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News

LAst Night's Action: Sports Desk Clean Up

By  Jimmy Bramlett
Published Jul 8, 2009 11:00 PM
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Sorry for being so neglectful recently. It seems like everything exploded in the sports world in the last week or so. So here's a round up rather than reading about how the Dodgers and Angels lost Wednesday night.

  • Lakers sign Ron Artest - This is a move that was years in the making. In those dark dark days right after Shaq left, I was screaming about how the Lakers needed Ron Artest - a tough defensive minded player who can also be a scoring option. With the Lakers not being able to come to an agreement with Trevor Ariza, they decided to give their mid-level exception to Artest. Say what you will about his imbalances, this guy will bring an added dimension to the Lakers defensive plans. For all of those moaning that Ariza has more upside, I don't think so. As well as he played for the Lakers, I don't think he'll be a difference maker for the Houston Rockets.
  • Matt Kemp needs your help to get to the All-Star Game - Kemp is among five National League players vying for the final spot on the All Star team which is decided on the fans vote. Kemp is trailing San Francisco Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval. Fans have until 1pm this afternoon to vote for Kemp. Fans can vote as many times as they want, and Dodger fans cannot let a Giant be voted for an All Star game. Especially to a guy who after rounding second base for a triple tripped and fell on the infield dirt and was tagged out on the ground. Plus his nickname is Kung Fu Panda. Vote for Kemp here.
  • Lakers 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament on August 14 to August 16 - The Lakers will host a 3 on 3 basketball tournament presented by Nike and Fan Fest at LA Live in Downtown Los Angeles. Around 70 basketball courts will be spread all over the streets surrounding the Staples Center for teams of three to compete for prizes and most importantly bragging rights. Groups of eight or 16 teams can also sign up to play in brackets. There will be all types of events going on during this weekend that are free to the general public.
  • Coming back to my hotel room after Saturday's Dodgers game against the San Diego Padres, I flipped open my laptop to find a tweet about Steve McNair being murdered. I thought it was a joke until I turned on ESPN. It was really shocking. Wednesday afternoon Nashville police officially ruled McNair's and his girlfriend Sahel Kazemi's deaths to be a murder-suicide. Kazemi shot McNair four times, twice in his head and twice in his chest, before shooting herself in the head.
  • The LA Kings made some moves in the past few weeks. They signed free agent defenseman and Rob Scuderi to a four-year contract fresh off his Stanley Cup campaign with the Pittsburgh Penguins last Thursday and acquired All-Star power forward Ryan Smyth from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for defensemen Kyle Quincey and Tom Preissing. On Wednesday the Kings also released their preseason schedule. Will this be the year the Kings make the playoffs?
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