There is so much happening right now in sports.  Free agency starts at 12:01 EST tonight March 2nd, well that would actually be tomorrow morning officially, but who cares you know what I mean.  We have the NHL trade deadline passed and a story yet to come that you will see actually get coverage in an NHL arena of more than a highlight on Sportscenter.  Spring training has also began and steroid winds are blowing yet again.

  So we need to talk, well I need to write and you need to read.  I am going to start with a trade that actually happened in the NFL.  The big surprise to me is that there was actually three players involved in the trade as well.  The Detroit Lions sent Dre Bly and a 6th round draft pick to Denver for Tatum Bell, (T) George Foster, and a 5th round pick.  The winner to me is Denver but Detroit needed to make this deal as well so it works out for both sides very well.  The Broncos now have two very good pro bowl corners on their defense.  The Lions lose Bly but gain another solid RB to team up with injured Kevin Jones who currently is injured with a serious foot injury.  Bly is a very good cover corner but Detroit's defense is now designed to have run stopping CBs instead.  To me Denver gets the better end because they may have the best pair of corners in the game now and the Broncos always fit new RBs in their system and they seem to work every time. Detroit is now clearing out Matt Millen's guys he brought in, to bring in more of them.....uh oh  At least Matt got two players for Dre and will move up a round in the draft as well.  Good trade for both.

  Joey Porter was released by Pittsburgh today making him a free agent.  Joe Horn was released as well.  Most of the better free agents seem to be defensive players.  A team could actually bring in Nate Clements, Ken Hamlin, Joey Porter, Donnie Edwards and Adelius Thomas if they lay out the contracts correctly.  Not really but it does sound like the Washington (racist Indian name) NFL team for 2007!

Brady Quinn, what is the deal here?  He didn't throw at the combine?  He is a quarterback.  Now I read that he isn't going to interview for teams during Notre Dame's pro day.  He was over rated his entire career and now he is costing himself millions of dollars by falling even a few picks in the draft.  Or is he?  Maybe the less he says the better.  Kind of like how a woman knows if she wants to get it on with a guy unless he starts saying a bunch of stupid stuff by talking too much.  Maybe not but he may fall to picks 15-20 by doing this.  That is the difference in millions of dollars in guaranteed money.

  NHL trade deadline had a lower noted trade which involved league tough guy in Todd Bertuzzi to the Detroit Red Wings.  Bert goes to the Wings who are a team he was a former nemesis of.  He had a fued on ice with Chris Chelios.  Bertuzzi clotheslined Chris Chelios in a playoff game and instantly became the bull's-eye on every Detroit fan's dartboard?  Now the two are teamates.  Bert also may help revive a former rivalry.  Remember Bertuzzi is the guy who hit Colorado's Steve Moore from behind and has essentially ended his career.  The NHL may want to get the Wings-Avs rivalry revived because anytime they had these two play the ratings were actually on the ratings.  The Red Wings continue to be the team that gets ratings when they are on but unfortunatly for the NHL, they are the only team anyone ever wants to watch.  They are and have been a great team to watch and have never been afraid to bring in who they thought gave them the best chance to win the Stanley Cup.  Now they bring in a player in Todd Bertuzzi who has played all but seven games this year and had a 17 month suspension from the Moore hit.

Gary Sheffield has a new book coming out and it will cover a lot of things in his life he never talked about before including steroids.  Sheffield met with a Major League Baseball executive Thursday to discuss recent comments by the Detroit slugger on whether he would cooperate with former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell's investigations into steroids.  Sheff was quoted in the an Associated Press report saying conflicting things at different times of the week "The (players') association told us this is just a witch hunt," Sheffield told USA Today. "They don't want us to talk to them. This is all about getting Barry Bonds."  Sheffield then told SI.com he would let the union decide whether he would talk with Mitchell's staff.  "I've always been more than willing," Sheffield told SI.com. "I'm not saying they're going to get much out of me, 'cause I don't know nothing."   I believe him when he says it too. He has always been a great player but never in the same place very long.  Sheffield has always been a contract guy.  By that I mean he always made sure he was "getting his."  If MLB was ever concerned about steroids in baseball and the intergrity of the game they would have never let it get this out of hand. 

Chicago -   Vasher joins the list of angery Bears. According to the Chicago Tribune: "Cornerback Nathan Vasher is the latest Bear to leave organized team activities over dissatisfaction with his contract, which has two years remaining and is scheduled to pay him $425,000 in 2006."  The list is growing and growing and may force a few other players to be cut or back loaded contracts.

Green Bay - Veterans still continue to skip practices.  "No, maybe and yes. That's apparently what Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy has heard from Al Harris, Charles Woodson and Ryan Pickett or their representatives in recent conversations regarding the veterans' availability for the team's five remaining voluntary practices."  The team is still in need of Offensive line help and the group needs to be together to form some kind of continuity.  New head coach Mike McCarthy needs to nip this in the bud quickly.  Hey at least they have Favre there right?

