Bergenheim and Tambellini to Become UFAs

By not receiving qualifying offers from the Islanders, Sean Bergenheim and Jeff Tambellini will become unrestricted free agents on July 1. It appeared for a while now as though Bergie’s best chance to be better will likely have to come somewhere else. He was a grinder for the Islanders but was very inconsistent. His time had come. Tambellini was almost a certainty to be let go. The team never really used him and often overlooked him when they needed a body on the ice. Look for his father, Steve Tambellini, to potentially swoop him up to play for him in Edmonton.

By extending qualifying offers to Matt Moulson, Rob Schremp, Dustin Kohn, Dylan Reese and Nathan Lawson, the Islanders hold on to their rights.

And as Islanders rumors go: The Islanders have been trying to land a scoring winger and have had talks with the Panters about Stephen Weiss. Also look to the Islanders to make a UFA play for Stempniak. Also on Bobby Ryan: Talks have slowed after he reportedly turned down 20+ over 5 years...There is a very real chance Ryan could be given an offer sheet I am told. Teams who may get in on Ryan are Minnesota, Buffalo, NY Islanders, Ottawa. This all according to Hockeybuzz.com.

Gardner Day-to-Day With Bruised Wrist

X-rays on New York Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner's right wrist came back negative on Monday, and the Yankees say he is day to day.

Gardner was examined by team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad. Ahmad said that Gardner has a contusion of his right wrist.

Gardner hurt the wrist on Sunday night. Leading off the third inning, the Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw nailed Gardner with a 91-mph fastball. Gardner stayed in the game to run, but was removed to start the fourth inning. He reported tightness and swelling afterward, but was optimistic that nothing was broken.

Gardner has been excellent all season long for the Yankees. Besides playing a strong left field, he his hitting .321 and has a team-high 24 stolen bases.

Coach Thurman Believes Jets Have Potential to Have Best Secondary He Ever Coached

Dennis Thurman has coached a lot of great players and a lot of fantastic defensive backfields in his career, and he believes the current Jets secondary has the potential to be the best of them all.

“It could be the deepest we’ve had, even in Baltimore, from top to bottom,” the Jets’ secondary coach told me. “We had some good players in Baltimore, but not the depth we have here. It could be the best secondary I’ve ever had, top to bottom. That’s saying a lot.”

For the record, Thurman considers the 2006 Baltimore Ravens the standard by which all of his secondary units are measured. That was an awesome defense that included S Ed Reed, S Dawan Landry, CB Chris McAlister and CB Samari Rolle as the starters in the secondary (combined interceptions: 19), with Corey Ivy as the top backup. The Ravens finished sixth in pass defense and No. 1 in total defense.

The Jets have five holdovers from a secondary that ranked No. 1 in pass defense, including two starters – CB Darrelle Revis and S Jim Leonhard. The top backups are S Eric Smith, CB/S Dwight Lowery and S James Ihedigbo. Throw in CB Antonio Cromartie, S Brodney Pool and a No. 1 pick (CB Kyle Wilson), and you can see why Thurman is excited. He loves his depth so much that he’s talking about using an eight-DB package for specific situations.

Crazy? Well, they might be vulnerable against the run with that many “smalls” on the field, but Smith and Ihedigbo have the versatility to line up as linebackers in a sub package. That would give opposing offenses a lot to think about. They also have so many clever blitz packages, often overloading one side with a cluster of DBs, that offenses struggle to identify the personnel.

So how do the Jets and the ’06 Ravens stack up? Reed is an all-timer, for sure, but Revis also has that kind of ability. To me, the key is Cromartie. If he can revert to the 2007 version, the guy who made 10 interceptions, the Jets will have two elite corners. There a lot of teams without one elite corner, let alone two. If Cromartie can be that guy, the Jets might make Thurman’s prediction come true.

Eiland Returning to Yanks on Tuesday

Yankee pitching coach Dave Eiland, who left the team June 4 to attend to an undisclosed personal issue, will return to the club Tuesday when the Yankees open a three-game series with the Seattle Mariners at Yankee Stadium.

"It's been in discussion the past couple of days,'' Joe Girardi said. "I talked to Dave last week and there was a time period where things had to be worked out. Dave is going through some personal things and he's ready to come back now. It's good to be whole again.''

In Eiland's absence, bullpen coach Mike Harkey has been serving as the interim pitching coach, but on several occasions, Girardi has paid the visits to the mound normally handled by the pitching coach. Girardi said Eiland has been aware of what's been going on with the team, although at least one of the Yankee pitchers, Phil Hughes, said last week that he had not spoken to Eiland in the three weeks that he has not been with the team.

"I think you'd have to have been on a deserted island with no TV and papers if you're a baseball guy to not know what's been going on,'' Girardi said. "As much as he could with the stuff he needed to take care of, he was keeping up. He was not on a deserted island. He was not with Gilligan or Skipper.''

But Girardi acknowleged he, too, had limited contact with his pitching coach. "I let him have his space to take care of what he had to take care of,'' he said.

Asked if Eiland spent his time away from the ballclub at his home in Florida, Girardi said, "I'm not gonna tell you exactly what he was doing. That's his business.''

Eiland's departure from the team coincides precisely with the decline of A.J. Burnett, whose string of five straight defeats began on June 4, culminating in the 3-inning, six-run flameout he suffered in Saturday's 9-4 loss to the Dodgers. Burnett was not at the ballpark today -- he returned home to attend the funeral of his grandfather, who died earlier in the week -- but Girardi said he hoped Eiland's return would benefit Burnett, whose next scheduled start is Friday against the Blue Jays. "It could help, and I certainly hope so,'' Girardi said. "Obviously, it's important for us to get A.J back on track and if it works, it'll be great.''

Jets' Braylon Edwards Will Not be Suspended

New York Jets wide receiver Braylon Edwards, who pleaded no contest in January to misdemeanor assault stemming from an incident outside a Cleveland nightclub, will not be suspended by the NFL under its personal-conduct policy, a league source told ESPNNewYork.com on Saturday.

It had been widely speculated that Edwards would receive at least a one-game ban for punching a man, an acquaintance of NBA star LeBron James, last October when Edwards was a member of the Cleveland Browns. Instead of a suspension, it's believed that Edwards will be fined an undisclosed amount by the league.

This is important news for the Jets, who had been bracing for the possibility of being without two receivers for the season opener against the Baltimore Ravens. They already know they won't have Santonio Holmes, who faces a four-game suspension for violating the league's substance-abuse policy. The Jets were aware of the pending suspension when they acquired Holmes from the Pittsburgh Steelers.

It also means the Jets probably won't try to sign veteran free agent Laveranues Coles, who was released by the Cincinnati Bengals. They had been showing some interest in Coles as a potential insurance policy.

During the Jets' playoff run in January, Edwards flew to Cleveland for a court appearance. He pleaded no contest to aggravated disorderly conduct. He received probation, a suspended 180-day jail sentence and a $1,000 fine.

After the plea, Edwards said he was hopeful that he'd avoid a suspension, claiming it was his first brush with the law.

Edwards, who was traded by the Browns a few days after the incident, finished with 35 catches for 541 yards and four touchdowns in 12 games with the Jets. They retained Edwards, a restricted free agent, by signing him to a one-year contract for his tender amount -- $6.1 million.

Insisting that he'd like to sign a long-term deal with the Jets, Edwards was an offseason star during the team's conditioning program. Coach Rex Ryan named Edwards as one of the most impressive players in the offseason.

Islanders Draft Kirill Kabanov in Round Three

Kirill Kabanov waited and waited and waited, while fellow 18-year-old hockey players -- most whom couldn't approach his skill level -- were drafted before him. From Friday night into Saturday morning, there were 64 players selected ahead of him at the 2010 NHL Draft at the Staples Center.

Then the New York Islanders drafted the controversial Russian right wing. Kabanov could not stop smiling, and the Islanders had themselves a top-10 talent at pick 65. Low-risk, high-reward. No matter what becomes of Kabanov, the Islanders cannot go wrong.

The kid did not look relieved to see the end of his plight. He was exhilarated. The biggest story of Day 2 of the draft, Kabanov entertained a large crowd of reporters.

"I want to show that I'm a first round player," said Kabanov, sounding not surprised that he fell to the third. "I want to make the NHL as soon as I can."

The reasons for Kabanov's plunge in the draft rankings over the last year are widespread. Some have become the stuff of legend. He said he got a kick out of the one on FanHouse about him getting a lot of tattoos ("I only have a few.") Some are true. It doesn't look good when your junior team, the Moncton Wildcats of the Quebec League, willingly lets you go to play for the Russian national team. And then Russia cuts you. There are reasons 29 teams passed on him.

After his draft selection, Kabanov acknowledged that players can "get a bad reputation." He went to the lengths of looking into the video cameras on Saturday morning and giving a pledge to Islanders fans to show he is a good person and dedicated hockey player.

The Islanders will put out the welcome mat.

"We'll start with a new slate," said general manager Garth Snow, who added that his team will establish ground rules for Kabanov to follow. Snow was willing to forget the mistakes of a teenager. "I wasn't a saint growing up," he said. "You can't question his talent level. All things considered, he's a first round pick."

As he did at the Draft Combine, Kabanov offered to hand out pages of his passport to reporters to prove that he has no interest in going back to Russia. He has added incentive to become an islander as soon as possible. His girlfriend is a model who lives in New York.

"I love New York," said Kabanov. "Wonderful city." More updates on the intriguing prospect: Kabanov said his surgically-repaired wrist is 100 percent and he has signed with Bobby Orr's agency, giving Kabanov the credibility he needs after reportedly going through four agents in the last year.

