Randall Cunningham's 2-year old son was found floating in the backyard hot tub of their house in Las Vegas. The incident appeared to be accidental. The son, Christian Cunningham would have turned 3 years old in December. Tragic, my heart goes out to Randall's family. 

Randall Cunningham is pastor of Remnant Ministries and performs baptisms in the hot tub at his home, the paper reports. He was not home at the time.

According to the report, a woman at Cunningham's house was with several children when she found Christian at about 4:30 p.m. The woman pulled Christian out and began performing CPR until paramedics arrived, and he was taken to St. Rose Dominican Hospital, where he died. 

Cunningham went to UNLV and played 16 seasons in the NFL, making four Pro Bowls. He retired following the 2001 season.

Original Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/06/30/randall-cunninghams-2-year-old-son-drowns-in-family-hot-tub/

As you guys all know, Brent Celek has a Facebook page and a Twitter page. I am on Facebook, so I can regularly check up on my boy Brent. He has contests on Facebook and on twitter about doing stuff like answering questions, or posting pics, and vids of themselves with his jersey on etc.

The great thing about it is that Brent gives away stuff to the winners. So far on Facebook contests, he has had given away  a couple signed pics of himself, and he will be giving away a pair of used game cleats signed, and a Flip Cam with a pic of himself on it once he reaches 20k followers on Facebook and Twitter combined.

Great Opportunity for you guys to win stuff by him. 

I'll give you guys the links to his pages: 

Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/brentcelek?v=wall&story_fbid=117250334982333#!/brentcelek

Twitter Page: http://twitter.com/BrentCelek

Oh yeah guys, I could add you guys on Facebook if you want..... just leave your name in the comments section. 

Avery Johnson, the former Dallas Mavericks head coach and currently a TV Analyst for ESPN says that he is scheduled to speak next week with our beloved 76ers and the Hornets. Club representatives will meet Johnson in Texas. The Sixers will meet with Avery on Monday, the Hornets will meet with him on Tuesday. Johnson has coached in Dallas for three seasons. He led the Mavs to an NBA Finals appearance in 2006, but was fired after a first-round playoff series loss to New Orleans in 2008.

If the Sixers could nab Johnson, the Sixers would be going in the right direction. After finding a new Head Coach, they will still need to do a lot of rebuilding starting this summer, trying to unload some big contracts, and making an impact in the NBA Draft on June 24th. 

It seems that every offensive player on the Eagles are excited to play with Kolb. The list includes young and explosive players such as Brent Celek, Jeremy Maclin, and DeSean Jackson.

Brent has this to say about Kevin: "I think Kevin can be one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. I've always said that."  "As a team I think we are all excited to play with him". Celek then goes on to say that Kevin puts in hard work and that is what it takes to be successful in the NFL.

DeSean Jackson: "Its the new Era for the Eagles, We call it the young guns."

Jeremy Maclin: I'm excited man," Maclin said about the future. "Kevin (Kolb)'s shown flashes of what he can do and he's obviously a great quarterback and I'm looking forward to kind of getting out there and working with him a little more and hopefully we can spread the ball around a little bit.

Todd Herremans: "I like Kevin," Herremans said. "I think having him come in as the quarterback will be a little refreshing. It will be something new. We obviously have a very young team now. The leadership on our team is young as well. I don't see that as a bad thing. I think that's a really good thing. I'm just happy for Kevin that he got his opportunity.

Make no mistake about it, everyone on the Eagles has Kevin's back, and firmly support him. They think he is the man for the job, and that he is ready. His teammates show a lot of confidence in him. One thing that the teammates have mentioned about Kolb is that he has always worked hard, and they he has been ready. 

Kevin seems to be also really confident about being handed the starting job.                                                                Kevin had this to say: "I didn't even blink when Andy told me. I really didn't," said Kolb. "I'm excited about it. I'm sure it will have a little drama, but it will be a fun ride. I truly have that outlook on it. I think this team will surprise some people." 

I am excited to see Kevin play, I have a feeling this kid will be dynamic, everything is much easier if you have the support of your peers. If Kevin is lacking one thing, it certainly is not support or encouragement from his fellow teammates.

Kevin,us Eagles fans have your back. Do what you have to do, and lead us to the promised land, with of course the victory that sadly, Donovan couldn't get us. It's your time to shine.

Dear Donovan, 

Thank-you for all of the great 10 years you have had shared with us Eagles fans. Even though many Eagle fans wanted Ricky Williams, and booed the decision to draft you, you have stayed classy. Donovan, you have showed us that you were the right choice. When us fans finally saw you play, we were wowed. You brought hope and joy to us and spoiled us with many winning seasons and bringing the Eagles to the playoffs 8 out of the 10 years you were here. We wish you could have brought a Superbowl championship to Philly, and certainly we would have enjoyed parading down the streets in jubilation and chanting your name.

In the beginning, I just wanted the Eagles to trade you, but when the trade actually went down, tonight, on Easter Sunday, I thought, just thought that Andy was right. Andy was right in asking you of your approval if you wanted to rather go to the Redskins or the Raiders. It is only right to treat you as a future HOF. You have done so much for us Eagle fans, and some of us, myself included haven't appreciated you enough. 

I hope you enjoy your time in Washington Donovan. When you come back to Philly, some fans may boo you. I know for sure that I will be chanting your name in admiration and thanks at the stands screaming DONOVAN! DONOVAN! at the top of my lungs. 

Andy Reid said it best tonight at the press conference after the Eagles have traded you. Donovan, you are the best Quarterback in the Eagles franchise history. 

I just hope that you can retire as an Eagle one day. Jason Elam signed a 1-day contract with Denver to be retired as a Bronco. Maybe they will consider that for you. I know for sure I would nod my head in approval if the Eagles decided to do that. 

Thanks again for all the great times you have had with us in Philly. 

Love you Donovan,

       Eagleswin

Hey Seahawks fans, greetings from Bleedinggreennation(BGN). BGN is the Philadelphia Eagles blog on SB Nation for those of you that do not know. We are conducting a mock draft of only the 1st round on the upcoming 2010 draft which will be held at the end of April. I have been chosen to represent one of the Seattle Seahawks picks, which is the 14th pick in the 1st round.

I just wanted some of your suggestions on who you guys would like to see the Seahawks pick or who you think they will chose. If you have any other advice or anything on the profiles of who the Seahawks will pick, post comments below.

I have visited this blog a few times, and have to say this is one of the best football blogs in SB Nation. I appreciate the help in advance guys. Good luck on the upcoming season! 

