Chad Pennington Tears ACL Playing Basketball

By Justin Worsley,

Free agent quarterback Chad Pennington has torn an anterior cruciate ligament in a pickup game of basketball and will undergo surgery.

According to Pennington's agent, Tom Condon, Pennington will undergo surgery on April 7 and the renowned Dr. James Andrews will perform it. It is not known which knee was injured.

Pennington, 34, has played 11 seasons in the NFL with both the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets. Pennington is one of only two players who has won the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year award twice, both times.

After the Jets released Pennington just hours after acquiring Brett Favre in 2008, Pennington signed with the Miami Dolphins and turned around a franchise that went 1-15 the previous year. Miami went 10-6 and made the playoffs for the first time since 2001.

In 2009, however, Pennington re-injured his right shoulder and was forced to undergo surgery for the third time. Backup quarterback Chad Henne took over and was named the starting quarterback in 2010.

Pennington returned to Miami last season after signing a one-year deal to be Henne's backup. He started one game, but left after just two plays and again injured his right shoulder, prompting him to undergo another surgery.

Pennington's 66.0 completion percentage is the highest amongst quarterbacks with at least 1,500 passing attempt in NFL history.

Knicks Rally in Fourth Quarter, Beat Nets 120-116

By Justin Worsley,

Carmelo Anthony scored 39 points and the New York Knicks rallied from a 16-point deficit to beat the New Jersey Nets 120-116.

New Jersey scored a season-high 68 points in the first half, including 22 of Brook Lopez's 26 points and led by 10 at halftime.

The Knicks came alive in the third quarter, however, going on an early 10-0 run to cut bring the game within one point until the Nets made back-to-back-to-back three pointers by Deron Williams and Anthony Morrow.

The Knicks continued to chip away at the Nets lead, relying on Anthony, who scored 19 points in the third quarter.

Williams helped the Nets tie the game at 107 apiece after making a layup and drawing a foul. The teams traded shots until Williams failed to make a jumper with five second left to tie the game.

Williams, who is playing in his first game since Mar. 18 with a right wrist injury, fell to the floor while attempting that late shot, scaring both fans and coaches that he may have re-injured his wrist. He got up moments later, showing he was hit in the stomach, not his wrist.

Chauncey Billups added 33 points for New York and Amar'e Stoudemire had 23.

The Nets drop to 0-3 against the Knicks this season, with the series finale on Apr. 8. New York's magic number to clinch a playoff spot is now three.

Arnold Schwarzenegger Back in the Spotlight

By Justin Worsley,

Former California governor and actor Arnold Schwarzenegger will re-enter show business according to Entertainment Weekly, but this time it won't be on the silver screen.

The action star will become a cartoon superhero known as "The Governator."

"When I ran for governor back in 2003 and I started hearing people talking about ‘the Governator,’ I thought the word was so cool," Schwarzenegger told Entertainment Weekly in his first interview since leaving office last January.

The 63-year-old former star of such movies as "The Terminator" and "Total Recall" came to America in 1968 from Austria in order to pursue a bodybuilding career. In the 1970's Schwarzenegger then got into acting.

Along with the cartoon, a comic book will also be made of Schwarzenegger. "The Governator" will be created by none other than Stan Lee, who is credited with creating "X-Men" and "Spider-Man."

The cartoon will combine elements of Schwarzenegger's career in acting, bodybuilding and his career in office. The Governator will be a crime fighter and former politician who has high-tech gadgets along with his own cave and a myriad of suits.

The cartoon will have it's slew of villains, including the maniacal coalition Gangsters Imposters Racketeers Liars & Irredeemable Ex-cons (or G.I.R.L.I.E. men.)

There is no news yet on which network will air the show.

Jamie Moyer to Join "Baseball Tonight"

By Justin Worsley,

Unable to play in the upcoming season, Jamie Moyer, the oldest active player in the MLB, will join ESPN's "Baseball Tonight" as an analyst during the 2011 season as he attempts a comeback for 2012.

Moyer, 48, played with the Philadelphia Phillies last season, but missed the second half of the season with a strained UCL in his left elbow. For the season, Moyer went 9-9 with a 4.84 ERA.

Moyer re-injured his elbow last Nov. while pitching in the Dominican League. In December, Moyer underwent Tommy John surgery.

The Phillies quickly replaced Moyer, whose contract expired at the end of the season. Philadelphia acquired Roy Oswalt from the Houston Astros at the trade deadline and signed Cliff Lee this offseason.

