ESPN News is reporting that Lovie Smith signs a 4-year, $22 million deal to stay in Chicago with the Bears.

More later…

***UPDATED at 11:10 PM CT***

Jay Glazer of FOX Sports was actually the first to report the news that the Bears had extended the contract of Lovie Smith.

Every now and then, there’s something that catches our eye on YouTube.  Today’s video was sent in from one of our readers (yes, that makes six).

Enjoy!

[youtube KT3OD9qHmts]

Could Randy Moss be headed to Green Bay? (PFT.com)

Sources tell ProFootball.com that the Oakland Raiders and the Green Bay Packers have had discussions involving wide receiver Randy Moss. Apparently, the Raiders asked for a first round pick for Moss and the Packers countered with a first-round pick of their own: 2005 first-rounder quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Hope the Packers fans got over Moss’ mooning incident…

Sports Illustrated reporters accompany NY investigators on pharmacy raid (SI.com)

SI reporters Luis Fernando Llosa and L. Jon Wertheim accompanied investigators on the Orlando, Fla. pharmacy raid, which authorities believe will reveal a trove of athletes as clients.

SI posted an interview it has with Llosa last evening.

ESPN News is reporting that the Baltimore Ravens have dumped running back Jamal Lewis.

More information when we get it…

***UPDATED at 3:25 PM CT***

Here’s a link from the “Worldwide Teaser”

Cowboys agree to five-year deal with punter McBriar (ESPN.com)

John Clayton of ESPN.com reports that the Dallas Cowboys have inked punter Mat McBriar to a five-year pact. McBriar was a Pro-Bowler this season after averaging 48.2 yards per punt and a 38.6 yard net.

Technorati Tags: football, Cowboys

During the Florida-Tennessee game last nite, Lady Vols coach Pat Summitt returned the favor to men’s Vols coach Bruce Pearl’s cheerleading efforts earlier this season by joining the pep squad in leading the crowd in “Rocky Top”.

Spankies are a girls best friend.

[youtube RD5Je9F-SZ8]

There’ll be lots of football notes the next few days and ProFootballTalk.com, one of the best sources of football information on the ‘Net not named Pro-FootballReference, has some scoop for us today (thanks to them for doing the dirty work):

The Broncos and Redskins are candidates for the services of Lions CB Dre’ Bly.

The Rams and Raiders are interested in Lions DE James Hall, who’ll be cut before Friday if he is not traded.

The Jets will jettison QB Patrick Ramsey, if they can’t trade him; he’s due to receive a $1.4 million roster bonus by Saturday.

The Jets will be cutting DE Kimo von Oelhoffen, if he doesn’t take a pay cut.

Redskins DE Renaldo Wynn and DE Phillip Daniels could be in danger of getting cut.

How does a guy who was the offensive coordinator for an 0-12 team get hired in the NFL?

Chiefs G.M. Carl Peterson has some harsh words for Randy Moss.

The Steelers might move DE Aaron Smith to tackle in a four-man front.

News and notes on this last lunch in February for 2007…

Rangers’ Young may get up to $90M (SI.com) Jon Heyman of SI.com reports that the Texas Rangers are in negotiations with SS Michael Young on a multi-year deal.

The big board: a look at the top-64 NFL draft prospects (NFLDraftScout.com/USA Today) Just goes to show that there really isn’t an offseason in pro sports anymore.

The Wednesday quickie: Steroids, Santo, Summitt and more (DanShanoff.com)

Blatter: 2018 World Cup should be in N. America (Reuters) FIFA president thinks North America should be the leading contenders to host the games. In order to not alienate anyone, he lists two other continents as favorites, too.

Heart and soul (TrueBlueLA.com) A piece on the value of players with the “intangibles”.

Cuban in megabucks deal for Cubs? (RadarOnline.com) This is like the eighth time we’ve read something like this.

Olney: Reality is drug testing not working (ESPN INsider) We like Buster, but this deserves a ‘no shit’.

News and notes while still trying to decide which is worse: the image of Pat Summit wearing cheerleader spankies out of my head (video later for you clowns) or Tommy Lasorda’s sex life with hookers…

Grobe signs new deal to stay with Wake Forest’s Demon Deacons (AP/Yahoo! Sports) After an improbable bowl run, Jim Grobe gets rewarded.

City of Angels wants to be City of Olympians again (USA Today) Can another city in the U.S. step up to the plate…please?

Saraceno: Chicago’s Santo gets HOF snub — again (USA Today) One of the greatest Cubbies of them all deserves a place in Cooperstown, New York.

Pirates Nady awaits more tests on health (MLB.com) Nothing but the best to the Pittsburgh Pirate.

Wildcats coach Olson denies Parkinson’s rumor (AP/ESPN) We’re glad to hear he’s healthy, but we blame bloggers.

Five American League bullpens in flux (Hardball Times) HT takes a gander at which bullpens stand a chance of seeing some shaky times during the course of the 2007 campaign.

If you haven’t seen this clip yet (and you might not have considering how much coverage non-Beckham soccer coverage gets in the U.S. of A.), watch Chelsea captain John Terry gets knocked the hell out.

He got JACKED UP!

[youtube LcIVYYHxoEA]

Cardinals to Clemens’ agent: Rocket should land in St. Louis (STL Today)

In a move that’s a slight surprise, the St. Louis Cardinals met with the lead agent for Roger Clemens on Monday at a coffee shop in Jupiter, Fla. The Cardinals’ brass, led by general manager Walt Jocketty, had primary discussions involving Alan Hendricks pitching clients Braden Looper and Kip Wells. But during those conversations, the Cardinals dropped some hints that they’d be interested in the multiple Cy Young Award winner.