After the jump I have listed some of the guys who I think the Seahawks will pick, and there is a poll.

UPDATE -The other guy that represented the Seahawks #6 pick chose Trent Williams(OT) of Oklahoma. So now do you guys think that C.J. Spiller would be the better choice or another Offensive Line Prospect? 

UPDATE #2- A fellow blogger at BGN took Derrick Morgan for the Jaguar's draft pick, so take him out of the equation. I'm feeling like C.J. Spiller is the guy the more I have been thinking about it. 

Continue reading this post »

According to PFT, Clark Judge of CBSSports.com reports that the Eagles are close to sending Sheldon Brown and Chris Gocong to the Browns for a draft pick, or for a player, two draft picks, and a backup player. Judge says that he expects the deal to be done any time now. Judge says that the deal hinges on Brown getting a new contract.

I do not know if this deal is true or not. But the deal better be good, because the Eagles cannot get ripped off for what is still one of the best corners in the game and a really bad LB. 

The question is what is going to happen to the cornerback's depth after this. The Eagles probably go to the draft, because they are also interested in getting some guy from the Seahawks that plays on the O-Line. 

Warren Moon said this about the Eagles, "I don't know why you would get rid of a quarterback who is in the prime of his career in Donovan and go with an unknown in a young quarterback like a Kevin Kolb or a Michael Vick," Moon said. "If they're going to make a deal with the Raiders, go ahead and make the deal. What are they waiting on? It seems the longer they wait, the worse deal they're going to get closer to the draft."    

Read More:http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/morning-jolt/04/01/morning.jolt/index.html?eref=sihp#ixzz0jrttxnNx

The thing is, I actually agree with what Warren says in the second part of his quote when he asks why the Eagles are waiting for a deal with Mcnabb. It does seem that the Eagles could have gotten a lot for Mcnabb at the beginning of the offseason, but now that they have dragged this out so far, the prices keep dropping.

But the first part of the quote I totally disagree, "unknown in a young quarterback like a Kevin Kolb or a Michael Vick", disagree, many scouts and GMs believe that all of those QBs could start in the NFL. Kevin is not quite unproven, after all we know he can throw a bunch of yards and doesn't throw dirtballs like Mcnabb. 

It was a disappointing end to Nova's 09-10 basketball season ending to a loss to St. Mary's. We will miss Scottie Reynolds who will probably be ballin in the NBA. I believe Scottie actually put Nova in the spotlight, which gets Nova some good recruits that probably would never have committed to Nova. Hopefully Corey Fisher, and Stokes come back. Yarou will be amazing next year once he develops, along with Armwood, and Wayns, and hopefully Cheeks can step it up.

I do have some good news though, Nova's basketball recruits that are going to be freshman in 2010-11 season for next year look really good. Jay Wright did quite a good job recruiting because the 3 prospects that have either signed or verbally committed to Nova are all ranked in the 90's on a scale of 100 by ESPN, and 2 out of the 3 are on ESPN's top 100 prospects for the 2010 class

Analysis of the recruits after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

Scouts.com Chris Steuber reported that the Eagles are one of 3 teams that have scheduled private workouts with Zoltan Mesko, who is considered one of the top punters in the 2010 draft.

Mesko will have the private workout with the Eagles on March 30.

The other teams that Mesko will have workouts with are the Kansas City Chiefs, and the Patriots.                                      

Mesko's private workout with the Chiefs will be on March 26, and the Pats on either April 14th or 15th.

Zoltan Mesko Report:

Height: 6-4     Weight: 234     40- Time: 4.74

He will be able to start for a team as a rookie, and his projected as better than some NFL punters already. He is projected to be drafted in around the 3rd - 5th round. This year, Mesko has averaged a career high of 44.5 ypa.

Other punters on the Eagles roster: Durant Brooks, Sav Rocca

source: Slamonline.com

Article link: http://www.slamonline.com/online/nba/2010/03/allen-iversons-wife-has-filed-for-divorce/

It hasn’t been the greatest week in A.I.’s life. The AJC has the latest: “A week after the Philadelphia 76ers’ Allen Iverson announced he was leaving basketball for the rest of the season to be with his sick 4-year-old daughter, the star’s wife filed for divorce in Fulton County Superior Court. In the divorce petition filed on Tuesday, Tawanna Iverson said her 8 ½-year-long marriage to the guard was ‘irretrievably broken.’ In the petition, Tawanna Iverson asked for temporary and permanent custody of their five children as well as child support and alimony. She did not ask for a specific dollar amount. The children range in ages from 17 months to 15 years.”

Couldn't A.I.'s wife waited at least a couple on months to divorce him? A.I.'s daughter is terribly sick and everything, now his wife is going to divorce him? Wow Just Wow. How is this going to make things better?

I was just recently on ESPN and read an article by Roy Neyer.

I decided to do a little bit of comparison and came up with this after the jump:

Continue reading this post »

The New York Giants have released middle linebacker Antonio Pierce after five seasons, Pierce confirmed in an e-mail to the Newark Star-Ledger on Thursday. NFC East blog Mosley ESPN.com's Matt Mosley writes about all things NFC East in his division blog.

Blog network: NFL Nation "I'm doing great, feeling great," Pierce wrote in the e-mail. "Looking forward to endless possibilities. Loved every moment as a NY GIANT."

Pierce, who was placed on injured reserve Nov. 30 with a bulging disk, had one season left on the contract he signed as a free agent in 2005. Pierce had 55 tackles, one sack and one forced fumble in nine games last season. He led the Giants in tackles the previous three seasons and missed only four regular-season games since leaving the Washington Redskins to join the Giants.

Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4905683

Should the Eagles sign Antonio Pierce to play LB for them? I know he was a Giant but he is still a pretty good linebacker, better than Gocong The downside is that he is 31 and was on IR last year. Since 2004 he has totaled at least 95 tackles a season, except for this past year because he was injured and only played 9 games. Should the Eagles sign him?

"ESPN's Adam Schefter says multiple teams have asked the Eagles about all three of their quarterbacks and three teams have called about Michael Vick. Sal Paolantonio added that three teams - Cleveland, Denver and Buffalo - have had multiple conversations with the Eagles about Donovan McNabb. I'm also told nothing is anywhere close to happening, that all of the queries have been preliminary."

