NBA Season Might be Saved

NBA players and owners reached a hand-shake deal to end the lockout around 3 a.m. on Saturday. If the National Basketball Players Association votes to ratify the deal — a formality at this point — the season will begin on Christmas Day. The Heat is expected to begin the season against the Mavericks in Dallas’ American Airlines Center, site of Miami’s epic collapse in last season’s NBA Finals.

The new Collective Bargaining Agreement will give the players no less than 49 percent of the league’s Basketball Related Income and no more than 51 percent. Owners will be remembered for winning the lockout battle but the players did receive a small victory on one system issue. Owners must spend 85 percent of the salary cap on team payroll in the first two years of the deal and 90 percent the three years after that.

Bleary eyed after the marathon meeting in New York, Stern indicated on Saturday morning that the tentative agreement between players and owners to end the lockout will hold.
“We’re optimistic that will all come to pass and the NBA season will begin Dec.25 Christmas Day with a tripleheader,” Stern said.

Saturday's College Football Play of the Day: Baylor

Texas Tech comes into Baylor the losers of four straight games.  Look for it to be five Saturday night.

The only question is whether Baylor and Robert Griffin III will cover the 13 points.

Baylor is 7-1 ATS vs. a team with a losing record and will cover the 13 and then some.  Baylor goes to 8-3 and Griffin III has another big game.

Take Baylor.

Escaped Wallaby Captured in Missouri

An escaped fugitive from New Zealand was captured in Missouri on Thanksgiving Day.

I'm talking about a wallaby, and it was found at a nursing home in Platte City, MO.

People in Platte City are used to seeing wildlife, but not the native New Zealander.

"This is really news in a small town like this," said one resident.

Where did he come from?  It turns out he only traveled a couple of miles.

Four-year-old Noah belongs to a local family, the Wood family.

They were feeding him Thanksgiving morning.

"My brother had barely opened the door and he just darted out," said 16-year-old Emily Wood.

He ran into the woods and was later spotted hopping through a yard around 9:30.

The family started their search, and so did police.  "This is the first time in 28 years of law enforcement that I've ever confronted a loose wallaby," said Platte City police officer Michael Reilly.

Noah bounced into a fenced-in area at the Hillview Nursing Home.  A worker at the home discovered him and it turns out he is no danger to people.  

"He likes to lick people. He'll give you hugs even," said Wood.

Finally, the Kansas City Zoo came in to give Noah a temporary home while his legalities are worked out.

Officials said wallabies are legal to own in Missouri, but Platte City has an exotic animal ordinance, which Noah falls under.

Dozens Trampled in Indonesia in Rush for Blackberry Phones

Can't see this happening in the States, but the race for Blackberries was evidently similar to the running of the bulls yesterday in Indonesia.

Dozens of people suffered minor injuries as many hundreds of impatient BlackBerry fans broke through a barricade to get their hands on the latest smartphone during a discount promotion in a Jakarta mall on Friday.

As the crowd swelling to well in excess of a thousand people — a number of whom had been queuing since the previous day — rumors began circulating on Friday morning that the BlackBerry Bellagio, also known as a BlackBerry Bold 9790, had sold out during the event at Pacific Place mall in South Jakarta.

This and impatience and frustration caused the crowd to surge forward through a barrier that was supposed to hold crowds back.

In the ensuing crush, at least 90 people passed out, while three suffered broken bones.  More that 200 security and police were called into to control the crowds.

The good news in all of this, is some people still want to own a Blackberry.

Friday's College Football Play of the Day: LSU

I'm surprised to see a lot of people wanting to take Arkansas in this game.

LSU is at home and giving 12 to the Razorbacks.

I can't go against Les Miles and the No. 1 Tigers.

The Tigers are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 conference games and 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games as a favorite of 10.5 or greater.

The LSU defense is too strong and Arkansas, although a good team, is a notch below LSU.

Take LSU and give the 12.  Should be a fun game to watch.