Video update: New Mexico safety politely defies crew’s request to pull up his pants

Last week, I recounted the bizarre travel drama of Deshon Marman, the New Mexico safety who was hauled off a plane the day after his best friend's funeral for refusing to pull up his pants resting somewhere "below his buttocks but above the knees" and subsequently arrested for resisting authorities. At the time, I noted that it was quite possibly "the dumbest incident ever recorded on this site." As it turned out, Marman's arrest was also the most-read incident ever recorded on this site, by quite a wide margin. Obviously, the evolving eccentricities of urban fashion remains a permanent cultural flash point, even those that aren't nearly as fashionable as they used to be.

So, as a kind of response to the 60-plus emails on the subject I haven't quite had the stomach to open, here's Marman defending himself ? and offering an apology to fellow passengers ? over the weekend on Albuquerque television:

And just to check his work, here's a bit of passenger video of Marman refusing to leave his seat when asked by the crew, an encounter which began contentiously enough to compel a random flier to pop out his camera phone, but hardly escalated into anything resembling an in-cabin riot:

Admittedly, as a piece of "evidence," not much happens there, and certainly nothing that will convince anyone to see anything they weren't already inclined to see when they hit "play." Marman's attorney told the San Francisco Chronicle that "nothing was visible" when his client was seated and "the issue should have been over" after he was allowed to board the plane. (The passenger who shot the video more or less agreed: "When I first saw him coming down the aisle, I was like, 'Come on man, really?' But after he sat down, you couldn't see anything.") What you don't see on the passenger-shot video, according to a US Airlines spokesman who spoke to the Associated Press, is Marman's "repeated refusal earlier to follow a boarding agent's advice and pull up his pants," or the alleged resistance when he was forcibly removed from the plane that led to additional charges for battery and resisting arrest. "He's refusing to get off," the spokesman said. "The captain's thinking, 'What if he refuses something else in the air?'"

Marman didn't get the chance, because he was tossed in the San Mateo County Jail instead. He was released on $11,000 bond a day later. Prosecutors have until July 18 to decide whether to press charges in this gripping criminal drama.

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Hat tip: Larry Brown Sports.
Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

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Ilya Bryzgalov, Flyers agree to 9-year, $51 million deal

On Thursday afternoon in Philadelphia, it was business as usual for Flyers fans. They were awaiting whether or not GM Paul Holmgren would finally get Ilya Bryzgalov's signature on a deal to finally solidify their goaltending, and were eager to see how Friday night's NHL entry draft would play out.

In the span of about two hours -- to paraphrase the great Bob Cole from CBC's "Hockey Night in Canada" -- everything was happening.

Out goes Jeff Carter. Out goes Mike Richards; and in comes Bryzgalov, officially.

After the Flyers acquired his rights on June 7, negotiations finally came to an end as Bryzgalov signed a nine-year, $51 million contract running through 2020.

Per TSN's Bob McKenzie, Bryzgalov will make $10 million next season and things decline from there with the final two years of the deal at $2.25 million and $1.25 million.

Here's GM Paul Holmgren on the Bryzgalov's contract:

According to CapGeek, after Thursday's roster makeover, the Flyers have $7.57 million in cap space (after Thursday's official announcement of the ceiling and floor numbers) to spend with 18 players currently under contract and new deals needed for RFAs Wayne Simmonds and Jakub Voracek.

Are more moves on the horizon for Holmgren? And will they get in on the Brad Richards Sweepstakes?

Dallas Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk said Thursday that Richards would not move his no-movement clause before July 1, thereby killing any potential of a team getting a head start on negotiations.

In the meantime, the Flyers have their man in net and the goaltending excuses can be no more. Bryzgalov's a quality goalie, but if he couldn't deliver in the playoffs playing in Phoenix, will he be able to handle the scrutiny that comes with playing in a city like Philadelphia? The�expectations are already in place.

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The 10-man rotation, starring Monta Ellis’ terrible defense

A look around the league and the web that covers it. It's also important to note that the rotation order and starting nods aren't always listed in order of importance. That's for you, dear reader, to figure out.