Site Source: http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/155951-teams-eyeing-eagles-qbs?eref=sihp

Don't think Mcnabb will be traded. Kolb is basically untouchable, and Vick will probably be traded 

The Eagles have made some very nice changes in the offseason so far. It can't hurt that we have some one like Savage to help for the 2010 draft can it? 

Story Source: http://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/Bloghead/

The Eagles on Thursday announced they have named Phil Savage as a Player Personnel Consultant for the 2010 draft. In this role, Savage will work with Eagles General Manager Howie Roseman and Director of Player Personnel Ryan Grigson in their draft preparations, specifically in the evaluation of draft prospects in the Southeast portion of the country.

"I've always admired the work Phil Savage has done," said Roseman. "And after spending time with him this past year, I realized how well we could work together. Phil is an excellent talent evaluator and having an extra set of eyes for us to utilize will definitely help our scouting staff as we prepare for the draft. He's spent time working on the 2010 draft class already, so Ryan and I thought it is was a slam dunk when the opportunity was there for us to add him to our staff."

Said Savage, who served as the radio color analyst for the Crimson Tide Sports Network in 2009: "This is a great opportunity for me to get back in the NFL. I'm really excited about the role the Eagles have afforded me and I'm ready to help Howie and the rest of their scouting staff in the best way I possibly can."

The 44-year-old Savage spent four seasons as Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Cleveland Browns from 2005-08. In his four years with the Browns, the team acquired five Pro Bowl players (three through the college draft) and won a franchise-best 10 games in 2007. That year, the Browns had six players selected to the Pro Bowl (Derek Anderson, Joshua Cribbs, Braylon Edwards, Ryan Pontbriand, Joe Thomas, and Kellen Winslow), which was the most by the franchise since six players were chosen in 1995.

Prior to his stint with Cleveland, Savage enjoyed a nine-year run with the Baltimore Ravens. He was hired as the Director of College Scouting by Vice President of Player Personnel Ozzie Newsome in 1996 and held that position for seven years. He was elevated to Director of Player Personnel in 2003. In that time period, the Ravens acquired 11 Pro Bowl players through the college draft, including Jonathan Ogden and Ray Lewis, who helped Baltimore to a victory over the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXXV. 

In 1991, after a brief stint with the San Antonio Riders of the World League, Savage was hired by Cleveland Browns head coach Bill Belichick as a defensive assistant. He worked for three years as an assistant for defensive coordinator Nick Saban breaking down opponent tapes and working with the defensive backs. Savage also helped prepare for the Browns' drafts by scouting potential prospects. Following the 1993 season, he moved to the player personnel department as an area scout for the West coast before being promoted to National Scout in 1995.

The Mobile, AL, native attended Murphy High School where he played football and baseball. From Murphy, Savage continued his academic and athletic career at the University of the South. He quarterbacked the Tigers' football team and was a three-time all-conference selection on the baseball team as a shortstop. Savage majored in English and graduated in 1987. From there, he spent three seasons as a graduate assistant at Alabama on Bill Curry's staff and worked under offensive coordinator Homer Smith in 1988-89. Savage followed Smith to UCLA in 1990 and coached the tight ends. During his time at Alabama, he earned his graduate degree in Physical Education.

Phil resides in Fairhope, Ala. with his wife, Dorothy, an accomplished theatrical actress and singer who will release her debut album, Glorious Mess, in March 2010.

-- Posted by Dave Spadaro, 11:34 a.m., February 4

I had just finished reading an article on the Eagles official website. There was an interesting piece that was written up by Chris McPeterson. 

Source copied from:http://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/Story.asp?story_id=20194

Article Below:

Last year, there were 55 restricted free agents available on the open market.

How many of them signed with a new team?

For the first time since the Collective Bargaining Agreement first went into effect in 1993, not a single restricted free agent signed with a new team.

That will likely change in 2010.

As Dave Spadaro pointed out in his recent On The Inside column, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell told reporters that it was "virtually certain" that there will be an uncapped year in 2010. That means there are 212 players who would become unrestricted free agents in a cap year who are now only going to be restricted free agents, according to a study by The Associated Press. A player needs six seasons of service instead of the usual four to become an unrestricted free agent.

The Eagles have eight of those players: cornerback Ellis Hobbs, guard/center Nick Cole, fullback Leonard Weaver, tight end Alex Smith, linebacker Omar Gaither, wide receiver Jason Avant, guard Max Jean-Gilles and linebacker Chris Gocong.

But to sign a restricted free agent there are additional costs. Depending on the tender level a team places on a player, the new team would not only have to sign the player to a deal that the old team doesn't want to match but the new team could have to surrender draft picks as well. And with a draft fortified by quality underclassmen, will a team want to sign a restricted free agent to a long-term deal AND hand over draft picks in the process? The draft pick compensation ranges from the round the player was originally drafted in to first- and third-round picks.

What will be interesting is to see whether teams try to sign their own restricted free agents to long-term deals or wait and see what the market bears and simply match whatever offer comes along.

Teams still have even more ammo to keep its own players. Teams already have the ability to use either a franchise tag or transition tag which limits the ability for unrestricted free agents to sign with another team. Teams will have an additional transition tag this off-season.

And if Eagles fans were concerned about a team like the Cowboys spending like crazy without a salary cap, rest at ease. The uncapped year includes what is called the "Final Eight Plan." This means that teams who reached the Divisional Round of the playoffs (final eight) can only sign a unrestricted free agent for every one of their own who has signed elsewhere. That should limit the ability of the other elite teams in the NFC this year - Minnesota, New Orleans and Arizona - to improve in free agency.

Lastly, those who are fortunate enough to reach unrestricted free agency if 2010 does become an uncapped year - the Eagles have four in safety Sean Jones, linebacker Jeremiah Trotter, defensive end Jason Babin and linebacker Tracy White - teams don't necessarily have to open the wallets. While there was a salary floor for teams in a capped year, there is no salary floor in an uncapped year.

In just a little over a month, one of the most interesting free agent periods of recent NFL history will commence.

I think the "Final Eight Plan" will be enough to stop those top, rich teams from dominating the NFL like what has happened in the MLB. The Yankees in the MLB can spend whatever they like on whoever they like which is totally unfair, because they are always in the World Series Hunt while other teams never even make the playoffs. The NFL making this rule is pretty crucial, and important. 

