Stephon Marbury has been instructed by Isiah Thomas not to attend Knicks home games - another indication of the continuing feud between the former pals, The Post has learned.

According to a Marbury confidant, the embattled point guard is under a gag order by Knicks management, forbidding him from speaking to the media. Marbury has not commented since his Jan. 22 ankle surgery. “They’ve got a muzzle on him,” the confidant said.
New York Post

The first step toward veteran point guard Sam Cassell becoming a Celtic took place Thursday. Cassell signed buyout papers with the Clippers and won’t clear waivers until Monday at 6 p.m., assuming he clears. The 38-year-old is expected to sign with the Celtics over the Nuggets and Mavericks.
Boston Globe

Breaking: The trade I reported earlier between the Bengals and Lions involving Shaun Rogers has apparently been called off. No explanation has been given, but it’s been speculated that the Bengals may have had second thoughts after looking more deeply into Rogers’ possible character issues. The Bengals have reason to be extra-sensitive about things like that given their recent history. The Lions will now try to trade Rogers somewhere else. Rod Marinelli and Matt Millen have thus far refused to comment. Could it be because they’re embarrassed?

(picture: nflhs.com)

The Free Agency period is almost a day old, and so far Randy Moss has not received a new contract from the New England Patriots.

It was thought that Moss would quickly sign with the Pats, but it’s looking more likely that he will at least test the market. One team with rumored interest was the Cowboys, but a Dallas Morning News story is downplaying this, saying a run at Moss by Dallas would be “unlikely.” The Cowboys are reportedly more interested in former Broncos receiver Javon Walker.

Another team coming up in Moss discussions is the New York Jets. The Jets have been aggressive so far, trading for Kris Jenkins and signing Alan Faneca, while trading away Jonathan Vilma. Could New York be looking to steal Moss away from their hated rivals the Jets?

A federal judge has ordered Barry Bonds’ grand jury testimony unsealed, and people familiar with said testimony say the documents will reveal that Bonds failed a second steroids test beyond the one everyone already knew about.

Judge Susan Illston also ordered prosecutors to rewrite their indictment, saying their case against Bonds on perjury and obstruction of justice charges was too weak to proceed. All this means is that Bonds will have to squirm a little while longer before the case goes to trial.

Meanwhile, Barry Bonds sits at home waiting for the phone to ring. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays were the one MLB team rumored to be interested in Bonds - who knows if these new revelations will have any bearing on their thinking. Bonds wants his fans to know that he’s not bothered by any of the controversy surrounding him.

“I have been getting a lot of e-mails asking what I’ve been up to this past offseason,” Bonds posted on his website. “This winter has been the first time in my career that I’ve had the chance to take time for myself and really enjoy the time off. While at home with my family I have been able to work out of my office concentrating on my various companies, attending meetings as well as making a few business trips.

“I continue to work out and feel in great shape. Thank you again for your continued support for me and my family; it truly helps keep me strong.”

Notice that he refers to his career as if it is still on-going. He may think that way, but unless he suits up for a professional baseball team this season, he will be the only one who does.

Defensive tackles have been moving all over the last 24 hours. You had Kris Jenkins going from Carolina to the Jets, Corey Williams being traded from the packers to the Browns, and the Jaguars’ Marcus Stroud reportedly getting set to sign with the Bills. Now you can add Shaun Rogers to the list of peripatetic interior linemen.

Rogers, who became a favorite whipping boy of the Detroit media the last couple years, will be sent from the Lions to the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for 3rd and 5th round picks. Cincy is reportedly switching to a 3-4 defense next year and they like Rogers as their nose-tackle.

The 28-year-old Rogers had 39 tackles last year and 7 sacks. He has been a Pro Bowler twice in his career. If Rogers can wake up the echoes of Marvin Lewis’ nose-tackles from his days as Ravens D-coordinator - I’m talking about Sam Adams and Tony Siragusa - then this will have been a great trade for Cincinnati.

The latest rumor to be churned out by the MediaTakeOut.com bullshit mill…Baltimore Ravens future Hall of Famer Ray Lewis is planning to join Ultimate Fighting Championship.

“Ray Lewis was an All-American wrestler in high school, and he’s just an all around bad ass,” says an alleged source inside UFC. “He’ll fit in perfectly here.”

Ray would fit in perfectly in UFC? I didn’t know they allowed knives in the ring.

I’m sorry…octagon.

Perhaps I’m woefully out of touch, but I just haven’t been able to climb on the UFC bandwagon yet. Their matches look like they should be taking place in secret rooms in the basements of prisons. The fighters all look like bodyguards for Auntie Entity. I keep expecting Master-Blaster to come out, and some dude to start blowing on a whistle.

Obviously, Ray Lewis isn’t going anywhere near UFC. Not while he’s still under contract with the Ravens, at any rate. Maybe when his football career’s over he’ll drag his broken carcass into the octagon and take a few kicks to the face. But even then I doubt it.

Breaking: Kawika Mitchell has gone from the penthouse to Buffalo. Friday the Bills signed the former giants linebacker to a contract worth $17.5 million over 5 years.

Mitchell was third on the Giants with 76 tackles, and also notched 3.5 sacks. The Bills are looking to improve a defense that was second worst in the NFL last year. Buffalo is Mitchell’s third team in five years (he began with the Chiefs).

(picture: New York Times)

The St. Louis Rams wanted Redskins QB Todd Collins to back up Marc Bulger, but Washington decided to hang on to Collins. Now the Rams are forced to turn to plan B, who is actually an old familiar face in St. Louis: Trent Green.

Green, who was the St. Louis QB before Kurt Warner, was cut recently by Bill Parcells and the Dolphins. The Rams themselves just got rid of Gus Frerotte, who incidentally played in Miami before Green got there. And Green and Frerotte both played in Washington, the team that re-signed Todd Collins who the Rams wanted.

Eerie.

Anyway, the Rams reportedly plan on bringing Green in for a visit. Green is old and he’s had a lot of concussions, which might make him a shaky back-up option behind a guy in Bulger who is himself prone to injury.

Asante Samuel said he wanted to score a $100 million contract in free agency. He’s going to get big money from the Philadelphia Eagles, but nowhere near the giant number he was hoping for.

ESPN says Samuel, erstwhile New England Patriots cornerback, will get $57.5 million for six years from Philly. I’m no math wiz, but that’s only a little more than half of $100 million.

Not that Asante is crying right now. $57.5 million will buy you a lot of happiness.

The Buccaneers and Saints also sniffed around Samuel, but neither were willing or able to pony up the bucks the Eagles did. Now the Eagles have nabbed themselves a defensive playmaker. Will that make Donovan McNabb happy? We’ll see…