Louisville blocks Mountaineers? exit with its own claim on the last ticket out of the Big East

I said it on Tuesday, and it's worth repeating: The first rule in conference realignment is, Nothing is a done deal until it's a done deal. I should have stopped there.

Because while everyone from the New York Times to the West Virginia dailies in West Virginia was literally proclaiming the Mountaineers' pending defection from the Big East to the Big 12 "a done deal" ?�local outlets even went ahead with the obligatory "Meet the new rivals" stories ?�the actual deal was about run into a big, L-shaped wall:

After being informed by Big 12 officials that it would be admitted to the conference, West Virginia now finds itself in a holding pattern.

A Big 12 conference call Tuesday night was expected to be a formality on West Virginia's road to admittance. Instead, objections were raised.

A late push by Louisville has put political pressure on the Big 12 and opened the possibility of Louisville's being the university that is admitted instead of West Virginia. Two people with direct knowledge of the situation said that lobbying by the Senate minority leader, Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky, including to David Boren, the president of the University of Oklahoma and a former senator, helped slow West Virginia's admittance to the Big 12.

Again, the locals confirmed the eleventh-hour backtracking. A source "with direct knowledge" of the negotiations told the New York Times "it's 50-50 right now between West Virginia and Louisville" to replace (presumably) SEC-bound Missouri as the tenth team at the Big 12 table, and the issue may not be settled until the next Big 12 board meeting on Monday night. If the Mountaineers remain a tentative favorite, obviously the question is a long way from being settled.

It's not one either side is likely to concede, either. If the reports of West Virginia's exit were greatly exaggerated, the reports of the Big East's impending demise as a major football conference were not: Losing Louisville would leave the league in the same position, standing by with five remaining members ?�Cincinnati, Connecticut, Rutgers, South Florida and West Virginia ?�and a continental expansion plan ?�Air Force, Boise State, Houston, Navy and SMU ? that doesn't go far enough to take its automatic bid to a BCS bowl game off the bubble, risking its demotion to the ranks of the Have-Not leagues.

In fact, if Boise and Co. aren't convinced that the new alignment secures the bid past 2013, they may decide to take their chances in the pending Mountain West/Conference USA merger, and the Big East will be forced to join or die. The lone invitation to the Big 12, with its rock-solid BCS bid, is like the letter of transit in Casablanca.

If high-ranking senators are directly involved in the lobbying process, the dollar signs in someone's office are already blinking with a vengeance. And as Rich Rodriguez ? or anyone who's read about his exit from Morgantown in the new book "Three and Out" ?�can tell you, the combination of politics and football in West Virginia is not for the feint or trusting of heart. That goes double where there's big money involved. It goes triple where they feel like they've been betrayed. I hope McConnell and the Cardinals came to play hardball, because the fight for the last ticket out of the desert is about to get ugly.

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Matt Hinton is on Facebook and Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

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West Virginia is taking the Big East to divorce court

New research suggests divorces may be less hostile than they used to be, which may be the case among married couples. But it certainly is not in conference realignment. When Texas A&M informed the Big 12 in September that it planned to move in with the SEC, the rest of the conference threatened lawsuits, narrowly avoided self-destruction and fired its commissioner.

And now that West Virginia is set on leaving the Big East for the Big 12, it's about to get really ugly:

West Virginia isn't waiting around to leave the Big East. Three days after announcing plans to join the Big 12, the school has filed a lawsuit seeking the ability to play in its new league in 2012.

According to CBSSports.com, Big East commissioner John Marinatto wrote to league presidents in an email that "we have been advised by West Virginia league council that the University is filing suit against the Big East Conference today (Monday) ? presumably to get relief from the withdrawal provision contained in our bylaws."

In its lawsuit, West Virginia cited the loss of Pittsburgh and Syracuse to the ACC and TCU to the Big 12 along with dissatisfaction with Marinatto as reasons for leaving.

You can read the entire lawsuit here, and it doesn't pull any punches: West Virginia outright accused Marinatto of mismanagement that has "resulted in the Big East football conference no longer being a viable and competitive football conference," thanks to his "lack of leadership [and] breach of fiduciary duties." It also complains about a "voting disparity between football and non-football schools."

All of which, according to the suit, is justification for a court to strike down a mandatory 27-month notification period that could keep the Mountaineers in the Big East until 2014 . In effect, they're arguing that failing to guarantee the conference's automatic bid to a BCS bowl (and the fat payday that comes with it) amounts to a breach of contract. TCU didn't violate that contract when it defected to the Big 12 earlier this month, because it had never formally joined the Big East. But Marinatto has said he plans to hold ACC-bound Pittsburgh and Syracuse for the full 27 months, and sounded determined last Friday to hold West Virginia to the same timeline. If it can't, the scramble to fill the new vacancy ? or vacancies ? in time to stage a 2012 football season will be on with just five members remaining in the fold and most of them hoping to abandon ship, too.

For its part, West Virginia sounded just as determined that it's going to be a full-fledged member of the Big 12 by next summer, at whatever the cost. (So far, the cost is $2.5 million, which WVU has already paid to cover the first half half of the $5 million exit fee.) Pitt and Syracuse will be watching, with one eye already on the ACC. Boise State and other expansion targets will be watching to gauge just what kind of league they're going to be getting themselves into ? or whether they want to get into at all if the precious BCS status appears to be at risk. If the Big East can't legally hold its members in place with millions of dollars at stake in their departures and no one yet signed on to fill the gaps,

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Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

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J.R. Smith has a personal luggage room, hates Chinese internet policy

When free agent J.R. Smith signed with Zhejiang of the China Basketball Association last month, I lamented his departure from the NBA landscape. Few players fascinate like Smith -- he frustrates fans like no other, but he's also a threat to drop seven 3-pointers in any game he plays. The upside of his move, of course, was that we'd get to read lots of interesting stories about J.R.'s successes, trials, and tribulations in a country absolutely crazy about basketball.