Iggy’s unhappy days in Philly may soon come to an end: “Andre Iguodala, the current Philadelphia 76ers franchise player who was regarded as untouchable just a year ago but is now the centerpiece of a salary-cap hamstrung team only staying out of last place because of the New Jersey Nets. First come the facts. According to several league sources, the Cavs and Sixers have been in talks about Iguodala. The talks remain open and it is still possible the Cavs could trade for him, contrary to other reports at the end of the last week. At this point, however, the two sides are just in discussion and have not progressed to the serious stage. The Sixers are probably at that stage with a lot of teams. Over the last several weeks, when the Sixers actually starting making calls offering Iguodala, some teams were taken off guard. They had not done research into Iguodala because recently it didn’t seem sensible. After all, it was less than two years ago that the Sixers signed Iguodala to a six-year, $80 million deal and hoped he’d mature into an perennial All-Star.”

Source copied from: http://www.slamonline.com/online/nba/2010/02/cavs-reportedly-still-eyeing-iguodala/

I thought it was interesting to note that Asante has been dissing his former team, the Patriots ever since he left them and came to join the Eagles in Philly. A lot of people said that Asante came to Philly for the money, but he might have also left New England for the way they were treating him. Personally, I wouldn't want Bill Belicheck as a Head Coach if I owned a team, but I don't. 

Source Link: http://sports.espn.go.com/boston/nfl/news/story?id=4868868

Former New England cornerback Asante Samuel had some words of advice for nose tackle Vince Wilfork on Friday as Wilfork waits to see what his future holds with the Patriots.

“

The way [the Patriots] treat people is not something I agree with.

”-- Former Patriots cornerback Asante Samuel

"I don't think they care about you, in my opinion," Samuel told the Boston Globe from Miami, where he was practicing with the NFC Pro Bowl team. "They didn't care about me. So do what's best for you and your family."

Having just finished playing the final season of his six-year rookie contract, Wilfork is looking for a long-term deal and a big payday. The Patriots could throw a wrench in the works by placing the franchise tag on him.

Samuel was in the same position Wilfork currently faces with the Patriots. The team slapped him with a franchise tag in 2007 after Samuel had played four seasons in New England and was vocal about his desire for a long-term contract that he deemed was fair market value. Part of Samuel's deal to play under the franchise tag reportedly was an agreement that if the Patriots won 12 games or Samuel played 60 percent of the team's defensive snaps, he would not be tagged the next season.

If tagged, Wilfork would make $7M

The franchise and transition tag numbers for 2010 have been released, and these are important from a Patriots perspective in regards to nose tackle Vince Wilfork.

If the Patriots and Wilfork don't agree on a contract extension by late February, the team is expected to place the franchise tag on Wilfork. That figure would be $7.003 million.

The franchise tag is the average of the top five salaries at the position from the previous year. Wilfork earned $2.2 million in 2009, but he's seeking a long-term contract that gives him more security. Under the franchise tag, assuming Wilfork signed the tender, it would be a one-year deal.

In the event that Wilfork is assigned the tag, he could still sign with another team, but that club would have to give the Patriots draft-pick compensation. Because of that, it is rare for a player assigned the franchise tag to be signed by another team.

--Mike Reiss

After the Patriots went 16-0 that season Samuel was a free agent and signed a six-year deal with thePhiladelphia Eagles.

Samuel told the Globe on Friday he thought the way the team handled his situation would influence how they might approach Wilfork.

"The way they treat people is not something I agree with," Samuel said, "but everybody has their own opinion."

Wilfork has expressed his opinion on his contract status several times over the last few days, most recently telling the Globe on Friday he was done discussing it until he either hears from the team or something happens.

"I already talked about it," Wilfork said, "so I don't want to keep hammering at it."

On Thursday, Wilfork told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel that if things did not work out for the Patriots, it would be "a dream come true" to play for either the Miami Dolphins or Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Wilfork played collegiately at the University of Miami and is a Florida native.

"I love great weather. I love football. It doesn't matter where I play," Wilfork told the Sun-Sentinel. "I just want to have security for my family. I would love to stay in New England if I had the chance. I love New England because of my teammates, my family. My son, the friends and connections we've made up there, it's some great people up there. But if it doesn't work out I'll weigh my options, I tell you that."

On Wednesday, Wilfork said he would consider it a "slap in the face" if the Patriots placed the franchise tag on him.

24 LB Brandon Spikes Florida Sr. 6-3 258 The Eagles linebacking was in such need early last season that Philly had to go sign Jeremiah Trotter for a third time. Spikes plays mostly inside, and with Stewart Bradley recovering from ACL surgery, Spikes is at least a very smart insurance policy for Philly in 2010.

Read More:http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/don_banks/01/28/mock.draft.3/index.html#ixzz0dx684Yx1

A lot of the mock drafts have the Eagles taking Brandon Spikes from Florida. I would love this pick because Brandon hits hard, is physical, is a Philly type of player and has great leadership skills. This pick would help our depth at linebacker because we only have 2 good linebackers on the roster as of now, Stewart Bradley and Will Witherspoon. Will is about 30 years old and I think has about 2 years left on his contract.

Akeem Jordan is okay, but I don't think he is that good of a starting linebacker, Chris Gocong sucks, Moise Fokou has too many penalties, Tracy White is not bad, and good on special teams. Omar Gaither probably won't be back next year. 

Do you guys think the Eagles would draft Brandon Spikes if he fell that far? 

Story Copied From: http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AixwflSjRIJShG19RMrlbBC8vLYF?slug=aw-stoudemiresuns012510&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

After recent discussions with Amar’e Stoudemire’s(notes) agent that didn’t appear to destine a contract extension, the Phoenix Suns have increased their efforts to trade the All-Star forward, league sources told Yahoo! Sports on Sunday night.

League executives say the Suns have become more active initiating talks over the past few days, and believe the franchise will take the best offer for Stoudemire before the Feb. 18 trade deadline. The Chicago Bulls,Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets and Detroit Pistons are among multiple teams that have a strong interest in Stoudemire, sources say. The Arizona Republic reported Sunday night that the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers have also inquired about Stoudemire.

As they did when shopping Stoudemire last season, the Suns want a combination of young talent, salary-cap relief and draft picks for him. Some teams are hesitant to trade for Stoudemire for fear he won’t want to re-sign with them this summer. The Minnesota Timberwolves lead that group of teams, sources say. The Wolves are mostly eyeing small forwards, including the Memphis Grizzlies’ Rudy Gay(notes), the Bulls’ Luol Deng(notes) and the Washington Wizards’ Caron Butler(notes). No one is untouchable on the Wolves roster, sources say.Suns general manager Steve Kerr met with Stoudemire’s agent, Happy Walters, on Thursday, and league sources say there was little sense an agreement could be reached before the trade deadline. With Stoudemire able to opt out of the final $17.7 million season of his contract, the Suns don’t want to risk losing him for nothing in free agency this summer.

