NFL

– ESPN’s Ed Werder reports that QB Brett Favre (left ankle) will need surgery to play for the Vikings in 2010. Per Werder’s report, Favre is still conflicted about the decision. The 40-year-old is notorious for his desire to avoid surgery, though he did undergo a procedure on his biceps last year to continue playing. As of yet, the potential recovery time is not known. Favre believes he can win a Super Bowl with this Vikings team, so expect him to opt for surgery.

Favre later clarified the status of his ankle on his personal website Friday, insisting that the injury “is not debilitating.”

“I don’t believe major surgery on the ankle would be required for me to return in 2010. I’ve consulted with Dr. (James) Andrews on the phone, and a relatively minor procedure could be done to improve the dexterity of the ankle, and to relieve the pain.”

Favre didn’t offer any answers as to whether he’ll play this season, but the fact that he went public with this information should be an indication that he intends to play next season.

– WPXI in Pittsburgh reported that Jets’ WR Santonio Holmes had to be escorted off a plane Thursday night at Pittsburgh International Airport. Holmes was not arrested, but he had to be pulled off the plane for what investigators termed being a “disruptive passenger.” Earlier this month he issued an apology with a marijuana symbol still present on his official website.

Allegheny County Police have issued a statement clarifying a report that Santonio Holmes was removed from a plane for being “disruptive” at Pittsburgh International Airport Thursday night. “As previously reported, Santonio Holmes was NOT removed from any airplane (4/29/2010). He was asked to remove his Ipod (at one point), in which he complied. There’s no further information to report.” It sounds like WPXI completely botched the report. The already-suspended Holmes will not be subject to further discipline in any capacity.

– Coach Tom Cable revealed Friday that the Raiders are in discussions about a long-term contract with franchise player DE Richard Seymour. Seymour has yet to sign his “exclusive rights” franchise tender and is not participating in minicamp, so this explains his absence. At age 30 and coming off a nondescript season, Seymour shouldn’t be a serious candidate for a long-term commitment. The Raiders, though, appear to be having a hard time admitting the mistake of giving New England a first-round pick for him last summer.

– Seahawks’ WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh (sports hernia) underwent surgery last week. He’s got less than three months to be ready for training camp. Sports hernia injuries are unpredictable and often reappear after they’re “fixed” through surgery. Stay tuned.

– Seahawks’ WR Deion Branch (knee) recently underwent arthroscopic surgery. Though the procedure is characterized as “minor” and Branch should be ready for the season, it’s yet another red flag for the 31-year-old. Branch had a similar surgery done last offseason, presumably to the same knee, and tore his ACL at the end of the 2007 season.

NBA

– Raptors’ F Chris Bosh’s Twitter account asked a couple questions on Friday about where he might play next year.

– Cavaliers’ F LeBron James will be named the NBA MVP on Sunday in Akron and receive the award prior to Game 2 against the Celtics on Monday. LeBron will become the 10th player in league history to win back-to-back MVP’s. James averaged 29.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 8.6 assists this season. The 25-year-old star joins Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Moses Malone, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Tim Duncan and Steve Nash as players who have won the award in consecutive years. Russell, Chamberlain and Bird won it three times in a row.

– Mavericks’ F Dirk Nowitzki will soon begin deciding on his player option for next season. Nowitzki is due $21.5M in 2010-11. If he leaves, it wouldn’t be for more money, but for a better chance of winning a championship.

“I have to keep my options open at this point, see what’s going on; got to get over this disappointment for a while. I’ll probably drown my sorrows for a bit, then start thinking about stuff like that in a week or two. As of now, I just want to keep my options open and see what happens.”

Speaking of the Mavs, president Donnie Nelson informed media members on Friday that there’s “nothing coming out of the blue” with regard to coach Rick Carlisle’s job situation. It sounds like he will coach the team again next season. Nelson and owner Mark Cuban don’t think Carlisle’s coaching is the reason they lost, and are set to work on upgrading the roster.

– Pacers’ G T.J. Ford has exercised his $8.5M player option for next season.

– Stephen Curry, Tyreke Evans and Brandon Jennings are joined by Darren Collison and Taj Gibson on the All-Rookie Team. The second team is made up of DeJuan Blair, James Harden, Jonas Jerebko, Jonny Flynn and Marcus Thornton. No surprises really, although this is just another example of how ridiculous it was that Blair fell so far into Round 2 in the draft.

– Tactical Operations has sued Wizards’ G Gilbert Arenas last week in Los Angeles County Superior Court in Santa Monica. The firm claims it obtained five Beretta pistols with silencers for Arenas in 2006 and has more than $70K for storing guns he bought and never picked up.

NHL

– Red Wings’ GM Ken Holland confirmed Friday night that F Jiri Hudler has been granted his release from Dynamo Moscow. “Jiri’s agent (Petr Svoboda) called last month and asked if we would be interested in him if he could get released, and I said we would be. We’re excited about getting a player who we know that is coming into the prime of his career.”

The 26-year-old Czech forward was caught in the middle of one of the many disputes between the NHL and the KHL, Russia’s top hockey league. Hudler agreed to go through salary arbitration with the Red Wings after turning down their five-year/$15M last summer. He then signed a two-year/$10M contract with Dynamo. Hudler will play for the Red Wings on a two-year contract worth $5.75M, a deal awarded to him by an arbitrator. He had 99 points his last two seasons, helping Detroit win the Stanley Cup in 2008 and reach Game 7 of the finals last year.

– The Predators have signed F Wade Belak to a one-year/$575K deal.

MLB

– Braves’ LHP Billy Wagner told Braves manager Bobby Cox that he plans to retire at the end of the season.

“I wanted a chance at 400, and that’s great. If it happens this year, great, if not, then so be it. Just try to make this one of those years to really enjoy and have a good time and maybe win a championship along the way. Plus Bobby, he’s always meant a lot to me, growing up. To play my final year and him being his final year – it was the right timing.”

Wagner, who turns 39 in July, has a 2.57 over his first seven appearances this season, notching one save in two chances. He has 386 career saves.

– OF Jermaine Dye told Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times that he thinks he can help the scuffling White Sox offense. “I could. You have to play a certain type of baseball in [U.S. Cellular Field], and small ball is nice, but you need a balance.” The White Sox are currently 9-13 while they rank dead last in the league with a .222 team batting average. Dye, 36, said he would be willing to be a designated hitter, outfielder and first baseman for the club, but that the wouldn’t play for $1.5M.

– The Phillies have placed RHP Ryan Madson (broken toe) on the 15-day DL retroactive to April 29. Madson kicked a metal chair after blowing a save Wednesday, breaking the toe.

– Dodgers’ OF Manny Ramirez (calf) is expected to go out on a minor league rehab assignment by the middle of next week. Assuming Ramirez obliges to a rehab assignment, he’ll most likely join Triple-A Albuquerque for a couple days. This would put him on pace to return from the DL as soon as he’s eligible on May 9.

– Rockies’ RHP Huston Street (shoulder) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Friday or Saturday. Street already tossed a 20-pitch bullpen session earlier this week, so he’s finally beginning to make progress. The Rockies still hope he can return sometime in May.

– Indians’ RHP Kerry Wood (back) could go out on a minor league rehab assignment early as soon as Sunday. Wood’s recent 40-pitch bullpen session went well enough that he won’t need to throw a simulated game before returning to action. It’s fair to assume he could be back with the Indians by the end of next week.

– Brewers’  prospect C Angel Salome will take an extended leave of absence. Salmome originally left Triple-A Nashville to prepare for the birth of a child, but eventually informed the Brewers that he was “struggling mentally” and was not ready to return to action. Assistant GM Gord Ash said, “He will go to Phoenix on Tuesday to work on getting mentally and physically prepared to play baseball again. He said he’s not mentally prepared to play at this time.” Salome, 23, batted .286/.334/.413 with six homers and 44 RBI with Nashville last season.

– An MRI on D’Backs’ Kris Benson’s injured shoulder revealed no structural damage. The plan is for Benson to resume throwing next week, so he could have a chance of rejoining Arizona’s rotation before the end of May.

– The Athletics have placed C Kurt Suzuki (strained intercostal muscle) on the 15-day DL retroactive to April 24. Suzuki will be eligible to return on May 9 and could be ready then.

