New York Knicks: By The Numbers

The NBA salary cap for the 2006-07 season is $53.135 million.

The "luxury tax" for the 2006-07 season is set at $65.42 million. Teams above this level pay a dollar-for-dollar tax on every dollar by which they exceed the threshold.

The New York Knicks team salary for 2006-07 is a league-record $141,666,359.

The Knicks are $76,246,359 above the tax threshold and will pay a luxury tax of $49,102,609 (Note: This represents less than a dollar-for-dollar tax because the team received tax relief by releasing Jerome Williams before last season under a one-time exception known – ironically - as the “Allan Houston” rule. The team also received tax relief when Allan Houston was deemed medically unfit to continue playing and retired).

The Knicks total payroll this season (including luxury tax) will be a league-record $190,768,968.

The Knicks will pay $62,295,250 this season to five players who are no longer on the roster: Allan Houston ($20,718,750 of which some - or all - may be covered by insurance), Jalen Rose ($16,901,500), Maurice Taylor ($9,750,000), Shandon Anderson ($8,500,000) and Jerome Williams ($6,425,000).

The Knicks will pay 49% of their total payroll (including tax), or $93,322,218, for the 14 players who will be in uniform on opening night.

The Knicks will pay 51% of their total payroll (including tax), or $97,446,750, for the five players who will NOT PLAY A SINGLE GAME for them this season ... but might play against them while still collecting a paycheck from the Knicks.

Video: Larry Holmes Attacks Trevor Berbick

Following the murder of Trevor Berbick, the media coverage of his career is understandably focused on his win over a washed-up Muhammad Ali and his loss to an up-and-coming Mike Tyson. What has gone completely unmentioned was Berbick’s role in one of the most bizarre moments in boxing history. (Click here for complete details on Larry Holmes attacking Trevor Berbick).

CLICK BELOW FOR VIDEO OF LARRY HOLMES ATTACKING TREVOR BERBICK

Video: Mike Tyson vs. Trevor Berbick

Former heavyweight champ Trevor Berbick, 52, has died from chop wounds to the head after being attacked in a church courtyard in his native Jamaica. Berbick was reportedly wounded with either a hatchet or a machete after attending a party. (cont.)

CLICK BELOW FOR VIDEO OF ENTIRE MIKE TYSON - TREVOR BERBICK BOUT ON NOV. 22, 1986

Video: Mike Tyson - Corey Sanders Exhibition

Mike Tyson is back ... sort of. The "Mike Tyson World Tour" is officially underway but - after a decidedly lackluster kick-off - it's unclear if there will be much demand for additional stops. (cont.)

CLICK BELOW FOR VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS OF MIKE TYSON - COREY SANDERS EXHIBITION BOUT

Oliver Perez: Worst Game 7 Starter Ever?

Game Seven is supposed to be the ultimate showcase for the game's best players. Seventh games are supposed to be started by Sandy Koufax ... Bob Gibson ... Roger Clemens ... Pedro Martinez. Unfortunately, tonight's game between the New York Mets and St. Louis Cardinals features the worst game seven pitching match-up in baseball history.

It's easy to forget that in 2004, Oliver Perez was a 22-year-old stud who struck out nearly 11 batters per nine innings while compiling a 2.98 ERA (6th best in the NL). Two short years later, Perez is the worst pitcher who's ever started a game seven ... by a reasonably wide margin. A harsh assessment ... until you examine the facts.

This season, Perez went 3-13 with a 6.55 ERA. There was only one pitcher in baseball who pitched more than 100 innings with a worse ERA than Perez (Brian Moehler's 6.57 ERA with Florida). In Game 4 of this series, Perez gave up five earned runs - including three homers - in 5 2/3 innings. So why does he get the ball with the Mets season on the line? Primarily because injuries to Pedro Martinez and Orlando Hernandez leave manager Willie Randolph with few options (though he'd better have Darren Oliver, Steve Trachsel and Aaron Heilman ready to go at the absolute first sign of trouble tonight).

The good news for the Mets is that Cardinals starter Jeff Suppan has the second worst career ERA (4.60) among game seven starters in baseball history. [In Suppan's defense, in seven career post-season starts, he's 3-3 with a 3.07 ERA over 41 innings, including eight innings of shutout ball in game three against the Mets.] The bad news for the Mets is that the worst career ERA among game seven starters in baseball history belongs to - you guessed it - Oliver Perez (4.67).

A-Rod vs. Pujols

How come when Alex Rodriguez goes 1-14 in the post-season (with no RBIs), he's a choke artist who can't handle the pressure of New York ... yet when Albert Pujols goes 4-14 against the Mets in the post-season - also with zero RBIs - it's because he's "nursing a sore hamstring"? Maybe because Joe Torre (and the entire Yankees organization) appear perfectly content to let ARod take all the heat for the team's collapse ... while Tony LaRussa is going out of his way to shield his superstar from unnecessary criticism.