With Stoudemire having undergone knee and eye surgeries in recent years, there are differing perspectives on his market value. Nevertheless, Stoudemire has made a strong comeback from eye surgery this season – averaging 20.9 points and 8.6 rebounds – and impressed rival executives and scouts. Stoudemire has been inclined to use Pau Gasol’s(notes) three-year, $57 million contract extension as a parameter for negotiations, and more than one league executive believes that circumstances will result in Stoudemire getting richly rewarded this summer.

If LeBron James(notes) and Dwyane Wade(notes) don’t leave Cleveland and Miami this summer, teams like Chicago, New York and New Jersey may be apt to turn to Stoudemire as an alternative. After James and Wade, Stoudemire is part of a second tier of free-agent stars with Toronto’s Chris Bosh(notes) and Atlanta’s Joe Johnson(notes).

“Someone will pay him the max – or very close,” one Western Conference executive predicted.

As it stands now, it appears unlikely that will be the Phoenix Suns.

Story Copied from http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=adande_ja&page=Haiti-100122

The speaker is Samuel Dalembert, Philadelphia 76ers center. The subject is his beloved and devastated home country of Haiti. The tone of voice is determined.

"I know that I'm not going to be able to save the whole country by myself," Dalembert says. "I know that I can make a difference in my way. If I feel like I'm not doing my best in my power and utilizing all the resources I have in my hands, I feel like I've failed. I know I'm not going to be able to help every single person back home, but I'm going to help a lot of them."

The speaker is Caryl Stern, president of UNICEF. The subject is Dalembert. The tone of voice is momentarily swooning.

"Oh, I love him," Stern says. "I love him."

Stern can turn solemn as she recounts stories of a child showing up at a UNICEF camp in Haiti, curling up in the fetal position and screaming for hours before finally revealing that he'd watched both of his parents die in the earthquake; or the staff driver whose wife, son and daughter all died of earthquake-related injuries but who continued working, saying "I can't bring them back; I can only save lives."

But her voice turns giddy when she speaks about Dalembert.

"He has been an ardent supporter of Haiti [for years]," she says. "He has called upon us on numerous occasions to see what we're doing and how he can help."

The speaker is Olden Polynice, native of Haiti and former NBA player. The subject is Dalembert ... and Alonzo Mourning and Dwyane Wade and Chris Paul and all of the other NBA players who came forward to offer help to Haiti after a magnitude 7.0 earthquake wreaked havoc on the country. The tone is grateful.

"I'm very appreciative and I'm sure the people of Haiti are as well," Polynice says. "The guys have done an incredible job of stepping up. You hear all the negative. In this time of pain and misery, these guys have stepped up."

Sam Dalembert is a heck of a man. He really is touched by all of this. For him to perform at the level he has been performing ever since we got Iverson, and still be saddened by the earthquake at Haiti is pretty unbelievable. 

Contreras, 38 years old  was 5-13 last year with a 5.42 ERA last year with the Chicago White Sox. He was the traded to the Colorado Rockies. After traded to the Rockies, he posted a 1-0 record with a 1.59 ERA including 2 starts. The Cubs and the Cardinals were interested in him before him signing with the Phils. 

The deal is pending a physical.

I think this is a good signing, it shores up our relief pitching staff 

An NBA source confirmed that the Sixers and Rockets have had discussions about Tracy McGrady.    Houston is looking to deal McGrady and his expiring $23 million contract by the Feb. 19 trade deadline.    An ESPN.com story Tuesday claimed the Sixers"hinted at a package of (Andre) Iguodala and Samuel Dalembertfor McGrady," though the source said the Sixers "didn't hint."

info copied from:http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/145450-source-76ers-interested-in-mcgrady?eref=sihp

Personally, I think this is a great idea. We trade Iggy and Sam which both have huge contracts for McGrady for one year. We have way way way overpaid for Sam and I think we have also overpaid for Iggy by a lot too. If this trade goes down, the Sixers might be looking to trade Brand too to be able to unload his contract, to begin rebuilding. Then we lose more games, which lead us to be able to draft our man John Wall!!!!!!

What do you guys think about this trade offer that the 76ers offered for the Rocket's McGrady? 

Story from:http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4816179

PHILADELPHIA -- Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid says Donovan McNabb will be the team's quarterback next season.

Michael Vick's status remains questionable, however.

McNabb's future was questioned because he has one year left on his contract and he's failed to lead Philadelphia to a Super Bowl victory in 11 seasons.

"That's my call," Reid said Monday when asked who will make the decision to bring McNabb back. "I think he's a great player. His work over the last 11 years has proven that. I truly believe it's a team sport; it's not one guy."

McNabb had one of his finest seasons, but struggled badly in consecutive losses to Dallas. The Cowboys beat the Eagles 34-14 Saturday night in an NFC wild-card playoff game.

After the loss, McNabb said he wanted to return to Philadelphia.

The Eagles have a $5 million team option available for Vick.

The backup who joined the team before last season after a 2½-year prison stay for his role in a dogfighting ring said Sunday that he continues to hold lofty goals.

NFC East blog

ESPN.com's Matt Mosley writes about all things NFC East in his division blog.

• Blog network: NFL Nation

"Everybody wants to be a starter in this league and everybody wants to play," Vick said, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. "That should be your goal. The ambition you should have is to want to be great. ... I know I can still play at a high level."

Vick, 29, said he would be happy to remain with Philadelphia.

"I would hope so," Vick said, according to the newspaper. "I tried to be the best ambassador that I could be in the community, the best football player that I could be. And that won't stop. I'll continue to do that, and I'll continue to work hard."

Vick said his performance this season spoke for itself.

"I feel like I'm probably better than I ever was in my career, as far as the mental aspect of the game," he said. "Physically -- that will come. That is easy."

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

First off: Let me say congratulations on your first playoff win since 1996 Cowboys, you guys deserved it after about 14 years without a win.
Disappointing end to the Eagles 09-10 season.
We got rocked by the Cowboys in 2 straight weeks.

So what will the Eagles Management do in the Offseason?