The first one does not disappointment. At Sheridan Hoops, columnist Guan Weijia explains what Smith has been up to in China. It is very much worth reading the whole thing, but here's a sample:

Smith's initial experience in China was not that good. The first problem was the time difference. On his first day in China, Smith woke up at 2 a.m. and found himself in such a strange environment, he didn't know what to do.

He wanted to send a Twitter update, but encountered problems because Twitter is blocked in China. At last, he found a way to tweet through his Blackberry: "Dear China, the fact that u won't let me work my Skype on my desktop or twitter is really pissing me off." Then�another one: "Not even YouTube wow this is ass!"

As the biggest name in team history, Smith also gets the best treatment. The team has hired a cook and two translators especially for him. For his relocation, Smith brought about 20 pieces of luggage, and the club arranged a room especially for those bags.

There's much more in the piece, including Smith's attempts to get his teammates involved in the offense and what he hopes to accomplish over the full season. Again, it's worth your time to read the whole thing.

The top stories, though, are in the pull-quote. I don't know how much luggage someone would need to necessitate an entire room, but presumably the total is more than a dozen bags. Which makes me wonder if Smith knows that laundry exists in China. Hopefully his two translators can help him out there.

Unfortunately, it looks as if more stories like this one will need to come from reporters and not Smith himself. It's a loss for all of us that he can't use Twitter with ease. I was really looking forward to his thoughts on the Chinese version of "Everybody Loves Raymond."

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Philly media to Flyers: Why you heff to muzzle Ilya Bryzgalov?

Philadelphia Flyers goalie Ilya Bryzgalov is the Tom Hanks of NHL locker room interviews.

He can do comedy ("Why you heff to be mad? It's just hockey.") as brilliantly as he can do drama ("I'm lost in the woods right now.") Also, he sounds like Tom Hanks in "The Terminal." Assuming you saw "The Terminal." Which you probably didn't.

As reporters say, Bryzgalov is interview gold. But since he's not exactly off to the best start in Year 1 of his 9-year deal, the goalie and Flyers decided it would be best if the media wasn't allowed inside the gold mine so frequently.

On Monday morning, Sam Carchidi of Broad Street Bull reported on a new media policy for the Bryz:

Through the team's public-relations department, Bryzgalov requested that he no longer talk to the media (and, in effect, the fans) except after games in which he plays.

The coaching staff and management supported the decision, the Flyers said. (The feeling here is they may have suggested it.)

That policy lasted a few hours until the Flyers revised it, according to Tim Panaccio of CSN Philly:

On Friday, goalie coach Jeff Reese met with the media and talked about Bryzgalov's recent play and why things had gone south on him.� Reese said more than once that he felt Bryzgalov was "distracted" by� number of things, among them, his daily interactions with the media.

Hours after the policy was stated, the Flyers revised it. Now, the team says, Bryzgalov will not talk during the day of a game or the day before a game.

So, in theory: Over the next week, the first time Bryzgalov would be available in a non-postgame situation would be Sunday, Nov. 6.

This is, frankly, a serious matter for the writers tasked with covering this hockey team. Bryzgalov is, arguably, the team's biggest newsmaker and most important player right now. So Carchidi has filed a complaint with the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

"Do the math," said PHWA Executive V.P. Mark Spector, who writes for Sportsnet. He said there's a chance that a writer who doesn't travel with the team would have access to Bryzgalov for less than 30 games a season.

"You have to make him available to the press," said Spector, who said the PHWA is looking into the matter.

This is probably a case of Flyers' brass micro-managing their investment, believing that a barrage of daily questions pointed at a sensitive soul with an .880 save percentage doesn't do a goalie good.

One assumes it'll end when (and if) Bryzgalov's struggles end, but it's still a frustrating precedent, no matter how aggressive the Philly media can get (ask Mike Richards ? he'll talk to you now).

More here from Broad Street Hockey.

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Maybe Colts fans are a little too excited about Andrew Luck

This group of four Colts fans made the trip to Nashville yesterday to see the Colts take on the Tennessee Titans. Note that I didn't say "root for the Colts," because for these gentlemen, I don't that victory is the objective. They are looking for Andrew Luck in Indy blue.

The Colts do currently lead the Andrew Luck sweepstakes with their spotless 0-8 record. Miami is a half game back at 0-7, and the Rams put themselves a game and a half back with a win yesterday to go 1-6. The Cardinals are also in the one-loss club.

Is it okay to already own an Andrew Luck jersey in the colors of your favorite team? Well, unless you've appointed yourself the czar of fashion and taste and see it as your duty to tell other people what to wear, of course it is. It may not be the smartest investment in the world -- there are those who think the Colts wouldn't even draft Luck if given the opportunity -- but as a fan, you can make whatever statement you want.

This also helps put into perspective how insanely lucky the Colts might be getting here. If it does work out that the Colts end up taking Andrew Luck at #1 overall, they'd have had the top overall pick at two points in the last 19 years, and both times, there was a surefire-franchise quarterback available.

Try explaining that to the Browns, Texans, 49ers or Raiders, who, in that same period of time, used that same first-overall pick on Tim Couch, David Carr, Alex Smith and JaMarcus Russell, respectively.

Gracias, @Nashvillefan, @ClayTravisBGID and Larry Brown Sports.

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Big 12-bound West Virginia ushers in the end of the Big East as we know it

The first rule in conference realignment is, Nothing is a done deal until it's a done deal, a lesson we've learned the hard way two years in a row. At the moment, though, everyone with the slightest interest in the subject ? up to and including the power brokers of the schools and conferences in question ?�is working on two assumptions that appear very, very certain.

