Gem of Free Agent Receivers Nabbed By Seattle
T.J. Houshmandzadeh, perhaps the most desirable free-agent receiver on the market, signed a five-year deal with the receiver-starved Seattle Seahawks Monday. The former Cincinnati Bengals wideout will reportedly earn $40 million, $15 million of which is included as a signing bonus. Houshmandzadeh, 31, seriously raised his stakes in recent years, despite playing for the lowly Bengals. During the 2007 and 2008 seasons, he caught an impressive 204 passes. He will now apply his talents in Seattle, where no receiver had more catches last season than Bobby Engram’s 47. By departing for the West Coast, Houshmandzadeh breaks up one of the most fearsome receiver tandems in the league, he and “Ocho Cinco,” Chad Johnson. Together, in 2005 the duo gave the Bengals their first winning season in 18 years. However, that one-two punch never packed the same wallop again. The challenge now for Houshmandzadeh is to try to do in Seattle, which went 4-12 last year, what he couldn’t do in Cincinnati: turn the squad into winners.

Iverson Trade Isn’t Reaping Benefits for Pistons

The Detroit Pistons, hoping to find a way to generate wins as the season rolls toward playoff time, must be second-guessing its decision to trade guard Chauncey Billups for Allen Iverson. Iverson has found it difficult to lead his team to wins – when he starts, the team is 22-28 and 29-29 when he’s out. He has been out for three straight games, nursing a back injury, and it’s not known when he will return. The team is expected to find out how serious the injury is later this week.

NBA player is latest athlete to face housing market struggle

Denver Nuggets guard Allen Iverson is offering a $1 million break on his Villanova, Pa., home. The 14,000-square-footer has six bedrooms, his-and-hers marble bathrooms, a 12-seat movie theater, pool house and four-acres of land. But after at least a year on the market, Iverson and his wife, who bought the house together in 2003, have generated little interest. The price is down to $3.9 million. So get out those checkbooks.

Coach says Ed Johnson won’t play this week, following incident

Super Bowl-winning coach Tony Dungy (above) says the Colts’ Ed Johnson won’t suit-up this week following Johnson’s drug arrest early Wednesday. Cops say Johnson was pulled over for speeding in Indianapolis about 1 a.m. and was later charged with marijuana possession. The lineman was released on bond from the Hamilton County Jail. Team management says the incident will be further investigated to determine if any action is taken. The NFL says the matter will also be reviewed under the league’s substance abuse policy.

Puncher hit with claim of contract violation. At this rate, Floyd “Money” Mayweather could wind up known as Floyd “Need A Loan” Mayweather. First, he had $7 million in jewels stolen from his house and now he’s the target of a lawsuit. A Florida real estate dealer says the boxing standout wiggled away from an $8 million property purchase after signing a contract stating that his company put $1.7 million into escrow toward the buy. But the developer claims Mayweather never properly established the account before trying to move into the spot. Mayweather’s being sued for damages and costs associated with the seller’s having taken the property off the market.

Denver Nuggets star pleads guilty to lesser charge of DUI

NBA star and 2008 Olympics team member Carmelo Anthony will perform 24 hours of community service and pay $1,000 in fees and fines after pleading guilty to driving while ability-impaired. Initially charged with the more serious DUI, the Nuggets player also pleaded guilty Tuesday to failing to stay in a single lane on April 14 when he was arrested. Anthony previously apologized to the Denver fans and community after he was driven home by a law enforcement officer, which raised questions about whether he’d been given special treatment. “I’m happy that it’s over so I get a chance to take care of my business,” Anthony says. Earlier this week, Anthony publicly expressed his desire to know if was up for a trade from the Nuggets. His agent says he’ll stay in Denver.