Nets still in hunt for Dwight Howard

The Brooklyn Nets and the Orlando Magic are in discussions for a blockbuster trade which would send Dwight Howard to the Nets in exchange for Brook Lopez, Kris Humphries, Marshon Brooks and three future draft picks.

The report by ESPN, quoting unnamed sources, says the Nets would give up first round picks in 2013, 2015 and 2017 to land Howard— the five-time All-Star— and maybe, more importantly, help entice Deron Williams to re-sign with Brooklyn.

Howard has told Orlando management that he wants to be traded to the Nets and only the Nets.  Williams sounds like he has narrowed his picks to the Nets and the Dallas Mavericks.

The Nets traded for Atlanta's Joe Johnson on Monday and— if the pieces fall in place— make a trade for Howard and re-sign Williams, Brooklyn will have their own formidable Big Three.

Lopez and Humphries are free agents, so they would have to consent to a sign-and-trade.  The ironic thing is that Lopez— who is a restricted free agent— is a huge Disney and Disney World fan and would be more that happy to play near the Magic Kingdom.

Humphries— the most most dominant front-line player on the Nets for the past two seasons already lives in Florida during the offseason.

If the Nets do sign Howard and re-sign Williams, it would give the Nets Big Three a combined 2012 salary of $58.8 million.  The NBA salary cap was $58 million last season.

Chad Qualls has close shave after trade to Yankees

Newly acquired pitcher Chad Qualls found out what Don Mattingly, Reggie Jackson and a long line of other New York Yankees have discovered before him— that a clean-shaven Bronx Bomber is a welcome Bronx Bomber.  Going from worst-to-first can make that trip to the barber's chair a little easier though.

Qualls made his Yankee debut Monday night after being traded from the last-place Philadelphia Phillies but not before adhering to the Yankees' strict team rule— no facial hair below the upper lip.  Qualls retired both batters he faced in finishing the eighth inning.

Qualls said he didn't know about the team's facial hair restrictions before the trade.

"They're in first place — or , we're in first place— so anything I could do over here is a good change," said Qualls who appeared in 35 games for the Phillies.

Before Qualls arrived in Tampa Bay for last night's game against the Rays, he had one order of business— shaving the goatee he'd sported for virtually all of the past five years.

"My wife 's probably only seen me shaved twice," Qualls said.  "I think the first time, she told me, 'Don't ever do this again.'  But this time, I think she's going to have to bear with me on this one."

15-year old dunks over 7-foot announcer

Jamar Ergas— the 15-year old dunking sensation from Canada— has been astounding spectators with high-flying 360's and dunks over people since he was 13.  Now— maybe the best basketball import from the north since Steve Nash— took his skills to a whole new level by leaping over 7-foot announcer "Da Big Show" to win the dunk contest at the ScoutsFocus All-American camp last month.

Hyped as the the Great White North Hope among other nicknames Ergas, a  6'4" high school freshman, actually hopped over the 7-footer without even messing the big guy's cap.

The teenager— who plays his ball for Kevin Boyle's Montverde Academy program in Florida— a rising prep school set-up that is becoming a national power— has a remarkable no-step vertical leap of 39-inches and a total vertical of 44— nearly four feet in the air.

When you watch this video, remember this acrobatic kid doesn't graduate until 2015.

Steve Nash skating towards Knicks or Raptors

The New York Knicks opened up free agent talks with Steve Nash on Sunday by bringing the point guard up to the team's practice facility in upstate Greenburgh, N.Y. for a tour and told him of sign-and -trade scenarios in which they could offer the sought after NBA star more money.

Head coach Mike Woodson, owner James Dolan and their front office heavies spent three hours with Nash and said they had sign-and-trade options where they could offer him $6 million per year.  Otherwise, the Knicks would only have their $3.09 million midlevel exception to give him.

To make matters worse, the Toronto Raptors were in New York earlier in the morning trying to entice the native Canadian back north of the border and rumors were swirling about a bigger offer.

Sports Illustrated reported that the Raptors offered the 38-year old Nash a 3-year, $36 million deal but sources said the story is false and was leaked to scare off the the Knicks, Nets and Mavericks— all of who are in play for Nash's services.

Nash— who has an offseason apartment in the West Village— was spotted skateboarding around Tribeca on Friday— and is known to love life in NYC.  But the Knicks know they need to add more salary to a sign-and-trade package to land Nash but feel they still have "a little shot."

The Knicks are counting on luring Nash to the Garden by telling him he is the final piece to a championship team and the piles of extra cash he could earn as a big star in the NBA's biggest market.

Still, the thought of making a big salary in his home country is weighing heavy on his mind.

"I definitely want to be validated monetarily to an extent," Nash said last week.  "It's still very important.  I think money in many ways represents respect."

It looks like the Knicks only hope might boil down to whether or not Nash likes skateboarding on Houston Street more than ice skating on the Humber River.