1. Mcnabb will be traded to the 49ers/Seahawks for a 1st and a 5th round pick or some other minor players.

I know Mcnabb has done a lot for us. We all love Donovan, but he just isn't consistent enough. He plays clutch one week, the next week, our hearts get broken. Every good premier quarterback such as Peyton, Brees, and Brady has won a Super Bowl. Donovan has been considered a premier quarterback, but should he be considered in that top tier of quarterbacks in the league? Donovan has led us to multiple playoff wins, a Super Bowl and holds nearly every major category passing record in the Eagles team history.

2. The Eagles will pick up Vick's option, draft a Qb in the draft, and keep Kevin Kolb. 

There will be an open Qb competition in Training Camp if Mcnabb is traded or released. Either that, or Kolb will be named the starting QB, and if that happens, Vick's option will probably not be picked up. If the Eagles draft a QB in the 2010 NFL Draft, they will most definetly not draft a QB that is projected in the top 20 area, probably from the 2nd-5th round. Remember, I think the Eagles have about a billion 5th round picks this year. The Qb draft class this year isn't that good. The only outstanding prospects would be Jimmy Clausen, Colt Mccoy, and maybe Tim Tebow 

 They should look at
Some of these Juniors on this list might not declare for the draft though
1. Chase Keenum(Houston)

2. Jarrett Brown(West Virginia)

3. Juice Williams(Illinois) 

4. Max Hall (BYU)

5. Tony Pike(Cincinnati)

6. Zac Robinson(Oklahoma State)

7. Jevan Snead(Ole Miss)

8. Daryll Clark(Penn State- JoePa)

9. Sean Canfield(0regon State)

10. Jonathan Crompton (Tennessee)

3. The Eagles will fire Sean Mcdermott, or demote him and hire a new Defensive Coordinator.                                     Sean Mcdermott has been pretty solid this year except for the last two games.                                                                  Are those two games enough to get Mcdermott fired?

4. The Eagles will go all out on Free Agency and sign some Franchise Players. 

There is a very, very nice FA linebackers this year.The Eagles have got to at least sign one of these guys.

All of the Analysis's are copied from www.footballsfuture.com 

Linebackers: 

1. Shawne Merriman (Chargers) 
With his first two sacks since returning from injury coming in week 8, Merriman doesn't seem to be exactly the same player he was prior to his injury, which is to be somewhat expected. He lacks the explosiveness he had in the past, but some of that should return after this offseason as it continues to heal. The Chargers defense has been a large liability so it becomes a question whether or not the team wants to even commit that much money to a player who has been pretty unproductive. What the Chargers do with Merriman will be a decision based on the ultimate risk-reward analysis, as well as a decision reflecting which of their many free agents they choose to and are able to retain. Remember that the team also drafted pass rusher Larry English in the first round last year. The best guess is that the Chargers will place a franchise tag on Merriman, so as to not commit a long-term deal, but also not to allow the former All-Pro to just walk away.

2. Barrett Ruud (Bucs)
Locking the young middle linebacker up should be a priority for the Buccaneers and with all the cap room they have, it's a little surprising they haven't already gotten it done. Ruud is one of the league's best pure tacklers and has great instincts. Ruud's new deal should be in the area of what Bart Scott received the past offseason (6 years, $48 million) from the Jets. He's the leader of the defense now and will consistently be among league leaders in tackles for the next several years, as he is again this year. The Bucs should and will lock him up at some point in the near future, but it's just about both sides agreeing on the terms.

3. Karlos Dansby (Cards)Dansby has played okay for the Cardinals, but isn't making the number of impact plays we've seen out of him even in the past. Quite frankly, the linebackers as a unit have been a big problem for the defense this year. At the top of his game, Dansby is one of the better scheme-diverse linebackers in the league and will likely have a number of teams lined up ready to woo him this offseason. The Cardinals may re-sign him, but after this season, it won't be quite as big a loss as some would have expected prior to this season.

4. DeMeco Ryans (Texans) Ryans has been a stalwart for the Texans, displaying consistency from game-to-game and year-to-year. With rookie sensation Brian Cushing next to him, the Texans have the beginnings of a good front 7. Ryans would like a long-term contract with the Texans, and Houston will almost definitely re-sign Ryans to keep intact the foundation of Ryans-Cushing-Williams front 7. If the two sides can't reach a deal, there's a chance he would be willing to accept a deal elsewhere. 
Other Notables: 5. Thomas Howard 6. Keith Bulluck 7. Derrick Johnson 8. Larry Foote

Will Sheldon be back next year? Will he demand a trade? 

Top Defensive Backs FA's 

1.Carlos Rogers, Washington Redskins (29)

Though he's had a couple poor games, Rogers has strung together a very nice season this year. He's been targeted only 47 times this year and has had several shutdown games. Rogers is a good cover corner and in the league's top 10. He does a nice job of contesting passes and is rarely caught completely out of position. With Brian Orakpo and the pass rush heating up in recent weeks, Rogers has the ability to make some gambles and collect his first pick of the season. Rogers doesn't force turnovers or come up strong in run support, but he will be the best corner to become a free agent this year if Washington doesn't throw some top-end coin in his direction.

2. Tramon Williams, Green Bay Packers (27) - Restricted FA
Tramon Williams started the season as the third corner behind Al Harris and Charles Woodson, splitting out wide in nickel packages to allow Woodson to slip inside to the slot. After Harris' season-ending injury Williams stepped into the starting lineup with ease. While many saw the Ravens pick on Tramon on Monday Night, be bounced right back to make a game-clinching interception at the goal line. As Williams earns a reputation in the league and learns to use more subtle contact downfield, he could develop into one of the top-end corners in the league. The Packers should sign Williams to a long-term extension at the end of the year, but still have the ability to tender him a restricted free agent.

3. Dunta Robinson, Houston Texans (28)
After holding out for nearly the entire offseason, Dunta Robinson stepped in and played pretty poorly, allowing a number of intermediate catches against him. Over the last few weeks, Robinson has stepped up his play and limited the damage. With an entire offseason of workouts, Robinson can return to form and be one of the better corners in the league, but it'll be interesting to see how the situation plays out next offseason after an up and down season this year. The Texans may not be ready to commit top-end money and if Dunta isn't given it, he may try free agency if Houston doesn't place the franchise tag on him yet again.

4. Richard Marshall, Carolina Panthers (25)
Marshall has put up gaudy tackling numbers in his first three seasons, averaging over 80 per season. Starting opposite Chris Gamble, Marshall has actually played very well this season. He hasn't given up many big plays and come up with a couple picks himself. Marshall loves to get physical and is likely to be rewarded by the Panthers at the end of the season with a long-term deal.

Resign Ellis Hobbs? 