Moyer has a career record of 267-204 with a 4.24 ERA . Last season, Moyer became only the third pitcher in MLB history to win 100 games after turning 40.

Moyer will make his debut with "Baseball Tomight" on Thursday, the opening day for the MLB.

Warrant Issued to Bucs Cornerback

By Justin Worsley,

Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Aqib Talib is in legal trouble again as a Dallas-area suburb has issued a warrant for the 25-year-old's arrest for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

Talib is being accused, along with his mother, of firing a gun at his sister's boyfriend on March 21. The man was not injured in the incident.

Talib's mother, Okolo, turned herself in on Monday. Police say Talib is expected to turn himself in later this week. According to the Garland Police Department, Talib's bail will be set at $25,000.

A spokesman for the Garland police told Tampa station WDAE (620 am) that detectives met with Talib last week and did not charge him until they finished their investigation. If convicted, Talib faces prison sentence between five to 20 years.

Talib was suspended for the first game of the 2010 season after being arrested following an altercation with a cab driver in 2009.

Though the NFL and the players are in a lock out while the labor situation is resolved, commissioner Roger Gooddell stated last week that all players must still adhere to the league's personal conduct policy and he will discipline players once a collective bargaining agreement is made.

Phillies Closer Lidge Out 3-6 Weeks

By Justin Worsley,

Philadelphia Phillies right-handed closer Brad Lidge will miss the first three to six weeks of the season while recovering from a right shoulder injury he suffered in spring training.

Jose Contreras will take the role as the closer while Lidge recovers. Ryan Madson is also expected to fill in.

Lidge, 34, will not require surgery after undergoing an MRI on Tuesday.

Injuries have began to take it's toll early on the Phillies roster. Along with Lidge, right fielder Dominic Brown and All-Star second baseman Chase Utley will also most likely begin the season on the disabled list. Third baseman Placido Polanco has been slowed down during spring training with an elbow injury as well, but is expected to play on opening day.

Matt Painter to Visit Missouri Officials

By Justin Worsley,

Purdue head coach Matt Painter will meet with Missouri athletic director Mike Alden on Tuesday to discuss the Tigers head coaching vacancy according to ESPN.com.

Painter, 40, was hired by the Boilermakers in 2004 as a coach-in-waiting for Gene Keady who was retiring following the season's end. Since taking over the team in 2005, Painter has won the Big Ten Coach of the Year award three times, including this season and has a career record of 155-66, including a 130-61 record with Purdue.

Purdue has also made two Sweet Sixteen appearances under Painter and has four consecutive seasons of 25 or more wins.

Former Tigers head coach Mike Anderson left the team last week to become the head coach at Arkansas, where he spent 17 years as an assistant.

Missouri is reportedly willing to offer Painter a seven-year, $14 million contract, similar to the offer they gave to Anderson in an attempt to keep him with Missouri.

Nyjer Morgan Traded to Milwaukee

By Justin Worsley,

The Washington Nationals have traded outfielder Nyjer Morgan to the Milwaukee Brewers for cash considerations and minor league infielder Cutter Dykstra.

Morgan, 30, batted .253 for the Nationals last year and only had 24 RBIs. He did, however, manage to steal 34 bases.

Dykstra is the son of former 3-time All-Star Lenny Dyksra. Last year, he hit .312 with 39 RBIs and 27 steals while playing third base for Wisconsin's low Class A Midwest League.

Dykstra will most likely remain in the minor leagues, Ryan Zimmerman is the Nationals third baseman.

Morgan will be a reserve player in Milwaukee. After the trade, Brewers general manager Doug Melvin said that Carlos Gomez's job at center field is not in jeopardy.

Nets May Shut Down Williams

By Justin Worsley.

The New Jersey Nets may shut down star point guard Deron Williams for the remainder of the season according to the Bergen Record.

Williams, who was acquired by the Nets last month in a last-minute trade with the Utah Jazz, is averaging 14.3 points and 13.7 assists in seven games with the Nets.

The 26-year-old All-Star has a strained right wrist which was aggravated in Friday night's 105-95 loss to Milwaukee. Despite the injury, which was suffered in the third quarter, Williams remained in the game.

Williams missed two games last week to be present for the birth of his son. He returned to help the Nets upset the Boston Celtics, however, he has shot only 9-for-36 from the field, including a 1-for-12 outing against the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night. In those three games, Williams has scored a combined 39 points, but he has still been able to dish out nearly 10 assists per game.