C: The Point Forward. Zach Lowe goes all out in breaking down Monta Ellis' defensive woes.
PF: Grantland. Sometimes-expertly, but entertainingly, detailing team needs for Thursday's draft.
SF: Chicago Tribune. K.C. Johnson's mailbag.
SG: The Basketball Jones. Of course the Timberwolves are set to draft a guy you've never heard of.
PG: Associated Press. Of course Rich Cho wants nothing to do with Charlotte's roster.
6th: The Two Man Game. Dallas' rosy future.
7th: There's a Stat For That. Detailing the deepest drafts ever.
8th: SI.com. Seth Davis and a noted scout pour over tonight's draft prospects.
9th: ESPN. TrueHoop bloggers bash around some draft questions.
10th: The Point Forward. Why the Spurs should deal Tony Parker.

Got a link or tip for Ball Don't Lie? Holler at me at KD_BDL_ED (at) yahoo.com, or follow me on Twitter.

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Tim Duncan is not opting out, won’t get extension

With the possible exception of Kobe Bryant, no active NBA player is identified with one franchise more than Tim Duncan with the San Antonio Spurs. Over his 14-season career, he has helped define the team's on-court style, their general demeanor, and the franchise's air of professionalism. You can debate whether or not the '00s Spurs were a dynasty, but there's no question that Duncan has had a huge effect on the direction of the league since he arrived in San Antonio.

As such, it's hard to imagine him in any other uniform. But there's a chance he'll leave town after next season. From Jeff McDonald for Spurs Nation (via PBT):

Tim Duncan is not expected to opt out of the final year of his contract, and the Spurs don't plan to offer him an extension before the collective bargaining agreement expires Thursday, according to a source familiar with talks between the team and the franchise icon.

As such, Duncan will play out the final year of his existing deal, during which he is scheduled to earn $21.2 million, and remains on track to become a free agent after the 2011-12 campaign.

Duncan also faces a Thursday deadline to exercise an early-termination option. His apparent decision not to do so is not surprising in light of the league's unsure labor climate. [...]

Should Duncan choose to continue playing after next season, the Spurs would prefer to re-sign him under the new set of salary rules, which are generally expected to be more favorable to small-market clubs.

Duncan's decision is not controversial in the least -- he stands to make a lot of money in 2011-12 and the Spurs would prefer to pay him that salary while getting a larger discount on the next deal. It was expected, and it's not a sign that Duncan will walk next summer.

Still, it's a possibility that has to be considered. Duncan has a reputation as a selfless team player, but he may want star money even though he's 35 years old and takes on a less important role in the San Antonio game plan with every passing season. The Spurs have always shown themselves to be practical, and it's possible that they'll balk at having to pay him a lot of money. Given the circumstances, it's possible to imagine a circumstance in which both sides can't reach a workable number and Duncan switches teams.

Stars often finish their careers on random teams looking like shells of their former selves. Hopefully the same doesn't happen to Duncan. He defines the Spurs so well that it's hard to imagine him in any other colors.

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The life and loss of Len Bias, 25 years later

Twenty-five years ago, the Boston Celtics lucked into the second overall pick in the NBA Draft, even after coming off a championship season with a team that many consider to be the greatest of all time. They used the pick to select Maryland's Len Bias, who died two nights after the draft following a cocaine overdose. It's been 25 years, and his story won't ever stop being as sad as it was the night of his death.

Boston's front office took advantage of a desperate Seattle SuperSonics club that overrated fringe Boston starting guard Gerald Henderson, dealing the off guard to Seattle for a lottery pick that ended up ranking second just behind Philadelphia's top overall pick. Philly was no slouch itself, three years removed from a championship, and it lucked into the top pick in the draft as a result of a seven-year old trade that dealt Joe "Jellybean" Bryant (Kobe's father) to the Los Angeles Clippers. And this is all just four years removed from the Los Angeles Lakers trading their way into taking James Worthy first overall, coming off of their own championship. In 1986, the rich were getting richer.

The rich, in 1986, were also using their riches on copious amounts of recreational drugs, and the NBA and its newest draftees were not immune. Bias could have been the link to several more Boston championships, or (far less likely) he may just have been a another nice player on Boston's roster. Whatever the NBA outcome, the loss of the young man was unnecessary, and 25 years later it's still a heartbreaking tale to reflect back upon.

But moving through the heartbreak, WEEI's Kirk Minihane has put together a must-read oral history detailing the lead-up to the Bias draft, and the fallout that came after Len's needless death. There's too much great stuff here to slough off with one pull quote, but I should offer one surprising anecdote from the era, one that saw the team with the top pick pass on even working out one of the top prospects available, in a draft that had a clear but not obvious first overall selection in Brad Daughrety.

