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When LeBron James announced to the world that he would be taking his talents to South Beach, was it the biggest free agent move in the history of the NBA?

James was arguably the most highly-touted prospect the league has ever seen. A player of his status traditionally stays with one team for the prime of his career. The last two similar stars—Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant—dedicated their best basketball all to one franchise.

However, some players have chosen a different route. Possibly feeling like their team doesn't have the pieces to win, or seeing a team that pursues you

The always biting website Awful Announcing has repeatedly taken NBA-TV to task this week for its broadcasting of the first round of the playoffs.  

As a money-saving consideration — understandable considering the likelihood of a work stoppage — the NBA is penching a few pennies by picking up a local broadcasting feed rather than send its own crew to cover a game.

So viewers across the country have heard the Spurs announcing team of Bill Land and Sean Elliott one night and the Grizzlies’ crew of Pete Pranica and Brevin Knight for Game 5.

Or as Awful Announcing’s Matt Yoder

The last time the San Antonio Spurs trailed 2-1 in an NBA Western Conference best-of-seven first round series was two seasons ago against Dallas.

That's when the Spurs, just like in this current first-round series against the Grizzlies, lost Game 1 at home by 8, won Game 2 at home by 21 and lost Game 3 at Dallas by 21 before dropping the series, 4-1.

Now, heading into tonight's Game 4 against the Griz in FedExForum at 7 p.m., the Spurs are down 2-1, but there's less of a man-overboard mentality because the average Memphis-victory margin in games 1 and

Cornerbacks get no respect. The league keeps passing rules that impede them from doing their jobs. The game makes them run backward. They hardly are noticed unless something bad happens. And personnel directors refuse to make them elite draft picks.

No cornerback since the NFL and AFL merged in 1970 has been drafted No. 1 or No. 2 overall. Rarely does one go in the top five and seldom in the top 10. Rod Woodson, maybe the greatest cornerback, was drafted 10th. Hall of Famer Mel Blount was drafted in the third round.

In the past four drafts, just one

Caps rookie defenseman John Carlson didn’t need to be a finalist for the Calder Trophy to validate a strong rookie season. It just would have been a nice feather in his cap.

Awarded annually to the NHL’s top rookie as voted by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association, the Calder finalists instead are Michael Grabner (New York Islanders), Jeff Skinner (Carolina Hurricanes) and Logan Couture (San Jose Sharks).

All deserving candidates. But I voted for Carlson as a finalist for several reasons, not the least of which is the other team doesn’t actually score very often when he’s on the ice

The NFL treated the Steelers as the AFC champions they are by giving them the maximum of five night games that will make for some grueling weeks over the final month of the season for them.

They begin their 2011 regular season -- provided there is a 2011 season -- at their most bitter and closest rival, the Baltimore Ravens, Sept. 11. It's the first time in four seasons they do not open at home.

While the Ravens help them open the season, the two will conclude their division series long before the season ends when Baltimore comes to Heinz

We all know that for all intents and purposes, free agency in the NFL right now is non-existent. But that will not be the case forever. At some point this spring, we are hopeful that a new agreement between the NFL owners and the players can be worked out. If it is still not here by the time we get to the summer, then the 2011 season will be in jeopardy and things then take on a much different tone and direction.

Since any new deal appears to be more likely to occur after the NFL draft than before it,

Each year as the Super Bowl game comes to an end, NFL football fans know in the back of their minds that the dreaded off-season is about to begin.  During this period of “no football,” there are milestones that occur indicating a new football season is closer.  One of these milestones occurred last week when the NFL released the 2011 preseason schedule.  Although no exact dates were given, Bronco fans now know who the Broncos will be playing in the preseason, assuming the on-going labor dispute does not disrupt the season.  These games, though not the most exciting, are valuable

AHN Sports Contributor

Lawrence, KS, United States (AHN Sports) – Kansas freshman guard Josh Selby announced Thursday his intention to enter the 2011 NBA Draft in June.

The 20-year-old Selby, listed at 6-2 and 183 pounds, finished his freshman season at Lawrence with 7.9 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 26 contests.

Selby, who was rated the overall No. 1 prospect in the nation when Jayhawks coach Bill Self signed him last year, began his career at Kansas under scrutiny. He sat out the team’s first nine tilts due to violations of NCAA rules.

In his first 13

There's something that her former players come to realize about coach Debbie Ryan. When they think back on the biggest successes in their careers at Virginia, Ryan seems a bit in the periphery, as if always letting them have the glory.

But when they think about difficulties and challenges they faced, Ryan is front and center. Because she was always there to help them.

"In the bad times, I remember so much of Debbie -- her strengths and her leadership," said former Virginia player Jenny Boucek, now an assistant coach with the WNBA's Seattle Storm. "In the good times, though,