No, these aren’t an equestrian sample mocked up for Seabiscuit. This Air Jordan 13 player exclusive is a super high cleat made up for Teflon d-tackle Warren Sapp. Designed during his Raider Nation days, this AJ 13 uses the same color blocking as the “He Got Game” colorway minus the red Jumpman and hologram.

Air Jordan 13 Warren Sapp PE




Click here to order Warren Sapp’s proCane Rookie Card.

We had to track down Cardinals defensive end Calais Campbell after someone brought to our attention that he recently was attending an "actor's boot camp" in Miami while waiting out the NFL lockout.

The Heat Index never had heard of such a thing and we had visions of the 6-foot-8, 300-pounder navigating an obstacle course of paparazzi, autograph seekers, publicists, celebrity stalkers and possibly some tipsy starlets wearing home-arrest ankle monitors.

But, no, it turns out that he was there for the American Black Film Festival because he has interest in working in television and movies, possibly as a comedy writer.

"It was going through different movies, monologues, taking lessons on how to act," said Campbell, who was attending the ESPYs when we reached him. "It was really interesting and I learned a lot."

Our boot camp idea sounds like more fun, but maybe Campbell has a future as an action hero or comedy actor.

"I think I did OK," Campbell said. "I have the potential to be a lot better. It's like football, you learn and gain experience and get coaching and you can get good at it. But I think I like being behind the scenes, writing and directing."

Campbell said he has been working out several hours a day to be ready to roll when a labor settlement is reached and training camp opens, but he also spent time in Los Angeles visiting the set of Will Ferrell's web-based show "Funny or Die" and meeting with the writers of "Family Guy."

"I was networking mostly, going out to see how things are being produced, the behind-the-scenes stuff," he said. "I spent a day or two in the writers' room at different shows and got to watch how the scenes are set up and shot how they set up camera angles and how they cut things up.
"It was a really good time and I met a lot of cool people."

Hey, if the lockout proves one thing, you never know when this stuff is going to come in handy.

Campbell studied advertising while he attended "The U" but he and a brother had messed around filming "comedy skits and stuff" as kids.

"I definitely wanted to be involved in movies and television, but I didn't think I had a legitimate chance if football didn't work out," he said. "My mantra was to have something to fall back on if I didn't make it in football, so I studied advertising. But if I made it in football, I really wanted to pursue this."

Click here to order Calais Campbell’s proCane Rookie Card.


(azcentral.com)

All but two of the 49ers' returning starters from a year ago participated in the two weeks of "Camp Alex" -- the offensive workshop sessions at San Jose State that took place in June.

Although a lot was made of Michael Crabtree's level of participation, he sat in on seven of the eight classroom sessions. That was the important stuff, as quarterback/head coach/offensive coordinator Alex Smith installed a sizable portion of the 49ers' base offense.

Likewise, I attended seven of the eight days. Each day, I scribbled notes on which players attended and which players were absent during the offense-only get-togethers.

Team player director Takeo Spikes cited that scrutiny as one of the reasons he did not like the idea of players getting together for workouts during he owners-imposed lockout.

"The next thing I hate about it is the fact that some guys legitimately they can't come," Spikes said last week on the 2 Live Stews radio program. "They can't come and so when you let the media come in and tape the workouts the first thing they are going to say is, 'Where is so-and-so?' From that point, on whether it is wrong or right or indifferent, the media guys will paint a picture to the public about a guy who can't legitimately come."

He's correct. It was duly noted that running back Frank Gore and right guard Chilo Rachal were the 49ers' only returning starters who did not attend any of the sessions.

Gore is reportedly 100 percent after sustaining a hairline fracture of his right hip Nov. 29 against the Arizona Cardinals. Gore chose to remain in Miami and continue to work at Bommarito Performance Systems, rather than disrupt his physical conditioning with cross-country flights.

My take?

It's not a big deal at all because of the player we're talking about. Gore might be the most intelligent football player I've been around. Smith told me that Gore only has to see a play once to "get it down cold." Former 49ers general manager Scot McCloughan once said he would consider hiring Gore as a scout once his playing career was over.

It's amazing now to think that there were concerns when he was coming out of college about Gore's ability to digest an NFL playbook because of a learning disability. Of course, it has never been an issue.

Gore and Smith got a chance to learn a good chunk of the offense before the lockout. So with a pretty good grasp of the basics of the 49ers' offense, Gore chose to focus his attention on getting in top physical condition for the opening of training camp.

Right guard Chilo Rachal is the only other returning starter who did not attend. Word was that he had a prior commitment for the first week of "Camp Alex." No explanation was readily available for his absence during Week 2.

After the lockout, the 49ers will break into full cram mode as the coaches attempt to prepare the team for the start of the regular season, which is less than two months away.

Assuming center David Baas re-signs, Rachal is the 2010 starter whose position for the upcoming season is the most tenuous. Adam Snyder, the backup at right guard a year ago, helped Joe Staley organize all the work for the offensive linemen during the player-led workouts. Snyder knows the terminology and line calls as well as anyone right now.

My take?

The door might open for some good competition at right guard this summer.

Click here to order Frank Gore’s proCane Rookie Card.


(csnbayarea.com)

NORTH MIAMI, Fla. (AP) - Whenever the NBA lockout ends, James Jones says the league's players will be ready to return.

Jones, who helped the Miami Heat to the NBA finals this season, believes the players tried to "move in the right direction'' by making concessions in talks with owners last month before the lockout began.

But the league's reigning 3-point shootout champion adds that he and other players are "realistic'' about the divide between the sides. The league's labor agreement expired June 30.

Jones appeared Thursday at an event to announce his involvement in summer camps operated by Florida's Department of Children and Families.


(cnnsi.com)

DENVER -- Thursday's game between the Brewers and Rockies at Coors Field marked the start to the season's second half, but it seemed more like Opening Day to Milwaukee outfielder Ryan Braun.

After missing eight games with a left calf strain, Braun was back in the lineup on Thursday, starting in left field and hitting third.

"I woke up excited knowing I was going to have an opportunity play a baseball game again," said Braun, who doubled in his first at-bat to extend his hitting streak to 23 games. "It feels like it's been awhile."

Braun said he knew after his All-Star workout in Phoenix on Tuesday he would be ready to go in the Brewers' first game back from the break. During that session, Braun said he ran, took batting practice, threw long toss and went through a treatment session with Brewers assistant athletic trainer Dan Wright, who was part of the National League All-Star staff.

"It helped a lot," Braun said of being able to work with Wright. "He was able to oversee the treatment the whole time, so instead of having to kind of start over with somebody, he had a really good idea of exactly what the injury was, where it was, and what we needed to do to get back to 100 percent. I feel very fortunate that he was there and very thankful that he helped me as much as he did."

Bruan said it was reduced tightness in his calf that assured him he was ready to go on Thursday.

