MLB

– The Phillies have acquired RHP Roy Oswalt and $11M from the Astros for LHP J.A. Happ, INF Jonathan Villar and OF Anthony Gose. The Astros will pay $11M of the approximately $23M left on Oswalt’s contract through 2011. It turns out that Oswalt did not demand that his 2012 mutual option for $16M be picked up by the Phillies, but he would receive extra compensation if or when the Phillies decline. The 32-year-old righty leaves Houston behind with a 3.24 career ERA and a 143-82 lifetime record, just one win shy of the franchise’s all-time leader Joe Niekro. With Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels and Oswalt, the Phillies immediately have the best 1-2-3 punch in all of the NL, if not all of baseball. If the Phillies make the playoffs again, they’ll be positively scary.

– Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com reports that the Rangers have acquired 3B Jorge Cantu and $600K from the Marlins for RHP Evan Reed and RHP Omar Poveda. Reed, 24, has posted a 1.76 ERA and 1.20 WHIP over 41 innings this season between Double-A and Triple-A. Poveda, 27, is currently on the DL recovering from Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery. Cantu will give the Rangers a solid right-handed bat for the stretch run.

– The Padres have acquired 3B Miguel Tejada from the Orioles for RHP Wynn Pelzer and cash considerations. The 24-year-old is a power pitcher whose fastball sits in the mid-90s. As a starter, he has a 4.20 ERA with 7.9 K/9 and 5.3 BB/9 in AA this year, but could become a future closer. Tejada is owed $2M for the remainder of the season.

– The Blue Jays have traded INF Brett Wallace to the Astros for OF Anthony Gose. Wallace, originally a utility infielder, appears to be stuck at first base for now. Gose, 19, is a potential Gold Glove-winning outfielder with tremendous speed and defensive skills. His career potential has been compared to that of Rays’ OF Carl Crawford. Gose stole 76 bases two seasons ago.

– Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com reports that the Astros are now fielding offers for 1B Lance Berkman. The Astros acquired a replacement for Berkman when they flipped OF Anthony Gose to Toronto on Thursday for 1B Brett Wallace. The 34-year-old Berkman is sure to draw interest from multiple contending teams. He’s batting .245/.372/.436 with 13 homers and 49 RBI in 298 at-bats this year. Berkman has a NTC and can veto any deal. About $5.4M remains on Berkman’s $14.5M salary this season. The Astros hold a $15M option for next year, but they can buy it out for $2M.

– Buster Olney of ESPN.com hears that the White Sox and Yankees are “out of the mix” for Nationals’ 1B Adam Dunn. The Nats’ demands are known to be sky-high and, though interest has been strong, no team yet has been able to find a match. Maybe GM Mike Rizzo is still hoping to sign Dunn to a contract extension, or perhaps he will be satisfied with draft picks if the the big man heads elsewhere this offseason. Dunn is batting .275 this year with a .916 OPS and 23 homers. The Rays are considered the frontrunners, while the Giants remain in the running.

– The Orioles have hired Buck Showalter to be their next manager. He’ll officially take over next Tuesday, when the Orioles kick off a seven-game homestand against the Angels. Showalter has been the favourite all along, so it was really just a matter of when. Showalter, 54, is 882-833 over 11 seasons as a manager in the big leagues. Showalter had been working as a baseball analyst for ESPN.

NHL

– The Thrashers have signed F Andrew Ladd to a 1-year/$2.35M deal. The 24-year-old native of Maple Ridge, B.C. had 17 goals and 21 assists for the Hawks last season, putting up three goals and three assists in the post-season en route to the championship. Ladd had filed for salary arbitration after earning $1.65M last season. Ladd scored 17 goals and 38 points in 82 games in 2009-10.

– The Sens have re-signed F Peter Regan to a 2-year deal. The 24-year-old played his first full NHL season with the Senators in 2009-10, tallying 13 goals and 29 points in 75 games.

NBA

– The Knicks have reportedly extended an offer to G Shannon Brown, who is still considering a return to the Lakers. The Lakers are well over the luxury tax, so moving Vujacic’s $5.4M salary would ease the tax hit associated with keeping Brown.

NFL

– The Steelers have signed OT Flozell Adams on a multi-year deal. Great news for the ground attack. The Steelers had no realistic option to step in for injured RT Willie Colon, so the 35-year-old Adams fills a major vacancy up front.

– The Falcons have signed No. 19 overall pick OLB Sean Weatherspoon to a 5-year/ $17.5M contract with $10.5M in guarantees. Last year’s 19th pick, Jeremy Maclin, signed for 5-years/$15.5M. The Falcons love the athletic Weatherspoon’s potential as a cover linebacker, but he’s expected to be eased in on special teams and nickel packages as a rookie.

– The Dolphins have signed 1st-round pick DL Jared Odrick to a 5-year contract with a maximum value of just over $13M with $7.133M guaranteed. Odrick is the reigning 2009 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.

TNA

– Hulk Hogan was apparently the subject of false internet rumors today. TNA Wrestling president Dixie Carter issued the following statement this afternoon regarding “The Hulkster”:

“HULK HOGAN IS ALIVE AND WELL. He did not drown. Not sure how these rumors get started. Awful.”

VoV

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

– The Habs have re-signed F Dustin Boyd to a 1-year/$650K deal.  Boyd played in 78 games with the Predators and Calgary Flames in 2009-10 and scored 11 goals and registered 24 points.

– The Blackhawks have signed D John Scott to a 1-year deal. The 6’8″ reaguard likely won’t play enough to be a solid penalty minute contributor.

– The Wild have signed F Eric Nystrom to a 3-year/$4.2M deal. Aa nice increase from the $775K he earned in 2009-10 considering he only registered 19 points in 82 games.

– The Rangers are set to re-sign F Vaclav Prospal to the 1-year/$1M with bonuses worth $100K.

– The Bruins have signed F Jeremy Reich to a one-year contract.Reich returns to the Bruins’ organization after a very unsuccessful short stop in Long Island where he played in the 2009-10 pre-season, broke his wrist and was later released.

