by Tom Withers
Associated Press Writer

CLEVELAND (AP)—NBA commissioner David Stern knows Cleveland fans are anxious about this summer and LeBron James’ pending free agency. He is rooting for the same outcome as Cavaliers fans.

“Hopefully he’ll stay,” Stern said May 3 before Game 2 between Cleveland and Boston in the Eastern Conference semifinals. “That’s the way the system is designed.”

Stern helped negotiate the current collective bargaining agreement, which provides teams the ability to pay more and add an extra year for their own free agents. Stern is hopeful that will allow teams such as Cleveland to retain its stars.

TWO IN A ROW—NBA Commissioner David Stern, left, presents the NBA MVP trophy to Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James before Game 2 against the Boston Celtics in the second round of an NBA basketball playoff series May 3, in Cleveland.

Come and listen to my story ’bout a man named Jed, poor mountaineer, barely kept his family fed, then one day he was shootin’ at some food and up through the ground came a bubbling crude oil, that is, Texas tea, black gold. First thing you know, old Jed’s a millionaire, friends said, Jed, move away from here. Said that California was the place he ought to be. So he loaded up the truck and they moved to Beverly, Hills, that is, swimming pools and movie stars. (Lyrics the theme from ‘The Beverly Hillbillies’)

There are many words that have been written about the “bad conduct” of Steelers’ quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Even though the conduct of Roethlisberger should not be recommended to any young athlete or non-athlete, his alleged misdeeds were not life-threatening to Big Ben or those who were allegedly victimized by him.

by Tim Dahlberg
Associate Press Writer

LAS VEGAS (AP)—Floyd Mayweather Jr. is usually content to just win a fight. This time, though, Money Mayweather wanted to earn his cash.

Fighting more aggressively than usual, Mayweather overcame a near knockdown in the second round Saturday night to dominate the rest of the way and win a lopsided 12-round decision over Shane Mosley in their welterweight showdown.

“I wanted to give the fans what they wanted to see, a toe-to-toe battle,” Mayweather said. “It wasn’t the same style for me but I wanted to be aggressive and I knew I could do it.”

MASTERFUL PERFORMANCE—“Pretty Boy” Floyd Mayweather Jr., right, connects against “Sugar” Shane Mosley during their WBA welterweight boxing match May 1, in Las Vegas.

PITTSBURGH (AP)—Eminem mentions Ben Roethlisberger in his latest song: “Despicable.”

The million-selling rapper refers to the Steelers’ troubled quarterback in explicit lyrics and with the lines, “I’d rather turn this club into a bar room brawl. Get as rowdy as Roethlisberger in a bathroom stall.”