Top FA Safeties: 

1. Nick Collins, Green Bay Packers (27)                                                              After seeing Collins blossom into one of best safeties last year, earning a Pro Bowl invite, the Packers wanted to see if he would perform at that high level once again. Almost through the regular season, Collins has done just that, playing at a level indicative of his talent and as one of the 5 best safeties in the league. The former second-round selection from Bethune-Cookman plays a very unique game. Collins isn't always in the exact right position and plays aggressively in coverage, but has elite recovery speed to account for any error in his position. Collins has picked off 6 passes through 13 games and should be paid handsomely by Green Bay this offseason, or even before.

2. Antoine Bethea, Indianapolis Colts (26)Antoine Bethea is every bit as talented and important to the Colts' secondary as the renowned enforcer, Bob Sanders, who's on the IR this season. Despite earning a Pro Bowl selection in 2007, Bethea is still highly unrecognized. He's consistently one of the Colts' leading tacklers as a result of his sound angles and quick closing speed around the line of scrimmage. He is a little susceptible in coverage, but has the ability to play both strong safety and free safety. The Colts will likely choose to re-sign Bethea, if it comes down to him and the injured Marlin Jackson

3. Darren Sharper, New Orleans Saints (34)
After a couple of inconsistent seasons in Minnesota, Darren Sharper has put himself back on the map while picking of 8 passes and remaining 4 interception yards away from breaking Ed Reed's league record for most INT yards in a season. Sharper is your typical gambler in the secondary, risking big plays for aggressive coverage and the interception. Not to downplay Sharper's success, but he's only adequate in run support as well. The Saints would surely love to have him back on a defense that prides itself on forcing turnovers, but may not want to commit too much money considering he is also 34.

Resign Jones or name Macho or Demps as starting FS? 

Top DL FA's 
 Julius Peppers, Carolina Panthers (30) 

Playing on a franchise tender, an enormous one-year contract, Peppers has played at a high level. With 8.5 sacks on the season, Peppers can reach double-digit sacks for the 6th time in his career. The offseason will be interesting because Peppers no longer carries the reputation for being the league's most fear end, primarily because he's fairly inconsistent and fairly one-dimension in comparison to say, Jared Allen. Last year vocalized his desires to stand up in a 34 defense. This year, we'll see how the Panthers handle his expiring contract. My bet is on a tag and trade, though Carolina could also end up paying him in excess of $20 million, due to a 120% raise required to apply the franchise tag on Peppers again this offseason. He's on the wrong side of 30 and should receive less than half that amount per year if he signs a long-term extension.

Elvis Dumervil, Denver Broncos (26) 
Dumervil has become one of the league's best pass rushers and a potential candidate for Defensive Player of the Year. He leads the league with 15 sacks, with 11 coming on 3rd down. He excels in using his long arms and hands to keep defenders off his body, despite his unconventional proportions. The Broncos will find a way to retain their most prized asset on defense, probably by throwing high-end outside linebacker coin in his direction. Dumervil has already exceeded 40 sacks and is one forced fumble away from 10 in his short 4-year career. Playing a position of great need in any good 3-4 defense, Dumervil will sit with a lot of leverage if a CBA is agreed upon and he is able to become an unrestricted free agent.

Johnny Jolly, Green Bay Packers (27)
Like Ryan Pickett, Johnny Jolly has very quietly put together a great season at defensive end for Green Bay's front line under Capers' scheme. Jolly has been very active up front playing contain and peeling off blocks to make plays himself near the line of scrimmage. Keep in mind that the Packers have a number of starters with expiring contracts this offseason, so Jolly could be one of the guys left out. He excels against the run, but doesn't give much in the form of a pass rush. He's played his best ball at defensive end in the 34, but has the size and ability to play some reps at nose tackle.

Aaron Kampman, Green Bay Packers (30) 
Kampman's struggles to OLB were blown out of proportion. Through 9 games, he did a fairly decent job considering he had been given a role unfamiliar to him. The former Pro Bowler suffered a knee injury in Week 11 against San Francisco requiring surgery and was placed on the IR a couple weeks later. 7th round rookie Brad Jones has done an ample job as his replacement, playing the position with remarkable awareness and immeasurably better athleticism. The Packers will likely allow Kampman to enter free agency and move back to his more comfortable position at defensive end. Sadly, Kampman is coming off a knee injury and is at an age where defensive ends start to lose their edge off the snap

Ray Edwards, Minnesota Vikings (25)
Jared Allen and the two Williams men up front have paved way for left end Ray Edwards to emerge this season. According to the stats, teams have actually had more difficult running over his side than at Jared Allen. Edwards also has 6.5 sacks. The Vikings should keep try to keep the league's best pass rush in tact by re-signing the former Purdue standout. Edwards is a complete defensive end who will have a number of interested team should the Vikings be unable to keep him.

Marcus Spears, Dallas Cowboys (27)
Spears has done a good job for the Cowboys on the left side and his solid season has shown partly through the improvement made by OLB Anthony Spencer behind him. He does a better job playing the run than the getting after the quarterback. He'll be one of the 34 ends with good value this offseason.

What else do you guys think the Eagles will do this Offseason????? 

Comment on what you think they will do

source from: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs/2009/columns/story?columnist=garber_greg&page=hotread17/ClockManagementCoaches

There are no formal statistics regarding a head coach's clock management. But the Elias Sports Bureau came up with a creative way to measure a coach's ability to save timeouts for the end of close games.

The list below indicates the percentage of times in their career that 2009 NFL coaches retained at least two of their timeouts (times retained timeouts, or TRT) in close games.

As Kevin Hines of the Elias Sports Bureau explains it, an instance of a "close game" is defined as being a one-possession game with 5:00 remaining in the fourth quarter. After the start of the 1994 season -- when the NFL adopted the 2-point conversion rule -- a one-possession game would be defined as a difference of 8 or fewer points between the teams.

Before 1994 -- when current coaches Bill Belichick and Wade Phillips were coaching other teams, thus making that time frame relevant to this analysis -- a one-possession game would be a difference of 7 or fewer points. The percentage is the ratio of times the coaches retained two or more timeouts in close games to the number of such games.

Story copied from: http://sports.espn.go.com/dallas/nfl/news/story?id=4801838

I Hate Jenkins more than TO now. Jenkins is just so annoying, he didn't even cover Desean, Terence Newman did.

IRVING, Texas -- The rivalry between the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles just wouldn't feel right without an explosive, trash-talking wide receiver. DeSean Jackson has filled that role leading up to the rematch in the first round of the NFC playoffs.