Tiger has message for detractors: "Here we are"

It wasn't a major, but Tiger Woods tense AT&T National win at Congressional over Bo Van Pelt in the sweltering heat on Sunday made history and he let everyone know he was back afterwards.

"I remember there was a time when people said I could never win again," Woods said with a dramatic pause.  "That was six months ago," he continued with a grin.  "Here we are."

Woods won for the third time this year, the most of anyone on the PGA Tour,  and it was the 74th win of his career.  The victory moved him past Jack Nicklaus into second place on the tour list— eight wins short of the record set by Sam Snead.

In front of thousands of fans, who showed up after they were barred on Saturday because of storm damage, Woods overcame early mistakes and out-dueled Van Pelt on the back nine to take home the trophy.

Nicklaus was 46 years old when he got his last tour victory.  Tiger is only 36.

"What an incredible week," said Woods.  "Everybody, thank you for being patient with us.  Yesterday was a silent day.  I think everyone saved up for today.  What an atmosphere to play in front of."

Van Pelt— who had his opponent in his clutches after Woods hit a spectator on the 16th with a tee shot— then ran off a series of errors to fall behind.

"I'd say he's playing the best golf in the world right now," said Van Pelt about the No. 4 ranked golfer in the world.

Afterwards, Tiger didn't roar— but his wide grin said it all— I'm back!

Tarmoh may reconsider 100-meter runoff against Felix

The runoff to settle a third-place tie in the women's 100-meter at the U.S. track trials is in jeopardy after sprinter Jeneba Tarmoh is reconsidering her decision to run in a re-match against her training partner Allyson Felix.

A source told The Associated Press that, while no announcement was made, a message about Monday night's race was left for an official at USA Track and Field.

The runoff— a winner-take-all race— is scheduled to be held at 8 p.m. EDT— at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore..

The 22-year-old Tarmoh was reluctant to participate in the second race— to earn the last spot in the event for the London Games—  in the first place.

"In my hearts of hearts, I just feel like I earned the third spot," she said Sunday.  "I almost feel like I was kind of robbed."

When the race was originally run on June 23, Tarmoh's name was put on the scoreboard behind winner Carmelita Jeter and runner-up Tianna Madison.  Tarmoh even carried the American flag in a celebratory lap around the stadium and received a medal.

Then her joy turned to confusion.

After both Tarmoh and Felix crossed the finish line with identical times of 11.068 seconds, the USATF had no protocol in dealing with a tie.

Their solution— either a runoff, a coin flip or one sprinter conceding the race to the other.

Tarmoh and her 26-year-old counterpart Felix initially chose to settle it on the track and not with the flip of a quarter.

"This decision was really hard for me to make," said Tarmoh.  "I was pushed into a corner.  They said if you don't make a decision, you give your spot up.  I work too hard to just to give my spot up.  I had to say it was a runoff." The frustrated runner already didn't qualify for the 200-meter on Saturday but will be eligible for the 400 relay team.

NBC was hoping the highly-publicized match race would boost ratings in conjunction with its coverage of the swimming trials.  Now, it looks like the race might not even get out of the starting blocks.

Felix claims her legs were tired after winning the 200 and wants to put the 100 controversy behind her.

"Once this is over, I'll be happy about it," she said.

Tarmoh went from the high of making the Olympic team to looking at an unprecedented decision to keeping her spot.

"I went to bed happy and then I woke up to do something I don't want to do at all," said Tarmoh.

Joe Torre: Clemens belongs in Hall of Fame

Joe Torre believes that Roger Clemens— who was acquitted on accusations of lying to Congress during a 2008 session on performance enhancing drugs— belongs in the Hall of Fame even though the seven-time Cy Young Award winner has been connected to PEDs.

At Sunday's Old-Timer's Game at Yankee Stadium Torre claims Clemens was like a son to him and said he was in Clemens' camp on the subject of whether or not his former player was Hall of Fame worthy.

"He is to me," the former Yankees manager said.  "I can't make other people look a him.  I can just tell you the way I feel about it.  I was proud to have him play for me.  He always gave you everything he had and I always respected that."

Clemens played for six seasons in New York for Torre and helped the Yankees win World Series Championships in 1999 and 2000 before being linked to performance enhancing drugs in 2007— when he was mentioned in the Mitchell Report.  Clemens denied any connection to steroids and human growth hormone at the televised 2008 hearing.

Torre— who is now executive vice president for baseball operations for MLB—  said he understands that people will now evaluate the 354-game winner's career with the cloud of PEDs surrounding Clemens' achievements.

"It's sad for me," Torre said.  "Because Roger Clemens in the way he went about his business— and I disliked him like everyone else until I got a chance to know him— he was a great teammate for these guys and he was very devoted to the team he was playing on and I always respected that."

This winter, Clemens will make his first appearance on the Hall of Fame ballot along with Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa— two other big names associated to steroids.