NBA

– The Nuggets are looking to trade G J.R. Smith, according to Fanhouse.com. Smith will earn $6M this year, but his contract is expiring and he’s talented enough to attract plenty of attention. There are no teams linked to him (yet) and nothing is imminent.

TNA

– TNA star Kevin Nash has confirmed that his friend Scott Hall is back in a substance abuse rehabilitation facility. Nash wrote on Twitter,

“Scott is under care in the WWE’s wellness program. God bless Ann and Vince for taking care of my friend.”

There had been some confusion lately as to whether Hall had been hospitalized or was in rehab after statements were issued by independent wrestling promoters claiming both scenarios. Much to its credit, WWE has an ongoing policy where it pays for drug treatment programs for any current or past superstar that asks for the help. Best of luck to Scott Hall in getting himself together.

WWE

– Sports Legacy Institute head and former WWE performer Chris Nowinski criticized Senate candidate Linda McMahon’s flippant comments concerning the death of fellow wrestler Lance McNaught (aka Lance Cade) last week during an interview with the New England Cable News, feeling she was “kicking dirt” on his grave. He also alleged that under her leadership, World Wrestling Entertainment encouraged steroid use and provided an unsafe environment for its performers. WWE issued the following statement in response to Nowinski’s claims and criticisms:

WWE RAISES CREDIBILITY ISSUES FOR CHRIS NOWINSKI

Chris Nowinski did not reveal, as required, that he suffered previous concussions before signing his contract with WWE.

He states WWE suggested that its performers take steroids. However, at no time does he ever state that it was suggested that he do so.

His comments that WWE talent perform in matches 200 days a year is not factual. In 2009, the average active roster talent performed 135 days.

A sheer fabrication — that he went through tables four days a week.

Mr. Nowinski states, “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.” If so, then why would Mr. Nowinski have ever wanted to be a part of such an environment?

It is very dubious that he ever had a conversation with Lance Cade much less Lance Cade confiding to a total stranger that he used painkillers and steroids.

Although renowned in the field of CTE, we are unaware of any specific qualifications or medical degrees that he possesses which would qualify him as an expert on steroids and pain killers.

– WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has updated his blog over at JRsbarbq.com with some commentary on the following topics:

Bobby Lashley’s First MMA Loss: “Bobby Lashley lost for the first time Saturday night by technical knockout in an ugly effort that exposed Bobby’s lack of MMA technique specifically Lashley’s ability to utilize submissions. Bobby did not look good, seemed to fatigue, and was too heavy/thick from this fan’s observation. I still think that Lashley has a shot at a successful MMA career but he’s got lots of work to do in a high level training center and to mentally commit 100% to his new vocation. He also needs to physically downsize.”

“Lashley was hospitalized over night in Houston Saturday but has apparently since been released.”

“If Bobby decides to have one more go at it and loses again, I would be surprised to see him remain in MMA. That’s pure, individual speculation.”

Paul Heyman and Strikeforce: “I saw a TV interview w/ Strikeforce honcho Scott Coker talking about Paul Heyman, who will be a hotter than usual topic, as being rumored to become affiliated with Strikeforce in some way. Heyman knows how to produce an exciting TV show and how to build stars so I see this as a potentially strategic move if it can be finalized.”

Batista in Strikeforce: “If Strikeforce now signs Bautista and Dave then would fight Bobby Lashley then the fight would be nothing more than merely an “attraction fight” and will obviously not be a highly skilled MMA contest between two, finely tuned and experienced MMA fighters. Notice that I did not say that the fight wouldn’t garner a TV rating or create a buzz within the MMA community and in the TV world if promoted properly. I don’t see it as a PPV fight but perhaps not a bad choice for CBS, if they are still in play.”

“BTW…Bautista has no deal at this time with Strikeforce and as I understand it Dave is still healing from injuries from his last WWE bout even though he has apparently began some MMA training. The one thing that is obvious when it comes to MMA training is that it makes all the difference in the world what camp one trains in as it relates to how successful most fighters can become. Camps are every where but it seems that only a handful of MMA training camps produce ‘money ball players.’”

WWE’s First Event In China: “WWE had a successful, 90 minute show (that time was requested by local officials) in China that went well by all accounts. A WWE TV crew was in China to get footage of the trip and the first ever, WWE China event. Obviously this was a long, grueling trip for the travelers but everyone from what I understand really enjoyed the history making experience.”

NHL

– Blackhawks’ G Cristobal Huet has signed a 1-year deal with HC Fribourg-Gotteron of the Swiss National League A, and the Blackhawks have agreed to loan his services. The lone remaining issue is determining the date Huet can be re-assigned. Chicago is working on that now. The move would clear cap space for the Blackhawks. In 48 games with Chicago last season, Huet posted a 26-14-4 record with a 2.50 GAA and a .895 SV%. He has 2 years left on a deal with Chicago that pays him an average of $5.625M per season.

– The Thrashers have re-signed F Bryan Little to a 1-year deal. Little, 22, recorded 13 goals and 21 assists in 79 games with the Thrashers last season. The Edmonton, Alberta, native has totaled 50 goals and 51 assists in 206 career games with the club.

NFL

– The Patriots have acquired G/T Quinn Ojinnaka from the Falcons for an undisclosed future draft pick. The Pats figure to use him to compete inside with Nick Kaczur possibly out for the year and Logan Mankins’ holdout potentially set to last the entire season. Ojinnaka was suspended for Opening Day for domestic battery, so he won’t be available until Week 2.

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
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MLB

– Cubs’ manager Lou Piniella will step down as manager of the team after Sunday’s game due to the declining health of his mother. Piniella was set to retire at the end of the season, anyway, but it’s a shame to see him go out like this. Piniella’s reign in Chicago obviously didn’t go as he had hoped, but he’s had a nice managerial career that includes a World Series championship with the Reds in 1990. Third base coach Mike Quade, not bench coach Alan Trammell, will manage the team for the rest of the season. Quade will be considered for the full-time job after the season, along with Triple-A manager Ryne Sandberg and a host of other candidates.

– The Giants have claimed OF Cody Ross off waivers from the Marlins. The Giants are stacked in the outfield, but at least the price was right. San Francisco has Burrell, Rowand and Guillen as righty bats and the switch-hitting Torres, who also hits lefties, so where Ross will fit in is beyond me. Ross hit .263/.315/.404 in 483 plate appearances for Florida and is likely to see a decrease in at-bats now.

MMA

– Bobby Lashley was handed the first loss of his MMA career Saturday night by Chad Griggs at StrikeForce: Houston from the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. Lashley started off strong and dominated the fight early with  takedowns and ground control, but appeared to tire himself out. Griggs blocked a few of Lashley’s takedowns and eventually caught him with a huge uppercut in Round 2 that clearly rattled him. Griggs unleashed a fury of strikes as Round 2 was coming to a close and the referee stopped the fight after the bell rang. Lashley now falls to 5-1 while Griggs improves to 9-1.

NFL

– Redskins’ DE Albert Haynesworth is likely suffering from rhabdomyolysis, a league source tells NFL.com’s Jason La Canfora. Rhabdomyolysis is the breakdown of muscle fibres that can end up resulting in damage to the kidney. Symptoms include dizziness, nausea, vomiting and muscle swelling and exertion/hot can exacerbate the problem. Essentially, Haynesworth wasn’t faking and is upset with the Redskins for not fully disclosing what has been ailing him. Neither party is pleased with the other.

– According to head team trainer Eric Sugarman, the Vikings are confident that they can prevent episodes similar to the one WR Percy Harvin had on the practice field this week going forward. The Vikings can’t prevent migraines, but they don’t believe Harvin passed out because of a migraine on Thursday – it’s believed Harvin vomited and lost consciousness due to “an adverse reaction to medication, dehydration and low blood pressure.” Harvin has already resumed weightlifting and running. Sugarman said that Harvin is doing well enough that he could’ve played Sunday night against the 49ers. He should definitely be ready for Week 1.

– The Seahawks have signed WR Brandon Jones, formerly of the 49ers. The deal is likely for one year with little or no guaranteed money. Jones, just 27, caught 41 passes as recently as 2008 in Tennessee, but he hasn’t been the same since tearing his ACL at the end of the 2005 season. The team could be gearing up to release WR Deion Branch.

In addition, LT Russell Okung (sprained ankle) is out 2-to-4 weeks after an MRI confirmed the injury. He’s done for the preseason, and Okung’s status for Week 1 also may be in doubt.

– PFT reports that the Jets are close to signing C Nick Mangold to a contract extension.

– Cowboys’ SS Gerald Sensabaugh (left shoulder subluxation) is out 3-to-4 weeks. A subluxation is a temporary dislocation, an injury that will likely not require surgery but could definitely sideline him for Week 1.

NHL

– Bruins’ F Trent Whitfield (torn Achilles) was injured while working out and is likely out for the entire 2010-11 season. After spending last season between the Bruins and the AHL, Whitfield had a decent chance of making the club this fall.

WWE

– WWE has re-signed Vic Adams to a developmental contract, a wrestler released last August. FCW officials have discussed pairing Adams with Xavier Woods (aka Consequences Creed) in a tag team. It has also been confirmed that WWE has re-signed Brian Cage (aka Kris Logan) to a developmental contract. The California-based grappler was originally signed by the organization in June 2008, and then released last September.

– Former WWE performer Brad Bradley (aka Ryan Braddock) is denying reports he’s re-signed with WWE. “I have been overwhelmed by positive messages the last 48 hours or so. I’ve been actually quite humbled by all of your support. However and unfortunately despite what various news sources have reported I have not currently re-signed with WWE,” Bradley wrote on his Facebook account.

– Reports of WWE releasing developmental wrestler Brodus Clay are incorrect as he worked this past week’s FCW live events. The very same day that it was reported that Clay had been released, he worked the main event against Husky Harris. He then took part in an FCW Florida Tag Team Championship bout on Thursday.

