Alright, so we’ve got the first ever edition of the VoV Mailbag. These have been sent in from readers via Facebook, Twitter, FormSpring or email. All of the links to contact me or to have your question posted, as always, are at the bottom of every post.

Q:  Was Daniel Bryan getting fired a work?

A: No, I don’t think it was. I think it was legit. The decision to fire him wasn’t from Vince McMahon, but rather from NBC Universal from when Daniel choked ring announcer Justin Roberts with his tie on the June 7 edition of Raw. I asked myself the same question at SummerSlam. If it was a work, it was incredibly clever.

Q: Will the Leafs ever trade Tomas Kaberle?

A: I doubt it. They didn’t do it now, so it’s all in his hands now. He’s not likely to waive his NTC during the season since he loves Toronto too much, meaning that it’ll be up to him whether not he becomes trade bait at the 2011 Trade Deadline. There’s a small window from the Entry Draft to the start of Free Agency (July 1) that they can move him, but that means he dons the blue and white for the entire 2011 season. Now 32, the Leafs have said that they won’t re-sign him next summer, which leads me to believe that he’s simply going to walk away for nothing, LeBron James-style.

Q:  How long with the Nexus angle run for?

A: Who knows. It’s possible (unlikely) that Nexus runs through until WrestleMania 27, but I don’t see them going deep past the new year. It’ll be interesting to see what happens with the NXT Season 2 rookies. Do they make their own sable? Are they purged with the Season 1 rookies to make an even larger stable?

Q: If you could attend any concert, what would it be?

A: My favourite bands are Nirvana, Foo Fighters, Bush, Smashing Pumpkins and ACDC, so they’d easily be my top choices. I’m also a fan of the Offspring, Stone Temple Pilots, Three Days Grace, Green Day, Weezer, 30 Seconds to Mars and Billy Talent, among others. Anything that rocks.

Q: Would you rather swim in a pool or the ocean?

A: Swimming is stupid. I live on land, not in water. Plus, there’s sharks and stuff. And if you’re in a pool, it’s all pee. Think of all the bacteria. No thanks. Oceans have salt and pools have chlorine, so it’s like pick your poison. It’s like taking a giant bath – you’re spending all this time in water and you still need to shower afterwards. Swimming is almost as stupid as camping and being a vegan.

Q: If you could be on the cover of any magazine, which would you choose?

A: Gotta be Sports Illustrated. Special mention to the 90′s WWE Magazine. The Hockey News is up there too. Sporting News has gone downhill.

Q: Will The Miz be the first to lose his MITB briefcase in a match?

A: At some point, the logic would be to make it less predictable that everyone who cashes in wins the title. WWE now has a MITB PPV, so it would make sense to do now. That said, The Miz is great, and I’d be really interested to see what he could do with a major title run. I’d like him to wait until WrestleMania 27 and announce well ahead of time that he’d cash in there. Even if he loses, he doesn’t look weak, and that way it stops people from thinking that every MITB briefcase means a championship run.

Q: What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?

A: Can’t really think of anything obscure. Different strokes for different folks, I guess. I frequently eat rabbit and lamb, which is weird to some people. They can go straight to hell, though.

Q: What was the best concert you went to?

A: Creed. Went on 8/5/10 at Casino Rama in Orillia, and it kicked so much ass. I used to follow them closely, but fell out of touch for the most part. Only other one I’ve been to was Flight of the Conchords at Massey Hall.

Q: Which is your favorite NBA Basketball team?

A: By default, the Raptors, since I live in Toronto. Mostly for basketball, I have favourite players more than I do favourite teams.

That’s it for now. The VoV links are below, so if you’d like to see your question posted on the next Mailbag, send them in via Facebook, Twitter, FormSpring or email. Sports and wrestling-related questions are best, but the non-relevant ones are fun and more than welcome, too.

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
VoV – www.voiceofvaleri.com
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We’ve got a lot to cover this week, so let’s get to the nitty-gritty. Sorry for the lack of updated header, by the way. I still don’t have Photoshop, Illustrator or InDesign on my new laptop, so my editing tools are limited. Mario Paint, anyone?