Williams suffered the injury in January while still with Utah. While he insists he has been told by team doctors that he only needs 3-4 weeks rest to heal the injury, Nets head coach Avery Johnson, a former point guard with the San Antonio Spurs, told the Associated Press that he feels the injury would need "4-6 weeks."

Williams is under contract with the Nets until 2012.

Durant Scores 29 as Thunder Stop Heat

By Justin Worsley,

Kevin Durant scored 29 points and Miami's Big Three were held to 23 points in the second half as the Thunder beat Miami to end the Heat's three-game winning streak 95-86.

Miami took the lead to start the game, but found themselves behind halfway through the first quarter when Oklahoma City went on a 8-0 run with back-to-back three-pointers by Durant and Thabo Sefolosha.

The Thunder were able to extender their lead to 11 by the second quarter until the Heat came rumbling back, going on a 10-0 including back-to-back dunks by LeBron James, to tie the game at 43 apiece.

Eric Maynor hit a shot from beyond the arc, his only field goal of the game, to put the Thunder back in the lead permanently just before halftime.

Miami only trailed by five points for nearly the entire third quarter and the start of the fourth quarter until Oklahoma City went on a 10-2 run and extended the lead to 78-66.

Kendrick Perkins, who played in just his second game with Oklahoma City since being traded to the team last month, has just four points and five rebounds before fouling out of the game in the fourth quarter.

The game featured three of the top four scoring leaders in the NBA in Durant, James and Dwyane Wade. Wade scored 21 points while James had 19. It is just the second time in the last 15 games that James did not score over 20 points.

Durant also earned his first victory over James after losing the previous seven match-ups against the reigning league MVP. The Thunder have now won eight of their last nine games.

Wade and Miami head coach Erik Spoelstra were both given technical fouls for arguing a non-foul call by the referees in the fourth quarter.

Ochocinco Gets MLS Tryout

By Justin Worsley,

Major League Soccer club Sporting Kansas City has given Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco a four-day tryout with the team beginning Tuesday.

Ochocinco, formerly known as Johnson, has played soccer since the age of four, but gave up the sport in high school to follow football.

"I'll be playing on the MLS team @SportingKC on march 22nd, thank everyone involved especially coach Vermes," Ochocinco said on Wednesday, via Twitter.

Ochocinco has also told the Associated Press that he uses a soccer ball to warm up during NFL games and practices.

The receiver formerly known as Chad Johnson isn't the only NFL player to pursue a different sport while the labor situation is taken care of. Baltimore Ravens safety Tom Zibikowski, a former boxer while at Notre Dame, returned to the ring for the first time since 2006, winning by knockout in just 1:45.

Sundance Film Festival Goes to London

By Justin Worsley,

The Sundance Kid himself, Robert Redford, has brought the renowned independent film festival overseas.

At a press conference on Tuesday in London, Redford announced that Sundance London will officially debut from April 26-29 2012.

The event will be held at London's O2 Arena, which is owned by German-based company AEG, and will feature musical performances along with screenings of independent films, discussion panels and classes.

"It is our mutual goal to bring to the U.K. the very best in current American independent cinema," said Redford.

Redford, 74, won an Academy Award for Best Director in 1980 for "Ordinary People." He has also received nominations for his role in "The Sting" and for directing "Quiz Show."

Redford founded the film festival in 1978 and it has since become a mainstay in American cinema, hosting a festival every January for American Independent films.

Screening at the inaugural festival in London will include films shown in the 2012 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

Pronger Out 3-4 Weeks

By Justin Worsley,

The Philadelphia Flyers discovered last Sunday that defenseman Chris Pronger has a fracture on his right hand that will require surgery.

The alternate captain will be out 3-4 weeks and will undergo the procedure on Thursday.

The defending Eastern Conference champions currently lead the conference in points with 91, but have seen their lead cut down to one point due to the resurgence of the Washington Capitals, who are currently on an eight-game winning streak.

Pronger had 25 points in 50 games and a plus-minus rating of seven.

Philadelphia kicks off a three-game road trip on Tuesday against the Florida Panthers.

2011 March Madness Preview

By Brian Harris

Another national pastime is about to take over as on Tuesday, March Madness begins. With the addition of three more play-in games, four more teams get to go to the Big Dance. This year’s college basketball season has shown quite a bit of parity amongst the major conference landscape. If there was a year for a mid-major to finish the job that Butler started and came within an inch of finishing the job, this year is it. Here now is my region-by-region breakdown of this year’s Mens’ NCAA Tournament.