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
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***UPDATE***

With the arbitrator’s decision to rule in favour of the NHL in the dispute of Ilya Kovalchuk’s contract (on the grounds that it circumvents the salary cap), the NHL has begun investigating the contracts of Canucks’ G Roberto Luongo, Bruins’ F Marc Savard, Blackhawks’ F Marian Hossa and Flyers’ D Chris Pronger, as said contracts may have been approved under “similar structures.” Stay tuned.

NFL

– NFL Network’s Scott Hanson confirms that QB Brett Favre (right ankle) indeed flew to Florida Thursday to for a recheck of his surgically repaired ankle. Multiple outlets have joined in on NFL Network’s report, which confirms Favre’s stated intentions to play “if he’s healthy.” Details of the recheck aren’t available, but Dr. James Andrews’ patients routinely see him for rechecks and are sent away with medical clearance. That may not be the case here, but if it is, Favre’s next step may be to report to the Vikes. Stay tuned.

– Disputing earlier reports from ESPN and the San Diego Union-Tribune, Jason LaCanfora of the NFL Network states that unsigned RFA DE Shawne Merriman will “not necessarily” report to the Chargers this weekend. “He hasn’t made up his mind. Nothing has been resolved with the Chargers to the point where he’s to come back in, sign that tender, and report right away.” LaCanfora does say that Merriman will “definitely” report at some point because he has to earn his $3M+ and prove his worth for a long-term deal.

– Barring a setback in his rehab, beat writer Mike Klis reports that Broncos’ DE Elvis Dumervil (pectoral tear) will play this season. Klis says that “nearly everything” he’s been hearing points toward the star sack artist returning. It’s still tough to see Dumervil returning before the end of December – the early end of his original prognosis was 4 months.

– Free agent QB Jamarcus Russell admitted in an on camera ESPN interview that he used codeine without a prescription in the past. Russell said that tested positive for codeine shortly after the Raiders made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 draft. However, he says that he has not used codeine in 3 years even though rumours persist that he took “Purple Drank” throughout his time in Oakland. Russell was arrested in July for alleged possession of codeine but a friend is claiming the substance belonged to him.

MLB

– ESPN’s Enrique Rojas reports that the Giants are close to acquiring OF Jose Guillen from the Royals. Guillen was designated for assignment by the Royals last week. He still has a little over $3M owed to him for the rest of the season, but it isn’t known if the Giants are willing to pay any of that salary. Rojas speculates that Guillen could be with the Giants as soon as tonight’s game, so it sounds like this one is pretty close. Stay tuned.

– According to Mark Bowman of MLB.com, Braves’ 3B Chipper Jones (torn ligament in left knee) has informed some close friends that he has a torn ligament in his left knee and will miss the rest of the season. Jones learned of the tear after an MRI exam Thursday morning. When asked if it was a complete tear, the veteran third baseman revealed that it was “stretched” and that he would likely need surgery. Jones has hinted at retirement already, so it’s likely the end for him. If so, he’ll go down as one of the most underrated switch-hitters and best third basemen to ever play the game.

– Reds’ RHP Johnny Cueto was suspended for 7 games for his actions in Tuesday’s melee with the Cardinals. Reds’ manager Dusty Baker and Cardinals’ manager Tony La Russa were also suspended for 2 games each. Meanwhile, Yadier Molina, Brandon Phillips, Chris Carpenter and Russ Springer were issued fines. No word on if the suspensions will be appealed.

– The Mets have placed RHP Francisco Rodriguez on the restricted list. He’ll remain on the restricted list for two days without pay. The team is citing disciplinary reasons, but there’s always the chance further action could be taken.

– Jays’ 1B Lyle Overbay has cleared waivers. He’s batting .250 with 13 homers, 45 RBIs and a .329 OBP in 112 games. He’s in the final year of a 4-year/$24M deal and is due about $2M for the remainder of the season. Despite the potential for a trade, Overbay, 33, is happy in T.O.

“I honestly thought I would be done after this year. I know Alex (Anthopoulos, the Blue Jays GM) has been a big fan of me, so that’s good, but Brett Wallace was there. Then all of a sudden, since the Wallace trade, it’s kind of opened up an opportunity to come back here.”

“I’m happy here, last year wasn’t the best situation for me (platoon with Kevin Millar) but this year is completely different and I’m completely happy here. We’ve got a great clubhouse so it’s tough, you don’t want to leave, but obviously if you have a playoff chance, that’s something you want to be a part of…I’m comfortable here, my family is comfortable, the pieces are there, it’s just got to be wanted on both sides,” he said. “I haven’t gotten any indication of what they want to do, and I don’t know if they even know what they want to do.

– The Brewers have placed RHP LaTroy Hawkins (strained right shoulder) on the 15-day DL retroactive to August 11 and have transferred C Gregg Zaun to the 60-day DL.

– The Red Sox have placed C Kevin Cash (strained left hamstring) on the 15-day DL retroactive to August 9.

– The Cardinals have placed RHP Jeff Suppan (right groin soreness) on the 15-day DL retroactive to August 1.

– The Rays have placed RHP Wade Davis (strained right shoulder) on the 15-day DL retroactive to August 6.

TNA

– Following yesterday’s Hogan-Bischoff-Twitter debacle where a Hogan impostor claimed he and Bischoff were leaving TNA, Eric Bischoff (the real one) is setting the record straight. In comments made exclusively to Slam.Canoe.Ca, Bischoff confirmed that he and Hulk Hogan are still with TNA and will be until 2012.

“I am with TNA. Hulk Hogan is still with TNA. We have a contract for two years, and we plan on fulfilling our contract.”

After Twitter user realhulk_hogan admitted to not being the real Hulk Hogan – the user claimed to be a disgruntled TNA employee upset with Bischoff’s performance and said TNA’s top stars were planning a walk-out if Bischoff isn’t removed from power. Bischoff, however, does not believe the fake Hogan is a TNA employee at all.

“It is probably a 16-year-old dweeb that doesn’t have anything better to do. I am 99% sure that there is no validity behind it and the person does not work for TNA.”

The owner of the fake Hogan account, who has over 4,000 followers, now claims to be Christopher Daniels and is urging people to “Unfollow @TNADixie if you don’t agree with the current direction in TNA.”

MMA

– Strikeforce fighter Bobby Lashley was the special guest on this week’s live edition (08/09/10) of the award-winning Monday Night Mayhem. The highlights:

Why we may see Lashley vs. Dave Batista in Strikeforce sooner vs. later (potentially as early as this fall): “I have a lot of respect for Dave, I like Dave. For me, what I’m trying to do in my career is trying to build and build up into bigger & better competition. As far as fighting Dave after this fight, I’ll do the fight right away. If he’s serious about doing this, then let’s do it. I think they might have a show in October or November sometime around there; if he wants to do it, let’s do it then. I’m not really willing to wait ’till next year or anytime after that; I’m moving forward in my career. After this fight, I’m looking at the Arlovski’s, the Fedor’s, the Brett Rogers’. That’s who I set my targets on, so when you talk about that Dave, that fight needs to be done right away, so I could keep moving forward.”

How he was “torn” between leaving TNA Wrestling & transitioning into a full-time MMA career with Strikeforce: “At first when I wanted to do it, I talked to all the higher-ups in TNA, and we tried to put together a plan where I could still wrestle, because when you’re a wrestler, it’s in your blood. So I wanted to wrestle, but I also wanted to fight, and I was torn between the two, and with the TNA schedule, I could do both. We had a couple of things that weren’t going together right, and like I said before, I’m trying to build up my competition, and I’m trying to get tougher & tougher opponents as I go, so at one point in time I had to make a decision on which one I was gonna do. I was either gonna be a full-time wrestler, or I was going to fight full-time. That window of fighting is only open for a short amount of time, because it requires so much dedication, training, sparring, & everything else, so I had to step away from TNA and just focus on training.”

Why it wouldn’t make sense for Bautista to fight anyone else but him for his first MMA fight & who he thinks has the potential to put together a “dream fight” between himself and Brock Lesnar: “I’m gonna say the fight that you want me to say first. I wanna have that fight with Batitsta. Nothing against him or anything, but I think for him to take any other fight would be a waste of his time. If he really wants to get into fighting, I think it wouldn’t make any sense for him to get in there and fight anyone else. I don’t think it would make any sense. As far as other fights, I would love to fight Fedor before he retires. I think he is pound for pound the best fighter in the world. I think another fight would be Brock. I’ve been asked that every single day by someone. ‘When are you gonna fight Brock? When you gonna take down Brock?’ I would love to see that fight with Brock happen. If Dana White won’t let it happen, or Scott Coker won’t let it happen, maybe Vince would let it happen…”

What professional wrestling & MMA fans can expect in his August 21st fight against Chad Griggs at “Strikeforce: Houston” on Showtime: “There are a lot of good fights on that card, and unless you’re real hardcore MMA fans, you may not know some of the guys, but if you go check them out, there are some great fighters. My fight: You’re gonna see a side of me that you saw in wrestler, but now you’re going to see it in the cage, and I’m going after this guy, and I’m going to suck the life out of this guy and pound him.”

WWE

– Live events in Winnipeg, Manitoba are advertising Sheamus & Kane as WWE and WHC’s respectively.

– Former WWE star Shawn Michaels and his wife Rebecca have opened a Family Fun & Entertainment Center deep in the heart of Texas. According to the center’s official website, the former WWE Champion is accepting bookings for birthday parties. For a mere $5,000, “The Heartbreak Kid” will visit your birthday party and take photos with guests, as well as sign autographs. Appearance is limited to 30 minutes and must be held at the Emerald Rainbow Family Fun Center. It is also subject to Michaels’ availability.

