FanNation - The Republic of Sport

It's surprising that no team has signed Michael Vick and it's not a good sign for him. Clearly, teams are reluctant to take on the baggage of his dogfighting conviction. Any team that truly had an interest would have brought him to camp already, tried to get him started on his transition back to the league and taken advantage of Roger Goodell letting him play in the final two preseason games and then hope he lets him play in the regular season before the sixth game of the year.

New York Post

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Two-time All-Star Josh Hamilton admitted that he suffered a relapse in his recovery from alcohol abuse nearly seven months ago after pictures of him at an Arizona bar surfaced on the Internet on Saturday. Surrounded by reporters and supported by his Rangers teammates in the visitors' clubhouse at Angel Stadium, Hamilton confessed that he drank to excess one night in January after losing touch with his faith as he trained for the upcoming season. Hamilton said the incident is the only time he hasn't been sober since Oct. 6, 2005, the day he pinpoints as the beginning of his road to recovery from drug and alcohol addiction.

Dallas Morning News

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Jerry Stackhouse came and worked out and left without an offer, as did Jason Williams. The latter is now an unrestricted free agent. As far as Stack, a source placed their odds of signing him as somewhere between "under 50-50 and longshot.'' Buzz up!

New York Post

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The NHL apparently has decided the Lightning's ownership situation is unsustainable and set up a process in which squabbling co-owners Len Barrie and Oren Koules can buy each other out. Barrie has the first shot in an exclusive 60-day window that apparently runs out in mid to late September. If Barrie fails, Koules gets his chance. Purchase price is not the only issue. The parties also must prove they can handle the substantial debt obligations to former owner Palace Sports & Entertainment.

St. Petersburg Times

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Miami coach Randy Shannon has held off on a contract extension, banking on an improved team returning UM to prominence this year, leading to a major payday and promise of a national title run.

Miami Herald

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Millwall boss Kenny Jackett has confirmed that the club have yet to receive any new bids for unsettled defender Zak Whitbread. Whitbread himself is keen on a move to a Championship club in an attempt to boost his chances of earning a place in the United States' World Cup Squad.

soccer365.com

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Many say it was his high profile losses to both Fedor Emelianenko and Brett Rodgers that drove "Pitbull" Andrei Arlovski to play the high risk game of Russian Roulette, a game during which a revolver is loaded with a single round, the cylinder spun, and then placed against the temple. The player pulls the trigger, chancing the bullet could end their life. "It's when you don't care about anything," stated 30-year old Arlovski to Fighters.com. But Arlovski's spokesman, Keith Gelman, stressed to a reporter from the website that the 30-year old fighter --has never contemplated taking his own life."

FightLine

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Lowe's will end its 11-year deal as the Lowe's Motor Speedway's title sponsor, the company confirmed. It was rumored this month that the Mooresville home-improvement retailer would remove its name from the Concord track after its agreement, estimated to be worth about $3.5 million a year, expires at the end of the year. The announcement Thursday afternoon means a name change is coming for one of NASCAR's most venerable tracks. Since its first race in June 1960, the track has become one of the best known in the sport, which in recent years has broadened its reach nationwide. It's unclear what that new name will be. Speedway Motorsports Inc. owner Bruton Smith said last week that the track will again become Charlotte Motor Speedway unless a new title sponsor is lined up, according to The Associated Press.

Charlotte Observer

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As Padraig Harrington consolidated his position as one of the main contenders for the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational here yesterday, Tiger Woods expressed his admiration for the Irishman's conviction in persisting with his recent swing changes. However, the world No 1 could not help but express some jealousy as well. "I couldn't afford to go to that deep, dark place [where Harrington has been]," Woods said. "I would have been getting killed by you guys [the media]. I win five tournaments and you would say I was having a slump."

The Independent

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He was showered with applause before he even struck a ball. Andy Roddick applauded in return, turning to all sides of the stadium court Wednesday night [in Washington, D.C.] to salute the tennis fans who were saluting him as he strode out for his first match since the heart-rending loss to Roger Federer at Wimbledon last month. Earlier in the week, Roddick was asked whether he felt tennis fans had a good understanding of who he was -- and whether he felt his performance at Wimbledon had changed that. "I've pretty much been portrayed as every single thing that you can," Roddick mused. "[I've been] the new eager guy. They tried to turn me into Zac Efron. Then you're the punk. Then you're the has-been. Then you're the guy who's just somewhere in the middle and blends in. Then you're -- after Wimbledon -- the Andy-every-guy who people are cheering for all the sudden. And all the meat and potatoes of who I am hasn't really changed much. "But I'll take the good coverage when it's there," he added, "because I know it's fleeting."

Washington Post

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