NFL
– The NY Daily News reports that Jets’ QB Mark Sanchez’s arm “soreness” is related to a cartilage tear in his right (throwing) shoulder. It happened on a 1st-quarter scramble last week. Sanchez finished the game in one of his most efficient performances to date, but the Daily News suggests the injury could “hamper” Sanchez “for the remainder of the season.” Though this doesn’t sound like something that might require surgery or cost him any games, it’s something to monitor.
– Citing two sources close to the player, WSBTV 2 Georgia reports that Bulldogs’ WR A.J. Green will forgo his senior season and enter the 2011 NFL draft.
“There is a 100% chance he is gone,” both sources told the sports channel, “and a possible (NFL) lockout has no bearing on his decision.” Listed at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, Green averaged 96.4 yards and over a touchdown per game during Georgia’s regular season after missing the first four weeks due to allegations that he sold a game-worn jersey on eBay. A silky smooth deep threat who’s generated comparisons to Randy Moss, Green projects as a top-five pick in next April’s draft.
– KDVR Denver reports that injured Broncos’ OLB Elvis Dumervil (torn pectoral) was cited for assault following the team’s Week 7 loss to the Raiders. Dumervil, who is on IR with a torn pectoral muscle, allegedly tussled with a parking attendant outside Invesco Field. He was cited for both assault and disturbing the peace. Dumervil has no prior history, and the citation seems minor enough that he may avoid any consequences. Dumervil is the fourth Broncos player arrested this season.
NBA
– Michael Jordan announced on Wednesday that Larry Brown is stepping down as head coach of the Bobcats. “The team has clearly not lived up to either of our expectations and we both agreed that a change was necessary,” Jordan said, adding that Brown “will continue to be a valuable advisor to me regarding the team.” Brown had a 88-104 record as the team’s head coach, including a 9-19 record and just 91.8 points per game (second-worst in the league) this year. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports that Paul Silas, Patrick Ewing and Mike Woodson are among the potential candidates to replace Brown.
WWE
– Following John Morrison’s win over Sheamus in the #1 Contender’s match at Sunday’s TLC PPV, the main event of January’s Royal Rumble event is expected to be Morrison challenging The Miz for the WWE Championship.
Many within WWE saw his match against Sheamus at TLC as a star-making breakout performance. Some compared it to the TLC match that put the Hardy Boyz, Edge and Christian “on the map” as top-tier performers. Despite his impressive performance, it really does come down to how WWE management pushes him and it’s not a sure thing that he will be treated as a main eventer in the long term.
On Tuesday’s special live edition of SmackDown, we saw a continuation of the Edge vs. Kane feud, so it appears that will be the likely World Heavyweight title match at the Rumble. WWE has yet to announce anything for the Rumble on January 30. However, they have added a basic preview for the 30-Man Royal Rumble match on the company website.
– The conclusion to John Cena’s lengthy program with Wade Barrett was moved up from the Royal Rumble to Sunday’s TLC PPV due to injuries sustained by Randy Orton, which limited his availability.
– As reported earlier, the Rey Mysterio vs. Alberto Del Rio match scheduled for Sunday’s TLC PPV was canceled and both men were moved into the World Heavyweight Title bout because they wanted all the major matches on the show to have adequate time. It has since been disclosed that WWE officials felt the Kane vs. Edge storyline “wasn’t clicking,” and would thus lead to a bad match.
– Former WWE Cruiserweight and Tag Team Champion Paul London pulled no punches in a lengthy interview published in the latest issue of Power Slam as he candidly discussed his five-year run with World Wrestling Entertainment, the wide array of characters he came into contact there, and much more. During the interview, London discussed his real-life friction with former WWE colleague Matt Hardy and indicated that it is due to jealousy on Hardy’s part. He also explained why he pulled the YouTube video spoofing Hardy’s internet campaign to obtain a contract release from WWE.
I must ask you about Matt Hardy, whose name I mentioned earlier. You and Hardy have taken pot shots at each other for years. You clearly despise each other. Why?
[It's all down to] jealousy. He realized that he didn’t have the goods, that women just didn’t like him, and that I was a sincere person who had charm, who attracted females, and he became jealous.
He’s just not a very good human being. He’s a phony. Anybody who adorns their home with nothing but pictures of themselves — that pretty much explains it, right there. He just couldn’t be a man about anything. He doesn’t know what it is to be a man. If he’s not at the forefront of something, he’s going to try to make himself the forefront.
Regarding Hardy: in September you posted a video of yourself online in which you spoofed Hardy’s internet video campaign to obtain a contract release from WWE. In your video, you poked fun at Hardy’s weight and made other serious accusations about him. Within days, you had removed the video. Was that because you regretted some of the things you’d said about him?
Erm, it wasn’t that I regretted it. Believe me, there were times that I wished I could have done a lot more. There were several occasions when I challenged him to a fight, and he backed out because he’s a coward. I was like, “I’m sick of this back and forth crap; let’s go outside right now.”
And he was, like: “Whoah! Whoah! I don’t have a problem with you!” I’ve never seen anyone with so many tails between their legs.
So the regret that I have in making that stupid video was… I was in a pretty dark place emotionally at the time. I wasn’t satisfied with myself. I’m an emotional guy. I take dips. I go up and down. That was never meant to really go out. The whole video was created merely out of boredom. I watched it back and I thought, ‘This is garbage. This isn’t how I want to represent myself at all. Why am I wasting my time on this?’ It was a bit of a wake-up call, actually. I regret doing it because of the way I portrayed myself, especially on a guy who is beneath me. I humiliated myself.
– There had been some discussion regarding the health of WWE producer Dean Malenko, but his wife posted on Facebook that he suffered a heart attack. He had a stent placed in his heart, but many in WWE denied he suffered a heart attack.
MLB
– According to Newsday’s Ken Davidoff, the Yankees have spoken with free agent OF Johnny Damon about a possible reunion. The Yanks can only offer Damon occasional looks at DH and RF, and the 37-year-old may be looking for more of a regular gig. Davidoff says that a deal is “not close” and “far from guaranteed.” Damon batted just .271/.355/.401 over 613 plate appearances for the Tigers this past year and is no longer an adequate defensive outfielder.
– Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com reports that the Blue Jays, Pirates and Rays are interested in RHP Octavio Dotel. Dotel doesn’t make a whole lot of sense in a return to Pittsburgh, as they already have two quality late-game options, but the Rays and Blue Jays are in the process of reconstructing their respective bullpens. Dotel, 37, posted a 4.08 ERA and 75/32 K/BB ratio over 64 innings between the Pirates, Dodgers and Rockies this past season.