Truth & Rumors: Dec. 1, 2004

MLB

Baseball's Hot Stove is heating up with a flurry of rumors and gossip. To keep you up-to-date, we've created a special edition of Hot Stove Truth & Rumors.

NBA

• Pete McEntegart: The 10 Spot -- Wed., Dec. 1 • Truth & Rumors: Cubs want Nomar back • Chris Mannix: NBA needs an age limit • More Blogs: Scheft | Bechtel | Markazi Click here for Today's Sign of the Apocalypse, Game to Watch, Leading Off gallery and much more!

In just about every city, there has been media speculation that Pistons coach Larry Brown is about to walk off the job. It's not going to happen -- not this season, any way. Brown admitted he has been disheartened by his Olympic experience last summer, his hip surgery last month and the brawl Nov. 19, but said, "I am not thinking about [quitting]. Am I disappointed? Did it leave a sour taste in my mouth and make we want to re-evaluate things over the summer? Yeah, definitely. But I still love what I do. If I lose that, then I will be talking about it."
-- Detroit News

NBA commissioner David Stern promised "a fan conduct code" by the end of January that could even regulate what hecklers can yell at the court. Stern will examine whether alcohol should be cut off at a league-determined time and will review security procedures at arenas. The changes should be significant enough that fans will notice. "Oh yes," he said. "You can be sure of that." So will pro basketball become like golf? "No," Stern said, "it'll be like tennis."
-- Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Marcus Haislip, scheduled to fly to Los Angeles on Tuesday night and sign a contract this morning, could be in uniform for the Pacers tonight, while Jamaal Tinsley, Austin Croshere and Scot Pollard are questionable. Between injuries and suspensions, the Pacers haven't dressed more than 10 players since their Nov. 17 game against Atlanta.
-- Indianapolis Star

Despite the many off-court problems he has been dealing with lately -- the booing at the Air Canada Centre, the on-line threats -- Vince Carter insisted he is still happy in Toronto and has not pushed the trade agenda, at least not lately.
-- Toronto Sun

It is not about Allan Houston's arthritic knees anymore. It's about his head. Houston is afraid to come back.
-- New York Post

NFL

The pressure is on Randy Lerner now. After the resignation of coach Butch Davis, the Browns owner will intensify his search for a GM. Then with the input of his new football chief, he must hire Cleveland's third coach in seven years.
-- Akron Beacon Journal

Immediate frontrunners for the GM post include three members of the former Browns franchise in the last years of Art Modell's ownership -- Ozzie Newsome, GM of the Baltimore Ravens; Phil Savage, Ravens director of player personnel; and Scott Pioli, vice president of player personnel of the New England Patriots.
-- Cleveland Plain Dealer

Lerner said he won't give up a share of ownership to get his man, which might eliminate someone such as Newsome. The rumors will probably continue about Pioli, but he plans to honor the last two years on his contract. Start the search with Savage.
-- Akron Beacon Journal

The group could also include ex-Saints general manager Randy Mueller, Falcons vice president of player personnel Ron Hill, Bills assistant general manager Tom Modrak and Texans associate director of pro scouting Bobby Grier.
-- Akron Beacon Journal

Don't underestimate the chances of Browns interim head coach Terry Robiskie keeping the job on a full-time basis.
-- Cleveland Plain Dealer

As luck would have it for offensive coordinator Charlie Weis and defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel, the Pats will be in Cleveland Sunday, providing a platform for the assistants to show their wares in front of Browns owner Randy Lerner.
-- Boston Herald

Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz, the former Browns offensive line coach, would most likely not be interested in the Browns job.
-- Cleveland Plain Dealer

Dolphins GM Rick Spielman said he would lean toward hiring a college coach if he had some NFL coaching experience. LSU's Nick Saban and Iowa's Kirk Ferentz have NFL experience. Oklahoma's Bob Stoops and California's Jeff Tedford do not. All have been mentioned as possible successors to Dave Wannstedt.
-- Palm Beach Post

Dolphins tight end Randy McMichael's contract is up after next season and a starting point in negotiations figures to be Atlanta tight end Alge Crumpler, who just signed a six-year, $26 million deal with a $9 million signing bonus.
-- Palm Beach Post

If running back Rudi Johnson wants $6 million a year, the Bengals should drive him to the airport and wish him well.
-- Cincinnati Enquirer

Nothing Cardinals coach Dennis Green does should come as a surprise these days. Still, when he made his announcement Monday that rookie John Navarre was now the starter, there were more dropped jaws than in an orthodontist's office. It's a troublesome development for Josh McCown, once anointed as the team's quarterback of the present and future. Now, he's watched as his job has been handed off to Shaun King and then to Navarre.
-- Arizona Republic

Barring a setback this week in practice, Chad Pennington will be in the starting lineup Sunday when the Jets face the Texans.
-- New York Daily News

