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Larry H. Miller, Husband, Father, Grandfather Entrepreneur and Philanthropist, Dies at 64 Miller's career legacy includes more than 80 companies — the Utah Jazz, Salt Lake Bees, EnergySolutions Arena, and 39 automobile dealerships; he is survived by wife Gail, five children, 21 grandchildren and one great grandchild Salt Lake City, Utah (February 20, 2009) - Larry H. Miller, husband, father, grandfather, a well-known entrepreneur, community advocate and humanitarian, died from complications due to type 2 diabetes today, at home, surrounded by his family. He was 64. Larry H. Miller Larry H. Miller April 26, 1944 - February 20, 2009 Miller,...

Dear Elgin Baylor, I heard about your lawsuit against your last employer -- whom you accuse of racism.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 17, 2009 – Arizona Army and Air National Guardsmen were honored for their combat service Feb. 15 with an opportunity to score against National Basketball Association greats Shaquille O’Neal and David Robinson during the 2009 NBA All-Star Weekend here. Army National Guard members Staff Sgt. Maygen Matson, left, and Spc. Taylor Anonson pose for a photo with National Basketball Association superstar Shaquille O'Neal during NBA All-Star Weekend in Phoenix, Feb. 15, 2009. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Angela Walz  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. But this competition didn’t take place on a basketball court....

John McCain might be fan favorite during Phoenix Suns games, but Arizona’s senior senator sure didn’t receive a warm hometown welcome Sunday night in front a national crowd at US Airways Center. McCain, who’s held his seat in Arizona for 22 years, was greeted with a smattering of boos and hisses when introduced with wife, Cindy, during a break between the first and second quarter of the NBA All-Star game Sunday night. His presidential opponent Barack Obama was greeted more cordially after a short speech that aired during halftime on the stadium’s monitors and big screens.

PHOENIX (AP) — Sen. John McCain met with 20 boys and girls selected by the NBA to the 2009 Junior NBA/WNBA national teams before the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday night. One of their first questions: who's your favorite Phoenix Sun? "I love them all, but I have not seen anybody take control of a basketball game as consistently as Steve Nash does," said the Phoenix Republican and former presidential candidate, who often attends games at U.S. Airways Center. "I've never seen anybody, when the game is on the line, to take control of a game and win the game,...

From The "I'm With You, Reverend Joseph Lowery" file ...The naivety of Americans who believe that blacks are not still being asked to get in back, or that brown is not given the chance to stick around, is astounding. No matter how much we shake America, she is not responding to our wake-up call. Racism abounds, along with a veritable rainbow of other juicy "isms." The reality that our President is black, that the majority of American athletes and pop music stars are black, that our favorite motion picture stars are black, that the most powerful star and TV...

Clip of the day from 1992. NBA commercial starring Fred Barnes and Mort Kondrache. Yes, really

The following is the ASA's [American Sportscasters Association] Top 50 Sportscasters of All-Time as chosen by our members and a special committee. These are our choices. What are yours? We welcome your comments.

Ex-NBA superstar told Arizona cops he was racing to get a... -snip- A cooperative Barkley also joked with a civilian police employee that, "I'll tattoo your name on my..." -snip-

Charles Barkley's Oral Statements Ex-NBA superstar told Arizona cops he was racing to get a "blow job" DECEMBER 31--Following his arrest earlier today for drunk driving, Charles Barkley told Arizona cops that he ran a stop sign because he was in a hurry to pick up a girl who had "given him a XXXXX' one week earlier," which the former NBA star described as "the best one he had ever had in his life." According to a Gilbert Police Department report, a copy of which you'll find here, police asked Barkley where he was going at the time of the...

harles Barkley was arrested on suspicion of drinking and driving early Wednesday morning. An officer with a law enforcement task force that targets drunken driving saw the former NBA star run a stop sign around 1:30 a.m., said Gilbert police Lt. Eric Shuhandler.

