NBA

– Chris Mannix of SI.com reports that Nuggets’ F Carmelo Anthony would “be open” to signing a long-term contract with the Rockets or Nets if one of those teams acquired him in a trade. It looks like we can add Houston and New Jersey to the list of potential destinations along with the Knicks and Magic. Stay tuned.

– Jason Quick of The Oregonian reports that Blazers’ G Rudy Fernandez won’t report to training camp and has “no intention” of honouring the final two years of his contract with the Blazers. According to Quick, Fernandez has no problem being suspended by the Blazers and sitting out until he can return to Spain in 2012. It’s possible that this is one last effort to leverage the Blazers into moving him, but Rudy could be done for two years. Stay tuned.

MLB

– The Braves have acquired 1B Derrek Lee from the Cubs for RHP Tyrelle Harris, RHP Robinson Lopez and LHP Jeffrey Lorick. Good move by the Braves, who are trying to fend off the Phillies for the NL East crown. Lee has lost a step defensively and is no longer a major home run threat, but he’s hitting well lately and is far better in the field than 1B Troy Glaus.

– Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports that Rockies’ OF Brad Hawpe will be released after Wednesday night’s game. Hawpe will become a free agent and will be allowed to sign with any interested major league team. He’s posted a disappointing .642 OPS since the All-Star break, but he still has some power and could be useful down the stretch for a contending club. The Rangers and Red Sox make sense as landing spots, but a host of teams will be in on the negotiations.

– John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports that the Reds have offered a contract extension to manager Dusty Baker. Baker and his Reds currently hold a 2.5-game lead over the Cardinals in the NL Central. Baker is currently weighing the offer.

NHL

– The Hawks have signed F Fernando Pisani to a 1-year/$500K deal. The 33-year old played 40 games last season with the Oilers last season and tallied four goals and four assists.

– Forbes is reporting that owner Tom Hicks is close to selling the Dallas Stars and his 50% interest in the Stars home arena, the American Airlines Centre for nearly $300M. Hicks, who recently sold his interest in Major League Baseball’s Texas Rangers also owns half of English Premier League giants Liverpool, bought the Stars for $84M in 1996. Forbes infers that the sale means that creditors of the Hicks Sports Group wil recoup at least a portion of the $200M that they are owed in addition to what they earned from the recent sale of the Rangers. Forbes also suggests that the sale bodes well for the sale of other NHL franchises in southern, non-traditional American markets such as Atlanta, Nashville and most notably the Phoenix Coyotes whose struggles with ownership have dragged out over two years.

NFL

– Updating a previous item, Vikings’ QB Brett Favre confirmed at a Wednesday press conference that he will play for the team this season. Favre explained that last season’s playoff loss to the Saints took a real toll on his mindset. “Physically, you know … I can’t complain. The surgeries I think, have made me a little better. But I’ve played in 390 straight games. I can’t complain.” Favre will reportedly receive a $3.5M raise on his 2010 salary, bringing it to $16.5M. He’ll be eligible for another $3.5M in incentives. It’s worth it for the Vikes if Favre can come anywhere near his 2009 performance.

– The Baltimore Sun confirms that the Ravens have “received some phone calls” about the availability of RB Willis McGahee.

– Chargers’ GM A.J. Smith met with unsigned RFA LT Marcus McNeill at the team’s practice facility on Wednesday. While it’s believed the visit produced “nothing tangible,” it one the of the sides could be budging. McNeill has skipped all spring and summer workouts in hopes of landing a new contract. The meeting was reportedly requested by McNeill’s side, but he still has leverage in the situation.

– Dolphins’ RB Ricky Williams’ latest plans involve signing an extension to stay with the team through the 2011 season. “Ideally, I would like to get a year extension with the Miami Dolphins, play this year and next year and then really focus on my schooling,” Williams said. Agent Drew Rosenhaus has been advising Ricky to play at least another year, but the 33-year-old had considered calling it quits after the season. The Dolphins are aware of his desire for an extension. It would be a surprise if a mutual deal wasn’t worked out.

– Multiple league sources tell ESPN New York that Jets’ QB Kellen Clemens is on the trade block. He played ahead of QB Mark Brunell in Monday night’s exhibition opener, but only because the Jets were “showcasing” him and did well, completing 7-of-10 passes for 84 yards. The Bills, Bears and Texans are worth keeping an eye on. The Vikings also figure to make QB Sage Rosenfels available, who will draw more interest.

– The 49ers have released WR Brandon Jones. 2+ years ago, the Niners guaranteed Jones $5.4M on a 5-year/$16.5M contract. What did he do? One reception for 18 yards. The move stops San Fran from paying Jones’ $2.145M 2010 salary. Injury prone throughout his career, Jones won’t draw interest until he gets healthy. He missed nearly all of camp with an injured hamstring.

– The Lions have acquired DE Lawrence Jackson from the Seahawks for a 6th-round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. The disappointing 2008 first-rounder adds even more talent to an improved Lions defensive front, it’s still not clear if he can actually play.

WWE

– Many people who saw the Undertaker’s return at SummerSlam noted that The Undertaker seemed to be out of shape and less muscular than the last time we saw him. We can confirm that the Undertaker received medical clearance to get back in the gym just a few weeks ago, which explains that. Taker has been nursing a broken orbital bone and a concussion (suffered in a match vs. Rey Mysterio) among other minor, nagging injuries. He was still experiencing vision problems as recently as last month but is expected to fully recover from the vision problems.

Undertaker will be feuding with Kane over the World Heavyweight Championship over the next few months, with current plans calling for matches at Night of Champions in September as well as Hell in a Cell in October. The first Undertaker vs. Kane match has been booked for WWE’s return to MSG on September 25.

– Former WWE superstar Rene Dupree, who held WWE gold as part of “La Resistance” tag team, recently spoke to Slam Wrestling about the latest chapter in his career, wrestling in Japan and Europe. Dupree had some very harsh things to say about his time in WWE and Vince McMahon in particular.

“I was miserable the last three years I was in WWE, I was miserable, I hated it, because it’s all politics. You have to kiss ass. In Japan, all you’ve got to do, is you’ve got to work hard, you’ve got to look good, and that’s it. And that’s what wrestling is all about. It’s about the performance. It’s not about how big you are, or how good of a promo you can cut. It’s about if you can deliver in the ring.”

Rene Dupree has dramatically changed his look since we last saw him in WWE. He’s now sporting a goatee and is covered in tattoos on his chest, arms, shoulder and back.

“I’ve always wanted tattoos, ever since I was a little kid. Mind you, when I was 18 and I signed with WWE, and they had a strict policy, ‘Oh no, you can’t have tattoos without permission. Oh no, you can’t do this, you can’t do that.’ Basically, when you sign a contract with WWE, you sell your soul. You can’t take a sh*t without asking their permission. That’s the bottom line, that’s the truth. The hell with that shit. No. Here in Japan, I get a new tattoo, and the boys are like, ‘Oh, sugoi (which means awesome), new tattoo.’”

He also had some choice words for Vince McMahon.

“I don’t care how much money Vince McMahon has, Vince McMahon put my father out of business, for a lot of people. That was a very, very hard time in my life. That is very hard to forgive, very hard to forgive.”

– “Showtime” Percy Watson and Husky Harris were eliminated on NXT this week. Remaining are Michael McGillicutty, Alex Riley and Kaval, all of whom have been viewed as the ‘favorites’ for several weeks.

– Last week’s episode of SmackDown did a 1.6 broadcast rating and averaged 2,686,000 viewers.

– WWE has re-signed former SmackDown talent Ryan Braddock to a developmental contract. He was previously under contract to the organization from December 2005-March 2010.

– WWE has released developmental wrestler George Murdoch (aka G-Rilla, Brodus Clay). Murdoch was previously released by the organization in February 2008. He was re-signed to a developmental contract in January.

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
VoV – www.voiceofvaleri.com
Add me on Facebook at Facebook.com/VoiceofValeri
Add me on Twitter at Twitter.com/VoiceofValeri
Add me on Skype @ MValeri88.
Join the VoV Forums
Ask me anything on FormSpring
Get VoV RSS feeds
Become a Fan of VoV on Facebook
Join the VoV Facebook Group

MLB

– Cubs’ 1B Derrek Lee has vetoed a potential trade to the Angels by invoking his 10-and-5 rights, a form of a no-trade clause given to players who have played for at least 10 years and the last five with their current team. Lee, who has a full NTC in his contract, is due just under $5M for the remainder of the season and indicated he wanted to finish the year with the Cubs. He will be a free agent at the end of the season. Lee entered Wednesday’s action hitting .248 with 11 home runs and 44 runs batted in.

