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Posted 07/12/2010 at 10:09 AM
Bettors have games to wager on 363 days out of the year. The only two days with nothing to bet on are today (the day before the All-Star Game) and Wednesday (the day after the All-Star Game). Actually, that's not completely true anymore because you can bet on tonight's Home Run Derby. Nevertheless, these are the three slowest days of the year at VI, but we can always find a few things to discuss such as...
--According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Hawks are on the verge of trading Josh Childress to Phoenix for a second-round pick and a trade exception. Phoenix is also working on a deal to send Leandro Barbosa to Toronto for Hedo Turkoglu, who was a huge disappointment for the Raptors last season.
--The AJC's Mark Bradley is not impressed with the lack of compensation for Childress, who Bradley has always been high on.
--For the record, I've been extremely impressed with all the work Hawks GM Rick Sund has done since taking over in 2008. There are two exceptions, however. I didn't agree with giving Joe Johnson a 'max contract,' nor was I high on the hiring of Larry Drew, Mike Woodson's long-time assistant. We'll see how both moves work out.
--ESPN's Erin Andrews will now be a part of the network's GameDay program on Saturday mornings during the college football season. Her new contract will also include appearances on ABC's Good Morning America.
--After taking two of three from the Mets at Citi Field over the weekend, the Braves go into the All-Star break with a four-game cushion in the National League East. Can't say I saw that coming.
--My former cohort at the Marietta Daily Journal, Jay Greeson of the Chattanooga Free Times Press discusses the first true test for Tennessee head football coach Derek Dooley, who addressed the media Friday after eight of his players were reportedly involved in a brawl at a Knoxville bar late Thursday night. Dooley dismissed Darren Myles Jr. from the program. Myles, a sophomore, was expected to be the Vols' starting strong safety this year.
--UT wasn't the only SEC program dealing with off-the-field issues last week. Georgia saw a pair of players arrested for alchol-related offenses (sound familiar?) and subsequently suspended indefinitely by head coach Mark Richt. Second-string RB Dontavius Jackson will miss at least the first six games of the season, while WR Tavarres King will miss at least the season opener vs. Louisiana. King had 18 receptions for 377 yards and one touchdown in 2009.
--North Carolina All-American candidate Quan Sturdivant was arrested over the weekend for possession of a misdemeanor amount of marijuana. This is big because a one-game suspension could prove very costly for the Tar Heels, who open up against LSU in Atlanta at the Georgia Dome.
--According to a report from MMAJunkie.com, Brock Lesnar and Cain Velasquez is 'on' for the main event of UFC 121 on Oct. 23 at the Honda Center in Anaheim. The winner is expected to face the winner of Roy Nelson and Junior Dos Santos, who will collide at UFC 117 on Aug. 7 at Oracle Arena in Oakland.
--Jason Whitlock of FoxSports.com had this take on LBJ, Jesse Jackson and Cavs' owner Dan Gilbert.
--The sports world has now lost two of its most iconic figures ever in the last month. A few weeks back, it was the legendary John Wooden. This past weekend, it was long-time PA announcer for the Yankees and Giants, Bob Sheppard, who passed away at the age of 99. Sheppard called his last game for the Yankees in 2007. I had the privlege of hearing Sheppard's live call just twice, both times at Giants Stadium when the G-Men were facing the Redskins in 2001 and the Falcons in '03.
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