MLB

– Former RHP Roger Clemens was offered a plea agreement, however it was declined, said his attorney Rusty Hardin. “The government made a recommendation [for a plea agreement] and we declined. I will tell you the recommendation they made was a very good one if he was guilty. And if he was guilty we would have jumped on it. Everybody has all this great solicitous advice, all the media and you guys — ESPN. Nobody is answering the question: What if he didn’t do it, what should he have done? And everybody wants him to confess.” The Rocket is telling the truth or has absolutely lost it. He is facing the prospect of real jail time right now. Stay tuned.

– Braves’ LHP Billy Wagner told David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Saturday that he has committed to retiring after this season. Wagner has a $6.5M option for 2011 and has been stellar in the ninth inning for Atlanta this season, but he’s done. “Me and my family have made plans for retirement. I don’t need it anymore. I’m tired of the expectations, tired of the criticism, tired of people who never played trying to tell me how to play.”

– Sources tell FOXSports.com’s Ken Rosenthal that the Giants were the team awarded a claim on Marlins’ OF Cody Ross. The Giants already have Burrell, Rowand and Guillen as righty outfielders and switch-hitter Andres Torres plays against a lot of southpaws, so it’s unclear how he’ll fit. They may have just wanted to block him from going to another team. The Marlins, though, could just hand him over and save themselves about $1M.

– The Yankees have placed 3B Alex Rodriguez (right calf) on the 15-day DL. It makes complete sense for the Yankees to give A-Rod as much rest as possible right now, as he’s been playing hurt for a while and they need him fully healthy for late September and October. He sports a .265/.333/.485 line with 21 homers and 97 RBI.

– A’s 1B Conor Jackson (sports hernia) may require season-ending surgery. Jackson has felt discomfort in his lower abdomen and groin since March. He even saw three or four doctors in regards to the pain dating back to his time with the Diamondbacks, but it wasn’t diagnosed by A’s doctors until Friday. “It’s definitely a mental blow. It’s borderline embarrassing, just because I come over to a new organization and I’ve only played [18] games. I know that they had high regards for me coming over here and I felt like health has ridden my performance. It’s just frustrating, that’s not even the word I’m looking for.”

– The Red Sox have placed 2B Dustin Pedroia (soreness in left foot) on the 15-day DL retroactive to August 19. Doctors have told Pedroia that he’s done no further damage to the foot he broke in June. However, it’s just not feeling good enough for him to play on at the moment.

– Marlins’ RHP Ricky Nolasco (knee) is likely to be scratched from his scheduled Sunday. The Marlins are examining Nolasco at the moment to see if he has a torn meniscus. The righty is 14-8 with a 1.23 WHIP and 147 strikeouts in 155 2/3 innings this season and was just about to begin negotiations toward a contract extension.

– The Yankees have placed 1B Lance Berkman (sprained right ankle) on the 15-day DL retroactive to August 16.

– The Red Sox have placed C Jarrod Saltalamacchia (infection in lower right leg) on the 15-day DL retroactive to August 16.

– The Padres have placed OF Tony Gwynn Jr. (fractured hamate bone in right hand) on the 15-day DL.

– The Astros have placed RHP Matt Lindstrom (back) on the 15-day DL retroactive to August 17.

– The Marlins have placed C Ronny Paulino on the restricted list and LHP Sean West (inflammation in right knee) on the 15-day DL retroactive to August 15.

– The Astros have placed 2B Jeff Keppinger (fractured left big toe) on the 15-day DL retroactive to August 17.

– The Dodgers have placed RHP Vicente Padilla (bulging disc in neck) on the 15-day DL retroactive to August 16.

– The Cardinals have transferred C Jason LaRue to the 60-day DL.

NFL

– The Chargers have placed unsigned RFAs WR Vincent Jackson and LT Marcus McNeill on the roster exempt list. The players currently withholding were sent letters informing them of the Chargers’ plans to invoke a 3-game suspension, applicable upon signing their tenders. That brings Jackson’s total to 6 games under suspension if he does sign. The Seahawks have recently spoken with Jackson’s agent, but demands to surpass WR Brandon Marshall’s 4-years/$46.5M have caused a stalemate. San Diego’s asking price of a 2nd-round pick is not believed to be an issue.

J-Vax’ suspension can be served concurrently with his 3-game NFL suspension as long as he signs by September 4. If Jackson doesn’t sign by September 4, the extra 3 games would begin to kick in at that point. He could end up serving anywhere from 3-to-6 weeks. There’s enough incentive here for Jackson and any teams interested in trading for him to iron out an agreement by early September. He’s reportedly asking for  a5 -year/$50M contract with $30M guaranteed.

– After testing his hip Friday, Vikings WR Sidney Rice said that his status for the season opener is now “up in the air.” Rice felt pain in his hip Friday when he pushed it to the limit in conditioning drills. The Vikings, unsure of Rice’s early-season status, are working out free agents WR Brandon Jones and WR Javon Walker.

– The NFL has suspended Bills TE Shawn Nelson 4 games for violating the league’s Substance Abuse Policy. As recently as early August, the Bills were said to have “big plans” for Nelson. Nelson should be starting again by the end of the season.

– Vikings’ WR Percy Harvin (migraines) was back on the sidelines Friday, watching practice and hanging out with the coaches. It’s good sign that Harvin is out of the hospital and back functioning normally. He appears to have no after-effects from Thursday’s migraine episode. There’s no current timetable for his return to practice.

Harvin is also scheduled to see a specialist about his migraines this weekend. Coach Brad Childress is “optimistic” that Harvin may practice next week, but the Vikings will take all necessary precautions. “This is a puzzle we have no idea when it will be solved. It’s a tough deal,” Chilly said. It’s bad that Harvin’s migraine episodes are occurring closer together, but the injury is tricky to gauge. He should still be ready for Opening Day.

– Patriots’ OL Nick Kaczur (bulging disc in back) has reportedly undergone surgery and is likely to miss the entire 2010 season. He went down on the second day of training camp and never returned to practice.

– Chargers’ OT William “Tra” Thomas has decided to retire rather than play out the 2010 season. The 12-year vet entered camp as the favourite to fill in for Marcus McNeill at left tackle, but he quickly fell down the ladder after developing knee problems.

– The Falcons have placed rookie WR Kerry Meier (knee) on the IR, ending his season. Meier went down in Atlanta’s second preseason game. The Kansas quarterback was having a big camp as a slot receiver, so the Falcons wouldn’t have ended his year if his injury was insignificant. Meier likely tore ligaments in the knee.

