MLB

– Former RHP Roger Clemens 6-count indictment alleges that one of the most dominant pitchers of his era obstructed a congressional inquiry with 15 different statements made under oath, including denials that he had ever used steroids or human growth hormone. As he did when he testified to a House committee in 2008, the seven-time Cy Young winner denied using the substances again Thursday and said he will fight to clear his name. “I never took HGH or Steroids. And I did not lie to Congress. I look forward to challenging the Governments accusations, and hope people will keep an open mind until trial. I appreciate all the support I have been getting. I am happy to finally have my day in court.”

– The Cardinals have acquired 3B Pedro Feliz and cash considerations from the Astros for RHP David Carpenter. Feliz was batting just .221/.243/.311 with four home runs and 31 RBI with the Astros this season. The Cardinals probably aren’t paying him much, so it’s worth the gamble.

– According to Micheal S. Schmidt of the NY Times, Roger Clemens will be indicted for perjury. According to two sources briefed on the matter, Clemens will be indicted on charges of making false statements to Congress during his testimony about his use of performance-enhancing drugs on February 13, 2008. An official announcement is expected shortly.

WWE

– Nexus’ member Skip Sheffield (broken left ankle) may require surgery and is expected to be out several weeks to months depending on the severity of the injury. He was reportedly injured at Wednesday’s Raw live event from Honolulu, Hawaii in a tag match with David Otunga versus The Hart Dynasty. Sheffield laid face-down in the ring after the match with an apparent leg injury. He was unable to walk by himself, could not put any weight on his left leg and had to be helped out of the ring and to the back. Sheffield had been positioned as the #2 star in Nexus behind Wade Barrett. With the previous departures of Daniel Bryan and Darren Young and now Sheffield being injured, the Nexus is down to only 5 members. There has been talk of bringing some of the Season 2 rookies into Nexus, including Husky Harris and Michael McGillicutty.

Which Season 2 rookies do you think would be a good fit for Nexus? Comment below and tell us.

– Former WWE superstar and concussion awareness champion Chris Nowinski recently spoke to New England’s NECN news show about the WWE work environment. Nowinski, who is a Harvard graduate and wrestled for WWE from 2002-2004 before having to retire after a head injury, paints an ugly picture of WWE encouraging steroid use, widespread use of pain pills and more.

Steroid Use In WWE: “The WWE rewards the guys who use them.”

The Unsafe Work Environment: “They have an environment where it’s absolutely unsafe to work in that ring. They have no oversight into what actually happens in the ring. And they are encouraging steroid use,” he said, citing the enormous physiques of recent champions such as Triple H and Batista. “It’s garbage that they’re not using stuff,” he said. “They absolutely know what’s going on.”

Painkiller Use In WWE: “They’re taking pain killers because they’re working 200 nights a year and getting hit unlike anyone in the history of the wrestling business — it wasn’t like that in the ’80s, it wasn’t like that in the ’70s” he said. “I used to go through tables for four days a week.”

Linda McMahon Saying She “Might Have Met”Lance Cade: “That’s complete garbage. Just kicking dirt on the guy’s grave.”

– The main event for October’s WWE Hell in A Cell PPV on October 3 will be Sheamus defending the WWE title against Randy Orton, according to local advertising in Dallas, Texas. Also discussed for the show is a match between The Undertaker and Kane.

NFL

– The Broncos have re-signed QB Kyle Orton to a 1-year,/$9M contract extension through 2011 with $5.5M in guarantees. A much deserved reward for Orton’s excellent training camp as well as an acknowledgment that he’s well ahead of QB Tim Tebow and QB Brady Quinn in coach Josh McDaniels’ offense. It’s no longer safe to assume that Tebow will take over the offense late in the season, and he may be a 1.5-2 years from seeing the starting lineup.

– ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that “early reports” on Vikings’ WR Percy Harvin’s migraine episode on the practice field Wednesday are encouraging. Bernard Berrian tweeted Thursday that “Percy’s doin’ fine everyone.” It sounds like Harvin avoided a migraine that could ache for several days. “It seemed like he was stable,” confirmed coach Brad Childress. The issue will remain a career-long concern for Harvin.

– ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the Chargers are “nowhere close” to getting holdout LT Marcus McNeill into camp despite Wednesday’s face-to-face meeting with GM A.J. Smith. McNeill isn’t actually considered a “holdout” because he’s not officially under contract. The 2-time Pro Bowler’s visit to Chargers’ headquarters Wednesday obviously didn’t do much. QB Philip Rivers’ blind-side protection remains a major concern.

– The Giants have signed G/T Shawn Andrews. The 2-time Pro Bowler is still just 27 years old and if he gets his head on straight, this would be a huge steal for the Giants. Expect Andrews’ contract to be largely incentive-based.

NHL

– The father of Leafs’ D Tomas Kaberle believes his son will be traded during the 2010-11 season. “I think that during the course of the year he will be traded to another club. There is only one chance for Toronto to get something back in return for Tomas now. In my opinion, I can’t see Tomas entering a new contract with the Toronto. Not if Ron Wilson continues to be employed there … I cannot imagine how he will get along with coach Wilson, who relies primarily on aggression and stress. That’s not Tomas, he’s a technical type of defender.” If Kaberle does end up being moved, then he will have to go to GM Brian Burke himself with a list of teams. Burke has been steadfast in his claim that he will not ask the offensive rearguard to waive his NTC. Stay tuned, this is far from over.

NBA

– Bucks’ F Andrew Bogut (elbow) could miss the first month of the new NBA season due to fluid buildup. “I’m optimistic that I should be ready for the season but you never know with these things because of the nerve damage and so on, it’s on its own course. I’m one of those guys who will play through injury but if I’m not 100% for the season to start, there is no sense going into an NBA season at 85% ’cause we’re playing up to May.”

– Pacers’ G Darren Collison (finger fracture) suffered the injury during a pickup game on the same day he was traded, and will be in a cast for at least 3 weeks. “It’s nothing serious. I’ll be out three to four weeks, so I’ll be well before training camp.” He should be fine heading into training camp.

– Thunder’ F Nenad Krstic was involved in a fight that broke out on the court during Serbia’s “friendly” against Greece, and at one point threw a chair into the middle of the court. Nobody was seriously hurt, but Kristic cowardly backpedaling from F Sofo Schortsanitis (aka Greek Shaq) was reminiscent of Carmelo Anthony vs. the Knicks in 2006. Krstic is likely to get a 2-game suspension by FIBA during the World Championships.

TNA

– In addition to Homicide, it would appear that both Tomko and Rosie Lottalove have parted ways with TNA, as their respective profiles were removed from the company website’s roster page Thursday. All three were sparingly used in recent months. In Homicide’s case, he noted on his social networking accounts earlier in the day that he had parted ways with the organization. Meanwhile, Lottalove’s photo gallery was removed from the Knockouts media section. Scott Hall, Sean Waltman, Daniels and ODB were also removed from the page, though their respective TNA departures were noted months ago.

VoV

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NHL

– Bruins’ F David Krejci (dislocated right wrist) will miss the rest of the NHL playoffs. The Czech had surgery to repair the wrist at a Baltimore hospital hours later. Krejci injured the wrist in the 4-1 win over the Flyers in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Krejci collided with Flyers’ captain F Mike Richards just before Boston scored the winning goal. The Bruins lead the best-of-seven series 3-0. He’ll be ready to start the 2010-11 season.

– Flyers’ F Simon Gagne (toe) practiced with the Flyers on Thursday. Gagne had surgery on his big toe on his right foot on April 23 after taking a couple of shots off it, in Game 4 of the first round against the Devils. He had two screws put in, and the fact that he’s already skating is remarkable. The Flyers down 3-0 in the series, so he may have to wait until next season to lace ‘em up.

– The finalists for the inaugural NHL GM of the year award are Don Maloney (Coyotes), George McPhee (Capitals) and David Poile (Predators). Maloney’s Coyotes had the most successful regular season in franchise history. McPhee’s Capitals set a club record with 121 points and the first Presidents’ Trophy in franchise history. Poile’s Predators recorded 100 points and qualified for the playoffs for the fifth time in the past six seasons. The winner will be announced during the Stanley Cup final, the NHL said in a release Thursday. Voting was conducted among the 30 club GMs and a panel of NHL executives, print and broadcast media.

