|  A ROLLING STONE GATHERS NO MOSS
But some stumbling Vikings just might. Minnesota and New England worked late into the night in an attempt to complete a blockbuster deal sometime today that would return Randy Moss to the team that drafted him in the first round in 1998. A league source tells Adam Schefter that the Patriots will receive a third-round pick in return from the Vikings, which would give New England two picks in each of the first four rounds in the 2011 Draft. The Patriots traded a fourth round pick to get him in 2007 from Oakland, who traded first and seventh round picks (and Napoleon Harris) to get him in 2005 from Minnesota. Moss left the Vikings ranked second on the club's all-time list in receptions (574), touchdown receptions (90), and receiving yards (9,142). Only Cris Carter was better in purple and gold (in each of those categories, anyway).
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|  STOP. HAMMY TIME.
The Big Three era in Miami lasted all of three minutes, before Dwyane Wade limped off clutching his right hamstring. He called it a pull. Coach Eric Spoelstra called it a tweak. The team called it a strain. But whatever it is, don't call it a comeback for at least a week, which is when it will be re-evaluated. And despite the loss of a full third of their triumvirate (or maybe because of it?), LeBron James and Chris Bosh still combined for 38 points and 9 rebounds (in 27 and 26 minutes respectively) in a 16-point win over the Pistons. Next up - a home game against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Kansas City, Missouri.
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|  JOY DIVISION
Three of the four Division Series open up today. (The Braves and Giants have to wait until tomorrow night.) First up, the Rangers send Cliff Lee to the bump at the Trop to face David Price and the Rays (1:37 ET). The Rangers haven't ever won a postseason series exactly. In fact, they've lost exactly nine straight LDS games. Which is exactly why they went out and acquired an ace like Cliff Lee in the first place. The Cliff Lee that's 4-0 with a 1.56 ERA in five career post season starts. Except that in three starts this season against these Rays (two with the Mariners and one with the Rangers), this Cliff Lee is 0-3 with a 4.56 ERA.
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|  HALLADAY'S ROAD
Next up, Harry Leroy Halladay will be making his postseason debut at home for the Phillies against the Reds (5:07 ET). Halladay's 169 wins are the second-most in the Divisional Era (or, if you have a calendar, since 1969) by any pitcher making his postseason debut. That's because Mark Langston had 178 wins before making his debut in 1998 with the Padres. So it figures that he'll face Edinson Volquez in Game 1, since Volquez won just four games this season. That's tied for the third-fewest wins in the regular season by any pitcher making a Game 1 start in a postseason series.
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| 9 | Last up, the Yankees head out to Target Field to take on the Twins (8:37 ET). New York took down Minnesota in the 2003 ALDS, the 2004 ALDS, and the 2009 ALDS. As a matter of fact, the Twins have lost each of their last 9 games in the ALDS dating back to 2004. But they'll send Francisco Liriano out to start Game 1 against CC Sabathia. And Liriano is a lefty. And that's significant because the Yankees have lost each of their last 9 games this season when the other guys started a lefty.
Preview | Liriano named AL comeback player of the year | Burnett left out of the rotation |
| 1, 1 (1), 1 | --- 2010 No. 1 overall pick John Wall had 21 points, 9 assists, and 4 steals in a 38-minute debut for the Wizards against the Mavericks.
--- 2009 No. 1 overall pick Blake Griffin has yet to play an NBA regular season game for the Clippers, but started his second NBA preseason with 9 points and 7 rebounds in 22 minutes against the Blazers. (2007 No. 1 overall pick Greg Oden did not play.)
--- 2002 No. 1 overall pick Yao Ming played his prescribed 12 minutes, missing the only shot he took from the floor, but going a perfect 3-for-3 from the free throw line. He also collected 3 rebounds (and 2 fouls) in those 12 minutes.
Wizards-Mavericks | Clippers-Blazers | Magic-Rockets (are fireworks) |
| 17 | Back to Randy. If Moss ends up in Minnesota, and ends up playing this week against the Jets in New York New Jersey (on Monday Night Football, 8:30 ET on ESPN), he has the chance to play in 17 games in a 16-game NFL regular season (because the Vikings are coming off of a bye last week). Since 1978 (which is when the 16-game schedule started), only five guys (mmm...yummy) have played 17 games in a season:
- Will Witherspoon in 2009 (see: STL, PHI)
- Jerry Rice in 2004 (see: OAK, SEA)
- Micah Ross in 2004 (see: SD, CAR)
- Dexter Carter in 1995 (see: SF, NYJ)
- Chris Singleton in 1993 (see: NE, MIA) |
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| "Straight cash, homey." The last time the Vikings won a game with Randy Moss on their roster was a 31-17 NFC wild card playoff win at Green Bay on January 9, 2005. He caught two touchdowns that day, and after the second score, he trotted to the goalpost and pretended to pull down his pants to "moon" the Packers faithful. For that, he was fined $10,000 by the league, which said his actions were unsportsmanlike and offensive. Which led to the epic exchange between Moss and a reporter:
--- Question: "Write the check yet, Randy?"
--- Moss: "When you're rich you don't write checks."
--- Question: "If you don't write checks, how do you pay these guys?"
--- Moss: "Straight cash, homey."
Read More | Watch It | Mayne Event: Straight Cash, Homey | "Is that South Carolina? I guess I must stutter. Did I stutter? I'm not very clear on how I articulate. Maybe I need to go back to West Virginia and get some more hillbilly slang and maybe everybody can understand me a little better." Once upon a time, Alabama coach Nick Saban called rogue agents pimps. But when he was asked about John Blake, the former UNC assistant who reportedly contacted Marcell Dareus to recommend an agent, Saban only wanted to talk about Alabama's next opponent. Clearly.
Read More |
| Which story is bigger today in Minnesota? - Randy Moss (potentially) hooking up with Brett Favre
- The Twins hooking up with the Yankees to open the ALDS
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9AM ET | John Buccigross, Kevin Negandhi | 12PM ET | Chris McKendry, Cindy Brunson | 3PM ET | Robert Flores, Mike Hill on ESPNEWS | 6PM ET | Brian Kenny, Jay Harris | 8PM ET | Linda Cohn, Adnan Virk on ESPNEWS | 11PM ET | Stuart Scott, John Anderson | 1AM ET | Neil Everett, Stan Verrett from Los Angeles |
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