– The Wild have signed F Matt Cullen to a 3-year/$10M deal. Cullen, a Minnesota native, is going home and is thrilled about the prospect of playing in front of family and friends. He should be a staple on the Wild power play and the team’s second-line pivot. Look for Cullen to register 50-55 points in 2010-11.

– The Stars have signed G Andrew Raycroft to a 2-year deal.

– The Ducks have re-signed F Saku Koivu to a 2-year/$5M deal. The 35-year-old Finn had 19 goals and 33 assists with the Ducks last season.

– The Canucks have signed D Dan Hamhuis to a 6-year/$27M deal.

– The Blackhawks have traded F Andrew Ladd to the Thrashers for D Ivan Vishnevsky and a 2nd-round pick. Ladd, 24, had 17 goals and 21 assists last season for Chicago. Ladd will join former teammates F Dustin Byfuglien, D Brent Sopel and F Ben Eager in the Georgia city as it is becoming Chicago South.

– The Devils have signed D Henrik Tallinder to a 4-year/$13.5M deal. He recorded four goals and 20 points in 82 games last season.

– The Devils have signed D Anton Volchenkov to a 6-year deal. The 28-year old Volchenkov finished eighth in the NHL with 172 blocked shots last season, despite playing in only 64 games. He added 153 hits as well as four goals and 10 assists.

– The Flames have signed F Olli Jokinen to a 2-year/$6M deal.

– The Oilers have signed D Kurtis Foster to a 2-year/$3.6M deal.

– The Coyotes have signed F Ray Whitney to a 2-year/$6M deal.

– The Penguins have signed D Paul Martin to a 5-year/$25M deal. Martin was limited to 22 games in 2009-10 because of injury, registering two goals and nine assists.

– The Lightning have signed G Dan Ellis to a 2-year deal. Ellis had a .909 SV% and 2.69 GAA in 31 games last season with the Preds.

– The Canucks have signed F Manny Malholtra to a 3-year/$7.5M deal. The deal includes a no-trade clause. The 30-year-old native of Mississauga, Ontario spent last season with the San Jose Sharks, registering 14 goals and 19 assists, and played very well for the team in the post-season.

– The Canucks have signed F Joel Perrault to a 1-year/$510K deal.

– The Blues have re-signed F Alex Steen to a 4-year extension. The 26-year-old Steen was tied for the team lead with 24 goals and totalled 47 points in 68 games for the Blues last season.

– The Leafs have signed F Colby Armstrong to a 3-year/$9M deal. The 27-year-old spent the last two and a half seasons with the Atlanta Thrashers. In the 2009-10, Armstrong had 15 goals and 14 assists in 79 games.

– The Canadiens have signed G Alex Auld to a 1-year/$1M deal.

– The Sharks have signed G Antero Niittymaki to a 2-year/$4M deal. The 30-year-old Finn was 21-18-5 with the Lightning last season, registering a 2.87 GAA and a .909 SV%.

– The Penguins have signed D Zbynek Michalek to a 5-year/$20M deal.

– The Lightning have signed F Martin St. Louis to a 4-year extension. The 35-year-old, who still had one year left on his contract, had 29 goals and 65 assists for the Bolts last season.

– The Flames have signed F Alex Tanguay to a 1-year/$1.7M deal.

– The Flyers have re-signed D Braydon Coburn to a 2-year deal with a cap hit of $3.2M per year. The 6’5, 220 pound Calgary native had five goals and 14 assists for the Flyers last season.

– The Rangers have re-signed F Erik Christensen to a 2-year deal. Christensen had eight goals and 18 assists in 49 games with the Blueshirts last season. Christensen turned down a 2-year/$1.5M contract from the Rangers earlier in the week so expect a slight upgrade.

– The Senators have signed D Sergei Gonchar to a 3-year/$16.5M deal worth $5.5M annually. Gonchar had 11 goals and 39 assists for the Pens last season. All the rumors seemed to point Gonchar to Washington or back to Pittsburgh. Gonchar gets a no-trade clause in his contract and will quarterback the power play. Gonchar, if healthy, could score 15-20 goals and end up with 65 points with the Senators next season. He was the best offensive defenseman in free agency and now teams that were looking at him will have to alter their strategy.

– The Rangers have signed veteran G Martin Biron to a 2-year/$1.75M deal worth $825K annually. Biron was 9-14-4 with the Islanders last season with a 3.27 GAA and an .896 SV%.

– The Flyers have acquired D Andrej Meszaros from the Lightning for a 2nd-round pick in 2011. Meszaros did not have a good time in Tampa after signing a 6-year/$24M contract in August 2008. He was expected to take over the power play and lead them on the blueline but he had only two goals and 16 points in 52 games in the 2008-09 season before shoulder surgery ended his season. This past season was even worse with six goals and 17 points in 81 games. He is still young enough at age 24 to change the course of his career and the change in scenery will not hurt him. Playing with D Chris Pronger should help as well.

– The Bruins have re-signed D Daniel Paille to a 2-year/$2.15M deal with $1M and $1.15M in the first and second year, respectively. Paille had 10 goals and nine assists in 74 games with the Bruins last season.

– The Leafs have acquired F Kris Versteeg and F Bill Sweatt from the Blackhawks for F Viktor Stalberg, F Philippe Paradis and F Chris DiDomenico. Versteeg had 44 points in 79 regular-season games last season, along with 14 points in the post-season for the Stanley Cup champions.

NBA

– Lakers’ coach Phil Jackson will return next season, putting off retirement for at least another year to chase his 12th NBA championship. Jackson made the announcement Thursday with a news release. The coach of the two-time defending champions said last week he was leaning toward retirement after another long season, but he changed his mind after getting a week to rest up at his off-season home in Montana.

Jackson, who will turn 65 later this year, says next season will be “a last stand for me, and I hope a grand one.” Jackson is the winningest coach in NBA playoff history, with 225 victories and two more titles than Boston’s Red Auerbach. He has won five titles with the Lakers and six with the Bulls.

