Culture

http://www.nola.com/newsflash/index.ssf?/base/sports-15/1212625154312250.xml&storylist=louisiana METAIRIE, La. (AP) — The New Orleans Saints hired Khai Harley as their new salary cap guru and fired vice president of player personnel Rick Mueller as part of a front office restructuring Wednesday. The Saints have needed someone with expertise in salary cap management since Russ Ball left to become the Green Bay Packers' vice president of football administration and player finance in February. Harley spent the last five years as the manager of labor operations with the NFL Management Council, responsible for reviewing and analyzing player contracts to ensure teams were in compliance with the Collective Bargaining Agreement and salary cap. NOla.com 6/5/08

http://www.sunherald.com/306/story/605063.html CHARLOTTE, N.C. --Jamont Gordon is ready for the NBA, even if he's not a first-round draft pick. The Mississippi State guard said Wednesday that he'll likely stay in the draft even if he knows he'll slip into the second round and not receive a guaranteed contract. "I'm pretty much in," Gordon said after a pre-draft workout with the Charlotte Bobcats. "If worst comes to worst and I have to go back, I'll go back." Gordon declared for the draft in April but did not hire an agent, allowing him to withdraw from the draft by June 16 and return to school for his senior season. But Gordon seemed eager Wednesday to move on to the NBA, even if he has to try to fight for a roster spot as a second-round pick. First-round picks get guaranteed two-year contracts. "I'll probably stay in. That would be all right with me," Gordon said. "I know I'll work hard and get me a (roster) spot." Gordon said he has workouts scheduled with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday and the Los Angeles Clippers Tuesday. Gordon drew criticism for skipping last week's pre-draft camp in Orlando, wasting a chance to showcase his skills in front of representatives from every NBA team. SunHerald.com 6/5/08

http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/story/8202692/Trap-games-could-ruin-season-for-these-contenders Trap games. They happen when a good team finds itself in way more of a competitive game than should be expected against a lesser opponent. They come before, after, or between big games, when a superior team thinks it could rest easy. During them, the most common refrain for these teams' fans is, "This can't be happening..." Everyone hates them, because you usually can't see them coming until you're in them. After going through the schedules of the six BCS conferences, I now give you a potential trap game for each league. If you see your team here, beware. ACC The victim: Virginia Tech. The game: Virginia Tech at UNC, September 20. The setup: vs. Georgia Tech the week before, at Nebraska the week after. Why It Will Be a Trap Game: While no one expects Georgia Tech to compete for the ACC title this year, Virginia Tech will need all the time it can get to prepare for Paul Johnson's unconventional offense. The Hokies also will probably be looking forward to making a statement against Nebraska, since when they went on the road to a BCS school last year, they were sent home from Baton Rouge with a 48-7 loss. They will want to show they can win big road games out of conference, even if these Huskers aren't as good as last year's champs were. In the middle of those contests sits UNC, in year two of the Butch Davis era. The Tar Heels were a mostly harmless 4-8 in 2007, and their recruiting and player development have not progressed far enough in to turn them into a conference title contender just yet. Still, UNC lost by just seven in Blacksburg last year, and could very well pull the upset if the Hokies are distracted. Why It May Not Matter: Virginia Tech has Furman the week before playing Georgia Tech, so the Jackets may not be much of a factor. Plus, UNC has received a lot of preseason love already, so it might be difficult for the Heels to truly sneak up on the Hokies. FoxSports.net 6/3/08