The first is that Missouri is days away from announcing its formal withdrawal from the Big 12 and subsequent arrival in the SEC. Chancellor Brady Deaton has already been given the go-ahead to execute the move if and when he sees fit, and his latest message to the Big 12 is "I wish them the best and all of that." The second assumption, as reported by multiple outlets this morning, is that the Big 12 will respond immediately to Missouri's departure by extending an invitation to West Virginia:

West Virginia is headed to the Big 12, according to a person with direct knowledge of the situation, a move that leaves the Big East with five football programs and an uncertain future. The person said Tuesday that the Mountaineers had "applied and are accepted," leaving only legal entanglements from making the move official. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been formally announced.

Word from the locals is that the move is "a done deal" ? there's that term again ?�with a press conference� scheduled for tomorrow. I think it's safe to book it: The Mountaineers are headed for the Heartland.

The good news for the Big East: Having now successfully blunted the exits of Missouri and Texas A&M with the addition of West Virginia and TCU, the Big 12is� reportedly content to remain at ten members for the foreseeable future, meaning it won't be pursuing Louisville as a potential target for expansion. The bad news for the Big East: With its most consistently successful football school leaving five second-rate football programs in its wake, the Big East as we know it is finished as a major football conference.

If it remains as a free-standing football conference at all, it will be in barely recognizable form ? of the eight charter members for Big East football in 1992, only one remains: Rutgers ? and it will be without its only notable asset, an automatic bid to the Bowl Championship Series. That bid only existed in the first place because of the presence of one legitimate national power (Miami) and respectable lot of second-tier contenders (Pitt, Syracuse, Virginia Tech and West Virginia) in the mid-nineties, any of which was likely to be making a few national ripples at any given time. The bid barely survived the exit of Miami and Virginia Tech to the ACC in the last decade, and may have already been on the chopping block with Pitt and Syracuse's decision to follow the 'Canes and Hokies out last month. West Virginia's defection is like the last crew member hopping into the last lifeboat.

Of the five members left standing, three of them ?�Cincinnati, Louisville and South Florida ? are less than a decade removed from the obscurity of Conference USA, and a fourth (UConn) is barely a decade removed from its transition out of I-AA. The fifth is Rutgers.

The hope for those schools when they were "promoted" to the Big East to replace Boston College, Miami and Virginia Tech in 2004-05 was that the newcomers would rise to the level of the new surroundings as emerging, "big time" programs. For brief stretches (Louisville under Bobby Petrino, Cincinnati under Brian Kelly)�they managed to look the part. But the reality was the opposite: The addition of mid-major schools brought the Big East that much closer to a mid-major conference. Since 2004, five different head coaches have won the Big East championship at five different schools ? Walt Harris at Pitt, Rich Rodriguez at West Virginia, Petrino at Louisville, Kelly at Cincinnati and Randy Edsall at UConn ? and all five have accepted more attractive offers from outside of the league immediately after winning the title. Among those offers were gigs at Stanford and Maryland.

It was already a stepping-stone conference, a poaching ground for the actual players, and now that there's nothing left worth poaching, it's left to join the other Have-Not leagues that have never pretended they're anything but. In fact, survival may dictate that it literally join them, under the umbrella of a massive "super conference" already being forged by an unwieldy marriage of convenience between the Mountain West and Conference USA. The merger gives those two conferences ? or one conference, or whatever it is now ?�all of the leverage in the next round of musical chairs: Where the Big East appeared poised to invite up to six Mtn. and C-USA teams to fill out its dwindling ranks, there is no compelling incentive to leave a relatively stable ship for one that appears to be sinking. Suddenly, it's the Big East that has to accept the reality of the new landscape, or cease to exist.

There's still a chance (possibly a distant one, but a real one) that a colossus consisting of the Mountain West, Conference USA and the Big East could sustain an automatic BCS bid. The tentative plan, according to the Boston Globe, is a 28 or 32-team league split into four divisions, the winners of which would meet over the last two weekends of the regular season in a mini-playoff for the bid, which frankly sounds like kind of a great idea for everyone involved: It opens access to more schools without adding another slice to the pie, and thereby also increases the competitiveness ? i.e. undefeated Boise State (or Houston, or Hawaii, whomever happens to be the hot upstart du jour) gets the automatic bid out of a huge pool of teams instead of unranked UConn out of a very small one, which would also free up a coveted at-large bid that would have gone to undefeated Boise State for the traditional power conferences. That's not as good as a playoff (which the Mountain West still wants, for the record), but it is a proactive solution to a lot of problems.

That's one thing the Big East has never had: A solution. Poaching Conference USA for Conference USA-level programs bought it a little time, but it did nothing in the interim to address the larger existential crisis ? the never-ending, decades-long trend toward separating the "Haves" from the "Have Nots" ? that forced it to fill out its ranks with the Have-Nots in the first place. When the Big East escaped the guillotine last summer, its response was to invite TCU and dither over the addition of Villanova. The former hopped another ship before it ever came aboard, and nobody outside of Philadelphia and a board room in New York even pretended to care about the latter.

The time for the only, bold proactive decision the league seemed to have at its disposal ? kicking out Notre Dame in non-football sports, in hopes of grinding the realignment gears to a halt by driving the Irish into the Big Ten ?�has long passed. And Notre Dame may be on its way out, anyway.

What the Big East is left with, then, is a shell that no one has any good reason to join and its remaining members are actively attempting to flee. If it survives ?�and it still might, with the possible addition of Houston, Air Force and others ?�it will be with the scraps the rest of the adults' table has already passed over. And soon enough, it will arrive to find its chair has been taken away.

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Matt Hinton is on Facebook and Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

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Video: Andy Sutton?s elbow to Landeskog?s head; suspension worthy?

Friday night's Colorado Avalanche game was Gabriel Landeskog's hockey Bar Mitzvah, as the team announced beforehand that the rookie sensation wouldn't be shipped back to juniors. Mazel tov!