"Soreness is not an issue, it's tightness," Bruan said. "Tightness can be a precursor to it getting worse, so it's a matter of how tight it is. But I had never dealt with an injury in either of my legs before, so it's hard for me to figure out exactly what's the amount of pain I should be able to work through and how much is an indication that I could be doing more damage than good to it."

Convinced Braun wouldn't be doing more damage, Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said he found pleasure in penciling Braun's name into the three-hole in the lineup.

"He feels well enough that he's going to play," Roenicke said. "We won't push, but we'll just how it goes the first game and see where we're at."


(mlb.com)

Padres closer Heath Bell completed his sprint from the bullpen – no sliding this time – and his arm was dangling as usual.

The Giants were three outs away from losing 1-0, dooming Madison Bumgarner to the title of “best 10-loss pitcher in the majors” and beginning the unofficial second half right where they left off, with Bruce Bochy’s dentist telling him to cut back on the gnashing.

Then Aubrey Huff hit a home run. It was his first since his three-homer game in St. Louis on May 2, a span of 125 powerless at-bats, and that wasn’t even the most amazing part. Far from it.

It was the first homer Bell had allowed all season. He only allowed one in 2010 – and that came way back on April 19, when Juan Uribe took him deep. So we’re looking at 102 innings in 99 appearances scattered over 15 months since Bell had occasion to call for a new baseball as someone trotted around the bases. Both times, it was a Giant. How about that?

Huff didn’t hit a 3-1 cookie fastball, either. It was an 0-2 breaking pitch. He fouled off a pair with two strikes before Bell threw him a curve or slow slider.

All these descriptions are in the game story. But because the game didn’t end until the 12th inning, Huff’s comments are not. So I’ll include them here.

“I was looking heater,” Huff said. “You have to, 0-2. I’m sure he wanted to bounce it but he left it up and I was just hoping it’d stay fair. It’s been one of those years, you know, nothing’s been falling. I knew I got it, but I was thinking, `Please, please, stay fair.’”

Huff gave and received some mighty firm high fives as he returned to the dugout.

“Listen, when you’re younger, you’re playing on losing teams,” he said. “You’re playing for yourself. I’d been so crappy in the first half and I was coming off one of my better years. I just wanted so badly to go out and do the same thing I did last year. The break really helped me unwind and take the step back.”

What did he do?

“I did nothing,” he said. “I didn’t think about baseball. Not a damn thing.”

Huff said he felt good in his other at-bats, too. He hit a broken-bat flare to right field, where Chris Denorfia made a tumbling grab. Yet Huff knows you can’t pronounce yourself fixed after one game. There was that three-homer explosion in St. Louis, remember? That turned out to be one small RBI binge followed by another month-long fast.

“It’s one game,” Huff said. “There’s no doubt that this offense, if I’m doing what I’m supposed to do, it’ll get rolling a little bit better. I‘ve got to get going for us to get where we want to go.”

Huff’s break started a day early when Bruce Bochy sat him last Sunday. The manager said he saw better at-bats from Huff in the No.5 spot Thursday.

“I really think it’s going to be important for him to wash off the first half and just have good at-bats,” Bochy said. “That (home run) was a great at-bat. He’s just trying to hit a ball hard there with two strikes and he ends up hitting the home run that saves us.”

No jazz hands, though. That’s a Uribe special.

“I heard that,” said Huff, told that he and Uribe own the only homers off Bell in two seasons. “He’s so good – one of the best in the game. But he’s not immune to making a mistake. I’m sure he wants that one back, but hey, I don’t feel bad for him.”


(mercurynews.com)

Gaby Sanchez appreciated the encouragement from ex-hitting coach John Mallee and others. He dismissed it to a certain degree, but Sanchez appreciated it nonetheless.

He didn't roll his eyes at everything, just the All-Star stuff. Sanchez looked around the league and figured he had a better shot getting there on the merits of being his team's emergency third catcher.

The guy in St. Louis is a future Hall of Famer. The one in Milwaukee is on the verge of a monopoly money contract. Cincinnati has the reigning Most Valuable Player at first base. Philadelphia's guy is among the game's top power hitters.

When Mallee said he wouldn't be surprised to see him in Phoenix this week, Sanchez, in spite of his outstanding numbers, laughed it off.

"I was like, 'It doesn't matter what I do,' " Sanchez said. "There are too many. There are four guys there that just mash and play good defense, and are great ballplayers. It's one of those things I never even thought about because it's kind of out there so far."

Not only can Sanchez say he's an All-Star, he can say he made it when Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder, Joey Votto and Ryan Howard dominated the position. Sanchez is the Marlins' lone representative in Tuesday's All-Star Game at Chase Field. No Marlin first baseman could boast an All-Star nod until now.

Mallee reassured Sanchez the league knew how good he was. Don't count Sanchez among those who weren't surprised at the selection.

"Even when they called me, it was a surreal feeling," Sanchez said. "I was like, 'Wow, this is really happening.' I thought Anibal [Sanchez] was having a great year, and in my mind he was going to be the one to get it. … Of course, you continue to do anything, you always have a chance. Now I got that and it can never be taken away from me."

His baseball-reference.com page will forever have the All-Star banner displayed above his career starts, and deservedly so. The Marlins sat at 10 games over .500 after 50 games, in large part because of how Sanchez anchored the offense.

He followed up a .293 April average with a .345 mark in May. Though Sanchez slowed in June, along with the rest of his teammates, he remains on pace to eclipse last year's totals for doubles, homers and RBI.

"He's been pretty consistent, being a big RBI guy and keeping us in ballgames," manager Jack McKeon said. "Early part of the year, watching the games on TV, I thought he was the key guy. He was always delivering the clutch blows. Now he's getting some help."

Whether Sanchez would become a cornerstone for his hometown team at times was speculative. He was a high enough draft pick (fourth round) out of the University of Miami and always was regarded among the organization's better prospects. Yet Sanchez had unsuccessful auditions at catcher and third base before finally settling in at first.

Even after the Marlins traded Mike Jacobs in October 2008 and opened the way for Sanchez, questions remained about his long-term viability. The younger, higher-ceilinged Logan Morrison was a level behind.

Sanchez did his part to make sure it wasn't an either/or situation. He had an outstanding rookie season in 2010, prompting the Marlins to move Morrison to left field.

"I knew I could do it," Sanchez said. "There's was nothing in my head saying I couldn't. I knew I could play at this level and be successful at some point, and try to help the ballclub win. I knew the time would come. I had to tell myself not to get frustrated. The time would come where I had the opportunity to show what I had and just be me and play."


(sun-sentinel.com)

Matt Bosher likely means the end of incumbent/pending free agent Michael Koenen's days as a Falcon. Along with his punting exploits, Bosher can handle kickoffs.




