BASKETBALL

In the NBA, there is a big free agency rumor on the wire.   It appears that Carlos Boozer, the Utah Jazz’ star power forward may be headed to Chicago.  The deal would send Boozer to Chicago, Bulls emerging forward Tyrus Thomas to Utah, and Bulls 6th man point-guard Kirk Heinrich to Portland.  The Heinrich part is to clear up cap space.  Boozer would provide the Bulls with a very reliable low-post presence; someone point-guard Derrick Rose could have an amazing tandem with.  Plus, Heinrich going to Portland would finally give the Blazers the floor general that they need at point.  He would make a big difference to the Blazer organization, especially given all those weapons they have already.

SWIMMING

Elsewhere in the sports world, it looks like Michael Phelps, Mr. 8-Gold Medals, is making headlines again.  Four months ago, he pondered quitting swimming, but… decided to keep going.  And yesterday, he broke a World Record that had been eluding him his whole career.  That’s right, Michael Phelps is now the World Record holder in the Butterfly.  He clocked in a 50.22 seconds, just edging out former champ Ian Crocker.  This is some good press for a guy who was admonished by the media for smoking a marijuana pipe at a party.  These are type of headlines he should be getting — record-breaking headlines.

SOCCER

Finally, some drama out of the soccer world.  U.S. soccer star and captain of the up-and-coming national soccer team, Landon Donovan, has made his opinions about living soccer legend David Beckham... very public.  He said that during Beckham’s stint on the Los Angeles Galaxy, in which the MLS brought in Beckham to bring some credible publicity to the league.  Well, Donovan said in a book about Beckham that Beckham didn’t seem dedicated while he was there.  Donovan thought he didn’t try and used to take it easy.  This rubbed him the wrong way because it was obvious that Beckham was getting paid at least double of what everyone else was making, and Donovan said the LEAST Beckham could have done was show up at every game.  When Beckham was hurt or suspended, he wouldn’t even join the team at the game.

Now that his remarks have been made public, Donovan said he doesn’t regret what he said, but rather that he did share his feelings with Beckham privately.  Donovan said, ‘I should have been a man about it, and spoke with Beckham directly, not publicly in a book.  Well, Beckham is getting ready to return to the Galaxy, and we will see how this soap opera between the two soccer stars develops.