Kabanov did not discuss his father, whom an agent blamed for making his son high maintenance. That may be a problem for the Islanders for another day, but NHL teams do not have to answer to parents like agents do. Based on pure skill alone, the Islanders have the steal of Day 2 of the draft. Even Kabanov's biggest critics in the scouting world would not argue that. Time will tell if what the young man really needed was an NHL team to call home.

"It's a new book," said Kabanov.

This kid was projected to go in the top five back in January, that's how much skill he has. If he can put it all together and keep his attitude right he could be a stud for many years.

Islanders Pick Nino Niederreiter With Pick Five in Round One, Draft Brock Nelson with Pick 30

A year after selecting John Tavares with the No. 1 overall pick, the New York Islanders once again found themselves at the top of the NHL draft. With a pair of highly-touted defensemen still on the board, including Brandon Gormley and Cam Fowler, the Islanders instead decided to go offense and selected Swiss forward Nino Niederreiter with the No. 5 overall pick.

By going fifth overall, Niederreiter becomes the highest drafted Swiss player ever, and it's another positive step for a country that has consistently become more competitive on the international stage in recent years.

"I'm trying to be a scorer one day," said Niederreiter, who believes he can make the Islanders roster this fall. "At the moment, I think I'm a two-way player with some skills and also defensively. At the end, I just want to be a goal-scorer."

The 17-year-old Niederreiter played the 2009-10 season with the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League and scored 36 goals in 65 games. He was also one of the best players at the World Junior Championships (six goals, four assists in seven games) where he helped lead Switzerland to a surprising appearance in the semifinals, including a stunning 3-2 upset against Russia in the quarterfinals that included a goal by Niederreiter.

“Our goal has constantly been to add the best player into our lineup that will help us build our young core into a team that consistently competes for the Stanley Cup,” Snow said.  “Nino was extremely impressive in the World Junior Championships playing for Team Switzerland, using his size to create space.  He is a big power-forward who will add size to our lineup for years to come.”

At 6-foot-2 and already over 200 pounds, he has plenty of size and is effective doing dirty work along the boards, as well as having the ability to make plays in the open ice.

He may not be NHL-ready at the moment, but in the not-too-distant future the Islanders should have a rather impressive stable of young forwards, as Niederreitter joins a franchise that already has Tavares, Kyle Okposo, and Josh Bailey, all of whom are under the age of 23 (Okposo is the "old man" of the group at 22). 

Niederreiter is the fifth player in Islanders history selected fifth overall. Other Islanders drafted fifth overall in the NHL Entry Draft include Raffi Torres (2000), Tim Connolly (1999), Eric Brewer (1997) and Darius Kasparaitis (1992).

To put a cap on the night, the Islanders acquired the 30th overall selection from the Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for the 35th and 58th selection. With that pick, the Islanders selected 19-year-old center Brock Nelson from Warroad High School in Minnesota.

In 25 games with Warroad HS, Nelson recorded a point in every game, notching 39 goals and 34 assists. He was one of 10 finals for the Mr. Hockey Award, which is given to the most outstanding senior high school hockey player in the state of Minnesota.

Nelson will also attend the University of North Dakota next season.

"North Dakota is a great place with a storied hockey tradition," Nelson. "Both of my uncles played there so seeing them, knowing they played there kind of influenced it. And seeing all the guys that go through there and on to the NHL kind of shows that I want to do the same thing."

His uncle, Dave Christian was a member of the 1980 US Olympic Men's hockey gold-medal winning team. The lineage of gold doesn’t end there.

His grandfather Billy Christian and great uncle Roger Christian were members of the 1960 US Olympic gold medal winning hockey team as well.

So what does Nelson know about the current Islanders on-ice product?

"I’ve seen a little bit of them," Nelson said. "I know they have a lot of young talent and they're on the rise. They should be a great franchise in a few years and win the Stanley Cup. Hopefully I can develop as a player and continue to work hard and get there as well."

Nelson also respects the history the Islanders have.

"It's an honor, knowing they have all those guys and the franchise that they have. It's great just being able to be up there."

Although he was drafted last on the first night, and doesn’t have to wait until the second day to find out whether he will be drafted or not, Nelson knows the journey doesn’t end here at the Draft.

"I know inside that if you get drafted first or 100th you still have to work," Nelson said. "It just starts now and now is the journey."

The selection of Neiderreiter was a very interesting one seeing as how Brandon Gormley and Cam Fowler were sitting there for the Islanders to select. But scouts love this kid. Here's the scouting report on "El Nino:"

Niederreiter had a great year for the Winterhawks, his first in the WHL. He adjusted well to the major junior game, which is played on NHL-sized rinks.

"El Nino" is a big forward with good skating ability and soft hands. He is fun to watch in the open ice, but he's also effective in the high-traffic areas.

As he puts on weight, Niederreiter will be a force in the WHL, where he will likely play at least one more season before turning pro. His play with Portland really won scouts over. He made an impact on a good Winterhawks team, getting better as the season wore on. 

Don't make any mistake. Scouts aren't dumb, and they evaluate a player based on his body of work. But they are always curious when a relative unknown like Niederreiter gets a chance on the big stage. That's where El Nino got everyone's attention.

Niederreiter became a big-time prospect with his performance in the 2010 World Junior Championships. Playing for Switzerland, Niederreiter put up six goals and 10 points in seven games, as his team earned a surprising fourth-place finish. Included in that was a two-goal performance in a quarterfinal upset of Russia that included a tally in the final minute of regulation, then the overtime game-winner. He has positioned himself to be the highest-drafted Swiss player ever.

He should be able to be a big time player for the Isles for years to come and it seems like that may not be so far down the road.

Now on to Brock Nelson.

          "You can't deny his good skills and size"

From the THN Draft Preview

Nelson is charging up the draft rankings. Scouts love the speed/size/hands combination that he possesses. Brock should be a mid to late first round selection.

From Hockeyprospects.com

One of the reasons he was ranked low was because his High School didn't face top competition every night. But when you have someone of his size and skill it's worth the risk. Reports also speak highly of his character and work ethic, two things the Islanders are looking for. We probably won't see him on the Island for at least another two years, but somewhere down the road it seems like he is going to be able to make a big splash.

That's what has been said about this kid. He will get better with seasoning at the University of North Dakota. Brock Nelson should be a solid player for the Islanders.

McKnight Signs Rookie Contract with Jets

Former USC running back Joe McKnight, who made headlines for the wrong reasons in his first minicamp practice with the New York Jets, has made positive news, signing with the team on Tuesday.

McKnight is the second Jets draft pick to sign, following former Kentucky fullback John Conner (fifth-round pick), who signed a four-year deal on June 4. Still unsigned are former UMass guard Vlad Ducasse (second round) and former Boise State cornerback Kyle Wilson (first round).

The Jets are counting on McKnight to compete for playing time as a third-down back and, possibly, as a kick returner. He got off to a lousy start in the first minicamp, vomiting on the field and dropping several passes. He also wasn't happy when he learned that he'd be wearing No. 25, the same number former USC star Reggie Bush wears for the New Orleans Saints. McKnight has grown weary of comparisons to Bush.

The Jets drafted McKnight with the idea of replacing Leon Washington, who was traded to the Seattle Seahawks soon after they selected McKnight.

Absent Eiland Reason for Burnett's Struggles?

Let's set the record straight on this right from the start: if players knew how to correct their own mistakes, right their own mechanical flaws and undo their own bad habits, there would be no need for coaches.

Or managers, for that matter.

A.J. Burnett, for instance, could walk himself out to the bullpen, make the adjustments necessary to turn himself back into an effective major-league pitcher, and that would be that.

But they can't do it, which is why the great baseball gods invented pitching coaches. And hitting coaches. And managers.

The role of these people may seem mysterious to some, but in reality it is incredibly simple: to look at the performance of an athlete with a detached eye, recognize what he is doing wrong and figure out how to correct it.

That is why, as much as the Yankees -- and specifically, manager Joe Girardi -- would like to deny it, or at least downplay it, there is no member of the team who is more missed than Dave Eiland.

For the past two years, we have been told time and again of Eiland's unique ability to pick up mechanical flaws in a pitcher's delivery, either on tape or from the bench, and instantly know how to fix it.

Whenever a Yankee pitcher has gone off the rails, we were told that he would be working closely with Dave Eiland, who surely would crack the code that was eluding everyone else, and most of all the pitcher in question.

Most recently, he had worked his magic on Javier Vazquez, who was a disaster for the first six weeks of the season but has since developed as one of the most reliable arms in the Yankee rotation.

Now comes the case of Burnett, whose year has been the reverse of Vazquez's. He started well, even brilliantly. Now, you wonder if maybe Girardi has chosen to skip the wrong right-hander when he decided that Phil Hughes would not be making his next scheduled start.

Monday night, Burnett crashed and burned against the lowly Arizona Diamondbacks -- a team that can hit a straight fastball and not much else. So, of course, that is exactly what Burnett gave them, starting with two out and nobody on in the bottom of the first innng.

Before Burnett could get that third out, the Diamondbacks had socked three home runs, each longer and more impressive than the one before it. And by the time the inning was over, they had five runs, or just enough to render the rest of the game a moot point.

Arizona won, 10-4, and for the fourth straight time, Burnett got lit up. The pitcher who started the year 6-2 with a 3.55 ERA is now 6-6 with an ERA more than a full run (4.83) higher.