(espn.com)

Check out photos of Edgerrin James and Reggie Wayne and James’ Summer Youth Camp. proCane Tamara James also joined James and Wayne at the camp.





Click here to order Reggie Wayne’s or Edgerrin James’ proCane Rookie Card.


(twitter.com)

Is Santana Moss a realistic option for the Bears at the WR position once we get into free agency after the lockout is lifted?

Current Chicago WR Devin Hester thinks so—according to Vaughn McClure of the Chicago Tribune—but when we take a step back and analyze the position for Mike Martz’s offense it still doesn’t give the club a true No.1.

And that continues to be the real issue for QB Jay Cutler in Chicago. Where is the WR that is going to make a big play on 3rd down (or in the red zone) during a crucial situation on Sunday?

I played with Santana for two seasons in Washington—but we are talking years ago (during the ’04 and ’05 seasons). I can tell you he is a true football player. Tough, will run inside breaking routes into traffic and has ideal footwork for the position.

I can also agree that he fits into Martz’s scheme. You want a receiver than can run the inside combination routes, break off the deep dig with a sharp cut at 15-yards and make plays in the open field. 

But, as the NFP’s Brad Biggs wrote on Tuesday, Moss is also 32-years old and isn’t an upgrade over Johnny Knox, Hester or Earl Bennett. Plus, we still have to see what the Redskins’ plans are for the WR.

Again, this is “player talk” coming from Hester. Happens every offseason when a player lobbies to bring someone in, but they don’t make front office decisions.

And even if GM Jerry Angelo, Lovie Smith and Martz were all on board with making Moss a potential free agent target, are the Bears actually getting a player that is going to change their offense outside of the numbers? I don’t think so.

Click here to order Santana Moss’s proCane Rookie Card.


(nationalfootballpost.com)

Check out our new MLB U All Stars wallpaper featuring Gaby Sanchez, Chris Perez and Ryan Braun who all made tonight’s MLB All Star Game. Congrats to all three players on a great first half of the MLB Season. Click here to download our MLB U All Stars Wallpaper and many other ones or click above on proCanes Wallpapers. Enjoy and stay tuned to more wallpapers in the near future.

Martin Bibla signed with the UFL Sacramento Mountain Lions on Wednesday. Bibla was originally drafted by the Atlanta Falcons and will enter his second season with the UFL Mountain Lions and it will also mark his 10 year as a professional.

ESPN 980 just had a brief interview with former Washington Redskins running back Clinton Portis, who is a free agent after the team released him last winter. Portis was mostly in good spirits, though he did go on one of his patented "everyone hated me" rants midway through the brief segment.

As far as real news, Portis said he feels better than ever, having been given time to recover from injuries "people never realized I had." He dismissed claims that his best days are behind him, noting that he hasn't played much in the past two years and is therefore rested. When asked if he had a preferred destination, he listed six teams (or, more accurately, six quarterbacks): New Orleans, Indianapolis, San Diego, Tampa Bay, Philadelphia and Green Bay.

"I want to go to an organization that's kind of stable and is running the same things," he said.

Portis said he's fine being a backup, but ultimately, he wants to start wherever he goes.

"If I have a deal to be coming off the bench, I have no problem with that," he said. "If I start off for second place, I'm going to continue to aim for first place. I'm never going to be comfortable with second place."

Click here to order Clinton Portis’ proCane Rookie Card.


(sbnation.com)

Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin said Wednesday that the reaction to his recent appearance on the cover of Out Magazine has been mostly positive. In the Out article, Irvin discussed his late brother, Vaughn, who was homosexual.

"A lot of people that have called and emailed said I have a lot of friends that deal with this," Irvin said on the NFL Network, for which he now works. "And to be honest with you, I have a brother that I didn't know what it was all of it.

m a young, dumb kid just like all of us; we're saying stupid things because we don't know. As we get older, we learn more about how much that hurt people and offended people, and I started thinking about what life must have been like for my brother whom I loved dearly."

Irvin says he's pretty sure he would've reacted the same way to discovering a teammate was gay when he played with the Dallas Cowboys as he would react today.

"At 25, we heard the rumors about my quarterback (Troy Aikman). And it came pretty strong because we were winning Super Bowls then at the time," he said. "We didn't respond to it, that's how I surmise we would have handled it well because everybody was talking about it. We were going to play football.

"You'd get guys in the locker room talking, 'Did you hear about Troy? It doesn't have anything to do with that; as long as he throws that bang-8 on time, that's all that matters.' That's the kind of thing that went on in the locker room, so I have to try to extrapolate from that since it didn't happen. . . . Yes I believe that team with the characters we had I believe we would have handled that well."

Asked what he would say to Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison about his use of an anti-gay slur in reference to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Irvin said, "I do talk with James, James is an intelligent guy. I haven't talked with him since then, but I would continue to share with him that if someone said something derogatory about your race, how does it make you feel? You have to try and bring it home. . . . What I mean by that is make it relate to you. Make it relate to you if someone said this about this, how would you feel?"

Do more NFL athletes see the gay issue as Irvin now does or do more feel like Harrison? Irvin says he thinks times are changing.

"I think there are more people that are starting to see this issue the way we are speaking about it in the magazine. I really do," Irvin says. "I certainly think athletes are falling right in that category of people. Now that we know that it is offensive, now that we know it is hurtful, people are tending to turn away from hurtful things, and I think that's a good thing."

Click here to order Michael Irvin’s proCane Rookie Card.


(usatoday.com)

The Redskins are expected to pursue a new contract for free agent CB Philip Buchanon.

With Carlos Rogers set to sign elsewhere, the 'Skins have just Kevin Barnes, Brandyn Thompson, and Byron Westbrook behind DeAngelo Hall. Buchanon won't receive heavy interest on the open market.

Click here to order Phillip Buchanon’s proCane Rookie Card.


(rotoworld.com)

The Washington Redskins have not decided if they will try to re-sign impending free-agent LB Rocky McIntosh once free agency begins. McIntosh did not fare well in the 2010 evaluations and did not seem to fit into the team's defense.


Click here to order Rocky McIntosh’s proCane Rookie Card.


(fantasysp.com)

PHOENIX • If it's not the heat or humidity, the main topic of conversation on any summer day in St. Louis is the makeup and utilization of the Cardinals' erratic bullpen. In Cleveland, there is at least one other person interested in the issue.

Former Cardinals reliever Chris Perez, traded to Cleveland in 2009 in what became an unfortunate trade for utilityman Mark DeRosa, has gone from being a member of the bullpen chorus in St. Louis to the lead act with the Indians. Perez, a first-time American League All-Star with 21 saves, still pays rapt attention to what's happening in St. Louis, watching as many games as he can.

"(Ryan) Franklin obviously got off to a bad start. It just seemed like he couldn't get that last out or ran into some bad streak. But they've still got some good young arms," Perez said.