From the piece:

But the Sixers never brought in Bias for a pre-draft workout, a scenario that would seem impossible today. In fact, Daugherty -- a player they were admittedly cool on -- was the only player who worked out for the Sixers.

Why?

Pat Williams

Jack McMahon was our longtime scout. I said to him, 'What about Bias? Should we bring him in?' He said no. He said he wouldn't draft him. I said, 'Really, we won't consider him?' He said no. I said, 'Jack, tell me why.' He said, 'There's something about him that bothers me.' That was all he would say.

Jan Volk

That surprises me. I'm surprised that they didn't look further. If they were not interested in Bias, it's kind of an interesting position given that Bias was a very intriguing player. I wonder if they knew more than they were saying.

Pat Williams

For us, it was the wrong year to win the lottery. It was just a different field and we could not get comfortable. And we leaned so heavily on Jack, he was our eyes and ears. He just didn't like Bias and none of us were enamored with Daugherty.

There's a lot of that in this piece. Wayne Embry, then working as a consultant for the Indiana Pacers, also pointed out that Indiana didn't even consider trading up for nor drafting Bias had he fallen to them at the fourth spot in the draft. Bias wasn't regarded as a head-case, or someone dealing with noted drug issues. He even passed what was an illegal drug test with the Celtics prior to the draft. But there were whispers, and rumors.

And, in the days following the draft, the passing of a potentially great player and person that resonates to this day.

Put down the mock drafts, on this Thursday, and take in Minihane's documentation. You'll be glad, if also sad, that you did.

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If Hulsizer’s out, what are Phoenix Coyotes’ ownership options?

The longer the process in Glendale played out, the less patient prospective Phoenix Coyotes buyer Matthew Hulsizer seemed to become, saying "the clock is striking midnight" as late as last week.

You hear that clanging? That's the clock striking midnight, according to Scott Burnside:

The most promising potential buyer of the beleaguered Phoenix Coyotes to come along since the team was thrown into bankruptcy two years ago has walked away from the process, a source told ESPN.com on Monday afternoon.

Chicago businessman Matthew Hulsizer, who had hoped to have a deal in place to purchase the team from the NHL last spring, had set aside over $100 million for the purchase of the team but ongoing issues over a new arena lease agreement with the City of Glendale have led to Hulsizer withdrawing from the deal.

Burnside reports that after that lease proposal was approved by the Glendale City Council ? ostensibly clearing the way for Hulsizer to purchase the team ? Hulsizer produced "an alternative proposal that would have given the city more flexibility in managing the lease deal." After that proposal stalled, sources said Hulsizer bailed.

More from Phoenix Business Journal:

Hulsizer is still interested in buying another National Hockey League franchise but is not longer trying to buy the Coyotes, according an official familiar with the situation.

The official, who asked not to be identified, said the Hulsizer ownership group did not want to go through another several-month process of Glendale trying to sell the Coyotes to their group or other potential owners.

Sources familiar with the deal said late last week that Glendale was talking to Hulsizer and two other potential owners: Chicago Bulls and White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf and another unnamed group.

Reinsdorf's been in the Coyotes' picture for over two years, popping in and out of the scene when the NHL seemingly needed a well-funded alternative when things fell apart with the franchise sale. And here he is again!

The city approved funds to keep the team on Glendale for the 2011-12 season, but Hulsizer was seen as the best option for keeping it there for years to come. The local political pressure, the Glendale's flaccid approach to getting this deal done, proved too much for him; will it prevent another buyer from keeping the Coyotes local?

The NHL is reportedly working with the city to find more favorable lease terms, according to the Business Journal:

A new proposal could involve lower city bond levels to help avoid a legal challenge by the the Goldwater Institute, as well as changes to the NHL's assumed $170 million asking price and how much cash a potential owner is putting toward the sale.

Oh boy … so what does this news affect more: Next year's season-ticket sales for the Coyotes, such as they are, or the 2012 realignment plan?

UPDATE: Official statement from the Coyotes - "The City of Glendale and the National Hockey League continue to negotiate with other interested parties to secure new ownership for the Phoenix Coyotes. The objective continues to be to transition ownership of the Club to an interested purchaser in the coming months."

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Headlinin’: Brace yourself for Urban Meyer, color commentator

Making the morning rounds.

