Dean the Dream was referred to as a "star" in the local tabloids today, but he's remembered insomuch as he backed up Frazier and Monroe on the Knicks' last title team. He's talked about his long battle with substance abuse, but I can't imagine a better wake-up call than the four-alarm fire that consumed a row of homes in the Bronx Sunday night.

Meminger, whose son is a reporter for New York 1, was recovering in the burn unit at Jacobi Medical Center yesterday after suffering significant smoke inhalation in Sunday night's four-alarm fire.

The beloved member of the Knicks' 1973 world championship team was living in an SRO on Findlay Ave. in Claremont and was found unconscious near his bed after the fire ignited at 9:40 p.m., officials said.

Several crack pipes that appear to have been recently used were found inside Meminger's room and in the hallway of the small dilapidated building, according to FDNY sources.

Would it be too negative to assume that James Dolan is somehow responsible for the deteriorating physical and mental health of a player who retired 30 years ago?

Dozens Left Homeless By Concourse Village Fire [NY1]

Rodriguez collapsed shortly after his super bantamweight title fight at Philadelphia's famous Blue Horizon boxing hall was stopped at the end of the 10th round. He was rushed to a hospital for brain surgery, but never regained consciousness and died on Sunday night. The very small silver lining to his story is that he was able to donate so many of his organs to those in need.

"My brother was so strong and healthy," Alex Rodriguez said. "His heart and lungs were in perfect condition. It would have been a terrible waste not to share his life with others. How could we not help another family?"

I don't know if this story is supposed to make you feel good about humanity or terrible, but there it is. Rodriguez (14-3-1, 8 KOs) was a five-time Chicago Golden Gloves Champion, who had beaten Kennedy once as an amateur. He is survived by a wife and five-month-old daughter.

Fallen boxer Francisco Rodriguez's gift: Organs will help eight people [ESPN Chicago]
Fighter Copes With Opponent's Death [Fanhouse]

Well, since he bounced about $1 million worth of checks in Las Vegas you can chalk a healthy portion of that up to gambling losses. But that doesn't explain it all way. Walker was a generous friend and teammate. A little too generous. A Boston Globe investigation into the former Celtic's lavish lifstyle includes free spending, not just on himself—in 2002, he had a new suit made for every day of the playoffs so he wouldn't have to wear the same one twice—but on those in his very large orbit. Teammates say he routinely picked up giant dinner tabs on the road or would hire limos to take everyone out on the town. According to his mother, at one point Walker was financially supporting seventy of his friends and relatives.

However, Diane Walker doesn't see what's wrong with that:

Walker's mother, Diane, said her son does not have a gambling problem. She added that "he doesn't party any more than the next person'' and "what you do with your life is your business.''

"Antoine doesn't owe anybody any explanation,'' said Diane Walker. "He's not out here hurting anybody. He's trying to live his life peacefully. That's all he's doing . . . My son is young. Why can't he just enjoy life, go where he wants to go?''

Because, believe it or not, $110 million does not last a entire lifetime. (At least not when you're spending $10 million a year on watches.) Apparently, Walker gave very little thought to where that money might come from once his basketball career was over. When he did invest, he invested poorly or simply gave it away to charities. Sadly, playing $15,000-a-hand blackjack with Michael Jordan is not a sound retirement strategy.

In 1999, when he signed a six-year, $71 million deal with the Celtics, then-president and coach Rick Pitino said Walker "will never have to worry about money again in his life." So add that to the list of everything else Pitino got wrong in Boston.

Former Celtics star Antoine Walker pursued by creditors as wealth vanishes [Boston Globe]

UPDATE: No official word yet on the injuries, though we're hearing Davies sustained a ruptured bladder and a broken leg. A spokesman for the United States Soccer Federation said the injuries were "possibly" career-threatening, according to the Washington Post's Steven Goff.

UPDATE #2: Via Steven Goff again: "The USSF later clarified its statement about Davies's future, saying it is unclear at the moment how the injuries will impact his career." Also, police told the USSF that Davies wasn't driving.

Davies in Serious Accident [Washington Post]
Fatal Crash on GW Parkway Breaks Car in Half [NBC Washington]
@GrantWahl [Twitter]

For those who don't recall, James—a popular and successful junior league coach in western Canada—was convicted in 1997 of sexual abuse after one of his former players, NHLer Sheldon Kennedy, confessed that James had abused him for several years. Although Kennedy was the only one who spoke out, James himself implied that there were other kids involved. He was often accused of giving special treatment to his "favorites" and also severely punishing those who fell out of line.

Since Fleury was a protege of James and even played on the same team as Kennedy when they were 16, some had long believed that he was also a victim. (Kennedy says now that he new Fleury was also abused, but refused to "blow the whistle" on anyone.) Fleury had a fantastic pro career, but spent most of it addicted to drugs and alcohol, problems that he directly attributes to James' abuse.

He also says in the book that he "failed 13 drug tests during his career, but was never prevented from playing." (He was eventually suspended indefinitely in 2003 and then failed in his comeback attempt this season.)

The new book will certainly revive interest in the scary tales of young, impressible hockey kids being shipped off into the care of unscrupulousness traveling teams and their creepy coaches, but James was clearly an exception and not the rule. Plus, he's out of jail and coaching in Spain now so he can't hurt anybody there, right?

Theo's secret [Calgary Sun]
Theo Fleury claims sexual abuse by junior hockey coach in new book [On The Forecheck]
Sheldon Kennedy: "I hope Theo's ready for what's going to come out" [Calgary Herald]
Theo Fleury: I was sexually abused by junior coach [ESPN]

Lincoln High School head coach Keith Howard (pictured) complained of chest pains during halftime of his team's opener at Etowah High in Attalla. He was rushed to the hospital where he died of a heart attack. His team won the game easily, even though fans began to learn about his death during the fourth quarter. (A moment that becomes an odd footnote in this game recap.)

Meanwhile, two hundred miles away in Dothan, Alabama, referee James Parrish collapsed early in the game he was covering and also died at a local hospital. So I guess high school football isn't the most important thing in the world. Funny how that works out.

Lincoln coach stricken at game, dies [Birmingham News]
Coach's death overshadows Lincoln win [Gadsden Times]
Don't forget what high school football coaches do and who they are [Anderson Independent-Mail]
Tragedy on the gridiron: Lincoln Head Coach Keith Howard dies at season opener [Daily Home]