Top News:
Jeff Passan / ESPN:
Major League Baseball looks to federal mediator to help end sport's lockout, sources say — Major League Baseball on Thursday requested the immediate assistance of a federal mediator to help resolve the sport's lockout, sources told ESPN, potentially inserting the presence of a neutral party …
Discussion:
Redleg Nation, Sportico, Dodger Blue and baseballmusings.com
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Jesse Rogers / ESPN:
MLBPA rejects MLB's offer for federal mediator to enter labor negotiations during lockout — While Major League Baseball continues to insist that federal mediation is the best route to “break the deadlock,” the MLB Players Association on Friday rejected MLB's request for a mediator …
Discussion:
Sports Illustrated, NBCSports.com, MLB Trade Rumors, New York Post, Talking Chop and Gaslamp Ball
Evan Drellich / MLB - The Athletic:
Why the players rejected MLB's mediation request and what's next in talks — The Major League Baseball Players Association on Friday rejected the league's request to involve federal mediation in bargaining, an expected decision the players delivered one day after MLB formally proposed the process.
Discussion:
Arizona Sports, NBCSports.com, Sports Illustrated, New York Post, MLB Baseball News …, AZ Snake Pit and Dodger Blue
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
MLB lockout: Players reject league's mediation request as two sides exchange barbs — Watch Video: Joe Buck shares his favorite World Series memories — On Friday, the Major League Baseball Players Association rejected MLB's request to involve federal mediation in their negotiating …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
Evan Drellich / MLB - The Athletic:
MLB's push for federal mediation could be ‘win-win’ PR play for owners, source says — As one player agent surmised, Major League Baseball's push for federal mediation in collective bargaining talks is a “win-win” for the commissioner's office, even if MLB knows the players are unlikely to sign on for the process.
Shams Charania / The Athletic:
A James Harden-Ben Simmons deal is a possibility before the NBA trade deadline: Sources — The Philadelphia 76ers and president of basketball operations Daryl Morey had been plotting to wait for the offseason to chase James Harden as a free agent and save Ben Simmons for a potential deal …
Discussion:
New York Post, Fear The Sword, Forbes, NBCSports.com, Hoops Rumors, Sixers Wire, Bleacher Nation, Rockets Wire, NetsDaily, Yahoo! Sports, UPROXX, Nets Wire, DraftKings Nation, Liberty Ballers, Section 215, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Hoops Habit, Sports Illustrated, Elite Sports NY, Deseret News and Sportsnet.ca
Baltimore Sun:
Ravens president Dick Cass to retire; former Browns, Wizards executive Sashi Brown named successor — Ravens president Dick Cass will retire after 18 years with the organization and will be succeeded by former Cleveland Browns and Washington Wizards executive Sashi Brown, the team announced Friday.
Mitch Albom / Detroit Free Press:
Jim Harbaugh opens up, insists he's a Wolverine for good, wants to win it all — On the first night of the rest of his life, Jim Harbaugh got snowed in. So he kicked back in a Minnesota hotel room, ate a hamburger and french fries from room service, and made phone calls to the important people in his life …
Harriet Ryan / Los Angeles Times:
49ers fan in coma after apparent beating outside SoFi Stadium during NFC championship — Police are investigating the apparent beating of a San Francisco 49ers fan found severely injured in the parking lot of SoFi Stadium during Sunday's NFC championship game against the Rams.
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Pat Leonard / New York Daily News:
Observations on Brian Flores and coach hirings thru a Giants lens — The Giants called Brian Flores' allegations of a “sham” interview “simply false.” — But people who have known Flores for a long time from various sides of the NFL business — coaches, agents, coworkers, friends …
Discussion:
Mercury News, Patriots Wire, Reading Eagle, New York Post and Giants Wire
David Furones / Sun-Sentinel:
Saturday's Senior Bowl to showcase some potential Dolphins' draft picks — MOBILE, ALA. — The next Miami Dolphins standout rookie — or draft bust, for that matter — might be found at the Senior Bowl on Saturday afternoon. — The annual college football all-star game that serves …
Discussion:
Boston Herald and Gators Wire
Matt Bonesteel / Washington Post:
Sixteen Penn swimmers say transgender teammate Lia Thomas should not be allowed to compete — Sixteen members of the University of Pennsylvania women's swimming team sent a letter to school and Ivy League officials Thursday asking that they not take legal action challenging the NCAA's recently updated transgender policy.
Discussion:
New York Post, Yahoo! Sports and Sports Illustrated
Jake Fischer / Bleacher Report:
Trade Deadline Intel: Wizards Among NBA's Most Active Shoppers, Eyeing Sabonis — Just a week out from the Feb. 10 trade deadline, the Washington Wizards are being described by league personnel as one of the more active teams on the NBA trade market. As the Wizards have discussed adding key reinforcements …
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The Athletic:
Wizards at the NBA trade deadline: What we're hearing about Bradley Beal's future and potential moves
Discussion:
Raptors HQ, Bullets Forever, NBCSports.com, UPROXX, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Hoops Rumors, Yahoo! Sports, The Big Lead and Liberty Ballers
Michael Scotto / HoopsHype:
Podcast: Bradley Beal's future and Jazz, Pelicans, Bulls trade targets
Discussion:
CelticsBlog, The Bird Writes, Behind the Buck Pass, Yahoo! Sports, Bleacher Nation, Hoops Rumors and CBS Boston
Dave Hyde / Sun-Sentinel:
It's time for Steve Ross to sell the Dolphins — Let's hope Steve Ross throws in the towel as easily as he allegedly asked his coach to do. That's the best way out of the latest and messiest fiasco of his Miami Dolphins ownership. — Ross can still run Hard Rock Stadium …
Discussion:
Mercury News and Reading Eagle
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Chris Perkins / Baltimore Sun:
What is the Rooney Rule? Here's what you need to know about the NFL guideline
Discussion:
USA Today, CNN, Boston.com and ProFootballTalk
