MLB

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

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

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

WWE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NFL

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

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

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

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

NHL

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

NBA

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

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

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

TNA

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

VoV

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MLB

– Ed Price of AOL Fanhouse reports that there is a “mystery team” in on Mariners’ LHP Cliff Lee, and it might be the Cardinals. The Cards selected a promising young pitcher out of high school in last year’s draft named Shelby Miller. He has posted a 60/19 K/BB ratio in 44 1/3 innings this season at Single-A Quad Cities and Price suggests that the 19-year-old could be the centerpiece in a deal for Lee. It’s a little hard to believe, frankly. Lee will be a free agent at the end of this season and the Cards are going to have to devote a lot of money soon to retain 1B Albert Pujols. Giving up a top young arm like Miller for a four-month rental would be foolish.

– Mark Saxon of ESPN LA reports that the Angels may be willing to trade C Mike Napoli in order to secure help at first base. The Angels have been impressed with C Bobby Wilson’s play and want more production at first base than they are getting from Napoli, who has been playing out of position as 1B Kendry Morales’ primary replacement. Napoli isn’t a top-notch defensive catcher, but he’s only 28 and is a good source of power, so he should draw a fair amount of interest on the market.

– Buster Olney of ESPN.com reports that the Royals are “pushing to move” OF Jose Guillen and are willing to eat “a lot of dollars.” Guillen came roaring out of the gates this season with .946 OPS and seven home runs in the month of April. He has since slowed down, but plenty of teams are looking for pop and he can most definitely provide it when he’s not chasing pitches. The 34-year-old outfielder is earning $12M this season and will be a free agent once the year is through.

– Blue Jays’ GM Alex Anthopoulos said last week that OF Travis Snider (wrist) is unlikely to return from the DL until after the All-Star break. Snider has been out since the middle of May with a strained right wrist and still isn’t doing significant baseball-related work. The 22-year-old was batting .378/.404/.711 with three homers and 10 RBI in the month of May before he went down, and .241/.323/.483 overall.

– SI.com’s Jon Heyman reports that Bobby Valentine is no longer in the running for the Marlins’ managerial vacancy. Valentine seemed like a near-lock for the job on Friday, but his meeting with the Marlins’ brass must have gone less than smoothly. Interim manager Edwin Rodriguez will continue forth for the time being.

NBA

– According to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com, “A person with knowledge of the Magic’s plans said a trade for G Gilbert Arenas … remains a ‘definite possibility’.” Orlando GM Otis Smith has a good relationship with Arenas, but F Dwight Howard apparently isn’t sure how Agent Zero would fit in. Whether or not this amounts to anything, it’s obvious that the Magic want to add significant pieces this summer.

NFL

– According to the NY Post, the injuries sustained by rookie S Chad Jones in Friday’s car accident include a fractured left tibia and fibula. Jones had to be put on breathing tubes after the accident, but doctors found a way to save his leg by surgically making sure blood resumed flowing through it. Jones still hasn’t been released from the hospital. While he has no chance of playing this year, it sounds like he wants to take up football again in the future. On the bright side, Jones is only 21 years old.

– Lions’ president Tom Lewand was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving Friday night. Heading into what should be one of their best seasons in the last decade, the Lions are dealt an unneeded distraction. “I am deeply sorry for my actions and take full responsibility. As a person in active recovery, I am committed to taking all necessary steps to insure nothing like this ever happens again.” Lewand has been Lions president since December of 2008.

WWE

– The official website of the Sprint Center, the venue holding next month’s Money in the Bank PPV event, is advertising a WWE Championship Match between Sheamus and John Cena. The match is also being advertised to take place inside a Steel Cage.

– F4WOnline reports that the Raw Money in the Bank Ladder Match is expected to feature Randy Orton, Edge, The Miz, Evan Bourne and R-Truth as participants, among others.

– Today marks the 8-year anniversary of John Cena’s WWE debut, where he lost to Kurt Angle on SmackDown on June 27, 2002. Cena noted on Twitter,

“Thank you to everyone who has sent well wishes. Started something here eight years ago today, you are the reason I am still here. I will continue to give you everything I have, every night. I am truly grateful for all of you out there. You have no idea. This is my dream. Thank you for making it come true. Never give up. Eight years and going strong. They still can’t see us.”

– Kelly Kelly was cleared to wrestle at last night’s SmackDown live event in Worcester, Massachusetts, so it appears her injury from the previous night was not serious. The SmackDown Diva’s bout with Layla was prematurely concluded by the referee after she took a bad shot to either the neck or shoulder.

– R-Truth did not suffer a knee injury at Saturday evening’s Raw live event in Youngstown, Ohio, but rather a pulled groin. He is attempting to work through the injury. Like Kelly, his match came to an abrupt conclusion as a result of injury.

– Cody Rhodes, who took a bad hit to the head at Saturday night’s SmackDown live event in Portland, Maine, is apparently fine. He worked last night’s show in Worcester, losing to Kofi Kingston. It was initially feared that he had suffered a concussion, but it is now believed to not be the case.

– Former WWE Diva Mickie James was interviewed by Alez Marvez of Scrippsnews.com last week and spoke at length about her wrestling and country music careers. James has spent the last year and a half working on her debut country music CD, “Strangers and Angels.” Here are some highlights of what Mickie James said about:

Her Country Music Career:“Wrestling has kind of taken a back seat right now,. This is a new passion of mine. I’m a very competitive person and very much a perfectionist. When I want something that badly, I’m willing to make sacrifices and do whatever it takes to make it happen.”

Getting Released By WWE: “It broke my heart. I admit it. I had given so much of my life to this and sacrificed so much. I missed weddings, birthdays, my nieces being born. I starved on the road when I first tried to make it. I slept at rest stops because I didn’t have the money for a hotel. I wanted it that bad.

“When you get that call that you’re hired, it’s the greatest call in the world. It’s even better when you get the call that you’re coming to TV (tapings) and debuting. But when you get the call saying you’re gone … What bothers me is, I could see if I didn’t get a good reaction, but I would get the largest reaction of any female on the roster no matter who I was on the bill with. I still don’t understand why, but that’s life.”

Her Future in Wrestling: “For a while, I was going to say I didn’t want to wrestle at all because I’m still heartbroken (about WWE). But I do love it so much. I intend to wrestle here and there and do the shows I really want to do, especially if it’s with someone who’s a friend of mine or someone I never got a chance to work with.”

– The Chicago Sun Times has an article up about former WWE personality Mike Adamle, who talks about the brain damage he suffered while playing football earlier in his career.

‘I was on the air in 1999 when I had my first seizure. ‘One part of my brain was speaking, the other part was having a tidal wave. There was deja vu. All kinds of flashing, loud ringing in my ears. Dizziness. My short-term memory was gone. There were tears in my eyes, thoughts of being a kid, thoughts of my grandfather. I was in the hospital for three days.”

Adamle said he has epilepsy from lesions on the left hemisphere of my brain and still has seizures. Adamle got a lot of criticism for his on-air gaffes during his time as a WWE announcer – and now we can see he’s been battling serious medical issues for years that explain his mistakes.

TNA

– One third of the Knockout Tag Team Champions, Velvet Sky, indicated Saturday on her MySpace account that she has signed a new, long term contract with TNA Wrestling. “I ain’t going anywhere!,” Sky exclaimed. Her contract was set to expire later this year.

It was recently reported that there was more grumbling than usual amongst the company’s female performers over the pay discrepancy between them and their male wrestler counterparts. At a recent set of television tapings, they reportedly talked amongst themselves of getting all the women together to demand a raise from management. However, the television tapings concluded without confrontation. The women said to be most upset were Velvet Sky, Taylor Wilde and Lacey Von Erich. ODB was also part of this camp, but has since quit the organization. Reportedly, Velvet Sky was contemplating quitting the organization if she didn’t receive a raise, but it appears she’s been pacified.

– TNA star AJ Styles was recently interviewed by the Miami Herald and spoke about being mentored by “Nature Boy” Ric Flair.

“As Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff were coming in was around the time they were thinking of putting me with Ric Flair. I was on board. To work with the Nature Boy Ric Flair, it would be stupid not to take that chance.

Styles has improved his game in many ways since working with Flair, most notably his work on the mic.

“My confidence in cutting promos is far better than it used to be. Getting the opportunity to study from Ric Flair and get his input means the world to me. I’ve met him before, and he was always a nice guy. He was unbelievably nice. He is an icon. I thought how he can be so nice and humble. It’s who he is. He is a good guy, in spite of the rumors you may have heard.”

