Report: Giants trade Benitez to Marlins (FOX Sports)

FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal is reporting that the San Francisco Giants have dealt reliever Armando Benitez to the Florida Marlins for reliever Randy Messenger.

Report: Suns to name Steve Kerr general manager (AP/Y! Sports)

A person with knowledge of the situation indicates that the NBA’s Phoenix Suns will name Steve Kerr general manager, the Associated Press is reporting.

Kerr can’t officially take the job until he completes his obligations as an  analyst for TNT during the NBA playoffs. He is expected to be introduced at a  news conference next week, said a person close to the situation who asked not to  be identified because the official announcement had not been made.

Kerr also owns a minority stake in the team, said to be an extremely small piece.

Steelers’ assistant laments sending raunchy e-mail (AP/ESPN)

From the ‘no shit deptartment’ files:

Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line coach Larry Zierlein apologized Thursday for accidentally e-mailing an explicit sex video to numerous NFL employees, including league commissioner Roger Goodell.

He sent a note of apology to all NFL employees and those with the Steelers who received his raunchy e-mail.

We’re going to bet some actually liked the video in private and played the ‘mock indignation’ card publicly.

Ozzie goes off on…Ozzie (Chicago Sun-Times)

While we realize this story is on the other end of a news cycle (damn you Kobe, A-Rod and Billy D.), it’s never too late to post an Ozzie Guillen tirade, is it (play along…please)?

In an interview with the Chicago Sun-Times, the White Sox manager went off about his own job security.

“Because if I’m going to fail, I’m going to fail the right way. I’m going to lose my job pushing the right buttons. I’m going to leave here and say, ‘You know what? I did everything in my power, in my situation, to win.’ I’m going to put people there to perform for my team. They can take it either way. They can get mad if they’re not in the lineup. Meanwhile, it’s my job to win with the best players, not with my best friends.”

In true Ozzie fashion, he didn’t stop while he was ahead –

“One thing I tell people, when I leave here, I’m going to leave with my head up,” he said. ”I have two missions: call [clubhouse manager Vinnie Fresso] and wait for somebody on the street. Those are my missions when I leave the game. You can count on that. You can write it down.

”I’m not going to sit here and say, ‘I won this thing two years ago, we had a good year last year, I have a good [winning] percentage.’ If Jerry thinks I’m not doing my job or this team would play better without me, I’ll move on because the only thing I want for the White Sox fans and the owner for this ballclub is to have success.”

There’s never a dull moment on the south side, is there?

Penguins name ‘Sid the Kid’ captain (AP/TSN.ca)

The Pittsburgh Penguins officially named superstar Sidney Crosby the team’s captain, the club announced Thursday.  The selection makes Crosby the youngest captain in NHL history at 19 years, 9 months.

He’s the fish that saved Pitsburgh (so to speak).  We’ll be here all week.  Enjoy the veal and scallops.

Phucking Phillies (Cheesesteaks and Stuff)

Old friend Cheesesteakdude of Cheesesteaks & Stuff gives his take on the Philadelphia Phillies like only he can — the true, blue Philly way.

After the game Charlie Manuel was quoted as saying “I’m concerned about our team. I’m worried. We’ve got to improve and stop making mistakes.” Well, no shit, Chuck. You’ve been the manager of this team for three (very long) years and you’re just now getting concerned? It’s not like this is something new to this team. It’s more like their identity these days.

This team is a joke.

Bryant, Buss talk; owner says both are frustrated (ESPN News Services)

From ESPN (since we’re tired of typing about the whole thing) –

Kobe Bryant, who asked to be traded, backed off the request, then reiterated it on Wednesday, talked with Los Angeles Lakers’ owner Dr. Jerry Buss on Thursday.

“I talked with Kobe this morning and assured him that I share his frustration and, more importantly, I assured him that we will continue to pursue every avenue possible to improve our team with him as the cornerstone,” Buss said in a statement released by the team. “I told him that we will keep him apprised of our progress and we agreed that we will talk again in the very near future.”

After the meeting, Dr. Buss showed Kobe how his gold Mercedes-Benz wagon still pulls the chicks.

Sources: Pacers to name Jim O’Brien head coach (ESPN News Services)

Jim O’Brien will be named the next Pacers coach, multiple sources told ESPN.com’s Marc Stein. The team scheduled a news conference for 5 p.m. ET Thursday.

Shannon’s absolved in Hancock death (STL Today)

Mike Shannon’s Steaks and Seafood, the restaurant and bar alleged to have “involuntarily intoxicated” St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Josh Hancock the night of his death, has been absolved by Missouri’s Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control after their findings found “no credible evidence”.

The Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control spent two weeks investigating whether anyone at Mike Shannon’s Steaks and Seafood served a visibly intoxicated person, which would violate the law. At stake would be potential criminal prosecution, a fine or even license suspension or revocation.