– The sale of the Phoenix Coyotes to Jerry Reinsdorf is in jeopardy. According to TSN, the city of Glendale has asked Ice Edge Holdings to return to the bargaining table as a back up plan to buy the Coyotes, in the event the deal with Reinsdorf falls through. Glendale reached out to Ice Edge late last week amid growing concern Reinsdorf’s accepted bid to purchase the Coyotes from the National Hockey League is at risk of falling apart.

– The Sabres have signed defenseman Nick Crawford to a three-year entry level contract. Crawford finished second in voting for the OHL defenseman of the year, after a career high 70 points in 68 games split between Barrie and Saginaw. Among Canadian junior defensemen, Crawford was fourth in points last season. He finished with 23 goals and 117 assists in 264 career games.

NFL

– Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor has been arrested for rape. According to the report, Taylor is accused of beating and raping a 15-year-old “runaway from New York City controlled by a pimp.” The alleged incident occurred early Thursday morning at the Holiday Inn Holidome Hotel in Suffern, and charges are expected to be filed once police complete their investigation. LT has a very extensive history of off-season trouble. Very extensive. In 2001, Taylor was convicted of possessing drug paraphernalia in New Jersey. The conviction stemmed from the September 1998 discovery in a hotel room of a butane torch and other materials commonly used to smoke crack. In 1996 and 1997, he was arrested in South Carolina and Florida on drug charges. In those cases, he either admitted his guilt or agreed to enter a pretrial intervention program. In 2000, he drew five years of federal probation for filing false tax returns and for tax evasion.

– The Raiders have released QB JaMarcus Russell. Russell didn’t show enough at last week’s minicamp to justify carrying him as a $6.5M risk throughout the spring and summer. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 draft finishes his Raiders career with a 7-18 record, 52.1 completion percentage, 18:23 TD-to-INT ratio and a 65.2 passer rating. Considering his bloated contract ($40M over the past 3+ years), Russell may have bypassed QB Ryan Leaf as the biggest bust in NFL draft history. Don’t expect to see any other teams rushing out to sign Russell, but there are rumours that the Colts may kick his tires down the road.

– Bengals agreed to terms with CB Pacman Jones on a two-year contract for the veteran minimum with incentives. Pacman will officially sign on Monday. Owner Mike Brown had a busy day, also putting the finishing touches on FS Gibril Wilson’s contract. Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer confirmed that the Bengals believe they have nothing to lose by signing Pacman, other than taking shots from the media. Unless Jones significantly improves on his play from 2008, they have little to gain as well. He could be in the mix for nickel duties as well as punt returns, assuming he survives until September.

– Ravens’ S Ed Reed (hip surgery) is fully committed to playing football in 2010, according to his friend and financial adviser, Brad Davis. “Ed is as committed to football as I have ever seen. He told me he feels like he’s 25 again.” Reed is ahead of schedule in his return from a hip procedure that had doctors amazed he could finish out the season. Davis said Reed believes he could play for “several” more years barring another setback. The Ravens will take it easy with Reed during training camp, aiming for all systems go in Week 1.

– A Minnesota judge ruled Thursday that Vikings defensive tackles Kevin and Pat Williams must serve four-game suspensions stemming from the StarCaps case. The two are expected to appeal the ruling. The case will likely be taken to the state Court of Appeals. From there, the losing party could appeal to the state Supreme Court. The Williamses will ask to be able to play during the appeal process as they continue to argue that the NFL didn’t allow them to explain their use of StarCaps. If the Williams Wall does end up missing four games, it’s a big blow to the Vikings. Jimmy Kennedy and Fred Evans would be thrust into major roles.

MLB

– Astros’ 1B Lance Berkman told Jereome Solomon of the Houston Chronicle that he would consider waving his no-trade clause. “I would say yeah. I think it would benefit the organization, and in the end, it would be a benefit for whoever it is — whether it’s me, or Roy (Oswalt) or Carlos. I’m not saying we’re at the point where they should start pulling the plug on us, but they need to start thinking forward. If this thing keeps going like this, they’ve gotta do something.” Berkman said he’d still like to retire as an Astro and is in the final year of his contract, though the club holds a $15M option for next season.

– OF Eric Byrnes, who was released by the Mariners on Sunday, told MLB.com that he may retire. “I think this is the end. You never say never, but I think this is it. Parts of 11 seasons, man — I gave everything I had to the game. I can look myself in the mirror and know that I gave it my all. I’m proud of that.” Byrnes, 34, has a .258/.320/.439 batting line in the major leagues, but played a crucial role in helping the Diamondbacks make it to the NLCS in 2007. Injuries have slowed him in recent seasons and the Mariners gave up on him over the weekend after he batted just 094/.237/.156 over 38 at-bats.

– Brewers’ broadcaster Bob Uecker has been released from the hospital after undergoing heart surgery last Friday. Uecker says in Thursday’s statement that he’s extremely grateful for all the kind words from Brewers fans, friends and associates and looks forward to returning to the broadcast booth later this summer. Uecker is expected to miss up to three months while recovering from the surgery to replace the 75-year-old broadcaster’s aortic valve, aortic root and part of his ascending aorta. Dr. Alfred C. Nicolosi also performed a coronary bypass during the six-hour procedure. The team says Uecker will not be available for interviews, but will come to Miller Park at a later time to provide an update on his recovery.

– Astros’ OF Carlos Lee said Thursday that he “may retire” after the 2012 season when his contract is up. Lee, 33, is probably having all sorts of depressing thoughts as he continues to struggle at the plate and may reconsider the idea once he regains his composure. He’s batting .200/.245/.280 with just five extra-base hits in 100 at-bats this season. He’s a .290/.342/.499 career hitter with 308 home runs.

– According to the Washington Post, the Nationals and 1B Adam Dunn have not made any progress toward a contract extension. Dunn said, “I don’t think there’s any rush. If it happens, great. If it doesn’t happen this year, we have the whole offseason. I’m really not too concerned.” He’s expressed a strong desire to stay with the Nationals and they seem to like him at first base. He’s batting .237/.388/.484 this season with five home runs on the season.

– The Mariners have placed OF Milton Bradley on the restricted list one day after asking the team for help in dealing with “emotional stress” from personal issues. While on the restricted list, Bradley cannot be in uniform or with the team. He will miss at least five days, and manager Don Wakamatsu said he won’t go on the Mariners’ eight-game road trip that begins next Tuesday in Baltimore. Bradley is expected to be away from the club for “five, six, seven days for sure,” and then the situation will be re-evaluated.

– According to CSNBayArea.com, the Giants are planning to place SS Edgar Renteria (groin) on the 15-day DL and could miss three weeks. Renteria has battled a groin injury for the past week and it finally came to a head Thursday while he was running down the first base line.

– Orioles’ LHP Mike Gonzalez (shoulder) has begun throwing from 60 feet on flat ground. Gonzalez, who opened the season 1-for-3 in save opportunities, is aiming to rejoin the Orioles’ bullpen around early June and, so far, appears to be right on track. He was placed on the DL retroactive to April 10 with a strained left shoulder.

– The Marlins have signed veteran 1B Doug Mientkiewicz to a minor league contract. Mientkiewicz, 35, has spent 12 seasons in the majors and played 20 games for the Dodgers last season.

– Hall of Fame pitcher Robin Roberts has died at his home in Florida due to natural causes. Roberts was 83.

WWE

– As part of WWE’s Q1 2010 financial report, in which WWE achieved operating income of $37.3M and net income of $24.7M off revenue of $138.7M, the company also announced the PPV buyrates for Royal Rumble, Elimination Chamber and WrestleMania 26. While the Rumble and Chamber events improved over their counterparts last year, WrestleMania 26 declined from last year’s already-disappointing number.

Royal Rumble 2010 drew 462,000 buys, up from last year’s 450K. Elimination Chamber did 272K buys, down from No Way Out 2009, which did 285K. WrestleMania XXVI drew 885K buys, down from last year’s 960K. The strong UFC 111 PPV, which aired the night before WrestleMania, will likely receive some credit for adversely impacting the WM26 buyrate.

WrestleMania’s popularity has been eroding sharply over the past few years, despite the fact that WWE claims the decreased buyrates are due to more fans gathering together for “PPV parties.” The past 4 years WrestleMania buyrates have been:

2007 – 1.18M
2008 – 1.06M
2009 – 0.96M
2010 – 0.89M

It’s interesting to note that despite WWE’s price increase to $44.95, and the increase in buys for Rumble and Chamber, revenue was slightly down compared to last year. The January and February shows garnered $13.6M in 2009 and $13.4M in 2010. This can be attributed to a relative increase in international buys, for which WWE does not receive as much revenue.

