deadly receiving weapon to an NFC East rival, his hot start has posed the question in Dallas: Who gets the blame for him being a bust with the Cowboys?

Even the regular NFL referees couldn’t prevent this one. Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Cribbs left Thursday night’s game against the Baltimore Orioles after taking a vicious shot to the head by Ravens linebacker Dannell Ellerbe — dislodging Cribbs’ helmet and the ball — on a first-quarter punt return.

Deadspin.com has video of the play.

Adding insult to injury, Cribbs also took a cleat to his bare head. He was able to walk off the field under his own power, but he was later ruled out for the rest of the game with, understandably, a head injury.

NFL Network’s Alex Flanagan reported that Cribbs tried to convince the team’s medical personnel that he was OK, but obviously they weren’t buying it.

Multiple reporters have tweeted details of what the NBA’s new policy on flopping will look like.

From Howard Beck of the New York Times:

One note from ref camp: NBA is close to finalizing policy on flopping. Will not carry in-game penalty. Will be reviewed after. Poss fine.—
Howard Beck (@HowardBeckNYT) September 27, 2012

Orlando Magic play-by-play announcer David Steele translates:

New "flopping"rules in NBA. Game refs won't make these calls. League will review tape & notify offending floppers next day.#nbameetings.—
David Steele (@SteeleMagic) September 27, 2012

Assuming this is true, it’s an interesting approach. Because while it’s all fine and good to fine someone after the fact, what if the flop causes a team to lose a possession and thus a chance to tie or win the game? We’ll see if the threat of a fine serves as enough of a deterrent.

Keyon Dooling abruptly ended his NBA career last week, when he retired from the Boston Celtics. In an interview with Jessica Camerato of CSNNE.com, he shared details of the personal demons that contributed to that decision, including the revelation that he’d been abused as a child.

“I actually had such a meltdown that I had to get professional help and I ended up in the hospital,” said Dooling. “It just all came to a head. To be honest with you, I blocked a lot of things out of my life. I’m a man who’s been abused, sexually, emotionally, mentally. I’ve been abused in my life, and there’s so many guys around the NBA who have been abused and I know it because I’ve been their therapist. I didn’t even have the courage because I blocked it out so much that I couldn’t even share that.”

“I just couldn’t embrace it at that time … I just wish I had the courage to talk about my abuses, and I’m not putting anybody out there because that’s neither here nor there. I was abused by some random people and some familiar people and it happened not frequently, but it happened. One time is too many. I just wish I had the courage because so many of our guys have been abused.”


Los Angeles Lakers power forward Jordan Hill was sentenced to one year of probation and domestic violence counseling Thursday after pleading no contest to assaulting his former girlfriend, Darlene Luna, in February.

Hill, 25, agreed to pay a $500 fine, undergo domestic-violence counseling, make a $100 donation to the Harris County Violence Fund and avoid any contact with the alleged victim, Darlene Luna. The assault charge was reduced from a felony to a misdemeanor before 339th District Criminal Judge Maria Jackson, according to a report by the Associated Press in Houston.

While high-profile lawyer Rusty Hardin helped Hill avoid jail time, he will likely face a civil suit as a result of Luna’s charges. Luna is being represented by a celebrity lawyer of her own.

The moment in court Thursday featured Hill’s lawyer Rusty Hardin, who represented baseball player Roger Clemens in his perjury case, and Luna’s lawyer Gloria Allred, who represented Nicole Brown Simpson’s family during the O.J. Simpson murder trial. Allred handed Hardin a letter stating Luna’s intention to file a civil suit against Hill.

Hill, a 2009 first-round pick of the New York Knicks, is charged with assaulting Luna on Feb. 29 at his apartment in Houston while playing for the Rockets. He re-signed with the Lakers in the offseason as an option to back up center Dwight Howard and power forward Pau Gasol.

Hill expressed enthusiasm for the upcoming season on the same day of his court decision.

Man I can't wait for training camp to start…need to get dis show rolling boy!!!!—
Jordan Craig Hill (@jordanchill43) September 27, 2012

Roger Goodell apologized for fans stressed over replacement officials. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell apologized to fans who felt anxious and stressed by the work of replacement officials during a conference call today.

“Obviously when you go through something like this it is painful for everybody,” he said on a conference call Thursday, about 12 hours after the league reached a deal to bring back the regular officials. “Most importantly, it is painful for our fans.

“We are sorry to have to put our fans through that, but it is something that in the short term you sometimes have to do to make sure you get the right kind of deal for the long term and make sure you continue to grow the game.”

Goodell said the timing of today’s tentative eight-year agreement to end the lockout of the officials’ union was not tied to public outcry surrounding a missed interference call and controversial catch that resulted in a last-play Seattle win over Green Bay. He said the two sides had been involved in “intensive negotiations” over the last two weeks. He did, however, admit that game “may have pushed the parties further along.”

Bobby Valentine may last only one season as Red Sox manager. (Seth Wickerham/Getty Images)

Boston Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington today alluded that the team will probably be replacing manager Bobby Valentine.

During a segment on WEEI’s Dennis & Callahan Morning Show, Cherington did not directly discuss Valentine’s status, but said a search for a new manager would progress more quickly than last year’s process.

“I’d always rather get the decision right rather than rush it,” Cherington said. “But I think that what we know we need to do is hit the ground running in this offseason. One of the things, as I look back at last offseason, that didn’t go perfectly was simply the amount of time that we spent on the manager search and what that did to the rest of the offseason. I would like to spend less time on it this offseason, that’s for sure.”

Valentine said yesterday that he had yet to discuss his job and future as Red Sox manager with Cherington or ownership and wasn’t conceding the end.

Chairman Tom Werner and president Larry Lucchino previously said Valentine will finish the season, but Boston Herald writer Scott Lauber thinks “it’s telling that they have passed up several opportunities to extend their votes of confidence to next year.”

The drawn-out exit of  then-GM Theo Epstein delayed the Red Sox’s search for a new manager. Valentine was the sixth candidate to be interviewed by the team.