– Ed Price of AOL Fanhouse hears that a deal that would send Cubs’ LHP Ted Lilly to the Phillies for LHP J.A. Happ may be in the works. Price notes that the rumour is “not confirmed,” but it is worth looking at anyway. Lilly, 34, has posted a 3.69 ERA and 1.14 WHIP in 18 starts this season and would give the Phillies a solid middle-of-the-rotation option.

– Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com reports that the Cardinals are “showing interest” in Orioles’ 3B Miguel Tejada. The Cards also had a mild level of interest in Tejada this offseason, but never pulled the trigger. He’s batting just .271/.309/.364 with nine home runs this year in Baltimore, but the Cardinals are desperate for middle infield and third base help. Tejada is owed about $2M.

– Jon Heyman of SI.com reports that the Rays are in the mix to acquire Nationals’ 1B Adam Dunn. The White Sox and Tigers are also believed to have interest. Dunn is batting .278 with a .925 OPS and 23 home runs through 365 at-bats this season. The Nationals’ asking price remains high but could drop.

– Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle has confirmed that A’s RHP Ben Sheets will require a second flexor tendon surgery. Some believe that the surgery will end Sheets’ career, but he’s only 32 and will likely attempt a comeback. The righty was signed to a 1-year/$10M contract this offseason and posted a 4.53 ERA and 1.39 WHIP over 20 starts for the A’s.

– The Phillies have placed OF Shane Victorino (left abdominal strain) on the 15-day DL. The Phillies made the decision after Victorino underwent an MRI on Wednesday morning. Victorino wasn’t doing much offensively this month, batting just .245/.260/.408 over 98 at-bats.

NBA

– Former F Lorenzen Wright has reportedly been found dead in a wooded area in southeast Memphis. The Memphis Commercial Appeal cites a “law enforcement source” who confirmed the identity of Wright, who had been missing since July 19. The police are still investigating a 911 hangup call from Wright’s cell phone on Monday, leading to some speculation that Wright may have the victim of foul play. Wright, who was 34 years old, last played for Cleveland during the 2008-09 season.

– The Wizards have re-signed G Josh Howard to a 1-year/$4M deal, according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. Howard (torn ACL) is out until at least September, but should be in line to play plenty of minutes for the Wiz when healthy.

– The Raptors have acquired F David Andersen from the Rockets for a 2nd-round pick. The 6’11″ Andersen averaged 5.8 points and 3.3 rebounds in 63 games last season.

NFL

– ESPN’s Ed Werder reports that Broncos’ No. 25 overall pick QB Tim Tebow wants a larger contract than Cowboys’ No. 24 overall pick WR Dez Bryant. QBs almost always get more money than non-quarterback rookies, and Werder reports a “high degree of confidence” in Denver that Tebow will sign and report by the weekend. If he does hold out, it shouldn’t be longer than a day or two.

– According to the NY Daily News, Giants’ RB Ahmad Bradshaw was “limping much of the spring and limited in minicamp” after undergoing three offseason surgeries — one to each foot and one to his ankle. Observes beat reporter Ralph Vacchiano, “that’s a lot of surgery for a running back, especially one that makes his living off violent cuts.” Bradshaw promises he feels better than ever, but the signs don’t point toward him being fully healthy. The Giants begin training camp two-a-day practices this Sunday.

WWE

– Rich Ward, the guitarist in Chris Jericho’s metal band Fozzy, was a guest on the Monday Night Mayhem radio show this week and spoke about Jericho’s future after his WWE contract expires later this year. There’s been speculation that Jericho is looking to move on from WWE and focus on his entertainment career (music & acting). Here’s the recap:

The Band Working Around Chris Jericho’s WWE Schedule: “In the early days it was more difficult, because we didn’t have chemistry worked out because Chris was so busy, not just with working in the WWE, but the travel days also, whenever there was a day off here and a day off there. Basically what we had to do was be super organized in how we structured things, and till the last couple of years, it started to fall into place to where when Chris is just sitting in a hotel room or something, he’s writing lyrics. I then take his lyrics and start building songs around it, and then I would send him the demos with me singing his lyrics, and then we start work back and forth through MP3’s. If it wasn’t for the modern age of the Internet, I doubt Fozzy could exist.”

Whether Chris Jericho Will Leave WWE When His Contract Expires This Year: “He has told me that he has no plans on retiring, so as far as Chris stepping away from the ring, I have no idea if he has any plans to do that beyond the contract. I know from talking to him, and Chris’s business is his business, and never would I try to step and make announcements for him, but I think he told me that he’s contract negotiations with the WWE. With that in mind, I have no indications that he’s gonna take time off. I know he got two weeks off to do the UK run, and I know anytime we could get ‘Uncle Vinnie’ to give us a couple of weeks to go and play some rock shows in the UK, I feel like I owe him a steak dinner.”

Fozzy’s Potential: “To answer that honestly, I don’t even think about tomorrow. I’m so focused in the now and what I’m doing instead of looking down the road. I feel like that has worked for me, and maybe other people it helps to plans things, but I find for my music career (in general) if I’m touring with Stuck Mojo, I focus 1,000 percent on that. If I’m with Chris, and we’re on tour with Fozzy, I don’t think about Stuck Mojo, and I don’t think about what I’m gonna have for dinner. I think Fozzy could go on until no one wants to hear another one of our songs, and we will continue to play to out four or five fan club members. We will just continue to rock on at a very high level of proficiency.”

– Monday’s episode of Raw drew a 3.5 cable rating and averaged 5,192,000 viewers. The show did hours of 3.49 and 3.52.

– According to the Wrestling Observer, Melina made her return to WWE programming during Monday’s television taping in San Antonio, Texas. She performed a run-in following a Six-Diva Tag Match pitting Alicia Fox, Jillian and Tamina against Eve, Gail Kim and Natalya, attacking the Divas Champion. Her return will be televised during next Monday’s episode of Raw. It was her first appearance inside a WWE ring since she underwent surgery for a torn ACL suffered last December. She spent the past few weeks at the company’s developmental facility in Tampa, Florida training for her return.

WWE creative brass initially planned on inserting Melina into the ongoing John Morrison vs. Ted DiBiase program as means to feature mixed tag matches, but said plans were nixed last week. Instead, she will going after Fox’s Divas Championship. A three-way feud between Melina, Fox and Eve is tentatively planned, though Maryse may be put in the mix. Meanwhile, Maryse and DiBiase’s “power couple” placement is an offshoot of plans initially tapped for the French beauty and The Miz last year. Plans were changed when Maryse took a hiatus to recover from knee surgery and Miz got over well enough with the audience that she was no longer needed by his side. Maryse was ultimately placed with DiBiase in an effort to get him over.

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

Monday’s RAW: “Enjoyed Raw Monday night by and large. I do know this….if John Cena’s team doesn’t put their own personal agendas behind them then the Raw 7 has NO chance against The Nexus at Summer Slam. That point was made abundantly clear over the two hour broadcast from San Antonio. No unity=no win for Raw. “No win for you” ala Seinfeld’s ‘Soup Nazi.’ Got it? Good. ”

Scouting Talent at FCW: “It’s back to Tampa for me this weekend to observe the FCW try out camp that likely will have over 50 individuals taking part in the process. Now seems to be a timely opportunity to get noticed and perhaps signing with WWE and assigned to FCW which needs more viable athletes and quality numbers in general.”

John Morrison The Next HBK? “I Tweeted @JRsBBQ that I liked John Morrison’s new beard and that I thought it made him look a little more rugged. Morrison is a gifted athlete who has ’something’ that physically reminds me of a young HBK. One can only hope that Morrison can begin to approach the success that Shawn Michaels earned but that’s some king sized expectations. Nonetheless I think that Morrison can be a major player within WWE once his complete game comes together which simply takes time.”

– According to The National Enquirer, Hulk Hogan’s ex-wife Linda, 50, is engaged to wed boyfriend Charlie Hill, 29 years her junior. She met Hill two years ago following her divorce from the wrestling superstar. It would appear that the former married couple have buried the hatchet as the wrestler added his well wishes regarding Linda’s engagement. “I’m ecstatic for her, I’m very happy for them,” Hogan said in an exclusive statement to RadarOnline.com. “I think they’re perfect for each other. I wish them the best.”

David Houston, Hogan’s attorney, echoed his sentiment, touching on the couple’s contentious split and how they’ve seemed to move on from that dark period: “Obviously, when you go through a divorce, there is a great deal of emotion and you go through your ups and downs. He was married to her for 23 years so there is a certain degree of affection and he does wish her the best.”