While working with Flair has been a dream come true for him, it has led many to criticize him, calling him a “Ric Flair wannabe.” Styles responds to those claims, saying,

“I would say when you are being mentored by someone or around friends who talk a certain way or act a certain way, you tend to act like those friends and talk like those friends. It’s kind of the same thing. I’m not Ric Flair. Ric Flair and I, our move set is not the same. I may throw in a figure four or a chop. Other than that, I would not say I’m being like Ric Flair. If they are complaining about that, I would say how can you complain about someone trying to be like Ric Flair? As long as they’re entertained, then I’m going to keep doing it. If they are not, I’ll find out sooner or later.”

As for the new “Fortune” stable led by Ric Flair, Styles says, “I think they are going with it. I think it would be a great tag team and a great storyline.”

– Recently released WWE performer Carlito has been telling those close to him that he currently has no interest in joining TNA Wrestling.

– Jon Heidenreich, a former WWE Tag Team Champion, was backstage at Slammiversary looking for work. Meanwhile, former WWE performer Kenn Doane recently noted the following on his Twitter account: “tna scouting for talent….. um…… im right here.” The former WWE Tag Team Champion worked a tryout dark match for the organization in March, but was not hired for undisclosed reasons.

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
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NHL

– The Sharks have re-signed F Patrick Marleau to a 4-year/$27.6M deal worth $6.9M annually, and F Joe Pavelski to a 4-year/$16M deal worth $4M annually. Like most of the long-term deals now, both of these contracts are heavily front-loaded. Marleau led the Sharks with 44 goals in the 2009-10 season, capping his remarkable season with a strong playoff showing. Pavelski recorded 25 goals in the regular season but came alive in the playoffs, scoring 9 with 17 points in 15 games. The Sharks off-season just got a little brighter with these two huge signings. GM Doug Wilson said,

”We are very pleased that Patty and Joe have committed to this organization now and in the future. They expressed a strong belief in the direction this franchise is heading but also understand the challenges to keeping a talented group like ours together.. Both players had a tremendous regular season, excelled on the ice for their respective countries at the Winter Olympics and elevated their game in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.  They have solidified their place in the game among the League’s top forwards and we are excited as an organization to have Joe and Patty back in San Jose to build on what we accomplished last season.”

– The Oilers have acquired F Colin Frasor from the Blackhawks for a 6th round pick (#151 overall) in the 2010 Entry Draft. Fraser, who just picked up his first Stanley Cup ring with the Blackhawks, will be a restricted free agent on July 1. He had seven goals and 12 assists in 70 regular season games for Chicago.

– The Leafs are not actively pursuing a trade for D Tomas Kaberle. Toronto’s associate GM David Nonis commented on Kaberle, saying the team is not looking to deal him at this moment. “What happens on the day of the draft is he becomes a player that is available. If someone makes an offer on Tomas that makes sense…we’d have to look at it. But, in terms of an asking price or shopping Tomas around, that’s not happening.” These contradict every earlier report, so the Leafs appear to be flip-flopping. Stay tuned.

– Oilers’ GM Steve Tambellini is interested in moving D Sheldon Souray to either the Rangers or Stars. Souray has publicly stated he wants out of Edmonton and has given a list of teams he’d be willing to waive his NTC for. Souray is likely to be dealt before the season starts.

NFL

– Beat writer Kevin Acee confirms that the Seahawks were the team that called the Chargers to inquire about WR Vincent Jackson. Acee believes other teams have called as well, but he hasn’t been able to confirm that. While it’s only June, we’re becoming quite concerned about Jackson’s 2010 season. Acee is told that the Chargers will not deal V-Jax, and the star receiver has made it known that he has no qualms about holding out into the season. With five years already accrued, Jackson could sit out the season and gamble on unrestricted free agency with a new CBA in 2011.

WWE

– According to the Wrestling Observer, while Vince McMahon informed Bryan Danielson he was being let go from WWE due to choking ring announcer Justin Roberts with a tie, some within the company believe spitting on John Cena was the real reason for his release. McMahon hates spitting and has banned it in WWE’s rings for the past several years. In addition to spitting, McMahon greatly dislikes people smoking cigarettes and sneezing as it’s been noted that if someone near him sneezes, he will lash out at the guilty part for it. On another note, it’s said to be guaranteed that Danielson didn’t spit on Cena without clearing it with him ahead of time.

– Linda McMahon’s latest United States Senate campaign ad takes a very different approach from previous ads, embracing (sort of) her experience as the CEO of the WWE. McMahon has previously downplayed her wrestling past, but since her political opponents have tried using her involvement with WWE against her, she’s embracing it and making it work for her. Linda calls WWE a “soap opera” and says “It’s not real – but Connecticut’s problems are.”

TNA

– TNA’s push to bring in Paul Heyman continues, as TNA President Dixie Carter has been in regular contact with Heyman in recent weeks. Carter wants Heyman to take over the TNA creative team as well as be an on-air character as part of the ECW originals storyline. Heyman has made it clear that he won’t be involved in the creative process if Vince Russo is involved, which wouldn’t be a problem, since Russo is looking to take a different role in the company. Heyman is said to have no problem working with Eric Bischoff.

Regarding Heyman coming to TNA, Spike TV has been involved in the negotiations with Heyman, as they were with guys like Sting, Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair and Mick Foley. Heyman is currently serving as one of Brock Lesnar’s agents and has two book projects in development.

– Mick Foley will be returning to TNA in the next month or two, with TNA planning to use him at Bound For Glory.

– Kurt Angle (rest) will remain out of action for the next few weeks.

– After parting ways with TNA just a few weeks ago,  there is talk within the company that Lisa Marie Varon (a.k.a. Tara) will be back soon.

– Several different ideas are being discussed for the ECW originals angle, including the idea of creating a new “hardcore” spinoff brand with its own television show on Spike TV. Spike has given the green light for TNA to feature more violence on its shows, so we’ll see how this plays out.

– Unlike the case of Roxxi, there has been no strong reaction to ODB’s departure from TNA Wrestling. A number of people within the company felt bad for Roxxi because she showed up for work on the day of Slammiversary and hastily informed her services would no longer be required. Many feel the Knockouts division “has gone to hell” as Roxxi was one of the better in-ring performers they had left. On another note, there is said to be no interest on the company’s part in marketing women’s wrestling, sans pushing “The Beautiful People” and Angelina Love.

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
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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
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NHL

– The Capitals have re-signed F Nicklas Backstrom to a 10-year/$67M deal. Backstrom was set to become an RFA this summer, but as F Alexander Ovechkin’s main setup man and a 101-point season under his belt, the contract will be staggering. The 22-year-old Swede stays long-term with Ovechkin, who is entering the third year of a 13-year/$124M contract. The No. 4 overall pick in the 2006 draft, Backstrom set career-highs with 33 goals and 68 assists this season, and his 101 points ranked fourth in the league. He has yet to miss a game over three NHL seasons. Backstrom’s contract pays him $6M for the next four seasons, with the amount gradually increasing to $8M by decade’s end.

– The Sabres have signed F Mike Grier to a one-year deal. Grier scored 10 goals and had 22 points in 73 games for Buffalo this past season. He also had a pair of goals in the Sabres’ six-game loss to Boston in the first round of the playoffs.

– The Wild have signed F Chad Rau to a two-year deal. The center ranked third in the league in goals and fourth in scoring for the Wild’s AHL affiliate in Houston last year.

– The Panthers have named Dale Tallon as the club’s new GM, replacing Randy Sexton less than a year after he was officially named to the post. Tallon was the Blackhawks’ GM from 2005-09 but he lost that position after Chicago failed to send offers to their RFAs prior to the deadline. Tallon managed to sign all of the players in question to avoid them from potentially becoming unrestricted free agents, but the error almost certainly forced Chicago to pay them more than they had originally intended. Tallon was demoted to the role of senior adviser of hockey operations after the incident, but he’s still one of the chief architects of Chicago’s young dynasty and is exactly the kind of leader the Panthers need to get out of their decade-long rut. It’s not yet known if Sexton will be given a new role within the organization.

– The Red Wings have signed F Mitchell Callahan to a three-year deal.

– The Oilers have signed F Teemu Hartikainen to a three-year deal.

MLB

– According to the NY Post, RHP Pedro Martinez is getting his body ready now so teams can start bidding on him a little later in the season when it becomes clearer which teams are in the race and which aren’t. Red Sox’ DH David Ortiz spoke to Pedro one month ago and at that point the righthander was working out in the Dominican Republic and Miami to ready himself. Pedro is thought to be seeking a contract similar to the one he signed last year with the Phillies. And as contending teams get desperate for pitching around late June or early July, he’s likely to find multiple suitors. The 38-year-old was 5-1 last season with a 3.63 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP in nine starts for Philadelphia Stay tuned.

