Peavy says no to White Sox

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/9597850/Peavy-invokes-no-trade,-rejects-White-Sox-deal

CHICAGO (AP) - Jake Peavy is staying with the San Diego Padres.

The ace pitcher turned down a trade to the Chicago White Sox, choosing Thursday to remain with his longtime team.

Jake Peavy: '09 stats
Jake Peavy
San Diego Padres
Starting pitcher

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G W-L ERA IP K
9 3-5 3.82 61.1 69
The Padres and White Sox had reached an agreement, but needed the 2007 Cy Young Award winner to waive his no-trade clause.

"As of right now, this is the best place for us to be. We made that decision for the time being," Peavy said before Thursday night's game against San Francisco.

"It's been a crazy 24 hours," he said. "I don't want to be any kind of distraction to the team. We're playing as well as we possibly can, winning five in a row and I've got a big game tomorrow night vs. the Chicago Cubs."

Peavy said he would answer additional questions about his decision after Friday night's start.

Peavy, who turns 28 later this month, is 3-5 with a 3.82 ERA. He made his major league debut with San Diego in 2002.

Several reports said the White Sox would've sent top pitching prospect Aaron Poreda and young left-hander Clayton Richard to San Diego as part of the package for Peavy.

White Sox general manager Ken Williams declined comment earlier in the day and did not immediately respond to a message after Peavy's decision.

Earlier in the day, while they were waiting for Peavy's announcement, the White Sox lost 20-1 to the Minnesota Twins.

"I hope he don't watch the scoreboard because he might say no," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said.

San Diego talked to the Cubs and Atlanta Braves during the offseason about a deal for Peavy.

On Thursday afternoon, Peavy's agent, Barry Axelrod, said, "my suspicion is he still has a strong preference to stay in the National League."

"There was a question posed to us as to whether Jake's position on going to the American League was still cast in stone or whether he'd consent to going to an AL team, specifically, the White Sox," Axelrod said.

The Padres, who lost 99 games last season and aren't expected to contend this year, have been cutting payroll. Peavy is to earn $11 million this season, $15 million in 2010, $16 million in 2011 and $17 million in 2012. The Padres have a $22 million option for 2013 with a $4 million buyout.

"Greatest NFL QB" Ryan Leaf busted - of course I am joking about him being the greatest

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/rumors/post/Former-NFL-bust-Ryan-Leaf-indicted-in-Texas?urn=nfl,165289

Former San Diego Chargers quarterback and West Texas A&M University coach Ryan Leaf is indicted Thursday by a Randall County Grand Jury in Texas, according to newschannel10.com.

Leaf was indicted on seven counts of Obtaining a Controlled Substance By Fraud, 1 count of Burglary Of A Habitation, and 1 count of Delivery Of A Controlled Substance.

The Randall County District Attorney's office say the dates of these charges span from January of 2008 through last October.

Source: www.newschannel10.com

Mike "Overrated" Vick out of jail

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5haOoOM3D6bv9j5rLhxJIiDh_YlvwD98A7SNO0

HAMPTON, Va. (AP) — Michael Vick is out of prison and headed home, penniless and reviled for running a vicious dogfighting ring, but hopeful for a second chance at his once-charmed life as a star NFL quarterback. The suspended quarterback served 19 months in prison on the dogfighting conviction that capped one of the most astonishing falls in sports history — one that stole his wealth and popularity.

"Football is on the back-burner for now," said agent Joel Segal, who negotiated Vick's 10-year, $130 million contract with the Atlanta Falcons but will be asking for substantially less if his tarnished client's suspension is lifted by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

Falcons owner Arthur Blank said Vick deserves a second chance, but it won't be with Atlanta, which has severed ties with its former star.

Vick, who turns 29 in June, left the federal penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kan., by car early Wednesday, undetected by hordes of reporters who had staked out the prison.

He was accompanied on the 1,200-mile ride by his fiancee, Kijafa Frink, a videographer and several members of a security team assembled by Vick's lawyers and advisers, a person familiar with the plans told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to comment on the matter. The person did not know the reason for the videographer.

Avoiding the media will be tougher in Hampton, where he will serve two months in home confinement. His five-bedroom brick house is at the end of a cul-de-sac, where at least a half-dozen satellite trucks and several reporters and camera crews awaited his return. Out back, between the house and a pond, maintenance workers got the swimming pool ready.

Vick was sentenced to 23 months in federal prison for financing a dogfighting conspiracy. He won't be released from federal custody until July 20, but his departure from Leavenworth begins a new chapter.

"It's a happy day for him to be starting this part of the process," said Larry Woodward, Vick's Virginia-based attorney, said. "He looks forward to meeting the challenges he has to meet."

