VoV
– What’s up peepulation? Just thought I’d drop you a line that VoV was on TV at the Chris Jericho autograph signing! The interview was aired by the Fight Network. See if you can point me out, I’m on three times! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCzV1IyfN4w&feature=player_embedded
MLB
– The Red Sox have placed RHP Josh Beckett on the 15-day disabled list with a lower back strain. Beckett was forced to leave Tuesday’s game against the Yankees in the fifth inning due to tightness in his lower back, symptoms that have dogged him for the better part of the past two weeks. Now he’ll miss at least two turns in the rotation. Tim Wakefield will take his place in the interim.
– Indians’ SS Asdrubal Cabrera (broken left forearm) underwent surgery Wednesday on his broken left forearm and is expected to miss the next eight-to-10 weeks. Cabrera has already been placed on the DL and SS Jason Donald is up from Triple-A Columbus to fill in at shortstop. The 24-year-old was batting .287 this year with a home run and seven RBI through 33 games.
– The Indians have placed OF Grady Sizemore (left knee bone bruise) on the 15-day DL retroactive to May 17. Sizemore is batting .211 this season with a .271 OBP and zero home runs, and now it turns out that he might need surgery to correct whatever is ailing his left knee. He’s out indefinitely.
– Marlins’ SS Hanley Ramirez told Enrique Rojas of ESPNDeportes.com that he will apologize to Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez and his teammates before Wednesday’s game against the Cardinals. “I regret that this has gotten so ugly, it was not my intention to create a distraction,” Ramirez told Rojas in a phone interview.
NFL
– Dolphins’ WR Brandon Marshall (hip) has undergone surgery. Marshall also underwent hip surgery last offseason. The Dolphins are characterizing the latest procedure as “routine,” indicating that it was arthroscopic in nature and designed to correct dead cartilage in the hip. However, two hip surgeries in as many years remains cause for concern, and coach Tony Sparano wouldn’t commit Wednesday to Marshall returning for the start of training camp. Marshall has been quick to recover from injuries in the past, but he’ll need to be monitored closely all summer.
– Saints’ WR Devery Henderson (sports hernia) underwent surgery on May 6, according to the Daily World. TE Jeremy Shockey had similar problems in 2008, LT Jammal Brown had hernia surgery last Fall, and RT Jon Stinchcomb underwent the same operation days ago. Sports hernia surgeries are not considered overly serious with a recovery time of about a month, but they can just as easily re-occur and ruin a season. Henderson joins fellow wideout Robert Meachem (toe surgery) on the shelf. Adrian Arrington and Lance Moore will get more reps.
– Texans’ RB Steve Slaton (neck surgery) will have a checkup on June 25 that will determine whether he’s cleared for training camp. Current OTAs don’t involve hitting, but Slaton is wearing a red, no-contact jersey anyway because he’s susceptible to aggravation should he take a blow in the wrong spot. The late-June checkup could determine whether he opens camp on the active/PUP list. If Slaton fails, Arian Foster may emerge as the favorite to begin the preseason as Houston’s first-team tailback.
– According to PFT, Seahawks’ WLB Leroy Hill’s contract can be voided if he receives a suspension from the NFL. This could explain why the Seahawks have kept him out of offseason practices, as they don’t want to risk an injury that would guarantee Hill’s $6M base salary. Per precedent in the Larry Johnson grievance last year, the Seahawks would have to keep Hill on the roster until the NFL issues a suspension. This is not to say the Seahawks plan to dump Hill, only that they’re aware of their options going forward.
NBA
– Knicks’ F Wilson Chandler was arrested on marijuana charges on Tuesday in Queens. Chandler had a joint and five bags of pot on him, and was busted when pulled over last night for driving without his headlights on. Chandler’s recent problems also include two surgeries and being shut down early with a groin injury, but he’s still an important piece for the Knicks and their future.
– Suns’ F Amare Stoudemire’s mother, Carrie Stoudemire, was arrested for failing to have an ignition interlock device on her Lincoln Navigator, which she claimed was a rental. She is required to have the breathalyzer device on all vehicles until October 30, and she was pulled over for failing to maintain her lane and speeding. Her eyes were “watery and glassy” according to the arresting officer, and she refused to take a field sobriety test. She was stopped on her way to alcohol class, cuffed, taken to jail, and later released. This might help explain Amare’s lackluster performance in Game 1. And this is not the first time Stoudemire’s mom has been in trouble with the law, as she has been in jail dozens of times for charges ranging from drug possession to prostitution.
