Browns trade RB Droughns to Giants (AP/Yahoo! Sports)

The Cleveland Browns have dealt running back Reuben Droughns to the New York Giants on Friday. In return, the Browns acquired wide receiver Tim Carter.

The trade fills a need for both clubs as the Giants land a running back to fill the void left by the retirement of Tiki Barber. Droughns, who was the first Cleveland back to rush for over 1,000 yards in 21 seasons, was expendable due to the Browns’ signing of Jamal Lewis, formerly of the Baltimore Ravens.

Suspended indefinitely (TSN.ca)

TSN.ca reports that the NHL has suspended New York Islanders forward Chris Simon indefinitely for his vicious slash at New York Rangers forward Ryan Hellweg.

As promised this morning, here’s the video of the incident, courtesy of YouTube and ESPN:

[youtube Ht6RyAI9370]

News and notes while downing a Red Bull…

Stark: Hamilton crafting this spring’s feel good story (ESPN.com)  The old cliché of “Hollywood couldn’t come up this storyline” rears its head in this piece.  Still a good read, even if its a bit of a crutch.

The Best: The Yanks’ outfield is tops (MLB.com) What’s wrong with these rankings? Look at two other teams in this “top five”: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (even writing it out makes it look redundant) and the Chicago Cubs.

Apparently, they won’t miss him (The Big Lead)  A tipster tells The Big Lead regarding the retirement of ESPN’s “ombudsman” George Solomon: “Nobody gives a [bleep] what that guy writes…”

Missing Iditarod musher turns up on wrong trail (AP/CNN) As Bugs Bunny used to say: “I knew I should’ve taken that left turn at Albuquerque.”

Salma Hayek: Engaged and pregnant (People) Another person in the public eye gets knocked up.

According to a broadcast report on ESPN News, the Oakland Raiders have signed running back Dominic Rhodes.

More soon…

***UPDATED at 11:22 am CDT***

ESPN’s Len Pasquarelli now has the details on the ESPN website here.

(From time to time, we’ll post a short blog entry regarding a current topic that catches our fancy. It might be something trivial or something that really makes us wonder what the hell is going on.)

Late last evening, we posted a story that updated the Pittsburgh arena situation. The report, which linked to a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article composed by Mark Belko, described that the meeting between the parties as “making progress”. The article even went on to include a quote from a representative of Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell. The representative stated, “We had a very constructive meeting where significant progress was made. The parties have agreed to meet again next Wednesday.”

Why are we even bringing this up?

Canadian-based sports site Sportnet.ca characterized the meeting in a more negative tone, headling its article as “Pens, state officials resolve nothing”. Quite the contrary, since both the Pittsburgh-based paper and Sportsnet.ca ran the same quote citing the aforementioned quote earlier in this post.

Now, we understand that the Post-Gazette is the hometown paper here, but why cast the meeting in a negative light? Is that really necessary when the story should be able to stand on its own, considering that a sports franchise is on the precipice of either getting a new facility or moving to another city?

There really isn’t any need for negatives here.

Injury rules Henry out for season (BBC.com)

Yes, a fútbol/soccer story! And not a Beckham to be found, either.

Fútbol legend Thierry Henry, captain of the Arsenal Gunners, is out for the remainder of the year after tearing abdominal muscles and a related groin injury.

Major League Baseball really cares — new online offerings (MLB.com)

Shortly after announcing a seven-year arrangement with dish provider DirecTV that amounts to exclusivity, MLB announced new features for its online offering, MLB.TV.

For just $119.95 (or $19.95/month), you can get MLB.TV Premium.  What do you get with that package? Well, we’ll tell you (or more precisely, they will):

This revolutionary tool was introduced at the end of last season in beta, allowing you to see any six live games simultaneously on one computer screen.

After listening to your feedback, there will be powerful new Mosaic capabilities in 2007. Drag-and-drop so that you decide which six games go on a screen, or watch one larger and three smaller — control it as you wish. Track up to 20 players simultaneously with Mosaic — another breakthrough for fantasy owners. If you do not wish to download Mosaic, then you still can watch single games at high-speed (up to 700kbps) with MLB.TV Premium. MLB.com Gameday Audio is included.

Now, if they’d only listen to “us” regarding this whole DirecTV thing…

Atlanta bus crash claims seventh victim from Bluffton team (AP/ESPNU)

The bus crash that killed four Bluffton University baseball players claimed its seventh victim on Friday. The victim died from abdominal and chest injuries sustained in the accident last week.

***CORRECTION at 11:10 PM CT***

We originally posted that the horrific bus crash that killed seven people had killed six Bluffton University baseball players.  We regret the error. 

Robbin’ people with a six-gun
I fought the law and the law won (twice)
I lost my girl and i lost my fun
I fought the law and the law won (twice)
– The Clash, I Fought the Law, Clash

9. Don’t get too close to the mascot or he may hurt you. A northern Indiana man is suing the Indiana Pacers and the performer who plays “Boomer” for tackling him from behind during a free-throw contest on the floor of the Conseco Fieldhouse in March of 2005. We often mock people who file frivolous lawsuits, but this might have some merit. See, the man filing the lawsuit (we won’t name names here) had recently underwent back surgery and informed Pacer personnel of that fact. Furthermore, he told representatives for the club he didn’t want to do it in the first place, but relented after assurances that nothing would take place.

Somewhere, the San Diego Chicken is hanging his head in shame over such shenanigans like this.

More after the jump »

News and notes while rolling out of bed…

Braves lefty Hampton out till May (Reuters/Yahoo! Sports) Pitcher injures his side swinging a bat.

Angels want Matthews to discuss HGH issue (USA Today) Bob Nightengale reports that team owner “just wants to talk”.

Islanders forward Simon ejected for swinging stick, connecting (Sportsnet.ca) The incident has shaded of Marty McSorely-Donald Brashear. We’ll no doubt be seeing it over and over in the days ahead.

Source: Davis-Laettner group submits bid for Grizzlies (ESPN.com) After much wrangling over funding. they make their push for 70-percent of the franchise.

Sports television pioneer Sidaris dead at 76 (AP/ESPN) We all owe him a debt of gratitude for creating “the honey shot”, a description of a cameraman taking a picture of cheerleaders on NFL sidelines as a director for ABC Sports.

Eddie Van Halen enters rehab (TMZ.com) Seems like a popular trend among celebs these days, eh?

MLB, DirecTV finalize 7-year, $700M deal (AP/Yahoo! Sports) Much to the delight of fans and Congress, it won’t be exclusive to DirecTV as out-of-market games will somehow be available to onDemand, cable systems.

Progress made in Pittsburgh arena talks (Pittsburgh Post-Gazzette)

According to a published report in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Pittsburgh Penguins and the other principals involved (representatives for Allegheny County, the governor’s office and Commissioner Gary Bettman to name three) met for four hours on Thursday evening and all sides report significant progress has been made.

Talks will continue next Wednesday.