And his decline coincides precisely with the announcement on the first weekend in June that Eiland would be taking an indefinite leave of absence to attend to a personal matter.

No one covering the Yankees knows what it is. And frankly, no one is looking too hard because whatever has taken Eiland away from the team is rightfully considered off-limits.

But there is no secret that ever since he left, on June 4, A.J. Burnett has not been the same. "I'm not gonna lie," Burnett said. "Dave is a big part of what we do here -- of who I am and who our other starters are. But I'm not gonna point fingers or make excuses. I been pitching for 11 years now. You'd think I'd be able to make the adjustment on my own out there."

But that's just the point. They can't. Or they would. Girardi inadvertently revealed as much after the game when he insisted, "We'll get this corrected. We will."

But when asked for specifically how, he acknowledged, "I can't give you an exact answer. If I knew, If I could flip a switch, I'd flip it."

It was as close as Girardi will ever come to an admission that someone else knows more about an aspect of baseball than he does. That someone, of course, is Eiland, and his area of expertise is the handling of pitchers.

Mike Harkey, the former bullpen coach assigned by Girardi to fill in for Eiland, is trying his best but in honesty, isn't equipped to handle this kind of a pitching staff.

"I'm obviously a lot more hands-on with all the pitchers now that Dave's not here," he said. "I also offer a lot more input than I had in the past because obviously, Dave's the guy and I've just been a consultant for Dave."

The manager doesn't know how to straighten it out; he fell into the usual clichés about "location" and "fastball command," finally boiling Burnett's problems to something any one of us could have seen: "He's just not making his pitches."

Jorge Posada, who has been catching professional throwers for 14 years now, didn't do much better. "I can't see if it's his delivery or anything," Posada said. "I'm just seeing that his pitches aren't going where they're supposed to."

Where they were going was into the seats. In that first inning, Burnett got two quick outs then fed Justin Upton a fastball that came down in the seats high above the center-field fence, 413 feet away.

At that point, Burnett began to fall victim to his old bugaboo, allowing one bad pitch to affect the ones that came after it. He allowed a single to center by Miguel Montero, a single to left by Chris Young and a blast by Adam LaRoche on the first pitch that landed deep in the right-field seats.

Now it was 4-0, and three pitches later Mark Reynolds clobbered one over the left-field fence for 5-0 and still the Diamondbacks -- last in the NL West with a 27-43 record and 13-1/2 games out of first place -- weren't quite done. Gerrardo Parra ripped one into the left field gap for a double before Burnett finally fanned Rodrigo Lopez, the pitcher, to end the assault.

"I don't feel like myself out there," Burnett said. "I'm not having fun. I know how good I am and how I should be throwing the ball. When you take the air out of your team like that, it's frustrating."

He mentioned something about not feeling comfortable out of the windup but other than that, had no concrete ideas of how to correct it. "I got an idea," he said. "But it takes a group, to go over the video find out why I don't feel like myself."

Without its leader, however, the group Burnett is relying on seems to be spinning its wheels. "Not having him here is a big loss for all of us," Burnett said. "I still gotta throw the pitches whether Dave's in the dugout or not, but maybe it's just his presence of not being here."

Right now, there's no one the Yankees miss more. Or can afford to be without less.

Yanks' Hughes to Skip Next Start

Phil Hughes has become a victim of his own success.

The Yankees right-hander with the 10-1 record and 3.17 ERA had expected to celebrate his 24th birthday, which is on Thursday, by starting the opener of a three-game series Friday against the Los Angeles Dodgers in front of a crowd that would include his parents, relatives and friends from nearby Mission Viejo, where he grew up.

Instead, having pitched 82 1/3 innings in less than half a season, Hughes' place in the rotation will be skipped and he will have to wait until the Yankees return home against the Seattle Mariners on June 29 to pitch again.

"Innings. Innings,'' manager Joe Girardi said by way of explanation. "He's made 13 starts and averaged over six innings per start. This is a hard guy for me to sit because of the way he's pitching for us, but we can't be shortsighted on this. We have to think of this year and next year and we have to think of his future. We want to make sure we have him for a long time.''

All season long it has been an open secret that the Yankees have Hughes on an innings limit, much as they did with Joba Chamberlain last year. Girardi refuses to divulge what it is -- even Hughes says he does not know -- but it is believed to be in the neighborhood of 175 innings.

With Hughes nearing the half-way point in innings and the season nearing its midpoint in games, and with an off day in the schedule on Thursday, Girardi said it was a good time to lessen some of Hughes' workload.

"There's only certain times you can do it where you don't kill your other pitchers or affect your bullpen,'' he said. "This was the perfect opportunity.''

In Hughes' stead, CC Sabathia will open the series on Friday, followed by A.J. Burnett on Saturday afternoon and Andy Pettitte on Sunday night. Because of the open date, all three will be on their regular rest.

Hughes pitched seven innings of three-run ball in the Yankees' 5-3 victory over the Mets Saturday, and now will go nine days between starts.

"It's definitely a disappointment,'' he said. "And there's really not talking them out of it. It's an organizational decision and that's that. I knew it was coming. It was just a matter of when they were going to do it.''

Hughes has worked at least seven innings in seven of his 13 starts this season. Of the Yankees five starters, none has more than eight wins and only Pettitte has a lower ERA, 2.47. Hughes was unsure if a limitation on his innings was necessary for his future well-being, but accepted that he was in no position to argue the point.

"It's hard for anyone to predict if they need [a limit] or not,'' he said. "I mean, some guys obviously didn't. Nolan Ryan never needed an innings limit. But some guys did. They want to be on the safe side, and I respect that because obviously they have my best interests in mind. I think anytime an organization does that for you, you're on board with it.''

Sure he's on board with it, I mean, does he really have a choice? No. Hughes is arguably the best pitcher in the game this season not named Ubaldo Jimenez. His confidence level is at an all-time high thanks to his bullpen stint last season and he is continually putting together quality start after quality start.

Do you think the Yankees ever expected to have their number five starter have ten wins by the middle of June? Never in a million years. Hughes has exceeded expectations, and then some.

The Yankees, I think, have learned from the way the mishandled Joba Chamberlain last season and are being more cautious and smarter with Hughes. He might get 17 wins this year, but you also want him to get the chance to reach 17 wins in five years. Hughes has never pitched more than 146 innings in a single season so the Yankees probably won't want to push him way past that this season.

Martin Biron Not Expected Back for 2010-2011 Season

The Islanders are not expecting to re-sign backup goaltender Martin Biron. According to both camps, the 32-year-old netminder plans to test the market via free agency on July 1.

"At this point in time, we have not extended an offer to Martin Biron and expect him to be an unrestricted free agent come July 1,'' general manager Garth Snow said.

Biron's agent, Peter Fish, said: "We plan on going to [free agency] July 1, but no doors have been closed.''

Biron, who struggled toward the beginning of the season but rattled off seven wins in eight starts toward the end of the schedule, finished with a 9-14-4 record and 3.27 GAA.

Although Biron was a dynamic presence and beloved teammate in the dressing room, the fact that he is parting ways with the Islanders is not surprising.

The Islanders' three-goaltender situation that was created once Rick DiPietro returned from a knee injury in January was less than ideal for all involved, but particularly Biron. Biron was out of the mix once DiPietro was ready to play but was reinserted into the starting rotation when DiPietro was sidelined again with knee issues later in the season.

The Islanders likely will head into this season with Dwayne Roloson and DiPietro in net and will exercise cautious optimism about the latter. If DiPietro cannot stay healthy, it is likely the team will give Bridgeport goaltender Nathan Lawson a chance to back up Roloson.

The Islanders plan on extending a qualifying offer to Lawson at some point this summer.

In a radio interview during an NHL Live segment Wednesday, Snow said about Lawson, "In a pinch he can come up and give us good, quality minutes.''

Does this really come as a surprise to anyone? I think not. Everyone knew that once DiPietro came back and Biron was not traded that come July 1, he was going somewhere else.

The Isles didn't really treat the goaltending situation very well and Biron seemed to be the odd man out when DiPietro came back. I wish Martin the best and hopefully next season he finds himself in a situation that is much better than the one he just went through.

Weight Will Return to Islanders for 2010-2011 Season

Captain Doug Weight will return to the Islanders next season, according to general manager Garth Snow.

Snow said Tuesday that a one-year deal for Weight was "in essence, done." The only element to be completed is the bonus structure, particularly team performance-based incentives.

The news comes months after Weight was forced to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum and torn rotator cuff in his left shoulder that left him wondering whether he'd played the last game of his career.

Weight, 39, will instead return as the veteran presence for the young, developing team that made him captain last season.

"I think he's been a great leader in the locker room. To me, with what he played through - having a torn labrum and torn rotator cuff - that's a testament to his commitment to the team and his leadership," Snow said.

Weight, who had a goal and 16 assists in 36 games last season, suffered the injuries last November but chose not to undergo surgery immediately. He tried to battle through the pain in an attempt to lead his team to the playoffs, an effort that endeared him even more to his coaches and teammates.

After trying to gut it out for a good chunk of the season, Weight went for surgery in March. After expressing relief about the decision, Weight said his hampered performance was "not the type of hockey I want to play."

"I don't think you saw the real Doug Weight," Snow said. "I think you saw Doug Weight playing not even close to the level he's capable."

After discussions with Weight this summer about the veteran center's progress, however, Snow said he is confident about Weight's ability to contribute and still play at a high level.

"There's not only a belief in Doug with himself but a belief from the organization that he's still a player that can produce," Snow said. "The bottom line is he has the intangibles of being a great leader and we believe he can contribute in a positive way."