– The NY Daily News reports that country star Mindy McCready, RHP Roger Clemens’ former mistress, says that Clemens had trouble in bed. Porn giant Vivid Entertainment is apparently set to release a tape on Monday that has an interview with McCready discussing her affair with Clemens in-depth. She confirms that the two met in 1991 when she was 15 and he was a married pitcher for the Red Sox in his late 20s. McCready goes on to say that Clemens suffered some erectile dysfunction issue when they were together, according to the paper, but was good in bed “when he could get it up.”

TNA

– Effective immediately, TNA has terminated the contract of Todd Clem (a.k.a. Bubba the Love Sponge).

WWE

– WWE has released Tony Atlas.

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WWE

– After well over a decade with WWE and playing a crucial role in the company’s success during that period (on and off camera), Jim Ross’ WWE contract expires today and he very well could become a free agent at midnight.

Ross met with TNA President Dixie Carter and her father Bob earlier this month and has several other options on his plate outside of wrestling. With days until he’s eligible to make some major career path changes, Ross wrote the following on Twitter earlier this week:

“I’ve had a blessed and amazing career full of unbelievable experiences. This wk is memorable 4 what hasn’t happened. Blessing n disguise?”

Ross posted another update on his blog on Thursday:

“I’ve had a couple of conversations with WWE officials this week about a potential new assignment within the company. Nothing has been finalized as of yet and my existing talent agreement will end Friday without fanfare. I will continue to handle some administrative matters until an agreement is or isn’t reached.”

NHL

– F Jiri Hudler is expected to sign a two-year contract with the Red Wings on Friday. Hudler was released from his Moscow Dynamo contract this month as the team is ready to fold. Hudler was awarded a two-year deal last off-season by an arbitrator for $2.875M per season. While he is unable to play in the playoffs this season, Hudler will add some extra goal scoring to the Red Wings attack next season. He could be a 30 goal, 60 point player in Detroit in 2010-11.

– The Red Wings have assisant VP Steve Yzerman permission to speak with the Lightning regarding their vacant GM job.

– The NY Post is reporting that Devils’ GM Lou Lamoriello, who is looking for his fifth head coach in six seasons, will consider John MacLean, who holds the record of most goals by a Devil with 347 of them. MacLean has been an assistant coach for the team for six seasons, a consistent presence while all that change went on above him from season to season. Others supposedly near the top of the list are Ken Hitchcock and Craig MacTavish. A few who will likely get a look are Bob Hartley, Kevin Dineen, Mike Keenan, and Guy Carbonneau.

NBA

– The Dallas Morning News reports that Mavericks’ F Dirk Nowitzki is considering leaving the Mavs this offseason. “I wanted to obviously have a long playoff run here and go for my dream again. And now I’m just obviously too shocked and too disappointed. I haven’t really thought anything about my future yet. I guess I’ve got some time now to think about some stuff, think about my options.” Disco Dirk has $21.5M player option left. Stay tuned.

– The Chicago Tribune reports that the Bulls may be placing F Luol Deng and G Kirk Hinrich on the trade block. The Bulls will have $20-22M to spend on free agents this summer and the team’s apparent hope is to get a sign-and-trade deal done with another team in exchange for Hinrich and/or Deng and still have $16.57M left over to offer a maximum contract to a big-name superstar.

– The Philadelphia Daily News reports that the Sixers are speaking with former Mavs coach Avery Johnson. Other candidates include Mavs’ assistant Dwane Casey, Celtics’ associate coach Tom Thibodeau, Spurs’ assistant Mike Budenholzer, former Raptors’ coach Sam Mitchell, and NBA television analysts Jeff Van Gundy and Mike Fratello.

MLB

– Dodgers’ SS Rafael Furcal (left hamstring) received a platelet rich plasma injection on Thursday. Dodgers’ manager Joe Torre said Furcal was not available to pinch hit on Thursday night, but could be available off the bench on Friday. “I think we’ll have to wait and see how it goes the next couple days. We’re not going to out there an have him play shortstop unless he’s ready. It’s not like being a DH.”

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Quarterfinals Recap

Let me start off by saying that I missed only a few games this round. The quality of playoff hockey has been outstanding thus far. The Habs/Caps shocked everyone, and no one thought the Habs would push 7, let alone win it. Jaroslav Halak stood on his head, pushing 7 games and making 131 of 134 stops in the final three games to get them there. The Canadiens are the ninth No. 8 team to knock off a No. 1 in 32 matchups since the NHL went to its current playoff format in 1994—and the first to come back from a 3-1 series deficit. This series is living proof that the phrase “offense wins games, defence wins championships” rings as true today as the day it was coined. All you need to shut down a great offence is a team that can play defence as a cohesive unit. There’s *nothing* I love more than watching a high-powered offence, better yet, a President’s Trophy-winning team, come into the playoffs and lose to the 8th seed after being up 3-1. Ladies and gentlemen, the regular season means nothing once you clinch a postseason spot.

Jersey/Philly shocked a lot of people. Philly is seriously banged up heading into round 2. This series is proof that physical hockey is what wins in the playoffs. I almost picked Buffalo over Boston. The TSN Panel made a good point saying, “beware of good teams having bad seasons,” and Boston is surely one of them. Tuukka Rask has been phenomenal. Pittsburgh/Ottawa was your average series. Not much to say here, really.

In the West, San Jose’s Game 1 loss had me thinking, “here we go again.” But no. Not yet, at least. We’ll see how they do in the second round. Good on the Avs to push 6, as no one expected them to do anything this season. Chicago/Nashville was probably the most dreadful to watch so far. Boring tempo, but again we see Nashville sent packing on home ice. Vancouver/LA was great. I loved this series beginning to end. Probably the most entertaining to watch among all of them. Phoenix/Detroit was also fun. Detroit is terrible when playing in afternoon games. They had a chance to win it in Game 6, but no dice, as the offence couldn’t beat Ilya Bryzgalov. As close as the series was, Detroit destroyed Phoenix on home ice in Game 7. Not even close. Gotta wonder what the series would be like had Shane Doan not been injured.

Last round, I went 6-2. I love seeing the top 3 teams in the East being out. Shows you how unbalanced their conference is during the regular season. I was stupid to pick the Devils over the Flyers. I had forgotten Jersey was out in the first round for three consecutive years, and now without guys like John Madden, etc. there was no way they’d advance. Fear not, since Philly is beaten up and won’t advance. No one saw the Habs taking the Caps. I had them pencilled in to lose in round 2, but hey, the sooner the better. I hate Alex Ovechkin.

Eastern Conference

(4) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (8) Montreal Canadiens

Game 1 @ PIT, Fri, Apr 30 7:00pm EDT, TV: CBC, RDS
Game 2 @ PIT, Sun, May 2 2:00pm EDT, TV: NBC, CBC
Game 3 @ MON, Tue, May 4 7:00pm EDT, TV: CBC, RDS
Game 4 @ MON, Thu, May 6 7:00pm EDT, TV: CBC, RDS
Game 5 @ PIT, Sat, May 8 7:00pm EDT, TV: CBC, RDS
Game 6 @ MON, Mon, May 10 7:00pm EDT, TV: CBC, RDS
Game 7 @ PIT,Wed, May 12, TBD, TV: CBC, RDS

Make no mistake – Pittsburgh is not Washington. The Caps are not a complete team. The Penguins are, and that’ll get them by the Habs. You can shut down Alex Ovechkin since his game is one-dimensional – all he has is his shot – but Sidney Crosby is a playmaker and looks to shoot only after he can’t make the setup. Jaroslav Halak won’t be able to shut down the Pens like he did the Caps.

Pick: Pens in 6

(6) Boston Bruins vs. (7) Philadelphia Flyers

Game 1 @ BOS, Sat, May 1 12:30pm EDT, TV: NBC, TSN
Game 2 @ BOS, Mon, May 3 7:00pm EDT, TV: TSN, VS.
Game 3 @ PHI, Wed, May 5 7:00pm EDT, TV: TSN, VS.
Game 4 @ PHI, Fri, May 7 7:00pm EDT, TV: TSN, VS.
Game 5 @ BOS, Mon, May 10 7:00pm EDT, TV: TSN, VS.
Game 6 @ PHI, Wed, May 12, TBD, TV: TSN, VS.
Game 7 @ BOS, Fri, May 14 7:00pm EDT, TV: TSN, VS.