NBA

– According to the Dallas Morning News, Mavs’ owner Mark Cuban says that F Dirk Nowitzki will remain with the team next season. “We had a good talk. He knows our priority is to keep him and win a championship, which is his goal as well. I’m optimistic things will work out.”

– LeBron James and Dwight Howard were unanimous choices for the All-NBA Team, while Kobe Bryant received 119 of 122 votes from writers and broadcasters. James was a unanimous pick for the second straight season and made his fourth All-NBA Team. The Cleveland star won the MVP award for the second year in a row.

Kevin Durant and Dwyane Wade completed the first team Thursday. Durant led the NBA in scoring for Oklahoma City with a 30.1 average, and James was second at 29.7. Howard led the league in rebounding with a 13.2 average and also averaged 18.3 points. Carmelo Anthony, Dirk Nowitzki, Amare Stoudemire, Steve Nash and Deron Williams were selected to the second team. Tim Duncan, Pau Gasol, Andrew Bogut, Joe Johnson and Brandon Roy were third-team picks.

– F Antoine Walker will attempt an NBA comeback next season. Walker hasn’t played in the NBA since 2008 and has suffered legal and financial woes since stepping away from the game. Walker agreed to pay three Las Vegas casinos over $900K to settle three bad cheque charges last fall. Walker was a three-time all-star with the Boston Celtics and won a championship with the Miami Heat in 2006. He played briefly in Puerto Rico during the 2009-10 season.

– The Thunder have exercised their option on head coach Scott Brooks to keep him with the team through 2012.

– The Philadelphia Daily News reports that ESPN analyst Mark Jackson has turned down a head coaching position – and even an interview altogether – with the Sixers. Jackson is expected to get interviewed for the Hornets position, as well as the Clippers and Nets.

– Danny Ainge has been fined $25K for throwing a towel and trying to distract Cavaliers’ F J.J. Hickson at the foul line in Game 2. Ainge apologized in hopes of avoiding the hit to his wallet, but to no avail. It is a little interesting that he got a $10K break compared to guys who dare to talk about the officiating of a game.

– According to the AP, the Hornets have interviewed TNT analyst Mike Fratello. Fratello hasn’t coach since 2006 with the Grizzlies.

TNA

– According to the PWTorch,  it has been indicated that Lisa Marie Varon (a.k.a. Tara) has buried her peers behind their backs to management. Among the stories cited are reports of Varon complaining about various female wrestlers on house show tours, refusing to work with certain individuals altogether, and squashing numerous storylines — all of which she denies. For those curious as to who she is having these issues with, they are all three members of The Beautiful People — Madison Rayne, Velvet Sky and Lacey Von Erich. The root of the matter is that The Beautiful People have refused to take some of her moves not to mention that she doesn’t respect their in-ring ability.

As noted, Varon took her issues directly to management rather than discussing the matter with the trio. When the group received word of this, they confronted Varon and told her they should have come to them rather than breaking locker room protocol by going to management. The friction was bad enough that when Varon was called in to work a recent house show loop, she specifically asked to work with ODB on the tour — who wasn’t originally scheduled for the set of live events. Company officials complied with Varon’s request due to Madison Rayne being unable to appear (note – there is a unique reason for Rayne’s absence and it will be disclosed in a separate report).

Varon never had a reputation for being difficult to work with during her time in WWE and it should be noted that various sources have stated that she’s been easy going for the most part during her time thus far in TNA. Furthermore, some feel the matter may be more of personality clash as opposed to one side being right and one side being wrong. Varon has been telling people that she hopes to return to WWE once her deal with TNA expires.

VoV

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The NBA post-season kicks off Saturday night. We saw Game 82 of the season decide whether the Raptors or Bulls would clinch the 8-spot (and lose to the Cavs in 4 games). Unfortunately for Raptors fans, it was not meant to be. After “securing” the 5th spot, the team fell to 9th. The Raps needed a win over the Knicks (they did), and a Bulls loss to the Bobcats (didn’t happen) to make it. The ‘Cats benched a lot of their starters, with many of them playing half-assed. Many people are arguing that teams shouldn’t be able to bench their players down the stretch after they’ve clinched. This is a long discussion, one that I will hopefully get to soon, but nonetheless, a discussion for another day. For the record, I’m for benching superstars. In any event, it should be a long summer in Toronto. Is Chris Bosh gone? Probably.

“Nobody knows, not even me. So that’s something that only the future holds. You know, everybody keeps looking for answers. There are no answers right now…there will only be answers when it’s time.”

I think it’ll be a sign-and-trade, though. We’ll see. As for the rest of the Association, here are my picks for the Quarters.

Eastern Conference

(1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (8) Chicago Bulls

Game 1 @ CLE, Sat, Apr 17 3:00pm EDT, TV: ABC
Game 2 @ CLE, Mon, Apr 19 8:00pm EDT, TV: TNT
Game 3 @ CHI, Thu, Apr 22 7:00pm EDT, TV: TNT
Game 4 @ CHI, Sun, Apr 25 3:30pm EDT, TV: ABC
Game 5 @ CLE, Tue, Apr 27, TBD
Game 6 @ CHI, Thu, Apr 29, TBD
Game 7 @ CLE, Sat, May 1, TBD, TV: TNT

No question who wins this one. The Cavs are focused this season, and the acquisition of F Antawn Jamison may be what puts them over the top. With Shaq coming back, the Cavs will need to re-adjust and re-familiarize themselves with him in the lineup. Other than that, I don’t see the Bulls winning a single game.

Pick: Cavs in 5

(2) Orlando Magic vs. (7) Charlotte Bobcats

Game 1 @ ORL, Sun, Apr 18 5:30pm EDT, TV: TNT
Game 2 @ ORL, Wed, Apr 21 7:00pm EDT, TV: TNT
Game 3 @ CHA, Sat, Apr 24 2:00pm EDT, TV: TNT
Game 4 @ CHA, Mon, Apr 26, TBD
Game 5 @ ORL, Wed, Apr 28, TBD
Game 6 @ CHA, Fri, Apr 30, TBD
Game 7 @ ORL, Sun, May 2, TBD

The Bobcats are a very underrated team, but I don’t think they’ll have an answer for F Dwight Howard. He’s too big and too strong around the net, and no one can match up with him at either end of the court. F Stephen Jackson will be on F Vince Carter, which should be fun to watch. The deep Magic bench, plus the fact that they can go unconscious from 3 is too much to handle. The ‘Cats will make it a series, but the Magic take it.

Pick: Magic in 6

(3) Atlanta Hawks vs. (6) Milwaukee Bucks

Game 1 @ ATL, Sat, Apr 17 5:30pm EDT, TV: ESPN
Game 2 @ ATL, Tue, Apr 20 7:00pm EDT, TV: NBATV
Game 3 @ MIL, Sat, Apr 24 7:00pm EDT, TV: ESPN
Game 4 @ MIL, Mon, Apr 26, TBD
Game 5 @ ATL, Wed, Apr 28, TBD
Game 6 @ MIL, Fri, Apr 30, TBD
Game 7 @ ATL, Sun, May 2, TBD

With F Andrew Bogut nursing, well, his entire body after that horrific crash, the Bucks will be undermanned. With him in the lineup, I think the Bucks could force a Game 7, but without him, it just isn’t there. The Hawks are going to need to learn to close out games in the latter half of games, as too many teams have been coming back on them – something you can’t allow in the post-season. It’ll be fun to see how G Brandon Jennings reacts in his first taste of playoff action, but I don’t see him doing much against such a strong defensive team. The Hawks are just too talented to not advance. In any event, the Bucks have to feel as if this season was a great success – they took the 5th seed in the East, and the future looks bright.

Pick: Hawks in 5

(4) Boston Celtics vs. (5) Miami Heat

Game 1 @ BOS, Sat, Apr 17 8:00pm EDT, TV: ESPN
Game 2 @ BOS, Tue, Apr 20 8:00pm EDT, TV: TNT
Game 3 @ MIA, Fri, Apr 23 7:00pm EDT, TV: ESPN
Game 4 @ MIA, Sun, Apr 25 1:00pm EDT, TV: ABC
Game 5 @ BOS, Tue, Apr 27, TBD
Game 6 @ MIA, Thu, Apr 29, TBD
Game 7 @ BOS, Sat, May 1, TBD, TV: TNT

This Celtics team is winding down, and they’ll just squeeze by the Heat. After that, they’re gone. G Dwyane Wade will stand on his head, but he’s only one man. The C’s will wear him out at both ends of the floor. We’ll see if the C’s have enough fight left in them, but all signs point to this club fading soon.

