Former Indiana?star Isiah Thomas told ESPN he was just having fun when he held up a Crying Jordan sign in front of the student section at Assembly Hall during the No. 13 Hoosiers 76-67 win against No. 3 North Carolina on Wednesday night.There were two girls sitting behind me, two IU students, and one of them handed it to me, Thomas said. I knew the crowd would go crazy -- and they did when I held it up.Thomas and Jordan have had their friction during the course of their NBA careers, but Thomas described their relationship as friendly.I love just being a fan, he added. It was fun.Thomas, who was on hand for Indianas 1981 national championship team that was honored Wednesday, also said he is hopeful that former Hoosiers coach Bob Knight will return to Bloomington at some point.Knight, 76, did not return for the anniversary of the 1976 team last season and was not in attendance Wednesday when the 1981 group was honored at halftime. Knight was fired after 29 years at the school in 2000 and has declined numerous requests to return to Bloomington.I didnt talk to him about coming last night, but Ive reached out to him in the past about it, Thomas said. I think he needs to come back and the reason I say that is because he was always -- and still is big on standing up for yourself and taking responsibility, walking the walk and talking to talk. We all came to IU because of Bob Knight.Im not going to let him run away from this because of personal reasons, Thomas added. Its gotten to a point where it doesnt make any sense. Its time.Thomas said that there are a trio of legacy schools with coaches that are a foundation of the programs: John Wooden with UCLA, Dean Smith at North Carolina and Bob Knight at Indiana.Hes denying us the luxury to talk about him at our school in that manner, Thomas said. Thats not fair to us, its not fair to the students at IU. He is loved in Indiana; he is loved in Bloomington. No matter where he lives or goes, his home will always be in Bloomington. Swell Bottle Ombre Canada . The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Lions have not announced the hiring, which was first reported by ESPN. Lombardi, the grandson of former Green Bay Hall of Fame coach Vince Lombardi, has been an offensive assistant on Sean Paytons New Orleans staff since 2007. Swell Water Bottle Clearance . The injury bothered Bledsoe in the Suns victory over the Clippers on Monday and he sat out the teams home loss to Memphis on Thursday night. http://www.swellbottlesaleclearance.com/swell-water-bottle-black-wholesale.html .ca! Hi Kerry, Heres an interesting one. I know its common knowledge that all players are responsible for their sticks. We witnessed that when Zack Kassian hit Edmontons Sam Gagner in the face after a missed check. Swell Wood Bottle Canada . Three came down to the fourth quarter while quarterbacks continued to shine in all four games; so important to the overall quality of the game. Cheap Swell Water Bottle Canada . LOUIS -- Mike Smith is used to facing plenty of shots, so this was nothing new. Amare Stoudemire signed a contract with the New York Knicks and subsequently announced that hell retire from the NBA, the club said in a statement Tuesday.I want to thank Mr. Dolan, Phil [Jackson] and Steve [Mills] for signing me so that I can officially retire as a New York Knick, Stoudemire said.I came to New York in 2010 to help revitalize this franchise, and we did just that. Carmelo [Anthony], Phil and Steve have continued this quest, and with this years acquisitions, the team looks playoff-bound once again. Although my career has taken me to other places around the country, my heart had always remained in the Big Apple. Once a Knick, Always a Knick.Stoudemire, 33, averaged 18.9 points and 7.8 rebounds in 846 career games over 14 seasons for Phoenix, New York, Dallas and Miami. The 6-foot-10 forward/center was named an All-Star six times and selected to two All-NBA first teams, forming one-half of a formidable pick-and-roll duo in Phoenix with point guard Steve Nash. Stoudemire was also named 2003 NBA Rookie of the Year after entering the league directly from high school.In a statement, the Suns congratulated Stoudemire on his career.Amares eight seasons with our franchise provided some of the most exciting Suns basketball this city has ever seen. Off the court, Amare represented himself with integrity and class every step of the way, leaving an indelible impression on countlesss kids in our community, the Suns said.dddddddddddd. Were proud to have called Amare one of our own and wish him nothing but the best in his retirement. Congrats, STAT!Its unclear if Stoudemire plans to play overseas. He has lucrative interest from China, sources tell ESPNs Marc Stein, and could join Hapoel Jerusalem, the Israeli team he co-owns. Sources tell Stein that Stoudemire plans to take some time before deciding if he intends to play pro basketball abroad in the coming season.Stoudemire played parts of five seasons in New York, signing as a free agent in the summer of 2010. His Knicks tenure was marred by injury, but Stoudemire is credited for signing with New York at a time when other big-name free agents hadnt seriously considered the club. He averaged 25.3 points and 8.2 rebounds and was named to the All-NBA second team during his first season with the Knicks.On Tuesday, he inked a one-year non-guaranteed contract with New York before announcing his retirement.For parts of six years, Amare Stoudemire was the face of the New York Knicks franchise because of his excellence on the court and his dedication to our community and our fans across the world, Mills, the Knicks GM, said. When Amare asked us to retire as a Knick, we were honored to oblige. ' ' '
