A beat-up old notebook belonging to Drake might land a keen-eyed worker a big payday, because the inside’s full of handwritten notes, rare lyrics … and his John Hancock several times.
Drake’s purple spiral notebook features about 12 pages of lyrics … including what appears to be the rapper’s homage to Biggie Smalls‘ “Ten Crack Commandments” — titled “10 Mack Commandments.”
The notebook also includes multiple Aubrey Graham signatures (his real name), personal notes and various phone and credit card numbers … possibly his uncle’s.
Gary Zimet, owner of MomentsInTime.com, tells TMZ … the notebook was recovered from Drake’s grandpa’s furniture factory in Toronto about a decade ago. We’re told it was nearly thrown out, but someone on the cleanup crew nabbed it and is now selling it on the site. Zimet says he knows the book’s legit based on where it was found, and the signatures look like the one Drake now uses.
It’s unclear exactly when each entry was written, but the copyright in the front of the book is dated 2002 — a year after he started his 8-year stint on ‘Degrassi.’ It can be yours … for a cool $54k.
CLEVELAND — Veins in his forearms and neck bulging, Patty Mills flexed like a bodybuilder to emphasize his point.
Even though the San Antonio Spurs had just closed out the most brutal rodeo road trip in team history with a 110-94 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday, the club actually benefited as much this season as it had in the previous 15 years from its annual trek, as it continues to learn how to succeed without star forward Kawhi Leonard.
“It hasn’t been all that bad the last four games,” Mills said. “Yes, it resulted in losses. But there’s been a lot of positives that have been taken out. I think that all just comes down to the passion that we were playing with tonight. Everyone, 1 through 15, and even guys on the bench, behind the bench, the feeling throughout the group was the passion that we needed to want to be the last team standing. It’s hard to do game in and game out, but I thought that was the real difference-maker from my point of view; just the passion that we showed to want to win this game.”
The Spurs finished the rodeo road trip with a 2-4 record, halting a four-game skid with a masterful, complete, full team performance which featured seven double-figure scorers, led by LaMarcus Aldridge (27 points), and their usual starting shooting guard Danny Green (22 points) coming off the bench.
Rookie point guard Dejounte Murray finished with 13 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals and 3 blocks. The only other Spur in franchise history to produce that identical line in a single game is David Robinson. Murray is now the only point guard in the NBA this season to nab four steals and three blocks in a single game.
“It’s always a great feeling when you get a win, no matter who you play,” Murray said. “We lost four in a row. To get back on track with a win is always a good thing, especially heading back into home. At the end of the day, we’re all pros. When you come into the league, you have to have that mentality of next man up. Anything can happen on any given night. We’ve always got to approach the game where if our opportunity is called, we have to take advantage. I think guys have been stepping up. Even the games we lost, dudes were stepping up. But it’s always great to get a win.”
San Antonio’s four-game losing streak marked the first time since February 2015 it had four consecutive losses, all on the road. Had the Spurs fallen at Cleveland, they would have dropped five in a row on one road trip for the first time since March 1992.
“It’s definitely a good feeling we’re making steps in the right direction, that progress,” Green said. “That’s why we had different lineup changes, so we had a group they feel they can trust and have experience down the stretch.”
The Spurs held out veteran guard Manu Ginobili, as he suffered a bruised sternum in Friday’s loss at Denver, and tipped off with Aldridge, Kyle Anderson, Pau Gasol, Murray and Mills as the starters. Aldridge had missed two games during the rodeo trip just before the All-Star break to receive treatment on a sore knee. Green sat out of Friday’s game in Denver after coming down with food poisoning from room service spaghetti, while veteran Rudy Gay finally made his return against the Nuggets after missing the previous 23 games due to heel bursitis.
In all, the Spurs have missed 148 games due to injury (168 total). That has led to exhaustive tinkering with the lineups and rotations.
Since Leonard’s NBA debut in 2011, the Spurs own a winning percentage of .764 (311-96) in the games he has played, compared to a .600 percentage (78-52) in the games he has missed, according to Elias Sports Bureau research. Leonard’s personal winning percentage is the highest in NBA history (minimum 150 games).
So with Leonard out of commission, the Spurs wanted someone capable of generating more offense and tempo with the starting group. So they elected to replace Green in the starting lineup with Mills, which might actually help to balance out both the No. 1 group and the second unit.
Green has come off the bench just twice since 2013.
Popovich declined to divulge specifics or whether the move is permanent.
“We had a discussion and decided to do that,” Popovich joked. “As soon as we meet again as coaches, I’ll make sure I give you a call and let you know. And I’ll tell you why we made the decision, what factors went into it, how many glasses of wine I had.”