Beware a good team having a bad season. With Marc Savard back, the Bruins get an added lift in spirit and on offence. Philly has played incredibly through all their injuries, but the difference is in net, and Tuukka Rask is easily better than Brian Boucher. Everyone who struggled in Boston during the regular season – Milan Lucic, David Krejci – all seem to be stepping up when it counts. This series will come down to goaltending and special teams.

Pick: Bruins in 7

Western Conference

(1) San Jose Sharks vs. (5) Detroit Red Wings

Game 1 @ SJ, Thu, Apr 29 9:00pm EDT, TV: TSN, VS.
Game 2 @ SJ, Sun, May 2 8:00pm EDT, TV: TSN, VS.
Game 3 @ DET, Tue, May 4 7:30pm EDT, TV: TSN, VS.
Game 4 @ DET, Thu, May 6 7:30pm EDT , TV: TSN, VS.
Game 5 @ SJ, Sat, May 8 10:00pm EDT, TV: TSN, VS.
Game 6 @ DET, Mon, May 10 7:30pm EDT, TV: TSN, VS.
Game 7 @ SJ, Wed, May 12, TBD, TV: TSN, VS.

This is the year that the Sharks finally beat the Wings. Their defence has looked awful, and it’s going to bite them in the ass. The Sharks are too fast, too deep and too big. Evgeni Nabokov will need to be stellar. Joe Pavelski will be key to their success. The Wings are also coming off a tiring trip against Phoenix that pushed 7 games, and they get no rest. Almost any other time, I’d say playoff experience wins it. But if San Jose’s top line doesn’t score, this series is up for grabs.

Pick: Sharks in 7

(2) Chicago Blackhawks vs. (3) Vancouver Canucks

Game 1 @ CHI, Sat, May 1 8:00pm EDT, TV: CBC, VS.
Game 2 @ CHI, Mon, May 3 9:00pm EDT, TV: CBC, VS.
Game 3 @ VAN, Wed, May 5 9:30pm EDT, TV: CBC, VS.
Game 4 @ VAN, Fri, May 7 9:30pm EDT, TV: CBC, VS.
Game 5 @ CHI, Sun, May 9 8:00pm EDT, TV: CBC, VS.
Game 6 @ VAN, Tue, May 11 9:30pm EDT, TV: CBC, VS.
Game 7 @ CHI, Thu, May 13 8:00pm EDT, TV: CBC, VS.

Many picked the Canucks to win the Cup. I don’t see it. It depends on how Roberto Luongo plays. Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook will shut down the Sedins, and they’ll need to if they want any chance. The ‘Hawks took out the Canucks in six games last season, and they’re a better team this year despite a novice goalie in Antti Niemi. This will be a battle of who has the better goalie. Blackhawks can’t fall into a 2-1 hole like they did with the Preds, otherwise Canucks take it. They’ll start off strong.

Pick: Blackhawks in 6

NHL
2008: 12-3 (80%)
2009: 10-5 (67%)
2010: 6-1-1 (86%)
Total: 22/30 = 73%

NBA
2008: 11-4 (73%)
2009: 9-6 (60%)
2010: 0-0 (00%)
Total: 20/30 = 67%

MLB
2008: 5-2 (71%)
2009: 4-3 (57%)
Total: 9/14 = 64%

NFL
2008: 9-2 (82%)
2009: 7-4 (64%)
Total: 16/22 = 73%

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NBA

– Further examination of Cavaliers’ F LeBron James (right elbow) has concluded that he has a strain and a bone bruise of his olecranon. He will undergo daily treatments and get another MRI next week. He’s not supposed to miss any games, although a hard hit to the elbow from the Celtics could change that.

– Kings’ G Tyreke Evans has officially been named Rookie of the Year, easily beating out Warriors’ G Stephen Curry and Bucks’ G Brandon Jennings. Evans was hot from the start of the season and despite being slowed by injury briefly, had a great first year.

– Spurs’ F DeJuan Blair wrecked his car on Thursday, suffering minor injuries. He is still scheduled to play in Thursday’s Game 6. He suffered shin and thigh bruises when a piece of debris caused him to veer the Camaro he was driving into a wall.

NHL

– Capitals’ F Alex Ovechkin is one of three finalists for the Hart Trophy, awarded to the NHL’s MVP. Penguins’ F Sidney Crosby and Canucks’ F Henrik Sedin are also finalists. Ovechkin is attempting to tie Wayne Gretzky and Bobby Orr as the only players who have won the Hart in three straight seasons. Gretzky won it eight consecutive times and nine times in ten seasons, so Ovechkin still has a ways to go to tie him. Sedin is believed to be the frontrunner.

– Sabres’ D Craig Rivet (shoulder) will undergo major shoulder surgery in the off-season. The surgery will sideline him for at least the beginning of next season as recovery time will be four to six months. He suffered the injury on November 29, and missed most of the next five weeks, playing only three games in the interim. Look for Rivet to return in October or November.

“I was stuck with this exact same decision last year. Ultimately, I wanted to try and fight through the injury and not have the major surgery. The doctor said, ‘It’s just going to be your decision because you’re going to have to deal with the pain.’ The pain could be dealt with, but when I think it’s taking away from your game and how you want to play, I think right now we need to go the other route and make sure when I do come back next year I’m able to perform the way I should.”

NFL

– The Eagles have signed QB Kevin Kolb to a one-year/$12.26M extension. The deal includes a whopping $10.7M signing bonus to get around the “30%” rule. Kolb would have drawn a longer extension, but the Eagles had to work around the uncapped year’s restriction on base salaries jumping more than 30%. The Eagles are still showing a commitment to Kolb by bringing his salary in line with other premier quarterbacks in the league. Now signed through 2011, he won’t have to look over his shoulder at QB Michael Vick when the hometown fans turn fickle.

MLB

– The MLB has adopted All-Star Game modifications. The changes have been agreed to by the MLBPA and will be in effect for the 2010 Midsummer Classic in Anaheim. The changes are as follows:

- The DH rule will now be utilized by both teams regardless of whether the All-Star Game is played in an AL or a NL ballpark. The National League’s starting DH will be selected by the N.L. All-Star manager, while the AL’s starting DH will continue to be selected via fan balloting.
- Any pitcher selected to an All-Star Team who starts a regular season game on the Sunday immediately preceding the All-Star Game will not be eligible to pitch in the ASG and will be replaced on the roster. The pitcher who is ineligible to play in the ASG will be recognized as an All-Star, will be welcome to participate in All-Star festivities and will be introduced in uniform.
- Rosters will be expanded from 33 players to 34 players, consisting of 21 position players and 13 pitchers. Last year’s 33-man rosters consisted of 20 position players and 13 pitchers.
- In addition to the existing injured catcher rule, one additional position player who has been selected to an All-Star Team will be designated by each All-Star manager as eligible to return to the game in the event that the last position player at any position is injured.

– Athletics’ RHP Justin Duchscherer (hip) said Thursday that his new left hip injury feels “identical” to the right hip injury that required two surgeries in 2007-2008. Not good. It’s not a guarantee that this hip injury will cause the same extended issues, but it certainly sounds like some DL time will be coming. Duchscherer had a 2-0 record, 1.82 ERA and 1.26 WHIP before Thursday’s start.

– The Padres have placed SS Everth Cabrera (right hamstring) on the 15-day DL. Cabrera should be back in three weeks.

– The Royals have placed LHP John Parrish (left rotator cuff inflammation) on the 15-day DL retroactive to April 25.

– The Dodgers have transferred C Brad Ausmus (pinched nerve in lower back) to the 60-day DL.

– The D’Backs have placed RHP Kris Benson (shoulder) and RHP Leo Rosales (sprained foot) on the 15-day DL.