As one major league source said, they have a “1 million to 1 shot” at landing “The Rocket”.

NY investigation leads to raid of Orlando pharmacy (ESPN News Services)

The Albany, N.Y., Times Union and ABCNews.com are reporting that investigators in the year-old case uncovered evidence that testosterone and other performance-enhancing drugs may have been fraudulently prescribed over the Internet to current and former major league baseball and NFL players, college athletes, high school coaches, a former Mr. Olympia champion and another top contender in the bodybuilding competition.

One name figuring prominently: Gary Matthews, Jr. of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Today is the NHL Deadline Day, a day that’s all-circus, all the time. In order to keep up with the madness, we’ll be blogging without links (confirmed links will be added later as the day rolls on). So to kick things off (all info from TSN of Canada)…

***UPDATED at 4:38 PM CT***

• The Buffalo Sabres trade goalie Martin Biron to the Philly Flyers for a draft pick and then acquire goalie Ty Conklin from Columbus.
• Gary Roberts waived his no-trade clause and was dealt to the Pittsburgh Penguins for defenseman Noah Welch.
• Georges Laraque waives no-trade clause and has been dealt to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Danny Carcillo and 2007 fifth round pick.
• Kevyn Adams signed a one-year deal with the Phoenix Coyotes.
• The Blues traded Bill Guerin to the San Jose Sharks for Ville Nieminen (salary dump), prospect Jay Barriball and a 2007 first round pick.
• The Pittsburgh Penguins have traded Dominic Moore to the Minnesota Wild for a third round pick.
• The New York Rangers have traded Aaron Ward to the Boston Bruins for Paul Mara, per Aaron Ward on TSN.
• The Phoenix Coyotes send Oleg Saprykin and a seventh round pick to the Ottawa Senators for a second rounder.
• Brad May traded by the Colorado Avalanche to the Anaheim Ducks for goalie Michael Wall.
• Florida Panthers have moved Todd Bertuzzi to the Detroit Red Wings for a conditional draft choice and Shawn Mattias. The conditions on the pick are based upon team performance and Bertuzzi playing well into the Stanley Cup Finals.
• Interesting note by Mike Keenan on TSN.ca: He was close on a deal while GM of the Panthers for Chris Pronger when he was a member of the Blues.
• Darren Pang reports from Phoenix that Owen Nolan will not be moved today.
• Pascal Dupuis has been moved to the Atlanta Thrashers for a draft pick.
• The Phoenix Coyotes dealt Yanic Perrault to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Brendan Bell and a second round draft choice in 2008.
• The Washington Capitals dealt Dainius Zubrus and Timo Helbling to Buffalo for Jiri Novotny and a 2007 draft pick.
• Andy Strickland reports that Jamal Mayers has agreed to a three-year contract extension with the St. Louis Blues and won’t be traded.
• Scott Parker has been dealt to the Colorado Avalanche for a sixth round draft pick.
• An update on the Blues’ draft pick acquired in the Bill Guerin, from Jeremy Rutherford of STL Today:

Under the terms of the conditional first-round pick, the Blues can use the selection in either 2007 or 2008. This allows them to see the final NHL standings this season and determine whether a 2008 first-round pick would have more value. The pick originally belonged to the New Jersey Devils, meaning that if the Blues take the pick this season, they would draft where the Devils finish in the standings.

• Tim McKernan of InsideSTL.com chronicles the day of St. Louis Blues forward Jamal Mayers as rumors swirled he was being moved to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
• Ryan Smyth dealt to the New York Islanders for Ryan Nilsson, Ryan O’Marra and a draft pick.
• The Kings shipped their off captain Mattias Norstrom, along with forward Konstantin Pushkarev and third and fourth-round picks in 2007 in exchange for defenceman Jaroslav Modry, prospect Johan Fransson, second and third-round picks in 2007 and a 2008 first-round selection.
• Dennis Wideman was dealt by St. Louis to the Boston Bruins for Brad Boyes.
• David Hale and a fifth round pick were dealt from New Jersey to the Calgary Flames for a third round pick.
• The Florida Panthers dealt a fourth rounder (2007) to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Joel Kwiatkowski.
• Los Angeles deals Jason Ward to Tampa for a fifth round pick.
• Chicago deals Karl Stewart to Tampa for Nikita Alexeev and a draft pick.

That is all for today. We hope you enjoyed our deadline coverage as much as we did bringing it to you.

Enjoy thy evening!

****

Bernie Miklasz of STL Today/St. Louis Post-Dispatch/1380 ESPN posts that the Blues are closing in on a multi-year deal with assistant general manager/director of amateur scouting Jarmo Kekalainen

Vets committee throws another shutout at Hall of Fame (AP/Yahoo! Sports)

The Baseball Hall of Fame’s Veterans Committee has not voted any members into this year’s class, shutting out the likes of Chicago Cubs’ Ron Santa, the Minnesota Twins’ Jim Kaat, the Dodgers’ Gil Hodges and umpire Doug Harvey.

Verducci: New Shadows chapter details Bonds’ freakish growth (SI.com)

New details emerge from the Game of Shadows authors on San Francisco Giants outfielder Barry Bonds.