She put her dad on a shelf and left him there for a quarter-century. Just because the rest of the world is preoccupied with Julius Erving doesn't mean she's had to be. She says she has never Googled him, that she has never even heard of "The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh." Instead, everything she's learned about the man has come second- or eighth-hand. She first found out he was her father when she was 4, and she first started denying it when she was 5. She'd say her father died in the war or that he was a sheik in...

Gilbert Arenas is a millionaire and NBA superstar, but even he has been caught up in the Obama-mania sweeping parts of the country. Soon after Election Night, the Washington Wizards franchise player decided to show his support for President-elect Barack Obama by getting a political tattoo on his left hand.

Insider-trading charges brought Monday against Mark Cuban, an Internet entrepreneur and owner of the Dallas Mavericks basketball team, could weaken his chances of buying the Chicago Cubs. There was already some doubt whether other baseball owners would welcome the loud and brash self-made billionaire into their fraternity if he had the highest bid. Now, they have something to point to to deny him entry, said a sports economist familiar with baseball ownership decisions. "The charges give the commissioner's office another pretext for turning him down," said Andrew Zimbalist, an economics professor at Smith College. Robert DuPuy, president of Major League...

Mark Cuban to be charged with insider trading.

No more info yet!

HOUSTON - Kevin Garnett was famous for scrawling short, affectionate messages to family and friends on his sneakers during his first years in the NBA. The young, emotional player was fresh out of high school, and his medium was considered unique. But as technology has since changed, so has Garnett’s political sophistication and stature.

PURCHASE, N.Y. (CBS) Harrison police were sent to the home of former New York Knicks president Isiah Thomas early Friday morning in response to a call that he had overdosed on sleeping pills, a source confirmed to CBS 2. Thomas was rushed to White Plains Hospital for treatment, but his condition is not yet known. Sources tell CBS 2 that police arrived at Thomas' home shortly after midnight in response to a 911 call from a cell phone and that Thomas' condition was being classified as an overdose. According to the Daily News, police say the victim consumed "roughly 10...

The NBA is eliminating about 80 jobs in the United States, the first major American sports league to announce layoffs because of the worldwide economic turmoil. Commissioner David Stern told the Associated Press last month the league would cut staff in anticipation of the downturn. He said Sunday the figure would be about 9 percent of the American work force, and the league confirmed the number of jobs the next day. "We made the decision some months ago that the economy was going to be a bit wobbly so we began a belt-tightening," Stern said in London, where the New...

Donald T. Sterling Sterling World Plaza Beverly Hills, Calif.Dear Donald, I hate to be the one to tell you this but Elgin Baylor just hung them up. Come on, you must remember. Tall, distinguished-looking former NBA great? Headed up your Clippers' front office the last 22years? I knew you'd remember! Oh, you knew about this? Actually, it turns out that you hung up Elgin's shoes with Elgin still in them, officially handing his duties to Coach Mike Dunleavy. Actually, Dunleavy has run the basketball operation for four seasons, if you count the last one when you put Mike on...

(WXYZ) Detroit businessman Dave Bing is ending the speculation, and officially throwing his hat into the ring as a candidate for mayor of the city of Detroit. The Detroit Free Press says Bing confirmed his run in an exclusive interview Thursday night. At least a half dozen other people, including Interim Mayor Ken Cockrel, Jr., have also said they will run in the February 24 special primary. In preparation for a run for the mayor's office, Bing has moved into the City of Detroit, and changed his voter registration. He is the only outsider, with no official connection to the...

Theatre of the Absurd Josh Howard disses anthem on camera Dallas Mavericks forward Josh Howard's judgment again has come into question. In a video posted on YouTube, Howard was filmed disrespecting the national anthem. At Allen Iverson's charity flag football game in July, Howard made the remarks while "The Star Spangled Banner" was being performed. He said: "I don't celebrate this [expletive]. I'm black." Howard also went on to make a reference about Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban told the Dallas Morning News that the team dealt with Howard after the incident. "That said, we will...