Album of the Week
Life Starts Now by Three Days Grace. The CD is solid from top to bottom. There’s really only 1 song on the whole album that I don’t like, and to be fair, it isn’t even all that bad. I’ve been listening to it non-stop for about 2 weeks now, and this new album is far-and-away better than One-X, their previous album (which was also a pretty solid CD).

Morrow’s Missed No-No
Jays’ RHP Brandon Morrow missed a no-hitter on a 2-out single in the top of the 9th as the Jays beat the Rays 1-0, one day after a 17-11 shootout. Morrow finished with an incredible line: 9 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 17 K. Although he threw 137 pitches, the 17 K’s are a career-high, and the complete game and shutout are both career firsts. The 17 K’s is one shy of the club record set by RHP Roger Clemens in 1998.

An insane start. Morrow is a high-ceiling talent who’s struggled as a starter and reliever with the M’s, but the Jays bought low on a deal that no one should’ve accepted. More on that later. Anyways, his start yesterday versus his road opener versus the O’s where he walked like 5 batters in the first inning are day-and-night different performances. He’s grown a ton, and GM Alex Anthopoulous’ high-ceiling buys this winter are paying dividends.

Kaberle Trade Front
A number of sources are reporting that the Bruins, Sharks and Kings have substantial deals on the table for Leafs’ D Tomas Kaberle, while the Panthers and Capitals are rumoured to be involved. The Bruins package is believed to include F Marc Savard and F Blake Wheeler. Some rumours have Boston trading their 1st-round pick in 2011 to Toronto, which was originally Toronto’s in the Phil Kessel deal, but it doesn’t appear that that is a likely scenario. Savard, coming off a concussion last season, has a great history with former Bruin and current Leaf F Phil Kessel. Savard would also be the #1 centre lacking in Toronto the past few seasons. The Sharks’ offer is believed to include F Ryan Clowe and a prospect defenceman. Finally, the Kings package is rumoured to be a mix of prospects and draft picks, however, the prospects in the deal have a very high ceiling that could outweigh the offers made by the Bruins and Sharks (F Brayden Schenn? G Jonathan Bernier?). The general consensus around the league is that Leafs’ GM Brian Burke will deal Kaberle by the August 15 and will simply pull the trigger on the deal that makes the most sense for the team. Kaberle’s value is at it’s highest right now, and with his NTC window temporarily lifted over the summer and the Leafs being thick defensively, it makes the most sense to finally move him now.

If Kaberle isn’t moved this summer, it’ll most likely be at the deadline. That said, he’s been rumoured to be out of Toronto for so many years and nothing has amounted from it, I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up staying put.

Blackhawks in Trouble
How about the Blackhawks nightmare summer? They’ve lost Niemi, Ladd, Madden, Versteeg, Byfuglien, etc. and are not done there. How’d they get to this? Well, signing Duncan Keith to a 12-year deal may not have been the best move. But taking Brian Campbell’s massive contract + NTC, as well as signing Marian Hossa to a gigantic deal are all coming back to bite them in the ass. They’ve already said that they won’t move Patrick Sharp, but if that’s the case, I’d bet that they’ll lose Brent Seabrook at some point.

If He Plays…
The Brett Favre saga continues. He’s back throwing to high school kids, meaning he’s prepping for the 2010-11 season. His ankle isn’t 100%, but if he’s able to play and feels he can start at least 16 games this season, he’ll play. There was initial word that he was set to announce his retirement, but everyone else affiliated with the Vikings has yet to receive word of that, meaning his mind still isn’t made up. Yup. He’s playing.

AA Up for ROY

After Morrow (above) and (possibly) the best start by any Blue Jay in history, I thought it’d be interesting to see the job that *rookie* GM Alex Anthopoulos has done this winter in re-inventing the Blue Birds. He took the reign on October 3, 2009 and still has the remainder of August to make moves. Let’s take a look at some of his major moves:

Signed UTIL John McDonald to a 2-year/$3M deal (11-25-09). Johnny Mac is a Gold Glover at every position. Great re-signing for a solid defensive replacement.

Signed SS Alex Gonzalez to a 1-year/$2.75M deal w/ club option (11-26-09). Gonzalez was solid with the stick and the leather and turned it into a solid trade (see below).

Signed C John Buck to a 1-year/$2M deal (12-16-09). Buck has been great behind the plate and made the All-Star team this year, well worth $2M. Anthopoulos didn’t move Buck in July, so while Buck (thumb) is on the DL, he’s hoping that he remains a Type B free agent.