East
This region is Ohio State’s to lose. This will not be a complete cakewalk for the Buckeyes, as I see both George Mason and definitely Kentucky giving OSU some early-round agita. The real story of intrigue is in the bottom half of the bracket where Xavier and Washington will make a lot of noise by beating teams like Syracuse and a younger than usual North Carolina. But in the end, OSU’s season-long success will be too much for Washington to handle.
Winner-Ohio State

West
Another year, another walk-in-the park type of bracket for Duke and I’m saying this as a Duke fan. Apart from Temple exposing San Diego St. as a one-hit wonder and UConn continuing their buzz saw-like run for a couple of more wins, this will be a slip-n-slide for the Blue Devils into the Final Four in Houston.
Winner-Duke

Southwest
This is the region that will, for the most part, fall in line with conventional wisdom. The one and two seeds, Kansas and Notre Dame, are the two best teams in the region and will face each other in the regional finals, with Kansas eking out a close. What will be the most interesting thing to come out of this bracket is USC being the first team to make it to the Sweet 16 out of a play-in game. On a minor note, look for the Richmond Spiders to also make it to the Sweet 16 and St. Peter’s to upset Purdue.
Winner-Kansas

Southeast
This region is chockfull with bracket-busting mines all throughout. Also factor in two weak top seeds in Pitt and Florida and what you get is a nightmare for those millions of people who spend hours mulling over picks. One thing that I learned over the years when it comes to March Madness is to never count out Tom Izzo and the Spartans of Michigan State. I foresee another run for of State, in which they will finally shut up the Jimmer Fredette bandwagon on their way to beating K-State, who will dispatch the underwhelming Pitt Panthers. I would love to have St. Johns go over Gonzaga but the loss of DJ Kennedy is way too much to counterbalance.
Winner-Michigan State

So my Final Four is Ohio St., Duke, Kansas and Michigan St. Duke has been a little shaky at times this year and I feel that OSU can hold on against Smith, Singler and company. On the other side of the bracket, yet another feel-good run by Michigan State will be snuffed out at the Final Four courtesy of Kansas. The final will be an absolute barnburner and slugfest, but this is where OSU’s dependence on its freshman star Jared Sullinger will hurt them as Kansas outlasts the Buckeyes and makes it two titles in the last three years, making up for last year’s shocking early exit.
National Champion-Kansas

If you still haven't filled out your bracket yet,a copy of the bracket has been made for the Working Title courtesy of Brigitte Volochinsky and is available here

Oklahoma Fires Jeff Capel

By Justin Worsley,

Two years ago, the Oklahoma Sooners men's basketball program went 30-6 and found themselves in the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament.

Today, the program is an embarrassing 14-18 and according to reports, head coach Jeff Capel is out of a job.

The Sooners ended their season last weekend with a blowout 74-54 loss to conference rival Texas in the Big XII tournament. In five years, Capel has compiled a 96-69 record, but in the last two seasons, Oklahoma has gone a combined 27-36, including 9-23 in the Big XII.

One of the biggest reasons that Oklahoma has failed to build on their 30-win season is due to the departure of Blake Griffin. The forward left the Sooners after his sophomore year and went on to become the first-overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. Griffin won the Oscar Robertson Award in 2009 as the nationa's top basketball player.

Capel is the second head coach in the Big XII to lose his job in the past week. Texas Tech fired Pat Knight a week ago.

"Hereafter" Pulled from Japan Theaters

By Justin Worsley,

Clint Eastwood's latest film "Hereafter" has been pulled from over 180 theaters in Japan following the country's recent natural disaster, according to the Associated Press.

"Hereafter" recreates a tsunami in the film and Warner Entertainment Japan, Inc. official Satoru Otani said the images depicted in the film were "not appropriate" after the disaster.

Japan suffered a series of earthquakes over the weekend which triggered a 33-foot tsunami along the Pacific coast of the country. Waves traveled as far as six miles inland. About 20 countries, including the entire Pacific coast of North and South America has been placed on tsunami warnings and evacuations.

"Hereafter," which starred Matt Damon, made $33.8 million in America. It received an Academy Award nomination for Best Achievement in Visual Effects.

Japan was slated to show the film for the next month. The movie will be released in America on DVD and Blu-Ray on Tuesday.