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In his return from food poisoning, Danny Green shares how his mindset changed coming off the bench instead of his usual starting position. Green says that for a reason as to why he came off the bench, you’ll have to talk to coach.
Before the Spurs concluded their 16th rodeo trip at 2-4 in Cleveland, the worst record the team had posted on a rodeo trip was 4-5 during the 2014-15 season. Still, Popovich, who uses the team’s annual trip to build camaraderie, believes he’s accomplishing that goal over the 6,546 miles the Spurs have traveled.
Popovich mentioned on Friday that “it doesn’t do any good to be wishing” that someone will “save the day” for the Spurs, which is why the team is conducting business on the floor as if Leonard won’t return this season.
“You can’t help but come together a little bit when you’re on the road for that amount of time,” Popovich said.
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LaMarcus Aldridge says that without a doubt he and the entire team want Kawhi Leonard to return but know that they have to concentrate on the moment.
Now the Spurs need to figure out how to hold things together over these past 22 games, as they remain virtually tied with Minnesota for third in the Western Conference; San Antonio (36-25, .590) is mere percentage points better than Minnesota (37-26, .587). San Antonio has lost six of its past 10 outings, but return home Feb. 28 to play three games at the AT&T Center, before hitting the road for a brutal three-game stretch at Golden State, Oklahoma City and, finally, Houston.
“We definitely don’t ever want to lose four in a row,” Aldridge said. “Tonight, it was a good team that has a new group out there that is playing more confidently, and playing more freely. So to come in here tonight after having a tough loss the other night, it’s good for us. Hopefully, it will carry over for us. You’ve got to be in the moment. We all want Kawhi back. We know that with him, we go to the next level. But we have to kind of take what’s here. And this is the group that we have right now, and guys have to step up and keep producing. As of now, we’ve got to make it happen with these guys here.”
NFL’s Jonathan MartinHad Gun in Possession When Detained by Cops
2/25/2018 6:24 PM PST
EXCLUSIVE
A disturbing new twist in the Jonathan Martin saga … law enforcement sources tell TMZ Sports the ex-NFL lineman had a gun in his possession when he was detained by police.
As we previously reported … cops tracked down the former Miami Dolphins player Friday after he posted a photo on IG showing a shotgun and ammo — along with a threatening message and the names of former teammates and high school acquaintances.
We’re told cops believe Martin had recently purchased two weapons — one of which matched up with the gun in the IG post. Sources tell us when they found him on Friday, he had a gun in his car that fit the description police had.
Multiple sources also tell TMZ Sports Martin is currently undergoing a psychiatric evaluation.
Of course, Martin was at the center of the Miami Dolphins bullying scandal in 2013, and had accused multiple teammates of physically and emotionally abusing him.
The teammates, including Richie Incognito, have always maintained it was routine hazing and nothing more. Incognito had previously expressed concern about Martin’s long-term mental health.
ASPEN, Colo. — Colorado authorities said longtime NBA agent Dan Fegan died in a car crash Sunday. He was 56.
The Colorado State Patrol said Fegan was driving an SUV when he tried to merge onto a highway and was broadsided by a commuter bus near Aspen, which is about 180 miles west of Denver.
Colorado state trooper Gabe Easton told the Aspen Times the SUV’s other occupants, Fegan’s 5-year-old son and a 29-year-old California woman, were airlifted to a Denver hospital in serious condition.
No one on the bus was hurt. The CEO of Roaring Fork Transportation Authority said the driver didn’t have time to avoid the collision.
Fegan’s family released a statement through a spokesman, Terry Fahn, of Sitrick and Company.
“Today we lost a great man, father, son and brother who always stood up not only for his clients, but also for what he knew was right,” the statement said. “We are all shocked and saddened by this tragic development and appreciate the outpouring of support. We ask for privacy at this difficult time.”
I can’t believe you are gone. I am forever grateful for what you did for me and will never forget that. This isn’t fair but i know you are in a better place and we will have a glass of red again someday. #RipDanFeganpic.twitter.com/uyQXuXaQuC
“I knew Dan as a friend and a neighbor long before we developed a team executive-player agent relationship,” Trail Blazers president of basketball operations Neil Olshey said. “The NBA players he represented have lost a tireless advocate for their interests and well being while NBA teams will miss having a highly intelligent, professional representative to partner with in the management and development of his clients on their rosters.”
The Mavericks’ Mark Cuban said Fegan held a special place in the timeline of his life as an NBA owner.
“Dan was the first agent who realized I was serious about basketball, winning and learning as much as I could about the game,” Cuban said.