Meanwhile, daughter Brooke, who is one year older than Hill, bares a negative stance towards her mother’s beau. “He is a loser,” she was quoted last year as saying. “I don’t have a problem with age; it’s more about character. Her love is not real and not right.” The wedding is reportedly slated to take place next summer aboard Linda’s yacht named ‘Alimoney’. The article also notes that one of the places they’re registered at is Game Spot.

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
VoV – www.voiceofvaleri.com
Add me on Facebook at Facebook.com/VoiceofValeri
Add me on Twitter at Twitter.com/VoiceofValeri
Join the VoV Forums
Ask me anything on FormSpring
Get VoV RSS feeds
Become a Fan of VoV on Facebook
Join the VoV Facebook Group

NHL

– The NHLPA has officially filed a grievance on behalf of F Ilya Kovalchuk after the NHL rejected his 17-year/$102M deal with the Devils. The NHL is arguing that Kovalchuk’s heavily frontloaded contract is an attempt at circumventing the salary cap. “The NHLPA has filed a grievance disputing the NHL’s rejection of the Standard Player Contract between the New Jersey Devils and Ilya Kovalchuk. Under the terms of the CBA, the NHLPA and Mr. Kovalchuk are entitled to an expedited resolution of this matter. The NHLPA will have no further comment until this matter has been resolved by an Arbitrator.” The next step is for the two sides to work together to hire an arbitrator. Once the arbitrator has been selected, they will have 48 hours to rule on the case.

– The Canucks have re-signed F Mason Raymond to a 2-year/$5.1M deal worth $2.5M this season and $2.6M the following year, a substantial raise from the $760K he earned last season. Raymond, 24, enjoyed a breakout season, setting career highs in goals with 25 and assists with 28. Canucks’ GM Mike Gillis met with Raymond and his agent J.P Barry over dinner on Sunday, however the deal was not finalized until 8:55 am on Monday, just five minutes prior to his arbitration hearing.

– The Leafs are expected to take a more active role in attempting to trade D Tomas Kaberle on August 1 when they will contact the teams who have already tabled offers. The message to other teams will be “improve the offers, otherwise Kaberle will be taken off the market.” There hasn’t been much news of late, since teams have already submitted their offers, but GM Brian Burke hasn’t found one he’d like to pull the trigger on. There’s a chance, however, that the Leafs will start reaching out to teams that have made them offers in the near future.

While Burke has repeatedly said that he is not actively shopping the 32-year old Czech blueliner, he has been listening to offers since Kaberle’s NTC expired at the end of the season.  Kaberle has one season remaining on his contract that will see him earn $4.25M this season. It is believed that the Leafs are looking for a player and a draft pick for the four-time All-Star. In 82 games last season, Kaberle had seven goals and 42 assists while posting a career worst -16 plus/minus rating.

– According to a Russian report, the Rangers and Kings are interested in UFA F Alexander Frolov. The Kings have been actively seeking a skilled winger this off-season, but they missed out on F Ilya Kovalchuk and F Simon Gagne, and are now bringing their attention back to re-signing Frolov, who’s spent his entire 7-year career with the Kings. The Rangers’ interest in Frolov is dated back to last season, but they may not have the cap room to fit Frolov in unless they execute a salary dump afterwards. The KHL’s SKA St. Petersburg might also be in on the Frolov sweepstakes. Stay tuned.

MLB

– Alex Speier of WEEI.com reports that the Jays are seeking “one or two” top prospects in exchange for LHP Scott Downs. Downs is enjoying a nice 2010 campaign and would make a great addition to any contending team’s bullpen, but two top prospects is a very steep price. The Yankees and Red Sox are believed to have the most interest while the Twins, Reds and Mets have all been linked.

– Buster Olney of ESPN.com reports that the Nationals have “made progress” in their attempt to acquire D’Backs’ RHP Edwin Jackson.This report comes less than an hour after FOXSports.com’s Ken Rosenthal wrote that the D’Backs “will not hesitate” to deal Jackson is presented with a strong enough proposal. The Nationals have a decent farm system and should be able to find common ground with Arizona before Saturday’s trade deadline.

– A source told FOXSports.com’s Ken Rosenthal on Monday that the Cubs are willing to eat some of OF Kosuke Fukudome’s remaining salary in a trade. Rosenthal’s source says that Cubs GM Jim Hendry and Co. would take care of part of the $4M that Fukudome is owed this season and even part of the $13.5M that he is owed in 2011. Fukudome has hit just .257/.365/.402 in two-plus major league seasons and he’s batting only .253/.356/.410 over 229 at-bats this year. Few teams have interest currently.

– A source told ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark on Monday that it’s “highly unlikely” Cubs’ 1B Derrek Lee will waive his NTC. Lee will be a free agent at the conclusion of this season and he’d draw a decent package of prospects if moved before Saturday’s non-waiver deadline. The Cubs are 10 games back in the NL Central and would probably like to get some value for the 34-year-old former slugger. But he has full power over any trade and it will not matter if GM Jim Hendry decides to label his club as “sellers.”

– Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com reports that the Rays have expressed some interest in D’Backs’ RHP Chad Qualls. Qualls opened the season as the D’Backs’ closer, but he lost the job quickly and has an ugly 8.49 ERA, 2.11 WHIP and 32/15 K/BB ratio over 35 innings. The Mets have been linked to Qualls, but how interested they are remains unknown.

NFL

– Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the Rams have decided to pass on the idea of signing free agent Wr Terrell Owens. Rams brass met Monday to discuss Owens’ fit in St. Louis, and decided against the signing. The Bengals are now the clear-cut favorites to sign T.O..

WWE

– CM Punk (loose bodies in elbow) recently underwent minor surgery which has caused his elbow to lock up. He’s expected to be kept out of the ring for 2-to-4 more weeks.

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
VoV – www.voiceofvaleri.com
Add me on Facebook at Facebook.com/VoiceofValeri
Add me on Twitter at Twitter.com/VoiceofValeri
Join the VoV Forums
Ask me anything on FormSpring
Get VoV RSS feeds
Become a Fan of VoV on Facebook
Join the VoV Facebook Group

MLB

– Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the Cardinals “look unlikely” to acquire Astros’ RHP Roy Oswalt. Cards’ GM John Mozeliak hinted Sunday that the Astros’ demands are high, which backs up earlier reports. “At this point, it’s entirely possible that there may not be a deal out there. We’re continuing to explore avenues, but as we speak I can’t say I’m encouraged.” Even if Oswalt’s primary destination is St. Louis, the Cards appear unwilling to part with major pieces of their future.

– Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports that the Rangers are taking a “close look” at Cubs’ 1B Derrek Lee. Lee is a free agent after this season and no progress has been made in negotiations toward a contract extension. While the Cubs might be willing to unload the first baseman by the end of the week, nothing suggests that they’ll be sellers at the deadline. He’s batting .251/.338/.391 with 11 homers and 44 RBI.

NFL

– The NFL has completed its investigation into the shooting at Eagles’ QB Michael Vick’s birthday party and has cleared Vick to play. Vick was never a suspect in the case, but his mere presence at the scene could have put him in hot water with the league and the law. This is great news for Vick and co. as he heads into training camp. It should also scuttle rumors that Vick was going to be cut.

– Bengals’ owner Mike Brown confirmed that the team is talking to free agent WR Terrell Owens, and adds that “it is up to him.” It sounds like the Bengals have an offer on the table. T.O. would surely want more money to play for the non-contending Rams, who are meeting Monday to decide if pursing him is a good idea. Meanwhile, the Bengals’ serious interest in Owens shines a bad light on WR Antonio Bryant’s troublesome knee.

– ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the Patriots and QB Tom Brady are making enough progress in contract talks that Brady could have an extension in place by the end of the summer. The biggest obstacle thus far has been the uncertainty of the CBA. Schefter reports that no deal is imminent, but says negotiations are “positive.” The Patriots are said to be nearer to extending Brady’s contract than the Colts are to QB Peyton Manning or the Saints for QB Drew Brees (all 3 are in contract years). FOX Sports’ Adam Caplan reports that Brady reported to Patriots camp on Sunday, which should put to rest rumours that Brady would hold out.

– Packers’ OC Joe Philbin acknowledged that WR Donald Driver’s (knees) surgically repaired knees remain a concern. “Obviously, we have to see what happens with Driver’s knee when he comes back…I haven’t seen him do anything since January 10.” Philbin also said he expects more playing time for WR James Jones and WR Jordy Nelson. Driver averaged nearly 60 snaps per game last season, but with his health diminishing at 35, that’ll likely be cut to around 45-50.