The Cowboys contained Jackson while sweeping the regular-season series against the Eagles, but the Pro Bowl receiver has been popping off in cyberspace.

More on the Cowboys

Calvin Watkins and Tim MacMahon have the Cowboys blanketed for ESPNDallas.com. Check in with their constantly updated coverage. Blog

About an hour after the Cowboys shut out the Eagles to claim the NFC East championship, setting up the rematch Saturday night at Cowboys Stadium, Jackson declared on Twitter: "we gonna sting they ass next week."

Jackson, who has been held to five catches for 76 yards and no touchdowns in the two losses to Dallas, followed that up by scoffing at a fan's question about the Cowboys' success against him during a video appearance Tuesday on UStream.

"Mike Jenkins ain't never shut me down, so y'all chill out over there," Jackson said. "Them boys are scared of me. I'm a dual threat on that field. They be having like four people on your boy out there, but it's all good. I probably get man coverage like 10 percent every game. But I like those odds. I'll take that."

Jenkins, who had watched the video of Jackson, laughed at what he heard.

"It's just talk," said Jenkins, a second-year cornerback whose emergence as a star was critical to the Cowboys allowing the fewest points in the NFC. "I find it quite funny, I guess. He doesn't do as much talking on the field. I mean -- computer, field? It's not physical. I think it's kind of funny.

"We don't really have nothing to talk about. It's been two games. Look at the stats. We let our stats talk. We let our game play talk."

Jenkins, who has actually matched up with rookie receiver Jeremy Maclin on most snaps whileTerence Newman covered Jackson, did want to address Jackson's contention that the Cowboys are giving him extraordinary attention.

The Cowboys have primarily played man coverage with normal help from the safeties against the Eagles this season, mixing in some zone coverage to keep Philadelphia guessing.

"It's been a lot of talk, too, about double-covering or triple-covering this guy," Jenkins said. "I haven't seen it yet. We single it up. We call [man] every play. There's one man on him and we're just sitting in it.

"We're holding our own and that's pretty much it. We're holding our own. That's pretty much it. We're not doing anything special for him or anybody else."

Jackson wasn't nearly as brash during his conference call with Dallas media on Wednesday morning as he had been in cyberspace.

When asked about his comment that the Cowboys are scared of him, Jackson said he's a confident player who feels that way against any team he plays. He called Jenkins and Newman "pretty good players" but said the Eagles receivers should have the advantage in those matchups.

"We definitely got embarrassed, and we have to come back this week and make different arrangements," Jackson said. "They've contained me, if that's what you want to call it. They're doing a good job playing together. It's not really about myself. It's about the team. We've got to go out there and win."

Most of the Cowboys hadn't seen video of Jackson saying they were scared of him. Jenkins joked that if safeties Ken Hamlin and Gerald Sensabaugh saw the clip, "They're probably going to go at his head."

Jenkins indicated that he'd make sure to show Hamlin and Sensabaugh the video before Saturday night.

Jenkins' Twitter comments had already made the rounds at the Cowboys' Valley Ranch facility.

"That's just to give you something to talk about," linebacker Bradie James said. "He's a good player and certain players can actually back that up. He might be one of those guys. Of course, we'll have our stingers out, too, waiting for him."

We got a couple of nicknames for Desean Jackson. 

I'm just trying to follow up on what the other guy said about Desean's Nickname 

1. Flash Jackson

2. DeShow

3. Sonic 

4. DX

5. D- Shock

Poll Below 

Great game against the Giants by the way.... Desean is a beast truly unstoppable. 

And Vick is kinda turning into his true form. Can't wait for the the next game against the 49ers!

Go EAGLES 

The Phillies are believed to have joined the Angels, Red Sox and Yankees in the derby for Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay, sources said.

The Phillies have the prospects to make a deal, but it isn't certain whether they can fit Halladay into their budget. They want to keep their payroll in the $140 million range and might have to free up money by trading a player or two.

Read more:http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/jon_heyman/12/07/winter.buzz/index.html#ixzz0ZGRNcIM6

I hope this is true and Iverson will sign it. 

source from: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=470415

PHILADELPHIA -- Allen Iverson and the Philadelphia 76ers are close to a reunion.

A person with knowledge of the contract talks says the Sixers offered a one-year, non-guaranteed contract to Iverson on Tuesday. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the contract talks had not been made public.

Iverson, his agent and business manager met with team president Ed Stefanski, coach Eddie Jordan and two other members of the organization Monday during the first formal meeting between the Sixers and their former MVP.

Iverson announced his retirement last week after an ill-fated stint with the Memphis Grizzlies. The 10-time All-Star was NBA MVP in 2001 when he led the Sixers to the NBA Finals.

CSNPhilly.com first reported the offer.

ESPN.com's Marc Stein reported early Tuesday that the Sixers, according to two sources close to the situation, were targeting Monday's home game against the Denver Nuggets for Iverson's return to the team that drafted him in 1996.

After club officials met face-to-face with Iverson and his representatives for nearly two hours Monday before Philadelphia's 104-102 loss to the Dallas Mavericks, three of the organization's key figures -- Jordan, Stefanski and Comcast-Spectacor chairman Ed Snider -- all insisted publicly that no firm decision has been made on re-signing Iverson for the rest of the season.

But sources stressed to ESPN.com that plans behind the scenes had progressed to a level where Iverson's return was now regarded by both sides as far more likely than not. Although it remains unclear whether Iverson has the leverage to command anything more than a prorated share of the $1.3 million veterans' minimum, all indications late Monday suggested that only an unforeseen about-face by the Sixers could prevent Iverson from formally rejoining them by week's end.

One source told ESPN.com that the team has already made tentative plans to send assistant coach and former Iverson teammate Aaron McKie home from the Sixers' current road trip to meet Iverson in Philadelphia later this week and work him out to ensure Iverson's readiness for the Denver game. The Sixers play Thursday in Oklahoma City and Saturday in Charlotte before returning to Philadelphia.

Although another team insider cautioned that no deal with Iverson should be considered done until it's official -- especially after the New York Knicks seemed to get just as close to signing Iverson earlier this month before electing to back out at the 11th hour -- there was an unquestioned sense of inevitability in the locker room in Dallas that Iverson will soon be a Sixer again.

"No doubt he's coming back," one source said.

Information from The Associated Press and ESPN.com senior NBA writer Marc Stein was used in this report.

via www.alleniversonlive.com