Josh Howard's decision-making has again come into question after he was filmed disrespecting the national anthem. And the Mavericks are taking steps to help Howard and their other players avoid controversy in the future. In a video posted on YouTube, the swingman is shown at Allen Iverson's charity flag football game in July. When the national anthem is being sung, various participants are shown mugging for the camera. When the camera gets to Howard, he says: " 'The Star-Spangled Banner' is going on. I don't celebrate this [expletive]. I'm black." Howard goes on to make a difficult-to-discern comment that includes...

In what could be hailed the single greatest karaoke performance in the history of recorded music, Portland Trail Blazer Greg Oden grabbed the mic during a charity event in Oregon and ripped out the most ridiculous version of 'NSYNC's "It's Gonna Be Me" you've ever heard in your life.

via translation - On board the plane crashed under the Bishkek could be two prominent basketball players NBA - гендиректор Federation basketball Kyrgyzstan Bishkek. August 24. INTERFAX - on board crashed under Bishkekom Boeing-737 airplanes could stay two famous American basketball NBA, told journalists Director General Federation of basketball Kyrgyzstan Oleg Putilov. "According to my information, players Samuel Perkins and Rebecca Bonner, who were in Bishkek and the town of Kant master classes, were to depart today from Bishkek in Iran - where they took place some competition. Until this all that I know. Ne I can dial up to...

NBC Questions Kobe Bryant’s Pride of Being on Team USA 2008-08-17 -By Warner Todd Huston In a recent interview with USA Olympics basketball team member Kobe Bryant, NBC Sports reporter Chris Collinsworth seemed to question Kobe’s patriotism when the player said that he was proud to wear the team USA uniform. Wondering if it was “cool” to be proud of being on Team USA, Collinsworth seemed to surprise even Bryant with the temerity of the question. Why Collinsworth wouldn’t think it would be “cool” to be proud to be on the American Olympic basketball team is anyone’s guess. In a...

BEIJING – On his way out of the game, Yao Ming thrust his fist through the air, and soon made that long, wobbly walk to the Chinese bench. The end of a brilliant and historic night for basketball, the end of responsibility for Yao. His work is done. Let him rest. “The game was a treasure,” Yao said, “and it will be a treasure for the rest of my life.” Here was a surreal sight on Sunday night in these Olympic Games. Here was the embodiment of Yao Ming’s legacy: His heart, his determination, his immensity. He made possible a...

In a basketball game which featured approximately 600 dunks, including several worthy All-Star Weekend, it might come as some surprise that the most significant aspect of America’s 101-70 win against China was the play of its defense. In the shock and awe of the final score, it would be easy to forget that after 15 minutes of the 40, the score was 31-29. That will give a more honest picture of where the US is in relation to basketball powers like Spain and Argentina. For those first 15 minutes, China played as perfect a basketball game is it could ever...

By DICK JERARDI Philadelphia Daily News jerardd@phillynews.com GERRY DONAGHY was the ultimate old-school referee. He applied the rules. He saw the action on the court. He reacted to what he saw. He made his calls. He did not socialize with coaches. He just did his job. He did it well enough to officiate for 40 years, ref 19 consecutive NCAA Tournaments and four Final Fours. He retired in 1997. After that, he was seen regularly at Villanova or Saint Joseph's or the Palestra for games where he would talk with coaches, media and his many friends in basketball. He was...

In a potentially stunning move that reflects the growing challenge Europe’s basketball leagues pose to the NBA, Atlanta Hawks free-agent forward Josh Childress is strongly considering a three-year, $20 million offer from Greek powerhouse Olympiakos, several league sources said Sunday night. ...Childress, 25, is so flustered with the Hawks’ refusal to make a sign-and-trade deal to another team, one source familiar with his thinking believes there’s “better than a 50-50 chance” he’ll sign with Olympiakos. The team also will cover the Greek taxes for Childress, making it even more lucrative. ... Childress is a restricted free agent, but the Hawks...