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
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NHL

– An independent arbitrator has ruled in favour of the NHL in the case of F Ilya Kovalchuk. Richard Bloch, the arbitrator, ruled today that Kovalchuk’s 17-year/$102M contract with the Devils should be voided, so the 27-year old sniper will once again be a UFA. Bloch denied the NHLPA’s grievance on Kovalchuk’s behalf, ruling that the league was within its legal rights to reject the contract.

– The Red Wings have signed D Ruslan Salei to a 1-year deal worth $750K with $350K in bonuses. Salei is projected to play on the Wings’ third defense pair in 2010-11 with Jonathan Ericsson. He played just 14 games last season due to a back injury, but will be healthy to play this upcoming campaign.

MLB

– The Mariners have fired manager Don Wakamatsu, pitching coach Rick Adair and bench coach Ty Van Burkleo. Wakamatsu had an altercation in the dugout recently with INF Chone Figgins, so that, along with another poor season, contributed to his departure. Both Wak and Adair are well respected and should find jobs easily. Daren Brown has been promoted from his post at Triple-A Tacoma and will take over as the Mariners’ interim manager.

– The Reds have acquired OF Jim Edmonds from the Brewers for OF Chris Dickerson. Edmonds, 40, has posted a respectable .843 OPS, eight home runs and 20 RBI in 217 at-bats this season. The Reds have a crowded outfield and playing time will be limited, but he’s a nice guy to have off the bench, especially if Cincy makes it to October.

NFL

– Jets’ owner Woody Johnson revealed Monday that the team has had “no progress” in contract talks with holdout CB Darrelle Revis. “No,” Johnson replied when asked if he’s optimistic about Revis signing an extension before Week 1. The Jets appear to be gearing up for a holdout lasting into the season. According to Johnson, the sticking point remains “total compensation,” as opposed to guaranteed money. 1st-round pick Kyle Wilson and Antonio Cromartie will begin the season as starters.

NBA

– The NBA has officially announced that the Raptors and Nets will play two regular season games in London next March. According to David Stern, both teams “expressed to us their strong interest in being part of the globalization of our sport.”

MMA

– Bobby Lashley (5-0) was a part of Strikeforce’s media conference call this afternoon and commented on a possible showdown in the cage with MMA newcomer and fellow ex-WWE superstar Dave Batista. Lashley said he’s open to fighting Batista if Strikeforce pushes the fight, but he’d rather focus on more experienced fighters in his quest for Heavyweight gold:

“It’s not really the direction I want to move (in), but if it’s worth it and they really think he’s ready and Strikeforce wants me to fight him, I’ll take the fight. I’ve had a good game plan up to this point and I really want to move in the right direction. Dave’s just starting out. I’m looking to better myself and get better opponents each time. I’m not disrespecting Dave at all, but he’s new to the game. That’s definitely a fight for the fans, but not so much for my career.”

Lashley’s next fight takes place later this month on August 21st against Chad Griggs at Strikeforce: Houstson on Showtime.

WWE

– According to Mediaweek, Saturday’s WrestleMania 26 special on NBC posted a terrible 0.65 broadcast rating and 1.78M viewers. The WrestleMania special had NBC draw the lowest ratings on Saturday night among the 4 big television networks (ABC, CBS, FOX & NBC).

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
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NHL

– According to a number of reliable sources, the Bruins, Sharks and Kings have substantial deals on the table for Leafs’ D Tomas Kaberle, while the Panthers and Capitals are rumoured to be involved.

The Bruins package is believed to include F Marc Savard and F Blake Wheeler. Some rumours have Boston trading their 1st-round pick in 2011 to Toronto, which was originally Toronto’s in the Phil Kessel deal, but it doesn’t appear that that is a likely scenario. Savard, coming off a concussion last season, has a great history with former Bruin and current Leaf F Phil Kessel. Savard would also be the #1 centre lacking in Toronto the past few seasons. The Sharks’ offer is believed to include F Ryan Clowe and a prospect defenceman. Finally, the Kings package is rumoured to be a mix of prospects and draft picks, however, the prospects in the deal have a very high ceiling that could outweigh the offers made by the Bruins and Sharks.

The general consensus around the league is that Leafs’ GM Brian Burke will deal Kaberle by the August 15 and will simply pull the trigger on the deal that makes the most sense for the team. Kaberle’s value is at it’s highest right now, and with his NTC window temporarily lifted over the summer and the Leafs being thick defensively, it makes the most sense to finally move him now.

– The Sharks are rumoured to be the frontrunners for G Antti Niemi, while the Oilers, Senators and Thrashers are also interested. The Canadiens, contrary to rumours, are not in the running.

– The KHL’s SKA St. Petersburg has signed F Maxim Afinogenov to a 5-year deal. Afinogenov scored 24 goals and 61 points in 82 games with the Thrashers last season. Afinogenov joins former NHLers Denis Grebeshkov and Evgeni Nabokov.

MMA

– TMZ.com has posted the first action photos of former WWE Champion Batista doing some full-contact sparring in preparation for his transition into the world of mixed martial arts. According to the story, there are rumblings that he could fight fellow former WWE performer Bobby Lashley. Batista has been in San Francisco training with Cesar Gracie, who has trained numerous top fighters. TMZ cites sources as saying the former WWE star is moving closing on a finalizing contract to get in the ring by “early next year.”

NFL

– The Seahawks have signed the No. 6 overall pick LT Russell Okung on a 6-year/$58M contract with $30M guaranteed. Okung is the final first-rounder to sign. Despite missing a week of camp, Okung is expected to step right as Seattle’s blindside starter.

WWE

– WWE has announced that ‘acclaimed comic magicians’ Penn & Teller will guest host the September 20 edition of Raw in Indianapolis. Other upcoming guest hosts include actor Bobb’e J. Thompson on Oct. 18 and musician Toby Keith the following week.

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
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NBA

– The Cavaliers are scheduled to meet with F LeBron James at 11 a.m. on Saturday, meaning the Bulls will have the last chance to make their pitch. This is an interesting development, as the Cavs appeared to have an edge all along by going last. He could end up in Cleveland, but that could change if LeBron’s people intentionally switched things around to meet with the Bulls last. On a side note, Byron Scott said in his presser today that he wants to employ a running offense and referred to “Showtime,” from his Lakers’ days. And our guess is that will make LeBron happy.

– G Dwyane Wade is scheduled to meet with the Heat in Chicago on Saturday. This could be an interesting meeting after all the time he’s spent with the Bulls, although the Bulls were not able to get a commitment from Wade. He’s reportedly hedging on a return to Miami after they depleted their roster, but could still easily be back in Miami next year.

– F Chris Bosh met for more than two hours each Friday with the Knicks and Bulls, the latest suitors for the busy free agent forward. Bosh showed up at the same hotel where Wade met with the Knicks earlier Friday. In a tweet, Bosh called the Knicks’ presentation during a meeting that lasted 2 hours and 40 minutes “another impressive one.” Late Friday, Bosh spent more than two hours meeting with Bulls executives at the United Center. Chicago also met with Wade—twice—and was scheduled to meet with F LeBron James on Saturday. Henry Thomas, the agent for both Bosh and Wade, said no deals had been reached but that he was encouraged by presentations to his clients.

– F Amare Stoudemire is exected to arrive in New York on Saturday to finalize a 5-year/$99M contract with the Knicks. Amare has a history of injuries and his acquisition is widely seen as a fallback plan after the Knicks reportedly failed to impress LeBron. Stoudemire is expected to finalize the deal on Sunday, though he’ll need to pass a physical and no deal would become official until Thursday. His arrival would almost guarantee that F David Lee won’t be retained by New York.

– G Joe Johnson is “intrigued” by the idea of playing for the Bulls or Knicks, but he would have to accept over $25M less or engineer a sign-and-trade with the Hawks. Atlanta has offered him a lucrative 6-year max deal, but JJ doesn’t seem to be in any rush. He could team up with Amare in New York, or any combination of LeBron, Wade, and Bosh in Chicago. The Hawks have been patient thus far, “but at some piont the team will need an answer so it can pursue a viable replacement,” according to CBSSports.com.

– Nuggets’ F Carmelo Anthony is “strongly considering declining” the Nuggets’ 3-year/$65M contract offer, according to Newsday. If he does decline, the Knicks may try to pry him from Denver with a trade offer. The Nuggets could be forced to trade him to ensure he won’t walk for nothing as a free agent, though at this point it’s all speculation. Stoking the fires is the fact that Melo and his wife were both born in Brooklyn, and they recently listed their Denver-area mansion for sale.

– The Celtics have officially signed G Paul Pierce, although the details are not official. The Boston Herald, which first reported on the deal, says Pierce would get a 4-year/$61M deal with a mutual option for the fourth year.

– The Suns have reportedly signed F Hakim Warrick to a 4-year/$18M contract. Warrick’s arrival in Phoenix officially ends F Amare Stoudemire’s stint with the Suns, as he’s likely to sign with the Knicks.

– Mavericks’ president Donnie Nelson said he made a “significant” contract offer to F Dirk Nowitzki’s adviser during a meeting Friday. Nowitzki could respond as soon as Saturday, when the sides are expected to meet again. The most Nowitzki could re-sign for is a 4-year/$96M deal with a no-trade clause.

– The Bucks have re-signed G John Salmons to a 5-year/$40M deal.

– The Lakers have signed G Steve Blake to a 4-year/$16M deal. This probably ends the Lakers’ discussions about F Mike Miller, although there’s a slim chance he could come over in a sign-and-trade from the Wizards. As it stands, Blake was a top point guard in this free agent class, so not only did the Lakers get him to help replace G Jordan Farmar, they kept another team from signing him.

MLB

– Major league sources tell Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com that the Phillies are interested in re-acquiring LHP Cliff Lee. A source tells Rosenthal that Phillies GMr Ruben Amaro Jr. “will not cut off his nose to spite his face” by refusing to consider a trade for Lee. In other words, there’s a chance. Still, the the Phillies view the possibility as “a longshot.” Besides, the team’s most pressing need is to find an infielder who can play either second or third base.