WWE

– Jim Ross’ current contract with WWE is set to expire tomorrow. Though it’s possible he will sign another short-term extension, friends are saying there’s a good chance he’ll explore life outside WWE. As noted previously, Ross met with TNA president Dixie Carter and her father in early April regarding joining the organization. He has also had discussions with HDNet in regards to becoming the voice of the network by calling MMA and United Football League events. Ring of Honor could also be tied potentially into the deal. He is said to have a number of options these days, so there is no guarantee he will ultimately wind up in TNA. With that being said, TNA officials plan on making a strong offer to Ross to bring him in as an announcer with some semblance of internal power.

– Former WWE Diva Joanie “Chyna” Laurer has been accused of viciously attacking a female friend in Los Angeles over the weeekend. The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating Chyna for battery after her accuser, Gabriella Targos, says Chyna got so violent with her she thought she was going to die.

According to TMZ.com, the incident occurred Saturday night at a motel in Sherman Oaks, CA. According to the accuser, Chyna called her and told her to meet her at the motel. When she arrived, she claims Chyna immediately attacking her for no reason – punching her in the face, dragging her by her hair, beating her with a wire hanger and threatening to kill her. Gabriela says she was able to break free and ran out of the motel room and found a few police officers.  So far, no arrests have been made.

– As many have noticed, Todd Grisham is the odd man out of the broadcast booth on pay-per-view nights. While Vince McMahon is hard on Michael Cole (he was all over him Sunday night at Extreme Rules), there is no reason to believe Grisham will be featured more prominently as he is said to be down on him as a play-by-play announcer. On the other side of the coin, McMahon is said to be high on Matt Striker as SmackDown’s color commentator.

– WWE’s decision to cut Katie Lea cut was something not known well in advance as the creative team had earlier in the week decided to move her to SmackDown, before getting the word that she wasn’t going to be part of the draft due to her termination from the company. There had also been talk of moving Gail Kim to SmackDown during the Draft to replace recently released babyface female performers Mickie James and Maria Kanellis, but internally, Kelly Kelly is seen as the bigger star and thus she got the nod.

– The Great Khali was drafted to Raw during Tuesday’s Supplemental Draft because company officials don’t want him on the same brand as Big Show. With Show’s gimmick being “The World’s Largest Athlete,” it wouldn’t make much sense to have someone bigger than him on the same show.

– Jim Ross has updated his blog, which you can (and should) check out in its entirety at JRsBarBQ.com. Some highlights:

Finding New Talent: Wrestling organizations should wake up each morning asking themselves the question, “Where are we going to find tomorrow’s main event stars?” Or, they can be held as prisoner’s of the past and have no one to blame but themselves.

Tito Ortiz & Jenna Jamison: Now the story making the rounds is that UFC legend Tito Ortiz and wife Jenna Jamison simply had a ‘misunderstanding’ and that their alleged domestic issue has been blown out of proportion. Tito has contributed a great deal in MMA for many years even though he has, at times, had a volatile relationship with Dana White, President of UFC. The harsh reality is now what does UFC do about this matter as it relates to contractually retaining Tito?” He added, “My hope is that Ortiz can address any issues that he may have and that he and Jameson can use their energies to provide a great upbringing for their twin sons. If that matter is already in play then that’s a great thing for the couple who one would assume should be financially secure.”

Chyna’a (Alleged) Violent Attack On Her Friend: Too bad to hear about Joanie ‘Chyna’ Lauer having some apparent legal problems in southern California. I don’t know the complete story regarding this matter but if, for some reason, Joanie needs help with any on going issues I would suggest that she reach out to WWE and ask for assistance. WWE helping their alumni is a wonderful thing and providing this care isn’t a inexpensive gesture.

TNA

– Hulk Hogan mentioned during his appearance this morning on the Howard Stern Radio Show that Torrie Wilson has called TNA management looking for work. Wilson, 34, was forced to retire from wrestling two years ago as a result of a debilitating back injury.

– Charlie Haas and Jackie Gayda have had discussions with TNA on joining the organization once the former tag team champion’s 90-day no-compete clause with WWE expires. He was released from WWE on February 28. Gayda briefly worked with TNA several years ago as a member of Jeff Jarrett’s stable, Planet Jarrett. She parted ways with the organization in May 2006 after announcing she was pregnant. She subsequently retired from the wrestling industry altogether.

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WWE

– One of the biggest stories in wrestling right now is that Jim Ross’ latest short-term WWE contract extension is set to expire. After well over a decade with WWE and playing a crucial role in the company’s success during that period (on and off camera), Ross could very likely become a free agent this weekend.

Ross met with TNA President Dixie Carter and her father Bob earlier this month and has several other options on his plate outside of wrestling. With days until he’s eligible to make some major career path changes, Ross wrote the following on Twitter early this morning:

“I’ve had a blessed and amazing career full of unbelievable experiences. This wk is memorable 4 what hasn’t happened. Blessing n disguise?”

Speculation, and fueled by this Twitter post, is that “what hasn’t happened” is WWE not making a push to keep JR. Stay tuned.

– Playing kayfabe, Matt Hardy wrote on Twitter that he will be out of action for a few weeks due to the recent attack from Drew McIntyre.

“Sorry I couldn’t wrestle on Raw last night due to my head injury caused by that reckless bastard Drew McIntyre,” Hardy wrote. “Looks like I’m gonna be out of the ring for a couple weeks. I apologize to my fans for that. I just hope I’m cleared & they allow me to get back in a WWE ring soon.”

– For those curious, there is indeed heat between Matt Striker and Jerry Lawler. Michael Cole is also not a fan of Striker. The former teacher reportedly has a reputation for coming off as an elitist, which rubs a number of his peers the wrong way.

“He has a long way to come off as good as he thinks he is,” said one company source regarding Striker.

There have been times where Striker wanted to prepare for broadcasts with Cole and Lawler, but he irritates them so much they go out of their way to avoid him until show time. Though many of his co-workers feels he comes off as an annoyance, there have been several accounts of Striker going out his way to please fans after shows.

NBA

– The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports that if the Heat re-sign G Dwyane Wade, F Michael Beasley could be traded this summer. Beasley has one-year/$5M year left on his contract with a player option for 2012.

– ESPN reports that Lakers’ owner Jerry Buss doesn’t want to pay coach Phil Jackson his $12M for next season, and it’s believed that Jackson may not coach the Lakers next season. The 64-year-old Jackson will be coaching “somewhere” next season and apparently isn’t mentally ready to leave coaching.

– Nuggets’ F Nene (knee) is not likely to play again against the Jazz in the first round due to a sprained left knee, and possible torn ACL suffered in Wednesday’s win. Nene is scheduled for an MRI on Thursday, which will determine the severity of the injury, although it sounds like the Nuggets think he tore his ACL. This is a big blow to the Nuggets, who could be eliminated by the Jazz in Friday’s Game 6 at Utah. And losing Nene for the rest of the playoffs is also a big hit if they somehow get by the Jazz.

– The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the Sixers are pushing hard to get Larry Brown, 69, to be the head coach, rather than accepting the front office job.

– Updating a previous item, Magic’ F Dwight Howard was fined $35K by the NBA on Wednesday for complaints about the refs he posted on his blog on Tuesday. Now that he has been fined again, a suspension would be next in line, as the NBA has threatened in advance.

– Bulls’ F Taj Gibson (f0ot) will undergo shockwave therapy to alleviate the plantar fasciitis in his left foot. This is the same procedure F Joakim Noah had this season, and beat writer K.C. Johnson notes that “[shockwave therapy] is a form of surgery.”

NHL

– It was revealed that Predators’ F Patric Hornqvist played with a broken hand in Game 6 on Monday. Hornqvist suffered the injury in the penultimate game of the regular season, but the team kept it hidden, calling it an upper body injury. (We guess that he kept his hand elevated the entire time.) Hornqvist managed to play in Game 1 but couldn’t play any further until Game 6. “It feels good the first game, but it gets worse and worse. I came back in the last game and it was so-so.” The Predators’ leading goal scorer in the regular season will be fine for camp in September.

NFL

– According to NFLFanhouse’s Nancy Gay, the Raiders are still deciding whether to allow QB JaMarcus Russell to show for minicamp on Friday. Even Raiders employees have no clue what Al Davis will decide. PFT’s Mike Florio suggests the sides are playing chicken, with Davis ultimately hoping to recover some of the nearly $40M already paid out to Russell.

