NFL
– Redskins’ RB TIm Hightower (torn left ACL) is done for the season, while WR Santana Moss (fractured left hand) will miss 5-7 weeks. RB Ryan Torain should take over as Washington’s feature back, with rookie Roy Helu doing the third-down and goal line work. Evan Royster could also be promoted from the practice squad to be third string. Hightower will require reconstructive knee surgery as he enters 2012 free agency. His long-term NFL future is up in the air. The missed games will be Moss’ first since the 2007 season.
– Cardinals’ coach Ken Whisenhunt reports that RB Beanie Wells (right knee) is structurally stable and will not require surgery, but will likely miss at least 1-2 games with a bone bruise. Wells appears to have avoided ligament damage in the same knee he had surgically repaired last year. The team was “encouraged” by tests taken on Wells because they initially feared he might be done for the year. Whisenhunt said Wells’ knee injury does not have a bone bruise, as reported by NFL Network on Monday. The coach gave no timetable for Beanie to return.
– Broncos’ RB Willis McGahee (fractured hand) did require surgery on the fractured fourth metacarpal in his hand and will be sidelined for 1-2 weeks, according to PFT. He had the surgery on Monday. RB Knowshon Moreno will take over in the lead back role, and Lance Ball handling inside and short-yardage carries against Detroit in Week 8.
MLB
– Indians’ DH Jim Thome, 41, said Monday that he hopes to continue playing next season. The impending free agent likely won’t be brought back to Cleveland, but could find work as a part-time DH somewhere in the AL. ”I want to keep playing. I’ll keep playing. I just have to have teams that call me. I can’t go play in the backyard by myself.”
– Pirates’ LHP Paul Maholm (shoulder) has been cleared for workouts. The 29-year-old registered a 3.66 ERA and 1.29 WHIP across 26 starts this season before being shut down with a shoulder strain. The Pirates are expected to decline his $9.75M option for 2012 soon after the end of the World series.
NHL
– No bids for the Stars were filed by this past weekend’s deadline, clearing the way for Tom Gaglardi of Vancouver to complete his purchase of the Stars. The next step in the process is a November 23 hearing in a Delaware bankruptcy court, where the court will consider approval of the sale, confirmation of the Stars’ bankruptcy plan and here any objections to the sale. Approval of the NHL Board of Governors is also needed for the deal to be finalized. NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly issued a statement on the Stars sale Monday:
“Now that the bidding deadline has been reached, we will continue our due diligence process and will proceed with the Board’s ownership transaction review process. We also will work with the courts in the continued hope of bringing this matter to a successful and expeditious resolution.”
According to court documents, the franchise lost $37.9M in the last fiscal year and $91.5M over the last three seasons. The Stars are expected to lose $31M this season. The NHL will review with Executive Committee, and then with the Board of Governors to determine whether the bid will be approved or not. Assuming it is, it goes back to the Court as an “approved bid.” The Court will use its own approval process and timetable probably before the end of November. Stay tuned.
– Penguins’ D Zbynek Michalek (broken finger) is expected to miss 4-6 weeks. Michalek left Saturday’s 4-1 win over the Devils after blocking a shot. He has a team-worst -5 rating, but is also the leader in blocked shots with 17 in six games.
– Sabres’ F Tyler Ennis (sprained ankle) is week-to-week. Ennis suffered the injury during Saturday’s game. He’s off to a bad start, with zero points through his first seven games.
WWE
– For those of you who missed Big Show vs. Mark Henry last night (and the ring collapsing), here’s the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4tMfUSRzzM
– According to F4WO, there has been talk of having The Rock show up at next week’s RAW Supershow on Halloween. That show will be hosted by The Muppets. While Rock’s appearance next week is just rumoured at this point – the next show that The Rock is confirmed to appear is the upcoming 3-hour RAW from Boston. Rock tweeted on Monday morning:
“Finally The Rock has come back to.. BOSTON! 11/14/11. “RAW Gets ROCKED”. #BootsToAssesInBeantown”
– Former WWE announcer Todd Grisham, who recently debuted as a commentator for ESPN, made some racially-insensitive comments over the weekend on Twitter and followed up with an apology. While talking about college football game over the weekend between the Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Tech, Grisham referred to the “trail of tears” while talking about the Sooners’ loss. The “trail of tears” historically refers to the American Cherokee Indian tribe being forcibly removed from their land back in 1830, where thousands died. Grisham received a lot of negative feedback from other Twitter followers and responded by saying, “The historical reference didn’t even cross my mind.” He added that his great grandmother was a “full-blooded Cherokiee” and said he’s proud of his Native American heritage.
– As noted last week, WWE officials went back and forth on whether or not to hold the Mask vs. Mask match at last week’s SmackDown tapings in Mexico City. Even after the match was announced, WWE creative changed their mind about holding the match at least 3 separate times. WWE announced the match hoping to spark ticket sales in Mexico, which were slower than expected. A “Mask vs. Mask” match is considered the ultimate culmination of a feud in Mexico – and many questioned whether they should jump to that conclusion so early into the Sin Cara vs. Sin Cara feud. The match was held, Black Sin Cara was unmasked, and most were disappointed by the rushed-nature of the event.
TNA
– According to the PWInsider, following Hulk Hogan’s wrestling return last Sunday at Bound for Glory and aftermath, TNA’s creative department is now building towards a match pitting The Hulkster and Garett Bischoff against Ric Flair and Eric Bischoff. One TNA source believes the match will take place at Lockdown in April, but it is not definite. Nonetheless, this is the direction TNA intends to go for Hogan’s next grappling contest. Sting defeated Hogan at Bound for Glory when referee Jackson James, who had earlier in the show been revealed as Bischoff’s real-life son Garett, reluctantly called the ring bell for a submission. This led to Eric hitting his son with a steel chair following the match, starting a rivalry between the two.
– According to the PWTorch, while many in the locker room are happy for James Storm capturing the TNA World Heavyweight Championship, according to one wrestler, there is more faith in Bobby Roode as champion over “The Tennessee Cowboy.” Concern also lingers about Storm being “too Southern” to represent TNA.
NBA
– According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, the San Juan tour date (October 29) for the overseas barnstorming tour is now in jeopardy. Cal Darden Sr., who is organizing the entire tour, has a number of hurdles to clear, including the signed commitments from all 18 players. Per Wojnarowski, San Juan officials are still waiting for 10 players to sign, a $12,500 payment to begin ticket sales and evidence of a global television package. It’s not impossible to pull off, but those are some significant items on the agenda to clear.