His ultimate goal is a return to the NFL, but Woodward said Vick's first priority "is spending time with his children and his loved ones."

Chief among his challenges is rehabilitating his image and convincing the public and Goodell that he is truly sorry for his crime, and that he is prepared to live a different life — goals that will depend more on deeds than words.

"It goes beyond, 'Has he paid his debt to society?' Because I think that from a legal standpoint and financially and personally, he has," Blank said at an NFL owners' meeting Wednesday.

Part of Vick's problem was the company he kept, Blank said, and weeding out the bad influences and associating with people who have his best interests at heart will be a key to redemption and a possible return to the NFL.

"There's the expression 'you are what you eat.' To some extent, you are who you hang with too, and that does have an effect on lives for all of us," he said.

Vick's NFL future remains a mystery.

"Mike's already paid his dues," Falcons receiver and former teammate Roddy White said Wednesday. "He wants to play football. I think if he gets reinstated before the season, there'll be a couple of teams that will be after him and give him a chance to play."

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals said Vick doesn't deserve that chance until he passes psychological tests proving he is capable of feeling genuine remorse.

"Our position would be the opportunity to play in the NFL is a privilege, not a right," PETA spokesman Dan Shannon said.

First up for Vick is a $10-an-hour job as a laborer for a construction company. That job is part of his probation, and he will find out more about the restrictions he faces in home confinement when he meets with his probation officer later this week. He also will be equipped with an electronic monitor.

John Wall to UK

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=4178271

Top point guard recruit John Wall has told Kentucky coach John Calipari that he will sign with the Wildcats, ending a highly publicized courtship with the game-changing player.

Wall, ranked the No. 1 point guard, No. 5 overall, in the ESPNU 100, informed Miami coach Frank Haith on Tuesday morning that he had committed to Kentucky. The reasoning, according to a source, was because he just wanted to play for Calipari.

"It's an exciting offense; I like the way coach Calipari has the point guard doing a lot of work," Wall told ESPNRISE.com's Chris Lawlor on Tuesday.

If Calipari had stayed as coach at Memphis, there would have been no drama in Wall's commitment. Privately, Calipari was convinced Wall would have chosen the Tigers, but the coach's departure to Kentucky created a soap opera in the renewed recruiting chase.


Adding another chip
Top 2009 recruit John Wall's commitment to Kentucky is the latest development in a remarkable stretch for John Calipari, writes Paul Biancardi of Scouts Inc. Story

Wall teased Duke, and actually gave Miami an informal commitment last week, according to a source close to the situation. But ultimately, the Word of God Christian Academy playmaker out of Raleigh, N.C., didn't stray from his original plan: He chose to play for Calipari; it's just that the pursuit for a national title will be out of Lexington instead of Memphis.

Kentucky adds Wall to another top-10 recruit, 6-foot-9 DeMarcus Cousins of LeFlore (Mobile, Ala.).

Wall and Cousins have said they would have signed with Calipari at Memphis.

"It's a new beginning for all of us; there's a lot of talent," Wall said.

Wall was impressed by Calipari's work at Memphis, especially the last two years, with 2009 NBA Rookie of the Year Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls and All-America guard Tyreke Evans, who declared for the NBA draft after one season.

"Coach Calipari pushes his players, and that's why his teams are successful," Wall said. "Some compare me to Derrick Rose, and that's a compliment. In the last two years, he's helped Derrick and Tyreke become top-10 picks in the NBA draft. He's helped them reach that level, but I'm reaching my goal of playing college basketball."

According to sources, moving from Memphis to Lexington had been an issue for Wall's adviser, Brian Clifton, who likely will be the one to represent Wall when the player eventually declares for the NBA draft.

A source close to the situation at Duke said multiple times that if Clifton were making the call, Duke would have been selected. But according to sources, Wall made the decision.

"He did his due diligence when it came to recruiting," Clifton told ESPNRISE.com. "He likes Cal's style of play and is excited about the opportunity to display his creativity. John has a chance to take college basketball by storm."

Duke was hoping to be Wall's choice because his mother has had health problems, and the Blue Devils had no issue recruiting a player who is projected to leave after his freshman season.

In the meantime, Wall had strung Miami along after a recruiting visit in late April, feeling comfortable enough with Haith and the team to make the Hurricanes a compromise choice.

Wall would have made Duke an instant title contender and clearly would have elevated Miami into an NCAA tournament team. Florida had made a run at him, but the Gators couldn't get Wall to make a visit.


Chris Williams/Icon SMI
John Wall had made two unofficial visits to Kentucky when Billy Gillispie was still the coach.
Earlier in the year, Clifton's brother, Dwon, was hired as director of player development at Baylor, creating a stir.

Wall even had made two unofficial visits to Kentucky when Billy Gillispie was still the coach.