Weight's agent, Steve Bartlett, said he anticipates some minor changes to the contract - currently valued between $800,000-$900,000 without bonuses - but that he's confident the deal will be completed soon.

Of his client's return to the club, Bartlett said: "He's excited to be back and a part of things."

Yeah, he might be excited, but what do we really have to look forward to?

Don't get me wrong. I love Doug Weight as a person, he's the nicest guy in the world and loves a good conversation, but what can he really bring to the offensive game that the Islanders don't already have? They already have plenty of guys who can't find the back of the net and Weight is, unfortunately, one of those guys.

He is at the very end of his career and is trying to prolong it. He is coming off a serious shoulder injury and is working extremely hard to rehab it, but what can he really do for the Islanders other than provide the kind of leadership that locker room may need? I say not much, but I love to be proven wrong with these kind of things, so here's to Doug Weight hopefully proving me wrong!

Mangold Latest Jet to Express Unhappiness About Contract Situation

Nick Mangold didn't feel the need to skip the New York Jets' mandatory minicamp to send a message. Unlike teammate Darrelle Revis, he didn't feel it was necessary to make a statement by feigning injury and sitting out a few plays in practice.

The All-Pro center suspects his employers already know how he feels about his contract situation, adding, "Nothing else really needs to be said or done."

In other words, he's ticked and they know it.

"It's deeply disappointing," Mangold said Tuesday after the morning practice. "I've tried to do the right thing, on and off the field. I feel it's the Jets' turn. Not having the security of an extension is bothersome."

Mangold is entering the final year of his contract, due to make $3.3 million. The Jets have yet to make a proposal for a new contract, claiming they're handcuffed by the CBA rules and the uncertain labor landscape. Mangold said last week there was a 50/50 chance he'd skip the minicamp, which would've made him subject to a fine.

Because of a personal matter not related to his contract situation, Mangold was unavailable to address the matter. But he was there Tuesday in front of his locker, calmly explaining his frustration and disappointment.

Mangold said he's still hopeful of landing a new deal by the regular season, although that's believed to be highly unlikely. The Jets have made Revis their No. 1 priority. Mangold said he'd never ask for a trade, but he indicated that not having an extension "would definitely affect our long-term relationship."

When asked to elaborate, he said, "If they let me go into the season without the security of a long-term deal, at some point I'm going to have to decide my wants and desires to be on the team."

Under the old system, Mangold would be an unrestricted free agent in 2011. In that case, the Jets would be acting with a greater sense of urgency to lock him up. But there's a chance he may only be a restricted free agent, making it easy for the Jets to retain his rights. If he does become unrestricted -- and this depends on the CBA -- the Jets can simply use the franchise tag on him.

"That," Mangold said, "would be a continuation of the disappointing I'm feeling now."

This won't become as big an issue as the Revis situation could be. Mangold is a guy that will still play, but will be unhappy about doing so without guarantees. Without Mangold the Jets have no offensive line. He is the glue that holds that unit together and he is one of the best centers in the NFL. He presence out there last year helped Mark Sanchez through the tough times last season. If they Jets don't re-up Mangold before the season or before next season, they are just about screwed.

I feel like I'm writing the same articles about these "Core Four" guys, and I pretty much am because the Jets have yet to deal with all of these guys. If the Jets intend to build a dynasty, they need to take care of their guys.

Revis, Ryan Clear the Air

All is right between Rex Ryan and Darrelle Revis, the New York Jets' coach said Wednesday.

As expected, Ryan met Tuesday night with Revis to discuss the star cornerback's highly-publicized, mini-protest Monday at minicamp. Ryan told ESPNNewYork.com Wednesday morning that he's satisfied with Revis' explanation on why he sat out a few plays at the end of the morning practice.

Ryan, in a phone interview, called it "a great talk. It's funny because, when it's a football thing, we definitely see eye to eye. He knows what I expect of him and vice versa. We definitely see eye to eye."

Revis created a firestorm by telling reporters that he asked out of practice as a way to make a statement about being unhappy with stalled contract negotiations. He also said he was lightheaded, insisting that, too, was a factor.

Ryan was somewhat evasive when asked if Revis mentioned the contract situation as a reason for sitting out.

"He told me the same thing, that he was lightheaded," Ryan said. "That was not an exaggeration. That's not who he is. He's a leader. Nobody works harder than Revis, with the exception of Mark Sanchez. That's who he is. That's what we talked about.

"The great thing is, he never has to apologize to me. Just go out, be yourself and that will be good enough for me."

Revis couldn't be reached for immediate comment, but he should be available later Wednesday at the New Meadowlands Stadium, where the Jets will close the three-day minicamp with their first practice in the new $1.6 billion facility.

On Tuesday, Revis said he wanted to meet with Ryan because "this is the beginning of stuff turning bad. We'll try to see eye to eye and do it the right way."

Revis, perhaps unwittingly, put his coach in a difficult spot Monday. Ryan found out from reporters about the protest. Some within the organization were upset that it went down that way. Revis suggested that he told secondary coach Dennis Thurman, but Thurman told ESPNNewYork.com Tuesday that Revis never mentioned anything about the sit-out being contract-related.

"I actually said, 'Is this legitimate?' " Thurman said. "He goes, 'Yeah.' Any statement he might have been trying to make, he wasn't making it as far as I was concerned. If he had another agenda, you'll have to ask him. To me, there was nothing behind it."

The two sides are trying to renegotiate Revis' contract, which has three years remaining, but they're far apart. Revis wants to be the highest-paid cornerback in the league, seeking at least $16 million a year. The Jets are believed to be offering about $10 million per year, but with no guaranteed money, sources said. Revis called that an "insult."

The non-guaranteed money is an insult. At least if they offered him $10 million a year guaranteed it would be progress. In that respect, Revis is right. But as I stated yesterday, they way he went about it is completely wrong.

It's a good thing that Revis and Ryan sat down to discuss this. If they hadn't, this could've been a nasty situation heading into training camp. Revis knows he is a team leader and needs to show that on the field. He is one of those players that could miss all of training camp and be ready for the season, but that's just not the kind of person or player he is.

Hopefully the Jets get this done quickly and then move on to securing Nick Mangold, David Harris and D'Brickashaw Ferguson. Imagine a season with an unhappy Darrelle Revis. It wouldn't be pretty.

Revis Sits Out Some Plays in Protest of Contract

New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis, upset with his contract, delivered a form of protest Monday morning in minicamp by sitting out a few plays at the end of practice.

The All-Pro cornerback, due to make $1 million this season, said the Jets' last offer was an "insult," claiming it included no guaranteed money.

"I feel the same type of way that Nick Mangold feels about it, too. As of right now, it doesn't look good. They haven't been doing nothing.

"They've sent proposals, but to me it's like an insult. You send me stuff with not-guaranteed money in the contract, that's not good. That's not a good look."

Coach Rex Ryan said he was unaware that Revis was sitting out to protest his contract. Ryan said he was told during the practice that Revis was "lightheaded." Asked if he'd be disappointed if Revis sat out a few plays to make a statement, the coach replied, "Yeah, that would disappoint me, sure." Earlier, Ryan said, "I believe Darrelle. Any player we have, when they tell you something's not right, you believe them. I believe Darrelle will be that way. If he's pulling a fast one, he's pulling a fast one."

Mangold, the Jets' Pro Bowl center, had said he was 50/50 on attending the minicamp due to his contract status but was in attendance on Monday.

Revis said general manager Mike Tannenbaum told him "face to face" that he deserved to be the highest-paid corner in the league.

"How they've been going on about it doesn't look good," Revis said.

"We'll see. It's not just me. It's Nick Mangold. It's D'Brickashaw [Ferguson]. It's David Harris. They tell us we're the core guys of this team, so why are you not treating us as one of the core guys?
Revis wants at least $16 million per year, cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha's current salary with the Oakland Raiders.

"They showed their loyalty to him," Revis said of the Raiders. "The number? That's the number. He set the bar. I feel that if I'm fighting to go over that, that's what it is."

Revis said the Jets need to take care of their own players financially.

"If you want to build a dynasty, you've got to start being loyal to some of your players around here, who's loyal to you out there on the field and go out there and play the best football they can," Revis said.

This could become a huge problem for the Jets if they don't do something about this quickly. Rumor has it that they only offered Revis $8 million guaranteed, which is a huge insult, and as we all know, half of what he wants.

He is the best player on the team and the best cornerback in the NFL and he should be paid accordingly. However, with that being said, he should not have done what he did yesterday. If you're angry about your contract, hold out. Don't set a bad example by faking an injury and not coming to practice to give 100%.

Revis is supposed to be a team captain and that is not something a team captain does. This could get ugly real quick and it could turn into another Pete Kendall situation. Here's to hoping the Jets aren't stupid and fix this quickly.

Yankees Beat Up On Astros, Move Into First Place Tie

The last time the Yankees had a piece of first place in the American League East, it was the day before Alex Rodriguez dared to jog across Dallas Braden's mound.

Since that point on April 21 in Oakland, 14 games into the season, the Yankees have feasted on cupcakes, as they did this weekend against the Houston Astros, culminating their three-game sweep with a 9-5 rain-soaked victory Sunday.

Now tied with the Tampa Bay Rays for the best record in baseball at 40-23, the Yankees face a fascinating week in which they have a World Series rematch with the teetering Philadelphia Phillies and a Subway Series rematch with the rocketing New York Mets.