– The Redskins have signed WR Joey Galloway to a one-year contract. Galloway, 38, bounced between the Patriots and Steelers’ rosters last year, managing seven catches for 67 yards as a reserve. He’s unlikely to help the Redskins if he makes the team.

– The Rams have acquired S Kevin Payne from the Bears in exchange for a conditional 7th-round pick in 2011. Chicago gets the 7th-rounder if Payne makes the Rams’ 2010 roster. Payne, 26, racked up 88 tackles, four picks, and seven pass breakups as a 16-game starter in 2008, but lost his spot for unknown reasons.

MLB

– Orioles’ 2B Brian Roberts (back, abdomen) underwent an endoscopy Wednesday to discover the root of some stomach pain he’s been having. The issue shouldn’t affect his ongoing recovery from a back and abdomen injury. He’s been cleared to begin light exercises within the last week and will hopefully begin playing in simulated games shortly. The O’s have not announced a timetable for his return, but mid-May sounds fair.

– Mets’ OF Carlos Beltran (knee) was fitted for a custom brace on his right knee in Colorado last week in hopes of accelerating his rehab. Still, Beltran did not receive medical clearance to begin running. He originally hoped to begin running on April 10 in anticipation of a return in early May, but with little in the way of progress, June is beginning to sound optimistic.

– MLB.com reports that the D’Backs will place RHP Kris Benson (shoulder) on the 15-day DL.

TNA

– TNA is said to have interest in recently-released Mickie James. It is highly likely she will join TNA providing she decides to continue wrestling. She has yet to publicly indicate whether she will continue in the industry. TNA officials have also began talks with Jimmy Wang Yang, who previously wrestled for the organization several years ago. Some have noted Yang leaving TNA on bad terms as he no-showed a pay-per-view date when he signed with WWE for a second time. However, it’s been noted as a thing of the past as it occurred many years ago and almost everyone in management wasn’t around then.

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NHL

– Coyotes’ coach Dave Tippett is a finalist, and the favourite, for the Jack Adams Award. He was given the coaching reigns of the Coyotes just one week before the start of the regular season and in the midst of an off-season filled with turmoil for the organization. However, he gave them structure and helped them to a fourth overall finish in the NHL. The Coyotes posted franchise records for wins (50), home wins (29) and points (107) in a single campaign and they were back in the playoffs for the first time since 2002. They finished with 14 more wins and 28 more points than they had a year ago, while scoring 17 more goals and most importantly allowing 50 fewer ones.

The other nominees are Avalanche’ rookie head coach Joe Sacco and Predators’ coach Barry Trotz. Sacco went 43-30-9 in his first year behind the bench and helped the Avalanche reach the postseason one year after they finished last in the Western Conference. Since the current playoff format was established for the 2000-01 season, the Avalanche are the first to go from the worst in the West to the playoffs. Nashville (47-29-6) reached the playoffs for the fifth time in six seasons under Trotz, the only coach in team history. The Predators went 14-6-1 after the Olympic break, the fourth-best mark in the NHL. Trotz became the sixth coach to reach 900 games with one team—joining Adams, who did it with Detroit.

All three of this year’s finalists were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. Voting was completed at the end of the regular season. The Jack Adams Award is voted on by members of the NHL Broadcasters’ Association. The winner will be announced as part of the league’s awards ceremony on June 23 in Las Vegas.

MLB

– Phillies’ SS Jimmy Rollins (calf) has begun a light running program and batting practice, but GM Ruben Amaro Jr. has yet to announce a timeline for his return. “We’ll keep progressing him. We’ll see how he feels next week when he gets back [home].” Amaro refused to give a timeline, but teammates suggest he’ll be back by the second week of May. If that’s the case, he would most likely begin a minor league rehab assignment next week. This is all very tentative, so stay tuned.

– Athletics’ LHP Brett Anderson (elbow, forearm) is slated to begin throwing in two weeks after an MRI on Tuesday revealed a muscle strain near his left flexor tendon. According to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle, none of the Athletics staff have heard anything about Anderson missing four to six weeks, as was reported by Buster Olney of ESPN.com on Tuesday.

WWE

– The Wrestling Observer reports that Mickie James was moved to SmackDown this past fall because she didn’t professionally handle breaking up a relationship from a top WWE star, thus resulting in company officials separating the two on different brands. For those curious, the wrestler in question is John Cena, who James knew full well is a married man. Reportedly, James had become too much of a nuisance backstage at WWE events and some people in power wanted her “out of their hair.” Also note, this is not the first time in which a top WWE star involved in a relationship has denied her advances.

– The Wrestling Observer reports that Batista is probably done after Over the Limit. His contract is up soon and he wants to go after an acting career. Rey Mysterio’s knee still needs surgery, but he’s currently working through the injury. Vince thinks he won’t be around much longer, so they might put Dos Caras Jr. as the next Mexican star, but his performance level is nowhere near Rey’s.

Speaking of Rey and Batista, they’re two superstars who have been “problematic” for WWE as of late. As we all know, Batista is on his way out of the company soon to pursue his acting career. WWE recently passed up on Batista for a WWE Studios movie role and gave the spot to Triple H, largely because the company was uncertain that Batista would still be with the company to promote the movie release. As for Mysterio, who has a long time left on his contract, he’s apparently making a fuss again about money. Mexico is currently one of WWE’s hottest markets they are searching for another Mexican star in case the two sides cannot come to terms. WWE newcomer Dos Cara made his debut on the recent European tour and worked as a heel.

– According to the Wrestling Observer, Mickie James has a college degree (from 2005-2007 while working for WWE) that was seen as a detriment to WWE management because it meant that she could leave the company on her own. There’s also another unnamed WWE superstar taking courses without WWE knowing for fear of losing his job.

– Bret Hart has been very hands-on mentoring David Hart Smith, Tyson Kidd and Natalya. He watches all of their matches and sends them a report card each week if he’s not on the road with them.

– WWE’s decision to cut Katie Lea cut was something not known well in advance as the creative team had earlier in the week decided to move her to SmackDown, before getting the word that she wasn’t going to be part of the draft due to her termination from the company.

– F4WOnline reports that there had also been talk of moving Gail Kim to SmackDown during the Draft to replace recently released babyface female performers Mickie James and Maria Kanellis, but the general feeling was that with Kelly Kelly being seen as a bigger star, she had to move to compensate the losses.

– According to the PWInsider, despite the lack of big name roster moves in this week’s WWE Draft, people within WWE still expect the company to beef up the SmackDown roster before the show moves to SyFy in October. The feeling is that WWE made the bigger moves to RAW this week because of SmackDown’s current lame duck status on MyNetworkTV. The current plan is to build the brand back up before October.

– At Extreme Rules, Rey Mysterio was attacked towards the end of the match, costing him the win against CM Punk. Contrary to belief, the masked man isn’t Joey Mercury, the former MNM member. It is in fact Alex Riley, the current FCW Florida Heavyweight Champion. riley has been in Developmental since October 2007 and defeated Justin Gabriel and Wade Barrett in a Triple Threat match to win the FCW Florida title.

TNA

– Maria Kanellis is in talks with TNA Wrestling to join the organization. She was released from her WWE contract on Feb. 26. Both sides just began discussing a deal and thus it’s too early to detail specifics. The former WWE Diva recently inked a deal with Mark Cuban’s HDNet/HDNet Fights as a backstage announcer and made her debut last month at the King of the Cage event in Reno, Nevada. Her position with HDNet would not prevent her from joining TNA.

– There is a report going around indicating that Lisa Marie Varon’s (a.k.a. Tara) current contract with TNA will be expiring shortly and that she may not re-sign. Reportedly, she is looking for a pay raise as well as more time off from the road in order to focus on her custom car shop in Louisville. In response to the report, she posted a blog on her MySpace account saying that her time with TNA appears to be coming to an end as they have been unable to come to an agreement on a contract renewal. She says she wanted a pay increase, but TNA didn’t budge. She wrote:

“It appears that I’m winding down at TNA. Unfortunately some organizations “leak” information to wrestling websites to put their spin on a situation, to make sure they come out in the best light. Not me. I’m gonna say it. I’m gonna put my name on it. And I’m going to stand behind it.