EXCLUSIVE: NEW YORK — NBA referee Tim Donaghy made repeated phone calls to a second referee at the same time he provided inside information to professional gamblers during the course of the 2006-2007 season, according to court documents and phone records obtained by FOXNews.com. The records show Donaghy placed 134 calls to referee Scott Foster — more than the 126 calls Donaghy made to his bookie — between October 2006 and April 2007, the period during which he has confessed to either betting on games or passing on game information to gamblers. The majority of the phone calls lasted no...

Four years, two teams and a championship later, Shaquille O'Neal is still ripping Kobe Bryant. Video on TMZ.com shows the Phoenix Suns center doing a freestyle rap in a nightclub on Sunday night in which he puts down his former Los Angeles Lakers teammate. "You know how I be," Shaq rapped. "Last week Kobe couldn't do without me." Bryant led the Lakers to the NBA Finals this season, but they were beaten 4-2 by the Boston Celtics. O'Neal and Bryant last played together during the 2003-04 season, when the duo led the Lakers to the Finals. They lost to the...

SEATTLE — A group of prominent local businessmen, including an attorney representing this city, discussed a "poisoned well” plan aimed partly at forcing the Oklahoma City-based owners of the SuperSonics to sell the NBA team rather than move it to their hometown. 'Poisoned Well' strategy sought to bleed... Sonics cite struggles in Seattle Plan hatched to keep Sonics in Seattle ... Testimony in federal court here Friday also revealed that Wally Walker, a former star player and executive for the team, was given the duty of driving a "wedge” between the NBA and the Sonics' owners before a critical vote...

Lakers 92 at Celtics 131 HAVE A CIGAR!

Make room for a 17th NBA championship banner in Boston. The '07-08 Celtics are back on top of the basketball world, completing an extreme makeover Tuesday night in Game 6 of the NBA Finals via a 131-92 rout of the Lakers. Story

The Seattle SuperSonics Dance Team visited troops deployed to Contingency Operating Base Speicher, located in Tikrit, Iraq, June 11. The dance team wanted to show their appreciation for the military and decided to partake in their own deployment experiences. “My passion is dancing and performing,” said Pilita, a first-year dance team member. “This is the least I could do for the Soldiers. It’s a privilege to be here. I’ve learned a lot.” Not only has this experience been good for the troops, but the dancers have benefited as well in the short amount of time they have spent at COB...

LOS ANGELES – After 72 hours of having the game’s showcase event consumed by talk of conspiracy, the Lakers brought another ugly word to the NBA Finals. Collapse. As Kobe Bryant and his LA teammates watched helplessly, the Celtics came from 20 points down in the third quarter to take an improbable, amazing 97-91 win in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night at the Staples Center. Boston leads 3-1 in the best-of-seven series. Game 5 is Sunday night as the Celtics will have a chance to win the 17th championship in franchise history. For the Lakers, the...

Some good news for NBA fans: The rivarly is truly back! It's the Boston Celtics v.s. the Los Angeles Lakers in the '08 NBA Finals! It should be a decent series, and the national TV ratings should be decent as well.

Former NBA referee Tim Donaghy bet on more than 100 games that he worked, federal prosecutors said in a court filing Friday, according to media reports. Donaghy pleaded guilty last year to charges he conspired to engage in wire fraud and transmitted betting information through interstate commerce. He was alleged to have given a pair of gamblers inside information, including tips on which crews would officiate games and how the various officials and players interacted, and collected $5,000 if his picks were correct. According to court filings, Donaghy bet on about 30 games each season starting in 2003 and 14...

snip- He told radio interviewers and a reporter at the golf tournament that the debt stemmed from a wager on the 2008 Super Bowl. He did not explain why Wynn alleged the loans were made in October. "I've been gambling 20 years. I've never had this happen before," the 45-year-old Barkley told WJOX. "It's my fault I let the time lapse. I screwed up." Barkley, now a basketball analyst for Turner Network Television, denied any personal financial problems, and said the casino didn't call him before filing the complaint. "All they had to do is call and say, 'Hey, you...

Former USC basketball player O.J. Mayo, a projected lottery pick in this year's NBA draft, received thousands of dollars in cash, clothes and other benefits in apparent violation of NCAA rules while he was still in high school and during his one year in college, a former Mayo associate told ESPN's "Outside the Lines."