– The Blue Jays have placed RHP Shaun Marcum (right elbow inflammation) on the 15-day DL. Marcum underwent Tommy John surgery in September of 2008, so there’s obviously reason to be concerned here. It’s too bad, as the 28-year-old right-hander has been excellent this season, posting a 3.44 ERA and 1.16 WHIP over his first 17 starts. His control hasn’t been quite as sharp lately, so perhaps he has been dealing with some discomfort over his last few starts. Hopefully the rest will do him well.

– Three sources told the LA Times that Dodgers’ OF Manny Ramirez (strained hamstring) will likely land on the DL. The Dodgers had been making it sound like the injury wasn’t so significant, but with the All-Star break coming up anyway, this is probably the smart move.

NHL

– The Leafs have re-signed F Nikolai Kulemin to a 2-year/$4.7M deal and F John Mitchell to a 1-year/$725K deal.

– The Panthers have signed F Chris Higgins to a 1-year/$1.6M contract. Higgins made $2.25M last season, but he’ll take a sizable pay cut after scoring just eight goals and 17 points in 67 games between the Rangers and Flames. He’ll almost certainly be given a chance to play on one of Florida’s top two lines and he has the potential to score about 50 points next season.

– The Oilers have placed D Sheldon Souray on waivers. The Oilers have been trying to trade Souray, but this move suggests that there weren’t any takers. There’s no question that Souray has the potential to be one of the league’s top offensive defenseman at the start of any given season, but injuries have always held him back. Over the past three seasons, he’s played in just 144 of a possible 246 games. A rumoured destination for Souray is the Blues for 31-year-old, and former Oiler, D Eric Brewer. Souray is making $5.4M per season for two more years, but his no-trade clause expires in July.

– It appears that Flyers’ F Simon Gagne is in play as he has waived his no-trade clause and the Flyers are shopping him around aggressively. The veteran may be dealt for a goalie (to the Kings for G Jonathan Quick) or to another team for a draft pick (to lessen the Flyers’ cap hit by $5.25M). It does not appear that Gagne will be headed to Boston for G Tim Thomas as both players have contracts of $5M or so and Philly wants to reduce its payroll. Stay tuned.

– After this week’s signings and the departure of D Sergei Gonchar, the Penguins still have approximately $2M of cap room. Veteran F Bill Guerin allegedly wants $2M to continue his career with the Penguins and the club seems to have enough funds to satisfy him. That said, GM Ray Shero seems reluctant to max out his clubs’ cap and is hoping that Guerin will play for less in 2010-11. Stay tuned.

– The Dallas Stars remain on budget for the upcoming season. GM Joe Nieuwendyk re-iterated to media that he has enough room to re-sign RFAs James Neal , Nicklas Grossman, Matt Niskanen and Fabian Brunnstrom. The team has done a solid job gathering the pieces they needed in order to remain afloat in the competitive Western Conference. As well, the Stars are thrilled they have the grit and grind players needed to sustain pressure on opponents.

– Look for UFA D Zenon Konopka to sign a contract with the Islanders in the coming days. He was told he was not in Tampa’s plans by Bolts’ new GM Steve Yzerman earlier this week. He should be the same player on the Island as he was in Tampa last season.

– Panthers’ GM Dale Tallon is still looking for a shutdown defenseman. UFAs who are still available that may fit the bill are: Andy Sutton, Aaron Ward and Willie Mitchell (if healthy), to name a few. Stay tuned, as Tallon is always aggressive in pursuing what he thinks his club needs

WWE

– It is being reported that WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon has hereby banned any Ric Flair-style chest chops during matches. Word is that WWE is worried about fans making the “Woooo!” sound whenever the move is done, and the company doesn’t want Flair’s name mentioned or people thinking about him during WWE shows since Flair is currently with TNA.

– As reported earlier, WWE Hall of Famer Ricky Steamboat was hospitalized Wednesday night after suffering a brain aneurysm. He is reportedly in stable condition. His son, WWE developmental wrestler Richie Steamboat, recently opened an account on Twitter and has posted numerous messages concerning his father’s health. He wrote yesterday afternoon,

“Please keep my dad in your thoughts & prayers. The issues are worse than expected but he could be worse. God will help him through it!!!” Then added today, “Thanks again everyone for the prayers & msgs. Dad is fine right now. God & you guys have helped us & things will get better as time passes.”

MMA

– Former WWE wrestler Batista created a lot of buzz earlier this month when he announced to TMZ.com that he will be fighting for the Strikeforce MMA promotion and already had his first opponent picked out. The latest is that a deal still has not been reached between Batista and Strikeforce, but Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker confirmed the negotiations and brought up the idea of pitting Batista against fellow former WWE wrestler Bobby Lashley, who is currently under contract with Strikeforce.

When recently asked about facing Bobby Lashley in the cage, Batista said he would do it, but he wants a few fights to build to Lashley. Scott Coker thinks if they can get Lashley vs. Batista on CBS with a good semi-main event then they can do big ratings. Lashley is still recovering from a knee injury that caused his most recent fight to be postponed. Lashley’s recovery is actually behind schedule and he will be out of action a bit longer than initially expected. In training for his MMA debut, Batista has hired a wrestling coach, a boxing coach and a jiu jitsu coach.

NFL

– The Eagles are strongly considering releasing Michael Vick, a source tells the Associated Press. This sounds more realistic than the earlier report that had the Eagles standing behind Vick in the wake of the shooting at his 30th birthday party. Owner Jeffrey Lurie repeatedly said that the Eagles would not be giving Vick a third chance and the quarterback is working under a zero tolerance policy. They are also set to pay Vick $3.75M (they already paid his $1.5M roster bonus) to be a backup, so this could be a way out of that bad contract. If Vick is indeed cut, the Kevin Kolb and LeSean McCoy get a minor fantasy boost because Vick was reportedly slated for some red-zone packages. Vick may also still be facing punishment from the NFL.

TNA

– The “nice surprise” to TNA that Dixie Carter was teasing prior to last month’s TNA’s Slammiversary was supposed to be Paul Heyman, but a deal could not be reached. Tommy Dreamer was ready on standby in case Heyman wasn’t used and wound up appearing on the show. TNA is pushing hard to bring Heyman in by Victory Road. The overall feeling within the company is that Heyman is in fact TNA bound, but no deal has been reached yet. TNA is said to be willing to give Heyman anything he wants. Morale in TNA has been very low in recent weeks and many feel that the company needs a savior to turn things around, with Heyman being looked at as the best chance TNA has to survive.

VoV

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

– The Canadiens have re-signed F Tomas Plekanec to a 6-year/$30M deal. Plekanec scored 25 goals and a team-leading 70 points in 82 games last season. He was scheduled to become a UFA on July 1.

– As expected, D Scott Niedermayer has retired. Niedermayer hasn’t allowed his age to catch up to him on the ice, but the decision to retire is one he’s publicly wrestled with for several years. In 2007-08, he sat out the first half of the season as he comtimplated his future. Niedermayer is ending a dream career that included four Stanley Cups and two Olympic gold medals with Team Canada. He won the Norris Trophy in 2004 and the 2006-07 Conn Smythe Trophy. Niedermayer scored 172 goals and 740 points in 1,263 games with the Devils and Ducks.

– Cammi Granato and Angela James changed that on Tuesday when they became the first women elected to be enshrined in Toronto. Along with former NHL All-Star Dino Ciccarelli, Granato and James will go in as part of the players category during an induction ceremony in November. Longtime Red Wings executive Jimmy Devellano and the late Daryl (Doc) Seaman — a founding owner of the Calgary Flames—were elected as builders. Eric Lindros and Joe Nieuwendyk were potential contenders among NHL players in their first year of eligibility that didn’t receive enough support.

– The NHLPA has decided to extend the collective bargaining agreement through 2011-12. The players had the option of allowing the CBA to expire at the end of next season or extend it for one additional campaign. The salary cap is expected to rise for the fifth straight season, from $56.8M in 2009-10 to approximately $59M next season.

– As expected, the Sharks will not re-sign G Evgeni Nabokov. Nabokov is scheduled to become a UFA on July 1. He’s been one of the NHL’s best goaltenders throughout his tenure with the Sharks, but his success has been tempered by the Sharks’ dissappointing showings in the playoffs. He’ll sign on as a #1 elsewhere.

– Stars’ F Mike Modano says that there’s a 75% chance of him returning next season. His days with the Stars appear to be over, and he’ll test the market. Modano turned down a trade offer from the Capitals at last season’s trade deadline.

WWE

– There’s a feeling among some within WWE that Triple H will be the one to “save” the company from the NXT Rookies.

– As of Sunday, the idea was that guest hosts would be used on Raw every other week instead of every week.

– The talk within WWE is that RAW General Manager Bret Hart is gone for the time being. While there is talk that he might be back by the end of the Summer, the NXT kidnapping of him was WWE’s way of writing him off television – and he’s gone indefinitely. PWInsider.com reports that Bret Hart will be getting married for the third time this summer, which could be the reason for Bret’s hiatus. Originally Bret was going to do a face-to-face angle at with the NXT Rookies at Fatal 4 Way, but when he didn’t make it to the show, plans had to be changed.

– To follow up on Monday’s news that former WWE superstar Batista claims he’s signed with the Strikeforce MMA promotion and has his first fight lined up already,  Strikeforce director of communications Mike Afromowitz toldMMAFighting.com that the company has not signed former WWE Champion Dave Batista. TMZ.com, which broke the original story of Batista headed to Strikeforce, caught up with former WWE & TNA star Booker T, who got into a legitimate scuffle with Batista back in 2006. Booker T says he doesn’t think Batista can “match up” with some of the big boys in Strikeforce. In fact, Booker says Batista wouldn’t last 5 minutes in the cage with Bobby Lashley or any of Stikeforce’s other heavyweight fighters.