“I came to TNA last year because I still had a lot of wrestling left in me. I was paid a fraction of what I thought I deserved. But I wanted to show I was still at the top of my game. Now my contract is up in May. I want a modest pay increase. They don’t want to pay me what I think is fair. I have no problem going my own way.”

It was also indicated in the report that many people within the organization feel she’s difficult to work with, with a few complaints regarding her cited. Her in-ring work has also been questioned as some feel she’s not putting forth her best effort. In response to this, she wrote:

“But about 12 hours after the conversation where we didn’t agree on pay, unnamed sources claim that I am hard to work with and that I don’t give my best effort. My only response is that TNA made an aggressive effort to re-sign me, among other things saying that they want to build the women’s division around me. And I think wrestling fans see, both on TV and at live events, that I always give 100%. I take pride in that. Smearing me on the way out the door is an act of second rate character.

“I take pride in making my best effort to elevate my own wrestling and the entire TNA Women’s Division. If people were rubbed the wrong way in the process, I stand behind my work and my positive intentions.

“In closing I will say this. In the few weeks that I have left in TNA, I will be the same wrestler that you have seen for the past ten years. After that, I haven’t decided if I will stay in wrestling, or finally make the jump to MMA. I do have a lot of irons in the fire. We’ll see where life takes me. But wherever that is, there’s gonna be competition, and I’m gonna give it my all.”

– Conspicuously, TNA still has yet to remove Christopher Daniels’ bio from its website even though it has been confirmed that he was released from his contract. The reason he has not yet been removed the website is because the company is currently trying to sign him to a new deal. The key difference is that his former contract was a guaranteed money deal, which he signed a few years ago when he was pushed as one of the company’s top stars. They are now looking to sign him to a per-appearance deal. There was a near-unanimously negative reaction within the company and among the top wrestlers to him being let go.

– Angelina Love (ulnar collateral ligament tear) will not be undergoing surgery. She is expected to return to the ring next month.

– Internally, there has been almost no talk of TNA’s new ReAction program, which debuted with no publicity as an announcement was made online just two days before its premiere.

NFL

– The Denver Post reports that Broncos LT Ryan Clady (patellar tendon) has been injured in a non-football-related incident. According to the Post, “it could be serious.” A late-April patellar tendon tear would jeopardize Clady’s availability for Week 1, though the exact severity is unknown at this time.

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NHL

– Bruins’ F Marc Savard (concussion) has been cleared to play for the next round of the playoffs. Savard was tested by Dr. Jeremy Schmahamann the previous day and got the OK to return to the ice. Savard suffered a Grade 2 concussion on March 7 after a hit by Penguins’ F Matt Cooke. Savard started skating again last Monday.

– Flyers’ F Ian Laperriere (brain contusion, mild concussion) is out for the remainder of the playoffs. Laperriere was hit by a puck blocking a shot in the face during the third period of Thursday’s first-round playoff game with the Devils. Flyers’ GM Paul Holmgren said in a statement on the team’s website Tuesday that Laperriere saw doctors in Philadelphia on Monday and in Pittsburgh on Tuesday, and “Right now, it’s not safe for him to play.” Laperriere will not require surgery and will have another CT scan in about four weeks.

– The NHL Players’ Association will rename the Lester B. Pearson Award for Red Wings’ great Ted Lindsay. An official announcement will be made at the Hockey Hall of Fame on Thursday morning. Lindsay was one of the driving forces behind the creation of the NHLPA in the 1950s. The Hall of Famer won the Stanley Cup four times and led the NHL in scoring during the 1949-50 season. The NHLPA’s MVP award was first handed out during the 1970-71 season and named for Pearson, the former Canadian prime minister. It was one of the few major awards not named for someone associated with the league.

MLB

– Phillies’ OF Jayson Werth’s agent, Jeff Borris, is saying the two sides are at an “impasse” on contract talks, according to CSNPhilly.com. “I’ve had dialogue with [GM] Ruben [Amaro Jr.] since the winter meetings. I don’t want to rule out the possibility of his re-signing with the Phillies, but it would appear right now we’re at an impasse.” The soon-to-be 31-year-old is making $7M this season and he’s hitting .323 with three homers in 65 at-bats so far. He’s reportedly willing to wait until season’s end to work out a deal.

– To update a previous item, WEEI reports that Red Sox’ DH David Ortiz plans to retire in two or three years. Big Papi will likely be a free agent at the end of this season since it’s doubtful that the Sox will pick up its $12.5M option for next year, especially since he’s hitting a paltry .160. And that’s after he changed his offseason diet and workouts and dropped 20 pounds. Last year, he ended up hitting 28 homers but only .238.

– The Chicago Tribune speculates that the Brewers don’t have enough money to re-sign 1B Prince Fielder, and that he may go on the trade block. The report lists the Red Sox and White Sox are potential suitors. Don’t look too much into this.

–The Athletics have placed LHP Brett Anderson (left elbow inflammation, left forearm strain) on the 15-day DL retroactive to April 25.

– The Rockies have placed RHP Jason Hammel (strained right groin) on the 15-day DL, LHP Jorge De La Rosa (torn tendon in left middle finger) on the 15-day DL retroactive to April 26, and have transfered RHP Greg Reynolds to the 60-day DL.

NBA

– Updating a previous item, ESPN reports that Heat’ G Dwyane Wade is leaning towards re-signing with the Heat.

“I’ve said where my heart is, and I think any player that’s thinking about wanting to come to Miami, they know where my heart is. You just have to see things being done and accomplished. We see that, and we’ll be talking again…I can’t predict the future. It’s going to be a very important summer, it’s going to be a busy summer. We’ve got some work to do, the front office has to do it, and there’s no pressure on me.”

– The Sacramento Bee reports that Kings’ G Tyreke Evans will win the Rookie of the Year award tomorrow. Evans finished off the season with an average of 20.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game, making him the fourth rookie in league history after Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan and Cavaliers’ F LeBron James to average at least 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists. Warriors’ G Stephen Curry and Bucks’ G Brandon Jennings are expected to round out the top 3.

– Pistons’ G Ben Gordon (ankle) recently had surgery remove bone spurs and loose bodies from his left ankle. Gordon will wear a cast for three weeks and rehabilitation will begin immediately thereafter. He also battled hamstring and groin issues this season, but a summer of rest and rehab should have him 100% for the start of the 2010-11 campaign.

– Hawks’ G Jamal Crawford was named the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year Tuesday afternoon, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. No-brainer. Crawford was second on the Hawks in scoring at 18.0 points per game and shot 44.9 percent from the field — his best mark since the 2001-02 season.

– Magic’ F Dwight Howard was fined $15K by the NBA last November criticizing NBA refs on his blog, DwightHoward.com. He’s at it again, this time, about the series with the Bobcats.

“Ya’ll know that that series against Charlotte drove me crazy. I mean, it was almost comical at times how I was getting fouls called on me. There was nothing I could do out there and I felt like I couldn’t move without getting that whistle blown on me.

“I’m not looking to say anything to get myself in trouble with the league, but I just don’t see other star players getting called for fouls the way I get them. No star player in the league is outta games the way I am.”

WWE

– Monday’s 3-hour WWE RAW featuring the 2010 Superstar Draft and Randy Orton vs. Batista in the main event scored a 3.1 cable rating (2.6, 3.27, 3.34 for 4,628,000 viewers). The final 2 hours, RAW’s usual timeslot, did a 3.3 rating. Hours two and three of this week’s RAW were the two highest rated hours of TV on basic cable last night. Hour one was the fifth highest rated hour of the night.

Monday’s TNA iMPACT on Spike TV with Ric Flair vs. Abyss in the main event scored an 0.5 cable rating. and averaged 739,000 viewers. This is the lowest rating iMPACT! has done on Monday nights so far. It’s safe to say that the three-hour Draft took a big chunk out of TNA’s rating this week.

– The latest word on Ted DiBiase’s new stable with Brett DiBiase and Joe Hennig is that they will debut within the next two weeks.

– As we reported a few months back, Vince McMahon pulled the plug on WWE Survivor Series after a very weak buyrate last November. There had been talk of a “War Games” (double cage team elimination match) event replacing it this year, but that talk has died down and the fate of WWE’s November PPV is still up in the air.