Acquired RHP Kyle Drabek, C Travis d’Arnaud, and OF Michael Taylor from Phillies for RHP Roy Halladay and $6M (12-16-09), then sent Taylor to the A’s for 1B Brett Wallace. Dealing Doc had to be done, so we’ll skip that. Drabek threw a no-hitter in Double A this year, but aside from that, has been pitching very well. D’Arnaud remains a highly-touted prospect who should be up in 2012 or so.

Acquired RHP Brandon Morrow from the M’s for RHP Brandon League and OF Johermyn Chavez (12-23-09). Morrow has the best strikeout rate of any starter this year, and is pitching very well (at home at least) in his first full season as a starter.

Signed RHP Kevin Gregg to a 1-year/$2.75M deal w/ two club options (2-5-10). AA decided that if Gregg could fix his atrocious homerun rate from last season, Gregg’s value would return to normal. We’ll see what happens with Gregg this offseason.

Signed C Jose Molina to a 1-year/$1M deal w/ a club option (2-19-10). Great FA signing at bargain money.

Signed SS Adeiny Hechavarria to a 4r-year/$10M deal (4-13-10). Hechavarria has a big league-ready glove and is hitting a little bit at Double A. He’s seen as an infield version of Alfonso Soriano.

Acquired OF Fred Lewis from Giants for cash (4-15-10). Lewis sports a nice .272/.335/.444 line so far, all at a cheap price. Jays get a replacement leadoff hitter to cover for Marco Scutaro.

Signed RHP Adonis Cardona to a $2.8M deal (7-13-10). Set a record for a Venezuelan amateur with the righty’s deal. Cardona is another high-ceiling talent and a top prospect.

Acquired SS Yunel Escobar and RHP Jo-Jo Reyes from Braves for SS Alex Gonzalez, RHP Tim Collins and RHP Tyler Pastornicky (7-14-10). AA bought low on the disgruntled Escobar, who has a truckload of potential.

Acquired OF Anthony Gose from Astros for 1B Brett Wallace (7-29-10). This one is probably the most iffy. Wallace is in the MLB now, but his value has dropped for years now, while Gose is drawing comparisons to Carl Crawford in Single-A ball.

Draft – the Jays have signed three of their top four picks, with negotiations for first-rounder RHP Deck McGuire expected to go down to the wire. Yesterday ESPN’s Keith Law wrote that the Blue Jays had a “strong haul” in the draft.

Blue Jays fans couldn’t ask for more from AA’s first year. He’s aggressively made moves on international FAs and has made some solid, cheap MLB FA signings while picking up solid prospects in trades. His blueprint of high-ceiling, high-potential players appears to be working. Especially when a team like the Jays can’t compete financially with the likes of the Red Sox and Yankees in the uber-competitive AL East, building a team through picks and prospects is the right way to go – just ask the Rays, who were terrible forever (literally) but have quickly become a very talented young team among the best in baseball. It was surprising to see the Jays hang on to LHP Scott Downs, RHP Jason Frasor, Gregg, and Buck at the trade deadline, but those players may bring draft pick compensation after the season.

Mailbag
Q: Where is Kaberle going?

A: Ugh. The latest update is above, but my guess is that the Bruins are still the frontrunners. I’d love to see Savard in Toronto – the Leafs need a solidifed, first-line centre, and Savard does just that. Also, getting Wheeler would make them even more deep along the wing. I don’t see the Bruins giving up their 2011 1st-rounder (via Toronto), since that would kind of be going in a giant circle for them. The Buds are pretty deep defensively, and with their need of a true centre, I think now is the time to finally pull the trigger on a deal.

What’s Next?
VoV podcasts are coming soon, so stay tuned for that. Also, one of my tweets on Morrow’s awesome outing, which you can see by clicking here, was featured Twitter Sports. I’m not sure who they are or what they do. Also, I’m now available on Skype at MValeri88.

