The McCown Brothers are Smart

From Withleather.com

THE MCCOWN BROTHERS ARE SMART

Josh and Luke McCown are just like Peyton and Eli Manning, if Peyton and Eli Manning sucked. Although each McCown only has the skill set to be a journeyman backup for the rest of his career, older brother Josh has a reasonable chance to beat out rookie Chad Henne and sophomore John Beck for the Dolphins' starting spot. Or at least had. Josh ended up with six stitches in his hand thanks to a wood-chopping accident.

Back home in Texas, McCown said he was holding the firewood and his brother... cut his finger instead of the wood.

McCown has 10 more days to recover before training camp, but the injury could add another element of intrigue to the Dolphins’ much-anticipated quarterback competition.

Well this is too bad. But at least it happened while they were performing a vital task. If there's anything you need during July in Texas, it's firewood.

Erin Andrews likes puffy shirts

For those who watched the Home Run Derby on Monday, you saw ESPN sideline reporter Erin Andrews interviewing many of the participants. Of course, when I see Erin on TV I don't pay a lot of attention to who the person is that she's interviewing (although I have to say that Erin does know her stuff and can ask some good questions). I'm curious as to what she's wearing and how hot she'll look. You'll recall a few weeks ago, I posted a picture of her looking like a banana holding a microphone at a Chicago Cubs game.

Well on Monday she wore this (picture above). At first glance, it looks fine. Kind of neutral, a bit plain. But upon further inspection, she appears to be wearing a puffy shirt and a skirt somebody's mom wore in the mid 80's. It's possible she could be serving chicken dinners in Frankenmuth, or on her way home from The Gap.

Come on "E"! That's not you!

Jose K.O.'ed

Former MLB Slugger Jose Canseco and current MLB steroids mouthpiece issued a challenge to the general public. Was anyone willing to step in the ring and fight the former Bash Brother? Enter Vai Sikahema, a former NFL Pro-Bowler and current sportscaster, took the challenge, and the two fought on July 12 at a brawl named "War at the Shore" in Atlantic City. Canseco provided no challenge for Vai, as Jose was KO'ed after just a minute and thirty seven seconds.

"What the hell is Brett Favre doing here?"

I'm guessing that's what Packers GM Ted Thompson said when hearing that Brett Favre wanted to return. What should the Green Bay Packers do about their nightmare of a Quarterback situation now that Favre wants to come back and play? They can't turn away one of the greatest QBs in history. I mean, legally they can't. He still has a 3 year, $39 million contract to play for them.

It appears the team is ready to finally begin the Aaron Rodgers era, whom they drafted in the first round back in 2005. Rodgers has this one last year left on his deal. The team has said they'd welcome Favre back, but only as Rodgers' backup. Are they really going to pay a backup QB $13 million to ride the pine?

Favre wants his outright release so he can choose his next/final stop, but the team envisions two major nightmares by doing that: 1. A PR debacle by casting off a great. 2. Long term uncertainty as Rodgers would most certainly leave Green Bay after this season.

If Favre stays...and plays....and Rodgers leaves after the season; what are the odds that Matt Millen throws millions of dollars at the yet unproven Quarterback? Of course he'd have to first sign Aveion Cason.

Pistons: Walter Sharpe makes Debut

Last night Walter Sharpe, the Pistons highest pick of this year's draft made his debut in the Pistons Vegas Summer League opener versus the Los Angeles Lakers. Sharpe finished with eight points, three steals, three rebounds and two assists.

Other Piston notables:

Rodney Stuckey 21 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists
Aaron Afflalo 15 points, 3 rebounds
Amir Johnson 12 points, 4 rebounds
Cheikh Samb 9 points, 9 rebounds

Dave Bing for Mayor

Former Detroit Piston great, now city businessman, Dave Bing is saying he'll make a decision on whether to run for mayor of Detroit by the end of the year.

However, Bing, has said he would serve only a single term if elected. LAME! Don't bother running if you are only going to serve one term upon winning the race. The city of Detroit needs a long-term guy with a long-term solution to revamp the city.

New Kid on the Block

From MLive.com and Pistons' Beat Writer A.Sherrod Blakely...


During a recent interview, Joe Dumars was discussing the Detroit Pistons' free agency goals as well as the potential look of his team next season, when, in mid-sentence, he just stopped talking.

Outside his office, 7-foot-1 center Cheikh Samb was making one long jumper after another. He had strung together at least seven in a row before Dumars gathered his thoughts and spoke of a conversation he had with Rasheed Wallace about Samb.

"We got a running joke with him (Samb) and Rasheed that when camp starts, who is the best shooter," Dumars said. "Rasheed already told me, he said 'Joe, I know I got something on my hands with Cheikh.'"

Impressive shooting range is only part of Samb's game that has blossomed at a rate the Pistons did not envision when they traded Mo Evans to the Los Angeles Lakers for the rights to Samb, a second-round pick in 2006.

Detroit anticipated keeping Samb overseas for a couple seasons, and then maybe bring him to the United States for additional seasoning in the Development League.

However, Samb's learning curve has exceeded such modest expectations, creating a very real possibility that the 23-year-old might crack the Pistons' regular rotation next season.

In addition to playing well during his time in the D-League, Samb also has impressed team officials with his work ethic this summer.

"This kid just loves, I mean loves to be in the gym," Dumars said. "You don't really find that too much with big guys. He has room to get better, obviously. But we definitely like what we see in him now."

Apparently, so did some other teams who inquired about Samb's availability.

Dumars said he has no intentions of trading away the young big man who will get an opportunity to showcase his skills beginning Friday night as Detroit's summer league team plays the Los Angeles Lakers' summer-league entry.

The competition Samb will see this summer is similar to what he faced in the D-League last season when he averaged 10.9 points, 7.1 rebounds and four blocked shots in 19 games.

But at the rate he's progressing, Samb's D-League stints may be less than they were as a rookie.

More opportunities may come his way this fall, especially being the only true center on the Pistons' roster.

Dumars said it's too soon to tell exactly what role Samb will play with the team this season.

"I know I got a 7-foot-1 kid that's coming, in a hurry," Dumars said.