– The Grizzlies have re-signed F Rudy Gay to a maximum 5-year/$81.6M deal with forward Rudy Gay, prompting him to cancel meetings with other teams, including the Timberwolves. Don’t know why the Grizzlies didn’t at least wait for him to bring back an offer sheet. Gay is another example of a potential big mover returning to his old team, and you can almost hear the wind being sucked out of New York’s sails at this point.

– The Wolves have signed F Darko Milicic to a 4-year/$20M deal. F Al Jefferson, who is now requesting a trade, will play elsewhere next season. This also means F Kevin Love is going to have to fight Darko and F Nikola Pekovic for playing time, as well.

– The Bucks have signed F Drew Gooden to a 5-year/$32M deal. Gooden was solid for the Clippers last year and should be productive for the Bucks if he gets his 30 minutes per game.

MLB

– Phillies’ 2B Chase Utley (torn ligament in right thumb) will undergo surgery Thursday and is expected to miss the next eight weeks. So much for that “5-to-6 week” timetable that was being thrown around on Thursday morning. Utley injured his thumb while sliding into the second base bag on Monday and will be in a splint for the next five weeks. If he makes a quick recovery and avoids setbacks, we could see him by early September.

– According to Jim Duquette of Sirius XM Radio and MLB Network, Mariners’ LHP Cliff Lee told people around the club that Tuesday may have been his last start as a Mariner. There’s always the chance that it could be, as GM Jack Zduriencik would be silly to turn down an offer that he deems appropriate. Expect Lee to be wearing a new jersey sooner rather than later.

– The Rangers have officially acquired C Bengie Molina from the Giants for RHP Chris Ray and RHP Michael Main. Molina should get a nice helping of playing time in Texas and will surely post better stats in the shallow confines of the Ballpark at Arlington. He was batting just .257/.312/.332 with three homers and 17 RBI in 202 at-bats for San Francisco.

– Sources tell Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com that the Mariners are “trying to move” INF Jose Lopez. Lopez is a rather obvious candidate to be traded to the Phillies now that Utley will need thumb surgery, a possibility that may be helped by assistant general manager Benny Looper’s previous ties to Seattle. The 26-year-old infielder is batting just .244/.271/.336 with five home runs and 30 RBI in 307 at-bats with the Mariners this season, but would likely thrive in the cozy Citizens Bank Park. Lopez’s contract includes a $4.5M club option for next season or a $250K buyout. He is capable of playing either third base or second base.

– The Orioles have placed DH Luke Scott (left hamstring strain) on the 15-day DL. Scott injured the hamstring during a home run trot against the Athletics on Wednesday night. He hits the DL with a .274/.348/.520 batting line to go along with 12 homers and 30 RBI. Barring any setbacks, he should be in line to return shortly after the All-Star break.

NFL

– QB Brett Favre retook the practice field with high schoolers in Hattiesburg, Mississippi Thursday morning. He did the same last July. Retaking the practice field at Oak Grove High indicates that his surgically repaired ankle is healing, and that Favre likely will go through the same routine he did last year before reporting to the Vikings. “His arm is great like always,” said Oak Grove coach Nevil Barr. “As far as how his ankle is I haven’t heard him say anything about it.”

– The NFL has suspended Chargers’ WR Vincent Jackson three games for violating the league’s Personal Conduct Policy. The suspension stems from Jackson’s two DUIs, and it can be appealed. He was expecting a four-game ban, so V-Jax should feel at least some relief. Interestingly, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that even if V-Jax follows through with his holdout threats, the suspension will start in Week 1 anyway. As Profootballtalk reported yesterday, teams interested in trading for Jackson were already aware of the looming suspension. It’s one of the reasons that a trade remains a long shot. Malcom Floyd and Legedu Naanee will likely be the Bolts’ starting wideouts for at least the first three weeks of the season.

– The NY Post reports that Titans QB Chris Simms was arrested Thursday morning for driving while under the influence of marijuana. During a 2AM traffic stop, police observed Simms had “red eyes, flushed face and slurred speech.” The arrest figures to crush his chances of landing a roster spot in Tennessee behind Vince Young and Kerry Collins. Phil’s son was nothing short of a disaster in spot action with Denver last year, and has seemed shell shocked since his life-threatening spleen injury in 2006.

WWE

– According to the Wrestling Observer, Richard Blood (aka Ricky Steamboat), 57, suffered a brain aneurysm last night in Tampa and is currently being hospitalized. His condition has been upgraded to stable, but he is likely to be hospitalized for some time after suffering a brain aneurysm last night in Tampa.

– WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart has written a blog entry responding to Martha Hart’s lawsuit against World Wrestling Entertainment over using the likeness and footage of Owen Hart.

“I feel that it’s ridiculous for anyone to think they are serving the best interests of Owen’s memory or his children to pretend he wasn’t a wrestler. Not only was he a wrestler, he was a great one and proud of it. I personally believe Martha Hart has done nothing to keep his memory alive and sadly, he fades from view a little more every year. I do suspect this lawsuit is more about publicity, ego, and small-mindedness than it is about pro-wrestling and all of those that are in it.

“I know Owen was always proud of his body of work. His fans have never forgotten him and most of today’s WWE wrestlers and hundreds of employees have never forgotten him. They speak endlessly of loving memories that speak volumes on what kind of person he was. I saw Owen on TV a few weeks ago against a young Matt Hardy and it put me in such a good mood all day long. Why would anyone want to prevent that? Martha needs to accept the sad truth that he’s gone, but we all deserve to be able to salute and honor him for being the great man and the great wrestler that he was.”

TNA

– TNA officials have gotten more aggressive over the past week or two when it comes to signing Paul Heyman. Heyman has been offered the head of TNA creative job, but he wants even more control than that. Heyman reportedly wants to be what Dana White is to the UFC – the front man who has a ton of power behind the scenes and can overrule virtually anybody and have things done his way. Heyman feels the creative side of TNA needs an overhaul, but that creative isn’t the company’s biggest problem.

– Hulk Hogan was scheduled to undergo back surgery. Apparently Hogan didn’t have the surgery yesterday but is scheduled to go under the knife by the end of the week. We wish him the best and a quick recovery.