– Indians’ SS Asdrubal Cabrera (broken left forearm) has officially been diagnosed. Cabrera is expected to see a doctor on Tuesday to determine if he will need surgery.

– FOXSports reports that Yankees’ DH Nick Johnson (wrist) had a cortisone shot recently to see if it would help get through a tough time with his right wrist but it apparently kept on hurting and FOXSports is reporting that he’s going to have surgery to fix it that will probably keep him out of the lineup till July. For about two weeks, he’s had inflammation in the wrist that will go under the knife today.

– The Chicago Tribune reports that the Rangers have asked the White Sox about C A.J. Pierzynski. Pierzynsi has a no-trade clause that kicks in in a month. He’s making $6M this season and is a free agent at season’s end.

– The Reds are set to sign Cuban defector OF Felix Perez. Perez was set to sign a $3M deal with the Yankees when questions arose regarding his age.

– The Brewers have placed LHP Doug Davis (pericarditis) on the 15-day DL with a heart condition. Pericarditis is an acute inflammation of the lining around the heart, a condition treatable with anti-inflammatory medication. Davis’ case is not considered life-threatening. He woke up with chest pain on Saturday and was subsequently scratched from Sunday’s start Sunday against Phillies. Davis, 1-4 with a 7.56 ERA, has not yet been given a timetable for a return, but his doctor said Davis’ condition was mild and easily treatable.

– Rockies’ RHP Huston Street (shoulder) is in Denver for examination after straining his right groin Saturday during a minor league rehab assignment for Double-A Tulsa. The Rockies’ original plan called for him to be activated on May 25 and take back his closing job shortly thereafter. Obviously that isn’t going to happen. Now it’s likely that Colorado will re-start the clock on his rehab assignment, which means he won’t close games until at least some point in June. Street, on the DL all season with shoulder stiffness, isn’t suffering from a major groin issue, but this is still another disheartening setback.

– The Nationals have purchased the contract of RHP Drew Storen from Triple-A Syracuse. Storen produced a combined four saves and 1.12 ERA over 16 innings for Double-A Harrisburg and Syracuse this season. He will report to the team in St. Louis on Monday. RHP Matt Capps and LHP Tyler Clippard are a fine duo to take care of eighth and ninth-inning duties, but Storen is expected to get a look as the bridge to those two, according to MLB.com. It also wouldn’t be surprising if the Nats opted to use in low-leverage situations initially as he acclimates himself to the big leagues. The 2009 first-round pick is the closer of the future in Washington, and is the first of two major pieces of the Nats’ franchise to get called up (RHP Stephen Strasburg).

WWE

– WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross announced over the weekend that his “J.R.’s Family Bar-B-Q” restaurant in Norman, Oklahoma is shutting down. “At the end of the day, our business plan could not handle the shift in the economy or the rising overhead that we encountered. We make no excuses.” Ross said that he will continue to sell his line of barbecue products on his JRsBarBQ.com website as well as in grocery stores across the country, a more conservative business model that he says has “unlimited potential.” Despite this professional setback, Ross remains optimistic about his future and life in general. “Life is good…amazing days lie ahead…great health is a blessing…we have much to be thankful for … In the upcoming weeks, my professional schedule is likely to change significantly. I’ve realized that there is only so much that I can pile on my plate so perhaps this unfortunate turn of events is a blessing in disguise.”

– TMZ.com reports that Chyna will not face any criminal charges after a “friend” alleges the former WWE Diva viciously attacked her in a Los Angeles hotel room last month. The LA city attorney dismissed the charges due to insufficient evidence. Former WWE Diva Joanie “Chyna” Laurer has been accused of viciously attacking a female friend in Los Angeles over the weekend. The L.A.P.D. is investigating Chyna for battery after her accuser, Gabriella Targos, says Chyna got so violent with her she thought she was going to die. According to TMZ.com, the incident occurred Saturday night at a motel in Sherman Oaks, CA. According to the accuser, Chyna called her and told her to meet her at the motel. When she arrived, she claims Chyna immediately attacking her for no reason – punching her in the face, dragging her by her hair, beating her with a wire hanger and threatening to kill her.

– The PWInsider reports that in light of Beth Phoenix’ removal from television as a result of a torn ACL, there is talk of splitting up Lay-Cool — Michelle McCool and Layla — and having them feud with each other. It’s also been said that Melina may return to SmackDown once she’s cleared to wrestle, which is expected to take place in June.

– Cody Rhodes recently conducted an interview. The highlights:

Being a Second Generation Star: “It can be incredibly easy or incredibly difficult. I didn’t want to be my dad. I don’t want to be Dusty Rhodes Jr. I want to be Cody Rhodes.”

Being Drafted To SmackDown: “RAW was more of a variety show. Smackdown is more of a wrestling-based show. That’s my area. It gives me a chance to showcase myself. I feel I’ll do really well between the ropes. I think things are going to be changing for me along with the brand change. As a fan, I like to see the talent evolve and I need to evolve. I really wasn’t a character on RAW. It was ‘here we have our second- and third-generation superstars.’ Now, fans will have the opportunity to see who Cody Rhodes is.”

Legacy: “The point was to introduce us, as The Legacy, the same as when Randy Orton and Batista were brought in with Evolution. I don’t think it’d be totally bizarre if three, five or seven years down the road from now, you saw a Wrestlemania match with me and on the other side, Ted DiBiase.”

– Cody Rhodes donned a jacket while making his ring entrance for his match against Chris Masters, with “Uncommon” written. He then cut a heel promo and asked ring announcer Tony Chimel to introduce him as “The Uncommon” Cody Rhodes.

– Brett DiBiase (knee) had surgery on Monday in Alabama with Dr. James Andrews, reports f4wonline.com. The damage to his knee wasn’t as bad as originally thought and he will likely make a full recovery. Before the injury, DiBiase was scheduled to be called up to the RAW roster with his brother Ted.

TNA

– Hulk Hogan had a big medical scare this week after doctors thought they found an abnormality with his heart. Hogan is set to undergo another back surgery in the coming weeks and has been going through the usual battery of pre-op medical tests to insure he’s healthy enough to go under the knife. According to TMZ, doctors discovered a problem with his Electrocardiography (EKG), which monitors a patient’s heart function. Sources close to Hulk tell TMZ.com that Hogan was sent to a cardiovascular specialist in Florida for further testing. After another extensive round of medical tests, doctors were able to medically clear Hulk who was understandably “very worried” during the whole process. Hogan’s heart has been deemed healthy and he’s scheduled to undergo back surgery soon.

– On today’s episode of Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer said TNA will be making a lot of budget cutbacks this week. He described the situation as “not good” and things are “going to start happening soon.”

– In an interview with IGN.com, Madison Rayne discusses how it feels to hold the Knockouts title, working with Tara, prospective talent, whether she plays video games, how she entered the wrestling industry, and more. She was also asked whether she’s disappointed not being on Monday nights anymore.

“As long as we’re still getting our spot on national TV I think everyone in the company’s got something to be proud of. But personally I think it’s a good move to go back to Thursdays. I don’t feel like we jumped back to Thursdays because we were “running scared” like a lot people have been saying. Or because we couldn’t keep up with the competitor. I don’t think it was that at all.

“Dixie Carter and the office at TNA talked to the fans and reached out to the people who were important and helped, over seven years, put us where we are. For the most part, wrestling fans are wrestling fans, so TNA being on Monday night was going to hurt both companies. Whereas if there’s a night for the other product – a separate night where TNA can shine – the wrestling fans are going to be happy because they’re going to get to see wrestling almost every night of the week now. I think it’s a good move.”

– There is heat on ODB over a comment she made online last month disparaging the Knockouts division. After watching the Apr. 12 episode of iMPACT!, she wrote on her Facebook account: “Just watched from my DVR the Knockouts match. Wow, WTF is happening to our division?” This was in reference to a teased ‘Leather & Lace’ match between Angelina Love and Velvet Sky. In another note, her contract expires later this year.

– TNA Knockout Tara (formerly Victoria in WWE) finished up with TNA at Sacrifice, losing to Madison Rayne at pay-per-view. Tara recently blogged that she was unable to come to terms with TNA regarding a new contract.

– TNA is teasing a babyface turn for Mr. Anderson following his match with Jeff Hardy at Sacrifice. Anderson put his hand out for a shake to Hardy but Hardy turned him down. Anderson cut a cocky promo before the match that was well received by the crowd, so there appears to be enough fan interest there to turn him face.