All the boredom from this weekend will be replaced with loads of excitement, because -- dare we say it -- the drumbeat of this baseball city is about to start that June tradition of chattering about how there could be, just maybe, a real Subway Series in October.

To climb back to the top of the baseball world, the Yankees have had a lot of Supposed-To-Sweep Series. This weekend was another one.

If you were looking for deeper meaning in these three games, here it is: Yankees, good; Astros, bad.
On Sunday, Jorge Posada, catching for the first time in nearly a month, hit his second grand slam in as many days. Only two other Yankees have done that, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. In 1927 and '29, Babe Ruth hit back-to-back grand slams, while in 1937 Bill Dickey nailed belly-to-belly slams on consecutive days.

"It's pretty special," Posada said of matching his fellow catcher Dickey.

Posada didn't catch the ninth inning, but he pronounced his still-recovering fractured foot more "tired" than sore. Yankees manager Joe Girardi said he was "a little concerned" about Posada, but both felt there was a good chance Posada will play Tuesday against the Phillies -- maybe even behind the plate.

On Sunday, Phil Hughes struggled (five runs in 5 2/3 innings), but that was good enough for him to improve to 9-1 and look as if he could very well play in the All-Star Game in Anaheim near his hometown next month.

"We've seen him pitch better," said Girardi, who will manage that All-Star Game. "We've seen him go deeper into games, but he did what he needed to do."

It certainly helps that an AL East team (besides the Baltimore Orioles) versus a NL Central team is sort of like baseball's version of a D-1 school versus an NAIA one. The Astros had won eight of 10 coming in, but even their manager, Brad Mills -- who used to be Terry Francona's bench coach in Boston -- wasn't surprised with the results.

"No, I don't think that it was surprising," Mills said of the sweep.

The Yankees may need each and every one of these cupcakes. With at most two playoff spots to be divvied up between four AL East teams, these wet, long days are the ones that could be the difference in terms of the Yankees fulfilling their half of a potential October Subway Series.

On Sunday, the Yankees smashed around the Astros' bullpen. In the fifth inning, Mills -- who might have thought he was still Boston's bench coach -- apparently got confused and managed as if this were a Red Sox-Yankees series and not equivalent to the Harlem Globetrotters versus the Washington Generals. Mills kept going to his 'pen, and his relievers kept having confetti thrown in their faces.

With one out and a man on in the fifth, Mills came out to remove starting pitcher Brian Moehler. Moehler hadn't pitched that poorly, only giving up three runs. He had thrown 99 pitches, and he had allowed a solo homer to Robinson Cano in the fourth. With Cano up again, Mills made the change.
The lefty, Gustavo Chacin, came in and immediately walked Cano and, for good measure, Nick Swisher to load the bases for Posada.

Mills made another switch, turning to righty Casey Daigle. Posada drilled a 2-0 pitch over the fence for a grand slam, and the Yankees were up, 7-1.

Hughes struggled in the sixth, giving up four runs, but the game was never in doubt.

The Yankees have now concluded the JV portion of their schedule for the time being. They beat up the Indians, the Orioles and the Astros, collecting 11 wins in 13 games (mixed in with losing two of three last weekend in Toronto).

The Yankees have filled up on the cupcakes and climbed into a tie for the best record in baseball. This week, they get to reminisce about last October while thinking about what might be this coming October.

Mini Camp Starts and Everyone is There

Rex Ryan is ready to play for real -- like, right now -- but the calendar says the New York Jets have a three-day minicamp, starting Monday morning in Florham Park, N.J. The camp is mandatory, meaning all players are required to attend or else be subject to a fine.

There will be two practices Monday and two Tuesday, culminating Wednesday with an open practice in the New Meadowlands Stadium. (Fans are invited at no charge.) Think back to a year ago, when almost everything was new -- the head coach, the quarterback, the defensive system, you name it. Now it's just the stadium, along with four or five key players.

"Oh, my goodness, we're ready to play," Ryan said last week. "Literally, we could go play. Last year, we would've gotten smoked ... Right now, we actually know what we're doing. We're so much further along than we were last year."

Five things to watch in minicamp:

1. Mangold's attendance: The All-Pro center is frustrated by the organization's lack of urgency regarding his contract. Last week he said there was a 50/50 chance he would skip the minicamp. He thought better of it and showed up.

Mangold, due to make $3.3 million in the final year of his rookie contract, is not happy. As of late last week, the Jets still hadn't started serious discussions with him, focusing their energy on Revis, who still has three years left on his deal.

2. Mark Sanchez in catch-up mode: After missing two months of the off-season program while rehabbing his surgically repaired left knee, Sanchez returned last week to team drills. His knee appears healthy and he's eager to take what he learned in the classroom, where he spent the bulk of his offseason, and apply it to the field.

Sanchez' presence means the offense is whole. He has to make up for a lot of lost time with wide receiver Santonio Holmes and running back LaDainian Tomlinson, the newest members of the offensive arsenal. And let's not forget that Sanchez never has had an offseason with wide receiver Braylon Edwards, who didn't arrive in a trade until last October.

3. Kris Jenkins' condition: The big nose tackle, who is dealing with a surgically repaired knee and excessive weight, said last week he was told by the trainers that he won't be able to participate in team drills. The Jets apparently don't want to put a 380-pound man out there on a wheel that is less than 100%, meaning he could be restricted to individual and positional drills.

"Hopefully, it will be on a very limited basis," linebacker Calvin Pace said of Jenkins' participation in minicamp. "We have to bring him back slowly. He's too valuable to take chances with."

4. Positional battles: Rookie Vladimir Ducasse (second-round pick), working with the starters since he arrived, is running ahead of second-year backup Matt Slauson at left guard. Ducasse has improved his grasp of the offense over the last two weeks, according to teammates, and it appears to be his job to lose.

At safety, former Cleveland Brown Brodney Pool is leading over Eric Smith. At kicker, Nick Folk is engaged in a tight battle against Nick Folk. He's the only placekicker in camp, making for a daily adventure because he has been all over the place -- great one day, awful the next.

5. The QB depth chart: There's only one given: Sanchez is the starter. After that, it's patchwork city. Ostensibly, veteran Kellen Clemens is No. 2, but it's believed he's simply keeping the seat warm for free agent Mark Brunell, who is likely to sign in late July. Clemens probably is a goner, so it'll be interesting to see how many reps he gets in minicamp.

Kevin O'Connell and Erik Ainge are battling for the No. 3 spot, and it appears that O'Connell has nudged ahead. The Jets kept four quarterbacks last season, but it's unlikely to happen again.

Copyright 2010 by ESPNNewYork.com and Rich Cimini

Girardi Hopes A-Rod Can Return Tuesday, Thames Goes on DL

Alex Rodriguez was not in the New York Yankees' lineup on Sunday for the second consecutive game because of a sore right hip, but the Yankees say he could return against the Philadelphia Phillies following the team's regularly scheduled day off.

"My hope is that we have him on Tuesday," said manager Joe Girardi, who was unsure if Rodriguez would be the designated hitter or third baseman when he is ready to play.

Ramiro Pena was the Yankees' starting third baseman for Sunday's game vs. the Houston Astros. He delivered a two-run single in the Yankees' 9-5 win.

Rodriguez had an MRI on Friday that revealed tendinitis in his right hip flexor. The injury is a concern for the Yankees, but Rodriguez and the team say that the groin tightness he's been feeling doesn't appear to be related to last year's hip surgery.

This hip flexor tendinitis could be a big problem for A-Rod but no one seems to think it will be, including A-Rod. It seems as though this could be customary soreness from his major surgery last February. I wouldn't be too concerned because he should be able to rebound well from a couple days off. Maybe his power numbers start to come back for him after giving the hip a little bit of a rest. 

"I think anytime you get where you're looking in that region, you're going to start thinking about what happened the year before," Girardi said on Saturday. "But being something completely different than the hip socket makes you feel a lot better."

Rodriguez left New York's 4-3 loss at Baltimore on Thursday night after one inning, hampered by tightness in his groin for the second time in a couple of days.

Girardi said Rodriguez "didn't really have a problem" until he played a 14-inning game on turf in Toronto last Saturday, which was a day game after a night game.

The three-time AL MVP is batting .290 with eight homers and 43 RBIs.

Meanwhile, 38-year-old catcher Jorge Posada was behind the plate Sunday for the first time since May 16. He hit a grand slam for the second straight day.

The Yankees also called up outfielder Chad Huffman, who is starting in right field, and put Nick Swisher at DH. Reserve outfielder Marcus Thames was placed on the DL because of a lingering hamstring injury.

Since June 2, when Posada came off the DL after fracturing his foot, he has only been the DH. Girardi said Posada would mix DH-ing with catching going forward. The manager would not detail how he planned to divide Posada's time.

Thames said he has been receiving treatment on the hamstring for about a week, but it worsened on Saturday. He felt like he was running in "slow motion."

"It's a mild strain," said Thames, who thinks he will be able to come off the DL in two weeks.

Huffman has had a roller-coaster year. He was let go by the Padres and then picked up by the Yankees in April and sent to Scranton-Wilkes Barre, where he was batting .279 with five homers and 22 RBIs. "You have to keep yourself even-keeled," he said.

The 25-year-old Huffman, from Missouri City, Texas -- which is outside of Houston -- was excited to be making his big-league debut against the Astros. He said after he found out Saturday night, a large contigent of his family made the trip from Houston. Huffman can play the corner outfield spots and first base.