– Jim Ross has updated his blog, which you can read in its entirety at JRsBarBQ.com. The highlights:

The 2010 WWE Draft: “The 3 hour WWE Draft featured a mix bag of results. RAW loaded up as USA and WWE prepares for Monday Night Football this fall. It is imperative for any Monday night wrestling program to plan long term and to be able to roll into the fall with some degree of momentum and interest from a storyline perspective.”

Women’s Wrestling: “We get lots of emails from fans of women’s wrestling. I hate to break the news to you die hards of this specific genre but unless the decision makers change their philosophy, and my money is on them not doing so, women’s wrestling is essentially going to remain a supplement to the overall product that will remain positioned to appease to the male demo by providing sex appeal. Don’t kill the messenger on this one but one can see this play out each week on TV. Yes, there are some very athletic women in wrestling, and, yes, there are some very lovely and hard working, dedicated ladies in wrestling, but the days of these ladies athletic abilities being fully utilized don’t see to me to be eminent. Provocative entrances and ring attire along with suggestive language seem to indicate that the dye has been cast and the women in today’s wrestling world know their role and most seem to be happy to have the work and to be getting TV exposure. Perhaps the athletic side of these women will become somewhat more of a focus.”

Talent Development: “While the soap box is out….nothing a wrestling company does is more important than establishing a viable, scouting program to find charismatic, world class athletes who have the aptitude and desire to become wrestling stars. This must be paired with a comprehensive training program whereby the rookies can learn different styles from a variety of instructors. If everyone learns the basic same nuances then what is accomplished other than a cookie cutter system that helps no one? Plus, the same instructors who never vary their teaching methods or techniques have likely found their comfort zones and a comfort zone is the proverbial kiss of death.”

His Future in Wrestling: “Conversations regarding one aspect of my pro wrestling future are scheduled to take place this week which should help me address this particular matter to some degree. As much as I love “the business” and I sincerely do, I have to decide what direction I need to take at this stage of my life as it relates to how I earn the grocery money.”

– In addition to yesterday’s Supplemental Draft, WWE made six more changes to the RAW and SmackDown rosters. Tyler Reks and Vance Archer’s were moved from ECW to SmackDown. The remaining ECW talents – Abraham Washington, Tony Atlas and Byron Saxton – have been removed from the WWE website. Curt Hawkins has also been removed from the SmackDown roster.

– F4WOnline is reporting that before last week’s round of talent cuts went down, the most recent set of drug test results had come in and there was at least one Wellness Policy violation. It was not specified who the violating party was, though, and WWE hasn’t made anything official.

NFL

– The Raiders are “preparing the process” of releasing QB JaMarcus Russell, according to ESPN’s John Clayton. NFL Network’s Michael Lombardi was all over this story as soon as the QB Jason Campbell trade went down. Despite coach Tom Cable’s protestations to the contrary, the Raiders were simply not going to risk an injury that would guarantee Russell $6.45M more than he’s already stolen. Al Davis’ hand-picked No. 1 overall pick in 2007 will likely be axed before this weekend’s minicamp, and he may struggle to find a second opportunity elsewhere.

– The Cardinals have signed OG Alan Faneca to a one-year/$2.5M contract. Faneca rejoins his old line coach and OC. Faneca won’t be handed a starting job, and he’s expected to compete for Wells’ left guard spot. Beat writer Kent Somers suggests a trade could be in the Cardinals’ future.

– Free agent S Darren Sharper will visit the Jaguars on Wednesday. It’s Sharper’s first visit of the offseason. He’s coming off an All-Pro season, but turns 35 in November and underwent arthroscopic knee surgery after the Super Bowl. The Cowboys are also thought to be in the mix for Sharper after dumping Ken Hamlin before the draft.

– The Bears have acquired SS Chris Harris from the Panthers in exchange for LB Jamar Williams. No word yet on the Panthers also receiving a future draft pick. Harris is expected to rework his original five-year/$13.3M contract. Though he’s dealt with injuries in each of the past two seasons, Harris is an immediate upgrade at strong safety for the Bears.

TNA

– TNA is interested in signing Shelton Benjamin, who was released from WWE last week. With Benjamin’s former tag team partner Charlie Haas currently a free agent, many within TNA want to see the company sign both Haas and Benjamin and reunite them with their former on-screen “mentor” in WWE, Kurt Angle. “Team Angle” was a dominant force on the SmackDown brand almost 10 years ago and that gimmick was arguably the peak of Haas and Benjamin’s WWE careers. Benjamin is the only recent WWE release that TNA is looking to pick up at this time.

– Taylor Wilde’s contract with TNA is expiring soon and there is talk it may not be renewed. She, along with Sarita, have been sparingly used since dropping the TNA Knockout Tag Team Championship this past January.

– Shark Boy’s contract with TNA is set to expire soon and many feel it will not be renewed. Though he has only worked one television match dating back to last year (a squash match loss to the debuting Brutus Magnus), he is still used at house shows as either a wrestler or referee. There was talk of having him come back unmasked as a backstage announcer, but it appears unlikely at this point.

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By: Michael Harrison – Toronto Blue Jays Way

To read more Toronto Blue Jays Way articles visit http://torontobluejaysway.blogspot.com/

Maybe there is a reason why Lyle Overbay has suddenly woken up and realized the season has started. If he has continued his dismal play any longer, his starting role could have been in serious jeopardy because Jays prospect Brett Wallace has been scorching hot at the plate with AAA Las Vegas.

Wallace, acquired in the deal that sent Roy Halladay to Philadelphia in the off-season, hasn’t disappointed in his brief tenure with the organization. In just 19 games, he has already smacked 8 home runs, driven in 13, hit for a solid .286 average to go along with a .375 on base percentage. Suffice to say, our first baseman of the future is clearly showing he wants to be tabbed the 1st baseman of the present.

Overbay, meanwhile, has finally picked up his play considerably, going 6 for his last 12 with 2 HR’s and 6 RBI in the last 3 games. However, even with the hot stretch, his average still sits at .183. Prior to the aforementioned three contests, he hit just .119 with only 3 RBI. Overbay, on the final year of his contract that will pay him $7 million this season, can keep his job if he swings the bat like he has recently. Any more massive lulls like he had at the start of the campaign, and he might not have to peer over his shoulder any longer, because Wallace will have taken over. The highly touted prospect has shown he’s ready to make his debut in the show.

To Raw:

The Great Khali & Ranjin Singh (1), Natalya (4), Ezekiel Jackson (6), Goldust (7), David Hart Smith & Tyson Kidd (10)

Analysis: Khali is technically on break now, but he’ll be nothing more than the occassional midcard match mixed with backstage comedy segments. Ranjin is a part of the WWE’s creative team, so he’s at all the TV shows. One wouldn’t move without the other. Jackson’s tenure with SD sucked – a handful of video packages, then an injury. I don’t think he’ll make that big of a splash on Raw with all the talent they have on that show. Apparently Goldust was on SD, but I totally forgot he was still with WWE. He’ll probably add to the comedy gimmick with his stuttering impediment.

I assume Natalya will get a push in the Women’s division, which she should’ve gotten from day 1. Because shes rarely used in matches, fans probably haven’t seen much of her or what she’s capable of, but she’s a solid performer. For some reason, David Hart Smith and Tyson Kidd count as one person, which is stupid since they drafted Natalya entirely by herself. So why split them there? Make up your damn mind – either draft them all as individuals, or just draft them as The Hart Legacy. About time they come to Raw, but unfortunately, their in-ring time will be cut drastically. As Unified tag champs, they’ll be back and forth between both shows for the time being.

To SmackDown:

Chavo Guerrero (2), Cody Rhodes (3), Chris Masters (5), Hornswoggle (8), Rosa Mendes (9), MVP (11)

Analysis: Chavo’s a decent performer that was pretty underused on Raw. He spent most of it jobbing to Hornswoggle, which he’ll probably continue doing on Friday nights. No surprise to see Cody being moved after the Legacy split. My guess is he’ll find himself in the Intercon/US title picture for a bit and probably win one of them at least once. Masters won’t do anything on SmackDown. He’s still in his mid-20′s, but he’s got no future in the WWE. He’ll stick around because Vince likes big guys, but I don’t ever see a push coming for him. Hornswoggle is ridiculous, and his time really should be up with WWE. He’s booked so ridiculously, and you just know him and Chavo will reunite. Rosa Mendes is a terrible performer, she always looks so lost. MVP was completely buried on Raw, and he needed a change of scenery. I like him much better as a heel. At least he’s got a decent chance at a push. Maybe they’ll yank the carpet under him like they did when he feuded with Orton for 25 minutes.