NFL

– Bucs’ TE Kellen Winslow (knee) was held out of start of Bucs OTAs Monday after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery. The date of the surgery is unknown, but it’s at least Winslow’s fifth on the knee in the last six years. While the procedure is described as a minor, routine “cleanup” to fix scar tissue, so many surgeries in such a small time period are certainly cause for concern. Winslow has had two knee operations since microfracture in 2007. K2 is still only 26 (he turns 27 in July), but playing at a high level through age 30 would be quite the accomplishment.

– Chiefs’ RB Jamaal Charles (shoulder) was sidelined for the start of Chiefs OTAs Monday after undergoing offseason shoulder surgery. It sounds like he had a routine scope after last season. The situation is one to watch, but figures to be past him by the start of training camp in late July. Thomas Jones ran with the first-team offense Monday. Charles was the Chiefs’ MVP in 2009, so he’s in no apparent danger of losing his starting job.

– The Redskins have signed DE Vonnie Holliday, formerly of the Broncos. Holliday is 34, but was one of the most productive per-snap 3-4 ends in the game last season. The more interesting aspect of this addition is that it could be a sign the ‘Skins are still trying to trade DE Albert Haynesworth. SI’s Ross Tucker is hearing that talks between the Vikings and Redskins are still alive.

NBA

– The NBA draft lottery will be held on Tuesday, May 18th at 6pm EST — the teams most likely to land the #1 pick are the Nets (25%), Timberwolves (19.9%), and Kings (15.6%). Following that group will be the Warriors (10.4%), Wizards (10.3%), 76ers (5.3%) and Pistons (5.3%). The Kings lost two more games than the Sixers this year, thereby improving their draft odds by 10.3%. It’s no surprise the worst teams are often accused of taking a dive late in the season

– CSNPhilly.com reports that one of the Nets, Clippers, Hornets, 76ers or Bulls has contacted Woodson to ask him to interview for the open job.

– The New Orleans Times-Picayune is reporting that the team is considering talking to one more person – a ninth candidate – before making the final decision on who will take the reins o this team and hopefully ride it to a championship. That man is rumored to be Doug Collins, who has coached the Bulls, Pistons and Wizards. The team has already interviewed Utah Jazz assistant coach Tyrone Corbin, former Dallas Mavericks coach Avery Johnson, former Minnesota Timberwolves and current Mavericks assistant Dwane Casey, former NBA coach Mike Fratello, Boston Celtics assistant Tom Thibodeau, former NBA player Mark Jackson, former New Jersey Nets coach Lawrence Frank, and Portland Trail Blazers assistant Monty Williams.

– The Hawks have reportedly asked the Mavericks on Saturday if it can talk to assistant coach Dwane Casey.

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TNA and WWE are going head-to-head on a Monday night for the first time in history. TNA’s new additions of Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff have promised big things, while WWE touts the return of Bret “The Hitman” Hart after a 12-year absence from pro wrestling. Will the world of pro wrestling change tonight?

TNA iMPACT!

I haven’t watched an episode of TNA since they came to Oshawa back when Christian Cage was in the final weeks of his contract. It’s been that long. I simply don’t have the time, patience, or health to watch TNA. I’ll do my rant after. Here’s the show.

Steel Asylum Match ends in DQ (DUD)

Already with the gimmicks. Why the hell is the cage red? Are they trying to make it as distracting as possible for the people watching? You know, I thought gray or metal/chain worked well. But wait, this is TNA, things are done differently. The match sucked and was less than a few minutes before Homicide started beating people with an office presentation pointer. That wouldn’t even hurt. But fear not, here comes Jeff Hardy, I haven’t seen him on any other major professional wrestling company before. After struggling to climb the cage, he sits there like he has nothing to do. What a waste.

Backstage

TNA constantly showing a limo headed to the iMPACT! Zone with a band of police motorcycles guarding it. Must be someone important. Wait, it’s Hulk Hogan? But he’s 56. Why the hell would he need a police escort?

Backstage

Kevin Nash w/ Christy Hemme. More Hogan teasing. Why does Nash answer pro wrestling interviews like he’s a professional athlete? And Hulk’s not coming alone you say? I wonder how many recently-released WWE stars he’s bringing with him!

ODB d. Tara to win the Knockouts Championship (1/4*)

Another short match that lasts just minutes. Prior to this, TNA had gone 75 minutes airing only one match, which didn’t even finish mind you. And that one was only minutes long too!

Backstage

Ric Flair arrives (never heard of him!) and heads to AJ Styles’ locker room and isn’t seen or heard from again until the end of the night. Good use of ‘Naitch.

In-Ring Segment

“The Boss” Bobby Lashley and his mouthpiece, Krystal Marshall. So many things wrong here. One, why is Krystal talking and not Lashley? Is he a mute? Second, Lashley isn’t a “boss.” Third, and most important, why is TNA hyping him as an undefeated MMA fighter when he’s only 4-0? And that’s not even with UFC. You’d think he ripped apart Brock Lesnar or something with the amount of hype. In any event, he’s done to continue his MMA career.

Backstage

Mick Foley unable to get into the building. I guess those two security guards weren’t paying attention to Foley’s on camera video two seconds ago. I’ve never seen an employee of a company unable to go to work.

Backstage

The Beautiful People playing strip poker. FINALLY! Too bad they stereotype blondes like nobody’s business and start playing some weird version of Go Fish and then call it Poker. Val Venis (who?) later joins. Why? I do not know. Venis got quite a bit of airtime last night. Why? I do not know.

Backstage

Scott Hall and X-Pac trying to get in. Scott Hall is enormous. Funny, I thought anybody who had once signed a WWE or WCW contract would be ashoo-in to at least get into the building, nevermind get a major push.

Hulkamania Runs Wild

Hogan appears with a remixed version of the nWo song. Didn’t see that coming. The 56-year-old waddles down to the ring and goes on a rant about how much change there’s going to be in TNA. He starts praising the young guys as well as the “leadership” backstage with all the older guys, which I assume means people formerly of WWE. Out come X-Pac and Scott Hall. Something tells me there’s going to be a reunion of sorts between Hogan and his band of out of shape and overweight friends from the ’90′s. Nash and Bischoff come out and don’t do much. Bischoff rips up the TNA schedule for tonight, which contains only two matches in two hours. Apparently Sting was watching from the rafters, which he really wasn’t.

Awesome Kong & Hamada d. Taylor Wilde & Sarita to win the Knockouts Tag Team Championships (*1/2)

Why are there tag team belts for the women’s division? TNA only has like 6 women, that’s two-thirds of them being champions. Half actually, if you include the Knockouts Championship.

Backstage

Foley gets in and the Nasty Boys don’t. Security sure is tight tonight.

Matt Morgan & Hernandez d. Raven and Dr. Stevie (DUD)

The match was about a minute long. I saw Dr. Stevie reviewing some computer stuff the other day. I guess his “doctor” monicker isn’t working out that well.

Backstage

D’Angelo Dinero w/ Christy Hemme. I guess Pope is a huge fan of John Morrison with those diamond-encrusted sunglasses that oddly resemble the same cross that Morrison has. But hold the phones, it’s Orlando Jordan! Thank God, I couldn’t wait any longer!

D’Angelo Dinero beat Desmond Wolfe (**)

It was alright.

Backstage

People are getting beaten up backstage, including the Motor City Machineguns, Rhino and Beer Money Inc.. Bubba the Love Sponge is using his detective work to find out who did it. “Seriously guys, are you OK?” Did he just say that? As if Chris Sabin is lying there and saying “Yeah, I was just tired and thought I’d crash on the floor. Don’t mind this ladder on top of me.” Idiot.

In-Ring Segment

More talking, this time from Jeff Jarrett. Hogan comes out and tells him to strap his boots on if he wants a job and that he has to prove himself. Alright.

Backstage

Foley looking for Hogan. Shouldn’t be hard, just trace the scent of Gold Bond Medicated Powder.

Samoa Joe d. Abyss (1/4*)

Another dandy. Kidding.

Backstage

Krystal w/ Bischoff. Snore.

Backstage

Jeff Hardy w/ Shannon Moore. Wow, Shannon Moore? TNA’s pulling out all the stops tonight! Stupid segment involving Hardy kissing underaged girls. I’m sure that would go great with his drug trafficking record.

Backstage

The Nasty Boys rip up Team 3D’s room. It’s like washed-up tag teams from different decades colliding!

AJ Styles d. Kurt Angle to retain World Heavyweight Championship (****1/4)

Finally, a solid match, although riddled by commercials. AJ scores the pinfall about seven seconds after returning from a commercial. Nicely done guys. So not ready for live TV. Hogan exclaims that these two are the best in the world. Questionable at best.