What did Edmonton Oilers defenseman Andy Sutton get him on this momentous occasion? Why, an elbow to the head in the third period, of course. Here's Sutton's hit, followed by some retribution from Landeskog's teammate Shane O'Brien:

Sutton was given two minutes for elbowing and five for fighting at 3:23. O'Brien was given two for instigating, five for fighting and a misconduct. Landeskog didn't appear injured on the play, as he skated through the third period of the Avs' 3-1 loss to the Oilers.

The Colorado announcers, obviously partisan, saw this Sutton hit as a potential violation of the NHL's Rule 48 banning principle contact with the head. Landeskog is in a vulnerable position in attempting to take the pass; if Sutton wasn't trying to hit him on the head, we're not sure where else he was targeting. This is, as they say, the kind of hit the NHL wants out of its product, with or without an injury on the play.

If there is any action taken by the Dept. of Player Safety and Sheriff Shanahan, keep in mind Sutton would be a repeat offender, having been suspended for two games in Jan 2010 after a hit on Pascal Dupuis of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Granted, we are a little hesitant to pass judgment on Andy Sutton; for although we've seen the replay, we can't claim to be an expert. Others have made the same mistake in the past:

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Where would the Rangers hold their victory parade?

Yeah, yeah. The Texas Rangers still have to win one more game before they can even think about staging the first World Series title parade in the team's history.

It's also worth noting that fans in the Metroplex have grown famously averse to premature party planning ever since Dallas released early parade plans in 2006 when the Mavericks took a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals. (The preparation turned out to be a giant jinx as the Miami Heat won four straight games to hold a parade of their own.)

Still, the topic of a Rangers parade location has been quietly whispered about in the past few days because it's a fun debate subject. Though downtown Dallas might like to get in on the fun, Arlington has been home for the Rangers since they moved to Texas in 1972. Like anything else in Texas, the city is fiercely provincial and Bud Kennedy of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram has already fired off a warning for Dallas to keep its distance should a parade be necessary.

Though Arlington does not have the traditional "downtown" parade route that Dallas can boast, the campus that holds the Rangers Ballpark, Cowboys Stadium and a Six Flags amusement park should be able to provide enough parking and roadway space to handle the celebration. It will also be the likely place to party should the Rangers manage a win in Thursday night's Game 6 or Friday's Game 7.

From the Star-Telegram:

Look for at least a homecoming party Saturday or Sunday night near Nolan Ryan Expressway. Last year, the team hosted the Texas Rangers Rally in a parking lot.

Arlington visitors bureau President Jay Burress said that's his guess.

"The entertainment district lends itself well to big crowds," he said.�"This is where it should be. This is their home."

Agreed. Though New York Rangers fans have had fun with the New Jersey Devils for having their Stanley Cup parade in the parking lot of the Meadowlands, teams should celebrate in the places where they play. Arlington has supported Rangers baseball through thick and thin, even passing a half-cent sales tax to build the beautiful ballpark the team currently calls home. Should the Rangers have the great fortune to throw the best kind of parade, I don't think there's any question where it should be held.

Arlington, all the way.

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Red Sox looking to poach John Farrell from Blue Jays?

With the Boston Red Sox expected to announce Ben Cherington as their new general manager Tuesday, the first order of business for the new man in charge will be to hire a few field manager.

Reportedly, the Red Sox may already have their man in mind. The only problem is that he already manages another team. A division rival, too.

According to the Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo, the Red Sox braintrust has wanted to hire Toronto Blue Jays manager John Farrell ever since the team and former manager Terry Francona parted ways in late September.

Farrell was the Red Sox's pitching coach on Francona's staff for four seasons, from 2007 to 2010. He reportedly would've preferred to stay in Boston and eventually become the Red Sox manager. But when it appeared that Francona wasn't going anywhere, Farrell decided to take the Blue Jays' job last season.

It would seem like a good fit. Farrell is familiar with most of the players on the roster and the remaining coaches on staff. Competing in the AL East wouldn't be new to him. The front office also likes that Farrell is on board with using advanced data and sabermetrics in his approach to the job.

Perhaps even better, Farrell wouldn't be a brand new manager. He says he learned quite a bit in his first year in the Blue Jays' dugout.

"The one thing I was never exposed to was the responsibility of 25 players," Farrell said at the end of the year when talking about his biggest challenge from 2011. "In the past, it's been 40 percent of a roster with the pitching staff.

"Managing the clubhouse, being in tune with what's going on with an individual player, whether it's mentally, physically or fundamentally -- there's a lot of time spent, a lot of maintenance in those areas, to be abreast of each guy in the clubhouse."

Do you think those quotes hold any meaning to a Red Sox front office that surely wants to whip its clubhouse into shape and make sure the fried chicken and beer escapades are a thing of the past?

But Farrell also has a contract with the Blue Jays. He's signed for two more years. Would Toronto really want to let him go, after managing the team to an 81-81 fourth-place finish in the AL East and a roster that appears to be on the rise?

Blue Jays president Paul Beeston says the Red Sox have not requested permission to interview Farrell, so they consider this a hypothetical situation. But as we've seen this offseason, these sorts of things can become reality very quickly, especially if Farrell is Boston's top choice.

Even if Toronto has managerial replacements on hand (like bench coach Don Wakamatsu) or prefers not to keep an employee who wants to leave, the team isn't likely to just let Farrell out of his contract. Especially when this would be a lateral move to a division rival and perennial contender. Getting Farrell will surely cost the Red Sox, maybe whichever prospects come from the Cubs as compensation for Theo Epstein.

That should give Cherington plenty to work on before he can even settle into his new GM chair at Fenway Park.

Follow Ian on Twitter ?�@iancass ? and engage�The Stew on Facebook

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Theo Epstein explains himself in a long goodbye to Boston

Theo Epstein is trying hard to make sure there are no hard feelings over his leaving the Boston Red Sox.

First, Epstein took out a full-page ad in Sunday's Boston Globe to thank his bosses, colleagues and Red Sox fans.

But for anyone who felt he still had some 'splainin' to do on his way out the door, Epstein accommodated those looking for answers with an editorial in the Globe on the day he's set to be named the new general manager of the Chicago Cubs.