Pick: Celtics in 7

Western Conference

(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (8) Oklahoma City Thunder

Game 1 @ LAL, Sun, Apr 18 3:00pm EDT, TV: ABC
Game 2 @ LAL, Tue, Apr 20 10:30pm EDT, TV: TNT
Game 3 @ OKC, Thu, Apr 22 9:30pm EDT, TV: TNT
Game 4 @ OKC, Sat, Apr 24 9:30pm EDT, TV: ESPN
Game 5 @ LAL, Tue, Apr 27, TBD
Game 6 @ OKC, Fri, Apr 30, TBD
Game 7 @ LAL, Sun, May 2, TBD

F Kevin Durant and G Russell Westbrook play in their first playoff series. Great story. Too bad it’s against the Lakers. Anyone who hasn’t watched a Thunder game will finally be able to see what this team has been doing this season, and to see what all the hype is. I think F Pau Gasol plays a huge role in this series. OKC’s has weakened defensively down the stretch of the season, and now, especially against the LakeShow in the playoffs, is not the time for it to be questioned. The Thunder’s lack of experience will be too much to overcome this year, but they’ll make each and every game close.

Pick: Lakers in 5

(2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (7) Dallas Mavericks

Game 1 @ DAL, Sun, Apr 18 8:00pm EDT, TV: TNT
Game 2 @ DAL, Wed, Apr 21 9:30pm EDT, TV: TNT
Game 3 @ SA, Fri, Apr 23 9:30pm EDT, TV: ESPN
Game 4 @ SA, Sun, Apr 25 7:00pm EDT, TV: TNT
Game 5 @ DAL, Tue, Apr 27, TBD
Game 6 @ SA, Thu, Apr 29, TBD
Game 7 @ DAL, Sat, May 1, TBD, TV: TNT

Like the Cavs, the acquisition of F Caron Butler and F Brendan Haywood puts them over the top. A lot of the Mavs’ makeup consists of big-game players, and in that, there’s a ton of playoff experience (as the Spurs also have). G George Hill being hurt, or not at 100%, is going to kill them.

Pick: Mavs in 7

(3) Portland Trailblazers vs. (6) Phoenix Suns

Game 1 @ PHO, Sun, Apr 18 10:30pm EDT, TV: TNT
Game 2 @ PHO, Tue, Apr 20 10:00pm EDT, TV: NBATV
Game 3 @ POR, Thu, Apr 22 10:00pm EDT, TV: NBATV
Game 4 @ POR, Sat, Apr 24 4:30pm EDT, TV: TNT
Game 5 @ PHO, Mon, Apr 26, TBD
Game 6 @ POR, Thu, Apr 29, TBD
Game 7 @ PHO, Sat, May 1, TBD, TV: TNT

With F Brandon Roy out, or playing at half-capacity, this team doesn’t stand a chance. Without him, the Blazers are still a good defensive team, but they lack their offensive firepower, something that’ll be in abundance for the Suns. Who’s going to stop F Amare Stoudemire? No one on this team, that’s for sure. His story post-July 1 will be something to keep an eye on. Bottom line, if Roy can’t play, the Blazers can’t win.

Pick: Suns in 6

(4) Utah Jazz vs. (5) Denver Nuggets

Game 1 @ DEN, Sat, Apr 17 10:30pm EDT, TV: ESPN
Game 2 @ DEN, Mon, Apr 19 10:30pm EDT, TV: TNT
Game 3 @ UTA, Fri, Apr 23 10:30pm EDT, TV: ESPN2
Game 4 @ UTA, Sun, Apr 25 9:30pm EDT, TV: TNT
Game 5 @ DEN, Wed, Apr 28, TBD
Game 6 @ UTA, Fri, Apr 30, TBD
Game 7 @ DEN, Sun, May 2, TBD

The Jazz are awful on the road, but the Nuggets have been playing some bad basketball lately. George Karl is the backbone of this team, and without him, I don’t see them winning. Also, F Kenyon Martin is out, and they’ll need big bodies alongside F Chris Anderson to compete down low with F Carlos Boozer and F Paul Millsap. No Karl and no K-Mart means no win.

Pick: Jazz in 6

Since VoV started predictions on the site, I’ve had some good years and some bad years. VoV.com’s predictions record are as follows:

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

NBA
2008: 11-4 (73%)
2009: 9-6 (60%)
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%

VoV

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VoV

– Forgot to give you guys my predictions for the 2010 MLB season. I won’t make it a full, drawn-out article, but here it is. AL East: Yankees. AL Central: Twins. AL West: Angels. Wild Card: Red Sox. NL East: Phillies. NL Central: Cardinals. NL West: Dodgers. Wild Card: Braves. World Series: Phillies over Yankees. Again.

MLB

– ESPN reports that the Mariners are the frontrunners to sign 17-year-old Dominican Republic RHP Rafael DePaula. DePaula worked out for teams on March 23 and the Mariners, Padres and Yankees were immediately identified as the frontrunners to obtain his services. The righty can throw a fastball that tops out around 93 MPH. It is thought that he’ll snag somewhere around $1.5-2M just as a signing bonus whenever he does put his name on the dotted line. DePaula was suspended by MLB for a year for supposedly lying about his age. He’s been free to sign with anyone since January 8.

– Nationals’ manager Jim Riggleman has two years on his contract, but the Nats are believed to be considering buyinh him out, according to the Washington Post. Riggleman is set to make $600K this year, which is at the low end of the managerial pay scale, and the team has a $100K buyout at season’s end. Even if he ends up making $700K for this season, Riggleman is still not getting paid that much relative to other managers. GM Mike Rizzo, though, sees Riggleman as part of the future. “We hired a manager last year to take us through these years and work us through being where we were in ’09 to someday being a championship-caliber club. He’s the guy that we hired to take us to that level. We wanted the best guy available for now and for the future.”

NFL

– UFA QB Jason Campbell will opt to stay away from the Redskins’ practice facility for the foreseeable future. He met with coach Mike Shanahan on Monday, and the sides decided that Campbell training elsewhere is the best for both parties. It also likely means that Campbell, who’s gotten permission to seek a trade, wants out of Washington following the QB Donovan McNabb trade. Shanahan is expected to provide more details on Campbell’s situation at Tuesday’s introductory presser for McNabb.

– The Bucs, Panthers and Saints are the frontrunners for FA DE Alex Brown.

NBA

– Bucks’ F Andrew Bogut (hand) had surgery on his right hand on Tuesday and will need six weeks before he can fully begin rehab. Bogut has kept up good spirits throughout this unfortunate ordeal. He wrote that Amare Stoudemire isn’t to blame, and added, “I will bounce back from this! Please keep supporting us, its a team game! Go Bucks!” He should be healthy and rested by the time the 2010-11 season rolls around.

– The Raptors have signed F Joey Dorsey for the remainder of the season.

– Duke Blue Devils’ head coach Mike Krzyzewski picked up his fourth national championship last night and it appears that he doesn’t have any plans to jump to the NBA, no matter how much the Nets offer him, according to the New York Post. The rumour yesterday was that the guy who will soon own the Nets, Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorev, really, really wanted Coach K to be in front of the Nets’ bench next season and was ready to fork over all sorts of cash to make that happen. Krzyzewski made his intentions clear yesterday in a statement that read in part, “You would be flattered if someone would offer you a job, but I would not be interested.”

NHL

– TSN reports that Brett Hull is trying to get Wayne Gretzky and Mike Modano to buy the Dallas Stars from owner Tom Hicks. It isn’t clear if Gretzky would want to get involved in any kind of ownership deal after he went through the fiscal nightmare of being a minority owner of the Coyotes. Modano said, “I haven’t spoken to Gretzky about any possible ownership situation. I don’t know anything about this.”

– Avalanche’ F Peter Mueller (concussion) could be out for the remainder of the regular season. “Right now, he’s out indefinitely,” said coach Joe Sacco on Monday. Mueller suffered a concussion on Sunday after being hit into the end boards by Sharks’ D Rob Blake on a blind-side bump late in the third period. He did not return to the game and will not accompany the team on their two-game road trip where they play in Vancouver on Tuesday and in Edmonton on Wednesday. Aside from that there is no timetable set for his return at this time. Stay tuned.

WWE

– WWE announced on RAW that the 2010 Superstar Draft will take place on a special 3-hour RAW on April 26.

