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07/06/2010 -
MIAMI (AP) -After a week, there are now real signs that the NBA's waiting game might soon be ending.
LeBron James has reportedly blinked.
Now Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh almost certainly are near the end of their free-agent roads as well.
ESPN's Chris Broussard, citing anonymous ``independent sources,'' reported Tuesday night that James will announce his future NBA plans during a one-hour special on the network at 9 p.m. Thursday, with proceeds from ad revenue going to charity. Broussard said James' ``representatives'' contacted ESPN and asked for the unusual arrangement, which neither the network nor the two-time MVP's circle would confirm.
Still, that was the clearest indicator yet that what might go down as the most celebrated free-agent period in the history of sports - built entirely around the incessant speculation about James, Wade and Bosh - is nearing a dramatic end.
``It's either going to happen quickly,'' Bosh told The Associated Press on the eve of free agency, ``or it's not.''
It hasn't happened quickly.
But now that James has apparently circled a date on his calendar, things would figure to start moving that way. That would be fantastic news, not only for the team or teams that land the members of the NBA's juggernaut trio, but the 150 or so other free agents who are essentially hostages in this tete-a-tete between stars and suitors.
``I think, obviously, we know who the guys are who are the biggest free agents,'' said guard Chris Quinn, who ended last season with New Jersey before hitting the open market. ``A lot depends on what they do. There's a lot of other players who are free agents who are looking for jobs and working hard and want to get on a good team and win.''
Through Tuesday night, only one so-called marquee guy had picked a new team, Amare Stoudemire leaving Phoenix for the Knicks.
Even something like that didn't register a giant blip across the NBA.
Instead, the waiting game reigned. And by the time James' news broke Tuesday night, Stoudemire almost seemed like ancient history.
``Getting closer,'' is the cryptic message on James' website.
Unless it's the Heat, Cavaliers, Bulls, Knicks, Nets or Raptors, there seems to be almost a sense of ennui across the rest of the league when it comes to the sweepstakes involving James, Bosh and Wade.
It's certainly an unusual time: One corner of the league is waiting to see what the Big 3 will do, and the rest are just trying to improve their own teams.
``It's been going on for a year, guys,'' Orlando Magic general manager Otis Smith said. ``It's kind of hard for me to pay attention this week.''
Kind of hard for many teams not to, either.
``I'm tired of hearing about all that, to be honest with you,'' New Orleans Hornets coach Monty Williams said. ``It's overblown, and we've been talking about it for two years.''
Monty, the end could be near.
Bosh said just before the July 1 start of freeagentmania that he was eager to get the process over with, even indicating that he could reveal his decision before Wade or James announced theirs. Which, now, almost makes sense, in that both Wade and James would like to have Bosh alongside them for years to come in Cleveland, Miami or some other NBA city.
His decision clearly affects both, which even the casual NBA observer surely has realized in recent days.
If Bosh picks Miami, it would immediately ensure that Wade takes the Heat offer of a six-year deal that could be worth around $127 million. If Bosh decides he wants to go to Cleveland and play with James, that might send Wade looking to play in Chicago. If Bosh picks a wild-card city - say Houston - both James and Wade would start recruiting someone else to team with, possibly each other.
And then there's the chance that they all could play together, a scenario that almost certainly could only happen in Miami.
``This summer,'' Wade said back in April, ``is about sharing.''
Sharing the spotlight, perhaps?
Agent Henry Thomas, who represents both Bosh and Wade, says his clients are ``getting closer'' - the exact wording James has on his website.
``We are all becoming weary!'' Thomas wrote in an e-mail to The AP.
Wade didn't make any statements about free agency when he appeared at his youth basketball camp on Tuesday. James hasn't said much of anything in weeks, although nearly 200,000 people signed up for his newly launched Twitter feed on Tuesday.
``Hello World,'' is how James' first Tweet began.
The rest of the NBA might have preferred a ``Hello, Unnamed Team That I Will Sign A Contract With'' Tweet, though.
This much is known: Bosh, James and Wade have all talked about playing with each other. How those conversations went was a mystery, one that would figure to be solved soon enough.
``These guys are all talking to each other,'' Knicks president Donnie Walsh said this week, ``so my feeling is they would all want to play with each other.''
That's all anyone has at this point: A feeling.
``Predicting any of that,'' Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said, ``is almost impossible.''
With each day that passes, the anticipation grows. At least now, a summit is in sight.