According to sources at ESPN, the Orlando Magic have made an offer to Florida hoops coach Billy Donovan.  Those same sources say that Donovan will accept.

More soon…

***UPDATED at 3:02 PM EDT***

The Orlando Sentinel is the originator of this story.  They are reporting that the coach will accept the offer, per team sources.  The offer was made while the coach was negotiating an extension with the University of Florida.

***UPDATED at 7:45 PM EDT***

The Associated Press, citing sources, claim that Donovan has accepted the five-year, $27.5 million offer to coach the Magic.

NFL extends alcohol ban to team functions, flights (AP/ESPN)

From the Associated Press –

NFL owners and executives were told Thursday by commissioner Roger Goodell that the rule pertains not only to players but also to owners, coaches and guests.

“I believe that no constructive purpose is served by clubs continuing to make alcoholic beverages available, and that doing so imposes significant and unnecessary risks to the league, its players and others,” Goodell wrote to all 32 teams in a letter obtained by The Associated Press.

St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Josh Hancock’s death continues to send ripples through the sports community.

Proposed rule would bar double amputee sprinter (AP/ESPN.com)

The International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) will likely bar a South African double-amputee for having “an unfair advantage” if a rule proposed gets approval.

Oscar Pistorius, who had both legs removed as an infant, desires to run in the 2008 Beijing Games. The IAAF, however, disagrees since the the high-tech blades that run from just below his knee represent something of a competitive step up over fellow racers.

So an amputee with an unfair advantage?  Read on.

From the Associated Press –

But officials of the International Association of Athletics Federations consider the blades an artificial aid, and its executive council proposed a new rule that would outlaw them.

The proposed rule would prohibit “use of any technical device that incorporates springs, wheels or any other element that provides the user with an advantage over another athlete not using such a device.”

Here’s an idea guys — instead of worrying about whether a double-amputee, who wants to fulfill a dream by running in the Games, crack down harder on those who cheat.  Because, you know, performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) are the real competitive advantage.

Street Sense to skip Belmont, eyes Saratoga (AP/ESPN)

Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense will skip the Belmont Stakes so his trainer can prep the horse for Travers Stakes and the Breeders’ Cup Classic later this year.

Unfortunately for horse racing fans, there will be no rematch with Preakness winner Curlin.  Maybe we can conjure up the spirit of Barbaro! for a race?

News and notes while we just wanted to say ‘HA!’….

D-Backs, Scherzer come to terms (Arizona Republic) The last of the holdouts, Max Scherzer, signs deal with Arizona to beat deadline.  Deal is said to be worth at least $4 million in guaranteed money.

The Daily Quickie, 5.31.07 (danshanoff.com) Shanoff blogs about A-Rod, Kobe, Spurs and the spelling bee.

The Ex-FL and P-R-O-G-N-O-S-T-I-C-A-T-O-R (CNBC) Sports business guru Darren Rovell delves into Mark Cuban’s apparent attempt to start a rival football league and handicaps the National Spelling Bee (that’s right — betting on a spelling bee).

It’s a Spurs dance party! (Deadspin/Pounding the Rock) A video of San Antonio Spurs fans celebrating…oddly.

In Philandering A-Rod news… (The Big Lead) If it’s not a Kobe story, it’s an Alex Rodriguez story and The Big Lead has more tales of “Stray-Rod’s” off the field follies.

KSK at the Movies (KissingSuzyKolber) The linked title says it all, but we’ll add the words “screen test” for a better description.

Prosecutor says Vick involved in dogfighting (AP/SI.com)

The Michael Vick dogfighting saga takes another turn.

The prosecutor for Surry County Commonwealth (SCC) told WAVY-TV in Portsmouth, Va., there is evidence linking the troubled quarterback to dogfighting.  Dogfighting is a felony in the commonwealth of Virginia.

The SCC prosecutor, Gerald “Buster” Poindexter, apparently has never met a microphone he didn’t like and is reminiscent of the prosecutor in the Duke Lacrosse case, Michael Nifong.  Assuming this guy has his house in order, we’re quietly hoping that this time around, a prosecuting attorney doesn’t make himself look stupid or we’ll have more blog posts about this subject.

“We have informants,” Poindexter told the station in an interview Wednesday. “We have people who are volunteering to make those allegations.”

It’s your move, Mr. Vick.

Dukes’ wife gets protective order, seeks divorce (St. Petersburg Times)

The estranged wife of Tampa outfielder Elijah Dukes got a court order that bars the player from any sort of contact with here from a Florida judge on Thursday. As part of the court order rendered by Hillsborough Circuit Judge William Levens, Dukes must undergo psychiatric evaluation before getting to see his children.

The day before, NiShea Gilbert filed for divorce from Dukes and is looking forward to living life on her own, separate from the troubled outfielder. 

As Dukes might say: “Sorry, dawg. You just been served.”