SPORTSbyBROOKS

8:06 PM Chris Mannix of SI.com receives a statement from Floyd Mayweather in which Mayweather claims Manny Pacquiao is afraid to fight him. Or more specifically, has never said himself he wan't to fight him. And so the posturings and semantics have begun.

7:44 PM Remember the "personal problem" that caused Allen Iverson to initially leave the Memphis Grizzlies? David Aldridge reports on NBA.com that Memphis Owner Michael Heisley never knew what is was. Are you as shocked as me?

7:33 PM The Austin American-Stateman reports that the Aug. 7 death of the mother of Drew Brees, 59-year-old Mina Brees, has been ruled a suicide: "Autopsy and investigation found her death was attributed to ingestion of a large quantity of prescription medications." Ms. Brees died at a friend's house.

7:16 PM Norm Clarke of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports, "Manny Pacquiao would be 8-5 favorite against Floyd Mayweather, according to Art Manteris, Station Casinos VP of sports book operations."