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
VoV – www.voiceofvaleri.com
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It’s been a while, but The Peep Show is back! I’m still reeling from getting hacked, which you can read more about by clicking here. It’ll be interesting to see how this affects the traffic numbers. To kick it off, something I saw while watching the highlights for today’s games that just pissed me right off…

Bosh Chirps Toronto

Heat’ F Chris Bosh, formerly a Toronto Raptor, has finally told a Miami newspaper his true feelings about the city of Toronto. Bosh describes the city as a ‘different’ and unfamiliar destination.

“I didn’t want to go there. It was different. All I knew was Vince Carter was there and I never saw him play on TV. It was a whole different country, and it was just different. I’m 19 years old, I didn’t know anything about culture and being away from home. All I know is the States…Toronto’s a great place, a fantastic city. It’s a metropolitan area, but you could tell you’re somewhere different. You could feel it, you could look at it, you can smell it. Everything. All your senses tell you you’re somewhere different. You can smell it.”

You know, a lot of former Raptors have had issues with Canada. F Antonio Davis hated the metric system. G Doug Christie said his mother-in-law’s cooking in Toronto tasted different than back home. But to say that the city smells different proves just how much of a moron you really are.

Now, I could run through a bunch of things that makes Canada better than the US, but to avoid angering my peeps to the south, I’ll hold my tongue. I can’t say that I’ve been to too many cities in the US – I’ve heard great things of Chicago, New York City, Los Angeles, Boston – but Toronto is a classy, multi-cultural city. Eve the Huffington Post called Toronto North America’s “coolest city.” Understandably, since there are only one Canadian (Toronto) team in the NBA and MLB (which are primary sports in the US), it will never feel like home for a US-born basketball player.

That said, players generally love the city once they get here. There are tons of celebrities, athletes, teams, sights to see, nightlife, diversity, you name it. When in Toronto, you play as a star – everyone recognizes you. You become a celebrity in yourself.

If you look around the league, Toronto is always amongst the top cities that players vote as their favourite. In fact, many teams arrive a day early or stay a day longer in T.O. because of stuff like the nightlife, bars and clubs downtown, the ethnic diversity all across the city. Dot. That said, in many player’s eyes, Toronto is a ‘great place to visit, but not to live here.’

Toronto’s biggest problem is winning. The Jays haven’t won since the early 90′s. The Leafs are winless since 1967. The CFL and NLL are considered a minor league amongst Americans. And the Raptors? They haven’t won anything. The franchise itself has a poor track record for winning, which compounds the problem of playing in Toronto. The NBA is not run like a video game, where players can be signed or traded on a whim without issues. People like GM Bryan Colangelo often deal with players who have American families living in America who are unwilling to move to Canada. Family location, birthplace, friends, housing, etc. are all aspects factored into whether or not a player signs anywhere – the problem is, they’re magnified when Toronto is a potential suitor. You’re not just changing cities for some players, but countries.

The Raptors’ franchise has had to deal with this for years, and will have to deal with it forever it seems. The ‘winning’ issue can be solved by, well, simply winning. A winning franchise will attract players from all over the city. This ‘different place’ problem is what haunts the Blue Jays now too, but this issue was non-existent when they won back-to-back World Series rings in the early ’90′s. Players were dying to come to Toronto to finally win a ring that their career had been lacking. Now? Toronto teams are places people go to for bounce-back seasons, slighty higher pay, getting the opportunity to start on a regular basis, or if they have no other options and are forced to sign. If the Raptors ever become an elite NBA team, attracting great American players will be incredibly simpler. It’s all something that the fans and the franchise are going to have to get used to.

Kovalchuk/Devils
This was a stupid deal. 17-years/$102M? I’m glad that the NHL stopped it. It was so heavily frontloaded, it’s ridiculous. There’s no way Kovalchuk would’ve played until his 17th season (age 44), and would’ve easily retired in his late 30s to just reap the remaining dollars on the contract. I don’t think he has any intention of playing the duration of that contract out, but now that the NHLPA has filed a grievance, it may go through/get slighty tweaked.

Raps Snubbed
MJ pulled out of a late deal that would’ve seen the Raps get a 3-player package including Tyson Chandler and Boris Diaw. I was beside myself when I found out that Jordan pulled out. Chandler is exactly the kind of guy the Raps need, and Diaw’s versatility would’ve been key. That would’ve changed the starting lineup from Bargnani-Bosh-Turkoglu-DeRozan-Calderon from last season, to Chander-Bargnani-Diaw-Barbosa-Jack, which would’ve been solid. Moving Turk’s massive contract was key, especially for a guy with the calibre of talent that Barbosa has. I’m glad BC has decided to throw caution to the wind, since it’ll be his ass on the line if the Raps have another season without making the playoffs.