– The first match announced for WWE’s Extreme Rules PPV later this month is Batista vs. John Cena for the WWE Title in a Last Man Standing match. Batista invoked his rematch clause from WrestleMania 26 on tonight’s RAW. Extreme Rules takes place on April 25 from the 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore, Maryland.

– David Hasselhoff of Baywatch fame will be the special guest host of next week’s RAW from the UK.

– Eve Torres vs. Maryse for the WWE Divas Title will take place on next week’s RAW after Eve won a #1 contender’s battle royal on RAW tonight.

VoV

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WWE

–  Chris Klucsaritis, who wrestled in WCW and WWE as Chris Kanyon, was found dead Friday night at his apartment in the Sunnyside section of Queens, New York. He was 40 years old.

Klucsaritis’ death is believed to be suicide as a longtime friend reports that a pill bottle and several notes were found close to his body. Klucsaritis had been vocal about suffering from a bipolar disorder and had threatened suicide many times in the past according to those close with him. He told one friend as recently as Monday that he was going through another bout of depression and contemplating suicide.

Earlier in his career, Kanyon wrestled in WCW as the masked character Mortis. After wrestling as Chris Kanyon in WCW, he got picked up by WWE in 2001 after the WCW buyout. During his WWE run, Kanyo held the WCW United States Championship and WWF Tag Team Championship. He garnered headlines following his 2004 departure from WWE by going public with his homosexuality and claiming WWE fired him for being gay. Although he retired from wresting at one point, he returned to the ring and worked matches on occasion.

He, along with Scott Levy and Michael Sanders, attempted to sue WWE for “cheating them out of health care and other benefits” but a federal judge in Stamford, Connecticut dismissed the case. Our deepest condolences the family and friends of Chris Klucsaritis.

– In an interview with MediaTempo.com, Rey Mysterio said he would like to retire in three years.

“I plan to take three years to announce my retirement in a historic event,” Mysterio said. He added that when he retires, his body will “thank him for not exploiting it anymore” after a number of injuries and operations so he can devote himself to his family.

The high-flying superstar also discusses his thirty-day Wellness Policy suspension last year, saying it was “cleared up” with proper documentation following his time served. While he felt his body needed the time off, he was emotionally distraught about his image being hurt.

Mysterio said he would like to follow in the footsteps of numerous Lucha libre stars who have starred in movies, saying there have been talks of a potential movie within the next two years to fulfill a dream he’s had “for a long time.”

– WWE has released Lance Cade. He was brought back to the company this past October, but was never called up to the main roster. He worked a Florida Championship Wrestling event late last year and was never used again. The former World Tag Team Champion was previously released from WWE on October 14, 2008. Jim Ross later stated that “he made a major league mistake while utilizing bad judgment” and that it was instrumental to his departure. J.R. also made reference to Cade having a seizure on a plane and needing emergency medical care.

NBA

– Bucks’ F Andrew Bogut (elbow) was injured when he fell following an alley-oop dunk on Saturday. He was diagnosed with a slightly dislocated elbow, but X-rays revealed no broken bones. At the moment, he’s out indefinitely. The live look, as well as the replays, were all very gruesome – only watch if you have a strong stomach. Bogut landed hard on his back with his right arm underneath his body, but it’s amazing that he (apparently) avoided anything too serious. He has been taken to a hospital and a timetable will be released.

MLB

– The Jays have re-signed OF Adam Lind to a four-year/$18M extension that includes three additional club option years. The 26-year-old Lind hit .305 last year with 35 home runs and 114 RBIs. Lind gets a $600K signing bonus, $400K this year, and $5M in each of the following three seasons. Toronto holds a $7M option for 2014 with a $2M buyout. The deal also includes a $7.5M club option for 2015 with a $1M buyout, and an $8M club option for 2016 with a $500K buyout. Toronto had renewed Lind’s contract last month for salaries of $410K in the major leagues and $247,100 in the minors.

– The Athletics have designated DH Jack Cust for assignment. The A’s have opted to keep both Travis Buck and Jake Fox on-board instead of giving a roster spot to Cust and will probably play around with the DH position this season. Cust, 31, should draw interest from other teams but may settle for a minor league assignment in the end. He smacked 25 homers and 70 RBI last season for Oakland and was re-signed this winter for $2.65M.

– Angels’ LHP Scott Kazmir (shoulder) and OF Reggie Willits (hamstring) will open the season on the 15-day DL. Kazmir pitched five solid innings against the Brewers earlier this week, but the Angels probably don’t feel he’s stretched out quite enough. The lefty should miss only a start or two. Kazmir’s DL move was made retroactive to March 31, and Willits’ stint is retroactive to March 30.

– The Rockies have placed LHP Jeff Francis (arm) on the 15-day DL with left arm soreness. Francis experienced soreness in his left arm a day after he threw five innings against the Cubs on Thursday, but it doesn’t appear to be in his surgically repaired shoulder.

– A’s OF Coco Crisp (broken pinkie) will start the season on the 15-day DL.

– The Orioles have placed RHP Koji Uehara (left hamstring) on the 15-day DL, retroactive to March 26.

– The Royals have placed RHP Gil Meche (shoulder bursitis), 3B Alex Gordon (thumb) on the 15-day DL, retroactive to March 26, and 3B Josh Fields (hip flexor) on the 15-day DL, retroactive to Match 29.

– The Twins have placed RHP Clay Condrey (elbow) on the 15-day DL.

– The Phillies have placed RHP Joe Blanton (oblique) on the 15-day DL, retroactive to March 26.

– The Braves have placed OF Jordan Schafer (hand) on the 15-day DL, retroactive to March 26.

– The Reds have released RHP Kip Wells.

NFL

– The Bengals have reportedly agreed to terms with free agent RG Bobbie Williams. Both sides had been close to a deal for a few weeks. The 33-year-old should be locked up for the remainder of his career.

VoV

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MLB

– Giants GM Brian Sabean said Thursday that he has not contacted the agents representing OF Matt Holliday or OF Jason Bay. Sabean doesn’t believe Holliday or Bay realistically want to come to the Giants and said he won’t be a “stalking horse” this winter for the players’ agents. The Giants are looking at “second-tier” free agents this offseason with a desire to bolster their batting order and bullpen.

– According to Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com, the Braves are having trouble shopping RHP Derek Lowe to other clubs. The Braves have some of the strongest pitching depth in the majors and are hoping to deal an arm for a hitter this winter. But, as Rosenthal points out, Lowe turns 37 early next season, is guaranteed $15M in each of the next three seasons, and he had a 6.65 ERA in his final nine starts of ’09. It’s going to be a hard sell despite his 15 wins. He allowed 232 hits this past season, the most of any NL pitcher.

– According to Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times, the Dodgers will not pursue RHP John Lackey. Team president Dennis Mannion said, “You can’t ignore the fact the economy will be level at best for next year. We’re not going to make any outlandish-type decisions in a rough economy.” Speaking specifically about Lackey, Mannion said he would rule out signing him “unless there is an effective way to make that kind of deal.” Despite the financial uncertainty surrounding the team, GM Ned Colletti has not been ordered to trade one of the team’s eight arbitration-eligible players (RHP Chad Billingsley, OF Matt Kemp, 1B James Loney, OF Andre Ethier, C Russell Martin, RHP Jonathan Broxton, LHP George Sherrill and LHP Hong-Chih Kuo) to reduce payroll.

Speaking of Lackey and the Halos, owner Arte Moreno said the Angels can’t afford to bring back both Lackey and 3B Chone Figgins.”We’re at $101M now. We were at $113M last year. If you look at what they’re asking, you can’t bring both of them back.” Figgins’ contract demands figure to be a bit more reasonable, as Lackey is the top starter available on the free agent market. The Angels also need to re-sign OF Vladimir Guerrero or find a replacement at DH, so the team could realistically begin shopping OF Gary Matthews Jr. to free up some cash.

– The Diamondbacks have acquired RHP Aaron Heilman from the Cubs for LHP Scott Maine and 1B Ryne White. Some speculated that Heilman was a non-tender candidate after posting a 4.11 ERA and 1.41 WHIP in 70 relief appearances in 2009, so at least the Cubs got something in return. The D’backs might give the 31-year-old right-hander a shot in their rotation, however GM Josh Byrnes has already referred to him as a “durable reliever.” Poor control has led to Heilman’s downfall over the past two seasons, however this is a risk worth taking for Arizona, especially considering the little talent they gave up.