– Former Phoenix Cardinal Pro Bowl return man Johnny Bailey passed away Thursday after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. Bailey is the only 3-time winner of the Harlon Hill Trophy, which is awarded to the best player in Division II College Football. He had a6 -year career with the Bears, Cardinals, and Rams.

NHL

– Lightning’ F Vincent Lecavalier (left knee) will undergo minor arthroscopic surgery and is expected to miss 4 weeks. He should be ready for training camp on September 17.

– The Penguins have signed F Arron Asham to a one-year/$700K deal. The gritty winger spent the last two years with the Flyers, recording 24 points and 126 penalty minutes in 2009-10. Asham will be used on the Pens’ checking line.

– Brendan Shanahan is helping the NHL’s Research, Development, and Orientation camp take a “proactive approach” to new rules in the NHL. The league is set to test several modifications to the rules currently in place. Shanny has helped devise ways to improver the game of hockey. While the motions are in place to begin testing, the changes will not come for some time. Some of the rules being questioned are no-touch icing, wider blue lines, and relocated faceoff dots.

NBA

– The Nuggets are expected to have a frank discussion with F Carmelo Anthony about his future once they hire a new GM, which should happen next week. Former Suns executive David Griffin is still the favourite, but whoever lands the GM job will have a lot on their plate. Stay tuned.

– Contrary to rumours, the Magic and Hornets have no interest in signing G Allen Iverson, according to ESPN’s Marc Stein. Stein apparently spoke with a team sources who shot down the rumour. AI’s career may be over.

– G Delonte West has been suspended for 10 games due to last year’s arrest on weapons charges. It’s worth noting that if he signs with a team in January, his suspension would start at that time.

WWE

– Legendary wrestling manager General Skandor Akbar (James Wehbna), 75, best known for his work in World Class Championship Wrestling and Mid South/UWF, was found dead yesterday at his home in Texas. He remained active on the independent scene until his death and had just recently made an appearance at the NWA Legends Convention, which Jim Ross talked about in a recent blog. Ross even noted that Akbar greatly influenced a young Steve Austin during his time in Dallas.

Also, “Nightmare” Ted Allen, 54, a staple of the southeast wrestling scene for nearly 35 years, was found dead in his home earlier this week. The cause of death is believed to have been a massive heart attack. Allen is best known for having trained the likes of Arn Anderson, Scotty Riggs and the late Ray Traylor (Big Bossman).

TNA

– Rosie Lottalove, who was removed yesterday from the official TNA Wrestling website’s roster page along with six others, confirmed her departure from the organization this morning on her Twitter account.

“Ok guys. TNA days are done for now. Not a bad thing, so don’t speculate. Thank you 2 the guys and girls, & agents. It was a blast!”

A student of the Team 3D Academy, she worked a tryout match on April 20, during which she accidentally injured her opponent, Daffney. She received a contract a few weeks later. The portly performer was used once more on television following her June 3 debut on Impact, in a match against Taylor Wilde on the July 9 episode of Xplosion.

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
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VoV

– Unfortunately, I’m out tonight and off to the cottage for Saturday & Sunday, so I won’t be able to do any more live coverage of the 2010 MLB trade deadline. Deal with it.

TRADES

– The White Sox have acquired RHP Edwin Jackson from the D’Backs for RHP Daniel Hudson and LHP David Holmberg. Hudson, 23, has a 6.32 ERA over three starts with the White Sox this season, but posted a 3.47 ERA over 17 starts with Triple-A Charlotte and was regarded as the top pitching prospect in the organization. Holmberg, a 19-year-old left-hander, is 1-1 with 4.46 ERA over eight starts with Chicago’s rookie league team in Great Falls this season. He was ranked as the organization’s top left-handed pitching prospect coming into the year by Baseball America. The 3-way deal that would send 1B Adam Dunn to the White Sox, RHP Edwin Jackson to the Nationals, and RHP Dan Hudson and a prospect to the Diamondbacks is still in play, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.

– The Twins have acquired RHP Matt Capps from the Nationals for C Wilson Ramos. The 22-year-old catcher hit .296/.321/.407 with three doubles in seven games for the Twins back in early May but he has a .625 OPS in 278 at-bats for Rochester. Ramos is a defensive rock and posted impressive numbers in a short stint with the Twins in May while Joe Mauer was nursing an injury. He’s struggled a bit at Triple-A Rochester this season, but the 22-year-old has plenty of room to grow and should do just that in the Nationals’ system. Minnesota has had interest in Capps for some time and is now more confident about acquiring a reliever than a starter. Twins assigned a scout to follow Toronto’s relievers. He earns a base salary of $3.5M this year ($1.3M remains) and can be retained as an arbitration-eligible player for 2011, though he’s expected to get a raise. Capps will become the closer, with RHP Joe Rauch moving to setup man. Nonetheless, I give the winning nod to the Nats.

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

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

– The Rangers have acquired 3B Jorge Cantu and $600K from the Marlins for RHP Evan Reed and RHP Omar Poveda. Cantu, 28, has 10 homeruns and is batting .259/.308/.408 this season. He becomes a free agent at seaason’s end.The 28-year-old becomes a free agent after the season and has said he would like to sign with the Marlins. At this point, the club is considering multi-year deals Reed, 24, has posted a 1.76 ERA and 1.20 WHIP over 41 innings this season between Double-A and Triple-A. Poveda, 27, is currently on the DL recovering from Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery. Cantu will give the Rangers a solid right-handed bat for the stretch run.

– The Phillies have acquired RHP Roy Oswalt and $11M from the Astros for LHP J.A. Happ, INF Jonathan Villar and OF Anthony Gose. The Astros will pay $11M of the approximately $23M left on Oswalt’s contract through 2011. Oswalt did not demand that his 2012 mutual option for $16M be picked up by the Phillies, but he would receive extra compensation if or when the Phillies decline. The 32-year-old ace leaves Houston with a 3.24 career ERA and a 143-82 career record, just one win shy of the franchise’s all-time leader Joe Niekro. The Phillies look dangerous with a Halladay-Oswalt-Hamels 1-2-3 punch.

– The Braves acquired 2B Michael Noboa from the D’Backs for a PTBNL.

– The Tigers have acquired 3B Jhonny Peralta and cash from the Indians for minor league LHP Gionvanni Soto. The Tigers have now addressed their vacancy at third base, though Peralta has hit just .246 this season with a .698 OPS, seven home runs and 43 RBI. Soto is a 19-year-old left-handed prospect who has had some success at the Single-A level.

