Hooped Up

After years of video vixen domination, Esther Baxter retired in August 2007 to focus on school. This is a good thing since Hooped Up loves the sexy smart ones. Supposedly, she’ll be on the come back trail in 2008 which will put a smile on even John Terry’s face when it happens.

She is the Micheal Jordan of video vixens, so until her return Melyssa Ford holds the crown.

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I’d want Shawn Marion around if I lost that many losses too.

Listen to any Dwyane Wade offseason comments and the constant is the desire to play an entire season alongside Shawn Marion. It’s “Shawn this” and “Shawn that” as Wade goes through a roster that remains very much under reconstruction.

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

A trio of Wade, Beasley and Marion would be Lethal!

It’s beginning to looking like Brian Shaw might be leaving La-La Land after the playoffs,

Lakers assistant coach Brian Shaw, who has already talked to Chicago about its head-coaching vacancy, continues to draw interest from Phoenix. NBA coaching sources told ESPN.com that the Suns still hope to interview Shaw for the opening created by Mike D’Antoni’s departure to New York.

ESPN.com

Putting Charles Barkleys name in the paper was the stupidest thing Wynn Las Vegas ever could have done.  Way to, not attract celebrities to your place,

A Clark County prosecutor says Charles Barkley is off the legal hook and the case on his $400,000 gambling debt is closed.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Bernie Zadrowski said on Friday that the retired NBA star sent a $40,000 check to pay statutory and bad check processing fees.

Earlier this week, Barkley paid $400,000 to Wynn Las Vegas after the resort filed a May 14 civil complaint in Nevada state court. It alleged Barkley failed to repay four $100,000 casino markers, or loans, received last Oct. 18 and 19.

SI

Kelvin Sampson has many lives indeed!

Kelvin Sampson wants to restore his reputation and continue his career, and hopes he took a step in that direction by accepting a job as an assistant coach with the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday.

But Sampson will pass on the chance to explain his version of a messy divorce with Indiana University until after an NCAA hearing in mid-June.

“More will come out, and I’ll be more than happy to talk after that,” Sampson said.

SI

In case you didn’t hear what J-Ho had to say, have a listen.

Josh Howard and Joakim Noah should Facebook each other in these crazy high times.

Mark Cuban went on the Dan Patrick Show and was asked whether he cared that Josh Howard smoked pot.

“You know, I’d be a hypocrite if I said yes,” Cuban said. “I’ve inhaled, and when I inhaled, I coughed a couple lungs out. So I was never a big fan of smoking. But if I’ve tried it, I can’t look at somebody and say, ‘How can you try it?’”

The issue really isn’t that J-Ho lights up an occasional off-season blunt, although Cuban acknowledged that such activity did present legal and conditioning concerns. Hey, as Howard said, smoking weed doesn’t make him unique among NBA players.

Dallas Morning News

Not only is drinking and driving bad because you can kill somebody. You could also spill your drink. You just can teach kids these days. I blame TV, Joakim Noah blames weed.

Bulls center Joakim Noah was arrested in Gainesville, Fla., early Sunday on allegations of possession of less than 20 grams of cannabis and an open-container violation, police said.

Summer Hallett, public information officer for the Gainesville Police Department, confirmed that Gainesville police stopped Noah, 23, about 1:50 a.m. Sunday for carrying a clear plastic cup with an “iced, amber-colored beverage” inside.

Hallett said Noah put down the liquid when confronted by police, who were enforcing the city’s law prohibiting drinking from open containers on public sidewalks.

Hallett said subsequent inspection revealed Noah’s drink to be alcoholic, at which point officers arrested Noah and took him to the department’s downtown annex. A source said Noah was drinking cognac.

Chicago Tribune

If the Bulls management doesn’t want him back he can always play for Mark Cubans Mavericks. This is going to be a great summer for the NBA.

Utah has a nice thing going on right now, but in the deep west that don’t mean jack.

The “trade Boozer” notion has less to do with any of that and more to do with the option he can exercise at the end of next season to become an unrestricted free agent. Boozer can walk away from the Jazz and sign with whichever club he chooses, according to the terms of his contract. Rumor is that the Miami Heat are preliminarily making him a priority target. Considering Boozer has a home in south Florida, and his child’s health condition reportedly is aggravated by altitude, and remembering the way Boozer deserted the Cleveland Cavs to sign his current deal with the Jazz, is a trade the best way to protect themselves from any such scenario?

Salt Lake Tribune

Let the exodus to the east begin.