– Chris Jericho spoke to Fanhouse.com to promote his new “Downfall” game show – which premieres tonight at 8pm ET on ABC. Here’s what Jericho said about:

Jericho’s WWE Contract Expiring: “Yeah, it’s coming up fairly soon, it’s coming up very soon. It’s one of those things we’ve been talking about for a while to get it rolling again. Like I said, to me, I’ll leave the business when I’m ready to and I’m not ready yet. I still want to continue to work. I still have some things that I can offer. I still think I’m among the best in what I do, if not the best just because of the fact I have 20 years of experience which is a rare thing nowadays. You can’t teach experience. You can teach someone to do a promo kind of, you can teach someone to do a move but you can’t teach someone experience.”

Attitude Era vs. TV PG: “PG, I think, is a great idea. To me, the Attitude Era was stupid. Hot Lesbian Action and Meat with a (expletive) (expletive) in his pants because he has a (expletive) and Mark Henry getting a (expletive) from a guy and necrophilia. That’s not entertaining by anybody’s standards. That’s just stupid and I never liked that stuff. For me, for them to go family oriented, I’m all for it. It’s family oriented but in this day and age where you can still go out there and have kick ass matches. It’s still edgy, there’s still great characters. I’ve got no problem with it. I like it much better than the Attitude Era because I thought the Attitude Era was just childish, dropping (expletive) on each another and stuff. C’mon, that’s not funny if you’re five years old.”

– People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) sent the following letter to Vince McMahon this week, urging the WWE Chairman to rehire Daniel Bryan (Bryan Danielson) – who is a vegan. PETA is also urging their supporters to send a polite comment to WWE about bringing Daniel Bryan back. Here’s the letter:

Dear Mr. McMahon,

On behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and the WWE fans among our more than 2 million members and supporters, I’m writing to toss our name into the ring as yet another proponent of the push to bring back Daniel Bryan (Bryan Danielson). I might not personally carry the same clout as other Bryan supporters like John Cena or Shawn Michaels (although I do consider myself “The Showstopper of PETA”), but I am, along with many of my colleagues, a huge Daniel Bryan fan, not only because he humiliated the Miz and Michael Cole a few weeks back on Raw but also because he’s vegan.

Lots of athletes, including baseball slugger Prince Fielder, the NBA’s Raja Bell, MMA fighters K.J. Noons and Mac Danzig, and Olympic Legend Carl Lewis, show that vegetarians often leave meat-eaters in the dust, gnawing on their greasy chicken wings as they wonder what hit them. But Bryan represents the quintessential vegan badass. He knows that unlike WWE superstars, animals beaten to a pulp by the meat industry don’t want to be there. The worst

Hell in a Cell match is nothing compared to what animals in slaughterhouses go through, such as having their throats cut and being scalded alive and dismembered, often while still conscious. Even Mick Foley couldn’t withstand that kind of abuse. Just by being vegan, Bryan saves more than 100 animals a year, a feat far more impressive than any of Jack Swagger’s “accomplishments.” Savvy athletes go vegan for the health benefits, too, as they slash their risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.

So what do you say, Mr. McMahon? Bring back Bryan and let him prove that he belongs. And maybe there could even be a storyline romance between Bryan and the gorgeous vegan diva Tiffany! (Who, in your PETA fans’ opinion, deserves another shot at Layla.)

– Vince McMahon showed up at recent television taping sporting two black eyes as well as a cut on his forehead. For fear of consequences, employees were only “whispering” speculation, and those who found out what happened were not telling anyone. However, the feeling now is that he may have undergone plastic surgery.

MLB

– Giants’ 3B Mark DeRosa (wrist) will undergo season-ending surgery next week. In what was essentially a foregone conclusion for weeks now, DeRosa will have the tendon sheath in his left wrist fixed and undergo a second procedure to free an aggravated nerve. The 35-year-old ends the first year of a two-year/$12M contract with a .194/.279/.258 batting line to go along with one home run and 10 RBI.

– Angels’ INF Erick Aybar (left knee) will be shut down from all baseball activities for two or three days after receiving a cortisone injection in his left knee on Tuesday. The Angels will likely wait until Thursday before deciding on a possible stint on the disabled list, though they appear to be leaning in that direction. Manager Mike Scioscia said, “We’re encouraged that long-range, it won’t be an issue. But short-range, we might shut him down and give him an extra week to get ready.” Aybar hasn’t run or taken batting practice since leaving last Monday’s game with a hyperextended left knee.

– Mets’ GM Omar Minaya said that OF Carlos Beltran (knee) will begin a minor league rehab assignment with High-A St. Lucie on Thursday. Beltran has been playing in extended spring training games, however he has finally been cleared to begin an official rehab stint. Barring any setbacks, the hope is that he’ll be able to return immediately after the All-Star break when the Mets travel to San Fran. Minaya and Mets’ manager Jerry Manuel envision him as a center fielder upon his return. If he’s right, Beltran could be a blockbuster mid-season acquisition.

NBA

– Lakers’ F Andrew Bynum (knee) had his knee drained again on Tuesday, as almost 2 1/2 ounces of fluid was removed from the knee. “All the Boston guys like to beat you up,” he said. That makes three drainings in the last month, but you have to think this one will offer some temporary relief until Bynum goes under the knife on July 18 in order to clean up his bad knee.

TNA

– TNA has re-launched its one-hour weekly program “TNA Xplosion.” Currently seen internationally, the re-fitted show will feature new and exclusive matches with the TNA Superstars, as well as updates on everything TNA, including coverage of its flagship series “iMPACT!” In addition to the format changes, “Xplosion” will feature a new announce team, a new logo, graphics and theme music performed by Victory Records recording artist “Taproot”.

VoV

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

– The Chicago Tribune reports that F LeBron James, G Dwyane Wade, G Joe Johnson and F Chris Bosh are all planning to meet up this summer to discuss what their plans are as far as who will sign where this offseason. Wade told the Tribune,

“(Free agency) has been three years coming. We’ve discussed it prematurely, at different times. (But) you don’t know what guys are thinking and where they’re going. I think we’ll all sit down, and before one of us makes a decision, all of us will have spoken to each other and (listened to the) thinking. A lot of decisions (will be based on) what other players are willing to do and what other guys want to do. So it’s not just a ‘me’ situation here. We all have to look and see what each other is thinking.”

– Hawks’ owner Michael Gearon was fined $25K Thursday for making comments that violated the NBA’s anti-tampering rules. Gearon was fined for comments that appeared in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on May 19, when he said he’d be willing to subject the team to the luxury tax if it could sign Cavaliers’ F LeBron James to a maximum contract. Gearon also discussed Heat’ F Jermaine O’Neal and Cavs’ F Zydrunas Ilgauskas in the interview.

– Nets’ president and GM Rod Thorn is ready to start interviewing candidates for the vacant Nets coaching job. Thorn plans to talk to about six people with NBA experience about taking over a team that posted a franchise-low 12 wins and set a league record with 18 straight losses to open the season. Thorn would not say whether he will interview anyone over the Memorial Day weekend, but there have been multiple reports that former Mavericks coach Avery Johnson will get the first interview. The Nets have more than $23M to spend on the free agent market.

– The Cavs and Clippers are looking into Bucks’ assistant coach Kelvin Sampson.

NHL

– Updating a previous item, two separate KHL teams – one believed to be SKA St. Petersburg – have offered F Ilya Kovalchuk a three-year/$30M deal. He’s still believed to be looking for a massive 10-to-12-year deal. Kovalchuk has made it clear that he would like to stay in the NHL and is waiting until the free-agent window on July 1 to see what he is offered before considering any KHL offers. Stay tuned.

– SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL is believed to have offered Kings’ F Alexander Frolov a deal. GM Dean Lombardi is concerned that his team won’t be able to afford Frolov next year. “Would we like to keep him? Yes. But if the price is prohibitive, and maybe would prevent us from filling other holes and making sure we keep (Drew) Doughty and (Jack) Johnson and all these kids coming through, then you have to walk away.”

– Updating a previous item, Flyers’ G Brian Boucher (knee) has practiced with the team and hopes to dress Saturday night in Game 1 of the Cup Finals. He’s gone 6-4 with a 2.33 GAA in the postseason this year.

– F Mike Modano is still undecided as to whether or not he will return to play his 21st season in the NHL next season. Modano is also part of an investor’s group looking to purchase the Dallas Stars. If he is successful, he has been told by the NHL that he cannot be an owner and a player as well. Stay tuned.

“Physically, I feel fine. I think it’s the mental part now. It’s just the motivation, the work that you have to put into it, the preparation and things that go on in the summer time, so once you make that decision, then you know you have to stick through it. You don’t want to just half-ass it or whatever, so you want to go in there and be an impact guy and not be a liability when you come back and be committed to it throughout the whole season.”

– Ducks’ GM Bob Murray will give F Teemu Selanne and D Scott Niedermayer more time to decide if they will or will not return to the Ducks next season. The duo are eligible to become unrestricted free agents on July 1, but it probably is a matter of whether they will retire or return to the Ducks and not whether or not they will leave for another NHL team. “There’s still a month to the draft. It’s like I said before. We’ll give them time to get rested. We still have time here.”

– The NHL will announce on Friday that they will hold outdoor games in Pittsburgh and Calgary next season. It is being reported that the Capitals will take on the Penguins at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh on New Year’s Day in the Winter Classic and the NHL will add an outdoor game in February when the Flames host the Canadiens at McMahon Stadium.

– The Leafs have signed D Korbinian Holzer to a two-year, entry level contract. The Buds have been very impressed with the native of Germany. He is a 6’3″ defenseman with skills that will enable him to compete in the NHL. Look for Holzer to play all season with the AHL Marlies to get himself acclimated to the North American ice and lifestyle.