If Epstein is to be taken at his word, one thing becomes clear in his 1,600-word goodbye to Boston: He's always been concerned about overstaying his welcome and was ready to move on.

Football legend Bill Walsh used to say that coaches and executives should seek change after 10 years with the same team. The theory is that both the individual and the organization benefit from a change after so much time together. The executive gets rebirth and the energy that comes with a new challenge; the organization gets a fresh perspective, and the chance for true change that comes with new leadership. This idea resonated with me.

What we don't know is when exactly Walsh's tenet began to ring true with Epstein. Has he always been a restless soul, with a wandering eye toward the next challenge? Was the seed planted when he first resigned from the Red Sox, after the 2005 season? Or was the team's September collapse ? and all the scapegoating that came with it ? the final dose of affirmation Epstein needed?

Epstein also indicates that the Cubs are the only job he could imagine leaving the Red Sox to take. So maybe this was some convenient timing, if not exactly perfect because he had one year remaining on his contract with Boston.

But once that contract expired, Epstein sounds like he was ready to leave. In the editorial, he mentions preparing assistant GM Ben Cherington to take over in 2012. Planning the transition was discussed with ownership, as well. This wasn't someone angling for a contract extension. This was drawing up an exit strategy.

Personally, I've always believed that once you think about leaving a job, it's time to go. I've dealt with that myself, I've seen friends and colleagues go through it. I'm sure most everyone reading this can relate.

To bring it back to sports, I'm reminded of Lloyd Carr's last year as Michigan's football coach. When it was revealed that Carr wanted to resign after the 2006 season, the struggles of 2007 (the loss to Appalachian State, a 9-4 record) made that much more sense. Carr's heart couldn't have been fully in the job if he wanted to leave.

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So with a new manager to be chosen ? and the working relationship that needs to be developed ? Epstein apparently didn't think it was right to lead the search when he had an eye on leaving. And if Cherington was already lined up as the GM successor, then why not let him take the wheel on perhaps the team's most important decision leading into the 2012 season?

Is that explanation good enough for Red Sox fans and media? We'll surely find out over the days, weeks and months to come. But it comes off as honest to me. And given the lack of tension and resentment surrounding his exit, there's no reason not to believe him.

Epstein went over plenty more in his op-ed piece, though probably glossed over the September collapse more than many will prefer. But who can blame him? Cleaning up that mess isn't his problem anymore. It's a mindset that Epstein may have carried through next season, had he stuck around.

Follow Ian on Twitter ?�@iancass ? and engage�The Stew on Facebook

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Derek Holland keeps house, mimics Washington, grows mustache

Derek Holland breathed a sigh of relief after pitching the game of his life Sunday night. Not only had he helped the Texas Rangers even the World Series with a special performance in a 4-0 victory against the St. Louis Cardinals, he reported that his family appreciated that he cleaned up his apartment for their stay in the Great Metroplex area.

Check out the "MTV Cribs"-style video jaunt over to La Casa de Holland, co-starring girlfriend Lauren and Holland's pet Boxer, named "Wrigley." (And lots of empty cups, beer bottles, Doritos bags ...):

So it's not just single sports writers who live that way! But wait. There's so much more. After the game, Holland sat down for a funny traditional interview with the MLB Network.

Actually, most of Holland's interviews are funny, because that's just how he is. (And he might just be driving the Rangers' limo to a championship.) On MLBN, hosts Brian Kenney and Harold Reynolds pointed the conversation toward Holland's interaction with manager Ron Washington as the Texas skipper came to remove him from Game 4 in the ninth inning. Holland's amusing impression of Washington is done with genuine affection:

"As soon as he came out, I gave him that stare and was, like: 'Don't you dare take me out of this game...'

"And he came out, and got out there and was, like, 'All right, son. Now, listen here: you ain't gonna go in that game no more. You gotta get out. You listen to that crowd right now, son ?�they're gonna give you the ovation you need.'

"I was, like, 'Wash, Wash, c'mon now, lemme go the distance!'

"He's like, 'Oh, no, son. You've done [enough]. Now you gettin' out of the game, now.' And he gave me that nice little Wash laugh with the mouth wide open ?�'Ha-ha!' ? you know?"

[Big BLS h/t: @CJZero for the video.]

As 'Duk pointed out, Holland also sounds a lot like Billy Bob from the Rock-a-Fire Explosion band of Showbiz Pizza fame. That's a place Holland probably would like. And Washington was right about the ovation at Rangers Ballpark for Holland. He appreciated it:

"Good Lord, that was amazing. The fans, they're unbelievable, and the way they just roared, I mean ... I don't have much arm hair to begin with but, man, it was sticking up for sure. I had that tingly feeling in my body. It felt amazing."

Speaking of hair, Kenney and Reynolds also delved into that thing on Holland's lip he refers to as a mustache. Guess how long it's taken him to grow it:

"Now, now. This mustache has got some hairs in here. We are approaching ? man ?� four months.

"It's the first time I've ever had anything like that; to do something, and the crowd gets into it. I mean, I had little kids wearing fake mustaches, I got women wearing mustaches. It's unbelievable. It's something cool.

"The only thing I'm jealous of is, their mustaches are better than mine."

Here's proof.

And what did the family say about Holland's housekeeping?

"I got the approval from them today. It was definitely clean, nothing laying around for them. The best part: My brother said the blow-up mattress was very comfortable. So we're good."

Follow Dave on Twitter ? @AnswerDave ? and engage the Stew on Facebook throughout the playoffs

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Sparano?s house is up for sale, though not for the reason you think

Miami Dolphins coach Tony Sparano put his home up for sale two days after his team blew a 15-point lead to Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos to drop to 0-6, leading to speculation that the end of Sparano's tenure in South Beach might be near. The coach insists the timing is coincidental and that he and his wife, who are empty-nesters, simply want to move closer to the beach.