– TNA fired creative team member Ed Ferrara last week. Ferrara, best known for his previous stints in WWE and WCW, had been Vince Russo’s booking assistant while in TNA.

– Former WCW wrestler & booker Kevin Sullivan met with Dixie Carter when she was in New Jersey a few weeks ago. Sullivan expressed pitched the idea of him joining TNA’s creative team and has worked with many people already in TNA. It’s said that Sullivan has written out an entire year of booking for the company.

– TNA has re-signed Velvet Sky to a 3-year deal.

VoV

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

– ESPN’s Chad Ford breaks down how G Dwyane Wade, F Chris Bosh and F LeBron James could all end up in Miami next season. It would nearly take a miracle for this to happen, but the fact it’s a possibility, and the fact the three would love to play together, makes the scenario a very intriguing one. The Heat have only three players under contract and would have to pull off some sign-and-trades to make it happen, but you have to think Pat Riley would pull out all the stops to do just that. Don’t hold your breath for it to happen, but know it’s a possibility.

– Hornets’ G Chris Paul, who is still not on the court after knee surgery, is a potential trade candidate as long as George Shinn still owns the Hornets. Paul is very iffy for the world championships in late August, but should be healthy by the start of the season. World Wide Wes is reportedly telling teams they’ll have the upper hand in the LeBron James race if they can pry CP3 from the Hornets. New Jersey and Portland both sound like candidates to go after both guys, but the stars would really have to align to get Paul out of New Orleans, let alone match him up with LeBron.

– GM Larry Riley said that the Warriors are G Steph Curry’s team and he will build around him. Riley identified G Monta Ellis as the shooting guard. “You don’t build your team around a two-guard. You build around a point guard,” Riley said. The Warriors are going to draft someone at No. 6 that fits with Curry, and this just lends more validity to the idea that Ellis will be traded at some point. The Warriors were better off when Curry dominated the ball and Ellis was on the sideline last year. Curry’s Dynasty owners should be praying Ellis gets dealt.

– The Bobcats are talking with teams about either purchasing a pick or making a trade that would yield selections in Thursday’s NBA draft. Several teams are looking to give up picks, and the Bobcats currently do not have a pick in the first or second round of this year’s Entry Draft.

– Yahoo! Sports reports that the Wolves are willing to trade its own 1st-round picks at No. 15 and No. 23 along with G Jonny Flynn, who the team drafted at No. 6 overall last year, in exchange for the Pacers #10 overall pick. Flynn averaged 13.5 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game for the Wolves in his rookie year. This seems like a real possibility for the Pacers, although you’d have to think a player like F Troy Murphy would also be included in the deal. It was reported earlier in the day that the Wolves rejected Flynn for No. 10 straight up, but it sounds like the deal is not dead in the water.

– Yahoo! Sports reports that the Nets may select F Wesley Johnson with the #3 overall pick, stealing him from the Wolves at #4. The Nets continue to search for a power forward.

– Celtics’ coach Doc Rivers said on WEEI-AM on Monday that F Rasheed Wallace is likely retiring this summer. Wallace has two years left on the contract he signed with the Celtics last summer.

– The Nuggets have made a qualifying offer to RFA F Linas Kleiza, but his agent said the Lithuanian forward plans to keep playing for Olympiakos in Greece. Kleiza is still very likely to stay with Olympiakos next season, for whom he signed a two-year/$12.2M contract with. Kleiza averaged 17.1 points for Olympiakos last season.

– The Cavs have deepened the original wine and brightened the original gold colors the team used exclusively from 1970-83. The team made the alteration partly because of the popularity of the “old” colors with fans. The team’s primary and secondary logos have been updated with the new color shades, which will be included on the Cavs’ uniforms next season.

NHL

– TSN reports that the Penguins may trade the negotiating rights for D Sergei Gonchar. Gonchar has a no-trade clause and the Pens would still like to extend his contract, but there’s a good chance Gonchar will become a UFA on July 1, so the possibility of following a trend of trading a player’s rights will likely be explored. Gonchar is believed to be looking for upwards of $6M annually.

– Firm offers for Leafs’ D Tomas Kaberle are expected to materialize by Wednesday or Thursday. Based on the inquiries, the Leafs will likely be able to make a deal, however the Draft is a starting point, so it’s possible any trade involving Kaberle may not happen until later this summer.

– Senators F Jason Spezza “wouldn’t object” to a trade if it happened, GM Bryan Murray told reporters on Monday. “He said he wouldn’t object to it. He didn’t come in and say, ‘I have to be traded.’ He didn’t object to the fact that maybe it’s time – the way (he’s) been received – now maybe it’s time.”

While no deal appears imminent, there was speculation on Monday night that Spezza was heading to the Blue Jackets in exchange for F Derick Brassard, F Kristian Huselius and the 4th-overall pick at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, but the rumour was quashed. Spezza has been the subject of trade rumours and speculation since the Sens were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. Adding more intrigue was a small fan rally on Parliament Hill over the weekend urging the Murray to keep the club’s No. 1 centre. Murray, who dealt star F Dany Heatley last summer, added that a trade was not a sure thing. “I said unfortunately, that doesn’t happen. You signed a long-term contract. We committed to you, you committed to us…we’re not going to make a bet for you.”

Spezza signed a seven-year/$49M contract extension in 2007 and has a no-trade clause that kicks in on July 1. He has played his entire career with the Senators since being taken second overall by the team in 2001. Murray also confirmed that D Anton Volchenkov will test the free agent market.

– Blackhawks’ F Andrew Ladd, F Kris Versteeg and F Dustin Byfuglien continue to draw interest, but sources say Chicago isn’t interested in trading F Patrick Sharp. Ladd, a two-time Stanley Cup winner, is scheduled to become an RFA and is believed to be among the Hawks’ most shopped players.

– Panthers’ F Nathan Horton and F Stephen Weiss are attracting the most interest, but Panthers GM Dale Tallon says he’s receiving calls on a number of different players. Tallon says most of the calls are from “tire kickers”, other managers inquiring about the asking price of certain players. But, Tallon says, at the moment it’s all just talk. The Bruins are among the teams in the hunt for Horton, although GM Peter Chiarelli says the second pick overall in Fridays draft is not in play.

