Here’s the dude who could become the most intriguing sports story of 2010, that is “wild child” Russian Oligarch and new NBA team owner Mikhail Prokhorov:

(Prokhorov could leave hip-replaced Mark Cuban in NBA popularity dust)

Honest to god, if I didn’t live in L.A., where the NBA is by far the most popular spectator sport, I would’ve completely stopped following The League years ago. I know I’m not alone, the NBA has plummeted in popularity the past two decades, with the league bordering on irrelevance in many non-NBA markets.

On its surface, the sale of the New Jersey Nets and its arena project to Russian Billionaire Prokhorov is another bad sign for the league, spotlighting its rapidly weakening financial state. The (fire) sale of the Nets and former team owner Bruce Ratner’s once-grand Brooklyn arena project to Prokhorov essentially saved the franchise from financial ruin, but the move to welcome a Russian Oligarch’s money into the league borders on desperation.

No matter how David Stern spins it, this never would’ve happened pre-economic downturn.

Prokhorov’s splurge will be the first in a series of buy-ins in USA-based pro sports leagues from foreign interests - much like what has already happened to the English Premier League. But in the particular case of Prokhorov, I believe his presence will be the best thing that has happened to major pro sports in America in years. Read more…

• How did Plaxico Burress’ first night behind bars go? Fine - if you discount the other inmate taunts of “A**hole!” & “The Giants suck!”

• Washington State RB James Montgomery underwent surgery on his injured knee last Sunday. And doctors soon learned that it was a good thing James didn’t delay - or he might have died.

• Could the Nets’ new owner have LeBron Russian to New Jersey?

• Perez Hilton posts his doubts about whether Lamar Odom & Khloe Kardashian will actually tie the knot.

• Evander Holyfield has the bright idea to turn his Georgia mansion into a solar power plant.

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At this point the speculation surrounding LeBron James leaving the Cavs has become folklore; like Bigfoot sightings, or Chad Ochocinco shutting up for five minutes. But if there’s one man who can lure The King from his Clevelandly realm, it’s the man below; a Russian billionaire who once played professional hoops and flips jet skis to relax. It’s like I have a twin!

Who is Mikhail Prokhorov? Think of the New Jersey Nets as owned by Goldfinger, or the alternate James Bond villain of your choice. Russia’s richest man, who made his $9 billion fortune mainly in nickel and gold production and nanotechnology development, has been called Russia’s most eligible bachelor. He’s fond of traveling the world in his private jet with beautiful women in tow, and was once arrested in an investigation of a high-end prostitution ring.

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• The Dolphins held the ball for more than 30 minutes longer than the Colts, but it was Peyton Manning & Co. who left Land Shark Stadium with a 27-23 win on Monday night.

• It’s a Twitter trifecta: First, Redskins rookie LB Robert Henson takes “dim wit” Washington fans to task for booing at FedEx Field.

• Then Marcus Fitzgerald bitches on behalf of brother Larry about the lack of catches the Cardinals WR is getting.

• And Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema admits that one of his scouting techniques is following the Tweets of opposing players.

• A South Carolina man is sentenced to life in prison without parole for the vicious stabbing death of a high school cheerleader.

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It’s hard to blame Chris Douglas-Roberts for being proud of his collegiate career. Even as the NCAA declared the Tigers’ 2007-08 season “vacated“, he was still part of a program that, over two seasons, went 71-6 and went to two Elite Eights. Hooray, Tigers, hooray.

(Aw, he’s SOOO CUUUUTE! Who’s that cute kitty gonna rip my larynx out with one swipe? I said WHO’S that cute kitty??)

But while most athletes who want to honor their alma mater do something like buy memorabilia or get tattoos, CDR (as the kids call him) decided to take things one step further and raise bengal tigers in his house. This makes sense because WAIT WAIT WAIT… he’s raising bengal tigers in his own house?! Multiple? Plural? Tigers with an S? Oh yeah, that should work out beautifully.

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Usually, Tony Romo saves his worst for last, shining as the season begins but falling apart in December and January. But hey, last night was kind of a big game - it was the first “official” game at the new Cowboys Stadium, and it was a national TV audience against the arch-rival New York Giants. So I guess you can’t blame Romo for reverting to his late-season form and throwing up all over himself in the Cowboys’ 33-31 loss.

Romo threw three picks - including one that was returned for a touchdown - and generally looked more spooked than a race horse that’s just been hit with a firecracker. But despite this, the Cowboys actually led late, and it looked like Dallas might pull out an improbable victory. Read more…

• A Michigan player punched a Notre Dame opponent during last weekend’s game? Rich Rodriguez has no idea what you’re talking about.

• Duke football players bedevil fans with their own shirtless poster.

• How did Lane Kiffin get to be the coaching genius that he is? By washing Reggie White’s car while his dad coached.

• Bills KR Leodis McKelvin decides not to press charges against the two teens who vandalized his yard after the Pats loss.

• Panthers WR Steve Smith loves teammate Jake Delhomme as a person, but hates him as a QB.

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Earlier this week, we told you about the dire financial straits the Nets find themselves in, losing money at a pace of $50 million a year at last count. Considering the franchise itself was only $300 million when purchased five years ago, um, that ain’t good.

(You know who else thought those were nice colors? THE SOVIETS.)

So in a move that’s bound to piss off anybody who has ever screamed “GIMME BACK MY COUNTRY,” even - nay, especially when it doesn’t even make sense in context, Russia’s wealthiest man is set to swoop in and make a deal for the team. Russia! That’s where the czars are from! But his decision to pursue the Nets means that his wealth may be a stroke of luck, not good judgment.

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• Jay Culter’s debut as Chicago’s QB was completely em-Bear-assing.

• A fired high school basketball coach decides to spend her new-found free time suing over the fact that girls have to play on school nights while the boys get to play on weekends.

• We knew the New Jersey Nets were losers, but we didn’t realize it was $50 million worth.

• It’s nice when a mother & daughter work together. It’s not so nice when they’re working together to beat up a cheerleading coach.

• Utah’s Kyle Korver & Deron Williams jazz up a charity event with a little dodgeball action.

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Imagine if you took a $100 bill, then threw it into an incinerator. Don’t question why you’re doing it, just do it. Imagine doing that once every minute. Every minute, every hour, every day, every week, every month, for an entire year. With that committed devotion to wasting money over a prolonged amount of time, you could throw away over $52 million dollars… and you could also approximate the financial status of the New Jersey Nets.

(More like BROKE-LYN, amIrite?? Hello? Is this thing on?)

Now, to be fair to the franchise, they are not on pace to lose 52 million dollars this year alone. Everything is fine. In fact, they’re not on pace to lose 51 million dollars this year alone. Everything is fine. Are they on pace to lose 50 million this year alone? Um, on that, we have no comment.

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