– The Dodgers have acquired OF Scott Podsednik from the Royals for a minor leaguer C Lucas May and RHP Elisaul Pimentel. The Dodgers beat out the division-rival Giants to land Podsednik, who has hit .310/.353/.400 with five homers, 44 RBI and 30 stolen bases in 390 at-bats for the Royals. The speedster will be highly useful to the Dodgers. The acquisition crowd the LA outfield for the long run, but for right now, with Johnson and Ramirez on the DL, it works well.

– Cubs’ 1B Derrek Lee has vetoed a 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.

RUMOURS

– Astros’ 1B Lance Berkman (NTC) (acquired Wallace to replace him). In: White Sox. According to the NY Post, the Astros have been given the go-ahead by a high-ranking executive that they can move Berkman and begin the rebuilding phase. The White Sox have expressed interest, but only as a backup plan if they fail to acquire Nats’ 1B Adam Dunn. Ed Price of AOL Fanhouse reports that there is buzz about the White Sox “going for” Lance Berkman. Berkman is batting .245/.372/.436 with 13 homers and 49 RBI in 298 at-bats this year. About $5.4M remains on Berkman’s $14.5M salary this season. The Astros hold a $15M option for next year, but they can buy it out for $2M.

– The 3-way deal that would send 1B Adam Dunn to the White Sox, RHP Edwin Jackson to the Nationals, and RHP Dan Hudson and a prospect to the Diamondbacks is still in play, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.

– The Dodgers and Cubs are discussing a trade that could send LHP Ted Lilly and 2B Ryan Theriot to LA. It’s not known whether a deal is close. The Cubs would need to hand over some cash, as Lilly has $4.3M remaining and Theriot has $933K. Theriot received a $2.6M salary for 2010 after losing an arbitration case to the Cubs in February. He’s under team control through 2012; the FOX writers see him taking over at second base for the Dodgers. There aren’t a ton of great matches for Lilly at this point, as action with the Tigers, Twins, and Mets has cooled and the Phillies are out of the mix. I wonder if we’ll hear anything about the Cardinals and Padres looking at the lefty.

– Nationals’ 1B Adam Dunn. In: Rays, White Sox, Tigers. Out: Yankees, Giants. Three-way scenarios involving the Nationals, White Sox, Diamondbacks and RHP Edwin Jackson. Dunn is batting .275 this year with a .916 OPS and 23 homers. The Giants have minimal interest in Dunn at the current asking price. Believed to have asked the White Sox for either SS Gordan Beckha or both RHP Daniel Hudson and RHP Dayan Viciedo.

– Rockies’ OF Brad Hawpe. In: Padres, White Sox, Tigers. Chicago’s interest lies on Nats’ 1B Adam Dunn, while the Padres are believed to be less interested after acquiring 3B Miguel Tejada. Hawpe, 31, has about $2.8M remaining on his contract this year and will earn $10M in 2011 unless his team buys him out for $500K, as expected.

– Jon Heyman of SI.com writes that the Mets are reluctant to trade OF Jeff Francoeur for for the Royals’ OF Jose Guillen.

– Brewers: Pulled OF Corey Hart and 1B Prince Fielder off the block because they feel they are too close to contention to sell, despite being 48-55 and nine games out of first place in the NL Central.

– Cubs’ LHP Ted Lilly. In: Phillies, Dodgers, Twins and Tigers. Out: Mets, Twins (no-trade list). Lilly has $4M+ remaining on his contract for the rest of the season. Lilly, 34, has posted a 3.69 ERA and 1.14 WHIP in 18 starts this season.

– D’Backs’ C Chris Snyder. In: Nationals, White Sox, Red Sox. Trying to move both contracts without taking on any salary. Snyder makes $4.75M this year ($1.8M remains) plus $5.75M next year and either $6.75M or a $750K buyout in 2012. Snyder, 29, is hitting .231/.352/.426 with 10 homers this year.

– Cardinals inquire: LHP Jake Westbrook, LHP Aaron Cook. Cook’s return price is a reliever and a prospect. He’s owed $12M through the end of 2011.

– Cubs’ LHP Tom Gorzelanny. In: Mets.

– Red Sox’ SS Jed Lowrie. Out: Padres.

– Padres: searching for outfielders.

– Orioles’ 3B Ty Wigginton. In: Twins, Phillies and Giants.

– Jays’ LHP Scott Downs. In: Yankees, Red Sox, Mets, Twins. Jays have asked the Yankees for either RHP Joba Chamberlain or C Jesus Montero in exchange for LHP Scott Downs. Have asked the Red Sox for prospect INF Casey Kelly or INF Jose Iglesias for Downs. Mets turned down a deal that would have sent prospect OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis plus another prospect. Downs is hitting .185 against lefties this season. Downs owed $4M this season, free agent in 2011.

– Jays’ OF Jose Bautista. In: Phillies, Tigers, Braves, White Sox, Giants.

– Astros’ RHP Brett Myers. In: White Sox. Out: Mets.

– Brewers’ OF Jim Edmonds: multiple teams.

– O’s LHP Will Ohman. In: Giants.

– Angels potentially shopping OF Bobby Abreu, LHP Brian Fuentes, OF Hideki Matsui, and 2B Maicer Izturis might interest contenders. Abreu, Fuentes, and Matsui could be moved via waiver wire in August. Abreu is signed at $9M for next year and may have another $9M salary vest for 2012 and is hitting just .253/.347/.416 with 12 homers and 56 RBI over 380 at-bats this season.. Fuentes has been homer-prone and has over $3M left on his contract. Matsui’s market is limited by his DH profile, though he has tallied 122 innings in left field this year. *UPDATE* The Angels will not be selling at the deadline, as they believe they have a shot at the playoffs despite being 8.5 games back in the AL West and 12.5 games back in the hunt for the Wild Card.

– Indians are NOT shopping RHP Fausto Carmona. He’s potentially under team control through 2014.

– Yankees NOT shopping for a catcher.

– The NY Post reports that the Rays, Twins and Phillies are the most motivated buyers, while the Cubs, D’Backs and Blue Jays are the most motivated sellers.

– Mets may shop OF Jeff Francoeur after the non-waiver trade deadline.

– Yankees inquire: Scott Downs, Ty Wigginton

– Red Sox inquire: Rafael Perez, Will Ohman, Mike Gonzalez, Matt Capps, Michael Wuertz, Craig Breslow, Sean Marshall, Kerry Wood, David Aardsma, and Kyle Farnsworth. Searching league-wide for a reliever.