– F Mike Modano is unsure of his future in Dallas, according to a report from ESPN. “The more and more I look at the situation here, I come to believe I’m not in the scheme of things here. If I had to play, I may have to look at going elsewhere.” Modano said he plans to wait until at least July before making a decision to return to the Stars. He is set to become a UFA on July 1 and has had several talks with GM Joe Nieuwendyk. Stay tuned.

– The Coyotes have re-signed F Taylor Pyatt to a two-year deal. Pyatt had 12 goals and 11 assists in 74 regular-season games for Phoenix, plus one goal and one assist in seven playoff games.

– The Sharks have acquired F Brad Staubitz to the Wild in exchange for a 5th-round draft pick. Staubitz registered six points and 110 penalty minutes in 47 games with the Sharks in 2009-10. With enforcer F Derek Boogaard likely heading to free agency next month the Wild have ensured themselves some muscle with this acquisition.

WWE

– Regarding Rey Mysterio’s World Heavyweight Championship victory at Sunday’s Fatal 4-Way PPV, the title switch was done for a few reasons, reports F4WOnline. For starters, company officials were unhappy with Jack Swagger’s reign as Champion as he hadn’t gotten over to the degree they would have liked. It’s also being said that Mysterio has been unhappy the company as of late and this was management’s way of appeasing him. Additionally, plans for Mysterio to take a month long vacation were scrapped when Undertaker went down with multiple facial injuries, so giving him a title run persuaded him to stick around.

– Melina is being advertised to appear at FCW’s live event taking place at the Orlando Armory on Wednesday, July 14. She will be taking part in a meet and greet before the show. In an update on when she expects to return to the ring, she wrote the following on her Twitter account last night: “I truly don’t know when I will be back. One step at a time. I just want to focus on better mobility in my knee and building strength. Next is running. Hopefully I can hit my mark for getting cleared but if I don’t, then I just have to keep working at it. We shall see when I got to FCW in a few weeks.”

– Beth Phoenix said last night during a chat on WWEUniverse.com that she is three to five months away from making a full-fledged return to the squared circle. “The Glamazon” has been sidelined since early May due to a torn ACL.

MLB

– FOXSports.com reports that the Giants have expressed interest in Royals’ OF David DeJesus, however, serious trade talks have not yet happened. The report speculates that the Giants do not have the right combination of players to acquire him. DeJesus is hitting .323 with five homers and 31 RBIs this season.

– The Reds are set to sign OF Gary Matthews Jr. to a minor league deal. Matthews hit .190 with one RBI in 58 at-bats with the Mets.

– Jays’ RHP Dustin McGowan (shoulder) will undergo surgery and is sidelined until 2011 or 2012 at the latest.

NFL

– According to Joe Reedy of the Cincinnati Enquirer, the Bengals and RB Cedric Benson are in the “early stages” of discussions regarding a contract extension. Though nothing is imminent, Reedy’s report suggests that the Bengals are at least open to the idea of signing Benson long term. Benson was an attendee to all offseason practices, so he’s smartly not threatening to hold out. A deal might happen later in the year if Benson starts the season hot.

TNA

– Apparently in reference to WWE’s Lay-Cool act, an upset Angelina Love wrote the following on her Facebook account Friday night while watching television: “So this is what I get for quickly flipping thru the channels on a friday night……a blonde & a brunette blatantly ripping something off……..BRUTAL!!!”

The TNA Knockout made similar remarks online last year after Maryse took a page out of “The Beautiful People” playbook by spraying Mickie James with hair spray during an episode of Monday Night Raw.

“You can try, but you cant and you never will be TBP!!!,” Love angrily typed on MySpace. “The Beautiful People- often imitated, NEVER duplicated!!”

Days before Love’s latest remark, Layla responded to those accusing her and Michelle McCool of ripping off TNA Wrestling’s “Beautiful People” act, writing on Twitter: “Cuz all of the tweets about this subject For the Record I do Not watch TNA So copy cat thing… kinda NOT!! This is All I will say Done!!”

VoV

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

– WWE made the following announcement on their official website late Friday night:

“WWE has come to terms on the release of NXT first season rookie Daniel Bryan (Bryan Danielson) as of today June 11, 2010. We wish Daniel Bryan the best in all future endeavors.”

After checking with our sources in WWE, it appears the release of Daniel Bryan is legit. WWE executives Donna Goldsmith and Michelle Wilson were informed of Daniel Bryan’s release before the news was made public.

People in WWE, including the creative team, were told that Danielson was fired for choking ring announcer Justin Roberts with his own tie during the NXT invasion angle on RAW this past Monday. The shot was edited from replays of the angle and was described as being too violent for what WWE allows on it’s programming.

There’s talk that a very powerful person (either in WWE or from the USA Network) complained to WWE officials about the angle, claiming that Bryan’s choking of Justin Roberts was way too extreme for the children who may have been watching.

The feeling within the WWE locker room is that Daniel Bryan is being used as a scapegoat. WWE apparently does want to bring him back once the whole thing blows over. For what it’s worth, Danielson has been described as having a great attitude backstage and “the type of person you would want your locker room filled with.”

NHL

– Leafs’ GM Brian Burke has once again re-iterated interest in Ducks’ F Bobby Ryan. Burke drafted Ryan in the second round of the 2005 entry draft and has been rumoured to have interest in acquiring him since he became GM of the Leafs. There are plenty of Ryan-for-D Tomas Kaberle rumours, but those are very unlikely to come to fruition.

– It seems that Blackhawks’ F Marian Hossa (sprained right MCL) played in the Stanley Cup Final with a sprained right MCL. He sprained the ligament in game one against the Flyers but did not miss a shift in any of the next five contests. The injury turned out to be fairly mild as Hossa wears two braces on his right knee which provided support and prevented serious damage. Hossa should be fine by the time training camp rolls around.

– The Blackhawks, who are currently in a stranglehold with lack of cap room, are expected to have a serious roster shakeup this offseason.