"(Eduardo) Sanchez, I like. And (Jason) Motte is still there. I think (Kyle) McClellan leaving (the bullpen) and going into the rotation had a little something to do with it. He was a pretty solid setup guy for his first two or three years. But I think they've got enough pieces. Good enough arms."

Perez, who had eight saves for the Cardinals in 2008-09 before he earned 23 last year with the Indians, said he was a little surprised that Fernando Salas ended up as the Cardinals' closer, although a successful one.

"I really didn't play with him that much in the minors," Perez said. "But from what I've seen on TV, he's got good control, he's got the right demeanor and he's got good stuff. He's been in some sticky situations and he gets out of them.

"And if Sanchez comes back from (a shoulder injury), I think they'll have enough to go. Sanchez has better stuff (than Salas)"
But Perez said, "My pick (for closer) coming into this year would have been (Mitchell) Boggs, with his mentality and the stuff he has. I guess it's just not sticking."

Boggs has been used in several roles, from middle to setup to closer, a capacity in which he had three saves before yielding to Sanchez, who then was replaced as closer by Salas.

"Sounds like my rookie year (2008)," Perez said. "It's your turn for a week. It's your turn for a month. If you ask anybody in the bullpen, they don't care who it is, just so you mentally fall in line. It's hard to stay mentally sharp for five innings. Every time that phone rings, you're like, 'Is it me?'
"In my situation, I never knew when I was going to throw. Fifth inning. Seventh inning, except for a couple of stretches in 2008, when I was closing.

"Especially for a young bullpen, it's wearing."


(stltoday.com)

Check out our new MLB U All Stars wallpaper featuring Gaby Sanchez, Chris Perez and Ryan Braun who all made tonight’s MLB All Star Game. Congrats to all three players on a great first half of the MLB Season. Click here to download our MLB U All Stars Wallpaper and many other ones or click above on proCanes Wallpapers. Enjoy and stay tuned to more wallpapers in the near future.

Devin Hester tried this route before, with little success.

In April of 2009, Hester encouraged the Bears to sign veteran Torry Holt so he could pick Holt’s brain about playing the receiver position. Holt signed with the Jaguars instead.

Now, as the Bears approach the 2011 season, there’s another accomplished receiver Hester would like to join forces with: Santana Moss.

"Anybody that can come in and help out the team, I’m down for it, and a guy like (Moss) can come in and really help out a lot," Hester said of his fellow Miami Hurricane. "I’m hoping we can get him."

Moss, 32, is on the Bears’ radar, and he is viewed as productive player and positive locker room influence. He had a career-high 93 catches for 1,115 yards and six touchdowns with Washington last season and has four 1000-yard seasons in 10 years.

Problem is, there’s no telling when free agency will begin, although an ESPN report recently speculated a July 28 start date. And there is no guarantee Moss will be on the market anyway. He recently told Sporting News Radio he wants to quickly re-sign with the Redskins once free agency starts. The Washington Post reported he was seeking either a two- or three-year deal at about $5 million per season.

If Moss is available and the Bears pursue him, some might question why Jerry Angelo, Lovie Smith and crew would want to add a 5-foot-10-inch receiver to a mix that already includes the 5-11 Hester and 6-footers Johnny Knox and Earl Bennett.

"That small stuff is overrated," Smith said this offseason. "You look for receivers who can catch the ball and move the chains."

Still, both Angelo and Smith made it clear before the draft the team would like to add a bigger receiver, even despite offensive coordinator Mike Martz’s affection for small, speedy wideouts. But the Bears aren’t desperate to add a big target for quarterback Jay Cutler, who grew accustomed to 6-4 Brandon Marshall in Denver.

If there’s a productive, high-character big receiver on the market in free agency, the Bears are likely to at least look into it. But they’ve already decided against pursuing 6-5 Plaxico Burress, based on extensive research prior to Burress going to prison. And 6-4 Sidney Rice’s hip is a concern, although the Vikings said they have no issues with Rice’s health as they look to re-sign him.

The Bears seem content with what they have at receiver if their free-agent options are scarce.

"If we don’t add anybody, I’m very comfortable with the guys we have now, to be honest with you,’’ Hester said. "Everybody showed glimpses last season. We have the athletes to do it. Now, it’s just about going out there and getting it done."

Click here to order Devin Hester’s proCane Rookie Card.


(chicagotribune.com)

NFL Hall of famer Michael Irvin talks for the first time about his gay brother and explains why he’s on a pro-gay mission from God. By Cyd Zeigler

It was a Friday evening in Fort Lauderdale, warm and clear, like so many that 12-year-old Michael Irvin had experienced growing up in southern Florida. He was riding in a car with his father, Walter, a roofer by trade who spent what little spare time he had operating as the local Primitive Baptist minister. The two were heading home after an errand that was a regular payday ritual: Walter would drive into town to buy cigars and then drop off money with Michael’s grandmother to help with her bills. It was the late 1970s, a time of strife in America, and young Michael had already seen a lot in his low-income neighborhood. But nothing prepared him for what happened next.

As Walter drove up Northwest 27th Avenue, about to turn onto 16th Street, his son noticed a man who looked just like his older brother, Vaughn, walking away from their house toward “all the craziness in the ’hood,” Irvin remembers. It couldn’t be Vaughn: “This man was wearing women’s clothes.” But it was. “My brother had a very distinctive walk,” he says.

Irvin couldn’t believe his eyes. He turned to his father. “My dad looked back at me and said, ‘Yes, that’s your brother. And you love your brother.’ ”

That was it. Irvin, who went on to become one of football’s greatest players, as well as the epitome of the troublemaking macho NFL stereotype, would never again discuss the issue with his father. “Whether Vaughn and my father later spoke about it, I don’t know. But it wasn’t something that was ever discussed among the family,” says Irvin, speaking for the first time about the gay older brother he idolized.

Walter Irvin’s message was simple: Michael was supposed to love his brother unconditionally, no matter what he looked like or who he was. But, still, the discovery was a shock that haunted Irvin as he grew into one of college football’s most feted stars. He worried that people would find out about Vaughn and bring shame upon the family. Most of all, he worried that he was gay. He kept his brother’s secret while winning a national championship with the University of Miami in 1987 (he scored a winning touchdown with a 73-yard catch during that season) and leading the Dallas Cowboys to three Super Bowl titles in the 1990s. Irvin was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2007, and in 2010, NFL .com named him one of the 100 greatest football players in history.

Meanwhile, he developed a reputation as a reckless, self-destructive celebrity who polarized public opinion like no other athlete of his generation. Irvin was a great player with a big mouth and a nasty streak, a man with a penchant for fast living. He made it a point to parade his female conquests past his teammates. Although he’s been married to his wife, Sandy, since 1990, Irvin made what he calls “mistakes” throughout his Cowboys career.