NBA

– Pacers’ G Tyler Hansbrough (concussion) has been working out full speed on the court sans contact. Hansbrough had a “little vertigo” as recently as two weeks ago, and the Pacers are being understandably cautious about his return. It sounds like there’s a good chance he’ll be ready to play in training camp and the preseason.

WWE

– An organization called the “Mothers Opposing McMahon” (MOM), which opposes Linda McMahon’s campaign to become a United States Senator this November, is now attacking the former WWE CEO over the “Eugene” character that the company featured from 2007-2009.

The MOM organization has posted a video on Youtube, which you can view here, that quotes Linda McMahon talking about the unique brand of entertainment that WWE delivers – followed by WWE television footage of Vince and Shane McMahon sliming and then beating down the mentally challenged wrestler.

The video caption slams the McMahons for featuring “a character with developmental disabilities [who is] is violently beaten, humiliated, and verbally abused by Vince and Shane McMahon. The MOM organization claims to be “a grassroots group of Connecticut women working to build opposition to Linda McMahon’s Senate candidacy based on McMahon’s record as CEO of the WWE, where she marketed to kids graphic sex, brutal violence, and the degrading, abusive treatment of women to make herself millions of dollars in profits.”

While the MOM organization has their hands full trashing Linda McMahon, another organization – the Fans United against Mothers Opposing McMahon (FU-MOM), is firing back at defending McMahon.

– WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart was married over the weekend to his fiance Stephanie Washington. This is the third time down the aisle for Bret. Stephanie Washington is a 27 year old woman from San Francisco, California who is now going to school up in Calgary. They began dating earlier this year. The couple is expected to spend their honeymoon in Hawaii. Since WWE will be taping the next 2 weeks of RAW shows tonight (due to the upcoming international tour), it’s likely that Bret and Stephanie will not leave for Hawaii until later this week at the earliest.

– Since opening an account on Twitter last week, Randy Orton has made numerous comments of note. For starters, he was asked to give his thoughts on Bryan Danielson as a performer as well as his sudden firing from World Wrestling Entertainment.

“I understand why it happened. But he def deserves to be there, I’m sure he’ll b back. Very talented in my opinion.”

Orton also continues to bring up former WWE performer Ken Anderson’s name, whom he recently ranted about on a message board post in regards to claims concerning his dismissal from the company last year. He laughed at a fan noting he already had more Twitter followers than Anderson and threatened to send the former WWE star after an Orton poser if he didn’t shut down his account. However, it would appear that Orton has since had a change of heart in regards to the current TNA star as he now feels that last year’s incident was a misunderstanding.

In response to a question this morning asking if he would ever make peace with Anderson, he wrote, “I think what happened is a misunderstanding and at this point there is peace. Hell……we used to ride together.”

Finally, Orton revealed that he will have a new shirt out within thirty days.

– WWE will be taking two episodes of RAW tonight from the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas, because of the RAW crew will be overseas next week for the company’s latest international tour. No matches have been announced for the show, but John Cena and Randy Orton vs. Sheamus and Nexus is being advertised locally as the dark match main event.

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

TNA’s Hard Justice PPV: “We’re getting lots of questions on the revisited, ECW TV storyline being used by TNA. For the record, I hope that all wrestling organizations do well as the individuals who comprise the various company’s rosters are largely passionate fans living out their dreams. I’m not a ‘dream squasher.’ Do I think that this matter will be successful? I don’t know. It might be o.k. for a one off sort of deal for a company that needs a ‘hit.’ Time will answer the ‘will it be successful question’ which is somewhere subjective in itself as what is the true definition of ’success’ in wrestling? It varies by company, that’s for sure.”

Paul Heyman: “Paul Heyman will not be a part of this presentation which does it no favors. Heyman was the strategic mastermind behind the original ECW that grew to have a passionate, cult following and lasted much longer than many ‘experts’ predicted when ECW started up primarily due to Heyman’s leadership and creative vision along with a locker room full of passionate athletes who were in their prime and loved kicking ass.”

Joey Styles: “No, Joey Styles has no interest in broadcasting again in WWE on a full time basis, or so he has said to many, and has expressed his happiness in working to build WWE.com to an even bigger brand. Joey and I hope to broadcast one match together some day in the future for WWEClassics.com or WWE 24/7 On Demand.”

TNA

– TNA star Jeff Hardy was injured at Friday night’s TNA Live Event from Bloomington, Illinois. Hardy suffered a hand injury during a Monster’s Ball match with Abyss, but was able to finish the match. He wrestled the next night, but was said to be noticeably protecting the injured hand during his match. Hardy is not expected to miss any ring time.

– Former ECW star Michael Depoli (a/k/a Amish Roadkill) has declined TNA Wrestling’s offer to appear at next month’s Hard Justice pay-per-view event, reports the Pro Wrestling Torch. His reason for declining their invite is that he considers himself retired from professional wrestling and simply has no interest in returning.

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
VoV – www.voiceofvaleri.com
Add me on Facebook at Facebook.com/VoiceofValeri
Add me on Twitter at Twitter.com/VoiceofValeri
Join the VoV Forums
Ask me anything on FormSpring
Get VoV RSS feeds
Become a Fan of VoV on Facebook
Join the VoV Facebook Group

NBA

– From Alan Hahn’s twitter account, he covers the Knicks for Newsday

“Multiple sources are telling Newsday that LeBron James has decided to join Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami. The new Big Three is here.”

We have speculated that the three have had a pact to play together for some time, and this report is from a fairly reliable source in Hahn and Newsday. Later, ESPN’s Chris Broussard said the same thing via Twitter. There’s still a chance LeBron could change his mind at the last minute, but as of now, it looks like he’s going to Miami to play with Wade and Bosh. And don’t be surprised if this is enough to bring Pat Riley back to the bench next season.

In addition, the latest rumour swirling in Miami is that LeBron put down a deposit on a $49M estate here in Coral Gables and was seen around town yesterday.

Wow. If this is true (don’t take it as fact until he says it on ESPN), expect an Instant Classic ripping into this whole situation.

– AOL Fanhouse is reporting that F Shaquille O’Neal’s “first choice” is to win a championship with the Spurs. The Spurs are said to be interested in him as well.

– AOL Fanhouse reports that the Heat are trying to bring back G Jason Williams. J-Will won an NBA title with the Heat in 2006.

NHL

– Contradicting an earlier report, the Kings are not interested in signing UFA F Ilya Kovalchuk according to team governor Tim Leiweke. The problem the Kings have is that they will need to sign talented players like D Drew Doughty etc. to long-term deals soon, and they won’t have the cap space to do so if they give Kovalchuk the $8M+ annually that he’ll command on a long-term contract. The two sides were done with each other this past Sunday and then Kovalchuk’s agent “re-engaged” the team in conversations, the paper reports. The agent, Jay Grossman, sent a proposal to the team Wednesday that didn’t leave enough salary-cap space in the team’s budget to keep the younger players it has been grooming to be building blocks for the organization, according to the Times. “We really would love to add Kovi to our team, but not at the cost of our good young players. Dean (GM Lombardi) is trying here, but we know what we need in cap space going forward to keep our nucleus together. We can’t let one guy throw us into panic in a year or two. It is not about cash. It is about cap.” It looks like the Devils for Kovalchuk if he stays in the NHL, if not, the KHL. Stay tuned.

– The Wild have re-signed F Robbie Earl to a 1-year/2-way contract. Earl was looking for a one-way deal, but couldn’t find one with any NHL team so he re-signed with the Wild. He will get $550K when he is in the NHL and $105K as a minor leaguer.

NHL

– According to MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan, discussions are “heating up” between the Rangers and Mariners involving M’s ace LHP Cliff Lee. Add another team to the growing list. The Reds have reportedly exchanged names with the Mariners, the Twins may or may not have made an offer, and the Mets and Yankees are at least kicking the tires on Lee. Texas definitely has the prospects to make a deal work and the money exchanged should be a non-issue, even with the murky situation surrounding the Rangers’ exchange of ownership. Lee, who has fanned 89 batters and walked only six, is owed just about $4M.

– According to Newsday, the Mets “like the idea” of bringing Cubs’ LHP Ted Lilly back to the team. If they can afford it, the team would pick up the $6M left on his deal so that it wouldn’t have give up too much in the prospects department in order to get the 34-year-old with the 3-7 record and 3.76 ERA. Other Cubs being mentioned on the trade block include SS Ryan Theriot, 2B Mike Fontenot, INF Jeff Baker, 1B Derrek Lee, OF Kosuke Fukudome and OF Xavier Nady.