The five-bedroom, 5,659-square-foot house has gone on and off the market a number of times this year, reports Ben Volin�of The Sporting News:

According to a listing on Zillow.com, Sparano originally listed his house for sale on Jan. 13, five days after Ross awarded him with a contract extension through 2013 that would pay him a total of $6 million. He removed the listing in March, re-listed it two weeks later, and removed it from the market again on Sept. 10, two days before the Dolphins opened the regular season against the Patriots.

Sparano originally listed the price at $1.75 million, and put it back on the market Tuesday at a price of $1.499 million. He paid $1.7 million for the house in April 2008.

Even if the timing is pure coincidence and has nothing to do with rumors that Sparano could be gone as soon as next week, the coach shouldn't bristle if asked about it. A guy who's on the verge of getting fired on Sunday shouldn't choose Wednesday to clean his office and bring stuff to his car in a cardboard box. We have to keep up appearances here, Tony.

If Sparano says he wants to move, let's take him at his word. And if he's looking for someone to overpay for that house, he should find Hue Jackson's number. That dude loves buying at more than the list price.

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CBA Negotiations Broke Down Friday Afternoon. Reactions Have Been Less Than Positive.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWaLxFIVX1s I’m not prepared to say things have completely “blown up” in CBA negotiations, but indications seem to show that a barrier exists between the two sides. Though details on when the sides will reconvene are currently unknown, talks have stopped�during a day many thought might be one of the last before the finalization of [...]

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NBA allows arenas to reschedule games to accommodate Kanye and Jay-Z

Reason 14,982 why the NBA has not negotiated in good faith with its players? They've set to attempting to "negotiate" with the players union with a mediator present over the last week, knowing full well that they've already given two NBA arenas the go-ahead to reschedule suddenly open dates on former NBA game nights to give to concerts and other events.

Yes, Virginia. The NBA owners never had any interest in playing any games before Christmas. Ever, ever, ever.

(OK, maybe they do have some interest. It's been a rough week.)

This is from Kevin Ding at the Orange County Register, via Matt Moore at EOB:

But let it be known that the league already has taken another game off the schedule. The Lakers' still-scheduled Dec. 13 home game against the Toronto Raptors will not happen under any circumstances then and there.

That's because the NBA has already allowed Staples Center to vacate its commitment to the Lakers that day and schedule an extra date of the Jay-Z and Kanye West concert tour.

According to a statement from the NBA: "With the cancellation of the first two weeks of the season, the NBA schedule would have to be reworked and certain dates ? including Dec. 13 for a Lakers game at Staples Center ? would not be part of any revised schedule."

Actually, it's two additional NBA games already on the move, because the league did the same thing to accommodate another Jay-Z and Kanye show at Chicago's United Center on Nov. 30, when the Bulls are currently scheduled to play the San Antonio Spurs.

Ding points out that the "go ahead and schedule stuff" edict from the NBA wouldn't really make much of a difference to arenas this late in the game, because any facility holding 20,000-plus seats would have any show or act that could fill those seats booked months and months (and not just two months) in advance.

Both Kevin and Matt concede that it is possible that those games, those specific games, were taken off the schedule to accommodate the possibility of a hurried-up schedule that would be the result of an agreement that could save the final two weeks of November's schedule, or a season that started sometime in the first two weeks of�December.

I concede that, yes, this is probably the best and the most likely take on things. And they're doing their job in pointing this out to you, and I'm doing my job in pointing their points to you within this forum.

The cynic in me is doing his job by pointing out that the NBA wants a 50/50 Basketball Related Income split with massive penalties for luxury taxed teams and massive rollbacks on the way teams out-spend the salary cap to sign their own players (you know, for continuity and fan bases and team chemistry and all in a sport with just five to a side), and they never really wanted a compromise. They wanted to destroy the union on its way toward getting what it wanted, while throwing a bone to the major market teams that would stand to lose untold millions by way of a canceled half or full season.

So, let's compromise. Best case scenario for the start of a new season? Dec. 15? Just in time for Los Angeles to enjoy Kanye and Jay-Z, and make me look like a fool for suggesting a Dec. 25 start.

Other popular stories on Yahoo! Sports:
? Iverson putting together tournament in Las Vegas
? Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s fame soars at Talledega
? Rodriguez slips by Rosinsky to remain unbeaten

After all, why let anyone else who works within or without the NBA look like a fool? Don't we have enough of those already?

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Puck Headlines: Kane denies trade request; hazing; Fake Zetterberg

Here are your Puck Headlines: a glorious collection of news and views collected from the greatest blogosphere in sports and the few, the proud, the mainstream hockey media.

? Is there something wrong with your screen settings? Does Jay Beagle actually bleed purple? No, silly, it's the Pittsburgh Penguins' special purple practice jerseys which will be auctioned off as part of Hockey Fights Cancer. [Penguins]

? It's official the 2012 NHL Draft will be in Pittsburgh which is, incidentally, a short drive from Columbus. [Penguins]

? Jersey Fouls on Friday, Friday, Jersey Fouls on Friday.