Look for the Hawks to deal backup G Cristobal Huet this off-season. It won’t be easy given his performance this past year, plus his large $5.6M in 2010-11. Huet finished the second of a four-year/$22.45M contract. Since a deal is unlikely, GM Stan Bowman will likely demote the netminder to the AHL so his massive salary won’t count against the team’s salary cap. Huet is rumoured to be interested in playing in the KHL.

Meanwhile, G Antti Niemi, who went 16-6 in the playoffs, made just under $827K this year and is an RFA, will undoubtedly sign for a raise that the Hawks will need to match in order to retain him. In addition to Niemi, D Niklas Hjalmarrson, F Andrew Ladd and F Ben Eager are key RFAs.

The Hawks are also not expected to re-sign UFA F John Madden, who made $2.8M last season. F Adam Burish is also a commodity the Hawks can no longer afford.

The Hawks do have four key players locked up in F Jonathan Toews and F Patrick Kane (five-year/$31.5M extensions), D Duncan Keith (13-year/$72M) and F Marian Hossa (12-year/$68M). Toews will receive a $1.3M roster bonus for winning the Conn Smythe, which will count against their 2010-11 cap.

– F Ilya Kovalchuk’s Russian agent confirmed that KHL teams are negotiating a contract for the superstar’s services. He confirmed the rumour that SKA St. Petersberg offered a three year deal, but denied the the deal was worth $42M. Russia’s Sport Express Daily reports that Moscow Dynamo offered Kovalchuk a three year/$40M deal. “We speak about three years because Ilya wants to play in KHL till the Sochi Olympics in 2014,” said Yuriy Nikolaev, Kovalchuk’s agent in Russia. This could be nothing more than posturing and a negotiation tactic to increase his NHL contract. Kovalchuk is set to become a UFA on July 1.

– If UFA D Dan Hamhuis does not return to Nashville (and that seems likely) look for Vancouver to make an offer to sign him. The Canucks and Predators discussed a deal involving Hamhuis this past season but the price tage, prospect F Cody Hodgson, was too steep for Vancouver GM Mike Gillis. Hamhuis is a native of Vancouver and would seemingly be interested in signing to play in his hometown. Stay tuned.

– The Stars are in the market for a puck-moving defenceman. Early reports indicate interest in Blackhawks’ D Brian Campbell, who the Hawks can no longer afford. Stay tuned.

– The Detroit News reports that the team, like many, is up against the cap wall, and if F Todd Bertuzzi is asking for more than $1M this summer, the Wings may not bring him back. Big Bert made $1.5M last season. Stay tuned.

NBA

– Tom Izzo did not say on Saturday whether he will accept the Cavaliers coaching job, and the team has reportedly contacted former Hawks coach Mike Woodson and current Lakers assistant Brian Shaw. Byron Scott is another candidate should Izzo choose to stay in Michigan, though the Cleveland Plain-Dealer reports that Scott may wait to see if the Lakers job opens up. It’s possible Izzo could make a decision on Sunday. Stay tuned.

MLB

– White Sox’ C A.J. Pierzynski has been told he will not be traded before Monday by manager Ozzie Guillen. Pierzynski gains 10-and-5 rights on Monday (he’s been in the majors for 10 years, including five with the same time), meaning he’ll have the right to veto any trade. Pierzynski has been one of the Sox’s better players this month, so even with C Tyler Flowers champing at the bit in Triple-A, he’ll stay behind the plate on the South Side for the time being.

– D’Backs’ RHP Brandon Webb (shoulder) threw a successful bullpen session Saturday. It was the first time he had stepped atop a pitching rubber since early March, and he looked great. “They said I looked way more comfortable than I have and I felt more comfortable than I have on the mound, too. So I think we’re moving in the right direction. There’s still a little ways to go obviously.” He’s hoping to return soon after the All-Star break in July.

VoV

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

– The LA Daily News is reporting that Phil Jackson will make the decision whether to stay with the Lakers or retire by the end of the month. Jackson’s contract ends when these NBA Finals are over and there have been plenty of rumors of him headed to other teams. The 64-year-old, who has a .705 winning percentage as an NBA coach, is making $12M this year, but would need to take a paycut to remain with the Lakers.

– Yahoo! reports that the Hawks will select a head coach today. They’re expected to decide between Dallas Mavericks assistant Dwane Casey and current assistant Larry Drew. An offer is expected to come from the team by the end of the weekend, according to Spears, unless a consensus can’t be reached in the conference call. In that case, the team may interview another candidate next week, Spears writes.

– ESPN is now reporting that Tom Izzo, who will meet with the team Thursday, is close to taking the Cavaliers’ head coaching job, if an offer is made. Not news, but it is worth noting that ESPN is now saying he’s much closer to leaving MSU than they initially believed. Waitingfornextyear.com reported Wednesday that Izzo would agree to taking the job on Friday, and it still looks like there’s a pretty good chance that will happen – with or without LeBron.

– Lakers’ F Andrew Bynum (knee), who played just 12 minutes in Thursday’s Game 4 loss due to a swollen knee, has no plans on having the knee drained again before Sunday’s Game 5. He said his knee was extremely swollen coming into Game 4, but expects some rest to make it bearable for Sunday. He had the knee drained prior to the series, and doing so again could possibly put him out for Game 5, if not the rest of the Finals. He says he’ll play on Sunday, but he should still be considered questionable until further notice.

– G Evan Turner has only scheduled one workout and it’s with the Sixers, who hold the No. 2 pick in the NBA Draft. The Wizards aren’t bringing him in, making it official that they will take G John Wall with the No. 1 pick. And given the fact Turner is only working out for Philly, it seems like a lock that they will skip Derrick Favors and take Turner on June 24.

NHL

– Potential first overall pick F Taylor Hall visited with the Oilers on Wednesday. Hall is co-favourite to go number one overall in the Entry Draft on June 25, along with F Tyler Seguin of the Plymouth Whalers. Hall, born in Calgary, was in Edmonton to watch the Heritage Classic in 2003 as a fan with his father. “I know this is a great hockey city. My dad (former CFLer Steve) and I drove up from Calgary when I lived there and went to the Heritage Classic. It was such a unique experience. I remember sitting in the seats … and I couldn’t figure out how people were still out there drinking beer. It was so cold. Me. I was drinking hot chocolate.” Hall would be a great addition for the Oilers, but GM Steve Tabellini said that he would not reveal his choice for number one overall before the draft, even to Hall or Seguin. Hall had 40 goals and 106 points in 57 games for the Windsor Spitfires of the OHL as he led them to the Memorial Cup this season.