MLB

– Yahoo! reports that the MLB is working on a suspension for umpire Joe West. He called the Yankees vs. Red Sox “pathetic and embarrassing” because of their long game times, and recently ejected White Sox’ manager Ozzie Guillen and LHP Mark Buerhle on separate balk calls. MLB apparently gave West a disciplinary phone call yesterday and is supposedly trying to figure out with the World Umpires Association, which West presides over, on just what punishment he can be given. Stay tuned.

– Mets’ OF Carlos Beltran (knee) is expected out until after the All-Star break. He hasn’t even started full baseball activities and it’ll apparently take him six-to-eight weeks to be ready once he does start them

– The Chicago Tribune reports that the relationship between White Sox’ GM Kenny Williams and manager Ozzie Guillen is souring. One scout says, “Kenny and Ozzie do not have anywhere near the relationship they once had and it appears that they only deal with each other when absolutely necessary. If the team continues to struggle throughout the rest of the season, it could become a bigger problem that will have to be dealt with.”

– The Brewers have placed OF Jody Gerut (bruised left heel) on the 15-day DL retroactive to May 23.

– The Marlins have placed LHP Renyel Pinto (left hip strain) on the 15-day DL.

– The Cardinals have placed RHP Kyle Lohse (right forearm strain) on the 15-day DL retroactive to May 23. Lohse is scheduled to undergo surgery on Friday in Los Angeles and will miss at least the next two months. Lohse met with L.A.-based Dr. Steven S. Shin on Wednesday and was diagnosed with a rare condition called “extreme compartment syndrome.” Because there’s not a great history of such injuries in the game of baseball, his recovery timetable is anyone’s guess.

– The Reds have placed SS Paul Janish on the bereavement leave list.

– The Giants have placed SS Edgar Renteria (strained right hamstring) on the 15-day DL.

– The Athletics have placed OF Coco Crisp (strained right intercostal muscle) on the 15-day DL retroactive to May 23.

– The Pirates have placed 1B Steve Pearce (sprained right ankle) on the 15-day DL.

– The Mets have transferred OF Carlos Beltran (knee) to the 60-day DL.

– The Orioles have transferred LHP Michael Gonzalez (shoulder) to the 60-day DL and have placed RHP Koji Uehara (elbow strain) on the 15-day DL retroactive to May 20.

– The D’Backs have placed 2B Tony Abreu (left wrist sprain) on the 15-day DL retroactive to May 24.

– The Dodgers have placed LHP George Sherrill (stiff middle back) on the 15-day DL retroactive to May 24.

– The Reds have placed RHP Homer Bailey (shoulder) on the 15-day DL.

– The Angels have placed 3B Brandon Wood (hip flexor strain) on the 15-day DL.

MMA

– Strikeforce heavyweight fighter Bobby Lashley is injured and has been forced to withdraw from his upcoming fight against Ron Sparks at the company’s June 16 show from Los Angeles. The promotion announced on Wednesday that suffered a knee injury in training. After an impressive win over Wes Sims in his Strikeforce debut earlier this year, the former pro wrestler brought his professional MMA career to 5-0. No word yet on how long Lashley will be out.

WWE

– Randy Orton has told friends he doesn’t expect his shoulder injury to keep him out of action for long. While he initially feared the worst when he suffered the injury at Over the Limit, it appears he will be healed in time for next month’s Fatal 4-Way PPV, which he is advertised for. Though Orton appeared to suffer the injury during his match with Edge on Sunday, he entered the match hurt. He worked a tag match with John Cena against Batista and Sheamus the previous night and was nursing the arm late in the bout. It doesn’t appear a bump caused the injury as after making a tag to Cena, he immediately grabbed his arm and held it in pain for the remainder of match.

– Ted DiBiase suffered a concussion very early in his match with R-Truth this past Sunday night at Over The Limit when Truth slapped him across the face and knocked him loopy. An audible was called due to the injury, as DiBiase was tabbed to blame Virgil for his loss, subsequently knocking him out with the Dream Street. It remains unclear at this time whether Santino Marella hitting Virgil with the Vulcan Neck Pinch in a comedy segment the following night on Raw constituted his character being written off, or if it will happen within the next few weeks. Regarding DiBiase, he won’t be allowed to wrestle until medically cleared. He is expected to be kept out the ring for a few weeks so he can heal.

– Former WWE superstar Rikishi was recently interviewed by Jason Clevett of Slam Sports about the unfortunate passing of his brother Eddie “Umaga” Fatu last year as well his sons the Uso twins, who made their debut on Monday’s RAW attacking the Hart Dynasty. Here are some highlights of what Rikishi said about:

Umaga’s Death: “It’s a great loss, not just for our personal lives, but also for professional wrestling as well, as the fans … You never expect to get a call like that. I’m having goosebumps right here sitting talking to you about it. My dealing with my brother’s loss was through the fans and the family. You would not believe how much heart, calls and emails, condolences from fans throughout the whole world. I was very proud of that.”

“Also to have so many people out of the business of wrestling, the Umaga character has touched everybody, good or bad,” Rikishi said. “It’s something that’s out of our hands. You never want it to happen to you personally. I’m very grateful that I had the last part of his life to spend with him in Australia. We had a heart to heart talk. We hadn’t seen each other in a while. With that note, everything was fantastic. So my heart is full, my heart is full. But I can only say this, I’m very sorry for the loss of professional wrestling, such a good wrestler.”

His Sons, The Uso Twins: “You guys look out for them! They’re in a developmental deal now. What I told my boys was, ‘You guys have a lot of shoes to fill, but do what you feel comfortable with. Win the fans, win the match.’ They’re seeing why daddy walks through the door limping, don’t want to throw the football, don’t want to play basketball. But they’re going to find out first-hand.”

“I remember back in my day, doing indy shots here and there on the road, my kids seen me, how I was raised up in the business because they lived it with me. So anytime I’d see the Rotundas, Briscos, or any other third or second generation come into the business, to me, it’s a natural thing to do. I told both my sons, ‘I want to see you play NFL football, but you always have wrestling to fall back on.’ Obviously, they wanted to try the family business and try their hand at professional wrestling. Honestly, the world get ready, because you are about ready to see twice — when I say twice, twice the entertainment, twice the electricity, you’re about ready to see twice of The Rock!”

– CM Punk’s win points to management appreciating his effort in getting the crowd back into his Over the Limit match with Rey Mysterio after the bout was awkwardly halted so a trainer could treat his head wound. When the audience began to turn against the match, Punk called an audible by attacking Mysterio in an effort to get things back on track.

– Drew McIntyre has reportedly fallen out favor with management as he’s gained a reputation of being high maintenance not to mention that he’s failed to get over to the degree of his push. Initial plans called for McIntyre’s undefeated streak to result in a World Heavyweight Title reign. Instead, Jack Swagger ended up in the spot and McIntyre was left to feud with Matt Hardy.

– The top 2 matches for WWE’s Fatal 4 Way PPV on June 20:

Fatal 4 Way for the WWE Title: John Cena (c) vs. Edge vs. Randy Orton vs. Sheamus

Fatal 4 Way for the World Heavyweight Title: Jack Swagger vs. The Undertaker vs. Big Show vs. CM Punk

– Shane McMahon, who is no longer a WWE employee, still owns 675,249 shares of WWE stock, worth $10,810,736. He also has another 631,761 shares, worth $10,114,493, earmarked for him in a 2004 trust set up by his father Vince. Speaking of Vince, he’s not doing too bad himself. His 4.5 million shares of stock are currently worth a staggering $720,450,000.

– Add WWE Champion John Cena to the list of superstars injured at Sunday’s WWE Over The Limit pay-per-view. Cena posted on Twitter.com this morning:

Morning CeNation. Spent last 3 hrs at dentist. Got a tooth knocked out at OTL. Mouth numb.

He later added that a fan suggested he do a “Cena after the dentist” video – a reference to the “David after the dentist” viral video. Cena replied, “Brilliant. Is this real life?”

– It was reported on SurvivorSucks.com that Survivor host Jeff Probst will host a future edition of Raw. Their report has yet to be confirmed.

– Melina has confirmed via Twitter that she is dating John Morrison.

NFL

– Chargers’ TE Antonio Gates has been diagnosed with a “minor form” of plantar fasciitis. A injury common among basketball players, plantar fasciitis is essentially a sore foot. All Gates can do is rest it and treat it, which he will now do for two-to-three weeks. It does have the potential to linger, but considering we are more than four months away from Week 1, it’s not a major concern. Gates has probably been playing with it for a few years.

– The NFL has advised Steelers’ QB Ben Roethlisberger that he is cleared to return to team activities next week. Commissioner Roger Goodell said that no decision has been made yet on modifying Roethlisberger’s six-game suspension. He will review Big Ben’s progress prior to the first regular season game, and then decide whether to reduce the suspension to four games. So far, Roethlisberger appears to be on the right track.

– Saints’ TE Jeremy Shockey was diagnosed with a seizure, according to teammate Darren Sharper. Sharper visited Shockey in the hospital after the tight end collapsed in the weight room earlier Thursday. Shockey is going to stay at least one night in the hospital to undergo tests, but he doesn’t seem too concerned. “I am ok, thanks to everyone who has shown their concern don’t worry about me I will be fine.. WHO DAT,” tweeted Shockey.

TNA

– Vince Russo is looking to become Executive Producer of TNA iMPACT, if he leaves the creative team. This is similar to the job that Kevin Dunn holds on WWE’s RAW brand.

– D’Angelo Dinero recently suffered a labral tear in his shoulder. Though he appeared at last week’s television tapings to take part in a segment promoting the Top 10 Contender’s Rankings, he told friends he’s a month or two away from being healthy enough to return to the ring.

