The lesson, which Anthony should have learned last year as a rookie, is this: In the NBA, your friends carry around your drugs, not the other way around.

Time's up

American gold medal gymnast Paul Hamm will keep his gold medal, the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled this week, putting an end to the longest 15 minutes in Olympic men's gymnastics history.

Lede of the week

This comes from Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer:

DAYTON, Ohio - The Charlotte Bobcats passed on their usual gameday shoot-around, instead watching videotape of the previous night's collapse against the New Jersey Nets.

Lede of the week, part II

Adrian Wojnarowski of The Record (Bergen County, N.J.) penned the following apocalyptic gem:

NEW YORK - The blood soaked through his socks, leaving that torn tendon raw and requiring repair, but there was no stopping Curt Schilling. The winds whipped, the temperature dipped into the low 40s and Schilling fired from that bloody stump in the middle of Yankee Stadium and delivered the Sox to the most dramatic Game 7 in the history of the American League.

Chump change

Major League Soccer put its salaries in perspective this week when it fined D.C. United defender Ryan Nelsen for hitting Eddie Gaven with a forearm during a stoppage in play in United's 3-2 win over the MetroStars last Sunday.

The fine: $100.

Model behavior

Organizers of the Madrid Masters tennis tournament this week replaced traditional ball boys with fashion models, who chased errant shots dressed in black tank tops and white, knee-length skirts.

Players and fans lauded the idea, which suggests that maybe Anna Kournikova does have a place on tour after all.