Lamoriello Pulls Another Riley

His ABA gave us the Nuggets, Spurs the three-pointer and more

(NEWSER) - Gary Davidson may not be a household name to many sports fans. But the man who founded the World Football League and co-founded the ABA and WHA certainly has been influential in the nation’s professional sports landscape by challenging three of the big four sports leagues, writes the LA Times. The NBA’s San Antonio Spurs, are a remnant of his ABA. More»

(NEWSER) - This year's NHL Hall of Fame class is a stellar one, TSN reports. All three forwards inducted—Brett Hull, Steve Yzerman, and Luc Robitaille—are among the top 10 scorers in pro hockey history. Brian Leetch, meanwhile, was a two-time winner of the Norris Trophy, awarded to the league’s top defenseman. Also to be inducted in November is Lou Lamoriello, who as general manager built three Stanley Cup winners for New Jersey. More»

Rogue rat-chuckers were Devils fans, team says

(NEWSER) - The Florida Panthers are taking steps to cool down one of the NHL's stranger traditions as their playoff run continues. Plastic rats—which fans have been chucking on the ice by the hundred—will no longer be sold at the team's souvenir shops, reports the Miami Herald . The home team can be penalized if objects land on the ice during play and rat sales were stopped after a few dozen rodents landed on the ice during Saturday's 3-0 win over the New Jersey Devils. The Panthers lead the best-of-seven series 3-2 heading into tonight's game. More»

Cleveland 'not letting go' of suspicions against Heat

(NEWSER) - The Cleveland Cavaliers think the Miami Heat violated tampering rules in their pursuit of LeBron James, and they're spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to prove it. Cavs owner Dan Gilbert has hired a Midwestern law firm to investigate the courtship, sources tell Yahoo! Sports . He intends to build up a healthy pile of evidence from all the way back to 2008 before he requests an NBA investigation. More»

'Wounded warriors' watch; reporters boxed out

(NEWSER) - President Obama played basketball today with a constellation of NBA stars and a ringer from the national champion UConn women's team. Service members injured in action and participants in the White House mentoring program watched, but the press pool waited outside, the Washington Post reports. Retired stars Magic Johnson and Bill Russell played but Kobe Bryant only watched, reports The Hill . More»