• DEADSPIN finds Will Leitch taking care of some last-minute business by having a chat with sports blog nemesis Buzz Bissinger.

• Michael David Smith of FANHOUSE has an interview with freshly-minted DEADSPIN Editor A.J. Daulerio. (that was fast!)

• Neil Best of NEW YORK NEWSDAY presents a classic clip of the late George Carlin talking baseball on “Kiner’s Korner“.

• SPORTS ILLUSTRATED’s CAMPUS CLICKS stays in step with O.J. Mayo’s new “Juice Monsta” footwear.

• YARDBARKER punches up some videos of the fun goings-on from Fight Night at the Playboy Mansion.

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We say a solemn sayonara to Annika Sorenstam, who’ll soon be swinging off into the sunset at season’s end.

• During the heat of battle, LeBron politely asks his mom to sit down.

• Jonathan Papelbon plays like crap(s) at Detroit’s Comerica Park.

• This guy must have mistook the sand trap for a water hazard.

• Kelvin Sampson is a blameless, misunderstood creature.

• Plans punched up for a Woody Hayes statue have been knocked down.

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No sooner than the ink has dried on his freshly-signed multi-million dollar contract, new Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni is already putting his stamp on the franchise. First order of business - send Stephon Marbury packing.

Mitch Lawrence of the NEW YORK DAILY NEWS reports that D’Antoni wants to ship Starbury out to his old stomping grounds with the Suns, and try to get back two of his favorite Phoenix players in return - Boris Diaw & Leandro Barbosa.

Marbury might feel a little jilted about being banished from the Big Apple. (Plus, his last trip to Phoenix wasn’t so fun, either.) But if you think Stephon feels bad, imagine how the Chicago Bulls feel right now. Read more…

In order to secure the services of Mike D’Antoni, the Chicago Bulls & New York Knicks could be brewing for a bidding war.

Marc Stein of ESPN reports that the NYC b-ball club is preparing to make a “staggering” financial offer to the technically still-Suns coach, believed to be in the neighborhood of $6 million a year or more. Nice neighborhood.

D’Antoni reportedly has his heart set on Chicago. But even if the Knicks’ offer doesn’t change Mike’s mind, it could change the minds of Bulls management: Read more…

Phoenix GM Steve Kerr is trying to squash rumors that Mike D’Antoni is already on his way out as Suns head coach.

Paul Coro of the ARIZONA REPUBLIC reports that Mike & the management plan to meet before the weekend to discuss the Suns’ situation. Steve spoke out about the D’Antoni dilemma after hearing the coach was reportedly already removed: Read more…

After the Suns dropped to 3-6 in the Shaquille O’Neal era following a 126-118 loss to the Utah Jazz, coach Mike D’Antoni told the ARIZONA REPUBLIC they’re still a better team with the Big Arid-Stottle.

“I don’t think there’s any doubt. Not play-wise, but on paper and what we see. We can be a better team than we could ever be with the little guys running all over the place. We may not be as pretty, but we’re going to be much more efficient.”

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