“Growing up, whoever had the most women and the nicest car, he was the man,” he says. “So when you get in the locker room, you remember that. I’m gonna get all the girls so that everybody says, ‘Michael’s the man.’ ”

Click here to read the rest of the article.

Click here to order Michael Irvin’s proCane Rookie Card.

Not to suggest that NFL fans shouldn’t believe that the work stoppage may finally be lifted by July 21st as the new target date, but we have been told for three months that the lockout will finally end. Both sides of the current labor dispute know the fans do not care about what happens in June and July, but rather that football will be back in time for training camp in August for the start of the regular season in September. We are inching closer-and-closer to August and the time period where training camp would be set to start under a normal off-season and both sides seem to want to get this new collective bargaining agreement done already.

Antrel Rolle made a few headlines last year in his first season with the New York Giants by saying he wasn’t scared of playing against Peyton Manning and has made an impact early on for Big Blue after signing a 5-year, $37 million dollar deal in March of 2010. Rolle contends that he wants the lockout to end when both the owners and players get their fair share and that most players like himself are in good shape during this lockout dispute. The real problem at hand is are these current NFL players during the lockout in football shape? Rolle believes it shouldn’t be an issue once the players finally take the field again.

Antrel Rolle joined WQAM in Miami on The Gino Torretta Show with Steve White to discuss what he has been doing this off-season during the NFL lockout, the players being sick of the work stoppage and how they’re just ready to get back to work officially, how long it will take him to get back into playing shape once the lockout is finally lifted, his comfort level regard playing in exhibition preseason games if the lockout were to end next week, and how good he thinks the 2011 New York Giants can be.

We saw you have been training down at the University of Miami and with your New York Giants teammates. What have you been up to this off-season?
“I have been working out at UM [University of Miami] most of the time and been doing some work here on my own.”

Are you guys as players over the lockout so we can get this thing over with and just play football?
“I am a guy who believes in what’s fair is fair. I think it has to work in hand for both the owners as well as for the players and until it reaches that point I’m all for the mediations and things of that nature, so we can get on the same page at the same time. Let it be 50-50 and no 60-40 or 70-30.”

How long will it take once the lockout is over to get you into playing shape where you could play in an exhibition game?
“I’m in great shape right now. I wouldn’t say I’m in great football shape, but I’m in great shape. The only thing that is going to prepare you to get into football shape is actually playing football, so once you get out there with the guys and run around and do a couple of drills and have a little contact. You know what I mean? We have been playing this sport of football for a long time. It’s not going to take to long to get back into football shape and maybe a week and a half, two weeks maximum.”

The reports say that July 21st, 2011 may be the day the lockout ends. Do you guys feel comfortable once the lockout ends if that were to happen in the next week or two?
“To be honest with you I have been hearing that it is going to get done in a week, two weeks, ever since the beginning of March, so I’m at the point right now that whenever it happens I’ll be ready and whenever I get that call I’ll be ready. That’s the only thing I’m looking forward to right now.”

How good do you think this New York Giants team will be this season?
“The sky is the limit for us. I think we have control of our own destiny. I think all we have to do is finish games. We have a great team. I have never been around a team that has as much talent at each and every position. We just have to get on the same page at the same time and be a better football Giants team. We’re already good, but need to be great.”

Listen to Antrel Rolle on WQAM in Miami here

Click here to order Antrel Rolle’s proCane Rookie Card.


(sportsradiointerviews.com)

Last month, Ravens safety Ed Reed made an interesting remark about Jets coach Rex Ryan, saying that he and other unnamed players had hoped Ryan would get the Ravens' head coaching gig in 2008. Recently, in an unfiltered interview with Pro Football Focus, Jets inside linebacker Bart Scott, who followed Ryan to New York in 2009, tried to explain where Reed was coming from when he made those comments about Ryan to ESPN.

“I’m sure you guys are into the news and heard what Ed Reed said a couple of weeks ago about how disappointed he was and about how he wanted Rex to get the head job in Baltimore,” Scott said. “No disrespect to John Harbaugh, but just how much he respected Rex, as well. It’s not just me. It’s anybody you talk to about the man. In life, you’re afforded a couple of special people. Not special coaches. You’re afforded special people. He’s a special person. When you find that special person, you know.”

 “Not only do I recognize it, but everybody to ever play for him recognizes it,” Scott continued. “It had nothing to do with him being a head coach or a coordinator. The same respect was given to him when he was a D-line coach. You know when people have the ‘it’ factor? You know when somebody’s special.”

The Ravens think they have found that special someone in Harbaugh, whose squad has made three straight postseason appearances. Meanwhile, Ryan has steered the Jets to the AFC championship game in each of his first two seasons in New York.

Click here to order Ed Reed’s proCane Rookie Card.


(baltimoresun.com)

Ryan Braun (calf) continues to perform baseball activities and is still hoping to return to the Brewers' lineup on Thursday for the first game of the second half.

Braun hasn't played since tweaking the calf on July 2, but he's been able to take batting practice and do fielding drills without any issues the last few days. Barring a setback, he should be in the lineup Thursday against the Rockies.



(rotworld.com)

2011 MLB proCane All Stars Gaby Sanchez and Ryan Braun take a photo together as they enjoy the 2011 MLB HR Derby. Ryan Braun sat out the HR Derby and All Star Game due to a calf injury. It was Gaby Sanchez’s first All Star Game.





(twitter.com)

This past week, beat writer Jason Stella sat down with Louisville Bats All-Star Yonder Alonso, asking him questions about his continued success, move to left field, and the path to his major league aspirations. Here's the full interview:

JS: Since beginning your professional career, you have maintained a batting average near .300 at each level you have played. What do you think has been the key in you maintaining your success as you have moved up and faced better pitching?
YA: Just staying within myself and knowing what I'm able to do as a hitter and not try and go over the top. Just try and stay focused within my game and just work very hard. I think consistency is a very big part of the game, and that's something I always strive for.

JS: Up until this season, you had played almost exclusively first base since coming into the Reds system. This year, you have played quite a bit in left field. Was this an adjustment that started in the spring, and what sort of defensive work have you been putting in on a daily basis?
YA: This has been going on for a couple years now. At first it was pretty tough, but once you get the hang of it and you practice and work at it in batting practice, you get more comfortable out there and it becomes easier on you.

JS: Your production at the plate this season has you on pace to eclipse your career highs in most statistical categories. What do you think has been the reason for your offensive success thus far in 2011?
YA: I just feel like I'm more focused. This is my second year in triple-A, and I know how the whole minor league thing works. I've been healthy, also. Last year I was kind of injured with my wrist that I broke the year before, and I wasn't 100 percent. Now, I feel like I'm 100 percent and I'm here to do well.