– Rockies inquire: 2B Ryan Theriot.

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
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MLB

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NHL

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

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

NBA

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

NFL

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

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

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

TNA

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

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

VoV

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

– Celtics’ F Kendrick Perkins (torn MCL and PCL) will not play in Game 7. It’s a huge blow to the Celtics’ chances on Thursday night. Doc Rivers will have to rely on Rasheed Wallace and maybe even Shelden Williams along with Glen Davis. Perkins’ status for opening night of next season is also now in jeopardy.

– ESPN reports that there is now zero chance that F Amare Stoudemire will re-sign with the Suns. A source for the site says that Stoudemire, who will choose not to opt into a contract that would pay him around $17M next year to stay in Arizona, isn’t even considering re-signing a long-term deal at this point. The final nail in the coffin was the stepping down of GM Steve Kerr, who Stoudemire’s agent had begun conversations with. Kerr was trying to give Amare a raise, whereas owner Robert Sarver wanted him to take a paycut.

– The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that the team is scheduling a second interview with Byron Scott, who just has one more game to work as an ESPN analyst in the NBA Finals. Scott is also interested in the potential head coaching job with the Lakers, assuming Phil Jackson steps down. Expect an official decision by month’s end.

– The Memphis Commercial Appeal reports that GM Chris Wallace’s three-year contract comes due on June 30 and that “he has been presented with a multi-year offer that needs only his signature to finalize.” The team would like to have the deal done before the June 24 draft, the Appeal reports.

– Brazilian basketball star F Tiago Splitter wants to play in the NBA next season, according to Hoops Market. Splitter’s rights are owned by the Spurs, who drafted him with the 28th pick of the 2007 NBA draft. He had been considered a possible higher pick the previous year, but the expensive buyout of his contact with a Spanish League team scared teams off. The 6’11″ center has stayed in the Spanish League since, winning the Spanish Supercup MVP in both 2006 and 2007 as well as league MVP and Spanish League Finals MVP this year. But now Hoops Market is reporting that the 25-year-old would like to make the move to the NBA next season.

MLB

– Phillies’ GM Ruben Amaro Jr. confirmed that the team has had discussions with free agent RHP Pedro Martinez about a comeback. “We have talked to his agent, but there’s nothing so far. We are not negotiating, but we’ve been talking to him. It all depends on whether he wants to play or not.” Amaro says talks began “a few weeks ago.” Sources tell ESPNDeportes.com that the 38-year-old right-hander is currently prepping in the Dominican Republic for a return after the All-Star break. Martinez was 5-1 with a 3.63 ERA in nine starts with the Phillies during the second half of the 2009 season and played a critical role for the club during the postseason.

According to the NY Daily News, however, “no negotiations have taken place and that the Phillies have no immediate plans to even see the three-time Cy Young Award winner throw.” The paper also reports that the Phillies “might join the bidding” for the pitcher that it shipped to the Mariners during the offseason: LHP Cliff Lee. Stay tuned.

– Astros’ 1B Lance Berkman is unsure whether he would accept a trade to the Angels. “That wouldn’t be an automatic yes. That would be a long, hard thought. Especially because I’d rather go east than west.” Berkman, like teammate RHP Roy Oswalt, has expressed a desire to be traded to a contender. The 34-year-old first baseman is in the final year of his contract, though there is a $2M buyout on his $15M option for next season.

– Rangers’ 3B Michael Young broke C Ivan Rodriguez’s club record with his 1,748th hit as a Ranger on Wednesday night. Young broke the record in style, poking a two-run single in the eighth inning to give the Rangers a 5-2 lead over the Marlins. Young has spent his entire major league career with in Texas, debuting back in 2000 and racking up six seasons with a .300+ batting average. At age 33, he’ll have plenty of time to pad his record.

– According to the Baltimore Sun, the Orioles have expressed interest in acquiring recently-DFA’d OF Jake Fox from the A’s. Fox was batting .214 with a .264 on-base percentage through 106 plate appearances when the A’s designated him for assignment this week. He can play a range of positions, including catcher, and that’s why the O’s like him. A trade or signing could mean the end of 3B Garrett Atkins’ stay in Baltimore.

– The Angels have placed 2B Maicer Izturis (right elbow) on the 15-day DL retroactive to June 16.

– The Royals have placed RHP Luke Hochevar (right elbow) on the 15-day DL retroactive to June 12.

– The Braves have placed RHP Chris Resop (left oblique) on the 15-day DL.

– The Rockies have placed RHP Matt Daley (right shoulder inflammation) on the 15-day DL retroactive to June 11.

NHL

– The Red Wings have re-signed GM Ken Holland and assistant GM Jim Nill to new five-year contracts. Detroit has won four Stanley Cup titles since Holland was promoted to GM in 1997 and have earned an NHL-high 99 playoff wins and 588 victories in the regular season with him in charge. The Red Wings have set an NHL record with 10 straight 100-point seasons, a streak they extended last season despite losing key players to free agency and injuries. Holland is entering his 28th season with the team.

– The Red Wings have re-signed F Todd Bertuzzi to a two-year/$3.875M contract. He scored 18 goals and 44 points in 82 games during the regular season before posting 11 points in 12 playoff contests.

– TSN reports that the Oilers are listening and considering all offers made for their #1 overall pick in the 2010 Entry Draft. Panthers’ GM Dale Tallon is also working the phones – only F David Booth, D Dmitry Kulikov and G Jacob Markstrom are untouchables on his roster. Finally, the Leafs continue to shop D Tomas Kaberle. When his NTC lifts at the draft, up to 8 teams are expected to compete for his services. Stay tuned.

– The Red Wings have signed F Ilari Filppula to a one-year deal. The 28-year-old Filppula is a 5-foot-11, 191-pound forward who played the past two seasons for TPS Turku of the Finnish Elite League. In 2009-10, the Vantaa, Finland, native finished ninth in league scoring with 49 points in 58 games. He won the Jari Kurri Award as the Finnish Elite League’s playoff MVP, scoring two goals and adding 12 assists in 15 postseason games. Filppula is the older brother of current Red Wings’ F Valtteri Filppula.

– The Wild have re-signed F James Sheppard to a one-year deal. Minnesota picked Sheppard ninth overall in 2006, but he has been a disappointment in three years with the team. Sheppard scored just two goals with four assists in 64 games for the Wild last season.