Miaimi - On Tuesday, they had a visit and are working on a contract with Bennie Anderson, who was cut by Buffalo last week after starting 15 games last season.  Free agent defensive tackle Dan Wilkinson's agent said Tuesday his client likes Miami, and negotiations continue.  Wilkinson was recently cut from Detroit and could likely end up with former QB Joey Harrington.

New England - No "sign" of Law.  Ty Law has had talks with both Arizona and New England.  No doubt the former Patroit would like to return home after a one year stint with the rival Jets in which he had 10 interceptions for last year.  Arizona is also very interested in Law and still have $10 million under the salary cap.  New England has another issue with hold out wide reciever Deion Branch.  The Patriots could always try to put the squeeze on by trading for underachieving Denver receiver Ashley Lelie or disgruntled Saints wideout Donte' Stallworth, but with David Givens gone to the Titans, what they have right now as far as receivers. They aren't Deion Branch. And Branch knows it.  I'm Deion Branch bit%^!

Detroit - Mike Williams was sent home early from Lions mini camp last week because he missed a treatment for his sore hamstring and then was late to a meeting.  This also stems back to last season when he reportedly missed treatments and was late for meetings as a rookie.  The Lions however won't give up on him now.  Besides they can't.  All his bonus money would prorate this year and next year which would bump $12 million on to the cap.  They are financially committed right now and must find a way to untap the potential and cap off the foolishness.  Also with the signing of free agent offensive lineman Ross Verba the Lions hope to have shored up a dismal offensive line that had breakdowns all season long.  They are currently trying to work out a long term deal with left tackle Jeff Backus.  Backus was hesitant to sign the one year tender offer by the Lions but that had given him their word they will work out a long term deal before training camp.  Charles Rogers was pictured working out with the first team during mini-camp and this may not sound like much but that is the closest he has been to starting in a long time.  It has been rumored several times that he may not even make the team.

Pittsburgh - With the motorcycle accident of Ben Roethlisburger the Steelers have to look at another option for this season at least early on.  It has been rumored that Tommy Maddox may come back.  They do still have Charle Batch but we all know what he can do.  They may have to look into a slim market of free agents that are free agents for a reason.  Unless they think they can win with QBs like Tony Banks or Ty Detmer.  They do still have Kerry Collins and Jeff Blake they can talk to at least.

NFL


Tennessee Titans- Former San Francisco 49er first round pick Ahmed Plummer has played only nine games in the past two years after a succession of injuries. Twelve-year veteran Ty Law picked off 10 passes for the New York Jets in 2005, but also comes with a high price tag and, even more troubling, a warning label. They have had both in this month to see what interest each player has in Tennessee and a decision will come soon.

Detroit Lions- Warren Sapp a Lion?  The Lions released Dan Wilkinson yesterday in a move that suprised some.  He has talked about retirement all off-season.  He also has pending law suits in Maryland from a restaurant deal he had going from his Redskins days that didn't work out.  Ironically his lack of working out is what got him cut from Detroit. New head coach Rod Marinelli wants players who want to play and put in the extra effort needed to turn the franchise around.  Since Wilkinson was paid pretty well, that money can be used to pursue other free agents, if any players become available who might interest the Lions. There has been speculation in Oakland that the Raiders might part company with Warren Sapp, who had a strong relationship with Marinelli with the Buccaneers.

Pittsburgh Steelers- Joey Porter missed the first week of the Steelers' voluntary workouts, and now the question is whether he will participate in any of them.  Porter, a Pro Bowl linebacker, attended the team's mandatory three-day minicamp May 13-15 but was the only veteran absent from all four of their follow-up voluntary sessions last week at their UPMC training facility on the South Side.  He has two years left on a contract he signed in February 2004. He is scheduled to earn a salary of $3.85 million this year, and earn $5 million in 2007, which includes a $1 million roster bonus.


MLB


New York- take your pick which New York team picks up Dontrell Willis.  Both have had scouts following him the last two weeks.  He has had a slightly down season on a team that sold everyone else off before the season even started.  He was kept because he is still very young and has not had his first big pay day yet.

Kansas City- The Royals are now 19 games back of Detroit in the AL Central.  It is only May 23rd.  Yes their season is done and they will be unloading some players.  They made several off-season free agent signings and nothing has worked for them this year.  The biggest reason is they didn't sign pitching.  They have several veteran players they can trade off that may bring them plenty of young prospects for a team that has traded off every prospect that has every come to fruition for them.

Washington Nationals- Alfonso Soriano may also be headed out of town very soon.  He has been rumored to be traded since the time he was traded to Washington.  He may be headed toi the Mets, White Sox, Philadelphia, or St. Louis.

Los Angeles- If Morales struggles, the Angels will turn to the trade market, with Arizona first baseman Tony Clark considered a possible target. Clark is an attractive short-term option because he is signed only through this season and, because he's stuck behind young first baseman Conor Jackson, wouldn't cost as much as some of the front-line players the Angels are pursuing, such as Alfonso Soriano and Shea Hillenbrand.  The Angels are 11 games below .500 and in last place, a perfect fit for Tony Clark.  Ask any Detroit Tigers fan.