JS: Last September, you made your major league debut and appeared in 22 games with Cincinnati. Describe this experience and your mindset as you got to take part in the race for the division title.
YA: It was great. You get the chance to be a big leaguer for a month-and-a-half. You get the chance to play in a big league stadium and wear a big league uniform, and words can't really describe what that feels like.

JS: Instead of signing with the Twins out of high school, you elected to play college ball at the University of Miami, playing three years with the Hurricanes before being a first round pick of the Reds. Describe your experience playing at Miami and how it helped prepare you for being a professional.
YA: It was great. I think Miami is the best school in Florida, and it has one of the best programs in the United States. Miami is always in the hunt for the College World Series. It's taught me everything, how to grow up, how to be a man, and how to take care of my own things. I give a lot of thanks to them.

JS: You throw right-handed and bat left-handed. At what point did you develop this characteristic, and is there any particular reason that you don't bat and throw with the same hand?
YA: Ever since I was younger, my dad was the one who told me to hit lefty and throw righty. I liked it, and so far it has worked out well and is paying off.

JS: As you continue to enjoy success at the triple-A level, is there any one particular area that you are working to improve the most as you try to get a more prolonged opportunity in the big leagues?
YA: I feel like every day I can work on something, whether it be base running, hitting, fielding, throwing. Every day I'm out there and I'm trying to learn, and I feel like that's part of the game. You don't know the whole game, and every day you see something different, so you try and learn something every day.



(minorleaguebaseball.com)

Check out our new MLB U All Stars wallpaper featuring Gaby Sanchez, Chris Perez and Ryan Braun who all made tonight’s MLB All Star Game. Congrats to all three players on a great first half of the MLB Season. Click here to download our MLB U All Stars Wallpaper and many other ones or click above on proCanes Wallpapers. Enjoy and stay tuned to more wallpapers in the near future.

WR Leonard Hankerson (Third round)

Why he could struggle: It will take a while to learn all the nuances of the Redskins’ offense and how to read coverages. One of the knocks against Hankerson has been his speed.

Why he could succeed: The Redskins are hurting for a big receiver, and even if it takes Hankerson a while to fully learn Kyle Shanahan’s offense, his size, big hands and leaping ability will come in handy in the red zone.



(washingtonpost.com)

In answering what has become a regular question considering a spate of injuries in recent years, Ravens safety Ed Reed said he doesn’t know how much longer he will be able to play in the NFL.

He was recently asked about his future in an interview on 105.7 The Fan to promote his upcoming charity football camp and golf tournament in Baltimore (July 20-21).

“I don’t know,” Reed said last week.  “I just had my football camp in Louisiana, and I just got back to town to work out with my trainer and I felt sluggish.  I started kind of doubting myself a little bit. 

“I was like, ‘I don’t know man, maybe I need to take some time off.’”

To which host Scott Garceau replied, "Come on, Ed," as if to coax the All Pro back to the gridiron.

With reports of the NFL and players getting closer to a new collective bargaining agreement and training camp looming, Reed might need to be back on the field sooner than later.

The seven-time Pro Bowler is one of the league’s best safeties, if not the best.

Just last year, he led the NFL with eight interceptions even though he missed the first six games rehabilitating a surgically-repaired hip.  He was recently voted as the fifth best player in the league by his peers in the NFL Networks Top 100 Players of 2011.

But Reed, 32, has been dealing with a painful nerve impingement in his neck for a few years, as well. 

As much as he is still the playmaker he was as an aspiring prospect, Reed also understands his mortality.

“I feel good. How much longer will I play? I’m not going to kill myself trying to get to the Super Bowl outside of my abilities,” said Reed.  “I’m going to do everything in my power and ability to work out and get myself ready this year and the year after that and go forward to try to win a championship.”  

In addition to getting physically ready, Reed maintains mental sharpness through a notoriously rigorous film-study routine, even after nine seasons.

Reed was also asked where he learned to hit the tape so hard.

"It starts from where you come from in college, how your coaches are teaching it and how much time you put into it," said Reed, a University of Miami product.  "That’s a big part of it, and definitely when you get to our level, the professional level in the NFL, you’ve still got to be a coachable guy.

"You still have to go home and watch your tape outside of just doing work and thinking you’re done with it at the office."

Click here to order Ed Reed’s proCane Rookie Card.


(baltimoravens.com)

Springfield is Chicago Bears country. If Bears kick returner/wide receiver Devin Hester didn’t know that before, he sure as heck does now.

Hester was in town to sign autographs at Scheels on Monday evening, where an overflow crowd greeted him.

Kyle and Ally Irmen of Springfield were the first in line to get Hester’s autograph, and they said they arrived at 7 a.m. to secure that position.

“(We did it) because he’s the man, the myth, the legend,” Kyle said. “He’s the Windy City Flyer.”

Hester has been working out regularly with the Bears quarterbacks and running backs at Carmel High School in Mundelein.

ESPN reported on Monday that an agreement between the players and owners could be ratified on July 21 at league meetings in Atlanta.

“It’s tough. You really don’t know when the phone is going to ring to say ‘Come in tomorrow for the first day of practice,’” Hester said. “It’s a scary part, and you’re hoping that guys on vacation are taking time out to do a little conditioning and do a little lifting, because any moment now you can be called.”

Click here to order Devin Hester’s proCane Rookie Card.


(sj-r.com)

View more videos at: http://www.nbcchicago.com.

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa. -- John Salmons led Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School to a PIAA State Championship in 1997. He then played for the Sixers from 2002-06. Now, he’s back in Philly spending the summer playing basketball with fellow local stars.

With the NBA currently locked out, summer leagues like the Delco Pro-Am League are a good opportunity for NBA players to stay in shape. It’s also a great opportunity for college and overseas players to test their mettle against NBA players.

“I play in this league because I love playing the game,” Salmons said. “It’s good competition, so I want to try and win. At the same time, I’m trying to get in shape and get ready for the season.”

Salmons, whose Millennium All Stars won the Delco Pro-Am League Championship last summer, was on the court Sunday night at Competitive Edge Sports. His team, which includes former Plymouth-Whitemarsh and Siena point guard Ronald Moore and former Siena forward and Reading native Alex Franklin, took on Omega Medical, which includes former Penn Charter teammates and NBA players point guard Sean Singletary and forward Rob Kurz, and former Villanova players Reggie Redding and Antonio Pena.

Salmons struggled in the first half, scoring only nine points, and the game remained close throughout. But Salmons turned up the heat in the second half with 24 of his 33 points to lead his team to an 86-77 victory. With his team up 70-69, Salmons drained a three-pointer. Then, with his team up 76-71, Salmons hit a step-back baseline jumper over Kurz to put the game away.

“I guess the competitive side came out,” Salmons said. “I’m not in the greatest shape, so I can’t go hard like that all game.”