Ohio State Awarded No. 1 Seed in NCAA Tournament

By Justin Worsley,

The Ohio State Buckeyes were given the first-overall seed and the Big East sent 11 teams in the 2011 NCAA Men's Basketball tournament.

Defending national champions Duke, Kansas and Pittsburgh were also given top seeds for their region. Duke will attempt to become the first team since Florida in 2006-07 to win back-to-back national titles.

This year's tournament will also feature three more at-large bids for the first time, expanding the bracket from 65 teams to 68. The "first four" games in the inaugural season of the new bracket include Texas-San Antonio vs. Alabama State, USC vs. Virginia Commonwealth, UAB vs. Clemson and North Carolina-Asheville vs. Arkansas-Little Rock.

Ohio State went 32-2 this season to secure the top seed and will try to win their first national championship since 1960.

Second seeds include Notre Dame, North Carolina, San Diego State and Florida.

The opening round of the tournament begins on Wednesday. A copy of the bracket has been made for the Working Title courtesy of Brigitte Volochinsky and is available here.

Phillies Extend Charlie Manuel

By Justin Worsley,

The Philadelphia Phillies and manager Charlie Manuel have agreed on a two-year extension. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Manuel, 67, has led the Phillies to four consecutive division titles. In 2008, the Phillies won their second World Series in franchise history.

Last year, the Phillies had the best record in the MLB, going 97-65 before falling to eventual World Series champions San Francisco in the NLCS.

The expectations are high this season in Philadelphia, much in part to their All-Star pitching rotation which features Cy Young-award winners Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee as well as 2008 World Series MVP Cole Hamels, Roy Oswalt and Joe Blanton.

Manuel is now the longest-tenured skipper in the NL East after the retirement of Atlanta's Bobby Cox. Manuel is 544-428 in his six years with Philadelphia, the best in the National League. The Phillies have also never finished lower than second place in the division under Manuel.

Manuel will make $2.4 this season, the final year of his initial contract. The new deal is set to expire in 2013.

CBS Looks to Replace Charlie Sheen

By Justin Worsley,

In an article posted on People.com, CBS is reportedly looking into replacing Charlie Sheen on "Two and a Half Men."

CBS fired Sheen due to his recent drug abuse as well as his actions in the media. Sheen has said that he will be seeking legal action for breach of contract.

Producers have reportedly been talking to "Parks and Recreations'" Rob Lowe about the vacancy. Former "Full House" heartthrob John Stamos has also been brought up.

People.com also fingered Steve Carell, who's contract with "The Office" ends this season and he has already announced that he will not return.

Lowe, 46, will also play a role in the upcoming season of Showtime's "Californiacation." It is unclear as to whether or not Sheen's replacement will actually overtake Sheen's role or if a new character will be created.

Production of the current season was put on hold last month due to Sheen's condition. Sheen has checked into a rehab facility three times in the past year.

Tiki Barber to Make Comeback

By Justin Worsley,

Former New York Giants running back Tiki Barber has filled papers with the NFL to come out of retirement and attempt a comeback.

Barber last played for the Giants in 2006, a team he has spent his entire career with and is the franchise's all-time leader in rushing yards. Since retiring as a player, Barber has worked as a broadcaster on NBC's "Today" program. The network did not renew his contract last year.

The Giants still hold Barber's rights, however, the team has already stated that they will not retain the 35-year-old. Barber fell out of favor with Giants fans after his critical comments about head coach Tom Coughlin and quarterback Eli Manning's leadership skills. The Giants won the Super Bowl in 2007, their first season without Barber.

Barber's twin brother, Ronde, has spent his entire 14-year career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and will return next season. In his final season, Barber ran for 1,662 and five touchdowns.

Texas Tech Fires Pat Knight

By Justin Worsley,

Texas Tech has fired Pat Knight after three season at the university, according to ESPN.com.

The Red Raiders are 13-18 this season, including 4-12 in the Big 12 conference. Knight will coach the team through the Big 12 tournament and step down after.

Knight, who was given the job after his father, Bob Knight, retired in 2008, has a 46-53 career record at Texas Tech and only one winning season. The Red Raiders started the 2009-10 season off 9-0, but quickly faded before being knocked out of the first round of the NIT by Ole Miss, finishing the season with a 19-16 record.

Texas Tech travels to Kansas City to face no. 24 Missouri in the opening round of the Big 12 tournament on Wednesday.