– The Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks will play an exhibition game against the Lightning in Winnepeg in the fall. True North Sports & Entertainment Limited said Wednesday the Blackhawks will play the Lightning on September 22 at the MTS Center. The matchup will be the seventh NHL preseason contest hosted by Winnipeg since 1997. The game will be a homecoming for Blackhawks captain F Jonathan Toews, a Winnipeg native. Last year, the Lightning defeated the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 in overtime in Winnipeg before 11,644 fans.

NFL

– Citing sources familiar with the situation, Newsday’s Bob Glauber reports the Jets are willing to hand CB Darrelle Revis the biggest contract ever given to a defensive back. The Jets aren’t prepared to meet Revis’ asking price of an annual salary in excess of Nnamdi Asomugha’s, but they are willing to approach $100M by adding six years to his current deal. The Jets’ proposed deal would average $12M per season, keeping Revis in green and white through age 33. Revis, however, is stubbornly sticking to his demands that his contract exceed Asomugha’s in annual salary. The Jets are being more than fair here considering Revis is under contract for three more years.

– ESPN’s Mike Sando reports that the Seahawks have “nothing planned” with regard to a potential visit next week for free agent O.J. Atogwe. ESPN is contradicting itself, as Adam Schefter reported just over an hour ago that Atogwe was indeed scheduled to visit Seattle. It’s worth noting that Sando is a former Seahawks beat writer, and NFL Network’s Jason La Canfora agrees with Sando. Quite possibly, Atogwe’s agent leaked misinformation to Schefter in an effort to motivate contract talks with the Rams.

– Titans’ RB Chris Johnson told reporters Wednesday that he is “of course” prepared to hold out if the Titans don’t meet his contract demands by the start of training camp on July 31. “(We’re) just not hearing the right things. Hopefully the more they talk we can hear some more positive things.” Johnson’s latest comments at least hint that the Titans are willing to negotiate, despite his Tuesday Twitterings that the team had made no overtures. From a fantasy standpoint, our concern is still only slight.

– Giants KR/PR Domenik Hixon (torn right ACL) will miss the entire 2010 season. Initial reports had Hixon suffering only a knee hyperextension at Tuesday’s practice, but it turns out that the hyperextension resulted from the ACL tear. Hixon’s loss is a big blow to New York’s special teams, as he ranked second in the league in punt return average (15.1) last year, behind Eagles’ WR DeSean Jackson.

– The Redskins are pursuing recouping the $21M option bonus they paid DE Albert Haynesworth on April 1. The bonus was guaranteed, but a league source tells ESPN’s Adam Schefter that “this is the type of case where a longshot may be given an extra hard look because it is so egregious.” The egregiousness lies in Haynesworth’s decision to take the $21M, then not show up for a mandatory offseason camp two months later. The Skins may wind up shopping Haynesworth, but reportedly not before they make every effort to get back the money. Nill has been Holland’s top assistant for 12 seasons, getting credit for helping select players such as F Pavel Datsyuk in the 6th round of the 1998 draft and F Henrik Zetterberg 210th overall the next year.

WWE

– WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has updated his blog at JRsbarbq.com with a response to the rumor that Linda McMahon’s senate campaign was the mysterious “powerful figure” that demanded WWE take action against Bryan Danielson after the NXT invasion angle. Ross wrote:

“More specifically this unknown, unidentified person even went so far as to say that Bryan’s termination was dictated by the someone of authority in the campaign. First of all, if you knew Vince McMahon as I do you would know immediately how ridiculous that theory was. McMahon taking orders from some outsider? Right.

“I’ve heard some BS in my life and my share of conspiracy theories during my 4 decades in the wrestling business but this one ranks right up there with some of the stupidest theories I’ve ever heard… In all the years that I worked in the front office of WWE never once did Linda attend a booking meeting, discuss with me or my group who was being fired or hired or what was going to happen on TV.

“When she appeared on TV as a character on a fictional show, for the record, she played a role that was written for her. She was never overjoyed, as I recall, about being on TV in the first place much less when she had to kick me south of the belt line one faithful night in Corpus Christi. She did not like the assignment and neither did I but we both did our jobs as we were produced to do. It was show biz plain and simple.”

– Former WWE superstar Batista was ringside at last night’s Strikeforce MMA event from Los Angeles, California. Several MMA news sites are reporting that Batista was telling people that he does not plan on returning to WWE and was unhappy there for a long time before leaving. Batista is a big MMA fan and has been training at various MMA camps across the country in recent months, but has his sights set on acting and has been auditioning regularly since leaving WWE.

– At Tuesday’s SmackDown tapings, it was announced that WWE Intercontinental champion Kofi Kingston will defend against Drew McIntyre. With that match set, we’ve got five matches confirmed for Sunday.

Fatal 4 Way WWE Championship Match
John Cena (c) vs. Randy Orton vs. Edge vs. Sheamus

Fatal 4 Way World Heavyweight Championship Match:
Jack Swagger (c) vs. Rey Mysterio vs. vs. CM Punk vs. Kane

Intercontinental Championship Match:
Kofi Kingston (c) vs. Drew McIntyre

United States Championship Match:
The Miz (c) vs. R-Truth

Fatal 4 Way Divas Champion Match:
Eve (c) vs. Gail Kim vs. Maryse vs. Alicia Fox

– USA Today caught up with John Cena this week at the Gillette Fusion ProGlide launch party and asked the WWE Champion if he’d ever follow in the footsteps of Brock Lesnar and make the jump to Mixed Martial Arts.

“No way. I like the WWE badge,”

After watching his first full UFC pay-per-view last week end (UFC115), Cena says it “did nothing” for him.

“I appreciate what they’ve done business-wise. They continue to grow. It’s very good to watch the progression of that sport because it reminds me of a then-young WWF, the NFL as they matured, the merger between the NBA and the ABA. They are at that juncture where they are still Wild West. They’re still in-your face. But they’ve made the steps they need to do grow.”

Despite the fact that MMA isn’t really his thing, Cena respects how much progress the sport has made in recent years.

“You have to understand this is an entity that was pretty much banned from everywhere. Slowly, they’ve kind of gotten back into circulation.”

TNA

– Slam Wrestling has an interview up with former WWE & TNA star Booker T. Here are some highlights of what Booker T said about:

Dixie Carter: “The TNA family actually treated me very well, I was just going through a lot of personal things when I left. I am still close to Dixie Carter, who is a nice lady doing a lot of great things for the wrestling business and the wrestlers.”

Rumors of a WWE Return: “There is a lot of truth to those rumors. I was really close to going back to WWE. Things did not work out due to a lot of things. I can’t work 6 months out of the year, 160 days. That would be really hard on me. We got pregnant at the same time that negotiations were being talked about.”

