Florida Sentinel Bulletin

As the NFL Combine approaches, there are always a few high profile players who opt not to attend or to only partially participate. For some of the elite players, they feel they can only hurt their draft stock by a bad workout so they decide to let their play and pre-draft hype speak for itself self.

Cam Newton, who held a “media only” workout recently, announced this week that he plans to fully participate in the upcoming Combine which is a surprise to many.

On Tuesday, Tampa Bay Buccaneer cornerback, Ronde Barber, signed a one-year deal and will stay with the team for his 15th season.

The five-time Pro Bowl player signed the deal, but terms weren’t disclosed.

Barber, 35, said his body is still able to do it one more time and it wasn’t a hard decision to make.

Barber is the only member of the 2002 Super Bowl team left on the Buccaneer roster.

DENVER  – The Denver Broncos have signed Champ Bailey to a four-year deal, keeping the perennial Pro Bowl cornerback off the free agent market.

John Elway, the Broncos’ chief of football operations, called it a great day for the Broncos and their fans. Bailey recently played in his 10th Pro Bowl, a record for cornerbacks. He’s coming off one of his better seasons in his seven stellar years in Denver.

The team had pulled a four-year deal worth more than $40 million off the table in October but reopened talks with his representatives this month.

SALT LAKE CITY — The New Jersey Nets finally landed a big-name All-Star in a blockbuster trade that gives them point guard Deron Williams and sends rookie Derrick Favors and point guard Devin Harris to the Utah Jazz.

The Jazz also will receive the Nets’ first-round pick in 2011, which could be a lottery pick, along with cash and Golden State’s 2012 first-round draft pick.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers got more strong performances from young players than any other team in the NFL this past season en route to winning 10 games.

It’s that youthful production that has optimism brewing in the offseason. One of the players who looks to have a bright future is running back LeGarrette Blount, who offensive coordinator Greg Olson brought along at just the right pace after the Bucs picked him up when he was released by the Tennessee Titans. Blount is a big, physical runner who looks like he’ll be able to carry the load.

But most successful running teams do it with two backs these days, and the question remains what will become of former first-round draft pick Cadillac Williams. Rick Stroud of the St. Petersburg Times reports there is “no question” the Bucs would like to have Williams back in 2011.

The question becomes: At what price? Tampa stuck with Williams through knee injuries that wiped out the 2007 and 2008 seasons for him. Williams became a change-of-pace back with Blount during the second half of the season, and he also was dependable on third down. He had a career-high 46 receptions and was the team’s best blocker in the backfield.

LOS ANGELES – Troy Jackson, brother of Mark Jackson, is dead at 35. Troy Jackson died Saturday while visiting for NBA All Star Weekend in Los Angeles. Jackson’s cause of death is still unknown; an autopsy has been scheduled.

Troy “Escalade” Jackson was a member of 2002’s “And 1 Mixtape Tour”. The Queens native that stood at 6’10” and 400 lbs had previously entertained fans on the streetball tour that brought Jackson across the country. He later joined the Harlem Globetrotters.

Jackson had lost his older brother to AIDS nearly twenty years earlier; he drew attention to the fight against AIDS with a 2005 Sports Illustrated Cover.

His nephew, Mark Jackson Jr, a walk-on with the Cardinals, tweeted the following message this weekend. “2day we lost a great man of God in my Uncle @Escalade53 but it consoles my heart to know that he is in a better place WE WILL ALL MISS YOU!”

Shaquille O’Neal also tweeted “My heart goes out to Mark Jackson and his family who lost his brother last night, Escalade. We lost a great person love u Escalade. I’m sad.”

LOS ANGELES — LeBron James racked up a silky-smooth triple-double. Kevin Durant dropped 34 points in 30 minutes.

Amare Stoudemire slammed and jammed his way through Staples Center for 29 points.

And the NBA’s younger stars still were thrilled when Kobe Bryant took home one more MVP trophy from the All-Star game Sunday night.

“Everyone wanted him to get the MVP,” said Miami’s Dwyane Wade, last season’s MVP. “He came out very aggressive, as aggressive as I’ve seen anybody in an All-Star game.”

Bryant won his record-tying fourth All-Star MVP award Sunday night with 37 points and 14 rebounds in the West’s 148-143 win over the East. Bryant was well aware he had a chance to tie Bob Pettit’s mark – and so were his fellow All-Stars.

“He deserved it,” Durant said. “Thirty-seven and 14? That’s unbelievable numbers. I wanted him to get 40, but the old fella kind of tired out a little bit.

Blake Griffin leaped over a car and threw down a two-handed dunk to the accompaniment of a gospel choir, winning the Slam Dunk contest in iconic style before his hometown fans on All-Star Saturday.

The Los Angeles Clippers rookie caught a pass out of the sunroof from teammate Baron Davis and easily cleared the hood while the Crenshaw Select Choir sang “I Believe I Can Fly” at midcourt.

The inventive slam drove home the obvious point of the All-Star weekend’s silly Saturday: Griffin has both the raw athleticism and the showtime flair to be the NBA’s next big star.

Finalist Javale McGee of Washington and Toronto’s DeMar DeRozan didn’t stand a chance despite their own inventive dunks at Staples Center.

3-Point Shootout
Miami’s James Jones held off Boston teammates Paul Pierce and Ray Allen to win his first 3-point shootout at All-Star Saturday.

INDIANAPOLIS — Bob Sanders couldn’t stay healthy and the Indianapolis Colts couldn’t afford to keep investing in the oft-injured safety.

Team owner Jim Irsay released the 2007 NFL defensive player of the year on Friday, announcing the decision less than 24 hours after he told reporters he would make a decision about Sanders’ future before March 3.

The move was not a major surprise. After winning the league’s top defensive honor, Sanders signed a five-year, $37.5 million contract but played in only nine regular-season games over the next three seasons.