NBA’s Josh Howard disses “Star Spangled Banner.” Josh Howard’s best move yet may be off the basketball court – when he decides to hire a new publicist. Having admitted to smoking weed, getting arrested for driving nearly 100 in a 55 mile-per-hour zone and throwing a party the night before a playoff game, the Dallas player recently made an announcement: He doesn’t like the national anthem. Howard is caught on YouTube at Allen Iverson’s recent celebrity flag football game telling the camera: “The Star Spangled Banner’s going on right now. I don’t celebrate that sh**. I’m Black.” He mutters something about Sen. Barack Obama before the camera is aimed a different way. Not that Howard isn’t entitled to free speech, but soldiers in Iraq and a looming presidential election might signal less than ideal timing on this one.

Tyson Gay has won the 200-meter dash in 20.26 seconds, while Asafa Powell grabbed a 9.87 victory in the 100 at the British Grand Prix. The sprinters, who both missed individual golds at the recent Beijing Olympics, shined during Sunday’s competition in London . Powell had anchored Jamaica ’s world-record-breaking, gold relay team in China , but was disappointed with his fifth-place finish in the 100. American Lauryn Williams, who was involved in the baton-dropping fiasco of the women’s 4×100 relay at Beijing , beat Olympics champ Shelly-Ann Fraser in the Grand Prix’s 100, a race that featured five Beijing finalists.

.
Damon Dash dropped from deal.

More bad news for the Roc-a-Fella Records co-founder who recently had news of his pending home foreclosure hit headlines: Damon Dash recently lost his licensing agreement with Pro-Keds. Dash had actually given the impression that he bought the old-school sneaker company. He spoke of plans to make the lesser-name brand hip for a new generation. But now the brand has terminated Dash’s deal. The entrepreneur has yet to strike gold as he did when he helped found the record label that helped make his ex-partner, Jay-Z, a superstar.

Not only won’t Venus and Serena Williams have a one-on-one title rematch in the Olympics, neither will compete for a medal. After saying earlier this week that a tennis singles showdown to follow their Wimbledon face-off would be “fantastic,” Venus and her sister both lost quarter-finals match-ups Thursday in Beijing. Venus, who won Wimbledon, fell to China’s Li Na, while Serena lost to Russia’s Elena Dementieva. The sisters can still capture a gold in doubles competition as they did at the 2000 Games in Sydney. While the siblings were upset, James Blake did some upsetting when he beat Roger Federer in straight sets. Blake moves on, leaving Federer two titles shy of Pete Sampras’ record of 12.

Venus and Serena Williams could face-off on a world stage for the second time this year. The sisters, who not long ago battled to a Wimbledon title confrontation which Venus won, are on track to possibly meet again Saturday in a singles tennis final at the Beijing Olympics. The pair won in both singles and doubles play Tuesday, with Serena beating Australia’s Samantha Stosur and Venus defeating Iveta Benesova. The Williams duo joined to beat Benesova and Nicole Vaidisova, both of the Czech Republic. Venus says she’s excited about the potential for a title rematch against her younger sibling: “That would be fantastic. Obviously, it’s a long ways away, but the third round makes it closer. I’m really excited for both of us to be playing really well for the U.S.”

Golf champ will spend five more months recuperating

Tiger Woods fans will have to wait until 2009 to see him dominate on the golf course again “As far as swinging a club, that’s not going to happen until next year,” Woods announced in a Tuesday newsletter to readers of his tigerwoods.com Web site. He’ll spend five more months recovering from knee surgery. “I just don’t have a choice,” he wrote. “We simply don’t know what type of swelling there would be or if there would be any residual effects the next day, once you start wheeling and dealing on the knee. Everyone’s body reacts differently. I could putt right now, but I’m not going to do it.” There’s sure to be plenty of competition for Tiger’s crown as king of the game during his absence.

Vikings’ safety Williams out for early season. Minnesota’s Madieu Williams has been sidelined for at least six weeks with a neck injury. The West African-born free agent acquisition suffered from spasms last week, but wouldn’t discuss the nature of his ailment. “I’m not allowed to discuss the condition of my injuries,” Williams tells the Star Tribune newspaper. He began with the Vikings after leaving the Bengals for a $33 million, six-year deal during the off-season.

Joint NFL practice results in scrap between players.

Titans, Rams have pre-season skirmish. Tennessee Titans and St. Louis Rams players are starting their rivalry in the pre-season. The teams had a scrap Wednesday during a joint practice after Rams receiver Reche Caldwell reportedly grabbed cornerback Cortland Finnegan and threw him to the ground. The teams have a history of tense, joint practices dating back to 2000. Two more plays during the practice found Rams and Titans lashing out at each other on the St. Louis field. But receiver Torry Holt calls it a healthy sign: “After a while, it kind of got excessive as far as the banging and guys trying us. We needed that. That’s something we’re trying to build on is…our mental toughness.” No one was hurt in the skirmishes.

Celtics will face Lakers on ABC. The NBA has announced its highly rated Christmas Day game schedule. Of five contests, the highlight ABC broadcast will be a rematch between the defending champ Boston Celtics and the team they defeated for the title in June, Los Angeles. The Lakers will try and redeem themselves for the beating they took against Boston in one of the most traditionally fierce championship rivalries. Maybe Kobe can play well enough to keep Shaq from performing another freestyle.

A rapper is indicted on more criminal charges.
With animal cruelty and unrelated drug possession charges still pending, DMX now faces alleged identity theft and fraud counts in Arizona. The rapper was arrested last weekend for allegedly having given a clinic a false name and social security number in April, in order to avoid a $7,500 bill. An Arizona jury indicted him on the most recent charges this week.

Expert offers advice for celebs, Black community on new show.
Popular author LaShon Williams, who wrote the book Moving On! Living Life to the Fullest After Divorce, has advice for everyone from the latest star experiencing a break-up to the newly single parent. Williams, whose book has drawn praise, discusses financial planning, dating and other aspects of “divorce recovery” on her show, which airs at www.movingonradio.com. Whether you’re Juanita Bynum, Halle Berry, or A-Rod, Williams says her messages are always relevant. The book Moving On! is available through the Web site.

Louisiana coroner said Tuesday that a policeman shocked a 21-year-old Black man so many times with his Taser that the suspect was likely dead when the officer gave him two more 50,000-volt jolts. “After he was given that drive stun to the chest, he was pulled out of the car onto the concrete,” Randolph Williams, the Winn Parish coroner, told CNN. Find out what else he said, and what the parents think at BET.com/News.

Top-seeded competitor Serena Williams has withdrawn from the Bank of the West Classic in California. She hurt her left knee during the tournament and pulled out during the semi-final this past weekend. She underwent surgery on the knee in 2003. Williams is the third women’s U.S. Olympics tennis team player to develop a knee injury. Top-seeded Serena Williams injured her left knee and pulled out of the Bank of the West Classic on Saturday, becoming the third singles player on the U.S. Olympic women’s tennis team with a knee injury.