Rockets offer four firsts for Butler, Durkin not helped by investigation
T-Wolves act uninterested in Rockets’ offer of four first-rounders for two-way star Butler
The Houston Rockets thought the Minnesota Timberwolves would jump at their offer of four future first-round draft picks for a disgruntled superstar, Jimmy Butler. But the Wolves are not giving up hope of keeping the 29-year-old guard/swingman who has said he will be leaving Minnesota when he reaches free agency next summer. The four first-rounders are the most allowed under NBA rules, and those picks must be stretched out over seven years. The Wolves are demanding players in addition to future prospects. The Rockets reportedly offered Marquese Christ, 21, and Brandon Knight, 26, both of whom are end-of-the-bench players sidelined by injuries. Houston hopes for a salary dump with Knight, who averaged 11 points per game for the Phoenix Suns last year, will earn $14.6 million this season and $15.6 million in 2019-20. In July he had his second surgery on an ACL, and he says “there’s no timetable” for a return.
Between the Lines: The Rockets see the high-energy, high-production 6-8 guard as the missing link to the championship. The Miami Heat have had the hots, off and on, for Butler, so this story may play out for a while.
Maryland probe ends, Durkin still suspended, interrogated by Board of Regents
The University of Maryland completed an investigation that found numerous abuses in the way its football program treated many of its players, including most notably an overweight lineman, 347-pound Jordan McNair, who died on June 13 of heatstroke at a team practice. The head coach, D.J. Durkin, who has been on paid administrative leave since August, was not accused of anything evil, only of being ill-prepared to be a first-time head coach at a Big Ten program. The report repeatedly referred to the university’s Athletics Department as “dysfunctional.” After reading the report, the University System of Maryland Board of Regents met separately with Durkin, Athletics Director Damon Evans and university president Wallace Loh, all of whom are in danger of losing their jobs for not doing their part to prevent the death of McNair.
Tension at Ohio State: Is this Urban Meyer’s final season?
Reports by websites in Columbus have Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer dismayed by faltering health, emotional and physical, and friction with his athletics director, Gene Smith. It’s hardly surprising there might be tension between Meyer and just about everyone in Ohio in the wake of his Buckeyes, ranked No. 2 in the nation, being thrashed 49-20 by lightly-hyped Purdue. And there may be no recovery from the effects of being suspended for the first three games of this season for lack of oversight of an assistant, Zach Smith, who was accused of assaulting his wife. ESPN’s Paul Finebaum, one of college football’s most knowledgeable reporters, said, “I just don’t think Urban Meyer has the makeup to deal with much more adversity.” Finebaum sees a replay of Meyer’s departure from his previous coaching gig, at Florida. “When things get tough he runs away and quits.” An online sports book, betonline.ag, lists Meyer as barely more than even money to be coaching the Buckeyes when spring practice begins in 2019. Meyer is the 5/4 favorite, with Matt Campbell, Iowa State’s head coach, at 7/4 ranked as his most likely replacement.
Broncos’ backup QB (starter in waiting?) Chad Kelly arrested for criminal trespass
A serial idiot, Denver Broncos backup QB Chad Kelly, was released after he was arrested for first-degree trespassing in an apparent drunken misadventure following the team’s Halloween party. Wearing a cowboy costume, he allegedly stumbled into a stranger’s house and was struck with a vacuum tube. Players who attended the party at Von Miller’s house said Kelly was highly inebriated and boisterous and that he had a physical scuffle with one of the other guests. Hired security escorted him from the premises. Before he could have his day in court, the Broncos cut ties with Kelly, even though they had been impressed with his skills and potential. Some reporters covering the team expected him to challenge Case Keenum for the starting role next year, if not sooner. Kelly has talent and connections – nephew of Hall of Fame QB Jim Kelly. But he’s had a troubled past: one of the few athletes to be kicked off his high school, college and professional teams.
Between the Lines: Looks like Chad Kelly went from being Mr. Irrelevant in last year’s draft to being Mr. Untouchable now.
Too many Tommy John surgeries, says Tommy John
Tommy John, the first baseball pitcher to undergo ulnar collateral ligament construction, laments that the procedure that’s named for him is overused – especially by teen-agers who overwork their arms in a quest to develop their baseball skills as soon as possible. John, who won 288 big-league games, points out that 57% of Tommy John surgeries are performed on adolescents 15-17 and that one of seven who have the operation never fully recover. The rate of elbow ligament tear has increased 2.3% per year for two decades. John thinks the root problem is that teen-agers pitch far too many innings, placing too much stress on the elbow. “My friends and I were always active,” he said, “but we didn’t play the same sport all year. Youth sports were merely a pastime, not a business.”