Jets Want Sanchez to Be Quicker After Taking Snap

Now that his surgically repaired knee is healed and he’s back on the field, Mark Sanchez can concentrate on cleaning up some mechanical glitches. One area he’ll be focusing on is his takeaway from center. It seems like an easy skill – get the snap and drop back – but the coaching staff is trying to improve two aspects of his takeaway.

1. The first step – Sanchez needs to be “a little more explosive in his first step away from center,” offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said. “We want him to be more balanced his stance, drop his (butt) and explode away from center.” Why? Because they want Sanchez to be quicker into his drop back, achieving the proper depth a split-second sooner than usual. That will help his field vision. Remember, Sanchez is only 6-2, not a statuesque pocket passer, so he can’t see over the rush like others can.

2. The blind spot – When he pulls away from center, Sanchez, like many right-handed quarterbacks, tends to keep his hips and shoulders closed, facing to the right. “It’s hard to see what’s going on to your left,” Schottenheimer said. “That’s why, in our quick, three-step passing game, he wasn’t as accurate to the left as he should’ve been.”

That’s an understatement. According to stats from the Elias Sports Bureau, Sanchez threw 13 interceptions and only one touchdown on passes to the “left sideline” and “left side.” It’s not known how many of those picks came on three-step drops, but you get the idea.

Imagine what it would have been like if the Jets could have eliminated his throws to the left. Thats obviously a joke, but you see what I'm saying. They would have been better and Sanchez would have thrown under ten interceptions on the season. Imagine what working on this will do for him come the start of the regular season!

During his down time, Sanchez studied cut-ups of every pass from last season. The coaching staff made the corrections, and now he’s on the field, trying to fix what he learned in the classroom.

Sanchez Says He's Ready to Go for Jets OTAs on Monday

On the final play of a five-set drill, Jerricho Cotchery sailed past Darrelle Revis on the left sideline, Mark Sanchez let it rip and Cotchery brought the ball in.

Sanchez, who couldn't pivot without thinking about his knee last season, ran up the field to meet Cotchery and give him an enthusiastic high-five.

"I was ready to chest-bump him I just didn't want to scare our trainer," joked Sanchez.

The New York Jets quarterback didn't even wear a knee brace Thursday as he took part in team drills for the second straight OTA at the Florham Park training facility. His first full practice was on Tuesday, when players said he looked crisp. For Sanchez, who underwent surgery on his left knee three months ago, it means he will reach his goal of playing in the mandatory minicamp starting Monday.

Congratulating Cotchery was an end to this part of the journey back.

"From Tuesday to today, two really good days, personally and as a team," Sanchez said. "That was just a culmination of all those emotions and all that study time back when I had my leg as big as a basketball, and I'm sitting in the meetings going over film and my eyes are like bleeding from watching film because these coaches can grind it for so long. And then we have a chance to have it all come together. It felt almost like a game.

"It felt really good."

It may be June, and the OTA is hardly a playoff scenario, but with contract issues swirling around the Jets, Sanchez's progress brings a little sunlight into the locker room. Without a clearly defined backup plan -- Kevin O'Connell has leaped Erik Ainge and seemed to be challenging Kellen Clemens in the backup QB rotation -- the Jets need their No. 1 quarterback healthy and ready to go. Sanchez said if it had been a game rather than an OTA, he would have been ready.

"I'm playing," Sanchez said. "I'm in, let's go."

All that study helped, in Jets coach Rex Ryan's opinion. He said his quarterback is no longer a clueless rookie who needed a cheat sheet to keep all the plays straight during a game.

"To see how far Mark's come, the grasp of the offense -- he's just not calling plays anymore. He understands what we want," Ryan said.

Sanchez agreed that this offseason feels completely different.

"I just feel so much more comfortable I feel good and ready to go mentally where last year my head was spinning."

He said the best part is that, for the first time in months his knee feels better, literally better than new. The worry he had when he had to cut or pivot on the field has evaporated.

"Now it's gone, this thing is solid," Sanchez said.

But let's all agree on one thing first: this is fantastic news for the Jets. Sanchez might just be the biggest piece to the puzzle for the Jets and without his presence out there, they for sure will not make it to the Super Bowl.

I'm sure Rex and the rest of the staff will still make him take it easy for a little bit longer, but at least he's progressing nicely and learning. Let's go Jets!

Revis Rejects Jets Offer But Will Still Attend Mini-Camp

New York Jets star cornerback Darrelle Revis, commenting for the first time since skipping a voluntary practice last week due to stalled contract negotiations, said Thursday that he received an increased offer from the club. But he rejected the offer, indicating the two sides remain far apart.

Nevertheless, Revis said he's planning to attend next week's mandatory minicamp. If not, he'd be subject to a team fine.

Revis, who has three years remaining on his rookie contract, was adamant about being the highest-paid cornerback in the league. That title belongs to Oakland Raiders star Nnamdi Asomugha, who is entering the second year of a three-year, $45.3 million contract.

"Right now, I'm being patient," Revis said after practice, his second since his one-day boycott. "I'm not mad about anything. I'm here. I want to be here."

At the same time, Revis declined to comment on whether he would hold out if an extension can't be reached by the start of training camp. There is language in his contract that would void his guaranteed money ($20 million through 2012) if he skips training camp. He wouldn't lose the amount, just the guarantee.

Mangold 50-50 for Mini-Camp

Darrelle Revis has returned, but Nick Mangold is still unsure how he will manifest his unhappiness over his own contract. The Jets' Pro Bowl center is considering staying home during the team's mandatory minicamp, which starts Monday.

"We'll put it at 50-50. You never know," Mangold said. "Got to get through the weekend and make out decision on Sunday."

His negotiations are no where near as far along as the ones that Revis, team's Pro Bowl cornerback, is currently embroiled in. Mangold described it as "dead air" and wants to have a little more to go on from the Jets before attending the minicamp.

Mangold and Revis are two of four players, tabbed the Core Four, that the Jets are negotiating with this offseason. Linebacker David Harris and offensive lineman D'Brickashaw Ferguson are the other two. All were drafted by the Jets.

Mangold is set to make $3.3 million this season, the last in a five-year rookie deal.

Revis Rejoins Jets for Next-to-Last OTA Session

Darrelle Revis returned to the New York Jets' practice field Tuesday morning, but he still doesn't have a new contract -- and the two sides remain far apart in negotiations, according to league sources.

The star cornerback, who has three years remaining on his contract but wants to be the highest-paid player at his position, is upset by the lack of progress on a new deal and made his feelings known by skipping the previous practice, last Thursday. It was his first offseason absence. Because the organized team activity sessions are voluntary, no-shows can't be fined.

Revis decided to return as a good-faith gesture with the hope of kick-starting negotiations, but it's unclear if that will be the case. Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum has said he's willing to renegotiate the contract as long as it's "within reason." Revis told ESPNNewYork.com last month that he was promised a new deal by the front office.

The Jets' offseason program is almost over. The final voluntary practice is Thursday (open to the media), followed by a three-day minicamp beginning Monday. Because the minicamp is mandatory, Revis would be fined if he doesn't show. Revis wasn't available Tuesday because the practice was closed to the media.

Revis is on record as saying he wants to be the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL, seeking to eclipse Nnamdi Asomugha's current deal with the Oakland Raiders. Asomugha is making $16.5 million in the second year of a three-year, $45.3 million contract. Revis is believed asking for at least $16 million per year.

"I think that is fair," Revis told ESPNNewYork.com's Ohm Youngmisuk on May 21. "This is nothing behind closed doors [like] I am fighting against the Jets and they are fighting against me. I have talked to Coach [Rex] Ryan and [general manager Mike] Tannenbaum himself and they believe I should be the highest-paid player at my position. They understand that and I understand that. It is something that is going to get done. The Jets are family to me."

At that time, Revis said the Jets promised him he'd get a new deal before training camp.

"These are not my words," he said. "These are the Jets' words. They promised that it was going to get done before training camp. If it happens, it happens. If it don't, it don't and then there are other situations that have to come upon it."

Revis has a strong case because his own coach, Rex Ryan, has said many times that Revis is the best cornerback in the league. But the Jets, like many teams, regard the Asomugha contract as outlandish.

Complicating matters is the uncertainty regarding the collective bargaining agreement. Tannenbaum has said it's difficult to renegotiate because the league doesn't have a system in place for the future.

The Jets' All-Pro cornerback already has made an above-market salary over his first three years (a total of $15 million), but his salary drops to $1 million this season. His six-year contract voids after the season, but the Jets can buy back 2011 and 2012 for a total of $20 million -- all guaranteed.

However, the complicated contract reportedly contains language that makes the $20 million non-guaranteed if he skips a mandatory practice.

Even at $21 million over the next three years, Revis is underpaid based on the market. After Asomugha, the next-highest average is $10 million a year, belonging to Nate Clements of the San Francisco 49ers.

Revis is one of several Jets looking for contract extensions. Center Nick Mangold and linebacker David Harris are entering their final season, and Mangold has said he wants a new deal by the start of the regular season. Neither player has skipped any voluntary workouts.

Mangold has said he and his agent discussed sitting out of OTAs, but decided against it. Mangold said last week that Revis is the team's priority, but others await.

"It should be very interesting to see how it pans out and how they manage it all," Mangold said, adding that he has not ruled out the possibility of holding out during training camp if his own deal is not reworked.

Yankees Take High School SS Culver with First Round Pick

The New York Yankees drew some surprised reactions by taking prep shortstop Chris "Cito" Culver in the first round when the Northeast area scouts were telling ESPN MLB Insider Keith Law all spring he was a third-or fourth-rounder. The Yankees see Culver as a shortstop with a chance to hit for average and some power, and he has a plus arm, but there are mixed opinions on whether or not he's going to stay at short. 