NFL

– LB Antonio Pierce has officially announced his retirement from the NFL and will be joining ESPN as an NFL analyst. The writing was on the wall for Pierce, who would have needed surgery on his neck in order to continue his playing career. The former undrafted free agent finishes his career with 687 tackles, nine sacks and seven interceptions. Pierce “will appear on NFL Live, SportsCenter, ESPNEWS, and 1050 ESPN New York, and he will provide weekly analysis on ESPNNewYork.com, ESPN’s home for New York sports news and information.” He said in a statement that “After nine years of having the privilege of playing in the National Football League, today I’ve decided to end my playing days…I am extremely excited about contributing my knowledge and experience in this new endeavor to the championship team at ESPN.”

WWE

– Multi-time WWE Women’s Champion Trish Stratus will be throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at Saturday’s Blue Jays/Red Sox game. The game takes place at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario.

TNA

– According to the Wrestling Observer, former WCW star “Taskmaster” Kevin Sullivan met recently with TNA President Dixie Carter about joining the company’s creative team. During that meeting, Sullivan presented an angle that involves a year-long main event storyline that would require them signing a top star who the company would likely have difficulty getting. In addition, TNA did, in fact, quietly part ways with writer Ed Ferrara a few weeks ago. Ferrara left a teaching position and was brought into the company several months ago around the time that Jim Cornette not-so-quietly parted ways with them, in large part due to that hiring. Of course, Ferrara also served as Vince Russo’s right-hand man for the WWF during the Attitude Era.

– One third of the Knockout Tag Team Champions, Velvet Sky, recently signed a three-year contract with TNA Wrestling. She also received a pay raise, bumping her salary from $300 per show to $600 per show. As a result, she is among the company’s top female earners.

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
VoV – www.voiceofvaleri.com
Add me on Facebook at Facebook.com/VoiceofValeri
Add me on Twitter at Twitter.com/VoiceofValeri
Join the VoV Forums
Ask me anything on FormSpring
Get VoV RSS feeds
Become a Fan of VoV on Facebook
Join the VoV Facebook Group

NBA

– Tom Izzo has officially declined the five-year/$30M contract offer from the Cavaliers to remain with the Michigan Spartans. Izzo acknowledged that being unable to speak with James played a part in his life- and career-altering decision. The Cavs’ search for a head coach will likely focus on Byron Scott (who may wait for the Lakers and Clippers to settle their benches before deciding), as well as Mike Woodson and Brian Shaw.

– Steve Kerr will not return as president and GM of the Suns next season and will likely return to a job as a TV analyst. The Suns went 52-28 this season and reached the Western Conference finals, but team owner Robert Sarver reportedly wanted Kerr to take a pay cut. “I wouldn’t say it’s a big surprise. It boiled down to a number of things, including lifestyle and the opportunity. I was hoping to have him back.” Kerr is only 44 years old, so he may very well return to an NBA front office someday.

Kerr’s resignation “could have dramatically negative impact on [the Suns'] ability to re-sign Amare,” according to Yahoo’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Kerr just met with Amare’s agent last week, and Amare had a “strong belief” in his abilities to build a championship team. The Suns apparently wanted Kerr to take a pay cut, but their stinginess may end up costing them in the long run.

– The Toronto Star reports that the Raptors are looking for potential suitors for F Hedo Turkoglu, and could make a package deal involving G Jose Calderon, G Jarrett Jack and their #13 overall pick in the draft. On top of those options, the Raptors can still work a sign-and-trade deal to get some value if F Chris Bosh skips town. We may not have to wait long for GM Bryan Colangelo’s first move, as beat writer Doug Smith feels that “all signs point to some kind of transaction coming down the pike before the draft.”

– ESPN reports that a Game 7 win by the Lakers will give coach Phil Jackson an extra $2M in addition to his $12M salary. Jackson’s contract runs out July 1 and he has said he will take a few weeks to see his doctor and decide whether he is returning to the Lakers next season for a likely lower salary or retiring.

– A Celtics team source said Tuesday night that Celtics’ F Kendrick Perkins (knee), who suffered a right knee injury in the first quarter, was “done.” Officially, Perkins and the Celtics are awaiting results of an MRI, and while there’s still a chance he could play in Thursday’s Game 7, it appears to be a foregone conclusion that he suffered a serious injury and is out. At this point, good news would probably mean he didn’t tear his ACL or MCL, but either way, he doesn’t sound at all likely to play in Game 7.

– Raptors’ G Jarrett Jack has expressed interest in remaining with the Raptors. “Obviously there’s a level of frustration with it, being that you want to put some core pieces around you and know that you have those pieces in place and try to build around that. And when one of those pieces kind of goes awry after that, it’s tough, especially after just one year. But I have confidence in coach and the front office that they’ll put out the best product possible.”"

MLB

– According to the AP, Braves’ 3B Chipper Jones hinted that he’d retire at season’s end. “It’s obvious that it’s something I’ve been thinking about. I need to go through the proper channels. Once those have all been taken care of, everybody’s questions will be answered.” Chipper is owed $28M in guaranteed money he’s owed for the 2011 and 2012 seasons. After chatting retirement options with Braves management Tuesday, though, Jones Jones has canceled a tentatively scheduled meeting with the media. In other words, he’s not going to discuss his future plans at the moment. Chipper is struggling this season, both at the plate and with his own health, but the Braves are sitting atop the NL East standings and don’t need any distractions. November, not June, is the time for retirement talk.

– The Chicago Tribune reports that the Cubs haven’t talked to any teams about making trades yet but will begin the process if the losing goes on for the next two or three weeks. On the list for potential trades are 1B Derrek Lee, LHP Ted Lilly, OF Kosuke Fukudome, LHP Tom Gorzelanny and OF Xavier Nady. Lee and Fukudome have no-trade clauses; the team has not asked them to waive the clauses yet.

– A source tells Craig Calcaterra of NBC Sports that the Rangers are “getting closer” to acquiring Astros’ RHP Roy Oswalt. The major hurdle, of course, is that the financially-strapped Rangers are trying to convince the MLB to allow them to take on Oswalt’s salary. The players “are more or less agreed to,” according to Calcaterra. Oswalt is still a major financial commitment — nearly $27M, including the prorated portion of his $15M salary for this season, $16M for 2011 and at least a $2M buyout on his $16M option for 2012 — so it shouldn’t be assumed that Major League Baseball will see it their way.

The Fort Worth Stat-Telegram, however, says a Rangers official has told the paper that there is no truth to this rumour, but the team is trying to add some offense and has spoken to the Orioles about 3B Ty Wigginton and the Marlins about 1B Wes Helms.

– The Athletics have acquired 1B Conor Jackson from the D’Backs for RHP Sam Demel. Jackson has been a fairly consistent hitter throughout his career with the Diamondbacks, at least when he’s not battling Valley Fever. He will step into a rotation in the Oakland outfield and will probably hold just about the same amount of fantasy value as he did in Arizona.

– Orioles’ 2B Brian Roberts (back) will be out for an additional four-to-six weeks. Roberts has been sidelined since the first week of the season and there’s been nothing but setbacks since then.

– The Dodgers have placed RHP Chad Billingsley (groin) on the 15-day DL retroactive to June 13.

– The Yankees have placed RHP Sergio Mitre (oblique) on the 15-day DL retroactive to June 5.

– The Yankees have placed OF Marcus Thames (strained right hamstring) on the 15-day DL.

– Cardinals’ RHP Brad Penny (back) will be out until at least the end of June, and it could be much longer, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. An examination on Monday showed that Penny’s upper back strain has yet to completely heal. A few weeks ago it looked like this injury wasn’t going to be a big deal, but it’s already been lingering for a month, and is showing no signs of going away.

NHL

– The Leafs have officially named D Dion Phaneuf their captain. The Leafs have been without a captain since F Mats Sundin in 2008. Phaneuf is the 18th captain of the Maple Leafs and the 22nd in Toronto franchise history.

– Hockey Hall of Famer Cam Neely will be named the president of the Bruins. The Bruins have scheduled a “major announcement” for Wednesday. The Bruins have not had a president since Harry Sinden stepped down in 2006 after 17 years in the position. Neely played the last 10 years of his career in Boston and twice helped the Bruins reach the Stanley Cup finals. They have not been back since 1990.

– The Boston Globe reports that the odds of the Bruins acquiring Senators’ F Jason Spezza for the #2 overall pick in the 2010 entry draft are slim to none. The Globe points out that the Bruins already have a strong core of centers in Marc Savard, David Krejci, and Patrice Bergeron. More importantly, the Bruins have cap concerns as it is and they’d be hard pressed to find a way to acquire Spezza and stay under the cap. The Blue Jackets were also initially mentioned as a possible trading partner for Spezza, but it seems equally unlikely that Columbus would hand Ottawa the #4 overall pick.