Backstage

Foley gets jumped by Hall and X-Pac. Whoop-dee-do.

Score: 1 (for AJ/Angle)

Three Stars of the Show:

* – AJ Styles
** – Kurt Angle
*** – Taylor Wilde

TNA dropped the ball. They showed a lack of class attacking WWE at every opportunity. Why the hell are they promoting Dixie Carter’s Twitter!? And why the hell are they touting that they’re the highest trending topic on Twitter!? WHO THE HELL CARES!? In a three-hour show, none of their matches exceed the five-minute mark with the exception of Styles/Angle. And they have the balls to say that the matches have a 20-minute time limit. Four would be plenty. In a night where TNA had the opportunity to show what they could do, they rammed their three hours of airtime with WWE has-beens and backstage segments, the majority of which featured the top-of-the-line TNA security, who wouldn’t let anybody in, even though they already worked for WWE prior to knocking on the door! Just an awful show. Three hours of my life that I’ll never get back. Once again, I’m on hiatus from TNA Wrestling, as the ole’ ticker can’t take it. We get it, you’re a wrestling show, quit talking about it! How can you go 75 minutes between matches? EIGHT MINUTES OF WRESTLING IN THE FIRST HOUR! I don’t get it. I give up.

WWE RAW

Opener

The moment we’ve all been waiting for, right off the bat. The Hitman returns! A great ovation, but nothing compared to what Canada would’ve done. Him returning was something I thought I’d never see, but being able to watch him return to WWE was a moment like no other. “Well, I guess hell froze over.” You said it, pal. He thanked the fans for remembering him over the years, never letting him become forgotten.

He calls out HBK, and the two talk about Survivor Series 1997. They hand shake. HBK teases a Sweet Chin Music, but turns and hugs Bret. WOW. I never thought, in a MILLION YEARS, that I’d see these two ever speak again, let alone shake and hug. What an EPIC moment in wrestling history. Definitely one of those “I can’t believe this is really happening” type of deals. I was literally cheering at this point like a kid watching John Cena, as two of my most respected wrestlers of all time buried a 12-year-old hatchet. Hart calls out Vince, but to no avail.

Maryse d. Bella w/ Bella (1/4*)

Not sure which one fought, although it doesn’t matter in the least. In the worst twin switch ever, they switched while the other one was down in the ring, Maryse kicked her and finished with her French Kiss DDT. Nicely done ladies. Not sure why they’re saying Maryse took a break when she was rehabbing her knee. After the match, The Miz hits on Maryse. That’d be a hot couple. He said maybe if she’d won the Divas title he’d ask her out again. Good promo by him talking about how great he’s going to be in the next decade.

MVP d. Mark Henry, Jack Swagger & Carlito (1/2*)

At one point Henry had Swagger on his shoulders in one of the worst looking torture racks ever because he was barely holding him and they had to wait way too long for MVP to kick Henry in the face to break it up. This US title division sucks – the guys are never used, and when they do, they job.

Backstage

Great segment between Bret Hart and Chris Jericho. The usual spiel with Jericho sucking up to him, talking about how close he was to the Hart family when he was training there. He asked Bret if he could ref the DX/Jericho show match and for Bret to screw Shawn as revenge for Montreal. Bret said no, then added that they always thought Jericho was a wimp for screaming louder than anybody else in the Dungeon. Crowd popped at that. Y2J again owned by the host.

Backstage

DX promo w/ Hornswoggle. Great line with HBK walking in on HHH talking to Horny and asked him why he talks to him like a small child. “He’s got a beard!” HHH has trained Horny to attack Y2J, and here comes Santino dressed as Jericho. Absolutely hilarious! Santino had the Donald Trump wig on, plus he screwed up all of Jericho’s lines before getting jumped by the midget.

DX d. JeriShow to retain Unified Tag Team Championships (***)

Good match. In a rare move, Hunter was the babyface in peril for the majority of the match while Shawn was on the one that got the hot tag. Jericho doing the Hogan ear cup during the match was tremendous. I laughed at that one. See, it’s the little things that make somebody like Jericho better than almost everybody else. Jericho had the Walls on HHH (no torn quad!), so HBK superkicked him and Hunter pinned for the win. Then Jericho did the walk of shame out of Raw forever…just like a month ago.

Backstage

RKO w/ VKM. Vince actually referenced the fact that Orton kicked him and his family in the head. Orton wanted to attack Bret in return for #30 in the Rumble, but the old guy said no. Orton was pissed. He then went up to Legacy who told him they’ll watch his match later in the night and if he loses he’s out of Legacy (same as Orton did to them last week).

Sheamus d. Evan Bourne (1/2*)

Bourne started on fire, but reality set in.

Randy Orton d. Kofi Kingston (**)

The crowd didn’t have much interest, and with Legacy about to split, there was no way Kofi was winning. The clean pin likely means this feud is over.

In-Ring Segment

VKM and Hart. Bret takes off his jacket, ready to fight. It’s the first time I’ve seen him with a gut. They shared some memories with Vince talking about WM2 where he says he noticed Bret would be a star in that match. He also said they’d induct Bret’s dad Stu into the WWE Hall of Fame this year. Vince then thanked him for being “the best there is, the best there was and the best there ever will be (except for HHH. He didn’t say that, but he sure as hell was thinking it).” They shook hands, posed to all four corners and then Vince kicked him in the stomach/groin with Bret going down to end the show. Vince walked out not saying a word the announcers shut up to let the images do the talking.

Score: 6.5

Three Stars of the Show:

* – Bret Hart
** – Shawn Michaels
*** – Chris Jericho

Did it live up to the hype? Yes and no. The Bret/Shawn stuff was pretty special to me. As a huge fan of both guys, that was pretty surreal to watch. Memories of the 1990s came flooding in, which was great. How real were these apologies though? Is everything buried or is there hidden resentment? Who knows. Match-wise it was fine with RKO/Kingston being decent while DX/Jerishow was solid like usual. This show had more actual in-ring action than the last few Raw’s, which is good. These matches need more airtime, though. I’m glad this show happened for Bret’s sake, though. It was great seeing him get that pop and to be able to speak from his heart. Can’t wait for the Road to WrestleMania.

VoV

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

MLB

– The Red Sox are rumoured to have a contract in the works for OF Matt Holliday. The team has tabled a four-year/$60M offer to OF Jason Bay, but if he walks, all of that money (and more) will head Holliday’s way. The BoSox will likely get one of the two. Stay tuned.

– According to Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe, Red Sox C Jason Varitek has exercised his $3M player option to remain with the Red Sox in 2010. After much deliberation, Varitek has decided to stay in Boston. With a .209/.313/.390 line, including a .157/.250/.239 showing after the All-Star break, it would have been tough for him to find a better deal on the open market. He’s now one of the highest paid backup catchers around.

– Twins C Joe Mauer downplayed a report from the St. Paul Pioneer Press that he and the Twins have begun talks on a contract extension. “Nothing new to report. I’ve gotten a chance to start thinking about those things, but we really haven’t started [negotiating with the Twins].” The Twins are expected to push for a contract extension this winter before he enters his free agency year. The 26-year-old catcher was awarded with his second Gold Glove award on Tuesday and should be named the American League MVP later this month.

– Rumour has it that Scott Boras is comparing OF Johnny Damon to Yankees SS Derek Jeter, according to the New York Post, and wants Damon a three or four-year deal for more than the $13M per year he just made with the team for the last four years. The Yankees have already said that a one or two-year deal will be the maximum, but with nowhere near that amount of money. The two will split this winter.

– Jim Riggleman will be named manager of the Nationals, according to Fox Sports’ Jim Bowden. Riggleman beat out Bobby Valentine for the position. Riggleman led the Nationals to a 33-42 record in 2009 as an interim manager. He appeared to be the favorite of GM Mike Rizzo from the outset.

– Former 3B Matt Williams has signed with the D’Backs as their first base coach. A five-time All-Star third baseman, the 43-year-old Williams will make his big league coaching debut. He played for the club from 1998-2003 and recently completed his fifth season as a team broadcaster.

NBA

– Cavaliers F LeBron James said before the Cavs’ game against Orlando that all the talk is “getting old.”

“This free agent talk is getting old. It’s getting old and I think I’m going to stop. Tonight will be the last time I answer any more free agent questions until the offseason. I think I owe it to myself, and I owe it to my teammates. It’s just getting old. I’m focusing on this season, and this is going to be a really good season for us. I don’t want anymore distractions for my teammates, for my organization, for my family. This will be the last time I answer a free agent question for the rest of the year.”