``It's just a big summer in general for the NBA,'' Quinn said. ``A lot of excitement for different teams and different players going different places.''
Soon, the big picture will become much clearer.
---
AP Basketball Writer Brian Mahoney in New York contributed to this story.Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.
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Michael Bourn had two hits and sco
<< Damon hits game-winning homer on historic night
Detroit, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Johnny Damon capped off a historic night with a
two-run home run in the 11th inning to give the Detroit Tigers a 7-5 win over
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Damon hit a single under
<< LeBron reportedly to announce decision Thursday in primetime
Cleveland, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The biggest prize in NBA free agency, LeBron
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for next during a prime-time television special Thursday night.
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A-Ram leads Cubs over D'Backs >>
Phoenix, AZ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Aramis Ramirez belted a pair of two-run homers,
and the Chicago Cubs secured back-to-back road wins for the first time since
late May with a 6-4 decision over the Arizona Diamondbacks in the middle
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White Sox edge Angels; Peavy leaves with injury >>
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Alex Rios homered and finished with two RBI, as
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Many fans thought it was the best side in the nation by the end of last season. This year, the polls have built on Georgia's momentum and granted it the No. 1 preseason ranking, followed by Ohio State and USC. (The Associated Press has the Buckeyes at No. 2; USA Today took the Trojans.)
"To have people believing we have one of the best teams in the nation going into this thing, it's exciting for us," Bulldogs coach Mark Richt told the AP. "I don't think anything is guaranteed, but we certainly have put ourselves in position where at least the college football world thinks we're pretty good."
Georgia Bulldogs - 9.5 wins
There's no question they're good, but the Bulldogs have one of the toughest 12-game schedules in the nation, mostly because they play in the powerhouse Southeastern Conference. Away games at No. 15 Arizona State, No. 7 LSU and No. 10 Auburn loom large, with contests between the hedges versus No. 24 Alabama and No. 18 Tennessee as well as the World's Largest Cocktail Party in Jacksonville versus No.5 Florida.
Ohio State Buckeyes - 10 wins
Like the Bulldogs, the Buckeyes also have a number of tough road contests in 2008. After two scrimmages dressed up as real games versus Youngstown State and Ohio, it's off to face USC. Other tough away games include No.13 Wisconsin in October and No. 20 Illinois in November. Granted, it should be pretty easy sledding at the Horseshoe. In fact, the only ranked team that travels to Columbus is No. 22 Penn State, in October.
USC Trojans - 10.5 wins
A similarly light schedule awaits the Trojans of Southern California, which is why the oddsmakers' total is one win more and the over is currently commanding -150 odds. Pete Carroll's troops only play three ranked teams in 2008, and all of those games are at home. After what should be an easy trip to Virginia to start things off on Aug. 30, the Trojans get two weeks to prepare for Ohio State in Los Angeles. Their two other ranked opponents, No. 21 Oregon and No. 15 Arizona State, visit in consecutive weeks to start the month of October. After that, the competition eases up. Of course, this is the same highly-touted school that lost to Stanford in 2007 and Oregon State in 2006. And don't discount the fact that USC plays its biggest rivals, Notre Dame and UCLA, back-to-back to close out the regular season. On paper, the Trojans are far superior, but motivation will be high for the Irish and Bruins, especially if their historic foes are in national-title contention.
Odds to Win the Heisman Trophy
Tim Tebow, Florida - 7/2
He won it last year, so it's no surprise he's the favorite to do it again, making him just the second player to go back-to-back. Ohio State's Archie Griffin turned the trick in 1974 and 1975, and Tebow's coach, Urban Meyer, is pretty sure his star quarterback can match the Buckeyes legend.
"There has never been anyone quite like him," Meyer told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I am very lucky to be his coach."
Chris Wells, Ohio State - 5/1
The man they call "Beanie" was a star recruit out of high school, so it's not like nobody knew who the star tailback was before he rushed for 576 yards as a freshman in 2006 and 1,609 as a sophomore. But perhaps his finest moment came last year versus Michigan when he rumbled for 222 yards and two touchdowns in the Buckeyes' 14-3 victory over the hated Wolverines.
Knowshon Moreno, Georgia - 8/1
If the Bulldogs are to live up to expectations, they'll need a huge effort from their sophomore running back. This might be the last year of college ball for Moreno, who rushed for 1,334 yards and for 14 touchdowns as a freshman, while adding 253 receiving yards on 20 receptions, so expect big things for the man from Belford, N.J.
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