– D Rob Blake is expected to officially announce his retirement on Friday. Blake, 40, was one of the league’s best defensemen over his career with the Kings, Avalanche and Sharks, making seven All-Star teams and winning the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top defenseman for Los Angeles in 1998. He is 10th on the career list with 240 goals as a defenseman, went to the Stanley Cup finals in 1993 with Los Angeles, won the Cup in 2001 with Colorado, won a gold medal for Canada the following year and helped the Sharks post the best regular-season record in the Western Conference in each of his two seasons in San Jose.

– The Edmonton Journal reports that the Oilers may buyout captain F Ethan Moreau, F Patrick O’Sullivan and F Robert Nilsson. O’Sullivan is due to make $2.95M next season while the other two each have $2M left on their deals. The Senators are also considering a buyout for F Jonathan Cheechoo ($3.5M). If a player is 26 or older, the team has to fork over two thirds of the money left on the deal. If the player is younger than that and gets bought out, though, he only gets one third of the money left on the deal.

– Canucks’ F Alex Burrows (torn labrum in shoulder) underwent surgery last week and he may miss some time at the start of next season. “He may not be ready to play until sometime in October or November,” said his agent Paul Corbeil. The shoulder of Burrows had reportedly been bothering him since the second half of the regular season, but he wanted to play through it. The injury is thought to be the same as the one that F Pavol Demitra had this past campaign. The Canucks will have their fingers crossed that the recovery of Burrows goes smoother, as Demitra had to miss the first 47 games after a second surgery was required. Burrows will be evaluated again sometime in the next two weeks to see where he is at in his rehabilitation. Stay tuned.

– The Canadiens have bought out the final season of F George Laraque’s three-year/$4.5M contract. He was banished from the team that day because Laraque had become a distraction. He remained on the roster for the rest of the season, but was not seen at games or practices. Laraque, who was in and out of the lineup in recent seasons because of back problems, had one goal and two assists in 28 games this season. In two seasons with the Canadiens, he had one goal and four assists in 61 games.

– The Canucks have re-signed D Aaron Rome to a two-year/$1.5M deal. Rome will make $700K next season and $800K the following year.

– The Stars have signed G Brent Krahn to a two-way contract. Krahn played 22 games for the Texas Stars of the AHL this season, winning 17 games with five shutouts and a 1.83 GAA.

– The Blue Jackets have fired former interim head coach Claude Noel, assistants Gary Agnew and Gord Murphy and strength and conditioning coach Barry Brennan.

NFL

– NFL Network’s Jason La Canfora reports that the Seahawks are “quite interested” in Bills’ RB Marshawn Lynch, should they decide to trade him. This disputes an ESPN report from late last week that Lynch “has zero trade value.” Seattle is an excellent fit on paper following the release of LenDale White. The Seahawks also use a zone-blocking system similar to what Lynch played in at Cal. Still, they might not offer more than a late-round pick. Lynch joined his Bills teammates on the practice field for the start of this week’s OTAs on Tuesday. Smart move – if he wants to escape his current third-string role in Buffalo, he’s going to have to clean up his act and show some dedication.

– Redskins’ DE Albert Hayneswoth is still pushing for a trade and will not attend the Redskins’ upcoming minicamp after all. “The Redskins are trying to establish a new regime with new schemes at Redskins Park, and it is not an organization that Albert would have ever been attracted to just a short year ago – regardless of the money,” said Haynesworth’s agent. Haynesworth believes his talents are wasted in a 3-4 scheme. Coach Mike Shanahan’s attempt to take a hard-line stance on his best defender’s absence from voluntary offseason activities has exacerbated the situation. The Redskins will have to consider fining Haynesworth for missing mandatory work.

– The Saints have re-signed RFA RB Pierre Thomas to a one-year/$1.684M contract. The Saints threatened to reduce Thomas’ salary by $1.1M if he didn’t sign the tender, which would’ve been significant for a player who’s never made more than the NFL minimum. Instead, Thomas is showing good faith that the team will work with him on a long-term deal up to his expectations. While Thomas won’t get Steven Jackson money, a Michael Turner-like deal in the $5-6M range annually over 4-5 seasons could be realistic for the 25-year-old.

– A day after assuring that he’s not “mad” at the Titans organization, RB Chris Johnson took to his Twitter account to express frustration with his contract situation. “Just got off the phone with my agent, and it’s not good news. I’m feeling like Darrelle Revis right now. At least they’re offering him something. [The Titans are] not offering me nothing.” The primary issue here is that CJ2K has three years left on his contract, and the Titans are leery of setting a precedent that other players will use against them. There’s no telling how this will play out until training camp starts.

– Chargers unsigned RFAs Vincent Jackson and Marcus McNeill have reportedly made “financial preparations” in advance of executing lengthy holdouts that could last through Week 10 of the regular season. Updating a previous item, the players’ one-year tenders have not yet been formally reduced, leaving a “slight chance” that Jackson and McNeill could still sign at some point Tuesday. Should V-Jax fail to report until after Week 10, he’d stand to lose a whopping $3.062M. The same course of action by McNeill would cost the four-year starting left tackle $2.956M.

– The Broncos have re-signed RFA OLB Elvis Dumervil to a one-year/$3.168M contract. The sides will continue to work on a long-term deal. Dumervil, 26, set or tied career highs in tackles (48), sacks (17), and forced fumbles (4) last season.

WWE

– Monday’s episode of WWE RAW with actor Mark Feuerstein as guest host did a 3.42 cable rating, up from last week’s 3.09. The show averaged 4,883,000 viewers and did hours of 3.36 and 3.5.

– NBA legend Michael Jordan was backstage at Monday’s WWE RAW from Charlotte. It’s been rumoured for some time that WWE wants Jordan to host an upcoming episode of RAW, so you can bet the idea was pitched this week.

– With next year’s WrestleMania 27 still 9 months away,WWE officials are already working with city officials from Atlanta, Georgia, the host city.

– Actress Florence Henderson, who played “Carol Brady” on the classic Brady Bunch television show, will be guest hosting the July 12 Raw from Lexington, Kentucky. No guest host has been announced for next week’s RAW, the night after no Fatal 4 Way.

TNA

– Scott Hall has reportedly been fired by TNA Wrestling. He was written off of storylines at last night’s television taping for Thursday night’s episode. TNA stripped The Band — Hall, Kevin Nash, and Eric Young — of the TNA Tag Team Championship and set up a mini-tournament. The winning team will face The Motor City Machineguns for the vacant titles at next month’s Victory Road PPV. Last month, Hall was arrested outside of Orlando, Florida two days before Sacrifice. He worked the event and reportedly did not inform management of his arrest. He was charged with disorderly intoxication and resisting arrest after being arrested at the Hitching Post Bar. Hall has since pled not guilty to the charges. His next scheduled court date is July 1 in Seminole County court.

– At Monday night’s TNA iMPACT! tapings (set to air Thursday night on Spike), Ric Flair announced that he was reforming the Four Horsemen in TNA, except the new group would be known as “Fortune.” The group consists of AJ Styles, Desmond Wolfe, Kazarian and Beer Money. During the show, Flair has a confrontation with Jay Lethal, who came out dressed like Flair and acting like Flair. After Lethal wrestles Desmond Wolfe later in the show, Ric Flair comes out and helps Wolfe attack Lethal. Hulk Hogan comes out and asks Ric Flair to reveal his big announcement. Flair says he’s coming out of retirement once again – and will be wrestling Jay Lethal at TNA Victory Road on July 11.

– Updating a previous item, sources indicate that TNA’s “major changes” will be that the company will be dropping the monthly PPV format and instead would be running live specials on Spike TV. It’s still possible that TNA would keep 2-3 PPV events a year on their calendar, but the monthly PPV format has proven to not be profitable for TNA and the company could actually make more money from Spike TV paying them for these live television specials. Again, this is still a rumour, but it does jive with Dixie Carter’s comments about Spike TV President Kevin Kay being “all in” and on board with TNA’s major changes. Stay tuned for the latest on this developing story.