– According to Troy Renck of the Denver Post, the Rockies have begun initial discussions on a multi-year deal with 2B Clint Barmes. Barmes hit just .245/.294/.440 in 550 at-bats last season with the Rockies, but blasted 23 home runs and collected 76 RBI. Renck believes the Rox are trying to sign him to a two-year deal with a third year option.

– Marlins C Ronny Paulino has garnered a good deal of trade interest this offseason, according to the Miami Herald. Paulino, a righty, batted .272/.340/.423 with eight homers and 27 RBI this season in 239 at-bats while serving in a catching platoon with C John Baker, a left-handed hitter. Paulino hit just .171/.310/.314 against southpaws in 2009.

– According to Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald, the Marlins have extended an offer to free agent UTIL Ross Gload. The offer is thought to be similar to the two-year/$1.9M contract 1B Wes Helms signed last year. Gload, who turns 34 in April, hit .318 as a pinch-hitter this season and .261/.329/.400 overall. The Marlins declined to pick up his $2.6M option for 2010 about two weeks ago.

– Angels OF Torii Hunter (sports hernia) will undergo surgery Monday. Hunter suffered the injury in late May when he crashed into the wall at Dodger Stadium and eventually spent five weeks on the disabled list. He still had a fantastic season, finishing with a .299/.366/.508 batting line and 22 home runs, and is expected to be fine by the start of spring training.

NBA

– TNT’s David Aldridge reported Thursday that a source of his close to the Knicks’ negotiations with G Allen Iverson said that him signing was a “near certainty.” Aldridge, however, says that a decision is not close. While there are conflicting reports, there is enough smoke here to make this the likely destination for A.I. One source has said that a signing will not occur before Saturday’s game. Stay tuned.

NFL

– The Vikings have signed head coach Brad Childress on a contract extension that will lock him up through the 2013 season. The contract Childress originally signed back in 2006 was scheduled to expire after the 2010. The new deal is believed to be between $4-5M per year.

– Dolphins RB Ronnie Brown (foot) has reportedly decided to undergo surgery to repair the Lisfranc fracture in his right foot. Brown had already been leaning toward electing for the surgery, and his visit with foot specialist Dr. Bob Anderson confirmed that it was the right decision. Brown will undergo surgery Friday and will likely miss all of OTAs next season. He expects to be recovered “well before” the start of the 2010 season, but he’s likely to be eased in during training camp.

WWE

– Hollywood star Dwayne “The Rock” Dwayne Johnson says he’s working with WWE on a special television project that would be in addition to guest-hosting a future episode of WWE Raw.

During a Thursday morning radio appearance on syndicated (Jack Diamond Morning Show), Johnson was vague on the details but hinted that the project will be significant.

“I love that world and being able to entertain, especially if I could go back whether it’s on Smackdown and do a promo or guest-host or we could create this cool show, whatever that may be. Especially now, I’m at the point where I can go back and give back to the fans and help out the guys in any way I can.”

Johnson said he and Vince McMahon have a great relationship and he’s looking forward to working with WWE again in the future.

“Right now we’re trying to put together – there is always something cool and interesting for me to do. I would like to do something more than just host the show. I’m in the process of creating something really cool for the fans – something very special and unique. It will be something like one big entertaining show.”

NBA

– Bucks F Andrew Bogut’s (leg) MRI revealed Thursday that he has a left leg strain and contusion, an injury that will force him to miss the next two-to-four weeks.

– Spurs G Manu Ginobili (left groin) has been diagnosed with a strained left groin and will be out for one week.

NHL

– Oilers F Mike Comrie (mononucleosis) is out indefinitely. Coach Pat Quinn said, “They think this has been going on for a couple of weeks, it’s maybe one of the reasons his (decreased) energy and production becomes more explained. It has has to run its course. It’s one of those viruses you don’t play with. It’ll run its course and they’ll continue to test him until the virus is pushed out.”

UFC

– UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar (4-1) will face Shane Carwin (11-0) at UFC 106 on November 21 in Las Vegas. It was originally rumoured that Carwin would fight Cain Velasquez (6-0) at UFC 106 with the winner getting a shot at Lesnar next year. However, Valasquez will now fight an unnamed opponent and there’s talk of him getting a shot at the winner of Lesnar-Carwin. For those unaware, Carwin is almost a mirror image of Brock. Should be a dandy.

MLB

– The Cardinals have signed RHP John Smoltz. Smoltz, 42, is 2-5 with an 8.33 ERA in eight starts for the Red Sox this season. Great add for the playoff run. GM John Mozeliak said Smoltz would likely start Sunday at San Diego, and would probably get at least a few turns in the rotation.

– The Astros have placed SS Miguel Tejada on waivers, but pulled him off when another team made a claim. The Astros did the same thing with former C Ivan Rodriguez, and a similar fate is expected to happen with RHP Jose Valverde. For some reason, owner Drayton McLane and GM Ed Wade continue to state that they are still in it for this year and aren’t building for next year.

– The Mets have released RHP Livan Hernandez. The 34-year-old Hernandez was 7-8 with a 5.47 ERA,  and had allowed 18 earned runs in 14 1-3 innings. He allowed six runs in a 10-1 loss to San Francisco on Monday, and the Mets went 2-10 in his last 12 starts.

Speaking of the Mets, they have placed LHP Billy Wagner on waivers, and according to ESPN, he is apparently ready to waive his no-trade clause. Anybody who takes Wagner will have to shell our about $2.7M for the rest of this season, in addition to a $1M buyout for next year. Wagner will be in tough for a job, though, as he has an $8M option for next season. It’s unlikely anyone will claim him off waivers, so the Mets will probably try and work out a trade. Wagner is coming off Tommy John surgery and hasn’t pitched in the bigs since last September, so his trade value is rock bottom. Still, Wagner doesn’t want to finish his career this way and apparently would like to get up to the 420-save mark or thereabouts. He’s at 385 now.

Still with the Mets, they had placed OF Gary Sheffield on waivers last week, and pulled him later on. It’s now believed that Sheff won’t last the season with the team. If the Mets place him on waivers again, they lose the ability to pull him off or negotiate a trade. Sheffield, 41, says he wants to go somewhere with a strong lineup, but thus far, only the Marlins and Rangers have shown interest.

According to the NY Post, Sheffield asked for a contract extension from the Mets Thursday and was denied, and is now threatening to leave the team and might soon be released outright. Things had been running smoothly in New York until Sheff made a couple of curious comments on Tuesday night in reaction to trade rumors. “Based on what I know now, no, I do not think I will be here. But if I am sent to a team that I don’t want to play for, I would go home.” He was scratched from the lineup Thursday night.

– The Brewers have traded 3B Bill Hall to the Mariners for P Ruben Flores. Hall hit 35 home runs in 2006 and was rewarded with a four-year/$24M contract, but he was hitting only .201 with six homers and 24 RBIs in 76 games when the Brewers designated him for assignment last week.

– The Orioles have claimed RHP Chris Lambert off of waivers from the Tigers. The 26-year-old Lambert was 0-1 with a 14.85 ERA in two relief appearances with the Tigers this season. He was 6-7 with a 3.55 ERA in 21 starts with Triple-A Toledo.

– D’Backs RHP Jon Garland has cleared waivers. Arizona will likely have to part with some cash to make up for the $4M left between his contract and his 2010 buyout, but there’s a chance that a contender in need of pitching depth may decide to take their chances and deal for him. Stay tuned.

– The Reds have placed RHP Johnny Cueto (arm) on the 15-day DL. Cueto is 8-10 with a 4.61 ERA in 24 starts.

– The Dodgers have signed RHP Vicente Padilla.

– The Nationals have named Mike Rizzo as their next GM. Rizzo was acting in an interim role this season following the firing of Jim Bowden.

– The Rangers have placed RHP “Everyday” Eddie Guardado (knee) on the 15-day DL.

– The Mariners have transferred LHP Erik Bedard to the 60-day DL. His season is over.

– The Reds have placed OF Willy Taveras (quad) on the 15-day DL.

– The Dodgers have placed RHP Hiroki Kuroda (head) on the 15-day DL, retroactive to August 16.

– The Royals have released 3B Travis Metcalf.

– The White Sox have placed OF Dewayne Wise (shoulder) on the 15-day DL.

– The Mets have placed SS Alex Cora (thumbs) on the 60-day DL.

– The Astros have placed LHP Mike Hampton (torn rotator cuff) on the 15-day DL.

