Will Smith coming home to Utica

Take a good look next Saturday if you’re driving by Proctor High School’s D’Alessandro Stadium.

You’ll see the National Football League right here in Utica.

Proctor graduate Will Smith, the New Orleans Saints’ pro bowl defensive end, will conduct his second annual football camp May 17. Smith, who is expected to bring three NFL “guests” with him, won’t charge a dime for kids to participate in the camp, and participants will receive an athletic bag and a T-shirt – not to mention priceless advice from an NFL superstar who remembers how he got to football’s top level.

Smith, who had 66 tackles and seven sacks a year ago, seems headed toward a new contract with the Saints. His current deal will expire after the 2008 season, but most NFL observers expect the Saints to open the bank vault to sign Smith, one of the NFL’s most complete defensive ends.

Few have worked harder – or are more deserving – of a big pay day.

Bonds market still down in baseball

The Major League Baseball players’ association is investigating the possibility that all 30 big league clubs have colluded to keep Barry Bonds on the sidelines this year.

If “collusion” means all 30 teams realize that Bonds is a clubhouse cancer who is facing big-time legal issues, then the MLBPA is correct. But for the union to suggest that there is anything more to Bonds’ forced retirement is absurd.

Bonds played by his own rules for the last decade, and now he’s paying the price. If any team is crazy enough to sign him, that general manager should be investigated for conduct detrimental to baseball.

Mohawk Valley could be Titletown

ESPN is looking for Titletown USA.

When it comes to lacrosse, look no further than the Mohawk Valley.

This weekend, six area college lax teams will compete in national tournaments. More than one could win a national title.

Two of the tournaments take place in our own back yard, where Herkimer County Community College hosts the NJCAA women’s tournament final four Saturday and Sunday and Hamilton College hosts second and third-round matchups in the NCAA Division III Tournament on the same two days. The Continentals, ranked No. 4 nationally, play at 11:30 a.m. Saturday against either Eastern Connecticut State or Colby. With a win, Hamilton would host a national quarterfinal game at 1 p.m. Sunday.

The HCCC men will play in the NJCAA final four at 3 p.m. Saturday against Essex at Nassau Community College. The national title game is at 1 p.m. Sunday at Nassau.

An in the NCAA Division I men’s ranks, Colgate and Syracuse both play first-round NCAA Tournament games on Sunday. The Raiders visit Notre Dame at noon in their first-ever NCAA Tournament game, while the Orange host Canisius at 7:30 p.m. Both games will be televised by ESPNU.

Tickets for the Syracuse game are $8 for adults, $4 for students. Call 1-888-DOMETIX for details.

The Colgate women visit Penn at 1 p.m. Sunday in an NCAA Tournament game.