Daniel Bryan’s Release and Chris Benoit: “Wow that is news to me. I didn’t know about the tie thing. That is really a weird thing to fire someone for. I have seen a lot of things a lot worse then choking someone with a tie. As far as the changes in the business… Chris Benoit was a good friend of mine who I had classic matches with.”

His Surprise Appearance at a Recent TNA Live Event: “It was really cool to get out there and mix it up with Rob Van Dam. We are really good friends but it was all about the title. A.J. Styles had flight problems and couldn’t make it in and they didn’t want to dissapoint the fans. It was 2 hours from where I live. I still got good relations with TNA. The TNA family actually treated me very well, I was just going through a lot of personal things when I left. … It was a great night not just for the fans but for myself to go out there and see if I still got it, the itch to be out there and doing it. The fans were going crazy which was totally unexpected. Rob and I went out and I gave him a black eye, he almost broke my jaw when he kicked me in the side of the head. All is fair in love and war when you are out there in the ring trying to deliver for the fans. That is what it was about. Man it was a great night”

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
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NHL

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

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

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

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

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

NFL

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

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

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

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

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

MLB

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WWE

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

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

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

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

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

NBA

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TNA

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

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

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

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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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NBA

– Raptors’ F Chris Bosh (maxilla and nasal fracture to right side of face) is out indefinitely after taking an elbow to the face from Cavaliers’ F Antawn Jamison.

MLB

– According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Indians’ OF Shin Soo-Choo will not be signing a contract during the season. The Tribe have been trying to get the 27-year-old to sign a five-year deal with a team option for a sixth year in order to avoid arbitration at season’s end, but Choo apparently likes his chances for a better deal at year’s end in.

– D’Backs’ RHP Brandon Webb (shoulder) has yet to resume throwing after he received a cortisone shot last Wednesday. Manager A.J. Hinch said, “We’re still going through the exercise and strengthening parts of his program. We didn’t really circle a date to play catch. He’s not missing a date or anything like that.” There’s still no timetable for him to resume throwing or get back on a mound, so don’t expect him back in April.

– Astros’ 1B Lance Berkman had his left knee drained for the fifth time and received a cortisone shot on Monday. “The last four times I had it done, it swelled right back up, but this time it stayed down a little bit and some of that has to do with the fact they included a cortisone injection with that and that keeps it from swelling. It feels better today than it has.” Berkman said his left knee swelled only slightly on Tuesday, which allowed him to play light catch on the field. While it’s good news, there’s still no timetable for his return.

– The Denver Post reports that Rockies’ RHP Huston Street (shoulder) will be out until mid-May at the earliest.

NFL

– The Redskins are not shopping DE Albert Haynesworth and haven’t had any trade discussions regarding him since March 31, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Former Redskins beat writer Jason LaCanfora reported yesterday that Haynesworth has made a poor impression with new coach Mike Shanahan and the Redskins remain willing to unload him. It’s already been widely reported that the ‘Skins tried to dump Haynesworth on the Eagles as part of the QB Donovan McNabb trade. Stay tuned.

– The Jets have been “making a heavy pitch” for free agent LB Jason Taylor and he will visit the team today, according to Jeff Darlington of the Miami Herald. Darlington says the Jets have been going after Taylor for several weeks, but the veteran is just finally accepting it as a possibility now. Taylor, 36, is the best pass rusher left on the open market and would improve an already great Jets’ 3-4 defense. The Jets only got 10 combined sacks from their outside linebackers last season.

NHL

– Devils’ G Martin Brodeur earned his 600th career win on Tuesday. Brodeur is the first goaltender in NHL history to reach that milestone. He also earned his second consecutive shutout Tuesday, which was the 110th of his career.

WWE

– The June 7, 2010 edition of Raw will be a three-hour show, airing from 8 to 11 p.m. on the USA Network.

– According to the PWInsider, WWE has plans to release a biography on Dustin “Goldust” Rhodes. The working title for the book project is Cross Rhodes and it is expected to be released by the end of the year. So, his book is named after Cody Rhodes’ finisher?

– Referencing last night’s episode of TNA iMPACT!, Chris Jericho wrote the following his Twitter account:

“Yikes! With the amount of suits, serious looks and codebreakers going on tonight I feel like Kurt Cobain in 1993…”

For those unaware, “The Pope” D’Angelo Dinero uses the Double knee facebreaker (a.k.a. Codebreaker) as his finishing maneuver in TNA. *Insert generic TNA-WWE copying comment*

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WWE

– On Tuesday’s edition of SmackDown!, Chris Jericho was cutting a promo when Edge came out and speared him. Edge was leaving the ring when Jack Swagger knocked Edge down with the the MITB briefcase. Swagger then cashed in the MITB and beat Chris Jericho to win the World Heavyweight Championship. By the way, this blurb contains spoilers.

Als, CM Punk challenged Rey Mysterio to a rematch of WrestleMania 26. He is going to put his hair on the line against Mysterio, who must join the Straight Edge Society if he loses. Mysterio did not come out to accept, which is likely leading to a match at Extreme Rules.

–  The ratings are in for the March 29, 2010 editions of WWE RAW & TNA iMAPCT!.

WWE’s post-WrestleMania 26 episode of Raw drew a 3.7 cable rating, up from 3.2. TNA iMPACT! featuring a 6-man six-man steel cage main event scored a 0.6 cable rating, down sharply from last week’s 0.9 and the worst rating on Monday nights yet.

NFL

– The Eagles are reportedly no longer shopping QB Michael Vick. Philly set the price way too high on Vick from the beginning. After settling on QB Donovan McNabb as the quarterback to deal, the Eagles can keep Vick as QB Kevin Kolb insurance and a Wildcat/short-yardage option in 2010.

– According to one senior team official with the Eagles, there is no “so-called frontrunner” in the QB Donovan McNabb trade talks. “We continue to engage in conversations with multiple teams that initially contacted us. Some of the offers involve draft picks, some involve a player, some involve many players.” The official also denied a report that they would require a top-42 pick to deal McNabb. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Monday that “the ingredients were in place” for a trade with the Raiders, though two Oakland scribes insist the teams have yet to discuss McNabb.

– Former Broncos and Falcons K Jason Elam will announce his retirement from football on Wednesday. Elam will sign a one-day contract with the Broncos, for whom he kicked from 1993-2007. Elam, a 17-year vet, will retire as one of the most accurate field goal kickers of his generation and the best in Broncos franchise history. His 1,983 total points and 436 field goals are both good for fifth all time.