WWE
– WWE RAW superstar Chris Jericho’s band Fozzy did an autograph signing in Canada on Monday to promote their new album Chasing the Grail. Jericho was interviewed by the Fight Network and said he’s at the peak of his wrestling career right now with no plans of retiring or taking time off. Jericho said:
“I never intended on retiring five years ago when I left. I just needed a break and I wanted to come back and be better than I had ever been. I think the work I’ve done over the last few years is the best of my career. There’s no reason to retire at this point. I’m still enjoying it and I’m in great physical condition. More importantly, I’m in great mental condition. That’s the most important thing.”
– WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has updated his blog at JRsBarBQ.com. Here are some highlights of what JR said about:
Sting In WWE: “Will Sting ever wrestle in WWE? Damned if I know. Does he really ‘need’ to wrestle in WWE? I wonder why Sting at this stage of his life is even wrestling in TNA. I do think that Sting can make significant money when he fulfills his TNA obligation by participating in a DVD covering his career that WWE can produced using the multiple hours of tape from Crockett and WCW of Sting. I actually called some of his earliest matches in his career,I mean very early, when he teamed with ‘Rock’ aka Ultimate Warrior as the Bladerunners that were going to be Bill Watts’ counter to the Road Warriors. Those tapes are owned by Ene Watts and family but WWE should continue to try and buy this timeless library.”
Working With Jerry Lawler Again: “The King and I are brainstorming about doing some appearances together in the upcoming months to put the old, Raw broadcast team back together and have some fun.”
His Professional Future: “We’re having an interesting week on the professional front. Not much more I can say than that but multiple things are in motion and somewhere soon I want to fish or cut bait. I apologize if this insane ordeal seems to be dragging on endlessly but I am in a very unique position not only as it relates to opportunities outside my usual areas of expertise but the option to not do any thing full time and work on the book and make a few appearances which has been suggested to me by those close to the situation. That feels like semi retirement and I really dislike the ‘retirement’ word. Then on the other hand, there are areas of interest that I have that would be new and likely invigorating. Sitting in the back yard by the pool working on my first book does have some merit. Or moving to another locale IE Hawaii and doing more writing is another thought. I kinda like that idea.”
– The Ultimate Warrior has posted another (very long) blog on his website firing back at the “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase’s comments that he doesn’t belong in the WWE Hall of Fame because he was a terrible worker and a didn’t appreciate what the industry did for him.
Warrior shoots HARD on DiBiase .. Here are just a few quotes from Warrior man:
DiBiase’s Christianity & Past Sins: “Let’s be honest, here, Father Teddy. It was never guilt that made you change your ways to become a man of God. It was gluttony — and your dark desire to continue getting away with it. You’ve never had the discipline, in your whole life, to restrain your appetites for anything — and you still don’t. All you’ve done is substitute vices and indulgences. When you were in the business and your ego was powered by your gimmick and your fame and celebrity, you were gluttonous for sluts and salacious thoughts and living. When it was all over, the superficiality of celebrity was gone and you had nothing to cling to anymore to cover up your natural repulsiveness. Even the worst whores have standards. Once you were nothing, without the TV and the Million Dollar Man gimmick (which WWF footed the entire bill for), they wanted nothing to do with you anymore. You crawled home on your knees to your wife and God, all seemingly in the desire to be forgiven. But all you’ve truly done is use religion as an excuse and means to continue getting away with other forms of self-indulgent gluttony.”
DiBiase Calling Himself a Warrior: “Let’s get real, Teddy. You certainly never, ever came close to looking or acting like a warrior at any time during your life. On some level, it seems to me and I imagine many others, associating oneself with the concept “warrior” should or would have something to do with self-discipline, meaningful sacrifices, inner strength, digging deep within oneself to be the best one can be, integrity, honor, etc. More especially so in your case, now, since your goal as a man-of-the-cloth is to guide people away from the forces that lure them to be the worst they can be. And to do this you use the Bible’s inspiring stories of warrior-like individuals who practiced these honorable virtues, right?”
Warrior’s Success vs. DiBiase’s: “You say the only time I had a great match was when someone was leading me around by the nose. Once and for all, let’s stop the bullshit and put things in no uncertain terms: without guys like me, Ted Dibiase, you never would have worked a Main Event match in the WWF.