James can opt-out of his contract at the end of this season and become a free agent. Stay tuned.

– When asked if he had a target date for Lakers F Pau Gasol’s return from a hamstring injury on Wednesday, Phil Jackson said, “No. We’re starting to look toward Christmas, though. Some time out there.” Jackson could be exaggerating somewhat, but perhaps more realistic report comes from Kevin Ding of the Orange County Register, who writes that Gasol won’t play on Thursday or Friday, and may not appear in any of the five Lakers games that follow over the two weeks after that.

– The Wizards have signed G Earl Boykins and waived F Paul Davis.

NHL

– According to Forbes, for the fourth straight year, the Leafs are the NHL’s most valuable team, according to Forbes magazine’s annual survey. The Leafs are worth $470M, an increase of 5% over last year. They easily are worth more than the next franchise, the Rangers at $416M, up just 1%. The original six franchises are in the top seven, with only the Flyers at No. 5 breaking that monopoly. The Canadiens are third ($339M), followed by the Red Wings ($337M), Flyers ($273M), Bruins ($271M) and Blackhawks ($258M).

The Blackhawks had the biggest rise in value, up 26%, followed by the Capitals at 15% to $183M. The Stanley Cup champion Penguins rank 11th at $222M.

Not surprisingly, the Coyotes, with all their ownership issues, have the lowest worth, $138M. And 14 teams—nearly half the league—went down in value, ranging from the Avalance decreasing by 11% to the Flyers falling 1%.

Toronto has, by far, the most operating income, $78.9M. Second in operating income are the Habs at $31.3M. The Leafs are tops in revenues, too, at $168M, followed by the Rangers at $139M.

The average value of the 30 teams is $223M, a slight increase over the $220M of 2008.

– The Coyotes will apparently send GM Don Maloney to San Antonio this Friday to watch D Chris Chelios play with his current team, the Chicago Wolves. Chelios, 47, would love to return to the NHL. Maloney said, “He’s there, he’s savvy and he’s in great shape. (But) I don’t know. The pace of the NHL game is so quick.” No conversations have apparently taken place between Chelios and the Coyotes as of yet.

– The Hurricanes have placed G Cam Ward (leg) on the IR. He’s out about four weeks.

– The Avalanche have placed D John-Michael Liles (shoulder) on the IR.

– The Red Wings have claimed F Drew Miller off waivers from the Lightning.

TNA

– As reported here earlier, reigning TNA Women’s Knockout Champion ODB recently inked a multi-year deal with the organization. Her contract renewal with the organization actually came as a surprise to friends as she had been discussing jumping to WWE when her previous contract expired in mid-November. She had been telling people the past two months that she didn’t think management even realized her contract was coming due because no one had mentioned it to her.

NHL

– Flyers F Simon Gagne (hernia/abdominals) is scheduled to undergo surgery Tuesday and will be out six-to-eight weeks. Gagne has two hernias, but he initially looked into ways he might be able to play through the injury. Gagne has been forced to miss a significant amount of time in two of his last three seasons.

– Speaking of the Flyers, they are again scouting F Peter Forsberg for a possible NHL return. The team is sending a scout to Europe, where he will join scouts from the Avalanche, Canadiens and Capitals. Stay tuned.

– Senators owner Eugene Melnyk has filed a grievance against Sharks F Dany Heatley over his $4M bonus. Heatley received a $4M bonus this season as part of his contract, but even before the bonus was paid, Heatley demanded that the Senators trade him. Ottawa tried to put together a trade before they were due to pay the bonus and they did manage to negotiate a trade with Edmonton before the deadline. However, Heatley didn’t want to play for the Oilers either, and he exercised his no-trade clause to prevent the deal. As a result, Ottawa was responsible for Heatley’s $4M bonus. The Senators were finally able to trade Heatley to San Jose before the start of the season, but Melnyk was furious about having to pay Heatley the bonus.

– Capitals F Alex Ovechkin (upper body) is week-to-week.

– Ducks D James Wisniewski has been suspended for two games by the NHL for punching Coyotes F Shane Doan during Anaheim’s 3-2 shootout loss to Phoenix on October 31. Doan will be eligible to return to the Ducks in time for their rematch against the Coyotes on Saturday.

NBA

– Grizzlies F Rudy Gay will not sign a contract extension with the Grizzlies yet. Negotiations have broken off and it’s highly likely that Gay will become an RFA next summer. Austin said, “We’ve agreed to not agree. It will not happen. We looked at different ways we might try to get something done and we weren’t able to agree.” Gay is now playing for a contract.

– Lakers F Pau Gasol (torn hamstring) is out indefinitely.

– Nets G Devin Harris (hamstring) is out indefinitely.

MLB

– According to MLB.com, the Rangers are entertaining the possibility of bringing back OF Milton Bradley. Bradley was with the team in 2008 when he had a .321 average and led the American League in OPS. He’s got two more years and about $20M left on his deal with the Cubs but they want to unload Bradley. Stay tuned.

– SI reports that the Braves are now in on 21-year-old LHP Aroldis Chapman. They join the Orioles, Red Sox, White Sox, Cubs, Tigers, Mariners, Yankees, Athletics, Giants and Cardinals.

TNA

– Sting is not expected to return to TNA action soon. Word going around is that he won’t return until several months into 2010.

– TNA President Dixie Carter announced via her twitter account that Knockouts champion ODB has signed a “new multiyear deal” with the promotion.

UFC

– Paul Heyman has written a blog detailing the recent health issues of UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar, who had to pull out of a title defense later this month due to illness.

“It was about three and a half weeks ago, when I was on the phone with Brock, and he sounded just so tired. I asked him if this training camp was harder than the others. He shocked me with his answer. ‘I’m just exhausted,’ he admitted, ‘I train, I come home, and I crash. I’m going to take a day or two off and just try to shake this thing.’ That was hint number one. Something was wrong.

“About a week later, Brock told me he was behind in his training camp. ‘I’m still going to beat Shane Carwin’s ass,” Brock said ‘then let’s go ice fishing or something. Whatever I have, it’s throwing me off my game.’??Uh oh. Hint number two. NOTHING throws Brock Lesnar off his game. Not injury, as I’ve seen him work through those. Not personal turmoil. I’ve seen his home life get turned upside down. He works through that as well.”

Heyman says Brock Lesnar has a great responsibility to compete at the highest level and simply cannot fight without proper training.

“He really had no choice. He’s worked so hard, for so long, to find his passion in life. And now that he’s found it, he’s not going to half-ass a fight, whether Shane Carwin is the man to take the title from Brock, or whether Brock could whip Shane Carwin’s ass even if he’s battling pneumonia, swine flu, diarrhea, gonorrhea, syphilis, and sickle cell. The point is that Brock Lesnar could not train properly for a fight that would most likely be purchased by upwards of 1,000,000 people. More people are expected to pay to see Brock Lesnar vs Shane Carwin on pay per view than this year’s WWE Wrestlemania. Just think about the responsibility of being that main event fighter.”

Heyman rejects any claims that Lesnar is full of himself and reveals that the champ passed on what could have been an epic movie role.

“As for being spoiled by success, that’s LOL-funny. Brock has turned down movie roles, including an easy generous payday to do a fight scene with Dwayne “Don’t Call Me Rock” Johnson. He’s not looking for prime time exposure except when he steps into the Octagon and defends his title.”

WWE

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

Ric Flair: “Ric Flair called me Saturday as I was pulling into Owen Field in Norman about two hours before the Sooner game. Ric is staying very busy and the state lottery, promotional endorsement that he’s doing may be growing to other states outside the old, Mid Atlantic Territory area. Ric told me he was working out twice a day, when he could, in preparation for the upcoming Australian tour on which he’s booked. After talking to ‘Naitch’ it’s obvious to me that he still has the passion and the fire to perform inside a wrestling ring which should come really as no shock or surprise and I don’t think that his passion to perform will ever wane. Mother Nature might cause Ric more ‘female problems’ but Ric’s will to compete and perform can’t be deterred.”

Steve Austin: “Steve Austin called me Sunday afternoon during the Packers-Vikings game and most of our discussion centered on football and how I was doing battling my ‘little friend’ Bells palsy #3. Steve is preparing to head up to Vancouver to film another action/adventure movie that is going to be largely done outdoors in the beautiful terrain of Vancouver, British Columbia. The Texas Rattlesnake expects to encounter plenty of ‘weather’ including ample rain which apparently is what they want for the film to have the organic grittiness to fit the script. I don’t know the release date but one can assume some time in 2010 nor do I know the title. I obviously don’t know much but as I said we talked football and not work.”

