US PresswireLinebacker Channing Crowder has been with the Miami Dolphins since the team selected him in the third round of the 2005 draft.

The Dolphins released Crowder on the second day of camp last year and instead of joining another team, he went and joined his wife, who was 37 weeks pregnant and unable to travel. Now he wants to get back into the NFL and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that the Atlanta Falcons are interested in signing the Georgia native and having him play for the man who used to be his defensive coordinator in Miami, Mike Nolan.

"I'd love to play in Atlanta," the 28-year-old Crowder said, according to the Journal-Constitution. "Coach Nolan is my guy. Actually, when he got the job in Atlanta he [sent] me a text…. When I got released, he texted me back then and said that 'it was great to coach you.'"

That kind of niceness may now pay off for the Falcons.

In his career with the Dolphins, Crowder appeared in 82 games, had 345 solo tackles, was involved in 2.5 sacks, and

US PresswireVeteran Dallas Mavericks point guard Jason Kidd may be out of commission "for awhile" due to a strained right calf, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

His injury occurred on Jan. 27 and he's been out for five games since then, missing practice again Monday, the paper notes.

"His status is we'll let you know,'' head coach Rick Carlisle said Monday, the Star-Telegram reports. "Do we miss him? Yeah. All you guys were asking me about bringing him off the bench last week. This is why he's an all-time great player, why he's the best point guard in Mavs' history, and it's why we need him in our starting lineup. But first we need him healthy.''

The 38-year-old Kidd, a 10-time All-Star, doesn't have a return timetable at this point, the paper reports. "We're getting closer, but we'll let you know,'' Carlisle said.

The 14-11 Mavs have gone 2-3 without Kidd.

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US PresswireLast year's NBA MVP, Derrick Rose, played less than 11 minutes and didn't even appear in the second half of the team's 108-87 blowout of the New Jersey Nets Monday. His disappearance wasn't because his services weren't needed, but because he was suffering from back spasms, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

The tightness in his back has been there for the last five games, the Sun-Times reports, and, as Rose said, "probably even before that."

The Sun-Times notes that trainers have been working on Rose during recent games, "but the situation appears to be getting worse."

''Tonight was pretty tough,'' Rose said, according to the paper. ''It was tight the whole game. It's just something where I've got to get a massage and stretched right away and hopefully it'll be gone.''

Rose is averaging 22.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game for the league-leading Bulls.

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US PresswireColumbus Blue Jackets left wing Rick Nash isn't the kind of guy who goes in and demands a trade, but he may be sent off to another team before the Feb. 27 trading deadline, according to Sportsnet.ca.

Some friends of Nash tell the site that he "is very unhappy with the way the franchise is going and realizes it will take five more years to rebuild." The 27-year-old, whom the Blue Jackets selected first overall in the 2002 draft, "is now telling people close to him that he would entertain being moved, but still will not be the one who asks for a trade," Sportsnet reports.

The 218-pounder was up for the rookie-of-the-year Calder Trophy back in 2002 and then tied Jarome Iginla and Ilya Kovalchuk for the scoring title the following season with 41 goals. So far this year, he has 17 goals and 17 assists.

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US PresswireAfter no NBA team made an offer that interested him, 11-time All-Star Allen Iverson headed to Turkey last season to play basketball, though that didn't turn out so well. Now it's looking like he could be taking his sneakers to Puerto Rico.

Sources tell Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski that "Iverson and Puerto Rico's professional basketball league are engaged in exploratory talks about a possible deal."

At about $20,000 a month plus living expenses, the Puerto Rican league wouldn't exactly be a massive payday for the 36-year-old, but "the league's commissioner is selling Iverson on the chance to work his way back to a possible return to the NBA," Wojnarowski reports.

Two other former NBA players that recently signed with the league, which starts its season in March, are Rashad McCants and Ike Diogu.

Iverson, who is working out in Atlanta in hopes of landing a deal, was the first overall pick in the 1995 draft out of Georgetown, but he hasn't played in the NBA since 2010. Over his

FesenkoSince 6-10 Al Horford is out for three months with a torn left pectoral muscle, the Atlanta Hawks are looking to sign a center, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. But the team would like to sign him for a 10-day contract rather than on a per meant deal, the paper reports.

Three of the names that have been discussed, the paper reports, are Kyrylo Fesenko, Erick Dampier, and Dan Gadzuric.

Fesenko played 53 games for the Utah Jazz last season, averaging two points and two rebounds per game.  Gadzuric spent parts of last season with the New Jersey Nets and Golden State Warriors, averaging 2.8 points, and 3.2 rebounds per game. Dampier appeared in 51 games for the Miami Heat last season, averaging 2.6 points and 3.5 rebounds per game.

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US PresswireMemphis Grizzlies guard O.J. Mayo is a restricted free agent this summer and he appears more than willing to listen to other teams, though insists that Memphis is his No. 1 priority right now.

CelticsHub.com hears from Mayo that he'd be open to joining the Boston Celtics.

"I'd be happy to play there," Mayo told the site Sunday before his team got pummeled by Boston 98-80. "But right now my main goal is to play for Memphis and hopefully help get them their first NBA Championship." Of course, that's looking pretty tough right now since the Grizzlies are currently a game and a half out of playoff contention in the Western Conference.

The 24-year-old Mayo, who was selected third overall in the 2008 draft out of USC, is averaging 12.6 points, 3 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game.

He tells CelticsHub that he isn't aware of any stigma against the Celtics that keeps players from signing there:

"I've never heard of that," Mayo said.  "It's always been one of the top organizations in

US PresswireBoston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz is scheduled to have his arbitration hearing soon, but he would really like to avoid it. MLB.com reports that Ortiz would also like a multiyear deal from the team.

"We are working on that right now," Ortiz said, according to the site. "Hopefully, we will get to an agreement so we don't have to go in front of the judge."

If he does go to arbitration, the judges will need to decide between the $12.65 million the Red Sox have offered and the $16.5 million that the 36-year-old Ortiz would like to be paid.

Ortiz, a seven-time All-Star and five-time Silver Slugger winner, hit .309 with 29 home runs and 96 RBIs for Boston last season.

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