“You were so smart about the business, Teddy, you were too stupid to figure out how it really works. Guys like you funded petty cash. Guys like me — and Hogan and Savage at the time — paid the mortgages and the travel bills and the production costs of the whole operation. Your profit making contribution was like hitting three cherries on a nickel slot machine. Mine was like hitting the Powerball Jackpot. I earned my limousine. Yours was provided as part of your silly gimmick. Reality check: my quarterly royalty checks were for more money than you made in a whole year. It was never about who could draw money with a guy like you — it was always about who could draw money with a guy like me. Guys like you were one-of-many. Guys like me were one-of-a-kind.”
Satan’s Pig: “I really think this is where you fail the best in being a fraud, a hypocrite — a real snake-oil salesman. In fact, you fail so successfully at gluttony, I think you missed the calling of what would have been your best gimmick. The one that truly fits: Satan’s Pig. You are the embodiment of Satan’s Pig. Your face, body, mind and spirit provide the perfect image of it. Amazing, isn’t it? After all these years of stumbling around to squeeze yourself to a gimmick, you finally come face to face with your best gimmick — the real you.”
This stuff is just the tip of the iceberg – Warrior goes in-depth on his relationship with Vince McMahon as well as paragraph after paragraph of why he thinks DiBiase is a complete hypocrite and a fake Christian.
– Miami Sports Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz is working hard to bring WrestleMania to his city in 2010, according to the Miami Today Newspaper. The paper writes that Diaz has been “relentless” in his efforts to secure the big event.
“Whether it be the Super Bowl or WrestleMania, any sporting event will be significant in creating revenue and jobs for the people. What’s important to our community is extremely important to us,” Commissioner Diaz said.
Economic impact studies have found that WrestleMania brings an estimated $50 million to the host city’s economy and roughly 65% of the fans who attend are from outside a 100 mile radius of the host city.
He added. “We have hosted 10 Super Bowls thus far. No one has yet to accomplish this feat. The bid to host the WrestleMania experience will persist until we are chosen.”
14 cities were in the running to host WrestleMania in the next two years. Atlanta won for 2011 and we’ll find out next February which of the other 13 cities will host WrestleMania 2012.
– Connecticut’s Hartford Courant has published a lengthy article sent in by Michael Benoit, father of the late Chris Benoit, urging voters not to send Linda McMahon to the United States Senate in November. Benoit holds the McMahons responsible for the dozens of young wrestler deaths we’ve seen in recent years and says Linda has used blood money to fund her expensive campaign.
An excerpt from the article:
“My son, Chris Benoit, 40, was one of WWE’s top superstars. In June 2007, our lives changed dramatically, when he tragically killed his wife, son and himself. The press jumped on steroids as the cause of his actions. But tests showed that brain damage in the form of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, or CTE, not steroids, was responsible for our loss. CTE, caused by repetitive trauma to the brain, can bring on serious disorders such as a loss of emotional control, addictions to drugs and alcohol, depression, aggressive and violent behavior.
Most people view wrestling as fake and the McMahon family pushed that theory to avoid regulation. But in its lust for higher ratings and dollars, WWE began demanding that performers use more weapons and dangerous stunts in wrestling matches. Although matches are rigged and scripted, the harsh physical abuse in the form of blunt force steel chair shots to the head and power bombs through tables onto cement floors are real. I believe that this change in the industry is responsible for the majority of deaths it experienced in the last 20 years.
Michael Benoit says that despite the fact that wrestlers are individuals who have to make their own choices in life, the McMahons have set up a “dirty and dangerous enterprise” where the deck is stacked against the men putting their lives on the line to line the McMahons’ pockets.
“You might say that these young wrestlers make their own choices, and that is true. And the McMahons entice them with prospects for fame, wealth and glory that few achieve. If this were any other business or sport, there would be congressional hearings and laws passed to reform this dirty and dangerous enterprise. The McMahons have steadfastly held that wrestlers are just independent contractors and not entitled to health care benefits, pensions or unionization to represent their best interests.
This is how Linda McMahon made the money she uses for her Senate race. This is how she ran her business. This is the true character behind the fancy, Hollywood advertisements. I pray the people of Connecticut do not allow her to buy her way into the world’s most distinguished legislative body.”
VoV
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