? Eh, family is overrated. Urban Meyer, continuing the pursuit of quality family time that led to his resignation at Florida, will forsake his expected role as an in-studio talking head this fall to pontificate from a broadcast booth instead, as a color man for noon kickoffs on ESPN. Meyer will join veteran boothmates Dave Pasch and Chris Spielman for early kicks in (mostly) Big Ten country, likely beginning with ?�drum roll, please ?�Akron at Ohio State on Sept. 3. I can't imagine what there could possibly be for Spielman and the Buckeyes' next head coach his new colleague to talk about there.

Meyer will also be appearing live from game sites on College GameDay and do some taped features for the show. According to an ESPN producer: "He wanted to do everything." Well, I'm sure he'll be home soon, girls. [USA Today]

? Just a few bad apples, part one. Ohio State trustees plan to launch a six-week review of the entire Buckeye athletic program in the wake of the scandals that have rocked the football team, though they also noted there is no reason to expect to find serious issues elsewhere. "The process and decision-making to date by the university has in our judgment been fundamentally sound," said Robert Schottenstein, chairman of the audit committee, in the board's first public statement since coach Jim Tressel was first implicated and eventually forced out for major violations of NCAA rules. "For the most part, we believe our compliance protocols in athletics are good." Depending on what they find, though, the trustees may be open to the idea moving oversight of athletic compliance out of the athletic department to ensure better accountability. [Associated Press, Columbus Dispatch]

? Just a few bad apples, part two. Meanwhile, North Carolina is likely to respond to the epic notice of allegations the NCAA dropped on its doorstep earlier this week by arguing that the university's good intentions were undermined by "rogue" employees who intentionally eluded even the most diligent oversight. If so, we're talking about a lot of rogues: Within the program, seven players were accused of accepting illegal benefits, a tutor was accused of committing academic fraud on multiple players' behalf and an assistant coach was charged with acting as a runner for an NFL agent.

"My position would be, knowing North Carolina's reputation, that we did have comprehensive programs in place and we did monitor all the ways we could monitor,'' said Michael Buckner, a Florida attorney who advises organizations on NCAA compliance and investigations, in an interview with the Fayetteville (NC) Observer. "The reason these violations occurred is we had individuals who intentionally avoided scrutiny and accomplished these violations in such a way there were no red flags. That's how I would argue it if I were North Carolina's attorneys.'' [Fayetteville Observer]

? Who wants to play for a BCS championship frontrunner, anyway? Alabama defensive tackle Darrington Sentimore, a former four-star recruit ranked among the nation's top incoming D-linemen in 2009, is reportedly "exploring transfer options" related to the latest of a series of vague disciplinary issues. If he does leave, Sentimore will be the sixth Crimson Tide reserve to transfer out of Tuscaloosa since the end of last season, following defensive lineman Brandon Moore, linebacker Petey Smith, running backs Demetrius Goode and Corey Grant and cornerback B.J. Scott. Safety Robby Green, who was academically ineligible for the entire 2010 season, is also likely to leave the team.

This is the point at which Oversigning.com would like to remind readers that Alabama's 23-man signing class in February put the Tide at least 10 players over the NCAA's 85-scholarship limit for the entire roster, and invites them to do the math. [Tide Sports, Oversigning.com]

? Happy trails. In other comings and goings, Michigan State wide receiver Donald Spencer ? one of a dozen players suspended for the 2009 Alamo Bowl for allegedly launching an assault on a frat house ? is transferring to Indiana State after two years on the Spartan bench. Spencer is the third MSU player to leave the team in the last month, following fellow receiver/frat-house brawler Fred Smith and incoming freshman Onaje Miller. [Detroit Free Press]

? The Rap Sheet. Incoming freshman DeVondrick Nealy has been suspended indefinitely from Iowa State in the wake of a weekend arrest for shooting up the campus with a BB gun. Nealy, a Florida transplant, was charged with harassment of a public official after officers responded to complaints of a group "carrying a weapon and shooting things" a little after 2:30 a.m. on Sunday. [Ames Tribune]

Quickly… Yet another top Ohio prospect is going out of state, this time to Nebraska. … Oregon hires "The Cleaner" to make NCAA investigators go away. … Mack Brown's right-hand man is no longer a Texas employee. … Jimmer Fredette was on Penn State's radar as a football recruit. … Testing shows everybody been gettin' high. … And Barry Switzer is getting into the winery business. No further comment.

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Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

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