– Blackhawks’ F Jonathan Toews will receive a reported $1.3M bonus for winning the Conn Smythe Trophy. The bonus will go against the 2010-11 salary cap as the Blackhawks were up against this season’s cap. The Blackhawks will have their parade this morning in what has been quite a month for the City of Chicago.

– Blackhawks’ F Andrew Ladd (fractured shoulder) played the last three games of the Stanley Cup Final with a fractured shoulder and torn ligaments. Ladd was injured in the final game of the Western Conference final and missed the first three games of the Stanley Cup Final but gritted it out and managed to play with the injury. “It was tough, especially sitting out the first three and not being out there helping. I was determined to come back and be a part of it.”

– The Lightning have officially named Guy Boucher as their new head coach. Boucher coached the Canadiens’ AHL affiliate Hamilton Bulldogs to first place in the Western Conference and a semi-final berth. At age 38, he becomes the youngest coach currently in the NHL. Habs’ GM Pierre Gauthier said, “The Montreal Canadiens wish to thank Guy Boucher for his commitment to the organization. His dedication was a key factor to the success of the Hamilton Bulldogs during the 2009-10 season, and to the development of our prospects. We wish Guy the best of luck with the Lightning.” Boucher has a lot of young talent in T-Bay and have a great shot at making the playoffs next season.

– The clincher of the Stanley Cup finals was the most-watched and highest-rated NHL game in 36 years. The Chicago Blackhawks’ 4-3 overtime win over the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 6, which earned them their first championship since 1961, drew a 4.7 rating and 8 share Wednesday night on NBC. That’s the best since a 7.6/27 for Game 6 of the Boston-Philadelphia series in 1974. It was 38 percent higher than the 3.4/6 for last year’s Pittsburgh-Detroit Game 6 and 9 percent higher than the 4.3/8 for Game 7 in 2009. The network said Thursday that the game was watched by 8.28 million viewers. The series’ average rating was a 3.4/6, the best on network TV since Carolina-Detroit in 2002 and up 10 percent from last year.

MLB

– Angels’ 1B Kendry Morales (broken left leg) has undergone surgery and will miss the remainder of the season. Morales broke his leg while leaping onto home plate during a celebration following his game-ending grand slam against Seattle on May 29.

– According to ESPN, the Rangers have “serious interest” in bringing White Sox’ C A.J. Pierzynski. The catcher is due more than $4M for the rest of the year, though, and that could mean no deal happens with the financially strapped Rangers.

– FOXSports reports that the Twins are monitoring Mariners’ RHP David Aardsma and D’Backs’ RHP Chad Qualls. Aardsma is 0-3 with a 5.21 ERA, but he’s also struck out 18 in 19 innings pitched. He’s making $2.75M this year and is due to go to arbitration this winter. Qualls, meanwhile, is in the last year of his contract that pays him $4.185M this year. He has a 7.77 ERA and is 1-3, but has struck out 23 in 22 innings pitched.

– The Cardinals have signed RHP Jeff Suppan.

– Orioles’ 2B Brian Roberts (back) will be given a third epidural in his back on Friday. Roberts continues to fight back issues and appears to be at least a month from returning to action. He’s on the 60-day DL with a herniated disc and has experienced a range of different setbacks.

– An industry source tells Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun that the Orioles will interview Bobby Valentine for their managerial vacancy on Friday. Orioles’ president Andy MacPhail is expected to conduct the meeting in Baltimore. A source tells Connolly that Valentine is believed to be the second candidate to interview after another interview that took place on Thursday. Former Indians manager Eric Wedge was also raised as a possibility earlier this week, though it’s not known if he was already interviewed.

– Athletics’ C Kurt Suzuki will be placed on the bereavement list after Thursday’s game and will miss at least three days. He is hitting .274/.329/.478 this season and .277/.313/.457 since returning from the DL on May 16.

NFL

– Appearing on ESPN’s NFL Live, Adam Schefter reports “there’s a feeling in St. Louis” that it will be an upset if QB Sam Bradford is not starting by the third or fourth game of the season. That isn’t to say that Bradford can’t start by Week 1 with a strong preseason performance. The draft’s top pick has exceeded expectations in St. Louis thus far, making all of the throws and showing incredible accuracy. For what it’s worth, Schefter was told by one coach before the draft that Bradford was the best QB prospect he had seen since Colts’ QB Peyton Manning.

– Bills’ RB Marshawn Lynch has “zero trade value” right now, according to ESPN.com’s Tim Graham. “No matter how much he wants to posture and get his way off the team, the Bills can’t get anything in return for him. He has so much baggage that other teams don’t want to trust him.” Lynch’s hands are pretty much tied at this point. His only option is to return to Buffalo and play the role of the good soldier while trying to rehabilitate his image.

– Bills OLB Aaron Schobel indicated Thursday that “at this point” he’s not planning to play football in 2010. “I’m not ready to say I’m retiring but it’s in the Bills’ hands,” said Schobel. Schobel, still playing at a high level, is not known to have requested more money, but he has been frustrated with the Bills’ rebuilding efforts. He suggested that he could return at some point during the season, but he would understand if the Bills want to “move on.”

– Ex-Panthers WR Muhsin Muhammad announced his retirement from football Thursday. Carolina’s all-time leader in receptions (696) and receiving yards (9,255), Muhammad played 11 seasons with the Panthers and three with the Bears. “Moose” led the league in receptions in 2000 with 102 and finished as fantasy’s top receiver in 2004 when he gained 1,405 yards with 16 TDs. He was part of the legendary 1996 receiver class that also boasts Marvin Harrison, Terrell Owens, Joe Horn, Keyshawn Johnson, Terry Glenn, Amani Toomer, and Bobby Engram.