 

On the flip side, the Yankees had Culver on their Area Code Games team last summer, working out at Yankee Stadium and probably knew him as a player and as a person better than any other team could have.

Culver can play shortstop and pitch. The Yankees see him as a shortstop, though. This means he could one day replace Derek Jeter.

But that day likely won't be soon, because Culver -- who is from Rochester, N.Y. -- is only 17 years old.

He has reportedly already committed to the University of Maryland, but Yankee green could cause him to change his mind.

Here is what the Yankees had to say about him:

Culver, listed at 6 feet, 172 pounds, batted .561 (37-for-66) with 10 doubles, five triples, nine home runs, 38 RBI and 20 walks in 22 regular season games this past season as a high school senior, according to his school's Web site. He also had a .933 fielding percentage, committing just eight errors in 120 total chances, helping lead his school to the Monroe County Division title. Named his team's most valuable player in each of the last three seasons, Culver was also a three-time all-county selection and an Under Armour All-American.
 

Baseball America rated the shortstop as the third-best prospect out of the state of New York. Under his high school bio page, Culver lists his favorite baseball team as the New York Yankees and one of his favorite baseball players as Derek Jeter.

"We were able to draft a very athletic kid who can play a good shortstop," said Damon Oppenheimer, Yankees Vice President of Amateur Scouting. "He has a plus arm, is a solid runner and is an excellent hitter. He's a player we are happy to have. It was an easy decision for us."

 

Culver is just the second shortstop drafted by the Yankees (C.J. Henry in 2005) in the first round since the club selected Derek Jeter with the sixth overall pick in the 1992 First-Year Player Draft.

 

Culver's plus arm, totaled with his potential to hit for average with a little bit of power is an asset to any team if he can remain at shortstop. It will be very interesting to see his development if he signs with the Yankees. 

Sanchez Reaches Out to Former MVP Gannon, Talks Decision Making

Uh, talking decision making with Rich Gannon? Do people forget his five interception performance in the 2002 Super Bowl loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that sent his Oakland Raiders into serious tailspin, one that still continues today?

In fact, it seems as though there is no light at the end of the tunnel for Al Davis and his Raiders. As his famous phrase goes, "just win baby, win," well that doesn't seem like it is going to happen anytime soon in Oakland.

I don't know why Mark Sanchez decided to reach out to Gannon of all people. I'm sure there are plenty of other quarterbacks better than him that would be willing to work with the effervescent Sanchez. But, nonetheless, I am glad to see he is reaching out to someone with at least a decent track record and it could be worse. He could be asking Brett Favre about how to take care of the football.

Sanchez is still recovering from offseason knee surgery but hopes to be ready for minicamp in June, but he still wants to stay sharp and work on the mental side of the game with Gannon. Gannon worked with Sanchez for two days recently, studying film at the Jets' complex in Florham Park, N.J.

"The great thing about Mark is he doesn't just want to be good; he wants to be great," Gannon told USA Today. "And he's willing to put in the work to get there.

"He has a very bright future."

Although Sanchez helped the Jets reach the AFC Championship Game in his rookie season, he endured an up-and-down year where he threw an AFC-worst 20 interceptions, was sacked 26 times and fumbled 10 times.

Gannon told the newspaper that he and Sanchez talked about making the right decisions on third down and in the fourth quarter.

"We watched the interception and sack reels until 8 o'clock at night," Gannon told USA Today. "Then he had to get treatment the next morning. I was up at 6 and in at 7 watching the film with him.
"I really applaud a guy like that who wants to get better."

Gannon told the newspaper that he was impressed by Sanchez's progress in his recovery from arthroscopic knee surgery in February.

Sanchez had the patella-stabilizing ligament in his left knee repaired in February, and he has participated in individual and passing drills since organized team activities began last month.

"This kid is back already throwing and is much further along than I thought he would be," Gannon told USA Today. "The goal is to have him back almost 100 percent by June 14 minicamp. He's throwing the ball particularly well, even though he told me he's not 100 percent yet with that knee.

"I don't think it's going to be an issue."

It better not be an issue because the entire Jets season is resting on the health of that left knee.

Case in point: This past Thursday’s OTA at the Jets’ practice facility. Sanchez threw a nice back-shoulder 50-yard bomb that David Clowney caught after a slight adjustment. After Clowney waltzed into the end zone, Sanchez slapped his knee in frustration -- the ball should have been thrown in front of the wide-open receiver, requiring no adjustment at all. Last season, Sanchez might have made that connection perfectly.

But to really understand the progress Sanchez is making, it’s important to go back one play earlier. On a quick wide receiver screen to his right, Sanchez dropped back, planted his feet and seemed to lock his left -- surgically repaired -- leg in the grass. As a result, when the ball was released, it took a nose dive -- incomplete.

Quarterbacks coach Matt Cavanaugh quickly came over to Sanchez and motioned with his throwing arm to keep the release point up to avoid having top spin on the football. The next play, Sanchez did exactly what Cavanaugh instructed and the result was the long touchdown pass to Clowney.

"I’d be lying if I told you I saw that," said head coach Rex Ryan, when asked about Cavanaugh’s subtle instruction to his young QB. "That’s why we have Matt."

Sanchez said it was no big deal. "They're pretty happy with my mechanics," he said. "I’m using my legs. My feet are under me. I’m driving the ball."

Sanchez is still limited. Seven-on-seven drills are no problem. But team drills are still a no-no. In fact, Sanchez sneaked into a team drill last week for one hand-off to a running back, and got reprimanded by Ryan, who got an earful from team owner Woody Johnson.

"Rex said, ‘Next time you do it, make sure Mr. Johnson is not out there,’" said Sanchez, who is attacking these practices with his trademark boyish bounce and grin.

Sanchez said he hopes to be ready for all team activities for a three-day minicamp beginning June 14. But Ryan stressed that Sanchez has not been given clearance by the team’s medical staff.

Despite the additions of some big-name veterans -- LaDanian Tomlinson, Jason Taylor and Antonio Cromartie -- Ryan knows this team will get only so far without a healthy Sanchez. That’s why he’s being careful. But so far he likes what he sees.

"He really knows this offense well," Ryan said. "All that time rehabbing the injury has been a blessing, because he’s been here with the coaches all the time. He looks fantastic. Last year, you saw a lot of positive things, but you also saw a lot of negatives. Right now, he’s throwing the ball great. He’s got such a great grasp of the system and that’s so encouraging to me."

"Now, I’m visualizing it," said Sanchez. "I’m seeing the concept. Audible mechanics. Route depth. Little nuances ... every day it’s feeling better."

Ryan and the rest of the front office is saying that Sanchez will be ready for training camp in July in Cortland, N.Y.

John Wooden Dies at 99

John Wooden, college basketball's gentlemanly Wizard of Westwood who built one of the greatest dynasties in all of sports at UCLA and became one of the most revered coaches ever, has died. He was 99.

The university said Wooden died Friday night of natural causes at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, where he had been hospitalized since May 26.

Jim Wooden and Nancy Muehlhausen issued a statement shortly after their father died, saying, "He has been, and always will be, the guiding light for our family.

"The love, guidance and support he has given us will never be forgotten. Our peace of mind at this time is knowing that he has gone to be with our mother, whom he has continued to love and cherish."
They thanked well-wishers for their thoughts and prayers and asked for privacy.

With his signature rolled-up game program in hand, Wooden led the Bruins to 10 NCAA championships, including an unmatched streak of seven in a row from 1967 to 1973.

Over 27 years, he won 620 games, including 88 straight during one historic stretch, and coached many of the game's greatest players such as Bill Walton and Lew Alcindor -- later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

"It's kind of hard to talk about Coach Wooden simply, because he was a complex man. But he taught in a very simple way. He just used sports as a means to teach us how to apply ourselves to any situation," Abdul-Jabbar said in a statement released through UCLA.

"He set quite an example. He was more like a parent than a coach. He really was a very selfless and giving human being, but he was a disciplinarian. We learned all about those aspects of life that most kids want to skip over. He wouldn't let us do that."

Wooden is the only person to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach.

"He was always the boss. He always knew what to say," former UCLA star Jamaal Wilkes told the Associated Press. "Even in the heyday of winning and losing, you could almost discuss anything with him. He always had that composure and wit about him. He could connect with all kind of people and situations and always be in control of himself and seemingly of the situation."

Walton and Wilkes were among former players who visited Wooden in the hospital this week. Wilkes came twice and said Wooden recognized him and that the coach's mind was "sharp as a tack" until the end although his body was "very, very frail."

Wilkes said he recognized what he called "that little glint" in Wooden's pale blue eyes. He was in the room with Wooden's son when Wooden asked to be shaved.

"His son made the comment that when he got shaved he was getting ready to see Nellie," Wilkes said, referring to Wooden's late wife.

During his second visit Wednesday night, Wilkes asked Wooden if he recognized him.

"His glasses fogged up and he had to clean his glasses," Wilkes said. "He looked at me and said, 'I remember you, now go sit down.' "

St. John's coach Steve Lavin followed a similar career path as Wooden, coaching seven years at UCLA after serving as an assistant at Purdue.

"Even though we anticipated this day, the finality still strikes with a force equal to a ton of bricks," Lavin said. "There was the common affinity we shared for Purdue and UCLA and that forged a unique bond. I turned to him for perspective at every critical juncture over the past 20 years. Ninety-nine years of goodness and now he's back with Nell."