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City officials want Starbucks chairman Howard Schultz to know they expect the Seattle SuperSonics to relocate, regardless of who owns the team. An assistant municipal counselor sent a letter on behalf of Mayor Mick Cornett and other city officials informing Schultz, the team's former owner, that Oklahoma City's lease with the SuperSonics will be enforced no matter how pending lawsuits in Seattle are resolved. "We expect that any subsequent owner or owners would join hands with the city, and its citizens, and honor the OKC NBA agreements, made in good faith, and perform as good corporate...

Sacramento, CA (AP) -- Sacramento mayoral candidate Kevin Johnson upset local gay and lesbian leaders after saying he believes marriage is between a man and a woman. The former NBA star made the statement in response to a question during a candidate debate this week. Gretchen Bender, vice president of the Sacramento County Board of Education, says Johnson's statement shows that he is not ready to lead the city. Bender and a half-dozen other gay and lesbian leaders held a news conference to express their concern about the former Phoenix Suns star.

The last vestiges of Isiah Thomas’s authority were stripped away Friday afternoon, freeing the Knicks to begin fixing the mess he left behind. Skip to next paragraph Barton Silverman/The New York Times Isiah Thomas had a .341 winning percentage as the Knicks coach. More Photos » Multimedia Slide Show The Isiah Thomas Era Ends Graphic The Thomas Years Interactive For Thomas, Roundball Comes Full Circle N.B.A. Live Scoreboard Results and Schedule Teams | Statistics Knicks Schedule/Results Roster | Statistics Nets Schedule/Results Roster | Statistics Donnie Walsh fired Thomas as coach, two weeks after supplanting him as team president. Thomas will...

One of the most important Constitutional questions in the history of our Republic might be decided over a few acres of rat infested railroad yards in Brooklyn and a handful of doughty home owners who like living nearby. The question is whether the Constitution permits a developer to seize the property of the few residents continuing to live in the footprint of the proposed Atlantic Yards development near downtown Brooklyn. The question is now pending before the Supreme Court of the United States because, as our Joseph Goldstein reported yesterday at Page 1, more than a dozen plaintiffs, including three...

My top five (listed in alphabetical order) Tim Duncan Kevin Garnett Lebron James Kobe Bryant Chris Paul

HOUSTON -- All-Star center Yao Ming is out for the season with a stress fracture in his left foot, a stunning blow to the surging Houston Rockets. General manager Daryl Morey made the announcement Tuesday, hours before the Rockets put their 12-game winning streak on the line against the Washington Wizards. Yao was having a terrific season, averaging 22 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. "It is not an injury we feel he can play with," Rockets team doctor Tom Clanton said. "I've made the recommendation that it be treated surgically and we are working with him to get other...

See and hear former NBA great Charles Barkley call conservatives "fake Christians". http://www.breitbart.tv/html/48184.html

With the Lakers lurking in the Western Conference, they turned to a team far out of the running for a big boost in the playoff race. Hollywood-bound Pau Gasol Los Angeles Lakers Forward PPG RPG APG FG% MIN 18.9 8.8 3.0 50.1 36.8 Los Angeles has acquired Pau Gasol from the Grizzlies in exchange for Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton and first-round picks in 2008 and 2010, according to multiple published reports.Gasol, who has spent his entire career with Memphis, is averaging 18.9 points and 8.8 rebounds per game and figures to give Kobe Bryant a formidable big man to fill...

NBA, NFL Go Anti-Gun But are they protecting their athletes, or protecting an image? Last year, Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor got out of bed upon hearing intruders entering his home. The house was situated in a wealthy, gated community on the outskirts of Miami. It was the middle of the night. To protect himself, his girlfriend, and their young child, Taylor grabbed a machete he kept nearby and crept to his bedroom door. So Taylor, in fear, and concerned for the safety of his family, armed himself with a large knife used to hack away at jungle foliage. The...