Celtics general manager Danny Ainge recalled how passionate Fegan was about seeking the best care for his brother after he was diagnosed with cancer.
“I just remember Dan very emotionally talking to me about getting whatever help we could provide his family in getting his brother into Mass General (Hospital) as quickly as possible for treatment,” Ainge said. “He cared so deeply about helping his brother.”
Information from The Associated Press and ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski was used in this report.
“We’re at a point now where we protect the shooter more than the driver,” James said. “There’s no reason I should be going to the line four times in a game when I drive 100 times to the paint and I’m getting hit and slapped and grabbed and whatever and whatnot. We protect the shooter. That’s what it’s turned into. ‘Chicks dig the long ball,’ and that’s what it’s about.”
James had 12 direct drives against the Spurs, according to Second Spectrum, and none of his direct drives resulted in a foul. It was the 10th time this season that James’ direct drive total exceeded his total free throws attempted by eight or more.
“I mean, he attacks the rim a lot, so it’s up to the ref. It’s on them to make the calls,” Thompson said. “I think, with him being so strong and athletic, just because he’s bigger and stronger than everyone, doesn’t mean it (should not be) a foul. I think he gets fouled more than anyone in this league, and he gets hit, but people kind of take advantage of the fact that he’s 280 (pounds) and he’s a freight train. But if a guy gets hit, you got to call the foul. But that’s just my personal opinion.”
James came into the Spurs game averaging 11.3 drives, according to ESPN Stats & Information, but just 6.0 free throw attempts per game — his lowest average since his rookie season (5.8).
Last season, James averaged the same amount of drives per game but 7.2 free throws per game.
The Cavs were whistled for 24 fouls on Sunday. The Spurs were called for 12, including just three in the second half. Several teams have been called for only two fouls in a half this season — the Spurs had two fouls in the first half against the Detroit Pistons on Dec. 30 — but this was the first time this season San Antonio had three fouls or fewer in the second half of a game.
Thompson called the foul disparity “crazy,” adding, “I think we’re very aggressive.”
James was called for a technical foul after missing a driving layup with 6:57 remaining in the fourth quarter and the Cavs trailing 91-79 when he argued with referee Ken Mauer that a foul should have been called on the play.
It was James’ fifth technical of the season in 59 games. Last season, James had four technical fouls in 74 regular-season games.
“Some nights you’re going to get them, some nights you’re not,” Thompson said. “But you can’t let that dictate emotions and feelings. You got to still keep playing and get better as a team.”
During the Cavs’ 2016 first-round playoff series with the Pistons, Cleveland coach Tyronn Lue compared James to another physical figure in NBA history whom the referees seemed to have a tough time officiating fairly: Shaquille O’Neal.
“He’s the Shaq of guards and forwards,” Lue said. “He’s so strong and so physical, when he goes to the basket, guys are bouncing off of him. Those are still fouls, but he doesn’t get that call because he’s so big and so strong and so physical.”
Cleveland was cold from the field (41.8 percent) and even frostier from 3 (23.5 percent from deep) as the Cavs’ post-All-Star break record dropped to 1-2. San Antonio used a 14-0 run from late in the third quarter through the start of the fourth to bust open a 13-point lead and controlled the game from there.
Outside of LeBron James, who filled up the box score with 33 points on 14-for-25 shooting, 13 rebounds and 9 assists, the Cavs’ starters struggled mightily.
Cedi Osman (1-of-6), JR Smith (1-of-8) and George Hill (1-of-7) combined to shoot 3-for-21 overall and 0-for-10 on 3-pointers.
Cleveland got some healthy production out of the bench tandem of Jordan Clarkson (17 points) and Jeff Green (14 points), but San Antonio’s reserves kept pace with the Cavs’ second unit, only getting outscored 47-38, while the Cavs’ starters were dominated.
As the Cavs continue to develop continuity since their roster overhaul at the trade deadline, the offense was particularly out of sync against the Spurs — beyond the missed shots — as Cleveland coughed up 15 turnovers, leading to 29 points for San Antonio.
The Cavs went up by as many as nine points in the first half thanks to James, who put up 12 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists in the second quarter alone when Cleveland outscored San Antonio 33-25.
“It’s still going to be a process,” Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said before the game. “We still got new guys that we’re trying to implement and try to pick up the plays and pick up what we want to do defensively, but it’s great to do that at home. We’ve got five home games. Fans are great … we’re going to need their support.”
A beat-up old notebook belonging to Drake might land a keen-eyed worker a big payday, because the inside’s full of handwritten notes, rare lyrics … and his John Hancock several times.