– The on-again off-again feud between Hulk Hogan and ex-wife Linda appears to be on again due to Hulk described Linda as an “abusive alcoholic” in his new book, “My Life Outside the Ring.”

“As far as what he has said about Linda, it’s not accurate about her being involved with heavy alcohol and being abusive, and trying to hit Nick with a wine bottle? Absolutely false,” attorney Ray Rafool stated. “It’s disappointing and it is irritating. We disagree and wish he would have stuck to the facts instead of sensationalism to sell his book. It does reheat a lot of stuff, but it makes her feel all the more happy that she’s divorced and away from him. He’s Jennifer’s problem now.”

“You can now understand the fear that Linda had when she was going through the divorce because she knows his personality, heard these rumors, knew what he was doing, and that’s the reason why she was so concerned. We’re thankful that at this point, he has straightened his life out,” Rafool said.

A rep for Hulk says that he “stands by what is written in the book.”

NFL

– 49ers LT Joe Staley (MCL, PCL) is out six weeks.

VoV

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

-– Become a fan of VoV on Facebook by clicking here.

WWE

– The story going around the WWE locker room regarding Jeff Hardy’s explanation for his legal troubles is that he was arrested when police conducted a raid after a package was sent to his residence that had been flagged before it was delivered. Hardy brought the package inside his home and law enforcement were on the scene to conduct the raid. As the story goes, Hardy was unaware of the package’s contents, which was sent to him by an individual outside of North Carolina who had expressed interest in doing business with him.

The former WWE Superstar is said to be in much better spirits nowadays than he initially was following last month’s arrest. He has told those close to him that he hired a top notch attorney. He also went from asking friends to pray for him (because he feared jail time) to believing he will face minimal punishment. Hardy is scheduled to return to court next month.

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

Shane’s Departure From WWE: “No website has any definitive news on why Shane McMahon resigned from his family’s company, WWE, on Friday. Perhaps more news sites will elaborate on this matter come Monday as Friday is always the best day to drop big news as sometimes it gets somewhat lost on the weekend. Nonetheless no one knows why Shane seemingly abruptly decided to leave the family business and I don’t feel that any one will know the reason until he declares what his next venture will be. Shane has a great formal education not to mention years of “on the job” training since starting out on the ring crew as a teen during the summers. I know Shane has many interests and who’s to say that he simply wants to reassess where he is in his life and spend more time with his family which includes two sons? Until Shane himself makes an official statement as to what he is going to tee up next, then every thing any one can read, report or write about is pure speculation. Shane has excellent people skills and a unique skill set in a one of a kind genre that employs basic promotional and organization skills that should be transferable to many businesses.”

Wrestlers Leaving The Industry: I have always found it amazing when fans cannot understand when someone who is seemingly entrenched in the wrestling business decides to explore other opportunities. Both the Rock and Stone Cold have been dissed because they no longer have the desire to “wrestle” but have both said that they would be interested in making selected appearances at the right place and the right time. For some fans that isn’t good enough. I admire “wrestlers” or “wrestling people” who want to explore other opportunities. Life cannot become one dimensional and one cannot allow their own lives to revolve around one, singular entity. That mindset isn’t healthy or smart. Unless one is in a very unique position, IE ownership, and that’s arguable, one should not allow the wrestling biz or any other biz to become their “life.” Those that due usually end up miserable and make those around them unhappy as well. I have great empathy for ex-wrestlers who have to or feel compelled to to hang on to whatever they can within the wrestling business under the guise of “loving the business” while it’s really all about not having any marketable skills to replace their income. This is just one of the reasons that I always encourage young wrestlers to be to get college degrees so that they will have something to fall back on in case becoming a wrestling star doesn’t’ work out….and it usually doesn’t. If 2-3 out of 100 prospect become legit, main event level wrestling stars then a company should feel fortunate.

Flair Wrestling Again: Speaking of “Naitch” he called me Saturday morning early to wish me good luck at the Red River Shootout at the Cotton Bowl which was a classy gesture. He’s excited to be going to Australia to wrestle but Flair vs. Hogan isn’t what I would book as it would be Flair and Hogan together against two, younger athletic guys. Ric going down under to make a big payday doesn’t bother me at all nor do I think it bothers HBK who a fan recently asked about in our Q&A section of this site.

– Regarding Beth Phoenix’ move to SmackDown! last week as a result of the multi-brand Diva trade, the feeling was she needed a fresh start after losing momentum the past few months on Raw. There has also been talk of pairing “The Glamazon” with Dolph Ziggler.

– The Bella Twins were moved back to Raw because Vince McMahon was said to have “fallen in love with them” following their guest host skits on the company’s flagship program several weeks back. They are expected to be featured in guest host segments on a regular basis now.

– Triple H and Shawn Michaels are said to be allies of young superstar Drew McIntyre and are partilly responsible for his strong push on SmackDown!. They feel he has the potential to be the next major star and a talent the company can build around in the future, according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Many see the similarities between McIntyre and a younger Triple H, with the height, body build, hair and the same ability. The strong push for McIntyre has upset talent backstage, as some wrestlers have been around for several years and were promised a push if they performed better The general feeling backstage on the Raw brand is that if you do not have the support of Triple H, Shawn Michaels, John Cena or Randy Orton, then your upward mobility on the card is limited.

– The word going around WWE is that former WCW World Heavyweight Champion David Arquette is rumoured to host next week’s episode of Monday Night Raw.

– South Park is creating a WWE-themed episode. The preview looks amazing. Stay tuned.

NBA

– According to the Contra Costa Times, Warriors F Stephen Jackson is no longer requesting a trade. “Sometimes I might say some things that people don’t expect because it was on my mind. But I know what’s right and wrong. I know what I need to do to continue to build my reputation in this league as a player and as a man. By keeping my composure, it’s going to help me and not take away from me being a great basketball player.” Wow.

MLB

– According to the Boston Globe, the Red Sox are set to begin negotiations to try and acquire Padres 1B Adrian Gonzalez via trade this offseason. Gonzo will make $4.75M next year and the Padres have a $5.5M option for 2011. The 27-year-old his 40 homers and 99 RBIs this past season, led the majors in walks, and had a .407 OBP.

– C Kenji Johjima announced Monday that he’s opting out of the final two seasons of his contract with the Mariners to resume his career in Japan. Johjima came to an undisclosed buyout agreement with the Mariners after being told that he’d likely be a backup in 2010. Seattle will be off the hook for the final two years and $16M on the poorly-advised extension that Johjima received from former GM Bill Bavasi. A steal for Kenji, as he’s 33 years old and hit just .235/.284/.361 over the past two seasons.

– The Boston Globe is reporting that Mike Hargrove is looking to manage the Tribe next season. Hargrove managed the Indians from 1991 to 1999 and took the team to the postseason five years in a row, losing the World Series twice (to the Braves in 1995 and the Marlins in 1997). He went on to manage the Orioles and Mariners. The Cleveland Plain Dealer is saying that he hasn’t even been interviewed for the job and that the team is at the point of cutting its list of candidates down to five. Former Nationals coach Manny Acta is believed to be one of those five as well as former Mets manager Bobby Valentine. Others interviewed have been Travis Fryman (manager of Indians’ single-A affiliate) and Torey Lovullo (Indians’ triple-A manager).

NHL

– Bruins F Milan Lucic (broken finger) will miss four-to-six weeks. Lucic underwent surgery on his broken finger Sunday. The Bruins already placed him on the long-term IR, meaning he won’t be eligible to play until November 10 at the earliest. It looks like he won’t be ready to return to the Bruins lineup until mid-to-late November.

– According to the Toronto Sun, Quebec City is apparently planning on building a brand new arena and it has got NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly all excited. The rumor is that Quebec has moved itself up to the top of the list for cities that could take on an NHL club. Las Vegas and Kansas City are also apparently on the list but the Sun reports that Daly told competitor the Toronto Star on Oct. 11 that “the league favors Canadian cities that have supported NHL franchises in the past.” For those unaware, the Avalanche were formerly the Quebec Nordiques. If they come back, bring back the Winnipeg Jets too!

– The Bruins have traded F Chuck Kobasew was traded to the Wild on Sunday night for F Craig Weller, the rights to prospect F Alexander Fallstrom and a second round pick in 2011 draft. Kobasew has recorded one assist, two penalty minutes and a minus-1 rating in seven games with the Boston Bruins so far this campaign.

TNA

– Rumours were circulating last week saying ODB was either finished with TNA or that she was finishing up with the organization in the near future. Those rumors are false as the reigning TNA Women’s Knockout Champion’s Facebook account was hacked last week with a person posing as her making false statements.