– As seen last night at Slammiversary, Roxxi agreed to put her TNA career on the line against Madison Rayne and her Women’s Knockout Championship. Rayne retained her title, after hitting Roxxi with the championship belt, ending her TNA career in the process. Sources within TNA indicate she is indeed through with the company. Roxxi was not informed of her release from the company until yesterday, according to f4wonline.com. She was visibly upset prior to and after her Slammiversary bout. The decision garnered much heat backstage as many feel TNA could have handled the situation better. Considering Angelina Love and Daffney have been cleared to wrestle, it appears as if TNA no longer needs or has any creative plans for Roxxi, hence her abrupt departure from the organization.

– ODB posted the following on Twitter on Monday afternoon:

“thanks tna fans for all the support but tna and odb have parted ways.it was a decision I made.bamm bitches”

– Tommy Dreamer, who made his TNA debut at Sunday’s Slammiversary pay-per-view, wrote the following on Twitter following his appearance:

“TNA THANKS SO MUCH I AM ON A MISSION HOPE WE ALL ENJOY THE RIDE”

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
VoV – www.voiceofvaleri.com
Add me on Facebook at Facebook.com/VoiceofValeri
Add me on Twitter at Twitter.com/VoiceofValeri
Join the VoV Forums
Ask me anything on FormSpring
Get VoV RSS feeds
Become a Fan of VoV on Facebook
Join the VoV Facebook Group

MLB

– OF Ken Griffey Jr., 40, has officially retired from baseball. The 22-year veteran retires with 13 All-Star appearances, 630 homers—fifth on the career list—and 1,836 RBIs. The future Hall of Famer was on pace to become the all-time homerun king before his career was plagued by injuries that slowed him significantly. All the best to The Kid in his retirement.

“While I feel I am still able to make a contribution on the field and nobody in the Mariners front office has asked me to retire, I told the Mariners when I met with them prior to the 2009 season and was invited back that I will never allow myself to become a distraction. I feel that without enough occasional starts to be sharper coming off the bench, my continued presence as a player would be an unfair distraction to my teammates and their success as a team is what the ultimate goal should be.”

– Tigers’ RHP Armando Galarraga missed out on a perfect game against the Indians on Wednesday due to a blown call by first base umpire Jim Joyce with two outs in the ninth inning. Galarraga was perfect through 8 2/3 inning and coaxed a grounder to first base out of nine-spot hitter Jason Donald. The throw from Miguel Cabrera was on time, but Joyce just missed the call and ruled Donald safe. The perfecto appeared meant to be, as Austin Jackson had made potentially the play of the year for the first out in the ninth by reeling in an over-the-shoulder catch on the warning track. Galarraga didn’t even make his 2010 Tigers debut until May 16, but he was dominant in his fourth start of the season. He struck out only three, but needed just 88 pitches to complete the game. Jim Joyce immediately apologized, realizing he had blown the call.

– A baseball source tells Joe McDonald of ESPNBoston.com that the White Sox, Mariners and Rangers have contacted the Red Sox in regards to acquiring 3B Mike Lowell.In addition, a Red Sox source tells McDonald that the team has ruled out the Angels as a possible destination for Lowell. Nothing appears imminent, but there’s enough interest here to assume Lowell may eventually find a new team.

– The Chicago Tribune is reporting that the Angels and Cubs are talking about a deal involving 1B Derrek Lee. The Angels obviously lost their starting first baseman, Kendry Morales, for the season when he broke his leg in a home run celebration, so they could be motivated to make a move. The 34-year-old Lee will become a free agent at season’s end and is only hitting .232 so far this year so it wouldn’t be a huge loss for the Cubs right now. The team owes him about $9M for the rest of the season. It isn’t clear what the Cubs would get in return from the Angels.

– According to SI.com, top prospect Bryce Harper and agent Scott Boras are getting ready to ask for more signing-bonus cash than the Nationals gave to RHP Stephen Strasburg last year, who got a record-setting $15.67M to sign when he is expected to be drafted by the Nationals.

– The Arizona Republic reports that the D’Backs could be set for a major roster and management overhaul soon. Stay tuned.

– The Twins have placed OF Michael Cuddyer on the bereavement list.

– The Rangers have placed LHP Derek Holland (left rotator cuff inflammation) on the 15-day DL retroactive to May 31.

– The White Sox have placed 3B Mark Teahen (fractured right middle finger) on the 15-day DL retroactive to May 31.

– The Astros have placed RHP Chris Sampson (rotator cuff tendinitis) on the 15-day DL.

– The Indians transferred OF Grady Sizemore to the 60-day DL.

– The Twins have placed 2B Alexi Casilla (bone spur in his right elbow) on the 15-day DL.

– The Reds have placed RHP Mike Lincoln (strained muscle in right side) on the 15-day DL.

NFL

– According to Yahoo’s Michael Silver, there is a “growing disconnect” between the Patriots’ organization and QB Tom Brady. Silver reports that the sides have had “no substantial talks” about an extension as Brady enters a contract year. Brady reportedly feels the Pats aren’t “displaying much urgency.” He reported to OTAs on Tuesday, but has still missed the majority of offseason workouts. Silver does expect the sides to ultimately reach an agreement, though it might be the 2011 franchise tag.

– Patriots’ WR Wes Welker (ACL surgery) was in uniform with a knee brace on during Patriots OTAs on Wednesday. Welker went through pre-practice stretching, high knee bag drills, and even did some cutting on his reconstructed knee. It’s extremely impressive and borderline stunning considering Welker is just four months removed from surgery. At this point, it’s completely up in the air if Welker will start the year on the PUP list. He’s obviously ahead of schedule in his rehab.

– Redskins’ coach Mike Shanahan confirmed Wednesday that the team has extended a contract offer to free agent RB Brian Westbrook. “If you guys hear anything, just tell him that we’re ready. We want him to sign with us.” No other team has been nearly as forthcoming about its interest in Westbrook. While this should appeal to the 30-year-old, the Skins’ jam-packed depth chart has to be a bit of a turnoff.

– Packers’ CB Al Harris’ 2009 knee injury was much more serious than a “routine” ACL tear. Joe Caroccio, Harris’ rehab specialist, said, “It is a very rare injury. He had a torn anterior cruciate ligament, torn lateral collateral ligament, torn iliotibial band, fibular collateral ligament, and torn lateral hamstring.” We’ve not heard of at least two of those body parts, but surgery was highly complex. While Harris is running again, he admits that “Guys don’t normally come back from injuries such as this.” We probably won’t see him again before midseason.

– The Lions are reportedly taking a “hard look” at free agent O.J. Atogwe while waiting for his price tag to drop. Atogwe’s salary demands are said to be “extremely high,” which explains why the Rams are still considered the frontrunners to sign him. The Lions have a major need opposite Luis Delmas, so they could get serious about Atogwe if he’s forced to drop his asking price.

NBA

– According to ESPN Radio’s “NBA Today” podcast, the Heat have offered F Michael Beasley to the Nets for G Keyon Dooling but were turned down by Nets GM Rod Thorn. Beasley has raised a few red flags during his brief stint in the NBA, but we’re not sure why Thorn would turn down such an offer (assuming there is anything to this report). Dooling’s contract is unguaranteed next season, but Beasley is only owed $4.9M in 2010-11, followed by a team option in 2011-12 and restricted free agency the following year.

– Lakers’ F Andrew Bynum (knee) says that the fluid that was drained from his knee on Monday has returned. “I’m used to playing with the swelling in there. It’s not any bigger than before we drained it. So, I’m just going to go out there and play.” Bynum was a partial participant in Wednesday’s practice and is expected to play in Game 1 of the Finals, though offseason surgery remains inevitable.

– The Hornets might hire a new coach by the end of the week — the primary candidates are Tom Thibodeau and Monty Williams. They have begun negotiating with Thibodeau, who is coveted by many teams, but if he turns them down they will “immediately” offer the job to Williams.

ESPN is reporting, however, that Thibodeau has officially declined the position. Thibodeau has until Game 1 of the NBA Finals to make his decision, and the word is that he would like to wait for other possible offers, such as one with the Chicago Bulls or New Jersey Nets, to come rolling in. The site reports that the Hornets will move on to offering the job to Portland Trail Blazers assistant Monty Williams. The Post asserts that Thibodeau is now the frontrunner for the Bulls job while former Houston Rockets coach Avery Johnson will likely be the top dog in New Jersey.

– The Raptors have officially hired J.P. Carlesimo as their assistant coach. Carlesimo was fired by Oklahoma City on November 22, 2008, after the Thunder started 1-12 in their first season since the franchise moved from Seattle. He spent three years with Portland from 1994-97, leading the Trail Blazers to the playoffs each season, and then coached Golden State from 1997-2000.

NHL

– The Leafs have appointed NHL executive Claude Loiselle as their new assistant GM. Loiselle will be responsible for managing contracts, salary arbitration and the team’s salary cap.