Raw vs. Nexus
This angle is turning out alright. There’s still a lot of question marks regarding whether these guys can hold their own in a match that’s longer than 10 minutes, how they can perform one-on-one when there aren’t 6 other guys there to bail them out, etc.. I think Triple H will be the leader of Nexus, rather than John Cena, but either one would be fine by me. I personally think HHH is far better as a heel than he is a face, so I welcome the change. Cena’s face promos and mannerisms are just so old, I think he needs to switch sides. Will it happen? I doubt it, since he’s the top merchandise seller for the WWE right now. Him and Rey Mysterio are probably the two unlikeliest to have heel turns. Speaking of turns, how about Randy Orton? A great transition from heel to face, the same mannerisms and behaviour, but the RKO is *so* incredibly over with the crowd right now, it’s insane. It’s almost like the Stone Cold Stunner circa 1997ish when Austin was doing it to everyone. Those were the days…

What’s Next?
I’ve got the same few projects under wraps right now. Whether or not they’re unveiled remains to be seen, but I’m trying to find more time to write columns and stuff, since I think that it’s what’s lacking most on the site.

I just got my Skype/video blogging/podcast stuff worked out on my new laptop, so both tools have become potential options for VoV. You’re more likely to see a podcast coming before you see me videoblogging/Skype-ing, but who knows – this Peep Show feature may become a podcast just in itself. I’d like to do one for WWE/MLB/NHL, but that’ll depend on a number of factors.

I think that’s it for now. As always, I’ll be taking questions off of VoV post comments, Twitter replies, Facebook questions, emails, SpringForm questions, the Facebook fanpage, you name it. The links are posted below where you can contact me. Again, if you’re sending via email, please use something to the effect of “VoV” in the subject line so it doesn’t get filtered by spam. I’ve been getting truckloads of spam as of late, so if you used a stupid subject line, it probably got caught with the rest.

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
VoV – www.voiceofvaleri.com
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As many of you have probably noticed, Voice of Valeri was hacked today (7/13/10). When? I’m not sure, but sometime after about 12 or 1pm ET. What happened? Thankfully not too much. All of my posts from July 8 and on were deleted, with no history of anything published. Also, many of the links under the Instant Classics section were removed for some reason, despite only 3 of them being from July 8 or later. Unfortunately, I wasn’t home when I was informed of the news by Sean Chin, a friend of mine at Live in Limbo, via BlackBerry Messenger, who caught it about 25 minutes after it happened.

Who did it? How did it happen? Hell if I know. While it may be someone random, or an issue with a server or something, I found it kind of suspicious that July 8 – the day LeBron James signed – was the last day that I had a post. Everything anti-Bosh/LeBron/Wade had been removed. Bluehost’s last backup date was July 8 as well, so anything before then is totally lost by their standards. But for arguments’ sake, we’re going to say it was a LeBron James loyalist who was upset with VoV’s trashing of his “decision.” Deal with it.

But wait, what’s this? It looks like I’ve outsmarted you all. Again. Yours truly was able to successfully re-post all deleted published posts! How you ask? Well, maybe you’ve heard of this:

OH YEAH, Kool-Aid man style! Google caches everything published, so nothing was technically lost. ‘Cause that’s…how I roll.

On an aside, while the potential hacking was slightly incovenient (about 1.5 hours to get everything back to normal), I do feel somewhat humbled by this. This being my first hacking and all, it’s made me realize how far VoV.com has come from the 5-hits-a-day site on Blogger to the 500,000 hit ass-kicking, baby-punting, woman-impregnating, beard-growing, jerky-eating sex machine you see before you today. I feel, dare I say, somewhat famous? I’ll try to not let it go to my head. Just kidding. VoV is officially awesome. Not that it needed an official prognosis, but now that it has one, everyone can take it to the bank.