John Abraham and Jason Ferguson are the only two Jets starters without contracts for 2005 -- and guess who's lurking in the weeds, waiting for a chance to sign them? The man largely responsible for helping Terry Bradway land his gig as the Jets' GM -- Bill Parcells -- is said to be planning to steal some of Bradway's players in the offseason.
-- New York Daily News

Don't expect Abraham's contract extension to be as easy as Shaun Ellis'. the Jets plan to place the franchise tag on Abraham after the season. That means Abraham would play for the Jets in 2005 at the average salary of the top five defensive linemen in the league while the team continues negotiating a long-term deal.
-- Newsday

Chiefs president/GM Carl Peterson is in a position where he can do some shopping when the free-agency period opens March 2. The year's crop of potential unrestricted free agents includes big names such as Abraham, Raiders corner Charles Woodson, Washington corner Fred Smoot, Steelers linebacker Kendrell Bell, Raiders receiver Jerry Porter, Steelers receiver Plaxico Burress and Colts receiver Marvin Harrison. Assuming that the big names are either retained by their current teams or sign big-money deals elsewhere, the Chiefs would be left looking at a less impressive list of players that could include Saints defensive end Darren Howard, Seahawks defensive end Chike Okeafor, Lions defensive tackle Shaun Rogers, Panthers linebacker Mark Fields, Ravens linebacker Edgerton Hartwell and Ravens corner Gary Baxter.
-- Kansas City Star

When this season ends, running back Najeh Davenport will be a restricted free agent and the Packers are going to have to consider making a first-round tender offer to prevent him from leaving.
-- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

NHL

The NHL has told teams they can book their buildings 45 days in advance, which means games up until Jan. 15 have been scrapped. There has been speculation in NHL circles that Commissioner Gary Bettman will cancel the season on Dec. 15.
-- Ottawa Sun

Bettman has "obligations to bargain in good faith," but he reconfirmed yesterday that the league won't consider the luxury tax proposed by the players' union to help end the labor strife. "They claim that will fix our problems," Bettman told about 600 people at an Edmonton Chamber of Commerce meeting. "A luxury tax will not work and it will create a potential for future disaster in the NHL." At the end of Bettman's speech, which also reiterated his commitment that the league won't set a "drop dead date" for scrapping the current season, he received a standing ovation from the packed crowd.
-- Globe & Mail

The commissioner later told reporters that he doesn't "believe in luxury taxes" because it won't address the "disparity" that exists among the league's franchises, and that some teams would simply continue to overspend and pay the tax. Clubs in smaller markets, such as the Oilers and Flames, wouldn't be able to survive against those in larger markets if parity isn't soon found, he added.
-- Globe & Mail

"What Gary Bettman failed to tell his audience in Edmonton was that the Oilers and Flames were among the most profitable teams in the NHL last year when the [Canadian] dollar averaged 74 cents [U.S.] and they were operating under our recently expired CBA," Ted Saskin, the NHLPA's senior director, said. "With the dollar consistently over 80 cents this year, and the significant concessions we have already offered in our proposals, they would have been far more profitable."
-- Globe & Mail

Saskin believes some GMs could live without a salary cap and work with other types of salary-drag systems. "The discussions I've had with a few GMs over the last couple of months make it very clear that they don't have much information about our proposals or what the league's proposals have been to date. "Hopefully the NHL will use their meeting (with the GMs on Thursday in New York) as an opportunity to not only bring their general managers up to date, but also get some input on what type of salary restraints could be considered other than just a salary cap."
-- Associated Press

Soccer

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson raised the stakes ahead of tonight's Carling Cup quarter-final grudge rematch with Arsenal by refusing to say if he will shake hands with Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger. Fergie and Wenger fell out following last month's tunnel bust-up at Old Trafford, after Manchester United's 2-0 win ended Arsenal's hopes of making it 50 Premiership games unbeaten. Fergie said: "You'll need to buy a ticket if you want to see that." Those close to Fergie claim the United boss was appalled by Wenger's conduct after the match, resulting in the breakdown of their already strained relationship.
-- The Daily Mirror (UK)

Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood moved to calm tensions ahead of tonight's clash by insisting there is "no long-term vendetta" between the clubs.
-- The Daily Mail (UK)

David Beckham has retained his place as the richest footballer in Britain with an estimated personal fortune of £65million, but he is still placed only 41st behind the oil barons, bankers and industrialists who hold the game's real power in club ownership, according to a new study.
-- The Daily Telegraph (UK)

Tottenham's Jermain Defoe denied rumors he is looking to quit the club. The England striker, whose agents are currently in talks with Spurs about an improved contract, has been linked with a move to Chelsea, even though Blues boss Jose Mourinho has denied any interest.
-- The Guardian (UK)