TNA

– TNA founder Jeff Jarrett was interviewed this week by Fanhouse.com to promote Sunday’s TNA Slammiversary pay-per-view. Here are some highlights of what Jarrett said about:

His Role in TNA: “I have zero to do with that (creative). It’s a breath of fresh air for myself because it’s a consuming job. At times, it completely consumes your life where it’s almost like you can’t see the forest through the trees. It not only takes up a lot of time but it takes up, I guess you could say, a lot of mental space.”

Being Engaged to Karen Angle & His relationship with Kurt Angle: “Me and Kurt are good and that’s a private matter and I’ll definitely leave it at that. I don’t discuss things like that. But it’s a very good, thriving relationship.”

The Possibility of iMPACT! Ever Returning To Mondays: “This sounds real clichéish but if the time was right, absolutely we would. But you know what, the timing, and I’m not talking about just internally on TV, I’m talking externally with Spike and different things with momentum going and different marketing plans and different dollars being invested and how we’re going to advertise as well as in the show with storylines to have it all make sense. Let’s just say the stars would certainly have to align but if they did align without a doubt.”

WWE

– According to the Wrestling Observer, there is a new movement in WWE’s overall booking philosophy to feature more realistic programming and to push younger, smaller stars. The NXT invasion on RAW and the recent storyline with Daniel Bryan vs. Michael Cole are examples of angles that are “out of the norm” for WWE.

WWE also knows that stars like The Undertaker, Triple H, Edge, Chris Jericho, Rey Mysterio and Big Show won’t be around forever. Some of today’s top young talents (The Miz, Kofi Kingston, Evan Bourne, Daniel Bryan, Kaval) are smaller than the current breed of main eventers and the company realizes that the smaller guys need to be portrayed well. Evan Bourne in particular is in line for a big push and has the endorsement of John Cena, but it remains to be seen how committed WWE is to the push.

– Following the NXT invasion on RAW, there are plans for John Cena to feud with Wade Barrett for the WWE championship this summer. The match could headline a summer pay-per-view and would be another example of WWE shooting another young star to the top in a feud with John Cena, ala Sheamus.

– Last month, Carlos Colon, father of former WWE superstar Carlito, made headlines when he stated that Carlito had a problem with prescription pain pills and left WWE after refusing to enter rehab. Carlos Colon spoke to Peurto Rico newspaper “El Nuevo Dia” this week. He said that Carlito did not enter rehab program, but is no longer on pills and is no longer in pain. The time away from WWE has helped his body recover. He’s back in the gym and training again after taking some time off, as he now lives with his mother in Texas. Carlito asked for time off from WWE on several occasions, but WWE rejected his requests.

– WWE creative is currently happy with the LayCool team, according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. While some saw them as a “Beautiful People” knockoff at first, LayCool is seen as a hot act with a lot of potential.

– As reported earlier this week, the reaction backstage after the NXT invasion on RAW was very positive. The angle was kept a secret from almost everyone in the company and wasn’t even listed on the show’s script.

– The fan voting at Monday’s Viewer’s Choice RAW was legitimate. While the writing of Monday’s show did push fans to vote for particular people, they had plans in place for each scenario in the fan voting didn’t go as the company hoped for.

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
VoV – www.voiceofvaleri.com
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After blowing a 3-0 lead in Game 3, it was Patrick Sharp and Cristobal Huet who ended up saving the day for the Chicago Blackhawks.

Sharp scored at 1:52 of overtime Friday night, giving Chicago to a 4-3 victory over Detroit and cutting the Red Wings’ lead in the Western Conference finals to 2-1.

After Matt Walker’s shot from the point in overtime, Dustin Byfuglien tried to control it in front. With Nicklas Lidstrom’s broken stick, it was Sammy Pahlsson who reached in and pushed it over to Sharp, who got it past Chris Osgood for the winner and his second goal of the game.

With the game tied at 3 at two periods, Huet came in to replace starting goalie Nikolai Khabibulin, who had a lower-body injury. Huet, in his first action of the postseason, stopped six shots in the third. His play helped slow the Red Wings’ momentum after they scored three goals in the second.

The Red Wings, playing without arguably their best player in Pavel Datsyuk, scored three goals in a 4:23 span late in the second period. Detroit’s outburst quickly quieted a raucous crowd at the United Center after it looked as if Chicago was in control.

Lidstrom also tallied a powerplay marker, putting Detroit on the board. Goals later followed by Brian Rafalski and Jonathan Ericsson.

Sharp scored on the power play in the opening period and, just over a minute later, Andrew Ladd beat Osgood to give the Blackhawks a quick 2-0 lead. Pahlsson’s goal less than a minute into the second period made it 3-0.

There was some controversy at 13:08 of the first frame, however. ‘Hawks’ Martin Havlat was absolutely railroaded by Niklas Kronwall. Havlat had turned around the boards, and had the puck between his feet when Kronwall nailed him. The ensuing blow caused Havlat to lose consciousness, to which he was later helped off the ice and did not return.

After the hit, no referee, nor any of the linesman, had raised their arms to indicate a penalty. Why? Because it was a clean play. Havlat had the puck, had his head down, and paid the price. Looking back to Game 1, Jiri Hudler’s hit could be categorized as a second too late.

Kronwall received a 5-minute major, as well as a game misconduct for his NHL rule-abiding check. Things like these, however, have become commonplace in the NHL. A player goes down, is hurt on a clean play, and the opposition is penalized for it. Although it remains uncertain whether or not Kronwall had gone head-hunting, the bottom line remains that he got all shoulder into the hit. I remember back in the day when hits like these were praised and touted around the league. Players like Scott Stevens made careers out of hits like these, but this new NHL has gone and removed this element of the game.

While Detroit successfully killed off the major, they were forced to play two-and-a-half periods without one of their top defencemen. Yes, Detroit eventually did tie the game at 3, but would they have won had they still had Kronwall patrolling the blueline?

As for Havlat, Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said Havlat’s condition had improved after the game and he would be re-evaluated Saturday.

Game 4 is Sunday at the United Center.