NBA

Gordon's agent made up Russia rumor
Ben Gordon says he's done with the Bulls so what does his agent do? He floats a rumor to a reporter in Greece that Gordon is talking to a team in Russia in order to get the Bulls all scared and freaking out. Well, nobody blinked, CSKA Moscow denies ever talking to Gordon, and now the agent has been outed as the source of the rumor. (FanHouse)

Cousin says Marbury killed NBA chances
Stephon Marbury has never been known as a particularly generous guy and now his cousin, Jamel Thomas, who also happens to be a pro roundball player as well (for the Eldo Napoli in Italy), has put out an autobiography, "The Beautiful Struggle," that claims that Marbury helped kill his chances in the NBA. Thomas played briefly for the Nets, Celtics, and Warriors, but his book is saying that he had a real opportunity with the Minnesota Timberwolves at the same time Marbury played for the team and somehow Marbury found a way to get in the way of a deal being made.  (New York Daily News)

Spurs suspend Manu extension talks
Before the Olympics, Argentine Manu Ginobili was supposedly deep into contract-extension talks with San Antonio but then he got injured so the team has pulled back from any conversations and it is thought by some unlikely that a new contract will be discussed until next summer but by then the 30-year-old might be out of the long-term picture for San Antonio. (FanHouse)

Cavs and Delonte West still $1.5 million apart
The arrival of Mo Williams in Cleveland from Milwaukee really put a dent in the plans of Delonte West. No longer the de facto starting point guard, he essentially lost any contractual leverage he may have had. Word is the two sides are $1.5 million apart in contract talks and the Cavs aren't budging. Right now, it's looking like West could end up with Golden State, Orlando, or Miami. (HoopsWorld)

Stoudamire is still looking
Damon Stoudamire has spent 13 years in the NBA and he's thinking he's got at least another two in him. He's apparently looking good at high-level pickup games in Houston and really wants to sign on with somebody before training camp gets underway. (NBA.com)

MLB

Yanks kissing Pettitte goodbye?
At season's start, it looked like 2008 would be the swan song for 39-year-old Mike Mussina but rumor has it the Yankees are going to try and keep him around for another year and ditch another fan favorite: Andy Pettitte, who supposedly hasn't fully decided yet whether he wants to pitch next year or not. Rumor has it he's leaning toward yes, but it's very unclear if the Yanks will want him back in the Bronx, particularly if it can get hold of a few free-agent front-line starters. (New York Newsday)

Giants might change up up infield
Giants manager Bruce Bochy is apparently thinking he could have Emmanuel Burris at second next season and Ivan Ochoa at short next season. It appears that unless Kevin Frandsen has some sort of miracle occur, he will be out of a job. Note to self: never let Achilles tendon snap the way Frandsen's did this past spring. (San Francisco Chronicle)

LaRussa expecting "impact" help
Things haven't gone exactly to plan this year for MLB's third most winningest coach, Tony LaRussa, so he's expecting the Cardinals to be very much in the mix this winter, searching for and signing "impact help." Why the team hasn't seemed aggressive in the personnel department this season remains under debate. Some in the Cards' clubhouse seem to think it has to do something with a lack of confidence. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

Leyland might beleaving Detroit
Tigers manager Jim Leyland has one year left on his contract with the Tigers and is hoping to actually get an extension even though he has admitted to being part of the problem with the team this season. Odds are good that owner Mike Ilitch will bring Leyland back next year but Leyland wasn't sounding like he was banking on it: "I have a contract for next year. I don't even know if I'm going to be here next year. We could all get fired," he said. (Detroit Free Press)

Zambrano might miss only one start
Starter Carlos Zambrano has tendonitis and inflammation in his right shoulder but the Cubs are banking on him only missing one start and not being done for the season. Zambrano actually skipped an MRI on Wednesday and then had it on Thursday. Rumor had it that he either had personal business Wednesday or that he didn't want to get an injection into his pitching arm. Stay tuned. (Chicago Tribune)

NFL

Burress extension mostly incentive based
Sure the Giants signed receiver Plaxico Burress to $24.5 million contract, but rumor has it that a lot of that dough is actually not guaranteed and will only find its way into the hands of Burress if he can meet specific goals along the way. (ProFootballTalk)

Ocho Cinco ready to fight Raven players?
When the Cincinnati Bengals go up against the Baltimore Ravens this weekend, officials might want to pay extra attention to Chad Ocho Cinco, who is saying he's prepared to punch Ravens linebacker Bart Scott in the mouth for cussing him out the last time the team's met. And he doesn't like safety Dawan Landry either. (Baltimore Sun)

Chargers' Gates could be at half speed
Chargers tight end Antonio Gates is still having problems with his toe and it's looking like he might not be up to 100 percent by the time his team kicks off its season this Sunday. Gates is hoping to be out there for the full game but it's looking incredibly doubtful. (San Diego Union-Tribune)     

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