I gotta believe Cleveland Cavaliers GM Jimmy Paxson will be glad that Mateen Cleaves flunked his physical and was sent back to the Portland Trail Blazers. Cleaves was a great college PG, but has been underwhelming as a pro and represents Joe Dumars’ only misstep as a GM of the Pistons.

— Speaking of Cleaves, a couple of weeks ago I got a wrong number on my cell phone and the guy asked for someone named “Mateen.” Since we both live in MI and he’s the only one on the entire planet with that name, I gotta believe the call was intended for Cleaves.

— My personal set of tea leaves sees the New England Patriots heading to the Super Bowl again.

— I think the Detroit Lions will be lucky to win a game this season. They do have a really nice new stadium in Ford Field, tho. The Pontiac Silverdome smelled like an open sewer down on the field level. We host the Super Bowl in 2006, right here in tropical Detroit. If you’re planning on coming, trust me–it’s a safe bet to leave your golf clubs at home.

— Great to see former Temple PG Pepe Sanchez sign with the Pistons. He always killed the Flyers with pinpoint passes on offense and a knack for making big steals on defense.

— Are you ready for the Ryder Cup? Very few things in life get me as geeked, both as a sports fan and an American as the Ryder Cup does.

— I favor “Iguana” over “Iggy”, “Iggy Pop” or “The Frankenjammer Kid” as a nickname for Flyer newcomer Frank Iguadola.

— My crystal ball sees Sean Finn leading the A-10 in blocks and KW at or near the top in FT percentage in the upcoming season.

— According to one Steve Munroe on the InsidersHoops.com message board, PF Brad Byerson of Richmond, VA is leaning towards former A-10 school VA Tech over UD, GA Tech and GW. That sucks.

— How is Matt Sylvester’s butt doing?

— This isn’t the first extracurricular activity for Son of Sly since he arrived in Columbus and some posters on BuckNuts.com are saying that Jim O’Brien (the good one) should give up on Matt. I don’t think so, Cisco.

— Last season the DDN’s Bucky Albers added a Flyer email that went out on game day and the day after, during the basketball season. I’d like to see the Buckster “kick it up a notch”, as Emeril likes to say and devote more columns, both in print and via email, to the Flyers outside of the basketball season. Hell, if UDPride.com and FlyerHoops.net can think of stuff to write about our guys in the middle of August, so can Bucky!

— Why am I not surprised that man/problem child Robert Whaley of Benton Harbor, MI signed with UC? Mike DeCourcy of TSN has a very

insightful look into the enigma that is Robert Whaley in his latest online column.

— UD beat Austin Peay 42-0 in football this weekend. You think Mike Kelly feels better about UD’s offense now?

— Speaking of APU, they have one of my all-time favorite collegiate cheers:
“Go Peay!”

— According to a poster on the FlyerHoops.net message board, players in the Puerto Rican Summer League are not eligible in the eyes of the NCAA to play D-1 basketball, which would mean young Mr. Carmona isn’t going to suit up for Memphis or UD or any big-time program in 2003-2004.

— The younger Swampette’s fave sports flick is “Remember the Titans.” The only problem I have with the script is that the Titans’ Gary Bertier is a HS All-American and one of the teams they play has two “prize bull” offensive lineman, who are also HS AA. As ESPN.com’s Sports Guy likes to say “WATFO.”

— Does former Flyer great Don “Monk” Meineke still hold the NBA record for most disqualifications in a single season, which he set in his rookie year with the then-Ft. Wayne Pistons? I reminded Monk of this dubious distinction when I interviewed with him for a job at Channel 2 back in 1975…and he ended up not hiring me.

That’s it “From the Swamp.”