On June 23, Salmons was traded from the Milwaukee Bucks to the Sacramento Kings. Later that night, the Kings drafted Jimmer Fredette, Tyler Honeycutt and Isaiah Thomas. A few days later, the Kings traded Omri Casspi to the Cavs for J.J. Hickson. Those players join an already solid core of Tyreke Evans, Marcus Thornton, DeMarcus Cousins and Jason Thompson. Salmons is likely to start at small forward along with Evans, Thornton, Hickson and Cousins.

“I was shocked,” Salmons said about getting traded to the Kings. “But we have a lot of talent. We have a chance to have a good team. We just have to play together.”

Salmons, Kurz and Singletary weren’t the only NBA players on the court Sunday night. Former Temple star Mardy Collins, who went to high school at Simon Gratz and was selected by the New York Knicks in the first round of the 2006 draft, scored 13 points to lead T.Y.G.T.A.L. to a 60-55 win over Trad Jazz. Collins teamed with former Temple teammate Dustin Salisbery and Morehead State grad Kenneth Faried, who was recently drafted in the first round by the Denver Nuggets.

The Trad Jazz, a team full of former and current Penn players, nearly defeated a team full of professional players. But a layup in the final minute by Faried broke a tie and gave his team the victory. Penn sophomore Miles Cartwright kept his team in the game with big shot after big shot. The 6-foot-3 point guard can flat-out score, no matter what the competition. The Trad Jazz also includes former Penn forward Mark Zoller, senior Tyler Bernardini and incoming freshman Patrick Lucas-Perry.



(csnphilly.com)

San Antonio - San Antonio Missions centerfielder Blake Tekotte has been named the Texas League Player of the Week for the week of July 4-10.

In six games Tekotte hit .462 (12-for-26) with three doubles, five home runs, eight RBI, two stolen bases with eight runs scored while recording a .481 on-base percentage and 1.153 slugging percentage.

On the season, the 24-year old native of Columbia, MO is hitting .302 (76-for-252) with 19 doubles, two triples, 14 home runs, 42 RBI, 25 stolen bases and 51 runs scored in 67 games. He is currently tied for the team lead in homers and is fourth in the Texas League in steals and on-base percentage (.422).

Tekotte was promoted to San Diego on May 23 and hit .158 (3-for-19) with a double, a triple and an RBI in 10 games with the Padres before being sent back to San Antonio on June 9.

Tekotte is fifth Mission to win the award this season joining Jaff Decker (April 11-17), James Darnell and Sawyer Carroll (May 30-June 5) and Vince Belnome (June 6-12).



(oursportscentral.com)

SAN FRANCISCO -- Manager Bruce Bochy rested Aubrey Huff on Sunday, theoretically intending to lengthen the All-Star break for the first baseman who has continued to struggle offensively.

Huff, who entered the game batting .236, has not homered since his three-homer binge on June 2 at St. Louis. His drought has spanned 34 games and 125 at-bats.

Bochy hoped that the Giants' first-place status in the National League West will relax Huff, so that "he doesn't feel like he's let anybody down."



(mlb.com)

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Ryan Braun is disappointed he won't be able to play in the All-Star game, and expects to return from a lingering calf injury when the Milwaukee Brewers resume the season in Colorado on Thursday.

Braun was not in the starting lineup for Sunday's game against Cincinnati and has missed the past seven games with a left calf strain. Brewers manager Ron Roenicke says Braun would be available as a pinch hitter Sunday, but likely only in a critical situation.

Braun says he will participate in All-Star festivities but will not play in Tuesday's game. He says he's disappointed about missing out on an "incredible experience" but is focused on getting healthy.



(usatoday.com)

Gaby Sanchez appreciated the encouragement from ex-hitting coach John Mallee and others. He dismissed it to a certain degree, but Sanchez appreciated it nonetheless.

He didn't roll his eyes at everything, just the All-Star stuff. Sanchez looked around the league and figured he had a better shot getting there on the merits of being his team's emergency third catcher.

The guy in St. Louis is a future Hall of Famer. The one in Milwaukee is on the verge of a monopoly money contract. Cincinnati has the reigning Most Valuable Player at first base. Philadelphia's guy is among the game's top power hitters.

When Mallee said he wouldn't be surprised to see him in Phoenix this week, Sanchez, in spite of his outstanding numbers, laughed it off.

"I was like, 'It doesn't matter what I do,' " Sanchez said. "There are too many. There are four guys there that just mash and play good defense, and are great ballplayers. It's one of those things I never even thought about because it's kind of out there so far."

Not only can Sanchez say he's an All-Star, he can say he made it when Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder, Joey Votto and Ryan Howard dominated the position. Sanchez is the Marlins' lone representative in Tuesday's All-Star Game at Chase Field. No Marlin first baseman could boast an All-Star nod until now.

Mallee reassured Sanchez the league knew how good he was. Don't count Sanchez among those who weren't surprised at the selection.

"Even when they called me, it was a surreal feeling," Sanchez said. "I was like, 'Wow, this is really happening.' I thought Anibal [Sanchez] was having a great year, and in my mind he was going to be the one to get it. … Of course, you continue to do anything, you always have a chance. Now I got that and it can never be taken away from me."

His baseball-reference.com page will forever have the All-Star banner displayed above his career starts, and deservedly so. The Marlins sat at 10 games over .500 after 50 games, in large part because of how Sanchez anchored the offense.

He followed up a .293 April average with a .345 mark in May. Though Sanchez slowed in June, along with the rest of his teammates, he remains on pace to eclipse last year's totals for doubles, homers and RBI.

"He's been pretty consistent, being a big RBI guy and keeping us in ballgames," manager Jack McKeon said. "Early part of the year, watching the games on TV, I thought he was the key guy. He was always delivering the clutch blows. Now he's getting some help."

Whether Sanchez would become a cornerstone for his hometown team at times was speculative. He was a high enough draft pick (fourth round) out of the University of Miami and always was regarded among the organization's better prospects. Yet Sanchez had unsuccessful auditions at catcher and third base before finally settling in at first.

Even after the Marlins traded Mike Jacobs in October 2008 and opened the way for Sanchez, questions remained about his long-term viability. The younger, higher-ceilinged Logan Morrison was a level behind.

Sanchez did his part to make sure it wasn't an either/or situation. He had an outstanding rookie season in 2010, prompting the Marlins to move Morrison to left field.

"I knew I could do it," Sanchez said. "There's was nothing in my head saying I couldn't. I knew I could play at this level and be successful at some point, and try to help the ballclub win. I knew the time would come. I had to tell myself not to get frustrated. The time would come where I had the opportunity to show what I had and just be me and play."



(sun-sentinel.com)

Eric Moncur signed with the UFL Sacramento Mountain Lions last Friday. Moncur was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as a free agent last year.

PITTSBURGH, PA. - The Arizona Rattlers (15-2) wrapped up home-field advantage in the National Conference playoffs with a 68-34 victory over the Pittsburgh Power (8-8) on Sunday night in the CONSOL Energy Center.