– Ric Flair was recently interviewed by the UK’s DigitalSpy.com to hype TNA’s Maximum iMPACT! 3 UK tour in January. Here are some highlights of what the Nature Boy said about:

Working for TNA: “I love it, it’s fantastic. The fact they are working so hard to enhance their brand and become competitive with other sports entertainment companies is huge. They have the money behind them and they have a tremendous boss in Dixie Carter. She is awesome to work for and – unlike most promoters – she is sympathetic in a very unsympathetic business!”

The Internet: “I can’t even turn a computer on and if I could I wouldn’t pay any attention to it anyway! It’s not that I don’t respect the fans, but it’s just what can a wrestling fan tell me about wrestling? One of the problems with the young guys is they are more concerned with what the fans think about them than what they are achieving as individuals and what their boss thinks of them. But that’s normal with young guys and I get it but it’s nothing that will ever affect my role or thought process about myself. I know when I am in the ring when I am good and on, and when I leave the building if I was good and on. And 99 percent of the time I was on or I wouldn’t be here today!”

Retiring Again: “I don’t even think like that. I have already had one retirement. I’ll never retire again. I’ll just walk away. Or fall off the top rope and turn to ash or dust! I’ll just crumble and they will sweep me into a waste basket and I’ll be gone!”

Does He Miss WWE?: “I have friends I miss but I have made new friends here. I don’t dwell on the past ever. I’ll always have those guys for friends and we’ll always respect each other, but it’s like anything else, when you go home you go home. I don’t watch myself on TV. I go home and relax and enjoy my wife, my kids, and I have some grandchildren I love playing with. I’m in a good place and I do what I love doing.”

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NHL

– According to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, the Penguins #1 priority this offseason is re-signing D Sergei Gonchar. There are reports, however, that Gonchar wants a three-year deal without giving the Pens a hometown discount. Gonchar is supposedly looking for $5M annually. The paper notes that one other player wanted to stay but didn’t take a discount in recent years: D Ryan Malone, who was shipped off to the Lightning two summers ago.

– The Canadiens are working with F Tomas Plekanec on a multi-year deal worth roughly $5M annually.

– The Avalanche have re-signed D Adam Foote, 38, to a one-year deal. “This organization is definitely heading in the right direction. Having a young group like we did last year come together and compete at a high level was very special. We’re looking to carry that momentum into next season.”

– The Rangers have acquired D Jyri Niemi from the Islanders for a 6th-round pick in the 2010 Entry Draft. The 19-year-old Niemi played in 50 games with Saskatoon of the Western Hockey League last season. He had eight goals and 21 assists with a plus-9 rating.

NBA

– Despite the firing of coach Mike Brown, the Cavaliers have held onto their three assistant coaches – Chris Jent, Melvin Hunt and Mike Malone. The Chicago Sun-Times is reporting that the three didn’t get fired so that the Cavs had some kind of stability and structure to see F LeBron James and his teammates through this transition period. The most important of the three coaches is apparently Jent, who has been working directly with James on his shooting since 2006.

– The NY Times reports that Lakers’ coach Phil Jackson does not have interest in coaching the Nets or Bulls. “I have not entertained any conversations about that right now. So I just can’t imagine it. Not to say that it’s beyond your wildest dreams, that it never would happen. The strangest things do. But it’s just not part of my conscious thought right now.” Jackson’s contract expires July 1.

– Hornets’ GM Jeff Bower says the club has yet to make a formal offer to any candidate for its open coaching job. Bower says the team has had discussions with many impressive candidates and will issue an official update when the process is over and an agreement has been reached. He says any other information should be considered unreliable. A person familiar with the process told The Associated Press on Monday on condition of anonymity that Celtics’ assistant Tom Thibodeau is the Hornets’ leading candidate. New Orleans has interviewed eight people for the opening, including Blazers’ assistant Monty Williams and former Mavericks coach Avery Johnson.

That said, the Hornets have reportedly offered Celtics’ assistant Tom Thibodeau the head coaching job. Thibodeau has been waiting for this opportunity for several years, and it would be surprising if he doesn’t take it. He’s a defensive specialist, and also appears to be a “player’s coach.” Stay tuned.

– Pacers’ G A.J. Price (fractured patella) has undergone surgery and will miss the next four-to-six months. Price was injured Saturday night while playing in a charity game in New York. The second-year guard averaged 7.3 points, 1.9 assists and 1.6 rebounds in his rookie season with Indiana.

WWE

– As reported earlier, Carlito — real name Carlos Colón — was released from his WWE contract last Friday due to his first violation of the company’s Wellness Program and subsequent refusal to enter a rehabilitation facility. Company sources indicate Colón did not actually fail a drug test. Rather, management felt he was “unfit to perform” after arriving to the Air Canada Centre for last week’s Raw taping. He was told he needed to enter rehab, but refused, denying he had a problem. Hence, officials felt they had no choice but to cut ties with him.

Regarding the problem in question, his father, Carlos Colón, Sr., revealed in an interview with primerohora.com that his son has developed a painkiller addiction. The elder Colón said his son started using them recently in order to cure debilitating back pain, but his use had spiraled into abuse.

“I want to clarify that, contrary to internet and message board rumors, he did not test positive for marijuana, cocaine, heroin or any of those drugs. He was tested because they suspected he was abusing painkillers and it proved to be true. Painkillers are somewhat of a necessary evil for pro wrestlers because of the pain and the constant travel. He started taking one or two when he broke his arm years ago and then it seems he went out of control when he started having issues with his back. He needs help.”

He said his son’s lingering back pain was due to the execution of his finishing maneuver, ‘The Backstabber’ (double knee backbreaker), as he’s forced to endure the brunt of 200 to 300 pound wrestlers on his knees each time he utilizes the attack. He never sought medical attention for his back pain, and thus his reliance on painkillers increased. Interestingly, Colón also said that should his son enter rehab and successfully complete the program, he would get his job back.

“Eddie (Primo), Orlando (cousin of Carlito, known as Tito Colón in FCW) and I are doing everything we can to pressure him into going to rehab and admit he has a problem. This is something that he needs to admit to himself and improve and get out of that situation.”

The late Eddie Fatu (a/k/a Umaga) was similarly released by WWE last June after refusing to enter rehabilitation due to a perceived problem with painkillers. The combined effects of painkillers, tranquilizers and a muscle relaxant ultimately resulted in his death last December at the tender age of 36. The abuse of painkillers has triggered the passings of a number of wrestlers under the age of 50 including Test (33), Rick Rude (40), Brian Adams (44) and Louie Spicolli (27), among others.

Colón reportedly asked WWE for his release three years ago due to frustration over the direction of his character, but was ultimately talked into staying. There was speculation at the time that he was bound for TNA. Considering he’s no longer affiliated to WWE, such speculation has once again resumed. According to sources inside TNA, there is said to be no interest in the ex-WWE star at this time. He is expected to resume working for his father’s Puerto Rican based Wrestling Council promotion, where he is an eleven-time Universal Heavyweight Champion.

– Jim Ross also wrote the following on his blog regarding Randy Orton’s shoulder injury:

“Randy Orton’s apparent shoulder injury, I can’t be sure if it is a shoulder or the seriousness of the injury, really had a profound affect on the PPV. The Orton-Edge match ended as best it could by most standards. Orton, obvious and excruciating pain gutted it out to his credit. After this match the show seemed to valley somewhat until the final bout.

“If, big if, it is Randy’s shoulder, it won’t be the first time that RKO has suffered shoulder issues. Officials will know more Monday regarding Randy’s status. Hopefully this will be a deal where Orton’s off for only a brief period of time and won’t require any surgery to tighten up the shoulder. OU, now Minnesota Viking running back, Adrian Peterson had the same issues his freshman year at Oklahoma but surgery took care of his issues and he did not miss that much time…

“I sure hope that Randy Orton is going to be O.K. as losing him especially hurts. Randy hit me with a text late Sunday night and he’s not even sure what the verdict will be until tomorrow. Raw is going to be an especially compelling, two hours of live TV Monday night.”

According to F4WOnline, there’s a lot of speculation that Randy Orton’s shoulder injury actually took place prior to Sunday’s Over The Limit pay-per-view, but kept the injury under wraps hoping it would heal without him missing any ring time. Orton was seen favoring his arm backstage after his match at Saturday night’s live event in Cincinnati. Orton is seen clutching his arm at the conclusion of the match. After further aggravating the shoulder at Over The Limit, Orton went ballistic backstage and wrecked the trainer’s room.

– WWE superstar Batista, who is parting ways with the wrestling promotion, is training for a possible career in MMA. WWE Hall of Fame announcer Jim Ross commented in his blog at JRsBarBQ.com about the news that Batista would be following in Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley’s footsteps. He wrote:

“I’ve heard some rumblings that when Batista gets healthy that he might try his hand in the MMA world. This rumor is FAR from official but I do know that Batista has been doing some MMA training and has a bona fide interest in the genre.”

“This would be a huge challenge for Batista if he indeed attempts to compete in MMA at a high level which, again, is not a done deal.”

– F4WOnline reports that Ted DiBiase suffered a concussion very early in his match with R-Truth this past Sunday night at Over the Limit when Truth slapped him across the face and knocked him loopy. Despite this, DiBiase continued to work, taking several more bumps before the bout was prematurely concluded. DiBiase is expected to be kept out the ring for a weeks so he can heal. He did not compete at last night’s Raw taping in Toledo, Ohio.

– Monday’s episode of Raw featuring John Lovitz as guest host drew a 3.11 cable rating, down from last week’s 3.4. The show averaged 4.5 million viewers, with a 3.07 in hour one and a 3.15 in hour two. Considering the fact that WWE put on a pretty loaded show with Bret Hart being named the new RAW GM, Batista’s official farewell and the Fatal 4 Way qualifying matches, a 3.1 has to be considered disappointing.