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
VoV – www.voiceofvaleri.com
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The second edition of the new and improved Peep Show is out! Until I get my Photoshop/Illustrator/InDesign back to create a Peep Show logo, it’s going to have to be the VoV logo. Here we go:

Batista/StrikeForce
So aside from a potential movie career, Batista is trying to join MMA, specifically StrikeForce. Can he do it? I doubt it. He is (was) big enough, but apparently he’s slimmed down a lot since we last saw him in the WWE. The dude is 41, and with his long and detailed history of injuries, I don’t think he’s going to be able to do more than a few fights. He’s really upset with WWE at the moment, so a return to the ring is out of the question, at least for the time being. There were some rumours that he’d eventually come back to close out his career, but who knows how true that statement will be in a few years time. Brock Lesnar even called Batista a “wannabe”, which he could respond to in a few days time.

NBA Free Agent Frenzy
This is going to be bananas. It’s going to suck for the rest of the NBA if Wade, LeBron and Bosh all sign with one team. Nonetheless, it’s a very exciting time for the NBA. It’s almost like a fantasy draft, where just about everyone is up for grabs. Predictions? I think LeBron and Bosh are gone. Miami, Chicago, New York and LA (both) will probably land the big crop of free agents. There’s so many other names out there (Jefferson, Turkoglu, Johnson, etc.) that you’ll have to read the site for all the news and updates. Can’t wait for July 1.

Habs Extend Plekanec for 6-Years/$30M
Plekanec scored 25 goals and a team-best 70 points in 82 games last season, but $30M seems a bit much. I loved the guy – he saved both of my fantasy teams, but I don’t think he should be making as much as guys like Brian Gionta and Scott Gomez. That said, everyone in Montreal is overpaid. Keep in mind, the Habs dealt G Jaroslav Halak to free up money to sign Plekanec. He’s a great player, but I think the price tag is a bit too steep.

Strasburg Lighting it Up
So, Stephen Strasburg has been absolutely electric so far. Good for him. His stuff is outstanding and his velocity is overpowering to hitters. I really hope he doesn’t turn into Mark Prior or Dontrelle Willis or something, where he has a few good seasons before succumbing to injuries/hitters figuring him out. As of right now, Washington has a renewed sense of love for baseball, and with RHP Drew Storen and C/OF Bryce Harper coming up in the next few years, the future looks bright in DC.

Martha Hart Sues WWE
Honestly, this has gone on too long. I don’t even care what she’s fighting for to be honest. She’s upset that WWE continues to use Owen’s name and image for marketing 11 years after his accident in 1993. Martha already settled a lawsuit with them for $16M, so I don’t see why she’s still at it. The big part remains that she’s withholding Owen Hart from the Hall of Fame because of his fatal fall in ’93. Even Bret Hart was able to bury the hatchet, I don’t see why she can’t.

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
VoV – www.voiceofvaleri.com
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After a ridiculous hiatus, The Peep Show is back and in full effect, with Volume 1, new-and-improved. The format is going to be a bit different, but it’s changed for the better. Sit back and enjoy!

Habs Deal Halak
I don’t get this. Not only are they trading the better goalie, but they’re doing so in exchange for nothing. Many of you are saying that Halak was an RFA, and that they would’ve lost Halak when someone signed him to a huge contract, since the Habs can’t afford to match with roughly a dozen players as either RFAs or UFAs that need to be re-signed. So no doubt, he had to be moved – financially, they don’t have a choice – however, they should’ve waited until Draft Day to pull the trigger on a move. Doing so would’ve maximized their return. While Eller and Schultz are mid-range prospects, they could’ve easily gotten something far better at the time of the Draft, since teams are still assessing their needs for the upcoming season.

New GM Pierre Gauthier, in his first move since taking the reigns, really dropped the ball here. Halak stood on his head, and single-handedly got the team past the league’s top scoring team, the Capitals, and the defending Stanley Cup Champion Penguins, all with an aging and depleted defence. Again, he had to be moved, but they got nothing in return. For those that don’t remember, former GM Bob Gainey’s price tag for Halak was a number one centre (namely, Flyers’ F Jeff Carter). Neither Eller nor Schultz will pan out to be anything near the calibre player that Carter is. Barring something miraculous, the Habs will begin 2010-11 with G Carey Price between the pipes. While he is only 22, the concern for him in Montreal following his stellar rookie campaign, is that his confidence is shattered and that he may ultimately need a change in scenery. Expect the Habs to sign a veteran backup to guide Price and push him along, but don’t be surprised if there – once again – ends up being a goalie controvery in La Belle Province.