? Does James Reimer have a concussion? One Toronto Maple Leafs player says yes; everyone associated with the team that wears a suit is trying to downplay it. Sigh ... Brian Gionta ? the Matt Cooke of Lilliput! [NatPost]

? If you've not read this story about hazing in Manitoba ? water bottle carriers tied to scrotums and such ? it's a disturbing one. [Y! Sports]

? Say, would you like to end the practices of hazing? Call the cops. [Buzzing]

? Kyle Turris's agent joined NHL XM Home Ice to declare it's not about money, and "I think if you saw the way how the season played out last year, it doesn't take a rockets scientist to see it's not a fit." He also dabbles in a conspiracy theory about the NHL owning the Coyotes and therefore it's the League imprisoning his client. �[XM Radio]

? Evander Kane wanted to make it clear the he hasn't asked for a trade from the Winnipeg Jets: "I haven't asked for a trade, I'm happy where I am and I expect to be here for a long time. ? I guess people in social media come out with stories and spread rumours. I stay away from that kind of stuff." [QMI]

? Brayden Schenn is out with a broken foot. Well, good thing no one went out and picked him up for their fantasy ? crap. [CSN Philly]

? Max Pacioretty faces the Boston Bruins for the first time this week since the Chara affair. Said Coach Claude Julien: "I can tell you honestly the one thing we're happy about and that would be for anybody else is that he's healthy. As a player in the league, you don't want to see somebody in the league end his career on an unfortunate accident but what you want to see is a player come back and be healthy. As far as that's concerned, he's healthy, we've turned the page and now it's time to move on." [ESPN Boston]

? Welcome back Adam McQuaid from his neck injury. [Bruins Blog]

? Why Alex Ovechkin is now the second best left wing in the NHL. [Cubeta]

? We may revisit this later, but Gary Bettman has teased a Minnesota Winter Classic, with this caveat: "An important element of doing the Winter Classic is obviously the national TV ratings, so we have to be comfortable that whatever matchup we're going to do will do a good number." So get ready for "HBO 24/7 Penguins/Flyers: Road To The Winter Classic at Target Field." [Russo]

? Congrats to Erik Gudbranson for sticking with the Florida Panthers. [On Frozen Pond]

? Wild Puck Banter has traced the source of the Minnesota Wild's problems in the postseason, and she's blonde. [WPB]

? Michael Farber on Ilya Bryzgalov: "Like wide receivers in Chicago, Philadelphia just hasn't been able to get this goaltending thing right, at least not since the early days of combative Ron Hextall in the late 1980s." [SI]

? Barry Melrose can stop handing out his Mullets of the Week now. He's given one to Jaromir Jagr. The universe has been set back in order.

? Chicago Blackhawks goalie Ray Emery gave his mask artist a "no boxers" mandate, which obviously didn't cover Chief Jay Strongbow. [In Goal, via Justin S.]

? What is the New York Rangers FanCam? "What is the FanCam? This high definition image will capture Madison Square Garden in its entirety, and fans will be able to "step inside" the 360 degree gigapixel image and look around during this frozen moment of time. The resolution of 20 billion pixels is so high that fans will be able to zoom in to find themselves or their friends, "tag" themselves in the photo, and share via email, Facebook, and Twitter. Fans can even cruise around Madison Square Garden to see who else was present at the game." [Rangers]

? "Islanders' 1993 Division Playoff Banner Lives in a Fan's Attic." In an odd twist of fate, Rich Pilon is living up there, too. [Botta]

? Watch Nathan Horton of the Boston Bruins sprays his dirty water all over New England. [Eye on Hockey]

? Where Ryan Carter and Steve Bernier fit in the New Jersey Devils organization. [Devils Advocate]

? More debate about visors from Blades of Teal: "So how could the NHL and NHLPA take a hard stance and get everyone on board with using a visor? The answer seems simple enough for me: hit players in the wallet. That usually gets them to listen." [BoT]

? Stephane Da Costa gets his moment to shine for the Ottawa Senators, skating with Daniel Alfredsson. [Sens]

? Still no Drew Doughty for the Los Angeles Kings, but Johnny Quick's between the pipes. [LA Kings Insider]

? Say, maybe using the bankruptcy courts to hasten the sale of NHL teams is just not worth the trouble. [Globe & Mail]

? Losses and gains for the Dallas Stars in the offseason that produced the winning hockey team we see today. [Pegasus News]

? Do the Dallas Stars play boring hockey, and if so zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzdroolzzzzzzzzzzz [Defending Big D]

? A brief conversation between a panda and a Hello Kitty type about the Columbus Blue Jackets. [Dark Blue Jacket]

? Finally, the first webisode of Fake Henrik Zetterberg is here. There's a lot of setup in this one, but the idea of the Detroit Red Wings star in "Office Space" is intriguing.

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Rivers falls apart late in Chargers? frustrating loss to Jets

According to the always excellent Scott Hanson of the NFL Network, a full third of the league's games this season have seen fourth-quarter comebacks. The New York Jets added to that total with their 27-21 win over the San Diego Chargers at MetLife Stadium, but they had a lot of help ? specifically, help from Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers.

After San Diego got off to a 21-10 lead late in the second quarter, everything just fell apart in the second half. The Chargers didn't score in any of their last six drives, and those drives ended a little something like this: Punt, punt, punt, interception, interception, downs. And as frustrating as Rivers' two picks were (and just one of them was really his fault), it was the curious decision to throw out of bounds on fourth-and-3 from the San Diego 49-yard line with 11 seconds left in the game.

Erm, again: The decision to throw out of bounds on fourth-and-3 from the San Diego 49-yard line with 11 seconds left in the game. Yeah, that turned the ball back to the Jets, who kneeled down once and ended the game. Down six, one of the game's best quarterbacks wasted his last shot at a comeback.

On this week's edition of our game preview podcast with Greg Cosell of NFL Films and ESPN's "NFL Matchup," I asked Greg what he thought might be wrong with Rivers, because he's looked off much of the year. In this game, he completed just 16 of his 32 passes for just 179 yards, one touchdown, and the two picks.

"I don't think Rivers has been as sharp throwing the football," Greg said. "I think he's missed some throws that he usually makes. The thing that's always impressed me about Rivers is the way he stands in the pocket ? there can be four, five, six people around him, and he's oblivious to them. He just has a remarkable ability to throw the ball with bodies around him without seeming to be aware that they're there. But I would say that overall, he's not been as sharp or as consistently accurate as we've seen in the past."

The tape certainly didn't lie against the Jets, and that's a problem if the now 4-2 Chargers want to do any damage in the postseason beyond winning an AFC West that looks ripe for the picking. Without Rivers playing at his best, the Chargers are effectively sunk.

