Former Cat Walton dodges bald bullet

Early last week rumors circled that former Wildcat and current Los Angeles Laker Luke Walton was dating former pop star and current mess-of-a-human-being Britney Spears.

Initially the talk was confined to rumors circulating among sports blogs, but on April 9 the story ran in The Sun, which for my money is the most reliable publication on the market aside from the Weekly World News.

I began to wonder if Walton was taking the same career advice that ex-Wildcat Damon Stoudamire was listening to before he tried to pass through a Tucson International Airport metal detector with marijuana wrapped in aluminum foil.

I worried that Spears may distract Walton from the necessary Lakers role-player duties of standing around and watching Kobe Bryant jack up shots. Perhaps Walton would also lose his endorsement deal with LA Gear – the same company that used to produce light-up sneakers.

Fortunately for Walton, Arizona basketball and humanity, he denied all the rumors to the Los Angeles Times.

“”The rumors aren’t true,”” Walton said. “”I’m sure Britney is a great person, but I don’t even know her. I have a girlfriend. I’m very happy with my relationship.””

– Justin Adler

The Chris Henry NFL Tour

Former Arizona running back Chris Henry declined to talk to reporters Saturday at the Spring Game, saying he was tired of media outlets harassing him about his decision to leave school early to enter the NFL Draft.

But five weeks after Henry shined at the NFL Combine, after he received all the attention at Arizona’s pro day, Henry may have nothing to worry about.

According to his agent, Josh Luchs, who also represents New England Patriots Pro Bowlers Rodney Harrison and Corey Dillon and former UA back Mike Bell, Henry has visited seven teams and has four more workouts lined up in the next week.

“”He’s been on a world tour,”” Luchs said. “”He’s had an extremely busy four or five weeks or so since the pro day … He’s just been wiped out.””

Since the beginning of April, Henry has been zig-zagging across the U.S. working out for various NFL teams.

His travel itinerary started April 1, when he worked out in Cleveland with the Browns, then went south to Dallas to work out for the Cowboys. From there he went back to Tucson, but had a private workout with the New England Patriots just days later and traveled to work out with the New York Jets.

If that wasn’t enough traveling and working out for one week, Henry left the Jets April 10, to work out with the St. Louis Rams on Wednesday, then went back north again to visit the Minnesota Vikings. His travels continued when he worked out with the Tennessee Titans late last week.

He has been in Tucson since the weekend, but today he will work out with the Baltimore Ravens, and from there he plans to go back to New England, then Chicago and New Orleans.

“”It’s crazy. He’s certainly a popular guy,”” Luchs said. “”When you go out there and go up against the best player at your position, and you outperform basically all of them, you’re going to get some attention. It’s going to open some eyes.””

Luchs projects Henry to be selected in the middle of the first day of the draft.

– Mike Ritter