Dominic Brown Breaks Hand, Return Uncertain

By Justin Worsley,

Philadelphia Phillies rookie outfielder Dominic Brown broke his hand while swinging at a pitch in the Phillies 4-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday.

Brown swung at the first pitch in his first at-bat in the game and was hit by the ball. He remained in the game and went on to hit a single. After the game, X-rays confirmed Brown had a fracture. Surgery could be required and according to general manager Ruben Amaro Jr., Brown could be sidelined anywhere from three to six weeks.

Ben Francisco will most likely replace Brown in the lineup. Francisco, a reserve player since arriving to Philadelphia in 2009, has already hit two home runs this spring.

Brown batted .210 with two homers and 13 RBIs after being called up by the Phillies last season. He was expected to start at right field this year after All-Star Jayson Werth inked a $126 million deal with the Washington Nationals.

Philadelphia also officially announced their starting rotation on the mound. Roy Halladay will start on opening day for the second consecutive year, followed by Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt, Cole Hamels and Joe Blanton.

New Superman Film Lands Diane Lane

By Justin Worsley,

Warner Bros. announced on Thursday that Diane Lane has accepted the role of Martha Kent in the upcoming Superman film.

"Superman: Man of Steel," which will be directed by Zack Snyder (300) is expected to be released in December 2012 in theaters and IMAX.

Lane, 46, is the second person to commit to the film. Henry Cavil was given the role of Clark Kent/Superman in January.

Warner Bros. is attempting to reboot the series that fell flat after "Superman Returns" hit theaters in 2006. Though Snyder is directing, much of the creative input is coming from Christopher Nolan, who revived the Batman franchise with "Batman Begins" and "The Dark Knight." The third and final Batman film from Nolan, "The Dark Knight Rises," is scheduled to be released in July 2012.

Lane received nominations for an Academy Award, ad Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award in 2002 for her portrayal of a wife involved in a tryst in "Unfaithful."

Lindsay Lohan and Kevin Costner have also been rumored to join the film.

A.J. Hawk Re-Joins Green Bay

By Justin Worsley,

The divorce between the Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers and linebacker A.J. Hawk last less than 24 hours.

On Wednesday, the Packers released the 27-year-old, who was due $10 million in 2011. Thursday, the two sides agreed to a five-year deal. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Green Bay drafted Hawk with the fifth-overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft and he has been a starter from day one. Last season, Hawk had 111 tackles, the most since his rookie season, along with 0.5 sacks and three interceptions.

Green Bay also released tight end Donald Lee and safety Derrick Martin.

Niemi Signs Four-Year Extension

By Justin Worsley,

The San Jose Sharks have extended the Antti Niemi era for at least another four years.

San Jose and the reigning Stanley Cup-winning goaltender have agree to a four-year $15.2 million extension on Tuesday. Niemi, 27, is 23-15-3 this season with a .919 save percentage and a 2.44 goals against average. As a rookie last season, Niemi became the first Finnish goaltender to win a Stanley Cup.

Chicago failed to retain Niemi last summer after an arbitrator ruled in favor of Niemi over a salary dispute. The Blackhawks were unable to afford Niemi due to the ruling and had to walk away from the deal, bringing in former Dallas Stars goalie Marty Turco.

Niemi was quickly scooped up by the Sharks, who signed him to a one-year deal to replace longtime goalie Evgeni Nabokov.

Carson Palmer Wants Out of Cincinnati

By Justin Worsley,

Carson Palmer still wants out of Cincinnati.

Nearly two months after Palmer requested a trade, an unnamed source has said Palmer has not had a change of heart.

"I have $80 million in the bank. I don't have to play football for money. I'll play it for the love of the game but that would have to be elsewhere. I'm prepared to live my life," Palmer allegedly said in a report from WCPO-TV in Cincinnati. Palmer also said he "would never set foot in Paul Brown Stadium again."

Bengals owner Mike Brown declined Palmer's trade request last January, stating that Palmer is crucial to the team's plans.

Palmer, 31, has spent his entire career in Cincinnati, who drafted him first-overall in 2003. Last season, Palmer passed for 3,970 yards with 26 touchdowns and 20 interceptions.

Despite improved numbers by Palmer from the 2009 season, Cincinnati went 4-12 last season and suffered a 10-game losing streak. Cincinnati won the AFC North in 2009 after going 10-6, including 6-0 in the division.

Palmer may not be the only quarterback to leave the team. If Palmer is removed, it seems unlikely that the team would keep backup quarterback Jordan Palmer, Carson's younger brother, on their roster.