VoV

– Here are the TNA Hard Justice results: Christopher Daniels d. Suicide, Chris Sabin, Amazing Red, Alex Shelley, Jay Lethal and Consequences Creed in a Steel Asylum Match; Abyss d. Jethro Holliday in a Bounty Match; Hernandez d. Big Rob for the TNA Championship briefcase; The British Invasion d. Beer Money Inc. to retain the IWGP Tag Team Championships; ODB (and Cody Deaner) d. Angelina Love (and Velvey Sky) to win the Knockouts Championship; Samoa Joe d. Homicide to win the X-Division Championship; Booker T & Scott Steiner d. Team 3D to retain the Tag Team Championships; Kevin Nash d. Mick Foley to win the Legends Championship; Kurt Angle d. Sting and Matt Morgan to retain the World Heavyweight Championship.

PGA

– Y.E. Yang carded a final round par-2/70 and won the PGA Championship by three-strokes over Tiger Woods. Shocking. Yang briefly tied Woods after the 4th hole, and they again tied at the 8th hole when Woods bogeyed. On the back nine, Woods was able to go a stroke up with a short birdie-putt at 11, but Woods gave the stroke back on the next hole. The turning point of the match was the 14th, where Yang’s tee shot on the drivable par-4 was just short of the green and he proceeded to hole-out for an eagle to go up one-stroke on Woods. Yang was still up by a stroke going into the final hole and an 8-foot birdie-putt gave him his final margin of victory. The win is the second for Yang this season on the Tour, but it is his first major championship and he has become the first Asian player to ever accomplish the feat. More importantly, Tiger loses his first ever tournament when leading after three rounds. Wow.

OLYMPICS

– Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt ran 100 meters in 9.58 seconds Sunday at world championships, turning his showdown against Tyson Gay into a rout and putting to rest the questions that went unanswered last time he set the record – at his showboating Olympic run of 9.69 seconds. It was the biggest change in the record since electronic time was introduced in 1968. It came very close to the 9.55-second time that an American professor said Bolt would have run in Beijing had he run all out in the Olympic 100 finals. Bolt blew away his own world record by .11 seconds on the one-year anniversary of the last world record. Gay, meanwhile, set the American record by finishing in 9.71, a time that would have been a world record 12 months and one day ago, but was an afterthought instead.

NHL

– Blackhawks F Patrick Kane is expected to make a statement regarding his recent arrest and the second-degree robbery, fourth-degree criminal mischief, and theft of services charges he now faces. Kane has not spoken publicly since he and his cousin allegedly broke a cabdriver’s glasses, ripped his clothes, and repeatedly hit the cabdriver when he couldn’t provide them with correct change for a $15.00 on a $13.80 fare. He has put in a plea of not guilty, though, and his lawyer has spoken for him, saying Kane did not steal from or assault the cabdriver. A grand jury heard the Kanes’ case on Thursday and will decide next week whether to dismiss the charges, downgrade them, or proceed with the charges as they currently stand. Stay tuned.

– The Rangers have signed F Vaclav Prospal to a one-year/$1.1M deal. The 34-year old Czech Republic native became a free agent earlier in the summer when the Lightning bought out the final three years of a four-year/$14M contract.  He had 19 goals and 26 assists in 82 games for the Bolts last season. The move will reunite Prospal with John Tortorella who Prospal coached Prospal in two separate stints with Tampa Bay.

NBA

– According to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Heat G Dwyane Wade said in a recent interview, regarding his eventual free agency, “The plan has always been to stay with the Heat, and that’s still the plan.” The Heat can offer Wade about $30M more than any other team. He also said, “I want to be one of those players that stays with one franchise for his entire career.” Great news for Heat fans, but anything can happen once the 2010 free agent frenzy gets underway. Stay tuned.

– The Timberwolves are reportedly still tyring to facilitate G Ricky Rubio’s buyout, and Rubio has $600K in endorsements lined up if he plays for Minnesota next season. According to the Pioneer Press, Rubio’s $6.6M buyout is “expected to be negotiated down” to about $3.3M, which he would be able to repay over several years. This is some of the most promising information that’s surfaced in some time, giving renewed hope that we’ll see Rubio in a ‘Wolves uni next season.

NFL

– In an interview with 60 Minutes, Eagles QB Michael Vick said he cried in prison because of the guilt he felt about being involved in dogfighting, and was disgusted with himself for allowing it to happen. Vick said the day he walked into prison he realized “the magnitude of the decisions that I made. And, you know, it’s no way of, you know, explaining, you know, the hurt and the guilt that I felt. And that was the reason I cried so many nights. And that put it all into perspective.” Crybaby…

MLB

– Mets 3B David Wright (concussion) was released from the hospital and put on the DL Sunday, one day after he was hit square on the helmet by a 94 mph fastball from Giants RHP Matt Cain. Depending on how further tests come out, Wright could be out the remainder of the season.  Wright was examined by a neurologist Saturday night and again Sunday morning before being sent home. Wright still had a headache and was experiencing “post-concussion symptoms”. Wright tried to talk GM Omar Minaya into letting him try and play, but the Mets finally decided to be correctly cautious and sit him down, as they’ve been hit with a rash of injuries. While Wright could potentially miss the rest of the season, Minaya stressed that the move for now is for the minimum 15 days, and after rest and recuperation, Wright will be reevaluated. Don’t be surprised if the Mets hold him out until next season, as they’re a ways-away from the NL East lead.

– During the 10-3 defeat at the hands of the Mariners, Yankees legendary SS Derek Jeter went 3-for-4 with an RBI to pass Luis Aparicio for the most hits all-time for a shortstop (2,675). “It was kind of hard to believe. That’s why I was surprised when (a writer) told me yesterday. I just try to be consistent year in and year out, and I think if you’re consistent, then good things happen. It’s kind of hard to believe to say the least. I think I have a few more hits left in me. Hopefully, I have a few more years left playing shortstop.”

– The Rangers have placed C Jarrod Saltalamacchia (arm) on the 15-day DL.

– The Pirates have placed RHP Jose Ascanio (shoulder tendinitis) on the 15-day DL.

NHL

– The Captain is back with the New York Rangers. F Mark Messier, who in 1994 led the Rangers to their first Stanley Cup title in 54 years, is returning to the club as a special assistant to GM Glen Sather, the club said Sunday. Messier, a six-time Cup champion as a player, has expressed interest in recent years about his desire to eventually run a team as GM. This could be the first step in the process that might lead Messier replacing Sather when the current GM’s tenure with the Rangers is over.

WWE

– Jim Ross has updated his blog on www.jrsbarbq.com. The highlights:

Kurt Angle’s arrest: “I hope that he can recover from this matter and regroup. If regrouping requires Kurt to leave pro wrestling and moving to other endeavors such as acting full-time then so be it. Perhaps the former Olympic Gold Medal winning Freestyle Wrestler in the ’96 Games in Atlanta puts too much physical pressure on himself in an athletic setting and may be more relaxed and happier if movies were his focus is not being a ‘jock.’”

Regarding the Raw guest hosts: “More suggestions for Raw Guest Host ops: Gene Simmons, Dog the Bounty Hunter along with Dog’s wife Beth, Jane Velez-Mitchell on a couple of double espresso’s, no one named “Jackson,” (on second thought, Jesse Jackson might be intriguing especially when he did the obligatory opening show promo), Larry King who could orchestrate a Divas in Suspenders bout, and Memphis Mayoral Candidate Jerry Lawler which is merely a cheap plug on this site for any one who may live in Memphis who I hope votes for Jerry for Mayor. I can assure you that Lawler running for Mayor is NOT a publicity stunt. My old broadcast partner is deal serious. Funny, too, as we rarely talked politics when we traveled together as we both dislike professional politicos who like to hide behind the “public servant” moniker.”

On Michael Vick returning to the NFL: “Yes, I do agree that Michael Vick has earned a second chance. It’s now up to Vick to make the most of his opportunity to play football for a living. It comes down to making sound, personal decisions and not hanging with bottom feeders and people with dubious character. Vick needs to surround himself with people like Tony Dungy, allow his Faith to evolve, and put God and Family first. The Good Lord blessed Vick with amazing gifts of which Michael Vick should count his blessings every day…just like the rest of us.”

– There were some Internet reports online saying Nick Dinsmore, a.k.a. Eugene, would be heading to Tampa to work as trainer in developmental despite his release from the company this past Friday. However, The Sun has confirmed that Dinsmore was fully released from his WWE contract.

TNA

– Bobby Lashley is set to make his in-ring debut on September 20 at No Surrender.