Arizona jumped out to a 34-14 halftime lead courtesy of three first-half turnovers and never looked back, punishing the Power both offensively and defensively. With the victory, the Rattlers swept all regular season opponents in the American Conference.

Quarterback Nick Davila completed 22 of 35 passes for 214 yards and eight touchdowns, spreading the ball around to five different receivers. Kerry Reed finished with seven catches for 47 yards and four touchdowns, while Jason Geathers pulled in eight catches for 86 yards and two touchdowns.


(foxsportsarizona.com)

 

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.

Netanya have ensured the services of Brian Asbury (200-F-86, college: Miami, FL) for the next season. The 24-year-old forward comes from Hapoel Tel Aviv. Last season Brian Asbury tallied 27.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.0 block per game. Brian Asbury finished the season as the topscorer in National League. Brian Asbury was named All-Israeli National League Player of the Year. It was the second consecutive title for the forward. Last season Brian Asbury also grabbed the title while playing for Kiryat Tivon.


(eurobasket.com)

PHOENIX -- As top prospects Devin Mesoraco and Yonder Alonso keep raking at Triple-A Louisville, one overriding question continues to rumble louder and louder from Reds fans as the big league team struggled into the All-Star break.

When?

Both Mesoraco and Alonso, who participated in Sunday's XM All-Star Futures Game, have been among several Louisville players that have hit well enough to be considered for a promotion. But currently, there is no room for them on the big league roster. So while fans might be impatient, the players are playing it cool.

"They won the division last year with the same team. Why not try to do it again?" said Mesoraco, the Reds' first-round Draft pick in 2007. "I understand that. That's the way it is. It's wait your turn, but be ready when your number is called. That's my main focus."

Mesoraco, who started for the U.S. Team on Sunday, finished the first half of his season batting .303 with nine home runs, 49 RBIs, a .378 on-base percentage and a .510 slugging percentage. It's been a solid follow up to a 2010 season in which the 23-year-old was named the organization's Minor League Player of the Year for batting .302 with 26 homers at Louisville and Double-A Carolina.

Both during big league camp at Spring Training and last season, Mesoraco has also garnered praise for his work behind the plate. That remains a work in progress.

"He's learning so much still every day, especially about calling games," said Louisville manager Rick Sweet, a coach at the Futures Game for the U.S. Team. "That's not something he could really do at Double-A or [Class] A ball. I think in Triple-A, you start getting older pitchers like Dontrelle [Willis], [Edinson] Volquez or the rehab guys. He starts learning, 'OK, this is how you work hitters.' He's still learning and has a lot to do and he knows it."

The Reds have a strong catching tandem in the big leagues with Ramon Hernandez and Ryan Hanigan. Barring an injury, the only chance Mesoraco has at a promotion this season is if there's a trade. Hanigan is already under contract for next season, but Hernandez is on a one-year deal and occasionally has come up in trade rumors.

"Monie and Hany are great catchers," Mesoraco said. "Somehow, some way it will work out for me at some point. I'm not in any kind of a hurry."
Alonso, the Reds' first-round pick in 2008, is batting .293 with 11 homers, 48 RBIs and .372 on-base percentage. A first baseman when he was picked, his big league path is blocked with Joey Votto in place. That meant a position change for the 24-year-old Alonso, who first tried left field last season. He's played more there this season and seems to be growing into the position.

"He's done well in left field," Sweet said. "He catches everything he gets to. He doesn't have the foot speed, but his jumps and routes have been good and that's the best part of it."

The Reds made Alonso a September callup last season, and he was limited to mostly pinch-hitting. Getting a more substantial callup in 2011 is a possibility since the club currently mixes and matches in left field with Jonny Gomes, Fred Lewis and Chris Heisey.

With only a couple of weeks remaining until the Trade Deadline, Alonso could hear his name pop up in rumors as they often have in the past. Scouts are frequently at Louisville's games, and Alonso's bat will get him to the big leagues one way or another.

"I can't really worry about what will happen to me at the Trade Deadline or if I get traded," said Alonso, who played first base for the World Team on Sunday. "What I can think about is doing my job. If I do my job, something will happen. Hopefully it's with Cincinnati, because I'd love to hit in that park, that's for sure."

In the Futures Game, Mesoraco went 1-for-1 with a lined single to left field in the second inning and he was also hit by a pitch. Alonso went 0-for-2 with two strikeouts and two walks and played the entire game.

Another elite Reds prospect received his first promotion when hot-hitting shortstop Zack Cozart was called up this week. Both Mesoraco and Alonso were thrilled for their friend and teammate.

"I watched the game last night, and seeing Cozart was kind of weird because I was playing with him earlier in the week," Mesoraco said. "He's on TV where we all want to be. It kind of makes you think you're almost there."


(mlb.com)

A veteran of both the ARCA Racing Series and Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series racing at Daytona International Speedway, Tim George Jr. added the NASCAR Nationwide Series to his racing resume at the legendary high-banked superspeedway scoring a 21st  place finish driving the No. 21 Applebee’s/Potomac Family Dining Group Chevrolet in the Subway Jalapeno 250 on July 2.

Making his first NNS appearance since April, George started the 250 mile/100 lap event from the 16th position in front of a crowd estimated at just over 50,000. As the lone Richard Childress Racing entry in the 43-car field, George spent much of the race seeking out a drafting partner to take part in the popular two-car "tandem" drafting style now characteristic of restrictor-plate NASCAR racing.

Early in the race, he slipped back in the running order but noted to his team that the Applebee’s Impala was quite fast, even when running without a drafting partner.

The first caution flag of the race fell on lap 25 and the Gere Kennon-led team brought George onto pit road for four tires and fuel. George restarted 27th on lap 30 and made it to as high as 14th in the running order by lap 38 after picking up Mike Wallace's No. 01 entry as a drafting partner.

George continued to run anywhere from 12th to 30th , going a lap down to the race leaders during the middle portion of the race while he searched for a consistent drafting partner. As the caution flag waved with 10 laps to go, George found himself in position to earn NASCAR's “Lucky Dog” award and get back on the lead lap.

When the race restarted, he was scored in 25th position with seven laps remaining. While final laps were unfolding, the racing became more unpredictable and as the field drove to the checkers, a large pileup occurred in the last turn and George was able to maneuver his way around the incident, which occurred in front of him and post a 21st-place result.

"We learned a lot at Daytona this go around,” said George. “Racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series raises my game because I’m surrounded by some of the best drivers in the sport.

“The No. 21 Applebee's / Potomac Family Dining Group team did a great job giving me a fast car. I think we earned some respect, so if NASCAR decides to keep this two-car draft we should be in good shape. I'm looking forward to the opposite extreme next week - grass roots short track racing - ARCA style!"


(timgeorgejr.com)