Not Everyone Hates Barry
Judging from the number of people that boo at the ballpark when Barry Bonds gets to the plate, you'd think there wasn't much demand for him. But, according to trading card publisher Beckett, Bonds has been among the three most searched terms and among the five most purchased items on the company's Web site since Feb. 26, 2007, a 17-week run that represents the longest consecutive streak any player has maintained.

Beckett officials note that if you were to collect one of every Barry Bonds card ever made - there are over 10,000 of them - you would have to pay $373,221, according to the value of each of them in their price guide.

The Tampa Tribune has a good profile of a fan named Kevin Fern, who estimates he spent about $25,000 on Bonds items over the years.

On The Links
Gene Frenette of the Jacksonville Times-Union talks about the big business of coaching buyouts

With the 25th anniversary of the USFL being commemorated this weekend, I thought you all would enjoy the piece I did while I was at ESPN on the $1 lawsuit check and the story behind it.

Chip Brown of the Dallas Morning-News pens a piece on the branding of Kevin Durant.

Percy Allen of the Seattle Times writes that Durant is more valuable at No. 1 vs. No. 2. Don't believe the Nike number in there for Oden - “$12 million, not including bonuses.” We hear that it's a little more than half of that.

With Urban Meyer and Billy Donovan getting huge contracts, you had to know the University of Florida's athletic director Jeremy Foley was next. And would the people in the Orlando Sentinel Web photo department just please chill out with the size of these photos?

Questions?  Comments?