– Phoenix Coyotes GM Don Maloney has been named the NHL’s winner of the general manager of the year award. Maloney helped the Coyotes set franchise records for wins (50) and points (107) in the 2009-10 campaign. Phoenix posted an impressive 50-27-5 record during the regular season and earned themselves a playoff birth for the first time since 2002. He hired head coach Dave Tippett, who is a finalist for the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year. Maloney made several moves to help shape his roster as well. Signing free agent centers Robert Lang and Vernon Fiddler, along with defenseman Adrian Aucoin. He also traded for forwards Radim Vrbata and Lauri Korpikoski, while acquiring defenders Jim Vandermeer and Sami Lepisto prior to the season. He concluded the year with a busy trade deadline, bringing in forwards Lee Stempniak, Wojtek Wolski and Petteri Nokelainen, along with veteran blueliners Derek Morris and Mathieu Schneider. Maloney is certainly worthy of the award for helping to reshape a team, that has suffered so much financially, for the better.

– The Oilers have officially signed F Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson to a three-year NHL entry level contract. The Oilers’ first round selection (10th overall) in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, Paajarvi-Svensson recently completed his third season with Timra IK of the Swedish Elite League where he finished third in team scoring with 29 points in 49 games.

– The Ducks signed D Sheldon Brookbank to a two-year contract extension on Wednesday. The 29-year-old appeared in 66 games last season for Anaheim and totaled nine assists and 114 penalty minutes.

– ESPN reports that the Bruins and Oilers may swap their 1st and 2nd-overall picks. Stay tuned.

WWE

– According to the Wrestling Observer, two days before Over the Limit, Randy Orton dislocated his right shoulder while attempting a dunk in pick-up basketball game in St. Louis. This explains why he was favouring the shoulder at the house show in Cincinnati the night before the PPV event.

Orton’s had problems with the shoulder for years as it’s the third time in which it’s been dislocated. He plans to focus on physical therapy before deciding on whether to have surgery. An injury angle was done on Monday’s Raw where Edge hurt Orton’s shoulder to take him out of the evening’s main event. Hence, if he’s not healthy enough to compete at Fatal 4-Way, WWE will have a storyline explanation.

– Monday’s episode of RAW drew a 3.2 rating and averaged 4,525,000 viewers. The show did hours of 3.11 and 3.32.

– Wade Barrett is expected to join the Raw brand.

– The woman who accused former WWE General Counsel head Jared Bartie of sexual harassment was Vice President of the company’s Sales/Marketing division. She too is no longer with WWE after allegedly being caught giving a oral sex to a man in talent brand management at the company’s Stamford headquarters during office hours. That man who was caught receiving oral sex, was also fired. He was said to be a favorite among many in WWE and was on the “fast track” for corporate advancement before the incident occurred.

– Former WCW performer Vampiro was allegedly kidnapped Monday night while driving through the Mexican state of Michuacan in the middle of drug wars. He was reportedly held for 23 hours before being released.

VoV

- Email – captaincharisma [at] hotmail.com
- Twitter – @VoiceofValeri
- FB Group
- FB Fan ap

VoV

-– You can keep up with VoV through Twitter by clicking here.

MLB

– Cardinals 1B Albert Pujols was the unanimous choice as the National League’s MVP. Pujols becomes the seventh NL player to win the award unanimously since OF Barry Bonds in 2002. Pujols batted .327 in 2009 while leading the league in on-base percentage (.443), slugging percentage (.658) and OPS (1.101). He also led the league with 47 home runs and 124 runs scored. This is Pujols’ second straight MVP selection and the third of his nine-year career. Marlins SS Hanley Ramirez, Phillies 1B Ryan Howard, Brewers 1B Prince Fielder, Rockies SS Troy Tulowitzki, Dodgers OF Andre Either and Cubs 1B Derrek Lee garnered second-place votes.

– Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com confirmed Tuesday that free agent 1B Nick Johnson has already drawn interest from multiple teams this offseason. Johnson has reportedly heard from the Mariners, Giants, Mets and even the Yankees, who could use him at DH. The 31-year-old had the highest 2009 on-base percentage of any hitter on the free agent market this winter and an overall batting line of .291/.426/.405. He’s been an above-average defender at first base for most of his seven-year big league career.

– Mark Gonzalez of the Chicago Tribune reports that the White Sox have expressed interest in free agent OF Coco Crisp. Crisp’s agent Steve Compte said Tuesday, “I have talked to (general manager) Kenny Williams on a preliminary basis. We’re going to be a little patient. We haven’t talked dollars. We’re trying to identify the teams where there’s definitely a fit, and I’m sure they want to explore other options.” Crisp, 30, batted .228/.336/.378 with three home runs, 14 RBI and 13 stolen bases in 180 at-bats for the Royals in 2009, but his season was cut short in June as he underwent surgery both his shoulders. Crisp could be a low-cost option for center field and leadoff in Chicago.

NHL

– The Leafs have placed G Vesa Toskala (groin) on the IR.

– Senators G Pascal Leclaire (broken cheekbone) will be sidelined for up to four weeks. He will undergo surgery to repair the problem and may miss a month of action. The injury took place on Monday night when he serving as the backup on the bench and a puck ricocheted off the glass and hit him in the face. G Brian Elliot will likely carry the load in Leclaire’s place.

WWE

– According to multiple sources, Shane McMahon is considering purchasing a share in the UFC. McMahon, who currently servces as WWE’s Vice President of Global Media, will officially leave that post on January 1, 2010 and be free to work elsewhere. Stay tuned.

– WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has updated his blog, which you can read in its entirety at JRsBarBQ.com. Here’s what Ross said about:

Jesse Ventura Hosting Raw: “Jesse Ventura did an excellent job as guest general manager … Jesse looked good, had his usual distinctive, great delivery and, for me, created an interest in checking out his new “Conspiracy Theory” program that debuts soon on truTV. Ventura and McMahon was a fun trip down memory lane and they were, perhaps, the 2nd best broadcast team to appear on Monday Night Raw in a good while as in the summer of ‘08. Just one man’s totally biased opinion. I would have been happy to have flown in and produced the two wrestling legends.”

Sheamus’ Push: “Sheamus has found himself in a great spot to help begin building his long term foundation in WWE. I read where some pundits felt the incident between the young Irishman and John Cena was “flat.” I disagree. Obviously, the crowd sitting in their seats over three hours is challenging, has an influence but isn’t the real reason. However, let’s all remember that Sheamus hasn’t been on Raw in any significant role for, what, a month, 5 weeks? Sheamus has not even been in a long term personal issue with a main event, Raw wrestler yet…until now. Bottom line is that Sheamus’ persona is still evolving and the next two weeks and then TLC is highly important to Sheamus’ development. At worst, the WWE has made a new, fresh main event for a PPV and from where I sit that is a good thing.”

The Rock Saying He’d Work With WWE Again: “I would bet a 6 Pak Challenge and throw in a case of BBQ Sauce that those remarks don’t mean that Dwayne is thinking about wrestling again. I do not see that occurring but his appearances could mean an unlimited number of other things that don’t include putting on the tights. Time will tell.”

– According to the PWInsider, for those keeping track, Dolph Ziggler has taken part in twenty-six Intercontinental title matches at various events (televised and non-televised) within the past few months, losing all but two. He won one match via count-out with another match being ruled a double count-out. Furthermore, he has come up short in retrieving the title on television on seven different occasions including Night of Champions, SummerSlam, Hell in the Cell and four separate episodes of Friday Night SmackDown.

Ziggler was at one point scheduled to win the title from Rey Mysterio over the summer, but the high-flying Superstar vetoed dropping the title to him on more than one occasion. When push came to shove as a result of a 30-day suspension for violating the company’s drug testing policy in early September, Mysterio agreed to drop the title to John Morrison.

Now it appears that the ship has sailed on Ziggler nabbing the gold as WWE officials have reportedly “given up on him.” On a related noted, Ziggler was voted the “Most Deserving of a Title Shot” among his peers in the “Superstar Survey” taken for the latest issue of WWE Magazine.

– Monday’s special 3-hour Thanksgiving edition of WWE Raw hosted by Jesse Ventura did a 3.23 overall rating. The final 2 hours of the show, Raw’s typical timeslot, did a strong 3.55 rating – up from last week’s 3.47. The hourly ratings were 2.60, 3.60 and 3.50 rating. When WWE runs 3-hour Raws, the first hour typically draws considerably fewer viewers than the second and third hours. Comparing the final two hours of this week to last week’s show from Madision Square Garden, viewership was up 2.5%