– WWE champion John Cena posted a few messages on his Twitter page this morning regarding Randy Orton’s shoulder injury, Batista “quitting” WWE, and Shawn Michaels’s retirement. Here’s what Cena said about:

Randy Orton’s Injury: “I do not know Randy Orton’s condition so I really don’t want to speak on his behalf although I do hope he is well. I have said it time and time again about him, he is one of the best I’ve ever seen.”

Batista “Quitting” WWE: “As for Batista, I never know how permanent ‘quitting’ really is. The only two I’ve seen quit, and truly not come back yet are JBL and HBK.”

After a number of fans jumped on Cena’s remark that Shawn Michaels “quit” WWE, Cena clarified his comment by saying, “Sorry, outpouring of tweets are correct. HBK did retire, which isn’t as angry as quitting.”

– RAW superstar John Morrison has not been on television as of late because he is still dealing with an ankle injury. No word yet on when he’ll be back in action.

– Zavr Peygumbari, the crazed Mickie James fan who threatened to blow up WWE headquarters after Mickie James was released, was in court today to face the charges filed against him. He applied for an “accelerated rehabilitation” probation program. If he is accepted into the program, he can be put on probation for up to two years and if probation is completed, the charges would be dismissed. Zavr is due back in court on June 22.

– Here’s the updated schedule through June 28th:

• May 31: Ashton Kutcher
• June 7: A-Team movie cast (Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Bradley Cooper and Sharlto Copley)
• June 14: Mark Feuerstein of USA Network’s “Royal Pains”
• June 21: Pat Sajak (Wheel of Fortune host)
• June 28: Kloe Kardashian

MLB

– A source tells Tony Jackson of ESPNLosAngeles.com that the Astros aren’t looking to trade RHP Roy Oswalt right now. Jackson reports that the team’s stance might change if they continue to languish in the standings into the summer, but even the brightest optimist has to recognize that as pure delusion. This isn’t to say that they should deal Oswalt right now, but they shouldn’t pass up the right deal if it is presented to them tomorrow, next week or next month. Granting Oswalt his trade to a contender should be a top priority for a franchise that is in dire need of young talent.

– White Sox’ SS Omar Vizquel is unsure whether he will continue his career after this season. “It’s hard to play in the role that I am when you’re used to playing every day. It’s hard preparation, sometimes you feel disappointed, sometimes you’re sad. Your mental process is different. You take different ways to prepare and I don’t know if I can do it another year. I could probably do it because physically I feel pretty good, but mentally it takes a toll on your body. It makes you doubt sometimes. I don’t think I want to go through that process again.” Vizquel, 43, said the only way he would considering coming back is if he has a strong finish to the season. He is currently batting .200/.245/.222 over 45 at-bats this season.

– Nationals’ GM Mike Rizzo has not confirmed that RHP Stephen Strasburg will be called up on June 4. ”That hasn’t been decided yet. There are factors that will be involved when we announce it. And even when we announce it, it’s not going to be settled on until after a couple days after he starts his last start in Triple A.”

NFL

– New York-New Jersey will host the Super Bowl in 2014. The decision was made Tuesday after a ridiculous three rounds of voting. New York beat out two other warmer regions — Tampa Bay and South Florida — for the right to hold the NFL’s championship game.

TNA

– Hulk Hogan is suing Post Cereals, the maker of Cocoa Pebbles cereal, after they allegedly used his likeness in a commercial. In the “Cocoa Smashdown” commercial, a cartoon character resembling Hogan wrestles Fred and Barney (of the Flintstones cartoon) but then gets smashed by baby Bamm-Bamm. According to the federal lawsuit, Hulk “is shown humiliated and cracked into pieces with broken teeth, with the closing banner, ‘Little Pieces…BIG TASTE!’” He also claims that he has been harmed by “the unauthorized and degrading depictions in the Cocoa Smashdown advertisements.” The lawsuit says Post Foods never sought or received Hogan’s permission to use his likeness and ignored Hogan’s requests to discontinue the ads.

– TNA announcer Jeremy Borash was a guest on the “Right After Wrestling” radio show last night and spoke in-depth about TNA iMPACT! leaving Monday nights and returning to Thursdays.

“I think it’s definitely a different era. It would have been nice to re-capture the competitive spirit of being on Monday nights, but at the end of the day, it was just more of an inconvenience. Perhaps being back on Thursday nights, we can prosper and thrive. At the same time, I would have liked to have stuck it out a little bit longer on Mondays, especially at a point where there were very exciting programs that we did produce. There are a lot of things about the Monday Night Wars that we could have taken part in and really brought some popularity to the idea of it again.”

Borash was also asked about the online reports that TNA will be letting go 15-20 superstars in coming weeks in order to save money.

“I don’t know if you look at it as roster cuts. You don’t say anything or we don’t hear anything about when we spend more money to hire people. When you say ‘roster cuts,’ it obviously invokes an ‘oooh’ kind of feeling to it. At the same time, we have 60-something people under contract, so I think it’s a natural evolution of business. Sometimes you do have to trim the fat. The programs are being written differently where less people are being featured more prominently.”

Borash also spoke also responded to criticism that “Total Nonstop Action Wrestling” and “TNA” are terrible names for a wrestling promotion. Many have pointed out that the name is grammatically awkward and the letters “TNA” conjure up images of what the acronym is most commonly known for – “tits and ass.”

“We have years of promotion invested in it and it’s definitely something, you know – what it is, Total Nonstop Action – they are three easy-to-remember letters. Whether you like it or you don’t like it, it’s stuck around and it’s definitely made us three easy letters to remember.”

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MLB

– D’Backs’ RHP Brandon Webb (shoulder) will restart his throwing program Monday. The Diamondbacks are committed to giving Webb all the time he needs to get his throwing shoulder back to full strength. Manager A.J. Hinch said, “We all want it to go faster. As we’ve seen with Chris Young in San Diego and Jeff Francis in Colorado, it’s a tedious process to get back to 100%.” He’s unlikely to return before the middle of May.

– Red Sox’ 3B Mike Lowell told reporters Saturday that this will probably be his last season playing professional baseball. It shouldn’t come as a surprise. Lowell is 36, doesn’t have a clearly defined role on a team that is trying to trade him, and has been bitten by the injury bug a few too many times in the last year. He has a .280/.343/.468 career batting line and 218 home runs in 12 professional seasons.

– The Astros may hold 1B Lance Berkman (knee) back until the club returns from an upcoming six-game road trip. The stretch of away games begins Monday in St. Louis, then will carry on to Wrigley Field. The Astros are hoping Berkman will be ready to go once the ‘Stros arrive back in Houston. GM Ed Wade said, “He’s not where he needs to be for us to see him back on the near horizon. We’ve talked about the possibility of leaving him back here instead of running him on airplanes and a small clubhouse in Chicago. That’s a possibility.”

MMA

– Former WWE performer Kristal Marshall noted on her Twitter account that she and Bobby Lashley have split.

“Hello everyone Bobby (Lashley) and I have split, but remain great friends. He is a constant in our son’s life and a tremendous father.”

NFL

– Vikings’ WR Percy Harvin (concussion) is still dealing with “off and on” migraine headaches this offseason. Beat writer Chip Scoggins also said Harvin looks “huge,” adding 10 pounds of muscle.

– Citing “multiple sources,” Profootballtalk.com reports that Steelers’ WR Santonio Holmes is facing a four-game suspension under the NFL’s Substance Abuse Policy. The expected ban is not related to the recent assault accusation brought against Holmes by a woman stemming from a nightclub incident – rather, it appears that Holmes tested positive for a banned substance, or missed a drug test (Holmes also has a history with marijuana). He was arrested in 2008 for possession, prompting a one-game suspension by the Steelers, and has recently spoken of “wake and baking” on his Twitter account. “Wake and baking” is slang for getting high in the morning.

TNA

– TNA star Kurt Angle will be taking some time off following his cage match with Ken Anderson at the upcoming Lockdown pay-per-view on April 18 t. Angle wrote on Twitter:

“I will be taking some time off for a month to heal up, pursue more movies and promote Anglefoods at foodiesfoodclub.com. I am NOT injured. At Lockdown I plan on kicking Anderson’s *ss, then I’m gonna relax for a few weeks. Be back soon.”

– The following is the press release for the new TNA show, TNA Reaction:

“TNA REACTION” PREMIERES THIS MONDAY AT 7/6c BEFORE TNA “iMPACT!” ON SPIKE TV

Spike presents TNA Reaction, a never-before-seen look at the combustible world of TNA Wrestling with exclusive backstage access and candid interviews featuring the biggest names in wrestling. Fans will experience all the unseen drama as rivals speak openly about their plans to destroy their most hated foes. TNA superstars featured include Hulk Hogan, Kurt Angle, Jeff Hardy, AJ Styles, and more.

TNA Reaction premieres this Monday night on SpikeTV at 7/6c, one hour before TNA Wrestling “iMPACT!” at the new start time of 8/7c

On Monday morning, fans can log onto Spike.com for a special preview of the new one-hour TNA Reaction broadcast!

– Outsports.com, a website that profiles openly gay pro athletes, has posted an interview with controversial TNA star Orlando Jordan. Jordan spoke about being the first openly bi-sexual pro wrestler and said his new TNA character is based on his own lifestyle.

“There’s a very small percent of people who empower society on a global basis. Maybe one percent. If everyone was a pioneer, it’d make things a lot easier. But that’s not the case. And there’s a price that comes with being a pioneer, but I would not expect anything less because that’s who I am.”

When asked what he is looking to accomplish in TNA, Jordan gave an answer that you wouldn’t expect from your typical wrestler.

“I really hope this character helps troubled teens, be it [those struggling] because of their race or their sexuality. If this character makes life even just a little bit easier for someone else, then I’ll be really happy.”

Jordan also said on Twitter, “I’m just getting started people.”

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