– The Rangers have placed 2B Esteban German (groin) on the 15-day DL.

NBA

– According to sources, F Amare Stoudemire is playing his last year with the Suns this season. Amare was reportedly very unhappy when Shaq was dealt to Cleveland, and was unhappy with being put on the trade block last February when he was supposedly in talks with the Warriors. He’s putting his odds of staying with the team after next summer at 50/50, though, as he can decline a $17.6M salary for 2010-11 next summer and become a free agent. Stay tuned.

– Bucks F Andrew Bogut still hasn’t participated in contact drills as he continues to recover from a lower back stress fracture that ended his season early last year. Bogut’s main goal is to be ready for training camp, but he’s been working on a limited schedule since July and the fact he hasn’t had contact drills yet is a concern.

– Nets F Yi Jianlian may be allowed to skip the rest of the Stankovic Cup in China and return to New Jersey earlier than expected in order to prepare for the start of the season. Yi has been playing very well for Team China, but the Chinese media is reporting that team officials are considering his request to return to the states early.

– According to the Arizona Republic, Cavaliers F Shaquille O’Neal’s new reality show, “Shaq Vs.” apparently was an idea that Shaq stole directly from Suns G Steve Nash when Shaq was originally traded there in February of 2008. Nash talked to a lawyer and now he’s listed as executive producer on the show.

– Knicks G Nate Robinson was arrested Tuesday after officers pulled him over in the Bronx at about 5:30 p.m. and discovered he had a suspended license. According to the NY Post, the 25-year-old RFA was apparently a complete jerk to the cop who pulled him over for driving with an unfastened seat belt. He turned up the volume pretty loud when the cop walked back from Robinson’s SUV to the police cruiser to check his license and then kept singing the words to the rap song when the officer returned to the window. As soon as he heard he was being arrested, Robinson apparently pulled out the I’m-A-Celebrity-card and tried to sway the officer to let him go. KryptoNate was taken to the 52nd Precinct and charged with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and issued a summons to return to court at a later date.

– The Magic have signed G Jason Williams. Williams, who sat out last year, will back up G Jameer Nelson and probably immediately move in front of G Anthony Johnson on the depth chart.

– G Desmond Mason will not return to the Thunder next season.

– The Grizzlies continue to look into G Jamaal Tinsley, G Flip Murray and G Tarence Kinsey.

WWE

– Unless things change at the last minute, Jeff Hardy’s last day with WWE will take place at either SummerSlam or the following SmackDown! taping. WWE is still trying to get him to stay, though. As a result, it pretty much goes without saying that he will be dropping the World Heavyweight Championship to CM Punk next week. Matt Hardy tweeted the following message to Jeff Hardy yesterday morning: “The time is near for the Hardy Empire to begin.. Starting with the Charismatic Enigma.. 8/25/09″ Hmm…

Also, WWE released the first-ever “WWE Kids Poster Book” special edition on Tuesday, which features individual posters of practically every male star on the roster. One glaring omission is that of Jeff Hardy, who is not featured on the poster. You can see the giant poster here.

– There is a lot of talk within WWE about having DX vs. Legacy in the main event position at SummerSlam, even though it would go against the tradition of ending with a title match. The feeling is that if CM Punk is going to beat Jeff Hardy for the World Title, which there’s a good chance of that, it’s better to end SummerSlam on a happy note. This would also indicate that John Cena isn’t planned to take the WWE Title from Randy Orton but that’s not confirmed.

– As of last week, there was a rumour that WWE was planning a major swerve at SummerSlam that would involve either Triple H or Shawn Michaels turning heel at SummerSlam. WWE is now advertising DX vs. Legacy in a steel cage match for the SmackDown and ECW tapings on September 1 at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. This could be a sign that plan was changed or it could be a way to keep a possible heel turn a surprise.

– WWE.com has announced that ECW Champion Christian will defend the gold against #1 contender William Regal at Summerslam this Sunday.

– Former WWE superstar and Hollywood heavyweight Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson recently spoke to the UK’s The Sun. Some highlights:

His Troubled Teen Years: “I had a very checkered past. I got into trouble a lot and had multiple arrests. For a lot of years I struggled to stay on the right path. I had multiple arrests by the time that I was 17. The last time I was arrested, my parents came down to the police station to get me. My parents were struggling at that time, even to put food on the table. That was a lot of stress at that time and I was adding to it. When they came to the police station I remember their disappointment. For years the disappointment had never bothered me but for some reason this time the disappointment in their eyes moved me. And that was when I realized that I was causing a lot of pain for my parents and I did not want to continue to do that.”

His father’s reaction to ‘The Wrestler’: “He didn’t take it very well. We lived the life that you saw in the movie, The Wrestler. That essentially was my dad. The character that Mickey Rourke played so wonderfully was my dad. So when I graduated from college and had an opportunity to play pro football, naturally it was easy for my father to say he did not want me to wrestle. He had nothing to show from a wrestling career. We lived in a one-bedroom apartment and he did not want that life for me. But instinctively I thought I had something to offer that world of entertainment. It took a little of convincing him but eventually we worked together. But being a parent I now understand where my dad was coming from.”

Getting Into Acting: “Ten years ago I knew that I wanted to be a good actor as I wound down my wrestling career. There is a great amount of acting in wrestling and wrestling is a great form of entertainment. For me that training ground was really invaluable because I did not go to school for acting. I went to school for football and studied criminology. I knew it was going to take time and 10 years went by pretty quickly.”

– Former WWE star Ken “Mr. Kennedy” Anderson’s no-compete clause with WWE is set to expire within the next 2 weeks. He will therefore be able to work for any wrestling promotion that wants to hire him. He now goes under the name Mr. Anderson and TNA is said to have high interest in signing the former WWE star.

– As announced Friday afternoon on WWE.com, Nick “Eugene” Dinsmore was released from his WWE contract. According to several sources, the feeling is that he showed up at last week’s RAW taping looking terribly out of shape and Vince McMahon made the decision right then and there to cut him loose. He had just been hired back about a month ago. McMahon is pretty big on first impressions. For instance, his first impression of Takeshi Morishima following a tryout match a year ago this week killed any possible interest in signing him.

An issue of Power Slam noted the following: “August 19: Still on the warpath, Vince claims two more victims: he basically says Morishima looks like a giant, fat girl and that Laurinaitis was wasting his time by hyping such a s colourless and podgy wrestler. Vince also sagely notes that because fellow Japanese name Kenzo Suzuki tanked in WWE, obviously Morishima was likely to be a failure as well – solely on the basis of their shared ethnicity.”

Reportedly, the creative team wanted to get Eugene on television very quickly, so the fact that he was released after his first appearance adds further credence to the theory given.

– This week’s edition of WWE Monday Night RAW drew a 3.8 rating, which is down from last week‘s 3.9 rating. The first hour did a 3.58, while the second hour finished off with a 3.99.

NHL

– Blackhawks F Patrick Kane, 20, and his cousin James Kane, 21, pleaded not guilty during a brief arraignment before Buffalo judge Thomas Amodeo. The appearance came a day after the two were indicted by a grand jury. The Kanes are facing misdemeanor assault, theft and harassment charges that he and his cousin beat up a cab driver over a fare. The panel dismissed a more serious felony charge of second-degree robbery.

– The Sharks have removed captaincy from F Patrick Marleau. Yeesh, about time.

– The 2-month-old son of Capitals G Jose Theodore has died. The goalie’s sister-in-law made the announcement Thursday during her show on a Montreal-area radio station. Theodore also has a 3-year-old daughter, Romy. My condolences go out to the Theodore family.

– The Hurricanes have signed F Stephane Yelle to a one-year/$550K deal. The 35-year-old had seven goals and 11 assists with Boston, and has won the Stanley Cup twice with the Avalanche.

– The Sabres have signed F Jeff Cowan to a one-year deal. Cowan is an eight-year NHL veteran but spent last season playing for Peoria of the AHL. He previously played two years with Vancouver, where he combined for seven goals and four assists, and 203 penalty minutes in 88 games.

– The Ducks have re-sogned D Brett Festerling to a two-year contract. Festerling played 40 games with Anaheim as a rookie last season, recording five assists and 18 penalty minutes. He also played extensively for the Ducks’ top minor league affiliate in Iowa.

– Mark Messier was not offered the head coaching job with the Oilers last season when Craig MacTavish was fired.