President Barack Obama, in a statement Saturday morning, saluted "the way he achieved all that success -- with modesty, and humility, and by wholeheartedly dedicating his life to the betterment of others. Even after he became one of the game's early heroes, he worked as a high school teacher. And for the rest of his life, on and off the court, he never stopped teaching. He never stopped preparing his players, and everyone he met, to be their best."

Wooden was a groundbreaking trendsetter who demanded his players be in great condition so they could play an up-tempo style not well-known on the West Coast at the time.
But his legacy extended well beyond that.

He was the master of the simple one- or two-sentence homily, instructive little messages best presented in his famous "Pyramid of Success," which remains must-read material, not only for fellow coaches but for anyone in a leadership position in American business.

He taught the team game and had only three hard-and-fast rules -- no profanity, tardiness or criticizing fellow teammates. Layered beneath that seeming simplicity, though, were a slew of life lessons -- primers on everything from how to put on your socks correctly to how to maintain poise: "Not being thrown off stride in how you behave or what you believe because of outside events."

"What you are as a person is far more important that what you are as a basketball player," was one of Wooden's key messages.

"There will never be another John Wooden," UCLA athletic director Dan Guerrero said. "This loss will be felt by individuals from all parts of society. He was not only the greatest coach in the history of any sport but he was an exceptional individual that transcended the sporting world. His enduring legacy as a role model is one we should all strive to emulate."

Wooden began his career as a teacher during the Great Depression and was still teaching others long past retirement. Up until about two years ago, he remained a fixture at UCLA games played on a court named after him and his late wife, Nell, and celebrated his 99th birthday with a book he co-authored on how to live life and raise children.

Asked in a 2008 interview the secret to his long life, Wooden replied: "Not being afraid of death and having peace within yourself. All of life is peaks and valleys. Don't let the peaks get too high and the valleys too low."

Asked what he would like God to say when he arrived at the pearly gates, Wooden replied, "Well done."

Even with his staggering accomplishments, he remained humble and gracious. He said he tried to live by advice from his father: "Be true to yourself, help others, make each day your masterpiece, make friendship a fine art, drink deeply from good books -- especially the Bible, build a shelter against a rainy day, give thanks for your blessings and pray for guidance every day."

While he lived his father's words, many more lived his. Those lucky enough to play for him got it first hand, but there was no shortage of Wooden sayings making the rounds far away from the basketball court.

"Learn as if you were to live forever; live as if you were to die tomorrow," was one.

"Don't give up on your dreams, or your dreams will give up on you," was another.

Born Oct. 14, 1910, near Martinsville, Ind., on a farm that didn't have electricity or indoor plumbing, Wooden's life revolved around sports from the time his father built a baseball diamond among his wheat, corn and alfalfa. Baseball was his favorite sport, but there was also a basketball hoop nailed in a hayloft. Wooden played there countless hours with his brother, Maurice, using any kind of ball they could find.

He led Martinsville High School to the Indiana state basketball championship in 1927 before heading to Purdue, where he was All-America from 1930-32. The Boilermakers were national champions his senior season, and Wooden, nicknamed "the Indiana Rubber Man" for his dives on the hardcourt, was college basketball's player of the year.

But it wasn't until he headed west to Southern California that Wooden really made his mark on the game.

Wooden guided the Bruins to seven consecutive titles from 1967 through 1973 and a record 88-game winning streak in the early 1970s. From the time of his first title following the 1963-64 season through the 10th in 1974-75, Wooden's Bruins were 330-19, including four 30-0 seasons.

"My reaction is sadness yet at this point we have to celebrate maybe the most important guy in the history of the game," Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun told the AP. "There has been no greater influence on college basketball not just about the game but the team.

"He gave so much to basketball and education. In my opinion if he's not as important as Dr. Naismith, he's right next to him."

The bespectacled former high school teacher ended up at UCLA almost by accident. Wooden was awaiting a call from the University of Minnesota for its head coaching job and thought he had been passed over when it didn't come. In the meantime, UCLA called, and he accepted the job in Los Angeles.

Minnesota officials called later that night, saying they couldn't get through earlier because of a snowstorm, and offered him the job. Though Wooden wanted it more than the UCLA job, he told them he already had given UCLA his word and could not break it.

The Bruins were winners right away after Wooden took over as coach at UCLA's campus in Westwood in 1949, although they were overshadowed by Bill Russell and the University of San Francisco, and later Pete Newell's teams at California.

At the time, West Coast teams tended to play a slow, plodding style. Wooden quickly exploited that with his fast-breaking, well-conditioned teams, who wore down opponents with a full-court zone press and forever changed the style of college basketball.

Still, it would be 16 seasons before Wooden won his first NCAA championship with a team featuring Walt Hazzard that went 30-0 in 1964. After that, they began arriving in bunches, with top players such as Alcindor, Walton, Wilkes, Lucius Allen, Gail Goodrich, Marques Johnson, Michael Warren and Sidney Wicks coming to Westwood.

Each of Wooden's players would learn at the first practice how to properly put on socks and sneakers. Each would learn to keep his hair short and face clean-shaven, even though the fashions of the 1960s and '70s dictated otherwise.

And each would learn Wooden's "pyramid of success," a chart he used to both inspire players and sum up his personal code for life. Industriousness and enthusiasm were its cornerstones; faith, patience, loyalty and self-control were some of the building blocks. At the top of the pyramid was competitive greatness.

"Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are," Wooden would tell them.

Wooden never had to worry about his reputation. He didn't drink or swear or carouse with other coaches on the road, though he did have a penchant for berating referees.

"Dadburn it, you saw him double-dribble down there!" went a typical Wooden complaint to an official. "Goodness gracious sakes alive!"

Wooden would coach 27 years at UCLA, finishing with a record of 620-147. He won 47 NCAA tournament games. His overall mark as a college coach was 885-203, an .813 winning percentage that remains unequaled.

"Many have called Coach Wooden the 'gold standard' of coaches. I believe he was the 'gold standard' of people and carried himself with uncommon grace, dignity and humility," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "Coach Wooden's name is synonymous with excellence, and deservedly so. He was one of the great leaders -- in any profession -- of his generation."

Wooden's legacy as a coach will always be framed by two streaks -- the seven straight national titles UCLA won beginning in 1967 and the 88-game winning streak that came to an end Jan. 19, 1974, when Notre Dame beat the Bruins 71-70.

After the loss, Wooden refused to allow his players to talk to reporters.

"Only winners talk," he said. A week later, UCLA beat the Irish at home by 19 points.

A little more than a year later, Wooden surprisingly announced his retirement after a 75-74 NCAA semifinal victory over Louisville. He then went out and coached the Bruins for the last time, winning his 10th national title with a 92-85 win over Kentucky.

After that victory, Wooden walked into the interview room at the San Diego Sports Arena to face about 200 reporters, who let their objectivity slip and applauded.

"When I think of a basketball coach the only one I ever thought of was Coach Wooden. He had a great life and helped so many coaches until well in his 90s," Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim told The Associated Press. "Every time I talked to him he would give me some words of advice. He's the best of all time. There will never be another like him, and you can't say that about too many people."

The road to coaching greatness began after Wooden graduated with honors from Purdue and married Nell Riley, his high school sweetheart.

In a 2008 public appearance with Los Angeles Dodgers announcer Vin Scully, in which the men were interviewed in front of an audience, Wooden said he still wrote his late wife -- the only girl he ever dated -- a letter on the 21st of each month. "She's still there to me," he said. "I talk to her every day."

He coached two years at Dayton (Ky.) High School, and his 6-11 losing record the first season was the only one in his 40-year coaching career.

He spent the next nine years coaching basketball, baseball and tennis at South Bend (Ind.) Central High School, where he also taught English.

"I think the teaching profession contributes more to the future of our society than any other single profession," he once said. "I'm glad I was a teacher."

Wooden disliked the Wizard of Westwood nickname, preferring to be called coach.

"I'm no wizard, and I don't like being thought of in that light at all," he said in a 2006 interview with the UCLA History Project. "I think of a wizard as being some sort of magician or something, doing something on the sly or something, and I don't want to be thought of in that way."

Wooden served in the Navy as a physical education instructor during World War II, and continued teaching when he became the basketball coach at Indiana State Teachers College, where he went 47-17 in two seasons.

In his first year at Indiana State, Wooden's team won the Indiana Collegiate Conference title and received an invitation to the NAIB tournament in Kansas City. Wooden, who had a black player on his team, refused the invitation because the NAIB had a policy banning African Americans. The rule was changed the next year, and Wooden led Indiana State to another conference title.

It was then that UCLA called, though Wooden didn't take the job to get rich. He never made more than $35,000 in a season, and early in his career he worked two jobs to make ends meet.

"My first four years at UCLA, I worked in the mornings at a dairy from six to noon then I'd come into UCLA," he told The Associated Press in 1995. "Why did I do it? Because I needed the money. I was a dispatcher of trucks in the San Fernando Valley and was a troubleshooter. After all the trucks made their deliveries and came back, I would call in the next day's orders, sweep out the place and head over the hill to UCLA."

After he enjoyed great success at UCLA, the Los Angeles Lakers reportedly offered Wooden their head coaching job at a salary 10 times what he was making, but he refused.

Nell, Wooden's wife of 53 years, died of cancer in 1985. Besides his son and daughter, Wooden is survived by three grandsons, four granddaughters and 13 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be private. A public memorial will be held later, with a reception for former players and coaches. Rest in peace, Coach. You were one of the greatest in any sport.