MLB

– According to the Boston Globe, there is a chance that, while RHP Josh Beckett’s contract will not have as many years as RHP John Lackey’s, the overall payout could still be more. There is an expectation that the contract likely could end up with a similar injury provision to the one Lackey agreed to, which has him playing a sixth year in Boston at the league minimum if he has Tommy John surgery sometime in the duration of the contract. Boston’s disinterest in going further than four years with Beckett is thought to be because of his testy shoulder. Beckett wants to get a deal done before the season opens this weekend and the paper reports that there is “optimism” that it’ll get done. Stay tuned.

– MLB.com reports that the Indians are trying to re-sign OF Shin Soo-Choo to a five-year extension with a team option for a sixth season, but talks are not going well. Choo made a little more than $420K last year and according to agent Scott Boras, is content with going to arbitration next offseason for the first time.

Of note, Choo has a military obligation to his country (South Korea), where everyone needs to serve two years in the military. Choo turns 28 in July. According to MLB, Choo has been trying to get the Indians to let him play for the South Korean baseball team in the 2010 Asian Games this coming November. If the team wins there, Choo apparently won’t have to serve the military term. The 27-year-old South Korean had 20 homers and 86 RBIs along with 21 stolen bases in his first full season in the majors.

– Jays’ LHP Marc Rzepczynski (broken finger) has been diagnosed with a fractured middle finger and is expected to miss up to six weeks. Rzepczynski suffered the injury when he was hit in the left hand Tuesday by a comebacker. He won’t be able to pick up a ball in at least two weeks and is obviously not going to be ready for the start of the regular season.

– The Astros have placed 1B Lance Berkman (left knee surgery) on the 15-day DL, retroactive to March 26. Berkman underwent an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee in early March and has not yet fully healed. His knee actually swelled up when he took ground balls and attempted to run on Tuesday.

– The Mariners have placed 1B Ryan Garko on waivers. The Mariners have opted to keep 37-year-old 1B Mike Sweeney over Garko, who was signed to a one-year/$550K contract in February. It’s a surprising move, but Garko will have no shortage of potential suitors. The Rangers are rumoured to have interest.

NHL

– The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the Flyers are expected to have a major roster shakeup if the team fails to make the playoffs this season. GM Paul Holmgren said, “There are certain guys on this team that are going to be back here next year. And there are certain guys who aren’t.” He apparently already has a pretty good idea of which ones are which. Stay tuned.

MMA

– Bobby Lashley was expected to make his return the cage next month at Strikeforce: Nashville event on 4/17, but its looking like the fight will get pushed back a month. Strikeforce: Nashville will air on CBS. The preliminary and main cards have been announced, with no mention of Lashley. Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker spoke last month about Lashley’s next fight and said he wanted Lashley on the CBS show, but no opponent was ever signed.

MMAJunkie.com is reporting that Lashley will likely fight on their May 15th card, which airs live on Showtime. An opponent for Lashley has not been named. Lashley is coming off a decisive victory over former UFC heavyweight Wes Sims at 2:06 minutes of the first round in his debut with the promotion. Lashley, 5-0, spoke to the media following the fight making it known he wants to fight the elite heavyweights in the promotion, naming guys like Bret Rogers and Alistair Overeem. Lashley has not commented on his status and any possible fights he may have been offered.

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MLB

– The Marlins have acquired LHP Nate Robertson and cash considerations from the Tigers for LHP Jay Voss. Robertson returns to the team that originally picked him in the fifth round of the 1999 draft. The 32-year-old has a 6.14 ERA over the last two seasons, and with the money the Tigers will likely have to kick in, the Marlins will be paying him as a fifth starter.

– ESPN.com’s Buster Olney reports that the Red Sox have offered RHP Josh Beckett a four-year contract extension. Olney adds that “there is optimism a deal will be completed in the next week or two.” If true, then maybe Beckett wasn’t fishing for a similar deal that RHP John Lackey got this winter. Beckett, 30 in May, went 17-6 with a 3.86 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 199 strikeouts last year. He posted a 3.72 ERA and a 22/5 K/BB ratio in 19 1/3 innings of Grapefruit League play this spring.

– Rangers’ 2B Ian Kinsler (ankle) will likely begin the season on the DL. Kinsler has yet to run since suffering a high right ankle sprain on March 12. He said on Monday that he does not want to play if he can only jog. “Whatever we decide is going to be in the best interest of Ian,” Rangers manager Ron Washington said. No official decision has been made as of yet.

– Astros’ 1B Lance Berkman’s left knee swelled up after he took ground balls and attempted to run on Tuesday. “When I tried to run, I just couldn’t do it. They’re going to back me down for a few days and see what happens.” Berkman, who had surgery earlier this month to clean out loose cartilage in his left knee, had previously said there was a “70% chance” he would be ready for Opening Day, but it’s very possible he’ll start on the DL.

– Red Sox’ RHP Junichi Tazawa (elbow) has been diagnosed with a sprained ulner collateral ligament by Dr. James Andrews. Tazawa and the BoSox are considering anything from rehab to Tommy John surgery. Expect Tazawa out for the first half of the 2010 season. The 23-year-old had an impressive 2.55 ERA and 1.04 WHIP in 109 1/3 innings last season between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Pawtucket.

– The Marlins have released RHP Seth McClung.

– The Cubs have released 1B Kevin Millar.

– The Orioles have signed OF Joey Gathright.

– The Phillies have released OF Brad Wilkerson.

– The Rockies have signed OF Josh Phelps.

– The Jays have signed 2B Luis Figueroa and RHP Jonah Bayliss.

– The Rockies have signed RHP Rick Bauer.

– The Red Sox have signed LHP Scott Schoeneweis and released LHP Brian Shouse.

– The Brewers have placed RHP David Riske and 3B Mat Gamel on the 15-day DL.

– The Nationals have signed RHP Mike MacDougal.

– The Twins have signed LHP Ron Mahay.

WWE

– WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has updated his blog, which you can (and should) read in its entirety at JRsBarBQ.com. In this long entry, Ross talks about WrestleMania 26, Shawn Michaels’ retirement and more. Some highlights:

Michaels vs. Undertaker II: “The highlight of the evening was Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels which was obviously the match of the night. I’ve answered a few emails regarding this matter and it is obvious that I would have loved to have broadcast this bout but that wasn’t in the cards. At least I was in Phoenix and saw the event live and was then able to spend significant time with both HBK and with Taker after the event in private settings. Those experiences became my Wrestlemania Moments.”