Lakers Win Championship #16

Gonna be honest, I watched very little playoff basketball this year. It’s just so boring. The NHL playoffs were incredible – new teams, lots of drama, controversy, and overall, just great hockey being played. Can’t say the same for the NBA, where the two most winningest franchises squared off in another NBA Championship. Yes, the Lakers, yes, they won, and yes, Kobe got MVP. Did anyone really doubt that that was going to happen?

Leafs Name Phaneuf Captain
I like it. He’s coming off a disappointing season offensively, but he’s very young and is capable of providing the leadership needed to succeed, both on the ice and in the dressing room. Phaneuf has a reputation of being vocal and outgoing, something that no one else on the team stands out as being capable of. Phaneuf is the first Leafs captain since F Mats Sundin in 2008, and while D Tomas Kaberle was originally thought to be the next captain, that is no longer going to happen. In fact, his days wearing the blue and white appear to be numbered. The Leafs will continue looking forward, and with names such as Phaneuf, Phil Kessel, Tyler Bozak, Jonas Gustavsson and Luke Schenn, the future may indeed be now.

WWE Releases Bryan Danielson (Daniel Bryan)
As many of you know, NXT rookie Bryan Danielson was fired for choking ring announcer Justin Roberts with his tie on a PG episode of Raw. There have been countless rumours going back and forth about whether this is storyline or not, but it appears to be legit. While the move may have been stupid, it was really minor, and it was only aired for a split-second. To fire him, or anyone for that, seems a bit much. Especially since Danielson is one of the most talented in-ring performers in quite some time, WWE cannot afford for him to not be under their creative control. Unfortunately for them, his 90-day no-compete clause will eventually expire, and unless WWE figures something out to bring him back, he’s likely to sign with TNA Wrestling. My money is on Danielson eventually re-signing with WWE shortly down the road, but for now, he’s gone. Linda McMahon’s senate run is too high-priority for something like this to go unnoticed.

Mailbag
Sometimes there’s a lot of mail to sift through, sometimes there’s very little. Depending on what it is, I may or may not post it here. Because of good timing, I will this time. Both of these come via Twitter, where you can find me below.

Q: Can you see Brian Burke acquiring Bobby Ryan?

A: It’s very possible. He’s an RFA, and the Ducks may not have enough cash to match an offer that comes their way. Ducks’ GM Bob Murray suggested that there is plenty of money saved up for Ryan to stay in Anaheim, but the contract talks continue – the debate may be in regard to the dollar signs, or it may be in regard to the length of the contract. It’s possible that Ryan may have his sights set elsewhere come July 1, and may speak with the Ducks and ask them not to match. Signing in Toronto would put him back with GM Brian Burke, who drafted him in 2005 behind Penguins’ F Sidney Crosby. Burke pushed Ryan to become more physically fit and held him back until he felt he was ready to enter the NHL stage. Ryan signing in Toronto makes him a #1 forward, something he will never be in Anaheim thanks to F Ryan Getzlaf and F Corey Perry. Burke was rumoured to have offered a deal for Ryan involving D Tomas Kaberle, one-for-one, which was turned down. No question that Burke wants him bad, and he knows how to build teams up from nothing. Ryan missed out on Burke’s Cup in Anaheim and may not want to risk that again. In the end, it may not come down to dollars and years for Ryan. July 1 is right around the corner.

Q: Who is the best wrestler of all-time?

A: Best all-around is Shawn Michaels, no doubt. In terms of charisma and character, no one beat Stone Cold. If you want wrestling as a science, Ric Flair. If you’re looking for technical mat wrestling, Bret Hart is probably the first name that comes to mind. A lot of people ask me about Hulk Hogan – I think he was in the right place at the right time. No doubt, he was good, but the era that he entered in is the reason why he became so huge.

What’s next?

Hell if I know. As usual, I have a few projects up my sleeve that I haven’t really tried getting off the ground yet. We’ll see how they progress, and depending on that, I may or may not put them up here. Anyways, that’s all for now. I’ll be back with some more once…well, some more stuff happens. As always, I’m reachable through the links below.

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
VoV – www.voiceofvaleri.com
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