Between the Lines: A popular misconception is that Tommy John surgery is a necessary rite of passage for a young pitcher. This is an operation that has more risk than is widely assumed.
Cowboys overpaid for Amari Cooper, Gannon says
When Jerry Jones recently commented that his Dallas Cowboys “haven’t had a No. 1 receiver in several years,” that was a sign they wanted one. Jones got his wish Monday when the team acquired Oakland’s speedy Amari Cooper, 24, the overall No. 5 player chosen in the 2015 draft. But some NFL authorities think the Cowboys will regret giving up their 2019 first-round pick for a receiver who’s as well known for his drops as for his game-breaking plays. Rich Gannon, former Super Bowl QB for Oakland, said on NBCS: “Amari Cooper has been very inconsistent since he’s been a Raider. He’s had nagging injuries; the production simply hasn’t been there. The quarterback (Derek Carr) doesn’t really trust him. Not a lot of big plays, and in critical situations last year he threw the ball to Michael Crabtree. I’m not sure the production’s gonna be there the next couple of years.”
Between the Lines: Raiders boss Jon Gruden knows that the season is over at 1-5. So he’s getting a jump on rebuilding. He did well to rid himself of the disappointing Cooper. Derek Carr could be next to go.
Jaguars scuffle in locker room after loss to Texans
Following their loss at home to the Houston Texans on Sunday afternoon, the Jacksonville Jaguars were bickering in the locker room. Reporters heard shouting behind the closed doors, and when the doors were opened, defensive end Calais Campbell was seen restraining another defensive end, Yannick Ngakoue. Players had little to say about the incident, but Jalen Ramsey offered some clues: “You all see how it is. It’s no secret what’s going on here right now. But nobody going to say it because we can’t.”
Between the Lines: Speculation from those who cover the Jags is that Ngakoue and other players were expressing displeasure with QB Blake Bortles, who has 8 turnovers in his last 10 quarters of play. He was pulled from Sunday’s game in favor of Cody Kessler.
NFL safeties Reid and Jenkins in confrontation over anthem policy
Malcolm Jenkins of the Philadelphia Eagles and Eric Reid of the Carolina Panthers had to be separated or fists would have been thrown during a confrontation before the two teams played Sunday. Reid, who as a member of the San Francisco 49ers had joined Colin Kaepernick in kneeling during the national anthem in protest of social injustice, is angry with Jenkins for his role in leading the Players Coalition. Kaepernick called the Coalition “an NFL-funded subversion group.” In exchange for contributing $90 million for prison reform and social justice, the Coalition reached agreement with NFL management to discourage players from public protest that involves the anthem. Prior to Sunday’s game Jenkins approached Reid, apparently in a friendly manner, but the latter player responded with a tirade. He accused Jenkins of “selling out” the other players.
Watson avoids air travel to keep pressure off his bruised lungs
Houston Texans QB Deshaun Watson traveled to and from Jacksonville by tour bus rather than jet because of concern that changes in air pressure might aggravate his bruised lungs. The one-way journey took 13 hours.
Dear Deshaun: Do you really believe the air pressure in the airplane endangers your lungs more than the pass rush of Sacksonville?
Pederson says pressure is off with Eagles 3-4 for the season
Philadelphia Eagles coach Doug Pederson tried to find some positive spin to his Super Bowl champions blowing a 17-0 fourth-quarter lead and losing to Carolina. “These are games that galvanize football teams,” he said, ”and this is going to do that. It’s going to bring us even closer together. The pressure’s off us. Nobody in the outside world is giving us a chance of doing much of anything. We can go play and have fun and just relax.”
Dear Coach: If pressure is a problem you’re not going to last long in the playoffs if you get there. Defeats do not galvanize., especially ones in which you blow a 17-0 lead. You’re close to being in a hole from which it’s almost impossible to escape.
Ravens lose when Justin Tucker misses his first PAT since high school
Few events seem less likely to happen than Justin Tucker of the Baltimore Ravens missing an extra-point kick that loses a football game. But that’s what happened Sunday afternoon when the Ravens lost 24-23 to the New Orleans Saints. Tucker hooked his kick and stared in shocked disbelief, his jaw dropping, when the football veered too far left. He made all 40 of his extra points as a high school senior, and he was perfect on 316 tries in college (Texas) and on his first 222 in the NFL. “I feel like I cost us the game,” he said. “Every single teammate has told me the opposite, and no one play wins or loses a game. But that’s a tough thing to grapple with when you’re the guy in that situation at the end of the game.”
Between the Lines: In fairness to Tucker, M&T Bank Stadium is considered one of the NFL’s most perilous because of frequent swirling winds in the autumn and winter. Gusts reached 14 mph Sunday, which may have exacerbated any error by Tucker.