Update On JR’s Health & Future in WWE: “As for me, life is good and I am healthy and happy. For those that have erroneously written or assumed that the reason that I did not announce at WM26 was because of health concerns, that assumption is incorrect, I’m happy to say. Broadcasting wrestling in WWE is likely history for me but there are many other areas to which I can contribute in WWE and those options, among others, will be weighed over the next month.”

Shawn Michaels’ Retirement: “I do think that Shawn will call it a day after losing his retirement match Sunday. Shawn has been blessed to have earned a great deal of money over the years and especially since he returned from an approximate 4 year hiatus due to lingering back issues. Unlike many wrestlers who retire, HBK doesn’t have to worry about financial or legal issues and will be able to be essentially a full time dad to his two, young children which is an amazing blessing.”

“Shawn’s farewell message Monday night on Raw was from his heart and not something that he read on a TelePrompter. What fans saw Monday night was legitimate, organic TV from arguably the greatest all around, in ring performer, certainly of his generation, and perhaps of all time. I sincerely appreciated Shawn’s shout out to me on Raw which was, symbolically, a fitting end to my own Wrestlemania tenure.”

NHL

– Flyers’ F Daniel Carcillo has been suspended for two games for a crosscheck to the face of Devils’ F David Clarkson. The incident occurred on Sunday and it resulted in Clarkson requiring three stitches to close the wound. Carcillo received a game misconduct on the play. He will be eligible to return on Sunday April 4 against the Red Wings.

– Canadiens’ F Glen Metropolit (shoulder) will miss the next six-to-eight weeks. An MRI revealed that he suffered a significant tear in the musculature of his left shoulder. Metropolit will attempt to shorten that recovery time with aggressive treatment. Barring a deep Habs playoff run, Metropolit is done for the season. The impending UFA has scored 10 of his 16 goals on the powerplay this season.

NFL

– Multiple Cowboys sources denied Tuesday that RB Marion Barber is on the trading block. The denials come after an NFL Network report that Barber is available via trade. Even though MBIII is due a $4M roster bonus and $3.8M base salary as a backup, the ‘Boys have a lot of backfield depth that they can’t afford to lose if they want to contend in 2010.

– The Texans have signed LB DeMeco Ryans to a six-year/$48M extension. The deal includes $21.75M guaranteed and $26.3M in the first three years.

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NFL

– According to the Boston Herald, Patriots’ WR Wes Welker (ACL, MCL) is also rehabbing a torn rotator cuff in his shoulder. No timetable for his return has been given, but by all indications he isn’t going to be ready for opening day. The shoulder injury likely required major surgery.

– The Packers have signed NT Ryan Pickett to a four-year/$28M extension through 2013. The deal includes $10M guaranteed. Pickett figures to give way to 2009 first-round pick B.J. Raji on the nose eventually, so his deal is probably heavily front-loaded. Pickett, 30, is the centrepiece for Green Bay’s run defence. His transition into the 3-4 defence was smooth, and the extension was well earned.

The Packers also officially signed FS Nick Collins to a three-year/$23.4M contract extension, including $14M in the first season. Collins already had a one-year deal through 2010, so the extension takes him through his age-30 season. Collins is well deserving of long-term security after picking off 13 passes in the last two seasons and missing just three starts in his career as a five-year starter. He’s the most underrated safety in all of football.

– PFT reports that free agent RB LaDainian Tomlinson will sign with the Jets. Mike Florio cautions that this is not a report, but Tomlinson’s visit to New York has been extended into Saturday. Stay tuned.

– The Redskins have signed RB Larry Johnson on a three-year contract with a max value of $12M. L.J., 30, managed just 3.2 YPC last year and has very little burst left entering his age-31 season. Questionable move by the Skins.

MLB

– Astros’ 1B Lance Berkman (knee surgery) is out two-to-four weeks.

– Mets’ SS Jose Reyes (thyroid) is out two-to-eight weeks.

– Indian’s RHP Jason Grilli (right quad) is scheduled to have surgery on Tuesday or Wednesday in Vail, Colorado and is out indefinitely. The 33-year-old posted a 5.32 ERA and a 49/27 K/BB ratio in 45 2/3 innings last year.

NBA

– Thunder’ G James Harden (strained right hamstring) is out two-to-four weeks.

– Nuggets’ coach George Karl (cancer treatment) will miss the next three games.

WWE

– According to the Wrestling Observer, the Money in the Bank match will have 10 people in it this year. No. 9 gets added on SmackDown! this week, and the No. 10 on Raw. Drew McIntyre won the spot at the SmackDown! taping, while Kofi Kingston is expected to win the spot on Raw.

– Local advertising in the Richmond, Virginia area is promoting the April 26 edition of Raw at The Richmond Coliseum as a three-hour WWE Draft spectacular. The show will mark as the 2010 roster draft with Superstars from both Raw and SmackDown changing sides.

– Tommy Dreamer has launched an official website at www.TheTommyDreamer.com. In his first blog post he comments on his recent departure from WWE, saying it was “the hardest thing” he’s ever done in his life.

“I worked almost 10 years there. I truly liked all the people associated with the company. I miss them and the fans every day. I left for many reasons, which I will not discuss here. ECW was my world and all that I have is because of ECW. That is a hard pill to swallow, when you hear of the failing ratings of ECW. Networks wanting to change the show because of ratings. If you want to read into my leaving ECW, you can relate it to the Conan O’Brien saga with his show.”

– Lilian Garcia has relaunched her official website, www.LilianGarcia.com. In an interesting note she reveals in a blog post why she left WWE last year:

“Leaving the WWE was one of the hardest decisions I had to make because I was very close to everyone there and loved my job, but after 10+ years of being on the road it was time to take a break. As many of you already know, I got married one week after my departure and can’t tell you what an amazing feeling it is when you find the right person. I went to Cabo for my honeymoon and then took some time off to be with my friends and family!”

– Former WWE Diva Maria Kanellis is crossing over the world of mixed martial arts as she will joining the “King of the Cage” broadcast team for Mark Cuban’s HDNet. It was announced on tonight’s episode of Inside MMA that she would debut at this month’s event in Reno, Nevada on the March 26, airing live on HDNet. A press release regarding Kanellis joining HDNet is set to be issued Monday. Kanellis was released from WWE on Feb. 26. She will be one of the featured stars on Celebrity Apprentice premiering this Sunday night on NBC.

VoV

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