This was a 3-hour long ordeal. Thank God I didn’t do it live. At this point they had announced JTG as going to Raw and then they came back a few minutes later to say that’s wrong. I think that’s proof that they are doing this on a napkin. Great planning. Also, Vance Archer and Tyler Reks were moved to SmackDown. I haven’t missed a Raw in months, and I didn’t even know they were on Raw.

SmackDown continues to lose power (THD), but I’ll still catch a show every now and then to see CM Punk and Christian in action. All in all, my hope is that Christian gets a major title run, or at least a huge push. We’ll see how it goes, but he’s easily the most deserving guy on the roster that hasn’t been given anything. He’s been around for so long too, it’s years overdue.

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WWE

– The finish to last night’s Cena vs. Batista match at Extreme Rules was not the blow-off to “The Animal” as he will continue appearing on television for a few more weeks. He is expected to continue working through next month’s PPV in order to build to a storyline finish to his character.

For those who misses Raw, Batista defeated Randy Orton and Sheamus (with help from Edge) in a triple threat match in the main event to become the #1 contender to John Cena’s WWE Championship. Batista will face Cena at WWE’s new Over The Limit PPV on May 23. Batista will be appearing on WWE’s tour of Mexico during the second week of May. Following his match with John Cena at Over the Limit, he will be officially leaving the company. With one of the company’s top stars of the past decade leaving for good, expect a lot of buildup to his match with Cena next month.

While the idea of Batista becoming a free agent might sound great to TNA fans, don’t expect him to follow in the foot steps of Jeff Hardy and Rob Van Dam. The Animal plans to pursue a movie career and has aspirations to be the next WWE superstar to cross over into full time acting.

– Jim Ross has updated the Q&A section of his website JRsBarBQ.com with some commentary on a variety of topics. Ross’ WWE contract expires at the end of this month and its been widely reported that there is strong interest from TNA Wrestling if Ross and WWE are unable to come to terms. Here are some Q&A highlights of what he said about:

Possibly Going To TNA: “I am a fan of TNA and hope that they become successful and earn better TV ratings. Where I may or may not fit into their plans is TBD. I do have several outside of wrestling options that interest me but I haven’t lost my passion for pro wrestling either. I think it is good to have options. If TNA and us begin negotiations in earnest then both parties will actually know what the other wants or needs to make a potential deal work. That time hasn’t come.”

Paul Heyman Going To TNA? “Paul Heyman doesn’t seem interested in getting back into wrestling or so I hear. I guess time will tell. Bottom line is that for the pat 36 years I have been a total team player and don’t plan on changing my philosophy any time soon. If I commit to any entity they will get all that I have to offer, in or out of pro wrestling.”

TNA Hiring A Firm To Analyze Their Audience: “I’m not sure about the consulting matter as I have seen some research projects work well and some waste time and money. I’m not in that loop nor am I informed of the research in which they are doing. If the research was done in Philly then having the ECW brand still have equity doesn’t surprise me.”

NHL

– The Bruins are holding out F Marc Savard (concussion) until round 2 of the playoffs, as they still don’t have the results of his latest neuro-psych test.

– NorthJersey.com reports that F Ilya Kovalchuk said that coach Jacques Lemaire was the best coach he’s ever had. Lemaire’s retirement yesterday could potentially affect Kovalchuk’s ability to re-sign with the Devils. “Right now I can’t tell you anything because I just want to stay away from the game a little bit and spend some time with my family and regroup. I’ve still got time to think.” Devils’ GM Lou Lamoriello and Kovalchuk’s agent haven’t apparently spoken yet about a new deal.

NFL

– Steelers’ QB Ben Roethlisberger confirmed via statement Monday that he will not appeal his 4-6 game suspension for violation of the league’s conduct code. “Though I have committed no crime, I regret that I have fallen short of the values instilled in me by my family. I will comply with what is asked of me — and more.” One rumour had the Steelers on the verge of trading Big Ben during the draft, but the deal was never finalized. He’ll be barred from all offseason workouts until Roger Goodell determines he’s ready.

– Dolphins’ RB Ricky Williams says he is “unsure” about whether he’ll continue playing football past 2010. “There’s a very good chance it could be, but I’m not sure. My body is probably the single biggest factor in the decision. If you can’t be 100 percent, you can’t do it.” Ricky, 33, is 900 yards shy of Larry Csonka’s franchise rushing record. He’s only under contract through this year.

– The Philadelphia Daily News reports that free agent RB Brian Westbrook passed his physical with the Rams on Saturday and that he “might very well” end up with the Rams. St. Louis is believed to be offering an incentive-laden deal for Westbrook to back up RB Steven Jackson. Westbrook’s knee and ankle won’t hold up well on turf, and with the Rams, he’s guaranteed to play on turf at least 8 times. Westbrook was held out of practice when the Eagles practiced indoors. Stay tuned.

– The Bucs have released DT Chris Hovan, OG Arron Sears, FB B.J. Askew, P Sam Paulescu, CB Stoney Woodson, and OG Shawn Murphy. The only surprise here is that WR Michael Clayton wasn’t among the players cut. Hovan, 32, started all but one game for Tampa over the last five seasons. He may get a look from the Giants. Sears is currently battling a mental disorder believed to be depression-related, while Askew is coming off a serious neck injury.

MLB

– Two major sources have confirmed that Padres’ 1B Adrian Gonzalez and Cardinals’ 1B Albert Pujols are both looking to surpass the deal that Phillies’ 1B Ryan Howard signed (five-yea/$125M). Gonzalez, 27, becomes a free agent after next season if the Padres exercise their club option worth $5.5M, told FanHouse: “[Howard's deal] validates the fact that he’s worth that kind of money or more.” The Padres apparently haven’t had any kind of contract-extension talks with Gonzalez yet and now it doesn’t look like the team will have anything close to the amount of cash that he would need to stick around.

As for Pujols, the St. Louis Dispatch is reporting that he “figures to zoom by” Howard in the financial department when he becomes a free agent at the end of next year if the team exercises its $16M option for next season. Expect Pujols to sign in excess of $30M annually.

– MLB.com reports that the Phillies believe they can re-sign OF Jayson Werth, who is a free agent at season’s end. Contract negotiations with Werth’s agent apparently took a break while the Phillies worked out an extension with 1B Ryan Howard, but his agent told MLB.com that Howard’s big deal “shouldn’t have an effect one way or another” on what Werth does. Stay tuned.

– The Royals have transferred 3B Josh Fields (hip) to the 60-day DL. His season is likely finished.

– The Marlins have placed LHP Dan Meyer (strained left calf) on the 15-day DL retroactive to April 25.

– The Cardinals have placed INF Felipe Lopez (right elbow strain) on the 15-day DL. He has felt symptoms off-and-on since April 11, but that didn’t stop him from throwing an inning against the Mets last Saturday. Lopez was batting .273/.347/.432 with one home run and four RBI over his first 44 at-bats of the season.

NBA

– Kings’ G Tyreke Evans has won the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award, according to a report on Sactown Royalty. The source is pretty random, but it’s probably right. The official announcement is expected on Thursday or Friday. Evans became just the fourth rookie ever to average 20 points, five rebounds and five assists as a rookie.

– Yahoo! Sports reports that the Bobcats will fire coach Larry Brown this offseason. Charlotte considers the chances of Brown staying as “minimal at this point,” one league source said. “They’re proceeding like they’ll be looking for a new coach.” Brown is angling to take the Sixers’ presidency, and has targeted Wizards’ front office executive Milt Newton as his general manager and the Hawks’ Mike Woodson as coach, sources said.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the Sixers are interested in Brown for the coaching position, but Brown has already stated that he’ll only coach a Michael Jordan team. In all likelihood, he’ll be asked to take the aforementioned front office position.

– Mavericks’ F Erick Dampier has been fined $35K for publicly criticizing game officials.

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