Bulls make strong pitch to lure Anthony
NBA: The Chicago Bulls made the hard sell for Carmelo Anthony and brought their stars along for the presentation on Tuesday.
That included Derrick Rose, no fan of recruiting. Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson were there, too, trying to convince the New York Knicks’ free agent to choose the Bulls.
Anthony arrived at a decked-out United Center in the afternoon with agent Leon Rose and coach Tom Thibodeau, a police SUV trailing their oversized limousine.
He walked past the Michael Jordan statue, waving to a small group of cheering fans as he went inside, where he spent much of the afternoon before getting a look at the soon-to-open practice facility across the street.
The Bulls believe they have a strong pitch and a simple selling point: Anthony can transform a playoff team into a championship contender.
They believe uniting Anthony with Rose and Joakim Noah would put them in position to contend for their first title since Jordan and Scottie Pippen led the way to two three-peats in the 1990s. And they certainly made their feelings clear on Tuesday, turning the arena into one big welcome mat.
Two giant digital images above the entrance on Madison Street showed Anthony in a Bulls No. 7 jersey dribbling next to a championship trophy, fans stopping to take pictures.
Anthony, a top target in NBA free agency, is expected to visit other teams.
If he signed elsewhere, it would probably bring back memories for Bulls fans of failed attempts to woo stars.
“It should work out,” said James Babbitt of Chicago, who stopped to take pictures of the images above the entrance on Madison. “He can go anywhere and win now – or maybe later. But if he comes here, he can win now and later.”
Cowboys get McClain
NFL: The Dallas Cowboys have acquired the rights to former Baltimore linebacker Rolando McClain and are placing Sean Lee on season-ending injured reserve with a torn knee ligament.
The team reported it also would send a sixth-round pick in next year’s draft to the Ravens while getting a seventh-round pick in return.
McClain was the eighth overall pick by Oakland in 2010, but off-the-field issues, including multiple arrests, shortened his career. He has been retired and hasn’t played since 2012.
Lee tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in the first offseason practice.
• No charges for 49ers’ Smith: San Francisco 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith will not face charges related to his arrest earlier this year at Los Angeles International Airport.
The city attorney’s office said in a statement that it declined to charge the 24-year-old but will require him to come to a meeting to discuss what happened and be admonished about applicable laws.
Smith was taken into custody April 13 after authorities said he became belligerent during a random security screening and threatened that he had a bomb.
Attacked referee dies
SOCCER: A man who was punched in the head over the weekend while refereeing an adult-league soccer match in suburban Detroit died Tuesday, authorities and a longtime friend of the referee said.
John Bieniewicz, who was attacked Sunday at a park in Livonia, died at Detroit Receiving Hospital, said hospital spokesman Alton Gunn, Livonia police and the man’s longtime friend, Jim Acho.
Police Lt. Tom Goralski said a 36-year-old man punched Bieniewicz in the head after the referee indicated he planned to eject the man from the game. Baseel Abdul-Amir Saad of Dearborn was arraigned Monday on a charge of assault with intent to do great bodily harm.
Bieniewicz, 44, was a dialysis technician at Mott Children’s Hospital who lived in the Detroit suburb of Westland with his wife and two sons.
• Orlando introduces Kaka: Orlando City owner Flavio Augusto da Silva knows there’s no way his MLS expansion franchise could take the place of any Brazil club in the hearts of any Brazilian soccer fan.
But with the signing of Kaka, da Silva hopes there’s room for one more.
“We want to be that second club,” da Silva said when Orlando City formally introduced the Brazilian three-time World Cup participant.
The 32-year old midfielder, whose full name is Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite, will join the MLS club when it begins play in January 2015. Until then, he will be on loan to San Paulo FC. He most recently played for AC Milan, terminating that contract last week. His deal with Orlando City is for three-and-a-half years.