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Great Seeing You Again

When Matt Barnes announced his plans to set up a Golden State Warriors charity game featuring the ?We Believe? 2006-07 team against the current roster, there was a reason for the entire basketball community to be excited. Of course, that team is beloved in California?s Bay Area, but the same held true for the rest [...]

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Puck Daddy chats with Pavel Datsyuk about Red Wings, realignment, working at Tim Horton?s and Halloween

Pavel Datsyuk and the Detroit Red Wings were undefeated before facing the Washington Capitals in a Saturday night showdown. The Capitals routed the Red Wings, 7-1.

Was this the first "real" challenge for Detroit this season?

"I wouldn't say that. Every opponent is a serious one. Don't underestimate other teams!" said Datsyuk. "I don't agree with you here. Yes, some teams didn't start well, but our wins don't come easy. But you can consider the Capitals to be one of the favorites. They have a good, balanced, young team with a good goaltender."

Myself and Dmitry Malinovski, Sovetsky Sport's correspondent in Detroit, spoke with Datsyuk after the Red Wings' win over Columbus and their loss in Washington. This is a combination of those two discussions. As usual, Pavel discussed a variety of topics, including realignment, his wax statue and Halloween. Enjoy.

Q. When you played Washington you were the only two undefeated teams in the NHL. It must have been a test for you still?

DATSYUK: "Yes, of course it was a test for our team to play against a good, fast team. Unfortunately, we failed that test. But on the other side, it showed what we have to work on, it told us what kind of conclusions we have to draw. There is plenty of time. I wouldn't say that they beat us as convincingly as the score may suggest, but they capitalized on the opportunities they were given at the right time, especially on the power play. It was actually very entertaining for fans. But for us, there is plenty we have to work on. The more work there is ahead of us, the more my eyes sparkle!"

Niklas Lidstrom played his 1,500th career NHL game and you couldn't give him a present ? a win, or at least help him score a goal.

"Of course, there is some bitter taste after games like this. We didn't play bad, but the scoreboard shows the score. And it's not just about special milestones, when you lose like that the effect stays. Nik was a bit upset. But we have to congratulate him on the achievement. It is a very big milestone. All I can do is remove my hockey helmet for him. He is such a great player and a great person. You can always rely on him and take him with you on spying missions."

But did you give Lidstrom a present for him 1,500th career NHL game?

"Yes, the score: 7-1. I am sure he will keep the score sheet."

Do the Red Wings feel the competition for fans now that the Lions are doing pretty well in the NFL?

"There is no competition. The situation in Detroit is very difficult due to the economic crisis. And I think all of the Detroit teams playing ? the Red Wings, the Lions, the Tigers ? we are all trying to cheer Detroit fans up, make them a little bit happier in these tough times. And sincere thanks to all the fans who come to our games, who find the time for us."

Your schedule in the beginning of the season was very light: You played five games in the first two weeks of the season.

"I think it's fine. It's not for nothing everyone keeps saying that we are an old team. We were just spared, we were given more time to rest. I wish it was like that all season."

Wouldn't you rather have these days off at the end of the season, or is it better to enter the playoffs at full speed?

"It is difficult to say. We take what we are given. It would be worse if we weren't given any days off at all, or in the middle of the season."

Tomas Holmstrom is no longer on your line. Do you miss him?� No one steals your goals.

"I am always for him playing on our line. But we are soldiers and we are ready to play in any combination. Of course, we have been playing with Homer for a very long time, we are used to each other. We already miss each other. At least we play together on power plays, at least that's good."

Tell us more about your job at Tim Horton's the other day.

"Well, next year maybe we will have a lockout. So, maybe I will have to work part time somewhere. I am trying to find myself, trying to find the best fit, the best profession for the lockout. It was important to get some experience. Some guys were finding themselves at tire places, and I always wanted to learn the back end of how coffee is prepared and served. I wouldn't say I made any coffee, but it was interesting to see how it's done. But seriously, it is a very tough job."

Halloween is just around the corner. Any plans to trick or treat with the team?� Have you picked your costume yet?

"Actually, I don't have a costume yet. I am still shopping for one. We are definitely going to have something with the team, but I am not sure of the plans yet. I have one costume in mind ? one of Jason from Friday the 13th."

Also not long ago you visited a local police training facility. Did you get to shoot an AK?

"No, they didn't have it. They only have some M-guns, handguns. It was interesting. We were told about their job. It is a very dangerous job. But I am not a really good shooter. I am more of a fisherman, not a hunter. I love fishing."

The discussions about the Red Wings switching conferences are continuing.

"On one hand, of course it would be great because we would reduce the number of miles we fly considerably. It would be interesting to try ourselves in a different conference. But until the chickens are hatched we can't really count them. So, people can discuss whatever they want. But nothing is certain at this point. I just hope we won't be realigned to the KHL."

Alex Ovechkin was presented with his own wax figure on Monday at Madame Tussaud's in Washington DC. Where would it be possible to see a statue of Pavel Datsyuk?

"I don't think you will see it anywhere. And if you do, it will probably be made of paper. Cardboard paper. I am a cardboard player."

The Red Wings will give away a few Fathead posters in the near future. They already have one such giveaway of small Jimmy Howard posters. Maybe there will be a paper full size Pavel Datsyuk.

"This is really interesting! I would actually like them to add me some height so I would appear more powerful. And I would also like to get me one of these. But it is really cool that our team cares about our fans and gives away presents like that."

The Red Wings, until the last couple of years, weren't known for doing a lot of community events.

"This is not the case. We always helped our community and held various events. Maybe it wasn't done so publically, maybe there weren't so many, but we always helped. Maybe it's just we weren't followed around by cameras. But as I mentioned, this is such a difficult time right now. And I am happy that we are more involved, we are happy to participate. We want to support the people, we want to surprise them.

"For example, we heard so many kind words that we made people's day when we were all over the city serving them. It was so great to see happy faces when I was serving people coffee."

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