– Stars owner Tom Hicks is not putting the team up for sale. Forbes says the team is worth about $405M, but one suspects somebody could get the team for less than that. Hicks’ HSG has until August of 2010 to satisfy his debts before any kind of movement by creditors could be made to take over the teams. He dug himself a hole, though, when his HSG defaulted on a $10M interest payment at the end of March on $525M in loans.

NFL

– WR Plaxico Burress pleaded guilty to felony weapons charges in a Manhattan court Thursday and received a two-year prison sentence. This could easily end the 32-year-old’s career. NY State still must approve Burress’ plea deal – if it doesn’t, Plax could stand trial for two counts of second-degree criminal weapons possession and one count of second-degree reckless endangerment, and face even more prison time. Plax has probably played his last NFL down.

– The NFP is reporting that Raiders assistant Randy Hanson will turn over medical records, and he’s expected to cooperate with Napa, California police. Police, as well as NFL Security, have been attempting to get Hanson to talk since the story of his fractured jaw emerged earlier this week. It’s believed that he will now cooperate because the Raiders will not allow him to return to his former position. The next step is likely an investigation and a possible felony charge against head coach Tom Cable. Cable has declined to comment.

– The Chiefs have signed WR Ashley Lelie.

TNA

– TNA World Heavyweight Champion Kurt Angle spoke with WTAO in Pittsburgh. Here’s what he said: “I don’t like confrontation, so I kind of back away from it. This is really hard for me. I spent nine hours in jail and it was the lowest point of my life,” Angle said as he started to break down crying pleading for his reputation. “I was sitting there in a county jail thinking about why I even started dating this girl. I don’t even know when I’m allowed back in my own home. I just hope that the hearing goes okay and I can move back into my home. I just want my life back.”

F1

– YouTube co-founder and CEO Chad Hurley has confirmed his involvement with the new Team US F1. US F1 will be joined on the 2010 starting grid by Manor Grand Prix and Campos Meta 1.

– F1 teams will go back to qualifying on low-fuel for the final session next season. According to FIA , the final 10 cars involved in the Q3 qualifying session will not have to declare their fuel levels due to the fact there will be a ban on refueling next year.

That should bring back the days of a real qualifying shootout in which the fastest car is actually the one on the pole. That was not always the case under the current system as teams were forced to declare their race day fuel levels before Q3, meaning different strategies forced teams to use different fuel levels.

Other changes to the rules will see eight cars knocked out in both Q1 and Q2 to take into account the expected increase to 26 cars next season on the starting grid. The current point system will also be maintained for at least one more season. There have been recommendations to go to an Olympic-styled medal system in which the driver with the most wins would be declared the world champion. Even though the FOTA-based teams have agreed not to use the KERS system next year, the FIA rules have increased the weight of the cars to 620kg to take into account the additional weight of the energy recovery system. Tire warmers, which were also expected to be banned along with refueling, will remain – at least for one more season.

MMA

– Kim Couture, the wife of UFC legend Randy “The Natural” Couture, has responded to Lisa Marie Varon’s (a.k.a. Victoria) comments about a potential MMA bout. “I think that with my name I have a target on me. That’s fine. I don’t imagine that’s going to go away any time soon I’ll fight whoever they put in front of me. If she can make my weight – she seems from the picture a lot taller, a lot bigger than me. But if she can make 135 pounds, if (Strikeforce CEO Scott) Coker wants to put it together then so be it.”

MLB

– According to agent Scott Boras, OF Manny Ramirez is expected to immediately resume talks with the Dodgers after rejecting their one-year/$25M offer Tuesday. Boras says that Ramirez has other offers on the table, but I doubt it – other than the Giants, the Yankees, Meets and Nationals have all said that they won’t make offers.

– FOXSports.com‘s Ken Rosenthal reports that that the pending sale of the Padres to Jeff Moorad won’t alter the odds of a Jake Peavy deal.

– According to the Seattle Times, the Mariners are expected to make a decision on OF Ken Griffey Jr. soon.

– According to the Chicago Tribune, OF Bobby Abreu may sign with the White Sox after all.

– Accordin to FOXSports.com, RHP Braden Looper would prefer to remain in the NL. Looper has had talks with the Orioles, but the Brewers remain an option.

– The Detroit Free Press reports that LHP John Parrish will sign a minor league contract with the Orioles “within the next several days.”

– The Rockies have acquired OF Matt Murton from the Athletics for INF Corey Wimberly. Ian Stewart and Seth Smith are the favorites to start in left field for the Rockies.

– According to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, the Twins and Mariners are discussing a deal involving LHP Jarrod Washburn, OF Delmon Young and C Jeff Clement. The Twins attempted to obtain Washburn last summer, but were unsuccessful. Washburn will make $10.35M this season in the final year of his contract.

– Feds are set to unseal evidence in the Barry Bonds case, which includes several positive drug tests. Uh oh.

– The Brewers have signed RHP Ramiro Mendoza to a minor league contract.

– The Rangers have signed LHP Eddie Guardado to a minor league contract.

– The Nationals have signed C Javier Valentin and INF Alex Cintron to minor league contracts.

– The Rockies have signed 3B Garrett Atkins to a one-year/$7.05M contract.

– According to the Baltimore Sun, 3B Ty Wigginton’s two-year contract with the Orioles is worth $6M.

– The Royals have signed RHP Brian Bannister on a one-year/$1.7375M contract.

– The Twins have offered RHP Matt Guerrier a multiyear deal, but aren’t close to getting anything done.

– Rangers’ GM Jon Daniels said Tuesday that OF Josh Hamilton will remain in center field this season.

– The Tampa Tribune reports that contract talks between the Rays and C Dioner Navarro have broken down.

– According to the New York Post, the Mets “keep trying to find a place to deal Ramon Castro.”

– The Brewers have acquired LHP Chase Wright from the Yankees for OF Eric Fryer.

NFL

– Chiefs’ RB Larry Johnson told 610 Sports in KC Wednesday morning that he wants a “clean break” from the Chiefs. L.J. believes the organization hasn’t backed him, and it’s ruined his public image. He also thinks he was on the trade block at the October deadline, and that the Chiefs “have been trying to trade me ever since I got here.”

– According to the Arizona Republic, Cardinals’ QB Kurt Warner emphasized Tuesday that he doesn’t want to change teams if he’s going to continue playing in 2009. The newspaper says that reports say that “word circulating through the Warner camp” is that he will sign a two-year contract in the $18-$20M range in the next two-to-three weeks. Warner could undoubtedly get a bigger payday on the open market, but he’s been consistent in his desire to remain in Arizona.

– Yahoo! Sports‘ Jason Cole reports that Chiefs’ TE Tony Gonzalez still wants the Chiefs to trade him, “barring a serious change in direction.” “Yeah, I hear they’re talking to Todd Haley,” Gonzo said. “But then there’s this coach from Iowa State, some (expletive) like that and I don’t want to deal with that.” Three teams pursued Gonzalez at last October’s trade deadline: the Bills, Giants, and Packers. Green Bay had a third-round pick on the table, but KC turned it down.

NBA

– According to the Miami Herald, Heat’ G Dwyane Wade is committed to the Heat. Wade said Tuesday that he remains committed to the Heat for now and could see himself spending the rest of his career in Miami. But Wade also said he would explore all of his options should he elect to opt out of his contract and become a free agent in 2010. Wade said that New York doesn’t seem like a possibility in his mind.

– The Racine Journal Times reports that “growing whispers” are circulting that Bucks’ F Andrew Bogut could sit out the remainder of the season with a bad back. The pain in Bogut’s back is said to be “excruciating.”

– According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Sixers’ F Elton Brand’s continues to have pain and a sense of restriction in his shoulder, leading the 76ers to consider another stint on the inactive list.

NHL

– The Sens’ Pizza Line of Alfreddson/Heatley/Spezza is expected to remain together under new head coach Cory Clouston.

UFC

– A lot of people are asking me for my thoughts on the GSP/Penn Vaseline incident. Apparently, someone in GSP’s camp rubbed Vaseline all over GSP’s chest and back, which would ultimately cause for Penn to have less grip when grappling, etc. To be honest, it didn’t really matter – GSP dominated the fight throughout, and Penn was on his back for the entire fight, so it’s not like Penn was gearing up for a rear naked choke or something, and couldn’t maintain position. Every sport is going to have it’s scandals though, and although UFC has gained a large amount of popularity over the past few years, more situations are going to arise similar to this.

WWE

– There’s another match that has been added to the No Way Out PPV – ECW Champion Jack Swagger vs. Finlay for the strap.