Hall of Fame coach Bill Walsh, who won three Super Bowls with the 49ers, dead at 75

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Bill Walsh, the groundbreaking football coach who won three Super Bowls and perfected the ingenious schemes that became known as the West Coast offense during a Hall of Fame career with the San Francisco 49ers, has died. He was 75.

Walsh died at his Woodside home Monday morning following a long battle with leukemia.

"This is just a tremendous loss for all of us, especially to the Bay Area because of what he meant to the 49ers," said Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana, the player most closely linked to Walsh's tenure with the team. "For me personally, outside of my dad he was probably the most influential person in my life. I am going to miss him."

Walsh didn't become an NFL head coach until 47, and he spent just 10 seasons on the San Francisco sideline. But he left an indelible mark on the United States' most popular sport, building the once-woebegone 49ers into the most successful team of the 1980s with his innovative offensive strategies and teaching techniques.

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Joakim Noah's Segment On ESPN 6/19/2007

Joakim Noah - Draft - Chicago Bulls

Wrestler Benoit Had Tragic Family Secret

FAYETTE COUNTY, Ga. -- An attorney for World Wrestling Entertainment says that in the days before the deaths of Chris Benoit, his wife and seven-year-old son, the couple argued over whether he should stay home more to take care of the mentally retarded boy.

Jerry McDevitt said care for the boy -- who had a rare genetic disorder called Fragile X Syndrome -- was "a source of stress and consternation" for Benoit and his wife.

Two days before he and his family were found dead in an apparent murder-suicide, pro wrestler Chris Benoit told co-workers his wife and son had food poisoning and were throwing up, according to World Wrestling Entertainment.

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I was deeply saddened by the killings and suicide of the Benoit family. I thought pound for pound he was the best "wrestler" in the business. Bare none!

He made about $500,000 a year working for Vince McMahon. So what could have happened to make him want to kill his wife and 7 year old son? Steriod rage.

Kobe still wants to play for the Bulls

The Los Angeles Times and Riverside (Calif.) Press-Enterprise, citing sources, reported that in a meeting with Lakers owner Jerry Buss on Friday in Barcelona, Spain, Bryant had reiterated the trade demand he first made three weeks ago.

The Press-Enterprise, again citing sources, said Bryant, the only NBA player with a no-trade clause, has a three-team wish list that includes the Bulls and Knicks.

For now, the Bulls are working under the assumption the Lakers have no desire to deal their nine-time All-Star guard. That stance is supported by a statement Buss released two weeks ago.

Should Lakers management change its mind and pursue trade options, the Bulls, like any NBA team, would have interest.

But depleting the roster of multiple assets like Luol Deng and Ben Gordon to match Bryant's $19.5 million salary likely would give general manager John Paxson pause.

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I think Kobe will be a Bull. Two other teams are in the running but are doubtful. Dallas and Phoenix. No mention of the Knicks. They offered, Crawford, Frye, and David Lee.

Rick Bucher said on ESPN today, it's basically down to the Bulls and they are showing interest. Lakers won't trade Kobe to the Suns. Bulls can offer a better package than Dallas. We have younger players and a #9 pick in this years draft.

It will be an interesting 10 days until the draft.

Getting Kobe gives us a real go to guy. A big guard that can handle Wade and LeBron.

Make no mistake. Reports are Lakers want Wallace, Deng, Gordon, and the 9 pick in exchange for Kobe and #19 pick. Sure they do! Wouldn't you if you were a Laker?

Truth is, Bulls don't need Kobe. We could very well be in the finals next year by adding to, and not taking away our core players! Lakers will lose with or without Kobe. Bulls will not gut the team to get him. Period.

T'wolves taking steps to assess Garnett's trade value

Are the Minnesota Timberwolves moving closer to trading Kevin Garnett?

Sources from several NBA teams say the Wolves have been making calls to gauge Garnett's trade value throughout the league. The most provocative conversation of which I've heard has been with the Phoenix Suns, who are said to be ambivalent about moving 24-year-old Amaré Stoudemire to Minnesota in a package for Garnett, 31.

A league source understood the talks with Phoenix to be in a preliminary stage, saying, "They're not hot yet.''

It may be that the Wolves are merely assessing Garnett's value amid speculation by rival teams that they've kept him too long. Some league executives feel that Garnett's worth has diminished after absorbing 11 years of mileage while proving unable to carry the Wolves to the playoffs since 2003-04, when they reached the Western Conference finals with KG as league MVP alongside Sam Cassell and Latrell Sprewell.

Yet Garnett recently is coming off one of his best seasons. After being slowed by a knee problem in 2005-06, the 6-foot-11 Garnett recovered to lead the NBA in its all-around "efficiency'' statistic while averaging 22.4 points, 12.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.7 blocks and 1.2 steals.

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Zeke Eyes Big Score

June 13, 2007 -- Despite odds stacked against him, Knicks president/coach Isiah Thomas has not given up on making a big move this offseason.

Though Thomas did not name them, he noted prominent players such as Kobe Bryant and Jermaine O'Neal have asked for trades - and promised he'd be active in attempting to acquire them.

"It's safe to say we're active on the phones, trying to improve our team, whatever ways we can," Thomas said yesterday after a Garden news conference to announce next season's preseason game vs. Maccabi Tel Aviv.

"Our goal one day is to put together a team capable of competing and winning a championship.

"There are players who are still out there who publicly said they want to be traded. I'm hoping."

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Dream on 'Zeke. No way can you trade away some of your older players with their contracts. You have some younger players, yes. But if you trade them away what do you have left?

Thomas has done a bad job as General Manager. I must say he did alright as their coach. I never would have thought they would do as well as they did last season.

It's rumored that Thomas has interest in Lewis from Seattle as well.

Good luck!